Episode 270: People on the Government’s Side
Black slacks and a white shirt. A serious appearance with semi-long brown hair and glasses.
Yuma gulped and asked Felix,
“Is that person the leader here?”
“Ah, that’s right. Her name is Emilia Neumann. She’s young, but sharp.”
As the three of them focused their gaze, Emilia approached directly.
“Felix, I hear you’ve brought in Seekers. What’s your purpose? Do you intend to massacre us all?”
Felix snorted.
“I’m not thinking of anything like that. I just brought them because they said they wanted to come. They apparently want to hear your story.”
“Story?”
Emilia turned her gaze to Rui and Yuma. Rui also stepped forward and faced Emilia.
He took out an Earbud Translator from his pocket and showed it to Emilia.
“Please put this on. Then we can have a conversation.”
Emilia frowned, as she didn’t understand what he was saying.
Felix, unable to watch any longer, offered a helping hand.
“He said to put that on. It’s an earbud translator. I’m wearing one too.”
When Felix showed his ear, Emilia understood. She accepted the translator from Rui and put it in her ear.
“How is it? Is my voice being translated?”
Emilia nodded and replied, “Yes, it is.”
“We came from Japan at the request of the German government. We were supposed to receive Magic Gems in exchange for subjugating Monsters, but…”
“Oh, is that so? That’s unfortunate. Now that there’s no government, that promise can’t be kept.”
Emilia stated coldly, but Rui shook his head slightly.
“I heard from Felix-san that there’s a government official among your group. Could you introduce us to that person?”
Emilia looked at Rui warily.
“I see… so you want to secure at least the Magic Gems. But what do we gain by giving you that information? Or are you planning to force it out of us if we don’t tell you?”
In response to Emilia’s sarcastic tone, Rui continued without concern.
“We won’t do anything like that. Of course, we’re not asking you to tell us for free.”
“Oh, are we getting something in return?”
Rui smiled and nodded.
“If you give us the information, we will defeat the Monster nesting in this city, the Conglomerate!”
At Rui’s words, Emilia looked momentarily stunned. Then she began to chuckle.
“Is something funny?”
When Rui asked, Emilia said while laughing, “No, but…” and took off her glasses.
Perhaps it was so funny, she wiped away tears and looked at Rui.
“Haa… I’m sorry. It’s just been a while since I heard such a ridiculous story… it made me lose it.”
Emilia put her glasses back on and pushed up the bridge with her finger.
“There have been many Seekers who have said the same thing as you. But they all died. The Conglomerate isn’t an opponent that Seekers… no, that humanity can win against.”
Emilia spat out the words as if giving up. But Rui had no intention of backing down.
“Unless the Conglomerate is defeated, you all can’t leave this place, right? Please let us do it. I and this…”
Rui grabbed Yuma’s shoulder and brought him forward.
“My friend and I will defeat the Monsters! Please believe us! I beg you!”
As Rui bowed his head, Yuma also bowed deeply, saying, “P-Please.” Emilia was silent for a while, but sighed and shook her head.
“I understand. It doesn’t matter to us if you die. Fine. Come with me.”
Emilia turned around and walked deeper into the station. Seeing that, Rui and Yuma exchanged glances.
The two of them said in unison, “Thank you very much!” and followed after Emilia.
◇◇◇
“Ouch! Stop poking me!”
Felix complained and glared at the man behind him. The man was pushing Felix’s back with the muzzle of his Gun, urging him to hurry.
Yuma and the others entered the interior of Tzore Station and looked around.
The buildings outside had suffered damage from the Monsters, with many collapsed, but this place seemed completely unscathed.
On the platform, there were people resting on cardboard, people living in makeshift tents, and people sleeping in the red train cars left on the tracks.
“There’s quite a number of people,”
Yuma muttered, and Rui nodded in agreement while looking ahead.
There were many children and elderly people; just feeding these people would be a challenge. Yuma thought about such things as he walked along the side of the platform.
Suddenly, he saw Emilia and a large man talking about something.
What could it be? He wondered, but Emilia stopped and turned towards them, so he stopped thinking about it.
“It’s here.”
Emilia pointed to a cardboard house made at the end of the platform. It looked like a homeless person’s dwelling.
“Muller-san, I have something to talk about… is that alright?”
Emilia called out, but there was no response.
Is he not here? Just as Yuma thought that, the patched-up cardboard house began to stir.
From behind the newspaper that served as a door, an old man crawled out.
“What is it, Emilia? Do you need something from me?”
The one who stood up unhappily was a man in his sixties. His dirty face had a scruffy beard, and his thinning gray hair was slicked back.
He was wearing what looked like an expensive suit, but the slacks and dress shirt were wrinkled and torn in places.
“These people say they want to talk to you. They say they’re Seekers from Japan.”
“Japan? Seekers!?”
Muller furrowed his brow and glared at Rui and Yuma.