Hinata and the Kids
It’s been a week since Fritz and Hinata reached Ingracia.
Using a magic circle would have been faster but would not have allowed them to grasp the state of Ingracia as a trip would have.
Hinata had equipment left over from my adventuring days, so she used that. Fritz purchased some from a travelling peddler.
Though the quality of transformed gear did suffer as a result, it was still unique classed. Why did the Demon Lord do this she did not know, but she did appreciate it.
And thus they deigned these shabby clothes and ventured onward.
Oh, and they snuck into the kingdom using fake ids.
Currently Hinata is staying at a cheap inn in the outskirts of town.
Fritz, however, is hanging around the Academy. With his own eyes and ears does he study the city.
The Academy is a fortress, guests are not permitted.
Hinata is trying to find a way in without alerting Yuuki of her presence.
The thing is, the Academy has a lot of students.
Thus, Fritz and Hinata were able to secure work inside the Academy helping around the kitchen.
They had to move during the morning deliveries. Though the morning meals were simple they still required extensive preparation.
If they were to deliver the meals while it was still dark surely they could snoop around and leave unseen.
Using spirit familiars they found a source of strong light spirit energy.
Hinata heard the full story at the banquet. Though she once dismissed his words as utter nonsense she now felt a duty to protect these younglings.
(Clown’s note: the reason being that they are taught in a school where she was taught in, so it’s like they are her underclassmen [kouhai], but a bit more than that, because this academy is closer to a martial arts dojo. So as someone who’s
“graduated” the academy she now feels responsible for them)
But she was still not satisfied with his explanation for why they were summoned.
But leaving the difficulty and need for raising a new hero aside, neither Hinata nor the Church summoned the children.
If that’s the case, why did he do it? Did he fail at summoning and got them? Or did he intend to summon them to begin with?
Both Hinata and Rimuru had figured out during their confrontation that Yuuki was trying to pin the guilt for the summoning on Hinata.
Perhaps he merely took advantage of a failed summoning.
All these thoughts swirled inside her head causing her great anxiety.
But she decided to dismiss them all and focus on creating a plan to rescue the children.
Thus came that fateful day.
After working thus for a week Hinata has gotten rather friendly with the grannies working there.
So the grannies are not talking to her, but to this red haired appearance of her. This thought made her feel strangely lonely.
Deliver the goods, wait for an opportunity, and proceed with Fritz to the source of that light. Hinata and Fritz would move as planned.
She would create an illusion of herself leaving the premises and instead head for the children. Thus, the red girl would chat her way out instead of Hinata.
Today she merely planned to talk to the children and confirm that they were not in any immediate danger.
Of course, should things turn sour she was fully ready to blast her way out.
And that thought did bother her, but it did not sway her resolve.
Fritz was busy with work so she decided to head off alone.
She used an invisibility spell and suppressed her presence to its utmost limits to remain undetected.
Her basic parameters strengthened by magic, she moved as a superwoman. Unlocked a door with magic, and slipped in without as much as a whisper.
Light barely entered it: obvious, considering that it was still 6 am.
There was a door in the back, connecting to another classroom.
It was a strange design. This could hardly be called a normal classroom.
Pondering it all for a second, she instead turned and headed for the room emitting that light. Time was of essence, so she had to press forward.
Hinata opened the door and entered.
Hinata carefully proceeded onward.
Four futon lay there; so that’s where the kids slept.
Had she not done so, she would have been hit by a wooden sword.
「Wow… you dodged that. Great! Thief?」
A voice came from a bossy child who seem to have just risen.
And a blond pretty girl.
「Why’d you come? There’s nothing to steal here?」
「Onee-chan, who are you?」
The Japanese boy and the blond girl asked Hinata.
Hinata let out a sigh and raised both hands showing she had no desire to fight.
And,
「The one with the wooden sword is Misaki Kenya, kun?
And there’s no need to be so tense, Gale-kun」
She called out.
Just as Rimuru had described them. The five children… except the black haired Chloe O’Bell; she seems to be missing.
「You know us?」
The weak looking boy, Sekiguchi Ryota asked.
「Yeah. I heard about you from Rimuru.
And one more, Chloe O’Bell… whom I don’t see here.
My name is Sakiguchi Hinata.
I came to chat, but it seems we’re out of time.
It would be great if I could get you to trust me…」
Kenya sat in a chair, his wooden sword in hand.
Without a single change in his demeanor,
「Ah, so you’re Rimuru-sensei’s acquaintance」
He said, with a relieved smile on his face.
「But isn’t Hinata Sakaguchi a name of a villain!」
「But she doesn’t seem like an enemy. It’s alright to trust her… no?」
While saying various things, the children sat in chairs.
But she did not for a second confuse it with trust for her; the stories they heard about her must have made her sound like the Satan himself.
In the first place, those were nothing but groundless accusations.
Sadly, there was no time to explain. So she figured she’ll go with the flow and give them the rundown of the situation.
「Yeah, thanks for trusting me.
I don’t have the time for a full explanation… in short, I want to take you to Rimuru’s place.
「Eh? Rimuru-sensei’s place? I want to go!」
「But won’t the church come after us… I do want to go though…」
Conversation filled the room.
「The church will not pose a problem…
Well, I was.
But, to get to the point, I did not summon you.
And that too will be explained in due time」
「Huh? But if the church was not responsible, who was, then?
「Right… If you think about it, a stalker?」
「But this Onee-chan could be lying, you know!」
Hinata narrowed her eyes observing the children.
She had not the time to explain enough to convince them. So if this was not enough, she would have to return again.
Hinata was the kind of person who would choose the shortest and safest path and logically put that plan into motion.
How weak I have become, she thought.
And if the kids show hostility, then she would have failed. She would have to come again and again while avoiding detection.
Forcing your thoughts on others is mere self-satisfaction.
That one thing about her did not change: she refused to regret.
「It’s alright. We can trust her.
「Yeah! I also think so. I mean, this Onee-chan is loved by the spirits!」
「In that case, it’s decided. Let’s go. But we should hurry. Can we go like this?」
Hinata opened her eyes wide looking at the children.
Besides,
「I appreciate the sentiment, but we can’t leave just yet.
「Onee-chan… who are you talking about?」
「We don’t know anyone by that name?」
What? She thought they were joking, but their eyes were serious.
But, how…?
「I’m late!」
That’s when Fritz came in.
They have to leave now or plan it for another day.
But Chloe is not with them, and that’s a problem.
And while Hinata was thus deliberating,
「There’s nothing to fret about, you know? I mean, I can’t let you take them」
A lad calls out to Hinata with a smile.
Black hair and black eyes. They were familiar with this man. And he just snuck up on a Fritz.
He was no ordinary man.
「Kagurazaka Yuuki…」
Hinata muttered.
There, before the, stood the Freedom Association Master.
「Seems like I was only able to reel in two fish with this bait (children).
I guess the bait served its purpose」
Yuuki said with a smile full of absolute bliss, causing Hinata to fear.
Bracing herself, she made her resolve.
What load of nonsense.
He’s still smiling and he appears calm.
This kind of evil she just had to immediately vanquish.
Steeling her resolve, she confronted Yuuki!