The Rail Zeppelin itself was closer to a luxury liner than a mere train, fully equipped with various leisure facilities and entertainment. Naturally, Waver and I began to fully enjoy the lavish accommodations as if we had come on a vacation.
From bathrooms that defied logic in how they were installed, to ultra-luxurious dinner courses prepared with high-end ingredients, and even a Mystic Code collection show—as if intended to stoke the excitement before the Mystic Eye auction began.
"Just how did they manage to cram all these facilities into a train...?"
"The interior of this train is effectively an Otherworld. Comparing the exterior surface to the interior dimensions is a meaningless exercise," I noted.
"...It feels like an RPG inventory."
A gaming enthusiast, Waver defined the Rail Zeppelin's bizarre distortions as phenomena unique to an Otherworld divorced from reality, and I tended to agree.
He lit a cigar and began lecturing his disciples on the train's abnormalities, its connection to the Twenty-Seven Dead Apostle Ancestors, and the Rail Zeppelin's characteristics. The students began to listen with expressions that said, 'Here we go again.'
When the explanation concluded, Waver led the students to the dining car, where introductions to the Mystic Eyes were to take place before the auction. I followed behind him with my hands clasped behind my back.
The person introducing the Mystic Eyes at the dining table—while holding cases containing eyeballs—was none other than Rita Rozay-en. Her eyes were covered with a blindfold as she began her point-by-point explanation.
"A Noble Color, the Goat Eyes. Mystic Eyes embedded with special magecraft capable of interfering with the very destiny of others are designated as Noble Colors. Among them, these Goat Eyes are of the Sapphire rank. Their condition is excellent, and the quality of the Magic Circuits within is beyond reproach. However, like most Goat Eyes, a basic level of skill is required to control them."
"Detailed information and expected bidding prices can be found in the catalog... So, how many Mystic Eyes are being exhibited in total?"
When Waver asked, the conductor, Rodin, who was pushing a cart containing the Mystic Eyes, answered on her behalf.
"Among the Mystic Eyes up for bid in this auction, there will be two today, two tomorrow, and finally one on the third day of the auction. We plan to present a total of five items."
"...The number being showcased is the same as usual."
"Didn't you say this was your first time on the Rail Zeppelin?"
"It's my first time riding, but I've heard stories from those who have. Originally, this auction was just an excuse for that Dead Apostle to show off her own impressive Mystic Eyes... After all, she herself possesses the Rose Mystic Eyes, which are at least Jewel-rank."
As everyone focused on Rozay-en at my words, she unraveled her blindfold as if boasting, revealing eyes the color of roses. A mage who had been appearing on TV and fiddling with his cutlery until a moment ago let out a stunned laugh.
"Incredible. This is my first time seeing Jewel-rank Mystic Eyes..."
"Even Gold-rank Mystic Eyes are enough to earn a Sealing Designation."
"For your information, this train also performs the extraction and purchase of Mystic Eyes. If you feel that your own Mystic Eyes are a burden or impossible to control, we provide free extraction and a standard eyeball transplant service."
Caltabo, the Enforcer for the Holy Church, seemed to nod at those words... but it felt as if they were aimed directly at me.
The Rinnegan, which clearly transcended the Jewel rank and was at least of the Rainbow rank. Naturally, Rita Rozay-en would be dying to get her hands on them, but...
"...You're not going to do it, right?"
"Of course not. I'm not such an idiot that I can't control my own eyes. At my age, I can use them quite effectively."
"...Does the degree of Mystic Eye usage change depending on age?"
When Peperoncino, who was sipping grape juice beside us, asked the question, Waver stubbed out his cigar and began explaining.
"Essentially, while a Mystic Eye is an organ attached to a magus, it is in itself a semi-independent Magic Circuit. That's why extraction and transplantation are even possible... It's best to think of them as special Magic Circuits that can adapt regardless of lineage. Since they are independent, they can generate prana on their own to activate spells. Mystic Eyes can manifest even in magi from low-ranking families or those with no magical history. A prime example would be the Third Magician here."
"You use me as a teaching aid quite naturally. I'll take that as a compliment, Waver."
"...At any rate, there's no guarantee that the prana generated by the Mystic Eye and the magus's own abilities will sync perfectly. In severe cases, the Mystic Eye may activate a spell on its own, wringing prana and Od from the magus's circuits until they are turned into a mummy. Notable examples include the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, which drive the mind to its limit by forcing a near-death experience through the constant observation of 'death,' and the Mystic Eyes of Enchantment, which activate through simple gazing."
"That sounds like hell."
"Even if one's Magic Circuits are small or non-existent, they might get away with just being tired while they're young and full of vitality. But as one ages, their life force may no longer be able to sustain Noble Color-rank eyes. However, here on the Rail Zeppelin, one can have standard-rank eyes transplanted or even have normal eyes restored, so there is great benefit."
"Of course, not all magi think that rationally. There are plenty of fools who think they can become superior magi by layering more Mystic Eye circuits onto themselves."
"...I'm finally starting to understand."
Daybit nodded from his side, and only Kadoc—who came from a magus lineage to begin with—was glancing half-hesitantly at the Mystic Eyes while listening to El-Melloi's words.
"By the way, is that all for the invited guests?"
"Strictly speaking, aren't you in a position where it's hard to call you an 'invited guest'?"
"That's not what's important. I've heard that quite a few uncouth fellows barge in on the day of the auction."
"...There are people who invade the Rail Zeppelin?"
"Quite a few. For instance, the acting head of the Aozaki family, or the Grand Puppetmaster, or the rare Rune magus who commands Lugh Beowulf."
"..."
"Regardless, the reason Rita Rozay-en isn't kicking me out is because I possess the Rinnegan. To be honest, I thought the Rail Zeppelin might finally send me an invitation soon."
At that, Waver looked at me as if I were absurd.
"Look at the number of Dead Apostles you've smashed. Did you really expect an invitation to the Rail Zeppelin while traveling around with a True Ancestor?"
"Why not? It could happen. Even if I killed them, it was just the Vampiric Forest and small fry like Nrvnqsr Chaos. The Night of Wallachia and Stanrobe Calhin were dealt with by the True Ancestor and the user of the Unified Language anyway, so they don't count. Roa was a bit of a headache, but... he wasn't that big of a deal, was he?"
"You bird-brained idiot, stop treating Dead Apostles like they're 'nothing special'..."
Hmm, it seems Waver's nerves have weakened after dealing with the infighting at the Clock Tower. Should I take him to Van-Fem's casino ship sometime?
"Sigh... To begin with, an invitation from the Rail Zeppelin to a Mystic Eye holder is practically a letter of extortion."
"...Huh? You mean it's not a request to sell them?"
"It's a fairly well-known saying among Mystic Eye holders. If you ignore the invitation, you might be kidnapped or found as a corpse with your eyes gouged out. In short, it's a message to hand over the eyes quietly if you value your life. It's the logic that all the world's Mystic Eyes belong to them. But as I said before, for those who can't handle their eyes, this place is like a savior. They can freely perform extractions and transplants that even the Clock Tower can't do properly, and it's the place that pays the highest—even more than the fair market price—for Mystic Eyes."
Just then, Rita Rozay-en proudly began her explanation of a new Mystic Eye.
The eye was green with a tiny speck-like dot embedded in it, and it clearly looked to be of a high rank.
"The Mystic Eyes of Predation. True to the name, they seize the life force of anyone within sight. They are of the Gold rank, and while they are quite ancient, their state of preservation is flawless."
"A characteristic of such eyes is that they are extremely aggressive toward the host."
"Waver, do you have any interest in transplanting those?"
"...Why would I, you moron?"
Just then, Rita Rozay-en twirled the eye and continued her explanation with a smile. With an expression as if the eye might harm everyone right this moment, she began to spin a tale about the dangers and utility of the Mystic Eyes of Predation. Everyone, except for the Holy Church's Enforcer who was silently focusing on his meal, was listening to her explanation.
"However~ due to the nature of these eyes, they are likely to be aggressive toward the host. Since two previous hosts reached a critical condition within three years and had the eyes extracted by the hands of our staff, we ask the successful bidder to carefully review the limitation of liability clauses in the contract."
"Absorbing life... Truly worthy of the Gold rank..."
"They are useful, but I don't think they're worth the risk."
I already possessed abilities of a much higher rank anyway. If you think about it, the Rinnegan is of the Rainbow rank, just like the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception...
To think that the ability to absorb not just life force but even the pure ether of the primordial Earth is just 'one' among many abilities... I realized once again just how much of a cheat my connection to the Root truly was.
Whether they knew my thoughts or not, everyone on the train (except for Caltabo) was focused on Rita Rozay-en's hand.
"Gold-rank Mystic Eyes... Eyes at the level of a Sealing Designation are appearing so casually."
"I didn't expect the future head of the Animusphere family to lose her composure. I thought the family of recluses wouldn't even flinch at the Gold rank..."
"The Goat Eyes from earlier were pretty decent too."
"...You're one to talk, since you have the Asura Path."
"More importantly, are there ranks for Mystic Eyes? Ranks higher than Noble Color..."
"Well... they're usually classified like this. The bottom tier of Noble Colors are ranks like Sapphire or Ruby, which allow interference at the level of a single person. The next stage, Gold, warrants a Sealing Designation. Since they are Mysteries unlikely to ever manifest again, the Clock Tower tends to capture the owner alive and turn them into a specimen preserved in formalin."
"Since they can't be sure if they can successfully extract just the Mystic Eyes with the Clock Tower's technology... it's easier for them to preserve the person as a whole. They use the ridiculous logic that Mystic Eyes which will never manifest again are public property of the Mages Association, not just the individual."
"There is also the Jewel rank above that. You might even know someone who has those."
When I chimed in, Kadoc let out a sound of realization.
"Ophelia?"
"Exactly. Although it's said she couldn't come with us this time, Ophelia Phamrsolone possesses Jewel-rank Mystic Eyes. They likely allow her to adjust the future as she desires... At this level, they are treated like Lord El-Melloi's Supreme Mystic Code, Volume Hydrargyrum, or the Source Crest of a magus lineage. It's also said that high-ranking Dead Apostles possess them."
"Isn't Rita Rozay-en's Rose Mystic Eye also around that level?"
"Probably. That Mystic Eye itself likely has ties to the Principle Bloodline."
"At any rate, I didn't expect a Gold rank to be exhibited as the second item... The details are a bit lacking, but a Gold rank has immense value as a collector's item."
While the attention of most people was focused on the Mystic Eye, Waver formed a simple magic circle using the ash from his cigar and asked me in a low voice.
"Setting that aside, are you okay? Your goal was to not reveal your identity to others as much as possible, wasn't it? With this Mystic Eye auction and everything, your movements seem a bit conspicuous..."
"I told you I brought the Holy Church in. Isn't influence the most basic requirement of a power? We might as well use this auction to raise our value."
The moment Waver released the bounded field as if he understood, Olga Marie, who had been listening in from a corner, stood up and spoke in a clear voice.
"What about the Rainbow rank?"
"...Is there something you need?"
When Rozay-en asked, Olga Marie repeated her words clearly, undaunted.
"It's as I just said. If this is the Rail Zeppelin, you must be managing even the legendary top tier, the Rainbow-rank Mystic Eyes, right? For instance... the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception that supposedly appeared in the Far East."
The moment Olga Marie spoke, everyone present simultaneously fixed their gaze on her. Even Adashino, the representative from the Department of Policies, looked at her in surprise, having not expected the girl from the family of recluses to possess such information.
Gold, Jewel, and then the Rainbow stage above them.
If a Jewel-rank eye is worth billions and is treated like a Lord's Supreme Mystic Code or a Source Crest, a person possessing a Rainbow-rank eye is literally a walking Sealing Designation.
And Rita Rozay-en dismissed her question very simply.
"I cannot answer that in this setting today, young lady."
Upon hearing that, Olga Marie sat back down. Rita Rozay-en and Rodin finished the introduction and moved to the next car, pushing their cart.
"...I see. Animusphere must have had something they were after as well."
"The Mystic Eyes of Death Perception... aren't those the eyes Balor was said to have possessed? I've only heard of them in legends. Do they really exist?"
"They do. There are even two of them, you know?"
"There are two of them?!"
As Kadoc shouted in surprise, every gaze on the train turned toward us.
"...Kadoc, be a little quieter. Everyone is watching us."
"Ah... I'm sorry, Professor."
"It doesn't matter, Waver. A mere Lord's family wouldn't even be able to stand against someone possessing the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception anyway."
As I threw shade at Adashino and Olga Marie, who were subtly eavesdropping, their faces turned as red as ripe tomatoes.
"...I know you're strong, but is it okay to provoke them like that?"
"It doesn't matter, as they're both already within my sphere of influence. Besides, both you and that snake over there have seen them once, haven't you?"
"What?"
"Excuse me?"
No longer even bothering to hide that they were listening, Olga Marie and Adashino craned their necks and intruded upon our conversation. I calmly settled their doubts, as well as Waver's.
"Back when you were locked up in the Department of Policies, I raided the Clock Tower with a Magician and another person—three of us in total."
"...Yeah, I had a nightmare of a time cleaning up the aftermath...!"
"At any rate, the person who was backing me up along with the Magician back then is the holder of the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception."
"...That woman in the kimono?"
"Yes. Incidentally, she is connected to the Root and possesses omnipotence, so even I can't mess with her. If you tried to do something about her eyes, you'd be done for in an instant through something like phylogenetic tree manipulation. For example, she could turn you into an amoeba or a paramecium."
Waver, who had a soul-drained expression, barely kept his wits about him and asked the next question.
"...Who's the other one?"
"Hmm, the Holy Church knows about him anyway, so it's only a matter of time before the Mages Association finds out too. But this guy is actually more dangerous than the 'omnipotent' one from earlier."
"More dangerous than someone who is omnipotent?"
"Of course."
Arcueid Brunestud, who regained the power of the Crimson Moon and is effectively the strongest among us.
There's no way her lover wouldn't be dangerous.
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