Sorcery Hacker:Volume4 Phase01

Phase 01: Wisdom Angelinia – Sorcery Capital

Part 1

The capital was a tiered city spread out in a fan shape.

That meant the lower the level, the larger it was.

Needless to say, the largest level was the lowest where Ayato’s group had fled.

“H-hey, dangerous individual. Are you sure we’ve really escaped? The capital has the strictest security in the kingdom!”

“Don’t worry. Those elite Royal Guards wouldn’t deign to visit the lowest level. All of the ‘dangerous individuals’ you like to reference so much are just dumped down the Hell Mouth. The jailer work – that is the management and interrogation of prisoners – is probably done by model prisoners instead of civil servants.”

Meanwhile.

Tearful Teleria grabbed the cage’s bars and rattled them.

“Ayato, can you please let me out of here already!? And give me my sorcery guns!!”

“Heh heh. I was thinking I might just continue to adore you like this.”

“Do you have any idea how humiliating this is!? How would you like it if you were being shown off inside a tiny cage!?”

“That’s not all that bad an idea. Eh heh heh. Just imagine it: you dressed as a sadistic jailer with a black leather miniskirt, marching me around and telling everyone I belong to you while I wait for you to feed me? Yes, I quite like that idea, Miss Teleria!!”

She gave him a “why did I think a pervert could ever understand me?” look. Had she already forgotten that he had told her those looks only excited him? If she continued with this level of free service, he might just lose control of himself, so he unlocked the cage.

“This is incredible, coach. Is this the famous capital?”

That was about what he had expected from Dark Elf Mamilis. Henrietta on the other hand (who must have dreamed of coming here every single night) was trembling at the scene before her.

Instead of dark soil or stone pavement, the ground was covered by a smooth red resin. It was probably made from the same stuff as sorcery gun cartridges. Colorless mana was forcibly cooked until it was solid and then stretched thin. But lack of upkeep had let it fade and there were cracks in places. It sounded nice if you called it pavement, but making a garden had to be a challenge. There were weeds growing up from the cracks, though.

Houses built of damp boards and tents made of waterproof cloth were crudely arranged on the ground along with so many filthy puddles. A lot of the houses were slanted, suggesting a poor foundation, and they had many unstable-looking additions building them out both horizontally and vertically. Ayato briefly wondered where they acquired the materials to build from, but it looked like they used unmanned flying sorcery devices that had malfunctioned and crashed while out on a surveillance or delivery job. As the capital of an entire continent, the city contained a massive number of sorcery devices, which meant a greater number of the defective devices that were ordinarily ignored as no more than a rounding error.

This was the bottom level of the capital.

That necessary evil supported the entire large city and no one was allowed in or out. It was home to political enemies who protested the monarchy, the indebted, and criminals who had been found guilty.

“It’s surrounded by the tall wall that defends the capital and the only path back up to the higher levels is the Hell Mouth managed by the guards. I doubt there’s a thriving job market down here.”

Ayato’s cynical comment made Mamilis childishly puff out her cheeks.

“If they don’t want these people, why not remove the wall and let them leave?”

“They don’t want people with anti-royal sentiment to gather together in a secret hideout they can’t monitor. ‘What ifs’ can seem like enough of a threat, so the king keeps his eye on them here. All while making sure to weaken them until they couldn’t rebel even if they wanted to.”

His answer only made Mamilis puff her cheeks out more.

The bottom level had the largest area but the smallest population. That meant the buildings and districts hadn’t been optimized. And he wasn’t about to tell pure-hearted Mamilis, but it was also the area with the highest death rate due to both accidents and crime. The capital as a whole thought it was best if those nuisances could be thinned out without anyone on the upper levels needing to dirty their hands. The bottom level was like a bug cage no one ever bothered to feed.

That said, the people actually living and thriving down here appeared to be scoffing at the upper levels’ intentions for them. More of the people on the streets were children than middle-aged or elderly. That suggested more people here were being born than dying. It might be vulgar, but this had definitely surpassed the expectations of the eggheads designing and running the capital.

“They don’t stew in resentment and they don’t take up weapons and riot. Instead, they use the lack of morals to their advantage and fight against their planned decline. Excellent. I love it. The world contains such fascinating depths.”

“Don’t think I don’t notice the creepy shadow in your smile, pervert dangerous individual. So what do we do now?”

Henrietta stared intently at him.

Ayato’s group’s goal wasn’t to reach the bottom level. They wanted to find Queen Astaroth Revolver who had apparently snuck into the capital for some nefarious purpose and they wanted to stop her before she could cause any real harm.

Which meant…

“The bottom level is safe, but we can’t pursue that woman if we stay here. What I want is some means of moving freely between levels of the city.”

“I-I thought the Hell Mouth was the only way in and out?”

“It is…according to the rules of the noble Royal Guards who keep the capital safe. But filthy Sorcery Hackers like us always assume there’s another way.”

“Like you and only you!!” sharply corrected Henrietta.

Then the Striker glanced to the side.

“That aside, what is that wall?”

“The Precipice. I explained how the capital is a tiered city, remember?”

One direction was filled by a massive wall. It was around 50 esoule tall. The wall was more than just vertical, forming an overhang, and its surface was dark and wet. That was likely a nonflammable oil. Black spikes, presumably made of oxidized mana-conducting silver, were also driven into it here and there.

“Those have to be bait.”

“What do you mean, coach?”

“Those visible handholds make it look like you could reach the upper level, but that’s to make you let your guard down. If you actually try to scale the Precipice, a ton of flying sorcery devices will fly in and open fire. Don’t count on us being able to just climb the wall. We’d just end up filled with holes while clinging on for dear life.”

That was no issue for anyone living a normal life.

So the ordinary citizens didn’t question it or view it as a threat.

Even though these things were like cavities and termites: once the obvious symptoms began, it was hard to say how deep the damage went.

Anyway, they had to start by gathering information. But…

“Coach.”

Mamilis stood close to Ayato’s side.

She was tall and beautiful, but she carried a childlike timidity inside her. Anxiety clouded her face. Which made her more sensitive to a certain kind of sensor than the rest.

Namely, people’s eyes.

Eventually, Henrietta shut one eye.

“We’re being watched from all over. From that window, from the roof of that rundown building, and from that side street. The children in tattered clothing over there were handed some money by an adult, so are they being paid to keep an eye on us?”

“Seeing how you’re dressed, I don’t blame them.”

“What is that supposed to mean, dangerous individual? It might be an older design, but I am wearing the armor of a proud Striker who serves the king and protects the sky city.”

…Yes, and why did she insist on shoving a symbol of official authority in the faces of the filthy bottom level? This was the Hell Mouth that not even the royal guards or other guards dared enter.

On the other hand, Henrietta wasn’t the only one who stood out. Even Ayato was too clean to have been living on the bottom level. The lack of royal guards and other guards was only the ordinary way of things. Who could say what would happen if they received word of a wanted criminal. If he didn’t learn how to blend into this plain district and fast, escaping here might prove meaningless.

(So to start with…)

Ayato mentally listed out the things they would need.

Escaping here was all well and good, but letting the girls sleep out on these lawless streets was out of the question. That meant they needed a cheap inn to use as a base of operations.

They also couldn’t search out or stop Queen Astaroth Revolver if they stayed down here on the bottom level. He wanted some means of moving freely between levels of the city.

Also, even if he could run an investigation via sorcery hacking, something else was needed to operate covertly within the capital.

Money.

“We need money, but this district doesn’t look too friendly to outsiders.”

“What a pain.” Henrietta put a hand on her hip and breathed an exasperated sigh. “Why does everything you do have to be a crime? If you want information, you can just ask an honest citizen walking by instead of breaking the law with your sorcery hacking, dangerous individual.”

“You can do that, Miss Henrietta? We may be in the capital, but this is the bottom level.”

“Who do you think I am? I specialized in criminal investigation back in the sky city and I gathered information from people of every class and background.”

“Oh, really?”

“Excuse me, you there!” She raised her hand and approached a passerby. A single gold coin appeared between her fingers as if by magic and she began her questioning.

But perhaps she should have been more cautious.

When that Sorcery Hacker couldn’t hide his grin, he was likely up to something.

Some time later, a dazed Henrietta returned after failing to get a single person to stop.

“Th-this is a gold coin. Why wouldn’t they want it?”

“Coach, the capital is an incredible place. Even on the bottom level everyone is rich.”

“I don’t think that’s the explanation,” replied an exasperated Ayato, tapping trembling Henrietta on the shoulder and pointing at something.

Some children were buying some kind of meat on a skewer at a dirty stand that seemed to have become one with the dark stains on the wall. They were paying with paper money, not silver or copper coins.

“Paper money. The capital’s class system is so strict each level uses a different currency. Because the commoners, the nobility, and the royalty must not purchase the same products as each other. I doubt they’ll even give a second look at a coin in circulation outside the city altogether. They might be interested if you crushed it and rolled it up into ‘mere gold’, but even then who knows. They might not trust an ingot with no proof of legitimacy. They’d probably assume it was mixed with copper or lead to scam them.”

That was another issue they had to solve.

They couldn’t even get started without something they could use to negotiate with the residents of the bottom level.

(But it doesn’t look like there’s no economic activity down here at all. We can probably find some way to earn the local currency.)

Assuming there wasn’t some catch-22 where they needed to work to earn paper money but they needed to hand over a stack of paper money for the worker’s guild to tell them where to go for a job.

And as Ayato was working to figure out where to start, he heard a small child’s voice.

“How about this!?”

“Pass it here! I’m open!”

He turned that way and saw a large and familiar figure.

The man had a bull’s head and a human body. In other words, he was a muscular minotaur. With an enormous shirtless macho playing with small children, Ayato had to question the safety of the capital.

It was completely in character for the self-proclaimed 1st Prince to be on the bottom level playing soccer with the small children. He was an imposing figure in a space no wider than a road, but…

“The ball’s headed your way!”

“Goalie! You’re biggest, so block the goal with your body! Guard it with your life!!”

“Hey, wait! Are you even trying to score anymore, or is this just turning into a game of ‘beat up the mino-’ gfwah!?”

“Ah ha ha ha ha!!”

“He fell over!” rejoiced the children as they held their sides in laughter.

Ayato breathed an exasperated sigh.

“What are you doing, bull?”

“Oh, hey. Finally got your ass in the capital, did you!?”

The minotaur hopped to his feet with surprising agility.

“This is my duty as a royal. As the 1st Prince, I’ve gotta play with the poor children who are lonely during the day while both their parents are out working.”

“Heh heh. And he’s so full of himself we can hit him with the ball guilt-free. He’s a braggart!” said a small boy, showing no restraint at all.

But the bull seemed to be enjoying himself, so whatever.

“Sigh…”

Ayato noticed Maid Micha Angelos standing a short distance away.

But not because she wanted to be. She was probably just reluctant to lean against the filthy walls or sit on the faded resin ground covered in puddles. Her face remained an expressionless mask, but a somehow irritated aura rose from her shoulders. It was plain to see that only her master’s presence kept her from holding a hand to her brow. Very plain.

Ayato wasn’t sure which one to speak to, but…

“Hey, what’s the deal? I know you’re not some sheltered kid who’s shocked by poverty or crime! Hah hah!!”

The minotaur chose to speak to him.

The maid pointedly looked the other way, so Ayato had no choice but to walk over to the self-proclaimed prince.

“Not often my client shows up in person. Although it looks like your usual go-between is in an awkward position here.”

“This isn’t some distant region – the capital’s my own backyard. I don’t need to send a messenger here.”

“Mister, who are they?” interrupted a boy in a filthy shirt.

He may have wanted the minotaur to hurry up and take his position as goalie.

“Well, Geranud, they are a criminal and his gang.”

“That doesn’t mean much. Most everyone down here’s a criminal of some sort.”

Henrietta’s mouth was flapping wordlessly, but the boy brushed off the comment before she could get a complaint out. With her chance to provide a correction lost, the Striker waved her hands helplessly.

The boy called Geranud looked to be 10 or maybe 12. He had unkempt blond hair, pale skin, and a filthy shirt and work pants. For shoes, he wore thick boots, but their comparative quality was probably due to all the glass, nails, and broken shards of resin on the unpaved ground. The laughing boy wore a thick monkey wrench at his hip.

That wasn’t even a sorcery gun designed for everyday use.

But that kind of crude and primitive weapon could be plenty frightening when enough people were armed with them. And it was probably more useful than a sorcery gun in this chaotic district that didn’t follow any kind of managed structure.

“Geranud.”

“Gera.”

With their match(?) paused, the other children gathered around. They apparently idolized the boy. Teleria’s eyes widened and Geranud shrugged bashfully.

“I don’t do all that much.” He roughly grinned with his hands behind his head. “My parents are almost never at home during the day. None of ours are, so the older ones like me have to look after the littler ones.”

“Huh,” said Teleria, sounding impressed.

…That sounded nice, but he was organizing them with weapons for self-defense and they knew the back streets of the bottom level like the back of their hand, so couldn’t you call this the beginning of a small gang?

Henrietta put a hand on her hip.

“Not bad for someone so young. You aren’t paid or rewarded for it, but you still protect the people in need because your position demands it? A certain dangerous individual could learn a thing or two from you.”

“Ah ha ha,” roared the minotaur. “Do you have any idea who you’re talking to right now, young lady?”

“?”

“Prince Geranud Azul Wing Totalinus is 3025th in line to the throne. He is technically a member of the Static Continent’s Combined Royal Family.”

“Wha-!?”

Henrietta did an honest-to-goodness spit take.

Was that in response to coming face to face with a real royal without warning, or was it due to finding out the line of succession reached quadruple digits?

As the name Combined Royal Family suggested, it was the result of joining together a few different kingdoms that used to exist on the Static Continent. The different royal families had intermarried so often they created a giant combined bloodline that now ruled the entire continent.

3025th Prince Geranud himself averted his eyes and pouted his lips.

“It’s not like I’m King Guardeleo’s kid or anything. With four digits, I’m basically a relative of a friend of a relative of a relative. If you look at my blood, I barely have any connection to the Combined Royal Family at all. There’s no way I could ever end up on the throne. Oh, and there’s apparently around 1000 more below me. Not that I’ve ever seen those relatives of a friend of a relative of a relative.”

Henrietta, finally having recovered, reacted with exasperation.

“Did you say of a friend?”

“C’mon, don’t be like that. Jokes aren’t funny if you explain them. We’re talking about those immoral royals here – you just know they’re doing it with their friends.”

Asking for a correction ended up with receiving a verbal sucker punch from the child, so the straitlaced Striker fell into a crouch. Grandma’s girl Mamilis had a big question mark written on her face. She was probably too lacking in certain knowledge to understand that dark joke.

“Still, he’s the real deal,” said the minotaur. “If you doubt me, go to the royal library and check the Royal Family Tree written out as a vast network. You’ll find Geranud’s name there.”

That sounded like overkill, but maybe royal blood was too important to not go that far. Whether they were married or it was a one-night stand and even if they were a relative of a friend of a relative of a relative, anyone with even a drop of royal blood had to be recorded. And that had led to the lengthy list.

Down here on he bottom level, 3025th Prince Geranud had to live a worse life than the ordinary citizens did. He had no assets and only an infinitesimally small chance of reaching the throne.

But as seen in political marriages, connections created by blood were a constant problem for organizations. Most likely, Geranud was not free to marry anyone from another continent and he would have other restrictions placed on him as well. Whether or not he was aware of them.

Ayato grinned.

“I hear if you search the Royal Family Tree, you can find a large number of dancers and maids who frequent the palace. Eh heh heh. Now, why might that be, Miss Henrietta? I need a knight like you to explain to me the world of the noble and righteous aristocracy.”

“Should I interpret that question as a form of severe sexual harassment, dangerous individual?” asked the Striker, her voice low and her head lowered and dark.

Did she think a rule-breaking wanted criminal could be taught manners at this point? All that Sorcery Hacker had left were his juvenile morals.

The smaller boys and girls tugged on Prince Geranud’s clothes. As the oldest, he seemed to be their babysitter and boss.

“Gera, I’m hungry. Starving even.”

“Okay. There are sandwiches in that basket, so split them among you all.”

The small children delightedly devoured the sandwiches.

Although the bread was the same dark color as the rundown shirts they were wearing. Even when they camped out, Teleria had always made sure to keep their food sanitary as she cooked, so she had to make an effort to avoid reacting.

“Make us candy!”

“Geranud, candy!”

3025th Prince Geranud reacted to the begging with a “well, if you insist” smile and pulled out a silver spoon. After placing a white powder inside, he pulled out a lighter and prepared to heat the spoon from below.

Striker Henrietta’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait!! What do you think you’re doing! And in broad daylight no less!?”

“?”

Geranud and the other children looked confused, so Ayato smiled bitterly and explained.

“He’s heating a mixture of sugar and baking soda to make a treat. It’s called honeycomb candy, but is that not something a classy knight like you would be familiar with, Miss Henrietta?”

“Sugar…then is it sweet? That sounds delicious.”

As soon as she heard what it was, Mamilis’s eyes were glued to the spoon. She looked like a tall cool beauty, but she was a grandma’s girl at heart and didn’t try to hide her reactions to these things. In fact, she looked right at home among the children of this poor district. Her mistrust of humans had been overpowered by the promise of candy.

“Huh? It won’t light. Is this thing out of oil?”

“Miss Mamilis.”

“Okay. But if I help, you have to give me some.”

Mamilis pulled out her large full-auto shotgun sorcery gun. As a rookie, she could only really use fire magic, but that was enough to instantly earn the trust of the excited children. That she did it to get the candy they also wanted may have helped.

Henrietta seemed somehow apologetic for her wicked misunderstanding.

“Ugh… I-I see. Sorry for yelling. I have no issue with a wholesome treat. As long as you aren’t melting it to inject it into a vein.”

“Ah ha ha. Miss Henrietta, if you’re looking for that stuff, you’ll have to step into a back alley and say the code word. Look, that hooded man looks like a likely candidate.”

“You are all under arrest!!”

Henrietta raised her hands and ran off. When the children (and Mamilis) saw it, they laughed and began fleeing. I see. The minotaur must have ended up their laughing stock in much the same way, thought Ayato (while making a surreptitious getaway). And unlike the lovely Striker, the minotaur was shirtless and had a bull’s head.

“This isn’t the worst district to live in,” said 3025th Prince Geranud.

“It isn’t?”

“We live right in front of the stairs. The Precipice in the back is where it gets really bad. That’s directly below the Banishment Cliff that politically failed chancellors and royals are thrown off of.”

Apparently the bottom level had its own divisions. Ayato needed to get a grasp of those unseen local factors in a hurry. There were things you couldn’t fake with sorcery hacking.

More that that, this was probably what the place had been created for.

The bottom level seemed out of place in the bright and shining capital, but the populous center of the political world would naturally have its fair share of unwanted people. Which would have more criminals: a village of a hundred or a metropolis of a million? But if they shoved all those criminals into a publicly-run prison, they had to feed the inmates with public money, which would apply pressure to the city’s finances. So the bottom level was a necessary evil used to separate out the criminals and political enemies while cutting down on public expenses. Simply put, the poverty here benefited the majority, so no one was even trying to find a solution to it.

And while Ayato was thinking through all this…

“Geranuuuud.”

A small boy ran over.

He was out of breath, but still worked to get the words out.

“Huff puff. I still can’t find Isabella anywhere.”

3025th Prince Geranud handed the boy a water bottle and let him rest.

“Are you sure she isn’t just napping somewhere?”

“Pwah. I checked on the media summoner and saw her in the corner of a random photo. She was on that red roof. The one we only use when sneaking over the wall and outside the capital. It has to be that armored train. She’s been saying she wants to see a prince, right? Y’know, when she was insisting you aren’t strong or handsome enough to be one and that she’d know a real one at first glance!!”

“That’s not good…”

3025th Prince Geranud sounded deeply concerned. The previous playful mood was gone.

Teleria tilted her head.

“Um? But if she isn’t lost and she wasn’t kidnapped, is there really anything to worry about? I doubt the armored train circling the city actually has a prince aboard, though.”

“Are you kidding!? Isabella’s only 6! I’m not worried about slavers or other criminals! Some rubble could fall on her or she could fall into a fissure in the ground!!”

After shouting back at Teleria, 3025th Prince Geranud gathered some other boys his age and ran off somewhere. Were those the knights serving Gang Leader Prince Geranud?

Henrietta was concerned.

“Wait, wait, wait! Won’t they just get hurt too!?”

“This place is their backyard, so they’re tougher than that. I just hope an overeager 6-year-old won’t startle the guards who are on edge after their precious train was destroyed.” The minotaur grinned and glanced Ayato’s way. “So what’re you gonna do, Sorcery Hacker?”

Part 2

The accident site was located on the circular track used to protect the capital.

A girl named Isabella had gone to see the damaged train and needed rescuing.

They had a goal. Ayato decided he could bill the minotaur for this later.

He wanted to ask 3025th Prince Geranud about the local rules of the bottom level and the capital as a whole, but that would be easier when they weren’t responding to a possible crisis.

He mentally put together a plan while the minotaur spoke.

“I’ll stay here.”

“Heartless bastard.”

“You understand the situation, don’t you, Ayato? Geranud is their leader. If he runs out in a panic, the bad kind of grownup will see their chance. You didn’t miss his mention of slavers, did you? Micha.”

“Yes, yes.”

The next thing Ayato knew, a purple maid stood next to him.

Looking wholly composed, Micha Angelos asked for confirmation.

“How boring. So the tear-jerking task is to protect these poor children?”

“What good is protecting them just once? This is the perfect chance to smoke out all the traders using the blind spots of the bottom level to hide. Your job is to mop up all the idiots who make an appearance. Deal with them all at once.”

“That can be arranged.”

This may have been Ayato’s first time noticing a hint of enjoyment in Micha Angelos’s usually emotionless voice. Perhaps he had the length of their acquaintance to thank for that.

Anyway, the minotaur apparently had his own fight to fight. Ayato wasn’t interested in stopping him, but…

“This is your plan. I don’t care what happens to you, but don’t screw up and get the children hurt.”

“Who do you think you’re talking to, you damn brat? I don’t give a crap about gold, silver, or jewels. The ordinary people living in this kingdom are the Combined Royal Family’s greatest treasure. And that includes you☆”

Did he mean something more by that, or not?

Ayato’s group parted ways with the minotaur and maid and got to work.

Needless to say, tracking down missing Isabella was their top priority. That she was going to see the damaged train to see a prince was not actually confirmed, so it was best not to blindly accept it as true.

“Apparently she was seen in a photo on the media summoner. We should start there.”

“I’m fairly surprised this poor district has any media summoners connected to the sorcery network.”

“They appear to be collecting defective flying sorcery devices. I bet they pull out the gemboards and created their own independent network. Maybe even with a secret link to the outside mana network.”

The powers that be wouldn’t necessarily install the sorcery network everywhere. This was a fascinating topic for Sorcery Hacker Ayato, but they didn’t have time to go digging through the local junk shops.

There were no media summoners set up where everyone could see them. Probably lest they be stolen. So Ayato’s group visited a nearby bar. As expected, they found one of the large snow-globe-like sorcery devices there. Buying the one media summoner was easier than collecting individual devices for music, karaoke, videos, etc.

No one accepted ordinary gold and silver coins on the bottom level, so in lieu of a tip, Ayato handed over the guard uniforms they had used to sneak in. Faking one’s identity with them would have a myriad of uses.

Ayato checked the media summoner with an absolute filthy search history, which was also used for its karaoke mode created by gathering up unauthorized copies of music and videos and then removing the main vocals.

“Found it. This one’s dated today and it shows a small girl walking on a red roof. This must be Isabella.”

“That was fast, coach.”

“That was nothing more than ordinary searching techniques. I haven’t even used any sorcery hacking. Yet.”

Since he had a location now, he called up a map and then left for the red roofed building.

What had it even been to begin with? Towering above them was a massive structure with so many additions upon additions its original form had long since been lost. A portion of its tall, tall roof came close to touching the circular train tracks surrounding the bottom level far above.

“I see. By jumping from that roof to the tracks, they can get over the wall surrounding the bottom level.”

“Isabella is only supposed to be 6, right? Why must small children be so adventurous!?” shouted a deeply exasperated Henrietta.

After all, that was a train track. The train was stopped now thanks to the accident, but what if it was running like normal? Based on what Geranud and the other children had said, they apparently used this path from time to time. They probably had some way of avoiding the train, but the danger was still there.

“But do we have any proof that Isabella girl really did jump from the red roof to the tracks?”

“That.”

Ayato pointed at something.

Since it was so far away, he sent a crystal tarot card floating up, placed it over the area in question, and zoomed in.

“There’s mud on the edge of the stone bridge carrying the tracks. They’re small, but I’m pretty sure those are footprints. Probably from when jumping over from the 2nd-story portion of the roof. The footprints clumped together are probably later ones from Geranud and the others, but the single set separate from them is probably Isabella’s.”

“Stupid adventurous children!”

The righteous woman’s eyes were opened wide now.

At that height, one slip could mean plummeting to their death.

Homes, shops, sketchy lodging facilities. They navigated a labyrinthine structure made from countless additions to reach the red roof. As dangerous as the pulley-powered elevator seemed, it came in handy here. They found the roof in question to be surprisingly level. They couldn’t let the fear win. Falling the dozens of esoule to the ground would mean instant death, but the distance was short enough even a child trained by life on the bottom level could jump it. Ayato easily cleared the 1.5 esoule gap, turned around, and instructed Teleria.

“Grab those ladders on the roof there. Lay two of them down parallel and place a thick wooden panel over the top and you’ll have a makeshift bridge.”

“No fair, coach. I wanted to jump it too.”

“I won’t include you in any plan without a 100% guarantee of safety.”

After confirming that Teleria, Mamilis, and Henrietta had made it across, Ayato began walking along the gently-curing stone bridge.

No one raised the alarm. Unless they walked right on the edge, the people down on the ground must not have been able to see someone walking on the bridge.

“This way. I can see a few muddy footprints.”

The rusty outer wall felt highly oppressive when looking up at it from the bottom level, but it looked tiny and insignificant when looking down at it from the bridge. Ayato could kind of see why the children would take the risk of coming here. The scenery changed when they crossed that wall. The outward view was all green fields and solid rock. That one long bridge was the only way into the capital, so no other villages had formed nearby. Plus, all artificial structures had been eliminated over a wide area lest rebels gathered nearby to attack the capital.

“Ayato, i-is that the accident site?”

“Maybe.”

Even from a distance, a portion of the sturdy stone bridge had clearly collapsed. Rescuers and investigators would have gathered there.

They needed to be more careful from here on.

“A Striker like me should not be sneaking around like this.”

Henrietta’s pent-up righteous stress was concerning. Like she could explode at any moment.

(The accident supposedly involved the train, but I don’t see anyone on the bridge. So are they down below?)

Ayato crouched on the very edge of the broken bridge and looked down.

50 esoule down.

Pieces of rock larger than the bottom level’s filthy shacks were lying on the field there. And that wasn’t all. The centipede-like many-legged train cars lay smashed and broken far below. Almost like a giant had thrown his building blocks away.

But even that wasn’t all.

“What is all that? Field operation tents, temporary buildings made from stacking boxes, and three layers of steel beam and barbed wire barricades? That looks like a frontline patrol base, dangerous individual.”

“Check out that armor, Miss Henrietta. Those Royal Guards are wearing their shiny opera-style armor outside the wall. Maintaining that kind of rich and classy lifestyle requires fancy infrastructure.”

“?” Dark Elf Mamilis tilted her head. “Aren’t the Royal Guards the elites? Why wouldn’t they just order the ordinary guards to do this?”

“Because that train is one foundation of the capital’s defenses and it’s managed by 3rd Prince Hemmij. When that’s destroyed so easily, the elites have no choice but to head out and personally investigate.”

The Royal Guards appeared to be placing more emphasis on the retrieving the fallen train than on repairing the bridge. Every one of its screws was packed full of state secrets, so they were ignoring the bridge for the time being.

Ayato quickly checked over the scene 50 esoule below.

That it was on an open field was a bit worrying, but it looked like there were still plenty of places to hide. He was most thankful to the Royal Guards for building that small “village” of tents and wooden box buildings which would provide plenty of cover, not to mention plenty of toys that a Sorcery Hacker could make use of. Plus, there was plenty on the green field as well. There were lots of large holes partially hidden by the thick undergrowth. Large demons had probably dug into the ground and created a spiderweb network of caves.

Now, where would the small 6-year-old girl be hiding? And what about Geranud and the others who had come to find her?

“Wah!?”

Ayato heard an odd shout.

He and the others hid atop the bridge and looked down to see movement on the field. A Royal Guard was holding a small boy by the collar. 3025th Prince Geranud’s feet were lifted from the ground.

His short legs flailed as he shouted in a fluster.

“Hey, stop that! Dammit, how did you even spot me!? What did you do with the others!?”

“Another bottom level resident? This is the last one, but what do we do with them? They made it past the wall.”

“We serve law and order, so obey the law. Whatever his age, an escapee is an escapee.”

Up on the bridge, Teleria’s eyes widened.

“(Wh-what do they mean he’s an escapee?)”

“(The tiered structure of the capital is a physical representation of their tiered class system. The bottom level is full of criminals and fallen political enemies, so they don’t let anyone there climb to the higher levels or even escape outside the city. Because they fear the escapee calling in an external threat.)”

A low tremor shook the green field.

That was not a warhorse or a sorcery device modeled after one that a Royal Guard was riding with a saddle and reins. That was a black dragon with vestigial wings and a powerful tail swishing side to side. Its ferocious jaw and claws specialized for digging were most noticeable.

It was around 9 esoule long.

That was small for a dragon, but nothing to scoff at either. It was only that small because its muscles and bone had been had continuously compressed down around its ultra-heavy heart, so its strength was actually greater than the lindworms which the size of a mountain and feared for their ability to obliterate a castle.

“N-Nidhogg,” said Teleria, going pale. “That isn’t a demon you can ordinarily tame. Regional knights and mercenaries have trouble slaying them, so a sighting is enough to get a road closed.”

“That’s a Royal Guard. I bet she’s controlling it with that rapier-sized baton worn at her hip,” pointed out Ayato. “The human nose can’t detect it, but she’s instructing it with a special combination of scents. In other words, with pheromones.”

Dark Elf Mamilis began sniffing the air. Either they were too far away, or the scent designed for dragons had no effect on her.

That meant the tunnels and caves were all the territory of the dragons tamed by the Royal Guard tamers. It went without saying how foolish it would be to try and hide in there. Anything that didn’t belong in the caves would be accurately detected with ultrasonic or electromagnetic waves.

On the field 50 esoule below, the Royal Guards were holding a discussion.

With no thought to captured 3025th Prince Geranud.

“Dragons are so much more fashionable than horses. They make travel easier too. I doubt I could reach Tamer III rank, but I should probably still get a new job qualification.”

“You’re main job is Snipe II, so why would you want to stand out so much?”

(I see. So even the Royal Guards are divided into a number of different types.)

The snipers were always accompanied by another Royal Guard with a giant shield and Teleria had earlier encountered one who used printer soldiers. Their forces appeared to be managed by qualification rather than branch or unit. When they were split up by qualifications to begin with, coming up with a countermeasure sounded a lot easier…

The Nidhogg’s giant eyes turned this way. Staying low and hiding behind cover didn’t seem to matter.

“Secondary Curtain!”

Teleria immediately drew her handguns and fired some water magic. This was originally a water barrier thinner than a bubble meant to protect against approaching fire, but it managed to deflect and redirect something invisible.

The giant creature tilted its head in a surprisingly cute way and then looked away from Ayato’s group hiding behind cover up on the bridge.

The Royal Guards didn’t seem to have noticed. Ayato breathed a quiet sigh.

“So if we can’t get past that ultrasonic sonar, we’ll be spotted right away. That also means the Isabella girl who arrived first will be in trouble. I doubt she could stay hidden from these pros.”

“Coach. But why are the Royal Guards so on edge? They might be escapees, but they’re only little kids.”

“Even a little kid can be a messenger or courier for a bad adult. Plus, that train is managed by a Combined Royal Family prince. It never should have been broken in the first place. The Royal Guards want to reject everything they’re seeing here. Even if that means gathering up every last trace of it. The people at the top won’t want anyone to see this and then go blabbing around the capital.”

“But isn’t that Geranud boy a prince?” Mamilis tilted her head. “Even if his succession position in the thousands. No matter how he lives, if he wasn’t lying about being a prince, the soldiers shouldn’t be able to touch him, right?”

“Yeah, that’s the thing…”

Just as Ayato was searching for a way to explain this…

“But why did it have to happen now?” said one of the Royal Guards.

“That’s probably exactly why it happened now,” replied another. “These days, nobles are showering reporters with money to search for the aging king’s true condition. We can’t underestimate them just because they’re children. People will do anything if it makes them money. There are innumerable people who would want to drag down the 3rd Prince since he has a real shot at the throne.”

Apparently the rumors were true.,

Guardeleo was often confined to bed by illness these days, but rumor had it his condition was truly serious this time. That would trigger a battle of succession between thousands of princes and princesses. In the worst case, it could develop into an actual war.

“And that’s why being of royal blood doesn’t necessarily help him here. And being way down the list actually makes him more likely to want to see a top candidate take a fall. He’s in trouble if they suspect he was gathering information on this scandal about the 3rd Prince losing his famous train in order to bring him down. When important people get paranoid, they can start lopping off heads with no concern for the truth.”

All this had someone hanging her head and trembling.

That righteous woman also had very little patience.

“They would silence a small child in order to cover up evidence and manipulate the information revealed to the people? And they would do it knowing that child carries royal blood in his veins?”

“Uh, oh.”

“I expected better of you Royal Guards!! In the name of the king, I, Henrietta Split Destrius, will teach you what it means to be a knight!!!”

It was like a lightning strike made of a human body and oxidized mana-conducting silver.

After boosting her muscles with magic, the Striker dropped straight down to attack the Royal Guards.

Part 3

The boom and shockwave erupted out a moment later. Those muscles shrugged off the drop of 50 esoule. If she could fall that far and survive, then why was that righteous idiot usually so afraid of heights!?

The battle had begun.

And this battle was entirely meaningless for Ayato’s side. Victory here would be costly and bring them nothing in return.

Teleria had gone entirely pale.

“Ah, ahhhhhh! Ayato, Ayato, you need to do something!”

“Like go on a vacation? Yes, to a peaceful world with no conflict to be found.”

“Stop staring into the distance and start dealing with reality. Henrietta is in trouble if you don’t!!”

This was a risk he had accepted from the moment he decided to bring along that righteous woman who hated sneaking around.

It gave him an awful headache, but nothing Henrietta had said was wrong.

He also wanted to save the young boy whose only crime was leaving the poverty he had been forced to live in.

Henrietta wasn’t all talk and she wasn’t irresponsibly making the argument while safely sheltered from any danger to herself.

She had taken action for nothing more than that.

It didn’t matter that she was up against the center of the kingdom and an elite organization that was ranked far above her in the hierarchy.

And Ayato had become a Sorcery Hacker because he refused to live in a world that rejected the people who could act on such righteous fury.

So it was an easy decision for him.

“Miss Teleria. And Miss Mamilis.”

Ayato Criminaltrophy calmly drew the linkage plug from his hip.

And he spoke.

“I’m counting on you.”

He gave the two girls’ backs a shove and then jumped down from the broken stone bridge with them.

They began a 50 esoule dive.

“Kyahhhhhhhhh!?”

“Miss Teleria, fire Secondary Splash straight down. Immediately!!”

A few silencer-muffled gunshots rang out. Bluish-white light stabbed into the grassy plain before spreading out into a magic circle from which a tremendous amount of water erupted vertically. That water magic was meant to flip over or topple heavy barricades. Ayato, Teleria, and Mamilis landed gently on the makeshift cushion, although they were soaked in the process.

The battle had already begun.

In fact, temporary buildings and containers were flying through the air.

“What is that? Her brute strength scares me,” muttered Mamilis expressionlessly with her full-auto shotgun in hand.

More and more sounds of destruction reached their ears.

Despite being equipped with a sorcery gun, Henrietta was grappling head on with the ferocious Nidhogg. She was actually getting along equal to, if not better than, the ferocious dragon which forcibly compressed its massive muscles and bones down to only 9 esoule around its ultra-massive heart. Her protector-style armor was reinforced with monster leather and tendons and she could magically boost her strength, but this was taking it too far.

“Stronger: Primary Ex Massive.”

Henrietta gritted her teeth.

The Striker kept her eyes on who she needed to protect as her bolt-action carbine gave another roar.

“Stronger and stronger!! Primary Ex Massive!!!”

In what sounded like an explosion, the axe-like bayonet caught the dragon on the side of its jaw and the Nidhogg released a scream of agony. The look in Mamilis’s eyes said she was questioning whether they had even needed to come to Henrietta’s aid. But that tamer wasn’t the only Royal Guard here. While Henrietta continued grappling with the dragon, she would be taken out by a shot from an anti-dragon rifle.

Ayato adjusted his grip on his linkage plug.

He had to deal with this right away.

He stabbed the linkage plug sword into various objects, releasing the blade each time.

(Outdoor lights, the barricade’s contact sensor, and the air purifier being me to level 10!!)

“Miss Henrietta! Create an opening for me!!”

“Do not order me around, dangerous individual!”

Henrietta complained, but she still did as asked. She swung down her axe-like bayonet from above, slamming the 9-esoule Nidhogg’s jaws to the grassy ground.

Ayato stepped on the forcibly grounded head and leaped. His target was the Royal Guard tamer.

Specifically, the pheromone mixer shaped like a thick baton. The sorcery device could control even dragons if its settings were just right.

He stabbed it and hijacked control.

Of course, all he needed to do was shut it off.

“Reclaim your wild instincts.”

“Wahh!?”

It was like a dark explosion.

The unleashed Nidhogg violently swung its body around, forcibly throwing off the Royal Guard who had been riding it. The powerful sniper shot meant for Henrietta also missed its mark. The quake-like vertical tremor must have thrown off the shooter’s aim.

Ayato didn’t try to fight it and jumped down from the dragon’s back.

“Miss Mamilis, switch to full-auto and fire Primary Blaze toward all the snipers! You don’t have to hit them, just spray enough fire magic to scare them into hiding behind their shields!!”

“Got it, coach.”

“And Miss Henrietta, are you a dragon slayer from a children’s storybook? If not, then secure Geranud. That is your top priority! We scared them into letting him go!!”

“That goes without saying.”

With that short response, she ran. The ground exploded.

A Royal Guard was reaching out toward cowering Geranud, but Henrietta’s tackle sent him flying more than 10 esoule. Like he had been hit by a car.

“What is this travesty?” asked a voice.

It was a quiet female voice. Did the tea scent wafting from her hair mean she had been resting indoors until now?

“And you call yourselves the famous Royal Guards who directly serve the royal palace? If royal authority is seen to pale, it will confuse the people and lead to even more crime. I thought you wielded your sorcery guns because you understood the great responsibility you bear.”

“14th Princess Carrisy…”

“None of that,” she cut them off. “As long as I wear this armor, I am no more than a Royal Guard who has dedicated her life to protecting the capital.”

“Stay back, Geranud!!”

Henrietta immediately hid the small boy behind herself, adjusted her grip on her bolt-action carbine, and charged toward this new enemy.

Her boosted strength was enough to grapple with a Nidhogg and to send Royal Guards flying with a tackle.

But there was no boom this time.

The instant Henrietta made contact, she lightly flipped around.

“Eh?”

Did that exclamation come from Henrietta or from 3025th Prince Geranud?

The Striker slammed back-first into the grass and began rolling, tearing up the dark soil like her momentum had suddenly remembered to affect her. Her great strength had worked against her.

Mamilis immediately swung her full-auto shotgun that way, but Teleria stopped her, using one of her handguns to raise the shotgun barrel.

The dark elf looked puzzled, but the ringlets woman grinned.

“A wise decision. Lay your finger on the trigger and I would be forced to draw my own sorcery gun.”

Or to put it another way, she had not even drawn hers yet.

That alone hinted at the extent of her skill. Was that the result of her efforts to provide the necessary qualities for a guardian of the capital? Ayato noticed something else as well.

She reminded him a lot of himself back when he had held the devil’s revolver.

“Why would you oppose us? A backwater knight like you may be a noble, but only just.”

14th Princess Carrisy remained on guard.

Standing tall, she spoke to collapsed and muddy Henrietta.

“We are the center of the center – the foundation of the palace’s defense. We serve the Combined Royal Family directly. Even without my position in the line of succession, my position as a Royal Guard places me above you. Did you not consider the possibility of having your house’s noble status revoked?”

“Kh.”

Henrietta clenched her teeth.

A knight or noble’s top priority may have been to use their service to the realm to increase their territory, have children to ensure the future prosperity of their line, and expand their house.

But the muddy Striker didn’t hesitate.

“There is a 6-year-old girl named Isabella here.”

“?”

“The boy named Geranud came here in search of her, along with several other children. They were worried for her and wanted to find her as soon as possible and that’s all. …Is this your idea of guarding the capital? You don’t want anyone to see the disgraceful state of the train and you are willing to silence young lives to cover it up? Did you really think House Destrius would be cowed by the likes of you? Are you trying to insult the butlers and maids who serve my house out of trust and the people who have chosen to settle in our territory by implying they are the sort of scum who would rejoice to learn they have benefited from such ugly collusion!?”

14th Princess Carrisy said nothing.

And.

Without a sound, she turned her head to look at her subordinates.

“No one told me about any children.”

“Eh? Um…”

They didn’t get any further than that.

A cacophony of violence continued for some time.

Dark Elf Mamilis gently placed a hand over 3025th Prince Geranud’s eyes.

As 14th Princess Carrisy changed targets and proved she ruled her unit with an iron fist (quite literally thanks to her thick armor), it was Henrietta whose eyes widened.

“Hey, wait! What do you think you’re doing!?”

“My deepest apologies.”

Henrietta couldn’t believe her eyes.

Once she was done, 14th Princess Carrisy bowed while still gripping a subordinate by the collar.

The class system separating royals, knights, and commoners was absolute.

Yet a royal princess at the top was now bowing deeply to a regional knight.

“This was entirely on me and my failure to educate my guards. Is Geranud that boy there? Good, he does not appear injured. I do not know about the Isabella girl or any other children. If you don’t mind, could you check on them yourself? I am sure you would trust your own eyes more than any word from me.”

“You mean you’ll let us all go?” asked Ayato, his hand still cautiously on his linkage plug sword.

This would hardly be funny if this was all a ploy to buy enough time to snipe them with anti-dragon rifles.

But 14th Princess Carrisy clicked her tongue in what seemed like legitimate annoyance.

“Something’s already screwed up when the Royal Guards are out here instead of inside the capital keeping the royal family safe. This isn’t supposed to be our job. They sent us out here to investigate the crash because the train was a royal’s toy, but I was against it from the start.”

“B-but, princess. 3rd Prince Hemmij said-”

The cacophony of violence resumed for a moment.

14th Princess Carrisy unclenched her iron fist and waved her hand dismissively.

“Besides. Why should I have to clean up after my incompetent brother’s mess? The Royal Guards are meant to act as royal bodyguards, not this. We’re leaving, everyone. That stupid prince is too much of a coward to leave the miniature garden he’s built for himself. I’ll tell him to head out here himself if he wants to collect his trash.”

The blonde ringlets princess added “one more thing” and briefly paused.

She turned toward Ayato.

“We were at fault here. I will assume your sorcery hacking was an emergency measure necessary to save Isabella, Geranud, and the other young lives. So I will overlook it.”

“…”

“But do not even think about using that inside the capital, filthy sorcery criminal. Fail to heed my warning and I will be forced to draw my sorcery gun.”

Part 4

“Huh? Geranud?”

“Isa- hey, Isabella! Where have you been all this time!?”

The children exchanged glances in the grassy field.

The Royal Guards had left on 14th Princess Carrisy’s command.

The “village” of tents and box huts, the wreckage of the train, and the rubble from the bridge had been left behind, but based on what she had said, a team working directly for 3rd Prince Hemmij might come by at a later date to clean it all up.

The crisis was over, but it had gone far from perfect.

The Combined Royal Family was on edge thanks to the king’s illness. That sounded like trouble when Queen Astaroth Revolver was involved, but now 14th Princess Carrisy would be on the lookout for Ayato. A Sorcery Hacker gained nothing from having his appearance and name known.

(I guess I just have to deal with it all one step at a time.)

The open field provided a liberating sense of freedom, but the conspiracy was underway inside the cramped capital. He had to return there to stop that devil.

“Geranud.”

“Huh? What do you want?”

“I have a request. Our circumstances mean we can’t reenter the capital through the front bridge. And by circumstances, I mean that I’m carrying these.”

Ayato indicated the linkage monitor crystal tarot cards that were a Sorcery Hacker’s tools of the trade.

“But we need to get in there. There’s something we have to prevent. Geranud, you saw how the Combined Royal Family isn’t in any state to focus on the real problem at hand, right? A villain is strutting around the capital. If we don’t stop her, a lot of people will suffer.”

3025th Prince Geranud grinned in a way that didn’t suit his young age.

“What makes you think we know a way up top?”

“You made that candy for the other children. The one made by heating sugar and baking soda with a spoon and lighter. Miss Mamilis helped you.”

“Honeycomb candy!” exclaimed Isabella excitedly.

Ayato wagged his finger.

“That lighter was brand new. It’s only natural you’d rely on lighters on the bottom level since you can’t get sorcery guns there, but that one didn’t belong. Your only source of tech is the malfunctioning unmanned flying sorcery devices, so it should have been more dented and scratched.”

3025th Prince Geranud sighed and shrugged.

Then he fanned out a few bundles of paper. Each bundle was the paper currency for a different level.

Teleria’s eyes widened.

“Y-you have all that money!? Then couldn’t you get better clothes and food?”

“No, I can’t.” Geranud scowled in his filthy shirt. “Hey, lady. The ones who’ll get robbed if they have nice stuff is the little kids, not me. And that kind of luxury does something to people. I’ve seen it myself while sneaking into all the different levels. Let me be clear: the people on the bottom level are the only ones who really have their heads on straight.”

Most likely, they could never understand what he meant by that.

Unless they chose to throw out everything they had and live on the bottom level.

“Besides, this money isn’t for me to use. It’s a lifeline for a real emergency like if someone gets hurt or sick. We don’t have sorcery guns on the bottom level and hiring someone to use healing magic ain’t cheap.”

3025th Prince Geranud pouted his lips a bit while looking at Teleria’s handguns.

“The currency on each level is different, but there are people on the higher levels who will help us out. I have to pay them, but they will use healing magic with their sorcery guns for us. The most popular subject for plays and storybooks is romance across a class divide, right? Everyone acts like they’re following all the rules, but a lot of people are actually sick and tired of the class system.”

If that was true, then the capital might be salvageable after all.

Maybe it wasn’t just the lower levels looking up with longing. Maybe the wealthy and the nobles at the top also found the silly barriers and stratification uncomfortable. They just never said anything about it.

“Then your answer is…?”

“Yeah, I know a way to move between levels. And I do owe you for saving Isabella, so I guess I can let you in on the secret.”

That settled it.

Ayato shook the little prince’s hand.

(I don’t like how everything went the way that bull wanted it to. Like it always seems to.)

But this was a first step.

And just as Ayato’s group was turning back toward the capital…

“…”

“What is it, Aya-”

Teleria’s question died on her lips.

3025th Prince Geranud had a puzzled look on his face.

One of the armored train’s cars was lying nearby. Its thick side armor had some large wounds, like it had been slashed by a ferocious beast’s claws. Except these clearly formed writing. That made it plain this had been no accident. Someone had destroyed the powerful train and then left this message. Knowing that Ayato would investigate.

The writing spelled out a single word.

“Hexajinx…”

Ayato stood stock-still as he read the series of letters carved into the wall of the destroyed train car.

That was the name he had once used as the strongest and most ruthless Forward.

“The 6th shot devil.”

Part 5

The Combined Royal Family’s castle was located at the capital’s very top level, but not all of its thousands of members were gathered there.

Quite a few princes and princesses had villas where they hid out on other levels.

9th Prince Roberat was one such example.

The 4th level was home to many wealthy families. His miniature villa was far from large, but he made up for that with the fine quality of each and every item within: the tea set, the ashtray, the table, the trashcan. The things in that one small building could likely buy an entire regional city.

But that didn’t mean it was comfortable there. The heavy gloom weighing down the place made the blue sky outside seem like a distant dream.

The prince, 25 this year, sat in a leather chair while deep in silent thought. He had prepared this place for precisely that purpose. So his family couldn’t discover any of his compromising secrets. Top-rate craftsmen had decorated everything with gold, silver, and jewels, which glittered with such an oppressive light it seemed to carry a cursed power.

His face was lined with deep wrinkles as he spoke.

“I can’t win.”

The maid standing at his side said nothing.

She knew from long years of experience that he wasn’t looking for a response.

“No matter what I do. If my father the king expires, it’s all over. No plan can save me.”

Then 9th Prince Roberat spoke to his maid.

She was one of the prototype humanoid sorcery weapons who had her organs replaced with biological gems and who protected a sword of succession. She possessed enough firepower to easily wipe out a small regional group of knights.

“Julielt Resurrection.”

“Yes?”

“Prepare to receive a guest. That woman should be arriving soon.”

Next, there was a sound like bed sheets beating at the air.

A sexy devil with fluffy blonde hair spread wide now stood by the window.

She was Queen Astaroth Revolver.

“Hee hee. Don’t bother putting the tea on. Do you see now that I was right?” asked the beautiful woman with a laugh. “That should have been enough of a demonstration. The destruction of 3rd Prince Hemmij’s sword – that train that acted as a foundation of the capital’s defense – will present a severe disadvantage for him in the coming race. With his power and influence gone, the 3rd Prince is effectively out of the running. My power is destructive enough to change the seemingly immovable line of succession.”

“Says the leaked model who turned her back on her duty to guard the swords of succession,” hatefully commented Maid Julielt Resurrection, but Queen Astaroth Revolver shrugged it off with a calm smile. She didn’t even see the maid as someone worth speaking to. The words spilling from her alluring lips were directed only at the prince.

“Will you attempt a frontal assault, or will you sneak around and stab them in the back?”

The blonde devil smiled.

It was a meltingly sweet smile.

“Either way, my power will allow you to defeat the other princes and princesses who have a chance at the throne. Including the swords and maids who protect them. Then you can escape the curse of ‘maybe’. You can be confident of your ability to tear down your rivals, place the crown upon your head, and sit on the throne.”

“…”

“Now, let’s change this kingdom together. You must stand at the top of the Combined Royal Family which united the Static Continent and brought it such prosperity.”

Was that what the devil wanted?

Or did she want more?

“Whatever you want, my power can make it yours. As long as it is something which can be taken by violence. Hee hee. You only need to eliminate everyone who stands in your way. …And that includes Guardeleo lying sick in his bed.”

“Prince Roberat!!” interjected Julielt Resurrection, unable to remain silent any longer. “You mustn’t listen to her promises. What does a gentleman of your considerable talents need to worry or fear for? Why must the future king dirty his hands in this way? Would you really coat your own glory with mud!?”

A painful silence followed.

But he had known his answer from the start.

9th Prince Roberat spoke.

“Your test is complete, Queen Astaroth Revolver. I must recognize your skill even if you are the result of illegitimately leaked technology. And I already know what job I would have you complete first.”

“Prince!” cried Julielt Resurrection, but she stopped before saying anything more.

With an index finger jabbed toward the maid’s face, the man spat out some cruel words.

“Shut her up. Weak sword, I have no need for anything that stands in the way of my ambitions.”

And thus the Combined Royal Family began to be dyed in the devil’s colors.

Dyed from within.

Option 01: The 1st Prince and the **** Project

The **** Project, aka the All Asterisks Project.

Much speculation has been made about the disappearance of the Combined Royal Family’s 1st Prince Liberca Bran Zorca Totalinus, but the most likely theory says he was caught in a large-scale accident when a secret sorcery experience conducted below the palace went horribly wrong.

This has become known as the All Asterisks Project.

Even among proponents of the experiment accident theory, claims as to the nature of the All Asterisks Project differ wildly.

There are many bizarre theories among them.

Like the reconciliation theory.

As hard as it is to believe, this theory says the 1st Prince was trying to settle the differences between human and demon and allow them to coexist.

In what can be seen as a reversal of the Mimic Options which hide a demon’s distinctive traits and allow them to blend into human society, he was supposedly investigating the possibility of a new sorcery device that would allow humans to wear wing or tail accessories to bring them closer to demon society. If humans and demons were free to take on each other’s strong suits, the physical differences between them would effectively disappear. This would then tear down the barrier separating the two.

If this is true, then what does it mean that the project was ended after an accident?

Could their have been a group in the palace who wished to reject reconciliation with demons even if they had to harm the 1st Prince?

What reason could they have?

For that matter, why do we humans hate demons so?

With the 1st Princes’s whereabouts currently unknown, the truth of the All Asterisks Project may be forever lost.

Back to Phase 00

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Forward to Phase 02