Internship (4)
A luxury boutique in an affluent neighborhood.
Elise is choosing a dress to wear to a social event. She’s not particularly interested in the exclusive parties of the nobility, but this one is a bit different.
[Blue DeLuneman].
This masquerade is attended by quite a few of the social elite and heirs of major families, making it a sort of bucket list event.
“Layla. How about this one?”
Elise asked while looking at herself in the full-length mirror. It wasn’t an overly extravagant dress.
A black dress that accentuated her fair skin. Her shoulders and collarbone were quite exposed, but she thought it was acceptable.The initial posting of this chapter occurred via N0v3l.B11n.
“......It’s fine.”
Layla’s voice was low. Elise turned to look at her.
“What’s with you? You’ve always wanted to go to Blue DeLuneman the most.”
Throughout her time in Endex Life, Layla had been singing the [Blue DeLuneman] song and waiting. After all, you can’t get invited if you’re not an adult.
“Well, that’s true...... but I’ve been dealing with a lot of exhausting things lately.”
“If you’re not going to buy a dress, at least decide on a mask. I’m going to be a camel, so don’t copy me.”
“Who wears a camel mask?”
“I do.”
“......Haaaam.”
Layla yawned. Had she been too active as Mila recently? She was tired, so tired.
Oh right. I had something to tell Elise.
“......Elly.”
“What.”
“Do you know Raquel Dra?”
Layla subtly changed the topic.
“You mean the murderer from Trick City?”
“They call him a villain in Trick City.”
“I know. Why?”
Elise fiddled with her earrings. Then she put on the camel mask she had prepared in advance.
“......How about we do this for our club activity? Catching a villain! We investigate Raquel Dra! If we catch him, our specs will skyrocket!”
“......Haa. How many lives do you have?”
Elise looked at her as if she was pathetic. Layla’s eyes narrowed.
“What.”
“‘Raquel Dra’, the villain, is not someone we can handle.”
“You’re such a scaredy-cat, Elly. You have no confidence. You’re the top of the College Board.”
“I don’t bite off more than I can chew. By the way, there was talk about him in the Magic Tower community.”
Elise said as she smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress.
“Raquel Dra’s ‘Chimera formula’ was a research subject for mages. So they also debated about the level of that Raquel Dra-”
“Villain.”
“......Villain. The academic consensus was?”
Elise held up three fingers.
“Even with just the skills revealed to the public, Raquel Dra is at least a third-tier mage.”
“......Th, third-tier?”
Gulp- Layla swallowed.
A third-tier mage is equivalent to a one-man army. Even Elise, if she were to enter the Magic Tower, would start from the ninth tier.
“There are rumors that he could be second-tier in terms of combat power.”
There aren’t many second-tier mages even in Edsilla.
“How are we supposed to catch someone like that? ......Please think.”
Elise paid with her black card. Layla pouted at her nonchalant demeanor.
“Still, Elly, aren’t you being too irresponsible? Villains kill people!”
“Layla, isn’t murder as old as humanity?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Catching killers is the job of the police or knights. I’m busy saving those who are dying.”
Elise always volunteers in medical services. She works in the emergency room for at least 10 hours a week.
“...Besides, are you really not going to buy a dress? I don’t have much time today.”
“I have plenty of clothes.”
Layla responded sulkily. Elise smirked.
“You’re not the type to not buy because you have plenty.”
“......”
Whirrrrrr───
At that moment, a box flew in through the open door of the boutique. Elise caught it.
“Oh, it’s my box.”
“A ‘Delivery Box’, huh? So you use this formula too?”
“Yes, it’s called ‘Biantu’.”
“...Biantu? You even named it?”
Layla examined her box. Despite being a box, it was decorated with various things. Even a rabbit headband?
“It’s a message from a professor at the Magic Tower. He wants me to attend his lecture.”
Elise showed the contents of the box, a letter with a seal, as she spoke.
“...So what? Are you bragging?”
“I have to go now. Just forget about Raquel Dra. There are people much stronger and more meticulous than you already planning to catch him.”
Layla looked at Elly with discontented eyes. Then she abruptly turned to the staff.
“I’ll take the same dress she’s wearing.”
“...Are you crazy?”
“Why not? Let’s go as twins? I’m going to dress exactly like Elly.”
“Hmph. Do as you please.”
“And, I’m also going to wear a camel mask.”
“...You. Just try it.”
Elise’s complexion instantly turned cold. Layla huffed and walked out.
“You just try it!”
Elise quickly followed and shouted at her back.
“The camel is mine!”
* * *
The residence of Endex’s official. Late at night, serene moonlight streamed in through the window gap.
I’m reading the documents related to the [Blue DeLuneman] escort, my second intern task.
Drrrrrr─
Soliette is sleeping on the sofa. These days, she’s more dedicated to training than ever before. She says it’s special training to face Knightmare, and her growth rate and speed are astounding.
It was Jade of Libra. His mask was ordinary.
I said to him.
“May I see your invitation, please?”
─I told you not to check the invitation!
He silently handed me the invitation. I swiped his invitation with my palm.
I returned it and said.
“It’s an honor.”
“......Keep up the good work.”
Jade, who seemed to have recognized me, chuckled and went inside.
─......Interesting. No. 3 is unusually quiet. Still, don’t do things like checking invitations next time. No. 3 doesn’t like that.
I looked at my wristwatch.
5:55 PM.
It seems early for Jade, but there’s no sign of Zia coming.
“......Is she already here?”
There’s a possibility. Zia extremely dislikes the gaze of others.
I looked back for a moment.
The towering spire. The huge castle wrapped in a Barrier. I took in all of its scenery.
How the social gathering will proceed today...... I don’t know either.
* * *
Chewing──
From a hill where [Blue DeLuneman] is visible in one glance. A monster with dark arms and legs is staring at the castle, chewing gum.
─Are you ready?
He asked. A strange voice flowed from his scorched vocal cords.
“Yes.”
A man in a robe replied.
─Then activate the Barrier first.
“Yes.”
The operation was all prepared in advance.
The Barrier was already hacked, and the room signs were obtained in advance, and a Magic Spell was installed in the room where Senator Amota would stay.
Today, a secret deal was made between the monster association and the Marcus cartel.
The monster association kidnaps Senator Amota, who the Marcus cartel was annoyed with, extracts information, and then kills her.
In return, the Marcus cartel cooperates with several operations of the monster association.
It is known as──「The Day of Origin」.
“......It has been activated.”
The man in the robe said.
─Is that all?
“Yes. Now it’s impossible to circulate between inside and outside the Barrier, and phantom beasts will soon swarm.”
─Hmm. Good. Then summon the Senator now.
“Yes.”
The robe turned around. There was one giant formula on the ground there. A 「Spatial Transfer」 to kidnap Senator Amota.
“......Huh!”
The man infused the formula with mana. Instantly, the ground beneath glowed blue, and a cheerful spark sizzled—! A tiny vibration rippled.
Soon, a room, including the door, walls, and ceiling, was entirely transferred above the ground.
They had stolen the entire room of Senator Amota.
─Open the door first. She must be scared. Calm her down.
“Yes.”
The man in the robe opened the door.
“Senator, please don’t be too alarmed and listen to what I have to say.......?”
The man, who had been speaking like a wicked impersonator, suddenly trembled. He staggered back in surprise.
“......What is this.”
─What’s going on?
The monster asked. The man just blinked blankly.
With no other choice, the monster approached the room himself. He peered beyond the opened door of room [107A].
─What the.......
They saw him.
He was not Senator Amota.
Seemingly in the middle of changing into his party attire, his shirt was slightly unbuttoned. A coat and mask neatly placed on the bed.
Blue eyes glaring at them with a furrowed brow.
The second son of Libra, Jade.
* * *
3.
Jared ransacked everywhere. He tackled the dungeon alone, cut down zombies in the sewers, and frantically asked about the ‘nail clippers’.
There was no progress.
No one gave him an answer about the ‘nail clippers’.
“......A fake.”
The night descended into darkness.
On the ground of a hill where he had lit a bonfire for camping.
“Just that one word that this world is fake has dragged me.......”
How far is it going to pull me in?
Jared chuckled and looked up at the sky. He gulped down whiskey and counted the numerous stars.
“If...... there’s an end to these stars.”
He mumbled absentmindedly.
“If...... this world is really fake.”
Suddenly, his eyes widened.
“If it’s fake!”
If indeed the entire world is fake.
If the horizon I walk and run on, and the sky I look up to, are fake.
There must be a ‘boundary’.
In other words, there must be an ‘end of the world’.
Jared quickly got up. He was about to dash into the mountains but paused.
“......A horse.”
He needed a horse. No matter what, he couldn’t run on two legs.
He would get a fine horse and race to the end of this world.
Let’s see what’s there with my own eyes.......