Chapter 123 - School Days and Terrorists
The summer sunlight is gradually becoming gentler, and today I'm enjoying a leisurely afternoon in the headquarters' rooftop garden. Beside me are Valeria and Frederica, and a few other young members who happened to be free.
We're having a tea time surrounded by the beautiful flowers Lily has tended. How elegant.
The table is adorned with cute cakes made by one of our members, who has a surprising talent for baking. While not professional-level, her skills are impressive for an amateur. Let's try one.
"...Hmm, it's delicious. The appearance could be a bit better, but the taste is excellent."
"I agree. With a bit more refinement, we might even use these in our shops. Sweets are always popular."
Valeria doesn't say much, but her quiet enjoyment shows she likes it.
The cake maker, a gentle and beautiful young woman who somewhat resembles Sophie, smiles happily. Many of our members, despite their fierce and demonic transformations in battle, have such angelic qualities.
As we chat about recent sweet spots and new shops, a loud firework suddenly shoots up in the sky, even though it's still midday.
It's not the nostalgic summer fireworks but a signal flare, a unique signal of the Kikyo Society that only those involved understand.
"Is that a distress signal? What's happening?"
"...Onee-sama, it's near Sarah's school. It might be from someone who went to pick her up."
What a day. Even in the midst of such a peaceful time, things can go wrong.
But we need to act quickly. Something serious must be happening. A distress call from one of our members, even for a minor issue, means we need to respond.
"I'll go and check the situation!"
The trained members immediately spring into action. They're reliable.
"Who was supposed to pick up Sarah today?"
"I believe the first Combat Unit was assigned to do a patrol while picking her up. If they needed to call for help, it must be a serious situation."
"It's an emergency. We'll gather as many members as we can and head out immediately."
The first Combat Unit, led by Angelina and Vice-Commander Verone, includes experienced members like Roberta and Violante. For them to call for help means this is a significant problem.
Even if it's a distress call from our allies, we can't empty the headquarters. We can't neglect our regular operations. Depending on the threat level, we might not need to mobilize everything. First, we need to assess the situation.
As I head downstairs from the rooftop, Siegrune approaches.
"Yukari-dono, what are you going to do?"
She's straightforward. She must have seen the distress signal or heard from a member. At least I don't have to explain.
"I'm going. I'll leave the headquarters in your hands. If we need reinforcements, I'll call you, so be ready."
"Understood. But a distress call is rare."
"Yes, we need to check what's happening first."
Entering the office, I see Sophie looking worried.
"Yukari-dono! Something's happening at the school. Is Sarah okay?"
Sophie has been working at the headquarters during the day. The Secretariat Unit has been very busy, and as Secretary-General, Sophie has returned to her duties. The Princess's Shelter Inn is running smoothly, so she doesn't need to be there all the time.
"We don't know what's happening yet. I'll go and check. Sophie, come with me."
"Yes, of course!"
Sarah might be tough, but she's still a child, and we've trained her to some extent.
And there's one more.
"Lily, come with us. You're already prepared, aren't you?"
"Of course! If it's for Sarah, I'll do anything!"
Lily, like Sophie, has been coming to the headquarters more often. Despite her relaxed demeanor, she's a capable businesswoman who turned the Elegance Balloon into a successful enterprise.
She's also skilled in administration and officially belongs to the headquarters' Secretariat Unit. She's particularly close to Sarah.
The team heading out from the headquarters includes me, Valeria, Sophie, Lily, and over ten other members. Some are already on the scene, and other combat units on patrol will likely join us. We should have enough support.
The first Combat Unit should be there, and with their combined strength, we have a substantial force. But why couldn't they handle it alone? We'll find out.
Equipped and ready, we set off in jeeps and motorcycles.
Arriving at the location of the distress signal, we find ourselves in front of the school.
Familiar figures in black and light gray coats are gathered, but they're just standing around, not actively engaged in combat. What's going on?
We arrive on the Bloomstar Galaxy and dismount. I approach the first Combat Unit.
"Angelina, Verone, what's happening?"
Angelina, usually a quiet and hardworking giantess with her trusted axe on her back, seems at a loss. She usually doesn't struggle with explanations, but she defers to Verone.
Verone, a calm and nurturing figure, used to be part of Ophelia's adventuring party. She wields a long, spiked mace but excels in support magic.
"Phew, it's good that you're here, Yukari. I was worried. We came to pick up Sarah, but no one came out. When we approached, we found..."
She points to the school gate and the guardhouse next to it.
This is an exclusive school for the wealthy, with strict security. Only the children of nobles and wealthy merchants attend, so the guards are former knights, adventurers, or mercenaries, all capable in their own right.
But now, no one is there... that's unusual. Normally, no one should be missing.
"Can't see from here, but were they killed?"
"When we arrived, it was already too late. Someone had killed the guards and entered the school. We couldn't act without risking the children."
"...Right, it seems they have the children as hostages. When we tried to enter, they used a child as a shield and warned us off."
I see. The children are hostages.
Who could be doing this? They must have some demands if they're taking hostages.
Taking hostages is a tricky situation. We can probably handle the situation, but we can't ignore the hostages. Sarah is one of them, and I don't want to endanger the other children.
"How is Sarah?"
Sophie, as a mother, must be the most worried.
"They won't harm the hostages. Sophie, I promise to save her. But first, we need more information about the enemy."
We need to know who they are, how many, their positions, equipment, and motives. We'll gather what we can.
I address the gathered Kikyo Society members.
"Do you have any information about the enemy?"
The first Combat Unit has had contact with them. Even brief encounters can provide useful information.
"Only one person has been seen clearly. They were masked, but their equipment and demeanor suggest an adventurer."
Verone, a former adventurer, should know what she's talking about. Another delinquent adventurer, perhaps?
"I tried to detect their magic, but I couldn't distinguish between the hostages and the enemy. There seem to be many of them, and I couldn't determine how the guards were killed. They must be highly skilled, with no signs of a struggle."
Even Angelina couldn't figure out the method. They must be extremely skilled. The guards should be competent, so being killed without a struggle is unusual. This is concerning.
If the hostages were adults, we could use a massive attack, as healing magic could save them. But we can't do that with children.
"Someone's coming out."
As we talk, someone from the school building approaches us.
It must be a messenger sent by the captors.
Judging by their attire, it's a teacher. Their face is swollen and bleeding, and they walk unsteadily, clearly having been beaten.
They approach us, a young man who looks quite young despite his injuries.
Before they can speak, I hand them a vial of intermediate healing potion.
It's hard to understand when they're bleeding from the nose and mouth.
They drink the potion and seem surprised by its effectiveness, but that's not important right now.
"Are the children safe?"
Sophie, unable to contain her worry, asks first.
"Y-Yes, they're all safe. But..."
"Please, keep it brief. We're the Kikyo Society, and we're here on behalf of the students' families. Who are you, and what's happening?"
"I'm Cameron, a teacher. The kidnappers sent me to deliver their demands..."
His explanation is hesitant and unclear, but it boils down to a ransom demand. An ordinary kidnapping for money. The amount, however, is absurdly high. Is it a bluff or a genuine demand?
Many wealthy children attend this school in prosperous Exembra. The ransom might be astronomical, but the rich might actually be able to pay.
If it's just about money, that's manageable.
It's not our money, so we don't care if the rich get fleeced.
We should inform the parents. Since they're demanding a ransom, the parents need to know.
However, if they harm Sarah, they'll face severe consequences.
"We'll consult with the administration and the parents. Don't interfere!"
The teacher, regaining some composure, rushes off. He doesn't use our vehicles, suggesting he's still in shock.
But interfering...
"Yukari, can the administration handle this?"
"...You're right. Even if the Garrison gets involved, I doubt it will go smoothly. Will they even show up?"
Usually, they outsource most of the dirty work to guilds or the underworld. This time, they'll likely do the same. If they handle it well, that's fine, but a mistake could lead to the worst-case scenario.
"Onee-sama, can't we help?"
At first, I thought we'd leave it to the authorities, but the ransom is just money, and it's not our money.
Valeria's proactive suggestion is echoed by Roberta and Violante.
"We can handle it!"
"Yukari-dono, I have a plan. I'm not criticizing the parents, but families have their own issues."
Right. Some parents might be willing to pay the ransom, while others might object.
The rescue team from the administration might not be as skilled as we are. Even with a high-profile request from an influential family, finding skilled and available people is unlikely.
"Ah, and today is a free attendance day, so there are fewer students. We can cover everyone!"
That's a good point. Fewer rescues mean a better chance of success.
It's almost a done deal, but the final decision should belong to the parents.
"Sophie, you decide. Do we leave it to others, or do we handle it ourselves?"
Even though I'm the one asking, the answer is clear.
"I want to save her myself. But I need your help, Yukari-dono. Can you help me?"
Of course. Various affirmations of support follow.
Yes, leaving it to others and regretting it later is far worse than doing it ourselves. Entrusting Sarah's safety to someone else is out of the question.
Rescuing hostages isn't our forte, but we can do it.