"U-um, what exactly is the situation here...?"
That day, Hugo found himself in Professor Uno’s office, having been summoned along with Ryuga.
He’d been bracing for a reprimand, certain that his recent outburst—specifically, punching Egos in the face—would result in a stiff penalty. However, the sight that greeted him when he pushed open the heavy doors left him utterly bewildered.
The room was a sanctuary of high shelves packed with books, but in the center of the office stood a man he didn't recognize, dressed in pristine white ritual robes.
He was a gaunt, middle-aged man with a sickly complexion. Before him sat a traditional offering stand used in Shinto rituals, and atop it rested a gleaming short sword.
Even Hugo, whose spirit had been battered by the ordeal with Fee, was floored by the scene.
It looked exactly like a seppuku scene from a period drama. As if to confirm Hugo’s suspicions, the man kneeling before the blade bowed his head and spoke.
"Because of my thoughtless proposal, the academy’s security was thrown into disarray. This directly resulted in the injuries sustained by your younger brother and sister. To atone for this failure... I, the unworthy Koumaru Sakai, shall now disembowel myself. I hope that by doing so, this matter may be considered settled."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait! What are you saying? Stop! Just stop!!"
Hugo lunged forward, grabbing the man from behind to restrain him before he could follow through on his bold declaration.
The man struggled in Hugo’s grip, shouting at the top of his lungs.
"Compassion is unnecessary! This entire tragedy began because I carelessly insisted the Social Studies Field Trip be moved to the Insect Museum! To take responsibility, I have no choice but to commit seppuku!"
"I said stop! Doing that won't solve a damn thing! Besides, I have no idea how we even got to this point! Just calm down and explain the situation!"
A desperate wrestling match ensued between the man determined to die and the boy determined to save him. Hugo shouted over the chaos, trying to voice his own confusion while repeating his pleas for the man to stand down.
A few minutes later.
"I have caused you a great deal of trouble. I have piled folly upon folly, and no amount of apology could suffice. I am truly sorry..."
"N-no, as long as you’ve calmed down, it’s fine. Um, Professor? Could you maybe explain what’s going on?"
"Umu. My apologies, Hugo. You must have been quite startled..."
In the battle over the man's life, victory had gone to Hugo, thanks to his superior stamina.
Once the man had finally exhausted himself, Hugo managed to talk him out of the ritual suicide. Now, Hugo was sitting down with Ryuga and Uno to properly discuss the matter.
Uno looked worse for wear, his face etched with more fatigue than even the man who’d just tried to disembowel himself. He sighed and introduced the guest to the two students.
"This is Mr. Koumaru Sakai. He is a diplomat from Yamato and our primary liaison for matters involving the exchange students. When he heard about yesterday’s incident, he rushed here to the academy immediately."
"Hugo Clay, Ryuga Renjo... please accept my deepest apologies. Typically, the Social Studies Field Trip for Luminous Academy is held at the museum during this season. It was I who requested the change."
Hearing this, Hugo remembered Melt mentioning something similar during their security detail.
Before he could ask why the change had been requested, Ryuga spoke up, providing the answer.
"There is no need to trouble yourself, Mr. Sakai. You suggested the Insect Museum specifically because there would be living creatures there—a gesture of kindness for my blind sister, wasn't it? What happened was merely the result of a terrible coincidence."
"But because I proposed the change, the staff and students of Luminous Academy were forced to provide security in an unfamiliar environment. It is likely that your siblings were injured because of that very lack of familiarity. As the one who made the suggestion, I cannot help but feel the weight of that responsibility..."
"Please, don't worry about it," Hugo insisted. "It’s not your fault, Mr. Sakai. Really... it was just a series of bad coincidences piling up."
Koumaru wasn't the one who had caused the incident, and Fee’s injury was the direct result of Egos’s malice. Sakai’s reasoning for the change was perfectly understandable, and Hugo certainly didn't think the man needed to die for it.
When Hugo relayed this, Koumaru’s eyes welled with tears. He bowed his head deeply, offering a torrent of gratitude and apologies.
"I truly don't know how to thank you all! Between the incident and my sudden, rash attempt at seppuku, I have been a terrible burden. I am so very sorry..."
"Forgive me, Clay," Uno added. "I told him such measures were unnecessary, but he refused to listen. Since I already intended to have you two come here for a talk, I thought I’d enlist your help in talking some sense into him."
"Ah, ahahaha..."
Koumaru appeared to be a man of extreme integrity, though perhaps a bit too prone to tunnel vision once he made up his mind. Judging by how drained Professor Uno looked, Hugo guessed there had been quite a struggle before they arrived.
Suddenly, Koumaru looked up, as if struck by a realization.
"That’s right! Regarding the incident—there is something of grave importance I must discuss with the two of you!"
"Eh? With us...?"
"Yes. This is a matter of absolute secrecy within Yamato, but given that you two defeated a powerful Magic Armor Beast that was once human, I believe it is necessary to speak with you about what is to come."
Hugo couldn't hide his shock at the sudden shift in tone. The atmosphere had turned heavy, as if they were about to be entrusted with a dangerous secret. However, realizing that a Yamato diplomat wouldn't pull them aside for a trivial matter, Hugo remained silent and listened.
"Our Investigation Department has obtained intelligence that one of Yamato's most notorious criminals has been spotted in this region. We are currently tracking his movements."
"One of Yamato's most notorious criminals? You don't mean...!"
Coming from Yamato himself, Ryuga seemed to immediately realize who the man was talking about.
Koumaru nodded solemnly. With a grim expression, he revealed the name of the monster who had fled from Yamato.
"The man's name is Zaraki. He is a dangerous individual known by the ominous title... the Dragon Eater."