Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute! (The Eminence in Shadow)

(28) Isekai Valentine

Author: Aizawa Daisuke

　Alexia lay down on a clean bed and looked up at her sister's serious face.

"I know what you're talking about"

　Said Iris, sitting by the bed.

"So the slasher incident wasn't the work of Shadow Garden, it was the work of some group pretending to be it."

"Shadow said so."

"Shadow... In the end, we can't grasp their reality."

　Iris casts her eyes down a little and ponders.

"I also confirmed the existence of a powerful magic swordswoman, seemed to belong to Shadow Garden in the previous simultaneous attack on the royal capital."

"It looks like she called herself Alpha."

　Iris nods.

"From other reports, we've learned that the Shadow Garden has a very high level of combat power. And... there is a man named Shadow and it organization name is Shadow Garden. But that's all we know about Shadow Garden. Everything else is shrouded in mystery and we don't even know the purpose of the organization."

"Shadow was hostile to the Diablos cult. Their purpose is the cult."

"The clue is the Diablos cult..."

　Iris let out a sigh.

"Onee-sama?..."

"I thought it was just a religious organization that believed in the devil Diablos, but it's roots are deeper than I imagined."

"Is it the arson case you mentioned?"

"That's part of it, but the budget proposal for the Red Knights won't pass. It looks like I'll be running it at my own expense for a while."

　Alexia frowned.

"Are there any members of the cult in addition to the knights?"

"I don't know. Whether it's someone from a Diablos cult, or just being manipulated by money... But, I can't say it too harshly.... because the formation of the Knights is aggressive.

"If you want money, I'll give it too."

"Just your feelings are fine. You know how many Red Knights there are, right?"

　Iris smiled wryly.

"We are eight."

"Yes, only eight people. With my assets alone, I'll be safe for ten years."

"But that doesn't mean you can't make the knights bigger."

"It can't be helped to make it bigger now. I still don't know if it's an enemy or an ally."

"Nee-sama, uhm..."

　Alexia looked up at her sister with difficulty speaking.

"Which is the enemy of the Red Knights, the Shadow Garden or the Diablos Cult?"

　Iris smiles and answers.

"Both."

"Nee-sama, you mustn't fight Shadow."

　Alexia gripped the sheets tightly.

"Alexia, are you still saying that..."

"Since you don't know Shadow, I can say that."

"It should have been concluded that it was a runaway artifact."

"No, I certainly saw the shadow cast!"