He suddenly thought that if he’d been discovered not on the June Continent but the November Continent, he might have ended up at that reeducation center.
Then right after manifesting, he would have become a mafia’s dog.
“Thank you.”
When Chris bowed in greeting, the woman waved her hands back and forth, then took out a bag of cookies from her bag and handed them over.
“I baked them to take to my daughter, but you eat them, young man. When a person is having a hard time, they need to eat something to get their energy up.”
Having unintentionally intercepted a young girl’s snack, Chris was about to utter words of refusal, but the woman left as if fleeing. She seemed to have anticipated the refusal in advance.
Though he didn’t eat cookies much, since he couldn’t throw away another’s goodwill on the street, Chris tucked it away well. It seemed he could eat it later when hungry.
Having entered the abandoned factory zone quite naturally, Chris discovered barbed wire fencing around the factories. The height was considerable to get over in one go. And above all—zzt!
Chris, who’d just acted like a pebble had gotten caught under his foot and kicked it, confirmed the gravel that turned charred black and fell to the ground the moment it touched the barbed wire.
Though there was no electric-type Esper present, seeing them run current through the barbed wire, it seemed the November Continent was making considerable use of those supposedly inexhaustible underground resources. At this point, surveillance cameras might be installed around here.
The problem was what came next.
There was no reason to erect such a solid barrier in a place with nothing to protect. As Yont had suspected, the abandoned factory zone was only closed in appearance—the possibility it was actually operating grew.
It would be Yuri Sobolev’s handiwork. To solidify his control in this place where Northern Light couldn’t set foot, and to pursue development without Espers.
<Factory zone inaccessible. Electric barbed wire installed.>
At Chris’s report, Yont’s reply came almost immediately.
<Return for now.>
Chris moved his steps like someone just taking a walk and slipped away from the area where the factories were.
***
After nearly two weeks, Team Crow’s Espers gathered at Northern Light’s secret branch.
“Report in order.”
At team leader Yont’s instruction, the Espers who’d remained in Aurum reported in turn on the districts assigned to them and the results they’d achieved so far.
Listening quietly, Chris’s turn came around. Since he was in charge of the most outlying area, his order was also last.
“District 11 is almost completely searched. The District 11 broker whose identity was transmitted was murdered. Additionally, strong circumstances suggesting the District 13 abandoned factory zone is operating normally were detected.”
Chris, who’d paused briefly, put the newly obtained information into words.
“Also, the mafia side is apparently operating something called a ‘reeducation center.'”
“This is crazy.”
Having muttered that, Yont twisted his face severely and irritably swept back his hair. Since it was cut quite short to begin with, it looked closer to scratching, but his face was serious nonetheless.
“Whichever district we go to, whichever broker we look for and location we try to search, the clues are already all cut off. There’s no way information leaked internally, so we’re just too slow.”
All the team members became solemn at those words. The mafia side’s response was excessively fast. They said he had the November Continent on the palm of his hand looking down at it—the thought came that there was no exaggeration in those words.
“We have no foundation on the November Continent. We can’t help but fall behind their speed.”
Aparna opened her mouth coldly. As someone who’d followed Yont and searched hideouts, she seemed to have fully felt how cleanly the scenes were organized.
This was something Yont, Team Crow’s leader, had also experienced. But he was in a position where he couldn’t tell his team members it was okay to collapse like this.
“No matter how much the mafia side soars and slithers, there must be limits to the number of Espers they possess. Since we’re losing in ability, we should be able to catch up soon.”
Yont emphasized while making eye contact with each team member. Deliberately stern, but suggesting he was expecting that much ability from the other party.
It was stimulating the high-pride Espers.
Eventually, instructions corresponding to each person’s assigned area flowed from his mouth. As if it hadn’t been just a year or two since he’d formed such a team, you could feel him assigning investigations considering each Esper’s abilities and tendencies.
Though the title of A-rank enhancement-type Esper was also a title, he thought Yont’s mercenary tactics had pulled him up to the team leader position.
“And Chris, you.”
Yont, who’d paused as if pondering for a moment, said.
“Can you enter the abandoned factory zone?”
“Yes.”
Chris nodded without hesitation.
Even having confirmed with his own two eyes the barbed wire with electricity flowing through it, he showed no rejection toward an order once given.
“Good. Everyone hang in there. Andrea, Federico, and Gillian who’ll receive Guiding today, remain.”
At Yont’s words giving encouragement and telling three team members to stay, Chris suddenly recalled Luca.
The C-rank guide who’d been exhausted after finishing three Guidings.
He’d heard that C-rank meant Guiding efficiency was poor and recovery was also slow. Yet Luca was handling nine Espers alone. Though it was obvious he was overexerting himself, there was no way they’d dispatch two or more guides to such a dangerous continent.
It was at least fortunate that Guiding didn’t cause great harm to guides.
Having finished his report, Chris left the building. Though there were almost no watching eyes, and even if it was a place where psychic-type Espers had set up interference, being careful couldn’t hurt.
The November Continent looked calm on the surface but was land ruled by mafia. Since they didn’t know how far Yuri Sobolev’s shadow reached, it was better to move as covertly as possible in their front yard.
Chris blended in among Aurum City’s workers during their commute. Having taken the tram and arrived at District 8, Chris reached the apartment where his current lodging was, following the road he always walked. At first, he’d intended to enter the building without thinking.
Having suddenly stopped in front of the first-floor stairs, he checked his device.
[17:08]
“Odd hours.”
Though there was no one listening, Chris muttered to himself.
Anyway, even if he went in now, he couldn’t shower right away. He thought of the man from the neighboring line who’d yelled to use hot water only during even hours for Line 4. Though it should clearly be annoying, the corner of Chris’s mouth rose slightly. And he turned his steps more lightly than when he’d first arrived at the apartment.
Having moved his steps with long strides, Chris soon passed <Don Jon’s Grocery Store>. Having gone all the way down to the end of the street like that, Chris felt a strange feeling.
When he’d first passed this road, seeing the shops closed in a row, he’d thought it a desolate place. But now the silence felt tranquil.
The road paved with gray paving blocks seemed to sparkle like the yellow brick road heading to the Emerald City.
Chris, who’d moved his steps without hesitation as if the destination had been decided from the start, stopped in front of Magnolia. Through the window, Yuri could be seen. Yuri’s face, head slightly tilted as if confirming the book’s contents, was like a delicate craft.
His eyes naturally went to his hand turning to the next page. Though he’d seen countless hands of people operating devices, nothing felt like Yuri’s hand. Perhaps it was because what he was holding was an old-era book.
Suddenly, he was curious about the shape of the fingers hidden inside those gloves. Would they be delicate and slender like Yuri’s face, or unexpectedly thick and rough. Or would they have scars. Or unlike that snow-white face, would they be dusky from absorbing sunlight.
Thus Chris found the gloves he’d thought suited Yuri like a painting to feel vexing.
Even while Chris watched silently, Yuri’s hand steadily moved to the next page. Though a layer of wall existed between him and himself, strangely it seemed he could hear the rustling sound of turning pages. An auditory hallucination arising purely from Chris’s imagination.
The silence real Yuri wore like a painting made him seem like a person from another world. It was also because before coming to the November Continent, he’d never encountered anyone reading old-era books. Like having been cut out and transplanted from the very distant past, Yuri had that kind of old-fashioned atmosphere.
Perhaps sensing the gaze, Yuri, who suddenly raised his head, made eye contact with him. While feeling bewilderment inside, Chris tilted his head in greeting as if he’d just arrived and walked with long strides to open Magnolia’s door.
It was a cheerful sound like the first day he’d come.
“Welcome.”
“Hello.”
Yuri’s purple eyes lingered for a moment as if recognizing Chris, then soon returned to the book he was reading. That indifferent attitude rather put him at ease.
Because if asked why he’d been staring without even entering, he couldn’t think of a pointed excuse to give.
Chris made an effort to withdraw his gaze from Yuri and headed toward the bookshelves. Like the first day he’d come, antique books were packed densely.
Chris, who’d been walking carefully between them and scanning titles, tensed his body at approaching footsteps. Yuri, holding several books, passed by his side.
Even without fully demonstrating Beast Transformation ability, to Chris’s sense of smell, which was basically dozens of times more sensitive than ordinary people, Yuri’s scent could be felt.
