#087. The Missing Children (1)
Under the scorching sun.
A dazzling white vehicle raced across the wilderness.
Vroooom──!
Through the rising dust, the silhouettes of Sector 48's buildings faded into the distance.
"What kind of person is that elf?"
Veronica fidgeted with a small potted plant in the back seat. One of four seeds had been planted, and based on Hander's estimates, it might sprout within a month.
"Someone researching Black Rain across sectors like you. That's the most plausible answer," Ray replied from the passenger seat.
Philip gripped the wheel instead of his usual spot, body rigid and eyes locked on the windshield—nervousness evident. He'd insisted:
"I should learn to drive properly. Never know when I'll need to take the wheel again."
He refused to be dead weight in emergencies. His skills weren't terrible...
If one ignored that incident where he'd confused brake and accelerator, nearly submerging their vehicle in the Elton River.
"I hope you're right. It's comforting others seek Black Rain solutions too," Veronica continued.
"I wonder what this plant will look like fully grown. Maybe it has powers beyond soil purification."
The redhead couldn't conceal her excitement. Ray studied her expression before refocusing ahead, recalling the traveler's words:
'When fully grown, this plant will save lives someday.'
Did that imply a future catastrophe tied to Black Rain?
"......"
No conclusions emerged—too few clues. Better to focus elsewhere.
As Ray closed his eyes for circle training—
"Hey! HEY! The brakes aren't—!"
"......"
Or tried to, before Philip's driving demanded attention.
●
Sector 47's skyline emerged.
"Felt eternal! Ray, you driving this alone last time seems incredible now."
"That's why he's special."
The eight-day journey beat their previous crossing by one day. Ray remembered Michael's observation:
"Rumors claim sector distances shrink following a mathematical sequence. If true, someone artificially arranged them along the Elton River."
Irrelevant trivia to Ray. Only one fact mattered:
'Faster travel means quicker searches.'
After securing lodgings, they hit streets in worn clothes to lure informants.
"Hold up. New faces?"
"Let's chat privately."
Gang members dragged them into alleys—only to get pummeled.
"Tell your boss: Want this money? Come to Flonen Inn on 16th Street."
Thugs limped away with broken legs, Ray's challenge ringing in their ears.
After several encounters, Philip noted:
"All bosses named either Melom or Dnine? Just two names?"
Unusual in sectors typically divided among five to dozens of gangs.
"Hmm. Two factions dominating huge territories," Veronica mused.
"Agreed. Their leaders must be exceptional," said Ray.
More territory meant more than combat prowess—it required management skills.
"Philip, how many members would such gangs have?"
"Counting... Each must clear a hundred easily."
Two hundred combined. Enough to intimidate any gang with pipes and clubs.
Yet Ray's perspective differed:
'Two hundred informants. We can scour this sector thoroughly.'
●
"Ray, look."
Veronica pointed across the square at 「The Garden of Knowledge」—a mid-sized bookstore dwarfing her own shop.
"Mind stopping? I need Black Rain references."
"Fine."
They'd intended bookstore visits anyway—Ray had exhausted volumes from Veronica's shop long ago.
Ding-a-ling──
The interior sprawled with shared space between floors, wooden shelves lining walls in antiquated elegance.
"I'll check research materials."
"I need financial texts."
Veronica and Philip vanished into aisles. Ray wandered aimlessly until overhearing:
"So about Dupoeu's new release..."
"I’d like to inquire about the expected restock date."
"Have you read about Lord Zifen's synesthesia? I..."
The surrounding conversations were generally soft-spoken and polite in tone toward one another. Their attire exuded as much dignity as their words. This was only natural - books weren't typically something the lower class could enjoy to begin with.
'You need some degree of leisure in life to enjoy books.' From Ray's perspective, books were the exclusive domain of the upper class. The upper class. Those who had so much they had no reason to be hostile toward each other. Or perhaps it was because they had so much to lose that they were especially polite to one another.
Thud.
Ray's footsteps suddenly stopped before a shelf containing novels and fairy tales. 'Grandmother Viola used to tell many stories to the younger ones.' Tales of rainbows and other mysteries. He randomly pulled out a book and flipped through its pages - a fairy tale about a boy guarding a birdcage who impulsively freed the birds and was punished.
"I had no choice but to set them free. Red, orange, yellow, and..."
"When I saw those beautiful feathered birds flying through the sky, I just had to."
"Punish me if you must. I have no regrets."
"......"
The boy's lines. Though Ray's emotional range had somewhat broadened recently, he still felt no particular resonance with fictional stories.
Thud.
Replacing the book, Ray began moving again until he noticed a noblewoman standing before the shelves and paused. What caught his attention was the turbulent mix of negative emotions - anger, obsession - swirling within her vessel. His entire body tensed.
"......"
Generally impossible. For that many varieties of negative emotions to occupy a vessel simultaneously at such volume. The only past case where such a thing was possible—
'Walter.'
He too had displayed an extremely distorted emotional distribution, exhibiting violence and instability in his actual behavior, likely due to mana addiction. Supporting this conjecture, the noblewoman also wore two rings encircling her heart.
'...A mage.'
The sixth mage encountered since leaving Sector 50. In a way, this was fortunate - meeting someone who might provide magical information immediately upon arriving in the sector. But questions arose immediately:
'Her behavior is calm. Why?'
Emotions drive actions: breaking things when angry, crying when sad. Yet this noblewoman was peacefully turning pages without any visible signs of distress on her face (she appeared in her mid-thirties). While some people's emotions and actions contradict, controlling such emotional volume seemed impossible—unless she possessed extraordinary mental fortitude.
Then Ray noticed her necklace: an elegant silver chain with a glowing red gem at its center.
'Mercred.'
Mercred members reportedly carried red gems serving as mana batteries. Was she one of them? Ray touched Walter's ring in his pocket—already confirmed upon arrival that she wasn't leadership (the ring's arrow still pointed higher up). She might be a regular member though—mages with red gems weren't common overlaps. However, sensing no mana movement from the gem suggested closer examination was needed.
"I've picked all my books!"
Philip appeared behind the noblewoman, staggering under an armful of books up to his face.
Thud!
A book fell beside the noblewoman as Philip reached Ray and asked while shelving others: "How about you? Found anything good to read?"
"Not yet. Need more time."
"Really? This place is huge—" Philip froze mid-stretch like he'd been electrocuted. Following his gaze, Ray saw it fixed on the noblewoman—then understood why: beneath her wide-brimmed hat flowed abundant brown hair matching Philip's chestnut color exactly. When Philip quickly checked her neck for markings, it was covered by her turtleneck.
The noblewoman picked up the fallen book and approached Philip with a sunny smile:
"You dropped your book, young gentleman."
