Act 2 Sleepless Night 1 The Chinese Federal Army’s Relict squad, led by Jiguan Xia, repelled the Moujuu attacking Nagoya Station Fortress in less than an hour. They drove back over two hundred Moujuu, most of them unilaterally massacred. Over two hundred Moujuufied humans had lost their lives. Yahiro and Iroha could only watch, aghast. Then, as they returned to the Yáo Guāng Xīng, battered by their powerlessness, they were informed of Ayaho’s condition. “Ayaho!” Iroha ran into the armored train in distress. Nathan, Wei, and a very pale Rinka stood in the narrow corridor in front of the sleeping car. Ayaho lay on the floor in her pajamas as Giuli and Rosé, well-versed in medical technology, checked on her. “Ayaho… Is Ayaho okay?” Iroha’s voice trembled as she asked Wei, the closest to her. “Shh, keep quiet.” He brought his index finger up to his lips with a smile. “Don’t worry, she’s only sleeping. She’s not hurt.” “R-really…?” Iroha muttered, all tension leaving her body, before hugging Rinka, who was trembling. Yahiro entered the corridor a moment later and frowned at the scene. Countless steel blades resembling crystals grew all over the inside of the car. The Yáo Guāng Xīng’s armor and frame had morphed into blades. “This…is Amaha’s Regalia. Why…?” Yahiro’s face contorted in confusion. It was Vanagloria’s Saber Hills and Blade Groves. He immediately recognized her power to control minerals. But she, Amaha Kamikita, was no longer in this world. Lazarus Toru Natazuka killed her. “Ayaho Sashou did it. She’s compatible with Vanagloria’s Relict Regalia,” Nathan responded. “Ayaho did this…?” Iroha whispered in disbelief. Rinka, still in Iroha’s arms, nodded weakly, communicating that she’d seen Ayaho use the Regalia. “Vanagloria’s Relict Regalia? You mean the crystal Amaha left behind?” Yahiro asked, getting a bad feeling. “The crystal Amaha Kamikita left behind… You are on the right track, yes,” Nathan said, his expression unchanged. “Why did Ayaho have it?” Iroha looked suspiciously at Yahiro. Pained by regret, he replied, “I gave it to her a while back. She said she’d sew a bag for it.” “Oh… Yeah, she’s handy like that,” Iroha said before sighing. She had no intention of blaming Yahiro for embroiling Ayaho in this. No one could have predicted that crystal would cause such a disaster. “Did you know that the crystal was this dangerous, Rosé? Giuli?” “We realized it would be dangerous, but we figured the probability of Ayaho Sashou being compatible with the Regalia would be nil.” “Honestly, we weren’t expecting this, either. We only just found out the CFA’s using the Relict Regalia in real combat, too. I think that’s what made Vanagloria’s activate.” Rosé and Giuli shrugged. It was unusual for them, but they both seemed to regret how things turned out. They felt guilty about not explaining the risks of the Relict Regalia sooner. “What is this Relict Regalia? How is it different from the Regalia you mentioned before?” “They’re the same. It’s only a matter of whether you treat it as a piece of art or use it as a weapon,” Giuli replied. “A weapon…?” “Don’t act like you don’t understand. With proper use, a Regalia can be the most powerful weapon on the battlefield. It’s just that nobody believed it, until four years ago.” “The J-nocide…” “Yeah. Everyone realized when that dragon emerged. In order to fight an enemy that goes beyond the laws of physics, you need a weapon that breaks the laws of physics.” Yahiro grimaced while Giuli gave him a beautiful smile. “There are legends all around the world about dragon corpses retaining magical power, or someone retrieving a supernatural weapon the hero used to slay the dragon; and this includes Japan. Even if most of the stories are made up, there is a sliver of truth mixed in.” “That’s…why?” Yahiro glared at Giuli with eyes flaring in rage. “The armies of the world are stationed in Japan because they might find these ‘Relict Regalias’?! They’re here looking for weapons?!” “At the very least, the CFA is. Indeed, they’ve already gotten their hands on a couple of them.” “…!” Yahiro was at a loss for words; Giuli admitted it too easily. The CFA saw the Relict Regalia as nothing but weapons. They were in Japan to obtain them—they had no interest in the dragon mediums, the Lazaruses, or the restoration of Japan. “Um…so going back to Vanagloria’s Relict Regalia, where is it now?” Iroha asked. Rinka shivered in fear and Wei heaved a heavy sigh. “Uh… Mr. Wei?” “Sorry. Yahiro, look at Ayaho’s right hand.” “O-okay.” Yahiro felt Iroha’s glare on him as he crouched beside Ayaho, like she was asking, why him? He gently grabbed the sleeping girl’s right hand and gasped. Ayaho had a strange pattern tattooed from the back of her hand all the way to her elbow. “Amaha’s… Vanagloria’s crystal…is…,” Iroha muttered, aghast. The moment Yahiro touched it, the scarlet dragon claw scar tattoo glowed, and then Ayaho regained consciousness. 2 Ayaho slowly opened her eyes, breathing heavily as though waking from a nightmare. Iroha jumped to hug her upon seeing Ayaho’s frightened expression. “Ayaho… Thank goodness! Are you okay?” “Huh…? Iroha? What was I…?” Ayaho muttered in confusion. She noticed Rinka’s and Wei’s eyes on her and then saw the metallic crystal blades growing from the walls and floor. Finally, she looked down at her own right wrist. “This mark…” “Erm, I—I think it looks pretty cool. Like a trendy tattoo!” Iroha said, flustered. Yahiro sighed at the poor attempt to cheer Ayaho up before he kneeled by her side. “Sorry… It’s my fault for leaving it with you…” He bowed his head. “Oh, no… It’s not… I was curious about the stone the whole time, so it’s my fault…” Ayaho weakly shook her head. Then she touched the mark on her right arm. The surface of the dragon claw scar pattern was soft and glossy like a polished gem. Despite the hard, stiff impression, she could move her arm just fine. Iroha’s description of it as a tattoo wasn’t that far off the mark. “So I can’t remove this?” Ayaho murmured, her eyes fluttering anxiously. Rosé replied succinctly, “We’ll have to look into it. It’s our first time seeing an awakened Relict Regalia.” “Relict Regalia…” Ayaho repeated the word that came out of Rosé’s mouth. “It’s not harmful to her, is it?” Iroha looked at Rosé with worry. Rosé kept quiet, reinforcing what she just said about them not having the data. Then Nathan cut in. “At the very least, the Relict should have no effect on the host’s health.” “R-really?” “Yes. Depending on the conditions, it could even be beneficial for her body.” “Beneficial?” “How do you know that?” Yahiro butted in; he found Nathan’s confidence suspicious. Nathan smiled placidly as he loosened his necktie and unbuttoned his collar. “Because I am also a Deserver—compatible with the Relict.” “…What?” Nathan exposed his muscular chest, revealing a mark that extended from his heart to his left shoulder, with a design similar to Ayaho’s: a scarlet dragon claw. At the center of it was a piece of crimson crystal. “Did you not find it strange that I could use the same powers as Superbia’s medium despite not receiving Sui Narusawa’s blessing, Yahiro Narusawa?” Nathan shot him a probing glare. The repelling barrier by the name of Chibiki-no-Iwa. The pure-white Goreclad. The reason behind Nathan’s usage of Superbia’s powers had been unclear up to then. The mystery was now solved: he was a Relict Deserver. “My father was a naturalized Japanese citizen before I was born; he worked as the chief priest of a small shrine in Kansai. The object of worship there was a bronze mirror. The treasure embedded in me, this Regalia, is that mirror.” Nathan touched his left shoulder. “Upon taking this Relict…or rather, upon the Relict taking me in, a Ganzheit agent immediately made contact. This happened nine years ago.” “That’s…no coincidence, is it?” Rosé pointed out. Nathan nodded inexpressively. “I doubt it. I must have been monitored. Or the mirror was, more likely.” “It was because of that Relict Regalia that you were appointed to guard Sui?” Yahiro scowled. Upon reuniting with her after four years, Yahiro had tried to kill Sui, but Nathan stopped him with the Relict’s power. He could still vividly remember the disappointment and humiliation of that day. “It’s convenient, having Superbia’s powers to control her. I suppose she calls me brother to spite you, though.” Nathan formed a smile of pity. Iroha stared at the mark on his shoulder with a furrowed brow. “So you can’t get rid of that? I—I mean, not to say that it looks bad on you… I really think it looks cool.” “I doubt it. There’s no point trying to take it off forcefully in the first place.” “Huh? Why?” “Although this is only a supposition at the moment, we believe the Relict is a kind of creature. Something like a living organism.” “It’s…an organism?” Iroha’s eyes grew round. Yahiro was just as confused. From the look and feel of it, the Relict Regalia seemed no different from a treasure like a crystal or a pearl. He couldn’t believe it was actually an organism. Nathan, however, continued explaining without pause. “Once prokaryotes, through evolution they chose the path to parasitize other creatures’ cells and become part of their host. Endosymbiosis.” “So they are like organelles—like mitochondria?” Rosé asked with interest. While Yahiro couldn’t understand half the words the man had said, it seemed she could make sense of the explanation. “Yes. We call this organelle the dragon factor. And you are the host of this dragon factor, Iroha Mamana.” “M-me…?” Iroha pointed at herself in surprise. Rosé’s eyes narrowed. “You mean the dragon mediums have the dragon factor in their cells?” “Yes, though we don’t know if it’s congenital or if someone implanted it into you after,” Nathan affirmed. “B-but Rosé said I have a normal human body like anyone else.” Iroha looked at her with confusion. Rosé closed her eyes in thought. “Yes. At the genetic level, your body and Yahiro’s are the same as any regular human’s. However…” “Your mitochondria has independent DNA different from you, the host,” Giuli added. “Seriously?!” Iroha looked at the twins in disbelief. Giuli and Rosé nodded at the same time. They had a human body while also having organelles with non-human DNA. When explained by the presence of the dragon factor parasite, it made sense that Iroha would have normal genes while being able to use those special powers. The ancient eukaryotes took in the mitochondria to achieve an overpowering evolution like never seen before. From primitive lifeforms only drifting in the sea, they became able to move by their own will and obtained the power to prey on others. That being the case, by taking in the new organelles—the dragon factor—it made sense that the humans would achieve the supernatural powers of the Regalia. “If this dragon factor Nathan is talking about mimicked normal mitochondria, it would be hard to tell the difference unless we analyzed it specifically for that purpose. Or well, if the dragon factor’s role is a spiritual one, then I would have to wonder if biochemical genetic analysis could work in the first place…” “Your reasoning is correct, Rosetta Berith,” Nathan praised her. “It is impossible to confirm the presence of the dragon factor unless the dragon medium is activating her powers. And to further add, the Ichor is what we call a dragon medium’s bodily fluids with the dragon factor in an active state.” “Is it also because of that dragon factor that a human bathing in the dragon medium’s blood turns into a Lazarus?” Yahiro raised his head immediately upon hearing Giuli’s nonchalant question. Nathan looked him in the eye and nodded. “Yes. By taking in a dragon medium’s dragon factor, one becomes a Lazarus and attains immortality. When it leaves the medium’s body, it morphs and loses its infectiousness, instead giving its host supernatural regenerative capabilities…or so we hypothesize.” “The dragon factor…” Yahiro subconsciously looked down at the palm of his hand. It all fit together when thinking the dragon factor was the source of his strange Lazarus powers—the near-immortal regeneration and the armor of blood he called the Goreclad. It also explained the death slumber that followed a great deal of blood loss, it being the interval for his body to replenish the necessary dragon factor. “Could it be that the Relict Regalia also has this dragon factor in it?” Yahiro asked as he looked at Ayaho’s right hand again. Nathan fixed his shirt’s collar while nodding. “The Relict is created from the medium’s Ichor, so naturally it should. In fact, I would go so far as to say the Relict Regalia itself is the dragon factor.” “So Chiruka’s dragon factor is now in Ayaho’s body?” Iroha asked while holding Ayaho’s shoulder. Ayaho looked down in silence. A natural response. Chiruka Misaki was famous, but Ayaho had never exchanged words with her. “So that’s why Vanagloria’s Regalia activated. And now that the dragon factor is inside Ayaho’s body, there’s no point in trying to take the crystal off,” Yahiro said with a grimace. Ayaho was infected with the dragon factor because Yahiro left the Relict Regalia with her. He couldn’t help but feel responsible. The only saving grace was that Ayaho accepted the reality calmly. Probably because her sister Iroha also had the dragon factor, he thought. “No point taking the Relict off a Deserver. Do the CFA realize this?” Giuli asked Nathan in an unusually serious tone. Nathan held his chin in thought. “They should, considering they’re using it as a weapon. It wouldn’t surprise me if their research is deeper than Ganzheit’s.” “Mmm, that’s unfortunate.” Giuli pouted as she crossed her arms behind her head. “Why?” Yahiro shot her a puzzled glance. Giuli shook her head. “You forgot? The CFA wants us to give them Vanagloria’s Relict Regalia in exchange for letting us go through Nagoya.” “Ah…” “We were thinking about giving it to them if it’d save us the trouble, but a Relict without a Deserver is useless…” “To think we had a Deserver right under our noses.” Rosé sighed. “Yeah. Wow.” Giuli shrugged with an awkward smile. “What if the CFA finds out about Ayaho?” Iroha asked with worry. Giuli responded as though it was not her problem, “Well, obviously, they’d ask us to hand her over. A Relict without its Deserver is just a rock, but if they can get it and her, they can add her to their forces right away.” “Wha?! Not happening! We’re not selling Ayaho off!” Iroha screamed as she hugged Ayaho tight. Rinka, behind them, also shook her head vigorously, pale in the face. “Well, that depends on what deal we strike with them,” Rosé said while looking out the window. Her eyes were set on the CFA officials approaching the Yáo Guāng Xīng, Deputy Commander Jiguan Xia among them. They were looking to restart the negotiations paused by the Moujuu attack. “Iroha…” Ayaho grabbed her hand, trembling; frightened after hearing the CFA asked for the Relict Regalia. “Don’t worry, we will protect you. Right, Yahiro?” Iroha smiled boldly, no shred of insecurity in her voice. “Right,” Yahiro said succinctly while subconsciously putting a hand on his uchigatana. Jiguan Xia noticed Yahiro’s glare and smiled jubilantly. 3 A few minutes later, Yahiro and the twins faced the CFA representatives in the Yáo Guāng Xīng dining room. Seated at the negotiations table were Giuli and Rosé, plus Yahiro who was there as bodyguard. On the opposite side were four CFA representatives: two administrative officials, Deputy Commander Jiguan Xia, and a pudgy middle-aged man called Chief Executive Zeming Hou—head of the Nagoya Special Administrative Region of the Chinese Federation. “Hey. We meet again, Lazarus,” Xia amicably called out to Yahiro the moment they entered the dining hall. He was not carrying the giant handgun now, but he looked just as imposing as on the battlefield. He reached out to Yahiro for a handshake. “Jig… Shangxiao Jiguan Xia.” “Drop the title, not like you’re my subordinate or anything. Just call me Xia.” “The name’s Yahiro Narusawa,” he said while responding to the handshake. Xia’s big hand felt too hard. Yahiro’s expression stiffened as he noticed the scarlet tattoo-like mark on his right hand. “The Relict Regalia…” “So you noticed.” Xia bared his canines with a smile. “The Chinese Federation has collected fifteen Relicts in this country. Six of them are basically useless, but the remaining nine are still active. Those two administrative officials are Deservers, too.” “What are you getting at?” “Just laying the power dynamics out on the table. Letting you know that we could blow this whole train apart if we wanted to. You may be okay even then, Lazarus, but what about the rest of the crew?” Shivers ran down Yahiro’s spine as Xia said all that nonchalantly. Xia’s threat was not empty. He would act upon it without hesitation if he found it necessary. “That said, we’re not outlaws. We’ll follow the treaty. Leave Vanagloria’s Relict and go. Even the treaty recognizes our right to ask for compensation for transit through our territory.” “…That’s enough, Shangxiao Xia.” Zeming Hou put a stop to the high-handed negotiations. “I don’t remember giving you the right to negotiate with foreign civilians. Much less when it’s the House of Berith’s girls—Ganzheit members—we’re talking about here.” “My apologies, Chief. I am just not fond of roundabout discussion like you politicians,” Xia added cynically before backing off. Although the garrison’s deputy commander and chief executive were in different lines of command publicly, the head of the Special Administrative Region took priority. “You know about Ganzheit, Chief Executive Hou? Perhaps expected, considering your background in the Federation’s Ministry of Commerce. That reminds me, a big technology corporation strongly recommended you for your post as head of the Nagoya SAR, correct?” “Ho-ho, you’ve done your research, Galerie Berith. I’m impressed. I am fortunate to have my achievements recognized not only by the people, but also by the federal congress. Managing the Nagoya SAR has gone quite smoothly thanks to them.” Rosé and the Chief Executive cordially greeted each other while Yahiro sighed. It all sounded amicable on the surface, but, in reality, Rosé was suggesting Hou was guilty of corruption, while Hou responded that it didn’t matter because he had the Federal Congress backing him up. The negotiations were already getting fierce despite the roundaboutness. In reaction to that, Xia snorted. His expression showed he found it all ridiculous. “I brought coffee!” An out-of-place voice cut through the tension. Yahiro immediately broke into a coughing fit. Iroha had changed into an apron dress and was bringing them drinks. It was easy to imagine why she would do that. She needed a way to be present during the negotiations, no matter what, to protect Ayaho. The Chief Executive was taken aback for a moment, but his face immediately lit up as he smiled at Iroha. “Ho-ho… To think I would have coffee served by a dragon medium. This is the kind of thing that makes life worth living. I had no idea the girl who controlled hundreds of Moujuu in Yokohama was this adorable.” “You heard that, Yahiro? I’m adorable!” “…Didn’t you notice the sarcasm in his comment?” Yahiro whispered in her ear. “The what?!” Iroha was shocked. “Ho-ho, oh no, I didn’t mean to sound sarcastic. Although, you weren’t able to repel the Moujuu attacking the Nagoya Station Fortress with your powers, were you?” “Well, no, not really…,” Iroha mumbled awkwardly. Apparently, reports of what she did during the attack had already reached his ears. “Now you understand the reason why the Chinese Federation built this giant fortress. We did not turn Nagoya Station into this just for show or intimidation. Humanity would not have been able to settle here without these walls.”
Chapter 52
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