Free Labyrinth of the Blue Witch by Gakuto Mikumo

equal stature.
    “So anyway, the Management Corpration’s sent you an emergency work order. Please and thank you, miss.”
    Mogwai’s arbitrary request came without any proper explanation of the circumstances. That only made the gravity of the issue more apparent. Even if she was a genius-level hacker, she was still just a student working part-time, yet they were putting this rather excessive weight on her shoulders. She couldn’t just ignore it and walk away.
    “Sheesh…all right already. Just hold on, I’m on my way. What’s the big deal, geez.”
    Conveying her acceptance in a frail tone of voice, Asagi hung up the call. It seemed some kind of lethal situation had quietly developed while her back had been turned.
3
    They transferred to the twelfth story aboveground by elevator and headed to a viewing tower above even that.
    It was smack in the middle of Itogami Island, the viewing hall of Keystone Gate’s top section—
    It was the highest place on the island, possessing a perfect, unobstructed view.
    Nagisa made a high-pitched shout of admiration as she rushed out onto the glass floor without the slightest timidity.
    “Whoa, the view is incredible!”
    It was a donut-shaped room about ten meters in diameter. The walls and floor were all made out of glass, allowing one to look over virtually the entirety of Itogami City from within. Another selling point of the place was that the entire floor gently rotated, so you could take in a 360-degree view just by standing still.
    “It’s my first time in the viewing hall. I’ve always wanted to come up here. It’s a lot higher than I thought. Whoa, a souvenir medal dispenser! Key holders, too!”
    In complete contrast to his little sister’s childlike high spirits, Kojou’s expression was full of gloom from having paid everyone’s entrance fee. “So expensive… Who’d’ve guessed a little elevator ride could get you ripped off for so much?”
    Even if it was the tallest place on the whole island, the fee for just going to the roof—a thousand yen per head—was hard on a high schooler’s wallet just to play tourist. But the hall was even more packed than he’d expected. It really was a must-see stop on any tour of Itogami Island.
    Yukina walked onto the floor very gently as if testing its strength. Kojou wanted to laugh as he watched her carefully avoid the glass panels and walk on top of the metal pillars.
    “It’s a little scary. It’s like you’re floating in space.”
    Kojou spoke when he noticed her hand absolutely refused to pull away from the rail.
    “Oh, that’s right, you’re bad with airplanes and stuff, Himeragi.”
    To Yukina, who found all types of machines to be awkward, an airplane must have seemed to be a mysterious mass of steel that flew through the air. She probably had a similar feeling where the rotating viewing hall was concerned.
    But because of her pride as a watcher, she didn’t seem to want to let Kojou know she was afraid.
    “That is incorrect. I am just concerned about the strength of the glass with so many people standing on it. It does not mean I am frightened whatsoever.”
    “Right, right.” Kojou let Yukina’s bluffing roll past him like water off a duck as he offered her his hand. “Here.”
    Yukina was at a bit of a loss.
    “Th-thank you very much,” she said, taking Kojou’s hand. She seemed to be a bit calmer as they walked alongside Kanon, with both their eyes glittering as they began looking through the binoculars that lined the walls.
    Kojou felt like a teacher chaperoning elementary schoolers as he watched the girls when Yuuma got close to him and jabbed an elbow into his ribs.
    “Pretty girl you got there. She your girlfriend, Kojou?”
    “Hah?”
    With a suspicious look, Kojou glanced back at the wide grin coming over Yuuma as he shook his head.
No, no, no…
    “I told you, that’s Nagisa’s classmate.”
    “You look like you get along
really
well…”
    “R-right… She just happens to live in