I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

After parking the car in the garage, before Amamiya could even turn off the engine, her phone, which was on the dashboard, lit up.

After turning off the car, Amamiya immediately took out her phone to check—it was a message from Yuriko.

The message was very simple, just a few coordinates marked with the "Activity Area".

After marking the coordinates on the electronic map and taking a look around, Amamiya focused her attention on a coordinate point that was neither too close nor too far from Xia Lai.

"Little Rabbit Park...?"

It's very close to Xialai... Should we go check it out?

Regarding "Little Rabbit Park," the only keyword that Amamiya could think of was that she had passed through there on her cycling route when she was cycling with Shirako.

At that time, Rabbit Park seemed to be used as a wilderness survival training ground for SRT Special Academy. Amamiya clearly remembers seeing SRT students wearing rabbit earrings, who seemed to be undergoing wilderness survival training, when she rode through it with Shirako.

'After SRT Academy enters the disbandment process, the Fox Squad shouldn't be homeless...'

'As the head of the defense office, Hanaya couldn't possibly send the Fox Squad to do her bidding without even providing basic accommodations and supplies, could she?'

'So why does the Fox Squad frequently appear here?'

'Is there a temporary base here? Or... something they care about?'

After thinking it over, Amamiya made up her mind to go and check out "Little Rabbit Park" while it was still early.

The nights of spring, just before the start of summer, were no longer chilly. Amamiya, carrying a shoulder bag, briefly recaptured the feeling of being a "phantom thief of the heart wandering the dark city."

Soon, Amamiya arrived at the outskirts of the park.

After buying a can of Coke from a vending machine next to a streetlamp, Amamiya began to gaze at the natural environment of the entire park.

It's the season when everything is thriving and growing, and it has to be said that the natural scenery of Little Rabbit Park is quite beautiful—the shimmering lake reflects the night sky, the rustling breeze in the forest carries the sound of rain through the trees, there are elevation differences, clear water sources, forests and rocky terraces, it's a miniature ecosystem.

As night deepened, the light sources became very noticeable.

Standing on the high ground of Amamiya, one can see with just a glance the vast park, where shimmering lights seem to emanate from the distant woods.

Are there students camping here?

Could they be an SRT student?

Amamiya leaned against the railing of the overpass and finished the can of cola in her hand.

After crushing the pull tab, he looked around for any nearby trash cans.

Although Gewatos is technologically advanced, it is not as advanced as "Academy City" yet. You still have to take out your own trash and can't wait for the 'robots' to come and collect it.

After looking around, Amamiya's gaze settled on a large, unusual-looking trash can.

This trash can was unlike any of the large green trash cans he had seen before.

Besides the fact that the paint scheme uses a sky blue or azure blue, which is not particularly common even in Kivotos, it is also exceptionally clean.

It's like buying it on the first day and then leaving it here.

'This trash can…'

By squinting slightly, I activated my "third eye" to observe the trash can.

To Amamiya's slight surprise, something unexpected happened—atop this seemingly ordinary trash can floated an Arcana symbolizing the helper.

'...How could anyone like to crawl into a trash can?'

[Assisted by: Miyu Kasumizawa / The Enigmatic Little Rabbit]

Arcana: The Hermit (IX.L'mite)

[Assistance Relationship: Not Unlocked]

'The Hermit's Arcana... that's not particularly surprising.'

Typically, those who possess this Arcana will exhibit a degree of detachment from the real world, often being somewhat withdrawn, introverted, and reserved... and occasionally making some 'unconventional' choices.

'Go up and say hello...'

Chapter Nineteen: Kidnapping the Little Rabbit in the Dead of Night

The Little Rabbit Park looked very quiet in the evening.

The glow of night lights lingered deep in the woods, but apart from some barely perceptible ambient sounds, Amamiya could not detect any other valuable or meaningful sounds, nor did he see any trace of people coming or going.

'Miyu Kasumizawa...is she an SRT student?'

Standing on a nearby skybridge, presumably built for sightseeing, Amamiya looked at the brand-new trash can in front of her, pondering... how to wake up the 'mysterious little creature' inside the trash can in a way that would cause the least amount of stress.

With the trash can lid still open, Amamiya carefully examined the black-haired girl curled up in the black and blue-marked trash can, looking as if she had fallen asleep without realizing it, by the light of the bright white street lamp overhead.

She slept soundly in a strange posture, with her body constricted on all sides and curled up.

Even without getting close, Amamiya could hear the occasional soft smacking of his lips and the steady, rhythmic breathing.

Sleeping in a trash can like this, not to mention the cramped feeling... how do you breathe? Is there even any air circulation from the trash can? What if you accidentally roll over in your sleep?

How can she sleep so soundly?

Amamiya was filled with questions, but then he thought of the time he spent living in the attic on the second floor of the Leblanc Cafe.

That period of life was indeed tough.

Leaving aside the attic room's coffee-bean aroma, which was mostly damp, stuffy, and dusty... even the bed was a makeshift assembly made from beer crates and wooden planks.

Thinking back to her less-than-ideal daily life at the time, Amamiya felt relieved.

Having experienced the feeling of sleeping on a hard bed before, he gradually came to understand Miyu's feeling of being able to "sleep in a trash can".

After hesitating for a moment by the trash can, Amamiya looked at the crushed soda can in her hand.

...Let's wake her up in the most 'impolite' yet most normal way.

Amamiya gently closed the trash can lid, then tossed the crushed aluminum can into the bin through the top.

With the 'clatter' of the can falling into the trash can, Amamiya heard a 'Huh?' sound coming from inside the trash can, a sound that was somewhere between surprise and panic.

Amamiya turned and left.

He slowed his pace, deliberately creating the sound of footsteps as if someone were passing by.

Counting his steps silently, Amamiya took ten steps before the sound of the trash can lid being opened came from behind him.

Amamiya turned around at the sound and met a pair of pink eyes filled with inferiority and pitifulness.

"..."

"..."

"Huh...?!"

Miyu, who was peeking out to observe the outside world, seemed to be startled. She froze for a few seconds before reacting, letting out a 'rabbit squeak' that probably meant surprise, and then retreated back into her hole like a whack-a-mole.

Amamiya: "..."

At least say something.

Miyu's rather 'closed-minded' behavior made Amamiya recall all the 'hermit' students he had known so far.

Sora, Serika, Yuzu, Ui... these students who also possess the "Hermit" Arcana, although they all share traits such as being difficult to communicate with or not taking the initiative to communicate... at least they can all be spoken to.

Unlike Meiyou, she even took the initiative to back down.

If you won't take the initiative, then I'll have to.

Recalling the rules of "the art of social interaction" in her mind, Amamiya approached slowly, as if noticing something amiss.

"Did I see it wrong...?"

As she walked, Amamiya deliberately muttered to herself, transmitting her voice to Miyu, who was just a trash can away from her.

"Why would students be hiding in trash cans at this time of day...?"

As she spoke, Amamiya stopped in front of the trash can and pretended to lift Miyu's trash can.

Unlike the previous ease... this time, when Amamiya 'opened', she encountered a tremendous force from within.

No matter how hard Amamiya tried, the lid of the trash can remained firmly pulled from the inside.

"..."

For some reason, Amamiya felt as if she were negotiating with Futaba, who was trapped in a psychological shadow from which she could not extricate herself.

Considering that the 'violent opening' might damage the trash can, Amamiya decisively gave up and instead opened momotalk, using the "people nearby" function to find Miyu, who was only 0.1 meters away from her.

Seeing Miyu's momotalk signature, Amamiya couldn't help but laugh.

"Everything went black..."

Hiding in a trash can means you're basically in complete darkness...

Amamiya clicked to send the friend request, and immediately he heard the notification sound of a new message coming from the trash can.

The friend request was not accepted immediately.

Amamiya wasn't in a hurry. She leaned against the trash can and spoke gently in one direction.

At intervals of about thirty seconds, Amamiya continuously 'comforted' the other party to relax their guard.

"This...unknown student."

"I'm Sensei from Xia Lai, I'm not a bad person."

"Are you in some kind of trouble?"

Why are you hiding in the trash can? Is there nowhere else to go?

"If you have nowhere to go... how about you come back to Xialai with me?"

Although this series of statements sounds a lot like 'adults abducting innocent children'...

It is possible to have all five bond skills active at the same time: "Voice of the Stars" (Tama's bond skill), "Kindness and Affinity" (Hifumi's bond skill), "Elegance Through" (Akane's bond skill), and "Mature Aura"...

As long as Amamiya's words have some merit, even the most hardened heart can be gradually swayed.

Feeling the pressure on the trash can lid gradually loosen, Amamiya promptly gave up on the idea of ​​opening the lid.

He released his grip, took a few steps back, and then 'unleashed his trump card'.

"...If we don't do something soon, I'm going to take the trash can with me?"

Perhaps those words were too much of a blow to Miyu in the trash can, because she finally made a move.

After the trash can wobbled slightly from side to side, Amamiya's phone received a notification on MomoTalk that a friend had accepted his request, followed by a message from Miyu.

[Miyu: You're Xia Lai's Sensei...]

[Miyu: Why did you notice me?]

Amamiya thought to herself, "Why is that?"

I just saw the "Arcana" sign and that's why I wanted to strike up a conversation...

So, is the reason I asked this question... because you've never been noticed before?

It was a little strange why Miyu would ask that question, but Amamiya certainly couldn't answer her honestly.

[Amamiya: I just wanted to take a look around the area and clear my head... I didn't expect to see such a peculiar student here.]

[Amamiya: Miyu-san...right? Did something happen to you? Why are you sleeping in a trash can by the roadside?]

Meiyou remained silent for two or three minutes before giving a reply.

[Miyu: Because I need to observe the situation nearby...]

[Miyu: I accidentally fell asleep while observing the situation.]

'...Observe the situation?'

Upon hearing this, Amamiya gazed into the distance at the dense forest where the lights of Little Rabbit Park were coming from.

It's probably meant to serve as a warning to the students currently living in Rabbit Park.

[Amamiya: I see...]

[Amamiya: Come to think of it, it really is a coincidence of "fate" that I happened to be passing by here and that Miyu happened to be observing the situation here.]