I never expected that a part-time job at the amusement park would keep me from returning to Fectom Academy for a whole week.

Somehow, I managed to handle Rokuhara and Touraku’s interference, and I feel like I’ve grown a bit in the process.

This past week, I think I’ve taken another step toward becoming a true beauty…!

‘Safe…? You really call that “handling it smoothly”…?’

What, got an issue with this mysterious beauty?

Fine, whatever. I’m in a good mood since I’ll be seeing Mizuhi and Toa again after a week away.

I’ll let it slide this time.

I’d finally made it back to Fectom Comprehensive Academy. Since both Miroku-senpai and I were away, they had to manage the academy by themselves.

Wow, the place’s really hanging by a thread, huh?

Maybe I really should sell myself off as Sorciera…

‘You really don’t hesitate when it’s for the sake of beauty.’

But capturing a mysterious beauty isn’t that simple.

It’s a delicate balance. A mysterious beauty is obliged to be a formidable character, you know?

‘A tough way to live…’

Still, I wouldn’t mind losing someday♥

When a strong character gets beaten down, it’s thrilling♥ That moment when their usual composed expression breaks is the best♥

Ah, I want to lose to a beauty so bad♥

‘Yikes…’

For some reason, my star-reading staff retreats and things go quiet in my mind.

What, you didn’t get it?

Even a mysterious beauty has to lose sometimes. But only when faced with another beauty.

Anyone else, I’ll crush.

Especially any enemy of a beauty—I’ll crush them all.

“Now then, I wonder if they’re in the student council room.”

As soon as I’m back at school, I head straight to the building.

They’re probably in the student council room.

Because, let’s face it, that’s the only decent room around here.

The glass isn’t broken, the floor isn’t caving in, and it even has four outlets.

Everywhere else in the school is just that bad.

Oh, how I’d love to give them a decent school building someday.

I want beauties to flourish in the best environment possible.

With such thoughts in mind, I approach the student council room and knock gracefully.

Soon enough, I hear Toa’s voice saying, “Come in.”

Oh, man, Toa’s voice after a week! How come you didn’t come visit me, though???

‘Did you want a visit?’

Nah, I couldn’t ask a beauty to go out of her way just for me.

I would’ve politely declined.

‘What’s with you…?’

“Excuse me. Long time no see, Toa.”

Opening the door to the student council room, I find familiar faces looking my way.

With that adorable, small-animal-like charm, she beams at me.

Cute.

You shouldn’t give a smile like that to anyone other than a beauty, alright?

That means no smiling like that at me, either, okay?

‘You’re ridiculously high-maintenance, you know that?’

“W-welcome back, Kei!”

Toa rushes over to me, visibly relieved.

I must’ve worried her.

But it’s alright.

I’ve come back with a new level of beauty power.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t visit. The hospital wouldn’t let me in.”

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah. They said they couldn’t allow contact with students from Fectom Comprehensive Academy, so I couldn’t see you and Miroku.”

So she did try to come.

Ah, I wanted a beauty’s visit so badly.

‘Wouldn’t it be a crime if a non-beauty got a visit from a beauty?’

That’s true! Crisis averted!

“They said they were checking for any abnormalities caused by Sorciera’s magic. Are you alright, Kei?”

“I’m fine. Now that you mention it, I did have a lot of tests.”

Oh, so that’s what it was.

People sure are overly cautious about Sorciera.

Just an ordinary mysterious beauty, you know?

‘I know, right?’

“Oh, speaking of which, where’s Mizuhi? She’s been handling the rescue requests alone for a whole week, right?”

“Yeah, she headed out with determination today too. Oh! There’s good news, Kei!”

“Huh?”

I wonder what it is.

Seeing Toa this happy makes me feel warm inside too.

“It looks like we might be able to pay off Fectom’s debt!”

“No way, really?”

That enormous sum?

That life-sized version of a messed-up board game debt?

“Miroku negotiated on our behalf and got it drastically reduced.”

“That’s amazing… Miroku is incredible.”

The amount written on the paper Toa held out was far more manageable than before.

Negotiating with Kiso Academy and reducing the debt—Miroku-senpai’s truly amazing.

We’ll need a statue in her honor for future generations…

“I’ll help organize the paperwork, too.”

“Are you sure? You just got out of the hospital.”

“I’m fine. Since Miroku worked so hard, I should too.”

“Alright! Let’s do our best together!”

Looks like I won’t need to resort to any drastic measures after all.

That means I can continue enjoying my mysterious beauty life.

Might be time for a costume change.

I want to keep my gothic lolita outfit as my signature look, but maybe a color variation would be good.

Next, maybe black with a touch of red.

‘Also, make sure you get matching underwear. Top and bottom set, of course.’

Heheh, don’t worry, I’m on it!

The last time, I bought my outfit online, but there’s a store in Kiso Academy’s autonomous zone.

This time, I want to go in person.

‘Exciting!’

Yeah, let’s plan a visit to Kiso Academy soon.

“What’s up, Kei?”

“Huh?”

Toa, who was sorting through documents, looks at me curiously.

“I thought I heard you mention Kiso Academy or something.”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“Alright, got it.”

That was close.

My thoughts nearly slipped out again.

‘Your brain and mouth are connected, aren’t they?’

Excuse me?

I’m trying to be thoughtful, okay?

Anyway, Kiso Academy, huh?

I’m looking forward to it, oddly enough.

While the academy has its shady parts, it’s vast and has pretty much everything.

Many companies support Kiso Academy, so its tourist section has tons of shops.

Some even sell exclusive items you can only get there.

Maybe I’ll find some Kiso Academy-exclusive gothic lolita outfits.

‘A local mysterious beauty?’

Mysterious beauties aren’t the type to blend in with the locals.

Kiso Academy’s dark vibe actually suits the mysterious beauty aesthetic.

That sense of harboring darkness, you know?

But yeah, I’d never actually want to enroll there.

‘Is it really that scary?’

Yeah. It feels like pure evil.

Many of the cases Touraku and his team are investigating have ties to Kiso Academy.

For example, a likely upcoming event involves the abduction of students from other schools for human experiments.

Touraku will solve this in the summer in the original storyline, so it’s probably not going to happen just yet.

I’ll have to go shopping before that event happens…

And for the record, I have no intention of getting involved.

It’s going to feature some vile villains, and frankly, I doubt I could even find them if I tried.

I wouldn’t want to steal Touraku’s moment of growth.

Go for it, hero…!

I’ll even have some feminine underwear ready for our next encounter.