Vol 1 Chapter 4 (1/2)
abcAn egg-shaped aircraft descended slowly under the moonlight. The aircraft wasn't too big, just about 2 meters in diameter.
Its destination, a small island with no illumination. A lost island that didn't appear in any maps, either. It was the Tentacle G.o.d's Island: the headquarters of the Tentacle Group, those who had obtained the power of Irukinuf.
Without making a sound, the aircraft slipped through between the huge stone buildings buried in the jungle of tropical plants, then landed in front of the temple located in the center of the island.
An egg-shaped shadow stretched on the stone paving. Making a small vibrating buzz, a crack ran from the top to the bottom of the aircraft. When the crack reached the bottom, the aircraft broke with a snap, and a redheaded girl holding a jar and a spear-like metal bar made her appearance from within.
”Nyufufu, I safely made iit.”[1]
The singing-like voice echoed through the temple illuminated by the moonlight. She was Lynn, the Irukinuf's Songstress that had fought at the Book Building of St. Label's Academy against Alice and the others.
Making a coy face like a cat[2], she stroked the surface of the aircraft with the tentacles that extended from her waist. Making a clacking sound, the aircraft quickly folded up into a size enough for it to fit in her pocket.
Using this portable ultra high-speed aircraft, Lynn was able to freely jump to any place around the world. No matter if she had to go to the Tentacle G.o.d's Island from Moscow, or from the island to St. Label's Academy, those kinds of travels around the globe were no trouble thanks to this aircraft.
”Nyufufuh.”
Laughing contentedly, she looked up at the temple, and quietly inhaled a deep breath.
”Lord Tentacle Kiing? I retrieved Lord Irukinuf's treasure.”
Being in the middle of the night as it was, the redhead's voice could be heard throughout the temple.
”The jar and the laance. Both of theem! Quite the achievemeent.”
Lynn touted about the treasures she was holding, and ran up the stairs that extended towards the centre of the temple. In one go, she leapt into the central part, where 12 entasis pillars stood in a row.
”Nyufufufufu.”
Feeling the gaze of many directed towards the treasures she held, Lynn's face broke into a superiority smug.
The Dorchester Pot and the Kus.h.i.+ro Spear. She had s.n.a.t.c.hed both away from Alice and company, and right in front of their noses. There was no precedent of someone in the Tentacle Group bringing back 3 treasures from Irukinuf's fission in such a short time.[3]
The Tentacle King Swodar should now acknowledge her more than ever. Just thinking of the power she might receive in exchange for the treasures, Lynn lightly jiggled her chest as she walked.
”Nyafuh!?”
Suddenly, Lynn tripped, and as she almost fell down, the treasures rolled down from her hands.
”Aah!”
In a panic, Lynn extended her tentacles, trying to grab the treasures. But, beyond a certain point, the tentacles stopped as if they were being repelled.
”Tentacle... King?”
Lynn turned her gaze towards the throne, puzzled.
There was a distance of 10 meters from where she was standing now to the throne, the same position she was asked to remain at on the last audience.
In front of Lynn, the Tentacle King remained in silence, sitting on the temple's throne, not even bothering to look at the girl. On the contrary; he seemed to be indifferent even towards the treasures that rolled down before the throne.
So far, whenever someone managed to bring back treasures, they would carry out the actions to insert them into Irukinuf at once. But, neither the Tentacle King nor Irukinuf at his hand showed any intentions of doing that.
”Tentacle King, here are the treasuures. They're what we need to complete Lord Irukinuf's bodyy.”
Lynn raised her voice deliberately. And yet, the Tentacle King didn't even open his eyelids.
”Tentacle King?”
She was shouting now. In order for her voice to get through, Lynn shouted with all her strength.
”Songstress. Whatever happened with inviting those guests?”
Blocking out Lynn's shouts, a throaty man's voice sounded from an entasis pillar, taking over for the Tentacle King.
”I won't let you say you forgot.”
The Great Tentacle Leonidas, who took care of the island's defense, showed up from the darkness, flexing his strong pectorals.
”What ”guests” are you talking abouut?”
Lynn feigned ignorance.
”It's high time you quit deceiving us, Songstress!”
Leonidas thrust the iron spear in his hand at Lynn's chest.
”Hiih!?”
Affected by Leonidas' outburst, Lynn let out a short shriek.
As if on cue, a bonfire was lit on each of the 12 big pillars, and the remaining of the 12 Apostles appeared.
Naturally, that didn't mean they all had a.s.sembled there. Several of the bodies looked transparent under the moonlight, and didn't they cast a shadow over the stone pavement either; they were stereoscopic images.
”The Songstress has the seed of rebellion in her!”
”The Songstress goes against the wishes of the Tentacle King!”
”She did bring the treasures, but even so, opposing the Tentacle King is a serious crime!”
”It's clear she tried to kill the Gate Opener using Hikita Bungoro, if I may be so bold to suggest!”
Lynn groaned softly before the pressure emanated by the tentacles of the 12 Apostles.
Being as they were the Apostles, they had power enough to intimidate underlings, no matter if those were stereoscopic images with no substance. If this was one who wasn't a follower of Irukinuf, wielding the same tentacles, they'd faint before that heavy pressure; people with a weak heart would probably even get a heart attack.
”Now, would you answer!”
Leonidas' eyes shone gold, filled with bloodl.u.s.t.
”T-Thaat's...”
Lynn's knees shook in panic. Her face stiffened, her throat dried. Should she tell them, or should she deceive them?
An Irukinuf Priestess[4] was an existence that even surpa.s.sed the Tentacle King, an immortal figure united with Irukinuf. Lynn believed that she had the qualifications to become a priestess herself. That was the reason why she had been collecting treasures.
”Do you think we wouldn't be able to see through the ambitions of a la.s.s like yourself?”
As if piercing through Lynn's chest, Leonidas' spearhead jolted her solar plexus.
”In the 2500 years I've been a follower of Irukinuf, I've seen my fair share of people of your ilk!”[5]
His spearhead bit into her. If he added a bit more strength, the iron spear would break through her chest and pierce her heart.
Lynn tightly closed her eyes in fear.
”Can you leave it at this? Sir Leonidas.”[6]
That unexpected, timely help made Lynn's face s.h.i.+ne brightly.
”Mh?”
A long and narrow tentacle twined around Leonidas' iron spear. For someone to stop the movements of one of the 12 Apostles, it could only be one amongst their midst, or the Tentacle King.
”Do you intend to interfere?”
”No, that is not my intention.”
Yue Ying had been silently watching over the situation with the other Apostles and Lynn, but now took action and pulled back Leonidas' spear with the long tentacle that extended from her shoulder.
”The visitors the Tentacle King called for are approaching. I think we should give priority to welcoming those girls here, what do you think?”
Hearing Yue Ying's words, Leonidas looked up at the night sky.
One of the various benefits provided by the tentacles was a strengthening of the physical capabilities. If it was a Great Tentacle, their body entrusted with eight tentacles, it was no trouble to stare at the flapping wings of a mosquito flying under the moonlight.
And Leonidas' eyes noticed well enough the reverse cone-like object approaching the island. It was the mobile device Twister, one of the heritages the Baum house owned.
”Hmm... luck's on your side, Songstress.”
”We'll leave it to you to meet the visitors, Sir Leonidas, so how about we order the Songstress to undergo punishment for a while?”
The 12 Apostles looked at each other. Yue Ying's proposal was reasonable, but should they be deciding how to treat the Songstress by themselves? At a loss, they turned their eyes to the Tentacle King, who was calmly watching them on his throne.
”King, your decision!”
Hearing the 12 Apostles' voice, a rainbow-colored eye slowly appeared from the tip of the staff in the Tentacle King's hands.
Irukinuf's voice reverberated inside the mind of all the followers present in the island.
”Your judgment!”
In one voice, the 12 Apostles asked for the Tentacle King's reply.
”We do agree she should receive a punishment. Thus, We respect Yue Ying's decision.”
The Tentacle King finally replied to their request, his voice reverberating. The eyes of both the Tentacle King Swodar Nyarmain and Irukinuf stared at Lynn as if they intended to bore a hole through her.
The 12 Apostles waited with bated breath for the Tentacle King to continue.
”Spending the night in the Room of Meandering Beasts should be good.”
The Tentacle King announced the Songstress' punishment in a tone devoid of emotion, only declaring the decision aloud.
”Hih!”
Hearing the name of the very punishment chamber that made the beings with tentacles feel like h.e.l.l on earth, Lynn couldn't help but give a short whine.
”Cool down for a while, Songstress.”
The moment the Tentacle King moved his finger, a huge hole appeared under Lynn's feet. Lynn's body floated in midair, becoming weightless.
”Eh?”
But it was just for an instant. Faster than a blink, Lynn was sucked into the hole.
Her destination, the Room of Meandering Beasts.
”Hyaaaaaaaaaah!”
All that remained from her were her screams from deep inside the hole.
”My Apostles. Go meet the two priestesses... Do treat them politely.”
Both the Tentacle King and Irukinuf closed their eyes.
And so, 12 Apostles spread out soundlessly, in order to carry out the orders from the Tentacle King.
***
Alt.i.tude: 300,000 meters. The Vimana was flying under suborbital flight at a height similar to a man-made satellite. With this way of flying using the Earth's gravity, the Vimana could reach anywhere on Earth within an hour.
Alice and Hatter were at the gondola-shaped bridge installed in the Vimana's lower part. As a result of the free fall, the aircraft was in a weightless state, and so Alice's hair floated in an unnatural form.
”Caught up with them yet?”
Alice, sitting down on the commander's seat placed in the backward center of the bridge, called out to Hatter, sitting on the forward c.o.c.kpit.
”We accurately pinpointed the Twister's location. We'll be able to overtake them 290 seconds from now.”
Hatter answered Alice's question dispa.s.sionately, pointing at the luminous points on the screen, that displayed the Vimana's and the Twister's current positions, as a visual cue.
”Ookay, despite our late start, we caught up real quick.”
”If you consider both s.h.i.+ps' fuselage specs, you'll realize we're going over their maximum speed. Besides, since Lady Dorothy is on board, the Twister is prioritizing safety rather than speed.”
Alice nodded at Hatter's remark. Unlike the Baum house and their esteemed Milady, Hatter and the others didn't adjust their speed even with Alice riding along. Alice was quite comfortable with such a professional, even if slightly cold, arrangement.
”Kis.h.i.+s.h.i.+s.h.i.+s.h.i.+, that Mudhead intended to jump the gun on me; I'll have her realize things seldom go as one wishes.”
With these words, Alice gazed at the screen in front of her. It displayed a red luminous point, their target, the Twister.
It overlapped with the reaction of the transmitters Alice had attached to Dorothy. All the presents Alice had given Dorothy, like uniform's cuff links and pendants, were fitted with transmitters without exception.
They were actually friends at school, but since she was a rival Treasure Hunter, Alice could show no openings.
Take advantage of the time of peace to make your preparations.
That was one of the teachings Alice's mother had left her.
”Say, Hatter, did you find anything new about the Gate?”
Alice asked, turning her eyes from the screen to Hatter.
”Yes. I found that the Gates can be broadly divided into 3 types of variations.”
”3 types?”
”Gates that let you travel through s.p.a.ce; Gates that let you travel through time; and, the existence called ”Queen's Gate” that oversees them all. I still don't know all the details, only that most of the ones Lady Lewis discovered were the s.p.a.ce-Gate type.”
Hearing Hatter's words, something flared up in Alice's mind.
”Travel through s.p.a.ce, you say? Would you be able to do that by keeping things in a different s.p.a.ce without moving them...?”
Wasn't the multi-dimension storage system offered by Dorothy already complete? That would mean...
”There is a high chance the Baum house owns technology related to s.p.a.ce Gates. However, what Lady Lewis seeked wasn't such an incomplete item. She was looking for the Queen's Gate, the all-purpose gate connected to all Gates, transcending s.p.a.ce and time.”
After Hatter addressed her doubts, Alice turned her sight back to the Vimana's control panel.
”I see. Then, did Mom have an educated guess of where the Queen's Gate could be?”
”Do you want to see the list?”
”Display it.”
Hatter slightly moved her finger, and a list was projected in a screen floating in front of Alice.
”Lewis' List” could be called the crib notes of the Dodgson Foundation, the doc.u.ment that detailed all the records and traditions that existed on Earth and the investigations about the treasures' whereabouts.
Though Alice scanned the list with expectation, her expression soon lost its brightness.
”I already saw this the other day, at the mansion's underground.”
Alice told Hatter with a sigh.
”The list concerning the Gates is the only thing we have left.”
Hatter's words were deprived of emotion. Her words only informed of the truth, indifferently.
Oh well...
Alice swallowed up her frustration. They should be able to catch up with the Twister soon. The discussions regarding the list could be left for later.
Antic.i.p.ating the moment the weightlessness would be cancelled, the girl checked the seatbelts on the commander's seat.
”When we get close, I'll leave in the Attack Device.”
***
On board the Twister and its perfect inertial control, no unpleasant acceleration could be felt, regardless of what kind of speeds it reached or sharp turns it took.
Three silhouettes were inside the Twister's control room. The floor surface there consisted of a large screen panel.
”It's been a while since I was able to forestall Allie this much.”
Looking at the image of the current situation projected under her eyes, Dorothy smiled, seemingly satisfied.