* * *

「*Incident Onset

―Without any warning, one ride at the amusement park suddenly burned down in its entirety.

*Course of Events

―Police responded immediately after the incident.

―Visitors were evacuated and access through the entrance was restricted.

―Police investigated the area surrounding the incident but were unable to reach a conclusion.

―Tentatively suspecting villain involvement, they requested assistance from the Black Eagles.

*Points of Caution

―A magical bomb is suspected. Take care not to trigger an explosion.

―Damage must be minimized.

―Any additional findings must be shared promptly.」

'... This is vague.'

Hyeonyul thought as he injected himself with a sedative. This time, the mission details were unclear. It could have been an ordinary criminal, yet the police had requested the Black Eagles' help simply because they couldn't get anywhere with their investigation.

'Villains do all sorts of things, sure, but aren't they giving them too much credit?'

Villains certainly weren't idiots. But he didn't consider them particularly capable, either.

'This should be something the police handle themselves.'

Hyeonyul raised his head. Exceptionally flashy signs and vivid, saturated colors unlike those of ordinary buildings met his eyes, as though he had entered another world. Even the glimpses of rides rising above were enough to identify it as an amusement park.

He had never come here before. At least, it existed nowhere in his memories. His reason for staying away was simple: there were more people than he could handle.

Hyeonyul headed toward the cordoned-off area, where police and White Sparrows mingled. There were people in a place that should have been quiet.

'What's going on?'

What immediately caught his attention was a magical formula among the people. He didn't know what it was, but wouldn't the police and White Sparrows have intervened if it were dangerous?

He strode onward despite the sounds rapidly assailing his ears. People were pressing against the police and White Sparrows, their voices verging on screams.

“I'm... her parent! I have to see my daughter!”

“My son's in there...! He's in there!”

Some cried for their children.

“My friend, my friend might still be inside! They haven't come out!”

Some for their friends.

“Please, just let me check! My mom... and dad said they were going to have a good time! Please!”

Others wept as they spoke of their parents.

Let us see them. Let us in. They kept wailing the same pleas. To Hyeonyul, all of it felt like noise.

As he pushed through them, Hyeonyul stopped and raised his arm. The hand that had failed to catch him hovered in the air. A middle-aged woman looked at him with tear-filled eyes.

“You're... with the Black Eagles, aren't you, sir?”

“Yes.”

“Let me see... my daughter, my son. They'd never... been anywhere like this, because I said I didn't have any money... They worked so hard at their part-time jobs, and we went together...”

Her body shook as she forced the words through her tight throat.

“... They're gone. I... wasn't feeling well, so I couldn't... couldn't go on with them... They're gone.”

Tears fell. The roaring flames still raged fiercely before her eyes. Her daughter and son had vanished together, engulfed in fire.

“... Sir. Sir, from the Black... Eagles.”

At those repeated words, the people nearby rushed over one by one.

“Sir! Please help!”

“Sir, please... Please, save them! Tell me they're still! Still alive!”

Cries laden with every kind of pain poured over Hyeonyul, as though they were screaming with all their strength. They clutched his clothes and trouser legs, begging him to save them, to help.

As the voices grew louder, his ears buzzed. He narrowed his eyes. It was noisy. His heart raced. Something felt strange. Was it because this was something he had never experienced before? Everything felt wrong.

As more eyes turned toward him, Hyeonyul shook the people off as though fleeing and moved forward, only to be stopped by a police officer. The officer opened their mouth.

... My son.

Hyeonyul faltered for a moment. A different sound had come from the officer's mouth.

'... What was that?'

He stood there blankly. What had he just heard? It sounded strangely familiar. It wouldn't leave his ears, as though something sticky had been smeared over them. Just as he turned his head to look around, the officer's voice reached him clearly.

“... Sir? Are you all right? Are you hurt?”

At the voice, Hyeonyul looked at the officer. White Sparrows came running up behind them.

“We're sorry! Come this way!”

They hurriedly surrounded Hyeonyul and ushered him inside. Only once they were past the cordon did a White Sparrow check on him.

“Are you injured anywhere?”

“No. ... I didn't expect there to be people here.”

Speaking slowly, Hyeonyul held out his civil-service ID to prove he was a Black Eagle. Strangely, his own breathing seemed louder. He took off his helmet under the mounting pressure. Only then did he realize he was breaking out in a cold sweat.

'I am...?'

Puzzled, he put his helmet back on. This was something to ask Jeongmin about later. He steadied his breathing and brought himself under control.

“Your identity is confirmed. Are you sure you're all right?”

“Yes, I'm fine.”

“Then I'll give you a brief explanation and show you the way.”

At the White Sparrow's words, Hyeonyul put his ID away.

“Understood.”

The White Sparrow stole a glance at him upon hearing his reply. It was hard not to look. Team Three—and their new recruit, at that.

“Would you come this way for a moment?”

The White Sparrow walked ahead to get away from the cordon, and Hyeonyul followed. Once they had put a reasonable distance between themselves and the crowd, the White Sparrow checked the time and began explaining.

“As summarized in the mission brief, one ride burned down. Our independent investigation confirmed the police's finding that magic was used. The cause was 'something' that burned up. At present, we believe it was a magical bomb.”

Listening, Hyeonyul realized why the mission description he had read earlier had felt so uncertain. Apparently, they still didn't even know the exact cause. Still, he asked just in case.

“Have you found any additional magical bombs?”

“The investigation is ongoing, and none have been found so far.”

“Understood.”

“Yes. Please call us whenever you need anything. Oh, I'll show you to the scene.”

“Thank you.”

At Hyeonyul's reply, the White Sparrow bowed politely and led the way. Following once more, he let out a long breath. The mission came first.

'It does seem certain that magic was used.'

Magic had been used, and its power had engulfed the ride. He decided it would be best to check for himself whether it had been a bomb.

* * *

As he followed, Hyeonyul looked around. Belongings lay scattered everywhere, as though people had left in a hurry.

'... Is putting magic in books a trend these days?'

It resembled the magical formula he had seen at the entrance.

It wasn't as though magic was never used in everyday life. The Empire permitted a very limited range of applications that produced mere effects. Its laws concerning powers were extremely strict, enforced so rigorously that an ordinary person would immediately face a heavy sentence for using a power beyond what was permitted.

They must have been nearing the scene. The farther he walked, the more an acrid smell stung his nose. Ash drifted on the wind. Hyeonyul stopped before the burned-out ride. Its framework had collapsed so completely that he couldn't even tell what sort of ride it had been. He slowly looked it over from top to bottom.

Countless burned bodies lay almost fused to the ground. So little of their shapes remained that it was impossible to tell how many people were tangled together. Every White Sparrow investigating them wore a grim expression, as though by agreement.

“The wind's too strong. Could you take care of this side before it blows away?”

“Yes. Just a moment.”

Someone used their power to block the wind, concerned that the site might be damaged.

“You have to collect them gently. They crumble with even the slightest pressure.”

“How should we sort them?”

“Oh, I think we'll have to determine that after we take them back. But please separate them as best you can.”

Others carefully handled the burned bodies, trying to sort them.

Even to Hyeonyul, the task looked extremely difficult. Everything had burned together, leaving him wondering whether it was possible at all. He turned his attention away and focused on his own assignment.

'Magic...'

Magic always left traces when used, and this place was no exception. But he wasn't a mage, so he didn't know what kind of magic it was.

His searching eyes stopped.

'... It's here too?'

Hyeonyul stared at a lone trace of magic among the burned bodies. Though damaged by the fire, scattered portions of the formula he had been seeing all along were visible. He turned his head.

“Over here.”

Soon, someone's voice reached him. A red-haired man approached with a welcoming smile. Seeing his bangs swept slightly up on one side and hanging down on the other, Hyeonyul recalled who he was. Kang Huijun of Team One—the Black Eagle he had met when the Poison King spread his poison.

“Hello.”

“... Huh? You're here? Seo Hyeonyul, right?”

Huijun recognized him the moment he heard his voice.

“Yes. I've been assigned to assist with bomb disposal.”

“You know how to do that too?”

“I do.”

“You're exactly who we need right now. They say there are traces of magic around here. Can you see them?”

Huijun pointed at the scene and circled his finger around it.

“Yes.”

“You're pretty impressive, aren't you?”

He sounded admiring.

“Have you learned anything else?”

“No idea.”

Huijun shrugged.

“Nothing?”

“I can't see magic. I've already made several rounds, but there wasn't anything suspicious. I'd need to find something to give the managers, but there's nothing. My teammate's searching too, with the same results.”

“Understood.”

Hyeonyul answered evenly. In short, he didn't know. That could happen when magic was involved. Even mages couldn't see formulas properly, so what could a non-mage do? This had nothing to do with incompetence.

“Have the White Sparrows told you anything? They have mages, don't they?”

“Exactly. I looked around with them at first, but they said they didn't know either. This one must be difficult. But that ride did burn down, so, hmm... We just can't get anywhere.”

Hearing that even the White Sparrow mages didn't know, Hyeonyul considered it briefly.

“I'll take a look around as well.”

“Hold on. What do those traces of magic you saw look like? I'd at least like to describe them to the managers.”

“That magic...”

Hyeonyul briefly looked around. There was another copy of the book among the fallen belongings. He walked over, picked it up, and dusted it off.

“Why are you picking up a book...?”

Huijun narrowed his eyes. It was filthy.

“I was going to tell you it's the same as this.”

“So the traces of magic used over there are the same as what's in this book?”

“Yes. Is this popular, by any chance?”

“... I don't think so? Or is it...?”

Huijun sounded unsure of his own answer. Then he grinned.

“Actually, I don't know either. I'm a little out of touch with trends.”

At his answer, Hyeonyul opened the book. A sparkling effect appeared whenever he opened it. That seemed to be the magic's purpose. It was a novel. He wondered if the owner had bought it separately and added the effect. He turned the pages one by one.

“Is there something in there? Is that sparkling effect the problem?”

“I don't know about that, but it's a good book.”

Hyeonyul checked the title. He rather liked it.

“... Well, that's a bit of a letdown.”

Huijun's eyes narrowed.

“Were there any suspicious people?”

“No. That's why it's driving me crazy.”

The ride really had burned from fire magic, so there were traces of magic. But there were no suspicious traces anywhere else. Not even a suspicious person. What was going on?

“I've never had such a deflating mission. Something needs to go bam, get my head spinning, and make me feel like, wow.”

“... I don't understand what you mean.”

“Bam, spinning, wow. You don't get that?”

Huijun asked as though he was the one who couldn't understand.

“For now, I'll look around the area.”

“It's a long way. Want to take a car? Or should I take you? I'm really fast.”

Huijun smiled proudly.

“I'm fine. I'll look around on my own.”

Hyeonyul bowed his head, then turned away without hesitation. Huijun said something, but he walked on, pretending not to hear. He was noisy.

'So the only traces of magic are from the books. Can a sparkling effect produce fire magic?'

After a moment's thought, Hyeonyul contacted Jihwan. Jihwan was the ideal person to ask. The call was answered as soon as he placed it.

<“Yes, Bro! It's me!”>