Misono Mika. The Host of Trinity's Tea Party. In other words, the supreme authority in Trinity at this current moment.
I personally requested information on her through our intelligence department, but as expected, almost nothing came up. It was, after all, nearly impossible to dig up information on two specific groups within Trinity: the Tea Party and the Sisterhood.
According to Mika herself, she is the head of the Pater Faction, which is considered the hardliner faction even within Trinity.
…How did someone like that end up sending me a letter expressing a desire to improve relations with Gehenna? I can't make sense of it.
Did Trinity have some grasp of the situation with our Pandemonium Society, unlike us? That raccoon Makoto might have sent the letter straight to the shredder without even reading it properly. In that sense, sending the letter to me first was an exceedingly wise choice.
At first, I was suspicious. But the seal on the letter was undeniably that of the Tea Party, so its authenticity was certain. That only made me more confused, and I had no choice but to take the letter's contents seriously.
After consulting with Ako, we came to the conclusion that our first priority was to continue corresponding and ascertain the other party's true intentions.
The more letters we exchanged, the more I realized she was sincere about this. I had a gut feeling that this was a matter worth seeing through, even if it meant taking on a little more trouble.
It felt like my already heavy workload was about to increase even more, but this is a long-term investment. If it succeeds, the me of next year will surely have an easier time. If things go well, I might be able to rest a little more than I do now…
After a series of interesting exchanges, we decided to meet in person to talk. To get this plan approved, we would need to coordinate with the Pandemonium Society. Before that, we needed to prepare thoroughly with the other side to maximize our chances of success.
Persuading Makoto would be no easy task. Especially since the other party is a Trinity angel, the second thing Makoto hates most in this world. There is no doubt that the thing Makoto hates most is me.
By the way, what should I wear when I go to meet the Tea Party Host? I can't wear my uniform since I have to hide my identity.
Ugh, this is harder than I thought.
…It's just too much trouble. Just covering my face should be enough, right?
"Ma'am, did the business you went to handle go well? Did the Tea Party Host treat you rudely, or…"
"Haaah… Ako, nothing like that happened, so don't worry. With Mika… hmm, let's just say we were on the same wavelength."
"Mika…? If you're calling her Mika, that must mean the Tea Party Host's name is— Pue-hung?!"
"Ako, are you alright? Why the sudden…"
"M-Ma'am! Didn't you say, just this morning, that you couldn't let your guard down until you met her in person?"
"…And that's why I met her in person today, isn't it?"
"Yes, that's exactly it! You're telling me you're already on a first-name basis after meeting just once! And your counterpart isn't like the Pandemonium Society's chairman, she's a proper—I hate to admit it—but a proper leader of an entire academy!"
"That's because Mika asked me to call her that first…"
"Ugh… Th-This is strange! It must be the sly machinations of Trinity's cunning leader! She must have used some devious trick on you…!"
"…Haaah, Ako. That's enough. From what I saw today, Mika seemed to genuinely desire harmony between our two academies. She was so sincere that she even came prepared with a concrete proposal for a 'Summer Festival' in response to our suggestion of a joint event."
Why is Ako making a face as if the sky itself is falling? She often behaves in ways that are hard to understand, but it's a bit much today. Should I give her a vacation?
"Ugh. Understood, Ma'am. By the way, what's this about a summer festival? I remember our proposed joint event was focused on competition between the two academies. A summer festival and competition don't seem to connect very well… Are you sure this is alright?"
"As I said, she came prepared with a concrete proposal. An inter-academy tournament with events like beach volleyball and naval mock battles. Racing events like water skiing and jet skiing, plus individual competitions like surfing. The fact that she came up with all sorts of contests to maintain a festive atmosphere while not losing the keyword of 'competition' showed that she had seriously considered the joint event you proposed."
"To-To that extent… So Trinity was that serious about this matter."
"No. Not Trinity, Ako. To be precise, it's Mika… the Tea Party Host, who is personally serious about this."
"…Whaaat?!"
I can understand why Ako is so shocked. When I heard this from Mika myself, I didn't let it show, but I felt much the same as Ako does now.
"This is something the Tea Party Host is pursuing personally to minimize incidents caused by the animosity between our academies. According to Mika herself, the faction she represents is a hardliner one that is hostile toward Gehenna, so if she pursued this officially, her political standing could be severely shaken. That's why she plans to pursue this officially only after reaching an agreement with our academy first."
"To think she's that proactive about improving relations with our school, it's hard to believe she's one of those snake-like leaders of Trinity… And to think that all the ideas we discussed via letters and the summer festival plan you just mentioned all came from the Tea Party Host's head…!"
Seeing Ako look so impressed made me feel good for some reason. It's probably because my new friend… was receiving unspoken praise, right? The Mika I met in person was certainly amazing in many ways.
The direction I steer the Disciplinary Committee is far from politics, but even if I were to take a more political route, I don't have the confidence I could do it as well as Mika. And she's not just smart; she's confident enough in her own skills to have actually provoked me.
…I'm starting to feel a genuine desire to face her. It's not that I dislike Trinity like the other students in Gehenna do.
It's just that I could tell at a glance that Mika was a formidable opponent. It's a thought that comes from never having fought an opponent on equal footing with myself.
"Ugh… Uggghhh…!!!"
"Hmm? Ako, what's wrong all of a sudden…"
"It's not fair! It's not faaaair!!! Why does Trinity get to have someone so capable as their student council president?! And why did Gehenna have to elect that incompetent raccoon who does nothing but waste the budget every day and picks fights with the Disciplinary Committee just because she hates you, Ma'am, as the chairman of the Pandemonium Society! Kyaaaaaa…!"
"…Haaah."
Ako grabbed her head and screamed. Since I couldn't say I didn't understand her feelings, I let out a small sigh. I was only gone for a day, but I'd already heard that Makoto had, without fail, sent Iroha to harass the Disciplinary Committee while I was away.
Why does Makoto even hate me in the first place? I still can't understand it.
"Ako, Mika has expressed her intention to visit Gehenna in person soon to request the cooperation of the Pandemonium Society."
"Ugh, right. The picture the Tea Party Host has painted of the summer festival is fine, but the budget required will be astronomical. It would be a manageable amount if the Pandemonium Society wasted a little less of the budget, but just getting that raccoon to approve an expense this large is a challenge in itself."
"Regarding that part, Mika said this festival is an event that can be linked with broadcasters, and since it's based on a festival, the potential revenue for the academy, separate from the budget spent, will be substantial. In my view, it's an event well worth investing the budget in."
"It's true that since it's called a summer festival, we can accept not only students from both academies but also outside tourists. Yes, this could definitely be profitable. It would be great if that fact helps us get the Pandemonium Society's cooperation, but the problem is that it's hard to expect that…"
Ako's concerns starkly reveal the current state of Gehenna. This is all the result of the indifference of Gehenna's students. There's no point in electing the Pandemonium Society chairman through democratic means. No matter who takes that seat, the students of Gehenna just don't care.
"Ma'am, then when is the Tea Party Host planning to visit? To prepare for the summer festival perfectly, it would be best to proceed with things as quickly as possible."
"…She said that as soon as we're ready would be fine."
"Ugh, she's intense. Is she looking for an official visit? Or a secret meeting?"
"A secret meeting this time. It seems she was initially planning an official visit right away, but as we talked, we decided to have a secret meeting first. She said that if she went the official route and failed to persuade Makoto, her own political standing would be severely shaken, and she'd be publicly humiliated on top of that."
"Hmph, caring about her own image is so typical of a Trinity person. By the way, is the Tea Party Host fearless or something? The way she said 'this time' implies she intends to visit again later. Does she not know what could happen to her in Gehenna?"
"Ako, any problems that arise from the moment Mika steps foot in Gehenna are the responsibility of our Disciplinary Committee. So, it's better to take it as a sign of her trust in us. Besides, Mika would be fine even if she were separated from the Disciplinary Committee for a while. She's an opponent against whom even I can't guarantee victory."
"Fue-hung—?! Sh-She's strong enough for you to say that, Ma'am?! To think she's on par with the Vice-Captain of the Trinity Justice Task Force…"
Seeing the startled look on Ako's face, it seems she had quite a few rude thoughts about Mika. I hope you don't make any careless slips of the tongue in front of her, Ako.
…On second thought, Mika seems like the type who would just laugh off whatever Ako said. So maybe I don't need to worry too much.
"Ahem, then I will prepare to secretly escort the Tea Party Host. Selecting Disciplinary Committee members who are tight-lipped and have relatively little animosity toward Trinity won't be an easy task…"
"Yes, please take care of that part. Once the preparations are complete, I'll discuss the detailed schedule with Mika and relay it to you."
"Th-This is a bit of a personal question, but… what kind of person is the Tea Party Host?"
"Hmm…? Why, all of a sudden?"
"…Because ever since you came back from meeting her, you've been smiling this entire time we've been talking?"
Oh… was I? I had no idea.
"If you ask me what kind of person Mika is… hmm, it's a little hard to say definitively. First, she has a very honest personality. She seems to prefer speaking directly rather than beating around the bush. She also has the qualities of an idealist. To wish for everyone's happiness… that's something I find hard to even imagine."
"…That sounds like a fairytale. The kind of thought only someone with their head in the clouds would have."
"Hmph… Mika herself would probably agree with that."
Mika is a hard person to hate. Perhaps even Makoto would just stammer and get swept up in her pace if they met. Mika's most fearsome quality is her out-of-this-world charisma that makes you lower your guard without even realizing it.
"That's it. The easiest way to describe Mika would probably be 'a princess.' She seems to be naive about the ways of the world, but in reality, she understands them better than anyone. And she doesn't give up there; she tries to fix problems from the root up. Those who are charmed by that sight will gather by the princess's side and protect her so that her spirit is never broken."
I myself was captivated by Mika after just a single meeting; I can only imagine what it's like for those who have seen her up close on a regular basis. And am I truly the only one who was captivated by her?
I think not. And that's what makes Mika terrifying.
She embraces and takes care of the people who gather around her. Even if they aren't already close, she will go out of her way to make them her allies. She increases her allies in that way, again and again…
"Ugh… No way, for you to make that kind of expression, Ma'am. To make you say the word 'princess' with that look on your face…! Sh-Should I be cheering for you in this? But the other party is a snake from Trinity… Guhk…"
"…Ako, are you okay?"
"H-Hah! My apologies! I'll go take care of the tasks you assigned me now! Please don't work for too long, Ma'am!"
After muttering something unintelligible at high speed, Ako turned and fled the moment I called out to her.
Silence filled the office after Ako left. A headache started to build as I looked at the mountain of work that needed to be done.
I practically just played around all day today, so I can't put off work until tomorrow. I should probably finish about half of this before heading home.
It's tedious and tiring, but still, my mood feels much better than usual.