Volume 9 - Chapter 12 – Lost Child Elsa (1/2)

09-12 Lost Child Elsa

Turning back time a little.

In the Warp Gate room from where Reiko had left for Jin.

Elsa was walking around and gazing at the lined up Warp Gates until Reiko’s return.

Names like “Kunlun Island”, “Port Rock”, “Blue Land”, “Ruins of the Eight Stronghold” and so on were on display but as they were all written in Japanese, Elsa couldn’t read them.

“…These are, all Warp Gates. …Where do they lead, I wonder?”

She looked around while thinking so. Occasionally she also peeked inside them. Inside Magi Formulas were written with letters she couldn’t read.

The construction of the interiors was also interesting. The ceilings too had some kind of a pattern she couldn’t understand either.

“Some day, will I also be able to make something like this, I wonder?”

While thinking about that and looking up, her foot caught on something by accident.

“Ah.”

And she fell over. Into the Warp Gate in front of her.

All Jin’s Warp Gates required verification of his Magic Energy Pattern.

And on Elsa’s chest was the brooch she had received from Jin.

Yes, back when Elsa had disappeared, Laojin (back then called Laozi) had searched for it using the Magi Radar.

In other words, Elsa was recognized and ended up warping unassistedly.

Some ten seconds after that was when Reiko came back.

＊　　　＊　　　＊

After hearing from Reiko that Elsa had disappeared, Jin hurried to the Warp Gate room.

“Just in case, please investigate the other rooms.”

“Yes, I’ll command the maids to do so.”

Jin then looked around in the Warp Gate room. The most likely possibility seemed to be that she had accidentally warped using a Warp Gate, but how did she pass the Magic Energy pattern authentication?

He left that question for later and went around investigating the Warp Gates, but found no clues.

Warp Gates produced no heat when running, as they were Magic Energy self-sufficient models there wasn’t a decrease in Magic Energy or anything like that either.

“Hmm, if there only was a Warp Gate activation counter or something I could immediately tell which one she warped with.”

Jin grumbled, but it was too late for that now.

Before long, a report came from the maid golems stating that Elsa wasn’t inside the research facility or in a 50 meter radius surrounding it.

“Argh, if only I had recorded not just Reinhardt’s but Elsa’s Magic Energy too for a situation like this!”

“Father, please calm down.”

“Master, I heard something has happened.”

Reiko calmed him down, then Ann came along.

“Let’s put together and think about what we know so far. The likeliest possibility is she accidentally warped using a Warp Gate. But where?”

Ann thought logically and advised Jin.

“Ah, that’s right. First, Kunlun Island. I tried silently asking the maid golems there but she hasn’t come back. In that case, the Warp Gate next to it is very likely.”

That was the Warp Gate that went to Port Rock.

“Could you try contacting Cattleya and Lotus who are following Marcia, Reiko?”

“Yes.”

And in this way Jin and the rest searched for Elsa.

＊　　　＊　　　＊

While in her fallen-down pose, Elsa appeared in a different Warp Gate.

“Where, is this?”

Unless she exited the Warp Gate temporarily she couldn’t return. If it wasn’t like that, then if one was slow in getting out of the Warp Gate one might get sent back to the original location.

Elsa slowly got up and exited the Warp Gate.

She was in an unexpectedly large room similar to a basement. There was a dim light, probably coming from Magi Lamps somewhere.

Using that light to scope her surroundings, Elsa saw that there was nothing but the Warp Gate she had just exited from in the room.

She knew that if she went in it she would likely return back to the Warp Gate where she came from. Therefore she wasn’t very worried under the circumstances.

At the side of the basement there were stairs. She was just a little interested. Elsa thought that since Jin had set up this place, it shouldn’t be a very dangerous place.

If she returned now she would surely be scolded. If she was going to be scolded no matter what, then, as if her former tomboyishness resurfaced, she walked towards the stairs.

On top of the stairs there was a simple door. She tried gently opening it and outside it was still daytime. Although on Hourai Island it was already the evening.

“?”

Finding that mysterious, Elsa walked out without noticing. She was in an empty meadow, near which a large river flowed.

One step, two steps, Elsa moved her feet towards the river. For some reason or another she wanted to go there, but just before reaching it changed her mind.