Editing Hyouketsu Kyoukai no Eden:Volume 6 Final Chapter (section)

===Part 2===

{{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}} floor 287, emergency stairs.

“Sheltis!? You said to follow you but you’ve just been running along the emergency stairs this whole time.”

“Sorry, Monica, just hurry! We’ll talk later!”

The space was dimly lit by only the emergency lighting. The pair’s footsteps continued to echo in the emergency stairwell which was filled with cold air.

“You said floor 288, so Meimel-sama and Viola-sama’s floor?”

“That’s right, but those two aren’t who we’re aiming for.”

“Eh?”

“……Horn Nova.”

The blinder-wearing Ex Machina. She was versed in using every gun and a shooter who was overshadowed by nobody in sniping long distance targets.

“I don’t understand where you’re going with this!?”

“I’ll explain later so just follow me for now!”

A badge’s ID was necessary to activate the elevator specifically for the Priestess floors. If they used the elevator now, it would become apparent that they were ignoring the standby order from the Guard Regulations Institute.

──Echoing footsteps.

Running up the winding stairs, he jumped over the last step. He pried open the door before his eyes……

“Just how much will you get in my way……Ymy Ele Soufflenictole!”

Floor 288 lay beyond the door.

When he took one step in, what Sheltis saw was ── Horn who was facing the elevator which led to the surface floor and Ymy who stood before her.

“Get out of the way and disappear from my sight.”

“……No. I cannot allow you to go alone. You should know just how fearsome the Yuugenshu you are pursuing now is.”

“Are you saying that while knowing that I’m a Sennenshi? Are you saying that a Sennenshi is inferior to a single Yuugenshu?”

“This is not a discussion about being inferior or not. It is because you are a Sennenshi that you should uphold the rules more than anyone else.”

The Priestess held both hands out and obstructed the Sennenshi.

Even while being pierced by Horn’s gaze as she approached menacingly, Ymy resolutely remained in that spot.

“A Sennenshi is a Priestess’ partner. While Viola is within the tower, it is your duty to accompany her.”

“A Yuugenshu has appeared and it is also a Sennenshi’s duty to defeat it.”

“Then please take along your unit. ……When Hyouketsu Kyoukai was broken, you, Ran, Leon and the others did that when holding them back. You absolutely did not fight alone.”

“The situation is different. The opponent is only a single Yuugenshu. Rather than waiting for my subordinates to gather, I will handle it myself. It is my decision as the captain so there are no problems with tower regulations.”

“I’m saying that I’m afraid of how you think of it as ‘only a single Yuugenshu‘.”

Ymy continued while staring at Horn without blinking.

“……I have experienced it first-hand, so I can say this. There are really Yuugenshu that cannot be opposed with the strength of a person. It is too dangerous to underestimate the Yuugenshu.”

“Then are you underestimating the Sennenshi?”

The Sennenshi went past anger and sighed.

“For a Priestess who should be the one that most trusts the Sennenshi to make light of them like this.”

“You’re wrong. I──”

He looked on at that scene while pressed up near the emergency door.

“Sheltis.”

“……I know.”

Clenching his right hand to the point of whiteness, Sheltis nodded with his breathing ragged.

……I know. This isn’t an argument that a Cadet Guard like me can go out and stop.

He and Monica were no more than ten metres away from Ymy and Horn. Even with her back turned, Horn should have noticed them and Ymy was facing them so she must have seen them.

……But from their points of view, we’re not related to this.

A Priestess and Sennenshi were seriously clashing opinions. This was not something that would be resolved by a third party like himself or Monica interjecting.

But. Just before that.

“……That’s enough, Ymy Ele Soufflenictole.”

Horn’s air of intimidation expanded explosively. The feelings mixed into each word had surpassed anger and were close to hatred.

“Don’t go? Don’t chase it? Don’t underestimate Yuugenshu? Who are you to say these things?”

“!”

Horn reached out to Ymy’s collar and tugged her face closer like that.

“To begin with, you and Tessha……”

“That’s right.”

Even with her vestments being grabbed, Ymy’s words didn’t stop.

“It would not have come to this if I could have purified that child’s mateki. That my words would not reach you because of that……I was prepared.”

……Normally……no, really, Monica and I.

……We might have jumped out when Ymy was grabbed.

The reason Sheltis and Monica had not done so and continued to stand there was because Ymy was nothing but resolved.

Even while being held by the collar and showered with harsh words, the Priestess was not wavering.

“I’ve also been doing my best this whole time. You may have said that I went to the Governmental Sector on a sightseeing trip but I went there with the intention of gaining many things. There are things I would not have gained without going to the Governmental Sector and things I could not do without having gone.”

“Aren’t you talking big.”

Horn put strength into the hand holding the Priestess’ vestments.

“And what exactly did you manage to gain?”

“……I will once again try to purify that child’s mateki. If that fails, then I will accept any insults or act.”

 

“Then quit being a Priestess.”

 

That sentence.

Was the limit for Sheltis and Monica who were watching so as to not disturb the equilibrium of that place──

……However.

“…………”

He had been about to wordlessly run out but he stopped.

……Why. Why……are you looking at us with those kinds of eyes?

Monica and even {{furigana|Machine crystal|Ilis}} were at a loss for words. “You mustn’t come here.” was the message conveyed by Ymy’s eyes.

“……You mean to make me leave the tower.”

“You’re the one who said you would accept any act, aren’t you?”

The Sennenshi looked down at the Priestess with her blinder-covered eyes.

“A Priestess who can’t even save a single child is unnecessary. I’ll pass on being satisfied with just having a Priestess who’s there to fill in the numbers and fails big time at the crucial times. In that case, it would be best not to have her from the start.”

“Understood. I will bet everything I have as a Priestess.”

“───Are you insane?”

“However, I also have a condition.”

“” [T/N: The heck am I supposed to put for only a っ…that thing makes absolutely no sound on its own.]

For the first time, Horn stirred even if ever so slightly. That was because the girl who had only been held by the collar was now holding her wrist with all her strength.

──She’s looking at…………Monica and I?

“A condition?”

Figuring out the meaning of that gaze, Horn turned towards them.

“What about them?”

“You……you will travel together with the unit of senpai whom you called useless. Monica-senpai is absolutely not useless.”

“……! W-Wait, Ymy.”

Before Monica herself could speak up, Horn rebuked,

“Don’t screw around. Travelling with somebody I know is baggage──”

 

“I’m not screwing arouuuuuund!“

 

Ymy’s angry roar turned into a sound wave and shook that floor.

“I won’t lose to mateki and Monica-senpai is not baggage!”

Holding fast to the arm grabbing her collar, the Priestess girl returned a glare.

“Even though I’m saying I will bet everything I have as a Priestess but I’ll reject it if you don’t accept my one condition. ……When I went to your treasured orphanage, all the children there said that they really loved you. That you are strong and kind and they really love you. But that’s wrong: you’re just a weakling who can’t love anybody except for the children from the orphanage!”

“────”

That instant.

A crack developed in the iron expression the Sennenshi had been keeping until now.

“……And if so?”

Horn distorted her mouth unpleasantly and she spat out.

“I’m a weakling? Even if that’s true, are you trying to say you’re not putting on airs!?”

“……Uu, uu!”

The hand before Ymy’s neck tightened even more and,

“Okay, okay, that’s no gooood─, any more and the Priestess’ vestments will tear. Horn-chan, did you have an interest in such things?”

Surarii ── as quickly as if that onomatopeia could be heard, Ymy’s vestments slipped through Horn’s fingers.

“Ehh, ah. Huh?”

Ymy who was suddenly free again stared in wonder with a confused expression.

“……Ishtar.”

“Hey there, it’s been a while, Horn-chan. Been wellll?”

The person who had released Ymy’s constraints was smiling aloofly.

The Sennenshi she was facing also showed a rare obvious grimace. It seemed to be saying that somebody annoying had shown up.

“Oh─, there, there. It’s been rough on you, Ymy-sama─. Did it hurt─?”

“Eh, u-umm……”

“Ah. So─rry, I just treated you like I’sa-chan. ……Ahaha, well, pay it no mind.”

“──What are you doing, Cadres Guard?”

Horn revealed her displeasure at the sudden intrusion and drew closer. Both of them were as tall as grown men and their eyes were at about the same height.

“No, no, Horn-chan, you’re being scaaary.”

“Don’t play dumb. Even if it’s you, I have the higher standing──”

“Eh─? Unfortunately for you, this was a request from your onee-san? When the blood rushes to her head and she won’t listen to anybody, it might work if it’s you, Ishtar-san, is what she told me.”

“……Ane-ue, huh.”

“Oh? As expected, you falter when Viola-sama’s name comes up─? Fumu, fumu, heeeh, heeeh.”

“Cadres Guard, I would prefer it if you were to simply state your business?”

“Mm─. My business was just to cool Horn-chan’s head so I think I’ll call that okay. Rather, don’t you not have much time? That Yuugenshu you’re searching for might conceal itself at any time.”

Fwoosh. Ishtar’s left arm which had a little bit of bare skin peeking out rose up and came to a stop pointing in their direction.

“It’s a waste of time arguing here. You two, how about you go along with her like Ymy-sama said?”

“…………”

“If Horn-chan defeats the Yuugenshu then there’s a chance that that child’s mateki will also disappear. If so, then the first thing should be for you two to go with her and defeat it. If the mateki happens to disappear, then all the better. Ymy-sama betting her position as Priestess on purifying will come after that. How about it?”

“……I have my misgivings. Taking along unnecessary Cadet Guards for exterminating Yuugenshu is against the tower’s regulations as well─”

“They are useful.“

Completely opposite Horn who was talking on and on quickly, Ishtar had a pleasant and calm tone.

“……What?”

“I said they are useful. It wouldn’t be a problem bringing them along. They’re perfect subordinates for Horn-chan who only likes outstanding subordinates.”

The Cadres Guard showed a daring smile. The Sennenshi stared at that expression enough to burn a hole in it. Time passed with both of them maintaining their silence──

“Excuse me, Captain Horn.”

Monica who had been silent until now interposed between the two who were staring at each other. She took out her silver plate-shaped badge and put the LCD screen on its back before Horn’s eyes.

Emergency request.

She thrust out the LCD screen with that displayed.

“A recommendation from counter-measures HQ? You can’t mean that you”

“Just now, we received a request to deploy from headquarters. In accordance with the recommendation from the Instructor, myself and three others shall be rightfully participating as the supporting unit for this case. With this, there should be no issue.”

“…………”

The Sennenshi closed her mouth and was silent.

“Truthfully, I cannot understand what is ‘useful‘ about you.”

“I have directly received such great trust from Ymy-sama so I will do my best. Also──”

She exchanged looks with Ymy who was restraining herself.

“If we defeat the Yuugenshu and that child’s mateki disappears, then the talk of Ymy quitting being a Priestess also ends. To that end, I intend on accompanying you no matter what.”

“……So you’re of the same opinion as Ishtar.”

Horn muttered with a voice that let no hint of her feelings in.

“So, how about it, Horn-chan?”

“Time is precious.”

Twisting the corner of mouth unpleasantly, she took out her communications device from the holder at her waist.

“It’s me, put Catria on the line. …………Catria. It’s me, is the gun maintenance I asked for complete? I’ll be heading over within four hundred seconds from now so place those two and the other gun I handed to you on my transport. The crew members will be me──”

Horn turned her head halfway to them.

She looked appraisingly at Ishtar, Ymy and finally Sheltis, then gave a long, long sigh.

“……And a single Cadet Guard unit. No, you’re not mistaken and I didn’t say the wrong thing; I will be acting together with a single Cadet Guard unit. Got it? If you get it, then hurry up and prepare with the remaining three hundred eighty seconds.”