In a cleared-out private room on the hotel's top floor.
The silver-haired princess held her teacup, gently blowing on it before smiling at the official before her:
"So, your side still has no definitive conclusions about this attack?"
Facing La Folia's inquiry, Manager Hyoue Kuroda, who had rushed over temporarily, opened his uncovered eye, expression solemn:
"Your Highness may rest assured, the Metropolitan Police Department has deployed specialists who will spare no effort to uncover the mastermind."
"Spare no effort..." La Folia's tone carried distinct flippancy, seeming highly sceptical of this claim.
Yet Kuroda remained expressionless, utterly unfazed.
What was some veiled sarcasm? Having been pushed here by superiors as the sacrificial lamb, Kuroda understood his role perfectly. The princess's mockery might as well have been water off a duck's back.
La Folia wasn't surprised by Kuroda's reaction either. Among various nations' leadership, men like him were commonplace to her.
"Very well, Manager Kuroda. As requested, I'll hand over the captured prisoners along with the scene report to your Japanese authorities."
La Folia regarded Kuroda calmly, her tone drifting:
"But after the handover, within 24 hours, I should expect to see different results, yes?"
Kuroda responded gravely: "You have my word, the Metropolitan Police Department will deliver an answer within 24 hours."
"That settles it then. I'm rather tired, so Manager Kuroda may take his leave now."
La Folia offered this perfunctory excuse to dismiss Kuroda.
Once he'd gone, she lifted her teacup, pensive.
Just then, Justina, who'd been observing quietly, approached and whispered:
"Your Highness, do you suspect Japan's officials?"
"Not exactly." La Folia shook her head. "While I acknowledge officialdom has no shortage of fools, precisely because I know there are many fools, I'm certain their efficiency couldn't possibly be this high."
Being attacked on the very first night - if this were Japan's official efficiency at work, its government wouldn't be constantly mocked by the public.
So, in La Folia's eyes, Japan's official authorities were the least suspicious.
"Moreover, the attackers this time didn't seem randomly organised. Even if they were bottom-rung gangsters, gathering these middle-aged and elderly men for suicide attacks—without using mind-control abilities—couldn't have been done overnight."
La Folia had reviewed the knights' brain scan reports on the gangster attackers. With Aldegia's methods, they'd indeed found no traces of ability influence so far.
"Then are you suspecting..." Justina's expression became slightly unnatural.
The attackers would need prolonged brainwashing to act so recklessly, and La Folia had only come to Japan due to unexpected business.
Under such circumstances, the only forces capable of this would be those who'd known La Folia's itinerary in advance and had the means to brainwash gangsters.
And in Japan, such forces seemed to be...
Noticing Justina's expression, La Folia rested her chin on one hand and calmly said:
"Justina, my dear knight, your imagination is quite vivid—suspecting the SDS, of all things."
Hearing this, Justina lowered her head and quietly explained:
"Your Highness, you taught me to maintain vigilance against all organisations... even our allies."
"My, my, using my own words against me now. It seems you've truly grown, Justina."
La Folia nodded approvingly, though with a hint of regret.
She'd originally considered making Justina the inheritor of the Class, but seeing the girl had learned her wariness so well, she'd have to reluctantly exclude her now.
After all, Justina had just demonstrated that her teachings had made the knight suspicious even of allies.
And unfortunately, besides the SDS, there was another party that could meet the aforementioned conditions to attack La Folia—the Aldegia Kingdom itself.
If it were an inside job, wouldn't it be perfectly normal for the attackers' examinations to show nothing amiss?
Thus, unfortunately, Justina had fallen under La Folia's suspicion. Though only slightly, La Folia had always believed in maintaining caution towards everyone—this wasn't her first time doubting Justina either.
So La Folia was still looking forward to seeing Justina clear herself of suspicion.
"I was merely contemplating based on Your Highness's teachings..." Hearing La Folia's teasing, Justina slightly lowered her head, completely unaware her liege now regarded her as someone to watch.
"Actually, there's another possibility—that the attackers were indiscriminate, targeting anyone who could help achieve their goals. If so, that would also explain the current situation..."
Tilting her head, La Folia added:
"But surely I wouldn't be that unlucky?"
Just as La Folia was pondering this, a knight entered through the open door, stood at attention, and reported:
"Your Highness, the knights below report that the SDS's advance team has arrived."
Hearing this, La Folia suddenly asked with some anticipation:
"Although it's unlikely, was there a black-haired, black-eyed man among the visitors? The kind who doesn't smile warmly but is still very handsome?"
Hearing this, both the reporting knight and Justina stared at La Folia with odd expressions.
Unfazed, La Folia declared matter-of-factly: "At my age, is it wrong to like handsome boys?"
'No, that's not what we were questioning...' Justina and the knight thought simultaneously.
The reporting knight promptly explained: "The visitors were two women."
"Ah..." La Folia's face fell with disappointment before she waved her hand dismissively. "Bring them over then."
...
Meanwhile.
Hotel underground car park.
Hyoue Kuroda, who had been questioning officials about journalist casualties, noticed a Bujin-shū member hurrying towards him.
Within seconds, he received shocking news: "What? The captive committed suicide after regaining consciousness?"
"How could you let this happen? We just took custody, and you've already lost him?"
"My deepest apologies, Manager Kuroda..."
The Bujin-shū member bowed deeply before straightening with a grim expression: "But..."
"For the glory of Phenex! DIE!!"
He ripped open his coat, revealing a countdown-activated explosive belt strapped to his waist.
Hyoue Kuroda's eyes widened in horror.
The next instant.
BOOM!!!!
As the deafening explosion echoed, an elegant silver-haired noblewoman in pale lilac traditional robes watched coldly from a distance as officials scrambled to rescue their superior.
Simultaneously, a cute heterochromatic girl with uneven twin tails emerged from the shadows:
"My my, Fairy Princess. Are you really going to stand by and let this happen?"
"If you do, Luo Shu might get rather cross with you..."
Senhime Rin Getsu turned to Kurumi Tokisaki:
"Spirit, what do you think vermin lurking in sewers fear most?"
Without waiting for an answer, she stated icily:
"The dawn sun."
"For when it rises, the insects hiding in shadows know their end approaches."
Kurumi tilted her head thoughtfully:
"So you're waiting for the shadow-dwellers to emerge before eliminating them all?"
"How very... strong of you~"
Senhime Rin Getsu merely observed the smirking Spirit before remarking:
"You're the true powerhouse here."
Kurumi's playful smile deepened as she melted back into the shadows without reply.
After watching the scorched but still breathing Hyoue Kuroda being loaded into an ambulance, Senhime Rin Getsu vanished.