Of course, such a major matter couldn't be resolved on the day it was proposed.
However, with the bombshell news delivered by Schicksal, the scent of gunpowder between nations suddenly lessened.
While countries have their good and bad, none are foolish; they know when it's time to stab each other in the back and when it's time to unite.
Although this issue couldn't be settled in a single day, driven by the unease of having unknown threats lurking behind them, a plan was drafted by the very next day.
The idea was for Schicksal's Valkyries to lead scientific research teams from eighteen countries into the other world for exploration, to understand its customs, culture, and strength.
Since this was the first expedition to another world, none of the nations were immediately inclined to organize heavily armed forces.
Besides, the capabilities of the Valkyries were already several tiers above most conventional military units.
As for the location chosen for entering the otherworld... it was Japan.
Not many were surprised by this. After all, Japan was essentially under Schicksal's thumb these days.
Despite the organization's name and titles having a distinctly Western religious flavor, their chosen base of operations was the tiny island nation of Japan.
Most people just muttered about it though, not dwelling on it too much.
--+--
Amidst the intense preparations, another day passed.
Today was Monday, Amber's first day reporting to school.
Quite a few things had actually happened over the past two days.
One was that Raiden Mei's identity was finally settled, and through Schicksal's arrangements, she also received an admission notice to Tsukinomori.
The other matter was that Amber, through Schicksal, had intentionally or unintentionally reminded Sakiko's father not to be easily deceived or scammed lately.
But these two matters weren't exactly major.
The real big news was the incident from two days ago, where Amber and Black Amber had saved numerous citizens in Shibuya.
They were highly commended by Schicksal and made the newspapers.
Among the people who had followed Amber, someone had recorded the entire event and posted it online.
Two exceptionally beautiful young girls, possessing formidable combat strength and sharing incredibly sweet interactions, hit an extremely high 'XP threshold' in this society.
As everyone knows, after years of media influence and subtle aesthetic conditioning, almost 80% of people's 'attention' is fixated on magical girls.
The two most crucial elements of a magical girl are beauty and power.
Add in pure-hearted personalities and interactions that are just perfect for shipping, and it's like a 'girl group' Pro Plus Max edition.
Thus, these two young girls, who had demonstrated extraordinary strength and beauty at such a young age, naturally garnered a great deal of affection and attention.
The clerk from Shimokura, upon seeing the video, instantly transformed into a super-topic moderator on social media.
Abusing her position for personal fangirling, she relentlessly pursued them on Line, checking in on Amber with daily messages.
Though she desperately wanted to spill the beans about their connection to Tsukinomori and the band, she showed restraint and kept it to herself.
Though it wasn't exactly a secret, and it definitely wouldn't stay hidden for long.
Hanging up yet another eager progress report from the clerk, Amber finally let out a sigh of relief.
Back in the previous world, she had often received admiring looks from the Valkyries, but they were generally quite restrained.
Very few would speak to her with such directness and fervor. As for the enthusiasm and directness shown by the Spirits, since they were acquaintances, it wasn't hard to accept.
So this is what it feels like to have ardent fans...
"Humans who don't understand their place. If she continues such presumptuous behavior, she might just end up dead on some rainy night."
A soft, eerie feminine voice sounded from the side, the danger in its words sending a chill down one's spine.
"...That might be a bit much? She is certainly overly enthusiastic, but it's pretty normal to confirm directions frequently at the start, right?"
Amber offered a fair-minded comment.
The black-haired girl's eyes were different from their usual light purple; now they were a deep, seemingly glowing violet, with a hint of crimson deep within the pupils.
"Choosing to use Line instead of leaving a phone number shows she understands that messaging on Line is the least intrusive option."
Black Amber's expression was cold and rigid.
"...True."
Amber realized that character cards like Raiden Mei's—or those similar to Raiden Mei and Seele—when used by Black Amber, had an effect second only to Mobius.
After all, the 'alternate personality' setting was perfect for letting a part of her true nature show.
As for Amber's point about Mei's second personality rarely appearing, Black Amber had her reasons.
'That's because landmines were buried, so it doesn't show up much. I haven't had any mines buried here.'
Amber: Can't argue with that.
"So, I hope next time Kiana can properly express her discomfort. I believe if the clerk truly cares for Kiana, she will understand."
Seeing Amber nod in agreement, the black-haired girl immediately revealed a gentle smile, then placed the plate in her hand on the table.
"Alright, after breakfast, we should head out. We mustn't be late on our first day of reporting."
The switch was seamless...
Amber's expression was odd, but she didn't offer any rebuttal, quickly turning her attention to the food.
Rita! I am free!
Freed from the shackles of healthy eating, Amber devoured the fried food heartily.
The uninhibited consumption brought her immense satisfaction; the daily meals here suited her palate far more than those in the previous world.
It wasn't that Rita's cooking was bad, it's just... well, you know.
After finishing breakfast, the two took a car straight to the gates of Tsukinomori Girls' Academy.
Unlike most schools, Tsukinomori, as a 'prestigious girls' academy,' showed no signs of running or jumping, either at the gates or within the campus.
Every face wore a faint smile, greetings were exchanged politely and softly, and the atmosphere was completely unlike that of a school brimming with youthful energy.
Even so, their appearance drew quite a few looks.
After all, they were the ones who had been in the papers the past couple of days, and students with connections at home were mostly aware of their enrollment.
"Good day." x3
As soon as they stepped inside the school gate, a trio immediately approached with cordial smiles to greet them.
As the first group to step forward and say hello, their faces held a mix of curiosity and nervousness.
"Ah...? Good morning?"
The term 'good day,' something Amber had only ever heard in anime and never used herself, made her feel a bit awkward to reciprocate. Besides, as Kiana right now, she couldn't possibly use such a phrase.
"Good morning."
Black Amber used the same greeting.
This difference didn't offend or alienate the greeting students.
On the contrary, the smiles on the trio's faces grew even brighter.
After nodding in farewell, many more came up to introduce themselves and make their acquaintance.
Such behavior wasn't uncommon in their social stratum. In the absence of conflicting interests, maintaining amicable relations was the best approach for everyone.
Amber hadn't expected to be surrounded by so many people offering greetings right after entering the school, even before setting foot in a classroom. Her expression grew increasingly awkward.
Fortunately, Black Amber handled it with ease.
Her smile remained graceful and gentle from start to finish. The contrast between her Yamato Nadeshiko demeanor and the heroic, dashing figure from the combat videos even brought a blush to the cheeks of quite a few young ladies.
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.