Going back to after Zanphia'd left the house.
While Zanphia had been going to returning from school without any issues before, it should've been safe to assume that nothing major could occur. Nonetheless, Naytia couldn't help but feel anxious. She stared at Jogrin, apparently wanting to say something.
"Hm? Where's Zanphia? I thought she was studying?" Proxer, gotten sweaty again, came from the backyard and queried Naytia as he was wiping himself with a towel.
"... She said she's going out to pick up Zenover and Suzannia."
"Is that so? I guess sitting at the desk, being surrounded by so many words bored her. I get where she's coming from. Hahaha..."
Proxer laughed wryly as he recalled that he still had a lot of paperwork left unattended for more than a month. On paper, he was on paid leave, granted by none other than the king, but that didn't mean that he could afford to ignore his duties as a Commander.
Kapel had actually been taking care of that, and Proxer was fully aware of that, but he felt guilty for relying on Kapel like that while he got to live such a relaxing life after coming back. In fact, he felt like he was getting too lax lately.
Anyway, unlike Naytia, Proxer didn't seem to be worried Zanphia going off on her own.
"Naytia, if you can't calm down, why not go and follow her?"
Jogrin gave a reasonable suggestion to Naytia, who, along with Proxer, didn't have an idea what was actually going on with Zanphia, and how Zenover and Garty were involved. Upon Jogrin's speaking up, Proxer also felt uneasy.
"What do you mean, Jogrin?"
"Well, I said that, but I'm sure she'll be fine."
That was a lie... Well, not exactly. He could clearly sense from "emotional perception" that there were a number of people loitering around Zenover's high school. Of course, he could tell because he could also sense where Zenover was.
While those people didn't actually mean any harm to Zanphia at that moment, because: first, they didn't know Zanphia was coming; second, Zanphia wouldn't have had any improvements in her mood if she had been picked on every time she went to school. In other words, though shunned, Zanphia didn't necessarily receive any kind of bullying all the time.
Besides, Jogrin couldn't recognize those presences anyway since he'd never met any face-to-face... All except a few of them, which were the girls he encountered before.
All in all, it could be concluded that Zanphia should still be safe, and the girls, and the other presences which could potentially be her classmates were simply waiting for their friends who still had to attend school.
Caution would still be needed though, since even Jogrin couldn't be certain that there would be no outbreak of the bullying when Zanphia and those people came face-to-face. Fortunately, Jogrin was able to monitor with "emotional perception."
"It's not that I don't trust you, but I'm still on tenterhooks." Naytia held Proxer's hand, ignoring how sweaty he was.
"I understand where you're coming from, but I can keep an eye on her all the way, and report if anything comes up."
"That's quite the convenient thing you can do..." Proxer muttered to himself, impressed.
"It's annoying most of the time, but at times like this, it can be a great asset, I guess."
"I see..."
'And if something does go wrong, I'll deal with it myself.' Unlike before, he didn't need to go out to have a chance encounter with the bullying should it take place, since he could know without moving an inch from his seat.
As for how he'd react... it involves Jogrin making use of the ability that induces nausea to swiftly get Zanphia out of trouble.
Though he yearned to know the emotions of the bullies when they enact the bullying, it was also his wish to prevent Zanphia and Zenover from being harmed.
"Then, we're counting on you, Jogrin."
"I'll inform both Captain Ryov here, and Kapel who's at the campsite if I sense anything awry, they'll help out in some way, I'm sure."
That was what he told Proxer and Naytia, but in reality, he wouldn't just sit idly by after reporting. Captain Ryov, with him being mentioned, was caught off guard, but he then felt that he should also play a part in ensuring Zanphia's safety, even though that wasn't his responsibility.
Proxer went upstairs again for another shower, leaving the rest of them downstairs.
...
"Um, Jogrin? Has Zanphia arrived at her school?"
Still unable to put her worry to rest, Naytia suddenly came in from the backyard and asked Jogrin. Perhaps it was due to her intuition as a parent, she really was being angsty about Zanphia heading out on her own.
"She just picked up Suzannia, and is heading for Zenover... Looks like Zenover's preparing to leave as well."
"I see... Can you inform me whether she's alright after reaching her school, in a few minutes?"
"Sure."
Instead of going back to the backyard, Naytia sat next to Jogrin and gazed into his eyes, impatiently waiting. Jogrin felt that she was being imposing, but he couldn't really blame her for it, so he kept on perceiving Zanphia's whereabouts.
A few minutes passed and there was no noise or movement from Jogrin.
"..."
"Is something the matter...?"
The troublemaker from the time Jogrin went outside the first time, the one who tried to grab Jogrin but failed repeatedly, the delinquent, was getting close to the high school, for whatever reason. He'd also been keeping tabs on this boy as well, since he was the mere few he could recognize, so Jogrin did so just in case.
'Could this be a coincidence? He reacted with joy before he decided to head there. There are also his followers whom I recognize as well... There are more of those follower that I've never met before...'
"Jogrin? Did you sense anything wrong??"
Due to Jogrin's silence, Naytia grew more paranoid.
'Meanwhile, Zanphia's getting more distressed. And her emotions were directed at the individuals around her... One of the girls got close to Zanphia and Suzannia... Seems like they're talking, and Zanphia's emotions aren't getting any better...'
"Jogrin? Please answer me..."
"Sorry, I'm trying to concentrate, I'll say something if something's awry."
"Oh, OK..."
Even Captain Ryov and Griston were dying to know what was going on as they leaned their bodies forward, prepared to listen in on what Jogrin had to say.
"Zenover met up with Zanphia and Suzannia, and are preparing to come back... Looks like Garty also joined them..."
Jogrin deliberately hid the details that might incur concern, since he wasn't sure the intentions of the girl, who was directing delight at them, and the delinquent boy, who was closing the distance between himself and the high school, along with his followers. Besides that, there were also a few presences who felt the same as the girl just mentioned.
'The girl approached them, along with another presence, and Zenover suddenly became indignant, and Zanphia growing more afraid as they confronted each other... I see. It's finally come.'
With such a thought, Jogrin stood up from the couch. Captain Ryov and Griston stood back straight and stared at Jogrin, poised. Naytia also stood up and grabbed Jogrin's left arm.
"Jogrin. Don't tell me?!"
"Captain Ryov, I'm going to see Kapel. This is urgent."
"That's fine, but... did something happen?"
Naytia, Captain Ryov, and Griston, feeling the jitters, wanted to pursue for more details from Jogrin, who was the only one privy to Zanphia's situation here. Jogrin glanced at all of them, before continuing...
"The four of them are in trouble."