Prologue
“Now then, let’s begin the inquiry for Norman Hamish-kun!!”
A strangely bright voice echoed through the cold, stone-walled room.
“Ah, this is fun! Amazing, right? Wouldn’t you agree, Norman-kun?!”
“No, I don’t. This is terrible. There’s no way I could think this is fun, Jim.”
Two young men sat across from each other, separated by a long table, their words starkly opposed.
At the edge of the room sat another long table, where a variety of items were carefully displayed.
There were a black felt hat, a worn long coat, a wallet, a handkerchief, a lighter, a fresh pack of cigarettes, a magnifying glass, a ruler, a set of lockpicking tools, a book on geography, a notebook, a binder stuffed with documents, a revolver, and a foldable walking stick. Along the nearby wall, there was even an old-fashioned phone.
The gray-haired boy, bound securely, sat against the backdrop of four large windows, beyond which lay the deep blackness of night.
“Look at me right now—just what do you see?”
“Well, you’re tied down to the chair hand and foot! I even learned a special knot just for this so it wouldn’t come undone! Fascinating, if you ask me!”
“Would you mind untying me?”
“Absolutely not!”
“That’s a horrible response. Normally, you’d be pestering me with tea and snacks right about now.”
“We’re not in my lab, are we? Besides, you hardly ever touch the tea and snacks when I do bring them out. Do you even remember the last time you visited me?”
“…When was that again? I’ve been out of town for a while, you know.”
“Thirty-seven days ago! When I told you I’d be going to the capital for work, you were gone in two minutes flat! Geez, I wanted to chat a bit while I had the chance!”
The boy looked beaten up, if not completely battered. His white shirt, suspenders, and black pants—simple enough attire—were smeared with dirt and blood, his skin marred by scratches all over. His disheveled hair, falling over his collarbone, bore traces of violence, a rough shadow clinging to him like bruises.
With a sigh and a look of complete indifference, he appeared about as disheveled as a vagrant lying on the side of the road.
“I’ve never seen you look like this. Keep it up—I want to be entertained, Norman-kun!”
The blond boy grinned slyly,
laughing with genuine delight. If not for the lab coat, his vibrant energy would make him seem like the star of a ballroom dance, his mismatched attire—a formal tuxedo with a lab coat over it—only adding to his strange charm.
“Honestly, you have terrible taste, Jim Adamworth.”
“Oh, you’re one to talk, Norman Hamish-kun.”
The bound boy’s name was Norman Hamish.
His captor was Jim Adamworth.
It looked like an interrogation scene, but the casual air between them felt more like a chat at a street café.
“First of all, what’s with your outfit? Why a tuxedo with a lab coat over it?”
“Come on, don’t you get it, Norman-kun?!”
Jim stood, dramatically letting the tails of his lab coat flutter.
“I have a reputation as one of the best-dressed men in society! Since this is an official interrogation, I had to dress the part. Although I did put a personal touch on the setting and methods since you’re a friend! And since I’m also a researcher, my uniform includes a lab coat—it’s essential!”
“Do you even know what the word ‘coordination’ means?”
“Heh… well, what can I say? It’s a pity. Trailblazers are always misunderstood in their time…”
‘ ………… ’
Norman looked at him half-heartedly,
as Jim sighed and shrugged his shoulders.
“Truthfully, as entertaining as it is to see you tied up like this, it does weigh on me a little. You’re my only friend, after all, Norman-kun!”
“Your only friend that you’ve had beaten up, bagged, dragged here, and bound. And you’re still saying that?”
“Oh… yes, it weighs on me deeply, Norman-kun.”
Jim nodded slowly, his smile gone, his expression unusually somber.
“But it can’t be helped. That’s just life, right, Norman-kun!”
“…Right.”
Jim’s smile returned in an instant, while Norman maintained his deadpan expression.
Norman glanced up at the ceiling and muttered,
“By the way, where exactly are we?”
“Heh… it’s not customary to disclose such details to a kidnapped person. Just think of it as a fitting place for our little chat!”
“…Whatever, then.”
” Hmmm… I wish you’d be a bit more careful there, Mr Norman. …… “
Jim clenched his fist in mild frustration.
“Fine, then! “
He quickly switched sides.
“Let’s get started! As an official assignment from [Cartesian], I’ll be questioning you, Norman-kun!”
“…Could you stop saying my name after every sentence?”
“Let’s discuss the ‘Unlaws’ surrounding this walled city of Vardium, Norman-kun!”
Jim snapped his fingers sharply,
sighing as he crossed his legs, straightened his lab coat collar, and got into character.
“You know this city, Vardium, is surrounded by walls, right, Norman-kun?”
“Are we starting from there?”
“Don’t interrupt the ambiance, Norman-kun. This is all about setting the mood!”
He paused, tilting his head thoughtfully.
“…Honestly, shouting your name at the end of every sentence is getting a bit old.”
“Glad we agree.”
Slightly less enthusiastic, Jim resumed his explanation.
“Norman-kun, you’ve been in this city for a year and a half. You’ve seen the wall every day—the towering wall, nearly a hundred meters high, encompassing the city. No one knows when it was built; it’s just always been there, so much so that no one questions why it exists. Ah… what was it you often said?”
“──This city has no wind.”
“Exactly! Quite poetic, if you ask me. To me, it’s like a miniature garden—a miniature garden of the ‘Unlaws.’”
The noble-looking boy leaned forward, grinning with excitement.
“Yes, the Unlaws!”
He repeats the word with gusto.
“Unlaws, huh,”
Norman muttered dismissively,
less out of interest and more out of resignation at Jim’s enthusiasm.
“I considered where to start, but I think it’s best to begin at the very beginning. What exactly are the Unlaws?”
Jim spread his arms in an exaggerated motion.
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“Magic, miracles, fantasies. Things everyone believes in at least once as a child. But none of that really exists!”
Then, his smile turned sinister.
“However, there are monsters that defy the laws of this world. Ones that transform, transgress, and distort…”
“…”
“As you know, I’m studying these ‘Unlaws,’ yes?”
“Studying… and something else, right?”
“Haha! We’ll save that part for later! Although Unlaws may seem like wizards in fairytales, they’re far from warmhearted beings… they’re actually quite the opposite!”
He continued, sounding like a teacher giving a lecture.
“They’re mad!”
He declared with conviction.
“Some are born with a broken mind, while others fall apart later on. Such people are common enough. But here in Vardium, there are those whose unstable minds awaken powers as though by magic, transforming them into monsters. That’s what we call ‘Unlaws’!”
“Pretty surface-level explanation.”
“Alright, let’s get to the real point.”
Jim snapped his fingers, pointing directly at Norman.
“You harbor one of these ‘Unlaws’ in this city. As an agent of [Cartesian] under government orders! And you’re going to tell me all about the incidents you’ve encountered. I’ll review your account and report it to the higher-ups at [Cartesian]. You understand your position, don’t you?”
Because, Jim spread his arms wide.
“It started with a rise in crime, then public facilities were destroyed, and now there are suspicions you’ve gone rogue against [Cartesian]!”
“That’s ridiculous. I’ve been working diligently all this time. When my sister recruited me into [Cartesian], I never thought I’d end up… well, I guess I thought it might happen. But I never imagined it’d be with you as my captor.”
“Who’d you think it would be?”
“My sister.”
“Ahaha! Hahaha!”
Jim was right:
both he and Norman, and Norman’s sister, all worked for [Cartesian], either as researchers or agents.
“As you know, we handle the research, investigation, and control of supernatural beings called ‘Unlaws.’ I’m a researcher, and you and your sister are field agents.”
Jim rose, picking up a binder from the table.
“The Unlaws are to be kept hidden due to their danger. Naturally. For the most part, they look human, but their threat is undeniable. Which is why some of us agents at [Cartesian] monitor and manage them. Like you do.”
From the desk, Jim pulls out four documents.
Jim spread out four sheets with photographs in front of him on the table.
“───”
Norman narrowed his pale blue eyes, studying them, as Jim introduced each one.
“Teardrop.”
A silver-haired girl in a hood,
her yellow eyes gazing aside, bored, as though she had given up on the entire world.
“SiriusFlame.”
A tall woman with long golden hair, her head tilted with a modest smile
a smile that seemed to apologize for leaving her mark on the world.
“Enhancediah.”
A woman with dark skin and black hair, with a single strand of red in
The whole world seems to revolve around her—that’s the kind of vibe she gives off.
“Fairy Airy Step.”
A girl with ash-brown hair. She gives a playful wink, pressing a peace sign against her chin.
Her smile radiates a carefree spirit, as if she would still be laughing no matter what happened in the world.
“In total, four of them – I want to hear about your monster toys.”
“They’re not monsters, they’re human.”
Norman’s dark, stagnant blue eyes clashed with Jim’s shining golden gaze.
—Zizizizi! The sound of a transceiver echoed.
“…Geez, the excitement has faded. Go ahead and come out, Norman.”
“…Do as you please.”
“Very well.”
Shrugging his shoulders, Jim went to pick up the receiver connected to the transceiver.
After exchanging a few words,
“…I see.”
He twisted his neck and sat down on the chair.
Gazing intently at the four photographs spread out on the desk,
“Norman, you say these monsters are human.”
“Yes, that’s right. By the way, they’re adorable girls.”
“I see.”
Jim nodded once, his expression stern as he spoke,
“Those four seem to be fighting each other outside.”
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