“Did she leave?”
Yue Ying quietly murmured, as she saw off the aircraft leaving the island.[1] The shapes of the aircrafts were generally rich in variety, from discal to conical. A few kilometers after leaving the island, the aircraft will then blend into the sky. That way, it wouldn’t be witnessed. In rare cases, humans who noticed them would make a big fuss about UFOs.
Yue Ying turned on her heels, and directed her gaze to the shrine. There was no trace anymore of the commotion from when Irukinuf’s Songstress, Lynn, had been given a new tentacle. The Tentacle King was back into meditating, and the 12 Apostles had returned to their posts to fulfill each of their duties. Including herself, only a few people remained at the shrine.
The total number of pillars rising at the shrine were 72. It represented the number of upper Tentacles that served the Tentacle King Swodar Nyarmain and his master, the Tentacle God Irukinuf. The number remained fixed since a long time ago, back when Swodar was called Solomon. As for how much the number would go up were one to include the lower believers without tentacles, that was something Yue Ying didn’t know.
She heard that those who got a role to intervene in the human society, like Rasputin, were accompanied by many lower believers, but that was something irrelevant for Yue Ying. It had been a long time since the last time she was interested about the rise and fall of the nations. When her husband Zhuge Liang, aka Kongming, died, the country he had created fell apart, and she left it all behind.[2]
An eternity had passed since then, the way of life of her former friends and husband having become a myth. She had met the Tentacle King in frustration, and it had been like 2000 years since she became a believer of Irukinuf. And now she had just seen off the girl who left to make a new comrade join them.[3]
By fusing themselves with Irukinuf’s body cells, the believers could acquire various abilities. Their life was greatly extended, and no matter how much time passed, they showed no signs of aging. There were a lot of people that had lived for a several thousand years, like herself, Leonidas, and the oldest from the Tentacle Group, Rama.
But if it was just to follow a life with no purpose, Yue Ying would have rotten away long ago, as others did. During these several thousand years, as one would expect, there had been many who died because they couldn’t withstand the enormous power Irukinuf had given them, as well as those believers who had lost sight of their purpose and perished. In that sense, she thanked the Tentacle King for giving her a purpose.
The purpose the Tentacle King had given her was to analyze the transfer device called the Gate. Being able as she was to have a glimpse of near endless parallel words through the Gate, there was no place for boredom. Still, the annoying part was that Yue Ying could merely look at it, she couldn’t cross over to the Gate’s parallel worlds. Her seventh tentacle, broken off in the middle, and the mere root remaining from her eighth tentacle, were testaments to that.
Even for her, who carried eight tentacles of Irukinuf and had a body close to the ultimate life form, it was impossible to cross over parallel worlds. But, there was someone who had managed to. Lewis, the mother of the “Gate Opener,” also known as the “Gate Toucher.” The analysis of the Gate had gone swimmingly thanks to her. Based on the data she had left behind, they had been able to discover some lost Gates.
By the end of the next day, the adjustment of the Gates they had brought to this island would be over. That said...
“There’s something I’m wondering about...”
The words unintentionally escaped her lips. Occasionally, the Tentacle King acted as if he could foresee the future. He had made Lewis touch the dangerous Gate as if she was expected to. Also, the way he often interacted with the Irukinuf’s Songstress. But even though he had taken measures about the upcoming Irukinuf’s rampage, due in a few years, and told them to obtain the required body parts for Irukinuf’s body to return to perfection once again, these measures were too lenient.
"Irukinuf’s rampage." That referred to the fact that the current, incomplete Irukinuf couldn’t control its own power, so, according to the Tentacle King’s experience and estimations, it would be the year 2012 when Irukinuf’s power would start going wild. Also, it was said that the true power Irukinuf possessed was one that reduced the molecules’ movement speed. In other words, it was the power to cause a sudden drop in temperature. The storm of ultra-low temperature Irukinuf would create in its rampage would not just stop at the collapse of the human civilization, but would destroy the Earth’s ecosystem by means of global freezing.
Even Tentacle King with his current strong body would have a hard time surviving a world where the whole Earth, including the oceans, was frozen. For this purpose, the Tentacle Group was collecting the Irukinuf’s body parts that came to be known as OOPArts, scattered around this world, and in the process were sending out a message: "The crisis of the world is imminent. Gather under Irukinuf, and save the world."
“O King. What are you thinking about?”
Yue Ying, the beauty with red-brownish hair, left the shrine, lost in thought.
Her job as one of the 12 Apostles of the Tentacle God, as a Great Tentacle with eight tentacles ranking just below the Tentacle King’s Nine Tentacles, was to research and start preparations on the Gate. There was a lot of work to do in the island, and many circumstances to consider.
“Lady World’s best schemer, sounds like you’re worried.”
A voice calling out to her interrupted Yue Ying’s deep thoughts.
“Rasputin. Do you need something?”
“Not much in particular, I just thought we could have a little chat.”
The Great Tentacle Rasputin. An elite among elites, that man had risen up to Eight Tentacles in the blink of an eye (in less than a hundred years, to be exact) silently showed up in front of Yue Ying.
“Coming out from a woman’s shadow can’t be said to be a good hobby.”
“Oh, excuse my manners.”
“This is good timing. There’s something I wanted to ask you, too.”
“What an amazing coincidence.”
“The Salzburg Cube was hidden in Russia, that was your jurisdiction.”
“Yes.”
“Did the Songstress really steal a march on you?”
A contemptuous smile appeared on Rasputin’s face after her question.
“Do you doubt little old me?”
“Yes. I don’t think the man that became a Great Tentacle, one of the 12 Apostles, in less than 100 years wouldn't be watching his steps."
His only answer was a contemptuous smile , that she interpreted as confirmation.
“Rasputin. What are you thinking about? Keeping parts of our God’s body hidden.”
“Acts of betrayal would rightly get my tentacles cut off... was that it?”
He took the words straight from Yue Ying’s mouth.
“If you know, then why?”
“Frankly speaking, should I say I distrust the Tentacle King?”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear.”
Yue Ying turned away from Rasputin. The words right now could be considered treason against the Tentacle King.
“We serve the Tentacle God Irukinuf. Not the Tentacle King.”
“Your excessive ambition will be your undoing.”
Yue Ying told him in a mocking tone. Rasputin was still young. Youngsters had the illusion that they were all powerful.
“Then I ask, Lady Yue Ying, what’s this Gate you’re hastening to restore under the Tentacle King’s orders?”
“I don’t know what it is.”
Yue Ying dodged the question, cautious against her partner’s attitude. The reason behind the Tentacle King's haste in restoring the Gate was his intention to use it to send Irukinuf back to its original world. Completing the Gate was the true purpose of the Irukinuf cult, and also why Irukinuf had given the believers its own power. But only a few among the 12 Apostles were privy to this information.
“After sending Irukinuf back through the Gate, what will happen to us?”
“...Who did you hear that from?”
Rasputin didn't bother to answer Yue Ying’s question, he just went on talking.
“Just like Irukinuf, Arukinuf should have drifted to this world, how can we protect the world against it?”
“I won’t let you speak any more about that topic!”
Before Rasputin could notice, Yue Ying had gotten hold of her "Zhǎngsuì jiàn", and now pushed it right before his eyes. [4]
“The Gate is our earnest wish. You need not concern yourself with it.”
Arukinuf. That was a taboo name. Paired with Irukinuf, it was the name of the God of Destruction in a parallel world. [5]
“Aren’t you following orders without thinking, then?”
“This is the conclusion I reached after extensive deliberation long before you were born. And, your thoughts also being leaked to the Tentacle King. You should appreciate our King’s generous discretion.”
“Kukukukuku, is that how it is?”
Rasputin twisted his lips in a smile.
“What?”
“The Tentacle King can’t read the thoughts of little old me. If you think that’s a lie, please read my thoughts, by all means. If you Lady Yue Ying have been serving the Tentacle King longer than little old me, it should be child's play.”
Hearing him say so, Yue Ying looked into Rasputin’s eyes. Even though both were the same rank, 12 Apostles, if Yue Ying had more experience as a believer than him, she should be able to read his thoughts.
However:
“...I can’t read them?”
“Kukukukuku, I’m told this ability is unique to little old me and the Tentacle King. By the way, what do you suppose would happen if there was another Tentacle King with Nine Tentacles?”
“Another Tentacle King?”
The words uttered by Rasputin were very dangerous for the Irukinuf cult, considering the fact that many people of transcendence gathered there. There was only one existence such as the Tentacle God Irukinuf's. And thus, just one Tentacle King as well to wield it directly. That was a law of the Irukinuf Cult in order to prevent fights among the people of transcendence, but if that didn't apply anymore...
***
The Book Building of St. Label's Academy.
A large-sized plate was attached to the entrance of some empty librarian rooms. The words “Literature Club Exhibition Hall” were written on it, with a tasteful touch to them.
“Dorothy, is this good here?”
“Yeah-, that’s qui-te all right. Please put it so that we can see the inlay properly.”
Dorothy was giving instructions to the members, who were arranging the OOPArts that would become the bait in the exhibition hall. They were separating them into several exhibition rooms, out of consideration to not involve in the fight all the other exhibits the rest of the members had brought.
On a white table cloth that covered the folding table used for the exhibition, the genuine OOPArts Dorothy had brought were on display now, unguarded. One could wonder if that was the proper way to treat such precious inheritance...
As she sat on a chair, Alice was half-eyedly staring at the members’ work.
Aah! Hey theere! Don’t even think of grabbing those with your bare hands! If the grease from his hands gets on them, they’re gonna oxidize!
Barely enduring her impulses to start shouting at them, Alice oversaw the preparations being completed. The members wouldn’t even imagine that what they were holding were actually the genuine articles. It couldn’t be helped if they treated them roughly. Yeah, it couldn’t be helped...
“I won't have that-!!”
Hearing her sudden scream, the members’ eyes concentrated on Alice.
“What’s wrong, Chief?”
“Is there something you're missing?”
“Maybe you can't stand not having that[6]... Ugyah!?”
The third boy, the one who had blurted out that joke, fainted when the hardcover Alice threw hit him. He was called Rancourt, a boy who wrote a story about a maid who served everyone for free all over the world in the current literature club journal. Just one of the members who didn't participate in club activities among the large staff, he did get some points for working hard, aside from his ideas.
But, Alice couldn’t stand his personality and his indecent behavior. In times like these, she’d like to have a device that made a pit appear under guys who made vulgar remarks with just the press of a finger.
“What’s that thing you were saying that I don't have yet... huuh?”
Alice rose up, swaying. Since she tried to keep her day-to-day, it seemed like she had to indulge the ordinary people. She closed a new book with a ‘thud’, and holding it, Alice looked down at the boy who had fallen unconscious.
“How long do you intend to sleep? If you have that much talent as a performer, why don’t you become an actor?”
She stepped on the visible half of Rancourt’s face with the tip of her boots.
“Bubehh!?”
“Oh, that’s a good answer. It seems you want to be in the drama club.”
While twisting her lips, Alice raised her hardcover.
“W-Wait a bit, Chief, that’s too much for a joke, it’s too much!”
“Whatever happens with that thing of mine, why would it be your business~?”
“It-It's not, really!”
“If it's not your business, watch your rude tongue. I hate vulgar men.”
Despite having his face stepped on, Rancourt nodded with desperation in his eyes, nod nod.
“By the way, about me acting like I don't have "that", it's not like I specially want to, nor do I want to meet your expectations.”
Finally, she twisted her boot’s tip light with a grinding sound, and raised it from the male member’s face. Since it’d be bad if she got serious, she ended up being gentle... yeah, she'd leave it at that.
“While I’m at it, you guys!”
Next, Alice aimed her sharp gaze at the staff who had been watching the situation. Their backs straightened with a snap.
“No matter if it’s just a replica, don’t touch it with your bare hands!”
The other members gently left on the table the items they were holding.
“Yeah, like that, and treat them carefully! Where’s my reply!?”
“Sir, yes sir!”
“Good! And finally, Dorothy!”
“Yes!?”
Dorothy’s body jumped in surprise, suddenly turning into her target as she was.
“You also have to pay a bit more attention to how these guys act! Get angry every once in a while! You’re spoiling them too much lately! Got it!?”
“Y-Yes!”
Seeing Dorothy’s frightened expression, Alice's bad mood went away.
“No matter if the advisor here, our teacher Faye, is having a break; I won’t forgive you if you slack off.”
After telling off the staff, Alice sat back on the chair she was on until a few moments ago. She had to let it out of her system, after all. As for the members Alice had scolded, they properly started wearing gloves and caring for the exhibits now.
Or rather, if they had some, use them from the beginning-! After retorting in her mind, Alice reached for her cell. She opened it over her legs, making it into a handy palm-sized PC, and operating several keys, requested the required information from the monitor. If watched from afar, she’d only appear to be caught up in a manuscript for the club journal.
Oh, here it is, here it is.
Seeing the e-mail that had come from Hatter, she opened the file burning with anticipation. The title was “Creation Myth of Irukinuf/Arukinuf.” That was her Hatter, achieving such results in one night. Her eyes sped through the file’s contents.
“In the beginning, there were two Gods, Arukinuf and Irukinuf...”
Arukinuf was the herald of fire, destruction and death, Irukinuf the herald of ice, regeneration and death. The two Gods usually had stretched out battles with each other. The flame rock Arukinuf dropped would rebound in Irukinuf’s ice mirror. After a long time battling, Irukinuf was brought down from heaven by Arukinuf’s plan, for Irukinuf to give life to a barren land. Irukinuf prayed to the gods, but they didn’t have the powers to return him to heaven. Even so, Irukinuf's nature was also death, alas. When he didn’t have enough strength to return to heaven, he decided on divine punishment against life. Letting the ground and sea freeze, he came back to life creating a white world. However, Irukinuf gave all new life with his regenerative powers. Irukinuf, wanting to go back to heaven, created life again.
“Hmm...”
A myth of dualism? Alice closed the file. It’s not like she was disappointed at Hatter for only achieving this... On the contrary, that was a testament to what lengths the enemies were going to skillfully hide their tracks.
In fact, the affair at the Museum of the Soviet Army from the other day not only had been covered up in Russia, none of it had come up in any online conversations or phone calls. Underestimating them would prove dangerous.
“With this, all is ready.”
Dorothy sat down beside Alice with a cheerful voice.
“Good work.”
She said, as she folded the monitor casually. Though they were cooperating for now, Dorothy was still a rival, basically. She shouldn’t show her hand any more than necessary.
“You Allie too, good work.”
“I didn’t do anything, I just coached these morons.”
“Yeah, seems like that was a nice reward for them. Rancourty was quite pleased.”
“Huuh?”
Alice replied involuntarily. Did he enjoy being stomped on? Did that guy have those kinds of hobbies?
Guh, how gross. She had to try and stay away from that guy now. For the time being, there was no way she’d go within a 3-meter radius of him. If possible, she’d rather not breathe the same air as that pervert, but since she had to go to school and experience the daily life to inherit the Foundation, she'd have to settle on 3 meters for the bare minimum.
“Do you think he’d be pleased if he was a normal boy?”
“Why? Are all men perverts?”
“Uhihihihihi.”
As Alice looked at her with a confused face, an uncute laughter came from Dorothy’s otherwise cute face.
“W-Why are you laughing!”
“It’s such a simple thing, yet you really haven’t noticed. Uhihihi, what a laugh.”
Alice’s body stiffened at Dorothy’s words. Something simple she hadn’t noticed? It couldn’t be...
“Rancourty was able to see your panties, Allie.”
“Gya~~hh!!”
Despite having been expecting that reply from Dorothy, Alice still screamed the same. The other members went like “Again?” and shifted their gaze to the girls.
“Y-You all, man your posts properly! I mean, get to work!!”
Alice scolded the staff with a bright red face.
“You too, if you notice that, tell me earlier.”
She got closer to Dorothy and told her in a whisper.
“Buut Allie, your battle uniform is like that too, I was so sure you liked flashing them around.”
“I’ll be damned if I do!”
Alice shouted, giving a chop on her head to Dorothy, who was showing a lecherous smile.
Sometimes, when she performed some intense actions in her battle uniform, her panties might be completely exposed, she had to admit it. But that much couldn’t be helped, she needed to wear clothes with a design that could deal with her body expanding due to the Boost, she definitely had no hobbies like enjoying flashing her panties. In the first place, the lower part of her combat uniform was no underwear. That was something Alice firmly believed in.
To think her pants were showing in her day-to-day school life...
“Uugh. It’s the blunder of a lifetime. I’ll have to wear bloomers so that no one can peek under my uniform next time.”
Alice hung her shoulders, crestfallen, and turned her back to Dorothy, who was now crouching and grabbing her head. She was unaware that her fashion choice would draw even more enthusiasts...
***
Four o’clock in the afternoon. Before the gate of the St. Labels Academy, crowded with students going home, there were a man and a woman.
“St. Label's Academy... here it iis.”
A girl holding a map wearing a red flare skirt, reminiscent of some stage clothes, that fluttered in the wind; a man wearing a hakama with a sword in the guise of a swordsman out of a period drama.[7] Both turned their gaze from the school gate to the school building. Though their appearance was highly conspicuous, even if the students passing by their side looked in their direction, they showed no signs of noticing anything weird.
“Was this certain companion said to be here?”
“She iis. Guess you’re no good for thiis, Hi-pon, you're too serious, let's spread ouut.” [8]
The girl with the well-projected voice replied to the master swordsman beside her.
“I’m looking forward to it, then.” [9]
“I’ll go fiirst as a Tentacle Member to see the situation, Hi-pon, please stand by here properlyy.” [10]
“Acknowledged.”
The swordsman retreated one step, and his figure disappeared as if vanishing into thin air.
“A shadow line technique at that, you’re quite skillful for a masteer.” [11]
Showing her admiration, the girl stepped towards the school building.
***
The Dorchester Pot. Found on 1852 in Massachusetts, Dorchester. A metal pot resembling a bell-shaped vase, a floral design is exquisite inlaid in sterling silver on its side. From the excavated stratum, it was thought to be more than 100,000 years old. [12]
The Spear of Kushiro. An iron spear found on 1931 in the aqueous rock cliff on the coast of Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan. Since it’d have been created after the aqueous rock precipitated into the water and deposited itself there, the lowest estimates assume it was buried tens of thousands of years ago. [13]
The inheritances Dorothy brought were these two items that could be called first-class OOPArts at the same level as the Salzburg Cube. Like the Salzburg Cube, they shared the common trait that the metal hadn’t corroded even after tens of thousands of years.
Besides, there were crystal skulls and dinosaur figures, the fossil of a trilobite stepped on by sandals, such OOPArts easily understandable by the commoners were displayed; they were taking tally of the replicas now. [14]
“Even so, I can't believe...”
Alice turned to the Dorchester Pot. At first glance it only looked like an antique vase so she hadn’t paid it any notice, but it sure looked magnificent when displayed at the club room.
“Since when is it here?”
“If you mean the pot, it’s been here since spring. Since the club room is so tasteless, I brought it to decorate it with some flowers, you hadn’t noticed?”
“I had not.”
Alice asserted so flatly. Where in the world would you find someone fool enough to use OOPArts like this! Ah, standing in front of her, right?
“So, how will we lure those people?”
“You don’t need to worry.”
With a big smile, Dorothy held out her mobile phone's liquid crystal panel in front of Alice. On it was displayed an advertising blog about the activities of the literature club.
“Scarecrow said that, since they seemed to be monitoring our actions, there should be a reaction even if we scatter just a little bait around.”
A bit lackadaisical operation plan for Alice, who hung her head again. But, Mudhead there aside, Scarecrow could be trusted. It was also thanks to her subordinate that Dorothy could continue Treasure Hunting on a level similar to hers.
“You don’t mean that’s everything, right?”
“Of course. Based on our encounter at that Museum of the Soviet Army, Scarecrow made a detector.”
“A detector?”
“More accurately, it’s a sensor that receives the unique vibration waves the invisible tentacles emit.”
In the middle of Dorothy’s proper explanation, a vigorous music suddenly began playing from her mobile. It was quite reminiscent of the march of a military band, it really didn’t fit her style.
“This way, when it catches those guys’ natural vibration waves, it’ll tell us through a special melody and red flashes.”
The mobile in Dorothy’s hand blinked red once and again.
“It’s failing right away?”
“I don’t think that's the case, but...”
Dorothy violently hit the mobile.
“Ah!”
Alice was at a loss for words, but Dorothy continued impudently abusing her cell all the same.
“Father says that most machines get fixed if you hit them.”
“But, isn’t that bad for a precision instrument?”
“Uhihihi, Father’s words aren’t wrong.”
Dorothy hit the mobile with a firm confidence. However, the flashing showed no signs of stopping. On the contrary, it was getting more and more intense. And there were more of them than before too.
“Won’t it get broken?”
“No, if it broke with just this much, it wouldn’t qualify as a tool for a Treasure Hunter.”
As Dorothy pouted, she showed off the mobile’s emblem to Alice. It was the mark of the communication company Metalcom, under the umbrella of the Baum Foundation. Its slogan was, “It won’t break even if pounded with a hammer:” it was a product from manufacturers that dealt with sturdiness. It wouldn’t break with Dorothy’s strikes.
“So that means... it can't be?”
“Isn’t this too early?”
Alice and Dorothy looked at each other.
“Nyufufufufufu.”
At that time, following the familiar sounding laughter:
“Hee~lloooo~~~”
A well-projected voice echoed. A melody faintly reminiscent of a harp overlapped with the girl’s transparent voice.
“She really came.”
“She did come.”
Alice and Dorothy remained in the same posture they had when they were looking at each other, only their gaze turned to the entrance.
“I fancied a vii~~~siit”
Shining with a brightening expression, a girl in a fluttering red skirt was looking at them from the exhibition hall's entrance. There was no mistake. She was the one who had taken the Salzburg Cube from the Museum of the Soviet Army, the alleged "Irukinuf’s Songstress."
“Could I have a touur?”
“Yes, that’s okay. It’s not open to the public yet, though.”
Protecting Dorothy behind her, Alice stepped forward to face Lynn, Irukinuf’s Songstress.
“Thank you very muuch. Since I have something important to tell to you while I’m at iit, I wished the unrelated people would leeave.”
As Lynn was speaking, the staff cheerfully began getting ready to go back home.
“Well then seniors, we’re going ahead-“
“Oh? Isn’t it still too early?”
The hands on the watch were a little past four o’clock. It was a little early to go back home for all those members who liked to get caught up in useless debates until five at least.
“We don’t know why, but we want to go back.”
The staff answered Dorothy’s question.
“Yeah, it’s like we mustn’t be here.”
“Come to think of it, I’ve been hungry for a while.”
As they answered without free will, the members finished getting ready to leave.
“Allie, this is...”
Dorothy whispered. None of the members was looking at Lynn. They unconsciously tried not to catch sight of her.
“Do you understand why?”
“Yes.”
Dorothy’s mobile blinked again. A special sensor placed inside it was sensing some kind of waves being emitted beyond the human audible range. This was one of the features Scarecrow had prepared in response to the encounter from the other day.
“It seems that girl is able to control others with some sort of hypnotic wave.”
The guards at Moscow had been a little strange too, they probably had been manipulated in this same way. And she was likely making the members here leave with a trick of the sort. It seemed the other party wanted to reduce as much as possible dealing with the aftermath of involving innocents.
“But, why aren’t we affected?”
Alice shrugged her shoulders at Dorothy’s question, opened both hands and after answering with a zany “Who knows?”, she lowered her arms and lightly clenched her fists. What she was holding now was metal balls of about 2 cm of diameter that had fallen from her sleeve and rolled into her hands.
Stun Balls. They were a non-lethal weapon that used a high-voltage current to give a strong shock and stun the victim. Lynn’s hypnotic waves probably had directivity, and were likely not to affect anyone but the victims they were aimed at. [15] If she aimed them at Alice, it was no problem since her familiar Kuranes who camouflaged as hair ornaments would neutralize it, but what would happen if Dorothy was the one targeted? It’d be tough if she got attacked from behind.
Should she stun Dorothy before it was too late? Since she was a friend, she had chosen the Stun Balls out of consideration.
“Just because we won't be here, don’t do naughty things with our senior Dorothy.”
Alice’s tension vanished at once hearing the staff’s words.
“W-Who would?! I am normal!”
Hearing Alice’s roar, the members went out of the exhibition room in small groups.
“Good grief...”
Dorothy, don’t worry. If you got manipulated by the hypnotic waves, you would attack in the same way as the guards from the Museum of the Soviet Army, and there’s no way Scarecrow wouldn’t have taken measures to prevent it.
Still, even if she said it herself, she had quite the high opinion of Scarecrow. Alice involuntarily smiled with some self-scorn.
“Nyufufufufu, having fun is the most importaant.”
Laughing with a smile, Lynn reached out to the heritages placed on the table.
“Hey there, don’t touch the exhibits without permission.”
“Aw~, stingyy.”
“Then, what did you come for?”
“You’re so impatieent. But, it’s good that you understaand.”
Lynn took half a step away from the table the exhibits were placed on, and theatrically spread both arms.
“I’ll be frank: become our comraade.”
“What’s in it for me if I become your comrade?”
Alice asked, hiding the Stun Ball behind her.
“If you meet the expectations of the Tentacle King Lord Swodar Nyarmain, you’ll obtain a life span of several hundred yeaars. And, you’ll remain youung!”
Alice reacted to the name Lynn spoke of. Swodar Nyarmain: the first discoverer of the Highlands’ megalithic structure. And the same man that might have been together with her mother Lewis, just before she went missing.
“What did you say just now?”
“A life span of several hundred yeaars~”
“No, before that! The Tentacle
“Did she leave?”
Yue Ying quietly murmured, as she saw off the aircraft leaving the island.[1] The shapes of the aircrafts were generally rich in variety, from discal to conical. A few kilometers after leaving the island, the aircraft will then blend into the sky. That way, it wouldn’t be witnessed. In rare cases, humans who noticed them would make a big fuss about UFOs.
Yue Ying turned on her heels, and directed her gaze to the shrine. There was no trace anymore of the commotion from when Irukinuf’s Songstress, Lynn, had been given a new tentacle. The Tentacle King was back into meditating, and the 12 Apostles had returned to their posts to fulfill each of their duties. Including herself, only a few people remained at the shrine.
The total number of pillars rising at the shrine were 72. It represented the number of upper Tentacles that served the Tentacle King Swodar Nyarmain and his master, the Tentacle God Irukinuf. The number remained fixed since a long time ago, back when Swodar was called Solomon. As for how much the number would go up were one to include the lower believers without tentacles, that was something Yue Ying didn’t know.
She heard that those who got a role to intervene in the human society, like Rasputin, were accompanied by many lower believers, but that was something irrelevant for Yue Ying. It had been a long time since the last time she was interested about the rise and fall of the nations. When her husband Zhuge Liang, aka Kongming, died, the country he had created fell apart, and she left it all behind.[2]
An eternity had passed since then, the way of life of her former friends and husband having become a myth. She had met the Tentacle King in frustration, and it had been like 2000 years since she became a believer of Irukinuf. And now she had just seen off the girl who left to make a new comrade join them.[3]
By fusing themselves with Irukinuf’s body cells, the believers could acquire various abilities. Their life was greatly extended, and no matter how much time passed, they showed no signs of aging. There were a lot of people that had lived for a several thousand years, like herself, Leonidas, and the oldest from the Tentacle Group, Rama.
But if it was just to follow a life with no purpose, Yue Ying would have rotten away long ago, as others did. During these several thousand years, as one would expect, there had been many who died because they couldn’t withstand the enormous power Irukinuf had given them, as well as those believers who had lost sight of their purpose and perished. In that sense, she thanked the Tentacle King for giving her a purpose.
The purpose the Tentacle King had given her was to analyze the transfer device called the Gate. Being able as she was to have a glimpse of near endless parallel words through the Gate, there was no place for boredom. Still, the annoying part was that Yue Ying could merely look at it, she couldn’t cross over to the Gate’s parallel worlds. Her seventh tentacle, broken off in the middle, and the mere root remaining from her eighth tentacle, were testaments to that.
Even for her, who carried eight tentacles of Irukinuf and had a body close to the ultimate life form, it was impossible to cross over parallel worlds. But, there was someone who had managed to. Lewis, the mother of the “Gate Opener,” also known as the “Gate Toucher.” The analysis of the Gate had gone swimmingly thanks to her. Based on the data she had left behind, they had been able to discover some lost Gates.
By the end of the next day, the adjustment of the Gates they had brought to this island would be over. That said...
“There’s something I’m wondering about...”
The words unintentionally escaped her lips. Occasionally, the Tentacle King acted as if he could foresee the future. He had made Lewis touch the dangerous Gate as if she was expected to. Also, the way he often interacted with the Irukinuf’s Songstress. But even though he had taken measures about the upcoming Irukinuf’s rampage, due in a few years, and told them to obtain the required body parts for Irukinuf’s body to return to perfection once again, these measures were too lenient.
"Irukinuf’s rampage." That referred to the fact that the current, incomplete Irukinuf couldn’t control its own power, so, according to the Tentacle King’s experience and estimations, it would be the year 2012 when Irukinuf’s power would start going wild. Also, it was said that the true power Irukinuf possessed was one that reduced the molecules’ movement speed. In other words, it was the power to cause a sudden drop in temperature. The storm of ultra-low temperature Irukinuf would create in its rampage would not just stop at the collapse of the human civilization, but would destroy the Earth’s ecosystem by means of global freezing.
Even Tentacle King with his current strong body would have a hard time surviving a world where the whole Earth, including the oceans, was frozen. For this purpose, the Tentacle Group was collecting the Irukinuf’s body parts that came to be known as OOPArts, scattered around this world, and in the process were sending out a message: "The crisis of the world is imminent. Gather under Irukinuf, and save the world."
“O King. What are you thinking about?”
Yue Ying, the beauty with red-brownish hair, left the shrine, lost in thought.
Her job as one of the 12 Apostles of the Tentacle God, as a Great Tentacle with eight tentacles ranking just below the Tentacle King’s Nine Tentacles, was to research and start preparations on the Gate. There was a lot of work to do in the island, and many circumstances to consider.
“Lady World’s best schemer, sounds like you’re worried.”
A voice calling out to her interrupted Yue Ying’s deep thoughts.
“Rasputin. Do you need something?”
“Not much in particular, I just thought we could have a little chat.”
The Great Tentacle Rasputin. An elite among elites, that man had risen up to Eight Tentacles in the blink of an eye (in less than a hundred years, to be exact) silently showed up in front of Yue Ying.
“Coming out from a woman’s shadow can’t be said to be a good hobby.”
“Oh, excuse my manners.”
“This is good timing. There’s something I wanted to ask you, too.”
“What an amazing coincidence.”
“The Salzburg Cube was hidden in Russia, that was your jurisdiction.”
“Yes.”
“Did the Songstress really steal a march on you?”
A contemptuous smile appeared on Rasputin’s face after her question.
“Do you doubt little old me?”
“Yes. I don’t think the man that became a Great Tentacle, one of the 12 Apostles, in less than 100 years wouldn't be watching his steps."
His only answer was a contemptuous smile , that she interpreted as confirmation.
“Rasputin. What are you thinking about? Keeping parts of our God’s body hidden.”
“Acts of betrayal would rightly get my tentacles cut off... was that it?”
He took the words straight from Yue Ying’s mouth.
“If you know, then why?”
“Frankly speaking, should I say I distrust the Tentacle King?”
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear.”
Yue Ying turned away from Rasputin. The words right now could be considered treason against the Tentacle King.
“We serve the Tentacle God Irukinuf. Not the Tentacle King.”
“Your excessive ambition will be your undoing.”
Yue Ying told him in a mocking tone. Rasputin was still young. Youngsters had the illusion that they were all powerful.
“Then I ask, Lady Yue Ying, what’s this Gate you’re hastening to restore under the Tentacle King’s orders?”
“I don’t know what it is.”
Yue Ying dodged the question, cautious against her partner’s attitude. The reason behind the Tentacle King's haste in restoring the Gate was his intention to use it to send Irukinuf back to its original world. Completing the Gate was the true purpose of the Irukinuf cult, and also why Irukinuf had given the believers its own power. But only a few among the 12 Apostles were privy to this information.
“After sending Irukinuf back through the Gate, what will happen to us?”
“...Who did you hear that from?”
Rasputin didn't bother to answer Yue Ying’s question, he just went on talking.
“Just like Irukinuf, Arukinuf should have drifted to this world, how can we protect the world against it?”
“I won’t let you speak any more about that topic!”
Before Rasputin could notice, Yue Ying had gotten hold of her "Zhǎngsuì jiàn", and now pushed it right before his eyes. [4]
“The Gate is our earnest wish. You need not concern yourself with it.”
Arukinuf. That was a taboo name. Paired with Irukinuf, it was the name of the God of Destruction in a parallel world. [5]
“Aren’t you following orders without thinking, then?”
“This is the conclusion I reached after extensive deliberation long before you were born. And, your thoughts also being leaked to the Tentacle King. You should appreciate our King’s generous discretion.”
“Kukukukuku, is that how it is?”
Rasputin twisted his lips in a smile.
“What?”
“The Tentacle King can’t read the thoughts of little old me. If you think that’s a lie, please read my thoughts, by all means. If you Lady Yue Ying have been serving the Tentacle King longer than little old me, it should be child's play.”
Hearing him say so, Yue Ying looked into Rasputin’s eyes. Even though both were the same rank, 12 Apostles, if Yue Ying had more experience as a believer than him, she should be able to read his thoughts.
However:
“...I can’t read them?”
“Kukukukuku, I’m told this ability is unique to little old me and the Tentacle King. By the way, what do you suppose would happen if there was another Tentacle King with Nine Tentacles?”
“Another Tentacle King?”
The words uttered by Rasputin were very dangerous for the Irukinuf cult, considering the fact that many people of transcendence gathered there. There was only one existence such as the Tentacle God Irukinuf's. And thus, just one Tentacle King as well to wield it directly. That was a law of the Irukinuf Cult in order to prevent fights among the people of transcendence, but if that didn't apply anymore...
***
The Book Building of St. Label's Academy.
A large-sized plate was attached to the entrance of some empty librarian rooms. The words “Literature Club Exhibition Hall” were written on it, with a tasteful touch to them.
“Dorothy, is this good here?”
“Yeah-, that’s qui-te all right. Please put it so that we can see the inlay properly.”
Dorothy was giving instructions to the members, who were arranging the OOPArts that would become the bait in the exhibition hall. They were separating them into several exhibition rooms, out of consideration to not involve in the fight all the other exhibits the rest of the members had brought.
On a white table cloth that covered the folding table used for the exhibition, the genuine OOPArts Dorothy had brought were on display now, unguarded. One could wonder if that was the proper way to treat such precious inheritance...
As she sat on a chair, Alice was half-eyedly staring at the members’ work.
Aah! Hey theere! Don’t even think of grabbing those with your bare hands! If the grease from his hands gets on them, they’re gonna oxidize!
Barely enduring her impulses to start shouting at them, Alice oversaw the preparations being completed. The members wouldn’t even imagine that what they were holding were actually the genuine articles. It couldn’t be helped if they treated them roughly. Yeah, it couldn’t be helped...
“I won't have that-!!”
Hearing her sudden scream, the members’ eyes concentrated on Alice.
“What’s wrong, Chief?”
“Is there something you're missing?”
“Maybe you can't stand not having that[6]... Ugyah!?”
The third boy, the one who had blurted out that joke, fainted when the hardcover Alice threw hit him. He was called Rancourt, a boy who wrote a story about a maid who served everyone for free all over the world in the current literature club journal. Just one of the members who didn't participate in club activities among the large staff, he did get some points for working hard, aside from his ideas.
But, Alice couldn’t stand his personality and his indecent behavior. In times like these, she’d like to have a device that made a pit appear under guys who made vulgar remarks with just the press of a finger.
“What’s that thing you were saying that I don't have yet... huuh?”
Alice rose up, swaying. Since she tried to keep her day-to-day, it seemed like she had to indulge the ordinary people. She closed a new book with a ‘thud’, and holding it, Alice looked down at the boy who had fallen unconscious.
“How long do you intend to sleep? If you have that much talent as a performer, why don’t you become an actor?”
She stepped on the visible half of Rancourt’s face with the tip of her boots.
“Bubehh!?”
“Oh, that’s a good answer. It seems you want to be in the drama club.”
While twisting her lips, Alice raised her hardcover.
“W-Wait a bit, Chief, that’s too much for a joke, it’s too much!”
“Whatever happens with that thing of mine, why would it be your business~?”
“It-It's not, really!”
“If it's not your business, watch your rude tongue. I hate vulgar men.”
Despite having his face stepped on, Rancourt nodded with desperation in his eyes, nod nod.
“By the way, about me acting like I don't have "that", it's not like I specially want to, nor do I want to meet your expectations.”
Finally, she twisted her boot’s tip light with a grinding sound, and raised it from the male member’s face. Since it’d be bad if she got serious, she ended up being gentle... yeah, she'd leave it at that.
“While I’m at it, you guys!”
Next, Alice aimed her sharp gaze at the staff who had been watching the situation. Their backs straightened with a snap.
“No matter if it’s just a replica, don’t touch it with your bare hands!”
The other members gently left on the table the items they were holding.
“Yeah, like that, and treat them carefully! Where’s my reply!?”
“Sir, yes sir!”
“Good! And finally, Dorothy!”
“Yes!?”
Dorothy’s body jumped in surprise, suddenly turning into her target as she was.
“You also have to pay a bit more attention to how these guys act! Get angry every once in a while! You’re spoiling them too much lately! Got it!?”
“Y-Yes!”
Seeing Dorothy’s frightened expression, Alice's bad mood went away.
“No matter if the advisor here, our teacher Faye, is having a break; I won’t forgive you if you slack off.”
After telling off the staff, Alice sat back on the chair she was on until a few moments ago. She had to let it out of her system, after all. As for the members Alice had scolded, they properly started wearing gloves and caring for the exhibits now.
Or rather, if they had some, use them from the beginning-! After retorting in her mind, Alice reached for her cell. She opened it over her legs, making it into a handy palm-sized PC, and operating several keys, requested the required information from the monitor. If watched from afar, she’d only appear to be caught up in a manuscript for the club journal.
Oh, here it is, here it is.
Seeing the e-mail that had come from Hatter, she opened the file burning with anticipation. The title was “Creation Myth of Irukinuf/Arukinuf.” That was her Hatter, achieving such results in one night. Her eyes sped through the file’s contents.
“In the beginning, there were two Gods, Arukinuf and Irukinuf...”
Arukinuf was the herald of fire, destruction and death, Irukinuf the herald of ice, regeneration and death. The two Gods usually had stretched out battles with each other. The flame rock Arukinuf dropped would rebound in Irukinuf’s ice mirror. After a long time battling, Irukinuf was brought down from heaven by Arukinuf’s plan, for Irukinuf to give life to a barren land. Irukinuf prayed to the gods, but they didn’t have the powers to return him to heaven. Even so, Irukinuf's nature was also death, alas. When he didn’t have enough strength to return to heaven, he decided on divine punishment against life. Letting the ground and sea freeze, he came back to life creating a white world. However, Irukinuf gave all new life with his regenerative powers. Irukinuf, wanting to go back to heaven, created life again.
“Hmm...”
A myth of dualism? Alice closed the file. It’s not like she was disappointed at Hatter for only achieving this... On the contrary, that was a testament to what lengths the enemies were going to skillfully hide their tracks.
In fact, the affair at the Museum of the Soviet Army from the other day not only had been covered up in Russia, none of it had come up in any online conversations or phone calls. Underestimating them would prove dangerous.
“With this, all is ready.”
Dorothy sat down beside Alice with a cheerful voice.
“Good work.”
She said, as she folded the monitor casually. Though they were cooperating for now, Dorothy was still a rival, basically. She shouldn’t show her hand any more than necessary.
“You Allie too, good work.”
“I didn’t do anything, I just coached these morons.”
“Yeah, seems like that was a nice reward for them. Rancourty was quite pleased.”
“Huuh?”
Alice replied involuntarily. Did he enjoy being stomped on? Did that guy have those kinds of hobbies?
Guh, how gross. She had to try and stay away from that guy now. For the time being, there was no way she’d go within a 3-meter radius of him. If possible, she’d rather not breathe the same air as that pervert, but since she had to go to school and experience the daily life to inherit the Foundation, she'd have to settle on 3 meters for the bare minimum.
“Do you think he’d be pleased if he was a normal boy?”
“Why? Are all men perverts?”
“Uhihihihihi.”
As Alice looked at her with a confused face, an uncute laughter came from Dorothy’s otherwise cute face.
“W-Why are you laughing!”
“It’s such a simple thing, yet you really haven’t noticed. Uhihihi, what a laugh.”
Alice’s body stiffened at Dorothy’s words. Something simple she hadn’t noticed? It couldn’t be...
“Rancourty was able to see your panties, Allie.”
“Gya~~hh!!”
Despite having been expecting that reply from Dorothy, Alice still screamed the same. The other members went like “Again?” and shifted their gaze to the girls.
“Y-You all, man your posts properly! I mean, get to work!!”
Alice scolded the staff with a bright red face.
“You too, if you notice that, tell me earlier.”
She got closer to Dorothy and told her in a whisper.
“Buut Allie, your battle uniform is like that too, I was so sure you liked flashing them around.”
“I’ll be damned if I do!”
Alice shouted, giving a chop on her head to Dorothy, who was showing a lecherous smile.
Sometimes, when she performed some intense actions in her battle uniform, her panties might be completely exposed, she had to admit it. But that much couldn’t be helped, she needed to wear clothes with a design that could deal with her body expanding due to the Boost, she definitely had no hobbies like enjoying flashing her panties. In the first place, the lower part of her combat uniform was no underwear. That was something Alice firmly believed in.
To think her pants were showing in her day-to-day school life...
“Uugh. It’s the blunder of a lifetime. I’ll have to wear bloomers so that no one can peek under my uniform next time.”
Alice hung her shoulders, crestfallen, and turned her back to Dorothy, who was now crouching and grabbing her head. She was unaware that her fashion choice would draw even more enthusiasts...
***
Four o’clock in the afternoon. Before the gate of the St. Labels Academy, crowded with students going home, there were a man and a woman.
“St. Label's Academy... here it iis.”
A girl holding a map wearing a red flare skirt, reminiscent of some stage clothes, that fluttered in the wind; a man wearing a hakama with a sword in the guise of a swordsman out of a period drama.[7] Both turned their gaze from the school gate to the school building. Though their appearance was highly conspicuous, even if the students passing by their side looked in their direction, they showed no signs of noticing anything weird.
“Was this certain companion said to be here?”
“She iis. Guess you’re no good for thiis, Hi-pon, you're too serious, let's spread ouut.” [8]
The girl with the well-projected voice replied to the master swordsman beside her.
“I’m looking forward to it, then.” [9]
“I’ll go fiirst as a Tentacle Member to see the situation, Hi-pon, please stand by here properlyy.” [10]
“Acknowledged.”
The swordsman retreated one step, and his figure disappeared as if vanishing into thin air.
“A shadow line technique at that, you’re quite skillful for a masteer.” [11]
Showing her admiration, the girl stepped towards the school building.
***
The Dorchester Pot. Found on 1852 in Massachusetts, Dorchester. A metal pot resembling a bell-shaped vase, a floral design is exquisite inlaid in sterling silver on its side. From the excavated stratum, it was thought to be more than 100,000 years old. [12]
The Spear of Kushiro. An iron spear found on 1931 in the aqueous rock cliff on the coast of Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan. Since it’d have been created after the aqueous rock precipitated into the water and deposited itself there, the lowest estimates assume it was buried tens of thousands of years ago. [13]
The inheritances Dorothy brought were these two items that could be called first-class OOPArts at the same level as the Salzburg Cube. Like the Salzburg Cube, they shared the common trait that the metal hadn’t corroded even after tens of thousands of years.
Besides, there were crystal skulls and dinosaur figures, the fossil of a trilobite stepped on by sandals, such OOPArts easily understandable by the commoners were displayed; they were taking tally of the replicas now. [14]
“Even so, I can't believe...”
Alice turned to the Dorchester Pot. At first glance it only looked like an antique vase so she hadn’t paid it any notice, but it sure looked magnificent when displayed at the club room.
“Since when is it here?”
“If you mean the pot, it’s been here since spring. Since the club room is so tasteless, I brought it to decorate it with some flowers, you hadn’t noticed?”
“I had not.”
Alice asserted so flatly. Where in the world would you find someone fool enough to use OOPArts like this! Ah, standing in front of her, right?
“So, how will we lure those people?”
“You don’t need to worry.”
With a big smile, Dorothy held out her mobile phone's liquid crystal panel in front of Alice. On it was displayed an advertising blog about the activities of the literature club.
“Scarecrow said that, since they seemed to be monitoring our actions, there should be a reaction even if we scatter just a little bait around.”
A bit lackadaisical operation plan for Alice, who hung her head again. But, Mudhead there aside, Scarecrow could be trusted. It was also thanks to her subordinate that Dorothy could continue Treasure Hunting on a level similar to hers.
“You don’t mean that’s everything, right?”
“Of course. Based on our encounter at that Museum of the Soviet Army, Scarecrow made a detector.”
“A detector?”
“More accurately, it’s a sensor that receives the unique vibration waves the invisible tentacles emit.”
In the middle of Dorothy’s proper explanation, a vigorous music suddenly began playing from her mobile. It was quite reminiscent of the march of a military band, it really didn’t fit her style.
“This way, when it catches those guys’ natural vibration waves, it’ll tell us through a special melody and red flashes.”
The mobile in Dorothy’s hand blinked red once and again.
“It’s failing right away?”
“I don’t think that's the case, but...”
Dorothy violently hit the mobile.
“Ah!”
Alice was at a loss for words, but Dorothy continued impudently abusing her cell all the same.
“Father says that most machines get fixed if you hit them.”
“But, isn’t that bad for a precision instrument?”
“Uhihihi, Father’s words aren’t wrong.”
Dorothy hit the mobile with a firm confidence. However, the flashing showed no signs of stopping. On the contrary, it was getting more and more intense. And there were more of them than before too.
“Won’t it get broken?”
“No, if it broke with just this much, it wouldn’t qualify as a tool for a Treasure Hunter.”
As Dorothy pouted, she showed off the mobile’s emblem to Alice. It was the mark of the communication company Metalcom, under the umbrella of the Baum Foundation. Its slogan was, “It won’t break even if pounded with a hammer:” it was a product from manufacturers that dealt with sturdiness. It wouldn’t break with Dorothy’s strikes.
“So that means... it can't be?”
“Isn’t this too early?”
Alice and Dorothy looked at each other.
“Nyufufufufufu.”
At that time, following the familiar sounding laughter:
“Hee~lloooo~~~”
A well-projected voice echoed. A melody faintly reminiscent of a harp overlapped with the girl’s transparent voice.
“She really came.”
“She did come.”
Alice and Dorothy remained in the same posture they had when they were looking at each other, only their gaze turned to the entrance.
“I fancied a vii~~~siit”
Shining with a brightening expression, a girl in a fluttering red skirt was looking at them from the exhibition hall's entrance. There was no mistake. She was the one who had taken the Salzburg Cube from the Museum of the Soviet Army, the alleged "Irukinuf’s Songstress."
“Could I have a touur?”
“Yes, that’s okay. It’s not open to the public yet, though.”
Protecting Dorothy behind her, Alice stepped forward to face Lynn, Irukinuf’s Songstress.
“Thank you very muuch. Since I have something important to tell to you while I’m at iit, I wished the unrelated people would leeave.”
As Lynn was speaking, the staff cheerfully began getting ready to go back home.
“Well then seniors, we’re going ahead-“
“Oh? Isn’t it still too early?”
The hands on the watch were a little past four o’clock. It was a little early to go back home for all those members who liked to get caught up in useless debates until five at least.
“We don’t know why, but we want to go back.”
The staff answered Dorothy’s question.
“Yeah, it’s like we mustn’t be here.”
“Come to think of it, I’ve been hungry for a while.”
As they answered without free will, the members finished getting ready to leave.
“Allie, this is...”
Dorothy whispered. None of the members was looking at Lynn. They unconsciously tried not to catch sight of her.
“Do you understand why?”
“Yes.”
Dorothy’s mobile blinked again. A special sensor placed inside it was sensing some kind of waves being emitted beyond the human audible range. This was one of the features Scarecrow had prepared in response to the encounter from the other day.
“It seems that girl is able to control others with some sort of hypnotic wave.”
The guards at Moscow had been a little strange too, they probably had been manipulated in this same way. And she was likely making the members here leave with a trick of the sort. It seemed the other party wanted to reduce as much as possible dealing with the aftermath of involving innocents.
“But, why aren’t we affected?”
Alice shrugged her shoulders at Dorothy’s question, opened both hands and after answering with a zany “Who knows?”, she lowered her arms and lightly clenched her fists. What she was holding now was metal balls of about 2 cm of diameter that had fallen from her sleeve and rolled into her hands.
Stun Balls. They were a non-lethal weapon that used a high-voltage current to give a strong shock and stun the victim. Lynn’s hypnotic waves probably had directivity, and were likely not to affect anyone but the victims they were aimed at. [15] If she aimed them at Alice, it was no problem since her familiar Kuranes who camouflaged as hair ornaments would neutralize it, but what would happen if Dorothy was the one targeted? It’d be tough if she got attacked from behind.
Should she stun Dorothy before it was too late? Since she was a friend, she had chosen the Stun Balls out of consideration.
“Just because we won't be here, don’t do naughty things with our senior Dorothy.”
Alice’s tension vanished at once hearing the staff’s words.
“W-Who would?! I am normal!”
Hearing Alice’s roar, the members went out of the exhibition room in small groups.
“Good grief...”
Dorothy, don’t worry. If you got manipulated by the hypnotic waves, you would attack in the same way as the guards from the Museum of the Soviet Army, and there’s no way Scarecrow wouldn’t have taken measures to prevent it.
Still, even if she said it herself, she had quite the high opinion of Scarecrow. Alice involuntarily smiled with some self-scorn.
“Nyufufufufu, having fun is the most importaant.”
Laughing with a smile, Lynn reached out to the heritages placed on the table.
“Hey there, don’t touch the exhibits without permission.”
“Aw~, stingyy.”
“Then, what did you come for?”
“You’re so impatieent. But, it’s good that you understaand.”
Lynn took half a step away from the table the exhibits were placed on, and theatrically spread both arms.
“I’ll be frank: become our comraade.”
“What’s in it for me if I become your comrade?”
Alice asked, hiding the Stun Ball behind her.
“If you meet the expectations of the Tentacle King Lord Swodar Nyarmain, you’ll obtain a life span of several hundred yeaars. And, you’ll remain youung!”
Alice reacted to the name Lynn spoke of. Swodar Nyarmain: the first discoverer of the Highlands’ megalithic structure. And the same man that might have been together with her mother Lewis, just before she went missing.
“What did you say just now?”
“A life span of several hundred yeaars~”
“No, before that! The Tentacle
