Evil Avalon

Chapter 140 Similar siblings

(TL:By Rafael,valhallatls.blogspot.com)

My little sister, with her cheeks puffed out in exaggerated defiance, stood before me with her hands on her hips, blocking my way in a stance of absolute determination.

"I absolutely, positively, must go with you!" she insisted.

"No, you can’t. Stay home and behave," I replied.

When I told Kano, who had been lounging on the living room sofa, that I was heading to Tokyo and grabbed my Boston bag to leave the house, she jumped up and insisted she wanted to come with me. The destination was a clan party at Kinran-kai, where all sorts of bizarre creatures gathered. There was no way I could take my precious family to such a place.

If I told her the truth, she'd only get more insistent, so I lied, saying, "I'm going to hang out with some friends, so you can't come." Kano, with a suspicious glare, peered into my face to uncover my deceit.

"You're hiding something, aren’t you, Onii?" 

"I'm not hiding anything!"

"Then why were you trying to leave the house—"

Ding-dong.

As I racked my brain to figure out how to convince my overly perceptive sister, the doorbell rang cheerfully. It was already the appointed time. As I moved toward the entrance to answer it, Kano dashed ahead and opened the door.

"Hi there! I'm Kano, Onii's sister! Can I come too...? Huh?"

"Good day," said Kirara-chan, smiling and curtseying, flanked by two men in black suits.

Her black party dress contrasted starkly with her pale skin, adorned with gold jewelry inlaid with gemstones, exuding an aura of sophistication that screamed, "I’m no commoner." Seeing such a high-class lady up close for the first time, Kano blinked in stunned silence, frozen in place.

"What a beautiful person... Wait a minute. Is this the friend you mentioned, Onii?"

"No, she's actually a senior from school."

Kano shot me a skeptical look, clearly doubting that someone so aristocratic could be my friend. I hastily clarified that she was my senior from school and had invited me to the party. Kano, undeterred, brightened up and sidled over, exclaiming, "Wow, what a lovely dress! Is it silk?"

Kirara-chan maintained her smile and responded graciously.

"Will your sister be joining us?" she asked.

"No, she's staying here. Kano, go back inside," I said, pointing back into the house. Kano puffed her cheeks again, and I braced for another round of arguing, but to my surprise, she retreated quietly, looking dejected. Perhaps Kirara-chan’s upper-class presence had overawed her, or maybe she was planning something.

"It's just a dinner party, so it would have been fine to bring her along," Kirara-chan remarked.

"Unfortunately, given the location, it's not possible," I replied.

It felt cruel to exclude her, but I couldn't take my family to such a dangerous place. I'd consider it when I was strong enough to protect them from any threat, but for now, it was out of the question.

As I turned towards the sound of a door closing, I saw a long, black limousine parked in front of the house. That must be our ride. Without further ado, I retrieved my forgotten bag and joined Kirara-chan in the car.

(Well, let's see how this goes.)

Mikami and Kunoichi Red members were already on-site. With many troublesome individuals gathering, it would be good to gather information on them if the opportunity arose, but I tried not to stress too much.

Taking a deep breath, I sank into the soft backrest as the car smoothly started moving. With nothing else to do, I gazed out the window at the passing scenery.

The car passed by the adventurer school and headed further north, aiming for the nearest highway entrance.

This bustling city, unlike the quiet suburban town it used to be, had become a hub of adventurers, with trains and highways extending in all directions, making transportation highly convenient. The transformation from a simple town to such a well-connected city, merely due to the presence of a dungeon, was impressive.

As I pondered these changes philosophically, I realized we had entered the highway. This luxurious black limo, powered by energy converted directly from magic stones, ran silently and smoothly, thanks to its high-end suspension, making it feel like we weren’t on the highway at all.

"...Milady, we should arrive at our destination in about 40 minutes."

"I see. Well then, Narumi-kun, since we have some time, shall we discuss our plans?"

The driver's voice announcing our arrival time echoed through the quiet interior, where classical music played softly. Kirara-chan opened her wrist terminal and displayed some documents on the screen, suggesting that we review our respective objectives.

First, she explained the venue.

The location was a high-rise building in Tokyo's business district, with the upper floors rented out for the event. There were three access points: the rooftop, the stairs from the lower floors, and the elevators. Each route was guarded by personnel armed with heavy weapons, ensuring tight security. This level of protection was expected, given the presence of nobles among the guests. However, Kirara-chan dismissed this as mere pretense.

"Even if it's a high-rise with many guards wielding heavy weapons, in a magic field, one can infiltrate from various points," she said.

"It's a major headache for those tasked with protecting VIPs," I replied.

In a magic-filled space, like a dungeon, physical enhancements and skills could be activated. This meant you could punch a huge hole in concrete or climb the vertical walls of a building with ease. High-ranking adventurers could even dodge bullets and strike directly. 

While international law strictly regulated items that created magic fields, neither the Holy Empire nor terrorists cared about such rules. In the end, the only way to protect against high-ranking adventurers was to confront them with adventurers of equal or greater strength.

Next, we moved on to confirm our individual objectives.

For Kirara-chan, the primary goal was to prevent the leak of information about the "Samurai." Several members of Kunoichi Red, led by the deputy leader, had already infiltrated the venue as staff, keeping an eye on the Colors executives and the Holy Empire's people. Additional support from other organizations was expected to join us on-site. Although I was curious about who these reinforcements were, given the opponents, they must be highly skilled.

As for me, my goal was to investigate the Kinran-kai's activities, so I had no intention of engaging in any combat. If the Kinran-kai hinted at something significant, great; if not, I’d simply eat and leave. If circumstances allowed, I’d offer help in a way that wouldn’t disrupt the game’s story.

So, I asked about the recent activities of the Kinran-kai.

"Have there been any movements from the Kinran-kai since then?"

"Yes, it seems they've recruited several well-known adventurers in preparation for their fight against the Oboro."

The Kinran-kai had a history of losing most of their leaders to the secret society Oboro, bringing them to the brink of collapse. To rebuild, they joined the then-rising clan Colors and had been biding their time for revenge.

After over a decade of gathering people and resources, the Kinran-kai had gradually regained their strength. Recently, they received a surprising influx of funds, rapidly recruiting renowned adventurers. However, the source of this wealth remained unknown, even to Kunoichi Red.

(The revival of the Kinran-kai... In the game’s storyline, their recovery was supposed to happen much later... This is intriguing.)

I asked if they were planning to take immediate action against Oboro, given their swift recovery, but Kirara-chan shook her head.

"They haven't shown any such intentions yet."

For the Kinran-kai, defeating Oboro was both an act of revenge for their fallen comrades and an unavoidable step to move forward. I had anticipated they would storm the adventurer school right after the class competition, desperately seeking information on Kano, who was suspected of being an Oboro member. But perhaps they were more cautious than I thought, or maybe something else was holding them back.

I tried to recall the game’s story but drew a blank. I vaguely remembered something involving the "Sorel" sub-organization, so I shifted my thoughts in that direction when I heard a noise.

"...Who's there?"

'...'

Kirara-chan, twisting around to look behind, asked in a surprisingly low voice. I initially thought it was just some luggage shifting, but it seemed someone was in the trunk behind the rear seats. Sensing the situation, the driver slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road, baton in hand. Suspecting a spy, I got out to check as well.

Under Kirara-chan’s watchful eye, the trunk opened slowly to reveal... a girl curled up with her hands covering her face.

"...Hey, what are you doing here?"

"But!" Kano, with her cheeks puffed up in defiance, sprang up, her twin-tails bouncing as she began a torrent of excuses. "You didn’t tell me you were going to the Kinran-kai clan party! What is the Holy Empire? If it's such a dangerous place, I want to come too and help!" and so on. I had been mistaken to think she had given up quietly.

She probably used "Aura" to create a magic field and used stealth skills to sneak in while I was retrieving my luggage. This is a technique I taught my family for emergencies, but even I couldn't detect it. It's likely impossible to notice unless you're constantly wary of the magic concentration.

"We're in trouble... There's no time to turn back. If she just stays quietly and eats during the party, it should be safe, don't you think?"

"Once we get there, we can send her back by train—"

"I'm definitely going with you!"

Kano clung to the back of the car, insisting she wouldn't go back. Why does she want to come along so badly? I once mentioned that I had a lot of delicious food at the kunoichi red clan party, but could she be that obsessed with food? Though I was tempted to question her on the spot, standing on the roadside is uncomfortable and dangerous, so I suggested we get back in the car first.

As soon as the driver opened the door, Kano quickly positioned herself in the middle of the back seat and fastened her seatbelt. It was a clear indication that she had no intention of going back. With no other choice, Kirara-chan and I got in on either side of her.

"Whenever you get involved in something without me knowing... I need to be there because you always end up doing something reckless and far away from home..."

As the car restarted and I sighed in relief, Kano began to speak quietly. When I glanced at her, thinking she was still pouting, I saw that she had her head down, almost crying.

She explained that she sensed from my demeanor when I was leaving home that I was heading to a dangerous place. Despite how I appear, I'm her only brother, and she was deeply worried about me taking risks.

(Well, if the roles were reversed, I would have done the same...)

If Kano were about to take risks in a dangerous place, no matter how many times she told me to go back, I would insist on going with her and even hide in the trunk if necessary. It might be the same for her.

Therefore, reprimanding her here would be pointless since she would still come along, and it would be more convenient to keep her in sight. I only brought one escape item, but it should be fine if I give it to Kano. I'll have to email our parents later.

"Rest assured, I will personally ensure your sister's safety."

"I'm fine! I can fight too!"

Kirara-chan gave a gentle smile, promising to protect her, while Kano clenched her fists and started shadowboxing, leaving Kirara-chan wide-eyed. It seemed kunoichi red wasn't aware of Kano's level or abilities.

I've already taught my family basic combat and escape techniques. If Kano went all out, she could hold her own against even the top brass of the Kinran-kai. However, kunoichi red is an exceptionally strong organization. If they offer protection, it’s wise to accept.

"Kano, don't leak any information. Wear a mask at the venue and never take it off. Don't stray from me or Kusunoki-senpai. And... use this in an emergency."

I handed Kano a deep purple crystal with a magic circle engraved on it from my pocket. It's a special magical tool that, when infused with magic, can teleport the user to Arthur, who has the corresponding crystal. It only works in magic-rich areas, but since any combat would occur in a magic field, there shouldn’t be a problem... though there are still plenty of issues.

That said, if the Kinran-kai clan party goes as expected, there shouldn’t be any combat. If it does happen, I'll just grab Kano and make a run for it. I doubt we'll need to use the escape item.

"We seem to have entered Tokyo. I can see the mausoleum."

Kirara-chan, looking out the window, pointed out that we were close to our destination. I glanced outside and noticed a uniquely lit temple among the buildings. Its intricate design and distinct colors reminded me of the Nikko Toshogu Shrine... that’s the mausoleum.

Several Tokugawa family mausoleums were built around Edo Castle. In our world, they were destroyed in the war. Seeing them means we're near central Tokyo... but it seems there are fewer buildings than I expected.

"Look, such beautiful streets! This really feels like Tokyo!"

"This area has many historic buildings related to the government and financial sectors."

As we exit the highway and enter the main street, we find ourselves on a wide, cobblestone road flanked by numerous Western-style structures built in the Meiji era. It looks like a historic European city with some high-rise buildings scattered around, creating a somewhat disjointed impression. However, to Kano and Kirara-chan, it seemed like the quintessential Tokyo.

Admiring the view with a positive outlook, thinking that it might be promising for sightseeing, the car makes a large turn and stops in front of a grand building. Wondering where we were, Kano and I pressed our faces against the window to look up, seeing a massive stone building with a heavy, authoritative feel rather than the stylish, modern design we were used to. It felt very imposing.

"We have arrived. Please watch your step."

As the driver politely opens the door, several bright lights flood my vision. Squinting a bit and awkwardly getting out of the car, I find myself in a dazzling entrance befitting a high society event.

"This is such an amazing place... And there are so many people! Is that a TV station over there?"

Kano, looking around excitedly, had large, expectant eyes. Apart from us, many other guests were arriving, with high-end cars like open-top and limousine cars continuously arriving, and elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen in tuxedos stepping out. There were even people with large cameras in the distance, likely media personnel.

While it seemed like a glamorous and fun party was about to begin, we must not forget that we were already in a den of vice. It wouldn't be surprising if members of Kinran-kai or the Holy Empire were among the people walking around. I needed to remind Kano to stay vigilant.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes! I'm already starving!"

"Hey Kano, whatever you do, don't take off your mask."

As Kirara-chan gracefully donned a Venetian mask covering her eyes and started walking, Kano, showing her gluttonous side, took out a mask from her pouch and put it on as she followed. Although it seemed she was a bit too relaxed... well, it was fine.

Despite everything, I was also looking forward to the delicious food. The dishes would likely be things that we common folk wouldn't normally get to eat. Since we came all the way here, there was no reason to hold back.

Following behind my sister, who raised her fist and enthusiastically declared, "I'm going to eat so much!" I quietly raised my fist too, with my stomach growling in anticipation.

TL Note- What could possibly go wrong?

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