Toaru Hikuushi e no Seiyaku:V9Part7

Part 25 (Part 7 of Volume 9)

Bound to a chair with his limbs tied and the heated tip of a fire poker held in front of his face, the notorious loan shark from the Stefano district finally broke.

"It was the Pope...! The fake assassination plot against the Emperor was orchestrated by Illustriali, who made the royal chef give false testimony... I-I was forced by them..."

"Forced? And yet, you were the one who planted the forged rebellion documents in my father's office?"

"I didn’t want to do it either. But they stormed into my estate! I had no choice! If I refused, I would have been killed on the spot..."

"In exchange for betraying my father, you received a substantial reward and went from being a servant of the Velour family to a loan shark, is that it?"

Hachidori infused his hatred into the fire poker and brought it close to the former servant's eye. After a secret investigation at the Ulysses Palace, and combining it with the information Mio had provided, they had finally reached this two-story corner of the slums.

The 15th of February, Year 1352 of the Imperial Calendar, the Royal Capital Pleiades, Stefano District──

The loan shark, a traitor, begged for mercy from Thomas, the son of his former master, Levan Velour.

"I didn't want to do it! Lord Levan and his lady were wonderful people, even to a lowly servant like me. When I worked in that house, I was proud. But Lord Levan was too righteous, and he tried to push his righteousness onto the court. Do you think the demons of the palace would sit idly by while he did that?"

"A servant lecturing on court politics, huh? If you hadn't betrayed us, my father wouldn't have been condemned for a crime he didn't commit. Should I show you what my mother looks like now?"

"Even if I hadn’t done it, someone else would have! You must understand—Lord Levan was doomed the moment he caught the Pope’s attention. Illustriali is the true ruler of the Urano court, the real king behind it all!"

Without changing his expression, Hachidori pulled the fire poker away from the man's eye and instead pressed the searing hot tip against his upper arm.

The man's scream was accompanied by the sound of burning flesh.

"Shall we take a walk to the edge? I'll throw you off into the streets below."

"N-no, please! I beg you! I'll do anything, just spare my life!"

Hachidori looked at him with disdain, then struck him once while he was still tied to the chair, confirming that the man had passed out before leaving the cramped room.

As he stepped back onto the frozen February streets, he turned to look at the home of the man responsible for the fall of the Velour family, reflecting on the long journey that had led him here.

Seventeen years ago, when Hachidori—then known as Thomas Velour—was five years old, his father, Levan, was falsely condemned as the mastermind behind an assassination plot against the Emperor and was executed. His beautiful mother, Natasha, lost her mind and now no longer even recognizes her son's growth, living in poverty in the slums.

To avenge his family, Thomas abandoned his name at the age of seven and became the special operative known as Hachidori. Every penny he earned went to his mother’s care as he worked under Zenon, always seeking the name of the person who had orchestrated his father's downfall. Today, he finally learned that the mastermind was Pope Illustriali. Now that he knew, all that remained was to plan his revenge and wait for the right time. The day when his life's purpose would be fulfilled was drawing near.

──It’s thanks to Mio.

As he walked through the poorly lit streets of the Stefano district, Hachidori couldn’t help but think that. It was because Mio had cared for his mother and passed along information she had overheard that he had succeeded today.

──Mio’s fate is cruel too...

Mio didn’t even know that Ethan had already been freed and was in Pleiades. She had betrayed her comrades and become an operative to save Ethan and his stepchildren, only for Ethan to gift her to Zenon. Mio’s sacrifice had been for nothing.

So, at the very least──he wanted to tell her that her family had been saved. If knowing that her family was safe could offer Mio even the slightest bit of solace, then he wanted to give her that.

"What am I saying?"

Hachidori caught himself in his thoughts and dismissed them with words.

"Why would I go out of my way to tell Mio something like that?"

Speaking aloud, he banished the thoughts that had been flowing on their own.

Hachidori stopped in his tracks for a moment, reflecting on his strange thoughts, then shook his head and resumed walking. As Zenon’s subordinate and with Ethan as an important client, it was only natural for him to follow their wishes. Siding with Mio offered no benefit, and if Hachidori were to reveal the truth to her, he would be branded a traitor and punished by Zenon himself.

"Why strangle myself now, you fool?"

After so many years of obsessing over his revenge, he had no reason to think about Mio. Zenon had nothing to do with his father’s false accusation; the only enemy he needed to defeat was Illustriali. In fact, he should use his position as Zenon’s subordinate to get close to Illustriali and strike. To accomplish his revenge, he had to prioritize Zenon’s trust, and Mio had no place in that plan.

"That's right."

Nodding, Hachidori headed back to the shabby inn he was staying at. Officially, he was investigating the local resistance in the Stefano district on Zenon’s orders. Sitting down on the rickety bed, he looked up at the soot-stained ceiling while planning for tomorrow.

Recently, something within him had begun to stir, thoughts that didn’t seem to belong to him.

When had this started? He knew the answer.

"Hachidori, Reiner, Thomas!"

Mio’s voice echoed in his mind, reverberating against the black ceiling.

"Thomas!"

That final name struck deep within Hachidori’s consciousness.

Yes, ever since Mio had called him by that name, something had begun to stir inside him, forming into words.

──I want to save Mio.

──I want to make sure Mio never has to cry again.

Whispers like these echoed within him, shaking something deep inside.

"You’re dead."

He said this to the empty room.

──You?

──You're talking like I’m someone else.

Hachidori's teeth clenched with a sharp, grinding sound.

"You're a ghost. You don’t exist."

──Accept it. I’m here. Just like you’re here.

"Stop it!!"

Hachidori stood up from the bed and shouted. From the room next door, separated by a thin wall, came the angry shouts of another guest. But the voice inside him wouldn’t stop.

──I want to help Mio. Nothing else matters.

"Shut up!!"

──That’s your true feeling. I’m you. No one understands you better than I do.

"Die, ghost! You’ve been dead for ages!!"

Hachidori pulled out a hidden dagger from beneath the sheets and slashed at the empty air.

"My name is Hachidori. I created Reiner. Nothing else matters!!"

──Hachidori and Reiner are both me.

──I am Thomas Velour.

"Die!!"

With that scream, Hachidori slashed at the air again. The guest in the next room kicked the wall and hurled some incomprehensible, vulgar insults at him, but he didn’t care. He had to prove to this ghost that it was just a ghost, that it no longer existed.

──Mio called my name. That’s why I’m here.

──My name is Thomas. Mio called my name...

A warm feeling spread in his heart. As Hachidori screamed and cursed, tears mixed into his voice, but they were not tears of sorrow. They came from the opposite—tears born from an emotion on the other side of sadness.

──Mio, I want to help you.

──I want to see you smile more…

Hachidori collapsed to the ground, clutching his chest with one hand as if trying to pull something out from within. But even so, his heart continued to weave its thoughts, calling Mio’s name, whispering his true name.

"Well, well. I've been looking forward to seeing you. Have you lost a little weight? Oh my, what a fierce look. Just like a stray dog from the slums."

Zenon Kavaris spoke cheerfully, looking down at the woman tossed onto the floor like a rag.

She was bound with rough rope, reinforced with wire, robbing her of any freedom of movement. The woman, lying face down, glared defiantly at her former superior.

"Your worth lies in being noble, intelligent, and beautiful, Mio Syra. If you become as filthy as a stray dog, you lose your very reason for existing."

The 18th of February, Year 1352 of the Imperial Calendar, Royal Capital Pleiades, Ulysses Palace, "Celestial Chamber"──

Zenon kicked Mio over with the tip of his leather shoe, forcing her onto her back.

She was wearing a white tube top dress, likely prepared for her infiltration of the harem as one of Demistri's concubines. The dress, revealing her shoulders and chest, was wrapped tightly around her body along with the rough ropes binding her arms. Her short skirt left her pale, supple thighs exposed, splayed carelessly on the floor.

Her arms and legs were bruised, and her hair was dishevelled from the struggle when she was caught by Demistri’s bodyguard, Renjaku. Mio, an apprentice operative, had no chance against an S-class agent like Patriotis, and was subdued in less than a minute.

"We had received reports of a suspicious woman loitering around the harem for the past few days. I had already given your photo to the palace guards. I'm glad, at least, that your face wasn’t damaged."

As Zenon spoke, he pressed the sole of his shoe against Mio's stomach, stepping on her.

"…!!"

Watching Mio's face contort in pain, Zenon smiled with delight.

"I'm supposed to have a meeting here tonight, but I think I'll make your punishment part of the entertainment. I'm sure the guests will appreciate it."

Zenon glanced toward Renjaku, who was waiting at the entrance of the Celestial Chamber, and gave an order.

"Prepare the pig torment. Also, bring the guests here. I want them to witness Mio's brave struggle."

Renjaku knelt on the stone floor to accept the command, then disappeared from the room without a sound.

After thoroughly trampling on Mio, Zenon finally lifted his foot from her, looking down at her as she gasped for breath, her chest heaving.

"I had hoped you could become an operative while keeping your dignity intact, but you’ve disappointed me. There's no helping it now. We'll proceed with training plan B. This plan involves reshaping your personality completely, turning you into an operative who will follow my every command. Kiliai, for example, successfully went through plan B and is now an operative who can sleep with any man I assign her. After all, she once slept with a pig. Sleeping with a human is easy after that."

Kiliai, the only female operative among the Patriotis, was a poison specialist. She had once told Mio about more than eighty ways to seduce a man in bed, laughing with a twisted expression that lacked any humanity. It had made Mio so sick that she couldn’t sleep that night. Now, it seemed the same training Kiliai had undergone was going to be forced upon her.

Mio glared at Zenon. Her betrayal had already been exposed, so there was no need to hide her true feelings anymore. She would say whatever she wanted and resist until the bitter end.

"Pervert."

She looked up at Zenon with a sneer of contempt.

"Sadist."

Even though she insulted him, Zenon didn't show any sign of anger. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it, his cheeks rising in a twisted grin.

Once again, Zenon's shoe pressed down on Mio. This time, it was on her face. A moment ago, he had made sure not to harm her face, but now he showed no mercy, stomping on her with full force.

"It seems better not to leave your personality intact after all. Yes, that’s for the best. Let’s erase it completely."

Zenon cheerfully applied more pressure with his shoe.

"You were raised with the wrong education. I’ll have to train you from scratch, so you don’t learn to speak improperly like that."

Blood flowed from Mio's mouth, soaking into the floor, just as the guests began to arrive.

Zenon stopped stomping on her and instantly erased any trace of anger, replacing it with his usual smile.

"My apologies for disturbing your rest. I simply had to introduce you to a certain woman."

"No need to apologize. I'm always available when summoned... Oh, my, what is this...?"

The voice was familiar. From the floor, Mio barely managed to open one eye and saw the figure approaching her through her blurry vision.

"…!!"

Mio's eyes widened in shock, and the guest reacted the same way, falling to his knees before her.

"Oh, Mio!! Mio!! How could this happen to you, Mio!!"

Her stepfather, Ethan Syra, cried out dramatically, pressing his trembling hands against his face.

"What in the world happened!? What has Mio done!?"

It was the same familiar tone and gestures Ethan had used since Mio's childhood, always reminding her of a stage actor. Zenon smiled as he answered Ethan’s question.

"It's nothing, really. Just a little mischief on her part. It’s quite common for girls her age. Please don’t be too hard on her."

Even though it had been nearly four years since they were separated, Ethan knelt beside Mio without even trying to untie her bindings, scolding her instead.

"You’ve troubled Mr. Zenon, haven't you? Mio, why are you always so reckless!? Mr. Zenon works tirelessly for world peace, without sparing a drop of his heart and soul..."

"Papa..."

"Mr. Zenon is doing all of this for us. How can you not understand that? You’re a bad girl…"

Tears began to soak Ethan’s words. Mio had no response, only able to lie there, blood dripping from her mouth, and stare up at him in stunned disbelief.

The stepfather she was seeing for the first time in four years looked exactly like the gentle, kind man she remembered, but something about him felt off—something about his inner self was different from what she had known.

"It’s all for world peace, Mio. Please, try to understand. We must endure the pain. Without that, this rotten world cannot be saved..."

Ethan covered his face with both hands and began to weep softly.

A creeping sense of unease brushed against the edge of Mio's mind.

The man before her seemed less like her father and more like a hollow shell in human form. A void masquerading as a person, someone who only believed they were human…

Had Ethan changed during these four years?

No, perhaps—perhaps Ethan had always been this way, ever since they first met.

Hiding her doubts deep in her heart, she asked the question.

"…What about Mom? Kazuki, Bonita, and Dominic?"

What had become of her stepmother and her younger siblings, who had disappeared along with Ethan? Still weeping softly, Ethan smiled serenely.

"They’re safe. Mr. Zenon rescued them from the dungeons of Selfaust. They’re living a normal life in Arkaselt now. You don’t need to worry…"

Arkaselt, the imperial capital of the Harmonia Empire. If they were there, they could live free from the current war. Mio sighed deeply with relief.

That’s good. As long as her siblings were living well, she had no regrets.

Now, all that remained was to fight, to resist with everything she had until the very end. She hadn’t accomplished much compared to her comrades, but she, too, was one of the "Seven of Eriadore."

"Papa, do you understand what you’re doing?"

Mio gathered her courage and scolded the man who had brought her to this state.

"Your beloved daughter is lying on the floor, tied up, trampled on by a pervert who stomped on her face, chest, and butt until she spat blood. So why are you scolding me? You should be angry at someone else."

Ethan looked down at Mio with his mouth hanging open, then let out a deep sigh, slumping his shoulders.

"Mio... When did you become so rebellious? Mr. Zenon is right. You’re throwing away the overflowing love that has been given to you..."

"Papa. Please. Look right in front of you. Your daughter has been captured by a pervert, tied up, and she’s begging her father for help..."

Mio made one last desperate plea, but Ethan didn’t turn to her. Instead, he looked at Zenon.

"…As you said, my parenting must have been inadequate. Because we weren’t related by blood, I might have showered her with too much kindness. I should have been stricter at times, but I just couldn’t do it. This is the result. My words can’t reach her anymore. Poor Mio. She’s so beautiful, yet she lacks the intelligence to match her looks..."

Ethan lifted a strand of Mio’s hair with his fingers, pressing it to his nose and inhaling lovingly. Disgusted, Mio shook her head violently.

"Don’t touch me, you freak…!!"

Ethan's expression deepened with pity and compassion as he listened to Mio's insults.

"I see... it's too late now. You've fallen beyond redemption, having met bad company in the slums... I'll leave Mio's education in your hands. I... I don't have the courage to witness it."

Zenon spread his arms, graciously accepting Ethan's apology.

"It's fine. By tomorrow morning, you'll meet a new, compliant Mio. She may be so obedient that you'll be confused, but I promise she'll be reborn overnight."

"Thank you... The sorrow is too great; to be honest, I would rather retire to my room for the rest of the night..."

"That’s not a problem. But before you go, let me quickly brief you on the current state of the archipelago. The supply of weapons and ammunition is abundant, but we must keep in mind the increased consumption in the coming days."

Zenon spread a map of the archipelago on the glass table and began explaining the military situation to Ethan. Still lying on the floor, Mio overheard their conversation.

According to Zenon:

The "ragtag band of losers" calling themselves the Archipelago Alliance was currently splitting its meagre fleet into two, attempting to secure the northern archipelago while preparing for a counter-landing on Mitterrand and the mainland. In response, Urano's Chief of General Staff, Achilles, had decided to allow the enemy to land, only to then send the Urano Archipelago Fleet from the north to intercept the Second Isler Fleet in a decisive battle. Since the enemy had split its already diminished fleet into two, it would be easy to destroy them piece by piece. After sending the Isler Fleet to the ocean floor, the Urano fleet would then head south to engage the St Vault Fleet and crush them. By securing control of the northern archipelago and cutting off the enemy’s supply lines, the 1.7 million soldiers who had been allowed to land would starve to death without a fight. Thus, the entire archipelago would fall into Urano’s hands, and Marshal Demistri would be crowned as the new King of Urano with this victory.

"St Vault can't sustain 1.7 million soldiers indefinitely. Even without full control of the seas, they have no choice but to trust the Alliance Navy and carry out the counter-landing. Our key strategy is not interfering at all. Even if they manage to land, as long as we win the fleet battle afterward, it won’t matter. We get to choose the time and location for the decisive battle. It’s a strategy that secures the greatest victory with minimal losses—truly elegant."

Zenon explained cheerfully, while Ethan nodded, looking weary.

"As for the supply of weapons and ammunition, I'll make sure everything is arranged to your convenience, my esteemed brother. Let's do everything we can to end this cursed war as soon as possible."

"Of course, this is all for a swift conclusion. Ah, it seems our guest of honour has arrived. Here comes Mio’s lesson."

At Zenon’s signal, Renjaku and six servants entered the room, wheeling in a cage. Inside the cage, which was about one and a half meters on each side, was a pig about a meter long.

As the stench of the beast filled the room, Zenon’s grin brightened.

"This pig's teeth have been removed. No matter how hungry it is, it can only swallow or lick its food."

The pig’s squeals reached Mio’s ears, and she felt a horrible premonition. Before Zenon could continue, Ethan interrupted.

"My apologies, I’m feeling rather unwell..."

"Ah, of course, thank you for coming. I’ll show you the newly transformed Mio another time."

"My apologies for the trouble caused by my unworthy daughter... Mio, you may not understand now, but one day you’ll thank Mr. Zenon. Endure until that day."

With those words, Ethan hurriedly left the room.

Zenon took a jar from a shelf, filled with a yellowish-white powder, and opened the lid. Instantly, the pig in the cage began squealing in excitement.

"This is meat extract powder—this pig’s favorited. It’s practically begging to lick it."

The pig stomped its feet eagerly, snorting and shoving its nose against the bars of the cage. If Zenon sprinkled the powder on the floor, the pig would probably lick it until the floor itself dissolved.

"Now, let’s coat a naked woman in this powder and put her in the cage. Shall we see what happens by morning? You’ll cooperate, won’t you, Mio?"

Mio glared silently at Zenon. This man had undoubtedly subjected countless others in her situation to the same treatment.

She resolved to kill him.

Just as that thought solidified in her mind—

"Urgent message!"

The sound of hurried footsteps accompanied the entrance of a communication officer, disrupting the tension. Zenon’s face twisted in displeasure.

"At 0915 today, an enemy aerial fortress broke through over Jerome Barrage! Judging by its course and speed, its target is undoubtedly Pleiades!"

"What!?"

Zenon reflexively asked again.

"We were delayed in detecting it since our radar bases on the Mitterrand mainland are not yet operational! It’s approaching at a speed unthinkable for an aerial fortress and is about to reach Pleiades’ first defence perimeter!"

"…How is that possible? How do they know the current location of Pleiades…!?"

The communication officer was unable to respond. After all, there was no way he could know something Zenon himself didn’t. Only one person in the room had realized the truth.

──Could it be?

The letter and ring Mio had entrusted to Fio after the October Revolution, on the second floor of the Hedwig Tavern.

She had prayed, hoping her message—containing Pleiades' current position, course, and speed—would reach its destination far to the south. Even if it did, would they trust information coming from a traitor like her? She had clung to a thin, fragile hope—and now, that hope had been realized.

Another communication officer rushed into the room with an urgent report.

"Radar detects incoming aircraft! Fighter squadrons are approaching, likely launched from the aerial fortress!"

──Valkyrie.

──They believed in me.

Still lying on the floor, Mio’s heart trembled.

The letter had reached them. Fio had delivered it. Cecil, Kiyoaki, Illia, Balthazar—they had all answered her call!

'Even if we become enemies, we will never hate each other.'

'Our friendship is eternal.'

The vow they had made resonated deeply within Mio’s heart.

──They kept their promise…!

Despite her betrayal, despite being a spy, they had trusted the information she had written and come for her!

Tears of overwhelming emotion welled up in her eyes. She couldn't wipe them away, so she let them flow down her cheeks.

──Thank you. Thank you, everyone…

──I love you. I love you all so much…

"Traitors… How did they communicate…!?"

For the first time, Zenon showed visible panic. Before he could unleash whatever terrible punishment he had planned for her, Mio sneered at him. She had to mock him at least once before it was too late.

"How do you think they did it?"

Zenon’s wide eyes turned toward Mio.

"Don’t know? Too bad. You can spend your whole life wondering."

As Mio gloated, Zenon’s mouth opened slightly.

"…Fio?"

"Oh, good job. That’s right. I had Fio deliver all the information about Pleiades to my friend, Queen Elisabeth."

Zenon stared at her for a while before bending down and grabbing a handful of her hair, forcibly lifting her face.

Even as pain radiated through her body, Mio endured and flashed a defiant grin.

"Thanks to your training, I mastered the art of memory. I wrote down every single detail I saw—every airfield, every port, every anti-aircraft gun, every key point. I gave it all to the Archipelago Alliance."

Zenon's lips curled up with a grinding sound.

"Look, Valkyrie is coming."

Mio declared.

"Kiyoaki and Illia are coming to crush Urano."

Grinding his teeth in frustration, Zenon violently shoved Mio away. She hit her temple on the floor, stars flashing in her vision, but she couldn’t stop smiling. She had finally managed to strike back at Zenon, and it filled her with joy.

"It’s all thanks to you. You brought me here and carefully trained me as a spy, which allowed me to guide them to you. Consider this my way of repaying you."

An air raid siren began to wail across Pleiades. The peaceful atmosphere of the royal capital was suddenly replaced with that of a battlefield.

"Go to hell, you pervert."

For the first time, Zenon’s face contorted with rage at Mio’s taunt. Despite having imposed strict radio communication control to hide Pleiades' position and course, their plans had been completely compromised. The sheer scale of the ambush meant that Zenon and his Urano Intelligence Agency had been utterly defeated by Balthazar and the Archipelago Alliance’s intelligence network. Not only was it an unprecedented humiliation, but Zenon instantly understood that his position was now in serious jeopardy, prompting him to take immediate action.

"Relay this message to Pope Illustriali and Marshal Demistri, exactly as I say it. No need to worry; Pleiades is protected by a thousand Alice Actus fighters. In the next few hours, the skies may get a bit noisy, but think of it as a prelude to our victory in the archipelago. You’ll also get to witness the might of our Ortega jets in action. Enjoy the show from the balcony over some tea…"

Having entrusted this bold message to the communication officer, Zenon turned to the butler.

"In the unlikely event of an air assault on Ulysses Palace, we must protect the Pope and the noble dignitaries. Call Hachidori, Kiliai, Kurogan, and Sekirei here. Make sure Atori stays by the Pope’s side. Renjaku, you stay here."

"Yes, sir."

Atori, the number one agent of the Patriotis, would remain upstairs with the Pope, while number two Renjaku and four other agents, including Hachidori, would gather at Ulysses Palace. Demistri and Claire were likely in the harem behind the palace... Still lying on the floor, Mio etched that information into her memory.

Outside, the sound of sirens layered over one another as the defensive fighter squadron scrambled into the skies above Pleiades. Even though they had been caught completely off-guard, the elite squadron assigned to protect the capital was already taking swift action. Far from being intimidated, they seemed energized at the chance to participate in what would become a world-changing aerial battle. The wings of the fighters quickly filled the blue sky.

──Win, Kiyoaki, Illia.

As she watched the massive formation of Alice Actus fighters soar into the air, Mio prayed silently.

Her prayer was shattered by a deafening roar, unlike anything she had ever heard before. It was a sound that tore through the air, accompanied by a crushing pressure.

"Go, Ortegas."

Zenon’s pale face regained its usual cold smile. In the direction of his gaze, three strange aircraft with no propellers shot upward at terrifying speed, heading for the zenith. The sunlight of February glinted off their dull metallic fuselages, and six 20mm cannons adorned their scorpion-nosed fronts.