Volume 13 Chapter 6 Countermeasure Meeting
After making contact with Mars...
We regrouped with Miss Miimo and were having a discussion at Parasite Palace.
"Well..."
Miss Miimo started talking with a serious expression.
"...The topic is the new harassment problem by the new recruit, huh?"
"No way."
"That's right! This guy did something outrageous to the protected target, Chief..."
Mr. Sein slammed his hand on the table, emphasizing his point.
"Chief Milnas! Please reconsider the selection of guards I can do a better job than this guy!"
"Calm down, Inquisitor Sein. We shouldn't be discussing that right now."
"He's the one who brought it up, though."
"More importantly, we don't have the luxury of time to waste. Since the enemy has started moving, we don't know when he'll attack us next."
"You seem to have the leisure to make jokes, though."
"Well, about the previous 'Cursed Users' attack..."
Miss Miimo ignored me and popped a snack into his mouth.
"First, let me report that neither the name 'Mars' nor 'Glasses Beam' was found in the entry records."
"You investigated Glasses Beam too, huh?"
"As for the power of his cursed equipment, there are still many unknown parts... but it's likely something like 'map manipulation.' It can beautifully cut out and rearrange buildings and roads like puzzle pieces."
"...Map manipulation."
I remembered when I faced Mars.
That cursed equipment had easily turned the city into chaos.
Mars had mastered the power of that cursed equipment.
'Probably, he's also quite clever. After all, he wears glasses.'
"Glasses aside, Juju... this is the first time we've faced an enemy this troublesome."
"Map manipulation" -- the power to freely manipulate artificial objects.
That's a significant advantage in urban warfare.
Especially since this holy city is floating on water. If we lose our footing, we won't be able to move. Even if we try to fight without a plan, it'll just end up like it did earlier.
...And if Mars were to give up, it might even be possible to sink the entire Holy City.
If that's the case, this Parasite Palace might...if we're not careful, we might fall into the waterway right now.
It's just too bad, the field is too harsh.
"Mars has the power of 'map manipulation,' and it's said that he could even move the barrier. So, he probably used that power to create an opening in the barrier and invaded the Holy City."
"Create an opening in the barrier...does that mean he's completely unaffected by the barrier's influence, Chief?"
"No, it's not that, Inquisitor Sein. He doesn't have the authority of Level G, so he can't just walk around the city without moving the barrier. If he did something that flashy, he'd be discovered. Considering he's been hiding until now, it's likely he's hiding in the harbor or waterway, where the barrier isn't activated.
"I see... let's have our subordinates investigate the ships in the Holy City right away."
"But the problem is...the power of 'monster manipulation.'."
Miss Miimo said while popping a candy into her mouth.
I mean, hasn't she been eating too many sweets since a while ago?
"If Mars's 'map manipulation' power can control not just artificial objects but also monsters, that's still okay...but since Mars has already invaded, it's not strange to think that multiple 'Cursed Users' could have entered as well."
"Come to think of it, Mars used the phrase 'our organization'..."
'It's not sloppy at all. It's like an impenetrable fortress (laughs), this city.'
The barrier that has protected the Holy City for 700 years has been breached so easily.
Should we be afraid of the cursed equipment or the enemy...?
"But...why would the enemy want to attack Princess Ravuri?"
Miss Miimo suddenly looked at Ravuri. The girl was playing energetically with the slime twins.
"It's hard to believe that someone who would go so far as to invade the Holy City would want to kill her..."
"If the enemy has multiple people...then Mars and the others are just pawns, and there's a possibility that a powerful figure is pulling the strings from behind the scenes."
"...That's right."
Miss Miimo let out a deep sigh, looking troubled.
"We've got a problem here... Well, there's no use thinking about it. What we need to do is kill the 'Cursed Users' as quickly as possible."
"...Kill them, you mean?"
That's right... In this country, 'Cursed Users' are killed without question.
But are they really people who deserve to die? At least Mars seemed to understand, and wanted a peaceful resolution.
"...What's wrong?"
Suddenly, Miss Miimo was staring at me intensely, her gaze like a cold, calculating assessment.
It made me feel a little uneasy.
"You're not feeling sympathy for the 'Cursed Users', are you?"
"...No."
I hastily shook my head from side to side.
It seemed that actually interacting with the enemy had made me uncertain.
I understood why the Inquisitor had to kill the 'Cursed Users', but I also understood how they felt.
When the Inquisitor and the 'Cursed Users' clashed head-on, I wondered whose side I should take... I found myself thinking about that.
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