Teacher, Advisor, and Sensei—
How should he be addressed?
How could she conceal the unease and the inexplicable disgust and aversion deep in her heart?
Her head ached slightly.
Was it because of nervousness? That shouldn’t be…
Was it the same as before—
Her old memories reacting?
No.
According to what the president and the others had said, this man should be visiting Kivotos for the first time.
There was no reason for Buzhihuo Huaye to have any connection to him.
Facing this man she had never met before, yet who felt strangely familiar, perhaps she was being triggered.
Huaye’s thoughts spun with inexplicable speed.
Before actually meeting the advisor, she had wanted to get close to him.
For one thing, they were both outsiders—they might share similar feelings.
Even if she couldn’t reveal her identity due to her current suspicions and concerns about Kivotos, it would still be some solace.
For another, although that man had taken the lead in charging with the helmet gang on his own initiative, he had also succeeded in shortening the suppression time and reducing the injuries among these police officers…
But when she actually faced this Defense Office advisor, looking at his earnest and cautious expression, Huaye only felt irritation and disgust.
However, it wasn’t psychological.
She could sense that, mentally, she truly wanted to stand with that man, to cooperate in protecting these children, or perhaps to hand over authority when she resigned later…
But physiologically, she kept producing negative feelings, clouding her judgment…
—No.
No matter what, at the very least, she had to suppress this inexplicable nausea and disgust…
She had to leave a good impression on her new colleague and her subordinates.
Under the watchful eyes of hundreds of police officers who had formed ranks and were waiting for inspection, the Director of the Defense Office, Buzhihuo Huaye, and the newly appointed Defense Office Advisor—
Sensei, a rare halo-less outsider in Kivotos who had just arrived with the helmet gang after being notified by the police—
Stood in silence, facing each other before the formation.
Huaye’s brilliant golden halo trembled, as if about to spin, yet also as if trying to remain still.
The four crosses defending the halo twitched back and forth in place like a jammed mechanism.
Buzhihuo Huaye—
No, Huaye—
While suppressing the vague nausea and disgust within her, involuntarily narrowed her eyes, forced a peaceful smile, and extended her right hand, clad in a white ritual glove, toward the other.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Defense Office Advisor. You must have worked hard on the journey here.”
She had originally wanted to show more respect and call him “Advisor-sama,” but as soon as she opened her mouth, she involuntarily changed it to “Advisor”…
Wouldn’t that make her seem arrogant, emphasizing that his identity shouldn’t be mingling with outsiders—
Especially the nominally hostile helmet gang?
But unable to control herself, Huaye still casually swept her gaze past the advisor’s side, where a group of children—
Probably the Waga Waga Helmet Gang mentioned in the report—
Were showing faint signs of alertness and fear.
These little bastards, always causing trouble… idiots… couldn’t even see they were being used as pawns.
A brief thought on the helicopter had been enough for Huaye to understand that these hired kids were being used as pawns by the mastermind behind the scenes.
After all, they were really naive and easy to fool.
She suspected the mastermind had tricked them onto the battlefield with some empty promises.
Judging from the fearless posture of those robots, she suspected the mastermind wanted the students to fight each other, then have the robots harvest the results.
But unfortunately, the delinquents and helmet gang were too weak to compete with the Valkyrie police officers.
The robots, originally intended as a backup plan, ended up being the main resistance in the early stages.
Then her gaze fell back on that man.
He was so tall—
Probably around six feet.
He looked about a head and a half taller than her? He was wearing simple employee attire: a plain white shirt and black trousers.
But beneath that, his build was sturdy.
She could tell he wasn’t someone who sat in an office—
He was born to move around and stay busy.
Yet his face, though earnest and respectful, subtly revealed a kind and affectionate expression.
How annoying.
Why did he have to put on such a self-righteous air in front of his boss?
Why did he have to hang around those kids and arbitrarily become their leader? He was just an outsider without a halo.
A single bullet could take his life.
He should be hiding behind them to survive, yet he acted braver and smarter than them, commanding the students in a surprise attack…
So condescending…
Under the influence of her body, her thoughts twisted imperceptibly.
The disgust seeped into her spirit.
Her goat-like, increasingly cold and contemptuous emerald horizontal pupils hid behind her narrowed eyes, staring fixedly at the tall man from below, as if the one who had led the helmet gang in a miraculous breakthrough was nothing more than an arrogant fool.
But that man simply reached out and gently returned the handshake, holding Huaye’s much smaller right hand.
His expression was solemn and serious as he replied,
“It was no trouble. Director Huaye worked hard. Even during the holidays, you’ve been busy running around for the safety of Kivotos’s students. I hope we can get along well from now on. Director Huaye.”
Huaye’s body stiffened as her right hand was suddenly grasped.
—His palm… is so big, and it’s warm…
Even through the glove, she could feel that his palm was a bit rough.
Were those calluses from holding something often?
This guy was too sudden—
Why did he grab her hand? This was a greeting, a greeting…
But it felt reassuring…
What he said was so stupid.
Had he ever been the Director of the Defense Office?
A single “you’ve worked hard” was supposed to placate a superior and rival?
He was just spouting nonsense here.
Her mind began to wander strangely, a flood of bizarre thoughts surging up.
Though her head hurt a little, it didn’t feel too unpleasant.
—If I weren’t tired, would I have to shamelessly admit it?
At times like this, it’s best to play dumb and just smile stupidly.
Showing weakness in front of a superior who might become a rival later would make things easier…
Hmph…
Idiot…
Somehow, she felt inexplicably pleased inside.
Even that negative emotion seemed to diminish a little because of that handshake and his address of “Director Huaye.”
The trembling golden halo seemed to find an anchor in the warmth transmitted from his palm, gradually stabilizing.
The smile on her face seemed to become a little more genuine, no longer needing to be forced.
She cleared her throat softly, turned her head away from the advisor’s earnest face, and somewhat awkwardly withdrew her hand from his.
Although disgust and aversion still lingered inside, after that handshake and sensing his seemingly genuine respect and humility, she could barely manage to keep it from showing.
Tsk, this guy’s charm is astonishing…
No wonder he could convince those kids who were being used as pawns to help him break through the defense line.
She was silent for a moment, then somewhat awkwardly looked toward the helmet gang.
Those kids, after seeing the advisor shake her hand, first showed expressions of relief, then seemed vaguely dissatisfied…
It seemed that with just one battle, these kids had already acknowledged the advisor’s ability and charisma…
The advisor seemed to be a reliable man…
Under the tense gazes of the helmet gang, Huaye unconsciously shook her head slightly.
No…
This charm is terrifying.
Even someone like me, with adult memories, is almost bewitched…
Gah…
Stay alert!
This guy really is dangerous!
She forcefully pulled herself out of that awkward mood and returned to the present reality.
Looking at the helmet gang, who seemed somewhat dejected for some reason, and the advisor beside her, who seemed to want to speak but hesitated, Huaye roughly understood what he wanted—
She took a deep breath, maintaining as elegant and calm a tone as possible, and announced to these children who had participated in the riot…
“This is a one-time exception. Hehe.”
Behind her, the observing Weiren Yezhu’s face showed surprise, shock, and suspicion, as if she didn’t understand what her superior had said.
Among the police officers in formation, many also began whispering uneasily.
Huaye understood that this approach of hers was probably very different from her previous self.
Moreover, at the juncture of the new advisor’s appointment, to put it harshly, these people amounted to a private army the advisor had arbitrarily formed—
His own small clique.
From a typical leader’s perspective, it was as if a new subordinate sent by your boss, who was also your rival, started forming cliques outside your team as soon as he arrived.
If the leader still had power to suppress, the outcome was almost inevitably dissolution and punishment, even if not immediately, then later—
Because this was a precursor to usurpation and elimination!
She… had been suppressed like this before, because of her ignorance and friendliness, because of her naivety and foolishness…
But hearing the playful laughter of those kids, recalling the child yesterday in the cake shop who had been incredibly happy over a limited-edition Strawberry Daifuku, seeing the faces of her peers like Iwakura Ayumi—
Silly, naive, but putting on a simple, earnest act for the president and Kivotos—
She hesitated a little…
But… but…
If it were Kivotos…
If it were the advisor… wouldn’t it be different?
She deliberately turned her head away, not looking at anyone, her eyes slightly dazed as she gazed at the blue halo in the sky.
Two days were not enough to change the foundation of her heart, but when facing children, she should always concede a little, even if only leaving a crack.
Mistakes must be punished, faults must be investigated…
The original Buzhihuo Huaye, how did you understand it? …
The police officers around her quieted down at some point, staring at Huaye and their director with confusion and bewilderment.
Weiren Yezhu, seeing this, curled her lips, rubbed her brow tiredly, her expression conflicted, as if considering whether she dared to oppose her director’s decision.
But the helmet gang’s answer the next moment truly astonished them.
The only child present who had been glaring at Huaye the whole time—
The one closest, surrounding the teacher like a guard—
Firmly put on her helmet with the leader’s mark and answered sullenly from inside,
“No. Thank you for your kindness, Defense Office Director Buzhihuo Huaye. But we’ve already decided. We don’t want to cause any more trouble for Teacher and everyone else. This incident is indeed related to us. We’re willing to accept punishment. Even if it means going to the correctional facility.”
The children behind her also glanced at the teacher, whose face showed a helpless and compassionate expression, and silently put on their symbolic helmets.
“I… also… have caused enough trouble already… If things go further because of us, and cause conflict between Teacher, the Defense Office, and Valkyrie… I would feel very guilty…”
“We’re the helmet gang after all… Let’s just treat it as us getting caught as usual! Ku hu hu!”
“As for imprisonment… we can just wait it out! And in the correctional facility, isn’t there a way to reduce the sentence by studying hard and doing labor?”
What a bunch of idiots! Idiots!!
What do you think getting caught is?!
You’re thinking too simply! You guys betrayed the main force!
Aren’t you afraid that the other helmet gang members who got caught because of you will take revenge on you in the correctional facility?!
Huaye wanted to scold these children for being too naive and simplistic, and she also suspected they might be saying this to gain more rewards, or under the advisor’s guidance…
But for some reason, she just silently lowered her head and murmured as if in thought,
“I see… I see…”
Behind her, Weiren Yezhu and the police officers were also silent, just staring blankly at those who had inexplicably rejected the declaration of innocence.
They looked at Huaye with incomprehensible, bewildered eyes, seeking help.
Huaye was silent for a moment, then raised her head, turned to look at the Defense Office advisor, and said coldly,
“Did you teach them that?”
The advisor gave a wry smile and gently shook his head, his face showing nothing but sincerity.
Huaye was silent for another moment.
Then she turned and walked up to the Waga Waga Helmet Gang, opened her eyes, stared straight into the gang leader’s eyes with those emerald horizontal pupils, and said slowly, word by word,
“Aren’t you afraid of retaliation from the other helmet gangs?”
The Waga Waga Helmet Gang leader was stunned for a moment, then, with an expression as if she couldn’t understand the question, immediately gave an answer that caught Huaye off guard,
“Huh? What retaliation? Isn’t this how it’s always been? When you run into cops… ah, no, when you run into police you can’t beat, you just take your members and slip away, or just surrender and sell out the other side. Later, you spend some money to buy the sold-out side a cake or a bento and talk it out face to face.”
Then she muttered softly,
“It’s just that this time, we’ll need to treat quite a few people.”
Buzhihuo Huaye was stunned.
Even that polite, elegant, slightly distant smile almost faltered.
After a moment, she lowered her eyes and muttered to herself in a strange tone,
“So that’s how it is… So that’s how it is… No wonder… How nice…”
How nice…
The Waga Waga Helmet Gang leader, seeing that the Defense Office Director didn’t seem to have made a decision yet, asked impatiently,
“Hey! Miss Huaye! Is that enough now? Hurry up and have the cops arrest us.”
Huaye lifted her head, returning to her original squinting, smiling expression, and replied,
“Hehe, no problem. Since it’s your own decision, I have no choice but to respect it.”
She turned to Weiren Yezhu and the police officers and issued her new order,
“Arrest them. Charge… handle it as rioting, consistent with the other helmet gangs. Notify the correctional facility to prepare for receiving those arrested this time.”
Weiren Yezhu’s face showed a trace of helplessness at her superior’s repeated change of mind.
Then she turned and gestured to a squad of police officers, who immediately stepped forward, looked at the helmet gang who had voluntarily given themselves up with complex and confused expressions, and then, following procedure, confiscated their weapons, restrained them, and prepared for transport.
After that was done, Weiren Yezhu barked,
“Everyone not on escort duty, dismissed! Return to your posts!”
Although reluctant and confused, the police officers immediately carried out the order.
“Hmph! Just wait! When we get out of the correctional facility, the Waga Waga Helmet Gang will still be a force to be reckoned with!”
“I… me too! Teacher must wait for us!”
“We’ll study hard and try to get out early to see Teacher!”
“Teacher, be careful of that bad woman, don’t let her fool you… Ow! Don’t hit my head, you bastard cop! Gah! Stop hitting me, stop it… I won’t say anymore…”
The helmet gang, like third-rate villains in a comedy, shouted their respective lines, pretended to struggle, and were then escorted away by the police officers.
Even the remaining police officers dispersed, carrying stretchers and guns, quickly heading back to their posts.
But Huaye and the teacher still stood there, watching from afar as the children marched quickly, gradually fooling around.
““How nice.””
Neither spoke, but both thought the same.
Weiren Yezhu stayed at the back of the column.
Huaye looked at her slightly tired back.
Though a little sorry, she still called out to her,
“Yezhu.”
Weiren Yezhu put on an expression like the sky was falling, turned around, and reluctantly replied in a hoarse voice,
“Yes!”
Huaye then realized that Yezhu was actually taller than her, about five foot six—
She just hadn’t noticed before because she’d been sitting in the helicopter or too absorbed in her own affairs.
She hesitated for a moment, then calmly looked at Yezhu and issued the final instruction for this incident,
“Notify the correctional facility. Cancel the previous order. For this correction process, focus as much as possible on cultivating professional aptitude and increasing work skills training.”
As long as they had jobs, these little bastards wouldn’t cause so much trouble.
She added one last sentence, as if convincing Yezhu, the teacher, and herself.
Weiren Yezhu, dark circles under her eyes, agreed weakly, then left like a zombie.
It seemed this operation had indeed put a lot of pressure on her.
Finally, there was only the matter of the teacher—no, the advisor.
“Let’s go straight back to the Defense Office’s new base… The president has already informed me that things to ensure your normal life are placed in the Defense Office’s basement. Let’s go.”
Huaye didn’t even glance at the teacher beside her, who was smiling inexplicably, and walked briskly.
She had just remembered the password for the Defense Office’s custom map software on her phone.
Now, she could barely lead the advisor back.
“Hurry up, Advisor. We still have a lot of work to do. Today’s riot suppression is only part of it.”
This was work common sense:
Major events have simple processes but a long string of consequences.
She walked ahead, urging.
Upon hearing this, the advisor laughed heartily and followed.
They both unconsciously recalled what they had seen and heard over the past two days, and simultaneously sighed inwardly—
““Yeah, so this is what they call Kivotos.””
[Prologue: Yeah, So This Is What They Call Kivotos!]
[End]