Perhaps because Origami was in an odd state, the dinner table lacked lively discussion.
The delicious food tasted like sawdust, and the atmosphere was somewhat stiff.
Kotori was well aware of the strange vibe, but as one of the culprits, she found it hard to act normal around Origami.
Even the usually cheerful and optimistic Shiori was dragged back into the memories of that time and the bizarre memory loss.
Amber wanted to say something, but upon second thought, changing the subject now would feel far too forced.
Origami knew the atmosphere was because of her, but given the circumstances, her actions had been inevitable. Even if she tried to make amends, she simply couldn't muster the mood for it.
Finally, in the slightly heavy silence, everyone finished dinner. Kotori finally breathed a sigh of relief—now she could talk business.
'Using official matters to lighten the mood… how pathetic,' she thought.
Even as the thought crossed her mind, she felt a sense of relief. "About what Shiori mentioned earlier, you remember, right?" she began.
"I've spoken with Bishop Mobius."
Amber nodded. "The Bishop welcomes all capable individuals to join Schicksal. However, whether a mutual agreement can be reached requires a direct conversation between the parties involved."
That was exactly what Kotori wanted. "I see. So, how do we communicate?"
"One moment."
Amber took a triangular case from her pocket and placed it on the table.
Pressing a button on its side, the top lid quickly rose about fifty centimeters into the air and hovered there. Both the top and bottom projected pale blue light, coalescing into the words 'Connecting…'
In less than half a minute, the image rearranged itself, forming the upper body of a figure.
Long, slightly wavy green hair, that familiar white lab coat, and a green knit sweater—just these three elements were enough to link the person to 'Mobius.'
Not to mention her exceptionally rare, peerless beauty and the underlying sense of danger hidden beneath it.
Mobius's true strength had always been a mystery.
In fact, the number of assassination attempts she had survived far exceeded imagination.
Yet, whether thirty years ago when she first emerged or now, no one had ever seen a single injury on her. And clearly, she was still alive and well.
Everyone knew she had an impenetrable security network, capable of thwarting both overt and covert attacks. But a small minority believed that she herself must be an incredibly powerful Valkyrie, or perhaps a perfect adaptor for the Stigma.
There were even those who thought the power of the Stigma was modeled after her own, that she was more of a monster than Durandal herself.
However, this theory wasn't widely accepted.
After all, if Mobius truly possessed strength surpassing all others in the world, why would she hide in the shadows all these years, playing with her organization, World Serpent?
With her ambition, she could have conquered the world long ago.
Thinking of this, Kotori—and anyone who knew Durandal well—couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.
While the world's strongest military power was in Mobius's hands, that power happened to be wielded by someone with a strong, upright character.
If she were an ambitious schemer or a mere obedient tool, Mobius would probably be the ruler of the world by now.
And the path to world domination, with its accompanying wars and sacrifices, would likely be even more terrifying than the disasters caused by Spirits.
"You must be Ratatoskr, commander of the Fraxinus, Itsuka Kotori."
While Kotori's thoughts raced, Black Amber spoke first.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on her lips. It wasn't that the smile wasn't visible, but the aggression behind it was so palpable it hardly felt like a smile at all.
"Correct," Kotori nodded. "Bishop Mobius? Or do you prefer Doctor?"
"It makes no difference. Titles are merely a form of respect," Black Amber's tone was unhurried, her words giving away no emotion.
Even though Kotori had mentally prepared herself, knowing she was facing a figure who had stood at the world's peak for decades, a cold sweat still trickled down her back.
"Durandal should have mentioned today's matter, right? My own sister, rather than trusting me, who's been with her for so many years, puts more faith in a friend she just met and the organization behind her. I've really lost to her."
"Here her little sister has worked her way up to commander, and she still wants me to start from scratch. Sometimes I wonder if she's the younger one. Too bad I can't just leave this idiot to her own devices."
As she spoke, Kotori shot a glare at Shiori beside her.
"Heh…" Black Amber leaned back slightly in her chair. Though the movement was subtle, her form-fitting knit sweater clearly outlined her curves.
"After all, Durandal is a child who easily earns others' trust. She's also my most favored student."
Kotori's heart sank a little.
Her own words had been quite clear.
First, by expressing dissatisfaction with Shiori's naive approach, she implied that joining wasn't an absolute necessity.
Then, by emphasizing her hard-earned position at Ratatoskr, she highlighted her investment in her current status.
Finally, she all but stated outright that if they wanted Shiori, they had to take her too, and with a certain level of authority.
Put together, the message was: I don't have to join. If you want Shiori, you take me too, and you grant me appropriate standing.
But the other party showed no intention of acknowledging this subtext.
As for Durandal being Mobius's 'most favored student'… Kotori didn't really care, or rather, she didn't believe it.
'How could a schemer like you raise someone so upright? As mentioned before, nurturing another ambitious schemer or an obedient tool would suit your goals far better.'
She figured it was probably just a case of 'all Valkyries are my students, so Durandal is one too.'
"Indeed, though I'm reluctant to admit it, she is one of the most trustworthy people I've ever met," Kotori had to play along for now.
But before she could finish, she received a puzzled look from Amber. "Reluctant to admit it?"
If you admit it, you admit it. If you don't, you don't. What did 'reluctant to admit' mean?
Kotori shot a discreet glare at Amber.
'You might not remember how you annoyed me back then, but I haven't forgotten a thing. Sure, she's upright, but her words are truly infuriating.'
Black Amber took in their subtle exchange and raised an eyebrow slightly. "You two seem closer than I imagined."
"She's my friend," Amber said, as if adding, 'So stop scaring her.'
"Friend?" Black Amber, of course, knew Amber's attitude towards friends.
She was happy for them to get along, but that didn't mean she wouldn't give Kotori a hard time.
These were two separate matters. Kotori disliking her didn't mean Kotori disliked Amber. If she handled this right, Kotori might even grow fonder of Amber because of it.
Black Amber also understood Amber's mindset—that they were the same person, so she didn't want her friends to dislike 'her.' But honestly, Black Amber didn't care much about that anymore.
She simply felt that things obtained too easily weren't cherished as much.
…Alright, she admitted it. She just wanted to give Kotori a hard time.
"Durandal's friend is naturally a friend of Schicksal. However… Schicksal has always adhered to the principle of mutual and friendly development."
"Taking what others cherish does not align with our consistent practices," Black Amber said with a smile. "Later, I will send a gift to Ratatoskr in my personal name, to celebrate our cooperation."
Now Kotori believed they were master and disciple. One was adept at annoying people, the other was adept at annoying people while also backing them into a corner.
Kotori felt the woman on the screen was smiling in an utterly detestable way.
Her words sounded pleasant enough, but the underlying meaning was clear: Kotori had to leave Ratatoskr first before they would consider accepting her. If that was all, fine—she just wouldn't go.
But then she had to add that she'd send Ratatoskr a gift in her personal name. What would that imply? 'Celebrating our cooperation'? Then why use a personal name?
Celebrating cooperation was a pretext; revealing Kotori's intentions was the real goal.
This was clearly an attempt to create conflict between Kotori and Ratatoskr. Once Kotori couldn't take it anymore and left, Schicksal would extend a helping hand.
As for when that would happen, or if she never left—it probably didn't matter to the other side. This was just a simple opening move, and who knew what other tricks were waiting behind it.
Why go to all this trouble?
From Kotori's perspective, it was obvious: they wanted her and Shiori to join Schicksal at their most vulnerable. Then it wouldn't be a 'transfer,' but 'taking in.'
What grounds would she have to demand any rights then?
The young girl gritted her teeth so hard they nearly cracked. Knowing the other's attitude, the subsequent conversation was almost entirely meaningless.
After a brief ten minutes, Black Amber ended the call with a smile.
Kotori took a deep breath. Seeing the dazed look on the blonde girl beside her, she knew Shiori had barely understood the subtext of the conversation.
But she couldn't explain it outright. Given Shiori's personality, she'd probably march right up to Mobius and ask directly. And if a straightforward person like Durandal went to Mobius and spilled everything, the situation would become even more disadvantageous.
Damn it! She had only wanted to sound out their stance, but this conversation had pushed her to the edge of a cliff…
She needed to find a way to make this blonde blockhead figure it out on her own…
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.