"Don't dwell on it. You've already been punished—call it even. From here on, just follow me."
With one clean sentence, Takumi turned the page on the incident. It gave Lyra respect, too.
The other Pallum dipped her head to him in gratitude. "Mm."
At the same time, Takumi turned his gaze to the girls gathered around. "Setting that aside—since I'm a brand-new adventurer, I'd like to get to know everyone."
The remaining members of the Astraea Familia immediately clustered closer, curiosity shining, their questions coming one after another as though he were the moon and they a ring of bright stars.
"W-wow—no way."
"You're really a new adventurer?"
"…For real?"
…
…
Alise was craning her neck, clearly itching to exchange a few words, when a voice carried from not far away.
"Sorry for arriving late, Alise."
At the sound, Alise planted both fists on her hips and struck a highly self-satisfied pose. She called back in a loud, ringing voice, "Ah, Shakti—you made it!"
What came striding up the street was a beauty at the head of several high-level adventurers. Her hair, a cool blue, had been neatly trimmed to the nape; her battle garb in the same hue split high at the sides for movement. Taller than Ryuu and the others, she wore an air of intellect and composure, the sort of correct, commanding bearing that marked a leader at a glance.
This was Shakti Varma, captain of the Ganesha Familia.
Seeing the arrival of allies—one could practically call them partners—Alise beamed, then pouted theatrically.
"You've got an incredible sense for timing, y'know. Tossing all the troublesome work to us and only then sauntering over—doesn't that do your 'City Garrison' nickname a terrible disservice?"
The Ganesha Familia, like Ryuu and the others of the Astraea Familia, belonged to the order-faction that kept Orario's peace. Without them, in these years when the Dark Faction ran rampant, Orario might already have collapsed into a city ruled by brute force and chaos, its morals rotted through.
"Random assaults on magic-stone product factories…" Shakti's eyes swept the still-smoking buildings. "This makes the fourth, doesn't it."
"Thanks to your Astraea girls responding fast," one of her subordinates added, "the factory interior didn't burn to the ground. And because of that, we finally noticed that something was missing."
"What is it?" Alise asked.
"The striker mechanism from the magic-stone device inventory."
"Striker…?"
Shakti's answer left Alise blinking. The captain of the City Garrison organized her thoughts and offered a quick explanation.
"That 'striker' is just another name for an ignition unit. Press once, and it triggers a magic-stone device's function—think of it like a light switch. Portable, modular."
The two sides batted ideas back and forth, but no matter how they compared notes, the deeper purpose behind stealing striker units remained murky.
"In the end, the best we can do is harden the factories and report up the chain to the Loki and Freya Familias," Shakti concluded.
"Increasing city patrols also seems wise," Alise nodded, offering a substitute plan since the enemy's intention remained unclear. "Even if we can't expose their goal, we can at least block them."
Shakti's chin dipped in a grave nod, and the two captains continued hashing out tone and posture for the days ahead—when a cheerful voice cut in:
"Big sis—the Dark Faction guys are all tied up~"
A girl stepped into view—less "beautiful," more "adorable" suited her. Short, tidy light-blue hair framed a charming face with a trace of androgynous freshness. A fitted dress traced a generous swell at the chest and a waspish waist besides.
She resembled Shakti seven parts out of ten, though the aura she gave off was entirely different.
Addressed as "big sis," Shakti's brows tugged together, and she sighed in a scolding tone: "Adi, how many times have I told you—don't call me that when others are around."
"Ah—sorry~ big sis." Adi ducked her head in contrition… then stuck out her tongue, playfully incorrigible.
Faced with her little sister's attitude, Shakti could only press a hand to her brow and let the reprimand die in a long breath. "Haaah. Alise, we'll handle the aftermath: securing the scene, filing the report with the Guild, all of it. Take your girls back to headquarters and rest."
"Okay! Got it!"
Accepting Shakti's kindness without argument, Alise turned and began issuing the order to withdraw. Just as she was about to set off, she glanced at Takumi, eyes brightening as a thought landed.
"Takumi, want to stop by our home base? It's only proper we thank you for saving our comrades just now."
Her invitation echoed feelings clearly written on many faces in the line: the beastkin girl Neze, the human Noin, the mage Ryana… one by one, the girls looked at him with open expectation.
Takumi thought for a moment, then didn't turn away their goodwill. "Sure. I can head back a bit later tonight."
The instant those words left his mouth, Alise shot both arms up, unable to contain herself. "Yes! Then this is Justice's Triumphal March! Let's go report to Goddess Astraea!"
Eleven girls all told set off at the head of the procession, boots ringing. The crowd parted for them like a tide opening for a prow.
Lili had stopped where she was, clearly on the verge of slipping away again, when Takumi hooked her back with casual inevitability.
"My little slave—where are you going? You're with me."
"U-um… that might not be a good idea. I'm just a lowly supporter. It doesn't suit me to—"
Head ducked, voice small, Lili sagged under shame and unease; but more than either was the heavy core of inferiority. Alise and Takumi felt like suns in the sky—too dazzling to look at straight. Standing alongside them only made her feel smaller, meaner.
"Lili, remember this for me," Takumi said, voice flat as command steel. "You are my slave. Your standing will only be higher—greater—than any adventurer. You are someone who stands above them. Now—chin up."
"Y-yes~"
For reasons she couldn't name, Lili felt something flood up through her chest at that voice. She lifted her head. For the first time, the girl who always curled in upon herself squared her shoulders and faced forward.
An emotion she'd never owned took root—pride. She was proud—yes, proud—to be Master Takumi's slave. The instant the thought formed, she wondered if she'd gone mad. I'm a slave. Since when does that make me higher than anyone…?
Her mind a tangle, she felt the pressure of bodies drawing near and instantly slipped behind Takumi's back to hide.
The citizens crowding in were here to give thanks to the Astraea girls. Even Ryuu—no good with words—instinctively retreated a half step to the rear when surrounded like this.
In that small shuffle, she misjudged the space and bumped square into Takumi.
The delicate softness of a girl fell against his chest; his arm moved on reflex, circling a slim waist and steadying her.
In that heartbeat, something round and proud and neatly palm-sized pressed into his hand.
Exactly one handful.
Drawing on the experience of many a battlefield, Takumi sized up the… dimensions in an instant.
At the same time, Ryuu felt that warm hand at her backside. The snow-pale skin there lit with a flush that spread like dawn.
By rights she should have broken away at once, but a sudden weakness ran through her; she squirmed twice, failed to twist free.
"L-let… let go of me…" she whispered, the sound so small it might have been imagined.
It wasn't the cool, dashing poise she wore in battle, nor the sharp-edged pride that showed when she squabbled with Kaguya. Right now Ryuu sounded—and looked—like a shy young maiden.
That fragile line of voice made it very easy to want to push one step further. Takumi had to draw a slow, deep breath to pin his own restive impulse down.
...
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