Once Upon the Nonsense Devout

Orion is an interdimensional portal project designed to cross the worlds. Passed for academy in 2001, it was stopped in late 2018 due to its creator's controversial actions. Eighteen years in constant development, it has been publicized to be functional─at least in its capabilities for instantaneous teleportation. Halfly verified claims and conspiracy theories alike derived it as the real world's answer to the video game iterations of the Warp Gate.

If it has seen commercial development, it could have become one.

However, it was shelved.

All the plans for the project were retrieved by the university, and has restricted Aldebaran access to his laboratory.

The Orion Portal was hidden, most likely an impossible maximum security location─above the skies, below the sea, or three thousand leagues under the earth… if reversal is applied, then it's only someplace in the campus.

There's no way of correctly picking the answer, given there was no primary investigation.

I can only conclude for a "What If?" scenario.

Asking for flair, my best choice is the straightforward "hidden within the campus" claim─whence I'll work around until a convincing supposition is realized.

Firstly, the obvious problems.

I have no inkling of the portal's whereabouts in the vast campus. It's a university so it's relatively spacious─someone would be lost when they try to search, and I doubt the location is stamped in the publicized map.

For another, I don't know if the Orion portal is physical or abstract, which I'd doubt if the latter works.

If it's physical, then it's easy to assume being heavy and large, but there's also merit in minimizing it for space. Like how one leap to the credit scene, Hank Pym's Quantum Tunnel has been adapted for Scott Lang's brown van. It's most likely to have become a bracelet in the third installment, lo and behold, enabling teleportation anytime and anywhere.

Anyway, the first keyword is─heavy and large.

If he had it run in the last few days, it means he has access to where it was hidden… hence my disgusting cliffhanger question scooped from the previous section. Everything about house arrest is obsolete by then, like how he's now involved in information trade while holding professor status at the university.

He's contained within a set perimeter so his actions are reprimanded.

Also, he's monitored, I know, not one but everyone would wince at the thought he's able to be an information broker. It's also been hanging in my mind for a long time, and I have no straight answers. Only I can blame his observers cutting him the slack, may it be that they're cahoots with him─or he is holding them by the neck.

For our time in the Higanbana House, I'm the only one who consciously knows.

I doubt Tsukuyomi and Kafka haven't realized it yet, though.

Then, the second keyword─minimized.

Orion has been compacted.

Suppose the research and development continued in secret.

He provided supervision despite the arrest, and contained it for something smaller like a suit or a trinket. Aldebaran cheated the government's justice system like how Tony Stark escaped the Ten Rings. I guess they're essentially the same, no?

Finally.

I'd bet on the possibility we were attacked with Aldebaran's henchmen.

Aya's collaborator utilized Orion, a device nearly capable of sending someone to another point of the world.

Whether he is involved or not, the matter falls into his fault for carelessly releasing his technology─and he's the villain we must pursue.

More nonsense.

Sure, I may sound certain─but I'm never getting to the bottom of the problem.

There were no traces, only devious assumptions born out of being rushed.

Hence, a conclusion built only to give the accusatory signature.

Good grief, it's a two-page unrefined and unconstrained imaginative view.

It doesn't have a foundation, an incongruent alteration of a story to fit a mold, and raw judgment without its evidence. Incorrigible as it shouldn't be called deduction, but of course, it has been deducted all the way through without fail. I didn't skim through Tsukuyomi's proposal, and purposefully used Kafka's special request as the cherry on top.

Kafka cringed as he heard the words come out my mouth. He frowned at the smugness, directly vocalizing his thoughts out, "Yukihime… I know I said something bad, but should you be spouting something unrefined?"

Also, he copied my style when calling his name.

It must have stuck with him, thinking all these time when to ensue a petty revenge. I'm doubtful he consciously applied it, though.

"Yeah, I agree with Kafka," Tsukuyomi seconded, albeit smiling in cold sweat. "Shame on me though, I've always thought you can do it."

In a problem where I have no direct exposure, of course, it should only be expected I won't arrive at the correct conclusion.

Also, I never bothered asking for Nayami Ayanami's background.

Our homeroom teacher, Narumi Narukami, made it clear that the governing board wants to study her Psychic abilities. There were underlying problems from their personalities which led to the cranky situation─I have context with it. I knew it would lead to her being bullied in school. However, I didn't expect the current severity of the situation.

The coordination, mostly, doesn't cut for expectations.

They'd be impromptu and unplanned.

Class 1-A and 2-A weren't incited to the incident because they were charmed by Aya's ridiculing skills.

As I extracted from her, their plans have been going on for a while.

I've only been adhering to the events which flowed into my point of view… I should have focused on talking it out with Naru and Nayami, and not lead us somewhere that would lower our notes down.

In moments like this, Amaterasu and I have always been committed to seeing it through until the perfect point in time. Granted─I didn't know how to grasp any points when they were the right moment. Simply because I'm reliant on my partner-in-crime all the time.

Amaterasu has gone on her own and left me behind.

It's not a rare occurrence.

It happened before so it doesn't ensue excruciating concern.

If we meet, she'd likely have less to say than what I would say, but much more precise information to process. She knows how to calculate it deeper, while I'm only there evaluating emotion and land killing blows. Maybe, as a means of running away from the current problem, I should find her instead.

It's much easier, in contrast to blindly following an adversary supposedly stronger than everyone.

It would have to be─myself, Shirayuki Otogibanashi, the breakthrough prodigy.

Our newcomer was only able to take me down because I couldn't risk being discovered from awakening to more intense power. I admit that she's powerful enough to trample anyone down the ranks including the second Strongest Mage. Hence, Motoharu Akahoshi is someone I could take on alone.

If Tsukuyomi decides to support, it'd be spotless.

I locked eyes with him.

"If I've perfected Orion, there's no way I'd make it into an exosuit," he spoke for himself, decidingly countering an earlier claim.

No surreal admonition, he kindly phrased his words.

I wish he was more expressive, though.

"You're fine with him accusing you, sir?" Kafka tilted his head, unconsciously questioning the old man's sanity.

"It's a hypothesis, young Kafka," he cleared for my astounded classmate. "And the Orion Project is a particle accelerator built in a secret location."

"Hmm, I've always thought it would be something smaller."

Kafka locked his eyes unto mine and said, "...It's surprising how you didn't know that, Yukihime."

"I've never been interested in something my grandfather would make."

"Grand─!"

And so, Kafka Ikari fell from his seat and died from a heart attack.

Anyway, t'was a lie: I definitely knew so I sacrificed them to a fortune deity in exchange of a wish. Now that I realize, it's almost like saying I don't care about what he's been working for eighteen years since he returned for his family.

Also, the cynical Time Mage didn't fall.

Tsukuyomi, the observer, giggled from the side and caught Kafka's attention. "It explains the recurring 'Shiro' bits, Kafka."

As such, he couldn't help but lash out, "Wait, you knew it all along?!"

When the son of the moon was asked when he knew all along, he couldn't help but flex his air glasses.

"The perks of being Amaterasu Origami's little brother is knowing the family tree and history of the Otogibanashi lineage."

Motoharu Akahoshi, my grandfather, laughed hard from the show of humor.

"Moreover, you could have asked, because it's not necessarily a secret."

"You could have said, because it's not necessarily a secret!"

My grandfather laughed harder, he could almost fall from his Gokuu pole.

"It's not my fault I didn't catch onto the f–ckin' recurring 'Shiro' bits. I only know that they know each other…"

I've never seen Kafka so defeated before: Although, I can surmise he hasn't lost the flavor for his eye candy.

He still respects the grandfather despite hating the grandson… which he regarded hostile from how his eyes curved for him. Gracious, how insolent─if I didn't have self-control, I would have poked him in the eyes.

"I have a transgressive criminal grandfather, a returnee from another world who's currently progressing to become a real-life Rick Sanchez."

Tsukuyomi and Kafka tilted their heads, of course, not knowing the origin of the name mentioned.

Only my grandfather, which I've been lovingly referring to as Aldebaran, caught onto it and nearly chuckled as if not accused.

"Now, now, Shiro… you don't say you're not proud of me, right?"

I ignored him: instead, an addition for the sentence was heralded to both my companions. "It's easiest not to say every unneeded detail."

"Oh, young Kafka!" Surprised, Kafka jumped out from the call alone, let alone the impending request out of nowhere. "Would you care to buy wine for me?"

Kafka changed his sight for me, an inaudible confusion passed through.

"And you too, the younger of the Origami twins," he requested, looking Tsukuyomi in the eyes. "Please accompany him."

"Sir, we're minors…"

Not to mention, they were wearing high school uniforms.

"I don't see that as a problem. Just act like you're adults!"

They frowned at him: Kafka, being his default character, even though he idolizes the old man and his sinful portal project.

"Ha-ha... why can't you just say you need to talk to me privately, gramps?"

For once, I let out a fake chuckle, not for sarcasm though, but to catch my grandfather's attention.

Silence ensued, then he blinked three times.

"...No, sincerely, I'd love it if I could drink wine before you all leave."

Motoharu Akahoshi, my grandfather, reverted his attention back to my companions.

The abridged version: they were instructed to change into civilian clothes, which were the clothes of his student. Fair enough, it was the best option for them─prohibiting them from expressing disagreement. Also, they were given the money─some to spend on their own.

They both left, and as soon as the door closed...Spirits of the Sound wallowed and shrieked, appendages of their energy blasted to my front without any excuses at all. I waved my hand at the expense of a magic circle and dodged: cranky acrobatics employed. Water flowed to the living room, shrapnels of beer cans and pet bottles moving along.

I blocked his surprised attack.

"Didn't you say you were out of booze, you ancient bone?"

"I hate beer." He readily quipped, smiling in such a demonic forefront while sticking in the ceiling─his Gokuu pole at hand ready to strike.