With nothing much to do lately, Yuxian and Mash did not leave. They found a place nearby to sit down and slowly waited for the girls to finish school so they could go home together.
Jeanne-chan: Hand over your votes, or my little fists will pound your chest!
Chapter 25: Lost His Mind
Yuxian and Mash sat down and chatted for a while, then went to talk with Atalanta for a bit before finally passing the entire morning.
As noon approached and it was time for school to let out for lunch, Yuxian went to the school gates to wait for the children.
Kohina and Jack came sprinting out one after the other. The two of them were the first to leave the school.
"Jack, don't run!" Kohina shouted as she chased after Jack.
Jack stopped beside Yuxian, and Kohina caught up from behind. "Jack, let's have a match!"
She had wanted to spar with Jack for a long time. Ever since she had suffered a setback at Jack's hands last time, she had never gotten over it.
Jack ignored her and looked up at Yuxian, asking for his opinion.
Yuxian rubbed her head and said to her and Kohina, "Be careful. Neither of you get hurt."
He did not stop them. Playing with friends was necessary sometimes, even if this particular kind of play was a little unusual.
Still, he believed that with Jack's skills, this was truly just play between the two of them. If they really went all out, Kohina probably would not be able to withstand even a single exchange from Jack.
Having received Yuxian's approval, Jack drew her dagger and began fighting Kohina in the open space outside the school.
The two girls moved incredibly fast. Their figures crossed and their blades collided, producing an endless series of sharp clangs.
Kohina was an Initiator with the Mantis Factor and highly accomplished in swordsmanship. For a while, she and Jack fought evenly.
Of course, that was only because Jack was not using any of her skills or Noble Phantasms.
Their battle drew many children over to watch. It was just after school, and the gates were packed with students. They rarely had the chance to see such an intense fight and could not help stopping to watch.
After Chiron's education over this period, these children had gradually stopped rejecting combat. They began commenting on the two girls in the middle of the field, discussing who was stronger and who would win.
"How childish. Hurry up and finish so we can go home!"
Tina walked over with a yawn, tapping away at her phone as it beeped repeatedly. In her eyes, Jack and Kohina's fight was completely meaningless.
"Jack is only playing around. She isn't showing her real abilities. She's going easy on Kohina."
Another voice sounded. A short-haired little girl had somehow come over as well, and she accurately saw that Jack had not gone all out.
Yuxian turned to look her over. She seemed somewhat familiar, and after thinking for a moment, he finally recalled her name.
Natsu Yo Senju, Ikuma Shogen's Initiator. She possessed the Dolphin Factor and was an exceptionally intelligent child with an IQ of 210.
Her appearance surprised Yuxian. Ikuma Shogen, whose head seemed to be nothing but muscle, had actually sent Natsu Yo Senju here to attend school. Their relationship appeared to be far better than Yuxian had imagined.
Although Natsu Yo Senju did not possess Tina's overwhelming combat ability, she had extraordinary intelligence and could naturally see that Jack was holding back.
Noticing Yuxian studying her, Natsu Yo Senju looked up and asked, "Why does Jack call you Mom? Are you actually a woman?"
Natsu Yo Senju asked such a sharp question with a blank expression, making the corner of Yuxian's mouth twitch.
He could only explain seriously, "That's because Jack mistook me for her mother when she first met me. After so much time, she couldn't change the habit."
"Is that so?" Natsu Yo Senju tilted her head.
To Yuxian's surprise, he could read the words I don't believe you on her expressionless face.
He sighed inwardly and decided not to explain any further. Jack's identity was simply too difficult to explain to others. It did not matter whether they believed him or not, as long as he believed it himself.
"Jack! Stop playing already! I'm starving! Let's go home and eat!" Gretel slowly strolled out, spotted Jack playing with Kohina, and called out loudly.
At Gretel's words, Jack immediately leaped backward, evading Kohina's attack. "I'm going home."
Then she put away her dagger and ran back to Yuxian.
Other than Yuxian, Gretel was Jack's closest friend. The two of them got along surprisingly well. Jack might not listen if someone else called her, but when Gretel called, she accepted it naturally.
At that moment, Illya and Little Jeanne also came out of the school. With everyone present, Yuxian waved his hand. "Let's go home and eat!"
Before he had taken more than a few steps, a small hand tugged on the hem of his clothes. Looking down, he saw Tina staring at him like he was some heartless man who had abandoned her. Only then did he remember that he had not arranged anything for this little assassin.
He stopped, slapped his forehead, and said, "Tina, go find Teacher Chiron. He'll arrange a place for you to stay. From now on, you'll live here."
After Yuxian finished speaking, Tina still showed no intention of letting go. Her watery eyes stared at him without blinking.
That look gave Yuxian a headache. He sighed helplessly. "Do you want to come with us too? Fine, then..."
It was not as if Yuxian absolutely had to leave Tina in the outer district. One more person made no difference. If she wanted to follow them, then she could.
Thinking about it carefully, Tina was unfamiliar with the place and knew no one here. It really would be difficult to leave her behind.
Only after hearing Yuxian agree to let her come did Tina silently release his clothes.
On the way back, Tina suddenly said, "Dr. Arland told me to deal with Teacher Chiron."
Tina had been silent the entire way, so Yuxian did not immediately react when she abruptly said something like that.
"Why bring that up all of a sudden?"
Tina lowered her head and fell silent again. After quite a while, she raised her head, her adorable face filled with confusion. "You heard wrong. I didn't say anything just now."
Yuxian only smiled without saying anything. Tina was playing dumb, and he did not intend to press her further.
The fact that Tina had voluntarily said those words meant she had completely lowered her guard around Yuxian. For her to reach that point in just one day honestly gave him quite a sense of accomplishment.
Of course, Little Jeanne deserved most of the credit.
Dr. Arland targeting Chiron was probably Sogen Saitake's commission as well. Otherwise, Arland, who was on the other side of the ocean, had no reason or motive to target Chiron.
Sogen Saitake was currently in the Tokyo Area, still holding talks with Seitenshi. Yuxian had long disliked that dictator from the Osaka Area. Now he had actually set his sights on Yuxian as well.
Mash said worriedly, "Senpai, we should inform Teacher Chiron so he can be prepared."
Yuxian nodded. Chiron naturally had to know about this. Sogen Saitake had truly lost his mind if he thought he could target Chiron.
What Yuxian was thinking about now was how to make that dictator suffer. Letting him off so easily would be far too kind.
Yuxian had never been a particularly generous person.
Little Jack: Do you have any votes?
Chapter 26: Dictator? He Doesn't Deserve the Title!
Yuxian immediately contacted Chiron, told him the information, and informed him that the person behind it was Sogen Saitake, who was currently meeting with Seitenshi in the Tokyo Area.
Chiron said with a smile, "Rest assured, Master. I will handle it. If Sogen Saitake really managed to kill me so easily, I would probably be laughed out of Chaldea."
A would-be tyrant from such a tiny place dared call himself a dictator. Chiron felt no stir in his heart and even found it somewhat amusing.
He realized that he had still been too quiet and too low-key. Sometimes, being forceful had its advantages. It could keep petty people from gathering around him like flies.
Those people would bring unnecessary trouble to Yuxian, and that was not something he wanted to see. Now that Yuxian was with him, if anything happened, he would definitely be strung up and beaten once he returned to Chaldea. There were truly quite a few people in Chaldea who doted on their Master.
Hearing Chiron say that, Yuxian relaxed. It was not that he doubted Chiron, but he could not help worrying about him somewhat.
Since Chiron did not care, it should truly be nothing serious. Yuxian was confident of that. Chiron was not the kind of person who was blindly arrogant.
Sogen Saitake's visit to the Tokyo Area did not achieve the results he wanted. The assassins he had arranged earlier vanished without making the slightest ripple, as though they had evaporated into thin air. Arland had even cut off contact unilaterally, and there was no news of what had happened.
There were originally supposed to be several more rounds of talks according to the plan, but he had lost all interest. He found an excuse to cancel the remaining meetings, deciding to return to the Osaka Area early and make other plans.
As the supreme leader of the Osaka Area, he had his own private jet. Whenever he wished to leave, it could take off immediately.
At that moment, he sat aboard his private jet, poured himself a glass of red wine, and slowly savored it.
The failure of this plan did not discourage him. He still had many methods to employ, and the Tokyo Area would eventually become his possession.
As the plane took off from the airport, Sogen Saitake looked down through the window. The entire Tokyo Area slowly shrank in his eyes. He reached out, made a grasping motion, and covered the whole Tokyo Area in his palm, as if the entire city were already under his control.
The noonday sun was dazzling. Sunlight shone directly into the cabin and fell over Sogen Saitake. He looked up, but the blinding light made it difficult for him to keep his eyes open.
He noticed an exceptionally brilliant gleam within the sunlight, mixed among it so thoroughly that it was impossible to distinguish.
That light grew brighter and closer. Instinctively, he closed his eyes.
What he did not expect was that this time, he truly closed his eyes forever. From that moment on, he would never open them again.
Boom!
A massive explosion rang out in the sky. Sogen Saitake's private jet exploded in midair, its wreckage breaking apart and crashing down to the ground. The enormous impact killed quite a few Gastrea below.
This was Sogen Saitake's final contribution to humanity. His life had come to an end.
News of Sogen Saitake's plane crash soon appeared in the media, and Yuxian received the news immediately.
The reports said it had been an accidental crash, but Yuxian knew perfectly well that Chiron had done it.
When he first heard the news, he was completely stunned.
This was what Chiron meant by handling it?
Still, it really had been handled. Sogen Saitake had completely vanished from this world. Was that not handling it?
Chiron resolving the matter in such a simple and brutal manner truly exceeded Yuxian's expectations.
In Chaldea, Chiron was considered one of the gentler Heroic Spirits. There were plenty more hot-tempered than him. Yet even such a kind person was, at his core, still a legendary figure who had once shaken the world. Someone as insignificant as Sogen Saitake could never have entered his eyes. Killing him casually was nothing at all.
Yuxian had actually been mistaken about something. Whether it was Chiron, Atalanta, or any other Heroic Spirit in Chaldea, they only showed their friendly side when facing him.
At other times, a king was still a king, and their prestige could not be insulted. A hero was still a hero, and their spirit could not be taken away.
And this was Chiron. If it had been someone else, their methods would likely have been even more intense. Turning the world upside down would not have been impossible.
Mash also looked as though it was only natural when she heard the news. In her heart, Yuxian, her senpai, was what mattered most. Other matters could not stir even the slightest ripple within her.
The truth behind Sogen Saitake's death was no secret among the upper ranks. However, everyone tacitly understood it, and no one would blame Chiron over a dead man.
Even if Sogen Saitake had held a high position, dead was dead. The dead had no value. Offending a powerful person like Chiron for his sake was clearly not worth it.
Over the following days, the entire Tokyo Area remained peaceful. Yuxian became especially relaxed as well, doing nothing all day except taking the children around to have fun.
After several twists and turns, the New Gastrea Law was finally officially enacted.
Seitenshi personally visited the school in the outer district to see all the Cursed Children and brought them a great many gifts.
It had to be said that this young leader's ability to handle matters was worthy of praise.
There were still people who secretly felt dissatisfied with the law, but those voices were quickly drowned out by the many voices of support.
After Kisaragi Tendo handed the list to Hiruko Kagetane, the small number of stubborn holdouts began suffering accidents one after another.
Smart people understood that the tide had already turned and could no longer be stopped. Quietly accepting it was the wisest choice.
From that day onward, the Cursed Children of the Tokyo Area could finally live openly and honestly. They could live peacefully in the city like other children, no longer discriminated against because of their red eyes. They could walk freely through the streets.
Enju Aihara visited her friends at her former school. This time, she was not discriminated against, but the distance between them had already formed. Repairing it was not something that could be done overnight, so she ultimately chose to continue attending school in the outer district.
People's attitudes had begun to change, but that required time. A single law was far from enough.
Still, things were moving in a better direction. Having taken this step, the road ahead would become much easier.
Everything seemed to be over.
"Are we getting ready to leave, Senpai?" Mash asked softly. These days had been very peaceful, and she felt that the day of their departure was drawing closer.
Yuxian shook his head. "Not yet."
One of the giant Monoliths in the Tokyo Area had been built with shoddy materials, but Yuxian did not know which one.
Although he had already asked Kisaragi Tendo to investigate it thoroughly, it would not be easy. Before many things truly happened, they were difficult to bring to light.
People only wished to believe in things that had already happened. Those with vested interests would cling to wishful thinking and desperately conceal the truth until something irreversible occurred and it could no longer be hidden.
Would Aldebaran still come?
Before you continue