Seeing Aris's confused expression, Yuzu said awkwardly,
"S-s-sorry. Someone who can enjoy our games this much, Aris, you're the first one besides Sensei. S-so, even if it's not just to satisfy President Rio's request, I truly hope you'll become a member of our club."
"Become… a member… understood. Bum bum bum! Aris has joined the party!" Aris imitated the party joining sound effect from the game. "Is this correct?"
Yuzu froze for a moment. "Ah, y-yes, that's probably the feeling, I guess."
It seemed Aris's way of speaking was still far from ideal.
"Ah, if you think RPGs are fun…" Yuzu leaned closer, her eyes shining with a brightness rarely seen. "I have lots of games I can recommend to you."
"Wait a second. I should be the one recommending games to Aris first."
Momoi cut in. "As long as she plays more high quality games, her way of speaking will become more natural, and that should satisfy the president's requirements, right?"
Then she began listing Kivotos's classic games as if counting treasured possessions.
"Alright, first there's Hero Myth, Final Phantasm, Eternal Ys, and…"
"What are you talking about?" Midori spoke up to object. "Aris-chan is a beginner player, you know. Of course you should start with The Legend of Serna: Dream Island."
Even Yuzu showed an unyielding side. "On this point I absolutely can't back down. Next she has to play Romantic Story. Ah, though personally I think the third installment can be skipped…"
Faced with their dispute, Aris still could not really understand.
But there was one thing she could be sure of.
The android girl revealed a smile. "Anticipation. Begin the game again."
However, in the very next moment, I reached out, held her under the arms, and lifted her off me.
Aris turned around, tilted her head, and looked at me in confusion, then made an angry expression.
"Hero, have you betrayed the kingdom as well?"
I guessed she was protesting my sudden act of setting her down.
For some reason, Aris seemed a little attached to me.
If she truly possessed emotions… I strongly suspected she had fallen in love with me at first sight.
No response from the card? Just another everyday bug. Who knows how much authority it's secretly withholding from me instead of granting it. Truly a disgrace to cheat abilities.
I climbed up from the carpet and rubbed Aris's small head.
"Princess, my loyalty to you and the kingdom contains not the slightest falsehood."
Although I was just repeating a line from the Game Development Club's game, it was still a bit embarrassing.
Especially after the other three each showed reactions of eager excitement, quiet disappointment, and blushing faces.
I coughed lightly. "It's getting late today, so I'll take my leave for now. I'll come by again in a day or two."
"Huh? Sensei is leaving already…"
Momoi's mood instantly dropped, and she tried to keep me there. "Stay a bit longer. At this time, it's perfect to eat takeout together before going back."
Normally in situations like this, someone would suggest cooking.
But, well, it was Momoi. One could not ask for too much.
I felt that after personally delivering me such a torturous gaming experience, having her personally feed me like last time was already more than enough.
"That's right, Sensei, at least let us treat you to a meal… even if it's just takeout…"
Midori and Yuzu nodded as well, all of them looking reluctant to part.
Clearly, within this tiny clubroom alone, there were three girls and one machine harboring affection for me. How troubling…
Fortunately, I have always been firm of heart and noble of character, unmoved by feminine charms.
Suppressing the upward curve of my lips, I said seriously, "Sorry. I really do have something urgent to handle, and for now you don't need me here anyway. So when you truly need my help, I'll come running right away."
Only then did the girls reluctantly give up.
"Then, please take care of Aris for me."
In theory, as the one with authorization to access where Aris was found, I was her official guardian.
But I did not know how to raise a child. The Game Development Club's methods looked unreliable, yet they seemed surprisingly effective, and Aris herself was happy.
For now, it was fine to let Aris stay with the Game Development Club, with… peers?
At least in appearance, they were about the same age.
In terms of intellect, Momoi probably counted too.
In any case, letting Aris spend time with her future clubmates was better than taking her back to Schale.
Mainly because I was worried that driven by curiosity, Aris might rummage around the garbage cans and end up finding some treasures with unspeakable purposes…
Even though there were already rumors online that I did strange things with students, in reality I could say with a clear conscience that since taking office at Schale, I had never once proactively crossed the line.
Someone as upright as me, could I explain those things to an innocent, blank slate like Aris? Absolutely not.
I had not fallen so low as to lay hands on a child like that.
So at the very least, Aris would have to be raised to maturity by the Game Development Club first.
Hopefully she would not grow crooked.
After saying goodbye to the girls of the Game Development Club, I left the clubroom.
But I did not manage to leave completely.
The moment one foot stepped outside the door, I felt my hand being grasped by an irresistible, inescapable, unimaginable force.
I turned around and was astonished to see Aris, who had reacted a moment too late. Her clear eyes were slightly moist as she looked at me sadly.
"Unable to understand. Confirm withdrawal from the party?"
As expected of an android, her grip strength was impressive.
Fortunately, Aris knew her limits. Otherwise, my wrist might already have been broken.
After quickly thinking it through, I reached out and stroked the robot girl's head, saying softly,
"Hero, do not be sad. This is merely a temporary farewell. As long as you hold hope in your heart, one day we will surely meet again in a distant place, will we not?"
Aris answered in a low voice. "So, Princess, please do not forget me. Even then, when we are made anew, please hold my hand tightly, just like you do now."
By substituting with dialogue from the game, Aris was able to understand, and she smiled as she let go of me.
I lightly rotated my wrist.
"There is one more thing."
I smiled gently. "Just call me Sensei."
Even if she was an android, it did not matter.
The Aris who held my hand, unwilling to let me leave, was just as much my precious student.
Aris nodded. "Aris understands. Sensei will not withdraw from the party."
"Yes, exactly."
As I treated Aris gently, I glanced at the girls beside us, their faces filled with envy, and could not help but sigh inwardly.
Today was another day heavy with sin.
After parting with the Game Development Club, I hurried to my next workplace.
However, something unexpected happened midway.
Accompanied by the sound of wind, a police drone stopped in front of me, bobbing up and down as if signaling for me to follow.
At first, I followed it with doubts in mind. After going some distance and confirming that its route matched my original plan, I understood the situation.
…Should I say it was a style that matched my impression?
Before long, the drone stopped in front of a clubroom I found rather familiar.
Then, from inside the door came a soft female voice carrying a smile.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time, Sensei. Please come in."
When I opened the door to the Veritas Club room, what entered my view was a girl with a pure and beautiful face, dreamlike like a fairy.
However, what caught my attention even more was what lay beneath her.
A wheelchair.
"Sensei, this is our first time meeting offline, isn't it? What's wrong? Hehe. As expected, compared to my actual self, the remote projection lacked some of that delicate, frail charm, right?"
That mouth, without a doubt, belonged to Himari.
I did not rashly ask about the reason she was in a wheelchair and closed the door behind me. "That's true. Himari, you called me here. Is there something you need?"
Although I had not added Himari as a Momotalk contact, she had suddenly appeared in my friends list and sent a message requesting a meeting.
Using hacking techniques to do something so unnecessary, could it be that Himari had a crush on me?
"Huh, praising someone like that on our first meeting… Even as Millennium's top super genius pure type frail beauty, being expressed interest in so directly still makes me embarrassed, you know…"
…To be honest, what a cringe student.
No, perhaps Himari was deliberately using this method to test my feelings?
And someone as experienced as me naturally could remain composed and maintain a calm exterior.
Himari put on a shy expression, but the mischievous light in her eyes could not hide her amusement. "Well then, getting back on topic. I deliberately sent Chihiro and the others away and suddenly called you here at this time for only one reason."
Hearing that, I was shocked. "Could it be a confession?"
"…Huh?"
Himari blinked, then forced a laugh. "Ahaha, Sensei, you're really funny. But as a lofty flower, I wouldn't do something that proactive, you know?"
It felt like she was hinting that she wanted me to take the initiative.
"In short, even the seminar can't produce a complete, flawless profile in such a short time. So for that Rio actually came to me for help."
At this point, Himari became lively, looking proud as if she had won a battle. "And then I took a bit of time to pay attention. That girl, Aris-chan, right? The one you brought out from the ruins? Such a cute name."
This situation was something I had anticipated.
Aris's existence could not be hidden from Rio. By the same logic, it could not be hidden from Himari either, who had guided the Game Development Club to the ruins and was paying even closer attention than Rio.
"So you want to talk about Aris?"
"Of course. Next, the three of us will chat a bit."
Three?
Himari smiled slightly. "Hey, you gloomy woman eavesdropping over there, stop playing mute and talk already."
The moment I realized who Himari was talking to, only admiration remained in my heart.
So you really dare to say it to her face.
After nearly ten seconds of silence, just as even suspicion appeared on Himari's face,
A cold and beautiful black haired girl pushed open the Veritas Club door and walked in expressionlessly.
"Good evening, Sensei."
Rio politely greeted me, then darkened her face and coldly glared at Himari.
However, Himari raised her brows and even made a provocative expression. "What's wrong? Did I say something incorrect? Only someone truly eavesdropping on my private conversation with Sensei would be hurt by my evaluation just now, right?"
Why was Himari so aggressive?
Rio completely ignored Himari's mockery. "Why involve Sensei now?"
"Huh? What's the problem? That thing was personally brought out by Sensei. Or are you saying Sensei doesn't have the right to participate in the discussion?"
"…Before fully confirming its true nature, your actions will only add unnecessary trouble. Do you truly lack any awareness of your responsibilities and obligations?"
"What a lofty attitude, BIG SISTER."
The smell of gunpowder in the air grew thicker. The two of them practically started arguing the moment they met. Their relationship really did seem as incompatible as Himari had described.
In a situation like this, being caught between them made me feel especially awkward.
However, I had a plan that might resolve the current predicament.
And it would also conveniently verify something I had been thinking about for a long time.
"Both of you, please stop arguing," I said with a confident smile. "Give this super pacifist handsome young Sensei, the pride of all Kivotos, some respect."
I blurted out the entire line I had been brewing for a long time in one breath. Along with the embarrassment, there was also a strange sense of liberation.
So this was how Himari usually felt?
Unfortunately, my lack of experience showed on my first attempt. I missed an adjective.
As I was reflecting on this, the atmosphere in the clubroom suddenly dropped to freezing.
Rio's lips parted slightly, her eyes vacant, showing a rare expression of shock.
And Himari, the light in her eyes had already disappeared, her expression utterly lifeless.
"…Um, actually, I just wanted to ease the atmosphere… and…" I asked carefully, "I don't think there's any problem with my self awareness, right?"
The two girls looked at each other and stiffly changed the subject.
"Rio, in front of Sensei, we should put our conflict aside for now."
"Himari, that's what I was about to say."
I fell silent, the earlier joy receding like a tide.
At least I had achieved the goal of stopping their pointless argument, that was enough…
Forcing myself to cheer up, I asked, "So, you want to confirm Aris's true identity, right?"
Himari smiled. "That's right. Want to join us?"
Rio said coldly, "Sensei, you don't need to be involved in this matter."
I looked at the two of them, their attitudes completely opposite.
Then, I took a deep breath and made my decision.