Memoirs of the Returnee-Novel

Internship (4)

A luxury boutique in an affluent neighborhood.

Elise is choosing a dress to wear to a social event. She’s not particularly interested in the exclusive parties of the nobility, but this one is a bit different.

[Blue DeLuneman].

This masquerade is attended by quite a few of the social elite and heirs of major families, making it a sort of bucket list event.

“Layla. How about this one?”

Elise asked while looking at herself in the full-length mirror. It wasn’t an overly extravagant dress.

A black dress that accentuated her fair skin. Her shoulders and collarbone were quite exposed, but she thought it was acceptable.

“……It’s fine.”

Layla’s voice was low. Elise turned to look at her.

“What’s with you? You’ve always wanted to go to Blue DeLuneman the most.”

Throughout her time in Endex Life, Layla had been singing the [Blue DeLuneman] song and waiting. After all, you can’t get invited if you’re not an adult.

“Well, that’s true…… but I’ve been dealing with a lot of exhausting things lately.”

“If you’re not going to buy a dress, at least decide on a mask. I’m going to be a camel, so don’t copy me.”

“Who wears a camel mask?”

“I do.”

“……Haaaam.”

Layla yawned. Had she been too active as Mila recently? She was tired, so tired.

Oh right. I had something to tell Elise.

“……Elly.”

“What.”

“Do you know Raquel Dra?”

Layla subtly changed the topic.

“You mean the murderer from Trick City?”

“They call him a villain in Trick City.”

“I know. Why?”

Elise fiddled with her earrings. Then she put on the camel mask she had prepared in advance.

“……How about we do this for our club activity? Catching a villain! We investigate Raquel Dra! If we catch him, our specs will skyrocket!”

“……Haa. How many lives do you have?”

Elise looked at her as if she was pathetic. Layla’s eyes narrowed.

“What.”

“‘Raquel Dra’, the villain, is not someone we can handle.”

“You’re such a scaredy-cat, Elly. You have no confidence. You’re the top of the College Board.”

“I don’t bite off more than I can chew. By the way, there was talk about him in the Magic Tower community.”

Elise said as she smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress.

“Raquel Dra’s ‘Chimera formula’ was a research subject for mages. So they also debated about the level of that Raquel Dra-”

“Villain.”

“……Villain. The academic consensus was?”

Elise held up three fingers.

“Even with just the skills revealed to the public, Raquel Dra is at least a third-tier mage.”

“……Th, third-tier?”

Gulp- Layla swallowed.

A third-tier mage is equivalent to a one-man army. Even Elise, if she were to enter the Magic Tower, would start from the ninth tier.

“There are rumors that he could be second-tier in terms of combat power.”

There aren’t many second-tier mages even in Edsilla.

“How are we supposed to catch someone like that? ……Please think.”

Elise paid with her black card. Layla pouted at her nonchalant demeanor.

“Still, Elly, aren’t you being too irresponsible? Villains kill people!”

“Layla, isn’t murder as old as humanity?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Catching killers is the job of the police or knights. I’m busy saving those who are dying.”

Elise always volunteers in medical services. She works in the emergency room for at least 10 hours a week.

“…Besides, are you really not going to buy a dress? I don’t have much time today.”

“I have plenty of clothes.”

Layla responded sulkily. Elise smirked.

“You’re not the type to not buy because you have plenty.”

“……”

Whirrrrrr───

At that moment, a box flew in through the open door of the boutique. Elise caught it.

“Oh, it’s my box.”

“A ‘Delivery Box’, huh? So you use this formula too?”

“Yes, it’s called ‘Biantu’.”

“…Biantu? You even named it?”

Layla examined her box. Despite being a box, it was decorated with various things. Even a rabbit headband?

“It’s a message from a professor at the Magic Tower. He wants me to attend his lecture.”

Elise showed the contents of the box, a letter with a seal, as she spoke.

“…So what? Are you bragging?”

“I have to go now. Just forget about Raquel Dra. There are people much stronger and more meticulous than you already planning to catch him.”

Layla looked at Elly with discontented eyes. Then she abruptly turned to the staff.

“I’ll take the same dress she’s wearing.”

“…Are you crazy?”

“Why not? Let’s go as twins? I’m going to dress exactly like Elly.”

“Hmph. Do as you please.”

“And, I’m also going to wear a camel mask.”

“…You. Just try it.”

Elise’s complexion instantly turned cold. Layla huffed and walked out.

“You just try it!”

Elise quickly followed and shouted at her back.

“The camel is mine!”

* * *

The residence of Endex’s official. Late at night, serene moonlight streamed in through the window gap.

I’m reading the documents related to the [Blue DeLuneman] escort, my second intern task.

Drrrrrr─

Soliette is sleeping on the sofa. These days, she’s more dedicated to training than ever before. She says it’s special training to face Knightmare, and her growth rate and speed are astounding.

I couldn’t even last three minutes against her sincere sparring. Especially the 「Flame Sword」 almost burned my clothes.

Of course, I didn’t use the 「Severing Sword」. I consciously hid it. Just in case she might show interest in the Severing Sword.

Thanks to that, Soliette, who sleeps well, eats well, and trains diligently, was becoming a different kind of master than before her regression.

Now her weapon was the 「Flame Sword」, not the 「Severing Sword」.

“……Hold on.”

Suddenly.

I spread out the work documents again.

[Blue DeLuneman Escort Task]

“This.”

A document outlining my route and role as a bodyguard.

This year’s Blue DeLuneman is held in ‘Trick City’, the large print says.

From within, a certain memory blossomed.

……Breaking news. There has been a kidnapping incident involving Senator Amota at the castle in Trick City, where the social party ‘Blue DeLuneman’ was taking place.

It was the voice of a news anchor.

The Blue DeLuneman attack incident.

Some big shots are targeting [Blue DeLuneman]. No, not big shots, but madmen. The mastermind is the “monster association”.

Anyway, a Senator gets kidnapped and killed here. The method is so unique that it seems like it would trigger a memory even without 「Notepad」.

─Here is the scene. At the time of the incident, the ‘Blue DeLuneman’ room where Senator Amota was staying disappeared entirely, and many high-ranking officials were trapped in a malfunctioning Barrier……

The voices of the reporters echoed. Among them, I searched for any information related to ‘Libra’.

─Also, monsters and beasts suddenly appeared inside the Barrier…… Libra’s second son Jade and youngest Zia, under the leadership of the second son Jade, evacuated……

“……So Jade was there.”

Anyone with Jade is invincible.

Also, Jade is not a good enough person to save others out of goodwill. Rather, he would never reveal his power in front of many people, so he would only take Zia and leave.

There’s no place for me.

I put down the documents. I muttered while stretching my neck.

“I thought it was a chance to score some points.”

Zia is coming. Jade is coming too. As an intern, I’m tempted to play the heroic role of saving Zia, but with Jade there……

“……No.”

I leaned forward again. I meticulously examined the [Blue DeLuneman] [Room List], [Attendee List], etc. on the desk again.

“Senator Amota 107A. Erick 110C. Jade 108B…….”

* * *

The most famous official social event in Edsilla, [Blue DeLuneman].

This year’s venue is the castle in Trick City.

However, there are no reporters or cameras nearby. This is because the entire castle is surrounded by a 「Barrier」.

Most citizens simply wave from afar, welcoming the vehicles entering the castle.

“…….”

I stand at the massive entrance of the castle. Wearing a mask that makes me look like a phantom. Because I’m tall and neat, I’ve become a ‘guard’ checking the invitations.

It’s rather good.

─The VIPs are coming soon. Stand by.

The voice of the security team leader came through my earpiece.

I don’t know who this team leader is. But he probably isn’t worried. He must believe that the castle’s Barrier will protect us.

However, today, an error occurs in that Barrier due to magic hacking.

“I will check your invitation.”

I asked the VIPs approaching the entrance for their invitations. They handed me their invitations in their masked attire, and I checked their names.

“Please rest comfortably in the room written on the invitation. The party starts at 6 PM.”

After repeating this for a few minutes.

─Senator Amota is entering.

Senator Amota appeared. A stubborn Senator who hopes for cooperation between Trick City and Edsilla and wants to bring down the cartel. The middle-aged woman had not yet put on her mask.

I reached out to her.

“I will check your invitation.”

Senator Amota pointed to her face as if puzzled.

“……You don’t seem to know me? I haven’t put on a mask yet.”

“From what I know, Senator Amota is not in her 30s.”

At that, a smile spread across the Senator’s lips.

“Huhuh. True. That’s right. I should have known.”

She shook her head and handed me the invitation. As I accepted it, I manifested 「Deception」.

To prevent her from being kidnapped─I changed the room written on the invitation to another place.

From [107 A] to [108 B]

“Please rest comfortably in the room written on the invitation. The party starts at 6 PM.”

“Where’s the room key?”

“There isn’t one. You can set a password when you enter the room, Senator.”

“Ah~ I see. Thank you for your hard work.”

She patted my shoulder and went inside. I watched her back.

The best way is to cancel the social event itself, but [Blue DeLuneman] is a continental emergency social event. No matter what I say, it won’t be canceled. I would only be treated as a lunatic.

So, it’s better to protect the person that needs to be protected.

─Guard. Good line, huh? You’re an intern, right?

I looked around.

Someone’s been watching me. Is he really the security team leader?

─They keep coming. There will be people with forged invitations, so pick them out well.

Quite a few people came after that.

Most of them were celebrities……

“……Here’s my invitation.”

There was one wearing a camel mask. She hesitated as she handed me the invitation.

“Um…… by any chance, is it you?”

She asked me. I silently returned the invitation.

“Ha ha! Elly. How do I look?”

Just then, Layla appeared behind her. Elise quickly turned around.

“I told you! If I say I’ll do it, I’ll do it!”

Layla was also wearing a camel mask like Elise.

“You, you! How dare you!”

“I’m going in first~”

Layla went inside, and Elise followed her.

─Focus! It’s a direct descendant of Libra. It’s No. 3. Don’t say anything weird. You don’t even have to check the invitation.

Next, a man of blue dignity appeared. The man who got out of the luxury car approached with long strides.

It was Jade of Libra. His mask was ordinary.

I said to him.

“May I see your invitation, please?”

─I told you not to check the invitation!

He silently handed me the invitation. I swiped his invitation with my palm.

I returned it and said.

“It’s an honor.”

“……Keep up the good work.”

Jade, who seemed to have recognized me, chuckled and went inside.

─……Interesting. No. 3 is unusually quiet. Still, don’t do things like checking invitations next time. No. 3 doesn’t like that.

I looked at my wristwatch.

5:55 PM.

It seems early for Jade, but there’s no sign of Zia coming.

“……Is she already here?”

There’s a possibility. Zia extremely dislikes the gaze of others.

I looked back for a moment.

The towering spire. The huge castle wrapped in a Barrier. I took in all of its scenery.

How the social gathering will proceed today…… I don’t know either.

* * *

Chewing──

From a hill where [Blue DeLuneman] is visible in one glance. A monster with dark arms and legs is staring at the castle, chewing gum.

─Are you ready?

He asked. A strange voice flowed from his scorched vocal cords.

“Yes.”

A man in a robe replied.

─Then activate the Barrier first.

“Yes.”

The operation was all prepared in advance.

The Barrier was already hacked, and the room signs were obtained in advance, and a Magic Spell was installed in the room where Senator Amota would stay.

Today, a secret deal was made between the monster association and the Marcus cartel.

The monster association kidnaps Senator Amota, who the Marcus cartel was annoyed with, extracts information, and then kills her.

In return, the Marcus cartel cooperates with several operations of the monster association.

It is known as──「The Day of Origin」.

“……It has been activated.”

The man in the robe said.

─Is that all?

“Yes. Now it’s impossible to circulate between inside and outside the Barrier, and phantom beasts will soon swarm.”

─Hmm. Good. Then summon the Senator now.

“Yes.”

The robe turned around. There was one giant formula on the ground there. A 「Spatial Transfer」 to kidnap Senator Amota.

“……Huh!”

The man infused the formula with mana. Instantly, the ground beneath glowed blue, and a cheerful spark sizzled—! A tiny vibration rippled.

Soon, a room, including the door, walls, and ceiling, was entirely transferred above the ground.

They had stolen the entire room of Senator Amota.

─Open the door first. She must be scared. Calm her down.

“Yes.”

The man in the robe opened the door.

“Senator, please don’t be too alarmed and listen to what I have to say…….?”

The man, who had been speaking like a wicked impersonator, suddenly trembled. He staggered back in surprise.

“……What is this.”

─What’s going on?

The monster asked. The man just blinked blankly.

With no other choice, the monster approached the room himself. He peered beyond the opened door of room [107A].

─What the…….

They saw him.

He was not Senator Amota.

Seemingly in the middle of changing into his party attire, his shirt was slightly unbuttoned. A coat and mask neatly placed on the bed.

Blue eyes glaring at them with a furrowed brow.

The second son of Libra, Jade.

* * *

3.

Jared ransacked everywhere. He tackled the dungeon alone, cut down zombies in the sewers, and frantically asked about the ‘nail clippers’.

There was no progress.

No one gave him an answer about the ‘nail clippers’.

“……A fake.”

The night descended into darkness.

On the ground of a hill where he had lit a bonfire for camping.

“Just that one word that this world is fake has dragged me…….”

How far is it going to pull me in?

Jared chuckled and looked up at the sky. He gulped down whiskey and counted the numerous stars.

“If…… there’s an end to these stars.”

He mumbled absentmindedly.

“If…… this world is really fake.”

Suddenly, his eyes widened.

“If it’s fake!”

If indeed the entire world is fake.

If the horizon I walk and run on, and the sky I look up to, are fake.

There must be a ‘boundary’.

In other words, there must be an ‘end of the world’.

Jared quickly got up. He was about to dash into the mountains but paused.

“……A horse.”

He needed a horse. No matter what, he couldn’t run on two legs.

He would get a fine horse and race to the end of this world.

Let’s see what’s there with my own eyes…….