Chapter3

While they arrived in the yard where Georgius usually convoked them, Elaine's mind was away. She held Sebastianus's hand in her own very tightly and even if she acted normal toward him, she listened rather half-heartedly what he was saying which apparently involved the mission that Georgius wanted surely to give to them. Even if it was important to him, Elaine didn't really care about it. Everywhere he would go, she would follow him after all. That mission didn't really matter to her.

She looked up straight ahead before her. It seemed the others of Punishment Squad were already there, and it seemed there was some animation. Elaine's mind went away again when she thought about them.

Hm…The Punishment Squad…though she came to Index just to follow Sebastianus, she learnt gradually to be accustomed to the others. She was actually the third to join in Georgius's team, the team before her being composed of just three members: Georgius himself, Samson of the War Hammer and Sebastianus of The Holy Bone. The siblings Benedictus and Scholastica of the Bookshelf were introduced a few times after her arrival…and finally, Misao Kusakabe was the last one to come and the team was "apparently" completed for three years, and it didn't seem that Georgius wanted to introduce new members right now. On the other hand, the Punishment Squad was one of the most powerful team of Index…and in these times, it seemed that Index's apostles were rather weak…from her point of view.

…Even if Elaine didn't want to admit it, she viewed a bit this team like a second family to her. On the other hand, she had very little of family left to her…and she preferred not remembering her last meeting with the preceptor who raised her up…Thinking about him…She wondered if he was still alive…

She sighed but kept smiling to not being seen sad by Sebas. Well…After all what did it change? She didn't care of it anymore and what her preceptor was doing in this right moment was none of her business anymore…Her current life only mattered now. And she cared for nearly every members of the team…except one person. Elaine frowned when she thought about this one…Misao Kusakabe. Sheesh, how she hated that despicable woman! She was part of the team, okay. But to Elaine she was more of an intruder who wormed in her own way. She just didn't understand why Georgius-sama allowed her to stay in while she wasn't even from Index…Elaine didn't understand and she didn't want to. No matter whom she was, Misao would never be a part of her "family".

Actually she didn't understand why she hated her so much…Maybe because her magic tend…was too close to heretical habit…a fact that Elaine didn't want to accept. But it seemed that wasn't very the main reason…that was so deep down that Elaine herself didn't really know which one…

« Elaine…Elaine ! »

Elaine jumped then looked at Sebastianus again. Ouch…it seemed she let her own thought invade her mind a little too much. She just smiled to him sweetly:

"What's wrong, Sebas?"

"I just told you that I found weird that nobody was there."

"…" Elaine now realized that even if they came to the place of the rendezvous given by Georgius, the others weren't there for this moment. She frowned. That was a bit weird…Usually they were often the last ones to come even if they were a bit late…But this time, it seemed they were the first ones…At least she thought it.

"Hm…Where are the others today? Are they all sleeping?" She sighed trying to joke but it seemed that Sebastianus wasn't in the mood for it. He just looked around, searching for a possible presence. Elaine just sighed then sat down in the grass, even if that was wet. She then stretched.

"…Well, while the others come, we can still enjoy this time alone, can't we?"

"…" Sebastianus just nodded silently but stayed standing up. Then something spared in Elaine's mind…Something which gradually worried her for some days…She wasn't very sure of this. Actually she checked it many times but everything seemed to confirm it. She looked up at Sebastianus, a bit hesitating. She didn't know if that was a good idea to do it now…She could do it tonight but…It seemed if she waited for it again, she wouldn't have the strength to face his look anymore…A bit troubled, she began to say:

"…Sebas…"

"Hm?"

He turned back toward her and could notice Elaine's face turned a bit red. He frowned. He was rather accustomed to this but it seemed there was something different this time, as if Elaine wanted to tell something that she couldn't.

"What's wrong, Elaine?" He asked with his calm, quiet voice as if he showed a sign of encouragement to tell. Elaine closed her eyes, pensive.

"…There is…something…which I thought of…"

She looked down, very unsure of herself that was very uncommon from her. Finally, seeing she stayed silent, he ended up by kneeling next to her. It made Elaine blush more than before but she still said nothing.

"Elaine?"

"…I…don't know how to say…that's a bit…I don't know how you could react to this…so…"

He realized she trembled now, apparently out of fear and excitation. Sebatsianus nodded, understanding what she meant then put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"…It would be okay I think. What's wrong?"

Elaine, feeling the comfort of his hand, finally managed to look up in his brown eyes. That was reassuring but also disturbing. However before she could pull her words together and telling what she thought about, she heard someone calling out:

"Elaine!"

The two of them turned the head toward the direction of the voice. It was actually Samson who appeared in front of them and waved them. Sebastianus woke up again, not paying attention to Elaine anymore, and then faced him.

"Samson…What's wrong?"

To Sebastianus, he seemed a bit different. Indeed, he looked more serious than usual and he could even see a flash of concern in his eyes. However it seemed that wasn't focused on himself but more on Elaine who stayed sat down behind him.

"You're here…That's good."

However the tone was false. He seemed really preoccupied and didn't act like the relax man he was accustomed to be. He turned to Elaine.

"Georgius is waiting for you now. You must follow me."

This sentence made Elaine surprised. She opened her mouth not understand what's happening.

"Me? Just me?"

Samson nodded.

"Yes…only you, Elaine. Just follow me."

"But…What I've done? What's wrong?"

Elaine noticed Sebastianus who watched the scene without saying anything. It seemed he didn't know either. Samson closed his eyes, showing there was no more talk.

"…Just come with me."

"…"

Elaine sighed, feeling it sounded bad. She woke up then before following Samson, said to Sebastianus:

"…I'm sorry."

"…Good luck." Sebastianus just answered, before letting her leave with Samson, with a feared and unsure step she rarely used. Sebastianus waited for some minutes, standing alone in the desert yard of Index then finally turned back to head for the place where he usually practiced his martial arts.

"Will you tell me what's wrong?"

Elaine had usually more some respect toward Samson but this time she wans't in mood with it. She was not only feared and concerned about what happened to her but she was also angered that Samson stayed silent about it. She now realized that Samson guided her to the Index church where all apostles worked and were reunited for important business. To Elaine, it sounded bad as Georgius never convoked them there in such a place like this. Finally, when they entered inside Samson decided to speak:

"…Apparently there is something wrong with the report you sent about the last mission."

Elaine stopped. What did he mean?

"In my report?"

"Yes…" Samson nodded. "It seems Index apostles who usually check all reports sent to the Pope think you didn't…"

He paused. He didn't know how to say this. That was a really weird situation to him as well. And he was as worried as she was about it.

"…They said you outranked rules during your assault to the Dark Sect..."

Elaine opened the mouth, shocked by these revelations. What did he mean, by "outranking the rules"? Yet, she thought having completed this mission as usual, conformably to rules that Index imposed to them every time they were sent in mission. She tried to recall the entire mission but she didn't find where she turned wrong.

"What did they say?"

"…Apparently, you went too far..." Samson answered without looking back at her.

"I went too far?" Elaine yelled at him, clenching her fists out of irritation and anger. "For crying out loud, will you tell me why I went too far?"

"…" Samson stopped, telling her to shut up as it wouldn't improve her situation in screaming like that. Elaine noticed every apostles looked at them, with a surprised look on their face, who she responded by a threatening glare. They shivered then left to focus on something else. She sighed, trying to calm down.

"You completed the mission very well. However it seems some of apostles…found you went too far by slaughtering entirely the Dark sect."

"So, what? Wasn't it supposed to be the goal of this mission?" Elaine spat on.

"You were supposed to just kill the Guru. You know Index rules, Elaine." Samson coldly glared at her. "That's the sin that you must eliminate…and not the sinners."

"…And aren't you against that rule, Samson?" Elaine asked, crossing her arms on her chest.

"…" Samson stayed silent. He didn't know if that was right to answer to this now. But Elaine knew him very well. She knew he was against all these things which implicated murder of people…no matter what they were…Something Elaine was hardly agreed with him…However, Samson instead answered:

"…Anyway, your behavior and actions in mission had been called into question and…your report had been sent to the Council members…"

"…What?"

This time, Elaine was definitely worried. She just stared at him without saying anything. Then with a blank tone she asked him quietly:

"…and what did they say?..."

Samson, realizing they came closer to the meeting place, just barely answered to her ear:

"…I'm not sure but…it seems according to Georgius, these kind of actions aren't allowed and are showed as unforgivable…"

"…" Elaine shivered. However, Samson responded to the question that she was afraid of.

"…It seems it can go to Holy Church Interrogation…"

Elaine goggled. These words resonated in her head as a sentence to death. Usually when an apostle was convoked to the trial Holy Church Interrogation it meant the apostle was, according to Index, viewed as sinned as the heretics due to their own actions and when one apostle was put on a trial of Holy Church Interrogation…the apostle has very few chance to survive to this…

She was…But…What did she do for that? Elaine looked down toward her belly…She didn't do anything wrong…She acted as she always did…

So why…?

Suddenly, she thought about Sebastianus and she felt she was about to fall on the ground…or she thought. Samson who saw her feared look, put a hand on her shoulder as to reassure her.

"…Don't worry…It doesn't mean it would go so far…Georgius is talking with Johanna and others apostles in this moment."

"…Samson…About…Sebastianus? Did they say anything about him?"

She could bear the fear of being put on a trial where she could be surely condemned to death…however she didn't think she could bear the fear of Sebastianus being put on a trial as she was. And she began to shiver again. However Samson answered, smiling warmly to her this time:

"…That would be okay, Elaine…They said nothing about Sebastianus…Don't worry about him. He would be fine."

Elaine sighed in relief, relieved at least Sebastianus would be okay. Then Samson patted her head another time then told her to quiet now, as they arrived. Elaine nodded in agreement then the two headed for the place, where she had to be there to hear the decision, without paying attention to a little cat which wandered in the corridors peacefully and didn't seem to care about their presence.