第１８９８堀：ばれないための変装って？ (Part2)
"Yuki’s proposal is simply beyond the pale."
"But brother is only making these suggestions with our best interests at heart, isn't he?"
We exchanged these words while pushing through the tall grass, having veered off the main road.
"Vilia is right; Yuki has prepared everything with our feelings in mind, but what he’s asking is normally impossible. He’s factored in our strength, sure, but gathering intelligence in just four days is unheard of."
"True enough. Usually, you’d need at least a month to get anywhere."
"Even with the invisibility cloaks and magic-based concealment, information is often heavily guarded. And when you add the objective of rescuing the target on top of that..."
"It sounds like we’ll be forced into a hard-line approach, doesn't it? Though I can’t imagine brother doesn't realize that himself..."
Indeed, Yuki surely knows his demands are absurd. That implies there must be some trick or mechanism in place to make the impossible possible.
"We have no choice but to trust in Yuki. Besides, his strategies are never what you’d call 'normal.' We can vouch for that."
As I said this, Kishua and Sia blinked in surprise before bursting into laughter.
"True. Yuki always manages to soar well above our expectations."
"We were captured by him easily enough, after all."
"Didn't Sia do a nude dance back then?"
"Please, forget that. And to be precise, it was a 'Fan-Fan' Cossack dance."
"Everything was on display."
The important parts, anyway.
"I said, please stop!"
"Brother actually made you do that?"
"No, Sia is just a pervert. For some reason, she stripped the moment she was ordered to cease resistance."
It remains a mystery: why she went completely naked when ordered to disarm. The footage of that moment is supposedly kept in storage. Knowing Yuki, he wouldn't misuse it, but if anyone else were to see it, Sia would likely die of embarrassment.
But, putting that aside.
"Alright, we’ve put enough distance between us and the road. Check your surroundings. I’ve determined it’s clear. How about the three of you?"
"I’m clear on my end."
"Yes, no issues here."
"I also judge it to be safe."
With our consensus reached, we immediately activated our invisibility cloaks—which utilize optical camouflage—and layered them with concealment magic to render ourselves transparent. In this state, the system somehow allows magic and wind to pass through us, making us virtually impossible to detect.
"Right then, ascending to 500 meters."
At my signal, we triggered our magic, shooting vertically into the sky. The view shifted instantly from grass to a vast expanse of blue, with the green horizon spreading out beneath us.
"Is everyone alright?"
"Yeah. Flying through the sky has become second nature lately. I remember being much more excited about it before."
"Well, aerial combat is the standard in Weed, after all."
"Though, if you fly in Weed, you’ll be shot down in an instant."
Indeed, as Vilia noted, aerial combat against Weed is nothing short of suicidal. You’re completely exposed to the enemy, and there’s nowhere to hide in the sky. Such a place is a prime target for snipers. Even if it weren't for simple gunfire, they have magical augmentations that turn attacks into unavoidable, unerring strikes. That is why staying on the ground, where there is cover, is preferable.
However...
"Outside of Weed, most places lack not only countermeasures against aerial threats but even basic surveillance. That’s why this is easy."
"True. Though, at 100 meters, there’s a chance of being spotted, but at 500, we’re just specks from below, and we’re invisible to boot."
"Exactly. This makes getting in and out of the town manageable. The rest depends on the disguise tools Yuki mentioned. Do you have any idea what they might be, Vilia?"
"No. It’s hard to imagine a disguise that wouldn't hinder our movements... Unless it’s a new type of Doppel body..."
"No, that’s impossible. A different body would take far too long to get used to."
Doppels are useful as body doubles, but if the appearance differs from your own, it takes a significant amount of time to adjust. That would inevitably lead to problems in combat. There is no way Yuki would suggest something like that.
"...Well, he said he’d prepare something, so we’re heading to our destination town today. Speed: 100 kilometers. Ready? Count start."
Regardless, nothing can begin until we reach the town. And so, we headed toward the next town at top speed. As for the disguise gear Yuki is delivering—I can state for a fact that it is not a Doppel. And if it is something meant to crush evil...