Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint
chapter-272

Leaving Shiati behind, I stood up and spoke to the Signaller beyond the door.

“You must know that Captain Abbey and I are acquaintances, so why put her up front? Do you intend to take her as a hostage? Or maybe it’s been so long since you’ve interacted with people directly that you can’t even talk without a substitute?”

Even with Azzy breaking down the door, Signaller I.A. remained calm.

The turmoil I had provoked was brief.

After fully grasping the situation, the Signaller activated her Unique Magic again.

Unique Magic, Spiderweb.

From her center, dozens of thin, delicate threads extended outward, connecting to numerous nearby Signallers.

Memories, senses, and information flowed along these threads.

While not as far-reaching as Captain Abbey’s Morning Glory, it was a type of Unique Magic that allowed for extremely close connection at short distances.

I.A., now linked as one with every Signaller in this Module, stood up and stepped outside.

“That is not the case. This is our message.”

Even after emerging from a dark room for the first time after several years, I.A. only squinted slightly before finishing her observation.

She spoke in the same dry tone as Captain Abbey.

“At this time, this Module has determined that the cost of maintaining the Military State’s secrecy has been overwhelmingly surpassed by the cost of recovering from your terrorist activities. Hence, we have decided to reveal our identity to engage in dialogue with you.”

“That's a bit disappointing. I thought the Military State would keep its secrets even if beaten to death.”

“Of course, it wasn’t a decision made lightly. There was a conflict during the calculation process. Normally, there is no conflict among synchronized Signallers, however…”

A thread from I.A. reached out and touched one of Captain Abbey’s flower buds.

Like a butterfly sucking a flower’s nectar, I.A. absorbed information and emotions from Captain Abbey, then turned to face me.

“Due to the strong insistence of Signaller Ivy, this Module unanimously agreed to guide you here.”

“Oh, it seems Captain Abbey played a significant role. She must be quite high-ranking?”

“There is no hierarchy among Signallers. Everyone is synchronized and equal. However, there are differences in ability among each entity.”

I.A. touched one of Captain Abbey’s flower buds with her thread.

Although her Unique Magics were invisible to others, it seemed that Signallers shared a much closer connection with each others.

The flower bud forced itself to bloom as it looked at I.A..

“Abbey, closest to the first ‘A,’ is one of the strongest Signallers. Her Unique Magic is invasive, broad-spectrum synchronization. Short range, long range, area, number of synchronized individuals – all her abilities exceed the average.”

“Oh. Did she persuade you to accept me with that ability?”

This is why people need to have at least one connection.

Clearly, this was a political victory for me, having established a rapport with Captain Abbey first….

“That is not the case. Signallers are many as one and one as many. No matter how exceptional her abilities, strength has no meaning in Synchronous Magic. On the contrary, the stronger the individual, the more likely they are to fail. She engaged in an unwinnable resistance.”

Or perhaps not?

Was it all for nothing?

“Is Captain Abbey’s current state due to this…?”

“When her opinion was not accepted, she tried to resist all other Signallers. However, it is impossible for a single Signaller to resist the Module. The stronger her abilities, the more futile the resistance is. After prolonged resistance, she, who previously held the position A.B., lost her designation and was assigned to the vacant position in the Inner Circle Module, where she now serves.”

Assigned?

That’s practically a puppet.

No wonder the morning glory vines seemed to force her body to move.

It was the backlash from the Synchro Magic binding her.

Captain Abbey is now no different from a golem.

It’s fortunate she wasn’t immediately disposed of… But I didn’t expect her to end up like this.

“Then why call me here if Captain Abbey’s attempt failed?”

“...That is precisely why. Pied Piper, we do not know what method you used to corrupt her mind, but if she has been mentally compromised, maintaining secrecy from you is meaningless.”

“You’re treating a person like a disease.”

Despite my grumbling, I understood I.A.’s point.

Since I already knew the Signallers' secret, there was no need for secrecy.

“You are simultaneously corroding the Military State from the inside and outside. Therefore, we demand that you immediately cease your hostile actions.”

“Hmm. Let’s say that’s true. If this is a negotiation, you must have something to offer as well, right? What are you offering?”

“First, for smooth negotiations, we would like to clearly understand your demands.”

“You’re saying a mere captain can fulfill our demands? No, bring someone higher.”

Kyaa. The day has come when I can call a captain a ‘mere’ rank.

I’ve come a long way.

But still, it’s a bit much for a mere captain to face someone who might destroy the Military State.

“What exactly?”

“Well. At least the highest commander of the Military State. Summon a member from Command, and maybe then we can talk.”

“Command? Is that sufficient?”

“Of course. After all, there’s no one higher.”

I demanded like a troublesome customer, insisting on calling the person in charge.

Only they could answer our curiosities here.

But I.A.’s reaction was completely unexpected.

One of the threads extending from her body trembled.

I.A., interpreting the information from the subtle vibration, briefly showed a faint trace of astonishment.

But it was fleeting.

I.A. quickly regained her composure and read the transmitted information.

“In that case, you may speak to me. I have the requisite qualifications.”

I.A. revealed one of the most secretive and confidential pieces of information about the Military State.

“Because, in fact, Command is ‘us.’”

The mention of Command had a significant impact.

Shiati, the Princess, and even Historia widened their eyes in surprise at the unexpected truth.

“To be precise, there is no individual or group that commands and issues orders to all Signallers. However, if Command refers to a decision-making entity that combines information for the benefit of the Military State, then there is nothing other than the Signallers.”

Thus, I.A. claimed that the Signallers themselves were Command.

Even Historia looked incredulous at this unexpected revelation.

“Command that has been running the Military State… is the Signallers?”

“The orders issued by Command are not given arbitrarily by individual Signallers. The information from dispatched Signallers is transmitted to the Signallers throughout the Military State, validated, and then processed by the Module through simulations to find the optimal future. In other words, what are called ‘commands’ from Command, are the consensus of the 500 Signallers. That’s the sole purpose of our existence.”

At one point, I had compared the Signallers to the nervous system of the Military State.

They delivered orders through golems to every corner of the Military State.

That analogy was, in fact, accurate in a different way.

The Military State’s leadership was an intertwined mass of nerves, like the human brain.

“–Therefore, if you seek the leadership of the Military State, you are inevitably looking for ‘us.’ Signallers manage, control, and determine the confidentiality of all information.”

An unseen Command.

Similarly, unseen Signallers.

Command of the Military State appeared only through orders, like a ghost or a metaphysical being akin to a god.

But now, the Signaller’s confession had revealed their identity.

“The Military State is a utopia. A country where everyone receives orders from someone.”

In my observations of the Military State, I found only innocent people living there.

Citizens suffered under harsh rules, working like yoked oxen to fatten the Military State.

The soldiers who seemed to exploit them were merely following Command’s orders.

In the midst of it all, the ones who appeared to be issuing orders were actually the Signallers.

“But every soldier, even the absolute power of the Six Star Generals, receives orders from Signallers who are mere captains. Poor and pitiful beings confined to a small room, only able to communicate through golems. Now that you know this, what are you going to do Shiati?”

“I don’t care about their circumstances!”

Shiati, still not fully grasping the situation, erupted in anger.

“What does it matter?! They killed my friend. I swore I wouldn’t forget them! The Military State must atone for its wrongs. By force if necessary!”

Consider a scenario where someone committed murder with a knife.

The knife was not to blame.

The responsibility lay with the one wielding it.

But the Military State treated every human like a tool.

Every human was a tool.

They function solely to fulfill someone else’s orders.

Thus, every person in the Military State was innocent.

Even the Signallers who issued the commands…

“Shiati.”

“What!”

“Why not ask her age?”

“And what difference does that make?!”

“It will make a difference. Just try it. This is really the last time.”

Glaring at me, Shiati clicked her tongue and turned to the officer before her.

Clad in a stiff uniform, emotionlessly staring back at her, was someone embodying everything Shiati hated about the Military State.

"Fine. Before you die, tell me your age. The least I can do is put it on your tombstone. Now, how old are you?"

It was a question typical of everyday conversation.

Asking someone’s age, the time they have lived, and evaluating it.

It seemed to be adding to the old-fashioned hierarchy of seniority.

“Twenty-one.”

But even this small detail made a huge difference.

Twenty-one.

She was born three years after the Military State was established.

It has to be.

Because the existence of Signallers required children to be strictly controlled, educated, and oppressed in a perfectly regulated environment.

In other words….

“So young…?”

Despite her lack of capabilities, Shiati’s anger alone could engulf the entire Military State.

Yet, even with Shiati’s blazing fury…

In front of a younger, paler face, her anger wavered and faltered.

At the time of the Hamelin incident, these individuals were also undergoing rigorous training in the Communication Headquarters.

“You’re twenty-one… You said you remember the Hamelin incident?”

“I remember it from the information left by my predecessor.”

“Then, where is your predecessor?!”

“I do not know the whereabouts of the previous Signaller. It is confidential. Not even Command knows.”

But it was evident.

The Military State would not have left such a precious asset like Command if they were no longer usable.

“What else, they must have died. Whether voluntarily or not.”