"Neries, do you have a second? I’d like to talk."
The group moved to the Female Dormitory. Yugo, Verda, Peewee, and Ryuga stood together outside Neries’s Room.
Peewee knocked on the door, her voice soft but thick with desperation as she pleaded with her friend through the wood. "You’ve heard about the exam, right? This is serious, Neries. Please, let's talk about it."
"..."
"Neries...! Neither Verda nor I want you to face School Expulsion. We’re your friends, and we’re worried about you. We want to help!"
"..."
Neries offered no response to Peewee’s frantic appeals. However, they could sense a presence on the other side—the faint rustle of movement that confirmed she was definitely listening.
"It’s been like this the whole time," Verda explained, watching Peewee with a heavy expression. "Sometimes she answers, but usually, it's just silence."
Realizing the situation was even more dire than he'd thought, Yugo stepped up to the door to take over for Peewee. "Uh, Neries? You’re listening, right?"
"...!"
The moment Yugo spoke, the atmosphere on the other side of the door shifted. Grateful for even a flicker of a reaction, he pressed on.
"It’s me, Hugo Clay. Peewee and Verda asked me to come talk to you."
"...Please go away. I don't have anything to say to anyone."
"Neries...!" Peewee slumped, her heart sinking at the blunt rejection.
As Yugo stood there wondering how to bridge the gap, Ryuga, who had been observing the scene in silence, finally spoke up. "Yugo, would you mind leaving this to me?"
"Oh... sure. I’ll count on you then."
Yugo handed the reins over to Ryuga and stepped back. Staring intently at the closed door, Ryuga took a breath and addressed the girl inside.
"Neries-san... are you standing right there?"
"...Who are you?"
"Don't ask me questions."
"Wait, what!? Ryuga!!" Yugo’s retort was instantaneous, reacting to his friend's usual nonsense.
Ryuga merely waved him off with a wry smile and turned his attention back to the door. "No, sorry. That was just a reflex. I'd appreciate it if you ignored it. What I actually wanted to say was... well, if you’re standing right behind the door, you might want to step back. Just a precaution."
"Eh...?"
The moment a terrible premonition struck Yugo, Ryuga reached for the Katana at his waist.
A sharp metallic click echoed as he cleared the hilt. In the next heartbeat, a cross-shaped flash of light was carved into the wood. As Ryuga returned Ryuo-ga to its sheath with a crisp snap, the door—now neatly sliced into four pieces—collapsed inward without a sound.
"Eh!? Eeeeeeeh!?"
"It’s open. Now we can speak face-to-face."
Peewee and Verda screamed in unison, their voices filled with absolute shock at a solution that was far too muscle-brained for words. Yugo immediately rounded on Ryuga, who looked entirely too pleased with himself.
"Ryuga!? What the hell are you thinking!?"
"Yugo, don't ask me questions."
"Are you trying to solve everything with that one line!? Use your head! Who in their right mind does something that stupid!?"
In response to Yugo's shouting, Ryuga simply pointed at himself with a stoic expression.
Yugo’s shoulders slumped in defeat. Then, snapping back to reality, he looked through the ruins of the door to see Neries frozen in place, paralyzed by the sudden intrusion.
"Um, uh, I'm so sorry! I'll make sure this guy learns his lesson! We'll get the door fixed right away, I promise!!"
"Eh? Ah... uh...?" Neries seemed to be in a daze, perhaps from the absurdity of the event or perhaps because she was stunned to see the infamous Hugo Clay bowing his head in a sincere apology.
Seeing an opening in the girl's confusion, Peewee rushed into the room.
"Neries! Since the door is already gone, let's talk! Since we have to get it fixed anyway, why don't you come outside for a bit?"
"Yeah, exactly!" Verda added, piling on. "Nothing good comes from staying cooped up in here. How about some food? Or some exercise? Anything!"
"Eh...?" Neries muttered, looking completely overwhelmed.
As she cast her gaze downward, Yugo spoke up again, his voice gentle. "...Everyone is just worried about you. You don't have to force yourself to leave if you aren't ready, but... would it be okay if we just talked for a little while, now that we can see each other?"
"...!!"
Neries looked up, her eyes wide as she stared at Yugo. After a long moment of silence, she whispered her response.
"...If it's just for a little while."
"Really? Thank you! Is it okay if we talk here?"
Neries gave a small, hesitant nod. Peewee and Verda beamed, clearly relieved to have finally made a breakthrough.
"Ryuga, go find Ann and ask her to fix the door. And while you're at it—"
"...Understood. I'll leave the rest to you, Partner."
Yugo made his partner take responsibility for the property damage while giving him a few other errands to run. They had cleared the First Phase for now, but the real challenge was just beginning. Steelring himself, Yugo prepared to sit down and truly talk with Neries.