Chapter 32: Calm

Running away is a shameful, yet helpless, choice.

Because she lacked the strength to resist, because she worried her own recklessness would bring misfortune to Yukina, because she was afraid, having witnessed the predetermined fate of an Agent.

For Ephnel, that was probably how it was.

In the end, Ephnel still didn’t understand whether running away was an act of defiance against fate, or a compromise with it.

But the one thing that was clear, the one thing she would never compromise on, was that she had to protect her younger sister.

“If anyone targets Yukina, I will kill them, with absolutely no mercy.”

Ephnel stared intently at the “Apostle” girl, her every word firm and unyielding.

The girl was taken aback for a moment.

“Is that so… I see… How enviable, to be able to say something like that with a straight face… Well, allow me to take back what I said earlier. In any case, I now understand completely that you will absolutely not let me go…”

The girl sighed and leaned back.

“My road ends here… How truly sad…”

The girl struggled to lift her hand.

With a flash of silver light, the skirt armor on her body dissolved into stardust and reformed into a silver ring in her palm.

As if all her strength had been drained in an instant, her entire body went limp, and her face turned deathly pale.

The girl struggled to raise her head, looking at Ephnel, her breathing weak.

“This… is my ‘Holy Relic.’ Well, what you people call a ‘Beacon’… Anyway, I surrender. Can you stop pointing that thing at me now?”

Ephnel withdrew her spear.

With a flick of the spear’s tip, she expertly flipped the ring from the girl’s palm and into her own hand.

She lowered her gaze, looking at the object in her palm.

The so-called “Holy Relic” was a silver ring.

Unlike the “Beacons” used by the Order, it had no characters or markings engraved on it, only some signs of wear.

It was cold, and the fluctuations it emitted felt different to Ephnel from any of the Order’s “Beacons.”

“‘Holy Relic’…”

Although Ephnel didn’t know much about the “ruins,” this object was clearly not a product of the Order.

If, as Yonomikenami said, the “Apostle” was also an “Agent,” then this so-called “Holy Relic” should be a “Beacon.” There shouldn’t be any difference.

‘So what is different…’

“Did ‘those guys’ give this to you?”

“Yeah.”

The girl nodded.

“A product of the ‘ruins’?”

“Even if… you ask me… that’s not something I have access to…”

“You don’t seem to know anything I ask. Is your head filled with cement?”

“Huh!? You b*stard…”

The girl used all her strength to prop herself up, but seeing the look in Ephnel’s eyes, she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

“I advise you not to try anything funny. Next, you will be imprisoned and interrogated. You’d best behave yourself.”

Ephnel clenched her fist around the ring, glanced at the weakened girl, and then opened her communication channel.

“This is Ephnel, can you hear me?”

…

In the distance was the heavy, black-cloud-like “Whale,” black smoke spreading through the sky like ink in water.

The piercing sound of sirens echoed from the surrounding streets.

Outside the venue, two Special Disaster Section action teams were assembled.

As an emergency response unit, they remained within the disaster area on standby for any unexpected situations.

Compared to the sports venue at the disaster’s epicenter, this was a relatively safe location.

Several armored vehicles were parked next to a sheltered building.

Team members guided a few injured civilians who had been separated from the evacuation units, helping them board one of the vehicles which then departed for the outer perimeter.

Canary stood on the roof of a building, holding her weapon in one hand as she gazed into the venue.

Yukina sat silently inside one of the vehicles, her fingers clenched tightly, her head poked out as she looked in the direction of the venue.

Battles were taking place both inside the venue and in the sky.

On one side, it was Ephnel and the Apostle; on the other, it was Ayse and two other Agents against the Erosion Organism.

The battle on Ayse’s side was nearing its end.

Under the combined assault of three Agents, only the “Whale”—which seemed to lack attack methods befitting its size—remained, cornered and unable to escape.

Meanwhile, the battle between Ephnel and the Apostle inside the venue had fallen silent.

From the initial explosions that had swept across half the venue to the current eerie silence, Yukina’s heart had been in a tight grip.

The energy reading surveillance data retrieved by the Order’s headquarters indicated that Ephnel was still alive, but since her communication line had been down for over three minutes, it was impossible to judge the current situation.

Thump—

A heavy landing sound startled Yukina.

She looked up and saw Canary squatting on a rickety lamppost, a rather gloomy expression on her face.

Yukina pushed open the car door and got out.

She walked worriedly to the base of the lamppost and asked Canary:

“Miss Canary, is Miss Ephnel… alright?”

“Eek? Little Yukina, why did you come out… Whoosh—”

Canary leaped down from the lamppost and landed beside Yukina.

“Get back in the car. Senpai Ephnel specifically told me to keep a close eye on you.”

“Eh? Miss Ephnel, she…”

Canary threw up her hands and sighed helplessly.

“Unfortunately, I can’t see clearly.”

“I see…”

Yukina lowered her head.

Canary looked the girl before her up and down repeatedly.

So this was Ephnel’s younger sister.

She shifted her gaze to the distant sky.

“By the way, your full name is ‘Shiomi Yukina,’ right?”

“Y-Yes… You knew, Miss Canary?”

“Haha, I’ve heard of you… Maybe we’ve even chatted on SNS.”

“Eh? Is that so… Who could you be…”

Yukina said, a little surprised.

“That…”

Canary pressed a finger to her lips, making a shushing motion, and gave a sly smile.

“My ID is a secret for now!”

…

“Um… Miss Canary, a ‘Beacon’… what kind of thing is that?”

“Eek? Why do you know about that?”

Canary seemed a bit surprised, while Yukina stood there hesitantly.

“It’s just, I heard Miss Ephnel mention it.”

“Is that so…”

Canary frowned, looking at Yukina with some hesitation.

She knew about Ephnel and Yukina’s “sibling” relationship.

It wasn’t exactly a secret among the Agents in Seikyo City.

But everyone also knew that Ephnel had no intention of revealing her identity.

Therefore, officially, Yukina was still an “ordinary civilian,” and Agents were not supposed to disclose any information to “ordinary civilians.” This was a regulation within the Order Organization.

“Sorry, I can’t really explain that to you.”

Canary leaned closer to Yukina and said in a low voice.

“But since Senpai Ephnel mentioned it to you, it’s probably best to ask her about it. I can’t just explain it to you on my own.”

“I see…”

Yukina nodded and fell silent.

…