Chapter 163: Intelligence Exchange

“Hanasou Kotone…?”

This time, it was Ephnel’s turn to look strange, and Yukina was also a little surprised.

“Hanasou-san?”

The last time she had seen Hanasou Kotone was at school.

Yukina only knew that Hanasou Kotone had been a bit down for a few days because of family matters, but she had never heard her mention becoming Miss Nishizaki Yuki’s assistant.

“No… wait a minute.”

Ephnel was clearly just as puzzled as Yukina.

She felt like this news had suddenly thrown her for a loop.

“Hanasou Kotone is still just a high school student… Yuki, who has always refused to get an assistant, why did she suddenly take a liking to her?”

It wasn’t that she was prejudiced against Hanasou Kotone.

Hanasou Kotone was a very proactive and brave girl, and she worked hard in her studies.

There was no doubt she would be an outstanding person in the future.

But many things couldn’t be achieved just by “wanting to do them.”

Most of the projects Nishizaki Yuki was in charge of were research topics related to Order energy and Erosion energy, things that all of humanity had yet to find a specific explanation for.

This was far beyond the scope of what an ordinary high school student could be involved in.

“Is it that strange for Nishizaki Yuki to do something like this? And seriously, it wasn’t Nishizaki Yuki who took a liking to Hanasou Kotone, but Hanasou Kotone who chose Nishizaki Yuki.”

A sly look appeared on Masaki Hinaki’s face.

“Besides, isn’t little Yukina also a high school student?”

“That’s different. Yukina is an Accommodator. Hanasou Kotone is just an ordinary person… Ultimately, Yuki’s research is not a field that a high school student is capable of stepping into.”

“No, you’ve misunderstood.”

Masaki Hinaki didn’t deny Ephnel’s point, but instead explained:

“Nishizaki didn’t let little Kotone take over any of her experiments. She just let her temporarily enter the medical department she’s in charge of, staying on as a ‘physician’s assistant’.”

“So that’s how it is…?”

If it was a matter concerning the medical department, then Ephnel could understand.

While Nishizaki Yuki was responsible for being a researcher, she was also the head of the medical department, the physician directly responsible for the Agents.

“Ultimately, little Kotone is just an assistant for now. The things she does are very simple, and won’t involve any confidential information, nor will there be any danger.”

“Even so, I still think there must be better candidates…”

“That’s true… but it’s rare for Nishizaki to take such a liking to someone. Although I’m also very puzzled as to why, since she’s made her choice, why not let her give it a try?”

Masaki Hinaki said.

“Besides, little Kotone has her own difficulties that are hard to talk about. Don’t be fooled by how she usually is; her profile in the review file paints a different picture… Well, anyway, this is a step she took on her own initiative. Everything starts from nothing, doesn’t it?”

“…”

Ephnel glanced at Masaki Hinaki and sighed softly.

“I mean, why is everyone so impulsive… Even for rear-line personnel, this isn’t child’s play. Have those two really thought it through?”

More than worrying about “whether the demanding Nishizaki Yuki can get along with Hanasou Kotone” and “whether Hanasou Kotone can handle being the assistant to the eccentric Nishizaki Yuki,” Ephnel was more worried about their future.

Doctors and nurses would also occasionally need to go to disaster areas to support operations, and the danger was obvious.

Fuurin Shion, Uzuki Saori, Shiina Rin, Oguri Aya, Kiri Mahiru…

There were already enough girls being sent to the battlefield.

And her own little sister.

Ephnel didn’t want to see girls of Hanasou Kotone and Yukina’s age get hurt by Erosion disasters again.

But at times like these, apart from feeling a bone-deep sense of powerlessness, Ephnel could only focus more on training herself.

Only if she was strong enough could she minimize the dangers faced by others.

“Perhaps Nishizaki Yuki has her own considerations.”

“Forget it. Since you’ve put it that way, I won’t say any more… and I also believe that Nishizaki isn’t a reckless person. She probably has her reasons…”

“I’m glad you can think that way.”

Masaki Hinaki looked at Ephnel and smiled, not explaining any further.

“Oh right, there’s one more thing—we’ve actually confirmed the whereabouts of ‘Karina,’ the vice-captain of the ‘Apostle’ squad that was sent out this time. She’s currently under our secret surveillance.”

“Since you’ve confirmed it, why not just take her down?”

“Of course we have our reasons.”

Faced with Ephnel’s question, Masaki Hinaki giggled.

She lowered her voice and gently pushed open the office door.

“There are some other things. Let’s talk inside.”

“Take a seat anywhere.”

Masaki Hinaki had Ephnel and Yukina sit down on the sofa, while she herself hung her coat on the coat rack to the side.

She went to her desk to get some documents, then brought two glasses of water for Ephnel and Yukina.

“There’s not much to drink here, I hope you don’t mind.”

“Th-thank you…”

Yukina took the glass with trepidation, raising her eyes to glance at Masaki Hinaki.

This commander was much more approachable than she had imagined, but even so, she was still the head of the Order Organization, and from today onwards, her direct superior.

Masaki Hinaki was the Commander-in-Chief of the Order Organization, and at the same time, the true “person in full charge,” with actual authority surpassing the two major organizations and the garrison forces in Seikyo City.

According to military rank, even Fushihara Ayaka was a level below her.

To Ephnel, Masaki Hinaki had always been someone she couldn’t see through, but she was also one of Ephnel’s few friends.

Very few people were allowed into her office, a consideration for confidentiality, but Ephnel had always been an exception—just as Ephnel had always chosen to trust Masaki Hinaki, Masaki Hinaki had never shied away from Ephnel.

In this respect, their relationship was more like that of good friends than of a superior and subordinate.

“Here, this is for you.”

Masaki Hinaki handed the documents in her hand to Ephnel.

“What’s this?”

“The investigation report for the current stage.”

Masaki Hinaki crossed her arms over her chest and sat down, leaning back against the sofa.

“I’ll be brief. Actually, I came to you two days ago because there were three very important things I needed to tell you in person and get your opinion on. The first is about the Apostle squad’s adjutant, Karina.”

“You didn’t arrest her because you want to use her as bait, right?”

Ephnel asked directly.

“That’s right.”

Masaki Hinaki nodded.

“This time, including the Apostle squad, we’ve captured a total of seventeen people. These people were all moles who had infiltrated our organization, but we couldn’t get anything out of them—only three people hold the decisive intelligence: their captain, the Apostle Sakurai Sachi, and the adjutant Karina. But… no matter how we interrogated Sakurai Sachi, she didn’t leak a thing, and the captain committed suicide.”