The Wild Goose Chase (III)

In the office of the administrative head of the Special Sword Administration Bureau.

Nanae Origami’s interrogation of the principals.

After having been led here, the two principals were kept shut inside the room while their two escorts waited in the back adjacent to the doors. For close to half an hour, they remained there, doing nothing but passing the time, before the doors to the office were finally opened again. Nanae walked inside, a slight smile tugging at her lips and stating, “Nice to see you again.”

The two principals immediately rose from their seats, greeting her. “It has been a while, Commander,” Chikage started.

“It really has been ages!” Madoka added. “Nanae-chan, you really haven’t changed at all after all these years.”

Arriving at her desk, Nanae seated herself and placed her hands on the table. Chikage took that cue and lowered her head in a bow. “I sincerely apologize for the most recent incident concerning my students.”

Nanae, however, brushed it aside. “There’s no need for that. I simply need to ask if you would happen to know any places where they would hide.”

Madoka replied, “I apologize but I really don’t know. Noa Hiiragi is a model student and I honestly never expected her to pull a stunt like this.”

“I’m sorry but I do not know either” Chikage echoed. She then turned to Maya. “As an aside, where are my other students, especially Honami Mitsumine?”

“Honami Mitsumine, Tomoe Ichihara, and the other four students from both schools have been pardoned of any involvement and released from detainment,” Maya explained.

“I see.”

“Let me inquire from another direction,” Nanae said. “Principal of Heijou Institute, according to your most recent report concerning the status of [okatana] owned by your school, Kogarasumaru had still not found a suitable wielder.”

“I sincerely apologize for my lateness in reporting to you,” Madoka quipped. “After all, it was only two days prior to the tournament that Kogarasumaru chose that girl as its master. Also, Nanae-chan, I do insist that you call it Yatagarasu as that is now its name.”

“Ah, I apologize,” Nanae nodded. “I just found it easier to call it by the name that I am most intimate with. After all…” Yet another small smile formed on her face as she thought back. Of course, her reverie didn’t last and she continued, “In any case, it cannot be denied that Kogarasumaru has chosen Noa Hiiragi while Chidori has chosen Suzuran Arisugawa. Are you—perhaps—hiding something else from me?”

The two principals and the head of the Origami family continued their talk while Maya and Suzuka stayed in the background. “Nanae-sama… is smiling?”

“…I’ve truly never been more surprised,” Suzuka added.

———————————

At the same time as the principal’s meeting.

Just outside of the main building of the Special Sword Administration Bureau.

Honami Mitsumine had been allowed to leave. At her side were Reina Nekoyanagi and Kaguya Nakamura, the other two representatives of Osafune. Their cheer club had already returned home ahead of them after a shorter detainment period so they were currently left alone.

Honami sighed as she took out her mobile device and scrolled through her contacts. She looked at the name that resonated with her the deepest at that moment: Suzuran Arisugawa. Her finger was about to press the call button before remembering that her friend had fled with the girl with dirty black hair without her luggage. As she moved to pocket her phone, it rang and when she inspected the number, it matched what she knew to be a number pertaining to a public phone. [Probably a payphone…?]

“I really wouldn’t answer that if I were you…” Reina cautioned.

“I know but on the off chance that it’s Suzuran…” Honami tentatively pressed the answer button and put her phone to her ear. “Hello?”

“[Ah, Honami?]”

“Suzu…!” Honami raised her voice before remembering where she was and slapping her mouth shut.

“It’s really Suzu!?” Reina exclaimed quietly.

Honami nodded as she whispered, “Where are you right now?”

“[Tokyo. I really am sorry for suddenly ditching you like that but I just wanted to help Noa-san. Don’t worry about me, I’m completely fine.]”

“You can’t just tell me that and expect me not to worry!”

In the background of Suzuran's call, came, “[‘This is the Shinjuku Ward Disaster Prevention Broadcast… This announcement is to warn of the appearance—’]” Suzuran then quickly said, “[Ah, sorry, but I’m running out of change. I need to hang up!]”

[Umm… That broadcast…?] Honami thought but she had no time to restart her brain before Suzuran declared, “Um, okay, please take care of my belongings! Bye!”

“Ah, wa-wait…!” Of course, it was far too late as Suzuran had already hung up and Honami stared at the dead screen of her phone in disbelief.

“What’d she say?”

“She said… she’d be fine and we take care of her luggage.”

“Ahaha, President making us her workhorses like always, I see,” Reina cackled. “No point in worrying, Honami, Suzu can handle herself. She’s already a Triple, no?”

“I mean, yes, but…” Honami couldn’t help but worry as she and her friends were escorted into a specially prepared bus.