After school

Breaker headquarters.

Koori was the only one in the wide tatami-mat room. Suou-senpai had given her instructions during lunch, and she had been in this room since then.

She wasnt used to zabuton so her butt hurt even though she sat cross-legged. (1)

Had Midorikawa-sensei, the advisor, put tatami mats in the headquarters so that it wouldnt become a hang-out? She got that kind of suspicion since they were used to chairs and tables, and zabutons were uncomfortable.

Even so, information concerning the privacy of the students could only be accessed in the headquarters. Normally, records of things like their location and money transactions wouldnt be available to the public. It was restricted to investigations, and that was why she was allowed to use it now.

If their advisor was present she would be able to look into conversations too, but Koori was the only one there right now.

The records of Ooi and her friends were displayed.

In addition, she was arranging the data that her friends in Breaker had gathered for this cause.

Recently, they had been suddenly going into a group trance and been absent-minded.

The group suddenly levelled up.

She brought up a list of common points in their behavior patterns that went back to the previous month.

What point she should pay attention to? She couldnt leave that to the computer.

Their hairstyle or their bedtime or their friends

Obviously, their school years and genders would vary

What about their strongest subject?

Their hair color?

She entered various conditions and the computer validated it.

It was the main system of Alrescha that Breaker used, which was connected to the integrated management system Apple Tree that was in Canaans Administrator Tower.

Thanks to that, she was able to follow their actions outside of the school building.

She expanded the conditions.

Ah, I dont get it

Koori scratched her head without caring that her hair was already disheveled.

She stretched out her arms, arched her back and then collapsed onto the tatami mats.

She was spread-eagled.

Her skirt was bunched up so she had an unladylike appearance, but she didnt mind as she was alone.

Hm?

She looked up

No, Koori was on the floor, she looked to the side.

The room door opened.

Eh!?

Hello!

Sakurazaka-san raised one of her hands.

Why was Sakurazaka-san here!?

Koori jumped to her feet in a fluster.

Hyawa!?

She checked her uniform while she straightened her skirt and combed down her hair.

Sakurazaka-san kicked off her shoes and entered.

Koori-chan, what are you doing?

Ah, uhwellIve kind of come to the end of my tether with the investigation sothats why I look unsightly.

Huh? What?

Sakurazaka-san flopped onto the floor beside Koori who was kneeling.

Nihaha, rolling on the tatami mats feels nice. Yeah, thats right!

She crawled towards the cupboard on all fours.

She was able to see under her short skirt. She was wearing light blue panties.

Hey!? Sakurazaka-san!?

Nihaha! Ive found the snacks!

She brought Ritz out of the cupboard.

Midorikawa-sensei was always eating it.

Is that fine?

*munch**munch*what were you saying?

Nothing.

She was eating it without hesitation.

Ah, yes! Lets divide it into two!

She held out the Ritz.

Honestly, when she is silent, she looks like an adult womanespecially her breasts. She has an amazing figure, and she doesnt look like shes the same age as mebut her facial expressions and behavior are just like a childs.

She immediately rolled over.

She didnt even mind that her underwear was visible.

She wilfully ate things like sweets.

Honestly.

Whats wrong Koori-chan?

She had a curious expression her face.

Koori took the Ritz that she held out.

Thank, thank you, Sakurazaka-san.

These crackers are so delicious! I like cakes and teas, but I also like eating snacks while lazing around. Alice doesnt like that though.

That seems like Clockheart-san.

Ah, thats right; I came here to find out where Alice is. Do you know?

Sakurazaka-san opened a window.

She pulled up a list of students, but it seemed like she didnt really know how to use it.

Is Clockheart-san in trouble?

I think she went to town with Masaki half-way through afternoon classes. I didnt notice since I was in a different group in another classroom.

HuhKusunoki-kun left during class?

Yeah. Minamishima-chan said so.

That was surprising.

She had gotten the impression that he was a serious student.

Koori thought that, since he was with Clockheart-san, there must have been some kind of reason.

Its not a good idea for members of Breaker to skip classes. Were excused from classes when we have investigations or urgent situations, not for going into town to play. Not to mention that a serious student is being taken out.

Nihaha! Masaki didnt want to go.

Really?

Koori thought that she might have threatened him to accompany her.

Masaki is strong in fights.

Heh? Then did Kusunoki-kun argue with Clockheart-san? Did they use Dialect?

It doesnt matter if its used or not, Masaki is strong when hes serious. If its a fight.

Hmm?

Since he was Sakurazaka-sans childhood friend, she would look favorably at him. Or maybe it was because of feelings that were more than that. Anyway, she couldnt imagine someone that was stronger than that Alice Clockheart.

She interacted with the window while eating the Ritz and talking to Sakurazaka-san.

Huh? Huuh? Nyaa?

Like this.

Koori stopped what she was doing and stretched her hand towards Sakurazaka-san.

She search for Clockheart-san in the list of students, then looked for her whereabouts.

Nihaha, thanks!

You might know already but this is supposed to only be used for investigative purposes. If youre wondering where Clockheart-san is, why dont you get in touch with her?

Alice gets in a bad mood when you call her while shes drinking tea.

The Ring Gear transmission that ran through Canaans system was strictly different from a telephone call, but anyway

Isnt it nice to get in touch with your friends?

You think? I dont really get it, but since I dont want to leave Alice alone I wont do anything that Alice doesnt like.

Youre paying attention to her needs?

Its normal not to do something that your friend hates, right?

I guess thats right.

In Breaker, Koori had comrades who shared the same will as her.

But she didnt realize that friendship was the kind of relationship where you had to take into consideration the others likes and dislikes.

She wasnt lonely.

Her values were different from Sakurazaka-san.

Koori went back to what she was doing without thinking too deeply about it.

At last she started to eat the Ritz that she had received.

Ah..m?

Anything wrong?

Sakurazaka-san peered at her face.

Ahits nothing

Have you got a painful cavity?

Thats not it! Its nothing to

What are you doing?

Im investigating the group trances that have been happening recently. If I can find a common point, I might be able to identify the cause.

He-heh.

Sakurazaka-san had a face that said that she didnt quite understand while she nodded nervously.

Shes a good person but she a little dumbno, am I saying too much?Koori corrected herself even though she hadnt said it out loud.

Sakurazaka-san isnt good at thinking.

If she evaluated herself from another angle, Koori Yuuka wasnt good at anything.

Someone like her couldnt help but steadily do things over and over again, even if it might be useless. She had no choice but to stupidly put in a lot effort even though she had no talent and was inefficient.

But she would still step forward.

Foodthats right, could it be related to food!?

What? Food? Im hungry!

Please be quiet for a moment.

Yes.

Sakurazaka-san covered her mouth with both hands. Since she had already finished what she came to do, she thought that she should go to Clockheart-san but there was a precious pause.

Kooris thoughts were concentrated on operating the window.

A common food that they ate!

Things like bread and rice werent unusual.

Could this be

The data wouldnt overlook something like the same cake that they all ate.

All of the students that were in a trance had eaten the same cake more than ten times in a month.

This is a shop outside Alrescha so

Koori made an enquiry to Canaans integrated management system, Apple Tree. Maybe there were similar cases occurring in other school buildings?

Wouldnt the victims also use the same shop?

The reply to Request XQRG7582access isnt authorized.

Damnthats right. Its the personal information of students from other school buildingsbut if I have a teacher.

?

Anyway, it looks like I have to go.

It looked like Sakurazaka-san really wanted to talk.

She was going mufuu, mufuu.

This person was Clockheart-sans original partner, so she was a Level 7, and she was considered one of the worlds strongest when it came to combat.

You would almost forget about that when you watched her childish behavior.

Erm, can I talk?

Koori-chan, are you going to a fight!?

Eh!? Ahno, well I dont understand but theres a shop that all the victims go to. Since its really popular it might just be chance, but I cant ignore the fact that the number is 100%.

Are you going to destroy them!?

Im not going to destroy them! Im only going to do a careful investigation!

But you look like youre going to fight?

She seemed to be sensitive to things like that.

Of courseif Im right, there might be some danger.

Maybe it would be better if she reported back to Suou-senpai.

However, what if it was a false positive?

She didnt want to lose the long-awaited trust that she had finally acquired. She didnt want to make a mistake with the work that she was finally entrusted with.

Sakurazaka-san stood up.

She curled her hands into fists.

Then, Ill go with you!

Huh?

It might be dangerous, right?

But arent you going to destroy something?

Ive got it.

But isnt that the only thing you can do, Sakurazaka-san?

She flinched.

No way.

Koori was thinking.

Although she was worried about her recklessly damaging something, if things ended up in a fight there wouldnt be a more reassuring comrade than her.

I understand. Although you dont have a partner, would you keep me company during the investigation?

Of course!

She nodded vigorously.

Koori stood up holding her bag.

Thank you, Sakurazaka-san. Lets go!

Hey, hey, since were investigating together, Shirley is fine. Sakurazaka-san is embarrassing.

Koori couldnt reply immediately.

Until now, she hadnt had the kind of relationship with someone where you said their name without honorifics.

Most of Class ZE barely had a Dialect. Or they couldnt get used to Canaan. Koori was a heretic amongst them as she devoted herself to Breaker which kept the public order of the academy; she was someone who couldnt be understood.

Within Breaker, she was practically incompetent so she was out of place.

There hadnt been anyone who had called her by her name.

Well, su-sure. When it comes to it, its much simpler and efficient to call each other by our first names.

I dont really get whether or not its efficient, but if were friends we should call each other by our first names, right?

Fri-friends!?

Nihaha, Alice made a similar face too. We had tea together and ate together so were friends. Masaki said that.

Lunch the other day? But that was originally for sharing information about the investigation

Now, were going to eat sweets together.

Huh

Well, Im Shirley. What should I call you Koori-chan?

Yuuka.

Okay! Then Yuuka, lets go!

Ye-yeah!

Hm? Where are we going?

TRANSLATORS NOTES

(1) The proper way to sit on a zabuton is seiza style, kneeling and then sitting on your heels. Sitting cross-legged would be less formal and likely more comfortable for those unused to sitting seiza.