The Republic of Ellmere—its capital city.
As the most culturally advanced and resource-rich nation on the Northern Continent, the scene here was far more modern than most countries on this planet. Amidst the glittering nightlife and lively streets, people from all corners of the world bustled to and fro.
Though the atmosphere felt a little off, the city's development had already approached the level of Earth's developed nations during World War II.
At this rate, perhaps in a few decades, the entire planet could enter a fully modernized society.
On one of these bustling avenues, Evelina, Iris, and Kayla sat together in conversation.
Basking in the warmth of the sun, Evelina smiled and said to her two students,
"You've basically mastered spirit energy and the various spells. Even without relying on specialized tools, you're now capable of defending yourselves. So, it's time to set our plans in motion."
"Understood."
Iris and Kayla nodded solemnly in response.
The so-called "spirit energy" and "spells" referred to the world's own system of supernatural power—primitive by structure, yet extraordinary in nature.
Though not inherently weak, even at their peak, such abilities barely rivaled the legendary might of ancient warriors who could face armies alone. And reaching such heights required not only staggering talent but also unimaginable resources.
And of course, "peak" implied rarity—such individuals might not appear even once in several centuries.
Most so-called supernaturals were barely on par with someone wielding two machine guns. This was precisely why the world's technological development had thrived—because the supernatural never managed to suppress it.
In fact, technology had long since overtaken it.
To many, supernatural abilities were seen as relics—time-consuming and costly paths yielding far too little. Decades of training often paled in comparison to the efficiency of a firearm.
Yet in times like these—when facing invisible Spirits that technology could not counter—the true value of spirit energy and Spells revealed itself.
The entities that guns and machines couldn't even scratch, now hesitated in the face of such powers.
To Evelina, perhaps this was the path the world had left for ordinary people to survive.
That's why, over the past two years, Evelina hadn't just taught her students about modern science and technology; she had also spared no effort—or cost—to enhance Iris and Kayla's supernatural capabilities, compensating for their initial weaknesses.
Fortunately, both of them displayed remarkable talent in this area. Without it, even mountains of resources would have yielded little progress on this difficult path.
Watching her students' determined expressions, Evelina couldn't help but smile.
In both character and potential, they had far surpassed the expectations she had at the beginning.
"I've already arranged for a company to be founded," she said.
"Through various products, I'll slowly begin disseminating some of the knowledge—incrementally nudging this world's technological level forward. It's hard to say how many years it will take before those technologies can truly counter the supernatural threats. But at the very least, we can help make this world a safer place."
In response, Iris and Kayla exchanged a glance and then asked the most crucial question:
"How are we going to disguise those technologies?"
They both knew that their teacher had acquired some sort of alien legacy—knowledge that far surpassed anything currently existing on this planet.
If that knowledge were made public, it could dramatically accelerate the progress of the entire civilization.
And in this era plagued by spirits and anomalies, it could drastically improve the safety of humanity.
But while that was undoubtedly a good thing, it would also invite countless prying eyes.
After all, to the powers of this world, those technologies would appear extremely suspicious. Technological advancement typically followed traceable, sequential steps. No invention just popped out of nowhere fully formed.
And yet that was exactly what they would be doing—skipping development stages and presenting finished products.
It would clearly raise red flags.
Under such circumstances, it wasn't the spirits or anomalies that worried them most—it was the danger posed by human greed and ambition.
Evelina smiled reassuringly and said,
"I've already contacted my sister. She's a renowned signal expert. I plan to use her name to introduce technologies that, while still somewhat advanced for this era, aren't implausibly so. Once the company grows in scale and influence, we'll gradually begin to release more advanced technologies in stages."
When she finished speaking, Iris and Kayla exchanged another look. They knew this path would take many years, perhaps decades—but it was also the least risky.
They both nodded in agreement.
"Slow and steady, then… Understood."
Watching the crowds pass by on the street, Evelina turned to her students.
"Once everything is running smoothly, I'll divide the company into several departments. You two will each be responsible for managing the most critical ones. So take advantage of this rare downtime while you can—it may be the last chance to rest for a long while."
"Rest, huh…"
The two girls blinked at her words, momentarily unsure how to react.
After two years of intense study and nonstop training, the sudden prospect of a break felt… strange. Unnatural, even.
As they wondered how to spend their time, a particular image surfaced in their minds.
To this day, the impression that Orsaga left on them remained vividly imprinted in their memory.
Perhaps it was his appearance. Or perhaps it was his demeanor. But from the moment they met, he had become unforgettable—not in a romantic sense, but in a way that felt oddly profound. Like spotting a brilliant gemstone buried among ordinary gravel.
Beyond his looks, Orsaga had another unforgettable trait: a subtle, commanding aura—as if he were always gazing down from above.
Even though his manners were perfectly courteous, and his conduct consistently polite, anyone who spent enough time around him would quickly sense his profound indifference.
He cared little for others' opinions, cared nothing for gains or losses—he only cared about what amused him.
Anyone else with such a personality would've been hated and ostracized. Probably even killed.
Yet somehow, Orsaga made it work.
Both Iris and Kayla could tell—he was hiding something deep and powerful. Their teacher had once hinted at it, and they now understood: Orsaga harbored an immense secret.
Otherwise, a person with his attitude would never have survived for long.
Now, in this rare period of leisure, both girls found themselves wanting to see him again.
Not for any particular reason.
Just because… it felt like it would be interesting.
And far across the ocean, on another continent, Orsaga happened to glance in their direction—his intuition telling him that someone was thinking about his name and his face.
Realizing who it was, he simply returned his focus to what he was doing—without the slightest intention of seeking them out.
To him, if fate allowed them to meet, then so be it.
If not—then that was fine too.
____
T/N:
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