The streets of Kivotos were quiet at this hour, the glow of neon signs reflecting off the damp pavement as Kize walked. His fingers tapped against the burner tablet tucked under his arm. He had a feeling he's going to need a separation from work and personal. And he especially doesn't need the General Student Council nor whoever works in Schale the benefit of overseeing what his work entails.

"Arona, Plana, transfer the Arius Satellite School model to this."

Arona blinked.

"Huh? But the Shittim Chest already has it!"

"I don't want to pull it out in front of them," Kize said flatly. "Just do it."

Plana studied him for a moment before nodding. "Understood. Transferring data now."

The holographic model of Arius Satellite School flickered, then compressed into a file on the cheap tablet.

Kize didn't explain further.

He didn't need to.

————

His finger swiped the screen to the right, as if virtually throwing away something off the screen before he placed the tablet onto the table. From the breast pocket of his coat, he slid down what held: a stylus pen.

"Schale keeps a weird database of schools and their structures. Buildings. 3D models and such. Can't assess damages, but it at least gives you reference points on what's missing and what's needed. Got i--"

Kize's expression was unreadable, as he backed away. One student approached the tablet and stared at the screen. It wasn't just a building. It was their school. Or at least, what should have been their school. Trinity's "liberation" desolated the region to near starvation, and all they could go by were rations spared from their prying eyes.

"This wall right here. It's damaged."

Another one approached, pointing out another one.

"That one too!"

"Pipe leakage over this particular spot."

"Generator partially works. But the rubble--"

Gradually, someone picked up the stylus. Circling, marking, manipulating the environment within the tablet (something Kize didn't account for) for any more spots for the students to point. And they were working fast. Perhaps they truly know their way around.

But of course. They were Arius Satellite School Students. This was their school. Who knew it better than they do?

His hand in his inner jacket pocket, he began walking out.

"Where are you going?" Saori inquired, stopping all activities to stare towards Kize's back. Kize merely glanced.

"To do my job."

The door closed behind his back, and immediately he pulled out the Shittim Chest while power walking.

"Arona, Plana."

"Sensei!"

"Sensei."

The two AI emerged onto the screen.

"Arona, flag every construction firm in Kivotos with clearance for emergency repairs."

"Okay!"

"Plana, cross-reference Trinity's post-liberation aid packages. See what they've already allocated to the Arius District."

"Understood."

Both AIs began their operation. Kize began his architectural plans.

——————

There were circles, geometric shapes colored, Xs, and a simple straight line. It was a comprehensible mess, something the Arius Students are well versed in understanding.

And then, utterances between the students began.

"...You think he's actually gonna do anything?"

"Dunno. But he didn't lie to us. That's something."

Saori didn't say anything. Arius Squad didn't at all. Their gazes fixed at the door, wondering what that Replacement Sensei was planning on doing. What those tired eyes tend to see. What is it with that man? It felt like they were seeing a man with stories, yet also a man without one. A paradox of some sort.

The door then swung open, and all attention was back to Kize, who stepped into the cafeteria once more. The only difference here being, he was holding a stack of papers. he approached Arius Squad, and while they were already wary of him, they never moved a muscle. As far as they know of Kize, he wasn't inappropriate. He was just objective.

"Here." He dropped them onto the table. "Emergency construction permits. Material requisitions. A temporary power grid reroute from Millennium."

"........"

They all stared at Kize. Not just Arius Squad. But Arius as a whole.

"Wait." Misaki was first to break the silence. "And you got this... Just now?"

"I have a portable printer."

That should have been a joke. Could have been a joke. And yet, his expression didn't change. Just that neutral, plain look that wants this work to be done efficiently. Almost like a robot given human skin.

The Shittim Chest sure had a lot of functions that he tinkered with before meeting Arius Squad.

"And Schale has authority. I used it."

"......"

They almost forgot he was even working under Schale. But he didn't stop there.

"The Engineering Department sent a repair team. They'll be here by dawn. Provisional ceasefire with Trinity's relief office has also been negotiated."

"...................."

Stunned once again. In such a short period of time, Kize had proven himself, shown himself. As Arius Squad scrambled to look through the paper to legitimize his claim, they were shocked to find it true.

To Millennium's Engineering Department, there was a printed, complete form that they assume he sent electronically, and merely printed as physical evidence of his work. In it, the only words that they mattered were 'SCHALE PRIORITY REQUEST: CONSTRUCTION TEAM DEPLOYMENT – ARIUS SECTOR. REASON: 'Because the building is falling apart.' ' And not just that. It had been stamped for approval. So were all of the paper he put down.

Another thing they all noticed was that these papers. He dug through Schale's files, favors, obligations. Everything Sensei and Schale had done, held and used by the Replacement Sensei. All for Arius Satellite School.

Not only did Kize brought his receipts.

He strong-armed the schools to help.

"..... You really aren't Sensei."

A collective realization, all spoken singularly by Atsuko, her mask slowly opening itself. Her red eyes curiously stared towards Kize's tired blues, with the latter having a raised eyebrow. A silent, yet visual inquiry.

"Sensei would've just showed up with a toolbox and a hopeful grin." She pointed out. "You? You brought paperwork."

That realization and that comparison. That was the only way that made them easily understand and process.

Truly, he wasn't Sensei.

He was just doing his job.

For the first time since he'd arrived, the tension in the room cracked; not with hostility, but with something almost like relief.

Kize heaved out a sigh. His job wasn't done. Not until he made sure that Arius could stand on its own two feet. By itself. Not from him. Never from him.

By itself.

"Tell me what else you need."

And this time, they did.