Although we had confirmed the plan was feasible, there were still unavoidable flaws we had to face.
"First of all, trying to obtain the Justina Council's power through this is completely unrealistic."
Having already calmed down, I awkwardly nodded at Seia, who seemed to have seen straight through my original thoughts.
"I know that much, of course."
The Justina Council replicated through the Eden Treaty existed as "Guardians of the Commandments." Through observation, it was clear that they would only punish those who violated the commandments, namely either Trinity or Gehenna.
Because of that, the reinforcements I brought in had an innate advantage over the students of the two schools when facing the Justina Council. They would not be actively attacked.
Unlike Arius, I held no hatred toward Trinity or Gehenna. In fact, most of the higher-ups of both schools were basically my future wives.
Even if I truly gained control over the Justina Council, the only thing it would really help with was stopping conflicts between the two schools...
But if things actually reached that stage, the Justina Council's existence would only accelerate the destruction of both schools.
It was completely useless. Dangerous most of the time, too.
"Secondly, this differs from how Arius tampered with the treaty based on the First Ecumenical Council under the name of a Trinity faction."
Seia said:
"If Sensei defines Schale as the General Student Council President's representative, then at that time, as the representative of the treaty's writer and initiator, the new treaty you establish under the witness of all parties will naturally overwrite the contents of the old treaty completely. And in order to prevent Arius from exploiting it again..."
The implication was obvious.
The original treaty would become nothing more than a worthless sheet of paper.
"That part doesn't really matter."
I said casually:
"Even if the current Eden Treaty disappears, we can just establish a second Eden Treaty."
However, Seia shook her head.
"You don't understand. Without the General Student Council President personally participating, even if another treaty with similar loophole prevention measures were written, it would possess no binding force whatsoever."
Having roughly understood, I could only respond speechlessly:
"There's a saying that treaties exist to be torn apart. Is a peace treaty that requires some sort of forced restraint to function really meaningful...? Besides, there's no such thing as a truly perfect treaty. If someone wants to look hard enough, loopholes can always be found eventually."
Seia pondered for a moment before nodding.
"I can't entirely deny your point. Though one thing you said is especially correct. After an incident of this scale, even if the General Student Council President were still here, it would probably take an unknown amount of time before another peace treaty could ever be signed..."
The distrust between the students of both schools, along with the public opinion surrounding the incident, were things even the academy leadership could hardly suppress.
After sighing emotionally for a while, Seia's expression turned solemn once more.
"Lastly, and most importantly, please listen carefully."
Her serious tone made me instinctively straighten my posture and nod to show I would remember her words.
Then the blonde fox-eared girl said:
"According to reports from the front lines, the power of that Justina Council of Justina showed signs of weakening several hours ago. Though the reason remains unclear, based on its characteristics, Arius Squad, as the contract's core, will likely reappear at the Old Cathedral before long."
In other words, if I departed for the Old Cathedral now to revise the treaty, there was a high chance I would run directly into Arius Squad.
Still, the odds of that happening were never low to begin with. With so many students protecting me, I probably would not encounter any real danger again.
"This time, you absolutely must protect your own safety. Please do not... make me worry about you."
From her pale golden eyes, I could clearly feel the sincerity in her words.
Warmth welled up in my chest, and I smiled as I nodded again.
"Okay, wife."
At that, the corners of Seia's mouth twitched slightly.
"...In that case, it's already very late, and I should rest now. Anyway, Sensei, please head back first."
"Oh, right."
Knowing that staying up late was a huge burden on Seia's frail body, and seeing that dawn was already close, I immediately stood to say goodbye.
"Then get some proper rest. I won't bother you anymore."
"Mhm."
After leaving Seia's room, I suddenly began to realize something.
Why did her final words sound strangely like she was chasing me out?
As I wondered whether it was just my imagination or Seia being shy again, I had barely taken a few steps when a timid female voice called out from behind me, interrupting my thoughts.
"Sensei..."
I turned around, and the first thing I saw was a blonde twin-tailed girl with an honest-looking face, carrying a chicken mascot backpack, a girl I was thoroughly familiar with.
"Hifumi?"
I noticed two pink-haired girls standing behind her.
"And Hanako and Koharu too..."
That meant that aside from Azusa, who had chosen to go alone to kill her former teammates, the Make-Up Work Club was assembled once again.
Realizing they had come specifically to find me, and seeing this familiar lineup, I could not help but ask:
"Do you have news about Azusa?"
The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted asking it that way.
From the sorrowful expressions on all their faces, the answer was already obvious.
"...Sensei."
Tears shimmered in Hifumi's eyes as she spoke of the pain she had already explained once through Momotalk messages.
"Azusa-chan... she's still fighting all alone... She said the places we belong are different... and I, I don't know what to..."
She sniffled, her voice choking up.
"Things have become so serious... Someone ordinary like me can't do anything... What should I do so Azusa-chan can... I really..."
Seeing Hifumi so heartbroken naturally left my own feelings complicated as well.
How could I not know that Azusa was in danger? How could I not want to stop her from risking herself? How could I not feel powerless?
If I could do something, I would have done it already.
But the problem was that I had no idea about Azusa's current condition or whereabouts.
The messages I sent remained unanswered. Her phone was likely turned off or lost, and even using Schale's authority, I could not determine her exact location.
"Even so, we can't just leave her alone, can we!?"
The one who spoke was Koharu.
At the moment when everyone had fallen silent, as though unable to bear the heavy atmosphere, she shouted loudly:
"I-It doesn't matter whether she belongs here or somewhere else! I, I understand...! The sadness of being left all alone, abandoned by everyone else! So we can't let Azusa be by herself...!"
Koharu might be an idiot, but perhaps precisely because she was a simple and kind-hearted idiot who was bad at thinking about overly complicated things...
That sincerity unique to her was like a ray of sunlight piercing through dark clouds, affecting everyone present, including me, who had been dragged down by negative emotions.
...This child really keeps making me see her in a new light.
"...That's true."
Hanako seemed to feel something as well.
"That would be far too lonely."
Hanako, who had once grown tired of other people's expectations and disgusted with the academy's factional struggles and scheming, naturally understood that feeling too.
I smiled.
"That's right. Even if Azusa insists on going her own way, there's nothing stopping us from stubbornly following after her, right? Hifumi, I think that as the president of the Make-Up Work Club, you definitely want to do something, and definitely can do something too. Isn't that right?"
Despite always considering herself an ordinary person, Hifumi actually possessed extraordinary charisma as a leader, almost second only to me.
"...You're right. Now isn't the time to be lost."
Hifumi firmly slapped her slightly chubby cheeks.
"Worrying by myself won't solve anything. Sensei is right, I have to do what I can do...! I'm going to save Azusa-chan."
Seeing that, Hanako smiled softly.
"Then let's all go together."
"Y-Yeah!"
Koharu hurriedly followed up.
"If your friend's in trouble, then of course you go save her!"
Seeing the girls of the Make-Up Work Club all reach an agreement and steel their resolve, I felt relieved. After thinking briefly, I decided to tell them the truth.
"I do have a rough guess about where Azusa will appear next."
The Old Cathedral of Communion.
In order to restore the Justina Council's power, Arius Squad would return there once more.
And as long as Azusa still wished to destroy it, and still had not destroyed Saori's halo, she would undoubtedly continue chasing those shadows from the past.
Even if she and the others were not there, revising the Eden Treaty still required that specific location. As long as the Justina Council was resolved, Azusa would no longer have a reason to destroy Saori's halo, and would likely give up such dangerous actions as well.
"After meeting Azusa-chan this time, I definitely have to..."
The blonde girl closed her eyes, as though imagining what she should do when the time came.
Beside her, Hanako thoughtfully finished the sentence for her.
"...Properly convey what you want to say to her, right?"
Hifumi nodded.
"...Yes. I need to properly convey it to her."
At that, she tightly gripped both shoulder straps, determination filling her eyes.
"What do you mean we can't exist in the same world, I..."
"Hifumi...?"
Sensing something strange, Koharu called out to her in confusion.
For some reason, I had the vague feeling Hifumi was planning to do something rather incredible. I had a blurry idea of what it might be, but could not fully confirm it.
Shaking away all sorts of strange guesses, I sighed emotionally.
"Even between friends, if you don't properly say what you want to say, there's no way to truly know how the other person feels."
Hifumi nodded heavily.
"...Yes! This time, I'll definitely say it clearly!"
"That's right."
Hanako smiled.
"We'll all stay by your side and work hard together with you, Hifumi."
"U-Umm..."
Koharu hesitated briefly before urging:
"A-Anyway, we're going, right? Then hurry up!"
She was right. There was no time to waste.
And so, carrying the desire to save someone in our hearts, the girls of the Make-Up Work Club and I set off together toward those ruins, once called paradise, now destroyed by war.