A faint noise rang at my ear. Giiing— and then 『Secret Voice Transmission』 came through.
< You’re coming with me. >
The voice was neat and elegant, and at the same time weighty.
It was the Reaper Constellation Ω.
< ...... >
I did not answer the linked 『Secret Voice Transmission』. This was a time to use language carefully.
< Come talk with me. >
< There’s a lot I haven’t heard from you yet. >
< ...Words of hatred about you. >
It was only natural.
Abraxas had used the Reaper Constellation Ω and discarded her.
It had been an act solely to seek the grounds for the Demon King.
He had not considered anything like the victim of that. Abraxas was that kind of man.
< Listen. I want one answer. >
< You said you’d show only me—that face. >
< You said you would show your true face only to the one person to whom you could be sincere. You said that was me. I trusted that and didn’t smash your illusions. Because I thought that was how I showed you respect. >
< But now the whole world is looking at your face. >
< An explanation? >
The Reaper Constellation Ω finished the telepathy and tilted her head.
I had nothing to say.
I knew that anything I said would backfire.
< You’re still silent. You were always like that. >
< Well then...... >
Right after that,
Giiiiiiiiing ―
The air began to ring.
< ...Let’s see if you keep silent in my chamber. >
The power of the Reaper Constellation Ω—the end of a flow, a new beginning, the authority that chases the order that repeats through that—began to reach out from her whole body into the world.
It was intense enough to make even the Blazing Constellation of Flame 火 and the Peaceful Constellation ☮, who floated in the air, furrow their brows.
‘What a mess.’
And the mess was growing. Those two, too, did not seem willing to hand me over quietly, as they began to draw up their momentum. Thus, over the Security Bureau, the domains of three Constellations began an invisible contest of strength.
Reaper Constellation Ω: kidnap me
Blazing Constellation of Flame 火: kill me
Peaceful Constellation ☮: drag me to Room 17
Under a pressure of mana prickling enough to sting my skin.
I stood there with my hands bound.
***
Four mysterious Constellations wearing anonymizing masks began to strip the Imperial central vault, [Heavenly Treasury], clean. Wherever their hands reached, gravity took hold, and they began stuffing the vast treasure house into subspace.
“Did you see those lunatics.”
If there was one determined to take responsibility for this situation and resolve it, his name was “Forest Constellation Wood,” Oban.
This 120-year-old elder was the leader of the Elemental Banquet, the master of the World Tree, ranked 5th in the world today—and the head of the “Top Ten Constellations” who protected the Imperial Household.
“Give the order, Captain.”
“Kill every last one.”
“Yes.”
The Electric Thunder Constellation wrapped himself in lightning and charged the mysterious Constellations. Beside him the Ocean Constellation and the Wind Spirit Constellation, moved as well. By then, far off, the Eternal Constellation ∞ was also on the way, so they were not without the capacity to suppress.
A single person is tantamount to a nation’s military might—that is a [Constellation]. So what would now clash over the Imperial Household was akin to the collision of ten nations.
‘Is it that one.’
In the midst of this, Oban, standing in the air, looked over at the shattered main hall of the Imperial Palace.
By the Emperor’s seat, a young man stood braced on a staff.
‘The Master of Dominion❆.’
The mastermind behind this insane situation.
Yet the energy he felt from that body was paltry. To Oban it was on the level of an ant.
...Is it really him?
In the instant he wondered,
the Master of Dominion❆ lifted his head and met his eyes.
“......”
I’ll kill him.
The moment he formed the thought—
Ttiriring!
Oban’s wrist rang noisily.
It was “Hicks Bohr,” a professor of the Empire.
“Young Master Bohr?”
— Master Oban! You must not kill or subdue Dominion!
“...Pardon?”
Oban’s features twisted all at once.
“No, Young Master. What on earth are you saying.”
From anyone else it would have been one thing, but hearing that from Hicks Bohr was bewildering.
At the Soltia Conference he had lauded Professor Dante.
He had invited Professor Dante to the dinner aboard ship.
His identity that had passed along internal information from the Empire—
was none other than... the Emperor’s youngest son.
The answer that returned was shocking.
— Father! Was colluding with the Lord of Eternal Return!
“Young Master....”
— There’s proof!
Then a few photographs were transmitted through the 「Crystal Orb」—the [Chapel of the Lord of Eternal Return] was beneath the Imperial Palace.
On the blood-soaked altar lay a human head. And the monsters now termed “demons” were taxidermied, standing before the altar.
“...Where is this.”
After obtaining the coordinates from Hicks Bohr, Oban °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° went there and witnessed the truth.
It was fact.
“......”
By nature the Emperor was neither a sage-king nor a tyrant, but if he had colluded with the Lord of Eternal Return, the story changed. The being Constellations found most discomforting was the “Lord of Eternal Return.”
Even so, it did not directly harm them (even if the Lord of Eternal Return destroyed the world, Constellations held confidence they themselves could survive).
At most, they felt the displeasure of trash sitting on the front lawn.
That was not sufficient reason to refrain from taking measures about the assault on the Imperial Household and the looting of its vault.
“My apologies, Young Master.”
— Pardon?
Oban cut the call.
‘In any case, Dominion❆ must be suppressed.’
He added a subject to that sentence.
‘I must do it.’
The Fortune Constellation □, that rank-4, gambling-addicted lunatic had suddenly gone mad, quit his chair, and fled.
The Transcendent Star ✯, the sole god ranked 1st, showed no reaction even though the Imperial Household he had blessed was falling.
The same was true for the rank-3 System Constellation ⧉ hiding in Hiaka and pretending to be the Director.
As for the rank-2 Reaper Constellation Ω—she was always a woman with no thoughts.
And so it came to be the turn of himself, ranked 5th.
‘Order must be kept.’
When he stretched out his hand, roots sprouted across the entire Imperial domain.
KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA―!!
Forest Constellation Wood, Oban, began to unfold his power.
But at the same time, a doubt sprouted.
‘This isn’t something a mere professor from a border kingdom could bring about.’
Dante Hiakapo.
If that guy was not a Constellation but only a professor in the Department of Assassination—
no matter how much of a genius or whatever, he could not do this sort of thing.
‘Been a while, this feeling.’
He had felt this emotion once before.
[Constellations] are like tigers. Ever hidden within their own domains, quietly stacking and raising power, preferring to remain there.
Yet in the past, once or twice, there was one who, if he appeared, made all the world’s Constellations jump, bringing a storm with him.
‘Dante Hiakapo.......’
Because this configuration was so very similar, Oban bit his lip.
......No way?
***
At the same time, Trashy Forbtime, a reporter for Assassination Daily, felt his hair stand on end.
‘The Imperial Household was attacked?’
‘The Emperor is dead?’
‘Constellations are fighting each other?’
He had never felt this much shock in his life.
Even just up to here would have been the case.
‘The head of Dominion❆ is Dante Hiakapo!?!?’
In that moment, his jaw, which had been dropping farther and farther, fell off.
“Ugh!! Urrgh...!!”
Even now the 「Crystal Orb」 held Dante Hiakapo’s number.
Was this man the one who sought to overthrow the Imperial Household?
He shoved his jaw back into place somehow and pressed the bureau chief.
“W—Wait, Chief, you knew?”
“Of course I knew!”
The chief said the Imperial Household, concerned about the dysfunction of the press, had been minimizing coverage of Dominion❆.
There had been similar cases in the past. When the dangers of illegal narcotics grew, the media reported to warn the public—but instead, users of the illegal drugs skyrocketed.
“Then what do we do now?! Everyone and their dog will know!”
“I don’t know either, you idiot!!”
Now it had slipped beyond the bounds of control. The Imperial Household had been attacked, hadn’t it.
It meant the embargo was completely lifted.
“......You! Don’t!”
“Huh!?”
“Don’t go to the Imperial Household! This is an order from the chairman right now! If you go to the Imperial Household you will definitely die, so don’t send reporters!”
What was he saying?
If there were views to suck, Assassination Daily would shove reporters even into a bonfire......
But Trashy narrowed his eyes; perhaps, there was some kind of reason.
‘......!!’
At that moment a streak of current ran through Trashy Forbtime’s sharp brain.
He immediately used the company’s archmagi to fly to the Obel Prize Council.
There he grasped that Dante Hiakapo had been taken to the Security Bureau.
While every outlet’s attention was focused on the Imperial Household, this was the scoop of scoops!
‘Half a half-beat fast!!’
Public perception was still fixed on the “Imperial Household.”
But in twenty minutes it would shift to Dominion❆, and twenty minutes after that it would reach the head of Dominion❆.
By then it would be late; the coverage war would be in full swing. But Trashy Forbtime got to the Security Bureau forty minutes ahead!
“Huuuuuh!!”
There, a wreck of a fight was unfolding. Fire whooshed and burned the world. Protective magic glittered, and black, vertically falling forces were shattering all of it.
“Uwaaah! Run!!”
“Get clear! You, the reporter there! Move!”
Even as the guards themselves fled, Trashy ran and ran again.
And he turned on a live broadcast on his channel.
He dressed the title so many would find it: [Imperial Household Raid, Dominion, Head of Dominion Dante Hiakapo?], etc.
“This is Trashy Forbtime of Assassination Daily!”
At last the broadcast began, and people started pouring in explosively.
From here and there, while they had only been peeking around near the Imperial Household, as soon as Dante Hiakapo’s name was tied into it, citizens came in, startled.
“Today I’m going to dig out one truth!”
Just then.
Fwoooosh, Thwack!
“Aaagh!”
Even when a massive spark flew and burned his forearm and shoulder, he gritted his teeth and ran again. Then he lifted the 「Camera Orb」 and slung it on his shoulder.
As that scene was caught on screen, even more citizens flocked in.
At this time,
the eyes of the whole world were fixed on this incident.
Countless people came to Trashy’s broadcast.
For instance,
Betelgeuse, who had once wanted to be a Constellation, in his room.
Shaman Kreutz, who had hurriedly dispatched men to stop the rampaging Imperial bandits.
Ezekiel, who was on royal assignment and smoking a cigarette during a meeting.
Wolfgang Yussef, lying surrounded by a hundred Glass Butterflies.
Kendreik, having drinks with Gray at a pub after a long time apart.
Gula, who was feigning illness in a hospital room to extend his sick leave.
And so on, countless people.
Were watching the world that Trashy Forbtime was revealing on screen.
Far up in the sky, while three gods waged a fierce contest,
a man stood quietly, centered among a dozen-odd guards. His two arms were bound in restraints.
It was Professor Dante Hiakapo, whose face had now shown so often across outlets and papers that he was all too familiar.
With him framed by the camera, Trashy Forbtime cried out:
“Professor Dante!”
The Security Bureau guards’ agitated eyes swung around. ‘What’s that bastard!’ ‘Hey! You there, get out!’ Guards rushed in to grab him. The screen shook. Within it he shouted:
“Professor Dante Hiakapo! Are you the head of Dominion❆? Did you intend to attack the Imperial Household!?”
At last even Dante Hiakapo turned his head this way.
Toward Trashy Forbtime.
Back into the world projected by his camera.
***
Dante did not answer Trashy. He merely realized that the conflict of the three was gradually about to smash Room 17. He realized he could delay no longer.
If that place collapsed, he would never again obtain Abraxas’s <Synchronization>. So now was the time to act.
“Uki Shun.”
A voice laden with mana reached Uki. The Blazing Constellation of Flame 火, who had been swelling spheres of fire into mountain heaps, lowered his head to the ground.
< What is it. >
When the 『Secret Voice Transmission』 carried through, Dante Hiakapo also climbed onto his frequency and sent his voice.
< Escort me. >
< What kind of insane talk is that, Dante Hiakapo! >
< No. From now on you will protect me. >
Dante closed his eyes.
< Light⁺₊⋆ and fire 火 are friends, aren’t they? >
Piercing the clouds that covered the sky, a single beam of light poured down onto Dante.
A radiance compressed to a degree even a Constellation could not easily comprehend—
In that instant, the battle of the three Constellations halted.
< Oh!!?! >
While the Blazing Constellation of Flame, Uki, started in shock at the realization of something, three places in the clouds burst open, and three more beams of light poured down and touched Dante.
Flash —
Flash —
Flash —
The Bureau’s 「restraints」 shattered helplessly. Dante’s two hands found freedom.
At that moment Dante sent a signal—to Rebecca and to Adele. It was Dante’s arrangement, having half-foreseen how the situation might unfold.
That was the beginning. The light began to amplify. One to three, from three to ten, from ten to a hundred, and then to an immense light difficult to count.
So that when a pillar of light embracing the whole area stretched from Dante Hiakapo up to the heavens—
the viewers watching the screen reacted. Betelgeuse, who had searched the name Dante Hiakapo; Ezekiel, who’d been secretly watching during a meeting; Wolfgang in a foreign lab; Gray and Kendreik watching the projector in a pub; hundreds of millions of viewers around the world—everyone was greatly aghast.
What that meant was, to any who saw it, obvious.
“Huh!?”
“N-No way!!”
The Radiant Constellation⁺₊⋆ Dante Hiakapo was being born!!