Trinity

Around the time when rumors about Frondier were causing a stir and tension in Constel...

"...Well, it's something I had to do eventually."

Aten made an unknown resolution and made a call from her mansion.

The dial tone didn't even last 3 seconds.

- Aten~! What's the matter, calling first?

It was her mother, Empress Philly, who answered.

Hearing Philly's voice filled with joy, Aten felt a little sorry. Should I call first sometimes? No, even so, Mother calls so often, so it doesn't really matter...

- Aten? Hello?

"Ah, yes. Mom. I think the connection was strange for a moment. Are you doing well?"

- Of course. I'm doing well. Nothing special at the Imperial Palace either. However...

Philly stopped mid-sentence. It was rare for her.

And soon, a voice mixed with a defeated laugh was heard again.

- Never mind. I'll talk about it later.

"What's with that way of talking? It's very annoying."

- Hahaha. You'll find out soon anyway. So, what's going on? It can't be that our daughter just called for no reason.

Hmm. Aten was dissatisfied that Philly was hiding something, but she had no choice but to change the subject.

Once Philly makes up her mind, she never changes it. Just like now, she smiles brightly and doesn't answer.

"...It's nothing special."

Aten told Philly about what happened at the Terst Department Store.

Jacob's terrorist act, his strange Mana flow, the wound presumed to be an injection mark, the possibility that Mana injection is being run by a group system rather than an individual.

And the unidentified offer delivered by homeroom teacher Jane at Constel.

- Hmm.

Philly's impression was short. This is not because Philly is indifferent to the matter, but rather because her reactions are generally like this.

"It's just, this kind of thing happened. It's like a casual chat."

Aten deliberately said so, thinking that this incident was not much related to the Imperial Palace.

It's just a conversation between a mother and daughter, not something to report to 'Empress Philly'. Of course, her true intention is to let her know about this incident, but she couldn't say that.

- The place where the terrorist was, was it the Terst Department Store?

"Yes. In front of the cafe."

- Oh my. That's quite a coincidence.

Coincidence?

Aten was puzzled by Philly's choice of words. Her doubts grew even stronger when Philly asked someone on the other end of the phone, 'Isn't that right?'

- No, we're actually investigating that case here.

"Investigation? At the Imperial Palace?"

Does this mean that this incident wasn't just a Constel matter?

- The Mana injection you mentioned, it seems to be indiscriminate.

"What do you mean?"

- Whether they're weak or strong, whether they have a lot of Mana from the beginning or not, it seems to guarantee an effect, right?

Of course, the downside is that it can't be hidden and leaks out, Philly added.

Aten's expression turned cold.

Until now, she believed that the target of Mana injection was limited to people who had weak Mana from the beginning. She thought it wouldn't be effective for sufficiently skilled people.

But in reality, it's just that the people who want it are weak, not that it's limited to anyone in particular.

Anyone, if they want to, can get an injection and gain even more amplified Mana.

"...What about the side effects?"

- There haven't been any particular ones yet. You saw it yourself, right? Bloodshot eyes, rough breathing, state of excitement and tension, uncontrolled Aura leaking out every time they speak, and so on. Everyone has similar symptoms, but that's it. So far, no one has died because of it. However...

"However?"

- It seems like they have to live like that for the rest of their lives.

Aten thought for a moment at those words.

The symptoms Philly just mentioned, it would certainly be strange if a normal person continued like that, but if there was no threat to life, there would be quite a few people who would want to gain Mana even like that.

The desire to become stronger in this continent is enormous.

- Actually, if there's no loss of life, the police won't get involved. The Imperial Palace is the same. But there are two reasons why we're investigating this time.

"What are they?"

- First, getting an injection is in the realm of medicine. Not magic. I don't know the principle of the technology that puts Mana into a liquid, but putting someone else's Mana into someone is not a simple matter. To use a crude method like injection without side effects, the solution needs precise processing from the beginning. There are no side effects now, but that's just 'now'.

"...!"

Aten guessed what Philly was trying to say.

"...Before that, how many people might have died."

- That's right. It's not a place that operates normally. We don't know what steps they took to eliminate the side effects. It would be fortunate if they didn't hurt anyone in the process, but I think the chances of that are very low.

Aten thought so too.

It's a drug injected into a terrorist in the first place. It can't be a proper organization.

- And the second.

"What's the second?"

- What do you think a person who has been injected once will do afterwards?

"...Well, wouldn't they do things they couldn't do when they were weak?"

- Aten, people... What do you think they can do when they become strong, that they couldn't do when they were weak?

At those words, Aten was about to answer something but closed her mouth.

She knew what Philly was trying to say.

Even just imagining it now, it doesn't bring up good thoughts.

- And what if that power is not enough? What if they feel they are lacking?

"...Then, of course, they would take the drug again..."

That's right.

There's no guarantee that someone who has been injected once won't be injected again.

But the second injection, would that also be free of side effects?

- We don't know yet what effect the second injection has on the human body. It could really cause serious side effects that lead to death, or it could actually eliminate the symptoms mentioned earlier. The problem is, we don't know.

After listening to Philly's words for a while, Aten made a sound, "Ah".

Something suddenly came to mind.

The recent rumors circulating about Frondier.

"...Mom. There are rumors going around about Frondier recently."

- He's always a bundle of rumors.

That's true, but...

"The rumor that he got a Mana injection."

This time, Philly's words stopped. Aten continued speaking.

"Perhaps their goal is to appeal that the symptoms disappear if you get the injection more than twice? That Frondier is such a person. Frondier's Mana increased so much that one injection wouldn't be enough."

- ...Whatever the intention, it's good to use it as an excuse to keep injecting people.

Philly muttered.

Then she suddenly spoke in a strange voice.

- So what you're saying, Aten, is that other students who have seen Frondier's rapid growth don't acknowledge the desperate effort, courage, and hardship he has gone through, and believe that he became strong by resorting to shortcuts or crimes close to it? That Frondier is just a lazy bum who has never put in any effort?

"...I didn't say that, but..."

It's not wrong.

But why is she rephrasing it like that?

"Ah, wait a minute."

- Then, Aten, I understand. I'll think about that case too, so be careful at Constel. I don't think they'll touch you, but it's better to be careful. There are always those who don't know their place.

"Mom, wait a minute. That strange way you just talked..."

- Then goodbye, Aten.

Philly hung up without giving Aten a chance to speak.

Aten stared blankly at the phone where the call had ended.

"Wait a minute. I thought someone was next to her."

Philly's playful smile came into clear view.