After learning that Kiana Kaslana didn't come to school today, Leo Ash immediately contacted Rita to inform her of the situation.
He had no intention of foolishly searching for her on the streets himself. After all, he had superiors now—since he had joined an organization, it would be a waste not to use the available conveniences.
But soon, he received a message.
According to Rita's feedback, Schicksal's intelligence and information departments were currently fighting with Anti-Entropy over control of the surveillance equipment.
And quite embarrassingly, even with everyone from Schicksal's information department fully deployed, they were still getting crushed by Anti-Entropy in electronic warfare.
So in the end, she very tactfully expressed that it was unlikely to expect those colleagues to support Leo in this matter.
[You are not surprised by this result. After all, you understood from the very beginning that in the end, a person must always rely on themselves.]
Ah, while that's true, you've already said that once.
Sigh, pressure from above, unreliable teammates... Otto really thinks highly of me.
Putting away his phone, Leo Ash decisively chose to skip class.
He didn't come to school to experience high school life in the first place. When it came down to it, he had only two reasons for being at Senba High School.
To improve Raiden Mei's mood a bit, and to keep a close eye on Kiana Kaslana.
If Raiden Mei's mood improved, the outbreak of the Third Eruption would be more easily delayed.
And the later the Third Eruption broke out, the higher the probability that Schicksal could seize the initiative in Nagazora City.
Otto was no good person.
But he was at least a bit better than Cocolia.
If Raiden Mei went to Schicksal, she would probably still be used as nourishment for K423 by Otto. If she went to Anti-Entropy...
Considering things like Wendy, the Sky Father, and Cocolia herself, Leo wouldn't be surprised by whatever that lunatic Cocolia might do.
As for what Raiden Mei's life or death had to do with him... if he could save her, he might as well lend a hand.
And the reason for keeping a close eye on Kiana was even simpler.
This was the mission assigned to him by Schicksal... oh, according to Rita's words, 'Leo' himself had chosen to participate in this mission.
Now that he was the only agent Schicksal had planted near K423, if something really happened to K423 and Otto's plan was ruined, would that petty man let him go?
Troublesome, truly troublesome.
Walking down the street, Leo Ash felt a headache coming on.
Without support from his Schicksal teammates and with no clues at all, he could only try to guess where Kiana might have wandered off to.
[Hmph hmph hmph, after conquering Raiden Mei, you can no longer hold back your inner impulse and plan to make a move on your next target.]
[With your understanding of K423's personality and your handsome face, it will surely take no effort at all to win over that pure and innocent girl.]
[At that time, even if the two of them meet and learn the truth, they will surely...]
Seriously, I'm busy here.
If you have time to fantasize about these non-existent scenarios for me, why not give me a little hint?
System?
Sys?
Realizing the System had temporarily gone offline, Leo Ash looked at the sky that was about to rain and let out a long sigh.
From an objective point of view, he had to thank the System.
After all, if not for the System's hints and rewards, he would have died at the hands of that little girl earlier.
But in the end, at critical moments, a person must always rely on themselves.
No other choice. For now, I have to get moving.
K423 is so playful. Thinking along those lines, I'll probably have to check places like the shopping district and the amusement park.
..
================
In the shopping district, Kiana Kaslana put on an extremely excited look as she gazed around.
"Hmph hmph hmph, when I think about it, I am a genius to begin with. There's no need to be tied down by things like schoolwork at all."
"Coming out to play once in a while won't do me any harm at all—anyway, I can learn all that school stuff with just one look. I don't need to worry about my studies at all."
However, as Kiana said these words and wandered around, she was secretly paying attention to the crowd around her.
Lately, Kiana had always felt a faint, indistinct gaze on her.
Although she didn't sense any malice from this gaze, being watched in secret was certainly not a comfortable feeling.
Her choice not to go to school today was, to put it bluntly, to find out what that gaze was all about.
If she could still feel this gaze after leaving school, then it would mean this matter had nothing to do with the people at school.
Well, my stinky old dad once said that he used to be a member of Schicksal, but now he's a wanted man by Schicksal.
Could it be that this gaze is from someone from Schicksal?
No, there's another possibility.
Walking down the street, Kiana suddenly thought of a possibility.
Back then, when Siegfried suddenly left without a word for some reason, Kiana had wandered all the way from Europe to Nagazora City by herself.
But thinking back now, Kiana always felt that there was something fishy about this matter.
Although her stinky old dad usually seemed unreliable, he shouldn't be the kind of irresponsible person.
Even if he had to leave suddenly for some business, Siegfried Kaslana wouldn't just leave his daughter to fend for herself.
And now that Kiana had grown up a bit, she also realized that her wandering journey was full of suspicious points.
She admitted she was a very intelligent and beautiful genius girl, but no matter how much of a genius she was, could she really wander from Europe to the Far East almost unscathed by herself?
That was clearly impossible.
Could it be that my stinky old dad has actually been protecting me in secret?
And this gaze... is actually my stinky old dad's?
Thinking about it this way, this conjecture is very reasonable.
My stinky old dad is not the type of person who would abandon his daughter. Otherwise, why would he take the risk to rescue me from Schicksal?
In that case, my stinky old dad has actually been near me all along... Could it be that he's worried I won't grow up, so he's using this method to train me?
Thinking about the hardships she had endured over the past four years for such a reason, Kiana felt a mixture of annoyance and comfort welling up in her heart.
Hmph hmph hmph, if that's the case, then all I need to do next is find a reason to lure my stinky old dad out, and I'll be able to see him.
At this moment, the white-haired girl clenched her fists, feeling them harden completely.
When I see my stinky old dad...
—I will definitely give his face a good punch!
..