Chapter 3: Preparing for Departure

“Silvia! First to my room! Even to storm the library, we’ll need weapons first!”

Silvia nodded quietly, and they raced through the mansion’s corridors, backs pressed together. The shadows of the fierce combat and tumult outside had not yet reached them. Irina’s room was just that much in a safe zone, one step removed from the library.

Standing before the door, Irina let out a breath of relief. The door was modest but properly locked. After she had rushed from the room, the mansion’s security system had engaged the auto-lock. While remaining somewhat wary, she slowly opened the door and peered inside. There lay the bed sheets placed haphazardly and pillows rolling about, preserving the afterimage of the momentary turmoil when Irina had leaped up.

With a slightly relieved smile, Irina stepped into the depths of the room. With the room’s silence at her back, she approached her destination - an inconspicuous wooden pillar. When her lustrous fingertips carefully touched the middle portion of the pillar, a faint electronic sound rang out. With a short authentication beep, a portion of the pillar’s side smoothly receded backward. A hidden door opened, revealing a narrow passage, and in the dim light appeared the entrance to a hidden room standing quietly.

“It doesn’t seem to have been ransacked.”

At Irina’s low voice, Silvia returned a sigh of relief. The two pressed close together as they stepped into that dimly lit hidden room. The room’s interior had a profound atmosphere where aged wooden interiors blended with modern metallic accents here and there, giving a sense of history. The air was filled with the faint scent of old leather and occasional cool air from electronic equipment, time flowing as peacefully as if the tumult outside were a lie.

On the counter, numerous weapons were beautifully arranged in a row. They were items whose presence could be recognized at a glance, like art pieces, casual yet imposing. Irina promptly headed to the counter and reached out. Her fingertips touched each weapon one by one, as if with the skill of a long-polished master, lightly confirming the feel and weight in her hands.

“Silvia! This is for you.”

Saying so, Irina handed Silvia a suitcase. It was a suitcase-type multipurpose weapon prepared specially for Silvia. Silvia carefully but quickly inspected the suitcase handed to her by Irina. The leather armor and angular metal parts harmonized exquisitely, and from the moment she held it, its well-proportioned form spoke quietly as if playing a poem of battle. Silvia lightly rotated the suitcase, confirming its texture. With flowing hand movements, she perceived both the functionality and refined design of the weapon as if it were part of herself.

“This one for me, I suppose?”

Next, Irina reached for the Amalgam Disruptor blade. The blade emitted a deep luster, standing out prominently in the dark room. A precious item specially imported by Irina’s grandfather, the previous head of House Vasines. That single blade, imbued with long history and tradition, held weight and dignity yet gave the illusion that one’s body would naturally synchronize with its rhythm the moment it was held. Irina slightly rotated the blade’s tip, quietly savoring the coldness felt from her fingertips at its sharp edge and the weight of craftsmanship. The blade was not mere metal but something special created through fusion disruption technology developed by the Iris Great Migration Fleet said to wander the far southeast. The blade was forged from an alloy of Amalgam Stone and duralanium, its shine as mystical as an ancient treasure while simultaneously radiating scientific authority. In the hilt was embedded a precise control device for managing fusion disruption, designed to activate at appropriate timing reflecting the wielder’s will.

And finally, what caught the eye was an Ether Cartridge-type revolving rifle. Named the Arcadian Revolver, though the fusion of metal and ether was alien, it maintained mysterious harmony, with the complex mechanical structure and light particles emanating from the built-in ether tank creating beauty as if dancing through the air. Irina slowly drew the rifle close and carefully took it in hand, lightly pulling to check the cartridge. There was not a single wasted movement, as if a first-class marksman were thoroughly familiar with handling guns. The moment it touched her hand, the cold smooth metallic feel and the warm magical energy hidden within seemed to speak directly to her fingertips.

All these weapons, each one, made Irina feel a living pulse in her hands, renewing her resolve for the coming battle with quiet tension. She quickly but carefully checked the weapons, bridging the gap between her daily training with replicas and the actual weapons.

And having finished perusing the weapons, Irina’s gaze moved to the hangers in the back of the armory. There hung the “clothes suitable for actual combat” that she, having rushed out in nightclothes, now desperately needed.

The black-based jacket had sturdy leather pads sewn onto the shoulders and elbows, with ether fibers that emitted a faint glow apparently woven into the lining. Though lightweight, it was designed to absorb impacts, wrapping the skin in slight warmth with each movement. Fine metal rivets were driven into the cuffs, giving a design that felt somewhat rough as well.

Meanwhile, the pants protecting her legs had a texture that seemed to repel water and dirt, perhaps due to magical treatment on the thick fabric’s surface. Simple protection was attached around the waist and knees, tailored so the fabric wouldn’t strain even when stepping firmly or crouching quickly. Additionally, to match her feet were slightly long leather boots. Their construction, designed with minimal tightness to not impede range of motion, seemed capable of protecting feet even in battlefield mud and debris.

Irina lightly brushed off dust, then with swift movements put her arms through the sleeves, tightened the belt, and arranged the jacket. The moment she donned this form-fitting equipment, transformed from nightclothes, the previously relaxed atmosphere tightened all at once.

“My lady, it suits you very well.”

Silvia, who had approached unnoticed, clapped her hands together lightly with a smile.

“Really? Then I’ll gratefully accept the compliment.”

Irina shrugged her shoulders while showing a smile mixed with slight embarrassment. Finally, with practiced ease, Irina firmly attached the Amalgam Disruptor to her waist and slung the Arcadian Revolver on her back. Silvia too efficiently yet carefully prepared her specialized suitcase and gathered all other necessary consumables.

“Now we’re ready to head to the library.”

In a low but firm voice, Irina declared. The weight of the weapons in her hands shook the air of the place, and Silvia too nodded as if to powerfully support her back.