[683] Offering Flowers (3)
* * *
"The rain's getting heavier."
Shirone spread his wings and sprinted toward the Seonghwa at full speed.
With all the concealment facility's devices shut down, its formidable anti-air defenses were neutralized.
But that only heightened the sense of danger.
"Something's wrong."
Through the Ultima system, the Seonghwa looked like the night before a storm.
It seemed still, but inside the vast iron tower as seen through Jikji's eye, countless energies skittered like nerves, weaving together into the Seonghwa's form.
"Full power. They're preparing something."
Following the Seonghwa's input–output pattern, it was obvious a powerful energy beam was charging.
"Could it be— the capital?"
It was entirely possible. It was exactly why Rupist had risked so much to get as close to the Seonghwa as he could.
"Shirone oppa."
Meirei, who had teleported to catch up behind Shirone, flew alongside him, drenched.
"You're safe. Thank goodness."
When Shirone relaxed his tone—having assumed they were on familiar terms—Meirei smiled shyly.
She was a mage, but not skilled enough to be classified as a combat specialist. If she'd been separated from her comrades, Shirone thought, she might already be dead.
"We were lucky. We landed in an area without enemies."
"And the signal?"
Meirei covered one ear as she asked.
"I can't hear anything. I've been checking, but there's not even the usual noise. This is definitely strange."
It meant Ra Enemi was no longer issuing orders.
"Have they already finished the setup? Or—"
Shirone was lost in thought when two figures vaulted over a building and approached.
"Rian. Huh?"
Shirone glanced at the goblin following behind.
I've never seen a goblin with glasses before.
When Shirone and Meirei stopped, Kido landed on the rooftop in a nimble somersault.
"Phew, finally we meet."
Striking a pose, Kido bent his knees in front of Shirone and pushed up his glasses with a grin.
"Uh, who are you?"
That he had arrived with Rian was reason enough to trust they weren't enemies.
"Captain of the Speed Killers."
Kido joked, and when Shirone showed no reaction he added awkwardly, "…well, former captain—goblin Kido."
"What happened?"
Shirone turned toward Rian, who stepped forward to explain. Having already guessed Ra Enemi's intent from his conversation with Etella, Shirone caught on quickly.
"I see. Taste corresponds to—"
"Something like that. This one's hearing."
Kido pointed with a sharp claw and Meirei nodded.
"Hmm, so touch, hearing, and taste are gathered. But to track Ra we absolutely need smell."
"Shagal probably already entered the Seonghwa. We don't have time either."
As Shirone moved to leave, Kido held up a hand.
"Wait. Before that, I have a proposal."
Everyone turned to him.
"What kind of proposal?"
"Mind if I eat you?"
If he could extract information by eating them, learning Shirone and Meirei's memories would be useful.
"I don't mind."
Shirone glanced at Meirei.
If it was only flesh being eaten, Armand could heal Shirone, but Meirei had no means to recover.
Meirei touched her right ear and said, "Would cutting off the ear be better? Other body parts would reduce combat capability. Without ears, the God's frequency function would also be strengthened."
Kido gaped, but Shirone immediately objected.
They'd already decided this during the Silvering Guild tests.
"That's a last resort. If we can't catch Ra Enemi with one sense, communication ability matters."
Kido shrugged and smiled. "Don't worry. I don't need to eat a body part—body fluids are enough. Also, unless a memory is imprinted in a specific organ, information transfer has limits. You won't get everything from one place."
Rian looked a little put out. "So you don't need to eat a lot."
"Heh heh, that's the advantage of my ability."
Goblins were gluttonous by nature, but their stomachs were objectively smaller than humans'.
"Fine. Then I'll give you my blood."
Shirone sliced the palm of his left hand and let the blood drip.
Because of the height difference, Kido could drink simply by tilting his head up.
"Hmm. Hmmm."
Kido rolled his tongue and savored the taste; his gaze deepened.
"I see. You're a very interesting human."
"You're not exactly ordinary yourself."
"Heh heh heh! If you're that surprised, that's a problem."
Kido's chest rose and fell as he addressed Meirei. "Goblins lack manners, but I still don't want to hurt a woman. If you don't want flesh cut, you can just let me drink—"
Expressionless, Meirei extended her wrist.
"Blood will do."
A flash of disappointment crossed Kido's face for a moment, but he quickly adopted a playful expression and closed in.
"In that case, I won't refuse."
Kido bit her wrist with sharp fangs and sucked; her blood flowed.
Her eyelids trembled and a set of memories transferred.
'Huh? What is this?'
Even someone whose life had been as turbulent as Shirone would be rare, but Meirei's memories were on a completely different level.
'What is this? What kind of memories are these?'
"How long are you going to keep sucking? It hurts."
"Oh? Ah, sorry."
Kido hastily released and blinked at Meirei.
"What's wrong?"
Her nonchalant expression yielded no useful information.
'Could it be she doesn't even know herself?'
That thought struck Kido, and he suddenly realized.
"Heh heh heh, this just got interesting. Maybe—"
It could be a counter to Ra Enemi.
"Alright, got it. Let's go."
Using the urgency to push them, Kido urged the party on and they launched into the rain as if the sky had torn open.
* * *
Seven minutes and thirty-two seconds remained before the Seonghwa intercepted the royal capital.
Jane quickened her pace, judging the time roughly.
The faster she moved, the more blood she needed, and the tighter the hand squeezing her heart became.
"Ugh! Ugh!"
Sensation was already gone in the hand clamped to her chest, but transcendence magic pushed her beyond human strength and kept her moving.
If you viewed the human body as a machine, she was replacing cardiac muscle with the muscles of an arm—and durability couldn't match. Muscles and tendons began to snap.
Because this was genuine magic, not the Law, the arm that had physically failed no longer moved.
"Hah!"
When her heart stopped again, Jane's eyes widened.
'The other hand—'
Having arms on both sides felt more precious than ever.
She switched hands and contracted her heart again; her bodily functions returned and death was delayed.
Aria's sobbing echoed in her ears like a hallucination, but there was no time to answer.
Bearing her own death on her back, Jane entered the control room that housed the main system.
She couldn't release her heart, so she swung the already ruined arm like a club to operate the controls.
-Aria, the codes—
The crying cut off and an enormous torrent of code poured in.
Aria was giving everything she had.
Time remaining: 6 minutes 22 seconds.
They could only regain control here; to cancel the interception itself they'd have to reach the cockpit, and Jane had almost no time left.
'The Association President will take care of it.'
-Jane! Are you all right?
Though it was only a voice, being seen off by someone at the last moment comforted her.
-Aria, it's not your fault.
After a brief silence, a calm voice seeped through.
-Your sacrifice will never be forgotten by the state.
With those words the connection ended.
They could no longer maintain the Spirit Zone.
'Still—'
Leaning her back against the cold machinery, she looked up at the ceiling.
'At least I kept my promise.'
If she had to choose the happiest day of her life, it would be the day Rupist rose to head of the Magic Association.
"Jane, you're a genius."
When Rupist said that while looking out the window of the president's office, Jane shrugged.
"Is that so."
"Have you ever felt superior? That you're far above others?"
"Well, for a little while when I was very young. But why ask?"
"I've never felt superiority. People ask why we don't chase petty gains, even with great magic and rank. But humans aren't that grand. Superiority needs something to compare to. Genius or dullard, we're ultimately components of a system."
He had succeeded Gaold as head of the Association, and some in civil society called him extreme.
"I didn't know you cared about others' opinions."
"I don't. Or perhaps I should. The important thing is to face facts."
"What facts, President?"
"Humans are not equal."
Rupist was blunt.
"Ninety percent of humans handle production and reproduction. The remaining ten percent consume their resources and lead the whole."
"That's a revolting way of thinking."
"It is. But what if it's true?"
Rupist glanced at the nameplate still unremoved—the one engraved with Micaea Gaold, the previous head of the Magic Association.
"I'll change it now."
He shook his head and laid a hand on the plate.
"Gaold was popular. He even had a personal guard. He was human and could move people's hearts. But Jane, emotion alone can't maintain a system. If Gaold empathized with the extremes of individual suffering, I protect humanity from the opposite extreme. Even if it's loathsome, I believe it's the duty of the Magic Association's core mechanism."
"…I see."
It was a deeply personal inauguration speech addressed only to Jane.
"I'm grateful. I couldn't have reached this position without you."
Unused to praise, Jane scratched her head awkwardly.
"I only did what was necessary. Besides, I became chief of staff."
"So—"
Rupist turned away with his hands clasped behind his back and said briefly, "I count on you going forward."
Jane's eyes narrowed into a pleased line.
'It was the greatest honor of my life.'
She recalled that day like that.
She no longer clung to life, but she wanted once more to look back at that happiest memory, so she gripped her heart without stopping.
But her wrist muscles tore and that, too, became impossible; she pulled her hand from her chest.
As oxygen to her brain was cut off, her mind was sucked into a deep abyss.
The final moment.
Had she lived without regret?
'Respected Association President.'
A gentle smile appeared at the corner of her mouth as she bowed her head weakly.
'Was I a core component?'
Jane's heart stopped.