Vol 5 Chapter 4 (1/2)

Part 1

“Yuragi-chan, sorry─”

With those first words froi widened her eyes in surprise

……Sorry? For what?

Today was the second day of the conference They were currently in the Govern was also on time The Priestess and General Affairs Bureau Chief were already on standby in theas escorts were also ready in another room

Everything was going perfectly according to schedule so there shouldn’t be anything to apologize for──

“You’re getting eye bags, you know?”

“Eh……”

Ishtar sainst her cheek

“It see for so”

“……Yeah, I thought I’d hidden it well”

She had fairly heavy foundation around her eyes and the rilasses were perfectly lined up with the darkened parts so it should’ve been hard to notice

“Putting aside the bags and glasses, it’s really hard on you, Yuragi-chan You said that your eyes were a little strange last night as well That they were bloodshot”

“Yes So I looked for how to get to the hospital……it took soht That’s why it’s not Ishtar-san’s fault”

“Fu─n, it’d be great if you get better quickly You already know the way to the hospital?”

“Yes I was thinking about going toestion As planned”

She put a fingertip to the powdered part of her face and nodded

……It’s fine if I don’t stress when I talk with this person

If you just took away the wheedling tone, it gave off the feeling of talking with a competent female secretary

──It looks like I had you up all night investigating ‘Mikuva’s Crimson Eye‘?

──Yes, it takes a while to find the exact location

──Do you already know the way?

──We can infiltrate late toht As planned

For ‘Mikuva’s Crinosed as bloodshot eyes

Furthermore, to remove any unnatural aspects, she initially made the corners of her eyes the subject and deftly dropped the keyword ‘red eyes‘ naturally [T/N: She didn’t say the “keyword” directly in the japanese either]

……Quite the tactician

……It’s beco ive others a sense of childishness

“Did Ymy-sama sleep well yesterday?”

“She woke up once─ She took a walk in the hallway to fix her ot up on her own before Ishtar went to wake her so I think it’s fine?”

Resting her head on one hand propped up on the table, the Cadres Guard was gazing somewhere far into the distance

“It was a pleasantthat ed my opinion of you”

“Eh?”

“Ahh, nothing, it’s nothing, okay─? It’s just Ishtar talking to herself”

Waving her hands, she didn’t say anything else

Part 2

In front of theroom, in the break room for escorts

“Sheltis, I’ve been wondering for a while but……are those circles under your eyes?”

“Eh Ah, that’s right”

Having it gently pointed out by Kagura, Sheltis honestly nodded

“Did so happen?”

“Well……I couldn’t sleep yesterday and pretty s withmajor My body’s not burnt out either”

It was true that he had done practice swings

──There’s no way I can sleep after seeing Y face

She wouldn’t leave his mind even after she returned to her room so since he couldn’t sleep, he decided to just practice until

“But it looks like there’s someone sound asleep over there”

“Huh?”

Sitting in a chair, arms crossed with a coht have been so but it was just asoundly

“……It’s a big-shot, there’s a big-shot here”

“Yes Sheltis should learn from his example”

“……Va……Va……”

Her usual calm expression co

Then

“Vaiellllllll, clench your teeth!”

“Ahhn? What’s thi……guhaaa!?”

Monica’s iron fist of anger plunged into Vaiel’s flank without deviation

“You! Isn’t it unfair if you say to clench o for my stomach!?”

“M-my hand just slipped! And you──”

In the break room whose rowdiness had just shot up

“……I’ll go wash my face The circles will disappear if I warht?”

“Take your time It will be noisy here for a while anyway”

Leaving a feords to Kagura as tinkering with the machine pearl <machina>, Sheltis left the room

……Tonight, they would secretly assei

Only a vague and lifeless sense of tension swirled within his heart

Part 3

Room 700, ‘Asterhythm‘

“Departure is late toht ……I’d like to pick a time at the latest possible moment so I’ll send you the exact time tomorrow at noon

Yuragi’s voice echoed in the living room

There were no wiretaps installed She had denied that herself and was also keeping her voice down for the off-chance there were

“The ones carrying it out are you and I”

“──Yeah”

Feeling her gaze through the glasses, Sheltis expressed agreement

“Ymy-sama as well, do we have your consent?”

“……I chose him Since I heard there was a skilled Cadet Guard from the Cadet Guard Instructor, Yumelda”

Yether the absolute minimum of words required

“Monica has the role of an older sister that looks after everyone In truth, the one pulling up the unit’s level is a single dual swords user It’s a boy with a long history of training……if it’s just about battle ability, he alone could defeat the opposing unit in the final selections”

The final selections for mission 16, ‘Expedition to the Governmental Sector‘

Monica’s unit and Nash’s unit ── this was soht the exa to make an advance report before the two units battled Without the exchange at this time, it would still be unnatural for a priestess like Ymy to recommend a mere newcomer Cadet Guard like Sheltis

……Usually she just orders

……All of this is thanks to Instructor Yumelda, huh

He inwardly breathed a sigh of relief

“He received a high appraisal fro him for the mission this time”

“Understood ──Then let’s continue First, about the defense allotted to theat noon, I’d like to continue it It would be unnatural if the General Affairs Bureau Chief’s guard were to decrease in nuency situation were to occur at that time ……This next part is important”

Yuragi’s fingers went into her breast pocket

Without skipping a beat, she drew out a silver card key

“When you entered the Govern, I believe each of you received an authentication card”

“……The one ere lent e entered and had to return e left yesterday and today, right?”

“Yes These electronic card keys shohen you ‘enter‘ and ‘leave‘ the lobby”

Guards’ badges were also used as an electronetic card and those Guards could be traced to wherever they went as long as they were carrying it It was basically a surveillance system like that

“After the , the three members of Monica-sama’s unit will take their card keys and pass the lobby to ‘leave‘ but Sheltis-sa”

“……Huh, but wait Won’t my card key be left like that?”

Only three of the escorts’ card keys would be returned It would beco them were to notice

“Yes That’s why, Sheltis-sa ends I’ll pass through the gate with Sheltis-sama’s and my own card key Like that, ‘you left the Govern to the electronic surveillance system but are actually still in the Governmental Sector’ will become the situation”

“Oh─, I get it It’s soi-san The procedure is simple but I don’t think the electronic surveillance system will discover it”

“To tell the truth, this is so that Governmental Sector staff do If it seeo back at a certain time no matter what, that person will entrust it to a friend”

“After that is……a place to hide?”

Even if he stayed around in the Governmental Sector, there was a lapse of ten hours to the time of the operation If he didn’t hide somewhere, it would be a pain if somebody found him

“That’s right, I’ve concluded that you should be fine hiding in the n and hide inside, please”

“……I have a bad feeling”

In so saying, Yuragi made a mature smile and,

“This is also information From my point of view, it would be easier if you were to hide in the women’s restroom”

“Sheltis? The worounds of women No matter the reason──”

“That’s no good, you know?”

“……I haven’t even said anything”

Being glared at by hed reluctantly

“……I’ll wait patiently in the men’s restroom”

“Then the plan is decided After that is clothing Until you reach your destination, you should be able to pass yourself off as ‘a colleague of Yuragi‘ so please choose so other than Tenketsu Palace <sophia>’s for?”

When she asked that, he iht of his usual black jacket

“Uht of as formal wear, then somewhat”

“That will be fine Please get changed while in the men’s restrooe”

In other words, there were no preparations to be made beforehand

It would be fine if he just waited until the end of to

“That’s all I have to say Any questions?”

“Ah, just one It’s not related to the mission but I felt like I had to ask”

While looking around the living room

“The Cadres Guard isn’t here but has this conversation already been relayed to her?”

“I will inform Ishtar-sama afterwards She knows the contents of the mission but she has not been told that you are the one that shall be carrying it out ……She should be waiting for me at the intersection outside this room”

Audibility was not limited to this room Her role was to divert anybody about to come close to the room

“I see, then that’s all I had to ask”

“Then I’ll be counting on you for tomorrow That will be all for today”

The female secretary closed her memo book

With that as a signal, the Priestess in her vestments was the first to stand up

“Uet a chance other than now to say it, so I will”

Her jade green eyes wavered with unease

She gulped and then

“Make sure you come back nobody will blame you even if you fail……so come back safely”

“──Roger that”

Replying with his outstretched right hand, Sheltis left the Priestess’ room

He passed the door and entered the hallway Walking straight down the hallith a thin carpet, he finally cauest rooms

“Ah, are you fiiinished?”

In the middle of the intersection, a female Guard stood still with a metal spear in hand

Her strangely colored clothing that was bound with belts in various places ht seem even thinner ── no, it looked sharpened

“Yes, it’s fine if you return to the roo”

“Is that sooo? Ah─ that’s great! It feels uard in a hallith thi─s few people Ishtar was so unoccupied, she felt like she’d fall asleep”

Faa, she yawned loudly

……It looks like I can safely avoidunnecessary conversation

With just a s, he tried to pass by her

“The only one I had to send back was Monica-san”

He should have just ignored her and continued on

He should’ve known that in his head but his feet had stopped and he’d turned around before he even realized

“I think that was about thirty , have you seen a member of my unit, Sheltis? Well, thanks to that, Ishtar also realized ‘Ah─, so that’s who Ymy-sama chose‘”

“……So then,”

“I just told her the necessary part There’s a special iven to him so he’s in the middle of a conversation in the Priestess’ room, is what I told her Really, it was just the part that wouldn’t be a hindrance”

A large smile

There was just a tiny bit of thorniness to that expression

“You covered for Monica and took on the job yourself I didn’t say any such thing so don’t worry, okay? Monica-san wouldn’t be able to remain calm if I said that”

“…………”

What she just s that couldn’t be conceived without knowing that he was better than Monica at stealthy activities

……As I thought, has she realized my identity?

“Shall I reveal the source of the trick? I’sa-chan said it”

Ishtar moved one step closer

“A dual swords user who’s as cheeky as he is strong That there’s a guy who’s not so strong hethat he oes that far in saying it, you have enough ability to cover for Monica-san and take her place It’s natural to think like that, isn’t it?”

……What I’sa said to her as the basis

……So does that mean she hasn’t discovered my identity yet?

“But you’re really silent Are you nervous? Or are you thinking about so?”

She sainst her lips

“Well, it’s fine whichever it is Ishtar doesn’t mind after all─ Ishtar doesn’t have any interest in it Not in any of the other Guards or the Priestess-sama”

“────”

“See ya─, I’ll leave Monica-san up to you”

Waving her hand with a cheery expression, she left in a lance

……Not a single thing has changed since four years ago

“Well then, boy, why don’t you try asking by force?”

Not a single thing had changed since that time

She still hadn’t become a Sennenshi+ and she still had no interest in the Priestesses She didn’t hold any interest in whether the Elite Guards around her became Sennenshi+ or even if they were to retire

“Are you thinking about so?”

“……No, let’s go”

It happened at the sareed As Sheltis was about to take the first step, the silhouette of a person appeared from a corner of the intersection

“……Sheltis”

It was a girl with her eyes wide-open, her sakura-colored hair fluttering

“Ah, hey, Monica──”

“Don’t speak”

“……Eh”

“It’s fine if you don’t say it Just listen……I’ll even want to stop thinking about hitting you”

Her slender shoulders shook a little at a time

She bit down on the edge of her lip and also breathed deeply to remain calm ── that painfully conveyed it to him directly

“I heard about your ht to ask what kind of ainst it I think it’s a given that you’d be chosen based on ability But you’re my……important……important……”

Gulp

He clearly heard her gulp

“Meo on a mission I don’t even know the reason for, even if it’s an order froht? If I can’t even be infor that it’s dangerous”

Her intuition was correct That’s why Ishtar didn’t beat around with half-baked lies and had no choice but to tell the truth

“No, it’s not likea Cadet Guard like me says would just be overruled……”

A lifeless smile appeared on the unit leader’s face

“So coardless of whether the mission succeeds or fails That’s all I wanted to say as the unit’s leader The scolding will come after that”

“……Don’t worry I’ll return in the early ”

I don’t have any intention of being beaten by a mission or two like this

To begin with, ‘Mikuva’s Crioal is still to find the objective behind the Yuugenshu breeding water tank and to stop the person behind it, which is e came as far as the Governmental Sector

“Well then, let’s go back Our paths are the same for a while anyway”

“……Yeah”

Pushi+ng on Monica who had an aard expression, Sheltis started to walk again

Part 4

The third day of the conference

“Jeez, now Monica has circles under her eyes?”

Sah the break room’s silence

“……I tried to hide it though”

“Just the area around your eyes is caked in foundation It’s easy to understand that you’re hiding so cosmetics a little……ah─ah, this is so thickly coated Come on, stay still”

Kagura took out powder fro that to the area around Monica’s eyes, her hand stopped

“Yesterday was Sheltis and today Monica has circles under her eyes? Surely you two aren’t having clandestine ht, are you?”

“I was just thinking about escorting matters and couldn’t sleep”

Monica closed her eyes with a glum face

“Rather than that……I’ my make-up, but I’d rather it be at a different place”

“nobody will come”

“No, I mean here is……”

Her cheeks went red with embarrassment

“……It really is kinda of euys”

“It’s fine Showing these kinds of openings every little while is also a technique”

“It doesn’t matter what a woman with no appeal does”

With that sentence fro in a chair, both of the ladies’ eyebrows rose

“Ah─ you said it! Then please look Coh-class techniques──”

“Y-you idiot, Kagura! Stop, don’t use my face as an experiment!”

The unit leader fratically stopped Kagura who pulled out strange small tools

“It’s a, isn’t it”

“She has strength”

“Monica probably spent the entire night thinking about you She’s a kind person; I understand why Ymy calls her senpai and is emotionally attached to her”

“……I’ll do my best not to worry her”

Looking up vacantly at the ceiling, Sheltis’ unfocused eyes wandered

──It’s almost noon

TheAt the sa her my card key Then I slip away and hide myself

……After five hours

He had polished and replayed the sah what he had to do itself was simple, he couldn’t settle himself no matter how many times he repeated it

Part 5

Ten at night

The Governmental Sector’s surveillance syste in the office building by doing a sis with nobody left in thehts turned off At the saes set in theh

……With this, the first issue is cleared

Masking his breathing in a stall in thefor several hours

The area he was hiding had its lights turned off all at once In other words, it served as proof that an outsider like Sheltis had been recognized by the surveillance syste‘

“It looks like Yuragi-san did her part”

“……Noe just have to wait”

He was biding time

Whether one or hts turned off, until infiltration became easy

“……Ilis, I think it’s fine if we talk a little now”

“In a low voice, sure If we’re too loud and get found, all our hard work up until noill co”

Restraining his voice to the li to himself

“……There was soed my mind about yesterday”

“Are you nervous about the infiltration that’ll be happening right now or so?”

No ── Sheltis wordlessly shook his head atat his chest

“See, I was glad that Yether for this mission but……”

“……Because your goal lies further ahead of that Being together on a mission is a nice point of contact but it would be bad to be satisfied with that?”

“That’s what I think”

The iht When Ymy came to him with a request He was happy that she’d coht that the day before yesterday, but that rong

“It really rong of me to make Ymy cry back then”

Maybe if he wasn’t a Cadet Guard, but a Sennenshi+

Maybe if he was……not cursed with a mateki-ridden body, he should have been closer to her than anyone and comforted her before she had come to worry that much

“You’re starting anew to becoet your initial resolution”

“Right……sorry, that’s all I wanted to say”

“Okay”

The curtain of silence once again descended──

How much time has passed since then?

It’s easily close to ten hours since the

When the feeling of waiting ceased to be a feeling and his sense of time froze

──Clack

In the unlit h heels that shouldn’t have been present rang out

“It’s Yuragi Sorry to keep you waiting”

“……I’m a little tired; it’s the first ti”

He saoh the open door

“Everything’s an experience”

Wearing a business smile, the secretary turned around

“Our destination is building four, section 31, where we’ll sneak into the underground with an elevator on the eastern end By the way, our current location is building two, section 61 It’s a long way fro?”

“It’s fine even if it takes time, so please use a safe route”

“Of course I also wish to avoid the surveillance cameras to the best ofmy footsteps”

Oozing resolve fro Sheltis followed after her with his breathing suppressed

Part 6

Click──clack──

Footsteps echoed in the corridor So halls and soency stairs

……It’s more complicated than a real labyrinth

……Rather than the security system or security workers, this is the best defense system

I shouldjust how naive that notion was, Sheltis inwardly clicked his tongue

“────”

Yuragi, as continuing on ahead wordlessly, ca the intersection

“You’ve been peeking backwards since a little while, so are you wary of being followed?”

“No You’re not the one catching my interest”

The woman turned around with a rare bitter smile

“Your footsteps are so quiet that it h I came here with boots that have low sound output, I’ve only been able to hear my own footsteps for a while”

“This is also part of an escort’s job It would bother the protege if the escort’s footsteps were too loud, right?”

“Ah, that’s my line”

“Because─, if Ilis doesn’t talk about soht die of boredom”

“I’ll re”

She cleared away the wry s to start walking, she pulled out the card key in her breast pocket

“There is a door just ahead of this intersection that serves as the connection to building four It is a combination of Tenketsu Palace <sophia>’s Mechanical Bureau and shi+nryoku Theory Bureau which analyzes the Priestesses’ shi+nryoku inforanization The other buildings take precedence over it publicly but it likely trus combined in terms of classified information”

A steel ht It was ive off the overwhel pressure of the entrance to a jail

──Counterfeit check……’Normal‘──

──IC level check……’Second class‘──

──Unlocking the gate Please enter within twenty seconds──

In response to the card key that Yuragi held out, the door’s central portion lit up Just like the sea splitting apart, the tightly shutto the sides

“This is section 1 and section 31 is further in”

“Can I ask you one thing? I don’t think section 31 was on the map we received in the lobby”

“It is as you surmised I’ll explain as alk”

Just as her words indicated, she walked not too slowly and not too quickly

“It’s a ‘stray section‘ that shouldn’t exist There arecalled that by the staff that work here On thein a blank space or it’s just a garbage collection area……ahest confidentiality which regular staff can never come to know of”

“And that’s section 31 in this building?”

“Yes As for how , probably only the elder of the senate knows everything I don’t know anything except the count”

They walked straight north and more north

They mindlessly continued down the empty corridor devoid of sounds and people

“It’s a little late but I must confess that it was unexpected”

He thought about the i in her words a little and──

“That I ca and not Monica?”

“Yes I thought it would be Monica-sama and bet a lunch on it……but it’s a pity I lost to Ishtar-sama”