"Patchouli! Tell me exactly what is going on! What exactly have you been teaching him?!" Remilia led Kars to the Great Library, confronting Patchouli about his education.
Patchouli: ( ˘•ω•˘ ) ?
Remilia's sudden appearance and her question left Patchouli completely bewildered.
"Remi, what exactly is the problem?"
"I… do I have to spell it out?! Kars! He was kissing Flandre!" Remilia cried, her face flushed, as she pointed at Kars and Flandre standing beside her. This news caused a visible ripple in Patchouli's usually calm expression. The only time she could recall kissing Kars was that time she secretly kissed him. And she knew Kars hadn't been asleep then. Could it be that Kars learned it from me and then went and kissed Flandre?
"Remi, I think this can be explained." Realizing this possibility, Patchouli knew she couldn't expose her secret and needed to find a way to resolve the issue.
"Patchouli, I'm not blaming you. I agreed with Kars learning from you. I'm just frustrated that you haven't made some important things clear to Kars, so he doesn't understand the issue."
"Like teaching him to kiss someone he likes…"
"Wait! What did you just say?" Patchouli, who was about to listen carefully, immediately interrupted her when she heard that statement.
"You said I taught him to kiss someone he likes? I never taught him that." She had only secretly kissed him. Why would she so openly teach him that kind of knowledge?
"Huh? It wasn't you?" Remilia was stunned. She didn't doubt Patchouli was lying. Given their long friendship, she wouldn't question her word. If Patchouli said it wasn't her, then it wasn't. But if it wasn't her, then who gave him that kind of idea?
Remilia and Patchouli's gazes simultaneously shifted to Koakuma, who looked visibly guilty. Undeniably, aside from Patchouli, she was the only one likely to do something like this.
"Koakuma, so you've been secretly doing things behind my back." Patchouli hadn't realized Koakuma had been up to mischief in the shadows, especially since it was highly likely she had indeed done something. This outcome only made Patchouli's mood worsen.
"If it was Koakuma, that explains it! But why would you teach Kars that kind of thing?!" Patchouli answered Remilia's question for Koakuma.
"Because she's a shotacon. She has absolutely no resistance to children like Kars, so she wanted to do something to him. This was probably just an excuse she told Kars so she could get away with it, right, Koakuma?"
"Y-yes, Lady Patchouli is right." Koakuma immediately admitted to her secret actions now that she was caught.
"Tch, she got away with so much." Sakuya muttered jealously. She wished she had the same opportunity.
"Kars, why didn't you tell me about this? Didn't I teach you what to do when you encounter people like her?" Patchouli asked Kars. She had taught him ways to cope, yet Koakuma still succeeded.
"I'm sorry." Kars didn't offer any excuses and admitted his mistake. Patchouli didn't press too much, realizing that Kars likely let his guard down due to his familiarity and trust in Koakuma. Plus, she was feeling guilty herself and wanted to resolve the matter quickly.
"I will handle this matter." Patchouli promised Remilia.
"Mhm. Just try to make Kars understand some of the associated knowledge." Remilia nodded, having no intention of interfering further. She prepared to leave with Flandre and Sakuya, leaving Kars, Koakuma, and Patchouli alone in the Great Library.
"Koakuma." Patchouli's gaze then fell on Koakuma, making her body instantly tense up.
"Tell me, what else have you done to Kars?"
"N-nothing else! I only did it on impulse after seeing what you did, Lady Patchouli! Aside from that, I truly haven't done anything else!" Koakuma quickly replied, saying she hadn't had the chance to do anything more.
"Then, how should I punish you?"
"Um, Patchouli, maybe you shouldn't blame Koakuma. I share some responsibility for this too." Hearing talk of punishment, Kars immediately pleaded on Koakuma's behalf. He was afraid a severe punishment awaited her and couldn't just stand by and watch.
"Kars!" Koakuma looked at Kars, who was shielding her, her face streaming with tears of gratitude.
"Besides… besides, Patchouli did the same thing… so if everyone is the same, why not let it go?" As Kars said this, Patchouli's face instantly flushed red, and she fell silent. Koakuma also realized that Kars had been aware of what happened that night. Lady Patchouli did that to Kars even though she knew he was pretending to be asleep?
"But… but that doesn't mean you can do that to Flandre too."
"Little Auntie Flandre did it to me, not the other way around. And it was because she saw what Koakuma and I did. I had to explain it to her since she didn't understand, and then she kissed me, which Sakuya saw." Patchouli now understood the whole sequence of events: her secret kiss with Kars was discovered by Koakuma, who then, on impulse, did the same thing to Kars. Flandre discovered that, didn't understand it, and after hearing Kars's explanation, she did the same thing, which Sakuya saw, and was then revealed to Remilia.
From the source, the problem was undoubtedly hers, which led to this entire chain of events.
"Ugh, what a mess." Patchouli felt a pounding headache. An impulsive action had led to all this chaos. Who would have thought?
"So, Lady Patchouli, does that mean that this matter is…"
"You wish. You will still be punished. Don't even think about getting close to Kars to do anything from now on." Patchouli coldly stated the words that made Koakuma feel despair.
"Lady Patchouli! Don't do this! That punishment is too severe!"
"It's a miracle I didn't turn you into a dried bat!" If I hadn't found out, who knows what else you would have done?! The thought of Koakuma doing anything else made Patchouli feel deeply uncomfortable.
Koakuma: ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅