Editing Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 6 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 3===

The three layers of castle wall protecting Zeltis. The outermost wall was left open.

At that gate, a large number of people carrying large baggage were passing through.

“Refugees, advance slowly! Running or rushing is strictly prohibited! It’s safe already, so there is no need to panic!”

The guards standing at both side of the gate were raising their voices. It was unclear whether their voices were heard or not. The people with tired faces dragging their feet were processing forward through the tunnel dug in the castle wall.

A lot of baggage was piled up on luggage carrier which was pulled by people joining strength. There were people crowding together in confined carriers of a ragged vehicle. Each of their birthplaces and status were different. However what was the same was their haggard faces and dirty appearances, and then their reason that they had to abandon their home town.

The cataclysm caused by the malfunction of Genesis.

Earthquake and drought, desertification and tsunami, and so forth, various cataclysms caused these people to lose their living place and they crossed the wasteland to arrive here.

It was an emergency situation, making it impossible to check the background of every single refugee who arrived in large number. Outside the castle wall, the people who arrived looking for help were making a refugee camp, and while they waited for the deliberation whether they could enter inside or not, they followed the course where the cases of people passing their limits of exhaustion were dying keep increasing. The emperor of Vatlantis Empire, Ainess Synclavia grieved for this situation and opened the outermost third castle wall for them.

“Boss, in the end we can enter inside the castle wall easier than expected.”

Gertrude who was wearing a mantel with hood attached couldn’t be distinguished from the people of Zeltis. She lightly wore the hood, hiding her face to the degree that was not frankly suspicious. The short mantel that reached until her waist to hide her body on the other hand, the exposure rate under her face was conversely high. With a top that was like a band wrapped around her flat chest and low-rise hot pants. These clothes were created in Ataraxia before the start of the operation. This appearance would inevitably become conspicuous if they were at earth, but from the research of the image Kizuna brought home from AU about their fashion, they understood that clothing with abnormally high exposure rate was preferred here. The researcher tallied the virtually recorded clothes, selected the most innocuous design, and created the clothes for use in infiltration.

“It seems so. It’s fortunate that we can slip between the refugees……however, the world over here is also really chaotic huh……”

What Aine said, that Vatlantis was on the verge of danger, it seemed that it was true. Furthermore the situation was quiet dire.

Kizuna recalled the appearance of the people walking beside him when he passed through the castle gate. Ragged clothes with thin body from hunger and exhaustion. Amidst them there was also a girl around the age younger than an elementary school student, her hand pulled by a person that seemed to be her mother. It seemed that she had cried miserably. Traces of tears were distinctively remaining on her dirty face. But right now, even her emotion to cry had already gone, not even tears were coming out from the girl’s blank eyes.

Thanks to this chaos Kizuna and Gertrude succeeded in infiltrating the capital Zeltis. However, along with the nervousness of infiltrating, a disconsolate feeling ruled inside his heart. Although this was an enemy country, witnessing the appearances of their citizens suffering this much made him unable to feel good. The reality of AU that Aine told him made a dark shadow fall in his heart together with the feeling that it was all real.

“…….Nevertheless, this is…”

Gertrude stared fixedly at Kizuna and grinned widely.

“What’s with you, grinning like that.”

“No―, even if I say so myself but I really did a satisfying job. As I thought the raw material itself has also already been good from the beginning.”

There was nothing but females in AU. That was why, it was impossible for Kizuna to infiltrate and investigate by himself. When they considered this operation, this was the point Kizuna felt anxious about the very first.

However, until this current situation where they had slipped through the castle wall and walking inside Zeltis, there was no one that suspected Kizuna.

The reason was――,

“Reallyy~ Boss is really cute you know? That I even feel offended looking at it.”

“……Shut up. Don’t mention about this matter more than this.”

The tall beautiful woman walking beside Gertrude replied. Her long black hair and sharp look were making impressions. She was wearing a mantel in the style of the AU similar with Gertrude, although the exposure rate of her body was not high, the line of her body was firmly drawn due to the jumpsuit she wore.

“It will be bad to be suspected because we are talking carelessly.”

Beautiful pink lips. However, the voice that came out from there was Kizuna’s voice.

“Wai-, boss! This is bad!”

Gertrude took out a spray in panic from under her mantel and sprayed it at the girl’s face.

“Geho-, oi, don’t spray me so suddenly like that!”

The throat that inhaled the spray once more let out a cute girl’s voice.

“Haa……the voice is properly female now. Boss yourself, pay attention at yourself. No one will care of the conversation of someone they passed through, but that voice is bad news.”

“Ku……I got it already.”

Kizuna whose voice was changed into a different person started to walk side by side with Gertrude once more.

Thanks to Gertrude’s make-up and the body adjusting suit that Ataraxia’s research department developed, Kizuna was splendidly tailored into a female.

In a nutshell, he was cross dressing. He was a girl. No, he was a boy girl.

Kizuna sighed deeply.

“……This kind of appearance, must absolutely not get shown to the members of Amaterasu.”

Gertrude easily replied towards that troubled murmur.

“Is that so? I think they will be happy though.”

“I don’t understand that feeling. Why do you think so?”

“No, because, the commander at boss’s place, your onee-san also got delighted didn’t she?”

A deep crease formed on Kizuna’s forehead.

Before the operation started, a rehearsal was carried out at Ataraxia. At that time he put on make-up for the first time and covered his head with a long hair wig. And then the liquid for changing voice cord was sprayed in his throat and they confirmed that his voice was changed into a female. Furthermore, the disguise suit that the research department developed for spying activity was also retailored for Kizuna’s personal use. The tight places like waist were tightened, and the places where it should swell like hips and breast were filled with silicon jelly inside.

When everything was over, what was reflected inside the mirror was not himself, but a beautiful girl that anyone would accept if she was called as Reiri’s little sister.

The splendid disguise using the latest equipment made even Kizuna himself surprised.

And then it was the first time he saw his sister and Kei to be that delighted.

“Both of them even brought out cameras excitedly and held out a little photography exhibition that time. Well, even I took boss’s photos that I think I can publish a photo album with all those photos……with this I won’t get troubled with spending money for a while.”

“Wait a second. Didn’t you just say something I cannot overlook just now?”

“Really―, your face is really similar isn’t it? If boss is lined up with the commander, you two will look completely like sisters.”

“Oi.”

“Look, the commemorative photo is also like this.”

Gertrude showed a glance of her information terminal in the shape of a smartphone from the corner of her mantel. A photo with Reiri and the cross dressing Kizuna in it was fully set as the wallpaper.

“Erase it right now!”

Dodging Kizuna’s extending hand smoothly, Gertrude stored back her smartphone inside her mantel.

“Now now, let’s quickly finish our work. First is to create a map, and then we confirm the place of the target.”

Saying that, she began to walk briskly as if she was going inside a city she knew well already.

“Shit……just remember this. This guy and that guy, all of them are really”

While his clenched fist was shaking, Kizuna chased behind Gertrude.

“First we should go look at the castle.”

Kizuna looked up at the gigantic pillar and the castle that was under it. The castle was supposed to be considerably big, but the hugeness of the pillar made it look in contrast small.

Both of them were walking at the main street with the Genesis as the landmark. This was the street that Kizuna passed inside the prisoner transport when he was first taken away to the AU. Right now there was no human crowd and welcoming decorations, so he could understand well the situation of the city. Clothing shop and restaurant, general store that looked like a supermarket, greengrocer that displayed vegetables he had never seen before, fish dealer lining up fishes with strange shape, and so forth, the view of shops lining up in a row was truly magnificent. There were a lot of commodities he was not familiar with, but the atmosphere of the shopping district wasn’t that different with earth.

Of course, with how many of the things sold here were things he didn’t understand, like items that seemed to be suspicious sorcery tools, shops that sold swords and shields, all those made him feel the difference with the earth.

If there was an aspect of living here that was close to earth, there was also a part that made him feel the large difference. The same thing could be said about this very city of Zeltis itself about that.

The townscape resembled Europe, but because the whole city was created from black material, with the streets and walls streamed by colorful lights, the impression was greatly different with Europe.

“If I remember right, there should be a castle gate if we follow this path straight. And there will be the castle after we passed two gates like that.”

Kizuna recalled the path when he was taken away here.

“This kind of city will still continue ahead of here?”

“No. The nearer we get to the castle, the city will feel even more polished and luxurious. Perhaps, there is a difference in livelihood level or status here.”

After walking for a while, they came to see the second castle wall. However, that castle gate was different with the third castle gate located at the outermost, the gate was firmly closed and they couldn’t easily enter inside.

“The number of guard is……perhaps there are around a hundred from a glance.

“There are three people wearing the imperial guard uniform. Those guys should be able to equip magic armor……how troublesome.”

When they got nearer, there were magic weapons [Blue Head] and [Albatross] lining up along the castle wall, around thirty of them.

Kizuna and Gertrude observed the situation of the checking station built in front of the castle gate from a distance. The front of the castle gate was enclosed by fence and there was only one place of entry. Around that place, the guards’ eyes were sharp as if to say that they wouldn’t let a single bug get through. However, it seemed by showing something like a card to the guard someone could enter into the fence of the checking station. Since the two of them started observing, more than ten groups already entered inside the fence. And then the groups passing went until before the castle gate and were standing by there. There, several dozens of citizens, and several dozens of platform trucks for transporting luggage, and cars were lining up.

Before long the gate slowly opened. It only opened a little gap so that a vehicle could pass through, the people and vehicles standing by were entering through that gap.

“This place looks tough doesn’t it……”

“Are those vehicles transporting goods……it will be great if we could slip into it.”

Gertrude turned back at the main street of the shopping district. Several vehicles were parking in front of the stores.

“But, we don’t know which vehicle will pass through the gate.”

“Yeah, it’s impossible to quickly pass through that gate. Besides, perhaps there will be other ways to enter or other entrances. First let’s try investigating the outer city a little more.”

“Roger. So, which way are we going?”

“…….There is a place I want to go a little.”

Kizuna returned through the path they came from and turned at a large intersection. Then they went up a street that was a little steep like a hill.

“If I remember right I think it’s around here……oh, looks like I’m right.”

At both sides of the street, there were a lot of food stands where it seemed customers could eat while standing and souvenir shops.

“Just what are we looking for here boss?”

“The Colosseum.”

There was the huge Colosseum at the end of the hill. The place where Kizuna fought Gravel.

“I say, it’s quite bustling here.”

Around the Colosseum was a park which was taking considerable space, but in there people were crowding fully that there was little space left.

“Perhaps, today there is a match here. Because of that……”

‘――Don’t tell me,’

Kizuna’s heart was beating like an alarm bell. His pace naturally became faster.

Weaving through the crowd, he advanced to the entrance gate of the Colosseum.

Posters were pasted on the wall near the entrance. Using some kind of mechanism, light particles clung on the wall, moving by itself to draw the image.

‘――That’s the match card.’

His bad premonition was swelling uncontrollably. He couldn’t look straight at the poster and his gaze dropped on the ground, he kept looking down while advancing to the wall. He then lifted his head while praying.

“……Ah”

He couldn’t read the letter, but all the fighters had their photos attached in the projection. There were no faces of Amaterasu and Masters put on the poster.

“I’m glad……they were not made to fight.”

“Boss, don’t suddenly disappear on me like that! What am I going to do if I lose sight of you!”

Gertrude also finally arrived after swimming through the sea of people, she found Kizuna and then looked up at the poster herself.

“Aah……so it’s about this.”

Gertrude also guessed the reason Kizuna’s face changed.

“Well, it can be that they only don’t have matches for today though.”

‘They already fought and died, such thing…….there is no way that happened! Don’t think about stupid things!’

Shaking off his unpleasant thinking, Kizuna shook his head.

“――So, what will we do after this?”

“Let’s see……let’s progress as it is and try going to the other side of the city to observe there.”

“Roger.”

Kizuna looked up at the poster one more time. Amidst the faces projected there, there was only one face he knew about.

A beautiful girl with long blue hair. However that face had a large scar.

If he remembered correctly, that girl was one of the Quartum, the girl called Lunora. Two of the Quartum, Clayda and Elma were already defeated. Only two remained. This Lunora, and the red haired Ramza.

Clayda and Elma were strong. Most likely he also couldn’t face this girl with an ordinary method. He didn’t understand, why this girl who had a high position even in the imperial guard was making an entry in a match at the Colosseum. However, he guessed that she appeared here surely because she had considerable confidence.

“What’s the matter boss?”

“No, nothing……let’s go.”

Perhaps he would fight her too eventually. While thinking about that, Kizuna lined up with Gertrude and left behind the Colosseum.

After they descended the hill from where they came from, and went to the opposite direction, there they met a city with another different atmosphere.

“What’s, this?”

Gigantic fissure ran in the middle of the city.

“Is this a ground fissure? No matter how I look, I don’t think that it’s originally a part of here.”

‘Is this also the influence of the cataclysm occurring in Vatlantis?’

Kizuna was pondering that, but he had no way to confirm it. Looking from afar at the fissure that was surrounded by fence forbidding entry, he then headed to the direction of the business district.

Compared to the area from before, there were a lot of small shops here with complicated alleys. A nice smell was drifting from the street corner. When he looked around tempted by that smell, there was a small shop that was like a stand.

“Uwa, what is this?”

It looked like they were selling meat roasted whole and scraped off like kebab, but there were six legs at that lump of meat hung down from the ceiling by its large tail.

“It seems to be a living thing characteristic of this world. The appearance is like that but……the smell entices the appetite.”

Its surface was roasted crispy and meat juice overflowed from the inside while raising flame. It was cut already so they didn’t understand its original shape, because of that they weren’t really bothered about it. They were assaulted by the impulse to eat, but unfortunately they didn’t have anything like this world’s currency. Kizuna pressed on his noisy stomach and passed the stand.

However even ahead of that there were still many food stands continuing ahead. Next to that stand was a stand selling boiled cooking, this food was also cooked with peculiar spices, it was giving off unbearable aroma.

“This is the city of the common folk……I think.”

When he was a prisoner, he couldn’t really look around the city. That was why there were only few things he could see and hear. If the fact that there were only females here was removed, it felt like he was having a trip at a foreign country.

“Boss. For some reason there is a great crowd there see.”

At the direction Gertrude pointed was a gathering of a large number of people. It seemed to be a plaza place at the city center, but it was really packed full with people.

“Yeah……what is the commotion there?”

Their interest was tickled, but the onlookers were surrounding that place in many layers, so the two didn’t understand what was happening inside there. What they could hear was only ‘kyaa kyaa’ cheers. Before long, a loud voice that seemed to use a megaphone resounded.

“From now on the shooting of [Vatlantis city strolling] will begin―! Please stay quiet.”

The content really shaved off their nervousness.

“It seems like a recording of Vatlantis’s TV show isn’t it?”

“It’s really similar with our world like this……then those crowding people are the curious onlookers of the celebrity acting here, maybe they are even something like groupies here.”

“A star of this world is it, what kind of mug they have? Let’s take a little peek.”

Gertrude hopped around *pyon pyon* trying to sneak a look at the other side of the crowd, but it was completely pointless. What she could see were only the heads of the spectators, although she tried to peek aiming from the gap, the waving hand of the spectators obstructed her and she couldn’t see anything.

“Gertrude, let’s go soon.”

Kizuna unnaturally moved only his eyes at another direction. Gertrude peeked at that direction during a natural movement. At a spot a little distanced from the crowd, there was a knight wearing imperial guard uniform standing on top of a three storey building. Looking carefully, there were several imperial guards placed among the crowd.

“I say……there must be really important people here like this.”

“It’s futile to stay for long here. Let’s leave inconspicuously. Slip along the stream of people naturally.”

Kizuna and Gertrude pretended to enter a nearby store and then entered into an alley, they slipped into a crowd and left that place.

Right after the two left, the preparation of shooting at the plaza began. So that the camera could project the situation of the city nicely, the gathering gallery was made to move. When the crowd stepped aside, the filming location’s state became bright.

At the center were the number one idols of Vatlantis Empire, it was not an exaggeration to say that right now this idol group was the national star.

“Then, we are starting the main event! Start!”

Voices of three girls came out with matched rhythm.

“ “ “Amaterasu strolling the city of Vatlantis~!” ” ”

Amaterasu who was in the height of popularity was playing the role of presenter in an information variety show.

Himekawa, Yurishia, and Sylvia matched their voices to call the show title. The spectators who heard the voices of the three in live raised their cheers in great delight and roared applause that split the air. Every time, they visited the cities of Vatlantis and the surrounding countries and introduced the locality while delivering various information about Vatlantis and Lemuria to the viewer, this was a popular show.

Himekawa who stood at the center of the three began to talk with the signal of the director.

“Previously we were delivering from the country of snow and ice Baldein but……”

“It was really cold there desuu~”

Perhaps the sensation of the cold was revived in her, Sylvia hugged her body while trembling.

“This time it feels like we have returned to our home ground after a long time aren’t we? Yes, today we are delivering this show from here, the imperial capital Zeltis as you see★”

Yurishia faced the camera and winked one of her eyes.

“Where are we going today desu?”

Himekawa faced the direction of the camera and answered with a firm tone.

“First is from Tisura Market in front of us right now. This market has ancient and honorable origin since the long past, there are a lot of delicious things here.”

“Recently you see, many natural disasters due to Genesis made this place receive damage, however this place is still going strong! Even the shops that sunk from the fissure are doing business energetically with their temporary stores. In any case, if you viewers think that ‘that shop is gone already eh~’, then you are greatly mistakennn”

Himekawa smiled at Yurishia who was full of playfulness.

“Besides, there are many cases of the people who recently came to Zeltis from outside opening their shops, so you can also eat a lot of food that is overflowing with the sensation of foreign country here.”

“Even outside Zeltis there are a lot of desertification and ground crumbling, so there are also a lot of people evacuating. The shops that those people opened, as expected it must have authentic taste. Just walking around this market while eating will make you feel a little like in a travel. Well, as for us right now we are exactly in the middle of a trip in an alternate world though aren’t we?”

The gallery surrounding them gave off laughing voices.

Sylvia took a step forward and raised her hand while facing the camera.

“For the sake of supporting those people too, I want you honorable viewers to also show up here by any means desu.”

Himekawa looked around the surrounding with a twirl.

“Well then, first which shop should we start going to?”

“I guess, it’s a little hard to choose but……ah! How about that one I wonder?”

Yurishia pointed at a lump of meat that was like a lizard with six feet hung by its large tail from the ceiling. It was roasted whole and scraped off by sword to eat, a hearty cooking.

“Uwaa~ it has nice smell desu!”

“Then, should we go?”

And then the camera circled to chase the three heading at the store. The director staring at that situation from a slightly distanced location narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. And then she began to talk to the female that seemed like a carrier woman standing beside her, the producer in charge of Amaterasu, Marisu.

“Geez― really nice aren’t they, Amaterasu. Recently it feels like they are increasingly getting in the mood see―”

Marisu also grinned cheerfully from those words.

“Thank you very much. The three of them are getting in the mood after all―”

“Who can imagine that idols who came from Lemuria will become this famous. Well, the way of living of those girls are also dramatic. When looking at those girls, it makes even me want to go to Lemuria. That magic power plant is fine, but I wonder if they will hasten the colonial policy there soon enough.”

“It really is as you say.”

After that the shooting was progressing without problem and it was over three hours later. There were the tidying up of the equipment and various kind of work for the staff, but Amaterasu and Marisu had to immediately move to the next scene without delay.

The limousine that was exclusive for Amaterasu’s use was specially made and prepared by the publicity department of Vatlantis Empire. The shape of its front half imitated dragon head and upper body while the rear half was for the passenger room. The car frame that was created in magic weapon quality was sturdy and could protect the passenger even in the small chance they were attacked by terrorists.

“Haa― I’m tireddd~ uuuuu”

Lying down on the fluffy seat, Yurishia raised a groaning voice as if spewing out her stress.

The seat were placed U-shaped and Yurishia was lying down at the farthest behind seat. At her left side was Himekawa sitting at the seat installed at the side of the car. She drank a glass of water with a single gulp and sighed in relief.

“For some reason, especially recently the work feels like it increased though……”

“Unyuu……Sylvia ate too much, and feels really sleepy desu.”

At the opposite side of Himekawa was Sylvia who was sitting looking like she was really sleepy, her body was beginning to stagger left and right like a pendulum.

On the other hand, Marisu was full of vigor. When she came around to the back seat from the assistant driver seat, she sat next to Sylvia.

“It’s fine to sleep you know―. I’ll wake you up when we arrived!”

“Sorry, desu……desu”

Marisu pulled Sylvia’s body to herself. Sylvia’s body collapsed feebly following the pull and she began to breath like a sleeper on Marisu’s lap.

“So……where to next I wonderr?”

Yurishia who kept lying down let out a fed up voice.

“Err― let’s see, next is Holzon Hospital at Zeltis’s outskirt. It’s a visit to the hospital specialized for military personnel.”

Yurishia’s complexion changed.

“That’s……isn’t that quite strange? Because, they are the opponents we fought right?”

Hearing those words, Himekawa also knitted her eyebrows from the realization.

“Certainly……people resenting us…….”

Marisu waved her hand with a smile.

“No no, of course we will avoid the patients that participated in the battle against Lemuria. It will mainly be the patients that came from the civil war and war with the surrounding countries……the injured soldiers from the war with Izgard and Baldein.”

The car finally came out the street and traversed the wasteland. Himekawa and Yurishia were shocked that inside the castle wall there were areas other than the city. According to Marisu’s story, it seemed that previously this area was a ranch area and grasslands.

Before long they came to see Holzon Hospital from afar. Similar with Zeltis, it was a black splendorous building. The hospital’s size was near the scale of a university hospital on earth, but above all the fact that the hospital was colored black made Yurishia and Himekawa feel discomfort.

The sleeping Sylvia woke up and the three got down the car while still harboring anxiety. Marisu said that just now, but as expected wouldn’t there be many people that held antipathy to them. They were anxious about that matter.

But, the hospital staff that welcomed them, and then the patients welcoming attitude quickly blew away that anxiety. The instant they entered the hospital lobby, shockingly there was welcoming paper crackers raining down at them. It was not really paper but light fragments made from magic power, the fragments sparkled and melted when touching the body before vanishing.

What surprised them next were the welcoming words pasted on the wall. Those words were also written by sorcery, but what made them surprised was that they were written in Japanese and English.

“How is it? The patients were the ones preparing those words handmade you know?”

A nurse asked with a cheerful voice.

Yurishia shrugged her shoulders and murmured awkwardly.

“I say…….I’m beaten. I give up already.”

They quickly mingled with the patients, greeting them at the lobby and after that, for the sake of the patients that couldn’t wake up from the bed they made a round at each hospital ward.

Even the injured people lying down on the bed had their eyes sparkling when they saw the figures of the three.

“Even now I cannot believe that the three of you really came visiting here. It’s like a dream……excuse me, can I ask you for an autograph……”

A patient with both legs injured lying down on the bed timidly presented a transparent board from under the blanket. It was like the square cardboard for autographs on earth.

Himekawa answered with a smile.

“Yes, that’s fine. For whom I’m signing this? Or else do you want the other two signing this too?”

“I, I’m the fan of Hayuru-chan! Please Hayuru-chan sign it!”

“Eh? M, me?”

Himekawa got slightly flustered, but she still signed the board wholeheartedly.

At that time, there was a little commotion from the corridor. The nurse guiding them around made a dubious look and stared at the direction of the door.

“I’ll go look for a little.”

The nurse left from that place and opened the door to peek at the situation outside. At that moment, a small shadow slipped under the flank of the nurse and rushed into the room.

“Ah! Hey, wait!”

Shaking off the restrain of the nurse, the one who finally came before the Amaterasu was a petite girl. Her height was around the same like Sylvia. Looking from the patient gown she was wearing, she seemed to be a hospitalized patient. Her forehead was sweating, perhaps from running or arguing with the nurse outside, her breath was also ragged.

The nurse trying to pin her down from behind was stopped by the raised hand of Yurishia. Yurishia smiled at the sudden intruder.

“Do you have any business with us?”

The girl didn’t answer Yurishia’s question. In exchange, she faced Sylvia with tormented eyes.

――Sylvia opened her eyes wide at that girl’s appearance.

“Yo……you are……”

The girl opened her mouth resolutely.

“Sa, say-, you are Sylvia-san of Amaterasu……aren’t you?”

“……-!”

Sylvia’s lips trembled. However, no word came out from that little mouth. Her purple eyes shook from surprise.

She had seen the girl who came before her eyes before.

Petite body. Rolled twintails. Large eyes and cute face.

However, why was she here she wondered.

Noticing how odd Sylvia’s state was, Yurishia called to her worriedly.

“What’s the matter Sylvia?”

Himekawa also tilted her head.

“This child, I feel like I have seen her somewhere……by any chance, is she Sylvia-chan’s acquaintance?”

――Acquaintance.

Could that way of saying it be used?

Even though once they had the relationship of scrambling for each other’s life.

The girl’s name was Ragrus.

At the occasion of the Tokyo recapture operation, she was the opponent she acted a mortal combat with.

Ragrus controlled a gigantic magic armor Demon, she was a member of the imperial guard. In a fight where life was staked with Sylvia’s Taros, Ragrus wrung out all her magic power and released her trump card [Inferno]. And then, Sylvia had thought that Ragrus might have lost her life due to that.

Right after that, Sylvia and the others became prisoners and were taken into this Vatlantis, so she didn’t know of what happened with Tokyo since then. Naturally, she also had no way to know about the life and death of Ragrus.

But the one in front of her eyes was undoubtedly Ragrus of that time. And then she was sending Sylvia a heated gaze. That gaze fastened the beat of Sylvia’s heart and then made her heart beat fiercely. It felt like even now her heart was going to leap out.

Ragrus squeezed out a trembling voice.

“E, err, I, no, no matter what, wanted to……meet you.”

“-……!!”

Fear was born inside Sylvia’s heart. The inside of her chest was cold like a refrigerator, and cold sweat flowed on her back.

What would she do to her Sylvia wondered. Did she want revenge, to kill her? Had what she did to the opponent in front of her was really that much she wondered.

Tears blurred Ragrus’s eyes and she announced with a loud voice where she seemed to muster her courage.

“I’m-, a big fan of Sylvia!”

For an instant, the inside of Sylvia’s head was pure white.

“……Eh?”

Ragrus looked down with a bright red face. And then while the fingers of both her hands fumbled at each other, she began to talk with a small voice.

“That, it seems that I was discovered at Lemuria but……I don’t remember anything. I don’t understand anything at all about before I came to this hospital.”

Sylvia gulped.

‘――That’s, because of Sylvia’s fault…….’

“The captain of the imperial guard visited and said that I was a member of the imperial guard, that really made me surprised. But, I don’t understand……what should I do from now on……my, magic power is gone, and I cannot do anything……”

The last part was said with voice that seemed to vanish into thin air. And then she stayed quiet for a while without saying anything.

Sylvia didn’t understand, what kind of reply that she should say to her.

An apology? Maybe sympathy? Or else explanation?

Looking at the figure of the first enemy she encountered and defeated, Sylvia felt like she was bound hand and foot and became unable to move.

Ragrus glanced up with a sad face and stared at Sylvia. Thereupon, her gaze was rapidly changing into an entranced gaze.

“Bu……but, at that kind of time……I saw Amaterasu on TV.”

Ragrus put together the fingers of both her hand and slowly closed her eyes.

“The debut live, it was really amazing……it looked like the world of dreams. Sylvia-chan looked like an angel, it was like the self that I lost in Lemuria, was discovered back by Sylvia-chan……I know that there is no such thing but, that’s how I felt. I felt really inspired then.”

Ragrus spoke dreamily. It was as if the memory was vividly scorched into her mind, where she replayed it inside her head many times over. At that time Ragrus’s expression looked really happy.

“That’s why, when I heard that Sylvia-chan is coming to this hospital, it felt like my heart was going to stop.”

Ragrus opened her eyes while letting out a giggle.

Those pure eyes constricted Sylvia’s heart. The pain that squeezed the inside of her chest caused an indescribable emotion to trickle down.

“I was told that I cannot meet you, but I want to convey my feeling no matter what……because I was saved by Sylvia-chan. That’s why――”

At that time, tears spilled out from Sylvia’s eyes.

“E……eh!? E, err, Sylvia-chan?”

“I’m sorry……desu.”

Large beads of tear were overflowing one after another without stopping. Sylvia looked down while covering her face with both her hands. From her lips that was trying to endure, a sobbing leaked out. Himekawa rushed to her in panic and embraced Sylvia’s shoulders.

“Wa, wait Sylvia-chan!? What’s the matter?”

However the one who panicked the most was Ragrus. She was restlessly looking around with a bright red face.

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“That, I, something……th, that, what to do……I’m sorry! I did something, to Sylvia-chan……aa, really I’m……sorry! Anyway I’m sorry-”

Sylvia shook her head towards Ragrus who was flustered a lot and apologized earnestly.

“That’s not it desu. You didn’t do anything bad desu. I’m sorry…….desu.”

Marisu quickly cut in front of Sylvia.

“I’m sorry. Err, Ragrus-chan right? It looks like Sylvia-chan is not feeling too well. We are happy that you went through trouble to come greeting Sylvia-chan but, today seems like……see?”

“Bu, but……I, being hated by Sylvia-chan is……I don’t understand, what is this about……I, what should I……”

Ragrus was in a really panicked state.

Yurishia immediately embraced Ragrus’s trembling body.

“It’s okay. You are not actually hated or anything by Sylvia-chan. I guarantee that! Rather Sylvia is really happy right now. She is deeply moved by you.”

“Bu, but……”

Caressing the head of Ragrus who seemed to be still anxious, Himekawa also cheered her up.

“It’s true. This me too guarantees it. That’s why, can you please forgive Sylvia for today?”

“That’s! Obviously. No, this is not about forgiving or not forgiving!”

“Is that so, thank you.”

Smiling at Ragrus who replied firmly, Himekawa and Yurishia separated their bodies. After promising that they would come again, the two of them embraced Sylvia from both sides and exited the hospital room.

After Marisu informed the director about the photo session suspension and the cut of the event, she led Amaterasu and exited the hospital. And then after they got in the car parking at the front gate, they left behind Holzon hospital. The car was running on the street of the wasteland heading towards the center of Zeltis.

In the middle of the way, they were able to hear the particulars of the story from Sylvia who had recovered her calm.

Yurishia crossed her arms and nodded largely.

“――I see now. So she is the pilot of that large magic armor at that time of Tokyo recapture operation. I had never met her face to face, so I didn’t notice.”

Himekawa too was in a state that couldn’t hide her surprise.

“I had a chance to come in contact with her for just a little at Okinawa but……she is really like a different person now, that I couldn’t immediately recognize her. Sylvia-chan, are you okay?”

“I’m fine desu. I’m sorry to make all of you worried desu.”

Sylvia smiled powerlessly.

“……But, all this time until now, Sylvia and the others always thought that we are the victims desu.”

Sylvia stared at the hospital that was getting distant from the rear window.

“But, that’s wrong desu. Sylvia is also a perpetrator desu. Surely Sylvia…….made Ragrus-san’s life into a wreck desu.”

Yurishia and also Himekawa couldn’t reply to those words. The heavy air inside the car, felt like it wouldn’t allow anyone saying any careless words.

“But, the one who can decide that is not Sylvia-chan.”

At first, they didn’t understand whose voice it was. Sylvia looked for the owner of the voice and her gaze reflexively roamed around.

“Marisu……san?”

She talked not with her usual light tone. It was sharp and serious words. And then her expression also didn’t have any trace of joking around. It was a serious and firm expression that made people feel her unshakeable thought. It was like something constructed from many experiences coated in layers.

Sylvia, Yurishia, and Himekawa were taken aback by the state of Marisu that they had never seen until now. Yurishia barely managed to ask with a stiff smile.

“Err……you are Marisu, right? What’s wrong, so suddenly. Geez, did you eat something wrong?”

“Yurishia, right now we are having a serious talk.”

Yurishia shrank down like a puppy that was scolded from the severe gaze.

“……Sorry.”

Marisu once again stared straight at Sylvia.

“Are you listening? Sylvia-chan. That is a part of war, unrelated to personal good and evil or grudge……it’s only natural that it cannot be so easily distinguished like that. I think it cannot be helped that you hold guilt. But, if someone sees you crying from sadness and regret like that, have you wondered how Ragrus that you met just now will think?”

“That’s……”

“Surely Ragrus will feel sad. After all that child received encouragement from the smiling face that you displayed on the stage.”

“……”

“What you currently can do is not to apologize at that girl’s past, but to work hard for the sake of the smiling face of the current her, isn’t that right?”

Perhaps that was only an idealist talk.

But, she couldn’t deny such thing.

After all idealist talk, was a beautiful and magnificent thing.

She honestly thought so.

Marisu’s words easily slipped into the heart of the three.

“Hm? ……”

Himekawa’s eyebrows knitted tightly.

“Marisu-san. You mean to say, that we need to work even more?”

“……”

“……”

The three gathered dubious stares at Marisu. Marisu whistled unnaturally and averted her gaze.

“My― did you interpret what I was saying like that? Stop that, that’s just your persecution complex―.”

Yurishia couldn’t hold it and burst out into laughter.

“Aahh―, geez! I’m already honestly in admiration here! Give me back my admiration-!”

Himekawa also burst into laughter following Yurishia.

“Really, Marisu-san really has no oversight.”

Sylvia also wiped her tears while raising laughter.

“Really true desu.”

Sylvia looked back at the hospital one more time. The building of the hospital already disappeared behind the hill and she couldn’t see it anymore.

“But, the thing that Marisu-san said……I also think that it’s true desu……Sylvia, wants to make everyone smile desu…….both Lemuria and also Vatlantis.”