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After he left the Schillings mansion, the first place Yukinari went was the town’s central plaza. The first step in his plan would be to let Hatsune know what he had in mind.
It would be best if they faced off somewhere outside Friedland. Somewhere near the sanctuary might be good, if he could convince Hatsune to go there. Yukinari knew the geography intimately. Besides, if two angels fought each other to the limits of their strength, the chances of collateral damage were high. Fighting in the middle of Friedland was out of the question.
Yukinari stood in front of his sign and looked at it for a moment. Berta had been attacked by Hatsune, most likely, because she had been staking out this sign. Which meant Hatsune had seen it—had taken notice of it.
“Yukinari?” The speaker sounded somewhat dubious. It was Angela, whom Yukinari had along with him.
The female knight was the only person Yukinari had wanted to accompany him when he left the mansion. As he had explained to Fiona and the others, Angela was to serve as bait. Which was, perhaps, just another way of saying that he didn’t know how else to draw Hatsune out.
“What are you doing?” Angela asked.
“I’m trying to decide how to draw out my sister,” Yukinari said with a yank on the chain he was holding. The chain rattled, and Angela, entrapped by the collar on the other end, was pulled closer to him.
“Stay closer to me when we walk,” he said. “Unless you want everyone in Friedland to see you collared like livestock.”
He had thought this might anger her, but instead Angela blushed and obediently came closer to him. Sometimes Yukinari wasn’t sure whether the girl actually understood that she was a masochist.
“Now, then.” He sighed once and reached out toward the sign. For a second, he wished he had brought something to write with; then it occurred to him that, as an angel, he could just create whatever he wanted. With the power of physical reconstitution, Yukinari focused heat into the pointer finger of his right hand and used it to burn letters into the sign:
I’ll be waiting at the sanctuary with the captured Harris missionary girl.
He noticed Angela swallowing anxiously beside him, perhaps because she had never seen him use his powers this way before.
Announcing where he would be carried the risk that Hatsune might head him off or ambush him, but Yukinari was the one who knew the area around the sanctuary better. He was hoping that knowledge would help neutralize any danger he might put himself in.
He finished writing—or burning—his message on the sign, then looked back over his work. He hadn’t made any mistakes.
“And,” Yukinari said then, turning around. “What do you think you’re doing here?”
Dasa was standing there. He had noticed her following them all the way from the Schillings mansion. She was the only one among his little group who wouldn’t listen to what he said to do.
“Dasa, go back to Fiona and the—”
“Yuki. I’m going to help you.” Dasa was never very expressive, but now she had the slightest pout, as though she were concerned or perhaps unhappy. There was a hint of red in her pale cheeks.
“You can’t. Go back.”
“No.” Dasa glared at him.
“I’m going to go fight my sister alone—”
“You have her with you. You’re not... alone.” She referred, of course, to Angela.
“Look, I told you—”
“I’m the one who should be by... your side, Yuki.” Then she walked up to him, inserting herself between Yukinari and Angela. “I don’t in...tend to give... up my place.”
Yukinari was silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh. Angela had a blank look on her face.
“Dasa...”
“Yuki, you... promised Jirina. Promised you would protect me. That you would be at... my side. Keep... your promise.”
Still expressionless and still stubborn, she took Yukinari’s hand.