{1}
"I won't tell Monica about the mateki within your body."
Before the gate that led to the grounds of Tenketsu Palace <Sophia>.
Kagura, who was sitting in the pilot's seat, turned her head around and said that as the cruising vehicle came to a halt.
"Are you fine with that?"
Sheltis asked uneasily. The girl replied with her usual cold expression,
"Yes. However, I think she'll come to know of it some day. When that happens, it's best that you're mentally prepared to tell her the truth yourself."
The dual sword wielder whom Monica admired three years ago — the fact that the young man who had fallen into the Garden of Corrupted Song <Eden> was still alive.
Not only so, he was carrying mateki in his body as well.
"...... I guess I do need to prepare myself mentally for that."
"I'll leave that to you. Let's not talk about that for now. Here, this is for you."
She passed him a piece of paper.
"This is the pass to my communication network. We're about to become teammates, so we should be able to communicate with each other at the very least."
Monica, Kagura, and Sheltis.
That's three, the minimum number of people required to take on missions.
"Well then, I'll be going. You should hurry to the hospital on the twenty-second floor as well."
"Mmm. See you."
Kagura drove the floating vehicle towards the hangar.
As he stood at the quiet area in front of the gate of Tenketsu Palace <Sophia> and listened to the sounds of the engine, Sheltis turned his body away to face the direction which they came from — the western area of nature sector.
...... The 'Golden' Maha. And his companions whom I do not know of.
"— Not like it matters."
He stretched his hands to touch the holster that held his two swords on his back.
The water tank that incubated Yuugenshu, and the other which caged another Yuugenshu.
He had no idea what those two things signified, but he'll stop them if they endanger the safety of the floating continent as well as the safety of the Priestesses.
No matter when and how many times it happens, he would have to stop them. That was all there was to it.
"Don't even think about harming Ymy."
That must be the reason.
The reason he returned to Tenketsu Palace <Sophia>.
***
Two hundred and forty-seventh story of Tenketsu Palace <Sophia>.
In a tower built specially for the Queen and the Priestesses, one of the floors was specially reserved for the accommodation of the VIPs. Kagura was running breathlessly in the corridor of that floor.
"Huh...... Huh...... Ha..... Just you wait, Eyriey!"
After bidding Sheltis goodbye and parking the electric vehicle into the hangar, Kagura immediately took the main elevator to make her way to the floor.
— All so that she could challenge Eyriey.
"I-It should be here...... right? I'll...... I'll take a breather first."
She cannot allow Eyriey to see her in such a breathless state. Kagura took a few deep breathes to regulate her breathing...... Phew. Alright, this should be okay.
*Ding dong*
Came the cute sound of the doorbell.
"Hello, who is this?"
A relaxed voice came through the speakers.
{2}
— It was already deep into the night when she woke up. A time when most people in the tower would be asleep already.
Someone had pulled open the curtains, allowing the moonlight to shine in.
The clear bluish-white moonlight happened to shine onto her eyelids through the slits of the curtain. That must have been what caused her to wake up.
"...... My face's a mess. Onee-sama would definitely scold me if she sees me like this."
She must have cried herself to sleep. I'sa laughed wryly when she saw her puffy eyelids in the reflection of the glass panes.
"Jin......"
Next to the chair that she slept on.
She tried calling out to her comatose partner who was on a medical ventilator. He obviously could not reply. Despite that, she still wished to call his name.
"............"
Pulling the blanket down slightly, she could see her bandaged arms.
"The ward...... is so cold."
I'sa gripped tightly onto his fingers — fingers that had became rugged due to the constant holding of the guns. As she gripped onto his hands quietly to offer him warmth—
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