Letters appeared on a blue holographic screen that stretched vertically above a large donut-shaped table. This was a unique meeting space created because people couldn't always gather in person.
Since participants could join with voice only, they could speak comfortably from the safety of their homes—a definite advantage of this system.
Static crackled. Then a screen lit up.
A display labeled "Takas" popped up with a click, and a voice emerged.
"Is everyone here?"
"No, Jerome hasn't joined yet."
Dweigh answered after checking the connection list displayed on his device. Unlike the names of Takas, Dweigh, Agnol, Chei, and Karva, Jerome's name wasn't illuminated.
Agnol spoke sarcastically in response to Dweigh's voice.
"That guy is always late."
"Well, he must have his reasons. Still, it's a bit much to be absent when we specifically asked everyone to clear their schedules."
Karva spoke with detachment, though his tone suggested slight irritation.
Finally, Chei heard the voice and responded with a bitter smile.
"Unlike before, the Wall has collapsed. He probably has much to deal with."
Since Jerome was a representative associated with the Wall, they couldn't help it. After this explanation, everyone either sighed or maintained silence.
Though they wanted to shout that this meeting covered the most important agenda items, regardless of the Wall's collapse, no words formed on their lips.
After a moment to collect their emotions, Takas continued the meeting.
"Then we'll have to proceed with those present and ask Jerome for his opinion separately."
The absence of one out of six shouldn't hinder the meeting.
So they decided to inform him later and each began discussing the agenda items for their respective areas.
"I hear that when the Wall collapsed, cracks formed in the barrier that blocks mana. We need more mana for comprehensive repairs. There's a limit to drawing in and refining unrefined mana—does anyone have good suggestions?"
The Wall was a physical defense, while the barrier was protection from unrefined mana for humanity who couldn't cover the entire sky. After Dweigh, who managed these defenses, spoke, the others considered possible solutions.
"Isn't there a limit to drawing in more unrefined mana? Gathering unrefined mana while citizens' anxiety continues to grow... If that's the case, we have no choice but to condense the mana we already have inside, which means we'll need to increase the budget."
When Chei spoke as if there was no alternative, Dweigh groaned.
He hesitated because he felt uncomfortable using limited resources within the limited space inside the Wall. It would be much better from a budgetary perspective to draw in unrefined mana despite some disadvantages, but now they had to weigh this against safety, and the fact that they needed to increase the budget didn't sit well with him.
"At this rate, people inside the Wall will struggle. As taxes increase, prices will rise, and as prices rise, life becomes harder. To maintain humanity within the Wall, we must reduce budget waste. Is there no other way?"
"Jerome would know better about that."
Karva answered.
As the security officer, Karva didn't propose any agenda items but simply directed Dweigh to the appropriate person for solutions. Since his job involved hiding information from the public and imposing restrictions, he didn't say more than necessary.
In the silence that followed, Agnol presented his agenda.
"A new type of monster has been spotted—one not modeled after any animal—and it appears it will be more difficult to capture, causing complications. In the future, multiple heroes may need to be assigned to a single Strange One. What should we do about this?"
What a single hero could accomplish was limited. Though these limitations varied according to individual abilities—some might be able to face such monsters alone—the problem was that not everyone could.
Takas groaned before suggesting a new approach.
"Then what about categorizing heroes differently? Some heroes would primarily stop new monster types, while others would handle existing monsters."
"What about categorizing them by rank instead?"
"Nonsense. If we rank people who save lives, people might eventually become disappointed when they see heroes of certain ranks. Such a system would cause suffering for both heroes and civilians."
Agnol pressed his lips together at Takas's statement.
He had intended to continue by suggesting they determine salaries based on ranks, but being cut off mid-sentence left him without a proposal to offer.
Finally, Chei's voice continued.
"Representative Takas, you may already know this, but a student at the Academy named Kanna Aurora has encountered Strange Ones multiple times."
Everyone else seemed to wonder who that was. And as Chei said, Takas was already aware of this story.
"That student's achievements in the recent battle were truly remarkable. She apparently protected about twenty heroes while fighting a Strange One. There was an explosion of unrefined mana that could be felt in the surrounding area, yet she only lost consciousness for three or four days—a miracle, really."
"What's your point?"
Agnol urged him to get to the main issue.
Chei continued in response.
"After being hit by the unrefined mana explosion, the student's prosthetic arm and leg fell off, and human limbs grew in their place. According to one hero's testimony, even though her neck was broken and brain matter spilled out, she was ultimately treated and survived."
"..."
"Is this your work, Representative Takas?"
Though facial expressions weren't visible, one could feel everyone's attention suddenly focusing in one direction. The sensation of four representatives, including Chei, seemingly staring at Takas.
Takas heard this and carefully responded.
"I received reports. I approved the plan. But I didn't expect things to turn out this way. According to the initial reports, her body was already in the process of becoming a Strange One."
"Which means?"
"She had been that way since being taken by a Strange One. I'm certain I had nothing to do with her body becoming like that."
The conversation continued.
Then Agnol asked with confusion.
"Wait, I feel like I've heard this name before in a previous agenda..."
Chei responded with apparent disdain.
"It's the same person. Wouldn't it be better if you remembered agenda items we've discussed before?"
"Do you think agenda items only come up in these meetings? I have so many things to remember!"
"Enough, enough."
Takas stopped Agnol, who was about to flare up again in this meeting.
"So we've come full circle again, just like last time."
"What are we going to do?"
Karva spoke up.
"If she's helping Strange Ones break the Wall regardless of her intentions, wouldn't sending that child outside the Wall be the right choice? Honestly, it may not look good, but I think it's the best option if we want to prevent more casualties."
The representatives weighed the options countless times.
The feeling of forcibly expelling one person wasn't pleasant, but if it meant saving hundreds or thousands of lives, they believed it would be a meaningful action.
Of course, they also anticipated that the aftermath wouldn't be entirely positive.
But what could they do? If the best method to save thousands of lives was to be labeled a murderer and lose their position, then so be it.
Chei responded to this with apparent alarm.
"But do we know for certain that the progression toward becoming a Strange One helps other Strange Ones break down the Wall? Is this correlation established?"
"The very suspicion is the problem! That's the seed of anxiety!"
"While it's right to cut out seeds of anxiety, if we cut like that, we won't be able to plow the field at all."
In response to Agnol's outburst, Chei calmly stated:
"If you're too afraid of insects eating your rice to grow any, then you're simply not cut out for farming."
After this statement, Takas posed a question.
"Then what if it's proven that there is a connection? What judgment would you make, Representative Chei?"
Takas's question to Chei.
Everyone remained silent, waiting to hear Chei's answer.
As the representative in charge of the Academy, they were naturally curious about his stance regarding a student.
Chei knew this and carefully considered his opinion.
He had to choose carefully.
Was it better to sacrifice thousands who would inevitably die from monsters and Strange Ones—disasters and accidents beyond control—or to cast out one person to prevent these disasters, even if that wasn't what they wanted but what was needed for world peace?
The end result was what mattered most.
Though the process was important too, those who died wouldn't return.
"If there is a connection, then as Representative Agnol said, we would need to cut it out."
If one was too afraid of insects to farm, it would be better to give up farming altogether.
But one should fear the spark that could burn the ripened rice.
Peace? Stability? They desired the survival of as many people as possible above all else.
The meeting concluded with the belief that their choice would benefit humanity.