Editing Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 8 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 4===

"Hmm... That was a good sleep. The air is so fresh."

Iris got off the car, stretched and breathed in the morning air comfortably.

"—Is this the stronghold?"

I looked up at the two-story residence that looked white and hazy in the morning mist and asked Shinomiya-sensei.

After traveling several hours by car, we had arrived at a villa deep in the mountains.

"...Looks like a rich person's vacation home."

Ren rubbed her eyes and said.

The others were looking around with drowsiness still visible on their faces. Although this was clearly far out in the woods, the trees and garden were trimmed and very well kept.

I was carrying the unconscious Mitsuki on my back. As for Vritra, who was bound by a vine, she was showing an expression of displeasure because Tia was holding the other end of the vine.

"Indeed. This is a vacation home belonging to someone in a position of power. The entire mountain is part of the premises. Surveillance cameras and other security systems are very well-equipped. We will instantly know if anyone intrudes into the premises."

After listening to Shinomiya-sensei's explanation, Ariella commented in amazement.

"That's amazing. Rather than a vacation home, it feels more like a safehouse."

"Yes, this place is also designed for hiding important people. Since the communications equipment is top-notch, we won't be isolated on the intelligence front. Medical facilities are apparently available too."

Shinomiya-sensei spoke while advancing towards the villa and we followed.

"Look, Mononobe-kun, over there is a tennis court."

"Yuu, there's a pretty garden!"

Firill and Tia pulled my arms and pointed at what they had discovered.

"...What kind of bigshot does this vacation home actually belong to?"

This was not a place that could be managed by someone who just had a bit of money.

There was also the fact that NIFL had let us go so easily... The principal must have persuaded someone quite high up. That person's level was likely near the top of the country.

Charlotte calling herself humanity's sovereign might not be an exaggeration.

"I was told that a caretaker normally lives here, but to prevent him from getting roped into our problems, he was asked to evacuate. There is plenty of food here and the facilities can be used freely."

Shinomiya-sensei looked back over her shoulder and explained to us.

"Okay, Mononobe, play tennis with me."

"Sure, if I can get some rest first... Iris, you're so energetic."

Seeing that Iris was the only person in high spirits, I could not help but smile wryly.

"Yeah. Maybe it's because I had a good sleep, my body is in excellent condition. If it's now, I feel like I won't lose to anyone!"

Iris made a movement as though swinging a tennis racket.

"—Iris Freyja, please save the fun and games for after the strategy meeting. ''They'' should have arrived before us..."

Just as Shinomiya-sensei finished, the villa's door opened from within.

"You guys are so slow. We've had enough of waiting."

"We have waited a long time, everyone."

Kili Surtr Muspelheim and Lisa Highwalker appeared.

I had no idea where this villa was located but perhaps it was relatively close to Nanato City. That or Kili and Lisa might have flown over here.

Then someone else appeared behind them—A blond young man.

"John! You woke up!"

Seeing John Hortensia, who used to be in the same team as me in NIFL, safe and sound, I called to him loudly.

Kili had rescued him after he was captured by Kraken Zwei and brought him to us. I was very worried because he was originally in a coma, but he had evidently regained consciousness.

"Yes, sorry for worrying you. I'm glad you are safe and sound too, Captain."

John answered in relief but for some reason, his expression quickly became shrouded in gloom.

"What's wrong?"

"Umm, Captain, about the Kraken's child, there's something I need to tell—"

Rumble<nowiki>~~</nowiki>...

John was just about to speak under a somber atmosphere when a cute sound was heard.

I looked around, only to see Tia holding her stomach, blushing.

"Tia is hungry..."

"—Let us share information over breakfast, shall we? I happen to be preparing breakfast, so it will be done soon."

Lisa smiled with an expression of "no helping it" and waved to everyone.

"I'll come help you after I move Mitsuki to her room."

I loaded the unconscious Mitsuki onto my back while I spoke. After staring worriedly at Mitsuki in her deep sleep, Lisa renewed her morale and smiled.

"Very well—I look forward to your help, fufu... Cooking together with you brings back memories of the school festival."



The mountain villa was designed with an open layout. The living room opened up to the second floor with the sun's rays streaming in from a skylight.

The kitchen was spacious with fresh ingredients in the fridge. Cooking here was not a problem at all.

"My apologies for leaving breakfast's preparation to you because cooking has never been my specialty..."

Shinomiya-sensei revealed her lack of culinary expertise and apologized to those of us who were preparing the meal.

"You've been driving for the whole journey here, Shinomiya-sensei, so leave the rest to us now. Please have a rest."

Tia chimed in energetically after my reply:

"We will make a yummy breakfast! Please wait and look forward to it!"

Due to practicing during the school festival, breakfast was quickly readied through our collective efforts.

Since cooking rice would take time, we prepared simple offerings such as salad, ham, eggs and toast.

"I never thought I'd get to eat the Captain's own cooking..."

John seemed inexplicably touched. Even his eyes were getting moist.

Everyone was at the dining table apart from Mitsuki.

"Then let us begin."

We started breakfast at Lisa's urging.

"...Great, this is pretty good."

Firill chewed her ham and eggs contentedly.

"Yes, it is very delicious. I didn't have the time to visit your Japanese teahouse during the festival despite being your teacher, so I'm glad to taste your cooking now."

Everyone looked at one another happily after hearing Shinomiya-sensei say that.

However, eating in harmony was not the only thing for us to do.

While having breakfast, we first told Lisa's group about what we had experienced and learned.

The battle at the NIFL base, Mitsuki neutralized, dragon marks changing in color—as well as what Vritra had revealed.

Kili smiled wryly after listening to these topics.

"A second-generation dragon will treat all Ds as potential partners. By the third generation, the entire human race will become targets... I never expected a scheme to such an extent, color me impressed, Mother, but—"

Kili praised Vritra while looking at the young girl sitting next to her, then laughed.

"—Bound by a vine right now, how unseemly you look."

"Hmph.. Mine objective is accomplished so long as the antimatter user sleepeth. I care not for the current circumstances."

Vritra made a displeased look and turned her face away. On the other hand, Kili happily brought a piece of jammed toast to Vritra's lips.

"But you can't eat in this state, can you? Just now, Yuu has passed me the job of monitoring you, Mother, so I shall look after you from now on."

"Unneeded, I shall not eat that—"

"Here you go, say ah—"

Ignoring Vritra's refusal, Kili brought the toast closer.

"S-Stop! Do not shove it over! Jam is getting on my face!"

—Kili clearly enjoyed the situation.

I smiled wryly, took my eyes off the squabbling mother and daughter then looked in John's direction.

"Okay, let's listen to John's intel next. You wanted to tell us something about Kraken Zwei, right?"

"Y-Yes! Actually—"

John was originally about to bring a piece of tomato to his mouth. He stopped and started to explain.

What he told us.. was truly shocking.

"—So this means that Kraken Zwei left the lab to chase after you, John?"

Unable to believe immediately, I asked John.

I could not reconcile the young girl who had attacked us with mithril hair and antimatter with the image of her hugging John while crying.

"Yes, no mistake about it. That child yearns for me, almost like... a child yearning for her parents."

However, John remained insistent. Immediately, Ariella crossed her arms before her chest and said:

"So this is probably what they call filial imprinting. Because you are the first person that Kraken Zwei saw after her birth, so it thinks you're its parent..."

"However... John was captured by Kraken Zwei, right? If she thinks you're her parent, why..."

Firill raised a question.

In the middle of playing around with Vritra, Kili sighed deeply at this point.

"That's another hidden story. Seriously... What I did was a complete waste of effort. Very well, hurry and tell them what happened next."

At Kili's urging, John continued:

"The Kraken's child was very obedient. Oh, even though we couldn't understand each other in the beginning, throughout the dialogue process, she gradually started to comprehend what I was saying... She's really smart!"

John looked especially happy while he spoke.

"Stop acting like an idiot parent showing off her child and get to the point."

However, Kili complained about John going on a tangent.

"I-I don't need you to tell me that. Anyway, the Kraken's child settled down after I told her not to cause a commotion. But because of that, Sleipnir found an opening..."

"Sleipnir, you say?"

I could not help but gasp to hear the name of the team that I used to belong to and had served as captain.

"Yes. Sleipnir launched a sudden attack while we were camping in the mountain. Reacting late because she was obeying me, the Kraken's child was open... I sacrificed myself to block the attack for her."

John touched his chest after saying that.

"I definitely suffered a mortal wound at the time. In my fading consciousness, I saw the child in anger—I was already on a bed when I woke up. Kili should know better what happened during that time."

With the subject passed to her, Kili shrugged.

"Let me be clear first, I am only speculating. I think the Kraken's child probably used dark matter to perform biogenic transmutation, thus healing John from the verge of death."

"What...? You're saying that Kraken Zwei can even use biogenic transmutation?"

I asked in surprise.

Since the transmutation of a living creature's physiological structure was too complicated, beyond the processing capacity of the human brain, it was not a realm that ordinary Ds could reach.

Kili and Tia were probably the only ones capable at the moment. Tia might have used Yggdrasil's power since the vine restraining Vritra was undoubtedly biological matter.

"Because I can't think of any other possibility. The Kraken's child must have been moving while protecting the unconscious John. But because I snatched him away by force, she chased desperately..."

Listening to this point, Shinomiya-sensei frowned.

"In other words... Kraken Zwei's objective was not you, who is now seen as a mate, but him, who she treats as a parent?"

"This I don't know. Since she marked me, that means she probably wants me too. Through the dragon mark, I can sense feelings of that type vaguely."

Kili answered while pressing down on her right hand's dragon mark that had turned purple.

"...Reproductive desire is a living creature's basic instinct. 'Tis highly probable that she hath forgotten the likes of familial affection long ago."

After chewing the toast that had been stuffed in her mouth and swallowing it, Vritra smiled smugly and spoke.

"Indeed, considering that our dragon marks are changing in color... She must be prioritizing mates."

Ariella pressed her hand on her abdomen and agreed with Vritra. Instantly, a heavy and silent atmosphere shrouded everyone.

"Wait! It's too early to decide that. Just let me meet that child and confirm with her. Before that, I hope you won't jump to conclusions first. That child is no dragon... She's human."

John stood up with a screech of his chair, insisting in a strong tone of voice.

"—Personally I feel the same. I hope that child... I hope Miyako's daughter is human. However, we cannot release her so simply given how difficult it was to imprison her. Let us add this proposal to one of our countermeasure options when we take action in the future."

Clenching both fists, Shinomiya-sensei announced this approach.

As Shinomiya Miyako's older sister, she wanted to agree with John, but as the commander, she could not act according to private emotions.

"...That is good enough for now, thank you."

Perhaps sensing Shinomiya-sensei's resolve, John lowered his head and bowed, taking his seat again.

"Then Shinomiya-sensei, we will be staying here for the time being while observing the situation, will we?"

Lisa asked a question as though summarizing the conclusion.

"Yes, we will observe for the next few days. If there are no changes, we should be able to return to Midgard. Suppose Kraken Zwei leaves the hole, we will have to find a way to resolve the situation. Otherwise, there will be no future for Ds."

After declaring that, Shinomiya-sensei turned her gaze to me.

"Mononobe Yuu, contact your family first. No matter how the situation unfolds, we probably won't have the luxury of going back. Although you cannot reveal the whole story, you still need to give them a proper explanation and don't let your family worry."

"—Understood."

Seeing me nod, Shinomiya-sensei resumed her meal.

Showing consideration for other people's family, her face looked so gentle from the side.