Chapter 62

“I don’t like the look of this sky,” Yahiro muttered unconsciously. Runa, though it was impossible that she’d heard him, met his eyes and smiled. A frail, somewhat lonely smile, like a phantom’s. The cooling fans of a glowing PC hummed lowly. A young man hit the keys rambunctiously in a corner of the dark, closed room. “Hmmm… You dodged that? Not bad. Not on the leaderboards for nothing, eh? But you’re too naive still,” he muttered flatly. His eyes lacked vitality. His gray hair hung down his back. He wore a cheap long-sleeved T-shirt, the sleeves going way beyond his hands. “Uwah! Got me!” The screen turned red with a thunderous sound and he threw the mouse before falling onto his back. He stayed there, staring at the ceiling for a while. The room was tiny, like a cell. The window on the ceiling had thick iron bars. The walls were dense, bare steel plates. It was a cage for sure, but not for imprisoning people—it looked more like a jail for Moujuu. “Toru, it’s mealtime.” The cell-like room’s door opened and Kaname Kashima showed her face. In the short, hakama-clad girl’s hands was a black tray reminiscent of what they used in luxury inns. On it, a steaming, vivid meal. “You didn’t touch your dinner? Head cook Ninose will cry again.” Kaname frowned and sighed at the sight of the cold food in the middle of the room. “Ah, sorry. I forgot… Why do we even have to eat in the first place?” The gray-haired young man, Toru Natazuka, grumbled like a child, still lying down. “Don’t overdo it with the gaming, either. Have you been at it all night?” “Who knows…? Wait, it’s already morning…? That’s strange…” “You’re the same as usual.” Kaname shook her head while switching breakfast for the ignored dinner. Who could believe that the young man with this slovenly lifestyle was a Lazarus? Not to mention, the strongest Lazarus—imprisoned by Ganzheit due to his violent power. Kaname was the only one Natazuka opened his heart to, for he was the Lazarus of the thunder dragon, Tristitia’s, medium. Even the fiercest beast got attached to their zookeeper, that was all. And were she to let her guard down, he would kill her, as a Moujuu did to any who tried to cage it. “By the way, I heard they caught that girl.” Natazuka sat up and looked at Kaname. She blinked and asked, “Which girl?” “The white-haired chick Nathan was guarding. Superbia’s medium.” “How did you find out they captured Sui Narusawa?” “They told me that in the chat. My opponent just now,” he answered plainly. “Who were you even playing against…?” Kaname stared perplexedly at the screen showing a replay of the match. Natazuka narrowed his eyes and the air in the room was filled with an electric charge. “Hmmm… So it’s true. You knew about it, too?” “I wasn’t hiding it from you. I just found out, actually.” “I see… Okay, then.” Natazuka relaxed. “So, who caught Sui Narusawa?” “Galerie Berith.” “Who was that, again?” “An arms dealer. You met them during the deal with the Council for Japanese Independence.” “Ah… That two-faced guy’s group…” “Yes. It seems Ganzheit used Ira’s medium, Miyabi Maisaka, and her Lazarus, Douji Yamase, to try and summon Superbia, but they failed. Sui Narusawa fell into a coma and was captured. Miyabi Maisaka is missing and Douji Yamase died.” “Douji Yamase…died?” Natazuka lowered his voice in surprise. “Is that strange? You knew how weak he was. It’s the same man who faced a pathetic loss after daring to face Lady Karura.” “No, Kaname. That’s not the point.” Natazuka stood up all of a sudden, with swift movement unthinkable of his usual bearing. Kaname felt chills down her spine, overwhelmed and fearful that she might have incurred his anger. “…Toru?” “It was Yahiro who killed him, wasn’t it?” “Y-yes…most likely,” Kaname replied with confusion. Natazuka’s expression was devoid of anger; if anything, he seemed amused. “That guy… You’ve earned my interest, Yahiro Narusawa…” “Indeed, it is surprising that that boy has obtained enough power to kill a Lazarus in such a short time. Acedia’s medium was also present at the time, though, so perhaps they collaborated.” “What, really? That’s not fair.” Natazuka reached for his breakfast: Japanese seafood. He ignored the chopsticks, though, and grabbed the sashimi and rice with his bare hands. “Hey, Kaname, what about Nathan?” “Auguste Nathan surrendered to the Galerie along with Sui Narusawa.” “He surrendered? To the Galerie?” Natazuka stopped eating and stared at Kaname. She tilted her head. “I imagine he had no other choice than to protect her, since she is in a coma?” “That can’t be…” “Huh?” “That can’t be it. Nathan can take that chick by himself easily. There’s no reason for him to stay prisoner… Unless… I get it…!” “Are you thinking he betrayed Ganzheit?” Kaname asked serenely; she had considered the possibility, and Ganzheit probably had, too. Yet Natazuka shook his head hard. “No, Kaname. There’s no point in him going against Ganzheit by himself. The traitor is Karura.” “You must be joking. Lady Karura would never go against the wishes of the Heavenly Imperial House,” Kaname replied, offended. Still, Natazuka asked very calmly, “Kaname…where is Raiu?” “Huh?” Kaname froze in surprise. Raiu was a bird of prey with a ten-meter wingspan. The Moujuu Karura Myoujiin tamed with her powers. She had lent Kaname Raiu to use as transport, yet Kaname could not feel its presence. “Raiu…is gone?” Her voice trembled. Natazuka clapped and cackled. “Ha-hah! Just like Salas said. Karura’s been tricking us. She never meant to obey the Heavenly Imperial House.” “No… That can’t be… Lady Karura…wouldn’t forsake the Kashima…” Kaname’s lips lost all color. Karura Myoujiin had taken back the Moujuu she lent them. That not only meant she left Natazuka without a method of transport, but it also proved that she did not trust Kaname. Natazuka walked past the disconcerted Kaname to the exit. The door was locked. But that was useless. No door could ever stop Toru Natazuka’s full power. “Where are you going, Toru?” Natazuka turned around at Kaname’s question and smiled. “To see Yahiro.” “You’ll break the barrier without permission?” “That’s none of my concern.” The metal door blew to the outside with an ear-piercing thunder. Toru Natazuka’s—Tristitia’s Regalia. A metal cage was like paper before his control of electromagnetic fields. He was never trapped. He just allowed himself to be kept. “Everyone’s doing as they please, so how about we join in the fun?” Natazuka beckoned Kaname, like the sweet call of the devil: Do away with their loyalty to the Heavenly Imperial House and break free from Ganzheit’s control to do as they wish. Question Karura’s intentions for forsaking her. They had the power. The dragon’s power. “C’mon, Kaname.” Natazuka grabbed the hesitating girl’s hand, then whispered into her ear, “Don’t worry. I won’t betray you.” On that day, one of Ganzheit’s facilities was lost to a fire from a lightning strike. The disaster was so massive, no matter how many PMCs they mobilized for a search, no survivors were found. The Relict Regalia stored in there, the divine sword, Kotofutsu-no-Mitama, was reported as lost in the fire. Rumors spread of the names of two Japanese people, a race thought extinct, to be among those in the missing persons list, but its veracity was unproven. Days later, Ganzheit deleted all records of the facility.