Editing Sorcery Hacker:Volume4 Phase01 (section)

===Part 2===

The accident site was located on the circular track used to protect the capital.

A girl named Isabella had gone to see the damaged train and needed rescuing.



They had a goal. Ayato decided he could bill the minotaur for this later.

He wanted to ask 3025th Prince Geranud about the local rules of the bottom level and the capital as a whole, but that would be easier when they weren’t responding to a possible crisis.

He mentally put together a plan while the minotaur spoke.

“I’ll stay here.”

“Heartless bastard.”

“You understand the situation, don’t you, Ayato? Geranud is their leader. If he runs out in a panic, the bad kind of grownup will see their chance. You didn’t miss his mention of slavers, did you? Micha.”

“Yes, yes.”

The next thing Ayato knew, a purple maid stood next to him.

Looking wholly composed, Micha Angelos asked for confirmation.

“How boring. So the tear-jerking task is to protect these poor children?”

“What good is protecting them just once? This is the perfect chance to smoke out all the traders using the blind spots of the bottom level to hide. Your job is to mop up all the idiots who make an appearance. Deal with them all at once.”

“That can be arranged.”

This may have been Ayato’s first time noticing a hint of enjoyment in Micha Angelos’s usually emotionless voice. Perhaps he had the length of their acquaintance to thank for that.

Anyway, the minotaur apparently had his own fight to fight. Ayato wasn’t interested in stopping him, but…

“This is your plan. I don’t care what happens to you, but don’t screw up and get the children hurt.”

“Who do you think you’re talking to, you damn brat? I don’t give a crap about gold, silver, or jewels. The ordinary people living in this kingdom are the Combined Royal Family’s greatest treasure. And that includes you☆”

Did he mean something more by that, or not?

Ayato’s group parted ways with the minotaur and maid and got to work.

Needless to say, tracking down missing Isabella was their top priority. That she was going to see the damaged train to see a prince was not actually confirmed, so it was best not to blindly accept it as true.

“Apparently she was seen in a photo on the media summoner. We should start there.”

“I’m fairly surprised this poor district has any media summoners connected to the sorcery network.”

“They appear to be collecting defective flying sorcery devices. I bet they pull out the gemboards and created their own independent network. Maybe even with a secret link to the outside mana network.”

The powers that be wouldn’t necessarily install the sorcery network everywhere. This was a fascinating topic for Sorcery Hacker Ayato, but they didn’t have time to go digging through the local junk shops.

There were no media summoners set up where everyone could see them. Probably lest they be stolen. So Ayato’s group visited a nearby bar. As expected, they found one of the large snow-globe-like sorcery devices there. Buying the one media summoner was easier than collecting individual devices for music, karaoke, videos, etc.

No one accepted ordinary gold and silver coins on the bottom level, so in lieu of a tip, Ayato handed over the guard uniforms they had used to sneak in. Faking one’s identity with them would have a myriad of uses.

Ayato checked the media summoner with an absolute filthy search history, which was also used for its karaoke mode created by gathering up unauthorized copies of music and videos and then removing the main vocals.

“Found it. This one’s dated today and it shows a small girl walking on a red roof. This must be Isabella.”

“That was fast, coach.”

“That was nothing more than ordinary searching techniques. I haven’t even used any sorcery hacking. ''Yet''.”

Since he had a location now, he called up a map and then left for the red roofed building.

What had it even been to begin with? Towering above them was a massive structure with so many additions upon additions its original form had long since been lost. A portion of its tall, tall roof came close to touching the circular train tracks surrounding the bottom level far above.

“I see. By jumping from that roof to the tracks, they can get over the wall surrounding the bottom level.”

“Isabella is only supposed to be 6, right? Why must small children be so adventurous!?” shouted a deeply exasperated Henrietta.

After all, that was a train track. The train was stopped now thanks to the accident, but what if it was running like normal? Based on what Geranud and the other children had said, they apparently used this path from time to time. They probably had some way of avoiding the train, but the danger was still there.

“But do we have any proof that Isabella girl really did jump from the red roof to the tracks?”

“That.”

Ayato pointed at something.

Since it was so far away, he sent a crystal tarot card floating up, placed it over the area in question, and zoomed in.

“There’s mud on the edge of the stone bridge carrying the tracks. They’re small, but I’m pretty sure those are footprints. Probably from when jumping over from the 2nd-story portion of the roof. The footprints clumped together are probably later ones from Geranud and the others, but the single set separate from them is probably Isabella’s.”

“Stupid adventurous children!”

The righteous woman’s eyes were opened wide now.

At that height, one slip could mean plummeting to their death.

Homes, shops, sketchy lodging facilities. They navigated a labyrinthine structure made from countless additions to reach the red roof. As dangerous as the pulley-powered elevator seemed, it came in handy here. They found the roof in question to be surprisingly level. They couldn’t let the fear win. Falling the dozens of esoule to the ground would mean instant death, but the distance was short enough even a child trained by life on the bottom level could jump it. Ayato easily cleared the 1.5 esoule<ref>Approximately 1.8 meters.</ref> gap, turned around, and instructed Teleria.

“Grab those ladders on the roof there. Lay two of them down parallel and place a thick wooden panel over the top and you’ll have a makeshift bridge.”

“No fair, coach. I wanted to jump it too.”

“I won’t include you in any plan without a 100% guarantee of safety.”

After confirming that Teleria, Mamilis, and Henrietta had made it across, Ayato began walking along the gently-curing stone bridge.

No one raised the alarm. Unless they walked right on the edge, the people down on the ground must not have been able to see someone walking on the bridge.

“This way. I can see a few muddy footprints.”

The rusty outer wall felt highly oppressive when looking up at it from the bottom level, but it looked tiny and insignificant when looking down at it from the bridge. Ayato could kind of see why the children would take the risk of coming here. The scenery changed when they crossed that wall. The outward view was all green fields and solid rock. That one long bridge was the only way into the capital, so no other villages had formed nearby. Plus, all artificial structures had been eliminated over a wide area lest rebels gathered nearby to attack the capital.

“Ayato, i-is that the accident site?”

“Maybe.”

Even from a distance, a portion of the sturdy stone bridge had clearly collapsed. Rescuers and investigators would have gathered there.

They needed to be more careful from here on.

“A Striker like me should not be sneaking around like this.”

Henrietta’s pent-up righteous stress was concerning. Like she could explode at any moment.

(The accident supposedly involved the train, but I don’t see anyone on the bridge. So are they down below?)

Ayato crouched on the very edge of the broken bridge and looked down.

50 esoule<ref>Approximately 60 meters.</ref> down.

Pieces of rock larger than the bottom level’s filthy shacks were lying on the field there. And that wasn’t all. The centipede-like many-legged train cars lay smashed and broken far below. Almost like a giant had thrown his building blocks away.

But even that wasn’t all.

“What is all that? Field operation tents, temporary buildings made from stacking boxes, and three layers of steel beam and barbed wire barricades? That looks like a frontline patrol base, dangerous individual.”

“Check out that armor, Miss Henrietta. Those Royal Guards are wearing their shiny opera-style armor outside the wall. Maintaining that kind of rich and classy lifestyle requires fancy infrastructure.”

“?” Dark Elf Mamilis tilted her head. “Aren’t the Royal Guards the elites? Why wouldn’t they just order the ordinary guards to do this?”

“Because that train is one foundation of the capital’s defenses and it’s managed by 3rd Prince Hemmij. When that’s destroyed so easily, the elites have no choice but to head out and personally investigate.”

The Royal Guards appeared to be placing more emphasis on the retrieving the fallen train than on repairing the bridge. Every one of its screws was packed full of state secrets, so they were ignoring the bridge for the time being.

Ayato quickly checked over the scene 50 esoule<ref>Approximately 60 meters.</ref> below.

That it was on an open field was a bit worrying, but it looked like there were still plenty of places to hide. He was most thankful to the Royal Guards for building that small “village” of tents and wooden box buildings which would provide plenty of cover, not to mention plenty of toys that a Sorcery Hacker could make use of. Plus, there was plenty on the green field as well. There were lots of large holes partially hidden by the thick undergrowth. Large demons had probably dug into the ground and created a spiderweb network of caves.

Now, where would the small 6-year-old girl be hiding? And what about Geranud and the others who had come to find her?

“Wah!?”

Ayato heard an odd shout.

He and the others hid atop the bridge and looked down to see movement on the field. A Royal Guard was holding a small boy by the collar. 3025th Prince Geranud’s feet were lifted from the ground.

His short legs flailed as he shouted in a fluster.

“Hey, stop that! Dammit, how did you even spot me!? What did you do with the others!?”

“Another bottom level resident? This is the last one, but what do we do with them? They made it past the wall.”

“We serve law and order, so obey the law. Whatever his age, an escapee is an escapee.”

Up on the bridge, Teleria’s eyes widened.

“(Wh-what do they mean he’s an escapee?)”

“(The tiered structure of the capital is a physical representation of their tiered class system. The bottom level is full of criminals and fallen political enemies, so they don’t let anyone there climb to the higher levels or even escape outside the city. Because they fear the escapee calling in an external threat.)”

A low tremor shook the green field.

That was not a warhorse or a sorcery device modeled after one that a Royal Guard was riding with a saddle and reins. That was a black dragon with vestigial wings and a powerful tail swishing side to side. Its ferocious jaw and claws specialized for digging were most noticeable.

It was around 9 esoule<ref>Approximately 10.8 meters.</ref> long.

That was small for a dragon, but nothing to scoff at either. It was only that small because its muscles and bone had been had continuously compressed down around its ultra-heavy heart, so its strength was actually greater than the lindworms which the size of a mountain and feared for their ability to obliterate a castle.

“N-Nidhogg,” said Teleria, going pale. “That isn’t a demon you can ordinarily tame. Regional knights and mercenaries have trouble slaying them, so a sighting is enough to get a road closed.”

“That’s a Royal Guard. I bet she’s controlling it with that rapier-sized baton worn at her hip,” pointed out Ayato. “The human nose can’t detect it, but she’s instructing it with a special combination of scents. In other words, with pheromones.”

Dark Elf Mamilis began sniffing the air. Either they were too far away, or the scent designed for dragons had no effect on her.

That meant the tunnels and caves were all the territory of the dragons tamed by the Royal Guard tamers. It went without saying how foolish it would be to try and hide in there. Anything that didn’t belong in the caves would be accurately detected with ultrasonic or electromagnetic waves.

On the field 50 esoule<ref>Approximately 60 meters.</ref> below, the Royal Guards were holding a discussion.

With no thought to captured 3025th Prince Geranud.

“Dragons are so much more fashionable than horses. They make travel easier too. I doubt I could reach Tamer III rank, but I should probably still get a new job qualification.”

“You’re main job is Snipe II, so why would you want to stand out so much?”

(I see. So even the Royal Guards are divided into a number of different types.)

The snipers were always accompanied by another Royal Guard with a giant shield and Teleria had earlier encountered one who used printer soldiers. Their forces appeared to be managed by qualification rather than branch or unit. When they were split up by qualifications to begin with, coming up with a countermeasure sounded a lot easier…

The Nidhogg’s giant eyes turned this way. Staying low and hiding behind cover didn’t seem to matter.

“Secondary Curtain!”

Teleria immediately drew her handguns and fired some water magic. This was originally a water barrier thinner than a bubble meant to protect against approaching fire, but it managed to deflect and redirect something invisible.

The giant creature tilted its head in a surprisingly cute way and then looked away from Ayato’s group hiding behind cover up on the bridge.

The Royal Guards didn’t seem to have noticed. Ayato breathed a quiet sigh.

“So if we can’t get past that ultrasonic sonar, we’ll be spotted right away. That also means the Isabella girl who arrived first will be in trouble. I doubt she could stay hidden from these pros.”

“Coach. But why are the Royal Guards so on edge? They might be escapees, but they’re only little kids.”

“Even a little kid can be a messenger or courier for a bad adult. Plus, that train is managed by a Combined Royal Family prince. It never should have been broken in the first place. The Royal Guards want to reject everything they’re seeing here. Even if that means gathering up every last trace of it. The people at the top won’t want anyone to see this and then go blabbing around the capital.”

“But isn’t that Geranud boy a prince?” Mamilis tilted her head. “Even if his succession position in the thousands. No matter how he lives, if he wasn’t lying about being a prince, the soldiers shouldn’t be able to touch him, right?”

“Yeah, that’s the thing…”

Just as Ayato was searching for a way to explain this…

“But why did it have to happen now?” said one of the Royal Guards.

“That’s probably exactly why it happened now,” replied another. “These days, nobles are showering reporters with money to search for the aging king’s true condition. We can’t underestimate them just because they’re children. People will do anything if it makes them money. There are innumerable people who would want to drag down the 3rd Prince since he has a real shot at the throne.”

Apparently the ''rumors'' were true.,

Guardeleo was often confined to bed by illness these days, but rumor had it his condition was truly serious this time. That would trigger a battle of succession between thousands of princes and princesses. In the worst case, it could develop into an actual war.

“And that’s why being of royal blood doesn’t necessarily help him here. And being way down the list actually makes him more likely to want to see a top candidate take a fall. He’s in trouble if they suspect he was gathering information on this scandal about the 3rd Prince losing his famous train in order to bring him down. When important people get paranoid, they can start lopping off heads with no concern for the truth.”

All this had someone hanging her head and trembling.

That righteous woman also had very little patience.

“They would silence a small child in order to cover up evidence and manipulate the information revealed to the people? And they would do it knowing that child carries royal blood in his veins?”

“Uh, oh.”

“I expected better of you Royal Guards!! In the name of the king, I, Henrietta Split Destrius, will teach you what it means to be a knight!!!”

It was like a lightning strike made of a human body and oxidized mana-conducting silver.

After boosting her muscles with magic, the Striker dropped straight down to attack the Royal Guards.