Editing Hyouketsu Kyoukai no Eden:Volume 5 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 7===

──She was staring up at the night sky.

The night celestial sphere could be seen through the dome made of glass. She wasn’t looking at the stars or the moon and was just in the mood to aimlessly stare at the sky to put everything out of her mind.

……It should be right around now.

……Sheltis should be infiltrating the Governmental Sector around now.

“Ymy-sama is romanticist, huh─. Have you come to like this room?”

A voice that was casual and sweet no matter the place.

Coaxing? No, it’s like the kind a mother uses to placate a child……it’s that kind of voice.

“Ishtar-san, do you not like the starry sky?”

“Mm〰, I don’t hate it but I don’t think about wanting to look at it forever. I’d rather see I’sa-chan than stars and if I can’t have that, then I’d choose to train.”

Ishtar was holding a towel that was a little wet. Ymy thought she had gone to the bathroom but not even a few minutes had passed before she returned. Her clothes were the same formal wear as well.

……Come to think of it, it’s been the same for three days.

“You’re fast at taking a bath.”

“I always take a quick bath─. Ah, but I haven’t really taken a bath in a few days? I’ve just been wiping myself with a wet towel.”

That was the first she’d heard of that. She had thought she was at least taking a quick shower.

“……Are you also holding back on taking a bath?”

“Until we get back to {{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}}. We don’t know when an enemy might attack.”

“You haven’t been sleeping enough since we came here either.”

“Yes, that’s why I’m looking forward to going back home─. I want to roll around in bed.”

……She’ll go that far to guard me?

……Even though she’s not a Sennenshi, and even though she only came along specially for this regardless of her will.

“Is it strange? Well, if I had to say the truth, it can’t be helped that guarding’s a pain. Umm, that’s not specifically directed at Ymy-sama or anything, okay? I don’t want to act out the role of a Sennenshi. That’s why I remain as an Elite Guard.”

“……That’s unexpected.”

Rather than shocked, she was more surprised.

“In that case, you didn’t have to accept being my escort……”

If it was a mission on the level of guarding a Priestess, not even an Elite Guard could refuse. But they could be exempted if they had prior business and there was even more assuredness if they were to claim to be in bad condition. A Guard of Ishtar’s level should also know that.

“This time is special. Ishtar also has an ulterior motive.”

She rested a tuft of her hair in her palm.

“I have a goal. If I didn’t escort Ymy-sama like this, I wouldn’t have a chance to come to the Governmental Sector. Well, in reality, even if Ishtar comes to the Governmental Sector, the chances of her goal being conveniently accomplished are low.”

“That is──”

“It’s, a, secret. This is something Ishtar’s even keeping secret from I’sa-chan, so it’s also a secret to Ymy-sama. ……Ah, but there’s another reason that Ishtar’s doing a relatively firm job of guarding Ymy-sama.”

“I’m understanding this less and less.”

The inside of her head seemed to have become mixed up so Ymy made no efforts to hide a frown.

“Umm……so the truth is you didn’t want to guard a Priestess but Ishtar-san, you had an ulterior motive that motivated you to come here to the Governmental Sector? But the reason that you’re looking after me so well is……for a different reason?’

“That’s it─. If Ymy-sama goes to sleep obediently, then I guess I’ll talk about it?”

Shiver. With it pointed out so accurately, she took a step backwards without thinking.

She was busy thinking about Sheltis who had headed to the Governmental Sector and couldn’t sleep. That took no small amount of mind reading. Really, this Elite Guard is discerning in everything.

“……I get it. I’ll do my best to sleep.”

That’s why I want to know. Why is someone who so openly states that guarding a Priestess is a pain guarding me so attentively like this?

“It’s for distinction.”

Unexpected words leaked out from the Cadres Guard’s lips.

“Are the Priestess-samas satisfied with the Guards in the tower right now?”

“……Eh?”

“Ishtar isn’t satisfied at all. I’sa-chan who just became a Regular Guard is out of the question. Everyone else is weak, too weak. I’ve thought the same thing for many years……but just a little, there were also kids amongst them that stood out. Like Horn-chan or Leon-kun.”<ref>[T/N: That's ホルン which is pretty much how you say "horn". Holn look more like a name though.]</ref>

The third Sennenshi, {{furigana|Mechanically Armored Soldier|Ex Machina}} Horn Nova.

The fifth Sennenshi, Great Sword User Leon Nestrius Ohva.

The names she had just given had both already become Sennenshi.

“Ishtar knew one more that was better than or at least on par with those two. There was a disparity between his strength and emotions but it was a child that would have become a Sennenshi within a few years.”

Who would that be? Who is the Guard that could rival those two that she’s talking about?

“The reason Ishtar is properly guarding Ymy-sama is in deference to that child with a little bit of a feeling of atonement. Because I pushed something troublesome onto him.”

“…………”

The person that she had pushed something troublesome onto. Is her guarding me sincerely connected with atonement to that person?

……That would mean.

……With that manner of speaking, the one that comes to mind is───

“Ishtar-san, what are you thinking?”

“You’ll come to understand. You’ll also come to know Ishtar’s goal when the time comes.”

She turned around.

Her side profile was coldly sharpened to the point that Ymy’s spine froze up.