166 暗躍者達
エゾントファミリーとハーリアス。巨大徒党同士の抗争の余波はスラム街にも及んでいた。そこら中から銃声が響く中、エリオ達はカツラギから購入した拠点防衛用の簡易防壁なども使用して拠点に立て籠もり、何とか難を逃れていた。それでも徒党員の動揺は
そこにアキラとシェリルが現れる。アキラが軽く引くほどの歓声が上がり、徒党の者達がアキラ達に群がる。シェリルは何とかそれを収めようとしていたが、騒ぎはなかなか治まらなかった。
アキラはシェリルを送り届けたらすぐに帰るつもりだった。だがシェリルはこの場でアキラを帰したら場の混乱に拍車が掛かると思い、アキラに頼み込んで
「シェリル。何とかしてここのやつらと連絡ぐらい取れなかったのか?」
「キャロルさんに止められていました。アキラから私の護衛を請け負った以上、万一の事態を想定して、アキラ以外の人物に私の居場所や状況を伝えるのは避けたい。そう言われました。一応アキラと連絡を取ろうとしたんですが、その、
アキラに見捨てられたらシェリルは生きていけない。それを防ぐために徒党の運営をこれからも必死で続けるつもりだった。その支えが奪われそうな状況に強い危機感を覚えていた。
アキラが少し真面目な顔をする。
しい話なんだが、そのことで頼みがある。シェリル。ヴィオラのことを見張っていてくれ」
「見張り、ですか?」
「ああ。ヴィオラがまた変なことをしようとしていたら教えてくれ。近くにいれば気付きやすいだろう。加えて、シェリルがヴィオラを役に立たないと思ったら殺して良い。それが俺がヴィオラを生かしておく条件だからな。シェリルが自分でするのは難しいと思ったら、俺に殺す理由を添えて教えてくれ。俺が殺す」
「わ、分かりました!」
げ替える気などないことを知って喜び、アキラの頼みと期待に応えるために気合いを入れていた。
アルファはシェリルとは別の方向でアキラのヴィオラの扱いに疑問を覚えていた。
『アキラ。ヴィオラの扱いは本当にそれで良いの?』
『え? アルファはヴィオラを殺した方が良いと思ってたのか?』
ではなく、更に一度殺す気で撃って多少は気が晴れた。それもヴィオラを生かした判断を産んだ理由ではある。だが、アキラにその自覚はないが、別の理由も存在していた。
それは死体を積み上げる以外の方法で自分の身を守れるかどうかの確認だ。敵対した相手を中途半端に生かしてしまえば後で必ず
ヴィオラが病院のベッドに横たわっている。既に治療済みであり、命に別状もなく、数日横になっていれば後遺症もなく退院だ。
近くの椅子に座って雑談をしていたキャロルが、少し真面目な顔を浮かべて唐突に話題を変える。
「それでヴィオラ。今回のは何の仕込みだったの?」
ヴィオラが不思議そうな顔をする。
キャロルの口調は軽いものだったが、絶対の確信が込められていた。
「アキラと会えばああなる可能性に気づけないほど間抜けじゃないでしょう。私とシェリルを連れてあの事務所に向かうのを決めたのはヴィオラよ。ヴィオラの事務所は他にもあるけど、近場に病院があって、自動治療キットの置き場所を私も知っている場所はあそこだけ。アキラとの交渉の前半も、わざとなんでしょう? もし銃口が頭を狙っていたら、あんな挑発はしなかったはず。私の行動を読んだ上で、アキラに撃たせた。一度殺す気で撃たせて、ヴィオラへの敵意を弱めるためにね。そして命乞いを装って比較的自然にシェリルの徒党に介入する口実を作った。アキラの敵意を一度弱めた後に、アキラとシェリルの両方の利益を提示してね」
ヴィオラが心外だと言わんばかりの表情を作って笑う。
「考えすぎよ。キャロルに助けてもらわなければ、あのまま死ぬところだったわ」
「私はヴィオラを友達だと思っているけれど、それでもその言葉を
「まあ、私の顧客候補に手を出したことは、その顧客候補から撃たれたってことで気も済んだし、見逃してあげるわ。それも含めて撃たれたんでしょうけどね」
「そんなつもりはなかったのだけど、それでキャロルの気が済んだのなら、そういうことにしておくわ」
ヴィオラとキャロルは互いに余裕の笑みを浮かべていた。
部屋にノックの音がする。数名の男達が返事も聞かずに入ってくる。そして代表の男が身分証を見せながらヴィオラ達に告げる。
「ヴィオラ・アーラハンツだな? クガマヤマ都市長期戦略部治安管理課のエンドウという者だ。先日発生した大規模抗争への関与について話を聞かせてもらう」
エンドウの部下達が病室のドアを塞ぐように立つ。それを見てヴィオラが
「私、関係ないんだけど、帰っても良いかしら?」
「構わない。そもそも部外者にはお引き取り願う。事情聴取とはいえ、部外者には聞かせられない話題も出るのでね」
「そう。じゃあヴィオラ、私は帰るわ」
「あら、随分と薄情ね」
「知らなかったの?」
笑って冗談に冗談を返してから、キャロルは軽く手を振って病室から出て行った。病室のドアを塞いでいた者達の半数が一緒に外に出ると、そのままドアの前に立って病室を外からも塞いだ。
エンドウが鋭い目つきでヴィオラの前に立つ。ヴィオラは余裕を保っている。
「それで、その事情聴取に付き合えば良いの?」
「不要だ。事情聴取は我々がこの場に来る名目だ。
「じゃあ何をしに来たのよ」
「仕事の報告を聞きに来たのだよ」
「わざわざ出向かなくても後で報告書を送るわよ?」
「上からの催促だ。まあ、当初の規模よりかなり大きな騒ぎになった上に、君が入院したという報告が上がったのだ。加えてドランカムの構成員まで現場に出向いたという情報が届いている。早めに状況を確認したいのだろうな」
そこまで話した後で、エンドウが
「しかしまあ、何というか、一介のハンターがスリに金をすられたという程度の話から、よくあの規模の騒ぎを引き起こしたものだ。大した手腕だな」
ヴィオラが不敵に笑う。
「あれは着火点にすぎないわ。火薬庫の周りのちょっとしたボヤ、不審火のようなものよ。その火がしっかり炎上するように手間
クガマヤマ都市は下位区画のスラム街に近い区域の勢力図など基本的には気にしない。その辺りで大小様々な組織の抗争が発生し、その余波で大勢死人が出ようとも、それを防ごうと介入したりはしない。
しかし何事にも限度がある。エゾントファミリーとハーリアスはその限度を超えてしまった。
抗争に勝ち抜き、統率の取れた巨大組織に成長し、その組織を維持するだけの金と戦力を保持するようになった。下位区画の繁華街にまで届くほどの強い影響力を持ち、人型兵器の購入、整備、運用まで可能にするほどの経済力を得た。そこまでは問題ない。組織の経営に成功して成り上がる。それは統企連が支配する東部では称賛するべきことだからだ。
問題は、その組織の性質が東部の企業倫理にそぐわないことだ。真っ当な企業の統治、運営、経済活動に反することだ。防壁の外側に住む野蛮な人間が人型兵器を運用するほどの戦力を保持して、防壁に比較的近い場所で活動している。それは防壁内の住人の安心感にも影響する。それが防壁の価値を高めるのならば良いが、程度を超えれば悪影響にしかならない。最悪の場合、住人に他の都市への移住を検討されてしまう。
時にはその手の組織が建国主義者と
しかし費用的には問題だ。当然だが防衛隊を派遣すれば多額の費用が掛かる。その費用を支払う必要になるまで事態を放置、悪化させた責任も問われる。
そのため都市はより安価な手段を採用した。都市にとって目障りな組織同士を潰し合わせるのだ。当然それにも費用が掛かるが、防衛隊の派遣費用と比較すれば桁が幾つも下がる。十分安価だ。
ヴィオラは都市からその工作を請け負っていた。つまり都市の外部協力者、雇われ工作員だった。
ヴィオラは今まで他にも多くの人や組織を潰してきたが、その中には都市からの依頼もそれなりに混ざっていた。その功績は上々で都市からも高く評価されていた。下手をすると、都市からもその手腕を恐れられるほどに。
なお今回の騒動に都市側が関わっていることを知っているのは、都市の職員でも一部の者だけだ。そしてドランカムに依頼を出したのは知らない
の人間だ。そのエンドウでさえ、ヴィオラからの報告を内心で恐々としながら聞いていた。いろいろとえげつない内容が多々含まれていたからだ。
「それはその件の調査依頼かしら?」
「いや、雑談だ」
「そう。下位区画は壁の内側とは違って治安が悪いの。馬鹿なことをして、下らない
シェリルが自室で深刻な表情を浮かべている。その原因は通話相手であるヴィオラからの情報だ。
「......その話、本当なんですか?」
「別に信じろとは言わないわ。ただまあ、私も
の悪い笑顔を浮かべている。シェリルはそう確信していた。
「脅し、ですか?」
シェリルはアキラが大きく機嫌を損ねた光景を想像してしまい震えてしまう。あの日、非常に機嫌の悪いアキラがシェリルの前でアルナを殺すと宣言した時の光景だ。しかも下手をすると今度はその殺意を向ける対象がシェリル達になり兼ねないのだ。
動揺を抑えようと必死になっているシェリルに、ヴィオラの普段と何ら変わらない口調の声が突き刺さる。
が何の対処もしないのであれば、私からアキラに教えるわ。私も有益な情報を伝えたりしてアキラの機嫌を取らないといけないの。分かるでしょう? じゃあね」
「......こちらで対処します。有益な情報を提供していただいて、ありがとう御座いました」
ヴィオラの機嫌の良さそうな声を残して通話が切れる。シェリルはヴィオラへの憤りから思わず叫びだしてしまいそうな自分を必死になって抑えた。
シェリルに呼び出されたナーシャが拠点の部屋に入る。部屋の中にはシェリル、アリシア、エリオの3人が待っていた。
シェリル達が一度顔を見合わせる。そしてシェリルが非常に険しく真面目な表情を浮かべて、断言するように問う。
「単刀直入に聞くわ。アルナにアキラの情報を流したのは、ナーシャね?」
ナーシャの表情が大きく変わった。余りにも雄弁な、返答の必要性を感じられない表情だった。
エリオが合図を出すと数人の子供達が部屋に入ってくる。そしてナーシャを取り囲もうとして、動揺で僅かに固まる。彼らは合図が出たら、アキラの機嫌を大きく損ねた可能性のある誰かを逃がさないように拘束しろ、とだけ伝えられていた。その誰かがナーシャだとは思わなかったのだ。
少年達が戸惑いながらシェリル達を見る。そしてシェリル達の重苦しい様子を感じ取ると、少し
「......シェリル、それで、その、......どうするの?」
アリシアはできればナーシャを助けたいのだろう。シェリルもその気持ちは分かる。だが下手に
シェリルは黙って情報端末を取り出した。そして覚悟を決めてアキラへ通話要求を投げた。
「シェリルです。お話があります。今、
ちゃんと聞いていますか、などど確認するわけにもいかず、シェリルはアキラの落ち着きようが、限度を超えた不機嫌によるものや、自分達を切り捨てたゆえの無関心ではないことを祈りながら話を続けていた。そして何とか説明を終えた。
「分かりました。お待ちしています」
アキラと通話が切れた。シェリルが大きな緊張から解放されて息を吐く。アリシアが心配そうに尋ねる。
「......どうだったの?」
シェリルはそれだけ答えた。ナーシャに助かる望みがあるかどうか。アリシアが聞きたかったのはその辺りのことだったのだが、シェリルの様子を見てから再度詳しく尋ねる気にはなれなかった。
アキラがシェリル達のいる部屋に入る。ナーシャを取り囲むように立っていた子供達が巻き添えを恐れるように壁の近くまで離れていく。
ナーシャは諦めた表情を浮かべていた。怖いとは思っているが、動揺を生み出すほどではなかった。シェリル達の徒党に潜り込んだ時からあり得ることだと覚悟していたからだ。
ナーシャはアルナの身を案じながら
アキラがナーシャの前に立つ。
「そいつがナーシャか。放せ」
んだ口調に対して、ヴィオラの口調は余りにも軽い。
「あら、私の仕事が御期待に添えなかった?
ちながら、激情のままに声を上げないように注意する。
「ふざけないで。カツヤに情報を流してその抗争の場に飛び込ませるなんて、何を考えているの? カツヤが死ぬところだったのよ? 私を敵に回すつもり?」
「別に無理に信じろとは言わないわ。でも事実よ。それに私が敵に回すのは、人にしろ組織にしろ既に破滅が決まっているような相手よ。恨まれて
ませる。それをヴィオラの失態にしてしまえば、それはそのままミズハの能力不足を認めることになる。それを認めたくないために別の理由で反論する。
「......カツヤにはクズスハラ街遺跡での前線基地構築関連の仕事が既に割り振られているのよ。クガマヤマ都市からも評価されているわ。だから急に遠隔地の仕事を割り振るなんてできないのよ」
「まあ、そちらの事情があるにせよ、私の仕事にそこまで不満を抱かれた以上、素直に報酬を受け取ったままというのも心苦しいわね。返しても良いわよ? 条件付きでね」
「条件? 言ってみなさい」
「あの日、カツヤはなぜアルナの居場所を知っていたのか、その情報を私に流してもらうわ。その情報料を支払う形で返すわ。情報の内容によっては更に上乗せしてもいいわ」
「見舞いに来るなら歓迎するわ」
疑うのなら確認に来い。ミズハはヴィオラの言葉から彼女が入院したということに対しての疑いを緩めた。それに引きずられて、ヴィオラはカツヤに情報を流していないということへの疑いも半信半疑まで緩んでいく。
「当初の予定なら私が入院する羽目になることもなかった。だから私も私の予定を狂わせた何かを、カツヤがアルナの居場所を知った理由を知りたいのよ。
ミズハが思案する。ヴィオラは断片的な情報に恣意的な意見を加算して流すことはあっても、誤った情報を流すことはない。情報そのものは正確なのだ。
分かれ道の右に
正しい情報で人を操る。それもヴィオラの質の悪さだ。ミズハもそれは知っていた。ならば少なくともカツヤにアルナの居場所の情報を流していないことだけは事実だ。そう判断した。
「分かったわ。どちらにしてもドランカムでも調査はする。その結果を
ヴィオラとの通話が切れる。ミズハが口座を確認すると、確かに既に振り込まれていた。自分は必ずこの話を受ける。ヴィオラにそう読み切られていたことに少々不快感を覚えたが、それもすぐに別の思考に流された。
ヴィオラの仕業ではないとしたら、カツヤはどうやってアルナの居場所を知ったのか。ミズハはカツヤを死地に向かわせた何かに怒りを覚えながらすぐに調査を開始した。
Ch 166
The battle between two large gangs--Ezont Family and Haurias--had, of course, affected the slum city. Sounds of gunshots filled the slums. Erio and the other children in the gang made use of the portable walls they got from Katsuragi to barricade themselves inside their base and were able to get through the night. But even so, it still caused a huge ruckus within the gang that Erio and Alicia were barely able to calm everyone down since they were officers in the gang, but everyone in the gang were still anxious even right now.
It was then that Akira and Sheryl suddenly appeared. Akira was weirded out at how big the welcoming cheer was, as the children gathered around him. Sheryl tried her best to calm everyone down to no avail.
Akira was planning to head straight back home after getting Sheryl back to her base. But Sheryl thought that it would cause even more chaos inside the gang if Akira left, so she asked him to stay for the night. She then told the supervisors to give her their reports of what had happened while she was gone.
"Sheryl, couldn't you at least contact these guys?"
"Carol-san told me not to. She said that since the request from you was to get me to safety, it was just to be safe in case someone else other than you used that call to locate me. Of course, I tried to call you too, but I wasn't able to. "
Sheryl could no longer live without Akira. So in order not to get abandoned by him, she planned to do everything she could to make the gang useful to him. She felt really insecure about the matter regarding Viola.
Akira then spoke to Sheryl with a rather serious face.
"Ahh, by the way, I'm sorry for asking you this after deciding it without even consulting with you, but, Sheryl, can you keep an eye on that Viola?"
"Keep an eye on her?"
"Yeah, tell me if she tries anything funny. I'm sure it'll be easier to watch over her if she's close. And also, if you don't find her useful at all, you can go ahead and kill her. After all, that is the condition she accepted for sparing her life. If you find it hard to kill her, just tell me the reason why you need me to kill her and I'll do it."
"O-Okay!!"
Sheryl was so elated that Akira actually had no plans to replace her position in the gang and she resolved herself not to disappoint him as she replied firmly to his request.
Alpha had another question that was different from Sheryl about Viola.
"Akira, are you sure that you're okay with that matter in regards to Viola?"
"Eh? Do you think I should have killed her instead?"
Akira believed that the reason why he spared Viola's life was because he already felt better after he shot her once with the intention of killing her. Moreover, although he was manipulated by her, she did not do anything to directly kill him. But in truth, there was another reason why Akira spared her that he himself did not notice.
That reason was because Akira wanted to know if he could protect himself without increasing the body counts. He had always believed that if he spared his enemy, that person would definitely come for revenge later. Also, he was convinced that he was simply not strong enough to have the leeway to spare his opponents.
Viola was lying on the hospital bed. Her wound was already treated, her life was no longer in danger. She should be fully recovered after a few days of resting on the hospital bed.
She was having a chat with Carol, who was sitting on a chair not too far from her. But Carol suddenly threw a question at her with a rather solemn expression.
"So then, Viola, what are you scheming this time?"
Viola frowned, she looked a bit offended.
Although Carol said that so casually, her tone was telling Viola that she was sure about it.
"I know you're not that stupid, you knew well what would happen if you met him. You were the one who told me to go to your office with Sheryl, remember? Although you have many offices, that one has a hospital nearby and I know that you have an emergency kit and where to find it in that office. You intentionally said all of that in the first half of your negotiation with Akira, didn't you? Had Akira aimed at your head back then, you would not have provoked him like that. You knew what I would do, that was why you let Akira shoot you. And by doing that, it would remove most of his grudge against you, right? Then with his grudge mostly gone, you can make an excuse to get involved in Sheryl's gang saying that it would bring benefit for both Sheryl and Akira."
Viola faked a surprise and smiled.
"You're thinking too much. If you hadn't saved me back then, I would have been dead by now."
"I do think that you're my friend, but let me tell you this, I don't believe what you said there at all since I know you very well."
"Well, in the end, my potential customer did shoot you after you tried to mess with him, so I guess I'll let that slide. Though I bet I would get shot because of that too."
"I have no plans to do that though, but if you're okay with that, then I won't pursue this subject any further."
Viola and Carol smiled at each other.
Someone suddenly knocked at the door. A few men came in without even waiting for a reply. Then the representative from that group showed his ID card and said.
"Viola Alhans, I presume? I'm Endou from Kugamayama city's Long-term Strategy Department, Public Order Section. We have some questions regarding the huge battle yesterday."
Endou's men stood in front of the door as if to close Viola's escape route. Seeing that, Viola sighed.
"I have nothing to do with this though, so, can I leave?"
"Of course. In the first place, I would have asked you to leave since you're not involved in this matter. Although it's a simple investigation, the subject that we are going to discuss is not for the public's ears."
"I see, later then, Viola."
"Oh my, that's so cold of you."
"You didn't know?"
Viola said that as a joke, so Carol replied with a joke too. Carol left the room while lightly waved at Viola. Half of the men guarding the door also left the room together with Carol and guarded the door from outside.
Endou looked sharply at Viola and stood in front of her. Viola still had her usual calmness.
"So then, I just need to answer your questions, right?"
"That won't be necessary, it was just an excuse to come here. Of course, I'll forge a document for that too, but don't worry, I'll handle everything."
"Then, why are you here?"
"I'm here to listen to your report."
"There's no need to come all the way here by yourself, you know? I can just send you the report later, right?"
"It's an order from the guys in the upper echelon. Well, it's no surprise since the battle was bigger than we expected and we heard that you got hospitalized soon after. Not to mention, we have also received a report saying that Drankam also went to check the place where that battle happened. So, we want to confirm the current situation as soon as possible."
After he said all of that, Endou looked slightly exasperated as he said.
"But well, what can I say... To think that you can cause such a big battle just from a small rumour about a certain Hunter who got his wallet stolen by a pickpocket, you're pretty good."
Viola smiled smugly.
"That was nothing more than a trigger. A rather volatile boy, just like a landmine. So I would rather have you appreciate all the preparations that I've done to make sure that the fire would burn strongly."
Kugamayama city usually did not bother much about the power distribution around the slum city which was next to its lower district. Even if a large battle occurred there and numerous people got killed, the City Management normally did not intervene at all.
But they could not ignore it if it had reached a certain scale. And that Ezont family and Haurias had grown too big and too strong for the City Management to ignore.
Both gangs had survived numerous conflicts, grew bigger, and attained enough money and military power to maintain the gang. To the point that their influence had even reached the commercial district in the lower district and had enough money to buy, arm, and even use powered suits. But it was all good up until that point. After all, rising high as an organization was a commendable thing even from the point of view of the Corporate Government that ruled the eastern district.
The problem was that their existence was disturbing the public order in the city. Their activities were against the law and they were doing illegal businesses. And with the rather barbaric people of the outer wall with powered suits living close to the inner wall, it was no surprise that it bothered the people from the inner wall. It would have been well and good if it increased the worth of living inside the inner wall, but unfortunately, they only lowered it. In the worst-case scenario, some people from the inner wall might even decide to move out because of them.
There were cases where such a strong organization worked together with the Nationalists. The Nationalists would then send that organization powerful augmented suits as well as sneak some of their agents in, and eventually enlist their help during a huge battle. Even if it did not go that far, buying powered suits from the Nationalists was enough to help the Nationalists to collect money. So their existence only caused worry for the people in the inner wall.
But the problem was the expense. Of course, dispatching the defense squad was no cheap thing. So if that kind of organization had become big enough trouble for the City Management to dispatch such a costly defense squad, they would look for the one who was responsible for not curbing it.
Because of that, the City Management was looking for a cheaper alternative, and that would be letting the gangs that were disturbing the public order in the city destroy each other. Of course, it would not come for free, but it was indeed cheaper than dispatching the defense squad.
So, Viola received that job from the City Management. Basically, it was outsourced to her.
Viola had manipulated various organizations and people to their own doom. Some of them were out of requests from the City Management. Such a track record earned her quite a reputation from the City Management's point of view. Which in some cases, she was even feared for her skill.
Even the ruckus that happened recently between Ezont Family and Haurias was actually connected to the City Management, but there were only a handful of people in the City Management who knew that. So the people who sent that investigation request to Drankam were the City Management people who were unaware.
Of course, Endou was one of those who knew. But even he was listening to Viola's report while feeling fear in his heart. After all, Viola had done some preposterous things to complete that request.
"Is this a request to investigate from the City Management?"
"No, just a casual talk."
"I see. Unlike in the inner wall, the lower district is a dangerous place. They might have done something stupid and got themselves involved in a fight or something."
Sheryl was sitting in her personal room with a serious face. The reason was the information from Viola whom she was talking with through her information terminal.
"...Is this information true?"
"It's not like I'm going to tell you to trust me, but well, I do feel guilty for what I did to you, you know? I even let you hear about this before I tell Akira as a token of apology from me."
They were talking through a call, so they could not see each other's faces. But Sheryl was so sure that Viola was smiling right now, she could imagine Viola smiling with her usual gentle smile while scheming something behind it.
"Is this a threat to me?"
Sheryl shivered when she remembered back then when Akira was in a very bad mood. That day, Akira, who was in a horrible mood, said in front of Sheryl that he would kill that Alna. And now, if she did not handle this situation well, in the worst-case scenario, Akira might direct that killing intent to Sheryl's gang.
Sheryl was trying her best to maintain her calm, suddenly Viola said with her usual calm voice.
"We're just going to take the initiative here. I just thought that it would not sour Akira's mood that much if you let him hear it from you. Of course, I won't be forcing you to do it though. But, if you won't do anything, I plan to tell Akira myself. After all, I need to give Akira some useful information as an apology to him too. You know that well too, right? So that's it, later then."
"...I'll do it. Thank you very much for sharing this information."
Viola replied with a happy voice before closing the call. After that call ended, Sheryl was barely able to hold back herself from screaming out of anger.
Sheryl then called Nasha to one of the rooms in the base. When Nasha came in, Sheryl, Alicia, and Erio were already waiting for her inside the room.
Sheryl looked at Nasha. She then said with an extremely stern face and firm voice.
"I'll get straight to the point here, did you tell Alna about Akira?"
Nasha went pale, it was so obvious that there was no need for her to answer that question.
With that signal from Erio, some of the other gang members came into the room. They immediately surrounded Nasha and froze. They were only told to come in and secure someone that might anger Akira, they did not know who that someone was. So no one expected that it would be Nasha.
Those children looked conflicted as they looked in Sheryl's direction. They could feel the heavy air coming from her, so they started securing Nasha although they still had a pained look on their faces. Nasha did not fight back at all.
"...Sheryl, so... What do you plan to do with her?"
Sheryl could understand Alicia's wish to help Nasha if it was possible. But if she tried to cover for her, it might put her and her gang in danger.
Sheryl did not say anything as she took out her information terminal, she paused for a bit to get herself ready before initiating a call to Akira.
"It's Sheryl. I have something to talk about, is this a good time?"
Sheryl could not bring herself to ask Akira if he was listening. She could not tell if Akira was trying to calm himself down, or if he was too angry to say anything back, she could only pray that it was not because Akira had abandoned the gang as she kept on talking. After she explained everything, Akira then said.
"I understand, we'll be waiting."
Akira ended the call there. Sheryl sighed in relief. Alicia then worriedly asked Sheryl a question.
"...How was it?"
Sheryl only said that. Alicia wanted to ask if there was a chance to save Nasha, but after seeing Sheryl's reaction, she decided not to.
Not too long after that, Akira came into the room. All the other children that surrounded Nasha stepped back all the way to the wall so as not to get involved in Akira's fury.
Nasha had completely given up hope. She was scared, but not to the point that she was shaken up. She had resolved herself knowing that something like this might happen the moment she joined Sheryl's gang.
Nasha smiled lonely at the thought of Alna.
Akira stood in front of Nasha.
"So this one is Nasha, right? Let her go."
Mizuha anger was obvious from her voice, but in contrast to that, Viola replied back calmly and casually.
"Oh my, you didn't find my service satisfying? I did finish your request almost perfectly, you know? Alna is dead, not because she simply vanished, but because she was killed and there was a corpse to prove it. So, there is no doubt that she's dead for good. And since the reason for her death is because she got swallowed in the battle between Haurias and Ezont family, no one would expect that it had anything to do with you. So what is it that you don't like about?"
Mizuha was really annoyed at how Viola was playing innocent there, she was trying to be careful not to raise her voice too high.
"Don't kid with me. I didn't say anything about telling Katsuya about that and sending him into that battlefield, what the heck were you thinking? What were you going to do if he got killed there? Are you planning to make an enemy out of me?!"
"Well, I won't tell you to believe me. But it's the truth. Moreover, whether it's a person or an organization, anyone who antagonizes me, they all end up dead, you know. After all, it would be a hassle to deal with them if they ever come for revenge later. So like, do you want to get killed or the whole Drankam gang destroyed by tomorrow or something?"
Mizuha twitched, she did not have anything to counter that argument. If she said that it was Viola's fault, then in turn it would mean that it was Mizuha's own mistake for not being able to predict that. Since she did not want to admit it, she came up with another excuse.
"...Katsuya is already assigned to another job in Kuzusuhara ruin front-line temporary base. And Kugamayama city thinks highly of him. That's why I can't just suddenly assign him to another job."
"Well, putting that aside. Since you're not happy with my work, I don't feel like taking my reward just like this too. So, it's okay if I transfer it back, right? But with one condition."
"One condition? What is it?"
"Tell me how Katsuya discovered Alna's location that day, I'll give my reward back to you as a payment for that info. I might even give you some bonus too depending on how much details you can give me."
"I would be really happy if you come to visit me though."
Viola was telling Mizuha to come and check it for herself if she was suspicious of Viola lying. And with that, most of her suspicion about Viola letting Katsuya know about Alna's location had also vanished.
"If everything went as I planned, I wouldn't be in the hospital right now. That's why I want to know the reason why someone would want to mess up my plan by telling Katsuya where Alna was. Of course, I'm planning to investigate it further myself. But it's easier for you to investigate within Drankam, right? And even if I'm planning to ask Katsuya myself, it would be easier if you're the one to do that for me, right?"
Mizuha took some time to think. Even if Viola might put in some of her personal opinions in her information, she would never leak any information and the information itself would always be correct.
It was as if she was standing at an intersection and there was a trap if she went to the right. She was properly told so by Viola, so if she went to the right without trusting Viola, she might as well get hurt. But if she trusted Viola and went left, she might find a worse trap and get hurt even worse than if she had gone right. But if she believed someone else, went to the right and avoided the worse trap on the left, it felt like Viola then would happily take whatever treasure that she could find on the left.
Viola's bad habit was how she manipulated people with correct information, Mizuha herself knew that very well. Which meant that she must be telling the truth when she said that she did not tell Katsuya anything about Alna, or at least, that was what Mizuha thought.
"Very well. Either way, Drankam will do our own investigation too. We'll send a copy of the report to you too, is that good enough?"
Viola closed the call. Mizuha checked her bank account and confirmed that she got back the money she had given to Viola. It was as if Viola knew that Mizuha would accept her condition. Mizuha felt slight displeasure after realizing that Viola had completely read her, but she immediately moved on to something else.
[If it was not Viola, then who told Katsuya about Alna?] Mizuha could feel slight anger for whoever was it who sent Katsuya to that dangerous battlefield as she immediately planned her investigation.
Rebuild World (WN)
リビルドワールド
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/rebuild-world/
Action Adventure Drama Harem Mecha Mystery Sci-fi Seinen
Abandoned Children Adapted to Manga Adventurers Alternate World Anti-social Protagonist Apocalypse Artificial Intelligence Beautiful Female Lead Cautious Protagonist Child Protagonist Dense Protagonist Determined Protagonist Distrustful Protagonist Futuristic Setting Gangs Gunfighters Harsh Training Lack of Common Sense Male Protagonist Manipulative Characters Monsters Near-Death Experience Older Love Interests Poor Protagonist Poor to Rich Ruthless Protagonist Shota Sudden Strength Gain Survival Twisted Personality Unlucky Protagonist Weak to Strong
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n9736dt/
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