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Seperion’s capital Magici was a center of commerce and politics, with most large companies of the country having their headquarters there. Many of them had also built their main factories in the outskirts of the capital to make manufacturing easier.

Then again, factories also meant more opportunities of employment, which meant more people would gather, and if there were more people then more merchandise could be sold. So that increased the number of factories and industrial areas even more.

“…ki…”

But not all factories were active and full of people. It was common for companies to emerge and eventually die down as competition took over.

“…ski…”

Sometimes people would follow their dreams and build a business, only for the dream to fail, leaving behind their infrastructure. One such company had been acquired by the Platiboros Company, letting them take over their abandoned buildings.

“Itski!”
“Huh? Ah, Arrold? Is something wrong?”

Inside the abandoned building, Itski realized Arrold had been talking to him.

“That’s what I should be asking. You were just staring away in a daze like that, I was starting to get worried. Are you feeling tired perhaps?”
“Oh, no, that’s not it…”
“Unconscious exhaustion is a thing that happens though. Maybe it wasn’t the best moment to visit Seperion after all. You could’ve canceled the trip if you were feeling unwell, you know?”
“I couldn’t possibly allow myself to do that, I’m deeply indebted to the president, and it’s been a rather enlightening trip too.”

Not much time had passed since the Platiboros Company’s president Dominic had sent Itski to Seperion, where he checked up and maintained the experimental teleportation portals with his team of dedicated sorcerers, while also gathering data for the company.

The company had also supported him through the entire trip so he had no hardships, not to mention that he got to see demihumans and mixed species for the first time, as those were extremely rare in Sacred Granleuche. The Sacred Land Alliance, to which Granleuche belonged, saw species like demihumans as being even lower than slaves, so there were next to none in those countries. In comparison, demihumans were not only considered equal to humans in Seperion, they even made up a large part of the country’s nobility, which was something Itski found fascinating.

That did not mean that Itski was planning on opposing the Sacred Land Alliance’s views on demihumans though. His opinions had been carried over from his past life, so they were part of a foreign culture and it would be selfish and arrogant to think he had a right to force those views onto others. So as long as he was in no danger himself, he would simply adhere to the old adage of when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

“Anyway, it’s almost time. Please make sure we can leave as soon as we receive the magic automatons.”
“Got it. I’ll go prepare the teleportation portal.”
“And sorry again for asking so much from you. As soon as we’re back in Granleuche I’ll personally request for you to be granted an extended break.”

Both of them were currently in the loading area of a warehouse. From there, they moved to another area where Itski had prepared a portal earlier. Soon after, the covered wagon with Lemed and Frasta arrived at the loading area.

“That was so much trouble, and for what?!”
“What are we supposed to do now?”
“Yes…yes, I understand. Here’s your compensation.”

The two jumped off the covered wagon at the verge of tears and went to Arrold, who handed them bags that were packed with something. Their weight alone told the pair that the bags contained at least twice their monthly salary.

As both of them stared at each other with round eyes, Arrold walked by them and went into the carriage to activate the magic automatons there, designed with experimental arm parts and called Type Protione.

Once activated, the Protione opened their wooden boxes on their own and rose, looking like corpses rising out of coffins. There were five in total, and they climbed down the wagon and stood on the ground, their movements and stances rather uncanny.

“We already sent the data earlier, but having the actual specimens is more important. Let’s see how preparations are going over there.”

Arrold turned around to where Itski was preparing the teleportation magic portal, but then he heard something behind him.

Wondering what that was, he turned around to see a person standing in the entrance, wearing a maid uniform, with silver hair and blue eyes…except it was not a person, but a magic automaton.

“You… Youuuuu!!”

The maid magic automaton yelled enraged as a light blue blade appeared on her hand, before leaping forward to slash at Arrold.

I can’t just have heard that, it must be my imagination. It’s impossible, but I know what I heard, and it keeps bugging the hell out of me.

“Maid. We arrived.”
“Hm? Ah, yeah, I see…”

After leaving the capital, we decided to return to Bamel through a different path to avoid the commotions caused by the Platiboros Company.

Shortly after going out of the city we decided to take a quick break though, so we went to a nearby industrial area and parked the carriage. We’re still really close to the capital though, so it’s not like we’re in the middle of nowhere.

There’s also inns dotted along the roadside, but since we’re just taking a quick break we decided to stop at a random spot.

I have the carriage inside my magic storage now, but I’ll have to plan more around it in the future. I’m always keeping all of our luggage inside my magic storage, but if something were to happen to me, then Olivia and the rest would lose everything. I should try to keep the carriage stocked up with resources they can use too.

I should be able to leave the carriage under the care of an inn if we stop somewhere too, but that’s not really an option right now. If later on we stay overnight at an inn we could leave the carriage parked, but that’ll also increase the cost, so I’ll really have to think more about this.

I also wouldn’t feel very confident leaving this carriage in someone else’s hands considering how much horsepower it demands to be moved. But I’ll worry about that when it happens.

Anyway, moving on.

We ended up splitting into two groups. Olivia went with Clarissa to take a stroll around the streets, since we need Clarissa to destress a bit before pulling the carriage later, and she spent a lot of time bored in the capital. Hopefully the change of pace will help her.

Then on the other side it’s me with Akane, and we’re out shopping. While we have some supplies inside the carriage, they are nowhere enough for the whole trip, so we need to stock up on some more.

I’ll have to get food, articles for daily use, spare parts for the carriage, and so on.

“!”
“…Hm? Ah.”

Then Akane pokes my shoulder and I snap out of my thoughts.

I look down and see that I’ve been stuffing my shopping cart with way more food than we need. I hurry to return the excess and move on.

Somehow I’ve been struggling to focus for a while. At least I know why though. While we traveled here I overheard something I probably shouldn’t have.

But on top of that I can’t shake off this eerie feeling. It’s like something is gripping my heart, or like someone is peering into my brain, someone watching me just out of sight, a really creepy feeling that I can’t really express properly. My self-healing systems are all active, and I’ve been keeping up with my routine maintenance, so I doubt it’s a failure in my body.

It’s been distracting me so much that even when Clarissa stopped with the carriage I nearly fell forward.

On top of that, I feel like…or rather I’ve noticed that the weird feeling only got stronger the moment we entered this city.

Is there something here..? Nah, it can’t be. I must’ve heard wrong, and I’ve been thinking about it so much that I’m just getting overly conscious. Let’s just finish buying what we need and go back to the carriage.

Thinking that, I turn around and then I see something.

There’s a large building with its gates wide open, and inside a man with an unbothered look. That’s a face I’d never forget. He’s the same man who sold a tampered Sorcery Core to Christina and then tried to kidnap Plum.

“You…” He’s the same man I actually tried to kill in revenge. “Youuuuu!!”

He’s Arrold, from the Platiboros Corporation.

“Huh, eeek?! Why are you hereeee?!”

Arrold instantly shrieks as I start running towards him, creating magic blades on my hands to cut him down. I really thought I had killed him back then, but I guess he survived.

That just means I have to finish the job now!

“Protione! Protect me!”

The five magic automatons standing next to him move to block my path, and one of them stops my magic blade. They manage to stop me completely, and the recoil sends me flying back, and Akane tumbles in the ground behind me.

“Owww-”

I stand up while I grumble about the dull pain assaulting my limbs.

…Wait? Pain? Even though I’m a magic automaton?

“Hah…hahah, I knew Protione would do the trick. They’re still prototypes, but they’re still made with highly purified mithril… But it never hurts to be safe so let’s do this too.”

Arrold had fallen on his rear as he tried to escape, and while he’s picking himself back up, he takes out a crystal from his pocket and smashes it on the ground, which creates many light particles that scatter around together with the crystal fragments.

I’m still not sure why I felt pain, but I can worry about that later. I need to focus on what’s happening in front of me first.

Knowing I have to fight, I open my magic storage and reach into it to take out my magic gun…but my hand grasps nothing but air. I look down in confusion, and see that there’s nothing there. Not my magic gun, nor the opening into my magic storage.

“It’s a barrier to block the control of mana. You can’t use magic here, so please keep that in mind.”

Arrold seems to have regained his cool, as he announces that with a calm voice.

I don’t know how much I can trust him, but it’s true that I can’t open my magic storage. On top of that, my magic blades are also starting to vanish, like sand blown away by the wind.

“Arrold, what’s happening here?!”
“What should we do?!”
“Ah, it could get dangerous if you get in the way, so just go hide in a corner somewhere. You’ll be able to run away when it’s all done.”

A pair of people go up to Arrold in desperation, but he replies like he has no interest in them, before turning around like he no longer has anything to do here.

“The plan was to pick up the Protione as well, but I guess it can’t be helped. I already know from experience that being too confident can be painful, so I’ll just cut my losses here and leave. Protione, destroy that magic automaton.”

Protione are these magic automatons with four eyes and oddly elaborate arms. All of them follow Arrold’s order and rush in to kill me.

“Hmph!”

I dodge the attacks coming from the arms of the Protione as I look back to make sure Akane is safe.

“Akane, go find the Young Lady! I can hold my own until then!”

If Arrold is telling the truth and magic won’t work here, then Akane will be in a lot of danger since she mainly uses magic to fight. It’s better if she goes to find some help.

Akane seems to ponder what to do for a few seconds, but then makes up her mind and runs away.

Now then, assuming I can ignore Arrold and the pair hiding in a corner, I’ll still be fighting alone against five opponents, the barrier is stopping me from taking out my magic guns, and my magic blades vanish quickly after I bring them out, meaning I’ll need a lot more mana to use them properly.

I’m at a staggering disadvantage.

But if Olivia and Clarissa get here then we can win. Not to mention that I won’t let Arrold get away this time. I bring out my magic blades again and get ready to fight back.