Editing Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 4 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 3===

Located some distance from the girls dormitories was a dorm belonging to Mitsuki alone. My accommodations consisted of a room in that building.

Normally, we would have our meals together in the dining hall at seven in the morning and the evening, but today, Mitsuki still had not returned when dinner time came.

Alone, I ate the meal prepared by the housework robots—the auto-maids—then returned to my own room.

After finishing my daily muscle training in my room, I took a shower and just as I was getting sleepy, I received a message. My portable terminal showed an icon for incoming mail and rang.

'Please come to conference room number one on the first floor of the clock tower immediately.'

The sender was Mitsuki. The email only contained the brief instructions above.

—Head over to school at this hour?

This was surely about handling Kili, right? But why ask me to come over?

Despite not knowing the reason, I still followed instructions and made my way to school.

Although everything was shrouded under the canopy of the night sky, the stars were bright and it was not difficult to find my way.

The school's clock tower, visible from everywhere on the island, was still brightly lit.

I used my portable terminal for identification to get past the gates, then entered the silent campus. Since the usual entrance to the clock tower from the corridor was closed, I entered through the back door

"Conference room number one... That's here, right?"

I looked at the room signs and walked. After finding my destination, I opened the door.

"—You arrived at last. How slow, Mononobe Yuu."

I felt troubled to be suddenly greeted by Lisa's glare, only to see that all of Brynhildr Class had already gathered.

"Nii-san, hurry and take a seat."

Standing in front of the whiteboard, Mitsuki urged me to sit down. Next to her was Shinomiya-sensei while the others were already seated.

"Yuu! Over here!"

Hearing Tia called me, I took the seat next to her.

"Tia, all of you were called here?"

"Yes, we've been waiting for Yuu the whole time."

Since Mitsuki's dorm was farther away than the girls dorms, it looked like everyone ended up waiting for just me.

I looked around the room and met gazes with Iris, who was sitting diagonally in front of me on the right.

"Good evening, Mononobe."

"O-Oh... Good evening."

Iris greeted me shyly in a quiet voice and I replied nervously.

Lisa and Firill were sitting in the front row. Ren was sprawled on the table napping while Ariella shook her shoulder.

"—Looks like everyone is here. Then I will start the announcements. Ren Miyazawa, time to wake up."

Shinomiya-sensei took a step forward whereas Mitsuki retreated to the side.

"Mm..."

Ren rubbed her eyes and looked up.

"Sorry for summoning you at this hour. Although it is very sudden, I would like you all to set off for the Principality of Erlia at 0600 tomorrow."

"What—?"

I was not the only one exclaiming in surprise. Everyone was staring speechlessly at Shinomiya-sensei.

"Currently staying in the Principality of Erlia, Kili Surtr Muspelheim is seeking Midgard's protection and demands to be picked up by Ds. Hence, I have selected you as the pickup team."

After saying that, Shinomiya-sensei looked at each of us in turn.

"Mononobe Yuu and Lisa Highwalker have combat experience against her. Tia Lightning has a long and involved history with her. Mononobe Mitsuki is the captain of the Dragon Subjugation Squad whereas Firill Crest is a princess from the Principality of Erlia. Given such a talented group, I believe that Brynhildr Class is the most suited to carrying out this mission."

"H-Hold on! Shinomiya-sensei, are you implying she will be admitted into Midgard again!?"

Lisa asked loudly with disbelief.

It was only natural for her to be worried. Kili had caused serious destruction in Midgard. Welcoming someone like her would be suicidal behavior.

"I know what you are trying to say. However, since her message has been broadcast widely across the entire world, Midgard has no choice but to respond humanely."

"But she's a terrorist, right!?"

"All Ds will be discredited if she were to be exposed as a terrorist. Having covered up their crimes so far, NIFL probably won't disclose the identity of a deemed disaster either. In other words—We cannot treat her as a criminal."

"E-Even so... I still don't agree that this is the correct response."

Lisa argued desperately. Precisely because Lisa cherished her friends more than anyone—cherishing them as family—she could not allow a dangerous person to enter Midgard.

"Yes, it is definitely not the correct response. But to the outside world, we can only act in this manner, then adjust afterwards."

"Afterwards...?"

"Yes, meaning after we take her out of the Principality of Erlia. You will tell her that we will put many restrictions on her freedom if she is to live in Midgard. If she does not accept, you will let her go on the condition that her being a deemed disaster will not be disclosed."

"Restrictions on freedom is an appropriate measure... But is it really okay to let her go if negotiations break down?"

Lisa frowned and asked.

"Midgard is an organization that protects Ds. Even if she is deemed a disaster, we have neither reason nor obligation to kill her. More importantly, I cannot allow any of you to commit murder."

Hearing Shinomiya-sensei's answer, Lisa could not help but fall silent.

To commit murder—Such was the weight behind those words.

"I will continue if there are no other questions. Although Ds are forbidden from stepping out of Midgard's territorial waters, for this special exception, you are granted a five-day exemption. We will use this period to travel to the Principality of Erlia and make contact with Kili Surtr Muspelheim."

"Shinomiya-sensei, I think that kind of duration seems too long for simply transporting Kili."

The five-day exemption bothered me so I raised my hand and asked.

"Indeed, there are grounds for that. Starting the day after tomorrow, the Principality of Erlia will hold a grand funeral for King Albert for three days. And she has openly told the media that she would participate in a flower offering ceremony on the last day, so we will transport her only after the funeral. Before that, I want your team to serve as her bodyguards."

"Bodyguards... Really?"

"NIFL will likely target her life, but while she is staying in the Principality of Erlia, she is purely a D trying to seek help. At least until we negotiate with her, we must not allow her to be killed."

If Kili was treated as a D, Midgard was duty-bound to protect her. I understood this principle quite well, but—

"That Kili... I don't think she needs bodyguards."

Recalling her powerful abilities, I remarked. If killing her was the objective, that would be a separate matter, but in normal combat, she was definitely stronger than me.

"Even so, unexpected things will always come up. Hence, I am counting on you, Mononobe Yuu."

Judging from the way Shinomiya-sensei worded things, the one actually performing bodyguard duties was probably me. I understood this too, because what we needed to guard against were humans. As a former soldier of NIFL, there was no better candidate than me, but... I still felt quite worried.

"...I understand."

Still, giving anyone else this task would be too dangerous. Hence, I sighed and gave up on resisting. Reluctantly, unwillingly, I accepted the job.

After detailed explanations on the itinerary, we were dismissed roughly an hour later.

"We are setting off early tomorrow, so we must hurry and get ready... Nii-san, may I trouble you to pack my luggage for me?"

"No problem, leave it to me."

I nodded to Mitsuki and left the conference room together.

I never expected we would leave Midgard again so soon after defeating Basilisk.

Although it was a journey to foreign lands—I could not feel excitement stirring in my heart.

Feeling that what awaited us was a future impossible to imagine, I wiped my sweaty palms on my clothing.