Will of the Prescript, part 2

I'd hoped to offer you a more proper greeting, should we ever meet.

First impressions matter a great deal, after all.

Nngh...! Aah...

A figure appeared from the direction the weapon had flown in.

The man brushed the dust from his coat as he walked in with unbothered ease, looking for all the world like this situation had nothing to do with him whatsoever...

Yet his harpoon had already blasted Sora a good distance out of my sight even before the explosive sound could reach me.

The situation, however, doesn't seem inclined to give me any room for proper courtesy. Allow me to keep this brief.

Vespa Crabro. LCD.

<Ah, this is the guy Ezra mentioned...>

Hearing my ticking, Vespa briefly furrowed his brow in puzzlement before checking the watch he pulled from his pocket.

I was originally headed for the Team Leader's location...

But things looked bad enough here that I judged it best to provide a little backup.

The comms are down... The LCD probably isn't in a good spot either. You sure you're fine staying here?

The Team Leader always tells me it's high time I started thinking and deciding for myself.

It'll be fine. She's not the sort to go down easily against someone on the level of an officer of the Fingers.

There are two of them... Which one should I take on?

Go for Glasses. Her E.G.O's a nuisance.

Uh... C-could you please call me by my name, not "Glasses?"

... Are most of the assailants at about their level?

Yeah. That, or stronger.

In that case, I must regrettably go back on what I said earlier. I'm starting to suspect our Team Leader might not be able to last as long as I thought.

This is clearly an extraordinary circumstance, though that isn't anything new. I will wrap things up here ASAP... and return to the LCD team.

Heh. We'll owe you big time if you can do that.

…….

The Pinky Nursefather remained perfectly still as she continued to fixate on us with her stare.

She made no attempt to help Sora, nor did she look for another way out.

She simply stood there, watching in silence... with the bundle of Golden Boughs in her grasp.