ICHIBAN USHIRO NO DAIMAOU - Volume 7, 0 Prologue

Volume 7, Prologue

A certain genius girl did not think of herself as a genius.

Kita Yoshie worked under her father, who was the high priest of the God Megis, while also immersing herself in the math, video games, and programming she did for fun. And she did all this while only 17 years old.

At the age of eight, she had stopped reading storybooks and become interested in poetry and math, but she quickly read all of the well-known works. In order to read poetry in other languages, she taught herself several languages using an assortment of different books, and by the age of 10, she had learned seven languages. Due to the books she read in that process, she had already learned what one would normally learn in school. The empire’s schools did not allow one to skip grades, so she grew sick of school there and transferred overseas. She graduated university at 15 and returned, hoping to become a high priest. However, she finally realized that graduation from a magic school was needed for that position.

She decided reentering an academy would be a waste of time, so she asked her father to work as his assistant. She decided to participate in government in her own way by constructing an ideal society in which everyone could live fulfilling their interests and hobbies.

Yoshie began by posting on online political message boards with a false name and debating various issues there. She knew most of those debates ended with futilely flinging insults at each other, but she still succeeded in making a name for herself.

She made a name for herself online using the male name Yoshihiko.

No matter how far communications technology advanced, the people of the empire would not reveal their identities to anyone but the Gods. It was taboo to expose personal information or one’s unhidden face and Yoshie used that fact to its fullest.

After about a year, a page run by Yoshihiko gained political influence and his opinions and research became well known.

Yoshihiko proclaimed the extreme idea of constructing a society where everyone could live without any motivation. His ideas were said to be nonsense, but the research he put into accomplishing it gathered attention from others in that field.

That field was virtual alternate dimension research.

The virtual alternate dimension was commonly referred to as a 4th dimensional space. Researchers’ understanding of it was as follows: “we don’t know why, but there is an infinitely vast space adjacent to our dimension.” It was thought to be dangerous to remain within it, so it was usually used to temporarily transfer oneself or objects or to trap intruders as a defensive panic room.

Yoshie (and therefore Yoshihiko) thought the virtual alternate dimension might be controllable and had been conducting research. She had announced a few pieces of data that made her suspect that space could actually be changed as much as necessary by a human will.

For that reason, the military, political, and financial worlds had all focused on her research. If the space could be used effectively, its value would be incalculable. However, that research was a means to achieve Yoshie’s goal as well. She was convinced she could create a world where one could live while doing nothing but sleep all day. She wanted a world where every imperial citizen could laze around all day without issue.

She did not realize the true importance of her research. Also, she did not think of herself as a genius. No one would have thought those two things would come together and lead to her taking a drastic action.

On that day, Yoshie was receiving a government worker.

That in itself was not unusual. She was officially nothing more than a clerk who carried out routine tasks for the God Megis.

She wore multipurpose goggles over her unkempt hair and her expression was somewhat vacant. Yoshie was sitting in a café within the temple of Megis. The interior was splendidly made as the greatest common divisor of many different religious styles. It looked like a mixture of Greek, Baroque, and Muslim. That was simply how the temple of Megis was made.

Sitting in front of Yoshie was a man who could only be described as a salaryman. He wore a gray suit and had his hair parted on the side. His face was the kind one would forget after taking a few steps away from him. Yoshie had asked his name, but she had already forgotten even that.

However, Yoshie’s eyes opened wide when she heard what he said after a simple greeting.

“I would like you to create a program that can control the virtual alternate dimension.”

Yoshie had not announced she was Yoshihiko. She had indeed pursued working on the programs of the Gods, but very few people knew she was a genius in that field because most of her schooling had been done overseas. No one should have been requesting she write a program. Unless, of course, they had realized she was Yoshihiko.

“Is that an official request to the temple of Megis?” asked Yoshie to feign ignorance.

She had been told this meeting concerned a preliminary adjustment from the government. It was only natural to assume the request was directed toward the temple and not toward her. Then again, this man’s tone of voice had not held that nuance at all.

“No, this is a request for you, Yoshihiko-san,” readily declared the salaryman, showing he had no intention of beating around the bush.

Yoshie readily accepted this turn of events. She naturally disliked putting in any unneeded effort.

“I see. I would like to know for sure whether this is an official or unofficial issue. I was initially told this was a request from the government.”

“It is official. This job comes from the government. Specifically, the Cabinet Office. It is a top secret job, though.”

“Top secret? I’d prefer it if you avoided that kind of unclear word. What do you mean?”

“This is an unofficial project from the government. It was me personally that realized you are Yoshihiko. Is that enough?”

The salaryman smiled.

Yoshie nodded in admiration.

“Ohh, that’s amazing. So someone figured it out. Then can you tell me who you are? That smile looks unnatural to me, so I get the feeling you’re hiding something.”

Yoshie spoke bluntly because she was not the type to hold back about being direct. The salaryman’s smile deepened and he created a V-sign with each hand. Most people would feel they were being mocked, but Yoshie smiled in amusement.

“Oh? Most people get angry when I do this. That reaction is rare.”

“What’s wrong with that? I just thought it was funny.”

“I am glad to hear it. I suppose there is a first time for everything. At any rate, this is my codename. I am known as 2V.”

“2V of the cabinet’s intelligence office. I’ve heard of you.”

Yoshie recognized the name. Naturally, she had only heard rumors from the government workers she dealt with in her work. 2V’s face had never been seen in public.

“Yes. I apologize for using a codename, but it should not be a problem because this name works well enough most of the time.”

2V’s tone grew more informal. Yoshie felt as if she were speaking with someone similar to herself.

“That’s fine, but how did you find out about me?”

“I had someone track down the location of the transmissions. That is a power only a member of the Cabinet Intelligence and Magic Office can take advantage of.”

“I see. But if you can do that much, do you even need me? But if you have a good deal for me, I am willing to listen.”

“I of course have a good deal for you. I have no idea what a normal person would think of it, though.”

“I’m shocked you would imply I’m not normal.”

“My apologies. But it is true, isn’t it? Anyway, the ‘good deal’ I have for you is this.”

2V slid a mana screen toward Yoshie. She spread it out before her eyes and read through the text.

It was information from a spy inside Constant Magic Academy. That said, this so-called spy was actually an official student that had entered the academy through the official procedures. They were merely promised a job after graduation if they reported on information within the academy.

“Fwohh! This is…!” cried out Yoshie in surprise.

Several people had been sealed within the virtual alternate dimension using Soga Keena as an intermediary. Also, the virtual alternate dimension had been altered by a free will. Yoshie instantly understood the implications of this.

“Amazing, isn’t it? Truly amazing.”

“It is, it is,” said Yoshie as she nodded repeatedly.

“It means there seems to be a way of controlling the virtual alternate dimension. And we are beginning to understand how to do so,” said 2V.

Yoshie immediately responded.

“Is it this Soga Keena person? Did her unique mana waves cause this?”

“It seems so. She can apparently alter the virtual alternate dimension. If we could copy her mana waves…”

By the time 2V got that far, Yoshie had already pulled her goggles down and begun thinking with 2V’s report in hand. She was muttering something.

“Fwohhh! This is getting interesting. So many ideas are coming to mind. If I could implement it with a program, I might be able to create a dimension where everyone can just laze around all day.”

2V shrugged and slid a mana screen toward Yoshie that contained contact information.

“You seem motivated enough, but please contact me just in case.”

And then 2V left.

Technically, 2V did not leave from in front of Yoshie.

2V’s will could be transferred between many different dolls. That will had moved on to a different doll.

2V specialized in a method of controlling several dolls, which were artificial humans with no will of their own. The dolls not being actively controlled could carry out simple autonomous actions.

2V had just transferred to a doll standing in a lab at Imperial University. That doll was waiting for a man in a lab coat to speak. That man was leaning forward in the cramped space between a rectangular device similar to a white refrigerator and a steel rack.

The man in the lab coat was reading the values displayed on the refrigerator-like machine’s screen and he spoke without turning around.

“So, 2V. You say these are cells from the demon king’s body?”

“Yes. I believe they are real. As I said, be careful with the mana waves emitted by them,” said 2V.

This doll also looked like a fairly forgettable salaryman.

These demon king cells had been stolen by the man known as Rubbers who also belonged to the Cabinet Intelligence and Magic Office or CIMO 8. The cells had been cultivated from Sai Akuto, who was to become the demon king.

“The mana waves aren’t useful for anything other than using demonic beasts, but I did find something interesting.”

The man in the lab coat turned around and tossed a mana screen toward 2V.

He was also a member of CIMO 8. The footage he tossed over contained a map and some data.

“I recognized this mana wave pattern, so I did some research.”

“So what’s with the map? Will I understand once I read the data?”

“You’re as lazy as ever. At least read the data first. But I guess it would be hard to understand without some explanation. That is where the demon king was born.”

“Where he was born? You mean he’s human, too?”

“No, that isn’t what I mean. I’m referring to the very first demon king.”

2V gave a whistle at that.

“Wow. So it’s hereditary.”

“Don’t jokingly say inaccurate things. It pisses me off.”

“Yes, I understand, I understand. You mean he is a weapon created by someone.”

“Exactly. I still don’t know if the current demon king happened to have a bomb in his genes or is a product of artificial insemination, but that is the place where the original monster created to emit those mana waves was born.”

“I see. So is he still there at…um…the place on this map?” asked 2V.

The man in the lab coat tilted his head.

“Most likely. All I can say for sure is the original was born there. There might be more in the files at the temple of Megis.”

“Hm. This just got a lot more interesting.”

“Do you see a lot of profit in this? That’s what you’re ultimately after, right?”

“No, no. This looks a bit more interesting than that. At any rate, just wait a bit longer. I think I’ll be able to get some interesting results.”

2V grinned.