「...」 (Hina)
Hina stared intently at the young man lying stretched out before her eyes.
Fortunately, the bullet had passed through his body without lodging inside. Not only that, but it had pierced him at a miraculous angle that did not injure any vital organ. If she could stop the bleeding now, she would be able to sustain his life in this location.
Hina placed her jacket beneath his body to elevate the injured area.
She wished she had a sterilized needle and thread, but she had lost the first-aid kit that was supposed to be inside her coat amid the fierce battle. She could do nothing now but apply pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding.
The color of his face was constantly worsening, and she wished she could use magic; no, she wished she had been able to protect him before he was injured.
Yet, even when she tried to draw an expression of grief on her face, Subaru's last words prevented her from doing so.
-- He expressed his thanks; he expressed his thanks to her.
This only amplified her feeling of guilt; she had done something she ought to have done, and even that was incomplete.
If Hina were to punish herself at this moment, it would be tantamount to betraying Subaru's words of thanks.
Therefore, the best thing to do was to abandon thought and continue attending to him without distraction or consciousness. However, she hated herself for this cold part of her mind that made such a rational decision.
「Subaru! We succeeded... Huh...?」 (Aru)
「Subaru --?」 (Aru)
The members of the Service Department (Aru's Problem Solver 68) arrived in the room boisterously, all having reached the top with steps suggesting they were ready to celebrate victory. However, what they saw was Hina sitting in a pool of blood, with Subaru lying beside her.
They could not ascertain whether his injury was fatal or not. Generally, the residents of Kivotos (who possess superhuman physical strength) did not realize the extent of the frailty and endurance of the human body coming from "the outside."
They had taken his words about the injuries partially seriously, so Aru began approaching him, trembling with fear.
While Mutsuki and Haruka could only stand and watch, biting their lips, Kayoko quickly and skillfully removed her jacket and placed it in Aru's hand for her to apply pressure.
「President (Aru), Hina, leave this to me.」 (Kayoko)
「Kayoko...」 (Aru)
「...」 (Hina)
「Hina, Subaru's blood didn't get into your eyes or mouth, right?」 (Kayoko)
「No」 (Hina)
By this time, Kayoko (the only member of the Service Department who had trusted Subaru from the perspective of his "physical fragility") began administering first aid instead of Hina. She tightened the area under his armpits, applied pressure around the wound's edge, and began stitching it using a clean needle and thread from a case she retrieved from her clothing.
「... Did you expect this?」 (Aru)
「To some extent. His being shot could not have been avoided... If we had all adopted a defensive posture to protect him, he would not have been able to reach his goal. He had to be reckless to get us into this position.」 (Kayoko)
「--------...」 (Hina)
「Hina.」 (Kayoko)
「...」 (Hina)
The situation around Schale at that time was the largest and most complex of its kind, even when compared to the biggest incidents the Disciplinary Committee had dealt with. Three key figures capable of strategic planning were involved:
* The Disaster Fox.
* The Director of the Public Safety Bureau.
* The Director of the Hot Springs Development Division.
Although the last individual withdrew immediately upon seeing Hina, the bulk of the chaos downstairs can be attributed to her management.
Had it not been for the Service Department defending the Schale building against intruders on the lower floors, the building would have collapsed long ago.
And had Hina not been present, Subaru would neither have been able to reach the Shittim Box nor survived the subsequent attack by Kaiser forces.
Ultimately, Natsuki Subaru himself was the one who overcame the final obstacle, and in the grand scheme, the situation resulted in the desired outcome.
「But -- doesn't the situation look a bit bad from now on? I think we should escape quickly.」 (Mutsuki)
「True, what Mutsuki said is correct... The announcement made moments ago spread very widely. If people who don't know it was merely disinformation take his words seriously, I believe they will come to crush him before this new 'entity' is even born.」 (Kayoko)
「The target will, of course, be Subaru. Gehenna's Pantheon (Manmado), Millennium, and Trinity will all seek out the name "Natsuki Subaru" and head here.」 (Kayoko)
「As long as there are no official statements from the Federal Student Council, Subaru is merely an "impersonator," and as long as that remains the case, it will appear to everyone as though an outlaw has acquired incredible military power.」 (Kayoko)
This was the current reality. Kayoko's words justified why Mutsuki was urging withdrawal; if they remained in this location, the Service Department would be entangled in a political conflict far larger than what had just occurred.
Naturally, Hina and Subaru would also be implicated.
「Damn it... -- We will deal with this! Everyone, we must at least get Subaru to a hospital. If we stay like this, he will bleed to death before we can repel any other attack.」 (Aru)
However --
Just as Kayoko and her comrades expected, the enemy arrived without waiting for more time to pass.
Through the gap in the demolished wall that Hina was staring at, the first arrivals appeared:
「... Hah.」 (Hina)
「They've arrived. It's the Federal Student Council.」 (Kayoko)
It was a transport helicopter bearing the Federal Student Council's emblem.
The Service Department formed a defensive perimeter around Subaru and Kayoko, who was administering aid, while Hina gripped her The End cannon tightly, adopting a posture to shoot down the helicopter immediately if its machinery moved even a millimeter.
Hina bitterly wished to herself that the person aboard the helicopter was Nanagami Rin (a high-ranking Council official), but she was certain it was not. The helicopter was of a model that could be mobilized and operated within minutes of Subaru's announcement, indicating that the movement was instantaneous. This pointed to the work of a "traitor" who had made prior arrangements to secure Natsuki Subaru the moment this situation arose.
Hina, Kayoko, and Mutsuki already had a target in mind for who this party might be. They were able to deduce it based on the fact that the Valkyrie Police (Security Forces) were moving in the area.
Among the crowds that had gathered at the location, it was natural for the Kaiser Corporation to mobilize after seeing Subaru's announcement posted online. They might have other reasons (for their presence).
As for the Hot Springs Development Division, they could be easily provoked and would quickly rush to the area simply upon hearing a rumor about a potential hot spring zone. Meanwhile, the goal of the Disaster Fox was merely "amusement" (from the chaos).
The movement of the Valkyrie Police to secure the vicinity of the Schale building with a defensive network was originally illogical, especially in a location like this where everyone, without exception, was carrying out direct guerrilla attacks.
「"Deliver Natsuki Subaru to us"」 (Mechanical Voice)
The mechanically altered voice boomed through the helicopter's loudspeakers.
「He is injured, and his condition does not allow for his forceful movement.」 (Hina)
「"Yes, and so what? He himself declared before the Student Council and before all of Kivotos his possession of military power. You have no justification to impede his arrest; he is a dangerous person who claims to be the individual the Student Council President is looking for, and he is also a crucial witness."」 (Mechanical Voice)
「"Soraki Hina, Disciplinary Committee President, we are greatly disappointed in your inability to make a wise decision. However, if you cooperate now, it will not affect your future activities."」 (Mechanical Voice)
「... Are you asking me to hand over Natsuki Subaru for the sake of the Disciplinary Committee's interests?」 (Hina)
「"I did not say that; I am merely saying that I feel regrettable."」 (Mechanical Voice)
「Hah -- I know you are connected to Kaiser, aren't you? Did you rush because of the sudden change in the situation? I see that the person most agitated and cornered right now is you.」 (Hina)
「Director of the Defense Bureau (a high-ranking Council position).」 (Hina)
「"..."」 (Mechanical Voice)
Immediately, the firing platform on the helicopter moved.
At that moment, Aru struck with a precise sniper attack that completely destroyed the helicopter's weaponry, reducing it to a mere wooden dummy.
Subaru had promised to show Aru the "Ultimate Evil" she must eliminate. Therefore, this was the target. This was the Ultimate Evil that must be overcome.
In this situation, Aru decided that the role that should bear the blame was not that of Hina, who had much to support and protect as the Disciplinary Committee President, but that of the Service Department. Therefore, she stood in front of Hina.
「If we were to listen to you silently, you would chatter on forever -- There is no point in negotiating with a coward who won't even show her face.」 (Aru)
「"Oh my goodness, the Service Department... -- What a disgrace; you, the Disciplinary Committee President, have stooped to allying yourself with these people."」 (Mechanical Voice)
「Which one of us has stooped, I wonder? You speak as if you are the embodiment of justice.」 (Aru)
「"Yes, that is correct, we represent justice, and you represent the abnormal exceptions. Doesn't the Service Department work for money? What do you say? We can pay double what you were paid. Wouldn't that eliminate the reasons for pointing a weapon at us?"」 (Mechanical Voice)
「You immediately contradict yourself with what you are saying.」 (Aru)
「And there is something you misunderstand, which is that the Service Department works for money. That is a sound opinion, but... --」 (Aru)
「-- I don't need a reason to shoot and kill villains; all I need is simply to pull the trigger.」 (Aru)
「"What!!?"」 (Mechanical Voice)
Aru fired a sniper round that pierced the helicopter's main rotor.
This shell, fired without hesitation, allowed the helicopter no chance of resistance, prompting its immediate descent. As they watched the helicopter fall, Mutsuki and Haruka fired follow-up shells... causing the helicopter to completely explode in mid-air before it could turn into a smudge on the ground.
「Problem Solver 68 does not betray its client; that is the way of outlaws.」 (Aru)
「Hee-haw!! How wonderful you are, Aru-chan!」 (Mutsuki)
「Miss Aru, you truly are magnificent!!!」 (Haruka)
「... (It's rare for her to look like a good person).」 (Kayoko)
「Hah... -- With that action, we are now officially wanted across all of Kivotos, President.」 (Kayoko)
「Eh, is that true --!?」 (Aru)
Following this quick skirmish, Kayoko completed Subaru's treatment. The wound was closed, but the blood he had lost could not be immediately replaced. Nonetheless, it appeared he had passed the critical stage. Kayoko used a towel dampened with water from a bottle to clean Subaru's body.
Both Hina and Kayoko, who treated Subaru's wound, were completely stained with blood, to the point where they needed to change all their clothes, from their shoes to their shirts.
The immediate crisis was over... but contemplating what would come next was truly depressing.
Where could they send their bloodied clothes for washing? Which hospital would Subaru be transferred to? Most importantly, how could they protect this young man, who could not be abandoned, from the numerous villains who would emerge from now on?
As Hina was immersed in these unending thoughts, her eyes flickered slightly.
「... Fuf. --」 (Hina)
「Finally, someone we can communicate with has arrived.」 (Hina)
-- It was another helicopter bearing the same emblem (the Federal Student Council logo).
The helicopter carried proof of its affiliation with the Federal Student Council. Although it was smaller than the previous one, its arrival just a few minutes after the announcement (Subaru's declaration) and its flying manner, suggesting it was about to burst from speed, indicated that the passengers arrived driven by intense worry.
Most importantly, and unlike the cowardly person who preceded them:
「-- Soraki Hina! What is Natsuki Subaru's condition!!?」 (???)
「...」 (Hina)
A person had arrived who revealed their identity, shouting through a loudspeaker, and there was nothing in their tone or voice to suggest malicious intent.
The sunlight streaming in through the gaping hole in the demolished wall illuminated everyone in the room.