Chapter 384: Why Is Everyone So Foolish, One After Another
After flying for about half an hour, they traveled over a hundred kilometers and arrived at a desolate small island located on the outskirts of the artificial island.
Desolate indeed—from above, no traces of dwellings could be seen. It was a completely uninhabited island, devoid of any human presence.
This was their destination.
However, the devastation that met their eyes—the countless craters and deep pits scattered across the ground—couldn't help but raise doubts.
"Senior, is Kanase Kensei really on this island?"
The one asking was Yukina.
Even Sayaka furrowed her brows slightly at the sight before them.
She couldn't help but wonder: Would Her Highness La Folia truly be here?
Or rather, was she even still alive?
Mahiro chuckled teasingly:
"Who knows? Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. Perhaps he's already left with the experimental subjects..."
But I trust the information Zeta provided.
He didn't voice the latter half of his thoughts, nor was there any need to.
Instead, he simply began walking on his own, strolling leisurely along the beach, intending to explore this deserted island.
This time, however, the first to follow him wasn't Yukina, but Giada.
With her hands clasped behind her back, she adopted a girlish posture, walking side by side with him and occasionally sharing amusing stories, much like a couple on an outing.
Yukina, standing in place, watched the two strolling ahead before turning to exchange a glance with Sayaka.
After confirming each other's expressions, the two promptly followed.
However, although this desolate island was smaller than the surrounding ones, traversing every corner on foot at a leisurely pace was no easy task.
As evening approached, Yukina's stomach was the first to rumble loudly.
"Hungry?"
"Mhm."
Yukina nodded shyly, her face flushed.
It made sense—last night, she had been busy at the orphanage until late, only going to bed after confirming that Kanon Kanase was safe.
Early this morning, she had set off with Mahiro without even having breakfast.
Logically, she should have been hungry long ago. The fact that she lasted this long was a testament to her endurance.
Mahiro was well aware of this.
Just as he was about to speak, Sayaka pulled an energy bar from her skirt pocket and handed it to Yukina.
"Yukina, have this for now."
"Sayaka... isn't this your emergency food?"
Yukina hesitated as she looked at the offered energy bar, but Sayaka firmly pressed it into her hand.
"It's fine, I'm on a diet!"
After saying this, she turned her gaze to Mahiro, slightly furrowing her brows as she added:
"Are we just going to wander aimlessly on this deserted island looking for someone?"
"What else?"
Mahiro shrugged, then swung the long, sword-like wooden stick he had picked up earlier toward the dense foliage ahead.
With a whoosh, the thick branches and leaves were cleaved apart, opening up a new path.
Mahiro walked straight in, saying softly:
"That's why I asked you before boarding the plane if you were sure about coming along. After all, searching for someone on this island is quite troublesome, and we need to be prepared for a long haul."
In truth, finding someone on this island wasn't troublesome for him—on the contrary, it was quite simple. A single "Eye of the Spirit" would suffice.
But since he had finally made it out here, he wanted to wander around a bit more and enjoy himself.
After all, this environment was still quite nostalgic for him, inevitably reminding him of the days when he trained assassination squads in the forest.
It also served to take Sayaka down a peg.
Indeed, Sayaka was left speechless by his words. She silently returned to Yukina's side, quietly urging her to eat the energy bar, then subtly glanced at Mahiro's back.
Who knows what was going through her mind.
According to Mahiro's understanding, it certainly wasn't anything good.
After wandering in the forest for nearly half an hour, just as someone was growing tired, a dark concrete wall suddenly came into view on a slope ahead.
The wall was cracked, covered in moss, but unmistakably a man-made structure.
It resembled a fortress in appearance, with countless bullet hole-like dents and cracks on its surface, as if it had been used as a weapons testing site.
The dim fortress was empty, with only the sounds of insects breaking the silence.
Seeing this, Mahiro couldn't help but smile as he turned around and said:
"Looks like we're quite lucky. We won't have to sleep outside tonight."
Sayaka, upon seeing the fortress and hearing his words, hesitated.
"Tonight... are we really going to sleep here?"
Generally, those with androphobia also tend to have severe mysophobia.
Even Kirasaka Sayaka, a Shamanic War Dancer from the Lion King Organization, was no exception.
However, Mahiro looked up at the sky with an indifferent expression.
Noticing that it would be dark in a few hours, he deliberately remarked:
"It's getting late, and there's no better place to stay at the moment... Of course, if Miss Sayaka wants to wander outside and play at wilderness survival, I won't stop you."
"Hmph, hmph! Fine, we'll stay! I won't think it's dirty!"
Sayaka stubbornly retorted with her tsundere attitude.
This girl, her mouth was the hardest thing about her.
But it must be soft to kiss, right?
Mahiro rubbed his chin, eyeing Sayaka's back, especially the black garter stockings with pink lace trim, and began to let his imagination run wild.
Seeing this, Yukina gave Mahiro an apologetic smile, telling him not to take it to heart, before following Sayaka to try and persuade her.
"Alright, let's start preparing dinner."
Mahiro rolled up his sleeves, gathered scattered stones and branches nearby, and skillfully set up a makeshift stove.
On the way here, he had spotted quite a few animals like rabbits.
They were perfect targets for a campfire meal.
"Huh? Senpai is preparing dinner? Let me help too!"
Yukina, who had been tidying up the fortress, rushed out upon hearing the commotion outside. Seeing Mahiro's actions, she grabbed Snowdrift Wolf and jogged into the woods.
"Wait, Yukina, I'll help too!"
Then, Sayaka hurried out as well, following Yukina into the woods and disappearing among the trees.
One wielded the demon-slaying bow Lustrous Scale, the other the demon-slaying machine gun Snowdrift Wolf, setting their sights on the coconut trees growing near the coast.
In a stroke of inspiration, they used their respective weapons to knock down the coconuts and gathered some dry branches before returning, fully loaded.
Surprisingly capable, one might say.
As for Mahiro, he was currently hunting in the forest.
With his skills, he quickly hunted six or seven wild rabbits and a wild boar.
"How fortunate. I never expected such creatures could survive on this island."
Mahiro crouched on the reef, skillfully dissecting the rabbits and the boar. He evenly divided the meat into portions, soaked them in seawater, and washed away the bloodstains.
Throughout this process, Giada watched quietly.
Then she suddenly spoke up:
"Your technique looks quite practiced. Have you done this before?"
"You could say that."
The corners of Mahiro's lips lifted slightly, carrying a hint of nostalgia. In his mind, the first image to surface was that of a pink-haired girl with twin tails, followed by a golden-haired girl with ample curves, a black-haired girl with a modest chest, and others.
Namely, Mine, Cornelia, Akame, and Tsukushi.
His voice softened slightly as he spoke.
"I once taught a few students, instructing them in wilderness survival skills."
"Oh? Students you taught? They must be quite exceptional, then? I'd like to meet them."
What kind of students would require training in wilderness survival?
Were they his disciples?
Giada couldn't help but grow curious.
"They are indeed outstanding, even something I take pride in... As for meeting them, we'll see. Perhaps you'll have the chance someday."
"Hehe, then I'll look forward to it."
Hearing Giada's cheerful laughter, Mahiro didn't respond.
Instead, he wrapped the prepared meat in the cleaned boar hide and returned to the bunker.
With a casual flick of his hand, he conjured a small flame and lit the stone stove he had built.
The rising firelight instantly illuminated the surroundings.
Coincidentally, Yukina and Sayaka returned at that moment. Seeing the large amount of meat and sliced portions placed beside the stone stove, the two were left speechless.
"Senpai, where did all this meat come from?" Yukina asked in a daze.
"Of course, I hunted it. I saw plenty of game along the way, so I just gathered some."
"You know how to hunt? I don't believe it. You probably just stumbled upon some dead animals and brought them back."
Sayaka blurted out without thinking.
She immediately realized her words were a bit harsh.
Just as she was about to apologize, Mahiro's voice drifted over faintly.
"Believe it or not, suit yourself. If you're so brave, don't eat any. Be careful it doesn't poison you."
"Hmph, fine! I won't eat it! I'll have Yukina's coconut dishes instead!"
"Sayaka…"
Yukina looked at her close friend with concern, unable to understand why her best friend always clashed with her senpai.
Unbeknownst to her, this was simply Sayaka's habit.
She bared her fangs at anyone who tried to get close to Yukina, even if they were one of the Three Saints of the Lion King Organization—she wouldn't back down.
Mahiro was well aware of Sayaka's attachment to Yukina.
So he said nothing more and couldn't be bothered to engage with the stubborn, tsundere girl.
He casually found a flat stone slab, cleaned it with a cleansing spell, and placed it over the fire to heat.
Once it was sufficiently hot, he tossed a few slices of meat onto it, arranging them neatly in rows.
Immediately, with a sizzling sound, the aroma of roasting meat began to spread through the air.
The rich aroma had already made the coconut in Sayaka's hands seem rather bland, but when Mahiro took seasonings from his ring and sprinkled them on, unleashing an even more intense meaty fragrance,
her stomach chose that inopportune moment to rumble loudly.
"Heh, hungry? Want some?" Mahiro glanced teasingly at Sayaka.
Sayaka, who had been secretly stealing glances at the roasted meat from the corner of her eye, stiffened at his words, then began eating the coconut meat in her hand in large bites, mumbling:
"I-I'm not!"
"Is that so? In that case, I won't save any for you."
Mahiro took out several more bowls and chopsticks, distributing them to Giada and Yukina, then picked up two pieces of roasted meat and placed them in their bowls.
Giada ate the meat without any reservations, praising it as delicious between bites, even saying she wanted him to be her personal chef or something along those lines.
Mahiro ignored her and instead picked up another piece of meat, placing it in Yukina's bowl, deliberately saying:
"Here, Yukina, eat quickly. You haven't eaten all day—you must be starving."
He intentionally emphasized the word "starving," as if trying to provoke Sayaka with it.
But Yukina didn't catch on. Looking at the roasted meat in her bowl, then at her best friend, she couldn't help but ask:
"Senpai, could you share a little with Sayaka?"
Hearing this, Mahiro raised an eyebrow, glancing teasingly at Sayaka, who had her back turned to them:
"Share with her? Isn't she afraid of being poisoned?"
"Come on, Senpai, stop teasing Sayaka. She already knows she was wrong."
Yukina was speaking up for Sayaka, but Mahiro remained relentless.
"Does she really know she was wrong? It doesn't seem like it..."
He set down the meat slice he was about to place on the grill, wearing an inquisitive expression.
This time, Yukina didn't say anything more, instead turning her gaze to her good friend, as if waiting for her to say something.
However, Mahiro heard a faint sob coming from Sayaka's direction.
It wasn't the sound of someone crying out of anger, but more like the pitiful whimper of an abandoned kitten.
Seeing this, Mahiro couldn't help but laugh, a genuinely happy laugh, then said:
"Alright, alright, I forgive you. Come and eat. But remember, this time it's only because of Yukina."
Sayaka didn't speak.
Perhaps because the roasted meat was simply too fragrant, she had completely lost her earlier arrogance.
She silently turned around and sat down beside Yukina.
Yukina then handed her a new bowl and chopsticks, whispering softly:
"Actually, Senpai was just teasing you earlier. He prepared a bowl and chopsticks for you from the start. Here, look."
Sayaka stared blankly at the clean bowl and chopsticks placed in her hands, a look of surprise flashing in her eyes.
That detestable man... he really had prepared utensils for her...
Thinking this, Sayaka slowly raised her head to look at the man sitting diagonally across from her, but the moment their eyes met, she quickly turned her head away, a blush instantly spreading across her face, reaching the tips of her ears.
She whispered softly:
"Th-thank you... and I'm sorry about earlier... I didn't mean to..."
Unfortunately, her voice was too soft. Although Mahiro heard her, he couldn't resist teasing her again:
"What did you say? I didn't quite catch that."
"I didn't say anything! Damn it, you really only know how to bully me!!"
Sayaka's shout instantly echoed through the mountain forest.
As night gradually fell, the surrounding woods grew dimmer.
Although their picnic was nearing its end, the unextinguished firelight and the aroma of roasted meat continued to linger, spreading outward.
At the same time, a patch of grass in the forest rustled without any wind.
"..."
The sound from the grass caught Yukina's attention.
Gripping Snowdrift Wolf tightly in her hand, she shouted loudly, "Who's there?"
"Don't make a fuss, it might just be a stray cat."
Giada said indifferently, pulling another piece of roasted meat from the fire pit beneath the stone slab and tearing into it with large bites, completely devoid of any ladylike demeanor.
"Ah... but there shouldn't be any kittens on a deserted island, right? I need to check," Yukina hesitated.
Before she could finish, a "meow" sounded from the grass.
It was pleasant, like a bird in the trees.
Yukina was stunned—could there really be a kitten on this small island?
"Hmm, it might not be a kitten. Perhaps it's a puppy. A kitten couldn't make such a big commotion in the grass."
This time, it was Mahiro who spoke. He added dry branches to the stone stove, his tone somewhat absent-minded.
The flickering firelight illuminated his face, revealing a playful smile.
But his words puzzled Sayaka. They had clearly heard a cat's meow—how could it be a dog making that sound?
The next second, a dog's bark emerged from the grass again.
This made Sayaka and Yukina exchange glances, their eyes widening slightly.
They were starting to feel confused.
But Mahiro, who knew the truth, wasn't about to let it go. He continued:
"No, it seems I guessed wrong. If it were a dog, it would have rushed out at the smell of meat. Could it be a herbivorous sheep?"
As soon as he finished speaking, as if responding to his words, a "baa" came from the grass.
"Eh, it really is a sheep?"
Yukina was startled, her mind thrown into chaos by Mahiro's guidance.
Sayaka, having eaten too much in one go, was feeling drowsy and couldn't quite process what was happening.
Beside them, Giada was almost laughing out loud.
How could this girl be so foolish, believing all this?
She even began to wonder how the Lion King Organization could send such a naive girl to this man's side. Weren't they afraid she'd be devoured completely without gaining anything?
Oh, even Shizuka Koyomi, the head of the Three Saints, had been devoured clean.
Well, that explained it.
And Mahiro didn't stop teasing. He continued softly:
"Hmm, you're right. But sheep can't see in the dark. Could it be that I guessed wrong again? It should be a wolf. After all, wolves are afraid of fire, so it wouldn't dare come out."
"Owoo..."
No matter how many times it changed, the wolf's howl was still imitated perfectly, though the voice carried a girlish charm, sounding incredibly cute.
Mahiro stifled his laughter and continued speaking to Yukina and Sayaka.
"By the way, wolves are pack animals, so there shouldn't be just one howl. If it's alone, it's more likely to be a tiger."
"Ahhh... I can't take this anymore."
A gentle yet frantic voice came from behind a nearby large tree, and she rushed out from the bushes.
With silver hair and deep blue eyes, her refined features were unlike those of a Japanese person—the girl was so beautiful she could almost be mistaken for a goddess.
Her appearance was seventy to eighty percent similar to Kanon's, though her build was slightly larger, as if she were Kanon's older sister.
Though she didn't look much like a soldier, she wore a Western-style uniform resembling a military parade outfit, complete with laced-up boots.
This person was likely La Folia Rihavein, the target of Mahiro's mission.
However, upon seeing La Folia, Sayaka was completely stunned, unable to speak for a long moment.
"Why did you stop pretending? What made you come out?"
Mahiro couldn't help but laugh, finding it all very amusing.
He had only been joking, never expecting her to actually mimic the animal sounds so earnestly.
"So you already knew and were just toying with me?" The girl glared angrily at Mahiro with her deep blue eyes.
"Who told you to be so gullible? An ordinary person wouldn't have fallen for it."
Mahiro chuckled, picturing La Folia hiding in the bushes, racking her brains to mimic animal sounds in an adorable way.
Most importantly, the two foolish girls beside him had actually believed it!
Yukina, who had been kept in the dark, suddenly realized the truth and looked at Mahiro with mild reproach.
Senpai was really too mischievous. How could he bully a girl like that? Besides, they didn't even know what her relationship with Kanon was.