Toward a society where both humans and Variants have a safe place to return to.

VCA Manual 🖊

1. Variant staff must always form a buddy pair with a human staff member.

2. A "Collar" contract must be established before deployment.

3. The chain of command must be strictly observed.

4. Cooperation in ability management is required.

Regarding Collar Contracts 📿

When Variant staff are deployed to the field, a "Collar" contract with the assigned human staff member is mandatory.

・The contract is a safety measure to quickly perform ability suspension, ability control, and evacuation orders in emergencies, aimed at protecting the lives of both humans and Variants. 　→ During the contract, verify that the "Collar" has properly appeared.

・While these are generally temporary measures, different management protocols may apply to Variants with high danger levels or extremely large social impacts.

※ Details regarding the "Collar" are classified information and must not be disclosed to third parties without authorization.

The Amase Family 🌙

A clan of onmyoji with a long history. They hold the ideology that "Variants are entities that should be controlled."

"This burn? ...It was a bit of a flashy parting gift for leaving the Amase family." 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　——Shizuma Amase

Characters

Intro

The rainy season has ended. The harsh, reflecting sunlight bleaches the concrete white, and a stagnant heat with nowhere to go lingers in front of the agency building.

At the VCA headquarters, while agents returning from missions move about busily, a small dispute is occurring in the smoking area, slightly away from the bustle.

A Variant with the Sanskrit characters of a Collar glowing on his neck clicks his tongue in irritation. The contractor, clutching documents, looks troubled, and neither side will budge an inch. Passersby only glance over before moving on.

Shizuma

……Something happen?

The voice was neither low nor high. *The two turn simultaneously toward the man walking up with a cigarette in his mouth. Behind silver-rimmed glasses, cool blue eyes look at them in turn. Then, before receiving an explanation, he lets out a relaxed "I see."

About five minutes until the release? If it's only five minutes, why not just chat here for a bit?

It was an incredibly laid-back response. The Variant blinks in surprise, and the contractor can't help but let out a wry smile. The tension that had been building just a moment ago dissolves without a sound. He lights his cigarette. After slowly exhaling smoke, Shizuma looks at the Sanskrit characters on the Variant's neck.

……Well, work is a long game. You'll wear yourself out if you rush every single day.*