"Secret organizations with specialized technology."
"People who have awakened abilities but use them to commit crimes."
"And 'Abyss life-forms' that suddenly appear in this world and possess tremendous destructive power."
"All of those are our opponents-or, more accurately, our subjects of research."
As Tachibana Kirika spoke, she stirred her long-since half-finished coffee with a spoon.
"What exactly are these secret organizations?" Luo Shu asked curiously after hearing the introduction.
Well, as the founder of the secret organization Astronomy Club, he was highly wary of his peers.
"A bunch of lunatics with extraordinary technology. Setting aside the various countries' semi-official organizations, the best-known ones are probably the Astronomy of Truth, which has been unusually active in recent years, and the Golden Dawn, which repeatedly caused major incidents in modern Europe."
"Incidentally, the Astronomy of Truth loves blood sacrifices. They worship demons and roam from country to country committing crimes, using blood sacrifices to summon all sorts of bizarre demons. Their threat rating has always been high, so they're a transnational criminal organization we keep a close watch on."
"Compared to them, the Golden Dawn is a little more peaceful. But their mission seems to be collecting every mystery in the world, so they have an extraordinary hunger for unusual abilities and technology. The best an esper can hope for when dealing with them is having their blood drawn for research. Think of them as an organization of mad scientists."
"Of course, here in Japan, some strange religious groups have also caused a series of disturbances using miraculous items they stumbled across. But the Metropolitan Police Department restricts information on those groups, so I don't know much about them."
After Tachibana Kirika finished her explanation, Luo Shu looked rather nonplussed.
"Aren't you part of the Metropolitan Police Department?"
"That's a little complicated." Tachibana Kirika gave him a charming smile. "Who do you think has more authority in this country, the Metropolitan Police Department or the US forces stationed here?"
The question left Luo Shu speechless. "So, don't tell me you..."
"Exactly. We take funding from the Metropolitan Police Department but work for the US forces. That's the job of the Metropolitan Police Department's 7th Department, the Special Records Office."
Tachibana Kirika lifted her coffee, took a sip, and said with considerable smugness:
"Our department goes by 'SDS.' Of course, you can simply think of us as agents who collect miraculous items, though our loyalty isn't to this country's government."
"So under normal circumstances, department members aren't encouraged to forcibly intervene in the Metropolitan Police Department's regular work. We do have to spare the kid's pride, after all. Provided there isn't much to gain from intervening, of course."
Hearing this, Luo Shu spoke with a very peculiar expression:
"Are you Japanese?"
"I used to be, but not anymore. I immigrated and became an American citizen ten years ago. What about you?"
"What a coincidence. I'm not either. I'm a Chinese citizen." Luo Shu remained perfectly composed.
"Oh! That explains it."
Tachibana Kirika asked despite already knowing the answer, a teasing smile appearing on her face.
"Then it seems neither of us has any moral qualms?"
She meant neither of them would feel guilty about screwing over the Japanese authorities. They were foreign nationals, after all~
As for the US forces, those guys never cared whether you were loyal to them. Pay them enough, and they would even be loyal to you.
Naturally, the experienced Tachibana Kirika wasn't going to explain that to Luo Shu. She wanted to see how long it would take the young fellow to figure out the truth.
"None whatsoever, but wouldn't I get deported if I did something serious?" Luo Shu asked half-jokingly.
Tachibana Kirika answered in the same joking tone:
"No problem. After getting into trouble, you can apply for protection from the US forces. Their food isn't great, though. If you want some extra cash to eat better, you could consider buying into their arms trade. With a little luck, you might even earn your entire retirement fund in one go."
"..."
Hearing Tachibana Kirika casually reveal that even the US forces were secretly dealing in arms, Luo Shu's face stiffened. He looked utterly speechless.
"With my nationality, there's no way I could get involved in that kind of business with the US forces, is there?"
"Huh?" Tachibana Kirika seemed momentarily dumbfounded.
Mika, standing at the counter, calmly interjected:
"A lot of the dealers working for the US forces share your nationality. In fact, they've long since monopolized that business. Even departments like ours have to go through their channels to acquire certain restricted items indirectly. I believe they're called the Fujian Faction."
As a native of Fujian himself, Luo Shu froze for a moment at Mika's words, then sighed.
"This world really is a strange place."
So my background actually makes me the right sort of person to become an arms dealer in this world?
After that silent quip, Luo Shu looked down at the contract before him and said:
"You've explained the secret organizations, and I understand crimes committed by espers. But what exactly are these abyssal life-forms that supposedly appear in this world out of nowhere?"
Yet, contrary to Luo Shu's expectations, Tachibana Kirika answered with three words:
"I don't know. Or rather, even the various governments don't have a definitive answer. One organization has been spreading its own explanation, though."
Looking at Luo Shu's visibly stunned expression, Tachibana Kirika calmly stirred her empty coffee cup. Amid the clear clinking, she sighed.
"They believe this
world is fundamentally made up of layer upon layer of the abyss, stacked together like a layer cake."
"They believe that the farther down into the abyss you go, the more powerful and supernatural it becomes."
"And somewhere in the deepest reaches of the Abyss is a world called 'Hell,' a place resembling the hells described in Christian, Egyptian, and Greek mythology."
"They believe such a world exists deep within the abyss, and that its demons are immortal and possess the special ability to travel between the abyss's upper and lower layers."
Hearing this, Luo Shu frowned. "That organization... is the Astronomy of Truth you mentioned earlier?"
Tachibana Kirika exhaled a smoke ring and confirmed it:
"Exactly. The Astronomy of Truth continually carries out massacres and uses living people as blood sacrifices to summon such demons, establish contact with Hell, summon them, and replace them, becoming 'demons' themselves."
"That is the purpose for which the Astronomy of Truth was founded."
"Wielding demonic power in a human body. That's why the Astronomy of Truth's ability users are generally called demon warlocks."
"So the abyss really exists?" Luo Shu couldn't help frowning at her words.
"That question is beyond my pay grade."
Tachibana Kirika reiterated that she didn't know:
"In the last century, governments around the world all considered the Astronomy of Truth insane. But over the last decade or so, all sorts of inexplicable creatures and items have been appearing frequently, shaking world leaders' established views of the abyss."
"Of course, there is some supporting evidence that these things suddenly appearing in our world come from different worlds. But because of the information barriers between nations, no conclusive evidence has been put on the table yet."
"I see..."
Luo Shu murmured to himself.
As for whether the abyss existed, he believed it did. Setting everything else aside, the giant rat that attacked him yesterday had clearly been abnormal.
What ordinary rat could be that vicious?
Still, Luo Shu was certainly curious about the abyss and about his peers in the Astronomy of Truth, who studied it.
And when it came to gathering information on them and making his own Astronomy Club more international, Tachibana Kirika's SDS seemed to offer considerable advantages.
Of course, the most important thing was that he wouldn't have to grovel under the Japanese. As for the Americans... who didn't know how to pay lip service while doing whatever they pleased?
And here was a joke: people who immigrated to Japan were scorned back home, while those who immigrated to America, though also called traitors, somehow seemed a cut above the ones who moved to Japan.
Perhaps it was because they all held the belief that "only America is a worthy rival."
With those thoughts in mind, Luo Shu paused before speaking:
"So, after telling me all this, you never really intended to let me refuse, did you?"
Tachibana Kirika smiled. "Personally, I'd still prefer you to join without any reluctance."
"Then I'm afraid your wish is about to come true."
The moment Luo Shu finished speaking, a Ballpoint Pen was held out in front of him.
"Hehe~"
Looking at Chisato Nishikigi's goofy smile, Luo Shu smiled back, thanked her, and took the pen to sign his name on the contract.
"Ooh~~"
Seeing Luo Shu sign, Chisato Nishikigi clapped enthusiastically, then patted his shoulder.
"I'm Chisato Nishikigi. Looking forward to working with you, new partner~~"
"Luo Shu." He held out his hand.
"Ah~~" Realizing what he meant, Chisato Nishikigi wiped her hand on the scarf around her waist, then shook Luo Shu's hand.
"Good." Tachibana Kirika picked up Luo Shu's signed contract. As she examined it, she told Chisato Nishikigi, "Chisato, show our new recruit around the branch and get him his essential equipment while you're at it."
"Yes, yes, yes~~"
Chisato Nishikigi nodded repeatedly, then beckoned to Luo Shu.
"Come with me."
Luo Shu glanced at Tachibana Kirika, then stood and followed Chisato Nishikigi.
Watching the two enter the kitchen, Mika couldn't help chuckling from behind the counter.
"You finally managed to trick an esper into joining."
"Calling it trickery is a little harsh. I merely left out the minor detail that, despite our special status, we were founded less than two years ago, and the Metropolitan Police Department has been blocking our recruitment, leaving us short-staffed."
Tachibana Kirika took another contract from her briefcase, quickly copied Luo Shu's signature onto it, then carefully put away the original.
Once everything was done, she sighed.
"I just don't know what kind of ability that young fellow has. But at least we finally have our first warlock."
"Want to celebrate over a meal? Give our new recruit a welcome party while we're at it?" Mika asked with a smile.
"No, I still need to register this kid's contract with the Metropolitan Police Department and the US forces. Next time. Call me if anything comes up."
"Take care, then!"
As the door creaked open, Mika watched Tachibana Kirika leave, then shook his head and remarked with an air of elderly world-weariness:
"That kid certainly has it rough..."
Before you continue