"…Mister, is your wish for our country to obtain the Relics on Lhasa?"

  "I wouldn't be able to do research if the Relics are in the GAU's hands."

  "…Indeed, they wouldn't."

  Chandrasekhar pauses in her meal and ponders.

  Tatsuya stopped speaking and resumed his meal.

  Miyuki, Lina, and Hyougo followed suit.

  Lena was at a loss for an acceptable reaction to the strange atmosphere at the table, meanwhile, Evelyn's eyes were blatantly gleaming.

  ◇ ◇ ◇

  After the meal, Chandrasekhar called Lars Singh, who was stationed in Karshi, a city in the southern part of Uzbekistan.

  His arrival in Uzbekistan was precisely in response to the tensions on the border. Yet Uzbekistan's military is not under the control of the faction of the former India. The current situation saw that generals from the former Iranian faction were dispatched to bases near the border, while Singh remained on standby at a distance from the border.

  After a brief exchange of greetings, Chandrasekhar relayed to Lars Singh what Tatsuya had told her.

  [─How credible is this information?]

  "Highly, I believe."

  Chandrasekhar answered Singh's question without delay.

  [So his main reason was to study an unearthed Relic?]

  "I'm sure that's not the only reason. Mr. Shiba is hardly that simple-minded of a person."

  92

  [I'm certain he's not.]

  Singh nods on the videophone screen.

  [So he's setting Tibet as a stage for an engagement between us and the GAU.]

  This time Chandrasekhar agreed with Singh's words.

  [─Interesting, is it not?]

  But his next words took Chandrasekhar by surprise.

  "Interesting, sir?"

  [Yes. Very interesting. I'll play along.]

  "You'll intervene in Tibet?"

  [We've been putting up with a lot of crap from those bastards of the GAU with this whole Uzbekistan mess.]

  General Singh's sentence reflected that it was his belief that opening fire on Kazakhstan's border guards was an act staged by the GAU.

  [─I was thinking to myself on how to pay them back.]

  Hearing this, Chandrasekhar chuckles. "He's already over his sixties and is no less bloodthirsty," she thought, but didn't say it. She knew well not to say such things to the old general, she would be only inviting his ire into herself.

  [Besides, Tibet's effective neutrality is in our national interest. This information about the large deposits of Relics is just the excuse we need to kick the opportunists into taking action.]

  "I see… I'm an academic, I can't comment on military decisions."

  [I know. I won't place any more burdens on you, Asha.]

  Said Lars Singh with the assurance of an elder, referring to Chandrasekhar by her name.

  Chandrasekhar, on her part, refers to him as "Your Excellency".

  "What if…"

  Then a thought occurred to Chandrasekhar

  "Excuse me, sir, how long will you be in Karshi?"

  [I'm expecting to be here for a while.]

  "Then, why not have Mr. Shiba come over there and you can hear from him in person?"

  93

  [Hm, yes… If Mr. Shiba is available, would you do that?]

  "Understood. I'll confirm his availability and contact you again."

  After hanging up the phone, thoughts raced through Chandrasekhar's mind about the arrangements she had promised Tatsuya to make for the expedition to the ruins.

  ◇ ◇ ◇

  A great number of American multinationals established themselves in Hyderabad before the Global Cooling earlier in this century. Some were never expropriated, and are still in operation as USNA-owned entities. Although they were considered as USNA's agencies foreign bases of operations, and monitored as such, their presence was not restricted, presumably from employment reasons.

  After dinner, Evelyn snuck out of the mansion and broke into one of these companies.

  They are, as already mentioned, under USNA surveillance. But Evelyn is a magician committed to a first-class position at Stars. Evading the scrutiny wasn’t that difficult for her.

  That office building is watched closely by the IPU authorities, considered by them to be a USNA operation base. With that in mind, Evelyn took the risk and came here.

  Her business was to access a secure line to her home country.

  Evelyn asked the resident agent to patch her through to Stars HQ.

  [What is the matter, Ensign Taylor? Is this an emergency?]

  She couldn't see Canopus' face in this voice-only transmission, so she had to judge his humor only by his tone of voice.

  And from what she heard, it was one of "blame". She had an idea as to why. She wasn’t supposed to use this base for her current mission. This was reserved to be used only in case of emergency. ─As a matter of fact, what Evelyn thought was a cross-examination was but a misinterpretation, Canopus was merely concerned.

  "I apologize for the disturbance, Colonel. I have determined that it's urgent that I bring this information to your attention."

  [You may speak.]

  Evelyn, sensing the immediacy of the response, reported what Tatsuya said about the Relics in Lhasa.

  94

  [─Copy that. I will consult with the General Staff on this matter. You are to concentrate on your present task.]

  "Colonel, sir. The IPU is in a state of tension with Kazakhstan, making it difficult to get into Uzbekistan. I would suggest changing targets to the Relics in Tibet."

  Evelyn appealed, indirectly asserting her desire to infiltrate Tibet herself.

  [I am aware of the movement in Kazakhstan. However, I'm sure you are well aware that further action in Tibet would be far more difficult.]

  Canopus's answer was curt.

  [Don't worry, Kazakhstan will not take further military action. Just hold steady for now.]

  "─Understood, sir."

  Evelyn was curious as to why Kazakhstan would not move, and what assurances he had they wouldn't. But in her assessment of the conversation, such questions would likely be considered out of line.

  As such, Evelyn held back her questions.

  ◇ ◇ ◇

  After dinner, Miyuki was held by Lina into a conversation. Even Lina has her times when she wants to indulge herself in some casual chatting, without worrying about intruding between Tatsuya and Miyuki time together. Because Miyuki empathizes with this, she plays along with Lina without protest.

  With this backdrop, Tatsuya was relaxing unusually on his own. He is seldom able to prepare his own food and drinks, not because he couldn't, but because he is usually surrounded by people who want to take care of every one of his needs. On this occasion, he enjoyed the rich aroma of the coffee he brewed himself.

  While sipping his coffee as he read a book, Tatsuya suddenly felt as if someone was calling out to him.

  He didn't think it was his imagination. He was sure he felt a familiar feeling before. Like someone was trying to tap into his consciousness with some kind of mind-interference magic. It wasn't anything aggressive. There was no malice intended toward him.

  Rather than accepting the magic to act on him, Tatsuya blocked its influence and probed for its caster. He found out soon enough who it was. They also didn't attempt to hide.

  95

  Tatsuya closed his book, sipped the last of his coffee, and headed for the salon.

  There he found a 30-year-old woman with the appearance of a mid-teenager waiting for him.

  It was Lena.

  She stood up as soon as she saw Tatsuya and bowed, "I'm sorry to be taking your time,"

  she said.

  "Don't be. Please have a seat. So, how can I help you?"

  Tatsuya asks as he sits down across from her.

  "I would like to have a word with you about a matter, mister…"

  Lena's expression and tone of voice suggested that the topic was hard for her to say.

  "Is there a problem?"

  "No, please don't mind it. I'd like to consult… Rather, I'd like to confess something to you…"

  "Is there something you've been keeping from us? Or does it concern me directly?"

  "I am not entirely sure if it may be of your concern, mister."

  "If it won't bring us any harm, then there is no need to share with us."

  Tatsuya offered her a way out, yet Lena shook her head with a tormented expression.

  "─No, I think it's best not to keep it a secret after all."

  In a firm voice, Lena voluntarily cuts off her retreat.

  "I see. Then feel free to tell me."

  "My associate, Ms. Taylor, is an officer of the federal military."

  "Not a former? One still in service?"

  Tatsuya assumed a solemn expression and returned the question, hiding his awareness of the matter.

  "Yes. And her wish to go to Samarkand is not for the purpose of sightseeing, but for the sake of her assignment."

  "An assignment for the USNA military? If that's the case, I'd better not know any more."

  "No, please listen."

  96

  Feeling the blame weight on her with Tatsuya's blunt response, Lena took on an anxious tone.

  "Ms. Taylor's mission is related to the stone tablet that was unearthed on Mt. Shasta."

  "The Black Tablet?"

  Tatsuya keeps up with the feigned ignorance and serious facade.

  "No, the white one. The sixteen stone tablets unearthed after that one were maps."

  "That point to burial sites with other stone tablets or even Relics?"

  "It may sound rather unbelievable, but according to what the military deciphered, it was a marker for the location of Shambhala."

  "Oh… So Shambhala is in Samarkand?"

  His awe wasn't part of the act. Although it was among his expectations, he still thought that USNA's competence in locating the location with only the use of a stone tablet was indeed remarkable.

  "From what I've heard, it's in the area between Samarkand and Bukhara."

  "So that's why Ms. Taylor is so fixated on going to Samarkand?"

  As he asked, Tatsuya mused, "It seems that the USNA precision is still limited without something like the [Compass]…"

  "The matter of the signing ceremony was quite convenient for Ms. Taylor's mission."

  Lena carries on, completely oblivious to what is going on in Tatsuya's head.

  "I'm very sorry, to have consequently taken advantage of you, mister."

  "No, don't worry about it."

  Tatsuya interrupted Lena's incoming bow with a gesture.

  "I have also had business bringing me to this country. We both had our interests."

  "What could you possibly…?"

  Lena, upper body suspended in her attempted bow, asked reservedly as she brought her back upright.

  "Merely the opportunity to meet with His Excellency the General, that's all. I'm afraid I can't comment any further."

  "…Is that so?"

  97

  Lena seemed satisfied with that explanation for the most part.

  There was no indication that he noticed anything of Tatsuya group's true purpose here.

  ◇ ◇ ◇

  After the next day's breakfast, Tatsuya was invited to Chandrasekhar's study. As the invitation stated he wasn’t needed to be alone, Miyuki and Lina accompanied him.

  There, Chandrasekhar proposed that they fly to the Karshi-Khanabad air base in Uzbekistan on the pretext of briefing Lars Singh about the Relics in Tibet, and from there, secretly, enter Bukhara overland.

  "I'll provide a car for you. There will be no travel restrictions in the west, you can leave in the middle of the night and you should reach Bukhara without anyone noticing."

  "─Thank you very much."

  After brief consideration, Tatsuya decides to accept her proposal.

  98

  99

  Chapter 5

  [Infiltration]

  "I have verified the situation. As long as you don't get too close to the Kazakhstan border, there should be no problems."

  August 7th. Chandrasekhar informed so at the breakfast table. That information was apparently directed solely at Evelyn.

  "So I'm free to head for Samarkand?"

  Just as pretty much everyone present expected, Evelyn was the first to jump at the opportunity .

  "Yes. But, please let me hire a guide to accompany you."

  "Will this accompaniment be someone from your military…?"

  Lena asked.

  "I'll ask Arya. She has military training, although she's not an officer herself."

  "Isn't Ms. Shastri your personal bodyguard, Doctor?"

  Evelyn asked, unable to mask her wariness. Watching from the other end of the table, Tatsuya was mildly taken aback at how she appeared to be even more inexperienced than Lina when she showed up at First High.

  "Arya is just my student. I do have proper escorts."

  "You do?!"

  Evelyn looks around in a hurry. Probably trying to find said "proper escorts".

  "Do not worry. I have asked them to stay by the entrance."

  Evelyn stopped her scurrying around looking understandably embarrassed.

  Hearing a muffled noise, she turned to see Lina holding her hand over her mouth. Most likely trying to keep a boisterous laugh from escaping.

  Evelyn shot Lina a pointed glare.

  Lina played it cool.

  100

  Tatsuya didn't hear how Lina's interrogation with Evelyn proceeded, but in his eyes, it was clear that there was an emotional conflict between the two. Now, it was a question whether it was a lack of compatibility or simply disliking people similar to oneself?

  He was a bit worried that a new personal grudge might be brewing at this point.

  "How does the earliest flight tomorrow sound to you?"

  Chandrasekhar asked Lena.

  "That will be perfect!"

  But, as expected, it was Evelyn who responded at the moment's notice, without taking her eyes off of Lina, even now.

  She hurried almost as if her life depended on it.

  ◇ ◇ ◇

  After breakfast, Arya immediately paid a visit to Lena's room.

  "I'll be a pleasure to accompany you, please call me Arya."

  "The pleasure is all mine, Arya."

  Lena stands with 2 years of seniority over the 28-year-old Arya. Her age showed in her receptive smile and in the manner she offered a handshake, without any signs of nervousness despite the clear gap in their apparent ages.

  Arya was unconsciously struck by the saintly smile flashed by Lena.

  "──?"

  Lena tilts her head.

  With a gasp, Arya recomposed herself and hastily took Lena's right hand.

  "…How do you prefer to be called, Ms. Fehr, or…?"

  Then she asked.

  "Me? Lena is─"

  She was about to complete with "fine", stopping at the sound of a knock on the door.

  "Milady, may I come in?"

  The voice of Louis Roux came from the other side.

  "I'm sorry, could you please come back in a moment?"

  101

  Lena broke the handshake and answered Louis behind the door.

  Even with a raised voice, she kept her delivery pleasant. It was not perfectly clear, but it was soft, like a woodwind instrument.

  "Forgive me, now where. ─Excuse me?"

  Once she returned her attention to Arya, the same looked as if she had been convinced of something.

  "I see, how about 'Milady5', then? Would that be fine if I called you that as well?"

  Lena wondered as Arya nodded her head in satisfaction and gave her response.

  "Please call me Lena!"

  Lena appealed as she shook her head side to side in haste, not unlike a young girl.

  5This is "Ojou-sama" (お嬢様) in the original text, with "Milady" (ミレデイ) as furigana

  102

  103

  ◇ ◇ ◇

  On the following day, Lena and her entourage plus Arya departed for Samarkand in the morning. Evelyn was in such high spirits that one could seriously believe her excuse of being there for pleasure.

  They left the house early in the morning headed for the Hyderabad International Airport. After seeing them off, Tatsuya's group began their own flurry of packing. Their luggage consisted of not only what they had brought originally, but also some additional goods bought in Hyderabad by Hyougo to avoid notice from Lena's group.

  Along with the arrangements of the tickets to Samarkand for Lena, or rather for Evelyn, Chandrasekhar simultaneously worked on Tatsuya's trip to Bukhara.

  It would take the same air route to Uzbekistan as Lena's party, with the difference that Tatsuya would not be flying from Hyderabad International Airport, which is reserved for commercial flights, but from military-exclusive Begumpet Airport, which is reserved for military planes. Rather than a move to avoid crossing paths with Lena and Evelyn, it was the fact they are heading to an air force base.

  "I'm very sorry, I wish I could accompany you…"

  "No, that's fine. I'm very grateful for your hospitality and your help to this point."

  Tatsuya thanked Chandrasekhar who saw them off at the gate and departed from her mansion.

  The transport plane with Tatsuya and company onboard arrived at the Karshi-Khanabad Air Force Base that evening. Despite its designation, the place is reserved for use by high-ranking officers. Compared to the previous flight to USNA last month, the ride was much more comfortable.

  Upon arrival, Tatsuya and his group were taken to a hotel a short distance from the base. The excuse given was the fear of them becoming collateral damage in the event of a military attack in the area surrounding the base, but it was transparent that they did so out of a desire not to accommodate outsiders on the base.

  Not to say that anyone in Tatsuya's group took offense to this.

  If anything, they considered it a matter of course.

  For the most part, it would be incongruous to have a foreigner staying within or in the immediate vicinity of the base. Being introduced as a VIP by Chandrasekhar didn't change the fact that Tatsuya was a foreign combat magician. Caution was justified.

  104

  It wasn't as if Tatsuya and the others had been treated with disdain by the military. In fact, less than an hour after checking in, they received an invitation to dinner.