"Look that way."
Rei Ao smiled as he pointed off to the side.
Tendou Kikunojou reflexively looked over.
"!!!"
A spot that had just seed empty suddenly revealed several figures, as if by magic. So he recognized, so not, and among them were a few young girls obviously Cursed Children.
Before he could make sense of what was happening, a fierce anger surged up inside him. His gaze locked onto the Cursed Children, and he nearly ground his teeth as he snarled, "Damned monsters, they're everywhere! They should all be wiped out!!!"
Silence.
"You dare call us monsters?!"
Katagiri Yuzuki's eyes blazed with fury. Her dislike for this old man was instantaneous and absolute!
Sure enough, it was exactly as Oniisan had said: even the second most powerful person in the Tokyo Area, after Seitenshi, thought of Cursed Children as monsters—didn't care whether they lived or died. That only fird the girls' determination to stand with Rei Ao.
No one was more shocked than Seitenshi herself.
"Advisor Kikunojou…what are you saying?"
"Seitenshi-sama, why do you keep wanting to grant these monsters—these damned Gastrea—any human rights?" Kikunojou raged, face contorting. His entire body trembled, as if he was outraged at her for even considering it. "I respect you deeply, Seitenshi-sama. But as for these Cursed Children, these monsters, I'll see them all obliterated to the last!"
"!!!"
At those words, Seitenshi clapped a hand over her mouth, stunned.
"But…why?"
"When I introduced my New Gastrea Law to protect the rights of Cursed Children, weren't you the first to stand up and support ?"
Wasn't he the one who'd outwardly backed her? So why…?
"Ah."
Kikunojou gave a cold laugh. "Sorry, Seitenshi-sama." Though he sounded apologetic, his eyes were bloodshot.
Clang~!
He drew the long blade at his waist. Its chill sheen glinted off his face, twisted with limitless murderous intent.
"Monsters are ant for death, not for being human!"
Without warning, he swung the sword at Enju Aihara.
"No!!!"
Seitenshi cried out.
"You bastard!"
Enju was about to react, but soone else moved even faster.
Clang!!!
Kikunojou's blade was parried by another blade—it was Tendou Kisara, equally brimming with murderous rage.
Seeing Enju was unhurt, Seitenshi's heart eased, and her legs gave way. She nearly toppled over, but Rei Ao reached out and supported her as she staggered.
"Seitenshi, do you see now?"
"Ever since this crafty old fox lost a loved one to the Gastrea, no one hates Gastrea and Cursed Children more than he does. He's the most deeply warped of the 'Stolen Generation.' On the surface, he backed you, but behind it all he's been fanning the opposition to your new law. Haven't you noticed just how much resistance that law of yours ran into?"
"I…"
His words stabbed painfully into Seitenshi's heart. Everything he said was true. And recalling how abnormally large the obstacles to her law had been, she couldn't help but realize this was all Kikunojou's doing.
Still, one could hardly bla Seitenshi. She was quite young, lacking the polish and experience to see the dark and twisted side of politics. Kikunojou was a wily old scher who had fought his way through political battlefields.
If not for his sincere respect for Seitenshi—tempered by his obsessive hatred for Gastrea and Cursed Children—Seitenshi might long ago have beco his puppet in politics.
At that mont, Miyori Shiba stepped closer.
After so thought, she said, "I don't know exactly how you see Kikunojou-sama, Seitenshi-sama, but my father's told more than once: 'Kikunojou Tendou is a seasoned politician, cunning as a fox, ruthless to the core.' He warned to keep far away from him so as not to get entangled."
Muroto Sumire ruffled her hair and chid in, "Yeah, that Kikunojou guy never struck as a decent person."
She lumped most high-ranking officials into the sa basket anyway.
"…"
Seitenshi felt dizzy. So it turned out only she herself had trusted Kikunojou wholeheartedly, silly though that was.
But while this exposed Kikunojou's true nature, Kisara was worried about another matter. Blade locked against Kikunojou's, she glared darkly at him, her voice grim:
"You killed my parents, didn't you?"
At the ntion of "my parents," a flicker passed through Kikunojou's furious, hatred-filled eyes. He focused on her.
"They…" he said, "were the most pivotal…stepping stone on my political road."
His tone was casual, as if reciting an utterly mundane fact. But that statent was the final spark that ignited Kisara's wrath. All she knew was:
"I'm killing you!!!"
Alas, Kisara couldn't do it. In the fierce sword fight unfolding in the conference hall, she found her skills lacking compared to Kikunojou's.
Both practiced Tendou-style swordsmanship, but if Kisara was rely adept, Kikunojou was a true master.
"Damn it! Damn it, damn it, damn it!"
Kisara grew desperate. The chance for vengeance was right in front of her—and she was powerless. She was tornted by that weakness.
'I…lack the strength…'
Sorrow glinted in her eyes. Then Kisara used a last resort. Rei Ao, who'd been watching amused with the others, blinked in surprise.
"An unexpected windfall, is it?"
[Ding! Tendou Kisara is initiating a trade request!]
[Trade Content]: Help her slay Kikunojou Tendou!
[Ding! Please select trade conditions!]
Glancing at Kisara, he noted that she only possessed [Tendou-style Swordsmanship] and "body usage rights" for the transaction. Without hesitation, he chose the latter.
[Ding! Your trade request is approved!]
[Trade Condition]: [Body Usage Rights, One Ti]
[Ding! Confirm trade?]
Amid the desperate clang of blades, Kisara barely kept Kikunojou's strikes at bay. Seeing the system prompt, she accepted without thinking.
[Ding! Trade is starting!]
[Target]: Tendou Kisara
[Content]: Help her slay Kikunojou Tendou!
[Condition]: [One-ti Body Usage Rights]
[Ti Limit]: 24 hours
~~~
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