"We aren't moving at all. We’ve been standing here for quite a while now; I wonder if something’s wrong?"
"Y-Yeah... but I think we’ll be moving soon."
To go back a little in time to when Yugo and the others were being accosted by the insect maniac siblings, Trill and Rielle—the group Fee and Yui belonged to was currently stalled in a section of the Insect Museum.
Because the aforementioned siblings had been reported as suspicious persons, word had been sent out that all groups were to remain in place until the matter was resolved.
Since the numerous students from the Elementary Division had already finished looking at the insects on display and reading their descriptions, they were growing quite restless.
Yui showed the same reaction as her classmates, but Fee was desperately trying to suppress the agitation swirling inside him.
When Ryuga had entrusted him with the task of looking after Yui this morning, he had been thrilled to be so highly trusted. When his brother praised him, he felt a surge of pride and vowed to do his best to live up to that expectation. However, now that he was actually doing it, the mental strain was immense.
The primary reason was that Yui was an extraordinary beauty, and because of her blindness, he had been holding her hand the entire time.
Fee was a boy in the middle of puberty; it was only natural for him to feel flustered in such a situation. Moreover, when the girl in question was an exchange student from another country—a type of beauty he didn't usually encounter—his nervousness doubled.
It wasn't that he was thinking anything untoward, nor was he falling in love with her, but... he simply couldn't settle down. In fact, anyone would think it would be strange not to be conscious of Yui in this position. He was doing nothing wrong.
Nevertheless, out of his innate sense of responsibility, Fee was scolding himself for harboring even a hint of such "impure" thoughts when Yui spoke to him.
"Say, Fee. Do you have a moment?"
"W-What is it!? D-D-Did something happen!?"
Fee responded to being suddenly addressed with a voice that cracked. He realized that even if she couldn't see souls, his agitation must be painfully obvious. However, Yui didn't comment on his reaction and instead spoke in a shy, hushed tone.
"Um, well... I know it is unseemly of me, but... I would like to go pick some flowers..."
"Eh? F-Flowers? ...Oh, you mean you need to use the toilet—mgh!?"
"...Refrain from doing things that make a lady feel ashamed, Fee."
"I-I'm sorry..."
For a moment, Fee hadn't understood the meaning of Yui's words, but once he realized the context and rephrased it so bluntly, she covered his mouth with her hand, radiating an aura of displeasure that was obvious at a glance.
Reflecting on his lack of delicacy, Fee whispered back to her.
"I-I understand. I'll go with you. I've memorized the building layout, so I know where to go."
"Thank you. You are very reliable, Fee."
Fee's face flushed at the compliment. Even though he had been assigned as her caretaker, the fact that she was saying something like that to a boy made him realize she must be in a fairly desperate situation.
However, Fee knew there was something he had to do before rushing to the restroom. After excusing himself to Yui, he spoke to a female student who was accompanying the group as a guard.
"Um, excuse me. I need to take Renjo-san to the restroom. Could you please report it to the teacher? It would be bad if the group moved while we were away..."
"Oh, yes. I understand. Will you two be all right on your own?"
"Y-Yes. We'll be fine. I know the way."
If they went to the restroom without permission and ended up being left behind, it would be a disaster. To prevent that, Fee asked the student serving as guard and assistant to report to Uno that they had stepped away. Once that was done, he returned to Yui's side, took her hand, and headed toward the restroom.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we go, then?"
"Y-Yes. Quickly, please?"
As I thought, she's really at her limit, Fee thought as he looked at Yui, who seemed to be fidgeting.
Thinking that they might not have made it in time if they had gone looking for Uno, Fee led Yui by the hand toward a restroom located in a recessed area, following the museum map he had hammered into his brain.
As the female student watched the two of them walk away, she attempted to report the exchange to Uno, but...
"Ah, there you are! Hey, the teacher sent word—he wants you to go take your break now!"
"Eh!? Oh, r-really?"
Before she could, Egos walked up to her with a smile and stopped her in her tracks.
While she thought it was a strange time for a break, she still felt she had to report that Fee and Yui had gone to the restroom. To her, Egos said:
"Oh, it's fine. I heard the exchange just now, so I'll report it to the teacher for you. Now, hurry up and go on your break!"
"Ah, okay... I'll be at ease if I leave it to you, Egos-san. Well then, I'll leave it to you."
Because he claimed he would handle the report, the female student left the group and went on her break without a hint of suspicion, swayed by his senior charisma.
While Egos watched her leave with a smirk, Uno—who had received a report from Anhel that the suspicious siblings had been taken away by security—spoke to the students.
"Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting. We're moving to the Annex soon, so follow me! Assistant students, make sure the Elementary Division children don't get separated!"
Upon receiving those instructions, the students began to move under Uno's lead. The Elementary Division children, walking while absorbed in conversation, and the High School Division students watching over them didn't seem to notice that Fee and Yui were missing.
The only one in this place who knew that fact, Egos... didn't move an inch. He told the other students he would bring up the rear and continued to wait.
Once everyone had left, he exchanged a glance with Cyan, who had also been waiting. He flashed a thin smile.
"With this, the preparations are complete. The 'event' is about to begin."
After speaking, the two of them also began to walk after Uno and the others, abandoning Fee and Yui, who had no way of knowing they were being left behind.
The Second Phase of the plan was successfully completed. All that remained was to wait for the event that would soon occur and maneuver skillfully within it. Rejoicing that things were steadily unfolding exactly as he had envisioned, Egos wore a wicked smile, certain of his success.
"…Don't you think they are foolish, my sister? For mere humans to be so conceited as to think they can match us, beings who have achieved evolution—it is truly foolish."
"Yes, it is just as you say, brother. They are truly foolish."
At the same time, near the security room...
Two shadows looking down at the security guards, who had fallen and were not moving an inch, were carrying out such a conversation.
One was a massive monster covered in a black shell with a single horn on its forehead. The other was a monster with a slender physique—the complete opposite of its partner—encased in a golden shell and sporting two horns.
With their overall appearance resembling figures clad in armor, the description of "Humanoid Beetle" based on a Rhinoceros Beetle and a Stag Beetle fit them perfectly.
The two Humanoid Beetles, whose faces were also monstrous, kicked aside the security guards who had tried to apprehend them to clear a path. They then spoke while looking toward the far end of the hallway.
"The evolution of life requires sacrifice. Let us secure the finest bait so that we, a New Species of Superior Lifeform, may achieve further evolution."
"That's right, brother. Let's do that. We shall achieve even greater evolution. We will surpass humanity and become beings even higher than that."
As if giving a command, the two monsters raised their right and left hands to eye level.
Using that as a signal... from behind them, a swarm of giant insects began their march.