101. Shadow Wriggling
――At around the time Yuuto was indulging in lewdness in the other room.
Tonelico, who had invited a special guest to his soundproofed room, sipped a cup of tea on the glass table with a blank expression on his face.
「We've come a long way, but it looks like now we can finally move the pieces as we intended.」
Grieve, the girl sitting across from him wearing a large brimmed hat, muttered with a sigh.
「My original plan was to encounter you at an earlier stage and establish a cooperative relationship, but――I didn't think he'd have to put off going to Bele until now.」
「"Our common sense," tells us that once you have reached a certain level or rank of fixer, you would plan to go to Bele to further strengthen your ground.」
「Fumu. Still, there are many more demonic beasts than the vermin that appear around Hanaria, and it is also geographically close to the "Great Sea of Trees". If you want to reach a higher level, the theory is to go in order.」
「........He seems to have more 'unreadable parts' than I expected. That said, when it comes to women, he seems to have a mind and body so simple and clear that even a child can understand it.」
「I've heard that most people from other worlds tend to have a high sex drive,......, but in his case, he may be the exception of the exception. Besides, 」
「――He himself possesses the "skill to improve the abilities of the person with whom he has sexual intercourse," doesn't he?」
「"Soul Steal"――a skill that some of the higher races excel at, but if he is using it at this point, we should conclude that the "end" is in sight.」
After a long period of time of working in the dark behind the scenes, now that the "final pieces" are in place, it seems that we can finally move toward the end of the game.
「Still――how will Valles move? I still can't read it. What about Gail and Stella?」
「I've been in touch with Gail-dono. He said that since the "target" was found, even if things were to go horribly wrong, he would at least be able to deal with the situation.」
「Still, I would prefer not to see that happen.」
「――I was surprised that they would not only blow up Hanaria Castle to destroy the evidence, but also destroy the "Tears of Medusa," which they were supposed to use as their trump card.」
「...... Probably transferred the data to "Argos". They must have thought they could reproduce it anytime, anywhere. For them, Hanaria was nothing more than a huge "testing ground". ......」
「So, after all, is it Sansaoma who is behind this?」
「I don't have clear evidence, but ...... I'm almost certain」
To be more precise, it can be seen that the "cheat abilities" summoned from the other world are definitely behind the whole series of incidents.
「A person from another world who colludes with Evil Group and is willing to do whatever it takes to satisfy his own thirst for knowledge. ...... I think he's called "Takuto Sera" or something like that, right?」
「Yes. Even with my information network, all I have is his name―probably a man, but I don't know.」
「I am not familiar with the names of otherworldly people.」
「In any case, we must do something about the viper under our feet rather than the mastermind in the distance. How should we proceed?」
「――You have completed your backroom deal with Barbadros, haven't you?」
「Yes, I have. His Majesty the King's brother "Orlem" is recognized as the king for the time being. In other words, if the cloistered government of His Excellency the General is to be tolerated, there is also a divine oath that we will spare no effort in cooperating.」
「I don't forgive him for inviting Valles into the castle and plotting the coup, but it also allowed me to gain a pawn, "Yuuto", as a result.
「Now all we have to do is locate their stronghold and crush them once and for all, and the situation in Hanaria will finally be settled.」
「I'm curious as to why we haven't heard from Stella yet.」
「I heard that her friend, an elf named Philly, has been missing for several days.」
「With Leige in the background, this is a cause for concern. ......」
Although the "end" is beginning to appear faintly, the situation remains chaotic and unstable, with no one knowing what will happen next.
「We have Leonhard-dono here, and we have the support of the Fixer Guild and the Felician Church.」
「We are making steady progress ......, but it's far from reassuring.」
Grieve sips her tea, which is now completely cold, and exhales.
To begin with, I―I had a "one agreement" with Gale and Tonelico for a long time. (?)
It was our mission to find and support "Braves" and "heroes" who would cut through the dark clouds when an entity that threatened the peace of Hanaria appeared.
It was a time when this continent had once produced many tragedies. It was also one of the legacies left by the first King of Hanaria, Milus, who was concerned about the future and "the nature of mankind".
「He was ...... a truly strange man. Clumsy, talentless, yet strangely intuitive.」
And yet he had a strong will and a peace-loving heart.
I had originally planned to follow in his footsteps when he passed away, but he must have seen right through me. With a smile on his face, he took my hand and said, "Take care of Hanaria until the end".
Grieve recalled those days as she looked at her own right hand - eventually, she looked up and gazed at Tonelico, but then he said,
「Grieve-dono, there is one piece of information that concerns me. ......」
He suddenly started talking about it.
「What is it? It's not like you.」
「No. Actually, I have been hearing rumors about it for some time now, but since I can't get any proof at this point, I wasn't sure what I should do. It seems that the "Kandatta" people are trying to get their hands on Hanaria.」
「Kandatta? That group of bandits who call themselves the "Great Bandits"!?」
Hearing that name, Grieve could not help but be surprised.
「Indeed. They are literally a group of thieves who travel the world――Not only do they never let their "intended prey" escape, but their skills are "so varied" that they are even referred to as "art".」
「What are they after? No way...」
「Probably has something to do with Argos or the Tears of Medusa.」
「Mumumu」
Grieve wrinkles her brow.
「I have heard rumors as well, and judging from their past behavior patterns, I believe that they are not "neutral"―rather, I believe that they are people who act according to their own aesthetics and goals.」
「As for the details, even with our information network――At this time, we have not been able to find any evidence that they actually visited Hanaria. However」
「If there was an entity (thing) with a connection behind it ...... no. Even if there wasn't, it would only be nothing but a 'headache' for later on.」
「It is just like a "shimmering flame," so how should we deal with it? I can't make a decision,......At this point in time, there has been no report of actual damage.」
「However, as they say, "Where there is no fire, there is no smoke". We need to take certain precautions, but....」
Grieve quietly closed both eyes and began to combine and verify various factors in her mind.
Meanwhile, Tonelico remained silent, not uttering a word. ...... Eventually, Grieve lifted her eyelids and muttered, "It may be a waste of time," and then announced,
「We're going to change some of the plans. I want you to guide Yuuto Orihara and the others to capture the "Tower of Jimina" and the "Underground Labyrinth".」
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