Chapter 163: Going Out (3)

Going Out (3)

“Berrieda Ren Casano.”

He’s a well-known figure in C-Section. Various personal details are written in the file, but there’s no need to memorize them.

Because I already know him.

Instead, I searched for him on TrickNet in Trick City.

For reference, TrickNet refers to a magical communication network that only works in Trick City. It’s deeper and perfectly anonymous compared to the internet of the continent, but it requires a dedicated implant called a ‘Trickto Chip’. If you implant a Trickto, you can connect to TrickNet anytime you want using mana as fuel.

I inserted that chip into my wrist.

“It’s a D-grade chip. Upgrade it when you earn more money.” The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m

D-grade chip implantation could be done even on a cheap seat.

I placed my finger on my wrist. As I infused mana, TrickNet appeared like a hologram in front of my eyes, on my retina.

[Connecting to TrickNet...]

[Identity confirmed: D]

[[[Newgle]]]

Newgle, a representative web surfing site on TrickNet.

I searched for articles related to Berrieda Ren Casano.

──A renowned philanthropist and devout religious person. Meet the light of C-Section, Berrieda Ren.

──Volunteering with children.

──Berrieda Ren, advocates for vigilante ‘Mila’. The children of Trick City need a hero...

All of them only introduced his mask and hypocrisy. His shell of deception is still solid.

Well, I was led by his ‘manipulated reputation’ in the past.

I turned off TrickNet and walked towards my destination.

It wasn’t far.

[Ren Orphanage]

Orphanage, Berrieda’s residence. Three simple but well-decorated buildings built on a not-so-large site on the outskirts of C-40 Section.

There must be secrets here.

“Grawl. Can you scan?”

─Yes. Just a moment.

Grawl sat down on the ground with a thud. He crossed his arms with his eyes closed. His eyebrows trembled as if he was concentrating.

─...Do you see that building at the end?

He pointed somewhere in the Orphanage. The smallest building on the Orphanage site. It was the director’s residence.

─There’s a space underground.

“Any personnel or security formulas?”

─I can’t detect any. There’s no one, and no security formulas either.

In that case.

I put a fencing mask on my face.

It’s better not to get caught. The identity of Dale Kal is valuable.

“Hoo...”

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment. I summoned a specific Magic Spell with the 「Notepad」.

Mana gathered at my feet, and the surface of my body became foggy.

Shadow-like movement. It’s a 5th level Magic Spell─「Shadow Spot」.

From level 5, the consumption of magic power is quite serious, but thanks to my growth so far, I can maintain it moderately.

I quietly approached the director’s residence. The building, similar to a two-story house, had a window half-open.

I slipped my body through it. I stepped on the shabby wooden floor. All the processes were done without a hint of noise, like a snake.

─Here it is.

Grawl pointed to a bookshelf in the living room.

─There’s a secret space beyond this bookshelf.

I scanned it with the SZX-9500.

“There’s a formula.”

The security formula was wrapped around the entire bookshelf. Touch it, and an alarm would sound.

─Is that so? I must have misjudged it because it’s made of wood.

“...... It’s okay.”

I lifted my wrist. There was a bracelet similar to a rosary.

It was the 「Blink Defense Bracelet」. An item I brought from Bethune.

I activated it.

──Whizz!

A strong sensation, as if the wind was lifting my whole body.

For a moment, my feet left the ground, and quickly landed again.

“.......”

Everything around was dark, but the SZX-9500 brightly observed the interior.

Nothing special. Carpet, reading desk, drawers, etc... A space decorated like an ordinary study.

But the reality was hidden in a clever illusion formula.

It was the carpet.

I looked at the carpet with the SZX-9500.

There were evidences ‘inside’ the various geometric patterns embroidered on the carpet.

Letters exchanged with the underworld cartel. Proposals to overthrow Trick City and plan terror attacks.

Berrieda, the contact of the underworld, had disguised all the materials he received and delivered as ‘pretending to be carpet patterns’.

Thud-

At that moment, the entrance opened. I quickly activated the 「Shadow Spot」 and melted into the darkness.

Thump- Thump-

The approaching footsteps.

Click-

Then, a faint light turned on and a face was revealed.

Berrieda Ren Casano.

The white-haired man took off his hat.

Then, I grabbed him from behind.

“If you move, you die.”

I coldly warned him, pressing my wand against his back. At the sensation of the magic, Berrieda froze.

“If I see a hint of magic, you die.”

The waist is a vital point. If I detonate a formula in this state, he would be cut in half before he activates his Magic Body.

“......Calm down.”

Berrieda raised his hands. He spoke as calmly as possible.

“If you need money or food-”

“Drop the gentleman cosplayer act.”

“......Young man. There are thirty children here.”

Berrieda’s voice was solemn. As gentle as his wrinkled face, and as merciful as his appearance.

“For the sake of the children-”

“Omertà of the underworld.”

I cut off his words.

The code of silence, Omertà.

The word also means ‘a spy dispatched by the underworld cartel’.

“.......”

For a moment, his lips twitched. A deep tremor ran through his body.

I smiled faintly, and said his real name.

Choosing the right first word. Not too much, not too little, seemingly indifferent but enough to start a conversation.

“It’s probably a waste of time, but our outing time is almost over. So-.”

Ring──.

Her phone rang at that moment.

“Who’s calling...?”

Elise, frowning, looked at the name displayed on the screen.

“!”

She flinched as if she had been startled.

Ring──.

The ringing continued.

Her eyes were fixed on the contact of the person who called.

[Shion Ascal]

Elise took a deep breath.

There was no reason to be nervous. No need at all. He means nothing to her.

Click-

She pressed the call button. She unknowingly held the phone with both hands and quickly switched to one hand.

“Hello.”

─Hey. What are you up to?

He asked nonchalantly.

The first words she had been pondering over, not too much, not too little, seemingly indifferent but enough to start a conversation.

Could it be... was he thinking the same thing as me?

Elise answered as usual.

“I’m studying.”

─I see.

“......Why did you call?”

─I was going to ask when you’re going up to Planarium. We have to go by tomorrow.

His voice was quite low.

“Well, why do you ask?”

─Lend me your hoverboard. I’ll ride it up too.

“......”

Elise clenched her teeth. It was a very practical reason.

─Why. Can’t you?

“You buy one.”

─It’s really expensive. It’s almost the price of a mid-sized car.

Sigh. She let out a sigh naturally.

“I’ll hang up.”

─Hey, by the way.

Shion held her back. Elise asked while searching for a hoverboard on her smartphone.

“What?”

─Can you teach me a Magic Spell?

“......Magic Spell?”

─Yeah. Not levels 1~3.

Elise let out a hollow laugh for a moment. She was dumbfounded.

“If not levels 1~3, so levels 4~6? You mean intermediate?”

─Oh, is that considered intermediate?

“Indeed.”

Elise sat up, baffled.

“You must not know because you’ve never properly learned. Magic Spells aren’t as easy as you think.”

─Oh. I haven’t learned properly.

“...Even if you don’t know the lower levels, the intermediate levels aren’t easy. If everyone could learn just by teaching, the whole continent would be mages, wouldn’t it?”

Elise scanned the bookshelf. There were hundreds of books related to Magic Spell.

“Moreover, you’re an aspiring knight. Magic Spell requires talent. The closer the Magic Spell is to magic, the more so. That’s why you need to first determine whether you have the talent.”

─I have a bit. Of talent.

“That must be wishful thinking. Talent isn’t for you to judge.”

─So are you saying you’ll teach me or not?

“Let’s see.......”

Elise carefully selected books from the bookshelf.

“...Tomorrow.”

She said as she neatly packed them into her backpack.

“I’ll check your talent on the train.”

* * *

The next morning.

At [A Glass of Whiskey], Kanya was checking the accounting books of [Valmant’s Tease].

“We would have gone bankrupt if it weren’t for Death Eater.”

The company she runs is barely in the black this year. All thanks to Dale Kal’s Death Eater.

Of course, if Bethune was still in her hands, she wouldn’t have had to worry about this.

“Ah, there’s no luck at all.”

She still regrets it and has nightmares every day.

But Dale Kal is Valmant’s treasure. Let’s think of it as buying favor.

[Breaking news.]

Suddenly, the TV screen flickered and changed.

[Philanthropist and social welfare worker ‘Belladonna Ren Casano’, who runs the C-40 Section, Ren Orphanage, was found murdered.]

“...?”

Kanya watched the screen.

[The police department of Trick City has created a montage of the suspect based on the testimony of the only witness, a child.]

“What kind of montage is that?”

Rather than a montage, it’s like a fencing mask. There’s an X mark on the face.

“Some guy is in a suit.”

Is it a trend these days?

[Furthermore, the suspect called himself ‘Avenger Raquel’. With the death of philanthropist Berrieda, who advocated volunteer......]

As Kanya Wieder watched the screen quietly, a person suddenly came to mind.

Dale Kal.

She stroked her chin with a somewhat hardened face, but soon chuckled.

“Oh, no way.”

[With the recent prevalence of hate, indiscriminate crime and terror, even the Orphanage, which should be protected the most... The former Senators of Trick City are expected to convene a meeting.]

Creak-

Suddenly, the door opened a bit eerily.

Kanya looked there.

It was Dale Kal. He trudged over and sat down on the counter chair.

“Background check.”

He pushed forward the request for a background investigation of [Berrieda Ren Casano].

“It seems there’s no need to do it.”

Kanya stared at him with a blank look.