[Kinda Irresponsible to leave an Arc half-finished, So I'll continue the translation until the end of Festival Arc]
One Week Ago
"President, about what we discussed for the second day of the festival—wait, what are you wearing?"
"Ah, Rinji, you're here."
When Rinji walked into the student council room, the first thing he saw was Shirogane in a cape and top hat.
Shirogane hadn't noticed him and was striking poses in front of a mirror. When he finally saw Rinji, his face turned red instantly.
Posing dramatically alone was fine, but being seen by soone else was sothing else entirely.
"Don't mind , President. Keep going."
"Like hell I can keep going like this."
Shirogane took off the hat with a sigh.
"As you can see, this is all prep for the last day of the festival."
"Oh?"
Seeing Rinji confused, Shirogane handed him a card.
Rinji took the card and examined its contents. The format resembled that of a cri notice, with the phrase "I will take the next item" written at the top. Below it were several drawings of clocks, each showing a different ti.
The signature at the bottom read: Arsène Lupin.
"Arsène Lupin..."
"Rinji, did you figure anything out?"
"I figured out that the president has a hidden chuuni side."
"That's not what I ant for you to see!" Shirogane's face turned red. "I ant, do you understand the purpose of the card?"
"The purpose, huh?"
Rinji looked again at the clocks drawn on the card.
Each one marked a different ti. If it were a riddle, there should be so pattern to the tis.
But Rinji couldn't find any clear pattern between them.
"I don't think there's actually an answer," he said. "President, you probably made this card to attract soone's attention or to trap soone into wasting ti solving a fake puzzle."
"As expected of you. No one in the student council understands better."
Shirogane smiled lightly.
"Of course, your thinking is pretty easy to read."
Rinji smiled as well and walked behind Shirogane's desk, picking up two more cards from the table.
One of them felt noticeably different from the other two—more rigid.
"Inorganic ceramic fiber paper, huh… This kind of material has low thermal conductivity, is fla-resistant, and easy to cut. It's usually used as insulation for electronic devices."
"You even know about this?"
"I know a little about materials science," Rinji said with a smile. "This is for the bonfire party, isn't it? I can already guess—you'll be up on the school rooftop that night."
"Geez… I really can't hide anything from you, huh? You always figure out what I'm planning so easily."
Shirogane gave a wry smile.
"If only Shinomiya could understand that well."
"She will. I think Shinomiya knows you even better than I do."
Rinji stepped in front of Shirogane, took the round-brimd hat off his head, and put it on himself. With a smile, he said, "May all good things arrive as promised—Shuchiin's Arsène Lupin."
---
December 21st, the second and final day of the Hoshin Festival.
The students, who should have been filled with excitent, all stopped in their tracks as soon as they entered the campus.
According to tradition, heart-shaped balloons were supposed to be hung throughout the school building during the Hoshin Festival. They were all blown up with the combined effort of many students.
But overnight, those heart-shaped balloons had mysteriously disappeared.
"What happened?"
"Where are the balloons?"
"Who pulled this prank?"
"This is so la."
As everyone murmured and speculated in confusion, Rinji, blending in with the crowd, wore a subtle smile.
'Looks like the president's plan is underway. Then I…'
"Hey, what are you spacing out for?"
A familiar voice called out behind him.
Ryuju Momo, wearing her signature beret, walked up and grabbed Rinji's shoulder.
"Weren't you supposed to spend the day with ?"
"Of course, I haven't forgotten." Rinji smiled.
She had claid this morning's ti slot. On the second day of the festival, Rinji was to accompany her.
"Where should we go?"
"Anywhere."
They didn't discuss where to go further, yet naturally walked toward the interior of the school building in sync.
Rinji and Momo were very familiar with each other by now—so much so that they didn't need to talk things through.
Their presence together attracted attention. As they walked down the hallway, students instinctively made way.
The reason was simple: neither of them were to be trifled with.
Ryuju Momo—secretary of the 66th student council, currently one of the Club Union VIPs, daughter of the boss of the largest yakuza group in Kanto, the Ryujuka-gumi. She had a beautiful face, but her usual fierce gaze was enough to scare away most would-be admirers. Her deanor was like that of a delinquent girl.
And Rinji… was even more infamous. A bizarre transfer student who caused so major incident every sester and often got suspended—yet never seed to face consequences.
Together, they were considered the most dangerous pair in Shuchiin. Plus, both belonged to the Astronomy Club.
Privately, students often speculated that the two were a couple.
After all, no one knew that Rinji's actual girlfriend was from another school. Students just assud that only soone as dangerous as Momo could be with soone like Rinji.
And Momo certainly fit the bill.
Just as Shirogane had said before, Rinji's impressive performances had caught the attention of many girls. But most of them didn't dare confess—not because they knew he had a girlfriend, but because they feared she might be Momo.
No one wanted to risk angering her.
"Looks like the students are really afraid of us."
"Of course they are." Momo smiled unusually. "It's rare to see us together in public like this."
"I think they're mostly afraid of you. I've llowed out a lot since before."
"That's true. Life at school really has changed you."
She stared at Rinji's face.
"When I t you four years ago, I thought you were terrifying. Now… you're not so bad."
"'Not so bad,' huh?"
"I an it in a good way. I find you pretty agreeable."
"Well, thank you. That makes happy." Rinji smiled. "I think you're great too."
"Mmhm. Is that so?"
"Of course. I've told you long ago—you're the best woman."
"...Tell that to your girlfriend instead."
Though she sounded annoyed, Momo turned her head away with a blush.
Getting that kind of praise clearly pleased her.
"Ah, Karura really is the 'perfect' woman."
"..."
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