Horizon:Volume 3 Chapter 03

Chapter Two: Hard Worker of the Unfamiliar Site

In a place one does not know

To make a living

What should be done

Point Allocation (Ability to Take Action)

●

“Wow, a pear tart from IZUMO below?”

The blonde haired and scarred face which was turned around with a surprised voice was inside the grounds of a Shrine which possessed the sky of an atrium.

The location was the underground third floor at the rear of Okutama. Within the atrium which was established using the two side streets, using the elevation of staircase which led to the Shinto shrine arch there was a grove and a shrine

The name which was bestowed on the large Shinto shrine archway on the bow side was “Asama Shrine”

Through the waterfalls formed by the rivers falling from the surface section and sunlight entering from the atrium, there were several shadows and light intersecting within the shrine grounds. Inside those shrine grounds the one who had spoken the previous words was the priestess styled inner-suit figure of Mary.

She while taking the paper box which was offered,

“Is it all right? Adele, is it alright for me to accept this”

Jud, the one who nodded was the blue jersey clad figure of Adele.

“These were provisions provided by “Musashi” and the others to the official positions and important offices. Earlier when purchasing tableware from down below “Musashi” requested that I carry them with me when I return in order to reduce her load. Please have it together with the first special agent. —Hey!” Adele who was speaking directed those final words to the surrounding pack of shadows which was jumping around.

It was the dogs.

Those with collars, without collars as well as young, adult and old dogs. With Adele’s single word the dogs, with a stray white dog in the centre, sat down all at once. Adele faced the dogs,

“This is where you get you water from okay? Anything else is prohibited. The toilet is also at the prescribed location”

The dogs yet out a single loud bark as if to nod.

Good, Adele nodded and began to provide the feed she had received from passers-by in orderly fashion. There turning around and looking, the smiling Mary who was there was,

“……However, well I would never have thought that you would take a part-time job as a priestess at the Asama Shrine”

●

She started to say that if you thing about it historically it’s a chaotic situation, furthermore

……this is the First Special Agent’s tastes.

Is what she also went to say, however Adele remained silent. After all she was a normal individual. She was not someone who should become too deeply involved in the situation of royalty or deviants.

However Mary with a white inner suit as the base, with the red tights and who was shaking the tail ballast with the broom which hung at her waist could be seen to look good.

That Mary showed a smile this way,

“I am only doing things such as cleaning, tidying and the preparations for the store, I think it would be good if I could work more… however I lack a proper understanding of Shinto so I depending of them a little.”

There was a small PC hanging from the hard point on her waist. What was displayed there was an explanation of Shinto formulas and spells. She was studying in her own way, there after understanding that,

“To continue to inherit the name of Mary, you are unable to discard the Catholic religion after all. However being on board Musashi and continuing like that would be a bit of a difficult situation ….that’s why I talked using the “hidden” Catholic setting.

“Jud, normally it seems the “Hidden” setting was used for believers of Shinto who wished to believe in Catholicism, however since my situation would be the reverse it apparently makes the application complicated.”

So working at the shrine to “Demonstrate her belief” was done in order to relax the application conditions.

However, Adele thought. Like her who only believed only in Catholic, she was able to respect her beliefs in everyday life and if Asama was there acting as an intermediary it was simple to achieve messaging. However,

“Why did you say that you wanted to understand Shinto?”

Eh? After forming the words Mary hesitated and her cheeks reddened.

“If I have the same as Tenzou then there are not a lot of inconveniences…..”

If any of our class were here at the moment then from tomorrow the First Special Agents fate would have been sealed. I’m glad it was me. I’ll let him off with just spreading it over the net

However Mary bowed her head in this direction,

“—In any case, thank you for everything back in England.”

“Eh? Ah No, after all I didn’t cause a ruckus at the London tower nor have any real activity during Armada. I was waiting for maintenance on my armoured shell so it was pretty easy-going”

More importantly,

“Mary, how are you feeling at the moment?”

“Jud, I can talk with the neighbours, I can work here, cook food and sew there’s a lot I can do. The Far East also has many books which allows me to enjoy my time here”

“Have you descended into IZUMO?” No, there came something like a troubled smile.

“My free time did not match with Tenzou; he has his job down at the engineering section after all”

That guy, leaving his priestess clothed blond haired large breasted wife, what exactly is he doing. Adele who was about to enter into a preaching stance on the inside however lightly stopped her breath at Mary’s next words.

“Also even if it only IZUMO, as someone who was born in England I feel some difficulty when it comes to the territory of Hexagone Française. I am also meant to have gotten married in Hexagone Française after all.”

Hearing the difficult content of those words which were said without any hesitation, Adele thought of the word “consideration.

Her mother and father were both from Hexagone Française however she was born on Musashi. There was also her father who had lost his place within Hexagone Française, she was taught to place a greater value on her existence as a retainer over her country. She was a catholic, a retainer and from the lineage of Hexagone Française however she was a resident of Musashi.

That is why she realised that Mitotsudaira and Mary were keeping a distance from each other. Like her, someone who held the thinking of the era of knights, however following her birth held a different type of awareness towards her home country. That was Mitotsudaira.

There was probably a similar situation for Mary. She bitterly smiled,

“….At the point when you feel that you should not be aware that it is already hopeless, you then think once again that is also hopeless however you wonder if it is truly hopeless and it goes around in repetition”

However,

“I talked with Tenzou about going down to IZUMO, — I requested about a variety of purchases at IZUMO and he would help on a later date. It was something that was simply solved.”

●

“Really….”

Adele thought. That the First Special Agent is doing quite well.

She was questionably moved emotionally. That is why Adele first went to go about her business,

“So, umm, I’m sorry, where’s Asama?”

“Eh?, Umm earlier she was peering under the veranda and then doing something about the arrangements for a seal… however now, something about stacking firewood out front towards the staircase, she is doing the cleansing of firewood in the forest around the back.

…..Something happened with someone close…..

She nodded on the inside however it would be better not to let Mary predict the particulars.

However Mary, who was tilting her head, compered here to the surrounding dogs.

“Adele, you were at IZUMO for shopping …and walking you pets?”

“Eh? Well during the morning and evening I run as training. However since I continued from a while ago the dogs which thought I would play with them continued to follow me. Then they gradually continued to increase in number and lately this has become a sort of specialty with people who have a daily routine to throw bait when I pass and even people who seem they are too busy to take them for a walk so they leave it me.”

“Jud. It is very lively”

Receiving an appropriate follow-up was something to be grateful for.

However well,

“This was something that Asama’a father thought up, attaching talismans to these dogs and have they run which would then conduct the ship’s tuning. Using the purification talismans “Space” which are created by the practitioners of Shinto as a rudimentary training — well even if they are badly made, we attach these which are gathered for free and attempt to remove the localized distortions within the vessel. In short, guard dogs to prevent the occurrence of Phenomena.”

However if Asama was busy dealing with the misconduct of someone close,

“I guess it will not be happening today. Well lately due to the repair of Musashi even if there is a distortion the poor part should have disappeared, so it should be okay”

I also wish to view the new tableware, which I bought to replace the broken tableware during Musashi’s full turn the other day, when placed on the table. That’s why Adele thought she would return home, however Mary

“Adele, it is almost time for my break how about this?”

She held up the box with the pear tart.

“Will you have it together with me? As well as having Asama and other part timers join us”

There is a god……! Adele thought that from the bottom of her heart. That a suggestion with no down side would bring about a sense of awe! Ah, after this long time Adele thought it was glad that this person was not executed.

Then in front of her. The goddess directed a smile this way,

“It is quite large after all; I shall have the remainder together with Tenzou.”

While she was wondering whether this was all right. Black wings descended from the sky.

Descending and before touching the ground, spreading her wings as if striking the atmosphere and regaining her posture was,

“Fourth Special Agent? ……Are you working?”

“Jud, Could you pass this along to Asama for me? — It’s nothing important”

“T-That’s a strange way of describing something..…!”

“Oh, Naruze we were just thinking about having some tea however….”

Hmm, Naruze looked at the paper box that Mary was holding. Then she directed her gaze below to the dogs that were looking up at her wings with great interest,

“We received ours a little while ago, but I guess it would be fine to have that tomorrow. — Okay, while it isn’t a Technomagi tea party I’ll join you for a bit”

“Fourth Special agent, what about your work?”

“Margot should also currently be taking a break.”

Naruze pointed in the port side direction, over towards Tama.

Then towards Mary, with a smile on her face, what she said was,

“—Jud, over where your Husband and Naomasa are working”

●

“Even though it is your break time, to continuing your training is a wonderful attitude Muneshige”

A single voiced echoed around the outside front wall section of Tama which basked in the sun of the second day of the month.

As a result of damage to the outer wall, this location was one of the places where footholds had been installed for repairs. Not just the maintenance or the repairs section, but while the entire engineering division was conducting repairs throughout Musashi there were many people being hired however,

“Well, it is good that I have found a place to work where I can also complete my training. Don’t you agree Tenzou.”

Jud, holding his hand to the white steel wall was the jacket-less figure of Tenzou.

“The fact that Naomasa and Mitotsudaira also participate is something to be highly appreciative of. Well then, about today's training it’s fine right Muneshige?”

In front on him when he turned around was a single young married couple who were on top of a widely created foothold.

It was Muneshige who was wearing a work vest and Gin who was clad in the jersey of Tres España.

Looking at the two of them Tenzou thought the following.

…… However well, it is surprising that we managed to join together with the Tachibana married couple.

After all it was only about two weeks ago when those two were considered the enemy.

However those two had now submitted an application to Tres España for the removal of their inherited names and while Muneshige’s had been accepted it was heard that Gin’s was still pending.

…That was due to Gin having her father also being a member of the Tachibana lineage.

Masazumi had made a deal with Tres España such that “If the individual in question wishes to be one of Musashi’s crew we will treat them as a resident of the Far East” and with that settled things with Tres España. In other words as long as they remained on Musashi they were neither residents of Tres España or Musashi but “Far East Residents” as the original Tachibana Clan”

In reality it could be said that Gin’s future was depending on what she wanted to do with herself.

This was not Gin’s comment. However if Gin chose to remain with Muneshige who has had his inherited name removed…he was thinking about doubling his efforts for the time when he would once again inherit the name.

Anyhow Tenzou stopped that train of thought and went to deal with the issue at hand. What should be done now was,

“Advancing the rehabilitation training of Muneshige’s legs to the next stage.”

●

“Is it all right?”

Tenzou lifted his hand slightly in the direction of Naomasa. With that, Naomasa cut one part from the rolled paper like object she was gripping with her artificial arms and formed a pipe,

“Here” Tenzou caught the somewhat heavy solid paper pipe which was tossed over to him. Then when here held that rolled up paper like object and showed it to the Tachibana couple Gin tilted her neck and spoke.

“……A Shinto damaged metallic part repair deity talisman. It provides an artificial life force to metal and using fluid as a basis conducts an automated repair. It is however considered a prohibited technique by Catholics due to being similar to the act of God…”

Gin shifted her eyes to the side. Where she shifted her eyes there was multiple white talismans which were attached to the wall. All of that white was identical to the one which over here was holding.

Then Naomasa also tilted her gaze towards the white horizontal line,

“Honestly this is ineffective method of repair. Well for emergencies and light damage such as light scratches where it would be wasteful to replace the plating it can be useful.”

“Jud, Normally you assemble a foothold and then attach them horizontally in an orderly fashion—“

Tenzou indicated above. To a position which was approximately twenty meters above. Floating there on a broom was golden wings who was waving her hand in this direction. It was Naito. She raised her hand next to her mouth,

“From what I can tell this areas repairs haven’t be done properly”

Naito poked a section of the outer wall with the tip of her broom. Seeing that Naomasa nodded,

“Since this area is my responsibility do you think you could give it a try?”

With that question Muneshige looked up at the wall which seemed perpendicular.

“You’re saying to climb this?”

Nope, Tenzou spoke.

“—I’m saying to run”

●

I see, is what Gin thought. That there was meaning in consulting with the ninja First Special Agent who seemed knowledgeable about occupations which could be used for training.

“At first while saying that was it was work which could serve as training, I thought it was simply being used as a labourer to carry material and assist in creating footholds…..”

Gin looked up at wall.

“That served as basic training, with the next stage being running up this near perpendicular wall?”

Inquiring to Muneshige who was beside her, he directed a sharp gaze towards the ninja. The proposed question was,

“— Without a run up?”

The way that this person was already seriously looking at this ninja conduct was something that Gin thought enviously of. There the ninja lightly nodded in response to Muneshige and indicated his head towards his legs.

“Looking at the way that you are walking, you appear to be being overly conscious of your knees.”

“— Certainty since I damaged the ligaments I have developed a tendency to protect them”

“I see. Then I wish for you to answer the next question honestly”

That was,

“— Have your injuries completely healed?”

Gin heard Muneshige’s answer in response to the ninja’s question.

“— Jud”

Previously he had replied with Tes.

However now both he and I are different. Not different, we have just tried to start our new selves. Thinking that was a meaningful answer, Gin slightly lowered her head to the ninja,

“Do not worry, — please provide instructions without holding anything back”

“Jud, In that case have you understood the main aim here”

Saying that the ninja vanished.

●

…..!?

The reason Gin reflectively looked upwards was not a result of her sense of sight but as a result of intuition.

Sure enough, there looking above her head at the surface of the wall, the shadow of the ninja was already running at a position greater than ten metres.

Nimble.

He was not climbing. The ninja was running on the wall as if he was floating for every step.

It was martial arts. It was pure martial arts with there being no Fluid light being emitted.

However usually if you were to climb you would lose momentum and fall back to the ground. That’s why,

“— Muneshige, that martial art…..”

“Jud, In order to continue going upwards it is important to keep accelerating faster than you are falling. “

To achieve that,

“Compared to a normal running style you do not use your legs to kick. Instead you use the sole of your forward leg to hang onto the well, and then so as to not to lose momentum you repeatedly to pull yourself forward in a short cycle.”

It was not kicking behind and propelling the body forward but rather hanging on and pulling the body forward.

I see, is what Gin thought.

……Up until now as a result of carrying materials in an unstable environment the kicking and pushing was done as rehabilitation and it was now this pulling movement as the next stage of rehabilitation.

“Ju— “

Gin who had gone to say that it made sense suddenly stopped.

“Is this it?”

In the sky beside the nodding Technomagi. The ninja was standing on the wall.

●

…….Huh?

In front of Gin’s gaze the ninja was standing on the surface on the wall.

He had his right leg slightly lowered and while making his body seemingly slightly fall onto the wall he stood on the wall with a seemingly relaxed atmosphere. In front of her who for a moment was dumbstruck, Musashi’s Sixth Special Agent folded her arms and formed the following words. “— Ninjas' are apparently able to always to stand on top of a still blade. Well even though he is like that, on-board Musashi he is a high level ninja; it is good to observe. “

While those words continued, the ninja who while continuing to talk to the fallen angel tilted his body slightly forward towards the wall. Thinking that he was going to fall,

“There is some damage over here”

The ninja remained on the wall like that and moved to the left.

Then as is if following the fingertips of the Technomagi he attached a talisman to the wall, then using his fingers and grasping the slight thickness of the talisman he rotated his body in the opposite direction,

“Naito, here you go”

From his breast pocket he pulled out a bamboo can of “Saint Max George Coffee” and passed it over to the Technomagi. In his movements there was no sense of him rushing or hurrying. He moved with an air of composure.

From there the ninja turned his body and fluttered through the air.

“Well then”

Without a sound or lowering his body, he simply descended onto the foothold.

The unstable foothold did not shake or make a sound.

……Unbelievable…..

Musashi’ First Special Agent usually served in a feint capacity during battles; even at England’s London Tower he did not participate in any direct combat. However even then,

“I see, I understand”

Seeing the ninja who was approaching this direction, Gin muttered.

“What saved Mary Stuart was not only just because of the actions of those in the surrounding“

“— Hmm? Is there something wrong?”

I wonder if the ninja who tilted his neck had not realized his ability. No,

……If he had not realized it then there was no way he would be displaying it

He had self-awareness about his ability. However for those in his surroundings this was a matter of fact. That was why was it was not pointed out.

With respect to that fact,

“…It is the same as us in the past. I wonder if this is also that kind of place, Muneshige.”

“Jud, it would seem so”

While saying that he moved forward.

With that sudden movement, oh, she looked up and the corners of Muneshige’s mouth there was a smile which seemed as if he was trying to tolerate something.

……Good grief. Even he had only just received permission from the treatment facility for everyday activities.

This person liked this kind of stuff, being challenged.

●

Muneshige while nodding to Tenzou’s words “This area is right beneath the target” stood in front of the wall. Then sending a fleeting glance in the direction of Tenzou,

“— Thank you for all the arrangements and such”

Don’t worry about it; there Tenzou waved his hand from side to side.

“I don’t have the personally or position to be teaching people. That’s why after this assignment I want you to learn on your own, is that all right?

In other words that was,

“……In the First Special Agents opinion, by the time I am able to complete this task it will be that I have achieved a sufficient ability?

That was also that; however Tenzou while scratching his head shrugged his shoulders.

“If you can complete this then the places where you can work aboard Musashi will increase you know?”

Jud, Muneshige laughed. He had realized lately that Musashi was constantly facing a lack of personnel however among them the engineering, maintenance and repairs job were always available. Among those jobs the one with the good earnings were the work on the outer wall or in high places.

It was Muneshige’s thinking that the most necessary thing for newcomers was money.

……In that case the challenge will be whether my legs can take on those tasks

Muneshige placed his right leg on the wall. Then,

“……well then”

He went.

●

Muneshige ran up the wall.

He was beginning to understand the method. By the third step he had grasped the most of the tempo.

That’s why he thought he could do it, however

“Oh“

At the seventh step he suddenly began to lose speed.

He understood the reason quite well.

Towards the leg which he was using to pull his body up, he was holding power into it for too long.

……His leg power had decreased by a lot.

He thought that if it was the past him he could have gone further.

In reality he thought that in his current form he could still go about three more meters, a total of twelve meters however Muneshige,

“—“

At the ten meter mark of the twenty meters that he was meant to run he kicked the wall.

He did a backwards somersault, entered a landing posture and there from far above his head the Technomagi,

“Ah— Even though I waited with the coffee”

Before he could assert he was sorry he landed on the foothold.

Together with a banging sound, the wooden floor and the strengthened bamboo of the foothold let out a screeching sound. Thinking that it was an unsightly landing, he stood up and looked and there was Gin who had come with a towel

He realized that his entire body was covered in sweat.

Tenzou also finally came.

“Okay. How splendid. Getting that far on your first time is well done. As expected”

In response to his words, Muneshige went to say something. However

“— “

There was a weight from the depth of his chest.

It was oxygen deprivation. As a result of extreme tension and movement light oxygen deprivation symptoms had occurred and the depth of his chest feel heavy.

……After all I surprisingly have not many of these types of motions.

Muneshige looked upwards at the ten meter position, and carved it into his heart. That he could make it up to that position.

There before he could say anything to Tenzou who had come to his side, Gin who was next to him lightly bowed her head.

“……Thank you very much. However Muneshige it did seem like you could have gone a little further—”

At Gin’s prompting words Muneshige nodded his head. He breathed air into his lungs and lightened his body,

“Jud, — however I did have to land after wards”

Muneshige thought back about his last landing. He had lowered his body to its limit; however the shock from his soles had not disappeared. That was to say that the springs of his muscle strength and sense of balance had decreased.

“It is my thinking that if I had gone any higher than that my something would have gone wrong with my landing.”

“Jud. — The best way is to not try the impossible, if you can manage that then afterwards you will increase on your own. In no time you will be better than you were before.”

Tenzou said that and looked over everyone,

Well then shall we take an official break. I believe we can do something about drinks—”

“Ah, shall I go buy them? Even though I’m like this I did use to be a deliverer in the postal service”

“No No, there Tenzou waved his hand around his waist and returned it.

Seeing several bamboo cans hanging from his hand Gin muttered.

“……You’re not saying you did that just now with that weight attached?”

That was,

“…..Almost as if you’re always a fast gofer”

“G-Gin, wasn’t that a bit harsh! Ah, I’m sorry!”

“No, that type of being at ease is also more comfortable for me”

Saying that the ninja paused for a moment. Then he looked in the direction of the west.

There was IZUMO and the path which led to it.

There was a flow of movement on the dirt path. With the tremor of the brown hair which could also be seen as a gathering of brown wind,

“Would that be Kimi?”

Kimi was heading in the direction of IZUMO. However she walked towards a suburban house which was along the way.

●

Beneath the afternoon sky a brown color was dancing.

It was hair. The girl who was wearing a Far East uniform which was modified into something suiting a dancing girl was looking up at the sky.

It was Kimi.

The place where she was basking in the western wind was a garden of a suburban house at IZUMO.

The spacious garden was enclosed by a fence. It was a fence which was entwined with Japanese morning glory shoots which yet had no flowers.

Raising one’s face and looking up from there it was possible to overlook everything in the surrounding scenery.

In the east was Musashi, in the south was country and forest and then in the north and west there was city of IZUMO, there could be seen a massive multistory shrine combined with a white development center.

In this garden which took a distance from all of these was a house with a southern facing thatched roof.

It was just one of the many farm-like buildings in the suburb. It was that kind of house and farm.

Then after Kimi had looked in all four directions she directed her gaze to the east, towards Musashi.

“— Well then”

Beneath the blue of the early summer and the low clouds there was massive black and white ship. From her current position the whole aspect of the starboard side looked as if a cliff of great length.

The dancing girl, while entwining her hair which was blown about by the wind around her arm, let out a small laugh.

“Looking from below makes it seem so large. Don’t you think so? Uzui”

Calling out, there from the gap in her chest a wavy haired little girl Mouse crawled out and nodded.

She clapped her hands once and pulled out a sign frame. The contents were,

• Silver Wolf: 『Kimi, Horizon has headed that way. Can you see her? 』

• Clever Sister: 『Easily Wolf. From just now though』

As if following Musashi’s outer wall Kimi moved her sight downwards.

On one of the several bridges which were connected to Musashi, there were two shadows on the road which came in this direction. There coming along between the shelter-belt forest road which had a slight heat haze was,

“Haha, as I thought foolish brother chose to abstain. With your lady attendant as your escort— you seem as you are on your leisurely way, Horzion.

While still far away Kimi saw the silver hair which seemed as if it was immersed in the heat haze come along. Well then, without changing her posture Kimi turned her back on Horizon and Futayo.

• Clever Sister: 『 Mitotsudaira, in that case you should come down here as well. Have you longed for your mother’s scent so much that you can’t come down? You being too considerate of Mary is also something you shouldn’t do…』

• Silver Wolf: 『The way of speaking…..!』

Aha, Kimi softly laughed however she lightly lowered her eyebrows.

Looking at the sign frame,

“Well, do your best”

Leaving a voice which wouldn’t reach, she then looked forward, to the north.

There was a city.

In the surroundings there were rice-plant paddies and irrigation channels with in the north side there was a town, with a Shinto shrine arch and a group of research facilities that could be seen as massive fortress. On the far side of the Shinto Arch there was a staircase which spanned over several kilometers and above that a shrine.

“Izumo-Kitsuki-Taisha. —The core of the Large Company IZUMO, from the age of the gods has been the large financial support of the gods and is now what the citizens of the Far East rely upon….. hmm”

Taking a breath.

“Meeting my grandmother who lives in a place like this, I wonder what Horizon will think?”

“Lives in place like this is quite a thing to say, Kimi.”

From the depth of the house, from the direction of the tatami mat floor which received the rays of the sun there was a voice.

It was woman’s slightly subdued voice.

“— Grandmother”

“How many times do I have say that either Mitsu or Grandma are fine before you understand. I’m not someone who needs that much respect”

Appearing from the house frontage was an elderly woman who was wearing the clothing of the Far East with the front closed as many married people did and whose hair had faded to a light brown.

“So? Horizon is alive? I heard about Mikawa and the rest. Here and there were disturbances and wariness. Then well, the reason you came here wasn’t to learn about ritual techniques or smiting was it? — What did you come here for?”

“As far as we know, for the moment we want to hear the oldest story that we can.”

What stories? In regards to her grandmother’s question Kimi answered like this.

“About Horizon’s mother. Mother would not talk about it …however what about Grandmother? Is there anything that you can in front of Horizon herself? After all while Horizon may have lost her memories but it is not like she lost her past. There is a lot she should know—“

“She should know?”

Haha, Kimi nodded her head.

“If without knowing anything Horizon suddenly comes to face with her past she might experience sadness you know? If that happens foolish brother might become discouraged. That is also something which I do not wish for.”

That’s why Kimi directed her gaze to the silver hair which was walking to here from far way and said.

“In order for Horizon who knows nothing …..Will you let her hear your words so the she can confront that past?