Blue Archive - Story of Joshua Sensei

Chapter 65 - Onsen Event: Epilogue

"Hmph. You finally showed up." Minori says, lowering her megaphone. "Nodoka, you vicious, bourgeois manager!"

"A vicious, bourgeois manager?! Th-That's verbal abuse!" Nodoka argues.

"Not much of an insult, really." I deadpan, but go unheard.

"I haven't even been able to enjoy a life of luxury because I've been so busy running the business!" The blonde continues, before catching herself and clearing her throat. "What brings the Labor Party to our Hot Springs Resort Number Two-Two-Seven?" She asks, overly-politely.

"L-Look at that face!" Minori shouts, worried, before she raises her megaphone again. "Comrades! Look at the smile of that vicious, capitalism-soaked bourgeois! I can't believe I didn't realize it before, when we suffered through life together in the cold and harsh lands... But now, after gaining wealth, you finally show your true nature, you turncoat!"

"Wait! When did we ever suffer through life together?!" Nodoka shouts, indignant. "And don't give me weird nicknames!" She then closes in on the dark haired protester. "Take a deep breath and explain why you're protesting, Minori. You're being a public nuisance." She says through clenched teeth.

"Hmph, you still haven't realized the problem with this hot springs resort." Minori says.

"Then please, enlighten me." The blonde all but growls.

"Our complaint is THIS HOT SPRINGS ITSELF!" The dark haired girl declares.

""Eh?"" Shigure and I both ask.

"What kind of nonsense is that?!" Nodoka cries. "Did we do something to the Labor Party?! We haven't even talked to you!"

"Don't feign ignorance! We've been watching the entire time!" Minori snaps back. "We watched as the evil Hot Springs Development Department of Gehenna built a hot springs resort here!"

"...Is that a problem?" Nodoka asks, confused.

"Seriously? Y'all are mad because they didn't come to you to build it?" I ask, a tad incredulous.

"OF COURSE!" Minori shouts once more. "The Hot Springs Department is not affiliated with Red Winter in any way, they are an outside labor source!"

"...Seriously?!" Nodoka shouts, clearly upset now.

Minori begins to explain. "Whenever there were large-scale public works happening at the Red Winter Academy, we, the Labor Party, were the ones who completed them, no matter how difficult or unpleasant the work was. It was a rough and arduous work environment, but we were able to endure because we had pride in that all the buildings of the Red Winter Academy were built with our own hands." She pauses, looking upset now. "But the fact that the new hot springs resort, the best tourist attraction of Red Winter, was built by an outside labor source and not the Labor Party... it seriously hurt the pride of our members!"

"We've been hurt! Our pride is hurt!" One member echoes.

"The Labor Party is strictly protesting against the tyranny of the Hot Springs Resort Number Two-Two-Seven!" Minori declares.

"Protesting! Protesting!" Another member echoes.

"W-Wait a minute!" The blonde exclaims, holding her hands out as if to stop them. "The hot springs resort want built because we wanted it to be built! The Hot Springs Development Department gave us no choice!" She argues, before turning to me. "Don't just stand there, Sensei. Say something!"

"Oi, don't drag me into this." I scold the blonde, before turning to Minori. "But you're right, she's as much a victim of this as y'all are."

"The... Spec Ops students are also victims?" Minori asks slowly, trying to understand. "Hmm... I hadn't thought of it that way."