Vol. 3 Ch. 2 Ep. 17: The Way of the World Part 1

Gahhhhhh!

Is it over?

All enemy units incapacitated.

Sensei's commands really are something else. Wow...

Well, that's one crisis averted at least.

Arius' reinforcements will arrive soon. Our objective is to buy time until then.

We need to hold out until the Justice Task Force intervenes, or everything we've done will go to waste.

I-I've already contacted Hasumi! She should respond soon!

Good job. The Justice Task Force is still under the Tea Party's direct command, so this was the only way to get them to move from their post.

Hasumi should have noticed that Nagisa has gone missing by now.

You contacting Hasumi should speed things along. It's only a matter of time before the Justice Task Force confirms the situation.

I just hope they arrive in time...

...?!

Reinforcements...

They're here already?

H-How?!

This is more like an army than a reinforcement unit. Half of the satellite school's roster must be here...

Th-They've sent this many forces into Trinity territory?!

And still no sign of the Justice Task Force.

Of course there isn't.

Y-You!

You've been surrounded by the armed force that will replace them as Trinity's official army.

It's good to see you again, Sensei.

As I was saying, the Justice Task Force won't be moving from their post. My orders.

You noticed, didn't you? Just how empty campus was this morning?

I've removed every obstacle in my way and given stand down orders to anyone and everyone under the Tea Party's command.

I wouldn't want anyone to interfere with our assault on Nagi.

Misono Mika of the Tea Party...

That's me. And here I am, making my grand appearance as the mastermind behind everything. ☆

You can consider me to be Trinity's true traitor.

...

...

...?!

Won't you tell me where you've hid Nagi? I don't have much time.

Or we can always eliminate all of you and search this place top to bottom the hard way.

"Why, Mika? Why...?"

Hmm? You want to know why I'm doing this, Sensei?

Because I hate Gehenna.

I sincerely loathe Gehenna Academy from the depths of my heart.

Then was your real objective to stop the Eden Treaty from being signed? That's why you're targeting Nagisa?

Uh...who are you again? Sorry, I've always been awful at remembering faces.

Wait, I remember now. You're Urawa Hanako, right? The one who was kicked out of chapel for attending in a swimsuit. Hahaha!

...

Well, to answer your question: That's correct. I mean, Nagi's Eden Treaty idea was completely ridiculous. Ludicrous.

A peace treaty with those wretches? Just the thought of coexisting with them makes my skin crawl.

And how long would that last? How many years, weeks, no, DAYS until we end up with a knife in our back?

I simply can't allow something like that to happen.

For someone so paranoid, Nagi really is too naive. This isn't a fairy tale. There's no happily ever after waiting beyond her treaty.

It's about time she came to grips with the reality around us.

So hand her over. I promise not to kill her. She may have to spend the rest of her school life in confinement, but it won't be so bad.

Oh, that. Yes, I'm sorry for deceiving you, Sensei. The little conversation we had wasn't entirely truthful.

Someone as ignorant and naive as Nagi would never think to use the Eden Treaty to create a military alliance under her control.

But not everything was a lie, Sensei.

I was telling the truth about reconciling with Arius.

See? They make rather loyal comrades for someone wanting to wage war against Gehenna.

As I told you, Arius was once one of us: an academy that would have otherwise joined the Trinity union. Of course they hate Gehenna, they always have. Theirs is an academy held together by animosity.

That's why I extended an olive branch to them. I offered them the opportunity to stop a villain aiming to welcome Gehenna with open arms.

I said that if the current host, Kirifuji Nagisa, has the Justice Task Force by her side now, then the next host, Misono Mika, will have Arius beside hers.

What an offer, don'tcha think? Talk about making peace.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as the saying goes. That's why I have been secretly supporting Arius.

You've been using Arius to stage a coup d'etat from the very beginning...

I suppose you could refer to it as that. Nagi will be overthrown and I will become the host of the Tea Party, yes.

You have my gratitude, Azusa. We may as well be strangers, yet you're oh-so special to me. I owe you such a great debt...

...for taking the fall as the assailant who attacked Nagi.

...!

You'll be the scapegoat. We need someone to take responsibility, because otherwise, how will the public rest until the perpetrator is brought to justice?

I know it's a little unimaginative, but that can't really be helped. This is just the way the world works sometimes.

...

You really did surprise me, though. I thought all of my planning was going to be thwarted when I first heard Nagi had been attacked. You forced my hand, and I had to come handle this personally.

I wasn't expecting such a bold move from the Make-Up Work Club. Well done.

That's right.

Oh, but don't be mistaken, Sensei. This isn't about seizing power for the sake of being powerful.

I simply want to erase Gehenna from Kivotos. That's all.

I'm going to purge Trinity of all the moderates and idealists that agreed with Nagi and fill their seats with leaders from Arius.

This may very well be the start of a new alliance. We could even hold a new council to commemorate it. That wouldn't be such a bad idea, would it?

And then! The newly remade Trinity will declare all-out war on Gehenna! That's the plan!

"That's enough!"

H-Hey, don't scare me like that.

I've never heard you raise your voice like that. I guess you weren't a fan of my explanation, huh?

That's fine. We can talk it over more once I've taken care of the matter at hand.

Be careful, Sensei.

I can tell... She's strong.

Thanks for noticing! See, didn't I tell you last time, Sensei? I'm a lot tougher than I look.

All righty. Let's dispose of the Make-Up Work Club, then.

Geez. Now I get why all anyone ever talks about is Schale these days. Adults can be so meddlesome.

What an unexpected turn of events, but that's all right.

With Seia and Nagi out of the way, I can finally start doing things how I want. I would really appreciate you not interfering further.

...!

More reinforcements will be here soon! Do you want to keep going?

Mika! Was it you? Were you the one behind Seia's attack?

Huh?

You don't have to look at me with such disdain, you know.

Buuut...you're right. I was the one who orchestrated Seia's attack. What other choice did I have? Seia would prattle on every day about nonsense like "paradise" and whatnot.

Destroying her halo wasn't part of the plan, though. Give me a little credit, I'm not a murderer.

I was just going to keep her under lock and key until she graduated, but the raid team, rascals they were, let things get out of hand and went a little too far.

...

Isn't that right, Azusa? You were part of the raid team that killed Seia, weren't you? Care to clear up this misunderstanding?

It's all because of that little mishap that things have gotten out of hand like this.

Get it? I can't turn back now because of that, because of you.

I...

Azusa...? She isn't serious, right?

N-No, that's not what...

Huh?

A group of students are breaching from the outside!

That's impossible. There shouldn't be any students left on campus who would dare oppose the Tea Party's orders.

I can think of one. An independent organization that doesn't bow to the Tea Party or anyone else for that matter.

Status report. They're coming from the cathedral!

It's the Sisterhood!