by Kamiya Yuu
–Naoto Miura would never get angry easily.
He might be scorned, humiliated, they were all nothing for him.
However–there was only one huge landmine Naoto Miura would never forgive.
And those people trampled on the landmine twice.
The first was to restrain AnchoR with the mask, and the second was to wreck RyuZU with the electromagnetic field.
Naoto woke up in Akihabara, and the reason for his extreme calmness was clear to understand.
This guy went berserk at that moment.
He was fuming, with an infinite amount of poise, aloofness, coldness.
Just like the burn. Marie thought.
As long as Naoto feels that he ‘needs to do something’, he ‘will do it’.
One could be unscrupulous to achieve his means; saying that in itself was one thing, but how many people really were mentally prepared to pay the full ‘price’.
–Naoto Miura is terrifying.
Marie decided to admit this feeling, and affirmed.
–Naoto Miura is strong.
Marie felt that it was some meaningless thought, but she could not help but think.
–If I’m to be an enemy against him, can I win?
As long as I use all my knowledge, skills, connections…anyway, everything I have.
Marie Bell Breguet’s specs were far beyond Naoto Miura.
That should be the case. But no matter what happened–she had no vision of her winning…
“Well, Missy. Just an earnest plea here. I won’t ask for a luxury like military parts, but at the very least, get me in some normal, moving body, okay?”
Marie remained speechless, and she turned around upon hearing the man’s earnest voice.
Right in front of her were–AnchoR with her eyes dazzling, and Vermouth, who seemed to have made up his mind.
AnchoR’s master was Naoto, so perhaps it was obvious that she would abide by Naoto’s wishes–but–
“Do you really want to go along with what Naoto said? No matter whether we succeed or fail, it’s Hell from now on, you know!?”
Yes, even if things were to develop according to Naoto’s plan, they would become ‘evil’–an unprecedented group of criminals.
This man probably had no motive or reason to assist in such a thing. He was an agent hired and paid by some enterprise, had no sense of justice, no conviction, and merely acted for money, an lawful person who was similar to a criminal. He was not trusted, and should not be trusted. He should be that kind of a person.
However, Vermouth never did avert his eyes, and answered with a serious look at Marie,
“I said that it’s interesting–does a man need a reason other than that.”
“–”
“You don’t understand? Well, whatever, but I’m serious here.Let me think, this…might be the second time I really wanted to do something.
Marie’s interest was suddenly pricked, and she asked Vermouth,
“…Just for reference, your first time was?”
“For some stupid dream.”
Vermouth immediately answered, giving a displeased sneer.
“I failed though. And then, I was cast away in my second life like a dead man, and thanks to that brat there–”
“Ah…sorry–”
“–I was saved. I recalled right before I kicked the bucket–that I’m still alive.”
Vermouth did not begrudge the apologizing AnchoR, and turned to Naoto.
“And I don’t know how it happened, but when I woke up in my third life, I met this brat. I’m a madman who’ll beat up anyone I don’t like, you know? I’m ‘mesmerized’ with this guy here. How far he’ll go, what he’ll accomplish–I just want to have a good view in some special seat.”
Marie sighed.
She looked as though she could not understand those two at all as she stared at them.
AnchoR looked up at Marie, telling her,
“…Mama, are you scared? AnchoR…will protect you…”
“What are you scared of, Missy? Hurry to the backstage and put on some winning underwear there. Now’s the scene to shake your ass and begin the ‘counterattack’, you know?”
“What are you saying now, unc–no, big sister? This isn’t important; the main point is that this isn’t a counterattack.”
Upon hearing Vermouth’s taunt, Naoto corrected him, looked bewildered.
“Those guys are attacking the government, not us. Marie–”
“…What?”
While Marie continued to hesitate, Naoto showed a cheerful, innocent, childish smile, saying,
“You know, when you’re a kid…when you see those guys piling up a sand hill on the beach–don’t you have had the thought that it’ll be really fun to kick that hill down and run away?
–Marie suddenly recalled.
Back when she abandoned her identity as a Breguet and a Meister.
After stopping the forced purge on Kyoto, and declaring herself a terrorist.
“I won’t get any reward and thanks,”
Back then, on the roof, what did I say?
“But that’s definitely something–“
Marie sighed, giving a wry smile.
She reached her hair into her head, muttering,
“You guys–are really a bunch of hopeless people.”
“But it’s interesting, isn’t it?”
Naoto chuckled.
Marie felt her will being dragged along by that smile, that she was being teased, but for some strange reason, she did not feel displeased about it–and she nodded.
She understood.
–I’m an idiot too.
And so, right at this moment, this instance, and thereafter.
This childish prank of an unprecedented crime began.
Chapter 2 – 05:17 – Disaster
It was dawn.
There stood a massive, black shadow in the searing sky filled with azure and orange hue.
That was a Tower. An enormous tower that reached from the surface to the sky.
–A construct called the ‘Heaven’s Pillar’.
Looking down at the land, one would find that pillar piercing through a massive gear, standing tall.
It was Grid Sakuradamon, the highest town in the Multiple Grid Tokyo.
This little city was merely a few kilometers in diameter, and the ‘Heaven’s Pillar’ took up a majority of the land space. Thus, there were no civilians living in the grid.
However, there were people living in within the city walls surrounding the ‘Heaven’s Pillar’ at the center.
For a long time, it housed a traditional family that existed since ancient times, and the people serving them.
There was a deep ditch surrounding the walls, an independent construct that segregated it from Grid Sakuradamon.
Due to the nature of the gears, the gears in this world were destined to continue spinning. However, this place was a rare exception, one that did not move.
And atop this unmoving gear and walls.
There were colors of lush green and water hanging atop the city.
It was not artificial in any way; it was a plaza filled with true nature.
A floating garden.
There was an observatory situated by the garden, where the inside and outside of the Grids could be seen.
–A young girl was standing there.
She was dressed in a faint pink, blouse, a hand-knitted suit, and pump shoes.
Her glossy black hair was reaching down, landing below her waist.
She might appear to be a little brat who just graduated from college and entered society, but her eyes were different.
An ordinary girl would never have such forged, firm-willed black eyes.
Those sharp eyes were staring at the ‘military’ in formation before the city.
–Currently, this ‘palace’ was surrounded.
Houko had a rough understanding of the chaos and crisis that befell this country.
And she knew ver
y well…that she was powerless against it.
“–This really is an unpleasant situation.”
She muttered, reminding herself to pull herself together, and diverted her eyes.
She turned her left wrist, and tugged at her sleeve.
Revealed on her left wrist was a silver watch. It was simple in function, and etched on the surface was a name ‘Marie’, so tiny it was not obvious.
The time was 5.17am.
There was another 43 minutes until the ‘military’ below indicated that they would ‘break through the fortress’.
On February 8, there was a terrorist attack in Akihabara at midnight, and at dawn, an unknown massive weapon appeared.
The electromagnetic weapon caused all functions in Grid Akihabara to fail, and the ‘military’ sent to intercept it was wiped out.
The government released a declaration of emergency, stripped the Prime Minister of his power as leader, suing him with the charges of inciting internal conflict and inviting external scourges. The Defense Minister too was under doubt–
And then, the media took the initiative to release a scoop on the massive weapon.
With that, before the people could recover from the shock of a terrorist incident, they learned that Tokyo has fallen, and in their panic, the grids started to revolt.
The police could not handle the chaos, and requested for the ‘military’ to be mobilized.
But a group of mostly young officers broke off from the ‘military’ right when the command system was in shambles.
They immediately assaulted the the garrisons in Grid Ichigaya, robbed the armory equipment, assaulted Grid Sakuradamon, and surrounded the ‘Palace’.
–That would be a brief summary of the riot that would later be known as ‘The 2/8 Incident’.
“–We can no longer leave this to the higher ups.”
A young captain said as he sat at the negotiating table.”
“The government and ‘military’ are not willing to put in any responsibility in the face of this national crisis. No, leaving that aside, they were pushing the blame from the moment they secretly agreed to the research of electromagnetic technology. This situation is all caused by the higher-ups. The Kyoto Incident, and then this happened–we can no longer remain silent.”
That is correct. Houko thought.
The higher ups had ceased to function, and it was true that they caused this crisis.
The Captain then said,
“We have no time. The threat of the massive weapon still lingers, and the request the Prime Minister made to use the ‘Tall Wand’ has not been retracted. We have to hurry and seize political power, and to negotiate with the massive weapon and other countries. At the same time, we need a symbol to prove that we obtained the power–that will be you, your Highness.”
But this is where the problem lies, Houko thought.
In a certain sense, such a reasoning was correct. Even if they did topple the government with military force, they would simply be seen as starting a rebellion if they did not recognize any actual legitimacy.
The only ones who could prove this legitimacy–no matter the ceremony–were the people of the ‘Palace’, like her.
However, it was not the Emperor who was lying sickly in bed, nor was it the Prince who was still an infant, and it was obvious that she–Princess Houko Hoshinomiya, who officially took over the throne for the time being, would be in charge.
However, how effective would that symbol be–?
The young captain pleaded earnestly,
“This country is already rotten. There is a need to correct! Our intrusion of your chambers is not to be excused, but Princess, please assist us for the sake of this country.
To be honest– Houko thought.
She personally empathized with them, and felt that it was true. If the era was different, or if the situation was a little different, perhaps she would have granted them the Imperial Flag.
However, reality was not as simple and sweet as assumed.
And because of that, her answer was already decided.
“–There is no meaning to that. I shall refuse.”
The young Captain’s face was contorted.
Houko showed an iron-willed stare at the commanders present, and informed them.
“I do advise all parties to cease with such futile actions, return to your squadrons, and maintain your stations. Your actions cannot be pardoned, but I will personally write a letter pleading for leniency, so that your crimes will be reduced.”
“Your Highness! Please think through it!”
“I have. And this is the conclusion of my thoughts.
The Captain’s face reddened, and he muttered, saying,
“We cannot back down now. If you are to refuse no matter what, Princess, we are mentally prepared to get what we want, even if it means by force.”
“I suppose. Do as you please, Captain.”
“…Do you think this is simply a threat?”
“No. You do have your own thoughts, but I do have my thoughts, my responsibilities. I cannot submit.”
All negotiations broke down. They had planned for many pointless negotiations thereafter–but in any case, there was no time.
6am, February 10th–that would be the time when they premeditated their ‘forced entry’.
“–Ah, Your Highness. So you are here?”
Houko heard a voice from the back, and turned around.
Standing there was a frail old man dressed in a suit.
“Mr Kusunoki.”
“You do have to know that acting alone now is dangerous.”
“It is meaningless for them to murder me. Considering their objectives, they will try to abstain from that no matter what.”
Barging into the ‘Palace’ through brute force alone was a perilous act in itself, but if any of the Royal Family was to die as a result, their actions would never, ever be legitimized.
However, the chief servant Kusunoki answered skeptically,
“Perhaps their commander might be as such…but those people driven by a moment of impulse might not be as wise as you are, Your Highness.”
Houko nodded, and had another thought.
“If everyone is wise, such a situation would never have happened, I suppose?”
“I do not know…however, if it is someone of authority like you, Your Highness–”
“Well, that will be hard to say. I am ultimately a powerless girl after all.”
Houko mocked herself, and turned to stare at the lookout.”
She watched the battalion that got into position, and muttered,
“They did that on the assumption that they are in the right.”
“Such a bunch of foolish brutes. They actually intruded upon the ‘Palace’.”
“Perhaps. However, for us to call them fools, we do not have any more capability than they do.”
Upon hearing Houko’s words, chief servant Kusunoki gasped, and asked,
“Your Highness–are you implying that they are in the right?”
“No. I did inform them during the negotiations that it is pointless. There was nothing to discuss the moment they stated a clear threat and ignited a rebellion, however–”
Houko paused, and continued,
“If I am to approve to them and give them legitimacy–what will change?”
“Your Highness, what you are saying is…”
“I am not underestimating my authority, but even if the people do accept, that is just how it looks on the country. To what extent will the other countries…the people controlling that massive weapon accept it?”
“According to the reports, they are the ‘military’ of old Shiga, and this is a coup d’etat on the government…in that case, I do not think they will belittle the Royal Family’s authority, no?”
“–Really? I do doubt that.”
Houko narrowed her eyes, muttering,
“–And speaking of reports.”
“Yes…”
“Have yo
u heard anything of Marie Bell Breguet’s whereabouts?”
Houko asked, and this caused Kusunoki to look conflicted.
“Erm…well, she is someone who appeared to have died, and we cannot track her whereabouts down after all. I would say that I would not have remembered her name until you noticed her photo, Your Highness.”
“However, I can be sure that she’s involved in that Akihabara Terrorist Incident in some way.”
“So you mean that she has some important crux to this?”
“Actually–I do think she is the mastermind.”
Houko exerted more strength into her hand grabbing the railing.
“Even if all the technicians of the JSDF around the ‘Heaven’s Pillar’ are gathered, seizing control of a city’s grid and manipulating it at will is something they cannot do. I do not think the technicians of the Capital Defense Forces can do that either. She is the only technician I know how has such expertise.”
“…I do remember that she was your classmate?”
“Just for a month.”
Her lips showed a smile, saying,
“When I studied in Europe, I was grateful for her reception. I remembered well how petite she was, yet she was brimming with passion like a fireball, filled with a sense of justice, and also the premier technician…”
Kusunoki asked in surprise,
“…Is such a person the mastermind?”
Houko shook her head,
“I do feel that terrorist activity in itself did not make sense. The coup d’etat would have succeeded regardless of that action–no, I would say that it is because of that incident that the people were able to evacuate safely, that nobody perished as a consequence.”
“Then, Your Highness, are you implying that the terrorist incident is of a different intent from this coup d’etat?”
“Yes. Of course, this is just a deduction based on ‘some vague feeling’, but assuming that it is correct…”
Houko paused,
“I cannot help but think that there is still upheavals to be had.”
Of course, that was merely an optimistic, hopeful thinking.