Hundred - Volume 10 - Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Kidnapping / The true feelings of Judal / Realization of the dream 

Charlotte Dimandius, the chief researcher of Little Garden, is in a small hotel room in the Empire of Weimar. 

– Give me a break…. Why did I have to give a lecture in this country now, even though I’m completely busy…? 

At the very same moment she enters the room. 

Charlotte flops onto the bed and let out the tiresome feeling of now while looking up at the ceiling. 

It’s her assistant who’s staying in the same room, Mei Mei——who’s hearing that. 

– But it was nice that this finished with no issues, don’t you agree? A gratitude mail came from Judal-san too. Giving a lecture in the university where Dr. Charlotte comes from, this will be news not only in the Empire of Weimar, but also around the world, and the advance of mankind into space and the understanding of Lunaltia Base will deepen even more. 

– I’d really be thankful if opposition movements decrease with this. 

– … won’t that be great? 

Mei Mei smiles sweetly at Charlotte. 

– Charlotte-sama, your white robe—— 

– Ok, ok. 

Charlotte got up looking bothered, took off her white robe and opened the refrigerator. 

– What, there’s nothing in here? 

– Do I order anything? There is room-service, correct? 

– The truth is, even if you ask me, I don’t know. The Empire summoned me, this prodigious scientist, and had to have a hotel that matched me perfectly. But they should have prepared a suit of a luxury hotel, don’t you think? 

– Now, now. 

Mei Mei continued saying so to soothe Charlotte who is complaining again. 

– If I’m not mistaken, there was a vending machine on the first floor, so Mei Mei will go and buy something from it. 

– Yes, you are right. If so, I’d like a cola. Just to be sure, bring me 3—— 

– Okay! 

Immediately after Mei Mei rushed out of the room vigorously. 

She tried to link her PDA to the PC and connect to the computer of Little Garden, and at that moment. 

– … hmm? 

The shadow of a person was in front of her, Charlotte turned around. 

– What, you’ve come back so soon? Ah—— 

Mei Mei wasn’t the one who stood behind her. 

It’s a man who, except from his eyes, was completely concealed in black. 

– ——wha!? 

It was too late when she noticed that there was a syringe in the hand of the man. 

The needle was very close to the neck, just a few millimeters away. 

– Kuh… 

The consciousness of Charlotte keeps fading away along with a stinging pain. 

A few minutes later——. 

Mei Mei came back, holding pet bottles of cola in her hands and noticed that Charlotte wasn’t in the room. 

– Charlotte-sama? Charlotte-sama? Charlotte-sama!? 

Despite looking around the room, the figure of Charlotte isn’t there. 

She was going to get in touch with her with the PDA, but it was with the laptop on the table. Besides, the glasses that fell on the carpet and the white clothes that Mei Mei herself hung on the wall a little while ago remained in the room. 

– Charlotte-sama? Where on earth have you gone, Claire-samaaaaaa!? 

                          ??? 

– … Come again!? You don’t know the whereabouts of Charlotte Dimandius!? 

Claire received the news from Mei Mei and gave a loud voice, hitting the desk of her office. 

With that, Chris and Erika who were in the room stared in wonder. 

[That’s correct! Because there were no colas in the refrigerator of the hotel, she disappeared from the room while I was buying them… All that remains are her PDA, the laptop and the glasses that have fallen on the floor…] 

– … that’s strange… 

Claire instinctively bit her right thumb. 

She’s not carrying her PDA, so that means that It’s impossible to follow the GPS data. 

– Let’s calm down for the time being. 

Those words weren’t directed to Mei Mei only, but also to herself. 

– Judging from the situation, the possibility of kidnapping is high desuwa. For this, we will investigate in cooperation with the government of the Empire of Weimar as well as with the CIA of Liberia and the International Police Agency, INTERPOL masu. We will also dispatch Slayers of Little Garden as temporary employees to the Warslan branch within the Empire of Weimar, as well as to the hotel where they will join you. You will have to take care of yourself until then. Understood mashitawane? 

[Y-yes! I-I will do exactly that!] 

– … Claire-sama, what on earth has… 

The same instant that the call with Mei Mei is over. 

Erika had a consternated look and asks Claire who has a worried facial expression. 

– There is nothing to say, except that the possibility of kidnapping is high masenwa. In any case, this must be because of Onii-sama’s movements, but still… 

If it’s a kidnapping, then it’s an anti-Slayer organization, a group that opposes the advance of mankind into space——. 

The possibility of countries or organizations that are rivals of Liberia and?Holy Church? Puritaria, and other possibilities can’t be discarded. 

That’s why Claire knew better than anyone else that the pushy way of doing things of Judal, her older brother, could have been resented in various places. 

If Charlotte isn’t with him, all the plans will surely turn in chaos—— 

– The most important thing is the safety of Charlotte desuwa. Chris—— 

– Yes, Claire-sama! 

– Please start investigating the whereabouts of Charlotte independently of the Intelligence Department of Little Garden. Since there is a possibility that a betrayer of some country or organization is involved in the kidnapping of Charlotte, we must resolve it flawlessly desuwa. 

– Understood. Only those who can be trusted will get ready at once. 

                          ??? 

It’s been around half a day since the night when Charlotte disappeared that Little Garden grasped the situation. 

– Claire-sama——. The uneasiness of Claire-sama seemed to be correct as expected. 

It’s Chris Steinbelt, the main analyst of Little Garden, who appears in the Student Council Room and reports to Claire. 

After obtaining and analyzing various kinds of information and images of surveillance cameras, he found out that the involvement of the government of the Empire of Weimar in the kidnapping is high. 

– I see… 

Claire, with her elbows on the desk, sighed in a great way. 

– In the first place, there were a lot of things that are suspicious, such as letting Charlotte lodging in the hotel, even though she was saying that she wanted to return to Little Garden immediately after the lecture and choosing a low-grade hotel that was near the university desuwa. Despite this, my older brother approved everything and decided it in a forced—— 

– In other words, Judal-sama is also involved in the kidnapping? 

– I don’t know masenwa. However, when I got in touch with him earlier, he didn’t seem to lose his cool. He just said that he will investigate it too——but that looked like he was going to do all by himself masenshine. After all, how much troubled will be Onii-sama if Charlotte disappeared? He shouldn’t do anything like erasing them—— 

– If it’s that, then it’s fine but… 

– Good grief… 

Claire sighed and murmured in her mind. 

(What are you thinking, Onii-sama…?) 

                          ??? 

The basement of a refuge in Liberia. 

In that office was Judal Harvey. 

In the room is Judal and no one else. 

The figure of Vitaly Tynyanov is on the huge monitor placed in front of him. 

– In the end, it seems that the deeds of the government of the Empire of Weimar were to kidnap Charlotte Dimandius. 

Judal began to talk. 

Vitaly answers. 

[Of course I know that. Little Garden concluded so, because I obtained the videos that were transmitted by the Intelligence Department of Warslan] 

– You truly are helpful. However, I told you to use any kind of means to investigate for me, but not about the kidnapping of Charlotte Dimandius. 

[But, is that really ok?] 

– … what do you mean? 

[Not that Charlotte Dimandius knows everything? There are some secrets she has been keeping in the dark for many years, even from me] 

– A little more and my dream will come true. For that reason, I’m thinking that it’s fine to “throw out all and everything”*. 

*TN: He says: everything twice but with different kanji in a row. 

[No way, you used Charlotte for that purpose?] 

Surprised, Vitaly said. 

With an unchanging smile, Judal continues his words. 

– As expected of you. You are correct. It becomes contrived when I do it myself, like an undeveloped old tale. It would be better to let others speak about it. Furthermore, Charlotte. She should be aware of it, of course. 

[That means that you are going to make an appeal to the compassion of the other party?] 

– Uh huh. 

[But, what are you going to do if they refuse?] 

– In that case, there’s no other choice but to subdue them with strength. We can use a satellite attack weapon on orbit to roast one of the terrorist bases. I will show them what happens if they raise against me. 

[C’mon, if you do that kind of performance, there’s no mistake that the opposition movement will get extreme, you know] 

– Hahaha, I know. It’s a joke. If it looks like they’ll reject it, then Pope-sama said that she will do it in one way or another. 

[Pope Serivia Notre Dame Paulo III? I believe this was already told by Charlotte Dimandius but, I’m sure that Pope isn’t straightforward. I suppose you know that already, don’t you?] 

– Of course. But, in the development of Lunaltia Base, the religious organization is collaborating with all sorts of their assets and power. I can place my trust on them on that point. 

[That is to say, that you don’t mind handing over your seat of the next president to her?] 

– If I have to say it in an abominable way, I truly think that I don’t care who will take the seat of the president. That’s the same for Warslan, even the Earth. In fact, I don’t have any issues if the earth is ruled by Puritaria rather than Lunaltia Base. 

-[You really are a stupid man] 

– You are helping that stupid man as well, so you are the same, aren’t you? 

[Completely] 

Vitaly smiled sadly. 

[… as  you said before, I decided that I will interrupt my activities after you have died. I don’t feel that there’s a meaning living in a world where you don’t exist. We will die together. In a sense, that’s my revenge. You didn’t kill me when I came to you] 

– It’s fine, do as you like. I really appreciate your cooperation in this way to make my dream come true. Thank you, Vitaly. 

[… still, you really don’t mean that…] 

Vitaly murmured in self-deprecation. 

Looking at her, Vitaly abruptly showed a gentle smile on his face. 

– … so, what do you want to ask me? 

Charlotte is in the center of a dark little room. 

She’s sitting on a chair, and she’s restrained. 

There are men completely in black standing before her eyes. 

Without her glasses, her visibility is poor, but she can distinguish them. 

– … the disease of Judal Harvey, is it true? 

One of the man standing in front of her asks a question. 

He seems to be the leader of this completely black group. 

That makes Charlotte a little surprised, who asks back. 

– … that story, where did you get it from? 

– You ain’t allowed to ask questions. Now answer. 

– … that’s, true. His life expectancy is no more than a year. It’s a hard fact that the actual medical science can’t do anything about it.