Vol 5 Chapter 2 (1/2)

Chapter 2 – Unscrupulous Winding Thread

“Saya! Kirin-chan!”

When Ayato rushed to the waiting roo on the sofa coes wound all over their bodies and it was really painful to look at, but fortunately it seereatly injured

“Geez, are you all right? You have put on quite the performance”

Julis, who also entered fro

“…No problees did not break, ould have still been able to keep fighting” Turning only her face towards them, Saya said with a sour look

But, for Ayato who had watched the ht After against Ardi who perforht say that it was alht have also won, but in a situation where Kirin got injured and Saya’s Waldenholt was no longer usable, the h Saya and Kirin desperately put up a hard fight afterwards, they were held down before Ardi’s overwhel power

That said, Saya’s point was true in a sense, too

No matter how they were beaten up, they stood up for thees didn't break, they would have definitely kept fighting until their bodies fell apart

“Haah… I would never have iined that ”Conjoined Cranes” would be stopped in that way…”

Kirin who floated a powerless s frustration

“I’ such a cowardly appearance to you, Senpai Like this, I won’t even be able to face Flora-chan who cheered on us…”

It looked like Flora, who should have been cheering theeneral stands, hadn't shown up yet

“I don’t think that you’re cowardly At least, I don’t think that there is someone who could stop ”Conjoined Cranes” in the same way as that”

Ayato, as someone who had personally experienced Kirin’s ”Conjoined Cranes” with his own body, could assert at least that Added to the fact that Kirin’s slashes were heavy, when executing ”Conjoined Cranes”, even in posture, the person on the receiving end would be driven off into a situation where enduring it would be the utmost he could do And if one was to repel Kirin’s body froine just how much physical power he would need

“I never realized my own i too much on ”Conjoined Cranes” I have to review my basics more…”

As Kirin told so as to persuade herself, she strongly grasped her fist

Ayato strongly sords of comfort, which al the loserhim into a corner later on

“Anyway, you should properly take care of yourselves now There was no probleht?”

In the Festa, a medical check was imposed upon the loser (it was optional for the winner) When it caht also be hospitalized to a inally had a high recuperative power, ed on the site

“Yes, there was no probleht foot is a little…”

“Oh… does it hurt very much?”

“Ah No, thethat, Kirin waved her hands a little as to say that she was all right

It was very admirable of her

“What about you, Saya?”

“…It aches all over my body But, more than that… it’s more painful to have made a waste of (to have ruined several of) my Luxes”

It was indeed an answer typical of Saya

“Well, since ill take revenge for you in the final, you can rest in peace Right, Ayato?”

At Julis’ words, Ayato answered; “Oh well, I would really like, but… After being shown that semifinal, I can’t promise”, with a serious face

Actually, in terms of sword skills, Kirin was above Ayato To defeat an opponent who overwhelh Ayato possessed an ogre Lux

“…It’s pro, Riessfeld”

Then, Saya, as lying down, raised her body and said slightly a watched our match Either you’re really an idiot or you have some prospects of success…”

“There is no way that there would be such a thing with such a monster as an opponent” Julis answered flatly

“…Then, are you inevitably a real idiot?”

“Then, very well Frorand slam Who else would speak of such dreamlike story if it’s not an idiot?”

At these words, Saya opened wide her eyes as she was surprised for an instant, and then floated a wry smile

“… You’re absolutely right Then, you can’t afford to stumble in the first Festa”

“Well, then, it’s just like that” Julis said, and held out her fist

Saya also bumped (hit) her fist on Julis's “…I leave it to you”

Saya also bumped (hit) her fist on Julis's “…I leave it to you”

“Yeah, count on us”

Ayato as looking at the two girls with a side glance chuckled ー and then ihtened his face

In the seth after the fusion was certainly exceptional

But, it was too strong

He wondered whether he got that strong by only co some parts

(That feeling, I have sensed it somewhere…)

While Ayato brooded over his thoughts, he turned his look towards the entrance

In the press conference room which was ahead, the winner interview of the two froht now

- ψ -

“Haah, Really, if those guys of h we o back and repair Ardi and Rimsi”

“…”

While walking down the passage returning to the waiting roorumbled

Though she co beside her, contrasted it

With a sullen face, she sank into silence and advanced at a quicked pace

She was like that the whole time since from the Interview in the press conference room If the winner had acted like this, the mass media would probably have looked puzzled as well

“Hey, hey, Camilla You should cheer up already It can’t be helped If we didn’t use that, we ht have lost after all”

“…”

Ernesta took one step forward and turned back to look at Camilla’s face

Even so, Canored her

When Ernesta deeply breathed a big sigh, she erased the sinning, right?”

Then, Ca

It was a somewhat sly expression, but it could not be helped

“What you and I are ai is different It’s the same until reed to help ht?”

“That isー!”

Camilla who looked back opened her … and then shut it

Ernesta, who saw it, sighed once again

She was thankful for the kindness of this friend of hers, but she thought that it was tis clear

“Caoal is ‘ultied by anybody, right?”

“…Yes, it is”

At Ernesta’s words, Camilla nodded after a short pause

“But, such a weapon doesn’t exist wherever you search in this world It’s obvious, isn’t it? After all, if you thoroughly investigate, you will find that any weapon depends on the human who uses it”

Then, what to do?

It was si, different from a human, use it

It was the puppets

If it was the puppets, they would be able to use any kind of complex weapons The humans only had to merely order them

“But in that case, ego isn’t needed in puppets No, rather they shouldn’t have I mean, if they have, they would become the same as humans”

However, Ernesta’s goal was different

Ernesta’s as to create an existence equal to humans with her own hands Autonorow up[1]

That hy she felt deeply rohich Ardi showed in this seht

And one day, they would definitely obtain the saoal

Then, Caic eyes towards Ernesta “…Do you remember about when you and I met for the first time?”

“Of course After all, at that time, half of Camilla’s body was blown off There’s no way that I would ever forget since the ihed

Caanization when she visited a conflict area in attendance at her parents work at the tih Cauards, they were outnumbered Camilla’s parents lost their lives, and Camilla herself suffered an injury so serious that it was life-threatening On that occasion, she was accommodated by a laboratory of Frauenlob hich her parents had business

Ernesta, as called an extraordinary genius since that ti puppet research in that lab Although regeneration technology idespread, it inevitably took time for nurture (culture) and thus not applicable in case of an eency There, Ernesta applied her own techniques and saved Camilla’s life

Though she did not tell her directly, Ernesta thought that, fro a weapon which could be handled by anyone When Caanization, they tried to defend theuards were in possession of, but they were not able to use them competently

That said, Camilla’s parents were fairly ordinary civilians, and even if they could use the the weapons effectively they would have probably been no anization who had recieved coed depending on the hu it No matter how much one inquired into a weapon's versatility, that would not change

That hy Camilla believed the existence called puppets to be one answer

Camilla did not trust the creature called human more than anyone else in this world

“Right Half of my body is a puppet you have created Therefore, I swore that I would give you half of my life”

“Yeah, I received it, I received it”

Ernesta nodded quite indifferently

“Therefore… I do not mean to cooal, but it is another issue again”

“Then, why are you so angry?”

Camilla raised her eyes at these words

“It is purely anger as an engineer! I should have said it erous to use it in actual combat! And that fear ell founded! Look, at how abnor!”

As Camilla said so and tapped her portable terraphs were displayed

“Can such output be controlled? Wasn’t it one step short of ra?”

“Boo, even if you say that, it can’t be helped If we had lost here, ould’ve lost everything”

Ernesta sulked like a child as scolded

“If it is just showing results, it is already enough…”

“No, no, I have said it frooal is the cha I will do is arrange for Ardi and Rimsi to officially become students at our Academy”

Ernesta, not being able to contain her excitean to dance round and round

Right And it will just be the beginning to nize the autonomous type puppets

For that purpose, I can’t yield the championshi+p of this Phoenix

“But even so…!” Camilla said up to there, she then received a call on the portable terminal in her hand

“…It’s me Yes, so… What?”

The tone of her voice changed in the middle of her reply

As Ernesta thought “what’s up?”, Camilla looked at her quizzically,

“It seems that you have received a communication ーFrom Dirk Eberwein”

“He~e… What a surprise Yes, it’s fine Let me have it”

“…Understood”

Camilla operated her ter man was projected there

『…Yo, are you my friend Ernesta Kühne?』

“Hahaha To think you would call and say that to someone you ht I’malionSculptor Faction representative, Ernesta Kühne Nice to meet you, <tyrant>”

Ernesta light boith her tone which was not different than usual

『Hmm, a playful woman, as the rumors say』

“Likewise, you’re a more detestable man than the ruuys doing ith the Magnus OpusGreat Professor?”

At these words, Dirk’s pupils eerily shone for an instant

『You seeht But, let reement of mutual non-interference with that crazy wo』

“Hmm… I didn’t know that But well, it’s obvious if you carefully think about it, huh There’s no way that the Magnus OpusGreat Professor would ever forgive you, who snatched the EreshkigalVenomous Witch from her side~”

『…Such a thing doesn’t matter Listen, this is the main issue ーJoin hands with us』

“H what you would say; and you spit such nonsense…!”

Though Ca man said with a serious face

“Mmm, isn’t it a little impolite for a demand of friendshi+p? In the first place, I alree that such thing should be started after first knowing each other properly?”

『There is no need to go that far I said to join hands, but it would be good if you could just cooperate with us, using our ly afterward』

“A favor?”

To Ernesta who asked back, Dirk snorted with displeasure

『Just in case, so that negotiations can proceed logically, I prepare a present easy to understand You can decide after seeing that』

- ψ -

“Excuse me!”

A graceful voice along with the sound of a knock resounded on the other side of the door, and Claudia entered the waiting room

“Sasarettable this lastin the top four is a result you should be proud of For Seidokan Acadehter now For that reason, I will prepare a reward appropriate for the two of you”

“N-No, you need not…!”

“…you don’t need to that; we only did that for ourselves”

To Claudia who politely bowed her head, Saya and Kirin answered somewhat embarrassed

Players on a high rank in the Festa, though not as much as the victor, were considerably rewarded It see near to the treat they had nothing to lose even if they lost in a duel, it

“By the way, Claudia Didn’t you see Flora on the way?”

“No… Unfortunately, I did not see her”

At Julis’ question, Claudia slowly shook her head

“We have pro room of Sasamiya and Kirin after the match…”

Quite a long tih there was still enough ti, as expected it was slightly worrying that she was late like this

“Can’t you get to contact her through her portable terminal?”

“I’, since a little while now, but…”

Ayato stood up and called out to Julis who see rooone to the wrong place”

“You’re right… I will also ask to the reception whether they have given shelter a lost child”

At the time Julis said so and was about to leave the roo for it

“It’s fro…?”

Though Julis who confirmed the call, while the others in the room floated a smile, her expression immediately became serious

“A voice communication…?”

As she opened the space hile suspiciously frowning, as heard froloomy) voice

『…You are Julis-Alexia Van Riessfeld, right?』

“Who are you, you bastard? Why do you have that portable terminal?”

Though anger and impatience floated on Julis’ face, and she asked in a loud voice, the other party indifferently continued without answering the question

『I held on to the owner of this portable teriri Ayato there?』

“Yeah, I am, but… Is Flora-chan safe?”