Episode 66 — Time for Choice
～ Part 2 ～
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Next day, the party of 2nd year class 4 departed the Maritime United Nations Albadanba. There weren’t so many islanders who came to see them off.
All the goods obtained in the trade fair was to be palm off to Welkano company as initially agreed. 2nd year class 4 got this world currency, and used a part of that to have the company prepare materials. Starting from Welkano-shi, the maritime caravan said that they were going to say in this island for a little while longer, but the heavy cruiser branch school was heading straight for Werneus Peninsula in the southeastern part of the continent.
Werneus protruded out to sea in a form similar to Izu Peninsula of Japan or Italy Peninsula in Mediterranean Sea, it was said to be a region with very gentle racial characteristics because it was far from the Empire’s dominion and had blessed climate and terrain. Human countries existed, but their treatment against other races was also very tolerant.
They planed to go north from Werneus Peninsula to the eastern side of the continent and aim for the eastern forest where Master Majina lived. Once they arrived at the eastern forest, they would probably be able to go back to the former world. With that steady progress, an optimistic mood was spreading inside the class.
“Yaa, Kyousuke.”
As Kyousuke was gazing at the distancing Albadanba, Hino Akira came along to his place.
“Akira, is your seasickness okay?”
“Ahh. Well yeah. For now.”
Even now, it was still unknown what kind of mechanism made this lightly floating fireball got motion sickness. But if the person himself said he was sick then he was, if he said not, then not.
When Akira came next to him, Kyousuke restlessly looked around the surroundings.
“…Rin is?”
“I saw her talking to Kensaki just now. What’s wrong?”
“…Ahh no, there’s, nothing wrong in particular…”
Somehow, he recently came to feel uncomfortable that Rin wasn’t next to him. It would soon be 3 months since they came to this world, in that 3 months, the time they spent together had been more often, so it might be natural. If she left even for a bit, he would get anxious. This tendency wasn’t very good.
“You seem to be thinking too hard about things as usual.”
“I guess so?”
“That’s right. I think you can just do what you want … but, well, perhaps that’s still too difficult for you, Kyousuke.”
So said Akira and lined up next to Kyousuke.
“As recreation, let’s think about something different.”
“Different?”
“For example, future movement of the blood clan.”
“That huh, I think that won’t be recreation at all though…”
But, Kyousuke was also worrying about that. Given the chance by Akira, he started thinking again.
The confrontation with the blood clan had met a big turning point here. The meeting with the ‘King’ via Akai’s body. Her betrayal was completely exposed to the leader of the blood clan. How would those guys move after this? Even now, he couldn’t guess at all.
Besides, the fact that they had to reach a conclusion with the blood clan remained unchanged. Even if they went back to their world, Akai’s peace couldn’t be promised. Thinking about that, another question welled up: where is the stronghold of the blood clan?
“I think those guys’ stronghold is on the New Continent.”
Said Akira.
The New Continent, that also appeared on the map of this world Selena had prepared. It was an unexplored continent located further south from Albadanba. Accurately, whimsy adventurers seemed to have set foot there several times, but it wasn’t clarified enough to talk about its full picture at all.
Because the vampires were going through this Albadanba for their movements, that possibility was considerably high. But perhaps, same as 2nd year class 4’s route, they were just heading for the eastern side of the continent while avoiding the Empire’s controlled territory, that case was also plausible.
“Assuming it’s the New Continent, that means we’re going away from their stronghold right now.”
“Conversely, if it’s on the eastern side of the Old Continent, we’ll be getting closer to the enemy’s stronghold.”
Kyousuke and Akira pondered together.
“Speaking of which, everyone in the class has also defeated the Pawns.”
“Ahh, seem so. I think the class’ atmosphere is gradually coming together. Even compare to when Washio died, the unity is … uuu.”
Suddenly groaned, ashes scattered from Akira’s body. He vomited.
“You’re getting sick, aren’t you…?”
“It’s not that big a problem…. Rather than that, what I’m worrying about is…”
While saying so, the amount of scattering ashes remained unchanged. It doesn’t mean that the deck was getting dirty, so it was fine. Kyousuke tried to rubbed his back, but not knowing where the heck he should rub, he was lost at what to do.
It was at that time.
“Oh–, it’s Kyousuke-kun and Hino-kun. Yaahoo–.”
It was Rin’s voice. When Kyousuke turned around, not only her was there, but other classmates were also coming out in droves.
“Nn, eh? Is there going to be a meeting or something?”
“Ah, you haven’t heard? You know, Akai-san said that there’s an important story to tell everyone.”
“Akai said…”
Muttered Kyousuke, he glanced at Akira. Although Akira was still spreading ashes everywhere, he nodded over here.
Akai said it was an important story. That surely was going to deeply involved with 2nd year class 4’s future course of action. Judging from how she was going to talk to the entire class and not only to very limited few such as Kyousuke, Ryuzaki and Sakuma, as expected, Kyousuke felt some changes. Probably, Akai also started to believe in the class’ unity.
And then, he felt pure anxiety about what kind of thing that much an important story was going to be.
The students lined up on the deck. There was also Zeku among them, Hakuba placed the altar on a wagon and was pulling it. They had said the entire class, so he probably think they should let Washio participate as well. He was a man deep in friendship. The fact that there was Harao’s coffin right next to the altar was on Kyousuke’s mind though.
Okumura, Gofunkawahara and Kuremori group was talking together. Zeku wasn’t with Goubayashi, but mixed in with this group. Team leaders group such as Kensaki and Uozumi older brother, sport clubs group such as Saruwatari and Yukinoshita, when looking at them in this way, there were groups that had changed compared to before the transference, and there were also group that didn’t.
Kyousuke’s group that had the change called Himemizu Rin, also lined up on the deck like the other students.
In a place a bit away, there were Sakuma and Kaoruko mingled with Harui and Hebitsuka — the so-called Akai’s friends group was having friendly chitchat. It seemed no strain remained in their relationship. Kyousuke patted his chest in relief.
“Ah–, everyone! Many thanks for the case this time!”
Standing in front, Ryuzaki shouted in a carrying voice. Speaking of which, Sakuma who was supposed to be the secretary wasn’t there right now.
“We were able to departed Albadanba safely. It will take about 2 weeks to arrive at Werneus. That country seems to have hot springs, so after we arrive, let’s take it easy over there.”
A completely accustomed yet unpretentious greeting. «OOH–» voice came up in response to the word hot spring.
“And then, it seems Akai has a little important story. Would everyone please listen?”
Urged by Ryuzaki, Akai slowly came forward.
The blood replenishment seemed to have finished, her gait was firm. The students silently stared at that. Standing in front, without clearing her throat, without any preface, she suddenly said this:
“First of all, I want to ask everyone,”
Saying so, Akai took out a glass bottle.
There was traces that red liquid used to be inside. So that’s the bottle used to contain blood, Kyousuke carefreely thought.
“Everyone, what do you think when you imagine me drinking human’s blood?”
The students were a little bewilderedly noisy. It appeared they couldn’t understand the point of Akai’s words.
“…Perhaps, I think there are individual differences, but normally, people should think that kind of thing is unpleasant. Everyone is receiving that calmly though.”
Hearing those words, Kyousuke first and foremost thought of the opponents he had fought so far.
All the Pawns Kyousuke had fought and defeated so far, were treated as ‘humans’ in the former world. Though for friends, for his own life, he had murdered them without any fragment of hesitation, he had felt a slight discomfort about that.
But Kyousuke had meant to analyzed that, it was because he himself was empty.
Akai continued.
“The ‘Transference Denaturation Gate’ everyone has passed through has several effects. One is the effect to alter the human body like everyone did.”
Saying so, she started counting with her fingers.
“Another is Phase 2 ——— the effect to grant special ability.”
Here, Akai punctuated her words once and looked around everyone.
“And another one, is the effect to attach the ‘Filter’. What I’m going to talk about is this 3rd one. About the ‘Filter’…”
The moment she said that, an unusual phenomenon occurred on the deck.
The sky that should have been clear until then, suddenly started being shrouded by dark clouds. The sun was blocked, dark shadows fell. Akai reacted to this first, she raised her face. It was too sudden for a mere weather change. The classmates also started making noise and looked up above similar to Akai.
“What…?”
While the wind started blowing stronger, Ryuzaki’s mutter was heard.
“(I have bad feelings about this…)”
The rustle inside Kyousuke’s chest got conspicuously stronger.
Akai had interrupted her lecture. When Kyousuke turned his gaze toward her, he understood that she kept looking up at the sky, narrowed her eyes and bit her lips. With just that much, Kyousuke roughly understood what kind of existence had created this sudden bad weather.
Beyond the sky, something the size of a speck could be seen flying over here at high speed. That thing flew at maximum speed, wind cladded on its body divided the sea like a shockwave.
“Everyone, step back!”
That might have been the first time Kyousuke heard Akai’s scream-like shout.
Immediately following that, roar and impact shook the hull of the heavy cruiser branch school. Warships are weak against impact from the side. The tilted ship almost capsized, but Harao kicked flying his coffin’s lid and jumped out, he raised his ankh and barely managed to stopped it with his telekinesis power.
It was needless to ask what had happened, even so, everyone looked at Akai.
“Asuka, this is!?”
Stabbing his claws on the deck, Ryuzaki had already transformed into a dragon. Other students were also preparing for combat.
Rin had also jumped over to Kyousuke’s body and finished combining. But this was just after they used up the power of blood. They couldn’t go Extreme yet.
“I don’t know the name. But it’s a Rook.”
To be continued…
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