Chapter 37

Mission 37 (: 37) is the thirty-seventh chapter of the SPY x FAMILY manga, written and illustrated by Tatsuya Endo. It was released on November 30, 2020.

Summary
The Imperial Scholars mixer is Eden Academy’s semi-annual get-together exclusive to Imperial Scholars, their parents, and select alumni. In short, it is a meeting between Ostania’s top brass. Because the event is currently taking place, school security has tightened, with agents and the military on guard. Inside the campus, Twilight overlooks the security disguised as a professor. He remarks how difficult it is to infiltrate the Imperial Scholars mixer, citing past failed attempts by other agents.

The event is being held at the “Tower of Wisdom,” which not only has few possible entrances but even tighter security with state-of-the-art technology. There is the option of taking the tower by force, but that could only work once and be effective if the goal was to assassinate Donovan Desmond. But because Operation Strix requires establishing continuous contact with Donovan, it is out of the question. Approaching Donovan in disguise is another option, but Twilight is aware of the risks and decides to meet him as Loid Forger instead. He concludes that opportunities to make contact with Desmond outside the tower are virtually nonexistent but should try to explore those possibilities. Meanwhile, Cecile Hall finishes class for the day, and the teacher reminds them to leave the school grounds as it will be closed in the afternoon for the Imperial Scholars event. The students chat about the mixer and who will be attending. One of the girls asks Damian Desmond if his dad will be there since his brother Demetrius is an Imperial Scholar. Damian does not hear them, instead thinking back to a phone call with Demetrius. Damian asked his brother to deliver a message to Donovan: to meet with him in the courtyard at Library 2 after the mixer. Demetrius agrees but tells Damian not to get his hopes up, as their father is a busy man, before ending the call.

In the present, the girls continue to ask to meet with Donovan, and Damian angrily tells them to leave him alone and stomps away with his friends in tow. Having read his thoughts, Anya Forger realizes Damian’s plan. Seeing that her plan to win his heart with fashion failed, she decides to tail Damian and face Donovan herself. The boys have already noticed Anya sneaking behind and glaring at them, so Damian yells at her to go away. Ewen Egeburg speaks up to tell Damian why Anya has been chasing him. Damian reddens up, assuming romantic reasons. Ewen explains that Anya might be chasing him to curry favor with Donovan, and Emile Elman agrees, saying Anya is the same as all the other kids. Embarrassed and enraged, Damian calls Anya names before running away. Anya suggests punching him again, but Becky Blackbell, who has been with her, reminds her that she will get expelled if she does.

Suddenly, Anya hears Twilight’s thoughts, expressing his frustration at how Anya and Damian are not getting along and that Plan B is failing. Twilight switches perspectives, wondering if that is her way of attempting to befriend him. Twilight continues to follow Damian if he decides to meet with Donovan. Hearing her father’s plan, Anya follows after Damian. Heading to the courtyard, the boys discuss Damian’s plan to meet with his father. Eavesdropping on their conversation, Twilight confirms that Damian will meet with Donovan as the boys decide to check out the mixer for themselves.

Outside the Tower of Wisdom, Imperial Scholars and their families walk through the school grounds, heading to the event. The boys are amazed at how many people there are, and Emile comments that even among all the famous people present, Donovan is a V.I.P., which makes Damian freeze up. He decides not to see his father, shocking the boys and Twilight. Damian reasons that Donovan is an incredible and busy man that does not have time to waste on people like him. As he turns to inform Demetrius of his decision, he is stopped in his tracks by Anya, who cannot let him do that. Twilight and Damian are surprised by her sudden appearance, and Damian once again tells her to leave, calling her a stalker. Anya smugly taunts Damian, asking him if he is scared and says she knows he is. Damian wonders if she is reading his mind, causing Anya to worry. Anya nervously reveals that Damian got 50 points on his reading test. When asked how she knew, Anya says she peeked over Damian’s shoulder, making Becky think Anya really is a stalker. Anya says Damian is scared his father will find out about his poor grade and tries empathizing with him, admitting to getting 17 points. Anya says she does not know if Loid likes her, so she is also scared, and adds that he gets mad at her often. Despite that, Anya believes in her father because she loves him, so she will use all her courage to tell him that she failed.

The boys, Becky, and Twilight stare at Anya in confusion, who quickly wonders aloud what she was just talking about. Damian starts walking in the opposite direction, and Ewen asks where he is going. An embarrassed Damian says he will go to the courtyard to meet with Donovan. His friends follow him, cheering him on, while Damian says it is not because he is scared. Twilight, not sure what just happened, quietly commends Anya for the effort. In the courtyard, the kids quietly sit and wait for the mixer to end. Becky is surprised that Anya is doing the same, as she just wants to go home. She assumes Anya is eager to meet Damian’s parents because she wants their blessing to marry, misreading her seriousness. Becky decides to wait with Anya, hoping to see the ‘big moment’ with her own eyes. Anya falls asleep shortly after and Becky realizes her mistake. She asks a nearby Martha Marriott to take Anya back to their car as they prepare to leave. On their way out, they pass by Twilight, who reveals a handmade duplicate of Anya’s expensive sheep keychain made with cheaper materials. With that, Twilight puts his plan into motion.

Twilight continues to observe the mixer from the outside until it finishes. He watches Desmond leave and decides to make his move. At the courtyard where Damian’s group is waiting, Loid appears and asks the boys if they have seen a sheep keychain. Damian recognizes the description and gives Loid the replica that was planted on the ground earlier for them to find. The boys connect the dots and realize they are talking to Anya’s father. Realizing who he is talking to, Loid quickly kneels before Damian and apologizes for Anya’s behavior at the orientation. He tells Damian that he would also like to apologize to his parents, and at that moment, Donovan arrives. In his thoughts, Twilight apologizes to Damian for needing to crash his family reunion. Damian is surprised his father showed up, while Loid comes face-to-face with Donovan. He tries to talk to Donovan, but the bodyguards tell him to leave. However, Donovan gives him the chance to speak, prompting Loid to apologize for Anya’s behavior towards Damian and introduces himself with a smile.

Trivia

 * In the original Japanese chapter and in the Russian translation, when Demetrius answers the phone, Damian calls him "aniki" (rus. "брат", eng. "brother"). In all other translations, he refers to him by his name.
 * On page 14, one of the female Imperial Scholars is wearing black pants instead of knee socks like other teenaged female Eden students. In the anime adaptation, the pants are white instead of black.