Let's Run the Equation Again!
The weather's perfect... and the breeze is just right...
It's the perfect day to test out my equation!
Promotion after promotion, success on top of success, all for the day I rise to the top authority figure of NOA like Lady Alicia!
So today, I'm dedicating myself to testing my equation! Right here on this very street!
What are you talking about?!
The relationship between a Journey member and a Journey Captain is like a three-legged race!
Two bodies, one goal!
So you have to help me, Captain! I need your help!
No objections will be accepted.
This is absurd tyranny!
Aww, c'mon! Just help me a little. Pretty please?
You know how the Observers at Astro Sanctum track star movements with their telescopes, right?
They use that data to predict disasters and Voidborn attacks.
But! That's not enough!
For all the data we collect, our results are narrow and inefficient!
At best, we get vague forecasts like "high chance" or "low chance."
That's why I'm working on an equation that, when fed the observation data, can predict every detail precisely!
Once it's finished, it'll let NOA forecast practically everything to prophetic levels!
And it's almost done! I'd say it's 99% complete!
And today, I'll prove it works!
...Is she for real?
Let's start by checking the area.
So, once I input the observation data into my equation...
Mm! There should be an incident nearby where someone desperately needs help!
...
...When exactly?
...That part's still uncertain!
Which is why I said it's 99% complete!
You call that 99% complete?
Isn't that like... the most important part of the whole thing?
So basically, we're just waiting around until an incident happens?
Waaaah! Francis! Come down!
Meeeoowww!
There! Just like my equation predicted! An incident requiring urgent assistance has occurred!
See that? Told you!
...Yeah, and it only took three hours.
If I had more observation data, there wouldn't have been a three-hour delay!
Inside NOA, every incident—no matter how improbable—is accounted for.
If I had a friend in the Observation Department, I could've just asked. But I don't, so I dug through the trash.
That's... not illegal, is it...?
...
All right! Equation's been tested so let's rescue the cat!
That's not illegal, right?!
Behold! My sextant engraved with a star-shaped magic circuit!
Charging it with the power of the stars and firing it is my specialty!
Watch closely, Captain...
With this one shot, I'll snap the branch the cat's sitting on!
And rescue it safely! Fire!
The magic burst from the sextant with force, but...
It missed the branch completely and hit a nearby streetlamp instead.
Ah.
The lamp bent and crashed to the ground, toppling a trash can underneath.
Uh-oh...!
Trash spilled out and rolled onto the road...
Huh?! What the?!
I was so close to the finish line!
Runners in a road race tripped over the scattered trash, falling one after another...
Ah! My water bottle!
Meow?
A bottle from one of the runners flew and bonked the cat right on the head.
Meow meow meow!
Startled, the cat leapt from the tree and vanished into the crowd.
Francis! Come back!
A wrecked streetlamp with trash covering the road.
The scene looked like a slice of hell, with groaning and moaning people piled on top of it all.
...Hmm.
Well, I'd say problem solved!
How can you call that a problem solved?!
The important thing is the cat came down, right?
A good rookie doesn't dwell on mistakes. She focuses on doing better next time!
Now then! On to the next test...!
Let's go!
You heard me, right?!
After that, I ended up following Naru all over the place.
I'm still not sure if her equation is real, but incidents seemed to follow her everywhere she went.
The thing is, those so-called incidents were...
A dreadful incident that could put someone's life in danger is about to happen right here!
...What do I do? I think my wife's birthday was three days ago...
...Mm! That definitely counts as a dreadful incident... for him, anyway.
Next!
Ah! According to my theory... there's going to be an explosion incident here...!
We need to evacuate everyone immediately or... huh?
The latest film from director Mysel Bay is now in theaters!
An explosion in the first three seconds! Then every five minutes!
The ultimate explosion flick for explosion fanatics has finally arrived!
...
That's technically... an explosion.
O-onto the next one!
Every incident she predicted ended up being something we didn't exactly need to prepare for.
Shall we call it a day...?
Uuuugh...! You think I'm unreliable, don't you?! You don't trust my equation!
Just once more...!
Give me one last chance to prove it works!
This time, something serious... Something that has to be stopped is going to happen!
Ah, over there! Captain, look over there!
That guy! He's stealing from that old lady!
Oh my...! You little punk! Let go! Let go!
Grr...! Why's this old hag so strong...?!
A theft in progress!
Whoa...! Did she actually get it right this time?
Hehe, what did I say? This proves my genius equation is totally legit—
Wait! This isn't the time to celebrate...! It's far, but if I focus... I can hit him from here!
W-wait a sec, Naru!
Didn't we agree you wouldn't directly hel—
Take that!
Gah?!
Bullseye! I got him!
Did you see that? How's that?
Not only do I have brilliant mind, but I also excel in magical precision! Impressive, right? Hehe!
Can't believe the dogs of Polaris chased me all the way here...!
Well, I suppose I'll call it a day! Farewell, you fools! Hohohoho!
My bag...! That was everything I had...! *Sob*
...Hmm?
Huh...?
...No way.
Was the old lady the thief?!
S-stop right there!
We ended up chasing the old lady for quite a while and finally caught her...
But Naru was disciplined for using magic on a civilian and had to write a hundred incident reports.
How are you holding up, Captain?
Why am I writing reports too...?
Because you're the one in charge of the Journey. If your member messes up, the Captain takes responsibility too.
Fifty more to go!
...After that, I flinched every time I saw a blank sheet of paper.