Toaru Hikuushi e no Seiyaku:V3Part1

Volume 3 Part 18 (Continued) (Part 1 of Volume 3): Air Hunt Officer Academy

Air Hunt Officer Academy (Continuation)

Looking up, the sky had turned into a thick, rocky mass. Just moments ago, it had been a clear October sky, but now, the rugged surface stretched as far as the eye could see, exerting a dull pressure on the blazing ground below.

A huge rudder, over five hundred meters long, sliced through the turbulent atmosphere. The sound of propulsion units set at its perimeter reverberated through the airspace. Amidst the roar that distorted the space, shards of shattered airship machinery fell like blue copper-coloured powdery snow onto the ground ablaze.

The flames would not die down. As they devoured the iron snow, their intensity increased, roasting the rocky ceiling from below.

The narrow space between the ground and the rocky ceiling was filled with flames, dust, mechanical debris, and the screams of fleeing people. Suddenly deprived of the sky, their city destroyed, people emerged from their burning homes, unsure of where to go, merely wandering in the hell of heat.

In the year 1338 of the Imperial Calendar, October, Karanakuta Island in the Duchy of Clefelde──.

Mio Flores knelt on the ground, her hands on her ears, her gaze returning from the sky to the pile of rubble before her.

She couldn’t comprehend the meaning of this scene.

The Flores family should have welcomed another peaceful morning today.

Surrounded by her father, who worked for a trading company, and her gentle mother, eight-year-old Mio was preparing to go to school. Having just turned eight this year, she was now in the lower grades. After downing a jam bread with hot milk and bidding her parents farewell, she stepped out of the house, only for the next moment to find her home blown to smithereens.

Then, a swarm of airships covered the sky.

Silver-gray and deep green airships tangled together, exchanging fierce gunfire, and soon only the silver-gray ones remained in the sky.

Bombs rained down like a storm, swiftly incinerating the airfield, anti-air facilities, and urban areas.

What should have been unchanged peace was, in just a few moments, painted over with death, flames, and destruction.

“Damn it, it's Kalkinos!” “Why is a flying fortress attacking such a remote area?!” “The Duke of Clefelde is finished; everyone run!”

The adults shouted in panic. Mio, unable to think, remained sitting in front of the rubble where her parents were buried.

Eventually, the world turned dark in broad daylight.

A massive flying island loomed overhead, dragging the sound of propulsion units with it.

The Ninth Air Fortress of Urano, "Kalkinos."

The words that the adults had shouted earlier barely brushed against Mio's mind.

Her familiar city was being engulfed in flames. The air fortress above did not move, sitting at an altitude of two thousand meters as if observing the fleeing people below.

Mio did not run away; she simply prayed to wake up from this nightmare as she stared at the mountain of rubble.

She had no memory of what followed.

She felt someone’s shouting voice nearby, and she was forcibly lifted by a soldier in an unfamiliar uniform and placed in the back of a truck with a tarp.

Without the ability to think, she was unloaded from the truck in an unknown wasteland, chased by soldiers with guns, and confined to a prefab building surrounded by a fence.

The air fortress had disappeared from the sky. In its place, soldiers of the Hydrabard Army landed and had nearly taken control of all major facilities on Karanakuta Island.

Most of the surviving adults were either coerced at gunpoint by the Hydrabard Army or confined in this isolated area filled with prefabs.

The Duke of Clefelde, who had governed Karanakuta Island on behalf of the Sylvania royal family, was captured and taken to the capital of the Hydrabard Union. The leader of the Olg Party, Dizzy Osborn, who ruled the Hydrabard Parliament, intended to seize all that belonged to the Sylvania royal family. The Duke of Clefelde's fate had already been sealed.

The adults in the camp spent their days discussing such matters. Mio, whether she wanted to or not, could only recognize that this was not a nightmare, but reality. She searched for her parents in the camp but found not a single person she recognized.

Unable to enter the bathroom, her hands and feet caked in mud, there were no friends her age, nor acquaintances in the camp. The area where Mio had lived had suffered extensive damage from the bombardment, making her survival nothing short of miraculous.

Hope was nowhere to be found. She wished to die.

──If I die, I can meet Papa and Mama.

When she resolved this way, the camp leader called for her.

A man expressed a desire to meet with Mio.

──It must be Papa.

With joy radiating through her body, she rushed into the leader's office, only to find a well-dressed, unfamiliar man in his fifties waiting for her.

“You’ve grown up, Mio. You’re already eight. Do you remember me?”

The man spoke in an overly friendly manner, but she had no recollection of him. Disappointment and anxiety made Mio shrink away as the man gently smiled at her.

“It’s no wonder. We met when you were just three years old. Your father and mother were kind and gentle people.”

The man introduced himself as Ethan Syira, a distant relative—specifically, the son of her grandfather’s brother. Since she had only met her grandfather once or twice and had little contact with her relatives, Mio had no way of verifying if what Ethan said was true.

“You don’t have to worry about what comes next. We have many siblings in similar circumstances to you. Don’t worry; you’ll get along with them right away. It’ll be a much better place than here.”

It seemed that Ethan was going to take Mio in. Judging by the leader's attitude toward him, he appeared to be a person of considerable standing. The normally overbearing leader nodded along with every word Ethan said and went out of his way to flatter him, even praising Mio to keep on his good side.

“Will you come with me, Mio?”

With kindness gathered in the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, Ethan asked her this.

Having lost her parents, knowing no one, and only wishing for death, Mio abandoned the very notion of choice. She didn’t even want to think. Staring into Ethan’s eyes, she stood there silently. She doubted whether this man was really a relative, fearing he might be a trafficker, yet at that moment, she had even lost interest in her own fate.

Mio left the camp and boarded an airship with Ethan to journey to the Harmonia Empire. Along the way, they encountered a large low-pressure system, but a highly skilled airman expertly navigated through the gaps in the clouds, and they arrived safely at their destination. Ethan worked as a diplomat for the St Vault Empire and was currently stationed in Harmonia. What awaited her there was a life that felt like a dream.

Wonderful older brothers and sisters, and adorable younger brothers and sisters awaited Mio. Although they shared no blood ties, they were all beautiful, intelligent, and had gentle, amiable personalities. The Syira couple had no biological children and had taken in children who had lost their families from all over the world.

“God brought you all to me,” Ethan often said with a smile. Mio’s adoptive mother, Greta, was a modest and gentle woman who treated her many adopted children as if they were her own.

Suddenly losing her parents, having her hometown burned, and preparing for death in a camp, Mio found herself surrounded by lively siblings in a wealthy household and felt constantly bewildered. Her siblings were all kind, inviting the shy Mio to play games together or go on picnics, actively trying to include her as part of the family. Thanks to the Syira siblings, she smoothly acclimated to her new gymnasium, where every day felt like a party, playing until she was completely exhausted by the time dinner was over.

As she spent those days, Mio realized that the sadness of losing her parents was gradually fading.

Feeling like a shallow person, she decided every night before sleeping to imagine her real parents' faces behind her eyelids. It felt too cruel to forget them. With that thought, Mio clung to her grief. This pain and sorrow were, in fact, the very memories of her parents that would fade with time. Even though she was taken in by a wealthy family and lived a glamorous life, her heart remained closed off.

Two years passed since Mio arrived at the Syira family, on a winter night.

Having crawled into bed but unable to sleep, she somewhat aimlessly went downstairs to the living room and saw Ethan sitting by the warm fireplace.

Suddenly, an inexplicable sadness surged within her. For no particular reason, she felt an overwhelming urge to cry. Mio approached Ethan and leaned against his knee.

“What’s wrong, Mio?”

Putting down the book he was reading, Ethan kindly asked her. Mio placed her hands on his thighs, buried her face there, and sobbed.

Ethan quietly rubbed her back. After her tears subsided, Mio, without raising her face, asked:

“Why did you pick me up?”

“I’ve told you many times. It’s God’s will. Saint Aldista responded to my faith.”

“That’s not what I mean. There are plenty of poor children in the world, right? Why me?”

“Oh? Is that what’s on your mind?”

“Yeah.”

Ethan gently patted Mio's head.

“You’re a smart girl. Even though you’re only ten. More than I expected.”

“Did you pick me because I’m smart?”

“I knew you were a good child. You did well in school, had a bright and honest personality, and were popular with everyone. Moreover, your parents were believers of the Unified Church of Aldista, which is significant. You love Saint Aldista, don’t you?”

“Yeah. Saint Aldista is always with us.”

"That’s why I brought you to our home, knowing all of these things. I couldn’t bear the thought of you dying in a detention camp. I believed that if I brought you into a proper environment, you would have even more potential to grow."

“You investigated me, didn’t you?”

“To put it simply, yes.”

“What about Pubrita, Yan, and Carmen?”

Mio named her close siblings and asked. Ethan smiled.

“Everyone, yes. I want to give many children with potential opportunities to soar into the world. Since my wife and I cannot have children, your growth into splendid adults will be proof of our lives.”

“Proof of life…”

Mio rolled the words around in her mouth. The proof of her real parents’ lives was herself, and at the same time, for Ethan and Greta, her existence was proof of their lives too.

──The proof of my parents lives is me.

She decided to accept that and live on. She believed that surely both her real parents and her new parents would be pleased. With determination, Mio finally voiced the question she had long wanted to ask.

“Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“If I call you "Papa," will you get angry?”

Ethan knelt beside her, wrapping his arms around her.

Love flowed from the big arms that encircled her.

“Papa.”

Mio called his name.

“Mio.”

“Papa.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

In Ethan’s embrace, Mio felt the sadness she had carried for two years melting away.

This man is my father, and this is my home.

Mio accepted that.

From the next day, Mio Syira began to act as a member of the Syira family alongside her siblings.

Bright, energetic, and intelligent Mio became even more popular with everyone.

The Syira family was quite wealthy, often attending garden parties and social gatherings weekly, hosting a party at home once a month. Visitors were always from the upper class, and while playing with their children, Mio naturally acquired manners and behaviour.

Mio’s hometown, Karanakuta Island, was under the rule of the Sylvania royal family, so she was familiar with the Sylvania way of speaking and etiquette, which was regarded with curiosity. Simply showcasing courtly manners that the children of Harmonia didn’t know made her popular, prompting Mio to secretly study about the Sylvania royal family in books and even act like Princess Elisabeth of Sylvania in front of everyone. The adults praised her, and Mio felt as if she had become a princess herself.

She was happy.

As time passed, her sadness healed, and the people of the Syira family became an irreplaceable family for Mio.

She became aware of her fortune, grateful to her parents, thankful for her siblings, and appreciative of this life. She strongly wished to become a person who could someday repay her parents.

──Just as Papa helped me, I want to be of help to him someday.

Her happy life in Harmonia ended in the summer when she turned twelve.

Ethan was transferred to the island of Odessa in the Akitsu Federation, and Mio was to leave the city to attend a new school on a remote island. Sad to part from her newly made friends, she sulked when she arrived in Odessa, where she would meet Sakagami Kiyoaki, a boy her age.

Time passed──.

“Papa, you keep getting transferred, don’t you?”

Arriving at an airport she had never visited before, seventeen-year-old Mio Syira sighed as she looked out at the landscape of Crossnodal, the largest island in the Northern Sea, holding her caged bird, Fio, in one hand.

In late December of the year 1347 of the Imperial Calendar, in the capital of Crossnodal, Rubra──.

Taking advantage of the winter break from the Air Hunt Officer Academy, Mio had come to this place to see her parents.

At the airport, among the locals with dark skin, many white-skinned St Vault people could also be seen. Though Crossnodal was a splendid independent country governed by the Crossnodal People’s Government, the entire island was effectively defended by the St Vault Army under the pretence of being an allied force. Soldiers of the Crossnodal Army, clad in distinctive yellow-green camouflage, were seen on the ground in small numbers, but their main duty was to maintain internal security rather than defence.

──Can we call ourselves an independent country with foreign troops stationed in our homeland?

As she gazed out at the scenery of Crossnodal from the carriage window drawn by two horses, Mio harboured such doubts. Surely, that could be said. For a poor country, it was easier not to have to bear defence costs and could allocate precious budgets to investments. In return, they had to comply with the demands of St Vault, but this was a better judgment than being incorporated into the Hydrabard Union under the rule of the Olg Party. The Hydrabard Union, governed by the blood of Urano, with Dizzy Osborn, the leader of the Olg Party, now coveted Crossnodal Island.

──It’s necessary for survival, huh…

In today’s world, strong nations trample on weak nations, robbing them of all they possess, and no one can judge them for it. The laments of the weak are disregarded, and it’s not uncommon for entire nations or peoples to perish simply because they were weak.

In this world, being weak is considered evil.

If one doesn’t want to perish, the only choice is to grow stronger. The Crossnodal’s state of throwing away pride seems to be a necessary wisdom for the weak to survive.

Soon, the carriage entered the foreigner residential area.

The old wooden streets disappeared, replaced by the familiar white architecture of St Vault. As a developing island, the influence of the St Vault currency “Pesos” was immense, with the splendid white mansions competing along the road. No matter how much the Crossnodal government tried to maintain its appearance, the island’s landscape was completely that of a colony of the St Vault Empire.

The carriage stopped before a magnificent mansion in the upscale district with a great view. After tipping the driver arranged by her family, Mio stared in amazement at the Syira family's new home, holding the birdcage in her hand.

Though she had lived in grand mansions in Harmonia and on Messus Island, this one was even more grandiose. It was a three-story building with wings on either side, as if it could belong to royalty.

Then, the beautifully carved gate opened, and her younger siblings, who had noticed the carriage, rushed out with broad smiles and hugged her.

“Sister!!”

“Whoa!”

Thirteen-year-old Bonita, ten-year-old Kazuki, and seven-year-old Dominic clung to Mio, not letting go.

“Hey, hey! Alright, alright, let go! It’s too tight, it hurts!”

Mio grimaced, but her younger siblings were too excited to see their beloved sister again after so long.

“Mio, welcome back! We missed you so much, Mio, don’t go again!”

Especially clingy Dominic buried his dark face into Mio’s chest and held on tightly. As she stroked his curly hair with one hand, Mio smiled wryly.

“Dominic, you’ve gotten stronger! You’re definitely a boy now! So let go a bit…”

“I want to be petted too!”

It seemed Kazuki, who was still clinging to Mio, wasn’t pleased to see Dominic getting all the attention and pushed his head toward her. While petting Kazuki with her remaining hand, Mio turned to Bonita.

“Bonita, how have you been? Kazuki hasn’t been bullying you, has he?”

Bonita, who had been holding her hands behind her back, raised her face with a smile.

“I’m fine! Mio, you look beautiful! Kiyoaki will be thrilled too, right?”

“Hey, what are you talking about? More importantly, can someone deal with this…”

Finally, managing to pry her younger siblings off her, she opened the birdcage and released Fio into the air.

“Fio’s doing great too!” “Let’s make him fight with my Sodom!”

Dominic named his pet bird “Sodom” and took care of it. It was a custom of the Syira family for each sibling to be given a pet bird. Mio grimaced.

“Stop it; Fio is tired too. Are Papa and Mama home?”

“Mom’s here. Dad suddenly got called away. He hasn’t been coming home until late recently.”

“Oh, I see. He’s as busy as ever, huh? I want to make something special for him since it’s been a while…”

“Mom’s making a lot of food! You don’t have to do anything, just play with me!”

With Dominic clinging to her right hand and Kazuki to her left, Mio smiled wryly as she entered the overwhelmingly splendid new home to greet her mother.

Ethan returned home around nine o'clock in the evening.

Though exhausted from keeping up with the rambunctious Kazuki and Dominic, Mio’s face lit up at the sight of her father after so long.

“Papa, I’m back. Thank you for your hard work. Would you like something to eat?”

“Welcome back, Mio. I’ve already eaten. Take it easy; it’s been a while since you came back.”

Ethan opened his arms to embrace Mio. She buried her face in his chest, inhaling the familiar scents of his cigar and pomade.

“You’ve changed so much. Is it thanks to the officer academy’s training? You’ve grown quite dignified.”

Ethan gently patted Mio’s head. His voice was as calm as always, but somehow he seemed less spirited than before.

──Papa, you’ve aged…

She thought this but didn’t say it out loud. After putting her younger siblings to bed, she prepared a glass of brandy for her father, who returned to the living room after taking a bath.

Finally, peace returned to the Syira household. The soft orange glow of the lampshade enveloped Mio and Ethan.

It had been a while since it was just the two of them. Enjoying the pleasant silence, Mio spoke up.

“Papa, are you tired? Are you okay?”

“Does it look that way?”

“Just a bit. You seem a little down. Is work busy?”

“...Yeah. It’s really busy. Especially during times like these.”

Ethan, in his gown, answered with an oddly melancholic tone while fiddling with his glass. The ice crunched as it broke into the amber liquid, producing a clear sound.

“...I can’t afford to rest. This is a job with significant responsibility. This island is the gateway for our St Vault Empire to land in the Southern Sea. It’s one of the most critical strategic points. The ambassador’s duties are far more extensive than others.”

This time, Ethan was in Crossnodal as the ambassador of St Vault. His role involved negotiating directly with the leaders of the Crossnodal government, military commanders, and others in the sphere of power, which was undoubtedly harsher than Mio could imagine. The crow's feet around her father’s eyes tightened her chest.

──I want to help Papa someday.

She felt this deeply.

The happiness she enjoyed now was all thanks to Ethan.

If she hadn’t met Ethan, she would have likely withered away and died in that camp.

She wanted to repay him for giving her this life.

──I want him to think, “I’m glad I picked up Mio.”

“I wish there was something I could help with,” she said somewhat hesitantly, and Ethan smiled weakly.

“Mio, you’re a good girl.”

“Well, I wouldn’t want Papa to die from overwork.”

Then, as if waiting for those words, Ethan straightened up on the sofa and turned a serious gaze toward Mio.

“...Actually, I have a favour to ask. There’s someone who wants to meet you.”

“...?”

“They’ll be coming to our house in three days. Is that okay with your schedule?”

“W-What? Who is it?”

“...A very important business partner.”

“Someone important?”

“...Yes. They’ve been waiting for this opportunity. They heard you were coming back home and made the trip from afar to see you.”

“W-What does that mean? They’re coming to see me? ...Is that, um, like a personal thing?”

“It’s not a matchmaking meeting. He’s a married man. It’s purely for business. Will you meet him?”

Ethan’s tone was unusually firm, leaving no room for argument. Although feeling somewhat pressured, Mio nodded uncertainly.

“...Papa, are you okay? You seem a bit different than usual.”

“...Is that so? ...It might be. ...In times like these, I sometimes have to rely on my daughter’s strength.”

“You want to... rely on me?”

“...It’s a bit shameful for a father to say this. But it’s a job only you can do. And... it’s definitely not a pleasant one.”

It seemed that the message carried by the envoy would be serious. She had never seen Ethan look so worn and sorrowful.

She didn’t know the details, but judging by her father’s demeanour, it was likely something complicated.

Although a sense of unease welled up within her...

──A job only I can do.

That was a heartwarming phrase. Mio smiled.

“So, I can be of help to Papa?”

“...”

“Ever since I was a child, I’ve always been the one receiving, right? So, I guess that means I’ve become someone who can do something for you.”

“Mio...”

She circled around the back of the sofa and hugged her beloved father from behind.

“It’s okay. I’ll do anything. Thanks to you, I am who I am today. I’m so happy because I got to meet Papa. Now I can finally repay you a little. I’m so glad.”

Ethan lovingly stroked Mio’s arms.

“...It’s a tough role.”

“Compared to what happened with the Eriadore, it’s nothing. I’ve been awarded Honors for this, after all. The daily tasks in Air Hunt are all tough, so I’m used to it. Thanks to you, I’ve grown strong.”

Jokingly, Mio leaned her cheek against her father’s hair and closed her eyes.

“Mio.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m always praying for your happiness.”

“I know. I’m praying that Papa stays healthy forever, too.”

The parent and child closed their eyes, feeling each other’s warmth.

Entrusting herself to the warmth rising from the depths of her heart, Mio prayed only for her gratitude toward her father and for the happiness of their family.

Three days later──.

Receiving the request to meet alone, Mio wore a trendy, puff-sleeved afternoon dress, draped a white shawl over her shoulders, and settled into a deck chair in the designated royal park, waiting for her visitor.

It was certainly an unusual guest. Perhaps he didn’t want to face his younger siblings. This was a park exclusively for the upper nobility, where garden parties for royal guests were held. Even when passing through the gate in a carriage, there were meticulous checks, and the pass handed to her father beforehand was scrutinized thoroughly to ensure it wasn’t forged. There was no one else in the park besides Mio, and the winter-bare tree-lined paths glimmered coldly.

Then, a horse-drawn carriage approached along the desolate path.

The sound of the wheels grew closer and stopped right in front of her.

A man in his mid-forties, dressed in an elegant gray suit, stepped down. As he recognized Mio, he approached with a cheerful smile.

Even from afar, his well-toned physique was evident above the suit, and his clean silver hair shone. Behind his rimless glasses, he wore a friendly, gentle smile.

At first glance, Mio felt a sense of relief.

Given her father's attitude yesterday and the suspicious nature of this meeting place, she had braced herself for a rather dubious character, but the man who appeared seemed genuinely amiable and harmless.

“You must be Mio Syira,” he said cheerfully, taking off his hat and bowing. When Mio extended the back of her right hand in greeting, he knelt and kissed it over his gloves.

“I am Zenon Kavaris, Assistant Minister of the Harmonian Foreign Ministry. I deeply apologize for the suddenness of this meeting; I hope I did not startle you.”

“No, not at all. I was feeling quite bored. So, you are from Harmonia? Your manner of speaking is nostalgic.”

Indeed, there was a distinct Harmonian accent in Zenon’s St Vault language. That fact somewhat eased her wariness.

“I’d like to talk while we take a stroll,” he suggested.

“Of course. The weather is lovely.”

Mio stood up, holding her parasol in one hand, and walked alongside Zenon down the afternoon tree-lined path.

Zenon had been a social acquaintance of Ethan since his assignment to Harmonia, often meeting at friendly card games or wine tastings. They had known each other for over ten years and sometimes exchanged information for the benefit of their nations.

“Ultimately, meeting people is my job, and after years of doing this, you gradually become attuned to a sort of wall between yourself and others. You might find me a bit too familiar, but please excuse it as a professional habit.”

With a cheerful smile, Zenon said this. He certainly seemed easy-going and approachable. Riding along on his gentle rhythm, Zenon’s ability to use a variety of expressions made listening to him rare and enjoyable.

“The job of a diplomat is fundamentally about building connections in your assigned location. One must always be punctual, remember the faces and names of all the dignitaries met at a party, understand the circumstances of each nation, and use that knowledge in conversation. Since we interact with people from various countries, we must never be rude; sometimes, we even investigate their family situations before meeting them.”

“It sounds demanding. My father works late every night, too.”

“Your father is an exceptionally skilled man. I am a diplomat from Harmonia, and while I shouldn’t be on friendly terms with Mr. Ethan, I respect him as a person. Even if our nations are at odds, communication between individuals is still possible.”

Zenon’s words delighted Mio. Despite the long history of conflict between Harmonia and St Vault, it was wonderful to think that diplomats from the two countries trusted each other.

“That’s wonderful. I wish the nations could develop that kind of trust and friendship.”

When she said this casually, Zenon smiled as well.

“Before peace can be established between nations, connections must first be forged between individuals. We should cooperate more. Don’t you think?”

Mio sensed this was a serious matter. Though she didn’t know the specifics, it must be a peaceful purpose since her father was involved.

“Absolutely. I hope there’s something I can do as well.”

“Just like the daughter of Mr. Ethan, I have a place I’d like you to see first. Let’s head up those stairs. It’s a bit of a climb.”

Following his lead, they ascended the steep slope at the western edge of the park, reaching a high point. After walking a short gravel path, they arrived at an observation deck.

The elevation was about a hundred meters. Mio looked down at the cityscape of Crossnodal, inhaling the pleasant breeze deeply.

“It’s a lovely spot.”

Beyond the red roofs of the foreigner district, there were clusters of tin-roofed wooden houses where locals lived, and beyond that was the sea. Many small sailboats, used by locals for fishing, floated on the sparkling white waves, among which were silhouettes of St Vault’s coastal defence ships and transport vessels. Without the warships, it was merely a shabby fishing port where the impoverished islanders lived simple, peaceful lives.

“Soon, war will reach this place as well,” Zenon said quietly. It was something Mio had also anticipated.

“Urano, right?”

“Yes. They are trying to seize control of the entire archipelago through the Olg party and the Hydrabard Alliance.”

“…That’s terrifying. If only they didn’t exist, the world would be at peace.”

“Do you truly believe that?”

“…?”

“Do you think the world would be at peace if Urano were to disappear?”

Mio stared intently at Zenon’s calm profile. The vision still lingered behind her eyelids—the rock layer that covered the sky, her real parents buried in their home, and the invasion of Messus Island. The enemies who killed her kind parents and sister, her friends, and set the beautiful Messus Island ablaze—the detestable Urano Sky Clan. There was no room for debate.

“…Isn’t it obvious? They continue to sow the seeds of war across the world, killing innocent people and plotting to control the earth from the sky. Aren’t they the cause of this world’s chaos?”

“There are regions in this world that do not recognize Urano. Are you aware of the names of the nations that exist beyond the Holy Spring?”

“……………………”

Mio swallowed her words. The true nature of this world had yet to be revealed. Countless fleets had set sail to uncover the world's truths, only to either return in fear midway or vanish without a trace. She had only heard of the Holy Spring in legends; its existence had not been confirmed. Zenon's tone suggested he recognized both the legendary spring and the existence of unknown continents.

“You know of them? The names of nations no one has ever seen?”

Zenon turned to Mio, smiling even more kindly.

“There are indeed many nations. Balesteros. Saino. Benares. Levamme. Amatsukami. Solbarosa. Kai Andros. Kōrai. …and many others, all of which have cultures comparable to yours.”

These were names she had never encountered in any document, nor had she ever even heard of them. Yet Zenon's words seemed too articulate for lies, as if he had repeated the same questions and answers to various third parties before.

“…I’ve never heard of those names, even when I was in Harmonia.”

“That’s only natural. No one in Harmonia is aware of this fact.”

Mio stared intently at Zenon's smile. A bottomless fear suddenly surged from the pit of her stomach.

—This man is not Harmonian.

“…Who are you?”

“I’m just a humble assistant in the Harmonian Foreign Ministry. I’m simply more enthusiastic about gathering information than the average bureaucrat. I possess some knowledge that the general public does not.”

That’s a lie. Her intuition whispered so.

"Let’s return to the topic. Beyond the Sacred Spring, there are people who do not know Urano, and they are fighting among themselves. Just like in the archipelago, or even more so, horrific battles are taking place. Whether or not Urano exists, people cannot cease their conflicts. Wouldn't you agree?"

"........................"

"The cause of war is not Urano, but the mass production of destructive weapons and the resulting chronic resource shortages. If we dig deeper, it is the immature consciousness of humans trying to enrich themselves by plundering others that triggers wars."

Zenon continued in a tone reminiscent of reading a thesis.

"The Holy Saint Aldista granted the grace of the great waterfall so that foolish humans would not encounter one another until they reached the necessary level of consciousness. However, advancements in air machinery have finally made it possible to traverse the great waterfall, allowing immature humans to meet. When they first recognized one another, what they did was not embrace. Instead, they turned their guns at unknown peoples with different skin colours and languages to intimidate them. Urano was not present there. It was entirely the actions of the peoples of the land."

What Zenon said was indeed true. Approximately sixty years ago, when St Vault first encountered the Akitsu Federation across the great waterfall, the more powerful St Vault’s initial action was to conclude an unequal treaty aimed at plundering Akitsu’s resources. This has left a lingering resentment in the archipelago that continues to this day, causing the blood of millions of young people to flow needlessly.

Urano was not involved.

It was only in the last ten or so years that Urano emerged and connected with the Hydrabard Coalition, starting to move toward domination of the archipelago. The reasoning that the world would be at peace if Urano were to disappear is indeed a simplistic notion that is hard to refute.

"The teachings of Holy Saint Aldista, "Love thy neighbour," have been forgotten. Neighbours cannot cease hurting one another. Therefore, someone must bleed to stop it. To end the pointless wars in our generation and pass on a future of peace and friendship to the next, an absolute existence that preserves the teachings of Holy Saint Aldista in their purest form must govern the world."

"...Is that Urano?"

"Who else can do it? Do St Vault, the Akitsu Federation, or Harmonia have grand ideals comparable to Urano? What can the lower classes do but leap for the bait dangling before them? They merely disguise their base desires to trample and push others aside to feast solely on themselves behind the mask of diplomacy. That is the limit of the land peoples, separated by borders."

"........................"

"Is there a border in the sky?"

"…No."

"The surface has become too soaked in blood. The day when the grudges and hatred accumulated over a long history of struggle will clear will never come. It is best to govern from the sky. Only Urano, residing in the boundless sky, can unify this planet under the teachings of Holy Saint Aldista, transcending races, languages, and borders."

Zenon maintained a calm smile as he spoke this, and what he said was also logical.

But.

"You speak just like someone from Urano."

Mio pierced Zenon with her emerald-green eyes.

Zenon’s smile did not falter. Mio, refusing to lose, responded while maintaining her own smile.

"As you say, the people of the land will continue to fight, whether Urano exists or not. And Urano, by lending air power to multiple nations, spreads and exacerbates the calamities of war. You call it an ideal, but it seems even more malignant than that of the land’s people."

Without mixing any emotion into her words, she said this in one breath, and Zenon let out a slight growl deep in his throat, making his eyes sparkle even more gently.

"Quite perceptive. A typical teenage girl would not be able to give such a reasonable rebuttal."

"Debates among students are actively encouraged at the Air Hunt Academy."

"Assertive logic is important. Depending on the situation, it can influence the fate of nations… That aside, to sweep away the wars of the land from the sky, we must start by managing them. Everything has its stages. Urano will lend air power only to those nations deemed capable of contributing to the new order of the future. We will not ally with the blood-soaked old nations. That too is an ideal."

"From what you've said, it appears the people of the sky are not so different from the people of the land."

"Mr. Ethan has certainly raised a strong-willed young lady. Shall we get to the main topic?"

"Yes. I have been waiting for this."

"Do you believe that the current state of the world is correct?"

"No."

"Do you not wish to end the pointless wars as soon as possible?"

"I do."

"Then, we share the same sentiments, you and I, Mio. We can become allies."

"What do you mean by "we"? It doesn’t seem to refer to Harmonia."

"As I said, we are beings not bound by the borders of the land."

"…"

Mio glared at Zenon’s unchanging smile. Zenon casually revealed his true identity as if it were a morning greeting.

"Urano needs you, Mio Syira. To prevent more unfortunate children from being born due to the horrors of war. To bring peace to the land as soon as possible. I wish for you to join the bloodline of the sky people."

A surge of anger made Mio's hair stand on end.

"You want me to become a spy for Urano?"

"Absolutely not. Spy is a bad word. I only ask that you agree with our ideals: to fight for the idea of the people of the land uniting beyond language, nation, and ethnicity, even if it means sacrificing oneself."

"What Urano is doing is merely trampling on the land from above!"

"What’s the difference from how the people of the land trample on each other? Machine guns, trenches, and concrete fortifications have only multiplied the number of dead. Did you not learn this at the officer academy? If you cannot breach the enemy’s defences, war will drag on. When offensive power exceeds defensive power, war will conclude swiftly. Only Urano has the power to destroy all the defensive weapons and facilities on the ground. To end this war as soon as possible, destruction from the sky by Urano is desirable."

"I am a cadet of St Vault! Are you telling me to betray my homeland and align with Urano? I will never become an agent of the ones who killed my parents, slaughtered my friends' families, and took away my homeland!"

"I thought you were quite bright, but that seems to be a matter of age. You are bound by past resentments and refuse to progress. Unless you trample on others as you were trampled, your emotional calculations do not add up… Such thoughts are what are turning the land into hell."

Mio was at a loss for words.

Not because she had been persuaded, but because her thoughts had burned out from sheer anger. Zenon continued, without interjecting any emotion, as if reading from a prepared script.

"The most sacred teaching of Holy Saint Aldista is ‘forgiveness.’ If the people of the land could ‘forgive’ one another for past grievances and strive together towards a bountiful future, war would disappear from the land in that moment. You say that Urano spread calamities to the land, but did the people of the land not throw stones at Urano? It is the people of the land who have fearfully bombarded us, merely because we do not have roots in the earth. Shall I introduce you to tens of thousands of Urano people whose families, friends, and lovers were killed due to unjust discrimination? What they desire is not revenge on the land, but to ensure that such sadness never arises again, to shed their own blood and dedicate themselves to lasting peace. Can you not do the same?"

Words borne of uncontrolled anger escaped from Mio.

"No matter how you twist your words, I will never betray my homeland! My family is in St Vault. I have comrades I met in this country. It is unthinkable that I, raised in St Vault, would turn my gun against my homeland under Urano!"

"As long as you are bound by the old nations, war will never cease on the land."

"Can you love the world without loving your own country!?"

Mio shouted. Words she had never even considered were bursting forth from within her.

"Just as I love my homeland, as I love my family and friends, I love my country. To abandon my country for the world is the same as abandoning my home for the community; isn’t that thought and action unnatural?"

Powerful words flowed from her mouth, surprising even herself. It was a thought that had been sleeping deep within her heart, a feeling she rarely consciously acknowledged. A strange, intense light shone in Zenon’s eyes.

"You are contradicting yourself. The borders are what create war. Unless we eliminate borders, wars will continue to occur. You understand that the state of this world is wrong, yet you do not attempt to correct that wrong. You refuse to let go of what has been given to you while continuing to ask for what you do not have, like a spoiled child."

"What you are doing is nothing but destruction! I will never align with you. Unfortunately, I will likely never see you again."

Mio turned on her heel, trying to leave Zenon. As she walked away, Zenon spoke calmly to her back.

"Even if your adoptive parents are people of Urano?"

Mio’s steps halted.

Zenon continued.

"Not just your parents. What if your brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and all four of them are already acting according to Urano's ideals?"

The coldness of the atmosphere at the high ground increased.

Mio slowly turned to look back at Zenon. Her eyes were wide with shock and disbelief.

A hint of sadistic pleasure was woven into the depths of Zenon’s smile.

Mio's legs began to tremble. Finally, words spilled from her pale lips.

"You're lying."

"Unfortunately, it's the truth."

"On what basis do you make such a claim?"

"Basis... you say? To present that would be to confront you with a cruel reality. Are you sure you want that?"

Gathering her courage, Mio glared directly at Zenon.

"At this point, I want to hear it."

"Very well, then. Forgive my presumption. Three years ago, during the summer, the Syira family was present on Messus Island during the invasion of Odessa, correct?"

"Yes."

There was no way she could forget. That summer, when Kiyoaki's parents and sister were brutally murdered. The beautiful Messus Island was turned to ash in just one day due to Urano's attack. As she looked at the charred remains of Messus Island from the high ground, Mio had vowed to Kiyoaki to bring down Urano.

"Were there any casualties in the Syira family at that time?"

There was no need to remember. The casualties were complete. The civilian residential area where Kiyoaki lived had been thoroughly bombed, with even children shot at for amusement, yet for some reason, not a single bullet had struck the area where Mio lived.

After the bombing ended, Mio hurried to Kiyoaki's house. Kiyoaki, covered in blood and mud, had just finished burying his parents and sister, while Mio's clothes were completely clean, and she remembered feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt.

"Why do you think only the high ground escaped the bombing?"

Zenon asked, looking quite pleased.

It was said to be miraculous that they had avoided the air raid, Ethan had said.

But—was that really a miracle?

A bad feeling surged up from the depths of Mio's stomach.

—Don't listen to the answer.

Her intuition whispered such. Instinctively, Mio tried to cover her ears with her hands.

But Zenon's words came out faster.

"It was because of the Syira family. We couldn't afford to lose valuable informants to bombardment."

Mio heard a cracking sound in the surrounding atmosphere.

"The invasion of Messus Island was orchestrated by Mr. Ethan. He had complete knowledge of the construction status of Odessa, military rest days, and the movements of the fleet, which is why the flawless surprise attack succeeded. The fact that only the corner where you lived remained unscathed amidst such destruction could be seen as the strongest basis."

She struggled to hold up her shaking knees.

"You're lying."

That was all she could manage to say. Her lips trembled, making it impossible to form a coherent argument.

As Zenon said, the Urano surprise attack at that time was too perfect. Simultaneously with the start of the battle, all anti-aircraft facilities on the island were destroyed. The Akitsu Federation's Special Intelligence Department, which later conducted investigations, almost unanimously agreed that there had been informants on the island. And the Urano fighter squadron, which shot at fleeing children for fun, somehow did not touch the high-end residential area. Despite having enough power to destroy ordinary homes out of boredom, they left the mansions intact.

—Because there was prior notification to exclude them from the attack targets.

—Because the Syira family had value for Urano.

Mio shook her head vigorously to dispel those thoughts.

"That can't be true."

Zenon maintained the same smile he had when they first met, showing no wave of emotion.

"It’s hard to accept, I understand that. I merely came to greet you today. We can discuss specifics another time."

"I won’t meet you. Not ever again."

"No, you will meet me. I’m confident that next time, you’ll give me a favourable response."

Zenon's demeanour was filled with an unwavering confidence, as if everything was going according to plan. Mio desperately wanted to escape this situation. She didn’t want to exchange another word with Zenon.

"Don't underestimate me. Who would cooperate with you?"

With a trembling voice, she spat out those words and began to walk away from the high ground. Once again, Zenon's words reached her back.

"Tonight, you should have a good talk with your father. Mr. Ethan is a remarkable man. He’s trying to save the world at the cost of his own life."

To avoid hearing any more of Zenon's words, Mio covered her ears with her hands and descended the long stairs alone. Zenon's breath felt like it was tainting her skin.

"Disgusting."

As she swayed in the carriage on the way back, she repeated that word over and over. The simple scenery of Crossnodar Island flowing outside the window did nothing to comfort her. She felt as if a heavy, sticky liquid had been poured into her lungs.

"How dare he mock me? Why, of all people, would I be an ally of Urano?"

Transforming her anxiety and fear into defiant words thrown out the window, Mio wanted nothing more than to reach home quickly. She wanted to tell Ethan about what had just happened and hear his usual calm voice denying it, saying, "It’s a mistake."

"There's a fact I haven't told you, Mio. Please calm down and listen rationally to what I'm about to say."

That night, alone in the living room with Mio, Ethan said this in a tone she had never heard before.

Despite sitting on the sofa, Mio's knees trembled. After hearing everything about her earlier encounter with Zenon, Ethan showed no signs of great surprise; instead, worry etched deep lines into his brow. He clasped his hands on his knees and let out a deep sigh before beginning to speak.

"My relationship with Zenon dates back to before I was dispatched as an ambassador to Harmonia. At that time, I was involved in importing foreign military supplies to St Vault. Zenon was a prominent figure in arms trading related to Harmonia. I have benefited from his convenience more than once or twice. Several years ago, when a minor conflict broke out between the two countries, stocks of St Vault-based weapon manufacturing companies were about to be seized by the Harmonia government. Had that happened, I would have been ruined, but Zenon transferred all the shares of that company to Urano-affiliated enterprises, helping me out. Thanks to him, tens of thousands of St Vault citizens were saved from unemployment. They are still earning wages manufacturing artillery for St Vault from Urano-affiliated companies. Without my connection to Zenon, I wouldn't be who I am now."

"...But it's Urano, right? They're St Vault's enemy, aren't they?"

"The label of 'enemy' for Urano is easy to understand, but it's also simplistic. The world of arms dealers is complex. The hidden relationships below the surface are often more significant and harder to discern than the visible ones. Which officials are connected to which businesses, siphoning off profits. Which financial conglomerates transport military supplies from Country A to both Country B and C. Which ambassador is trying to establish military trade with which country through which business office. The world is driven by invisible connections that can’t be neatly divided into friend or foe; depending on the time and situation, they can align with either side. Zenon and I have navigated and utilized such hidden connections, creating a small society with trusted influential figures. Before I knew it, I had also become entangled in the world of vested interests, where demons roam. It’s too late to extricate myself now."

"……"

"Nowadays, I have more transactions I can't report back to my home country than those I can. Just one finger of my society, 'Chrono Magos,' could cause hundreds of thousands of people to lose their jobs or gain new employment. Members of 'Chrono Magos' include elites from nations like Mitterland, Vestelant, Hydrabard, the Akitsu Federation, and Urano… and this society is thriving through arms trade."

Mio’s face paled, her words trembling.

"That means… Dad is involved in the war!"

Ethan pressed his forehead with one hand, shaking his head in pain.

"No, Mio, listen to me. What your father and Zenon are trying to do is the complete opposite. It is precisely because we are in our positions that we can end this foolish war."

Lifting his weary gaze, Ethan looked at Mio.

"We need to discuss matters intended for adults. But first, I want you to trust me, Mio."

"……"

"I apologize for having hidden the truth from you. However, there are times when the timing to reveal things is crucial. You’re already an adult. I believe you will make wise judgments… Or do you no longer believe what your father says?"

"…No… I still believe you… Dad."

"Thank you, Mio. I love you."

"…Yeah. I know."

Ethan affectionately stroked Mio's head before taking her hand in both of his.

"…As Mio knows, I am a diplomat serving the interests of the Kingdom of St Vault. There is no doubt about that. But at the same time… I am fulfilling a larger mission. A great task to eliminate war from this world."

Mio's heartbeat began to mark an ominous rhythm.

"To accomplish this task, I can only use the power of Chrono Magos. It may sound like a dream, but if all the members are truly committed, it is possible. However, for that, it is necessary to shed blood myself."

Feeling Ethan's warmth from the palm of his hand, Mio quietly listened to her father's words.

"It is impossible to bring about change without experiencing pain. And it is also impossible to change the world through the love of a saint. Love alone cannot save this corrupt world."

She was afraid to hear more. Yet, Mio could only trust Ethan.

"To completely eliminate war, we must rule from the sky to the ground. That is the conclusion of Chrono Magos. In that process, the destruction of the old order is unavoidable."

Confirming that her father echoed the same ideology as Zenon, tears welled in Mio's eyes. A sludge-like feeling gathered in her stomach.

"Do you think it's a foolish dream?"

Mio could only silently shake her head.

If she let her guard down, her vision seemed like it would go dark at that moment.

She wished she could abandon her thoughts entirely. Deep down, she truly felt that way.

"It is possible. My society has that power."

"Papa."

"Yes?"

Her mouth was parched. Mio took a breath and asked her question.

"Is this for St Vault?"

Ethan stared at Mio for a while, then, after a moment of contemplation, he answered.

"Not just for St Vault. It is for something much larger."

Mio held her breath and cautiously pressed on with her questions.

"Are you betraying St Vault?"

Ethan immediately shook his head.

"No. It is not betrayal. However, I can no longer devote myself peacefully to my original duties. While interacting with Mr. Zenon and other society members, I realized that, given my current position, I could contribute to a larger and better future."

"…Are you in contact with Urano?"

She pressed on with her questions. Ethan sighed deeply and spoke as if explaining to a child.

"As I said earlier, the concept of Urano is too vast. The royal capital Pleiades is filled with royalty, powerful nobility, military factions, and conglomerates, and is not a monolith. Mr. Zenon is a respectable person working to change the old Urano court. I share ideals with Mr. Zenon, but I am not in contact with Urano."

"Papa. Answer honestly."

Ethan tilted his head slightly.

"I intend to do so."

"I understand. But I've reached an age where I can tell lies and deceptions by your gestures and choice of words. So please, for the next question, don’t lie."

Ethan looked at Mio with curiosity and then smiled reassuringly.

"…Understood. I will answer sincerely."

It was a smile from the person who had given her this life. If she doubted it, she felt like she would deny her very existence here and now.

──No matter what happens, I believe in Papa.

After confirming this deep within herself, Mio summoned her courage to voice something that had been lodged in her throat.

"Were all of my siblings taken in to be spies?"

Ethan stared at Mio for a while. She could hear the ticking of the second hand. The deep light in his eyes was serene.

"No, that is not the case."

"…………"

"If my goal was to turn them into spies, I could have sent them to a training facility the moment I picked them up. There was no need to raise them in my home as my children."

There was no lie in the resonance of his voice.

She didn't want to doubt her father’s words.

Believing his answer, Mio asked one more question.

"Did you assist in the invasion of Messus Island by Urano?"

Ethan remained silent, gazing at Mio.

Then he poured whiskey into a glass and swallowed it without diluting it with ice.

All sound had vanished between them.

Silence transformed into fear.

"Are you, the insider?"

Mio's trembling voice asked the question.

Ethan put the glass back on the table and bit his lip. Then he directed his usual deep gaze towards Mio.

— Deny it.

He prayed.

"That's right."

There was no falsehood in the echo of that voice.

In that fleeting moment, Mio rose from the sofa.

And then, she ran away from the living room.

"Mio!"

Ethan shouted from behind.

"Don't come near me!!"

Mio screamed.

Tears began to flow.

She dashed toward the entrance, stepping outside without putting on her shoes.

"Wait, listen to me!"

Ethan was chasing after her.

Looking up at the starry sky, Mio screamed.

"Murderer!!"

From behind, Ethan's heavy footsteps were heard as he burst through the entrance.

Mio tried to escape with all her strength. But at that moment, a spasm gripped her stomach.

Mio curled up on the spot, knelt down, and vomited onto the ground.

Since she hadn’t eaten anything since meeting Zenon, all that came out was stomach acid.

It was painful, and tears streamed down her face. She couldn’t move. Holding her stomach with both hands, Mio continued to expel what was rising within her.

Soon her stomach was completely empty. Even though it was just air left, she expelled that air as well. It was the most painful way to vomit.

"Mio. Mio…"

Ethan caught up and rubbed her back.

Mio squeezed out a hoarse voice.

"Don't touch... me!!"

She pushed Ethan’s hands away with both hands.

"Murderer…!!"

"No, no, Mio, there’s a legitimate reason for that…"

Her knees buckled, and she couldn't stand. While on her knees, Mio tried to escape. Hearing the commotion, her family rushed out from inside the house.

Towards her younger brother Dominic, Kazuki, and her sister Bonita, Mio shouted.

"Don't come here! This place, this house…!"

With her burnt-out thoughts, Mio looked up at the starry sky.

— This house…?

The following words wouldn’t come.

"Mio, what’s wrong!?" "Mio, are you sick!?"

Dominic and Kazuki hugged her. The small hands that clung to her barely kept Mio's sanity intact.

Instinctively, Mio tightly pulled her two younger brothers close.

"We have to escape from here! We all need to get out…!"

Mio's cry faded into the night sky. Not understanding the significance of what was happening, her younger siblings exchanged frightened glances and clung to Mio.

"Calm down, this is our home, Mio…"

"Mio, look, Mom and Dad are here too. This is our home, our home…"

The voices of Dominic and Kazuki echoed in the stillness of Mio's mind.

— My home.

— My family.

Tears overflowed. They wouldn’t stop.

"Mio, listen, it’s all for the sake of the world. You mustn’t view what adults are trying to do with a shortsighted perspective."

Ethan's voice was close. But she didn’t want to think anymore.

"Don't come near me, don’t touch me…!"

With a hoarse voice, Mio continued to try to escape her father's hands. But her family clung to her, pleading for her to calm down.

Neither of them knew which one was sane, nor which was abnormal. All that remained was the desperate wish to save her younger siblings from this house.

Relaxing in the melodies of strings flowing from the sound system, Zenon Kavaris, Deputy Minister of the Urano Foreign Affairs Ministry, gazed out of the window in his office.

The grand and majestic symphony performed by the Pleiades Symphony Orchestra resonated down the corridor of the Harmonia Embassy's third floor. The embassy staff didn’t complain, allowing Zenon’s enjoyment of the late hour to go undisturbed. Everyone was well aware that Zenon was not Harmonian, but no one felt the need to stir up such matters now.

Zenon leaned closer to the pitch-black window. In the distance, the gas lamps of the residential area flickered faintly. Within that light, the Syira family resided.

— They must be in quite an uproar by now.

Zenon looked at his own reflection in the glass. Each time he thought of that family, expressions of pity and disdain arose.

— The Syira family.

Ethan Syira had travelled the world, gathering talented children to form this makeshift family.

The eight adopted children had not originally been gathered to become agents. Ethan simply collected information on promising orphans to compensate for his own inability to have children and raised the ones he liked as his own. It was born from pure goodwill, with no intention of turning them into spies.

It was Zenon who changed him.

Meeting him over a decade ago, Zenon recognized Ethan’s social status, connections, and character as top-notch. Using his authority as Deputy Minister, he had consistently arranged for political favours for Ethan without any cost. In that process, he had even harmed Urano’s national interests for the benefit of St Vault. Ethan eventually came to place complete trust in Zenon, considering both national interests and his relationship with Zenon. By cooperating, they unveiled connections like hidden plants in the weapons trade, eventually gaining influence over its seedlings.

Before long, Ethan and Zenon had formed a cross-border society, mastering information and interests regarding arms trading worldwide. While no one remembered who had named it, the arms dealer society became known as "Chrono Magos," eventually becoming a venue for the collusion of the powerful, influencing high-level appointments in various nations.

In that process, Ethan realized he had to consider not only the national interests of St Vault but also the benefits of Chrono Magos, leaving him bewildered. His fundamentally honest nature could hardly tolerate betraying his homeland. Zenon stood by him, using various means to reframe Ethan’s guilt as “for world peace.” By repeatedly doing this, the phrase "actions to eliminate war from the world" became ingrained in Ethan’s mind, leaving him unable to discern good from evil, ultimately becoming Zenon’s pawn.

Now, Ethan moved entirely at Zenon’s will.

Sending talented adopted children to powerful institutions in various nations to deliver information was also Zenon’s arrangement. Ethan could not oppose it. If he defied Zenon’s wishes, the treason he had committed against the state would be exposed, and the Syira family would crumble. Realizing he could never return to a life of innocence, Ethan could only apologize to the children while placing burdensome tasks upon them.

If even one of the children defied him, the entire family would collapse. That was Zenon's threat. The honest children raised with Ethan's love had no choice but to sacrifice themselves to protect their beloved adoptive parents and siblings. They were a family that Zenon found incredibly useful.

And soon, yet another new offering would belong to Zenon.

— Mio Syira.

Among the siblings, she was the one with the most potential for the future.

Not only could she use her wit adeptly.

She was intelligent, lovely, and strong-willed.

In four or five years, she would likely grow into an excellent female agent capable of captivating men. For a female spy, "beauty" was an absolute weapon that male spies could never acquire, no matter how much training they underwent. Some female spies have achieved results in battles equivalent to an entire division by leveraging their beauty to infiltrate targets. With her intelligence, Mio, who also possessed strength of character, was someone Zenon wished to keep close.

— Such raw material. If brainwashed and re-educated properly, she could become a capable slave.

— My exclusive slave.

For Zenon, it was a game. Rather than merely using her like the other siblings for information gathering, he wanted to cultivate her as an actual agent under his own guidance.

Having grown up comfortably in a wealthy family until her late teens was a completely different type compared to those trained from childhood in spy academies, producing an agent with both grace and beauty. It would be incredibly enjoyable to strip Mio of her critical thinking and dye her in new ideas, making her both physically and mentally serve Urano. The memories of that foreign female diplomat he met last year—beautiful, intelligent, and having cleverly outmanoeuvred Zenon in a short negotiation—came to mind. He wanted to cultivate Mio like her and use her with his own hands. Even in the midst of the grim secret missions, such playfulness could be allowed.

Zenon began to devise plans for the future. To strip one person of their fixed ideas and inject new values would require a series of stages.

— For starters, intimidation would be the quickest method.

He decided to contact Ethan in the morning to designate a meeting place for another encounter with Mio.

— Mio will definitely come.

— To hear from me about her father's true identity.

If that happened, she would be ours. Putting on a facade of a good person, he would boldly utter beautiful words and then proceed to threaten using Mio's family.

— Convince her that the lives of her young brother and sister are at stake, and she won’t be able to resist.

— To protect her siblings, she would offer herself.

— That’s where it begins.

Zenon quickly envisioned several negotiation patterns, ready to deflect any logical counterattacks Mio might throw his way, gently preparing to draw her into his web of thoughts. Having dealt with countless cunning spirits and negotiations, convincing a teenage girl, no matter how clever, was merely a playful distraction amidst his duties.

Of course, one couldn't expect to completely sway the other party in a single encounter. However, securing a subsequent meeting and repeatedly applying pressure through intimidation and persuasion would eventually destabilize the opponent's footing, allowing his ideology to seep in. With enough time and effort, she'd ultimately become a puppet dancing in his hands.

──Speaking of which, there was a Hachidori at the Air Hunt Officer Academy.

One of the S-class special agents Zenon had personally trained—Hachidori.

The son of a minister who was executed after losing a power struggle in the Urano court.

Coincidentally, he was also one of the "Seven of Eriadore," just like Mio. If he taught Mio the code words used among agents, the exceptional Hachidori would surely notice any oddities and make contact. The brevity of his training period could be compensated for by assigning Hachidori as his mentor on the ground.

Zenon amused himself by mentally rehearsing the process of turning Mio into his piece. The face of that foreign female diplomat floated in his mind, overlapping with Mio's.

The sensation of that slender back he had held during their playful dance still lingered. The words whispered in his ear were both shrewd and strategic. He remembered instinctively wishing to make that woman his someday. Whether that dream would come true was uncertain, but for now, he decided to enjoy himself with Mio as a substitute...