As they stepped back into the street, the sun was dipping toward the horizon.
Hiroki glanced at the sky, "It appears to be getting late already," he said.
He began to notice a difference in the capital atmosphere. People were leaving, and residents were shutting their house doors, while some of them wore expressions of worry.The lively atmosphere from earlier was fading, replaced by an unsettling stillness.
"Ah, it seems it's exactly as I expected. Things change when night comes. The same thing from the previous village appears here too. I'm familiar with the risks of the night from my past life, but the situation here are somewhat distinct." Hiroki thought to himself.
Ayuri observed the situation and said, "I think we should head back now before it gets too dark."
On their way back, they chatted and stayed occupied until their arrival.
"But, Amaya, I didn't expect you'd be able to sway that weird old man to our side," Kenji said, followed by Amaya's confusion. "He's one tough nut to crack, that's for sure. That's what some of the townspeople looked like as well, so you've done a good job."
Amaya beamed with joy, "Really?! So I have made strides towards my goals, and provided some benefit from it.. Amazing!" Pride was evident on her expression, so Kenji continued, "Yeah yeah !"
As they approached the entrance, Ayuri's gaze sharpened. A contingent of guards stood at attention, their armor gleaming in the fading light. These weren't the usual sentries, there was something different about them, Their armor's high quality indicates that they are likely people of great significance.
"ehh... Something tells me those people aren't locals, they appear to be of higher status" Hiroki stated, sounding a bit jittery and kinda snooty.
Ayuri agreed to him and said "I think I've seen these outfits before, they seem to belong to the kingdom."
Her reaction was more pronounced. Her eyes widened slightly, betraying her discomfort. "This… shouldn't be happening," she whispered, almost to herself.
They headed to the PHG's main public hall as typical, as they pushed open doors of the PHG headquarters, a scene unfolded before them that was far from ordinary. Ryuuji, the head of PHG, was deep in conversation with a group of distinguished individuals, all exuding an air of authority. At the center of the group stood a girl, a few years older than Hiroki. Her long, golden hair shimmered under the lights, and her sky-blue eyes were sharp and piercing, giving her an aura of command.
Once they stepped forward while silence, that girl zeroed in on Hiroki's face and spoke "Well, seems fate has brought us together here.. Hiroki Kurogane."
Ayuri's gaze immediately sharpened as she saw her. "Why on earth this bothersome girl is here." She pondered to herself. There was a flicker of something in her eyes—displeasure, perhaps? But she remained silent, her expression carefully guarded.
Hiroki appeared confused about the situation, as evidenced by his facial expressions, so the girl with the golden hair broke the silence.
"It seems that you do not know what is going on here, I see that.. Well, to be clear, I am considered the ruler of the capital, Braga, the capital of Yumix.. Senior Minister, Seina Karino."
Hiroki caught on to what she just said, like, a second later and goes, "Huh?"
Following a brief moment, Siena spoke, her gaze becoming softer, while the room was hushed up real good.
"Initially, I would like to extend my most sincere apologies and condolences to each and every one of you for what has transpired," she bowed apologetically in front of the little girl Amaya, the elite guards assigned to personally observe her were taken aback by her humble actions, Amaya modestly reacted to her with surprise, she gave impression it wasn't necessary for all of that. Seina then carried on talking in a direct and regular way, "It was.. an unfortunate incident. We are here to delve deeper into what happend, and prevent it from happening again... And looking at it, it seems there is more to it than I initially thought," she meant with her eyes on Hiroki, something he was not aware of in first place.
Hiroki, nodded slowly. "So, there are additional factors at play here, more than we know?" questioning himself.
The surroundings felt increasingly constrictive. Until Ayuri, who had been closely observing the whole interaction behind all of them, finally stepped forward, her nearly silent footsteps padded on the plush carpet. She softened her expression, and a slight smile appeared on her lips, breaking the silence. "Yoo, it's been a long time, Boss Seina," Her voice held a hint of familiarity, as if she were addressing a long-time friend.
"Oh, Ayuri, I didn't expect to see you with them here, it's been a long time since we talked." Seina said.
Hiroki, Kenji, and Miu all suddenly raised their voices in shock after a moment of silence.
"Wha-What... Master, is it true what Ayuri claimed?" Kenji asked.
After observing their shock and astonishment, Siena affirms her words.
"Yes Indeed, Ayuri was once one of my special assistants in the elite guard. She was perfect in every way, so I promoted her for my special missions and because she aimed to earn a lot. That was before she joined the PHG. Even her skills were exceptional, It's rare for anyone to leave a position like that, especially with such a coveted role among the elite. But... Ayuri aimed to push herself by exploring new frontiers."
Ayuri respond confidently to what she said, "Well, you know, I really felt like shaking things up and concentrating on challenges that would help me grow and explore new opportunities!"
The air in the room grew thicker with each word exchanged, their shared past created a sense of curiosity that was almost tangible, but it also seemed to bring about increased trust in Ayuri, particularly as seen in Yoru's expressions. Once more, Siena's gaze flicked back to Hiroki, her expression turning grave again. "So.. Based on the significant details we have collected, the situation we're dealing with is more complicated than it appears. But rest assured, our cooperation with the PHG is in place to manage it effectively. Though, I must admit… Ryuuji's insistence on this collaboration was... unusual."
After silently observing for a while, Yoru's curiosity got the better of her. "So.. What exactly is going on? Should we be preparing for something specific?" She said
Seina's face became slightly gloomy as she faced Yoru, then answered with a brief smile. "Unfortunately, I can't reveal everything at this time. There are too many unknowns. But when the time comes, we will tell what we got so far. For now, stay vigilant and ready for whatever may come your way, no need to rush"
Feeling the tension build once more, Yoru rapidly expressed her regret. "Got it, I didn't mean to pry. My apologies."
Seina's lips formed a slight smile, but her eyes remained the same. "No need to apologize. Curiosity is a valuable trait, but patience is crucial in times like these."
The conversation slowly wound down, the weight of Seina's words lingering in the air. As she and her entourage began to leave, Seina's eyes lingered on Hiroki for a moment longer than necessary, then she left.
As the door closed behind them, the tension in the room slowly dissipated, leaving the group in silence. Hiroki took a deep breath, finding some relief, but the unease remained. "That was… intense," he mumbled, attempting to dispel the remaining chill.
Ayuri remarked "Well, that was totally unexpected."
She found herself in the spotlight, feeling a bit puzzled, until Yoru broke the silence with, "Looks like you've got a bunch of stuff to clarify later during our meeting." Ayuri responded by scratching her head nervously, accompanying her face with a silly smile as if she was evading.
Upon others departure, Hiroki and his associates returned to their designated gathering point. The little hut