EP.258 The Nation of Steel and the Faceless Humans - 7
'Busted, busted. Ah, it was quite a good play.'
'Carapald' returned to being Zikhrund. If it were up to him, he would have liked to linger a bit longer on this stage, but unlike 'Carapald', Zikhrund had a mission.
'If the refinery evaporates... it's a big deal. The operation fails. Everyone won't just stand by for this.'
His original plan wasn't this.
In the center of the control room, a trap was prepared. It was hastily constructed, but a type with reliable performance. A lever with a red handle, impressive to anyone who saw it, was the trap's trigger.
Originally, the regressor and Historia were supposed to argue, eventually activate the trap, and fall into the trap prepared by the Military Nation.
However, having read Zikhrund's thoughts, I skipped the trap and activated the real annihilation device.
'Should I have gotten rid of the annihilation device beforehand... No, there wasn't enough time for that. A trap can be hastily built, but the annihilation device was designed from the time this refinery was built.'
Thinking up to that point, Zikhrund looked at me with a suspicious gaze.
'Anyway, how did the Pied Piper know that was the annihilation device? I even attached an impressive red handle, yet he just touched it like he was teasing me.'
While Zikhrund broke out of his immersion and lamented, the regressor, having realized my atrocity, shouted urgently.
"You crazy bastard! What the hell are you doing?!"
"Can't you tell by looking? I turned the wheel of fate!"
"Turn it back right now!"
"I can't. Strictly speaking, this is like dropping something that was precariously hanging off the edge of a cliff, so once it's activated, it can't be undone just by putting it back!"
"Then what are you going to do?!"
"Why do I have to worry about that?"
It seemed the regressor was dumbfounded by my answer. But I was serious.
"The Military Nation made the laws, and the Military Nation imposed forced labor for breaking them. The Military Nation built this refinery, and the Military Nation put an annihilation device in it! The only sin I committed was pressing the button right in front of me. So is that entirely my fault?"
"That's sophistry! Regardless, if this continues, they will die. And even if their deaths briefly delay the Military Nation's plan, it won't lead to a better outcome!"
"You want to save them? Then go save them. Before this refinery leads them to their deaths, save them yourself, Mr. Shay!"
"What?"
[Stop.]
Tir interrupted the regressor's words. After taking a brief sigh and looking at the regressor, Tir soon walked towards me, sending a warm gaze.
[Did Hu not volunteer to play the villain for your sake? Instead of being grateful, you reprimand him. Know some shame.]
"How can I be grateful for this?!"
[It was an issue that wouldn't be resolved quickly anyway. Before meaninglessly consuming your mental energy, Hu took on all the blame and made the decision. Shay, what you must do right now is not to blame Hu. It is to recall what you must do next, and act upon it.]
After sternly reprimanding the regressor, Tir approached me and comforted me by holding my hand with a cold hand.
[It's alright. None of us are disappointed in you. Do not blame yourself. Whatever Shay says to you, it is merely an expression of regret, not that you are in the wrong.]
"Huh? I'm not particularly feeling guilty."
[Yes. Let's go with that.]
Tir maintained a comforting position with a smile. It's not 'let's go with that'. I didn't have any guilt in the first place, okay? Why should I feel responsible for a device the Military Nation made?
Well, still, being comforted by an older woman who is only affectionate to me isn't a bad feeling. Even if she is way older than me.
"You didn't have to take the blame."
Although the strategic goal she proposed was achieved, Historia seemed still uneasy, grumbling at me.
"I should have been the one to do it. I didn't intend to leave it to someone else..."
"You don't have to thank me. I just turned the gears."
"I am a Six-Star General. I have the authority to operate Military Nation facilities according to my own judgment."
"Does being entrusted give you qualification? Whether I have the authority or not, it's my will that moves my body in the end."
"Even so."
Ah, since it's a device made by the Military Nation, it would have been a much better picture if it were operated with the authority given by the Military Nation. But Historia didn't know what the annihilation device was either, so it couldn't be helped.
"But, Hu. How did you find the annihilation device..."
Historia couldn't finish her sentence. Because she saw someone stepping forward past her.
"Carapald?"
It wasn't Carapald. Zikhrund had already stepped out of his role.
Striding forward, Zikhrund stood in front of the lever with the red handle at some point. His expression was subtle. With a multidimensional smile that seemed both regretful and detached, he grabbed the handle tightly.
When everyone sent questioning glances at him as he appeared in the center of the stage, he sighed deeply and lamented.
"This wasn't how it was supposed to be."
"Wait, Carapald! What are you...!"
Right after the words ended, Zikhrund pulled the red handle vigorously.
The trap was hastily constructed, but precisely because of that, it was more dramatic. There was no time to react. Not because of a lack of ability, but because it was impossible.
Rattle-clatter.
Strange objects were hanging on the walls of the control room. Those ornaments, which had not been revealed until now due to the lack of lighting, all moved simultaneously as Zikhrund pulled the lever.
Truly the speed of light. Not even a gap to resist. The moment it was perceived, the trap that filled the refinery poured down on us.
However, having read his thoughts in advance, I reacted a step faster.
"Tir! Over here!"
[Hu? Why suddenly.]
I pulled Tir while taking out a card at the same time.
Diamond Queen. Queen of a Thousand. I unfolded the primordial clothing packet, compressed and created from the Alchemist. If combined with other cards, it becomes the Spirit Garment used by the Magic Officers, but there's no time for that now.
A broad cloth, like armor or silk, unfurled. The size is unsatisfactory, but it's enough to cover Tir's body. After shaking it out to spread the cloth wide, I wrapped Tir's body largely.
It should have been surprising, but Tir just quietly watched what I was doing. It's a relief that Tir's personality is relaxed. If I had done the same thing to the regressor, she would have sliced me right away.
Right after the cloth wrapped Tir's entire body.
Light flashed.
Thousands of suns flashed. What decorated the walls were searchlights, each holding a bright light. Thousands, tens of thousands of high-output searchlights spewed rays of light all at once.
The light touched directly, hit the ground and bounced off, and overlapped and overlapped with each other to burn white.
The overwhelming amount of light filled my vision. I instinctively closed my eyes, but the explosive light mocked my thin eyelids and invaded deep into my retina.
"Ugh! Light?!"
The trap laid by the Military Nation. It was an enormous number of searchlights pre-installed in the control room. For none other than trapping Tir.
The sun is bright enough to illuminate the whole world, but for us standing on the ground, it is just a small hole floating in the sky. As long as you don't look directly at it, it's harmless.
In comparison, the searchlights made by the Military Nation spewed light from all directions, surrounding us. No matter where I turned my gaze, it was so blinding that I couldn't even open my eyes.
[The sun is asleep right now, how can there be this much light...!]
"They're searchlights! Heated metal emits light! A refinery that processes metal is also a factory that makes searchlights!"
A desperate measure devised to face Tir in the middle of the night when the sun doesn't rise. If I hadn't been here, it would have been quite an effective blow. The darkness would have been consumed madly to counter the artificial light.
However, unlike the sun, the artificial light of the searchlights was a practical object that only emitted light visible to the human eye. The light, less mystical and less hot than the sun's, could not pierce my thick cloth.
"Tir, are you okay?"
[I-I'm fine. Being protected isn't a bad feeling either...]
The hand gripping my clothes tightened as Tir leaned her head. What do you mean it's not bad? It's plenty bad! Don't be protected, you should protect me!
Zikhrund is moving right now!
'First, let's eliminate the variable.'
Zikhrund didn't miss the opening when everyone briefly lost their sight. He took out a hidden dagger and thrust it at me in an instant. Tir was close by, but since the outside was filled with light, Tir didn't realize the attack.
What should I do? Use Tir as a shield? No, that's a last resort. If the cloth wrapping Tir gets torn, the consumption of darkness would be no joke.
They haven't recovered their sight either, they just attacked remembering the position I was in. If so.
"Tir! Excuse me!"
[...Do as you please.]
"There's nothing to do as I please!"
I immediately threw my body while still holding Tir wrapped up. My body and Tir's body slammed hard against the ground. The dizzying pain in my back was brief, as I rolled desperately so Zikhrund couldn't pinpoint my location.
My back was almost scraped raw on the hard floor, but it was still better than being stabbed by a knife. Zikhrund also couldn't track my movement in the waterfall of light and missed.
Phew, I survived. It's a relief that I can read thoughts even with my eyes closed. Let's see, is Tir okay...
[I-Is this the custom called bossam... When I heard of it, it was so outrageous that words failed me, but experiencing it firsthand is a peculiar feeling...]
Since she's talking nonsense, it seems it hasn't torn anywhere. Tir is much better. She's a vampire who wouldn't get hurt just by rolling on the ground in the first place.
'...Did he see through what the trap was? And he even dodged my attack. This is a level that can't be explained by intuition or knowledge.'
Tch. I should be worrying about myself more than that. I moved first because the situation was urgent, but I ended up drawing Zikhrund's suspicion.
'Suspicious. This needs to be confirmed. Even if it means revealing my hidden sword.'
The regressor and Historia, who had mastered the Cold Qi Art, adapted to the light in an instant. A Qigong master who has reached the pinnacle can infuse Qi even into their eyes. Having adapted to the light that seemed to burn their retinas, the two quickly grasped the situation.
"With this light, it's a trap to consume the darkness. A trap to hold Tirkanjaka! Huh? Then what?"
Realizing something, the regressor immediately pointed at Zikhrund, who was in the guise of 'Carapald'. He stood in the center of the light with an unnatural appearance, holding a dagger in one hand as if about to stab someone.
Historia quickly understood the situation. Carapald pulled the lever, and as a result, countless searchlights turned on simultaneously.
The conclusion drawn from this.
"Carapald activated the trap."
There was no room for doubt.
Although Historia had a strange attachment to the colleagues who survived Hamelin, there was a limit to it. Carapald, who had been a Magic Officer candidate, was emotionally the furthest from Historia.
Therefore, it was easy to suspect him.
"Betrayal? Or else... a disguise...?"
"Either way, it means he's an enemy, right? Then!"
Without the slightest hesitation, the regressor immediately raised Cheon-aeng and charged. Compared to Historia's brief hesitation, her attack was so natural that it was hard to believe they had been crossing blades just a moment ago.
The transparent sword bisected the mass of light and deeply slashed Zikhrund.
"Aaaaargh!"
Zikhrund spilled blood and staggered backward. His weakened hand dropped the dagger. Having driven him back in a single breath, the regressor aimed Cheon-aeng and shouted.
"Stop the trap right...! Huh? He's dead?"
The regressor panicked. She hadn't even used a killing move, yet he died, his body convulsing and trembling, no matter how weak he was.
"What, a puppet? No, the feeling from just now..."
No, that's an act. The playing dead act that Zikhrund had pulled off several times now.
Faced with the realistic acting that perfectly mimicked even stopping his breath and scattering his Qi, the regressor was briefly bewildered.
I'd like to tell her he's just playing dead, but if I do, Zikhrund's attention will focus even more on me. Let's just keep my mouth shut for now.
The only one who couldn't follow the situation right now was Siati. She stood with a deep frown, but her vision had not yet recovered.
"Ugh... Carapald? Where are you?"
Clicking her tongue softly, Historia grabbed Siati and shouted.
"Siati, listen up! Carapald betrayed us. And because of him, we're caught in a trap right now!"
"Historia? Why are you suddenly sowing discord between us."
"Listen to me! I don't have the time to painstakingly make you understand right now!"
Shouting sharply, Historia immediately took Siati to a relatively shaded area. At the same time, Historia yelled out.
"Cutie!"
The regressor reacted immediately.
"Don't say 'why'! And don't call me Cutie!"
"The trap won't end with just this. We need to get out fast! Cut the wall! If I smash it, there's a risk the whole building will collapse!"
"Tch...! If we escape like this, this place will truly turn into hell...!"
"Are you going to kill everyone who believed in you and followed you? Think of your comrades over the villains trapped here!"
The regressor conceded to those words. She only hesitated when she had the leeway; she wasn't the type to prioritize petty righteousness over her comrades' danger either.
It couldn't be helped. The regressor wasn't a god either. As long as her abilities had limits, she had to handle the pressing matters first.
Just like any other ordinary person, the regressor demonstrated flexibility.
"Heavenly Sword Qi...!"
Right before the regressor swung Cheon-aeng to cut the wall.
Discovering something, she paused, then changed the trajectory of Cheon-aeng to strike away something flying at her.
Clang!
She had clearly slashed into the air, but the sound of striking steel rang out. That wasn't the end. The regressor immediately stepped forward and unleashed dozens of sword strikes into the empty, invisible air. Every time she swung her sword, a loud metallic clang echoed.
The surroundings were blinding. Just as it is hard to spot a green flower floating in the blue sea, it was exceedingly difficult to capture a being made of light itself within the dazzling light.
Even the regressor wouldn't have been able to spot it if she weren't a possessor of the Demon Eyes. As seven colors flashed in succession, the regressor barely captured the being that attacked her right before her eyes.
And the regressor showed a troubled expression.
"Ei... Meder...! Of all places, here!"
"Control observation complete. Manifestation rate 57%. Artificial light environment. Advantageous."
The Military Nation's Guardian Angel, its whole body clad in light, revealed its form amidst the cascading light.
At the same time, a loud commotion came from outside. The Military Nation's troops hidden inside the refinery had come directly to exterminate the rats caught in the trap.