Chapter 81
The next day.
I boarded a carriage together with Irene.
The destination was, as always, Astro headquarters.
Though I had lightly called it a date, in reality we were heading towards quite a serious matter.
The fox who had been staring out the window spoke as if she had known:
"Well... I expected as much."
"Were you perhaps looking forward to it? I'm feeling a bit sorry."
"I wonder."
Irene reacted indifferently.
She was making a strangely unreadable expression.
Given the various hardships she had experienced recently, she might have been waiting for a day off.
Now we were heading to headquarters because there was separate work to handle.
I spoke as if coaxing her:
"Let's definitely go out for fun next time."
"There's no need for that... I wasn't particularly upset anyway."
"It seems I won't be able to because my heart is uncomfortable."
"Well, if that's the case."
The girl nodded her head.
Though she had an indifferent face, the tail attached to her back was swaying as if happy.
I stroked the fox's head while smiling gently.
As I continued the gentle touch, I could clearly feel the sensation of her perked up ears too.
I was fiddling with her wide ear as if entranced.
"Nnh..."
The girl letting out an inevitable moan.
Though her breathing was gradually becoming disordered, the fox didn't avoid or remove my hand.
She just lowered her head and let out hot breaths.
I asked out of curiosity that suddenly occurred to me:
"Miss Irene."
"Mmm...?"
"About your ears. I was wondering why you say not to touch them in front of others."
"Ah."
I was talking about what happened yesterday.
When I tried to touch her ears in front of the other children, the fox's hand that quickly flew in prevented it.
Then she shook her head with an uncharacteristically reddened face.
-No... That's only when we're alone.
-Don't do it outside. Instead, I'll let you touch them as many times as you want in bed.
Irene spoke while grasping my sleeve.
I had to nod.
I asked the question because that scene suddenly came to mind.
As I stared at the girl with question marks, soon her black pupils avoided my gaze and leaned on the window.
She seemed to be avoiding answering.
"Just... it's nothing."
"Hmm?"
"I was bothered by watching eyes. I'm still reluctant to deal with humans."
"If that's the reason, it can't be helped."
Well.
Even though I took time to get close, she might be reluctant to show a disordered appearance in front of unfamiliar children.
Moreover, Irene's inner self was full of distrust towards humans.
Considering that I was the only person she followed, her future human relationships were truly at a bleak level.
I threw out a childish joke for no reason:
"I'm human too, you know."
"You're fine."
"Why?"
"Because I can trust you... No, because I decided to trust you."
"What if I betray you?"
"I'd die."
"Pardon?"
"I said I'd die."
Pupils staring at me intently.
On her faintly smiling lips, bitterness from past days that hadn't been fully erased was evident.
"If even you betray me, I don't think I'd have the courage to live on."
"......"
"So."
Her tilted head touched my shoulder again.
Irene calmly whispered in my ear while leaning her body as if entangled:
"Don't betray me."
"......"
"Don't abandon me, don't hate me, don't leave my side. If you just keep that, I'll give you everything for you too."
"Responsibility... That's what you mean."
"Something like that."
Responsibility is like shackles that work both ways.
Both the person who tamed and the beast that was tamed bind each other as much as they invested time.
Perhaps it resembles a tightly stretched rubber band.
Because the moment one side lets go, the relationship collapses as it is.
People live bearing responsibility in everything.
"...I'll try my best."
I nodded quietly.
The reason I couldn't answer with certainty was that it was words evading because I knew I wouldn't be able to keep it, while also wishing the promise would be kept.
It probably wasn't very reassuring from the listener's perspective either.
As if that was enough, the fox was showing a gentle smile on her lips.
We spent time like that while pressed close.
Rattle rattle-.
The somewhat shaky carriage body.
Even while we were conversing, the carriage was running.
When the appearance of a foggy city gradually reflected outside the window, Irene finally asked as if curious.
It was a question about this work.
"By the way... What are we going for this time?"
"A quite serious matter has come up."
"A serious matter?"
"One of our members was attacked."
"What...?"
A few days ago.
It was a report that came in right after returning from the school trip.
I explained briefly:
"Rather than a member, it would be more accurate to say they were in a cooperative relationship. They were a person from the church side, and we received a lot of help in various ways."
"You had connections in the church too? I shouldn't be surprised at this point but..."
"We needed to keep an eye on the situation there too."
"Anyway, so what happened?"
"From what I hear, it seems an accident occurred at the cathedral where that person was staying. All affiliated priests went missing, the interior was full of bloodstains, and traces of demonic energy were even found nearby."
"Demonic energy...?"
"I'll explain the details separately."
"Alright. We're almost there anyway."
Irene was preparing to get up from her seat.
I added a few words:
"Originally it was a problem we would solve on our own, but now Miss Irene is a member of Astro too. I thought it would be good to accompany me while announcing your joining."
"I'll do my best... if it's what you want."
"That's a reassuring attitude."
The carriage that had stopped before we knew it.
We headed straight for headquarters.
When we opened the door hidden at the end of the stairs, dozens of members who had been waiting came into view.
They were all wearing pure white robes.
"Master. We've been waiting."
Neria was standing in front of the lined-up members.
Long flowing silver hair, transparent pupils.
I had heard she was on dispatch until a few days ago, but it seemed Lena had urgently brought her after hearing the news.
The girl paid polite respects.
"The members' preparations are complete. I selected only elites to form a group of 30."
"Let's depart right away."
"Understood."
When I gave a signal to Lena standing beside me, she began creating a portal leading to our destination.
Dimension slowly distorting.
Like that, a door connecting to another space opened, and the robe draped over my shoulders fluttered in the surging mana.
We stepped towards our destination just like that.
***
The Great Purge.
The war that drove out the black mages rampaging in the Empire 5 years ago.
The Empire that had finally achieved peace came to deploy organizations opposing heretics in each city so that similar dangers would not be repeated.
Their name was Liszt (Licht).
In ancient language, it meant 'light'.
They were gatherings of clergy protecting one city, beings who prepared for possible dangers and guarded their district.
As they performed the role of guardians, it was a position only some veterans took on.
In short.
A spear established solely to check heretics.
A shield covering the city with holy words.
If a branch of such Liszt was directly attacked, it only meant one thing.
"A declaration of war."
"It does seem close to that side indeed."
Neria answering while nodding her head.
The girl slowed her steps, then calmly laid out a briefing:
"The only point attacked was the cathedral. Not even slight damage was left on the nearby city. I think they probably blatantly revealed hostility towards the church."
"That's a plausible speculation."
The Church.
After all, it was the Church that was active second only to the 'Red Sword Star' during the Great Purge period.
The world doesn't know that Kyle is alive.
That's why they targeted the Church.
By attacking 'Liszt', which symbolizes peace after the Great Purge, they were trying to say.
That they have returned.
"It seems they're trying to move in earnest."
"They must have judged that they've recovered sufficiently over the past 5 years. Still, they seem to be exercising some caution. The branch attacked this time was one of the smaller scale branches among Liszt."
"Well, targeting the large branches in the capital would be burdensome for them too."
"Anyway... The problem is that our side's collaborator was stationed at that branch."
"Miss Medro."
"That's right. The person who went missing in this attack was Medro Gardnier. She held the position of Vicar General and was also in charge of overseeing that branch. Currently all contact has been cut off."
"She was such an upright clergy... I hope she's safe."
I illuminated the surroundings with the candle I was holding.
Light driving away darkness.
The interior of the disordered cathedral came into view in the flickering sight.
As soon as we arrived in the city, we infiltrated the branch and were continuing our investigation while slowly examining the scene.
We roughly knocked out the guards keeping watch nearby.
"...It's a mess."
The fox muttering quietly.
As she said, the cathedral's scene was truly chaotic.
Blood of unknown origin was splattered everywhere.
There were no broken, shattered, or damaged parts, but rather that point made one's spine shiver.
It was a scene somewhat deviating from common sense.
"With so much blood... You're saying no bodies were found inside the cathedral?"
"That's correct. That's why it was processed as missing rather than deceased."
"It's quite a troublesome problem."
"The guard seems to have concluded that the priests were kidnapped. Most of the forces are concentrated on the city rather than the cathedral."
"Thanks to that, infiltration was smooth. That's one part I like."
We walked through the background sunk in pitch darkness.
Members continuing a thorough search.
Finally the underground check was completed.
Lena shook her head. It meant she hadn't found anything special.
"We searched every nook and cranny but there was nothing special. I think they were probably taken elsewhere as the guard suspected."
"Hmm..."
I let out a deep sigh.
As I was wondering if we should start tracking outside after all, at that time.
A small gap appeared in my scanning vision.
"Is that...?"
A gap as thin as a thread, difficult to distinguish with the naked eye, was engraved on the wall.
I covered my pupils by consuming a bit of lies.
Only then did traces hidden beyond it come into view.
I let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha."
No wonder the guard couldn't find it.
Remnants of black magic woven in dozens of layers were coating the wall.
As if trying to hide something.
I put output into my fingertips.
Then I created one bullet and aimed it at the heart of the barrier where demonic energy was entangled.
Following the incantation I recited without hesitation, the bullet was fired.
"Break."
Crash-!
The wall surface shattered into pieces like a mirror.
Between the scattering fragments, a space that had been hidden behind the barrier was revealed.
A long extending corridor.
"Such petty tricks don't work."
I took a step while holding an ominous smile.
Thud thud-.
Numerous footsteps followed behind.
We moved towards the scene where the missing people would be waiting, our pure white robes fluttering.
Music seemed to be ringing from somewhere.
***
Meanwhile.
There was a girl watching the snake.
She who had been hiding in the stairs connecting to the underground couldn't hide her bewilderment as she saw those entering the mysterious space.
It was because she saw a familiar face among them.
"Yuda Snakers...?"
Blue pupils blinked.
Platinum blonde hair slightly peeking out from between the deeply worn robe could be seen.
The girl's identity was none other than Charlotte.
She was the First Imperial Princess of the Empire, and one of the main characters in the original game.