一一Aaaaaahhhh!!! I’m finally making my pilgrimage to the holy land!!!
[Prim-Libra’s Tenth Branch]
Standing directly beneath it, I gazed up at the majestic, castle-like white structure.
I’d passed by it many times before, but today一today一I was actually going inside!
The setting of countless scenes in [Watayume],
a work I’d read so often that even after eighteen years, I could recall every detail just by seeing it in person.
一一There was a time when I thought……
“Oh crap, I can’t remember a thing.”
Even after stepping into the branch’s entrance, no image comes to mind at all…
“Well, I guess that’s to be expected.”
The Tenth Branch is the second iteration in this building.
When Shinjuku was destroyed in the [Silent Nightmare] ten years ago, the original Tenth Branch was wiped out too.
I remember that part clearly.
It was a shocking sight, even through the TV screen.
一So shocking, in fact, that it made me remember my past life.
Anyway, after that mess, the newly rebuilt Tenth Branch now has the lower floors occupied by the Metropolitan Police, handling cases unrelated to Lux , while the upper floors are our angels’ paradise.
Meaning, the first-floor entrance is under police jurisdiction一not exactly a place with strong ties to Excia, the Winged Guardian.
Aside from a slightly more imposing atmosphere, it’s pretty much just a normal office building.
If I had to point out a difference, it’d be how ridiculously spacious it is.
But if there’s anything else that stands out一
“Hear me! I am an honored guest! Let~me~go~o~ko~ah!”
Right in the center of the entrance, standing before a massive cylindrical pillar that pierced through the ceiling,
was a tiny familiar figure spouting grandiose nonsense.
Yep, our very own executive, the Fifth Seat一”Toymaker Gangya”, aka Toki Tsukumo.
She was being held back by the receptionist.
Other than that, it was just an ordinary office building lobby一
“一Wait, this is a huge problem!!”
◇◇◇◇◇
“Phew, you saved me, my loyal servant.”
The tiny girl wiped sweat from her brow.
Her oversized parka sleeves flopped around, making her look even sillier.
……Guess even this chuuni couldn’t show up in her Nega Messiah robes.
There’s a lot I could say, but first things first:
“I’m not your servant. I’m Kushina’s partner!”
Tsukumo pouted.
“Hmph. As a mere rank-and-file member, you should serve all executives equally一mmph!”
“Waah! Ahh!”
Next to us, the receptionist blushed and muttered, “……Servant?” with a puzzled look, so I frantically covered Tsukumo’s mouth.
“Ahaha, sorry about that. She’s at that age where her delusions run wild……”
“Mmphhh一!!”
“O-oh……”
The receptionist looked bewildered.
From what she told me, our bumbling executive had gotten overly excited about the giant elevator and was caught trying to leap onto it.
Drawing attention wasn’t ideal, but at least her identity wasn’t exposed…
Then again, the Fifth Seat is a mystery to the public, so it’s not like she could be exposed.
“……Um, if I may ask, what’s your relationship?”
“Boss and subordi一mmph!”
“We’re super-duper cousins!!”
“O-oh… So you’re related?”
Still slightly confused, the receptionist handed Tsukumo over to me and walked away.
I immediately laid down the rules.
“Listen, Tsukumo. We’re cousins.”
“Nay, I am an executive一”
“Cou. sins.”
“Ugh… Fine……”
The tiny girl reluctantly nodded.
When I told her, “A boss-subordinate relationship with this age gap is weird,” she went, “Weird…! The scent of the extraordinary…!” So I switched tactics: “Blood-related siblings on a covert mission sounds cool, right?” Her eyes sparkled, and she agreed immediately. Too easy.
“Then, oh [Separation], from this day forth, thou shalt be my ‘Niisama’!!”
“…………Huh?”
Niisama…?
That wording… feels oddly familiar lately…
◇◇◇◇◇
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
This tour was limited to [men] and [children].
The main targets were men unfamiliar with angels and children meant to be inspired by them一
a logical choice for security, since those less likely to awaken to Talent Lux were prioritized.
Apparently, the event was insanely popular because it offered a glimpse into the headquarters of Excia, the Winged Guardian一everyone’s heroic idol.
Only a hundred elite participants made it through the brutal selection process.
And over 90% of them were一
“Eeeek! This is amazing!”
“This place… is already the angels’ home…!”
一little girls.
“…………”
In the elevator hall where Tsukumo had been causing a scene earlier, the tour participants一myself included一were packed together.
Glancing around, the remaining 10% were either boys or elementary schoolers.
Nobody even close to my age.
“…I’ve got Leon, so it’s fine.”
“What troubles thee, Niisama?”
“Nothing.”
I shook my head as Tsukumo peered up at me curiously.
She looked clueless for a moment before suddenly grinning mischievously.
“Kuhaha, feeling down, are we? Then for my Niisama一”
She dug into her sling bag,
rummaging around.
“Hmm? Uhh, it should be around here… Mmm?”
She kept fumbling, but the bag was tiny一there’s no way it held that much.
Finally, she pulled her hand out and beamed.
“Apologies. ‘Tis too vast一I’ve lost track of it.”
“That makes no sense. Bad excuse?”
“Gah, no! It truly is vast in here! For you see一”
She lowered her voice, tugging my sleeve and standing on tiptoe (her legs wobbling).
I leaned down, and she nodded, satisfied.
“This bag is imbued with the Talent Lux of [Storage].”
“Storage…?”
“Indeed. Just like the ‘pocket watch’ you carry.”
“!”
The only “pocket watch” I have is the emblem of [Nega-Messiah, Covenant of Salvation]一
the thing that spits out robes when you wind it.
Come to think of it, Kushina mentioned once:
“One of the executives makes those…”
“Correct. ‘Tis none other than I.”
She grinned, unbearably smug.
“Hence, I am known as Toymaker Gangya.”
“…I underestimated you.”
“Kuhuhu! Praise me more!”
Now thoroughly pleased, the tiny executive puffed up.
Kinda like a dog… weirdly heartwarming. But then一
“Do not misunderstand, however. My ability is not [Storage].”
“…Huh?”
“‘Tis borrowed from another member.”
She just dropped a bombshell.
Ignoring my shock, she kept going.
“My Talent Lux is一[Bestowal].”
“Bestow…?”
“Aye. I can grant ‘states’ to all things…!”
Her eyes screamed, “Impressive, right? Praise me!”
And yeah, it was impressive. No, terrifying.
Any ability with [all things] in its description is broken by default.
This puts her in the same league as Hinata-chan一a top-tier Talent Lux.
And she can even replicate others’ abilities? That’s straight-up cheating…
For such a tiny thing, she’s definitely executive material…
But before I could heap praise, one thing bothered me.
“Are you allowed to say that?”
“…Ah!!”
She flailed in panic.
“W-well… B-but you’re [Setsuna]’s partner, so it’s fine, right? Right?!”
“Uh… yeah……”
Feeling bad, I nodded, and she visibly relaxed.
She mumbled something like, “[Shinazu Dori] is scary when angry…”
…I kinda get it. That person’s vaguely terrifying一
too ethereal to pin down.
“Hmph! As thanks for thy silence, I shall gift thee my latest creation!”
Back to her haughty self, Tsukumo dramatically plunged her hand into the bag.
“Latest creation?”
“Indeed! An evolution of the pocket watch一BEHOLD!”
She pulled out a silver bracelet.
“If it’s called [Storage], then don’t tell me一”
The image that flashed in my mind一
any fantasy fan would recognize it.
“An item stor一”
“A bracelet that summons confetti for maximum dramatic effect!”
I deadpanned.
“Why would you make something so useless…?”
“Wha一?! Looking cool is the most important thing!!”
“…………”
Are we gonna be okay with this klutz as my infiltration partner?
I’m the only sane one here…
◇◇◇◇◇
After confirming everyone’s attendance, we rode the massive central elevator (normally reserved for emergencies) up to [Prim-Libra, the White Scales of Cyclic Protection] headquarters.
Being the only adult man in a sea of kids was mortifying. The moms chaperoning shot me confused looks that stabbed my soul. The only saving grace was their murmurs of “Is this a TV shoot?”一at least they seemed friendly.
Then, with a “ding”, the elevator arrived, and my shame vanished.
The doors opened to reveal paradise.
“一一一”
A space stretching endlessly upward and outward.
The stonework made it unmistakable一this was a cathedral.
And in that instant, the branch’s full layout, which I couldn’t recall earlier, flooded back.
[Prim-Libra] is the angels’ stronghold.
True to its grand exterior, the interior was a modernized church.
Not purely old-world一it had been rebuilt just years ago, blending Gothic with contemporary touches like escalators seamlessly integrated.
A true neo-Gothic marvel.
But most of all一
“Welcome to [Prim-Libra].”
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