"G—Gepard, it’s you! I didn’t think you’d have the ti to visit with things so tense on the front line, hehe..."
Sunny, March, Seele, and Dan Heng were hiding within the main workplace of the workshop as they listened to Serval awkwardly greet Gepard. There was no door to hide them, so they had to press their bodies against the doorway. Sunny had sent his shadow out to watch their interaction.
Gepard rubbed the back of his head.
"Things are manageable, the latest wave of monster attacks has slowed. I’m back in the city to take care of a few matters, but I’ll be back on the front line later... I thought I told you?"
Serval blanked out for a mont.
"Ah? Oh, yes, that’s right..."
Gepard stared at his obviously nervous sister.
"...Sis, you look a bit pale. Did sothing happen?"
She rapidly shook her head.
"N—No, why would anything have happened?"
He deadpanned.
"You don’t normally use my full na."
Serval stared at him in disbelief before sighing.
"You said you hate it when I call you ’bro’ in public! Well I agree. It’d sound better if I started using your full na. Right, broseph?"
Gepard placed an armor-covered hand over his face, exasperated by his sibli!ng.
"...You can call whatever you like. Look Serval, I’m here on official business today. There’s sothing wrong with the Barrier Generator Device and the engineers in our unit don’t know how to fix it. I need you to take a look."
Seeing that the conversation was taking a less dangerous direction, Serval eased up.
"Those guys can’t think outside the box. Of course they can’t wrap their heads around my design."
She sighed in disappointnt.
"I thought it was sothing big. Leave it here. I’ll take a look."
He nodded.
"Sorry to trouble you."
Serval raised a brow, her voice taking on a teasing tone.
"Why are you being so polite? Oh, and why’s the city under curfew all of a sudden? Has sothing happened?"
Gepard averted his gaze, hesitant on answering.
"I... I’ve been instructed to keep it quiet."
Serval sent him a fabricated look of hurt.
"Lil’ Geppie... So grown up now... Looking down on his civilian sister..."
Despite knowing that she was simply ssing with him, he easily folded.
"Don’t say that... Forget it. If I don’t tell you, Pela will... Last night, Lady Bronya suddenly appeared. She entered Qlipoth Fort without saying anything to anyone. The Supre Guardian is worried that the three intruders may have followed Bronya out of the Fragntum and back into the Administrative District. She issued a curfew for the entire city, and ordered us to pursue and capture any suspicious individuals."
Her gaze flickered over to where the four Awakened were hiding.
"Ah! So that’s how it is, no wonder I haven’t heard from Bronya... Is she alright?"
An uncertain look took over Gepard’s expression.
"I’m not sure. She hasn’t left Qlipoth Fort. The Supre Guardian just said she’d returned. Nothing more."
Sunny, who was hiding behind a doorway as he listened in to the conversation, narrowed his eyes.
Despite the obvious possibility of Bronya being hard, Serval was completely unfazed.
"Well, I was sure worried about her... After she disappeared, Pela’s workload doubled — she said she barely had ti to go out."
The corners of Gepard’s mouth twitched at the ntion of this Pela person.
"She really does tell you everything... Oh, by the way, I left my Goethe Hotel limited-edition flask behind last ti I was here. Let have a look for it. I think I left it over..."
Sunny tensed as he saw that Gepard was moving towards the workspace they were hiding in. He positioned his shadow right behind him, preparing to Shadow Step in order to knock him out.
Serval’s eyes widened as she quickly stepped in front of him.
"W—Wait!"
Gepard stopped, furrowing his brows.
"What is it? You seem pretty off today, Serval..."
Her eyes fluttered around as she tried to co up with an excuse.
"It’s, um... right! You rember how you neglected all those flowers to death? I piled them all over there during a bit of spring cleaning, and now they sll terrible! So... don’t go over there!"
He blinked, gazing at her with suspicion.
"...Seems like a strange reason not to take a look... plus, am I supposed to believe you were spring cleaning? You must be up to more forbidden research..."
A look of indignation crept up her face.
"Am not — how dare you! What do you take your sister for?"
Gepard stared at her for a long mont before conceding with a sigh.
"Never mind. This is your space, and I shouldn’t intrude. I’ve got business to take care of. Bye for now."
As he turned to leave, Serval blankly looked at him. She suddenly called out to him.
"Hey! Wait a sec — uh... Those intruders, I wanted to ask. What cri have they committed?"
Gepard sent her a curious look, but answered her nonetheless.
"They’re plotting to overthrow the Architects and bring harm to the city."
Serval dryly remarked:
"Huh... reminds of the accusations against . Cocolia’s thods haven’t changed."
Gepard sighed once more.
"Don’t say that, Serval. I know that you’re still nursing a grievance against the Supre Guardian, but this isn’t a joking matter."
Serval pouted — yes, this adult woman literally pouted at her younger brother for reprimanding her.
"...You’re telling off again. Fine, whatever bro. You better be going, co listen to Pela and my next rehearsal."
He curtly nodded.
"I will... if I have the ti."
Gepard continued to the door, the chi ringing as he opened it. The door shut as he marched off towards the frigid streets of Belobog.
After a few excruciatingly long monts, Serval breathed a sigh of relief.
"The coast is clear. You can co out now."
***
"Phew...I nearly suffocated! What kind of plot device was that..."
March slumped onto a chair, limbs dangling as if she was a ragdoll.
Serval didn’t appear much better.
"I almost lost my cool when he went for his flask..."
She paused for a mont.
"Rest assured, Cocolia may have changed over the years... but she’d never hurt Bronya. I’m certain of that."
As her daughter, Bronya must have understood Cocolia relatively deeply. It would be impossible for the Supre Guardian to put on such a perfect act before a child for such a long period of ti. From what he knew, Bronya wasn’t even close to being estranged from her mother.
As such, it was completely logical to trust her judgent on this.
’Of course, if it was March in Bronya’s place, then things would be completely different.’
Sending a stray insult to March, he asked Serval:
"Have you thought of a way to persuade Gepard?"
She scowled as she rembered the conversation she had with her younger brother.
"I was gauging his reactions just now, did you see? Unless we have irrefutable evidence, he won’t question Cocolia’s orders. If you go after him now, our plan’s as good as over."
She walked past them, heading to the front door.
"Co on, let’s go to the restricted zone. If we can get ahead of the curve and find the Stellaron, Cocolia will be out of options."
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