The bustling city center teemed with people flowing through squares and streets, vehicles coming and going. Anyone could see this was a vibrant shopping district pulsing with youthful energy. Yet, the sudden wail of air raid sirens shattered the ease and smiles on people's faces.
Most faces showed panic and tension, but quite a few also wore expressions of weary frustration, as if thinking, 'Not again.' It seemed the sound of the sirens had become all too familiar.
"Commander! A Spacequake has occurred in Tengu City! Based on the Reiryoku wave pattern, it's the Princess manifesting!"
High above, ten thousand meters in the air, aboard the aerial warship Fraxinus, a blonde man burst into the meeting room occupied by only three people, his expression grim as he reported the situation.
"Haah!? At a time like this!?"
The girl he called Commander, Kotori Itsuka, also darkened.
By appearance alone, she seemed utterly mismatched with the title 'Commander.'
Whether it was her petite, cute frame or her youthful, tender skin, she looked every bit a middle school girl of fourteen or fifteen. And indeed, that was the truth; Kotori Itsuka, commander of the Fraxinus, was indeed a girl of just fourteen.
She turned to the woman behind her, who wore a uniform, had dark circles under her eyes, glasses, a pretty face, and silvery-blue hair: "Reine! Head to the command room and assess the situation. As unlikely as I think it is, we must remain vigilant for any intervention from DEM!"
"Understood."
Reine Murasame nodded without a hint of question towards Kotori's order.
However, before leaving the office, she cast a glance at the golden-haired girl sitting opposite Kotori, who radiated an air of upright integrity.
The girl wore a black vest with blue trim, a pauldron on her left shoulder, and a cape-like side cloak that was black on the outside and cyan on the inside.
Both sleeves were adorned with cyan lace, and she wore a blue skirt with cyan frills below.
Combined with a demeanor that seemed beyond her years, she gave off a feeling of both cuteness and valiant spirit.
As Reine Murasame left the room, Kotori turned her attention back to the girl across from her.
Bianka 'Durandal' Ataegina.
Six years ago, she had been in an ordinary, commonplace orphanage, before being adopted by the current Overseer of Schicksal and leader of the underground organization World Serpent, Mobius.
World Serpent was a mysterious organization that had, at some point, spread to every corner of the globe.
No one knew its origins or its goals until thirty years ago, during the great Eurasian Sky Disaster, when it finally revealed itself openly.
As Spacequakes and Spirits continued to appear, Mobius, leader of World Serpent, established their public-facing corporation, naming it Schicksal.
Schicksal, or rather, World Serpent, possessed technological and genetic capabilities far surpassing the rest of the world.
After the continuous emergence of Spirits, its security department, the 'Valkyrie Corps,' became the main force combating Spirits, leveraging the power of Valkyrie Armor and Stigmata.
They had successively eliminated several Spirits, yet they couldn't stop the endless stream of Spirits, who only seemed to grow stronger.
Although DEM later created anti-Spirit armaments known as Realizer Units, they still couldn't curb the destruction caused by the Spirits' Spacequakes.
This phenomenon persisted until two years ago.
Having been with Schicksal for only four years, the fifteen-year-old Durandal became its strongest Valkyrie.
She successively eliminated the Spirits known as Berserk and Hermit, shaking the world with her reputation in just two short months.
However, after achieving these feats, Durandal completely vanished without a trace.
Some speculated her immense power came at the cost of her lifespan and that she had already died.
Others guessed she had been severely injured in battle with a Spirit, rendering her unable to fight anymore.
Regardless, Durandal truly disappeared from the world, leaving not a whisper behind.
Yet... this legendary figure, missing for two years, had suddenly appeared representing Schicksal to visit Ratatoskr... and in such a... childlike form.
To be honest, Kotori simply couldn't reconcile the girl in front of her, who looked two years younger than herself, with the memory of that girl whose figure had been absurdly developed for a fifteen-year-old.
Yet, her facial features were unmistakably those of a younger Durandal.
Could she be a clone or something?
But just what did she eat to grow like that? Looking normal at twelve, yet three years later she'd become...
"Ahem..."
Realizing she was getting off track, Kotori readjusted her mindset and said, "Then let's continue..."
"Is there really a need to continue?" The golden-haired girl's expression was stern, her eyes flashing with skepticism.
"Overseer Mobius said your philosophy had merit and that you had a feasible plan for sealing the power of Spirits. Yet, from beginning to end, you've been evading the core of my questions."
Kotori felt helpless inwardly, and it showed slightly on her face.
We are evading, but just look at the questions you're asking!
Who starts by directly asking 'What is your method for sealing a Spirit's power?'
Do you even understand the concept of boundaries in negotiation?
We haven't even built trust, and you're already asking for our core secrets.
If I asked you about your Valkyrie Armor and Stigmata technology, wouldn't you evade as well?
Oh, wait, you probably wouldn't. After all, Durandal clearly isn't a researcher type and probably doesn't know the details anyway.
But however exasperated she felt, Kotori could tell the other party wasn't skilled at negotiation.
Dealing with someone this straightforward, she decided to drop the evasions.
"Sealing Spirit powers is Ratatoskr's core secret. Our proposed cooperation does not include sharing our respective core technologies. Schicksal has no grounds to make accusations based on this."
Durandal, or rather, Bianka, furrowed her brow. "It is not an accusation, but a query."
"It is well known that Schicksal's main strength lies in its Valkyries, and DEM's in its forces armed with Realizer Units. But you claim to have a method to seal Spirit power, solving the problem at its root, yet refuse to clarify the specifics. This lacks persuasiveness."
"Ratatoskr proposed a cooperation: we provide the military strength to fend off DEM's attacks on Spirits and handle emergencies where Spirits lose control."
"In return, you seal the Spirits without worries for the aftermath. But if you fail to show sincerity, as the captain of the Immortal Blades squad assigned to these negotiations, I have the right to declare the cooperation a failure."
"We have provided the maximum resources, both economic and otherwise. We've even permitted Schicksal forces to be stationed directly in Japan," Kotori countered.
"But that is the attitude of an employer, not a partner," Bianka stated bluntly. "Schicksal is not the United States. We are not seeking a military base, but a temporary presence."
Kotori felt utterly stifled.
Who negotiates like this? Cooperation isn't settled in one sitting. Both sides start with unreasonable demands, then bargain and compromise until reaching a consensus—that's the normal process.
Coming in with this 'agree now or it's over' attitude, who could possibly work with that?
Just as she was about to say something, the communicator on her wrist buzzed.
Bianka gave a 'go ahead' gesture, and Kotori accepted the call.
"Commander, DEM forces are already approaching the Princess's location. Estimated contact in two minutes." Reine Murasame's flat voice came through the comms.
"Understood."
Kotori took a breath, then looked at the girl across from her.
"DEM moves fast. I'll discuss your points with my superiors. You'll have our answer by today. Until then, I hope you can demonstrate the kind of performance that would convince our higher-ups."
"That is not within the scope of the proposed cooperation," Bianka said, yet she still rose to her feet. "However, based on the potential Ratatoskr has proposed, I am also willing to mediate this conflict."
Hearing this, the frown on Kotori's brow finally eased.
Stubborn and inflexible as she is, she doesn't seem like a bad person.
To be honest, Kotori's impression of Schicksal wasn't particularly favorable.
After all, they were also a faction that killed Spirits. While she understood it wasn't necessarily wrong... she herself was a Spirit. Knowing it wasn't wrong didn't stop the discomfort.
But judging by Durandal's attitude, it seemed their side wasn't strictly anti-Spirit; they merely fought Spirits to eliminate threats.
"Then I'll leave it to you. Let me see what it's like to have the strongest Valkyrie as an ally."
For the first time in this entire conversation, a genuine smile finally appeared on Kotori's face.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.