Volume 13 Chapter 259-5 Bernard, Mission Aqua Impossible
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Next, we’ll be handling the drama club. As per the script we got earlier, Shirogane Aqua is to stay backstage until the curtain call. I’ll be inside the gym, keeping watch. The rest of you should relax but stay aware of the surroundings. Aylward-kun, feel free to check the surveillance feeds, but maybe grab something to eat while you’re at it.”
”Got it.”
Ethan’s words fade as I nod toward Ken, who had just brought the meal. My mind is on the task ahead, but a quiet part of me feels grateful for the food. This operation has been running smoothly, thanks to the coordination and Ken’s support.
”I hope nothing goes wrong.”
Ken responds with a soft, “Yeah,” his eyes flicking to the monitors.
As I chew a bite of bread, my gaze shifts back to the surveillance footage. Something catches my attention. Leti? My daughter… She’s sitting in the front row of the festival. I feel an odd, warm softness spread through me, watching her smile as she enjoys the day.
Damn it. Focus, I remind myself. This isn’t about her right now.
I quickly switch the camera view back to the gym. There, movement catches my eye. A shadow flits across the screen, too quick to be caught by the human eye. I narrow my focus.
”Hey, did you see that?”
I ask, leaning closer. Ken, ever the skeptic, doesn’t even glance at the screen. “What happened?”
I curse under my breath, trying to contact Ethan. The connection flickers, but doesn’t hold.
”Can’t reach him. Maybe there’s jamming.”
Ken reaches for the intercom, but I stop him mid-motion.
”Wait.”
His hand freezes, and his sharp gaze meets mine. “What are you doing?”
”If we act too hastily, we’ll ruin everything. Shirogane Aqua’s plan is delicate. If we make a move, Oto Rurika could be lost. And—”
I stop myself, my breath catching as my thoughts focus.
Ken’s eyes harden. “And what?”
I swallow hard. My daughter is out there. My failure from before haunts me. Leti, innocent as she is, was once a suspect just like Oto Rurika. The weight of that guilt crushes my chest, but I swallow it down.
”I want her to see that we can protect others… that she can be safe,” I say quietly, almost to myself. “I need her to see that Shirogane Aqua can save someone—someone.”
Ken stands motionless for a long moment, studying my face. I can tell he understands, even if he doesn’t say a word. Finally, he speaks, his voice low.
”No need to apologize. If it’s like that, I’m in. I want to see how Shirogane Aqua handles this too.”
His words surprise me, but I don’t let it show on my face. Instead, I nod.
”Listen. I’ll make a scene and keep the guard busy. You slip inside while you can.”
”Y-yes. Thank you.”
Ken nodded, then walked to the back entrance like it was just a normal day. But then, he tripped on purpose—hard. He landed with a loud thud in front of the security guard and started groaning. It looked real enough. The guard rushed to help and guided him toward the infirmary.
That was my chance.
I slipped in through the back door and found myself inside the gym. I held my belly, which felt heavy from nerves and not enough sleep, and moved toward the second floor. My legs shook as I climbed the ladder, each step slow and hard. But I kept going.
At the very top, under the metal lights and stage wires, I saw someone crouched under the main spotlight.
My heart jumped.
Were they trying to drop the spotlight during Curtain Call? Were they going to kill Shirogane Aqua and make it look like an accident?
I moved slowly, careful not to make a sound.
Then, my foot hit something. A loud clang echoed across the floor.
”…Man?”
The person turned. They looked like a woman at first glance, but their voice was definitely a man’s.
Now that I looked closely, it was clear. Another cross-dressing actor. I couldn’t help but feel amazed—some of them even learned to change their voices that well.
I stood firm. “What are you doing? Are you trying to drop the light and kill Shirogane Aqua?”
The man smirked. His lips curled into a crooked smile.
”What if I am?”
His eyes were sharp, wild. His next words came out like fire.
”That guy flipped the Kokucho family upside down! This country was perfect before he came!!”
So that’s it.
I’d done research on the Kokucho family after I joined the Holy Aqua Religion. Some of them changed, like Ken. Others didn’t. This man? He was clearly one of those still being used—maybe by another country, like States, or some group working in the shadows.
”It doesn’t matter anymore. Give up what you’re clinging to. A big storm is coming your way. You think it’s Aqua’s fault? No. Everything crashing down—it’s because of what you did.”
”Shut up!! Stay quiet!!”
He lunged at me with a knife.
I didn’t have time to think. I raised my arms, and we clashed. We wrestled on the metal beams that held the stage lights. The show below hit its final scene, and loud music and cheers filled the gym. No one heard us.
”If you’re a man, why are you getting in the way!?”
”Because I am a man!”
My words came out raw, real.
Shirogane Aqua loves Kanon and her wives. That’s his path.
And me? I love my wife, too. Deeply. I love my daughters, though that love is different. A father’s love. Strong, quiet, always watching.
”Right now, one young man is trying to save the hearts of many women—and Shirogane Aqua, too. I won’t let someone like you mess that up! If you’re a man, stop crying and yelling. Stand back and watch her with your arms folded, like a real man!”
I was gasping now. My breath was short. I hadn’t trained, and my body was tired.
I should have lost weight by now, I thought.
In that moment, he pushed hard.
Our positions switched.
Notes:
• Ethan – Male. Captain of the Impossible Aqua Force (IAF). Appears as a beautiful woman in a lavish dress but has an Adam’s apple, indicating he is likely a man in disguise. Silent and professional, with a focus on supporting Aqua-sama’s mission. His relationship with Bernard is that of a superior and new recruit.
• Ken – Male. A rehabilitated man working in the mine. The fiancé of Akiyama Sachiko, the organizer of the party or one of the protagonist’s (Aqua’s) mother’s students (ikebana) appeared in Volume 2 Chapter 12. However, their engagement is not yet officially recognized, as the necessary documents have not been signed by all parties involved. Ken-kun behaves inappropriately during the event, attempting to flirt with Kanon and later becoming aggressive, even wielding a replica sword. His actions cause a disturbance, and he is eventually subdued and removed by the security team.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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