Chapter sponsored by DV, Dysociation, Dinamura & Head_Snapss. Thank you for your support.
The meeting ended and everyone was given time to reorganize.
Rudger slipped out of the barracks and headed for the shadows of the canteen where relief supplies were being handed out.
"Hans."
"Yes?"
Waiting there, Hans spotted Rudger and pushed himself up from the wooden crate he'd been sitting on. He had been through quite a bit in the sewers, and his complexion was quite gray.
"The information you relayed was received safely. Thank you."
"I'm honestly surprised. I mean, how long have you been acquainted with the Imperial Royal Guard Passius?"
"I've only known him for a short time. I only met him after I entered the Imperial Palace."
"Then you shouldn't have introduced me or Belaruna so casually, should you?"
"Don't worry, he's a trusted person, or more accurately, a subordinate of a trusted person."
In truth, I didn't completely trust the First Princess, but it didn't matter since we were now allies.
"So what……."
Hans said no more than that. As much as he recognized the peculiarity of Passius, Hans also saw through his hidden side. Passius was a man who, despite being a Royal Guard, exuded a darkness unlike any other knight.
Hans's sense of smell had become acute in recent years, and he could smell a foul odor that could not be hidden from Passius. It was the smell of blood, the kind you only smell in the afterlife.
"Well, I suppose it can't be a bad thing to have a superior power to rely on."
"Let's get past that and get down to business. Hans, what exactly did you see down there?"
He heard the information from Passius, but he didn't know the details.
"That's the thing……."
Hans told Rudger what he'd seen down there, and what had happened.
The dead World Tree, the chimeras and the vast underground facilities that existed beneath the waterways.
"We didn't go any deeper because it was honestly too dangerous. Even though Belaruna shows unexpected strength, there are dangerous people in there, and I had to back off before I could even think of touching the World Tree."
"The Liberation Army cadres and warlocks."
"Yes. And given the perfection of the chimeras, it's no ordinary warlock down there. No, at the very least, they're working in teams."
"Teams? Do you have any idea?"
"As you know, warlocks usually travel alone, don't they?"
"Most of them do."
"That's because they draw too much attention to themselves when they're in a group but warlocks are often friendly with each other, which is why some operate in groups."
Rudger remembered the bug brothers. Though they were warlocks who worked with bugs, they had always worked together as brothers.
Both had died at Rudger's hands, of course.
With that in mind, it made sense that warlocks weren't always alone.
"There are schools of thought among warlocks. I don't know if they're actually schools, but that's what they say, so it counts."
"A school. I see. So you're saying one of those schools is involved in this?"
"Yes, the Biotechs."
"I've heard of them before."
"They create and study artificial life, chimeras, and seek to extend human life. They were once wizards, but were branded criminals for their experiments on humans. How they ended up working with the Liberation Army remains a mystery."
The Biotechnology faction had a reputation among warlocks for being holed up in a corner and doing research. How they could join forces with the Liberation Army to overthrow the Empire was beyond comprehension but Rudger knew the answer.
"It is most likely the work of the Black Dawn Society."
"The Black Dawn Society?"
"Yes. The Black Dawn has some sort of connection to the warlocks, because if you go to any of their secret research facilities, there's always a warlock there."
Even the abandoned factory where he met Victor Dreadful, one of the First Orders, had a warlock who had modified his own body to tear a knight in shining armor to pieces with his bare hands.
Considering that he also had something to do with biotechnology, it was easy to see who the First Order was involved with.
"So, you're saying that the Black Dawn is somehow connected to the Liberation Army and the Warlocks."
"I suppose that's the only way to look at it."
"Well, there's a lot more to find out, and I'm afraid it's going to take a little more time to get it right."
"I heard it's hard to spy underground because rats can't get in."
"That's what I thought, too……."
"Well, judging by your reaction, you have a solution."
"Yes. Not alone, but with the help of that elf lady."
"Belaruna?"
"Despite how she looks she is serious about pharmacy and alchemy, and the herbs and stuff she studies are related to biology in some way."
"Right."
Usually when she sees Hans, she's always trying to get a sample of his blood and use him as a guinea pig.
Maybe if Rudger hadn't been there, or if they hadn't both come from the same organization Hans would already be chained up in Belaruna as a guinea pig.
While Rudger was thinking about that, Hans explained his encounter with the chimeras in the basement.
"The elf dissected some chimeras and I think she found something."
"What did she find?"
"I don't know the details. But I do know that she did something and she injected the captured chimeras with something."
"An injection?"
"Well, that's the weird part. The injected chimeras suddenly became docile and, um……I'm able to control it."
"Hmm?"
Rudger sounded intrigued for the first time.
"So you've enhanced your powers?"
"Exactly the opposite, she made my power work on the chimeras. Belaruna told me that she touched some part of their brain that made them recognize command objects differently, but as a layman, I didn't know much about it, so I let it slide. Anyway, that's how we got a few chimeras into enemy territory."
The rats couldn't get underground, so the chimeras reopened the tunnels.
This wasn't what Belaruna was supposed to do, but it seemed to be working better than expected, and Rudger was glad.
"So how long will it take?"
"I don't know since the underground it's deep and maze-like."
"Still, if we have time, we'll find out more."
"Yes, we will. Perhaps if we wait a little longer, we'll learn the location of the chimera's breeding facility or the warlocks involved."
"And the existence of the World Tree."
"Ah, there's something Belaruna asked me to tell you about."
"Belaruna?"
Hans opened his mouth as if he'd been debating whether or not to say it, and then decided to.
"She asked if you could take her to the underground facility one more time."
* * *
Everyone was on the move.
The police were out in force, reassuring citizens and leading evacuations, while the Capital Guards patrolled the streets.
The streets were shattered and the people were saddened and distressed by the destruction of their homes. But they could not remain in mourning forever.
Although the chimeras had retreated, the situation was far from over and there was no telling when the enemy would return.
To stop them, the underground infiltration group moved quickly.
"……."
"……."
Rudger Chelici and Chris Benimore faced each other in front of the wide open manhole cover. Neither of them had expected to be moving together here but they didn't growl and fight like before.
Rudger had never paid much attention to Chris, but he seemed unusually reserved.
"There's something I want to ask you."
Chris spoke first. He hadn't shown much respect for Rudger's ascension to the position of Planning Director.
Rudger wasn't expecting it, so he didn't think much of it.
"What do you want to know?"
"Where are the experts who are supposed to come with us?"
Chris had heard from Rudger beforehand that there would be one other person that has considerable expertise in the World Tree in this mission, in addition to the two of them.
"She'll be here soon."
No sooner had Rudger finished speaking than he saw a figure rushing toward them.
Gasping for breath, it was Belaruna, a scarlet-haired elf.
At the sight of her, Chris's eyes widened behind his glasses in surprise since Rudger hadn't mentioned that the expert he was talking about was an elf.
"An elf? I see. That explains why you said she's an expert in the World Tree."
"Are you satisfied?"
"Not yet. Can we trust this elf?"
Chris was as thorough in these matters as he was known to be in Theon.
He was a little worried that an elf whose name and specialty he didn't know had been plugged into a vacant position by someone who claimed to be an expert.
'It's a reasonable question.'
Rudger knew that nothing he could say would extinguish the flames of suspicion in Chris's mind. But he had already prepared an answer for this situation.
"Princess Eileen has vouched for her."
"……."
At the mention of the First Princess name, Chris only wrinkled his brow, but didn't ask directly.
Rudger's demeanor was too confident to ask if it was real. Of course, in reality, Princess Eileen didn't recommend Belaruna, in fact Rudger had simply borrowed her name.
'But so what.'
It didn't matter since they knew each other anyway.
Maybe, just maybe, when this was all over, Chris would ask the First Princess herself if she sent Belaruna. If Eileen was smart, she'd see right through that and say she sent her. Of course, she'd probably be annoyed at Rudger for using her name so casually.
'I'll just say it's revenge for the way she tried to embarrass me at the meeting.'
Chris thought about it for a moment, but finally nodded.
Just then, Belaruna walked up to him. She looked at Chris, narrowed her eyes, and tilted her head.
"I'm Belaruna Petana, nice to meet you."
"I'm …..Chris Benimore."
After the brief introductions, the three of them stood in front of the manhole.
They and the other groups would enter through different sewer entrances.
"Are you ready?"
Rudger asked, and Chris and Belaruna nodded.
"Good."
Rudger immediately leaped down the tunnel while Chris and Belaruna followed.
* * *
Rudger's group was not the only one heading into the underground around the same time but most of the groups consisted of two people.
Once inside the tunnel, Casey Selmore looked around.
The underground tunnels were labyrinthine and wide and further down would be the secret lairs of the Liberation Army and the Warlocks.
"Casey."
Trina, the knight with whom Casey was with, called her name.
"I never thought I'd see you again like this."
"I know. I thought it would be for something a little better."
A wry smile tugged at the corners of Casey's lips, and she exchanged pleasantries with her old friend. Of course, the fact that it was in a musty, dark, underground waterway didn't help the mood.
"Speaking of which, how are you doing?"
"Do I seem different?"
"No, not at all."
Trina smirked at Casey's answer.
"You're still the same. No, not the same. I think you've changed a lot, Casey."
"Have I?"
"Yeah. You're a little more, um…… how do I say it?"
When Trina looked unsure of what to say, Casey teased.
"Just say it, I won't be mad."
"Then I'll say it without mincing words: you used to be a little more assertive, but then again, you were reckless, like a kid who hasn't quite grown up yet."
"That sounds a little upsetting."
"But that was a long time ago. Now, you seem to have become more reserved."
Casey felt strange, hearing her words.
Trina said that she changed but she hadn't realized she'd changed. But since her friend says it, she must have changed.
"I'm relieved to see that you still have your old self, especially when you confront the First Princess during the meeting. It was very much like you."
"Oh, that's just……."
"Still, it was a little strange."
"What?"
"The way you got so emotional about it."
Casey's shoulders twitched involuntarily at the word emotional.
"Casey, did you happen to know that teacher, Rudger Chelici?"
"Did I?"
"You seemed strangely inclined toward him and I must say that it's not like you."
Trina's instincts were sharp. Partly because of that, but mostly because of what she knew about Casey.
"Or did you have a history with him?"
"What, what happened?"
"That I don't know. It's hard to make assumptions based on the circumstances. But if I had to make a generalization, I'd say……."
"What do you think?"
"It seemed like a love affair between a man and a woman."
Casey's blue hair stood on end like a cat's fur at her words.
"What?! It's not like that!"
"Haha, I'm joking, of course. But you seem to be quite sensitive to jokes like this, which I don't think you used to be, so if there's something that's bothering you, that's something to celebrate."
"I'm not!"
"Then let's call it what it is."
"If it's not, then it's not! Just……!"
Casey's last sentence sank in, as if it spoke volumes about her feelings.
She tried not to think about it, but when Trina mentioned Rudger, the memory of that day came back to her.
"……Trina, how would you feel if you accused someone of being evil when they hadn't done anything wrong?"
It was a stupid question but Trina knew Casey's character so she gave it some serious thought.
"Being accused of something you didn't do……."
"You didn't know that, and you thought the person was bad, so you kept hating them and being angry at them, for years and years."
"I see." The uncharacteristically somber look on her friend's face made Trina realize what was going on. She was about to open her mouth to respond when she realized something was wrong.
Trina's gaze suddenly turned into a razor-sharp blade, piercing into the groundwater beyond.
"Here they come……."
At that, the mood shifted, and so did Casey.
"Maybe we should wait to talk until after this is over."
"……Yes. Maybe I'm being sentimental."
Trina took her place in front and Casey stood behind her as the chimeras, sensing the invasion from afar, were coming in waves.