Even though some time had passed, perhaps because nighttime tends to make people sentimental, the conversation seemed to stall, going in circles.
"Anyway, if the big shots of the Tea Party really want to expel us, there's nothing we can do!"
Koharu, who had been fretting over this all afternoon, shouted, "No matter how much we put our heads together, it's all just pointless effort, right!?"
Hifumi tried to comfort her weakly: "Well, at least we still have the third special academic test in a week… the last chance…"
Hanako reminded them soberly, "Judging from the obstacles we've faced so far, the road ahead will probably be just as difficult…"
"Ahhh…"
Hifumi couldn't argue with that.
"Why… why did it end up like this!? Why do we have to get expelled!? I don't understand this whole 'traitor of Trinity' thing! Why are we the ones being suspected!?"
Koharu, who had been completely dragged into this mess, vented her emotions, sniffling as her voice grew shaky with tears: "If we really get expelled… I won't be able to return to the Justice Task Force…"
Her gloom affected the others to some degree.
"Koharu…" Hifumi pressed her lips together. "To get over 90 points in just one week…"
Hanako sighed, "Exactly… and we also have to watch Nagisa carefully so she doesn't pull any more tricks…"
But the saying goes, A thief works a thousand days, but there's no way to guard against a thief a thousand days.
With the power the Tea Party host wields, if she really wanted to deal with a few ordinary students, there are plenty of ways.
So, the problem had to be solved at its source.
"Ughhh…" Koharu whimpered again. "No, I can't… I've worked so hard to get this far, and if they raise the passing line… I've already tried so hard… but if I have to score even higher… I just can't… I'm just an idiot… I can't do it… ughhh…"
For someone like Koharu, who has always been competitive and prides herself on being an elite in front of everyone, to admit she's an idiot shows just how bad her mood was.
"Anyways… let's just rest for today?"
Hifumi quickly suggested, "I-I think we should…"
"… It's my fault."
At that moment, Azusa, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.
"Azusa…?" Hifumi asked with concern. "Wh-what's wrong? Why say that all of a sudden…?"
Usually calm and composed, Azusa now hesitated, her body trembling slightly.
From her reaction, I already guessed roughly what she wanted to confess to everyone.
It was something I had agreed with her to discuss in detail after the second evaluation exam.
I had assumed she would first consult me privately.
Had Azusa really steeled herself to do this now?
I couldn't help but ask, "Azusa… are you going to say it? Here, now?"
This question, out of concern, seemed to snap Azusa out of her hesitation. She nodded slightly:
"Yes, Sensei… I'm sorry. At this point, I can't hide it from everyone any longer. I want to confess this secret here, now."
Looking into her eyes, I could sense her resolve and said nothing more.
Hifumi and Hanako stayed quiet too. Having been present during the late-night rendezvous, they already knew Azusa had gone out at night, and being more perceptive, they had likely suspected something, though they had kept it to themselves.
"Wait…" Koharu, sensing the increasingly serious atmosphere, felt confused. "What secret…? What are you talking about? How does it relate to the current situation?"
Azusa's expression was more solemn than usual: "Actually, I'm the 'traitor of Trinity' that Nagisa of the Tea Party has been looking for."
The room fell completely silent.
Hifumi was confused for a moment: "… Huh?"
Koharu blinked blankly: "… Eh? W-what are you suddenly saying…?"
Only Hanako's expression remained unchanged, as if she had already guessed Azusa would say this.
Azusa nodded: "I was originally a student at the Arius Satellite School. My current identity on the records is fake, so I could infiltrate Trinity."
Hifumi and Koharu grew even more bewildered.
"A-Arius? Infiltrate…?"
"Uh… what's that? Arius… what does that mean?"
As Mika had said, by now, even ordinary students had no knowledge of Arius.
Yet here was a student who had once been Trinity's most talented and highly regarded.
"The Arius Satellite School… was a school that opposed the unification of Trinity in the past," Hanako explained. "I heard that their rebellion caused conflict, and since then, they've been hiding somewhere in Kivotos…"
Azusa nodded: "Right. Before coming here, I stayed in the Arius district. I was sent by Arius Academy, so I infiltrated Trinity…"
She paused, closing her eyes, and spoke softly: "My mission… was to destroy the halo of Kirifuji Nagisa of the Tea Party."
This shocking revelation stunned the girls, and a wave of disbelief erupted.
I, knowing more of the context, remained silent, quietly reflecting.
… So it really is like this.
All the clues now fit together.
With this, the culprit behind the attack on Seia can also be essentially identified: Beatrice.
Strangely, when I first learned Seia had been attacked, I was both shocked and angry, swearing to make the culprit pay.
Yet now, knowing the true culprit, I felt an unexpected calm. Aside from a faint sense of realization, there were no other ripples.
"Arius has resolved, by any means, to eliminate the Tea Party."
Giving the others time to react, Azusa continued, "Arius first deceived Mika of the Tea Party to place me in this school. I don't know the details, but it was probably a lie about reconciling with Trinity."
This aligned with what Mika had told me.
"I see… so it was Mika…" Hanako murmured. "They said she's not good at politics… after everything's done, they'd pin all the blame on her… that must've been the plan."
Thus, with Seia's halo shattered, all three factions of this year's Tea Party were torn apart.
Once Trinity loses the Tea Party's leadership, the school will face unprecedented chaos, affecting all of Kivotos irreversibly.
The Arius Satellite School and its hidden supporter, Beatrice, would have a chance to achieve their secret objectives…
"I know Arius hates Trinity," Hanako murmured, "but to this extent…"
"Wait… what are you talking about…?"
Koharu interjected suddenly, "I-I don't think you're lying, but this has nothing to do with us, right? I don't really understand Arius or whatever, but what does it have to do with our Make-Up Work Club…? Why is Azusa suddenly saying all this…?"
Koharu clearly didn't grasp the situation, but she didn't blame Azusa.
I briefly explained to her, "You should remember, the real purpose of the Make-Up Work Club was to identify the 'traitor of Trinity' in Nagisa's eyes. As we saw yesterday, with the Tea Party's authority, the evaluation exam's scope, difficulty, venue, and timing can all be adjusted."
"Umm… so that means…"
Azusa said quietly, "If they hand me over, the evaluation exam standards can return to the first one, so even Koharu could pass easily."
"Eh? Th-then, that would mean Azusa would…?" Koharu shuddered. "No… I don't want to pass by doing that…"
"Exactly, Koharu," Hanako said with a smile. "Besides, even if we betrayed Azusa, do you think Nagisa would actually let us go?"
Hifumi added, "Azusa, didn't we all agree to graduate together from the Make-Up Work Club?"
In just two weeks, the girls had formed a bond strong enough to go all in together.
It's fascinating, some people can play together from childhood, yet mercilessly betray each other behind the scenes.
Perhaps it's because the Make-Up Work Club are all pure-hearted and kind.
I finally said, "Azusa, there must be a way for all of us to avoid being expelled together."
"Sensei… everyone…"
Azusa, moved, closed her eyes to calm herself before speaking again: "Actually, I'm saying all this because Sensei has already figured it out, so I thought I might as well confess to everyone and discuss countermeasures. I have no intention of being expelled. If that happens, I won't be able to protect Nagisa."
"W-wait, what's going on now?" Koharu asked. "I-I don't really understand, but Azusa came to take down the Tea Party host, right? How does protecting Nagisa fit in? That doesn't make sense…!"
"That's because…"
Azusa hesitated, thinking how to explain, when another voice spoke up:
"… Azusa, you've been here for that purpose from the very start, right?"
Azusa looked surprised at Hanako, clearly taken aback that she had guessed correctly.
"You came to protect Nagisa, which is why you took on the mission to attack her… in other words, you're a double agent."
Hanako continued, "As Arius's informant, you reported false information that everything was going smoothly, while privately preparing to betray… But why protect Nagisa? Was it someone's order?"
I already had several possible answers in mind, yet Azusa's explanation surprised even me:
"… It wasn't anyone's order. It was my own decision."
She continued, "If Nagisa disappears, the Eden Treaty will be canceled. Without that peace treaty, Kivotos might fall into greater chaos in the future. At that point, it's hard to imagine that a second Arius Satellite School wouldn't appear…"
Hanako asked, "So it's for peace? That's… such a naive, dreamlike thought. As fleeting as the treaty's name itself."
Azusa didn't reply, only averted her gaze.
Seeing this, Hanako's tendency to speak bluntly struck again:
"Azusa, you're a liar, a traitor… hiding your true identity at Trinity, hiding your heart at Arius. Everyone around you has been deceived. You've been deceiving everyone all along… am I right?"
I wanted to stop her, but the more I listened, the more familiar it felt...
Come to think of it, every time Hanako says something really harsh, it's when she's empathizing with someone in a similar situation…
That is, she was empathizing.
"… Just like I said before," Azusa said without denying it, her tone heavy. "Sooner or later, I would betray everyone, betray their trust… betray their hearts."
"Azusa…"
Hifumi called worriedly.
Receiving no reply, Azusa went on: "So, the 'traitor of Trinity' Nagisa has been looking for is me. Because of me, the Make-Up Work Club is in this crisis. I'm truly sorry, hate me if you must. This situation exists entirely because of me…"
"Save the blame for later," I said firmly. "At least, I don't think you've done anything wrong… not entirely. You did hide your true feelings, but even if you'd been completely honest, someone about to sink into paranoia wouldn't have believed you anyway."
Does Nagisa even have someone she can fully trust now? Even someone she's secretly loved, me, she probably still guards herself against.
If only she could trust more… no, as expected.
All of this is the fault of those who created the current mess.
"… Sensei's right," Hanako said thoughtfully. "Trusting others really is difficult… but Azusa has told us the truth now, even though she could have said nothing. She apologized to us."
Hanako looked at Azusa, apologetic: "I'm sorry for teasing you earlier. Seeing your serious expression, I just couldn't stay quiet."
Clearly, she saw a reflection of herself in Azusa.
I didn't point it out.
"From a certain perspective, the Make-Up Work Club has been like a stage under bright lights from the very start. A spy like Azusa really shouldn't have stayed in such a conspicuous place for long. She should have disappeared unnoticed… She should have taken every opportunity available."
After this long intro, Hanako asked, "But Azusa didn't do that. I understand why. It's because your time at the Make-Up Work Club has been so enjoyable, right?"
Meeting Hanako's expectant gaze, Azusa faltered slightly, her true feelings exposed.
"Because studying together, eating together, doing laundry, cleaning… everything was fun. That's why I didn't want to ruin these precious moments… Working toward our goals together… learning things I never knew before with Hifumi, Koharu, and Sensei… it was just too enjoyable…"
Hanako smiled, "Am I wrong, Azusa?"
She was describing her own experience completely.
I felt a sudden pang of nostalgia.
Back when I used a similar trick on Hanako, how did I almost ruin everything?
The pink-haired girl is like that.
After hesitating for a while, Azusa finally nodded, willing to face her true feelings, "… Maybe that's true. Studying, doing things together… I couldn't give up these happy times… There's still so much I want to know. The ocean, festivals, amusement parks… so many places to go, so many things I want to learn…"
"Even if you think I can't understand how you feel… I do understand your heart."
Hearing Hanako say this, I wanted to counter with, "And what do you know about me?" but I feared ruining the moment.
Lost in the emotion, Hanako didn't notice the skepticism in my gaze:
"After all… hmm. I know someone who thinks like you. Someone who excels at everything, always praised by everyone around…."
I briefly wondered if she meant me.
"For that person, Trinity was a space filled with lies and falsehoods. They couldn't reveal their true feelings to anyone… everything felt meaningless… so they thought about leaving. Even if they continued this life, it would be like being in prison. But… Azusa is different."
Hanako shifted the topic: "Actually, once everything is over, Azusa's life at this school will end, right? You entered Trinity with a forged identity. In the end, even Arius will betray you. You won't even have a place to go back to, right?"
Azusa's silence was the answer.
Hanako returned to the earlier topic, "Even though Azusa knows this… she still works so hard at the Make-Up Work Club. That person intentionally fails exams to escape this school… while Azusa gives her all in this brief school life. Why work so hard? What's the point? Just like Azusa's motto, everything is meaningless. Yet… she always adds a few more words after that phrase."
I remember phrases like, "Even so, you mustn't give up," "Even so, you must fight to the end."
"So… that forced, initially indifferent person finally noticed. School life is so enjoyable."
Forced? Indifferent?
Hanako's smile grew brighter: "Whether it's cleaning the pool in underwear, walking at night in swimsuits, or being honest about everything while naked… doing ordinary things with people you can be fully honest with, how unexpectedly joyful that is."
"Um… no," Azusa weakly objected. "We weren't really naked…"
Hifumi anxiously corrected, "During the walk, we weren't in swimsuits either…!?"
Koharu was shocked: "Eh, you really were in underwear then!?"
"Tee-hee?" Hanako, fabricating many nonexistent memories, teased, "If it was underwear, you weren't the only one wearing it, right?"
"Stop making stuff up!" I shouted angrily. "I think I was wearing swim trunks!"
Yet this only made the atmosphere more awkward.
I noticed the girls exchanging subtle glances at me, yet no one pursued the topic further.
"Like Azusa said, even if everything seems meaningless, you shouldn't stop resisting until the end."
Azusa was moved. "Hanako…"
"You still want to learn more, discover new things, right? You said you wanted to do all sorts of things with everyone, like going to the beach, staying up all night at a café… You're not going to give up, are you?"
Hanako shook her head, giving Azusa the answer: "There's no need to give up."
Then, her emerald eyes shone with determination: "Let's protect Nagisa while thwarting her schemes, and defeat Arius's plots too. Then, let's all take the exam properly, pass, and leave them speechless! This is the only way to save us now!"
Her words hit with conviction, inspiring genuine admiration.
Azusa nodded: "… But how do we do it?"
"First, focus on studying hard this coming week," I said. "Prepare completely under the assumption that the exam difficulty won't return to normal. That's what you should be doing now."
"Mm. I'll do my best to help everyone improve their grades," Hanako agreed. "As for Arius's scheme and Nagisa's tricks… now that we know the intelligence, we hold the initiative. Do we wait for Nagisa to make a move, or do we strike first?"
"I have a vague idea about that," I murmured, then shook my head with regret: "But there are still many flaws."
"Sensei, we have members of the Justice Task Force, guerrilla experts, the self-proclaimed ordinary girl favored by the Tea Party, and someone who knows almost everything about Trinity."
Hanako said confidently, "Plus the all-purpose Sensei! You have this lineup, and I'm sure… in no time, Trinity will be turned upside down!"
I thought for a moment, then smiled in relief.
"All right," I said. "Then let's turn Trinity upside down."