Clockwork Planet - Volume 03

by Kamiya Yuu

  No, more importantly. What’s with the ‘executed’?

  While new doubts appeared in Marie’s mind, the owner of the voice–Gennai, continued on,

  “–We wanted to show this narrow-minded world that only recognized gear technology, the results of our research–how outstanding this electromagnetic technology is. After that, we would correct the government that abandoned us like rubbish. This basically was the purpose of our mission, but…”

  Gennai paused, and then continued,

  “I knew it would fail.”

  “–!”

  “Or rather, I would say that the premise is not there. The world has already admitted to how amazing electromagnetism is. Why would any country abandon such a useful technology and appear to abide by International Treaties. You would not have believed, right?”

  That’s true. Marie thought.

  Japan, so timid in diplomatic relations, was researching on electromagnetic technology.

  Anyone would be able to find one or two secret research labs in any country, if they were willing to look…

  “Next, to take down the government–this itself is an easy objective to accomplish, but once our electromagnetic weapon is revealed, all that awaits us is a world war.”

  Yes, the other countries would not ignore such an obvious threat.

  They would try to eliminate it at any cost. At the very least, they would try to have measures to counter, even if they had to use their secret electromagnetic technology.

  “Well, those subordinates seem to think that with this weapon and electromagnetic technology, we should be able to fight on par against other countries. This youthful enthusiasm is truly terrifying. The past me would not be able to allow myself to go along with my subordinates, so I retreat to the underground and live on–however…””

  There was a change in tone,

  “Over there, I realized–far beyond the structure of this country, more importantly than the loss of human lives–is this arrogant being. I realized that this world is straying off course!”

  The deep, booming voice sounded agitated for the first time,

  “–I shall go straight to the point. Naoto Miura–no, ‘Y’.”

  Naoto lifted his face.

  The grey eyes of inexplicable intent looked into the space.

  “–You have arrogantly modified the world, denying every step humanity had made in the past, insisting that your view is the right one, and contorted this world–in that case, I shall ask you again.”

  Marie could not understand what Gennai was talking about.

  But she could sense intense fury, hatred from that voice–and his hidden view.

  “–Stop me if you can. If you can, you aren’t human. If you can’t, you shall regret that you contorted this world with impudence and arrogance, and sink to the depths of Hell. You shall know the will of us ordinary humans–you monster.”

  –Silence descended.

  The voice vanished.

  While everyone was looking dazed, Halter first broke the silence, tilting the head of the potent ‘Black Tortoise’, saying,

  “–So, Naoto, what kind of joke is this?”

  Vermouth then spoke,

  “I say, kid. Wha-what kind of a wretched thing did you say to anger him like this? Mind sharing a bit for future reference?”

  And Naoto, being questioned, showed a perturbed expression, shaking his head, saying,

  “Ah, no…? I just answered what he said…did I say something weird back then, RyuZU?”

  “No, Master Naoto, you merely mentioned some simple logic. The problem here is, why did he go berserk…is it due to dementia?”

  The overly dire situation, coupled with the relaxed atmosphere, caused Marie to raise her voice, yelling,

  “So Asia’s going to sink because of someone’s dementia–!? You got to be kidding! Anyway, Naoto!”

  Marie pointed at Naoto fervently,

  “What right do you have to call me a landmine of a girl!? Didn’t you just step on one unprecedented one!?”

  “No, well, even if you say so, it’s impossible for me to spot the landmine of that ridiculous old man! That guy’s already half-crazy at that point.”

  “…? Papa, what did that old man say?”

  “Eh, AnchoR, it’s fine that you don’t understand~ I guess nobody can either…”

  Naoto looked listless as he said that.

  At that moment, Marie suddenly felt a chill up her spine.

  –Am I thinking too much?

  That empty smile, feels like there’s something he can’t get back…

  “A-anyway, let’s sort things out here!!”

  Marie shook off her fears, trying to sort her thoughts,

  “Naoto, how long more until that massive thing fires another one?”

  “…I don’t know. But when it was fired…it probably was loaded about 80%. Right now…it’s about 30 or so? Say, I don’t know the actual structure, but I guess it needs to get back to 80% before it can fire another, or maybe even 50!? I don’t have anything to prove after all!”

  “…It’s fine. Let’s just think of the worst case scenario. Assuming that it can fire again at 50%–how long more until then?”

  Marie asked, and Naoto cupped his head,

  “…I told you I don’t know. I already thought it was strange that it’s able to reload to more than 80% at that time. I said that it’ll take 66 hours for it to reload! Around 46 hours passed then, and there should be a day buffer! But it’s beyond my–”

  Marie grabbed Naoto by his collar.

  The blazing emerald eyes were glaring at the grey eyes.

  “Right now, the only things we can rely on are your ears and instincts! Answer me with your instincts! How much longer until the next shot, earliest!”

  “–72 minutes. ‘No’–sooner than that.”

  Naoto concluded.

  Marie thought,

  Since this guy said so, there’s no doubt. Without any other guideline, let’s use this as the baseline–72 minutes. It’s decided. It’s confirmed.

  That’s certainly not a long time.

  In this situation, there’s no major difference between seven minutes and seven seconds.

  Take a deep breath, sorting everything out one by one–

  Marie looked towards Halter–the head of the ‘Black Tortoise’, asking,

  “–Halter, how much longer do you think the ‘military’ will stop watching and deploy troops to suppress them?”

  “…I’ll say it if you want; they’ll attack at any given moment. There’s nothing to assure the Princess’ safety.

  “Argh, seriously! Everyone’s just good at dragging everyone else down, right!?”

  Marie stomped on the floor.

  However, Houko took a step forward, voicing a different voice,

  “No, I feel that it will take about 40 minutes…no matter what miracle occurs now, that will be the required time.”

  Eh–everyone present turned to look at Houko.

  And with everyone’s stare focused on her, Houo continued,

  “–When that weapon appeared, the Capital’s Defense Force was wiped out. After that, there was a total of 8 different cases of internal conflicts in Tokyo due to the government’s breakdown, and with the rebels uprising, the 1st to 4th military forces were deployed due to the police’s request to put them down, and were in battle mode. The main rebel forces surrounded the Palace in 2 massive formations, but all of you did wipe them out, no?”

  And then–

  “Simply put, currently, the Tokyo ‘military’ has lost its fighting ability, not under ordinary command. Assuming that both allied and enemy ‘militaries’ were deployed because of your terrorist attack premonition, they will now have to regroup their fighting forces, strategize, affirm the command structure, and if needed, call for reinforcements–even if there are people with such abilities, will and authority that could quickly gather all these, if I have to estimate based on the time that passed–I suppose 40
minutes will be the limit. However–”

  Houko showed a tender smile,

  “If such a person does exist, I suppose the situation would not have turned out like this.”

  Marie showed no attempt to hide her shock as she stared at Houko.

  “–You’re someone with no political power, right?”

  “Of course. I am a woman born to the Royal Family after all.”

  Houko gave a demure smile.

  —Too bad. Marie thought.

  Houko was able to showcase the ability and will to make such an analysis in such a situation. If she was born in a different era, or perhaps, not born to the Royal Family, she probably would be one capable of leading this country.

  “–Right, then let’s go along with that understanding.”

  Marie shook off the thoughts she had at that instant, saying this.

  “At the very least, we don’t have to wait for 40 minutes until they attack. Just lower the partition wall; Halter and Vermouth alone should be able to fend off the JSDF. Next is…”

  The biggest issue.

  And because of this, Marie was hesitant as to whether she should touch on this dire topic.

  “…So in the next 72 minutes until the main cannon is fired–how do we connect the severed cables and destroy that monstrous thing…I guess?”

  That hit from before vaporized all the parts that were nearly connected.

  This meant that they had to redo everything. Worse off–

  “We’re lacking 18 people…haha.”

  –All she could do was laugh.

  There were 18 automata controlled by outstanding Meisters, and including Marie and Conrad, synchronized with Vermouth–the work of 20 people in at least an hour was to be completed again by 2 after such massive devastation.

  –Impossible. There has to be a limit to how bad things are now.

  No matter how she tried to formulate a plan in her mind, she could not come up with a winning strategy to ‘make it’.

  But…she had no time to waste on hesitating.

  And as the winds whirled in this level that was punctured, Marie asked,

  “–Naoto, let’s reconnect the cables again! Analyze the structure ag–”

  “Hey Marie, do you say what you’re saying now?”

  Naoto simply laughed blankly, saying,

  “–How am I supposed to hear the sound of gears that have vanished?”

  Marie gasped.

  The petite boy bared a hollow smile as he said that.

  One could sense that it was God’s declaration of the end of the world–the feeling of ‘the end’.

  All that was left at the scene were the strange buzzing of the ‘Heaven’s Pillar’ structure, the incoming winds–and…

  The sounds of the clock hands tickings engulfing the level–signifying precious time.

  Nobody knew what to do, merely remaining silent.

  Marie too remained slumped, staring at the clock.

  4 minutes had passed.

  –10% of the minimum limit they had passed by without a purpose.

  Suddenly, Marie thought of something, and muttered,

  “…It’s not too late. Any way to evacuate the people?”

  “I suppose not.”

  Houko, seated beside her, immediately answered.

  “There is no one in command capable of notifying the people to evacuate. Those that reacted quickly would have done so beforehand…it is a question of whether they can be saved.”

  “…I guess. Knew that.”

  But I just can’t help but ask– Marie sighed.

  Naoto, right opposite her, said,

  “I say, RyuZU, AnchoR, you can go evacuate first, right?”

  “Impossible. I did mention before, Master naoto, that for me, there is no option for me to abandon you. If you did forget, I would say that you have a dire case of short term memory.”

  “AnchoR…doesn’t want it too…!”

  RyuZU answered without a single hesitation, and AnchoR latched herself onto Naoto, not willing to break away.

  The important thing now is that we can’t escape– Marie thought.

  Gennai Hirayama fired that cannon, intending to obliterate the ‘Heaven’s Pillar’.

  The damage caused by the first cannon shot was barely minimized to ‘such an extent’ due to Naoto’s instincts–but with so many parts crushed, they could not manipulate the weather, let alone connect the cables. It was impossible for them to block the next shot.

  What would happen next?

  ‘Heaven’s Pillar’–if this tower, befitting of its name was to snap and fall, there would be widespread destruction.

  Following that, the Capital Circle would cease function completely, plummeting to the bottom of the planet.

  Once the Multiple Grid Tokyo was to collapse, all of Japan, the entirety of East Asia, and sooner or later, this ‘Clockwork Planet’ would be fatally damaged.

  No matter where they ran to, they definitely could not escape.

  And as for countermeasures they could use…there was none no matter how many times she pondered over it.

  Marie’s eyes were droopy, her quivering fingertips touching her lips, and they felt dry, parched. She felt a chilling anxiety, following by fear that numbed her temples. That state was…

  Marie realized.

  –I’m in despair.

  It did not start at this point.

  When she first felt that shockwave two days ago–the power that destroyed the world, she despaired.

  Certainly, back then, Marie’s heart ceased along with the clockwork technology that were wrecked by the electromagnetic pulse–that was how she understood it.

  –I already gave up. I’m just using that ‘magic’ as my last hope.

  Her heart long dead, Marie asked in a prayerful manner,

  “–Naoto, I guess AnchoR and RyuZU can’t destroy that weapon?”

  Naoto answered with a weak voice.

  “‘Maybe’ they can, but they’ll definitely be severely damaged–I rather the whole of Asia, or even the world sink than that to happen–that’s it.”

  Naoto scratched his head, showing an expression he never did before, and bit his nails.

  –So he understood, Marie thought.

  At this rate, it was a matter of time before everyone would be buried along with them, plummeting.

  And even so, Naoto could not give an order.

  Neither side was willing to abandon. Neither side was willing to save.

  …It was to be expected.

  For he was simply an ordinary human who would be frustrated, hesitant, and make mistakes.

  There certainly was not a convenient ‘magic’ that could fulfill any wish.

  Having understood this easily understood truth at this point, Marie lowered her head.

  She could not sight.

  At this moment–

  “…Papa.”

  AnchoR suddenly stood up, saying,

  “…An order, please–”

  Naoto lifted his face, showing a grim look, and immediately shook his head,

  “–No. No way! Don’t make me repeat myself, please…AnchoR.”

  “But…if this keeps up…”

  “Yeah, I know, I know! So AnchoR, please–use that as your last move. I’ll think of something. I’ll solve–”

  Naoto begged over and over again.

  But Marie suddenly noticed a minor change.

  AnchoR was shaking all over, taking a step back.

  She did not nod, merely staring at Naoto, earnestly saying,

  “…I don’t want.”

  “Eh?”

  Naoto lifted his head, and in turn, AnchoR lowered it.

  “Sorry…papa…I can’t follow…that order.”

  “AnchoR…?”

  Naoto muttered, looking dumbfounded.

  And then, there came an impact.

  AnchoR crushed the atmosphere as she leapt out, quickly spinning around. She jumped into the massive hole on the floor
, headed straight do–towards the massive weapon on the other end.

  “AnchoR!!!”

  But despite hearing the plea to stop, she did not stop. The red and white figure continued to shrink in an instant.

  Naoto turned to RyuZU frantically, yelling,

  “RyuZU! Get her back right now!”

  “…I alone will be insufficient in stopping AnchoR when she starts to take action.”

  “In that case…!”

  Naoto scratched his head in remorse, groaned, flailed his limbs about, and then, told RyuZU,

  “In that case, pass the message to her! Wait for another 46 minutes! Please, I’ll get there before then!”

  “–Understood.”

  RyuZU bowed elegantly. With a swirl on the hem of her black skirt, she was about to give chase after her little sister, only to stop, and turn around,

  “Master Marie, you mind if I say a few words?”

  “…M-me?”

  Marie looked a little dumbfounded, speechless.

  RyuZU certainly was not one who would take the initiative to speak to others.

  “I have decided to consider the advice the Princess gave me. I do sincerely believe that it is futile, simply a bleak hope, but I am willing to admit that even if I am a perfect ‘servant’, I am still incomplete, not omnipotent–for my personality amongst the sisters is the most reserved.”

  “…Erm, I guess.”

  Aren’t you the most arrogant of them all here? Marie wondered as she nodded away.

  RyuZU sat demurely, saying,

  “Master Marie, I would say that Master Naoto is always look at the ‘limit’ of that pitiful mind of yours. Theory, to be a little radical, is simply a posh looking article to be shared with others and codified arbitrarily. The truth is not universal, and neither is it unchanging, or biased. Because of that, though it is a pity, a fact that I really have find difficult to agree with–”

  RyuZU paused, her topaz eyes staring at Marie.

  She then said,

  “…You are right. Just as Master Naoto is. At the same time, you are wrong.”

  “Right…and wrong…?”

  Marie looked dumbfounded as he repeated what RyuZu said.

  …I don’t understand what that means.