The next day brought another pop quiz, but Bronya seemed even more composed than the day before.
During break, she went straight to the club's resident wallflower, Fu Hua.
"Fu Hua, I heard your family situation is a bit… less than ideal."
She planned to slowly integrate into the group, and the easiest way to do that was to have her own subgroup within it.
Nothing too complicated, just a close connection with a few people, the kind who'd naturally gravitate together outside of major events.
Fu Hua was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "Yes."
She didn't know what Bronya was up to, but… she'd play along.
"I recently had to quit a part-time job for family reasons. Are you interested, Fu Hua?"
Fu Hua blinked, was it that café job Kiana had, the one with the 26-currency hourly wage, practically a part-timer's dream, clearly run by some rich kid for fun?
Bronya whispered, "Hourly rate, 26."
It was that one!
Fu Hua wasn't exactly strapped for cash, but she'd grown used to earning her keep with her own hands, and the satisfaction that came with it.
She put on a show of excitement. "C-can I?"
Bronya nodded, good, the door was open. Now she could build her own faction inside the club.
"Um, Bronya…" Fu Hua hesitated, as if choosing her words. "This kind of job probably doesn't need too many people, right? You…"
Bronya waved a hand.
"My family doesn't want me doing this kind of work anymore."
You have family?!
How did Otto miss that?
Fu Hua made a mental note, her expression unchanged, her voice grateful. "I won't pry into your family matters, but thank you for the opportunity!"
Bronya nodded in satisfaction, perfect. Fu Hua seemed a bit withdrawn, but she certainly knew social etiquette.
Another quiz today. After returning to her seat, Bronya poked Shiraha again. "Shiraha, where do you usually hang out after school?"
"The club."
Which just so happened to be at the café where she used to work.
Every time Shiraha saw others working so hard, he felt grateful he'd met Uncle Ryoma early on.
"Can I join?"
"Of course, though I should mention, Mei's Hokushin Ittō-ryū Youth Training Camp has a bit of a reputation at school…"
Shiraha paused. Never mind.
The reputation was Grey Serpent's fault. At Chiba Academy, a combined elementary-through-high school, without transfer students, this group would likely stay the same until graduation.
Bronya pressed her hands together, fingertips touching lightly.
Great, the mission was going smoothly. Time to collect that paycheck.
Shiraha looked away. The last few subjects were being tested today, pop quizzes in the Far East never took too long.
As school let out, he paused, waiting for Bronya.
"Coming."
Bronya quickly trotted over, putting in plenty of enthusiasm, she wasn't quite emotionless yet.
After all, it was all for the money.
Mei glanced at Bronya. She vaguely remembered just yesterday Shiraha saying: See? Bronya didn't even look for me after school.
She handed over a form.
"This is the club application form."
Bronya blinked, clubs here were this formal?
She examined it carefully, confirmed it wasn't some kind of contract, and signed quickly.
Mei studied her thoughtfully. "The delinquent… Natasha-senpai's family?"
Oh... then she definitely belonged in her Hokushin Ittō-ryū Youth Training Camp.
This kind of thing had a long tradition in the Far East.
After all, Natasha's family company had been absorbed by ME Corp, they didn't make decisions, but they held a significant stake.
That made them angel investors of sorts.
"Yeah, but I'm adopted."
And Natasha was, in name, Grey Serpent's biological daughter.
Bronya was an adopted daughter… she didn't care about having another father, as long as it didn't affect her income.
And Grey Serpent clearly had no intention of playing the warm family card, Bronya's value, without a Stigmata, was too low in his eyes.
Mei extended her hand generously. "No worries, once you join the club, we're all family. We won't split up until we get to college."
That was the benefit of an integrated school. And as for college, Mei guessed Anti-Entropy had a few universities under its control, so they wouldn't split up even then.
They could be a little group for life!
Though some might call that "best friends."
Bronya agreed quickly.
Shiraha added, "And joining the club has another perk, Mei just made all club activities study sessions."
"Not sure how Bronya's grades are, if they're bad, you can catch up; if they're good, even better, because our study spot is at the café where you work."
He thought it was good news, after all, Bronya needed money too.
Bronya's mind went blank. "You mean, from now on, we'll all be gathering at that café after school?"
Shiraha thought for a moment and gave an "mm."
"Mei-nee picked it especially, to make it easier for Kiana and you."
Bronya's mouth opened slightly, could they pick another place? Having the study group here made her feel a little uneasy.
If she'd known, she wouldn't have quit and given the job to Fu Hua.
She could've both integrated and worked.
She forced her expression calm. "Thank you, Mei-senpai."
Bronya's heart ached, even the rabbit Maxime had given her couldn't soothe this.
As they left the classroom, Mei remembered Natasha's reputation.
"Oh, right, Bronya, don't forget to bring your textbooks."
Bronya was quiet for a moment, then obediently went back to gather her books.
The job was gone, but her attendance record couldn't slip.
The café was a bit far from school, but only about a ten-minute walk.
Kiana expertly changed into her apron. Fu Hua also stepped behind the counter, Kiana blinked.
"Bronya's family doesn't want her working anymore, so she passed the job to me."
Fu Hua held up her phone. "Already cleared it with the boss."
Kiana looked at Bronya, who nodded silently after a pause.
Study time always passed quickly. As the tutor, Shiraha made Bronya a little uneasy, wasn't he a bit too knowledgeable for his age?
Would she still be able to claim the top-student bonus?
After explaining a concept and making sure Mei had started her exercises, Shiraha glanced toward the counter.
"Kiana, your motivation's already fading?"
Kiana wiped a glass, looking conflicted. She was afraid she'd fall asleep during the study session.
What if the boss docked her pay for sleeping on the job?
Shiraha had his own solution, he got up and walked to the counter.
"Stand while you study, Kiana, your foundation is really too weak."
As for the top ten… Shiraha could only hope Kiana's clever little brain hadn't fully husky-fied yet.
Kiana's lips twitched. After confirming there were no customers, she took the textbook.
"Speaking of which, don't you need to spend time with your imaginary friend, Shiraha?"
Why did Shiraha suddenly have so much free time to hang out with everyone?
"It's fine." Shiraha didn't look up. "After school, Nee-chan and I usually have our time at night anyway."
As Shiraha's circle of friends grew, this would only become more obvious.
Elysia sighed from the side. "Suddenly I understand why my friends sometimes complained about me having too many friends."
Shiraha looked up. His Nee-chan was lying on the counter, chin resting on her crossed arms, her starry eyes half-closed, she looked so bored she might melt.
He thought for a moment, then pulled her over. "Why don't you listen in too, Nee-chan?"
Since she had nothing better to do anyway, it could be like roleplay.
Elysia: Me?
Oh well... why not.
But just as she was about to lean in, Shiraha pointed beside him, next to Kiana, with a serious little expression.
Elysia pressed her lips together, instantly understanding. She stood in front of Shiraha like a student, listening attentively.
"Teacher...."
Her voice was soft, with a deliberate hint of obedience. "I don't quite understand this question."
Shiraha paused briefly. "Kiana, are you sure you've understood this?"
Kiana: ….
"No."
But she figured if she worked on it herself for a bit, she'd get it.
Time passed like that, though most of Shiraha's attention went to the customers. Kiana had Fu Hua to help her study.
That only made Bronya more anxious.
When the study session ended, she went home and asked directly, "If my grades are worse than Shiraha's, do I still get the incentive bonus?"
Grey Serpent: ….
"Yes."
Being worse than Shiraha wasn't a big deal, he had Elysia by his side, after all. Grey Serpent even suspected Shiraha could ace every test without studying, because he had… Elysia!
Bronya's tense heart instantly relaxed. She even had the mood to joke. "Then you better have the bonus ready, Grey Serpent."
Grey Serpent said nothing. His relationship with Bronya was purely professional, no Stigmata, no Fusion Warrior upgrade like Raven.
Bronya's excellence only went so far as an ordinary person.
Bronya wasn't surprised, they were just employer and employee.
On the other side, Shiraha walked with his bag slung over one shoulder. Kiana trudged beside him, half-asleep.
Shiraha's lips twitched. "Is studying really that painful?"
"Yes." Kiana's answer was equally drowsy.
Shiraha sighed.
After a moment, he remembered something. "Speaking of which, Yuna still doesn't know about the top-ten trip to the Americas, does she?"
Mei chimed in. "No need to tell her, Yuna's been studying hard all along. Knowing about it would just put pressure on her."
Yuna was her most reliable same-sex subordinate, she looked dependable, so Mei got along with her well.
The Raiden household had been quiet lately. Rin didn't feel like wandering around, and Yae Sakura spent her days thinking about menus and basic care routines.
There wasn't much to say about today, except that after dinner, Kiana washed her face and pushed open Shiraha's door, her hair still slightly damp.
"Come on, more tutoring tonight!"
It felt like time had entered a loop, but Kiana's knowledge was slowly improving.
Elysia let out a resigned huff, though being a student being tutored by Little Shiraha wasn't so bad.
At the usual time, Kiana fell asleep on cue. Elysia perked up. "Teacher, teacher, Kiana's asleep. That means it's one-on-one tutoring time for me, right?"
Shiraha was quiet for a moment, forcing a smile. "Nee-chan, was your confusion about the material real, or were you faking it?"
Elysia's expression froze.
Shiraha understood. He didn't press further, just gently lifted Kiana and carried her to her room.
Today, Siegfried was in the hallway, scrolling through his phone.
"Done with tutoring?"
"Yeah."
No extra words. Siegfried nodded, his gaze lingering on Kiana, sleeping soundly in Shiraha's arms, for a moment, then looked away.
He didn't plan to interfere with the kids' relationships.
He didn't think Kiana was any worse than Mei. As for Shiraha, from Schicksal to Anti-Entropy, rationally speaking, he'd never seen a more outstanding young man.
He turned back to his room. Shiraha tilted his head, about to push open Kiana's door, when it opened on its own.
An Imaginary Door.
"Should I say goodnight, or long time no see?"
Shiraha didn't hesitate, he stepped through.
Not because he fully trusted Sirin, but because his telekinesis had already confirmed the door led to Kiana's room.
Sirin stared up at the ceiling, then at Shiraha's profile. "She's curious about me?"
"Actually, I'm curious too."
But if Sirin didn't want to talk about it, he wouldn't push.
Sirin was quiet for a moment. The door they'd passed through had already vanished.
She brought up something else. "I feel like I'm getting stronger."
Since her first awakening, when she hadn't been fully suppressed, Sirin had remained in a semi-awakened state.
Shiraha laid Sirin down on the bed, half-joking. "Will you become Kiana's imaginary friend?"
Sirin: ….
"I'll replace her."
Shiraha didn't answer. He just lowered his head, his forehead nearly touching hers, not giving her room to sit up.
"Sirin, if you want independence, you can ask for my help. My Nee-chan wants to truly exist in this world too."
"I can help you both." Shiraha paused, then added, "But you shouldn't keep hurting others. It makes it hard for me to stand by you with a clear conscience."
Sirin's golden eyes gleamed brightly. "What, have you started to like this lab rat already?"
She tilted her head back slightly, exposing her neck.
Shiraha looked troubled. "Looks like because Kiana doesn't talk to you much, your personality's gotten a little strange."
"The first thing you should've said was: 'What, are you that worried I'll do something bad?'"
Shiraha pulled back and sat down beside her.
Sirin let out a short laugh. "What, are you that worried I'll do something bad?"
She didn't dislike the boy, Shiraha was to her liking.
Shiraha nodded openly.
That caught Sirin off guard, she'd been about to tease him.
She was silent for a long time. "But we're both Sirin."
There was the good Sirin and the evil Sirin, but at the end of the day, they were the same person, just two sides of the same personality.
Shiraha shook his head. "She's Kiana. You're Sirin."
He added:
"Trust me, Sirin, I'm already helping my Nee-chan become independent. When that happens, you'll be able to become… that purple-haired girl again."
As for Bianka, Shiraha mentally apologized to her first, then wished her luck.