Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 34 - Chapter 6

Follow the Sparks

Monday, May 30th

Raiga was being detained until his trial, so he was no longer personally leading the radical faction. And for the same reason, he wasn’t apprised of their latest actions. All the information he had came from visitors, so his grasp of the situation at large was rather vague.

“Well, I am under house arrest after all.”

“But the radical faction still wants to keep you in the loop. You’re a figurehead, and thus they feel compelled to report to you.”

Raiga, as Maguz, had used his wits and willpower to lead the radical faction in their heyday. He’d shown them the way forward and given them purpose, and he was still considered an important member of the faction for the role he’d played. The radicals weren’t just going to abandon their former leader, so they slipped him information via visitors whenever they could. It was a sign of respect for him, and a way to keep the now-fractured faction together.

“One of my visitors came to tell me that the faction has made contact with a surface company.”

“We only know about Bell Tesla Electronics. We suspected something else was afoot but lacked any definitive evidence.”

“Bell Tesla, you say? I wasn’t given the name of the company, but from what I could piece together, it isn’t a foreign company and they aren’t new in town.”

“Whoever it is has old spiritual energy technology, so the founding of the company may very well date back quite a bit. It sounds like the information you have is good.”

Since Raiga was under house arrest, he couldn’t meet with anyone from the radical faction directly. Instead, the radical faction sent him messengers, mostly sympathizers who were willing to deliver information for the cause. The risk of leaks was high this way, however, so the messengers were only ever given bits and pieces of intel. That was how Raiga knew the faction was working with someone on surface but not who it was.

“I also know they’re working on a new base of operations with support from this surface company.”

“They’re that far along already? No wonder they managed to elude me.”

Kiriha knew that the remnants of Vandarion’s faction were looking to make contact with dissidents from both the underground and Folsaria. She’d cast a wide net in order to stay abreast of such communication, but she was one step behind them. That wasn’t so much a failure on her part, however, as it was a lucky break for Ralgwin. He’d found what he was looking for right away, so he’d already slipped through by the time Kiriha set up her net.

“I didn’t say much at the time because I lacked the perspective to make an informed decision. After doing some research on my own, however, I determined that the risks were too high.”

“My, my. So if you’d determined it was a low risk endeavor, we’d have another rebellion on our hands?”

“No. Either way, I wouldn’t have made a move. I’m here to take responsibility for what I’ve already done.”

“Then you’re saying that you simply would have kept your mouth shut if you didn’t perceive them as a threat.”

“That’s right. But they’re moving too swiftly for me to stay silent.”

Raiga had no intention of escaping from prison, regardless of Ralgwin’s intentions. But if Ralgwin had been after more than blood and destruction, Raiga would have considered helping him quietly behind the scenes. And if Ralgwin were a little slower or a little less competent, Raiga would have seen no need to intervene and alert Kiriha of his actions. But at the rate things were going, Raiga believed the People of the Earth would get caught in the crossfire of Ralgwin’s ambitions, and he wouldn’t stand for that.

“So you ultimately chose to sell out your former allies. That must have been a difficult decision.”

“Indeed... I would be lying if I said it wasn’t painful, but I cannot stake the People of the Earth on an unwinnable battle.”

There, a faint smile crossed Raiga’s lips. Betraying his own followers hurt, but there wasn’t much else he could do to help them from his cell. Contacting Kiriha was essentially his only lifeline. He couldn’t just sit idly by while they marched toward ruin if there was nothing to be gained from it.

“I see. Then I won’t say any more.”

“In that case... I’ve managed to track down the source of the information I received. It came from Uraga Toushi, who’s known for his ostensibly center-right views.”

“Uraga? That man...”

Uraga was an underground dweller who’d distanced himself from both the conservative and radical factions. He advocated not rushing to conclusions, but his patience and neutrality were facades. In truth, he was a dyed-in-the-wool radical. And now that Raiga was imprisoned, he’d stepped up to lead the faction in the shadows.

Koutarou and company’s main goal was to apprehend Ralgwin and disarm his forces, but preventing the leak of spiritual energy and magic was equally important. Whether it was on the surface or in Forthorthe, the premature acquisition of spiritual energy or magic could destabilize society. If any one person or organization had a monopoly on it, the economic fallout and underhanded terrorism to follow would be unprecedented. It would be a worldwide cataclysm.

That said, preventing a leak forever was impossible. The ideal would be gradually introducing the new technologies to society in order to keep any disruptions to a minimum. In short, Koutarou and company were trying to prevent a technological arms race. The same was true of trying to keep Forthorthian tech from reaching Earth too soon.

“So, for starters, we need to shadow this Uraga fellow and find the radical faction’s new base,” Harumi summarized.

After concluding their talk with Raiga, Koutarou and the others had moved to a guest room in the Kasumi estate. They were now holding a group meeting over how to proceed with the information they’d received.

“That would be for the best,” Theia agreed. “As long as Kiriha’s around, the radical faction won’t be able to use any of their current resources or facilities to make weapons for Ralgwin. It would be too obvious. They’ll need new production lines, which is likely the purpose of their new base.”

There were multiple ways to get information from Uraga. They could capture and interrogate him, or investigate his computer and personal belongings. Harumi had suggested the lowest-risk option: tailing him from a safe distance and following up by investigating the people and places he visited.

Fortunately, with magic on their side, Koutarou and company would have an easy time eluding the spiritual energy technology Uraga had at his disposal. Since he was their only lead, they needed to play things as safely as possible for now. As Theia had said, the radical faction’s new base likely doubled as a factory. And by following Uraga, he should eventually lead them to it. As such, they were simply watching him for the time being. Koutarou also thought this was the best plan under the circumstances.

“In order to make spiritual energy weapons, they’ll need the right supplies to manufacture converters and condensers,” he pointed out. “So we can probably assume this Uraga guy will make contact with the clans that have access to those.”

Spiritual energy technology was made using proprietary materials from the underground. Not many families had control over their production, so Koutarou was certain Uraga would inevitably get in touch with one of them.

“I believe so too,” Kiriha said with a nod. “As for who will take part in the shadowing mission...”

There, she scanned the group in front of her. She was racking her brain to figure out what team composition would be optimal for the task ahead of them.

“Ooh, ooh! Me, me, me! I’ll do it! I wanna go! It’ll be just like a spy movie!” Sanae immediately volunteered.

She sounded like she wasn’t taking this seriously, but she was motivated if nothing else. Koutarou, on the other hand, shook his head.

“No way, Sanae,” he said.

“What?! Why not?! I promise I’ll be responsible and everything! Come on!”

Despite what she sounded like, Sanae understood the gravity of the situation. She knew trouble was at hand, and she eagerly wanted to use her powers to help out.

“Don’t get me wrong, Sanae. I didn’t say no because I think you’re irresponsible.”

“Then why can’t I go?”

“You’re a bad match for the job, plain and simple. If you use your powers, they’ll detect you right away. Think of it this way. You’re basically going up against a bunch of haniwas.”

“Ho! Sanae-chan always stands out to us, ho!”

“You’re too powerful, ho!”

To Koutarou, the problem was a practical matter and not a personal one. Sanae’s powerful aura was all too easy to detect with spiritual energy technology. If she didn’t actively hold it back, she could even emit enough spiritual energy to be visible to the naked eye.

“Your time to shine will come, so we need you to stick to a supporting role here,” Koutarou explained.

“Boo... You promise, right?” Sanae pouted.

“Yeah, yeah. I promise.”

“Good.”

Once she understood the situation, Sanae reluctantly withdrew. Her exceptional power was an extreme case, but anyone with an excess of spiritual energy would be facing the same dilemma. Koutarou, for example, had a lot himself thanks to Sanae. Shizuka did too from Alunaya.

“In that case...” Kiriha mused. “I believe Harumi and Ruth would be the best choices.”

Maki was normally a top candidate for stealth missions like this, but this time her exceptional talents worked against her. She also had a noteworthy spiritual capacity. That left the group’s other two spellcasters, and Kiriha ultimately decided that Harumi had the greater advantage.

Ruth, meanwhile, was selected as a machine expert who didn’t rely on spiritual energy. Spiritual energy technology was extraordinarily effective against living beings, but not so much against machines. So since this would be a covert operation, robots that could bypass spiritual energy surveillance were an especially valuable asset. Someone as powerful as Sanae could detect robots regardless, but military-grade equipment from the People of the Earth couldn’t. Clan would have been a possibility for the job too if her poor stamina didn’t disqualify her.

“Wait a minute. I’m going too,” Koutarou protested.

He understood Kiriha’s plan. A two-person team was ideal for the mission, but he believed Harumi and Ruth would be too defenseless on their own. Neither of them were frontline fighters, so they could find themselves in trouble against an aggressive enemy. Koutarou wanted to protect them, especially after the recent sniping attempt on Ruth. He was worried.

“I understand how you feel, but I’d rather send Maki than you. And even then, I’d prefer not to,” Kiriha said, shaking her head.

Thanks to Maki’s magic, Kiriha believed she would make a better guard on a covert mission. But there was still an irrefutable truth to be confronted: the more people on a stealth operation, the greater the risk of being noticed. It was true that Koutarou had superior combat abilities and could protect the girls in a fight, but if there was a fight... that would mean the mission had already failed. The ideal pair to avoid detection altogether was Harumi and Ruth.

“But...”

“Please believe in us, Master. We’ll return successfully.”

Koutarou was still prepared to insist, but Ruth’s smile cut him short. This was a situation he’d been in before, and he recognized an unwinnable battle when he saw it.

“It seems you finally understand how we always feel about you, Satomi-kun,” Harumi giggled.

And that was the coup de grace. When Koutarou realized this anxious restlessness was what he put the girls through constantly, he couldn’t say a word in protest. He knew it would be hypocritical to raise a fuss over trouble he caused them on a regular basis.

“Sakuraba-senpai, Ruth-san... Just be careful, okay?”

“Don’t worry, Master. Your band of knights is the best in the universe.”

“If something actually happens, we’ll use the sword’s power to escape. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

The battle they were fighting had changed considerably. They were faced with all sorts of new challenges and dangers, but just like the girls had believed in Koutarou during the war... he now had to believe in them. That was what he told himself as he decided to send them off with his blessing.

Harumi was chosen for the mission for two reasons: her magic and her cautiousness. The latter was useful in any situation, and the former was particularly useful under the circumstances because it utilized the ancient language of magic.

“Appear from within me, spirits of the mind, spirits of life! Oh spinning wheel of the stars, use the loom of the moon to weave a mystic shroud! Conceal us, Star Veil!”

The modern magic Yurika and Maki used had spells that concealed spiritual energy, but they weren’t specifically meant to do so. It was just a fortunate side effect. Harumi’s ancient magic, however, could be used to improvise incantations. This allowed her to craft a spell explicitly for the job, making it subsequently several times more effective.

“How does it look, little haniwas?” she asked once she was done casting.

“It’s amazing, ho! Even a military-grade sensor would only pick up the slightest reaction at close range, ho!”

“No one will find you with this as long as you keep your distance, ho! It’s incredible, ho!”

Harumi had incanted a spell meant to conceal their spiritual energy over an extended period of time, and her focus on duration had compromised the concealment slightly. The spiritual energy they still radiated, however, was so slight that it could only be detected at extremely short ranges. If they were ever in a situation where that was an issue, she could cast a second shorter spell for maximum concealment—another advantage of her flexible ancient magic. And once Harumi’s preparations were complete, Ruth began hers.

“Activating the thermal optic camouflage. Once the target’s locked on, begin automatic tracking using pattern 14-B.”

“As you wish, my lady.”

She started by launching an unmanned fighter. It was smaller than the ones she normally used in order to minimize its heat signature and make it harder to detect. Essentially, it sacrificed combat ability and maneuverability for increased stealth and reconnaissance performance. It was the ideal drone for the mission: observing Uraga and relaying information to Ruth and Harumi. The girls would then investigate accordingly.

“We’ll protect you guys, ho!”

“Defending ladies is the honor of any knight, ho!”

Korama and Karama were also tagging along as bodyguards and consultants. They had their own spiritual energy stealth devices, so they were a good addition to the team. They also had years of experience with the technology, so they could advise Ruth and Harumi who were relatively new to it. Both were important jobs, and the haniwas were all fired up for the mission. They’d even brought their spiritual energy katana and spiritual energy cannon along.

The People of the Earth’s cities were built underground, but the upper ceilings of their caverns were tremendously high. Thanks to that, Ruth had no problem sending her unmanned fighter up and out of sight at a high altitude. It was already locked on to its target, and was currently trailing behind a lone man. Harumi and Ruth trailed even farther behind, led along at a safe distance by the drone. So far, the mission was going well.

Uraga Toushi was about the same age as Kasumi Kouma. He publicly took a center-right stance on politics and hadn’t participated in Raiga’s rebellion. He didn’t stand out much because he always made sure to maintain the appearance of an ordinary citizen. In fact, he was known more for his work than his political views. He made a living as a fish farmer and was beloved by many people for making the practice viable underground.

He’d even gotten to be a trusted friend of Kouma’s, so he was quite familiar with Raiga as well. He’d known him ever since he was a boy, and he sometimes visited the Kasumi estate even now to pay his respects to the imprisoned Raiga. By all appearances, he was just a mild-mannered old friend visiting a young man who’d gone astray. But behind the scenes, Uraga was a frontrunner of the radical faction. He used the trust people placed in him to further his political schemes, and that included his visits to Raiga. He was often the messenger who came to deliver information to the former leader of the faction.

“I’m sure this will come as quite a shock to Kouma-san,” Harumi said with a sad expression.

Kouma had been through enough. Finding out his own son had started a rebellion and was inevitably facing the death penalty for his treason was bad enough as it was... But now it had come to light that an old friend had used and betrayed him too. Thinking about how the poor, kind Kouma must be suffering, Harumi was nearly driven to tears.

“Uncle Kouma is pretty sharp, ho! He’s had Uraga on a watch list for a while now, ho!”

“He was just given special consideration because he was friends with Raiga, ho!”

“Really?”

Harumi was somewhat relieved to hear that Kouma had anticipated the situation, but she was sure it wouldn’t erase the pain it caused. She still felt for him. As the inheritor of Alaia’s memories, Harumi had been through an extraordinary amount of suffering and betrayal herself. She was incredibly sympathetic. The heart she bore as an average girl, you could say, was just too big.

“Please don’t worry, Harumi-sama. Kouma-sama has overcome a great deal of hardship to make it to where he is. Above all else, he’s strong.”

Ruth, on the other hand, hailed from a martial family. She naturally had a much better understanding of what Kouma was going through. The struggle between the conservative and radical factions wasn’t new to the underground. It had been going on for decades, and Kouma had been involved in it all this time. This wasn’t the first setback he’d experienced, and it likely wouldn’t be the last. He was able to sustain himself through strength and experience.

“You’re right... I still have a long way to go, I suppose.”

Kouma was many years Harumi’s senior, and he had survived challenge after challenge. He wasn’t simply the kind old man he appeared to be. Harumi was actually a little embarrassed to admit she’d misjudged him.

“If you think that, Harumi-sama, then what about the rest of us?” Ruth asked with a wry smile.

Harumi’s wisdom and insight were far beyond her years as it was, and Alaia’s memories only made her more worldly and mature. If she still had a long way to go, then Ruth hated to think how long her own road must be. She didn’t have long to contemplate it, however...

“Harumi-chan, Ruth-chan! Uraga is going into a different building, ho!”

“This looks like the place where they make their deals, ho!”

“Oh dear. We’d better get back to work, Ruth-san.”

“Indeed. We can talk more later.”

For now, the girls were on the job. Their friendly smiles waned as they took on serious expressions. Depending on how this played out, they might need to infiltrate the building to go after Uraga. Things had gone well so far, but in truth, the mission was only just getting started.

Over the past week or so, Uraga had only been visiting places where he had professional connections. That seemed normal enough, especially for a work-focused man like him. But that was also part of his cover. If he openly frequented the radical faction’s secret holdouts, he might as well be outing himself.

“That appears to be the warehouse of a historied sake brewery, ho!”

“They’re working together on a restaurant, so he’s probably here about that, ho!”

Whenever Uraga stopped by somewhere, the haniwas would introduce the girls to the location. As locals of the underground, they knew their way around town. They had general information on lots of businesses and residents, and their intel gave Ruth what she needed to make the next move.

“Harumi-sama, I’ll start listening in on what’s happening inside.”

“That would be great.”

Ruth opened up an audio channel from the unmanned fighter via her bracelet. Her go-to method was using a laser beam to detect vibrations from a windowpane and translate those into sound. It was her favorite technique because it could easily be done from a distance and had virtually no chance of being detected.

“This season’s batch is doing well. Our customers are constantly praising it.”

“This year marks our third century in the business, so we had to put all that love and experience into our product. Grand, isn’t it? Hahaha!”

“You’re quite confident, but you have every right to be.”

“It is an honor to hear that from the savior of the food industry himself.”

The incoming audio was even crisper than usual. Every word came in loud and clear. As the warehouse consisted of a single large room, the voices of Uraga and his business associate reached the window Ruth had tapped without any obstruction.

“It sounds like normal shop talk,” Harumi observed as she listened in on the conversation with a serious expression.

By the sound of it, Uraga had truly only come here for business. They could hear talking, the sound of a barrel being opened, the sloshing of liquid, and the clinking of glasses. It all seemed to check out.

“It certainly does...”

Ruth heard everything Harumi did and agreed that it sounded normal, but a stern expression remained on her face. Seeing that, Harumi curiously cocked her head.

“Is something the matter, Ruth-san?”

“It’s just... something is bothering me...”

Ruth tapped on her bracelet to boot up an audio analysis program. She couldn’t shake a certain doubt she was feeling.

“What is it?”

“It’s the audio... It’s a little too clear.”

There was nothing unusual about the conversation or sounds they were hearing. The girls could agree on that much. But as for the audio itself, Ruth couldn’t help remarking its exceptional fidelity—something only a pro would notice.

“I knew it! What we’re hearing is being played from a speaker!”

When her AI finished its analysis, Ruth had her suspicions confirmed. With Earth’s current technology, there was an unavoidable loss of sound when it was recorded. High-quality equipment could play it back with exceptional fidelity—even though the difference would still be obvious when compared. Ruth’s keen ears had picked up on that, and the analysis confirmed it. Moreover, it seemed that the conversation they were hearing had been edited together; the cuts were apparent in the waveform data. All together, these results could only mean one thing.

“You mean their real conversation is being covered up by what’s playing on the speaker?”

“Most likely. I’ll try and see if I can decipher what they’re actually saying.”

Harumi and Ruth still looked serious, but the tone of their voices was a little brighter. They’d hit dead ends for days now, but this might be a real lead. They were both hopeful at the prospect.

It wasn’t long before Ruth uncovered the real conversation taking place in the warehouse. Listening in on it, she and Harumi were able to pin down Uraga’s exact role in the radical faction. He was in charge of keeping their stronghold supplied with provisions.

Uraga made a living raising fish, but there were always ones too big or too small to be considered market-worthy. And rather than disposing of them, Uraga set his aside for the radical faction. He was also diverting about 10 percent of the wholesale purchases he made for his restaurants. It was apparently a small enough cut that no one had noticed. That wasn’t the only trick he had up his sleeve, either. He used all kinds of practices to sneak the radical faction food resources, and that was precisely what he’d gone to the warehouse to discuss.

“There’s a reaction on the spiritual energy radar, ho!”

“We need to be on high alert, ho!”

Once they’d uncovered Uraga’s secret job, Harumi and Ruth tracked his schemes down to large private property outside of the city. Uraga himself was nowhere to be seen, however. They’d found this place by following a delivery truck.

“We don’t know anything about this facility, ho!”

“And we know everything Ane-go knows, ho!”

The haniwas had access to Kiriha’s information networks. And as the future chief of the People of the Earth and the commander of the surface invasion, she had one of the highest clearance levels in all the underground. If this facility was off her radar, chances were good that it was illegal.

“So this is the enemy’s secret base... Ruth-san, I’m refreshing the spell.”

“I’ll check on the unmanned fighter too.”

The property was heavily guarded compared to the warehouse. There was a spiritual energy security system at the gate and armed guards at the facility several hundred yards behind it. It almost looked like a military compound. Based on what they could observe and the lack of available information about the place, the haniwas believed it was the radical faction’s new base. As such, Harumi and Ruth were on guard.

“I just hope we can figure out who their connection on the surface is...”

“The faster we can figure it out, the faster we can get out of here.”

“You can say that again.”

While Harumi and Ruth were both ideal for this mission in terms of ability, neither one was a good fit in terms of personality. Both girls disliked suspecting people and sneaking around. They were willing to go as far as they needed to for the sake of their objective, but they’d both still prefer to be done with it sooner rather than later.

“We’ll enter the active radar’s range in thirty meters, ho!”

“Twenty... ten... We’re in, ho! Everything’s working just like we hoped, ho!”

Harumi, Ruth, and the haniwas all passed boldly through the front gate. They were of course using Harumi’s concealment spell and Ruth’s thermal optic camouflage. The excellent combination allowed them to waltz right into the base without notice.

“Phew, thank goodness...”

“You still get nervous even though you know it’ll be all right, don’t you, Harumi-sama?”

“I’m just not cut out for this.”

“Heehee, I feel the same way.”

“Not that we could tell Satomi-kun that...”

“That’s true. If we did, Master would have insisted on coming along.”

Harumi and Ruth shared a laugh together as they cautiously proceeded forward. Now that the enemy could beset them at any moment, they’d have to be especially careful.

“I knew it, ho! The patrolmen here are far more heavily armed than your standard security guards, ho!”

“It looks like they’re using military-grade weapons and armor, ho! Where’d they get all that?”

“We’ll need to investigate that too...”

“Let’s stay on our toes as we get closer, Ruth-san.”

“Yes, let’s. I’d like to stop behind that shrubbery over there to gather some more information.”

“That sounds like a good idea.”

As the group approached the building, they were able to get a better grasp of its security. Ruth, however, was ever cautious and wanted as much intel as possible before going in. On her lead, they took up cover behind some bushes while she ran a few scans.

“The site’s surveillance is focused on its outermost perimeter.”

“I can’t sense any mana. It doesn’t seem like there’s anything magical here.”

“There are spiritual energy reactions here and there, ho!”

“There also seems to be a space distortion inside the building, ho! Ruth-chan, can you please confirm?”

“Let me see... Yes, it is indeed a space distortion, but it’s small. It might be personal equipment, or maybe even some advanced spiritual energy technology. Either way, we’ll have to investigate it.”

This—a space distortion reaction—was their biggest lead yet. It was a hallmark of Forthorthian technology, although they couldn’t be certain that was the cause. The reaction was small enough that there were other possibilities. Yurika created space distortions when she used teleportation magic, for example, and Sanae did too when she used her powers at full blast. Really, the reaction could be anything that bent space by some means. They’d need more information before they could determine what was causing it.

“It seems, then, that we now have two tasks,” Harumi declared, holding up two fingers. “The first is to locate the source of the space distortion. The second is to get into their computer system and identify the surface company who’s working with them.”

Infiltrating the building to discover the source of the space distortion would be dangerous, but it should be a quick job since they knew its exact location. They needed to get inside anyway to figure out who their partner surface company was, but they didn’t have the manpower or time to cover the entire base. Instead, they’d be doing their sleuthing through the computer network. Harumi’s idea was to accomplish those two tasks and then decide how to proceed from there.

“I think that’s a sound plan, Harumi-sama, but it would be safer to take over their security network first.”

“Oh, heehee... Of course. Once security is taken care of, we can get to work.”

Hacking into the base’s security network would make getting inside easier, safer, and faster—both physically and digitally. The same would also be true of their escape. Functionally, Ruth was suggesting a little extra work before the mission that would pay off tenfold down the line.

“I also believe this approach would make Master worry the least.”

“You’re right... I’m sure Satomi-kun is worried sick about now.”

“Harumi-sama, we’ve done our fair share of waiting and worrying, but it seems it isn’t much easier being on this side of things.”

“It is difficult. When you’re out in the field, you want to push yourself for everyone’s sake... but for everyone’s sake, you also know you shouldn’t. I had no idea this would be so hard.”

For the first time, the two girls realized what it felt like to head into battle and leave their loved ones behind. They normally only played supporting roles in combat, so this was a new sensation for them. They’d remember it well the next time they had to see Koutarou or Theia off.

The facility had its own network, which couldn’t be infiltrated from the outside. The girls would need to find a point of entry to tap into it.

“That said, to get inside and plug in means getting past security first... We have ourselves quite a dilemma, don’t we?” Harumi mused with a furrowed brow.

The plan was to take over the security network before getting inside, but as it turned out, they needed to get inside before they could take over the security network. It was a rather sticky situation. They could try infiltrating the building anyway, but that was a high-risk endeavor that could easily get them caught. They could also try slipping in the main entrance, but it was so heavily guarded that it would be a dangerous operation even with magic and technology on their side.

“I think it’s time for my specialty,” proclaimed Ruth.

“Your specialty?” Harumi asked curiously.

“This.”

There, Ruth reached into her backpack and pulled out something about the size of a plastic bottle. As Harumi stared at it, it began moving in Ruth’s hands.

“Goodness, is that a robot?”

“Yes. It’s a semi-automatic reconnaissance bot. And thanks to Clan-sama, it should be able to access the network.”

When the reconnaissance bot stopped moving, it now looked like a rabbit rather than a plastic bottle. It was made to move terrestrially, going from cover to cover to secretly gather information. Clan had given it a new function as well—a wireless transmitter that could port with any computer in range. With that, Ruth and Harumi should be able to breach the facility network even from the outside.

“We’ll sneak in instead of this rabbit, ho!”

“Yeah, ho! This is our big chance to shine, ho!”

“But Harumi-sama and I are counting on you two to protect us.”

“We can’t argue when you say it like that, ho!”

“It’s a knight’s honor and duty to defend gentleladies, ho!”

Ruth was able to convince the haniwas she needed them as bodyguards, but there was actually another reason she didn’t want to send them in. If it came down to that, they couldn’t self-destruct like the rabbit could. Ruth knew she needed to plan for the worst case scenario. The reconnaissance bot was fashioned with an explosive charge that wouldn’t leave any evidence behind... and, even though they were just machines too, Ruth could never ask the haniwas to make that kind of sacrifice.

“Now, I would like everyone to focus their defensive and stealth measures on the reconnaissance bot.”

“Of course. They should be more effective that way, but... Heehee...”

“Harumi-sama?”

“Did you choose this design, Ruth-san?” Harumi asked with a smile.

She wasn’t very well versed with Forthorthian technology, but she knew robots came in all manner of shapes. There were likely more barebone and practical models available for the mission, but Ruth had chosen this design in particular. Harumi couldn’t help finding it amusing.

“Y-Yes, actually...” Ruth admitted with a bashful smile.

She was the dignified daughter of a longstanding family of knights—a reputation with a certain gravitas. As such, it was a little embarrassing to be called out for her girly tastes. But Harumi meant nothing by it.

“There’s no need to be embarrassed,” she assured Ruth. “I would have chosen it myself.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I quite enjoy cute things like this.”

“I-I see...”

Seeing Harumi smile, Ruth smiled too. Her reassurance meant a lot to her, and she found herself quite grateful Harumi was her partner on this mission.

“I have to admit, though... If I knew Satomi-kun were coming, I might have picked something that looked a little stronger,” Harumi confessed.

“I think I would have too,” Ruth said with a nod.

“It would have to be something worthy and befitting His Excellency the Blue Knight, after all.”

“Publicly, at least... Heehee.”

As Ruth laughed, the robotic rabbit in her hands began moving again. It jumped away just like a real rabbit would, then hopped over to Harumi. She would be casting a few spells on it before it set out on its mission.

“This is fun. Casting spells on a mechanical rabbit sounds like something out of a fairy tale,” she giggled as she held her palms up toward the rabbit and began her incantation.

Since the reconnaissance robot was smaller than the haniwas, it required even less mana to conceal it. And with the mana she saved that way, Harumi was able to cast several extra protective spells on it—invisibility, electromagnetic absorption, and the like. Once she was done, the rabbit glowed with all the colors of the rainbow to Harumi’s eyes. Ruth could actually see the light too, thanks to the crest on her forehead.

“Now it really looks like something straight out of a fairy tale, Ruth-san.”

“The robotic rabbit and the rainbow light are a surprisingly enchanting combination.”

“I bet we could do that too, ho...”

“Ho! Give it up, Brother! There’s just no competing with cuteness, ho!”

The two girls and the two haniwas saw the rabbit off. It bounded from cover to cover just like a real rabbit, leaving a faint streak of rainbow-colored light behind it. With its magical enhancements, it artfully kept out of sight as it closed in on the building. It was so stealthy and quiet that it might not have even needed Harumi’s magic.

“Harumi-sama, our little bunny—erm, the reconnaissance bot has discovered a computer terminal.”

“Wow, it’s only been a few minutes.”

“It’s porting with the terminal as it sets up mirrors.”

“Mirrors?”

“I’m trying to stick to using lasers. I’d rather not send signals while we’re in the enemy stronghold.”

The reconnaissance bot had chosen a computer close to a window that wasn’t visible from the door to the room—the ideal setup. There were multiple ways of communicating with a terminal once the rabbit ported with it, but lasers were the safest. They were direct light and, as long as they used a frequency that couldn’t be seen by the naked eye, they were virtually impossible to detect. The rabbit was setting up mirrors as it completed the porting process so it could send laser communications outside as well. Once they were connected, Ruth would have access to the terminal from the safety of the shrubbery outside.

“Okay, the connection is stable now. Looks like we’re in.”

Once their link to the network was established, it was time to begin the next phase of the plan: contacting Clan.

Clan wasn’t on location with the girls. She was stationed back at Kouma’s house with Koutarou and the others and would be assisting over comms.

“Come in, Clan-san. We’re connected to a computer inside the base now,” Harumi called through her bracelet.

“So it’s finally my turn, is it? Just wait while I hack in,” she responded.

Functionally, Clan had two jobs on this mission. The first was infiltrating the enemy base’s network, and the laser Ruth had set up was meant to facilitate just that. Once Clan was in, they would have control of the entire base—security included.

“Strange... Their network is better defended than I thought it’d be,” Clan mused as she worked.

“Let me help you, Clan-sama,” Ruth offered.

“By all means, Pardomshiha.”

Clan was encountering network security that exceeded what was considered standard for the People of the Earth. That meant it would take longer to crack, but with Ruth’s help, they would have it done in no time.

“The basic software is definitely the People of the Earth’s, but this computer performance is abnormal,” Clan observed as she worked.

“Does that mean that they’re receiving technical support by way of new parts?” Ruth asked.

“I suspect so. It would be easier to beef up computers they already have rather than replace them altogether and risk compatibility issues.”

Clan had a feeling Forthorthian technology was involved here. She was skeptical that the People of the Earth’s security programs would run properly on Forthorthian hardware, so she believed it was more likely that the remnants of the radical faction had retrofitted their existing computers with superior components. Dramatically enhanced processing power, RAM, et cetera would allow their units to outperform even the supercomputers of the surface... But the only way the radical faction could have gotten their hands on such cutting-edge technology was through Vandarion’s faction.

“Speculating here won’t do us any good, however. Let’s save that for later and focus on silencing this security for now,” Clan suggested.

“Yes, let’s hurry,” Ruth agreed.

Once Clan was in the system, her second job was to disable the base’s security measures. This would allow Harumi and Ruth to infiltrate the building and investigate the source of the space distortion. Clan’s task, then, was really to keep them out of danger. That was easy enough for her, however. She could tamper with the security system and make it look like cameras, patrol bots, and the like were still working.

Dealing with the guards was a little trickier, but Clan had discovered a security manual on the terminal she was accessing. With the information contained therein, she could easily identify patrol routes and areas that were short-staffed. She used that to remotely guide Harumi and Ruth down the safest paths possible. And at this rate, it seemed like they would reach their destination without having to neutralize any guards along the way.

“Judging by the look of things, it seems like Raiga was right. This place is brand new. There are still lapses in their security that we can take advantage of,” Clan reported to the girls as they moved.

She’d been scrutinizing the base this entire time. It turned out that its security records only went back half a month—most likely when the base was first built. Very little had been updated since then either, giving the impression that the enemy was in quite a hurry. The same was probably true for more than just security, too. The entire base seemed to be a rush job.

“That’s probably why Raiga was so worried,” remarked Harumi. “It’s like Vandarion’s faction really doesn’t care about the People of the Earth.”

“Indeed,” Ruth agreed. “The radical faction has been decimated, but Vandarion’s men are rushing them to make a move. The risks are extremely high. And for Raiga to have realized all that from prison... He’s a truly dangerous opponent.”

If the remnants of Vandarion’s faction had been willing to dig in and give the radical faction the support they really needed, that would have been one thing. But they were moving on a swift charge and wouldn’t slow down for anyone. In truth, it was only a matter of time before something went wrong... And Raiga had no interest in being trampled underfoot by the Forthorthians. They could achieve bloodshed and widespread panic together, certainly, but Raiga was after more than that. The true scope of the situation was only just now sinking in for Harumi and Ruth.

“Ruth-san, Raiga said that the remnants of Vandarion’s faction had no vision for the future... but don’t you think it’s possible they’re hoping the radical faction will destroy itself?” Harumi asked hesitantly.

“I’m afraid that is indeed a possibility,” Ruth conceded reluctantly. “Taking all the technology they can get from the People of the Earth and then casting them aside once they’re done with them... sounds like something Vandarion’s faction would do.”

Both girls proceeded down the hallway under Clan’s guidance with stern expressions on their faces. They now realized the fate of the underground—the fate of the People of the Earth—depended on the success of this mission. It was a serious job, and thus they took every step carefully. Suddenly, however...

“Stop here, ho!”

“There’s someone around the corner, ho!”

“It appears to be standard security personnel,” Clan chimed in to confirm. “It’s nearly time for the changing of the guard, so I doubt they’ll head your way. Just hold your position for now.”

“Understood, Clan-san. We’ll wait here.”

The girls were being extraordinarily cautious, so it was unlikely the enemy would find them. They weren’t going to take any risks, however. Even while on standby, they were discreetly hiding in the shadows with thermal optic camouflage.

“As predicted, it’s a shift change. They’re headed for the guard station now.”

“The coast is clear, ho!”

“Time to go, ho!”

Harumi and Ruth stepped out of the shadows and resumed their course, just as carefully as before. And within a few minutes, they arrived at their objective—the source of the space distortion.

“This is the place.”

Harumi stepped inside and looked around, but not for the distortion. She was trying to identify an escape route. There were no windows in the room, however, and it seemed the only way in or out was the door where they’d entered. In such a precarious place, they wouldn’t be able to stay for long.

“It appears to be a warehouse...”

The space was vast but mostly empty. The lined-up boxes and stacked containers scattered about suggested it was a storage facility, meaning the real question now was why they’d detected a space distortion here.

“Little haniwas, are you sure that the reaction is coming from here?” Harumi couldn’t help asking.

“There’s no doubt about it, ho! We’re picking it up even now, ho!”

“It looks like it’s by the wall in the back, ho!”

“Is something the matter, Harumi-sama?”

“Well... I figured if they were sharing technology with the Forthorthians, this would be a laboratory or something...”

“That’s true. Why is there a space distortion here in a storage facility?”

If the radical faction had received powerful technology from Vandarion’s faction, it should be under study... not abandoned in a storeroom. It struck both girls as odd.

“What do you think is the meaning of this, Harumi-sama?”

“If it’s something too advanced for them to handle, maybe they gave up on studying it for the time being. Or maybe the base’s lab isn’t complete yet. Either way... something strange seems to be going on here. We should exercise utmost caution.”

On their way to the warehouse, Harumi and Ruth had seen evidence that the enemy was preparing for an attack. They spotted soldiers training, trucks loaded with military equipment, weapons, and more. It looked like the radical faction was ready for war. It was clear they were actively receiving aid from Vandarion’s faction, so it seemed unlikely they’d turned over technology the radicals weren’t capable of handling.

That being the case, the space distortion in the warehouse likely meant one of two things: it was simply in storage until a laboratory could be built, or it was actually just an unknown, exceptionally strong piece of spiritual energy technology. There was no telling which, however, so as Harumi had said, they would need to proceed with great care.

“Understood. I’ll bring out everything I can use. Then, Harumi-sama, please use your magic to—”

“I think this will work better.”

Smiling softly, Harumi extended her right palm facing outward. It was different from the gesture she used to cast magic, which required both hands. And just as Ruth wondered what she was doing...

“Come, Signaltin!”

With those words, the crest on Harumi’s forehead began glowing as a brilliant, shining sword appeared in her hand. Pure white mana flowed from her body, giving her hair an unmistakable silver color. Signaltin was bound by contract to all nine girls now, but Harumi still shared the most profound connection with it.

“Seeing you like this with that sword, Harumi-sama... It’s an incredible sight to behold for a Forthorthian like me.”

“Then I’m sorry to say it’s just little old me... Heehee.”

With a smile, Harumi brandished the brilliant blade in the same traditional style that Koutarou used. It was quite striking, and it was clear she’d put a lot of effort into practicing it. Alaia had left Harumi, but blessed her with her knack for swordsmanship. Their souls, on a very deep level, were still one and the same.

“Don’t say that! You’re—”

“Voiceprint for Ruthkania Nye Pardomshiha confirmed. Changing from standby mode to combat mode.”

Whirrr...

Having gotten a little emotional, Ruth unwittingly raised her voice. And something responded to it—the source of the space distortion at the back of the room.

“Is that what I think it is?!”

“Yes! It’s a mobile weapon!”

At first glance, it appeared to be a box about two meters tall. But when Ruth’s voice activated it, it began moving and pushed away the objects around it. When its transformation was complete, it looked like a giant metallic spider armed with all kinds of weapons.

“This was a trap!”

The terrible truth set in on Ruth the moment she saw the mobile weapon. Its armaments were what was triggering the reaction on the haniwas’ equipment. And it had been left here to exterminate anyone who came to investigate. It was a trap set under the assumption that the base would be discovered.

“But this proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt! This base has a Forthorthian connection!”

Harumi glared at the mobile weapon as she took one, then two steps forward with both her hands on Signaltin. They’d fallen into a trap, but the presence of a mobile weapon here was concrete proof that Raiga’s information was good—the radical faction was in contact with Vandarion’s faction. This meant they now had the enemy’s number as long as Harumi and Ruth could escape this trap and get their intel back to Koutarou and the others.

“I’m reading a high energy reaction! It’s getting ready to fire!” Ruth called.

“Ruth-san, I’m leaving our defenses to you!” Harumi called back.

“Harumi-sama... U-Understood!”

Ruth hesitated for a moment when she saw Harumi approach the enemy, but she acquiesced when she remembered what Harumi was holding in her hands. Harumi had no psychic powers, but her ancient magic gave her a great advantage with Signaltin. With that, she might even be just as strong as Koutarou.

“Come, spirits of the wind! Gather in my sword and show me the power of the Thunder Emperor!”

Harumi continued to stride forward as she chanted. No longer held back by the constraints of her weak constitution, she moved with grace and power. But her enemy was making its move too. The mobile weapon crawled dexterously across the room with its long legs like there was nothing at all in its way. As it approached the girls, it took aim with the beam cannon atop its upper body, which was an extraordinarily stable firing platform as it was supported by eight legs. It locked on to Harumi and fired.

“Harumi-sama, please continue straight ahead!”

Between Harumi and the incoming beam were six small fighters. Following Ruth’s orders, they broke into two teams of three in delta formations. Each team then generated a distortion field, effectively protecting Harumi and Ruth with a two-layer barrier.

Vrrrsh... Crack!

But not even that was enough to stop the beam, although it did dramatically reduce its power.

“Ho! Don’t forget about us!”

“This’ll be easy, ho!”

When the fighters’ barriers failed, Karama and Korama were ready to put up a fight. The two haniwas summoned a spiritual energy field to defend the girls. Stopping such a powerful beam wasn’t something they could ordinarily do, but this weakened one was no match for them.

“That’s as far as you go!” Ruth shouted at the approaching mobile weapon.

She then ordered the fighters to abandon their delta formations and come together in a single circle. All six of them then fired in unison, their lasers striking the mechanical spider at the exact same time.

Zing!

The mobile weapon was still targeting Harumi, but when it sensed the incoming attack, it shifted its focus to defending itself with a distortion field. The fighters weren’t able to do any damage because of it, but their diversion bought Harumi enough time to safely close in on the mobile weapon.

“Like a dragon swooping from a storm cloud, lay low my foe! Thundering Dragon Claw!”

Once Harumi was in range, she finished incanting her spell. Signaltin flashed white as she brought it down on the mechanical monster as hard as she could. She lacked Koutarou’s raw strength, but she made up for it with her magic, her elegance, and her accuracy. Her strike cut through the front leg the mobile weapon had raised to defend itself, and continued into its head which was full of sensors and other critical parts. Harumi then released all the mana she’d gathered in her sword.

Boom!

A moment later, a bright light filled the room. She could use ranged magic as well, but she’d chosen to seal the deal with a single close-range spell. Channeling her mana directly into an opponent made for a far more powerful attack. It was riskier, of course, but Harumi had faith in Ruth and the haniwas. And that trust had paid off. The lightning Harumi unleashed into the mechanical spider’s head shocked the whole unit with a powerful electric current that fried it for good. There was a small series of explosions, and the mobile weapon collapsed on the spot.

“Phew...”

When she saw that her foe would never move again, Harumi let out a sigh of relief and returned the silver sword to its sheath. Even though she had faith in herself and her friends, fighting still made her nervous. There were too many uncertainties.

“Well done, Harumi-sama!” Ruth called out to her as she ran over with a big smile.

Unlike Harumi, she seemed ecstatic over the fight that had just taken place. She thought Harumi’s victory was splendid and the attack she’d used incredible. It was impressive to take a mobile weapon out with one hit.

“It was my first time trying that, so I’m glad it worked.”

“Heehee, there’s no need to be so modest. This was how the sword was meant to be used, and seeing you in action with it is exquisite.”

That was the other reason Ruth was so excited. She’d finally gotten to see what Signaltin would have looked like in Alaia’s hands, as Forthorthe’s sword of kingship was normally only wielded by the ruler who made a contract with it. Ruth’s praise, however, put a sour look on Harumi’s face.

“This sword rightfully belongs to Satomi-kun. It was meant to be used with both of us fighting,” she said rather sulkily.

Both Harumi and Alaia had turned Signaltin over to Koutarou, and they’d each made a pact to protect him. Koutarou, in turn, would then protect everyone else. That arrangement was absolute.

“I know, Harumi-sama. I really do, but... it still thrills me to see how strong Empress Alaia would have been at full power.”

Ruth understood where Harumi was coming from. She bore a sword-shaped crest of her own, after all. But as a citizen of Forthorthe, she couldn’t help her elation at witnessing Empress Alaia’s power incarnate.

“Both Alaia-san and I prefer seeing Satomi-kun strong.”

Harumi, as well as Alaia, had entrusted Koutarou with the sword of kingship out of love. That was why she felt a strong resistance to the idea that the sword belonged in her hands. It wasn’t a point she could concede.

“Harumi-sama, please don’t pout. I too prefer seeing Master as the strongest!”

Ruth couldn’t help smiling wryly at Harumi’s unusual stubbornness, but she was also sympathetic. It was this purity of heart that had sustained her over two thousand years.

“Really?”

“I wouldn’t support his band of knights with all my heart otherwise.”

“Yes, of course... I’m sorry, Ruth-san. Next time—”

Harumi knew Ruth meant no harm and that, in truth, their hearts were connected. But just as her spirits started to lift...

Whoosh!

Signaltin suddenly disappeared from her hands. With the crest on her forehead activated, she immediately knew what was happening.

“Satomi-kun is fighting somewhere!”

The sword vanished because Koutarou had called for it. Harumi could feel its power swelling, too. That could only mean Koutarou was wielding it in combat.

“Harumi-sama, Clan-sama just sent a message! It appears the Kasumi estate is under attack!”

“It is?! I see... This was a trap to separate our forces!”

The truth finally set upon Harumi. This was what Vandarion’s faction had intended all along. The decimated radical faction hardly made a worthy ally... No, instead, they were using the radicals. Ralgwin had accurately guessed that all it would take to make them squeal was dangling a little Forthorthian technology in front of them. He’d essentially forced the radical faction’s hand, knowing it would draw Koutarou and company to the underground.

And so far, the plan had been a success. All that was left now was the simple matter of launching their real offensive. The ideal would be to attack while Koutarou and company were split up, which was the true purpose of the space distortion diversion. It was mere bait, and Harumi and Ruth had fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.

“Ruth-san, let’s hurry back to Satomi-kun and the others! I’m sure the enemy will be swarming this place soon too!”

It wasn’t impossible that the mobile weapon had sent an alert message before it was destroyed. Its mere activation may have triggered something. It was a foregone conclusion that the enemy knew someone was in the warehouse now.

“Harumi-sama, please cast an illusion of us on my fighters! I’ll use them to buy time!”

“Understood! I’m on it!”

The warehouse had only one exit, which was invariably where the enemy would attack. It was a deviously designed trap indeed, but the girls were one step ahead of the enemy. They’d taken the mobile weapon out in one hit, effectively buying them the time. Whether or not it was enough to escape, however, would ultimately determine the success or failure of their mission.