Chapter 63

Bastitera.
A monarchy whose territory covers the northern part of the continent. Despite a population of less than two million, its territory is vast. It is comparable in size to the mighty Xuran Empire.
They are unique because the placenta of their homeland is barren. They claimed land that no one else wanted, cleared it with their own hands, and made a home for themselves.
Once the state was established, there was much strife. The great powers were not willing to invade the arid polar lands, but the barbarians and neighboring small states were the problem.
But in its hundreds of years of history, Bastiterra has never allowed the enemy to invade. The people of Bastiterra are all born warriors.
One day, the mutants were outcasts from society, and they called themselves a nation and became feared for their bravery.
The name “Pecatum,” meaning sinful, was a pejorative that the continentals feared, and so Pecatum lived in isolation on Bastitera.
And now, in the modern era, it is plagued by disasters like any other country.
Poof, poof.
Your fingers hit the steering wheel at regular intervals. In a stationary car. Kim had just arrived at the border and was going through the immigration process.
Like everywhere, the process was a waiting game. But there was no time for boredom. There were a lot of things to think about.
“I guess I was being too pushy this time.
Despite my assertiveness with the pilot, the process of getting permission was actually pretty shoddy. You could say I was abusive, because I just walked up and asked to borrow the helicopter for free.
Kushan’s reaction was something to behold. The way his coffee slid over the roof of his mouth and out his nose was refreshing. This is the same guy who acted like he knew everything in the game like he was in the dark.
I was asked to explain, but I couldn’t.
“This time, there can’t be any variables.
There shouldn’t be any intervention from anyone. I didn’t know what would happen if Kushan put a watchdog on him, and I deliberately didn’t tell Chelsea and Asterique.
“I like to do things quickly and on my own.
Episodes 8 and 9.
It’s one of the three most voluminous parts of the game. The scale makes the battles in Kilikia look ridiculous. Rap is thrust into a war for the fate of a species called the Pecatum.
The keyword is Bastitera Civil War.
Pekatum is divided into factions, each slaughtering the other. As the war rages on, madness and ideology reach such extremes that justification disappears without a trace.
Hundreds of thousands of lives are thrown away like garbage. And yet, no victor emerges from them. The land is ravaged, and the surviving Pekatum flee their homeland in tears of blood.
“I won’t let that happen.
October 10th.
An event occurs that triggers a civil war.
“We have two weeks to spare.
If you stop it, you’re going to disrupt the flow. I didn’t think about failure. If I had a plan, I had it long ago. The difficulty is small compared to the importance.
“Oh my, were you still waiting?”
The checkpoint agent walked up to the car and gave it a cursory glance with his eyes, then handed me a piece of paper through the window.
“Purpose of visit, where you’re from, and your name. Just three.”
I wrote it down as instructed. Tourism, Kilikia, Prefecture. The answer was a good mix of true and false. When I handed it back, the employee shoved it in my pocket without reading it.
“You can go then.”
“Is it really that easy to let them in?”
“Hmm?”
The employee’s eyes widened at Kim’s question. He pulled a cigarette from his arm and twisted it.
“I guess he realizes he stands out.”
Smoking and a scruffy face. Naturally, it reminded me of Rothko, whom I had met in Kilikia. But there was a decisive difference between the two.
Two horns that grew out of nothing. Well-developed muscles that looked like rolled-up sleeves. The staff was neither soldier nor anything else, just a regular civil servant.
Pekatum, a civil servant.
“I know it’s weird. It’s not often a Minos crosses the border alone.”
Just as the Continentals call them Pecatum, the Bastilians call the Continentals Minos. If pecatum means sinful, minos means inferior.
It’s a name that taps into a long-standing emotional bone.
“Still, none of us take Minos seriously, and my one piece of advice is that you’d better not even think about it, for your own good.”
It was half threatening. The look in the employee’s eyes was one of contempt. The fact that the car was parked and left unattended for dozens of minutes was apparently meant to piss him off.
Under the stares, Kim blushed.
“Think about it.”
* * *
The vehicle drove into Bastitera. It wasn’t followed by surveillance like the previous Atlanta raid. It was just an unusual case.
“I wouldn’t say that’s normal either.
Unlike in the past, modern Bastiterans are not wary of foreigners. It’s been over 40 years since a catastrophe struck the entire continent, and since then, there have been no more attempts to invade Bastitera.
“Above all, they are ignoring the continentals.
Here, Minos and Pekatum are diametrically opposed. Minos faces just as much discrimination as Pekatum does outside. No, maybe even worse.
There’s a perception out there that pecatums are dangerous to touch. But Minos is different. It’s because it’s inferior.
Inferior is a fair description.
‘Well, it made it easier to get in.’
Kim drove down the road and checked out his surroundings. A road that hadn’t been maintained since when? Trees that grew out of nowhere. Signs that were falling down…….
Everywhere you look, it’s stark and harsh. It was a far cry from Atlanta, which felt like a vacation spot. I was closer to Ulantz, where I met Roscoe and Asterique.
“Come to think of it… I’ve been around the block.
From Cadillac, where I first fell, to Kilikia. Shalem, where Rap is located, and the kingdom of Wyneth, where we stopped by during Operation Ashbelt. A while ago, we were in Atlanta, and now we’re in Bastitera.
“This is going to take me all over the continent.”
I laughed out loud at the absurdity of it all. I had never made a passport before, let alone traveled abroad, and I couldn’t believe that my name was Ida.
If nothing else, this time I had plenty of time to take in the scenery. Bastitera is a country where the phrase “uselessly large” fits perfectly.
It took me three long days to reach the capital.
‘Are we there yet.
Taking the train would have saved me time, but it would have been a hassle to get back to my car. On top of that, I didn’t know what kind of trouble I would get into for using public transportation openly.
Wangdo Magnu.
As soon as you enter the city, you’ll see the towering spires of the royal castle. Below, rows of peaked-roofed private houses stretched away. Gray smoke rose from the chimneys.
Modern society after the industrial revolution. The city’s landscape was familiar to Kim. He had only just arrived, but he had seen Magnu in many guises.
Streets burning, royal castles falling.
“I’d better get ready.
* * *
Every city in every country has its shadows, and Titus the errand boy was part of the shadows that hung over Magnu. A fixer who would do anything, even illegal, if asked.
Then Titus had a visitor.
“You want me to get you something?”
Titus scratched his earlobe. A deserted back alley. Before him stood a man in a grayish jumper. His face was hidden by the hood.
It was obvious what that meant.
“Oops, I just got a request too late.”
The little finger that had been digging in his ear was held out to the man. Titus blew on the crumb of earwax that rested on his finger.
“Now some Minoan bum wants me to do his shopping for him. Hey, get some horns on your bullshit time. Get a graft or something. I hear it’s popular among the minos.”
The hood. For Pekatum, nothing bothered him more than that.
They are a race that prides itself on its horns. Outside of the country, it’s something they’d rather hide, but on Bastitera, it’s different.
They may cover their faces, but they don’t hide their horns. He even considers it an abandonment of his identity. Minos is the only one who goes about in such a manner.
Minos is a bit of a tease.
“You’re unlucky. I don’t know where you’re a slave, but your master needs to teach you more manners…….”
For a moment, Tithis was silent. A cold sensation touched his chest, and as his trembling eyes darted downward, he realized the situation he was in.
The revolver was aimed at the heart.
“Hey, hey, hey, hey, fuck. Where’s the gun.”
“One paycheck. I’ll pay for the goods.”
“Ha, one sheet. A million?”
“The barrel is small. It’s ten times that.”
Gulp.
Titus’s throat cleared.
Credits are also accepted in Bastitera. It may seem odd that there is no interaction with other countries, but you have to realize that this is a game. The more detailed the settings, the more complex the system.
But of course, there are differences in cost of living.
Ten million credits. Not much in Kilikia, but enough to build a small house in Bastitera.
“The answer?”
“……Okay, okay, okay.”
“Okay. Keep talking.”
The hard muzzle of the gun pressed against his chest. Even as his body stiffened, Titus was thinking about taking him down in the moment he let his guard down. Aside from the high pay, it was a matter of pride.
But I couldn’t see any gaps.
Finger on the trigger, ready to fire at a moment’s notice. The hood makes it impossible to see the direction of his gaze. His left hand is hidden in his sleeve.
“What is he doing?
He was the type of guy I’d never met in my life.
The Minos Titus knew were livestock. Weak creatures, all glazed over, never dreaming of rebellion, bred by the strong.
This client felt like a different creature from them. Not as imposing as a knight of the royal castle, but just as deadly. I felt like I was standing on a razor’s edge.
“All you need is the objects I’m about to describe. Of course, each one must not be attributed.”
I started to list the items I needed.
There weren’t many of them, enough to memorize on the spot without writing them down. By the time he’d finished listening, Titus’s face was tinged with reluctance.
“What are you going to… use that for…?”
“Do you need to know?”
“Ah, ah, I blurted.”
It was pointless. It’s not a good attitude to try to explore a request. You’ve tried it a few times as a troubleshooter, but you haven’t gotten the hang of it yet.
“I don’t have a lot of time. I want it done in three days at the latest.”
The conversation was soon organized. The client paid three percent of the fee in advance and walked away.
Three million credits. Despite the newfound wealth, Titus couldn’t help but be overjoyed.
“Metal wire, handcuffs, what…?
There are crazy people in the world.