Shiroko's addition brought even more fun to the... patrol.
From my perspective, the main source of entertainment was the open and covert struggle between her and Hoshino, the way they appeared harmonious on the surface while secretly competing beneath it.
"Uhee~" Hoshino smiled brightly. "Now that I think about it, what a coincidence this really is. This ojisan normally patrols at night too, you know? So how did we just happen to run into little Shiroko-chan today? It's almost... just like that aquarium incident."
Now that things had already been exposed, Hoshino no longer bothered hiding the true reason she was always dozing off at school.
Shiroko, carrying her folded road bike on her back while also voluntarily helping carry my briefcase, glanced at her meaningful-looking senior.
"I always ride this route too. Could it be that someone was too busy currying favor with her owner and ended up delayed?"
Even though she had been directly called out, Hoshino only smiled and asked.
"Oh? Really? But just like I said earlier, this isn't the first time, right?"
"Senpai, if you have something to say, you should just say it."
"I was just thinking." The pink-haired girl spoke lazily. "Could little Shiroko perhaps be stalking this ojisan? Uhee~ Don't tell me you like me?"
The wolf-eared girl fell silent for a moment before speaking with admiration.
"You're amazing, Hoshino-senpai. To disgust someone else, you're willing to say something that disgusts even yourself too. As expected of senpai."
The pink-haired girl responded with a cold laugh.
"Heh. Hard to say who disgusted who first."
If this continued any longer, it would just turn into another impossible-to-settle mess.
"Alright, alright."
Seeing the two genuinely about to start arguing, I finally stepped in to mediate.
"Let me say something fair here. This time really was just a coincidence. Shiroko, you should still show your senpai a basic level of respect. And Hoshino, you should trust your junior a little more too."
The moment those words left my mouth, Hoshino and Shiroko immediately lowered their flags and made peace, obediently promising me that they would get along properly, as though the tense atmosphere from moments ago had never existed.
Arguing? It was merely a little trick to liven up the mood and attract sensei's attention.
"Speaking of which, there's something I want to ask too, Hoshino-senpai." After a while, Shiroko spoke again. "Doing this outside the school... what if someone sees us?"
"Uhee~ no need to worry." Hoshino grinned. "This ojisan made thorough preparations for today. Not only did I carefully investigate the surroundings and plan our route, I also cleaned out all the delinquents that recently started popping up nearby."
Even I was hearing about this for the first time, and I couldn't help glancing at the pink-haired girl several more times.
To prepare this thoroughly just for this sort of thing... somehow that made it even harder to judge.
"Besides," Hoshino continued, "this is Abydos, you know? At this hour, aside from us, who else would be wandering around outside instead of sleeping?"
"Though I can't really agree with the 'wandering around' part, what senpai said does make sense... hm?"
Shiroko only got halfway through agreeing before suddenly noticing something. A puzzled sound escaped her lips, and surprise appeared on Hoshino's face as well.
Seeing that, I quickly activated one of my Authorities and sure enough heard approaching footsteps.
The next moment, a figure appeared from around the corner ahead.
It was a black-haired, red-eyed cat-eared girl wearing the same school uniform as Hoshino and Shiroko.
Though she initially had her head lowered, she quickly sensed something strange and looked up. Her expression changed dramatically as she pointed at us and shouted.
"Hoshino-senpai!? Shiroko-senpai!? Sensei!? W-What are you all doing!?"
As soon as she said that, Serika charged toward us full of righteous fury.
But having learned from experience, Hoshino immediately reused the same tactic as before.
"Serika, shouldn't I be the one asking you that? Why are you wandering around outside so late? Don't tell me you secretly went off to work another part-time job again?"
The exact same move produced completely different results depending on the target.
Serika's expression and movements instantly froze, and the imposing aura around her weakened by half.
Shiroko followed up as well.
"Even though you promised everyone you'd properly take care of your health."
"Th-That... I know already... but the night shift pays several times more than usual, and tomorrow's a day off, so... ah, wait."
Halfway through her weak explanation, Serika frowned again, realizing something was wrong. She suspiciously examined her two seniors.
"You're deliberately changing the subject, aren't you!? More importantly, why are you all wandering around this late too!? A-And why is sensei here with you, and those collars... d-don't tell me..."
The more she spoke, the redder her face became.
"This is bad!" Hoshino suddenly exclaimed dramatically. "Serika, staying up too late has given you hallucinations!"
"Huh? What? Hallucinations?"
Quickly catching on, Shiroko seamlessly cooperated while pretending to look confused and concerned.
"Collars? What collars? Serika, are you okay?"
If they were going to deceive her, they might as well go all the way. Since I hadn't even spoken until now, perhaps they should've just told her I was also a hallucination born from how much she missed me.
Of course, no matter how gullible Serika was, she wasn't dumb enough to actually believe something like that.
Silently, she reached out and tugged on the two leashes connected to the collars. Her face became even redder.
"You're both treating me like an idiot, aren't you!? And sensei too, why are you helping them do something so shameless... eh? Don't tell me you've already...?"
Through pure beast-like instinct, she had somehow arrived at the truth.
And at that exact moment, Hoshino and Shiroko exchanged a glance. After Shiroko tossed the briefcase over, the two of them simultaneously rushed forward and firmly restrained Serika.
"W-What are you doing!?" Serika cried out in alarm.
"Sorry about this, Serika-chan," Hoshino said without the slightest sincerity. "But since you saw what happened today, we can only make you an accomplice now."
"This is also a good thing for Serika." Shiroko left behind that remark before looking toward me. "Sensei, please."
Seeing these two attempt to drag their junior into the abyss, I felt deeply pained and decided I had to do something.
So first, I apologized to Serika.
Then, completely at ease with myself, I took out the red collar I had specially prepared for her.
Seeing that, the black cat girl who had been struggling suddenly froze, and unexpected delight appeared on her face.
"Eh? S-So you were going to include me too?"
...Wasn't there something slightly wrong with that reaction?
Serika herself seemed to realize it too and hurriedly tried to switch back to her earlier panicked expression.
"Ah, no, please don't make me do something I absolutely don't want to do... eh?"
She had only managed a few dry lines before Hoshino and Shiroko exchanged another glance and silently released her together.
Left standing there awkwardly, Serika fidgeted for a moment before pursing her lips without speaking. Instead, she simply glared at me fiercely with watery eyes, as though asking why I still hadn't done anything and exactly how long I intended to keep her waiting.
After receiving such an adorable reaction, I decided not to tease her any longer.
And so, the black cat girl happily, though still pretending to be unwilling, followed in the footsteps of her two seniors.