Editing Sorcery Hacker:Volume4 Phase02 (section)

===Part 12===

The beat of drums taller than their drummer acted as a signal.

Time began to move.

At last.

Henrietta parted the crowd and met up with the rest of the group before whispering.

“Dangerous individual! Did you manage to figure out the attacker’s method?”

“I am afraid not, Miss Henrietta!”

“Very well. Not even you are a fortune teller. I don’t expect you to have an answer 100% of the-”

“I was too busy flirting in the shadows! With Miss Teleria here who you will notice is blushing, hanging her head, and refusing to let go of my hand!!”

“This is a national crisis!! Maybe I really should kill you!!”

Several blasts of wind instruments joined together.

Closest to Ayato’s group, a line of lights formed along Labor and Blessings Street.

That was the parade. Lit up by fireworks, the different routes slowly approached the central square. Each one carried the peak of another continent, be it an emperor or a pope.

Atop a float protected by many guards, the 10-year-old emperor, who looked out of place in his crown, looked to the crowds with eyes asparkle. His red cape and white tights made him look like part of a stage play and his name was apparently Milbert.

“Wow. Look at all this, Hemylina. The Static Continent’s technology really is advanced.”

“Yes. And your generosity to let them take the central role shall be spoken of both here and across the world.”

Their float was on its way to the central square where all the streets gathered.

The Combined Royal Family’s king was waiting there.

“Coach, I recognize her. That’s Princess Carrisy.”

“Kh.”

14th Princess Carrisy.

That military princess was part of the Combined Royal Family yet defended the city and palace as a Royal Guard. She had threatened Ayato, saying she wouldn’t overlook him a second time, but would she trust him about the assassination attempt and the succession conflict?

''Looking'' honest was no guarantee in the world of sorcery hacking.

(More than that, people of that sort are most frightening when they are unwittingly assisting an evil act out of pure good will. Because honest people are terrible at detecting lies. She’s a threat of the same sort as Miss Henrietta.)

“Are your thoughts in a wicked place, dangerous individual? Something related to my honor, perhaps?”

As the lines of light gathered on the central square, the crowds slowly shifted in that direction. The already oppressive density of people was packed ever tighter.

“Ayato.”

“It’ll be fine. Just stick with me, Miss Teleria.”

Time wasn’t going to wait.

Ayato’s broken right shoulder and ankle were causing him trouble. Queen Astaroth Revolver appeared to have only been playing around, but it had created a slight lag that just might make all the difference.

How much of it was calculated and how much of it was just for fun?

The Properod Divine Water Nation, the Mardhazath Banking State, and the Philosommelier Personal Empire.

Just as the VIPs from the other three continents had arrived in the central square, complete silence fell.

The previous light-filled city seemed to have vanished entirely. On one command from Guardeleo, all lights had been extinguished, wrapping all in thick darkness.

Ayato’s group knew about the assassination plot, so their hearts were squeezed by extreme tension.

It was finally happening.

They heard Guardeleo Bran Zorca Totalinus’s deep, solemn voice.

“Thank you all for coming.”

That was enough for the mood to shift. Something in his voice revealed who controlled this vast continent.

The Philosommelier Personal Empire, which had recently unified their continent, viewed Guardeleo in a different way from the other two VIPs.

The nations that were still involved in various skirmishes had a significant quantity of envy in their eyes.

“Today we celebrate the once a thousand combo-year event in which the North Star settles into a new position. I am especially grateful for our friends visiting from the other continents. I hope that we can share in this joyous occasion together.”

Guardeleo spread his arms and raised his eyes to the stars adorning the sky.

The simple act of standing had to be difficult for him. It was possible a cane or some other support was hidden behind the stage where the audience couldn’t see it.

It was all calculated, but he exuded a reassurance that mere calculation could not provide.

“A new era begins tonight. I must express my heartfelt appreciation to you all for allowing us to reach this day. Because now I know I can fulfill my final duty as king.”

A subdued stir ran through the crowd.

Less from this being unexpected and more from surprise that he was addressing it so directly.

But perhaps it was a sign of true strength that he could be so forthright about it.

Someone who could speak the honest truth while turning that to their favor was untouchable.

At the very least, that was a feat beyond Ayato who instead disguised his identity and slipped past security. He had abandoned the side of himself that could live an open, honest life.

“Now, everyone, if you will join me in prayer. Let us pray that the brightly shining star may reach its new position and guide us into a new age. I would like to pray for my family, my people, my friends, and for those buried in the five graves.”

And…

(There are probably powerful people who fear that sort of strength.)

A light flashed directly above the aging king.

The object that dropped down from the night sky was a Shade Swallow – one of the flying sorcery devices meant to guard the capital. This action blatantly diverged from its usual patrol routine as part of a group.

The Royal Guards were slow to react, probably because it was technically a friendly machine.

(They sorcery hacked an unmanned weapon. They ''chose to'' attack with my specialty!?)

“Miss Henrietta!”

“Leave it to me, dangerous individual!! I am unworthy of the Striker title if I cannot defend His Majesty here!!”

Orange sparks exploded.

The gale was so powerful it took a second to even notice she had jumped onto the stage.

With a twist of her bolt-action carbine, she swept away the Shade Swallow as it dropped like a lightning bolt. It was like a flying guillotine. If an ordinary person had noticed it and tried to stop it, they would have had their arm broken along with their sorcery gun, but Henrietta was not ordinary.

However, a chill crawled along Ayato’s spine.

They had easily stopped it.

Was that all?

Would ''the'' Queen Astaroth Revolver really set up such a sloppy plan?

In a move very unlike a Sorcery Hacker, Ayato relied on his instincts rather than his reason as he raised his voice.

“Don’t relax yet!! This isn’t over!!”

An explosion of light followed.

He recognized the white light. That overly brutal revolver flash symbolized the blonde devil.

The Royal Guards equipped with anti-dragon rifles were supposedly watching over every possible sniper point.

And they were.

Of all things, that devil had sliced through bell towers and metal towers by crashing Shade Sparrows into them in order to create a brand new line of fire.

The merciless flash of light surged from an angle that would have looked impossible when simply viewing the map.

And this flash produced destructive power possibly exceeding that of the official swords of succession.

It all came down to the deafening revolver gunshot and muzzle flash.

“Tch!!”

While all else froze in place, Ayato and Henrietta rushed toward Guardeleo.

They tackled him down and bodily covered him.

Something exploded.

Was the sharp sensation that grazed Ayato’s ear a metal fragment from some component of the stage? It wouldn’t be alone. A sandstorm of shards had likely scattered in all directions.

Nevertheless, he clenched his teeth and endured.

He had to count higher than ten in his head before the afterimage vanished from his retinas.

And finally…

“The king is alive.”

A female Royal Guard approached the elderly king and lent him her shoulder.

Was that 14th Princess Carrisy?

“I repeat, King Guardeleo is alive! Our king is safe!! I will be borrowing four teams! Secure us an escape route!!”

Was it her pride as a guard that kept her from referring to him as “father”?

The Queen did not fire a second shot. She may have concluded it would do no good at this point.

They had prevented the worst…it seemed.

With Guardeleo still alive, Queen Astaroth Revolver’s assassination plot had ended in failure.

(Why did she miss? Is the devil’s revolver really so weak a human or two lying on top of him is enough?)

But…

“Ugh.”

Even Ayato initially flinched.

Guardeleo, who needed to escape as soon as possible, ordered the Royal Guards to stop so he could get a better look at something.

At the color red.

But to reiterate, the king was safe. Because Ayato and Henrietta had rushed in and guarded him.

Then where had all this splattered red come from?

“Emperor!!” yelled the bespectacled dark elf aide, running over.

The 10-year-old boy had slumped over.

He may have been even younger than 3025th Prince Geranud, but his chest was stained red.

A stray shot had hit him.

Or more likely, a sharp fragment propelled by the white explosion.

(She…didn’t miss?)

Everyone was dumbfounded. Not even Sorcery Hacker Ayato had expected this.

(She hit her actual target after all!!)

And Queen Astaroth Revolver had been created with Combined Royal Family technology. That meant the deadly bullet belonged to this kingdom. The king and the rest could insist she was an illegitimately leaked model, but they would still be blamed for failing to secure their data.

So the official facts would be as follows: ''The leader of the Collaborative Continent’s Philosommelier Personal Empire had been shot by a Combined Royal Family sorcery gun.

(Queen…)

“Is this your kingdom’s idea of hospitality?”

The dark elf aide bared her teeth as if threatening the entire world.

Quietly but heavily.

Her blue leather outfit with the tight miniskirt was slick with blood as she propped up the little emperor and glared with hatred in her eyes.

(Uh, oh.)

That glare was directed at just one person: aging King Guardeleo.

Even Ayato gulped at this.

(The king effectively handles all intercontinental diplomatic policy. ''So if the rest of the world loses their trust in him, they will reject our kingdom and continent along with him.'' Even if the kingdom sends out diplomats and ambassadors now, the dark elves won’t be interested in listening. They will shut down all diplomacy!)

“Your king has not a scratch on him thanks to your many guards, yet you neglected our emperor and he was struck by a bullet. …Do you find this acceptable? How can we let this stand?”

If she were to view this rationally, she would likely conclude the response had been justified.

Of course this kingdom’s guards and Royal Guards would protect their own king.

Of course no one had predicted the deadly shot was intended for the emperor rather than Guardeleo.

Of course they hadn’t wanted this tragedy.

But.

Who can remain rational when a loved one is bleeding out in their arms?

“The emperor is only here on your invitation…and this is the result. That alone is enough to see your true intentions here. Our empire and our continent are no more than more lands for you to exploit.”

(This isn’t a conflict limited to a single kingdom or continent. Was this what you were after, Queen Astaroth Revolver!?)

A cacophony of clattering metal followed.

The Collaborative Continent’s half-elf bodyguards all drew their swords or sorcery guns to cover for their wounded emperor Milbert and his aide.

Probably without even thinking, the Royal Guards responded by raising their own sorcery guns. 14th Princess Carrisy grimaced.

She must have realized what this meant.

Two continents that had been on friendly terms until today were now aiming so many weapons at each other.

And this acted as a picture of the world in miniature.

Her cheek stained with blood and her clothes soaked, the bespectacled dark elf gave a roar.

With righteous tears spilling from her eyes.

“Our continent’s leader has been felled in a deadly attack!! We demand the blood of your continent’s leader in return!! Guardeleo, you may be the greatest person on your continent, but do not assume your self-serving rank earns you anything in a conflict between continents!!!”