Editing Sorcery Hacker:Volume4 Phase02 (section)

===Part 4===

Their practice run on the ordinary class level was complete.

Ayato’s group used the Human Cannon Catapult to reach the tenth and highest level.

Since this was his second time, Ayato knew what to expect.

“Where are we now?”

After landing in the waterproof cloth disguised as a banner, Ayato took a few quick looks around.

A giant bowl-like piece of land made from mana-conducting silver jutted out quite close by. It was about 50 esoule<ref>Approximately 60 meters.</ref> across. That had to be a landing port for a VIP airship.

The crest on the belly of the airship showed a sorcery book wrapped in ivy and two wings.

That did not belong to any aristocrat from this continent. It was from the Philosommelier Personal Empire, which ruled another continent. It was just one of the invited guests, so there had to be plenty of other powerful people here as well.

“I guess a once a thousand combo-year festival is going to have a distinguished guest list.”

“I wish I could see them all.”

Grandma’s girl Mamilis’s eyes shined with an innocent light. A scene out of a fairy tale was probably playing out in her mind.

Henrietta, who couldn’t get over everything that was happening, held her forehead like she had a headache.

“I can’t believe I’m accompanying a dangerous individual to the royal palace I’ve dreamed of since I was a girl…”

“It’s better than being taken there to be executed as part of a criminal group, right? Or would you prefer to have the ‘infallible and loved by god’ king turn his thumb down toward you, Miss Henrietta? Like this.”

“How do you even come up with these ideas!?”

The palace was used for trials related to incidents of kingdom-shaking importance. And it was up to the king alone to decide what qualified, so the definition was rather loose. Which meant if the throne did not go to someone intelligent, it would lead to a hellish world of decapitations as the king’s political enemies were purged for their defiance.

Just then, something flitted past Ayato.

It was a type of bee not found in the natural world. One made of black opal and delicate goldwork.

He blinked and it became a beautiful woman in a tattered maid uniform.

He felt no tension about being discovered in this off limits area.

Was that because she too had the scent of a fugitive?

“Ugh.”

The Sorcery Hacker frowned at the maid’s groan.

“Are you like Micha Angelos?”

“Oh, no! This isn’t the time for questions – we need to treat her!”

Teleria quickly drew her handguns and prepared some recovery magic, but Ayato held out a hand to stop her.

If she was like Micha or Angela, then she was a prototype humanoid weapon whose organs had been replaced with biological gems. Ordinary recovery magic might not work on her.

(They shouldn’t be so fragile that recovery magic would kill them, but I don’t want to risk having our good will end up delivering the finishing blow to an injured person.)

The maid didn’t seem aware that he was a Sorcery Hacker.

She clung to Ayato as if anyone would suit her needs as long as they were not the dangerous person she had in mind.

“I am Julielt Resurrection. You must tell King Guardeleo Bran Zorca Totalinus… Or the Royal Guards or another maid. Just tell someone in charge of palace security, as long as they don’t work for Prince Roberat.”

Why?

Why had she specifically made an exception of 9th Prince Roberat?

(Based on that crest, she’s probably the 9th prince’s maid.)

“I don’t fully believe you.”

“You don’t have to. Doubt me as much as you want as long as word reaches the king in the end. Anything is better than letting this information stop here.”

“Dangerous individual,” curtly called Henrietta.

The Striker’s eyes told him he could choose to believe her or not later on. For now he should let her say what she had to say.

“9th Prince…Roberat is…”

Perhaps the most natural continuation of that sentence would be “is in danger”.

But that wasn’t what she said.

“…''is a threat''.”

The maid sounded more ashamed than critical.

“Please, I beg of you. Find some way to stop the plot he has made with that devilish queen.”

That was all she got out.

The worn-down maid stopped speaking as her strength faded.

She used the very last of her reserves to return to her black opal and goldwork bee form. Perhaps she thought that would make it harder for any pursuers to find her.

“Coach.”

“Looks like she passed out. But we can’t launch her with that catapult in this state. For now, I’ll stick her in my pocket and have her escape from the top level along with us when we head back.”

They might not be able to visit the top level again, so they wanted to use this chance to its fullest.

At the same time, they couldn’t just leave an injured woman here.