Chapter 2
[Ruins]
August 18, Wednesday. Tatsuya and company arrived at the northwestern outskirts of Bukhara on the night after acquiring the Yellow [Key] at Chol Bakr.
Two universities can be seen from the car. One is the campus of the Bukhara State University of Biotechnology. The other is the Uzbekistan campus of the IPU Federal University of Magic, which opened after the war.
The University of Hyderabad, where Chandrasekhar holds a teaching position, is a general university that contains a Department of Magical Engineering. Federal Universities are more akin to Colleges of Magic, where the focus is to foster magicians. Although the University of Hyderabad is the preeminent institution for magical research in the Indo-Persian Federation, the Federal Institutions are the ones that produce the most magicians for the federal government.
IPU was formed as a federal state soon after the war, driven by the pressing need to challenge players such as the New Soviet Union and the Great Asian Union. The integration was headed by Iran, who changed its name to Persia after becoming a powerhouse in West Asia during the war, and India, a major power in South Asia. As such, their names reflected the current name of the nation.
Owing to the circumstances of its origins, there was an ongoing internal struggle for dominance between the Indian and Persian factions within the IPU. The Persian faction does not appreciate the concentration of talents in the University of Hyderabad, situated in former India. The Indian faction also did not like the idea of having its rival faction try to undermine its influence in such a situation. This was the context in which the IPU Federal Universities of Magic were established in each of the countries that make up the federation.
Tatsuya and his group's goal is to sneak into the campus of the Federal University of Magic and obtain any artifact from Shambhala, or at least a clue to it. That said, they had no conclusive proof that what they were looking for could be found here. This place came out of a mere guess, based on too little evidence. They would have preferred to have gathered more material to supplement their theory, and then made full preparations for the infiltration itself.
The reason they haven't done so is that they were in a hurry. This morning, while gathering the critical information to plan their upcoming infiltration with Miyuki and Lina, Tatsuya received a phone call from Fujibayashi, who remained in Japan, urging him to return.
Half a month had already gone by since he departed from Japan under the pretext of attending the signing ceremony between Magian Society and FEHR. While there is the concern of Tatsuya and Miyuki studies, their current social standing in the Japanese Magic Community doesn't allow them to be both away from Japan for so long. Tatsuya also had his position as a military deterrent to contend with, less he wanted to seek displeasure from certain figures of influence behind-the-scenes.
Tatsuya himself was self-aware that he had been stretching the limits of his stay in a foreign country for some time. Hence, he decided to make his move tonight, even if it meant taking a chance.
"Hyougo-san. If there is any sign of danger, please do not worry about us and leave on your own."
"As you wish, sir. If it comes to that, I will be waiting at the agreed upon point. Tatsuya-sama, Miyuki-sama, Rina-ojou-sama, please be careful."
After being seen off by Hyougo from the car, the three of them headed for the Federal University of Magic.
◇ ◇ ◇
Getting into the university grounds was no daunting task for the three of them. Tatsuya and company were able to clear the area without difficulty, regardless of the security devices in place to deal with the use of magic. For long Tatsuya had excelled in using magic without being detected, and Miyuki, after releasing Tatsuya's seal, she regained a great deal of control over her magic and no longer emitted superfluous psion waves. Lina's [Parade] is also proven to operate wonders under sensors. Even though the sensors installed in this facility are far more sensitive than those installed in places like military facilities, for example, the three of them passed undetected.t
─However.
"We're being watched."
Tatsuya muttered in a hushed tone shortly after taking out the three [Keys] from his waist pouch to check for reactions from the ruins. It seemed to be more of a soliloquy from his part, but it was clearly intended for Miyuki and Lina to hear.
Miyuki wordlessly readied herself, and Lina inquired, keeping her voice low, "Where?" while rapidly surveying the area.
"Over there."
Without motioning with his hand, Tatsuya answers Lina with a glance at the direction.
At the end of his gaze was the rooftop of the three-story school building.
"Should we go there?"
"No."
Miyuki asks if they are going to try to make contact with the wardens, to which Tatsuya rejects the idea without gestures.
"They are reacting to a different location."
"They" would be the White, Blue, and Yellow [Keys]. He previously expected that only the White Key would show a response on this location. As it turned out, all three [Keys] showed strong reactions.
Since they did not exhibit this kind of reaction when outside the walls encircling the premises, it tells that there must be some kind of system in this university that works in relation to the [Keys]. Likely a warding of some sort.
Whether it is set upon the walls or in the land itself it's unclear. Still one can assume that the construction of the building of the Magic University on this land was probably not a coincidence. Be it the government, an official, a school official, or a local landowner, regardless of who influenced the decision to build the school building, they must have known ─ if not just about the [Keys] ─ about ancient magical relics in general.
In light of his recent experiences in Bukhara, if there are any relics or artifacts, they're bound to be found deep underground, and the response of [Keys] in Tatsuya's hand seem to agree with that assessment.
Now, did they put a school building on top of it to hide the artifact? Or perhaps it was to create a receptacle where young people with high magical qualities could gather for the purpose of supplementing the relics with Psions and Pushions?
Regardless, Tatsuya decided that the relics (or artifact) are the priority over the watchers, so they headed for the building that is supposed to be the warehouse.
Unfortunately, it appears that the watchers do not intend to let them pass so easily.
The university suddenly disappeared from the sight of the three of them.
The night sky was clear. The moon loomed near full in the firmament Moonlight bathed the desolate white desert spanning before Tatsuya and the others.
"Tatsuya-sama?"
"This one is a quite powerful illusion. Using a tricky system to boot."
Tatsuya sweeps his right hand in the air, as if he were clearing away a plume of smoke.
The view of the university is brought back at the same time.
A second later, however, the landscape is once again replaced by the nightscape of the white desert.
"Just as I thought."
Tatsuya gave a small nod of understanding.
"…Is this perhaps using the same principle as Phalanx?"
"Glad you picked up on that."
Tatsuya's facial expression did not move as he replied to Miyuki, but the slight inflection in his voice suggested that he was genuinely impressed by Miyuki's perspicacity.
"Then, in that sense, do they have a next illusion ready on standby, with the assumption that the illusion will be erased?"
"Though it's not being carried out by a single mageist. There are at least three or more people coordinating with each other here."
Tatsuya acknowledged Lina's conjecture by way of supplementing it, then once again brushed off the illusion.
Again, within a brief time span, the same pattern of events repeated itself.
"It would be quick and sure to just get rid of all the casters…"
Tatsuya mutters with a dispassionate tone of voice.
"Tatsuya-sama. I apologize if this seems presumptuous, but…"
"I know. I won't kill them."
These two don't reject murder in this context out of a sense of guilt. Nor is out of fear of coming into conflict with the country's judicial authorities. Rather, it was a concern that they might need the cooperation of these "enemies" of today later on.
They are currently ill-prepared and severely short of information. This would be an extremely irresponsible decision, and Tatsuya was not willing to make it. Normally, he would have preferred to conduct a comprehensive investigation and narrow down the survey sites, but time constraints made this impossible.
Without the necessary preliminary research, what remained was to gather information in situ. To obtain said information, which includes exactly what the enemy wants to keep a secret, they may have to make a move to spur things into motion.
Unfortunately, given many factors at play, there was no surefire way to handle the situation at hand.
"This is a bit bothersome, but let's try a contest of attrition."
Tatsuya muttered mostly to himself, not really in response to Miyuki.
Same time his mood shifted. His countenance before had reflected his mind, steeling itself for any battle that might come, now has taken a step further; He is in battle, and his expression shows that.
The illusion vanishes, reality takes over. No hand waving from him, not a single finger moving. No psion light. From all appearances, he is just standing there.
As before, Illusion takes hold soon after.
Sooner it is back, sooner the false landscape is wiped out.
And from there it went on.
A fresh coat of illusion covers reality, and reality emerges as the illusion is washed away. The cycle continued for seconds.
Miyuki felt dizzy, her eyes darted around when each scenario took place, and again and again as the battle unfolded. Lina felt nauseous, akin to severe seasickness.
Forgetting about the risks, both closed their eyes. Otherwise, the visual assault would have been unbearable. By closing their eyes, they could not feel anything. It seemed that this illusion acted upon the act of seeing.
The quiet night is back once they close their eyes.
It made it hard to imagine such a fierce battle of magics was taking place just nearby.
In part because Tatsuya played his part in the conflict with utmost silence and solemnity.
"─It's fine to open your eyes now. There are no signs of new magics being activated. No signs of hostility either."
Tatsuya's composed voice reaches Miyuki and Lina's ears after the "quiet night" that transposes for dozens of seconds, minutes, or possibly even hours it seemed.
There were no signs of the intensity of combat, no excitement, just a calm tone of voice.
Miyuki opened her eyes straightaway and Lina did so fearfully.
The scenery spread out before their eyes was that of the light of a full moon illuminating none other than the university they are in. Though it was from another country, there was a certain sense of comfort and familiarity. Perhaps it was because it was a university first and foremost, and they shared a common atmosphere that transcended national borders. Or maybe it is because this is a " University of Magic".
"How are you two feeling?"
"I'm fine."
Miyuki didn't sound to be putting on a brave face.
"I'm all right, too."
Lina was still a tad pale, but she didn't appear to be so stricken as to warrant a break.
Judging that there was no issue, Tatsuya resumed his progress toward ─ at least what he believed to be ─ a warehouse.
Naturally, given the hour, the building was locked. At first glance, it appeared to be a simple cylinder lock, but upon close analysis with Elemental Sight, it was revealed that it used a combination of biometric and mechanical locking mechanisms. It has a built-in security system that, if opened by any means other than the key, would set off an alarm, and if the security device was debilitated, it would also notify the owner of an abnormality.
Posed with this challenge, Tatsuya decided to just destroy the whole door. The security system is wired to the perimeter of the door and not to the door itself. He reduced most of the door to dust, leaving 10 centimeters of the outer portion.
"I still can't get over how foul those magic of yours are, Tatsuya."
Lina grumbled at Tatsuya, after the same proceeded to lead them through the hole he had made with [Decomposition] and then restored the dust back into the door it was with [Regrowth], leaving everything as it was without a trace. She didn't mean it, of course, but there is true to the fact that she felt envious.
"Lina."
Miyuki called out in a low voice to remind her not to make any unnecessary noise.
"Don't worry about it."
Tatsuya covered for Lina for some reason. They soon understood why.
The building was definitely a warehouse, with containers neatly arranged on tall shelves lined up, ready to be moved in and out with a forklift.
"Should we take the fact you're not attacking us as a sign that you're open to negotiations?"
Tatsuya inquired in Uzbek towards the other side of those shelves.
"That's our intention."
The reply came back in fluent Japanese, no doubt far better than Tatsuya's Uzbek.
"Then how about we start by you showing yourself?"
Tatsuya didn't insist and switched to Japanese as he called out to them.
Suddenly the lights went on in the warehouse; Miyuki and Lina raised their hands to shield their eyes, Tatsuya only squinted slightly.
From the shadows of the containers, men whose features are a combination of East Asia, particularly Mongolian, and Eastern European. Totaling eight, they ranged in age from mature to elderly. There was nothing distinctive about their clothing, no religious overtones, at least. It's what you'd normally see people wearing in theBukhara city center.
"We are the [Guardians of the Ancestral Legacy]."
The gray-haired man, the oldest of the group of eight men in appearance, identified themselves as such.
"Since you answered in Japanese, I take it you know who we are, don't you?"
Tatsuya responded, implying that there would be no need to introduce himself.
We indeed do. You are a visitor from Japan."
Maybe there is a religious restriction on addressing people by their first names, or maybe it is just a tradition.
Either way, that was of little harm, and Tatsuya decided to proceed with the conversation as it was. Incidentally, Tatsuya chose a moderately polite language solely as a minimum courtesy to the person who, although attacked him out of the blue, there was no harm done, but mostly because they were stepping into his territory with no permission.
"If you don't mind me asking. The [Legacy] you mentioned you are guardian's of, is it related to Shambhala?"
"Do our estimated visitors believe in the legends of Shambhala?"
"We came here partly to find out for ourselves."
The old man and his fellow men looked at each other. They didn't appear to be exchanging words, but they seemed to have no trouble communicating with each other.
"As our visitor has indicated, the Legacy we safeguard is the hidden treasures of Shambala."
The old man answered more candidly than Tatsuya had expected.
"Now if I may take our turn to inquire. Are we to understand that our esteemed visitor is looking for the legacy of Shambhala?"
"You are correct."
"May I ask what would be the purpose?"
The old man in particular didn't hold a sharp gaze at Tatsuya, unlike his companions, who locked gazes of intense severity on him.
"For the time being, just as was already said. I came searching for the ruins, and if possible, the relics of Shambhala."
A hint of animosity arises amongst the most close to their prime in the old man's company.
The old man raised one hand to curb them.
"…Let's change the question. What would be our esteemed visitor's purpose after obtaining the legacy of Shambala?"
The old man's composure remained undisturbed.
"I have not decided if I'll obtain it."
Tatsuya's demeanor was the same from the beginning. In a favorable light, he is calm and collected. Arrogant and impertinent, to some.
"May I ask how is that?"
"Even if I found a relic, I haven't decided whether I'll keep it or not. If it is something that is not harmful to society, I will take it with me."
"And if it is harmful?"
"I'll hide it."
"…Destroying or sealing it away do not seem to be in consideration."
"Because that's not something I can dictate on my own."
Confusion spreads among the [Guardians of the Ancestral Legacy].
"My decision is limited to whether it's harmful or not. I can't arbitrarily destroy the heritage of a civilization. I don't have that kind of right."
Tatsuya explained, not concealing his own intentions.
"As for sealing it, I simply don't have the skills to do that."
"So, I ask you, esteemed visitor… Do you intend to bear the entire responsibility for your decision all by yourself?"
The old man peers at Tatsuya with an appraising look.
Maybe assessing his humanity or maybe his capabilities.
"Are you referring to the [Legacy] that are assessed to be harmless, but end up causing harm to society?"
The old man didn't make any particular head gesture, but his expression was one of affirmation and an invitation for him to continue.
"In that case, I'd be accountable for those who committed the deed that harmed society."
"…So one cannot be held liable for the acts of others, is that right?"
"If we are talking about possibility, we must also consider the case where a legacy that we judge to be harmful is actually something that may greatly benefit society. By that same logic, we would limit our decisions by the fear of simply the, "possibilities". Nothing would be done if that was the case."
"……"
"I have no intentions of becoming a wise recluse just yet."
"…May we ask for a moment?"
With that, the old man formed a circle with his fellow [Guardians of the Ancestral Legacy] and began to discuss between themselves.
Tatsuya, as well as Miyuki and Lina, waited silently for their conclusion.
Vehement arguments could be heard. The snippets that leaked out were not in the modern Uzbek language that Tatsuya knew. Neither was it Hindi, Farsi, or English. It was a language he did not understand at all.
Their discussion didn't take long before it was over. Then the old man turned to Tatsuya again and opened his mouth.
"─Esteemed visitor, we are not sure if this will be what you are looking for, but we have been told that the legacy we have been protecting is here."
His phrasing came across as peculiar.
"You have never seen it with your own eyes?"
"We have never verified by ourselves, no."
"But it's here, isn't it?"
"Yes, right here."
The old man then pointed to his feet.
"Underground, huh?"
By his tone, Tatsuya didn't find this surprising.
"But didn't it get unearthed when they were building the foundation for the school building?"
"That was our expectation as well when we lured the university to be built on this site."
The old man speaks back ruefully.
"Is it that deep?"
Tatsuya asked, this time sounding mildly surprised. At the Samanid Mausoleum he had to reach a depth of over 30 meters to reach the key, it's not usual to see deep foundations, at least, reaching that deep. With pile driving, where a ready-made pile is driven into the ground on-site, there is a risk that the archaeological remains may have been destroyed. But, if it's the case of in-place drilling, where a hole is drilled on the building site and the pile is created, there should be no need to worry of damage.
"They didn't dig very deep during construction."
"I guess because earthquakes aren't as common around here."
There was no verbal response to Tatsuya's point. There was just a shared rueful mood in the air.
"…Since we couldn't directly confirm the existence of the legacy ourselves, we made them build this warehouse in place of a lid to prevent it from being pilfered. We have been content with that for the time being."
"As such, you are aware of the location. Didn't you ever think of excavating it yourselves, besides the university construction part? Even if it's a financial question, I'm sure there are a number of alternatives."
"…Certainly, we did have the opportunity to get to the [Vault]. But, without the key, we would never have been able to get inside, anyway. And, if I'm not mistaken… it's the very [Key] that you possess."
"You mean this?"
Tatsuya opened his hand to show the old man the three [Keys] he had been clutching in his left hand until now.
"Ooh… Precisely. May I ask how our esteemed visitor came to find the lost [Moon Key]?"
"Moon Key? What's that?"
He vaguely knew from the old man's gaze, but Tatsuya asked, just to be sure.
"Excuse me. I refer to the white stone among the [Keys] that you hold."
"I assume the others have a name as well…"
"The yellow is called the [Sun Key], the blue is the [Sky Key]."
"Moon, Sun and Sky, huh. So these three are actually the key for a relic themselves?"
Though said in an impersonal tone, Tatsuya gave a wry smile at the coincidence, "I never would have guessed that they were really keys."
"According to the tradition passed on from our ancestors, the door to the [Vault] cannot be opened without all three, Sun, Moon and Sky [Keys]. But it has been long believed that the [Moon Key] has been lost."
"For a long time?"
"As far as what has been passed down, more than a thousand years… Maybe lost for as long as the [Vault] had been closed. Maybe hidden, so that the [Legacy] would not fall into anyone's hands."
"Then there would be no point in having [Keys]."
The old man dropped his gaze that had been fixed on Tatsuya. It didn't feel that Tatsuya's words hurt him in some way. The old man's eyes seemed to be gazing off somewhere far away.
"…The Māyā 1Ordeal is granted to whoever holds the [Keys] of the [Sun], [Moon] and [Sky]."
"Māyā? You mean the power the Hindu gods command to create illusions? By ordeal do you mean the illusions you set up before in Ismail Samani, Chol Bakr, and just earlier?"
"Only those who overcome the ordeal should be shown the path to the Legacy."
The old man didn't answer the questions, but his proffered lines in the end fulfilled the same purpose.
"Esteemed visitors from Japan. Thanks to you, we are finally relieved of this never-ending duty."
Apparently the old man as well as the other were burdened by their role as [Guardians of the Ancestral Legacy].
Even with that realization in mind, Tatsuya did not show any particular sympathy. He merely voiced a "I see" and turned his attention to the floor to which the old man had just pointed.
"Tatsuya. So, all those illusions were a test for the right to access this [Legacy]?"
"It seems so."
He answers Lina's question while keeping his eyes fixed on the floor, and far below beyond it.
"So, we passed the test, right?"
"Yes, we did."
Now that it was Miyuki talking to him, Tatsuya spared her a glance, but it was only for a short time. His attention was soon back to the floor, and then to the [Keys] in his left hand.
"Ooh!"
The [Guardians] exclaimed with a mixture of surprise, anticipation, and admiration.
The [Keys] was emitting a dim but perceptible light to the naked eye.
One of them ran to a wall and turned off the light.
The glow from the [Keys] became apparent.
Tatsuya then took the [Compass] from the waist pouch with his right hand and laid it on his left hand with the [Keys].
The light, which had previously been shining evenly in all directions, is now skewed.
Tatsuya moved in that direction; forward, to his left. As he slowly advanced in that direction, the skew gradually shifted downward.
Until, at a certain point, it was pointing straight down.
Stopping there, Tatsuya returned the [Keys] and [Compass] to his waist pouch.
"Is it there?"
Lina, who couldn't bear to wait for what Tatsuya had been thinking, asked, nearly to the point of grabbing him.
"Lina, calm down… Tatsuya-sama, will you be digging there?"
Much like Lina, Miyuki was also losing her composure, and although it was not entirely out of her realm of possibility, Tatsuya was the one who would be digging the mine, given his better aptitude.
Naturally, that's what the person himself intended to do.
"I'll start right away. I'll call out when I find it."
"Understood." "We'll be waiting here!"
Miyuki's reply was accompanied by Lina's shout.
Tatsuya's body sank into the earth before their eyes.
The guardians froze in astonishment. It was even hard to tell if they were still breathing. They were unable to take their eyes off Tatsuya's magic as it decomposed the floor and then proceeded to decompose the ground beneath.
"…I never thought I'd see the day when I would see the very Māyā of Shiva with these old eyes of mine…"
The old man representing [Guardians of Ancestral Legacy] exclaimed, overcome with emotion.
The sentence he uttered was spun in their language, so neither Miyuki nor Lina could understand what he said. The only words they could make out were "Shiva" and "Māyā".
"…Are those people Hindu?"
Lina whispered to Miyuki as soon as the question popped into her head.
"Tatsuya-sama mentioned that [Māyā] is a power of the Hindu gods, so I think there must be a connection, even if they aren't specifically Hindu."
They kept the conversation low in volume, but not so much that the Guardians, who stood in the immediate vicinity, could not hear them.
At very least, the Old man representing them could understand Japanese. But if any of the others could, they didn't offer any response to Lina's and Miyuki's conversation. Tatsuya's magic was at the forefront of their attention, and even if they had heard Miyuki and Lina, they would not ever register it.
The feverish look in their eyes told that this was more than just a chance for them to reach the [Vault], the remains that they for so long could not reach by themselves. But there was something of a religious, to the point of fanaticism, in the way they stared intently at Tatsuya and the shaft he was digging, and the girls were afraid to ask any questions directly.
Not long had passed until Tatsuya was emerging from the hole.
"Tatsuya, did you find it!?"
Lina shook Tatsuya for an answer, who used his flight magic to return to the surface from the bottom of the shaft.
"Lina, please have some patience."
Miyuki pulled Lina, who was not literally "shaking", but just grabbing at Tatsuya, away from him and stood where she was, before him.
"You don't have to be so jealous…"
"I'm not being jealous!"
In the joke, Lina took it with a straight face, backing up while saying, "Oh, scary…"
Miyuki clears her throat, seemingly recalling the watchful eyes of the third party, that is, the [Guardians of the Ancestral Legacy] present, then tries a fresh start.
"Tatsuya-sama, was the excavation a success?"
"I found a stone chamber that I believe to be the site of a ruin. It is about three meters in both height and width."
"It's surprisingly small…"
Lina muttered with a mixture of disappointment and surprise.
"What's inside is what's important."
He picked up on this murmur and delivered what could be either taken as consolation or admonishment.
Tatsuya then moved to face the elder of the Guardians while Lina chimed, "Y-yeah, you're right," as if to cheer herself up.
"I'm about to check it for myself, do you want to come along? I believe you are at least entitled to it."
The old man's eyes widened. It took a slight pause and then he shook his head. That was a gesture that matched the cultural norms that Tatsuya and company are used to.
"We don't have the right to come in contact with the Legacy, we are the Guardians and yet we have lost sight of a [Key]. We entrust the legacy to you, the prophesied bearer of the [Keys] and bearer of Shiva's Māyā."
What is this Shiva's Māyā, anyway, Tatsuya wondered. It was more of a rhetorical question at this point.
Next to him, Miyuki and Lina had a questioning look at that. Lina, in particular, seemed eager to ask about it.
"I see. Then, I'll take you at your word."
But he didn't ask. Leaving little leeway for Lina to ask herself. There wouldn't be much good in getting too deep into it, it seemed.
"You two are coming, right?"
Tatsuya turned around at the edge of the shaft and asked Miyuki and Lina.
"Yes." "You bet."
They both responded simultaneously
"I'll leave the lights to any of you. Use flight magic when you come after me, not deceleration magic."
With that said, Tatsuya activated the same flight device he had used when he came out of the shaft.
Then jumped down into the vertical tunnel.
They too activated their respective flight magic, and followed Tatsuya in turn; first Miyuki and then Lina.
Tatsuya was the first to arrive at the base of the pit, followed by Miyuki and lastly, Lina. It wasn't as cramped as one would be led to believe. The pit Tatsuya had cleared was wide enough for the three of them to stand side by side.
It extended over fifty meters deep, and without the illumination via magic, courtesy of Miyuki, the three of them would have been shrouded in utter darkness.
"─Is this the ruins?"
Lina looked at the flat stone wall that lay ahead of her. A perfectly flat surface, without a single distortion, smooth as if it had just been polished. Although you couldn't rule out the possibility that it was natural, it was far more likely to be man made.
Only three circular depressions of approximately the same size, and situated about one meter in height, marked the otherwise perfectly flat surface. So fine the three cuts, set in an equilateral triangle, that seemed as if it had been carved out using modern tools. Even if the surface of the stone wall was the product of natural occurring erosion, or a process akin to a large-scale mineral cleavage, these depressions alone are clearly the product of workmanship.
"I cannot say for certain that this is a Shambhala site. But this is where the [Keys] are reacting."
"But even if it's not a relic from Shambala, doesn't this tell that there is at least… something there?"
"That's what I would assume."
Miyuki asked, trying to sound encouraging, to which Tatsuya nodded as if to assure her, "Don't worry."
"Then let's take a look inside. The cavity you mentioned is on the other side? You mentioned earlier about a stone chamber."
Lina nudged Tatsuya, not even trying to hide her impatience.
"I couldn't see what was inside, though."
But the answer she got was totally unexpected, bringing both her and Miyuki to widen her eyes in surprise.
"You couldn't?! Not even with your Elemental Sight?!"
Miyuki was especially flabbergasted, she was pale, all the blood had drained from her face.
"There is a high-density of highly encoded information strewn around the inside of the walls. Because of this, I can't quite properly read the information in that space."
"That sounds like the real deal to me!"
Lina was flushed with excitement. There is no way that a high enough concentration of information to block access in the information dimension could have accumulated on its own. There was no doubt in Lina's mind that something of the Relic's or higher nature was lying beyond this stone wall.
"How thick is this wall? Can [Molecular Divider] cut through it?"
"Relax, Lina, we can probably get inside without having to break it."
Tatsuya said so and took the [Keys] out of his pouch.
Lina follows Tatsuya with a curious stare, and she is not alone; Miyuki also looks at Tatsuya with equal intensity.
The three circular indentations in the wall are arranged as an upward-facing equilateral triangle.
Tatsuya fits the White stone disk, the [Moon Key], into the upper one.
"Fits right in…"
Lina mutters with a voice charged with enthusiasm.
Next, he inserts the Blue stone disk [Key of the Sky] into the right cavity, then the Yellow stone disk [Key of the Sun] into the left cavity.
All three fit neatly. The size of the [Key] and dimensions of the cavity were a perfect match, so the [Key] did not fall off the wall even when he took his hand away.
Immediately after Tatsuya let go of the third and last [Key of the Sun], a slight vibration coursed along the stone wall.
It lasted less than a second.
After it stopped, a part of the wall began to move.
A section of the stone wall measuring about two meters high and one meter wide from the center where the [Keys] were fitted, just big enough for a person to pass through, moved inward.
Simultaneously, all three [Keys] are ejected from the wall. Tatsuya swiftly catches all of them in mid-air.
The block of the stone wall stopped after moving inwards for about 30 centimeters. Then slid to the left. After the stone stopped moving, the three of them were presented with a two-meter-high, eighty-centimeter-wide entrance.
"I'll make sure it's safe. Wait here."
Tatsuya's voice shook Miyuki and Lina out of their stupor.
"Please wait! It's dangerous!"
Miyuki rushed to stop Tatsuya.
"Hold on to this, just in case."
Tatsuya said as he handed the [Keys] to Miyuki.
"If something happens, use it to open the 'door'."
Confronted with Tatsuya's worry-free expression, Miyuki knew that, as usual, she wouldn't be able to stop him.
"Alright. Please be careful."
Tatsuya stepped into the stone chamber without a hint of hesitation. Even after he entered, the inside of the chamber was still pitch-dark. Perhaps he was making use of sight beyond what the naked eye could see. Only the faint sound of footsteps came from inside.
Approximately three minutes later, he was emerging from the stone chamber.
"There were also keyholes on the back of the door. It seems to be designed to be opened from the inside as well."
"So there isn't a chance of us getting trapped in there."
"It wouldn't still be a problem, even if that happens. The walls can be [Decomposed] from the inside. [Reconstruction] is also possible afterwards."
"Then there's really nothing to worry about."
Tatsuya's words brought an almost palpable relief to Miyuki.
"Come on then, let's go inside."
Urged Lina with a look like could not wait to see what was to come.
The three of them entered the stone chamber in the order of Tatsuya, then Lina, followed by Miyuki.
"By the way, I forgot to mention─"
Just as they all were entering the stone room, Tatsuya turned to address them.
As if on cue, they all hear a scraping sound from behind Miyuki and Lina.
Miyuki and Lina turn around at the same time in a panic.
The ominous creak was the sound of the stone door of the chamber closing.
"Hey! W-Wait!"
In a display of her agitation, Lina rushed to the direction of the door. Likely in an attempt to make it out before it closes. Or perhaps with the intention of stopping the boulder that is the door with the strength of her arms?
The door closed fairly fast. If the door is as heavy as it looks, closing at that speed would be fatal if someone is caught between it and the wall. And they didn't have the option of counting on the existence of a hypothetical safety mechanism.
"Lina, relax."
Tatsuya grabbed Lina's arm to hold her back in a natural reaction.
"Aaah!"
Lina screamed.
The rock door closed completely.
The illumination that Miyuki had created with magic was outside the stone chamber. Leaving the girls blind in complete darkness.
"W-wa-what are we going to do now! I don't want to die trapped in here!"
"Calm down, relax."
"N-Now I'll have to use the [Molecular Divider]… Ah!"
Her last yelp was the effect of an impact on her forehead.
Courtesy of Tatsuya's finger flick to her forehead.
"Oow…"
"I'm telling you to calm down, Miyuki, light, please."
"R-Right."
Miyuki was also shocked by the closing of the door, but in her case, she lost the timing to express her dismay because of Lina's fuss.
Following Tatsuya's request, the inside of the stone chamber was bathed by the newly made lights.
He looked down at Lina with an expression of exasperation on his face.
"─The door seems to be set to close when a person with the [Key] enters into the stone chamber. It appears to be made to work like this, so there's no need to be alarmed."
"Why didn't you say so first!"
Teary-eyed, Lina lashed out at Tatsuya, who stood unperturbed.
For once, Miyuki didn't criticize Lina's disrespect (?) for Tatsuya.
"My bad. Were you scared?"
"W-who? Me? I wasn't scared at all!"
"I just thought you wouldn't freak out about being locked in here."
"I just told you, I wasn't scared!"
"…All right, then. Let's just leave it at that."
"Hey, what do you mean by that!"
"Lina, it's time for you to calm down, and please Tatsuya-sama, don't tease her too much."
Both looked like they wanted to say something, but both kept their mouths shut. They both knew this was not the time to waste time on such things.
"By the way, Tatsuya-sama. Is that on the back of the altar?"
It was obvious by looking, but Miyuki asked it to change the subject.
Precisely, it was obvious by looking.
What lay at the back of the stone chamber was clearly an altar.
Set on a platform about 1.2 meters high that extruded from the wall was a bowl and a wand.
The bowl had a diameter of about 30 centimeters. It was transparent, probably made of high purity quartz crystal.
The wand measured about 50 centimeters in length. If by the measure of length, a "stick" would be a better suited designation, but the jeweled head fitted to the top end really brought the image of a "wand" to mind, even if it was still a small one. The material it is made of could not be identified. The pole resembled brass, but had the texture of wood to the touch. The perfectly spherical, undistorted, gem sphere was probably made of quartz glass. It was probably wrought quartz crystal, formed by hardening molten natural high grade quartz. Yet, it had an unknown microstructure, that even with the use of Tatsuya's Elemental Sight was impossible to fully appraise the material.
Another observation is that the length of 50cm of the wand was assessed by Elemental Sight. Only the upper half of the staff is clearly visible, the lower half is embedded in the altar.
"Ugh… How do we pull this thing out? How are we going to pull this out? It looks like it might snap if we push it too hard…"
Miyuki swapped places with Lina and placed her hand on the wand, as the latter flushed and breathed heavily.
"It doesn't seem to be coming out…"
In contrast to Lina, Miyuki didn't insist and promptly withdrew her hand from the wand.
"I give up. Tatsuya-sama, how would you pull it out?"
Miyuki's easy going demeanor was based on her conviction that Tatsuya would be able to pull it out. Actually, the reason for all the struggle was simply because Lina had pushed Tatsuya away when he was standing in front of the cane, saying "let me try it."
"It should work like this."
He said, gripping the wand with his right hand and holding his left hand out over the crystal bowl fixed to the altar.
As if filling the cup with sake, Tatsuya pours psions from his left hand.
The previously transparent cup is now suffused with shimmering rainbow-colored light. This light shifted to the wand's jewel after a short delay.
As the light settled on the jewel, the resistance sewing the wand to the pedestal disappeared.
"…It was a surprisingly simple mechanism."
"Yeah, I guess."
Tatsuya made light of Lina's costume of being a sore loser.
"Even I know that the figure of a goblet is used as a symbol of a receptacle of magical power. But who would have thought that something that doesn't resemble an actual goblet would be also used as a device to pour psions?"
The person herself knew she was a sore loser, which is why Lina mumbled her excuses to herself. And Tatsuya wasn't too much of a bad sport to keep driving the point home.
The bowl on the altar did resemble a type of goblet: a large sized sakazuki, that many Japanese are familiar with, but that is a digression.
"I wonder if this wand is the Legacy of Shambhala."
"I'd bet that is probably the right one."
Said Tatsuya then turned to look at the side wall.
Side by side, Miyuki and Lina bring their faces close to the wall.
"There seems to be a part where there are stone panels of different materials fitted together…"
"And there is a subtle indentation in the panel… It looks like it might match up perfectly with the jewel in that wand…"
"Very perceptive, Lina."
Tatsuya remarked in honest praise, no sarcasm or ridicule attached.
"Wha- Why now out of nowhere?"
Lina was more confused than pleased by this.
"I already noticed that the curvature coincided with Elemental Sight, but to note that with the naked eye… I'm honestly amazed."
"It was just by chance. It's no big deal."
Lina's discomposure was clear as day, probably unaccustomed to being praised by Tatsuya, of all people.
"That panel… a stone tablet, that is, was the source of the high information density that prevented observation from outside."
Lina was looking away in embarrassment, Miyuki, who looked at her with a hint of envy, looked again at the panels, or stone tablets, that were fitted into the wall.
"There are six tablets on each of the side walls. The material appears to be the same as that of the [Guru's Tablet]."
"You're right… There are more than one."
At Tatsuya's words, Lina's eyes flicked from side to side,
"The same as that stone tablet…"
Miyuki touched a stone tablet to confirm the feel of it.
"And if the concavity in it matches the curvature of the sphere of the wand, then I suppose this is how it's used."
Saying that, Tatsuya pressed the wand's gem against the concavity of the stone tablet.
That by itself didn't cause anything to happen.
But the moment he poured psions from his right hand, which held the wand.
A buzz, as if hundreds of voices spoke at the same time, assaulted Miyuki and Lina.
Caught off guard by the bustling noises, both Miyuki and Lina covered their ears and eyes and hanged their heads downward. However, this reflexive action did in no way obstruct the voices. Having already tried shielding their physical senses of sight and hearing, the girls realized that the "voices" were not a physical sound.
Upon the recognition of this, both simultaneously activated their respective defensive measures against mental magic attacks.
Miyuki deployed [Cocytus] to create a barrier that froze any psychic waves that attempted to come into contact with her consciousness. Lina used her [Parade] to set the location of her mind to "somewhere other than here".
Having freed themselves from the influence of the onrushing thought-waves, they turn to check on the safety of Tatsuya, who is in direct contact with the stone tablet that seems to be the source of this phenomenon.
"Tatsuya-sama!?"
"Tatsuya, what's wrong!?"
They raised their voices in dismay after finding that their concerns had been right on target.
There was something off about Tatsuya. He stood still like a statue, his body and expression frozen in place. His eyes are unfocused, as if he is stunned, staring off into infinity.
"Tatsuya-sama, are you okay?"
"Miyuki!"
Lina stopped Miyuki from running up and attempting to grab onto Tatsuya by holding her from behind.
"Don't move him! I think Tatsuya's probably in a state of trance."
"A state of trance?"
"Yes. I had a colleague on STARS named Alec, he inherited the abilities of a shaman, and this is a lot like him when he sometimes used to show his spirit possession techniques. Alec told me that you should never move a shaman who is communing with spirits, that is, in a state of trance. Tatsuya now looks just like that. So, I think it's better not to touch him."
"But…"
"Tatsuya will be fine no matter what. I'm sure you know better than I do, don't you?"
"…Yess, you're right. I'm sorry for acting so out of control. And thanks for stopping me."
Seeing that Miyuki had collected herself, Lina let her go.
"Besides, if the ruins were so dangerous, there's no way he would have brought you along."
"I know. And I also know that Tatsuya-sama is not the kind of person to put himself in danger he can't manage. It'll be okay… Yes. Surely, it'll be okay."
Saying this, Miyuki clasped her hands tightly together in front of her chest.
As if in prayer.
Tatsuya came back about four minutes later, or four minutes and sixteen seconds to be exact. A few blinks and he was soon back to his regular state.
"My bad. I ended up making you worry.”
"Eh. No… you don't need to."
When Tatsuya came to apologize, Miyuki quickly tried to fake it.
"And you too Lina, I appreciate you for calming Miyuki down."
"Tatsuya, you…"
"Tatsuya-sama, were you by any chance conscious?"
"I could hear you two. But I was too busy processing the information that was pouring in that I didn't have much chance to speak."
"Oh dear."
Miyuki covered her face with her hands when she heard Tatsuya's confession. She assumed that with her eyes open, Tatsuya could not see or hear anything that was going on.
"…I've shown an embarrassing sight of myself."”
The voice came in a squeak from beneath her covering hands.
She stayed like that for about 30 seconds.
"Thank you for worrying about me."
Seeing that her embarrassment had subsided, Tatsuya called out to Miyuki, who hesitantly lowered the hands that had been covering her face, finally allowing the conversation to proceed.
"─So, Tatsuya, what happened?"
Lina cut right to the chase, she had been standing there with a blank expression until Miyuki got out of her embarrassed stupor.
"The Legacy of Shambala was knowledge."
"Knowledge!"
"So that panel was really a [Guru's Tablet], after all?"
Lina shouted with apparent excitement, whereas Miyuki asked with a mixture of expectation and concern in her voice.
The concern behind Miyuki's question stems from her suspicion in regards to the [Guru's Tablet] and the way it installs magic, that this might also attempt to overwrite the Magic Calculation Area at its own discretion.
"Not quite, I think. Although it certainly contained knowledge about an unknown magic, it is not something that installs it automatically. It felt like a big dictionary… No, a whole library worth of information, probably comparable to a small library crammed into that single tablet. Perhaps we can find just as much in the other eleven."
"The same information?"
To Lina's question, Tatsuya shook his head in a "No."
"It's just a guess at the moment, but I'd say that each one contains an equivalent amount of information about different things."
"In other words, it's like there are twelve libraries' worth of knowledge stored in here?"
"If that's true, then this could rival the collection of the University of Magic."
In response to Miyuki's inquiry, Tatsuya nodded firmly while adding to the speculation.
"It is really an enormous library…"
Tatsuya's answer elicited a hearty sigh of amazement from Miyuki's mouth. By itself the digitized collection of the University of Magic is unmatched by the libraries of the days when paper books were the norm.
"Did you get all that library's worth of knowledge in just a few minutes just now, Tatsuya?"
"I think I have it in my head. But there are just too many entries for me to remember at will."
"…No doubt. You crammed that much into your head at once, I think you might need a search engine for that."
Lina gave Tatsuya a look that was laced with a hint of sympathy.
"I'll take my time to sort it out. There is some information among it that I can't just ignore."
"Was there something not good recorded there…?"
Miyuki stepped closer to Tatsuya, looking up at him with a look of concern on her face.
"I somehow expected this, but it turns out that among other things, the Legacy of Shambala contains extremely dangerous magic."
"…Large-scale magic, comparable to even Strategic-Class Magic, as we thought?"
"Yes."
"And the data for it is here!?"
Lina asks with a sense of urgency in her voice.
"I can't say for sure yet. I've only established its existence. Therefore, we might have to check all the tablets."
"I see, you have a point."
Miyuki agreed with understanding, but reluctance, as it was unavoidable. For her part, she would prefer not having to see Tatsuya under that earlier state again, but she couldn't disagree that a Strategic-Class Magic couldn't be left unattended.
"Actually, I've only read a tenth of that tablet just now. I reckon it will take nearly nine whole hours to browse through all twelve sheets. Let's go back up for the time being and come back again after we've made some preparations."
"Right… If there is so much information, wouldn't it be better to split it up over several days and divide the load between us?"
"No."
The moment Miyuki suggested that she could also take part in the reading session, Tatsuya shot down the idea in a concise, straightforward manner.
"We don't have the time."
He was careful to add immediately after, to avoid any misunderstandings.
"We need to return home tomorrow, even if we have to leave the search unfinished. We were lucky to find the ruins tonight. By tomorrow morning we will have retrieved all the Legacy collection."
"You're right."
Miyuki is also aware that Fujibayashi has been urging them to return to their home country. She easily understood that this was a situation where they have to push themselves if they want to make it.
"Then, I think if we split it up among the three of us…"
"On the contrary, that would be too inefficient. I just need water, an oxygen cylinder if it's readily available, and I'll carry out the reading myself."
"Are you sure you can handle it? Won't your head blow up?"
Teasingly, but with concern, Lina asks.
Both their stares at Tatsuya conveyed the same message: "Don't be reckless."
"The human mind is not that weak."
Tatsuya could understand where they were coming from, but he was not going to change his mind.
◇ ◇ ◇
Now it was 5:00 a.m. local time. Miyuki and Lina, who had left the Federal University of Magical Sciences after parting with Tatsuya for a while, now entered the campus lawfully through the main gate. One of the [Guardians of the Ancestral Legacy], who was also a clerk at the university, opened the gate and let them through.
With anxiety evident on Miyuki's countenance and concern for her in Lina's expression, they hurried to the warehouse where the ruins had been built on top of. By the time they reached the front of the building, the door opened from the inside revealing Tatsuya.
"Tatsuya-sama, are you all right!?"
Miyuki rushes over to look up close to Tatsuya. As far as she could tell, he appeared only a little tired.
"Are you feeling any discomfort? Is there any mental exhaustion?"
"You don't need to worry so much. There is nothing wrong with either my mind or body."
The smile he gave showed a sense of ease. There were no signs he was putting on a strong face.
Confirming this from up close, Miyuki patted her chest in relief.
"Tatsuya, what's that?"
Seeing that Miyuki had now calmed down, Lina asked, itching to know what was wrapped in the long, thin cloth bundle that Tatsuya was holding in his right hand.
"This?"
Tatsuya said, bringing the wrapping up to chest level and removing a part of the cloth to reveal what was inside.
"Is that… The wand from the ruins?"
"Yes. They said they wouldn't mind if I took it home with me."
"That belongs to you, you were recognized as the legitimate heir of the [Vault]."
Tatsuya's words echoed those of the old man representing [Guardians of the Ancestral Legacy].
"The legitimate heir…?"
"I guess that's what they've decided between them."
Lina inquired quizzically, to which Tatsuya responded with a wry smile.
"If the custodian has recognized your rightful ownership, isn't that fine? Then you can take it back to Japan without any fear."
"I think it would still fall under the definition of tomb robbing under IPU law, though…"
Miyuki's brazen words elicited a wry, not so sarcastic laugh from Tatsuya.
"But you'd still be taking it with you, wouldn't you?"
Lina says with a smile that would fall in the grin category.
"I'd give them my thanks for the gift."
For Tatsuya, his acknowledgement of Lina's suggestion would fairly fit in the "brazen" attitude.
"It would be inconvenient otherwise."
He added, this time in a tone that suggested he wasn't joking.
"…Does this wand power can be useful outside the ruins?"
Miyuki's question made Tatsuya's expression turn all the more serious.
"I can say that in a sense, the [Legacy of Shambala] that modern mageist so desire is this wand."
Tatsuya said with a grave face. Miyuki and Lina also turned somber and stared at the bundle of cloth that surrounded the wand.
◇ ◇ ◇
That evening. Tatsuya arrived at the Bukhara International Airport, having not slept a wink since yesterday.
In a private room, originally reserved for airport staff, across from Tatsuya at a conference table was Chandrasekhar, who had flown in from Hyderabad on short notice. She was the one who arranged for this room for their confidential discussion.
"Unfortunately, we have not found anything that we can reasonably refer to as the ruins of Shambhala."
Saying that, Tatsuya placed two stone tablets on the table.
"These are the results of our archaeological findings. I'll entrust them to you, Doctor."
"Where did you come across these?"
"At the Ismail Samani Mausoleum and the Chol Bakr Necropolis. The artifacts unearthed at Mount Shasta allowed us to find the altars buried in the ground."
"On Mt.Shasta in America… I assume you wouldn't be willing to entrust us with those artifacts."
"We hope to have another opportunity to search for the artifacts. When the occasion arises, I hope you will be able to accompany us, Doctor."
"Yes, I would love the opportunity… But are you sure that I can take custody of these stone tablets?"
"I could only tell that it contains a very old ritualistic inscription from the Vedic system. I am sure that you, Doctor, will be able to tell us more about it."
"…I'll gladly accept it. I'll keep it as valuable research material."
Seeing Chandrasekhar pull the stone tablets closer, Tatsuya stood up.
"Now, if you will excuse me, Doctor. I'd usually be obliged to thank you in measure for your hospitality, but unfortunately I am due to return to my country in a hurry."
"I completely understand your position, Mister. I'm sure such things are unavoidable."
A beat later, Chandrasekhar also stands up.
"Doctor. Thank you very much for your assistance. If there is anything I can do for you in the future, please do not hesitate to ask and I will do my best to help you."
"All the same, I thank you very much for the wonderful time you spent with us."
Tatsuya shook hands with Chandrasekhar in farewell.
Throughout the meeting, Chandrasekhar showed no sign of doubting the "we have not found the ruins of Shambhala" from Tatsuya.
◇ ◇ ◇
Tatsuya called for his private jet for his return trip home. It was a small supersonic airframe with inertial control and airflow manipulation magic built into it. But every private plane, of any kind, has to inevitably undergo departure inspections.
"I'm surprised they didn't find the wand."
Commented Lina to Miyuki beside her as soon as they boarded the cabin and settled into their seats. She looked not at Miyuki, but at her suitcase.
The 50-centimeter-long wand they took from the Shambala ruins was just the right size to fit into a large suitcase, and Miyuki, with the understanding that "inspections of woman's luggage tend to be more lenient," tucked the wand into her own suitcase.
Needless to say, customs inspections by nature are not so lenient. Moreover, to Tatsuya and whoever was with him, they were secretly being watched. The officials had been instructed to check thoroughly for any artifacts that might be attempted to be taken out of the country. There wasn't much of this doubt in Chandrasekhar's attitude, but in her mind, she must have been harboring a natural skepticism.
Despite this, in the end, the wand stashed in the suitcase passed unnoticed under either the X-ray or the metal detector. As long as the cane didn't show anything in the detectors, the customs officer couldn't make any tough calls against Miyuki, who, although not quite the ordinary person, was still a civilian.
Even if they could demand Miyuki to open her suitcase and show the contents, the customs officers were too hesitant to put their hands into her baggage and rummage through it, as they would have done with any nameless civilian.
That was also understandable. They were dealing with a relative of a modern-day demon king, a magician who can hold his own in a war against a military superpower. And no mere relatives, either; it was his beloved fiancée. The officer was there merely carrying out his duty as a public servant, even if he really wanted to let it pass without having to deal with it. They had no desire to risk offending the other party by doing anything more than the set protocol.
Lina could sympathize with the customs officials. That is why she wondered about the fact that the wand had not been caught by what appeared to be the state-of-the-art inspection equipment.
"That wand is not supposed to exist unless you look at it directly."
It was Tatsuya, with an eye mask and in place for an early nap, who came to answer Lina's question.
"…Not supposed to exist?"
"If you take out the visible spectrum, it will not react to any kind of electromagnetic waves except visible light. Same is with X-rays and magnetic fields, they all pass right through it."
"How's that? Isn't the wand made of metal?"
Lina gave a wide tilt of her head. She assumed it was made of a brass-colored metal.
"I can only say that at the moment that it's made of some unknown material."
"Unknown material… That's something incredible. After all this time, this finally feels like we're dealing with a lost super-ancient civilization!."
Lina's eyes sparkled once anew with Tatsuya's answer.
"Lina, that's enough of that, okay. And Tatsuya-sama, that's nice and all, but please get some rest."
Miyuki couldn't be less concerned about the nature of the wand at this point, her concern was more about Tatsuya's physical condition, who had stayed up all night studying the ruins and hadn't even taken a nap since then.
Silence falls over the cabin at Miyuki's pressure. It remained as such even after the small jet took off and transitioned to hypersonic cruising.
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