A few hours later, the sun sank behind the western hills.
Misaki Shokuhou finally returned to her loyal Talent Workshop.
Unlike ordinary research institutions, the Talent Workshop currently had few reliable senior staff, as it had only just resumed operations.
Between gathering her clique at Tokiwadai and helping Roland, who left everything to others, formulate policies, she was usually quite busy.
Even so, Misaki Shokuhou never missed their regular meetings, come rain or shine.
Even when Roland considerately told her that she did not have to come, it failed to change her mind.
It was not that Miss Shokuhou failed to appreciate Roland's kindness. She simply had her own reasons.
How could she not worry about leaving the person she liked with four beautiful young girls, so lovely that even other girls would fall for them, every day?!
Even if ITEM were their allies now, they had ultimately started out as captives.
She, on the other hand, had decided to join him as an accomplice from the very beginning, so she had to stake her claim properly.
Given her status as an Esper and her intimate relationship with Roland, although ITEM remained rather cool toward her, they showed no unusual reaction to her assertiveness.
But what was going on today?
Misaki Shokuhou discreetly studied the expressions of the girls around her.
Kinuhata Saiai and Rikō Takitsubō had taken their seats early as always, looking no different from usual.
But Miss Shokuhou still keenly noticed something.
Kinuhata Saiai looked slightly pale, as though she had suffered some fright and had yet to recover.
Yet rather than fear, the emotion lingering in her heart seemed closer to embarrassed indignation.
Rikō Takitsubō wore her usual sleepy expression, but her thin lips were pressed together, looking rather jealous. It was unclear whether she was