Strike the Blood - Volume 22 - Chapter 2.5

5

“…So in the end, you never did find Aradahl or Zana Lashka?”

Wearing an elaborate dress, Natsuki Minamiya sat in an antique chair complete with armrests that seemed terribly out of place, and she inquired with a haughty demeanor.

The location was Itogami Island Sorcery Lab Number Six—the laboratory of Kensei Kanase. Despite this, the space that should have by rights been occupied by magical devices and books had already been almost halfway transformed into Natsuki’s personal fiefdom. Examples included a triple cake stand and a tea set, or perhaps the teddy bears on the leather-covered sofa. Perhaps it was stress from Natsuki’s audaciousness, acting like she owned the place, that made Kensei Kanase’s expression, gloomy under normal circumstances, even darker.

Not that this was directly related to Kojou and company.

“Yes. I would not think someone could have used heavy magic at such a range without anyone noticing…not only myself, but Miss Yuuma and Princess La Folia were present as well.”

“Lydianne said her tank’s sensors didn’t pick up anything, either.”

After Yukina had explained in an overly serious tone, Kojou tossed in his own extra comment.

Inside the room were Natsuki; Kojou; Yukina; the owner of the room, Kensei Kanase; and one Shizuri Kasugaya Castiella, currently recuperating from her wounds. Yukina’s superior, Yukari Endou, had been the one to summon them, but she’d apparently been called away on urgent business, delaying her arrival.

Kojou and Yukina were killing time at that point so they reported the Ladli incident to Natsuki.

“I can’t really judge anything from your explanations at this point. There’s simply too little information.”

Listening to the pair’s explanation to the end, Natsuki voiced her exceedingly sensible take on it. The incident had left Kojou and Yukina confused, so of course Natsuki couldn’t get much from their report.

“Well, that figures. I thought Natsuki of all people might have some idea what happened but…”

“Don’t address your teacher by her first name.”

Natsuki languidly recrossed her legs, glaring at Kojou with a chilling look.

“The Tokoyogi girl stayed behind to examine the scene, right? You should leave it to her. Or are you that worried about the First Primogenitor’s bride?”

“Nah, and sayin’ it that way will give people the wrong idea…! Ain’t like I was thinkin’ about Miss Zana, ’cause she’s another man’s wife!”

Unable to pin down whether Natsuki’s question was joking or serious, Kojou hastened to refute her. Natsuki gave him a brief snort.

“I suppose not. You’ve managed to get brides of your own.”

“…Brides?”

Whaddaya mean? thought Kojou, tilting his head in earnest confusion when he abruptly turned his eyes toward Shizuri Kasugaya Castiella in a corner of the room. The ogre with white hair that gleamed like snow was covered in bandages as she rested on a bed.

“You’re not talking about Cas, are you?”

“Hah?! What is with that blatant dissatisfaction upon your face…?! More importantly, who is this Cas?!”

Shizuri fiercely objected, glaring at Kojou with a distinct grimace.

“Just so you know, this is a provisional pact for the purpose of halting the rampage of your Beast Vassals, nothing more. Do not think that even my heart is yours to do with as you…plea…ugh!”

Shizuri, thrusting her left hand with the ring on it as she wailed, was reminded of the pain of her wounds, flopping right back onto the bed and moaning in anguish. She’d clearly gotten too worked up.

“Er, the pact stuff’s no big deal, but more importantly, you all right…? You haven’t gotten worse since this morning?”

“No big deal?! Er, these bandages are simply because this quack made such a big fuss!”

Baring her teeth at Kojou’s insensitive words, Shizuri glared angrily at Kensei Kanase. Kensei shook his head a little as if he’d taken offense.

“That is because I am a sorcerous engineer, not a doctor. It is not so much that treating patients is not my specialty. I simply have no interest in it. I had hoped that because you were an ogre, a rare species, your skeletal structure might be a little more unique…alas.”

“Would you please stop treating me like a rare variety of deep-sea fish?!”

Kensei’s words betraying no emotions made Shizuri raise a high-pitched, incoherent growl. They’re both real pieces of work, Kojou thought wearily.

“Anyway, guess no need to worry ’bout Cas.”

“Yes. Compared to twenty-four hours ago, she has two more broken ribs and six more torn tendons or so, but that is of no great concern. She should be able to move by tonight.”

Kensei’s calm explanation made Kojou’s eyes bulge in surprise.

“Ain’t that way too fast for healing? Ogres are tough, but their healing ability’s standard human level, right?”

“It is the blessing of a paladin.”

“Provisional pact or not, she is a primogenitor-class vampiric Blood Servant nonetheless, a considerable boon. A true Blood Servant would gain regenerative ability on par with a vampire, so compared to that, the effect is somewhat lessened.”

Hmph, huffed Shizuri, puffing her chest out with pride. Kensei completely ignored her as he gave that serious reply.

As Kojou’s Blood Servant, Shizuri was currently able to receive replenishment from his inexhaustible supply of demonic energy. The demonic energy stimulated her cells, wringing more natural healing out of her flesh. That was Shizuri’s special privilege as a demon.

“I see… In that case, pretty glad I made that pact with you.”

A relieved smile came over Kojou as he spoke. Shizuri had more or less forced herself to become Kojou’s Blood Servant to stop the black Beast Vassals’ rampage, but if that ended up pulling her out of trouble, it was good news as far as Kojou was concerned. It also considerably eased his sense of guilt.

“Er, ahhh, well…it is not a bad thing.”

Maybe Kojou being so glad surprised her, for Shizuri’s cheeks reddened as if she was blushing. At the same time, Yukina, listening to Kojou and Shizuri’s conversation from beside him, adopted a terribly blank expression. Kojou didn’t know the reason why, but her mood seemed to have sharply worsened.

Feeling the need to escape from her glacial aura, Kojou took a sip of lukewarm tea and reached a hand toward the onigiri that was, for whatever reason, sitting on the cake stand. Supper was being prepared for employees working at the lab, but he’d been waiting for so long that he figured taking a single bite wouldn’t be a big deal.

“Huh…this onigiri, did Kanase make this?”

Kojou murmured in surprise just as he took his first nibble of the onigiri. It tasted just like the onigiri made by Kanon Kanase he’d had just recently.

Natsuki gazed at Kojou with deep interest.

“Oh, you can tell? I suppose it’s…you know…the food made by your own servant must taste special to you.”

Kensei’s eyebrows moved with a sullen twitch. Kanon Kanase, his adopted daughter, had become Kojou’s Blood Servant just as Shizuri had. He seemed to have remembered as much at that very moment.

“…Is that so, senpai?”

Yukina remained expressionless as she inquired in a flat voice. As if, thought Kojou as he shook his head.

“It ain’t that; they’re just the same as the ones Kanase had me eat after I helped her bake them… Er, come to think of it, where is Kanase anyway?”

“Kanase has gone to Saikai Academy with Nina Adelard.”

When Kojou desperately tried to dodge the topic, Yukina sighed and spoke, perhaps taking pity on him.

“…With Nina? To school?”

“That’s because the alchemist girl will be useful repairing the wrecked campus. A little prodding and she’ll probably do it on her own.”

Natsuki explained to the perplexed Kojou. So she’ll be working for free, thought Kojou, feeling rare sympathy for Nina.

A moment later, the door to the lab opened, and a tall, slender girl walked in.

It was Sayaka Kirasaka, whom he’d parted ways with last night at the container yard. She was hugging a golden-eyed black cat against her chest. This was the familiar of Yukari Endou, Yukina’s mentor.

“—I am sorry to make you wait, Yukina, and former Fourth Primogenitor lad. Our superiors are in a bit of a tizzy.”

The black cat addressed Kojou and company with a sarcastic tone.

Sayaka and the black cat were the only ones entering the room. There was no sign of Yuiri or Shio, who had previously worked with Sayaka, or Kiriha Kisaki, either.

“Were Miss Yuiri and Miss Shio not with you?”

Yukina shifted a questioning gaze toward Sayaka. For whatever reason, Sayaka’s shoulders trembled with a heavy twitch.

“Eh?! A…ahhh, Yuiri Haba and Shio Hikawa…right, the gate! They’re observing the gate to Nod! They’re definitely not missing or anything like that!”

“R-right…”

Yukina vaguely nodded as she watched Sayaka’s suspicious behavior. Sayaka could rarely be described as calm, but she was really off the rails that day.

“What do you mean, the Lion King Agency’s high-ups are in a tizzy?”

Kojou, all done with munching on the rest of the onigiri, posed that question to Endou. The black cat shook its head.

“That should be obvious…the Necropolises of the Devas and the Beast Vassal Warheads. I heard you’ve met with Ladli Ren. You’ve seen the footage of that fleet, I take it?”

“Well, kinda… So that was the real deal?”

“The NAU has acknowledged it has withdrawn the fleet it had dispatched after sustaining a heavy strike. It’s been on a loop on news channels around the world, too. Sayaka, show them the photo from earlier.”

“Y-yes.”

Nodding with a rigid expression, Sayaka took out her smartphone. It was displaying the nighttime landscape of Itogami Island. Floating in the sky above it were complex magic circles resembling geometric shapes—the gate connecting that world to Nod.

Small transport craft were visible right by the gate. Kojou recognized the model.

“MAR transport choppers…I take it?”

“They were most likely carrying Beast Vassal Warheads from Nod.”

Affirming Kojou’s comment, Yukari continued. Kojou was a little put off by how her reply sounded like it wasn’t any problem of hers.

“No one noticed those choppers?”

“No one had time to. Someone’s Beast Vassals were on a rampage on the surface, you see.”

“Ugh…”

Having his own accountability pointed out to him in an unexpected fashion made Kojou’s words stick in his throat.

Apparently, it was none other than Kojou’s Beast Vassals that had ensured MAR could transport the Beast Vassal Warheads without anyone noticing, with the beasts acting as decoys. Not even Shahryar Ren was likely to have planned it that way. From Kojou’s perspective, it was an unfortunate coincidence.

“Considering the helicopters’ carrying capacity, we estimate they have brought a maximum of twelve Beast Vassal Warheads from Nod. It was likely less than that, but we can ill afford to be optimistic under the circumstances.”

“…So they’ve already used two, leaving ten left at most.”

Natsuki spoke, picking up where Yukari had left off.

“However, we have no idea where in the world the Deva cities serving as firing platforms might appear. Small wonder the HGTO signatory nations are frightened out of their wits.”

“We kinda heard about that part from La Folia.”

Kojou spoke with a voice tinged with anger lacking any outlet. La Folia had told Kojou and company about the Deva Necropolises, but her home nation of Aldegia was one such HGTO signatory. If La Folia and her knights took hostile action against MAR, there was no guarantee Aldegia’s capital city wouldn’t become a Beast Vassal Warheads target. Hence, La Folia told Kojou and the others she could not cooperate with them. All she could do was watch—for the moment, at least.

“It is not just the Kingdom of Aldegia. The government of Japan is also in negotiations with MAR.”

Natsuki told Kojou this with a calm air. Kojou leaned forward in spontaneous surprise.

“The Japanese government’s negotiating with them… What about Itogami Island?”

“Itogami Island City-State is treated as a self-governing territory within the country of Japan. Worst case, they’ll sell you out.”

Natsuki spoke in a cold, dismissive voice.

Itogami Island’s political situation since the War of the Primogenitors remained unstable and vague. Though it had the right to govern its own affairs and engage in foreign relations, national defense and law enforcement remained in the hands of the government of Japan. That was why Natsuki, a Japanese Federal Attack Mage, and the Lion King Agency were able to operate as they had previously.

So if MAR demanded the ceding of its territorial rights for Itogami Island, the government of Japan couldn’t refuse. MAR had the Beast Vassal Warheads after all.

“Then why did Ladli Ren come to the Gigafloat Management Corporation? If she can persuade the government of Japan, additional negotiations with the Itogami Island side are meaningless…”

Yukina seemed perplexed as she murmured to herself.

“Even if they end up occupying it either way, the residents of Itogami Island will have a much easier time accepting it that way than if the Japanese government decides all on its own.”

Natsuki voiced that realistic deduction.

“The problem is, it doesn’t end with Itogami Island. If the Devas really do have their hands on over six thousand warheads, the whole world will come under their rule in the exact same way. Even if they understand that will be the result, deep down the politicians don’t want to sacrifice their own people.”

“That’s all the more reason not to sit on our butts in a place like this. I’ve gotta drag Shahryar Ren out of Nod before the Devas get their hands on any more warheads…”

Kojou unwittingly slammed his fist down on a work bench as he raised his voice.

Natsuki quietly lowered her eyes. Then she shifted her gaze overhead.

“I suppose so, but if we know that, the Devas know it, too. That’s why they brought that big thing floating in the sky.”

“So we’ve gotta do something about the Necropolises before we can go to Nod…”

The gravity of the issue they faced really sank in again.

According to the measurements taken by Lydianne’s tank, the Necropolis was floating in the sky some two thousand meters above the island. It was neatly positioned to seal the entrance to the gate.

“You can’t use your Beast Vassals to blow it away while it’s sitting over the island. We can’t even estimate the damage that’d come from fragments falling into urban areas.”

Natsuki warned Kojou as if seeing straight through his thoughts. It was not impossible for the black Beast Vassals obtained by Kojou to destroy the spherical castle a kilometer in diameter.

The Deva fortress was protected by a powerful magical barrier. There was no absolute guarantee Kojou’s attacks would even be effective against it, and even if they were, a single fragment of the Necropolis falling onto the surface would be a catastrophe.

“Well, that doesn’t mean we can just sit on our hands and watch. Or do you seriously plan on selling the island off to Ladli Ren?”

“The Attack Mage Section is working with the Lion King Agency on a countermeasure. Don’t worry too much and behave yourself. If you go on a rampage by your lonesome, it’ll be yesterday all over again.”

“…Ain’t like yesterday was ’cause I wanted it. Well, I’ve seen Cas already, so since you say so, I’ll behave and go home.”

With Natsuki firmly driving her point home, Kojou grudgingly rose to his feet.

If he could, he’d have liked to go grab Avrora and bring her back that second, but even Kojou understood that wasn’t feasible. It grated on him, but the Deva Necropolis and the Beast Vassal Warheads weren’t things Kojou could deal with by himself.

Watching with worry as Kojou’s shoulders slumped and he headed for the exit, Yukina started following him out of habit. Yukari abruptly called her to a halt.

“Wait, Yukina. You stay here.”

“…Master?”

“Yesterday you lost enough blood to collapse. Can you work if the situation demands it? I will arrange for healing spells. You will rest here with Koyomi until I give you permission to leave.”

Yukari’s black cat familiar spoke to the surprised Yukina in a firm tone of voice.

“With Lady Shizuka…? But my duty is to be Akatsuki-senpai’s watcher…”

Yukina softly resisted her master’s arbitrary command, but the black cat leered right back.

“You can leave that duty to Gisella.”

“Gisella…to Miss Kasugaya?”

Yukina had a perplexed expression as she looked at Shizuri there on the bed. Shizuri stripped off the bandage wrapped around her arm, leaping to her feet as if waiting for that very moment.

“You may leave this to me! It is my duty as a Paladin of Gisella to guide Kojou Akatsuki so he commits no wickedness! You are injured, so you should take your time and rest!”

“Injured…but does that not also apply to Miss Kasugaya…”

Yukina glared at Yukari’s black cat familiar with reproachful, half-lidded eyes. The black cat exhaled with an innocent look, gazing up at the face of the tall girl holding the cat against her chest.

“For peace of mind, let us assign one more. You do not mind, Sayaka?”

Twitch, went Sayaka, her body going rigid when she heard her name, almost like she was afraid of something.

“N-no.”

When Sayaka nodded with a cornered expression, Kojou thought it just a little strange. He knew Sayaka was a man hater, but he didn’t think just being Kojou’s watcher was anything to make her tense at this late stage.

For her part, Sayaka bit her lip and hugged the instrument case sheathing her long sword against her chest.

Yukina stared at her blatantly unnatural reaction without a word.