AN: Here is the 2/3 chapter.
Enjoy~
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Non-Administrated World #97, Star Rail Universe…
It had been a few days since Meldiana Sanctuary was fully reactivated. Over those days, about twenty families had been evacuated there. Six of them came from the Light side, allies of the Potter family. Three came from Gray-side families, from the contacts of the Greengrass family
The rest were Muggle-born families targeted by the increasing activities of the Death Eaters.
Thanks to Pandora, Cyrus, and James knowing many of the Muggle-born students at Hogwarts, they were able to inform Noah and the others in time.
With Gringotts' help, the TSAB team, along with Dan Heng, Welt, March, Caelus, and Sirin, quickly set out to reach those families. They had never been more grateful for moving early, because they managed to save several Muggle-born families just as the Death Eaters attacked.
Now, with the invitation open to them, those families had relocated to Meldiana.
When Noah learned that, he immediately buried himself in the remaining accessible sanctuary records, trying to reactivate as many as possible so more families could be evacuated. Thanks to Himeko, Hayate, Reinforce Zwei, Account Manager Gornak, Account Manager Rulvek, Director Ragnok, Elizabeth Greengrass, Charlus' wife Dorea Potter, and Fleamont's wife Euphemia Potter, helping Noah sort the lists, they were able to reactivate four more sanctuaries.
Now Damien, Charlus, and Fleamont were handling the political front on Noah's behalf, mostly because Noah absolutely refused to deal with it. They understood and were more than willing to handle that part for him, especially now that a certain headmaster with too many hats had started getting involved.
He had begun subtly asking for more details about Noah, though none of them had said anything. Unfortunately, the survivors of the Diagon Alley attack had not been as careful. They spread what had happened and talked about it openly.
Even the Ministry had started getting involved, but Charlus and Fleamont kept blocking them with the same excuse.
"House business."
Since both men were well-known relatives of the Peverell line, neither the Ministry nor the public could easily push past it.
So they tried to pressure Damien instead.
Damien simply smiled and said, "No Comment," before leaving.
But even with their open dismissal of the Ministry's attempts to meet the rumored heir of House Peverell, those on the Dark side continued accusing them of lying and using an old name for their own benefit.
Charlus simply laughed in their faces and told them they were right, which meant they no longer needed to ask about it.
Naturally, that only irritated the lords and families aligned with the Dark side even more.
With Potter openly condemning them through the new Light-side alliance, and with the Gray families joining the Greengrass block, the Ministry was now sweating. They began searching for faults and subtly accusing the alliance of rebellion or sedition.
The funny part was that the newly formed alliance neither denied nor confirmed it. And that made the Ministry even more nervous.
But one thing was certain. Just as the Greengrasses had anticipated, once the Peverell name became public, every force began to move.
So the unlucky young man who had become the banner and anchor of this revolution, despite his protest and reluctance, had once again escaped from his duties.
"…Can you please say that again, Miss Himeko?" Charlus Potter asked. "Just where is Noah right now?"
"All of a sudden, he dropped what he was doing, carried Hayate in his arms, and jumped out the window the moment you arrived," Himeko answered as she took a sip of her coffee.
Charlus looked at his wife Dorea and his daughter-in-law Euphemia, as if asking for confirmation.
"Yes, dear. That is what happened," Dorea said with an amused smile.
"He must have sensed 'trouble' when you arrived, Father," Euphemia said with the same smile. "Lately, he has become more sensitive whenever someone brings him 'social obligation' work as the Head of House Peverell."
Charlus looked at Noah's empty seat, then at the open window, then at Himeko.
"…He carried Hayate and jumped out of the window?"
"Yes."
"In broad daylight?"
"Yes."
"With no hesitation?"
"None at all."
Dorea covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling. Euphemia looked as if she was trying very hard to remain dignified and failing wonderfully.
Charlus stared at the window again.
For a moment, the old Potter looked less like a lord and more like a tired grandfather who had just discovered a child had escaped dinner by climbing down the chimney.
"…That boy," Charlus muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Unfortunately, Lord Charlus, my dear great-grandson, is good at almost everything. Including escaping." Himeko let out a small chuckle as she sipped her coffee. "He is rather talented at sensing danger."
Euphemia raised a brow. "Social danger, apparently."
"Political danger too," Dorea added.
"And family obligation danger," Himeko said lightly.
Charlus sighed so deeply that it sounded like he had been carrying five generations of Potter nonsense on his back.
"I only wanted to ask him to attend one gathering."
Himeko lowered her cup slightly. "Oh? One gathering?"
Charlus looked away from her.
The room suddenly went silent in a very suspicious way. The three women, Himeko, Dorea, and Euphemia, smiled, which made Charlus feel surrounded.
"…It is not as troublesome as all of you are making it sound."
Dorea tilted her head. "Dear, you arrived with formal robes, three sealed letters, and the face you make before asking someone to accept an obligation they cannot refuse."
"Noah was right to run." Euphemia nodded.
"Euphemia." Charlus looked mildly betrayed.
"I love you, Father, but I am on the child's side for this one."
Himeko set her cup down with graceful curiosity. "Then perhaps you should tell us what this gathering is."
Charlus straightened slightly, regaining the posture of Lord Potter.
"A social party in France," he said. "Hosted by an allied family, the Delacours."
Himeko's eyes sharpened with interest. "France?"
"Yes. The Delacours have ties among the French magical community and enough distance from our Ministry to make the meeting less… suffocating." Charlus paused. "They are also far less likely to bend under British political pressure."
Dorea nodded. "The Delacours have always been elegant, but not spineless."
"That sounds like a useful combination," Himeko replied.
"It is," Charlus said. "The event itself is formal, but the purpose is not merely social. Several continental families will attend. Some are watching Britain's situation closely. Others are waiting to see whether the Peverell return is real before deciding how openly to support the sanctuary effort."
Euphemia folded her hands. "So this is not just a party."
"No," Charlus admitted. "It is a room full of people pretending not to ask questions while asking questions with every glance."
Himeko's smile became knowing. "I see. A battlefield with tea."
Charlus gave a tired nod. "Exactly."
Dorea looked toward the window Noah had escaped through. "No wonder he ran."
"I didn't even have the chance to say it before he ran," Charlus said.
"But your aura did it for you," Euphemia replied.
Charlus closed his eyes in defeat, which made Dorea grin at him while Himeko hid a small laugh behind her cup.
After a moment, Charlus continued. "There is one more matter."
The way he said it made the room calm down. Even Dorea's smile turned a bit sharper.
"The Flamels sent word," Charlus said.
Dorea's brows lifted slightly. "Nicolas Flamel?"
"And Perenelle," Charlus added. "They wish to meet Noah at the Delacour gathering."
That changed the atmosphere around them. The lightness did not vanish, but it stepped aside politely for a moment.
"Excuse me, but who are the Flamels?" Himeko asked as she set down her cup.
"Famous immortal alchemists," Dorea answered. "They created the legendary Philosopher's Stone."
Charlus nodded. "They have remained neutral for a long time, but the return of Peverell seems to have caught their attention."
"Was it because of the Soul Magic?" Himeko asked.
"Perhaps," Charlus said. "Or because of the sanctuaries. Or because they know something we do not."
Himeko looked thoughtful. Based on what she had heard, the Flamels were not ordinary allies. People who had lived through centuries of magical history would not request a meeting because of rumor alone.
"And you want Noah to meet them?" she asked.
"Yes. I was going to tell him." Charlus glanced at the window again.
Dorea's smile returned, soft and merciless. "Before he escaped."
Charlus gave his wife a flat look. "Yes, dear. Before he escaped."
Dorea leaned back slightly, amused but thoughtful. "Then the question becomes… should we chase after him?"
Euphemia's expression brightened just a little. "That depends."
Charlus narrowed his eyes. "On what?"
"On whether you want him to run farther."
Himeko laughed. "She has a point."
Charlus rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I am beginning to understand why the boy avoids politics."
At that moment, March 7th entered the room carrying a plate of biscuits.
She stopped when she noticed the open window, the amused women, and Charlus looking like he had lost a duel against a curtain.
"…Did Noah escape again?"
"Yes," Himeko said.
March did not look surprised. "Was it a social obligation?"
"Yes."
March nodded solemnly. "Then he made the right choice."
Charlus stared at her.
March took a biscuit from the plate and bit into it. "What? I've seen that face before. He makes it whenever someone says 'meeting,' 'formal attendance,' or 'please represent us.'"
Caelus appeared behind her, leaning against the doorway. "Also 'inheritance review.' That one nearly finished him."
Dorea looked delighted. "He has categories?"
"Oh, definitely," March said. "There's paperwork despair, noble-title nausea, diplomacy fatigue, and my personal favorite, the 'please don't make me smile at strangers' face."
Himeko covered her mouth with her cup to hide her smile.
Charlus slowly looked toward Caelus. "And where did he go?"
Caelus shrugged. "Probably somewhere peaceful, which means somewhere within Meldiana."
March nodded. "True."
Charlus blinked. "So no one is worried?"
March and Caelus looked at each other, then both shook their heads.
"Noah with Hayate?" March said. "No."
"Hayate with Noah?" Caelus added. "Also no."
Himeko smiled softly. "He needed a break. These past few days have been heavy on him."
That finally brought warmth back into the room. Even Charlus' expression gentled. He looked once more at the open window, this time with less exasperation and more understanding.
"Yes," he said after a moment. "I suppose they have."
Twenty families evacuated, four more sanctuaries awakened, the Ministry circling like an offended vulture, the Death Eaters increasing their attacks, and a young man who never asked to become the banner of an old house now carrying the hopes of people who had nowhere else to go.
Charlus sighed.
"Very well. I will not chase him yet."
March blinked. "Yet?"
"I am old, Miss March. Not defeated."
Caelus grinned. "Respect."
Dorea laughed softly. "Dear, perhaps you should let Lady Himeko handle the first approach."
Charlus looked at Himeko.
Himeko lifted her cup with a serene smile. "I can speak with him."
March raised a hand. "Can I suggest not starting with 'France'?"
Euphemia nodded seriously. "Or 'party.'"
Caelus added, "Definitely not 'formal.'"
Dorea smiled. "And absolutely not 'social obligation.'"
Charlus looked around the room, feeling thoroughly betrayed by democracy.
"…Then what exactly am I allowed to call it?"
Himeko thought for a moment. Then her smile turned faintly playful.
"A short overseas visit with possible alchemical guidance and cake."
March snapped her fingers. "That might work."
Caelus nodded. "Cake gives it a survival chance."
Charlus stared at them.
"You want me to lure the Head of House Peverell to a continental diplomatic gathering with cake?"
Himeko took another sip of coffee. "If it works, Lord Charlus, is it truly luring?"
Dorea's shoulders trembled again.
Euphemia failed to hide her laugh.
Charlus looked toward the open window for the third time that morning.
"…Peverell politics has become absurd."
March smiled brightly. "Welcome to Noah."
—-----
"You know," Hayate said, still in his arms, "most people use doors."
Noah looked away. "The window was closer and faster."
"And carrying me?"
"That was the most important part."
"Then, was escaping Lord Charlus necessary?"
"Very much so."
Hayate stared at him for a moment before letting out a laugh. It was soft at first, then warmer, the kind of laugh that made Noah's shoulders relax before he even noticed it.
They were standing on a hill overlooking Meldiana village, far enough from the main academy building that the noise of the village reached them only as a gentle murmur.
The wind brushed through the grass. The academy towers stood proudly beneath the afternoon sky. Below, the village continued its day as if the world outside was not slowly losing its mind.
And despite that, Noah still had not put Hayate down.
So when she finally noticed, she tilted her head, cheeks faintly pink.
"Noah-kun."
"Yes?"
"You can put me down, you know?"
Noah blinked, then looked down and realized he was still carrying her.
"No...?"
Hayate's ears turned slightly red.
"…Am I not heavy?"
"Nope," Noah answered. "You are light enough for me to carry."
"…If you say so," Hayate said, fidgeting slightly.
"Ah… but if you are uncomfortable, I can put you down," Noah said.
"Well, not really, but…" Hayate smiled gently. "You might want to sit down. That way, we can properly enjoy this moment."
He blinked, then carefully sat on the ground while keeping Hayate safe in his arms. Hayate smiled at him, amused and far too gentle for his poor heart's survival.
"Fufufufu, did you really have to grab me and jump out the window without asking?"
"I sensed danger."
"From Lord Charlus?"
"His aura had sealed letters."
Hayate covered her mouth. "That is not how danger works."
"For me, it is."
She shook her head in exasperation, but she was still smiling.
Noah looked back toward the academy, where the window he had escaped from was barely visible in the distance.
"…I know I can't run forever."
"I know," Hayate said softly.
"I'm… not trying to abandon it."
"I know that too."
Noah looked at her.
Hayate's expression softened. "You just needed a moment."
The words landed in him more than he thought. Noah took in a deep breath and looked toward the village below.
Families had been arriving for days. Some carried trunks. Some carried sleeping children. Some carried nothing at all but the haunted look of people who had left home too quickly and were still waiting for the fear to catch up.
Four more sanctuaries had been reawakened, and twenty families had already been moved in.
But it still did not feel like enough.
"It just keeps increasing," Noah murmured. "Every time we save one family, another report comes in."
Hayate leaned her head on Noah's shoulder and listened as he spoke.
"Grandma Hotaru always told me that hope is a weapon I could always carry, but…" Noah's eyes stayed on the village. "But I'm afraid that if we fail them… that same hope we use to fight might come back to us as a weapon against us."
Hayate didn't say anything for a moment. She only kept her head resting against his shoulder.
"Noah-kun," she began, "hope isn't a weapon because it promises everything will be okay."
Noah looked at her.
"It's a weapon because it helps people take one more step even when they're scared." She took his hand and held it. "And if they stumble, then we don't let that hope turn against us. We help them stand again."
Hayate smiled gently at him. "Your Grandma Hotaru gave you those words so you could keep walking too. Not so you could carry everyone's fear by yourself."
Noah's eyes widened for a moment before a small, helpless smile appeared on his face. "You know, you're getting really good at saying things I can't argue against."
"Good." Hayate gave him a grin, looking pleased with herself. "Then I'm doing my job."
"As my beautiful commander wife?"
"As your beautiful common-sense commander wife."
"…Somehow, that sounds scarier?"
"It should."
Then Noah and Hayate laughed together. They bumped their foreheads gently, sharing one sweet, quiet moment.
But before it could last, Noah felt the Force calling him, pointing him toward the river.
"…Noah-kun?" Hayate called softly.
"Hachan… the Force is telling me to go to the riverside."
Hayate blinked before her expression turned serious.
"Then let's go check it out," she said. "Together."
Noah looked at her again, then smiled and gave her a quick, tender kiss.
"Together."
—---
Negi Springfield was not supposed to be near the river alone. His sister Nekane had said that very clearly, several times already, with the kind of serious face that meant he was supposed to listen.
Unfortunately, Negi was a four-year-old boy who was adventurous, curious, lonely, and very convinced that adults did not understand important things.
He grew up hearing about his father, Nagi Springfield, as a great mage known as the Thousand Master. A hero who saved people when they were in danger. That was what everyone said.
Whether it was in the rumors, the ballads, the poems, or even the whispers when people thought Negi was not listening, they still said it.
Nagi Springfield would always appear when someone was in trouble.
So Negi had formed a plan.
It was, in his mind, a very good plan.
If he got into trouble, his father would come. And when his father came, Negi could finally see him. Then he could ask why he had gone away, and why he had not been with him as he grew up.
And maybe… maybe he could finally stay with him and become a family, just like he had always dreamed.
That was why he was now standing at the riverside near Meldiana Sanctuary.
For a little boy like him, the river looked much bigger up close. It was like the rumored sea he had always read about.
Negi stood at the edge, small hands clenched around the sleeves of his robe. The water moved continuously over the rocks with a sound that was gentle, yet strong. Leaves and twigs drifted along the river, heading to who knew where.
Negi swallowed.
"…Dad will surely come," he whispered.
His voice trembled with excitement and nervousness.
After taking one more breath, he stepped closer. The moment his boots dipped into the cold river water, he slipped.
Negi gasped and tried to step back.
But he had already fallen into the river.
The current swept him away.
He tried to swim upward, gasping for air, but the river was too strong for a young child like him.
Negi tried to scream, but the river filled his mouth. His arms flailed. His small hands reached for anything, but the current dragged him away from the bank.
Panic slowly crept into him, and fear began to take over. Experiencing it now, clever little Negi finally understood why Nekane and the adults had told him not to play near the river.
It was not brave.
It was not exciting.
It was cold and dark and too loud and scary. His chest hurt, and his eyes stung.
Finally, Negi understood that maybe his plan had been very, very bad.
Dad…
The thought came smaller than a whisper.
Please…
Then, before he completely lost consciousness, he saw someone coming toward him.
An arm wrapped around him, protective and warm despite the cold river. The current tried to pull him away, but whoever held him did not let go.
Negi coughed as his head broke above the surface.
"Thank Akivili I made it in time…"
Noah held the boy against his chest, one arm securing him while he swam back to the riverbank, where Hayate was waiting with a towel.
"Noah-kun!!"
"Hachan! I got him!"
He shouted back, but then he heard Negi coughing hard as water spilled from his mouth. The boy's arms held firmly around Noah's neck.
Noah climbed out of the river, soaked from head to toe, his hair dripping over his eyes. Hayate barely spared him a glance before wrapping the young boy in a towel. Her hands moved carefully, checking his breathing, his pulse, and the way his small body trembled from cold and fear.
"Negi-kun, can you hear me?" she asked softly.
Negi coughed again, then opened his eyes. His vision was still blurry, but he could see Hayate's silhouette leaning over him with worry in her eyes. Beside her was Noah, still soaked, wearing the same worried expression.
Negi's lips trembled.
"…Dad?"
Noah's eyes went wide for a second before softening. Even Hayate went still.
"…Sorry, but I'm not your dad, Negi."
"Ah…" Negi's voice trembled as he realized who had saved him. "So Dad… didn't come…after all."
The words were small, but they hit harder than any curse.
Noah and Hayate both looked torn by the sound of Negi's voice.
Noah looked at the child for a long moment, then reached out and gently placed a hand over Negi's wet hair.
"No," he said quietly. "But someone still came."
Negi blinked up at him, tears mixing with river water on his cheeks.
"And I'm glad I did." Noah's voice stayed soft.
Negi stared at him.
Then, all at once, the fear caught up.
His face crumpled, and he started crying.
Hayate pulled him closer, wrapping him fully in her arms while Noah stayed beside them, one hand still resting gently on the boy's head. His other arm wrapped around both of them.
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