To Be a Power in the shadows part 2

chapter 101

Hearing gan, gan, gan, the sound of something being struck, Beta looks up from the book that she is reading.

Quickly panning around the spacious archive room, she notices a certain part of the wall vibrating in concert with the sounds.

Is someone pounding on the wall from the other side?

The instant she thinks that, the wall suddenly collapses, and two female figures appear from within the cloud of dust.

"OUCH!"

"aU......"

The black-haired teenage girl has planted her face into the ground, while the red-haired woman is leaning out above her.

"Owww. This wall is apparently much more brittle than it looks."

Beta recognizes the face of the black-haired girl who is looking up while rubbing her nose. She is Claire Kagenou, the elder sister of Beta's own master.

"That's why I told you to do it more carefully......"

So says the red-haired woman with an expressionless face.

"If we take our sweet time then we won't make it! Milia, would you mind getting off already?"

"Ah, sorry about that, Claire."

The red-haired woman gets off of Claire's back, then the two stand up and pat the dust from each other's clothing.

"So, where are we now anyways?"

"The underground area of the Red Tower, I believe......"

"This is the underground archive of the Red Tower."

It is Beta who offers an answer to clear the two's confusion.

That causes the two to finally notice Beta sitting in her chair.

"...... It seems we've already been spotted."

"That's why I told you to do it more carefully......"

"Alright, I'm sorry. But from the look of things, we would have been spotted regardless."

The two draw their swords at the same time, facing off against Beta who is still seated in her chair.

Beta heaves a sigh then closes her book.

"Even I did not imagine that someone would come in through the wall. I'm supposed to finish off any and all witnesses, but......"

Beta shoots Claire a quick glance.

"That seems impossible in this case. You lot, stay."

So Beta covertly sends out a command. However, there seems to be only the three of them in this room.

"I have no intention of fighting. So would you kindly put your sword away, Claire-san?"

"......! You know me?"

"You are the latest champion of the Festival of the God of War, Claire Kagenou-san. Am I correct?"

"So I have become quite famous, it seems. Very well, state your affiliation and aim. Once I know you're not an enemy, then I'll draw back."

"Claire!"

"We have no time to engage in meaningless fights, right? She doesn't look like someone related to the Queen of Blood. And also...... she would make for a pretty difficult opponent."

So says Claire with sharp eyes.

Beta is just nonchalantly sitting in a chair, but the atmosphere around her is one that does not seem easy to cut in.