Baka-Tsuki - User contributions [en]

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume13 Chapter4

2012-01-16T23:56:52Z

189.215.1.136: Replacing "Aleiso(阿里艾斯狄)" for Alieste following the Organization's name.

{{Incomplete|percentage=60}}
===Chapter 4: The Two Knight Corps===

Three days after setting sail from Tristain, the "Ostland" arrived at Romalia's southern port, Cittadella. It was indeed very fast. Even with a fully extended sail on a high speed, cargo-less ship, the distance by sea would take a week.

Cittadella is a fortress city constructed next to a big lake. It was convenient for ships to land and set sail, so the lake naturally became a port. Various ships were brought to the many piers that stretched along the shore. Purely from looking out towards the sea, the port had an appearance not unlike a typical rest stop for ships.

Well, when an oddly shaped ship such as the Ostland docked... a crowd gathered all around the pier. Saito and the crew were a little troubled from this.

Their arrival at Romalia was not an official visit.

In order to not attract the attention of Gallia, their arrival was officially an "academy field trip" by name. Of course, their real purpose was to covertly head for Henrietta's location, but that was a secret.

Naturally, their arrival created quite a memorable ruckus for officials.

On the pier, a spectacled person with the dull appearance of an important Romalian official eyed the Tristainian government-issued port documents, and then he stared at the Ostland suspiciously.

"Students of the Tristain Academy of Magic? What an incredible ship you're riding on. What's with this ship?"

Unlike normal, everyday ships used in Halkeginia, the Ostland had a large wingspan. Not only that, but on the tail and each wing of the ship was a large propeller unfamiliar to most. Official or not, anyone would think that it was suspicious.

The acting leader, Instructor Colbert, responded innocently.

"Ah, it is a new model of ship that I developed in Germania."

"On top of the wings, what are those strange bladed turrets?"

With an arrogant attitude, the official pointed his wand at it and inquired.

"Through the power of steam, it is a device that provides propulsion. I called it the 'water steam engine'."

The official narrowed his eyes at that point.

"Without using the blessed magic of God, you dare to fly in the sky with this strange device...is this not heresy?"

At the words of 'heresy,' the officials' aides sprang into action. All of them drew the holy items from around their neck; their hands trembled at the ready. All of Romalia's officials were clergymen after all.

The conversation was making Tiffania uneasy.

In order to hide her mixed elf blood, she was wearing a wide-brimmed hat, which she now pulled over her head more.

This action apparently caught the eye of the official.

"Hey you. Let me see that hat."

Tiffania was trembling awkwardly.

"What's wrong? I said let me see that hat. Did you not hear me?"

As the official reached for the hat, Tabitha softly chanted a spell. Seeing that motion, Kirche brazenly clung onto the officials arms.

"Ah! From close-up, I see that you're quite the man!"

"Wh-what are you doing?!"

"You do such a fabulous job, don't you, Mr. Wonderful Clergyman?"

"Not really..., anyways let me go! Stop trying to corrupt me!"

"There are a lot of things in this world that are more fun than praying to your god, you know?"

As all eyes gathered at their exchange..., the battle-experienced Tabitha completed her spell with the slightest of motions. Tiffania's hat started to glow.

With that, Kirche abruptly released the man.

"I guess it's as Mr. Official says. I may have come on too strongly."

The official cleared his throat and once again turned towards Tiffania.

"The hat, please."

Finally giving in, Tiffania handed over her hat.

"Hmm...you're much prettier without the hat."

'Huh', Tiffania thought as she checked her ears. Somehow they were that of a normal human being! The shocked Tiffania looked to the side at Tabitha. Somehow, this little blue-haired girl had helped her out with a spell.

Unbeknownst to Tiffania, the spell "Face Change" that could change appearances was a high-level square spell. At some point, Tabitha had apparently reached the capability of a square class mage.

In any case, nothing seemed to be out of place with the port documents. (Of course, since it was genuinely issued by the Tristainian government.) Since everything was in order, the official had no further inquiries.

A heavy weight collectively lifted off of their chests.

It was sort of ironic that they managed to get away by the skin of their teeth. Little did they know, they were inching towards disaster.

Leaving Cittadella by horse-drawn carriage, it would take a day to finally arrive at the capital of Romalia.

According to this country’s customs, wands and weapons had to be stowed away in their baggage before arriving at the city gates.

Such a rule had passed over the head of Saito, who carelessly crossed the gate with Derflinger still on his back. Of course, this caused one of the guards to stop them.

“Hey, you over there!”

‘Huh?’, Saito openly thought, as the guard shuffled over and put his hand on Derflinger.

“What kind of backwater town are you from?! I cannot forgive anyone who openly carries a weapon in this city!”

The bearer of the sword appeared to be a commoner, thought the guard. With a pompous attitude, the guard grabbed Derflinger off Saito’s back and threw it on the ground.

“Wh-what the hell are you doing?!”

Just then, the guard noticed Saito’s mantle.

“What the hell? Are you a noble? Still, what is the big idea walking by us carrying a sword? What is with the northern countries that commoners are allowed to prance around acting like nobles? This is blasphemous to God!”

Saito started to voice his complaint, but Derflinger popped out of its scabbard and beat him to it.

“Hey! What’s the deal with throwing a person – no, a sword onto the ground!”

“What is this, an intelligent sword? Whatever the reason, carrying it is not allowed. You should put it in your bag or load it on your horse…in any case, get over here. You look suspicious.”

Still, Derflinger continued bombarding the guards.

“Shut up, you dolts! Guarding your cursed house of frothy prayers!”

“…house of frothy prayers, you say?”

‘Oh boy, Saito thought, holding his head. Sorry from the extra trouble caused, Saito hurriedly grabbed Derflinger to shut him up. The fuming sword clattered about, making it quite difficult to keep it in the scabbard. As Saito finally pinned it inside the scabbard, it seemed to finally cool down a bit.

“Hey, how many times have I told you! Instead of being so offensive, you really should come up with nicer ways of naming things.”

“…how dare this sword! Insulting Romalia’s guards equates to insulting God and Founder Brimir!”

“Can it, greenhorn. What do you claim to know about Brimir? You’d best be quick to apologize and then run along to chant your prayers.”

With cries of ‘What!’ and ‘Unforgivable!’, the guards grabbed the hilt of Derflinger.

“Hey, what are you doing!”

Saito rushed to stop them.

“Demon! Time to turn you into a lump of smoldering iron!”

“Interesting! Let’s see you try it!”

“Stop it!”

It had turned into a scuffle. Louise and the others watched over it with a dazed expression. Because of some unnecessary words, the resulting scuffle turned into a very bad situation, they decided.

But, it seemed like they were destined for trouble anyways. Saito had unfortunately flung the vigorous guards away.

“Wah! I’m sorry!”

“You think sorry is going to cut it?! You have just used force on the servants of God and the Founder! We shall halt this blasphemy here! …Men! Come out and stop these suspicious individuals!”

At those words, many guards flooded out of a small area.

“Blasphemy!”

“This may be related to the incident! Seize them!”

Their hands grasped at their holy items. Seeing their holy wands, Kirche said,

“Uh oh. These guys are Paladins.”

Tabitha responded to her words.

Blowing a whistle, Sylphid dropped down from the sky. Tabitha and Kirche jumped on its back. Tabitha then cast ‘Leviation’ on the panicky, confused Tiffania, lifting her onto Sylphid’s back.

Only Louise was left standing in front of the Paladins.

“What is this!?”

Louise ruffled her pink hair and shouted directly at the Paladins.

“We are the Tristainian government! Currently, we are heading towards Her Majesty, Queen Henrietta, who is staying in this country! Laying a hand on us will be a significant breach of diplomacy! Do you understand?”

The Paladins looked at each other.

“…Her Majesty, Queen Henrietta?”

“Did you not receive this information?”

‘Uh oh.’ Louise thought as her face paled. Come to think of it, Henrietta’s visit had been undercover. Although the upper echelon of the government may have known, there were many of the lower-ranked guards that wouldn’t know.

“Bastards…, going as far as using the name of the queen of Tristain…, this is looking more and more suspicious.

“You have done plenty to invoke the judgment of the church. Prepare yourselves!”

Kirche picked up the panicking Louise into her arms.

“Jean, Guiche, everyone, you guys follow us with ‘Fly’. Saito! Come here and hop on!”

Grasping tightly onto Derflinger, Saito jumped towards the ascending Sylphid. Springing through the air, he skillfully caught Sylphid’s leg.

Letting out a short cry, Sylphid accelerated upwards. Colbert and the rest of the Knights of the Ondine quickly cast ‘Fly”, chasing after Sylphid.

“The heretics are escaping! After them!”

From the small building, horses quickly emerged, sprouting wings as they flew up. The Paladins mounted the horses and chased after Saito and the others, who had just raised their heresy level with further blasphemy.

Looking at the horses, Louise shouted.

“It’s Pegasi!”

Native to the area of Romalia, the winged, holy horse, Pegasus, was the steed of the Paladin. Glimmering with radiant white light, they steadily drew closer and closer.

Normally, the flying speed of a Pegasus was comparable to that of a wind dragon…, but Sylphid wasn’t escaping at full speed.

“The ones using the ‘Fly’ spell can’t escape at this rate…”

Catching Kirche’s words, Saito drew close to her.

“Hey, Kirche! How are we going to get away?! We’ve got ourselves into a lot of unnecessary trouble!”

Kirche brushed her hair up and glared at the ‘one who started it’.

“Don’t you know how frightening the ‘Paladin’ are? That if they decide that someone is ‘blasphemous’, it is not a trivial thing? They can informally conduct the judgment of the church and cut down anyone they see fit.”

The color drained from Saito’s face.

He was reminded of a ruckus between himself and Beatrice. Looking backwards, Tiffania was trembling. Most likely because of hearing the words "judgment of the church", it refreshed her of the ruckus caused by her ears a little while ago.

Viewing the streets of Romalia from sky high, it seemed to be divided into strict districts like a checkerboard. No matter whichever district it was, a beautifully carved tower standing over the heads of other buildings, standing ever so proudly.

"Seriously, insulting the clergymen in this place full of churches is the last thing you would ever want to do. At least consider about it throughoutly before doing so."

Hearing Kirche say so, Saito stared at the Derflinger in his hands

"Oi, you big mouthed sword. Go and reflect yourself"

Derflinger replied unwillingly

"It's not fair, all the time sitting in the sheath has made me very agitated. But most important of all is that I hate this country. The man who founded this country named '''Feisadic(弗爾薩迪)''', I abhor him!"

"These anicent things just forget it! Because of you, you've already caused me enough trouble already!"

Hearing Saito's scolding, Derflinger returned into the scabbared, slightly chattering, as if it really was reflecting on itself.

Looking backwards at the Ondine Knights, they were almost flying irratically, like an airplane in turbulance. They were tired. The "flying" spell isn't designed for long distance journeys, since it requires great concentration.

"At their limit"

Kirche described calmly. Tabitha below raised her staff and pointed to somewhere.

"Tavern"

Kirche nodded her head. Understanding Tabitha's intention, Slipheed started diving.

"W-what are you thinking! Why should we ever land!"

"To use that bar as a defense"

"Defence?!"

Louise and Saito roared in unison.

"You give me another choice, genius. We can't escape any longer, being caught is that last thing you'd ever want. If this goes on, a fight is going to break out anyhow. Better do it in a tavern since there's usually no one at daytime."

Slipheed accurately arrived at the targeted street. The pedestrians were so surprised at the sudden Wind dragon, they all fled. Kirche jumped off Slipheed, and kicked open the tavern's door.

Unwary of the trouble about to be bestowed on him, the bar owner welcomed them with a warm smile and a "How may I serve you". Kirche took a rough glance inside the inn. As expected, there were not many customers to speak of. Only a man dressed like a clergyman sat at with bartender.

It's common sense in Romalia not to drink wine in broad daylight, who would otherwise be treated as non-believers. Even if anyone wanted to, they would have done it in secrecy at home. Kirche relaxed. The less involved, the better.

"What would you like to order, miss"

Seeing noble customers, the owner of the inn came and asked, rubbing his hands gleefully.

"Today, I'll take this inn."

"Eh?"

The dumbfounded shopkeeper looked at the unending line of nobles walking in, so shocked that his eyes could have dropped out.

"What, What is this?"

Kirche did not answer, she was scratching over a check with a pen, and placed it in the hands of the owner.

"That, that much!"

"It may be not enough, when the time comes, don't hesitate to ask for more"

"Ye-Yes! Although, what are you planning to do? Is it a party?"

"More or less, although the fireworks would go a bit wild, I hope you wouldn't mind, would you?"

Fireworks?

The owner turned around. Tabitha was instructing the Ondine Knights how to make a fortress out of chairs and tables.

"Whoa! Wait, wait! You people! What is this! Waa!"

The shopkeeper's complaints were drowned by the sound of windows shattering. The guards outside were already in formation and casting spells.

"Uwha! What's going on! What is this! Ah, holy knights!"

As soon as the shopkeeper saw the pure white cape stitched with a holy cross, he legs turned jelly.

"You, You, who are you!"

Kirche pitied the poor guy

"Get down. It's dangerous"

Saito dragged the Tiffania trembling like never before into the tavern and let her sit down. Tiffania hugged herself as if attempting to use the academy's dress and her large brests to conceal herself, sitting down in a corner still like a statue.

"Saito"

"It's going to be alright. No matter what happens I will protect you. Besides, it seems like I'm at fault as well, so sorry"

Tiffania nodded her head, still shaking. Saito put his hand on Derflinger. Outside of the shattered windows, a solemn line of Holy Knights stood proudly.

The Ondine Water Spirit knights made a cover under the windows using chairs and tables, standing off with their wands. Tabitha and Kirche made commands lacking details. They had already turned into something like a commander and vice-commander.

The only customer here, they offered him to leave due to obvious reasons, but to everyone's surprise, he turned down that offer with a smile.

"There's no food better than this" and drank down the red wine in one gulp.

Colbert silently observed the Holy Knights' actions from a crack through a table. Normally, he would be the one trying to stop this brutal fight, but this time he didn't mention a single complaint to Kirche. Saito, observing Colbert transitioning from being calm to being realistic in this situation, concluded that it may be a brutal fight, but is the correct decision.

IN comparison, Guiche, Captain of Ondine Knights, kept mumbling "How did it turn into this[[User:Wildk|Wildk]]" and knelt on the floor covering his head like an ostrich.

Louise's body seemed to shake with fury over something. It wouldn't matter what words were used to comfort her. Louise with an extrememly high dignity just can't stand an insult through being mistaken and treated like a criminal.

Saito huffed and puffed, taking a break next to Kirche and Tabitha.

"Now what?"

Kirche laughed

"Alright! Every one of the brave knights here, Let me describe the plan today"

Everyone held their breaths, waiting anxiously for Kirche to name their position and objective.

"Try and stall as much time as possible"

"That-That's it?"

Kirche nodded.

"Right. As long as we buy time here, the news of a riot will be delievered to the Pope eventually. Do you think Queen Henrietta wouldn't have noticed by then?"

"Wow, how much patience do we need"

Guiche voiced his thoughts, stunned

"Is that so? You could always go outside and surrender to the Knight's trial, you know. We are all guilty of insulting an official. I wouldn't want to be taken and be beheaded or whatever."

Saito, then said with determination.

"Me and Derflinger are the only ones who insulted them. I'll go alone."

"Saito!"

Louise cried running towards Saito.

"Don't! If you're going, I'm coming with you"

She bowed her head with embarrasment.

"You are my familiar. Your responsibility is also mine. Therefore I'm also going with you"

Saito looked at Louise emotionally

"Louise"

Louise blushed.

"A-as a master, I have my responsibilities. That's why, I won't allow you to go"

"I won't"

Grateful to the core, Saito hugged Louise. Letting herself drown in this emotional conversation, Louise also hugged him back redfaced.

"Be-because master and a familiar is together as one."

"I understand. I understand"

"Hey, do these things somewhere else"

A Malicorne frowning so hard that he looks as if he was 50 years older pulled them apart. The two just now tightly embracing each other was red to the core.

Kirche complained

"No matter what you said, it just won't work"

"Also, if we let you go out by yourself, it would hurt our reputation, wouldn't it?"

Malicorne flicked his thumb up with a snap. Malicorne's words seemed to be an infection to the other Ondine Knights, all saying "That's right, that's right!"

"Basically, I hate Romalian clerks"

"The Crusaders are cruel and only knows how to brag! I've already wanted them to get a taste of who is the real hero around for a long time!"

These dangerous words echoed throughout the tavern. Looks like it really came from the bottom of their hearts.

Whatever they say, nobles of Halkeginia just love getting involved in these conflicts. Saito shook his head shrugging.

"Huh. What's with whoever's God. Since ancient times, isn't it because of God's existance we've been having all these wars?"

Thinking of the Histories lessons he'd been in, Saito said.

Different religions, because of just this reason, have caused countless battles on Earth. Unfortunately, because everyone was saying things out from the bottom of their, which they wouldn't have otherwise dared to talk about.

That is, except for one person.

It's the sole customer sitting calmly in a chair despite all the commotion. That hat on his head was wide and low, covering his face. After hearing Saito's claim, he laughed, then used a pelicular voice and spoke

"That was really some interesting things you've said"

"Is that so? Well, it's going to be really dangerous here soon, so it would be better if you leave. Sorry to cause you all the trouble!"

"Nah, let me stay and watch"

What a pelicular person, but now was not the time to think about this.

Saito looked outside again behind the crudely made defense.

"Hmm, those guys still haven't attacked so far"

Kirche observed. Since the Crusaders have broken the windows, they didn't move an inch at all. Looks like they only broke the windows to understand the situation inside.

Another few moments of standing off each other passed. A crusader walked out from the surrounding formation. He experssion was incredibly irritating to anyone who saw it, and shook his head two or three times, as if disgusted with the whole incident. While he walked, Saito voiced his thoughts.

"He looks like Guiche in somewhat way"

"Please don't compare me with him"

His face is a combination of a handsome one but with long black hair like what a gentle person would have. His black hair spilt cleanly into left and right straight down from his forehead, dangling on both sides.

The man gave a polite bow and called out softly to the people taking defensive actions inside the inn

"I am the captain of the Crusaders representing Alieste monastery, Carlo '''Halksidic Arnold 加爾羅克里斯狄亞諾特倫博迪諾)'''. To everyone one within the tavern, you have been completely surrounded. Being the humble servants of God and our Ancestors, I dislike pointless battles. Therefore, are you willing to honestly surrender?"

"We will gladly do so if you can ensure our safety"

Kirche bargained.

"Despite I really want to do so, but right now we are handling another case and has accepted an order to arrest every suspicious person and put them up for trial. If you can prove your innocence to God, Then we can discuss further details."

The Ondine Water Spirit Knights yelled out loudly, complaining. They know thoroughtly the so called trial is just a abbreviation for your sentence for your "crimes".

"We are not heretics!"

"Real nobles from Tristain!"

"If you are nobles from Tristain, then accept your trial like a noble. There is nothing wrong with using your body to prove your innocence. If you can't do that, then we have no choice but to treat you like one."

"Go ask Pope his holiness! We're Romalian guests!"

Hearing Saito's raged yells, the Crusader named Carlo laid out his hands in a carefree way. A man looking like he would be of rank vice-captain came forward and whispered somethign in his ears.

"Since you are so stubborn about standing down, looks like we must trial you no matter what. How unfortunate, to bleed unnecessary blood today, to cast unnecessary magic. Ho ho, perhaps is a training given from God."

Carlo lifted the holy cross hanging from his chest and magically stuck it to his forehead. With that done, his beautiful and gentle face turned into one with a strong scent of firece cruelty.

"Crusaders! As believers and servants of God and Founder Brimir, eliminate the heretics!"

Magic densed around the crusaders.

Carlo stood with his back facing Saito and the others. Excatly like a conductor of an orchestra of spells.

The environment inside the tavern was very tense.

Tabitha displayed her side of anxiety, one rarely seen, and gave specific orders to the Ondine Knights.

"Expand Air Shields. The more the better. Now."

Without hesitation, the Ondine Water Spirit Knights chanted spells, creating air shields in front of the tavern.

At the same time, the Crusaders have finished their spells.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
| Return to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume14 Epilogue

2012-01-15T11:57:00Z

189.215.1.136:

==Epilogue==

Around the same time when the Golomonta's have perished completely, the dual-use warships started retreating as well, surrounding the Romalian soldiers and commanders were all cries of victory.

The Ondine Knights were also indulged in cheers and dancing happily like a bunch of small children.

Watching the Gallian army retreating slowly, Saito murmured

"It has just begun."

Louise replied with a "Isn't that so" and nodded.

"Well, since this is already over, let us celebrate like never before."

After hearing this, Louise suddenly said with an angry tone

"But... the Pope is really despicable, even though he promised me to send you back."

"Those guys,..... only made a promise like this for your power."

"Eh?"

Louise displayed a face of astonishment to Saito.

"I have my replacements. Even if I died, you can summon another out, but you are irreplaceble. You were swaying over whether to help them or not, so they used me as a bait.... although you may have been the one who suggested this play...., the used the feelings of yours."

"How could they!"

Louise's shoulders kept shaking, pulling her hands inwards preparing to pull down the nun clothes.

"Don't."

"But!.... I can't stand wearing this dress anymore!"

"You want to go naked right here?"

Louise went bright red.

"Be careful. Those people can be dangerous if they want. They actually confirmed the anomaly even after detecting it, they aren't easy to take down at all."

Louise hung her head shyly, she couldn't forgive herself being so cheerful after being titled as "Aquileia's Saint".

"Damn this crusade..."

"Don't worry, I will absolutely stop those guys. When the Gallian incidents have ended, when this crusade has finished...."

"Turns out, you're better off going home. Don't force yourself to stay in this world."

Hearing Louise say it like that, Saito pointed out directly

"I haven't seen enough, so I'm never going back."

"What?"

"Your smile."

Louise's face turned scarlet, then tried to show a smile with great effort. Maybe it's because of shyness, maybe it's because of happiness, the expression on her face just doesn't listen to her commands.

Saito, who seemed to remembered something, and continued

"....that's right, when I was asleep, in the dreams I saw Founder Brimir and the first Gandalfr."

"Really?"

"Ohhh, the feeling seemed really real and..... was that really a dream?"

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe, I really did travel through time after all."

"Stupid, how can that be possible."

Saito shook his head with a grunt, then glanced at his left hand.

"But then again, it could be possible that in this incription, the memory lies there. In the incription of Gandalfr, a memory of two people from a distant past is marked....."

Saito lifted his hand and showed Louise the runes.

At the beginning Louise didn't believe it at all,.... but then she was reminded of the events just happened and started to change her view point.

"If that's so.... then maybe it did happen, my memories of you did completely vanish, yet when we kissed...., it felt like something flowed into my body,..... yes, it's definitley your memory. You remembered all of the things that happened together with me, filling a big hole in my heart......"

Louise said, looking at Saito directly in his eyes.

The memories together with Saito, were all from "Saito's perspective".

In those memories, Louise appeared like a character on stage, in synchronization with her objective point of view, creating something new.

''If that was what true...., then the bond between us is truely so deep.''

Louise can't help but be mesmerised.

Like watching a movie, she recalled all the events and time she spent with Saito together.

An amazing feeling made her experience an indescrible feeling of comfortness.

If it's possible to share visual and audio, then sharing memories doesn't sound so far fetched either.

And so it goes on and says that, Saito having a realistic dream about "meeting Brimir himself" isn't something deemed strange either. Suppose all of this is displayed by the inscription, then this couldn't be anything more normal.

But then another question would arise.

Why did the inscription give Saito that kind of dream?

But then again, swimming in the sea of happiness, it's better to just induldge yourself in it as well.

Louise held Saito's hand tightly, reading her treasured memories one scene after another.

''Hoho, Saito stared at me even at these times. That pervert~

In class, inside the house...., even when sleeping.''

Drowning in a sea of happiness, Louise gently shut her eyes and leaned on him, enjoying all sorts of memories.

Gradually, she understood the key to accessing the memories.

Just by thinking related events, all the images will flock to her as well.

"Hmm?"

Louise saw something other than memories about her, special cutscenes mixed inside...

Like walking somewhere in Saito's own world.... being introduce to someone like Saito's mother... so on so on.

Louise couldn't be more pleased and jabbed Saito in the belly.

<nowiki>"Really, you're such an idiot,.... so stupid, go to hell you~~~~"</nowiki>

"Hey, Hey! What are you looking at. Don't read other people's memories without permission."

Suddenly, Louise's face turned pale, then red, just like a squid being cooked. Similar to a goldfish opening its mouth from the lack oxygen, she couldn't say anything from a while.

"What, what happened?"

"Y-you,you......me, what did you let me do.... even in imagination this....."

Saito turned pale himself, sharing memories,.... that also means sharing his wild dreams as well?

"Heh, that, y-you, you called me d-d-dd-do-dogg.... your memoriesm what, indecent fantasties! .... I, I, I actually, actually said 'little Louise is master's d-dog[[User:Wildk|Wildk]]' that kind of thing....."

"M-mistaken, that's....."

"AND--AL--SO..."

Saito knew he was in trouble and wanted to run,

"ON--THE--BED---DOING THAT[[User:Wildk|Wildk]]!!!!"

Louise pulled Saito near with a strong jerk and started stomping on him.

"I, I, I would actually be happy about be treated like a d-d-dog, that kind of thing, is absolutely definitely 100% i-m-p-o-s-s-i-b-l-e!!!!! The one being the dog should be you! Don't take me wrong! Make-making me we-wear something like that[[User:Wildk|Wildk]], that!!"

Watching Louise stomping all over Saito while screeching, Guiche and the others exchanged expressions of sympathy.

"Wearing like that, that, who would that look like?"

Only Malicorne widen his eyes in excitment to watch this scene.

"Don't really want to imagine it."

Guiche muttered while shaking his head.

"Say, Crusade, really is beginning."

The team all looked up in the sky,

Crusaders riding Pegasuses drew a pattern of holy cross in the sky with magic smoke.

The beautiful floating pattern of the holy cross.... as if showing Halkenia's future, a cold shudder was sent down Guiche's spine.

In the Panzer under inspection for damages by Colbert, beside the gunner's seat, laid Saito's laptop.

Forgetting to turn off the power from the emergency, the computer display revealed a email.

"
To my dearest mother,

You must be very shocked, I am Saito. Not saying anything and leaving, I am really sorry, no, it's not excatly 'not saying anything'. .....Even if I explained it to you, you wouldn't understand, so let's leave it that way.

Thank you for your letter.

Thank you for worrying about me.

Just now I saw the face of mother's. Mother seemed to be much slimmer. I felt very guilty, everyday having a good meal myself. Although it may be from working too much you lost your appetite, but please satisify yourself from 3 meals.

I am still alive.

And also very healthy, rest asured.

I am now at a place different from Earth.

You may not believe it, but this is true. You may be thinking if there is a problem with my brain...., but, it's true.

Here, my friends and a person very important to me is in a giant mess here.

They need my help.

That's why.... I still can't come back yet.

But, I will definitely return one day.

Bearing presents.

That's why, please don't worry about me.

Convey to dad and the others, and greet them for me.

This happened in an emergency so forgive me. I have to hurry even when writing this.

Thank you, mother.

Really, really grateful.

Thanks for worrying about me.

Despite it may be diffifult living here, but I am very happy.

Thank you so much for bring me to life.

Then, goodbye.

Saito
"

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</noinclude>

Hidan no Aria:Volume8 Chapter2

2011-12-27T00:18:28Z

189.215.1.136:

{{Incomplete|percentage=34}}
==2nd Ammo: Cosplay Cafeteria -Ristorante Mask- ==

Carrying Aria on my back, on the way back to Academy Island's boys' dormitory, I was wary that those of "Grenada" might make a U-turn and come attack us, but...Tamamo-

"In the end, they are nothing more than emissaries.　From the beginning, I had released Shikigami into this area, and am having them watch. If the 'Kin' were to enter any part of this rectangular island, we will immediately be informed by Shikigami, so be at ease. Also, according to mine ears, they hath all crossed the ocean and skies, disappearing. Fufun."

-laughed at my unease.

As for Sister Meiya, she asked me for where I lived, saying: "I wish to do a little shopping, so please go on ahead first." and entered the convenience store.

I don't know the view of the SSR on the movement pattern of those monsters, but...because those two, who seem like specialists, had completely relaxed any form of alertness, it should probably be alright.

Rather, other than thinking that, I have nothing to base my judgements upon.

And...the next thing I had to worry about was Aria's condition.

Returning to our room, I laid Aria down upon the sofa, and--because it was enormous, It was possible have her lie down completely flat, housed by the three-person sofa--Aria-

"...Nnn...Peach bun avalanche..."

-muttered things like that, sleep-talking, ''Smile'', and as she slept, she smiled.

Certainly, it seemed that Aria had only lost consciousness...rather, it seemed that she was just in a deep sleep.

Her breathing while asleep also seemed to be as usual, and her pulse was also normal.

"Funfun...That there is no shrine here, what matter of house is this? Thine devotion is lacking, one of Tohyama. Funfun."

Suddenly complaining about something about my room and going 'Funfun' with her nose, Tamamo, going into the kitchen...

"Hast thou no syrup? Where is the syrup?"

While saying that, she took some pudding, which had "Riko's" written on it with magic marker, out of the fridge.

And, while muttering "Spoon, spoon, spoon", she took one of the spoon's from the kitchen, ''Nom Nom''

Just by herself...she started eating.

What are you doing?

"Mmmmm. This too, is quite delectable. Tohyama.　I give thee mine praise!"

Licking even the back of the lid of the pudding, Tamamo turned towards me with an innocent smile.

(Riko is going to get angry later...rather, why is she so friendly to me, who she's met for the first time?)

I sighed, and, ''PatterPatterPatter'', Tamamo, scurrying this way-

"Mmmm. Thou art the current generation's Tohyama, art thou not? Thou art wondrously similar to the Tohyama that I had met at Nasuno. I could not have thought it from our first meeting. By the lanterns of midday, thou dost give off a feeling that thou art introverted, but good, good. Then, look here."

While saying something which seemed to hint that she was an acquaintance to one of my ancestors, (and while suddenly seeing through my nickname,) she turned her back to me as if to show off the backpack-like crate she was carrying.

"...?"

"Look. Today, I too hath worked quite hard. Put the offering for the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamagushi Tamagushi] within."

''Shake, Shake'', when Tamamo shook her back, ''Clank, Clank'', because the sound of coins rang out...

I finally understood.

This is an offering box.

She was walking while carrying that sort of thing?

"Tamagushi...?"

I said, stating my confusion,

"Quickly, put it in, put it in!"

Tamamo leaned her body foward, and her tail was completely straightened.

"...!"

--''Swish'''

At that sight, I took a step back.

...Th-this girl, isn't wearing...anything.

Because she was wearing Japanese clothing with a short inseam, and because of her tail, the hem had flipped up, and it became visible.

"He-hey! Wear something!"

"...? Not wearing sandals should be fine, should it not? We are in a house."

"No-not that, w-wear some panties! At least, make a hole for the tail to come out of in those clothes!"

"Pan...ties?"

Tamamo made a "?" symbol with her tail, ''Spin'', and spun this way, "Art thou speaking of undergarments? If one wears such a thing with Japanese clothing, 'tis a loincloth. Do you not know of a thing such as that?" With that, she fixed the flipped skirt.

I wiped off my cold sweat, thanking God that because Tamamo had a childish appearance, I did not go into Hysteria Mode. Well, that's though this girl is probably also a kind of god.

Even so, just in case, I averted my gaze from Tamamo...

"Dost thou worry about Aria, one of Tohyama?"

"Of course."

I'm also worried about your lower body, though. Don't you ever catch colds?

"Do not linger over it. She will not become the Scarlet Blazing God immediately."

"...scarlet blazing god...?"

I frowned, and--

"...I see, do you not know of it? Well, it could not be helped. The Tohyama Samurai are dying out, after all."

Staying in the same place, Tamamo sat straight, her attitude a little careless.

"If nothing in the Tohyama family has been passed down, then I have no choice but to teach you. I am Tamamo--white-snouted golden-furred[http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hidan_no_Aria:Volume8_Translator%27s_Notes#Chapter_2] heavenly fox...by your words, a monster, a demon."

She said it.

This time it's a demon, is it?

Well, ability users, witches, and vampires also exist. As of now, it isn't something to be surprised at.

"My mother too was Tamamo, my grandmother too was Tamamo--since times long past, our race has watched over the relationship between humans and Irokane, and prevented its misuse. For those multitudes of years, we established harmonies and hostilities, reaching up until now. This refers to Irokane, but in this girl's heart too...what I am about to say is not to be said to Aria...it is embedded. Also, an enormous amount of Hihiirokane, rarely seen before in history."

"Ah...ahhh. That, for once, is something that both Aria and I know."

"It is possible that Irokane and humans bond. As for those bonds, there art two types. "Method Bond"--a bond which gives the power of what thou call ability, and "Heart Bond"--a bond of emotions, in other words, were Irokane to bond too tight with a human, the human's heart will intermingle with the Irokane, and in the end, the Irokane will take it over."

Now that she mentions it,

At Hotogi's branch shrine in Kyoto, Shirayuki and Kazayuki had talked about it.

--"Irokane is a metal which communicates with human's hearts," was it?

"Taken over, by the Irokane...what will happen when that occurs?"

"She will become the Scarlet Blazing God. When she does, we kill her."

...!

"Ki-kill, hey...!"

Tamamo fixed her round eyes upon me, who had panicked.

"Do not panic. She will not become such immediately. However...if she doth become it, without hesitation, kill her. You saw her condition earlier, but it seems that that girl hath faith in thou. Well, thou canst do it, canst thou not? Even if thou does not, someone shalt. Even if it were I, 'twould be fine."

"Stop it...to kill or not to kill. That kind of thing--"

"'Tis fine even if war　erupts on this planet?"

"War...?"

"Hihiirokane is a volatile Irokane which enjoys war and love. And, as for those who hath been invaded--the Scarlet Blazing Gods, a heart for war and a heart for love--those two hearts art driven into intense fervor, and the one that hath been affected becomes a Cursed God. In the past, seven centuries ago, there was a human who had become thus. That one seduced an emperor, inciting a war...and finally, she was struck down by the Hotogi Miko and Tohyama Samurai.

"...ch."

"I had said not to linger on it too much, had I not? Aria shalt not become such immediately."

"Is it being...prevented by something? Prevented from becoming like that?"

Still not understanding, I asked an amateurish question, and--

''Nod'', Tamamo nodded.

"So that such a tragedy would not be repeated a second time, what the Mikos of that time conceived was--"The Golden Shell."

"Ka...ra...gane?"

"A shell, 'tis a shell. Laid over the Hirokane as if plating it, a special shell, which only allows "Method Bond" to make its bonds, while "Heart Bond" is isolated. As such, a shell which was fitted for humans had been created. Because 'twas known that if the shell had its seven layers, Heart Bond would be cut off, 'twas also named as "The Seven Stars of the Golden Shell". If the shell is in existence, Method Bond is slowly bonded...if it bonds in the length of three years, Heart Bond is completely cut off."

Three years--at those words, I remembered what had taken place in EU.

Indeed, Sherlock had said that.

As for Hidan's inheritor...until their ability is awakened, there was a need for her to co-exist with the Hidan for, at the very least, a space of ''three years''.

Probably, that meant that that was until the "Method Bond" which Tamamo had spoken of was completed.

"That one, Hilda, used a technique which extracted the Golden Shell from Aria. I did not think that she had progressed her research on Irokane to that level. At least, 'twas not skillfully done. Thanks to that, 2 of the 7 layers of the Golden Shell had been returned."

"Two layers...what will happen?"

"Slowly, this girl will be taken over by the Irokane. Eventually, she will even become the Scarlet Blazing God."

"...ch..."

"Do not panic again and again. 'Tis alright for the moment. In that time, 'twould be well were we to take back the Golden Shell from those of "Grenada" No matter what, they are our opponents in battle. If we gather and return all layers, afterward, Heart Bond will be stopped, and she will return to as she was before."

"New...that, Golden Shell, can't one be newly made?

"A multitude of diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds...if we assemble a great number of materials, and train a hundred Miko and have them work, we shalt be able to make it. However, though the Golden Shell hath been conformed to the Irokane, there is a need for a hundred years. If we try to cover it, if the remaining five layers art again created, we shalt not be able to make it in the time until the girl becomes the Scarlet Blazing God."

"Then...approximately, what is the period for which the two layers of the Golden Shell can hold it back?"

"I do not know. For there has been no-one who has attempted it. If it is merely mine opinion, then... this is but a guess, however, it should be a few years. 'Tis not something that shalt occur today or tomorrow."

"..."

A few years...huh.

What should I think of that?

If there exists only a postponement, it should probably indeed be possible.

Anyways, it seems that currently, Aria is alright...yes.

"However, Hihiirokane's 'Heart Bond' has slightly started. First, from now on, in regards to war and love, the girl shalt probably start to speak her heart without hiding anything. That is the symptom of the beginning. However, do not panic, and respond. Is that fine?"

War...and love...?

Thinking about it a little, I paused to look at the sleeping Aria...and nodded.

"Yeah. I understand."

War--In regards to fighting, Aria doesn't hide anything that's in her heart, right? Definitely, nothing will change from what has been happening up till now.

And, love--In regards to romance...this should be fine too, right?

Because, ever since the time we first met, whenever she had the chance, "I have no interest in it!" is what she would say. Aria, that is.

At the opening ceremony, "So-something like romance...is completely useless!" starting with that, and when she was fighting with Shirayuki, "Romance--th-that's a waste of time, I've never had it before, and I don't plan on ever having it either!"...Towards Reki, "Things like romance, I-I...don't care about that! Really, really, reaaa--lly, I don't care at all! REALLY, got it!?" She even went that far to deny it.

So, Aria...won't change. At all.

When I thought that, the doorbell for the room rang.

"'Tis Meiya."

As if the outside was visible, Tamamo said those words, but just in case, I walked to the door, Beretta held in one hand...when I looked outside through the peephole, indeed, it was Sister Meiya.

"...Did you buy something back?"

While using polite language to ask her, who seemed to be my senior in age, that question, I opened the door, and-

"Ahh, Tohyama-san. That is a relief. Your room was here, was it not. I, because my strength was not enough, staggered around, and got lost. Ufufufu."

-while laughing with an 'Ahahaha', Meiya entered.

Somehow...she seems completely different from when she was attacking the witch, Katze Grasse, earlier...a friendly attitude. Somehow, it makes me feel a vague fear, at the fact that it kind of resembles the split personality of a certain Miko.

Tonight, that Miko, or rather Shirayuki, had gone out to the festival at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suitengu Suiten-gū].

She had said that her return would be the morning tomorrow, but..

(Before, had we had Shirayuki's assistance, things might have turned out a little different, wouldn't it...)

I casually looked into the vinyl bag that Meiya, who had not really been of assistance, had brought back, and...huh? What's that?

It was filled with a large amount of liquor.

This is a situation where she had completely bought out everything from the convenience store, right? Also, there were many several pastry buns. What?

Facing me, who was frowning, with a large smile on her face, Meiya...

"Tohyama-san. It is well that you were unhurt at that place, was it not? As expected, true to the rumours, you are a magnificent paladin."

Wearing the slippers reserved for guests, she took the vinyl bag and headed to the living room.

Somehow...besides the massive sword on her back, she radiated the air of the young wife living in an apartment building.

I too returned to the living room, and Meiya sat, straight-backed, upon the side of the sofa.

"Tamamo-san, how is Aria-san?"

While taking the liquor bottles out, she looked at Aria's condition.

"'Tis normal. However, as expected, the Golden Shell is insufficient. We art compelled to take it back from those of 'Grenada'."

"Well, well...''Slurp''"

Ah. She drank. Lejay Creme de Blueberry...she took the sweetly-scented wine, which appeared to be a cocktail base, straight up.

Whether it be Tamamo or this person, I wonder;when they have finished their work, do the people of 'Deen' feast?

"However, to have Tohyama do that, it seems a heavy burden. Let us do something. Meiya, attack Katze Grasse with haste. Take one back and return. She will return to Germany, will she not?"

"Yes."

Suddenly draining the strong liquor like it was water, Meiya nodded.

And, while placing the empty bottle upon the low table, she took Uguisu-bread, thought to be a chaser, and the next bottle of liquor out.

(Ah, that is...)

Bailey's Irish Cream--Medica's Ganaha-sensei had been drinking it during the lesson--giving off a scent reminiscent of sugared pastries, it was a a high calorie, strong liquor.

Meiya emptied the liquor in a full gulps, and again, she opened the bottle of bourbon--Wild Turkey, her lips pursed.

Uuu. I haven't drunk anything like liquor, just looking at it is starting to make me feel sick.

"U-um...that..."

To I, who tried to continue with 'Is bad for your body'...

''Smack'', Meiya stopped me with the hand that was clad in long, white gloves.

With the movement of her shaking her head, her light blond hair shined in the air as it swayed about.

"I know what it is you wish to say. It is true that a nun cannot drink liquor."

"N-no...it's not that..."

"But, there are sisters other than me that are like this. We are exceptions. One type of ability user takes away from her own body, and to disperse the ability, after battle, they have to take in a large amount of something orally, or they will die. Sugar, protein, ascorbic acid--what has to be consumed differs from person to person, but mine is alcohol. However, do not worry. Because in Italy, it is tolerated to start drinking liquor from the age of 16, and as such I have a constitution which will not get drunk. I am sorry that this sin of heavy drinking is so unsightly. Oh Lord, forgive me; ''Gulp Gulp''...Haaaah."

Immediately after having asked for forgiveness from God, she drank again.

Well, this person...other than having breasts more gigantic than Shirayuki, her whole body is slender, no matter how much she drinks these high calorie liquors, she'll be alright. As far as I've seen, she really won't get drunk.

I've gotten used to seeing that level of unnatural phenomenon, from Aria's peach bun scourge and the super pot ramen incident with Reki. It's so sad. These days, if I become surprised at these things one by one, I would lose heart. I've already learned that.

In the room, full of the sweet scent of liqueur--

I too sighed, and sat on the sofa.

I had become worried again, and I checked Aria's temperature with my hand...It's normal...isn't it...

"Tamamo-san. I will definitely kill Katze Grasse. The peace conference at Bandire has failed, and at this rate...She will be tried by the Inquisition, and she will be excommunicated, torn into 8 pieces, and discarded into an unnamed grave without even a cross...I will, to-together with those witches, will go to hell...!"

Trembling where she sat, Meiya-san opened the bag of chasers, ripping it.

"At least, I will show you the completion of the witch hunt! The Canossa denomination too is negligible!"

...Canossa...?

I know of it because Nii-san had studied abroad for a short time at the Rome Butei High, but that is the name of the organization which is called SSR here, isn't it?

Th-this person is a high school Butei student?

If she is, the Butei Highs all over are the same, aren't they. They're full of weirdos.

"...Well, 'tis good that thou art motivated. How was it? Did Kana draw you in?"

Kana.

Towards Tamamo, who had spoken Nii-san's name, I lifted my face.

"I...do not know. Because, Senpai has changed a little from how she was before..."

"Meiya-san. You seem to know Kana--"

I interrupted the conversation, and Meiya, a bottle of Żubrówka in her hand, faced me with a smile.

"Yes. She is your Onee-sama, is she not?"

...Onee-sama...

We-well, I'll just stay silent. Gender is one kind of personal information, after all.

The fact that Nii-san will break every bone in my body if I speak freely is also rather unpleasant.

"I have to introduce myself a little bit to Kana-senpai's little brother, don't I...I am Meiya Romano. 18 years of age. My nationality is the same as my mother's, Italian, but my father is Japanese, and his name..."

On the other side of the long receipt, Meiya wrote the words "明夜",

"It can be written this way."

She showed it to me with a knowing smile.

...Just in case, "Ahh, I see. That was surprising" I made that face.

Apparently satisfied with my reaction, Meiya flashed a sunflower-like smile.

"--As an exorcist in the Vatican, I am inducted by the holy order, in the Rome Butei High I am a Kanossa fifth year--Ah, in Italy, high school is up to five years. I was not held back. Then, during those two years, I had hunted criminals together with Assault's Kana-senpai. I might say that I get along very well with her, or I might say that we are on the same wavelength...It was fun to do my job."

"Ahh..."

I let out a voice which seemed somewhat comprehending.

Indeed, this kind of calm personality would get along well with Kana.

"At that time, whenever I taught her recitations from the Bible, she was able to remember it immediately...I remember that I was very surprised by the quickness of her mind."

I see. The fact that the Nii-san from after his transfer started to occasionally recite verses from the bible is from this person's influence.

"Nii-sa...Kana has a a special ability. When she is Kana, she can remember the entire contents of a book she has read once. That's kind of like cheating. It's not a trait to be surprised about."

In short, it's just being able to memorize it with the power of Hysteria Mode.

That's unfair, Nii-san. Even though you told me, "You can't abuse HSS for studying."

"Now that you mention that, Tamamo. You too started talking to Patra suddenly. Is she an acquaintance?"

I asked Tamamo, who was extracting a cream bun from Meiya's vinyl bag, and-

"Mm? Ah, ahh, Patra? Yes. I hath met her before."

Tamamo, sitting straight again, brought the bun around to her back, and while covering it with her tail, she answered.

"In the war before, I was "Grenada". At that time, I was companions with Patra's great-grandmother. The person who taught her Japanese was me. After the war, in preparation for the next war, it seems that she taught her descendants Japanese as well. Therefore, well. While she hath an accent, Patra's method of speech is akin to mine, is it not?"

Indeed...I remembered that Patra used a rather ancient mode of speech.

That was because, the great-grandmother who had taught her Japanese had in the first place learned ancient Japanese from this Tamamo.

"...The last war, you say. Isn't that a story from a time long past? Around the time of Patra's great-grandmother, whom you spoke of. How old are you exactly?"

Because of Vlad and Sherlock, I was confident that I would not be surprised even if I was told 100 years old by that childish-looking girl, but...

"I? I was born on the second year of Kennin, therefore I count 808 years old."

"What...!?"

Because of my surprise, no other words would leave my mouth.

I-Impossible.

She's been alive since the thirteenth century, the Kamakura period?

"Rather, look, one of Tohyama. Asking a goddess her age is nothing. Thine faith is insufficient!"

No matter how I looked at her, Tamamo, hitting my knee with her tiny hand, was an elementary school student...

Also, she even looked like she was in one of the lower grades.

"I-if that's so, shouldn't you dress up more like a grandma?"

While pulling my knee away, I responded, and-

"Originally, I was a giant fox. I had transformed, taking upon this appearance. When I transform into a human, I cannot change mine mass. If there was a granny that was this small, it wouldst seem suspicious, and I would not be able to be in the city, would I? Therefore, I became a young girl. Understand that much without having to ask!"

While responding with some reasons which I didn't understand even if I heard them, Tamamo continued to hit my knee with a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gohei gohei] which she had procured out of somewhere. It hurts, I said!

"If you don't want to seem suspicious, then get rid of your ears and tail first."

I said the most obvious thing, when...

Was it because that wasn't possible? Tamamo's face went completely crimson-

"That is not something that thou canst understand!"

It seemed as if her sore point had been touched.

"If you're going to look like a child, I'll treat you like a child. If I, for example, use respectful language towards you outside, I'll seem suspicious. Just having a man that uses respectful language to a young girl about seven years old is something that people will report about. In the Japan of today, that is."

While pushing the gohei back, I also got a little irritated-

"Even though thou art a new one...this generation of Tohyama is impertinent! Is this fine, one of Tohyama? I have experienced 'War' countless times, and if I am to say it, a veteran! The way to fight, the way to survive, the way to steal, the way to protect, I knooooowwwwww very well. Therefore, respect thine elders more! Show me some faith!"

-saying that, she caused a clanking noise to ring out as she swung her back this way, got onto all fours, and stuck the offering box outwards.

"Add in thine apologies, and put it in! Put in your faith!"

...In the end, money? Rather, don't swing your tail and butt this way!

I thought that she was really insistent, so putting in about 100 yen should be good, but I shouldn't spoil a ''child''.

So that I could become ''distant'' from this person, I took a ''ten-yen coin'' out of my wallet- [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hidan_no_Aria:Volume8_Translator%27s_Notes#Chapter_2]

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry, granny."

I put it in.

"Mmm. Tohyama-san, you will definitely profit."

Meiya applauded at that scene.

...It seems that without me knowing it, I've been sucked into a war between monsters, but...

When I looked at these two, apparently the few allies that I have...

My uneasiness increases. By a lot.

Afterward, Meiya said that she was taking the last bus to Narita Airport and went back, Tamamo also left these words: "The boundary field shalt immediately expand. This evening, do not leave this floating isle," and around 2:00 in the morning, she left the room.

The bags of bread had been cleaned up, but...Ah, the empty bottles of liquor were all over the table.

Well, it should be fine if I clean them up tomorrow. Today, I'm already worn out.

The actual bottles were pretty stylish after all; I'll just think of it as some interior design.

"Haaah..."

...The attitude which had intensified at the 'Bandire' had completely relaxed thanks to those two, or rather, as a result of those two.

However, I was worried about Aria, so I covered that small body with a blanket...

The electricity still on, I decided to be like Reki and held my gun, sitting down on the sofa and going to sleep.

Afterward, I did lay my cheek on it and start getting drowsy, but--

I had a dream that Aria became a vampire and went wild, and I couldn't sleep properly.

Even so, I did slip into a mildly deeply sleep, and in the morning...

''Tweet, Tweet''...within the cries of the swallows...

"--Idiot Kinjii!"

--''Smash!''

"--Kuh!?"

Suddenly, my face was kicked by a foot in black knee-socks, and I woke up.

"A...Aria!?"

Had she woken up?

While rubbing my eyes, I turned towards her, and Aria--

"Ki-Ki-Kinji, you...Wh-what!? What is this!? Whatwhatwhat!? WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!"

Despite being in her uniform, she was hiding her body with a blanket, trembling.

She was shaking to an extent where it looked like she was splitting into 2~3 people.

However...within me, who saw that, I breathed a small sigh of relief.

(--She's the normal Aria...!)

I understand.

My face was kicked, and she said something, but her movements and way of talking was as the normal Aria's.

"Aria, that's great..."

While cutting off the words of I who had spoken as usual-

"Wh-Wh-Why am I alone together with you, i-it's already morning, you know! In...In a room with nobody else in it! Just the two of us! St-staying the night!"

''Redden!''--Yes, 0.1 seconds.

The speed of her high-speed-blushing technique was also normal.

(But...what's she getting red at?)

Shuffling backwards from me, who was frowning, Aria, on the other side of the blanket thrust outwards like a matador...

''Rustle Rustle'', she felt around inside her clothes.

What...is she doing...?

I thought, and when I thought it, 'Kching!', she was stretching her hands towards her guns!

"He-hey Aria! It's fine if you're not normal to that extent!"

"You...what did you do to me! Honestly, without hiding anything, lay open the situation in detail! Idiot Kinji is really an idiot! You've skipped way too many steps! A hole! 20 hole combo chain-fire!"

"He-hey, calm down! Even if you put two of your handguns together, you can only go up to a 16 chain-fire! Rather than that, what have you been saying up till just now! Yesterday, you were at Empty Island and--"

"Yesterday...Empty Island? ...? ...? I do-don't have any memory of that--"

Aria, who said that, looked at the empty bottles lined up on the low-table made out of glass and "!" widened her eyes in a perfect circle.

"Kinji...I-I don't remember anything...That, th-that trick...I've seen it in movies and dramas before...!"

Pointing at the multitude of liquor bottles, she glared at me.

What had she understood, and how had she interpreted it? She was glaring at me as if I was some massive criminal.

"He-hey, by 'trick'..."

"I didn't think that you would do things of that level, but I-I was careless...! That's a common method of a womanizer...you really did it, didn't you...? ...? Ouch-"

--''Splish''

Apparently, Aria had noticed something wrong, and she pressed down on the scar left on her nape, bitten by Hilda.

There was mostly no bleeding, and it seemed that the wound had already clotted, but--

There, a lip-shaped scar was left, having been violently sucked by Hilda and clotted.

"No! No! No way!"

And blushing even further, she fountained steam from her head with a 'Choo Choo', and runaway locomotive Number-Aria--

''Thump Thump Thump!''

-ran towards the washroom in massive panic.

"--Gyaaa!"

Raising a scream which I couldn't have thought belonged to an English noble, ''Thump Thump Thump!''

She came back.

More than any monster at the Bandire, it was a terrifying appearance.

"Wh-Wh-What did you do to me!! You Ero-Kinji!! YOU SERIOUSLY ERO-KINJIIi!"

Wh...What is it! This time!

*Aria and I woke up in the morning, just the two of us.
*Aria has no memory of last night. Furthermore, there are many empty liquor bottles on the table.
*On Aria's nape, there is lip-shaped clotting.

Why do I have to be screamed at because of the three of these things combined!

"W-Wi-With this..."

Aria, who was pointing at the lip mark on her neck with a trembling finger-

"With this, today--I CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL, CAN I!! YOU SERIOUSLY STUPID KINJI----!"

Wh-why!

Why is that because of that clotting, you can't go to school!?

"--If you're going to stick something on, at least think a little bit about the consequences! You Ero-Baka-Kinji! EBK!"

Tears in her eyes, Aria, who had stamped her feet in rhythm, (and anger) to that original phrase, had a menacing look, and in response to that I was also just about to break into tears.

One question! What the hell did you think, and what should I stick on! What should I!?

Without even making it in time to stick my hand up to ask that question--this was also normal--Aria, who had used the sofa as a stepping stone and jumped, flipped her skirt--

"HOLE MISSILEEEEEEE!!"

Like a missile, she brought a two-legged drop-kick deep into my face.

Afterward--for some reason, Aria was embarrassed even looking at my face, and with that attitude she shut herself into her own room.

Even when it was time to go to school, she didn't come out.

It seemed that she seriously wished to take a break from school.

This was after what had happened yesterday, so I didn't want to leave Aria, but Tamamo had said that 'Grenada' had crossed the sea and sky--probably with ships or planes--and left this place.

And also, Shikigami....speaking by my interpretation, a net was strung out which acted both as a radar and alarm, she had also said.

Furthermore, Aria is the owner of battle ability enough to suddenly defeat the walking tank LOO; if the I who was not in Hysteria Mode was here...I'd just drag her down.

"Then, I'm going. Just in case, don't let go of your swords and guns. Make sure you've plenty of spare magazines too."

I spoke to the door of the small room which Aria had decided as her own room of her own will, and decided to go to school by myself.

From within the small room-

"...Huh...When did I shoot...Eh...?"

Aria, who was counting her bullets and speaking to herself-

Really had lost all memory of yesterday night.

I had seen this often at Assault, but when people suddenly lose consciousness, the memories of before and thereafter will be blown away.

"Also...I heard this from a certain trustworthy person, but you're being targeted by the remnants of EU, you know. Those guys have a lot of friends. The Koko sisters from a while ago are also one of them. Be especially careful, alright?"

Avoiding the matter of Irokane which I had been told to not speak about by Tamamo, I told her this just in case, and...

"That's the same as what's been happening up till now, right? Qu-Quickly go to school."

With a tone which seemed to be driving me away, she responded with her anime-like voice.

With the beginning of the day, I took the lessons of the subjects English, Chemistry, and Japanese Characters, and--

At the fourth hour, right before the combined long-homeroom of three classes started, Aria finally came to school.

Looking, a band-aid was stuck to her neck. A kitty-patterned one which Riko had brought into our room.

The remnant of the clotting had naturally become small, and it seemed that she had just passed the time until she was able to hide the clot with that.

Getting red again when she looked at me, Aria sat down on the seat next to me, when...

With amazing obviousness, she didn't look in my direction.

But, as for being angry...rather than that, it seemed that she was embarrassed.

I couldn't hear the signal of her rage-mode, the purring of a lion cub, and occasionally, she would glance this way, blush, and resume her stare forward.

I don't really understand the meaning of those movements, so for the time being, I'll ignore her--

(Then...besides all this, should I tall her about what happened last night...)

While everyone moved to the sporthall in which the long-homeroom was being carried out, I thought about that point.

It seems that Aria has no memory of last night.

Even if I suddenly explain about the unbelievable circumstances which had taken place yesterday to that kind of person...she wouldn't believe it. And it seems that Aria has randomly become vigilant against me.

With that, rather than having just me say it, it would be better to bring Jeanne and Reki into this too, and after setting down the direction to go hereafter, talk about it with everyone. It's said to form a tiger of three, after all. As for Shirayuki, Tamamo had said that: "I shalt look for an opportunity and speak with her, so nothing should be said from you, Tohyama," but that was probably also for the sake of preventing the dissemination of information towards Aria.

Also, there is another danger that talking about 'Deen' and 'Grenada' would pose to Aria.

Putting aside that she was about to win the trial, those are the people who had Aria's mother take the fall.

If I told Aria about yesterday, she'd probably say something like: to go arrest Hilda, I'll travel all the way to her base--this is just my imagination, but there's probably even something like a castle in Romania.

(Well, I understand her feelings, but...)

That was something especially dangerous.

--First of all, if a Butei's battle becomes an away-game, it's an overwhelming disadvantage.

This is something which is immediately understood even by feeling.

A direction which should corner the enemy, and conversely a place where oneself can retreat, the home-game where the location ammunition, food, and water is all known is far easier to fight in. Backup coming from Connnect, Logi, Medica will obviously dull if away.

--Next, the battle-ability of the enemy is still indeterminate.

I had heared this from an instructor who had come from the Jietai; in land-war, there exists thing called 'The Law of Treble Attackers'.

Speaking simply, to be victorious in invading an enemy's territory, one needs at least three times the battle-power. Around that much, an exhaustive amount of energy is needed to 'Invade'.

Therefore, for now, I'll just leave the warnings to Aria to the contents of what I had said this morning--

(Let's observe her condition for a while...)

Last month, I had been subjected to being the leader of Team Baskerville.

I had been informed afterward, but for every team leader, there is a required lecture called 'Tactics I', and I had earnestly attended it. Because it was rather easy to get credit from it.

As a result of it, or maybe thanks to it, I had now picked up the habit of thinking about this kind of thing.

"Brats! We're deciding the costumes for 'Ristorante Masque,' which we'll be doing at the culture festival!"

''Clang!''

While quieting the talking students with a warning shot towards the ceiling, Assault Instructor Ranbyou shouted.

The second-year students of A, B, and C-Class are gathered in the sporthall, but...Jeanne of B-Class was...I don't see her. It seems she's absent.

My phone didn't connect either. While avoiding being eavesdropped, she probably was chasing after 'Grenada'.

"Alright, each of the teams gather, and go on standby--*cough cough*!"

Lezzad Instructor Tsuzuri spoke, and because the people of D-Class and E-Class, and X-Class, who rarely showed themselves, weren't here, the members of the same teams started to group together just as they were.

Bloody Tsuzuri, if you're about to choke then don't smoke inside the sporthall.

With that, besides me, who was frowning, wasn't just Riko and Aria from the same A-Class, Shirayuki from B-Class and Reki from C-Class had gathered.

"..."

Because there was that incident from yesterday, I indirectly sent a look to Reki, but...

"..."

Reki was Reki. There wasn't any reaction at all.

Wearing the same headphones as always, she was zoning out.

"Well, this is the wrong place to have that kind of talk. Guess I'll do it after Jeanne comes.)

Rather, those...those headphones.

She isn't receiving any Kinji-sniping orders from Wind-sama, right?

Hidan no Aria:Volume8 Chapter2

2011-12-25T23:22:57Z

189.215.1.136:

{{Incomplete|percentage=27}}
==2nd Ammo: Cosplay Cafeteria -Ristorante Mask- ==

Carrying Aria on my back, on the way back to Academy Island's boys' dormitory, I was wary that those of "Grenada" might make a U-turn and come attack us, but...Tamamo-

"In the end, they are nothing more than emissaries.　From the beginning, I had released Shikigami into this area, and am having them watch. If the 'Kin' were to enter any part of this rectangular island, we will immediately be informed by Shikigami, so be at ease. Also, according to mine ears, they hath all crossed the ocean and skies, disappearing. Fufun."

-laughed at my unease.

As for Sister Meiya, she asked me for where I lived, saying: "I wish to do a little shopping, so please go on ahead first." and entered the convenience store.

I don't know the view of the SSR on the movement pattern of those monsters, but...because those two, who seem like specialists, had completely relaxed any form of alertness, it should probably be alright.

Rather, other than thinking that, I have nothing to base my judgements upon.

And...the next thing I had to worry about was Aria's condition.

Returning to our room, I laid Aria down upon the sofa, and--because it was enormous, It was possible have her lie down completely flat, housed by the three-person sofa--Aria-

"...Nnn...Peach bun avalanche..."

-muttered things like that, sleep-talking, ''Smile'', and as she slept, she smiled.

Certainly, it seemed that Aria had only lost consciousness...rather, it seemed that she was just in a deep sleep.

Her breathing while asleep also seemed to be as usual, and her pulse was also normal.

"Funfun...That there is no shrine here, what matter of house is this? Thine devotion is lacking, one of Tohyama. Funfun."

Suddenly complaining about something about my room and going 'Funfun' with her nose, Tamamo, going into the kitchen...

"Hast thou no syrup? Where is the syrup?"

While saying that, she took some pudding, which had "Riko's" written on it with magic marker, out of the fridge.

And, while muttering "Spoon, spoon, spoon", she took one of the spoon's from the kitchen, ''Nom Nom''

Just by herself...she started eating.

What are you doing?

"Mmmmm. This too, is quite delectable. Tohyama.　I give thee mine praise!"

Licking even the back of the lid of the pudding, Tamamo turned towards me with an innocent smile.

(Riko is going to get angry later...rather, why is she so friendly to me, who she's met for the first time?)

I sighed, and, ''PatterPatterPatter'', Tamamo, scurrying this way-

"Mmmm. Thou art the current generation's Tohyama, art thou not? Thou art wondrously similar to the Tohyama that I had met at Nasuno. I could not have thought it from our first meeting. By the lanterns of midday, thou dost give off a feeling that thou art introverted, but good, good. Then, look here."

While saying something which seemed to hint that she was an acquaintance to one of my ancestors, (and while suddenly seeing through my nickname,) she turned her back to me as if to show off the backpack-like crate she was carrying.

"...?"

"Look. Today, I too hath worked quite hard. Put the offering for the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamagushi Tamagushi] within."

''Shake, Shake'', when Tamamo shook her back, ''Clank, Clank'', because the sound of coins rang out...

I finally understood.

This is an offering box.

She was walking while carrying that sort of thing?

"Tamagushi...?"

I said, stating my confusion,

"Quickly, put it in, put it in!"

Tamamo leaned her body foward, and her tail was completely straightened.

"...!"

--''Swish'''

At that sight, I took a step back.

...Th-this girl, isn't wearing...anything.

Because she was wearing Japanese clothing with a short inseam, and because of her tail, the hem had flipped up, and it became visible.

"He-hey! Wear something!"

"...? Not wearing sandals should be fine, should it not? We are in a house."

"No-not that, w-wear some panties! At least, make a hole for the tail to come out of in those clothes!"

"Pan...ties?"

Tamamo made a "?" symbol with her tail, ''Spin'', and spun this way, "Art thou speaking of undergarments? If one wears such a thing with Japanese clothing, 'tis a loincloth. Do you not know of a thing such as that?" With that, she fixed the flipped skirt.

I wiped off my cold sweat, thanking God that because Tamamo had a childish appearance, I did not go into Hysteria Mode. Well, that's though this girl is probably also a kind of god.

Even so, just in case, I averted my gaze from Tamamo...

"Dost thou worry about Aria, one of Tohyama?"

"Of course."

I'm also worried about your lower body, though. Don't you ever catch colds?

"Do not linger over it. She will not become the Scarlet Blazing God immediately."

"...scarlet blazing god...?"

I frowned, and--

"...I see, do you not know of it? Well, it could not be helped. The Tohyama Samurai are dying out, after all."

Staying in the same place, Tamamo sat straight, her attitude a little careless.

"If nothing in the Tohyama family has been passed down, then I have no choice but to teach you. I am Tamamo--white-snouted golden-furred[http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hidan_no_Aria:Volume8_Translator%27s_Notes#Chapter_2] heavenly fox...by your words, a monster, a demon."

She said it.

This time it's a demon, is it?

Well, ability users, witches, and vampires also exist. As of now, it isn't something to be surprised at.

"My mother too was Tamamo, my grandmother too was Tamamo--since times long past, our race has watched over the relationship between humans and Irokane, and prevented its misuse. For those multitudes of years, we established harmonies and hostilities, reaching up until now. This refers to Irokane, but in this girl's heart too...what I am about to say is not to be said to Aria...it is embedded. Also, an enormous amount of Hihiirokane, rarely seen before in history."

"Ah...ahhh. That, for once, is something that both Aria and I know."

"It is possible that Irokane and humans bond. As for those bonds, there art two types. "Method Bond"--a bond which gives the power of what thou call ability, and "Heart Bond"--a bond of emotions, in other words, were Irokane to bond too tight with a human, the human's heart will intermingle with the Irokane, and in the end, the Irokane will take it over."

Now that she mentions it,

At Hotogi's branch shrine in Kyoto, Shirayuki and Kazayuki had talked about it.

--"Irokane is a metal which communicates with human's hearts," was it?

"Taken over, by the Irokane...what will happen when that occurs?"

"She will become the Scarlet Blazing God. When she does, we kill her."

...!

"Ki-kill, hey...!"

Tamamo fixed her round eyes upon me, who had panicked.

"Do not panic. She will not become such immediately. However...if she doth become it, without hesitation, kill her. You saw her condition earlier, but it seems that that girl hath faith in thou. Well, thou canst do it, canst thou not? Even if thou does not, someone shalt. Even if it were I, 'twould be fine."

"Stop it...to kill or not to kill. That kind of thing--"

"'Tis fine even if war　erupts on this planet?"

"War...?"

"Hihiirokane is a volatile Irokane which enjoys war and love. And, as for those who hath been invaded--the Scarlet Blazing Gods, a heart for war and a heart for love--those two hearts art driven into intense fervor, and the one that hath been affected becomes a Cursed God. In the past, seven centuries ago, there was a human who had become thus. That one seduced an emperor, inciting a war...and finally, she was struck down by the Hotogi Miko and Tohyama Samurai.

"...ch."

"I had said not to linger on it too much, had I not? Aria shalt not become such immediately."

"Is it being...prevented by something? Prevented from becoming like that?"

Still not understanding, I asked an amateurish question, and--

''Nod'', Tamamo nodded.

"So that such a tragedy would not be repeated a second time, what the Mikos of that time conceived was--"The Golden Shell."

"Ka...ra...gane?"

"A shell, 'tis a shell. Laid over the Hirokane as if plating it, a special shell, which only allows "Method Bond" to make its bonds, while "Heart Bond" is isolated. As such, a shell which was fitted for humans had been created. Because 'twas known that if the shell had its seven layers, Heart Bond would be cut off, 'twas also named as "The Seven Stars of the Golden Shell". If the shell is in existence, Method Bond is slowly bonded...if it bonds in the length of three years, Heart Bond is completely cut off."

Three years--at those words, I remembered what had taken place in EU.

Indeed, Sherlock had said that.

As for Hidan's inheritor...until their ability is awakened, there was a need for her to co-exist with the Hidan for, at the very least, a space of ''three years''.

Probably, that meant that that was until the "Method Bond" which Tamamo had spoken of was completed.

"That one, Hilda, used a technique which extracted the Golden Shell from Aria. I did not think that she had progressed her research on Irokane to that level. At least, 'twas not skillfully done. Thanks to that, 2 of the 7 layers of the Golden Shell had been returned."

"Two layers...what will happen?"

"Slowly, this girl will be taken over by the Irokane. Eventually, she will even become the Scarlet Blazing God."

"...ch..."

"Do not panic again and again. 'Tis alright for the moment. In that time, 'twould be well were we to take back the Golden Shell from those of "Grenada" No matter what, they are our opponents in battle. If we gather and return all layers, afterward, Heart Bond will be stopped, and she will return to as she was before."

"New...that, Golden Shell, can't one be newly made?

"A multitude of diamonds, sapphires, rubies, and emeralds...if we assemble a great number of materials, and train a hundred Miko and have them work, we shalt be able to make it. However, though the Golden Shell hath been conformed to the Irokane, there is a need for a hundred years. If we try to cover it, if the remaining five layers art again created, we shalt not be able to make it in the time until the girl becomes the Scarlet Blazing God."

"Then...approximately, what is the period for which the two layers of the Golden Shell can hold it back?"

"I do not know. For there has been no-one who has attempted it. If it is merely mine opinion, then... this is but a guess, however, it should be a few years. 'Tis not something that shalt occur today or tomorrow."

"..."

A few years...huh.

What should I think of that?

If there exists only a postponement, it should probably indeed be possible.

Anyways, it seems that currently, Aria is alright...yes.

"However, Hihiirokane's 'Heart Bond' has slightly started. First, from now on, in regards to war and love, the girl shalt probably start to speak her heart without hiding anything. That is the symptom of the beginning. However, do not panic, and respond. Is that fine?"

War...and love...?

Thinking about it a little, I paused to look at the sleeping Aria...and nodded.

"Yeah. I understand."

War--In regards to fighting, Aria doesn't hide anything that's in her heart, right? Definitely, nothing will change from what has been happening up till now.

And, love--In regards to romance...this should be fine too, right?

Because, ever since the time we first met, whenever she had the chance, "I have no interest in it!" is what she would say. Aria, that is.

At the opening ceremony, "So-something like romance...is completely useless!" starting with that, and when she was fighting with Shirayuki, "Romance--th-that's a waste of time, I've never had it before, and I don't plan on ever having it either!"...Towards Reki, "Things like romance, I-I...don't care about that! Really, really, reaaa--lly, I don't care at all! REALLY, got it!?" She even went that far to deny it.

So, Aria...won't change. At all.

When I thought that, the doorbell for the room rang.

"'Tis Meiya."

As if the outside was visible, Tamamo said those words, but just in case, I walked to the door, Beretta held in one hand...when I looked outside through the peephole, indeed, it was Sister Meiya.

"...Did you buy something back?"

While using polite language to ask her, who seemed to be my senior in age, that question, I opened the door, and-

"Ahh, Tohyama-san. That is a relief. Your room was here, was it not. I, because my strength was not enough, staggered around, and got lost. Ufufufu."

-while laughing with an 'Ahahaha', Meiya entered.

Somehow...she seems completely different from when she was attacking the witch, Katze Grasse, earlier...a friendly attitude. Somehow, it makes me feel a vague fear, at the fact that it kind of resembles the split personality of a certain Miko.

Tonight, that Miko, or rather Shirayuki, had gone out to the festival at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suitengu Suiten-gū].

She had said that her return would be the morning tomorrow, but..

(Before, had we had Shirayuki's assistance, things might have turned out a little different, wouldn't it...)

I casually looked into the vinyl bag that Meiya, who had not really been of assistance, had brought back, and...huh? What's that?

It was filled with a large amount of liquor.

This is a situation where she had completely bought out everything from the convenience store, right? Also, there were many several pastry buns. What?

Facing me, who was frowning, with a large smile on her face, Meiya...

"Tohyama-san. It is well that you were unhurt at that place, was it not? As expected, true to the rumours, you are a magnificent paladin."

Wearing the slippers reserved for guests, she took the vinyl bag and headed to the living room.

Somehow...besides the massive sword on her back, she radiated the air of the young wife living in an apartment building.

I too returned to the living room, and Meiya sat, straight-backed, upon the side of the sofa.

"Tamamo-san, how is Aria-san?"

While taking the liquor bottles out, she looked at Aria's condition.

"'Tis normal. However, as expected, the Golden Shell is insufficient. We art compelled to take it back from those of 'Grenada'."

"Well, well...''Slurp''"

Ah. She drank. Lejay Creme de Blueberry...she took the sweetly-scented wine, which appeared to be a cocktail base, straight up.

Whether it be Tamamo or this person, I wonder;when they have finished their work, do the people of 'Deen' feast?

"However, to have Tohyama do that, it seems a heavy burden. Let us do something. Meiya, attack Katze Grasse with haste. Take one back and return. She will return to Germany, will she not?"

"Yes."

Suddenly draining the strong liquor like it was water, Meiya nodded.

And, while placing the empty bottle upon the low table, she took Uguisu-bread, thought to be a chaser, and the next bottle of liquor out.

(Ah, that is...)

Bailey's Irish Cream--Medica's Ganaha-sensei had been drinking it during the lesson--giving off a scent reminiscent of sugared pastries, it was a a high calorie, strong liquor.

Meiya emptied the liquor in a full gulps, and again, she opened the bottle of bourbon--Wild Turkey, her lips pursed.

Uuu. I haven't drunk anything like liquor, just looking at it is starting to make me feel sick.

"U-um...that..."

To I, who tried to continue with 'Is bad for your body'...

''Smack'', Meiya stopped me with the hand that was clad in long, white gloves.

With the movement of her shaking her head, her light blond hair shined in the air as it swayed about.

"I know what it is you wish to say. It is true that a nun cannot drink liquor."

"N-no...it's not that..."

"But, there are sisters other than me that are like this. We are exceptions. One type of ability user takes away from her own body, and to disperse the ability, after battle, they have to take in a large amount of something orally, or they will die. Sugar, protein, ascorbic acid--what has to be consumed differs from person to person, but mine is alcohol. However, do not worry. Because in Italy, it is tolerated to start drinking liquor from the age of 16, and as such I have a constitution which will not get drunk. I am sorry that this sin of heavy drinking is so unsightly. Oh Lord, forgive me; ''Gulp Gulp''...Haaaah."

Immediately after having asked for forgiveness from God, she drank again.

Well, this person...other than having breasts more gigantic than Shirayuki, her whole body is slender, no matter how much she drinks these high calorie liquors, she'll be alright. As far as I've seen, she really won't get drunk.

I've gotten used to seeing that level of unnatural phenomenon, from Aria's peach bun scourge and the super pot ramen incident with Reki. It's so sad. These days, if I become surprised at these things one by one, I would lose heart. I've already learned that.

In the room, full of the sweet scent of liqueur--

I too sighed, and sat on the sofa.

I had become worried again, and I checked Aria's temperature with my hand...It's normal...isn't it...

"Tamamo-san. I will definitely kill Katze Grasse. The peace conference at Bandire has failed, and at this rate...She will be tried by the Inquisition, and she will be excommunicated, torn into 8 pieces, and discarded into an unnamed grave without even a cross...I will, to-together with those witches, will go to hell...!"

Trembling where she sat, Meiya-san opened the bag of chasers, ripping it.

"At least, I will show you the completion of the witch hunt! The Canossa denomination too is negligible!"

...Canossa...?

I know of it because Nii-san had studied abroad for a short time at the Rome Butei High, but that is the name of the organization which is called SSR here, isn't it?

Th-this person is a high school Butei student?

If she is, the Butei Highs all over are the same, aren't they. They're full of weirdos.

"...Well, 'tis good that thou art motivated. How was it? Did Kana draw you in?"

Kana.

Towards Tamamo, who had spoken Nii-san's name, I lifted my face.

"I...do not know. Because, Senpai has changed a little from how she was before..."

"Meiya-san. You seem to know Kana--"

I interrupted the conversation, and Meiya, a bottle of Żubrówka in her hand, faced me with a smile.

"Yes. She is your Onee-sama, is she not?"

...Onee-sama...

We-well, I'll just stay silent. Gender is one kind of personal information, after all.

The fact that Nii-san will break every bone in my body if I speak freely is also rather unpleasant.

"I have to introduce myself a little bit to Kana-senpai's little brother, don't I...I am Meiya Romano. 18 years of age. My nationality is the same as my mother's, Italian, but my father is Japanese, and his name..."

On the other side of the long receipt, Meiya wrote the words "明夜",

"It can be written this way."

She showed it to me with a knowing smile.

...Just in case, "Ahh, I see. That was surprising" I made that face.

Apparently satisfied with my reaction, Meiya flashed a sunflower-like smile.

"--As an exorcist in the Vatican, I am inducted by the holy order, in the Rome Butei High I am a Kanossa fifth year--Ah, in Italy, high school is up to five years. I was not held back. Then, during those two years, I had hunted criminals together with Assault's Kana-senpai. I might say that I get along very well with her, or I might say that we are on the same wavelength...It was fun to do my job."

"Ahh..."

I let out a voice which seemed somewhat comprehending.

Indeed, this kind of calm personality would get along well with Kana.

"At that time, whenever I taught her recitations from the Bible, she was able to remember it immediately...I remember that I was very surprised by the quickness of her mind."

I see. The fact that the Nii-san from after his transfer started to occasionally recite verses from the bible is from this person's influence.

"Nii-sa...Kana has a a special ability. When she is Kana, she can remember the entire contents of a book she has read once. That's kind of like cheating. It's not a trait to be surprised about."

In short, it's just being able to memorize it with the power of Hysteria Mode.

That's unfair, Nii-san. Even though you told me, "You can't abuse HSS for studying."

"Now that you mention that, Tamamo. You too started talking to Patra suddenly. Is she an acquaintance?"

I asked Tamamo, who was extracting a cream bun from Meiya's vinyl bag, and-

"Mm? Ah, ahh, Patra? Yes. I hath met her before."

Tamamo, sitting straight again, brought the bun around to her back, and while covering it with her tail, she answered.

"In the war before, I was "Grenada". At that time, I was companions with Patra's great-grandmother. The person who taught her Japanese was me. After the war, in preparation for the next war, it seems that she taught her descendants Japanese as well. Therefore, well. While she hath an accent, Patra's method of speech is akin to mine, is it not?"

Indeed...I remembered that Patra used a rather ancient mode of speech.

That was because, the great-grandmother who had taught her Japanese had in the first place learned ancient Japanese from this Tamamo.

"...The last war, you say. Isn't that a story from a time long past? Around the time of Patra's great-grandmother, whom you spoke of. How old are you exactly?"

Because of Vlad and Sherlock, I was confident that I would not be surprised even if I was told 100 years old by that childish-looking girl, but...

"I? I was born on the second year of Kennin, therefore I count 808 years old."

"What...!?"

Because of my surprise, no other words would leave my mouth.

I-Impossible.

She's been alive since the thirteenth century, the Kamakura period?

"Rather, look, one of Tohyama. Asking a goddess her age is nothing. Thine faith is insufficient!"

No matter how I looked at her, Tamamo, hitting my knee with her tiny hand, was an elementary school student...

Also, she even looked like she was in one of the lower grades.

"I-if that's so, shouldn't you dress up more like a grandma?"

While pulling my knee away, I responded, and-

"Originally, I was a giant fox. I had transformed, taking upon this appearance. When I transform into a human, I cannot change mine mass. If there was a granny that was this small, it wouldst seem suspicious, and I would not be able to be in the city, would I? Therefore, I became a young girl. Understand that much without having to ask!"

While responding with some reasons which I didn't understand even if I heard them, Tamamo continued to hit my knee with a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gohei gohei] which she had procured out of somewhere. It hurts, I said!

"If you don't want to seem suspicious, then get rid of your ears and tail first."

I said the most obvious thing, when...

Was it because that wasn't possible? Tamamo's face went completely crimson-

"That is not something that thou canst understand!"

It seemed as if her sore point had been touched.

"If you're going to look like a child, I'll treat you like a child. If I, for example, use respectful language towards you outside, I'll seem suspicious. Just having a man that uses respectful language to a young girl about seven years old is something that people will report about. In the Japan of today, that is."

While pushing the gohei back, I also got a little irritated-

"Even though thou art a new one...this generation of Tohyama is impertinent! Is this fine, one of Tohyama? I have experienced 'War' countless times, and if I am to say it, a veteran! The way to fight, the way to survive, the way to steal, the way to protect, I knooooowwwwww very well. Therefore, respect thine elders more! Show me some faith!"

-saying that, she caused a clanking noise to ring out as she swung her back this way, got onto all fours, and stuck the offering box outwards.

"Add in thine apologies, and put it in! Put in your faith!"

...In the end, money? Rather, don't swing your tail and butt this way!

I thought that she was really insistent, so putting in about 100 yen should be good, but I shouldn't spoil a ''child''.

So that I could become ''distant'' from this person, I took a ''ten-yen coin'' out of my wallet- [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hidan_no_Aria:Volume8_Translator%27s_Notes#Chapter_2]

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry, granny."

I put it in.

"Mmm. Tohyama-san, you will definitely profit."

Meiya applauded at that scene.

...It seems that without me knowing it, I've been sucked into a war between monsters, but...

When I looked at these two, apparently the few allies that I have...

My uneasiness increases. By a lot.

Afterward, Meiya said that she was taking the last bus to Narita Airport and went back, Tamamo also left these words: "The boundary field shalt immediately expand. This evening, do not leave this floating isle," and around 2:00 in the morning, she left the room.

The bags of bread had been cleaned up, but...Ah, the empty bottles of liquor were all over the table.

Well, it should be fine if I clean them up tomorrow. Today, I'm already worn out.

The actual bottles were pretty stylish after all; I'll just think of it as some interior design.

"Haaah..."

...The attitude which had intensified at the 'Bandire' had completely relaxed thanks to those two, or rather, as a result of those two.

However, I was worried about Aria, so I covered that small body with a blanket...

The electricity still on, I decided to be like Reki and held my gun, sitting down on the sofa and going to sleep.

Afterward, I did lay my cheek on it and start getting drowsy, but--

I had a dream that Aria became a vampire and went wild, and I couldn't sleep properly.

Even so, I did slip into a mildly deeply sleep, and in the morning...

''Tweet, Tweet''...within the cries of the swallows...

"--Idiot Kinjii!"

--''Smash!''

"--Kuh!?"

Suddenly, my face was kicked by a foot in black knee-socks, and I woke up.

"A...Aria!?"

Had she woken up?

While rubbing my eyes, I turned towards her, and Aria--

"Ki-Ki-Kinji, you...Wh-what!? What is this!? Whatwhatwhat!? WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!"

Despite being in her uniform, she was hiding her body with a blanket, trembling.

She was shaking to an extent where it looked like she was splitting into 2~3 people.

However...within me, who saw that, I breathed a small sigh of relief.

(--She's the normal Aria...!)

I understand.

My face was kicked, and she said something, but her movements and way of talking was as the normal Aria's.

"Aria, that's great..."

While cutting off the words of I who had spoken as usual-

"Wh-Wh-Why am I alone together with you, i-it's already morning, you know! In...In a room with nobody else in it! Just the two of us! St-staying the night!"

''Redden!''--Yes, 0.1 seconds.

The speed of her high-speed-blushing technique was also normal.

(But...what's she getting red at?)

Shuffling backwards from me, who was frowning, Aria, on the other side of the blanket thrust outwards like a matador...

''Rustle Rustle'', she felt around inside her clothes.

What...is she doing...?

I thought, and when I thought it, 'Kching!', she was stretching her hands towards her guns!

"He-hey Aria! It's fine if you're not normal to that extent!"

"You...what did you do to me! Honestly, without hiding anything, lay open the situation in detail! Idiot Kinji is really an idiot! You've skipped way too many steps! A hole! 20 hole combo chain-fire!"

"He-hey, calm down! Even if you put two of your handguns together, you can only go up to a 16 chain-fire! Rather than that, what have you been saying up till just now! Yesterday, you were at Empty Island and--"

"Yesterday...Empty Island? ...? ...? I do-don't have any memory of that--"

Aria, who said that, looked at the empty bottles lined up on the low-table made out of glass and "!" widened her eyes in a perfect circle.

"Kinji...I-I don't remember anything...That, th-that trick...I've seen it in movies and dramas before...!"

Pointing at the multitude of liquor bottles, she glared at me.

What had she understood, and how had she interpreted it? She was glaring at me as if I was some massive criminal.

"He-hey, by 'trick'..."

"I didn't think that you would do things of that level, but I-I was careless...! That's a common method of a womanizer...you really did it, didn't you...? ...? Ouch-"

--''Splish''

Apparently, Aria had noticed something wrong, and she pressed down on the scar left on her nape, bitten by Hilda.

There was mostly no bleeding, and it seemed that the wound had already clotted, but--

There, a lip-shaped scar was left, having been violently sucked by Hilda and clotted.

"No! No! No way!"

And blushing even further, she fountained steam from her head with a 'Choo Choo', and runaway locomotive Number-Aria--

''Thump Thump Thump!''

-ran towards the washroom in massive panic.

"--Gyaaa!"

Raising a scream which I couldn't have thought belonged to an English noble, ''Thump Thump Thump!''

She came back.

More than any monster at the Bandire, it was a terrifying appearance.

"Wh-Wh-What did you do to me!! You Ero-Kinji!! YOU SERIOUSLY ERO-KINJIIi!"

Wh...What is it! This time!

*Aria and I woke up in the morning, just the two of us.
*Aria has no memory of last night. Furthermore, there are many empty liquor bottles on the table.
*On Aria's nape, there is lip-shaped clotting.

Why do I have to be screamed at because of the three of these things combined!

"W-Wi-With this..."

Aria, who was pointing at the lip mark on her neck with a trembling finger-

"With this, today--I CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL, CAN I!! YOU SERIOUSLY STUPID KINJI----!"

Wh-why!

Why is that because of that clotting, you can't go to school!?

"--If you're going to stick something on, at least think a little bit about the consequences! You Ero-Baka-Kinji! EBK!"

Tears in her eyes, Aria, who had stamped her feet in rhythm, (and anger) to that original phrase, had a menacing look, and in response to that I was also just about to break into tears.

One question! What the hell did you think, and what should I stick on! What should I!?

Without even making it in time to stick my hand up to ask that question--this was also normal--Aria, who had used the sofa as a stepping stone and jumped, flipped her skirt--

"HOLE MISSILEEEEEEE!!"

Like a missile, she brought a two-legged drop-kick deep into my face.

Afterward--for some reason, Aria was embarrassed even looking at my face, and with that attitude she shut herself into her own room.

Even when it was time to go to school, she didn't come out.

It seemed that she seriously wished to take a break from school.

This was after what had happened yesterday, so I didn't want to leave Aria, but Tamamo had said that 'Grenada' had crossed the sea and sky--probably with ships or planes--and left this place.

And also, Shikigami....speaking by my interpretation, a net was strung out which acted both as a radar and alarm, she had also said.

Furthermore, Aria is the owner of battle ability enough to suddenly defeat the walking tank LOO; if the I who was not in Hysteria Mode was here...I'd just drag her down.

"Then, I'm going. Just in case, don't let go of your swords and guns. Make sure you've plenty of spare magazines too."

I spoke to the door of the small room which Aria had decided as her own room of her own will, and decided to go to school by myself.

From within the small room-

"...Huh...When did I shoot...Eh...?"

Aria, who was counting her bullets and speaking to herself-

Really had lost all memory of yesterday night.

I had seen this often at Assault, but when people suddenly lose consciousness, the memories of before and thereafter will be blown away.

"Also...I heard this from a certain trustworthy person, but you're being targeted by the remnants of EU, you know. Those guys have a lot of friends. The Koko sisters from a while ago are also one of them. Be especially careful, alright?"

Avoiding the matter of Irokane which I had been told to not speak about by Tamamo, I told her this just in case, and...

"That's the same as what's been happening up till now, right? Qu-Quickly go to school."

With a tone which seemed to be driving me away, she responded with her anime-like voice.

Hidan no Aria:Volume8 Chapter1

2011-09-14T22:08:43Z

189.215.1.136:

{{Incomplete|percentage=80}}
==1st Ammo: Night of Chaos -Turbulent-==

"--The ambassadors of the organizations, agencies, and associations who have gathered at 'Bandire'."

On the nighttime artificial island, Empty Island--

To the abnormal group, illuminated in the midst of the mist, the armored Jeanne spoke.

"First of all, Jeanne d'Arc of EU's Daio Nomad welcomes you with respect."

That voice felt as if an edge was concealed behind her words.

Even though she said something which was meant to welcome.

Ahh...Fuck.

Even the me that is not in Hysteria Mode understands.

The group that is gathered here is laced with hostility.

--The mood of all gathered was that of a critical situation.

(What the hell is...going on!)

When one meets an unidentified armed group, it is theorized that they should first get a grasp of the enemies' battle power.

However, the me as of now cannot do that.

First, who is my enemy and who is my ally? Starting from that, I did not know.

Jeanne, Reki and the person who had talked to me earlier...Fox-human?...She didn't seem to be an enemy, but...as for the others, I had no idea.

--I want Kana to be my ally. However, seeing that she appeared together with that "Witch of Sand" Patra, I have to stay alert.

After that, I did not know about any of the others.

If I act like this, my life will be in danger. If I stay in this place any longer.

However, running is also--

-probably an action which will put myself in danger.

Because, the instant I turn my back on this place, I will probably be shot by all those assembled here.

So, I--

(Fuck...!)

-just did nothing but stand. Right here.

Shit.

Why?

Even though I just want to be able to go to a boring male high school student of an ordinary life...

Which piece of causality caused me to be dragged into this meeting filled with abnormal people!?

As if giving me a hint to that question--once again, Jeanne's rose-colored lips opened.

"As there are first-time comers here, I shall make a statement of introduction. Once, we kept ourselves hidden in the darkness of our countries, passing down our respective battle techniques and knowledge--chasing that which we sought, scrambling over that which we sought. Along with the power-gain of EU, that conflict was arrested, but...along with the destruction of EU, once again, the start of the gunfire will be attempted."

--EU--

That name which I did not wish to remember echoed in the depths of my chest.

With a nuclear submarine as its headquarters, it was the the name of that organization, the place where the Jeanne that was standing here and other outlaw superhumans were trained.

Two months ago, I fought with their leader--Aria's great-grandfather, Sherlock Holmes...the result of that was, that organization was destroyed. It should have been.

That had been, for some reason, spoken of again.

As I gulped down my saliva, at the edge of my vision--

One of them had stepped out as if to address the entire group.

"--Everybody. Is there no path which does not return to that age of battle?"

Seemingly gentle, a somewhat glazed, sweet voice.

The most calm of everyone gathered, blue, cloudy eyes.

Eyelashes long enough to not need mascara, an impressive mole under her eye, she--outside of her beautiful face and neck, none of her white skin was exposed.

Her developed body wrapped in a pure white robe with golden embroidery, the hand which was holding a small rosarius also clothed in a long, white glove, she was wearing clothing which completely covered her skin.

A veil hiding soft, long blonde hair was not there, but...

This girl is probably a nun, right?

''Probably'', which is to say--she was properly wearing light makeup, and because, added to the fact that she was a sexy, beautiful woman...she was carrying something that a normal nun would definitely not carry.

Trimmed with gold decoration, a sword that was so large it was like a joke.

"The Vatican had decided that EU was a necessary evil. Which organization EU, holding exceptional battle strength, was going to ally with was kept silent until the last, and as such, for fear of an "enemy who would receive EU's aid", none could take action against one another...the result being, for a long while, an armistice was realized.　Do you not wish to protect such a precious peace?"

The nun brought her hands together, clutching the rosary.

I don't know who you are, but you're good. You said something really good. You seem like a ''good person''.

No matter what, keep the peace. Also for the sake of me finishing this night without dying here.

"To tell you that the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican Vatican] does not wish for war, tonight, I have come here. Learning from the experience of peace, let us combine our knowledge and achieve peace, and as for avoiding this useless fighting--"

"--It can't be done, Meiya. Hypocrite."

Diagonally behind her, interrupting was the witch in a black robe who had been staring at the nun, (it seemed her name was Meiya,) from the beginning.

The witch, the reason I could not help but decide she was one was...

Because, her figure, from head to toe, looked like a stereotypical witch.

Her short body wrapped in pitch black velvet, she was wearing a black peaked hat, and even a large raven was politely perching on her shoulder.

Even I, who was completely alien to SSR matters, understood with just one look.　If she wasn't a witch, she was a fake.

Looking around 14 years old, her black hair tied up into a bob, on one eye she was wearing a burgundy eyepatch.

On the eyepatch...what is that black mark?

卍? No, like a slanted inverted-卍--aah, that is...!

In European history, the most abominable mark.

Former Nazi Germany's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakenkreuz#As_the_symbol_of_Nazism Hakenkreuz].

With just her crimson left eye, that eyepatch witch glared up at the nun, Meiya.

"You didn't have an [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice armistice] at all. You attacked my familiar in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dusseldorf Dusseldorf]. Peace? The hell are you saying."

At the witch had spat out her words with a tone filled with hate--

"Stay silent, Katze Grasse. You filthy, unpleasant insect."

...Eh?

I thought that as the nun, Meiya, suddenly changed her tone, raising her eyebrows.

"You demonic filth are different. Your very existence is a stain on the Earth. I feel no hesitation against exterminating and annihilating your ilk. I do not see any reason for your existence anywhere in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Testament Old Testament], the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Testament New Testament], or the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocrypha Apocrypha] contained in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bible Bible]. On an appropriate Holy Date, I have already planned to burn you with Holy Fire, rip your corpses into 8 pieces, and let them flow into several different rivers, so--say thank you. SAY IT! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!"

Completely changed from her calm demeanor of earlier, constricting the witch's neck and shouting, Meiya...

I take back my previous statement. She doesn't seem to be a ''good person'' at all.

Rather, it seems like she has a split personality. And, a rather horrible type.

"Gyahahaha! Yes, this is war! The war with the Vatican I've been waiting for! This amazing chance, I won't let it go! Right, Hilda!'

Even though the tiny witch was being held up by the neck, she spoke to another girl while cackling.

The person who was spoken to was--

A girl who looked the farthest away from a human here.

On that back, bat-like wings grew, a girl with golden twin-tails.

"That's right. I too love battles. I can drink as much lovely blood as I want."

My eyes were once against drawn　towards the space between the lips which had just released such a dangerous line.

Visible because the tip was coated with some sort of scarlet coating...those were fangs.

A girl whose canines stood out like Aria...it was not that feeling.

Sharper and longer, bat-like fangs were there.

"Hilda...I already cut your head off once, you're a rather stubborn girl, aren't you?"

Throwing the tiny witch away from her, this time, Meiya glared at the bat-girl.

Could it be...this nun is the one who has the most enemies around her? On the contrary to her peaceful words at the beginning.

"--will Dracula die to something like getting his head cut off? As always, the Vatican is so blissfully ignorant. Like I asked my father to tell me, for centuries, they haven't changed at all from the way they were in the past."

''Hohoho'', placing her crimson-manicured fingers in her mouth, the bat-girl laughed, her rolled up golden twin-tails shaking--her name is Hilda, huh?--like an 18th century European dress arranged in a modern manner, she was wearing a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_Lolita Gothic Lolita] outfit.

The frilly and sparkly part was the same as Riko's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Lolita Sweet Lolita], but the color was based upon pitch black, radiating an ominous, decadent, demonic feeling.

And...between the panier under her miniskirt and her spiderweb knee-socks--the area that Muto had called "[http://animedesho.animeblogger.net/?p=2585 Absolute Territory]", the area of the thighs...there, looking like a white tattoo was--I recalled seeing it.

In June, when we had fought in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yokohama Yokohama], it was the same as what was on Dracula Vlad's body an eyeball design.

She was fair complexioned, so, in a location where it was very similar to the garter belt's string, it was very difficult to notice.

(Vampire, huh...!)

Other than Vlad, they exist?

This was the second time I had seen one, so my surprise was little, but, even so...she's someone I do not want to fight.

"Peace, is what was said--Meiya-san?"

Interrupting with a carefree voice was, a smart man who was dressed in colorful Chinese cultural clothing.

Under his round glasses, his eyes that were so thin they were almost like slits were smiling.

Despite being in the middle of such a dangerous　group, he's so composed.

"That is something which is unrealistic, right? Because, from the beginning, for as long as the '''Yangtze River''', tangled relationships and alliances have existed like in the '''Yellow River'''. Right?" [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hidan_no_Aria:Volume8_Translator%27s_Notes#Chapter_1]

Saying that, he looked up at Reki, who was sitting on the wings of the wind generator.

Reki....just silent, cradled the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragunov_sniper_rifle Dragunov sniper rifle].

"--I too, if it were possible, would not wish to fight."

While using her ice-blue to eyes too look around at all assembled, Jeanne spoke.

"However, I knew that this time would come long before.　The fact that, along with Sherlock's demise, EU collapsed, and we would once again be thrown into war. So, the meeting of this "Bandire" too was decided during his lifetime. Ambassadors. We cannot avoid battle. Because, in that manner, we sustain ourselves."

It had taken some time, but finally...

I too, began to see it. The true identity of this meeting.

Deducing from Jeanne's words, in this world, there are several underground groups like this which these people belong to.

EU was one of them. Vlad's race of vampires too, the organization Ranban which the Kokos had talked about too, Reki's Ulus too, they were probably those.

And, they stand against one another, form alliances with one another, fiercely competing with each other.

Thinking about what each was saying, this had been going on for a long, long time.

Not having been destroyed during that time--sending messengers here--as for those things, their relationship was one of close competition.

However, with the appearance of EU, a change was created in that relationship.

With a nuclear submarine armed with tactical missiles , they had a high battle ability and stealth, also, apparently staying neutral in the Other world, no matter whose eyes you looked from, they were a dangerous existence.

If your own enemy becomes allies with EU, in the end, the power balance will be broken...in an instant, you might be brought down.

So, for a while, they had an "armistice".

Because, who would suddenly take that which was stuck in the table, the knife that was EU, they did not know.

However, now, that knife had disintegrated. It was mainly the fault of Aria and I.

"Then, in accordance to our ancient method, first, let us recite three pacts. It seems that, in the Bandire 86 years ago, it was in French, but I pray you forgive me for translating it into Japanese.

Clause one. No matter the time, anyone can declare war upon anyone. The battle is something that will conform to the rules of a confrontation, but surprise attacks, sneak attacks, spying, use of magic, and insults are allowed.

Clause two. For the sake of avoiding boundless slaughter, the use of ordinary soldiers who are unworthy of the confrontation is forbidden. This takes priority over clause one."

They were anachronistic lines, but the meaning...did not pass without being understood.

These two are rules that should be thought of as a set, right?

They fight as organizations, but they do not fight a total war.

Each organization sent out representatives of battle, just like in a card game, and based upon the confrontations of those representatives, victory and defeat was decided.

There did not appear to be any specific rules pertaining to the number of confrontations as well as the headcount of the representatives, but in short, large amounts of soldiers being sent out like in modern warfare and turning either side into a bloodbath was forbidden.

At the point in time where one's own organization no longer had any powerful warriors, one had to raise a white flag--was how it was, right?

The style of battle was rather ancient, but it wasn't nonexistent. It was like in Japan, where such a thing occured during the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heian_period Heian period]. Warriors carrying the names of their respective areas would duel in order.

It would truly be fitting if one said that such a method was fitting.

"Clause three. The battle will primarily be split into two alliances, 'Deen' [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hidan_no_Aria:Volume8_Translator%27s_Notes#Chapter_1] and 'Grenada' [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hidan_no_Aria:Volume8_Translator%27s_Notes#Chapter_1].　These ancient names are maintained as a sign of respect for the previous generations of fighters who had come before us, it is something that is not to be changed for all eternity.

Which alliance each organization belongs to will be decided based upon the declarations here, but silence/unaffiliation is also allowed. Changing affiliations after the declaration is not forbidden, but based upon the prideful ones assembled here I believe that the matter will be resolved appropriately.

Next, we will begin the declaration of alliances...first, we, Eu's Daio Nomad, wish to declare that we are to be part of 'Deen'. The nun of the Vatican, Meiya is in 'Deen'. Katze Grasse of the witches division as well as Dracula Hilda is in 'Grenada'. There should be no changes of affiliation, correct?"

Apparently finished with stating the rules, Jeanne called out the names of the three women who were talking earlier.

"Ahh...My Father. Please forgive me, who will once again grasp my sword--"

Gripping her rosarius in front of her huge, melon-like breasts, the nun, Meiya-

"Yes. The Vatican was originally 'Deen', exterminating the tainted of 'Grenada'. The founders of Legio Deen."

With her hand, clothed with gloves of white lace, she　gestured at the witch and the vampiress.

"Ah. Of course, I too am part of 'Grenada'. Something like being Meiya's ally is unimaginable."

From the direction of the witch, Katze Grasse, who had answered with that,

"There's no need to even go so far as ask, right, Jeanne? As I was born, it was already decided that I was to be part of the kin of darkness--'Grenada'. Tamamo, is it not the same for you as well?"

This time, the bat-girl Hilda, her high-heels clicking, towards this direction...

No, towards the fox-girl who was by my side, she turned.

The fox-girl, having been called Tamamo, stepped out, the sound of clogs clacking on the floor ringing out--

Her ears, having been turned towards Jeanne up until just now--those pointed ears, sticking out of the top of her head, swiveled towards Hilda.

This girl...below a wooden box that she was carrying like a schoolbag, from below the hem of the Japanese clothing akin to a mini-skirt...whether it was expected, or whether I felt something else, a bushy tail stuck out.

It was clearly, a fox's.

"I'm sorry, Hilda. This time, I'll be 'Deen'. This is only a rumour, but it's because the modern Hotogi have an alliance with the Christian church. Patra, come this way as well."

Wa-wait. Hey, fox.

Just now, didn't you say Hotogi? And added to that, you seem to be acquaintances with Patra and Hilda.

Who are you? This fox-girl who is called Tamamo.

Unexpectedly, it seemed that there was a key person. Right by my feet.

Apparently, with ability users and monsters, relationships that I did not know about existed, and by that, she too seemed to be my ally. It was rather piecemeal, but I could read that from the atmosphere.

Before the mist, having been called out to by Tamamo, Patra, twirling a gigantic crystal ball atop her finger--

"Tamamo. For the things that your ancestors had once taught me, I give my thanks, however...towards the honor students of Eu's Daio, I bear a personal hatred. This time, EU's Ignatius will be 'Grenada'."

With her [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A2%E3%83%92%E3%83%AB%E5%8F%A3 upturned mouth], she answered.

"Ahh...What are you going to do? Kana?"

Patra, wearing clothing akin to a swimsuit, looked in Kana's direction from underneath the gold crown, which mimicked a cobra.

Kana, holding Scorpio, a scythe akin to that which a Reaper would carry,...my brother--

"Genesis 4:11--'Each of us had a dream the same night, and each dream hid a meaning of its own'--I came here of my own free will, but that's how it is. "Unaffiliated" is what I wish to be."

Her gem-like eyes closed, she announced that.

"I see...well, that has reason..."

Patra, having heard that, ''slump''...suddenly looked depressed.

Towards Nii-san, who had an expression which seemed to express, "There's no helping it..." while tapping Patra on the forehead, she blushed...

Nii-san.

Do you...plan to join this battle? What are you aiming for?

"Jeanne. Liberty Mason will also be 'Unaffiliated'.　Let me observe the situation temporarily."

That deep, penetrating voice was that of the beautiful man in the trench-coat, deepest in the midst.

He was someone who gave off a dangerous impression which was so sharp as to give off the feeling that if one were to so much as touch him, he would be cut, but--

"--LOO--"

A more, no, the most mysterious person's voice...no, sound rang out.

If it were possible, I wanted to avert my eyes from it the whole time--there, below the rusted, slanted windmill, this existed, a silhouette which exceeded 3 meters.

More unlike humans than Tamamo and Hilda, a camouflage-painted metal man.

It, who had, from several places on its body, optical devices, antennae, grenades, smoke dischargers, etc...sticking out...at a glance, looked like a military vehicle, but that was incorrect.

First of all, it was not a vehicle.

In place of tires or caterpillar treads, it was standing on two feet with knee-joints directly inverse of that of a human body.

Also, on the left and right of its body, gigantic too, arm-like manipulators were there...rather, what the hell is that in its left hand, an M61 Gatling cannon--Vulcan...!

A Vulcan is---the name of a cannon that is normally attached to military vehicles, able to spray 120 bullets within a second, a demon-like weapon.

The ammunition used is a bullet that can weigh up to 100g, the M50. For something like a human, even being grazed will lead to a fatal injury.

It seemed that due to issues of cooling, it could not continue to fire for over three minutes, but even so, bringing this is cheating, right? That kind of monstrosity.

"LOO--LOO--...LOO--"

It, able to be called nothing but a bipedal tank...''Loooo, Loooo''...

It seemed to be speaking something, but...what? I don't understand.

"...LOO. I knew that you came from America, but I have no idea about you. If the fact that we cannot understand your method of communication continues, you will be seen as 'silent' when it comes to any alliance--is that fine?"

Having been told that by Jeanne, uncowed, it...

"...LOO..."

-changed its stance a little, like it was nodding.

With that, I understood a little, it was not an autonomous weapon. There was someone riding inside.

As it were, a humanoid close-combat battle machine.

I didn't really know its name, but--I chose to call it LOO. Jeanne too had called it that.

"--'Grenada'--!"

Suddenly, the person who raised that energetic voice with an Native American accent was--

Wearing a cat-patterned fur, a girl who looked around 10 years old.

Why is a child like this...?

-thought I, but immediately, I realized the reason. Along with a shocking scene.

After that girl had shouted, ''Scrape...Thump!'', she held up a large axe that was by her feet, but...that axe was ''larger than its carrier's body.''

Large, thick, rather than an axe, one should say that it is a large lump of iron.

Even the world record for women weightlifting in the clean & jerk isn't 200kg, but that was clearly a weight which exceeded that. I don't know accurately, but I expect that it isn't any lower than 300kg.

The small girl had lifted that. Furthermore, with one hand.

''Thunk...!''

The girl...pierced the floor with the axe's ferrule, an extravagant feather decoration attached to it, and a slight tremor shook the ground by her feet. What a feeling of weight. It even gave off the the illusory feeling that the entirety of Empty Island was shaking.

"--Havi--'Grenada'!"

That girl, facing directly upwards, repeated with that voice, habitually slightly nasal...

Flowers stuck into her hair, under that fringe, flipped up--mm?

Two horns were visible.　At a glance.

--I see.

She too is ''one of them'', huh?

Havi...seemed to be what she called herself, her horns were smaller than Aria's accessories.

On the left and right of her forehead, from the inside of her skin, they rose up in small, conical shapes. Rather than a horse's or deer's bony antlers, they looked more like the horns of a rhino or giraffe, horns that covered the skin.

--and as for that, that I have become able to calmly analyze monsters is making me feel rather pitiable.

"Tohyama. Which will "Baskerville" be?"

"...?"

Because Jeanne had suddenly faced this way--

My mind became a complete blank.

"Wh-what? Why are you turning to me Jeanne?"

"You are the person who defeated Sherlock, are you not?"

"N-no. If anything, I was caught up in the flow...when I went to help Aria, it just so happened that Sherlock was there, or rather..."

"You do not not know yet? For this Bandire, your faction--recently having the name of "Baskerville"--its leader's alliance declaration cannot be left unsaid. Because, you destroyed EU and are the spark that makes us fight once again."

"...Wa-wait. 'Baskerville'...that was just a student Butei team that was submitted to the school. It's different from people like you. Also, even if I'm the leader, I'm just one in name--"

"Tohyama. ''You did it. If you did it, take responsibility for it.'' Are you not a man?"

"Don't screw with me! The fact that I am here is only because I was suddenly called out here! What are you doing to me...!?"

"--'Deen' or 'Grenada'. Choose that which you think you will survive in."

"...Hey......"

To Jeanne, whose tone would not let me utter any excuses, I could not respond.

--I have nothing to do with this!

Even though I wanted to shout that and run...

Now, the sight of superhumans is gathered on me. With just that, I could not take control of my body's movements.

As if being stared at by a snake...no, like a frog that is encircled by a swarm of snakes.

Towards I, in that state, and Jeanne, the bat-girl, Hilda, raised her voice while spinning her parasol.

"All newcomers go into this unsightly panic, don't they? Jeanne, He's quite pitiful if you bully him like that. He didn't even hear, right? Tohyama Kinji. You are 'Deen'. Anything but that is impossible. Because, you are the enemy of the powerful veteran of 'Grenada', Vlad Dracula--my father."

As for Hilda, staring at me, ''Fuun'', her nose making that sound--

I interrupted Jeanne's words, turning towards her.

I had thought that she was the same race as Vlad, but--his daughter, huh?

"--Then, I, as a representative, wish to declare that Ulus will be affiliated with 'Deen'."

Cutting through Hilda's words, the person who spoke out from above was--Reki.

"I, personally, am a member of "Baskerville", but because I am entering the same 'Deen', there should not be a problem, correct? As for my position as a representative ambassador, consent from Ulus has already been received."

Sitting on the propellers of the wind generator,　not having moved an inch from when I had seen her earlier, Reki--

The man from earlier, the one in Chinese clothing with circular glasses, looked up　at her, smiling.

"Ranban's ambassador, {{Hidan no Aria:Shokatsu Seigen}} will make his declaration. We will be 'Grenada'. Because, there is the debt to be repaid by Ulus' ''Reki'' for hindering our business a few days before. Then...you are the only one left?" [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hidan_no_Aria:Volume8_Translator%27s_Notes#Chapter_1]

So he said to another one standing in the midst of the mist.

Even though I didn't say whether I was going to participate in the battle or not, the flow suggested that my incident was already over.

(Give me a break...seriously...!)

Because of my own wariness, I could not interrupt the conversation, and so, I looked at the last person...

I did not know whether he had been listening from the beginning or whether she hadn't been, the man wearing a flashy pierro-like clothing--''Thud!''

He threw the cellphone music player that he had been listening to up till then and his white earphones to his feet.

"Tch. This isn't pretty."

He, raising the face which had just spit out those words...as expected...didn't seem to have been listening to the conversation.

With those eyes filled with irritation, he looked around at us and his face　was colored with face paint akin to the war paint of the natives of someplace.

"Keh--this is laughable. I came here thinking that there'd be strong people, but, the hell is this?　This's just a gathering of errand boys.　All of you guys're pathetic. This was a waste of time."

Apparently, he too was the same as me, in the same "I-want-to-go-home team".

Wouldn't we get along?

But, it seems that the reason he did not want to be here is the exact opposite of mine.

"G-III--those that are gathered are certainly 'ambassadors'. Not military strength, but personal wishes and organizational recommendations as well as aptitude as an envoy, and the ability to understand Japanese etc. are used as a basis for those to be selected. Also, this is not an obligation, but--as long as they are not like you, for ambassadors, choosing men who are not eunuchs and are not battle-hungry, as well as young women has been customary since ancient times. I acknowledge that each of us is not like that which you seek. However, is that all right, G-III? If you return like this, you will be counted as 'unaffiliated'."

"--Nothing to do with me."

To Jeanne, who had warned him, the man answered without so much as turning his sight towards her.

"...As long as you seek the same thing as us, as long as we scramble, eventually, we will fight. At that time, if we join either 'Deen' or 'Grenada', the number of enemies will decrease. We are not clear as to the numbers of every organization, but at least, of the 10-plus people that are, this will end without half of those here becoming enemies."

"Enemies?"

''Feh'', G-III spat to his side...is that his name?

At his discourteous behavior, Jeanne frowned.

"--Don't make me laugh. Today, I only came because recently, it seemed that strong people were coming out all around you. That all right? Next time, bring those that are the most powerful. I will kill them all."

G-III spoke those words, and from his body--

''Zz''...''Zzzzzzz''...as I wondered about that noise, akin to that of a broken fluorescent light...

His appearance became indistinguishable.

Literally, he disappeared. Now, I could see the flow of the mist behind G-III through him.

"...!"

Like in a special effects movie--an invisible man.

As I watched, going from half-transparency to full-transparency, G-III, who had disappeared...

He...he seems like a dangerous person.　His ability, and judging from his words, his personality.

"--Commoner. You are like a barking puppy. You have lost even your killing intent."

Although it was night, Hilda, continuing to hold her parasol, spoke, a sigh mixed in.

"However, with this, it seems that everybody is finished. That is correct, isn't it, Jeanne?"

"...It is as you say. Lastly, this battle will...according to the habit of naming the land upon which Bandire took place, "Far East Warfare"--FEW is what has been decided. I thank everyone for their participation, and I pray for your fortune in batt..."

"Then, it's fine, isn't it?"

"...?--Already?"

"It should be fine. It has already started."

"Wait. Tonight...did I not say you were not to fight here?"

"That's true. This is not a very good stage. The altitude is low, and the weather is lacking. However, I've changed my mind.　I have waited for too long, so let's go play a little."

You...what?

What are you talking about?

Why...

''Are you looking this way?''

Two people.

"Something like a council of declaration of war that has not seen blood...In the past, such a thing has never occurred...right?"

Smiling and showing me her fangs, Hilda and--

Jeanne. With a panicked expression, the Short Winking that she sent me was--"Run."--and at that, I widened my eyes.

"...!"

This congregation of monsters which had dragged me into the midst of it ended--

From now on, anyone can fight with anyone, is how it is!?

However, a sudden challenge apparently being outside of her expectations, Jeanne hurriedly raised her sword. And while its blade was being sheathed in crystallized ice, crackling accompanying the process--

''...Zzzzz...Zzz...''

At the sight of Hilda melting into the midst of her own shadow, just by her feet, I could no longer move.

What an--unrealistic scene.

I drew my Beretta, but isn't　the opponent to shoot no longer here?

Like a dragged carpet, the shadow faced me, standing completely straight, wriggling.

"Tohyama, run! For 30 seconds, I'll restrict her!"

Durandal, thrown by Jeanne like a javelin ''Zcch''--!

In that instant, the movements of the shadow began to dull. It felt as if it was stitched to the ground by Jeanne's sword, pierced through it.

However...it felt as if that stitching was incomplete.

Even so, it faced this way...and it was still wriggling. The shadow.

(This kind of...this kind of person...!)

Not even in Hysteria Mode, not having anything, towards me, just a high school student...!

What do you want me to do!? 

Firstly, where do I run? Here and there, at these places where people that I know nothing about are, because of these monsters...!

As if pleading for help, I turned towards the fox-girl, Tamamo, and--

Tamamo did not look this way.

Towards the south side of the artificial island--looking towards the sea.

No, not only Tamamo.

That horn-girl who was called Havi, axe in hand, she was looking in the same direction.

"...?"

Along with those two, the monsters started to turn towards the south, one by one.

--Towards Academy Island.

A few seconds afterward, finally...''Drrrrrr''...that engine sound became audible to my ears as well.

That was the sound of a mini-motorboat running.

''Thunk!'' The boat reaching Empty Island, impacting into it--after a while--

''Bsh!'' At the southern tip of Empty Island, at the very brink, I could saw a ''small hand'' grasp it.

Th-that is...!

"It was right of me make SSR extend their network! Because, you had come to a place where my eyes could reach you. Just that bravery, I will acknowledge! You're there, aren't you!? Patra! Hilda!"

A high-pitched anime voice.

''Nsh!'', clambering atop the edge of Empty Island, a twin-tail with a sailor uniform.

Isn't that...Aria!?

"EU's remnants! I'll arrest you as one set! A gift to Mama's supreme court this month is ready!"

The entire situation apparently not visible from the mist--

It seemed that Aria still had not realized the danger of the place she was stepping into.

"A-Aria! Now is a bad time! Here, there is...!"

Putting myself aside, I shouted, as if preventing Aria from pouring oil onto the fire.

However, I did not expect that I could stop Aria, who was looking for the unarrested remnants of EU.

While going "!?" at the monsters, all facing towards her, ''Shing, Shing!''

The platinum and pitch-black Governments were drawn in unison.

I-I said to stop!

"--LOO--"

The sound of operation ringing out, the walker tank, LOO, looked back--

"--You brought your minions!? Kinji! Since you're here, support me!"

Suddenly, Aria,　''BangBangBang!''

Without warning, muzzle flashes lit the air.

"!"

The bullets did not hit LOO itself, but above his head, they hit the propellers of the wind generator, throwing up sparks.

The propellers were rusted, so they must have become fragile. One of them, showered with gunfire, ''Kcch...Bch!''

Along with a tearing sound, it snapped off at the base.

"--LO...!?"

LOO, whose operational noise had been ringing out, made a movement as if looking up, but--''Gnng!''

It did not have an opportunity to dodge. Falling down was a propeller which weighed several tons, and crushed by it, it went into a position akin to crawling. It struggled, but it stayed there without rising.

I-I...didn't even know if it was an enemy or ally.

Aria...Suddenly, she did it.

With a feeling that suggested it had clearly malfunctioned, LOO was smoking.

"Aha! Ahaha! She came! She came!"

Standing there bow-legged and twirling, was the horn-girl from earlier--Havi.

Swinging around the massive metal axe like it was a knife, she danced.

As if this was a kindergarten where a fun game had just started.

"...!"

I looked towards Hilda, thinking to confirm, and this way--

Towards the back of the witch, Katze Grasse, who had burst into laughter at the sight of LOO being destroyed, the nun, Meiya--''Shhhh...'', turned--''Yssshhhh...!'', and with that noise, she wielded her massive sword--

"Witch of the filthy [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_tide crimson tide]...I WILL SLAUGHTER YOU--!" 

Along with the high-pitched voice, with a momentum as if trying to split Katze Grasse into two parts, she brought the sword down.

''Thunk!''

With a movement which seemed to suggest that she had noticed a while ago, the witch, with a shortsword--decorated with kachiwaba engravings and diamonds, a sword that was akin to one that soldiers in old-Europe might carry--she clashed blades.

"Ahh, Meiya...really, it can't be cured without dying once, can it. That stupidity."

Katze Grasse used the short sword to parry, and--''Ching!''

Meiya's broadsword fell to the concrete by her feet, and through its own weight, the sword pierced the floor.

"N-not being cut obediently...Ahh, Lord, forgive this person's crimes...no, it would be splendid if you did not forgive them! In place of divine punishment, I WILL HUMBLY DO MY BEST."

Meiya, already short of breath, once again readied her broadsword in a low stance.

I-it's starting over there too.

-－What the hell do I do!?

Without any sort of forewarning, ''Bssh!'', between the two, water burst forth--

Hidden by the camouflage of the water drops, the witch instantly distanced herself from the nun.

And, from inside the black robe, which she rolled up, she snatched out two golden guns and began shooting.

That was--a Luger-P08. From the barrel which extended out from the body of the pistol, and the inchworm like movement of the toggle above the gun, I could figure it out.

Now, it was an antique, but it was a gun that was used by Nazi soldiers in the German army, a gun which was highly accurate.

However, as for that P08's bullets--''BangBangBang!''

Even though they were being continuously fired from a range of just 9m, they did not hit Meiya.

''Fufun'', making a triumphant expression, Meiya---I could not see what kind of technique she used.

It was a scene which was hard to figure out, but it seemed that the ''bullets did not hit'' Meiya. What happened just now.

"Tch. So, it was impossible after all. You really are damned lucky."

Flipping open her robe--exposing her pure white tights and violet garter straps, Katze Grasse restored her guns to her leg holsters.

And raising her short sword once again--fixing her eyes upon Meiya, who was readying her broadsword again, she sprinted forth.

Between the two--''Shh!'', a figure wearing a bulletproof coat interrupted.

The sound of metal rang out twice in consecutively clashes, and a dark blue scythe had simultaneously met the two blades.

"...Kana...!"

Giving me, who muttered that name, a wink which said, "Come back quickly," Nii-san, with the back of his scythe for the broadsword, and the handle of it for the short sword, had completely stilled them into balance.

And, merely by changing the direction of her arms--Meiya and Katze Grasse's white and black robes fluttered into the air, and they fell to the floor.

"Excuse me, you two. Right now--it is still a little learly. Shall we go back? Hmm?"

''Smile''--

The two, completely shocked, looked on as Kana, smiling with a face so beautiful it would put an actress to shame, receded into the depths of the mist, her high-laced boots ringing out. At that moment...

"Kinji! --Jeanne is here too!? What's going on!?"

Aria, sprinting all the way to my side, looked around at the surroundings--''Clink, Clink''

Her hands swift, she reloaded the magazines she had taken out of her skirt into the guns.

"Aria, get away! This is a bad place to be in! Don't you get it just from seeing it!?"

"In the beginning, I didn't really get it because of the mist, but no matter how I look at it, it does seem that way, doesn't it..."

Looking at Patra, who was walking towards Kana, Aria--frowned.

As if trying to intimidate everyone who was standing about her, she thrust her guns forward, her arms open.

"It seems that Patra is together with your brother--and it seems that Hilda has run away."

Having had that said to me, and remembering about Hilda, I looked around my feet, drifting in the midst.

Indeed...The shadow had disappeared.

No, not only Hilda. The unidentified handsome man in the coat wasn't there either.

Because of the battle which had suddenly started, he had quickly made his escape, it seemed.

Tamamo too...was gone. However, at my feet...a beautiful [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temari_%28toy%29 Temari] with a checkered pattern had fallen.

Subtly sticking out from the Temari were things like that which could be found at the tip of a fox's tail...they had been sticking out, but as if noticing my gaze upon them, they pulled back into the interior of the ball.

...I don't really understand, but, 'defensive mode'...is that what it is?

Someone had moved. Thinking that, I turned around and--and at that point, the operator of LOO, which had been destroyed by Aria earlier, exited from within it, looking confused.

Looking at the destroyed robot, lamenting by going "LOO, LOO,"...a girl which was wearing a costume a navy colour akin to that of a school swimsuit. She too looked like a child around the age of an elementary school student.

Pointing at Aria and and raising her voice, seemingly angry, in a "LOO! LOO!", the girl stood up--

Apparently unable to do anything without the walking tank, the badge...no, medal attached to the swimsuit clinking, she tried to run away, barefoot. The eagle insignia which was visible for a second was--something that I had learned in Assault. It was a rank insignia.　Of the American army. And, it was that of a colonel's. This is a joke, right?

The opposite of me, who had slightly relaxed from this mood of escape,

"Why did you come, Aria...! Be careful, Hilda is still here. And also, she's close...! Run away! She's stolen the--'Study of Scarlet' from EU! It's dangerous!"

Pulling Durandal, which was no longer stitched onto the shadow, from the floor, Jeanne warned Aria with her ice-blue eyes.

Around her body, in the midst of the floating mist...''Crackle, Crackle'';along with that noise, crystals of ice began to appear.

Diamond Dust.

Sending the sparkling crystals of ice, literally like diamonds, dancing through the air, this was Jeanne's magic.

The floating ice began to gradually accumulate, becoming a haze, hiding our figures.

Hidden by this mist of ice, she wanted to run, right?

Jeanne concentrated upon sending the particles of ice outward in something like a smokescreen--and at that moment.

"...!'

From Aria;from within Aria's own shadow-- 

As if rising from the surface of a pool--

Hilda, her eyes shining with golden light akin to the Vlad of that time before, floated out of it, a half-smile on her lips!

"--Intâi gândeste, apoi porneste. Prilejui te face hot... [It would be better to confirm it before coming, wouldn't it.　Just like a moth to flame...]"

Aria tried to turn around to Hilda, muttering in Romanian from directly behind, but she could not.

Hilda had already grasped hold of the back of Aria's neck with her crimson-manicured right hand.

--''Bang!''

The gunshot of a Dragonov--!

(Reki--!?)

''Bsssh!''

A 162mm x 54R bullet penetrated through Hilda's head from the top left to the bottom right, throwing her vertically-rolled twin-tails into the air, but--

"Kyaa!"

Behind Aria, who had cried out at the sound of the bullet impact, Hilda had just swayed her head aside.

Neither did she release Aria's neck.

And, looking up at Reki, who had shot her from above the wind generator...

"...'''''Baaang'''''" 

Sticking out her index finger, making a pistol-shape with her left hand, she made a gesture as if to shoot herself in the head.

While smiling with her bloodstained face.

Sh-she too--is the same as Vlad. Bullets have no effect.

I can't　do anything...!

"Foolish Butei girls are punished, you know."

Hilda opened her bright crimson mouth.

Those two fangs--their tips covered with scarlet metal--Aria's white neck, they--

"--!"

''Bite''...!

Pierced it.

"<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>!"

And as for Aria, her camellia eyes widened with pain, next to her face,

"Ha!"

Flèche Fente--With the graceful movements of fencing, Jeanne's Durandal flew through the air.

''Schhhhh!''

Hilda, parrying Durandal with the fangs that had just left Aria's neck, turned, getting away. 

"What a happy miscalculation. Staying in Prime[http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hidan_no_Aria:Volume8_Translator%27s_Notes#Chapter_1], I could remove my shell. Ohohoho...Ohohohohohoho!"

Bringing the back of her hand to her cheek--the blood from the gunshot wound which had been blown open by Reki had stopped--resounding in my ears, she laughed loudly in a voice bordering on ultrasonic.

"Houhohoho! Fii Bucuros! Fii Fericit! Hohohohoho!" [Wonderful! Excellent!]

In the midst of the ringing laughter which almost seemed to want to fill up our ears, towards the area below her left ear that was bitten, Aria--touching her neck with left hand, checked how much had bled. And, having confirmed that her carotid artery had not been cut, ''Chck''--
[[File:Aria08_045.jpg|thumb]]
Readying her Colts, she tried to turn around, but...

"...ch...!?"

''Thud'', a single knee dropped to the ground.

"Poison--!?"

I sprinted towards the pale Aria, and-

"...This is bad, one of Tohyama. It appears that this is worse than poison."

The Temari, rolling towards me though no-one had touched it, said those words to me from my feet. With the voice of Tamamo.

Worse...than poison?

What does she mean? When I looked at Aria, the meaning of those words struck me.

Aria's body was--

Indistinctly, starting to shine.

It wasn't an optical illusion. Around her body, something that appeared to be a haze of scarlet light was seeping out of her.

"...ch!"

This...is something I've seen before. Twice, in the past.

"Oooh..."

It was when she fought with Patra, who was over there, looking at Aria, raising what appeared to be a surprised voice.

And--when she fought with Sherlock in EU.

Aria has gone into that mode.

And, afterward, she had shot out a bullet of light with the power of a battleship's cannon.

But...from that time...it was a little different.

Rather than pouring outside--it felt as if the light was trapped inside, and that was a slight leak.

"Aria...Are you alright!?"

I shook Aria's shoulders with my both my hands, and--

Once, twice, thrice, Aria blinked painfully...

"..."

Staying completely silent, slowly, she looked up towards me.

"...?"

Those camellia eyes fixed upon me.

--Who are you?

As if saying that.

"...Aria...?"

--Wrong.

This gaze. This expression.

I understood because of the months that I had spent living together with her.

Even I know that this is strange. However--this ''is not Aria''.

Who are you. Who is this...!

"Damn Hilda. You've learned even of the destruction of the 'Seven Stars of the Golden Shell?" 

"Think of it as an honour.　This is the first time in history. That humans have seen the cracking of the shell--"

The Temari by my legs exchanged words with Hilda, and...

"One of Tohyama. That Aria has come is the worst of luck. I will return one, so do not be afraid. Make it such that Aria does not move. Meiya! You return one as well!"

Hidan no Aria:Volume7 Chapter4

2011-09-14T22:03:15Z

189.215.1.136: /* 4th Ammo - Team Baskerville */

{{Incomplete|percentage=92}}

==4th Ammo - Team Baskerville==

Returning to Butei High in the night....

After the Masters ensured that there were no severely wounded casualties, they quickly split us up by subject and distributed debriefing records. Disgusting. Let us rest a bit first. At least allow us a bowl of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsudon katsudon]. Aria was taken by the Assault instructor Ranbyou to the principal's office. Riko and I were Inquesta while Mutou was of Logi; we were all interviewed by our respective instructors. After that, the Masters got into contact with the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Metropolitan_Police_Department Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department], the media and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Railways_Group JR]. I thought we would be castigated for cutting the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen Shinkansen] however with the capture of the perpetrators, this did not happen.

On the contrary we were lauded for resolving the issue. Officially to boot. Like this, Butei High did not have to take responsibility for Koko and her group's hijack of the Shinkansen to extort money from the Japanese government. This was a very nicely done maneuver no matter how you look at it.

"Tohyama-kun, I'll tell you this before the start of legal hearings for a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plea_bargain plea-bargain]. The fact that you all were targeted must be kept strictly confidential lest some very important person gets upset."

The Inquesta Master Takamagahara Yutori said. With the presence of the black suited man during our debriefing on top of Yutori's words, I could somehow understand that. Judging from his badge, that guy was an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And holding the class of a vice-minister. Probably, this was due to Aria. As a general rule, regardless of whatever cases Butei are involved in, international ones are their own responsibility. However, Aria is a foreign [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristocracy_%28class%29 aristocrat].

It was better for Japanese-British relations that the fact that she was exposed to great danger on Japanese soil not be made public. That is the so-called "adult matter". Well on this, I can only listen to what the adults say. This isn't exactly a very good point either because if it continues to worsen, it would prove troublesome indeed.

Perhaps there was an attempt to offer us hush money, for the official mentioned something about "the government offering us distress money in the future" of which our polite refusals of his good-will caused us to be eventually dismissed very late.

Once done, I headed to the No. 2 girls dorm. To the highest floor......to Reki's room. Opening the door with the cardkey I got from her before, I found the interior dark. Although I already expected this, still there really was no one in.

(Reki...)

A naked light bulb cast its light to no purpose on a room of bare concrete. The living room window was shut and the silence was deafening.

The wind.....didn't blow here.

It wouldn't anymore.

Returning to my own room in the boy's dormitory, here too, there was nobody. According to Ranbyou whom I crossed paths with on my way, Aria had headed to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toranomon Toranomon] for a preparatory meeting with a female lawyer whom she had hired, before the trial of her mother Kanzaki Kanae. Doing so after such a major operation; she really is tough.

I entered the living room....

<nowiki>*Chika*, *chika*</nowiki>

I noticed the flicker of a light.

.....What? The answering machine of my rarely used landline is at maximum capacity? This is 1 min x 30 messages and with 30 minutes of recording time....With an unpleasant feeling in my heart, I pushed the playback button.

"Kin-chan, are you alright?"

As I thought, Shirayuki.

That girl....whenever anything happens, she'll have this habit of incessantly sending mail....As my cell was destroyed and thus could not be connected, she contacted here instead.

"If you receive this message, even if it might be a trouble....please call me back. I believe Kin-chan's alright, yet....guuugh....I'm really...worried....u...hu...hu...."

Shirayuki had been separated from me when she had been left behind in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shizuoka_City Shizuoka] with the rear portion of railway cars.

I know you are worried, but don't call for 30 minutes.

After a momentary break, the recordings began to play the next portion.

"Uu...eguu...huu..Kin-chan...uu...uu...uuuuuuuu....."

S...scary!

Please stop crying into the recording. In the dead of the night it's like a ghost.

With apprehension, I played the next part which was...

".....I've just got a call from Butei High! I am so relieved when I heard that Kin-chan's alright. The criminals have all been captured too! How truly magnificently done....! Kin-chan is truly amazing. Truly amazing, Kin-chan is.....aa.....Kin-chan is...truly an amazing gentleman...."

Why the repetition...

"All of us here are fine. We are taking the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokaido_Line Tokaido Line] back. It will be pretty late when we get back but I'll prepare a feast after we return. Just a short while back, I bought fresh crab!"

Shirayuki being Shirayuki, this switch in tone is too fast.

Speaking of which, have you brought the crab back yet?

Uu...there's still some more messages. I'm getting sleepy already.

"Kin-chan, about that...about that...that pregnant woman aboard the Shinkansen; she safely delivered her baby at a Shizuoka hospital! That's just great news...I just received the photograph by e-mail. It's a cute little girl! Errm....speaking of which...do you like babies Kin-chan? I like them a lot. They are so cute, just looking at them makes me feel all blissful inside. That...that's why I.....I....someday...someday, Kin..."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pi*......I pushed the stop button.

Stop....stop.

This no longer has anything to do with the initial purpose of ensuring my safety. Furthermore, what's with this bad feeling crawling down my back. Right, time to delete them all. Despite being sleepy; well Shirayuki was rather worried, so I gave her a call. In the face of all that excited screaming, I simply said, "I'm fine. Don't worry. Sleep now," before quickly ending the call.

Disconnecting the phone line and having showered, I lay alone in bed for a long time without my cell and nothing in particular to do.

(Koko, Koko, Koko...)

I dimly reflected on the memory of the three sisters who had targeted Reki and me. Those three were all captured at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Station Tokyo station], screaming and cursing all the way to the end. To better differentiate them for the Logi seniors escorting them, the words "eldest daughter", "second daughter" and "third daughter" were stuck on their foreheads, in a most amusing manner; just like the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyonshi kyonshi] in that old film "Mr. Vampire". Tonight, those three sisters would be interrogated by the Dagula's top S instructor Tsuzuri Umeko.

I don't know the details and I don't wish to know, but I hear that Tsuzuri does some rather horrific stuff to suspects during her interrogations. Good. Let them get their punishment.

(Well then....this time around...)

This time around, can I finally say my great ancestor's favorite phrase?

"With this, one case is closed"

But this phrase....thinking about it now, it has a ring of unease to it. One case closed. Doesn't this.....give the feeling that there will be a 2nd, a 3rd case? Oi....great ancestor....

Due to nothing happening after being vigilant for some time, I could spend my entire SW after Caravan I resting. No wait, it would be more proper to say, the start of the vacation. The prologue would be being awoken just some time after noon the next day by Shirayuki making crab fried rice. With Aria absent, that left Shirayuki and me to do the cleaning, washing and cooking. Shirayuki, who as ever, was a god with these household skills was like one of the maids commonly found in Riko's games. I spent my vacation leisurely under the care of Shirayuki, who for some reason was extremely blissful every day, while taking my time to pick a new cell phone.

Just in the middle of those tranquil days, right in the midst of my vacation, Riko, who had somehow gotten the cardkey to my room from god knows where, appeared in my room. A brutal mood like that found in a Western shootout scene filled the room. "Ki~ku~n♪" Riko said in a catlike voice. "Get away from Kin-chan-sama, you adulterer!" responded Shirayuki. With a swing of a knife, I returned to those sad days; Riko clinging all over me for who knows, possibly the sake of killing time and Shirayuki would always grab her, swing her [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%95%B7%E3%83%89%E3%82%B9 nagadosu], even let fly with her M60. My room has already been the scene of 10 grappling matches, 12 sword duels and 15 gun battles. Riko who likes games of chance besides fighting and Shirayuki who is easily provoked.....whether it be arm wrestling or speed eating, there have been many battles between those two. And Shirayuki being Shirayuki and having the ridiculous reasoning that "a wife should never lose to a mistress!" would always readily join battle. At times when I return home, those two would be on all fours head butting each other with grunts of "mo...!" "nnmo....!" like bulls......hey you two, aren't you actually on pretty good terms since it has even come to this? So it was that September arrived in the midst of this unceasing hubbub. The time had come to register the team roster that was submitted earlier even if I was reluctant to do so.

Normally, a representative from the team would attend the application, the Masters would give a confirmation call after the field trip and an affirmative reply would be made and finally, the confirmation photograph would be taken. However, as Reki did not respond to the Masters' call, our team had not been confirmed. Which is to say that I did not belong to any team and that I'm left dangling. Well, even if my case is a little special, truth is on our field trip, there were numerous "we are still not a team yet" incidents. That is why there were emergency measures known as "Just" for these students. These on-site applications simply required one to fill out and submit on paper the names of the team members. Once the Masters take a group photo, the team would be considered "acknowledged/registered." In short, it is a shortened, last-minute registration of a team. Nonetheless, the deadline for this emergency measure is tomorrow. As expected of me feeling impatient, I called Aria.

"About the formation of the team, please wait for a while." Awaiting instructions, I got only this from Aria.

"You told me to wait, that means you already have a plan?"

"Yes, but since you used that kind of tone on me earlier, I won't tell you. H-un."

Making that kind of anime sound with her nose, she hung up. It seems that..... she still could not let go over the "I'm fine with anything about the team formation" I had said before Caravan I. Certainly, that had been my fault however....good grief, Aria is certainly like a bratty kid in stature and personality.

Like that.....

During the deadline of the on-site applications the next day, I was unattached to any group. Students who did not manage to fill in a on-site application would have their team decided for them by the Masters. Well at worst, so be it. Either way, I still intend to transfer out of Butei High. Just when I was feeling a little unwell and forcing myself to study,

"Kin-chan, I'm sorry. I haven't said this until now...."

Shirayuki brought in something wrapped in a furoshiki. That body resembling a gravure model was dressed in a black outfit. The neat ribbon across the breast of her blouse was black. The hair band she normally wore was also black. Furthermore, her hair was tied up, which was rare. This was not like the usual Shirayuki. It appears that that clothing was Diviza Nero; the attire worn by students taking their team confirmation photos. It has been loaned out from Amdo.

"Ki..ki...ki...kun come here♪ The water here's sweet♪"

Riko sang as she appeared, also wearing black. She wore a design which daringly revealed her skin, particularly her breasts. Most disagreeable. One can tell at a single glance that she wore no underwear on her breasts. On that note, is the protection offered alright? Wearing bulletproof clothing which exposes the skin.... Averting my eyes in embarrassment upwards, I saw that the ribbons holding her two-side up tails in place were also black. These two were totally in black from head to foot.

"The team's....Just. You are all attending it?"

"Thaaat's right! Kiii...kun must go too!"

"......Me....too.....?"

"About that, even though it's not good to say, but....earlier, I divined that I would form a team with Kin-chan....so I did not tell anyone about the team's application. Furthermore, I heard from Aria after Caravan I that everyone would be in the team...."

I opened the furoshiki while listening to Shirayuki. Inside, was a black suit.

This is.....the Diviza Zero that I would use.

"Riko-rin and Aria also formed a two man team; however, we annulled it during the confirmation. Aria had changed her mind; this was for the purpose of forming a new team with Ki-kun and everyone else."

So saying, Riko showed me the application slip for the on-site application.

On it was....
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; margin:1em auto 1em auto; clear:both; font-size:100%; background:transparent;"
! style="background:#DCDCDC;" align="center"|Team Name "Baskerville"<br>Members
|-
|〇 Kanzaki.H.Aria (Assault)

◎ Tohyama Kinji (Inquesta)

・ Hotogi Shirayuki (SSR)

・ Mine Riko (Inquesta)

・ Reki (Snipe)
|-
|}

These 5 names were written.

This is the team that Aria envisioned.

Setting aside the fact that a double circle denoted me as leader, even Aria had a single circle marking her as the vice-captain.

"Oi...this is...."

I said while pointing at Reki's name.

After the Just, the students of the newly formed team had to have a group photograph taken by the Masters. Like this, each team member displayed their mutual solidarity.

However.....Reki, who had vanished at Tokyo Station, was still missing.

Which means that there was no way we could register.

"Un....Since we cannot contact Reki-san, we may cancel her name. But Kin-chan wants to do Butei work with her right?"

Shirayuki said with upturned eyes, as if she shared the same misunderstanding as Aria.....

However, it didn't seem fitting to tell her about Reki interning herself to me as a sniper at this juncture. With nothing confirmed or denied, I listened to whatever else she had to say.

"That's why Aria was bent on including Reki in the team. She said that, 'if Kinji is to be included, then so to too must Reki be included. Otherwise, this team would be against Kinji's wishes. '"

"But Rekiyu is still missing. I don't know whether she can join the team like that," Riko said, continuing Shirayuki's observations.

"And thus Aria said that, 'letting Kinji have false hopes isn't good, so please don't tell him about the team before Reki has been admitted.' Well, Aria being concerned about Ki-kun is a good thing that's why Riko won't say anything more from now. Apologies."

Aria.....

So that's the reason you were so vague about the team last night. Such human concern was so gentle and female. Even if you were like a man in every other aspect.

"However we still could not contact Reki by phone in the end. Just in case, she sent the assembly location and time of the application to Reki by text but there was no reply."

Looking at the downcast Shirayuki, I thought, "That's understandable," since Reki's phone was destroyed in Kyouto by Koko.

"Aria is already at the photo taking site. She was already there waiting for Rekiyu first thing in the morning. The deadline is noon today. 30 more minutes and it will be time. Well, we can't go yet Ki-kun! Put on your clothes! This is Ki-kun's on the spot changing show! Kyahaaa!"

Riko said as she reached for my belt while I stood still with the black suit in hand. Looking as if I would be stripped of my trousers, I shifted away from Riko.....With the Diviza Nero in hand, I left to change. Partly without protest.

My room was originally a four man room so there were a few to double as private rooms. Entering one of them, I straightened my hair before a mirror and got changed.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Kasha*

From the roof, came the sound of a phone camera clicking.

"Ki-kun is too exposed. If I were using a pistol, Ki-kun would be a wind hole now."

Looking up, I saw that one of the roof panels had been removed. Riko hung upside down from there with her upper body sticking out, waving her rhinestone adorned cell phone.

....Appearing in weird places again, as usual.

"Girls shouldn't take pictures of men changing. Even if I don't do it, our roles would normally be reversed."

Already knowing that stopping Riko's weird behavior is fruitless, I checked out my new look with a black necktie in the mirror.

"Ki-kun's life photos can be sold to Yuki-chan for a considerable price. Kuhihihi..."

I say, Shirayuki would really buy them. You two really do get along, no? Definitely.

"By the way, is it okay with you Riko?"

Just in case....

I should ask Riko hanging over my head first. Looking in the mirror;

"You want to kill Aria and me. However fighting would be difficult if we form a team. Butei seriously fighting among themselves is strictly forbidden. Killings within a team are especially heavy crimes."

"Ha. This girl here is an outlaw. Tu es amnésie"

Riko.....her voice suddenly becoming sharp, turned towards me with a grin.

"The reason why I am working with you all, is so that others do not kill you. I said it after defeating Vlad, ''"I won't forgive you if you get killed by anyone else besides me."'' But after that, how many instances were there in which you all were nearly killed? It was also very dangerous this time round. I can't bear this any longer. Furthermore the Bandire is fast approaching. For the sake of the future from now on before Aria and Kinji are fully grown, I will always be with you. Once the cerises are ripe, I will eat you down anew.

"After this......the Ban..... what?"

Looking at Riko who mentioned that unknown danger....however, the ceiling was as it was before. There was no trace left let alone Riko. I let out a "hun" from my nose like I was trying to dispel this uneasy atmosphere before putting on my black suit and leaving the room.

This year's team photo shoot was held at the roof of the Inquesta block. When the 3 of us, Shirayuki, Riko and me, arrived, we found that there were more black-clad students there than we thought. 20-30 people were present. Were they all here for the Just? We were the same, yet its seemed that everybody was still hesitant at the end. Well, a Butei team is based upon mutual trust with lives. This is not something that can be so easily decided. Being unsure up to the last moment is entirely natural. I looked out over the rooftop beneath the overcast sky. There, amidst the milling crowd of students....was Aria. She was wearing what should be a specially made mini-sized Diviza Nero with a tube top beneath her jacket. Her navel was intermittently exposed as her clothes fluttered in the wind. A rectangle was marked out in black vinyl tape on the floor. The other teams waited in line in the middle of this area for Ranbyou to take their pictures.

"Oi, Aria. Kaminari-sama will eat your navel."

I said to the silent Aria who appeared to be having her picture taken.

"Kinji."

Aria, who had turned around, gave my navel and the overcast sky a "?" look

Her beautiful brows deeply furrowed, she walked towards me, Shirayuki and Riko.

"Once more you speak such ridiculous things. It isn't my navel that's going to be photographed."

Apparently, this child who has just returned to her country had no idea about the saying where Raijin is supposed to eat human navels.

Alright. Now was not the mood for explanation but next time I'll do so and give her a good scare. That's because Aria has a strong phobia of thunder.

"Approximately how long till the deadline?"

"Around 5 minutes."

At both Shirayuki and Riko saying this, Aria's camellia eyes turned up towards me.

"Kinji.....are you okay with it ....coming here? About you.... forming a team....with us"

"Whether I'm fine with it or not, you have already written my name on the application form. And as leader to boot."

"I, I was thinking of forcing you in because the matter between Reki and I would not abide us being in a team....I never thought about stealing you away from Reki's side."

Aria, who was slightly embarrassed at saying such forceful things, fell silent. I.....said nothing and watched the surroundings.

Reki.....didn't turn up. As I expected.

"There is no more time. What do we do with Reki?"

"Wait until the end. I'll text her again."

Aria said, cradling her arm and looking at the stairs.

About...4 and a half minutes left...

Looking at Assault Master Ranbyou who was handling today's photo taking and at Riko and Shirayuki who were holding the application form, I leaned over slightly and whispered,

"Aria, listen to me. It's still alright to cancel now."

"......? What?"

Aria leaned over, directing her tiny left ear at me.

".....Riko; she's dangerous. We still don't know if she's a friend or foe."

"I knew that all along. When the time comes, there will still be a final showdown between her and me."

"She may launch a sneak attack on us. She will always be around us if we form a team."

"She's not that type. Despite all appearances she's very prideful."

Aria, whose own pride reached into the heights of space, looked behind her.

"Anyway, if I do fall to a sneak attack, avenge me. That's an order. Carry it out well okay?"

"Me defeat Riko? That's a very serious matter. And strictly speaking, if you are going to order me why do you still need me to be leader?"

"That's for the strategic purpose of Kinji taking the role of UL in battle formation. In other words, a leader in name only. The orders will still come from me."

Even if I don't hand you that task, you would still start issuing orders of your own accord anyway. But if I were to mention that, a handgun would come into play.

Well, whatever. Just take it as I'm lending you the title of leader.

"Also, the team name sounds like that of a vehicle. What does it mean?"

"Aa...that's the name of a place that I own. It's in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dartmoor Dartmoor region] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devon Devon county]."

Aria casually said as my eyes widened. Owning a piece of land...but she's a highborn lady doesn't she already own land? Does she intend to wear a crown on her head as well? I stared at Aria's twin tails in surprise.

".....Well, it's empty wilderness. It's just inheritance of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hound_of_the_Baskervilles one of the scenes of the Holmes family's triumphs]. I didn't even earn it through my own efforts." Aria averted my gaze in mild embarrassment.

I remember that name.....Baskerville. I read about it in the Inquesta textbooks. Amidst the cases solved by the original Sherlock Holmes, that name appeared. Later, the Holmes family acquired the land where that case occurred and named it Baskerville. And now, it belonged to Aria.

(As I thought, she's really a noble lady...)

I shook my head and while doing so, saw for a moment at the edge of my vision.....a flicker of white.

".....?"

In the shadow of the 2m high air-conditioning unit installed on the roof....was something that looked like a white tail.

"......!"

I.....broke into a run.

"Kinji!?"

Ignoring Aria's voice from behind, I sprinted towards the air-con unit.

....That was

It doesn't merely look like it; it was a tail. Covered in silver fur, it was the tail of an animal.

(It likely isn't a mistake....)

Turning a corner round the air-con unit, there....was a silver wolf.

Haimaki.

And.....

His master.

A girl with short cut hair, wearing a Diviza Nero in the form of a man's suit. Her back against the side of the unit, gazing impassively at us as she stood there without a word....

"Reki....!"

Aria, who had chased after me, shouted the girl's name.

"....."

Reki, who stood below my field of vision, no longer had a bandage wrapped around her brow. I was still worried about her other wounds but from the looks of it, she was alright. Her 4 kg [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragunov_sniper_rifle Dragunov sniper rifle] was also carried on her shoulder in her usual manner.

"Reki-san! This is wonderful, you made it in time....! Everyone was searching very hard for you yes? Where did you go? Really....."

Shirayuki, who was running over with Riko looked as if she was interrogating a younger child as she questioned Reki.

"....After joining up with Haimaki, I headed for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto Kyouto]."

"Eh?"

Seeing Shirayuki's surprised expression, it seems that she did not go to the Hotogi branch shrine there. She must have found it hard to show up there after stealing their helicopter. And Haimaki must have sensed that his master was near and thus, left the shrine.

"....After which we made a reservation at the inn where we came under attack before and had a bath there."
Inn.....you mean you were at Saori-san's Hachinoko? Speaking of which, baths? You still rely on traditional healing remedies and those are severe wounds. Well since you are healed now it's good.

"Even so....you knew that we were here."

I said as I remembered that Reki's cell phone had been destroyed.

"After I bought a cell phone just now, I received Aria's message immediately."

Reki replied as she lowered her head.

(Ah...so that's the case)

The moment I charged the phone that I bought a few days back, I was surprised by mail from Mutou and Shiranui. It seems that Reki encountered the same situation. Generally speaking, when cell phones that are receiving messages are out of range or off, the message will be saved for a few days in the network center. And once it detects a signal again, the message will be sent anew. It's the same with new phones bought after the destruction of the previous one. It just requires the user to use the same number and not change his mail address. That's why Reki received Aria's message when she bought a new phone. A wry smile surfaced when I imagined the surrealism of Reki in an electronics shop but it's fortunate that Reki bought a new phone today. If it were tomorrow, it would be too late.

(In any case, Reki.....made it here. She would never hear the Wind again.)

...Yes. She came of her own accord. This would be the first time Reki had acted on her own free will.

......Welcome. Welcome, Reki.

"....."

Aria....

Despite rushing over immediately, was silent.

What's....with this hesitance? The deadline of the Just is drawing near. Well, despite forming a team after you had a big fight, it's understandable there would be a strain in relations.

....Can't be helped. This is where I come in.

As I wasn't in Hysteria Mode now, I don't know if I can skillfully restore the ties between both girls to their former state.

"Reki, are you fine with joining this team? Even if its arbitrarily formed by Aria."

I asked in place of Aria.

Reki....nodded her head without a word.

"Well then, hurry up and say what you want to say, Aria. After that we hold hands like friends and go get our picture taken. During the battle when you were being attacked on both sides by the Kokos you were holding hands."

Recalling the turn above the Shinkansen, I pressed Aria on....

"During that time, I only did that because it was the best thing to do."

Aria, red from embarrassment, responded as she looked up at Reki.

"But you wanted Reki in your team. Stop being so hard-hearted."

"Th...the team needed a sniper in it. That's why I included her."

Aria...this stubborn girl....My words seem to have had the opposite effect. It would be bad if I continued speaking and they end up fighting. They would still be fighting when the deadline passed. Just when I was getting my hands burnt dealing with this troublesome kid, a lifeboat appeared...

"Even though you say all these things, Aria actually likes Reki, no?"

"Come on Aria, it's fine saying it. Yesterday, I felt pity for you watching from the sides....you were so worried about Reki."

Riko and Shirayuki said from both sides.

Aria looked at the two of them, looked at me, and then looked at Reki.

''Buwaaaa''

With no time for me to thank Shirayuki and Riko, Aria's face turned red.

"That...that's not the case! I....I...."

So saying, Aria, who had extended a trembling arm towards Reki....took one step, a second, and walked towards Reki.

".....Reki.....!"

....She hugged her.

"Reki....Reki.....I was so worried! Why did you suddenly disappear...!"

The crying Aria and the expressionless Reki as she was being hugged.

Riko laughed as she watched those two and Shirayuki looked as if she was the elder sister kindly looking upon her two younger sisters.

G-Great.

As I thought, to get girls to make up, you need the help of girls.

"Aria-san, that time atop the Shinkansen..."

Reki, from the center of Aria's arms....

"Thank you for holding my hand."

Looking into Aria's face, they were the first words of gratitude she had spoken.

Thank you.

Until now, Reki had never said those words to anyone as far as I can remember. And hearing those common words from Reki, who was so silent that it seemed like that would never happen, it made me feel good.

Reki did change a little after that life-threatening Caravan I after all.

Hearing this overly frank gratitude Aria....whose face had been red from embarrassment for a moment, neatly turned to face Reki.

"Reki....I too am thankful. For coming that time....thank you. Let's erase this hole in our friendship. Let's now......restore diplomatic ties? Renew our relations? Err....let's be friends again!"

I gave a bitter laugh at such strange words for mending ties.

"Hey hey! My dear students! There is still 15 seconds to the deadline. Butei are to strictly adhere to that timing!"

A man's voice could be heard from somewhere. I looked at everyone who was dispersed. This voice....the owner was famous for only remaining audible while he himself was invisible. Master of Lezzad, Chan Wu.

"Oi little brats! Stop clinging all over each other and come here! There's around 10 seconds left! Hurry up and enter this border and have your picture taken!"

Looking in this direction, Assault Master Ranbyou brandished a camera and denoted the area marked out by vinyl tape on the floor.

[[File:Aria07 219.jpg|thumb]]

"Let's go."

Aria grasped Reki's hand. Just like when they were atop the Shinkansen.

"Alright, we'd also better get going."

Pushing Shirayuki and Riko by the shoulder, I hurried towards Ranbyou and her camera. Ahead of us, Reki who seemed unsure how to react after having her real self accepted by another person, ran behind after Aria's lead. Chasing after those two, I smiled.

Here, on this rooftop of the Inquesta building was where a month ago, Reki became my partner against my will. And now....at this very same spot, we dragged Reki into our team. What an inversion it is.

"5 seconds left! Run!"

Charging towards Ranbyou, who was looking at her watch and shouting angrily, the 5 of us entered the area in one scattered block. There was no time left to neatly line up like an exemplary team. If this were a normal photo shoot, the photographer would say "Smile, look this way!"

"Alright. No smiling! Look diagonally ahead!"

This is a Butei group shot. It required us to look diagonally ahead, giving little hint of our true selves. We wore black to prevent the identification of our school from the uniform.

"Team Baskerville! Kanzaki H Aria Just!"

Aria, who was first to stand in the middle of the area, said to Ranbyou with her hands on her waist. To her right rear, Reki, in order to prevent her Dragunov from being photographed, pushed the rifle sling on her shoulder back a little to hide it. At Aria's left rear, Riko folded her arms and faced to one side, with only her eyes focused on the camera. I brushed my hair slightly such that it covered the wound left on my cheek by the Slash. To hide the taping covering my still aching fingers, I placed my hand in my pocket and entered the frame's right corner. If anyone deduced my techniques from my scars, that would leave me at a disadvantage. Last to enter the left corner was Shirayuki, who, demonstrating her fine upbringing, faced Ranbyou's camera with a slight smile.

"September 23rd 1159 hrs, Team Baskerville....Acknowledged, entered!"

Looking at her watch, Ranbyou raised the camera and pushed the shutter release at the very last minute.

And so, the strobe flashed with a sound.

Unexpectedly however, the camera that Ranbyou hurriedly raised was slanted. Although all five of us were captured in the picture, it was messily crooked to one side. Well, whatever, it's a photograph of us who always leaves things to the last minute.

At that time, I never expected that this photograph.......

.....would be the first and last one together for us, the five members of Baskerville.

After an evening shower, the sky cleared. A rose-coloured sunset engulfed Tokyo...

I took Reki and Haimaki to the western tip of the Academy Island outside the fence that prevents anyone falling into the sea. This was for the purpose of giving Haimaki that reward I promised him on that mountain during the sniper battle.

"Here...eat up. It's really troublesome peeling off all the vinyl wrapping."

In an open box by my foot were 60 fish sausages. Or in other words, I bought the entire box. On seeing that, Haimaki let out a howl, thrust his head into the box and began devouring. His white tail was waving like a propeller. He really loves fish sausages.

"...."

At Haimaki's side, Reki knelt down and gently stroked his back, as always; expressionless to a stranger's eyes...however, I had the impression that I could read Reki's expression to some small degree. This was a gentle expression of gratitude to Haimaki. I turned towards the golden sea, illuminated by the sunset and took a deep breath of the sea breeze. At this time, the wind was refreshingly cool.

Summer....was nearing its end.

"Speaking of which, did you know that even the battle positions were submitted by Aria on her own volition?"

Hearing my words, Reki raised her pretty face from her kneeling position and shook her head.

"The front is formed by Aria and me. Aria is the PM (point man), I'm the UL (Unit Leader). Support will be you and Shirayuki. Riko will make up the tail. When storming a target, Aria and I will suppress with handgun bullets while you two will provide medium and long ranged attacks. Riko will be on alert for any attacks from the back and in retreat; she'll act as the rearguard, hampering any pursuers."

Reki's face was like that of a small animal as she gazed intently at me while I fired Assault terms non-stop. Seeing as she didn't say anything, it appeared that she had no objections. Well, at any rate, after being forced to become leader, I knew how to improve the team's formation. I had to combine everyone's talents and personalities.

Aria and I were experts at fighting alongside each other. Shirayuki was an almighty unit in both offense and defense. She could charge forwards with both spell and sword or stay at the rear tending to the wounded and act as a spotter for sniping. And at the rear was the genius sniper Reki, protecting Riko who would quickly spot dangers. In the event of withdrawal, although Riko could defend against the enemy's assault, however, her true skill lay in escaping; the fighting retreat being her expertise. Aria....in this accidental team of 5, was a balance. She may have no reasoning ability but she was a genius in combat matters.

(And furthermore, military formations aren't all there is to this team.)

In this team, everyone's abilities are singularly high. Including Reki, this team had two S-rank Butei which was something that was rare even amongst 3rd years. In the 2nd year, only we alone had this. Shirayuki and Riko are both A-rank so it's really a big drop in ability when my E-rank is considered. I'm truly sorry. Well, with the run-up to registration being so chaotic, the cohesiveness of the team in doubt and according to Ranbyou-sensei, "If the team is unwilling at the start, you'll have a hell of a time in the end."

I certainly pray we don't run into any cases big enough to have a hell of a time.

"How should I say this....Is this really alright? Forming a team with Aria."

Although the matter might have passed, but I'd still better be sure.

"....Yes."

Reki quietly stood up and faced me.

"Until now, I've never felt 'human emotions.' But after this experience, I've started to think. I've started to think about....Aria-san's feelings."

"Aria's feelings....?"

"When I was wounded on the mountain during the sniper attack, I was bent on following the Wind's orders; to fight to the death. And so, I allowed you to leave me. That had to be putting on a brave front. At that time, I was wavering between you and the Wind."

Putting on a brave front....even at that time, that emotion had already taken root in Reki?

"Now, I can say, at that time what I was thinking in my heart was 'I don't want to die.'"

"...."

"And the one who allowed me to embrace that thought was Kinji-san. You."

"Me....?"

".......You are a very important person to me. I did not want to leave you."

Reki, who was new to emotions....

Said honestly into my eyes without hiding her feelings.

"......."

Suddenly having a pretty girl say all this to me....

I was unable to respond and turned to face the sea.

"It's you who allowed feelings to take root in heart. If I died I would be separated from you....from the one important to me. I don't want that."

The one important to her....she said it twice. And furthermore, they were both direct to my face. Reki sure is straight. Exactly like a sniper who fires straight and true at her target.

"This time, I've thought about Aria-san's feelings. When I took Kinji-san away from Aria-san it was the same kind of act. To her, you are a very important person."

Perhaps mirroring my actions, Reki's eyes which were looking out to sea were.....at this moment filled with a hint of loneliness.

"That's why I'll join the team.....I'll watch over you all, never pulling you all apart again. No matter what happens in the end."

Hearing Reki who was normally caught up in her own world say all this.....I had some difficulty keeping up.

"That's why, you and Aria being together is a good thing."

Having said that, Reki closed her tiny lips. And after a rare moment of hesitation,

"But this too.....is putting on a brave front....."

She murmured.

"Putting on a brave front?"

"Yes. Once more there are conflicting emotions in my heart. I'm....facing not just the male who is simply the one Ulus need....but also the Kinji-san who allowed me to feel emotions."

Reki's red-brown eyes stared at me, as if she were gracefully expressing her own feelings and slowly said,

"I don't want to see you stolen away by Aria-san"

....That's virtually the statement of another confrontation once more and yet....

Reki's demeanor did not have the same one-sided feel as when she last fought Aria at Butei High.

"....."

"....."

For a while, the two of us were silent. The sound of crashing waves resonated in the distance.

"And conversely, I now ask if Kinji-san is fine with it; having me on the team. The Wind doesn't speak anymore. I myself don't know what to do either. My own heart follows some uncertain guidepost as it walks on, wrapped in contradiction. Without any direction from the Wind I don't even know who I am anymore...."

Perhaps it was due to the silence raising my sense of unease but Reki's behavior....resembled in some respects an attempt to cling onto something. Thinking this a little cute, my cheeks loosened imperceptibly.

"....Reki. No one ever knows who they are."

"....."

"Reki is Reki. That is enough. I'm fine with the current Reki, don't worry."

Hearing this, Reki's cheeks....slightly turned scarlet. Well, this must have been due to the red light from the setting sun.

"But....I don't know what to do from here on."

"If that's so, then just start looking from now and it'll be fine. Just set yourself a target. And the school and team are there for that purpose."

The S-ranked honors student, Reki hearing me, the E-ranked problem child with a reputation for being utterly useless say such vague things, looked as if she was.....slightly taken aback. She resembled someone listening to the warnings of elders.

....The sound of waves reverberated in the distance....

Reki....

"You.....are just like the Wind."

She murmured to herself. And gently caressed by the wind,

"Kinji-san is a great person. Even knowing about my emptiness....he didn't change."

"No, I'm quite narrow minded. You however..."

Being able to suppress Hysteria Mode demonstrates that I'm quite a virtuous person at heart. I felt like saying so but to do that in front of Reki would be embarrassing.

Swallowing my words, I tried to cover it up.

"Ah....emptiness, emptiness has its own benefits. You just need to fill it up with many various things."

"Kinji-san..."

"That's why I'll teach you some general knowledge."

"Yes. Please teach me."

So saying, Reki's attitude gives the impression of having pure respect for me....Even if it's appropriate that I remain silent, I still felt somewhat embarrassed. In terms of Riko's games, it would be like entering "Reki's route." Although it wasn't my intention, did I just pick all the words that would win her over? This...although the character is different, it was just like my junior in Lezzad, Fuuma Hina. Mistakenly respecting the useless me, Reki sure is pitiful, I thought.

"After all, you are devoid of common knowledge. Probably the most out of all 5 Baskerville members."

For the sake of balance, I said something that would reduce her goodwill towards me. And with that...Reki's mouth seemed to twitch by millimeters. It seemed like she was pressing her lips together in an endless line but she was actually curling them.

"....."

And with a sound, she drifted over to my side and....

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pa*

Lightly struck my upper arm.

This might well be an expression of anger. Communicating with Reki definitely requires observational skills. Because she hit me, I too retaliated. Lightly, gently, striking Reki on the upper arm.

And so, *pa* *pa*.

Reki hit me twice. I don't understand it but there was somehow an air of joy to the whole thing.

Which is to say that Reki also doesn't know how to express emotions.

Aa....this was bad. Even this had to be taught to her. Looking down, I saw that Haimaki had finished eating his fish sausages.....Beneath the brightening moon and the sun that had almost sunk below the sea, I turned around and prepared to return to my dorm. Like I'd just abandoned her, Reki....

"Kinji-san."

Lightly tugging my jacket from behind;

"The loyalty of the Ulus is eternal. Even if the wind no longer speaks to me, I will protect you....forever."

The happiness within her words took me aback. Seeing that kind of expression on Reki's face again, it made me feel good.

Those who do not know Reki well may not understand but I could understand that expression well enough.

It was a really thin smile. But it was cute enough to capture my heart.

There was nothing that could rival it in that....a smile, without a doubt.

That night, just after 11pm....having revised [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Japanese modern Japanese] until pretty late.....Shirayuki got the remaining crab out of the freezer and prepared a late night [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenshindon tenshindon].

Perhaps it was because the food was too delicious but Riko who for some reason, had recently settled at my home took her ladle and clashed with my own for the tenshindon. Riko you little bitch...scraping even the tenshindon in my mouth out is far too much. My teeth are going to break like this. Just when I was protecting my own bowl by using Edge Catching Double Finger to stop Riko's ladle....my cell rang. It was Aria's lawyer. How many times has it been during this vacation that she had taken our testimonies over the phone? Thinking it was another one of those times; I resigned myself to leaving the remaining tenshindon and quietly walked into the living room. However, that was not the case. She was informing us that the preparations for the retrial of Aria's mother, Kanzaki Kanae-san, had been complete. Generally speaking, from now until the start of the hearing, no more new pieces of evidence could be submitted. Which in other words, means that for the time being, Aria had some time for herself. On hearing this news, I checked my watch....and took something from the wall cabinet and put it in my pocket. That was...how shall I say this....something I bought out of care for Aria. After saying "I'll be back soon" to Shirayuki who was in the bathroom, and ignoring the giggling Riko who was giggling and gulping down her tenshindon like a hyena while saying cryptically, "hu hu hu....well, well, well....? Going-some-where-hmmm? Excellent, excellent. Looks like my love-making counseling on the Shinkansen did not go to waste, hu..hu..hu," I left the house.

Recently, Aria did not rest at all due to the preparations for the trial. Add to that the conflict with Reki and she must be very stressed. And all past experiences until now demonstrate that when stressed, Aria would get into angry outbursts and things would become "Kinji's fault." In reality, Aria had recently on many occasions became nervous and would eye me in a strange manner before disappearing. That is probably a sign of danger. Thus why I needed to pacify her before the dual Governments simultaneously open fire. Nevertheless, my opponent is a girl. All along, calming the tempers of girls has never been my strong suit.

However, this time was different. I had methods taught to me by Jeanne-sensei at my disposal.

"Girls will be calmed down when they receive from men clothes, accessories or things they can wear."

And this really does work as demonstrated by Reki calming down when I bought her clothes in Osaka; this theory can be said to have withstood practical on scene scrutiny. It can thus be also applied to Aria. Even so, suddenly giving her a present would be weird. "What double meaning is there to this? Tell me! Quick, tell me now!" she would say while pointing a handgun at me. Nonetheless, today was also an occasion.

Today, September 23rd......

Despite there being only around 30 minutes left, today was Aria's birthday. Probably.

Probably, since I never heard it clearly from Aria's own lips.

However, a few months before, I heard Aria tell Shirayuki that "I'm a Virgo." This met a reply of " Eh..? That really doesn't seem so." And thus this dangerous conversation played itself out.

A few days ago while under the influence of Hysteria mode, I recalled (apparently, when in Hysteria mode, I could recall every word I heard about something) this. To avoid the problem of being peppered full of holes in the event that I forgot Aria's birthday, I noted down in my Butei notebook that "Aria is a Virgo." And from some searching on the net, I found that Virgo ended on the 23rd of September. In other words, today. If Aria's birthday was before this date, I should be blown full of holes by now. As such, I can guess that today is her birthday.

Of course, this alone would still be insufficient basis for such a claim so I found additional backing in the unidentified 4 digits in Aria's e-mail address—0923 since it was common for users to place their birth dates at the end of their mail addresses.

Leaving the male dormitory, I leaned against the guardrail of the road and gave Aria a call. A single ring and Aria immediately answered.

".....Wh... what? Kinji."

What's with this suspicious tone.

Why? Well whatever.

"Where are you now?"

"Ah, eh? H-Here? This is the girls dorm. My room. I just returned from the lawyer's office. But...wha, what is it Kinji? Don't tell me you want to come to my room?"

Who the heck would go to Aria's room?

"Then come to the conservatory below the girls' dorm."

"Eh..."

"I will....yeah, be there in around 10 minutes."

"Ha, ha, eh?"

Ha, eh? What is this?

I said warningly to Aria who spoke in that idiotic voice as if air was leaking from her throat,

"Understand?"

"Yes."

Yes?

That was the first time I heard anything akin to polite language towards me from Aria's lips.

Is Aria alright? She's being a little strange. Maybe she was simply tired. Even so however, I still must proceed. There was nothing more important after all, than preserving my own safety.

Walking through the academy island in the late night, I reached the foot of the girls' dorm....

One would know just by looking from the outside, that the interior of the conservatory was utterly dark.

Aria still hadn't arrived? I turned on the electrical switch at the side of the glass window when—

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pa* *pa* *pa*... the light of fluorescent lamps bathed the interior starting from the front of the conservatory. Vegetable gardens, lily and nadeshiko zones, water lily and hibiscus zones; flowers and greenery glistened individually beneath the light. The last zone to be illuminated was the most sprawling of all; the rose zone.

There, garbed in her uniform, Aria stood idly.

She grasped at her twin tails as if rubbing them. This was a habit of hers whenever she was nervous.

Suddenly, she let out a "Ha, Waah?!" and looked around her surroundings. As if some event had not been able to be cleared up in time, numerous light bulbs lit up the decorative plants. It seemed as if the power source and ceiling lights were linked. It was just like a Christmas tree. Incidentally, the small fountain in the middle of the conservatory was linked to the power source as well. It began to spray sparkling drops of water. To top it off, the night scene of Tokyo, together with the Tokyo tower, under the harvest moon of mid-autumn could be seen through the glass walls. Somehow this over-illumination turned the place into one of much splendor.

Well, time to put Jeanne's battle plan into action for the sake of saving my life. I raised my hand in Aria's direction and walked towards her—

Aria tightly held her hands before her front, her expression one of extreme impatience.

"Why...why did you call me here?"

When I stepped forward, she took a step back.

This isn't like the Demon Butei Quadra Aria at all. She looked apprehensive.

"Aria....are you.....alright? You could still speak fine up to 'here'."

While speaking, I walked up to the front of Aria who was covered in the blooming roses....and on noticing the scar on the ground left by repair work, let out a small whistle.

"Haha....oi, this is where we fell from above back then."

Back then, I—

Had leapt from the top of the girls' dormitory together with Aria who was about to be taken back to London in a helicopter.

At that time, I had misjudged the strength of the [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%93%E3%83%8B%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A6%E3%82%B9 vinyl greenhouse's] roof and had fallen rather vigorously to the ground. In the process, I had battered aside several of the metal piping, wounding myself as a result.

"....Seriously...."

Aria who was looking at that spot, remembered that incident and, hit by nostalgia, her angry, upturned eyes softened. Normally angry, Aria now—

Was actually rather....cute. From the first time I met her, I had always thought so.

As if she could hear my thoughts, Aria looked up and covered her grinning mouth with her hand like she was somehow trying to hide her double canines. It appears she has a sensitivity complex regarding her own cat-like canines. That being the way it is, there's no need to hide them now. Besides, I don't dislike them. Setting her unseemly mouth in order, Aria cleared her throat—

"Eh....what do you want with me? There must be a fair reason for calling a lady out at such a late hour, yes?"

She said with the oppressive feeling that I would be blown full of holes if that wasn't the case.

I pointed at the clock hung on the trees in the center of the conservatory.

"11:45. That's quite safe."

"So; what. Is. The. Matter."

Aria. Right now, your expression is extremely weird. It is the utterly strange expression of one who is excited but is desperately trying not to let it show on her face. I should take this with my phone camera.

"Today is your birthday."

Putting on airs, I had barely said this when—

Aria, nodded frantically with her eyes wide open.

"You, yourself forgot didn't you?"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>shake, shake, shake*

Presently, her twin tails were violently swinging from side to side and her eyes tightly shut as she shook her head.

"You'd thought I'd ignored it then?"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Nod...shake, shake*

One moment nodding then the next shaking her head, she really did believe that I had ignored her birthday totally. Such lack of faith in me.

By the way, why are you suddenly not saying anything? Just some time ago, Reki had become so talkative and now Aria had fallen silent; are you switching places or something? I really can't understand girls at all, seriously. Each and every last one of them.

"Your hand. I have a present for you."

At this, Aria raised her trembling hands together before her chest like she was collecting water.

"Err...just one hand will do."

With that, I half-heartedly grasped Aria's left hand with my right.

Waa...Aria having lost her voice and thus not making a single sound...was strange like that. How should I put it....it's as if someone had informed her beforehand of this and she had been waiting all this while....? Well even if that were the case it would still be alright. It doesn't look like she's going to reject it. I reached into the depths of my pocket—

And fished out a ring of pure silver. To prevent it from hindering Aria when she was wielding her gun, it had no gemstone. Only a plain band. This was bought from that curious, cat filled clothes shop in Osaka, Chaton b during my spare time when Reki was in the dressing room.

However....

While pulling Aria's left hand before the front of my chest, I suddenly noticed it. I noticed right now, this ring. Bought in a smaller size for the purpose of fitting Aria's hand....Yet I had not considered far enough which finger it should fit. How thoughtless of me.

"Uu....uu...mou, if you want me to accept it then hurry up and give it to me.....!"

Just like a child about to get a shot, Aria's left arm was trembling.

"Why are you so tense? It isn't as if I'm handing you a bomb. Let me see your fingers."

"F...fingers? Fingers?! W...w...w...Why!"

Her eyes having opened to the point that they were about to fly out of their sockets, I examined five of Aria's fearfully trembling fingers....

Thumb, index finger, middle finger, all.....no good. It can't fit. It would fall off the little finger. Well, ring finger then.

"Aha"

I pulled the ring from my pocket,

"Wa, wa, waaa!"

Aria cried in a fit of abnormally wild temper.

"Wa! Waaa!"

That is a ring. It is just a ring.

Why are you getting so worked up? It's not a big deal.

I say, don't make so much noise in the middle of the night. You are being a public nuisance.

"Here. Happy birthday."

[[File:Aria07 243.jpg|thumb]]

And with that, I handed the ring over—

However, "! ! !," Aria was shaking so badly with fear that it was unlikely she could put it on herself. With no choice left, I took the ring finger of Aria's left hand and smoothly slid the ring into place—

Oh...it fits just nice. How fortunate.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Gyui.....*

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Gyuiiiiin—*

At this moment, Aria's pale face was shifting through the spectrum of colours, changing from white to red. No matter how many times I see it, it never fails to amaze me; this physiology that can turn someone's face scarlet in a second. Even a chameleon would be impressed.

"I'll tell you this first, that isn't some expensive trinket."

"It's, it's al-al-alright. B-But can I accept this? Can I really accept this?"

"Just take it. And don't open fire on me so easily in future."

"—Y-Yes."

There it was once more. Aria's "yes."
On the contrary, it felt weird. Up to this point, she had been responding in an over the top manner. I really don't understand her at all....

This is a lesson that a ring is an item which resounds with extreme intensity in the hearts of girls. The Aria, who can boast of a level of fieriness worthy of the Guinness Records, has been reduced to this state.

(.....Errm.......it's kind of like .....)

Aria's tantrum isn't a reaction one would have on receiving any simple accessory. Perhaps there is a further meaning to this current chain of behavior than I know?

On the night of her birthday, she got a phone call calling her to go to the conservatory.
She had received a ring as a present which was put on her left ring finger.
Right after, she had freely attacked me for some time.

While it was possible that the above behavior had some meaning behind it, I entirely could not see it at all. I don't want to boast but regarding basic knowledge on this sort of argument between man and woman, I know little like a child.

Due to my fear of entering Hysteria Mode, I had avoided that kind of information all my life.

Speaking of which, Kana had already warned me in the past....a lack of knowledge on such matters poses the danger that someday, actions leading to a disastrous misunderstanding when dealing with girls would result....among other things.

And so, the one facing me was the person eternally infamous for misunderstandings, Aria-san.

Any one of my previous three behaviors could have been [misunderstanding causing behavior].

However, my initial aim of ensuring my own safety has been achieved.

So it’s good, un, un.

Aria, who was nodding alone at me stammered

“Kinji….I’m….I’m very happy with th…this. But still….th..this..is too soon…wh..what does this…..mean…for us?”

Hmph…is that what she's asking.

Well, if right now, I say something like: "This is for the sake of preventing myself from being raged and shot at," I'll be made into live food for several .45 ACP bullets. As such, I--

"Butei Charter article 6: "Reflect by yourself, act by yourself". If you're a Butei, then you'll think of it yourself, right?"

Confused her.

After shaking her head up and down in one big nod, Aria looked at her open left hand, right in front of her own face--

With a feeling as if she couldn't tear her eyes away from the ring, shining on her ring finger--

''Tch, tch, tch...''

As if backing away from the pure, silver light, she started to shuffle back.

However, her hand was her own, so of course it followed her.

Aria, her lips shaking, walked further backwards with her shaking knees...

"Mikyaaa!"

--''Thud! Splash!''

She caught her foot on the edge of the mini fountain, and tipped over backwards.

She really fits perfectly inside the pool of that fountain, which couldn't be anything but around the size of a bathtub.

"He-hey..."

"M-Mikyaa! Kyaapu! Kyaaapu!"

''Splash! SplashSplash!''

Even though the water probably couldn't be anything more than 30 centimeters deep, Aria, who could not swim, started panicking in an instant--like she was drowning.

At what kind of level is your inability to swim?

No, that isn't a level at which one is able to say a simple inability to swim.

"Are you alright, Aria...?"

Aria, who was struggling, only the lower half of her fallen body sticking out, ''Yank!''

I pulled her out from the fountain's pool, and...her eyes were spinning.

It didn't seem as if she had drunk any water, but her appearance was such that it appeared as if she had entered a vegetative state from the shock.

(Aahh...I can't leave her alone like this...)

I squeezed her soaked twin-tails like a wet towel, getting out the water, and then decided to carry her on my back, returning home. There's no choice. I guess I'll even let Shirayuki take care of her at our place.

Uwaah. As light as ever. Aria, that is. Isn't her body weight around 30 kilos?

"...Ex-exactly like Riko said on the Shinkansen...It's become that...Mo-more than that...!"

Aria being carried on my back, I didn't understand her words, which were like the words of someone delirious, but--

(Doing this, this time I can spend with Aria, too is...coming to an end, isn't it.)

So I thought, and I felt a loneliness that I could not begin to describe creep into my chest. 

Aria...is selfish, self-centered, presumptuous- an intensely troubling girl.

But only because of that, being together with her isn't boring. Whether it was good or bad, it was always exciting.

It felt as if, to me, who had been labeled with the nickname, "Introvert," that my relationship with her had led to a balanced life. It's a different meaning from what Aria had said, but--she probably was a good partner.

Aria.

I have never said it clearly to you--

From now on, I don't think I'll say it either though. For the sake of both of us.

--I don't want you to go back. To someplace like London. Really.

But, that is my selfishness. So, I will leave it in the midst of my chest. For eternity.

Also, when next year comes, I too will transfer from this Butei High to a normal school.

April...The transfer application that I had torn up before I had chased Aria to this girls' dormitory, it's probably time to make it again. Just about time.

Continuing straight forward, Academy Island--

Carrying Aria, walking down the footpath, I thought.

Right now, I even felt that it would have been nice had Academy Island been longer.

That this night would continue forever, that it would have been alright to just walk like this, anywhere.

However, there is no night that does not dawn. There is an end to each road.

I felt as if that was something intolerable, and I tried not to think about it, but...Aria's mother's retrial is next month. EU has been defeated, a judgement of innocence is no longer in doubt.

So, after one month--my parting with Aria. Just once.

Like that, this time was a time to steel myself, but...

Our fate, it isn't sold by a wholesaler.[http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hidan_no_Aria:Volume7_Translator%27s_Notes] In this, and that.

--Right, 'Hidan no Aria'-san?

<noinclude>
{{Hidan no Aria Nav|prev=Hidan no Aria:Volume7 Chapter3|next=Hidan no Aria:Volume7 Epilogue}}
</noinclude>

Hidan no Aria:Volume7 Chapter4

2011-09-14T22:01:21Z

189.215.1.136: /* 4th Ammo - Team Baskerville */

{{Incomplete|percentage=92}}

==4th Ammo - Team Baskerville==

Returning to Butei High in the night....

After the Masters ensured that there were no severely wounded casualties, they quickly split us up by subject and distributed debriefing records. Disgusting. Let us rest a bit first. At least allow us a bowl of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsudon katsudon]. Aria was taken by the Assault instructor Ranbyou to the principal's office. Riko and I were Inquesta while Mutou was of Logi; we were all interviewed by our respective instructors. After that, the Masters got into contact with the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Metropolitan_Police_Department Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department], the media and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Railways_Group JR]. I thought we would be castigated for cutting the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen Shinkansen] however with the capture of the perpetrators, this did not happen.

On the contrary we were lauded for resolving the issue. Officially to boot. Like this, Butei High did not have to take responsibility for Koko and her group's hijack of the Shinkansen to extort money from the Japanese government. This was a very nicely done maneuver no matter how you look at it.

"Tohyama-kun, I'll tell you this before the start of legal hearings for a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plea_bargain plea-bargain]. The fact that you all were targeted must be kept strictly confidential lest some very important person gets upset."

The Inquesta Master Takamagahara Yutori said. With the presence of the black suited man during our debriefing on top of Yutori's words, I could somehow understand that. Judging from his badge, that guy was an official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And holding the class of a vice-minister. Probably, this was due to Aria. As a general rule, regardless of whatever cases Butei are involved in, international ones are their own responsibility. However, Aria is a foreign [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristocracy_%28class%29 aristocrat].

It was better for Japanese-British relations that the fact that she was exposed to great danger on Japanese soil not be made public. That is the so-called "adult matter". Well on this, I can only listen to what the adults say. This isn't exactly a very good point either because if it continues to worsen, it would prove troublesome indeed.

Perhaps there was an attempt to offer us hush money, for the official mentioned something about "the government offering us distress money in the future" of which our polite refusals of his good-will caused us to be eventually dismissed very late.

Once done, I headed to the No. 2 girls dorm. To the highest floor......to Reki's room. Opening the door with the cardkey I got from her before, I found the interior dark. Although I already expected this, still there really was no one in.

(Reki...)

A naked light bulb cast its light to no purpose on a room of bare concrete. The living room window was shut and the silence was deafening.

The wind.....didn't blow here.

It wouldn't anymore.

Returning to my own room in the boy's dormitory, here too, there was nobody. According to Ranbyou whom I crossed paths with on my way, Aria had headed to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toranomon Toranomon] for a preparatory meeting with a female lawyer whom she had hired, before the trial of her mother Kanzaki Kanae. Doing so after such a major operation; she really is tough.

I entered the living room....

<nowiki>*Chika*, *chika*</nowiki>

I noticed the flicker of a light.

.....What? The answering machine of my rarely used landline is at maximum capacity? This is 1 min x 30 messages and with 30 minutes of recording time....With an unpleasant feeling in my heart, I pushed the playback button.

"Kin-chan, are you alright?"

As I thought, Shirayuki.

That girl....whenever anything happens, she'll have this habit of incessantly sending mail....As my cell was destroyed and thus could not be connected, she contacted here instead.

"If you receive this message, even if it might be a trouble....please call me back. I believe Kin-chan's alright, yet....guuugh....I'm really...worried....u...hu...hu...."

Shirayuki had been separated from me when she had been left behind in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shizuoka_City Shizuoka] with the rear portion of railway cars.

I know you are worried, but don't call for 30 minutes.

After a momentary break, the recordings began to play the next portion.

"Uu...eguu...huu..Kin-chan...uu...uu...uuuuuuuu....."

S...scary!

Please stop crying into the recording. In the dead of the night it's like a ghost.

With apprehension, I played the next part which was...

".....I've just got a call from Butei High! I am so relieved when I heard that Kin-chan's alright. The criminals have all been captured too! How truly magnificently done....! Kin-chan is truly amazing. Truly amazing, Kin-chan is.....aa.....Kin-chan is...truly an amazing gentleman...."

Why the repetition...

"All of us here are fine. We are taking the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokaido_Line Tokaido Line] back. It will be pretty late when we get back but I'll prepare a feast after we return. Just a short while back, I bought fresh crab!"

Shirayuki being Shirayuki, this switch in tone is too fast.

Speaking of which, have you brought the crab back yet?

Uu...there's still some more messages. I'm getting sleepy already.

"Kin-chan, about that...about that...that pregnant woman aboard the Shinkansen; she safely delivered her baby at a Shizuoka hospital! That's just great news...I just received the photograph by e-mail. It's a cute little girl! Errm....speaking of which...do you like babies Kin-chan? I like them a lot. They are so cute, just looking at them makes me feel all blissful inside. That...that's why I.....I....someday...someday, Kin..."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pi*......I pushed the stop button.

Stop....stop.

This no longer has anything to do with the initial purpose of ensuring my safety. Furthermore, what's with this bad feeling crawling down my back. Right, time to delete them all. Despite being sleepy; well Shirayuki was rather worried, so I gave her a call. In the face of all that excited screaming, I simply said, "I'm fine. Don't worry. Sleep now," before quickly ending the call.

Disconnecting the phone line and having showered, I lay alone in bed for a long time without my cell and nothing in particular to do.

(Koko, Koko, Koko...)

I dimly reflected on the memory of the three sisters who had targeted Reki and me. Those three were all captured at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Station Tokyo station], screaming and cursing all the way to the end. To better differentiate them for the Logi seniors escorting them, the words "eldest daughter", "second daughter" and "third daughter" were stuck on their foreheads, in a most amusing manner; just like the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyonshi kyonshi] in that old film "Mr. Vampire". Tonight, those three sisters would be interrogated by the Dagula's top S instructor Tsuzuri Umeko.

I don't know the details and I don't wish to know, but I hear that Tsuzuri does some rather horrific stuff to suspects during her interrogations. Good. Let them get their punishment.

(Well then....this time around...)

This time around, can I finally say my great ancestor's favorite phrase?

"With this, one case is closed"

But this phrase....thinking about it now, it has a ring of unease to it. One case closed. Doesn't this.....give the feeling that there will be a 2nd, a 3rd case? Oi....great ancestor....

Due to nothing happening after being vigilant for some time, I could spend my entire SW after Caravan I resting. No wait, it would be more proper to say, the start of the vacation. The prologue would be being awoken just some time after noon the next day by Shirayuki making crab fried rice. With Aria absent, that left Shirayuki and me to do the cleaning, washing and cooking. Shirayuki, who as ever, was a god with these household skills was like one of the maids commonly found in Riko's games. I spent my vacation leisurely under the care of Shirayuki, who for some reason was extremely blissful every day, while taking my time to pick a new cell phone.

Just in the middle of those tranquil days, right in the midst of my vacation, Riko, who had somehow gotten the cardkey to my room from god knows where, appeared in my room. A brutal mood like that found in a Western shootout scene filled the room. "Ki~ku~n♪" Riko said in a catlike voice. "Get away from Kin-chan-sama, you adulterer!" responded Shirayuki. With a swing of a knife, I returned to those sad days; Riko clinging all over me for who knows, possibly the sake of killing time and Shirayuki would always grab her, swing her [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%95%B7%E3%83%89%E3%82%B9 nagadosu], even let fly with her M60. My room has already been the scene of 10 grappling matches, 12 sword duels and 15 gun battles. Riko who likes games of chance besides fighting and Shirayuki who is easily provoked.....whether it be arm wrestling or speed eating, there have been many battles between those two. And Shirayuki being Shirayuki and having the ridiculous reasoning that "a wife should never lose to a mistress!" would always readily join battle. At times when I return home, those two would be on all fours head butting each other with grunts of "mo...!" "nnmo....!" like bulls......hey you two, aren't you actually on pretty good terms since it has even come to this? So it was that September arrived in the midst of this unceasing hubbub. The time had come to register the team roster that was submitted earlier even if I was reluctant to do so.

Normally, a representative from the team would attend the application, the Masters would give a confirmation call after the field trip and an affirmative reply would be made and finally, the confirmation photograph would be taken. However, as Reki did not respond to the Masters' call, our team had not been confirmed. Which is to say that I did not belong to any team and that I'm left dangling. Well, even if my case is a little special, truth is on our field trip, there were numerous "we are still not a team yet" incidents. That is why there were emergency measures known as "Just" for these students. These on-site applications simply required one to fill out and submit on paper the names of the team members. Once the Masters take a group photo, the team would be considered "acknowledged/registered." In short, it is a shortened, last-minute registration of a team. Nonetheless, the deadline for this emergency measure is tomorrow. As expected of me feeling impatient, I called Aria.

"About the formation of the team, please wait for a while." Awaiting instructions, I got only this from Aria.

"You told me to wait, that means you already have a plan?"

"Yes, but since you used that kind of tone on me earlier, I won't tell you. H-un."

Making that kind of anime sound with her nose, she hung up. It seems that..... she still could not let go over the "I'm fine with anything about the team formation" I had said before Caravan I. Certainly, that had been my fault however....good grief, Aria is certainly like a bratty kid in stature and personality.

Like that.....

During the deadline of the on-site applications the next day, I was unattached to any group. Students who did not manage to fill in a on-site application would have their team decided for them by the Masters. Well at worst, so be it. Either way, I still intend to transfer out of Butei High. Just when I was feeling a little unwell and forcing myself to study,

"Kin-chan, I'm sorry. I haven't said this until now...."

Shirayuki brought in something wrapped in a furoshiki. That body resembling a gravure model was dressed in a black outfit. The neat ribbon across the breast of her blouse was black. The hair band she normally wore was also black. Furthermore, her hair was tied up, which was rare. This was not like the usual Shirayuki. It appears that that clothing was Diviza Nero; the attire worn by students taking their team confirmation photos. It has been loaned out from Amdo.

"Ki..ki...ki...kun come here♪ The water here's sweet♪"

Riko sang as she appeared, also wearing black. She wore a design which daringly revealed her skin, particularly her breasts. Most disagreeable. One can tell at a single glance that she wore no underwear on her breasts. On that note, is the protection offered alright? Wearing bulletproof clothing which exposes the skin.... Averting my eyes in embarrassment upwards, I saw that the ribbons holding her two-side up tails in place were also black. These two were totally in black from head to foot.

"The team's....Just. You are all attending it?"

"Thaaat's right! Kiii...kun must go too!"

"......Me....too.....?"

"About that, even though it's not good to say, but....earlier, I divined that I would form a team with Kin-chan....so I did not tell anyone about the team's application. Furthermore, I heard from Aria after Caravan I that everyone would be in the team...."

I opened the furoshiki while listening to Shirayuki. Inside, was a black suit.

This is.....the Diviza Zero that I would use.

"Riko-rin and Aria also formed a two man team; however, we annulled it during the confirmation. Aria had changed her mind; this was for the purpose of forming a new team with Ki-kun and everyone else."

So saying, Riko showed me the application slip for the on-site application.

On it was....
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; margin:1em auto 1em auto; clear:both; font-size:100%; background:transparent;"
! style="background:#DCDCDC;" align="center"|Team Name "Baskerville"<br>Members
|-
|〇 Kanzaki.H.Aria (Assault)

◎ Tohyama Kinji (Inquesta)

・ Hotogi Shirayuki (SSR)

・ Mine Riko (Inquesta)

・ Reki (Snipe)
|-
|}

These 5 names were written.

This is the team that Aria envisioned.

Setting aside the fact that a double circle denoted me as leader, even Aria had a single circle marking her as the vice-captain.

"Oi...this is...."

I said while pointing at Reki's name.

After the Just, the students of the newly formed team had to have a group photograph taken by the Masters. Like this, each team member displayed their mutual solidarity.

However.....Reki, who had vanished at Tokyo Station, was still missing.

Which means that there was no way we could register.

"Un....Since we cannot contact Reki-san, we may cancel her name. But Kin-chan wants to do Butei work with her right?"

Shirayuki said with upturned eyes, as if she shared the same misunderstanding as Aria.....

However, it didn't seem fitting to tell her about Reki interning herself to me as a sniper at this juncture. With nothing confirmed or denied, I listened to whatever else she had to say.

"That's why Aria was bent on including Reki in the team. She said that, 'if Kinji is to be included, then so to too must Reki be included. Otherwise, this team would be against Kinji's wishes. '"

"But Rekiyu is still missing. I don't know whether she can join the team like that," Riko said, continuing Shirayuki's observations.

"And thus Aria said that, 'letting Kinji have false hopes isn't good, so please don't tell him about the team before Reki has been admitted.' Well, Aria being concerned about Ki-kun is a good thing that's why Riko won't say anything more from now. Apologies."

Aria.....

So that's the reason you were so vague about the team last night. Such human concern was so gentle and female. Even if you were like a man in every other aspect.

"However we still could not contact Reki by phone in the end. Just in case, she sent the assembly location and time of the application to Reki by text but there was no reply."

Looking at the downcast Shirayuki, I thought, "That's understandable," since Reki's phone was destroyed in Kyouto by Koko.

"Aria is already at the photo taking site. She was already there waiting for Rekiyu first thing in the morning. The deadline is noon today. 30 more minutes and it will be time. Well, we can't go yet Ki-kun! Put on your clothes! This is Ki-kun's on the spot changing show! Kyahaaa!"

Riko said as she reached for my belt while I stood still with the black suit in hand. Looking as if I would be stripped of my trousers, I shifted away from Riko.....With the Diviza Nero in hand, I left to change. Partly without protest.

My room was originally a four man room so there were a few to double as private rooms. Entering one of them, I straightened my hair before a mirror and got changed.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Kasha*

From the roof, came the sound of a phone camera clicking.

"Ki-kun is too exposed. If I were using a pistol, Ki-kun would be a wind hole now."

Looking up, I saw that one of the roof panels had been removed. Riko hung upside down from there with her upper body sticking out, waving her rhinestone adorned cell phone.

....Appearing in weird places again, as usual.

"Girls shouldn't take pictures of men changing. Even if I don't do it, our roles would normally be reversed."

Already knowing that stopping Riko's weird behavior is fruitless, I checked out my new look with a black necktie in the mirror.

"Ki-kun's life photos can be sold to Yuki-chan for a considerable price. Kuhihihi..."

I say, Shirayuki would really buy them. You two really do get along, no? Definitely.

"By the way, is it okay with you Riko?"

Just in case....

I should ask Riko hanging over my head first. Looking in the mirror;

"You want to kill Aria and me. However fighting would be difficult if we form a team. Butei seriously fighting among themselves is strictly forbidden. Killings within a team are especially heavy crimes."

"Ha. This girl here is an outlaw. Tu es amnésie"

Riko.....her voice suddenly becoming sharp, turned towards me with a grin.

"The reason why I am working with you all, is so that others do not kill you. I said it after defeating Vlad, ''"I won't forgive you if you get killed by anyone else besides me."'' But after that, how many instances were there in which you all were nearly killed? It was also very dangerous this time round. I can't bear this any longer. Furthermore the Bandire is fast approaching. For the sake of the future from now on before Aria and Kinji are fully grown, I will always be with you. Once the cerises are ripe, I will eat you down anew.

"After this......the Ban..... what?"

Looking at Riko who mentioned that unknown danger....however, the ceiling was as it was before. There was no trace left let alone Riko. I let out a "hun" from my nose like I was trying to dispel this uneasy atmosphere before putting on my black suit and leaving the room.

This year's team photo shoot was held at the roof of the Inquesta block. When the 3 of us, Shirayuki, Riko and me, arrived, we found that there were more black-clad students there than we thought. 20-30 people were present. Were they all here for the Just? We were the same, yet its seemed that everybody was still hesitant at the end. Well, a Butei team is based upon mutual trust with lives. This is not something that can be so easily decided. Being unsure up to the last moment is entirely natural. I looked out over the rooftop beneath the overcast sky. There, amidst the milling crowd of students....was Aria. She was wearing what should be a specially made mini-sized Diviza Nero with a tube top beneath her jacket. Her navel was intermittently exposed as her clothes fluttered in the wind. A rectangle was marked out in black vinyl tape on the floor. The other teams waited in line in the middle of this area for Ranbyou to take their pictures.

"Oi, Aria. Kaminari-sama will eat your navel."

I said to the silent Aria who appeared to be having her picture taken.

"Kinji."

Aria, who had turned around, gave my navel and the overcast sky a "?" look

Her beautiful brows deeply furrowed, she walked towards me, Shirayuki and Riko.

"Once more you speak such ridiculous things. It isn't my navel that's going to be photographed."

Apparently, this child who has just returned to her country had no idea about the saying where Raijin is supposed to eat human navels.

Alright. Now was not the mood for explanation but next time I'll do so and give her a good scare. That's because Aria has a strong phobia of thunder.

"Approximately how long till the deadline?"

"Around 5 minutes."

At both Shirayuki and Riko saying this, Aria's camellia eyes turned up towards me.

"Kinji.....are you okay with it ....coming here? About you.... forming a team....with us"

"Whether I'm fine with it or not, you have already written my name on the application form. And as leader to boot."

"I, I was thinking of forcing you in because the matter between Reki and I would not abide us being in a team....I never thought about stealing you away from Reki's side."

Aria, who was slightly embarrassed at saying such forceful things, fell silent. I.....said nothing and watched the surroundings.

Reki.....didn't turn up. As I expected.

"There is no more time. What do we do with Reki?"

"Wait until the end. I'll text her again."

Aria said, cradling her arm and looking at the stairs.

About...4 and a half minutes left...

Looking at Assault Master Ranbyou who was handling today's photo taking and at Riko and Shirayuki who were holding the application form, I leaned over slightly and whispered,

"Aria, listen to me. It's still alright to cancel now."

"......? What?"

Aria leaned over, directing her tiny left ear at me.

".....Riko; she's dangerous. We still don't know if she's a friend or foe."

"I knew that all along. When the time comes, there will still be a final showdown between her and me."

"She may launch a sneak attack on us. She will always be around us if we form a team."

"She's not that type. Despite all appearances she's very prideful."

Aria, whose own pride reached into the heights of space, looked behind her.

"Anyway, if I do fall to a sneak attack, avenge me. That's an order. Carry it out well okay?"

"Me defeat Riko? That's a very serious matter. And strictly speaking, if you are going to order me why do you still need me to be leader?"

"That's for the strategic purpose of Kinji taking the role of UL in battle formation. In other words, a leader in name only. The orders will still come from me."

Even if I don't hand you that task, you would still start issuing orders of your own accord anyway. But if I were to mention that, a handgun would come into play.

Well, whatever. Just take it as I'm lending you the title of leader.

"Also, the team name sounds like that of a vehicle. What does it mean?"

"Aa...that's the name of a place that I own. It's in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dartmoor Dartmoor region] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devon Devon county]."

Aria casually said as my eyes widened. Owning a piece of land...but she's a highborn lady doesn't she already own land? Does she intend to wear a crown on her head as well? I stared at Aria's twin tails in surprise.

".....Well, it's empty wilderness. It's just inheritance of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hound_of_the_Baskervilles one of the scenes of the Holmes family's triumphs]. I didn't even earn it through my own efforts." Aria averted my gaze in mild embarrassment.

I remember that name.....Baskerville. I read about it in the Inquesta textbooks. Amidst the cases solved by the original Sherlock Holmes, that name appeared. Later, the Holmes family acquired the land where that case occurred and named it Baskerville. And now, it belonged to Aria.

(As I thought, she's really a noble lady...)

I shook my head and while doing so, saw for a moment at the edge of my vision.....a flicker of white.

".....?"

In the shadow of the 2m high air-conditioning unit installed on the roof....was something that looked like a white tail.

"......!"

I.....broke into a run.

"Kinji!?"

Ignoring Aria's voice from behind, I sprinted towards the air-con unit.

....That was

It doesn't merely look like it; it was a tail. Covered in silver fur, it was the tail of an animal.

(It likely isn't a mistake....)

Turning a corner round the air-con unit, there....was a silver wolf.

Haimaki.

And.....

His master.

A girl with short cut hair, wearing a Diviza Nero in the form of a man's suit. Her back against the side of the unit, gazing impassively at us as she stood there without a word....

"Reki....!"

Aria, who had chased after me, shouted the girl's name.

"....."

Reki, who stood below my field of vision, no longer had a bandage wrapped around her brow. I was still worried about her other wounds but from the looks of it, she was alright. Her 4 kg [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragunov_sniper_rifle Dragunov sniper rifle] was also carried on her shoulder in her usual manner.

"Reki-san! This is wonderful, you made it in time....! Everyone was searching very hard for you yes? Where did you go? Really....."

Shirayuki, who was running over with Riko looked as if she was interrogating a younger child as she questioned Reki.

"....After joining up with Haimaki, I headed for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto Kyouto]."

"Eh?"

Seeing Shirayuki's surprised expression, it seems that she did not go to the Hotogi branch shrine there. She must have found it hard to show up there after stealing their helicopter. And Haimaki must have sensed that his master was near and thus, left the shrine.

"....After which we made a reservation at the inn where we came under attack before and had a bath there."
Inn.....you mean you were at Saori-san's Hachinoko? Speaking of which, baths? You still rely on traditional healing remedies and those are severe wounds. Well since you are healed now it's good.

"Even so....you knew that we were here."

I said as I remembered that Reki's cell phone had been destroyed.

"After I bought a cell phone just now, I received Aria's message immediately."

Reki replied as she lowered her head.

(Ah...so that's the case)

The moment I charged the phone that I bought a few days back, I was surprised by mail from Mutou and Shiranui. It seems that Reki encountered the same situation. Generally speaking, when cell phones that are receiving messages are out of range or off, the message will be saved for a few days in the network center. And once it detects a signal again, the message will be sent anew. It's the same with new phones bought after the destruction of the previous one. It just requires the user to use the same number and not change his mail address. That's why Reki received Aria's message when she bought a new phone. A wry smile surfaced when I imagined the surrealism of Reki in an electronics shop but it's fortunate that Reki bought a new phone today. If it were tomorrow, it would be too late.

(In any case, Reki.....made it here. She would never hear the Wind again.)

...Yes. She came of her own accord. This would be the first time Reki had acted on her own free will.

......Welcome. Welcome, Reki.

"....."

Aria....

Despite rushing over immediately, was silent.

What's....with this hesitance? The deadline of the Just is drawing near. Well, despite forming a team after you had a big fight, it's understandable there would be a strain in relations.

....Can't be helped. This is where I come in.

As I wasn't in Hysteria Mode now, I don't know if I can skillfully restore the ties between both girls to their former state.

"Reki, are you fine with joining this team? Even if its arbitrarily formed by Aria."

I asked in place of Aria.

Reki....nodded her head without a word.

"Well then, hurry up and say what you want to say, Aria. After that we hold hands like friends and go get our picture taken. During the battle when you were being attacked on both sides by the Kokos you were holding hands."

Recalling the turn above the Shinkansen, I pressed Aria on....

"During that time, I only did that because it was the best thing to do."

Aria, red from embarrassment, responded as she looked up at Reki.

"But you wanted Reki in your team. Stop being so hard-hearted."

"Th...the team needed a sniper in it. That's why I included her."

Aria...this stubborn girl....My words seem to have had the opposite effect. It would be bad if I continued speaking and they end up fighting. They would still be fighting when the deadline passed. Just when I was getting my hands burnt dealing with this troublesome kid, a lifeboat appeared...

"Even though you say all these things, Aria actually likes Reki, no?"

"Come on Aria, it's fine saying it. Yesterday, I felt pity for you watching from the sides....you were so worried about Reki."

Riko and Shirayuki said from both sides.

Aria looked at the two of them, looked at me, and then looked at Reki.

''Buwaaaa''

With no time for me to thank Shirayuki and Riko, Aria's face turned red.

"That...that's not the case! I....I...."

So saying, Aria, who had extended a trembling arm towards Reki....took one step, a second, and walked towards Reki.

".....Reki.....!"

....She hugged her.

"Reki....Reki.....I was so worried! Why did you suddenly disappear...!"

The crying Aria and the expressionless Reki as she was being hugged.

Riko laughed as she watched those two and Shirayuki looked as if she was the elder sister kindly looking upon her two younger sisters.

G-Great.

As I thought, to get girls to make up, you need the help of girls.

"Aria-san, that time atop the Shinkansen..."

Reki, from the center of Aria's arms....

"Thank you for holding my hand."

Looking into Aria's face, they were the first words of gratitude she had spoken.

Thank you.

Until now, Reki had never said those words to anyone as far as I can remember. And hearing those common words from Reki, who was so silent that it seemed like that would never happen, it made me feel good.

Reki did change a little after that life-threatening Caravan I after all.

Hearing this overly frank gratitude Aria....whose face had been red from embarrassment for a moment, neatly turned to face Reki.

"Reki....I too am thankful. For coming that time....thank you. Let's erase this hole in our friendship. Let's now......restore diplomatic ties? Renew our relations? Err....let's be friends again!"

I gave a bitter laugh at such strange words for mending ties.

"Hey hey! My dear students! There is still 15 seconds to the deadline. Butei are to strictly adhere to that timing!"

A man's voice could be heard from somewhere. I looked at everyone who was dispersed. This voice....the owner was famous for only remaining audible while he himself was invisible. Master of Lezzad, Chan Wu.

"Oi little brats! Stop clinging all over each other and come here! There's around 10 seconds left! Hurry up and enter this border and have your picture taken!"

Looking in this direction, Assault Master Ranbyou brandished a camera and denoted the area marked out by vinyl tape on the floor.

[[File:Aria07 219.jpg|thumb]]

"Let's go."

Aria grasped Reki's hand. Just like when they were atop the Shinkansen.

"Alright, we'd also better get going."

Pushing Shirayuki and Riko by the shoulder, I hurried towards Ranbyou and her camera. Ahead of us, Reki who seemed unsure how to react after having her real self accepted by another person, ran behind after Aria's lead. Chasing after those two, I smiled.

Here, on this rooftop of the Inquesta building was where a month ago, Reki became my partner against my will. And now....at this very same spot, we dragged Reki into our team. What an inversion it is.

"5 seconds left! Run!"

Charging towards Ranbyou, who was looking at her watch and shouting angrily, the 5 of us entered the area in one scattered block. There was no time left to neatly line up like an exemplary team. If this were a normal photo shoot, the photographer would say "Smile, look this way!"

"Alright. No smiling! Look diagonally ahead!"

This is a Butei group shot. It required us to look diagonally ahead, giving little hint of our true selves. We wore black to prevent the identification of our school from the uniform.

"Team Baskerville! Kanzaki H Aria Just!"

Aria, who was first to stand in the middle of the area, said to Ranbyou with her hands on her waist. To her right rear, Reki, in order to prevent her Dragunov from being photographed, pushed the rifle sling on her shoulder back a little to hide it. At Aria's left rear, Riko folded her arms and faced to one side, with only her eyes focused on the camera. I brushed my hair slightly such that it covered the wound left on my cheek by the Slash. To hide the taping covering my still aching fingers, I placed my hand in my pocket and entered the frame's right corner. If anyone deduced my techniques from my scars, that would leave me at a disadvantage. Last to enter the left corner was Shirayuki, who, demonstrating her fine upbringing, faced Ranbyou's camera with a slight smile.

"September 23rd 1159 hrs, Team Baskerville....Acknowledged, entered!"

Looking at her watch, Ranbyou raised the camera and pushed the shutter release at the very last minute.

And so, the strobe flashed with a sound.

Unexpectedly however, the camera that Ranbyou hurriedly raised was slanted. Although all five of us were captured in the picture, it was messily crooked to one side. Well, whatever, it's a photograph of us who always leaves things to the last minute.

At that time, I never expected that this photograph.......

.....would be the first and last one together for us, the five members of Baskerville.

After an evening shower, the sky cleared. A rose-coloured sunset engulfed Tokyo...

I took Reki and Haimaki to the western tip of the Academy Island outside the fence that prevents anyone falling into the sea. This was for the purpose of giving Haimaki that reward I promised him on that mountain during the sniper battle.

"Here...eat up. It's really troublesome peeling off all the vinyl wrapping."

In an open box by my foot were 60 fish sausages. Or in other words, I bought the entire box. On seeing that, Haimaki let out a howl, thrust his head into the box and began devouring. His white tail was waving like a propeller. He really loves fish sausages.

"...."

At Haimaki's side, Reki knelt down and gently stroked his back, as always; expressionless to a stranger's eyes...however, I had the impression that I could read Reki's expression to some small degree. This was a gentle expression of gratitude to Haimaki. I turned towards the golden sea, illuminated by the sunset and took a deep breath of the sea breeze. At this time, the wind was refreshingly cool.

Summer....was nearing its end.

"Speaking of which, did you know that even the battle positions were submitted by Aria on her own volition?"

Hearing my words, Reki raised her pretty face from her kneeling position and shook her head.

"The front is formed by Aria and me. Aria is the PM (point man), I'm the UL (Unit Leader). Support will be you and Shirayuki. Riko will make up the tail. When storming a target, Aria and I will suppress with handgun bullets while you two will provide medium and long ranged attacks. Riko will be on alert for any attacks from the back and in retreat; she'll act as the rearguard, hampering any pursuers."

Reki's face was like that of a small animal as she gazed intently at me while I fired Assault terms non-stop. Seeing as she didn't say anything, it appeared that she had no objections. Well, at any rate, after being forced to become leader, I knew how to improve the team's formation. I had to combine everyone's talents and personalities.

Aria and I were experts at fighting alongside each other. Shirayuki was an almighty unit in both offense and defense. She could charge forwards with both spell and sword or stay at the rear tending to the wounded and act as a spotter for sniping. And at the rear was the genius sniper Reki, protecting Riko who would quickly spot dangers. In the event of withdrawal, although Riko could defend against the enemy's assault, however, her true skill lay in escaping; the fighting retreat being her expertise. Aria....in this accidental team of 5, was a balance. She may have no reasoning ability but she was a genius in combat matters.

(And furthermore, military formations aren't all there is to this team.)

In this team, everyone's abilities are singularly high. Including Reki, this team had two S-rank Butei which was something that was rare even amongst 3rd years. In the 2nd year, only we alone had this. Shirayuki and Riko are both A-rank so it's really a big drop in ability when my E-rank is considered. I'm truly sorry. Well, with the run-up to registration being so chaotic, the cohesiveness of the team in doubt and according to Ranbyou-sensei, "If the team is unwilling at the start, you'll have a hell of a time in the end."

I certainly pray we don't run into any cases big enough to have a hell of a time.

"How should I say this....Is this really alright? Forming a team with Aria."

Although the matter might have passed, but I'd still better be sure.

"....Yes."

Reki quietly stood up and faced me.

"Until now, I've never felt 'human emotions.' But after this experience, I've started to think. I've started to think about....Aria-san's feelings."

"Aria's feelings....?"

"When I was wounded on the mountain during the sniper attack, I was bent on following the Wind's orders; to fight to the death. And so, I allowed you to leave me. That had to be putting on a brave front. At that time, I was wavering between you and the Wind."

Putting on a brave front....even at that time, that emotion had already taken root in Reki?

"Now, I can say, at that time what I was thinking in my heart was 'I don't want to die.'"

"...."

"And the one who allowed me to embrace that thought was Kinji-san. You."

"Me....?"

".......You are a very important person to me. I did not want to leave you."

Reki, who was new to emotions....

Said honestly into my eyes without hiding her feelings.

"......."

Suddenly having a pretty girl say all this to me....

I was unable to respond and turned to face the sea.

"It's you who allowed feelings to take root in heart. If I died I would be separated from you....from the one important to me. I don't want that."

The one important to her....she said it twice. And furthermore, they were both direct to my face. Reki sure is straight. Exactly like a sniper who fires straight and true at her target.

"This time, I've thought about Aria-san's feelings. When I took Kinji-san away from Aria-san it was the same kind of act. To her, you are a very important person."

Perhaps mirroring my actions, Reki's eyes which were looking out to sea were.....at this moment filled with a hint of loneliness.

"That's why I'll join the team.....I'll watch over you all, never pulling you all apart again. No matter what happens in the end."

Hearing Reki who was normally caught up in her own world say all this.....I had some difficulty keeping up.

"That's why, you and Aria being together is a good thing."

Having said that, Reki closed her tiny lips. And after a rare moment of hesitation,

"But this too.....is putting on a brave front....."

She murmured.

"Putting on a brave front?"

"Yes. Once more there are conflicting emotions in my heart. I'm....facing not just the male who is simply the one Ulus need....but also the Kinji-san who allowed me to feel emotions."

Reki's red-brown eyes stared at me, as if she were gracefully expressing her own feelings and slowly said,

"I don't want to see you stolen away by Aria-san"

....That's virtually the statement of another confrontation once more and yet....

Reki's demeanor did not have the same one-sided feel as when she last fought Aria at Butei High.

"....."

"....."

For a while, the two of us were silent. The sound of crashing waves resonated in the distance.

"And conversely, I now ask if Kinji-san is fine with it; having me on the team. The Wind doesn't speak anymore. I myself don't know what to do either. My own heart follows some uncertain guidepost as it walks on, wrapped in contradiction. Without any direction from the Wind I don't even know who I am anymore...."

Perhaps it was due to the silence raising my sense of unease but Reki's behavior....resembled in some respects an attempt to cling onto something. Thinking this a little cute, my cheeks loosened imperceptibly.

"....Reki. No one ever knows who they are."

"....."

"Reki is Reki. That is enough. I'm fine with the current Reki, don't worry."

Hearing this, Reki's cheeks....slightly turned scarlet. Well, this must have been due to the red light from the setting sun.

"But....I don't know what to do from here on."

"If that's so, then just start looking from now and it'll be fine. Just set yourself a target. And the school and team are there for that purpose."

The S-ranked honors student, Reki hearing me, the E-ranked problem child with a reputation for being utterly useless say such vague things, looked as if she was.....slightly taken aback. She resembled someone listening to the warnings of elders.

....The sound of waves reverberated in the distance....

Reki....

"You.....are just like the Wind."

She murmured to herself. And gently caressed by the wind,

"Kinji-san is a great person. Even knowing about my emptiness....he didn't change."

"No, I'm quite narrow minded. You however..."

Being able to suppress Hysteria Mode demonstrates that I'm quite a virtuous person at heart. I felt like saying so but to do that in front of Reki would be embarrassing.

Swallowing my words, I tried to cover it up.

"Ah....emptiness, emptiness has its own benefits. You just need to fill it up with many various things."

"Kinji-san..."

"That's why I'll teach you some general knowledge."

"Yes. Please teach me."

So saying, Reki's attitude gives the impression of having pure respect for me....Even if it's appropriate that I remain silent, I still felt somewhat embarrassed. In terms of Riko's games, it would be like entering "Reki's route." Although it wasn't my intention, did I just pick all the words that would win her over? This...although the character is different, it was just like my junior in Lezzad, Fuuma Hina. Mistakenly respecting the useless me, Reki sure is pitiful, I thought.

"After all, you are devoid of common knowledge. Probably the most out of all 5 Baskerville members."

For the sake of balance, I said something that would reduce her goodwill towards me. And with that...Reki's mouth seemed to twitch by millimeters. It seemed like she was pressing her lips together in an endless line but she was actually curling them.

"....."

And with a sound, she drifted over to my side and....

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pa*

Lightly struck my upper arm.

This might well be an expression of anger. Communicating with Reki definitely requires observational skills. Because she hit me, I too retaliated. Lightly, gently, striking Reki on the upper arm.

And so, *pa* *pa*.

Reki hit me twice. I don't understand it but there was somehow an air of joy to the whole thing.

Which is to say that Reki also doesn't know how to express emotions.

Aa....this was bad. Even this had to be taught to her. Looking down, I saw that Haimaki had finished eating his fish sausages.....Beneath the brightening moon and the sun that had almost sunk below the sea, I turned around and prepared to return to my dorm. Like I'd just abandoned her, Reki....

"Kinji-san."

Lightly tugging my jacket from behind;

"The loyalty of the Ulus is eternal. Even if the wind no longer speaks to me, I will protect you....forever."

The happiness within her words took me aback. Seeing that kind of expression on Reki's face again, it made me feel good.

Those who do not know Reki well may not understand but I could understand that expression well enough.

It was a really thin smile. But it was cute enough to capture my heart.

There was nothing that could rival it in that....a smile, without a doubt.

That night, just after 11pm....having revised [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Japanese modern Japanese] until pretty late.....Shirayuki got the remaining crab out of the freezer and prepared a late night [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenshindon tenshindon].

Perhaps it was because the food was too delicious but Riko who for some reason, had recently settled at my home took her ladle and clashed with my own for the tenshindon. Riko you little bitch...scraping even the tenshindon in my mouth out is far too much. My teeth are going to break like this. Just when I was protecting my own bowl by using Edge Catching Double Finger to stop Riko's ladle....my cell rang. It was Aria's lawyer. How many times has it been during this vacation that she had taken our testimonies over the phone? Thinking it was another one of those times; I resigned myself to leaving the remaining tenshindon and quietly walked into the living room. However, that was not the case. She was informing us that the preparations for the retrial of Aria's mother, Kanzaki Kanae-san, had been complete. Generally speaking, from now until the start of the hearing, no more new pieces of evidence could be submitted. Which in other words, means that for the time being, Aria had some time for herself. On hearing this news, I checked my watch....and took something from the wall cabinet and put it in my pocket. That was...how shall I say this....something I bought out of care for Aria. After saying "I'll be back soon" to Shirayuki who was in the bathroom, and ignoring the giggling Riko who was giggling and gulping down her tenshindon like a hyena while saying cryptically, "hu hu hu....well, well, well....? Going-some-where-hmmm? Excellent, excellent. Looks like my love-making counseling on the Shinkansen did not go to waste, hu..hu..hu," I left the house.

Recently, Aria did not rest at all due to the preparations for the trial. Add to that the conflict with Reki and she must be very stressed. And all past experiences until now demonstrate that when stressed, Aria would get into angry outbursts and things would become "Kinji's fault." In reality, Aria had recently on many occasions became nervous and would eye me in a strange manner before disappearing. That is probably a sign of danger. Thus why I needed to pacify her before the dual Governments simultaneously open fire. Nevertheless, my opponent is a girl. All along, calming the tempers of girls has never been my strong suit.

However, this time was different. I had methods taught to me by Jeanne-sensei at my disposal.

"Girls will be calmed down when they receive from men clothes, accessories or things they can wear."

And this really does work as demonstrated by Reki calming down when I bought her clothes in Osaka; this theory can be said to have withstood practical on scene scrutiny. It can thus be also applied to Aria. Even so, suddenly giving her a present would be weird. "What double meaning is there to this? Tell me! Quick, tell me now!" she would say while pointing a handgun at me. Nonetheless, today was also an occasion.

Today, September 23rd......

Despite there being only around 30 minutes left, today was Aria's birthday. Probably.

Probably, since I never heard it clearly from Aria's own lips.

However, a few months before, I heard Aria tell Shirayuki that "I'm a Virgo." This met a reply of " Eh..? That really doesn't seem so." And thus this dangerous conversation played itself out.

A few days ago while under the influence of Hysteria mode, I recalled (apparently, when in Hysteria mode, I could recall every word I heard about something) this. To avoid the problem of being peppered full of holes in the event that I forgot Aria's birthday, I noted down in my Butei notebook that "Aria is a Virgo." And from some searching on the net, I found that Virgo ended on the 23rd of September. In other words, today. If Aria's birthday was before this date, I should be blown full of holes by now. As such, I can guess that today is her birthday.

Of course, this alone would still be insufficient basis for such a claim so I found additional backing in the unidentified 4 digits in Aria's e-mail address—0923 since it was common for users to place their birth dates at the end of their mail addresses.

Leaving the male dormitory, I leaned against the guardrail of the road and gave Aria a call. A single ring and Aria immediately answered.

".....Wh... what? Kinji."

What's with this suspicious tone.

Why? Well whatever.

"Where are you now?"

"Ah, eh? H-Here? This is the girls dorm. My room. I just returned from the lawyer's office. But...wha, what is it Kinji? Don't tell me you want to come to my room?"

Who the heck would go to Aria's room?

"Then come to the conservatory below the girls' dorm."

"Eh..."

"I will....yeah, be there in around 10 minutes."

"Ha, ha, eh?"

Ha, eh? What is this?

I said warningly to Aria who spoke in that idiotic voice as if air was leaking from her throat,

"Understand?"

"Yes."

Yes?

That was the first time I heard anything akin to polite language towards me from Aria's lips.

Is Aria alright? She's being a little strange. Maybe she was simply tired. Even so however, I still must proceed. There was nothing more important after all, than preserving my own safety.

Walking through the academy island in the late night, I reached the foot of the girls' dorm....

One would know just by looking from the outside, that the interior of the conservatory was utterly dark.

Aria still hadn't arrived? I turned on the electrical switch at the side of the glass window when—

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Pa* *pa* *pa*... the light of fluorescent lamps bathed the interior starting from the front of the conservatory. Vegetable gardens, lily and nadeshiko zones, water lily and hibiscus zones; flowers and greenery glistened individually beneath the light. The last zone to be illuminated was the most sprawling of all; the rose zone.

There, garbed in her uniform, Aria stood idly.

She grasped at her twin tails as if rubbing them. This was a habit of hers whenever she was nervous.

Suddenly, she let out a "Ha, Waah?!" and looked around her surroundings. As if some event had not been able to be cleared up in time, numerous light bulbs lit up the decorative plants. It seemed as if the power source and ceiling lights were linked. It was just like a Christmas tree. Incidentally, the small fountain in the middle of the conservatory was linked to the power source as well. It began to spray sparkling drops of water. To top it off, the night scene of Tokyo, together with the Tokyo tower, under the harvest moon of mid-autumn could be seen through the glass walls. Somehow this over-illumination turned the place into one of much splendor.

Well, time to put Jeanne's battle plan into action for the sake of saving my life. I raised my hand in Aria's direction and walked towards her—

Aria tightly held her hands before her front, her expression one of extreme impatience.

"Why...why did you call me here?"

When I stepped forward, she took a step back.

This isn't like the Demon Butei Quadra Aria at all. She looked apprehensive.

"Aria....are you.....alright? You could still speak fine up to 'here'."

While speaking, I walked up to the front of Aria who was covered in the blooming roses....and on noticing the scar on the ground left by repair work, let out a small whistle.

"Haha....oi, this is where we fell from above back then."

Back then, I—

Had leapt from the top of the girls' dormitory together with Aria who was about to be taken back to London in a helicopter.

At that time, I had misjudged the strength of the [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%93%E3%83%8B%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%83%8F%E3%82%A6%E3%82%B9 vinyl greenhouse's] roof and had fallen rather vigorously to the ground. In the process, I had battered aside several of the metal piping, wounding myself as a result.

"....Seriously...."

Aria who was looking at that spot, remembered that incident and, hit by nostalgia, her angry, upturned eyes softened. Normally angry, Aria now—

Was actually rather....cute. From the first time I met her, I had always thought so.

As if she could hear my thoughts, Aria looked up and covered her grinning mouth with her hand like she was somehow trying to hide her double canines. It appears she has a sensitivity complex regarding her own cat-like canines. That being the way it is, there's no need to hide them now. Besides, I don't dislike them. Setting her unseemly mouth in order, Aria cleared her throat—

"Eh....what do you want with me? There must be a fair reason for calling a lady out at such a late hour, yes?"

She said with the oppressive feeling that I would be blown full of holes if that wasn't the case.

I pointed at the clock hung on the trees in the center of the conservatory.

"11:45. That's quite safe."

"So; what. Is. The. Matter."

Aria. Right now, your expression is extremely weird. It is the utterly strange expression of one who is excited but is desperately trying not to let it show on her face. I should take this with my phone camera.

"Today is your birthday."

Putting on airs, I had barely said this when—

Aria, nodded frantically with her eyes wide open.

"You, yourself forgot didn't you?"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>shake, shake, shake*

Presently, her twin tails were violently swinging from side to side and her eyes tightly shut as she shook her head.

"You'd thought I'd ignored it then?"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Nod...shake, shake*

One moment nodding then the next shaking her head, she really did believe that I had ignored her birthday totally. Such lack of faith in me.

By the way, why are you suddenly not saying anything? Just some time ago, Reki had become so talkative and now Aria had fallen silent; are you switching places or something? I really can't understand girls at all, seriously. Each and every last one of them.

"Your hand. I have a present for you."

At this, Aria raised her trembling hands together before her chest like she was collecting water.

"Err...just one hand will do."

With that, I half-heartedly grasped Aria's left hand with my right.

Waa...Aria having lost her voice and thus not making a single sound...was strange like that. How should I put it....it's as if someone had informed her beforehand of this and she had been waiting all this while....? Well even if that were the case it would still be alright. It doesn't look like she's going to reject it. I reached into the depths of my pocket—

And fished out a ring of pure silver. To prevent it from hindering Aria when she was wielding her gun, it had no gemstone. Only a plain band. This was bought from that curious, cat filled clothes shop in Osaka, Chaton b during my spare time when Reki was in the dressing room.

However....

While pulling Aria's left hand before the front of my chest, I suddenly noticed it. I noticed right now, this ring. Bought in a smaller size for the purpose of fitting Aria's hand....Yet I had not considered far enough which finger it should fit. How thoughtless of me.

"Uu....uu...mou, if you want me to accept it then hurry up and give it to me.....!"

Just like a child about to get a shot, Aria's left arm was trembling.

"Why are you so tense? It isn't as if I'm handing you a bomb. Let me see your fingers."

"F...fingers? Fingers?! W...w...w...Why!"

Her eyes having opened to the point that they were about to fly out of their sockets, I examined five of Aria's fearfully trembling fingers....

Thumb, index finger, middle finger, all.....no good. It can't fit. It would fall off the little finger. Well, ring finger then.

"Aha"

I pulled the ring from my pocket,

"Wa, wa, waaa!"

Aria cried in a fit of abnormally wild temper.

"Wa! Waaa!"

That is a ring. It is just a ring.

Why are you getting so worked up? It's not a big deal.

I say, don't make so much noise in the middle of the night. You are being a public nuisance.

"Here. Happy birthday."

[[File:Aria07 243.jpg|thumb]]

And with that, I handed the ring over—

However, "! ! !," Aria was shaking so badly with fear that it was unlikely she could put it on herself. With no choice left, I took the ring finger of Aria's left hand and smoothly slid the ring into place—

Oh...it fits just nice. How fortunate.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Gyui.....*

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Gyuiiiiin—*

At this moment, Aria's pale face was shifting through the spectrum of colours, changing from white to red. No matter how many times I see it, it never fails to amaze me; this physiology that can turn someone's face scarlet in a second. Even a chameleon would be impressed.

"I'll tell you this first, that isn't some expensive trinket."

"It's, it's al-al-alright. B-But can I accept this? Can I really accept this?"

"Just take it. And don't open fire on me so easily in future."

"—Y-Yes."

There it was once more. Aria's "yes."
On the contrary, it felt weird. Up to this point, she had been responding in an over the top manner. I really don't understand her at all....

This is a lesson that a ring is an item which resounds with extreme intensity in the hearts of girls. The Aria, who can boast of a level of fieriness worthy of the Guinness Records, has been reduced to this state.

(.....Errm.......it's kind of like .....)

Aria's tantrum isn't a reaction one would have on receiving any simple accessory. Perhaps there is a further meaning to this current chain of behavior than I know?

On the night of her birthday, she got a phone call calling her to go to the conservatory.
She had received a ring as a present which was put on her left ring finger.
Right after, she had freely attacked me for some time.

While it was possible that the above behavior had some meaning behind it, I entirely could not see it at all. I don't want to boast but regarding basic knowledge on this sort of argument between man and woman, I know little like a child.

Due to my fear of entering Hysteria Mode, I had avoided that kind of information all my life.

Speaking of which, Kana had already warned me in the past....a lack of knowledge on such matters poses the danger that someday, actions leading to a disastrous misunderstanding when dealing with girls would result....among other things.

And so, the one facing me was the person eternally infamous for misunderstandings, Aria-san.

Any one of my previous three behaviors could have been [misunderstanding causing behavior].

However, my initial aim of ensuring my own safety has been achieved.

So it’s good, un, un.

Aria, who was nodding alone at me stammered

“Kinji….I’m….I’m very happy with th…this. But still….th..this..is too soon…wh..what does this…..mean…for us?”

Hmph…is that what she's asking.

Well, if right now, I say something like: "This is for the sake of preventing myself from being raged and shot at," I'll be made into live food for several .45 ACP bullets. As such, I--

"Butei Charter article 6: "Reflect by yourself, act by yourself". If you're a Butei, then you'll think of it yourself, right?"

Confused her.

After shaking her head up and down in one big nod, Aria looked at her open left hand, right in front of her own face--

With a feeling as if she couldn't tear her eyes away from the ring, shining on her ring finger--

''Tch, tch, tch...''

As if backing away from the pure, silver light, she started to shuffle back.

However, her hand was her own, so of course it followed her.

Aria, her lips shaking, walked further backwards with her shaking knees...

"Mikyaaa!"

--''Thud! Splash!''

She caught her foot on the edge of the mini fountain, and tipped over backwards.

She really fits perfectly inside the pool of that fountain, which couldn't be anything but around the size of a bathtub.

"He-hey..."

"M-Mikyaa! Kyaapu! Kyaaapu!"

''Splash! SplashSplash!''

Even though the water probably couldn't be anything more than 30 centimeters deep, Aria, who could not swim, started panicking in an instant--like she was drowning.

At what kind of level is your inability to swim?

No, that isn't a level at which one is able to say a simple inability to swim.

"Are you alright, Aria...?"

Aria, who was struggling, only the lower half of her fallen body sticking out, ''Yank!''

I pulled her out from the fountain's pool, and...her eyes were spinning.

It didn't seem as if she had drunk any water, but her appearance was such that it appeared as if she had entered a vegetative state from the shock.

(Aahh...I can't leave her alone like this...)

I squeezed her soaked twin-tails like a wet towel, getting out the water, and then decided to carry her on my back, returning home. There's no choice. I guess I'll even let Shirayuki take care of her at our place.

Uwaah. As light as ever. Aria, that is. Isn't her body weight around 30 kilos?

"...Ex-exactly like Riko said on the Shinkansen...It's become that...Mo-more than that...!"

Aria being carried on my back, I didn't understand her words, which were like the words of someone delirious, but--

(Doing this, this time I can spend with Aria, too is...coming to an end, isn't it.)

So I thought, and I felt a loneliness that I could not begin to describe creep into my chest. 

Aria...is selfish, self-centered, presumptuous- an intensely troubling girl.

But only because of that, being together with her isn't boring. Whether it was good or bad, it was always exciting.

It felt as if, to me, who had been labeled with the nickname, "Introvert," that my relationship with her had led to a balanced life. It's a different meaning from what Aria had said, but--she probably was a good partner.

Aria.

I have never said it clearly to you--

From now on, I don't think I'll say it either though. For the sake of both of us.

--I don't want you to go back. To someplace like London. Really.

But, that is my selfishness. So, I will leave it in the midst of my chest. For eternity.

Also, when next year comes, I too will transfer from this Butei High to a normal school.

April...The transfer application that I had torn up before I had chased Aria to this girls' dormitory, it's probably time to make it again. Just about time.

Continuing straight forward, Academy Island--

Carrying Aria, walking down the footpath, I thought.

Right now, I even felt that it would have been nice had Academy Island been longer.

That this night would continue forever, that it would have been alright to just walk like this, anywhere.

However, there is no night that does not dawn. There is an end to each road.

I felt as if that was something intolerable, and I tried not to think about it, but...Aria's mother's retrial is next month. EU has been defeated, a judgement of innocence is no longer in doubt.

So, after one month--my parting with Aria. Just once.

Like that, this time was a time to steel myself, but...

Our fate, it isn't sold by a wholesaler.[http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Hidan_no_Aria:Volume7_Translator%27s_Notes] In this, and that.

--Right, 'Hidan no Aria'-san?
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