Inside the 13th Bio-research Ward of [Ford Company].
Oswald, who was getting an update on the progress of his 'replacement body', spoke to the head of the 13th Bio-research Ward.
"Hey, how long do I have to stay like this? It's damn suffocating being cooped up here."
"Typically, we observe for about two weeks... but for someone as precious as Oswald, we usually look at a month."
Oswald snorted.
"What, a month? A whooole month? Give me a break, man! I'm already going crazy and it's not even been a week. I'm not that important, just let me out."
"I apologize. All these measures have been taken out of concern for Oswald's well-being. Please bear with us."
The ward head's politeness did not sit well with Oswald.
Oswald stood up and pointed accusingly at the ward head.
"Ah, come on! You spout nonsense about caring for my health. Try being locked up here for a week. See if you don't lose your mind."
"I did once spend 87 days in the research ward for a project."
"······Ah, come on! You guys get all gloomy staying cooped up in here. Ah, now that I think about it, that's how Thomas is. Sigh~ Clean water flows from a clean source. Yeah, you guys have it tough."
Oswald patted the ward head's slight shoulders.
It hurt the ward head quite a bit, but he didn't show it and responded.
"······Thank you for your words, Oswald. The morning check-up is done. I'll see you again this afternoon."
The ward head was about to leave, but Oswald stopped him.
"Hey, where do you think you're going? I'm not done talking! Let me out!"
"It seems that might be possible."
It wasn't the ward head's voice.
Oswald's head swiftly turned towards the direction of the voice.
"Nice to see you, Oswald."
There stood Thomas, the chief of all research and the brain behind Maitri.
Thomas approached Oswald and said.
"About 5 minutes ago, a second-level emergency occurred."
"······Really?"
A second-level emergency meant the headquarters hadn't been breached, but they were under attack from the outside.
[Ford Company], while known for producing strange things like robots, is outwardly a solid corporation.
In other words, an attack meant that someone knew the true nature of [Ford Company].
Oswald's lips curled up slightly.
"So?"
"In preparation for an emergency, we ask that you get ready for deployment. Oh, first, please take this."
Thomas handed Oswald a rectangular iron box.
"What's this?"
"It's a new item created by the artifact research team. It's an upgrade based on the previous item you used."
"Is that so?"
Oswald took the box and opened it.
Two hand axes rested in the box.
At first glance, they didn't seem different from the ones Oswald previously used.
"They look the same as the old ones."
"We've significantly improved their overall durability and added some useful special effects. They've passed secondary testing."
"Oho? Didn't expect to be impressed by you, Thomas. What effects—"
Oswald's words were cut short.
"Thomas──! The summoner has started to move!"
A subordinate of Thomas burst in frantically.
"Let's head to the command center first. I'll explain on the way."
"Alright, let's go."
Thomas and Oswald followed the subordinate to the command center.
In the command center.
A masked subordinate of Thomas quickly approached him as soon as he arrived.
"You're here, Thomas! The situation is urgent──"
"Let's get straight to the point since it looks urgent."
"Yes! Since you left, no additional attacks have occurred, but the summoner is casting summoning spells!"
The subordinate pointed to a particular spot on a large surveillance crystal orb.
A 'being' was slowly emerging from the ground there.
The nearby summoner, hooded and attached to a robe, was hard to identify.
Soon, a 'being' was summoned beside the summoner.
"A golem... it seems?"
"It's the biggest golem I've seen yet. Almost as tall as the main gate. So, about 5 meters? Why is it gray?"
Thomas's subordinate and Oswald commented while observing the crystal orb.
Thomas asked his subordinate.
"Any other unusual behavior from the summoner?"
"No, none. Ah...! The emergency defense team just reported they're assembled. The composition is 5 A-grade, 20 B-grade, and 78 C-grade, totaling 103 members. Should we deploy them?"
Oswald chimed in.
"That should be enough. The golem's size is no joke, but it's manageable. Hey, Thomas. Hand over the command to me. I'll give them a free sword dance."
Oswald urged Thomas.
The private military command of [Ford Company] is with Oswald for offense and with Thomas for defense.
Maitri strictly emphasized this arrangement, so even the reckless Oswald asked for Thomas's opinion.
But Thomas didn't respond and kept staring intensely at the crystal orb.
"It seems we need to negotiate with the summoner."
"Man, you coward! It's just one guy. There's no negotiating with terrorists! If that's how it is, give me just the 5 A-grades. I'll be back with his head in no time."
"That's not possible without Maitri here. Look at this."
Thomas, with a stern expression, pointed at a specific location on the crystal orb.
Oswald glanced briefly at the crystal orb and said,
"It's the same. What's there to look at, you coward! Ah, right. Fine, I'll be generous. Just send three from the A-grade. You can take all the credit."
"Don't you see? The 'beings' stirring near the summoner."
"Agh, the boss is such a coward, no wonder the underlings are too. What's there to... Oh... shit, what's that?"
Rubbing his eyes, Oswald looked more intently at the crystal orb.
There it was. A violent energy stirring near the summoner.
"Is that a spirit...? Wow, shit. Never thought I'd see a spirit again in my life..."
Oswald clicked his tongue and put the axes back into the box.
His affinity with spirits was extremely low.
If a spirit was visible to him, it must be at least of a high grade.
Oswald was well aware of the power of high-grade spirits, having encountered them before. It automatically calmed his rage.
Moreover, there wasn't just one energy source.
"...Four?"
"No, there are two more above the summoner's head, making it a total of six entities."
"...Crazy. Really. Seeing six elemental spirits together for the first time. I've seen wind before."
The six elements refer to water, wind, earth, fire, darkness, and light.
Spirit mages are rare in the continent, but among them, there are differences.
Typical spirit mages can handle only one of the four elements: water, wind, earth, fire.
Siena falls into this category.
A tiny minority of spirit mages can handle all four elemental spirits.
However, in the current era, there's only one known spirit mage who can handle darkness and light spirits on the continent.
Also, only one mage on the continent can handle all six elemental spirits.
This meant the summoner had no intention of hiding their identity.
Having six high-grade elemental spirits and a giant iron golem, they were practically a one-person army.
Thomas, fixating on the crystal orb, murmured,
"Lunaplora... it's you."
"······Damn. Came for revenge, huh? How did they find this place?"
Lunaplora Ryun Neverland.
Known as 'Luna' to her close acquaintances, an 8th circle mage at the pinnacle of magic, and the continent's greatest spirit mage.
She whimsically serves as the Principal of Elinia Academy.
'Millie's Pantry,' a cafe near the girls' dormitory, was bustling since it was Saturday morning.
"There he is, that guy. Wow... seriously handsome. So good-looking."
"Lower your voice...! He might hear."
"Let him hear. It's not a lie."
"Hey, hey, talk to him! Looks like he's alone!"
"Ah, I'm too shy. I'm content just looking. Don't need to order dessert. Just looking is filling enough."
"Ugh. That parasite. Want to beat him up."
"Cool and suave to the max."
"No, Mina······. I told you not to use such vulgar language."
"But you're the one who taught me those words?"
"Well, yes, but······!"
The customers were all conscious of one male student.
Oblivious to their attention, he sat with his eyes closed, lost in thought.
As he was running through a battle simulation for the twelfth time in his mind─
"Ah, hello, Theo! I'm a bit late... aren't I?"
─Theo opened his eyes at the sound of Alice's voice.
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l