episode_0333

As the city of Surcliff came into view, Unit 4552 and Enrica bid farewell to Kalia’s bike. Kalia’s attire, it turned out, was combat-ready.

“Why are you carrying so much gear?” “For intimidation.”

A harness connected to tactical equipment was wrapped around Kalia’s waist, and a pouch perfect for various ammunition and miscellaneous items hung from her left hip. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Two swords hung from her shoulder, and a lever-action rifle was strapped to her waist. A large Magnum handgun gleamed in the sunlight, peeking out from beneath the fluttering white jacket.

「Is that what they call open carry?」 「Yeah, though not usually this blatant.」

It wasn’t uncommon to see weapons openly displayed like that, even in Academy City. While weapon possession was generally free in Academy City Rustrum, it was an unwritten rule to keep them neatly tucked away in a bag in crowded places, to avoid disturbing the atmosphere.

It was intimidating. A single hit from one of those weapons would probably make an ordinary person vanish with a bang! The most eye-catching item was the dark, camouflage-patterned sling bag slung over her shoulder. It was high-end equipment, like that used by famous clans such as Helios. Though not as good as my inventory, it had a surprisingly spacious interior for its appearance. It was quite expensive, but famous enough that anyone with a discerning eye would recognize it at a glance. It wouldn’t look out of place if it had “24-hour Emergency Dungeon Rescue Yeager Service” written on it.

“You know the neighborhoods I visit can be a bit rough. Kalia chambered a bullet into the rifle. “I need to be armed this much so those scumbags don’t dare mess with me. The moment I step foot in there, strange guys are bound to notice, so shouldn’t I at least do this as a warning?”

I nodded. I knew Surcliff was an infamous neighborhood. Kalia’s armament was a warning display, like an animal’s warning coloration.

“I’m off. Let’s meet here again when I’m done. I know a good restaurant!” “Really? Then be careful!” “Goodbye.” Enrica and I waved to the receding bike. Now it was our turn to handle our business.

Twenty minutes later, we stepped into our destination: a small house. Before we could even ring the doorbell, the door opened, revealing a middle-aged man with orange hair and a fatigued expression.

“…Enrica. It’s you.” “Yes… Dad. Hello.” Enrica replied cautiously. “Oh, this is my friend. Can she come in with me?” “Yes, come in…”

We had finally arrived. This was where the real work would begin.

**

The Federal charter plane left Lumeria behind, accompanied by escort fighters. The journey to Rustrum accelerated. Looking down from ten thousand meters up, the sky was clear and cloudless. Scattered landmasses began to appear over the endlessly stretching ocean. These were natural markers signaling the beginning of the archipelago. As the flight path veered into the western airspace, the Air Force escorts peeled off from the formation. Their shift was approaching.

“Attention, please. Our aircraft will soon enter the Southern Sector, Restraidna’s jurisdiction. An escort from the Restraidna Air Force is expected shortly…” As the captain’s announcement concluded, the senators, who had been enjoying a brief and pleasant diversion, looked out the windows. They elegantly wielded their forks, using the fleeting ground below as an appetizer. Anticipation and curiosity mingled on the faces of the senators as they leisurely dined. One was anticipation for the gifts Restraidna would bestow upon them, the other was the secret mystery they had been given.

“By the way, what exactly is this research facility that we have to visit it in person? It doesn’t seem to be just monsters or artifacts…” “From what my sources tell me, it’s not just a simple monster. You know about the erosion zone that appeared in the Southern Sector recently? The religious sanctuary from before the Great War, they say they captured it there. The rumors are…” The senior senator’s words drew the attention of the other senators. As the dining table was filled with an intriguing atmosphere, a short distance away, practical work on future plans was in full swing. Young aides nervously reviewed schedules and documents, while experienced aides subtly took short breaks, aware that they would be swamped the moment they landed at the airfield, thus conserving their energy in advance.

The Luminexa observer on board also suppressed a yawn while checking their scanner. Cargo hold, artifact transport vessel. All clear… Check.

As everyone immersed themselves in their respective duties, a group of creatures was busily moving in one corner of the passenger plane. Aside from being lowly insects, it could be said that there was a certain commonality between cockroaches and the senatorial delegation.

The cockroaches settled into their respective positions: wiring, control systems, fuel, and power supply. Their species’ inherent tenacity and a few modifications allowed them to faithfully follow the instructions from the bio-chips embedded in their central nervous systems, even in the thin air of high altitudes.

Only one thing remained: the final command. The escort fighter’s radar detection information and the cockroaches’ linked location-tracking signals sharply pierced the ground. As the ground, hundreds of kilometers away, accurately pinpointed the aircraft’s position, a taut bowstring aimed at the sky.

“Target has entered the designated area.” Responding to the signal, directives from the Joint Sea-Air Special Operations Command were split into subtly encoded radio signals and surged skyward. It was a simple, yet lethal, signal that required no interpretation. The cockroaches ignited simultaneously.

The Rafflesia spy cockroaches possessed basic remote control commands and location tracking capabilities. However, they were insufficient for large-scale sabotage. They couldn’t directly harm people or destroy targets. Just as a needle cannot fell an elephant.

The Rafflesia researchers, focusing on the cockroaches’ unique tenacity, came up with an ingenious idea. The Rafflesia spy cockroaches had no internal organs, instead, their bellies were filled with high-performance flammable material synthesized with magic. When the bio-chip activated, the cockroach would instantly combust at thousands of degrees, vaporizing without a trace. There was no flashy spectacle like an action blockbuster movie. No grand finale of mass destruction.

However, that was enough to disable the critical functions of a sensitive and intricate aircraft.

—Shatter!

A champagne glass fell to the floor as the aircraft suddenly lurched. The senators grumbled.

“What was that? Turbulence?” By the time Senator Remar detected the abnormal aircraft behavior, a warning announcement was already blaring.

“This is the captain speaking! Due to a sudden aircraft malfunction, we will attempt an emergency landing. All passengers, please fasten your seatbelts…” It was too late. All flight control systems and power units were in a state reminiscent of the Magnabis Group during the October serial terror attacks. The completely uncontrolled plane began a rapid descent.

Screams and chaos filled the cabin. The passenger plane plunged into a riverside area near Surcliff, as if drawn by fate.

**

As Enrica and Violet entered the living room, the air settled like heavy lead. Unspeakable, complex emotions mingled on the parents’ faces. The only sound breaking the silence in the room was Enrica’s mother pouring tea into a paper cup.

“It’s good tea, is that alright?” Her mother’s voice trembled. Enrica swallowed, nodding with a wary expression, and carefully took the paper cup. Violet tilted her head.

「Disposable items?」

As the hot tea flowed down her throat, Enrica’s slender fingers trembled slightly. Her father broke the heavy silence and spoke.

“News from the research facility… I heard. Are you okay?” “Yes, I’m safe. I’m preparing to enter the academy now.” “That’s a relief.” Her father’s voice conveyed both relief and unease. After a moment of hesitation, he asked again. “But… what about tuition?”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll get a scholarship. I’ll earn anything I’m short of by working.” At Enrica’s reply, a mix of relief, worry, and subtle tremor crossed her parents’ faces. Violet thought to herself. Was that guilt, perhaps?

Her mother cautiously asked. “Did… the corporation contact you?” “No. Not yet. They haven’t even announced the acceptance. No contact from clans or corporations.” Enrica’s voice held a firm resolve.

A heavy silence settled in the room. Her father’s eyes wavered. “Now that you mention it… the research facility’s funding is now…” Enrica nodded. “Yes, it must have been cut off.”

Her father sighed deeply. “Actually… we’ve fallen on hard times. So…” Enrica’s eyebrows raised slightly. Her father continued. “Could you… perhaps take on hunting or exploration requests at the academy? With your abilities…”

“Dad…” Enrica’s voice trembled. “No, it’s just… I thought it might help if you could study safely while also contributing.”

Enrica remained silent for a moment. “I’m sorry. But I want to focus only on studying for the time being.” “Alright…” Her father’s voice became smaller. “We must have asked too much.”

A heavy silence descended upon the room. No one dared to speak first. Radiation, accident, research facility. Unspoken topics hung heavily in the air. The atmosphere was so uncomfortable it could barely be called a conversation between parents and child. Unable to bear it, Enrica stood up.

“I’ll go now.” “Alright, be careful. Call us if there’s any news.” “Yes, I understand. Goodbye.”

As Enrica and Violet headed for the front door, her mother quickly used tongs to clear away the paper cup. The sound of the door closing was followed by the sound of the paper cup being discarded in the kitchen. The parents remaining in the living room were silent for a long time.

“Dear…” Her mother cautiously began. “Were we too harsh?” Her father sighed deeply. “I don’t know. Whether sending her away was the right decision…” “But we had no choice. The situation back then…”

The parents stood by the window, watching their daughter’s retreating back. They looked at each other, then bowed their heads. So they didn’t see it. The electronic devices in the living room were flickering erratically. The cell phone flickered once or twice before falling silent. With a strange noise, everything grew still.

**

The airplane door fell off with a violent roar. After the desperate efforts of the captain and co-pilot, the plane miraculously managed an emergency landing. Faint smoke still wafted from the shattered wings and engines.

Moments later, panicked passengers spilled out from the door. The senators scrambled onto the floor, crawling out like rats escaping a sinking ship.

“Damn it… What kind of sudden disaster is this?” One senator yelled in a furious voice. “I don’t know. It could be a maintenance error, or perhaps a bird strike. The weather was good.” “When we get back, I’ll give those charter plane managers a piece of my mind. Look, my clothes are torn! How much did this cost to tailor! And what about our luggage…”

As the senators lamented their miserable state, screams and groans echoed from the rear of the aircraft. Senator Remar was dragging two slumped aides out.

“Damn it! Useless, pig-like brutes! How dare you put a senator through such hardship?” Grumbling, Remar dropped the aides and growled towards the back. “What are you doing back there? Stop complaining and move it! Do you want to die in the plane?”

Unlike the senators, most of the aides were unawakened, and their condition was severe. They staggered out, looking battered and bruised. A crew member, regaining composure, belatedly activated the emergency escape slide, and passengers slid down one by one. Meanwhile, a blood-soaked foundation agent could be seen tumbling on the ground.

“By the way, where exactly are we? This doesn’t seem to be the Southern region.” A senator looked around and asked.

Remar squinted, as if the light was too bright, and carefully surveyed the surroundings. The area around the small river was strangely deserted. ‘Strange. With an accident like this, ambulances should have arrived by now. Why isn’t anyone here?’ As Remar felt a foreboding premonition and unconsciously touched the hilt of his sword, the other senators whispered in low voices.

“Still… isn’t this the Western region?” “I don’t know. Perhaps it’s near Surcliff.” “Damn it, the captain must know. Hey, Captain! You’ve been flying for a long time, you must know! Where are we?” To the senator’s surly question, the captain, wiping blood from his forehead, cautiously opened his mouth.

“Yes, Senator. That is…” The captain’s body exploded.

Instantly, the crash site was enveloped in a thick smoke screen. Screaming crew members shattered and scattered one by one, and fleeing aides were cut in half in the smoke. As the terrified senators searched for their weapons, the roar of rough engines already surrounded them. Armored vehicles.

“These damned bastards! How dare you attack a senator…” Remar’s furious cry was cut short. A machine gun bullet, fired at his chest, accurately struck his solar plexus and exploded. “Guh!” Remar staggered from the impact of the armor-piercing high-explosive round, then lost consciousness after being hit by a barrage of electric shock bolts.

“You… Who on earth are you?” A senior senator barely squeezed out his voice towards the armed force that had surrounded him. “Us?” A former naval commando, now a member of a disguised terrorist organization, scoffed, tilting his head as if amused. “We’re terrorists who despise the Federation and the clan pigs. Hey, guys, help these elders understand!”

“Understood!” “Aargh! Aaah!”

In an instant, the senators were mercilessly beaten, restrained, and dragged away. As they were miserably loaded into trunks, members of the anti-establishment terrorist organization were tearing open the passenger plane’s cargo hold. Boxes containing artifacts were quickly transferred to vehicles.

“Army and Restraidna will arrive in five minutes! Hurry! Are the explosives set?” “Done!” “Good, ahh—diseased Skullkit to doghouse. Bones secured! Bones secured!”

Having quickly gathered everything, the disguised terrorist organization frantically drove their vehicles away from the scene. Shortly after, a massive flame erupted from the airplane.

“Good, it’s done cleanly. The Air Force guys did their job right this time. As planned, enter Surcliff. We’ll handle the rest at the internal subspace base!” As the commander instructed, the vehicles swiftly and discreetly entered Surcliff. Everything seemed to be perfectly concluded.

Until a man lying prone near the burning plane raised his head.

“…This is Observer Delta-7. Emergency! Code Red, Level 2 alert!… Cough! VIP abduction and Alpha-grade artifact theft confirmed. Hostile forces presumed to be local anti-establishment organization. Immediate response requested!” Ironically, his horrific injuries saved him. The enemies mistook him for dead. Covered in blood, he squeezed out his last strength.

—Code Red? Explain! “Situation repeated. Multiple Alpha-grade dangerous artifacts confirmed stolen… Immediate pursuit and recovery operation requested!” The Foundation observer, spitting blood, clung to his will and cried into the emergency communicator.

“…Requesting immediate deployment of the Intellectual Property Containment and Enforcement Department!” With a death rattle, his final mission was complete.

**

Enrica and I left her house. An inexplicable sense of unease settled in a corner of my mind. Why on earth were her parents acting like that?

“Mom and Dad actually… kind of kept their distance from me. You saw the paper cup earlier, right?” Enrica said in a small voice. “Ah.” It dawned on me then. All the cups and items Enrica had used were disposable. Was it because of radiation? Suddenly, I understood why Enrica’s parents had behaved that way. It was as if they were dealing with something unclean.

“So, I didn’t really expect much. Still…” Enrica’s face darkened. I could guess what words were left unsaid. Perhaps she had hoped for something different, something warmer from her parents.

「This is no different from being an orphan…」 「Gasp! Even with parents…!」 「How pitiful!」

It was a bitter reality. Some lose their parents early and are unloved, while others, despite having parents, are no better off.

「So, was there anything suspicious?」 I asked the monkey, Cocoa, who was looking at a smartphone in the back seat cage. Already addicted to dopamine, he just stared at his phone. After several strong nudges through the network, a belated answer came back.

「Nothing, boss! The mice said there was nothing particularly strange, and Almond and Walnut flew around once but said they didn’t find anything suspicious.」 I see. Then Enrica’s parents must just be ambiguous people. Perhaps they really did call us without much thought.

But then Cocoa added something unexpected. 「Oh, Raspberry said something. She took a quick look around the room and noticed a very faint, familiar smell.」 「What kind of smell?」 Immediately, a squeaking sound came through the network. 「Boss! Boss! It’s that smell I noticed when we picked up the syringe! A pungent, alcohol-like smell!」 Another mouse argued. 「Wrong! Raspberry, you idiot! It’s a mistake!」 「I’m not an idiot! The boss said I’m a genius mouse!」

If it was about the syringe theft, then it must have been when the Patent Decapitation Squad showed up. Probably.

When we arrived at the designated location, Kalia was already waiting. Changing the subject, I asked Kalia. “How was it?”

Kalia sighed and replied. “Don’t even ask. At first, I thought he’d been taken by loan sharks. But guess what? He was working as a casino dealer. He begged me to keep it a secret from his wife. He said he had good luck with cards and wanted to be buried there. So, I immediately called his wife. That man is probably going to get divorced.”

I thought something big had happened, but it seemed she had gotten involved in an absurd situation. Kalia complained about being caught up in the comical situation, then stopped talking when she saw Enrica.

“Let’s go quickly. And you two… By the way, did your business go well?” Enrica replied expressionlessly. “Just, well…” Kalia didn’t ask further and got on her bike.

As we drove down the road, strangely, fewer and fewer cars were around. ‘What is it, am I possessed by a ghost?’

“What, weren’t there this few cars here when we came?” A strange discord slowly irritated the network. As I tilted my head, I suddenly spotted a huge object blocking our car.

“What is that?” A large steel door stood before us. Looking around, I belatedly realized that our car was surrounded by suddenly appearing cargo trucks.

“Huh? Oh? What in the—” The steel door opened. A strange, shimmering space. It was too late to stop. The truck behind us simply crushed our car and pushed it inside.

“Aargh!” “Ugh!”

Unit 4552 and Enrica were swallowed by the steel door.

**

Kalia witnessed an unbelievable sight unfolding before her eyes. A huge door had suddenly appeared, instantly swallowing her friends’ car and a line of trucks. Her eyes widened at the surreal scene.

‘What should I do?’

As the trucks disappeared, the strange discord that had enveloped the surroundings also vanished. Cars, which had been invisible, began to appear one by one on the empty road.

‘What on earth is this? I’m not drunk… Is it a hallucination? Or magic?’ Hesitation lasted only a moment. The door that had suddenly appeared on the road began to slowly blur and close. Kalia roughly twisted the bike’s throttle, accelerating at full speed.

—Crash!

Just before the door closed, the bike barely made it inside. The bike hit a high curb, tumbling and skidding on the ground. Kalia rotated in the air, bounced off a nearby wall a few times, and landed gracefully.

An unfamiliar landscape enveloped her.

“Where… am I…?” An irregular high ceiling, an endless expanse of iron pipes and concrete walls in a chaotic space. It was a bizarre place, as if hidden on the other side of the world, a boundary between reality and unreality. A space permeated with an indescribable sense of unease. It was neither a dungeon nor an erosion zone. But for Kalia, that didn’t matter.

‘Violet is in there.’

She pulled the lever of the lever-action rifle strapped to her back. A clear click echoed as a bullet chambered. In truth, she didn’t need to worry. Her friend was invincible.

Nevertheless, she moved even more actively. Because she couldn’t be outdone by her friend.

“Violet, I’m coming.” Kalia stepped into the infinitely sprawling, bizarre subspace without hesitation.

**

Enrica blinked her orange eyes repeatedly. A strange space, and strange people. People in protective suits, the kind you’d see at a fire scene or hazardous materials handling site, surrounded her. Mechanical masks, designed to hide any expression, made them resemble robots.

As Enrica tried to stand, she belatedly realized she was tied to a chair. Among them, a man in a suit approached.

“Enrica Maitner? Or perhaps you’re more familiar with your alias, Trinity.” “Yes, I’m Enrica. Call me Enrica. Who are you?” Enrica asked back. The suited agent pulled a nearby chair and sat down.

—Clank!

The restraints released. Before a bewildered Enrica, the agent removed his mask. A calm, bare face was revealed.

“I apologize for tying you up. I wanted to resolve this through conversation, if possible.” “Who are you?” Enrica asked again. “We are from the Luminexa Foundation. You know what Luminexa does, don’t you?” Enrica nodded.

“I’d like to make you an offer now. Is that alright?” A paper cup was placed in Enrica’s hand. Steam rose from hot chocolate.

“Where’s my friend? The one who was with me in the car!” Enrica asked anxiously. “Ah, that friend. We plan to investigate your relationship with them and how much they know about you, then wipe their memory and release them. We have no intention of harming them.” The agent added silently to himself. It was true no harm would come to them. A properly gifted agent would investigate and then erase their memory.

“Wipe their memory…? What is that…?” “Quiet.”

A blue light shimmered before her eyes. For some reason, Enrica couldn’t speak. The agent patiently continued speaking. A serious and somber story, yet one with its own grand purpose. His reflections on her life and his proposal.

“…Will you accept?” It was a long story. Enrica thought carefully. It was a complex and difficult story to refute, given only her life at the research facility. It didn’t seem entirely wrong.

Nevertheless, Enrica answered with a small, humble will. “No. I want to be free.” The agent sighed and stood up.

“If you refuse, we will have no choice but to proceed with the forced sealing and management procedure…” His words stopped there.

A piercing scream erupted. “Aargh!”

—Emergency! Emergency! Code Black! Code Black! Omega Protocol! With the shouts, two gunshots rang out. As the agents stirred, the suited agent quickly shouted.

“What happened?” A gasping voice came through the comms. “The Interrogator-nim…! While reading the companion’s memories… he just!”

Everyone froze. The agent, hearing the transmission, seemed to lose self-control and muttered, glaring fiercely at Enrica.

“…Your friend. What kind of monster are they?”