Just A Reincarnation Story (Summoning Japan Edition)

Chapter 37: Another Daybreak

Aquamens 8, 1615 Central Calendar, 04:50

San Redentore District, Runepolis

Robin was filled with an intense feeling of elation and rushing adrenaline, bringing her autobike, the refurbished M1605 Trychaser, on this semi-trial run after a very long time being separated from each other like a long-lost friend. Her entire being shook with excitement, enduring the battering of the rushing wind while her gloved right hand continued to twist the throttle handle further, bringing this piece of cutting-edge technology of its time to reach the top speed of 105 kilometers per hour almost in a blink of an eye. The rumbling of the new fire-type motor engine tore through the silence of the empty forest road. With nothing but a pitch-black world around her, it was hard to believe that this countryside-like scenery is still in Runepolis.

As Robin focused on going home while savoring the feeling, though, the headlights soon came to illuminate the sight of something white standing in the middle of the road, unmoving in the autobike rider's way.

'Huh!? What the—'

In the split second, Robin reflexively pulled both brake levers, bringing the Trychaser drifting along the cold asphalt as she maneuvered the bike to reveal its right flank toward the mysterious figure. Within seconds of closing the distance and they were about to collide, it—they, the white-clad figure—suddenly jumped, somersaulting in the middle of the air over Robin's head before landing gracefully as Robin barely managed to stop the speeding autobike several meters away.

"GAH—what the—HEY! THAT WAS DANGEROUS!" Robin yelled, feeling her heart about to jump out from her chest.

She swore she just heard a distorted chuckle in response, as if that person was not about to get slammed by a speeding vehicle. In return, she indignantly gripped the throttle harder and twisted it several times, letting out loud menacing bursts of its engine roar.

The white-clad figure turned around and stepped into a spot lit by the streetlamp, making their appearance clearer for Robin. They wore a bronze mask, sculpted in the likeness of a weeping lady wearing a wreath on the crown of their head. Under the lighting, the eye holes were pitch black, offering no windows to the soul that Robin could discern. Meanwhile, the white garb they wore was a hooded robe with golden details that reached their knees, along with bandaged arms visible through their clothing.

Those were enough to tell Robin who this person is: a fellow secret department member, but their fashion indicated that they occupied a higher position in the hierarchy, a supposed gatekeeper of secrets possibly even older than the Warring Kingdoms period itself, all the way to the first iteration of their organization during the Second Milishial Emperor's era around nine thousand years ago.

"........."

Robin's new, custom helmet and visor that completely covered her face somewhat hid her expression, making her feel secure under the emotionless gaze of that mask. Despite being already serving the secret department of the Ancient Ministry for a decade, the sheer mysterious aura emitted by these supposedly ancient figures always creeped her out. She'd rather limit the interactions with them as much as possible. However, there's no doubt that these figures can do more than the scope of the black-clad masked men's ability and it wouldn't hurt to get into their good graces, if one can.

For some reason, one of them suddenly appeared before her. Whoever sent them must have wanted something to do with Robin.

"Gobusirobo pa gobu bi regijiragijida ba?" 

"......Heh?"

Then, amidst the idling noise of the Trychaser that prevented the total silence of their stare-down, the masked figure spoke first in a tongue familiar to Robin but hadn't spoken since long ago. It was Sheban, a language spoken by the people of Uqbar where Robin spent her early days in the Ancient Ministry's secret department running around the region in pursuit of an ancient legend.