Senia, and Jang Seon-hee (5)
Until now, I hadn't given any thought to such things.
Or rather, strictly speaking, I had actively resented them. In this country, people picked fights simply at the sight of black hair, and I had grown thoroughly sick of it. Perhaps, as I gradually adapted to the reality thrust upon me, I had slowly wiped the old one from my mind. There was never any reason to bring it up, nor any occasion to use it after falling onto the Kempf-Litton Continent, so I had simply buried it away. But it had undoubtedly existed—in the typical three-syllable format used back in the Republic of Korea.
Looking back, there had always been peculiar things about Senia. Quirks like the absence of a family name indicating her region of origin, her habit of reviewing lesson material ahead of time—which people in the Principality rarely bothered with—and various other traits that clearly set her apart from the locals. If the explanation for all of it was that she was Korean, the puzzle pieces surrounding her suddenly snapped into place. It made sense for someone cast adrift into this world with no prior knowledge, an outsider from another dimension.
"Have you wrapped your head around what I just said?"
"...Yeah."
Indeed.
I had lived in a world where things like demonic beasts were entirely nonexistent, born and raised in a place with zero connection to mana, let alone magic. And the same went for Senia, standing right before my eyes. Her dark hair was an exceedingly rare sight in this land, but back home, it was the absolute norm. Moreover, the three-syllable name she had just uttered from her own lips—Senia was also a Korean named Jang Seon-hee.
"Then let's get down to business. Remember that conversation about Calyxes you had with Nella before Shanberesh showed up? The truth is, the most crucial part was left out."
"The most crucial part?"
I wondered what being Korean had to do with being a Calyx out of nowhere, but this turned out to be the very crux of the matter.
"A Calyx is a being summoned to grant a desperate wish harbored by someone on the Kempf-Litton Continent. That's why they usually summon people from another world."
"What? That makes no—"
"You know it's the truth, absurd as it sounds."
Though her claim sounded completely outrageous, Senia was clearly not joking. In fact, nothing had made sense ever since I dropped into this world. Plucked from Korea without warning and stranded here. Demonic beasts, the concept of mana, magic itself—back in Korea, all of it was fiction. But now? It was reality. That very fiction had become the world I breathed in, so her explanation couldn't simply be brushed aside as nonsense.
"Then... does that mean I was summoned here to fulfill someone's purpose?"
"Exactly. In my case, it was the Sirens. They told me they summoned me out of a desperate wish for their species' survival."
"...And that's why you want me to remember who summoned me?"
"Bingo. The identity of your summoner matters, but what's even more vital is uncovering the reason they brought you here in the first place."
The survival of the Siren race.
Looking at the dynamic between Senia and the Sirens, it was easy to see. Her slipping away during the Capital Relocation Campaign and navigating their barriers with ease made total sense in that light. However, a problem arose right then and there.
"I... have no clue...?"
No matter how hard I racked my brain, nothing came to mind.
"There must be some tiny clue, right? Start by recalling when and where you appeared."
"Well... I literally dropped right in the middle of the Academy. So I have no idea what they wanted. I don't even know who summoned me in the first place."
"That's crazy. Right in the center of the Academy? If anyone saw the ritual, it would've caused an uproar! Besides, a Calyx summoning circle looks completely different from normal ones—there's no way people wouldn't have recognized it..."
"I'm telling the truth. I dropped out of thin air in broad daylight and fell flat on my ass."
"Huh. So there wasn't even anyone waiting for you?"
"...Nope."
I mentioned how all the students had been questioned, how none admitted to it, and how Professor Jake had stepped in. At that, Senia pressed her fingers against her temples, rubbing them in distress.
"This is bad... This was the exact thing the Sirens asked me to figure out..."
"...Sorry. But that really is all I know."
"I'm not blaming you. The problem is, not knowing this creates a massive complication."
Still massaging her temples, Senia let out a heavy sigh when I asked what the issue was. Then, rolling up her sleeve, she revealed an intricate insignia etched into her skin.
"What's that...?"
"It's called a Summon Rune. A summoner can place this on a Calyx to give a single, absolute command. And that order... is something a Calyx can never defy."
There was no need to ask what kind of problem that posed. The existence of that mark meant a Calyx was bound by irresistible compulsion to carry out a summoner's directive—even if that command was born of twisted malice.
"On top of that, the cure for the Lemterte Plague is tied up in this. It's complicated to explain here, but I'm going to see the Elder. Can you move?"
"After hearing all that, do you really think I could just sit still? Even if I couldn't walk, I'd crawl there."
"Fair enough. Let me give you a hand, then."
The dangers of a Calyx were so severe that the Principality, having endured every conceivable crisis, had placed a strict taboo on them. If an evil being were summoned, the Sirens would have had no way out. To the cornered Sirens, Senia's appearance had been an immense stroke of fortune. Though she had outwardly turned a blind eye at first, claiming she couldn't trust anyone, she was never the type to ignore a matter concerning the survival of an entire people. Thanks to her, the Sirens had previously averted the danger of having their sanctuary uncovered by humans.
From that incident onward, the Sirens placed profound trust in Senia, going so far as to vow never to invoke the rune's absolute command. However, what about Junon? Even if he was a summoned Calyx, there was no guarantee he wouldn't turn hostile toward the Sirens.
It was not that they doubted Junon's character. What if his summoner, through the branded rune, ordered him to exterminate the Sirens? With historical precedent lurking close at hand, dismissing such a possibility would be pure folly. That was why the Sirens had kept Junon here—to uncover his summoner.
If only his summoner possessed a heart as noble as his own.
Although they held another card to play, they loathed the thought of using it. Senia would surely coax every shred of information out of Junon. The Elder merely stared fixedly at the medicine vial on the table, waiting for him to step back into the office.
Knock, knock.
"Elder, it's me. May I come in?"
"Senia...? Enter."
"Pardon the intrusion."
He had asked Senia to send only Junon into the room this time. The fact that she was knocking meant things had veered off course. The Elder prepared to hear what had happened, but—
"You...? Senia, what is the meaning of this?"
"Junon needs to hear this as well. That's why I came in with him."
This time, she wanted Junon present.
"Hmm... First, let me ask: has the matter been properly conveyed?"
"I understand completely now. From the nature of a Calyx to the existence of the runes."
Then it should have been a simple resolution. Why, then, did Senia insist on sitting in? Senia answered his unasked question:
"Junon... says he doesn't know who summoned him."
"Doesn't know?"
"I know it might be hard to swallow, but I truly don't believe he's lying. He said he only learned the word 'Calyx' from Nella."
"Hoo..."
The Elder stroked his beard, troubled.
"Still, you know full well from this ordeal that he harbors no malice. Shouldn't we send it to the Principality to start building at least a sliver of trust...?"
"That is out of the question, Senia."
"Elder..."
Junon merely watched the exchange, eyes blinking in confusion. Seeing this, the Elder picked up the medicine vial and explained:
"This is a cure for the Lemterte Plague. Senia crafted it using Hyplisia, which our kind cultivates, as the primary active ingredient."
At the mention of a new cure for the Lemterte Plague, Junon's eyes widened.
I see... It makes sense. With this, they can assist humans and clear their name.
He had wondered what Senia was concocting; this was the very thing the Sirens needed.
"Sorry. It was classified, even from you..."
"Don't apologize. I get the gist of why you had to keep it quiet."
Yet, the Elder had just declared it out of the question, cutting down Senia's proposal to send the medicine to the Principality without hesitation.
"Are you refusing to send it... because of me?"
"No. You felled Shanberesh, the mortal enemy of our kind—no amount of gratitude would be excessive. However, the simple truth is that we still cannot place our faith in mankind."
"Mankind..."
"If the one who summoned you belongs to the Principality, there is no guarantee our people will remain safe. That is why we cannot send it. Especially with what just happened."
"What happened?"
"It seems no one has briefed you yet. Listen closely."
If it were solely up to Junon's character, they might have handed over the vial without a second thought. However, public sentiment toward Sirens had recently plummeted even further. Offering the cure now would be met with deep suspicion.
I was... asleep for an entire week?
During that time, the very disaster the Elder feared had unfolded. One of the humans who had been detained broke and confessed to the Sirens' presence. News that Sirens had imprisoned humans spread, fanning the flames of hostility within the Principality. Though Cain had stepped forward to passionately explain that the Sirens had actually saved them, a lone voice was easily drowned out by the majority. The Principality leadership urged caution and advised waiting to see how events played out. But what would happen if Junon's summoner intervened right now?
Simply forcing a key figure to lie could result in an extermination order against the Sirens. Therefore, refusing to trust humans at this moment was entirely justified.
Even so, that cure was indispensable to Professor Dahlia. There was no question that it had to be secured at all costs.
"Furthermore, from what we have gathered, word has not yet reached the Principality that you confronted Shanberesh."
The Elder glanced sideways at Senia, hinting that she had gathered intelligence directly from the Principality.
"Then are you telling me to find a solution myself?"
"Precisely. As things stand, humanity will never dispel their suspicions with this alone."
"Elder, that's impossible! In Junon's current state, how could he possibly—!"
"How much time do I have?"
"Junon!"
Senia shot up from her seat, but for Junon, this was the only path forward. Only by minimizing the Principality's losses could he improve his own odds of survival. He had zero intention of backing down.