Editing Hyouketsu Kyoukai no Eden:Volume 4 Chapter2 (section)

===Part 11===

Floor 269 of {{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}}, the floor for meetings.

The path that returned to silence was without a single person and had the atmosphere of an empty husk.

“Is this place always this quiet?”

Behind him, Monica looked around as if it had just struck her.

“It's a room for important meetings so with the door it’s completely airtight. No matter how loud the meetings get, it won’t be heard out in the passage.”

“You know quite a bit, huh?”

“Ah……y-yeah. Ilis told me before.”

I used this floor a lot back when I was an Elite Guard three years ago ─── not saying that, Sheltis came up with some reason for it.

“Rather than that, look. Probably after rounding this corner……”

They progressed just as was written on the electronic map. After turning however many corners, the recognized figure of a female instructor in a deep blue suit was standing there.

“The other two?”

With one glance over here, Instructor Yumelda raised an eyebrow.

“Kagura is servicing her {{furigana|machine pearl|Machina}} and Vaiel is……getting treatment for his wounds.”

“There’s no need for worry. He’s skipping anyway, right? It’s as I expected.”

The instructor looked sullen as she chewed up the end of her cigarette.

“Well, whatever. At any rate, I’ve formally received notice of your passing the second screening. If you pass the final screening, you’ll be cleared to take on mission 16 and journey to the Governmental Sector.”

“'''''Yes, ye──s, one question! When is the final screening?'''''“

{{furigana|Machine crystal|Ilis}} asked in a carefree tone. The instructor also didn’t mind that and,

“It will be from the day after tomorrow over a period of three days. Meet up at the training grounds at nine in the morning and I’ll introduce you to the proctor and the opposing unit.”

A selection test that took place over three days and even had a proctor. It was difficult to think of a unit battle taking that long. It was also unlikely that they’d have a written or interview at this point. What he could think of was───

“Patrol defense of the nature district or a practical of VIP escorting, one of these?”

“Sheltis, look forward to tomorrow’s announcement.”

The instructor played dumb with a happy smile. From the expression, it wasn’t a problem of which was correct but what would happen within them.

“We’ll disperse here for today. Do independent training ─── or so I’d like to say.”

She took out a communicator from her breast pocket,

“……It’s me. ……Yes, that’s right. They’re gathering right now, please come at your convenience.”

Their superior was reporting something in an unusually polite way to someone.

Who could it be? Someone that this instructor would be that polite to……a bureau chief? No, there’s no reason for her to contact a bureau chief. Then someone from the guards. Considering that for many of the Elite Guards she was originally their instructor narrowed it down to those above that.

In other words, a Sennenshi, or possibly───

“A Priestess?”

Monica who kept silent nodded and gulped.

Yes. If one considered that Instructor Yumelda had specifically told them to assemble within the tower, he or she would eventually reach this conclusion.

“You guys are aware that you’ll be traveling with a Priestess for mission number 16.”

She put the communication device away in her breast pocket and looked over with a remarkably sharp look.

“Well, then. Whether a Cadet Guard will do something rude in front of a Priestess, we had the intention of having a surprise inspection now. Before the important journey to the Governmental Sector.”

“……Huh? But you’re not supposed to say that be”

There was no meaning in it being a surprise.

“I said we had the intention of inspecting. I was worried about Vaiel, you see. If that problem child isn’t here, there’s no point in holding the inspection, right? Well, in exchange it’d be good if you received one or two encouragements from the Priestess ────── there, speak of the devil.”

Ring came a sound like a bell.

The high-speed elevator before them came to a halt and slowly opened left and right.

“Ymy-sama, I’ll introduce them to you. Here is the unit leader,”

“Monica-senpai!”

“That’s right, Monica-senpai……senpai?”

In front of the instructor who dropped her cigarette, the girl who came out of the elevator ran in small steps to Monica.

“I knew I was right! Senpai……Monica-senpai, right!?”

Letting her off-gold hair fly, it was the vestment-clad Ymy.

Running to the girl wearing formal attire with a bounce in her step, and still with that vigor ─── the Priestess took the hand of the Cadet Guard.

“H-hya!?”

The surprised voice came from Monica who had her hand grabbed.

“Senpai, when did you become a guard? Why, why didn’t you tell me!”

“Eh……ah,……um……ah……u……?……th-this is…………you’re wro”

Ymy’s voice was lively with happiness. But the one whose hand was being held wasn’t moving and her face color was switching back and forth between pale and bright red.

“……Ilis, what does this mean?”

“'''''Please don’t ask me.'''''“

He watched over those two for a little while and───

“Hey, Sheltis.”

The instructor whispered into his ear.

“Is Monica an acquaintance of Ymy-sama?”

“……Well, that’s what I what to know.”

He didn’t understand what was happening. He didn’t know too much about Monica from her days as an apprentice Priestess. Even Kagura probably wasn’t too clear on it.

“Fumu. Then it’s best to leave them alone. I’ll be returning so I’ll leave the rest to you.”

“Eh, wa-wait? That’s just shoving the bothersome stuff on───”

“I won’t hear excuses. Report how it goes afterwards later.”

“Are all adults this unfair!?”

By the time he raised a shout, the instructor had already rounded the bend at the crossroads.

“……Why me.”

“'''''Isn’t it fine. Come, rather than that, look in front, in front. Pay attention.'''''“

Following {{furigana|machine crystal|Ilis}}’ words, he turned to the front and.

“Monica-senpai!? Hey, why haven’t you said anything since a while ago!?”

“Ah……um……err……that is”

Over there was a really ─── oppressive expression worn on the face of the Priestess who was pushing back the girl with sakura-colored hair, and had been cornered her right up to the wall.

“I’ve been lonely ever since senpai left! Even so, why!”

“………………Th-that is……em……emba……rra, ssing.”

“Eh? Em?”

The excited Ymy hadn’t heard that. She closed in to the person in question until their faces were almost touching.

“Senpai? Um, your face is totally red?”

“…………Hauu!?”

Monica seemed to be enduring something as she kept silent and hung her head. And then,

“She-Sheltis! I’m going to check up on Kagura. I’ll also inform Vaiel about tomorrow……I won’t be back for a while!”

She turned her head to the side and shook off Ymy’s hand and ran away with intense vigor.

“Eh? Ah, wa……wait, Monica-senpai!”

“…………!”

She seemed to hesitate for a moment and turned around but immediately after, she ran off again.

This time she didn’t stop. She was even too impatient to wait for the elevator doors to open, so she descended the emergency stairs at the edge of the floor as if tumbling down them.

The floor once again became silent.

The ones left were himself and Ymy who was watching the back of Monica who had left.

“…………”

That girl contracted her shoulders and stood there looking extremely lonely.

“Sorry, Sheltis. I showed you a bad side of me……”

After a little while, his childhood friend turned to him with a calm feeling about her.”

“……I wonder why. Even though she was that kind of a senpai before.”

“You mean Monica, right?”

Ymy affirmed it with a nod.

“'''''Excuse me. I’d like to confirm but Monica-senpai ─── would mean your senpai as an apprentice Priestess, am I correct in assuming?'''''“

“Yeah……she was a very kind senpai and my aspiration.”

A long time ago, it was something he had heard as foolish gossip. The relationships of apprentice Priestesses were not actually that good. They were fellow competitors in aiming to be a Priestess until the bitter end.

That’s why having a companion as an apprentice Priestess held great meaning.

“Monica-senpai took the final test for a Priestess three years ago. But she failed right at the very end and quit as an apprentice Priestess……and about what happened after that, she didn’t tell me no matter how much I asked.”

“───Because she wanted to become a guard.”

He told it to the downcast Ymy just as he’d heard from the person herself.

There was no reason for her to hide that she’d become a guard. After all, Ymy would probably have recognized that when she saw her in her formal clothes.

“Even if she couldn’t become a Priestess, she said she wanted to be in a position to defend the Priestesses. That’s what I heard.”

“Yeah……it sounds like something senpai would say.”

To his childhood friend who was being bashful with a nostalgic expression,

“Say, this is just my thinking but”

Sheltis told her the impression he’d felt just as-is.

“Wasn’t Monica embarrassed?”

“……Embarrassed?”

“Monica has been a Cadet Guard for three whole years. That she just couldn’t become a Regular Guard, she herself is very mindful of that. That’s why probably ─── she wanted to keep it a secret and clearly tell you when she became a Regular Guard.”

Her expression when she had been approached by Ymy. Her face went bright red and trembled, and although her words had gotten stuck, it was definitely not an expression of dislike.

“She just wasn’t mentally prepared and was surprised to meet you.”

She wanted to meet her but the time wasn’t right. She had decided that in her heart but hadn’t thought that Ymy would be the one to approach her.

“…………That’s, right.”

Ymy strained her voice so she could hear herself say it.

“Yeah, that’s definitely it. Because Monica-senpai is a kind person. Not just me, she was someone who always looked after all the other apprentice Priestesses.”

“Yeah, that’s right. That’s why I think you don’t have to worry, Monica hasn’t changed.”

Sheltis didn’t know the Monica of three years ago. But he somehow understood, Monica’s base hadn’t changed at all from her time as an apprentice Priestess.

“'''''She’s quite unfortunate. She was Ymy’s senpai as an apprentice Priestess and is the leader of Sheltis’ unit as a guard.'''''“

“Ah, as I expected? The one who invited Sheltis into a unit was Monica-senpai. No, that’s not it, as I expected, Monica-senpai has a discerning eye!”

Folding her arms in a satisfied manner, Ymy had an expression of coming to some conclusion about something on her own. Or so he thought, but she ─── opened her eyes as if having just realized something.

“Sheltis?”

“Mm, what is it? Changing like that.”

“……Monica-senpai is kind, right?”

“It’s as you just said. I wonder, maybe it’s possible to call it seeing into someone.”

For Kagura and him, either one was a Cadet Guard isolated from other units. The one who involved them who were like that was her.

“…………Th-that’s right!…………”

“Is there something wrong?”

“U-um……Monica-senpai is a beautiful person. ……Her skin is really white and beautiful and her hair is also a wonderful color, and her style is also smart, right?”

“I don’t understand anything about skin though───”

Maybe it was the result of her efforts in training, her entire body gave off the impression of being without excess. Her well-arranged sharp looks let one feel the intensity of her will and her momentary smiles in embarrassing times were also lovely.

“Yeah, it’s probably just as you said.”

“……That’s right──. Even I see senpai as wonderful.”

Haa, sighed Ymy.

“? What’s wrong?”

“Sheltis!”

Slowly balling her hands, Ymy took one step forward.

“……Wh-what is it suddenly?”

“Y-you can’t! No matter how cute senpai is…………th-that is……you can’t just look at only senpai!”

“Come again?”

Ymy whose face was as red as a cherry didn’t stop.

“……E-even if she asks you to, you can’t! A lap pillow……like L-Leon isn’t allowed! Do-don’t misunderstand. This isn’t me having a guilty conscience……umm, this is a problem of the mental health of the character of a guard───”

……A lap pillow? Like Leon? The mental health of one’s character?

“Err, Ymy? Sorry, I don’t understand what you’ve been saying since just now.”

“Th-that’s all! Th-then I’ll be going now!”

Just saying everything by herself, she quickly waved her vestment.

“Eh……ehh! That one-sidedly!? That’s why I’m asking what you meant!”

“I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know anything─────────!”

For some reason, his childhood friend dashed off with a expression that seemed like she was going to cry.

Sheltis chased after her.

“'''''People’s thoughts are complicated.'''''“

Only {{furigana|machine crystal|Ilis}} who had seen the entire thing from start to finish was worrying endlessly in a circle.

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