Chapter 9

Chapter 9 – ‘The laws of space are disordered’, is there such a feeling, I wonder

The royal capital of the Mani  Kingdom . During the audience in the royal castle .

“Well, it’s the Arganda Empire, but honestly I don’t know the full particulars . ” (King)

The king of the throne started to explain about one of the exploits, and the sage candidates that were sitting in front of him were quietly listening attentively .
As Yogiri and others came from behind, they were sitting in chairs at the very back, and hadn’t been noticed yet .

“On the west side of this country, there is a republic confederation called Elthia, but all of a sudden, one of the countries inside of that called themselves the Arganda Empire, and began to challenge the surrounding countries . And they were suppressed in the blink of an eye . So, even now they are continuing to widen the war front one by one . At present, they don’t have a defeat, and they will extend their hands to this country as well eventually . If you are able to do that in some way or another, the sages say that they will recognize it as an exploit . ” (King)

“Su-such a thing as ‘in some way or another’, what should we do……” (???)

One of the sage candidates leaked those words .
With the other party being a country, even if they were told to ‘obstruct the invasion’, there were limitations, such as the things that could be done with the number of people who were here being less than even one class .

“No, even I completely think that you guys can do it in some way or another or something like that, okaaay? But, issssn’t doing something you caaaannnoooot do normally an exploit? If there was a way that we could do it in some way or another, we would have decided to do it a long time ago . Well, because we do nooot know the significance of invading our country, there is also a possibility they aren’t coming . ” (King)

“Um, ‘stopping the invasion’ was the talk, right?” (Yazaki)

It was Yazaki, the general, who asked .

“As you guys can understand if you’ve travelled up until here, our country does nooot have so much land that we can use . There areeen’t things like profit in ‘invading’ . ” (King)

As he said so, Yogiri was also reminded of the map of this country .
The Dragon Plain, the Forest of Demonic Beasts, the Hakua Primeval Forest, the Galura Canyon, and the Meld Plains . All of them weren’t fit for people to live in, and they wouldn’t be lands that could run some type of industry .

“However, the city of Hanabusa and the like are flourishing a lot . Is there value even though it’s just that one city?” (Yazaki)

“Ahh, the sage’s breathtaking city is a no count . That sort of thing, it’s because it can’t be meddled with from here . I think that the empire knows such a thing . Well, I’ll inform you because there may some kind of hint around this as well . It is about the meaningless in invading us . One thing that I said some time ago, is the point ‘there is no profit’ . In the places they control, there’s almost nothing that they can gain . Another thing, is that we are continuing to restrain the world of spirits, which is below ground . We, without great industries, are doing it in some way or another with support money from the surrounding countries, but the pretense is that it’s the war expenditures towards continuing to seal the devil . In short, if they do something like invade us untactfully and resurrect the devil, it will become a situation where they cannot apply their eyes . That’s why they aren’t making a move on us, but it is an unwritten rule around here . ” (King)

The surroundings murmured as they heard ‘world of spirits’ . Yogiri and others had heard that it existed below ground, but it seemed that the classmates were hearing it for the first time .

“Oh, I have a feeling that the story was tied together successfully . It’s about the second exploit . It is to travel on foot to the world of spirits, which is below ground, and defeat the devil . I didn’t think it will succeed in some way or another with you guys having come now, though . As for the degree of difficulty, it is ‘they are both to blame’ . The empire, well, in outline human beings are the opponents, and the country is the opponent . The devil is a monster that has exceeded human intellect, and there aren’t any signs at all that it can be done in some way or another even if it is done for nearly a millennia . What I have informed you guys of, it is a thing like that? Please do whatever you like afterwards . I have released a part of the castle for you guys . You should make it into a base . As there is also an entrance to the world of spirits in the basement of the castle, if you challenge it, it’s just right . ” (King)

With this, the King, because his business was finished, stood up, and left the audience room immediately .

“Well then, this way . ” (Soldier)

As a substitute, one soldier turned up . He would guide them to the base .
Despite being confused, the classmates got up .

“So, what to do after this?” (Yogiri)

Yogiri asked Tomochika

“Well, if we continue to follow *slither slither* for some reason or another as it is, there’s no excuse to go out……so, HEEEY!” (Tomochika)

Tomochika raised a large voice suddenly .
The classmates ‘What?’ turned around .

“Dannoura-san! How!?” (???)

“Dannoura! How did you……” (???)

“Tomochiii! You were alive!” (???)

“Tomo-chan!” (???)

“Dannoura-chan?” (???)

Every mouth of those who saw the two called Tomochika’s name . The reactions were varied, but it seemed that there was no mistake that they were surprised .

“Somebody react to Takatou-kun!” (Tomochika)

Though Tomochika said so, Yogiri was thinking ‘it would be such a thing anyway’ .

A forest on the other side of where you come out of the canyon to the west .
A richly colored mosaic was filling that area .
That, which was as if the space was cut disorderly and connected over again halfheartedly, certainly seemed to be something that should be called ‘chaos’ or something .
There were no signs of life in that place . Naturally, it was because there wasn’t supposed to be a living thing or something that tried to approach such a strange place .
But, in front of such a strange place, a woman in a white dress was standing .

“‘The laws of space are disordered’, is there such a feeling, I wonder?” (Shion)

It was Shion .
She came here because there was a transmission from this place, but never had she imagined that such a situation happened .
Even while loitering absent-mindedly, the scene before her eyes was transforming hectically .


The laws that controlled the space were different for each mosaic . Each was in a state as if they were in a different universe or something; each one that should be called a ‘fragment of the world’ was changing, being rewritten, combining, and splitting just like that .

“Well, it was from inside this, right?” (Shion)

When she was waiting patiently, magical power leaked out occasionally by some chance . As one would expect, if it went through the space that wasn’t understood, the original shape as a signal almost wasn’t retained . The errors were too many, and it was almost impossible to make out, but even so she could understand only that it was addressed to a sage .
Shion thought about ‘What is this?’ again .
There was a steel will of ‘to reject all, to not let anyone past’ here .
If so, this would be absolute rejection .
However, Shion casually stepped into this strange space .
Forcibly rewriting the overbearing surrounding laws of space . Converting it into a world that was convenient for her, to a world where Shion could exist . If it was a sage, it was a natural ability that could be done .
Forcibly making a path doing so, she continued to walk little by little . As one would expect, even if she was a sage, walking while restoring the world that was disturbed so much to the origin was bone-breaking work .
After she did so and moved forward for a while, she exited the chaotic world and went out to the place which appeared to be the central part .
It was a white, empty room .
And, there was a little girl crouching in the corner of the room .

“Aoi-san, was it? You shouldn’t make contact with reason . ” (Shion)

Aoi was a little girl who was given the role of hunting lost sages, but she had severed contact unnoticed .

『Shion!? You’ve arrived!』(Knife)

That voice, was heard from around Aoi’s waist .
There was a small knife furnished there .

“This person, what happened to her?” (Shion)

Even though Shion came, Aoi was hanging her head in shame .
Whether she wasn’t aware of her, or she was disregarding her even though she was aware of her, just about everything was trivial .
It was doubtful whether or not she could talk normally, so Shion talked to the knife, Aoi’s partner .

『She met Yogiri Takatou . I don’t know what she saw there, but……Aoi lost her fighting spirit right after taking a look at him . And then, she desperately ran away from that place, and shut herself away here . 』(Knife)

Yogiri Takatou .
The instant she heard that name, Aoi’s body shook with a start . It appeared that it wasn’t the case that she had completely shut her mind .

“Is that right? Well, that may be something inevitable with that, and I won’t blame her . ” (Shion)

It was probably a deed of Yogiri that two sages were dead, and Aoi who confronted Yogiri was in this state as well .
If that’s the case, there was something in Takatou Yogiri, as she thought .

“But if that’s the case, as I thought, I guess have no choice but to deal with him . Aoi-san . Have you understood something about him?” (Shion)

However, Aoi remained silent still .

『I’ll report about it through me . I transmitted the information about him that we can currently understand . It is information acquired from Hanakawa Daimon, a boy who is surviving on top of having witnessed these abilities of him . If he is living, it may be possible to take out something still . As he seems to be a sage candidate, it would be simple to search for where he is?』(Knife)

“Hanakawa-san……is it? That’s right . I’ll try to investigate here as well . ” (Shion)

Shion didn’t recognize the names of the sage candidates . She’d thought almost everyone would die after all, and she considered just remembering them pointless .
It was because surviving as a sage was rare, as most of the groups that she summoned were annihilated .

“First of all, I guess it is necessary to understand regarding his ability . Well, even if I say such, he is a highschool student of Japan after all……if he has companions, how about trying to take hostages? The life-and-death power I have over the people who have the system installed is completely in control¹ . That might be a good measure to win him over . If he is a male highschool student, shouldn’t it completely reverse the situation by us using seductive techniques to get what we want?” (Shion)

Why Shion was thinking about it roundaboutly, was because she was taking into consideration that they’d usher in Yogiri as a sage .
Although, she didn’t even think even a tiny amount that she’d lose to Yogiri by ability . It was because she couldn’t even imagine the likes of there being something like him winning by himself .
And, any of the sages would be the same . They’d dare not say it, but they were thinking ‘I, for sure, am the strongest’ .

“……stop……” (Aoi)

Aoi raised her face slowly .
She was worn out . If it was a sage, they could live even without eating and drinking, but it seemed to be something emotional .

“……do not be concerned with that, anymore……don’t do unnecessary things……” (Aoi)

Aoi *murmuring* muttered .

“Even if you say so, still, it is impossible to leave him as is . ” (Shion)

Despite summoning them to increase the sages, for them to decrease was getting their priorities backwards . Whether they ushered him in or killed him, some kind of dealing with him was required .

“……your……your fault maybe……” (Aoi)

“N?” (Shion)

Shion inclined her head at the small voice, which was at the extent she couldn’t understand it .

“……You are! Because you summoned that! What are you doing! Do you know what you’ve summoned!? It’s over already! This world is finished already! Don’t screw around, damn it! If you want to die, die your own way! The world, me; dooooon’t drag us into it!” (Aoi)

Aoi revealed a scream suddenly, and Shion was astonished . The always calm Aoi, she’d never seen a place where she was disarranged until now .

“What are you saying?” (Shion)

“That is……not a human being……not even a living thing, no……” (Aoi)

But, Aoi hadn’t directly replied to Shion’s question . If she thought she was enraged or something, she immediately slipped into her own world again .
It remained unsettled . Shion considered it useless to cross-examine Aoi .

『I thought if someone came then improvements could be seen, but immediately seems to be unreasonable . I’m sorry for getting you to come at great pains, but won’t you give me a little time?』(Knife)

“That is so, isn’t it . Well then, I’ll have free time temporarily . ” (Shion)

The suitable people of the sages were precious . If Aoi could come back, it was best for it to be that .
Shion decided to go back .
Forcibly wrenching open the way and opening her way back . Maybe because she got used to it, it hadn’t taken that much time to leave .
When she went outside, Shion searched for the responses of the sage candidates . The parent who installed the gifts had authority management towards the child . Around searching for their locations was a simple thing .
Thirty two people succeeded in installing the system on the sightseeing bus . Of them, twenty-eight people had responses .
They had received a report that Yogiri killed two people in the Dragon’s Plain . It seemed that the remaining two people were either dead, or in a place that the searching technique didn’t reach .
Shion painted the positions of the twenty-eight people in her mind .
Twenty-four people were in approximately the same position; they were in the royal city of the Mani Kingdom, which was northeast from this place . It seemed that they were obediently acting in order to clear the mission .
The remaining were a group of three, and one was acting independently .
Guessing from the information she got from Aoi’s knife, the one doing this independent action would be Hanakawa . As there were also traces of restoration from backup data during the system installation, there was hardly a mistake .
The person who seemed to be Hanakawa seemed to be going towards the Kingdom, and was in the middle of exiting the canyon and moving to the Meld Plains .

“First of all, let’s try to hear the story from…’Hanakawa-san?‘ . ” (Shion)

Shion left the forest, and got onto the disk-shaped airship .

Translator’s Notes

¹ – Not totally sure I worded this right .