Chapter Pr
Seiken Tsukai no World Break – Volume 10 – Prologue
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Human eyes look ahead.
So why is it so difficult to keep on living, without looking anywhere but ahead?
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An asymmetrically splendid pipe organ was in such a small concert hall.
The melody edited with grave notes was truly majestic and splendid.
It rampaged as if rupturing the hall from the inside.
In the lonely concert hall, fantasia was played by the too-good famed musical instrument.
In contrast to the giant-like organ, the instrumentalist was also small.
It looked no more than a very young girl.
Her hair color was white. Her dress was also white. Her doll-like lifeless skin was also white. Furthermore, she wore silk long white gloves.
Only the color of her eyes that seemed to be carried away by zeal was blue.
Displaying her small delicate fingers, the cool girl was entranced by her own musical performance.
Childishness and expertise.
Extravagance and solemnity.
The melody created by the girl and the famed musical instrument perfectly harmonized these conflicting elements, sublimating them into art.
The audience seating on the first floor was all empty. There was only the figure of a person on the right-end balcony of the second floor. Moreover, that person was sleeping deeply from the beginning.
In the lonely concert hall, the girl continued the musical performance without paying attention to them.
The pipe organ and the concert hall for her and her only. Rather, it was possible to say that it was the ultimate luxury.
Playing the keyboard of the pipe organ to her heart’s content, the girl finished the musical performance.
Without sweating or taking a pause until the end.
She closed her eyes as if being immersed in the trailing notes of the piece she played with her instrument.
At that moment──
A calm applause echoed on the ceiling of the hall.
The girl immediately carved a broad smile.
It was a wicked-looking, but somewhat shiny, mysterious smile.
She turned around with all her body and turned her wet-looking eyes to the balcony seating on the front of the second floor.
– If you are there, then do not be so stealthily, I was hoping I could speak to you.
To the man who stood like an unnoticed shadow in the seats.
With an ear-tickling and fascinating tone of voice, and that didn’t fit a young voice.
– I’m not so insensitive to make a sound during your musical performance….
The man replied in the darkness stagnated on the balcony.
He also spoke in a unique way.
His tone felt like a whisper, but she heard him amazingly clear.
– I played one. But if that is the case, may I hear what your impressions are?
– Your musical performance was as wonderful as always…
– Ufuh. Even though you are a misanthrope, you honestly praised me.
– Neither books nor music know of sins…
As he replied that, the man slowly moved to the handrail.
Then, his appearance was revealed.
He was a youthful, yet stylish person.
His facial features said he was 20 years old or so.
However, his facial expression was of a person in the prime of their life wrapped in bitterness.
The thin frame glasses gave him an even more intellectual appearance, suiting him.
The three-piece suit style was perfect too.
He was the master of the girl.
The King of the 《Demons》 who didn’t follow the White Knight Organization.
His name was Shiba Akira.
– It has been four years. Get a bit closer.
The girl looked up at the balcony far away and opened her arms as if receiving him.
– It’s not like your presbyopia progressed before seeing me in all this time, Louise.
Shiba glared at the stage and bluntly refused the girl’s request.
– Ufuh. Will you try checking every nook and cranny of my body to see if I have aged in these four years?
– Drop the nonsense already. To be clear, I don’t know every nook and cranny of your body from four years ago…
There was no sweet echo there, but at the same time, there was no reserve.
He was stronger than her, therefore, he was her king.
However, both formed Six Wings, so they were the same.
The concert hall had five large and empty balcony seats.
The throne, which was where Shiba was, was the front seat.
The girl──Louise thought.
As expected, the place where he is standing is perfect for a picture.
The air in the concert hall became more peaceful, dignified and tense.
As Louise looked up at him in ecstasy, the sound of two heavy doors opening was heard.
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The sign of people appeared on the balcony seats, lining up as if waiting on the left and right of the front seats.
Each of them made rough and rude sound of footsteps strut.
– Wha? Oh right, Louise’s performance is over by now, huh.
– I’m terribly grateful for that, Leonard. I’d rather listen to your silly talk than making me listen to boring classical music.
The miserable duo stood by the handrail; it seemed that their parents didn’t cultivate character or sensitivity in them.
The one wearing a cowboy hat was “Flash Sword” Leonard Van Percy.
The muscular one was “Blue Knight” Boris Terry.
The uncultured men where the exact opposite of Shiba whose manners were sophisticated and composed.
Louise was disconcerted because they were part of the same Six Wings.
– When I hear your discomforting thick voices, I feel like my ears will rot. Hey, hey, let’s end the meeting soon, Akirkun. I would like to hear you continue the rest only.
– That’s a fascinating proposal, but…. Making light of the meeting is the same as calling it our disgrace.
Shiba said mixed with a bitter smile.
Leonard and Boris laughed loudly at that joke with a 「Definitely」.
The six 《Demons》who possessed powerful Ancestral Arts, including the person who slept deeply and another one who hadn’t come yet.
Those who called themselves Six Wings.
They were the center of the Counter that bared its fangs at White Knight Organization’s Six Heads.
– Miko-san is still asleep huh.
– In any case, she won’t wake up. We only have to wait for “Invisible” now.
– Even though it’s the first time in four years that the six of us assemble, it’s been in vain.
– Relax, Boris. Shibsan came back, no? This will get interesting from now on, I know it. Let’s clear up the accumulated anger with all that we have!
– Leonard! Can that head of yours think of other thing than rampage?
Being fed up with him, Louise reproached the young man with a cowboy hat who showed a belligerent smile.
– Of course I can. Rather, praise me for controlling myself for four years! Will you let me challenge the Six Heads this time?
Leonard became defiant and laughed loudly and vulgarly. As if──
Cutting that into two with a single stroke,
– Don’t forget the words of the king.
An uncanny, knife-like sharp, bizarre voice warned.
A mechanized voice that was neither male nor female.
Without a second thought, Leonard swallowed his loud laughter.
On the other hand, Louise turned her eyes to the balcony seats on the far left.
Without realizing it, the entrance door was open.
However, no human figure could be seen there.
No presence could be felt either.
– Leonard. The time when your sword is needed will definitely come. However, this is not the moment. Remain in the darkness.
Only a voice definitely echoed.
– I know, Boss “Invisible”. Shibsan has just come back and I got a bit carried away.
Leonard covered his face with the cowboy hat, looking embarrassed.
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– Then we are all good.
Only a voice echoed on the empty left-end balcony.
That was the location of Invisible, the one whose appearance nobody could see.*
*TN: This invisible is the furigana for a different word, which in this case is “extraordinary assassin”.
When Shiba returned to the throne, the concert hall was engulfed in a calm air, but when this man──or woman──lurked in the seats, a gruesome atmosphere oozed out.
Anyhow, with Leonard acting like an adult, “Invisible” also kept silent.
It fell completely silent like the surface of water that became calm without any waves.
Shiba’s whisper rippled as if throwing pebbles on it.
– Our plans are ripening…
Taken aback, Louise realized.
The same happened to Leonard and Boris. Shiba didn’t show any concerns to the quarrels around him and left them alone, but when he opened his mouth, the ones around him couldn’t help but concentrate.
– As we hypothesized, the White Knight Organization has swelled up and now they have numerous talented persons──in other words, and like a catalog, there are lot of options lined up in front of us: we win them over as comrades, transform them into 《Metaphysicals》 and use them as soldiers, etcetera….
– But there are things we haven’t foreseen too.
– Yes, it will be hard unless those guys start snarling at each other more and more.
Louise pouted like a child.
It was nice that the White Knight Organization had increased its fighting strength, but as an organization, it was ideal, rather convenient that fell in a position from which it was impossible to recover no matter how much time passed.
– I’d really enjoy seeing them banding together, you know? After all, if the opponent is strong, then they’re worth defeating.
– There’s no need for “they’re worth defeating”, stupid Leonard. It’s best to have fun and great profits.
Leonard and Boris started another silly conversation but,
– Haimura Moroha… huh.
When Shiba said that name aloud, everyone held their tongues and made their own facial expressions.
For Louise, it was an accursed reverberation.
The name of the boy who pushed each and every difficulty aside and became the unifying force of the White Knight Organization.
– An enthusiasm that generally no ordinary person possess, but… oh dear me….!
The thought of Shiba who muttered so couldn’t understand it, but his face that looked like it ruminated it with closed eyes was devastating for Louise.
She had heard that Haimura Moroha met him by chance and only exchanged words for a brief moment.
To end up leaving a lasting, solid impression in the memories of this misanthrope was.
Jealous, Louise detested more and more this unknown boy Haimura.
But setting that aside──
– The more powerful our opponent becomes, the stronger we have to get. It is indispensable to hurry up our plans.
Everyone strongly agreed with Shiba’s words.
– Sir Edward gave a name to it, which was it again? Oh right… it was… Archfiend, right? Perfection is very hard to say, but we should accelerate the research of Evil Spirit-class.
– For that reason, we prayed for your return.
– Now that Akirkun is here, there’s no need to be careful about the metaphysicalification of 《Saviors》.
– Alright, let’s kidnap them quickly and transform them with a bang bang!
– But still. Not even Miko-san has inexhaustible supplies for transformation.
Boris grumbled and everyone’s gazes were fixed on the sleeping girl on the right-end balcony.
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– I said that the catalog is lined up, yes? Then it’s fine to do a close examination….
– Nah…. By the way, wasn’t the Evil Spirit-class that used Sakho as the core stronger than the one that used Kashiwaba, Boss?
– Affirmative. The one of Kashiwaba Gen’ichi wasn’t at all weak. However, I am obliged to say that the one of Flavie Sakho was stronger than the enormous firepower, vitality and the obsession to even corner PSG.
– What an interesting result. As a 《Savior》, Kashiwaba was stronger than I thought.
– Like I thought, it wasn’t the strength of her egotism or beliefs but the strength of her emotions that had a great effect in this?
– I think the same.
Nobody denied their opinions.
However, while Louise did not agree,
– “Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it”. That is the truth in times of research, no?
The “One should experiment as soon as one thinks of it” was just a principle.
Her pet theory said: You can build as many excellent golems as the number of broken toys you have.
They just had to do the same but with 《Metaphysicals》.
In this case, the souls of people became toys, but Louise’s pet theory said that if “we worry too much about it, the researchers will succumb”.
– Then… who do we select?
Shiba looked at all present.
– Hmm. A person who’s not very strong as a 《Savior》, but is the owner of an extremely dark obstinacy and conviction; that’s the most suitable one.
– Isn’t that usually harder than finding a strong guy?
– Like I thought, this is the moment when Boss “Invisible” appears on stage, right? You’ve been frighteningly monitoring the people and movements of the White Knight Organization.
– Affirmative. I have been listening to them for a long time.
– See? I was right!
Leonard snapped his fingers.
Shiba nodded a little and decided to leave the personnel selection to “Invisible”.
One more thing,
– The touchstone is Haimura Moroha. He has no malice….
Shiba decided and Louise complied with an “I see”.
The boy who slaughtered two Evil Spirit-classes. There was no other person more qualified than him.
Moreover, if they could bury him, the unifying force of the White Knight Organization, it would be like killing two birds with one stone.
Louise hatefully and jealously wished the death of Haimura Moroha from the bottom of her heart.
She turned and faced the pipe organ and played the funeral march as her feelings welled up.
All the things that had to be discussed were completed and people left one after another.
The entrances of all balconies transcended dimensions, directly connecting to each of their homes.
This concert hall was the conference room for 6 people.
Specially designed and built by Louise who hated gathering at inorganic offices.
The inscription read “Tír na nÓg”.*
*TN: That term is the furigana reading for “a concert hall that is not in this world”.
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