I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Whether it was hardship or happiness... there are always some things that are hard to forget.

Amamiya slowed her pace and observed Misaki and Hiyori, who hadn't spoken, and noticed that they both had similar expressions of nostalgia or recollection of something.

Misaki seemed to be reminiscing about something...

Hiyori, on the other hand, suddenly seemed a little aggrieved after thinking of something.

"Oh, right, the magazines I've been keeping..."

You forgot to take it with you when you moved to Xialai, didn't you?

Amamiya shook his head helplessly, thinking he had lost some 'rare treasure'.

Following the lights, Amamiya and his group arrived at an old-fashioned iron gate with lights on in front of it.

"227th Action Team... this should be it."

Amamiya stepped forward and knocked on the door. Since they had been in contact beforehand, the girls inside were already prepared.

After the clanging of metal chains, the door was opened by a short-haired girl with mink ears and a mink tail whose eyes glowed eerily green in the warm, dark environment.

Maintaining a cautious stance with the door slightly ajar, the girl quickly surveyed the surroundings outside.

"Sensei..."

"Oh, and the members of Arius's squad, right? Welcome."

The safety chain was completely released, and Amamiya then smelled a strong aroma of alcohol mixed with fruity notes.

"Hoo hoo hoo?... I never expected that my 'encounter' with Sensei would be so special."

After removing her hat in acknowledgment, the girl gracefully stepped back: "I've already heard about what happened from Sensei... Spending most of the day with President Cerino and then having to trek through the snow for so long... It must have been very tiring, right?"

"Come in and find a place to sit for a while, rest, and warm up."

That greeting... it really has a gentle, 'tavern owner' feel to it.

Following Shigure's footsteps, Amamiya and the members of Arius's squad entered the "227 Club Activity Room" one after another.

Although the club's situation was as dire as "digging potatoes in Siberia," it didn't lack any of the living support that student clubs should have.

The room was dimly lit, and the only thing keeping it warm was not the air conditioning that is so common in Kiwatos, but a fireplace that was burning with a pot on top.

The room has very few modern electrical appliances, and even the light source is an old-fashioned chandelier with a yellowish glow that flickers from time to time.

Although there are hardly any electrical appliances in the room... what Amamiya sees in the meticulous and well-arranged interior furnishings is not "poverty," but warmth.

A warm and healing feeling...

"Sensei, you must be thirsty after walking all this way. Here, have some drinks."

While Amamiya and the members of Arius's team were sitting down in the living room, Shigure returned with a large pile of glass bottles and handed one of them to Amamiya.

She then continued distributing the 'drinks' to the members of Arius's team without stopping.

As we all know, trekking through the long, cold winter can consume more water than activities in the sweltering heat of summer.

The girls in Arios's squad were indeed a bit thirsty, so they didn't refuse or hesitate about Shigure's drinks, which were neither 'hasty' nor 'high-class'.

Saori unscrewed the bottle, tilted her head back, and took a swig, then immediately realized something was wrong.

"Um...this, cough cough cough...this is...alcohol?"

The spicy, pungent sensation, mixed with fruity aroma, traveled down her throat and into her head. The unprecedented stimulation immediately alerted Saori, who grabbed her weapon.

"It's not alcohol...it's a specialty beverage from Chidong."

Shigure noticed Saori's alertness but didn't pay it any mind. Instead, he smiled and looked at the other three members of Arios's team.

"Shall we all have a drink?"

"It really does quench thirst..."

"Moreover, at Red Winter Academy, this is also a way to warm up."

Akiko hesitated for a moment, weighing whether or not to try the 'Red Winter Specialty'... After a brief hesitation, she opened the drink and put it to her lips, first sniffing the aroma.

Hmm...indeed, it has a very light and wonderful fruity aroma...

What will it taste like?

After taking a small sip, Ajinko lowered her eyes, her gaze brightening considerably, and soon a captivating blush appeared on her cheeks.

I feel a little dizzy... but it's still manageable...?

With the two members taking the lead, Misaki and Hiyori followed suit and each drank a little bit.

Misaki took a sip, then frowned slightly and put the bottle down with a hint of disgust.

As for Hiyori... I don't know what got into her, but after taking a sip, she couldn't help but take a second sip. Soon, small circles appeared in her eyes, and the flush on her cheeks became more and more obvious.

Leaning against the fireplace, Amamiya held the bottle but didn't drink from it. Instead, she observed the amusing antics of the Arius squad members with great interest.

From the moment Akawa Daisai received the 'moonlight sake' gift, he was already prepared to be given a bottle of 'high-proof beverage' by the other party.

While pondering, Amamiya observed the situation using her [Third Eye].

[Assisted by: Shigure Izayoi / 227'Sake-obsessed']

【Arcana: The Priestess (Жрица)】

[Assistance Relationship: Not Unlocked]

"Aren't you going to drink Sensei?"

Noticing the gaze, Shigure, who was also observing the reaction of Arius's squad, looked up at Amamiya.

Amamiya didn't say anything, but opened the 'drink' and drank almost half of it in one go.

【~???~】(Shigure)

"Oh~"

The girl smiled as she watched this scene: "Sensei, you really have the 'boldness of an adult'."

"..."

Sensing the slightly romantic atmosphere, Shigure, swaying her sable tail, went to the fireplace and began to check on the pot inside.

The girl's body, half-covered in the flickering firelight, was dyed a bright and gentle flame color, with a hint of intoxication.

"Sensei..."

She said slowly, "He Xiang won't be back for a while."

"Before that... shall we talk for a bit?"

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Shigure's Survival Wisdom

"As Sensei observed..."

Removing her heat-resistant gloves, the girl slowly squatted down, supporting herself on her knees, and extended her delicate white hand toward the flickering firelight crackling softly in the fireplace.

"This is Special Operations Team 227."

Arius's squad members glanced over from time to time, but Shigure paid no attention.

She continued to slowly pour out her grievances: "They drove people to the north where it was freezing to death, and then...then they were almost forgotten..."

"There wasn't even the most basic food ration."

"Although we can still barely supply water and electricity, this is the result of long-term efforts."

"..."

Shigure remained silent for a while, bathed in the firelight of the fireplace.

"There's no proper heating equipment, and bears occasionally roam the area..."

"……Why."

“These are the reasons why I established contact with Sensei a long time ago… and why I wanted Sensei’s help,” the girl said, rising to her feet.

When Shiyu spoke, she used a calm and steady tone throughout, without revealing any emotion, and had absolutely no intention of playing the victim or trying to gain sympathy.

But her straightforward narration already moved Amamiya somewhat.

To be honest, when he was adopted by Sakura Sojiro and lived in the attic of the Leblanc Café in Shigenjaya, he never felt so 'bitter'.

Before Futaba opened up to him and joined the Phantom Thieves, Sojiro never gave her a kind look, but he was all bark and no bite, and his concern and care were deeply hidden.

After Futaba joins the Phantom Thieves, Sojiro provides her with breakfast and cares for her studies like a kind elder. He even goes so far as to risk destroying the café to cover for the Phantom Thieves in crucial moments.

'You have a wonderful daughter.'

'You idiot, it's not just your daughter...'

'Remember to say goodbye to Futaba. Also…'

'After you get out, if you need to engage in any more phantom thief activities... remember to be careful.'

"When you're out in the world... there's no adult like me who would protect you bunch of kids without considering the cost."

—On the day of farewell, the Leblanc café had a rare sunny and bright atmosphere.

And Amamiya still remembers that conversation very clearly.

As she turned to leave with her shoulder bag, Amamiya clearly remembered seeing Sojiro take off his glasses and secretly wipe away tears through the reflection in the glass door of the cafe.

Shigure and Waka's 'tragic' experience reminded Amamiya of Sōjirō.

Amamiya knew very well that she was telling herself these things... certainly not to complain.

It was not that she wanted to use herself as a medium to allow herself and Kaori to return to the Akatsuki Federal Academy.

Amamiya saw it clearly: Shigure wasn't the kind of student who craved a 'comfortable life'.

On the contrary, the state of mind she displayed... in Amamiya's view, had a kind of artistic conception described in ancient poetry.

"I built my hut in the midst of human habitation, yet there is no noise of carriages and horses."

"How can you be like this? When your heart is far away, the place naturally becomes secluded."

As for why Shigure has this mentality... Amamiya estimates that it may be largely related to the fact that Akatsuki is almost constantly rebelling and the power structure is changing too frequently.

Amamiya was once confronted by a broken Goro Akechi, who roared, "What is it about me that I'm inferior to you? What makes me inferior to you, this piece of trash living in the attic!"

Amamiya did not answer at the time.

Now... all he wants to say is that there are advantages to living in an attic.

Yes, although living in an attic is indeed very different from life in a big city.

But it is precisely because he can observe the whole situation from this perspective, not be affected by the noise, and calm down to think about the problem that he can pragmatically focus his energy on the phantom thief's activities.

It was precisely because of this low starting point that Amamiya was able to recognize his fellow members of the Phantom Thieves, who were similar to him, who were ostracized for various reasons, struggling in the mire of the real world, and had nowhere to belong... as well as the "helpers" who taught him how to conduct himself in the world and were willing to empathize with him, support him, and help him at crucial moments.

"I can understand this kind of hard life."

Having put aside her chaotic thoughts, Amamiya gave a sincere reply.

After a slight pause, as if gleaning a hidden story from such a simple agreement, Shigure lingered on Amamiya for a moment with a unique gaze that seemed to be re-understanding her.

It wasn't simply about agreeing to gain approval... but rather about having genuinely experienced a difficult and unspeakable period in life.

【~???~】(Shigure)

"Hmm... It's clear that Sensei wasn't making things up."

She exhaled a puff of white steam, and a hint of tipsy haze crept into the girl's gentle expression.

“Sensei…just like me.”

"In this case……"

In her drunken state, she said slowly, "...It makes me want to care about Sensei."

Amamiya: ...

While those who possess the 'Priestess' card may have some latent maternal instincts, it's not as obvious as it seems.

The members of Arius's squad were still watching...