Vol 6 Chapter 7 (1/2)

Chapter 7 – Reunion

Ayato and company joined Kirin and delivered the body of Gustave who lost consciousness to the police

Drugs to congest the flow of prana were used for the restraint of <starpulse generation=””> ── <dante> and <strega> a as they could not concentrate prana, they could not activate their abilities But because the effect ti, in addition to that, there were cases where isolation spaces which removed mana were prepared in prisons or facilities where they (<starpulse generation=””>) were detained for a long period of time

Ayato and co to explain the circuht transitioned into dahen they finally returned to the royal palace

Jolbert who sat down on the irand staircase after they entered the royal palace was resting his chin on his hand while revealing a troubled s a peaceful sleeper’s breathing as she leaned on him

It looked like they have been waiting here all night long

“Well, you did a good job It’s really good that you’re all safe”

“…Ngh?”

Maria awoken due to his voice and briskly rubbed her sleepy eyes

After Jolbert turned gentle eyes to such a Maria, he greatly shrugged his shoulders

“But… Unfortunately, your popularity has risen again with this”

“Are you dissatisfied with this, Big Brother?”

Then, Julis took a step forith a grim face

“After all, I’ll lose my position”

“I see…”

As Julis deeply sighed there, she stared straight into Jolbert’s eyes and said

“Then Big Brother, I’ll take this opportunity and ask you this”

“Hmm, what?”

“──I want you to help me”

At these words, Jolbert widely opened his eyes

It was unexpected for Jolbert, as usually evasive no matter what she said to him, to openly reveal this much surprise an expression

“Julis… just nohat did you say?”

Without reaze from Jolbert who nervously confirmed, Julis continued

“Thanks to this matter, I’m now convinced That I can’t continue like this after all I have been able to save the orphanage But, that’s to the bitter end a stop-gap e this country if I don’t start from its core”

“That’s theoretically plausible, but how specifically?”

“…Winning the <gryps> and expanding the King’s power”

At that moment, Jolbert stiffened

“W-Wait ath… looks like it”

“Of course, you’ll thread through a fair procedure through an asserated Enterprise Foundation says so And then we’ll take advantage of that, too”

To Julis who self-derisively laughed, Jolbert muttered with a dumbfounded face

“It’s certainly possible as the reward of the <festa> and it isn’t as if there has been no precedent so far, but…”

Although Lieseltania was an extre nations were also under the Integrated Enterprise Foundation’s control In any country, all the rights were lirated Enterprise Foundation could seize and tampered with them to their heart’s content

That said, if left to one individual’s will, it was again another matter

“I’ ned wish and above all ── in that city, the <festa> should be existing for that purpose, right?”

As Julis paused once there, she closed her eyes as if to cut off her hesitation… and then reopened them

“And when that happens, I’ll be causing burden and trouble to you two, Big Brother and Big Sister[1] But even so… please, Big Brother Could you lend th?”

“……”Jolbert, staying silent for a while, confronted Julis’ gaze head on, but before long he burst into laughter as he could no longer bear it

“Puh…Hahahahahahaha! Haah, a! I never expected that a day would coed…!”

“W-What are you laughing for?! Big Brother, I’m seriously…!”

“I know, I know But, I wonder if this is also due to Airi-kun ── no, to you people’s influence”

While dodging Julis who raised her eyes, Jolbert joyfully ── and really cheerfully said that

“Big Brother, my talk…!”

“I got it, Julis”

“…Eh?”

Since Jolbert nodded with perfect ti, Julis was taken aback for an instant

“Honestly, I don’t kno much I can help you, but… I proryps>, at that ti a ‘dimwit’ ──Maria, how about you?”

“Hs, but… If it’s so that you have decided, I will follow you, Jolbert”

The fluffy queen chuckled as she said so

There, Julis finally revealed a relieved expression

“Big Brother, Big Sister… Thank you very much”

It looked like Julis had strengthened her resolve

“Fufufu…what a wonderful pair of brother and sister”

Kirin standing next to Ayato said to hi

“Yes, indeed”

While answering so, Ayato overlapped the two’s figures with himself and his sister

Of course, Haruka and Jolbert were cos; and yet there was a close resemblance for some reason

──At this time, Ayato’s portable terminal suddenly notified him of a call

“Huh? Who is it at such time?”

As he opened the space hile saying that, projected there was an unexpected face

“Eh…? Captain Lindvall!?”

Since he did not think that he would directly be contacted by Helga, he was a little confused

『Sorry to contact you so suddenly It’s probably still early ht that it’d better to inform you as soon as possible you see』

“…What is it?”

Since that Helga said up to there, it was probably not a trivial matter

『I will briefly convey thesister’s whereabouts』

“──!”

These words ran through Ayato’s body with a shock like thunder

- ψ -

“──Welcome back You came back really late, eh”

When Claudia welcomed him with a smile, the man opened wide his eyes as he was taken aback for an instant

London suburbs, the Enfield Family Mansion

This mansion with a Gothic Revival architecture[2], which was dismantled and then rebuilt by Tee Burton, was to the bitter end only one of the mansions that the Enfield Household owned But, Claudia kneell that this ia

“Fufufu, you do not need to be so surprised After all, this place is also ht, Father?”

“…It has been a long time since we have met each other directly this way, Claudia”

“It’s because no h your portable terht that I have no other choice but to meet you directly”

“……”

The man ──Nicholas Enfield, Claudia’s father, took off his coat with a somewhat tired face An old man who soundlessly appeared respectfully took it and retired soundlessly in the same way

Nicholas was a handsoh he would turn 50 in this year, he had a suitable presence and dignity and he neatly co hite hair

“You may already be aware, but Gustave Malraux has been arrested I intended to have you cancel the request and thus came here, but…my friends are excellent after all They had settled it before I arrived”

“Yes, I have heard about it I guess he was a ood as the rumors said”

Nicholas casually said

“Ara, you frankly admit it contrary to my expectations I think that he probably did not reveal anything about his client though”

“It’d be useless even if I were to feign ignorance with you So, ill you do? Will you denounce me?”

“No way There is no way that I will do so wasteful like that”

Claudia innocently laughed

“People of Galaxy hired a criminal to attack Seidoukan Academy’s students, and the Princess of a country ── I do not intend to futilely waste such a card I will carefully preserve it”

“Galaxy has nothing to do with this It is to the bitter end my own discretion”

“Of course I am aware of it After all, if Galaxy seriously made a move, there is no way that they would choose such a tepid way However in Father’s position, there is no way that such an excuse ork, right? I think that even Mother will surely judge so”

“…Probably”

Nicholas sighed with an expression filled with resignation

Nicholas’s title was CRO assistant It was a post where he acted as support for Claudia’s ration Headquarters It was a position exceedingly close to an executive, but Claudia knew that her father could never become an executive Similarly to Toudou Kouichiro, Kirin’s uncle, he was purely not of that caliber

“I’m sure that Mother has also noticed anyway And yet she tacitly allowed it”

“It may be so, but… I don’t know I never know about what she is thinking”

Nicholas slowly shook his head

“But, I can at least affir Since I failed, she will move in the near future and at that ties it necessary And when that happens, your card this time will be useless”

“I guess so”

“Do you understand, Claudia?! If that happens…!”

“I understand well that Father acted thinking for my sake”

Right Nicholas was gentle

That’s why he could never become an executive

“…Will you participate in the <gryps> no matter what?”

“Yes”

“Then, change your wish at least Please It’s not too late yet”

“As I have said many times, I cannot do that, too”

Claudia flatly declared

Only that, she could not do it

After all, it was for that reason that Claudia has endured day after day so far

“I…I really love you, Claudia…”

Nicholas’s voice was so weak that it seemed like it would disappear at any time

Claudia passing by the side of Nicholas who hung his head opened the door

“I love you too, Father”

Not only her father, but her mother too Claudia loved her family

But unfortunately, it was not to the extent of balancing with Claudia’s wish

No, in the first place there was nothing equal with another in this world

“Then, good bye”

Claudia said so and closed the door

While hearing the heavy resounding of separation, Claudia looked up at the sky of the wintry midwinter

- ψ -

Ayato, who had returned slightly earlier by everyone’s recommendation, headed to the hospital located in the central district as soon as he cainally, he had to stay in Lieseltania for several days concerning the post processing and circumstantial explanation of the incident, but because he was exempted from all these thanks to Jolbert’s support, only about half a day has passed since he received the call froa

Perhaps because it was quite iue; but now Ayato had no ti like that

“──You came, huh”

Helga aiting alone in front of the hospital

“Captain Lindvall, where is Nee-san ──sister…?!”

“Noait Anyway, follow me We’ll talk after that”

Helga, as calm in contrast to the anxious Ayato, went into the hospital as soon as she said so As he helplessly followed after her as he was told to, Helga steadily proceeded to the interior in a fainally no one except for authorized personnel could enter

The hospital was separated from the skyscraper style main institution, which actually performed medical treate connected to a corridor There was one room located in the basement of the main institution there

“The hospital director’s office…?”

Disregarding Ayato who doubtfully thought, Helga knocked on the door

When the door opened as it slid and he went in following Helga, two people were standing in the surprisingly small room

One was an old own that seeh he was alrew a pure white beard on his lance, he had a displeased expression and was frequently tapping a desk with a finger

The other person was a familiar face

“Management Committee Chairman… Why are you here?”

“There are many circumstances, you see ──Ah, this is Director Yan Korbel He is the chief executive of the hospital”

The <festa> Management Committee Chairman Madiath Mesa said so and introduced the old man

But, the oldonly a glance at Ayato

“Unfortunately, I’et it over with”

Then, Helga quietly whispered into Ayato’s ear

“──The director is always like this So, don’t worry about it”

As he gave a small nod to that, Ayato looked at Madiath

“Chair sister’s whereabouts?”

“Yes, I intend to explain about the circumstances from now on, but… the director see?”

“Yes, I don’t mind it…”

When he answered so as he didn’t really understand, Madiath urged Yan with eyes i

“Then, Director”

“…Humph”

With a sour look as is, Yan headed to the wall in the back and soundlessly opened that wall

Though ahead seee, it wasn’t to the extent of the so-called hidden roo facility

“From here on out is a special area Only the director and an extremely restricted number of staff can access here”

While advancing as they were guided through the pure white corridor by Yan, Madiath slowly began to speak

“Now, I guess that you’ve already heard about the former Chairman Danilo, too”

“Yes Only a little though”

“I see Then, that s easier This ti about hi them was connected to Director Korbel here”

“Flow of funds…?”

“I say it like this, but it isn’t really so rare There are many injured here that we don’t want to make public”

“It’s soh”

Though Helga interjected in a cold voice, Madiath responded to that with only a wry smile

“Even the you in those days would have consented regarding the independence of hospitals”

Instead, Yan who advanced at the front said so without turning around

“The situation in those days and that of now are different Besides even in those days, I’d just show a mind of passive approval to the bitter end In fact, independence is given a broad interpretation”

“No, you two… Anyway, it’s good as long as you understand that this is a highly secret place The hospital by no means leaks secrets nor inquires about patients ere once taken care of here Such are the rules That’s why nobody knew that your big sister ──Airi Haruka-san had been carried here”

“!” “Then, ht?”

“Yes It seems to have been a request from Danilo”

At the same time that he felt relieved to that answer, he had no choice but to confront an anxiety he had never felt so far

“My sister… is she safe?”

He understood that this was a special place even in Asterisk

If his sister has been carried to such a place, then his sister’s situation was probably not common

“That’s… it’s a difficult question to answer”

“──It’s here”