Editing City Series:Volume6b Chapter3 (section)

===Part 3===

Hazel suddenly opened her eyes.

“Ah.”

She must have dozed off, so she sleepily checked on her current situation.

This was the room Berger had taken her to. He was still not back, so she was alone sitting in the seat in front of the central table.

…''A lot happened today.

Flektierening into a cat and running around was exhausting. Meeting Berger had also helped her relax.

“I’m so sleepy. Where is Berger, anyway?”

She straightened up, tilted her head, and checked the clock on the wall to see it was already past 11 at night.

The thick curtain over the window fluttered as the night breeze blew in.

She could see the color of the wind. She had gained that power once her right eye’s sight returned after the incident two years ago. It was a pale blue. The somewhat blurred Tons wavered, swirled, and danced around the room.

It was cold. She was only wearing Berger’s black shirt and Berlin’s nights were chilly even in late summer.

She got up to shut the window, but she remembered what he had told her.

…''I’m not supposed to approach the window.

She thought over that and then turned toward the kitchen. The food below the frying pan’s lid had to be cold by now.

She sighed and let her shoulders droop before remembering how she was dressed.

“I actually dozed off like this.”

She thought for a bit and looked around the room, noting the absence of a closet or wardrobe.

…''I wish there were some clothes I could borrow.

The cabinet below the sink seemed like the most likely spot. It was right next to the space with food in it. She approached the sink, crouched down, and sat with the hem of the shirt held in the back of her knees like a skirt.

“Sorry, but I need to check inside.”

After apologizing, she tensed up a bit and opened it. She detected a scent reminiscent of old wood and metal.

She saw two wooden boxes inside, just like in Berger’s hideout two years before.

She smiled a little.

“He gave me a shirt and shorts back then, didn’t he? Sandals too.” Her shoulders fell in exasperation. “But I didn’t get any underwear until the German barracks. I was running around without any until then.” Her shoulders fell further in frustration. “And he saw everything before that anyway.”

She hung her head. But…

“But I’ve forgotten all that unpleasantness and grown a lot over the past two years. Well, except in the chest!”

She clenched her fists and stood up with resolve, crashing her head right into the top of the cabinet.

A horribly dull thud filled the room.

“!?”

She held the back of her head and doubled over.

Just then, she heard what sounded like something heavy falling over past the floor – on the ground floor below. It was dull wooden impact.

…''Berger?

She wiped away the tears that were more due to surprise than pain and got up while being much more careful this time.

She stood up, looked around the room just once, and walked barefoot over to the door.

She pulled the thick door with both hands to open it.

She found the landing that opened out onto the front desk below. This room was in the very back, putting it furthest from the stairs. She could see anyone climbing the stairs from here.

Presently, someone other than Berger was doing so. It was a man and woman in black.

…''Are they staying in another room?

She wondered that, but at the same time…

…''I can’t let anyone other than Berger see me dressed like this.

She shut the door and waited a few seconds, but then something occurred to her.

…''Could they be from the Geheimnis Agency?

She had seen those agents in black from time to time since entering Germany, not to mention the two men who had tried to take custody of her two years ago as the possessor of the Messiah Eingeweide eye. The pair climbing the stairs now reminded her a lot of those two. They had the same heavy tension and strained atmosphere surrounding them.

She quickly reached back to lock the door.

Just then, a knock came at the door.

…''!?

Followed by another.

The knocking caused her pulse to race.

She froze in place and tried to mask her presence. She had to make it seem like there was no one here.

She held her breath, pressed her back against the wall next to the door, stood up on her toes, and remained entirely motionless.

A few seconds passed.

All of a sudden, she saw blueish white Tons flowing in. It was the wind. A powerful gust was approaching the window.

…''Please don’t make any noise.

The wind blew in against her wishes, blowing the curtain and rattling its rail. The rattle of metal and rustle of thick cloth sounded so very loud.

“…!”

She placed a hand over her mouth.

She suppressed it.

She did not want to make any noise, but she felt like the tremor in her throat would cause something to escape.

The wind died down.

But then another knock came.

A third one.

The speed and strength of the knock was the same as before, which told her something.

…''They aren’t checking to see if someone is here?

They knew she was here and were waiting for her to respond. Like gentlemen.

They did not have hostile intentions.

That realization made her cower down.

…''I’m scared.

This all creeped her out.

Then she heard a voice.

It was a somewhat deep and emotionless female voice.

“We have come to pick you up. We are from the Geheimnis Agency’s army division.”

The voice carried no doubt about her presence and was not taking no for an answer, so Hazel held her body tight.

She calmed her breathing.

…''I can do this if they’re willing to talk.

“Um…”

She took a breath.

“What is this about? I only came to Germany on a trip.”

“But to us, this is the return of our Messiah.”

“I’m not your-”

“Destiny – the prophecy – has spoken. Whoever you are now, you will eventually lead us, so it is only natural that we protect you now.”

She thought about those uncompromising words.

After three seconds, she spoke.

“Wh-what happens if I…have no intention of leading you?”

The answer came immediately and without hesitation.

“Nevertheless, you are destined to lead us. It is that destined future that matters to us, not the present.”

The doorknob turned with an “excuse me” from the voice.

It was locked, so it did not open. The knob stopped.

…''They can’t get in.

Hazel breathed a sigh of relief and provided her conclusion.

“I’m sorry, but at least for now, I don’t want that. …So please leave.”

“Nonsense. Do you think help is coming for you if you stay here? I am sorry to say that Dog Berger has abandoned you and departed on a mission for the AIF.”

…''Eh?

She gasped and the woman beyond the door must have heard it.

“He will not return no matter how long you wait, so I would recommend abandoning that hope.”

“But he…but Berger…”

“We have heard everything from the gentleman downstairs. Dog Berger said he wanted nothing more to do with you.”

…''That isn’t true.

“Think it through. If he is currently on an AIF mission, how is he supposed to get you out of the country?”

She fell silent. She stared down to her right where the cold frying pan sat on the stove.

“…”

She stared at the pan, took a few breaths, and shut her eyes.

Then she straightened up and spoke.

In English.

“I do not believe you.”

Her pronunciation was stiff as she was still unused to the language. It would not come as smoothly as German did.

But she kept going all the same.

“You claim that Mr. Berger left like that in order to hurt my feelings. No one would do something so cruel.”

She had no idea if the woman beyond the door understood English, but that allowed her to speak more freely.

“If he did leave me here, then he had a reason for it. He would have told the innkeeper downstairs the reason. But…” She frowned. “Unfortunately, I know the innkeeper would not have let you through. Yet here you are.”

…''I hope he’s okay.

She recalled the friendly-looking elderly man’s face.

Then she heard a Text.

<The Fatherland allows no secrets.>

…''An Erklärung!?

She reflexively held the doorknob with her hand.

It could not be turned from the outside and it was locked, so there was no way it could open.

Nevertheless, open it did. The knob did not turn and the lock remained in place, yet the door opened.

“––––!?”

She realized her hand had released the knob and the door was open. Two people stood before her, both in black. One was a middle-aged woman in a black dress and a combat jacket. The other was a young, broad-shouldered man in a black military uniform.

Hazel tensed as she faced the two of them.

“What are you going to do?”

…''Take me away?

“Are you going to take me against my will, just like you did during the Heidengeist test at school two years ago?”

Back then, she had tried to protect a friend they had gotten violent with and been blinded in one eye by the resulting blow.

…''And then I was given the Messiah implant.

Those thoughts set her body in motion. Strength filled her.

Just then, both of them got down on one knee.

The woman’s short blonde hair swayed as she bowed her head and spoke.

“I am Geheimnis Agency Army Division Deputy Head Jeanne Schmitt. I must ask that you accompany us.”