After a short flight, I stepped off the plane at the airport in Sanhaegyeong and noticed an official from Hyunryongmun standing nearby with a cup of tea.

Apparently, he had been glancing at the T-party attendants walking behind me and abruptly handed me the tea. He must have been waiting there with the cup, hoping to greet the T-party members, but couldn’t he just hold a sign or something instead?

Well, if he was trying not to draw attention, I’d commend him for that. But since I was visiting the autonomous district for official business with my attendants, it kind of lost its meaning.

Honestly, if I wasn’t a black lord of Sanhaegyeong, I wouldn’t have bothered bringing my attendants at all. I had no reason to counter the idea that having them around would help me feel less pressured by the title.

To be honest, whether I was alone or accompanied by a few people, I wouldn’t feel pressured at all. If I did, Mika would definitely tease me about it until the cows come home.

As I accepted the tea, the guy suddenly bowed deeply. Hmm, maybe I need to take back what I just thought.

I mean, drawing attention? I felt more like I was dealing with a mafia boss making a deal or something!

“Welcome to Sanhaegyeong, T-party host! The tea I just handed you is our pride and joy, the oolong tea from Dowonhyang. While I do understand that proper etiquette would dictate serving tea that matches your taste… given Trinity T-party’s renowned love for tea, I thought you’d welcome the chance to sample our finest oolong, so I prepared it in advance.”

Huh… but, you managed to keep it warm all the way from Dowonhyang to here? If I recall correctly, Dowonhyang is on the complete opposite side of this airport.

“…Well, that would be due to the magical powers of a thermos. Cough. I apologize, I got a little ahead of myself.”

“Well, it feels a bit off for a place that values tradition, doesn’t it? Putting it in a thermos doesn’t really change its taste, so I guess it’s okay? Anyway, I’ll enjoy it. Thanks!”

“Cough… Yes, then I will take you to Hyunryongmun’s Yukwa-gak from here. Please, this way.”

The image I had of the Hyunryongmun official was a bit off. There seemed to be a screw loose somewhere…

Ah, that was the essence of Blue Archive, wasn’t it?

I’d forgotten that there isn’t a single perfect student out there. Mob students aren’t any different.

Taking a light sip of the warm oolong tea, I realized…

Hmm, the aroma was faint, and the flavor was hard to put a finger on. It was surprisingly unusual given how it looked.

Is this expensive tea? I feel it’s worth a burn in cash, but… money is just flowing anyway, so who cares?

I rode in the car driven by the Hyunryongmun official as we cruised through Sanhaegyeong city. The scenery outside the window felt a bit like being in Chinatown.

I felt the same when I came here with Haruna last time; it’s really flashy, especially at night.

“We’ve arrived.”

The official parked the car near a huge gate, which was the entrance to the Sanhaegyeong campus.

And beyond this…

“Tch, those damned Hyeonmusanghoe guys are messing up the image of Sanhaegyeong for guests… Looks like they should just be completely wiped out…”

Jokes aside, the food alley of the Hyeonmusanghoe is what comes to mind first for Kivotos people when they think of Sanhaegyeong.

By the way, Haruna has a history of blowing up several restaurants here too. Just like a sparrow that can’t resist passing a mill, Haruna wouldn’t ignore talk of fine dining.

So when I first visited Hyeonmusanghoe, I got caught in a pretty awkward situation because of Haruna. Thankfully, it was handled well, and I became cooperative with Akeshiro Rumi, the head of Hyeonmusanghoe.

When students affiliated with Hyeonmusanghoe came in droves, I thought it would really turn into a disaster.

In any case, Hyunryongmun and Hyeonmusanghoe have a long-standing rivalry, so I’ve heard that Hyunryongmun folks are quite displeased with Hyeonmusanghoe practically being the face of the academy.

It turns out that this animosity originates from Hyunryongmun’s unilateral dislike, which seems to be true.

As we passed through the food alley and entered the real Sanhaegyeong campus, the scenery shifted dramatically. The vibrant restaurant atmosphere faded away, replaced by the elegance of the historical architecture.

“This is where ‘real’ Sanhaegyeong begins.”

“Ahaha…”

I was lost in admiration when I suddenly got interrupted. I haven’t even been to this part since I couldn’t leave the food alley the last time I was here with Haruna.

“Wow—”

“Heh. Guests experiencing Yukwa-gak for the first time often respond this way. The exterior is grand and classic, while the interior boasts a luxury unmatched anywhere in Kivotos, embodying the essence of Yukwa-gak.”

As I stepped into Yukwa-gak, the dazzling decorations and wallpaper dazzled my eyes. It was so flashy that even the T-party building seemed dull in comparison.

“…Mika, should we pay a little more attention to the decorations too?”

“Huh? No, no, that’s unnecessary. Isn’t the restrained beauty of the T-party nice? And if I allocate the budget for decorations, I’ll get scolded by Nagisa-chan.”

There are plenty of places I’d rather allocate the budget more usefully. It’s not like I haven’t been under pressure every time a budget request came from the library department, excluding those bafflingly expensive books. I’ve only approved those twice since I started working.

I’d rather set aside the budget for “delinquent club relief,” decorations be damned.

As I continued through Hyunryongmun, I found myself stepping into a designated area. Then…

“The Lord of the Gate is arriving——!”

Aside from the two students from the same academy and the Student Council President, the second Student Council President I encountered in person appeared with a leisurely gait.

Her hair was styled in a typical bun with a bow ornament added. She wore a black qipao dress that clung tightly to her shape, along with an outer garment that screamed mafia boss vibes.

There was a powerful presence around her that made it hard to believe she hadn’t consumed Yaku Shi Saya’s life elixir.

Ryuuge Kisaki, the Black Lord of Sanhaegyeong.

Unlike Hina, who seemed somewhat bigger, she was a small giant in terms of presence, not size.

…Hmm, maybe it’s the heels that make her seem taller?

This kind of aura wasn’t the same as force or power. Honestly speaking, the feeling was completely different from when I first saw Hina or Neru.

When I first encountered Hina, I was unwittingly inspired by her noble bearing, while Neru had a “I’ll smash anyone who gets in my way” vibe.

Conversely, Kisaki’s vibe radiated the feeling of a ruler. An aspect I hadn’t encountered in any other student so far.

“T-party host, you’ve traveled a long way. It’s an honor to meet you face to face. I’ve always wanted to meet you, given that your activities as the most prominent student council president of this generation… Let me formally introduce myself. I am the lord of Hyunryongmun, Ryuuge Kisaki, from Sanhaegyeong Senior High School.”

“I’m honored to meet you as the Black Lord of Sanhaegyeong, Hyunryongmun lord. Lastly, I apologize for not being able to visit you during my last trip to Sanhaegyeong. Back then, I was here for sightseeing and personal business only.”

“As mentioned in the letter, I did feel a twinge of regret, but was not disappointed. Just having you take the time to visit me again makes me delighted. And one thing…”

Kisaki, tilting her head slightly, asked an unexpected question.

“Why… do you speak in such a formal way? As far as I know, you’re not someone who’s overly bound by decorum.”

“…Did I not maintain sufficient courtesy in the letter?”

“Indeed, your point leaves me speechless! However, I would prefer if you didn’t feel the need to wear an uncomfortable outfit for the sake of formality. If I inadvertently make you uncomfortable in any way, it would mean I have failed in hosting my guest.”

Well. So it showed that I was uncomfortable. I thought I was handling it better than before, but that must not have been the case.

Maybe it was just that Kisaki’s unique atmosphere made me feel compelled to be respectful.

Ah well, if that’s how it is, it’s only natural to go back to normal.

“…Huh, okay, if that’s what you say. I’ll graciously accept your proposal, Kisaki-chan☆”

“…That’s rude! Even if you’re a student council president from another academy, you can’t just call me so casually. There’s a time and place for everything—”

“Wait, you’re the one being rude! What sort of nonsense is this towards the T-party host——”

“Enough. There’s no such rudeness towards my guest.”

“H-however, Lord!”

“Didn’t I tell you to stop?”

“Yes! My apologies, Lord!”

The official from Hyunryongmun who had announced Kisaki’s arrival panicked, overhearing the exchange and quickly bowed his head to me. Shouldn’t he be the one more mindful of timing and setting?

I didn’t forget to give a gentle reprimand to my attendant who spoke up for me. After all, gratitude should end at a certain point.

“By the way, I don’t recall granting you permission to call me that so casually…”

“Ahaha. But the only person I usually call like that is the Student Council President!”

“…I see. It seems that indeed, it’s difficult to treat someone like the Student Council President casually, even for you. Huh… this is going to take a bit longer, so let’s move to a more comfortable place first.”

Whether it was because of her outerwear or not, Kisaki reminded me of Hina in certain aspects.

…How can she be both cute and cool at the same time?