Permits, paperwork and peace. Three things simultaneously resolved by the Replacement Sensei, even if the latter was merely temporary. And when he asked them what they needed, it was one that was most obvious.

The paperwork brought them repairs. The permits secured that aid was coming their way. But all of that matters little when stomachs were empty.

Indeed, he never touched their food. Not once. Partially out of principle, and partially because watching the students struggle for themselves while they eat crackers that might have been a few days past the expiration date made his own hunger irrelevant.

As Kize silently left them once more to allow himself more space and distance himself, the small chatters between the students getting quieter the more steps he took, Kize slid open the Shittim Chest. Arona and Plana are well informed of the plan Kize had, even if he didn't speak it.

And Arona's solution was an obvious one.

"Schale has emergency reserves in the pantry! Let's use them--"

"Checked. Empty."

".... What?!" She gasped. "But Sensei always-"

"Sensei-" his voice was cold, icy as he cut her off. "Clearly never planned for a scenario where he isn't here to play hero."

The AIs were silenced, before Kize's hand slid down to his burner tablet and opened the map. He glanced at the AIs, who stared at him for a few seconds, before they seemingly understood his unspoken gaze and shut off the Shittim Chest.

And then Kize walked again.

————

Few questioned where he went again. They've seen him left once and return with results. They wonder if they would see that again.

Saori took her initiative. She had already slipped out. Out of the school building, where she followed his movements from an distance. She wondered where he could have gone, and yet. Everything Kize ever does before her very eyes keep stunning her.

Namely, Kize removing some rubble and hauling a dented, broken vending machine up to its feet. A struggle that Kize clearly wasn't built for but forced himself to.

Saori blinked. It had been a while since she returned, but last she remembered, the vending machines usually had bullets and magazines instead of something of edible consumption. Or drinkable liquids even. Did Kize knew that fact? Or is he doing this for grandeur?

"Are you sure this works?"

Kize didn't turn to face her.

"Broken. But not useless."

Just a few words spoken, and then Kize wrenched the front panel open, revealing rows of untouched snacks and drinks; long since paid for but never dispensed ever since the power has been a constant issue.

Kize scraped his hand in, taking hold of a protein bar before tossing it to her. "Eat."

She reflexively took it, her training teaching her well. Her eyes never focused on the protein bar, however. It was still latched onto Kize.

"You could've asked Trinity or Millennium for rations."

"And wait three days for approval, and then a rejection notice?" Kize scoffed.

Silence.

"This was faster."

Saori's grip tightened around the protein bar. He made no grand gestures. What he was even doing here wasn't even legal.

But it was something.

——

As Saori returned to the cafeteria with the haul, Kize remained behind the doors of the cafeteria, never to enter just yet. Instead, he glanced at the burner tablet, the small ping in the distance that gradually grows closer not escaping his prying eyes. He then entered, never a glance towards the students who quietly began to make good use of the vending machine raid, but instead sat on a chair and began swiping into his priorities.

And then, there was a sound. Rotor, mechanical blades that hummed faintly grew louder. Saori was the first to react, her assault rifle raised to the potential source.

"Are we under attack?!"

"No."

Kize's response was brief, but certain. And that certainty was what convinced Saori to slowly lower her weapon. Even with all the eyes of the students on him, Kize ignored it and continued what he should be doing.

Bureaucracy cares little for the one who works under them.

And then, a delivery drone whizzed into the cafeteria. And then another. And then one more for good measure. But all three didn't come empty handed.

"What in the..." Misaki questioned the nature of the cargo all three held, but slowly released to the ground, while Kize was voiceless, yet took his steps to the crate.

"Is...that..." Hiyori trailed off, and Kize then spoke flatly.

"Gehenna's cafeteria surplus." Prying open a crate, it revealed stacks of pre-packaged meals, from balls of rice, meat, and whatnot. Nutrients that were sure to fill the stomach for a healthy life. Or unhealthy, depending on whatever factors in life.

"They over-order by thirty percent daily. Called in a favor."

"Wait, since when did Gehenna ever did favors?!" Misaki questioned in exasperation. Gehenna were delinquent students, known for their propensity for chaos and destruction and revel in it shamelessly. And yet... They had a favor for this?

"Since I promised to fast-track their next 'experimental artillery' permit."

Silence. And then a series of stifled, and then uncontrolled laughter. It took the Arius students and Arius Squad a while to let it sink in at what he did, but they didn't need to say it out loud. What Kize effectively did was something so crucial, so corrupt, yet yielded results that were inherently positive to them.

He bribed Gehenna.

And it worked.

Sensei would have rallied the students together. He would have most likely found help somewhere, even if begrudgingly.

Kize? All he did was strong arming the districts for help, stole from a vending machine, and cut a backdoor deal with the students of Gehenna.

It wasn't moral. There was no doubt about it.

But it did get results.

He was no 'cog in the machine'. He was a man who worked around the system and exploited it.

As the students began to finally have their first proper meal, they all wondered the same thing. All voiced quietly by Atsuko, who ate into a rice ball soon after:

"He's not Sensei."

"No," Saori agreed quietly, as she watched Kize take his leave again.

"But he's here."

And for now, that was enough.

——

Kize stood at the rooftop, its foundation holding up surprisingly well. Kize double tasked himself, both the Shittim Chest and the burner tablet working up a storm to ensure the operations move by smoothly. And then door behind him opened.

"You've been gone for an hour." Saori voiced out. Not concern, not anger. Just a matter of fact.

"I'm working."

"On what?"

He never looked up.

"Making sure Arius doesn't get swallowed up by Kivotos."

The door shut behind her. "How?"

"Leverages. Alliances. Maybe blackmail."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only one you're getting."

Saori's inhale and exhale was sharp. A few more steps forward, just a bit closer, and then she stopped.

"Fine, then answer this. Why you?"

Kize finally glanced up, his tired pale blue eyes meeting her own. "Meaning?"

"Why did you get dragged into this? You're not Sensei. You don't care like he did. So why you?"

He held her gaze. "Because I'm qualified."

"That's bullshit."

"That's the truth."

Her sudden swear left no impact on Kize.

"Then why do you look like you'd rather be anywhere else?"

Kize's fingers stilled over the screen. Only a few seconds of thought was needed.

"...Because I would."

Silence. He was honest. And as much as she hated it, it was what was needed here. And Kize... Kize...

"Kize Seikato." She voiced out.

"What about it?"

"That's not a name."

He didn't flinch. He didn't even react. He provided the same reaction he did for Aoi. The same reaction for Atsuko. And his answer? A constancy:

"It isn't?"

Only Saori had the audacity to dare dig deeper.

"I ran a background check. Or tried to. There's no record of you anywhere outside Schale's files. No history. No credentials. Just... a name slapped on a dossier."

The only sound that came after her claim was the hum of the Shittim Chest, as Kize had that same, unreadable face.

And then, a quiet question:

"Does it matter?"

Saori's eyes looked. Glued to attention. Black combat boots. Well-worn, scuffed from use; he's not just an office worker; he moves, he acts. His black trousers seemed new, but was caked in the concrete dust of rubble. Functional, no nonsense.

A white creased shirt, slightly wrinkled, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, as if he's already done with formalities. Or never had such pleasantries. A peek of the neck insinuated a black undershirt, most likely to hide any sweat stains to his shirt, but Saori felt that there was something else about it. A dry blue tie, seemingly due to use, was loosely knotted, as if he begrudgingly put it on and immediately forgot about it.

And then everything under those clothes. A man with sandy orange hair, slightly unkempt. Not out of laziness, but because he doesn't care enough to style it. A few strands fall over his forehead, often brushed aside impatiently.

She saw him do it just now.

His eyes a pale blue, like frosted glass, sharp but distant, as if he's always looking through people rather than at them. Dark circles underline them, a testament to unsaid and unseen long hours and sleepless nights.

... A study of human adults was something she may have been familiar with. Yet, Kize seemed so much like an anomaly. Sensei would have looked normal, much less so than Kize, and yet he stood out even more thanks to it.

But Kize? It was like as if he was intentionally trying to blend in. To never be noticed.

Just like a ghost.

"Guess not." She concluded, turning around to the door. "Just don't get us killed, Replacement."

The door shut. Kize breathed. And he looked back to the map.