Editing Hyouketsu Kyoukai no Eden:Volume 6 Final Chapter (section)

===Part 5===

A pure white glimmer extended as far as the eye could see on the downhill of a gentle slope.

It was a scene reminiscent of a large snowy valley with many large mountains stretching out. It was not actually snow but countless salt piled up over the course of many years.

“Look, Sheltis, it’s an amazing place.”

Accompanied by {{furigana|Machine pearl|Machina}}, Kagura gave a sigh of admiration.

“Water with a little salt content flows here into the basin from the river and evaporates, accumulates and creates this beautiful scenery. I’ve seen it in documents but it’s my first time seeing it in person.”

“Really, it’s like snow.”

Crunch……crunch…………

Salt grains crunched underfoot. It felt like he was stepping on a lump of snow.

Shantia Great Salt Lake.

It was one of only two salt lakes that had been confirmed in the vast Biotope and was terrain that bore the prefix of ‘Glittering <Shant>‘.

“It really is amazing; this is all salt?”

“……It’s not very appealing.”

It was somewhat unusual but Monica and Vaiel who were walking ahead frequently surveyed the surroundings.

“Captain Horn, sorry for the wait.”

Finally.

Two Regular Guards were bearing a machine gun and jogged over when they noticed them.

“What’s the situation?”

“No changes. With the two units patrolling the vicinity and the two support units, there are four units in total surrounding the great salt lake. To now, there have been no reports of it slipping through the encirclement.”

“Good work. Don’t slacken your caution; I’ll be tracking the ‘S vector, eighth class‘. I ordered Scheele to be on standby but has she arrived?”

A girl in vestments walked up after the two Guards.

“I’m here.”

“I have only one order for you. Erase the Yuugenshu’s mateki with a barrier type spell when we find it. I won’t say you need to restrain it, but at least keep it in one spot. You can do it, can’t you.”

“I will do my utmost.”

“That’s good; then follow along.”

“Ye…………”

Yes. The apprentice Priestess who spoke suddenly stopped moving and stood still. She wasn’t even quivering but only her shoulders shook lightly──

“What’s wrong?”

“Monica……senpai?”

Without answering Horn’s question, the girl removed her hood.

“Monica-senpai!? Monica-senpai! I-It’s me! Pia!”

“Pia……Pianalis Scheele?”

With a glance at the girl’s face exposed to the sunlight, the girl who served as unit captain greatly widened her eyes.

“Wawaa, it really is Monica-senpaiii! No way, no way, why are we meeting here!? Actually, what’s with your appearance? You look just like a Guard!”

“Not just look like, I actually am a Guard. Since moving past being an apprentice Priestess, about three years ago…………h-hey, wait! I get it, so let me go a bit!”

Monica earnestly pried herself loose from the apprentice Priestess clinging to her and sighed.

“……I told you many times to refrain from just hugging people.”

“I’m just that happyyy! Since I managed to reunite with a senpai I thought had retired in this kind of place. It’s not like I’m trying to act the part of a mature apprentice Priestess either───……ah……”

Falling silent and taking care of her surroundings, the apprentice Priestess slipped her hood back on.

“A-Ahem……my apologies, Captain, I lost myself there. As it was a reuniting with a revered senpai, please overlook this.”

“Just give me a brief explanation.”

“Y-Yes! This Cadet Guard here is my senpai as an apprentice Priestess. This is from two years ago, but she advanced as far as the final trial for a Priestess.”

“……Is that so.”

Horn raised an eyebrow at Scheele’s words.

“Yes. Pardon me, but did you not allow her to travel with you because you knew this?”

“…………”

Without answering the apprentice Priestess’ question, Horn casually folded her arms.

“I see, an apprentice Priestess who made it to the final trial. So that is what the Priestess <Ymy> and the Cadres Guard <Ishtar> appraised you on.”

“──No.”

Monica directly faced the Sennenshi who spoke with an implicative tone.

“That appraisal was not mine but my entire unit’s.”

“You sure can talk.”

Horn smiled boldly.

“──Change of plans. Scheele.”

“Yes.”

“You will remain on defense of this camp. In this large of an area, we don’t know where the S vector, eighth class will appear.”

“Understood.”

Watching the apprentice Priestess slowly back off, Horn’s next focus was the girl holding the crossed rods <Rosario> in both hands.

“Your said your name was Monica.”

“……What is it?”

“I’ll have you take responsibility for what you said.”

Massive, black machine pistols. The Sennenshi who held one in each hand of these heavy firearms that a normal person would require two arms to hold.

“I will also order you into combat based on the enemy’s strength so be prepared.”