The Aberrant That Appears (2)

Meanwhile, Franc had been searching her laptop for any trace of the story Yeongeun had raised, and she must not have found a thing. She closed it and turned to Yeongeun.

"Still no articles."

"Go on, announce that a Calamity-rank aberrant has appeared in the Pacific. For every country on that ocean, it wouldn't stop at a fire on the doorstep. Even so, they can't keep it secret forever, so the White House is probably just measuring the moment to go public."

"Once they announce it... there'll be a huge uproar, won't there?"

"Mmm~ who knows?"

At Franc's question, Yeongeun turned a peculiar look on me—the kind that said it would depend. Franc's gaze followed hers.

"We've got our Seoha. I don't see it running all the way to the worst."

"You mean if Seoha weren't here..."

"It's a sea blockade. A crisis for humanity, what else?"

Aren't they putting a little too much faith in me? Even I wasn't flat-out invincible. But Yeongeun wasn't the sort to believe with her eyes shut and no plan behind it, so the faith had to be grounded—which would explain the look of understanding on Franc's face.

Under their eyes, I crossed my arms and let out a small sigh.

"Still, a Calamity-rank aberrant really is terrifying. The Pacific Seventh Fleet has lost some of its shine in the modern era, what with ability users in the world, but in raw military power it's a match for a nation's entire defense force. And they had the strongest raid team in existence backing them up—yet the fleet was annihilated and the ability users are MIA. Nuclear missiles wouldn't even work on it, would they?"

"It's likely even anti-ship missiles failed to get through. Nukes... that one we'll have to wait and see. And it wasn't the whole Seventh Fleet that went out, you know? Only part of it was mobilized."

"Ah. Right, you said that."

"Anyway, the whole thing is weeeird~. Something huge happened, but the sense of crisis just isn't hitting that hard, you know~?"

Franc blinked at that, then asked.

"Yeongeun, you think America's going to come to Seoha with its hand out?"

"That's the thing~. Ha, honestly..."

Yeongeun let out a sigh so tight it was uncomfortable just to hear, raked a hand irritably through her hair, and spoke.

"If this drags on, we're the ones who'll have to deal with that thing somehow. Otherwise we can't use the Pacific lanes, and Korea's imports and exports take a massive hit."

"Right—we learned in school that ninety percent of the country's import-export freight moves by sea, and half that volume uses Pacific routes. If word gets out about a Calamity-rank aberrant like this, trade profits are going to crash."

I'd framed it as a question—was I right?—and Yeongeun nodded with a look that said Well, look who studied.

"That's right. Korea especially is short on basic resources. Cut off the imports and it's a killing blow to our core industries. The reason those damned Yankee bastards aren't coming to our Seoha hat in hand is that they know this weakness of ours. They've already concluded they don't need to swallow their pride—I'll step in anyway. And that infuriates me."

Ah. So that's what's eating at her. Hwayeon, though, seemed to think it was too one-sided, and she began ticking points off on her fingers.

"Then could we not simply turn our import and export routes toward the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic? If the Pacific is the problem, China sits right beside us, and there ought to be a way out through the South China Sea into the Indian Ocean. The United States, for that matter, has many states that depend on West Coast ports."

"That's true too. But you're missing the most important thing, aren't you?"

"Something important?"

"Mm. A nation's face. A nation's dignity. Especially when you remember they used to pride themselves on being the world's policeman—they won't want it known that they poked an aberrant that had been minding its own business and drove it into a fury."

"Then shouldn't they come ask me quickly? Handle it before it gets out... oh."

A thought struck me mid-sentence. I looked at Yeongeun, and she gave me a bitter smile—the look of someone who knew exactly what I'd just realized.

"Right. That's where face comes in. This failure has already wounded America's pride as a nation. They can't fail once and then come scrambling over, bowing their heads, begging someone else to catch it for them. Worse, going hat in hand to us—one of those little countries in the East—is something their pride simply will not allow."

"They'd be asking me, not Korea. What about that is impossible for their pride?"

"You think America is going to look at Seoha and Korea as separate things? And then there's me, on top of that..."

Ha. What kind of fucking moronic reason is that? You take a shit, you clean it up. Were they seriously going to let it sit and rot, boil it down into paste, choke it down, puke it back up, and only then come to their senses?

The look on my face must have said as much. Yeongeun heaved a long sigh and, irritation written all over her, tapped the table with a fingertip as she spoke.

"The funny part is, that's the country's position. Look inside, and they're saying the lights at the White House haven't gone out in days—nothing but crisis planning and passing the blame. You can bet they're scrambling in every direction for a solution, agonizing over whether to contact Seoha at all."

"A textbook case of the nation's stance and the government's stance failing to match."

"Exactly. So we watch how it unfolds, and the moment that flying-fish aberrant starts attacking ships, our Seoha snaps the thing up—and we spread America's little screwup across the entire world! They poked a snake's hole for no reason and set a viper loose!"

By the end she was growling, and she brought her fist down on the table with a bang. Little Darky, who'd been sitting up there, flipped belly-up and flailed all four limbs.

"What kind of irresponsible thing is that to say? Do that, and relations between America and Seoha will turn disastrous."

"Uuugh, I know! I'm just mad and running my mouth, so hear it and let it go!"

"Even so, trying to use Seoha that openly is deeply unpleasant."

"Ah, that's only my guess, you know? Don't treat it as settled."

"But you think the odds are pretty high, don't you, Yeongeun?"

"Well... yes."

Miho and the other pets had sat quietly through the whole talk, and Choi Soohan and Sophia had stayed standing off to one side, unable to cut in. In that space, the three lovers' opinions had split.

Hwayeon, for her part, was neutral.

Yeongeun's view was to keep watching, then step in and take the aberrant once Korean ships—or other nations' ships—started getting attacked and the damage began. As for Franc...

"But if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠we ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠do that, people are going to die one way or another. Worst case, if the aberrant is enraged by the raid attempt and attacks an island like Hawaii, the casualties will be beyond counting. Wouldn't it be better to deal with it quickly, and use the press and the internet to remind everyone once more how incredible Seoha is?"

"Mmm~. If we're talking basic human decency, Franc has the right of it. And if we only step in after the damage is already huge, we might catch hell for being late."

"Right? Exactly."

Franc's face brightened at that, but Yeongeun wasn't finished. She raised a palm and cut her off.

"But if we take it upon ourselves to clean up a mistake another country made through bad judgment, that can ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠become a diplomatic problem too. To take an extreme example, they could turn around and say, 'We gathered information on the first attempt and meant to finish it on the next. Why did you raid on your own and inflict financial losses on us? Compensate us for the damage.'"

"Of course, nobody's got the guts to pull that kind of crap on Seoha," she added under her breath.

Franc didn't seem to catch it. She cried out, looking utterly incredulous.

"That's absurd!"

"It holds up. In diplomacy between nations, moral feeling and ethical sentiment are completely useless."

"...Then if we secured a pledge from them requesting aid."

"Then we're right back to what I said earlier. Pride won't let them bend and come to us. Pride and a proper justification come before everything else in international relations. Think about the world we live in—wars break out because someone feels their pride was slighted. Once interests and practical gain get tangled in, this isn't something you can think about simply."

Faced with Yeongeun's political reasoning, Franc had nothing left. She asked, looking glum.

"So we have to wait until innocent people are hurt, just to secure a justification?"

"Mm. If our actions tarnish the dignity of the state and shake America's standing in the world, there's no telling what that country will do."

I'd heard them both out, and the truth was, my ear was leaning Yeongeun's way.

Where raw force was concerned, I was a cheat character. They couldn't put a leash on me just because I decided to run wild. But if I did something that ground their national face into the dirt, America might not be able to touch me—and still take petty revenge by throwing up trade barriers against the Korea I belonged to.

The problem was that petty revenge could be the blow that cut Korea's throat.

Half our cargo volume, a huge share of exports and imports, depended on trade with the United States. Hit us with a trade embargo or trade restrictions and the economy itself would lurch hard enough to shake the whole country.

If it came to that, I could raid, mine Phase Stones, sell them off, and buy up whatever basic industrial goods we needed with the proceeds. But then could you still call it a country? Can you call it a country when the economy rises and falls in one person's hands?

Franc and Yeongeun's argument was starting to run hot. I rapped the table and cut them both off.

"There are two ways to play this. Franc's way: before it's too late, I step in myself and carve that flying-fish aberrant to pieces. Do that, and like Yeongeun said, America comes out waving its pride around, and I answer with force again—the whole thing spirals into a spectacularly trashy mess. And then the aftermath starts pouring in, and that God of Destruction nickname that was quietly fading comes roaring back out."

Franc's color visibly brightened, thinking her proposal had been chosen—then dimmed, little by little, as I kept going.

"And Yeongeun's way: we wait, and if America reaches out for help, I take that hand and help them. In that case, as a transaction between nations, all kinds of gains are likely to come falling our way, right? And since I'd be the one who took down a Calamity-rank aberrant, the rights to the carcass would be mine too. The catch is exactly what Franc said. If the aberrant is already enraged, innocent people could be hurt. A great many of them ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could die."

Yeongeun didn't look entirely at ease either. She bit her lip and frowned.

"To get to the point, this time I'm raising my hand for Yeongeun."

"Seoha..."

"Mm."

Yeongeun had gotten her way and still couldn't bring herself to be glad. Franc looked up at me with eyes that seemed ready to spill over. I reached out and stroked her cheek, and she closed her eyes and quietly accepted the touch.

"If someone does wrong, I think people need to learn what that wrong actually was—and then be given time to decide they ought to do better, so the same thing doesn't happen again. Otherwise those other bastards might start thinking, 'Even if I shit all over the place, Korea will clean it up. Grand Bleu will handle the aftermath.'"

If that happened, I'd have even more reasons to run myself ragged, and knowing my temper, the odds were better than eighty percent that I'd get pissed enough to wipe out everyone who'd caused the mess while I was at it.

I was busy enough with my own work. Where was I supposed to find the time to clean up after other people's shit?

People would get hurt because of it, yes. But the ones taking the blame would be America. So long as Koreans—narrowing the scope, the people precious to me—didn't come to harm, I didn't feel any need to rush in and remove the cause for them.

Yeongeun, who had been listening, slumped forward onto the table with a sigh. Then her eyes lit as they landed on Hwayeon, who had been sitting quiet all this time.

"Hwayeon, don't you have an opinion?"

There she goes, trying to tease her again. Hwayeon, who had been sitting still, turned her head at the question and answered calmly.

"If you want my personal opinion, I support Franc. But if you want my opinion as Grand Bleu's number one, I support Madam. Even so, I will respect Seoha's judgment above all else."

"Aigoo. Look at her wagging her tail at Seoha like a little fox! Franc, while you and I were staking out our positions, she went and tried to score points with Seoha all by herself. Doesn't that just infuriate you?"

"Ahaha."

Franc simply laughed it off. Hwayeon couldn't hide her fluster, and pushed back.

"Th-that's not it. I told you, didn't I? You and Franc had already said your pieces. Why are you cornering me like that?"

"Because it's fun?"

"Kh—!"

Every time Yeongeun teased her, Hwayeon popped off so brightly that of course the teasing never stopped. When was she going to catch on? Face red, she kept protesting, but she was no match for that sly grin.

In the end Hwayeon resorted to force, and locked a sleeper hold around Yeongeun.

I watched those breasts of hers—big as Mount Namsan—heave and jolt, and put my thoughts in order.

Hmm. What if I asked them myself, before America made a move? I look the situation over with my own eyes, then say, "This is how things stand. What are you lot going to do?"

...This doesn't seem like much of an idea either. It could come off as me sticking my nose in. Whoever spoke first would be the one who looked desperate. I might lose the initiative and get dragged along.

"Hack—! S-stop!"

Yeongeun's face had gone red in the choke. She slapped at Hwayeon's arm and surrendered, and only then did Hwayeon—who'd been squeezing hard enough to raise the veins along her forearm—let go.

"Anyway, let's wait. If America isn't a clubhouse full of nothing but morons, they'll know which call is the wise one."

"Kahk—cough. Ahem. Like Seoha says, waiting is the right answer for now. I'll keep gathering information."

The next day I went to school and found the third-year floor in an uproar over the official answer key for the CSAT—Korea's college entrance exam—released the day before.

I hadn't sat the exam, so none of that had anything to do with me. I searched the Certifier and the internet for anything on the Calamity-rank aberrant, but whether America had its information lockdown in good order or not, there wasn't a single related report.

Would Lydia know something?

I got up and walked over to the very back, where Lydia was chatting with Su Yu-ri and Kang So-ra.

"Lydia. I've got a few things to ask."

"Yes? What is it you wish to know?"

At my approach the two of them had broken off their chat and were looking up at me with curious eyes, while Lydia turned those clear eyes my way.

Hmm. Not a conversation for the classroom.

"It's about an aberrant, so how about we step out for a minute?"

"Yes? I—yes."

"I'm borrowing Lydia."

I excused myself to Su Yu-ri and Kang So-ra, took Lydia by the wrist, and pulled her to her feet. Their eyes flashed.

"Mm. Go on."

"You're not hitting on Lydia toooo, are you~?"

"M-Miss Sora!"

That Kang So-ra was a little too much like Yeongeun. I didn't bother answering. I pulled the flustered Lydia out with me and found an empty classroom.

It was an unused spare room with no one in it, and Lydia drew in on herself a little. Kang So-ra's remark seemed to have her overly on edge. But the moment she saw Franc beside me, wearing that faint smile, the tension left her.

"Do you know anything about what happened in the Pacific a little while ago?"

I couldn't ask her everything outright, so I'd chosen a keyword that would draw a reaction if she knew about the incident. Sure enough, she hesitated. She knew something.

"The Pacific...? I-in fact, I also..."

"You too?"

"...I've been so busy with raid team work that contact with home has grown a little sparse, and I haven't heard anything. Besides, I'm only an ordinary princess. No one goes out of their way to brief me on international developments... Has something happened?"

Did I have it wrong? Then again, there was no reason for reports on world affairs to come in one by one to a princess serving with a foreign raid team.

Lily—was that her name? I turned to the middle of the triplets, the girl with the short bob, and asked.

"Lily. You didn't get any particular word either?"

"Our sole duty is to protect Her Highness."

I shrugged at the answer, sharp as a blade. Then the only other place to get information was the branch chief.

Lydia had her hands clasped, gazing up at me with bright, eager eyes. I reached out and stroked her hair.

"It's nothing. I caught a vague rumor that something had happened, and I was curious what it was."

"Is that so...?"

A faint blush rose on her face under my hand. She seemed to sink into thought after that, so I left her with the triplets and went back to the classroom with Franc.

Lydia vanished somewhere after that and didn't reappear until school was over. I was picking up my bag to head home when she showed up, her face set hard.

"Sir Seoha. This way..."

From that rigidly set expression, she'd found something. Had she been on the phone with her home country since lunch? She led me into the empty spare room we'd used at midday, shut the door, and locked it. Then she turned on her Certifier and showed me a photograph.

The image was huge, the size of an A1 sheet, and what it showed was a flying fish. A flying fish—except eight dragonfly-like fins had sprouted near the gills, and the thing was a monster.

The wings were long enough to reach the tail. A saw-blade of sharp spines ran from its brow all the way down the spine to the tail, and the side fins jutted left and right like a pair of sabers.

So this is the bastard that smashed America's G.S. Raid Team 2.

It had to be an ultra-high-resolution satellite shot. Eight scaled wings spread wide, the thing launching into the sky—the motion caught with perfect clarity. I studied it, and a rough sense of scale settled in.

The U.S. Navy destroyer framed beside it looked like a toy. Aircraft-carrier size, at the least?

"This is the one tied to that Pacific incident, isn't it?"

"Yes. The American government has named it Blade Flyer, and classified its grade as a Calamity-rank aberrant—a Highest-Rank Variant. And."

"The thing that destroyed one of America's raid teams and smashed part of the Pacific Fleet. You were gone all that time just to find this out?"

"Nnh. Th-that's because you showed an interest, Sir Seoha..."

Lydia—she'd redone her hair in loose waves—flushed faintly, twirling a wavy lock around her fingertip, embarrassed.

"Was there anything else?"

"Having failed the raid once, America intends this time to mobilize the entire Pacific Fleet, along with the number-one raid team in the world and A-Class ability users."

Franc's brow creased at that. I didn't think it was a particularly intelligent move either.

They weren't asking me for help. They were going to solve it themselves? Wanting to handle their own mess was admirable, in its way. But was this really the best they had? Was there truly no path for America to keep its face and still come to me?

The thing was a flying fish. Fire every nuclear missile you liked—it lived in the water. Even landing a hit would be a feat.

Turn it over as many times as I wanted, it still looked like a stupid move.