Chapter 123
Chapter 123
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Sanka's Fury
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Belluna released her hand from the stop button. The vibration ceased. It had been so powerful that she feared the ceiling might collapse.
What in the world was happening outside? Shortly after Lander left, the alert for defensive posture had been issued.
In the case of Kea, when the defensive posture was activated, all external bulkheads were lowered.
Once the situation calmed, they would handle internal cleanup and resume contact with the outside. But if no word came from the surface, the special protocol for Kea was indefinite self-sealing.
If the situation above didn't settle after that, they would proceed to self-purge procedures—something she didn't even want to imagine.
This place was the Empire's shame. The moment exposure became a risk, everything inside would be tidied away: the facility, the equipment, and the people.
"It seems to have settled for now."
Her colleague said.
"Any contact from outside?"
"Not yet."
"What about the other facilities?"
"We got word via familiars, but they don't know the situation up top either. Everyone's gone into self-sealing."
"If this keeps up, we're all gonna die here."
Belluna sighed deeply at the fish dish Lander had left behind. It wouldn't become her last supper, would it?
With the chief researcher absent, she had to manage the researchers. She calmed the panicked ones and sent them back to their posts.
If a problem arose internally, it would truly be hell.
"I'll make a round. Watch the desk."
"Got it. Come back if anything happens. I don't want to hold your funeral first."
"Thanks for the well-wishes."
Belluna left the desk and descended one more level underground. She patrolled the special containment cells, checking their status.
"Miss, what was that vibration just now? Was it an earthquake?"
"Get us out before it collapses, right?"
"Let's at least have a drink before we die. If this place gets dangerous, they'll kill us all."
Belluna told them it was nothing and to calm down, but she doubted it worked. How could she convince others when she herself was on the verge of panic?
"Charlotte?"
Rounding the corner, she spotted Charlotte. Moving only her eyes, she glanced at Charlotte's cell. The bulkhead had been torn away.
Cold sweat poured out as she grasped the situation. They'd exchanged greetings the past few days, but the girl opposite was a special containment subject.
The moment the unidentified power swirling around Charlotte rampaged, a spot would open in the national cemetery reserved for honorable bureaucrats. Her tombstone would read Belluna.
She needed to stay calm and attempt dialogue. Any rash movement could provoke it.
"Can we talk for a bit?"
"I didn't do this."
Charlotte pointed at the wall with her finger.
Of course you didn't. You don't have that kind of power.
A gust of wind swirled. The "thing" tending to Charlotte revealed its form.
"Unpleasant. So unpleasant. The things rampaging above are utterly repulsive."
"Um..."
"Human child. That 'um' from your mouth just now wasn't referring to me, was it? That's unpleasant too."
"I didn't know what to call you. I'm sorry."
It was pathetic, having to grovel to a bird with only one wing.
But what could she do? The moment that tiny wing twitched, not just her, but the entire facility would be half-destroyed.
"Sanka, stop it."
Charlotte said. Sanka—that seemed to be the bird's name. Sanka folded its single wing and perched on Charlotte's head.
"I told you not to, but they said it could be dangerous if you stay here."
"No. You did well. It could have been dangerous."
Belluna glanced at the wrecked cell.
A room reinforced with all sorts of magical treatments and magitech. Just the detached bulkhead alone was a dizzying expense.
It would tear her hair out come budget review, but for now, survival was enough.
"Sanka, we'll clean up as quickly as possible, so if you could quell your anger and wait inside?"
Sanka lifted its head.
"It seems somewhat cleaned up. That human must have stepped in personally. The roots thrashed wildly. For him to wield that power and emerge unscathed... he can't be called human, yet he smells human. It's ambiguous."
Human scum—that was what it called Lander.
She'd heard it a few times during visits. It used "scum," but without real hostility.
"Belluna, was it?"
Sanka asked.
"Yes."
"I've memorized your name. After seeing you this much, it's about time. Charlotte seems to like you too."
Sanka's body grew faint. The pure white bird melted into the gentle breeze.
"It seems settled, so I'll go. But remember this: above all, I prioritize Charlotte. If those filthy things had erupted one more time over my head, I would have torn this place down and ascended."
If that power, which no bulkhead could contain, reached the surface, what catastrophe would unfold? The Holy City would face disaster.
Charlotte frowned as she watched Sanka vanish.
"Listen to me. I'll stay put."
"It's for your sake."
"I don't want that."
"I don't either. For your safety, I'll do anything. That's non-negotiable. Right now, you're as fragile as a chick fresh from the egg."
Sanka's voice faded. Charlotte, pouting at the empty air, let out a big yawn.
Belluna approached Charlotte and held her close. She had already fallen asleep.
"I can't quit my job either."
She picked up Charlotte. Leaving the child in the half-destroyed cell might draw Sanka's ire, so she took her to the desk.
Her colleague squinted at Charlotte cradled in her arms.
"When did you get a daughter? Did you get married without telling me?"
"Not in the mood for jokes. I just barely survived."
"Chin up. She seems pretty attached to you at least."
"Yeah. That's how I saved my neck."
She gently patted Charlotte's back.
Sanka had said Charlotte's memories would return someday.
When she learned her father had turned into something like a magical beast and died, when she realized there was nowhere left to go, what would become of this child?
"It's the adults who are the problem. Adults are the problem."
If Charlotte grew angry and Sanka empowered that rage, how many could stop it? Only one came to mind.
She gazed at the entrance leading to the surface. Was Lander, who had gone up, safe?
* * *
He had anticipated it. Smoke rising from the spire meant defensive posture had been declared.
But the explosion was beyond imagination. A brilliant flash accompanied heavy blasts in succession.
"I'll go ahead!"
Kalligo called to Guchi and Inebil following behind.
He urged his tirelessly ridden horse faster. He needed to see with his own eyes what was happening inside.
The city gates, which should have been wide open, were shut. Crossing the arch bridge, he shouted to the guard captain atop the gate.
"Special Inspector Kalligo here. Open the sally port!"
Even under defensive posture, his authority allowed the sally port.
Moments later, a small door beside the massive gate opened. Too low for a horse. He dismounted and entered.
"What's the situation?"
He asked the guard captain who came to greet him.
"Unidentified enemies are attacking various districts of the Holy City. We've suppressed some, but it's not over."
"And the explosions? They were no joke."
"We're assessing that too. The Rappas moved first, but the blasts were so massive they can't approach easily."
"Where's the Blue Lion now?"
"In the palace. Fortunately, no direct damage to the palace."
"That's a relief. I'll take this horse. Later, a man and woman on horseback will arrive: Guchi and Inebil. I vouch for them—let them in."
"Understood."
Kalligo mounted. At the end of the straight road from the gate stood the palace. The streets, usually bustling, were deathly silent.
"Where did the explosions happen?"
"8th District."
"Not good."
"We've gone to Alert Level 5. Contacted the military and First-Class Families. Reinforcements from the nearest 'Colsnia' are coming."
"Hope it's just a false alarm. Trouble in the 8th District could really blow the Holy City away."
"We can only pray it doesn't."
Kalligo rode toward the 8th District.
Leaving the main road for alleys. Dead bodies visible amid collapsed buildings.
A gruesome scene. He couldn't even begin to count the dead.
"Vacation over already?"
He encountered instructor Paran en route. Schola students stood in weary ranks.
"Somehow it turned out that way. Has the 8th District investigation started?"
"We've judged approach too dangerous, so we're just sealing the perimeter. Dust clouds obscure visibility—no idea what's happening inside."
"Contact from the Think Tanks?"
"Successive blasts seem to have knocked out city links. Entry teams will form soon to assess inside."
"Who's going in?"
"Myself and the elite instructors will lead. With many troops diverted to the palace for potential secondary attacks, numbers will be low. Who'd have thought the day would come when the Holy City looks like this."
"His Majesty will love it. I can already picture the list of bureaucrats getting shredded."
He snapped the reins, preparing to depart.
"Heading to the 8th?"
"I'll check first."
"It's dangerous—go with us. Elite instructors from Districts 3 and 6 are coming soon."
"You know me. I won't be satisfied without seeing it first."
"You'll get yourself killed."
"Isn't that how the world works?"
"Do as you please. No authority or desire to stop you."
He parted from instructor Paran and pressed on.
Corpses grew more numerous. Crushed bodies too. He knew at a glance: similar to the monsters from the Shield estate.
John—no, Gilliud. Quite the entertainer.
Acrid dust shrouded ahead. Dust that winter winds couldn't clear. Mana-related? Not ordinary particulates.
He touched the necklace he always wore. The emperor had called it 'Legacy,' said it'd save his life at least once. Better not be empty words.
He entered. Touching the dust warped his senses immediately. Like relentless waves of intense magic battering his body.
Entering, Kalligo instantly grasped how dangerous the explosion here had been.
Pushing through the gray fog, as he advanced, a familiar aura registered from afar—one he could recognize anywhere.
It was his unique instinct, others lacked, and Kalligo trusted it well.
He turned his horse. Rode straight ahead. At the end, he met a welcome face.
"Mr. Lander. Knew it had to be you."
(To be continued in the next installment)