"I can tell you where your friends are now, what situation they are in, and the true nature of DEM."
"—!?"
Artemisia's pupils shrank.
With only one sentence, Yutsuki struck precisely at what had been troubling Artemisia's heart, causing her emotions to heat up beyond control.
Friends and loved ones who had gone completely silent. Superiors and coworkers who felt strangely uncanny. A small yet intense sense of wrongness had remained stuck in her heart, refusing to fade. It left her unable to rest easy in her current situation, yet she also had no idea where to begin.
It was as if she had lost her way in a dense fog so thick she could not see her own hand. Even though she knew she had to leave, she had no idea which direction to take.
That was exactly why she had co to et Ryougi Yutsuki. Even if she did not trust Spirits, she still hoped to use this chance to find so sort of breakthrough.
"What… do you know?"
Swallowing down her impatience, Artemisia asked while pretending to remain calm.
"Mm, let think… Basically, I should be able to answer anything you want to know. Which one do you want to hear first?"
Yutsuki did not answer directly. Instead, she threw the choice back at Artemisia. After hesitating for a mont, Artemisia answered.
"…Where my friends are."
"Hm…"
Hearing that, Yutsuki smiled sowhat happily. However, Artemisia felt as though she had been underestimated, if only slightly.
"What are you laughing at?"
"No, nothing."
Yutsuki shook her head. After twirling so pasta around her fork and eating it in one bite, she began answering Artemisia's question.
"Starting with the conclusion, your friends are all safe. Ashley Sinclair, Leonora Sears, and Cecil O'Brien are all currently still serving in the SSS unit in London."
"You certainly know my social circle well."
Hearing Yutsuki recite her friends's nas without a single mistake, Artemisia could not help making that remark.
"I'll apologize first for invading your privacy. After all, you and I are still enemies. Collecting information to ensure safety was necessary."
Artemisia sighed. She did not pursue that point and continued asking.
"Your basis?"
Naturally, Artemisia could not imdiately believe Yutsuki's words. If they were truly in London, then why had none of her repeated attempts to contact them received a reply?
"I can help you connect to their communication terminals. You can contact them and confirm it yourself."
Saying this, Yutsuki took out her phone, tapped at it a few tis, then handed it to Artemisia.
Artemisia looked at Yutsuki with half belief and half doubt. In the end, she pressed the call button.
"Oh, right. Let give you a warning first. If the call connects, please don't be surprised no matter what happens."
"What do you an?"
Before Artemisia could understand what Yutsuki ant, the call connected.
[…Um… who is this?…]
"Leonora, are you all right? Where are you now?"
Hearing the voice from the phone, Artemisia could not help crying out in surprise and relief.
[…Eh… I'm all right… This is London… um…]
After hesitating for a mont on the other end of the line, the voice asked,
[…Who… are you? Why… are you calling … and why do you know my na?]
"It's , Artemisia. Can't you recognize my voice?"
[Artemisia…]
The other party repeated her na. Yet from Leonora's voice, what Artemisia felt was not joy or excitent, but confusion and bewildernt.
Then, at that mont, another voice joined in from the other side of the phone.
[Yo, Leonora, who are you secretly calling over here? If you're slacking off, count in too.]
[Ashley… do you know the na Artemisia?]
[Artemisia? Isn't that the strongest Wizard young lady in our unit? Why are you suddenly bringing her up?]
[A girl called … and said she was Artemisia.]
[Hah? That's definitely a lie. How could a noble young lady like that ever contact third rate Wizards like us?]
[Leonora, Ashley. What are you two doing?]
[Yo, Cecil. Did you sneak out of training to slack off too?]
[Just now… my communicator suddenly reacted… saying it was Artemisia…]
[Artemisia? Wait?! Your communication terminal has been hacked—]
At that point, the call was cut from the other side.
"Hello?! Leonora! Ashley! Cecil!"
Artemisia shouted anxiously at the phone.
"It's no use. The other side destroyed the terminal. You won't be able to reach them again even if you call."
Yutsuki said calmly from the side.
"What did you do to them?"
Artemisia looked at Yutsuki, her eyes filled with fury and killing intent.
"Hah? Why would you say that?"
Yutsuki asked in surprise.
"Don't play dumb with . Everyone lost their mories of . Only you Spirits could do sothing like that."
"Calm down. What benefit would doing that bring ?"
Looking at the emotional Artemisia, Yutsuki sighed helplessly.
"Besides, your companions are in London, aren't they? That's DEM's territory. Why would I go out of my way to send them from Tengu City back to London? If I wanted to take your companions hostage and threaten you, why would I do sothing so roundabout? Also—"
At this point, Yutsuki's voice took on a trace of disgust.
"I have no interest in doing sothing as tasteless as deleting soone's mories."
"…"
After Yutsuki said that, Artemisia finally cald down sowhat. Putting aside whether Yutsuki's words were true or false, if she only wanted to take Artemisia's friends hostage to threaten her, this was indeed too much of a detour.
However, there was fortune amid misfortune. At the very least, her companions were not in danger of losing their lives. That allowed her to relax slightly.
"Then if it wasn't you, who did it?"
"Who knows… To avoid making you misunderstand, before I answer that, let's discuss the second question first."
Yutsuki calmly took a sip of coffee and asked,
"Artemisia, to you, what kind of organization is DEM?"
"What kind of organization… It invented Realizers, gave humanity the power to eliminate Spirits, and brought hope to the world."
Artemisia's voice sounded sowhat awkward. Answering this question in front of a Spirit felt like a hunter explaining to a beast how amazing hunting rifles were. It was strangely absurd.
"Pfft—"
Yutsuki could not help laughing.
"What is so funny?"
"Well~ I was just wondering whether Westcott's acting is too excellent, or whether you, young lady, are too naive and kind."
Hearing that, Artemisia looked extrely displeased. If Yutsuki's earlier smile had not carried any malice, this ti it was blatant mockery.
Seeming to notice the other party's displeasure, Yutsuki shrugged and said,
"Well, perhaps what you said isn't entirely wrong. After all, the nature of an organization is multifaceted. It can be a privately company that grew through business, an ard group with terrifying power, or a political faction capable of interfering in national affairs. If you represent DEM, then it is true that this organization can be said to carry so aning in saving the world. But unfortunately, from my perspective, DEM has rotted all the way from the roots."
"That is because you are a Spirit."
Artemisia refuted.
"No, no. Anyone who knows the inside story would have the sa impression as ."
Yutsuki waved a finger, then took a docunt from her bag and handed it to Artemisia.
"What is this?"
"Evidence proving DEM's countless cris. I have other materials too, but for you, this one should be the most convincing."
Not quite understanding what Yutsuki ant, Artemisia received the docunt in confusion.
The first thing that entered her eyes was the large title on the cover, printed with DEM's full na—Deus Ex Machina—as well as the "Top Secret" mark printed in the lower corner.
Artemisia could not help glancing at Yutsuki.
A docunt of this level was sothing even Artemisia had no authority to read. Only employees at director level were qualified to access it. Only an abnormal Spirit like Hacker could casually examine classified files like pulling cabbages out of a field.
"New Realizer—Ashcroft…"
As Artemisia flipped through the docunt, her expression grew increasingly grave. From initial doubt, to shock, and finally to disbelief.
Ashcroft was a new Realizer developed by DEM to enhance Wizard combat power. Its design core ca from human experintation on a certain Wizard, extracting information from her brain. Based on the Wizard's Personal Territory and its special applications, five Realizers with unique abilities were developed.
Number One—Alice.
Number Two—Jabberwock.
Number Three—Lion.
Number Four—Unicorn.
Number Five—Cheshire Cat.
Artemisia was not unfamiliar with these five nas. They were precisely the weapons carried by her tactical unit, Lancelot.
And when she flipped to the end of the docunt, the Wizard who had been experinted on was none other than Artemisia herself.
The docunt slipped from her loosened hands. Artemisia's expression was filled with complete disarray.
(What… what is going on…? DEM once perford human experints on …? Why can I not rember any of it…?)
Holding her head, she tried to recall that part of her mory. Yet no matter how Artemisia thought, the events of that period felt as if they were covered by a thick screen, hazy and indistinct.
User Comments
0 comments from readers