episode_0414

When people discuss the public security of Academy City Lustrum, they often evaluate which districts are good and bad. Generally, the southern and northern districts are highly regarded.

Magnabis in the east and Luminx in the west tended strongly to remain bystanders unless an incident directly concerned them. This power vacuum further fueled instability.

At least Arcit was thoroughly monitored.

Then what about Lestrade? Statistically and on average, it was the most stable, but there was a trap.

Lestrade crushed visible enemies with overwhelming force.

It offered both satisfaction and a warning to onlookers, like cracking a walnut with an industrial hammer, but that was all.

The number of armored knights was limited. They prioritized glorious and much more dangerous tasks—such as monster subjugation or hazardous area exploration—over ‘trivial and minor’ issues like human criminals.

This inevitably created a security vacuum.

Realizing they were safe as long as they avoided the knights’ eyes, criminal organizations hid in blind spots like redevelopment zones, sewers, and underground areas.

This unique environment in the south, created by sluggish knights, prolonged the murderer’s life.

“… Ugh.”

In the damp, dusty darkness, a woman lay propped against a wall. Her entire body was covered in dried bloodstains, cobwebs, dust, and dirt, making her look utterly filthy.

From her thinly trembling fingertips, something like black smoke faintly rose and then faded. All the fugitive agent could do now was lean against the wall and rest.

Fortunately, there was enough space. She was hiding inside a massive retention facility, a dim place boasting high ceilings and a vast area.

It was ideally suited for hiding, as it was rarely frequented.

With her reason now consumed by overuse of power, only animalistic instincts led her here.

It was utterly silent, save for the sound of dripping water.

It was then, as she focused on hiding and recovering, that an unfamiliar sound reached her ears.

Drag, drag.

A soft dragging sound against the hard concrete floor. The agent’s pupils sharply contracted with wariness.

Sensing a threat, the agent quickly reached into the shadows. Clones resembling her bloomed from all directions like black mist.

The clones moved as if dancing, all drawing and throwing daggers as one.

The coldly gleaming daggers sliced through the air.

The flying daggers instantly shattered into pieces in mid-air without a sound.

They scattered as black fragments, as if striking an invisible wall. Without a trace of surprise, the shadows skillfully proceeded to their next action.

Beyond the concrete pillars of the retention facility, a faint silhouette wavered.

“I’m from the Federal Intelligence Agency. Excuse me, but may I have a word?”

The owner of the voice was utterly nonchalant.

In a flash, the shadow swords of the clones, rushing from both sides, crossed in an ‘X’ over the silhouette.

-Crunch!

The murderer couldn’t comprehend the situation before her.

They should have torn the opponent apart. The attacks from her clones were powerful enough to pierce any armor.

The silhouette was unharmed. Just as her body, trained by mechanical drills, instinctively tried to move her elsewhere, the intruder appeared before her.

What was revealed under the faint light was an unexpected sight.

The clones disintegrated into dust, scattering in the air like falling petals.

Black particles swirled like a dance in the air before vanishing.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’. To be found hiding in a place like this, it’s quite laughable.”

At the light taunt, she instinctively tried to swing her arm. A black shadow extended from her fingertips like a blade.

The blade she was about to thrust paused in mid-air. She couldn’t move. As if time had frozen, the clones that were about to emerge from the shadows solidified like statues.

The bewilderment that arose from even her unique ability being halted transformed into terror in an instant. All color drained from the murderer’s face.

-Slam!

Her knees slammed into the floor with a deafening crash, as if pressed down by something immense. The concrete floor cracked like a spiderweb.

Immediately after, the man’s two hands grasped her head.

A shiver ran through her the moment his cold, hard fingers touched her scalp.

-Squish!

The man’s fingers burrowed into the murderer’s skull as if digging into soft mud.

Overwhelmed by the immense pressure encompassing her entire body, she merely trembled violently, unable to offer any resistance.

Foam was already bubbling from her mouth.

“…!”

“Let’s see. I wondered where Arcit’s agents got such a trick… so it was true.”

The man’s voice grew even lower and deeper. Ignoring her struggles, the man grinned and searched her mind.

The memories that emerged were utterly muddled. In the fragmented memories, like shards of a broken mirror, only moments of murder, pain, and oblivion were clear.

Her intellect was half-gone, leaving her no different from a beast. What stood before him was merely a being capable of using magic, indistinguishable from a monster.

“Did you receive excessive power from the traitor of the Ninth Pillar? So, this is what happens when you get power beyond your station.”

The corner of the man’s mouth curled slightly.

“…. Ugh… ugh…”

The man slowly withdrew his fingers. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a single wound left on the murderer’s head where his fingers had burrowed. Not a drop of blood was shed.

The man didn’t gain much useful information from the fragmented memories of this feral being.

He closed his eyes and pondered. This being still had its uses.

“Aren’t you resentful? About why you became like this?”

The man spoke in a soft, whispering voice, as if offering comfort to an old friend.

“…I… I…”

Arcit’s fugitive agent stared up at the being before her with blank eyes. Her unfocused pupils faintly trembled.

“That’s all because of that cunning traitor. She’s the one who made you into this miserable state.”

“Tra… traitor…”

The agent’s lips trembled as she echoed the words. The word ‘traitor’ embedded itself deeply into her muddled mind.

“Yes, a traitor. We must catch the traitor. Are we going to stand by and watch such a wretch roam freely outside?”

The man’s eyes glowed with a cold light. Even under the faint illumination of the retention facility, his pupils were strangely clear.

“…But…!”

The agent, who had been quietly listening to the man’s words, suddenly trembled violently. It was a convulsion, as if an electric current was flowing through her.

“… Light… hurts…”

“Ah, so there’s such a restriction…”

The man smiled softly. It was a cold, calculated smile.

“Indeed. In your current state, you’d struggle to face anything. I shall bestow a small blessing upon you.”

Then, he seemed to gently caress the agent’s head, only to grasp it powerfully once more.

His fingers burrowed into her skull.

Soundless screams and violent struggles echoed between the pillars of the retention facility.

“Please, be a good bait.”

Black liquid flowed from the woman’s eyes. The liquid, upon hitting the floor, moved slowly like a crawling insect before disappearing.

**

It took only a few days after that for us Violets to contact Arcit. While we were repairing our damaged network, a clumsy short message appeared.

It was sent by Exoria.

When the awkward, stuttering messages were arranged, they read like this:

「Violet, it’s me. The explanation with the Administrator-nim is finished. Can we meet? I’ve sent the address.」

「Alright! I’ll go there! What about the time?」

「Give me whatever time is convenient for you.」

The address was in the border area near the south and west. Now that I think about it, it’s near Circleaf again. Does she like suspicious and gloomy places?

Setting the time wasn’t difficult. There was another me nearby, and using the Stasis Corridor allowed for instant travel to the location. As long as I gave a heads-up to whoever was coming with me, we could meet anytime.

The only inconvenience was that her speech through the network stuttered and cut out.

The message just now looked plausible because it had been tidied up, but in reality, it was like this:

「Esco-rt-accom-pany-ing」

「D-inner-thoughts-on-it—?」

I frowned, feeling frustrated by the words that came across as if broken Morse code.

「Why is your speech so clumsy!」

「Sor-ry. Netw-ork-use is st—ill…」

I sighed, watching the letters spread like static in the space where the reply appeared. From the subsequent explanation, it seemed Exoria’s network connection with me was unstable for some reason. There was no problem sending my will from my side, but there seemed to be some hindrance in her sending hers.

「Alright! I’ll go anyway!」

And so, two days later, we agreed to meet at a neighborhood park in the south.

On a sunny autumn afternoon, while countless people strolled through the park as if on a picnic, the Scholarship Officer and I spotted a woman with a plain appearance waving from a table at an outdoor cafe.

「Here-I-am.」

The voice I heard in my ear was still choppy, but simply being able to see her directly solved the problem.

「What! Your appearance has changed a bit?」

「But you still recognized me immediately, didn’t you?」

Exoria said with a faint smile. It wasn’t hard to find her, as I could feel a strong connection to her just by looking.

I blinked a few times.

A woman with an inconspicuous, ordinary appearance instantly transformed into a woman in a classic, elaborate outdoor dress.

It seemed that as soon as she entered a certain range, the perception-altering effect wore off.

Had her child-like body recovered somewhat?

「Aren’t there too many people here?」

「A tree is hidden in a forest, you see. I’ve deployed a perception-distortion field around us that even most superhumans would find difficult to perceive, so there are no security issues.」

Exoria elegantly lifted a porcelain coffee cup with a graceful gesture, took a sip, then invited us to sit.

As soon as Seijis and I plopped into our seats, we instinctively surveyed our surroundings with caution.

Four or five individuals, concealing a strange aura, were detected scattered at nearby tables.

“These are our elite agents. The Administrator-nim is too busy to come personally, so they were sent as escorts. I hope you won’t be too wary.”

“They’re incredibly conscious of us, though?”

“It’s a kind of occupational hazard. Besides, we were antagonists just a few days ago, weren’t we? Please understand, as we might be seeing each other often in the future. We might even have more opportunities to foster camaraderie.”

Is that so? No matter how capable they were, it was obvious they’d be weaker than me and the Scholarship Officer. I guess I should understand. While I was thinking this and that, tea and light refreshments were brought to our table.

Exoria’s uniquely elaborate attire suddenly caught my eye.

Seeing that the surrounding people and waiters paid no mind, it seemed they truly couldn’t perceive it. Truly an Apostle-like ability.

When I asked about that, Exoria’s expression changed slightly.

“Violet, as I told you last time, strictly speaking, I am not an ‘Apostle’.”

“If not an Apostle, then what? You’re still an alien from the same alternate dimension, aren’t you? What’s the difference between you and an Executor?”

Seijis, who was with me, also spoke.

“Yes, we need to clarify that part. We know too little about your species. And that murderer is clearly connected to your abilities. If you’re going to cooperate, isn’t it standard to disclose information?”

I glanced at the Scholarship Officer. He did well. I had already received a rough outline of the operation plan through that stuttering network.

So, formulating a plan to catch the murderer would be quick; it wasn’t a difficult task to begin with.

This meeting was, after all, merely to deepen our agreement.

Therefore, it would be best to address what we were curious about first.

“What kind of answers does Violet’s colleague desire?”

“Everything you can answer.”

“That’s not difficult. There’s no major problem even if I disclose it, after all.”

Smiling faintly, Exoria formed a few sugar cubes in the air and dropped them into her tea. Then she stirred it.

The sugar cubes slowly dissolved in the liquid, sparkling like starlight.

“First, I should explain the word ‘Apostle’. Do you know what kind of beings Apostles are?”

“No idea. Aren’t they like spies or commanders?”

As I spoke, recalling those arrogant beings I’d faced in the Erosion Zone, Exoria’s eyes curved like crescent moons.

“Half-right. The word ‘Apostle’ is a translation from our language to this world’s, so it lacks the full nuance of its original meaning. To be more precise, Apostles are those who represent and propagate the ineffable will of the Empire I belonged to… at the very forefront. They are diplomats and generals, spies and merchants, and also evangelists.”

The network paused at the word ‘evangelists’. Did they worship someone like Monad’s lord as a god?

「So you believe in an imperialistic god!」

“Hmm, it’s quite complex. Then what about Executors? Is that also translated? The word alone doesn’t give me a clear idea.”

Exoria put down her cup and moved her fingers as if drawing something invisible on the table.

A faint trail of light followed her fingertips.

“That’s right. An Executor is a being that appears when there is a need to enforce the will of the higher-ups more powerfully in Eidos’s conquest activities. To borrow human civilization’s terms, an Executor is a commander leading a legion, a prophet commanding evangelists, an ambassador on the front lines, and a pioneer.”

I thought the expression ‘ambassador’ truly fit us. It seemed dimensional villains preferred physical means of diplomacy. As the park sunlight streamed onto the table, a sudden unease swept over me. Her explanation implied that there were more beings like her.

「There are more like that?」

Just dealing with this one defector in front of me had made me sweat so much; if there were two such beings, I felt there would be no chance of victory even if I brought my full power. I hastily posed a question.

“Wait, so there aren’t hordes of beings like you, are there?”

“You don’t need to worry about that. While there may be many Apostles, there are only nine Executor positions. One of them was dispatched against a civilization and then vanished meaninglessly, leaving the position vacant, and I myself cast off that position over a hundred years ago. If no new successor has been appointed, there should only be about seven left now.”

Seijis asked with cold eyes.

“On what basis are you so certain?”

“…Because a being whose name cannot even be uttered casually does not arbitrarily place someone who doesn’t meet its standards into a position.”

Exoria’s complexion darkened for a moment. Her explanation ended there.

Although Seijis asked more trivial questions, nothing was more important than the information already discussed.

“…A blessing.”

Seijis muttered. Exoria nodded and drew a small circle on the table with her finger.

“That’s right. Our agents receive artifacts from the Consortium and a portion of my power, enhancing their individual abilities. The case of the fugitive agent was one such instance…”

In short, an agent who received her power ran wild, escaped, and then went insane, becoming a murderer.

Through the network, I could sense that it wasn’t a lie.

However, she stated she couldn’t reveal any more secrets. There were also limitations due to prohibitions regarding positions higher than Executor.

「By the way, why did someone in such a high position come over here?」

「Indeed, it’s quite curious.」

Had she become dissatisfied with the system? When asked about her motives for defecting, she chuckled slyly and evaded the question.

“That’s a personal question. I believe I can only tell you about that after we’ve formed a deeper camaraderie.”

“Sigh.”

Another question came to mind, and I decided to ask it. There was plenty of time before getting to the main point.

Amidst the peaceful scenery of the surrounding park, my gaze naturally fell upon Exoria’s elaborate attire.

“By the way, last time too, what’s with all those dangling ornaments you wear?”

Exoria showed a startled expression for a moment, then gracefully swept down the hem of her dress with an elegant gesture.

“Ah, this dress, you mean? … It’s an old preference of mine.”

The network didn’t miss Exoria’s eyes narrowing for a moment.

What gleamed in her eyes was satisfaction, smugness, and confidence.

Her expression was as if she were showing off a treasure she had cherished for a long time.

“It’s an outfit my old acquaintances recommended to me. Modern attire, it seems… just doesn’t suit my taste at all. How does it look? Isn’t it nice?”

I was a little surprised that an otherworldly being wearing a human shell could make such an innocent expression.

「Your taste is quite unique.」

Her expression stiffened for a moment, and her previously soft voice was mixed with disappointment and displeasure.

“…I had momentarily forgotten that you are still young. I asked a pointless question.”

“That’s a century-old dress! Oh right, you’re an old hag, aren’t you? No, a granny! Ugh.”

Exoria’s gaze sharpened instantly.

“…I felt this last time too, but how exactly did your parents raise you…”

“I don’t have parents!”

Exoria’s left hand reflexively opened a fan to cover her face. Between her white fingers, a pair of eyes filled with dismay were revealed. At the same time, short coughs and suppressed laughter erupted from around them.

Cough!

The Arcit agents surrounding them subtly trembled their backs and bowed their heads.

Even the Scholarship Officer subtly twitched the corner of his mouth before averting his gaze.

I couldn’t understand why.

Exoria folded her fan again and, with a forced calm voice, spoke.

“My apologies…”

“It’s fine! I, I even killed my own mom with my own hands!”

“You, what in the world…”

Exoria couldn’t continue and let out a deep sigh.

Well, I decided to end the small talk here. Although the attire was antiquated, it was undeniably beautiful. It was also her personal preference,

And since she wasn’t human but an Apostle, wearing such elaborate clothes likely wouldn’t impede her in combat.

As if to shift the awkward, subdued atmosphere, Seijis stepped in.

“Exoria, those acquaintances you mentioned must be people from a century ago, correct? I’d like to ask what kind of people they were.”

“They were good people. And… they were dreamers. That’s all.”

Exoria’s voice dropped to a bitter tone. As if recalling something, the Scholarship Officer cast a glance my way.

As I met his gaze, our eyes locked in the air.

Perhaps it was recalling something I had casually said about my fight with her before meeting Exoria.

“By any chance, were they involved with the liberal movement?”

At Seijis’s question, Exoria trembled violently as if struck by lightning. The atmosphere around the surrounding escorts also instantly turned cold and sharp, like frozen iron. It was quiet, but a chilling killing intent, as if it would cut one’s skin upon touch, permeated the air. Conviction had now settled in Seijis’s black eyes.

“…”

“Weren’t they involved with your species’ invasion? You told us you were cooperating to stop them. If so, we need to know why they invaded. You’ve been silent about that part all along. Is there, perhaps, a connection?”

“It is merely a fleeting old tale, long past.”

Exoria’s voice trembled weakly. I also chimed in.

“That’s for us to decide! Besides, ‘fleeting tale’ means it’s not a secret or security matter for your side, right? Who knows, it might even help us. So, can’t you at least tell us what you can?”

Exoria took a deep breath, looking at Seijis with melancholy eyes. Then, she slowly shifted her gaze to me as well.

“…Very well. However, it will be difficult for me to say much.”

Exoria let out a long sigh and finally began to speak.

“They were, simply…”

**

“-Love democracy!”

The animals sang in chorus.

The clean laboratory was filled with animals. It was a miracle that nothing was disturbed even as the creatures moved to and fro among the flasks.

The reason was simple: the animals were also assisting with the experiments.

The recent situation at Violet’s Lab (tentative name) was as cheerfully chaotic as a musical film.

“Love freedom! Love animalism!”

“Aww… Is that right? Here, kids, come get it!”

Phoebe laughed heartily, sprinkling snacks for the animals before her. Beyond them, mice carried test tubes, monkeys typed and organized documents, and crows and parrots busily handled various equipment.

Her new boss, as soon as she created a palliative for ‘Erosion Zone Syndrome’, offered additional funding and a huge number of assistants, stating she would help further with the research.

It was astounding how intelligent they were and how well they understood instructions.

While the research itself still largely remained human work, the chores had decreased somewhat.

“Here, monkey! Drink this and get to it!”

“Thank you! Comrade Doctor! We shall surely complete this task!”

While some worked in one corner, others sang or danced wildly in another.

It was a chaotic scene, but even Phoebe’s colleagues, who were initially unaccustomed to the V-animals, had now grown used to the atmosphere these cute creatures created.

And new girls were observing from within that chaos.

“Democracy, huh? Those kids must be like their owner, always saying that.”

Irene’s golden eyes swept across the singing animals inside the lab.

Daphne, who was beside her, wore a contented expression. To her, Violet’s roommate, it was a familiar sight she had always seen.

“Look at those parrots! How well they sing. And the dogs and mice too. Aren’t they cute?”

At that, Irene replied with little enthusiasm.

“Well, they are cute. But the content is a bit strange, isn’t it? Freedom, democracy. Why those words…”

“Because Violet likes democracy, I suppose?”

Soon, a puzzled expression appeared on Daphne’s face. Irene could understand that reaction.

Because what Violet proclaimed was full of political slogans that were too unfamiliar and difficult to understand.

Separate from her own sense of justice and responsibility, for Irene, who had always learned about the threats of military force and monsters, these things were utterly peculiar.

It’s probably right that all people should be respected as people.

However, considering the difference in power and responsibility, the rights one enjoyed could not be equal.

‘Someone who might become the strongest person in this world, advocating for equality for all people, it feels somewhat contradictory.’

Seeing Irene’s unenthusiastic demeanor, Daphne spoke again.

“Well, what Violet advocates isn’t entirely without basis, is it? I don’t know why she’s so fixated on it, but perhaps she read it in a history book? They say ancient people used to decide everything by voting.”

There was a defending warmth in Daphne’s voice. Irene responded with a cold sense of realism.

“But we aren’t ancient people. Furthermore, even the self-proclaimed liberals who appeared in modern times were full of thugs who extorted money through kidnapping and blackmail.”

“Oh, Irene knows a lot about history and politics too? I thought you were swamped managing the Helios project and your grades.”

Daphne asked with a playful smile. Irene shrugged.

“Well, Violet talks about it whenever she’s bored, so I couldn’t help but be curious. I looked through some past historical records from the clan’s artifact excavation department. I only found absurd stories. Some philosopher even talked about rather fantastical things. Aliens and whatnot.”

“Aliens?”

Daphne’s eyes widened with curiosity. Irene fumbled through her memories as if trying to recall something. Her capable brain quickly retraced that classic fantasy.

“Hmm… I think it went something like this.”

“-My friends, we must meet the democratic aliens beyond the sea of stars!’”

Daphne wore a blank expression at the absurd sentence.

“That sounds like a novel. What was the reason?”

“Probably… the argument was that a civilization with the technology to cross between stars must have surely overthrown outdated and corrupt old systems and established a highly developed democracy and a paradise of scientific civilization. They seemed to think such alien civilizations would appear and help their political revolution.”

“Oh, that’s a logic that feels both like Violet and not like Violet…”

At Daphne’s words, Irene fell silent for a moment, lost in thought. The last verse of a dreamer, buried in the ashes of the Great War, flashed through her mind.

‘-I do not doubt that they, who are vastly more advanced than us, would gladly support the freedom revolution of their spiritually oppressed brethren on this land!’

Irene somewhat resented her memory. A brain that remembered even such useless things sometimes felt like a curse.

Her internal struggle continued until Phoebe, upon seeing the visitor, joyfully ran over with a sample of nano-enhancer.

‘Alien revolutionary support… even my friend wouldn’t come up with such an idea.’

Irene decided to forget this absurd statement that was unhelpful for clan management and her studies.