Chapter 43: Riot

“Yeah, they’re the same.”

Yonomikenami averted her gaze, her eyes fixed on the bottom of her empty cup, looking through the flickering lights to a place far away.

After a long moment, she spoke softly.

“You’re a very good sister, little Yukina, always thinking of your older sister. You’re pretty and brave… Being suddenly told something like this must have been very hard on you… But please, don’t blame your sister for it. To her, you’ve always been the most important person. No matter what she chooses, she’s always acting for your sake.”

Yonomikenami put down her coffee spoon and sighed.

Just as she was about to say more, the phone she had placed on the table suddenly lit up and vibrated.

Looking at the number displayed on the screen, Yonomikenami frowned slightly and looked at Yukina.

“Sorry, I have to step away for a moment. Can you wait here for me?”

“It’s fine. You must have your own work to do, Miss Yonomikenami. I’ll stay right here.”

Yonomikenami stood up, smiled, and then quickly walked to the side, answering the phone as she went.

Yukina watched Yonomikenami’s figure disappear around the corner, then retracted her gaze.

She looked at the empty plate in front of her, then took out her shattered phone and looked at it again and again.

Her sister had bought her this phone a long time ago.

At that time, Seikyo City had just re-established its civilian communication network.

Her sister had taken her hand and, while saying, “From now on, we can hear each other’s voices anytime,” had given her this precious gift.

She had always cherished this phone.

But today, like her state of mind, it was broken.

What was happening…

So many things had happened.

If she woke up and it was all a dream, and none of it had happened, she wouldn’t even be surprised.

Just as Yukina’s thoughts were drifting, Yonomikenami returned.

Yukina looked up, about to greet her, but then she noticed a fleeting seriousness and caution in Yonomikenami’s usual smile.

“Sorry, Yukina, this might be a bit sudden, but we don’t have time to chat anymore.”

Yonomikenami said in a low voice.

“Eh?”

“…I’ll explain the details to you later. For now, please follow me.”

Sensing the subtle shift in the atmosphere, Yukina pursed her lips, stood up, and followed Yonomikenami.

Yonomikenami walked at a steady pace, not too fast and not too slow.

Yukina walked beside her, and they chatted as if nothing was wrong.

They arrived at the elevator.

Yonomikenami quickly pressed a few buttons on the control panel, and the elevator doors slowly closed.

“Phew…”

Yonomikenami let out a small sigh of relief.

“Miss Yonomikenami, what’s going on?”

Yukina looked at Yonomikenami and couldn’t help but ask.

Yonomikenami’s gaze held a hint of doubt and unease.

She squatted down slightly to meet Yukina’s eyes.

“It’s about your sister.”

…

The elevator descended, a dull vibration coming from under her feet.

Yukina stared at the tips of her shoes, a little dazed.

A strange tension was spreading.

Yukina clutched the hem of her clothes, a heavy sense of unease in her heart.

Here it came again, that awful feeling.

It was the same when she used to be with her “brother.”

Though she was unhappy with his hot-and-cold attitude, her heart would still clench uncontrollably when she saw him come home with injuries on his face.

This contradictory, yet very real, feeling…

Yonomikenami’s gaze was fixed on the digital display, counting the changing numbers, looking a little nervous.

Yukina tried to ask.

“Um… Miss Yonomikenami, what happened to my sister?”

Yonomikenami looked at her and spoke hesitantly.

“She’s… ‘Ephnel’ right now…”

“Ephnel…?”

“Yes, the real Ephnel, not Miss Yanase… Right now, she’s acting in her capacity as an ‘Agent,’ right here in this headquarters.”

Yonomikenami explained, a peculiar twist to her lips.

“Just now, our department suddenly detected ‘Ephnel’s’ wavelength. The location was right inside headquarters. At first, we thought there was some kind of accident, and it scared everyone. But after checking, we found out it was your sister… But… before we could even relax, someone immediately reported that when they checked the surveillance, they saw your sister had gone to the commander’s office in a fully-armed, ‘Sync’ state.”

Yukina listened to Yonomikenami, her face blank, still not quite understanding.

“That’s an action that would seem suspicious to anyone who saw it. She had no permission, and we don’t know how she got rid of the guards. She hasn’t told anyone what she’s planning to do either… That girl, always doing things her own way.”

Yonomikenami had a clearly indescribable expression on her face.

She let out a long sigh and muttered a complaint.

“Little Yukina, did Ephnel say anything to you before she came here?”

“I… don’t know…”

Yukina shook her head blankly, her mind quickly replaying everything Ephnel had said to her since the afternoon, but much of it was already hazy, making it impossible to discern Ephnel’s intentions.

She lowered her eyelashes, slightly stunned.

“She… never tells me anything about herself… This time is the same…”

“Is that so… Her personality is really stubborn.”

Yonomikenami pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration and took a deep breath.

“So, what’s her deal… She was fine just a moment ago, and then she suddenly does something that’s bound to be misunderstood. She’s not planning on taking the commander hostage, is she? But can she really pull that off…”

“My sister would never do something like that!”

Yukina retorted subconsciously, and was met with Yonomikenami’s unreadable gaze.

“Of course… your sister is a very self-disciplined and calm person. I do believe she would never do anything rash or irrational. But even for your sister, moving around headquarters fully armed without permission is a serious violation and a dangerous act, especially in a place like that. If things go wrong, she could immediately be treated as someone with ulterior motives and find herself in a dangerous situation. This is not some small matter that can be easily brushed aside. If she’s surrounded by soldiers, even an Agent would have a hard time getting away… No, more than that, I’m worried about the safety of those soldiers—Ephnel is not an easy person to deal with. If she wanted to, no one in this headquarters could stop her right now.”

“Eh? My sister…”

“Your sister is very strong, you know. ‘The Strongest Chief.’ That’s not just for show.”

Yonomikenami gave a smile with an unreadable meaning.

“Well, anyway, since she’s gone this far, I’m afraid she might really do something stupid. If it’s for you, I don’t think she’s incapable of it.”

“…”

Yukina fell silent.

Even without trying to guess, she understood the implication in Yonomikenami’s words.

It was the same when they were little.

Because Yukina was being bullied, her normally quiet “brother” who never caused trouble went and beat up each of the bullies until they cried, getting several bruises himself in the process.

To buy Yukina that limited-edition collector’s card, her honors-student brother, who never skipped class, skipped for the first time.

Talking back for Yukina’s sake, lying for Yukina’s sake—the brother she remembered as someone who would never do those things would actually do anything for her.

“Well… that said, if this is an action she took after careful consideration, then she must have her own reasons. In that case, as her combat operator and adjutant, I will stand by your sister, no matter what. So you can trust me.”

At that moment, the elevator doors opened.

The temporary main command tower was on the lowest level.

This was also the central hub of the entire Order Organization headquarters.

Yonomikenami quickly pressed the buttons for other floors, then took Yukina’s hand and hurried away.

“This isn’t an emergency elevator, but just in case, if something really does happen, this might buy us a little time. Anyway, this happened suddenly. I’ve overstepped my authority and intercepted the directive. This matter hasn’t escalated within headquarters yet. We still have time. Let’s hurry over there now…”

…