After a pleasant meal, I leaned back on the sofa and closed my eyes to rest, enjoying the attentive massage service that Wakamo insisted on giving me, which I had failed to refuse.
Saori stayed to the side, fully focused on studying the instructions for the cosmetics. From her expression alone, I could tell that I had chosen the gift correctly.
For this, I had to thank Wakamo, who was observant and perceptive enough to notice that Saori seemed to have a strong interest in this area and passed that information on to me.
Or rather, whenever it came to matters related to me, Wakamo was always especially attentive.
Just like now.
"Dear, may I ask if you have fieldwork again tomorrow?" the fox-eared girl asked softly by my ear, her words carrying a hint of concern. "Your muscles are very tense. For the future of Kivotos, please be sure to take good care of your health and do not overwork yourself."
That little mouth sure knew how to be sweet.
Clearly, Wakamo had once again seen the schedule I had written on the office whiteboard and calendar, and noticing that I looked somewhat fatigued, she said this.
I smiled and said, "It's fine. I was just entrusted to serve as an advisor for a club at Trinity. I am only going over tomorrow to meet the club members."
Just as Nagisa had explained before, Trinity is an old, prestigious school with a long history and deep traditions. As the result of multiple schools setting aside their differences and uniting after the First Council, the campus still contains numerous factions, along with a wide variety of decision-making and executive bodies.
One of the major drawbacks caused by this situation is that certain procedures are so cumbersome as to be infuriating, with extremely low efficiency.
The establishment of the Make-Up Work Club is a perfect example.
Even with Schale's authority that transcends conventional legality, and with the Filius faction and the Pater faction backing Nagisa and Mika pushing things forward with all their might, and with other factions at least offering considerable support on the surface, it still took a full week to smoothly complete the relevant procedures.
Of course, this also had much to do with the fact that Trinity's recent focus had been placed on matters related to the Eden Treaty.
In short, the Make-Up Work Club was about to be officially established, and my work helping Trinity's problem students with supplementary lessons was about to formally begin.
Already brimming with curiosity, I had arranged to meet Hifumi tomorrow morning, planning to go together and see just what kind of hidden prodigies the other three students were, to have ended up in such a predicament.
A few days ago, when I was gathering with the After-School Sweets Club, I had casually asked them about the exam situation.
To my surprise, the two people whose grades I believed were not particularly good had achieved excellent results far above the passing line in the last school-wide exam. As for Koharu and Airi, there was no need to even mention them.
Taking the opportunity while explaining incorrect answers, I roughly looked through Trinity's unified exam paper and quickly understood the situation.
Looking deeper into why these two seemed to have made such rapid academic progress, aside from the fact that they really had been studying diligently during that period, the more important reason was that…
This exam paper was simply far too easy.
Although the importance of this exam was extremely high, perhaps precisely because of that, it tested almost entirely very basic knowledge points.
In theory, students who could get into Trinity, as long as they attended classes properly, even an idiot would not fail.
This made this year's students seem especially full of hidden talents.
Aside from Hifumi, who had directly missed the exam by remembering the date wrong, Trinity actually had as many as three failing students. Could it be that they were all in the same situation as Hifumi?
"Urawa Hanako, Shimoe Koharu, Shirasu Azusa…" I read out the member names on the list and sighed. "I hope they are not too difficult to get along with."
"Would you like me to gather information on them for you?" Wakamo asked considerately.
I shook my head. "No, there is no need. It is just an ordinary commission. I would like to keep a bit of anticipation."
So for now, I only knew the names of these three students.
Though, to be fair, the Tea Party had not provided much information to begin with.
"Sensei."
Hearing Saori call out to me, I opened my eyes and met her gaze. "What is it?"
As if hesitating, Saori set the cosmetics aside and pondered for quite some time before finally forcing out a sentence. "Do you… need a personal bodyguard?"
I immediately understood.
It must be that after receiving my gift, Saori had uncontrollably developed goodwill and gratitude toward me, yet due to her somewhat cold and mysterious personality, she did not know how to express it, how to repay it, or how to get closer to me, and so she asked such a question.
From this, it could be seen that the day when Saori, who had come to my side as a spy, would fully give her loyalty, might not be far off.
Thinking this, I could not help but laugh. "Hahaha, did I not say it already? It is just a normal little commission. Besides, the entire thing will take place within Trinity's campus, there will not be any danger. Thank you for your kindness."
Saori fell silent for a moment, then lowered her head and said in a deep voice, "Sorry, I spoke out of turn."
Noticing the disappointment hidden in her expression, I inwardly cried out that this was bad.
Damn it. It seemed my rejection had made Saori think that I was still guarding against her, or that she felt she could not repay me, or perhaps that she felt there was no proper way to spend time alone with me. In any case, it must have hurt her sensitive, delicate maiden's heart.
In the end, it was all Beatrice's fault!
I hurried to comfort her. "However, even though it is indeed not convenient this time, there will always be moments when I need to rely on your strength again. When that time comes, I will be counting on you, alright?"
I did not say anything like welcoming Saori to stay overnight at Schale at any time, because I had once made the same suggestion to Wakamo.
Wakamo's attitude was that although there would eventually be a day when we stayed together for the long term, her current status was special, and she did not wish to cause me too much trouble. Wakamo said that she would always keep me in her thoughts, and as long as I could occasionally make time to be with her, she would not feel lonely.
After careful consideration, I chose to respect Wakamo's decision, and thus would not say the same thing to Saori, who was now essentially bound together with Wakamo.
"I understand."
Saori nodded, gazing at me with eyes like those of a serpent, yet now containing a subtle warmth.
"I will do everything I can to protect you."
"That's not necessary to that extent." My tone involuntarily became more serious. "If we encounter a situation like last time again, I hope you will not do something foolish that harms yourself."
This time, however, Saori did not reply, only turning her gaze away.
I shook my head helplessly, well aware that ice three feet thick does not form in a single day, and chose not to push her for now.
At the same time, my affection for Saori deepened further, and my hatred for Beatrice grew even stronger.
One day, I would rescue Saori and let her follow her true heart, becoming the person she truly wanted to be.
Just like Arisu.
And then, very quickly, the next day arrived.
I headed to Trinity alone.