Apparently, without him knowing, Arona had created an account for SCHALE on MomoTalk.
Not only that—she had also posted pictures and videos of him at work.
Typing furiously, clearing document after document from the day before with every detail taken as clear as day. Every press of a button, every tap of the keyboard, every flip of a paper, and every single time he removed his cap before putting it back on.
...It did not amuse him.
"…"
"Uhm… ehe… uh… sorry, Sensei," the mischievous AI said, rubbing the back of her head awkwardly.
As much as it soured his morning, in the end, it didn't really hurt anyone… except his privacy. Nevertheless, he soldiered on with sigh—giving her a disapproving look before scrolling down.
Apparently, in this ever-expanding web of the internet and technology, something akin to a digital diary was a common part of everyday life. People would post anything they desired—thoughts, complaints, commentary, or even a simple photo or video for the world to see.
Anything was possible in this digital realm, and Arona had dragged him or rather, the club into such a world.
A world he doubted he would use that much in all honesty. He's too much of a relic for these kinds of things. He can barely understand the computer now… this? Come to think of it, as he pressed the icon on the top right—the profile of this "MomoTalk" account, for reasons beyond him, SCHALE's "followers" had already grown by the thousands.
Comments and reposts of the… posts Arona had made. The biggest one there was—was when he cracked his neck after he had finished a tedious document. Something about a merger that he skimmed through.
Other than that, why does the video pan and zoom on everything? There's even close ups here and there.
…He doesn't understand these kids.
Despite his confusion, this "social media" had indeed caught his hesitated for a moment before navigating to the bright pink button that said,
Create an account.
"Ahh, Sensei?! Are you going to create an account?!" Arona's voice rang out from the tablet with a gasp.
Hans replied with a small nod.
Arona's twinkle grew brighter, and she practically jumped with a fist pump. "Yes! Let me help you with that, Sensei!" she continued, with such enthusiasm it feels like… like he had just fallen into a trap.
She planned this out.
That rascal.
After a few good minutes, a new page came to life.
A simple profile picture of him staring into the camera with a neutral expression and a compact bio that said,
Hans Günsche SCHALEHans
Sensei of SCHALE.
Private conversations are open.
The old dog had a MomoTalk account.
"Sensei, you should make a first post!" Arona chirped with joy.
Hans narrowed his eyes. What should he make?
"Just post anything!"
He just kept staring at the keyboard. Anything she said, but it was difficult for him to think of an idea. Maybe… something like this would suffice.
HansGünsche SCHALEHans
Guten tag.
I am Hans Günsche writing my first post regarding the creation of a 'MomoTalk' Social Media account with open direct messages (DMs) for the simple premise for any students in need of direct contact with me. I'll be sure to answer as punctually as I can without any difficulties.
But keep in mind, I'm not the best in the world of managing a social media account and such. Please be patient with me in case I have missed or glossed over any incoming messages any of you send to my 'MomoTalk Private Messages'.
Lastly, my secretary had the foresight to create the SCHALE account with the purpose of providing absolute transparent news, updates, and developments in and out of the Independent Federal Investigation Club, SCHALE I hold responsibility for.
Thank you for reading.
Best regards, Hans.
And enter.
Post successfully made!
"…"
"…"
Arona didn't say anything for nearly ten minutes. The silence was deafening until, at last, the AI broke it with a deadpanned comment.
"Wow, Sensei, that's… really formal."
"…You said... anything."
"..."
The silence was painful.
"…W-Well… there's a first time for everything!" Arona stammered, trying to change the topic out of sheer disappointment. "Next time, you should go with something like this:
"Yo, I'm the new, hip, and cool Sensei of SCHALE, Hans-sensei, yo! To y'all cool students of mine…"
She never noticed the sour look spreading across Hans' face, utterly shattering his usual neutral demeanor—like he had just taken a massive, juicy bite out of the world's biggest lemon.
After a few long minutes of pure silence and ignoring Arona, Hans calmly placed his phone back on the table and refocused on the documents piling up on his desk.
With more than half of them already cleared yesterday, he was certain he could finish his personal quota by lunch.
Or so he hoped.
Even with his ability to push through extended hours of work, Hans doubted he could finish all the documents by the end of the week.
Until then...
He cracked his neck and poured himself a cup of coffee, letting his hands wander back across the keyboard and his mind back to the task ahead. Breaking through the mountains of urgent documents he had to review and send back to the GSC.
Before he knew it, a noise interrupted his focus.
PING!
"Oh, Sensei, look! A new message on MomoTalk!" Arona pointed out.
A notification.
HinomiyaChinatsu Chinatsuu_
"It's Chinatsu. I'm not sure if you remember me."
Hans immediately replied.
"I do. Your skills as a field medic
couldn't be forgotten, Chintasu."
"!"
"…I-I see. Thank you, sensei."
"…"
"U-Um… back then, I didn't have a chance to properly introduce myself to you.
I hope to have that chance soon.
-Chinatsu"
"I see. I'll look forward to such a chance."
Hans thought of another reply to give, but based on his judgement, it was better to let conversation drop and continue on with his work. That is until Arona gave him an idea.
"Sensei, why don't you go visit Gehenna?"
His fingers stopped typing. Frozen above the keyboard.
A smirk grew on the young secretary and she continued. "Besides, you could explore Kivotos instead of being cooped up here. Your work is almost done anyway!"
How long had he been typing?
"Come on, Sensei, it's past lunchtime!" his trusted AI exclaimed, pointing to the digital clock.
2 PM.
He'd been working since 6 AM.
"And you haven't even had breakfast yet!" Arona added with a small huff.
Hans shook his head and gestured toward the pile of discarded ration wrappers on his desk with his thumb.
"Sensei! Those aren't proper meals, you know? I mean rice, bread, o-or maybe cake… cream puffs… ehehe…" Her voice trailed off as she began drooling at the thought of sweets.
With a snap of his fingers and a tap on the screen, Hans brought her back to reality, snapping her out of her Candyland daydream.
"O-Oh! Sorry, Sensei… a-anyway!" Arona cleared her throat. "Use the money the GSC sent you! Go! Now!" She motioned for him to leave, practically shooing him away from the desk.
Reluctantly, Hans saved his work, packed the Shittim Chest inside his coat, and left the building.
There was some truth in Arona's advice. Instead of waiting for opportunities to come to him, he could create them himself.
Plus, he hadn't explored this world SHE wanted him to watch over properly.
"I've changed my mind. I'll come and visit soon enough.
See you later, Chinatsu."
Message sent!
"HEY! YOU! GET BACK HERE!"
The shout of a demoness rang through the district—followed by a burst of mystic flowing through her gun onto her bullet as she pulled the trigger with a resonating BANG!
Sending a powerful empowered bullet, racing towards the two escaping bodies until it struck true, exploding in a cone-shaped burst of shrapnel that sent the unlucky troublemakers sprawling to the ground.
"Kyaaahh!"
"Argh!"
Two screams followed soon after before their haloes flickered and dissolved entirely as darkness claimed them.
"Finally…" The sharpshooter lowered her weapon, rubbing her eyes as she adjusted her long silver hair, brushing it aside with a weary sigh.
"C-Captain Iori!"
The sound of frantic footsteps approached, and two members of the Prefect Team stumbled into view. They were disheveled, panting heavily, and their uniforms slightly scuffed after a small clash with another group of thugs a few clicks away.
"Finally, you guys are here," Iori muttered, glancing at the unconscious figures sprawled on the ground. "Take these three to the infirmary before moving them to detention." She gave her juniors a quick nod, followed by a small huff. "I'll continue the patrol."
"Yes, captain! Get going, everyone!"
The juniors saluted and rushed to work immediately. .Carefully lifting the unconscious students onto stretchers before scurrying off toward the nearest infirmary.
Iori stayed behind, watching them fade into the distance. Eventually, she turned on her heel and began walking, her patrol route stretching endlessly before her. No destination. Just the same old patrol along the same old route.
But seriously… why today, of all days? Why had the number of troublemakers suddenly increased for no reason?! Just why?!
That's what she got for hoping for some R&R this week. Nope. Not happening.
The thugs just keep coming, and they won't stop coming. Fed them to the rules, and she hit the ground running.
She should've known better. Ugh… let this be a lesson. To never, ever keep your hopes up. Gehenna will find a way to destroy your plans.
"It'll end up biting me back… considering my luck, I'm just going to get jinxed…" She muttered bitterly to herself, shaking her head as she continued her route under the burning sun above her.
"Ugh… it's hot…" Iori complained as she raised her hand to shield her eyes, yet that had done nothing to cool herself.
Yet, even amidst the misfortune, her mind wandered to her leader. The Head Prefect herself… and her secretary, as they toiled away under mountains upon mountains of paperwork.
Now that she thought about it… honestly? She'd take this job over being stuck in an office all day, pulling all-nighters, wrestling with those never-ending piles of documents. Even Chinatsu wasn't safe from the onslaught of paperwork.
Albeit what she got was tamer than what Hina and Ako had to do on a daily basis.
Still, Iori knew full well that at least half of those reports were utterly useless—sent their way as part of some petty scheme by the Pandemonium Society. Always trying to spite them, to drown them in busywork and grind them into the ground.
Seriously, she should count her blessings.
Now, what's next on the list rather than just walking around without a purpose? Iori thought to herself as she flipped her phone to the group chat.
Right… this one. The latest rumor about some pervert hanging around in the alleys, trying their hardest to flip up students' skirts.
What an ugly world.
And she could really use a drink. The heat is really unbearable.
With that thought in mind, she slung her rifle over her shoulder and made her way toward the nearest vending machine, still mulling over the ridiculous rumor she'd likely have to investigate after this quick break.
"Phew." She huffed and clicked on the button, yet… before she did. Something… something caught her attention.
Her eyes drifted from left to right and finally… right under her.
It was a fully grown adult,
crouched in a manhole below her,
staring directly up her skirt with wide, unblinking eyes.
A few minutes earlier.
3:15 PM.
Gehenna front gate.
"Welcome to Gehenna, Sensei!" Arona chirped, patting herself on the back for giving Hans the correct directions.
Hans nodded in affirmation as his eyes wandered around the academy, staring blankly at... everything. For a moment, he almost wanted to pinch himself. Was this Berlin? Or maybe Munich? They even had giant banners and flags waving proudly with the school logo.
"Um… Sensei? You're spacing out."
He blinked as he came to, giving another nod to Arona before pulling down his cap.
Focus.
He was here to find Chinatsu first, and maybe check out the academy afterward. Not to reminisce about the past. Even if the scenery was… baiting him to do so. Thank The Major for making those short years of service to Millennium the most prominent highlight of his long life.
Not even… the damned War of Rage-
No. That was a memory best forgotten. A part of his past he would rather avoid and bury beneath the sands of time.
His kin was better defeated, anyway.
Now… Chinatsu.
Raising his cap back up, Hans walked along the streets, taking in the scenery as his gaze wandered. The walk was surprisingly calm, though he occasionally heard the distant crack of gunshots. Though luckily, in the end there weren't any hiccups at all.
A few curious students had approached him along the way, recognizing him from the videos, and thus bombarded him with questions about anything and everything. Hans had no idea what they were talking about—until Arona filled him in.
Apparently, a batch of so-called "Mysterious Sensei Videos" had been circulating around the internet. As the name implied, they were self-explanatory. Simply videos of him fighting alongside the students, some with him crushing the tank, the highlights of Rin's speech, and... the new ones Arona had posted on MomoTalk. Boosting the popularity and demand of it to the sky.
Opinions formed, wild theories spread, and eventually, they all came back to him—each student wondering if his deeds were genuine or just propaganda.
"Senseii! I said I'm sorry…!"
Hans had already forgiven her, though he couldn't help but feel just a little bitter… even if only slightly.
Raising his hand, the teacher gestured and used symbolism to ask around for directions to The Prefect Team—specifically Chinatsu. Some students didn't understand his intentions, others gave half-answers, and more than a few looked at him with a hint of jealousy.
Still, in the end, he got what he needed.
After shaking off the curious crowd of girls, Hans finally found a moment of peace. With a quiet sigh, he sat on a nearby bench and unwrapped a fresh ration bar. Taking a quick bite, he stood back up and made his way toward a vending machine.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a coin. Sliding it into the slot—then it slipped from his fingers and fell into a grated manhole nearby.
"…"
With a feeling of disappointment, Hans opened the gratings and climbed down to search for the coin. His eyes darted as he shifted around. Thankfully, quickly enough Hans picked the coin back up. Satisfied, Hans reached to exit the manhole and-
The sight of jet black undergarments met his eyes.
Flashback ends.
"…Hey. What are you doing?"
A girl with the panties in question called out for Hans as she stood directly above him.
The girl has long silver hair tied with black bows in twin tails with bangs covering her left eye. A gray-colored halo with two circles, and the smaller one is crossed with three points in a triangular pattern, forming a crosshair.
Her uniform is a classic white collared uniform shirt with black-and-white striped cuffs, a black tie with two white chevrons pointing downwards, and decorated with a gold pin on her left chest, and short flowing skirt with knee-high black stockings, and black high-heeled boots.
And to complete her look, she had elven ears, a tail that is like a cartoonish imp or a succubus, and red eyes that match his.
Hans didn't answer.
"…I suppose I should call the rest of the Prefect Team and let them know that I've finally caught the pervert sneaking around." the girl said coldly as she continued to glare down at Hans with clear disdain, her red eyes locking onto his.
Deep down, Hans couldn't help but feel like she wasn't staring at another sentient being—but at a living, breathing, and walking pile of garbage.
"Manholes were built for one reason only.
Why else would you want to open and climb inside one?"
Her voice was sharp, and her teeth gritted in absolute disgust. Hans swore he could feel the anger radiating from her as the misunderstanding grew far… far worse.
"Cat got your tongue pervert?
What else are you doing there other than to sneak some glances to students' panties?
I can't believe disgusting people like you exist."
With a sigh, Hans silently left the manhole, dusting himself as if nothing had happened. He shook his head and held up the 100 Yen coin before pointing toward the manhole, showing her exactly why he had gone in without words/
"…Are you seriously going to bribe… me?"
Her glare grew darker, the thick suffocating wrath wrapping around him like a dark cloud—threatening to swallow him if… he was lesser than he was.
Hans calmly shook his head again as he approached the vending machine and deposited a larger sum of money instead. Pushing some buttons of his choice, and a can of coffee came out as well as a can of grape soda.
Iori kept her wrathful glare, but… this time it was tinted with intrigue.
Grabbing both of them, he then reached for his identification. Offering it to the girl as well with the can of soda. The girl narrows her eyes, looking at him, the soda, then at the identification before her eyes snap open.
"…Wait… You're telling me, YOU'RE HANS-SENSEI?!"
A nod.
"Then why don't you speak up?!"
Hans tapped on his throat and shook his head.
"…O-Oh… right. Yeah, I've heard that you're… a quiet man. I'm… sorry, sensei.."
The girl accepted the drink and returned the ID back to him apologetically with a small sigh. Hans replied with a nod and opened his can with a small crack—taking a sip himself as he took a seat on a bench still with that neutral expression.
"…Had they really not paid you enough for you to go to these lengths for a single 100 yen coin?" The girl mumbled.
Hans almost spit his drink out from his mouth—swallowing the bitter coffee with more effort than ever before.
"You're alright, sensei?" Iori asked curiously, in which he replied with a nod, wiping the coffee on his lips. "Anyway, what brings you here to Gehenna for a surprise visit out of the blue?"
Hans reached for his phone and flicked open his Momo for his last message with Chinatsu, as Iori raised her eyebrows.
"You're not planning anything weird for C-Chinatsu, right?"
He shook his head immediately.
"...Right. Just asking." Iori looked away from the screen, having seen quite enough. It's just… a dumb misunderstanding from her part.
A shameful one, that is.
"Chinatsu told a lot about you, sensei. But seeing it yourself is different from hearing and watching the videos. I still can't believe you took down a tank and… Wakamo like that." She cleared her throat.
"Anyway, I'll… apologize again." Iori rose from her seat and emptied the can with a single swig. "Haah. I'm Shiromi Iori, but… just call me Iori, sensei."
She offered her hand in a polite gesture. Hans took it, her grip firm as they shook hands.
"Usually, Chinatsu's either in the medical ward or her office doing paperwork. Just… don't do anything stupid, okay?," Iori warned with a sharp tone.
Hans responded with a thumbs up and a nod before turning and walking away.
"…What a strange adult," Iori muttered, watching as Hans walked a few meters away until he came to a sudden, sharp stop.
A devil whispered in his ear as turned back to meet her gaze with a dead serious expression.
"…Nice legs."
He said in a flat, indifferent tone as he was merely saying true facts from his observation. Without waiting for a response, Hans turned back around and began walking… faster.
Iori's face lit up instantly, shock and embarrassment flooding her features before it slowly morphed into an angry, FURIOUS SCOWL.
"I-I knew it.. I KNEW IT! Y-YOU! ARRGH! DIE, PERVERT!"
She shouted, charging after him with reckless abandon.
Hans broke into a full on sprint. Twisting and using evasive maneuvers to break free from the demoness' chase
She chased him for several meters until eventually, thankfully, giving up. Doubling over with frustration as she screamed into the sky for retribution towards the shameless adult.
In the middle of it, laughter can be heard from his tablet.
Hans was a little amused.
"…Haah… Is this ever going to end? All this work piled up… and the others aren't doing anything to help…" said a certain fair-skinned elven girl with a small, frustrated sigh.
A sigh escaped her lips as she struggled to carry a tower of papers so high it hid her eyes, leaving but the top of her head visible.
"…Ugh, and it's so heavy too… though that shouldn't surprise me at this point…"
Chinatsu trudged forward, her arms trembling under the weight of the stacked documents—until the sound of familiar, heavy footsteps reached her ears.
"Huh?"
Before she could respond at the source, a large, gloved hand reached, and effortlessly lifted more than half of the papers from her trembling arms.
"Huh?! Sensei?! A-Aren't those heavy!? Wait, no! W-What are you doing here?"
With his right hand, Hans held more than half of the stack as he reached into his pocket with his free hand—pulling out his phone, and to the last message he had sent her.
"H-Huh? Oh! Sorry, I forgot to reply, and… w-well, I didn't expect you to drop what you were doing and rush here immediately, sensei." Chinatsu muttered, her cheeks reddening slightly.
Hans merely shrugged in response.
"A-At least let me carry half of them-" Hans shook his head before she could finish her sentence.
"Alright... alright. You're offering so… it would be rude for me to turn you down. But are you sure they're not heavy? I-I really don't mind…"
Once more, Hans shook his head, tilting it curiously before gesturing for her to lead the way.
A gentle smile formed on Chinatsu's lips. "Then, thank you. Follow me, Sensei. Just down the stairs. I promise… it's not that far."
Hans frowned but nodded, following as the two descended the stairs.
"...danger…ous." Hans whispered, breaking the silence.
"!" Chinatsu's eyes widened in surprise, snapping to Hans before she quickly returned her gaze to the stairs. "I… well, maybe a little… but I'm used to it by now."
"Hehe… You know, now that I think about it… you're the first person to say something like that to me. Thank you, sensei." She chuckled lightly as her cheeks burned onto a soft hue of crimson. She glanced back at him briefly before continuing down the steps.
"Sorry, sensei… I-I'm still surprised by y-your voice. You should talk more… sensei." She glanced back at him briefly before continuing down the steps.
Hans nodded.
"B-But don't push yourself sensei if it hurts!"
He shook his head still with a neutral expression, but that's enough to reassure the young elf.
Curiously to try and make small talk, Hans pointed at the papers with a questioning look and a raise of his eyebrow.
"O-Oh? You're curious about the amount?"
Hans nodded.
"Mm… well, the students of Gehenna are unique to say the least, even in the Prefect Team. Most of them would've never bothered with this kind of menial work. They always try to avoid it. So… it often falls to me to get it done." She sighed as the two continued on walking down with their footsteps echoing down the stairs..
"And…I'm the head of the Medical Committee on top of that." She added with a small frown."But to be honest this much… is almost nothing. You should see what the Head Prefect and Administrator Officer's workload…"
Hans tilted his head and raised his eyebrow. "It's… almost a hundred times more than this. I'm just helping in any way I can." With a tiny shake of her head, Chinatsu smiled fondly.
"I wish I could introduce you to them today, sensei… but sadly they're away doing something for the Pandemonium Society."
He nodded before thinking about the silver-haired girl he met. The girl with the nice legs-
Arona laughed again.
With a sigh he let his whisper leave his lips. "...Iori… know… her?."
"Iori? Oh! Yes, she's my colleague in the Prefect Team." Chinatsu giggled before shaking her head.. "Don't tell her this but, sometimes her hot headedness… proves too much trouble than it's worth… she is always wary of someone new. Have you met her, sensei?"
That is quite true. Hans thought to himself.
"B-But, don't tell her that sensei! She is… she is still a good friend." Chinatsu clarified. "Have you met her, sensei?"
He nodded.
"Hehe. I hope she didn't leave a bad impression, sensei. Underneath all of that, she is quite kind." She chuckled, before her smile suddenly fell down.
"…You know, sensei… I wish we had more people to take care of this work. And yet, if no one does it, then it'll just keep piling up." Chinatsu looked away and a pained smile came to her face. "…Though maybe this kind of work suits someone as boring as me… haha…"
A hand fell on her shoulder, squeezing it softly as he shook his head.
"I-Is that so?" Chinatsu stammered as a small rosy blush lit up on her cheeks. "T-Then… I'll take your word on it… or silence."
"It's just a few meters away now. Come on, sensei."
After a few more minutes of walking side by side, boots clicking on the ceramic tiles, they turned a corner and stopped in front of a door labeled "Management Office."
The sliding door opened with a small, barely audible creak. The room itself couldn't be called a mess, but it was in disarray. A singular large meeting table surrounded random assortments of chairs and lockers; along with sheafs of papers all over it. On the table, inside the lockers, towering high.
Funnily enough, there is a small fridge at the corner of the room.
Chinatsu doesn't seem to care much about the organized mess as she pushed the old documents away to place the new stack with a thump.
"Here we are, Sensei. Thanks for the help. You can leave the stacks-" Chinatsu said immediately, but was cut off as Hans gently patted her shoulder and shook his head.
"Huh? Do you… want to help? B-But why?" Chinatsu stammered, her composure faltering as suddenly the corners of the room were absolutely fascinating. "U-Um…I'm not sure what to say… no one's ever offered something like this before…"
Hans simply shrugged in response and took a seat without prompt. His own way of saying "I insist" without words.
Chinatsu scratched her cheek, another shy smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "T-That's nice of you to offer, but… the last thing I want to do is inconvenience you…"
Hans again shook his head, and swiftly separated the pile into two equal halves—one for himself and one for her. Though in hindsight, his pile is a little larger. He took a pen, and pointed it at her.
"S-Sensei…" Chinatsu murmured, her voice softening as she watched him. "Then… I'll be counting on you, sensei." She accepted the pen that was offered, and took her seat.
And so, the two got to work.
He was getting the hang of it better. They didn't slow each other, slicing through page after page in a seamless rhythm. Chinatsu organized the documents, Hans reviewed them efficiently, and then passed them back to her for finalization and billing to the Pandemonium Society, or to put them in an archive.
Eventually, the work that should've taken Chinatsu the entire day into the late afternoon, ended exactly at three as the final scribble of the pen was heard.
"W-We did it. Wow…" Chinatsu beamed at Hans. "I'll admit this, today's work has been less tedious with you here. Thank you, sensei."
Hans offered her a thumbs up.
"Hehe." Chinatsu stretched with a small groan. Her back cracking satisfyingly before she leaned close to the table, with a light blush on her cheeks.
"I-I won't ask you to help me everyday… sensei. But, um, if you're up to it… I may… need your assistance again if you aren't too busy and…" She stuttered before clearing her throat for any resemblance of calm. "Maybe catch up properly."
Hans fought the urge to ruffle her hair. Instead, opting for a firm pat on her shoulder followed by a nod. "Message… me." He said before rising his seat and straightening his olive neck guard.
Chinastu nodded and before he could leave, she called his name. "Hans-sensei! W-Wait!" She hastily rose from her seat and walked to the fridge—-reaching for a plastic box filled with four triangular rice wrapped in seaweed.
"T-Take this with you. I-Its past lunchtime and… I don't want you to go out on an empty stomach."
Hans raised his hand to decline but that determined expression she had…
He couldn't do it.
With the gift and one last wave, Hans said farewell to Gehenna.
Hans brought his jeep to a halt.
Foot stamping firmly on the brake as his eyes focused on the sight above him.
A clear night sky stretched endlessly overhead, dominated by a large, full moon reflecting sunlight onto its surface and down to him.
He hadn't expected to see it so clearly in an urban area, but there it was.
For minutes on end, Hans sat silently, staring at the endless sea of stars accompanying Luna. This habit of his seemed impossible to break. No matter where or when, in the still hours of the night… Hans would always find himself standing still, gazing up at the celestial bodies.
It soothed him. Even for just a moment.
And for the old dog, that moment was enough.
Eventually, Hans stepped out of the jeep and walked to a nearby bench, sitting down near a flickering vending machine. The machine hummed weakly, its dim lights flickering over an almost-empty selection. He considered getting a hot can of… something—until he realized, to his surprise, that the vending machine was stocked not with drinks, but with all kinds of ammunition and magazines.
…Huh.
Shaking his head at the absurdity of it, Hans reached inside his greatcoat and pulled out a ration bar he had tucked away. He tore the wrapper halfway and took a bite, chewing slowly as her reminisced about the day's events.
Today… had been quite the day.
After waving goodbye to Chinatsu, he left Gehenna as well. There hadn't been much left for him to do there for the moment, and besides… he wanted to visit officially later. It wouldn't look good if he dropped in on their top leaders without proper notice.
So, he returned to his jeep and drove around Kivotos, munching on the rice thing that Chinatsu gave him or what Arona had referred to as "onigiri." He made a mental note to thank Chinatsu later. He preferred if he could do it face to face, but currently, through Momo is his best option.
Or rather, Arona would write it for him. He'd say the words, and she'd type them out.
With his supervision, naturally. He knew of her mischief.
Hans brought his jeep to a halt, his foot stamping firmly on the brake as his eyes focused on the sight above him.
A clear night sky stretched endlessly overhead, dominated by a large, full moon reflecting sunlight onto its surface and down to him.
HinomiyaChinatsu Chinatsuu_
"Thanks for the food, Chinatsu.
It's delicious."
Chinatsuu_ is typing…
"O-Oh! Don't mention it, sensei. It's my pleasure.
And… I would feel bad if I didn't give you anything for your troubles."
"It's not a problem at all."
"Fufu. You're… too kind.
Anyway, I'll see you later, sensei. I have an emergency
to attend to. Maybe again, the chance for us to properly talk will happen.
-Chinatsu."
"Take care."
Over the course of the drive, Hans watched the scenery around him. Taking in and watching the civilians going about their daily lives, the tall buildings that could touch the heavens, and many other mundane things he couldn't count.
That is, until by chance he met someone quite familiar on the way.
It was none other than Kirino doing her job diligently as the local police force. Guiding traffic, chatting around with civilians, chasing a stray cat, and even helping a youngling retrieve their balloon stuck in a tree.
As their paths briefly crossed, she waved at him with a beaming smile. Hans responded with a nod and a small wave of his own, making a mental note to visit the KSPD or perhaps Valkyrie sometime in the future.
Of course, that would have to wait. After he finished the obnoxious mountain of paperwork waiting for him back at SCHALE.
With a small frown, Hans reached for another ration bar to silence the rumbling in his stomach-
"Sensei, it's almost 8! Find something to eat!" Arona chimed in suddenly, her voice cutting through his thoughts. She pointed to the digital clock on the screen, breaking his moment of silent recollection.
Hans raised the ration bar slightly, as if to explain.
"Noo! I mean real food, like the onigiri Chinatsu gave you!" Arona pouted, shaking her head disapprovingly. "Come on, let's just get something!"
Hans paused, lowering the bar and putting it away as he considered her words.
There were some merits to her concerns, even though he didn't fully see the problem. Yes, he disliked the bland taste and unappetizing texture of ration bars, but he had grown so accustomed to them that they had become a habit—a reflection of his years in the military and that base in Argentina.
But perhaps… deep within, he yearned for something more. Something besides the dull, crunchy, rectangular block of nutrients.
Standing up from the bench, Hans made his way back to the jeep. Starting it up with a low rumble, he set off once more.
A restaurant? A café? Something in between?
He wasn't sure where to go, but he was near SCHALE, so perhaps something nearby would catch his interest.
Minutes passed as his workplace and home grew closer in the distance, yet Hans couldn't seem to make up his mind.
Until, suddenly, a bright blue sign caught his eye.
Angel 24
It looked like a supermarket.
If he was having a hard time finding a place to eat or anything edible beyond his packs of nutrients—this could be a good alternative for a quick bite.
Hans parked his jeep in the lot and curiously entered the store. With a soft digital ding, the door slid open, signaling the arrival of a customer.
However, the lone receptionist at the counter didn't react. She remained hunched over, her focus entirely on her phone. Leaning against the counter, her fingers tapped rapidly on the screen, lost in whatever world existed behind the device he barely understood thanks to Yuuka's teaching.
The girl in question has long, straight blonde hair, with the bangs parted in the middle and tied with ribbons behind each ear, making her forehead seem especially larger.
She has light blue eyes; her uniform consisted of a polo shirt-style blouse, a striped bow tie and a perfect blue apron with the store's name on it.
And lastly, her halo is a twin white-colored circle with four shapes coming out of it, forming a crosshair with a smaller circle inside it, and inside the smaller circle was a small three-dimensional diamond.
She sighed and shifted her posture, opting for a more comfortable position as she rested her head on her left hand while her right held the phone. Her fingers danced across the digital keyboard, and a small smile cracked on her lips for a fraction of a second, only for it to vanish instantly.
"Nothing good… I'm so bored…" she mumbled. "No one's going to come at this hour… in this district…"
She continued fiddling with her phone, her eyes half-lidded with boredom and fatigue. But in a fleeting moment of distraction, her gaze flicked to the man standing right in front of her.
She blinked lazily before looking back at her phone…
Then, it struck her like thunder.
Her eyes snapped back to the man as realization dawned. Panic surged through her as she shoved her phone into the pocket of her apron.
"A-A cust… when did you…?!" She stuttered, her eyes spun in a vain hope to regain any sort of composure. "I-I mean… w-welcome…! To Angel 24… c-cus…" Her words trailed off as her gaze locked onto him.
Red eyes. White hair. An olive great coat.
Th-that is…!
"H-H-H-HANS-SENSEI?!" she shrieked, her voice trembling as though she had just experienced a heart attack—-and a single shock away to unconsciousness.
"S-Sen—ah…! I…" She stumbled over her words, her breaths coming in quick before she managed to steady herself. "Uh—u-um… I-I'm—" She cleared her throat sharply, coughing her anxiety and shock away.
"W-Welcome t-to Angel 24, S-Sensei…" She finally managed to say her first barely comprehensible sentence in a hushed tone. A raging flush of embarrassment swept over her like a storm as she desperately avoided his gaze, her pupils darting left and right—anywhere but toward him.
Hans simply offered her a polite nod before walking deeper into the store.
The interior was clean, decorated in simple white and light blue tones that gave it a charming look. Like most supermarkets he had seen, it had everything one would need for daily living: soap, detergent, frozen food, and… is that magazines, firearms, and a M24 Stielhandgranate?
Hans sighed and shook his head. He shouldn't be surprised. Bullets and guns are as common as mineral water in Kivotos, considering the vending machine earlier sold bullets and magazines.
He should refocus on the reason he was here in the first place.
Food.
"Sensei, how about a bento set?" Arona sprung to life as she pointed to the wide assortment of food waiting to be bought.
Beef yakiniku and chicken katsu bento set.
Hans was a little skeptical, yet it does look like something he would like. Especially if it was about meat.
With that in mind, he picked that one as well as another random that caught his eye. A little something about pork. Satisfied, he went to a cooler and picked two large bottles of cold water.
After finishing his shopping, Hans made his way to the cashier to pay for his items. As he approached, his gaze fell on a girl already standing at the counter. Her eyes fixed on the short blonde cashier, watching as each item was scanned one by one. Beep by beep.
She had this… unique black and white hair and an aura that would deter people from staying close to her… or maybe to label her a delinquent. Sharp eyes, pale skin, and a neutral expression that could rival his.
But underneath all of that, there was something else. Something beneath the surface that Hans couldn't quite place about her.
"...T-That would be.. 15 yen." The cashier spoke and packed the girl's groceries into a plastic back. The girl raised her card, and made her payment.
With a beep she took the bag… and glanced at the other patron in the store. Meeting his crimson eyes head on as they stood in silence.
Studying each other before finally, she nodded politely and walked out of the door.
Yes, definitely different.
Placing his items down on the counter, Hans waited patiently for the cashier.
Beep.
"…"
Beep.
"…"
Beep.
"…"
She is visibly sweating.
B-beep.
"…"
Okay, she is trembling.
Is she okay?
Hans reached out to her, and she jolted with a small shout.
"E-Eep! S-s-s-Sensei?!" she stammered, trembling slightly as Hans gave her a concerned look. "U-Um… a-are you worried about me?" she asked hesitantly with a shaky voice.
Hans nodded in reply.
"O-Oh… I'm-I'm fine, haha… it's just… y-you staring at me…" she whimpered, quickly looking away. Her voice trailed off as her hands fidgeted nervously. Hans really did have… a powerful aura about him. It was natural.
Hans studied her, and upon noticing her discomfort, the wolf looked away apologetically.
"E-Eh… don't a-apologize!" she exclaimed, flustered. "Um… it's just that I'm… a little… f-forget about it! Um… h-here's y-your receipt!" She quickly changed the subject, thrusting the receipt toward him in an attempt to end their awkward interaction.
He nodded again, and made the payment with a single scan of the… "QR code."
"…Payment c-confirmed. T-Thank you for shopping here, S-Sensei," she whimpered again, her words still trembling along with her body.
Hans let out a small sigh before placing a hand gently on her head. He gave her a small, gentle stroke followed by a pat.
"…Thank you… your… name?" He let his raspy, whispering voice out instead of his usual silence—-catching the young cashier off guard
She blinked once. Twice. Thrice trying to confirm that she had just heard Hans-sensei talk. Him! Talking!
What else was more shocking than that?!
"...S-Sora." She said softly, still in shock and awe mixed with her nervousness.
"…Hans," he replied with a nod before turning to exit the store, groceries in hand. "...See you… around."
With a ding, Sora was left behind.
As his form left her eyes, Sora melted against the counter, her heart racing at mach five.
"…Hans-sensei. Next time, don't stare at people that much," Arona scolded playfully, her voice breaking through the quiet moment.
"…"
"Well, anyway! Let's enjoy the food!"
"…I will…"
"Hey! I want some too!"
"...How… can you… eat?"
"Rude! Let me show you later!"
Thus, the day came to an end without any further incidents.
Well, except for the moment Hans was utterly dumbfounded when Arona somehow teleported one of his bentos into the tablet and proceeded to eat it with a smug expression all the way through.
...Oh well.