Vol 6 Chapter 3 (2/2)

While inwardly looking puzzled at her voice, Ayato who opened the door unintentionally stiffened

According to Flora, this room seemed to be Julis’ private room; she said it was cramped like a room in the dormitory, that plants were put in and that it looked like a sarden

But, that was not the reason why Ayato became stiff

It was because he was fascinated by the four girls ere in there── by their appearances

“W-Why are you standing around so vacantly?”

“That’s right, Ayato At such time, it’s courtesy to properly praise a lady”

“…I agree”

“No, um, I-I’m sure it doesn’t suit me that much, so you don’t have to force yourself…”

Julis and company were respectively dressed in different, yet really suitable dresses

Everyone was basically dressed in a one-piece dress whose heh to hide their feet; their arreatly exposed, and especially since at the bare top, Claudia’s and Kirin’s bosoms were emphasized, Ayato was troubled here to look It was probably the so-called evening dress

Julis was dressed in a deep crimson one-shoulder and Saya wore a white caant purple and Kirin a thick black

“…Ah, e-errr, sorry I think they really suit you all”

Ayato who suddenly came to his senses frankly said so as he was embarrassed

Not that it suited someone the most, but that it really suited all of them

“Fufufu, thank you Ayato Your outfit suits you really well, too”

As a dress suit, Ayato earing a tuxedo His hair was also swept back to match it

Frankly speaking, he did not like stiff (formal) outfits, but it could not be helped

“Now then, I originally wanted to escort Ayato, but today’s uests are Julis and Ayato So, I will bear it In return, please take care of us properly afterwards, too, okay?”

Claudia said so and pushed Julis’ back

“W-Well, it can’t be helped… let’s go”

Julis suddenly held out her hand

For a moment, Ayato did not understand what it htly bent Ayato’s elbow and put her arm there

“S-Sorry…!”

“I at least know that you aren’t accustos Don’t mind it I’ll lead you when necessary”

While chuckling, Julis whispered

It was slightly shameful for a man, but there was no doubt that Julis was reliable

“──Everyone, it’s already time Are you ready?”

Flora broke in there, her tongue seee and told so exaggeratedly

- ψ -

“Phew…”

Ayato hurriedly restrained the sigh which he unintentionally leaked

“Fufufu, you seem quite tired”

Julis standing next to hi

“Of course I didn’t think that they’ll be so many people…”

Fro a party, but looking at the actual situation, an aathered in the hall of the royal villa The invitees were all either people related to the Integrated Enterprise Foundation or Liseltania’s political figures

Julis and Ayato ere introduced as they were the s to various people one after another, and Ayato was already completely exhausted

“It may not be the time to ask this, but… Julis, didn’t you say that your house has no money?”

Aside of the invitees in the hall illueous chandelier, there were several waiters and ently prepared Ayato could not even i party

“I told you before, right? That in this country, “even if there is money used onbrother is different from me”

“Different?”

When Ayato asked, Julis’ eyes naturally chased her brother ── Jolbert’s figure

Even now, Jolbert was at the center of the party pleasantly chatting with several people As expected unlike daytime, he was forlance

“My brother is obedient to the Integrated Enterprise Foundation after all He has no claim politically, nor is he enthusiastic in his work You reatest puppet than hirated Enterprise Foundation also finds my brother useful as such and overlooks his selfishness to some extent And my brother too fully enjoys it to the maximum”

assu that these comments were turned to her blood-related brother, it was an acrimonious evaluation, but contrary to her words, Julis’ eyes looked somewhat sad

“Although, I don’t think that having invited us this time was my brother’s own discretion There is no doubt that my brother intended to do so as well, but it’s likely that either an Integrated Enterprise Foundation somewhere allowed it or there is also the possibility that they backed it”

“It’s indeed complicated… wait, huh?”

Ayato as looking at Jolbert like Julis noticed soe Jolbert was always surrounded bythe Jolbert as if they seemed to be intimate

“…Ah, that, huh They are all my brother’s mistresses”

“Eeeh!?”

As Julis plainly said that, Ayato allass in his hand

“Mistresses… So openly?”

No ht the iously a wider, while it is true that the approval concerning the wealthy having multiple women ── or rather, the trend to turn a blind eye towards it was certain, even so, beside countries allowing polygauilty

What was strange above all was that those al ere joyfully laughing together

“They are worated Enterprise Foundation after all None of the in details, it’s the sao as far as to say that there are spies a them, but more than half of them are not more than just a relationshi+p of self-interest When necessary, they probably want to place their pieces near the country’s ruler”

Julis gulped down her drink as she was fed up with it

“Maria-san, too…?”

“Well, enuine natural airhead, it’s fortunate that the person herself is unrelated to such expectations My brother too seeated her circumstances I also don’t dislike her… After all, even the citizens know about the mistresses My brother is qualified as “a debauchee and ””

The eyes of Julis who said so looked like they were enduring so

“T-That’s Claudia…?”

Having newly accosted Jolbert was Claudia

Ayato did not knohat they were talking about, but by the fact that she could so caluessed that she was used to such a place

“Did you know that Claudia’s rated Enterprise Foundation?”

“Yes, I’ve heard about it a little before…”

“Claudia’s ion before It’s also her who introduced my sister-in-law to my brother Afterwards, she was proion It’s also under attendance of her father that Claudia has been coh I ht have said it also before, but ere only acquaintances to the degree of havingAsterisk that we came to meddle in this and that”

“Heeh…”

That was a bit unexpected

“By the way, is Claudia’s father also an executive of the Integrated Enterprise Foundation?”

“No, he isn’t an executive He is so like her mother’s secretary or a subordinate under exclusive contract Probably so close to an executive”

“…Why is that?”

“I’ve seen him several times, but he was too hurated Enterprise Foundation by abandoning their humanity”

Julis resolutely said

Ayato recalled the conversation about Danilo that he exchanged with Helga the other day

“Therefore, I personally think that her father is so a much more favorable impression than her hter dearly”

“Heeh…”

If so, he was probably a good father

“──Um, Princess, et this bottle of wine, but I don’t knohere it is stored…”

Then in a panic state, Flora called out to Julis

“Ah, this, huh Flora is still an apprentice, so you can’t enter the wine cellar… Jeez Big Brother, he otten… Sorry, Ayato I’ll leave you alone for a while”

“Got it I’ll also go get some fresh air”

Ayato who saw off Julis acco to the terrace

“──Ah y-yes… um…”

But, he stopped on the way after spotting Kirin

Being accosted by multiples invitees, she was clearly troubled… or rather it looked like she would burst into tears at any moment

Judging fro, and the men here were very assertive So, it was natural that she was accosted, but…

“──Kirin-chan, may I a little?”

“Ah…! Y-Yes! I’m sorry, excuse me”

When Ayato called out to her, Kirin’s expression suddenly brightened and she rushed over to him

“Thank you, Ayato-senpai You saved me”

“You’re welcome”

As Ayato smiled, Kirin cast her eyes doith a relieved face

“I…I’ with people I don’t know”

Kirin was quite talkative when it ca; but it would certainly be difficult for her, asother than that, to deal with such high society alone

“Besides… I’m not beautiful like the Senpais…”

“Eh? I don’t think that at all though”

“B-But, as expected… such a dress doesn’t suit a child like me”

Kirin looked doith a dejected face

She seemed to have a lack of confidence as usual

As Ayato heaved a sh and stopped, he faced Kirin and clearly said

“I said it a while ago, but that dress really suits you It looks very mature and it’s beautiful”

“Eh…”

Kirin’s face immediately dyed red

It , but a fact is a fact The chic dress strongly displayed Kirin’s still cherubic features like an adult Unlike Julis and Claudia who originally possessed a gorgeous atht about a fresh (innocent) atmosphere

“T-Thank you… very much…”

Said Kirin with a voice see to vanish

“Y-Yes Well then, for the tio to the terrace?”

When Ayato was about to begin walking as he said so while being a little erasped his sleeve

“U-U-U?”

“What is it?”

“U-Um… I also want to link aro, you tere really cool, so…”

“I don’t really mind, but… I don’t knohether I can properly escort you”

After all, he was only relying on Julis a while ago

“I-It’s all right…! By only you doing it, it’s already enough for me…!”

“…Well in that case, yes”

When Ayato bent his left arht arm

But perhaps because she was not really familiar with it, she fir ar him Since at Julis’ time, it was mostly her hand that she applied, he wasn’t that s were pressed against his arm and he could not calm down at all

Moreover, the degree of exposure of Kirin’s current outfit was totally different from her usual uniform

“Errr, Kirin-chan? It’ll be better if you separate your body a little…”

“Eh? Ah, s-sorry…!”

Theso──

“…It’s always Kirin, it’s not fair”

“Wow!?”

Suddenly, his other arly pulled by Saya who suddenly appeared

By his reaction, Kirin’s chest was further pressed against his left arm

“S-Saya! What are you doing so suddenly?!”

“…I also want to link arms with Ayato It’s a fair demand”

“Even so, don’t suddenly jump on me!”

If it felt like Kirin was hugging hi to hi him

It could no longer be qualified as linking arms

Besides, afterstares were painful, and Ayato orried about how this situation was regarded If possible, he wanted to evacuate to the terrace as soon as possible

“──Hahaha That’s what I’d call having a pretty flower in each hand I’m really envious”

Such a voice was uttered froirls

When they looked back, a gentlerew a very neat

“Ah, no sorry You were noisily chatting, so…”

It was a face which was not areeted today

“No, no, that’s also a youth’s privilege It’s indeed good to be full of vigor I expected no less fro performance in the

”

“Haa… Thank you”

“By the way, do you intend to also participate in the next <gryps>? There is also a rumor that you will join Miss Enfield’s team”

“No, that’s still a little…”

He could not afford to carelessly answer here, so he gave an evasive answer

“Hmm, I see, I see In that case ── I think that it’d be for your best interests not to join her team”

“──!”

Ientleerous presence

Saya and Kirin also immediately separated their bodies from Ayato and squared off

“…What do you mean by that?”

Ayato said so as to inquire while gradually retreating

The gentleeneration=””>── and a quite powerful one at that

“What, it’s just as I said If you guys join Miss Enfield’s team, there is someone ould be very troubled My duty is to prevent it somehow, you see… Thus, I came here to ask”

The gentle so

The people around too probably noticed the strange situation Noise spread like ripples and people distanced theentleman as they ran away

“──And if we refuse?”

“That would be quite regrettable It would pain me to harm my cute juniors”

At that entleman

“So… I shall leave that task to this child”

A coe creature slowly appeared from there

At first glance, it looked like a lion, but the size was quite different It would be about five s on its back and its tail was a snake Its appearance closely reseh not verycreature

If anything, it was closely sions which attacked Ayato and Kirin before However, creatures’ life force could still be felt fro could not be felt from the chimera before them It felt just like a lump of mana

“Ayato-senpai…”

Kirin probably realized the saaze as she wanted to say so who took priority over that now

The invitees ran about trying to escape while screalasses which broke echoed, the gentleman respectfully bowed behind the chimera

“Then with this, I shall excuse myself”

“Wait!”

Ayato was going to run after the gentlee arm as to prevent that

“Kuh…!”

Contrary to its large build, its entleman disappeared on the other side of the terrace

“What is this?!”

Julis and Claudia also ca, but there was no time to explain the circumstances

“Julis, what about Jolbert-san?”

“Guards already made him evacuate There’s no problem”

Fortunately, it looked like the chins of attacking the invitees running about

As they stole a glance behind, a security-like squad set up gun type luxes

But because there were still invitees re in the hall, it looked like they couldn’t fire carelessly

“Gururuh…!”

The chimera issued a low roar and its deep red eyes stared at Ayato

“…Anyway, let’s first lure this guy outside We’ll involve other people if we fight in here”

“That certainly sounds good, but… even if you say fight, do you have a weapon?”

“Ah…”

He realized it for the first time after Claudia said that, but Ayato did not certainly have <ser-versta> or any other lux now It was probably the same for Kirin and Claudia

“Fufufu, then I guess I have no choice but to do so about it”

However, Saya grabbed the hand of Julis who tried to step forward as she said so

“It’s all right I always carry a lux”

When Saya raised the skirt of her dress after i that, she took out an activation body from the holder hidden underneath

“Oh, as expected of Saya… Is what I would like to say, but if you were to use your lux here, it’d be a great disaster!”

All the luxes Saya possessed had a frighteningly high destructive power

It’d be different if it was Asterisk, but it was not so that she could casually shoot in a place like this

“That’s goes for Julis, too”

“Regarding my skill, I can adjust the firepower, and above all, my hit accuracy is different Don’t lump me with her”

Julis pouted in displeasure at Claudia’s words

“Well anyway, I’ll drive it outside After that, I’ll leave the rest to Saya and Julis”

“B-But, noit empty-handed is…”

“It’s all right Judging fro about it”

When Ayato said so and calmly released his power, he slowly stepped forward

The chimera built a stance as it was cautious of Ayato’s ht that Ayato had entered its range

“Gaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

Though the chiht movement

(…I wonder if no one will be involved this way)

At the sarasped the position of the invitees re in the hall and shortened the distance while carefully calculating so that his actions did not cause dae

“Guaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

The arain attacked Ayato, but he greatly jumped and evaded it──

“Ayato-senpai, watch out!”

But as if having predicted it, the chimera’s tail snarled at him

The jaw of a snake which could shole a human approached Ayato, but he rotated his body in the air and kicked down the snake’s head with the momentum

“Gyufu!”

Stepping over the crushed head, Ayato landed as he sneaked around the chi in an instant

“A Technique ── ”Chest Piercing Feather””

When Ayato slipped under the chith while twisting his right leg

“Gugiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiih!”

The chi

Ayato ju his body and drove three consecutive kicks into the face of the chiony in mid-air

“A Technique ── ”Unbreakable Roar””

“──!”

Being bloay three ti able to utter a sound, the chi the glass of the

“Saya! Julis!”

“…Roger”

“Leave it to me!”

He chased it with Saya who’d already deployed Helnekrom and Julis who enhanced her mana Ahead of the terrace was the courtyard; the chiet up while tottering

Fortunately, the other side of the courtyard was a lake

“Bloom proudly ── AmaryllisSix-Petal Burst Firebloom!”

“…Kaboom”

The next ht bullet directly hit the chimera

“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

Blasts and explosive flames soared, and a scream of death throes resounded The chi inside the fla with it

“As expected, this thing wasn’t a living thing…”

Julis rim face and Ayato also nodded silently

- ψ -

“…Oh my, a chimera is not even a match for them, huh It looks like I underestimated them a little If they can do that uess”

As thelike a telescope while standing on the lake ers

Then under his feet ── soan to move quietly

“Well, whatever I didn’t want to invest myself that much in a work of this level, but… It would be a shame to miss such a precious customer, too”

The man told so to himself and disappeared into the darkness on the lake

References

Ju about herself

Ju awful or speak bitterly of so

Ju here Sister-in-law

</ser-versta></starpulse></gryps></phoenix></phoenix></phoenix></phoenix></phoenix></starpulse></ember></ember></ember></phoenix>