Chapter 92: Urgent Mission

Yanase Kaoru took a bite of the white glutinous rice meatball.

A warm fragrance immediately filled her tongue.

The soft, sticky, and chewy glutinous rice granules were thoroughly mixed with the minced meat, and the perfectly steamed aroma of the rice enveloped the meat, spreading out.

“The food here tastes really good. Naoto, do you always eat such delicious things? It makes your mother a little envious.”

“Yes, your mother and I have been abroad for many years. It’s been so long since we’ve tasted the flavors of our hometown.”

Yanase Takuma also tasted a stuffed crispy pastry and was full of praise.

Ephnel, on the other hand, smiled faintly and served food to her parents.

This restaurant was not of the particularly expensive type.

Ephnel chose it entirely because the Eastern cuisine here was very good.

During dinner yesterday, Ephnel had noticed that her parents seemed to prefer the hometown dishes she prepared, so she boldly chose this place.

As it turned out, she had chosen correctly.

As long as her parents liked it, then this “family banquet” she had prepared was a success.

“Onee-chan~”

Just then, Yukina called out to Ephnel in a low voice and, while the Yanase couple wasn’t looking, brought a piece of steamed pork to Ephnel’s lips.

“I think this is quite delicious. Naoko should try it too~”

Seeing the tender piece of meat between Yukina’s chopsticks, about to drip with juice, Ephnel quickly brushed her hair aside, leaned forward slightly, and her sandalwood lips parted gently, elegantly catching the piece of meat.

“Eh?? It’s about to drip, it’s about to drip…”

“Mmm…”

Ephnel flicked her tongue and successfully brought the piece of meat into her mouth.

At this moment, Yanase Kaoru saw the interaction between her two daughters and suddenly burst into laughter.

“You two, can you be a little more serious and eat properly?”

“Mmm…”

Ephnel’s face flushed with embarrassment, but Yukina’s laughter was like the clear ringing of a silver bell.

She nonchalantly brought the chopsticks that had touched Ephnel’s lips to her own.

Just then, a series of urgent alarms suddenly exploded in Ephnel’s and Yukina’s minds.

Yukina had never heard such a strange sound before and looked suspiciously towards the source.

She saw that Ephnel had already composed herself and had taken her phone out of her pocket.

The sudden silence of Ephnel and Yukina also caught the attention of the Yanase couple.

In their eyes, they only saw Ephnel’s phone vibrating.

“Naoto, what’s wrong? All of a sudden…”

This alarm was a sound produced by energy resonance, which they couldn’t hear at all.

But in Ephnel’s and Yukina’s ears, it was a sound far more piercing than a phone ringtone.

This was a warning tone exclusively for Agents.

Once it sounded, it meant—a battle was coming.

Although she wasn’t an official Agent yet, she had heard a lot about Agent-related matters from Ephnel.

She quickly understood what the sound echoing in her mind meant.

Her heart skipped a beat, and Yukina subconsciously looked at Ephnel.

Unlike Yukina, no particular expression could be seen on Ephnel’s face, as if she was already used to such things.

“Naoko…”

Yukina gently held Ephnel’s fingers.

The warmth of Ephnel’s body, transmitted from her fingertips, reached the bottom of Yukina’s heart through her palm.

Ephnel did not answer her.

And the Yanase couple had also guessed something from Yukina’s expression.

Ephnel stood up.

She glanced at Yukina and gently released her hand.

This small gesture made Yukina pause for a moment.

“Onee-chan…”

“It’s alright.”

Ephnel smiled at Yukina, then looked at her parents whose faces were gradually turning grave, and said calmly, “Dad, Mom, I have to go.”

“Is it about your Agent duties?”

“Yes,” Ephnel did not hide it.

“I’m very sorry for not being able to finish this meal with you properly.”

“No, we’re fine…” Yanase Kaoru hesitated, looking at her daughter, and finally just took a deep breath.

“You must ensure your own safety.”

“I will.”

There was no particular fluctuation in Ephnel’s eyes.

She pressed the answer button and put the phone to her ear.

“This is Ephnel.”

[“Ephnel, I’m so sorry to interrupt your vacation, but the situation is urgent, so I’ll get straight to the point. I have a new mission for you.”]

From the voice, the person on the other end of the line was Masaki Hinaki herself.

For the commander to directly contact an Agent for a mission was a very rare occurrence, but undoubtedly, something very important had happened.

[“I’ve already sent someone to pick you up, right on the hotel rooftop.”]

Masaki Hinaki said.

“The rooftop… isn’t that a little too considerate…”

Ephnel sighed, glanced at her parents, and turned to leave.

…

Yukina silently put a piece of steamed pork into her mouth.

The food, which she had thought was very tasty just a moment ago, now suddenly became bland and tasteless.

Yukina gently bit her chopsticks and looked numbly at the empty seat beside her.

The Yanase couple also said nothing.

After Ephnel left, the private room suddenly became much quieter.

“Shall we go home first?”

Yanase Kaoru’s expression was not good.

Although on the night Ephnel had revealed her identity, she and her husband had already reached a consensus and were mentally prepared for this.

But seeing her daughter rush to the battlefield, an indescribable feeling still welled up in her heart.

Yanase Takuma looked at her silently, not speaking, only patting her shoulder comfortingly.

The conviction in both their hearts was reaffirmed—if they wanted to create a world where no one would die from Erosion anymore, then their research must advance further from its current foundation.

If they could do that, then their daughter would no longer need to fight.

Yanase Kaoru stood up, took her coat from the coat rack, and held it in her hand.

“Yukina, let’s go back.”

She said to Yukina.

Just then, Yukina suddenly put down her chopsticks.

“Uncle, Aunt, I’m very sorry, but I can’t go back with you…”

Yanase Kaoru was taken aback and looked at Yukina.

Yukina bit her lip tightly and pushed open the door of the room.

Yanase Kaoru’s eyes flickered.

“Wait, Yukina? What are you going to do?”

“I’m sorry, Auntie, I… I have to go find my sister…”

“But… Yukina! Wait! Yukina!!”

Yukina pushed the door open without looking back and ran out.

Yanase Kaoru and Yanase Takuma immediately chased after her, only to find that Yukina had already disappeared.

…

On the rooftop of the hotel, Ephnel put on the earplugs handed to her by the man in black and boarded the helicopter.

“Thank you for coming, Miss Ephnel.”

“It’s fine, just get me there quickly. I’m afraid there’s no time.”

“Yes.”

The pilot responded, and the propellers slowly started to turn, stirring the air.

A sense of supergravity came from the soles of her feet, and the helicopter swayed slightly as it slowly ascended.

Ephnel was about to close the side door.

Just then—

Her phone rang.

It was a call from Yukina.

“Yukina?”

As soon as the call connected, a familiar figure flashed past the corner of Ephnel’s eye.

“Onee-chan!!”

A familiar voice appeared amidst the fierce winds.

Ephnel turned her head in surprise, only to see her younger sister, panting heavily, facing the oncoming gust, appear in her line of sight.

…