The atmosphere was quite tense after my speech, and it didn't help that the table was utterly broken.
Thankfully, Natsume asked about a different matter.
"Say, 'Governor-General'. The other children, the rest of those who survived, what has become of them?"
<<While nine people didn't participate in the trip, there is no mistake that there are only four people that are 'Four Fiends'. However, for the others, some are normal humans, and also those who possess other Sacred Gears. It is presently known that seven of the nine have Sacred Gears, they're people with special abilities. Among them, four of them are 'Four Fiends.>>
"So the remaining two are ordinary humans?"
To Natsume's query, the 'Governor-General' answered, "Uhuh."
<<For those who were ordinary people, they have been removed from this affair, and are living ordinary lives that are unchanged. But, as for the Four Fiends and the three others with special abilities, they are being pursued by those guys. Regarding the Four Fiends who are not among you guys, they have refused to cooperate with us and are rampaging on their own. Regarding the three remaining, our side is already concealing their location.>>
So, he decided to lie to them and tell that the remaining Four Fiends are rampaging on their own…
I don't know the reason, but Azazel must have one for saying that.
Even if I hate to say so, Azazel is a wise man. He rarely commits any judge error, but it's a fatal one when he does so.
<<Regarding the "Four Fiends", naturally it is often the case that the four of them are all drawn to the same place. Since ancient times, whenever they awaken, this has been the unique invariable principle of the "Four Fiends". Whether fortunate or unfortunate, that is the reason you have all assembled in one building. Sooner or later, you are bound to come across the remaining two people.>>
The confusion shown by Tobio, Kouki and Natsume is normal, as there are only "Four Fiends" but Azazel has said that there are still two missings. That means that one of the three is not a Four Fiend owner.
"Tobio, that dog of yours didn't come out of the egg, remember? It came from your shadow. Isn't that the case?" I question him.
"How, regarding that?" He timidly asked in return.
<<I dare say, you are an existence that exceeded the present scheme of those guys. You an irregular one, much in the same way as Lavinia I would guess. Those guys introduced a foreign element into the process of stealing the 'Four Fiends'. Ikuse Tobio, that dog you possess seems to be an existence from an entirely different dimension.>>
Looking over at Lavinia, she was narrowing her eyes curiously.
"Probably, Toby is a foreign element that was beyond all expectations of theirs."
<<Ikuse Tobio, is your grandmother still around?>>
"Not anymore. She passed away around the time I was in middle school."
<<Is that so, I wonder if you wouldn't inform me of your grandmother's former surname.>>
"It was Himejima."
It's true.
Tobio is also from the Himejima clan.
Interesting, how interesting.
"Hehehehehe…"
<<….Kukukukuku>>
"Drako? Governor-General?" Natsume spoke while having a question mark floating over her head.
<<No, not really. You figured out, Drako, didn't you? The truth of Tobio's Sacred Gear… That punch of sarcasm was so effective that it is the first time in a while that I have nothing to say. No matter how much you try to purify the darkness in that family, it seems that there's nothing that can be done about this generation, Chief-dono. Kukuku, so the "dog" is only a "dog". You who hated the feathered lightning, will now go as far as to purify the "dog"?>>
"Suou… hahahahaha, this is hilarious! I like you more and more every time I see you, Tobio! Now that I notice, you bear a certain resemblance to that mother-daughter couple."
While Azazel and I were laughing, the other people present did not seem to understand what was going on in our minds.
"By some chance, what you were saying earlier about the 'Five Principal Clans', is there some connection between his Obaa-chan and that guy?"
Apparently, Samejima was thinking about this situation.
But the Azazel purposefully said nothing about it. That's how he is, he wants to be involved in mystery to see how the things play out.
<<No, don't mind that now. If it's true that everything has already been determined, then I guess everyone is related to it. But, the youth of the black dog. You have other things to occupy your mind outside of the matter of "Himejima". Regarding that name, it is part of a very weighty affair involving things with the underside of this country.>>
Himejima clan…
Don't let me see you soon or I will…
...............…
As we left the multi-tenant building, as Samejima was going on his motorcycle, Natsume had detained him and had begun quarrelling.
"Just a minute, where are you going!?"
"I'm just going back, alright. I'm about to collapse from exhaustion after all that's happened today."
"I wonder, are you truly going back? So you're not going to do something like stopping on the way and start fighting again on your own and such if you'll pardon my asking?"
"Ah, yeah yeah. Although, if the affair's mastermind should become known to me, I will be drawn in by that."
"Do you think taking such dangerous actions single-handedly is reliable? Were you not listening to what the 'Governor-General' said? And yet, you're going to attack such awful people? It's no good unless all of us cooperate!"
Samejima placed the white cat that had been sitting on the fuel tank into the bosom of his shirt.
"This guy will succeed somehow or other."
The white cat, only the head of which could be seen from within the shirt, purred "Nyah."
Having gone beyond rage directed at the self-assured Samejima, Natsume was now wearing a disgusted expression.
Natsume turned to Tobio.
"Ikuse-kun, help me stop this Yankee."
I put my hand on top of Natsume's head, stopping her from being so anxious.
"I know that you are worried, Natsume. But let him live his own life. Kouki and Byakusa are a strong couple, so there is no problem if they go alone. Utsusemi is nothing for them."
Natsume trembled a little bit when I touch her, and her face turned as red as a tomato.
"Yeah…" She mumbles quietly while she retreats behind me.
"Look at yourself, birdbrain, it seems the dragon has tamed you." Kouki laughed at her appearance.
"I'll kill you, Yankee!"
"See ya, guys!"
"Three days, Kouki. Valina is going to test how much have you improve on three days. You wouldn't want to get your ass kicked again, don't you?"
Kouki's smile disappeared, and he nodded with a serious expression. He then opened the accelerator to fool and speedily departed.
...............…
In the next morning.
Once again, Kuroka was peacefully sleeping in my arms. But unlike the day before, this time it was Valina who was accompanying us.
"Good morning," I said when I noticed that one of the girls woke up.
"Good morning, big brother Drako."
Of course, Kuroka couldn't wake up alone. It was Valina who had woken up, as the sun was beginning to enter through the opening of the blinds.
"What are you going to do today, Valina? Are you going to take a look at Tobio?"
Valina, who hadn't quite woken up, nodded her head.
"Azazel says he has a very interesting Sacred Gear, which doesn't lose on mine. He didn't want to say much, but only a Longinus can keep up with the Divine Dividing. And being a dog his Sacred Gear, there's only one name that comes to mind. Canis..."
"Lycaon." I finished the sentence that Valina had started.
She gave me a half-smile, which showed all the beauty of the young Lucifer.
"I have high hopes, maybe this boy will give me a good fight. I also want to fight you, I've improved a lot since you defeated me."
"Don't get your hopes up too high for Tobio, his Sacred Gear doesn't seem to be going past its early stages. You probably don't need to use Albion's powers to defeat him."
At my words, Valina shows a disappointed face.
"And you say you've become stronger, but have you thought about how I can become stronger too?"
I put my index finger on Valina's forehead, and it took the shape of my dragon finger. It was quite funny because I could cover Valina's face with just my fingertip. From that finger, I let Valina feel my true current power, which caused the girl to be surprised.
And although I was expecting another face of disappointment from Valina for not being able to overcome me for the moment, I found a face of genuine happiness from her. This surprised me a lot, but it also gave me indications that I wasn't important to Valina just because I was a target for Valina in terms of rivalry.
"You've become much stronger, big brother! I'm so happy for you!"
"Why are you so happy, Valina?" he asked, full of curiosity.
"Isn't it obvious? You are the elder brother of the most powerful White Dragon Empress, so you must become one of the most powerful in the entire world. I won't ask you to reach the level of Ophis or Great Red, but you have to be at least almost as strong as the gods in the Hindu pantheon. Do you understand me?"
She had a face that said, "You have to listen to me, yes or yes."
"The Hindu Pantheon? They are very weak. You'll see how one day, your big brother will be so strong that he can beat all the top 10 attacking me together with only one hand."
Although I'm just kidding right now, it seemed like Valina didn't take it as a joke.
"Big brother, I believe you! If it's big brother, you can accomplish anything."
You're wondering why Valina's acting this way with me.
Well, it all goes back to when I beat her in a fight a few weeks after the incident. She lost and didn't give up, so she kept asking for a rematch.
It seems that she finally got tired and that's when she started acting sweetly towards me until it got to the point where it seems that what Valina feels for me is nothing but fanaticism.
"Hmm? It seems that Tobio and Natsume are training on the roof of the building, although the boy has been training all night. Why don't you go take a look while I make breakfast?"
I don't miss Kuroka's ear movement when I mention breakfast.
"It's all right. You better have something made that I like when I get back."
Valina takes off her pyjamas and puts on her clothes before going up to the roof where Tobio and Natsume were training.
"Did you say breakfast-nyaa?"
Yes, Kuroka had woken up at the very moment I had mentioned the word "breakfast". I don't know how she does it, but she seems to react instinctively to the things she likes.
"Sigh... yes, I'll make breakfast."