BlazBlue:Calamity Trigger Part 1 Chapter 2

BBCT Chapter 2: Spiral fate — The Board's Pieces

Part 1

A magnificent garden, adorned with deep red roses, was overseen by a pale full moon.

It was a quiet night. The air was crisp and cold, and a thick curtain of night enveloped the area as if to mark the end of the world. At the end of the garden stood a beautiful and lovely castle that looked straight out of a fairy tale. Its windows, illuminated by orange lights, seemed like countless eyes.

On a terrace overlooking the castle, beyond a hedge of red roses, a young girl sat at a small round table, elegantly sipping from a teacup.

Her long golden hair, which shone so brightly in the moonlight that it seemed almost blinding, was tied in two braids on either side and adorned with large ribbons. She wore a lavish black dress on her petite frame, and her small hands were as white and smooth as porcelain. Even as she gazed at the tea swirling in her cup, her eyes seemed to be looking far off, towards the edge of the world, their crimson hue outshining even the roses. She possessed an elegance and grace that belied her youthful appearance.

The girl's name was Rachel Alucard.

Although she appeared to be no more than a ten-year-old girl, she was in fact a vampire who had lived for nearly a century. She was the current head of the Alucard vampire clan, which had existed for over a thousand years, and the mistress of the castle overlooking the rose garden. She was also the mistress of this eternal night, a realm dominated by the moon, the night sky, the roses, and the castle.

This was a place cut off from all other parts of the world. And yet, it was a place that connected to all points of the world. It was a realm that floated between spaces, existing in the narrow margin between worlds. It was a special dwelling place managed by the head of the Alucard family.

Returning her cup to the saucer on which a gold spoon rested, Rachel sighed wearily. The cut roses on the wrought iron table, with its intricate floral pattern, emitted a faint fragrance.

Rachel spent much of her time on the terrace in this rose garden, in this land where daylight never came.

She loved roses. They were beautiful and smelled good. And more than anything, they were the flowers her late father had loved.

"Isn't it magnificent tonight, Father?" Rachel murmured, giving in to a sudden wave of sentiment. She took a sip of the tea, fragrant with the roses her father had loved. In that brief moment, her heart was faintly comforted.

This castle, where the night never ends, was untouched by the flow of time. Just as the night is eternal, so too was time—endless. And Rachel's time was also eternal.

Still, boredom would come. At times like this, she would think back to days long past, sighing as if to avoid forgetting her words, much like the roses that never withered.

"Excuse me, Madam Rachel." A sharp click of leather shoes echoed on the terrace's brick tiles, followed by a hoarse voice calling her name gently. Without making her turn, the owner of the voice, an elderly man with long white hair tied at the back, approached, his steps steady. Reaching the edge of Rachel's field of vision, he placed his hand on his chest and gave a shallow bow.

Valkenhayn "R" Helsing. He had served the Alucard family since the time of Rachel's father, Clavis Alucard, and now, he was the elderly butler serving Rachel. His smile was lined with wrinkles, and his poised stance was as elegant as Rachel's.

But he, too, was not human. He was both man and beast, neither fully one nor the other—he was a werewolf.

His physique, far stronger than one might expect from his age, was evident even through his high-quality butler suit.

"What's wrong, Valkenhayn?" Rachel turned her red eyes to him, her white fingers playing with the rim of her teacup.

Valkenhayn bowed his head and replied simply, "Ragna the Bloodedge seems to have appeared at Kagutsuchi."

Without wasting words, Valkenhayn delivered only the necessary information, causing Rachel to stop tracing the edge of her teacup with her finger. She hooked her finger around the small handle and lifted the nearly empty cup to her lips, taking a sip. After setting the cup back onto its saucer, Rachel finally moved her lips.

"Yes ... It's already that time." She murmured to herself.

Suddenly, two voices broke the otherwise quiet and intimate atmosphere, making it unexpectedly lively.

"Oh, Princess, isn't Ragna that white-haired punk?"

"I remember him too, that cocky brat!"

The first voice was a husky, cat-like purr from the chair Rachel was sitting on. Upon closer inspection, the seemingly black sofa had a pair of triangular ears and a cat's face at the top of its backrest, and it was the cat's face that was speaking.

The second voice, high-pitched and cheerful, came from a small, red, round creature that had bounced up from Rachel's feet like a rubber ball. Its body appeared soft, with small hands, feet, and tiny wings sticking out, and its large, innocent eyes and upturned mouth were just as small and adorable.

The black cat sofa was named Nago, and the red rubber ball was named Gii. They were Rachel's familiars.

"He's your favorite, isn't he, Princess? Do you like that kind of guy? You're quite the type to fall for a bad boy, aren't you!" Gii flapped his tiny wings busily and spoke cheerfully. Then, Rachel quickly reached out and pulled the creature's soft cheeks, or rather, its entire head, from side to side.

"What? I didn't catch that. Could you say it again? If you can, that is."

"I-I-I'm sorry, P-Princess! It hurts! It hurts so much!"

"You really do seem like the type to get yourself into trouble with that mouth." Rachel looked down at Gii, whose face had expanded to twice its usual size, and Nago sighed in exasperation. After listening to Gii's pitiful screams for a while, Rachel finally released him. With a pop, Gii's red cheeks returned to their original round shape. Ignoring him, Rachel touched a petal of the red rose that was arranged on the table.

"If he's gotten this far, it means nearly nine hundred and ninety-nine years have passed."

"Indeed, it does." Valkenhayn responded respectfully to Rachel's almost sing-song murmuring.

"And so will the world." The faintly spoken addition didn't get a reply from Valkenhayn. He understood that Rachel wasn't seeking one.

Instead, the old werewolf butler asked in his usual steady voice, "Madam Rachel, shall I replace your tea with a fresh brew?"

"…Perhaps you should." Though Rachel had business to attend to, she felt like wasting just a little more time here, in this seemingly pointless moment. After all…

(It doesn't look like we can expect anything good from this one either.) She muttered to herself silently, a soft sigh escaping her chest. But she quickly swallowed that breath, sharpening her gaze. Her crimson eyes were now fixed on the endless rose garden.

"Valkenhayn. It seems an uninvited guest has arrived." The wind rustled the deep green leaves. It was a wind summoned by Rachel herself, to brush away the unpleasant presence that had mixed with the intense night air.

In the corner of the circular terrace, in front of the rose hedge, the space seemed to warp, as if a dizziness had taken hold. And then, it appeared—the shadow.

Something vaguely humanoid stood there, its body black wrapped in green.

A green circle, looking like an eyeball from a child's drawing, floated on top of a shadow with a disturbingly slit red mouth. It looked up at Rachel, sitting in her chair, and smiled creepily. It was clearly not human, nor vampire, nor werewolf.

This was a thought. A being with only a will and no physical body. It was a man's spirit body.

"Well, well, you shitty vampire. Having a tea party with your entourage and lapdog again? You're awfully relaxed, aren't you?" The spirit, a trespasser who had entered the rose garden without permission, spoke sarcastically in a muffled voice.

Immediately, Valkenhayn frowned, and Gii let out a pitiful scream, hiding behind his master's black dress with rubber-like agility. Rachel stared coldly at the shadow. She lightly lifted her body, and Nago, who had been serving as a chair, contorted his body and transformed into a black umbrella. Rachel stood up, holding it. Although she had a graceful smile on her lips, her crimson eyes were filled with disgust.

"To make people feel this uncomfortable just by showing yourself… In a way, that's a talent. I'm impressed, Terumi." Rachel spoke softly, like the scent of roses, yet with the sharpness of thorny vines.

The spirit she spoke to, the shadow called Terumi, swayed as if caught in the wind. He was laughing.

"Well, that's mutual, isn't it? Looking at that disgusting face, I feel sick to my stomach."

Yuki Terumi. That was the shadow's name.

"Then you should leave quickly. This is not a place where someone like you can casually trespass." Valkenhayn stepped forward with a heavy, yet uncompromising hostility. The gentle elegance he had shown towards Rachel had vanished, and with a strong, aggressive gaze that belied his age as a white-haired old man, he glared at the swaying shadow.

Terumi twisted his red mouth in annoyance. "Ha! You're still as irritable as ever. Quit barking, you stupid dog. I'll kill you, got it?"

"It seems that the one who only knows how to bark is you. What can you possibly do to me now that you have no body?"

"Dammit... I should have killed you back then, old man."

"You should have learned your lesson ninety years ago." When Terumi spat out insults, Valkenhayn returned them with overwhelming hostility. It felt as though a deep-seated grudge was festering between them, a swamp of animosity.

"So, what do you want? You are aware of the current situation. I'm sure you're not exactly free to waste time either." Though not as overt as Valkenhein's hostility, Rachel spoke in a dismissive tone.

Terumi tilted his head with a languid gesture and once again shook his indistinct form, laughing in a high-pitched, unclear manner.

"Not really~. The episode's almost over, so I thought I'd come see your pathetic faces." His voice was low and he had a gleeful smile. Rachel watched him impassively, her red eyes reflecting his image.

"You really are a persistent man." Rachel whispered, her cold voice resembling the light of an unfading moon. "No matter how many times it's repeated, the result is always the same. The world rewinds, and everything begins again, from that day, that moment."

A breeze passed between Rachel and the shadow. Amidst the smell of sake, Terumi's demonic figure was eerie and unbecoming. The wind carried the strong scent of flowers, as if reminding him that he was out of place, and he smiled deeply.

"Then I'll start again," he said in a different voice. A nasty undercurrent seemed to taint even the inviting breeze that Rachel beckoned. "As many times as it takes? Is that it? Every time, I just start over. Again and again. Even if you get bored and stop coming out of your castle, again and again... again and again."

"It's in bad taste."

"Who are you calling bad taste, shitty vampire?" Terumi sneered.

Valkenhain, who always had a deep furrow between his brows, watched with increased scrutiny. Rachel surveyed those around her, curving her lips into an elegant smile. While it was deeply displeased to agree with him, it was true that she was just as bad.

Again and again. They had this exchange here countless times. The conversations, repeated over and over across time, had become something like a rite of passage. For the next few hours, their fates would intertwine, separate, shatter, and crumble in a dizzying whirl. It was a regular event, a solemn witnessing of the outcome.

"Well, I better go and start the final preparations. I don't feel like dealing with you anymore, so just sit there and drink tea while you wait for it to end," Terumi said, taking a large step back. His figure flickered, like a shadow becoming blurred and disappearing. Beyond the black body, a faint tinge of rose red could be seen.

"See ya. Enjoy being a spectator, I guess," he spat out before disappearing soundlessly, like mist dissolving into the air.

Nothing remained. Only the garden, where the bright red roses that Rachel gazed upon daily proudly bloomed. A gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of roses, as if to erase the unpleasantness caused by Terumi.

Valkenhayn, who had been ready to leap at his throat a moment ago, quickly returned to his role as a butler. Straightening his back without a flaw, he turned to Rachel.

"How shall we proceed, Madam Rachel?" he asked, feigning ignorance of what his master must already have in mind. Rachel opened the umbrella-shaped Nago, draped it over her shoulder like a parasol, and looked at Valkenhayn.

"Valkenhayn, let's postpone the tea for later." It was childish and simple provocation to rise to, but to turn away would be seen as weakness, which would be even more irritating. More than anything, she couldn't let that man have his way. "Nago, Gii. We're leaving." "Yes, Princess."

"Understood!"

Nago, still stuck as an umbrella, struck a graceful pose, and Gii, who had been trembling just moments before, leapt into the air with a newfound energy.

With her two familiars in tow, Rachel reached out towards the sky. A rose-colored magic circle, glowing faintly, appeared on the brick-tiled floor beneath her feet.

It was a teleportation spell. An ancient technique, a foundation of this world's magic system. But now, very few people could use it. It was a lost art.

Among teleportation spells, this one in particular required a tremendous amount of magical power and concentration, as well as exceptionally difficult control. That was why, throughout human history, there were only a handful of people skilled enough to be called masters of it.

Rachel, who could freely use teleportation magic, knew of only one other person who could handle this spell as well as she could.

“I'm off to Kagutsuchi. Valkenhayn, please look after the castle while I'm gone,” she said.

“As you wish. Please take care,” Valkenhayn replied, bowing at an ideal angle as he watched his young master depart from the magical storage room.

A gentle breeze swirled, carrying the intoxicating scent of roses as Rachel stepped out of the eternal castle. Valkenhayn waited until the lingering scent of roses was absorbed by the night air before placing the tea set left on the terrace table onto a wagon and beginning to clear it away. He silently wished that something, anything, would bring comfort to his small master this time.

Part 2

December 30, 2199, 9:23

Normally, the eastern sky of Kagutsuchi would be illuminated by the brilliance of the sunlight, its dazzling light making one forget about the stagnant seithr on the earth's surface. But today, unfortunately, thick clouds covered the sky from early morning. They were rain clouds. The damp air told him that it would rain before noon.

On the outskirts of the 13th Hierarchical City of Kagutsuchi, there was a city that wasn’t built as part of the city but was constructed spontaneously by refugees who had drifted to this place. It was called Ronin-Gai.

This city was built by the losers of the Ikaruga Civil War, which ended five years ago, and who had lived in the Ikaruga Federation. Their homeland had been lost in the civil war. The displaced people of Ikaruga scattered all over the world, and those who had fled to Kagutsuchi had gathered here to make a living. It was a complex terrain, far from ideal for building a city. Located below the high mountain where Kagutsuchi was situated, the area was rocky, with many cracks and cliffs.

Nevertheless, the Ikaruga refugees had built a city that seemed to be half-floating in the air, with intricate structures built on rocky platforms, bridges spanning chasms, and stairs carved into cliffs.

It was a small city, a makeshift city built from whatever materials they could find. But despite that, the city was neat and tidy, with a distinctive Ikaruga atmosphere. And today, a man’s loud voice echoed through the streets.

“Hey everyone! I hope you're all doing well and in peace today!! Hmm, good, good, very good! Hahahahahaha!” The owner of that thick, resonant voice was Bang Shishigami. A large, muscular man, he was walking down the main street of Ronin-Gai, greeting everyone he passed with a hearty hello.

With his bushy black hair tied up high and wearing a unique deep green outfit, he was dressed in traditional Ikaruga ninja attire. Normally, ninjas were supposed to work in the dark, but Bang Shishigami was the complete opposite—he was always trying to attract attention.

A strong, large physique, a broad back that couldn't be hidden, a cross-shaped scar etched on his face, and a bright red cloth wrapped around his neck. Every time that red cloth fluttered in the canyon wind, no one could help but look back at him. It wasn't the distinctive outfit that caught the attention of the people in the Ronin-Gai. The long, red cloth wrapped around him like a scarf was a mark of identification.

It was the symbol of Bang Shishigami, the leader of the Ikaruga ninjas, who had gathered the lost refugees, led them to build the Ronin-Gai, and now walked through the streets daily, checking if the residents faced any troubles or problems.

"Good morning, Bang-sama!"

"Bang! Thank you for helping us capture the runaway chicken the other day!"

"Bang-sama! Hello!"

Bang waved his hand in response to the calls from all directions and returned a cheerful smile.

"Yes, good morning! Oh, that's right—since it looks like it'll rain today, if there are any houses leaking, just call on me! I'll fly over immediately and help with repairs!" He said as he continued walking forward, his voice echoing through the streets.

The weather wasn't great, but Bang's heart was as bright as ever. He had comrades, and a place to live. How fortunate this was—Bang, who had spent years running behind the scenes of war as a ninja, now fully understood and cherished this peace every single day.

Peace was good. Love could only exist in peace.

"Hmm?" Bang grunted in surprise as he noticed someone ahead of him. It was a man he didn't recognize. Bang had memorized the faces and bodies of every Ikaruga refugee living in the district.

The man had short blonde hair and a slender build. From the way he walked, Bang guessed that he was still young. But what really caught Bang's attention was the man's clothing. The blue and white uniform he wore was undoubtedly that of the Novus Orbis Librarium.

"Hey, you there! Wait!" Shouting out, Bang leapt high into the air. In a moment that seemed to defy gravity, he soared over the young man’s head and landed directly in front of him. The unfamiliar man stopped in his tracks, furrowing his brow in confusion at Bang’s sudden appearance.

As expected, he was a young man, still carrying the traces of youth. There was no mistaking that his outfit was the uniform of the NOL, and he was holding a sword in a blue sheath. Bang's brow furrowed even deeper, filled with growing suspicion.

"What are you doing in our town? You're wearing the uniform of the NOL, aren't you?" Was he a Kagutsuchi guard? Bang didn't recognize him. If he was a guard of Kagutsuchi, it would be unusual for him to come down to such a lower level, and if he were from a different branch, he would have entered Kagutsuchi from a higher tier. The sight of someone wearing the Librarium's uniform in this street felt completely out of place.

The blonde young man didn't answer, but simply looked at Bang with cold green eyes. Eventually, he parted his pale lips and murmured in a low voice.

"That outfit... an Ikaruga ninja?" His voice was far from friendly. Some might have heard disdain or mockery in those words. However, Bang chose to interpret the cold tone as a form of caution, rather than hostility.

Raising his body, which had tensed in preparation, Bang hurriedly extended his hands in a gesture of reassurance.

"No, no, please don't misunderstand. I have no intention of fighting you. This is indeed a town of the Ikaruga people, and I was once an Ikaruga ninja. But the Ikaruga Civil War ended five years ago." Bang crossed his thick arms and nodded solemnly several times as he continued. "True, the cause of the end of the war wasn't a battle, but rather the explosion of our capital, Ibukido." The Ikaruga Civil War had started when the Ikaruga Federation, with the 5th Hierarchical City of Ibukido as its capital, declared its independence from the Novus Orbis Librarium. The NOL attempted to suppress this by force, and the Ikaruga Federation fought back with military resistance.

This war had continued for four years until one day…

Suddenly, an unexplained massive explosion occurred underground in Ibukido, the center of command for the Ikaruga Federation, and the city was annihilated. The explosion dealt a severe blow not only to the Ikaruga Federation, but also to the NOL, which was in the midst of the conflict. Both sides lost enough strength that they could no longer continue the war.

In the end, the Ikaruga Federation fragmented and lost its shape as an organization. But the NOL was too busy recovering from its own losses to pursue further retaliation, and the civil war gradually fizzled out and ended without anyone really noticing.

"Still, we lost. I will not throw away the peace we now have to foolishly oppose the Librarium," Bang said with a bitter smile, reaching up to touch the cross-shaped scar on his forehead with a thick hand. That scar had been caused by the explosion during the accident. Whether the accident that ended the civil war had been a blessing or a curse for him, Bang still couldn't decide. All he knew was that the people of Ikaruga had fought enough. Now, he wanted them to live in peace, even if it wasn't an easy life.

The blonde young man said nothing, quietly staring at Bang. It was impossible to discern his thoughts from his blank expression, which seemed almost absent, as if he were lost in thought. There was no sign of emotion or intention in his face.

Was he even listening? Bang, feeling uneasy, repeated his earlier question.

"So, who are you, and what are you doing in Ronin-Gai?"

"...I have no business here." Finally, the young man gave a direct answer to Bang's question. It was a curt and dismissive response, but Bang felt relieved.

If the young man had drawn his sword and said something like, "I'm here to hunt Ikaruga remnants," Bang would have been forced to put on a big display in the middle of the town, which was bustling with people. That would have caused some collateral damage, with a few houses possibly getting caught in the crossfire, and maybe a few people injured.

The young man remained expressionless, his gaze now turning toward the mountains looming in the distance. On top of those mountains were several city districts, and at the peak stood the Kagutsuchi branch of the NOL.

"I'm not interested in you people. I just want to go up."

"Up? Do you mean the Librarium's branch?" Bang asked.

"You're in the way. Move... or, no." The young man spoke coldly, but then, as if reconsidering, he lowered his voice, still remaining distant. "By the way, have you seen a man with white hair and a red coat in Kagutsuchi?" His expression remained as frozen as before, but for a brief moment, Bang could have sworn the green eyes glimmered with something like amusement.

Bang scratched his chin and thought for a moment. "White hair and a red coat... Hmm. No, I haven’t seen anyone like that around here. If he had such a noticeable appearance, I’d remember him after a glance..."

"I see. That's fine." As if he had instantly lost all interest in Bang, the youth glided past him, walking smoothly and without hesitation. The wind that passed by them was strangely cold, as if it had brushed against ice.

"Oh, you there!" Bang called out to the young man’s retreating back. "I am Bang Shishigami. What is your name?"

But the man didn't turn around. It was as if Bang's words hadn't reached him at all. As if guided by something, the young man disappeared into the outskirts of Ronin-Gai.

Bang stood there with his arm still outstretched as if trying to stop him, his face twisting in confusion. He turned his neck and muttered to himself.

"Hmm... What a strange man. It's as if his soul is missing... like he's being possessed by something."

But it was midday, and the sun was getting higher. Such ghostly phenomena—like losing one's soul or being possessed—were clearly not the kind of thing that would happen in broad daylight.

Shaking off the strange thoughts, Bang refocused his energy and straightened his chest. His patrol of Ronin-Gai wasn't over yet. The sky was growing steadily darker, and the rain would start soon. He needed to check if any houses needed repairs before the rain hit.

"Tch, these young people today, they're lacking in spirit! They walk around looking so gloomy. They need to be more dignified, stronger, and more passionate! Just like me, Bang Shishigami, the ninja of love and justice!" Laughing loudly, his voice echoing throughout the area, Bang resumed his patrol. Once this was done and his subordinates’ training was finished, if there was still time, he planned to head to Orient Town to visit and greet the woman he admired. He had already made plans in his mind.

Ronin-Gai was peaceful today.

And that, above all, was wonderful.

Part 3

December 30, 2199 - 18:21

Although located in the lower levels of the 13th Hierarchical City of Kagutsuchi, Orient Town was a bustling and vibrant place. Houses were built so close together that the walls almost touched, and neighbors lived together like family, sharing limited land and resources. Although none of them were wealthy, and although there were occasional dark shadows lurking in the dim alleys, the town was warm.

Litchi Faye-Ling, a doctor who ran a small clinic in a corner of Orient Town, had always felt that way.

“Don’t overdo it until the pain goes away. Alright?” Litchi waved goodbye to a young boy who had fallen down the stairs and sprained his ankle, her smile following him as he left the clinic.

Her lustrous black hair, which reached down to her feet, was elegantly tied up high and coiled into a large updo. She had a naturally beautiful eyebrow shape that required no makeup, long eyelashes that cast shadows when she looked down, and eyes that shone with an intelligent light behind her black-framed glasses. However, her slightly upturned eyes carried a certain allure that suggested a seductive grace.

Her beauty wasn’t just limited to her appearance. Her full, firm breasts, her slender waist, her voluptuous hips that flowed smoothly into her slender ankles—her body was a work of art, with curves that would make anyone envious. Her silhouette alone was enough to draw the eyes of passersby.

It had been about a year since this beautiful doctor had come to this town. When she suddenly appeared, seeking a place to live and work, the residents of the area welcomed her warmly. She didn't say anything about where she came from, her background, or why she had come to Orient Town alone, only her name.

It would have been natural for people to be suspicious of a woman of unknown origin. But the residents of Orient Town did not probe deeply when she remained silent. Litchi was still grateful for that, even a year later. She opened the door to her clinic every day, making sure that treatment was as affordable and accessible as possible, not just for the sake of making a living, but also as a way of repaying Orient Town for the kindness and generosity with which they had welcomed her.

"Well then..." Once the boy's figure disappeared around the corner, Litchi closed the door with a soft thud and let out a sigh. Orient Town was already enveloped in the darkness of night, and small lanterns and lamps were hanging everywhere, illuminating the houses.

The sound of rain could be heard in the distance. It must have been raining steadily since early afternoon. The air in this upper part of the sky, which was now completely covered, was damp and quite cold.

Litchi’s outfit— a loose white blouse layered over a long, bright red cheongsam —perfectly outlined her alluring figure but was hardly suitable for standing in the cold. Shivering involuntarily at the sudden cold wind, Litchi hugged herself, drawing her ample bosom together. The small panda hair ornament clinging to her bun seemed to be shivering as well.

Tonight was sure to be chilly. However, she reflected that in the past, before the appearance of the Black Beast and the spread of seithr throughout the world, December used to be even colder. Back then, such thin clothing would have made walking outside impossible. Perhaps the current temperatures were mild by comparison.

She remembered that, in the past, snow would often fall during this season in this very area. As she reminisced about the winter-like season that had been distorted and lost due to the seithr, Litchi couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss. She turned on her heels to return to the clinic.

But before her pointed heels, which made her already long legs look even slenderer, could step inside, a voice called out to her abruptly from behind.

“Litchi.”

It was a deep, calm male voice.

Litchi immediately knew who it was. There was only one person who called her by her first name so warmly. Well, at least for now.

Turning around, rubbing her arms, Litchi widened her eyes in slight surprise. As expected, it was the person she had thought it would be. But he was carrying something unexpected in his arms. The owner of the voice emerged from the deep shadows of the building. Though Litchi was not short, he was so tall she had to look up at him.

He was a cyborg, known as the Red Devil of Sector Seven, with an incredibly strong body that was impossible for a normal human to possess. “Tager…” Litchi called his name softly, and as soon as he confirmed that there was no one else around, Tager approached her. In his arms was a young girl. She was unconscious, her body limp and lifeless. She had long, soft, camellia red hair and a slender frame. And she was wearing the blue and white uniform of the NOL.

"Tager, what’s going on here? Why…?" Litchi was about to ask why he was carrying a soldier from the NOL, but before she could finish, Tager interrupted her, gently handing over the unconscious girl.

"I’m sorry, but could you take care of this girl for me? I had to knock her out for a reason, but I can’t just leave her here, and I can’t contact the Library either." He looked at her with a troubled expression, almost pleading.

She couldn't refuse him when he looked at her like that. Even though she knew him well enough to know that he would do something like this, Litchi peered at the girl in Tager’s arms. Her pulse was normal. There were no external injuries, and her breathing was steady. She had probably simply fainted from a strong shock and was now fast asleep.

“So, you’re saying you knocked her out?” Litchi glanced up at Tager’s red face through the gap in her glasses, her tone slightly reproachful.

It wasn’t hard to imagine that something had happened between Tager and this girl. Litchi was well aware of the relationship between Sector Seven and the NOL. After all, before coming to Orient Town, she had worked at the same facility as Tager, under the same superior.

“Why are you in Kagutsuchi?” While agreeing to take custody of the girl, Litchi asked in a firm voice. Sector Seven, where Tager worked, had a research facility located far from Kagutsuchi. It wasn't a place he would casually visit for personal reasons.

Tager hesitated, his face troubled, but he eventually opened his mouth, a hint of mischief in his upturned eyes.

"I don't mind if it's you. Actually..." A third voice suddenly cut in.

"Kokonoe!" Tager was startled, though he kept his voice low out of consideration for those around him. A tense feeling ran through Litchi. The third voice came from a small communication device in Tager's ear. On the other side of that device was Tager’s superior and creator, and until a year ago, Litchi’s own superior: Kokonoe.

"What are you so surprised about? Hacking into the line is nothing. Don’t cut off the connection without permission, understood, Tager?" The voice, altered to be heard not only by Tager but those nearby, spoke in a low, controlled tone. The words had a sharpness and tension to them that left no room for argument or rebuttal. It was an authoritative tone, tinged with an air of irritability. A year ago, Litchi had often been scolded by this voice. Bitterness and nostalgia welled up within her, and she looked away from Tager, as if to shield her eyes from the sound.

"Professor Kokonoe..."

"Long time no see, Litchi. What are you doing in a place like this?"

Litchi didn't know how to react. She tightened her arms around herself, as if to protect herself from something other than the cold. She could feel Kokonoe's sharp, penetrating gaze, honed by intellect and reason, watching her through the communication device.

"That's... Well, professor, shouldn’t you already know?" She knew that Kokonoe must know why she was in Kagutsuchi, why she had chosen to live in the lower-level Orient Town, and why she had left Sector Seven. There was nothing more she needed to explain.

"You still haven't given up on him?"

As she thought, Kokonoe already knew. She knew why Litchi was here. Perhaps that’s why the voice from the comm device felt almost like an accusation, as if Kokonoe were rebuking her.

"Give up? How could I possibly give up?" Litchi replied, squeezing the words from her chest. There was a burst of static from the comm device. It was Kokonoe’s sigh—sounding more exasperated than anything else.

"I’ll say it one more time. Stop thinking about saving him. He’s beyond saving. You can’t help him."

"I still don't understand!" Litchi shook her head vigorously.

The kind, gentle, and sometimes stern doctor that the residents of Orient Town knew was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there was the face of a weak girl desperately trying to protect something. A face like she was shaking her head to prevent her precious treasure from being taken away.

Litchi looked sternly at Tager, her eyes fixed on the communication device on his ear.

"How can you be so indifferent, professor? You haven't tried everything. He just made a small mistake. He rushed things a little. And... he was your... your first subordinate, wasn’t he?" Litchi’s voice trembled with emotion. It could almost be called a quiver.

She couldn’t understand. She couldn’t accept it. She didn’t want to accept it. That rejection was evident not just in her voice but also in her sad, furrowed brow.

Once again, Kokonoe’s sigh came through the comm device. This time, it wasn’t a sigh of exasperation, but of frustration, almost as if she were pulling her hair out.

"I'm sorry, professor... But I... I can't give up," Litchi said, clenching her hands tightly in front of her chest. But deep down, she understood. She was a doctor, and until a year ago, she had been a researcher. That was why, despite the emotions she felt, she also knew how to remain cold and rational when necessary. She had understood this about herself long ago, though it was something she hated.

"There's nothing I can do."

A year ago, Litchi had left Sector Seven, where she’d worked alongside Kokonoe and Tager, to help someone. That person had been researching seithr and the Boundary, which was said to have brought this substance into the world. But then, something happened to him. He became increasingly confused, eventually disappearing from public view, and finally, he ceased to be human.

It was the result of his continued exposure to seithr and his overzealous research into the Boundary. He became unable to distinguish himself from the Boundary, and lost his original form.

Just as it is impossible to restore something that has been digested back to its original state, it is also impossible to return something that has been assimilated into the Boundary back to its previous form.

Even though Litchi followed him all the way to this place, Orient Town in Kagutsuchi, even though she stayed here, heard rumors about him, and searched for his shadow, even though she studied seithr and non-human species, even though she reached for the Boundary just as he did...

She couldn't change anything.

The "man" Litchi was looking for had taken refuge in the sewers beneath the lower levels of Kagutsuchi, accessible through Orient Town. Day after day, he wandered aimlessly, driven solely by his instincts.

"All of my subordinates are idiots..." Kokonoe spat out. Litchi couldn't look up. She thought she was foolish too. She had no rebuttal.

A heavy silence fell for a few seconds. Then, light footsteps ran towards the entrance of Litchi's hospital.

"I'm home... Wow, you're huge!"

A small girl appeared. She had brown skin, her black hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she was wearing clothes that allowed for easy movement. She had a small bag filled with daily necessities slung over her thin arms and chest, but when she looked up at Tager's massive figure, she was so surprised that she hugged it tightly.

"Linhua...! W-welcome back!" Litchi quickly turned around, a bit flustered.

Linhua was Litchi's assistant, a young girl who aspired to be a doctor. Linhua’s large, round eyes widened even further as she stared up at Tager, who was much more imposing up close than from a distance.

"I'm home, Doctor. Uh... who is this person? A patient?"

"Well, that..." Litchi hesitated, at a loss for words. Linhua was a reliable assistant, both personally and professionally, but Litchi had never told her about her past, nor did she intend to.

Litchi could not let Tager or Kokonoe overhear their conversation. She cast a glance toward Teiger, silently pleading for help. But by then, Tager had already turned off the comm. The giant, who was more rational than he looked, understood perfectly well what Litchi disliked. However, as if in exchange, he thrust the unconscious girl into Litchi's arms.

"I have a mission. I have to go now. Please take care of this girl." Tager had come here not to broadcast Kokonoe's feelings or to start an argument between his superior and Litchi, but for the safety of this red-haired girl.

"I understand. I'll take care of her." In this situation, there was no way Litchi could refuse. She accepted the girl without hesitation.

The girl’s limp, unresponsive body certainly wasn’t light, but Litchi had enough strength to carry her to bed. She was confident in her physical strength, even if it wasn't befitting of a doctor or researcher.

Seeing the person Litchi had taken, Linhua frowned unhappily.

"Isn't she a guard from the Library? Why..."

Why would she be taking care of a guard? That's what Linhua was about to say.

Linhua was born in Orient Town. Like most of the lower levels’ residents, she strongly resented the NOL’s oppressive rule. The blue and white uniform worn by the unremarkable female guard seemed to symbolize the root cause of the hardships and poverty that had plagued her life. Even though Litchi understood this sentiment, she gently scolded Linhua.

"No matter who she is, a patient is a patient. Linhua, prepare the bed." "Yes, Dr. Litchi," Linhua replied, understanding her point. Clutching the paper bag tightly once more, Linhua reluctantly nodded and ran to the back of the hospital.

Watching her go, Litchi slung the unconscious girl's arm over her shoulder to support her wet body. As Litchi looked up one last time, Tager spoke.

"Litchi. There's something I want to tell you. Kokonoe wants you to return to the institution. If you're willing, she's ready to help you anytime." Tager interpreted this as the message Kokonoe had wanted to say by intruding on the communication line earlier. The difficult, neurotic voice of their superior was terrible at conveying emotional things to people. Tager, having worked closer with Kokonoe than anyone else, knew this firsthand.

Litchi looked surprised, then relaxed her face and shook her head sadly.

"I can’t return. Not until I settle things with that man." She would surely regret it if she did. She might even resent Kokonoe, unjustly. "And even if I do settle it, if I try to go back, I'm sure Kokonoe wouldn't accept me."

If she could bring that person back, it wouldn't be easy, and it certainly wouldn't be humane. She would have to touch things that she shouldn't touch. She would have to see things that she shouldn't see. She would have to know things that she shouldn't know. She didn't want to imagine how Kokonoe would look at her when that happened.

Tager groaned thoughtfully, his expression twisting with bitterness.

"I see. I don’t understand these complicated matters, but…" He couldn't stay and talk forever. Tager turned his broad red back to Litchi. "I'll take my leave now. ...Take care."

With those words, Tager walked back the way he came without looking back. As he disappeared into the dark shadows, his large back vanished into the alleyways of Orient Town. Litchi, too, turned her back on him and carried the unconscious soldier into the clinic. Once she closed the door behind her, she was back in her small, familiar hospital.

The girl's body was completely cold from being carried in the rain. After carrying her to the bed that Linhua had prepared, Litchi laid her down on the clean sheets and carefully removed the blue hat and boots that were part of her uniform. Taking her hands, which had lost all strength down to the fingertips, Litchi removed her gloves and the stiff metal cuffs attached to the sleeves.

Listening to the sound of Linhua tidying up the supplies she had bought in the next room, Litchi gently covered the sleeping girl with a blanket, though it wasn't the best quality.

"It might be a little cold tonight with just this..." she murmured aloud.

At that moment, a strange sensation, like an invisible thread being cut, ran down Litchi's spine. However, she mistook it for a chill brought on by the cold and left the room to fetch another blanket for her new patient. She would never know that in that moment, she had lost something precious to her.

Part 4

December 30, 2199 - 18:21

The rain continued to fall. The sky grew darker, and eventually, a strong wind began to blow. As night fell, the air grew colder. This was already a high place, incredibly high when counted from the ground. And to top it all off, there was nothing to block the wind and rain.

"Ah... this is just the worst."

Standing on the rooftop of the Kagutsuchi branch of the Novus Orbis Librarium, at the highest point of the 13th Hierarchical City of Kagutsuchi, Hazama stared up at the endless rainstorm, genuinely exasperated.

His black suit, not part of the uniform, and the hat he wore for protection against the rain, were useless. Within seconds of arriving, they were soaked through. He had thought that if he waited a bit, the rain would lighten up, but he now wondered what the point of wasting that time was.

"If this wasn't a direct order from my superior or that person, I'd call in sick and go back to the script department." It was utterly depressing. The thought of having to work alone in this wind and rain was unbearable.

"Well, there's no use complaining forever." Hazama muttered, pitying himself as he pulled a small communicator from his suit's inner pocket. He put it to his ear and waited.

The day had long since passed, and it was dark. There was no chance of moonlight with these thick rain clouds. The pale light from the rooftop entrance behind Hazama illuminated the circular, wet rooftop like a spotlight, casting a cold glow.

"It’s me." A voice came through the communicator. It was a man's voice. Low, with no trace of emotion in it.

Hazama put his hands in his pants pocket and straightened his back slightly.

"Good evening. This is Hazama. I've arrived at the scene. It's pouring rain, by the way."

"I see. Then begin."

"Oh, so cold. No words of encouragement, Colonel?" The brim of his hat was useless. Hazama pushed back his wet bangs with his fingers and smiled wryly. Although, if the man on the other end had offered words of encouragement, it would have been so creepy that he wouldn't be able to focus on his work.

""We don't have much time. Hurry up."

"Yeah, yeah. Honestly, both you and that person are so demanding." Hazama added, "I'll see you later," and ended the communication. He tossed the small communicator into the air as if it were a toy, caught it, and then returned it to his pocket.

The rain was cold. Hazama slightly lifted the brim of his black hat. Golden eyes peered out from beneath his wet hair. He fixed his sharp gaze on the countless raindrops shimmering in the light, and beyond that, on the empty, silent rooftop space that was also quietly getting wet.

Hazama shrugged slightly and smiled. It was as if he were speaking to someone.

"I know. I want to finish this quickly too."

The sound of the rain continued uninterrupted. There was no one else there but Hazama, and of course, there was no one else to see. The rooftop, bathed in rain and mist, was silent and empty, unable to speak or complain. It only grew wetter.

Hazama put away the communicator, adjusted his hat a little, and stepped toward the center of the rooftop. The sound of his hard leather shoes tapping against the wet floor echoed with a faint splash of water.

Hazama smiled as he walked. With both hands in his pockets, his thin shoulders rose slightly, and they shook rhythmically with each sound he made. Alone, on the peak of Kagutsuchi where not even birds dared to approach, Hazama smiled softly, as if without a care in the world. He spoke as though soothing someone only he could understand.

"Don't rush me so much. We'll get it back eventually, Terumi."

Back to Chapter 1: Stratum city — Hierarchical City

Return to Main Page

Forward to Chapter 3: Grim Reaper — The Man Called Death God