Chapter 49 of 74

Vol 7 Chapter 1

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Chapter 1 - <magnum>’s Invitation</magnum>

<magnum>“──So, what do you want to talk about?”</magnum>

<magnum>Courtyard of Seidoukan Academy. As soon as they arrived at the arbor, Julis cut to the chase.</magnum>

<magnum>In the student council room, Ayato declared that he would join Claudia’s team and on his way home after the five team members for the <gryps>were settled ── Ayato took Julis out with him as he said that there was something that he wanted to speak with her.</gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps>“As usual, you’re going right to the point, eh.”</gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps>“It’s my nature, so I can’t help it. Besides, it’s really cold outside.”</gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps>The season was exactly past the beginning of midwinter.</gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps>Although not as cold as in Lieseltania, where they were until the other day. Even so, by just standing like this one could understand that the cold was gradually permeating to the body’s core.</gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps>“In that case, shall we look for some other place?”</gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps>It wasn’t necessary to have the talk here.</gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps>“Well whatever. If you’ve expressly brought me to a place like this, it means that you don’t want others to hear our conversation, right?”</gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps>“No, it’s not that. I eventually intend to tell everyone about it. Just… Julis, I thought that I have to talk with you first.”</gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps>When Ayato said so, Julis slightly knitted her brows.</gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps>“Hmm… Well, looking at your face, I can guess that it isn’t that pleasant a talk. Let’s quickly get it over with. From tomorrow on, we’ll be busy in various ways regarding the <gryps>after all.”</gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps>The order for the team to commence had appeared from Claudia without delay, and they were to gather in the training room tomorrow.</gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps>As Ayato took a short pause there, he opened his mouth facing Julis head on.</gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps>“I’ve already told you about the hospital, but there is still something about it that I haven’t told yet.”</gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps>“Something?”</gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps>The other day, Ayato received a report from Madiath and was finally able to meet with his big sister. But, it looked like his big sister cast her ability to herself and has been sleeping as is for five years. And even Yan Korbel, the hospital director, had no means to cancel it ── he already discussed this matter with everyone including Julis.</gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps>However──</gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps>“──On my way back from the hospital, I met the <great>.”</great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great>As soon as she heard Ayato’s words, Julis opened her eyes wide and he immediately turned into a grim look.</great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great>Anger was clearly oozing from her muffled voice.</great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great>That intensity was enough to make Ayato, who was mentally prepared to some extent, unintentionally flinch. Well, that was natural since the <great>was the ringleader who took Julis’s close friend, Orphelia, from her. There was no way that Julis wouldn’t bear a grudge.</great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great>But when Julis kept silent as she strongly clenched her fist and tightly ground her teeth, she shut her eyes tight for a while. Her figure held down the violent emotion welling up and it looked like she was regulating herself.</great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great>When Julis slowly opened her eyes before long, she looked at Ayato with a piercing gaze.</great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great>“Could you tell me in details?”</great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great>To these words which finally came out as if being squeezed out from Julis’s mouth, Ayato nodded with a serious expression.</great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great>“Three days ago, when I parted from the Guard Captain Lindvall after coming out of the hospital, one woman called out to me. And she suddenly said ‘if it’s me, I can cure your big sister’.”</great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great>Julis was about to open her mouth, but Ayato continued as if interrupting her.</great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great>“Then, she ── Hilda Jane Rowlands named herself and said that she was also called the <great>.”</great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great>Ayato slightly raised his eyes and calmly began to talk about that evening.</great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great>Ayato promptly squared off at the unexpected name.</great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great>However, that woman ── Hilda who has called out to Ayato calmly nodded and smirked.</great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great>“Ah, it isn’t really like it’s me who name myself with such a proud name, so I hope you won’t misunderstand there. I may look like this, but I’m a humble one. But, since the people of Allekant went all their way to think of such a name for me, it’ll be unpleasant to flatly refuse it and become uncomfortable, right? After all if I properly show results in that area, it’ll somehow become a very splendid circumstance in most cases no matter what I do. It’s really wonderful.”</great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great>It was already late at night. The hospital’s reception time has passed long ago, and the lamps of streetlight dimly illuminated the dark night around. Although there was also reception for emergency conveyance, it was at the opposite side from the main gate where Ayato and the woman were.</great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great>“I want to ask one thing. Is it true that you made Orphelia Landlufen a <strega>?”</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>“My, my, so you also knew that. Though that experiment hasn’t yet been announced… Kishishishi, this makes things easier.”</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>Hilda narrowed her eyes while raising a peculiar laughter.</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>“That’s right, that’s right. That was a special specimen for me. Ah, if it were still in my hands, who knows how many valuable data I’d have been able to get from it. Really, it’s a shame.”</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>As Hilda shook her head with a sad expression, she immediately pouted with a sour look this time.</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>“All of this is the fault of that sly raccoon of Le Wolfe. To snatch the research results that someone accomplished through hardships from the side, geez he’s an awful guy, isn’t he? I can’t forgive him.”</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>From how Hilda spoke, it was crystal clear that she treated Orphelia not as a human being, but strictly as a specimen for research. Morality was quite lacking there and Ayato couldn’t help but frown at her selfishness.</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>“But well, it’ll change nothing even if I lament on what already passed. As a scientist, I must always turn my eyes towards the future. ──The-re-fo-re.”</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>As Hilda suddenly brought her bust energetically towards Ayato, she revealed a complacent and uncanny smile.</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>“How about it, Amagiri Ayato. For both of our bright futures, would you join hands with me?”</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>If it was the usual Ayato, he would have immediately declined and left that place.</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>But, the face of his big sister that he met for the first time in five years floated across his mind, and did not let him do so.</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>“Rowlands-san, is it true that you can cure my sister?”</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>“Kishishishi. You can call me Hilda. And the answer to your question is, yes. If you leave it to me, I’ll splendidly awaken your Sleeping Princess.”</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>Hilda exaggeratedly bowed while laughing.</strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega>“Hmm. It’ll take long to explain it, but your big sister bounded herself with her ability as a <strega>, right? Originally to cancel this kind of ability from the outside, you must forcibly expel mana, but to that end you must first analyze the conjoined pattern between the prana and mana of an ability user. This is something like a fingerprint and differed from one ability user to another. The reason why Doctor Korbel has a hard time was because in your big sister’s case, this conjoined pattern is extremely complicated. Do you understand thus far?”</strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega>When Ayato nodded, Hilda slowly continued just as if she gave lecture to a child.</strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega>“The problem N°1 isn’t there. Even if you analyze the conjoined pattern, a special device is necessary to actually expel mana. However in your big sister’s case, prana used for the ability is so huge that it can’t be dealt with the device that is in this hospital. After all, the greater the amount of prana conjoining is, the more the energy quantity of mana acting in concert will increase.”</strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega>“A special device?”</strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega>“It’s something called mana accelerator. Simply putting, it’s a device to control the mana movement to some extent without going through prana like <strega>and <dante>. By accelerating the mana, it’s possible to increase the energy state without letting the prana intervene, but ── although I say that, just to be sure you don’t misunderstand, it isn’t something which can reproduce an ability ── by tracing the conjoined pattern with the mana in this state, the ability can be canceled. And if one intends to cancel your big sister’s ability, a mana accelerator much larger than the one owned by this hospital will be necessary.”</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>Though vague, he understood the theory. But, he could not consent.</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>“But then, by using that large mana accelerator, even Korbel-sensei can cancel the ability.”</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>Then, Hilda shook her index finger, interrupting Ayato’s words.</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>“I’m afraid to say that Korbel-sensei doesn’t have the skill to use a large mana accelerator. No, rather than Korbel-sensei, I’m probably the only researcher who has used a large mana accelerator on a human body, even if you searched around the world you won’t find anyone else, kishishishi.”</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>After laughing for a while, Hilda said with her upturned eyes wide opened.</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>“Ah, if you want, I don’t mind even if you try asking directly Korbel-sensei.”</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>An overwhelming confidence could be felt from her words.</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>Which means that at least was probably true.</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>“──So, what do you want in return?”</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>She has said “joining hands”, in other words Hilda should also have something that she wanted from him.</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>“Oh, well, well, you’re quick on the uptake. What, don’t worry. It isn’t really something difficult.”</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>“Wait a minute! I’ll say this just in case, but I haven’t yet decided to accept your proposal…”</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>To Hilda who joyfully tried to make the talk progress, Ayato tried to warn so; but he unintentionally stiffened after hearing her next words.</dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante>“──Please, win in the <gryps>.”</gryps></dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante><gryps>Hilda’s tone was smooth, with the lightheartedness as if asking for goods in a neighboring shop.</gryps></dante></strega></strega></strega></great></great></great></great></gryps></gryps></magnum>

<magnum><gryps><gryps><great><great><great><great><strega><strega><strega><dante><gryps><gryps>“Even the next “Right. At one time, he has assumed the position of teacher in the University department of this Seidoukan. Although, it seemed that he has hardly taken charge of a class and mostly secluded himself in a laboratory of Galaxy. And the ogre lux created by his hands in those days is this