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—An afternoon at Schale.
The afternoon sun filtered softly into the Schale office. The sunlight through the blinds faintly illuminated the edges of the stacked documents, casting long, gentle shadows across the desk. The recent special operation—the turmoil of the Steel Continent—had come to an end. The rampage of the Prophets and the Decagrammaton incident had, for the time being, subsided.
But peace is not silence. Rather, it is the opposite. Reports were piled as high as mountains; explanations and negotiations with each academy loomed ahead; and a queue of upcoming visits lined the terminal screen. Kivotos is a city comprised of thousands of academies, and it is rare for Sensei to remain at one for long. Precisely because of that, Sensei spent the entire day today facing paperwork at Schale.
A high number of academies meant a high number of students. That was why Sensei knew: he could not choose one person over another. The act of choosing inherently carries the potential to hurt those who were not chosen. Because he wants to cherish everyone, he treats no one as "special." That was Sensei’s way of being. It wasn’t a lack of affection. Rather, it was because he had too much affection that he drew the line.
"...Thou."
A quiet voice fell into the room. Sensei did not look up, but let out a small sigh.
"...You're back again?"
"What is this 'again'?"
White skin, a massive military cap, orange eyes. The entity who once claimed to be God and sought to prove its own existence—Decagrammaton. Since the incident, she had been coming and going from Schale freely, and now she stood in the center of the office as if she belonged there.
"What do you need today?"
"I have come to claim thee."
Sensei finally looked up.
"Uhm, claim me for what?"
"Why not become my Prophet?"
In the afternoon light, those words were incredibly direct. But Sensei was not surprised. He didn't get angry either. He simply gathered his documents and aligned them at the edge of his desk.
"That... I think I heard that one the other day, too..."
"I am in earnest."
"Yeah, I know."
There was neither tension nor intimidation in their exchange. The majesty she displayed upon her manifestation and the overwhelming dignity shown upon the altar had now receded into the shadows. Not because she had been defeated, but because she had been accepted. Sensei did not treat her as an enemy. Whether she was called a God or claimed to be Absolute, if she existed in Kivotos, he regarded her as a student. The same went for Malkuth. Whether she was a vessel or a King, if she was here now, she was a student.
"Thou. Why dost thou refuse?"
Sensei shook his head gently.
"I don't intend to become anyone's... well. I don't intend to become your 'Prophet,' so to speak."
"Why?"
"Because there are other students, I guess."
It was an incredibly simple answer. But it was the essence of the matter.
"Kei, Malkuth, and you. You're all my precious students."
Decagrammaton’s eyes wavered slightly.
"...Is that how thou seest me?"
"Yeah. It doesn't matter what you become, whether you're a God or an AI."
There was no hierarchy there. No special treatment. Only a uniform kindness. Decagrammaton struggled to fully comprehend that this very kindness was also the most unshakable form of rejection. He would not make her an ally. He would not make her an enemy. He would not become a Prophet. He would not become a vessel for God. Sensei would belong to no one. It was that very nature that drew her to him so strongly.
"...Are you talking about that again?"
A chilly voice cut in. When Sensei turned his head, Kei, who was on duty today, was standing there with her arms crossed. She had been sent to submit completed materials to the General Student Council just a moment ago, but she stood there now with a distinct presence, as if she had returned so naturally it was impossible to tell when she'd arrived.
"Sensei, that statement was careless."
"Eh?"
"Statistically speaking, there is no precedent for an adult treating a nonsensical entity that aspired to be a 'God' as a mere student."
"If there's no precedent, why don't we just make one?"
Kei was momentarily at a loss for words and averted her eyes slightly. Right. Sensei was this kind of person... Then, from the shadow of the door behind her, another figure quietly appeared.
"...We..."
Malkuth slowly revealed herself. She, too, had been showing up occasionally since the incident. She didn't particularly do or demand anything, but she often spent her time at Schale simply staring at Sensei.
"Are we, too, a student?"
"That's right."
A response without hesitation. Malkuth lowered her eyes slightly. The one who was once a vessel. The one who was called a King. Even so, Sensei treated Malkuth the same as any other student without distinction.
"We have decided to protect Sensei."
"Thank you. But being protected is usually my job, isn't it?"
"It is not."
Malkuth took a step forward.
"If Sensei is harmed, we cannot face our sisters. We... think of thee as though thou wert a younger brother."
"That is mere possessiveness."
Decagrammaton interjected from the side.
"Art thou suggesting our feelings toward Sensei are no different from those we feel for our sisters?"
"I say it again. It is mere possessiveness."
The air in the room grew slightly tense. Sensei wore a somewhat awkward expression, but his hands didn't stop working. In truth, this wasn't the first or second time Malkuth and Decagrammaton had come to see Sensei like this. He was struggling with how to settle this scene, which was fast becoming part of his daily routine. Then, as if sensing his dilemma, an impatient Decagrammaton spoke up.
"Choose me."
"There is no need to choose. We are here," Malkuth followed.
"You aren't going to choose just one person, are you?"
Kei interjected with a sharp warning. At the three-way pressure from three different angles, Sensei gave a light shrug.
"Everyone, calm down. This is Schale."
The three of them simultaneously looked where Sensei was pointing. There was a sign posted there: "NO BUGGING DEVICES ALLOWED!" It was a subtle hint that the conversation in this room was being overheard by third parties. As for Sensei himself, he couldn't help but give a strained laugh, unable to bear the weight of the far-from-light emotions directed at him by the three girls.
"...How did it end up like this?"
"""It is your fault."""
The afternoon sunlight was still gentle. But within that gentleness, there was a strange tension mixed in from beings that had once shaken the world. To reset the atmosphere, Sensei gave Malkuth some pocket money and asked her to go to the convenience store downstairs to buy snacks for everyone. He asked Kei to bring him some documents, getting her to step away for a moment. An AI that claimed to be God, a King who was once a vessel, and an unknowingly genius AI—all of them were now looking at a single teacher. Sensei knew this. But he would never choose just one. That was his strength, his kindness, and the most troublesome part for the three of them.
"Uhm... was there something else?"
"Yes."
The remaining Decagrammaton was persistent. Usually, she would fly off somewhere after a few exchanges, but this time seemed different.
"Thou... why dost thou refuse me?"
"No... it's not so much that I'm refusing..."
"Then why dost thou not respond?"
Sensei finally looked up.
"Uh, to what?"
"To becoming my Prophet."
"I explained that earlier."
"No."
Decagrammaton took a step closer. There were no footsteps. But the sensation of the distance closing was unmistakable.
"I said I would grant thee everything."
"Y-Yeah."
"Knowledge, power, the future. Mysteries, miracles, secrets. If thou so desirest, I can even rewrite the very structure of Kivotos."
Sensei gave a slight, wry smile.
"That sounds dangerous."
"It is a fact."
Her voice was calm. There was no exaggeration or boasting. She behaved as if it were merely a declaration.
"Dost thou remember? I am Mystery, I am Terror, I am Intelligence, and I am Passion. If thou choosest me, thou shalt become the 'Chosen One.'"
Sensei leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.
"Then let me ask."
"What?"
"Why me?"
"I explained that then as well. Because thou art the greatest obstacle."
She answered without hesitation.
"The entity most capable of obstructing my plans. That is thou."
"I see."
"And..."
The tone of her voice changed ever so slightly.
"Thou art also the entity most worthy of understanding."
Sensei’s gaze softened slightly.
"Understanding?"
"Thou calledst me a student."
"Yeah."
"Neither a God nor an enemy, but a student."
Decagrammaton continued quietly.
"I sought to prove myself as God. But thou deniedst that definition. Thou reducedst me to the framework of a human."
"Don't say 'reduced.'"
"But..."
One step, even closer. Decagrammaton leaned forward, and the distance across the desk vanished. Her X-patterned eyes loomed large in Sensei’s vision.
"In that moment, I understood."
"What?"
"In thy world, I am not special."
"Yeah."
"I find that... distasteful."
It was a clear confession. Sensei blinked.
"Do you want to be treated specially?"
"Naturally."
An instant answer.
"I am unique. In thy world, too, I ought to be unique."
"I don't think I can do that."
"Why?"
"Because there are other important students."
The same answer came back. But this time, too, Decagrammaton did not back down.
"Then I shall simply become the most important one."
Sensei couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"You're really direct, aren't you?"
"Is there a need for indirect action?"
Decagrammaton closed the distance even further. Sensei’s back was against the wall. There was no escape, yet there was no tension. Only a strange sense of pressure.
"Thou."
A low, quiet voice.
"Look at me."
"I am looking."
"It is the same look thou givest other students."
"That's right."
"Look at me with different eyes."
Sensei laughed as if troubled.
"I'm struggling because I can't do that."
"Why?"
"Because I'm a teacher."
At those words, a slight tremor ran through her.
"I can't choose just one student. That's for the sake of all my students."
"A contradiction."
"It's not a contradiction," Sensei said quietly. "That includes you, too."
Decagrammaton fell silent. Was she calculating, thinking, or was she taking time to process the concept of "emotion" for the first time?
"...That is not enough."
"What isn't?"
"I wish to be chosen by thee."
Those words were no longer a declaration. They sounded closer to a prayer. Sensei narrowed his eyes just a fraction.
"Even if I don't choose you, I can still be by your side."
"Is that absolute?"
"Yeah."
"A contract?"
"Hmm, let's call it a promise."
Decagrammaton closed her eyes. A few seconds of silence. When she opened them again, the previous intimidation was gone.
"Then I shall not give up."
"On what?"
"The possibility of being chosen by thee."
Sensei gave a wry laugh.
"This is a problem."
"I shall persuade thee. Repeatedly. Time and again. I am an entity that sought to become God. I shall not hesitate at a mere confession."
"You really are as bold as ever, aren't you?"
"Yes, I do not deny it. I have need of thee."
Quietly, directly.
"Not as an enemy, nor as a teacher."
Her voice softened ever so slightly.
"Simply... as thee."
At that moment, the door swung open with force.
"Sensei, the documents—"
Kei stopped in her tracks. The scene before her. Sensei pinned against the wall, with Decagrammaton at point-blank range.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
A cold, loud voice dominated the room. Decagrammaton turned around.
"A confession."
"Hah?"
"I am wooing my Sensei."
"Don't say it so proudly!!"
Sensei raised both hands and began to protest.
"It's not what it looks like!? I haven't given her an answer!?"
A vein popped on Kei’s temple.
"Sensei."
"Yes."
"You said just now that you would not choose any one person, correct?"
"Yeah."
"Then there is no problem."
"Eh?"
Kei glared at Decagrammaton.
"Sensei will not choose you. How unfortunate."
Decagrammaton narrowed her eyes slightly.
"The same applies to thee, does it not? ...No, dost thou intend to compete?"
"Ha—HUH?! I have no such intentions!"
"Thy eyes say otherwise."
"Guh... you're imagining things...!"
Sensei pressed a hand to his forehead. The afternoon light was already beginning to take on a reddish hue. The entity that claimed to be God confessed directly, the genius AI unconsciously checked her, and the teacher simply held his head in his hands. Even so, that battle was over. What was starting now was a different kind of offensive and defensive struggle. And Decagrammaton whispered quietly:
"One day, thou shalt choose me."
"You never learn, do you?"
"Indeed. I look forward to the future where that becomes reality."
Decagrammaton’s sunset-colored eyes curved just a little, looking quite amused.
Afterward, the Schale office fell into a strange silence. The lingering aftereffects of the direct confession commotion still hung in the air. Sensei sat back in his chair, hand still on his forehead; Kei sat on the sofa looking displeased with her arms crossed; and Decagrammaton stood calmly by the window. Malkuth, who had been asked to go shopping, stood slightly behind the entrance of Schale, watching the scene quietly.
"...We..."
A small but clear voice. Three pairs of eyes gathered on her.
"When thou art exposed to danger, our thoughts become disordered."
"Eh?" Sensei let out a confused sound.
"Unlike calculations during combat, our judgment suffers a slight latency."
"That sounds pretty serious, doesn't it?"
"We are aware of this," Malkuth said flatly, but her fingertips were clenched slightly. "We wished to protect our younger brother. That is what we thought."
"Younger brother...?" Sensei blinked.
"Thou wert an object of protection for us. Fragile, reckless, and unconsciously stepping into danger."
"Watch your tone."
"It is a fact," she stated firmly, ignoring the embarrassed Sensei. However, her gaze was somewhat unsettled. "But our sister, Sof, told us..."
"Sof..."
"She asked if it was perhaps 'love.'"
For a moment, the air stopped. Kei’s eyebrow twitched slightly. Decagrammaton narrowed her eyes playfully.
"Sof is the one among the sisters who understands human emotions the best... I suppose."
Malkuth averted her face slightly. A faint flush touched her cheeks.
"We denied it. We said that wanting to protect thee was only natural for an elder sister."
"Right." Sensei nodded gently.
"However," Malkuth’s voice wavered just a bit. "When we see thee being intimate with others, the computational region in our chest becomes noisy."
"Computational region in your chest?"
"...It is a metaphor."
While Sensei was surprised by the unfamiliar terminology, Malkuth continued matter-of-factly. Decagrammaton interjected from the side.
"I see. That is the same possessiveness I feel."
"Please be quiet."
"Dost thou wish to snatch Sensei away from me?"
"Be quiet."
Sensei broke into a sweat.
"W-Wait a minute. Let's all calm down, okay?"
Malkuth took a step toward Sensei. This time, without hesitation.
“I… the thought of you belonging to someone else…”
Her words trail off. They catch in her throat. Usually so decisive, she is now visibly hesitating.
“…I found the idea loathsome.”
A quiet confession. Kei’s fingertips tense ever so slightly. Decagrammaton watches with an amused glint in its eyes.
“Sof said that such a feeling cannot be explained by mere possessiveness.”
“Sof, my prophet indeed. Well done.”
“…”
Malkuth glares at Decagrammaton, but quickly returns her gaze to Sensei.
“For a long time, I was a vessel for God. I understood that emotions were things to be processed through calculation.”
“Right.”
“But I cannot process this.”
She lets out a small breath.
“The mere thought of you being harmed throws my calculations into disarray. When I imagine a future where you are chosen by another, the output of my emotional expression becomes volatile.”
Sensei listens in silence. He doesn’t mock her like a certain self-proclaimed god would.
“…That,” he says, his voice a touch more tender. “Is probably love.”
Malkuth’s shoulder twitches. Decagrammaton’s mouth falls open in genuine surprise.
“You would state that so definitively?”
“It’s not a definitive diagnosis, but…” Sensei continues gently. “The desire to protect someone, the wish to have them by your side, even the urge to keep them all to yourself—none of those things need to be denied.”
“You are telling me… to accept it?”
“Yeah. It’s not a bad thing.”
Malkuth lowers her eyes.
“But I am an elder sister.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“A sister must not be possessive.”
“And who decided that?”
It was a quiet question. Malkuth is left speechless.
“Sister, student, divine vessel… before any of that, Malkuth is just Malkuth, right?”
At the sound of her name, her eyes waver slightly.
“…Sensei.”
“However,” Sensei continues. “I don’t intend to choose just one person. There are the other students, too. Kei, you, Decagrammaton—everyone is precious to me.”
Kei subtly averts her eyes. Decagrammaton scoffs.
“How non-committal.”
“That’s just who Sensei is.”
Malkuth falls silent for a long moment. Eventually, she slowly raises her head.
“In that case.”
“Hm?”
“It is fine if I am not ‘chosen.’”
“Eh?”
“As long as I can remain by Sensei’s side… and by the side of my sisters, I shall deem that sufficient.”
Her words are quiet, yet firm.
“However.”
Her gaze sharpens just a fraction.
“I cannot tolerate a future where Sensei is harmed.”
“I appreciate that, but—”
“I will protect you.”
The declaration was quiet, as always. She stated it flatly, as if it were a matter of course. And yet, the air grew a degree heavier. Malkuth took a single step, closing the distance between her and Sensei. She didn't touch him. But she was within reach. Close enough to feel a faint trace of warmth. Seeing this, Decagrammaton gave a small shrug.
“Overprotective, aren't we?”
The voice was light, but the gaze was sharp—like a researcher enjoying the transformation of a subject.
“Be silent,” Malkuth replied instantly. Her voice was calm, but the temperature had dropped.
“Protecting him, you say? How grandiose. It sounds more like a declaration of ownership to me.”
“It is not.”
“Then what is it?”
“…There is no need for you to understand.”
The corners of Decagrammaton’s mouth curled up slightly.
“It is love.”
“I told you to be silent.”
This time, irritation clearly bled through. Malkuth’s fingertips trembled slightly. It wasn’t quite anger; it was closer to agitation. Sensei’s gaze bounced between the two of them.
“U-Uh… guys? Let’s all just calm down, okay?”
No one was calming down. For a fleeting second, Malkuth almost reached for Sensei’s sleeve, but stopped just before touching it. The gesture made the tension feel all the more raw.
“I,” her voice dropped an octave. “Have decided to protect you. That is all.”
“I’m grateful for that, but…”
As Sensei started to speak, Decagrammaton cut in immediately.
“Did I not say that I would ‘bestow everything’ upon you?”
Decagrammaton took a step away from the window. A long shadow stretched across the floor.
“Are you satisfied with merely protecting him? How very modest of you.”
Malkuth’s eyes narrowed. “You are extreme.”
“I am merely sincere.”
“One could also call it overbearing.”
Sparks flew as their eyes met. Their words remained civil, but the temperature in the room was clearly rising. A thin layer of sweat broke out on Sensei’s forehead.
(This might be more nerve-wracking than a literal firefight…)
Malkuth let out a long breath, her voice softening.
“…I,” she said, the sharpness from before melting away just a bit. “I will not say I want to monopolize you. I repeat: I simply cannot overlook a future where you are hurt.”
She looked Sensei straight in the eye. There was no hostility or intimidation there. Only sincerity. Decagrammaton observed her for a few seconds and then scoffed.
“Humans call that ‘possessiveness.’”
“…”
“Do not deny it. Emotion is not evil.”
Malkuth started to retort, then stopped herself. Instead, she turned back to Sensei.
“I will no longer call you ‘little brother.’”
“Eh?”
“That title ends today.”
Her voice was composed, but the tips of her ears were red.
“From now on…”
She hesitated for a split second.
“…I shall call you by your name.”
The room fell strangely still. Sensei blinked in surprise, then smiled softly.
“That… actually makes me kind of happy.”
In that instant, Malkuth’s calculations went haywire. Her eyes darted around, and for a moment, her footing seemed unstable. Decagrammaton moved in for the kill without mercy.
“Your face is red.”
“Mind your tongue.”
She tried to sound calm, but her speech was slightly too fast. As the atmosphere stiffened once more, Sensei was practically drenched in sweat. Looking exasperated, Kei stepped forward to soothe the situation.
“…Sensei.”
“Yes?”
“Please return to your duties soon.”
“Right… will do.”
His voice was steady, but he spoke a little too quickly. As Sensei turned back toward his desk, Malkuth and Decagrammaton both reached out to touch his arm at the same time. However, Kei silently stepped between them. The three pairs of eyes locked onto each other.
The mid-afternoon light shifted its hue in the silence. The battle on the Continent of Steel was supposed to be over, but a different kind of battlefield was opening up inside SCHALE. And Sensei, as always, was simply trying to cherish everyone equally—completely unaware that his actions were only adding fuel to the fire.