But Orson's main objective was to spread Duke Baikal's surveillance manpower thin, making it easier for Isaac to carry out a certain task.
Lumen, Orson, and Andrei, Head of the Rostov Family—rumor had it that he was the personal butler of the Rostov family's second-in-command. With three groups carrying out separate activities, even Duke Baikal could not mobilize enough surveillance forces to cover them all.
Secondly, Orson needed to gather intelligence on Chernobyl's densely populated areas, making preparations for whatever actions would be needed if Reunion joined in later.
There was not much time. Although the Head of the Rostov Family had a trump card on hand, using it would inevitably provoke Duke Baikal's full-scale sanctions. That meant they probably only had a few days left.
What Orson had to do during that time was decide whether Reunion would join the battle and how they would do so.
The more specific decisions could be left to Talula and Alina. All he had to do now was...
Orson glanced at Lumen. Remembering the strange things Lumen's Father had said yesterday, he nearly coughed again.
"Anyway, this is our first stop!"
Orson shook his head, then energetically announced the official start of their Club Activity.
"Um, I only came to ask for the answer to the riddle. It feels like things will get troublesome afterward, so can I leave first?"
Truth raised her hand and spoke softly.
"If it isn't combat training, then I PASS too. Let's go, Anna."
Lumiere promptly made her escape.
"Don't throw cold water on me before the activity has even started...!"
Orson looked like he was about to cry. In the end, he had to throw a tantrum and roll around (?) before he managed to keep the two of them there.
Anyway, their first stop was Chernobyl Central Park.
"I came here a few times as a child. Now that I think about it, it feels strangely unfamiliar. Still, the environment is really nice." Looking at the scene before her, Truth adjusted her glasses.
"What's the point of coming here?" Lumiere sounded impatient.
"Central Park... Father once said he wanted to build a fountain here. It looks like it was never carried out." Lumen spoke wistfully.
"Hmm... The Shield Guards might be able to hold this place." Orson nodded.
"...?"
The other three glanced at Orson. Had this guy just made some incredibly alarming observation?
When they reached a rest area, Truth became deeply interested in the various statues along the way, while Lumen explained one by one what those statues represented.
"This statue was erected to commemorate the sacrifices of the Second Army Corps during the Seventh Uka Campaign. The army corps has been reorganized and merged many times since then. That statue over there records the generals and commanders who fell in the Blood Peak Campaign."
"They're all war-related sculptures. Natalia, you really know a lot. This is the first time I've learned about these things."
Truth nodded as she praised Lumen.
"After all, I have an obligation to remember this history, right, Or..."
Lumen happily looked toward Orson. It was rare for her to display something that she, as a noble, was supposedly good at in front of everyone. But the moment she saw Orson, the white bear girl's smile vanished completely, leaving only anger and a trace of embarrassed shyness.
"Zzzz... Zzzz..."
Lumiere had thought Orson would get to see her knowledgeable side as well, but the person in question had leaned against the bench with her and fallen asleep. They had both gone straight into classroom mode.
"Zzz—Pff!? I-I-I'm listening, Teacher!"
A snowball hit Orson in the face, and he sprang up in panic, declaring that he had been listening to the lesson. All he saw, however, was Lumen's furious back as she walked away.
"...?"
Orson looked at Truth in confusion. Truth merely sighed and adjusted her glasses.
Orson was indeed easy to get along with, and he had a decent personality too. It was just that sometimes he was as dense as a steel plate.
"How did I offend Big Sis Lumen...?"
Orson rubbed his face, wondering what he had done while also pondering why he had somehow fallen asleep.
Meanwhile, while Orson remained unaware, a tragedy was unfolding within Reunion—
FrostNova sat blankly in the command room. The room, which was usually not all that quiet, now felt especially dead and silent. There was not a single sound.
"...Boss."
The Abyssal Hunters wanted to say something, but even they, who were known for their optimism, understood Reunion's current situation. There was absolutely nothing in what they saw that could make anyone "feel optimistic."
"I... I know this was an unavoidable sacrifice, but—"
FrostNova wore the expression of an abandoned girl, helpless and furious.
"But why couldn't Talula and Alina take me along when they secretly went to Chernobyl?!"
Snow Rabbit slammed her caster staff onto the floor and sulked angrily.
After speaking with Orson, Talula had insisted on heading to Chernobyl immediately. Naturally, FrostNova had said to count her in.
But based on the situation and tactical considerations, FrostNova could only stay behind to guard the base. She had also accepted the arrangement with extreme reluctance.
Accepting it was one thing, but she still could not get over it.
"Boss... Sigh."
Seeing FrostNova like this, the Abyssal Hunters all sighed.
It was not just because they lamented FrostNova's rocky maiden heart. They also felt sorry that "Orson would probably get killed by Patriot the next time he came back."
In short, Reunion had quietly begun its operation.
Chernobyl was about to welcome this force unknown to everyone and unrecognized by the world.
Lumen and Lumiere's Fanservice
The park trip ended on an incredibly awkward note. Lumen ignored Orson for quite a while afterward, only joining the conversation again because she could not stand watching Lumiere constantly chat with him.
After surveying the park's terrain, the group headed to Chernobyl's busiest shopping center for their next stop.
"This sort of place doesn't really suit me, but it looks like there are quite a few bookstores." Truth was not very interested at first, but the moment she spotted several bookstores, she perked up.
"There are so many girls dressed strangely. So Chernobyl has people who dress like that too?" Lumiere stared wide-eyed at the girls on the street wearing bizarre, trendy outfits, unable to believe it.
"Not much has changed. But since no other companies have moved into Chernobyl, judging by current purchasing power and consumer interest, there really is no need to alter the scale or operating model of the commercial district." Lumen analyzed the area with a serious expression.
"Hmm... The Crossbowmen Squad could probably be stationed here." Orson nodded.
"...??"
The other three looked at Orson again. This guy was definitely studying something alarming!
"Alright, since we're already here, let's take the chance to walk around and see whether there's anything you want to buy."
Orson clapped his hands, signaling them to ignore what he had said, then led the Bear Squad members down the pedestrian street.
"I don't have anything I want to buy."
Lumiere shoved both hands into her school uniform pockets, looking impatient.
"Don't say that, Sonia. Just treat it as casual browsing."
Orson tried to persuade her from the side.
They're all underage girls. They'll probably get drawn in by all these strange and unusual things soon enough.
Orson was completely certain of it.
A dozen minutes later...
"An electric kettle that can boil water automatically with one button...!? Has Chernobyl's technology reached this level already?!"
"A-a phone with a color screen? This can't be real..."
"Windproof matches! I want to buy those—no, no, hold back, Orson!"
"A windproof assault jacket? Hah... gulp."
"..." "..." "..."
Orson, who had looked like he had seen it all before, was now like a country bumpkin visiting the city for the first time. Everything he saw filled him with incredible curiosity and surprise.
"Um, Orson... This might sound strange, but how do you usually boil water?"
Lumiere could not hold it in any longer and asked Orson.
"Hm? Normally, with firewood. Everyone does that, right?"
Not even gas!?
The three of them were shocked.
"Then, Orson, how do you usually contact other people?"
Lumen asked curiously as well.
"I used to ask around everywhere, but things are much more convenient now~ And that's all thanks to yours truly: Terra Da Vinci!"
"...Mm, is that so? I see."
Lumen smiled and nodded, humoring the proud and smug Orson.
Could Orson have been living out in the wilderness this whole time...?
The three of them hit upon Orson's past experiences with frightening accuracy.
Before Reunion was founded, life in the northern territories had basically been completely cut off from high technology. Forget vehicles—even basic necessities like gas and electricity did not exist.
Even after Reunion was founded, Talula had managed to obtain some resources through Koschei's connections. But since those resources had to be prioritized for building a trade and communications network, Orson had not had many chances to enjoy the conveniences of technology.
Over time, Orson sometimes felt as though he were living in "the Middle Ages with Originium Arts," so naturally, this "high technology" startled him.
"I'm sorry, Orson. I never noticed before... It's alright. From now on, your big sister will make sure you enjoy the conveniences brought by technology."
Lumen hugged Orson, looking like she hated herself for failing to discover this poor, suffering child sooner.
"No... I told you, I'm older than you. And what's with this inexplicable big-sister energy...?"
Orson looked completely baffled as she held him in her arms and rubbed his head.
"Orson, um... I'm sorry. I won't encourage you to sleep during class anymore. You must really want to change the fate of your background through knowledge."
Lumiere turned her head away, placed a hand on Orson's shoulder, and awkwardly apologized to him.
"...?"
"If you want to support your family by becoming a novelist, I'll help you with everything I have."
Truth nodded at Orson.
"Uh, thanks?"
Orson was utterly dumbfounded. He had been the energetic big brother of the club just moments ago! How had he suddenly become a desperately poor student who needed to be cherished?
"Orson, take this axe. At least don't use a stone axe to chop trees anymore."
Lumiere bought Orson a climbing axe.
"I wasn't using that thing to chop trees before either!"
"Orson, I hope this book can help you."
Truth bought Orson a copy of "Eating Across Terra with Bear Grylls."
"...So, don't you all have some kind of misunderstanding?"
"Orson, I couldn't think of anything to give you, so here's 500,000 Ursus coins—"
"Giving me that is terrible in every possible sense!"
Orson fled in panic.
After leaving the commercial street, the group arrived at the Chernobyl Hotel—the largest hotel in the city.
"For such a large hotel, I feel like its room vacancy rate must be very high." Truth analyzed it rationally.
"Tch. Something nobles built because they had too much time on their hands." Lumiere looked displeased.
"This hotel actually has a surprisingly long history." Lumen said calmly.
"Hmm... Uh, why are you all looking at me?"
Before you continue