Itozawa watched Kanzaki's haughty display and felt a headache coming on, with a faint sense that the world had gone wrong. When had Kanzaki started acting like this? Itozawa could only offer a few words of advice before quickly getting away from him.
He had no idea that the reason Kanzaki was so fixated on him had everything to do with his ability...
Meanwhile, as everyone debated excitedly and wanted to head back to the swimming pool, Ichinose stepped forward.
Her voice was calm but firm. "Everyone, please wait. Acting blindly like this won't get us anywhere. I suggest we first speak with the teachers at the Logistics Department and find out what's going on."
Her voice and manner gradually calmed the agitated students. She continued, "We need more information, not impulsive action. The teachers at the Logistics Department may be able to give us some clues."
Persuaded by Ichinose, the students began nodding and agreed with her plan. Her warmth and leadership were crucial at that moment, helping the class act in a much more orderly way.
Watching Ichinose, Itozawa admired her leadership. He realized that she was not only the heart of the class, but also a stabilizing presence whenever they faced difficulties. He decided to follow her plan and go with her to the Logistics Department to find answers.
Led by Ichinose, the students left the classroom in an orderly fashion and headed for the Logistics Department.
Under Ichinose's lead, the students of Class B arrived at the Logistics Department to find the teacher who had lent Shibata the Water Pump. The office was simply and practically furnished, with all kinds of tools and supplies neatly arranged on shelves.
They met a young teacher with short purple hair, who was busy sorting through some documents. Itozawa was certain he had never seen this character in the Original Work. The teacher seemed full of energy and warmly welcomed the group of students.
They exchanged glances and eventually decided to have Ichinose, who had the best people skills, ask about the situation.
Ichinose stepped forward and asked politely, "Excuse me, are you one of the teachers at the Logistics Department? What would be the best way to address you?"
The teacher looked up and gave them a friendly smile. "Yes, my name is Takahashi Rin. You can call me Takahashi-sensei or Rin-sensei."
Ichinose noticed a glimmer of anticipation in Takahashi Rin's eyes and immediately obliged. "Rin-sensei, someone from our class borrowed the Water Pump from you, but we ran into some danger at the swimming pool and accidentally left it there. What should we do?"
Itozawa silently praised Ichinose's way of asking. She had deftly avoided revealing their suspicions about the teacher at the Logistics Department while indirectly asking about the swimming pool.
When Takahashi Rin heard Ichinose call her Rin-sensei, her smile grew even brighter.
She replied casually, "It's fine. I was the one who brought the Water Pump back. I should be thanking that student, actually. Every time I go to Yasuda to borrow some water, he just scowls and refuses."
As she spoke, Takahashi Rin walked around Ichinose and went straight to Shibata. She warmly took his hand to thank him. Taken aback by the sudden gesture, Shibata gave an awkward smile, unsure how to respond.
The other students were surprised, too. They hadn't expected to hear that answer. The outcome was completely beyond their expectations, leaving them at a loss for what to do.
Itozawa's brow furrowed slightly. He realized the situation might be more complicated than they had imagined.
Ichinose quickly picked up on a clue in Takahashi Rin's words and asked, "Rin-sensei, is Yasuda-sensei the teacher in charge of the swimming pool?"
Takahashi Rin turned around and nodded with a smile. "That's right. Yasuda-sensei is a real treasure. His water even has beauty and anti-aging effects, and it can also be used to..." She suddenly realized she had almost let something slip and hurriedly stopped herself, though the amusement in her eyes only grew.
"Every time I go to borrow some water from him, he refuses. So stingy! Luckily, that student helped me out by borrowing a whole lot."
As she spoke, Takahashi Rin suddenly took Ichinose by the hand and said warmly, "I like you. Would you like to join me for a bath? The water in my bathhouse comes from Yasuda-sensei, you know."
Ichinose hesitated for a moment, but seeing the warmth in Takahashi Rin's eyes, she gave her a gentle smile and accepted. "All right, Rin-sensei. I'd be honored to bathe with you."
Watching all this, Kanzaki couldn't help quietly sharing his thoughts with Itozawa. "My earlier judgment was wrong. It seems Yasuda-sensei's ability isn't 'Water: Endless,' but 'Water: Nourishing.'
"No wonder he's so protective of his water that he'd flood Shibata outright. He probably thought Shibata had been sent by Takahashi-sensei to steal it."
Itozawa was speechless when Kanzaki suddenly appeared beside him again. Still, as he listened to Kanzaki's analysis, he gained a deeper understanding of the whole situation.
He replied to Kanzaki in a low voice, "Then it seems there are two ways to solve this test. One is to persuade Yasuda-sensei to stop storing water for now. The other is to work with Takahashi-sensei to drain the pool, so his ability can't replenish the water quickly enough, and we can 'drain' the swimming pool."
Kanzaki nodded. "Exactly. But either way, we need to understand more about the relationship between Yasuda-sensei and Takahashi-sensei, and how their abilities work."
With that in mind, Itozawa stepped forward and gently tugged at Ichinose's sleeve, leading her aside. He quietly explained his assessment and the plan he had come up with.
Ichinose nodded and asked softly, "Then what should I do?"
Itozawa quickly explained his idea. "All you need to do is try to persuade Takahashi-sensei while you're bathing with her. See if you can get her to work with us and take Yasuda-sensei's water. Meanwhile, we'll find a way to learn more about Yasuda-sensei."
Ichinose looked surprised. "Huh? Aren't we going to try persuading Yasuda-sensei?"
"If Yasuda-sensei were willing to agree, this wouldn't be a test question. We're only going to have Kanzaki try to control him briefly."
After hearing Itozawa's explanation, Ichinose nodded in agreement. "All right. I'll do my best."
Itozawa was relieved by Ichinose's trust and support. He knew that her warmth and persuasive skills were powerful, and she might be the key to completing this task. He told her, "Thank you, Ichinose. We'll find Yasuda-sensei as soon as we can and learn what he thinks."
Throughout all this, Takahashi Rin-sensei stood nearby, her gaze shifting between Itozawa and Ichinose, a peculiar smile on her face.
He wasn't sure whether Takahashi Rin-sensei had already guessed their plan, but her smile made him feel that she might not be opposed to what they were doing.
Itozawa and Ichinose returned to the other students, and they began assigning tasks and preparing to split up.
Ichinose was going to bathe with Takahashi Rin-sensei, while Itozawa and the other students planned to head to the swimming pool to find Yasuda-sensei and try to talk with him.
Before you continue