Editing Hyouketsu Kyoukai no Eden:Volume 5 Chapter2 (section)

===Part 1===

The runway that stretched on endlessly.

Sliding into the runway that was gleaming silver in the sunlight, the airship gradually slowed down.

The airport that had been nothing but a speck slowly increased in detail and the control tower directing the airship became visible to even the naked eye───

A tremor.

Because of the shake from landing and the sudden braking, his body that was secured by the seatbelt jittered slightly.

“''Oh─. It looks like we’ve arrived safely.''“

“It’s about time.”

Confirming that the airship had come to a complete stop, Sheltis stood up from his seat.

“Okay, now the─n, Ymy-sama, this way─; make sure to follow me, okay?”

“Y-yes!”

First was Ishtar leading Ymy.

Behind them were the General Affairs Bureau Chief, his female private secretary and the two clerks.

“''Come on, Sheltis, your protégés went on ahead.''“

“I’m in charge of the one furthest to the back so it’s fine. It’s easier to work if I’m a little further away.”

His protégés were the old man, the General Affairs Bureau Chief, the female private secretary and the two clerks.

Standing ahead of the four walking together was Monica, Kagura and Vaiel were flanking the left and right and Sheltis was behind all of them.

“''Oh, it’s quieter than I thought it would be.''“

Advancing down the pedway connected to the airship led them to the departures gate on the second floor of the airport. <ref>[T/N: 出発 is departure. Don't know why they're arriving through a departures gate.]</ref>

The information counter and observation seat and everything else in the giant hall were completely empty. The garbage collector and guidance staff that should be working in the hall were nowhere to be seen.

It was a given that {{furigana|machine crystal|Ilis}} would question it; there were far too little people around.

“It looks like they reserved the airport.”

“''So it’s that an airport with nobody in it provides complete assurance of safety. It’s kind of lonely though.''“

They proceeded down the path from the departures gate towards the airport’s main hall. It was a strange feeling that they wouldn’t meet anyone regardless of how much they went ahead.

“Okay, o─kay, everyone, stop. This is the arranged meeting place─”

With that, Ishtar who was ahead came to a stop with a smile.

“A meeting place?”

“That’s right, Ymy-sama, it seems the person acting as a secretary for the Governmental Sector will guide us. ……Oh, maybe it’s that person? That’s them, that’s them. O─i!”

Look around at the surroundings, Ishtar suddenly raised a hand.

A woman of small build in a white suit slowly made her way over. She had slightly drooping eyes with black-rimmed glasses. Her light green hair was cut short.

“Everyone, I’m terribly sorry for having made you wait. I am the Governmental Sector, sector 1, administration department, general affairs division ── diplomatic secretary, Yuragi. Let us have a favorable relationship by all means.”

The woman lowered her head in an exaggerated action.

“Especially towards the Priestess-sama, I would like to extend my gratitude as a representative of the Governmental Sector to you for coming all this way from the distant {{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}}. As you can see, I am the only one that has come to greet you but please forgive it in the name of complete security.”

The Governmental Sector’s guide's lines were said in a practiced tone.

“Heh─, so you’re known as Yuragi-san. I’m Ishtar, let’s get along─”

“Yes, let us be amiable.” <ref>[T/N: You may notice this sounds strange(?). Emulating the difference in politeness is harder in English since we don't have set forms.]</ref>

Yuragi replied to Ishtar with a business smile.

“Well then, Ymy-sama, I will first guide you to the hotel you will be using this time. The luggage you entrusted to us at the airport has also been carried to Ymy-sama’s room.”

“I-is that so? Thank you very much.”

“That is also our job.”

The secretary pushed on the bridge of her black-rimmed glasses with a smile.

“Today is the day we should commemorate the first time a Priestess has stepped foot upon these grounds……or so I’d like to say, but we of the Governmental Sector do not know how we should react to this situation.”

“……Is that so?”

“We also had thoughts of a grand welcome but there was also the chance we wouldn’t make it in time. Today we have prepared the public hotel on the highest floor of the airport but even that was only reserved yesterday.”

“A hotel reservation!?”

Ymy gulped without thinking in response to the secretary’s words.

“I……I’ve never received such treatment even at {{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}}.”

“There are many specialized guards at {{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}} but I don’t believe there is a necessity to bring such excess defenses here. Ishtar-sama’s prowess has also reached the Governmental Sector.”

“Heeh─. But being complimented here makes it scary afterwaaards. Are you planning something?”

“Who knows? That’s not something I of the general affairs division would be privy to.”

She brushed off Ishtar’s doubts with a smile.

“……Somehow, she gives off a very Governmental Sector feel.”

“''It’s impossible to know her character?''“

“Yeah, well, it can’t be helped if there’s doubt.”

The island with no map. The underground room at the ingeniously hidden facility. And the water tank breeding a Yuugenshu. Whether that would be cleared up would be following the meeting tomorrow but they couldn’t let their guard down at other times either.

“Sheltis.”

Monica who was staying at the General Affairs Bureau Chief’s side approached without a sound. In a suppressed voice low enough that it would be erased by footsteps and wouldn’t be heard at all by anyone.

“I’ll tell you one thing about this female secretary.”

“Yeah?”

“The first sector……that is to say, she’s a spy for {{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}} that’s in the central division of the Governmental Sector. She’s part of an important function of the Governmental Sector with the aim of gathering information.”

“Eh……ehh!?”

“Shh, you’re too loud. It’s secret information, so be careful.”

“I get it but……is that for real?”

{{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}} was dispatching spies to the Governmental Sector. Sheltis had also heard those rumors when he was an Elite Guard but he didn’t think they actually existed.

What’s more, that secretary was one?

Her manner of speaking was good, as well as her manners, and there was no doubt she was a person from the Governmental Sector.

“Since when have you known, Monica?”

“Ymy-sama told me aboard the airship. It’s information nobody other than Cadres Guard Ishtar and the General Affairs Bureau Chief should know so be careful.”

“……What an amazing person.”

Getting into the central division of the Governmental Sector was already of excessive difficulty.

One wouldn’t be employed by the Governmental Sector’s central division unless they were outstanding and being ordinary wouldn’t cut it when spying and sending information to {{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}}.

“Now then, Ymy-sama, if we go down the elevator over there, we will soon arrive at the hotel on the highest floor of the airport.”

Whether knowing or unknowing.

The bespectacled secretary at the head of their group wore an unmoving smile.

.