95-Tied hill (hill of Niina)



 After finishing lunch, Yuto came to the front door of the mansion to go out with Mathew as planned. A car had already been prepared and he and Mattoo got into the back seat of the car.
 Once in the car, Yuto casually looked at the driver and was surprised to see him. There was Thein Tan, the captain of Mathew's bodyguard, who he hadn't seen in two days.

''Mr. Theintan! Are you all right now?

'Yes, Master Du. Thanks to Mr. Shulian, my body feels much better. It's not like I was putting a lot of pressure on my body to begin with.......I'm really sorry for the trouble I've caused you. Besides, now is not the time for me to fall asleep either.

 Mattow leans back against the back of the back seat of the car as it starts to run.

'I feel sorry for Theintan, but I don't have anyone else to take with me on this today but Theintan.

 Yuto became serious as Mattoo said that.
After a while, as if Yuto had made up his mind, he spoke to Matou.

''General Mattoo this today is, by any chance, incredibly important.......''

Hmmm ... I'm on my way to see someone. No, would it be more accurate to say I'm going to pick you up?

 Yuto looked at Mathew's profile. In fact, Yuto had an idea of who that person Mattoo was talking about, but why now? The thought of this goes through my mind. And are we really getting to this area? I also think.

'Hmmm, that face looks like you're holding onto something, Yuto-kun. Are you also........no, the agency? That's an information network to be reckoned with. Well, do these people with abilities have methods we never thought of?

'What! No, that's not what I meant...

 Mattoo's penetration of that statement surprises Yuto, but it's not something that Yuto would benefit from keeping hidden. Besides, it could be wrong.

''General Mattoo, is a certain person ... Prime Minister Guaran?

 When Yuto said that, Theintan's face in the driver's seat tensed up and his shoulders responded with a jerk.

''I didn't expect you to know that much...''

 Teintan muttered, and Mathew gave a quiet, bitter laugh.

'Oh, yes. A man who has been my best friend for life and my half of the world. How could I know, even though I've been here less than a week. You haven't had anyone notice you in all these years...

 Of course, Yuto didn't know about it. It was all something he could guess thanks to the information brought to him by Gaston.

'Since you knew about it, Mr. Theintan?

'No, I told Theintan for the first time this morning. I couldn't watch this guy's surprise.

'Or, my lord, it is. I had no idea that you were connected to enemy number two. But now that I've heard that, some things make sense to me, even after all this time. And I'm glad I wasn't told about it now. If I had known that, there's a good chance I would have leaked this information to my enemies by now...

 Speaking bitterly at the end, Mattoo lightly patted Theintan's shoulder.

'I'm sorry, Theintan. I was bitter, too. But whether I tell you or not, the harm was widespread if this was found out. Forgive me. However, you'll just have to believe me on this, but it was all for the sake of Millimer. The vow between me and Guaran began where we were going, too.

 Yuto tells Matuu with an uncomfortable air.

'General Matou, the information I just gave you was obtained from my own sources. Therefore, this information is not known by the agency, nor by Mizuho-san and the others.

'Well, is that a good thing? Well, it will all be revealed this evening. However, I will go ahead and tell the two of you who have found out this much. The fact that we are picking up my friend today is a deviation from the original plan. The original plan was for us to join you, but it was really much later.

Is that...?

 Yuto had a bad feeling about Mathew's words.

'It's the first time in over a decade that I've heard from Guaran that this plan has likely been exposed to the military regime. The fact that he is contacting me means that we are in a very dire situation. In the meantime, Theintan, I want you to be prepared for a possible all-out war with Khaliguda.

'Don't be silly, my lord! We were already ready for that!

''Hmmm.......Well Guaran and I split into two organizations to avoid that.... The huge amount of money that Guaran earned in the shadows was funneled to us, and we've been doing this until now. That's where our equipment comes from. We didn't want to collect harsh levies from our people in order to gain the support of the Millimer people.

 Teintan's eyes widen when he hears this.

''So it was......... I knew that General Mattoo was throwing away his private funds, but....... I also knew that some influential people, impressed by this, came to offer financial support, which is why we are here today.

'No, that's true, too. That's how we managed the equipment and the food and the soldiers' wages. But not when it comes to war. War is a war of attrition. A war is a war of attrition, and that kind of funding can't last more than a few months. In the meantime, we have plenty of money to prepare for this worst-case scenario, thanks to Guarin. But Guaran and I had originally planned to use this money to provide our people with the necessities of life when the new government takes office. With the help of the West.

..........

'Well, don't worry so much. "Well, don't worry about it too much," he said, "Kaliguda's footing is a bit shaky. If the speech at the UN goes well, I'm sure that, depending on the way things are done, more than a few smart people will turn to our side. Well, the signs were already there. In fact, there are many people in the upper echelons of the government who are in touch with us without knowing that Guarán is manipulating them. You'd be surprised at some of the names in the mix, Theintan! Hahaha!

 Mattwoo laughs merrily at the end, but Yuto thinks that Mattwoo must be worried about his best friend.

'So, General Mattwoo, where do you think you should go?

'Oh, it's not that far. It's an unnamed hill between here in Minra and Guaran's hometown of Zygon. It's where I used to play with Guaran and Thornain, Niina's mother, since I was a child. The three of us used to call it Nina's Hill.

'Nina's Hill......... Well then, Nina's name is........

'Yeah, that's where I got it from. The word nina is an old word in this region that means [tied or tied].

 Yuto shut his eyes.
 The hill where people were connected to each other........
 Yuto knows well how wonderful and happy it is to be connected with people........
 And because these people were united there, the purpose of changing this homeland of Millamar for good was born.
 Also, the subsequent seemingly tragic resolve and determination of Mathew and Guarán.
 Mattow didn't say much here, but I imagine that it was the parting of the woman, Thornain, that determined the future of the two men of Millamar at that time.

 Now, the enemy organization, the Sword of Surt, came to Yuto's mind. Surt's sword operates on a different logic than the thoughts of these men. And there is no happiness for Millimer on the way to where this organization is going.
 Right now, Yuto's mind was very much in turmoil.


 A few moments before this, Nina had been staring at the car in which Mattoo and the others were riding from the third floor of Mattoo's mansion. Then, when he saw the car drive past the mansion grounds, he turned back to Mizuho and Marion, who were visiting Niina's room to escort her.

'Mizuho-san, Marion-san, I have a favor to ask!

 Mizuho and Marion were surprised by Nina's sudden offer.

''What on earth is going on? Ms. Nina.

I need you to take me with you!

Are you going out now? Where are you going?

'It's a hill with big, unnamed trees. We have a car waiting for you, so let's hurry!

 At Nina's earnest expression, Mizuho and Marion looked at each other.