320
In a room guzzled by darkness, only the brightness of the display shined brilliantly.
Illuminated by the brilliance, there were several machines of unknown uses. The scene was as if in a ceremonial
room of a witch from the Mediaeval times.
"Good... Finally the system activation rate has been raised"
The master of the room watched the display and exuded a soliloquy.
In the tenebrosity, there was a face that floated dimly. Shinono Tabane's.
"Nevertheless, I didn't expect for all Golem III to be destroyed"
Whirring noise mingled with humming, she was tampering with IS Cores
Unregistered cores. In other words, newly made cores were all from Tabane. -Only Tabane is able to create IS cores-
"Well, IS was originally made to be ride by human so it can draw out it's maximum power, it can't be helped that Unmanned units have lower battle capacity"
Technology to Unman the IS. This is also Tabane ----- and Tabane only possesses this skill.
If this is to be made public, it wil cause an uproar.
321
No one really knows what did she expected from all that
"However, you've become strong, Houki-chan. -As if like that time-"
While confirming Houki's personal data obtained from the skirmish with the Golem III, Tabane mellowed out and smiled enjoyably.
Right as rain. All are for these purposes:
To procure Houki's personal data; to heighten Akatsubaki's ability and to guide it
all by means of the Unmanned Units Incident.
Only for the purpose of of getting hold of Houki data, Tabane carried out the incident that created heavy damages
"But, it was not in the cards"
With that number of Unmanned Units thrown into, Tabane was sure that Chifuyu will launch out.
Japanese made first generation type IS "KureZakura"; The one that guided the first generation [Brunhilde] to her seat. The current whereabout
was unknown, but Tabane was sure that Chifuyu has it.
"Hmm..."
Putting her hand on the chin, Tabane tilted her head.
Those eyes were gazing into the ocean of thought.
322
"Ahh, perhaps..."
Suddenly, she remembered something.
It was triffling at first, but when she thought about it carefully, the coherency matched
"I see. I see. It is at that place. Fu fu"
Like a child who had just came out with a new prank, her face bore an innocent ill-intention.
While Tabane was being frolic, a little girl came into the room.
Short in stature, she's quite slender. Her age is about 12, or at least how she looked.
But what was eye-catching was her hair; Flowing silver hair, down to her waist with thickly braided.
By the bye, if one is to wonder why braided? Because Tabane did so.
For the girl, Tabane weights more than the whole world.
Words such as "Life Patron" or "The Savior" are not enough. From the day she met her, she swore to serve Tabane forever.
"Tabane-sama"
"Hey hey Kuu Chan. What's wrong?"
"I've burnt the bread"
Saying that, the girl nervously hold out the tray.
323
More than half of the bread were pitch black, but there was Tabane with her eyes lighted up.
"Um. This is DE-Li-Ci-OUS"
"You're lying. They obviously taste bad"
In all honesty, it was not the girl's original intention to entertain Tabane with this pauperized cooking.
But, "It is bad if a girl can't remember a single cooking" were Tabane words and she abided to them.
Everyday she made this and that, cinders and gel.
Tabane, without a single face of displeasure, she ate them, and ate, and ate.
Repeating the word "Delicious" for several times, instead of feeling happy, it became a feeling of unpardonable for the girl.
..........
"Hey Kuu-chan"
The girl who've been called then raised her face.
Her eyes were always closed since she entered the room. But because of a peculiarity possesed by the girl, it doesn't matter if she
has a field of vision or not.
"Can I ask you to do something for me?"
"Anything you wish"
"Uptight..You're too uptight. Didn't I tell you is okay for you to call me mama?"
324
----Because she only has one little sister.
That's why, from the day Tabane picked up the girl, she decided to treat her like her own daughter.
"Well, what is the errand?"
"Um. I want you to deliver something for me"
"Very good. May I know where to?"
Tabane answered the asking girl with a smile.
"IS Academy, Underground Special Area"