The team was currently in a suite room on the top floor of the most luxurious hotel in the second district. The suite room was on the 8th floor and provided a wonderful view.

There are four suite rooms on the 8th floor, but they took two of them. One for the student council and one for the rest.

「All right. Everyone is here」

When Seiya confirmed everyone’s presence, he inserted his hand in his pocket, took out something, and handed it to everyone.

「This  is?」

Selena questioningly looked at this thing. The same was true for everyone present except Seiya. Seiya explained to the five.

「This is the IC Gater Mini. It has a few restrictions compared to my IC Gater but with this, you can use the virtual currency. I put 20 thousand grela in each of them, use it as you see fit. That being said, don’t leave the inn too much」

Hearing his explanation, everyone looked at their IC Gater Mini. Seiya’s IC Gater was something like a charge-type wallet.

When selling or buying, you can use the IC Gater to pay, making an exchange possible. According to the youth, there are several companies dealing in support and maintenance of the IC Gater.

The girls’ IC Gater Mini didn’t differ that much from a normal one, it only worked with the different amounts of money. The normal IC Gater has no limit while the IC Gater Mini can only operate with a limited amount of money based on its type.

For example, these IC Gater Mini had a fixed maximum amount of 50 thousand grela, and they currently had 30 thousand on them. In other words, if they work hard they can increase it up to a maximum of 50 thousand. Besides those, there is a type for children with a maximum amount of 10 thousand and a type with a maximum amount of 1 million.

Normally the IC Gater of Seiya’s type is kept in a bank and used to charge the IC Gater Mini when necessary.

Therefore, the people with the normal IC Gater either came from other places or confident in their own power.

「Also, you can fill it by selling stuff like we did before. That being said, 50 thousand grela is the limit, if you exceed it you’d have to get a new one. It’s one for 2000 grela, it seems」

Seiya’s explanation was met with silence. Apparently, they had difficulties to comprehend the concept of virtual grela.

That’s why they decided to go out only with Seiya and stay in their room any other time.

「By the way, Seiya……what are we going to do from now on……? 」
「That’s right. We came all the way here, but we have no idea where my mother is」

Yua’s and Selena’s question was reasonable.

They came here to save Moka Fenix, not for sightseeing. But they had no way to save her since they didn’t know where she was hidden. Nevertheless, they didn’t have any way to figure out the location.

「Regarding that, we have no choice but to ask around」
「Ask around!?」
「Would this method work?」
「It may be dangerous if we don’t hurry」

The student council members were surprised by Seiya’s nonchalant answer.

True enough, they didn’t have any other mean but to ask around. However, it can take too much time or, in the worst case, can alert the criminal.

Besides, they couldn’t predict the consequences of being slow. The student council members were agitated.

「This is just a speculation, but they probably won’t kill her anytime soon. If they want to kill her, they could have done so in the Leiria Kingdom.
That means that their target is『Fenix Flames』. However, the criminal shouldn’t be knowledgeable about『Fenix Flames』.If he knew, he wouldn’t have kidnapped her at such a timing.
Therefore, the criminal only knew the general outline and decided to get it」
「But you aren’t certain, right? 」

Asked Selena in a slightly worried voice. That wasn’t surprising. After all, she had her mother kidnapped and they discussed the probability of her mother being killed or not.

「Relax, She should be safe for at least a week」
「Why can you say that?」
「Because this time’s criminal is a big organization. They committed this large-scale crime. It involved a lot of preparations and risks. Your normal bandits aren’t capable of something like that.
In Leiria’s case, it would have been on the level of a special magician’s clan or the church. There is no way for such an organization to kill the target that they spent so much effort to capture. They will probably treat her carefully for a while」
「Then, is my mother safe for a week? 」
「Yeah. But at the same time, it will turn dangerous after one week」
「It can’t be……」

Selena made a despairing expression. It was the end of the second day since they departed the Leiria Kingdom. Because they couldn’t catch up to the criminal even of the magic horses, he is either already here or in a completely different place.

Even if he was here, they only had a window of six days. Selena downed in her worries and despair. Seeing her like that, Mona and Aishi grasped her hands.

「Well, that’s why I’m going to gather intelligence right now, relax」
「Right now……?」

What Yua asked about was whether it is okay to go out so late. The time was about 8 PM. Looking outside the window, the sun couldn’t be seen leaving only the light from the buildings.

Seiya wanted to go out alone in such a city. Her worries were understandable.

「Yeah, the drunkards start appearing on the streets around this time. I think there is a chance of some of them leaking some secrets」
「Then I’ll go too」

I can’t let Seiya wander the dangerous city, thought Yua. 「Then Lily too!」 she would definitely say something like that. That’s why Seiya immediately disagreed.

「No」
「Why?」
「Because here is the Dakuria. If you somehow end up using your light attribute here, it would escalate into a great commotion」
「Then I’ll fight with only wind and fire attributes…….」

Hearing her words, Seiya swung his head sideways.

「That’s precisely why you can’t. I can’t let you face danger with the attributes you aren’t used to. This time I shall go alone. Lily too. You look like a kid, they won’t let you inside」
「Mu~」

Being a step too late, Lily puffed her cheeks. On the other hand, Yua understood but didn’t seem to be convinced.

Looking at the three, Selena thought. This method may take a lot of time. I want to save Moka as fast as possible but it’s true that there is nothing I can do without any information.

That being said, when someone asks her to obediently wait here the answer is no.

「Then I will go too. I’m not of the light attribute and I look much more adult than Lily. Besides, you are acting for my sake, I can’t just sit and do nothing」
「You know, it’s not like I’m doing it for your sake, it’s for Nari’s」
「I know.  But you are here because of my little sister, I, as the older sister, can’t accept being left out.  So please, lolicon. [¹] Take me with you for the information gathering」

Selena looked at him with serious eyes. Looking into their eyes, Seiya said with a sigh.

「Do what you want」
「Thanks」

Selena, who received the permission to accompany him, looked slightly happy. Next to Seiya, there was Yua with an uncomfortable look in her eyes but he didn’t notice.

「All right then, let’s go. I will come back in four hours at the latest. If I won’t come back today at all, stay on high alert. In the worst case, Lily, I’m counting on you」

Seiya said so and left the room. Selena followed after him.

「Hey, where are we going to go first?」
「First is the clothes store on the third floor of this inn」

Selena asked for a destination and Seiya answered as such.

There are various facilities in this inn besides the rooms, the clothes store is one of them. However, Selena’ didn’t seem to understand the need to visit the clothes store.

Seiya headed for the third floor as he eyed such Selena. To arrive, they used the elevator the saw in this inn for the first time.

「Still, this elevator thingy is amazing」
「That just means that this country’s technological level is this high」
「Right」

The two arrived at the store while having such a conversation in the elevator. The insides of the store were wide, many kinds of clothes ranging from children’s to adult’s could be seen here. Selena’s eyes sparkled.

「Welcome」

A girl, who appeared to be a store clerk, approached Seiya. She was slightly older that Seiya but felt young nevertheless.

Seiya told her the place they planned to visit and asked to pick a suitable outfit.

The girl grinned at Seiya and Selena for a moment and went to fetch the clothes.

After a few minutes, they were told to go to their respective cabins to try the clothes out.

When Seiya entered the fitting room, he saw tuxedo-like clothes on the wall. He took off his uniform of the thirteen apostles’ subordinate and wore the tuxedo.

「It suits you well」

The clerk girl complimented Seiya as he went out of the fitting room in the new tuxedo. Seiya himself didn’t think it suited him but became slightly happy at her compliment.

「Are you going in a night bar with your girlfriend?」

The girl asked Seiya. As for Seiya, he felt that is he says yes here Selena will get furious at him. However, going with someone who isn’t a girlfriend to a bar at this hour is something in itself, so he affirmed.

「Well, something like that」
「I see. Are you going to enjoy yourself tonight? 」

The grinning clerk girl asked such a thing. Seiya wondered whether it was okay for a store clerk to ask something like that from a customer when Selena’s fitting room’s door opened.

Shaa~

With such a sound Selena came out from the fitting room.

Different from her usual twin tails, she let her hair loose, she wore a red dress with long skirt together with long black gloves up until her elbows.

She approached Seiya on her high heels.

「How beautiful. With this, you boyfriend will be all over you this night」
「Eh, b-b-boyfriend? 」

The girl’s words shook Selena. She seemed surprised being treat as Seiya’s girlfriend. Seiya acted before Selena said something weird.

「You’re beautiful, Selena」
「Nn, nnnnnn???????」

Hearing Seiya saying her name was already surprising, but the compliment made her completely lose her words. Her face was red, as red as it could be.

The clerk girl looked at the two with an amused expression. Seiya wanted to finalize the purchase and leave this place as soon as possible.

「How much?」
「Are you fine with this? We have more to offer」
「I don’t mind」
「Understood. It’s 12 thousand grela, but since I saw something nice let it be 10 thousand」
「I see. I will take you up on your offer」

Seiya said so, paid with the IC Gater, and left together with Selena.

At that time the girl said「Take your time this night~」but Seiya chose to ignore it. As for Selena, when she heard the girl’s words, she blushed once again.

As for the uniform, he asked the girl to deliver it to the suite room on the top floor as he informed Lily about it through the telepathy.

Like that, the two ventured into the dark city.