Prejudice is a mountain that's difficult to overcome.
I figured RABBIT Squad didn't truly hate me. They were mostly just acting out of spite.
Even so, when I tried to help them, they would naturally assume I had ulterior motives and reject my attempts to win them over.
Winning them over with sincerity might have worked, but it would have taken far too long.
Even if I could afford to wait, these girls, who were already going hungry, couldn't.
Besides, I still had Niko's request to fulfill. If I wanted FOX Squad to pledge their loyalty to me, then I had to demonstrate that I was someone worth following.
Since a direct approach wasn't likely to succeed, I'd have to take another route.
For example, just like the strategy I'd once used on Nagisa, I could build on RABBIT Squad's existing assumptions and fabricate a lie they would be willing to accept.
Since they already believed I had ulterior motives, all I had to do was openly admit that misunderstanding, even at the cost of my own reputation. After that, everything else would become much simpler.
"Of course, I'm not your enemy. You could even say I'm your ally."
Seated at a small round table, I spoke to the girls gathered around it, still watching me warily.
"Even if your equipment played a part, the fact that you managed to leave all of Valkyrie helpless means you truly deserve to be called SRT's elite. Though all of you together still couldn't beat me."
Saki flushed red with anger.
"You only won because we'd already run out of ammunition! You just took advantage of that!"
I smiled.
"If that's what you think."
As if I couldn't call in reinforcements.
"...Did you take an interest in our abilities and want to recruit us?"
Miyako spoke bluntly.
"I believe I already made myself perfectly clear. Even if you try to force us to accept, we'll resist to the very end."
I looked at her curiously and sighed in admiration.
"How did you come up with... such an adorable idea? I thought I'd already made myself perfectly clear."
Moe frowned and proposed an even more absurd theory.
"So... you're really after our bodies?"
Hearing that, Miyu let out a frightened cry.
"Uuu... N-No wonder you wanted us to come to Schale at dusk, and even said you'd personally read our reflection essays. You're planning to keep us there until late at night, and then... i-it's all over..."
Why was her imagination so vivid?
I quickly stopped them with an inscrutable smile.
"I only want to support you, so you can continue protesting against the General Student Council."
The girls looked at one another, even more confused than before.
Saki couldn't help questioning me.
"You're the one who personally crushed our protest, and now you're saying you want to support us? Are you joking?"
In response, I simply asked,
"Do you know why Schale is allowed to continue existing, while SRT had to be shut down?"
Because of my outstanding charisma, of course.
After I saw everyone in RABBIT Squad begin thinking it over, I leisurely offered a more believable explanation.
"Because, in certain people's eyes, SRT was simply too dangerous. Schale, on the other hand, may be independent in name, but it's only a club, not an academy. Even if one day it's no longer needed, revoking its extra-legal authority wouldn't have too many consequences."
I shook my head with a faint laugh.
"But being too safe and harmless invites trouble as well. That's why I also need to make Schale more... indispensable."
At this point, even these inexperienced little rabbits, despite their youth, had received elite training. They were probably beginning to understand what I was trying to say.
Of course, since they had no idea how upright I truly was, how indifferent I was to fame and gain, and because they were rather proud and headstrong themselves, they described it with a different phrase.
"So you're planning to keep a threat around just to strengthen your own position!?"
Miyako cried out, her gaze turning sharp. The other three, who hadn't fully understood until now, erupted into an uproar as well.
I raised a hand for silence.
"Calm down. You're hardly some kind of 'threat,' are you? Honestly, I sympathize with SRT, which was shut down because the General Student Council feared it. I'd even love to see it restored."
That part, at least, was the truth.
Yet in Miyako's eyes at this moment, even my sincerity carried a different meaning.
"So you can use SRT as a shield for Schale and secure your own power?"
She looked at me with disgust.
"Give it up. We'll never agree to something like that."
"Don't say that, Miyako-chan. I just want to protect myself. Besides, if you think about it carefully, there's nothing particularly evil about this, is there? Schale has solved the problems of countless students throughout Kivotos, just like SRT did back when the General Student Council President was still around."
I smiled.
"More importantly, you genuinely need help. Other than me, who would dare offer you assistance while allowing you to continue your protests instead of demanding you stop?"
Even Miyako couldn't help wavering.
"That's..."
"Enough."
I didn't give her time to think it through.
"You can't think properly on an empty stomach. As a gesture of good faith, eat something first."
With that, I opened the lunch boxes, displaying the beautifully prepared food before RABBIT Squad, who had probably gone an entire day and night without eating.
The girls' eyes immediately lit up.
"Inarizushi?"
"Even though it's cold, I think it should still taste pretty good."
As I spoke, I picked one up myself.
"Mm. It's delicious."
At last, Saki couldn't endure it any longer and eagerly reached out.
"T-Then I'll dig in!"
"Wait..."
Miyako was about to stop her, but Moe and Miyu immediately followed Saki's lead, grabbing the Inarizushi and stuffing it into their mouths, chewing enthusiastically.
Seeing that all of her teammates had already surrendered, Miyako gritted her teeth. She finally gave up resisting, shot me one fierce glare, and joined the scramble for food herself.
Smiling, I said,
"Don't rush. There's plenty more."
But the starving RABBIT Squad was completely absorbed in devouring the meal. Only after finishing two or three lunch boxes did they finally begin to slow down and comment on it.
"Phew..."
Saki let out a long sigh, her face filled with nostalgia.
"It feels like it's been forever since I last had these... It reminds me of when we were still at SRT..."
Moe replied,
"Don't make it sound like it was ages ago. It's only been less than a month since the seniors left, and they made us so many that day. Speaking of which, why didn't we notice something was wrong with them back then?"
Saki looked unhappy.
"Huh? What's the point of talking about that now? Besides, there wasn't anything we could've done to help..."
"I don't know about that..."
Moe seemed a little uncomfortable as well and changed the subject.
"Still, I never expected Inarizushi from outside to have such generous fillings. It's... kind of moving."
As the girls chatted, I frowned slightly before quickly smoothing my expression.
"I had to visit quite a few shops before I found these. I'm just glad you're enjoying them."
Although no one responded, I let out a quiet sigh to myself as several suspicious details finally connected together.
Honestly... that pink-haired girl, seriously.