“Kei, could you confirm the result of Kizuna and Gertrude’s Climax Hybrid?”

Inside the Nayuta Lab’s center control room, Hida Reiri was staring at the monitor floating in the air. After the Climax Hybrid inside the fully packed train succeeded, the ability experiment of Kizuna’s Eros and Gertrude’s Sigura was carried out at Nayuta Lab’s experiment facility. Just now all the experiment list had been completed and currently that data was being a.n.a.lyzed.

{We obtained the result that is almost exactly as we hypothesized. The destructive power of Sigura’s particle cannon has increased by 50%. Each of Eros’s specs are also upped to be equal with Sigura. The creation of the particle cannon by Eros also succeeded. The destructive power of that creation is also equal with Sigura.}

“I see. If that’s the case we can feel relieved for now then.”

In contrast with her words, Reiri looked unsatisfied somewhere.

‘――If it’s about the Core apt.i.tude and the compatibility with Kizuna, then this me is……!!’

{What’s wrong Reiri?}

“No……I think that compared to the Climax Hybrid with the girls of Amaterasu, there is a large gap of spec here.”

{That cannot be helped. Compared to Ros-series, the Core’s specs is different in the first place.}

“If I had the Core of Ros-series installed in me……what would happen?”

Kei made a slightly shocked eyes and stared hard at Reiri.

“……It’s just a jest. Forget it.”

Reiri averted her eyes and stared at the Core storage case that looked like a safe which was left alone at the corner of the room. It was the case where Taros’s Core was once stored. Taros’s Core was installed inside Sylvia’s body and now the inside of the case was empty.

There was no more reserve Core in Ataraxia. Their only lifeline was just Kizuna and Gertrude. Right now what did they need to do to win with just these two Heart Hybrid Gears. They had to focus at just that. She understood that. Even so she unconsciously thought of this.

‘――Even though if we just have more Core, I also can fight.’

At that time, the door of the center control room opened, Kizuna and Gertrude had returned from the experiment room.

“Nee-chan, s.h.i.+kina-san. What is the experiment result?”

The two of them entered the room still in their pilot suits, they looked around the floating windows floating in the air looking for the one that might displayed their data.

Kei typed on her keyboard in order to display her text at the window they looked up at.

{We obtained the result that roughly as we hypothesized. With this we can carry out the next operation.}

Kizuna unconsciously clenched his fist.

“I see……with this I can go there one more time!”

‘――To the AU.’

“Just wait, everyone……also, Aine.”

Gertrude looked up at Kizuna who was like that anxiously.

“But boss. No matter how you look at it, isn’t it too reckless to come to blow with them with just the two of us? No, it’s not like I got cold feet after all this though.”

“I told you not to worry. We are not going to sell a fight right to their face. This operation is properly thought out.”

Kizuna smiled to Gertrude. When she looked at that smile, her anxiety mysteriously vanished, it made Gertrude surprised about herself who was like that.

“It seems…….recently, boss had changed aren’t you?”

“Hm? No, I don’t think that I’ve changed anywhere.”

Somehow, the atmosphere Kizuna had when she first met him and was different compared to now.

After he returned from the AU, especially after going through the battle with Clayda and Elma of the Quartum, the air clad on his body was different. It felt like he was extremely reliable, or he was worth to be relied on.

There was no basis to it.

It was just, that was how it felt like. For that reason, she didn’t feel like resisting even in the Climax Hybrid. Rather, she even felt happy. Though she couldn’t say this out loud by any means.

“……Somehow, I got a little angry. Don’t get carried away okay.”

“? What’s the matter? You are odd since just now.”

“Boss is the odd one here. After this we are going to AU with the objective of recovering Masters and Amaterasu. No matter what, we won’t be able to avoid fighting.”

Faster than Kizuna could answer, Reiri interjected into the talk.

“Eventually it will become like that. But, first there is the need to know the enemy.”

Reiri brushed her hair and flicked the touch panel of the console. Thereupon, the landscape of Zeltis, the imperial capital of Vatlantis that Eros recorder automatically was projected.

“Even if we rush into the Entrance of London, we also want to grasp of what happen at the other side. The information that we currently acquire all comes from the observation of Kizuna when he became prisoner. At the very least we need to get the general map of Zeltis and the place where Amaterasu and Masters are being held. In other word the next mission is to sneak from the Entrance and scout the enemy’s capital.”

{According to Kizuna’s information, the members of Amaterasu and Masters seem to be locked in the prison of the castle. However with Kizuna’s escape, there is also the possibility that their imprisonment location is changed. Other than the deciding those information, the route from the Entrance until the rescue location, the place where enemy security is strict, and reversely the place where security is lax. We need to obtain the information for our infiltration path and withdrawal path.}

Kizuna didn’t have objection about that operation. But there were still factors he was uneasy about.

“It’s fine to do scouting mission, but what should I do? There is no man in the AU. If I walk inside the city, I’ll get find out as enemy instantly. A countermeasure regarding that is needed.”

{No problem.}

Kei’s letters were displayed in an extremely strong a.s.sertion. He got the feeling that the font size was double from the usual.

“Eh? Aah, do you have some kind of idea?”

This time it was Reiri who answered with somewhat fidgety look.

“Yo, you can say that……regarding this matter, you don’t need to worry. Though it will take a little time.”

“What’s the matter? Is this just my feeling……you two seems having fun.”

“Don’t say stupid thing. There is no such thing.”

Reiri averted her face.

‘――That’s absolutely a lie.’

Reiri’s face broke into a grin and she wasn’t composed at all. Just what in the world she was scheming about……?

“Then, I have one more thing I’m uneasy about. It’s the lack of combat power. Gertrude has recovered and it’s possible to do Climax Hybrid with her, even so the level is different compared to Ros-series. If enemy at the level of Quartum appeared again, we might not be able to repel them like before. Besides……”

Kizuna’s look became grim.

“If Aine really becomes our enemy and appears here……in front of Zeros’s [Code Breaker], no matter how powerful a weapon is, it will be meaningless.”

“Certainly that’s true. Especially regarding Aine, currently we have no method to deal with her. The only method we can take is to avoid having direct confrontation with her as much as possible. We can do only that.”

The photo of the situation at London which was taken by unmanned drone was displayed at the monitor. There, the figures of people leading a life that was the same like before the Another Universe Conflict was projected.

{Similar with Tokyo, the whole London is becoming magic power plant. The only different with Tokyo is that there is no deployment of large force like a fleet or anything here. In exchange there are a great number of magic weapons. Also a lot of the magic weapons deployed are the powerless small type magic weapon.}

“There is nothing to fear from us anymore, that’s what they are saying huh.”

Reiri murmured in annoyance.

{It’s easy to reach London. However if you go there, the magic weapons will soon notice. Thereupon their large number is troublesome. With the current Kizuna and Gertrude, the two of you will not be defeated by something like magic weapon, but it’s also difficult to scatter them in one go. And if reinforcement appear from the Entrance during that time, it will become hard to deal with them. The problem is how to send Kizuna and Gertrude to the Entrance without the enemy noticing.}

Kizuna raised his hand as if he was struck by an idea.

“There is a little something I want to consult……there is promising reinforcement for us, I’m wondering how about borrowing those guys’ strength? Though it’s necessary for the research department to make a little effort so that we can have them fight with us together.”

{Reinforcement? Who do you mean?}

“I too only got to know them just now. Right, Gertrude?”

Even though the talk was suddenly directed at her, Gertrude completely didn’t understand what Kizuna was talking about.

“Haa? ……What are you planning to do? Boss Kizuna is……”

London was welcoming a gentle day of Autumn.

The people were leading their usual life. In London that was also a sight-seeing city, many tourists were visiting even today, the people visited famous places like London Tower, Buckingham Palace, and so on which were well known in the world, raising cheers with sparkling eyes. They did that today, and yesterday too, and then from now on forever.

The magic power plant constructed in London was something that reflected the experiment result in Tokyo. In Tokyo the plant made use of Yamanote line, creating a physical barrier, but here in London that was unnecessary. An unseen barrier was surrounding the whole London area, restraining the hearts of the people. They could leave if they wanted. But the people under the brainwas.h.i.+ng had the very conception of leaving this city stolen from them.

And then magic weapons were lining around the city, obstructing infiltration to London.

The tourists visiting by chances couldn’t go home to their country for the second time, also there was no new tourist coming into this city.

But, today was different.

New visitor were trying to enter into the prison without cage.

The city outside the magic power plant was destroyed, there was only ruin continuing without end. It was a wasteland with bricks and concrete mixed with rebar that had become pieces scattered everywhere. Amidst that, magic weapons [Albatrosses] were standing. The ruins and the green hill area far ahead of it, and then the cloudy sky that continued for far away. The Albatrosses that were like gigantic statues without a single movement were directing their bayonets to the sky for a long while.

There was an object drawing a parabola from the sky beyond with tail of flame dragging behind it flying at them. It was a rocket or possibly a missile. The Albatrosses protecting the magic power plant of London from outside enemy judged like that.

They readied their bayonets and sniped at the soaring object.

Together with dazzling flashes and intense blast sounds, bullets were fired from the bayonet.

The bullets. .h.i.t the flying object and caused large explosion. Black smoke was rising and three large fragments separated, falling into London city.

――Shot down. Albatrosses who judged so overlooked the falling fragment. The capsule-shaped fragment was spewing out black smoke while pa.s.sing above the Albatrosses and falling at the park in front of Buckingham Palace. But that fragment spurted out fierce flame from its four corner right before cras.h.i.+ng.

That capsule, the middle range ballistic missile style replenishment room, the Love Room was performing posture control with its reverse thrust and landed levelly.

“Boss! We landed safely!”

“Yosh, operation start! Gertrude!”

“Roger! Now, let’s go flas.h.i.+ly!”

The hatch of the Love Room opened, from the inside black and pink colored armor, and gun metallic and yellow armor rushed out. The two armors cut through the park with speed equal of short range sprinter and came out to a large street.

“How is it Gertrude?”

“There is no problem. It’s going well! At this rate we can go at full speed until the Entrance!”

The Entrance was at the other side of London Tower and Tower Bridge. With their current speed they could arrive in enough time.

But, the Albatrosses that noticed the abnormality were chasing from the sky. However the human sized infiltrators were running in the middle of city. With the Albatross’s weapon, the surrounding city and the human that was the energy source of the magic power plant would also get blown away together if they used their weapon here.

In exchange of the Albatrosses that couldn’t get the targets, the small type magic weapons [Brigands] were rus.h.i.+ng inside the city. Their height was around two meter and among the magic weapons their combat ability was inferior, so to speak they were existences like infantry. However, for public order maintenance and combat versus human, there was a way to use their size. In order to catch the intruders, those Brigands were running at the street where many brand shops were lining up.

“They caught up!”

“Yeah, it’s inside the range of prediction!”

The two intruders crossed an alley and came out at a main street of Trafalgar plaza. What left to reach until Tower Bridge was mostly just to run at a straight line.

They further accelerated to raise their running pace――at that instant, suddenly a figure of a Brigand appeared from the road corner. It headed to the intruders and struck its steel arm like a counter. That stout arm directly hit the throat of the intruder, the body that was. .h.i.t rotated like a circling movement. The body was thrown largely to the air and then crashed on the ground head first.

The Brigand’s attack and the falling impact torn off the head.

The head was rolling on the ground. It hit the curbstone of the street and the head stopped moving. The Brigand was slowly approaching and picked up the head.

It was not a human head.

The Brigand stared alternately at the collapsed body and the head with wonderment. Anyway they had cleaned up the intruders with this. And so they returned to their normal duties. The moment they decided so, another different intruder rushed through from beside.

The new intruder turned on the corner and this time the intruder headed to a different direction from the previous intrude, running toward the direction of the Great Britain Museum. When it tried to pursue, another different intruder arrived, this time it was running away to the direction of the Big Ben.

The Brigands inside the city began to move about in confusion. Right now inside London ten-odd intruders were rus.h.i.+ng about everywhere.

“All of you extra dummies, go berserk! The magic weapons are also falling into chaos nicely now, boss!”

The true ident.i.ty of the intruders was the experiment dummies which were used for the practical experiment of weapon in Ataraxia.

They were the extras which were used at Kizuna and Gertrude’s Climax Hybrid.

“Yos.h.!.+ We too are also going!”

The water surface of Thames River suddenly swelled up, the figure of a bizarre existence that didn’t suit the flowing river of the metropolis showed its appearance. It split the river surface, and half of a s.h.i.+p’s long hull that had black l.u.s.ter was rising.

――A submarine.

The small submarine that launched from Ataraxia went upstream the river and arrived until here. The dummies were sent using Love Room was for the sake of diversion to confuse the magic weapons.

That operation succeeded, now the Entrance was already right before their eyes.

Manifested at the other side of the Tower Bridge, its length and width even reached several kilometers, it had the shape of a rectangle with dim luminescence. That was the point of contact with AU, an Entrance.

The submarine slipped through under the Tower Bridge and the hatch at its deck opened, Kizuna and Gertrude showed their appearance from inside.

“There is only a little under two hundred meter until the Entrance! Here we go, Eros!”

Kizuna who stood at the deck was wrapped in pink radiance. Light particles converged and clung on Kizuna’s body, it increased in density and crystallized into armor with black l.u.s.ter. The black armor with beautiful l.u.s.ter was circulated with pink luminescence of magic power. It was the manifestation of Kizuna’s Heart Hybrid Gear [Eros].

“Roger! Sigura!”

Gertrude also called the name of her Core and equipped the Heart Hybrid Gear [Sigura]. Headset that looked like cat ear. Gun metallic armor with yellow light streaming on it, particle cannons were dangling down at her left and right thighs. Then there were the unit at the back that was like small wings, and a generator equipped her waist with shape like a tube that was set horizontally.

The two Heart Hybrid Gears that were standing in front of the London’s Entrance emitted light particles from their thrusters and flew up from the deck of the submarine. The two gears that had been applied with Climax Hybrid accelerated with instantaneous force that was far higher than normal and rushed into the Entrance in one go.

And then their figures vanished from earth.

{Kizuna, Gertrude, the existences of the two are terminated. It seems that they are succeeding in breaking into the Entrance.}

At the sea several kilometers distanced from London, Ataraxia gave up tracking the two.

Reading Kei’s report, Reiri crossed her arms.

“What’s left is only to wait believing in those two……”

The destination of Reiri’s gaze was the screen where the image of London’s Entrance was projected.

Kizuna and Gertrude were currently moving right inside there. Inside the Entrance was a huge tunnel. Inside the tunnel were lights in various shape and color coming and going. The lights seemed to be some kind of energy that was coming and going between earth and AU. Those lights rushed about inside the tunnel, sometimes they changed shape into various geometrical patterns or three dimensional objects in the middle of flight.

It was a very beautiful, unrealistic, and mysterious corridor.

Before long, a strong light from the beyond was approaching.

――The exit.

“S……so this is, the AU.”

The two who came out from the Entrance hid their body at a rocky cliff of a wasteland. Gertrude was looking around restlessly at the surrounding with deep interest from the shadow of the rock.

“It’s comparatively cold here……London is also in autumn, so it feels similar.”

“I guess. When I came here before too, it also felt like this. Perhaps the season doesn’t really different.”

“Bo-, boss. What’s with that sky!?”

When he looked up, there was crack at the slightly cloudy sky. That was a very bizarre sight. The sky was cracked, just like crack that entered a wall. Jet black darkness peeked out from that gap of the crack.

“So this is the aforementioned cataclysm huh. There is no point worrying about that right now. Rather than that……”

Kizuna stared hard at the black castle wall ahead of the wasteland. The gigantic wall that had the height of around three hundred meter was continuing endlessly. The imperial capital Zeltis was inside that.

“I heard the story but, that’s really a big wall isn’t it……”

“Yeah, first we need to somehow get in――”

At that time, huge battles.h.i.+ps were pa.s.sing through above Kizuna and Gertrude one after another. The battles.h.i.+ps were scrambling forward, their figures vanis.h.i.+ng into the Entrance where the two of them just came out from.

“It seems, they heard about the commotion in London and set out aren’t they?”

“Yeah. In exchange the defense here is getting thinner. It’s a huge success.”

Looking at Kizuna who burst out into a broad smile, Gertrude informed him with a severe expression.

“But, from now on the greatest obstacle is waiting for us ahead.”

“Yeah……seems so.”

Gertrude lowered down the backpack she shouldered and took out tube and bottle from inside.

“Perhaps this will leave a scar that cannot disappear from boss’s life forever.”

Gertrude faced Kizuna with a serious gaze. Those eyes gleamed glaringly.

“Have you resolved yourself, boss?”

Kizuna’s throat gulped audibly.

“……Yeah. Since this operation was decided, my resolve had been made. Give me all you’ve got!”

The three layers of castle wall protecting Zeltis. The outermost wall was left open.

At that gate, a large number of people carrying large baggage were pa.s.sing through.

“Refugees, advance slowly! Running or rus.h.i.+ng is strictly prohibited! It’s safe already, so there is no need to panic!”

The guards standing at both side of the gate were raising their voice. It was unclear whether their voices were heard or not. The people with tired face dragging their feet were processing forward through the tunnel dug in the castle wall.

A lot of baggage was piled up on luggage carrier which was pulled by people joining strength. There were people crowding together in confined carrier of a ragged vehicle. Each of their birthplace and status were different. However what was the same was their haggard face and dirty appearance, and then their reason that they had to abandon their home town.

The cataclysm caused by the malfunction of Genesis.

Earthquake and drought, desertification and tsunami, and so forth, various cataclysms caused these people to lose their living place and they crossed the wasteland to arrive here.

It was an emergency situation, making it impossible to check the background of every single refugee who arrived in large number. Outside the castle wall, the people who arrived looking for help were making refugee camp, and while they waited for the deliberation whether they could enter inside or not, they followed the course where the case of people pa.s.sing their limit of exhaustion were dying keep increasing. The emperor of Vatlantis Empire, Ainess Synclavia grieved for this situation and opened the outermost third castle wall for them.

“Boss, in the end we can enter inside the castle wall easier than expected.”

Gertrude who was wearing mantel with hood attached couldn’t be distinguished from the people of Zeltis. She lightly wore the hood, hiding her face to the degree that was not frankly suspicious. The short mantel that reached until her waist to hide her body on the other hand, the exposure rate under her face was conversely high. With a top that was like a band wrapped around her flat chest and low-rise hot pants. These clothes were created in Ataraxia before the start of the operation. This appearance would inevitably become conspicuous if they were at earth, but from the research of the image Kizuna brought home from AU about their fas.h.i.+on, they understood that clothing with abnormally high exposure rate was preferred here. The researcher tallied the virtually recorded clothes, selected the most innocuous design, and created the clothes for use in infiltration.

“It seems so. It’s fortunate that we can slip between the refugees……however, the world over here is also really chaotic huh……”

What Aine said, that Vatlantis was in the verge of danger, it seemed that it was true. Furthermore the situation was quiet dire.

Kizuna recalled the appearance of the people walking beside him when he pa.s.sed through the castle gate. Ragged clothes with thin body from hunger and exhaustion. Amidst them there was also a girl around the age younger than elementary school student, her hand pulled by a person that seemed to be her mother. It seemed that she had cried miserably. Traces of tears were distinctively remaining on her dirty face. But right even her emotion to cry had already gone, not even tear was coming out from the girl’s blank eyes.

Thanks to this chaos Kizuna and Gertrude succeeded in infiltrating the capital Zeltis. However, along with the nervousness of infiltrating, a disconsolate feeling ruled inside his heart. Although this is enemy country, witnessing the appearances of their citizens suffering this much made him unable to feel good. The reality of AU that Aine told him made dark shadow fell in his heart together with the feeling that it was all real.

“…….Nevertheless, this is…”

Gertrude stared fixedly at Kizuna and grinned widely.

“What’s with you, grinning like that.”

“No―, even if I say so myself but I really did a satisfying job. As I thought the raw material itself also has been already good from the beginning.”

There was nothing but female in AU. That was why, it was impossible for Kizuna to infiltrate and investigate by himself. When they considered this operation, this was the point Kizuna felt the anxious about the very first.

However, until this current situation where they had slipped through the castle wall and walking inside Zeltis, there was no one that suspected Kizuna.

The reason was――,

“Reallyy~ Boss is really cute you know? That I even feel offended looking at it.”

“……Shut up. Don’t mention about this matter more than this.”

The tall beautiful woman walking beside Gertrude replied. Her long black hair and sharp look were making impression. She was wearing a mantel in the style of the AU similar with Gertrude, although the exposure rate of her body was not high, the line of her body was firmly drawn due to the jumpsuit she wore.

“It will be bad to be suspected because we are talking carelessly.”

Beautiful pink lips. However, the voice that came out from there was Kizuna’s voice.

“Wai-, boss! This is bad!”

Gertrude took out a spray in panic from under her mantel and sprayed it the girl’s face.

“Geho-, oi, don’t spray me so suddenly like that!”

The throat that inhaled the spray once more let out a cute girl voice.

“Haa……the voice is properly female now. Boss yourself, pay attention at yourself. No one will care of the conversation of someone they pa.s.sed through, but that voice is bad news.”

“Ku……I got it already.”

Kizuna whose voice was changed into a different person started to walk side by side with Gertrude once more.

Thanks to Gertrude’s make-up and the body adjusting suit that Ataraxia’s research department developed, Kizuna was splendidly tailored into a female.

In a nutsh.e.l.l, he was cross dressing. He was a girl. No, he was a boy girl.

Kizuna sighed deeply.

“……This kind of appearance, must absolutely not get shown to the members of Amaterasu.”

Gertrude easily replied toward that troubled murmur.

“Is that so? I think they will be happy though.”

“I don’t understand that feeling. Why do you think so?”

“No, because, the commander at boss’s place, your onee-san also got delighted wasn’t she?”

A deep crease formed on Kizuna’s forehead.

Before the operation started, a rehearsal was carried out at Ataraxia. At that time he put make-up for the first time covered his head with long hair wig. And then the liquid for changing voice cord was sprayed in his throat and they confirmed that his voice was changed into female. Furthermore, the disguise suit that the research department developed for spying activity was also retailored for Kizuna’s personal use. The tight places like waist were tightened, and the places where it should swell like hips and breast were filled with silicon jelly inside.

When everything was over, what was reflected inside the mirror was not himself, but a beautiful girl that anyone would accept if she was called as Reiri’s little sister.

The splendid disguise using the latest equipment made even Kizuna himself surprised.

And then it was the first time he saw his sister and Kei to be that delighted.

“Both of them even brought out camera excitedly and held out a little photography exhibition that time. Well, even I took boss’s photo that I think I can publish a photo alb.u.m with all those photos……with this I won’t get troubled with spending money for a while.”

“Wait a second. Didn’t you just say something I cannot overlook just now?”

“Really―, your face is really similar isn’t it? If boss is lined up with the commander, you two will look completely like sisters.”

“Oi.”

“Look, the commemorative photo is also like this.”

Gertrude showed a glance of her information terminal in the shape of smartphone from the corner of her matel. A photo with Reiri and cross dressing Kizuna in it was fully set as the wallpaper.

“Erase it right now!”

Dodging Kizuna’s extending hand smoothly, Gertrude stored back her smartphone inside her mantel.

“Now now, let’s quickly finish our work. First is to create a map, and then we confirm the place of the target.”

Saying that, she began to walk briskly as if she was going inside a city she knew well already.

“s.h.i.+t……just remember this. This guy and that guy, all of them are really”

While his clenched fist was shaking, Kizuna chased behind Gertrude.

“First we should go look at the castle.”

Kizuna looked up at the gigantic pillar and the castle that was under it. The castle was supposed to be considerable big, but the hugeness of the pillar made it looked contrastively small.

Both of them were walking at the main street with the Genesis as the landmark. This was the street that Kizuna pa.s.sed inside the prisoner transport when he was first taken away to the AU. Right now there was no human crowd and welcoming decorations, so he could understand well the situation of the city. Clothing shop and restaurant, general store that looked like supermarket, greengrocer that displayed vegetables he had never seen before, fish dealer lining up fishes with strange shape, and so forth, the view of shops lining up in a row was truly magnificent. There was a lot of commodity he was not familiar with, but the atmosphere of the shopping district wasn’t that different with earth.

Of course, with how many of the things sold here were things he didn’t understand, like items that seemed to be suspicious sorcery tool, shop that sold sword and s.h.i.+eld, all those made him felt the difference with the earth.

If there was aspect of living here that was close to earth, there was also part that made him felt the large difference. The same thing could be said about this very city of Zeltis itself about that.

The townscape resembled Europe, but because the whole city was created from black material, with the streets and walls streamed by colorful lights, the impression was greatly different with Europe.

“If I remember right, there should be a castle gate if we follow this path straight. And there will be the castle after we pa.s.sed two gates like that.”

Kizuna recalled the path when he was taken away here.

“This kind of city will still continue ahead of here?”

“No. The nearer we get to the castle, the city will feel even more polished and luxurious. Perhaps, there is difference in livelihood level or status here.”

After walking for a while, they came to see the second castle wall. However, that castle gate was different with the third castle gate located at the outermost, the gate was firmly closed and they couldn’t easily enter inside.

“The number of guard is……perhaps there are around a hundred from a glance.

“There are three people wearing the imperial guard uniform. Those guys should be able to equip magic armor……how troublesome.”

When they got nearer, there were magic weapons [Blue Head] and [Albatross] lining up along the castle wall, around thirty of them.

Kizuna and Gertrude observed the situation of the checking station built in front of the castle gate from a distance. The front of the castle gate was enclosed by fence and there was only one place of entry. Around that place, the guards’ eyes were sharp as if to say that they wouldn’t let a single bug got through. However, it seemed by showing something like a card to the guard someone could enter into the fence of the checking station. Since the two of them started observing, more than ten groups already entered inside the fence. And then the groups pa.s.sing went until before the castle gate and standing by there. There, several dozen of citizens, and several dozens of platform trucks for transporting luggage, and cars were lining up.

Before long the gate slowly opened. It only opened a little gap that a vehicle could pa.s.s through, the people and vehicles standing by were entering through that gap.

“This place looks tough isn’t it……”

“Are those vehicles transporting goods……it will be great if we can slip in it.”

Gertrude turned back at the main street of the shopping district. Several vehicles were parking in front of the stores.

“But, we don’t know which vehicle will pa.s.s through the gate.”

“Yeah, it’s impossible to quickly pa.s.s through that gate. Besides, perhaps there will be other way to enter or other entrance. First let’s try investigating the outer city a little more.”

“Roger. So, which way are we going?”

“…….There is a place I want to go a little.”

Kizuna returned through the path they came from and turned at a large intersection. Then they went up a street that was a little steep like hill.

“If I remember right I think it’s around here……oh, looks like I’m right.”

At both side of the street, there were a lot of food stands where it seemed customer could eat while standing and souvenir shops.

“Just what are we looking for here boss?”

“The Colosseum.”

There was the huge Colosseum at the end of the hill. The place where Kizuna fought Gravel.

“I say, it’s quite bustling here.”

Around the Colosseum was park which was taking considerable s.p.a.ce, but in there people were crowding fully that there was little s.p.a.ce left.

“Perhaps, today there is a match here. Because of that……”

‘――Don’t tell me,’

Kizuna’s heart was beating like an alarm bell. His pace naturally became faster.

Weaving through the crowd, he advanced to the entrance gate of the Colosseum.

Posters were pasted on the wall near the entrance. Using some kind of mechanism, light particles clung on the wall, moving by itself to draw the image.

‘――That’s the match card.’

His bad premonition was swelling uncontrollably. He couldn’t look straight at the poster and his gaze dropped on the ground, he kept looking down while advancing to the wall. He then lifted his head while praying.

“……Ah”

He couldn’t read the letter, but all the fighters had their photos attached in the projection. There were no faces of Amaterasu and Masters put in the poster.

“I’m glad……they are not made to fight.”

“Boss, don’t suddenly disappear on me like that! What am I going to do if I lose sight of you!”

Gertrude also finally arrived after swimming through the sea of people, she found Kizuna and the looked up at the poster herself.

“Aah……so it’s about this.”

Gertrude also guessed the reason Kizuna’s face changed.

“Well, it can be that they only don’t have match for today though.”

‘They already fought and died, such thing…….there is no way that happened! Don’t think about stupid things!’

Shaking off his unpleasant thinking, Kizuna shook his head.

“――So, what will we do after this?”

“Let’s see……let’s progress as it is and try going at the other side of the city to observe there.”

“Roger.”

Kizuna looked up at the poster one more time. Amidst the faces projected there, there was only one face he knew about.

A beautiful girl with long blue hair. However that face had a large scar.

If he remembered correctly, that girl was one of the Quartum, the girl called Lunora. Two of the Quartum, Clayda and Elma were already defeated. Only two remained. This Lunora, and the red haired Ramza.

Clayda and Elma were strong. Most likely he also couldn’t face this girl with ordinary method. He didn’t understand, why this girl who had high position even in the imperial guard was making entry in the match of Colosseum. However, he guessed that she appeared here surely because she had a considerable confidence.

“What’s the matter boss?”

“No, nothing……let’s go.”

Perhaps he would fight her too eventually. While thinking about that, Kizuna lined up with Gertrude and left behind Colosseum.

After they descended the hill from where they came from, and went to the opposite direction, there they met a city with another different atmosphere.

“What’s, this?”

Gigantic fissure ran in the middle of the city.

“Is this ground fissure? No matter how I look, I don’t think that it’s originally already here.”

‘Is this also the influence of the cataclysm occurring in Vatlantis?’

Kizuna was pondering that, but he had no way to confirm it. Looking from afar at the fissure that was surrounded by fence forbidding entry, he then headed to the direction of the business distric.

Compared to the area from before, there was a lot of small shops here with complicated alleys. A nice smell was drifting from the street corner. When he looked around tempted by that smell, there was a small shop that was like a stand.

“Uwa, what is this?”

It looked like they were selling meat roasted whole and sc.r.a.ped off like kebab, but there were six legs at that lump of meat hung down from the ceiling by its large tail.

“It seems to be a living thing characteristic of this world. The appearance is like that but……the smell entices the appet.i.te.”

Its surface was roasted crispy and meat juice overflowed from the inside while raising flame. It was cut already so they didn’t understand its original shape, because of that they weren’t really bothered about it. They were a.s.saulted by impulse to eat, but unfortunately they didn’t have anything like this world currency. Kizuna pressed on his noisy stomach and pa.s.sed the stand.

However even ahead of that there were still many food stands continuing ahead. Next to that stand was a stand selling boiled cooking, this food was also cooked with peculiar spice, it was giving off unbearable aroma.

“This is the city of the common folk……I think.”

When he was a prisoner, he couldn’t really look around the city. That was why there were only few things he could see and hear. If the fact that there was only female here was removed, it felt like he was having a trip at a foreign country.

“Boss. For some reason there is a great crowd there see.”

At the direction Gertrude pointed was a gathering of a large number of people. It seemed to be a plaza place at the city center, but it was really packed full with people.

“Yeah……what is the commotion there?”

Their interest was tickled, but the onlookers were surrounding that place in many layers, so the two didn’t understand what was happening inside there. What they could hear was only ‘kyaa kyaa’ cheers. Before long, a loud voice that seemed to use a megaphone resounded.

“From now on the shooting of [Vatlantis city strolling] will begin―! Please stay quiet.”

The content really shaved off their nervousness.

“It seems like a recording of Vatlantis’s TV show isn’t it?”

“It’s really similar with our world like this……then those crowding people are the curious onlookers of the celebrity acting here, maybe they are even something like groupie here.”

“A star of this world is it, what kind of mug they have? Let’s take a little peek.”

Gertrude hopped around *pyon pyon* trying to sneak a look at the other side of the crowd, but it was completely pointless. What she could see were only the heads of the spectators, although she tried to peek aiming from the gap, the waving hand of the spectators obstructed her and she couldn’t see anything.

“Gertrude, let’s go soon.”

Kizuna unnaturally moved only his eyes at another direction. Gertrude peeked at that direction during a natural movement. At a spot a little distanced from the crowd, there was a knight wearing imperial guard uniform standing on top of a three storey building. Looking carefully, there were several imperial guards placed among the crowd.

“I say……there must be really important people here like this.”

“It’s futile to stay for long here. Let’s leave inconspicuously. Slip along the stream of people naturally.”

Kizuna and Gertrude pretended to enter a nearby store and then entered into an alley, they slipped into a crowd and left that place.

Right after the two left, the preparation of shooting at the plaza began. So that the camera could project the situation of the city nicely, the gathering gallery was made to move. When the crowd stepped aside, the filming location’s state became bright.

At the center were the number one idols of Vatlantis Empire, it was not an exaggeration to say that right now this idol group was the national star.

“Then, we are starting the main event! Start!”

Voices of three girls came out with matched rhythm.

“ “ “Amaterasu strolling the city of Vatlantis~!” “ “

Amaterasu who was in the height of popularity was playing the role of presenter in an information variety show.

Himekawa, Yuris.h.i.+a, and Sylvia matched their voices to call the show t.i.tle. The spectators who heard the voices of the three in live raised their cheer in great delight and roared applauses that split the air. Every time, they visited the city of Vatlantis and the surrounding country and introduced the local while delivering various information about Vatlantis and Lemuria to the viewer, this was a popular show.

Himekawa who stood at the center of the three began to talk with the signal of the director.

“Previously we were delivering from the country of snow and ice Baldein but……”

“It was really cold there desuu~”

Perhaps the sensation of the cold was revived in her, Sylvia hugged her body while trembling.

“This time it feels like we have returned to our home ground after a long time aren’t we? Yes, today we are delivering this show from here, the imperial capital Zeltis as you see★”

Yuris.h.i.+a faced the camera and winked one of her eyes.

“Where are we going today desu?”

Himekawa faced the direction of the camera and answered with a firm tone.

“First is from Tisura Market in front of us right now. This market has ancient and honorable origin since the long past, there are a lot of delicious things here.”

“Recently you see, many natural disasters due to Genesis make this place receive damage, however this place is still going strong! Even the shop that sunk from the fissure is doing business energetically with their temporary store. In any case, if you viewers think that ‘that shop is gone already eh~’, then you are greatly mistakennn”

Himekawa smiled at Yuris.h.i.+a who was full of playfulness.

“Besides, there are many cases of the people who recently came to Zeltis from outside opening their shop, so you can also eat a lot of food that is overflowing with the sensation of foreign country here.”

“Even outside Zeltis there are a lot of desertification and ground crumbling, so there are also a lot of people evacuating. The shops that those people opened, as expected it must have authentic taste. Just walking around this market while eating will make you feel a little like in a travel. Well, as for us right now we are exactly in the middle of a trip in an alternate world though aren’t we?”

The gallery surrounding them gave off laughing voices.

Sylvia took a step forward and raised her hand while facing the camera.

“For the sake of supporting those people too, I want you honorable viewers to also show up here by any means desu.”

Himekawa looked around the surrounding with a twirl.

“Well then, fist which shop should we start going to?”

“I guess, it’s a little hard to choose but……ah! How about that one I wonder?”

Yuris.h.i.+a pointed at a lump of meat that was like lizard with six feet hung by its large tail from the ceiling. It was roasted whole and sc.r.a.ped off by sword to eat, a hearty cooking.

“Uwaa~ it has nice smell desu!”

“Then, should we go?”

And then the camera circled to chase the three heading at the store. The director staring at that situation from a slightly distance location narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. And then she began to talk to the female that seemed like a carrier woman standing beside her, the producer in charge of Amaterasu, Marisu.

“Geez― really nice aren’t they, Amaterasu. Recently it feels like they are increasingly getting on the mood see―”

Marisu also grinned cheerfully from those words.

“Thank you very much. The three of them are getting in the mood after all―”

“Who can imagine that idols who came from Lemuria will become this famous. Well, the way of living of those girls are also dramatic. When looking at those girls, it makes even me wanting to go to Lemuria. That magic power plant is fine, but I wonder if they will hasten the colonial policy there soon enough.”

“It really as you say.”

After that the shooting was progressing without problem and it was over three hours later. There were the tidying up of the equipment and various kind of work for the staffs, but Amaterasu and Marisu had to immediately move to the next scene without delay.

The limousine that was exclusive for Amaterasu’s use was specially made and prepared by the publicity department of Vatlantis Empire. The shape of its front half imitated dragon head and upper body while the rear half was for the pa.s.senger room. The car frame that was created in magic weapon quality was st.u.r.dy and could protect the pa.s.senger even in the small chance they were attacked by terrorist.

“Haa― I’m tireddd~ uuuuu”

Lying down on the fluffy seat, Yuris.h.i.+a raised a groaning voice as if spewing out her stress.

The seat were placed U-shaped and Yuris.h.i.+a was lying down at the farthest behind seat. At her left side was Himekawa sitting at the seat installed at the side of the car. She drank a gla.s.s of water with a single gulp and sighed in relieve.

“For some reason, especially recently the work feels like it increased though……”

“Unyuu……Sylvia ate too much, and feels really sleepy desu.”

At the opposite side of Himekawa was Sylvia who was sitting looking like she was really sleepy, her body was beginning to stagger left and right like a pendulum.

On the other hand, Marisu was full of vigor. When she came around to the back seat from the a.s.sistant driver seat, she sat next to Sylvia.

“It’s fine to sleep you know―. I’ll wake you up when we arrived!”

“Sorry, desu……desu”

Marisu pulled Sylvia’s body to herself. Sylvia’s body collapsed feebly following the pull and she began to breath like a sleeper on Marisu’s lap.

“So……where to next I wonderr?”

Yuris.h.i.+a who kept lying down let out a fed up voice.

“Err― let’s see, next is Holzon Hospital at Zeltis’s outskirt. It’s a visit to the hospital specialized for military personnel.”

Yuris.h.i.+a’s complexion changed.

“That’s……isn’t that quite strange? Because, they are the opponent we fought right?”

Hearing those words, Himekawa also knitted her eyebrows from realization.

“Certainly……people resenting us…….”

Maris waved her hand with a smile.

“No no, of course we will avoid the patients that partic.i.p.ated in the battle against Lemuria. It will mainly be the patient that came from the civil war and war with the surrounding country……the injured soldiers from the war with Izgard and Baldein.”

The car finally came out the street and traversed the wasteland. Himekawa and Yuris.h.i.+a were shocked that inside the castle wall there was area other than city. According to Marisu’s story, it seemed that previously this area was ranch area and gra.s.slands.

Before long they came to see Holzon Hospital from afar. Similar with Zeltis, it was a black splendorous building. The hospital’s size was near the scale of university hospital in earth, but above all the fact that the hospital was colored black made Yuris.h.i.+a and Himekawa felt discomfort.

The sleeping Sylvia woke up and the three got down the car while still harboring anxiety. Marisu said that just now, but as expected wouldn’t there many people that held antipathy to them. They were anxious about that matter.

But, the hospital staff that welcomed them, and then the patients welcoming att.i.tude quickly blown away that anxiety. The instant they entered the hospital lobby, shockingly there was welcoming paper cracker raining down at them. It was not really paper but light fragments made from magic power, the fragments sparkled and melted when touching the body before vanis.h.i.+ng.

What surprised them next were the welcoming words pasted on the wall. Those words were also written by sorcery, but what made them surprised was that they were written in j.a.panese and English.

“How is it? The patients were the one preparing those words handmade you know?”

A nurse asked with a cheerful voice.

Yuris.h.i.+a shrugged her shoulders and murmured awkwardly.

“I say…….I’m beaten. I give up already.”

They quickly mingled with the patients greeting them at the lobby and after that, for the sake of the patients that couldn’t wake up from the bed they made a round at each hospital wards.

Even the injured people lying down on the bed had their eyes sparkling when they saw the figure of the three.

“Even now I cannot believe that the three of you really come visiting here. It’s like a dream……excuse me, can I ask you for autograph……”

A patient with both legs injured lying down on the bed timidly presented a transparent board from under the blanket. It was like the square cardboard for autograph in earth.

Himekawa answered with a smile.

“Yes, that’s fine. For whom I’m signing this? Or else do you want the other two signing this too?”

“I, I’m the fans of Hayuru-chan! Please Hayuru-chan sign it!”

“Eh? M, me?”

Himekawa got slightly fl.u.s.tered, but she still signed the board wholeheartedly.

At that time, there was a little commotion from the corridor. The nurse guiding them around made a dubious look and stared at the direction of the door.

“I’ll go look for a little.”

The nurse left from that place and opened the door to peek at the situation outside. At that moment, a small shadow slipped under the flank of the nurse and rushed into the room.

“Ah! Hey, wait!”

Shaking off the restrain of the nurse, the one who finally came before the Amaterasu was a pet.i.te girl. Her height was around the same like Sylvia. Looking from the patient gown she was wearing, she seemed to be a hospitalized patient. Her forehead was sweating, perhaps from running or arguing with the nurse outside, her breath was also ragged.

The nurse trying to pin her down from behind was stopped by the raised hand of Yuris.h.i.+a. Yuris.h.i.+a smiled at the sudden intruder.

“Do you have any business with us?”

The girl didn’t answer Yuris.h.i.+a’s question. In exchange, she faced Sylvia with tormented eyes.

――Sylvia opened her eyes wide at that girl’s appearance.

“Yo……you are……”

The girl opened her mouth resolutely.

“Sa, say-, you are Sylvia-san of Amaterasu……aren’t you?”

“……-!”

Sylvia’s lips trembled. However, no word came out from that little mouth. Her purple eyes shook from surprise.

She had seen the girl who came before her eyes before.

Pet.i.te body. Rolled twintail. Large eyes and cute face.

However, why was she here she wondered.

Noticing how odd Sylvia’s state was, Yuris.h.i.+a called to her worriedly.

“What’s the matter Sylvia?”

Himekawa also tilted her head.

“This child, I feels like I have seen her somewhere……by any chance, is she Sylvia-chan’s acquaintance?”

――Acquaintance.

Could that way of saying it be used?

Even though once they had the relations.h.i.+p of scrambling for each other’s life.

The girl’s name was Ragrus.

At the occasion of the Tokyo recapture operation, she was the opponent she acted a mortal combat with.

Ragrus controlled a gigantic magic armor Demon, she was a member of the imperial guard. In a fight where life was staked with Sylvia’s Taros, Ragrus wrung out all her magic power and released her trump card [Inferno]. And then, Sylvia thought that Ragrus might had lost her life due to that.

Right after that, Sylvia and others became prisoner and taken into this Vatlantis, so she didn’t know of what happened with Tokyo since then. Naturally, she also had no way to know about the life and death of Ragrus.

But the one in front of her eyes was undoubtedly Ragrus of that time. And then she was sending Sylvia a heated gaze. That gaze fastened the beat of Sylvia’s heart and then made her heart beat fiercely. It felt like that even now her heart was going to leap out.

Ragrus squeezed out a trembling voice.

“E, err, I, no, no matter what, want to…….meet you.”

“-……!!”

Fear was born inside Sylvia’s heart. The inside of her chest was cold like refrigerator, and cold sweat flowed on her back.

What would she do to her Sylvia wondered. Did she want revenge, to kill her? Had what she did to the opponent in front of her was really that much she wondered.

Tears blurred Ragrus’s eyes and she announced with a loud voice where she seemed to muster her courage.

“I’m-, a big fans of Sylvia!”

For an instant, the inside of Sylvia’s head was pure white.

“……Eh?”

Ragrus looked down with a bright red face. And then while the fingers of both her hands fumbled at each other, she began to talk with a small voice.

“That, it seems that I was discovered at Lemuria but……I don’t remember anything. I don’t understand anything at all about before I came to this hospital.”

Sylvia gulped.

‘――That’s, because of Sylvia’s fault…….’

“The captain of imperial guard visited and said that I was a member of the imperial guard, that really made me surprised. But, I don’t understand……what should I do from now on……my, magic power is gone, and I cannot do anything……”

The last part was said with voice that seemed to vanish into thin air. And then she stayed quiet for a while without saying anything.

Sylvia didn’t understand, what kind of reply that she should say to her.

An apology? Maybe sympathy? Or else explanation?

Looking at the figure of the first enemy she encountered and defeated, Sylvia felt like she was bound hand and foot and became unable to move.

Ragrus glanced up with a sad face and stared at Sylvia. Thereupon, her gaze was rapidly changing into an entranced gaze.

“Bu……but, at that kind of time……I saw Amaterasu in TV.”

Ragrus put together the fingers of both her hand and slowly closed her eyes.

“The debut live, it was really amazing……it looked like the world of dream. Sylvia-chan looked like an angel, it was like the self that I lost in Lemuria, was discovered back by Sylvia-chan……I know that there is no such thing but, that’s how I felt. I felt really inspired then.”

Ragrus spoke dreamily. It was as if the memory was vividly scorched into her mind, where she replayed it inside her head many times over. At that time Ragrus’s expression looked really happy.

“That’s why, when I heard that Sylvia-chan is coming to this hospital, it felt like my heart was going to stop.”

Ragrus opened her eyes while letting out a giggle.

Those pure eyes constricted Sylvia’s heart. The pain that squeezed the inside of her chest caused an indescribable emotion trickled down.

“I was told that I cannot meet you, but I want to convey my feeling no matter what……because I was saved by Sylvia-chan. That’s why――”

At that time, tears spilled out from Sylvia’s eyes.

“E……eh!? E, err, Sylvia-chan?”

“I’m sorry……desu.”

Large beads of tear were overflowing one after another without stopping. Sylvia looked down while covering her face with both her hands. From her lips that was trying to endure, a sobbing leaked out. Himekawa rushed to her in panic and embraced Sylvia’s shoulders.

“Wa, wait Sylvia-chan!? What’s the matter?”

However the one who panicked the most was Ragrus. She was restlessly looking around with a bright red face.

“That, I, something……th, that, what to do……I’m sorry! I did something, to Sylvia-chan……aa, really I’m……sorry! Anyway I’m sorry-“

Sylvia shook her head toward Ragrus who was fl.u.s.tered a lot and apologized earnestly.

“That’s not it desu. You didn’t do anything bad desu. I’m sorry…….desu.”

Marisu quickly cut in front of Sylvia.

“I’m sorry. Err, Ragrus-chan right? It looks like Sylvia-chan is not feeling too well. We are happy that you went through trouble to come greeting Sylvia-chan but, today seems like……see?”

“Bu, but……I, being hated by Sylvia-chan is……I don’t understand, what is this about……I, what should I……”

Ragrus was in a really panicked state.

Yuris.h.i.+a immediately embraced Ragrus’s trembling body.

“It’s okay. You are not actually hated or anything by Sylvia-chan. I guarantee that! Rather Sylvia is really happy right now. She is deeply moved by you.”

“Bu, but……”

Caressing the head of Ragrus who seemed to be still anxious, Himekawa also cheered her up.

“It’s true. This me too guarantee it. That’s why, can you please forgive Sylvia for today?”

“That’s! Obviously. No, this is not about forgiving or not forgiving!”

“Is that so, thank you.”

Smiling at Ragrus who replied firmly, Himekawa and Yuris.h.i.+a separated their bodies. After promising that they would come again, the two of them embraced Sylvia from both side and exited the hospital room.

After Marisu informed the director about the photo session suspension and the cut of the event, she led Amaterasu and exited the hospital. And then after they got on the car parking at the front gate, they left behind Holzon hospital. The car was running on the street of the wasteland heading toward the center of Zeltis.

In the middle of the way, they was able to hear the particular of the story from Sylvia who had recovered her calm.

Yuris.h.i.+a crossed her arms and nodded largely.

“――I see now. So she is the pilot of that large magic armor at that time of Tokyo recapture operation. I had never met her face to face, so I didn’t notice.”

Himekawa too was in a state that couldn’t hide her surprise.

&l