Sato followed Megumi to the council room. Once inside, she glanced down the corridor to make sure no one had followed them, then locked the door.
What does she want to talk about… And, who is that person?
A woman in a maid uniform stood beside the couch, her presence carrying an odd, almost imperceptible tension.
Megumi settled onto the couch next to the maid, while Sato took the seat across from them, the coffee table being the only thing separating the two sides.
"So…what do you want to talk about?"
"As council president, I've got a lot on my plate, so I don't like wasting time. Tell me straight, Sato, are you an exis too?"
This is…unexpected. I didn't expect her to be so direct. Well, at least this way we can save some time… not that I was in a hurry. And now that I am looking closer at that maid, I think I feel mana coming from her.
"Yes, I am one."
"I see. Thank you for being honest. This will make things easier."
With a move of her hand, the woman went behind a folding screen to change.
"So, what is this about?"
"An alliance. I'd like to form one with you and the Black Witch. What do you say?"
She wants to form a team, huh? That actually sounds… kind of nice. Though I can't imagine Irina agreeing so easily.
"Before I give you an answer, tell me, how did you know I was an exis?"
"Simple, Butterfly witnessed a fight between your hero and someone else."
As Megumi said her name, Butterfly returned in her hero gear. From behind the folding screen stepped a young woman with blue eyes, short dark-blue hair, and a black kunoichi-like outfit.
Her hero witnessed Irina's fight with that pole-man. Strange… I didn't notice anyone else around.
For a moment, Sato wondered what he should do. He wanted to team up with both of them, Megumi was clever and reliable, while Butterfly gave off the vibe of someone trustworthy. But at the same time, he didn't want to make the decision alone.
At that point, through the open window, a purple flame rushed in, stopping beside the couch where Sato sat. From it, Irina emerged.
"What are you even thinking about? Just accept it already."
Everyone was surprised by her sudden arrival, and even more by her statement.
"Did something happen?" Irina asked, taking in their surprised expressions.
"No… it's just so uncharacteristic of you to take the initiative in something like this."
Butterfly said this with a hint of warmth. For someone who knew Irina from Nexus, seeing her wanting to team up with someone was unheard of. Has Sato really made such a big impact on her?
"Is that so? In that case, should I burn this school down to remind you who I am?"
"And there she is, the infamous Black Witch, always ready to escalate. But still, you are more talkative than before." Butterfly said, with a playful lilt.
"Well, since we're all here now, and Irina already said how she feels, I guess there's no point in dragging this out," Sato said, the decision settling in his voice.
"Indeed"
Both Megumi and Sato sat up and shook hands.
"Happy to work with you."
"Me too," Megumi replied, pleased.
With that said and done, both parties officially became a team. Moments later, a knock came at the door, four members of the student council had come to speak with Megumi.
"You should go."
Sato headed for the exit, but then remembered something he had been meaning to ask ever since he had seen Butterfly.
"Before that… I'm curious. Why the maid outfit?"
At once, Irina frowned.
"Why is that even important!?"
Butterfly chuckled softly.
"Because, this way, I can stay close to Megumi in case something happens, without anyone batting an eye."
Sato understood now, but he couldn't help wondering if Irina might blend in better if she wore a maid outfit too and followed him around. Because of that thought, his eyes drifted to her.
"I know what you're thinking. One word… and you're dead."
After that pointless question, everyone left. Irina turned back into a flame and slipped out through the window, while Butterfly followed the same way to survey the school grounds. Sato walked past the others, leaving Megumi alone inside the room.
In the hallway, as Sato was heading to class, someone suddenly came up from behind and locked an arm around his neck.
"Got'cha!"
"Asahi! What are you doing?"
"I should be the one asking you that! I searched every inch of the school to find you, and the whole time my best friend was having fun with the council president."
"Come on, you know it's not like that."
"I know… but I also know something else."
Asahi narrowed his eyes, catching the faintest trace of mana around Sato.
"Hmm… what else do you know?"
"Nothing, really."
While Sato and Asahi made their way to class, Irina and Butterfly stood together on a hill overlooking the school.
"So, what are you after, Witch?"
Butterfly knew how cruel and cunning Irina could be. Even now, as allies, she was certain there was more hidden behind her intentions.
"Whatever you mean…"
"We both know you'd never set aside your pride to form an alliance. So what pushed you into this?"
Irina sighed. She knew she wouldn't escape Butterfly's nagging without giving her something.
"If you want to know so much you should take another look at my exis."
Butterfly paused, sifting through everything she'd noticed about Sato. Kind and almost naïve at first, serious only when he had to be… yet the longer she thought, the clearer it became why Irina might find him troubling.
"Is it the fact that he can't bring out your full potential?"
Irina just nodded, without saying anything.
"And can you even blame him? I'm not even sure your mana pool has a limit. Asking him to give you that much is like expecting someone to fill an ocean with a bottle of water."
"If you knew any better, you'd realize I don't waste time on weaklings. Power and results are all that count."
Butterfly understood that there was no point in continuing this subject, even though Sato was decent as an exis, nothing she said would get through to her, so she changed the subject.
"About the children who keep disappearing from the school…"
"A hero, right?"
With a trace of disappointment, Butterfly gave a silent nod.
"Of course it is…Tsk. And there's no sign of them showing up."
Irina clenched her teeth. The ones responsible for situations like this weren't doing their job.
"You know it's not that simple. Without a clear lead, even they could struggle."
"Even when Future is one of them?"
Butterfly fell silent. She knew who Future was and what she could do, but she didn't want to believe they would ignore something like this.