Kayama Esumi: Eyes and Ears

Kayama Esumi had been attacked by someone and left in a state of unconsciousness with critical injuries.

The notification of this incident reached Trinity General School from Gehenna Academy half a day after Sorasaki Hina of the Prefect Team discovered her in the ruins known as Sodom.

Fortunately, thanks to early discovery, Hina's prompt first aid, and the strenuous efforts of Gehenna Academy's Emergency Medical Department who performed emergency surgery, Esumi's life, which was flickering away like a fading flame, managed to continue burning.

However, the cold downpour that had struck the lands of Gehenna at the time.

Being exposed to this for a while caused Esumi's body temperature to drop sharply, and the magnitude of the physical damage inflicted upon her by someone was utterly incalculable. Even after a month had passed since she was sent back to Trinity, where she was enrolled as a student, Esumi had yet to regain consciousness.

Currently, Kayama Esumi is hospitalized in a large hospital within the Trinity Autonomous District for recovery, and although the truth remains unclear, the fact that she was attacked in the Gehenna Autonomous District has led the Tea Party to conclude that this was a planned crime carried out by someone with a personal grudge against Esumi.

Given the high probability that she could be attacked once more, not just in Gehenna where public safety is at its absolute worst, but even here in Trinity where safety is stable, her hospital room has been constantly guarded by elite members chosen by the Justice Realization Committee.

Furthermore, the fact that Kayama Esumi—a beloved idol within the Trinity Autonomous District and a precious presence for both the Tea Party and political factions—had fallen into a critical, unconscious state was deeply distressing. Compounded by the tragedy occurring in none other than the Gehenna Autonomous District, the Pater faction, which had long held discriminatory views toward Gehenna, used this opportunity to explicitly shift their attitude to an anti-Gehenna stance, taking a firm position in holding the Gehenna side strongly accountable.

That being said, as a third-year student who should be setting a good example for her juniors, Esumi herself was the one who skipped classes without permission from the Tea Party and, of all things, ventured alone into the Gehenna Autonomous District—the most dangerous place in Kivotos—without any prior notice.

Reports circulated from various places that she had departed suddenly without even telling her close acquaintances of her destination or purpose, leading the Sanctus and Filius factions to strongly argue that Esumi herself shares a part of the blame for inviting such a tragedy, noting that the responsibility cannot be placed solely on Gehenna.

Rather than placing all blame on Gehenna, they decided to maintain a fair attitude that matters should be resolved impartially.

However, as a result, the Tea Party found itself sharply divided between anti-Gehenna and pro-Gehenna factions over Esumi's treatment. To prevent any further unnecessary confusion within the academy over the matter, opinions converged on keeping the incident under wraps for the time being.

In other words, it was decided to resolve the situation behind the scenes as a secret known only to a limited few.

Given how deeply beloved and respected Esumi was by her juniors, if the general students were to learn that she had been attacked and left in a critical condition in Gehenna, the vast majority would almost certainly direct open hostility toward Gehenna.

At worst, it could even trigger a war between the academies.

Therefore, those who know of the tragedy that befell Kayama Esumi are strictly limited: the upper echelons of the Tea Party and the Justice Task Force, a portion of the Knights Hospitaller still tending to her treatment, and the vice-presidents of the Art Club where she was enrolled.

Consequently, on the surface, the situation is being handled under the guise of an emergency hospitalization due to an accident.

Naturally, very few people are permitted to visit her. With information regulation enforced by the Tea Party, anyone attempting to pry into the details of Esumi's situation is likely facing heavy disciplinary action in secret or being forced into silence.

Thanks to this, outsiders ignorant of the actual facts spun wild rumors such as a tragedy that befell a genius painter or her hospitalization is a fake and she dropped out on her own to pursue art, with the majority of society—not just Trinity—half-believing these rumors half in jest.

Yet, because she was a genius painter who suddenly vanished from the public stage, it was only natural for exaggerated, falsehood-laden rumors to fly around. Moreover, from the Tea Party's perspective, as long as people didn't catch on and unearth the truth of the matter, they were rather grateful and half-content to leave the current situation as it was.

Thus, two months after Kayama Esumi fell into an unconscious coma, a major movement occurred within Trinity General School.

It was an event involving a large-scale organizational restructuring across committees, clubs, and the Tea Party.

In other words, that time of year had arrived—the appointment of successor department heads and committee chairs.

This meant that the door leading to the path connecting to the original Blue Archive main story had finally opened.

1-2

"Lady Nagisa. Please accept my sincere congratulations on your appointment as the next head of the Filius faction."

Preparing Nagisa's favorite black tea and roll cake with practiced hands, Otaru Cheri offered her heartfelt congratulations on securing the position of next faction head. She was Nagisa's classmate and attendant. Having maintained a master and attendant relationship even before entering the senior high school department, Cheri—despite being the same age—always maintained an attitude of deep respect toward her as her savior.

Knowing this all too well, Nagisa offered words of gratitude as she reached for the celebratory treat prepared before her.

"Thank you, Cheri... My, this is exceptionally delicious tea. Is it a product from a new brand?"

"It was specially ordered six months in advance in preparation for Lady Nagisa's appointment as the next faction head. I am honored that it is to your liking."

"Is that so? Then I suppose for you, Cheri, my becoming the next head of the Filius faction was a foregone conclusion."

"Naturally. Who else in the world could possibly lead the Filius faction as it stands today, other than Lady Nagisa right before me? Furthermore, practically no one within the faction raised an objection to Lady Nagisa taking over the successor role. Everyone else judged that Lady Nagisa is uniquely suited to be the next head."

"...Indeed. I suppose so."

Hearing those words, Nagisa once again realized that she had grasped the immensely powerful status of next head of the Filius faction, letting out a sigh that mixed joy with tension.

"There are less than six months remaining until the third-years graduate. Now that the successor has been safely decided, both sides will likely be busy for a while with the handover of duties."

"I will remain Lady Nagisa's eternal attendant from here on out as well. I will follow you anywhere to be of assistance to your ladyship."

"I truly appreciate you saying that... By the way, Cheri, regarding the Art Club—is this really alright? No matter how much your primary role is in the Tea Party, there is no need for you to go out of your way to step down from the position of vice-president that Esumi-san appointed you to—"

"No, it is quite alright. I only assumed the position of vice-president in the first place to assist my mentor, and I have no particular attachment to that title. Besides, supporting Lady Nagisa as the faction head means I will have fewer opportunities to visit the Art Club going forward, so I believe that seat should be entrusted to someone talented enough to properly assist Kongou Furan, who has become the new department head."

Hearing the name Kongou Furan from her lips, Nagisa tilted her head with a hint of unease.

"Furan-san... I recall hearing rumors that she was someone Esumi-san held in special regard. But if I recall correctly, isn't she notorious for despising politics? I've also heard she harbors a blanket aversion to anyone and everyone in the Tea Party... I had honestly assumed that Kio from the Sanctus faction, who served as vice-president alongside you, would become the next department head..."

"Indeed... much like Lady Nagisa's opinion, I inwardly took it for granted that she would be the successor... but apparently Furan had been secretly anticipated by our mentor as a successor for some time, and without telling any of us, she was the first to submit documents bearing her own name as the next head directly to the academy. Most of the club members—well, students belonging to the same factions as myself and Kio—raised quite a few objections to the political-hating Furan taking over as head, but the fact remains that our former mentor appointed Furan as the next head, and even if we tried to ask why, our mentor is still unconscious. As a result, it was decided that Furan would assume the position of the next Art Club head."

"...I see."

Nagisa's eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze dropping to her hands.

Observing this, Cheri continued speaking for the time being.

"As for Kio, she will continue in her role as vice-president. Her competence and charisma are every bit as exceptional as our mentor's. Since Kio's name was clearly written on the document signed by our mentor, I imagine our mentor expects her to act as a restraint on Furan. Ah, and one more thing—regarding the other vice-president seat that became vacant when I stepped down, Azuki Rino was appointed to it at the new head Furan's request. She isn't a student with any particular renown for academic achievements within the club, but does Lady Nagisa happen to know anything about her?"

"...No. To tell the truth, I don't know all that much about the Art Club led by Esumi-san. If you don't mind, could you tell me more in depth about this Rino person?"

Cheri nodded heavily as if to say it was only natural, and gave this brief explanation about Azuki Rino.

"Rino is a student of commoner background, much like Furan whom I just mentioned. It seems the two of them are comrades who fell in love with our mentor's talent and walked the path of art together... though I only really know that they happened to meet by chance on their first day of enrollment and hit it off on the spot. While both of them hold a deeply strong sense of respect toward our mentor, if Furan—who hates politics and regards even high-class young ladies like myself and Kio with open hostility—can be called a radical, Rino is quite the opposite; she is a moderate. However, she simply doesn't make her disdain as obvious as Furan does; she is just as contemptuous of politics and high-society girls..."

Nagisa fell silent, directing her gaze at the teacup in her hands as if pondering something. Then, tilting her head, she directed a question filled with doubt toward Cheri.

"Do you have any inkling as to why the two of them hold such attitudes?"

"Unfortunately, no, not at all... The chemistry between Kio and Furan goes beyond merely terrible; it's at a hopeless level, and the same applies to me. Even when we try to converse, it never lasts long, and before I can even search for a reason, they won't even give me the time of day. Especially in Rino's case, she's a downer-type girl who is naturally tight-lipped and has completely dead facial muscles... so, if I may say so, she has an aura that makes her hard to approach. I haven't managed to gather much useful information."

By the way, Cheri had heard rumors about Rino that she was actually homosexual or a problem child who frequently haunts the black market, but seeing Rino's deadpan expression and lack of words, it was likely just exaggerated gossip spread by people who simply assumed things because she had no interest in people.

That said, both Furan and Rino possessed brilliant talents as artists, but their quirks stood out so much that Cheri felt they weren't being properly appreciated in the realm of art.

Still, concluding that there was no need to worry deeply about them, Cheri interrupted her train of thought.

"Such is the current state of the Art Club under its new structure. With my advancement to the third year, I have stepped down from vice-president to regular club member, but my life remains dedicated to serving Lady Nagisa. For the time being, until our mentor regains consciousness, I will not be visiting the Art Club. For a while, I will prioritize supporting Lady Nagisa above all else."

Pausing there, Cheri poured fresh black tea into Nagisa's cup, which she noticed had emptied, and offered a faint smile.

"Come to think of it, two months and a week have already passed by today, but would you like to go see our mentor for a change? We last visited several weeks ago, and I am sure you have plenty to talk about. Handling the succession duties as head can wait until another day without any issue."

"Yes... that is a very lovely invitation."

Perhaps because the length of a two-month period brought back various thoughts.

After a brief pause, Nagisa replied with a hint of pleasure.

1-3

The hospital where Esumi was hospitalized stood almost in the very center of the Trinity Autonomous District.

As the largest medical facility in the Trinity Autonomous District, utilized day and night not only by politicians and the wealthy but by countless residents, it was a place where absolute silence could never be found except during late-night hours. It was so bustling and lively that even when Kirifuji Nagisa—who would later assume the seat of host in the Tea Party—walked regally through the halls, not a single person paid her presence any mind.

Incidentally, the hospital room where Esumi slept was located on nearly the top floor.

To prevent unnecessary information from leaking outside and to protect her from being attacked again, the hospital had been specially requested to provide a VIP private room. Consequently, the hospital floor where Esumi slept was patrolled exclusively by elite members dispatched from the Justice Task Force, meaning the only individuals permitted to set foot on this floor were, quite literally, people who shared a deep personal connection with Esumi.

"Lady Nagisa and Lady Cheri. I have already been informed of your visit. Right this way, please."

As previously arranged, the Justice Task Force student who had been informed of their visit showed no sign of suspicion and promptly guided the two straight to Esumi's hospital room.

Aside from the student guiding them, there were about three other Justice Task Force students on the floor. All of them were third-years like Esumi, elite members of the Justice squad who would be graduating by the end of the year. Though they didn't seem to have had much personal interaction with Esumi directly, they nevertheless felt a pang of heartache that a famous student of their own age at the academy had fallen into a critical state, and they performed their duties with unwavering, serious expressions.

"Actually, just the other day, Lady Seia came to visit with her friend Kio to report on her appointment as the next head of the Sanctus faction. Did Lady Nagisa come for that reason as well today?"

The guiding Justice Task Force student asked this question.

Nagisa directed a single glance at her, then returned her gaze forward and nodded deeply.

"Yes. I expect I'll be busy with handover duties from here on out, so I thought I would come see Esumi-san for a little chat beforehand."

"I see, understood. Esumi-san's consciousness hasn't returned yet, but her condition is extremely stable. The hospital doctor mentioned that she will surely wake up before too long."

"...That is... good news to hear."

The fact that she had still not opened her eyes remained unchanged, but this was far better news than the prospect of her never waking up at all. Cheri let out a breath with a slightly relieved look, and Nagisa offered a single word of gratitude: "Thank you."

Thus, Nagisa and Cheri were successfully guided to the hospital room where Esumi slept.

Seeing that their task was done, the Justice Task Force student who had guided them left with a parting "Please report to us immediately if anything happens," leaving behind only the three of them: Nagisa, Cheri, and Esumi, who continued to sleep upon the bed.

The rhythmic sound of the electrocardiograph, echoing periodically like a metronome, marked the passage of time in the room.

Meanwhile, Nagisa stood frozen in place with a pained expression.

"...Lady Nagisa. Shall we?"

"...Yes."

Watching her with a worried look, Cheri softly placed a hand on Nagisa's back and gently and carefully guided her toward Esumi. Even now, no matter how many times she saw it, looking at Esumi as she was now broke her heart. Her movements were so sluggish that it seemed as though Nagisa herself was the invalid.

Even so, feeling that since they had come she ought to speak to her, Cheri pushed her gently by the back to encourage her and seated her in the chair placed beside Esumi's bed.

"Master... It has been a while. It has been since my last visit with Kio, but today I have come alongside Lady Nagisa... Come, Lady Nagisa, let us speak to her as well."

"Yes... Um, Esumi-san... It's been a while. It's Nagisa."

Naturally, Esumi, whose consciousness had still not returned, offered no reply.

Yet, the fact that she had come directly to see Esumi and spoken to her remained unchanged, and Nagisa's heart warmed just a tiny fraction.

"...Hm?"

At that moment, Cheri cast her gaze around the room, beginning to observe whether anything had changed compared to before. Still, this was a hospital room. There weren't any massive changes, and her eyes merely caught sight of a few art supplies placed neatly in the corner of the room.

These were Esumi's personal belongings, prepared in the hope that they might serve as a catalyst for her to regain consciousness, put together especially for Esumi, who loved art above all else. Naturally, they had been carefully selected by members of the Art Club, so there was nothing suspicious about them.

However, sensing some sort of anomaly in those art supplies, Cheri kept her gaze fixed intently upon them.

"...Cheri? Is something the matter?"

Prompted by Nagisa's voice, which showed concern for her state, Cheri snapped back to reality. "No, it's nothing," she replied, tearing her eyes away from the art supplies placed over there.

Perhaps she was simply quite nervous because it had been so long since her last visit, Cheri decided to step out alone for a change of pace.

"Forgive me, Lady Nagisa. I'm going to buy a drink on the floor below, so I'll step out for a moment."

With those parting words to Nagisa, Cheri cast one final look at her mentor, Esumi, wore a stiff smile, and hurried out of the hospital room.

Left alone with Esumi, Nagisa harbored an indescribable emotion as she gazed at the face of the sleeping girl on the bed.

Of course, her body was hooked up to countless intravenous drips, and her head, apparently where she had suffered bleeding, was still wrapped in bandages—not a sight pleasant to take in. In particular, her right hand—which should have been indispensable to Esumi as an artist—appeared to have been deeply stabbed by something of unknown origin, and bandages were wrapped around her entire right hand following surgery.

According to the doctor observing her progress, the nerves are at least intact, meaning she would likely be able to hold a brush and paint as she had before. However, until Esumi herself, the owner of that hand, regained consciousness, the condition of the sensation and control in her right hand remained entirely unknown.

In addition, she had suffered severe injuries such as fractures and bruises from being pinned beneath collapsed rubble, meaning that even if Esumi successfully woke up, a long period of rehabilitation at the hospital awaited her. When on earth would she be able to return to the academy...? Months from now? Or perhaps years?

"...Esumi-san... Won't you... wake up soon and talk with me?"

Before she knew it, two months had passed. Yes, two months.

Ever since the last time she had exchanged words with Esumi, Nagisa had constantly recalled Esumi's words from her memories, desperate not to let the tone of her voice slip away.

Yet, true to the saying that the voice is the first thing a human forgets, Nagisa—who should have been close enough to have exchanged countless words with her since their middle school days—was no exception; with each passing day, the voice of Esumi within Nagisa's memory gradually lost its shape and presence.

By now, she could no longer even recall Esumi's lovely laughter, which she must have heard so many times.

"...Please, I'm begging you... Don't leave me and Mika-san behind and go far away..."

Clasping Esumi's uninjured left hand between both of her own, Nagisa leaned her upper body forward toward the bed where she slept.

The sound of the electrocardiograph indicating that Esumi was alive echoed regularly throughout the room. At this point, this sound alone could be called the voice and the heartbeat emanating from her. Listening solely to that sound, Nagisa continued to gaze endlessly at Esumi's face.

"...Esumi-san... Do you remember? ...Back on that day when we were still in middle school, when you intended to transfer to Wildhunt, I forcibly stopped you and made you promise by sheer force to attend Trinity... That was simply my ego, desiring to watch your endeavors close at hand and, if possible, attend the same academy and exchange words with you. I rejoiced in that fact at the time... but as a result, over these past three years, I have put Esumi-san through such difficult days..."

She had heard the rumors about the conflict with the Sanctus faction that occurred over the Art Club when Esumi was still in her first year of senior high school.

Esumi had voluntarily intervened in an unwanted political struggle and brilliantly resolved it, only to decide to become an unaccustomed intelligence broker to protect her self-preservation and her beloved art. With countless connections and utilizing numerous pieces of information to negotiate on equal terms with politicians, she ultimately saved the Art Club from the brink of extinction and assumed the role of its head. The three years of senior high school spent by the girl named Kayama Esumi were remarkably rich, dense, and grand.

Yet, the life Esumi truly wished to live couldn't possibly have been anything like this.

On that day back in middle school, when Esumi finally attained her dream profession as a painter, she surely believed she would spend her days pursuing nothing but art.

In truth, she must have been utterly sick and tired of living in Trinity, a place overflowing with politics and machinations. Despite that, Nagisa had selfishly imprisoned her inside the prison called Trinity for the sake of her own ego.

And what was the result?

Because she voluntarily intervened in the political struggles she detested so much, Esumi's mind was constantly worn down, and rather than spending time on her beloved artistic pursuits, she spent her days devoting every ounce of her remaining strength to running the Art Club.

It could hardly be said that she was living happy times.

To top it all off, she was attacked by someone in the lands of Gehenna, suffering severe injuries like this. To the extent that her right hand—which could be called her other life—was injured...

Honestly, Nagisa despised herself.

After all, the primary cause that dragged Esumi into such a state was the selfishness of her past self, who had trapped her in this stifling Trinity.

"...I'm sorry... I am so sorry, Esumi-san... If I had only seen you off to Wildhunt that day... If I hadn't trapped you here in Trinity, I never would have subjected you to such painful years... never allowed you to end up in this state...!!"

Strangely enough, no tears came.

Yet, as if speaking on behalf of the heart of Esumi, who had suffered such terrible injuries, every single word spilling from Nagisa's lips was agonizing, sorrowful, and overflowing with pain.

Even so, the girl sleeping peacefully before her eyes still did not wake up, and though she could shed no tears, Nagisa slumped forward and clung to the bed where she slept. Throughout it all, the only words coming from her lips were I'm sorry and It's my fault. She cared not that her neatly styled hair was disheveled, nor that her fingertips were digging deep into the hospital sheets.

Like a broken toy, Nagisa kept repeating the exact same words over and over to Esumi.

"...Lady Nagisa..."

Meanwhile, observing this scene from the doorway of the hospital room, her attendant Cheri stood frozen, wondering what words she could possibly offer to Nagisa as she exposed such a wretched appearance... before quietly closing the door, casting her gaze down at the drinks for three people in her hand, and walking away with a pained sigh.

In the end, Kayama Esumi did not regain consciousness on this day either.

1-4

She had fallen into a slumber without end.

Just like a single work of art preserved in an unfinished state, resting in a warehouse while receiving only perpetual maintenance, she... Boss—Kayama Esumi, a great senior who was both a senior in life and a superior to me—had closed her beautiful jade-green eyes.

Doubtless, even now, she was being diligently nursed by those permitted to touch her body.

To be honest, I didn't even know if she would safely wake up.

However, a work of art is never permitted to end unfinished.

Once created in this world, a work must continue to live on for a long time until the day it reaches completion.

What an appreciator is allowed to witness is not the process of a work's creation. Rather, knowing and understanding the background of how a work was completed and brought into existence is the true essence and truth of art appreciation.

At the very least, I would never forgive Boss—the very person who lured me into this world—for dying with her work, a grand masterpiece called her life, left half-finished. For the sake of having her legacy passed down far and wide to future generations, I could not afford to let her fall here.

That was precisely why, using a wiretap secretly installed among the art supplies prepared for the Boss under the guise of get-well gifts, I made it a habit to keep my ears open to her medical condition and the recent goings-on of the people lingering around her.

And in the span of these past two months, I managed to acquire quite a troublesome piece of information.

It was the news that Yurizono Seia of the Sanctus faction—who was exceptionally close to the Boss—was set to assume the position of the next head of her faction. Oh dear. What a disaster.

When the Boss had been brought into Trinity in a critical, unconscious state, rumors circulated that Seia had spent about a week bedridden from the overwhelming shock, making her appointment as the next faction head seem utterly hopeless. Yet, somehow, behind my back, she had apparently pulled herself together, declaring, “This time, I will protect her,” kicked aside other influential figures in an instant, and seized the seat of next faction head.

Good grief, I had to hand it to her.

There were at least three people in Trinity who became utterly obsessed with the Boss without a care for their surroundings whenever she was involved, but among them, Yurizono Seia was in a league of her own. Students whose moods rose and fell based on the Boss's actions weren't particularly rare in this academy. But a student like Seia had reactions far more excessive than anyone else.

And now, a student like that had assumed the headship of the Sanctus faction.

Should this be regarded as good news, or bad news?

The opinion of my best friend, Kongou Furan—whom the Boss had personally appointed as the next head of the Art Club—was, needless to say, the latter.

She told me: From now on, the Sanctus faction is a genuine threat to Lady Kayama's livelihood.

And naturally so. Moving forward, under the guise of protecting the heavily injured Boss, the Sanctus faction would likely intervene more than ever before. Honme Kio, belonging to the Sanctus faction and squatting as vice-president, could not be relied upon. Though she held deep respect for the Boss, Kio had maintained a close friendship with Seia since their first year and swore absolute loyalty to her faction.

If Seia wished for it and the faction initiated action in accordance, Kio would undoubtedly follow along in silence. Her priorities had always been Seia and the Sanctus faction.

At this rate, there was a dreadful risk that the Boss's human rights would be compromised.

My best friend Furan and I had already been acting in secret to thwart that future.

And as an aside, Furan and I didn't form our friendship merely over the bond of being huge fans of Kayama Esumi.

To tell the truth, we were partners who carried out all sorts of information gathering concerning the academy under the Boss. Comrades, one might say.

Operating as intelligence brokers behind the scenes, the Boss constantly remained on guard against the movements of her surroundings. To support that clandestine work of hers, Furan and I had continuously provided the latest information and rumors to the academy ever since we enrolled in our first year.

Regardless of whether the information was true or false, acting upon it was up to the Boss. That was precisely why I poured my time solely into gathering all manner of information from every corner of the academy, and truly, I found daily joy in those activities.

The reason being, my family originated from the Kronos Journalism School.

Having moved my living base to Trinity and begun working as a political journalist, observing that lifestyle from early childhood meant I had inevitably inherited those techniques and know-how. The Boss had given me a path where that aptitude could be put to use.

“Would you like to become my eyes and ears?”

On that day, with a serious expression, the Boss spoke those words and invited me into her underworld.

There was no reason to refuse. To me, who admired her position as an artist, pursued her footsteps to learn art, and enrolled in the same academy, she extravagantly granted me the right to step even closer to her.

I introduced my friend Furan to the Boss, asking her to let her stand in the same position.

Thankfully, the Boss did not shake her head.

From then on, Furan and I worked diligently for her.

Furan, notorious as a politic-hating radical, utilized her position to glean information from common students sympathetic to her, while I pulled information out from factions and other opposing groups by every trick in the book. We thoroughly ensured that communications and handovers of information utilized codes or art supplies related to art, so that our true identities would never be exposed and our relationship with the Boss would never be suspected or met with suspicion.

Otaru Cheri, who held the coveted position of beloved disciple, and Honme Kio, who enjoyed the Boss's greatest trust, likely had no inkling of our true identities.

Yet, we could not afford to let our guard down. The slightest lapse in vigilance harbored the grave risk of easily giving us away.

Now then, spending a long time in such a tense environment, I could feel firsthand how my friendship with Furan—initially built through our connection as fans of Kayama Esumi—grew deeper and firmer. Before I knew it, we had advanced to the point of sharing secrets and firmly vowing that we would gladly give our lives for the Boss.

Truth be told, the personal feelings Furan and I harbored toward the Boss were completely different, even if they looked similar at a glance. Yet strangely enough, we hit it off wonderfully, and we had never once clashed over policies concerning her.

That, perhaps, was why.

On that day when the Boss fell victim to an attack by someone and became unconscious, Furan told me:

“Let's protect Lady Kayama, you and I. To ensure not a single finger is laid upon her, we will dismantle the obstructive Tea Party.”

Her expression was dead serious.

Yet what tumbled from her lips was a terrifying proposal: to collapse the student council that had managed the Trinity Autonomous District for ages. But strangely enough, I felt no inclination to reject it at the time.

Was it out of sympathy for Furan, who harbored a hatred for the wealthy and for politics greater than anyone else due to the tragedy of her past? Or was it because I thought I was the only one capable of stopping her, in case she deified the Boss and potentially went off the deep end?

Or had I decided to stick with her to the bitter end, as a comrade and best friend who had operated together under the Boss?

I had no intention of searching for that reason now.

The only certainty was that I agreed with her opinion. That was all.

Furan was naturally delighted. No, she was glad for my sake.

She even hugged me, saying, “Having Rino around gives me such peace of mind. Let's do our best together.” Looking back now, appointing me as the vice-president of the Art Club might have been her own way of showing gratitude.

Regrettably, for someone like me who struggled with human relationships, it wasn't a role I particularly cared about, but strangely, it didn't feel bad.

Besides, to realize the revenge Furan had planned, such a title was necessary for me as well.

Because, to dismantle the Tea Party, our positions were simply too weak. Far too weak. The Art Club that the Boss had built up with such desperate effort was nothing more than a sandcastle when pitted against the colossal organization of the Tea Party or the three major factions. It was obvious what would happen if ordinary students like Furan and me tried to take them on.

So Furan devised a scheme.

Without threatening our positions, she found a student within the Tea Party who would act as a collaborator. When it came to such devious plots, she was wickedly clever. And merciless.

Her initial reasoning was this:

“To dismantle the Tea Party, we must first make the three major factions tear each other apart over Lady Kayama's case.” To achieve that, someone deeply connected to the Boss needed to step onto the public stage.

However, the student we had marked as a collaborator was quite reluctant to step onto the political stage. She offered various excuses like “It has nothing to do with me” or “This kind of thing doesn’t suit me,” choosing to live freely as she pleased. To be fair, that student, deeply connected to the Boss, apparently felt quite strongly about the tragedy that had befallen her. But she had completely shut herself away, as if to say it wasn't her place to step forward.

Furan presented a certain ‘information’ to that student.

“Lady Kayama did not willingly go to Gehenna on that day. Rather, it was the Gehenna side that lured her there, sending something like an invitation letter. The tragedy that befell her—the root cause that invited it—can unquestionably be said to lie with Gehenna Academy.”

That was a piece of information kept strictly secret between the Boss and Furan.

In truth, why had the Boss ended up going to Gehenna? The only ones who knew that truth were the Gehenna student who summoned her, the Boss herself, and Furan, who had directly laid eyes on that invitation letter.

As already known, since the Boss still had not opened her eyes, details could not be asked of her, and the Gehenna student who had summoned her had likewise vanished into thin air.

Thanks to this, those around her who failed to grasp the truth of the matter spun random hypotheses, constantly consuming wasted time debating whether Gehenna Academy or Kayama Esumi was ultimately at fault.

The information Furan provided could truly be called a massive piece of evidence that threw a stone into those ongoing debates.

Naturally, upon hearing the story from Furan, that student underwent an instantaneous, dramatic shift in attitude.

Perhaps she hadn't favorable feelings toward Gehenna to begin with. That student came to firmly believe that Gehenna was entirely to blame for the Boss's current state, and began harboring intense resentment toward the Filius faction for trying to build friendly relations with such a Gehenna, and toward the Sanctus faction for trying to maintain neutrality.

From there, Furan urged her to become the head of her faction. Whispering that she was the only one who could protect the Boss, that her childhood friend alone lacked the strength, and that sickly Seia had too much on her shoulders, Furan persistently and repeatedly convinced her that she and her faction alone could protect Esumi.

As a result, that student successfully clinched the seat of next faction head so brilliantly that one had to wonder what had happened to her previous carefree lifestyle.

Thus was born the student who became our collaborator—Misono Mika, the next head of the Pater faction.

As a result, the Tea Party for the coming year would consist of:

Yurizono Seia, next head of the Sanctus faction.

Kirifuji Nagisa, next head of the Filius faction.

Misono Mika, next head of the Pater faction.

These three would reign as the heads of their respective factions and run the Tea Party. By strange coincidence, every single one of them was a student with deep ties to the Boss. Yet each held completely separate thoughts and beliefs, making them a collection of misfits who couldn't align their steps when it came to the Boss.

At this point, Furan's plan was already halfway completed. Yet she was not satisfied with just that.

“Let's move on to the next step... It would be good if some major scandal or misconduct occurred within the Tea Party that caused them to lose public trust. Luckily, Mika-san asked for my cooperation regarding a certain plan. Perhaps we can make use of this.”

I asked her what on earth that was.

She replied, mocking the dreams of an innocent girl:

“The Arius Branch. Mika-san apparently desires reconciliation with that academy, which was banished from Trinity ages ago. Whether this turns out to be a blessing or a curse is a matter of utter indifference to me. But this matter, depending on how it's handled, might be turned into a lethal weapon to ruin the Tea Party. What do you think, Rino? Don't you think it's a brilliant plan?”

I answered: “It might just be.”

Yet at that moment, what was born inside my heart was neither joy nor praise, but rather a sense of terror toward my best friend—realizing that she was even willing to use a wish that Misono Mika had likely conceived out of pure goodwill as a mere tool for her own revenge.

“If I've become the Art Club head, I'll be able to freely enter the cathedral warehouse managed by the Sisterhood by using my head-level authority. They asked me to provide documents and information related to the Arius Branch from there, you see. I want you to continue thoroughly gathering information regarding the other factions using the wiretap planted in the hospital room, Rino. Since we haven't been given permission to meet Lady Kayama directly, for a while we have no choice but to probe into current conditions via wiretapping. If you find any suspicious or interesting stories, tell me everything. We have to get our hands on anything we can if it gives us leverage over the other side regarding Lady Kayama... Don't worry. Everything we do will surely be for Lady Kayama's sake.”

Should I really just let her be?

I didn't know. I couldn't tell.

Would this action, this plan, truly be for the Boss's sake? I still didn't know the reason.

At the very least, what I—Azuki Rino—could do right now was constantly tell myself it was for the Boss, while blindly nodding and cooperating with my best friend's plan, which was steadily beginning to go mad.

And then, four months after the day the Boss fell into a state of critical unconsciousness.

Finally, she opened her eyes.