Editing Shinmai Maou no Keiyakusha:Volume 9 Chapter 2 (section)

==Part 8==
Basara looked back towards the voice that echoed through the ceremonial.
As he did so, two people with looks he wasn’t familiar with stood a step away from the door.
One of them was a man who wore a dark navy suit. The other, was a woman who wore a gold- designed cloak long enough to reach her ankles, her face covered with a white hood. Basara narrowed his eyes as he saw the design of her shining emblem.
…That is.
Without a mistake—it was the emblem of the 《Vatican》. Furthermore, despite being shadowed by her cloak, she was armed with a sword. Basara could make shape of it right away. And then, she probably noticed the same thing of him. On the upper stage—on its side, Shuya was silenced,
“I can see you’re the inquisition from the 《Vatican》… But I have heard that you were not supposed to arrive until tomorrow?”
“—So that our plan could go faster, we had been told from the top”
The woman said, as she walked up gracefully.
There’s a thin, calm smile upon her lips.
“I think this is improbable but… It’s so before our present hearing, those here in Japan aren’t holding a covered-up discussion for your own conveniences.”
At those words, Basara understood the goal of the 《Vatican》, which did not have conclusive evidence.
…The subject of this proceeding is both us and the 《Village》, huh…
Of course, it wasn’t as if they had optimism that it had nothing to do with them but, …Damn, even though it’s just a little more…
Without thinking, Basara clenched. The meeting with the elders had been brought to a good conclusion here; the path for the argument to be concluded was being opened… Just a little more. They’re not decided at the worst possible time. If the proceeding opened here, the talk clumsily turned around—at worst, their united talks with the elders could be completely turned over.
“..”
As the 《Vatican》 woman saw Basara grinding down the back of his teeth.
“Please don’t make such an awful face Basara… Just as we are meeting again after a long time” “Eh—?”
At his confused tone the woman walked over and stopped by him.
And then—she took off her hood.
The figure underneath was of brilliant blonde hair and translucent emerald eyes. From her calm manners, he had thought that she was an older woman, but she was younger than his expectation… She was most likely around Basara’s age, a beautiful young girl.
—That girl had said ‘meeting again after a long time’.
In Basara’s past, when he had contact with the 《Vatican》 would have been before he was expelled from the village—that means, at most 5—6 years ago.
…That’s right.
There was a time when they exchanged combat tactics with other districts, including that of the 《Vatican》. At the time, Basara and the rest were still small, so they didn’t go overseas but from one of the 《Vatican》 units that came, there was a girl that was about their age. From the form of the girl in front of him, Toujou Basara was able to see a vestige of the girl he met in those past days,
“Celis…?”
As Basara dumbfoundedly spilled out the name of his childhood friend from overseas, “Yes… So you do remember me”
She said, happily, the girl—Celis nodded, she then moved her eyes to those beside him,

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“Yuki and Kurumi too, I’m glad you all seem well”
To that Celis who’s smiling,
“Celis-nee, it’s you…?” “Why… Are you here?”
At this unexpected timing, to be able to meet again put Kurumi and Yuki to confusion first. To that, Celis gave a sigh.
“All of you are too surprised… Well, it can’t really be helped” Because
“There’s a lot to talk about—a lot between us”
Celis said, her eyes glazed with nostalgia. The meanings of those words were in regards to, the tragedy that happened when they were apart, and how that changed their standing and relationships. The tragedy that happened in this Japanese 《village》 was told to the other Hero districts too.
Celis too knew—what happened in this 《village》 with Basara. But,
“…I apologize, but first I must do my work”
Saying that, Celis faced the elders directly. Then, she put her hand on her chest. “Greetings to all three of you elders… So, just in case, I shall introduce myself once more” A pause.
“Celis Reinhardt. Coming here on the behest of the Pope from the 《Vatican》”
Then, indicating the youth behind her with her eyes.
“This is my aide, Cleo Angeles” “…”
At Celis’ introduction, the youth named Cleo just gave a silent nod.
“As such—the two of us shall perform the hearing here for everyone here”
She said, a loud declaration.
So then, with the Vatican officer intervention, the discussion was rushed to a new place.
In the midst of that, Toujou Basara refrained his remarks, and waited for the words Celis would choose next.
…First, to know the goal of the 《Vatican》.
The possibility for this kind of situation had been in the corner of his mind since he had heard from Shuuya that a car was bringing the hearing officers to the 《village》 from Shuuya. However—this time, his opponent was the 《village》. Still holding on deeply to the trauma of the tragedy, no matter what, his consciousness would be concentrated in front of nervous eyes. He also didn’t regret having retaliated on the elders’ unreasonable pursuit of Mio, and he did not think that was a mistake.
…But.
He had lacked a little cool.—That fact was undeniable.
In one on one debate, there are times where feelings would go through, but that was a no go with a discussion with the three of them. If his reasoning was agitated, it could have an opening for it to be stabbed by logic. He must not turn both the 《Village》 and 《Vatican》 into his enemies, avoiding a 2-on-1 confrontation.
…On top of it.
How Shuuya had leaked the coming of the 《Vatican》 party to Basara and the others, there’s a chance that the elders don’t know that. Even if the elders might know, it was unexpected that the hearing officer would be Celis. In other words, they could play dumb, stunned at this opportunity.
More than anything, Celis’ declaration of earlier just now. Although she had said ‘for everyone’, the statement was issued right after her greeting to the elders. Of course, it could be pointed to everyone here, but so to say, the elders know that her real role was to intervene on behalf of the 《Vatican》. In that, just as Basara determined to wait,
“It’s been a while, Miss Celis… For you to be the hearing officer from the 《Vatican》 was a surprise”
The one who sparked that was Kumano.
“A hearing in regard to us, that is quite unsettling… Furthermore, coming earlier due to the possibility of us carrying out an unjust discussion, we have only heard that officers from the
Vatican would come, without knowing the intention. In this, we would have no way to hold any of such.”
“Yes… That’s why, as I have mentioned, I too think it is improbable.”
To Kumano who had a nasty smile surfaced on his face, Celis replied with once more, a calm smile.
“So then—let us ask the details behind our hearing.” This time, it was Atsuta who had asked aloud.
“Why did the 《Vatican》 decide this was necessary?” To those words,
“—Naruse Mio”
Celis let out Mio’s name quietly. “—?”
Beside Basara, Mio gulped down in surprise, looking at Celis. Having her name said out like that—that’s a natural reaction. But on the other hand, Celis, without looking at Mio, continued to fix her eyes on the elders.
“No, more than simply her, all of Basara’s group that had included Naruse Mio” Upon saying that—she said decisive words.
“We know that currently, the 《village》 in Japan had been monitoring them but—the Vatican determined, that there’s a problem with this decision.”