Chapter 45
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 45
Chapter Title: 5.7 Ghost of the Closed Area
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After lunch, in the afternoon.
I officially skipped my afternoon classes after receiving a summons from the president.
It wasn't like I wanted to skip class or anything.
I had no choice since it was the president's summons.
Whatever.
"Heh heh heh."
The president sat in her gaudy chair, grinning wickedly like the leader of some evil secret society.
Today, the student council room held only the president, me, and Shinobu, the captain of the guard.
"Rejoice, Naibusu. You've got permission to enter the Rune Tower."
"What?! Already?! Is that for real?!"
I jumped up from my seat and shouted at her words.
...Truth be told, I'd known about it via Mind Rune before even stepping into the council room.
Still, I made a big show of it.
Because the president was expecting me to be surprised.
『Heh. Naibusu looks surprised after all. My efforts paid off.』
The president grinned contentedly, pleased with my reaction. Good thing I'd faked it.
"President, how on earth did you pull this off? It's only been three days since I brought it up."
I was making a fuss, but my surprise was genuine.
I'd figured permission would come eventually, but not this fast.
"It was nothing. I just put on a bit of an act in front of someone I can't stand."
Mizuki lifted her chin smugly as she bragged.
Someone she can't stand? Was she talking about her dad?
Hmm. Poor guy. He's such a doting father.
He might cry if he knew his daughter thought of him that way.
"However, entering the Rune Tower is nominally for 'Academy students touring military facilities.' We need military escorts, so we can't just waltz in and do whatever we want."
"Hmm. The military, huh..."
I repeated her words uncertainly.
We really have to go with the military? I'd expected as much.
The Rune Tower was under the control of Japan's military, with strict bans on civilian access.
The military managing the tower had official titles and ranks like the regular army, but in reality, they were more like a nationally sanctioned mercenary group fighting monsters. Japan's actual army duties fell to the Self-Defense Forces.
Most graduates who finished Rune Academy without issues joined the military. Only a few, like my sister who got hired at the Academy or Sana working safely in the rear, escaped that fate.
The Academy was essentially an officer training school for producing soldiers, after all. It made sense. The country poured astronomical taxes into welfare for Rune Holders as compensation for mandatory military service.
Anyway, that's beside the point.
"President. Will any high-ranking officers be among the escorts?"
What bothered me about this whole thing was that 'someone in the military might know Naibusu Winzer.'
I had no idea how the military operated post-Great Catastrophe.
But those who'd shone back then were likely in high positions now.
In other words, the higher the rank, the more likely they knew me.
"Who knows. I don't have details that far. I pulled strings through a high-ranking military contact, but the ones showing up will probably just be grunts."
"...A high-ranking military figure? Who might that be...?"
"One of the Three Generals you mentioned before, Colonel Inazuma. Oh, apparently he's a Major General now, not Colonel. He got promoted."
-Twitch.
Inazuma.
Just hearing the name sent cold sweat down my back.
In a way, he was the last person I wanted to meet.
...No way. A star like him wouldn't show for a 'student tour.' At most, it'd be some low-level soldiers. Inazuma escorting students? What a ridiculous joke. No chance.
And even if we crossed paths by some fluke, 10-year-old Naibusu was just a kid. He probably wouldn't recognize me...
...Yeah, probably not.
"...Naibusu? Something bothering you?"
"Nope. Nothing at all."
I answered with a straight face.
She wouldn't have caught my inner turmoil.
"Hmm. If you say so."
The president didn't seem suspicious.
"Tour group maxes at five. One has to be the escort teacher, so four students. Besides you and Shinobu, who for the other two?"
"Better keep it minimal for now. It could get dangerous. Especially, President, you stay behind."
What if it was a military trap to kill the president!
Absurd plots like that weren't impossible in this trash world.
I'd rather she never left her bed.
And minimize companions.
No telling what might happen inside.
More people to protect meant more burden if things went south.
"Got it. Escort teacher, you, and Shinobu—just the three of us today."
"Yes. But who's the escort teacher...?"
"Shinobu. Bring her in."
-Click.
Shinobu opened the door at the president's words, and a familiar figure entered.
A British-mixed teacher with swaying blonde hair.
My sister, Naiad Winzer.
"...Sis?"
Of course, I already knew.
About my sister being the escort teacher.
I'd heard it from the president and Shinobu's minds, and even from her waiting outside the door.
"Naibusu. Going somewhere dangerous? Why didn't you tell your big sis?"
"Wasn't set in stone yet. I just heard myself."
"You should've told me first and gone from there."
"Sorry."
Sis sounded upset.
That's why I hadn't said anything.
Shinobu was smirking on the sly beside us.
『Naibusu, even you won't do anything indecent with family around.』
Hmph. Shinobu. Who said anything about doing indecent things?
Keep framing me like that, and I'll do it just to spite you. Indecent stuff.
And prove I could even do it with my own sister.
I wished they'd stop binding me with worldly norms.
"And you, Sis—why insist on coming to a dangerous place like this?"
"If my little brother's heading into danger, of course I follow! As his guardian!"
Even as we bantered like idiots, my mind raced.
This might be a good chance.
Leveling up Sis could boost our survival odds in a pinch.
Or not?
If she got half-strong and stepped up recklessly, she might just die pointlessly.
As I pondered, I recalled a mind read from Sis before.
「Sorry, Naibusu. To you, I'm more precious than life—but to me, you're more precious than life. I don't think I can keep that promise.」
...Right.
What mattered to Sis wasn't her own life or purity.
Top priority: little brother. Then students. Herself dead last.
Weak as she was, she'd still jump in if needed. Better to level her up a bit.
"Don't worry, Naibusu. If it gets dangerous, I'll throw myself in to protect you."
"...Please don't. I'm tougher than I look. Seriously."
Having Sis along only made me anxious.
Too late to swap now, though?
Today's just the first day—probably just a tour. I'll go with that mindset.
"Teacher Naiad. Take good care of 'my Naibusu.'"
The president emphasized each word deliberately.
"Of course. I'll protect 'my Naibusu.'"
Sis fired back just as pointedly.
A staring contest between Sis and President Mizuki.
...They don't seem to get along.
『Hee hee. I think Naibusu's sister and I will get along just fine.』
『Pushing Naibusu into such a dangerous place! I knew he hung out with the president, but using him for something this risky! Even if she's the student council president, I'll protect Naibusu no matter what!』
The temperature difference in their minds was stark.
...Sis. Please don't fight the president. I don't want her as an enemy.
"Alright, President. We're off."
"Yes. Be careful, Shinobu."
"Yes, President."
Shinobu bowed curtly.
It's not like we're off to die. Why so serious?
It's just a tour today.
We passed through the staff-only area under Sis's lead and entered the closed zone.
I'd felt it last time, but this place was seriously creepy. Like ghosts might appear.
"Naibusu. You know you're not supposed to come here casually, right?"
"Yeah. I know."
『—』
"Don't sneak in out of curiosity. If you get caught, even I can't protect you."
"I said I know."
I knew better than Sis, even.
Deepest in the closed zone was an elevator leading underground. Ride it down to the military facilities, and at their center lay the Rune Tower entrance.
Structurally, the military base was built around the tower entrance, topped by the Rune Academy on the surface.
『—』
I'd figured I'd return to the Rune Tower someday, but not like this—as 'Academy student tourists.'
Ten years ago already?
During the Great Catastrophe, I'd pushed deep inside the tower.
Of course, no elevators back then.
Most military and Academy facilities were wrecked.
『──』
Monsters pushed out from the tower.
We pushed in from outside, slaughtering them.
Every day felt like war back then. It was war.
I charged monsters ready to die fighting.
Without Yuuki watching my back, I'd have died over ten times.
『───』
I didn't miss those days.
Ignorance let me fight like that.
After ten years here, I couldn't do it now.
『──』
...Ah!!
So noisy!
Fine. I get it.
I'll check it out.
"Sis. Shinobu. Hold up."
"Naibusu?"
"What?"
"Shh."
Static had been buzzing in my head for a while.
I stopped and focused on Mind Rune.
"......"
Like a radio on the wrong frequency—thoughts laced with noise.
I pinpointed the direction.
Narrowed Mind Rune's range there.
Cleared the noise, amplified the signal.
Decoded the buried message.
And then...
Interpreting the mind that came through, chills ran down my spine.
"...Help me.........Yuu......──"
......What the hell is this?