The Clumsy Sister and the Magician of the Library 3
...There was a bit of a commotion, but since our goal was restoring the book, I explained the whole situation to Ui. Once she grasped what had happened, Ui remarked that relics like these really ought to be properly inspected after excavation. Even if I hadn’t touched it, she said, it would have corroded and fallen apart on its own in a few weeks.
Ishmael spoke after reading Hinata’s message. “I thought it was just some hobby club at first, but looking at her attitude and the things she said earlier, Ui is definitely a pro. Kids her age usually poke and prod like Hinata does.”
Dante shared the same thought. Ui’s personality might have been a little eccentric, but when it came to handling relics like ancient books, she approached the work with a seriousness no one else could match.
Ui said there was almost no hope… but she also said the contents inside would absolutely not be light reading.
After that message the video began playing again. Ui, her expression quite grave, was laying out her deductions to Sensei and Hinata.
“Why hold the event at some ruins out in the suburbs when there’s a perfectly good cathedral right here? And the high-and-mighty of Trinity themselves are making a personal appearance? You’re not seriously buying the simple excuse that it’s because the relic has to be examined at the excavation site, are you?”
“And they entrust something that precious to a Sister who can’t even read it? In my opinion, this is extremely important content, and…”
“Content they can’t show just anyone.”
Sensei finished the thought for her, and the girl nodded. Dante sent a message of his own.
Um… this might sound a bit rude, but does that place you live in—Kivotos—really have books with contents that serious? From our side, it’s hard to imagine.
Not as bad as your City, but we have our share of mysteries and serious incidents over here too. The Eden Treaty not long ago, the invasion of the Colors… there have been any number of terrible things. Sensei nearly died back then, but he still risked everything to fight for us.
This time it was Ui who had written. The “Eden Treaty” came up again; it seemed Kivotos was nowhere near as peaceful as Dante had first imagined. Outis, the former officer, fell silent for a moment after hearing that.
“A treaty, and mentioned often enough that… it sounds like there was quite a serious political incident as well.”
Political?
“As Manager is well aware, that place called Kivotos is strangely devoid of adults. And yet treaties are signed, unknown entities invade… which means the ones who have to resolve those complicated problems are girls barely past childhood, plus a single adult.”
“Aigoo, poor kids. Still, looking at how well they’re getting by, they must be managing somehow.”
Gregor, who had lost so much to war, felt genuine pity for the girls. Hong Lu, smiling as though he had something to add, took the PDA from Dante.
So your world has darkness hidden beneath a bright exterior. Conversely, we have a dark exterior and…
For the word “conversely” to work, the people of the City would have to be living bright, happy lives… but from what I’ve heard, that doesn’t seem to be the case. At least we have proper human rights.
“Hah… what the hell kind of place is our City, then?”
Heathcliff muttered in self-mockery. Even to the girls who lived such difficult lives, the City looked far too severe.
Mmm, the mood got a little heavy… but to continue the story, after that Ui asked us to bring her the materials needed for the restoration. Water-moss glue and refining medicine—she said she would restore it by following the original bookmaking methods exactly.
“Hoh. To be so thoroughly versed in the bookmaking techniques of the distant past. Impressive. R.W.S.M.”
Ryōshū smiled faintly.
Ui said she didn’t want such a precious child to simply vanish like this, and that if we brought the materials she would do her utmost. We were so happy. Then Ui’s face turned red and she started talking about Sensei’s b—
Stop! Stooop!
Apparently Ui had snatched the pen away from Hinata. The message cut off mid-sentence, but the Sinners could easily guess what it had meant. Everyone except Meursault and the expressionless clock-headed Dante wore faint smiles—even the cold Vergilius.
“They’re so fresh and green. I wonder if the kids here will ever get to live that carefree someday.”
Rodion murmured. Having apparently gotten the pen back, Hinata sent another message.
Just as we were about to head out to prepare, Ui made a rather unusual request.
An unusual request? What was it?
She asked us to get her a limited-edition cake called Miracle 5000 first thing. She said it was for sugar supply during the work. When I asked if that was also necessary for restoring the book, she glared at me and I got a little scared, haha…
I don’t know why she glared, but it is pretty unusual. From the outside she didn’t seem like the type to have hobbies like that… people’s hearts really are mysterious.
Dante ticked away, but several of the Sinners wore faintly skeptical expressions, as though something about it didn’t sit right.
So we headed to Solute Riverside to get the limited cake. Strangely enough, only people with frowning faces were gathered there, murmuring among themselves. And then we ran into some unexpected helpers.
The video started again, showing the moment Hinata and Sensei stood by the riverbank, watching the crowd and wondering what was going on. While they lingered there looking awkward, someone called out to Sensei.
“Huh? Sensei?”
“What are you doing here?”
Two different girls’ voices. When Hinata turned, four girls were walking toward them.
A short blonde-haired girl, a brown-haired girl holding an ice cream, a pink-haired girl with a drowsy expression, and—oddly enough—a girl with cat ears. The four stood close together like good friends as they approached. The pink-haired one who seemed to be the leader had a blue shield strapped to her back instead of a bag. Another detail that stood out: until now they hadn’t noticed, but every student was carrying a gun.
“Huh? Who’s the person next to you…?”
“It’s obviously a Sister. Can’t you tell by looking?”
“Hey, you don’t actually think I asked because I didn’t know, do you?”
“Hmm…”
“What are you zoning out for again!”
The blonde and the cat-eared girl were already bickering. Kind-hearted Hinata stepped in to mediate.
“N-now, now, please calm down… I’m Hinata of the Sisterhood. Due to certain circumstances, we’ve come here looking for a cake they sell called Miracle 5000.”
At the words “Miracle 5000,” the brown-haired girl eating ice cream brightened. She looked as delighted as someone who had just found a kindred spirit.
“Miracle 5000 cake? Sister, you’re looking for it too! We were here for the same reason!”
Then her face fell again.
“Unfortunately… we couldn’t get any.”
“…What? Why not? Don’t tell me they’re already sold out…”
“No, it’s not that…”
While the brown-haired girl floundered, unsure how to explain, the shield girl—who had been silent until now—spoke in a voice so languid she seemed ready to fall asleep at any moment.
“Because we’ve been designated the sacrificial lambs of twisted capitalist corruption.”
“…What is that even supposed to mean?”
Ishmael tilted her head slightly at the strangely sophisticated—no, outright bizarre—phrasing coming from a child. On the screen the shield girl continued with a dejected look.
“The Miracle 5000… and us.”
“What on earth happened?”
When Sensei asked, the shield girl relaxed her expression a little and explained. Interestingly, unlike when she spoke with Hinata, she dropped into casual speech with Sensei, as though they were close.
“Just think about it simply. Everyone wants a precious limited-edition cake. Naturally the value goes up. Then sooner or later someone gets obsessed not with the cake itself but with that value… and ends up crossing the line. Just one of those stories.”
“…I’m sorry, I don’t quite follow…”
Faced with the airy, abstract way of talking, Hinata couldn’t keep up. The cat-eared girl beside her heaved a deep sigh and apologized in her place.
“Haa… she’s always like this, so please bear with her. We’re sorry. I’ll explain again. Someone bought up the entire stock of Miracle 5000 with the intention of reselling them. On top of that, they kidnapped the truck and the shop owner to stop any more from being made.”
High-school girls kidnapping a full-grown adult? Wait—how?
“The exact method is unclear, but it is likely related to the firearms they are carrying.”
That was Meursault. It had been puzzling them for a while: the overwhelming majority of Kivotos students went around armed. Dante hurriedly typed the question that had been nagging at him.
Hinata, Ui—do you two carry guns as well?
Huh? Guns are essential equipment for any Kivotos student. I use a rifle.
I use a handgun. Um, Dante… are there no guns in that City of yours?
Guns as essential equipment for children—this was the first time they had heard such a bizarre logic. For now Dante answered Hinata’s question.
It’s not that there aren’t any… they’re just ridiculously expensive. The Head slaps a massive tax on them. One decent gun plus a couple of magazines’ worth of ammo can cost about the same as each other.
Now it was Kivotos’s turn to be shocked. Ui, who spent her days shut inside the library, might not have cared, but Hinata had occasion to use a gun fairly often—and clubs that actually fought, like the Justice Realization Committee or Gehenna’s Prefect Team, were another matter entirely. If guns and ammunition cost that much over there, no budget would ever survive.
What?! Then how do people protect themselves over there? Don’t tell me every citizen walks around with body-enhancement procedures?
Ui wrote quickly. The place was already a mess—if they didn’t even have guns to defend themselves, what were they supposed to use?
Well… swords, spears, axes, and so on. Mostly cold weapons. And like you said, there are people who get procedures and just use their fists. As for unusual weapons, I’ve seen keys, a halberd with a cleaver attached, bags that shoot out blades, instrument cases that do the same…
Uh, um… that’s… creative in many ways.
Ui agreed. Why the Head forbade guns was still a mystery. She briefly wondered if it was to keep people from dying quite so easily—but when they went and invented grotesque weapons like instrument cases that spat blades, that theory fell apart.
And while guns are easy to use, there are armor and procedures. Even formal suits sometimes come with bulletproofing.
“…If a fight broke out in that City, it feels like people would just drop dead on the spot.”
“Aw, don’t say that. I’m sure it’s not that bad. Probably…”
Hinata trailed off awkwardly, and Ui let out a long sigh. The more they learned, the more bizarre the City seemed. Just how many more outlandish things would she end up hearing from now on? the girl wondered.