Part 5
(November 10 – Oahu – Sewer Rainwater Pipe – From a camera for monitoring water levels during a disaster.)
"This is the third one," muttered Accelerator as he dragged the poor "victim" down through the manhole and into the sewer.
Birdway nodded in approval.
"That's all of them. Excellent work."
"Are you sure the person controlling them didn't notice this?"
"Pretty sure."
The rainwater pipe was filled with rotting mud and the like which gave it quite an odor, but Birdway did not seem to mind. Despite her appearance, she may have been fairly used to harsh environments.
"The magician controlling them most likely collects information using the five senses of the victims. She would notice if you just outright attacked the victim, but she won't sense any danger if it looks like they were knocked out naturally."
"How can you be so sure? How do you know this magician can't continue moving the targets' eyes around after they lose consciousness?"
"I can't say for sure, but we do have a precedent."
"A precedent?"
"Cendrillon. If she could do that, she could have continued to collect information after Cendrillon collapsed and used it to put together a plan against us."
However, that had not happened.
"Once I analyze the spell, I can track down where this person controlling the victims is as well as detect any pawns trying to attack us while hidden in a crowd. That will be a perfect defense against the spell. Simply put, it'll be checkmate."
The threat of having a normal person attacking disappeared once an enemy could be detected and dealt with head on. Birdway and Accelerator were not people who feared a handgun.
"…So you couldn't perfectly detect them up until now? So there's a possibility I was confidently attacking completely unrelated people?"
"Don't get so upset. In all likelihood, these were accurate. This just brings that up to a full one-hundred percent."
The rainwater pipe had pathways for workers prepared on both sides and the three "victims" were lying on one of those dirty pathways.
"Now then… Since I now have all the necessary materials, it's time to get started on the analysis. If you want to learn a bit about magic, you can watch."
Part 6
(November 10 – Oahu – Smoking area within Coral Street Shopping Mall – From the camera in the magician's cell phone.)
The strangest aspect of modern cell phones was the increase in the number of camera lenses.
They had a lens on the back of the phone for normal photography, a lens on the front for showing oneself in a video conference, and the number only went up with the addition of 3D photography and other features. At the current rate, it did not seem long before the entire phone would be covered in camera lenses like they were beads.
A girl of about fifteen was flipping her cell phone back and forth between front and back. She had short blonde hair and white skin. She wore a primarily green turtleneck and miniskirt as well as thick boots that passed above her knees. On her head, she wore something like a headband made of tree branches. Her outfit made her stand out from the building made of glass and concrete.
With an expression that showed that the clearly multi-function cell phone was just too much for her, she spoke into the precision device that she simply could not get used to.
"Yes, yes. It seems he failed. The attacker, Edward, has lost consciousness and the room on Hotel Firefly's 49th floor is still untouched. It seems they are planning to move somewhere else due to the uproar over the electronic billboard. It looks like attacking the aide group is unrealistic after all."
The way she spoke made it clear she was not used to speaking politely.
Her tone of voice made it clear she was giving no thought to whether she was angering the person she was speaking to or what would happen to her if she did anger whoever it was. This was because she was skilled enough to avoid any danger coming her way.
She was especially skilled at avoiding danger by using others as a shield.
"Yes, yes. I understand that. The incident at the airport was indeed bad, but the basics of the plan will fall apart if the immunity is not activated. Well, we now have an idea as to how many of them there are and how serious they are. Also, they can be used as a positive factor from here on out. In the end, it is not a problem."
The magician was simply saying whatever she could to pacify the person she was speaking to rather than logically analyzing the situation.
"Anyway, we just have to follow the plan now. After blowing through the side-quest, we just have to work on the main quest of the trigger."
The magician's eyebrows then moved slightly.
She seemed to finally be showing interest in something the other person had said.
"Oh, really? I knew it. I had thought that was a little too convenient. So they are interfering."
The magician's tone showed that she did not particularly mind.
"Well, thanks for that. When it was just me, I denied it, saying I was over thinking things. Having proof really is important. Proof is so much better than guesses. Yes, yes. I will do something about that, too. Bye."
She hung up, spun the phone around in her hand, and then stuck it in her pocket.
At the time, no smoking campaigns were quite popular worldwide, so there were no smokers in the smoking area. The grotesque enlarged photo of a sperm with a note about smoking reducing sperm count was probably not helping.
The magician shrugged and turned around.
A man was standing there. The large black man was wrapped in powerful muscles and seemed to have a military background.
He was one of the people she was controlling. The method of control she was using on him was a bit more complex than some of the others.
"You're up, Mr. Secret Trick."
Part 7
(November 10 – Oahu – Coral Street Shopping Mall – From a security camera near the east entrance.)
"Oh, I already have all the data I need to analyze her spell," said Leivinia Birdway with complete confidence.
She was waving around a single scrap of paper. It was about the size of a small certificate of commendation, but it was thicker and had a rough surface.
"It's papyrus," Birdway explained.
Apparently, she had bought that item used as a royal burial accessory from a plant specialist.
"Now we just have to wait for her weaknesses to be exposed. The automated work should finish in about an hour. Even now, I'm receiving information bit by bit. For example, I know what kind of line connects her to her victims and from where she is controlling the victims."
Accelerator listened to her while walking through the shopping mall with his modern cane.
"Basically, she used to be with the Russian Orthodox Church."
"Russian?"
"She uses a spell based on a fairy. In her case, it is the Leshy. The Leshy is the ruler of the forest and the king of all animals that live there. Do you remember when she and Cendrillon said red something and black something when Cendrillon was giving up control?"
"What about it?"
"That was roulette. They were gambling. The Leshy loves gambling with the forest animals. The winner is of course given control of the loser."
"…"
"In this case, the Leshy is likely viewing her surroundings as the forest and the humans who live there as the animals. I don't know the exact conditions for that yet, but the analysis spell will reveal those conditions soon. Then it will all be over."
"For not having finished yet, you certainly are sure of yourself."
"I have enough to search out anyone she's controlling. Even if she tries a surprise attack, it has essentially no chance of succeeding."
Despite having just said that, repeated gun shots rang out.
They came from behind Birdway.
From only five meters behind her.
Part 8
(November 10 – Oahu – Beachside – From a camera along the main road to enforce the speed limit.)
A station wagon slammed into Roberto Katze's battered convertible at high speed at almost the exact same time Birdway was attacked.
The two vehicles strayed from the road and struck one of the palm trees lining the road at even intervals. A coconut fell down and hit the president right on the head.
"Gwehh…N-nice. Now that's about as Hawaii-esque as you can get. If I wrote that in my journal, no one would believe it actually happened."
The side of the car was crushed in, but the station wagon had struck the passenger side. The driver's seat was safe. He was worried about the Imperial Package for an instant, but it was meant to be used in emergencies, so it was surprisingly tough. It was not even scratched.
The president closed the attaché case, ignored the door that refused to open, and jumped out of the convertible.
Roberto Katze used a hand to motion back the panicking tourists who were approaching and then headed toward the station wagon.
"I'm not used to getting run into from the side at full speed."
Despite the great shock of the impact, the station wagon's windshield was not broken. And the glass was tinted. Roberto was pretty sure the station wagon was not just some random vehicle, but he still approached the driver's side door and tried to peer through the window.
"Mister, there's something wrong when the one who ran into me is the one to pass out."
As if in response, the window started to lower.
And a right hand holding an automatic handgun stuck out.
"…I can still kill you. Anyone who has a gun and a finger to pull the trigger can be an assassin."
"C'mon, stop that. War & Safety handguns are the most used in the country. It would be pretty sad if I had to be shot by a product from one of my supporting companies. They'd probably ask for their money back at my funeral because I gave their company a bad image."
As Roberto Katze complained, he noticed something about the eyes of the man who was still leaning against the airbag.
"…Mister, you aren't being controlled, are you?"