In the middle of the night, I was told something I hadn't expected in the slightest. We were in the middle of a good mood, Nagisa and I, when a Momotalk notification went off. That was the beginning of it all.
I was tempted to just ignore it, but I had sound notifications turned on for surprisingly few people. Other than Hina, Nagisa, and Haru,most of the kids I contacted frequently were on silent.
So, I cautiously asked Nagisa for permission, checked the Momotalk, and sent a reply. But the next message that flew in from Hoshino contained something I absolutely could not overlook.
Sensei had gone to Abydos to proceed with the Foreclosure Task Force episode, and he was now preparing for a Total War... how could I possibly treat that as nothing?
So, I bowed my head to Nagisa and told her I needed to make one short, really important phone call, then called Hoshino. I was about to step out of the room to take the call, but Nagisa subtly held me back, telling me not to go.
The gaze in her eyes, half the demon of jealousy and half the demon of suspicion... I couldn't say anything, since I'd brought it on myself.
As I sat on the edge of the bed talking with Hoshino, Nagisa at some point sat up as well and quietly came up behind me.
The air against my bare skin was cold, but Nagisa's body, embracing me from behind, was incredibly hot. Still, she didn't do anything more than that, so it didn't interfere with the conversation.
Nagisa's hands behaved themselves reasonably well, and her lips stayed put, not straying from relatively less sensitive spots.
But when the conversation showed signs of dragging on, Nagisa started giving me hints, as if telling me to wrap it up and hang up.
Her hands began to inch closer to naughty places. And when she lightly touched her lips to a spot where I was particularly sensitive, it seemed Nagisa's patience had finally hit rock bottom.
Well, it was understandable. Just when she thought the talk about the incident in Abydos was more or less over and the call would end, I had suddenly brought up the RABBIT Platoon, extending the conversation. It made sense that Nagisa would start dropping hints.
Maybe she was jealous because I used the expression "our rabbits." I knew, and Nagisa knew, that it was just a half-unbroken habit of speech, but it wasn't really the right thing to say in this situation either.
So I tried to soothe Nagisa and wrap up the conversation, but then she gently took my earlobe between her lips.
Startled, I ended the call so quickly I could barely remember what I'd said. As soon as she confirmed the call was disconnected, Nagisa snatched the phone from my hand, turned it off completely, and placed it on the table.
"Twenty-three minutes."
"..."
"I was very patient with you. I truly was. This isn't even a matter concerning our own autonomous district."
Nagisa whispered into my ear and pulled away from me, slipping right under the covers. Then she turned her head away primly and closed her eyes.
"Twenty-three minutes, Mika-ssi. Make sure you remember it."
Nagisa's intention in turning her back to me while specifically emphasizing the time was clear. *Make up for the time I lost.* That's what it had to mean.
I slowly slid under the covers and lightly stroked Nagisa's wings. I don't know if it's a characteristic of angels or what, but whenever our hands touch each other's wings, both Nagisa and I feel a stimulus in more ways than one.
"Ah..."
Emotionally, it was a given, and when we were both aroused, it had a considerable sexual effect as well. This act could easily be called a caress.
I hugged Nagisa tightly from behind. The parts of me that, just two months ago, I had regarded as nothing more than lumps of flesh the size of my head, now pressed and flattened against her smooth back. Two buds, asserting their presence in the cold air, sent a ticklish pleasure through me.
"Hnngh..."
"Mika-ssi, this time is for me and me alone...?"
"You're so unfair, Nagi-chan..."
My right hand traveled down Nagisa's smooth abdomen. With my other hand, I took hers and brought it to my lips.
Slowly, I began to place kisses, starting from her fingertips.
*Mwah. Mwah. Mwah.*
"Ah, ahh..."
As dozens of light kisses continued, Nagisa let out a breath full of bliss. When I reached her ring finger, I pressed my lips more deeply and for longer. Nagisa was not unaware of the meaning behind that act.
"Isn't it... *huu*, rather you who is unfair, Mika-ssi...?"
"Ahaha... Well now. I don't know what you're talking about. Nope..."
Clasping my hands with hers behind her back, I buried my face in her shoulder. Savoring the fragrant scent of her body wash, I began to leave red marks along her shoulder.
"Nagi-chan, how many minutes are left...?"
"...Twenty minutes."
"Liar."
*Mwah...*
After leaving a distinct mark on the most sensitive part of her neck, I let her go. As I moved on top of her, Nagisa finally turned over. I caressed her cheek with my left hand and, for her to see, slowly sucked on my finger, which was glistening with a viscous moisture.
"Hey, Nagi-chan."
"...Yes."
"This isn't bad, but... I think I like it best when you're the one taking the lead."
"..."
Was it because everything that was a 'first' had been under Nagisa's lead? It seemed my tastes had solidified in that direction.
"How many minutes... do you think are left?"
"...I'm not sure. I think it might have just ended."
I filled my vision with Nagisa's eyes, embers now kindled, as our positions were suddenly reversed.
"I love you, Nagi-chan."
"...I love you more."
"No, you don't. That can't be right..."
"Shh."
Since it was always my role to comfort Nagisa in the final moments anyway, I decided to quietly savor the love she gave me.
The affection poured out by the love-filled Archangel is highly addictive. Once you fall in, there is no turning back.
Not wanting to turn back is also one of its characteristics.
***
The members in Abydos had run into a problem.
Binah's behavior patterns were unknown. 'It simply wanders the desert and shows itself very occasionally' was about all the Foreclosure Task Force knew.
However, based on recent changes, Ayane was able to form a hypothesis.
"Noise... or vibrations. Either way, if we create a disturbance above a certain scale, there's a high probability that the desert monster will be drawn to it."
"So, you're saying... it's bound to show up even if we don't do anything? As long as there's a city right next to it..."
Saki's point, made after hearing Ayane's hypothesis, had merit. No matter how many people had left the city, the noise it generated was considerable. This was especially true since there was a train station beyond it that ran between the Abydos district and the outside.
"In a way, yes... but the desert is exceptionally vast, and it's said that it frequently appears near the train tracks because of the train. Perhaps the reason Saint Nephthys was able to jump back into the Desert-Crossing Train project was that by acquiring Kaiser Industries, they secured the firepower to drive away the monster drawn to their construction sites... maybe."
"I believe Ayane-ssi's hypothesis has merit. However, to create a disturbance of that magnitude..."
"Kuhuhu. Needless to say. A splendid explosion, of course."
"...Using the very things we need to test our firepower against the desert monster is out of the question, Moe."
"Tch. But if there's no other good way, this is the right one, isn't it?"
"No, I said no. If you're going to do something like that, you have to do it after getting additional supplies from the main academy."
"Hah... *huuu*..."
The moment Saki cut her off, a strange heat rose in Moe's eyes.
As the discussion continued, only Miyu noticed Moe subtly slipping away.
"U-Um..."
"Then how about we drive out to the desert? If we coolly empty an ammo belt out there, maybe the monster will show up!"
"Lure it out like that, you mean. I'm for it."
"I believe there's a possibility the monster could be drawn by the sheer act of a vehicle driving at full speed. I also agree with the luring operation."
"Mm... that monster has a ranged attack. The safety of the decoy team can't be guaranteed."
At Shiroko's point, Miyako and Saki recalled the video they had watched yesterday and ran a simulation in their heads.
"A vehicle at full speed should be able to perform evasive maneuvers."
"I agree."
"Mm... in that case, I agree too."
As the consensus gradually shifted toward luring Binah out, Miyu tried to speak up again.
"U-Um, excuse me...!"
"Whatever happens, I can't just do nothing while I'm taking time off my part-time job for this, so for now, I'm for it too."
"Uhe~ It's nice to see everyone handling things so well on their own. This old mom can die without any regrets now."
"I told you, we're not that far apart in age! Are you for or against it, President?!"
"Well, if I had to say... I abstain, maybe~?"
"Tch, what's with the vague abstention? Be clear about it."
With a majority in favor, all eyes turned to Sensei, who was exchanging messages with someone.
"...What are your thoughts, Sensei?"
"It seems everyone's opinion has narrowed down to carrying out the luring operation... I'm in favor, as long as the safety of the decoy team is guaranteed."
Sensei, who had at least been listening to the conversation, nodded and replied to Miyako's question.
This was just after he had confirmed via messenger that Mika's request for a meeting with Saint Nephthys had been rejected.
And...
"EXCUSE ME!!!!!"
Everyone's attention finally focused on Miyu. Having finally caught their eyes, Miyu, who had been clutching the hem of her clothes, squeezed her eyes shut and blurted out the words she had been trying to say for a while.
"Moe-chan left with a very dangerous look on her face... Usually, when Moe-chan is like this..."
"Ah."
"Th-This is bad."
The color drained from Saki and Miyako's faces. The Foreclosure Task Force and Sensei, who didn't know Moe well, looked on with questioning gazes.
"What, what is it? Why do you suddenly look like you're worried a huge accident is about to happen?"
"Um... it's not that we're worried, we *know* it's going to happen... Moe-chan is the type to go out of her way to do what she's told not to..."
Only then did everyone recall what Moe had said.
The moment her words—*'Wouldn't a splendid explosion create a disturbance?'*—flashed through everyone's minds...
KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM—!!!
An accident had occurred.
***