Chapter Twenty-Three: Shortly after
Deus Ex Machina Industries —
Also known by the abbreviation DEM.
It is a cooperation based in England that is one of the largest in the world, currently led by Isaac Westcott as the head director.
DEM is an organization that could be said to be the most prominent in terms of access to technology and advancement over the years,
…aside from Asgard Electronics.
It's the only known company capable of producing Realizer units for Self-Defense Forces,
and the Realizer units that are currently in use by military and police forces worldwide.
The influence of DEM is something that cannot be overlooked.
Naturally, as a state secret, this information isn't widely known to the public.
Nonetheless, from the nation's police force to major organizations and armies, these entities are supplied with Realizers by DEM.
Additionally, all these forces have supervisors or maintenance personnel sent by DEM.
And it was only to be expected.
Because of this, they have numerous branches around the world, including Japan.
Now…
… along the hallways of the main building of DEM located in England.
One woman walked elegantly down the corridors with a neutral yet perplexed expression.
She carried a tablet in her arms as she continued her stride.
Her appearance was that of a beautiful, young-looking woman with light Nordic blonde hair.
Purple eyes, pale skin, and a slender body, wearing a black suit and high heels.
Ellen Mira Mathers.
Dubbed as the "World's Strongest Wizard," currently serving as the secretary of DEM's director.
Sir Issac Ray Pelham Westcott,.
One of the company's chief executives.
Reaching the front door of the director's office, Ellen softly knocked on the door.
"—Ike. It's me."
"Oh, Enter."
A male voice answered from behind the door, giving her permission to enter.
Just as he did, she adjusted her gait.
"Then, please excuse me."
After her short reply, Ellen opened the door leading into Westcott's office.
Seated on the chair behind the desk was a tall man wearing a formal jet-black suit, with dark ash blond hair.
At a glance, anyone can tell he gives off a mysterious air, and not just that, but a bit of an eerie feeling behind it.
Even the office was mostly steeped in darkness despite it being broad daylight.
And the only light that peered through was from the small amount he allowed to filter in the curtain covering his floor-to-ceiling window.
The man's lips parted ever slightly.
"I'm sure I need not say this."
Issac Westcott said that vaguely crossing his hands in front of his face, as his elbows rested on his deck.
His secretary who was up to speed nodded.
"Yes, I've seen it as well, Ike."
As she spoke, he scrutinized her.
Ellen's face stayed neutral, though there was a hint of disdain.
... particularly in her tone.
Westcott caught that.
"Nothing more than what the Strongest Wizard can handle, right?"
As he said this, Ellen nodded along with his words.
However, Westcott had a different opinion.
While Ellen wasn't foolish, she was, in fact, a bit too confident in her abilities.
Confidence was decent, but yeah,
Right in front of him, on his table... a holographic figure popped up.
"They called him X, and his Codename: Ogre."
What an interesting name choice.
Westcott's lips parted a bit.
Naturally, the information itself came from Asgard Electronics.
Even though they were opposing forces, data was frequently exchanged between them.
Well, some time.
... if you considered that Asgard Electronics was once part of Deus Ex Machina industries, then it made sense.
Of course, the same applied to Asgard Electronics, and by extension, Ratatoskr.
Except for confidential information.
Those were safely protected by each factions.
But that wasn't the main concern here.
The scene in the footage unfolded,
A loud explosion resonated.
[ Boom~ ]
The more he watched, the wider Westcott smile grew.
Soon, his finger began to tap rhythmically on the armrest of his chair.
Ellen, noticing this, frowned.
'To get this much attention from Ike. Ogre.'
Without even confronting him, she had already marked him.
But Westcott wouldn't even care if he knew about this.
No, he would.
This enigmatic Wizard 'X'... He was convinced they were a Wizard.
But soon enough, the longer he watched, the more he soon began to question some things.
"... hahaha, am I dreaming? Has old age finally caught up with me? Using a Territory without a CR Unit."
Westcott's hand rested over his lips, as a faint curve of a diabolical smile traced across his lips.
His eyes darkened as though ink had spilled across white parchment.
There were few things left in this world capable of amusing him.
Now, at last, he'd found one.
"Say, can you use a Territory without the aid of a CR Unit."
The question was sudden.
But he posed it regardless, to none other than Ellen who stiffened upright.
She stared at him for a moment in what seemed to be a daze, then slowly nodded her head.
While she could, due to the immense strain, even as a Natural Wizard, she couldn't hold it for long.
Thinking that,
Ellen parted her lips to speak when,
"....I see. Those horns, huh?"
Westcott muttered that, leaning against his chair, with fingers entwined.
Ignoring whatever answers she would have given, the man had lost himself in his own ramblings.
Ellen blinked, momentarily thrown off.
"Ike?"
She slowly muttered.
Yet, he ignored her.
His gaze had already shifted back to the holographic projection, whispering to himself.
"Reflecting Princess strikes against herself. Truly, what genius. So Territory could be used like this too?"
Still muttering that, his eyes slid down to the right corner of the hologram.
Readings of vital signals were there.
No… the figure wasn't an android. That much was certain.
"Then what are you?"
Westcott murmured in a low voice. "What sorcery did you employ…?"
"…Could it be that one of those deserters who managed to slink away alive have a hand in this?"
And then, his grin widened further,
"Kukuku… They must have thought they'd escaped us. How deplorable."
All this while they knew.
They simply left them alone because they couldn't be bothered to chase one or two deserters…
let them rot where they were.
Was what he himself said.
Never did he think he'd witness something like that.
"If that were the case, Elric Vale, Ladon Teruha, Sakasaki Nayuta."
Ellen called out their names one by one, fingers darting across the tablet in her hands the moment Ike said that.
However—
"Worry not, my dear Ellen. If anything, this is good reference data, is it not?"
Once more, Ellen's finger stifled, gripping tightly against the tablet.
More reason to loathe Ogre.
"Ike... what are you planning?"
Westcott simply smiled at that question.
"Let it be. I don't think this will be the last we see of them. I'm very much sure of that."
Saying that, he then tilted his head curtly, still with that unnerving smile plastered across his face.
"Besides serve as a good reference for our dear maiden wouldn't it?"
... maiden.
Right. She knew exactly who Westcott was referring to.
Aside from her, there was one other who could qualify for the title of strongest.
If he was saying that, it meant…
"You understand now? Then that's good."
Despite saying that, something else caught his attention.
Particularly the reason why he was given, 'mysterious' and 'X'.
Their hidden features, and their genius use of Territory.
It's completely incomparable to how those small fry uses them.
…that's why—
...At the same time
Far away.
Japan. Tengu City.
"Haah."
Inside a dimly lit room with an overhead flickering light, Morgan yawned, stretching his hands wide, lying down on the sole bed within that space.
His tone was tinged with something.
Tiredness.
Or something along those lines.
"You went really reckless out there."
Kneeling on the floor, inspecting the pieces, with his hands brushing past their surface,
Elric turned his gaze towards Morgan.
The male in question shrugged his shoulders.
With his head then tilted to the right, he muttered under his breath.
"…I was going up against a spirit and a wizard with zero insurance. It paid off in the end, didn't it?"
It was with a blank expression Morgan replied.
Regardless of whether it was reckless or not.
Both of them got what they wanted out of it.
Morgan would be getting a customized equipment from this to finally expand his range.
And, whatever Elric got out of it…
It was beyond Morgan, but he didn't demand anything more than his earlier requests.
"Speaking of which, why do you want to study my brain waves to begin with?"
Thinking along that line.
Morgan narrowed his eyes, watching the scientist as he strode back to the desk with one of the CR unit's in hand.
Elric paused for a moment, before he slowly glanced over his shoulder.
"What do you think?"
Hearing that seemed to have struck something within him.
Realization.
Although he could remember most things, there were a few details, very small but important ones.
Ones he may have forgotten.
But on this subject of brain waves.
When he thought about it, there was only one person whose brain had been used for an experiment.
"...Artemesia Ashcroft, is it?"
Morgan's lips curved into a faint smile as he tilted his head upward, almost mockingly.
Sure enough,
Elric hadn't expected to hear that name fall from Morgan's lips.
'Just how much did the kid know?'
For a brief second, his composure wavered, a single bead of sweat trailing down his cheek.
But he didn't lose it.
Still, if he didn't know better, he would have thought that…
Morgan was Westcott's successor.
Other than his name and his public background,
Every other thing about him was an enigma.
But more importantly, he felt that…
No, never mind that.
"So, you already know, huh?"
Elric exhaled through his nose, one hand lifting briefly before he rested both palms flat on the table.
Turning slightly, he caught Morgan at the corner of his eye.
"You said it yourself didn't you?"
Morgan blinked once.
Just by accepting the surgery, and simply by it being successful...
"One of its side effects for you was being able to perceive things two to more times of normal humans."
Silence stretched between them.
Right, there was that.
...it wasn't really a side effect, per se.
It was controllable, and it didn't hinder his life in any significant way.
Rather than that, if anything, possessing an ability like that was more than useful.
Reality hit him once more,
"So, the data is for what?"
"Comparison."
Elric didn't even glance up. His focus remained fixed on the Realizer units spread across the desk.
From what Morgan could see, he seemed to be inspecting them.
But he wasn't focused on that, rather, it was what Elric himself had said.
…comparison.
For what exactly?
Morgan wasn't sure.
But if he followed the thread of their conversation so far.
"Could it be that the more I use the Realizer, the more change I—"
Morgan paused.
Right.
It all made sense now. He was able to use the World's Mana and manipulate it.
To put it into simple words, his sensitivity and compatibility.
Not exactly compatibility, rather, proficiency, if one would.
"Seems like you've noticed it too."
Yeah, he could pretty much connect the dots.
His brain consisted of memories of two lives, if he looked at it that way, then it made sense?
…well, even if it didn't make perfect sense, it felt right.
Facts had been laid out before him.
Regardless of whether he was once an ordinary human or not,
people like him, foreign to the world, were always anomalies in one way or another.
It was only a matter of which field they excelled in.
After all, it was easy for beings like them to alter the cause and effect of a world they already understood.
'So, it was more than that. Good to know. But then...'
Just as he continued musing.
Elric's voice brought him back to.
"You're lucky. Even though it was the generalized unit, you got your hands on some good stuff."
Somehow, his tone made it sound like they were involved in illegal practices.
Which, to be fair, wasn't exactly wrong.
The corner of Morgan's lips twitched into a wry smile.
"But, I won't be the one to handle this. This is out of my jurisdiction."
Elric added, picking up a shard of metal from the table.
Morgan let out an half-lidded gaze.
Don't look at me like that,
Elric's gaze seemed to convey that message back to him.
"Well, if my former colleagues are willing to assist, I bet they'll toss in a few conditions of their own."
Not exactly what Morgan wanted to hear.
But, if it was necessary, as long as he could satisfy them, then he'll do his best.
"What? Worried?"
Morgan blinked, dragging a hand down his face.
Did he somehow show it?
"No you didn't."
Elric mused.
... right now, he could say he had a pretty good grasp of Morgan's personality.
"By the way, how do you propose it to look?"
He knew for a fact that Morgan's aesthetics tended to be different.
No, he was looking forward to whatever the boy would come up with.
The suits AST used were designed to boost computational power and reinforce combat efficiency.
So Elric wasn't wrong to expect something unusual.
And just as he thought,
Seeing as the earlier confusion left his expression replaced by a smile he was getting familiar with.
…it was time to work.