Editing Sorcery Hacker:Volume4 Phase03 (section)

===Part 7===

The standard ideas of attacking the door or window were simply ridiculous.

The walls and ceiling were impenetrable.

When in emergency mode, Room 0108 stopped using the air duct and instead broke down the water inside the room to secure oxygen, so finding a way in would be a challenge.

That about summed up the problem.

“Micha Angelos. What will you be doing?”

“The Philosommelier Personal Empire’s consul guest quarters are not the only problem. The illegally leaked model is here as well. I will keep an eye on our surroundings. Rachel Seraphim, you join me.”

“Yeah, yeah. I only just got here, so can someone fill me in?”

Micha Angelos addressed another nearby maid and left for elsewhere.

Was it a sign of trust that she didn’t keep an eye on them?

Ayato already had an idea.

“Coach, what are we going to do?”

“It comes down to numbers.”

“?”

“We can’t break through consul guest quarters 0108’s defenses, but that doesn’t mean everyone using the room trusts those defenses. The dark elves are going to be paranoid.”

Just then, a nearby door opened. The door to the neighboring Room 0109.

“Ca you keep it down? What’s going on out here anyway?”

A young woman with fluffy red hair emerged in a flowing white religious habit.

She was Pope Agatha Canalace Properod, ruler of the Properod Divine Water Nation of another continent.

Their Fertile Continent believed that water was a divine blessing and thus the powerful should manage it. Since water was used for drinking and for food production, you could say the powerful controlled the entire food industry. A large military force required a lot of water, so water was directly linked to wealth and the military. And so the nations through which that water flowed were in conflict.

(Since she’s sleepily rubbing her eyes, was that a body double who appeared in the parade?)

She was a national representative, so Ayato wanted to avoid exacerbating the political situation by carelessly attacking her.

Also, Micah Angelos’s authorization and a job from the minotaur meant nothing to someone from another continent.

Maybe it was meant to create an air of authority, but the woman spoke more respectfully than her appearance would suggest.

“Please put your weapons away. The consul guest quarters do not belong to your kingdom despite being within your palace. This qualifies as severe interference in our domestic affairs!”

The consul guest quarters counted as the guest country’s territory.

Forcing your way into one was unthinkable under normal diplomatic circumstances.

At best, it was violating their territory. At worst, it could be seen as an act of war. And if a chain reaction of “if they’ll do it to them, will they do it to us too?” began, the Static Continent’s diplomatic ties could be left in shambles. It could even lead to a situation where the three other continents all attacked the Static Continent.

Setting the board ablaze to extinguish a single spark was meaningless.

But…

“Saving a life takes precedence.”

The voice was hard as rock.

Guardeleo had arrived.

The king glanced at Ayato.

“This tragedy occurred after we invited you here. Thus, we will do whatever it takes to prevent the loss of precious life.”

“That is no excuse for violating international law.”

“Once this is all over, you can punish me alone. It is thought I will not last much longer regardless. I am more than willing to use my life to save a fleeting life that has been put at risk in an unrelated conspiracy.”

That was enough to silence the female pope.

His death was close and he would accept all responsibility. This was much easier said than done, but the king did not hesitate even though rulers on the verge of death would often go as far as rewriting the history books to keep up appearances.

“Your faith says that the shield shines brighter than the sword. And I believe that I should protect the lives within my reach rather than focus on fighting and winning. So I will not turn back.”

Guardeleo paused there.

And he looked the woman in the eye before continuing.

“You are aware of my kingdom’s past failure of government, I assume?”

“I am not sure what you mean.”

“The Graves of the Lost Five.”

Guardeleo turned his gaze elsewhere.

Five. They were not visible from her, but did he mean the graves in the courtyard that looked older than the castle walls?

“Long, long before my time, one of our kings made a mistake. He found five children living on the streets and took them into his care. But the five did not fit into the upper class lifestyle and were ultimately broken by the pressure placed upon them. Those graves were transferred to the current palace when the capital was moved here. To remember his mistake and to never allow it to happen again, that king established the capital’s social hierarchy. So that no one seeking the king’s protection would be exposed to environmental pressures.”

''So that explains it.'' Even Ayato was flabbergasted.

So the capital’s social hierarchy did not originate from a place of discrimination.

It was meant to supply the optimal space for all types to live together in a single city in the way they wished. Regardless of what it had become now, that was all it had been in the beginning.

(Including for Geranud and the others on the bottom level.)

''“Let me be clear: the people on the bottom level are the only ones who really have their heads on straight.”

Wasn’t that what he had said?

To them, the bottom level was their home and where they could relax.

The world was wide and deep. Needless to say, sorcery hacking wasn’t enough to understand it all.

(They might pay secret visits to the other levels for fun, but they never said they wanted to live there. After having some fun, they always returned to the bottom level. That’s the home they created for themselves. Ha ha. Damn, maybe I was the one discriminating against them by feeling so sorry for them!)

Even the countless Shade Swallows released into the air to ban movement between levels could have been for more than trapping people below. Perhaps they were meant to prevent the powerful upper levels from invading the lower levels. Ayato had heard talk of human traffickers on the bottom level. Banning movement between levels would cut the connections between the traffickers and the rich buyers, making deals harder to make.

It was unclear how many people had inherited the proper spirit of the city, but Guardeleo at least carried it in full.

Which was why he did not waver.

That king would not abandon the life before him because of international treaties or diplomatic issues.

The path he had walked showed that the absolute power he carried was meant to protect life.

“Unilateral salvation does not always lead to a happy ending. Which is why the political leaders of the Combined Royal Family must always listen to a wide variety of voices. What matters now is saving injured Emperor Milbert in Room 0108. Nothing could be simpler than the fact that I cannot just do nothing. And I will listen to any voice if it will help save that fading life. Pope Agatha, what does your voice say? If you have an opinion superior to our own and a method of immediately saving the emperor, then I ask that you share it. Please.”