Blue Archive - White Day (Volume 2)

2

With everything in order, Rio proceeded to outline the topics to be discussed. The possibility that the sale of weapons to the Prefect Team and the outbreak of the incubus bacteria was a terrorist attack was one of those points to be discussed. Others to mention were: the theft of the halos' energy, the factory where the machinery called M.O.T.H.E.R. was located, the development of artificial life and the disaster caused by the absence of Sensei. They spent almost two hours discussing the issues. It wasn't long before the meeting was over.

''It is unbelievable that so much had happened in such a short period of time,'' Nagisa said.

''All of this had been brewing for some time. Had the Eden Treaty gone completely wrong, it would have left us in a fatal position for what the bacteria would have caused. Whoever had been planning that biochemical attack had it all very well calculated.''

''You said nothing was found in the factory, right?''

''That's right. The General Council Student sent a group of students hand in hand with the Valkyrie Police Academy forces to investigate any possible traces of the attacker, but nothing was found.''

''They found no trace of the perpetrator, but they did confirm what Maki had said. There was a fourth capsule open.''

Rio sighed and said that was correct. All the capsules at the site were open, however, the aftermath of the battle made it doubtful that there was anything else besides what was found during the fight.

''Now that you mentioned the General Council Student, wasn't Rin-chan supposed to be here?''

''Yes, but she's busy with other matters. After all, we've barely had time to get together ourselves.''

''I understand. The last few months have been crazy. Although I think it's important that you give an explanation as to why Sensei found a mention of the G.C.S. on one of the computers in that factory.''

''Rin said she didn't know anything and so did the rest of the board members.''

''It's strange that at this point the president is still missing, that Sensei says that the little he saw in his expedition was a mention to the S.C.G. and that the S.C.G. had gone ahead to investigate the place together with the Valkyrie girls,'' Nagisa said.

''I understand your concern, but anything said now, without anything to prove a direct connection, will be assumptions, conjectures that will only waste our time.''

''Ah, I'm sorry, I don't think I expressed myself well. I don't want us to start suspecting them, on the contrary, I would like the doubts to be dispelled. However, there are a lot of unknowns floating around the G.C.S. Not to mention the altercation that the Valkyrie students and the SRT striking girls had. Ogata-san's dirty laundry was exposed and she is someone who usually works closely with Shiranui-san, the head of the General Council Student's Defense Office. Honestly this whole situation has me a little uncomfortable. I wish Nanagami-san had come forward to clear things up a bit.''

''I can't refute what you said. We have to be careful with the future.''

''Fortunately, Sensei will be there to give us a hand as he has done so far. Things would have ended very badly if he hadn't got down to work with the bacteria.''

''Sensei usually makes good decisions, but he is not perfect. That he would have taken action on his own is what led to the out of control in Millenium, Hyakkiyako, Trinity....''

''It's not like that,'' Seia interrupted, observing her feathered companion, "Sensei decided to be absent for personal reasons. Even if we are all his students and he says he loves us very much, he is free to act in his own interests. We...''

''Self-interest? If in the end he did what he did for the good of all of us...''

''You're wrong. He put aside his duties as a professor to do research. He had to cancel all his commitments.''

''I don't understand what you mean.''

''What would happen if Sensei decided to quit, change his priorities or nurse seriously? What would happen if he decided to quit?''

''Quit?!'' Mika said with a certain tone of alarm.

''It sounds like an impossible thing. In fact, I don't think it will happen or happen soon, but still there is a possibility. Sensei has been with us for over a year and a half, working non-stop, and I haven't heard of him having a quiet vacation or even a couple of days off.''

''I see what you mean. Sensei's presence is very important in Kivotos,'' Mika said.

''It's not just that..." Rio added, "Sensei usually favors the parties he thinks are fairer..."

''It's behavior we've seen before.''

''Like when he supported the Make-up Work Club against Nagi-chan?'' said the representative of the Pater faction.

''Please don't remind me of that,'' said Nagisa, covering her blushing face with her hands.

''Or when he attended the Arius Squad.''

''We can trust him to make the best decision.''

''I guess you're right, but with what happened because of the bacteria, he's also shown that he's capable of acting out of self-interest, of being moved by his own emotions. It's a fine line between one thing and the other. In other situations, Sensei would ask if his help is needed or wait for his intervention to be requested. However, that time, he dove headlong into finding a solution.''

''He did it because he cares about the lives of his students, didn't he? What's wrong with that?'' Mika asked, unable to grasp what Seia, Nagisa and Rio were giving so much thought to.

''Could there be someone important enough for Sensei to put everything at risk without a second thought?'' Seia asked, looking Mika in the eyes.

The pink-haired lady was speechless. The room was silent for a few seconds.

''Of course not..." Said Misono Mika nervously, "Whenever he is asked who his favorite student is, he always replies that he doesn't have a favorite..."

''We're not talking about a favorite student...''

''One of my sources said that before going to the android factory, Sensei went to see someone very worried and after seeing her his attitude was very different.''

''Ah, I heard it too,'' Seia said, "it has become a very popular rumor in Trinity. There is talk of a silver-haired girl who has begun to be called 'Sensei's little darling'.''

''There are those who claim to have seen them together, although no one knows or says who she is.''

''Even if Sensei doesn't say so, there must definitely be someone who is more special than the others.''

Banging on the table, Mika stood up trying to contradict Rio's words; A loud roar interrupted her. The Millenium and Trinity representatives fell silent, they were a little surprised. There was no absolute silence. A few light, demonic growls could be heard. The eyes of the four girls were fixed on the Gehenna representative. Makoto was standing with her arms crossed with her head bowed. Mika and Seia approached her to get a better look at her. The leader of the Pandemonium Society club had her eyes closed and a snot bubble coming out of her nose as a trickle of drool dribbled out of her mouth. There was that loud sound again. What they had heard was a snore took them by surprise. Seia clung to Mika in fright. Rio got up and carefully went to her to shake her awake.

''IROHA!'' Makoto shouted while she was still asleep.

Rio cringed at the unexpected cry.

''Iroha! Use the you-know-what! We'll teach these yokels which is the best school in Kivotos.''

''Even her dreams are pretentious!''

''What do you mean you have no idea of the you-know-what... Are you listening to me?! You leave me no choice but to use Rio's snapshots," Makoto argued between her dreams.

Makoto, without waking up, stood up.

''Themeeting ends here!''