Editing Sorcery Hacker:Volume4 Phase02 (section)

===Part 7===

Ayato had finished setting up the sorcery bug, but was there nothing else he could do?

Even with the Human Cannon Catapult, he doubted they could continue sneaking past the strict palace security like this. It especially hurt that their presence had been discovered. The security would probably be tightened up by the next time. He needed to do everything he could during this trip.

He held a hand to his thin chin up above the ceiling.

“I’d also like to find the event schedule for the Precession Festival. We should have a hard time getting back into the palace later, so I want to complete everything I can this time.”

“Hm? But, coach, they were handing out pamphlets with the festival schedule down on the second level.”

“The public version isn’t good enough. I want to know where security will be set up, where Guardeleo will be, and all possible escape routes if things go bad. A schedule on that level will be locked up by someone with the authority to handle national secrets.”

Henrietta sighed.

Her position in the knight class meant she was well aware how valuable that information would be. That would be completely different from a pamphlet anyone could read and then throw out. Knowing where someone would be made plotting to assassinate or abduct them much easier, so it basically placed their life in your hands. And this was the king of the Combined Royal Family.

At times like this, official agencies did not try to get tricky.

They only had to use the standard methods to search out the most likely candidate.

A sectary held a bag with the handle handcuffed to his wrist. He was frequently receiving word from several different butlers, but the whispered messages appeared to be about the materials for and adjustments to the budget for the Precession Festival.

Ayato’s group snuck along through the wide-open space above the ceiling.

“Is that it?”

“How do you plan to steal that, dangerous individual? You had better not be planning to cut off his hand.”

“I appreciate your very activate imagination as an expert in legal violence, but unfortunately I am not quite that criminal.”

The Striker tried to attack, forgetting all about hiding above the ceiling, so Teleria and Mamilis had to restrain her.

Ayato chose two weapons: the preexisting truth and the manipulation of messages being passed through the sorcery network using media summoners.

By stabbing his linkage plug sword into an amplifier located above the ceiling, he could have some fun. Doing so required a level of above 100, so he was glad he had built up his level in the server room earlier.

The Royal Guards below began to run about once the message reached them.

“A Sorcery Hacker!? A Sorcery Hacker has infiltrated the palace! Did you not see the emergency message!?”

“Eh? Oh. B-but I have all the paperwork right here.”

“No, read the emergency message sent out on broadcast. They swapped it out when you weren’t paying attention! You need to remove the handcuff and swap it for the real bag! I have it here!! We can’t have them cutting off your hand and defiling this holy palace with blood. We will guard you on the way to the secure sanctuary. Do not leave our side until the threat has passed. Let’s go!”

“Too easy.”

Ayato dropped down a claw on the end of a rope, caught the bag left in the deserted room, and pulled it on up.

“By the way, why is cutting off body parts the first solution that comes to mind for all you noble knights? Is that what you get with soldiers who make a living by killing? They say they want peace, but their thought processes are so barbaric.”

“Stop that, Ayato. Henrietta is biting her lip and trembling on the verge of tears.”

Ayato used the faint light of his crystal tarot cards to inspect the contents of the bag.

He found a stack of old-fashioned paper.

He had to laugh a little.

“Now, let’s check Guardeleo’s schedule for the Precession Festival.”

The mention of Guardeleo made Striker Henrietta a little hesitant to continue.

“Wait, those are national secrets. How can we spy on His Majesty’s schedule, dangerous individual? I-it isn’t right!!”

“You say that, but you keep glancing over in obvious interest. Besides, Queen Astaroth Revolver can slip past all of the royal security, so she’ll have seen this already. You don’t want anything to happen to the king, do you? Then we need to read this so we can stop her.”

The very fact that a sorcery criminal was viewing the king’s schedule – which could compromise his security – was enough to make Henrietta feel faint.

But after reading the festival plan, the Striker’s eyes truly widened.

“The king will be giving a speech in the middle of a public square? And at the climax, all the lights will be shut off to better see the stars in the night sky? That’s like asking someone to shoot him with a sorcery gun!”

“I wonder if a certain prince was involved in coming up with this security plan.”

“Coach. Can we get the event canceled by pointing out how dangerous it is?”

Mamilis had a point. That would be the usual course of action.

But Ayato rejected the idea.

“The Combined Royal Family isn’t stupid. They must be at least somewhat aware of the trouble brewing related to the succession issue. Including problems entirely separate from our sneaking into the capital and causing trouble in the palace.”

“Then why?”

“Guardeleo needs to show off that he is in perfect health – both to the local population and to the visitors from other continents. If they cancel the event at the last second, dangerous speculation will spread like wildfire. I mentioned before that the king handles all the diplomacy on his own, remember? That is something he will want to avoid at all costs.”

Henrietta scratched at her head with a hand.

Perhaps she wanted to curse herself for understanding the dilemmas faced by those in political positions.