Although the reinforcements I had longed for had finally arrived, namely the Prefect Team leader who struck fear into the delinquents of Gehenna...
What disappointed me was that Hina's condition was not much better than the students on Trinity's side.
After the explosion, she had probably been attacked by the Arius Squad as well. She must have dealt with them as quickly as possible before dragging her injured body here.
What Misaki asked over the communicator next only confirmed my suspicion.
"Hiyori, you couldn't stop Hina?"
"Cough, cough... s-sorry, I failed..."
A timid voice came through the communicator.
"Before the Justina Council could even appear, we were all defeated... Hina-san was just too strong, and she was completely focused on rescuing Sen... Schale's Sensei, ehehe..."
...Hiyori, knowing Hina had come to save me, would she have deliberately held back?
The moment that strange thought arose, I immediately crushed it.
At this point, I no longer had the chips or the luxury to gamble again.
Besides, even if that were true, my situation probably would not improve in any meaningful way.
As members of Arius Squad, they were merely pieces obeying the orders of the true mastermind behind all this, Beatrice. They had no ability to decide anything through their own will.
Even if one or two of them developed second thoughts, Beatrice's authority, built up over countless years in Arius, along with the Justina Council, those overwhelmingly powerful soldiers whose origins and methods of deployment through the Eden Treaty remained completely incomprehensible to us, would be enough to crush any such thoughts.
Hoping the enemy would go easy on us and trying to seize a chance to turn the tables through that was nothing more than foolishness.
At present, the only option was probably to avoid the enemy's edge for now and preserve our lives. But that brought another problem.
Even though Mine, Serina, and Hina had joined us, compared to the breakout attempt earlier with Hasumi and Hinata, the enemy side had also gained the far more troublesome, or rather completely untouchable, Justina Council.
Judging from the situation, having everyone break through from the front was still unrealistic.
In other words, someone had to stay behind and hold off the pursuers, just like Tsurugi had done earlier.
Especially with me, a burden, here.
Ever since earlier, my injuries had already made even directing the battle difficult. Hasumi had silently taken over that responsibility.
If they did not need to protect me, would the students around me really have fallen into such a desperate situation and suffered so many injuries that could have been avoided?
And moving forward as well, if they wanted to ensure my successful retreat, Hina or Tsurugi would probably have to accompany me, while the remaining students stayed behind to cover our escape. Only then could the chances of success be maximized.
"Justice Task Force, send Sensei over here!"
Hina's urgent shout toward Hasumi struck my chest like a heavy hammer, urging me to make a decision quickly.
"There's no time left!"
The fact that she had only said for me to come over meant she had already fully judged the current situation.
I knew that myself as well. The difference was that I was still hesitating.
"...Understood."
After staring at Hina from afar for several seconds, Hasumi also made her decision and said to me:
"Sensei, we'll hold the enemy here. Leave the rest to that Prefect Team leader somehow. Please go over there quickly!"
"Then what about all of you?"
"...We,"
Tsurugi's tone was calm, completely different from the madness she showed in battle.
"We'll protect Sensei's escape route."
Hasumi nodded.
"Yeah. Though it's irritating... that Prefect Team leader must have known we'd do as she said. But we really don't have any other choice now."
"But..."
I repeated with difficulty,
"What are you all supposed to do?"
"Sensei, Trinity's leadership has practically been wiped out already."
Hasumi's speech quickened.
"The only survivor among the Sisterhood and the Tea Party, Seia-sama, is in no condition to take charge anymore... If something happens to Sensei too, then there really won't be any way to salvage things!"
Mine also spoke up from the side.
"That's right, Sensei. I was also hesitating over whether to have Serina escort you away first, but if Gehenna's Prefect Team leader is here, then we can probably rest easy."
"P-please! Hurry and go, Sensei..."
Hinata pleaded like that.
Serina swore firmly to me:
"Sensei, once I've confirmed your safety, I'll break away and come see you immediately too."
One after another, voices urging me to leave echoed beside my ears.
In my daze, it felt as though I had returned to when I first arrived in Kivotos.
The scene I thought I had already forgotten, being forced to abandon Serika and flee alone back in Abydos, once more surfaced vividly before my eyes.
And after that came an even deeper humiliation and helplessness than before.
Was I really going to run away in disgrace again?
This time was different from before. Arius's target was me. Even if I ran, could I really escape?
But even if I stayed here... wouldn't I still become a burden on their battle?
Should I rationally choose to retreat with Hina, or stubbornly choose to stay and fight until the very end, hoping to hold out until more reinforcements arrived...
I could not help but wonder why, in a situation like this, I still had to face such a dilemma.
Yet at that moment, within my faintly aching mind, it felt as though a bolt of lightning suddenly flashed through.
This time, their target included me.
Well now.
So I really could still be useful after all.
The moment that thought appeared, I smiled in relief.
"I understand. I'll go now."
"...We pray for your safety."
Hasumi said:
"The road ahead of you, we will protect it!"
"Sensei, hurry!"
After knocking back several more members of the Justina Council, Hina shouted at me even more urgently. I no longer delayed, dragging my exhausted and aching body as quickly as possible to her side.
"Prefect Team leader!"
I heard Hasumi shouting from behind me.
"Sensei is in your hands now!"
"...Leave it to me."
Hina seemed to be answering Hasumi, yet also speaking to herself. Then she quickly repeated to me:
"Sensei, we currently have no means of fighting those monsters. What matters now is escaping the encirclement..."
But halfway through her sentence, the white-haired girl suddenly trembled, pain surfacing across her face.
"Hina, you..."
"This level of injury is nothing, Sensei. Please do not leave my side."
In circumstances completely unlike before, speaking lines similar to those by the seaside, Hina took a deep breath. Her gaze regained its firmness as she looked into the distance.
"I will open the path of retreat for you!"