Chapter 20: Encounter

It’s been five years since training began.

I’m thirteen now—a middle schooler.

Combat training now includes my little sisters as well.
Originally, I never wanted them involved in fighting at all.
But if they stayed ignorant, Beatrice might eventually discover us. Besides, in Kivotos, you can’t survive without at least some ability to fight.

So, with a heavy heart, I put them through combat training too.

Even though they secretly grumble about the instructors, they’ve kept at it—and whether they like it or not, they’ve all grown stronger.

Among my sisters, Saori has turned out to be the strongest.

Here in Arius, the same rotten system persists. Once you reach a certain level of ability, they assign you to a unit.

And today is that assignment day.

For example, Saori’s been named leader of the 8th Squad. She’ll command Misaki, Atsuko, Hiyori… and probably, before long, Azusa Shirasu.
In total, ten members—kids who will one day form the future Arius Squad.

There are eight squads in total, organized this way.

…But there’s still no sign of Azusa Shirasu.
That means there are children within Arius still beyond my reach.
Once the squads are fully formed, I should finally have the chance to meet them.

…How deeply are they wounded inside, I wonder?
I can’t even imagine. I’ll have to approach them carefully—and act quickly to help.

And then there’s the matter of squad command.
As for me—

“Squad leader?”

“Yes. You’re to command Squads Five through Eight.”

“Isn’t that supposed to be your job?”

Not that I mind the promotion… but normally, the squad leaders above us are all teachers.

“You’ve been deemed capable enough. Go and present yourself to Madam.”

──Beatrice?

“…Huh?”

“I assume I don’t need to remind you—don’t do anything unnecessary. If this blows back on me, I’ll be the one punished.”

“Don’t worry. You and I are in this together now, right, my fellow conspirator?”

“…The nerve of you.”

Finally. After all these years.

I’ve been waiting—years and years—for this moment.

I can’t kill her today.

But finally, at last, this gun, this body, this killing intent—
can stand before her.

“…Hey. Don’t you dare do anything stupid, alright?”

“Hahaha… I know, I know.”

My hand tightened around the training pistol.
A sharp crack ran down the grip—it splintered, crumbling into dust in my palm.

“…Phew.”

Regaining my composure at the sight of blood trickling down my hand, I headed for the designated location.

A dim, stone-built structure.
In Arius, such sights are nothing unusual.

I knocked twice on the heavy door.

“Enter.”

A muffled voice echoed from within.

Confirming that, I slowly pushed the door open.

Inside stood a grotesque, flower-like being, its petals lined with countless eyes.
Brown hair cascaded down its back, and a voluptuous, red-skinned body was draped in a white dress.

The same figure I had seen in my previous life.

──Ah. I want to kill this thing.

Suppressing the fire rising inside me—the murderous heat—I put on the mask of “myself.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Madam. My name is Suou Kirihana. I deeply thank you for appointing me as squad leader, and I humbly accept the position.”

“I’ve heard of you, Suou Kirihana. They say your skills, though so young, rival those of the instructors themselves.”

“…You flatter me.”

“I expect great things from you. …Ah!?”

…? What was that?

The instant her eyes met mine, Beatrice’s expression shifted.
That apathetic gaze—suddenly wide with shock.

“Is something wrong?”

“N-no, it’s nothing. Pay it no mind. Tell me—you, ‘Suou Kirihana,’ that is your real name?”

“…? Yes.”

“…Was it given by your biological parents?”

“No. I was told it was chosen by my adoptive guardian—the one who took me in.”

“…I see.”

The only explanation I can think of is my eyes.
One black, one white—heterochromia. A rare trait even in my original world… perhaps proof of the Mystic.

She might report it to the men in black. But how should I prepare?
As long as I remain a useful piece, they won’t hand me over.
After all, the Gematria groups aren’t enemies—but cooperation only lasts as long as profit does.

“Starting tomorrow, you’ll fulfill your duties as squad leader in full. Your main responsibilities will be personnel organization, training oversight, and command of combat forces. Work diligently.”

“Understood. I’ll give it my all.”

…For now, this is enough.

If I show too much resentment toward Trinity or reveal my nihilism, suspicion will grow.
For the time being, I just need to act loyal. Progress slowly. Step by step.

“That’s all for today. You may go.”

“Thank you, Madam. Excuse me.”

I opened the door and stepped outside.

Moving quickly, and silently, I left the building.

Then I entered another structure nearby.

Slamming my fist into the wall, I left a deep crack.

“Haah…! Haah…!”

My breath came ragged, trembling with rage.

“Fuuuuuuhhhhhh!!!”

It’s fine. I can still keep the act up.

Never—never let her see this killing intent.

In the room Suou Kirihana had just left, Beatrice sat alone in thought.

“Unbelievable… truly.”

It was an utterly unexpected development.
Unthinkable, even.

“That girl…”

An odd eye as proof of the Mystic? That hardly mattered.
Combat strength rivaling an instructor despite her youth? That could be replaced easily enough.

Her colleague within Gematria—the one who would later be known as the man in black.

Without a doubt, that girl, Suou Kirihana, was the very existence he had been searching for.
But to Beatrice, that wasn’t the important part.

What mattered was the being she herself had sought, over and over again, and never found.

She had used Atsuko Hakari’s data to make visual identification possible.
And yet she’d failed to locate it, and long ago had given up.

She had believed that “it” no longer existed within Arius.

Her insurance.

To discover it here, now—what an absurd stroke of luck.

That girl carries traces of it. Not pure, no… but the sheer density of that mystic energy—yes, it’s more than enough to serve as a replacement.

She had no intention of informing the man in black.
This would be far more useful to her personally.

She would claim it. No matter what.

“Heh…”

But she couldn’t reveal her intentions too openly.
Even if the chance was slim, any interference with her plan was unacceptable.
And allowing the girl herself to realize anything would be worse still.

That, after all, was the purpose of insurance.

Ah… perhaps appointing her as squad leader had been a mistake?
It meant more opportunities for her to leave the compound. That was acceptable—but if danger followed her in the process, that would be troublesome.

“…Well, no matter. Let’s observe for now.”

She would not allow the girl to die.

At last, she had found it—
the insurance she had been searching for endlessly.

…The bloodline of the Royal Blood.

When I returned to the training grounds, the members of the 8th Squad were all gathered.
The instructors had already left—and among them stood a familiar white-haired girl. Wait, huh?

“Shirasu… Azusa?”

“!? Ah—Suou… how do you even know her name?”

“That’s simple, Misaki. Because I’m your big sister.”

“…I see. Poor thing.”

“Don’t pity me!! I’m perfectly sane, thank you very much!!!”

…Okay, that stung. Being treated like a lunatic hurts.

“…Who’s that girl?”

“Oh, this one here is—”

“I’m Suou Kirihana!!! Squad leader, and everyone’s big sister! Including you, of course!!”

“…She’s like this. Don’t mind her.”

“…Big sister?”

But wait—if Azusa’s already here… that means it’s happened, hasn’t it?

In the original events, Azusa Shirasu defied an instructor and was beaten so severely that her halo nearly shattered.
Saori stepped in, saying she would take charge of Azusa’s “training” instead, protecting her. That became the beginning of the Arius Squad.

However it happened, Azusa still ended up hurt.
All while I took my eyes off things for just a moment…

Not every instructor here is an accomplice.
It must have been one of them.

“…I’m sorry. You all must’ve been in real danger.”

For now, I soaked a clean cloth in water and gently wiped the blood from Azusa’s cheek.

“How could anyone hit a girl’s face like this…? Tell me that instructor’s name and face.”

“Don’t. What are you planning to do?”

“Just to have a little talk, of course. A violent, passionate one.”

『Didn’t Sa-chan tell you not to do that?』

While tending to Azusa’s wounds, I kept thinking.

…This whole thing was entirely my fault.

When I’m not watching, things like this can happen.
Of course, she was beaten so badly because she fought back—but a place where even resistance is punished this way is rotten to the core.

…As a precaution, I’ve been teaching the others to resist a little when accomplices are around, or at least vent about it later. But I’ll have to remember this—sometimes even that isn’t enough.

“Um, sister…?”

“S-she’s self-proclaimed! Suou-san just calls herself our big sister!”

“I am not self-proclaimed! I am your sister!”

“…Sorry, I don’t really get it.”

“Anyway! You did well, holding on all by yourself. It’s okay now—your big sister’s here.”

“…!”

…She really is a strong girl.

She’s not bound by Arius’s teachings. She refuses to give in and never stops resisting.
To the very end, she stands by her own will.

“Well, it’s good to stand up to what you can’t accept. But if you don’t pick your timing, you’ll only end up hurting yourself. As your big sister, I can’t allow that.”

“…Even so—”

“You don’t have to obey things that make no sense. Just nod and ignore half of what they say. That alone counts as resistance, don’t you think?”

“…”

“There we go! All done. The pain should fade soon.”

“…Thank you.”

There are others like Azusa—hurt in places I can’t see.

That’s why the position of squad leader suits me. It lets me do something for them, even if only a little.

Now then… there’s still the food problem.

If I “borrow” a little during supply runs, that might help. And if it’s not enough, maybe I could grow something in an underground garden…?

Either way, I have more options now.
All that’s left is to keep moving forward.

If the main story—the teacher’s arrival—really happens, it’ll be in three or four years.

What can I accomplish by then?

…The plan is ready. These kids will get caught up in it a bit, but that can’t be helped.

As for me… well, no. Don’t think about that.

Today confirmed it.
I can kill Beatrice.
No—
I want to kill her.

That’s all I need to focus on.
Don’t factor myself into the equation.

All that’s left is to wait—for the teacher’s arrival.

And if they never come… then I’ll make my move.

“…Suou? Something wrong?”

“Ah—n-no, nothing at all!”

I just hope it never comes to that.