第１５２３堀：情報が揃ってくる (Part1)
Chapter 1523: Information Converges
Information Converges
Side: Kagura
After finishing my discussion with the Princess, I headed to report to Yuki, but I happened to run into Lilishe and Rurua. We ended up buying some sweets together and heading over as a group.
Upon our arrival, Micos was nonchalantly offering a bag of snacks to Yuki. Yuki accepted them without much concern, but everyone else—save for one—seemed startled by the sudden influx of visitors.
Well, I suppose you could call it a lack of training. I’d at least want them to have the thick skin of someone like Nina, who would have been peeking to see what we’d bought. Fiora needs a bit more adaptability, too. At this rate, if they were ever ambushed, Yuki would end up being the one protecting them. The roles are reversed.
If we’re talking about that, the same goes for Prol, Aurelia, Hobis, and Yayui. *Sigh.* I’ll have to report this to Seraria and the others later and have them run some drills.
Thinking this, I opened my mouth.
"So, everyone seems surprised, but between us, Lilishe-sama, and Rurua, who should explain first?"
"Let's see. Could you start with Lilishe and the others regarding Litea?"
"Sure thing~."
"Yes, that’s fine. Oh, shall I prepare some tea?"
Finally, in place of the still-frozen Fiora and the others, Rurua offered to handle the preparations. Only then did they seem to snap out of it, and Aurelia moved with a blur of motion.
"Yuki-sama, I shall take your tea and sweets."
"For drinks, we have tea, coffee, and black tea~. Which would you prefer~?"
"Oh, um, please, take a seat over here!"
"I will prepare the documents."
The others followed suit, beginning to move. Watching them, we were guided to the sofa and took our seats. Though, truth be told, we come to see Yuki so often that we hardly need to be guided, but this is Yayui and the others' job, after all.
"Aside from that, you were walking outside, weren't you? Did you notice anything unusual?"
"Outside? What do you mean? If you’re talking about Weed, there’s nothing out of the ordinary."
"I mean Weed. I see. So, from your perspective, Kagura, there’s nothing changed?"
Yuki asked this while the others were busy with their preparations.
"Did something happen?"
"No, from where I’m sitting, it looks peaceful and calm. Well, I just wanted a perspective other than my own. You know, with everything going on lately?"
"Ah, I see. But things have always been 'going on,' haven't they? Was there ever a time when Weed was actually calm? Right, Prol?"
I turned the question to Prol. Prol, who had been preparing documents, looked up at me, but immediately resumed her work.
"That is a difficult question. If you mean a time when it was calm, then perhaps when Yuki-sama and the others were on the other continent—specifically, during the exploration of the If Continent. We weren't coordinating with the people of the Rogari Continent then, either. Though, the upper management was quite busy."
"Ah, that period. I wasn't there, but if that’s the case, then it’s only natural that Weed was calm."
I nodded, satisfied with Prol's answer. I didn't experience the events on the If Continent myself, but I’ve heard about them. We have plenty of people from the If Continent among us—Jessica, Agil, Samantha, and Cleena—and we’re all interested in how they met Yuki.
Jessica and Agil met Yuki and the others after picking a fight with Weed and suffering a crushing defeat. *Huh, that sounds familiar, but I don't know the details.* And Samantha and Cleena met Yuki at the Lancer Magic Academy. I wonder which one I fall into?
As I was thinking about that, I realized something.
"Come to think of it, where are Jessica and the others? They don't seem to be here."
Jessica, Ria, Samantha, and Cleena usually act as guards in Yuki's office, but they were absent.
"Ah, the four of them are on a different job. Jessica, Samantha, and Cleena are handling reports related to their home countries, which helped out during the auction. They’re with Kagura’s group, in a sense."
"Ah..."
We had a hard enough time ourselves; it’s not like Jessica and the others could have finished easily. I mean, the report to the Princess only covered the end of Bamai-dono's affair; the full report on the auction series isn't finished yet...
"Ria is, needless to say, Canary's exclusive guard."
"Right, I’m aware of that. Dressa is with her, too, right?"
"They are together. In terms of position, Dressa is closer to her. That said, is her personality more like Ria's?"
"I haven't spoken to her enough to know. Well, she seems to be eating her meals without hesitation, so I don't think there's a problem, but you’re still worried about her, aren't you, Yuki?"
"Her emotional fluctuations are clearly too low. Even if she’s doing it intentionally, it’s obvious that something caused her to lose that part of herself. Don't you agree, Rurua?"
I shifted my gaze to Rurua, who had been asked the question. She didn't need much time to think.
"Yes. Her condition is likely psychogenic. Even if she were to express her emotions—no, perhaps she fears that if she were to express them, she might shatter."
"That’s right~. I don't know what kind of things she’s been through, but there are people like that. Children are the easiest example~. If they see their parents or siblings killed right in front of them, they often rewrite their memory to believe their parents or siblings just went out somewhere the next day~."
"That is..."
"Um..."
I was at a loss for how to comment on Lilishe-sama's explanation. Yuki, meanwhile, sipped the tea that had been placed before him.
"Well, to put it simply, it’s escapism and memory erasure. She’s protecting herself by pretending the painful reality never happened. In Canary’s case, restricting the expression of emotion is likely her way of keeping herself intact."
He really states the facts without any hesitation.
"Geez, Micos and I were trying to be tactful, but you’re so blunt."
"Yeah. I thought you might phrase it a bit differently."
"There’s no point in changing it. It’s better to understand what we’re dealing with so we can learn how to interact with Canary, right?"
"I see, when you put it that way, I suppose you’re right."
"Ah, it’s certainly better than not knowing what might be a landmine~."
As we discussed Canary’s condition, tea and sweets were served to us as well. With everyone’s preparations complete, Yuki sensed it immediately.
"Alright, then, Lilishe. How did the visit to Hinsua for Litea go?"
"Of course~. I got permission~. Actually, when I proposed it, Alstaire-chan and the others were tearing up and thanking me~."