Chapter 142: The Move
"Ahem..."
I turned around to see Blake approaching. From the look of her, the conversation hadn't been easy.
"Draco, they agree..."
"Was the conversation difficult?"
"I wouldn't say so..."
Blake shook her head.
"...rather, everything just had to be explained thoroughly, and I don't really know much about how things work in your Quarter. So for many of their questions, I had to say I didn't know, or that I wasn't the right person to explain it."
"Will they all go?"
"No..."
She sighed sadly.
"...a couple of the men don't believe you. They don't believe anyone, and they say if they're released, they'll head straight for the forests."
"Idiots..."
I shook my head.
"Huh?"
"Our world isn't like yours. Of course, someone can live in the forest for a long time, especially in this country, but as soon as they show themselves... people will come for them. No state will tolerate outsiders on its territory. They might get lucky for now, but what will they do when there are more Grimm?"
Blake sighed.
"I can talk to them again."
"If you really want to..."
I shrugged.
"...it makes no difference to me. I kept my word, spoke with them, and gave them the opportunity to settle in this world. You convinced them to trust me, and as a result, those who come with us will have an apartment, jobs, and money to settle in comfortably. If they don't want that..."
"I understand."
She sighed.
"But I still want to prove to them that you really are a good person."
She was already turning to head back toward the barracks when a thought struck me, and I decided to speak up.
"Just don't overdo it. Otherwise, you'll get the opposite effect. Better to offer them a chance to come with us and stay for a week. At least to get some treatment. Tell them they can leave afterward if they want."
"Um... are you sure?"
Blake looked at me in surprise.
"What do you mean? What don't you like?"
"Well... you'll be bearing significant costs for treatment, and..."
"Blake, no one's going to treat their old injuries or anything else. They'll just be stabilized. Deep treatment only comes with payment. And believe me, I can afford a couple minutes of a Healer's time."
"All right..."
She nodded slowly and headed back toward the barracks.
"Are you sure that's normal?"
Ruby, who had appeared beside me, nodded toward Blake.
"What exactly?"
"Well... that she's the one going to negotiate. Isn't that supposed to be your responsibility, as the one in charge... No?"
"No..."
I shook my head with a smile.
"...my task, as the one in charge, is to load you down. For example, right now you're preparing to transport my Dust and my Bullheads, Blake is convincing my future workers that working for me pays well, so all in all, everything's good, and I can throw..."
"Muh..."
At that moment, my wand appeared in my hand, and I caught Weiss, who'd slipped and was falling from the Bullhead she'd been inspecting while walking along the fuselage.
"...muh!"
Ruby turned around and saw her friend floundering in the air where my wand was pointing. Her loose, snow-white dress kept trying to ride up, and I even caught a couple of glimpses of the sports shorts tightly hugging her legs and bottom.
"Weiss!"
"I'm fine, dummy..."
She floundered in the air for another few seconds, then shifted her gaze to me. Her face was red; while floundering, she'd realized what was happening to her skirt and was trying with all her might to hold it down to keep her shorts covered.
"...perhaps you could lower me?"
"As you say..."
I carefully lowered the platinum-haired girl to the ground.
"Thank you..."
She nodded respectfully to me.
"...both for saving me and for helping me up."
"I... may I ask a question?"
"Of course..."
"Why are you so red? You flashed your shorts, but that's..."
Weiss turned even redder. Ruby was also blushing at my question.
"Those are panties..."
I blinked.
"Um... let us suppose..."
I nodded.
"...and I still do not understand the reason for such panic."
"You!"
Weiss looked at me with shock and indignation.
"And I told you that wearing skirts like that with mobile fighting styles isn't very prudent..."
Yang came out from behind the Bullhead.
"...by the way, do you really not understand what the problem is with her flashing her panties?"
"Yang..."
I sighed.
"...if there had been something lacy, barely covering the most interesting parts, then I would understand Weiss's embarrassment, but those are panties... they cover more than a bikini bottom. You wouldn't hide away on the beach in a one-piece swimsuit, would you?"
"Um... no... but that's different."
"Different? Alright, then what's stopping you from wearing a swimsuit under a dress?"
"It chafes..."
Weiss answered me.
"Very well, then what prevents you from perceiving panties as merely the bottom half of a swimsuit?"
"Is it just me, or have we been talking about panties with a guy for way too long?"
Ruby's face was already bright red.
"I am simply trying to understand you..."
I raised my hands; the wand had long since vanished.
"...you know this is possible. So why are you embarrassed? Why didn't you find some alternative, or if you're embarrassed to flash your panties like that, why not simply wear sports shorts over them?"
"Um..."
They exchanged looks.
"It's hot..."
Weiss said in a resigned voice.
"Well... solving that isn't difficult..."
I shrugged.
"At least for us. You just go to the clothing store closest to your home with a sign indicating a wizard works there, or to an ordinary store and then find someone who enchants clothing, and ask them to cast two spells on the shorts. The first is climate control. Of course, it isn't universal, but overall it will help you choose a comfortable temperature and set a narrow range for it to maintain. The second prevents chafing..."
I shrugged.
"You have those?!"
Weiss and Ruby looked at me with adoring gazes.
"We do... In fact, those protective suits Summer helped you order will have similar spells, along with several additional ones. Of course, not on the fabric itself, but on the lining, but..."
I shrugged.
"Daaaamn..."
Weiss shook her head in dismay.
"All right, since that's settled, why don't you continue checking the Bullheads for now."
The girls continued their work, and about three hours later, all the Faunus had been moved to the Quarter.
"Good afternoon..."
We were met by one of the Veela, who was suppressing her aura with an amulet.
"...Mr. Black, I understand these are the sentients I need to house?"
"Yes, house them and make plans for them to visit the Healers, and enroll the children in schools. They all also need a wizard to teach them our language, though the children needn't be burdened quite so heavily. Summer or the girls can teach them our language themselves, even if it takes time."
"We will do everything..."
Naturally, we spoke in the language of Vale, so the Faunus understood us.
"Can I have a candy?"
A little boy stepped forward and, looking somewhat fearful, shifted his gaze from me to Linda, the Veela.
"Of course you can."
Linda smiled.
"Now we'll take you to your rooms. Every apartment already has basic food supplies, including some candy."
"Really?!"
It was clear from the boy's gaze that he was beginning to worship us.
"Of course."
Linda smiled kindly at the boy and, taking a few steps toward him, stroked his head.
"Let's go..."
"You know our language well..."
"Yes, many of the Quarter's residents learned it. They understood there would be new sentients arriving in our world, and we would need to communicate with them."
"And why do you need to communicate with us? You could simply... force us?"
"We could, but..."
I didn't hear the rest of the conversation, but I had no doubts about Linda. After all, she wasn't just any random sentient; she would know what to say to calm the Faunus's paranoia.
"So?"
I looked at the sky, where the Bullheads were now flying somewhere above Russian territory.
"Ah... yes, I need to contact the Ministry of Defense and warn them about the transfer of equipment from Russia."
With a nod, I headed home at a brisk pace. Upon entering the office, I took out the notebook and quickly called the Ministry.
I quickly arranged for the Bullheads to be left alone. I only had to promise to transfer the technical documentation on these tiltrotors to the Crown. After that, no one interfered with me delivering them to the Quarter's territory.
And after resolving several more urgent matters, I decided to return to Hogwarts with Fleur and Penny. More precisely, I found them watching a film and simply sprang the news on them.
"But maybe..."
"No..."
I shook my head.
"...we shouldn't abuse the fact that the Hogwarts administration treats us rather leniently. Otherwise, we might not be allowed to leave next time."
"So what?"
Penny shrugged.
"No, I understand that these negotiations were important to you, but they could have been handled by your mothers and Fleur's parents. You simply decided you needed to do it personally because of Blake."
"Not because of her..."
I shook my head.
"Oh really?"
Fleur looked at me mockingly.
"All right, not only because of her. I won't deny that impressing Blake was pleasant, but..."
I shrugged.
"...the more important reason was that I needed to make a good impression on the Faunus. To show them that the head of the Quarter personally came to establish first contact. So that next time, they'd tell their companions I'm a good guy."
"You're already a good guy..."
Penny waved her hand.
"...so..."
"But they didn't know that, and if I hadn't shown up..."
I tilted my head vaguely, as if gesturing toward Russia, somewhere out there.
"...then they'd have been suspicious of me for longer. And so..."
"All right, I understand. You're a schemer, and we're going back to Hogwarts..."
Penny sighed and rose from the small sofa.
"...will you at least let us change clothes?"
"No..."
Despite my answer, I smiled at her and nodded to let her know they could go change.
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