Recently, Trinity had been bustling with various incidents.
One of the pointed-out causes was that the new student council president was a first-year.
It was an unusual case. The student council presidents of the Tea Party, who held immense power at Trinity. Since it was the first time in Trinity's history that they were all first-years, it was only natural that there was noise.
Still, it was better than before. When they were first appointed, think of all the glares, jealousy, and envy they received. If they hadn't proven their abilities, the student council president would have changed due to external pressure before long.
The fact that didn't happen meant the three's abilities were that outstanding.
It couldn't be helped. Nagisa's political skills, Seia's foresight and the eloquence based on it, Mika's military force. The new Tea Party, where the three's strengths harmonized, wasn't greatly inferior even compared to the past. Rather, it was more formidable if anything, with almost no shortcomings.
Moreover, the three had personal connections, so they didn't seriously check each other. Politics mixed with consideration, understanding, and personal connections were so peaceful and efficient that even the officers who assisted last year's Tea Party were wide-eyed.
Around that time, the existing officers had no choice but to acknowledge the new student council presidents. Is there any reason not to acknowledge when they produce visible, meaningful results? Last year's Tea Party officers, exhausted from fierce power struggles, inwardly screamed wildly at the newfound peace. Screams of happiness. Since it was always the underlings who got cut down when the higher-ups gave orders, there were plenty of reasons to be happy about the higher-ups' peace.
'Those people have a mental illness?'
The rumor circulating in society, 'Trinity's new student council presidents have a mental illness,' was treated as words worse than nonsense, at least among Tea Party officers. Such splendid and rational people, having a mental illness? Surely it must be an atrocity committed by a lacking student blinded by envy and jealousy. If their identity is uncovered, we won't let it slide.
All the officers thought so. The officer from the Pater faction who enrolled this year, Mizuki, was no exception. Recalling Mika's beautiful smile, she diligently prepared for the tea party.
Originally, another senior was in charge of today's preparations, but she handed over the role to Mizuki, saying it was 'a good opportunity to gain experience.' It was an act commonly called dumping work, but instead of resenting her, Mizuki remembered her name in her heart as 'the most respected senior.'
'A good chance to welcome Mika-sama!'
Although an officer of the Pater faction, she was still merely a freshman and had never met Mika directly. Unlike Mika, who was given the status of a student council presidential candidate upon enrollment, Mizuki was just a simple officer. She had seen her from afar, but never had a direct conversation.
Ah, if only I could have a conversation with that beautiful visage before me even once! Of course, the possibility was low, but it wasn't entirely impossible. Perhaps she might approach with a smile, saying I diligently prepared the tea party!
Thinking so, Mizuki moved her hands even more busily. She set pre-made cakes and muffins nicely, and carefully placed teapots containing various teas on the table. As the preparations were almost finished, the closed door opened. Since only three people in current Trinity would open the door without knocking, Mizuki immediately stopped her moving hands and turned her body with an elegant motion.
What entered her view was a female student with ash-gray hair and eyes. Mizuki promptly bowed towards her.
"Greetings, Student Council President."
"Were you preparing the tea party?"
She asked. Mizuki bowed even deeper and answered.
"Yes."
"I thought today's person in charge was not Mizuki-san, but another student. Did the schedule change without my knowledge?"
It was a voice devoid of any emotion, inorganic. But Mizuki felt fear at that voice.
Iron Mask.
Suddenly, her nickname circulating among students came to mind. As it was an irreverent thought, Mizuki promptly erased that nickname from her mind.
"No. A senior handed over today's role to me, saying to gain experience."
"...I see. Understood. And you may raise your head."
"Thank you for your consideration."
"I should be the one thanking you."
With a still emotionless voice, she spat out and walked *thud thud*. Raising her head as permitted, Mizuki glanced over her face. It was a beautiful appearance, but her eyes held no vitality.
Just looking at her felt like her whole body would freeze. Mizuki immediately lowered her head and waited until the other two arrived. Thus, a few minutes later, the door swung open and a lively girl entered the room.
"Huh? I thought I was the fastest, but that wasn't the case."
"Mika-san."
"Yeah. Nagi-chan. Hello☆ Congrats on first place!"
Mika spat out in a cheerful voice. Nagisa roughly accepted her greeting and took a sip of black tea. Mika was about to sit opposite Nagisa when she felt a fierce gaze directed at her and turned her head. Mizuki and Mika's eyes met. Mizuki, startled, struck an elegant greeting pose as she had done for Nagisa.
"G-greetings, Student Council President."
"Yeah, hello!"
The conversation ended there. Leaving Mizuki behind, Mika sat in the seat opposite Nagisa and bit into one of the prepared muffins. As the sweet taste spread throughout her mouth, happiness spread across her face. Nagisa watched her with an expressionless face, then *clink*, put down her teacup.
"...Are you still carrying around a doll?"
"A doll? Where is there a doll?"
Mika tilted her head. Nagisa stared intently at the black doll held in Mika's embrace, then let out a deep sigh and shook her head.
"It's nothing."
Who's scolding whom. Nagisa, rarely, held back a sneer and smoothed her hairband. A faint lily scent wafted, and the wind blowing through the slightly opened window shook the petals.
"Kenji, do you want some too?"
At the voice she heard, she tightly closed her eyes. The sight of a friend she'd been with since childhood being captured by delusions, auditory hallucinations, and visual hallucinations was a scene she couldn't bear to watch with wide-open eyes. But, she couldn't just blame her. Because Nagisa herself also experienced visual and auditory hallucinations from time to time. She was now afraid of even waking up from sleep. If only she could live happily forever in dreams.
...A futile wish. Nagisa put her mask back on her face. Then she looked back at Mizuki and spoke.
"Thank you for the preparations. I think you can go back now."
"Huh? But one person hasn't arrived yet, is it okay for me to go back first...?"
"It's fine. Whether it's Seia-san or us, we don't particularly value formalities."
Mizuki, with regret-filled eyes, alternated looking at Mika and Nagisa, then bowed deeply and left the room. Thus, a few minutes later, Seia entered the room.
Her appearance was not normal. Her lustrous hair was disheveled like a broom, and dark shadows lay under her eyes. A faint red hue was visible from the bandages wrapped around her hands. Surely traces of self-harm. Since it wasn't an incomprehensible act, Nagisa hid a few bandage-wrapped fingers under the table and moved her lips.
"...How about washing your hair, for instance."
"To look good for whom?"
An immediate answer. Seia laughed self-deprecatingly and trudged over, plopping down powerlessly in the empty seat. She had only roughly washed her face before coming out, but her beauty never faded. Whatever. There was no one to show it to anyway. Seia placed the titmouse perched on her shoulder onto her finger and let out a long breath.
It felt like looking at a self-portrait, so Nagisa averted her gaze from her. But whether looking straight ahead or to the side, it was full of broken women, so she had no choice but to fix her gaze on the table and open her mouth.
"Let's finish the meeting quickly. The topic should be something both of you are well aware of."
"The Eden Treaty."
Seia spat out. Nagisa nodded heavily.
"Yes. It's the plan recently being promoted by the General Student Council President. The goal is to establish a new institution to mediate relations between Trinity and Gehenna."
"Absolutely oppose it."
Mika said. The two's gazes turned toward Mika. Mika twisted the corner of her mouth and added strength to the arm hugging the doll.
"Become friends with Gehenna? Are you really crazy? How is that different from telling us to live together with cockroaches? Besides... I haven't forgotten what they did to Kenji, right?"
"..."
"Can't recognize it. No, won't. If such an institution is established, I'll smash it first. Kenji would want that too, right?"
A feast of primitive emotions: resentment, anger, grudges, etc. But neither Nagisa nor Seia refuted her words. Because they too held grudges against Gehenna. They weren't stupid enough to forget something that happened just a few months ago.
But, it was also true that there was nothing they could properly do.
The General Student Council is an institution with supra-legal authority. If they forcibly pushed through a treaty, even the Trinity student council presidents couldn't refuse it. It was a headache in many ways. Nagisa took a sip of black tea and stared out the window. A huge cloud adorning the clear sky surged, riding the wind.
"...Since we have some leeway for now, let's think about it slowly."
Nagisa spat that out and put down her teacup.
Today, his embrace felt even more longed for.
*
Gematria holds regular meetings. It was a meeting to share research results achieved so far, to clearly state future tasks to receive help or avoid interference from others. Attendance was free, but since there was no reason to be absent, all members attended this meeting as well.
The first to bring up a topic was Maestro.
"The research is progressing. The replica of 'Jubilation.' With a little more touch-ups, it seems we can make it move autonomously. The research through the Nameless One was a great help."
"That's fortunate."
Black Suit answered. He looked around the attendees and continued.
"I have also made much progress. The matter of Decalcomania is proceeding smoothly, and as for Horus... I can't give a definite answer yet, but I've found a helper who will assist."
"We recently discovered an interesting subject. Not long ago, there was a toy that unfortunately sank, and this gathered various urban legends. Truly a mysterious thing, isn't it? So for the time being, we plan to observe that toy and examine symbols and texts."
"Indeed!"
Golconda and Decalcomania said. Beatrice, who was covering her mouth with a fan, spat out in a low voice.
"I'm afraid my research cannot be disclosed. Please understand."
"Why, are you making a dedicated pretty boy or something?"
Kenji teased and asked. Beatrice's blood-red eyes all simultaneously shot toward him. The corners of her eyes trembled, and strength was applied to the hand holding the fan.
"...You."
"What."
Kenji tilted his head. A drop of ink fell *plop* from his fingertip. Incomprehensible fear. At that power that could single-handedly overturn this room, Beatrice clenched her fist as if frustrated. No matter how much of a seeker and 'adult' she was, resisting overwhelming force was impossible.
But due to the contract, Kenji also couldn't kill Beatrice. Although he lost his mind and had a seizure at their first meeting, for the future, it was right to refrain from rash actions. Of course, that didn't mean he had even the slightest intention of getting along well with Beatrice. If not for the contract, he would have killed her right after waking from the fear that day.
"Nameless One. Do you have anything separate to report?"
"No. Because I have nothing to research."
Kenji answered Golconda's question. Black Suit chuckled and accepted that statement. QnVhM0pZejVubTdBNk8yK0ZvQkc2VFc3MjAxZ0FTbEpNV1VtMm5xblMxOVc0bEpBemN2M1FoVGZaZVN2bUh1MA
"Still, the blood you provide is of great help to the research."
Instead of answering, Kenji propped up his chin. Meaning he had no intention of further conversation. Respecting his opinion, Black Suit clapped his hands and concluded the meeting. Maestro first left the round table, followed by Golconda, Decalcomania, and Beatrice in that order. Only Black Suit and Kenji, two people, remained in the room.
"Where will you be going?"
Right before leaving the room, Black Suit asked Kenji. Kenji put his hand on his chin as if pondering deeply, then smiled bitterly and spat out lightly.
"To screw with someone."
"Madame?"
Black Suit said, chuckling.
Kenji also smiled back.
It was a silent affirmation.