4
The next morning.
“…Haah.”
“Hm? You all right, Sisbell? You still don’t look so great.”
Sisbell, looking ghastly, had made her way to Iska, who was standing in the lobby. Somehow, she seemed even more haggard than the night before.
“…It was a terrible ordeal,” she answered him.
“What was?”
“…I never would have fathomed they would lecture me into the night. No one’s ever given me such a long scolding before, not even Mother.”
“Um?”
“…Oh, it’s nothing,” she said.
She collapsed onto a lobby chair. As far as Iska could tell, she was steadier on her feet than yesterday in spite of her pale complexion. She wasn’t nearly as flushed, either, so the medicine must have brought down her fever.
“Just to be sure, are you okay to travel today?”
“Why, of course.” Sisbell lifted her face, looking livelier than Iska had expected, though she slumped into the chair. “The Lord asked for me specifically. If I tarry too long here, why, they might assume I’m frightened. How would that make the Sovereignty look?”
“Oh, there you are, Iska!”
“Sorry for the delay!”
Nene and Commander Mismis came out of the elevator. Jhin followed after them with the luggage.
“Boss, where are the train tickets to the capital?”
“Oh, I haven’t reserved those yet. I was thinking of buying them at the station.”
“Then we’ve gotta hurry. There aren’t a lot of limited-express trains leaving from the boonies to the capital. If we miss this train, we might have to wait hours for the next one.” Jhin started walking toward the hotel exit with their luggage in hand. “Well, I guess it shouldn’t be hard to get five tickets, though.”
“Wait right there. Make that six.”
The exit opened. One glance at the person waiting there, and everyone stopped in their tracks, including Jhin, who was leading them.
“Risya…?”
“Hello there, Isk. And Mismis and Nene, too.”
The woman cheerfully smiling and waving at them was none other than Risya In Empire, a Saint Disciple and the Lord’s staff officer.
“Hey there, Princess.”
“You!” Sisbell took a step back in surprise.
Risya had helped the Lord kidnap Rin. Sisbell must have found her despicable.
“What is the meaning of this?! You took Rin with the Lord and—”
“Oh, please stop right there, Princess Sisbell.” Risya placed a finger against her lips, shushing the girl. “This is Imperial territory. And take a look, there are guards even in the hotel lobby. Don’t you think it’s in your best interest not to cause a scene, seeing that you’re from the Sovereignty?”
“…Guh!”
“Well, I’m not here to talk about anything unpleasant. So, Mismis.”
When Risya called her name out without any warning, the commander quickly lifted her puzzled face.
“Wh-what’s going on, Risya?!” Mismis asked. “Weren’t you supposed to wait for us at the capital…?”
“I’m here to accompany you.”
Risya grinned and took off her glasses. She swung them around her finger at the hinge as she looked at each member of Unit 907, then finally at Sisbell.
“Special orders, direct from Their Excellency. They want me to escort all of you personally,” the fifth seat of the Saint Disciples declared.
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