Behind-the-Scenes Work (3)
Shirone was in a foul mood.
"An outright attack, with no warning."
It was a chilling force, and whatever destructive power it carried had to be beyond imagination.
"The ship nearly went down."
They'd been lucky to subdue it before a battle broke out; the passengers' lives had very nearly been at risk.
Part of the reason Shirone wore a harsher killing intent than usual was anger over that.
"Foreign Minister Cairns."
He knew the basics from Omega, but Cairns was shockingly young.
"The records I remember for Cairns stop at twelve. Even then he wasn't ordinary."
How he'd changed over the last twenty-two years was impossible to picture.
Shirone rubbed his eyes.
"Tired."
He had no intention of diving into politics, but what nagged at him was Rangi.
"He called her an object. Talking about a person."
There was nothing inherently strange about hosting high officials—she'd done the same during the world beauty pageant. But the smile she had given at the end had been genuine, without the tiniest hint of falsehood.
"She bares her heart."
Was that reason enough to get involved in politics?
The Arachne galleon.
"I'm sorry."
In a vast chamber made to look like a palace, Cairns sat drinking with dancers.
"Did you really say something like that?" Amid the dancers' warm smiles, Cairns' eyes were as cold as ice.
Benahar bowed once more.
"I was mistaken. Shirone's nonchalance in person surpassed anything I imagined."
"How do you know that? You said you never fought him."
Half true. If an actual fight had broken out, it might have been a great match—but now it was meaningless.
"His mind is broken. That man's mind… it's not human."
A mental strength that made compressing countless deaths and a human lifetime into a battlefield seem possible—how many people could face Shirone at all, regardless of skill?
"Trained? No—mad. Only in the realm of madness could someone stand against Shirone."
"Anyway, forget it."
Cairns didn't cling to a lost hand.
"We'll wait for the right moment. You should return. And call her Rangi."
"That is—"
Conflicting facts collided in Benahar's head. He looked uncomfortable.
"Things got a little tangled."
Cairns raised an eyebrow and offered a meaningless sneer.
That evening.
Shirone left the work to Poine and went alone to the Arachne galleon.
He flew, crossing the seven-hundred-meter gap in an instant, and saw the deck where the banquet was held.
It was populated by staff and filled with delicacies you wouldn't find on other ships.
Basking in the calm moonlight within the windless zone, Shirone landed among the drinking guests.
"Hoo."
They weren't startled by magic. They were simply displeased that someone had violated the mutual treaty and flown onto the ship.
"What are you? Do you know where you are—"
Just as the man wearing a medal stepped forward, a bodyguard mage stopped him.
"Deputy Minister, this is Shirone."
"Five-Star Celestial?"
His power didn't match Cairns', but the deputy minister had seniority on his side.
"Ahem, greetings to the Star of the Ivory Tower." A politician might hate the Ivory Tower—but picking a fight with it was unwise, at least until the holy war began.
"I'm here to see Cairns. Where is he?"
'He just called the minister's name?' Cairns wouldn't be the kind to fall for petty provocation, but public protocol had to be observed.
"He's not at the banquet. He'll be in his private chamber. May I ask the purpose of your visit?"
"I have a few questions. Guide me, or step aside."
"Hoo."
The wine he'd been drinking rose to his head; the deputy minister exhaled slowly, shaking off his drunkenness.
"Very well. We shouldn't contradict whatever the Star of the Ivory Tower requests. But as far as I know, Shirone proposed the maritime exchange, and Arachne accepted. And now—"
"Who ordered the banquet?" the deputy minister interjected, frowning.
"The comprehensive inspection agreement has been settled. Are you complaining that a nation uses its own food?"
"Why on the deck?"
He lifted his cup and glanced at the night sky.
"Well… the weather's fine and the moon's bright."
The moment Shirone's gaze hardened, the man straightened and added,
"I understand. Other ships aren't as well supplied. But we are an elite detachment on state business. We have routines and clear aims. An emotional gesture like this cannot absolve a breach of treaty."
As deputy foreign minister, his psychological tactics and rhetoric were sharp.
"A treaty, you say."
Thinking back to Benahar's actions that afternoon left Shirone speechless.
"Fine. I apologize for violating the agreement."
The nobles murmured.
"Well then."
He tried to smile, but his shoulders tensed.
"This is a minor matter, is it not? The relationship between the Ivory Tower and Arachne—"
The deputy minister's heart dropped at Shirone's look.
"Now, tell me how well the minister has kept the treaty. Is there any serious issue? If there's a breach that severely breaks trust—"
The nobles couldn't even blink.
"Don't expect this ship to be afloat tomorrow morning."
With that, Shirone turned. The deputy minister stuck out a hand like someone struck by a hammer.
"No—wait. Star—no, Shirone."
"Enjoy the banquet."
Shirone swept his gaze across the guests.
"Don't let a single person leave. Stay here. So it won't be troublesome when I return."
Benahar opened the door to the private chamber and stepped out.
"What's going on?"
Seeing Shirone, the events of the afternoon returned in a cold sweat.
"Ah—Shirone."
"I'm here to see the minister, as I warned earlier. I heard he's in his private chamber."
Benahar looked past Shirone at the deputy minister.
'No, no!'
He mimed cutting his throat; the deputy minister silently kept mouthing something.
'Don't let him see the minister. Even if it's an excuse or an illness, do whatever it takes to turn him away!'
Benahar understood well enough, but he had no choice.
"Come. I'll guide you."
Knowing his personality, the deputy minister looked stunned, but he couldn't meet Shirone's eyes.
When the door closed, the nobles left on deck felt a chill despite the warm southern air.
"...damn."
"Forgive this afternoon's error. I mistook the person and made a fuss."
Benahar made sure his mistake wouldn't interfere with Cairns' affairs. Still, as a single mage, he had respect for Shirone.
"Someone could've been hurt. If you have complaints, please call us separately next time."
"...That won't happen." The door opened onto a private dining room where Cairns and Rangi sat side by side at an upscale table.
"Rangi?"
Shirone asked. Benahar only bowed and kept his hand on the doorknob.
"Have a pleasant time."
Hearing the door close, Shirone approached; Cairns stood.
"Welcome. I'm honored to meet the Star of the Ivory Tower. As the rumors say, quite the handsome man—"
"Rangi, what's going on?"
Shirone didn't plan to snub Cairns, but calling Rangi here was clearly no courtesy.
"Haha! He said he had a prior engagement. I'm not unfamiliar with Rangi, so I thought we might share a table—if that offends you, I apologize."
"Shirone—"
Rangi was more beautiful than usual, but the window to his heart was already closed.
"Let's at least hear him out."
They took seats opposite Cairns, and attendants brought more dishes as if they'd been waiting.
"Outside the banquet is in full swing and—"
"I'm sorry!"
Cairns slammed his hand on the table and bowed; the staff froze.
"It's all my fault. The afternoon, the banquet, the treaty violation—I apologize. I'll take full responsibility." Even without seeing, it was clear Shirone's intention had been guessed—impressive, to be sure—but...
"How will you take responsibility?"
Words are meaningless without action.
"I'll open our food stores. We're guests here, so we should share. We'll submit to a full inspection. We have troops; use them as your constabulary if you wish."
"Hmm."
Shirone crossed his legs.
"What is Arachne after on this voyage?"
"I'll be frank. As you know, Dionas was founded by pirates. Its king rules with an iron fist, and many of its people live off maritime raids. We want to recognize Dionas as a legitimate state of Cartesia, and in exchange we seek one thing."
"And that one thing?"
"An artifact from the ancient Maika civilization."
The moment the words left his mouth, a chill went through Shirone.
"That is—?"
A fifth-dimensional cube that contained all atomic movements since the beginning of time—if someone rummages through such a thing.
"What?"
There were no records.
"I don't know the details. No one does. It's said Maika existed somewhere in the South Pacific long ago and sank beneath the waves."
"But Dionas knows of it?" Cairns spoke without showing his excitement, but his interest was obvious.
"Cartesia is a frontier; you may be unfamiliar. The Ten Isles Kingdom long investigated Maika relics. After the world war, though, Dionas acted oddly. Even if they suffered no damage from the tidal waves, it's strange they report no damage to flora or fauna."
How to interpret that?
"If it's not in Omega, it doesn't exist. So Maika might be just a rumor."
That thought arose, and yet—
"Even a rumor like that should be recorded somewhere. Why don't I know about it?"
If commoners knew but Shirone didn't, it meant it had been removed from Omega.
"Erased? No—that's impossible. Even after a reset, erasure logs remain."
Not a strictly logical deduction.
"The outside world."
After removing every category in Omega, only one thing remained.
"Somehow this ties to the outside world. Otherwise you couldn't bypass Omega."
Having reached that point, Shirone asked,
"Even if Dionas found relics or traces, would they actually share them?"
"That's why I'm going myself—armed with vast treasure, weapons, and the finest beauties."
Those were the things a full inspection would reveal.
"You're really trying to bribe them with that? Even for pirates, that's underestimating them."
"Perhaps. Then consider this: what if the king of Dionas, Kalt—"
Cairns drew Rangi against him.
"—is madly in love with Miss Arachne? To the point of mustering a full fleet and attempting an invasion."
After all, they were pirates.
"Of course Rangi is a valuable asset. But the holy war is about to begin; shouldn't we pull out all the stops?"
'This is why I didn't want to meddle in politics.'
To get what you want, you must see many things you don't want to see.
"Hands off. Rangi is my friend too. Try that in front of me and I won't forgive you."
"It's still mine, though?"
Cairns pressed himself closer to Rangi with a gambler's look.
"It's useful for negotiations. But... if the Five-Star Celestial helps me, Rangi might not be necessary."
He thought he'd won.
'Is anything impossible in this world? With this, even the Five-Star Celestial will be under me.'
"Cairns."
Shirone let out a short, dry laugh.
"Have you ever heard the name Fermi?"
Cairns had outstanding ability in understanding humans and manipulating systems, but—
"No? I haven't."
Compared to the drug lord who'd even erased his record of a deal, Cairns was a child.
"I have a lot to learn from that man."