The foundation of trust lies in consensus.
But unfortunately, Hua Ye—
Who had just been appointed as the Defense Office Chief in a sense and was still new to the role—
Felt a slight irritation and frustration that the teacher, like her an “outsider” who had done nothing wrong and even helped the Student Council quickly suppress a riot, was deliberately targeted and ignored despite deserving praise.
However, she knew that between herself and the teacher, who had also just arrived in Kivotos to serve as a “Sensei,” no real consensus had yet been formed—
About how to treat those children, how to intervene in the academies, or how to handle the President and Kivotos.
So she always secretly felt she couldn’t trust the teacher or truly understand him.
It was laughable to talk about empathy with someone she had only met for a day.
Thus, she dared not empathize with the teacher prematurely, nor did she want to show pity or sympathy toward him in front of the President.
Yet the reality of being fellow outsiders made her unconsciously curious—
If Kivotos was connected to the outside world, why was it so strange?
How did Kivotos connect with the outside?
What status did Kivotos hold in the outside world?
Where would its students go after graduation?…
So, even though she felt a stronger repulsion and disgust toward the teacher due to the President’s hostility, she forcefully suppressed her emotions.
As calmly as possible, she walked with the consultant along a street gradually filling with students, speaking in a slightly distant tone while continuing to arrange the important matter of visiting Abydos Academy in a day or two.
“I think necessary armament is necessary…”
The teacher seemed to notice Hua Ye’s inner conflict, nodding with vague “mm-hmm” sounds, and then observed everything around him with a helpless expression.
The cool morning breeze swept through the street, tousling the stray strands of hair at Hua Ye’s ear.
Interrupted by the wind just as she was about to say the next work-related sentence, she shut her mouth and casually looked around:
The White Bird District was as bustling as ever, no different from when she had woken up.
Tall buildings lined the streets, with students and other beings moving between them.
Shops on both sides of the road were gradually setting up under the management of beastmen or robots, preparing to open for business.
But unlike that day, most of the children walking on the street wore grim expressions, reluctantly carrying various colorful guns as they trudged toward certain directions—
Probably because today was a school day?
It seemed hating going to school after holidays was a common problem among students.
Even the shopkeepers on both sides seemed quite idle.
Many dog- and cat-beastmen running small stores either sewed clothes or prepared ingredients while chatting and waving to the kids entering their shops.
The robots lazily unfolded their folding solar panels and plugged themselves in to charge…
She wondered if she and the Student Council members had to attend school too.
Her student ID only stated she belonged to the Federal Student Council, but didn’t specify which academy had elected her—
Probably to deliberately blur these officials’ self-affiliation?
To make these children think more from the perspective of the entire academy city rather than a single academy?
Then how would her own studies be handled…
She casually brushed back her pink hair ruffled by the wind, tucking it behind her ear.
Watching the growing number of students on the street, those children carrying colorful backpacks and guns toward school, Hua Ye suddenly recalled another doubt.
After a moment’s hesitation, she bluntly spoke up.
“Consultant, as a teacher, what is your mission? Or rather, Consultant, why did you come to Kivotos?”
The next second, she felt her question was inappropriate.
She turned her head, deliberately avoiding the consultant’s expression, and quickly added in a calm, brisk tone.
“I heard your position is teacher, but I really can’t see what significance your role as Defense Office Consultant has. Yet it does concern future authority distribution, so I’m asking. If you find it hard to say, you can stay silent for now.”
And she was indeed puzzled—
Why had he clashed with the President, who appeared gentle and tolerant on the surface?
Also, though unspoken, she was genuinely curious about how the consultant had managed to persuade and break through yesterday.
Was it because he was a teacher and those children were students, creating a natural hierarchy?
The teacher beside her paused in his step—
Hua Ye could tell he hadn’t expected this question.
Well, whatever.
She felt her reasoning for asking was sufficient.
At least it sounded like a normal colleague’s question, devoid of any concern or other implication.
That morning, as a colleague, Hua Ye had kindly reminded the teacher:
Before going out, he should put on the Federal Student Council’s pure white uniform suit and the matching white gloves.
Now the teacher, wearing that specially designed uniform, exuded an aura of reliability, sincerity, and determination like a rock or sculpture—
Completely out of place with the lighthearted, lively, and innocent atmosphere of the street.
He walked on the sidewalk as students passed by one after another, whispering and discussing him while stealing glances.
Beside him was Hua Ye, dressed similarly but with a temperament more like a cute lamb.
The nameplate reading “Defense Office Consultant” on his chest glinted in the morning sunlight.
“Because I had a debate with that President once.”
Unexpectedly, without a moment’s hesitation, the teacher looked at Hua Ye with frank eyes and calmly stated the reason.
“Because I hoped to do something for the children of Kivotos. Even if just a little, I still wished I could accomplish something. And Kivotos only offers two permitted identities to outsiders: student or teacher.”
“The former means I had to accept Kivotos’ ‘definition,’ but I couldn’t pass the related ‘restrictions’ at first. The latter is limited to ‘adults,’ requiring a debate with the current administrator. Under the administrator’s questions, I had to prove I possessed the qualifications of an ‘adult’ and the ability of a ‘teacher.’ I passed, but I developed some disagreements and conflicts with the current President during the debate.”
So, if he could have been a student, he would have used that identity?
How strange.
Why would he think a grown man could become a member of what is clearly a group of young girls called “students”?
It was only natural he didn’t pass the so-called “definition” and “restrictions.”
But this guy actually had a debate with the President, clashed with her, and won?—
No wonder the President was so cold toward him.
After all, the President was still a child…
Hua Ye’s mind raced as she processed the new information while lowering her head.
The children on the street and the beastmen and robots on both sides were curious about what this pair in Federal Student Council uniforms were discussing, but tactfully kept their distance—
Either deliberately changing paths to avoid them or actively retreating into their shops to prevent eavesdropping.
They might not recognize the teacher yet, but they knew the face of Defense Office Chief Buzhihuo Huaye, and her “reputation” was quite intimidating from any angle.
Of course, Hua Ye didn’t know that.
She just thought the Federal Student Council identity was very convenient—
Having people avoid you while discussing matters on the street.
After hearing the teacher’s explanation, she shook her head uncomfortably.
To suppress the sudden surge of malice and disgust within her, her expression stiffened and twisted slightly, and the halo above her head flickered briefly.
But under the slightly helpless and worried gaze of the person beside her, it soon stabilized.
“Hua Ye?”
Buzhihuo Huaye instinctively blurted out.
“Call me Chief!…”
She forcibly swallowed the second half of the sentence that seemed less than polite, and apologized in a strange tone.
“No, sorry, I lost my composure just now. It’s nothing. I’m just a bit emotional—I never expected that President-sama would be convinced by someone as incompetent as you… No, I mean, I never thought you could actually persuade the President.”
After all, the charisma that person exuded was so irresistible that even refusing her orders felt like an immense effort, let alone debating and defeating her.
But the consultant’s charm was also somewhat strange—
She herself had nearly been enchanted at their first meeting.
If not for her past life’s intuition and bodily instincts, she might have also been turned into one of those children by the consultant…
So maybe that was how the consultant managed to convince the President?
No matter how superhuman the President was, she essentially looked like a child…
Just a child with a national leader’s charm and ability.
Hearing Hua Ye’s words, the teacher’s expression turned strange.
He raised his hand, about to say something.
But the next moment, continuous gunfire erupted from the alley beside them!
“Da-da-da-da!”
The gunfire was mixed with the sounds of shell casings hitting the ground, sudden laughter, and crisp, high-pitched girls’ voices—
“Hahaha! Click-clack Helmet Gang! You’re doomed! Hand over the Momotalk collaboration strawberry daifuku! Our boss said, hand over the cake, no beating!”
What the hell?
Wasn’t this the White Bird District under the Defense Office’s jurisdiction?
Although she and the consultant had walked quite far from the Holy Tower, it was still the White Bird District.
Was that some faction of the Helmet Gang being so bold?
While inwardly complaining, she instinctively pulled her Browning from the chest pocket.
Though the gun seemed no match for the automatic rifles going “da-da-da” inside, at least it was something for self-defense.
“Hmph! Snap-crackle Helmet Gang, everyone knows you’re liars! Last time you agreed not to act alone, but you set off the bomb early. If it weren’t for you, we’d have finished the mission!”
“Huh!? Blame us? If the Gehenna Disciplinary Committee Chairwoman hadn’t come too fast, we would have finished too, you bastard! You guys from other academies aren’t afraid, but most of our gang are Gehenna enrolled students! We don’t want to be dragged back to the Correctional Facility to listen to study CDs for weeks!”
“…You horned bastards! You’re unreliable! Anyway, we won’t give up these desserts to you! Big Sister! We can’t bow down to these horned ones!”
“You’re cursing again!? I’ve been annoyed by you bird-brains for a long time! If it weren’t for the ‘Eden Treaty,’ we Gehenna would have turned you winged birds into pulp long ago! Enough talk! If you want to fight, fight! What’s the point of blabbering! The Defense Office and Valkyrie made such a big scene yesterday, they’re probably overwhelmed now and can’t mind us! Come on! Fight!”
“Bring it on! Who’s afraid of you! Big Sister Ranbu, give the order! Let the sisters charge again!”
The conflict in the alley continued.
The girls’ angry shouts rose and fell, and finally, with an order, everything was drowned in a fierce roar of bullets and grenade explosions.
A wave of heat surged violently from the alley, making Buzhihuo Huaye squint involuntarily.
She instantly stepped in front of the consultant, using her body to shield him from the heat wave and flying cement fragments.
“Hiss… it doesn’t hurt.”
When the first heat wave subsided, Buzhihuo Huaye snapped her eyes open.
While muttering to herself as if hypnotizing, she expressionlessly brushed off the cement dust on her.
Just now, she truly felt how terrifying a halo was.
The moment the heat wave hit, she instinctively closed her eyes.
She only felt a slight warmth on her body, like sunbathing in summer, then she completely ignored the sensation as if she had adapted.
When the thrown stones hit her face and body, the moment they touched her skin and body, they were forcibly “pushed away” by a strange, shield-like force.
Even some stones that flew fast enough to penetrate that layer and hit her, her skin instantly became tough and elastic, directly “bouncing” the stones off.
She even felt that if the projectiles were bullets or something similar, her body might directly become hard and resilient…
And if she punched the wall, it would probably feel the same!
“Is this a halo?…”
She murmured, but her halo flickered oddly twice.
Two of the four crosses trembled continuously.
However, the teacher, busy being alert to their surroundings, didn’t notice, nor did Hua Ye herself sense anything unusual with her halo.
Hearing the gunshots, the pedestrians and shopkeepers nearby reacted with practiced ease.
The students just glanced weirdly at the alley where the gunfire came from and the two at the entrance, then resumed their activities.
Shopkeepers a bit farther away silently retreated into their stores and continued their work.
As for the robot shop at the alley entrance, it reluctantly hung a “Temporarily Closed” sign, lowered its bulletproof shutter, and shut down.
Shielding the consultant behind her, Hua Ye stared into the depths of the alley, rapidly checking her magazine, reloading, releasing the slide, flicking off the safety, bringing both hands back to chest level, and aiming ahead.
Everything was incredibly smooth.
Behind her, the consultant instantly placed his hand on the Shittim Chest at his chest, his expression stern, lips tight.
Then Hua Ye spoke at a speed she hadn’t known she was capable of, blurting out the subsequent instructions in a flash.
“Consultant, retreat to a safe distance. Leave this place immediately. Contact the Valkyrie Police Station… No, directly contact the child you left your contact info with yesterday. Tell her that the Helmet Gang has appeared on South Street in the White Bird District. Suspected firefight. Bring people here.”
The moment Hua Ye finished, the teacher pulled out the Shittim Chest and started tapping rapidly.
“These kids… trying to take advantage of the Defense Office and Valkyrie’s fatigue period to profit from chaos, not appreciating the hard work the enforcers put in for them…”
They deserve punishment!
Hua Ye muttered through slightly gritted teeth, her halo flickering twice as if in agreement.