Having received intelligence regarding the deserter's whereabouts—her primary objective—Lina arrived at school under a cloud of melancholy. She had been ordered to report to the American Embassy immediately after classes concluded, not only to address the deserter's location but also to receive new information regarding First Lieutenant Fomalhaut. The prospect only served to deepen her gloom.
When a beauty of Lina's caliber radiates such a depressive aura, it is impossible for those around her not to worry. However, there were few brave enough to actually call out to her in her current state.
"Lina, what's wrong?"
"Tatsuya…"
It was Tatsuya, walking alongside Miyuki, who called out to the trudging girl. He possessed the surprising ability—or perhaps it was simply an inevitability given his nature—to speak normally to people who were depressed or bordering on emotional collapse.
"I heard you had plans today?"
"Those plans have been pushed to after school, so…"
"...Then why do you look so down?"
Although Tatsuya had initiated the conversation, it was Miyuki who asked the follow-up. This was out of consideration; Tatsuya assumed it would be easier for Lina to speak with a fellow girl and classmate. However, Lina's gaze was fixed not on Miyuki, but on Tatsuya.
"Tatsuya, do you have a moment?"
"I don't mind, but…"
"There is something I want to consult you about. Could we speak alone?"
Tatsuya and Miyuki exchanged a glance. Their eyes communicated silently that this was no trivial matter, and they nodded in unison.
"Understood. You need to talk right now?"
"Yes. Please."
"Miyuki, go on ahead."
"Very well."
As they passed each other, Miyuki headed toward the school building, not forgetting to cast a heavy, silent pressure upon Lina as she left Tatsuya behind.
"So, what did you want to consult me about?"
"Tatsuya… is there anyone you trust?"
"That's sudden… Well, yes, I suppose there is."
Unable to see where the conversation was leading, Tatsuya decided to answer Lina's question straightforwardly.
"Then, hypothetically speaking… if that trusted person were to betray you, or go rogue, what would you think?"
"…What is the intent behind that question?"
"That maybe there was a reason. Or maybe they were being manipulated by someone else. Wouldn't you consider that?"
"..."
Tatsuya recalled the nature of Major Angie Sirius's duties. Her work included the purging of traitors.
"Maybe there was a reason. Maybe they were manipulated. Once you start thinking like that, there's no end to it. If it could be solved by talking, that would be one thing. But this person you trusted—they likely possess information that would be politically damaging, don't they? If there is a possibility they have already leaked that intelligence to the enemy, then talking isn't going to solve anything."
"…What are you talking about, Tatsuya?"
"Who knows? I'm just speaking in terms of possibilities."
"…You really are a disagreeable person, Tatsuya."
Lina had consulted him assuming that Tatsuya—who knew almost all of her circumstances (or rather, had learned them due to her own self-destruction)—would likely know the nature of Sirius's work.
The result was an affirmation of her own actions. However, deep down, that wasn't what Lina had wanted him to do.
"Now then, we should hurry, or we'll be late."
"Tatsuya."
"What is it?"
"Keep this a secret from Miyuki."
"It's not exactly a conversation I can repeat anyway."
"Then, let's go."
"H-hey?"
Tatsuya was slightly flustered as she suddenly linked her arm through his. However, his composure faltered for only a fraction of a second. In the next instant, he was behaving as if nothing unusual had happened.
"I finally came all the way to Japan, so I have to enjoy my youth! Right?"
"…Surely a boy from Class A would suffice for that…"
"No way! That would be boring, wouldn't it?"
Lina wanted to enjoy her "youth" with someone who could converse with her on equal footing—someone not swayed by her abilities, who wouldn't just blindly follow her opinions. In that regard, Tatsuya surmised that the boys in Class A would likely just be ecstatic to be near her, nodding along to whatever she said.
Resigned, Tatsuya dutifully played the role of her escort.
The moment Tatsuya arrived in the classroom, his friends descended upon him with amused grins.
"Tatsuya-kun, since when did you and Lina get so cozy?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb. You walked to school together this morning, didn't you? Arm in arm."
"That was Lina's doing. I thought it would be pitiless to shake her off. For the record, Miyuki knows about it, so trying to tease me is a waste of time."
"Tch. Too bad."
Since he had explained the situation to Miyuki beforehand, he managed to deflect Erika's teasing in the moment. However, when he thought about the detailed explanation and excuses he would have to provide Miyuki once he got home, Tatsuya felt the urge to clutch his head in pain.
"By the way, Tatsuya-kun, did you see the news this morning?"
"The vampire commotion?"
"That's the one. The world sure is dangerous lately."
"Oh? What are we talking about?"
Leo, who had entered the classroom after Tatsuya, bit at Erika's topic.
"My, you're late. We're talking about the vampire incidents."
"…Again?"
"Again?"
Erika tried to ask the meaning behind Leo's mutter, but the chime for the start of class rang at that exact moment, forcing her to return to her seat.
"Leo."
"Yeah?"
Tatsuya called out to Leo, who sat in the seat in front of him. Since it was rare for Tatsuya to initiate a conversation, Leo turned around with an expression that seemed to ask if something fun was about to happen.
"Don't stick your neck too deep into dangerous business."
"…So you saw right through me. As expected of Tatsuya."
"I'm not going to stop you. It's the path you chose, Leo."
"How can you tell that much…?"
"Just now, you said 'Again,' didn't you? That implies you heard about a vampire incident before the news this morning. But yesterday, you were up late on 'minor business' and barely woke up in time for school today. I just thought about where you might have heard that information."
"Classic Tatsuya. Your deductive skills are terrifying."
"Anyone could figure that out with a little thought."
Leo offered a wry smile and waved his right hand dismissively at his friend, whose deductions were spot-on yet whose common sense was significantly out of sync with the rest of the world.
"Guessing exactly right with just that much info? No one else could do that, Tatsuya. You really are skewed in that department."
Tatsuya offered a bitter smile at Leo's assessment, once again recognizing the gap between himself and ordinary society.
It may be classified information, but to a maiden in love, such things are irrelevant...
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