Editing Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 1 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 3===

"Training after school... Is that so?"

Due to accompanying Iris the whole time until her emotions stabilized, I returned late. As soon as I got back to the dormitory, I went directly to the dining hall to pitch the afterschool training idea to Mitsuki.

It was just after 7pm. Arranged on the dining table were dishes prepared by the housework robots, but they looked untouched. Mitsuki had probably been waiting all along for my return.

"Yeah, I heard that we could practice as long as we obtained authorization."

"Indeed, such a rule exists... In any case, we should start the meal first and you can tell me about it. The food is getting cold."

Mitsuki pointed at the dinner laid out on the table.

"You're right. Sorry for making you wait. Let's begin."

"Yes, bon appetit."

Mitsuki clapped her hands together then picked up her chopsticks. While picking up food with chopsticks, I continued to converse.

"We need time to train. Iris' state is obvious from today while I don't know anything because I just transferred. At this rate, it doesn't take a genius to predict next week's test results. We won't pass."

"That is true indeed..."

For some reason, Mitsuki was reacting a bit sluggishly. Sticking her chopsticks in the roasted saury, she was half-heartedly engaged in the conversation.

Tonight's cuisine was pure Japanese style. The table was laden with my favorite dishes. If anything, Mitsuki's preference lay in western food, so she must have prepared this for me.

"So I guess we have to discuss directly with Shinomiya-sensei?"

"No, my position is sufficient to grant authorization. No need to trouble Shinomiya-sensei, but... Nii-san, why are you trying so proactively to help Iris-san?"

Mitsuki asked in a slightly sulking tone of voice.

"Do I look like I'm favoring Iris that much?"

"Yes, quite."

Mitsuki gazed at me with narrowed eyes. Her response came with no hesitation at all.

"If that's the case... I guess it's because Iris has been trying as hard as she can."

"Trying as hard as she can?"

"Yeah, someone who tries as hard as they can... It somehow feels impossible to ignore people like that."

Just like Mitsuki three years ago—

I added these words silently in my mind while smiling at Mitsuki.

"Hmm... N-Nii-san, you are too nice, but... It is commendable that you are not doing this for ulterior motives. No helping it, then I shall take on the role of supervisor—"

In the middle of Mitsuki's sentence, an alarm suddenly sounded in the surroundings.

"W-What?"

I looked out the dining hall window in surprise, only to see the academy clock tower at the island's center, flashing a red warning light.

'Emergency warning, emergency warning—Level E alert, Type Yellow. I repeat, Level E alert, Type Yellow!'

The urgent voice was coming from speakers inside the dormitory but Mitsuki did not get up from her seat. Instead, she continued her meal gracefully.

"Mitsuki, is it time to be eating leisurely now? There's an alert!"

"Yes, but the alert mentioned Type Yellow, which ought to be 'Yellow' Hraesvelgr approaching this island."

"What are you talking about!?"

"But seeing as it is Level E, that means Hraesvelgr simply brushed past the warning zone, that is all. Since Hraesvelgr flies at high-speed in the stratosphere, this type of approach happens roughly once or twice a month. Relax, it will end very soon."

No sooner had Mitsuki finished than the alert sound stopped. The red warning light also shut off.

'Target has left the warning zone. All units, please return to regular stations.'

This time, the announcer's voice was calm. I breathed a sigh of relief and returned to eat at the dining table.

"Gave me quite a fright... I thought a dragon was going to attack. It's because I heard during the daytime that dragons target this place."

"Dragons start their advance after the dragon mark of one of the Ds changes color. Currently, I have yet to receive reports of that sort."

After finishing this sentence, Mitsuki drank her miso soup and ended the meal.

I hastily shoved the rest of the food into my mouth.

"—What a wonderful meal."

"Fanksh fo' da food..."

With food in my mouth, I mumbled a response to Mitsuki.

"This is very impolite, Nii-san. Neglecting etiquette will worsen others' impressions of you, so please pay attention. Come, do over."

"—Thanks for the food."

"Pass. So, Nii-san, I shall make a trip to the school. Although nothing happened, there are aftermath matters to handle. I will take this opportunity to complete the procedure for training site usage."

"Thank you, Mitsuki!"

I stood up to thank her.

"This is not something worth thanking me for. As the student council president, it is only natural to assist students who are striving to improve."

"Even if that's the case, I'm still grateful to you."

I thanked again. Mitsuki avoided eye contact.

"I-I was interrupted just now. I am supervising to prevent you from engaging in any behavior with Iris-san that goes against public morals, Nii-san. I will watch you two carefully."

"What are you talking about? We're just training."

"Who knows if that is really the case... From what I saw, today's warm-up exercises were very suspicious already."

Mitsuki glared coldly at me.

"Ugh... Don't worry, I'll be careful. I won't let that kind of thing happen again."

"Please, Nii-san. Since this is a fundamental matter but too delicate for me to bring up in front of other girls... Do know that inappropriate interaction between genders is strictly forbidden! Rather than a matter of public morals, it stems from more serious losses."

"Losses?"

"You know this, right? We Ds lose the power to create dark matter once we reach twenty years old or so—or become pregnant."

Mitsuki spoke, her cheeks reddening slightly.

"I've heard that kind of rumor before... Then it's true?"

I was surprised. Essentially, only Midgard held correct information regarding Ds. Many of the rumors circulating in the world were completely fabricated. I originally thought the pregnancy rumor was one of them.

"What...? So that is your level of knowledge? How fortunate that I decided to remind you beforehand as a precaution... If you were to take away someone's powers, Nii-san, you would probably be handed over to a tribunal meeting and sentenced to harsh punishment. Please, you must... you must pay attention."

Mitsuki glared at me harshly from extremely up close, warning me again and again.

Confronted with such pressure, I had not choice but to nod in response.