Mushi Uta:Volume 9 Chapter 1

1.00 Enclosure

It could see a source of light.

After repeating slumber and awakening, it was still being invited by the light, so it headed toward it.

Leaping into its midst, it was instantly enveloped by a blinding radiance.

What appeared in front of it was a vast sea.

Reflecting the sunlight, it sparkled prettily.

Ah, it’s been a while—

It thought this. Looking closely, the sea was slightly clouded and not marine blue at all. Even so it looked really pretty to it, probably because it had been closed in the darkness for so long.

The strong wind was pleasant.

Getting tired of simply floating, it ascended to the sky.

After flying all the way up to the clouds, it started moving horizontally. Leaving the sea behind and leaping over mountains, it passed through the sky above manmade cities.

While it had its fill of freedom, the sun had sunk.

Flying beneath the starry sky, suddenly something stopped right next to it.

“I reached the coordinates of the sensed unidentified Mushi—w-what the heck is this? I’ve never seen—“

It was a human riding an insect-like monster. Clad in a large coat, their face was covered by mechanical goggles.

The person shouted as they put their hand to the goggles, but it couldn’t hear well because of the wind.

“Roger that—I’ll attempt attacking it to test the waters—”

The person riding the monster removed a hand from the goggles. The monster rotated and headed toward it.

Feeling hostility, it moved to the side.

“W-what—where did it—it moves too fast—”

The next instant, the air oscillated.

“Gwaaaah!”

Getting hit by the attack it fired, the monster’s shell broke. Losing half of its body, the monster fell to the ground along with the coated person.

Having eliminated the nuisance, it returned flying in the night sky as it pleased.

It flew through the sky calmly.

When it passed near the base of a mountain, it stopped its movements entirely.

For a moment it had the feeling that it sniffed something nostalgic.

Curious, it started lowering itself.

It then noticed a small point of light moving through a pitch-dark forest.

Several cars were travelling in this woodland path that had no lights in it. The front and back had cars painted in black, and between them a long limousine colored pure white.

With this being so different, it aroused its curiosity.

The nostalgic scent was only momentary and had already vanished. But perhaps that car’s owner had called this scent.

Let’s watch them for a while—

Feeling elated due to its release in a long while, it thought so on a whim.

1.01 Nanana Part 1

She heard that this mountain, far from the capital city, currently had no residents.

At some point there were talks about a dam project, but a collusion between the government and the construction company came to light and everything was stopped. Although next came an offer to turn it into a highway, as an aftermath of the budget’s revision caused by the change of authorities, the plan was dissolved.

Then the neighboring village raised funds, created a camping site and tried calling tourists there. Many cottages were built along the thin roadway. That apparently failed as well, however. There wasn’t any lake with a nice scenery nor a mountain stream to allow rafting or fishing. Nowadays, even outdoor activities required certain arrangements.

Thus, this mountain that was supposed to bring a large profit vanished from people’s memories. All that remained was the winding woodland road and the cottages that were barely used.

It was a mountain that dashed many hopes. The current owner would probably sell it for cheap.

No, if it was her, Akasegawa Nanana—since this mountain had no scent of money, she wouldn’t have bought it in the first place. Even if she knew it would cost her only a thousandth of her vast assets.

Inside one of the cars rushing through the woodland path, a long limousine, Nanana widened her eyes.

“You saw that? You saw it, right? Wasn’t it a deer? Definitely a deer.”

The vast car was built such that there were two seats on opposite sides along the window. In the middle was a long table with a wine cooler and several glasses.

“It’s my first time seeing one. Its eyes were shining. Was it getting ready to shoot out some sort of beam? Deer beam! Yahah. We have to run away or it’ll burn us to a crisp.”

As she tried pointing outside, the glass she was holding bumped against the window. She saw her reflection there. Clad in a cheongsam. Slightly curly long hair and flushed cheeks, as well as the slanted eyes she inherited from her grandfather that were now looking at her. This year she turned seventeen, but had a much more petite and slender body than girls her age, perhaps due to eating less meat, as she disliked the taste of blood.

“That wasn’t a deer, it was a boar. You can tell because the position of its eyes was closer to the ground. So it’d be a boar beam.”

Calmly pointing this out was the woman sitting across from Nanana. She was beauty who looked good in her skirt suit and glasses; Nanana heard that she was 23 years old. Other than the stuffed teddy bear left near her as if she was snuggling with it, she exuded a cold and calm atmosphere.

Nanana curled her lips, thrusting her glass before the woman’s nose. She then asked with a drunk-sounding tone.

“How could you even see it from there? Do you have eyes on your back? Never mind that, you’re going against what your boss said, so you’re fired, fired!”

“I saw it reflected on the window.”

Her expression set in stone, for some reason she bit the edge of Nana’s glass. Nana’s good mood was instantly restored. “Yahah. How amusing. Yeah, keep biting it,” she laughed. Following that request, the woman kept chattering her teeth.

“Hey, Pochi, you saw it as well, right? What do you think? Was it deer? A boar? Or perhaps a ghost?”

Turning toward the back of the car, she saw two suit-wearing boys sitting there.

“Huh? Umm…”

The boy Nanana called to mumbled in a low voice and hung his head. Perhaps having coarse hair, his bangs were disordered and spiky. On top of his suit, he wrapped a white cloth around his arms and legs.

“Don’t ‘umm’ me! Which is it?”

Moving on top of the seat, she thrust her glass at the cloth boy’s forehead. The recoil caused the back of his head to hit the back window, raising a dull sound. While wearing a painful-looking face, he smiled wryly.

“You haven’t seen it at all, right? Are you trying to trick me?”

“I…I’m very sorry, mistress…”

“What about you, Iruka-san? Did you see it?”

“…”

The other boy, a bit older than the other one, meaning he looked around Nanana’s age, was staring at the ceiling. He stripped the jacket of his suit, unfastened the first button and loosened his tie. Looking at his face covered in gangster-like sunglasses, she thought that he was quite the looker as long as he stayed silent. Leaning near him was a stick used for the sport of hockey.

Without thinking Nanana ended up gazing up the ceiling as well. Yet it was simply coated with soft leather and had nothing special about it. “What’s this… a forcefield of a kind I’ve never felt before. Should I go closer and investigate?” the boy was muttering about something.

“Iruka-san!”

She hit the boy’s forehead with her glass. “Agh,” he groaned, noticing her line of sight. Perhaps dull to pain, he didn’t even rub his forehead despite Nanana having hit him quite hard. He lowered his sunglasses.

“Hmm? What is it, Nanana-chan? Wow, this is such a bold approach from you. Wanna kiss?”

“Eeek!”

Seeing the boy thrusting out his lips, Nanana bent back.

As Iruka still attempted to draw near, his face was grabbed by the other boy. He directed a fierce glare at him from between his parted bangs.

“C’mon, it was a joke! I’m not doing anything! Don’t make that scary face at me, senpai! —So, what did you want, Nanana-chan?”

“Will you stop acting as if we’re friends? You suddenly told me to make you my bodyguard, and you do seem to be somewhat strong, so I hired you. Isn’t it common knowledge not to call your employer with the honorific ‘chan’?”

“Yeah yeah, sorry ‘bout being rude, Princess.”

“What’s up with him? Have you actually disciplined this guy?”

Nanana raised her eyebrows, turning toward the front. The suit-wearing woman averted her eyes.

“There’s a limit to what can be done in a few days.”

“Ah! Wait, my glass! You drank from it!”

“I did not.”

“The glass’s clearly emptier, you’ve brought out another one, and you’re still feigning ignorance? Ah! Looking closely, your bear’s mouth is purple! You made that thing drink my precious wine? How much are you going to dote on it?! I’ll forbid you bringing it along next time!”

“I am allowed to bring it under my current contract,” the woman played innocent.

“Geez, I can’t take it anymore! You’re all a bunch of freaks!”

Except for the driver, there were only four people riding the limousine.

Angry, Nanana kicked at the stick lying on the floor. It was her favorite stick, shaped like an upside-down “J”.

“That’s why I loathe Mushitsuki!”

Mushi.

Having appeared a little over ten years ago, these beings resembled insects and so were called like this.

Mushi possessed adolescent boys and girls, and in exchange for feasting on their hopes and dreams, granted their hosts supernatural abilities. Those possessed by Mushi were called Mushitsuki.

The country created an organization called the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau and concealed the existence of Mushi. They captured Mushitsuki and used many methods to hide them. They trained those captured Mushitsuki and regulated them as soldiers to capture further unaffiliated Mushitsuki.

But there was no way that abnormal things as Mushi and Mushitsuki could be fully hidden. Rumors spreads among the populace and they became abhorred as targets of fear and discrimination.

“I am not a Mushitsuki.”

The suit woman said calmly.

“I’m aware.”

“In the first place, if you hate Mushitsuki, why have you launched this project?”

“Are you dissatisfied?”

“The risks are too simply large. At present, there is no need for our Foundation to take such a dangerous gamble.”

“I’ve been thinking about it, but money is something like a nutrient. You have to distribute it or you’ll rot. I know many people who smell horribly because they only accumulate money.”

“That’s why if you just spread it senselessly, you will only rot your crops.”

While tilting the wine glass, Nanana ignored the calm woman’s warning. Wiping off her soberness, her bad mood was fixed.

“Oh?”

The hockey stick boy looked outside the window, raising his voice.

“What is it, Iruka-san? Another deer? Or boar?”

Nanana’s eyes sparkling, she looked outside. The woodland night path was silent again, and she couldn’t hear anything except the limousine and the cars behind and ahead grinding gravel. From time to time there was perhaps a bird’s call as if it suddenly recalled to act its part.

The boy answered readily.

“Nope. A human.”

Nanana furrowed her brows. But soon she directed a wide smile at the white cloth boy.

“Collect them.”

The moment he heard the command, the boy opened the limousine door. He unhesitatingly threw his body into the night, running in the darkness.

“—Ouchhh! It really hurts! Huh? Can an arm even bend that way? This is really bad!”

With his hand brought behind his back by the wrapped cloth boy, another boy was dragged into the parked limousine. He was brought to forcibly prostrate in front of Nanana’s feet.

“Go.”

Grinning, Nanana ordered. The limousine drove through the woodland path again.

“Huh? What? What’s this? A prank show?”

The boy’s first impression was “a bundle of bags”. He was probably around Nanana’s age. His slightly dirty face, bangs pushed back by glasses and a swept back haircut were nothing special. But he carried a large leather bag on his back and had several other bags hanging from his shoulders. Perhaps his real body was the bag.

Nanana used her stick to raise her wineglass, rotating it and thrusting it against the boy’s shoulder.

“Say, Iruka-san. Is this ‘bag boy monster!’ a Mushitsuki?”

“A monster? What, where? Wait, you mean me! Where are you even looking… eek, a bag monster!”

As the boy became shocked to see his own reflection on the window, the hockey stick man reclined with his legs crossed. He shook his pointer finger to the sides.

“Hey, boss. Mai name iz, Shachito. Owkay?” he spoke in horrible English.

“But a dolphin’s much cuter than a killer whale. Anyway, how about it? You can tell, right Iruka-san?”

“I can just feel if a Mushitsuki’s using their abilities, alright? Well, doesn’t feel like he is one, though. Never mind abilities or whatnot, he didn’t seem wary in the least and I doubt he has any battle experience.”

“Hmm, so he’s not. —Say, you. Why are you here, then?”

There was no way a mere civilian would be there. He was too far from any private home to have been out gathering herbs, and it was too late for that too. Also, even if he kept going there, there were nothing but empty cottages.

“And why are you here? Who exactly are you lot?”

With tears welling up in his eyes, the boy asked back.

Stopping her subordinate from hurting the boy’s joints further, Nanana narrowed her eyes.

“My name is Akasegawa Nanana.”

“A…Akasegawa Nanana?”

The bag boy widened his eyes.

So he is related—

Confirming his response, Nanana smiled.

“No way, for real? That Akasegawa Nanana? From Akasegawa Group? You’re much cuter in real life than in that business magazine photo!”

“…?”

Nanana raised a brow. She noticed that the boy’s words and actions differed from her expectations.

Few people didn’t know the name Akasegawa Nanana. Not so much for the general populace, but among those in this country who dealt in finances, there was no one who was unaware of her.

Ironically, what caused her name to become well-known could only be said to be her grandfather’s death. He was the one who made his money-lending business a success and gathered the fortune of a lifetime. Acquiring many companies by using forceful methods and creating the joint enterprise known as Akasegawa Group was also his doing.

However, one day, her grandfather had met a sudden death. Even now the cause was uncertain.

And an unexpected person had inherited his position as the foundation’s chairman. Since his son and daughter-in-law had already been killed in an accident, he’d left the entire company to his granddaughter, Nanana. Since she’d inherited his vast properties and his job as a chairman while only a middle-schooler at the time, it became big news for a while.

But the only ones acting excited were unrelated civilians. The eyes of people around her were as cold as ice.

They probably all thought that Nanana had inherited the position in name only and would soon be driven out of the job. The foundation’s executives obviously thought this, but rival companies also all predicted this result.

However, Nanana still served as the chairman even at present.

Not only that, the Group was gathering even more momentum than when her grandfather was alive.

The reason for Akasegawa Group—or its more common name, the Akasegawa Foundation—to be still prospering was probably incomprehensible to everyone.

Only because they never thought the seemingly normal middle-schooler had inherited things other than her grandfather’s vast assets and company—

“This is my secretary. Her name is…”

Feeling some discomfort about the boy’s reaction, she pointed with her stick at the suited woman.

“What was your name again?”

She’d completely forgotten the name of her own secretary. She had the feeling she’d often referred to her as “hey” or “you there”.

“I do not mind being known as a mere secretary.”

The suited woman spoke with a cold face. When Nanana fired her previous useless secretary, she’d heard about a skilled individual in one of the companies she bought, and so brought her over to her.

She left her at her side for about a year, but now she could use her. She was somewhat strange—hauling around that stuffed teddy bear wherever she went—but at least Nanana hadn’t gotten tired of her.

“Really?” laughed Nanana, now pointing her stick at the boy with cloth wrapped on his limbs.

“And this is Pochi.”

“Pochi…?”

“Yahah, it’s actually pretty funny. When I first found him, this boy was living inside a cardboard box. He looked like a dog so I tried taking him in. He’s not a stray dog anymore; he ranked up to a watchdog.”

The boy called Pochi looked bashful. Normally he was quiet, but he was a martial artist Mushitsuki who was once used in a struggle between organized crime syndicates. Nanana hated stuffy-looking bodyguards, so she hired him as her personal guard. Incidentally, he had some comrades, and these Mushitsuki were being trained by her as well.

“And that deadbeat over there is Iruka-san. He’s Pochi’s kouhai. He looks like a bum, but he had a good fight against Pochi and I think he’s pretty strong in his own right.”

“Hi there, I’m Iruka! I can catch a ball with my mouth better than anyone!”

Perhaps having given up on his real name, the hockey stick boy raised his finger with a smile.

“A secretary with a teddy bear, a doggie and a dolphin; doesn’t it look fun?”

Perhaps it differed quite a lot from what the bags boy imagined. While Nanana wore a full smile and spread her arms, he merely gazed up absently.

“Our introduction is over. So, who are you?”

She raised the boy’s chin using the end of her stick.

“Chouya Nihei.”

After thinking for a bit, the boy gave his name. It was an awfully archaic-sounding name.

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?”

“Huh? Well… no, I was just trying to meet someone—ouch!”

Pochi constricted the boy’s arms as he feigned ignorance.

“S-stop it already! Why do I have to go through all this? This is some prime information I have for sale here! Although I’m an amateur, I have my pride as a merchant, so I won’t speak without any compen—ouchhh!”

“I have a good idea. Why don’t we make a trade: your information for your arm?”

“Got it! You convinced me! I’ll talk!”

What an unexpectedly cheap pride. Nihei readily consented after Nanana exposed her true nature as a bully.

“…Geez, what a disappointment! I didn’t think that millionaire Akasegawa Nanana would be like this!”

“Pochi.”

“I was going to meet up with someone in that cottage! They chose the time and place, so I know nothing about what’s there!”

“Someone? Who?”

“Who knows. —Ouch! I don’t know, honest! I was introduced to them, so I have no idea who they are!”

“Hmm. —Oh, aren’t we close to your goal already? Then let’s settle this immediately. What have you gone up here to do?”

“…I just ended up in a bit of trouble. I want their protection, but I thought I might be able to get them to buy something on the way.”

“I’ll buy it.”

“Huh?”

“Whatever it is you’re trying to sell, I’ll buy it. Since you haven’t even negotiated anything with the one you’re meeting, it’s not like I’m snatching it from them, right?”

As Nanana grinned at him, Nihei could only mumble “Yeah, but…”

Speaking honestly, she had a hunch about the “someone” he was going to meet.

The current owner of this mountain abandoned by many ambitious people.

That person wouldn’t normally buy this mountain that had no scent of money. It had low value as real estate and wouldn’t serve well for a vacation home. If he wanted to house a hidden lover, it would be much better to buy an apartment at the capital.

At any rate, this was a rich landowner that stood in opposition to the Akasegawa Foundation. You could even call him Nanana’s business rival.

Since that person had bought this withered land, he should have something to hide there.

What is he hiding—

Nanana had a guess about that as well.

“It’s simply an item that you need to be a little cautious about. I mean, it is causing the scary organization called the SEPB to come after me.”

Having had his arms twisted too much, Nihei’s face was half-buried in the carpet on the car floor. Looking so worried was probably an act in order to raise his price.

“Eseepibi? Oh, you mean the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau. Meaning, this is something related to Mushitsuki.”

Seeing Nanana say this so calmly, Nihei was stunned. If he was seeking to discuss business with this land’s owner, it had to be quite the item—so she thought, and hit bullseye.

“Then I simply must have it. I loathe the SEPB.”

Skillfully spinning her stick with her fingertips, she cackled.

Once, she’d been shown quite the unexpected sight by the SEPB—specifically the man called the strongest Mushitsuki. It would feel great to cause them some trouble.

“We have arrived.”

The secretary spoke in a mechanical tone, and Pochi opened the door. “Agh,” Nihei raised a shriek as he was kicked out, and Pochi himself leapt outside as well.

The limousine parked at the end of the woodland path.

It was an open plot of land around two times the size of a soccer field. There were several cottages there, none of them with any lights. She could also see a water-drawing place on the dust-covered region.

“Huh? What? What is it?”

Ignoring the confused Nihei, Pochi nimbly leapt to the front of the limousine.

Following Pochi came several other figures from the black cars escorting the limousine. The boys and girls clad in black suits—were the Mushitsuki who were Pochi’s comrades. Their trust in their leader deep, they followed Pochi’s actions rather than Nanana’s orders.

The empty camping site had a tense atmosphere.

The moon hung silently in the sky and the call of an early cicada echoed from somewhere.

Pochi and the rest surrounding the limousine to protect it took battle positions while not moving a single muscle.

On top of the soft seat, Nanana craned her head.

“Oh, was I wrong?”

“The ground is covered in people’s footprints. They also took perfect care of that water-drawing well. Furthermore, there’s not a speck of dust on the cottage.”

Folding his arms, Shachito spoke from the backseat.

“And most importantly, I can feel the power fields of Mushitsuki around there. Quite a lot are hiding.”

“Get out too, Iruka-san. Haven’t you come here to protect me?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you, Princess. And with my full powers.” The boy shrugged exaggeratedly. “However, it is yet to be my stage. I’m not good at coordinated movements,” he asserted calmly.

As Nanana puffed her cheeks in annoyance, there was movement at the camp.

The lights turned on in one of the cottages.

At the same time several people appeared from behind the building’s shadow.

“Now then, let us begin negotiations.”

Supported by her secretary as she had poor control of her legs due to drunkenness, Nanana got off the car.

While spinning her stick, she tottered as she passed Pochi and the rest and stepped to the front.

“Yahah.”

Seeing the person revealed by the cottage’s lights, Nanana laughed.

Appearing there were several boys and girls. Since there were barely any adults among them, she could easily surmise their identity. Since they were waiting for them, they’d probably installed security cameras around.

“I knew this was connected to Mushibane. So you were taking refuge in the middle of nowhere, huh?”

Three men and women faced against Nanana’s cheerful laugh.

“Who are you?”

A tall, jacket-wearing woman glared at Nanana. From her tall nose and distinct facial features and cold atmosphere, she was apparently closer in age to Nanana’s secretary. However, unlike her mechanical secretary, this woman had a feral impression.

“If you know we’re Mushibane you’re no normal civilians.”

Her tone was like that of a samurai from some period drama, but it suited her well. She acted older than she was, so perhaps she was this place’s leader.

“Good evening, I am Akasegawa Nanana.”

From her wide smile Nanana switched to a business grin.

“I have come to talk business.”

“Business? I see.”

The one who sighed in boredom was a boy wearing a headband. With both hands in his pockets, not even looking wary, he glanced at them in a relaxed manner.

“You’ve got guts, coming here for that.”

“In business it’s important to have face-to-face meetings. Even when I know my opponent’s dangerous, nothing would come forth by being scared.”

They didn’t seem to be the mood to welcome her. But that was already within her expectations.

She was trying to do business where no people attempted before. She also acknowledged the risks. But to make her plans come true, she couldn’t avoid negotiating with the owner of this land—and consequently with Mushibane as well.

“So horrible…”

The one who muttered this was a petite girl. Her short hair suited her. Unlike the other two, she didn’t seem to be a combatant at all.

Ignoring the girl who mumbled incomprehensible things, Nanana decided to continue the negotiation.

“I would like to speak more concretely, sooo, who’s the one in charge—”

“What’re your demands?”

The jacket-wearing girl said with obvious hostility.

“Is it fine for us to discuss this out here? Isn’t our audience a bit too large?”

“Hmph. Then, come inside the cottage—”

“I think that what you are doing is the worst…!”

The short-haired girl interjected again.

Nanana let her business smile crumble in spite of herself. Since she loathed people hampering her negotiations, she unconsciously unveiled her true nature as she narrowed one eye.

“Can you make that kid over there shut up? She’s been very annoying.”

“Annoying? What’s annoying about her, you bastard!”

For some reason their leader started shouting at her angrily. Maybe that girl was her sister. She seemed to be awfully overprotective.

That was why Nanana hated negotiating with amateurs. She sighed.

“Understood. This is enough.”

“W-what’s enough? We have not had enough!”

Seeing the girl puff her cheeks angrily, Nanana snapped.

Nanana and the short-haired girl glared at each other, opening their mouths at the same time.

“I can’t have this talk with you. Will you bring out Munakata-shi already?”

“W-where have you hidden Munakata-san?!”

Munakata Kaiji.

Just like Nanana’s father, he was an entrepreneur who managed to raise an enormous fortune on his own.

Although his one-man business style resembled the Akasegawa clan’s, since he made use of no forceful methods he was more positively famous when compared to the Akasegawa Foundation.

Munakata Kaiji himself was this mountain’s current owner.

Since it was Munakata Kaiji, who wasted nothing while conducting business, there had to be a reason he’d bought this empty mountain.

Nanana’s surmise was apparently correct, but—

“…”

Nanana stood stunned in the silent camping site.

Her brain stopped thinking for a few moments due to this unforeseen situation. Finally, she spoke again.

“Munakata is… gone?”

“Are you not his kidnappers?”

The jacketed woman also unexpectedly groaned.

“U-umm… I’m sorry.”

She didn’t care about the small girl apologizing in a barely audible voice. Nanana bit her lips, turning back to the jacket woman.

“I would like to hear what happened in detail. Are you Mushibane’s leader?”

“No—”

Both the jacket-wearing woman and the headband-wearing boy moved their gaze to the short-haired girl.

“I-I’m sorry…”

For some reason, the girl apologized again to the speechless Nanana.

1.02 Nanana Part 2

The first Mushitsuki that Nanana had met was an untalkative girl.

Nanana was still young. She had been called by her grandfather, her only remaining blood relative, to participate in a party full of wealthy people.

While walking around the unfamiliar town to do some sightseeing, she’d gotten lost. She ended up in a dirty back alley, feeling so scared she was about to burst into tears.

The girl she’d met in that alley was slightly older and couldn’t be called pretty even as a compliment.

That girl wordlessly took hold of Nanana’s arm.

On the way, when Nanana got hurt, she even carried her.

Pulling the confused Nanana’s hand, the girl led her out of the labyrinthian alley in no time.

Nanana had been astonished at the view of the town that suddenly appeared in front of her.

It’s just like magic—

When she’d said that, the older girl also looked surprised.

Thank you—

After Nanana had thanked her, the girl froze for some reason.

When Nanana had brought out some reward, the girl instantly rejected it with a “I don’t need it”. Although it was obvious from her rough clothes and sickly thin body that she needed the money, she denied it.

At that moment the girl seemed to be full of pride, much more than any other person Nanana had ever met. Even more than any politician that ruled the country or any mainstream celebrity.

She’d met this older girl again only after a year passed.

One day the girl had appeared in front of Nanana.

She was completely changed from when Nanana had first met her, transforming into someone strong and beautiful. After that, the girl appeared to meet Nanana from time to time, always wearing large headphones.

Nanana, having thought of the world as beautiful at that time, had called that headphone girl “the Kind Magician”.

She would give Nanana advice every time she appeared and saved her using a mysterious power.

Without seeking anything in return.

She simply looked after Nanana while wearing a kind smile.

“You’re asking what I’m listening to? In these headphones?”

Was it that much of an unexcepted question? Almost as if it this the first time in her life that anyone had asked about her, the headphones girl widened her almond eyes.

It happened when Nanana stopped the girl who’d always immediately leave for a little talk. Seeing off the bus she took to school, they walked next to one another to wait for another one.

“Well… I’m not sure how to answer.”

At the time they didn’t even know each other’s names. Because their mysterious relationship required none of that.

“After all, I just told them to choose the loudest ones for me. I don’t even know the song names.”

While scratching her head, the girl spoke incoherently. Seeing this girl who was taller and more mature than Nanana so troubled caused her to start laughing.

“Choose for you? Like—was it a friend that chose?”

She actually wanted to ask “A friend or like a lover?”, but the latter half wouldn’t come out of her mouth.

“No, just someone in the shop… an employee.”

Nanana didn’t think there was any difference, but the older girl had the habit to try and use difficult words in front of her. She probably hadn’t received any proper education, or perhaps she had a complex about that. Nanana didn’t mind that one bit.

“I see,” Nanana said and wore a carefree smile. She was glad that she was able to keep this girl, who cared about her like family, all to herself.

“Oh, but maybe you’ll understand by seeing this.”

Pulling out the player connected to the headphone, she showed it to Nanana. Receiving the stick-shaped device, Nanana looked at the song names displayed there. They were in English.

“’Prometheus’.”

“Promi…ti?”

“I believe that’s a god from Greek Mythology. A hero who was executed because he’d stolen fire from the gods and gave them to the humans who were afraid of the dark.”

“You’re so knowledgeable.”

Narrowing her eyes, the headphones girl took back the player. Perhaps liking the name of the song, she put the player inside her coat’s pocket carefully.

“He’s just like me. I don’t mind being executed for your sake.”

Kidou Tsukasa.

That was apparently the name of the Mushitsuki who always had headphones hanging from her neck. She possessed a mental control-type ability which was rare even among Mushitsuki, and was so strong that she’d been able to toy with the government agency called the SEPB.

All of this Nanana learned much, much later.

And, even while using the entire powers of the Akasegawa Foundation, she’d been unable to find anything more than that—

“...?”

Seeing Nanana widen her eyes in surprise, Tsukasa looked confused. She apparently hadn’t realized what she’d just said.

No, she probably did, but treated it as completely natural. She wouldn’t care if she was executed even for Nanana, who was a complete stranger for her. —And without getting anything in return.

“Miss Magician—”

Why do you always help me?

She wanted to ask this, but closed her mouth. She wanted to ask it countless times in the past. But she never could. If she knew the reason for it, the magic would be lifted—at the time she believed so from the bottom of her heart.

“What are always doing when you go away?”

She changed her question.

Tsukasa brought up her chin. As the girl stretched her back at the bus stop, her form looked so ephemeral it wouldn’t be strange for her to disappear among the crowd at any moment.

“Hmm… can’t really explain it well.”

Nanana said nothing. If the Magician didn’t want to speak about it, she would ask no further.

But Tsukasa looked down her open hands and started speaking while choosing her words.

“I guess you could say I’m investigating the flow of money. Since that large flow of cash ends up sweeping even those who don’t have much money and takes it away. I wish I could build a wall… an embankment to protect those weak people.”

“Like volunteer work… or some sort of support group?”

“Since it’s something I’m doing myself, I don’t really think so. I don’t have any allies, so it’s not a group. And there’s something else that bothers me lately as well.”

“Something else?”

“Our power… why does this magic-like power exist? What should I do with this power?”

Nanana widened her eyes.

“Are there other magicians like you?”

“Yes.”

Tsukasa said this calmly and smiled.

“Apparently, the first person who had this sort of power was called Alpha.”

Alpha.

Nanana tilted her head. —Without knowing just how important that term spoken by the Kind Magician was. At that time, that Mushitsuki girl had grasped an outrageous secret.

“While poking the cartel, other rumors came to my ears. Enclosure, Bubble and… Paradigm Shift, was it? I don’t know what these all mean, but they’re apparently also related to the power I have.”

“Enclosure, Bubble, Paradigm Shift… these are all economics jargon.”

“Are they? My power is suited for investigating, but it doesn’t help if I lack the knowledge. Things like that—I knew that it was best to leave them to other people.”

Smiling wryly, Tsukasa looked ahead.

“Right now I will do what needs to be done. The past should be left for smart people.”

Nanana looked down.

Although she wanted to help the Magician, she lacked power. Not only could she not use magic, but she also lacked brains.

“I’m jealous. I wish I could use magic too.”

“You don’t need it.”

“Huh?”

“I will be your power.”

As Nanana looked up at her, the Magician grinned.

“I don’t want anything in return from you—no compensation. Unlike this power.”

“Compensation…”

“You have thanked me. Even without this power, you’re enough of a good person… you can save people.”

Thank you—

She’d definitely said this.

After Tsukasa helped her when they’d first met, she had thanked her.

Nanana was confused.

Just for that single phrase?

Was Tsukasa saying that she wanted to help Nanana to that extent just in response to such a commonplace phrase of gratitude?

Whatever the circumstances might have been—it was just impossible.

Even with her dreamy ideals at the time Nanana thought it couldn’t be. There had to be another reason. She wouldn’t call Nanana a good person just for that.

“…”

Nanana wordlessly raised her right arm.

Kidou Tsukasa was smiling. Taking hold of Nanana’s shaking fingers, she firmly grabbed her hand back.

“If you’re ever in trouble, I want you to call me.”

—I will help you.

The Kind Magician had said so.

“Of course.”

Waiting for the bus while holding hands with the older girl, Nanana wore a carefree smile.

That was her memory with Kidou Tsukasa, the Kind Magician.

The first Mushitsuki Nanana had met.

Even after this the Magician had appeared in front of Nanana, gave her advice, and left with a smile.

The Magician that always came to help Nanana.

She had betrayed Nanana—only once.

After the death of her single remaining blood relative, Nanana had been given a large fortune and the job of a chairman of a large organization. The world that seemed so bright and beautiful to her until then now became infested with demons that were drawn to money, the most sullied world of all.

Nanana, having become the loneliest in the world, had no one to count on.

If there was, it could only be one—

The headphones girl, who took care of Nanana the most.

She believed without any doubt that the Kind Magician would come and help her.

While feeling lonely and fearing the cowardly, prideful adults, Nanana kept waiting for the Magician.

Yet the Kind Magician never appeared.

Even though during the last time they’d met she’d promised her that she’d keep being in the same city.

She’d believed her.

—If you’re ever in trouble, I want you to call me.

—Of course.

The first and only betrayal of the Magician.

These frozen scars overwrote the warmth of holding hands that day.

“—Yahah.”

On top of the sofa in the cottage’s lobby, Nanana burst into laughter. Knowing that she had no one to bargain with, there no longer was any need for her business smile.

“Have you heard? Munakata was kidnapped, they said! Yahaha, is he a kid? Was he offered candies by a stranger?”

Jumping to lean back on the sofa, she laughed at her subordinates. The secretary shrugged while holding her stuffed toy and Pochi grinned. Shachito was perhaps uninterested so he stared outside the window, waving amiably toward the Mushibane members outside.

“What’s so funny, you little…!”

The jacket woman bent forward displayed her anger.

As a result of the simple self-introduction, she came to know that this short-tempered woman was called Namie. She was relatively old, but wasn’t their leader.

“I-I don’t think it’s nice to laugh about people’s misfortune.”

With her ears reddening, the petite girl seated on the sofa puffed her cheeks. She was probably about as old as Nanana or slightly younger. Perhaps as a result of her baby face, her words and manner seemed childish.

At first Nanana had doubted her ears, but apparently it was true that this girl was the leader of Mushibane. Her name was Snow Fly. People around her called her Snow.

The headband boy near Snow was called Aijisupa. His sleepy-looking eyes silently observed how things went. He was probably the leader’s bodyguard.

There were two other Mushibane members inside the cottage. The one crossing her arms and sitting near the fireplace was the girl called Halensis, with characteristic Japanese glossy black hair. The fashionable girl sitting on the stairs at the back and fiddling with her cellphone was Lucifera. She’d been told that both were Mushibane executives.

Incidentally, the boy that Nanana had brought on the way here, Chouya Nihei, was outside the cottage. Apparently they would decide how to deal with him later.

“And you even mistakenly thought that I was the kidnapper… is this a joke?”

Being tired of laughing, Nanana turned back to the people of Mushibane.

“W-well… I’m sorry.”

Snow immediately shrunk and lowered her gaze. Namie stopped her.

“There is no need for you to apologize. They have unlawfully entered our property in the first place. Also, it is yet undecided that they are truly unrelated to Munakata.”

“So simple-minded. Jumping at conclusions. So stubborn.”

A voice echoed from the stairs. While playing with her cellphone, Lucifera mumbled in a bored voice.

“They wouldn’t have feigned ignorance if they really were related to this. Famous people like Akasegawa Nanana don’t have any reason to appear here directly. Normally one would kidnap Munakata-san and then ask for ransom money. If he’s really been kidnapped, that is.”

“You were the one who said he was kidnapped, Lucifera.”

“Will you please not stare at me like this, Halen-san? I just said that it was a bit too sudden for him to have simply run away. That meticulous man had plenty of work to be done, right? Apparently because of that, his real business was in upheaval. Because he does everything—whether his real job or supporting Mushibane—all by himself, we’ve instantly become dirt-poor. I wanna eat that special tart again.”

All Mushibane members in the cottage sank to silence.

Mushibane was an antigovernment group made by Mushitsuki—or more precisely a resistance organization created to oppose the SEPB. Their goal was to secure wild Mushitsuki before the SEPB captured or made them Fallen only on account of them being Mushitsuki.

Nanana heard that they had many members, including civilian collaborators. Even just guaranteeing the livelihoods of those who had no option but become runaways should take plenty of money.

Until now all financial support came from the bigwig businessman Munakata Kaiji. She wasn’t sure about his goals in doing this, but it probably wasn’t impossible given his assets.

However, Munakata had suddenly disappeared. There was no doubt that it was a matter of time before Mushibane was cornered.

“You seem to be at your wits’ end, ladies and gentlemen of Mushibane.”

Nanana coldly stared at all executives except one with a glare.

Only one person—the current leader, the girl known as Snow—hung her head.

“Akasegawa… umm… Nananana.”

“Ha. I will slap you, Leader. My name’s Nanana. Only three ‘na’.”

“I-I’m sorry. Akasegawa Nanana-san—do you know about us?”

“Yes. It might surprise you to hear I have some deep connection to Mushitsuki. —I’ve even met Mushibane’s previous leader.”

“Huh?”

Snow widened her eyes and her eyes sparkled with happiness. All other members also turned to look at Nanana.

“You’ve met Rina?”

“She was an intelligent woman.”

From some reason she heard the secretary mumble “of course” from behind.

Tachibana Rina was the founder and previous leader of Mushibane.

Because she was wise, Tachibana Rina had once done something Nanana couldn’t forgive her for—but that was in the past. If she was here, she’d start hitting her with a full smile, but had no intention to keep blaming her even after her death.

“She had no selfishness and never compromised. —She was that much of a beautiful person.”

She had a fastidious soul, the complete opposite of Nanana. Because of that she possessed an addictive charisma and corrupted those drawn to her. Nanana couldn’t do that.

“…My name is Anmoto Shiika.”

Thinking of something, Snow introduced herself again. Had she so easily forgiven her just because they had common acquaintances?

“Did you have some business with Munakata-san?”

Nanana saw a strange sight.

With Shiika’s simple words—just her uttering this calm question—the members of Mushibane who argued with each other became calm again. All their sights focused on Nanana.

She didn’t look reliable in the least, but her comrades all trusted in her. Nanana was completely fooled by the girl’s appearance, but she did have something that allowed her to inherit Tachibana Rina.

But she wasn’t going to lose to her in enchanting people.

Nanana wore her business smile again.

“Yes, I have invited him to rendezvous many times but I was ignored… although I know how rude it is, I came directly to meet him.”

“R-run the vow? What kind of vow?”

“Yahaha, you’re so funny. Rendezvous means a meeting. I’m really going to smack you.”

Nanana glared at the girl who said such stupid things with a straight face while still grinning. Shiika blushed and muttered a “S-sorry…” with a barely audible voice.

No matter how much of an idiot she was, she was the leader of the other party. Otherwise, she would have really started bullying her.

“Since Mushibane is not unrelated to all of this, I will reveal it to you as well.”

Prefacing with this, Nanana said.

“Akasegawa Group is here to forge a certain kind of contract with Mushitsuki like you.”

“A contract, you say?”

“Yes. I am aware that Mushitsuki’s powers comes in many forms. Building on that, I believe that you can support many different kinds of work.”

Shiika looked confused. She apparently couldn’t understand the meaning of Nanana’s words.

“You’re too roundabout. Too patronizing. In short...”

The girl called Lucifera interjected from her place back at the stairs.

“You’re trying to buy Mushitsuki with money, right?”

“Well, that is pretty much it.”

Nanana nodded with a smile.

As expected, Namie burst with “What…!” and her expression changed. Halensis in front of the fireplace scowled as well. “Buying us all with money?” she asked.

“Is it really so unexpected? Hadn’t Munakata-san used Mushitsuki for business as well?”

Nanana touched her cheek with her index finger, tilting her head.

“Since you’ll be working as Mushitsuki, you will need to act discreetly… but there are plenty of customers who require the use of supernatural abilities. Think about me us introducing Mushitsuki to those customers and dispatching the proper manpower. All you Mushibane would need to do is supply the requested Mushitsuki.”

Mushibane had many members. They shouldn’t have a shortage of needed abilities.

“Of course, we will also do our utmost to protect you against the SEPB. You will also gain employee benefits. You will be paid more the more dangerous it is, and in the worst case, we will also prepare reparations for the case when the merchandise is destroyed.”

A business utilizing Mushitsuki.

That was the new kind of business Nanana had thought up.

Even now Mushitsuki kept on multiplying. That truth was indisputable, and it would be unavoidable in the future as well. They could no longer hide them.

The existence of Mushitsuki was becoming normal in this country.

That was why, for this upcoming future—the victors would be those who secured the most merchandise. When Mushitsuki became exposed to the world at large, people who desire their supernatural abilities would also gain an explosive increase.

Future transactions were a basic part of commerce.

Akasegawa Group would monopolize the Mushitsuki that would be in demand in the near future.

Business of the new age would give birth to extraordinary profits. No matter the culture, those who secured as many real estate and energy sources as possible built the era. Mushibane with its vast resources was like an oil field or a gold mine.

Moreover, by being the first to secure Mushitsuki like that she could hold back those who’d become her rivals later. She would use the strength of numbers to crush her business rivals.

“All you executives would do the same work. You will secure as much merchandise as possible before the SEPB. From time to time, we will come and choose among them. —Oh, and obviously we don’t intend to ask you executives to—”

“Shut up.”

Spitting this, Namie rose up. The alert Pochi came to stand in front of Nanana.

“Merchandise? What do you think Mushitsuki are?”

“I had no intention to call you that. I have excluded your executives—”

“That doesn’t matter. We don’t feel the slightest like going along with your idea.”

Halensis also revealed her hostility as she glared at Nanana. Lucifera was quietly fiddling with her cellphone and Aijisupa was glancing away as if this had nothing to do with him.

As for Shiika, she was perhaps still unable to understand the conversation. She stared up vacantly at their arguments.

“If I cannot make this contract with Mushibane—I will next go to the SEPB.”

“…!”

“I have come to speak with you first because I believe your prices would be lower. But I am sure that the SEPB would be able to look at this business opportunity realistically and bargain with me. And if I end up creating a contract with the SEPB—”

Nanana spun her stick, narrowing one eye. She’d never seen her own face like that, but smiling while narrowing one eye probably revealed her true personality.

“Since you will become my greatest business rivals, I will be ruthless, you know?”

“How dare you…!”

“No matter where you hide, I will actively search for you just like I did to find this place, and I will destroy you. Even if I can’t see you, there are people wherever money flows to. You can tell anything from this flow of money, both in the past—and in the future as well. Even without the ability to sense Mushitsuki, no one can escape from me.”

The lobby engulfed in silence was permeated by Nanana’s cold voice.

“There’s nothing that I—Akasegawa Nanana—am unable to buy.”

To be honest, she wanted to bargain with their patron, Munakata Kaiji, before directly speaking with them. Of course, if the negotiations failed, she would have warned them.

Yet Munakata was said to be missing.

Nanana wasn’t an idiot who would miss this opportunity. Now that their money had been cut off at the source and they became weaklings, there was no need to advance any amiable talks.

She could attack quickly while Munakata was gone.

Once they were contracted to her, they belonged to her. Even if Munakata returned later, she wouldn’t let this man, who didn’t even arrive at the bargaining table, voice any complaints—

“Umm…”

A clear voice echoed in the lobby controlled by this explosive atmosphere.

It was Shiika.

Exchanging glances with the girl that listened quietly to the conversation, Nanana raised her eyebrows.

She had no doubts that this girl was too stupid to have followed the conversation, but she was apparently thinking of a different thing entirely.

“Nanana-san—do you hate Mushitsuki?”

This sudden question made everyone furrow their eyebrows. Even the until now apathetic Aijisupa looked at Shiika at Shiika. Not only that, but even Shachito turned around and for a change looked at her with a serious face.

Having everyone’s gazes focus on her made Shiika gasp. She blushed and cast her gaze.

“I-I’m sorry. I just got somewhat curious while listening to you…”

“Yes, I loathe them.”

Nanana smiled. A carefree grin. She wore a first-rate smile.

“But they’ll make money.”

The lobby sank into silence.

“I… see.”

Shiika didn’t look angry nor sad. She simply absently nodded.

What a strange woman—

Nanana mentally clicked her tongue. She thought that girl was childishly simple, and couldn’t go with the flow. She was apparently not calm enough.

But she noticed that everyone was listening to Shiika’s words. Like a pure snowfield that soaked up all sounds, it broke down all noise, sucking in even violent feelings and making them nothing.

“U-umm… it was too complicated so I couldn’t understand it.”

Wondering what she’d say next, Shiika easily raised the white flag.

“What do you think, Lucy-san?”

Turning to the stairs, she called toward the girl engrossed with her cellphone. —As could be deduced from her actions and words until now, Lucifera seemed to be the smartest one among the executives. Perhaps she served as counsellor.

“Is it fine for you to ask for my opinion? I don’t want to do much other than issuing battle orders.”

“I-I see…”

“There’s no need to give up. She’s actually weak against pressure. She puts on air and says ‘oh well, no choice’ after making sure she’s actually needed.”

“S-shut up!”

Lucifera’s ears reddened. “I’m already used to dealing with warped brats,” asserted Namie. Nanana thought that this woman was just short-tempered, but apparently she could take care of people, being older.

“This is something that you can understand by just thinking a little.”

Lucifera puckered her lips, making a gesture of cutting her own throat horizontally.

“Red signal. Eliminate all danger. Kill ‘em. Is what I think.”

“Kill ‘em…?”

“This person is someone dangerous. Since she went to the trouble of appearing to us, we should kill her right here and now. Moreover, if we miss this great chance, we’re sure to regret it.”

The lobby was momentarily filled with tension.

“She is the enemy.”

Being glared by Lucifera, Nanana grinned.

“I am actually offering you a helping hand, though? If you don’t contract with me, you will be unable to get any money and starve to death, you know?”

“We have plenty of other options to raise money!”

“Yahah, you liar. How much money do you think is needed to support this many people? Even if all members of Mushibane became burglars it wouldn’t be enough.”

“You don’t understand, do you? The one in danger right now is you, Akasegawa Nanana-san.”

Nanana and Lucifera locked gazes. Unlike her stupid appearance, the girl called Lucifera appeared to have understood Nanana better than anyone else there. When she said she’d do something, she’d actually do it.

Meanwhile, Nanana kept her composure.

She had trained Pochi and the other Mushitsuki as her guardians. They’d be able to easily handle all these amateurs. After suitably hurting them and running away, she’d go and talk with the SEPB.

“Excuse me, Lucy-san.”

Again, the one to have so easily cut this thread of tension was Shiika.

“P-please try another method.”

“Haa. I knew you were gonna say that.”

Lucifera raised her head. Namie and Pochi, both ready for battle, and Aijisupa about to rise, all returned to simple glaring.

“There is no other way. As long as we don’t know where Munakata-san is, the fact we are poor will not change. The more time passes, we will give Akasegawa more openings. Having said that, if we took on this contract with Akasegawa or whatever, we will clearly create an irreversible situation. If so, it would be much better to nip at least one danger in the bud right here and now.”

“But that is the wrong thing to do.”

Shiika said.

“We’ve decided we’ll not make any more enemies…”

All of Mushibane went silent. Lucifera clicked her tongue in annoyance.

“You really do not understand just how hard this is… a hundred times more difficult than just killing our enemies.”

Shiika hung her head. But perhaps thinking of something, she raised it with a smile.

“R-right. I have an idea.”

All people there looked at the baby-faced girl.

“How about we get Nanana to help us look for Munakata-san?”

“…Hah?”

Nanana raised this weird sound before anyone else.

“You came here to speak with him in the first place, after all. And we are in a lot of trouble since he isn’t here. Bringing him back would benefit both of us.”

Shiika explained as she looked down while happily entwining her fingers.

As Shiika seemed to be saying please praise me with her actions, it was actually awkward to say anything at all.

“Looks like you know Munakata-san well, Nanana-san. And just now you said that there’s nothing you can’t find. Then surely that also means—”

In the space where no one could speak, Shiika nodded again and again and looked satisfied.

While listening to Lucifera’s exaggerated sigh, Nanana stifled her laughter and spoke.

“Did you even listen to me? Munakata not being here is beneficial for me, you know? Unlike the nearly starving Mushibane, if I can’t make a deal with you, I’ll simply take the talk to SEPB.”

“But the SEPB would never go along with you, right?”

“…!”

This single sentence spoke by the puzzled Shiika made Nanana gasp. —She actually gasped.

Seeing her response, Lucifera’s eyes changed. Yet Nanana pretended not to notice and calmly burst in laughter.

“They will. There are no people that can’t be bought with money.”

“Really? I know several such people. —The person in HQ called Miguruma is also like that.”

When Shiika spoke softly, Nanana erased her smile.

—I don’t need it.

The woman who had once rejected her offer of a reward rose to mind. Thus spoke the Mushitsuki girl after her first meeting with Nanana, not intending to receive anything from her.

Nanana silently clicked her tongue.

She recalled a bad memory. She felt herself growing angrier.

“Even if the higher-ups wouldn’t agree, giving money to their subordinates would be enough. Buying government officials is my specialty. There’s no way I couldn’t illegally buy some members.”

“…”

“But that would still have a low chance of success.”

After Shiika sank into silence, Lucifera took over.

“You’re thinking about monopolizing Mushitsuki, right? Then leaving yourself the opportunity to still bargain with Mushibane should be much better from a business standpoint.”

The fact of being shaken to the core by someone unthinkable—Shiika, who looked like a simple idiot—brought her the greatest defeat of her life. Lucifera had seen through her split-second agitation.

The possibility of her dealing with the SEPB was actually a bluff.

She knew well that organization was not straightforward. Although she intended on truly bargaining with them if push came to shove, it was nothing when compared to the gains she could get with Mushibane. Just like her secretary told her, it was doubtful whether the profit would be worth the risk.

To think that this idiot would see through her bluff—

No, she doubted Shiika actually saw through her.

Everyone in the lobby was deceived by Nanana’s confident acting. Only Shiika had not been led astray and thus could easily see the hidden truth.

“We will sell the right to bargain with us, with Mushibane.”

Lucifera asserted.

“If you offer us a bit of assistance and help us in the search for Munakata-san, once he returns you will also be at the negotiation table. This was your plan in the first place, right? If you think about it as being just a little late than expected, it’s super cheap.”

“And what if I tell you that if you don’t negotiate with me right here and now I’ll go snitch on this place to the SEPB? And I’ll keep harassing you after that as well.”

“That would be a problem. But we will not negotiate with you ever again. We can just search for a different patron. It turns out we can make money.”

“And if Munakata is already dead?”

“Then let us say there will be no negotiations. Because we’ll not allow you to secretly kill Munakata-san after finding him.”

“…”

“Rather than both of us losing, let us choose the option that can lead both of us to profit.”

“—Understood.”

She hit her stick against the floor. Nanana stood upright.

“Let us finish this right here. This is definitely not something I must agree to. I decided to try thinking of another business.”

The scent of money vanished completely from this place. Since Munakata was gone, she tried angering them purposely to push through with that momentum. However, since she’d bought their animosity, if Munakata ever returned to the negotiation table there would be no advantages for Nanana.

“I will add a condition.”

As Nanana tried exiting the cottage, Shiika’s voice came from behind.

“If Munakata-san has passed away… I will contract with you, Nanana-san.”

The various members of Mushibane were obviously shocked. Nanana turned back.

“I have no need for you. Doesn’t look like I can use you for much.”

“But I can’t guarantee you the other Mushibane members…”

“I’ll contract as well.”

Aijisupa opened his mouth for the first time. He spoke as if it was completely natural.

“Me too.”

Namie also joined.

Nanana looked at Lucifera and Halensis. The cellphone girl shrugged with a dumbfounded look.

“Do not be too greedy. After all, you’re getting, according to the SEPB classification, two people of Rank 3—as well as the disaster incarnate, Secret Class Rank 1 Fuyuhotaru as collateral, you know?”

“Secret Class Rank 1—what?”

Nanana widened her eyes.

She obviously knew about how fearsome Rank 1 was. She had once seen with her very eyes just how their fighting strength was far removed from common sense. Thinking about it, she’d also heard about the remaining Rank 1, Fuyuhotaru.

The scent of money returned. And it was even stronger than before.

Just like she’d said before, searching for Munakata would be simple for her.

If Munakata was dead she’d be lucky. Nanana would be able to gain a Rank 1 Mushitsuki. And if he was alive, she’d be able to negotiate with Mushibane. Even if negotiations failed, she could just get much money from Munakata who she’d saved.

“Do you have any clues as to Munakata’s whereabouts?”

While inwardly chuckling, Nanana didn’t let it show on her face.

“Well… to be honest…”

Slightly hesitant, Shiika opened her mouth.

“Apparently Munakata was investigating something before his disappearance. He told me a little about it.”

“Investigating something?”

“I didn’t really understand it… Enclo? Bubble…? And then Paradise or something like that—”

“What—did you just say?”

This time Nanana really was speechless.

Seeing Nanana’s abnormal behavior, not only Mushibane but even the secretary and Pochi became suspicious.

“Enclosure—Bubble—Paradigm Shift.”

“T-that’s right! That’s definitely what he said. I don’t understand what it means, though…”

After a while, Nanana finally spoke again.

—Enclosure, Bubble and… Paradigm Shift, was it?

A memory from the past resurfaced.

The Mushitsuki who took care of Nanana more than anyone else and had betrayed her at the very end.

The Kind Magician had definitely spoken those words.

—I don’t know what these all mean, but they’re apparently also related to the power I have.

She remembered the conversation she’d had with Kidou Tsukasa word for word. She would have never misheard her.

Her pulse was quickening. Her heart was pounding to an annoying degree.

Was Munakata also attempting to grasp what she’d tried to?

No, perhaps—

“Understood. I will try to find Munakata-shi.”

Asserting this cleanly, everyone gazed at Nanana in surprise.

Perhaps—she’d be able to gain clues regarding the movements of the Magician.

She’d believed in her.

She had lost her one and only blood relative and was lonely.

Even so that woman betrayed her and never came to her again.

But perhaps she’d be able to find out where she was.

“The situation has changed. If Munakata isn’t alive I’d be in trouble.”

She needed to hear about it directly from Munakata Kaiji.

Nanana spoke briefly and turned on her heels. Her subordinates hurried after her.

Heading after the vestiges of the Kind Magician—

Nana vigorously opened the cottage’s door.

1.03 Nanana Part 3

Since the Kind Magician came to her, Nanana once again did not ride her bus.

While waiting for the regular bus, Kidou Tsukasa held hands with Nanana. For Nanana, who’d lost her parents when she was little and had only the housekeeper care for her, just feeling a person’s warmth filled her heart. Her grandfather had invited her to another grand party, but because he was busy with work, he barely came to visit Nanana’s home.

“They apparently caught the attacker who caused trouble around here.”

When Nanana said this, the Kind Magician looked down at her and grinned.

“As well as the molester they’d warned us about at school.”

“Right.”

“You were the one who caught them, right?”

“…”

“Thank you very much.”

For Nanana, the Kind Magician was like a superhero. When she innocently said her thanks, Kidou Tsukasa smiled wryly and used her free hand to scratch at her cheek.

“I was definitely the one who handed him to the police… but I wasn’t the one who actually did this.”

“…?”

“Since I had no education, I can’t really explain things. It was, how do I put it, something like destiny. Something like the flow of things and events… I wasn’t the one who created this destiny this time.”

Nanana looked puzzled, so Tsukasa made a troubled face. She let her free hand stray in the air, desperately trying to explain. Seeing the older girl like that felt funny and endearing.

“Even when I use the word destiny, it doesn’t mean everything was decided. For example, imagine something like a bathtub full of hot water—and just like some rubber duckie, people and things are floating in it. If we take this case as an example, the ducks would be the attacker, the victims, and the police. They were all left to the bathtub’s gentle tide, either clashing or passing one another.”

“Hah…”

“Obtaining the reason and motive to catch them—so that you will not become a victim—I leapt into the bathtub. I became one of the duckies and mixed among them. My investigation caused yet another gentle flow. Affected by this flow, the actions of perpetrator and victims also changed. The rubber duckies mingled together chaotically.”

“Umm… huh?”

“This time, however, a beautiful, large swan cut across them.”

The Kind Magician sliced the air with her finger.

“It became a very large flow. We were all caught in it; not only the attacker, but me and the police as well. All of us duckies got flustered, drowned, and were swept the same way—the result that was destined for us. Me and the attacker just happened to clash in the midst of that. Something like that, maybe.”

Yup, the Kind Magician nodded. She probably intended to finish her explanation there, so seeing Nanana still scowl, she hurriedly added more.

“It happens from time to time. A person who moves with a very violent—a very strong will and influence. They never look back, not even reflecting on the effects they have on others, and simply rush on headlong. —I believe that the flow called destiny was created by people like that. All of us were simply swept along by it.”

“People who… move with a strong will.”

“Although she moved for the sake of her classmates, this time the swan was very awkward and reckless… but such people brought forth the flow called fate.”

The Kind Magician smiled again.

“You have good friends.”

Nanana furrowed her brows. There were only very few people she could call her friends. The one she could call a true friend was probably only her classmate Ikarino Kirari. —Just to be sure, the next day she tried asking Kirari about it. The conversation ended with “I don’t know”, “I see. Right,” and “Yeah”.

“Destiny was definitely created by a swan.”

Tsukasa said.

“Us duckies are only swept in their flow. Seeing the flustered duckies after the swan’s passing, the people of the future call it history.”

“So the duckies are the past?”

“Yes. That is why history remains but destiny is invisible. Because after it created that destiny, the swan’d already left without looking back.”

Nanana felt that she’d been told something very important. Tsukasa was self-deprecating as she said she had no education, but what she taught Nanana was much more difficult than schoolwork.

“Enclosure, Bubble, Paradigm Shift… these are history. As I am a mere duckie, I gave up on trying finding the swan who caused that.”

“Are those the things you said before? You’re not a duckie at all, Kind Magician.”

“It’s fine. I’m better off protecting the swan in front of me.”

Tsukasa looked at Nanana’s face, smiling.

“I-I am not a swan.”

“I believe you have the talent for that. You’ve met the attacker’s victims.”

“…? I just saw them assaulting people, but that doesn’t mean that I—”

Chancing upon the scene of the crime was very scary. —And she only went to two people for advice. She hadn’t even spoken to the police.

The Kind Magician and her friend Ikarino Kirari.

“I only became a Magician thanks to you, as well. —From now one, perhaps you will be able to transform other people into something as well…”

“…”

“No doubt about it. You can’t see it from the future, but… all those duckies have definitely witnessed the swan.”

The Magician, calling herself a duckie, put her hand on top of Nanana’s head with a smile.

That kind sensation was exactly the same as her one remaining blood relative.

“…Yes.”

Nanana didn’t think in the slightest that someone like her had that sort of talent.

However—the Kind Magician told her so.

She wanted to try and become a swan one day so that her precious person would not become a liar.

Visiting Mushibane’s hideout after a few days, a familiar person immediately greeted her.

“Oh, it’s been a while, Nanana-chan. You’re gotten even prettier!”

It was the boy called Chouya Nihei. Nanana picked him up when she’d first reached this camping spot, the boy she’d mistaken for a bag boy monster. Wearing work clothes, the sunglasses he used to push up his hair were clouded over with perspiration.

“Don’t come any closer, you’re going to sully my dress. Also, aren’t you acting overly familiar?”

Getting off the limousine, Nanana wore a lavish dress. It was a tiered dress with several layers and on top of her exposed shoulders she wore a shrug adorned with a gem.

Behind her, the secretary, Pochi and Shachito were all dressed up formally as well. The secretary wore an elegant dress—and, as a meaningless addition, her teddy bear had a jeweled hair ornament. Pochi and Shachito wore suits with tie.

“As cold as ever. Hang on, I’ll go call the leader.”

When Nanana turned her stick toward him as if to swat away a fly, Nihei’s smile turned wry. Going nearby with a friendly attitude, he closed what looked like a notepad.

“So, have you watched it? The Chronicler’s interview, I mean.”

Thinking about it, she’d bought a memory stick from him the other day. She decided to buy it from him after hearing he’d planned on selling it to Munakata, but since it was so cheap, she’d lost interest.

“Oh, that? Hmm, where have I put that?”

The last time she came it was night.

Now, however, perhaps because it was morning, many Mushibane members were around the camp. As always there were barely any adults, but people all the way from elementary school age to university age were preparing breakfast.

“No way! That caused me to go bankrupt, you know? You can definitely tell at a glance it’s high quality, right?”

“Then you should have given it the right price. That kind of price doesn’t even make me feel like watching it. I even thought you were making fun of me.”

“I won’t rip you off. I have my pride as a merchant.”

“Can you sell pride? —By the way, what are you even doing here?”

“I’ve created a ledger. Apparently, they left all money recording to Munakata-san until now. Since you’ve given us financial support, we have to record precisely what we used it on. —Oh, and you’re sober today, Nanana-chan.”

“No one did any accounting until now?”

As Nanana widened her eyes, Nihei replied “apparently” with a bitter smile. Even that was a huge surprise, but she was completely stunned at them leaving the accounting to a complete newcomer like Nihei.

“Sorry for making you wait.”

Mushibane’s leader—Anmoto Shiika—came running. Perhaps due to the rough t-shirt she was wearing, she looked so childlike that Nanana found it bizarre she was only one year older than Shiika. Just like before, Shiika was surrounded by the entourage of Aijisupa, Namie and Lucifera.

“Say, I just heard something from this guy.”

“Wait, stop. You’re making it sound as if I told something I shouldn’t. Wait, what’s up with ‘this guy’? I have a name, you know!”

“Is it true that no one was taking care of your money until now?”

“Huh? Y-yes. Until now, Munakata-san has prepared everything we need. —Nihei-san’s been a great help.”

“It makes me so happy to hear that. I mean, my motto’s ‘three-way satisfaction’ and all that!”

“Three-way satisfaction?”

As Shiika tilted her head, Nihei wore a full smile.

“Good for the seller! Good for the buyer! Good for society! That’s the three-way satisfaction. My style is to make a deal that makes everyone happy! That’s why you can count on me!”

Assuring this, the boy pounded his own chest. “Wow,” Shiika alone clapped her hand, sounding impressed.

“Yahah. Three-way satisfaction? The motto of a poor man indeed.”

Nanana snorted in laughter. She knew those words as well.

Sanpo Yoshi, or three-way satisfaction, was the merchant belief once popular in this country. Those were old and hackneyed words. Such naïve thinking would never work in modern times.

A deal where everyone could be happy—was a mere pipedream.

“That’s only the excuse of a useless businessman.”

When Nanana mocked him, Nihei’s face changed. He turned angry, his voice shaking.

“No! I-I mean, maybe compared to you, my earnings are little…”

“Wait, don’t lump us both together? Unlike you, I’m a pro. That stupidly naïve motto of three-way satisfaction won’t work anywhere these days.”

“…! Then I’ll say it, your way of doing business is—"

“Y-you two, please calm down.”

Unable to withstand it any longer, Shiika stepped to stop them. Nihei looked angry even now and Nanana stuck out her tongue.

“Well, leaving aside this wannabe businessman—”

“What was that!?”

“I’m tired of you. I wonder why Munakata only watched Mushibane play pretend?”

Looking around the camp, Nanana said.

Shiika looked surprised.

“U-umm… Munakata-san said that he didn’t want to meddle in Mushibane’s matters too much. He’d just give us the minimum support…”

Nanana snorted without thinking. Had he started feeling philanthropic in his age? She couldn’t believe that her business rival would suddenly become like that. He was tasteless in how he played with them.

“Yahah. Then I will meddle.”

Shiika looked puzzled as Nanana grinned.

“Although only temporary, I’m currently Mushibane’s sponsor, after all. I do have the right to, wouldn’t you say?”

Nanana cheerfully spun her stick. Seeing all of them being so carefree, she felt the need to bully them.

“There’s no way these are all of Mushibane’s members. Are there any others?”

“Huh? Umm… those here are only those without a current address. The other people live in houses or facilities prepared by Munakata.”

“Hmm. Just live there?”

“Those who wish to fight with us help save other Mushitsuki and stuff like that…”

“Meaning only those who want to? You have some guts, competing with the SPEB like that.”

“When we receive information that a Mushitsuki’s found, one of us proceeds to the field and assumes control. We never directly fight the SEPB.”

Namie interjected. By “one of us” she probably meant one of the four people there. Perhaps that was enough for guerilla warfare.

Nanana grinned.

“And the Mushitsuki you saved there are so kindly protected by you, living happily somewhere. Oh, what bliss, what paradise!”

“…”

“Being protected while offering nothing in return, getting free meals, and you act kind to them even if they say they don’t want to fight… after their tragic, tragic life, they believe all this to be a matter of course!”

Pacing around with exaggerated motions, Nanana pointed her stick at the various people in camp.

“—Please give some labor to everyone.”

Shiika could only mutter “eh?” in shock.

“Not just the ones here, but also those you’re hiding as well. Give them something to do that fits their skills. If those Mushitsuki can fight then obviously let them, but there’s also information gathering, making money… small children can even do something like help clean. Regardless, you need to give them jobs and discipline them to a proper level.”

“W-wait…”

“Yahah. Work equals money! It’s obvious!”

Among the stunned people, Nanana alone kept spinning her stick with great delight.

“In the first place, if they just keep on doing nothing, their hearts would never recover. —People without any sort of purpose only keep licking their wounds. And licking only causes the wounds to fester. Rather than that, it’s much better to let them work and forget the pain so that their wound will naturally close on its own.”

“…”

“Since I’m kind, I won’t tell you to exploit them. But if there’s something they can do, make them do it. And the most important thing—create rules to make them work, and punish those who break them.”

“P-punish them… this isn’t that kind of—”

“At least in that the SEPB is a rational system. Without working, without getting scolded, without thinking at all, people would atrophy. Stagnant water becomes murky. —I’m not telling you to ignore their human rights to that extent, but you should try to mimic them. It’s that valuable.”

Gazing at Shiika, she narrowed one eye.

“And this is just a freebie. This foolish rule of ‘protecting them as a matter of course’ will definitely make Mushibane useless. With such rotten thinking, when things get rough, they’ll all resent you executives. They’ll say, why couldn’t you protect us?”

“…!”

“Paradise can exist only when there is a god… since that woman’s gone, isn’t that dreamy time over?”

Shiika and the rest’s faces stiffened.

“Give them the self-awareness to protect themselves by their own powers. Also, by cooperating with others, you can create a feeling of solidarity. You executives should pave that road for them.”

She asserted toward the silent executives.

“Over! If you can’t do what I told you, I’ll stop supporting you right here! Understood?”

Finishing her presentation, Nanana spread her arms.

Apparently she hadn’t given the Mushibane members a positive impression. They seemed to be heavily doubtful about her words and rebellious about her behavior.

But one person, Anmoto Shiika, wore a troubled expression and seemed to be thinking seriously.

“—Understood.”

Finally, the leader nodded.

“I don’t know if this will go well… but I’ve been thinking that Mushibane should change from now on. I want us to talk and change little by little.”

Even her comrades that listened stunned to Nanana’s words now seemed to agree temporarily due to their leader agreeing. While still appearing confused, at least they calmed down.

How boring. It’s not worth bullying you if you don’t respond properly—

It was now Nanana who was disappointed, curling her lips.

“Let us talk about this later. You’re coming with me.”

“Eh?”

“When we go to rescue Munakata, someone from Mushibane would also be present. —You were the one who made that condition.”

“Eh…? Have you found Munakata-san? W-where is he?”

“I have a general idea—right.”

Nanana narrowed one eye, wearing a distorted smile.

She purposely wanted to show an innocent girl like Shiika the place they were heading to now. It would doubtlessly be funny for someone with an honest heart like hers.

“A wonderful, paradise-like world.”

A gathering for those who’re even worse than Mushi—

While smiling, Nanana spoke the complete opposite in her heart.

1.04 Nanana Part 4

Enclosure.

In economic history, this happened toward the end of the Middle Ages.

A powerful feudal lord had monopolized a land used as a communal farm. The citizens that owned that farmland were ruined and served as workers under that lord.

It could be said that the forcible movement called “enclosure” was established due to the conference between feudal lords and the corrupt government officials. In order to obtain what they desired, the feudal lords used entire fortunes and succeeded in hogging the treasure box known as land all to themselves.

Such methods were not uncommon.

When rich people conferred in secret with their allies, they whispered amongst themselves. And, obviously, the topic was how to make even more money—they sought advice on how to squeeze out even more from the peasants.

“The Round Table?”

Inside the limousine, Anmoto Shiika tilted her head. She wore a dress with exposed shoulders and a shrug on top, and her hair was slightly curled. All of that, including accessories, had been chosen for her by Nanana. The clothes were a bit too much for her, but it would give a better impression to all the old men.

“Yes, this is a members-only club of this country’s cartel—one that has extremely strict conditions to enter.”

Folding her legs on top of the seat, Nanana narrowed one eye. She still wore her tiered dress like in camp, having switched out only her dirtied pump heels.

Inside the car were Nanana, the secretary, Pochi, Shachito, as well as Shiika and Aijisupa who was wearing a formal suit. Aijisupa removed his cheap-looking headband, instead using a hair gel to hold his hair.

While playing with a glass full of wine, Nanana continued her irony-laced explanation.

“It is quite old. I heard it’s been going for about twenty years now. In the world of economics, full of ups and downs, only those whose quality and value were acknowledged to be above the standard are invited there. Yahah. Who is it that decides quality, anyhow? But it’s true that they have some proper pedigree there. Ichinokuro’s one of them, as well as Takakuwa—oh wait, haven’t they already fell off and chased out a while ago?”

“The Tachibanas were also members for a while.”

The secretary interjected from the side. “Oh, really?” Nanana responded nonchalantly.

“Eh? Tachibana, meaning—”

“Well, such distinguished families with strange tastes are rare. Almost all current members are active entrepreneurs that have a hold on the flow of money in this country. They have a fixed number of twelve members. I wonder if they’re really trying to seem like they’re the knights of the round table? Those wannabe westerners.”

“…I don’t really understand it, but what about you, Nanana-san?”

“You can call me just Nanana. And you can speak to me normally. …When we talk it feels like you’re a grade schooler forced to be polite, so it makes me sick.”

“G-got it. Okay. Umm… Nanana… are you also a member of the Round Table?”

“Yahah. At the end of the day, the Akasegawa family is only an upstart without any value. Actually, the Round Table is full of our enemies. Even if I ask them, they’ll probably not let me join. —Or so it was until now, anyway.”

Grinning, she brought her full glass to her lips. No one there would accuse her of drinking wine despite being a minor. Not even the police could stop Nanana.

The limousine Nanana and the rest were riding drove through an avenue.

Many old guesthouses lined the road, perhaps due to this being an area of hot springs. Mixed with the musty buildings was also one that looked like a high-class inn. With all this nature around, it looked good as a hiding place for the rich.

“Is the Round Table connected to Munakata-san’s disappearance?”

“I told you, didn’t I? The flow of money is always honest.”

“…?”

“Munakata is a one-man business. With him gone, the stocks and real estate in his possession would be affected. His businesses would encounter difficulties, and prices would lower. —There were people who started buying all of them at the same time. They tried masking the source of the money, but I knew immediately.”

Shiika goggled at her. She spoke again to make it easier to understand.

“That means that they were aiming for Munakata’s assets. And they were already fully prepared for it—as if they’d already known Munakata would vanish.”

“…!”

“The one who did this was a member of the Round Table. Not that I’m one to talk, but he’s strongly involved with some nasty people. Just pestering him about it will not make him talk, most likely.”

The road suddenly curved, and an open space ahead became visible.

It was a lake.

The sparkling surface that reflected the sun’s rays and a mountain in the background.

“—We’re fully prepared, right?”

She asked the secretary with her stuffed doll.

“Is that really fine? In the worst-case scenario, you will bring major losses. Half your assets are tied to your company, and if your executives found out, you will create an opening for them to—”

“We can just leave those old farts alone. It’s obvious those executives would hold a meeting. If I handle this well there wouldn’t be any problem at all. Yahah.”

“What do you mean?”

To Shiika’s question, Nanana smiled and turned her glass toward the window.

“We’re going to play there.”

Everyone in the limousine looked at the lake visible beyond the trees.

“There’s going to be a lunch party sponsored by the Round Table.”

Large pleasure boats floated in the lake. Three of them.

“Now, let’s embark on the Round Table’s boat.”

Nanana’s proclamation echoed inside the limousine.

Two bellboys opened the gold-rimmed double doors.

The first thing seen was the band performing on stage. A small orchestra made of a flute, horn tympani, cello and violin was accompanied by a light melody played on a grand piano.

Perhaps they replaced the inner furnishing for the party. The spectator seats were removed from the vast lounge, replaced with round tables loaded with high-quality cuisine. Several tables were installed on the deck bordering the lounge as well. The gentle breeze blowing outside seemed pleasant.

The numbers of invited guests they could see was about thirty people. The others were probably in similar parties on the other pleasure boats. The boat Nanana and the rest embarked on was pure white, but there was another ship modeled like a pirate ship and one modeled like a medieval castle floating besides them.

When their group appeared in the lounge, several of the invitees turned to them. Wearing the latest chic clothes, they practically oozed dignity. All of them were older than Nanana—young businessmen wearing black suit or women in kimono who looked like actresses were all perhaps about the end of their twenties.

“Woah…”

Perhaps overwhelmed by everything and everyone there, Shiika drew close to Nanana. It was clear she was a peasant, and from her spot behind Nanana she stared at everything around as if she’d never seen it before.

The pleasure boat they boarded took sail. The scenery of the beach soon grew distant.

“There’s still some time until our fun. You should eat all this excellent cuisine to your heart’s content.”

Nanana spoke casually. She picked up two wine glasses between her fingers from the plate of the waiter passing nearby. She stuck the one with a clear liquid toward Shiika.

“O-okay…”

When Nanana raised her chin, the secretary and Pochi bowed and then went away. The secretary left the lounge for some preparation and the boy took a waiting posture near the entrance.

“Go away, you two. I won’t be able to get drunk with such gloomy-looking people nearby. Yahah.”

She used her hand holding the stick to shoo away Aijisupa and Shachito. “There’s no idiot who’ll get any funny ideas to try something here,” she told them and finally Aijisupa moved away.

“Come now, Iruka-san, you as well. If you like water you can just leap off the deck into the lake.”

“Princess. I’ll warn you just once but—this place’s really bad.”

“Hmm? Whaddya mean?”

Her cheeks flushed due to the ingestion of alcohol, she tilted her head robotically.

Shachito wore a twisted—no, a nearly broken smile. Since he’d left his hockey stick with the staff at the entrance, he was currently unarmed.

“The power field’s all messed up. Something that’s hiding here paralyzed my sense of direction. Like a sea of trees. I feel bad, almost like I’m drunk.”

“Something powerful? If so, then isn’t it right here?”

When Nanana suddenly placed her arms around the other girl’s shoulder, Shiika twitched and raised her face. Perhaps having drunk wine, her ears were turning scarlet.

“M-me?”

“Snow-chan, was it? Have you done something?”

“N-no way…”

“Obviously. Actually, are you strong? It really doesn’t feel so. Your bodyguard seems pretty capable, though.”

“I am… not strong at all.”

As Shachito brought his face closer, Shiika withdrew. Seeing the girl use the glass to hide her face and cast her glance down, Shachito narrowed his eyes with a small huff.

“Well, if we’re talking about how cute you are, you’re in the top for sure! —Well, I warned you. Do be careful.”

Asserting this, Shachito turned his back to Nanana. He approached a kimono-clad lady, pretending he’d bumped into her by mistake and tried uselessly flirting with her.

“I do know that this is a nest of demons.”

Releasing Shiika, Nanana started walking shakily. She forcibly clinked her glass against the one of a wide-backed man, asking him “Good afternoon, how are you?” with a loose smile. The man scowled, finally distancing himself.

“N-Nanana, wait up.”

Perhaps feeling lonely, Shiika soon followed her. She clung close to her.

“Wha’dyou want? So annoying—wait, wow, what’s up with you? That’s hilarious.”

Seeing Shiika’s glass was already empty, she stared at it. When she took Shiika’s hand holding the glass and raised it soon a waiter came to refill it.

“I felt nervous and my throat was dry… so I had to drink something.”

Smiling embarrassedly, Shiika put the glass to her mouth again.

“Please, don’t get drunk and let out your Mushi…”

She never thought that alcohol would make her worry about another person. She grabbed Shiika’s arm and they passed near the party venue.

Applause echoed in the lounge. With a microphone near the stage, one of the sponsors greeted everyone.

“S-someone is speaking, shouldn’t we listen?”

“Old farts like that only talk about obvious things like the weather anyway. Now, watch out for your appearance. You’re so flat that it’s slipping off.”

Fixing the shocked Shiika’s dress, they slipped through the crowds of guests.

Noticing some of them gazing at them, Nanana would greet them, “Yahah. Good tidings to you, gentlemen,” with a drunken smile. None replied, just silently averting their gazes. —As expected from these business world bigwigs, they knew well about the audacious and arrogant behavior of the sole heiress to the Akasegawa clan.

The Akasegawa drunkard girl—

In the shadows of the classy high society, she knew that they mocked her so. They obviously chose that pet name due to the state of drunkenness she always exhibited at any given time.

She decided to just let them point at her and laugh.

And those that didn’t laugh—she would make them.

By doing so, everyone would be caught in her trap.

“C’mon, let’s get some fresh air.”

Nanana and Shiika came out to the deck at the front of the ship facing the lounge. It was probably refurnished as well, as the wooden material of the floor looked brand new.

The deck had tables filled with food but only Nanana and Shiika were there. No one except her would be so rude as to get out of the lounge without listening to the sponsor’s greetings.

“If you drink it all at once you’ll also become drunk quickly. You need to drink it slowly with some food. Sheesh, you don’t even know how to drink, so childish—”

“R-right. But you drank a lot as well, Nanana…”

The wind blowing on the lake shook Nanana and Shiika’s wavy hair.

On the other side of the glass window, the speech in the lounge continued still. As the many adults wore artificial smiles and bustled, the two girls sat around a table.

The other pleasure boats seemed to also have their own entertainment. The sound of the pirate ship launching its cannons echoed on the lake.

“I’m fine. I do it on purpose so it’ll show on my face.”

“On purpose? Why?”

“Because they wouldn’t actually listen even if a brat like me spoke seriously.”

“…?”

“But if I pretend to be a drunk idiot, they’d come over to talk to me. —They think they found an easy mark. They think they’ll be able to squeeze me for all that I’m worth.”

Nanana narrowed one eye, pointing at the lounge with her chin.

“That’s when they lower their guards, and then I bite.”

Shiika looked puzzled.

Perhaps she didn’t know this because she had no connection to business. Her past self was like this as well.

Thinking of it—she suddenly thought.

How long has it been since she spoke to one with no connection to money or business?

Nanana’s surrounding were filled only with people related to money. Her secretary and Pochi were employed for money, and the executives in her foundation couldn’t be said to be close to her as well. Including her business rivals, all of them were people who tried sinking their teeth into Nanana to get her money.

Ah, even without counting Shiika she’d spoken recently to the one who used to be her best friend.

But that woman was no longer her friend. Nanana herself had denied that relationship.

“Isn’t this simply beautiful? A bountiful scenery, first-class food, the best music… everything looks sparkling. And all of the ladies and gentlemen there are radiant as well.”

“…”

“But in reality, all of them are just greedy demons in human skin, you know? All those on the boats, as well as the Round Table—they’re only people who try to curry favor with the sponsor to get a tiny share of the profits.”

Seeing Nanana cackle, Shiika was speechless. Still holding the glass, she looked between Nanana and the lounge, comparing them by sight.

“But that has nothing to do with you. —You should remember all these beautiful things as beautiful.”

People were drawn to beauty.

To jewels and nature, and even to people themselves.

The girl called Anmoto Shiika was pure. Just like Nanana once was.

She should take care of that value. Since she was pure, people would aim for her. Nanana had brought her here out of malice, but she had no intention to sully her innocence. Jewels were meant to be exhibited, not scratched or dirtied.

“If these people here are the scary ones, then you’re not scared of me… of us Mushitsuki?”

Also, this girl called Shiika wasn’t just transparent, but also showed just a small glitter from time to time. Only for an instant, such that perhaps it was only Nanana’s imagination.

Perhaps due to the alcohol, Shiika gazed at Nanana with clouded eyes.

What kind of a life had this girl led? She was unsullied as if she grew in a greenhouse, but her eyes were strong. She had the feeling that Shiika’s eyes saw through the thick walls created by lies and deceptions, and could naturally see what was hidden inside them.

“It’s not like I’m scared. I just hate them. All of those here… and Mushitsuki as well.”

Nanana wore a stretched smile.

—Destiny was created by a swan.

Seeing Shiika’s honest eyes, she recalled the words once spoken by the Magician.

Perhaps this girl right here, Anmoto Shiika—was a swan as well.

“Each and every one of them betrayed me. I’ve been betrayed especially by Mushitsuki many times. The Magician—that woman who was a mere impostor betrayed me, as well as the spear-user. At that time—during the night of the meteor swarm, my stupid wish to become a Mushitsuki was erased.”

Shiika looked surprised. She looked like she didn’t understand Nanana’s words, but she responded to something in the latter half.

“You wanted to become a Mushitsuki?”

“I mean, isn’t it convenient? Getting a magic power? And for free!”

“…”

“Yahah. You’re making a weird face! It’s the first time I made someone want to cry like that. Whenever I talked about this with Mushitsuki they were angry. There was also a half-hearted woman who slapped me.”

Finished her wine in one gulp, she breathed out and then threw the glass backwards. The high-quality crystal glass drew an arc in the air and fell into the lake.

Nanana supported her wavering body with a stick and looked at the lounge.

They were still applauding. The greeting was over and a woman appeared from behind the stage.

Although it was noon, she wore a black evening dress, a black feathered hat, and even had a black lipstick and eyeline—she was a woman drawn entirely in black. Because her hat was several times larger than her head, one eye was hidden.

Everyone there was swallowed by the woman’s alluring atmosphere.

Silently standing at the center of the stage, the woman opened her mouth. Her lips drawn with black lipstick quivered, weaving a soprano voice.

She was apparently a singer. Nanana felt a chill at the delicate and calm singing voice.

Shiika was the same. She clung to Nanana’s dress, seemingly fearful.

The singer’s calm voice was accompanied the orchestra’s melody. The guests brought there by the violin’s tone suddenly came back to their senses, moving again as if they were frozen in time before. They smacked their lips at the food, finding conversation partners and doing small talk.

“Is she the lover of someone in the Round Table? Never mind her skills, don’t these people who are oh-so-chic have some bad taste to bring that singer along?”

“The people of the… Round Table are here?”

“Yes, such as that old fart over there, the hag at the corner, and those two middle-aged men talking in the center. There are apparently four on this boat. By the way, my target is one of the two men. The one that looks like he has an extra-twisty cornetto attached to his face.”

When she pointed at the man with her stick, Shiika nearly burst out laughing. Seeing the man’s elongated chin, perhaps it did resemble a cornetto.

Winning for the first time in a while a laugh other than a polite smile, Nanana felt cheerful.

“Yahah. It looks similar, right? His beard must be made of chocolate.”

“Y-you shouldn’t make fun of him. …Pfft.”

No one came out to the deck. A member of the Round Table went to shake hands with people and they were all focused on currying his favor.

“I’ll wring everything out of him, down to the very last drop.”

“…? Haven’t you asked about Munakata-san?”

“Oh, you want me to just go and ask him ‘hello, do you know anything about the whereabouts of Munakata Kaiji’? Yahah, I have no idea if he’s involved, but I know what he’ll answer to such a question. A big, fat no.”

“…”

“In this industry you can’t just speak with words. Money talks for you. —Well, there is nothing to fret about.”

Nanana asserted this, drunkenly staggering walking toward the railing.

She bumped into it, nearly throwing herself into the water, but was supported by Shiika who hurriedly said, “b-be careful!” to her. “It’s fiiine. …Wait, when did you get hold of an entire bottle?” she asked. “I-it tastes really good…” The exasperated Nanana and blushing Shiika stood side by side next to the railing.

She pushed her back against the railing, leaning back hard. Her hair cascaded and she could see the water of the lake spread in her sight reversed. The lake surface reflected the sun, sparkling.

“Yahah.”

“This is too dangerous!”

“Save me if I fall. I’ll even pay ya for it.”

“I do want to save you, but I think both of us’ll drown. …I can’t swim.”

“Aren’t you a Rank 1? Can’t you go flying fast like whooosh?”

“I can’t… my Mushi can’t do anything.”

“The heck? Yahah, you’re so useless.”

You liar.

There was no way a Rank 1 wouldn’t be able to do anything. All of the others possessed inhuman strength. There was no way Shiika was the only exception.

But if what Shiika said was true, she understood why the people of Mushibane were so overprotective of her. Even right now Aijisupa kept a watching eye on them.

When Nanana stayed in that position for a while, Shiika started getting impatient. Wondering what was going on, she turned to look over at her.

“H-hey. You can’t copy me like that. You’re going to fall.”

“Eh… But it looks fun.”

“I told you not to. Look, you’re showing off your underwear. I’m not going to be able to take money from everyone inside like this. And your wine’s spilling.”

She wasn’t a peaceful drunk. As Nanana fixed her posture, Shiika mumbled “s-sorry” and curled her body.

“Is it really pricy, this wine?”

“The wine is pricy, yeah, but the wooden floorboards you dirtied just now are from overseas. Your pump heels are also dirty… if we count it all together, the money for reparations should be enough to buy a luxury car.”

“…”

“All of the food on the table is also first-rate. Even the glass itself you’re holding is a brand from overseas—oh, and can you see the ring on that woman’s finger? It was recently sold on an auction sponsored by an international organization. And the watch on that old fart from the Round Table—if I recall correctly, it is a rare piece created by an artisan from abroad. It probably has an old serial number as well. A normal salaried worker could work his butt off his entire life and not be able to buy it.”

“…Incredible.”

“It’s nothing much. Even I could buy all that.”

“No, I mean that you’re incredible. We’re about the same age but you know so many things.”

Shiika’s eyes were sparkling as she looked at Nanana.

“Yahah. I know everything. Should I tell you the worth of all items around here?”

Narrowing one eye, Nanana looked around the party venue.

Everything there was the finest. Evil people would probably be thinking of committing crimes to get them.

However—

“Say, Shiika. Do you have a favorite food?”

“Eh? Umm, maybe crepe.”

“As expected from the poor. Oh well, so if you had the choice to give up a crepe and get everything on this ship, what would you choose?”

Shiika looked extremely puzzled.

“If you could sell a crepe in exchange for a lot of money? Enough money to buy whatever you want.”

After thinking for a while, Shiika had a sudden flash. She wore her usual “please praise me” sort of face.

“Since I’m getting money, I’ll just buy a lotta crepe.”

“Bzzzt. Wrong answer. You can’t buy crepe with that money.”

“Eh?”

“Other than crepe you can buy anything. A large house or any other delicious food.”

“Umm…?”

“But even if I say this, anyone would definitely want the money.”

Nanana looked up the sky. Inside the white clouds, she saw something small and circular floating.

Was this an airplane?

No, the sense of perspective was too weird for that. She had a feeling that she’d seen this vaguely visible shape before—

“But humans… will definitely want to eat that crepe again.”

It was probably some bird.

Nanana ignored the strange dot in the sky.

“I know the value of everything here. But for me, who can’t ever buy that crepe again—can never forget its sweet taste—those things have no value at all.”

There was nothing Nanana couldn’t buy.

She really could get anything she wanted.

One day she’d be able to buy those sweet days back. No matter their price, she’d buy them back—thinking this, Nanana became zealous in earning money.

But the more she learned about money, the more she realized the value of that lost crepe.

The sweet halcyon days she’d lost in exchange for money were gone.

No matter how much money she gained, she’d never be able to buy them back—

“Do you have a dream, Nanana?”

Shiika then asked.

Still leaning on the railing, Nanana turned just her face toward Shiika.

“You wanted to become a Mushitsuki, right? Then you probably have a dream, right?”

“A dream… hmph, yeah.”

Had Nanana had anything like that?

She didn’t care about dreams at all.

What she clearly wanted was something else.

Something like family, like an older sister, a person who would protect her unconditionally.

And she didn’t require any help anymore. Nanana had already become stronger.

Just one more time, she wanted to feel the warmth of those hands—

“I want a space shuttle.”

“A space shuttle? You want to go to space?”

“I won’t ride it. What I’ll get on board is… money.”

Watching the sky again, she narrowed one eye.

“I’ll load up multiple shuttles with as much money as possible and throw them into space. Massive fortunes… I’ll gather up everything on this planet and throw it away like trash.”

Wasn’t it surprisingly easy to accomplish?

She thought so while talking.

Nanana had the talent she’d inherited from her grandfather along with his enormous assets.

“If I do that, will I destroy the world?”

People fought in wars for money.

After launching that space shuttle, the world will be probably engulfed in the flames of war as they fought for the remaining scraps of money.

Just imagining this scenario caused laughter to rise up from inside her.

Unable to retrieve that sweet flavor, Nanana would leave no regrets behind if she created such a world.

“That would be quite amusing. I can definitely do something like that. Yeah, this is my—”

The moment she was about to say this, something like a black fog appeared in her sight.

It happened in the forested area in the ravine enclosing the lake.

Gradually, a thick, polluted ink-like mist emerged, approaching them little by little—

“Princess.”

Nanana and Shiika turned back to the lounge.

A gangster—no, the boy wearing sunglasses and a formal suit walked to them. He’d somehow retrieved his weapon since the scratch-covered hockey stick was in his hand.

“Iruka-san?”

“Thank you for your patronage. We part ways here.”

Shachito kneeled in front of Nanana, taking and kissing the palm of her hand.

Nanana frowned.

“What’re you playing at? And you’re planning on leaving without even having done any real work? Haven’t you come here to protect me?”

“Well, I just feel like I’m not really cut out for this kinda work.”

Wearing a flippant smile, the boy loosened the tie around his shirt cuff. Nanana pouted.

“You insolent deadbeat. Fine, you’re fired. Go disappear somewhere.”

“Shiika-chan, was it? You should wait right here. —Other than my date, a lot of people seem to be gathering there. You should hide.”

Spinning his stick and putting it on his back, Shachito turned around. “Eh?” Shiika looked puzzled, but apparently he was not going to speak any further.

She thought he was going to leave just like that, but the boy turned back and smiled.

“Nanana-chan.”

“What now? Just go already.”

“It is possible that you’ve gotten yourself a dream. Try to rethink it carefully.”

How did he—

She didn’t think he listened in on her conversation with Shiika.

“An irreversible dream would only destroy you. Twisted dreams will only serve to summon those who devour them… I’ll take care of him this time, but he’s persistent. He might come again.”

“…?”

“Try choosing a better dream. Be a good woman, alright?”

She didn’t ask for his opinion.

But before she could say that, Shachito raised his face with a twitch. He seemed to notice something while looking up at the sky.

“Tch, so they’re here already. I wish you wouldn’t stand in my way, though.”

She followed Shachito’s line of sight. A black shadow passed above his head.

That black something drew an arc in the sky—and landed on top of the mast of the distant pirate ship.

A large thud accompanied by vibration resounded. The large pirate ship slightly sank from the recoil.

“—”

Nanana widened her eyes.

The thing that alighted on top of the pirate ship had the shape of a human. It was something that should be impossible—but that person seemed to leap straight to the ship from the shore. It was inhuman.

The one striking a daunting pose on top of the sail truly looked like a demon.

Even from afar it was visible that the figure wore a pitch-black coat. The hair pushed back by the mechanical goggles covering the face looked like horns.

Since he was quite far, she obviously couldn’t see his face clearly.

Even so, Nanana would never mistake that person’s appearance.

“Kakkou…!”

“Kakkou-kun…!”

Nanana and Shiika’s voices overlapped.

The strongest Mushitsuki among the members of the SEPB—Blaze Class Rank 1, Kakkou.

He’d grown taller from when she’d last seen him.

Yet his appearance befitting his title as a black demon remained unchanged.

Why was Kakkou here right now—

Nanana groaned in her heart.

Had he appeared to capture Mushibane’s leader, Shiika?

This thought passed through her mind, but Kakkou was acting strangely.

The demon standing atop the pirate ship appeared to be gazing up the sky. When Nanana followed his sight, she noticed something like a dot floating there.

It was the object Nanana had identified as a bird just before. The demon was apparently staring at it.

The black mist travelling through the mountain and the object hovering in the sky.

Both were not part of Nanana’s plans.

“Something’s floating up there. It has a weird forcefield… is that also a Mushi? Looks like that person in black’s trying to chase that… what? Is he an acquaintance of yours?”

Shachito asked in a voice completely lacking any tension.

Yet Nanana and Shiika were still speechless and made no answer.

“Oh well. Then I will go have a little dance with Shinpu-san.”

After hearing his casual reply, Shachito’s presence vanished from behind.

The pirate ship noticed the abnormality and was probably in an uproar. People appeared on the deck one after another.

But the guests boarding the same ship as Nanana apparently had no interest in the scenery outside. While a light singing voice echoed there, they continued their carefree chatter.

“W-why is Kakkou-kun…?”

“—Go back inside the lounge, Shiika. If Kakkou finds you we’ll be in deep trouble.”

She was surprised at Kakkou’s appearance, but it was apparently unrelated to Shiika or the party. Even the SEPB wouldn’t do something like attacking the Round Table. Even if Kakkou himself would unhesitatingly do that.

And if so, him appearing there was nothing more than a coincidence.

If that was true—it was a good play.

Kakkou’s appearance was no accident. It was a happening. For Nanana it was actually advantageous.

“It’s about time to start, I think.”

When Nanana tried going back to the lounge, Shiika was still watching Kakkou’s figure, unmoving.

“Come on, I’m telling you to go back. Or what? You seem like you know Kakkou, but do you have any business with him?”

“…No. Not yet.”

Shaking her head slightly hesitant, Shiika smiled.

“I’ll be the one to go and meet him someday.”

“Hmm. Is there any meaning in meeting someone like him?”

“Do you know Kakkou, Nanana?”

While pulling on Shiika’s arm, she spat, “Who knows?” She just met him for a short while in the past. There was no doubt he’d already completely forgotten about her.

As expected, when they finally went back inside the lounge the people around started clamoring. Perhaps having received contact from the pirate ship, the members of the Round Table gathered and conversed amongst themselves. Seeing their behavior, the other guests seemed to be suspicious.

“What will they do about the party? Stop it?”

“No way. The Round Table members will want to continue. Right about now Ichinokuro’s probably pressuring the government. What a waste, someone so popular and with so many personal connections having no one to succeed him… —That is why we need to have our own bit of entertainment.”

“Entertainment?”

As Nanana let go of Shiika’s hand, the secretary returned to her side. She whispered in her ears that preparations were complete.

The singer on top of the stage had disappeared at some point. Nanana took off to the Round Table members at the center of the venue, clapping her hands loudly.

“There’s not enough wine! Will someone come over to pour some high-quality alcohol for me?”

Everyone around immediately focused their gazes on her.

Wearing a strained smile, Nanana grasped the empty glass. Glancing around the now-silent venue, her eyes stopped on the four members of the Round Table whispering among themselves at one corner of the lounge.

“Oh, my? Good tidings to you, lady and gentlemen of the Round Table. I have been late with my introduction. I wonder if I could be so rude as to offer you to join my humble table?”

The atmosphere around froze completely.

In this country’s business world, when a business got carried away and went bankrupt in the blink of an eye, they used the metaphor “the Round Table acted”—everyone feared them. And there were actually times when this wasn’t simple metaphor.

Even though it was the Round Table, Nanana clapped and called to them to fill her glass of wine.

Everyone in the party hall was convinced of the oncoming downfall of the Akasegawa Foundation.

“Oh my? What’s with those stares? Have I said somethin’ strange? Yahah.”

Just like her drunkard girl nickname, Nanana spoke in slurred speech, laughing her head off.

Stopping the other members of the Round Table with a hand, the youngest among them stepped forward. They probably had a seniority-based hierarchy.

The man with a beard on his pointy chin—the man Nanana had acquired as a target. The soft smile he’d worn only in front of the guests did not melt. Yet it was obvious at a glance that his eyes were not those of an honest merchant. In the first place, he appeared in the corrupt business world only rarely.

“No, we are the ones who should apologize for our belated greetings to you, Akasegawa-san. You seem to be insinuating that there’s something lacking in our party?”

“There’s not enough wine. Also, no entertainment. I’m positively bored.”

“Today, the aim was to show our gratitude, as well as to deepen our amiable relationships with those mingling here. Or should we have prepared a delightful game of bingo? —Hey, you. This lass seemed to have drunk too much. Please escort her outside for some fresh air.”

“I don’t want to hear that from someone who’s not even a member of the Round Table.”

“…With all due respect, little girl, I am a member.”

Pochi stood in front of the bellboy approaching Nanana. The bearded man with hurt pride changed his expression slightly.

“Yahah, I apologize. But, oh! You really are in the Round Table? —Say, what do you think, Madame? Could I please become a member as well? I have much more money than this thing, right?”

“Unfortunately, the most important condition for entering the Round Table is dignity… also, we currently number twelve, so we’re full.”

“Say what! Are you saying I have no dignity? How rude! —Just kidding, yahah.”

Seeing Nanana laugh so much she stomped all over the place, everyone scowled. Even Shiika next to her watched over her anxiously.

“Ah, how boring. Say, since I’m already here, why don’t we bet on some horse racing?”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Horse racing. You don’t know it? If you think games for the rich, that’s the first thing that pops into your mind. A hobby for nobles all the way from the times of the Roman Empire! C’mon, we have to do it, quickly! I can already hear the trumpets!”

“You seem to be hallucinating. Please continue doing so on the bed inside the cabin.”

“Not a hallucination at all. Both of us have horses, right? They’ve already entered the starting gate, waiting for the start signal.”

Standing erect, Nanana turned toward the other Round Table members and stooped while grabbing the hem of her skirt. She made a respectful bow.

“Lady and gentlemen of the Round Table. I, Akasegawa Nanana, have prepared a modest game for our enjoyment. As thanks for you inviting me here today, allow me to present you with this temporary amusement.”

The venue started clamoring again.

“Shortly, it will be the time for the afternoon stock trading to begin. We will use our assets as chips, selecting our racehorses—meaning our stocks from here. We will display a magnificent race.”

The three Round Table members didn’t move. People who’d be shaken from this paltry provocation would not be in the Round Table.

“But this is not a mere gamble. We will also be wearing blindfolds. —Meaning, even after placing this bet, we will be able to call without seeing what happened afterward or what we have affected.”

Already in turmoil, the venue now became an absolute uproar.

Stocks were the value of a company.

Investors would read the movements of their company and its subsidiaries and other businesses, or even the flow of the entire marketplace to make money. Investing while being unable to view any of that meant betting on their reasoning without knowing what happened now and what they had gotten themselves into by doing that.

“The units of our chips will come in a hundred million each. As for the place of the stocks exchange, I have already prepared it. —How about it?”

“Nothing about it. You have spoken nothing but foolishness.”

The bearded man added a laugh.

It was an obvious response. It wasn’t worth it to gamble on this. Even among those with plenty of money to spare, not many people would accept that offer.

Nanana narrowed one eyes and smiled.

“…Alpha.”

When she mumbled this, the bearded man raised a brow.

Only one person, the oldest man among the Round Table, seemed surprised.

She tried shaking him taking this opportunity, but apparently only the oldest farts knew of it. But this piece of information gotten by the Kind Magician definitely existed in the Round Table.

“Enclosure. Bubble. Paradigm Shift—”

This time, even the bearded man looked agitated.

The information grasped once by the Magician.

And the information chased after by the lost Munakata.

Both were apparently connected to the Round Table.

If those agitated the Round Table, they were definitely big secrets.

“So, how about it? To the outside it would just seem like you’re having another event. And the Round Table will never lose against outsiders, right?”

Kakkou’s appearance probably brought great chaos not only to this ship but to the pirate ship as well.

In order to stop the panic, they would not want their guests to see the situation outside.

“Do you still not understand? I am inviting you to a duel.”

If it became a duel between Nanana and the Round Table—the guests would obviously be interested.

“How moronic.”

The bearded man’s complexion worsened because he saw the other members of the Round Table consulting with someone on their cellphones. They were probably getting in contact with the Round Table members on the other ships.

Nanana grinned and then asserted.

“The time has come. Then I’ll begin. I will buy code 17428. My investment amount is…”

Hearing the number she spoke, the guests around all stammered. They were perhaps doubting Nanana’s sanity.

The secretary followed Nanana’s orders by cellphone.

“This is a bomb. I wonder what effect will this have on the market?”

The bearded man scowled.

“I never said I’m going to participate. Also, there is no guarantee that you will not do anything illegal—”

“We will not let her,” the other members of the Round Table interjected. Closing their cellphones, they added, “We, the Round table, will watch the market.”

That was effectively the green light.

The bearded man scowled even more for an instant.

“This is foolish… but a gentleman cannot step away from a duel.”

Wearing a smile only on the outside, he wrung out his voice. He was probably seething with rage on the inside for being played by the whims of Nanana and the Round Table.

“Yahah.”

Nanana narrowed one eye and gestured elegantly toward the table, inviting the man to sit.

“Welcome to the table of enjoyment.”

Starting with the tone of a violin, the orchestra began playing a light melody.

1.05 The Others

It was overlooking the lake because it was chasing a girl that interested it.

That girl had a nostalgic smell to her.

It headed toward the shore, slowly descending.

Three boats were floating on the sparkling water surface.

As it went there, it heard a familiar singing voice.

For a while it listened to it, absorbed.

Then, a black miasma was born in the mountain surrounding the lake.

It had a choking, dirty smell. There was no way it could forget that presence so full of greed.

It was the identity of the nostalgic smell surrounding the girl.

It could see the mass of miasma born within the mountains advancing little by little toward the lake. Ahead of it there was not land, but the pleasure boat that the interesting girl was boarding.

After watching the lake and mountains for a while, a black shadow passed in its sight.

That black object landed on the boat modeled after a pirate ship.

A black-clad silhouette.

That didn’t interest it at all.

When it ignored this, the black figure raised one arm toward it.

Along with a crack, its vision blurred for an instant.

It was being attacked.

Even so it was a gentle attack, almost as if it was being caressed.

And yet it turned to look at the black figure.

It had no interest in the figure themselves.

But since it had been attacked, it couldn’t stay silent.

As it looked at the black figure beneath it—it judged them to be an enemy.

1.06 Daisuke The Last

The deck of the pirate ship was in uproar.

Quite natural, considering a person suddenly stood on top of the sails. Since all the guests coming outside from the lounge were dressed well, it was probably not a civilian boat. Perhaps a party was hosted on it, since he could see tables laden with extravagant dishes.

“Is that… the Eye?”

Looking up at the object floating in the sky above the sail, the SEPB member Blaze Class Rank 1 Kakkou—Kusuriya Daisuke—mumbled this. He wore the East Central Branch’s standard equipment of a pitch-dark long coat and half of his face was hidden by mechanical goggles.

“No way, that’s…”

White smoke rose from Daisuke’s automatic handgun. He’d fired it while not fused with his Mushi, but it didn’t seem like the target received any damage.

“U-umm, please wait for a moment. I will check it now with my binoculars… ouch! I hit my glasses!”

He heard from the communications of his goggles the tense voice of an adult woman.

It was Goromaru Touko, the person who served as the Acting Branch Head of the East Central Branch. She was still leading the branch in place of the hospitalized Branch Head, Haji Keigo.

“W-where is it? The target’s too small for me to see… yeah, for some reason the wavelengths are all messed up and I can’t synchronize with the images from your goggle. Can you report its characteristics, Kakkou-san?”

Daisuke watched the strange object through his goggles.

It floated without moving at all at the height of several ten meters above the surface. He had no point of reference for its size, so he couldn’t tell for sure, but it was probably as large as a person’s head.

“It’s split like compound eyes, with the largest fragment looking like a human eyeball. These fragments are connected by what looks like nerve endings, but it’s all solid enough to repel even my bullets—”

While explaining, Daisuke scowled.

“I can’t see anyone that looks like the host anywhere… are they hiding on the boat?”

“P-probably, no, definitely that! Just like you reported! That’s an ‘Eye’!”

“Is there anyone suspicious around, Senri?”

“Uh—”

He heard from the goggles the groan of a person other than Touko.

“Senri? What’s wrong?”

“N-no, it’s fine… but this area’s strange, Dai-kun.”

Haji Senri, waiting at a different location, spoke in a pained voice.

“It feels as if the entire lake is wrapped in flames. Strong ‘flames’ appear and vanish all over the place. My eyes feel like they’re burning…!”

“It’s fine, don’t overexert yourself. Touko-san, have Senri pull back.”

“R-right.”

Daisuke had come to this place because of a request for support from the local branch.

A Mushi-sensing ability user had found a floating “eye”. When the members sent to investigate launched an attack, the Eye apparently counterattacked. The member had the tables turned back on him, and, having decided their branch could not handle it, the branch head applied to help from the East Central Branch, since their jurisdiction was close.

A completely undiscovered Mushi—no, since they couldn’t find a host, it wasn’t known if it was a Mushi in the first place.

That thing, which could be called a mysterious foreigner, was provisionally called the Eye and designated for elimination.

“B-but, are you fine by yourself, Kakkou-san?”

The Eye floating in the sky didn’t appear to be moving.

Was it seeing what he would do?

“You’ve only just returned to the East Central Branch… Although Yotsuba-san’s taken care of you, you’re still not fully healed from your battle against Marker User, right?”

“…”

“Even if your Maturation signs subsided and became stable, you should still rest—”

“No, it’s possible—that only I can defeat this.”

“Eh?”

“Also, you were the one who told me to fight before I run away, Touko-san.”

While putting his gun back in the holster on his back, he spoke emotionlessly.

His Maturation signs were stable. —Was it really true?

He knew it well, since it was him. Right now he could fight like he did before, but the next time he used his full powers, he wasn’t sure what would happen—

Because it was that sort of situation, he needed to ascertain the limits of what he could do now.

“Uh… that was because Haj—aah, Ha—ha… we have been desperate, well, I know we did some horrible things to you, but…”

“…? Never mind that anymore.”

Perhaps feeling guilt at having imprisoning Daisuke since they didn’t know when he would go wild, Touko mumbled incomprehensible words. Daisuke smiled wryly, scowling.

“Ugh—”

His vision blacked out and his five senses rapidly dimmed.

He couldn’t hear Touko’s voice anymore.

Although Daisuke was supposed to have been watching the lake, he could suddenly see an entirely different scene.

He saw a boy about the same age as him. However, his face seemed unfamiliar.

The plain features and clothes perhaps resembled him. As the boy with sparkling eyes ran ahead, several figures turned to look at him. Everyone looked tired, as if saying “not this again”.

The boy and the rest exchanged glances and started speaking.

A face Daisuke had never seen, a scene he’d never seen.

A secret meeting that was being held somewhere even now.

Daisuke watched that right in front of his eyes—

“—”

Gasping, he raised his face.

His senses returned and he was once again standing at the lake.

“Kakkou-san? Can you hear me?”

“Ah, yes.”

Daisuke shook his head and replied.

A strange feeling, as if he’d been replaced with someone else—

He began being attacked by that feeling soon after he came back to the East Central Branch from a certain city. Saved by the handyman called Ikarino Kirari, from the time he lost his chance to receive a certain necklace—a bizarre sensation clung to him.

For an illusion it all seemed very real.

Daisuke grinded his molars, clenching his fist as he thought of focusing on the enemy in front of him.

“Hey, you. You seem kinda sick, are you alright there?”

“…!”

Hearing a voice directly from behind him, Daisuke turned.

Right next to Daisuke—on top of the pirate ship’s sail, stood another unknown boy.

He looked like a gangster from the movies. He was dressed in a black suit and wore sunglasses.

Who on earth was he and when had he appeared?

More importantly, seeing the hockey stick he was holding made Daisuke widen his eyes.

“You’re from the SEPB, right? This might be my first time speaking to a member other than Inuko. Say, you’re aiming for that thing floating up there, right? I won’t be involving myself with it, so I’d like for you to avoid barging on my business as well. I have a date, you see.”

The boy kept rattling on and on to Daisuke, speaking quickly.

“Weeell, I was just hanging around that girl, but I served as her bodyguard. Now that my date’s finally here I didn’t want her to be in the way.”

He spoke casually without a hint of nervousness, almost as if he was simply asking a person on the street for directions.

“Who are—”

“Me? Oh, don’t mind it. I’m just a nameless warrior.”

“That stick… where’d you get it?”

“Kakkou-san, is something wrong? Hahe? Who’s that next to you?”

Ignoring Touko’s voice, Daisuke turned back to the boy with the hockey stick.

He’d never mistake it.

That thing the boy was so calmly holding was the one and only beloved weapon of Daisuke’s acquaintance.

The pirate ship floating in the lake.

Daisuke and the unknown boy confronted each other on top of its sails.

“This? I borrowed this from my teacher—wait, do you know Inuko?”

“…”

“No Answer! I guess it means ‘yes’. Say, how’s Inuko doing? Prolly running around somewhere. Have any idea?”

While smiling comfortably, the boy pounded the hockey stick against his back.

Borrowed this from my teacher—

He definitely said this now.

Not easily believing him, Daisuke stared at the boy. It was true that the hockey stick’s original owner, Shishidou Inuko, went around scouting Mushitsuki with talents all over the country.

So all of the combatants she’d raised would always join the SEPB.

However, the boy in front of him said that he wasn’t an SEPB member—

Daisuke opened his mouth.

A powerful side wind blew on the pirate ship.

“Wanko… Inuko is dead.”

Time seemed to stop.

The self-proclaimed warrior’s smile stiffened.

The hockey stick perched on his back nearly slipped off. His hand moved nimbly and he grasped it a moment before it fell.

“…Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that—”

“The last thing she did was fight against something at Holland City.”

Saying this expressionlessly, Daisuke extended his arm toward the boy.

The hockey stick’s owner was gone.

As a parting gift for the great warrior, he should offer that to her empty body.

However—

“—”

The boy shook off the arm holding the stick to avoid Daisuke’s hand.

Erasing his frivolous smile, he glared at Daisuke as if he was his hated enemy.

“…ch…”

The boy rotated his body. He turned his back to Daisuke as if to reject handing back the stick.

“Ouch…”

“…”

“I understand, actually… those wounds back then were obviously life-threatening… that’s why I was able to fight against Shinpu back then…”

He whispered as if to himself.

With his hand still extended, Daisuke was silent.

“—I’ll keep holding to this. Forever.”

“…”

“She had one guy that she acknowledged. He’s apparently the strongest. —If you happen to know about him, tell me.”

An orange glow leapt out of the boy’s body. The light turned into the shape of several dozen Autumn Darters.

“When I beat all of the remaining fragments—I’ll come and take his position.”

The small thud of the recoil felt much too light. The moment after he kicked the sail, the boy was already completely gone from Daisuke’s sight.

“Fragments…?”

The orange afterimages seemed to be flowing toward the mountain range.

Looking there, he noticed an abnormal black shadow moving through the trees.

Daisuke had seen that foul miasma many times before. —You said that you have defeated Diorestoi… but that was nothing more than a single fragment.

He recalled the words of Oogui, one of the Original Three.

Shinpu, that Daisuke thought he’d defeated, was a mere fragment.

And now, there was the familiar miasma right in front of his eyes.

“Is he after Shinpu?”

As a member of the SEPB, he should capture the boy seeing as he was an unknown Mushitsuki.

But Daisuke did not have the leisure to be facing against multiple enemies.

One of Shishidou Inuko’s disciples was moving without being constrained by the SEPB. And he was also seemingly after what was likely part of Shinpu.

While he understood only this much, Daisuke decided to let them go for now.

The boy himself had said this—that he would one day come to the strongest Mushitsuki.

When that time came—Daisuke would probably be able to meet that boy again.

“Kakkou-san? What on earth is happening?”

“Nothing. I’ll return to monitoring the Eye—”

Collecting himself and looking up the sky, his expression froze.

The Eye that had been floating there until a moment ago vanished without trace.

“…!”

When Daisuke turned around, right in front of him—close enough to touch his nose—he saw the abnormal mass floating there.

It was the Eye.

“Wha—”

The surface of the Eye, reflecting Daisuke’s frozen appearance like glass, began faintly emitting a blue glow. A sizzling sound came from his hair.

Azure light pierced the lake’s sky.

The heat ray launched in a straight line boiled a large amount of water on the lake surface, piercing into the distant mountains. Many trees exploded, creating a space with exposed ground.

After the heat ray passed, nothing remained.

By erasing the enemy from its sight, the Eye stopped moving.

“I’ve fought against you before—”

The Eye twitched.

Daisuke’s arm grabbed the Eye from behind in a tight hold. The moment before it fired the heat ray, Daisuke had evaded to the opposite side while leaping above it.

The unfused checkered beetle landed on Daisuke’s shoulder. Transforming its body to tentacles, it fused with Daisuke’s body. His body clad in a green pattern, Daisuke swung his fist.

“Though you are probably unaware of it.”

An explosive sound not unlike two large trucks colliding echoed across the lake.

Daisuke had thrown the grasped Eye with his full power.

The glowing in the compound eye shook for an instant while it was in Daisuke’s hand. As if there was noise mixed in with it, the light on the surface weakened.

Daisuke had once fought against an Eye—

Not many people knew of it. Since it was under extremely special circumstances, even his current boss Touko didn’t know about it.

As Daisuke attempted another attack, the Eye began glowing again.

“…Tch!”

Feeling danger, Daisuke flung the Eye toward the ground like a baseball pitcher.

His arm strength while fused with the Mushi blew the Eye far away. As it spun while shooting its heat ray, scorch marks were left indiscriminately across the mountain.

The Eye pounded against the base of the mountain with incredible speed, getting buried in the ground.

Glaring at the center of this crater, Daisuke reached for the gun at his back, but—

“—”

The pattern covering his body throbbed.

For an instant, all strength left his body and his knees folded. He blanked out for a second.

Use more power—

He had the feeling as if his Mushi was whispering this.

“Kakkou-san!”

Touko’s shout helped him regain his senses.

As Daisuke was right now, he would probably be unable to restrain his Mushi if he fused it with his gun—

It was much too reckless of a gamble right now when he needed to give his everything to hold back Maturing. Daisuke bit his lips, removing his fingers from his gun.

“A-are you alright? I-I had no idea it would be that strong—”

“But why is it still alive…? Never mind two years ago… when I fought Oogui at Shiou City… what’s going on? Is there some kind of cycle…? What is the host—no, rather than that, why is it even free…”

As he mumbled to himself, Daisuke’s face became pale.

It was like a rifle gun laser pointer. Noticing that he was being targeted, Daisuke sank his body.

The next moment, the azure heat ray passed above his head.

Daisuke knew that this wasn’t an opponent that could be dealt with by ordinary means.

Since he was unable to bring out his full power, would he even able to beat such a powerful foe?

Impatient at his own condition, he would perhaps make an irreversible lapse in judgment—

“Let’s change the battlefield to the shore. If any members are there, get them to evacuate.”

With superhuman leg strength, he leapt through the air toward the Eye.

At the edge of his vision—a different location of the mountain, there was an explosive sound. He could faintly see black miasma and an orange glow clashing. It was probably the boy from before, fighting.

“Kh…!”

He managed to dodge the Eye’s heat ray by flipping his body midair.

Letting the enemy’s attack fly past, Daisuke used the momentum of landing and stuck his fist toward the Eye. The crater burst and an even larger hole bore into the mountain.

But beneath his fist was only the now exposed ground.

Noticing the blue light illuminating him from the side, he reflexively jumped backwards.

The Eye’s heat ray immediately passing by his side mowed down a line of trees.

Daisuke kicked the ground, moving to the Eye’s vicinity instantaneously.

“Oooh!”

This time his fist hit. The Eye crashed to the ground, knocking down the surrounding trees as it was blown far away.

It moved in terrible speeds and its heat ray had unparalleled power. Against such an enemy Daisuke could only fight by actively closing the distance.

Dodging the heat rays, he attacked the Eye that was paralyzed a moment after the attack. On the other hand, perhaps loathe to keep fighting from short range, it stopped trying to corner Daisuke from nearby.

“Guh!”

Even the heavily resistant long coat couldn’t fully absorb the Eye’s attack. Every time an attack grazed against it, it was singed and cut, gouging into Daisuke’s skin and flesh.

But Daisuke didn’t stop his attack.

He was unable to use his gun and even his physical strengthening was far from his full power. Also, the more time passed, the more the throbbing he felt from the pattern on his body grew stronger.

If it became a long battle, he would be destroyed.

Since Daisuke knew that, he kept attacking even knowing he’d be wounded.

“Ooooh!”

His fist covered in a green, glowing pattern was buried into the Eye. As it pounded into the ground again, its movements looked a bit dull for an instant. Once again there was some noise on the glow of its surface.

“Hah… Hah…”

It seemed Daisuke would be able to finish the job with just a few more hits. His entire body covered in blood, Daisuke advanced with a heavy gait.

But Daisuke’s legs suddenly stopped.

The Eye’s behavior turned abnormal.

Trembling all over, its supposedly hard shell distorted as if it was made of rubber.

“—”

He was speechless at that sight.

Just as it seemed the Eye’s shape was being stretched to the sides—

Its shell parted and ripped.

Splitting into two while trembling, it floated as if nothing happened.

The two Eyes now goggled at Daisuke who stood there stunned.

Pale blue light illuminated the surroundings.

“Kh…”

Daisuke scowled—reaching for his gun. This wasn’t the time to not use his full power. An enemy he could barely match against alone now became two. At this rate he wouldn’t even be able to fight.

Shiika—

He recalled the Mushitsuki girl who bore the same dream.

He couldn’t die here.

Daisuke tried drawing his gun when it happened.

“Fire!”

Together with this sharp voice, the Eyes which even now prepared to fire their rays were engulfed in a column of flame.

The giant pillar of flames scorched the skies and the explosive wind knocked the trees around.

“Senri…!”

While fanned by the wind, Daisuke turned toward the voice.

On the other side of the assorted trees stood a girl with long hair. Her body wrapped in a black coat, she raised her hand with a finger pointed in the shape of a gun.

“Idiot…! Why did you come here!”

The high-density flames shot by Senri definitely damaged the enemies. Their shell scorched by the flames, the Eyes trembled with pain—and the next moment completely vanished from within the flames.

“Run!”

Instantly moving overhead, the Eyes started shining blue while glaring at Senri.

Senri would never be able to dodge their attacks with her own legs—

“Fire!”

Still gazing forward, Senri crossed her arms. The pistol-fingers on both hands pointed toward the Eyes’ location. —Although Senri was blind from birth, she possessed the rare ability to sense Mushi.

The two flame pillars assaulted the two Eyes.

But it wasn’t enough to finish them off. While swallowed by the flames, the Eyes tried shooting heat rays.

The next moment, golden-colored lasers fell from the skies. The light rays pouring down like rain skewered the Eyes.

“Akatsuki—”

From a different direction from Senri, a golden mayfly controlled by a boy appeared. Although he hadn’t equipped his goggles, he wore the same kind of coat as Daisuke and Senri. Just like Haji Senri, he, Ogata Akatsuki, was a member of the East Central Branch.

The mayfly’s tail, split into two, kept launching golden lasers. Drawing arcs in the air, they persistently pierced the Eyes as they kept stubbornly trying to move.

“…”

Not slackening his attacks on the enemies, Akatsuki glared at Daisuke. —Due to certain circumstances, the boy saw him as target for revenge.

“—Why are you not using your gun?”

His eyes were sharp, but Akatsuki’s tone was surprisingly calm.

Receiving focused attacks from the high-levelled combatants Akatsuki and Senri, the Eyes finally stopped moving. They broke down as if deflating, melting into thin air.

Daisuke averted his gaze away from Akatsuki.

“You shouldn’t have come here. If the enemy hit you even once, someone like you would be finished immediately. It’s better for me to fight alone.”

“You’re speaking like that even though you were nearly done for.”

“Wha—”

Turning back, Akatsuki passed near Daisuke with a composed expression. Since the job was over, he was hurriedly leaving. —It was only by a little, but Daisuke had the feeling that Akatsuki’s behavior toward him was different. He felt less hatred from his words and actions than before. He still remained as cold as ever, though.

“Dai-kun, are you alright? Ah… I smell blood. Are you hurt?”

Senri ran toward him. By becoming able to control her Mushi, Senri was now able to “see” people’s positions as well.

“Awawa… if you’re done, then everyone retreat! Retreat!”

Touko’s voice echoed from the goggles.

“…”

Suddenly recalling something, Daisuke looked toward the distant mountain.

The miasma seen between the trees now fully vanished. —The boy who inherited the hockey stick apparently won against that fragment or whatever.

“Apparently, the organizers of the boat parties are the Round Table! Umm, this Round Table is like a gathering of all rich people, umm, anyway, they’re very scary people! What are we going to do?! I’m going to get scolded so hard!”

Rich people—

Hearing this word, the face of a certain girl from a rich family passed through Daisuke’s mind.

The one called Akasegawa Nanana.

Once, Nanana had told Daisuke she wanted to become a Mushitsuki. Was that drunk girl also on one of these three ships?

If it was so, he sympathized with those on board.

Finishing his mission and turning his body, Daisuke thought.

Being involved with that woman would never end well—

1.07 Nanana Part 5

The inside of the pleasure boat was engulfed in ominous silence.

At times explosions were heard from the outside. Apparently Kakkou was doing something.

Even the SEPB couldn’t do anything about this party. Thinking of the Round Table’s influence, they would never allow any of them to ruin their events.

“I will buy code 12843. My investment amount is…”

Nanana announced this from the round table placed at the center of the party hall. Folding her legs, she directed a challenging smile toward the middle-aged man seated on the other side.

Using her cellphone, the secretary conveyed Nanana’s orders to the outside. The boy wearing a formal suit, Pochi, watched everything around to protect her, not moving a muscle. A bit further away Shiika who was standing with Aijisupa clenched her fists and looked at Nanana.

The crowd stirred like small ripples. “Something’s happening in the appliances industry…” she heard voices mumbling.

“I’ll sell all of code 12113.”

The middle-aged man facing Nanana spoke calmly with his sharp chin raised. A brawny foreigner bodyguard stood from behind, and another one was sending orders to the outside.

The guests stirred again. “It’s the one he bought just now.” “Is he selling at a loss?” “No, Akasegawa’s action just now made him profit—” they whispered among themselves.

More than an hour passed since the game Nanana had been waiting for, a so-called blind horseracing.

“I’ll buy code 12391. The investment amount will be…”

“I will buy code 12092. The investment amount will be…”

“I’ll sell all of code 12764.”

“I’ll buy code 12228. The investment amount will be…”

While continuing to mechanically announce her moves, Nanana took a glimpse at the other Round Table members.

Unlike the guests who swooned at each and every blow of Nanana’s fight, the three members simply watched them calmly from a table. The black-suited men around them frequently checked used their cellphones to contact someone, whispering announcements to the members’ ears. They probably gave them details about the movements of the market.

“Yahah. Oh right, have you heard this pleasant rumor? They say that Munakata Kaiji’s missing. —I’ll buy code 12512. The investment amount will be…”

While spinning her stick, Nanana spoke. Now a different kind of stirring was born in everyone present.

The bearded man shrugged. He looked as if he knew this was a trap that meant to shake him.

“I’ll sell all of code 12661. —Oh? That is news to me. I have met Mr. Munakata. He is often a topic for conversation at the Round Table. A reliable businessman.”

Seeing the bearded man feign ignorance, Nanana felt anger welling up from inside her. The fact that the distant Round Table members also showed no agitation pissed her off.

All of them were sly foxes.

They thought Nanana knew nothing and so could calmly look down on her.

Thinking about it, it was the same when her grandfather had died and she’s succeeded him as the Akasegawa Foundation Chairman. Various relatives who were employees in the company approached Nanana, saying they wanted to help her now that she was bereaved.

And although Nanana yearned for the Kind Magician, she vanished.

The lonely Nanana accepted the adults snuggling up to her. She did what they said and gave them what they wanted.

And so, gradually, Nanana started losing everything around her.

“Yahah. No, you know about it very well. After all, Munakata’s disappearance made you a hefty profit.”

“There you go, badmouthing people again. We want you to say we were prescient. We have simply bought the stocks we had our eyes on since a long time ago. —Have you forgotten to call, little girl?”

“Hmph. I’ll buy code 16243. The investment amount will be…”

Everything reflected in Nanana’s eyes turned into the scraps of paper called money.

The numbers written in bankbooks and bonds all began to lower every time she’d looked. The housekeeper who took care of her for many years vanished at some point, and even her cute dog became someone else’s. Cars vanished from the garage, and she even lost her favorite bicycle.

Staying at her empty home was too lonely, so she began loitering around the company building. Doing so, she found that her grandfather’s seat at his office—the chair that was supposed to be hers—was occupied by an old and unfamiliar man.

Even at school, where she’d been pampered by the teachers until now, they suddenly grew cold. Apparently, her pay of donation to the school was overdue. Although she did it as a favor, perhaps it became a source of stress; the teachers all changed and started venting their anger on her.

“Is there something not to your liking? You seem to be sulking all of a sudden. And you take longer thinking. —I will buy code 16117. The investment amount will be…”

Moving the stage to the food industry, the man laughed.

Her loss in the previous stage was apparent. While the others guests around all grinned and watched Nanana, the Round Table members still remained calm.

Nanana incurred vast losses, and the bearded man profited. All of the crowd could surmise as such, and the expressions of the Round Table members served as proof.

“You’re just imagining it. Yahah. I’ll buy code 16721. The investment amount will be…”

“Oh, that’s impossible. Just the other day, their child company’s new product was a huge hit and the price was raised. You’ll never buy it with that amount.”

“…Shuddup. You can’t tell that.”

“Oh, how scary. Have you now become sober? I will buy code 16449. The investment amount will be…”

Even Nanana had a single friend. When the teachers all turned their cold shoulders to her, none of the other students had a positive impression of Nanana, but one classmate grew close to her.

Her friend, called Ikarino Kirai, had advised Nanana in the middle of her crisis.

—I think you’d better forget about the Magician.

Since Nanana had waited for the Kind Magician like a form of escapism, one day Kirari said this to her.

It went without saying that Nanana had been shocked.

—If you keep waiting for someone that may never come back, you’ll never grow stronger.

She couldn’t understand what that girl was saying this. Wasn’t she supposed to be her friend? She had lost her one and only grandfather, then everything that belonged to her, and she even lost her very first supporter—the Magician, right?

At that time Nanana had been cornered.

No.

Perhaps that was the moment when the girl called Akasegawa Nanana realized that the world surrounding her was just an illusion.

When she’d been on the brink of losing even her house, Nanana thought to herself.

The days she’d spent with the grandfather and Kind Magician who cherished her were far too naïve.

Sweet halcyon memories, just like crepe.

Nanana lost them, and in exchange gained vast money. If she could trade it for crepe, perhaps she could raise that much money and exchange it again for this sweetness.

Thinking like this—Nanana had changed.

“Enclosure…”

“Hmm? Have you said something? Oh, I haven’t taken my turn yet.”

“Just before Munakata vanished, he uttered this word as one of the things he’d been investigating. Enclosure is a term from the economic history of the west. It apparently designates a feudal lord enclosing the shared lands of normal peasants.”

“Oh, how knowledgeable you are. What about your call?”

There was no need for her to call.

Even in this new stage Nanana was in the red. On the other hand, the bearded man was a huge winner. Both the grins of the guests and the serenity of the Round Table members said it clearly.

Nanana, completely forgoing her drunkard act, looked around with a stupid face.

“Surround and isolate using money. That is the history of enclosure…”

“So you’re not making a call? Surrendering before you become bankrupt is a wise decision. Your only one today.”

Laughter echoed in the venue.

“I also investigated it. Several decades ago, even this country went through something that could be called an enclosure. There were signs of the members of the Round Table at the time having moved large amounts of money. And after they desperately gathered all these funds, they all vanished somewhere…”

The voices laughing at Nanana now turned agitated. Perhaps they were doubting her sanity.

“As if they were trying to desperately monopolize something. What had they become so obsessed about? I thought about that. Perhaps that was a kind of—‘omen’?”

Without minding it, Nanana kept mumbling.

“Enclosure, Bubble, Paradigm Shift… these events, just like the Magician said, were perhaps related to the thing that was born—so it hadn’t appeared all of a sudden around ten years ago… there was the omen called Enclosure. Meaning—the thing that should have been born, was indeed born.”

Did anyone in the party knew how big of a thing Nanana was saying? Other than the members of the Round Table, everyone looked at her with eyes full of pity.

All of them made fun of her.

Just like when Nanana had been about to lose everything and went on the counterattack.

“The history of enclosure amounted to nothing more than anxious duckies. And that became the origin of it all—the swan moving between them…”

Nanana apparently possessed her grandfather’s talent. The thing called money was meaningless to her, but she knew well how to increase or decrease it. —No, perhaps it was better to say that she learned by heart the nature of people who foolishly swarmed toward it.

It took no time at all to grow Nanana’s assets to how they were during her grandfather’s time.

She’d brought back her house, her housekeeper and her pet. She’d fired all of the employees who deceived her and had sent away all the teachers who treated her unreasonably to the countryside.

Even so—those sweet halcyon days never returned.

Since it took so long to get them back, would she get them with interest?

Nanana gradually gained more and more money.

But no matter how much time passed, she was never able to buy back her sweet crepe. She would trade away everything she owned to taste it even once, but it was no use.

She could get anything else she ever desired, but she could never regain that which she had eaten before.

“—I’ll buy the entirety of the following bank...”

Nanana mumbled.

The party hall became so quiet one could hear a pin drop in it.

What Nanana spoke was a brand name without a code. It was nothing more than a middling bank. But since it wasn’t in the country, no one would have acknowledged it. Since they did only business within the country until now, it was probably outside the monitoring eye of the Round Table as well.

Clatter. The table shook.

The bearded man’s eyes almost seemed to rip from how wide they were. He was so agitated that he apparently bumped his elbow against the table.

“There’s no way—”

Since he opened his mouth wide, his throat was probably parched. He tried to keep talking, but words didn’t form properly. Feigning calmness, he grabbed his glass with shaking hands and drank.

“There’s no way, you can buy that… it was growing until yesterday. There’s no way its prices would lower in these mere few hours—”

“Isn’t it your umbrella organization, though? Have you really not noticed the ‘omen’? You should at least be familiar with the names of businesses you loan from.”

Nanana tilted her head loosely. She narrowed one eye.

“The price indeed lowered. Because I worked hard on lowering it. All of the companies I bought on a loss here were loaning from this bank. If the price so foolishly swings like that, of course the market will doubt its finances from the bank… in the first place it’s just a temporary business for overseas mafia. Credit is of no importance there.”

The bearded man showed his true nature. With a vicious expression, he turned to look at the three Round Table members.

They have just received the reports from their underlings. They were probably checking the overseas market. Letting leak a huge sigh, they slowly shook their heads toward the bearded man.

“You haven’t even noticed my ‘enclosure’. After all, you are nothing more than a useful fool that can be bled dry.”

Shocked, the bearded man fell back to his chair.

“Now I am a major shareholder of your money. Even the money you’ve made before will now flow to the Akasegawa Foundation. —I’ll have you choose later if you want to become my dog or else present me with a certain someone who’s been missing. Yahaha.”

Laughing at the man who was groaning and unable to move, Nanana rose from her chair.

She made an elegant bow directed at the three Round Table members.

“How about it? Have you enjoyed our humble entertainment?”

Glancing outside, apparently the clamor at the mountainside was already settled. Kakkou probably concluded his mission as well.

“Oh dear me, would you look at that.”

Raising her face, Nanana made an exaggeratedly surprised expression.

“It appears that there is now a vacancy within the Round Table. Has someone gone bankrupt?”

After glancing around, Nanana spun her stick and pointed it at herself.

“By the way, I know a certain lady fit to work for the Round Table—so how about it?”

It still wasn’t enough.

From now on, Nanana would continue amassing money like trash.

Until she could one day buy back that sweet crepe—

The voice of Nanana, who narrowed one eye, echoed in the silent party hall.

Notes

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