Chapter 287 - Raid Plans Here and There
After finalizing negotiations at the Magic Item Guild, I headed straight for a familiar shop.
Traveling from Central Avenue to Sixth Avenue meant making the journey in full view of the majestic Neutronstar Andromeda.
Around these parts, its dashing silhouette had become a common sight. With our members and even the Arena champion regularly seen riding bikes, Exembra hadn’t found it particularly unusual for some time now. A positive trend.
Still, while the locals no longer reacted, newcomers never failed to show their astonishment.
As I pulled up outside the shop, the bike’s roar catching the attention of the usual shop attendant, I was greeted as always. Then, just as always, I stepped into the owner’s private room.
“I’ve been waiting, Yukari-san. Come on, try these on right away!”
As usual, Torietta-san closed the distance without even a greeting.
The owner of fashion boutique Brillonvest was cheerful and energetic as ever.
“Before trying anything on—what about the things I ordered?”
“This first, this first!”
I was shoved a basket full of shirts and skirts, forced to try them on immediately. This person’s force of personality never changed.
Though seasonal work, she’d clearly thrown herself into designing springwear for me with particular enthusiasm—far more passion than she put into commissioned jobs.
The masterwork garments were flawless, their designs refined to perfection, and above all, incredibly comfortable to wear.
The subtle tailoring at the sides and waist, the silhouette, the color palettes—all reflected my personal tastes. Perfect. My body measurements hadn’t changed, so no adjustments were needed.
“Phew… As expected, Yukari-san. You’re the embodiment of my ideal.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Anyway, how about that other thing I asked for?”
“It’s ready, of course. Let’s see… where’d I put it… Ah, here, here!”
She really was careless when it came to anything that wasn’t her personal hobby. I caught the pitch-black object she tossed carelessly my way and examined it.
I traced the Kikyo crest embedded as a subtle accent, then put it on and checked myself in the mirror. Flat, rounded, no brim—a beret.
“…Not bad, actually. What’s there to complain about?”
“Mass-produced gear that doesn’t emphasize individuality? Just doesn’t get me excited.”
This was the new standard-issue equipment slated for the Kikyo Society.
I’d long wanted head protection, but prioritizing defense with a helmet-style design clashed completely with our coats. After much consideration, we’d settled on the beret as a compromise.
Some members already wore hats regularly, so we wouldn’t force them to switch. But most—including myself—didn’t, so this would serve as combat-ready gear for those members.
I knew a beret offered limited head protection, but we also had to consider morale. No matter how effective the gear, if it looked ugly, no one would want to wear it.
“The functions you requested are included too. That part wasn’t just for fun, you know.”
“Sorry, sorry. Use this as a sample, then leave the rest to your apprentices.”
She clearly had no interest in doing things that weren’t her passion. I’d make sure to hand over the rare materials I’d brought later, to appease Torietta-san’s grumbling.
But more importantly, I needed to test the beret’s hidden functions.
Inside, it had temperature regulation woven in, just like our coats—but that wasn’t the key feature. The real function was something else.
The inner fabric, made of stretchable material, could be pulled out and detached from the beret. It transformed into a mask covering head and neck.
Looking in the mirror with the mask on, I saw a face obscured by a black mask, a white skull painted across it—decidedly eerie. Certainly not Torietta-san’s usual taste.
“Hmm… For someone who claims it’s not her thing, this is impressively thorough. More detailed than I expected.”
“If I do something, I aim to exceed expectations. If you’re satisfied, I’ll just pass the rest to my apprentices.”
“Yes, this is more than enough. I’ll have the materials delivered later.”
The beret used metallic thread, its color transformed from the original ink-black of Carbonium ore to a deep, pure black—just as Torietta-san had requested.
Instead of leaving right after business, I stayed a while longer, chatting idly before departing.
Torietta-san, often holed up in her workshop, sometimes craved conversation. And I, too, needed the occasional break from work. These talks turned out to be unexpectedly refreshing.
Now then. At this very moment, the Kikyo Society was actively upgrading its equipment.
We’d ordered numerous magic tools as standard gear, finalized production of the combat berets, and encouraged each member to actively maintain or purchase new weapons.
Our vehicles were undergoing maintenance and simultaneous armor upgrades, while the phased introduction of new armored vehicles was already underway.
Money was pouring out like water, but our income streams were growing just as fast—the entrance fees and betting profits from the Arena, earnings from our hotels and casinos, and various other ventures. Our overall revenue was massive, and even more profitable opportunities loomed on the horizon.
The constant, steady renewal of our operations felt exhilarating, enjoyable. With spring’s arrival, the city’s energy surged higher. The future looked bright, and the mood was excellent.
Amid these bustling days, one long-absent member finally returned.
Leaving aside those too busy with work, the rest of us gathered to welcome back the Director of the R&D Bureau. The Headquarters’ office was nearly full.
“I’ve been waiting, Charlotte.”
Following Siegrune’s lead in offering warm greetings, everyone else chimed in one after another.
The lively atmosphere lasted a while, and as satisfied members gradually returned to their duties, peace finally settled back into the office. With fewer people present, we moved to my office to continue talking.
“I apologize for being away for such a long time.”
“It’s fine. Your training seems to have gone exceptionally well.”
Though she hadn’t been doing combat training, I sensed a significant increase in Charlotte’s magical power. She must have spent every day pushing her magic to the limit. Her confident demeanor and radiant expression spoke of true fulfillment.
“Yes, I believe I’ve achieved results I can be proud of. I’ve also successfully completed the task you assigned, President.”
“You mean recruiting disciples? You succeeded?”
“I haven’t received any reports, Yukari-dono. Have you?”
I hadn’t heard a thing. Perhaps she’d kept it secret on purpose, aiming for a surprise.
I’d assumed it would be difficult to recruit from the workshop hosting her training. I’d only mentioned it casually, but actually pulling it off must have been tough.
When I asked for details, she answered with clear amusement.
“As it turns out, the workshop I was staying at had a rival workshop it was at odds with. While continuing my training, I approached several of their employees for recruitment. Since they were opponents with no need for restraint, I offered favorable terms and successfully brought several over. They’re scheduled to gather here soon.”
“A rival workshop… Indeed, no need for restraint there. But to conduct recruitment operations while fulfilling your training—and succeed—is truly impressive work.”
“Mm, beyond expectations.”
Charlotte had retaliated against Viscount Lamreneis, that stalker creep, by poaching staff from the workshop he ran. I hadn’t known about it, but it was a clever, subtle move executed beneath the surface. Truly beyond expectations.
And not just one—she’d brought back multiple female seal mages, the very kind we’d been hoping for. Even if that creep was in charge, the fact that such talent existed under the largest workshop in the Royal Capital was impressive.
“All of them are outstanding female seal mages, but I believe it would be unreasonable to expect them all to bear the Kikyo crest. Therefore, I’d like to establish a dedicated workshop for them under the Kikyo Society. What are your thoughts?”
“I see. I find Charlotte’s judgment sound. What do you think, Yukari-dono?”
“I’ll leave it to you. As long as it’s within our territory, you can choose any location. Discuss it with the R&D Bureau and decide. For the finer details, coordinate with Frederica and the Secretariat. They’re valuable seal mages—unless it’s something extreme, we should meet their demands, including on compensation.”
“Thank you very much.”
There were also discussions about ongoing technical exchanges with the workshop where she’d trained, so Charlotte would likely never face a dead end alone again.
I also took the time to update her on changes during her absence—briefly, while answering her questions, since I’d already sent letters.
I handed over the Vocation Insignia, Skill Insignia, and the Kikyo crest badge with a golden base, and informed her of the R&D Bureau’s expanded roster.
“Gochou Lily and the others are waiting in the lab. The new members, especially, are probably nervous for their first greeting. You should go see them soon.”
“Yes. And tonight, we’re having a banquet—immediately. Also, take two or three days off starting tomorrow.”
“Are you certain? Won’t work pile up?”
“It’s already piling up like crazy. That’s precisely why you should rest now. Besides, I want to see the results of your training—be prepared. I’ve prepared some high-difficulty requests.”
“I find myself wanting to return to work immediately rather than take a break… but I understand.”
When I said it half-jokingly, Charlotte responded with weary agreement—but unmistakably looked pleased. Like her arms were itching for action.
As desired, her sharpened skills would now be put to full use.
Charlotte resumed her duties with even greater vigor than before, now supported by additional seal mages. As a result, the Kikyo Society’s equipment continued to rise in quality.
New gear gradually arrived from places like the Magic Item Guild and Brillonvest, further boosting our capabilities.
Many members had already rushed ahead to port towns to gather intelligence, and preparations for summer were progressing steadily.
Ideally, we’d turn the pirates into allies through negotiation rather than crush them by force—but that was probably too optimistic.
It was hard to imagine crews who freely terrorized the seas without opposition would simply obey our demands.
Still, we had to try. Even if we ultimately defeated them by force, prior negotiations would help them understand our goals. And if such groundwork existed, they’d be less likely to resort to desperate last stands at the cost of their lives.
“—We can’t sink them, so boarding and surprise attack is our only option. It’d be best if they dock at a harbor we can access, but usually they switch to small boats from offshore. That means we’d have to move out to sea just to board them.”
“Let’s assume the troublesome scenario. Then we’d have to strike at night. Approach from underwater while they’re anchored, infiltrate through a lightly guarded section. Then immediately seize the bridge and split up to neutralize the crew.”
Since the pirate ship was originally a warship, we needed to capture it intact—so no destructive tactics. We had to secure the vessel quickly.
Ideally, we’d avoid boarding the ship altogether and instead raid their hideout—but apparently, their secret base was on some remote island, possibly a classified former naval base, and its exact location remained unknown. Until we uncovered that, our only option was to ambush them when they showed up along the mainland coast.
Fortunately—or perhaps not—the pirate ship apparently came ashore at coastal towns and spent at least one night carousing before leaving. That gave us a chance.
“Ugh, approaching underwater means getting in the sea? No way. I’m out—leaving this one to Yukari and Siegrune.”
Gradena apparently disliked the sea. She could handle rivers and lakes, but the ocean was off-limits.
Well, I could somewhat understand the fear of such an endless expanse. I wasn’t afraid, but I didn’t particularly want to swim in seawater either. I might end up delegating even on-site duties.
“What about the possibility of cornered pirates choosing self-destruction? Former navy personnel might possess a sense of sacrifice beyond mere bandits. We’ll make clear through prior talks that we don’t intend to wipe them out and wish to recruit them—but we can’t predict their actions in the heat of the moment. Even the Intelligence Bureau finds it difficult to probe that deeply into pirate psychology.”
“That’s fine, Josephine. I’m not counting on their resolve—I’m counting on how quickly we can overpower them.”
“Right. Thanks to Rosmerta-sama’s blueprints, we won’t get lost inside the ship once we board. We’ll be able to act swiftly.”
Before us stood a model of a warship. With its fully detailed interior, we could easily visualize not just general tactics, but specific operational sequences. We could pinpoint the bridge and engine room, even plan infiltration routes.
“I’d like us to gain some experience with shipboard combat beforehand. Any chance to practice before the real thing?”
“What do you think? Retnark’s seas are dominated by those pirates, so other pirates and even merchant ships avoid the coast. At best, we could raid a fishing boat for training.”
“A small fishing boat won’t make for proper practice.”
“Going in completely unprepared would be too harsh. At the very least, we need to arrange a medium-sized vessel for training.”
“Why not just buy a used ship? If we’re going to seize a port later, we’ll have use for it. And with pirates around, prices are probably low.”
Buying one wasn’t a bad idea—but while we could handle small boats, we had no one capable of operating large vessels.
Unless we also secured a crew, purchasing a large ship wasn’t feasible. If we did go through with it, acquiring an entire shipping company—staff included—would probably be the easiest route.
“…Yes, let’s use this opportunity to look into acquiring a ship. And while we’re at it, shall we have a full-scale mock-up of a warship built?”
“Oh, that’s a good idea. But warships are classified, so we can’t outsource it. Let’s have the Construction Bureau handle it.”
“An actual working ship might be impossible, but something like a mock-up should be no problem for Priene and her team. I’ll speak to them directly.”
Even a land-based mock-up at full scale would be sufficient for pre-operation training. Floating on water would be ideal, but land use alone would still be valuable.
“For today, that’s enough. Deciding which combat unit to send can wait until we review the schedule.”
“Why not let the combat unit that performs best in the mock-up exercise handle the real operation? They usually just compete in training—this would be a different kind of challenge.”
“Excellent idea. Let each combat unit draft their own plan for the surprise attack.”
“This is getting interesting.”
It was shaping up to be an exciting internal event, something to rally around.
“Now then, shall we move on to the next matter? After lunch, we’ll get started right away.”
“That one, huh? Sounds fun, but this time the Intelligence Bureau’s taking the lead, right?”
The job itself wasn’t particularly demanding, but Gradena seemed intrigued.
“The objective is unusual. Even if I or Gradena went, we’d mostly just be spectators. I’ll go, at least in principle.”
“What about you, Siegrune?”
“I have plans later. Unfortunately, I’ll have to sit this one out. If you go, rely on Yukari-dono’s support.”
“In that case, I might as well tag along. With Graylease in charge, there probably won’t be much for us to do.”
“Unless something completely unforeseen happens, I don’t anticipate any issues.”
The Intelligence Bureau would be running the operation—I’d probably just be observing. But the location was a unique sort of space, and truthfully, I was quite curious myself.
“It’s a little… thrilling. How often do you get the chance to do something like this? Raiding the ‘Academy,’ of all places.”
“Hah! That’s the spirit!”
New gear secured, morale high, and raid plans in motion.
Next time, in “Skull Mask at the Academy”!