Chapter 168: Summon |
To be honest, the Queen allowing Olivia to use this kind of power in broad daylight caught Levi somewhat by surprise. But upon closer reflection, he understood her reasoning.
For the longest time, Levi’s work had revolved around eradicating these anomalies, leading him to subconsciously assume the Empire favored suppression and elimination above all else when dealing with the supernatural. Yet, Olivia’s response hinted at a deeper strategy.
Perhaps the Empire's stance on these matters was not a blanket ban as he had presumed. Instead, they were selective.
If that were the case, then Her Majesty truly was a formidable ruler.
Levi had previously pondered whether a policy of absolute concealment was genuinely effective. This was especially true if rival nations realized they could not best the Empire on a mechanical front, prompting them to try and overtake it on the curve. For instance, the Republic of Francis might very well be covertly collaborating with the Holy Lord Church to exploit supernatural forces. When such phenomena inevitably spilled into the public eye, it would not be a matter easily resolved by a simple rationalization.
Evidently, the Queen preferred integration and containment over wholesale destruction. This suggested that the Exploration Newspaper was more than just a running joke about forcing scientific explanations onto the bizarre.
Levi had considered this aspect before. The reason such explanations became a joke was that everyone knew that no matter the anomaly, the paper would always pivot to a scientific justification. It was like a movie where the audience predicted the ending from the opening scene. It worked once or twice, but as the routine grew familiar, public interest waned. Moreover, if mysterious incidents occurred too frequently, merely hiding behind science would lose its efficacy.
But what if they truly existed, and were officially acknowledged? What if, out of ten supernatural investigations published by the Exploration Newspaper each year, nine were debunked while one was validated as genuine?
In that scenario, the publication would transform from a scientific parody into a medium of official imperial validation. This approach would cultivate a specific mindset among the citizens: any phenomenon verified by the paper was undoubtedly real, while anything unverified was precisely as the paper explained. Consequently, whenever rumors of strange events circulated, the public would naturally conclude that if the Exploration Newspaper did not acknowledge it, it had to be a hoax. After all, if it were real, the paper would have validated it.
Still... Levi recalled suggesting something similar early on, only to have the proposal rejected at the time.
Yet now, the Queen’s shifting attitude implied she had realized the threat posed by these mystical anomalies was not as overwhelming as initially feared. Levi was well aware he was not the sole asset of Military Intelligence Section 7. His own squad consisted entirely of external operatives, while MI7 maintained its own dedicated units tasked with investigating and neutralizing supernatural threats.
Although the Old Butler had never shared many details regarding those covert teams, the Queen’s current confidence made it clear that disciplined personnel, when properly coordinated and equipped with powerful weaponry, were fully capable of neutralizing these threats. And if a situation proved entirely unmanageable, they could always call for external assistance.
In essence, the Queen possessed supreme confidence in the Empire’s steam technology, believing it robust enough to suppress any meddling entities, and thus intended to gradually introduce the supernatural to the public.
It was a logical conclusion. While such phenomena were pieces of a mystery and possessed bizarre capabilities, they were largely useless to the state infrastructure.
Olivia clearly understood this reality. The Infernal Three-Headed Hound was exceptionally powerful, a fact Levi knew intimately, but it contributed nothing to regional governance. Could it command the weather? Could it accelerate the planting and harvesting cycles across Delicat?
From Levi’s perspective, aside from its fantastical ability to alter its size at will, the beast possessed a destructive capacity roughly equivalent to a standard imperial Knight Mecha. Faced with the concentrated fire of an Aerial Fortress, even a creature of its caliber would have no choice but to retreat.
Thus, despite possessing the hound, Olivia still had to travel to Steel City to procure mechanized equipment. From an individual standpoint, the beast was awe-inspiring, but from the perspective of a national ruler, it was a minor variable.
This was particularly true for the contemporary Empire, where functioning without steam machinery was completely unthinkable. It was no longer confined to military applications; steam systems had integrated into every household, becoming an indispensable part of daily life.
Levi recalled a novel he had read in the past, set in a modern world featuring a conflict between a magic faction and a scientific faction, where the former confidently vowed to utterly eradicate the latter. He had openly sneered at the premise.
Eradicating science in the twenty-first century? What would that even entail? It meant forcing humanity back into a primitive age, abandoning electricity, automobiles, aircraft, manufacturing plants, and all mechanized assistance. Was such a regression possible? Of course not. Any magical faction bold enough to proclaim such a goal would instantly face the collective fury of society, turning the entire world against them. Even if magic offered alternatives, why would the masses abandon systems that already served them perfectly?
The Queen’s current confidence likely stemmed from the same foundational reality. The Empire’s steam technology was unparalleled, yielding innovations that appeared downright futuristic to Levi. Furthermore, the improvements to daily life were undeniable, and the vast majority of citizens desired nothing more than a stable existence. Those who preferred dressing like cultists to perform rituals in subterranean crypts would always remain a minute fraction of the population.
Even so, was it truly wise to stage such a display within Steel City?
Levi glanced at the self-satisfied Olivia beside him. She claimed to possess Her Majesty’s explicit authorization, and Levi doubted she would act foolishly on a matter of this scale.
Still, utilizing a mythical beast to resolve a crisis in Steel City, the ultimate monument to the Empire's mechanical mastery, carried an undeniable note of irony. These thoughts flickered rapidly through Levi’s mind as the group finally reached the perimeter held by the police forces.
"Quickly, maintain the barrage! Do not stop firing!"
At the front line, the officers were still unleashing futile volleys, fully aware that their standard firearms were utterly ineffective against the massive engineering mechas. In many instances, heavy construction machinery possessed a destructive capacity far exceeding standard combat models.
"Hey! Who are you people? Clear the area immediately!"
The commanding officer noticed Levi and Olivia approaching and rushed forward to intercept them. However, Olivia showed none of the courtesy she extended to Levi. Tilting her chin upward, she fixed her gaze upon the officer.
"I am the Lord of Delicat, Lady Baskerville. Mind your manners!"
"Ah, the Lord? Lady Baskerville?"
Stunned by her sharp reprimand, the officer stumbled over his words before quickly recovering his composure. "My Lady, I must urge you to leave this area at once. The insurgents have seized the Central Data Tower, and we..."
"I am here to resolve this matter for you." Olivia snapped her fan shut, cutting him off cleanly.
Levi offered a brief glance before addressing the officer with a calm smile. "Have reinforcements been requested?"
"Communications are in absolute chaos right now. We have dispatched runners to nearby districts, but the local transit routes are similarly obstructed."
"In that case, we shall handle the situation."
"You? But... those mechas..."
"We have our methods," Levi cut the officer short. "As a precaution, and to prevent any unnecessary panic, I must ask that your men withdraw from the immediate perimeter."
"Very well... I understand."
Whether he viewed the exchange as a pointless distraction or was simply overwhelmed by the crisis, the officer quickly relented. He turned and blew his whistle, signaling the men stationed at the main gates to fall back.
The retreating officers looked as though they had received a royal pardon. Their reaction was understandable; a situation of this magnitude was properly the responsibility of the military. Had the communication lines and transport links remained functional, the army would have already launched a crushing counteroffensive. If only things had gone smoothly.
"Excuse me... are you intending to go inside?"
Another voice intervened. Levi turned to find Miss Kia Tester staring at him, her face completely pale as she posed the question.
"Indeed we are. Is something the matter, Miss Kia?"
"I... I believe I can be of assistance." Kia clenched her small fists, her gaze locked onto Levi. "I have already analyzed the data card from earlier and thoroughly comprehend its operating principles. The remaining cards should function on an identical logic. I might be able to find a way to reverse their instructions."
"Then we shall rely on your expertise."
Levi raised no objections. His original plan had been to breach the facility, eliminate the insurgents, and then locate an engineer to handle the systems. After all, who among them actually understood the machinery? As it stood, Kia appeared to be their only viable option.
With time working against them, there was not a single moment to lose.
"And who might this be?"
"This is Dr. Tester's granddaughter, Miss Kia Tester," Levi introduced her to Olivia. "She possesses critical insight into the source of this disruption and can likely aid us in neutralizing it."
"Is she capable?"
When addressing anyone other than Levi, Olivia consistently maintained an aura of aristocratic arrogance. Her sharp gaze swept over the young girl, causing Kia to tremble in intimidation, her voice catching in her throat.
"We shall find out once she tries."
"Very well, provided she does not flee in terror."
By then, the police officers had successfully completed their withdrawal. Olivia offered them a brief nod before stepping forward, gently lowering the small puppy from her arms.
"Little Black, show these fools the extent of your power!"
What a ridiculous name. Then again, if Olivia preferred it, so be it. Levi offered a silent internal critique.
The bystanders, catching sight of the tiny puppy Olivia had placed on the ground, displayed uniform expressions of bewilderment. Clearly, none of them could fathom how such a miniature creature was meant to oppose the towering mechas. Under the collective gaze of the crowd, the puppy trotted forward a couple of paces, shook its head, and tilted its snout toward the sky.
"Awoo!"
The resulting sound was entirely disproportionate to a young dog's physical frame. The howling echo completely drowned out the distant roar of steam, forcing even the insurgents entrenched at the entrance of the Central Data Tower to turn toward the source.
Immediately following the cry, a dense cloud of pitch-black mist erupted violently from the ground, forcing the surrounding crowd to scramble backward in alarm. Only Olivia remained stationary, completely unfazed as the darkness enveloped her figure.
A moment later, the shroud dissipated, revealing a terrifying entity stepping into the light. It was a three-headed hound.
The beast stood every bit as majestic and imposing as it had during Levi's first encounter with it. Its three elongated heads scanned the perimeter, its crimson eyes cold, unyielding, and radiating a suffocating aura of terror.
"Gah!"
"What kind of monster is that?!"
Faced with the colossal hound, the surrounding officers panicked, retreating in sheer terror while several instinctively raised their rifles.
"Silence!"
Olivia’s voice cut through the panic once more. The crowd looked up to find her seated atop the beast, looking every bit the noble knight as she looked down upon them.
"This is the guardian of the Baskerville family. Any disrespect shown to it is an insult to my house!"
One had to admit, the young lady possessed quite the theatrical flair before an audience. Observing the imperious display, Levi arched an eyebrow.
Olivia turned her gaze toward him, extending a hand. "Please mount, Mr. Levi. Bring the young lady along as well."
"Let us move, Miss Kia."
"Eh? Wait, what?!"
Kia had clearly never envisioned riding such a terrifying creature. She stood completely frozen, resembling a lifeless doll as Levi lifted her onto the hound's back before mounting behind her.
"Lady Olivia."
"Yes? What is it?"
"I take it this is not your first time doing this."
Judging by her fluid movements, Levi had already guessed as much.
"Naturally. Back in Delicat, I take Little Black out for rides every single day. Even the horses run much faster and with far greater energy whenever he is around."
Of course they did. If they failed to exert themselves, they would likely end up as the hound's next meal. Levi offered a silent moment of condolence for the horses of the Baskerville estate.
"Now, Little Black!" Seated sideways upon the beast, Olivia raised her closed fan with immense flourish, pointing it directly toward the entrance. "Let these fools taste the righteous fury of the Baskerville family!"
"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
At her command, the three heads of the hound locked onto the entrance of the Central Data Tower. With a collective roar, the beast charged forward into a dead sprint!