EP.231 Resistance
I wondered why the Returnee was so quiet; it seems he was reading the subtle earth currents from the ground. Perhaps thanks to Jizan's power, the Returnee instinctively realized we had reached the relay station.
"If we're here, this is the Northeast relay station. Everyone, quiet."
The Returnee, who had been concentrating with every sense in his body, placed a finger to his lips. I relayed the words as they were.
"Lady Shei's orders. Everyone, quiet. Mopping doesn't make noise, so keep at it."
"...You be quiet."
The Northeast relay station was bustling. It seemed the aftermath of the chase that had unfolded on the opposite side hadn't reached here, as the busy presence of laborers engrossed in their work could be felt. Clank, clank. The rough metallic screech of a massive crane grabbing containers was loud enough to reach inside here.
Amidst the cacophony of various sounds, a very faint presence headed this way. The Returnee sensed it first.
"Wait, someone is approaching this way."
Tir, who had only very fragmentary knowledge about laborers and relay stations, asked with a puzzled expression.
"I heard this is a place that delivers large packages. Wouldn't they be workers coming to pick up cargo?"
"No. The container we're in is headed for the South, so the Northeast side won't even glance at it."
"Then who are they? Aren't they coming this way?"
"One of two things. Either the Military Nation coming to inspect us, or... the Resistance looking for us for another reason."
The Returnee placed his fingers on the handle of Cheon-aek with a chilling demeanor. To immediately subdue them if they turned out to be enemies.
Now, whether the other side was Resistance or Military Nation, while the Returnee waited, I used telepathy and read their thoughts a beat ahead.
'Damn it, why do we have to do labor here.'
'Right. We should be doing something more productive with this opportunity instead.'
The saying that the world is interesting because you never know what will happen is nothing more than a pathetic gesture to claim even a mental victory.
Because I, who can read minds, am not really bored.
'Why would the Tantalus escapees stirring up the Military Nation be here? That's nonsense.'
'Rumor has it the Progenitor is included among them. There's no way the Ancient Vampire would help us, right? If they wanted to fight the Military Nation, they'd call the bloodlines of the Principality. Or, make us all their thralls and use us.'
'If only it wasn't the Princess's order.'
I, the mind reader, guarantee it. Knowing the answer in advance and matching it is plenty fun too. If you want to rebut, come read minds yourself.
The grumbling voices of their minds reached me. Hmm, without a doubt, no matter how I think about it, they seem to be the Resistance.
The Returnee was right. The Resistance—or at least someone in a fairly high position—seemed to be spreading their reach here and there to seize an opportunity. We've barely had any conflict with the Military Nation and already we're meeting like this.
Like all Resistance groups, they had vague purpose compared to their ambition, and it was when they had come right up close—
"Hey, there! We're doing random inspections right now! Check it quickly!"
A loud voice urging them came from the other side of the relay station. It was the supervisor.
At the word inspection, the Returnee's expression stiffened. At the same time, his grip on Cheon-aek tightened.
'An inspection? Tch, if we're discovered here, things will get complicated. If the Far East forces immediately run to headquarters, we'll meet them in the middle. Should we run away even now?'
Oh, no. This is dangerous.
Actually, this isn't an inspection specifically looking for us. It's a standing inspection that routinely occurs under semi-wartime conditions. If they had known we were on the meta-conveyor belt, the station manager himself, not the laborers, would have personally come to search the container.
But the Returnee doesn't know whether the ones outside are soldiers under the station manager's orders, or the Resistance disguised as laborers. So the moment he sees them, he might swing Cheon-aek.
"Y-yes! We'll check right away!"
"Coming!"
Answers came from outside the container. They were right at hand. Grumbling inwardly so only I could hear, they approached the container.
'We're the Resistance, what inspection!'
'There's no one inside anyway! Who would ride in a container?'
'Hah! Just try to rise up. You Military Nation pigs will all be slaughtered, slaughtered!'
You're the ones who'll be slaughtered first, by the highly tense Returnee, that is.
This won't do. I need to step in first.
Clunk. The sound of the container lock being undone is heard. As the interlocking iron pieces loosened, a taut tension hung inside the container.
The Returnee took a step forward holding Cheon-aek. Before him, I approached the door and carefully tapped the container wall with my fingers.
Tap. Tap-taptap-taptap. Tap-tap.
Once, six times, twice. Numbers that seemed meaningless, but served as a secret code for the Resistance.
When our presence was felt from inside, a startle came from the other side.
'Huh? Someone's signaling?'
'Wait, seriously...?'
Common sense dictates that if you sense a presence, you should flee or report to the supervisor. But instead of retreating, they approached while nervously surveying their surroundings. A trembling hand undid the container lock. Then, with a bang, the doors opened left and right, and two scruffy-looking laborers appeared.
Clearly Resistance, but... in truth, other than that, no different from ordinary laborers.
We came into their field of vision. The two looked at our lineup with trembling eyes, then when the impatient voice from the other side was heard, they jumped in alarm.
"Is the inspection done!"
My judgment to go out and meet them was an excellent choice. If I hadn't lessened the shock beforehand, they might have screamed in surprise.
One of the laborers answered haltingly.
"Ah, y-yes here... There's nothing abnormal!"
"Then close it quickly! Isn't the next container coming!"
"Yes!"
While shouting that with a slightly trembling voice, the other person fumblingly pulled out a neatly folded paper from his bosom. As I took it, he gave a small nod and closed the container door with extreme deference.
Beyond the closed door, frantic thoughts could be heard.
'Why is this real?'
'As expected of the Princess! To have foreseen even this...! Is noble blood truly something different?'
Thud. Click. With the sound of the lock engaging, the presence faded away again. Darkness returned to the container, and it began to pass through the middle of the relay station's clamorous noise.
As I let out a sigh of relief, the Returnee strode over and slapped my shoulder. It was physical contact because he was in a good mood, but it hurt a bit.
I learn one more reason why he has no friends.
"You suddenly stepped out and startled me! Tell me before you act!"
"It was urgent. More importantly, I was startled too—could you tell me before hitting me?"
"Huh? Telling you before hitting is okay?"
"Looking at how you say that, there's no hope for me. Please just hit me gently."
"Anyway, how did you know they were the Resistance?"
I actually read their minds, but what came out of my mouth was different from the truth.
"There was no choice, right? If those people were military police coming to find us, we've already been discovered so we'd have to immediately jump out. If they're Resistance? We need to think about making contact first. We only had the option of warmly welcoming guests from outside anyway."
"Your judgment is quite fast!"
In a good mood, the Returnee beamed with joy and took the paper package from me. Taking out the enclosed contents, the Returnee read the words written on the paper.
"To my knight... Hmm. A knight, huh. Did she step in directly? It's been a while since we made contact like this..."
'Every time I do something against the Military Nation, they always reach out. Very... reluctantly, but with a board laid out this much, it might be better to overturn it once.'
The muttering Returnee pulled a handkerchief from the folded paper. It was a luxurious handkerchief that would only be handled at Cheon-ui Mubong.
In the past, when it was the land of knights. A handkerchief was an item symbolizing ladies and high-ranking nobles. Being a daily necessity, it was also a perfect tool to use as a signal, since it wouldn't be strange for anyone in the Military Nation to carry one.
"Once we pass the relay station, we'll hang it on top of the container right away. If we have this, they'll come find us first!"
While the Returnee was checking if there were more messages on the handkerchief, Historia silently examined the handkerchief and fell into thought.
'...Is this right? Just watching them storm into the headquarters...?'
Historia doesn't have much loyalty toward the Military Nation. She only regrets the tragedy she failed to prevent back then.
If our intended actions lead to tragedy, she would stop it by any means. Historia had such resolve.
'The Resistance is a gathering of those who hate the Military Nation. I know how great a desire for revenge they harbor. If they wield this much power... though it might be less bizarre than Hameln, wouldn't an even greater tragedy occur?'
Historia glanced sideways at our lineup. The boy swordsman whose identity was impossible to grasp, the Vampire Progenitor Tirkanjaka, two Beast Kings, and me.
Her wariness skyrocketed the moment it reached me. Her suspicion toward me was so excessive that I almost forgot I was reading her mind and protested.
'With even Huey involved, I can't predict at all which direction the situation will flow. Rather, shouldn't I jump out even now and reveal their existence?'
What? Wait. Jump out?
Historia's thoughts naturally connected to action. Having finished her judgment, Historia immediately tried to rise and jump outside.
Right before that, I threw my body forward and grabbed Historia's shoulder. In case she screamed, I covered her mouth with both hands as if pulling them shut.
"Mmph!"
No, wait. Why is she acting so urgently? If I hadn't read her mind, it would have been a disaster!
Historia is bound, but if she set her mind to it, she could shake me off at any time. However, screaming is impossible for now. Sound is, after all, the vibration of air. If I'm covering her mouth and nose, she can't make enough sound.
Well, she could throw me with a hip toss or whatever and then shout, but it was already too late. She had already drawn the Returnee's attention.
At the sudden commotion, the Returnee looked this way and asked.
"Hm? What are you doing?"
"Ah, no. I thought it was about time she craved a mana cigarette, so I was putting one in her mouth!"
As I removed my hands that were covering her mouth with an ambiguous smile, a rolled mana cigarette was in Historia's mouth. Ah, the Returnee nodded as if understanding, then tilted his head.
"But did you have to put it in her mouth like that?"
"It's a secret world of adults that innocent children who don't smoke mana cigarettes wouldn't know."
"Feeling superior over something so trivial!"
As expected, a bit of teasing is good for changing the mood. The Returnee scowled.
"We're in an enclosed space, so hold back on smoking! How much does she even smoke?"
"Haha. I'll tell her to restrain herself... Ria! You have to consider the time and place! Huh? Lady Shei and Tir have been so accommodating to you, and you're trying to just run off like this!"
They haven't done anything yet, so don't jump to conclusions and act rashly. I scolded her with that meaning.
The trembling in Historia's body subsided.
'...As always, you're quick to notice. You stopped me the moment I showed signs of jumping out. Were you watching me...? Or do you just have a wide field of vision?'
As if giving up, Historia closed her eyes and shook the mana cigarette held in her lips.
"Huey, fire."
"Am I a lighter? Tch, think I'm doing it because you're tied up."
I grumbled and gathered fire at my fingertips. The flame seeped into the tip of the cigarette and ignited the final spark.
The mana cigarette has long been renowned for its calming effects. The reason is simple. You're inhaling already-burned ash, so no new flame can be ignited from it. What has burned can only settle; it cannot burn again.
Historia, having inhaled the mana cigarette deeply, calmly settled her mind.
'I was too... emotional. Actually, jumping out now would have no meaning. That child is in the Resistance... maybe I was afraid of meeting her. But, rather than turning away, I should face it.'
I knew who that child was, but there was no need to recall it.
Because she would arrive with the Resistance not long after.