Chapter 253

As I was taking a break in the exhibition hall, which had lights scattered about, I understood why Ariel got so excited the moment she saw my student ID.

“I, I was preparing to enroll in the Awakener Academy too! My first choice was Aegis Academy!”

Ariel chattered excitedly.

“Oh, you were also an Awakened One?”

I asked out of curiosity, and Ariel nodded vigorously with sparkling eyes.

“Yes, that’s right. I awakened a few months ago, so I came to the exhibition hall with my parents to find out more about what it means to be an Awakened One.”

As she said this, Ariel raised her hand. A soft blue magical power blossomed gently from her palm, glowing softly.

“Oh, congratulations on your awakening. So, you’re preparing for enrollment?”

I was intrigued. This girl was also aiming for Aegis Academy. Maybe she would become my junior if things went well!

“Wow! We’re getting a junior!”

“Yes! By the way, Older Sister Violet is also a student there. Can I ask you some questions about the academy? I was supposed to inquire about it here…”

Ariel glanced around with a slightly gloomy expression.

“When I came to my senses, my parents were gone, and then this happened…”

“Don’t worry too much. Your parents are being searched for by my clone.”

“A clone?”

Taking advantage of the moment when no one was watching, I called Clone 2123 over.

“See! I’m a Unique Ability holder. I can create clones!”

“Wow…”

Ariel’s wide eyes filled with interest. I reassured her, saying my clone was looking for people who resembled her parents.

“You’re fine, so your parents must be fine too. That’s for sure!”

“But both of my parents are Non-Awakened…”

Upon hearing Ariel’s words, we tilted our heads. It was indeed a peculiar situation.

It’s rare for an Awakened child to come from Non-Awakened parents.

If both parents are Awakened, the likelihood of having an Awakened child is extremely high, but if only one person is Awakened, the chances drop significantly.

I said something reassuring to ease her worries.

“Don’t worry; everyone here is either a professional Hunter or a student! All the Non-Awakened people have been rescued safely. They might even be here. So don’t worry, got it?”

Ariel’s expression brightened a little at my words.

“Well, that’s a relief, but…”

“And you’re going to Aegis Academy, right? You must have a lot of questions. I’ll tell you everything!”

To distract her thoughts, I pulled out my smartphone. There were plenty of things to pique Ariel’s interest.

“Look at this picture! Can you see the person next to me? This older sister!”

“Oh! This older sister! I know her. It’s Adela Cascadia! But how did you get this photo…”

“Actually, I’m close friends with Student Council President Adela!”

Ariel jumped up in surprise.

“W-Wow… really? How…”

“It’s a long story, but she and I are friends. Do you have any other questions? I’ll tell you anything!”

I might’ve exaggerated a bit, but there wasn’t a single lie in my words.

Thanks to that, her eyes sparkled with excitement.

It seemed that my enthusiasm and curiosity were managing to remove her worries and concerns.

“Well, Older Sister, can you tell me more about Aegis Academy?”

I nodded with a look of excitement in my eyes.

“Of course! Ask me anything. I’ll answer sincerely as a senior.”

“Thank you! I was really struggling with deciding on an academy. Listening to you seems like it’ll help a lot.”

And so, we enthusiastically began discussing the academy and admissions.

“It seems like you have both excitement and worries about academy life, Ariel.”

Ariel nodded at my words.

“That’s right. As I mentioned earlier, both my parents are Non-Awakened… and I don’t have any Awakened relatives either.”

Hearing that made me realize that Ariel’s situation wasn’t easy.

Originally, connections are crucial for these types of things. It’s essentially like starting from the bottom.

“Oh dear, do you have any Awakened friends in your current school?”

“Well… we don’t have any at our school,” Ariel said with a lonely smile, and her expression weighed on my heart.

“It’s okay. Once you get to the academy, you’ll definitely meet good friends. I had a hard time adapting at first too, but now I have great friends around me.”

“Really? Then what’s dormitory life like? It’s a bit scary to have to live somewhere that isn’t home.”

Ariel’s eyes glimmered with anxiety. It seemed like she was worried about living in the dorms.

“Don’t worry! The food is super delicious, and the beds are really comfy. The laundry room and the library are all clean and state-of-the-art. It’s even better than home! Oh, and this is the most important part! The dining hall food is amazing! There are many options on the menu.”

Indeed, the best thing about Aegis Academy was the food.

“For breakfast, it’s served buffet style, and for lunch, you can eat freely. Let me recommend a dish.”

“What kind of dishes do you have?”

“Well, the schnitzel is tasty, and the chicken burger is decent too. But… oh yeah! You must try the French fries and roast beef! And if you go to a nearby cafe, you can eat a delicious chocolate strawberry cream parfait! You like parfaits, right?”

“Yes, I do!”

A smile naturally spread across my face at that. The parfait that Older Sister Adela bought was truly delicious.

“It’s not just the food; the professors are also great people! The Headmaster is nice too.”

I passionately explained the advantages of Aegis Academy, covering everything from educational and facility aspects to the food.

Perhaps my words had a significant effect, as Ariel sighed deeply, seemingly relieved.

“I see. It really does seem like a good academy. I feel a bit more confident now.”

I could feel the tension leaving Ariel’s shoulders.

“Older Sister, thank you so much. Not only for saving me earlier, but talking with you has lightened my heart.”

“I’m glad to hear that. You have to come to Aegis Academy later!”

“Yes, I’ll do my best to pass the entrance exam!”

Ariel responded with a spirited voice. Bright and warm smiles were reflected in both of our eyes.

As we were wrapping up our conversation, Ariel clicked her tongue lightly as if something had occurred to her. When I looked at her quizzically, she opened her mouth.

“Wait a moment, Older Sister Violet. Come to think of it, if I enroll…”

“Huh? What’s up?”

“I just realized that you’ll be my senior!”

Ah, right. How could I have overlooked such an important fact? Once we get through this semester, we’ll become second-years.

“Then we’ll be seniors!”

“We’re getting juniors!”

The Violets whispered joyfully. After being juniors all this time, we were finally getting a junior!

“Ariel seems kind and polite, doesn’t she?”

“She looks like she’ll be a really good junior!”

She’s cute and lovely too. Older Sister Adela would probably like her as well.

I must definitely introduce her to my friends.

Imagining the scene of mingling with juniors as a senior Violet, a voice whispered urgently from within the network.

“Wait, stop! I found them.”

“Who? Who did you find?”

“Ariel’s parents!”

As expected, our predictions were right. Ariel’s parents were safe. It was rewarding to have searched so diligently.

We were able to spot them among the group of missing persons who had just entered the exhibition hall.

“Ariel! There you are!”

After a while, we were able to witness a joyful reunion.

A voice came from one side of the exhibition hall. Ariel quickly turned her head.

In the back, a middle-aged couple was striding over.

“Mom! Dad!”

Ariel ran toward her parents, filled with joy, while I watched the scene with a smile.

“Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?”

The woman, who seemed to be her mother, hugged her tightly with a worried expression. The father let out a sigh of relief.

“I’m fine! I was talking with Older Sister Violet. We talked about the academy too.”

“Really? I’m so glad…”

The parents nodded their heads, tightly holding onto Ariel. It felt as if they wouldn’t let her go again.

But something felt off. Both of them had dazed looks as if they were exhausted.

“Um, are you feeling unwell? You look really tired…”

I cautiously asked, but they merely shook their heads vacantly.

“I’m fine, Older Sister. Both my parents fell into the Erosion Zone with me. I think they’re just tired because of that.”

Ariel smiled with a bittersweet expression that didn’t suit her age. That expression weighed heavily on my heart.

“That in itself is a miracle.”

“Anyway, it was really nice to meet you today, Older Sister. I’ll give you my number. Once I decide on an academy, I’ll definitely contact you!”

Ariel beamed as she told me her number, ready to leave with her parents.

But suddenly, she stopped.

“Huh?”

A thin red strand fell from her nose.

“You have a nosebleed!”

I quickly took out a tissue and handed it to her.

“Th-Thank you. Why is this happening all of a sudden…”

Ariel seemed dizzy, leaving with the support of her parents.

“Stress? Why a nosebleed.”

“Well, no matter what, it’s a good thing. We found her family!”

It’s truly a joy when a separated family reunites safely; what better ending could there be?

We remained in the exhibition hall, gathering information for several hours.

Where on earth had Levi gone?

The rescue team outside the barrier hadn’t been able to take action for various reasons.

“Ugh, what are the Restraid people thinking?”

“Are they saying it’s dangerous, so they should wait? What nonsense is that?”

Those tin cans have never cared about others’ safety before.

Well, in fact, Helios could, if necessary, ignore the Restraid and military constraints and charge in.

While considering the bizarre external situation I heard from Irene, commotion erupted outside the exhibition hall.

“The rescue team! The rescue team is coming!”

At the shout of someone, everyone rushed outside.

Boom, boom!

When I stepped outside, the ground nearby was slightly shaking. Heavily armored vehicles painted in camouflage were lined up, advancing towards the convention center.

“Wow. They sure came quickly.”

“Are they sloths?”

Infantry fighting vehicles and heavily armored personnel carriers formed a line and halted in front of the convention center.

The Federal Army had arrived.

However, as I looked at the officer getting out of the lead command vehicle, I felt a sense of déjà vu. The face was very familiar.

“Huh? I think I’ve seen that person somewhere…”

As I rummaged through my memories of the Violet Network, I finally recalled his identity. That’s right, he was the soldier I met at Vittorio Arcade.

“His name was Klein… what was it again?”

Good, I’ll have to sneak over and talk to him later. I’ve heard important information from Irene, but I want to know what’s going on internally within the Federal Army.

He was a soldier I remembered who was easy to communicate with. I might get some information out of him.

-Swish!

Violets disguised as poor girls attempted to make contact.

How long had passed? Major Klein received a suspicious note and made his way to the drifting restroom of the convention center.

As he entered, the familiar modulation noise he had forgotten echoed in his ears. Turning around, he saw a small-framed masked girl waving at him.

“Hello, Mister! Do you remember me? It’s Ariel!”

The girl he reunited with after several months. Standing in front of him was the notorious terrorist from the Ariel Group, and Klein thought:

‘Why am I meeting her here of all places?’

The terrorist, who had annihilated the elite unit of Magnavis and plunged Rustroom into chaos, was now smiling brightly in front of him.

“Nice to see you, Mister! Have you been well? Oh! That’s… Ah! It’s your Major insignia! Wow, you got promoted! Congratulations!”

As he looked at the beaming Violet, deep lines formed on Klein’s forehead.

He was grateful for the help he received, but still, this girl was a dangerous wanted terrorist, wasn’t she?

‘What to do…’

Caught off guard in an unexpected encounter, the major felt a headache coming on.