Editing City Series:Volume6c Chapter5 (section)

===Part 2===

Night had fallen.

The stars were spread across the sky. The lack of lights in the German mountains meant the surface was pitch black.

The small lights of a city were visible in the distance. That would be Cologne.

The mountainlike silhouette next to Cologne had to be the Requiem. A few dark silhouettes walked through the mountains and forest where that was visible.

The men in black uniforms made no noise as they moved and walked. They only disturbed the air a bit.

A few such people were gathered in one spot.

A camouflage tent had been set up in the darkness as a command center.

A single mountain-equipped Klein Panzer stood in a small clearing. An outdoor Phlogiston Tank sat next to it with cords extending toward the tent and the machines within.

There was a single bright color inside the command center.

It took the form of a woman. She had some shallow wrinkles on her face but still maintained a sharp atmosphere. She currently stood in the center of the command center tent. She wore the field uniform of the Geheimnis Agency Army Division and the bottom of the pants were noticeably muddy even in the dark.

She stared forward with her arms crossed. Her sharp gaze fell on the man seated in front of her. He wore a worn-out three-piece suit and sat on the ground with his arms around a 1-foot tin can resting atop a mountain frame. He was Intelligence Division Chief Witzmann and he rubbed his bald head while laughing in the darkness.

“I know you’re busy, Jeanne, so I do apologize for the intrusion. Ha ha ha.”

“This is no laughing matter. Imagine my men’s surprise when they saw one of the Fünf Leithammel walking up without contacting us first. Not to mention when you let yourself be captured so easily.”

“Walking? I did take a car all the way to the foot of the mountain.”

Jeanne tilted her head at that.

“Your choices always baffle me. Why would you choose such an inefficient way to do your duty as Intelligence Division Chief?” She pulled over a nearby chair and sat with her legs crossed. “Why are you here, Intelligence Division Chief Witzmann? I can’t imagine one of the Fünf Leithammel would visit anyone as insignificant as us without a good reason.”

“You sure are strict.”

“I just don’t like things that make no sense. Like you. I know the Intelligence Division handles supply transportation too, but why would one of the Fünf Leithammel arrive here alone and on foot? Is this some kind of game to you?”

“Of course not. I came alone because I wanted to speak with you without anyone else nearby.”

Witzmann pushed his frame and can aside.

Jeanne looked at them and then spoke to the person walking close by.

“Hey, check on this Ton bullet immediately. We will soon meet with our commander at the foot of the mountain and track down the Messiah at Cologne. …Will this be your first time meeting our commander!? You aren’t going to believe who she is, let me tell you!”

Witzmann smiled when he heard that.

“So our commander has directly ordered the Messiah’s capture, has she? I thought you were only here to capture Pale Horse.”

“I’m as surprised as you. She named herself on an open radio channel. But thanks to that, we have the personnel we need and we can catch up to the Messiah and Pale Horse on the Cologne side of the mountains. Even ‘Schütze Puppe’ Bermark will be joining us.”

“Hm. But if we do capture the Messiah, then all of Lowenzahn Naylor’s authority as our commander will be given to the Messiah as our leader. Assuming we do get the Messiah girl, of course.”

“That is our job. …I am most pleased our commander is relying on us for this.”

“Hm.” Witzmann nodded. “I see. Now, Jeanne. I have a suggestion.”

He smiled a little and suddenly stood up.

He took two steps, arriving directly in front of seated Jeanne.

“How about a game? I am currently analyzing something with the reputation of the entire intelligence division riding on it.”

He pulled a foot-long piece of metal of from within his coat.

It was a flat panel with a slight curve to it. He held it out toward Jeanne.

“I extracted my favorite plate from the historical ones placed below Munich in Germany’s past.”

“Why would you do that? Karlsruhe is in charge of that place.”

“That does not matter,” insisted Witzmann. “Twenty-odd years ago, Frobel Naylor, the head of the Naylor family at the time, created this plate and attempted to place it below Munich. It was engraved with a way to save the world, or something along those lines. She had prophesied that that place would be opened up once a crisis befell Germany.”

“…”

“So to ensure no one would see it, no one would make a fuss about it, and no one would lose it before it was needed, she hid it among the records of the past that will all one day show their true value. But.”

“But?”

“Something went wrong at some point. Marsch Gant from the Development Division noticed this and carved the solution off of the surface. It feels like a riddle now. …It wasn’t easy getting Elrich away from this. Go under Munich now and you will find a mere copy of this.”

Witzmann’s eyes dropped to the plate and Jeanne’s eyes followed.

“I will leave this with you, Army Division Deputy Head Jeanne Schmitt. You take your duty seriously. No matter what you see or learn, you will not doubt the things you have come to trust in. So I know you will continue to trust in our commander. Even as you hide this.”

“You think too highly of me,” she said with a bitter smile.

Witzmann smiled back.

“Which is why I suggested a game, Jeanne. I have compiled the text and the property classification chart I was able to gather from that plate. All that remains is checking the past records to continue the examination. However.”

“Do you think that will be dangerous?”

“I honestly do not know. …But I do know the previous head of the Naylor family attempted to hide it until the time came. I do not know if she was mistaken to leave it where she did. So if you think the time has come to give that to someone you think should have it, then will you please give it to them? But I may finish my analysis before that time comes.”

“So the game is about me coming across such an opportunity versus your analysis abilities?”

“No, it is my destiny versus yours. The question is whether we are talking about a destiny of ruin or of happiness.”

Jeanne’s shoulders lowered a bit when she heard that. She picked up the plate, and…

“I will look after this. I swear to you not even the air will touch it until either you complete your task or destiny favors me.”

“You really do take your duty seriously. I hope we can get along.”

They shook hands. After two or three shakes, they let go and Witzmann turned around. He walked outside the tent.

Jeanne put the plate in her coat and called out to him.

“Where are you going? I could have someone drive you down the mountain.”

Witzmann didn’t even stop as he replied.

“No, I happened across a nice tree on the way up. A large tree next to the road leading away from the Borderson region below. From there, I hope to steal an in-person look at the Messiah girl as she escapes.”

“Is that what you were looking for while you wandered through the mountains earlier!?”

He answered her with laughter. The good-natured laughter melted away into the night.