Chapter 45: Chapter 45: A Trio of Girls Goes to the Library [1].
Reina Kuromiya hated being summoned without an explanation.
Not because she minded taking orders, though she certainly did, but because they made her walk all the way to a public area, enter a library, and pretend she was interested in old books when, in reality, they were escorting her to a meeting with her organization.
She walked with her hands in her pockets, a bored look on her face and an expression that made it clear she’d rather be anywhere else.
Beside her, Misaki walked with her uniform immaculate and an annoyed expression she made no attempt to hide.
Ayane walked ahead of them both.
She wasn’t walking fast, but she wasn’t slow either. Her posture was straight, her face calm, and her eyes alert to every movement around them.
Reina looked up at the sign on the building in front of them.
[Star City Central Public Library.]
It was enormous, silent, and far too ordinary to be hiding the entrance to an enemy base.
"What a boring place for a summons."
Reina said, earning a sideways glance from Misaki.
"It’s a library, not a circus."
"That’s exactly why I called it boring."
"Maybe if you read more, you wouldn’t have so many stupid opinions."
Reina smiled.
"And maybe if you talked less, people wouldn’t feel like falling asleep every time you opened your mouth."
Misaki narrowed her eyes.
"Want to start before we even go inside?"
"Depends. Are you going to cry if you lose?"
"I’ve never lost to you."
"That’s because you always run away before it counts as a fight."
Misaki clenched her fist.
"Say that again if you’ve got the ovaries."
Ayane stopped in front of the library entrance.
"Quiet."
The word wasn’t loud, but it didn’t need to be. Reina and Misaki fell silent immediately.
Ayane turned her head just slightly.
"We’re in a public area. Don’t draw attention to yourselves."
Reina raised both hands.
"All right, boss."
Misaki looked away.
"Understood."
Ayane continued walking, and the other two followed.
As they entered, the smell of old paper and polished wood greeted them. Several people were reading at long tables while a librarian sorted documents behind the front desk, and a group of students whispered near the history section.
Ayane didn’t head toward the desk. Instead, she walked straight to a quieter area near the shelves of classic literature.
Reina looked around with feigned curiosity.
"Think anyone would notice if we burned this whole place down?"
Misaki answered quietly.
"Yes, and starting a fire would expose the entrance to the base."
"I see why our reputation is so lousy. We clearly have at least one member who lacks ambition."
"I’d say our reputation is in the gutter because we have one member who’s hopelessly immature."
Reina smiled.
"Sounds like you’re eager to lose to me."
Ayane stopped again, and both of them fell silent without needing another order.
Ayane checked the aisle, making sure no one was nearby.
Then she walked over to a specific bookshelf, one holding a section of classic works that almost no one ever touched. She ran her fingers across several spines until she found a dark green volume with faded gold lettering.
The book’s title was no longer readable, but Ayane gripped it near the top and pulled gently.
The book didn’t come off the shelf. Instead, it tilted downward like a lever, and a mechanical sound activated behind the wall.
Reina smiled.
"Now this I like."
Misaki looked at her.
"Behave."
"I am behaving. I just said I like it!"
"That alone is already too much."
The bookshelf shifted a few inches inward before sliding to one side, revealing a narrow staircase descending into darkness.
Ayane entered first, and Reina let out a low whistle.
"I always wonder how many taxpayers know their library has an entrance to a secret base."
Misaki stepped in behind Ayane.
"Probably none, because that’s the whole point of a secret entrance."
"Every time you talk, I feel like the world gets a little grayer."
"And every time you talk, you remind me why silence is a public service."
Reina clenched her teeth at that last remark.
The hidden door closed behind them, and the library’s light disappeared.
The passageway was narrow and descended in a straight line for several meters. The walls were reinforced concrete with small lights installed at regular intervals.
There were no decorations, no windows, and no visible signs, only the path leading downward.
Reina walked with her hands behind her head.
"What do you think the Great Mother wants?"
Misaki answered without looking at her.
"If I knew, I wouldn’t be heading down to hear it from her."
"You could at least guess."
"I don’t waste my time on pointless nonsense."
"But you do waste time fighting with me."
"I’d call it self-defense."
Reina let out a short laugh.
"Admit it. You enjoy it."
"You give me headaches."
"At least I know you pay attention to me."
Misaki stopped for a moment.
"One day I’m going to shoot you."
Reina’s smile widened.
"And you’ll miss again."
Misaki turned toward her.
"What did you say?"
Reina stepped closer.
"That you’ll miss."
The tension spiked immediately, but Ayane, who was walking ahead, came to a stop.
"That’s enough."
Reina and Misaki froze.
Ayane didn’t raise her voice, but they obeyed as though she had.
"You were summoned by the Great Mother. If you arrive arguing, you’ll disgrace our unit, and if that happens, I’ll be the one correcting your behavior."
Misaki lowered her gaze.
"Understood."
Reina’s smile faded a little as well.
"Yeah, yeah. Understood."
Ayane watched them for two more seconds.
"Good."
Then she resumed walking.
Reina waited until Ayane had gotten a little farther ahead before whispering,
"She’s scary."
Misaki answered without moving her lips.
"Shut up."
Reina smiled, but didn’t provoke her again.
The passage ended at a metal door where Ayane placed her hand on a dark panel. A line of light traced the outline of her fingers, and the system emitted a brief tone before the door opened.
On the other side was a spacious elevator with no visible buttons.
The three of them stepped inside, the doors closed, and the elevator descended.
None of them spoke during the ride.
Not because they had nothing to say, but because even Reina understood they were entering a place where jokes could become very expensive.
When the doors opened, the secret base came into view.
It wasn’t just a simple shelter, but an enormous underground facility.
Long corridors, dark metal walls, reinforced doors, cameras mounted in every corner, and people moving with practiced efficiency. Some wore black uniforms, while others were dressed in lab coats.
Some carried weapons, while others transported sealed containers marked with symbols no ordinary person was ever meant to see.
Reina stopped smiling for a moment.
"Whoa."
Misaki also looked around more carefully.
"This place is a lot busier than usual."
Ayane didn’t answer, but her eyes swept across the facility, because she had noticed it as well.
There were too many people, too much activity, and far more security than usual.
A woman in a black uniform approached them, carrying a tablet in one hand and wearing a silver insignia on her chest.
"Kuromiya Unit, we’ve been expecting you."
Ayane nodded.
"We were summoned by the Great Mother."
"Correct. Follow me."
The woman turned around and began walking.
Reina looked at Misaki.
"Kuromiya Unit. Has a nice ring to it."
Misaki replied,
"Only because your last name is in it."
"Exactly. That’s why it sounds good."
Misaki let out a sigh.
Ayane didn’t scold them this time, but they both kept their voices down.
As they walked through the base, they passed several rooms with reinforced glass doors. In one, several technicians reviewed data displayed across multiple monitors.
In another, dark containers were connected to measuring devices.
In a third, a figure shrouded in corrupt energy stood motionless inside a sealed chamber, watched over by three armed researchers.
Reina stared at the room for a second longer than she should have, and the woman leading them spoke without looking back.
"Don’t stop."
Reina kept walking.
"How friendly."
Misaki lowered her voice.
"Did you see that?"
"Yeah."
"Was that active corruption?"
"It looked like it."
Ayane spoke without turning around.
"No comments."
Both of them fell silent.
They reached a wider section where several corridors converged in front of an enormous double door.
And that was when they saw them.
They weren’t the only ones there.
Several other groups had already gathered.
Some members leaned against the walls, others spoke quietly among themselves, and many wore different uniforms, carried different weapons, and bore unit emblems that Ayane recognized only from internal reports.
Everything pointed to one thing.
Something important was about to happen.
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