Chapter 44 of 74

Vol 6 Chapter 4

5 min read1,368 words

Chapter 4 – Julis and the Orphanage

The next day, Ayato and company were summoned to the royal palace by Jolbert.

“Gustave Malraux?”

“Yes. Well, I don’t really know, either. According to the police, it seems to be the name of yesterday’s criminal.”

They were in the same room as yesterday and Jolbert’s casual outfit was practically the same, too. The only difference was that Maria was not there. Apparently, one of Jolbert’s mistresses stayed in bed due to the shock of yesterday’s incident and Maria went to visit her. What a really wonderful relation.

Ayato and company were also asked a lot of questions by the police yesterday, but partly due to the fact that they were the King’s honor guests, it was a polite interaction and they were freed earlier than expected.

“They say that he’s an internationally wanted criminal. He seemed to have been in Asterisk in the past and errr, if I remember correctly… huh? Which academy did he attend again?”

Jolbert folded his arms and pondered as he forgot. It made one wonder whether he treated this seriously even though a criminal attacked his royal palace.

“It’s Allekant Academy, I think. He’s a celebrity in that field.”

Having spoken in his stead was Claudia.

“When you say celebrity, do you mean something like winning a <festa>?”</festa>

<festa>“No. Gustave Malraux was in the ranking of up-and-coming students, but he has never participated in a <festa>. He is ── one of the members who brought about the <dusk>.”</dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk>“!” “ I see, I remember now! So that man is the <echid>!”</echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid>Julis half rose to her feet with a startled face.</echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid>“When you say <dusk>, you’re talking about the hostage incident which occurred in Asterisk in the past, right? It’s said that the Captain of the Star Hunter Guards settled it alone…”</dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk>“Yes, it’s the greatest terrorist incident in Asterisk’s history.”</dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk>Claudia nodded to Kirin’s words.</dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk>Though Ayato did not know the details, he had also heard that name before. It was the incident which was the origin of why the Redevelopment Area was born.</dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk>“…So that means that man with a mustache is a terrorist?”</dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk>“No, it’s slightly different. The <dusk>was an event which brought about 77 criminals including students’ sympathizers too, but about a quarter seems to have money reasons. Gustave Malraux was among them.”</dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk>When Claudia took out her portable terminal and operated it, multiple space windows opened.</dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk>All of them seemed to be news regarding the terrorist incident.</dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk>“All these are incidents recognized for Gustave Malraux’s involvement. A terrorist is to the bitter end someone who only aims to achieve some political purpose, but he has no such thoughts. That can also be surmised from the fact that after the <dusk>, he cooperated with various terrorist organizations with different principles and position.”</dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk>“In other words, he moved only for the basis of work, huh ── wait a minute. More importantly, what do you mean by after the <dusk>? If Captain Lindvall settled the incident, wasn’t he caught at that time…?”</dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk>However, Claudia ruefully shook her head to Ayato’s words.</dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk>“The masterminds in the <dusk>as well as the main members were mostly caught, but about seven people succeeded in escaping. Gustave Malraux is one of them, and that’s precisely why he’s famous.”</dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk>His name would indeed be famous after that.</dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk>“There are still many unclear parts about the <dusk>though. The guard captain had reported everything about the details until the event resolution, but the background and processing after the incident were kept in the dark under the Integrated Enterprise Foundation’s supervision. It’s one of the taboo topics in Asterisk.”</dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk>The face of Julis who said so was clearly displeased.</dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk>“So… What kind of ability does that man have as a <dante>?”</dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante>Answering to Kirin who timidly raised her hand was as expected Claudia.</dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante>“Gustave Malraux is a <dante>who was called an unparalleled genius in the conversion construction technique of mana from his school days. His ability is… as you saw last night, something like using magic beasts.”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“Even if you say magic beasts, that one was man-made, right?”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>Ayato remembered last night’s chimera. Although it moved well, it was clearly not a living creature.</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“Yes, of course. Up to this date, there is no ability user who succeeded in creating a life (living one), and it’s also said that it’s theoretically impossible. You could say that that was a living body model in which the skeleton, muscles and body tissues were all made without exception with conversion by mana.”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“Our ability is the power of image. If you spoil it, the power will be weakened; conversely if you establish a firm image within your mind, the mana’s movement will speed up and the power will be enhanced, too. Although there is no universal benchmark, in the case that you materialize not a phenomenon, but a substance, the ingenuity of the image is often effective. At first glance, it totally looked like that magic beast was alive. No matter how strong the ability is, it’ll first be impossible to materialize an image to that extent if you normally think about it.”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>Julis who was the only ability user among the people present indifferently explained.</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“But, Gustave Malraux made that possible. With his overflowing talent and by spending a great amount of time.”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“It isn’t his own words, but some people among the arrested terrorists have testified for that in order to create a new magic beast, he needed from several months to several years depending on what he wanted to create. By spending that much time, he would surely squeeze an image to the details.”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>A few years is again, quite a patient story.</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“Although, mana certainly converts all phenomenon or substances, but as a fundamental principle, it’s impossible to fix them. No, it isn’t that it’s impossible, but if one is to maintain such a huge magic beast’s body for a long period of time, he would have to keep converting an unimaginable amount of mana. Such a thing is impossible no matter how tremendous the prana one has.”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“If we’ve left it alone, it would’ve probably lapsed only a dozen of minutes.”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“In which case, it’s very convenient for terrorist attacks. After all, it isn’t necessary to retrieve it.”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“I see… There is also that viewpoint, huh.”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>As Ayato said in admiration, Julis suddenly frowned.</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“…Big Brother!”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“──Hmm? Ah, sorry, sorry. I slept late last night after all.”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>When looking over, Jolbert was dozing off sitting on the sofa as such.</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“Big Brother, you should feel a little tense. The royal palace was attacked, you know?”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“It wasn’t the royal palace who was attacked, but you guys, right?”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“Then, how about worrying a little about your cute little sister?”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“Hahaha, if I were to worry about you for something of that extent now, my body wouldn’t last.”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>A sibling-like familiarity could be felt in that exchange between Julis and Jolbert.</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>At first, Ayato thought that they didn’t get along, but unexpectedly it did not seem to be the case.</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“In the first place, to let a criminal through so easily, what are the guards here doing?”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“No, please don’t blame the guards for that. It looks like that Gustave man falsified his status with that of a Research Institute official of Galaxy, and the Galaxy’s ID which he used on that occasion seemed to be genuine. It can’t be helped. It’ll be impossible even for me.”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“An Integrated Enterprise Foundation’s ID?”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>Claudia knitted her brows.</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“Is something wrong?”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“Integrated Enterprise Foundation’s IDs are given only to people of the head offices or under the direct control of the organization. It is originally not something which should be available so easily...”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>“He spoke as if he was requested by someone, so I wonder whether a big organization backs him… But, even if we assume that, why make such a request…?”</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>──There is someone who will be troubled if Ayato and the others join Claudia’s team.</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>Gustave certainly said so.</dante></dante></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></dusk></echid></dusk></festa></festa>

<festa><festa><dusk><echid><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dusk><dante><dante>If he told Ayato and company not to participate in the <gryps>, it could still be understandable. After all, they were respectively the tags which won the