Editing Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 8 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 3===


"—How unexpected. I can't believe they let us go so easily, even going as far as to provide a vehicle for transportation..."

On a bumpy ride in a military transport, I commented to Shinomiya-sensei.

Once the confinement order was lifted, we took the unconscious Mitsuki and left the NIFL base. Roughly half an hour had elapsed since. Driving along a mountain road that lacked street lighting, the vehicle was surrounded by darkness with only the headlights and the stars in the sky as light sources.

"Because the principal negotiated on our behalf, NIFL cannot overtly interfere with us for now."

Shinomiya-sensei answered while keeping her eyes on the road.

"Where are we going next? Back to Nanato City?"

I was sitting in the front passenger seat. To avoid waking up Iris and the others, who were sleeping in the back seats, I continued the conversation quietly. Right now, it was past 2am.

The poisoned Mitsuki was not the only person sleeping. Iris, Tia, Firill, Ariella and Ren, all five of them were currently fast asleep.

The only ones awake were myself and Shinomiya-sensei—as well as Vritra who was sitting on my lap.

"No, returning to that town would be very dangerous while it is uncertain how the situation will develop next. Your parents and innocent people might get caught up in danger."

"Then—"

"Don't worry. By pulling strings, the principal has secured a location that's suitable as a stronghold for us, which is where we're currently heading. Lisa Highwalker and the others are expected to meet us there."

Shinomiya-sensei controlled the steering wheel carefully, driving along the winding and treacherous mountain road while telling me about future plans.

"...Hey."

Sitting on my lap, Vritra called out in displeasure.

"What?"

"Do not give me 'what.' This treatment offendeth me greatly."

A vine was entangling her entire body to restrict her freedom. Vritra squirmed forcibly and glared at me. According to Tia, this vine was very similar to Yggdrasil's clone that had caused a huge commotion at Midgard's school festival.

Even if Vritra generated dark matter, the vine would automatically steal it, transmuting more vine to tie her up. Hence, Vritra was unable to perform transmutation even while Tia slept.

Tia's ability to control this kind of power was an indication that her synchronization with Yggdrasil was proceeding smoothly.

Tia needed Yggdrasil's knowledge in order to enter a discussion with Vritra. Although Vritra had given up on that discussion... For the sake of understanding Vritra's objective, Tia still spent time to synchronize cautiously.

Once Tia obtained Yggdrasil's knowledge, we should be able to understand many things.

After all, Vritra was keeping silent, refusing to reveal her true goal. I was just thinking that she finally opened her mouth again, but it ended up being irrelevant complaints.

"Thy lap is too hard and uncomfortable. There is still space in the back. Allow me to sit in the back."

Vritra pouted while demanding improved treatment. Since she had taken the form of a young girl, her facial expression looked quite cute—But I could not agree to her demand.

"No. Who knows what you'll do even if we've prevented you from performing transmutation. I can't put you together with everyone who's sleeping."

"...Art thou saying that one must maintain this posture the whole time?"

"Yes. In my case, I can detect killing intent even when I'm asleep. I'll know if you try anything, so don't get any funny ideas."

I yawned while I warned her. I had no intention of staying awake the whole time to monitor her.

"Hmm... Thou adamantly refusest to modify the arrangement at hand? Ah—Hath this body of mine incited lust in thee?"

"What!? C-Cough, c-cough, what nonsense are you suddenly spouting—"

Confronted with an unexpected accusation, I coughed and questioned.

"'Tis a law of nature for males to be aroused by females. Art thou intending to enjoy a female body whilst I am immobilized..."

Vritra looked up at me with an icy cold gaze.

"No way in hell I'd do that! I sat you on my lap because of spatial constraints—Wait, don't you start looking at me so coldly too, Shinomiya-sensei!"

Seeing slight revulsion in Shinomiya-sensei's expression, I protested.

"Oh no, my apologies. Although I do understand the situation... There is an air of criminality when you have a little girl tied up, sitting on your lap."

"Urgh..."

Precisely because of Shinomiya-sensei's calm attitude, her observation stabbed deeply into my heart.

"Hmph, do as thou please if molesting my body is thine intention. 'Tis a temporary body after all. Although 'twould be unpleasant... Having lost in battle, I must accept the way things are."

Looking like she had resigned herself, Vritra leaned her back against me. A whiff of fragrance from her black hair revived memories from my dance with Kili at the Principality of Erlia.

—This is the same scent.

"Hmm, this maketh for better seating. My posterior hurteth no longer."

Due to her moving around on top of me, I found it a little difficult to calm my thoughts, but I took care not to let it show on my face. At the same time, I said to her:

"...Just sit in relaxing posture. Don't worry, I won't lay my hands on you. After we meet up with Kili and the rest, I'll ask her to take over supervising you, so please bear with it for now."

If I had to keep watch over Vritra twenty-four hours a day, not just Shinomiya-sensei but even Iris and the rest of the girls were probably going to start viewing me with strange gazes.

"Oh? In other words, thou art not so deprived of females that thou needst to make a move on me? Indeed, 'tis true. Thou art surrounded by so many females, 'tis only natural."

Vritra glanced at the back seats and shrugged.

"Mononobe Yuu... Is that true? What unmentionable things have you done to them—"

Immediately, Shinomiya-sensei questioned me in a low voice.

"I-I haven't done anything! Vritra, please stop talking."
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"Hmm... From my standpoint, I have no wish to displease thee either. This human body also needeth rest, hence I shall heed thy counsel, to shut up and sleep."

Consequently, Vritra closed her eyes and entered a state of slumber.

Although she had already displeased me greatly, I did not have the energy to protest.

After I sighed in resignation, Shinomiya-sensei apologized to me.

"My apologies. As a former D, I am not too familiar with men, so I accidentally believed what Vritra said."

Shinomiya-sensei scratched her cheek in embarrassment.

"Oh no, don't worry about that—"

I frantically shook my head to tell her I did not mind.

Indeed, it was understandable that she would lack a lot of knowledge if she had been living in Midgard where there were no other men.

Although her dauntless attitude and rank as colonel contributed to her image as a mature woman... She was still quite young, most likely twenty or so.

When talking to her normally like this, the impression I got was that of an older sister with a narrow age gap.

Because not too long ago, she used to be a student at Midgard just like me.

"—Shinomiya-sensei, you used to be the Dragon Subjugation Squad's captain, right? I heard Mitsuki mention that everyone idolized you."

Shinomiya-sensei smiled wryly at my question.

"Praised as outstanding talent and getting carried away—I did go through such a phase indeed. However, my abilities were nothing special, because I couldn't even save a single person, my younger sister."

Shinomiya-sensei's words made me realize—

Like Mitsuki, she was shouldering a heavy cross due to Shinomiya Miyako's death.

During the Kraken battle two years ago, Shinomiya-sensei's younger sister, Miyako, had turned into a dragon and was killed by Mitsuki's own hand. And the one who had issued the order to attack was Shinomiya Haruka, the Dragon Subjugation Squad captain at the time.

"Regret over that incident was what made me stay in Midgard even after losing my powers. The principal offered me a chance for atonement. That being said, even to this day, I still haven't been able to save anyone by my own power."

Shinomiya-sensei spoke in a tone of self-deprecation but I disagreed with her.

"No way, I'm sure there are people whose lives were saved thanks to your unerring judgment."

"I'm very happy that you can say that, but the one who has been turning every crisis around is you. I am sincerely grateful to you that there has been no more victims like Miyako."

Shinomiya-sensei took one hand off the steering wheel and patted me lightly on the head. Smaller than imagined, it was a woman's hand, soft and warm.

Regarding the arrival of Kraken Zwei—what could be considered her sister's daughter—She must feel equally shocked as Mitsuki. But even so, she did not forget her position as the commander.

Just like two years ago, she did not forsake her duties as captain of the Dragon Subjugation Squad—

"...Thank you very much."

Rewarded by a woman like her, that was all I could say in response.

"You should rest too. Vritra has long fallen asleep."

I took a closer look to see Vritra sleeping soundly against me. Her sleeping face was so innocent that it made me feel like a fool for being so wary of her.

"Yes, understood."

However, I still could not free myself of nervous feelings even after closing my eyes.

The sense of despair when I saw Mitsuki collapse to the ground—

That was something I did not want to experience ever again.