Starting With The Sefirah Castle In The Anime World

"Hmm… so the three of you came looking for me."

Looking at the trio with ingratiating smiles, Hinagiku could more or less guess their reason.

It was obvious that after these three confirmed that the secret surrounding Nagi and the others was likely related to Aika's improved health, their curiosity had been piqued.

Well, by now, it couldn't even be called curiosity anymore, it was clearly a sign of their intent.

In Hinagiku's view, Aika's physical condition and behavior were already enough proof.

It was clear that the secret surrounding Nagi and the others was tied to some kind of power.

It felt like something straight out of the anime Nagi liked to watch.

That was probably why these three were suddenly interested.

Subconsciously, Hinagiku glanced over at Aika, who responded with a gentle smile.

Well, she's not going to say anything.

Hinagiku knew Aika's personality. If there was something she didn't want to talk about, she wouldn't say a word. That, too, reflected her interests.

Hinagiku wasn't entirely unaware of Aika's fondness for watching other people get into trouble.

After all, she interacted with Aika often enough to get a read on her.

Of course, beyond just personality, she was also aware of Aika's physical condition.

Looking at her complexion now, it was obvious that her previously weak body had improved significantly.

Something like that was bound to arouse people's curiosity.

Even Hinagiku herself couldn't help but feel curious.

As the student council president, she was supposed to be calm and mature, but that didn't mean she couldn't feel intrigued by something like this.

Especially when this secret had helped Aika recover.

She was deeply curious about the nature of the power behind it all.

And it wasn't just Aika—Nagi, who had always been lazy and resistant to change, had also changed dramatically.

What could have caused such a shift in Nagi?

She was curious about that, too.

Of course, if the people involved didn't mind being investigated, then there was no issue. This was a situation where permission had essentially been granted.

Though she wasn't mad at the three in front of her, seeing them blatantly sell her out like this... the fact that she hadn't rolled her eyes already showed how tolerant she was as a friend.

Maybe it was because she was so used to cleaning up their messes as student council president that she didn't outright reject them this time.

"I get it."

Hinagiku nodded slightly.

"I'll help you get in contact. But, you can't skip out on student council work. Three months."

Three months to open this case. Based on her understanding of these three, that was probably the absolute limit. It likely wouldn't go so smoothly...

"Agreed!" ×3

"Huh?"

The unanimous response caught Hinagiku off guard, especially since she had been preparing herself for resistance.

She hadn't expected them to agree so easily.

"Hehe~ Three months of actual student council work in exchange for Hina's help? That's a steal."

Segawa chuckled.

"Besides, most of the work is handled by the president anyway. The three of us don't really do much."

"We just can't skip for three months. That doesn't really affect us."

"Exactly."

Miki and Risa crossed their arms and nodded in agreement with Segawa.

The student council's work might seem like a lot, but most of it was pretty easy. Especially since they were familiar with the inner workings, they knew exactly where they could slack off.

Hinagiku's face twitched a few times. Then, her older sister patted her on the shoulder.

"Face it, Hina. These three are idiots, yes, but they really do know you."

Shrugging off her sister's hand and throwing a few biting words over her shoulder, Hinagiku turned and walked off.

"You lot, wait for me later!"

Watching Hinagiku leave, Aika covered her mouth and smiled.

"As expected of the student council president. Her solution is to directly confront the issue."

"Will that be alright?"

Segawa couldn't help but worry a little.

"No, this is the best option."

Risa was confident that Hinagiku's method was the most suitable.

"It's better to be straightforward than to tiptoe around. Simplicity is what suits her best."

"Of course, the main reason is that she is capable enough to handle weird situations. Unlike us—if we went head-on, we'd definitely cause trouble."

Risa had a very realistic understanding of her own limitations.

She knew she didn't have the ability or strength to handle everything, which was why she relied on Hinagiku to satisfy her curiosity.

And just as Risa understood herself, Hinagiku understood her own capabilities.

If there were problems along the way, Hinagiku believed she could handle them to some extent. So all she needed to do was ask directly.

Of course, what mattered most was who she asked.

To her, the key was getting an answer from the right person.

So who was she going to ask?

Hinagiku already had a good idea.

The person she suspected most was the one she intended to confront.

"Mr. Amamiya, do you have a moment?"

The person Hinagiku approached was someone who had made her feel a bit off from the very beginning.

"Me?"

Ren, who had been quietly standing off to the side, showed no surprise as he watched Hinagiku walk over. He simply gave her a slight nod.

"Miss Katsura, if you need help, you'd be better off asking Sanzenin or Saginomiya. I may not be able to help you."

"No, Nagi-chan and Miss Isumi wouldn't be able to give me what I need. I believe only you can answer me, Mr. Amamiya."

"I see."

Seeing Hinagiku respond so firmly, Ren gave a slight nod.

"Then let's step aside and talk, as you suggested."

(To be continued.)