"Don't let your guard down! There's more of them coming! Hoshino, to your left!"

"You got it!" She exclaimed, moving from the sandbags and into the tires. Dodging a spray of bullets before returning fire with her own.

By using the truck the helmet gang had left behind, with Hans driving it thanks to the elf's directions, the trip towards the base was made more plausible, other than walking for six hours straight. Plowing through sand as they chased the retreating helmets' vehicles. In which they replied with bullets lying out from their rear. Blasting their guns out from their windows.

And in that moment, the Abydos students learn that returning fire from a moving vehicle was not an easy feat. The cat girl herself can vouch for it.

"Ugh… cough! I'm still sick…"

Although Hans did all he could, their vehicle was unluckily shot in the wheels, causing it to skid and crash upon the sands. But that didn't stop their march. They all know what they're getting into as they stared at the tide of the helmet gangers that stood on standby on the path towards their base. Endlessly throwing thug after thug to halt the advance, like meat to a grinder.

The wastes, as they call it, are fields of upturned cars and buried structures scattered around the golden sands.

And this is where the gang calls their hideout.

"I'm going to firee!"

The blonde's rotor spun and spray enough bullets to make a line in the sand, blasting the grains to the helmets, and catching other poor souls with the full metal jacket.

"Just a few more meters!" The operator shouted from the earpiece.

With each meter they claim, the helmets grew more and more desperate. With many of them abandoning the charge to move back further into their territory.

And when the task force reached into the heart, they're already throwing their last-ditch efforts. Half-baked defenses of unarmed vehicles, mounted MGs on the sand, and barricades of sandbags and tires are thrown everywhere without a clear thought in mind. A few remaining helmets, counting less than 30 members, stood still behind the defenses. Swearing, sweating, and angry as they aim their trembling guns at their attackers.

All to defend a headquarters of a single cleared out building and some tents strewn outside of it.

"LET IT LOOSE, LADIES!" a red-clad helmet member shouted and the hailstorm of bullets began. Deafening MGs, rifles, and snipers broke through the winds. Dumping magazine after magazine towards the task force until their supplies went dry.

Grenades were thrown, and rockets went flying to break the suppression, but that proved to do little effect towards the desperate hooligans. Hoshino prepared her shield, readying herself to jump out of cover to soak up the bullets for an opening for her juniors could use.

And she did. Leaping out of the bullet ridden sandbag, she ran towards the gangers with a shotgun in her right and an iron bulwark in her left.

"Everyone let's go!" She shouted. Shooting and shooting until her shotgun goes click, gathering as much as attention for herself as her juniors ran out behind and near her to give support.

Giving a nod... Hans would do so as well in his own way.

The captain made a wild dash towards an upturned vehicle that was being used as covered by some of the distracted gangers.

And when his eyes met theirs, he had his legs tucked.

A loud explosion made its way to everyone's ears as Hans released an explosive kick, powerful enough to deform the metal and turning the car into a makeshift battering ram towards defenses that the helmets had built.

CRASH! CRASHH!

And when it settles, the car was entombed into the walls of the building, with many unconscious helmets next to it.

"Whoa! Nice kick sensei!" Nonomi cheered as she reloaded her weapon. Firing at the terrified gangers.

"H-Holy-!" Serika's mouth went agape before she shook it away.

"Good job, sensei." Shiroko nodded, rushing out from behind Hosnino to finish the rest of them off.

"Ow… ow… my back…"

"W-What was that?! D-Did that guy just- KICKED a car at us?!"

"Wait… I- I think… t-that's the guy who tore a tank with his bare hands!"

"Dammit! DAMMIT! RUN! RUN!"

The coordinated attack prove to be utterly effective as their morale dropped in an instant. Dropping their guns as they ran away to their vehicles and some would raise their hands in surrender.

But knowing the girls, they still shoot them anyway.

With the last march, the sounds of battle eventually died down.

Ending in a total victory.

"Wow, look at these loot!" The blonde cheered.

"Great job everyone!" The elf clapped cheerfully.

The fight was over a while ago. With them finding an intact vehicle again, they returned safely to the school with something to bring back. Piles and piles of ammo and other supplies that had been… "confiscated by SCHALE" are currently being counted on the clubroom.

"Wow… this could last us for a good few months…" The cat girl finished her counting. Closing her notebook and placing it neatly inside the club's bookcase.

"…All thanks to you, sensei." Shiroko said in a small whisper, in which everyone could agree upon.

"Uhehe… nice work too, sensei." The lazy pink haired girl commented as well. Plopping down on the table with a yawn.

"H-hey! Don't nap just yet! We haven't properly introduced ourselves to sensei!" the elf spoke out.

"Uweeh? Right now?"

"Yes!" she answered, before clearing her throat. "Ahem. We're the Abydos Foreclosure Take Force. I'm Okusora Ayane, a first year in charge of the task force's records and operations." Then she pointed to the cat girl next.

"This is Kuromi Serika. First year as well, in charge of our finance and supplies as the treasurer."

She gave a small nod and gave a smile as she folded her arm. "Mm. Hey."

"And these are our second years. Sunaookami Shiroko and Izayoi Nonomi."

"Nice to meet you, sensei!" Nonomi cheered as she gave Hans a small hug. Catching the captain really off guard.

"As a thank you gift!"

"N-Nonomi!" Serika shouted. In which the blonde just replied with a small giggle as she released her hug.

Shiroko just remained silent in for a minute at how bold Nonomi is before she blinked back to the present. "N-Nn. Hello, sensei."

Her face was a little red at the sight, and her mind was still thinking of what Hans had said before.

"H-Haha.." Ayane fixed her glasses as she gave a dry, pained laugh. "And lastly, our president. Takanashi Hoshino. Our lone third year."

"Mmm. Nice to meet you, sensei."

Hans looked at all of them and gave a small, silent nod.

That's all he had to answer to the disappointed room.

"…Sensei is really quiet huh?" Hoshino commented. Earning a glare from Ayane.

"Anyway, I'm sure you've noticed by now that our school is in crisis. That's why I reached out to SCHALE for help, and you've already managed to come through for us."

Ayane explains with a wide grin. "Without you, those thugs would've taken over our school by now. We can't thank you enough."

Hans replied with another nod before walking a little and pointing to the club.

"Oh, are you interested in our club?" A nod again. "Since our founding, our goal is to bring Abydos back to its former glory."

"We're the only club in the school where every single student is a member!" Nonomi continued."I mean, we're the only five students at this school, but still..."

"And the rest had left or transferred out of town." Shiroko butted in next. "I don't blame them for leaving the district entirely. Given the current state that Abydos is in. And now, we have to deal with thugs like the Kata-Kata Helmet Gang trying to take over our school."

And that bit of information is still strange to Hans.

Shiroko's ears fell down. "To be honest, it's difficult it is to defend Abydos on our own, and embarrassing to see the state it's in…"

Ayane nodded. "If you hadn't come to help us Sensei, we would've been in real big trouble this time around."

"Seriously." the pink-haired girl says, rising her head up from the table before cushioning it again in her arms. "I figured we were done for one. We ran out of supplies. That's some timing you had there, Sensei." She closed her eyes again.

"And now, we don't have to worry about the helmet gang anymore!" Nonomi cheered again.

"Nn. We can finally get to the more important manners." Shiroko continued next.

"Haha! Correct! Now all we have to do is focus on paying our debt!" Serika laughed, before her face fell in horror at her words.

"O- Wait-! Shoot!"

"Oh right. About our situation. Sensei- "Ayane continued,

"No! Not another word, Ayane!" Serika shouted. Slamming the table with her hands as she stood up. Surprising Ayane.

"Why not? It's not like it's a secret. Besides, he's one of us now." Hoshino pointed out.

"And he's the only one who helped us out!" Nonomi interjected.

"He's the only one who has." Shiroko is next. "Sensei is responsible. Trustworthy even."

"B-but! He is an outsider!"

Hoshino finally rose her head. The "sleep" was gone from her eyes as she sat straight on the chair.

"I'm not saying Sensei can solve this problem on our behalf, but he's the only adult and organization we have to turn to. It's clear the GSC and other schools don't care about us." She spoke with maturity and a hint of frustration.

'They left us to die on the pavement for the crows to enjoy.' The rest of the words stood still on her tongue.

"Unless you have a better idea, Serika?" Her eyes pierced through, deadly serious.

U-Ugh.. W-Well…" Serika stumbled before her temper flared up again.

"Sensei just showed up from nowhere! We've always taken care of ourselves anyway and why would even an adult care about us?!" Serika tried to defend herself, pointing to the silent man before her eyes at the door.

"I DON'T WANT ANY OF THIS!" She shouted again, making a mad dash outside before a hand came to her shoulder to stop her from running away.

She looked at Hans as his hand gave her shoulder a small squeeze next to a gentle shake of his head, as if to say something.

'You've done well. Now, give me a chance to take care of you.'

The words stuck on his lips as he was just about to speak them. Serika couldn't see his words and intent, so instead she scowled and pushed away his hand, bolting out of the club room with a sour taste on her tongue.

The door slammed ferociously. If it was more of that, Hans was sure that the door will fall off from the frame and turning to dust.

"…I'll go talk to her." Nonomi immediately stood up from her chair to chase the girl.

"…" Hoshino let her eyes to remain at the door before moving to Hans. "Back to the matter at hand-"

Hans raised his hand before shaking his head.

"Sensei?"

Hans pointed to the door, then to the two empty seats.

"…" Hoshino blinked for a moment before nodding. "...Alright. Okay. You wanted to wait for them, sensei?"

The teacher nods and exited the door. Gently opening it without any problem.

As much as its importance, Hans couldn't hear another word until the club got their stuff back together and reach a consensus. If he could be trusted with information regarding this, "debt" or not.

There is some truth in Serika's words. Sometimes those with good intentions are hiding their true blackened hearts deep within.

None can see what their hearts are until the very end.

Shiroko then stood up next. "I'll go with sensei. Just in case he got lost."

"Oh, alright." Ayane nodded as she went to sit next to Hoshino.

"Okay… don't do anything weird Shiroko!" Hoshino teased, as Shiroko's ears fell down a little before she exits the door.

And the third years' eyes never left the door when the wolf left the club room.

Hans stood silently, staring out from the rooftop onwards to the ruins and the desert outside. Eyes blinking with a simple thought of melancholy.

This place used to be beautiful before the "sandstorm" came. Hans sighs, flipping through the images Arona had sent before tucking the tablet away, as he thought of something else.

The matter that had been hinted. Debt. If he had to guess, from the sheer magnitude, no sensible bank would've lent their hands towards them. By the words Hoshino had said, the GSC either couldn't do much or maybe like what the girl had said... they couldn't give a damn. A clear signal of corruption. And other schools? Hans knows of the play far too well. If rivalry was in check, they would've gained a bigger advantage from the fall of the biggest district out there rather than keeping it stable.

They had everything to win and nothing to lose. That is their train of thoughts.

Hans let out a tired sigh. He wished he could've thought of something else. The game of politics is not for him. It's for the fat major to weave and dance around.

He is more of a soldier. A dog rather than a politician. Before the fall and after.

"Hm. I had a feeling you might be here, sensei." A gentle voice called out from behind him, accompanied by a creak of an opening door.

Shiroko walked next to Hans, her lips hidden under her teal scarf. "Please don't take what Serika said to heart, sensei."

Hans shook his head as his eyes continue to shift around the desert.

"What are you thinking?" Shiroko asks.

A pause.

"…The terrible cards... that had been handed to you. And how… can I give Abydos the much needed relief."

Shiroko gave a small smile before her eyes shifted towards the desert.

"You being here had already done much, sensei."

A small, comfortable silence washed over the two of them as the sun continued on, shining above with the sounds of the winds to fill in the emptiness between the two wolves.

"Sensei. Can I ask you something?"

A nod.

She pulled her scarf up with a tint of red on her cheeks. "…Back then, what do you mean by I am your kin?"

Hans let his eyes wander to her "I felt our fates... intertwine." Hans answered before continuing. "When I held... your hand... what did you feel?"

Shiroko closed her eyes.

"…Cold, yet… warm." Shiroko paused and continued. "And I felt... exhausted. Like I have been, traveling and fighting for a long… long time."

"Did you… see anything?"

Shiroko shook her head.

"I… I don't know. I think so. It's… a blur of white."

In which, Hans gave a contemplative look before nodding. Offering his hand to her. "...Again?"

Shiroko looked at his hand before nodding. Closing her eyes as the strange white mist slowly came over to engulf the two wolves.

"I see two balls of light. One glowed brighter than the other as it… dimmed."

"…I see it."

"What does it mean?"

"…One blessed, and... the other dammed." Hans spoke gently, with a tinge of sorrow from his lips. "Yet the two orbits the same. One in two... two in one"

"…I see…" She then opened her eyes… before it widens at what she saw.

White fur.

"…Sensei… you're-"

RING RING RING!

Then suddenly, the ring of the phone broke the moment. Causing her to jump and for to white mist to vanish.

"!"

Shiroko immediately went to check on her phone.

"I-It's Hoshino. Serika and Nonomi are back."

Hans gave a small nod, reaching to wear back his white glove before he walked to the door.

"...I think, the future is going to be interesting." Shiroko commented with a small smile on her lips. "And, sensei. You should try to talk more."

Hans paused... and nods. Feeling like a lot of people had been saying the same.

And thus the two made their way towards the club room. Shiroko walked next to sensei with a neutral expression and an answered question, yet even if there is a lot more remained in her mind, she was already satisfied.

Satisfied by him as a person, and presence here in Abydos.

The door clicked as Hans and Shiroko entered the room.

"We're back." Shiroko said as Hans closed the door. Watching the scene inside the clubroom.

Serika continued to pout, but not as much now as Nonomi gently stroked her back. Ayane gave a smile, closing her book as she greeted. "Welcome back."

And Hoshino pretended to be asleep. "Uweeh… welcome back. How's your date?" Hoshino teased, raising her head from the table. In which earning some coughs from Ayane and Serika.

"…W-HOSHINO!" Serika shouted.

"Déjà vu?" Nonomi giggled.

And Shiroko had a tinge of red on her cheeks.

"Ahem." Ayane cleared the air. "Now that's everyone here, please. Let's continue."

Serika pouted again before pointing a finger at Hans. "That doesn't mean I trust you!"

Hans nods.

Hoshino then butted in with a sigh. "Back to the topic, then. Our school owes quite a bit of money to a loan company. It's a challenge, but not exactly an uncommon problem either."

"The real issue is..." she begins with a pained smile. "That it's over nine hundred-million yen."

Hans could feel his fists clench.

Over nine hundred.

How does one EXPECT students to pay that much money?! He doesn't even want to think on how many does this many cash converts to the standard Reichsmark.

Or rather he refused to think about it, because if he did, the more and more heated he will get. And he can already feel his frown slowly turning to a scowl.

Ayane let out a dry laugh. "It's… nine hundred and sixty-two million, three hundred and fifty thousand yen, to be exact." She then gave a determined look to Hans.

"That's the amount that Abydos-no, that the Foreclosure Task Force has taken upon itself to pay back. The loan company will foreclose the school and shutter it permanently if we don't pay them."

Before it fell to a sorrowful smile. "But… the odds of paying back the debt are practically zero. That's why… most of the students left the school and town entirely."

Shiroko butted in next, still in her neutral expression. "All except us, of course."

Ayane nodded. "Right. The debt is the source of everything that's wrong. It's why the school is on the brink of closure, why the students left, and why the town is so desolate. But! We're still here to stay and keep Abydos running! That is our purpose as the Foreclosure Task Force!"

Hans raised his hand before he walked to a seat. His red eyes scanned the room as he opened his mouth.

"…Why... didn't you leave?"

The chair where the black-haired treasurer was sitting on was thrown on the floor from her, rising hastily from it. Teeth gnashing, eyes filled with rage, and fingers curled into fists.

Ignoring the fact that Hans had spoken to them for the first time.

"YOU. I KNEW IT! YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT US! YOU F-"

"Serika."

Hoshino's calm and cold voice cut through her temper instantly and shutting off her rant after her eyes wandered to her senior.

It's not the usual lazy and sleepy headed Hoshino she saw.

But something much terrifying.

A cold and dark void. Empty of everything she once had, staring at the man in front of her. Blank eyes met with the wolf's at a standstill. Not a movement. Not a twitch. And not a single expression.

Instantly Serika shut her mouth and sat back down, her eyes staring down at the floor as her hand trembled. She hated that look. She hated at how cold she looked.

She hated that she couldn't feel the heat of the sun anymore.

All she can feel is the cutting coldness of her gaze at the adult.

"It's alright. Serika. He just asked a logical question that everyone would've asked given our current situation." She spoke plainly, eyes never leaving the blood red in front of her.

She closed her eyes and continued. "We're still here because the moment we left our school, the remaining student council will disband as well, and with it, the school. Abydos will be dissolved and those other than us who still remained in the district?"

Hoshino paused for a moment. "You can think about it yourself."

She finished her explanation. Yet no one dared to speak. No one dared to make another move. They're all waiting. Waiting for someone to say something first. Waiting for someone to break the tension.

Hans closed his eyes in contemplation.

As far as he knew from what Arona and Rin had said, districts governance and authority are centered around the school. And yet, what he missed was the fact that if the center school was to be defunct, the entire district would immediately lose its autonomy.

No governance, no jurisdiction, no nothing. All of it gone. Vanished in an instant. A fresh, empty district to be annexed by the other academies in Kivotos, or in this situation, or rather his best guess,

Is to be claimed by the loan sharks.

For them to do whatever outside of the GSC's jurisdiction because it's technically owed by a private company, not by any academies where the GSC had the power above.

'Scheiße, ich hasse Politik verdammt noch mal.'

Hans thought to himself, remaining stoic and thoughtful from the outside perspective.

Hoshino's eyes continued to wander before it went back to his eyes. She still can't read on what the damn adult is thinking.

"That doesn't mean that I as the vice president and we as the remaining students are pressuring you to do anything about it, sensei. Like Serika had said before, we have been scratching the debt for some time on ourselves without you or any other external help."

"You probably had other matters to take care of and other students to help and by focusing all of your eyes here, we could sabotage everything else and you have to have some doubts that I completely understand. The fact that you had come here personally is more than enough for us."

No more words came from her lips as she looked down and clenched her fists.

"…Faith."

Hans whispered as he picked up his field cap. Hoshino's eyes then returned to him. Then everyone's.

"Have faith... that I'll not abandon you.
Have faith,,, that I'll be with you... every step of the way.
Have faith...in me as I have in all of you."

A pause. He let them to sink the words in.

"I'm not here... to fill a quota. I'm here... because you asked.
And I'll... provide Abydos with relief.
No matter how... insignificant that may be."

He then gestured a hand to his heart.

"That is... my oath."

With that, a new oath had been forged. A new promise had been made, and Hans would do everything in his power to see it come to fruition.

"You shall be my dog, herr werwolf.
You shall be my companion till the final night comes.
The final war that we have been waiting.
This is your oath. From now on… we are bound."

Even if it would've cost him a long time to do so.

"Hans-sensei…" Ayane spoke out, eyes sparkling with a reignited hope. "…Thank you… thank you so much."

"Nn. I had hoped you would say that. Thank you, sensei." Shiroko gave a nod.

"You're so cool sensei! Thank you for being on our side!" Nonomi cheered.

"…Hmph." Serika looked away.

And Hoshino remained still. Fists clenching before she released them, closing her eyes as she slumped down on the table with a sigh.

"Uweh… If you say so, sensei. Sounds like you already made up your mind." Then she let out a yawn. "I'm sleepy." The captain then gestured a small nod, looking at the setting sun outside.

"…Company." Hans spoke.

"Uweh?"

"Company. Name." He spoke plainly.

"…Kaiser Loans. Why?" Hoshino answered.

Hans stood for a moment before he gave a nod of approval, then he then walked to the door. "Keep that in mind…we'll… continue tomorrow. Rest well and recharge."

And with that, the captain waved goodbye to the Foreclosure Task Force and exited the school. Walking in the cold evening desert with his mind still wandering to Abydos.

"So… hm…" Arona whispered from the tablet.

"…Mm..." Hans nodded. "Can you... look into Kaiser Loans?"

"Aha, I know you're going to ask!" she snapped her fingers before sending Hans a document.

"I've been digging around them as well. And apparently… well, there's a lot more going on behind the scenes, sensei. Here, I've summarized most of them for you."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it! Just doing my job as your super secretary!" She giggled as the familiar whirling of a helicopter came near, with the familiar logo of the GSC and SCHALE painted on its side.

"Remind me… to give you something as a reward." Hans tucked the tablet into his pockets as Arona's eyes twinkled.

And thus ended the first day on Abydos, and Hans didn't get a wink of sleep that night.

Until Arona urged him to bed.

Hans woke up early, as he always did. Just an hour before the sun had peeked itself over the horizon. Standing over his bed, Hans cracked his neck and went to do his morning routine before he prepared himself to return to Abydos. First, he reached for a duffel bag and packed some essentials just in case, along with some fresh changes, just in case he needed them. Next, he went to his printer and printed out the documents Arona had discovered and he had been reading the other day.

They must've wanted to know about this.

With that done, Hans asked for Arona to call for the helicopter again.

And with a few brief minutes, the familiar sounds of the spinning rotors came to his ears.

The trip towards Abydos was again quite uneventful, but this time since the threats of the helmet gang were gone and with the calming weather, Hans could arrive a little faster and directly in front of the school, but he chose to take the route on foot again. This time, just a little closer than before. Carrying some of the stuff he had bought from Angel 24.

Then a familiar sight student caught his eye doing some maintenance on the school.

"Hm? O-oh?! Good morning, sensei!" Ayane greeted with a wave as she walked to him. "You're quite early."

Hans raised his eyebrow. "I thought it's... quite late in the morning already."

"!" She flinched for a moment before nodding.

Ayane nodded. "Well… yes, but usually all of us assemble some time later. But as the administrator, I always arrive a little early to do some maintenance and supply checks before our daily meetings."

"...Alone?" He pointed his finger.

"Shiroko is here, but for the moment she's still cycling and going around patrols… and Hoshino had arrived as well. But most often she is still napping… somewhere again. Or maybe going around doing something."

"You're... a hard worker." Hans spoke gently.

Small tints of red formed in her ears. "I-Is that so? Thank you, sensei. Just doing my job. Since… I'm bad at aiming… this is the bare minimum of the work I could do. Haha."

"That doesn't mean... your work is inadequate. You're a valuable member... Ayane."

She blushed even harder. "…Thank you. O-Oh! Since you're here anyway, can you follow me for a moment, sensei? I want to show you something."

Hans followed her before she changed her mind, looking back at him as she fidgets.

"Sorry, but can you wait in the clubroom, sensei? I'll bring it here." Hans gave a nod again. Sitting in a chair close to the window.

"See you in a moment." Ayane gave a small smile before she walked towards her destination. A past clubroom now renamed and repurposed as the archive.

Walking in, Ayane looked through the shelves full of past records and books left by the past students of Abydos. Back in the golden days… or back when it's already in decline. Hoshino had a lot of stories she shared with the club regarding the old student council members, and yet… she had restrained herself from talking about the president much.

It's something she kept private. And the rest know not to press on the matter.

"Hmm… where did… is it here?"

Ayane looked around the many shelves filled to the brim with documents and ancient memorabilia. Moving up and down before the book she had been looking for had caught her eye.

"Ah, there it is!"

Hans flipped through a small notebook filled with the club's supply reports and other thoughts. Like a shared diary of some sorts mixed with a logbook.

'Shiroko! Don't eat the pudding! I saved it for Serika later!'

'I already did.'

It was filled more with silly thoughts and activities before he came into the picture.

They're really are a brave bunch.

Hans was just about to flip to the next page until a loud crash and bang caught his ears.

"AAGHHHH!"

Followed by a scream coming from a room nearby.

Immediately, Hans tidied the book and rushed out with urgency.

Rushing over with a thud as he yanked open the door.

"W- Ah?! S-Sensei?! D-Don't look!" Ayane shouted. Dampened by the fact that the poor girl was buried by the dozens of books, big and small.

"I… I don't want you to see me like this…." She mumbled.

Hans stood still for a moment at her words before walking towards her, hands reaching out to yank her out from the tomb of literature.

"…W- WAIT SENSEI! I-It's okay! Please, just get out of here!"

His hand hovered over her... and it paused.

"J-JUST GET OUT!" she shouted again.

…And thus, Hans returned to the classroom feeling like he had just been kicked. What was he doing again?

Then, a moment later, Ayane walked in with a worn book in her hands and a look that was a mix of embarrassment and self inflicted anger.

"…"

"…"

The two stared at each other.

"…Hello, sensei."

Hans raised an eyebrow.

"I'm okay. Sorry for making you worry. I'm not hurt or anything." She spoke with the obvious embarrassment in her tone.

He pointed to her with still the raised eyebrow."I climbed up the shelf to get this, but I lost my balance and fell… ugh, I can't believe you saw me like that…" she continued in a whisper.

"Sensei! Please forget you saw that!" She begged with glassy eyes, sparkling with small streaks of tears behind them.

The wolf blinked for a moment before giving a nod. "…At least... you're not hurt." In which Ayane replied with immense relief before she wiped some of her trickling tears away.

"Mm. Y-Yes, thank you for worrying about me, sensei."

Hans gave a nod before he pointed to the worn book.

"Oh, right. This is what I wanted to show you. I found this while I was organizing an unused classroom a few days back."

She presented to old book to Hans, and he started to look at the worn cover that looks… surprisingly familiar…

"I think a former student must've left it behind. I've heard that some of them had weird hobbies back in the day."

Hans gave a nod before flipping through some pages himself. He had sworn he had seen this book somewhere…

"If I had to guess, I think it's like a novel written in… Gehennan I think. But other than that, I was wondering if it's valuable or not. What do you think?"

Hans continue on flipping before he finally found out what the hell he had been reading.

"…Mein Kampf."

He finally whispered. It's basically a mirror of it, albeit changed from Herr Führer, to a leader of the Pandemonium Society. In which… had little difference except for name.

"Mein… what?" Ayane asked.

"…It's a book about the struggle of… someone named Saeki Hirohito. And… her hatred of the…" Hans squinted his eyes. "The Tea Party of Trinity."

"Oh… Oh! I think I've heard of it."

Hans closed the book and offered it back. "Perhaps… it could sell well... at an antique store."

"You really think so?" Ayane took the book and started flipping through the pages a little.

Hans gave a nod. "Maybe… in Gehenna, if not… I would... buy this book off from you."

Because he is interested as well, to be honest. What other kinds of strange mirrors Kivotos have?

"I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, sensei." She gave a smile and put the book on the table.

Then, the door opened to Nonomi and Serika. "Good morning!" Nonomi smiled warmly.

"Good morn- Wait, why is the adult here?!" Serika pointed.

"Good morning Nonomi, and Serika. Did you forget? Sensei did say he was coming yesterday." Ayane sighed.

"…Ugh…" Serika mumbled before she sat on a chair with Nonomi humming something next to her. And barely a few minutes later, Shiroko entered the room, carrying Hoshino, who was still busy napping on her back.

"Good morning. I found Hoshino napping in the park," Shiroko spoke. "Mornin…" Hoshino yawned as Shiroko plopped her down in a chair.

"Okay, now since we're all here. Let's start the meeting!" Ayane clapped.

"Like always, time for us to begin The Force closure Task force regular meeting regarding our debt and methods to pay them back fully or reaching the monthly quota. I, Okusura Ayane formally open the discussion. With Hans-sensei on the table, I hope it could provide more… fruitful solutions and ideas."

Ayane spoke with the formality of a mature and serious woman before a twitch formed in her eyes when she spoke of… ideas. If he had to guess, there could be some mishaps here and there.

"To those who had such, please present them to the table." She finished and immediately Serika raised her hand.

"Yes, first-year Kuromi Serika, you may."

"Again with the formalities..? I hate it when you do that…" Serika frowned.

"Why not? It's our first formal meeting in ages, especially since we're with SCHALE." Ayane gave a little laugh.

"What's the big deal? It's not everyday we get to run a meeting with Hans-sensei." Hoshino commented with a yawn.

"The first meeting with sensei in attendance, to be precise." Shiroko followed.

"Yup! It's like we're a proper task force now!" And Nonomi finished with cheer.

The cat girl frowned and sighed. Reluctantly, she agreed. "Fine… you guys have seniority here. I guess… a-anyway! Moving on! As the treasurer, the school is on the verge of bankruptcy, and even with our daily commissions and odd jobs we get, we're only paying eight million yen every month! And that's barely even keeping up with the interest!" Serika spoke with determination.

Then she slammed the table. "We're royally screwed unless something changes. What we need is something big! Huge, even!"

"Something… big?" Ayane raised her eyebrow.

It seems she got something in mind. Hans wondered what is it was that got this girl so high in spirits. A motion that everyone shared as well, gathering on her million-watt grin and cheer.

"This is it! Something I got from downtown!"

"Let me see here." Hoshino said as her eyes scanned the flyer.

"…Ready to become a boss babe billionaire? Get rich quick with the Germanium… Granite Bracelet... Network…" With that, her face turned sour. Before it rises up to a smile.

Oh this poor… poor girl.

"That's right! We're all gonna become boss babe billionaires!" She continued on, radiating an aura of pure joy and confidence

A notion that is… answered by a smile of shattered expectations by Ayane.

Hans could feel this smile pricking over his face as well. In amusement and pity in which was the feeling was shared by almost the rest of the task force. Except for Shiroko, who kept a neutral expression that said a million words of disappointment and concern.

"I was downtown recently, and these really cool people invited me to a seminar. They told me all about these amazing germanium bracelets!" She explains, still with the grin.

"Did you know that can cleanse your aura and bring you good luck? They're so powerful that you can boost your good vibes just by wearing them!" Hans had to take off his hat and rub his eyes, still hiding the pure amusement he had on his lips.

"And if you can get three other girls who wanna become boss babes like you...?" she trails off, noticing the stares and the surrounding air of disappointment.

"...What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Proposal rejected." Hoshino shut her down. Crumpling the flyer before throwing it behind her to a trash can.

"WHAT?! WHY?!" Serika shouted.

"Serika…" Ayane spoke with pity. "Have you ever heard the phrase 'pyramid scheme' before?"

"It's a scam." Shiroko interjected without beating around the bush.

"What?!" Serika seems genuinely surprised. Oh, the poor… naive girl.

Ayane raised a finger and started explaining. "First, I don't think germanium can affect your luck, if it even exists. Second, if this is such a great business plan, why would they give it away for free at such a fishy sounding seminar?"

"N-No way! I already bought two bracelets so that can't be right!"

"Serika is so gullible it's cute!" Nonomi giggled.

"!"

"Hehe. You can be so naïve, Serika. Sweet, but naïve. You'd better start wishing up, or else you're going to have your life ruined by one of these schemes someday!" Hoshino trailed in, patting her head gently.

Serika blinked like she had been betrayed ten times over as she looked down in shame. Her feline ears folding down in shame and pain. "B-But… it sounded so convincing. I even skipped lunch so I could buy two of them already…" she said, reaching into her pockets with the germanium bracelets.

A shadow of a snicker left the captain's lips. A pure, rare snicker.

"H-HEY! DON'T LAUGH!" Serika shouted at Hans with embarrassment on her cheeks. Planting the bracelets down to the table.

"Aww! Serika, you made sensei laugh!" Nonomi hugged her. Continuing by making circles on the pouting and almost crying cat girl's back.

"Uu…" she whimpered.

"There, there, It's okay. Why don't I treat you to lunch?" Nonomi continued on with the motherly, goddess-came-to-earth attitude that melted the girl into a puddle.

"…Nonomi…" she whimpered.

"And, sensei, stop laughing." Hoshino pointed with a grin, but Hans had already returned to his stony, neutral expression.

"…My... apologies." Hans picked back his field cap and the bracelets. Eyeing it a little before speaking.

"Germanium… is a real metal. It's used for electronics and alloying silicone." He eyed it a little before, giving a little trivia. "…If it wasn't a scam, it's… got good quality." He wore one of them before placing the other one on the table.

"O-Oh." Ayane spoke awkwardly. "Moving on, anyone else?"

"Me! Me!" Hoshino raised her hand with excitement.

"Very well, President Takanashi Hoshino. You have the floor." Ayane declared with a dampened excitement and expectations at Serika's suggestion before. And the fact that Hoshino is usually are sleeping on the job.

"Thank you. Ahem." Hoshino cleared her throat dramatically.

"You know what this school's problem is? It's that the entire student body is just us. More students means more money. Think about Trinity of Gehenna with their five-digit enrollment numbers! Then think about how much they must be raking in with monthly student fees alone!"

"I… suppose, and?" Ayane asked. With a faint glimmer of a frown on her lips. She seems to have a very bad feeling about where this is going.

"So… we need to increase our enrollment numbers! That's our top priority." Hoshino explains with excitement and motion. Pointing out the points as if she is in a large presentation. "We'll also get more representatives and have a better say with the General Student Council that way."

Hans could see her logic. Nodding along with agreement at her intelligence. Yet, he had a gut feeling this was going to be another mishap waiting to happen in this meeting.

"I admit you made a good point, but how do we do that?" Ayane asked with a raised eyebrow and anticipation of her idea.

"Simple. We abduct another academy's school bus." She says happily, with a smile as if she wasn't spouting absolute madness.

And meanwhile, the smile returned to the old wolf's lips

"Excuse me?!" Ayane shouted as the wolf continued to hide his ever-increasing grin.

"We hijack a bus full of students on their way to school, and we hold them hostage until they agree to transfer their enrollment over to our school!" Hoshino continued, proudly ignoring the fallen and pale expression coming from Ayane. "This is sure to get our enrollment numbers up!"

She cheered with stars in her eyes, as well as Shiroko's, who is leaning for the proposal to come towards fruition.

"Interesting. So who's our target? Trinity? Gehenna? Or is it Millennium?" Shiroko nods.

She isn't serious, isn't she?

"We'll have to evolve our strategy to fit the target." Oh. She is on board.

"Oh, yeah?" Hoshino said in thought, tapping her chin. "Well, what about Trinity? No, wait! Let's hit Gehenna!" She said with excitement.

Hans caught the low-toned resentment coming from Hoshino. He wondered, how much has the big academies benefited from Abydos' downfall?

"Wait! WAIT A MINUTE!" Ayane cried out. "We can't possibly boost our enrollment with a stunt like that! Not to mention the other schools' respective leaders would surely put up a fight! We need to gain support, not enemies!"

"Heheh." Hoshino gave a dark laugh, probably from her pent up resentment. "Oh, would they now?"

"That wasn't supposed to be a challenge, Hoshino!" Ayane shouted. "Can you please try to take this meeting seriously!?"

She spoke with a sigh as Hoshino simply shrugged and puffed back down in her arms.

"I have an even better idea." Shiroko jumped in.

"...Fine. Go ahead, second-year student, Sunaookami Shiroko." Ayane says with even lowered expectations.

"We rob a bank." She said plainly, simply, and without a shred of shame. In which, Hans doesn't know whether to discipline his student at the criminal act she had planned, or to let it be because it's somehow… strangely fitting for one such as her..

Or maybe because Hans enjoyed a little of a good planned heist as well. It reminded him back of the ancient days of yore... and maybe because he is biased, and she is an absolute gem.

"What?!" Ayane shouts, slamming her hands on the table as she stood up at the absurd idea Shiroko had given.

"It's a surefire plan, and we already have the perfect target." The wolf girl explains. "Let's hit the First Central Bank downtown. I've already mapped out everything from the location of the vault to the positions of the guards, blind spots for the security cameras, and even the armored car's transportation route."

She spoke with passion and utter interest as her eye sparkle with hope that her proposal would pass. Hans swore she was as quiet as him. Looks like he was wrong. In this topic she had poured her heart in it and clearly was some sort of hobby or interest for the girl.

"NO! Is that what you've been working so hard on lately?!" Ayane pointed a finger at her.

"We can earn one hundred-million yen in five minutes flat. In and out, easy. Here, I even brought masks." She defended her idea. Putting on a blue mask with the number two sewed on her forehead.

Hans studied the mask up and down. It's even got holes for her ears. Really, it's a horrible way to hide one's identity. Hell, their halo is still visible on top of their heads!

…If anyone couldn't recognize them in this… disguise, it would be a miracle.

But even so, out of topic, it's quite an adorable motion from the girl.

"Wow! Did you sew them yourself, Shiroko?" Hoshino picked up the pink mask with the number one on it.

The wolf's eyes glinted even more with determination as she gave a nod.

"Wowie! Check it out! Don't I look like a luchador?" Nonomi butted in with the green mask worn on her head.

Hans doesn't know what a luchador is, and he probably doesn't want to know. But, other than his personal thoughts, upon inspection, the mask has a hole for the bun of hair on the side of her head. Excluding the idea of robbing, Shiroko did put some thought into their design.

"Dang! You're right, Shiroko, you gotta risk big to win big! Isn't that right, Serika?" Hoshino grinned, wearing the mask as well.

"NO! HECK NO! DENIED! WE ARE NOT STOOPING DOWN TO CRIME!" Serika shouted. Being the voice of reason as Ayane was this close to breaking down and crying.

Shiroko didn't moan or whine a complaint at the rejection. She simply pouted and took off the mask without complaint as her ears and face fell in disappointment and rejection. Like a child on the verge of throwing a tantrum.

"…Seriously… can't anyone come up with an idea without doing crimes and scams?" Ayane supported her face using her palms. Close to breaking down to a crying fit.

"Ohh! Me next!" Nonomi raised her hand with the mask off from her face and folded neatly on the table.

"Very well, second year Izayoi Nonomi... You… you have the floor... please…" Ayane said painfully with a dying glimmer of hope and expectation this would be a true idea they could do.

"You got it! I have the perfect thing, and I promise it isn't illegal or a pyramid scheme. This one is definitely gonna work!" She grinned, and Ayane raised her head from her palms while the captain raised his eyebrow at the intrigue of a good idea they could do.

"Two words: pop idols! Schoolgirl pop idols, to be exact!" Then Ayane slammed her face down on the table with a loud bang. Banging it up and down and down and up over and over again as Hans' raised eyebrow immediately fell as a stony expression came to him to hide the absolute amusement.

He couldn't let that slip. Ayane is utterly broken now.

"Pop." BANG. "IDOLS?!" BANG.

"Yep! You heard me right!" She still spoke with cheer, as if ignoring the fact Ayane was trying to get a concussion. "It happens all the time in anime. Nothing helps to revitalize a school like becoming a pop superstar!"

"Denied." Hoshino cuts her off.

"What...? You don't like that idea, either?" The blonde asks with a hint of sorrow in her voice.

"Why not? You'd definitely have some fans, Hoshino." Serika chimes in, teasing the pink-haired girl.

"Yeah, more like I'd have a bunch of creeps after me. No thanks." She waves off.

"But… I even came up with a pose..." Nonomi says sadly before standing up and doing said pose.

Using her curvy and generous built into a hormone inducing pose with a wink in her eye and a heart on her hand directly on top of her breast.

Hans sat silently. Expression stony and body as still as a statue. The amusement that Hans had instantly went out of the window as he let his eyes to suffer from the pose Nonomi had made.

There's nothing that he would do to forget the previous few seconds he had let his old eyes to see.

So instead, he returned to his factory setting.

Utter indifference and stone clad expression, while burying the absolute cursed memory into the deepest part of his brain in hope of forgetting it.

"Christina of the Mizuki Girl Gang!" With cheer and joy, the blonde said.

And… there's another one he would like to burn and forget.

"Are you..." Serika trembled as slowly… she can feel the rage building inside her. "...KIDDING ME?!" she shouted slamming the table as the pent up aggression were released on that single slam. Causing the blonde to drop the pose and reeled back a little from the burning rage.

Hans wondered how many times had the table been slammed today and over the years. If it was sentient, it would be crying.

"The Mizuki WHAT?! Get real!" She continued, hands balling into fists as she growled at Nonomi.

If the name "Mizuki" is referencing to something… he doesn't get it.

"Aw... but I worked on it all night…" she whined, with clear sorrow on her lips. In which, Hans put a gentle hand on her shoulder. Squeezing it a little to give her a little reassurance.

"…Hehe, thank you sensei." She instantly lit back up, gripping his hand with her own, which earned a small twitch from Hans.

Then she put the hand on her cheek. "You're really kind, you know that?" Hans twitched from her smile.

Hans trembled.

Okay, this girl is dangerous.

"AHH!" Serika ran to them and slapped the hand away.

"This meeting… is going in circles…." Ayane mumbled. Still with her face kissing the table. "…Can't we decide on something… anything?!" She let her face rose back up slowly with an expression that had no life in them.

She looks ready to jump into a hot bath and cry.

"Why not let Sensei decide?" Hoshino pointed. "Sensei, which idea do you think we should go with?"

Ayane groaned and let her hands to rub her face. "REALLY?! W-With THOSE IDEAS?!"

"Eh, it'll be fine. If sensei backs it, then I'm sure it'll be the right choice."

"HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?!"

"I mean, this means the pop idol idea is off the table, right?" Serika looked at Hans.

"Pop idol stardom, here we come!" Nonomi grinned.

Meanwhile, Shiroko put on the blue mask back on her face with a hopeful expression. And Hans raised his hand and shook his head in much disappointment to the students. Then he reached into his bag and planted down the documents. Making a loud thud as it met with the wood below.

The students looked at the documents, then back at Hans with confusion.

"Sensei, what is this?" Hoshino picked one of it sleepily before her eyes widen at the topic written on it.

Next, he reached for his tablet and tapped it.

"…Arona. Can you..?" He spoke and the AI answers to the surprise of the girls. "Of course!"

"Wow! You're so cute!" Nonomi chirped, leaning to see the AI closely with a wide smile.

"Ehehe… thank you." She giggled.

Hans then gave a nod as he looked at Hoshino, who was immersed in the document with a pale and cold expression.

"…Arona, please."

"O-Oh! Okay. Ahem." She cleared her throat and began on the discussion.

"Last night, me and sensei had been discussing lots and lots about your situation regarding the debt and the gang we fought yesterday!"

"You're with us?" Serika asks.

"Of course! Sensei brought me everywhere! A-Anyway…" She continued on. "You know your loan sharks, Kaiser, right?"

They all nodded.

"If you don't know, Kaiser Loans is a small part of the Kaiser Company. Apparently, they had… a lot, and I mean a lot of branches. From construction to even a private military branch as well!" She exclaimed with a small gesture of her hand.

"…And they had owned almost 90% of Abydos." Hoshino spoke darkly, tiny hands gripping on the document as it crumpled in her hand.

And their faces fell. They immediately went to read the document Hoshino held.

"W-WHAT?! N-NOW WAY..!" Serika shouted as her eyes went to read the document.

"…This is…" Ayane next, her face pale as she looked at it.

"…" Shiroko choose to remain silent.

"…Oh my…" Nonomi was next to comment.

"…dammit… Yume didn't…" she spoke in a whisper. In which no one had caught.

Except for Hans.

"Yes! Correct!" Arona smirked before it fell down. "…And that is where it all connected with the gang. If we looked at them yesterday, they're in camps. Yet a lot of them stay in a single building. That is reason enough to claim Abydos, right? More space? But when we looked at what the building they resided in, it's quite clean. Even cleaner than the academy itself!"

Arona continued on. Showing pictures as evidence.

"And next, about their supplies. It's all more fitting of a short-term skirmish! They never wanted to stay in the long run or wanted the academy...!"

"…Because someone else wanted it. And by someone you mean… Kaiser." Hoshino sighed. "This is rather an... alarming conspiracy sensei. There's not enough evidence."

She put down the paper and shook her head. Calming herself from the small hint of rage.

"…Of course. But that would get some merit of the chance... the gang would come back." Hans spoke next, tidying the rest of the documents.

"But what would they want with Abydos?!" Serika shouted.

Hans shook his head. "...I don't know."

The task force looked at each other. If this is true… what will happen next?

Hans let the information to soak in first before continuing. "...On the plan that I and Arona proposed-"

"Is to investigate the gang!" Arona butted in, in which Hans nodded and let her continue. "Look into their supplies that were looted and see if it was acquired legally or the other way around. And next, is to see their appearances in other districts in Kivotos!"

"If this is true… there would be traces of them!" Ayane let the gears turn into her head, snapping her fingers upon the realization.

"Everyone, don't use the stockpile we looted yesterday until our investigation is done. Serika, do we still have supplies from last month?"

"O-Oh! Yes! About a little left… but would that be enough?" Serika shuffled to the shelf and opened her book.

"…Try to make it last. Do you... have any missions or jobs to take care of today?" Hans asked.

"Oh, there is some. We agreed to split up for it because of the quota today." Ayane answers.

"If it's possible, try to pair up for it." He continued.

"It would take us longer but… better be safe than sorry." Ayane nodded. "Sounds like a plan, sensei."

With that, Hans gave a nod. "That is all... for me."

And thus, the first meeting ends as one by one the students left to do their other activities. Hans watched as the room was cleared, and Hoshino groggily stood up as well.

With the crumpled document she held in her hand.

Edited 13/4/2024