episode_0301

Unfortunately, our hope of not being caught was only half-fulfilled.

What was thrust before my eyes was a tablet. On its screen was a small mushroom cloud.

“This happened on 43rd Street. You know why I called you, right?”

The day after visiting Enrica at the hospital, the Dean, who was in the hospital room, summoned us. Beside us, Sophieel Unnie glared with a look that said, ‘You caused trouble again,’ making the back of my head tingle.

A mushroom cloud had risen in the park. Perhaps because we had just visited a nearby hospital, we were under suspicion. Let’s deny it for now.

“I didn’t do anything!”

“I haven’t said anything yet.”

“No! I don’t know! A mushroom cloud? Maybe an Apostle appeared?”

As I tried to deny it with all my might, the clueless Trinity threw cold water on the situation.

“That’s right! I blew it up! Boom! Isn’t it cool?”

“Uh…”

Sophieel spoke.

“Violet, they wouldn’t have called us without proof. Look at this.”

As the tablet screen changed, a nearby CCTV camera appeared. Before the explosion, our figures heading towards the park were clearly visible on the screen, flickering due to the influence of aether.

“Wow, someone who looks like us!…Oh, it’s us alright…”

“You didn’t think that was all, did you? This is the travel path of the tracking device attached to Enrica. It clearly shows you leaving Central Hospital and heading towards the park. And then, you’re seen leaving again after the explosion.”

“Gasp…!”

Seijis sighed. He looked at us with eyes like a mother looking at a child who spilled a pot of ramen while secretly cooking it. I didn’t know where to put my eyes in embarrassment.

“Tell me honestly. What did you do there?”

“…I practiced hunting with Enrica.”

“Why there of all places…? Ah… Why specifically there?”

Perhaps feeling sorry for me being interrogated by the Dean, Enrica suddenly cut in.

“Um, Dean. I was the one who suggested going to the dungeon! It’s not Violet’s fault.”

Seijis sighed and slowly rose from the hospital bed. His tired eyes held a mix of disbelief and frustration. Was he displeased that we blew up the park?

“I couldn’t control my strength! I’ll be careful next time!”

“Right. Next time, if the emergency alarm goes off in the street, I won’t just go into a dungeon or anything, I’ll evacuate.”

“That’s not the problem, Violet. You know about the Tea Time Accord, right?”

“Yeah.”

If you don’t know the Tea Time Accord, you’re not from this city, you’re an alien.

“Even aliens know it? It just occurred to me, I think I knew about the Tea Time Accord back when I was an Apostle!”

“Didn’t ask. Unit 2501.”

“Ugh…”

Its official name is the Clan-Federation Joint Prosperity Accord. Long ago, it was an agreement where the Federation and the Clans, after a major conflict over various issues, retreated from the brink of crossing the line. I remember the accord containing provisions on redefining relations between the Clans and the Federation, expanding Clan privileges, and fostering and securing talent.

Uniquely, the ending of the word changes depending on who is calling it. The Clan faction refers to it as the Tea Time Accord, while within the Federation’s sphere of influence, it’s called the Tea Time Agreement. I wonder why.

But why bring this up now, of all times?

“According to Article 7, Paragraph 1 of the Accord, Clans are not permitted to possess any form of weapons of mass destruction that utilize the principle of mass-energy equivalence, like nuclear weapons. In case of a violation, the Federation Navy fleet is dispatched to lay waste to the parties involved. And Enrica’s ability, you saw it, right?”

“Gah. That’s right.”

I let out a short yelp, like someone who had just woken from a dream. Why hadn’t I thought of that?

“If it were just an ordinary explosive or magic, it wouldn’t have been a big problem. That level of destruction is certainly possible if one sets their mind to it. The problem is Enrica’s constitution. Due to the large amount of radiation detected at the explosion site, the Inspectorate and the Federation side cautiously raised the issue of nuclear weapons.”

At the word “radiation,” Enrica hiccuped in surprise.

“For now, it passed without major issues, chalked up to being a peculiar dungeon. However, the Federation could have become suspicious, tracked you down, or used the Tea Time Accord as an excuse to imprison Enrica or forcibly conscript her. A pretty troublesome situation would have unfolded.”

“Gasp… I hadn’t thought of that.”

We seemed to have been too careless. We remembered Enrica’s ability, but why did we forget the Tea Time Accord?

“Those petty Federation guys would have tried to forcibly conscript her, right?”

It’s obvious they would have dragged her into their military academy.

“Relax your expression, Violet. Seijis is just trying to scare you. It won’t violate the Tea Time Accord to that extent.”

Sophieel Unnie, who had been watching with her arms crossed, handed Enrica some water.

“According to Article 7, Paragraph 3, the Tea Time Accord only regulates ‘weapons of mass destruction.’ The personal abilities of Awakened individuals, artifacts, or magic are exempt from regulation. You can’t regulate elite units like Vanguard or superhumans like Archmages, can you?”

“Ah, that’s right, isn’t it? What a relief!”

“I’m not getting arrested? Yay!”

While we rejoiced, Seijis, seemingly frustrated again, lifted his arm in a cast and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Ugh, Violet. Enrica! I’m not finished yet. Even so, you can’t just go around firing magic willy-nilly anywhere, like this time. The important thing isn’t whether it’s covered by the accord. Enrica is still a child without an identity. If she’s not affiliated with an academy, there’s a higher chance that Clans will just take her. Think about how careless you were this time, even getting caught on CCTV. For now, it’s best if Trinity’s constitution and abilities aren’t widely known.”

Ugh, I had overlooked an even more serious problem. Enrica’s identity and status were a blank slate. It wouldn’t matter once she entered an academy and gained student status, but in her current state, she was like a high-denomination bill lying on the street, free for anyone to pick up.

“Ugh… Alright, Dean. But I want to practice magic…”

“Me too! Enrica’s ability is amazing. Plus, if she practices often, she’ll be able to control her power.”

At the mention of power control, the Dean closed his eyes for a moment and muttered something.

“Power control… the necessity of continuous power discharge… collapse… Indeed, I can’t just make her hold it in indefinitely.”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“It’s nothing… I’m not saying you can’t go out. Just don’t cause trouble without a plan, like this time. At least until Enrica enrolls in a suitable academy. Understand?”

We promised not to act carelessly or cause large explosions. The Dean and Sophieel Unnie agreed to handle evidence like the CCTV footage within the Inspectorate, but for now, we’d have to act cautiously.

“It’s not over yet. Violet, if you want to go out with Enrica, it’s best if at least one, and preferably two, guardians accompany you. Understand?”

“Guardians?”

Simply put, it meant we’d have supervision. Guardians, how bothersome.

“And I’ll inform you about Enrica’s related matters later. Keep that in mind.”

“Alright…”

So much nagging.

***

As early April quickly passed, the Violets pondered how they would spend time with their new friend. This happened while Bernike was slowly finishing preparations to leave for the research institute in the south.

“Unnie, so did you find Enrica’s research institute?”

“We found it. The problem is there’s nothing left.”

Unfortunately, the research institute where Enrica had been confined for over 10 years was, literally, empty. Important databases had all been deleted by a pre-activated security system, and some were burned or shattered into pieces. Paper documents were also gone, as if a swarm of locusts had swept through. Those involved had either died or gone missing, leaving no clear leads.

It wasn’t urgent right now, but without research data on Trinity’s friends or information about the medicine, a difficult day would eventually come. We had to find it quickly, somehow.

Fortunately, a clue emerged when Enrica mentioned some affiliated research labs.

“Inside a dungeon?”

“Yeah, I don’t know which dungeon it was, but there was a research lab I used to go to often. The director said they kept copies of important data there.”

I wrote down Trinity’s description of the dungeon’s interior. Based on that, we decided to ask people we knew to find it.

“Irene-ah, please! I’ve talked to brokers and asked other acquaintances, but experts on the ground will be the fastest for this kind of thing, won’t they?”

“Alright, I’ll do my best to find it. By the way, Violet, you let that woman into your home? Nothing unusual happened?”

“No. Why? Did something happen after I sent her off?”

After receiving Trinity’s testimony, Irene walked in one direction with a somewhat displeased expression. As she entered the hangar, Professor Bernike was arguing with people in front of a giant humanoid machine.

“Just trust me, okay? Whatever else, the neural tuning system and spinal manipulation connection system of that robot are based on my patent! You said its movements were awkward, right? I’ll take a look, so open up that Stregonix or whatever brain access hatch right now. Hurry!”

Irene shook her head as if disgusted.

“I called her because she was introduced as an expert who might be able to look into my father’s problem. It seems she can fix the synchronization issue. She is indeed smart. But something… she’s a bit pathological.”

As expected, the old woman spoke in an agitated tone, perhaps due to an urge to disassemble Irene’s father, or perhaps enraged by patent infringement, it was unclear.

“Those Magnabyss idiots you brought, they’re not bad, but they just mechanically follow instructions and repair. They have no understanding whatsoever. Hey, Manager Morgan. That robot, you said it’s in hibernation right now, right? I’m ready. Let’s start right away. I need to see how that giant robot was perfectly controlled without any side effects. Synchronization issues? That’s my specialty, so I’ll do my best to solve it.”

“Hey, old woman. Watch your mouth! The Captain isn’t a ‘robot’!”

“How rude! Call me Professor! Manager!”

Ugh, her bizarrely excited appearance reminded me of that time she tried to open our heads. If she acted like that elsewhere, I wondered how she hadn’t been stabbed and survived until now.

“Just in case, I contacted Dean-nim and got confirmation that it’s fine, but I keep getting uneasy. She won’t do anything strange to my father, will she?”

“…We’ll have to watch.”

Well, Helios’s problems are Helios’s to deal with. What I had to do now was play with Enrica.

“Firepower!”

“Explosions!”

As the Dean pointed out, Enrica’s constitution was unique. Therefore, if rumors spread before she enrolled in an academy, be it Aegis or Vesperia, received a student ID, and gained support from the academy, it would become a headache. Because Clans would stick to her like mayflies to a streetlight.

Still, Enrica, who had been confined to the house, was a little bored. I, who wanted to see Enrica’s explosions, felt the same way. We decided to practice in an uninhabited place.

“This is Violet’s island? Not an uninhabited island?”

“That’s right. It’s just that no people live here. In fact, it’s probably under the jurisdiction of the Federation or the Academy City. Strictly speaking, this is illegal occupation.”

“Hehehe…”

For this outing, a whopping two guardians accompanied us. Sophieel Unnie and Daphne looked around the uninhabited island, which consisted only of rocks, sand, and a few trees.

“Having a helicopter is good for times like this, isn’t it?”

Having a means of transportation made it convenient to go anywhere quickly.

-Boom!

Soon, colorful explosions erupted from the beach, soaring above the water’s surface. The magic bullets and fireballs Enrica launched flew, surrounded by blue light, and water columns continuously shot up with explosions that surpassed imagination.

“Whoa!”

Might as well show off the Violet Army’s power and put on a firepower demonstration.

“How’s my magic?”

“Enrica! It’s amazing!”

“…It’s beyond imagination.”

Daphne, who was clapping with half admiration and half surprise, cast her gaze towards the various artillery emplacements on the uninhabited island’s hill. Mortars, field guns, and various rockets.

“Did you make these yourselves?”

“Yeah, they’re the V-series rockets!”

“You don’t study, but where on earth did you get all this…”

In a world dominated by superhumans and monsters who can withstand bullets and extreme environments, one universally accepted truth is that ranged combat is preferred. Of course, the most powerful hunters are masters of close combat. Monsters are also skilled in close combat and possess the durability to withstand ranged attacks.

“Right! And slashing enemies with a sword feels more fun. Charge is the best! We’ll become master swordsmen! Just like this—”

-Thrust!

“Aaargh! I’m dying again!”

However, even the most durable Awakened individual can lose their life to a single massive bullet or a magic-infused arrow if they’re unlucky. Like Unit 2214, who got a hole in their chest while doing a side job in a dungeon just now! Even the sturdy armored knights of Restraid paint camouflage patterns on their armor if necessary, and monsters, if capable, initiate with ranged attacks—that’s the reality these days.

The battlefield, where chivalry and the loyalty of heroes had disappeared, was utterly cold. The evidence is that those with ultra-long-range shooting, unique innate abilities, or area-of-effect magic abilities are more highly regarded in terms of compensation and employment than hunters who only mastered close-combat skills.

In line with the latest trends, our Violets have consistently introduced various ranged weapons. Recently, the Violet Artillery Corps achieved two developments. One was the Violet cruise missile, created from a propeller fighter jet that came over to Helios’s side. The plane, stripped of all major equipment like weapons and radios, even escape devices, and filled entirely with explosives, showed satisfying performance. In effect, a weapon system capable of immediately striking anywhere on the Academy City island from the outside had emerged.

And the other was—

“This is a V-3 rocket!”

“V-3?”

As Enrica examined the weapons with the guardians, a flicker of interest appeared in her eyes. It was a reaction as if she sensed the thrilling explosions and hot flames contained within them.

“Yeah, it’s the third self-made rocket we’ve created!”

The proud V-series rockets had evolved once again. The Violets, having mastered welding and various technologies, had caught all three rabbits: productivity, range, and firepower.

“New rockets? You made them yourselves? I heard about it last time, but…”

“Yes! Unnie! How are they?”

Sophieel Unnie had a thoughtful expression, pondering what to say.

“Uh, mm. Violet has excellent dexterity.”

“Hehehe…”

Encouraged by the compliment, we began our work. We carefully placed rockets taller than a Violet onto the crudely welded launchpad. From the V-3 rocket onwards, they were designed assuming vehicle operation, allowing multiple rounds to be launched at once.

“Launch!”

The surroundings were covered in ear-splitting roars and smoke. The V-3 rockets, imbued with the blood of hundreds of Violets, soared into the sky. Smoke trails embroidered the sky. The rockets, spewing flames as they flew, shot up from the launchpad and into the blue sky beyond, soon impacting the distant sea.

-BOOOOM!

Seeing countless water columns erupt from the surface, Enrica giggled and cheered.

“How is it? Cool, right?”

“It’s so fun! It’s not as much as my magic, but I love things that explode with a boom!”

Before I knew it, Enrica and I were holding hands and facing each other.

“Wow! This feels great!”

“Heheheh!”

Somehow, Sophieel Unnie and Daphne were looking at us with strange eyes, but I decided to ignore them.

After experiencing an explosion outdoors, we could no longer hold back.

“I want to try it in real combat. In a dungeon, that is. The people at the lab praised it when they saw it. They said it was incredibly powerful.”

At Enrica’s words, I showed her the photos I had prepared beforehand.

“Yeah, I’ve decided where to go. This time, I’ll show you a unique kind of explosion!”

It would be quite amusing when my bomb vest and radiation buff were added. I was curious about what power the Violets, enveloped in blue light by Enrica’s abilities, could unleash. There was also someone I wanted to introduce her to.

“Oh, and I have a friend, you know. She’s coming with us, how about it?”

“A friend?”

It was a quiet time at the academy, so we were able to comfortably slip away for a personal outing.

“I want to see her, Violet’s friend. Does she like explosions too?”

“I don’t know about explosions, but you’ll become friends quickly once you meet her!”

“Alright!”

And so, a few days later, I was able to introduce a new friend to Trinity before we entered the dungeon.

“Ah, hi. I’m, I’m Le-Levi!”

“I’m Enrica, Enrica Maitner! Call me Trinity!”

The girl with a huge bag and the girl in a hazmat suit waved to each other, smiling brightly. The moment I witnessed that scene, a realization struck me.

“That is…”

“The meeting of ballistics and physics!”

Beyond the world, I pictured a chubby, anti-democratic man in black clothes kindly smiling and waving.

“The barrel of annihilation!”

This hunt seemed like it was going to be incredibly fun.

***

In an unnamed dungeon, hunters relentlessly continued their search amidst the deep, foggy terrain of the deeper levels.

“They definitely said it was here…”

At the urging words, the hunter grumbled, plunged his knife into the ground, and looked around.

“It’s not here, is it?”

“Find it quickly! They said there’s an affiliated facility nearby! Important data is supposed to be there. Everyone will flock here in a few days; strange rumors have spread!”

The hunter looked up at his companion’s words, his face hidden behind a mask, not clearly visible.

“What rumors?”

“Rumors are circulating that relics from the First Interdimensional Invasion are buried deep within this dungeon. There are also whispers of a secret vault, and it seems there are others here looking for the research lab we’re targeting.”

“Damn it, it’s already hard enough with those Laplachia bastards rushing us, and now troublemakers too…”

Lamenting, they stopped their search and sat down.

“The guys who set up a base in these deep levels are weird to begin with. Strange rumors have always circulated here.”

“What rumors?”

The man turned his gaze, as if asking him to tell.

“You don’t know? It’s an urban legend. They say an infamous monster has long resided in the deep levels of this dungeon. The ‘Eleven Flaming Maws of Cutlass Valley.’ Everyone who witnessed it supposedly died.”

“The Eleven Flaming Maws?”

“Well, you see—”

A rumbling sound echoed from beyond the mist. All team members, who had been working or resting, suddenly stood up and pointed their swords into the mist. They remained vigilant for a long time, but nothing happened.

“Damn it, it must be a mistake, right?”

Beyond the valley’s mist, still nothing was visible.

“It’s probably just a monster’s sound. Let’s start again! So we can get off work early!”

Recalling Laplachia’s harsh demands, they set aside their unknown fear and resumed their search. Unaware of the heavy presence moving within the mist.