AKM Act 11-10

Act 11-10: Katakake's Worries
TL : Cnine
ED/PF :

Part 1

　Kuroki head toward the library by himself.
　The goal was to get information from Katakake.
　Chiyuki, Kyouka, and Kepler didn't go with him.
　Because Chiyuki and Kepler hold the title of Sage, bringing them along would draw too much attention and cause a commotion, making it impossible to get any information out of Katakake.
　As for Kyouka, Chiyuki simple didn't allow her to go unattended with Kuroki.
　Besides, it feels like it’d be easier to talk man-to-man, so it was better for Kuroki to go by himself.
　Thus, Kuroki came by himself.

「Ah, Kuroki-dono. Are you going to visit the Forbidden Archive again?」

　As Kuroki entered the library, Katakake saw him and called out to him.
　
「Well, the thing is...」

　Kuroki was thinking about how to start the conversation.
　The reason for his visit was to ask Katakake about Chijirege.
　Unlike Katakake, Chijirege’s whereabouts were usually unknown.
　Thus, he came to ask Katakake whose whereabout could be tracked.
　However, according to Kepler, it might be wise to suspect him as well, so part of the reason for coming was also to probe him.
　However, Kuroki had never played the role of a detective or investigator before.
　He wasn’t confident he could get the information out smoothly from the other party.

（What should I even say? If it were Kuna, it’d be easy. But just this once, there’s no one around who’s good at this sort of thing.）

　Using mind magic would make probing Katakake easier.
　However, Kuroki wasn’t really skilled in that area, and neither Kuna, who excels at mind magic, nor Rino, the comrade of Chiyuki and Kyouka who was also good at it was around.
　In Saria, those skilled in mind magic was Sabina and her disciples, but since she was also a subject of suspicion, it was hard to ask for her help.
　Kuroki looked at Katakake.
　He was a lanky man with pale face.
　It seems like he hadn’t been eating much lately.
　
「By the way, Katakake-dono. You seem to be working at the library reception for long hours, but how do you manage meals? Do you take shifts or something like that?」

　Kuroki voiced the question that had been in his mind.
　
「No, since all the Sages are gathering right now, everyone is busy, that's why I'm manning the reception desk by myself.」

　Katakake was smiling lightly and shook his head as he replied.
　Kuroki was really surprised when he heard that piece of information.

「H-Have you eaten then?」
「I rarely eat while in the shift. Lately, I haven’t really felt like eating anyway, so it works out just fine.」
「....」

　Kuroki was left speechless.
　Katakake's living environment was by no mean good.
　With no magician to study under, the library job was the only place he belong to.

「By the way, aren't you going to go into the Forbidden Archive?」
「Well, the reason for my visit today is to meet you, Katakake-dono.」

　Kuroki decided to strike up a conversation for the time being.
　He wasn’t sure if he could probe successfully, but he wouldn’t know unless he tried.
　Also, Kuroki thought that by talking with him, he might be able to help Katakake in some way.

◆

　Katakake came to the magic city of Saria around five years ago.
　His parents were also magicians, but they couldn’t be called exceptional ones.
　Wishing to make Katakake into a skilled magician, his parents sent him to study abroad in Saria.
　His parents work as staff members for the Association, but they were nothing more than low-ranking staff and didn’t earn much.
　Covering the cost of studying abroad must have been quite difficult for them.
　Knowing that, Katakake was determined to study hard. He searched for a mentor to study under, and as a result, joined the faction centered around Vice President Tarabos.
　He was the same with Chijirege in that regard.
　Chijirege seemed to be in a similar situation to Katakake, and the two became close and often talked.
　Both of them devoted themselves to their study and research.
　However, while Tarabos appeared to be a mild-mannered person on the surface, behind the scenes he often engaged in actions that violated the Association’s regulations.
　One example for that was how he used talentless magicians who had joined his faction as test subjects for his experiments.
　And so, both Katakake and Chijirege were on the verge of being used as lab rat for human experimentation.
　In short, Katakake was the victim of Tarabos.
　Kuroki listens quietly to Katakake’s story.
　The location was the reception desk, and Katakake had his head lowered.
　
「Thank you for hearing my story. It made me feel relieved a bit.」

　Katakake spoke with wry smile on his face.
　Most likely, he hadn’t been able to tell his story to anyone until now.
　Perhaps being able to talk to Kuroki helped him feel a little better.

（He doesn’t look like he’s lying. I want to help him somehow, but…）

　Kuroki looked at Katakake.
　He wasn't confident in his ability to read people, but Kuroki didn’t think Katakake was lying.

　In the first place, the reason he wasn't banished from Saria was because it was determined that he didn’t have a particularly deep connection with Tarabos.
　Kuroki thinks Katakake might be innocent, given how thorough the investigation seems to have been.
　However, the eyes of those around him were harsh, and it seemed that no master was willing to take him on as a disciple.
　Kuroki wanted to help him to solve his fundamental problem, the lack of mentor.

「Come to think of it, aren’t you going back to the Republic Ariadya?」
「No, I can’t go back like this, it would only cause trouble for my family.」

　Katakake shook his head.
　He said that if he return as it was, he’d be labeled as the disciple of someone who was exiled from Saria.
　That would be an insult to his parents, who went out of their way to pay for his education in Saria.

「I see, so you’re looking for a new place to study. Do you have anywhere in mind?」
「No, not in particular... Ah, though Chijirege did say he would introduce me to someone. That said, the condition is that I ask you, Kuroki-dono, to let him to enter the Forbidden Archive.」
「The Forbidden Archive... Hmm. Just who asked the held of Chijirege-dono to enter the Forbidden Archive? I'm curious.」
「Well, who knows? After that, Chijirege seemed to have visited quite a few different masters. Could it be that it's one of them who asked him to do that? I really admire that kind of drive... No, I suppose I need to push myself harder too.」

　Katakake replied while heaving a deep sigh.
　Kuroki touched his chin, pondering for a while.
　---Surely, Kyouka was right, Chijirege did act suspiciously.
　---There’s a master who wants to gain access to the Forbidden Archive.
　---That person might just be the culprit.
　And then, Katakake didn't seems to know about the person behind Chijirege.

「Then let’s ask Chijirege-dono. Do you know where to find him??」
「I’m not sure. However, I do know where he lives. I can show you.」
「Thank you very much, Katakake-dono.」

　Kuroki thanked Katakake and asked for Chijirege’s whereabouts.

◆

（Haa, Kepler-sama was truly kind. He said he'd arrange a chance for us to talk, but I wonder when that will be?）

　Mitsuami walks the road of Saria by herself.
　The Golden Sage Kepler was someone Mitsuami admired deeply.
　Kepler's achievements as an archmage resonate not only in Gypseal but also in Saria.
　There were many magicians who wish to learn magic directly from him.
　Mitsuami was one of them, and she wanted to get closer to Kepler.

（Still, to think he actually knew Kuroki-dono... Could it be that he's a much bigger deal than I thought?）

　She recalled about the event that happened a while ago.
　Kepler was the acquaintance of Kuroki.
　Moreover, Kepler actually taking the initiative to greet Kuroki in person.
　He might be a real big shot, despite how he looks.

（I wonder if I could somehow get Kepler-dono to put in a good word for me? Or, should I ask Kyouka-sama? Huh…? Wait a minute, why did I come over here in the first place?）

　That’s when Mitsuami noticed something was off.
　After parting ways with Kepler, Mitsuami had intended to return to her master, Gotoku’s classroom.
　However, before she knew it, she had ended up somewhere completely different.

「This place is…? If my memories serve me right, this is Sabina-sama’s mansion. Why am I in this place?」

　Mitsuami looked up at the grand mansion.
　Before her stood Sabina’s mansion, the very one she had visited yesterday with Kyouka.
　Nice fragrance wafting from Sabina's mansion.
　As Mitsuami stood before it, the gate of the otherwise empty mansion slowly opened.

「Huh, what? Why do I feel like... I have to go in…?」

　As if lured by a scent, Mitsuami stepped into the mansion.

◆

「Well, she’s here. But it looks like she came alone… As I thought, that man wasn’t affected after all.」

　Sabina watched Mitsuami entered the mansion from the 2nd floor.
　In fact, Sabina had cast a spell when Kuroki and the others visited yesterday.
　However, only Mitsuami was affected by it.
　It seems she had expected Kuroki to resist her magic.
　
「Well, that’s fine. You alone will be enough. You’re going to work for that personage.」

　Sabina said so with smile on her face.