Forty-Eighth Chapter
Presence of a Noble Collar
In a room on the top floor of Alpha’s military headquarters were two figures.
The only ones who had the opportunity to enter this room were either Magicmasters or military members of high rank. So anyone who didn’t fit the criteria being summoned there would be nervous and have a bad feeling about it in the back of their mind. After all, the room belonged to the supreme commander of Alpha’s army.
That said, it was a very simple room. The entirety of it was neat and plain, and the only thing that stood out at first glance was the mountain of documents on the desk.
One of the two people in the room had been summoned by the room’s master. As soon as his mission was over, he had immediately answered the summons. He was a Double Digit Magicmaster who had climbed the ranks through his accomplishments. Yet now he was as nervous as a rookie as he gave the bitter report he’d brought with him.
“I am sorry. We lost the target... They shook off our pursuit,” he reported with a downcast, stiff expression.
His mission had failed. It was a shameful result for a Double. He couldn’t even make the excuse that they’d had a lack of manpower. Unable to look the commander in the eye, he was gazing down at the beautiful pattern of the carpet.
“Don’t worry about it. It must have been impossible from the start.”
“No, sir! That’s not... I was made keenly aware of my lack of ability.”
“That’s not what I meant. There’s an expression: the right person in the right place. The military is lacking in Magicmasters who can move in situations like this. Anyone available probably would’ve let them escape.”
“...!!”
Faced with his surprised and relieved subordinate, the master of the room—an older man—thought to himself, If Vizaist had been around, we might have been able to do something about it. Thinking of the information specialist who was missing from the room, the room’s master, Berwick, furrowed his brows as he thought about how to handle the aftermath.
Feeling pressured by his appearance, the Double Digit Magicmaster straightened his posture. Meanwhile, Berwick was actually more concerned about the actions of Alpha’s high command than how to deal with the situation.
He’d reached his prime long ago, but he wouldn’t have been surprised if someone had said that over half his wrinkles were due to ‘him.’ I was sure Alus would join the pursuit...but it seems he managed to avoid it.
Berwick had received a report on the campus festival intruder from Sisty a little while ago. He guessed that Alus had some kind of thought or consideration on the matter and had only given the order to follow the intruder who had escaped from the Institute, not making a big deal of it.
The report concerned an intruder who had infiltrated the Second Magical Institute campus using a fake license and injured two students. It went on to describe the intruder’s features and the mysterious magic they’d used, but that was all.
In reality, one of Sisty’s former subordinates had been injured as well. According to their report, there had been two intruders. In addition to the person who’d harmed the students, there was another person who had helped them. Moreover, there were no further reports on this other person after the first incident.
Not only were both of them very skilled, neither had taken their victims’ lives. Despite their flashy moves, they lacked the decisiveness one might expect from villains.
Berwick surmised from this that their moves were planned, but it was impossible to tell what their ultimate objective was. In other words, he suspected that personal feelings were mixed in. Either way, considering their skills, Berwick believed they were related to Kurama.
Which was why Double Digit Magicmasters weren’t up to the task of pursuing them. But Berwick was more troubled that Alus didn’t join the hunt. Despite Alus dealing with the intruder himself, the information on them was far too vague. Considering his position, it wouldn’t be strange for him to contact Berwick. And since he’d fought off the intruder, it would’ve been natural for him to then capture the intruder when they tried to escape.
But it had been Sisty who had contacted him instead. And Alus had let them escape without making any further moves.
He might have been injured, but Berwick suspected that Alus had done so out of his own free will, intending to safeguard information. Alus also had a bad habit of not reporting in to Berwick when he thought he had the ability to resolve a situation by himself. That was probably the case this time as well, with Alus assessing the intruder and coming to that conclusion.
After thinking about it, he realized his subordinate was still standing frozen in front of him. Berwick felt a little bad about it and decided to praise him, then let him leave the room.
As relief washed over the subordinate, he stepped back...but just as he was slowly closing the door, Berwick called to him. “Sorry, but can you stop anyone from coming in here for a while?”
“Yes, sir!”
After hearing this plucky reply and the sound of the door closing, Berwick made a private call using a secure line.
First, he made an attempt at direct contact. Now then, the intruder getting away is one thing...but the question is whether or not that is moving beyond my expectations. The calling sound rang out, as a virtual screen was constructed in front of Berwick. He was going out of his way to do a video call to question him directly.
At moments like these, he felt ill-equipped to keep up with the times, but he would get less information if he relied on audio alone. Often a person’s expression, gaze, breathing, and gestures said more than their words. Though when it came to Alus, it likely wouldn’t amount to much. That said, he still felt it was better than just audio.
The connecting tone rang out a few times. The way he didn’t answer right away was just like him. Berwick sighed as the tone continued to ring.
Finally—“You’re late, Alus. The festival ended hours ago.”
“Sorry, but I have plans for the second day, you see.” Replying to Berwick’s exasperated tone was an almost impudently calm voice.
But Berwick still admonished him. “You’ve got your priorities wrong... That aside, does the strange information coming my way have anything to do with the events at the festival?”
“Yes. But it’s nothing important, so I didn’t expect the Governor-General himself to call,” Alus bluntly said. His expression on the screen was plain, with no emotion. At times like these his experience showed its worth.
“You had Sisty give a false or intentionally vague report, didn’t you? That...or you dragged her into it.”
“... No. I can’t even think of a reason to do so.”
“Now, don’t say that. Why don’t you let me hear it?”
“Hear what?”
Berwick was too mature to throw a tantrum here. In fact, he’d expected as much. It seemed his bad hunch was right. With the Governor-General making his move directly, he’d severely limited Alus’ choices. In other words, he could only tell Berwick the truth or continue to hide it.
And...it seemed Alus was choosing the latter. “Alus, I might be a less than second-rate Magicmaster, but I am still the Governor-General. I’ve lived longer than you and have more experience.”
“I can imagine... I understand, so let me ask one more time. Hear what?”
His continuing to play innocent prompted Berwick to pinch the bridge of his nose and let out a heavy sigh.
“More importantly, Governor-General, it seems my campus life is at risk.”
“... You reap what you sow.”
It was a short statement, but whether he’d expected it or not, it contained a hint from Alus. Realizing that, Berwick didn’t try to prod any further and decided to back off. He sighed again. Meaning that it must have been a pretty flashy fight. No, perhaps he finally met an opponent he could fight to the fullest...
Sensing the flow of things, Berwick guessed that Alus would no longer be able to hide his rank or his abilities. He’d expected it would happen at some point, but couldn’t deny that it was a little too soon.
He couldn’t help but wish that Alus was the kind of boy who relied on adults for help, as he massaged his temples. He didn’t grasp everything, but he understood the overall situation as he posed a question. “Are you sure you’re fine with that?”
Alus was sharper than most when it came to these things, so he probably understood what Berwick meant. He was saying the military couldn’t touch it—or rather, the military couldn’t do anything about it. No matter how extraordinary he might be, Alus was still part of the military, so his actions were still subject to certain restrictions, and he was expected to exercise restraint.
He wasn’t sure how much Alus understood, but he addressed him in a grave tone, hoping that at least he wouldn’t deviate too much.
Alus seemed to pick up on what he wasn’t saying aloud. Having come that far, he gave up on feigning ignorance, and the glint in his eye turned sharper as he shrugged ever so slightly. “I won’t cause any problems for you. Probably.”
“How unreliable. Well, no matter, if you’re going to say that much there’s probably nothing to worry about, but there are some things that you just can’t do on your own. So don’t go beyond being human.”
“That hurts. But I’ve learned my lesson. Still, it’ll be convenient for your side too,” Alus said with an aloof attitude.
But his answer made Berwick feel some weight drop off of his shoulders. Of course, he didn’t want to leave anything to chance, though if he couldn’t understand Alus’ intentions there was nothing he could do.
“You’re not going to try to tell me that this is all my fault, are you?”
“If I did, would you turn yourself in?”
“That would be impossible right now. I still have security work to do. And we can’t let our guard down here after what happened.”
“... Always coming up with good excuses, aren’t you?” Berwick snorted. He rested his cheek on his hand, putting on his usual calm demeanor.
Regardless, Alus almost never readily accepted Berwick’s summonses. Well, he’d show up if ordered, but it was a little premature for that, and his excuse was rational. He inwardly decided that this was about as far as he would get, so he steered their conversation into a more casual chat. “By the way, how are your favorite pupils who were attacked by the intruder doing?”
“... That way of putting it is really misleading. You’re the one who’d call them your favorites. I imagine it’s Alice you’re thinking about.” Alus stared reproachfully at him.
To which Berwick responded, blatantly coughing in a dry fashion, “Of course, Alice was one of them, but Ms. Tesfia was also a victim, wasn’t she?”
“As I’m sure you’re already aware, it was nothing serious. They’re already better and busy getting prepared for tomorrow. To the public eye, it was just a mock battle that went a tiny bit too far.”
“What a coldhearted master they have.”
“They’re lucky they’re not being pushed off of a cliff into the abyss.”
“Hmph. Being mindful of others is the talent required of those who teach and lead,” Berwick grinned, hinting at his two students’ feelings for Alus. Berwick wasn’t the kind of person who couldn’t figure out what was going on. That said, he wasn’t so uncouth that he’d tell the person in question about it directly.
“I can only teach what I’ve experienced.”
Berwick only smiled wryly at Alus’ blunt statement. At the same time, he felt a little sorry for Tesfia and Alice. “Still, isn’t that a little too cruel?”
“Of course, I’ve made some alterations. I can only say that the training I received was a bit inefficient.”
“I-Is that so...” Berwick was at a loss for words for a moment. The Magicmaster training program the younger Alus had been a part of was currently suspended. It might have been inefficient, but it was clear that the education had also been very flawed. Then again, that was a stain on the military itself, not Berwick.
“That said, I am planning on heading to Rusalca at some later point, Governor-General.”
“Hmm...? To Rusalca of all places, is it?”
“As such, I’d like to receive permission when that happens.”
“Well, right now you are a student who should be learning more about other nations, so I don’t particularly mind. But what exactly are you planning on doing?”
“It’s to learn more about the latest AWR technology. Lady Lithia invited me to come over at the rulers conference, and I can’t well ignore her.”
Berwick gritted his teeth. “I guess there’s no helping it if it’s at the ruler’s personal invitation. But I imagine you’ll need to keep quiet about it to Lady Cicelnia. As I’m sure you’re aware, you won’t be able to stay for long.”
“I know.”
Normally there were formalities to follow if an Alpha Single was going to visit a foreign country, even if it was only for a few days. But considering Lithia and Cicelnia’s relationship, it was clear as day that she would flat-out refuse if asked directly about it.
However, Berwick believed he needed to handle Alus’ request properly. Especially considering his achievements, and in particular, eliminating the Devourer. He’d received a special reward from the national treasury and completely recovered by now, but he’d been totally exhausted for a while. Considering the strain on Alus, he could at least approve of his traveling to another country as a form of vacation.
But even putting all of that aside, even if he had good reasons to refuse the request, Alus would be difficult about it, so... “I guess you would be treated as a guest of honor over there.”
“I’m not so sure about that. I’m planning on giving Jean a heads up beforehand, but if possible, I’d like to observe the latest AWR technology incognito.”
“Being passionate about research is fine, but what will you do about your studies?”
“I was going to make use of consecutive holidays, but I’ll leave the studies up to you. Fortunately, all the debts you owe me will come in handy.”
“You little—!” Berwick inadvertently blurted out, but as he saw Alus’ self-satisfied expression, he forced the rest of it back with a bitter look.
Alus wasn’t going to accept any cheap repayments, putting Berwick in an overwhelmingly unfavorable position. If he was going to be forced anyway, the least he could do was try to put a leash on Alus through waiving credits.
Which meant that—despite being the Governor-General—he’d need to bow to Sisty for her aid. He felt a chill at the thought of someone seeing him like that.
Perhaps guessing at his thoughts, Alus added one last thing. “It might be a bother, but I’m counting on you. By the way, I have a feeling there’s another mountain to climb before Rusalca.”
“Hm?” Berwick raised an eyebrow.
“Oh, it has nothing to do with the intruder... But, well, maybe it’s just my imagination.”
“I’d like to say that your hint is very general, but I imagine we’ll find out if your hunch is right or not eventually, yes? Well, I’ll handle your leave.”
After that, Berwick ended the call. It was the first time they’d spoken in a while, but he thought it was a very frank discussion he never would’ve expected from the Alus of the past.
Such a conversation could be seen as enjoyable, but now something heavy was weighing on his mind. Greatest Magicmaster or not, Alus was young enough to be Berwick’s grandson. No matter how much he might know or how skilled in battle he might be, mentally speaking he still had a ways to go.
Leaning back in his leather chair, Berwick had a sort of premonition, which was very unusual for him. “I have a bad feeling about this.”
Indeed, Alus’ rank guaranteed his current position and granted him some carefreeness, but as expected, it was still a weight on his mind. That was why he didn’t like getting others involved, and attempted to resolve everything on his own. That also meant not seeking the help of nations or organizations.
Berwick knew why Alus had started acting like that. His every action indicated he was walking down a solitary path as someone who stood at the very top. That was why he would attempt to guide him away from such a path at every opportunity.
“Things just don’t go according to plan,” Berwick expressed his concern aloud. True, the pursuit had ended in failure, but the target was extraordinary. Regardless of Alus’ intentions, it was something outside of Berwick’s control.
Could it be that the executive unit Aferka is involved? In that case, it’s clear that things are going to become complicated. Should I tell Lady Cicelnia before that...? No, that would be taking a risk.
Magic-related terrorism or similar acts inside the nation were what triggered Aferka to get involved. When that happened, they hunted their target in secret and purged them.
From Berwick’s point of view, they were likely to intervene because of the incident at the campus festival. Then again, there were exceptions like Godma Barhong. The military had always been after him, so they didn’t allow Aferka to make a move.
The military had Vizaist’s intelligence department, and they’d worked to prevent magic crimes in secret using personnel centered around Alus. However, the military, whose primary objective was the Outer World, was unable to deal with all internal threats. There was the local army that served as a police force, but magic was outside their area of expertise.
Considering that fact, Aferka’s existence was a big boon in stopping a large number of magical crimes before they became serious. Aferka currently had territory of their own within the nation, and they were led by a certain clan, making them something of a private army. As such, they were a special existence that was distinctly separate from the military despite their similarities.
In other words, they weren’t under Berwick’s command, but under the current ruler Cicelnia’s authority. But even that was only a formality, and since the ruler wasn’t supposed to have any direct military authority, she couldn’t move them as she pleased.
The clan leading them was in a delicate position, but they avoided standing out ideologically, continuing to remain in the shadow of Alpha. They were kind of like Cicelnia’s version of Vizaist’s covert troops under Berwick.
However, Aferka was basically a unit that gathered information and did underhanded work within the nation. They also monitored and suppressed nobles who deviated too much from the norm on Cicelnia’s behalf. It was also different in that it had its own chain of command apart from the decisions of the ruler.
If Rinne Kimmel was Cicelnia’s right hand in the light, Aferka was her left hand in the shadows. And befitting of something in the shadows, the left hand sometimes moved without its master’s knowledge. It was not so much that they were independent, but more that they were left to their own devices.
Alus dealt with vicious magic criminals in parallel to his missions in the Outer World, but what he did was only a portion of the whole. Meanwhile, it was Aferka who was in charge of the rest. When they moved without Cicelnia’s orders, not even Berwick could control them. In the worst-case scenario they might even end up clashing.
Aferka’s will was influenced by the former ruler. During a period of civil strife that could even be compared to a war, they had been a subjugation force reorganized by the Arlzeit royalty. They were simply continuing the same mission they’d been on since their establishment. Meaning that as Alpha’s shadow guardians, it was quite possible they would move to purge the intruders who attacked the Institute. They had been allowed to do as much since the beginning.
The problem was that not even Cicelnia was aware of their actions. Aferka made their behind-the-scenes work the clan’s family trade, all while loyally protecting the former ruler’s life.
Berwick was deep in thought for a while, even forgetting about the Double Digit Magicmaster he’d left standing outside. But just as he was about to sink deeper into thought, a voice from the other side of the door pulled his consciousness back to the surface.
Without a knock, the door opened ever so slightly. Through the gap, the alert voice of the Magicmaster standing guard came in. “Lady Lettie, wait! Nobody is allowed in on the Governor-General’s orders!”
“Don’t worry. I’ll allow it, so all you have to do is just pretend you didn’t see anything.”
“I can’t let you do that! Please wait a moment.”
“Well, I’ll still go in anyway. Sajik. Mujir.”
There was a bit of a commotion. The cheery voice named two Magicmasters, who were currently pinning the Double Digit Magicmaster’s arms behind his back. As he complained, his mouth was covered as well.
Meanwhile, a lone woman casually walked into the room, her long braid swinging back and forth. With bold steps—as if she owned the place—she walked all the way up to Berwick.
“Do you not know what manners are, Lettie? In fact, what do you think a Governor-General’s orders mean?”
“It was the guy outside who got the order. This is the first I’ve heard of it.”
After all the fuss at the door, she was feigning ignorance, and Berwick could only feel exasperated. Even if he admonished her though, it wouldn’t have any effect other than to tire himself out. “No matter. I just finished my business anyway.”
Even as Berwick muttered this, Lettie was roaming around the room. She picked up a piece of glass and leaned against his desk with it in hand. It was a snow globe. The next thing he knew, she’d turned it upside down to scatter the powder inside and play with it.
Berwick had no idea what she was after, and stared at her as he furrowed his brows. This wasn’t the kind of place you came to without any business, not even if you were a Single like Lettie.
“The preparations are done, so we’re going to be setting out soon,” Lettie abruptly said. Her tone turned impersonal. A Single Digit Magicmaster setting out could only mean to one place. The Outer World.
He felt it was a little soon, but he couldn’t stop her. He understood the circumstances, after all. She’d been summoned back, forcing her to cut her mission short so that she could eliminate the Devourer Demi Azur.
The mission to retake the land was seeing steady progress. So she must have been unhappy to have to abandon it midway through. There’d already been several deaths in the squad she’d left behind there.
Berwick didn’t need to ask about her intentions. He replied, “I see. Would you like me to come with you too?” He recalled what she’d jokingly said at the Friendship Magical Tournament. If his memory served him right, it was along the lines of, ‘If things go awry, are you going to go out there yourself?’
“Are you serious?”
“On an emotional level. Realistically, I know it would make no sense.”
“I bet. If you died now, those scumbags with nothing but ambition would eat the military up from the inside out.”
“...”
Even someone who spent most of her time in the Outer World could tell what went on inside the military. She’d felt something questionable going on there for a long time.
Berwick didn’t take it as sarcasm, but as a form of warning. Though the edges of his lips rose as if to say it was none of her business. “And for that sake, we’ll need to reclaim Vanalis.”
“We’re the ones who’ll have to do the heavy lifting, though. Was Demi Azur according to plan as well?”
“Oh, don’t be like that. I had no way to predict that such a Fiend would appear. But it is true that its appearance was good fortune for us.”
“So was Allie’s special ability,” Lettie grumbled with a frown. The Demi Azur incident had shown Alus’ inhuman abilities, and her frustration over not having been told was coming to a head.
It was the first threat to all of humanity in half a century. If it had been a united front by all seven nations, she wouldn’t have had to think about it too hard. But even though she’d accompanied him, Alus had practically dealt with it himself.
However, Alus’ trump card was obviously a state secret. So if she wanted to know about it, she would have to ask him herself. But she knew that was an unreasonable task.
She still had her doubts, though. Moreover, she’d always found it mysterious that Berwick kept information hidden on him, despite the fact that he stood at the top of all Magicmasters.
“... Regarding that, there are things I can’t tell you. Well, I do have my plans...not to mention that Balmes owes us a massive debt after the incident. And Lady Cicelnia’s schemes are also involved. If you want to know any more, you’ll have to ask her directly.”
“Hmph. Fine, whatever.”
“I’ll give permission for the mission. But there’s going to be a time limit. I want you to understand that while you’re out of Alpha, we’ll be shorthanded.”
“You’re lending forces to defend Balmes. Don’t go too far trying to earn their favor, that cost comes straight from the field after all. Well, just try not to get abandoned by Allie, though I’m on good enough terms to exchange promises with him.”
“All right, all right. I feel like I’m being abandoned. Still, he’s a handful.”
“Is that complaining going to drag on much longer?”
“Uh...no...”
Lettie seemed to see Berwick’s ulterior motives behind his anxious appearance. “You like that kind of thing, don’t you? The self-preservation thing,” she said sarcastically, as if she understood how he operated.
He stood at the top of the military. So she felt that his every word and gesture had a scheming nuance to it.
Berwick bitterly cast his eyes down at his desk. He hadn’t meant it that way, but it seemed he wasn’t able to slip out of his ingrained habits that easily. “Information is important in any situation. Especially concerning him. A collar might sound bad, but it needs to look to others like he’s under control.”
“Are you going to put suspicion on Alus and repeat that again?”
The toughest period in Alus’ life was after he’d completed the Magicmaster training program and found himself ostracized for his lack of emotions and high fighting ability. His attitude grew increasingly fierce and blatant, and the missions assigned to him were all high-risk with a low chance of survival.
All of that was pushed onto Alus, who was still young enough to be called a child by most. In fact, those orders went beyond the level of harassment to the abominable. It was like they were telling him to die.
Having become the Governor-General, Berwick had no intention of repeating the mistakes of the past. But at Lettie’s remark, he began to wonder if he was actually about to do so. The words left a tight expression on his face. “Don’t worry,” he said to Lettie, as if trying to convince himself. “I understand where you’re coming from. Well, the thing I’m worried about is whether he’ll be able to have a good relationship with his ‘collar.’”
“Who would knowingly get along with a collar?” Lettie knew Alus’ personality and couldn’t imagine him accepting anything binding him. “Lil Loki had that role before, didn’t she?” She’d had a firm grasp of the situation when they first met. She’d been in charge of observing Alus while he was at the Institute, though that role had all but crumbled away by now.
Lettie bluntly referred to their relationship as such, and in response Berwick easily revealed the truth. “On the surface, yes. As it stands, there will need to be a replacement for Loki Leevahl.”
“As a way to deal with internal dissenters? It sure must be a pain being the Governor-General and still not have things go your way.”
“Hm, it’s not as painful as you think,” Berwick said, implying he was working behind the scenes, when he suddenly realized they’d digressed and went back to the original topic. “Sorry, going back to what you were talking about. Are you going to leave right away?”
“I have somewhere to stop by first. I’ll go after that.” With a tone that said she was done talking, Lettie pushed off the desk and began walking towards the door. She threw the snow globe backwards to Berwick without looking.
He struggled, but managed to catch it successfully, before a meaningful smile appeared on his face.
Once Vanalis was recaptured, they would be able to re-enter the Outer World and begin the human counterattack. And Alpha would lead the way. With the elimination of Demi Azur, Berwick’s position within the military was solidifying. So now was a good time to take more drastic measures than before.
Alus asking to leave the nation does bother me, but the Outer World comes first for now. No, as someone who won’t be going into battle myself, I should make preparations for both. Having do-or-die moments at my age sure makes this job worthwhile.
With Lettie leaving for Vanalis and Alus’ future uncertain, it might be a good idea to have Vizaist return for the sake of national security. Currently, Vizaist was stationed in Balmes, entrusted with command of the local forces until a new system was in place.
But if he was going to be summoned back, he would need a replacement. A certain man’s face appeared in Berwick’s mind. Despite some unease, he made his decision and called out the door.
The Double Digit Magicmaster, finally freed from Lettie’s subordinates, appeared inside the room. He tried to apologize, but Berwick stopped him with a hand gesture. “Sorry, but could you bring Lindelph?”
“At once, sir!”
It was a name everyone in the military knew—the name of a frivolous young elite who’d risen to the rank of commander in record time.
The Double Digit Magicmaster tried to make a call, but was stopped again. “A call’s not going to get him to come over right away. He’s been left with command of a region, after all. It would be more effective to relay the message to him directly. While you’re at it, tell him that it has to do with Vizaist.”
“Understood!”
Once he left the room, Berwick rubbed his chin with a troubled expression. His thoughts had returned to where they were before Lettie arrived. Alus, huh. Opening up a direct line, he got ready to make a call.
The fact that he fixed his appearance was a sign of how awkward he felt. He was feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of the requests he would have to make to the head of the Second Magical Institute.
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