LIGHTNOVELONLINE After parting ways with the Arius Squad, I stepped out of the cathedral connected to the catacombs.
The ruckus coming from the playground nearby was strangely loud for such a deserted area. Maybe that’s why, despite it being so late in the early morning, the members of the Justice Realization Department responded to reports and seemed to have extinguished a fire.
I send my sincere apologies to the members of the Justice Realization Department who are suffering because of me and the squad at this late hour. But then again, I have things to take care of too, so I guess I need to head back over there.
Still, I’m happy today because, unlike last time, I’m making definite progress. I pulled out my phone and opened Momotalk.
[Saori☆]
[Vanitas vanitatum.]
[Hiyori-chan]
[Life is just a series of sufferings… sigh.]
[Misaki-chan]
[I wish it would rain.]
[Squirrel]
[Et omnia vanitas.]
I noticed that Atsuko, who had taken my phone, had added the squad members as friends on Momotalk and even saved their names as well.
…But while Hiyori and Misaki are one thing, why did Saori save her name with a star after “Sa-chan”? Could it be that Azusa saved it that way because I compared her to a squirrel? It fits, but wouldn’t it feel a bit strange if Azusa knew?
And then there’s Atsuko…
[Atsuko♡]
[Even flowers bloom in concrete.]
“Wow—o…? I… I think I’ve really lost it!”
What on earth did I do to warrant something so overt? Could it be that when I shot her in the temple, the combination of Stockholm syndrome and the shaky bridge effect took over…? What am I even saying, seriously.
Yeah, it’s probably just a sign that she wants to get closer to me. There’s no need to overthink it. I mean, girls do sometimes get all excited and call each other “Sister~♡” when they chat, right?
And I should consider her age as well. No need to have any creepy thoughts about someone who’s not even a high schooler yet! Even if she’s a curious kid who jokes about how babies are made!!! And even if she usually wears a leotard under her clothes!!!
Even so, crossing the line is a no-go. That would lead to the death penalty. Yup, the death penalty.
Ding!
[Atsuko♡]
I’ll contact you often, sis!
…Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to face the death penalty? At this rate, I feel like I’d go happily. It would be a noble end, right?
Anyway, today I’m in a good mood because things went well. I can make those kids happy with my own hands. My motivation is through the roof.
So I need to finish up my work. Now, who’s in charge of this squad…?
Hmm, that amazing height, an unexpectedly less overwhelming presence, and that fantastic outfit. Wow, Hasumi’s really something.
“Hey—? Hasumi-chan!”
“…Mika-san?”
“Haha, it’s been a while! Congrats on becoming the Vice President! How have you been?”
“Ah, yes. Good evening. I suppose I’ve been doing well, except for being called out on a late night… But why are you in such a remote place at this hour, Mika-san? Please don’t tell me it’s what I just imagined?”
“Haha, well, you could say that Hasumi-chan being called out here is half my fault… So, yeah, you guessed it…?”
“…”
“I’m sorry, Hasumi-chan! So please don’t give me that cold stare! My fragile heart can’t take it…!”
I could feel the complicated gazes of the Justice Realization Department members who had to drag themselves out at this late hour because of Misaki’s fiery antics staring at me. After all, I’m technically their superior. They had to respond unexpectedly because of me, but they absolutely can’t complain about it.
They probably just want Hasumi to say something on their behalf. Unfortunately, Hasumi is also in a position where she can’t exactly speak out.
“Haha, how about we take a little walk and talk? This is quite an important matter, and it’s also related to you, Hasumi-chan☆”
“Sure… Yes, let’s do that. Everyone, feel free to take a break until I return.”
Honestly, the members of the Justice Realization Department probably want to go home rather than take a break. After prolonging their stay by pulling Hasumi away, I’m not really in a position to say much.
“Oh! Hasumi-chan, have you seen the cardigan I left by the swing? I took it off for a moment.”
“We’ve kept it for you, Mika-san.”
“Here it is!”
At my words, one of the members of the Justice Realization Department dashed over, holding the cardigan. Sharp as a tack, I see. She’s going to do well in social situations.
“Thanks! Let’s see… Phew, luckily it’s not burnt or anything. It’s a friend’s selection, so I cherish it for a number of reasons.”
It’s not an exceptionally expensive piece, just a simple ivory-colored loose-fit knit cardigan that Hifumi chose for me. Naturally, I value it highly since it was picked out by a friend. If anyone asks why I wear it on a day when things could turn into a fight, it’s simply because there aren’t many coats suitable for a midsummer night.
“How many members from the Justice Realization Department came along today, Hasumi-chan?”
“Nine in total. We responded to seven reports, so we’re a bit overstaffed.”
“That makes ten including you… Okay, I’ll send a simple gift later to thank you for the trouble you had because of me. I think there’s a famous macaroon shop in the North district… A macaroon gift set from there should be nice, right?”
“R-Really—? Um…! Yes, I’m sure our members would love it. Right?”
“Of course, Vice President!”
“…I’ll make sure to give you my share, Vice President!”
…Hasumi, is it okay to pressure your members like that for a mere dessert? It seems like they’re showing signs of liking it anyway.
“Ah, no need to go that far…”
…Hasumi, could you at least lower that smile? I mean, I know you love desserts, but please don’t just take your members’ gifts for yourself.
“Haha, Hasumi-chan, I’ll make sure to prepare something special for you! So, make sure to visit the T-party office next time you have time. Let’s get walking!”
I grabbed Hasumi’s hand and led the way. Due to her outstanding physical abilities, she momentarily hesitated before starting to walk after me.
But Hasumi’s presence is a bit less than I expected. Is she going to become overwhelmingly impressive next year?
Still, her height is definitely on another level. If she’s almost a head taller than me, that means she’s taller than most adult men.
“By the way, Hasumi-chan, your outfit is always surprising, huh?”
“Y-Yeah? Mika-san, what do you mean by that…?”
Is she pretending not to know or is she genuinely clueless? That’s gotta be about that ridiculously revealing skirt! I mean, you can see her panty straps and garter belt, right? Is she really that naive?
“Haha, you don’t have to know. It’s getting pretty late, so let’s get down to business. You have an idea of what happened here, right?”
“…I anticipated it was related to the orders sent down from the T-party. Given the circumstances, I have deduced that a small-scale battle occurred around this cathedral, and one side had set numerous traps around waiting. Two of our members even fainted briefly from the IEDs hidden all around.”
“Yup, that’s accurate. You must have your suspicions about the mission you were assigned recently. It’s understandable, considering we kept information under wraps for confidentiality.”
“Yes, that’s as you say. There were even members occasionally voicing their complaints about it. Especially given the environment in the catacombs…”
Honestly, from the perspective of the Justice Realization Department, it was a ridiculous request that would spark frustrations. If only we had been able to share some information, it wouldn’t have been so bad, but we didn’t even have that to give.
“Hmm… Actually, the orders sent to you were originally tasks I intended to handle myself. But I got scolded a lot by Nagisa-chan, and it ended up being passed to you guys. Seriously, she treats me like I’m some child in need of protection.”
“…I know that Mika-san can’t compete with Tsurugi’s strength, but still, you are the host of the T-party. I can understand Nagisa’s feelings.”
“Yeah, that makes sense… Ah, I really want to pass this host business off to Seiya-chan already! Then things would at least be a little better. Sigh.”
“…This may be a bit presumptuous, but I recall that Seiya-san was not in good health. Wouldn’t that mean you wouldn’t see a lot of changes from being the host as well…?”
“Ah.”
That’s true. Our sickly fox-eared beauty isn’t much help at all. Just being cute isn’t enough, huh, Seiya?
“Ugh, I wish I had remained oblivious to that…”
“Ahem… shouldn’t we slowly return to discussing the task at hand?”
“Ah, yes. Sorry for dominating the conversation. Back to the original topic, we are currently seeking reconciliation with the Arius faction that was expelled from the Trinity in ancient times at the T-party. After investigating for a lot of time on my own, I’ve come to believe that the Arius faction is likely located in some place connected to the catacombs. But since you’re aware, knowing that the catacombs frequently change their structure, we’re in a position where we can’t directly seek out the Arius members.”
“The Arius faction… so you’re saying our missions were about hoping for communication from the Arius side while leaving behind codes in the catacombs.”
“Exactly! Although it wasn’t the first time we succeeded in making contact, the first time they sent their forces was today, and they sent people without real authority. I was there waiting for them.”
“It was you, Mika-san?”
Hey, Hasumi. Isn’t that a bit much, looking at me like I’m out of my mind? If you substitute Tsurugi for my position, I doubt the reaction would be any different… Yup, the moment someone from Arius saw Tsurugi’s face, things would go downhill for sure.
“Yeah, anyway, that meeting ended without any significant outcome! I figured the best course of action was to convey that they should send a member with real authority next time. I couldn’t just follow those kids to the Arius Autonomous District, right?”
“Yes… that does make sense…”
No, please! Hasumi, do you not trust me? Surely I don’t look that crazy as to consider going all alone to the Arius Autonomous District?
More than anything, if I actually did something like that, Nagisa might really lose it. Even if I returned safely, all I could see in my future was Nagisa stuffing me full of roll cakes until I died. There’s no way I’d take such a crazy action!
…But thinking about it, if it were really Mika, she might have followed me without a second thought. Should I say that Hasumi knows Mika too well?
I halted in front of a streetlight near a convenience store and turned to face Hasumi. If we kept walking from here, it would only make Hasumi’s journey longer.
“I heard about the circumstances of the Arius faction from the Arius students who visited today. Apparently, an outsider came a few years ago and seized control of the Autonomous District, raising the students solely as a force for battle. They suppress dissenting students through violence and instill nihilism into them through distorted mantras, forcing them to give up all hope and resign themselves. It’s truly horrific.”
“…Are you saying such absurdity is actually occurring?”
“Yeah, and that’s not all. The current leader of the Arius Autonomous District and the Student Council President are raising the students to become ‘killers.’ Meanwhile, they incite hatred towards Gehenna and Trinity.”
Hearing my explanation, Hasumi widened her eyes in shock. Given that she would soon be the de facto commander of the Justice Realization Department, it’s not surprising she could grasp the gravity of this situation.
“…It’s war. They’re clearly nurturing forces with the intention of waging war against us. Even if we assume that the entire faction becomes military fodder, it wouldn’t seem too threatening, but if they’re learning ‘killing,’ then it completely changes the narrative. Given such important information, we can’t just stand idle. Of course, that’s only if everything is indeed true…”
Trailing off, Hasumi looks to me for confirmation. Can this information truly be trusted?
“This is information gained by subduing the Arius students who came seeking us. What you had to manage after receiving reports was the traces of the battle we fought.”
“…That doesn’t surprise me. Suppressing students through violence—more odd would be if there weren’t complaints.”
“Right, and thanks to that, after having some serious conversations, I received a promise of cooperation. Well… without help from those from Arius, it would be impossible for us to breach the catacombs, so it’s good for us, right?”
“…I suppose so. Is the execution date for the mission still undecided?”
“Yeah, it’s still up in the air. We’re planning a large-scale operation that includes not just the Justice Realization Department, but also the Rescue Knights and the Sisterhood, so some scheduling coordination will likely be needed. Meeting like this reminded me I should let you know in advance! I’d like you to also inform Tsurugi-chan if you could.”
“Of course, Mika-san. Leave it to me.”
To be honest, I don’t want to leave Beatrice sitting around for too long. I want to rescue the Arius students from that monster as soon as possible. But of course, I can’t overlook the preparations either.
“Hey, Hasumi-chan! Do you want me to buy you something from the convenience store before we part ways? I hear the mochi roll that’s only sold here is quite delicious☆”
“…I appreciate the sentiment, but it’s far too late, so I’ll have to decline.”
That said, Hasumi’s gaze lingered far too long on the convenience store. So, I bought her one, after which she ended up eating it with delight.
…
Until this point, I truly believed everything would go smoothly as planned. How naïve of me.