"If you manage to escape and reach the other side of the wall, what do you all plan to do?"
The Shogun, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke.
That probing question entered everyone's ears.
"!" ×N
The girls were startled. They had not expected the Shogun to suddenly ask such an unexpected question, but after recovering, they began to think about it.
"If we can get out... I suppose we'll find somewhere to hide, or simply find a place to live and settle down."
Ayase answered.
"...Ayase?"
Tsugumi froze. In her impression, Ayase would never say anything so dispirited.
"Is that strange? There are only a few of us left in Funeral Parlor now, and we don't even know when Gai will wake up. No matter what, we can't just throw our lives away, can we? Should we really make it beyond the wall, we might as well wash our hands of all this for good."
After all, staying alive was what mattered most.
"I don't mind. Should that be what you decide, Ayase, I'll follow you!"
Tsugumi answered.
"Then why not come to the Kuhouin residence? Grandfather will be able to take you in."
Arisa offered.
"Should we truly manage to escape, we'll have to trouble you, Miss Arisa."
Ayase smiled at Arisa beside her.
"Mm... Leave it to me."
"What about you two, Hare, Inori?"
The Shogun looked toward the two girls on either side of her.
"I... will probably do much the same."
Inori answered with a complicated expression.
"I... Um..."
Hare hesitated.
"Hare... doesn't have a home anymore, does she?"
Inori reminded her.
"No home? Ah..."
She had nearly forgotten. Hare's home, as well as their own, had been inside Loop 7... which meant they were already homeless.
"..."
Her soft lips pressed together. She could not help feeling that this girl had truly suffered from beginning to end. Her family was gone, she had somehow become caught up in the war between GHQ and Funeral Parlor, and now she had lost even her home. Worse still, Hare was such a gentle and kind girl. Merely thinking about it was painful, especially since it had happened because of them.
"Ugh..."
At that moment, Hare finally could not hold herself back. The girl rarely cried, yet she had already cried twice in front of the Shogun. This time, however, she did not wail. Tears merely slipped silently down her face.
Rustle...
She slowly drew the silently weeping girl into her embrace. The two of them lay together on their sides, and seeing this, Hare buried her face against her chest. That familiar sense of security gradually turned her silent tears into occasional sobs. Hare clung tightly to her waist, as though desperately trying to hold on to something.
"Do not be afraid. I am here."
Once again, she spoke the same words she had said before.
"Then why not let Hare stay at my house when the time comes?"
Kanon crawled over as well and embraced Hare from behind as she asked.
"Will that truly be all right? She will not cause trouble for your family?"
The Shogun asked like Hare's guardian.
"It'll be fine... Hare is already my best friend. She can stay as long as she likes."
Kanon smiled, even though she herself had been crying bitterly only moments ago.
"Will that be all right, Hare? Staying at Kanon's house?"
She asked the girl in her arms.
"Mm... Don't worry, Mio... I won't cause you any trouble."
Hare wiped away her tears and obediently nodded, her voice trembling and nasal.
"Thank you as well, Kanon."
"It's fine, it's fine. Just look at the relationship between us~!"
Seeing this, everyone smiled in relief.
Meanwhile, elsewhere—
At GHQ headquarters in District 24, Segai, who had been promoted to director of the Anti-Bodies division, was playing a crossword game on his phone in his office as usual. Yet the screen before him displayed an aerial view of Tennoz High School inside Loop 7. The footage had been captured by a drone he had dispatched without authorization.
"Rowan..."
He glanced at the subordinate standing motionlessly beside him—Rowan Murabe.
"Sir!"
The man responded sharply.
"Do you know who defeated the armies of the Greek city-states in history?"
He suddenly asked an inexplicable question.
"..."
The other man fell silent, evidently thinking.
"...Two words."
Segai offered another hint.
"My apologies. My field is physics... so—"
Murabe frowned and answered honestly.
"It was a rumor."
"...?"
He looked at the man playing with his phone, his expression blank.
"Director Segai?"
"The first thing that begins once the communications blackout is lifted is rumor. And then... send."
Beep!
He had already exited the crossword game. In its place was the phone's messaging interface, and it appeared that he had just sent a message to someone.
"Good. Now, how will they react? I can hardly wait~!"
"Director, you truly have a nasty sense of humor."
Major Murabe frowned and commented with some disgust.
"Hehe... Please, do not flatter me, Rowan~"
Segai grinned maliciously.
Before long, the rumor would spread throughout Tennoz. Things would become very entertaining once that happened. All he needed to do was wait for the show to begin.
He set down his phone, propped both legs on the desk, and leaned back in his chair while gazing at the school on the screen, an expression of pure enjoyment on his face.
"Ah, right... How much longer until the next batch of 'blades' arrives?"
He asked cryptically.
"Probably tomorrow... Their boss was furious when he heard that all of his men had been wiped out."
"Is that so? Excellent. Provide them with some military supplies. Send over Endlaves, firearms, and whatever else they need. The show has only just begun."
"Yes, sir!"
...
"Mio!!"
Tap, tap!
Bang!
Yahiro hurriedly pushed open the infirmary door and entered the room where everyone had gathered. He strode over to the Shogun and handed her the terminal in his hand.
"Look."
He urged her.
"...?"
She accepted the terminal and looked at the constantly scrolling chat log. Naturally, the others also opened their terminals and began reading.
(Hand over the members of Funeral Parlor, and we can leave the wall!! This is amazing!!)
(It's true!)
(It really is. We caught one of those Funeral Parlor bastards, and GHQ let us out.)
(Damn it, does that mean Funeral Parlor is hiding in our school?!)
(Then hurry up and catch them!)
That was what the chat contained.
Someone was clearly deliberately steering the discussion—in other words, spreading a rumor.
"What is this nonsense...? How could it possibly be true? Those bastards aren't exactly known for keeping their word."
Tsugumi complained.
"Even so, this information alone is enough to play a decisive role. I have a feeling they're about to start causing trouble again."
Yahiro predicted.
Once this kind of news spread, many students would certainly start indiscriminately capturing anyone they suspected of being a member of Funeral Parlor. Worse still, they might seize innocent people. The moment anyone appeared suspicious, they would attack. In the end, no one would trust anyone else, causing the entire group to collapse from within.
We cannot delay any longer...
She made her decision internally.
Rustle...
She rose directly to her feet, drawing the attention of everyone present.
"Arisa, notify every student to assemble in the gymnasium immediately. I have something to say."
Her purpose was to forcibly mobilize the students who were already considering capturing people, distracting their attention while also taking the opportunity to explain their plans for the future.
"Mm. I'll take care of it immediately."
Arisa, who was already serving as vice president, nodded at once and quickly left.
"Inori... Stay beside Gai and prevent anyone from finding this place."
She instructed her.
"Mm. Leave it to me."
Inori nodded.
"The rest of you, follow me to the gymnasium."
"Understood~!" ×N
Hearing this, the girls smiled and nodded decisively.
"...?"
She froze. She had not expected them to agree so quickly. Since when had this started?
"Let's go~ Leader?"
Ayase winked at her as she passed by.