Chapter 4 Travelling in Siberia
The Siberian Railway.
The so- called aorta that connected the long country from east to west.
A railway of a scale unthinkable in Japan, it travelled over 9,000 kilometers from Vladivostok to the capital Moscow in the course of seven to eight days.
On September 13, the day after he crossed weapons with Bernard, Moroha boarded the Siberian Railway「Russia」with AJ.
The first schedule of his trip was to visit Khabarovsk, then Chitá… and each major city where a branch office was established to bring the office heads down one by one.
Although he wasn’t that familiar with the history of the Siberian Railway, the darkened body of「Russia」that came to the platform of Vladivostok Station seemed to tell the length of the years it kept running. Its coloring was the same as the Flag of Russia: white, blue and red. The simplicity and elegance of design of the deformed route map drawn on the side of the train looked quite stylish to Moroha. The people who were able to see the state of「Russia」 travelling when it was just newly made were undoubtedly happy. That must have been an exciting sight for sure.
The interior was considerably tattered, but the charm of travelling could be felt anyways.
When AJ presented the tickets, the female conductor guided them to a first-class cabin.
A room in which they would spend the night until they arrived in Khabarovsk tomorrow morning.
But when they opened it, they were surprised.
It was a compartment room for two people, but it was considerably small than what they had heard beforehand….
There were seats-cum-beds facing each other to the left and right, there was a space to drop their feet between them, but even if all of that was added, it wouldn’t be bigger than a king bed.
If they extended their hands, they would end up being able to hold even the waist of the person sleeping on the bed next to them according to their sense of distance.
Rather, one would say that the situation was a bit better than sleeping together in a kotatsu.
(I’m going to spend the night in this place? With Angela-san?)
He ended up being dumbfounded. As an adolescent boy.
– Enter quickly, you dullard.
He was kicked in!
Moroha glared at AJ when he reclined on the seat of one side with a falling beat.*
*TN: AJ is the furigana reading for “culprit”.
– Huh. Sorry for being so slow.
AJ closed the door of the cabin with a bang after she put the hand baggage on the top shelf.
The reproachful eyes of Moroha weakened.
AJ sat down on the opposing seat rudely and grimaced because they were too close.
Moroha sat facing her, but it seemed that their legs would touch each other if they were careless.
– Are we seriously going to be in such a narrow space just the two of us?
– What? Are you saying that you wanted to use this whole room yourself? Are you an extravagant guy or something?
– No, I didn’t mean that. We are a man and a woman, aren’t we?
– Humph, don’t make me laugh. Since when a boy like you falls into the category of a man?
I don’t give a damn about you, AJ laughed mockingly and showily.
– But Angela-san is a splendid woman, isn’t she? I don’t feel that I can sleep…
When Moroha felt exhausted, AJ was completely delighted.
As if to say that the defeated face of Moroha was her favorite food. Furthermore, she put an evil look full of pride on her face,
– If you like, do I hug you so you can sleep? Will Moroha-chan fall asleep if I change to a pillow〜? Are you missing Japan already〜?
She grinned, making fun of him.
– Oh, can I do so? Alright then, I avail myself of your kind offer tonight.
– Don’t take it seriously you horny braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!
AJ screamed as she clung to the wall.
Even though her pride was at its peak until just a second ago.
(Look, even Angela-san is embarrassed)
Moroha decided to take revenge without hesitation, but he couldn’t feel delighted with it.
– You better don’t cross that line. I’ll kill you if you come.
AJ, who was completely startled and extremely alert, drew an imaginary boundary line between the beds.
Was she a child?
– How are we going to change clothes?
– Turning our backs on each other and plugging our ears is enough, right? I’ll kill you if you see me or listen to me.
– But it’s narrow.
Moroha hung his head, heartbroken.
However, since this was the way of travelling of the Siberian Railway, it couldn’t be helped. As AJ said, he didn’t want to waste money like using a double room alone.
When he thought so, he finally could maintain his composure.
Or rather, he gave up.
On the other hand, AJ was still at her wits’ end with her eyes looking up,
– I-I’ll tell you this: my body, from a single hair to one of my nails, everything belongs to my lord. If you do something strange, your tongue will be immediately――
– Bitten? That is an old-fashioned thing to say, don’t you think?
– ――your tongue will be immediately cut off!
– Uwaa, that’s scary.
Moroha trembled with fear, seeing AJ making her right hand be clad in a hard emerald-green prana similar to an edged tool.
He imagined the moment his tongue would be cut off in a single blow with AJ’s edged tool, so he stepped back.
– I understand, I’ll keep it in mind.
When he swore, raising a hand in the air, AJ finally killed the dangerous prana.
– Humph. Don’t provoke me too much!
– No, that’s not my intention. It’s just that Angela-san’s angry face is so, so cute that I’ve been getting accustomed to it little by little lately. It’s highly addictive.
– Why did your rotten brain spill that oooooooouuuuuuut!?
AJ made her sword-hand be clad in the finally killed prana again and swung it, doing buzzing sounds, but Moroha kept avoiding it.
He had a hard time because he had to dodge it just by moving his upper body as he remained sit down.
Well, just a bit.
– Zei… zei…
The utterly enraged AJ threw down her body on her seat in a groggy state.
And breathed heavily.
– I got tired of being with you…
(But I’m having so much fun with Angela-san)
He said nothing because it seemed that she would cut the train and all if he were to blurt that out this time. On the other hand, AJ, who caught her breath limply,
– It’s okay to get angry, but isn’t showing off your Mars way too much? Isn’t that like the trump card of a Shirogane?
– Humph. It’s not necessary to hide it when my companion is you, is it?
– Oh, me? It’s so nice that you trust in me.
He was a bit happy.
– W-w-w-who said something like that!?
– Didn’t Angela-san say so just now?
– T-t-that’s that! That was a figure of speech!
– The figure of what?
– My bad, it was a slip of the tongue!
– In other words, it means that you trust in me from the bottom of your heart, hmm?
When he spurted that out funnily, AJ stood up and grabbed him by the collar.
She thrust at him the sword-hand in which prana was made to dwell and threatened him like a robber.
– Tell me your trump card. What I’m saying is, the skill I revealed doesn’t mean I trust in you at all, rather, it’s the groundwork for information exchange. *
*TN: Trump card is the furigana reading for Mars.
She brought up an extremely forced far-fetched argument….
– Err. It looks like I can’t use it…
– You’re lying.
– I’m not lying. I don’t feel the need to hide anything from my companion Angela-san.
Moroha, who was threatened at point-blank range, recoiled.
– I never saw, not even once, that I used Mars in my dreams.
– You, who perfectly manipulates both Light Techniques and Dark Arts, is unable to use an Ancestral Arts…
AJ had been glaring at the weakened Moroha with scary eyes for some time now, but in the end, she released his collar and,
– Well, it’s because only Mars ends up being influenced by the nature of the soul. But it seems that you carelessly do an unclear interpretation of it to the phenomenon of the soul.
– It hurts when you say it like that…
Despite Moroha being disheartened, it saved him that AJ seemed to understand so.
– That’s why I jealously think that being a person who can use Mars is convenient.
Akane Academy’s Strikers had the lightning user Isurugi and the thread user Taketsuru. Both of them had troubling abilities and couldn’t be confronted straightforwardly.
– From my point of view, I envy you because you can use Dark Arts.
AJ voiced a different opinion as she sat down on the seat.
Moroha objected once again.
– Mars can be used without spelling or chanting, and I think it’s useful to use it whenever possible.
– Even so, I’m… how should I put it? It would be nice if I had another sword, a substitute, and that it does its work.
– That’s the opposite, no? As for the Shirogane, while their strength is awfully influenced whether they have weapons or not, isn’t their forte to fight without weapons?
– I-I guess so…?
AJ suddenly became modest and asked nervously.
– I think so.
Moroha assented greatly and stamped a seal of approval.
– Fu… fufufu…
AJ smiled broadly all of a sudden, appearing to not be as annoyed as he believed,
– Weell, when I’m praised by a guy like you, I end up believing so.
She was in an extremely good humor.
As for Moroha, he just frankly said what he thought, he didn’t intend to exhaust his flowery words, but why that seemed to be such a pleasant thing for AJ?
He saw her in great delight for the first time.
– However, Haimura. Since you don’t know how truly terrible that thing called Mars is, you can’t say so.
She said so with her usual abusive language, but her way of speaking was soft.
It had a friendly feeling.
– For example?
– Like a guy controlling gravity?
– Uwaaa. That looks troublesome, doesn’t it?
– I know right? Even you would struggle if you were to fight a guy like that, kukuku.
– I’ll try to not involve myself with a scary person like that.
– Unfortunately, that guy is Russian Savior.
– Why are you so happy about this? You’re so mean.
– Her name is Yuri Olegvic Zhirkov. She’s the branch office head of Novosibirsk. She has a lavish yet sweet face, but don’t be tricked by her outward appearance, kukuku.
– … You sure know her well, don’t you? Was that also gained by the intelligence power of the British Headquarters?
– You don’t know how easy it is to get the combat data of guys of other branches, to say nothing of their trump cards. About Yuri, she came to see our Savior training school because she wanted to enroll in it. That’s why we know. That the Russian Division also conducted an internal investigation of our country.
That meant this year was her first year in high school.
A branch office head at that young age――did that mean she was an A-Rank with an Isurugi-level outstanding talent?
As expected of Russia, trouble was everywhere. *
*TN: Russia is the furigana reading for “the worst and most sinister”.
– But in the end, she didn’t enroll there because she’s a branch office head?
– After she competed with third-year students at that time by pretending to study by observation and destroyed the confidence of those guys in a week, she derogatorily said『Their level is too low for me to learn』. When we thought it was an internal investigation, it was actually a demonstration of the Russian side *Gigigi*…
Even though he couldn’t see it, AJ grinded her teeth, looking vexed.
– … No way, are you telling me that… you’re using me so that a retaliation for that time can be done?
– Honestly, that’s how I feel!
– Wow, even though I believed in the provision of information that you were worried about me somehow.
– T-t-t-t-there’s no reason for me to be worried about you!
The moment AJ shouted in anger and her face became red, the train began to decelerate suddenly.
When Moroha looked outside the window, they had arrived at the next station, Ugolnaya.
Then, how much time would it take for the train to depart?
He was talking with AJ, so he didn’t even notice it.
And yet, he was anxious, he took out the timetable from the bag and calculated that the distance between Vladivostok and Ugolnaya was of about 40 minutes.
Incredible, we were talking so absorbed in it? A bitter smile escaped unintentionally.
– Hey hey, the next is a long one. Don’t worry about time all the time.
AJ, who looked at Moroha spreading the timetable, made an irrelevant point.
– Is that so? Then I’ll forget about it.
But Moroha agreed as he showed a bitter smile on his face and put the timetable in the bottom of his bag.
– M-more importantly, about the misunderstanding that I’m worried about you――
– Will we still continue that? But Angela-san will be bothered if we don’t let it go, won’t she?
– I-I-I-I-I’m not bothered at all.
The train departed while they squeaked at each other.
Whether they had a friendly chat or a quarrel, they ran at full speed to the next station without care for others.
The journey of Moroha on the Siberian Railway began lively like that.
However, only the beginning was lively.
Actually, the 13-hour train trip from Vladivostok to Khabarovsk, the first place of destination.
It took way too much time, more than what they could talk alone.
Since they got tired of each other and the number of words spoken decreased gradually, Moroha realized keenly.
It didn’t matter how much the scenery seen from train window advanced, it was just wetlands covered with white birch. He lost interest in it immediately.
There was a TV in the passenger cabin, but he gave up viewing it because he couldn’t understand Russian.
The service was unbelievably inferior judging it from Japan’s feeling of domestic travel, he was semi amazed because money was required to rent a bed sheet he needed to sleep.
The narrowness of the room and the uncomfortableness of the seat-cum-bed felt more and more agonizing.
On the way, every time they arrived at a station in a small town, the train stopped for a few minutes, so the passengers stretched themselves by going outside as if valuing their moment’s leisure.
Moroha went outside to breathe in air to make his mood refresh then returned to the passenger seating.
When he put his hand on the door knob of the compartment, he could hear AJ’s loud voice from inside.
She kept yelling at someone with belligerence.
(A phone call… but with whom?)
Moroha, without being a hindrance, opened the door gently and tried to step in quietly.
– Nuwaaah!?
Then, the horrified AJ raised a strange voice and rapidly hid the cell phone behind her bottom.
Moroha blinked in surprise.
(There was no problem to continue the call though)
He pretended he didn’t see that as he smiled wryly on the inside and sat on his seat.
With whom was she speaking to? Why did she hide it? It would be a lie if he said it didn’t weigh on his mind, but it wasn’t a pastime of his to pry into the private stuff of other people.
To begin with, AJ was a reliable guide dispatched by Edward, and not a spy he didn’t know whether she was an enemy or ally.
However,
– I-I wasn’t on a phone call.
AJ said, becoming serious and with a bright red face.
– Even if you’re not worried, I didn’t hear anything.
– M-my monologues are increasing as I get older, t-that’s regrettable, isn’t it? Ah, I don’t want to be old!
AJ continued doing clumsy excuses.
This person truly couldn’t lie. Moroha endured what he was going to spout out.
(This is all her fault)
An awkward air flew into the train cabin.
Even though the train departed, that air didn’t disappear, and since the seats were constructed in a position in which they faced each other, they inevitably met face to face.
When Moroha thought what’s the deal with her?,
– I-I’m going to sleep.
AJ threw herself down, turning around in a violent manner and covered herself with a bed sheet.
– Even when we still don’t have dinner?
– I became sleepy all of a sudden. Now leave me alone.
AJ became irritated and raised hell.
And then, *growl*, the sound of her stomach rumbling was heard.
– It wasn’t me!
– Then who did that? A ghost?
The poor “I didn’t do it on purpose, alright?” level timing was great, the child-like excuses done by AJ were great; Moroha ended up laughing this time.
– Don’t be obstinate, let’s go to eat.
He invited her as he kept the laugh ongoing without calming it down, but AJ ignored him from below the bed sheets.
She became sulky and looked so cute because she rolled into a ball like a manju that Moroha ended up spouting out again.*
*TN: Manju are steamed yeast buns with filling.
– If there’s something I can get you when I get back, then I’ll go and get it.
Moroha left his seat and left behind the obstinate-person-sulking-in-bed manju.
– Piroshki is fine.
– So in the end you are still hungry, aren’t you?
– I-I-I-I do not get a bit hungry in the middle of the night, okay!?
The sleeping manju transformed into a trembling manju.
– Piroshki is delicious even if eaten later. Now shush.
Manju explained furiously and the ignored Moroha headed to the dining car.
It was relatively wide, he could relax there.
When he ordered borscht, a unique red soup was delivered. Steamed potatoes were also in it, the dish had a perfect substantial quantity.
At first glance, it looked like a tomato soup but the taste was completely different. When he decided to eat it, he received a surprise attack somehow. Moroha wasn’t that surprised anymore because he had eaten piroshky that Satsuki prepared when they visited Leshya the other day.
It was something like a consommé soup with a sweetness that was provokingly effective.
This redness and sweetness came from the group of the sugar beet that Russians liked very much.
They were also used abundantly in the salad he ordered together with the piroshky, and the beet salad was called「vinegret」 in Russian. This one also had a great amount of mashed potatoes accompanying it, and Moroha was happy for that.
He bought piroshki and when he returned to the passenger car, AJ was truly sleeping.
Moroha decided to do the same.
Since the arrival schedule in Khabarovsk was at 4am, they had to go to bed early.
However, he couldn’t sleep at all.
AJ’s snoring and bruxism were terrible.
And, she sleep-talked.
– Fufufu… Ed-tama has his necktie twisted again… you are so helpless…
It looked like she poked her nose into another’s business even in her dreams. As always.
– Listen up, can you guys get married fast…?
Moroha grumbled with half-opened eyes and covered himself with the bed sheets instead of plugging his ears.
A wife that wielded cutting edged tools right away and a husband who had a veeery hard armor. Surprisingly, the compatibility of the couple was good. No, it was beyond than a well-matched couple.
Moroha gazed at the scenery outside from the bed as he lamented.
The land of Siberia with absolutely no lights.
A darkness so deep that his soul would be sucked up by it.
When he gazed absent-mindedly at that, his consciousness slipped out from his head.
Thanks to that, he learned the secret to sleep in the train.
They arrived in Khabarovsk, waited for the night to come, attacked the house of the branch head and fought with a man called Bulat.
He was a hybrid-type Shirogane with magnificent speed and attack power, but he was a coward who tried to run away as soon as he saw Moroha.
It didn’t matter how strong or weak a man was, there was no use fighting back.
Honestly, he wasn’t an enemy.
They stayed in a hotel in Khabarovsk for one night, then boarded「Russia」 at 4:30am and arrived in Chitá past 8pm.
The branch office head of Chitá was a Kuroma.
A careless man, he was attacked from behind when he enjoyed himself with a woman that was serving him in a nightclub without guards.
The battle speed was very different between Shirogane and Kuroma. The Kuroma couldn’t do anything against the Shirogane that ended up getting in the range of the sword. He quickly surrendered.
A useless stupid man who was always on the side that hunted and couldn’t imagine turning to the side he hunted. Next was the branch office head of Ulán Udé, he was also a Kuroma.
But this guy was exactly the opposite, he was afraid of being assassinated so gruesomely.
He was always protected and surrounded by 10 golems.
Naturally, the battle became a Dark Arts contest in which they exchanged shots from a long distance.
The mana of the opponent was significant, but there was a chance to take advantage of his spelling techniques. Moroha’s shots were always completed faster, he overwhelmed him with the difference in power of rotation.
His human nature thought about hardening his defenses first, and this made him be negligent to practice offensive Arts. Moroha, who looked at the well-known Baikal Lake from the train window, indulged in meditation.
He had fought with four people, all of them were easy to defeat except Bernard.
All of them were captured alive, however, he gave up asking about the whereabouts of Lightning Empress, and because they looked like they really didn’t know, he just put an end to it by threatening them thoroughly as usual and let them go.
However, while the trip was getting better, he felt like his mind was becoming tense.
Bulat and co. were good examples of what not to do: they taught him that there was no meaning in having strength that didn’t go hand in hand with determination and heart.
In fact, the next one made him have trouble.
The branch office head of Irkutsk was the user of a special Ancestral Arts that was neither Shirogane nor Kuroma.
A rare Savior just like the Japanese Division Head and Kondrat who possessed Leshya.
He had a weird ability that turned his body into sand, no matter how much he slashed at him, his attacks were all absolutely ineffective. Also, he disappeared by making his body scatter in all directions, then reconstructed just his gathered arms and attacked him from a blind spot, at any rate, he was formidable enemy.
Indiscriminate ranged attacks couldn’t be done because of AJ who got in the way, unable to just watch without doing anything just when he thought of blowing up the whole area around him with a Dark Arts of wind.
Moroha unavoidably spotted a chance somehow and chanted a Dark Arts of ice as fast as he could, the reconstructed part of the body was frozen in ice, he couldn’t scatter anymore and eventually he could capture him.
This man was a battle enthusiast who loved fighting above all else, breaking his fighting spirit that looked like madness wasn’t easy, he made him have lots of difficulties until the very end.
A man who surely was like the natural enemy of Leshya. If he was dispatched to Japan as an assassin, she would have fallen into an extremely dangerous situation.
They stayed in Irkutsk for one night then boarded the train departing at 13:47 going towards Krasnoyarsk.
The calendar was September 20th.
9 days had already passed since he came to Russia.
He got used to train travel, and when he arrived at a station, he knew for how many minutes they would remain there by the ambience and his experience.
He felt that the stopping of the train at the station called Zima was long, so he went outside to inhale air.
– You are not coming again, Angela-san?
– Humph. Who would get along with you?
– But it’s great, isn’t it? Let’s see the setting sun shoulder-to-shoulder.
– Brats don’t banter with adults.
– Ahaha. Then speak on the phone at ease〜
– I told you I wasn’t speaking to anyone on the phone.
Moroha, who paid his respects to the charming face of Angela who bared her canines, got off the train with satisfaction.
The air outside was so cold, that it refreshed his mood with an intensity that seemed to clean the inside of his lungs.
But it wasn’t really that cold. Aside from the night, the image of an all-year-round extreme cold that embraced the territory called Siberia was already dispelled inside Moroha.
When he shifted his attention to the sky, the evening sun was leaving.
The sun looked lonely in Russia since there were few mountains and high buildings, it was natural to see the horizon.
It floated alone, very unreliably and very small.
An optical illusion only reflected in high-latitude areas, but in reality it was because it kept an astronomical amount of heat to itself.
Moroha became free from obstructive thoughts for a moment and stared at the sunset with clear mirror-like eyes.
The harsh north wind blew fiercely as if signaling, telling the arrival of the night.
Moroha, who took a gust of wind, came to his senses.
And turned to the left as his body shivered.
(Since the setting sun happened here, then it also happened in Japan…)
Now he looked up at the south sky.
The place where Satsuki and Shizuno were waiting.
He was sure that now they were getting along with everyone while protecting Leshya.
When he imagined so, he could forget about the severity and coldness of the north wind.
– I’ll be back soon.
Moroha stuffed his hands into the pockets of his pants and talked to himself as he stared at the madder-looking southern sky.
There was no time difference between the vicinity of Irkutsk and Japan.
At the time Moroha was staring at the sunset, Leshya was in the locker room of the academy with Ranjou Satsuki.
– Just me! The『little sister』of Moroha in our previous lives, in the present age, in the next world and for the eternity is nobody else but me!
– I think that’s unfair. I also like being Moroha’s『little sister』.
The unproductive argument continued.
They forgot to change clothes and remained in immodest underwear.
After Strikers’ special practice had ended, their senpais were amazed and returned home long ago.
– I’m not kiiiiiiding! Why would Leshya be Moroha’s little sister!?
– I thought I replied that earlier. Because Moroha said『I’ll be your family』to me.
– Just『family』right!? Did he say something about you being his『little sister』!?
– Since I’m a woman, I can’t be his『little brother』.
– I’m not saying that, I’m saying that you can be his『older sister』! In that case, I can approve it even if that were true! But I can’t give up the position of『little sister』!
– I refuse. I like『little sister』 better than『older sister』.
– You sure have some nerve! Are you trying to steal my position!?
– No, but I think there’s no reason about why both of us can’t be his『little sisters』, is there?
– There is! It’s against the divine providence of this world that there is『little sister』 other than me!
– Ranjou Satsuki. You’re being selfish.
– Then why don’t you just take the position of『older sister』!?
– I won’t. If I’m the『older sister』, I can’t depend on Moroha. I want to depend on Moroha with all my heart.
– See!? Aren’t you being selfish as well!?
– … Since I admit I’m being selfish, I want you to recognize me as a『little sister』too.
– This and that are different! First, what day were you born on?
– … I don’t know.
– Okay, so maybe you were born before Moroh, huh!? Doesn’t that mean that being his『little sister』is impossible?
– Mu…
Leshya faltered before the sharp tongue of Satsuki.
At times like this, she resented her own defective speech. Though she didn’t have the opportunity to improve her conversation skills.
She trembled, and from a corner of the locker room――
– How can you two quarrel eternally for such an insignificant thing?
Urushibara Shizuno said with an exasperated tone of voice.
She finished changing clothes a long time ago as she played with her smartphone.
– This isn’t insignificant! This is a big problem affecting our identity!
Satsuki protested loudly and Leshya greatly agreed in relation to this matter.
– Yeah yeah.
Shizuno replied carelessly without even trying to raise her face from the smartphone.
This “other people’s affair” attitude was unappealing for Leshya. Well, in fact, because it was other people’s affairs.
– Urushibara Shizuno.
– Yes?
Shizuno carelessly asked a question in return without even trying to raise her face from the smartphone.
– I want you to help me. I would like you to persuade this obstinate person in place of me.
– Why would I do such a troublesome thing?
– A-as things are, I’ll be at a disadvantage. I want you to not let me die without helping me.
Leshya requested her help while being confused.
The Japanese were kind to everyone, and yet, Shizuno had been nothing but coldhearted to her since their first meeting.
– You owe me one when you attacked me all of a sudden. I want you to pay that back immediately.
– Oh my, you still bear a grudge against me?
Shizuno raised her face from the smartphone for the first time.
– Mu…. If I bear a grudge against you?
Contrary to her, Leshya hung her head.
She glared at the floor and meditated for a moment.
She recalled the matter of that time. She was attacked by a terrible Dark Art by Shizuno, and Leshya suffered with those wounds after the battle had ended… but thanks to the nursing she got from Moroha….
Now that she thought back upon it, it was a nice personal experience, she felt like her chest ached.
– If I think very carefully about it, I don’t bear a grudge against you anymore.
– Then I have no obligation to do a proxy war, do I?
– W-what an insensitive person…
– Foo〜〜〜〜foo foo foo! You saw it! Urushibara is my friend!
Satsuki argued just because it was precise to do so and laughed loudly, getting cocky.
– Ranjou-san gets carried away easily.
And Shizuno said with irony, but the prideful Satsuki didn’t hear her.
And Leshya couldn’t hear her either.
(Even though I came to the paradise called Japan, I’m so lonely when Moroha isn’t here…)
Tears overflowed.
– I’m depressed, I should die.
She turned her rear on Satsuki and Shizuno and sulked in a different bench.
She was clad in a dark prana similar to a cloud on her shoulders.
*Sniff* *Sniff*, the bench got wet and,
– Well, since you’ve become a friend of Moroha, I kind of want to get along with Elena-san.
Shizuno said something unexpected.
Leshya raised her upper body only, turned around and glared at her with eyes full of suspicion.
– Umm, Elena-san? 『Family』doesn’t mean just『older sister』or『little sister』, you know?
– … what do you mean?
Leshya, who was unable to see Shizuno’s intention, glared at her with eyes full of wariness.
– For example, isn’t 『married couple』a splendid『family』?
Leshya was taken aback by what Shizuno had pointed out.
She did a seiza on the bench with a momentum as if jumping.
*TN: Seiza means kneeling with the tops of the feet flat on the floor and sitting on the soles.
– *EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK*!?
Satsuki raised a voice in disarray with a desperate face because she hadn’t enter in such a field of vision.*
*TN: Meaning that she didn’t see that possibility.
– N-no way…. Was that what Moroha meant when he said『be her family』…?
This was a completely unexpected point of view.
Her cheeks got hotter than ever.
She couldn’t think of anything.
She messed up her hair in feverish haste and ended up fixing it without understanding.
Moroha with a shining-looking smiling face came to her mind, and the conveniently, very well altered lines saying「Leshya, let’s get married」were replayed many times in her brain.
– No… that’s t-too fa-fast, being told that, it troubles me… no, it doesn’t! … Actually yes, it does.
She became incoherent and let her eyes go free.
Anyway, she couldn’t face anything.
This experience was too scary as it was her first time.
– Awawawawawawawawa…
Satsuki accumulated tears as much as possible and eyeballed with greedy-looking, envious-looking eyes.
And then, Shizuno clear her throat with a *cough*,
– Well, we are talking about Moroha, so I don’t think he said so with that in mind.
– I’m depressed. I should die.
Leshya fell prostrated on the bench again.
Isn’t a deed of the humans to pretend help someone then pull the ladder away after it was raised? She cried seriously because of that.
– Fuu〜, you frightened me! You’re right, it’s impossible that Nii-sama makes a proposal like that! I agree with you!
She was a woman who took it seriously here. She wiped the sweat on her forehead as if saying she was sincerely relieved.
– Mo〜〜〜, stop with your jokes that make me worry, Urushibara〜.
– I strongly agree with that.
– I’m sorry. But since you’ve learned your lesson, will you stop this worthless quarrel? Don’t you think that Moroha will feel very disappointed if you two are hostile to each other when he comes back?
「「Oh…」」
Leshya and Satsuki faltered in unison and reflected.
– Let’s do a handshake, a handshake.
– Since you are Moroha’s『little sister』, then that means you’re also a『family』for me.
Given that Satsuki reached out both hands, Leshya shook both hands. And waved them.
– Well, then I’m going? I’ve been summoned by Nii-san.
*TN: Nii-san is the furigana reading for board chairman.
– Today he also had a conference with the higher-ups of the Japanese Division?
– Yes, another one. He was unable to get reinforcements for Moroha, so he was lobbying to various people, but…
– The Japanese Division is a den of cowards when Russia is mentioned.
– Aren’t you being harsh? I’d like you to call them pacifists, but… I totally agree with you this time.
Shizuno sighed, looking depressed, then because the smartphone began to ring the incoming bell, she turned around and left.
That must have been the summoning call of the board chairman.
The locker room, which was quite noisy until just now, became quiet as if putting out a fire.
Satsuki looked up at the sunset from the window as she got nervous.
Leshya corrected her posture on the bench and focused on her thoughts as she watched the sunset.
– Will he come home soon?
– Yeah…
Leshya replied vaguely and continued focusing on her thoughts.
The next morning after she fought against Moroha.
Leshya, who had determined to leave the city stealthily and alone, was stopped by Moroha’s Giga Drowse.
When she woke up, Moroha had already gone to Russia alone. Leshya tried to follow him, but she was stopped by Satsuki and Shizuno.
– Nii-san told me to protect you!
– If Elena-san were to go after him, then the purpose of Moroha who went to Russia would lost its meaning, no?
She was persuaded by their serious faces, she had no choice but to admit it.
With the intervention of Satsuki and the others, the principal of Akane Academy accepted Leshya.
She vacated the apartment and was told to live in the women’s dormitory.
Not only the teachers, but also the huge number of students who didn’t seem to be strong Saviors promised her unanimously that「No matter what assassin comes, you’ll be alright」「We’ll protect you」.
She was moved by the kindness of those who told her so free from worry, to whom they didn’t know.
Moreover, even the Japanese Division dispatched several excellent Saviors.
The Japanese Division concluded that Moroha, who went to Russia, was a selfish and declared that they were「unrelated」to him, but on the other hand, they were keeping a watchful eye on the entry of assassins into the country and guarded Leshya, saying「Russian Division’s way of doing things is not allowed in our country. To say nothing of assassins」.
The reputation of those guys was of fools and cowards in Russia, but in fact, Leshya knew that they were strong-hearted people who could decide by themselves the reasons they fought for. In this case, the Russian Saviors simply fought following the words of Lightning Empress, but….
And more than that, more than anything else, Leshya thought about Moroha.
– I wish for you to come home alive… please. I want you to show me your smile again.
She hung her head and talked to herself with a feeling like praying.
– That’s obvious, isn’t it? There’s no way that Nii-sama will lose.
Satsuki put on her clothes in front of the locker and turned around, looking stern.
– To tell you the truth, I’m worried. Moroha doesn’t try to hide his location in Russia, but it seems he’s confidently crushing branch offices one by one…
– What the!? Why didn’t I hear that!?
Leshya replied coldly to Satsuki who opened her eyes wide.
– I didn’t say anything because you didn’t ask me.
– Mo〜〜〜! Is there anything that can be done to that ineffective adaptability of yours!?
Satsuki stamped her feet in frustration.
Leshya had a question mark floating on her head, and sighed greatly.
– … So? How is that you know about him?
– I heard so from a Russian leader named Katya by email.
– Is she your friend?
Leshya moved her neck to the left and right slowly. No person in Russia was like that for her.
– Well, an email from Katya suddenly arrived at my email address the other day, it surprised me. Instead of telling me the situation of Moroha so that the Russian Division could understand it, she wanted to ask me about Moroha’s personality.
– Did you tell her!?
– I ignored all that was related to Moroha’s battle data. However, since she told me she wanted to hear about his personality, I felt it wasn’t necessary to hide it.
– I-I guess so〜. You unconsciously wanted to be proud of him〜.
Leshya assented deadly serious.
– But he’s not hiding his whereabouts…. I certainly thought that Moroha planned to infiltrate till he get to Lightning Empress like in Metal Gear…
– I don’t know what Metal Gear is, but I thought so too. However…
– Since he’s moving publicly like that, won’t he be surrounded and be completely knocked down?
– I think so. Russia is gaining time in eastern Siberia and is preparing in the west. And by spreading out an interception group around Krasnoyarsk, they’ll attack Moroha with all they have――that’s the scenario that comes into my mind.
– We have to tell Moroha!
Leshya shook her head slowly with the shriek of Satsuki.
– There’s no way that the intelligent Moroha won’t hit upon something, especially if even I was struck with an idea.
– But if he knows, then why didn’t he infiltrate stealthily? Is there a reason why he’s not doing so?
– I fear that it’s likely that.
Leshya spoke ambiguously.
But, in reality, she knew the reason.
Moroha was doing such a dangerous thing for Leshya.
Just like everyone at Akane Academy was protecting Leshya, Moroha also protected Leshya as he was in the distant land of Russia.
(I heard from the principal that there were no signs of Russian assassins coming to Japan)
That seemed to be correct.
Right now, the Russian Division should be concentrating all their strength to try defeat Moroha.
There shouldn’t be room to care about Leshya.
In the distant Russian territory, Moroha: “By telling them I’m here, I’ll draw all the dangers to myself and I’ll fight them all, alone”, was certainly protecting Leshya more than anyone else.
She felt regretful, her chest hurt, her worried chest was about to burst open,
But,
More than anything, her chest ended up aching a lot…
(I’m such a sinful)
If Moroha were to come back safe and sound, she vowed to try making up for all the things he did.
Satsuki said to Leshya who focused on her thoughts in that manner again as she looked outside of the window.
– It got completely dark, huh.
– Shall we go back?
– Yeah…
Leshya replied vaguely this time as she kept her head hanging down.
Then, her head was suddenly and forcefully raised and her cheeks were tightly held by Satsuki who came to her side.
– We’re talking about Moroha, so don’t worry about it!
Her eyes were at point-blank range.
They were full of radiance and strong force.
– Because, in my previous life, Nii-sama promised me.
– … What did he promise?
She asked and Satsuki told her, imitating Moroha.
It doesn’t matter how difficult the battlefield I head to is, how strong the enemies I face are, how great the distance between us is, or if my fate is tore off by God――
I will always win and return to you.
– I believe in Nii-sama! That’s why I’m not worried at all!
Satsuki showed a daring laugh.
That smiling face was stiffened.
In the first place, the hands that held the cheeks had been trembling since a while ago.
But Leshya was,
– I want you to share your strength with me.
She put both hands on Satsuki’s back and buried her face on her abdomen as if trying to embrace her.
– Because I decided to believe in Moroha as well.
As if responding to Satsuki’s encouragement.
Leshya bluffed as she also made a stiffened smiling face.
Chapter 4 Travelling in Siberia
The Siberian Railway.
The so- called aorta that connected the long country from east to west.
A railway of a scale unthinkable in Japan, it travelled over 9,000 kilometers from Vladivostok to the capital Moscow in the course of seven to eight days.
On September 13, the day after he crossed weapons with Bernard, Moroha boarded the Siberian Railway「Russia」with AJ.
The first schedule of his trip was to visit Khabarovsk, then Chitá… and each major city where a branch office was established to bring the office heads down one by one.
Although he wasn’t that familiar with the history of the Siberian Railway, the darkened body of「Russia」that came to the platform of Vladivostok Station seemed to tell the length of the years it kept running. Its coloring was the same as the Flag of Russia: white, blue and red. The simplicity and elegance of design of the deformed route map drawn on the side of the train looked quite stylish to Moroha. The people who were able to see the state of「Russia」 travelling when it was just newly made were undoubtedly happy. That must have been an exciting sight for sure.
The interior was considerably tattered, but the charm of travelling could be felt anyways.
When AJ presented the tickets, the female conductor guided them to a first-class cabin.
A room in which they would spend the night until they arrived in Khabarovsk tomorrow morning.
But when they opened it, they were surprised.
It was a compartment room for two people, but it was considerably small than what they had heard beforehand….
There were seats-cum-beds facing each other to the left and right, there was a space to drop their feet between them, but even if all of that was added, it wouldn’t be bigger than a king bed.
If they extended their hands, they would end up being able to hold even the waist of the person sleeping on the bed next to them according to their sense of distance.
Rather, one would say that the situation was a bit better than sleeping together in a kotatsu.
(I’m going to spend the night in this place? With Angela-san?)
He ended up being dumbfounded. As an adolescent boy.
– Enter quickly, you dullard.
He was kicked in!
Moroha glared at AJ when he reclined on the seat of one side with a falling beat.*
*TN: AJ is the furigana reading for “culprit”.
– Huh. Sorry for being so slow.
AJ closed the door of the cabin with a bang after she put the hand baggage on the top shelf.
The reproachful eyes of Moroha weakened.
AJ sat down on the opposing seat rudely and grimaced because they were too close.
Moroha sat facing her, but it seemed that their legs would touch each other if they were careless.
– Are we seriously going to be in such a narrow space just the two of us?
– What? Are you saying that you wanted to use this whole room yourself? Are you an extravagant guy or something?
– No, I didn’t mean that. We are a man and a woman, aren’t we?
– Humph, don’t make me laugh. Since when a boy like you falls into the category of a man?
I don’t give a damn about you, AJ laughed mockingly and showily.
– But Angela-san is a splendid woman, isn’t she? I don’t feel that I can sleep…
When Moroha felt exhausted, AJ was completely delighted.
As if to say that the defeated face of Moroha was her favorite food. Furthermore, she put an evil look full of pride on her face,
– If you like, do I hug you so you can sleep? Will Moroha-chan fall asleep if I change to a pillow〜? Are you missing Japan already〜?
She grinned, making fun of him.
– Oh, can I do so? Alright then, I avail myself of your kind offer tonight.
– Don’t take it seriously you horny braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!
AJ screamed as she clung to the wall.
Even though her pride was at its peak until just a second ago.
(Look, even Angela-san is embarrassed)
Moroha decided to take revenge without hesitation, but he couldn’t feel delighted with it.
– You better don’t cross that line. I’ll kill you if you come.
AJ, who was completely startled and extremely alert, drew an imaginary boundary line between the beds.
Was she a child?
– How are we going to change clothes?
– Turning our backs on each other and plugging our ears is enough, right? I’ll kill you if you see me or listen to me.
– But it’s narrow.
Moroha hung his head, heartbroken.
However, since this was the way of travelling of the Siberian Railway, it couldn’t be helped. As AJ said, he didn’t want to waste money like using a double room alone.
When he thought so, he finally could maintain his composure.
Or rather, he gave up.
On the other hand, AJ was still at her wits’ end with her eyes looking up,
– I-I’ll tell you this: my body, from a single hair to one of my nails, everything belongs to my lord. If you do something strange, your tongue will be immediately――
– Bitten? That is an old-fashioned thing to say, don’t you think?
– ――your tongue will be immediately cut off!
– Uwaa, that’s scary.
Moroha trembled with fear, seeing AJ making her right hand be clad in a hard emerald-green prana similar to an edged tool.
He imagined the moment his tongue would be cut off in a single blow with AJ’s edged tool, so he stepped back.
– I understand, I’ll keep it in mind.
When he swore, raising a hand in the air, AJ finally killed the dangerous prana.
– Humph. Don’t provoke me too much!
– No, that’s not my intention. It’s just that Angela-san’s angry face is so, so cute that I’ve been getting accustomed to it little by little lately. It’s highly addictive.
– Why did your rotten brain spill that oooooooouuuuuuut!?
AJ made her sword-hand be clad in the finally killed prana again and swung it, doing buzzing sounds, but Moroha kept avoiding it.
He had a hard time because he had to dodge it just by moving his upper body as he remained sit down.
Well, just a bit.
– Zei… zei…
The utterly enraged AJ threw down her body on her seat in a groggy state.
And breathed heavily.
– I got tired of being with you…
(But I’m having so much fun with Angela-san)
He said nothing because it seemed that she would cut the train and all if he were to blurt that out this time. On the other hand, AJ, who caught her breath limply,
– It’s okay to get angry, but isn’t showing off your Mars way too much? Isn’t that like the trump card of a Shirogane?
– Humph. It’s not necessary to hide it when my companion is you, is it?
– Oh, me? It’s so nice that you trust in me.
He was a bit happy.
– W-w-w-who said something like that!?
– Didn’t Angela-san say so just now?
– T-t-that’s that! That was a figure of speech!
– The figure of what?
– My bad, it was a slip of the tongue!
– In other words, it means that you trust in me from the bottom of your heart, hmm?
When he spurted that out funnily, AJ stood up and grabbed him by the collar.
She thrust at him the sword-hand in which prana was made to dwell and threatened him like a robber.
– Tell me your trump card. What I’m saying is, the skill I revealed doesn’t mean I trust in you at all, rather, it’s the groundwork for information exchange. *
*TN: Trump card is the furigana reading for Mars.
She brought up an extremely forced far-fetched argument….
– Err. It looks like I can’t use it…
– You’re lying.
– I’m not lying. I don’t feel the need to hide anything from my companion Angela-san.
Moroha, who was threatened at point-blank range, recoiled.
– I never saw, not even once, that I used Mars in my dreams.
– You, who perfectly manipulates both Light Techniques and Dark Arts, is unable to use an Ancestral Arts…
AJ had been glaring at the weakened Moroha with scary eyes for some time now, but in the end, she released his collar and,
– Well, it’s because only Mars ends up being influenced by the nature of the soul. But it seems that you carelessly do an unclear interpretation of it to the phenomenon of the soul.
– It hurts when you say it like that…
Despite Moroha being disheartened, it saved him that AJ seemed to understand so.
– That’s why I jealously think that being a person who can use Mars is convenient.
Akane Academy’s Strikers had the lightning user Isurugi and the thread user Taketsuru. Both of them had troubling abilities and couldn’t be confronted straightforwardly.
– From my point of view, I envy you because you can use Dark Arts.
AJ voiced a different opinion as she sat down on the seat.
Moroha objected once again.
– Mars can be used without spelling or chanting, and I think it’s useful to use it whenever possible.
– Even so, I’m… how should I put it? It would be nice if I had another sword, a substitute, and that it does its work.
– That’s the opposite, no? As for the Shirogane, while their strength is awfully influenced whether they have weapons or not, isn’t their forte to fight without weapons?
– I-I guess so…?
AJ suddenly became modest and asked nervously.
– I think so.
Moroha assented greatly and stamped a seal of approval.
– Fu… fufufu…
AJ smiled broadly all of a sudden, appearing to not be as annoyed as he believed,
– Weell, when I’m praised by a guy like you, I end up believing so.
She was in an extremely good humor.
As for Moroha, he just frankly said what he thought, he didn’t intend to exhaust his flowery words, but why that seemed to be such a pleasant thing for AJ?
He saw her in great delight for the first time.
– However, Haimura. Since you don’t know how truly terrible that thing called Mars is, you can’t say so.
She said so with her usual abusive language, but her way of speaking was soft.
It had a friendly feeling.
– For example?
– Like a guy controlling gravity?
– Uwaaa. That looks troublesome, doesn’t it?
– I know right? Even you would struggle if you were to fight a guy like that, kukuku.
– I’ll try to not involve myself with a scary person like that.
– Unfortunately, that guy is Russian Savior.
– Why are you so happy about this? You’re so mean.
– Her name is Yuri Olegvic Zhirkov. She’s the branch office head of Novosibirsk. She has a lavish yet sweet face, but don’t be tricked by her outward appearance, kukuku.
– … You sure know her well, don’t you? Was that also gained by the intelligence power of the British Headquarters?
– You don’t know how easy it is to get the combat data of guys of other branches, to say nothing of their trump cards. About Yuri, she came to see our Savior training school because she wanted to enroll in it. That’s why we know. That the Russian Division also conducted an internal investigation of our country.
That meant this year was her first year in high school.
A branch office head at that young age――did that mean she was an A-Rank with an Isurugi-level outstanding talent?
As expected of Russia, trouble was everywhere. *
*TN: Russia is the furigana reading for “the worst and most sinister”.
– But in the end, she didn’t enroll there because she’s a branch office head?
– After she competed with third-year students at that time by pretending to study by observation and destroyed the confidence of those guys in a week, she derogatorily said『Their level is too low for me to learn』. When we thought it was an internal investigation, it was actually a demonstration of the Russian side *Gigigi*…
Even though he couldn’t see it, AJ grinded her teeth, looking vexed.
– … No way, are you telling me that… you’re using me so that a retaliation for that time can be done?
– Honestly, that’s how I feel!
– Wow, even though I believed in the provision of information that you were worried about me somehow.
– T-t-t-t-there’s no reason for me to be worried about you!
The moment AJ shouted in anger and her face became red, the train began to decelerate suddenly.
When Moroha looked outside the window, they had arrived at the next station, Ugolnaya.
Then, how much time would it take for the train to depart?
He was talking with AJ, so he didn’t even notice it.
And yet, he was anxious, he took out the timetable from the bag and calculated that the distance between Vladivostok and Ugolnaya was of about 40 minutes.
Incredible, we were talking so absorbed in it? A bitter smile escaped unintentionally.
– Hey hey, the next is a long one. Don’t worry about time all the time.
AJ, who looked at Moroha spreading the timetable, made an irrelevant point.
– Is that so? Then I’ll forget about it.
But Moroha agreed as he showed a bitter smile on his face and put the timetable in the bottom of his bag.
– M-more importantly, about the misunderstanding that I’m worried about you――
– Will we still continue that? But Angela-san will be bothered if we don’t let it go, won’t she?
– I-I-I-I-I’m not bothered at all.
The train departed while they squeaked at each other.
Whether they had a friendly chat or a quarrel, they ran at full speed to the next station without care for others.
The journey of Moroha on the Siberian Railway began lively like that.
However, only the beginning was lively.
Actually, the 13-hour train trip from Vladivostok to Khabarovsk, the first place of destination.
It took way too much time, more than what they could talk alone.
Since they got tired of each other and the number of words spoken decreased gradually, Moroha realized keenly.
It didn’t matter how much the scenery seen from train window advanced, it was just wetlands covered with white birch. He lost interest in it immediately.
There was a TV in the passenger cabin, but he gave up viewing it because he couldn’t understand Russian.
The service was unbelievably inferior judging it from Japan’s feeling of domestic travel, he was semi amazed because money was required to rent a bed sheet he needed to sleep.
The narrowness of the room and the uncomfortableness of the seat-cum-bed felt more and more agonizing.
On the way, every time they arrived at a station in a small town, the train stopped for a few minutes, so the passengers stretched themselves by going outside as if valuing their moment’s leisure.
Moroha went outside to breathe in air to make his mood refresh then returned to the passenger seating.
When he put his hand on the door knob of the compartment, he could hear AJ’s loud voice from inside.
She kept yelling at someone with belligerence.
(A phone call… but with whom?)
Moroha, without being a hindrance, opened the door gently and tried to step in quietly.
– Nuwaaah!?
Then, the horrified AJ raised a strange voice and rapidly hid the cell phone behind her bottom.
Moroha blinked in surprise.
(There was no problem to continue the call though)
He pretended he didn’t see that as he smiled wryly on the inside and sat on his seat.
With whom was she speaking to? Why did she hide it? It would be a lie if he said it didn’t weigh on his mind, but it wasn’t a pastime of his to pry into the private stuff of other people.
To begin with, AJ was a reliable guide dispatched by Edward, and not a spy he didn’t know whether she was an enemy or ally.
However,
– I-I wasn’t on a phone call.
AJ said, becoming serious and with a bright red face.
– Even if you’re not worried, I didn’t hear anything.
– M-my monologues are increasing as I get older, t-that’s regrettable, isn’t it? Ah, I don’t want to be old!
AJ continued doing clumsy excuses.
This person truly couldn’t lie. Moroha endured what he was going to spout out.
(This is all her fault)
An awkward air flew into the train cabin.
Even though the train departed, that air didn’t disappear, and since the seats were constructed in a position in which they faced each other, they inevitably met face to face.
When Moroha thought what’s the deal with her?,
– I-I’m going to sleep.
AJ threw herself down, turning around in a violent manner and covered herself with a bed sheet.
– Even when we still don’t have dinner?
– I became sleepy all of a sudden. Now leave me alone.
AJ became irritated and raised hell.
And then, *growl*, the sound of her stomach rumbling was heard.
– It wasn’t me!
– Then who did that? A ghost?
The poor “I didn’t do it on purpose, alright?” level timing was great, the child-like excuses done by AJ were great; Moroha ended up laughing this time.
– Don’t be obstinate, let’s go to eat.
He invited her as he kept the laugh ongoing without calming it down, but AJ ignored him from below the bed sheets.
She became sulky and looked so cute because she rolled into a ball like a manju that Moroha ended up spouting out again.*
*TN: Manju are steamed yeast buns with filling.
– If there’s something I can get you when I get back, then I’ll go and get it.
Moroha left his seat and left behind the obstinate-person-sulking-in-bed manju.
– Piroshki is fine.
– So in the end you are still hungry, aren’t you?
– I-I-I-I do not get a bit hungry in the middle of the night, okay!?
The sleeping manju transformed into a trembling manju.
– Piroshki is delicious even if eaten later. Now shush.
Manju explained furiously and the ignored Moroha headed to the dining car.
It was relatively wide, he could relax there.
When he ordered borscht, a unique red soup was delivered. Steamed potatoes were also in it, the dish had a perfect substantial quantity.
At first glance, it looked like a tomato soup but the taste was completely different. When he decided to eat it, he received a surprise attack somehow. Moroha wasn’t that surprised anymore because he had eaten piroshky that Satsuki prepared when they visited Leshya the other day.
It was something like a consommé soup with a sweetness that was provokingly effective.
This redness and sweetness came from the group of the sugar beet that Russians liked very much.
They were also used abundantly in the salad he ordered together with the piroshky, and the beet salad was called「vinegret」 in Russian. This one also had a great amount of mashed potatoes accompanying it, and Moroha was happy for that.
He bought piroshki and when he returned to the passenger car, AJ was truly sleeping.
Moroha decided to do the same.
Since the arrival schedule in Khabarovsk was at 4am, they had to go to bed early.
However, he couldn’t sleep at all.
AJ’s snoring and bruxism were terrible.
And, she sleep-talked.
– Fufufu… Ed-tama has his necktie twisted again… you are so helpless…
It looked like she poked her nose into another’s business even in her dreams. As always.
– Listen up, can you guys get married fast…?
Moroha grumbled with half-opened eyes and covered himself with the bed sheets instead of plugging his ears.
A wife that wielded cutting edged tools right away and a husband who had a veeery hard armor. Surprisingly, the compatibility of the couple was good. No, it was beyond than a well-matched couple.
Moroha gazed at the scenery outside from the bed as he lamented.
The land of Siberia with absolutely no lights.
A darkness so deep that his soul would be sucked up by it.
When he gazed absent-mindedly at that, his consciousness slipped out from his head.
Thanks to that, he learned the secret to sleep in the train.
They arrived in Khabarovsk, waited for the night to come, attacked the house of the branch head and fought with a man called Bulat.
He was a hybrid-type Shirogane with magnificent speed and attack power, but he was a coward who tried to run away as soon as he saw Moroha.
It didn’t matter how strong or weak a man was, there was no use fighting back.
Honestly, he wasn’t an enemy.
They stayed in a hotel in Khabarovsk for one night, then boarded「Russia」 at 4:30am and arrived in Chitá past 8pm.
The branch office head of Chitá was a Kuroma.
A careless man, he was attacked from behind when he enjoyed himself with a woman that was serving him in a nightclub without guards.
The battle speed was very different between Shirogane and Kuroma. The Kuroma couldn’t do anything against the Shirogane that ended up getting in the range of the sword. He quickly surrendered.
A useless stupid man who was always on the side that hunted and couldn’t imagine turning to the side he hunted. Next was the branch office head of Ulán Udé, he was also a Kuroma.
But this guy was exactly the opposite, he was afraid of being assassinated so gruesomely.
He was always protected and surrounded by 10 golems.
Naturally, the battle became a Dark Arts contest in which they exchanged shots from a long distance.
The mana of the opponent was significant, but there was a chance to take advantage of his spelling techniques. Moroha’s shots were always completed faster, he overwhelmed him with the difference in power of rotation.
His human nature thought about hardening his defenses first, and this made him be negligent to practice offensive Arts. Moroha, who looked at the well-known Baikal Lake from the train window, indulged in meditation.
He had fought with four people, all of them were easy to defeat except Bernard.
All of them were captured alive, however, he gave up asking about the whereabouts of Lightning Empress, and because they looked like they really didn’t know, he just put an end to it by threatening them thoroughly as usual and let them go.
However, while the trip was getting better, he felt like his mind was becoming tense.
Bulat and co. were good examples of what not to do: they taught him that there was no meaning in having strength that didn’t go hand in hand with determination and heart.
In fact, the next one made him have trouble.
The branch office head of Irkutsk was the user of a special Ancestral Arts that was neither Shirogane nor Kuroma.
A rare Savior just like the Japanese Division Head and Kondrat who possessed Leshya.
He had a weird ability that turned his body into sand, no matter how much he slashed at him, his attacks were all absolutely ineffective. Also, he disappeared by making his body scatter in all directions, then reconstructed just his gathered arms and attacked him from a blind spot, at any rate, he was formidable enemy.
Indiscriminate ranged attacks couldn’t be done because of AJ who got in the way, unable to just watch without doing anything just when he thought of blowing up the whole area around him with a Dark Arts of wind.
Moroha unavoidably spotted a chance somehow and chanted a Dark Arts of ice as fast as he could, the reconstructed part of the body was frozen in ice, he couldn’t scatter anymore and eventually he could capture him.
This man was a battle enthusiast who loved fighting above all else, breaking his fighting spirit that looked like madness wasn’t easy, he made him have lots of difficulties until the very end.
A man who surely was like the natural enemy of Leshya. If he was dispatched to Japan as an assassin, she would have fallen into an extremely dangerous situation.
They stayed in Irkutsk for one night then boarded the train departing at 13:47 going towards Krasnoyarsk.
The calendar was September 20th.
9 days had already passed since he came to Russia.
He got used to train travel, and when he arrived at a station, he knew for how many minutes they would remain there by the ambience and his experience.
He felt that the stopping of the train at the station called Zima was long, so he went outside to inhale air.
– You are not coming again, Angela-san?
– Humph. Who would get along with you?
– But it’s great, isn’t it? Let’s see the setting sun shoulder-to-shoulder.
– Brats don’t banter with adults.
– Ahaha. Then speak on the phone at ease〜
– I told you I wasn’t speaking to anyone on the phone.
Moroha, who paid his respects to the charming face of Angela who bared her canines, got off the train with satisfaction.
The air outside was so cold, that it refreshed his mood with an intensity that seemed to clean the inside of his lungs.
But it wasn’t really that cold. Aside from the night, the image of an all-year-round extreme cold that embraced the territory called Siberia was already dispelled inside Moroha.
When he shifted his attention to the sky, the evening sun was leaving.
The sun looked lonely in Russia since there were few mountains and high buildings, it was natural to see the horizon.
It floated alone, very unreliably and very small.
An optical illusion only reflected in high-latitude areas, but in reality it was because it kept an astronomical amount of heat to itself.
Moroha became free from obstructive thoughts for a moment and stared at the sunset with clear mirror-like eyes.
The harsh north wind blew fiercely as if signaling, telling the arrival of the night.
Moroha, who took a gust of wind, came to his senses.
And turned to the left as his body shivered.
(Since the setting sun happened here, then it also happened in Japan…)
Now he looked up at the south sky.
The place where Satsuki and Shizuno were waiting.
He was sure that now they were getting along with everyone while protecting Leshya.
When he imagined so, he could forget about the severity and coldness of the north wind.
– I’ll be back soon.
Moroha stuffed his hands into the pockets of his pants and talked to himself as he stared at the madder-looking southern sky.
There was no time difference between the vicinity of Irkutsk and Japan.
At the time Moroha was staring at the sunset, Leshya was in the locker room of the academy with Ranjou Satsuki.
– Just me! The『little sister』of Moroha in our previous lives, in the present age, in the next world and for the eternity is nobody else but me!
– I think that’s unfair. I also like being Moroha’s『little sister』.
The unproductive argument continued.
They forgot to change clothes and remained in immodest underwear.
After Strikers’ special practice had ended, their senpais were amazed and returned home long ago.
– I’m not kiiiiiiding! Why would Leshya be Moroha’s little sister!?
– I thought I replied that earlier. Because Moroha said『I’ll be your family』to me.
– Just『family』right!? Did he say something about you being his『little sister』!?
– Since I’m a woman, I can’t be his『little brother』.
– I’m not saying that, I’m saying that you can be his『older sister』! In that case, I can approve it even if that were true! But I can’t give up the position of『little sister』!
– I refuse. I like『little sister』 better than『older sister』.
– You sure have some nerve! Are you trying to steal my position!?
– No, but I think there’s no reason about why both of us can’t be his『little sisters』, is there?
– There is! It’s against the divine providence of this world that there is『little sister』 other than me!
– Ranjou Satsuki. You’re being selfish.
– Then why don’t you just take the position of『older sister』!?
– I won’t. If I’m the『older sister』, I can’t depend on Moroha. I want to depend on Moroha with all my heart.
– See!? Aren’t you being selfish as well!?
– … Since I admit I’m being selfish, I want you to recognize me as a『little sister』too.
– This and that are different! First, what day were you born on?
– … I don’t know.
– Okay, so maybe you were born before Moroh, huh!? Doesn’t that mean that being his『little sister』is impossible?
– Mu…
Leshya faltered before the sharp tongue of Satsuki.
At times like this, she resented her own defective speech. Though she didn’t have the opportunity to improve her conversation skills.
She trembled, and from a corner of the locker room――
– How can you two quarrel eternally for such an insignificant thing?
Urushibara Shizuno said with an exasperated tone of voice.
She finished changing clothes a long time ago as she played with her smartphone.
– This isn’t insignificant! This is a big problem affecting our identity!
Satsuki protested loudly and Leshya greatly agreed in relation to this matter.
– Yeah yeah.
Shizuno replied carelessly without even trying to raise her face from the smartphone.
This “other people’s affair” attitude was unappealing for Leshya. Well, in fact, because it was other people’s affairs.
– Urushibara Shizuno.
– Yes?
Shizuno carelessly asked a question in return without even trying to raise her face from the smartphone.
– I want you to help me. I would like you to persuade this obstinate person in place of me.
– Why would I do such a troublesome thing?
– A-as things are, I’ll be at a disadvantage. I want you to not let me die without helping me.
Leshya requested her help while being confused.
The Japanese were kind to everyone, and yet, Shizuno had been nothing but coldhearted to her since their first meeting.
– You owe me one when you attacked me all of a sudden. I want you to pay that back immediately.
– Oh my, you still bear a grudge against me?
Shizuno raised her face from the smartphone for the first time.
– Mu…. If I bear a grudge against you?
Contrary to her, Leshya hung her head.
She glared at the floor and meditated for a moment.
She recalled the matter of that time. She was attacked by a terrible Dark Art by Shizuno, and Leshya suffered with those wounds after the battle had ended… but thanks to the nursing she got from Moroha….
Now that she thought back upon it, it was a nice personal experience, she felt like her chest ached.
– If I think very carefully about it, I don’t bear a grudge against you anymore.
– Then I have no obligation to do a proxy war, do I?
– W-what an insensitive person…
– Foo〜〜〜〜foo foo foo! You saw it! Urushibara is my friend!
Satsuki argued just because it was precise to do so and laughed loudly, getting cocky.
– Ranjou-san gets carried away easily.
And Shizuno said with irony, but the prideful Satsuki didn’t hear her.
And Leshya couldn’t hear her either.
(Even though I came to the paradise called Japan, I’m so lonely when Moroha isn’t here…)
Tears overflowed.
– I’m depressed, I should die.
She turned her rear on Satsuki and Shizuno and sulked in a different bench.
She was clad in a dark prana similar to a cloud on her shoulders.
*Sniff* *Sniff*, the bench got wet and,
– Well, since you’ve become a friend of Moroha, I kind of want to get along with Elena-san.
Shizuno said something unexpected.
Leshya raised her upper body only, turned around and glared at her with eyes full of suspicion.
– Umm, Elena-san? 『Family』doesn’t mean just『older sister』or『little sister』, you know?
– … what do you mean?
Leshya, who was unable to see Shizuno’s intention, glared at her with eyes full of wariness.
– For example, isn’t 『married couple』a splendid『family』?
Leshya was taken aback by what Shizuno had pointed out.
She did a seiza on the bench with a momentum as if jumping.
*TN: Seiza means kneeling with the tops of the feet flat on the floor and sitting on the soles.
– *EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK*!?
Satsuki raised a voice in disarray with a desperate face because she hadn’t enter in such a field of vision.*
*TN: Meaning that she didn’t see that possibility.
– N-no way…. Was that what Moroha meant when he said『be her family』…?
This was a completely unexpected point of view.
Her cheeks got hotter than ever.
She couldn’t think of anything.
She messed up her hair in feverish haste and ended up fixing it without understanding.
Moroha with a shining-looking smiling face came to her mind, and the conveniently, very well altered lines saying「Leshya, let’s get married」were replayed many times in her brain.
– No… that’s t-too fa-fast, being told that, it troubles me… no, it doesn’t! … Actually yes, it does.
She became incoherent and let her eyes go free.
Anyway, she couldn’t face anything.
This experience was too scary as it was her first time.
– Awawawawawawawawa…
Satsuki accumulated tears as much as possible and eyeballed with greedy-looking, envious-looking eyes.
And then, Shizuno clear her throat with a *cough*,
– Well, we are talking about Moroha, so I don’t think he said so with that in mind.
– I’m depressed. I should die.
Leshya fell prostrated on the bench again.
Isn’t a deed of the humans to pretend help someone then pull the ladder away after it was raised? She cried seriously because of that.
– Fuu〜, you frightened me! You’re right, it’s impossible that Nii-sama makes a proposal like that! I agree with you!
She was a woman who took it seriously here. She wiped the sweat on her forehead as if saying she was sincerely relieved.
– Mo〜〜〜, stop with your jokes that make me worry, Urushibara〜.
– I strongly agree with that.
– I’m sorry. But since you’ve learned your lesson, will you stop this worthless quarrel? Don’t you think that Moroha will feel very disappointed if you two are hostile to each other when he comes back?
「「Oh…」」
Leshya and Satsuki faltered in unison and reflected.
– Let’s do a handshake, a handshake.
– Since you are Moroha’s『little sister』, then that means you’re also a『family』for me.
Given that Satsuki reached out both hands, Leshya shook both hands. And waved them.
– Well, then I’m going? I’ve been summoned by Nii-san.
*TN: Nii-san is the furigana reading for board chairman.
– Today he also had a conference with the higher-ups of the Japanese Division?
– Yes, another one. He was unable to get reinforcements for Moroha, so he was lobbying to various people, but…
– The Japanese Division is a den of cowards when Russia is mentioned.
– Aren’t you being harsh? I’d like you to call them pacifists, but… I totally agree with you this time.
Shizuno sighed, looking depressed, then because the smartphone began to ring the incoming bell, she turned around and left.
That must have been the summoning call of the board chairman.
The locker room, which was quite noisy until just now, became quiet as if putting out a fire.
Satsuki looked up at the sunset from the window as she got nervous.
Leshya corrected her posture on the bench and focused on her thoughts as she watched the sunset.
– Will he come home soon?
– Yeah…
Leshya replied vaguely and continued focusing on her thoughts.
The next morning after she fought against Moroha.
Leshya, who had determined to leave the city stealthily and alone, was stopped by Moroha’s Giga Drowse.
When she woke up, Moroha had already gone to Russia alone. Leshya tried to follow him, but she was stopped by Satsuki and Shizuno.
– Nii-san told me to protect you!
– If Elena-san were to go after him, then the purpose of Moroha who went to Russia would lost its meaning, no?
She was persuaded by their serious faces, she had no choice but to admit it.
With the intervention of Satsuki and the others, the principal of Akane Academy accepted Leshya.
She vacated the apartment and was told to live in the women’s dormitory.
Not only the teachers, but also the huge number of students who didn’t seem to be strong Saviors promised her unanimously that「No matter what assassin comes, you’ll be alright」「We’ll protect you」.
She was moved by the kindness of those who told her so free from worry, to whom they didn’t know.
Moreover, even the Japanese Division dispatched several excellent Saviors.
The Japanese Division concluded that Moroha, who went to Russia, was a selfish and declared that they were「unrelated」to him, but on the other hand, they were keeping a watchful eye on the entry of assassins into the country and guarded Leshya, saying「Russian Division’s way of doing things is not allowed in our country. To say nothing of assassins」.
The reputation of those guys was of fools and cowards in Russia, but in fact, Leshya knew that they were strong-hearted people who could decide by themselves the reasons they fought for. In this case, the Russian Saviors simply fought following the words of Lightning Empress, but….
And more than that, more than anything else, Leshya thought about Moroha.
– I wish for you to come home alive… please. I want you to show me your smile again.
She hung her head and talked to herself with a feeling like praying.
– That’s obvious, isn’t it? There’s no way that Nii-sama will lose.
Satsuki put on her clothes in front of the locker and turned around, looking stern.
– To tell you the truth, I’m worried. Moroha doesn’t try to hide his location in Russia, but it seems he’s confidently crushing branch offices one by one…
– What the!? Why didn’t I hear that!?
Leshya replied coldly to Satsuki who opened her eyes wide.
– I didn’t say anything because you didn’t ask me.
– Mo〜〜〜! Is there anything that can be done to that ineffective adaptability of yours!?
Satsuki stamped her feet in frustration.
Leshya had a question mark floating on her head, and sighed greatly.
– … So? How is that you know about him?
– I heard so from a Russian leader named Katya by email.
– Is she your friend?
Leshya moved her neck to the left and right slowly. No person in Russia was like that for her.
– Well, an email from Katya suddenly arrived at my email address the other day, it surprised me. Instead of telling me the situation of Moroha so that the Russian Division could understand it, she wanted to ask me about Moroha’s personality.
– Did you tell her!?
– I ignored all that was related to Moroha’s battle data. However, since she told me she wanted to hear about his personality, I felt it wasn’t necessary to hide it.
– I-I guess so〜. You unconsciously wanted to be proud of him〜.
Leshya assented deadly serious.
– But he’s not hiding his whereabouts…. I certainly thought that Moroha planned to infiltrate till he get to Lightning Empress like in Metal Gear…
– I don’t know what Metal Gear is, but I thought so too. However…
– Since he’s moving publicly like that, won’t he be surrounded and be completely knocked down?
– I think so. Russia is gaining time in eastern Siberia and is preparing in the west. And by spreading out an interception group around Krasnoyarsk, they’ll attack Moroha with all they have――that’s the scenario that comes into my mind.
– We have to tell Moroha!
Leshya shook her head slowly with the shriek of Satsuki.
– There’s no way that the intelligent Moroha won’t hit upon something, especially if even I was struck with an idea.
– But if he knows, then why didn’t he infiltrate stealthily? Is there a reason why he’s not doing so?
– I fear that it’s likely that.
Leshya spoke ambiguously.
But, in reality, she knew the reason.
Moroha was doing such a dangerous thing for Leshya.
Just like everyone at Akane Academy was protecting Leshya, Moroha also protected Leshya as he was in the distant land of Russia.
(I heard from the principal that there were no signs of Russian assassins coming to Japan)
That seemed to be correct.
Right now, the Russian Division should be concentrating all their strength to try defeat Moroha.
There shouldn’t be room to care about Leshya.
In the distant Russian territory, Moroha: “By telling them I’m here, I’ll draw all the dangers to myself and I’ll fight them all, alone”, was certainly protecting Leshya more than anyone else.
She felt regretful, her chest hurt, her worried chest was about to burst open,
But,
More than anything, her chest ended up aching a lot…
(I’m such a sinful)
If Moroha were to come back safe and sound, she vowed to try making up for all the things he did.
Satsuki said to Leshya who focused on her thoughts in that manner again as she looked outside of the window.
– It got completely dark, huh.
– Shall we go back?
– Yeah…
Leshya replied vaguely this time as she kept her head hanging down.
Then, her head was suddenly and forcefully raised and her cheeks were tightly held by Satsuki who came to her side.
– We’re talking about Moroha, so don’t worry about it!
Her eyes were at point-blank range.
They were full of radiance and strong force.
– Because, in my previous life, Nii-sama promised me.
– … What did he promise?
She asked and Satsuki told her, imitating Moroha.
It doesn’t matter how difficult the battlefield I head to is, how strong the enemies I face are, how great the distance between us is, or if my fate is tore off by God――
I will always win and return to you.
– I believe in Nii-sama! That’s why I’m not worried at all!
Satsuki showed a daring laugh.
That smiling face was stiffened.
In the first place, the hands that held the cheeks had been trembling since a while ago.
But Leshya was,
– I want you to share your strength with me.
She put both hands on Satsuki’s back and buried her face on her abdomen as if trying to embrace her.
– Because I decided to believe in Moroha as well.
As if responding to Satsuki’s encouragement.
Leshya bluffed as she also made a stiffened smiling face.
