“Welcome to [Prim-Libra].”
Standing beyond the elevator were the angels.
Dozens of Excia, the Winged Guardians, gathered to guide the tour.
And at the edge一there she was.
“…………!”
HINATA-CHAN!!
NO WAYYYYYY!!!
MY IDOL!!! IS HERE!!! IN THE HOLY LAND!!!!
“一Hah………???”
“!?!?”
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice一or sigh?一echoed in my head… or so I thought.
“…………My imagination?”
Looking around, the only one meeting my gaze was Hinata-chan, waving with a smile.
And beside her, Utsurugi Rui, shrouded in gloom.
“Ah, haha……”
Today, I came here to make it clear to her: “I don’t intend to get between you two.”
As I steeled myself, the earlier misunderstanding in my mind gradually faded.
◇◇◇◇◇
Leading the group of visiting observers at the front of the guiding angels was the vice branch chief.
She—Shindou Isana—thought to herself:
—What the hell is this? I might actually be done for.
While desperately keeping her expression neutral, she regretted peeking into the mind of her observation target, Ibuki.
The forbidden realm she had glimpsed was 120% saturated with affection toward the Winged Guardian, Excia.
I thought he was a member of an evil organization… She stared blankly at the blue sky outside the window.
Him being fond of angels was good news, but it only made the situation even more incomprehensible.
She stole a glance at Roselia, whom she was supposed to guide.
As if dealing with a shrewd weapons merchant wasn’t enough already.
Observing that inexplicable guy on top of that? Yeah, no way.
“Maybe I should just go home and read some shoujo manga…”
Isana’s sigh carried a tinge of melancholy.
◇◇◇◇◇
Me and ninety-nine toddlers were now moving toward the first observation site.
Hinata-chan and the other Winged Guardians, Excia, had taken positions surrounding the tour group.
As expected of the Angel Garden—even the hallways were spacious, allowing our large group of nearly 150 to walk comfortably without feeling cramped.
“Did you all know? This Tenth Branch is actually a newly established one.”
The maid-uniformed woman walking at the front addressed the children.
“I know!”
“Mom told me!”
The kids answered with remarkable ease.
Their lack of tension was likely thanks to their excitement and the relaxed atmosphere she exuded.
“Good, good! You’re all so smart!”
Of course, I already knew who she was.
Shindou Isana.
A regular character since Volume 1 of Watayume, she was the superior of the main protagonist duo.
She had briefly introduced herself earlier—the Vice Chief of the Tenth Branch.
The kids didn’t seem to grasp how big of a deal that was, but damn. She was seriously high-ranking.
Countless readers had fallen for the gap between her strong-willed personality and the rare glimpses of her sharp expressions.
Despite having no combat scenes, she was a powerhouse who consistently ranked high in popularity polls.
By the way, why is she wearing a maid outfit?
Even in the original work, Hinata-chan had wondered about it upon their first meeting, but it was never addressed.
But you get it, right?
No otaku hates maid outfits. (Fact.)
Which means I love them too!
And her role in the story? Absolutely delicious.
Combined with her mysterious “Talent Lux” abilities, she radiated that “she’s definitely gonna be plot-relevant later” energy.
She’d been making eye contact with me periodically, and every time, my brain short-circuited:
“KYAAAA! SHE LOOKED AT ME!!”
This can’t be a misunderstanding. She looked right at me.
Ah—KYAAAAAA! She did it again!
“…………!?”
I kinda felt like she was staring at me like I was some kind of bizarre creature, but well, if there’s one grown man in a crowd of toddlers, it’s gotta be awkward for her.
“So, does anyone know when this branch was built?”
She quickly averted her gaze, lowering her eyes to address the kids.
Not to avoid looking at me—just focusing on the little ones.
“Ten years!”
“Oh, someone knows!”
“I saw it on TV!”
“Wow, good memory! That’s right! While there are over fifty branches of [The White Scales Prim-Libra] across Japan, the Tenth Branch is the newest. Which means— Oh, we’re here.”
At her words, I looked ahead.
Written on the wall was the name of what lay beyond—
“[Training Grounds]…?”
Like the exit of a tunnel, the space ahead opened into a vast area.
Isana spread her arms and turned back to us.
“The newest means the facilities are the best!”
The noisy children fell silent—then exploded with excitement.
Before us stretched a landscape that defied belief for an indoor space:
A field of flickering flames, a small lake, a miniature forest… And much more.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
◇◇◇◇◇
(Screw it, he’s harmless.)
After finishing the tour to the training grounds, Isana let out a sigh.
This was her conclusion after observing Kairi the Separation.
(Honestly, peeking into his mind is more harmful anyway.)
She couldn’t make sense of it.
Why does he think like a fan of mine?
She never even appeared publicly.
Wait, is it the maid outfit? Does he just like maids?
Her thoughts spiraled into increasingly unserious territory.
Since she couldn’t maintain her vigilance, she decided to ignore Divergence Kairi-kun for now.
For the time being, she’d focus on her actual duties.
“Shindou.”
Leaving the excitable tour group to her subordinates, she stepped away—only for the hyenas (pardon, the patrons) she’d guided earlier to approach.
Leading them was the Merchant of Death—Roselia C. Bloodrose.
“Apologies for the wait, Lady Bloodrose.”
“No matter. I’m just relieved to see where my money is going.”
Roselia glanced around the training grounds.
Maintaining an environment where the Winged Guardians could freely wield their Talent Lux required massive funding. But for a merchant of Roselia’s caliber, it was pocket change.
“What a joke—’relieved,’ my ass.”
Isana bit back the sarcasm.
“Since the last attack, I’ve been concerned about what the Winged Guardians have been up to.”
“My apologies for the worry.”
“No need.”
Roselia’s lips curled. Both knew the other’s true thoughts.
(Alright, time to outfox this vulture.)
Isana braced herself as she began leading them away—separate from the kids (plus one).
“…………?”
As they left, she noticed one of Roselia’s guards staring intently at the tour group.
The woman quickly averted her gaze, but not before locking eyes with Isana.
“Something wrong, Shindou?”
“…No.”
Prompted by Roselia, Isana dismissed it and continued guiding them.
◇◇◇◇◇
At the edge of the training grounds…
“Hmm, impressive.”
Our tech expert, Tsukumo, nodded in approval as she surveyed the field.
“You think so too?”
“Especially the budget. No Talent Lux was used here—this is pure science. Respect.”
Her carefree demeanor belied the calculations running through her mind.
“I could create a field like this using Talent Lux, but the upkeep would be a nightmare. Simply put, maintaining it would suck.”
“I see.”
Despite looking and acting like any other kid, her expertise was undeniable.
“Alright, everyone! You can explore within safe limits now!”
Isana had vanished at some point, replaced by a cheerful Winged Guardian.
“If you came with a friend, stick together, okay?”
“!?”
A sudden wave of déjà vu.
This was—the dreaded “pair up” moment from gym class!
No… That phrase is my weakness…
After a lifetime of being the leftover guy, those words wounded me.
But don’t underestimate today’s me.
Today, I had Tsukumo—my reliable ally!
“?”
When I glanced at her confidently, she tilted her head cutely.
Adorable. I patted her head.
Since the event required groups of two or three (likely to avoid chaos),
we’d been given a paired ticket by Shinazu-Shinazu Dori.
“Now, each group will be assigned a Winged Guardian. Listen to them, okay?”
Cheers erupted as the angels scattered.
The one who approached us was—
“Onii san!”
A petite angel hurried over.
“Hinata-chan!”
—followed by Utsurugi Rui’s piercing glare.
Today was also a battle between her and me.
As I braced myself, Tsukumo tugged my sleeve.
“Hey. What’s your relationship with her, Niisama?”
“…………”
Crap, I didn’t plan for this.
Wait, should I just answer honestly? While my brain scrambled, Tsukumo spoke first—using the term I’d instructed.
“Onii san.”
“Huh?”
Hinata-chan’s eyes went dark.
◇◇◇◇◇
Hinata stare Ibuki (her “Onii san”) with a deadpan stare.
Panicking, he fumbled for an explanation.
“Uh, well! She’s, uh, my cousin! Tsukumo-chan!”
“Mm? My cou—mmph!”
“Hahaha…!”
He clamped a hand over Tsukumo’s mouth, forcing a grin.
“Your… cousin?”
“Y-Yeah—”
“First I’ve heard of it.”
“—I mean, it’s not like I go around saying, ‘Hey, guess what? I have this cousin!’ right?”
“Well…”
Rui beside her didn’t know, but Hinata knew Ibuki’s true identity—
A member of the evil organization [Nega Messiah].
For him to show up at the stronghold of justice with an unknown girl? Beyond suspicious.
Is this “Tsukumo” girl one of them?
Hinata grew suspicious.
“Hm? What’s wrong?”
“…It’s nothing.”
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