I liked to believe that my willpower had reached the toughness of steel, a man of steel.
Even when faced with the allure of a gentle maiden's beauty, I managed to indulge for less than two hours before pulling myself together and urging her to hurry back to her dorm. That should count as remaining unswayed.
Thanks to Serina, though, all the exhaustion I had been carrying seemed to melt away like ice under the warmth of her sunlike care.
A somewhat strange angel was still very much an angel.
The next morning.
After giving Ayane, today's Schale on-duty, instructions on what to pay attention to and leaving her with some simple tasks, I headed to Trinity alone.
Led by the other side's personal guards, I was finally reunited with the person I had arranged to meet today, one of the Tea Party members and the leader of the Filius faction, Kirifuji Nagisa.
"Long time no see, Sensei."
Nagisa sat beside a small round table already set with tea and pastries. She maintained her usual poise and elegance, greeting me in her calm, polite tone.
Once I sat in the empty chair across from her, Nagisa lifted the teapot and poured me a cup of black tea with a faint, curious fragrance. "Sensei, this is the black tea that has recently become popular in Trinity. I hope you will give it a try."
"Thank you."
I expressed my thanks, then lifted the cup to my lips. As I gently blew away the steam rising from the surface, I took the chance to quietly observe the girl before me.
Kirifuji Nagisa, whom I had not seen in days, looked almost exactly as I remembered.
Her ash blonde hair, adorned with floral ornaments, was long, silky, and glossy. Her custom Tea Party uniform was impeccably maintained, the snowy wings behind her spotless, and the black stockings on her legs… everything seemed unchanged, the perfect image of an exemplary noble lady.
Yet I noticed a faint weariness in her delicate features. Even with light makeup to hide it and her effort to stay composed, anyone observant enough could see it.
A small heaviness sank into my chest. I had a bad feeling, one that seemed to be coming true.
Seia's cryptic farewell and complete disappearance afterward, combined with Mika's sudden conversation with me despite usually keeping her distance, had all left me uneasy.
But when I tried asking Mika indirectly, the only answer I got was a stiff there's nothing wrong. With resistance written all over it. So my only hope for clues lay with Nagisa, the Tea Party's last member and the one most likely to know something.
Even as a Sensei, I had no right to interfere in students' private matters. But as their Sensei, I felt at least obligated to probe gently, to confirm whether this really was only a private issue.
Or perhaps, in the end, I was simply worried and wanted to meddle.
That said, while this was my main reason for coming here, it wasn't the only one.
As a secondary purpose and the official reason for meeting Nagisa, I wanted to thank her for the indirect fire support she had provided through Hifumi during our operation to rescue Hoshino from Kaiser PMC.
I sipped the black tea, which had cooled enough to drink. Its flavor was rich and mellow, smooth with a lingering sweetness. Naturally, anything Nagisa, a master of tea ceremony and a person of high position, chose for her guest would be the best of the best.
Unfortunately, I had no appreciation for it at all, even feeling that the cheap iced tea sold in convenience stores was more cost effective.
Maybe someday I should bring one for Nagisa to try.
What kind of reaction would unfold between the taste buds of a Trinity noble lady used to high-grade tea and a mass-produced bottled iced tea?
It felt worth testing.
"Hehe. How is it, Sensei?"
I answered in a tactful way. "It's wonderful. I suppose I should say it truly reflects your taste."
"Not at all, you flatter me. If you pair it with the pastries here, it will have a different charm. Please give them a try."
Following her suggestion, I tasted them together. The tea and pastries complemented each other perfectly, blending into a harmonious new flavor. These pastries were likely chosen with great care as well.
After receiving the black tea girl's thoughtful hospitality, I shifted into a casual tone and moved toward the real topic.
"Nagisa, thank you for your help last time."
The girl with gray-gold hair shook her head with a gentle smile. "It was nothing more than a small effort. Our school already has courses involving towed howitzers, so I merely adjusted the class location a little.
"That company's deception, threats, and kidnapping of students had already exceeded what we could tolerate. For the sake of our students' safety outside the academy, we could not simply stand by.
"Besides, even without our participation, with the force you had gathered at the time, I am sure the outcome would not have changed. What I provided was nothing more than a small addition."
The more she spoke that way, the more uncomfortable I felt. I even began to wonder whether this seemingly elegant girl was actually scheming subtly, hoping I would feel more indebted to her.
Perhaps… she was even coveting my beauty, planning to leverage her good deed until I could only repay her with my body…
Kivotos was truly unkind to me.
I joked about her secretly in my heart, but I honestly didn't mind her methods. It was a fact that she had helped me greatly.
"In any case, Nagisa, I will remember your help."
I took out a small, beautifully crafted gift box slightly smaller than my palm and held it up for her to see, meeting her gray-gold eyes with sincerity.
"This is a token of my appreciation."
Nagisa froze, lowered her gaze, and looked at the red box in my hand. Whatever she imagined made her pupils contract sharply, and her expression, usually calm and courteous, rippled with unease.
She looked at me again, her expression growing stranger, her hand trembling slightly as she held her cup. Her eyes darted everywhere as she murmured, "This… this isn't appropriate…"
"What's inappropriate?" I asked, puzzled. Then I understood. "Ah, of course this isn't all. This is just a small token of my gratitude."
"This is only a small token?!" Nagisa's voice rose half a pitch before she realized her lapse in decorum and lowered it again. "S… sorry, please take it back…"
Did she really dislike having favors exchanged like this?
I insisted. "Just take a look. It's really just something small."
I moved to open the box. Nagisa looked even more troubled, wanting to speak yet unable to. In the end, she only whispered, very softly, "Then… then I will look first…"
Caught between reluctance and expectation, she watched anxiously as I slowly opened the box, revealing an egg-shaped carved ornament.
The shell was adorned with gemstones and geometric patterns, antique and elegant. Seia had recommended it, and I had chosen it for Nagisa during my date with Kaya a few days ago.
It wasn't cheap either. The price matched its luxurious appearance, costing me nearly half a month's salary.
Thankfully, I was well versed in the art of using public funds for living expenses, and I had few hobbies that required money… aside from buying gifts for girls.
I hoped this expensive gift would serve its purpose and please Nagisa.
But she blinked, hesitating. "This is… your token of appreciation?"
"…What's wrong? You don't like it?"
The receipt was still intact. Worst case, I could return it or give it to Kaya as repurposed waste.
"No. If I had to choose between like or dislike at first glance, I would choose the former."
Nagisa accepted the box, rotating it and examining it before releasing a small breath of relief. She muttered, almost to herself, "So it's an egg carving… I thought…"
"Hm? You thought it was something else?"
"You misheard. I said nothing."
Her tone brooked no argument as she closed the lid as if sealing the matter entirely.
A sincere smile returned to her face, gentler than before.
She placed the gift safely at the side of the table, lifted her tea, and took a delicate sip. With a soft sweetness lingering in her mouth, she nodded to me.
"Thank you, Sensei. I like this gift very much."