School District 7, the Windowless Building.
Amid countless points of light generated by machinery, the man suspended upside down inside a life-support device filled with weakly alkaline culture fluid silently watched the data windows spread out before him.
Aleister Crowley gazed at the woman displayed on the holographic screen beyond the glass cylinder and spoke in an inorganic voice. "Why have you contacted me at a time like this?"
On the other side of the world, at the Anglican Church's headquarters in England, St. George's Cathedral in Lambeth Palace.
It was a typically Gothic church built from gray-white marble and decorated with white and gold reliefs. Due to the time difference, the sun was also setting over England. Slanting rays streamed through the multicolored stained-glass windows, bathing the empty cathedral in a magnificent pale violet glow.
Only the central steps in the deepest part of the cathedral emitted a faint fluorescent light. Upon closer inspection, it was almost impossible to imagine that a computer monitor had been placed so conspicuously before the altar dedicated to the Cross of Saint George.
Seated on the altar, the woman watched Aleister on the monitor, his silver hair reaching his ankles and his body clad in a green surgical gown. Dressed in a pale pink nun's habit, the golden-haired woman seemed entirely unconcerned by how inappropriate her behavior was in such a sacred place. She chuckled softly.
"The Daihasei Festival should be taking place around this time on your side, shouldn't it?"
The woman opened her clear blue eyes. While arranging the beautiful hair that nearly trailed down three steps and was more than twice her height, she continued, "As Chairman of the Board, don't you think you should go out and offer a few words?"
"Do you believe I can appear before the public in this condition?" Aleister asked calmly, taking no offense whatsoever.
"Then there is no need for formalities. Let us move on to the main subject."
"The main subject? Are you referring to the magicians attempting to infiltrate Academy City?"
"What else would I mean?"
The golden-haired woman set down her comb and smiled faintly. "Taking advantage of weakened security to slip through the cracks... Is Academy City always like this at this time of year?"
"Only this year. There were never so many magicians attempting to infiltrate Academy City in previous years." Even after hearing that people were plotting against Academy City, Aleister remained perfectly composed. "The identities of the intruders."
As she spoke, the woman picked up a letter. "I have confirmed the names of two individuals. One is a high-ranking member of the Roman Catholic Church, and the other is the courier she hired. Their objective appears to be an exchange of goods."
"An exchange of goods?"
Aleister did not know the details. It was true that he had already been one of the world's most powerful magicians several centuries ago, but he was not omniscient. The courier had not even arrived yet, so how could he possibly know what was being exchanged? Once outside Academy City and deprived of UNDER_LINE's precise surveillance network, his intelligence-gathering capabilities were merely somewhat superior to those of the outside world.
"Yes. The object being transported by the courier..."
The woman nodded, then bent down and removed a silver cruciform greatsword from a box. Its hilt guard resembled a shield-shaped starburst. "The one in my hand is a replica."
"It is said to be a precious spiritual item capable of piercing a dragon and pinning it to the ground. It is called the Stab Sword." Her voice dropped to a prayerful murmur. "Should it fall into the hands of someone unworthy of possessing it, the Anglican Church would immediately find itself in a difficult position."
Her ability to speak as the representative of the entire Anglican Church made the golden-haired woman's identity self-evident. She was Laura Stuart, Archbishop of the Anglican Church.
"It is a tactical weapon from your world, then... Understood."
Aleister's voice remained as calm as still water.
"'Understood'? What sort of reaction is that? Oh? You seem quite confident. You are not concerned about the damage it might cause."
"Someone will take an interest in it, provided you do not mind if it is completely destroyed."
"That confident? Since you cannot appear personally, then... Hmm, let me guess. Is it that little Habsburg girl? The one you call the Science Side's first-ranked esper?" Laura said with certainty.
"Yes."
"Oh..." Laura lightly tapped her cherry-pink lower lip, revealing an intrigued expression. "Now that you mention her, I have some information she may find quite interesting. The princesses of the royal family seem rather interested in her. The second princess in particular. There is a possibility they may visit Academy City in secret."
"I will inform her."
"Oh? Do not be so cold."
Laura leaned forward and rested her chin on her hands. A trace of schadenfreude seemed to flicker in the depths of her clear blue eyes. "You may not be interested in intelligence concerning a few minor figures, but what about movements from the Vatican and the Roman Catholic Church?"
Despite her gentle and elegant appearance, she was by no means a good person in the purest sense.
Looking back over Laura Stuart's actions, she had always maintained a delicate balance between good and evil, committing almost equal numbers of benevolent and malicious deeds.
Watching the faint shift in Aleister's expression on the monitor, Laura's smile deepened.
"God's Right Seat appears to be making a move."
"..."
"In that case, young man, you may have to work a little harder."
Aleister silently opened several new surveillance feeds. One of them showed the airport in School District 23, where Selene was waiting to receive someone.
Selene treasured this familial bond. He only needed to send her the intelligence he had gathered. Unless absolutely necessary, he would issue no compulsory orders and allow her to decide for herself whether to intervene. Selene likely would not want her mother's trip disturbed by that trash either. She knows how far to go. There is no need for me to concern myself excessively.
As for another feed, it showed a black-haired boy with spiky hair standing helplessly amid a lively concert venue.
It seems you are the one with more free time.
Let us add a little more weight to your shoulders.
...
School District 23, International Airport.
Large crowds converged in the arrivals area. The flight statistics for the world's major routes displayed across the data boards in the airport terminal changed without pause, while passengers steadily disembarked from the planes parked outside.
As expected of an enormous event with more than 1.8 million participants, the rare days when Academy City opened itself to the outside world were extraordinarily attractive. This was obvious from the reporters who had rushed into the city before the Daihasei Festival even officially began, carrying long-lens cameras and all manner of photographic equipment.
This was still only the semi-public promotional period. Once the Daihasei Festival officially began, Academy City would be almost completely opened to outsiders. With the students' parents and relatives joining tourists from around the world, one could easily imagine how overwhelming the crowds would become.
At the same time, Selene noticed many figures dressed strangely or unmistakably garbed as members of religious clergy. When people from the magic side arrived at a time like this, it was difficult to justify driving them away.
Selene looked around. Soon, the private Airbus before her came to a stop and was secured in place. The cabin door opened, and the mobile stairway approached and locked into position.
Surrounded by bodyguards in suits and conservatively dressed household maids, an elegant noblewoman with shoulder-length blond hair, blue eyes, a slender figure, and tasteful clothing emerged while holding the hand of a tiny child wearing a flat cap.
"Haa..." Selene exhaled and stepped forward.
Holding little Ferdinand's hand, Katy had barely emerged from the cabin when she spotted her daughter among the people waiting near the mobile stairway. Selene was so striking that she immediately drew the eye.
Little Selene has grown even more beautiful.
She was statuesque and alluringly curved, with dazzling silver hair as white as snow that reflected the sunlight and pupils as eerily crimson as blood-red gemstones. She wore Tokiwadai's autumn uniform, completely at odds with the formal attire of those around her. Simply standing there, every movement radiated the overwhelming presence of someone declaring herself the center of attention.
Then Katy noticed something amiss, and her elegant brows furrowed slightly.
Among those who had accompanied Selene to the airport, everyone was either a middle-aged or elderly professional, an Anti-Skill officer, or part of a mobile unit composed of riot-control robots. Katy could not see a single classmate or friend of Selene's age.
She and Brauchitsch had already noticed this issue when Selene was younger.
Their daughter had always been naturally aloof. She had made plenty of friends while attending school in Vienna and had never been known to quarrel with anyone, but none of those relationships had been particularly close. She had never attended a gathering at a classmate's home, nor had she ever invited a classmate to attend one at hers.
When Katy had supported Selene's decision to travel halfway across the world alone and study in Academy City, part of her reasoning had been the hope that her daughter would make friends and grow properly in this city composed primarily of students.
Yet according to the information Katy had received, good heavens, Selene seemed to have gone there to build a career instead. She had established the Schicksal Research Institute, founded an arms conglomerate, and even become one of Academy City's twelve Directors.
Fortunately, there was at least one. Looking at the tuft of gray hair hiding behind Selene, Katy thought silently.
One is still better than none!
Of course, Katy showed none of these thoughts. If there was something to discuss, she would speak with Selene carefully in private. She would never embarrass her daughter or undermine her authority in public, before outsiders, or in front of her subordinates. Not even in the slightest!
"Big... Big Sis!"
Then Katy suddenly felt her hand become empty. The tiny child shot forward like a cannonball and wrapped himself around Selene's leg, giggling in a childish voice.
"Hey, little Ferdinand." Selene grabbed the back of Ferdinand's collar with one hand, tossed him upward, then caught and supported him with her arm.
"Ah, Selene! You little brat! And Ferdinand too!"
This was simply how Selene and little Ferdinand greeted each other. Regardless of what anyone else thought, Ferdinand clearly enjoyed it. He laughed loudly, making quacking sounds. Whenever Selene returned home in Vienna, she had always greeted him this way, earning herself no shortage of nagging from Katy.
Selene examined him closely. Another half year had passed, and some of the baby fat had disappeared from Ferdinand's cheeks. The facial features he had inherited from Brauchitsch and Katy were already becoming distinguishable.
"Selene, put Ferdinand down. He is already a young man. Let him walk by himself."
Katy's unquestionable voice entered Selene's ears.
Fine. Selene set Ferdinand down. Looking at the tiny boy in his flat cap and little vest, she had already begun mourning the future that awaited her nominal younger brother.
To put it simply, Brauchitsch's branch of the family remained relatively traditional even after entering the twenty-first century. In other words, as the eldest son, Ferdinand was destined never to enjoy the carefree life of a spoiled rich heir. Once he turned six, his hellish life would begin.
"Mother, welcome to Academy City." Selene turned around and instinctively opened her arms, only to be pulled into an embrace. Lowering her head, she saw delight flash through Mother Katy's captivating emerald-green eyes.
Selene did not resist. The age registered for me here is not even fifteen yet. I am still a child.
"Hmm?" After a while, Katy released her and raised her head in surprise. "Selene, you actually did not push Mother away and say something childish like, 'I am already grown up.'"
"I really have grown up..."
Selene crossed her arms, but before she could finish, Katy gently pulled them down. A coldness concealed behind a forced smile appeared on Katy's face as she widened her eyes, seemingly restraining something. "Etiquette. Elegance... My darling, you must not forget."
"Milady. I have fulfilled my mission." Still wearing the same eternal set of black butler's clothes, his back as straight as a pine tree, Sebas narrowed one eye slightly at Selene and teased her without leaving a trace.
Like Arisa, the Sebas present at this moment was no longer his true body.
"Ahem..."
Selene coughed several times and hurriedly changed the subject. "Mother, allow me to introduce my capable subordinates in Academy City."
"This is Shuji Matsuzaki, the head of experimental projects at the Schicksal Research Institute." She pointed toward a middle-aged man in his thirties wearing a white laboratory coat among those waiting behind her.
"Greetings, Madam. I am Shuji Matsuzaki." Shuji Matsuzaki stepped forward at the proper moment and bowed.
"This is Aoki Youichi, head of the Security Department," Selene said, gesturing toward a tall, powerfully built man with dark skin.
"Greetings. I am Aoki Youichi."
Katy responded to each of Selene's subordinates with the same appropriate smile and helped them straighten after their bows. Her gentle yet dignified manner made everyone feel as though they were basking in a spring breeze.
...
While the adults continued exchanging pleasantries, another confrontation unfolded in a nearby corner between one large figure and one small one.
Little Ferdinand planted his hands on his hips and asked curiously, "Who are you?"
For some inexplicable reason, he felt a hint of hostility toward the gray-haired, blue-eyed girl wearing the same uniform as Selene.
"Who are you?"
Arisa crossed her arms and looked down imperiously at the tiny boy before her.
"I am Big Sister Selene's younger brother!"
"I am Big Sis' companion Honkai Beast!"
Although he had no idea what a companion Honkai Beast was, that did not stop little Ferdinand from deciding that this girl was extremely annoying and was trying to steal his sister.
"Big Sister Selene has had snowball fights with me and built snowmen with me!"
"Big Sis has taken me through countless food streets!"
"Big Sister has fed me!"
...
"Big Sis has hit me!"
"Big Sister..."
This is becoming more and more ridiculous. Selene covered her face, unable to keep watching.
"My, my... Selene, are you not going to introduce Mother to this beautiful classmate?"
"Uh... It is a long story. Mother, let us get in the car first. This is not the place to talk."