Blue Archive - Story of Joshua Sensei

Chapter 92 - Down Time XXIV

...

After the operation was unmasked, all pretenses were off for Hina, who- true to her word- began pushing her subordinates hard via hellish training. Despite this, she still took the time to come back and spend time with Arona, Problem Solver, and I, even while having paperwork to do.

Unfortunately, said paperwork kept her REALLY busy, so the others and I hung out without her. I even helped Arona and the others learn how to swim. Hina's turn will have to come later, sadly.

Fortunately, the Head Prefect is not without mercy, so she allowed her team a true vacation for the last couple of days of the planned week-long training trip. Despite the others getting a break from their training (read: torture), Hina was still swamped with work. This was shown when Hina texted me around noon.

About this evening's dinner plans, Sensei. Can we push them back a bit?

Sure? Work got ya busy still?

Indeed.

Well that's fine. We can always do something tomorrow, or the next day.

Or even after y'all get back to the academy.

Fair point.

Still, thank you for understanding. I've been very busy these past few days.

You aren't pushing yourself too hard, are you?

No, it's nothing too serious. It just means I have to move my schedule around.

I'll be spending today on paperwork rather than patrolling.

I'd say that's serious. Paperwork always sucks.

Well, it's not that rare for this kind of thing to happen to me.

Anyway, I'm feeling better after talking to you, Sensei.

I need to get back to work. Talk to you later.

Hmm. I shouldn't let that be. I think I'll go and see if I can help the poor girl out a bit. Fuck paperwork.

—————

Entering her room, sure enough, there was Hina busy with paperwork, still clad in her swimsuit.

"Huh? Sensei?" She blinks, surprised by my appearance. "What brought you here so suddenly?"

"I figured I'd come and lighten your load." I say, closing the door behind me. "It's a waste to come all the way out here and be busy like this."

"You shouldn't have come all the way here just for that." She argues. "I appreciate the gesture, but this just makes things harder, Sensei. We're not here to have fun, even if this is a vacation spot. I may be taking a break from the Prefect Team, but the tasks that must be done continue to pile up. I can't do anything else until I'm finished. And on top of that, I don't understand what you mean by 'a waste'."

"She says, despite wearing a swimsuit." I point out, raising an eyebrow.

"W-Well..." Hina looks away, knowing she's lost this one. "I'm merely dressed for the occasion. It doesn't mean there's a special reason I had to put it on."

"Besides, I genuinely wanna help you, Hina." I say, crossing my arms.

"You were being serious...?" She mutters, a small smile growing on her face. "You really are a strange one, Sensei. Very well. If this is what you want, then I will gratefully accept." She then grabs a stack of papers and dumps them into my hands.

"I take it this is it?" I ask.

"Most of it. This is our task. The Prefect Team's management plans for the second half of the year, the third stage of the Gehenna road maintenance project report, the club activity report, the meeting logs... and this." She says, motioning to the stack in my hands. "Can you start by splitting these documents that need approval and those that don't? And don't worry, Sensei, there's much more where that came from." She pauses, noticing my deadpan expression. "This isn't too much, is it?"