Editing Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 9 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 4===

After the meeting, Mica-san and I returned together to Charlotte's private bedroom.

Charlotte's breathing in slumber could still be heard from the bed. The only thing that had changed since we left was her sleeping posture.

Her clothing had rolled up to expose her belly button. I covered her up properly with the blanket then walked to the balcony.

I should take this chance to give Ariella a call. It was just past noon so she shouldn't be sleeping.

But just as I took out my portable terminal, I suddenly heard the ringing of an incoming call. The screen indicated the caller was unknown.

To this date, there were only two people who always dialed this number as unknown callers.

One was Ren's father, Miyazawa Kenya. The other was—

"......"

Doubtfully, I touched the screen to pick up the call.

'—Hello, 2nd Lieutenant Mononobe.'

The instant I heard this voice, my entire body's muscles tensed up.

Appearing on the screen was the face of my superior officer during my NIFL days, Loki Jotunheim.

While feeling surprised, I also thought—Sure enough.

I had a feeling that he was going to contact me recently.

Roughly a week earlier, the sneering man portrayed in the screen here had sent out a team of drones led by Hreidmar to attack us at the mountain villa where we were taking refuge.

At the time, I had conversed with Major Loki over Hreidmar's communication.

The fact that Hreidmar's armor contained only smoke. The statement that change would be triggered by acquiring power. Then there was what he said about the true identity of the almost complete "Fafnir"—

"Major Loki... Are you sure it's okay to talk to me now? Isn't it necessary for the Midgardsormr defense system to switch to interception mode before you can communicate without Midgard's knowledge?"

Trying to find time for my turbulent emotions to calm down, I raised a question.

From this balcony on the top floor of the clock tower, I could see the blue ocean surrounding Midgard.

Midgardsormr would rise above the water during emergencies to form defensive lines but it was not activated at the moment.

'Oh, you don't have to worry about that. Remember I visited during Midgard's school festival as a member of the observing delegation? I put many preparations into place back then. By the way, I also know that you are currently alone in the balcony on the clock tower's top floor. This comes from a satellite that was launched a few days ago for monitoring Midgard.'

Revealing a bit of his mischief, Major Loki smiled and said:

"—Satellite aside, it would be troublesome if Midgard were to discover those preparations. By the way, I'm not obliged to keep quiet."

I looked up while warning Major Loki. Given current technology, even discerning a person's face from satellite orbit would be a piece of cake. It looked like he had called me after confirming I was alone.

'You can report all you like. It is no longer necessary for NIFL to maintain a superficial stance.'

"What... do you mean?"

Noticing something dangerous in Major Loki's words and expression, I asked in return.

'Don't you get it? It's easy to figure out once you understand what the world has become.'

Major Loki shrugged with a surprised look and continued:

'Dragons are monsters roaming freely across the world. Mankind's common enemy, disasters requiring total cooperation between humans to handle. Hence, Asgard was established and NIFL, a military force with international jurisdiction, was organized. You should know all this.'

"—Yes."

I nodded and started to realize what Major Loki was implying.

'But there are no more dragons in the world. All dragon have been exterminated. At least on the surface.'

Major Loki said suggestively. I did not know how much information NIFL had gathered on Vritra, but judging by his mentioning of "Gray" in the past, he most likely knew of Charlotte being a dragon.

"Asgard and NIFL no longer have a reason to exist... Is that what you mean?"

'Indeed. Putting Asgard aside, NIFL will be dismantled recently, downsized and converted into an organization centered around D-related missions. Consequently, there is no longer any need to consider NIFL's position.'

Revealing he did not care about souring relations with Midgard, Major Loki narrowed his slender eyes.

'What we should consider is what comes later. Having lost the common enemy of dragons, you should know what will happen to humanity, right?'

"Conflict between humans—Is that what you're talking about? But I don't think large-scale war as before will break out between humans after cooperating together until now."

Noticing Major Loki's point, I refuted him in a forceful tone. However, he sighed in surprise again and shook his head.

'You've got it backwards, 2nd Lieutenant Mononobe. Twenty-five years ago, dragons appeared, forcing humanity to put aside many things, concealing, holding back dissatisfaction and hatred. Once the dam is gone, all hell will break loose. Signs of this are already appearing all over the world.'

"No way..."

Because we defeated the dragons, world stability was collapsing?

'—Oh, don't misunderstand. I don't mean to blame you. Rather, I should praise you. You exterminated dragons, bringing the world closer to its original state. However...'

For the first time, the smile vanished from Major Loki's face.

'The world remains unnatural due to a dragon's existence. By the hand of the "Gray" Vampire—Charlotte B. Lord.'

"—"

As I had thought, Major Loki knew Charlotte's true identity, but more than that, I was more surprised by Major Loki's face and voice when he said Charlotte's name.

Conveyed there was intense hatred. It was my first time seeing Major Loki with such overt emotions.

'Take out "Gray," 2nd Lieutenant Mononobe.'

"What..."

Staring straight from the screen, Major Loki ordered me.

'This is the reason why I contacted you this time. To save humanity, I hope you will help. The current "Fafnir" should be able to eliminate her.'

"W-Wait! It's true that the principal is a dragon but she's on the side of humans—"

'Wrong, "Gray" is not on humanity's side. What she protects is something different.'

Major Loki interrupted me and jeered.

'In the world plunged in great war, "Gray" has committed grave sins. Many lives were lost for no reason at all, due to her fault.'

"That's... impossible!"

A gaming enthusiast, sometimes scolded by Mica-san, sometimes acting like a principal, Charlotte was trustworthy.

I could hardly believe she had taken many lives. However, Major Loki's words were filled with certainty.

'"Gray" is a monster that dominates mankind, toying with humans as her pawns. Her father too—'

However, the screen on the terminal was suddenly scrambled and Major Loki's voice was cut off.

"—Don't insult my father."

I felt an intense chill down my back.

Charlotte was standing next to the balcony's French windows. Starting when, I had no noticed at all.

Normally relaxed with a sunny smile, her face was now shrouded in cold fury.

"Charl...?"

I forced a word out and she raised her right hand with a slight twist in the corner of her mouth. Held in her right hand was something resembling a switch.

"This room is equipped to cut off communications through electromagnetic interference. I used it."

Charlotte shrugged and explained how she had interrupted Major Loki's call. Her tone of voice was carefree as usual, but her eyes were not smiling at all.

"You heard the conversation just now?"

"Yes, pretty much starting from the part about me distorting the world. My friend... Are you going to follow that man's orders to take me out?"

I could not read any emotions from Charlotte's voice.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not going to take you out, Charl."

I instantly replied but Charlotte shrugged slightly.

"Are you sure? What if he was speaking the truth?"

"...Huh?"

I gasped and responded in shock.

"It is true that no small number of lives have been lost on account of my will and choices. Perhaps for humans... I might be the worst dragon."

Smiling in self-mockery, she looked at the dumbfounded me, turned around and returned to the room.

I felt anxious about needing to say something, but confronted with the view of her back, I was unable to say anything.

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| Forward to [[Unlimited_Fafnir:Volume 9 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
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