5.14.

"..."

"..."

The students were released as usual after class. Sequencee and Schwii, by routine, happened to take the same route home. It was a path which circumvented the wide plaza.

Sequencee slightly distanced from her a few paces behind.

The evening sky was beautiful, a nice cool breeze blew. Their shadows stretched along the interlocking brick pavers. Trees and flowers decorated the floral scenery.

Schwii halted in her steps. Sequencee involuntarily did the same.

"Do you hate me?"

"No."

"Do you hate my mother?"

"No."

"Then why did you get angry?"

There was a pause.

"Liar," her voice quivered.

Sequencee closed the distance, Schwii remained still as a statue.

"I'm sorry."

His voice echoed so near behind her. Schwii looked down at her feet, her fingers gripping the hem of her skirt.

"Why do you expect me to be the one to resolve things every time? I'm.. your fiance you know? I have my limit of tolerance too Sequencee."

"Sorry."

"And you keep apologizing, but what good does it do?"

"..."

"Won't you do anything? Will you just stand there until I act?" Schwii's voice cracked, you could hear the tears in her words.

"Schwii, I'm sorry," Sequencee grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her into his embrace.

A wet line drawing from her cheeks. Schwii buried her head into his shoulders.

Sequencee stroked her back.

While Sequencee couldn't forgive Schwii's mother for what she did, he would put up with for Schwii's sake.

For now, he could excuse it with a hug, or perhaps a kiss. But, once those things become normalized in their life, the therapeutic effects would fade, and it would no longer hold the magic it used to.

There must be some foundation in place to make conflicts easier to resolve.

"I want to kiss," she whispered.

Saying nothing, Sequencee touched her chin and tilted her head.

===

Iona bowed and handed Schwii the letter.

"Thank you."

"Yes Your Highness."

"Iona, sorry about earlier," Sequencee said.

"It's not a problem."

"When did this letter come?" Schwii waved the envelope.

"Earlier in the afternoon."

Schwii examined both sides of the letter before tearing it open. It was a written letter addressed to Sequencee.

"So it's got the venue and all listed."

"You really did meet those assholes after all.." Schwii crumpled the paper.

"H-Hey. Don't burn it up yet, I haven't read it."

"Why do you want to read it? Just a bunch of deceptive words."

"The venue and time at least.."

Schwii roughly passed Sequencee the paper, he straightened it out for reading

– Let's hold a discussion. It seems you're really adamant on protecting the peace of the people, so why not negotiate? If the exchange is suitable, we'll cease our attack on the town.

– I'm warning you, don't bring your maid along.

"Where is this?" Sequencee couldn't find any written location.

"Pass it to Iona."

Sequencee handed it over, still confused.

"The date and time lines up perfectly with the end of the tournament. Which means he has something else planned.." Schwii reasoned.

"When it comes to stuff like this, isn't it the responsibility of the assassination guilds or some other dark associations?"

"They're taking minimal measures as from the reports Iona has written. Though I don't know the specifics of it, they probably think that the demons pose no threat for now."

'I thought private guilds have the responsibility to pluck out problems from its roots?'

"I believe they have countermeasures in place to keep me in check," Iona said, dangling the letter between two fingers.

"What do you propose? I don't permit him to go alone, and I think it's too risky for us to go without aid."

"Reese could be dispatched."

"That girl?"

"I would also be going, but act from afar. Reese will serve as the main guard," Iona said.

"Hm.." Schwii pondered.

"It could maybe work out," Sequencee calculated.

"How so?"

"Because of her unique gift."

Schwii's brows furrowed.

===

"Miss Reese Rine."

"Your Highness, Shiro, Risa, what opportunity do I owe to your visit?"

"..."

"We just came to say good luck," Risa said.

"No, that's.." Shiro's words were interjected.

"Really? Thank you so much!" Reese showed a bashful smile.

She was a finalist. Her next opponent was Matilda from Saint's Academy.

A fight to the end between the top two, many were excited to see what kind of tricks they had reserved for this last fight.

"I don't get it, don't you use a weapon?" Shiro asked.

"Are you concerned about me?" Reese bent over, looking at him with upturned eyes.

"Hey!" Risa cut off in between them.

Reese giggled. "No. I don't use any weapons. It's unconventional, but it's one that suits my style of subjugating enemies."

"I see.."

"You don't seem too cheerful, Your Highness. Is something the matter?" Reese faced the princess.

"Please don't mind it. It'll settle in the coming weeks."

"Take care of yourself."

"Thank you for your concern," Evelyn responded with a plastic smile.

"Um, right. Reese, we actually came to you to talk about something unrelated," Shiro said.

"The demon's movements," Risa followed up.

"Demon movement?"

"Well, you see.."

Reese blinked blankly a couple times after listening to Shiro and Risa's explanation.

"Do you plan to go and check it out?" Reese asked.

The heroes' looked at each other.

"We've dispatched investigators to monitor the location for now," Evelyn said.

"So you're not going to go, right?" Reese confirmed.

"Why do you ask that?"

"Something is happening there, and if you come, it'll be a big interference."

"What do you mean..?" Evelyn narrowed her eyes.

"I can't go into the details, but just keep out of it. It's a matter between the demons," Reese reserved a fake cough.

"Why should we keep out of it? It's undermining our duty as this era's heroes to ignore such an important clue, isn't it?" Evelyn said.

"Mnn.. how should I even say this.."

Iona had advised Reese to keep silent about the matter. Yet, it just happened that a demon had leaked some information to the hero.

Was it deliberate, or was there a rat among their own ranks?

In any case, Sequencee's safety took precedence here.

"Please just don't interfere. Otherwise, you might hurt someone," Reese warned.

Evelyn's expression darkened. "Can you stop with your riddles?"

"I was told to not speak of it."

"But if you win the final match, you'll become a member of our party, which means that there will be no more secrets between us," Risa said.

"Oh yes, that's.." Reese was now at a fork.

"Reese, tell us about what's going to happen at the tavern, and who is involved. As the hero, this an order," Shiro said.

Reese froze up. They were abusing their authority and there was no way she could refute this!

"Eh, big brother, are you sure?"

"If not, we won't know if we should act or not."

"It's.."

"Who is it that told you about this?" Shiro asked.

"Iona.."

"Iona? So the person involved in this is.. Sequencee?" Evelyn narrowed her eyes.

"Uh.."

"Yes or no," Shiro said.

"Maybe..?"

"Why?"

Reese groaned.

Evelyn gritted her teeth.

"Shiro, Risa. I think I know what's going to happen."

"Ah?"

"We must do what we can to make sure nothing happens to him," Evelyn resolved.