Roland and Accelerator looked at each other across a hospital bed.
After that brisk opening brought them into conversation, neither spoke again, allowing an eerie silence to spread quietly through the room.
That was nothing unusual for Roland, who always looked utterly unconcerned, but even Accelerator, normally wearing a fierce, impatient expression, did not lash out. He merely stared at the Dream Creator before him.
As the atmosphere grew increasingly heavy, Misaki Shokuhou stood behind Roland with her head lowered, saying nothing.
She even drew her neck in slightly to suppress her body's trembling, like a frightened kitten with its tail raised.
It was not that Misaki Shokuhou feared Accelerator now that he had been sealed. Although she was the Blue Dream Organization's spokesperson and had long since discarded her inner naïveté, the girl still tended to be reasonable.
Applying appropriate pressure to inspire awe was necessary.
So, on their way here, she had enthusiastically suggested to Roland that she play the villain to cultivate Accelerator's obedience. Roland would only need to maintain his detached bearing, dispensing both thunderbolts and gentle rain.
But Roland had flatly refused her then.
"No need to go to all that trouble. The groundwork is already laid."
When he said that, Roland had even given her a meaningful smile.
"It'll be over soon."
So... this was what he meant!
Misaki Shokuhou's feelings were rather complicated now.
As the leader of a faction that dominated its corner of Tokiwadai, she had experience bringing talented, unruly subordinates into the fold.
Although the methods and approaches differed, the process generally had three stages.
Show goodwill, demonstrate her own strength and the other party's shortcomings, then join forces.
To put it crudely: treat them to dinner, behead them, then take them in as dogs.
But...
Even if they ended