Maidens of Cygnus - Volume 3 - Chapter 4.5

Interlude – Confidential talk

It was cloudy during the whole day in the Hokuriku region, but rain began to fall only after sunset. The rain slowly got more intense and became a downpour late in the night.

Nobody fancies going bar hopping on a night like this. Maybe not nobody, but it’s probably correct to say basically nobody. Even in a bar operating in the outskirts of the business district of Kanazawa City, customers sparsely walked in.

No, ‘sparsely’ may be too exaggerated of an expression. At around 9pm, a single costumer was sitting at the counter.

The last costumer at the counter is still young. At most, he doesn’t look any older than 20 years old. Is it not surprising that, during the daytime, he was a university student who coaches the Mixed Martial Arts Club of the Kaga University High School, which faced off against Third High’s Magic Arts Club.

At that time, he introduced himself as Kadoba Shunichi. This name is also the name reported to the Kaga University, where he is enrolled.

“You’re looking depressed, comrade Ma.”

But the person standing behind the counter called him Ma.

“Did you mess something up?”

“No, comrade Fu. That’s not it.”

And Kadoba Shunichi, who the young man called Ma, called the bartender Fu.

“You don’t have to be so alert. I’ve already taken the sign down and there are no bugs or cameras in this bar.”

Explaining just to make sure it’s clear, ‘taking the sign down’ was used with the meaning that the store was closed.

“So that your seniors don’t listen in on you? You’re quite the poor soldier.”

“Right now, I am not a soldier. I’m a mere contact. And being treated as defective is unthinkable. I’m completely devoted to my job.”

“Even if that is true, I can’t even be called a comrade. I just inherited my father’s work, and I haven’t even met anyone back in the home country.”

“If this mission is successful, you will be commended in person.”

The bartender’s voice was cold, giving the feeling that he didn’t believe it himself.

“As long as I get what I want, I don’t care about the honors.”

The young man looked away from the bartender and talked like he was talking to himself.

“So, how did it feel when you came into contact with Liú Lìlěi.”

The bartender changed his tone and asked that to the young man.

“I can’t believe she’s younger than me, she’s a perceptive girl. It wasn’t because she was an ‘Apostle’, it was likely the fruits of her education as a spy.”

‘Apostle’ is a common nickname for Nationally Recognized Strategic-Class Magician. Before Liú Lìlěi defected to Japan, she was set up as a Nationally Recognized Strategic-Class Magician.

“Why do you think so?”

“I hardly showed it, but she still found out that my technique is related to the Shaolin Temple. I feel she also saw through my lie about learning it from a Japanese person.”

“That much won’t affect your mission. It is an undeniable fact that your comrades are Japanese, born and raised in Japan.”

“Also, is the mind control for spies still set up deep in Liú Lìlěi’s unconscious mind? Is it really still in effect now?”

“Rather than mind control, it’s a strong post-hypnosis suggestion. In practice, she won’t notice it until it activates. And if she’s not aware of it, there’s no way to undo it... at least there shouldn’t.”

“Sounds awfully unreliable.”

“Nothing that can be done about it. I didn’t set it up and I’m no specialist either.”

The young man lightly shook his head, a mannerism to convince himself that ‘it can’t be helped, no matter how much I think about it’.

“So should I continue approaching her?”

“That is what the country wants you to do.”

“Even if I’m suspected?”

“It’s more convenient for that person, yes.”

“...What do you mean?”

The young man turned his suspicious eyes towards the bartender, who said something that seemed to have a deeper meaning.

“It appears that suspecting the home country’s involvement will cause the seal on the post-hypnosis to loosen, and the mission originally given to Liú Lìlěi will become rooted in her unconscious increasingly strongly.”

“By original mission, you mean the one she was given before becoming an Apostle?”

“It looks like the procedure to cancel the mission was not carried out. The subversive activities imprinted deep in Liú Lìlěi’s mind are still waiting for the signal to be executed.”

“I see. Understood.”

The young man said that and then drank the contents of his shot glass, which he hadn’t touched in a while, in one go.

“Thank you.”

The young man stood up and headed to the door that leads outside.

“Put it in my tab.”

“Please pay upon your success.”

To the bartender’s voice, the young man waved his hand with his back still turned.