Editing Hyouketsu Kyoukai no Eden:Volume 4 Final Chapter (section)

===Part 2===

The sea of trees was dyed in the singular color of scarlet.

Upon the animal trail shrouded in an eerie silence, the puppeteer girl’s figure ran along as if flying. The solid and pointy bedrock and marsh were ignored by sprinting through the large trees, leaping from branch to branch.

It was a form of movement that rendered the complicated landscape inconsequential as well as circumvented wild beasts. It was a simple spring, but the amount of continuous running needed to cover the harsh territory like this in one hour was truly as expected of a Regular Guard.

───How about this side?

Monica and Vaiel were lined up chasing I’sa who was at the front, with Kagura lagging slightly behind.

It wasn’t by file but simply the order of speed and physical strength. Vaiel had physical strength from his outstanding physique amongst men but the unit captain Monica was also keeping up well.

……It looks like she’s having trouble, but Kagura is also doing her best.

The last of the five people, Sheltis surveyed the backs of the members ahead of him.

───If it’s like this, we can perform the rescue faster than I thought.

“I wonder if we’ll make it.”

“''That’s what we’re here for, right?''“

Ilis’ reply that could even be called a challenge was correct.

Rescuing the lives of those attacked by Yuugenshu was a race against time. If it formal wear that had carved shinryoku seals applied, then there was more or less a resistance against even a Yuugenshu’s mateki. At any rate, if they arrived before it developed into a serious incident, there was the possibility that Monica’s purification spells would be enough to heal them.

Because they understood this, Kagura was trying her hardest to keep up and Vaiel, wearing his signature displeased expression, didn’t seem like he was going to voice any complaints.

Finally.

“…………”

I’sa who was at the front wordlessly held her hand parellel to the horizon. Lower your speed ─── reading that sign, Monica and Vaiel, followed by Kagura, halted.

The destination was close. At a crawling pace, they silenced their footfalls and pushed through the tree branches. What awaited them after they circled a gigantic tree was───

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Four Cadet Guards were lying face-down on the ground.

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“Monica, come with me! Sheltis, Kagura and Vaiel, keep watch on the surroundings!”

I’sa ran towards Nash while quickly sending orders out.

Holding up the black-haired young man, I’sa immediately pressed her finger against the artery in his neck ─── after a little while, she breathed out a long sigh with an expression of slight relief.

“It looks like the three over here are also breathing……I’m glad.”

Monica sighed, having confirmed the other three’s breathing in the same manner. But having been an apprentice Priestess, she soon tightened up her expression and bit on her lip.

“Examiner I’sa, I shall take over the rescue of Nash.”

She softly laid down the three people being held up. Monica, with a severe expression, stared at the dark purple mist coming off Nash’s formal wear.

───The corruption of mateki.

Yeah, said I’sa with her eyes slightly widened.

“I heard from Instructor Yumelda that you used to be an apprentice Priestess.”

“……I wasn’t very good at the baptism-type spells right to the end though.”

With a shadow falling within her eyes, Monica smiled wryly.

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[Sia Sec elis arc......Is io miel]

[That day's dream, once more......for the sake of that.]

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The girl’s aria that wasn’t enough to be a short tune.

Her sakura-colored hair was, by a very deep red ─── it became shrouded in particles that shone with a crimson light. The light gathered to form a line which expanded and blew away the dark purple of the mateki.

The mateki eating into Nash’s formal wear was purified, then the ground underneath, and then it spread to wash away even the mateki that had infected the large tree to the rear.

“……The corruption of mateki has been repressed for the time being. How’s that side?”

“Not doing so well.”

Myun-fa ─── Kagura scowled as she held up the female shinryoku practitioner. The hand stopping the blood flowing from her shoulder and back wounds was soaked red with the bleeding.

“There’s no corruption of mateki but her injuries are more severe. ……She may have taken a surprise attack from behind so there’s a really deep wound on her back which might have pierced an artery. The other three also seem to be in the same state.”

───A surprise attack from behind.

Remembering their unease with that single phrase from Kagura, the other members turned around.

“Then it’s decided. There’s no use loitering here.”

Shouldering one of the Cadet Guards, Vaiel stood up.

“Come on, let’s start heading back. The Yuugenshu that attacked these guys might be hiding close by.”

“They’re not. There are traces of fleeing.”

Staring him head-on, I’sa didn’t quiver at all. The scars on the ground that were giving up smoke formed a direct line away from the large tree they were standing at.

“Hey, hey, don’t tell me you intend to pursue it……you sane?”

“In just a little under an hour, it’ll be night.”

I’sa didn’t turn around. In the sea of trees that were dyed crimson, the sun that was setting towards the horizon shimmered in the gap between the tree leaves overhead.

“The Yuugenshu at night are dangerous. The dark purple mist that covers their body blends into the night and they’re practically invisible……even if we return to the cottage, it’ll be dangerous if we receive a surprise attack.”

Then they should pursue now and strike.

I’sa’s words were filled with a force that wouldn’t accept any dissent.

“We’ll be dividing the unit into two groups, the pursuit squad and the rescue squad. Firstly, for the rescue squad that will stay here and look after Nash’s unit……Kagura and Vaiel, can I leave it to you?”

“Understood.”

“Ah? Me?……it’s a lot easier than fighting Yuugenshu so it’s just what I wanted.”

Kagura nodded and Vaiel didn’t seem to have any objections.

“Then it’s settled. Monica who can use shinryoku to resist mateki, ……and that dual swords user over there.”

Not his name but dual swords user. The puppeteer girl presumed to call him that.

“I’m asking just in case but do you have any experience fighting Yuugenshu?”

“I won’t be any trouble.”

He drew out the hilts of the dual swords from the holder on his belt.

“I see. Then come along; don’t betray my expectations, okay?”

After I’sa who rustled her formal wear, Sheltis ran through the sea of trees wordlessly.

Seeing off the three who were following the Yuugenshu’s escape tracks───

“It’s just the two of us.”

“Ahh?”

Vaiel turned around with a sour look and Kagura smiled wryly at his unchanging aggressive tone.

Just the two of them. She had wanted to ask for a long, long time and had searched for a time and place to no avail. She hadn’t thought the chance would come with this timing.

“……Could I ask one thing?”

“What’s this, don’t get all strangely formal.”

She chose to remain wordless in the face of that displeased tone.

“──────”

She silently took off her machine helmet. Deep green hair and ash grey eyes. The girl’s face was young and transient. The signature pointed ears of the Nell folk were exposed.

“…………”

For an instant, for just an instant, his expression had certainly changed. She felt that.

“Have I met you before?”

Do you remember me? About me who had collapsed while crossing the desert in the middle of training……and how you piggybacked me all the way to the medical office.

“It’s already been two years.”

“No idea.”

Turning his face to the side, his response was quick.

“……Is that so.”

I knew. I should have known but……as I had expected, he has forgotten me. When I invited him to the unit and trying to drag him in by even proposing a threatening deal, I had hoped that perhaps it would cause him to remember.

“How pointless. Don’t expect too much of people.”

Within the sea of trees dominated by silence, his click of the tongue echoed dully.

“……Is it bad to have expectations?”

“Think about that yourself. It’s because you don’t understand that that you’re a brat.”

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