Episode 3: Forthorthian Holiday
Trying to return from Forthorthe of the past to present-day Earth, Koutarou and Clan ran into a big problem. Her spaceship, the Cradle, was damaged and wasn’t capable of spaceflight.
The part of the ship in question was actually a small part, and as long as Clan could get her hands on a replacement, she would be able to finish repairs within five minutes. But that part wasn’t something she could get her hands on two thousand years in the past. So Koutarou and Clan had to wait around until its technology advanced enough for the part to be manufactured.
There were two things they needed in order to be able to wait for two thousand years. One was the technology to stop time, and the other was a place where they could safely wait out the two thousand years. The former was something the Cradle was already equipped with, and Clan had an idea for the latter.
The place she had in mind was called Veltlion’s special territory. Alaia would later declare its domain inviolable, so Clan would take her ship there to hide. They would then freeze time aboard the ship and wait two thousand years.
“It’s done.”
“Are you sure? It doesn’t feel like anything happened...”
“That’s only natural. Time did stop for us, after all.”
It didn’t feel like it to Koutarou. He’d just been watching Clan work away fastidiously at the operator’s panel, and the moment had come and gone without any sort of indication. It was nothing like what he’d expected.
“I thought it would glow or shake or something...”
“I imagine that it did, but since we were frozen in time, we couldn’t perceive it.”
“So we’re twenty years in the past now?”
“That’s right. If you step outside, you can see for yourself.”
Using the Cradle’s ability to distort space-time, Clan had altered the speed at which time progressed inside the ship compared to the outside. With that, two thousand years had passed in the blink of an eye. There had indeed been glowing and shaking, but that only lasted for a few seconds on the outside, so there was no way it was perceivable to Koutarou on the inside.
“However, it isn’t exactly twenty years in the past.”
Clan continued to work away at the panel as she explained things to Koutarou. She had to confirm the Cradle’s current condition and the like, so there was a lot to do.
“What do you mean?”
“People celebrating the bimillennial anniversary of Alaia-san’s ascension might be there if we’d arrived precisely two thousand years in the future, no? I set it so that we’d arrive a little before the ceremony.”
“I see.”
While Veltlion’s special territory was an inviolable domain decreed by Alaia and entry was normally forbidden, it didn’t mean that people couldn’t enter at all. Members of the Pardomshiha family, in charge of managing the territory, would regularly patrol the area, and historical programs could get permission to film in the area on the condition that they didn’t disturb the environment.
And since exactly twenty years in the past would be the bimillennial anniversary of Alaia’s ascension to the throne, there would inevitably be people there to celebrate. Which was why Clan had adjusted the time so that they wouldn’t accidentally run into anyone.
“Then I’ll take a look outside. You keep doing what you’re doing.”
“I’m counting on you.”
Koutarou left Clan behind and exited the cockpit. Since she had plenty of things to check on, he went outside to confirm that it was safe.
“But don’t go too far.”
As Koutarou left the cockpit and entered the living quarters, Clan’s hologram appeared and moved along with him.
“Yeah, I know you get lonely easily.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
“Don’t worry. There’s no way I would leave my beloved Princess Clariossa behind and vanish.”
“You... I will kill you one day...”
Clan’s hologram was there to assist him. As long as he stayed in range of the Cradle, he could talk to Clan and she could offer support with equipment from the ship. That was why she had told him not to go too far away. Koutarou knew what she meant, but pretended to misunderstand on purpose to tease her a little. That irritated her, even more so than usual since she actually was feeling a little lonely. Because of that, her tone of voice and eyes became more aggressive than normal.
“When we get back to the future, prepare yourself for pain!”
“Oh, are you gonna teach me a Forthorthian sport?”
“Jeez, I hate that side of you!”
While listening to Clan’s angry voice, Koutarou walked through the living quarters and headed for the airlock leading outside. Doors and hatches opened automatically for him, one after another. That was thanks to Clan.
“Isn’t it a little bit too late for us to fight?”
“Then stop with that provoking attitude!”
As Clan’s bitter voice rang out from her projection, the last hatch opened before Koutarou. As it did, a warm breeze blew in from the outside.
Wow, two thousand years really have passed...
Koutarou and Clan had parted with Alaia and the others in the cold of winter. So the change in temperature alone made Koutarou appreciate the difference—time really had gone by without them.
“Yeah, my bad.”
“Seriously now... That aside, I don’t want to get into the same kind of trouble we did two thousand years ago. Let’s be careful in this age.”
“That was the plan, but... there’s something I want to apologize for.”
“What?”
“It’s already too late.”
Just outside of the Cradle on the other side of the airlock was a lone girl who had fallen on her butt. She was staring blankly up at Koutarou with an astonished look on her face.
Theia...?
Koutarou was just as surprised as the girl was. He had been startled by her sudden appearance, but what shocked him the most was her looks. She was the spitting image of someone he remembered very vividly, except that she was taller, her face was more mature, and her hair was much longer. Since they were in a different age, he knew right away that it couldn’t be her, but he couldn’t hide his surprise at the similarities between them.
The girl was there because she was an archaeologist. Her archaeology team was working to shed light on the many mysteries surrounding the life of Forthorthe’s legendary hero, the Blue Knight. Research on the Blue Knight was mostly centered around the notes that the famous Silver Princess, Alaia, had left behind. But it wasn’t like she’d been able to record every detail about him. Different approaches and methods of study were essential to filling in the blanks.
But no matter how much material was gathered, there were still two major unanswered questions regarding the Blue Knight. Where did the Blue Knight come from? And where did he go?
The Blue Knight’s appearance and life had made a profound impression on the nation. Even two thousand years later, he was still beloved and remembered by the citizenry. But very few people had actually ever known him. He’d disappeared after the war without a trace. And not even people who had known him were able to enlighten his origins.
Because of that, there were a lot of theories about him in the field of archeology. As for where he’d came from, some people said he was from a distant country or even a love child of some noble. As for where he’d disappeared to, popular theories included he had went into voluntary exile, died from wounds suffered in the war, or was assassinated. And that was just the tip of the iceberg.
But these theories were all largely suppositions not based on any fact or evidence. Not even the most credible among them had corroborating proof from multiple sources. If only those parts had been written down in Alaia’s notes... But sadly, they hadn’t. Some archaeologists even suspected that Alaia had omitted that information on purpose.
And if that were the case, the Blue Knight’s secrets might lie somewhere in Veltlion’s special territory. That was what this girl had felt when she applied to do an archeological investigation in the area. Normally such applications would be rejected. Veltlion’s special territory was granted to the Blue Knight by Alaia, meaning that not even royalty could do as they pleased there.
But this girl had something special working in her favor. Forthorthe would soon be celebrating the bimillennial anniversary of Alaia’s ascension. To commemorate it, all kinds of events honoring the Blue Knight and the Silver Princess had been planned. If a new discovery were made in time for the celebration, it would serve as the crowning feature of the anniversary.
On top of that, the citizens were terribly excited. Blue and silver decorations filled the cities. Several movies were being screened, some of which were even based off of the findings of this girl’s archeological work. Capitalizing on that celebratory mood would go a long way for her in gaining the support and understanding of the citizens. Parliament could even intervene on her behalf as well. The political groundwork for that was already being laid under the surface.
All that was needed now was some proof or incentive. If she found something related to the Blue Knight and announced it to the public, surely the people would be in favor of a large-scale investigation in the area.
That’s why this girl had secretly entered Veltlion’s special territory. And what she found there far, far exceeded her expectations.
It was inside a large cave in Veltlion’s special territory.
This cave was said to be one of the bases that the Silver Princess and the Blue Knight used in the fight against the coup d’etat army. And there was plenty of archeological evidence to support it, consisting primarily of plates, cups, and other items that had resisted the wear and tear of time.
And all the way in the back of the cave was a stone monument that Alaia had erected after the war, engraved with the following epitaph: “May the knights who left for the other side of the sky rest peacefully. Let none disturb their sleep.” She’d constructed it as a memorial for the soldiers that had fallen in the war.
And so, when the girl saw what was on the other side of the monument, she thought she was seeing things. The readings she had just taken told her that the monument was over two thousand years old, and the weathered condition of the monument and its engraved text backed that.
“This is impossible...”
That meant anything on the other side of the monument had to be equally as old, if not older. It had to be.
“What is this...?”
But the other side of the monument was a small spaceship. More precisely, it was the airlock hatch on the side of the ship. And it was slowly opening up in front of the girl who had fallen backwards onto her rear end in surprise.
“I don’t understand... but this must be the answer...”
Endless time and immeasurable distance.
Those words echoed inside of the girl’s head. She could barely understand what was happening, but she was convinced that she was facing the hidden truth of Forthorthe.
Since the girl had just confirmed the age of the spaceship and she saw him come out of it as it opened, she immediately put two and two together and realized that Koutarou was the Blue Knight. After all, if he emerged from a sealed ship that was two thousand years old, that meant that he was two thousand years old as well. There was no other explanation. She was convinced.
“Time travel...? Then you really are Layous-sama?!”
“No, that’s not it. I got in the way of the Blue Knight and the Silver Princess meeting, so I just played the part as his substitute.”
“But if you were there from beginning to end, then you are Layous-sama in this world. That is a historical fact... Wow, it’s the real Blue Knight!”
The girl was squirming and squealing. Pointing a camera at Koutarou, she snapped one picture after another. She looked less like an archaeologist and more like a fan meeting her favorite idol.
“Like I said, I’m not the Blue Knight...”
“Why don’t you give up and admit it already, Veltlion?”
“How irresponsible... Besides, it’s because you called me Veltlion that she found out.”
“Ugh... Th-That’s...”
Koutarou and Clan were resigned. Since the girl was an archaeologist, there was no way they would be able to fool her on facts or details. And on top of that, she had evidence, so there was nothing they could do. As Koutarou and Clan both slumped their shoulders in defeat, the girl finished up with her pictures and sidled up to them.
“Heehee, I’m sure everyone would be surprised when they find out that Layous-sama was actually an alien...”
She was smiling from ear to ear as she clutched her camera to her chest. She looked like a child who had just gotten her birthday present.
“About that... Could you wait a while before making it public?”
They had given up on keeping the truth from her, but there was one thing they absolutely couldn’t back down on. And that was the truth getting out.
“Why, Layous-sama?”
The girl had a confused look on her face. It was impossible to lie to someone as keen as she was. They would need to persuade her using the truth.
“That’s... Um, Clan?”
Koutarou had wanted to explain it himself, but he quickly abandoned that idea. He felt like Clan would be able explain it far better than him.
“Jeez... You really only need me at times like these.”
Clan seemed a bit annoyed as she adjusted her glasses, but she started explaining the situation.
“We told you that we were trying to protect history in the past , yes?”
“Yes... You travelled to the past, but Layous-sama wasn’t there. That’s why you served as his replacement so you could return to your own time.”
“The truth is... this is still the past to us.”
“Then that means that you don’t want to change history now either?”
“That’s right. In the future we came from, the Blue Knight’s identity is still unknown.”
“Then if I announce the truth...”
“History would change, and we would never be able to return to our own world. In fact, who knows what would happen to us?”
If the girl publicly revealed the truth of what happened two thousand years ago, the Earthling named Satomi Koutarou would become known as the Blue Knight all throughout Forthorthe. Which meant that there was next to no chance that Theia would come to invade. Which in turn meant that Koutarou would no longer be able to become the Blue Knight. Of course, Clan most likely wouldn’t come to Earth either, which would also mean that they’d never travel to the past using the Super-Space-time Repulsion Shell.
With all that, there was no way of knowing what would happen to the current versions of Koutarou and Clan. Rather than just being prevented from returning to their own world, it might be something far worse. But regardless of what the consequences were, it wasn’t something that they wanted.
“At the very least, could you keep it quiet until Veltlion and I leave? Please.”
“But...”
Archaeology was the girl’s raison d’être. She was especially enthusiastic when it came to the Blue Knight. But revealing the truth about the Blue Knight would put his very existence in danger. It was a painful problem for the girl.
“You’re asking me to run down the previously set rails of time?”
“Sadly... I’m afraid Veltlion and I have no other option but to ask you to do so. We’ll leave the decision up to you, however.”
Since Koutarou and Clan needed to return to their world, twenty years from where they were now, they couldn’t keep watch over this girl forever. They had no control over what she would do after they left. All they could do was plead with her in the here and now.
In order for Koutarou and Clan to explain the situation in more detail, they invited the girl aboard the Cradle. They were currently preparing tea using leaves they’d obtained two thousand years in the past.
“Could this be the extinct Rubustori tea?!”
“Extinct?”
“Yes! These leaves were harvested from Rubustori trees, but due to a rash of disease from out of the country about eight hundred years ago, they’re now extinct. There are a few remaining samples of a subspecies that had some resistance to the disease, but... I’m moved to be able to drink this, Layous-sama!”
“Hey, Clan, sounds like our favorite tea has gone extinct.”
“That’s no problem. I acquired some of the seeds for research.”
“You have seeds?!”
“I do. Would you like to take some with you?”
“Please, I would gladly take some!”
The Cradle’s living quarters contained a mountain of treasures for the girl. Marvels of the future and relics of the past existed together in plenty. She was surprised no matter where she looked. There was no end to the excitement. Her favorite things so far—as expected—were Signaltin and Koutarou’s armor. The girl was absolutely fascinated with them and could barely take her eyes off of them. Even now she was relishing the sight of Signaltin, which had been pulled from its sheath, while drinking her extinct tea in delight.
“Veltlion, come over here for a moment.”
Waiting for the girl to get distracted by the items inside the living quarters, Clan called Koutarou over. There was something she wanted to talk with him about in secret.
“What is it?”
Koutarou spoke in a hushed whisper when he walked over to Clan. He could tell that she wanted to keep whatever it was quiet just based on her behavior. After all the time they’d spend together, he knew her at least that well.
“It’s about that girl’s identity.”
“Elle said she was an archeologist... right?”
When Koutarou and Clan had brought her inside the Cradle, the girl had introduced herself as an archaeologist named Elle. Since he had no particular reason to suspect her, Koutarou believed her.
“Yes, but she actually has another title.”
“What do you mean?”
“Before that, excuse me for a moment...”
“Mmph?”
Before she said anything more, Clan covered Koutarou’s mouth with her hands.
“That girl is Theiamillis’ mother.”
“Mmmhhhhhhhhmm?!”
Just as Clan had anticipated, Koutarou let of a cry of surprise. But since she had taken preemptive measures, his voice didn’t reach Princess Elfaria. Clan waited until he had finished shouting before letting him go.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Her age fits, she’s an archaeologist, and her name is Elle. Most of all, she looks just like Theiamillis-san, right? There’s no doubt.”
“That’s not good...”
Koutarou could understand the gravity of the situation well enough. If Elle was Theia’s mother, then they were in a very precarious situation.
“So please be careful about what you say.”
“Roger that. I’ll watch out. You be careful too, Clan. If you make another misstep like before, it might be fatal.”
“Indeed. I’ll take that to heart.”
If Elfaria’s life changed because of something Koutarou or Clan said, Theia might not ever be born. And if she was, Elfaria may come to call her by a different name. Even a change like that might prevent them from returning home. This chance encounter put them in a position where they might have a direct effect on Theia’s life. The risk was huge.
“Layous-sama, Clan-san! What are you talking about?”
That was when Elfaria approached the two of them with a smile. She was more interested in Koutarou than Signaltin and the armor. As an archaeologist, and as a girl.
“That’s...”
“We were talking about what to do next.”
Koutarou stumbled on the sudden question, but Clan followed up without missing a beat.
“What to do next... By the way, why did you awaken in this age, Layous-sama?”
“Actually, our ship is malfunctioning. We had to wait for the part we needed to be invented before we could get one.”
“For a part...?”
“Yes, and the problem now is how we get our hands on that part.”
Clan crossed her arms and furrowed her brow. This was a problem that she had been racking her brain over for quite a while.
“Huh? Can’t we just buy it?”
“It’s not a part you can just buy.”
“What do you mean? Surely you’re not using illegal parts.”
“This one’s not! It’s just that this part is special, so it’s not in general circulation. There’s no telling if we’ll be able to buy one in this age when we can’t reveal our identities.”
“‘This one’s not’? That means you’re using other illegal parts, doesn’t it?”
“Th-That was in the past! I don’t anymore!”
Clan desperately tried to explain herself. In the past, she’d never hesitated to use illegal products. But she was different now. She had matured as a princess.
“I know. Don’t get so angry. But what do we do?”
“Well, either we ask someone we can trust... or in the worst case, we’ll just have to acquire it illegally...”
Clan was red in the face. Since she had just said that she didn’t use illegal parts, she was a bit embarrassed to admit she might go back on that as a last resort.
“Don’t worry, Clan. If I ask you to do it, it’s technically not illegal. Did you forget about Empress Alaia’s exemption?”
“Th-That’s right!”
Clan had been more concerned about what Koutarou would think of her than the fact that it was illegal, so hearing his support on the matter was a relief.
“Layous-sama, you don’t have to do anything questionable. There’s a better way.”
That was when Elfaria, still smiling, joined the conversation.
“What do you mean?” Koutarou asked.
“I can help. Despite how I look, I’m quite a high-class lady, so I think I can get my hands on this part.”
Elfaria’s real name was Elfaria Kua Forthorthe. She still hadn’t yet acquired the title of Dana, which would indicate her status as empress, but she was still the lone daughter of the oldest of the royal families, the Mastirs. As Elfaria said, there were very few ladies in the entire galaxy that were on her level.
Koutarou and Clan agreed to Elfaria’s suggestion. After discussing the details, Elfaria temporarily returned to town on her own. She needed to find stores that had the part in question, and chaos would break out if she didn’t return to the hotel where she was staying for the night. A search party would be sent out immediately.
“Well then, Layous-sama, Clan-sama, see you tomorrow!”
“Yeah.”
“Farewell, Elfaria-san.”
Elfaria turned around several times and waved her hand as she headed towards the exit of the cave. Koutarou and Clan were seeing her off from just outside of the airlock of the Cradle.
“Hey, Clan, being a high-class lady sure seems like it has its share of problems.”
“I can’t let that one slide. I’m just as much of a high-class lady as her, you know.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot.”
Koutarou’s comment irritated Clan, but that anger faded away as she looked at his face. She understood that he wasn’t teasing her. So she swallowed the words that were about to come out of her mouth, and said something else instead.
“...By the way, Veltlion, should you have made a promise like that?”
“Like what?”
“Compensating her for her help. Giving her your data, I mean. Isn’t that too dangerous?”
In exchange for her assistance, Elfaria wanted data on Koutarou. It started with the records from the past, but she also wanted the specs of his armor and its operational data, a 3D model of Signaltin, and so on. In total, the list of what she asked for was extensive. Though it didn’t include information that might change the future, Clan still felt that it was dangerous.
“Even though she might not look all that reliable, Elle is Theia’s mother. I want to believe in her.”
Koutarou shrugged as he smiled at Clan. Seeing his smile, Clan recalled Koutarou’s family situation. After the time they’d spent together, she’d gotten a grasp of what his family life was like. Based on that, she could somehow understand his reason for wanting to trust Elfaria, so she chose not to voice any further complaints.
“I’ll believe in her too then.”
“That’s good... Okay, Clan, let’s eat.”
Koutarou smiled at Clan before turning around and heading back into the Cradle. Just as he put his hand on the airlock, he caught a glimpse of the stone monument that had been pushed to the side nearby.
“Is... that...”
The stone monument had a familiar crest engraved in it. As Koutarou approached it, he removed the sheathed sword hanging from his waist and held it up next to the crest.
“It is. This is Empress Alaia’s crest...”
Signaltin had been engraved with Alaia’s crest ever since its awakening, and it was identical to the one on the monument.
“What’s the matter, Veltlion?”
Noticing Koutarou’s behavior, Clan walked up to him.
“Take a look, Clan. It looks like Her Majesty helped us out.”
Koutarou moved over a little to make room for Clan, and she looked down at the monument alongside him. She then read the ancient inscription engraved on it.
“‘May the knights who left for the other side of the sky rest peacefully. Let none disturb their sleep.’ Huh...”
“It looks like Empress Alaia knew we were here.”
“I’m sure of it. And that’s why she made this area an inviolable domain...”
“Your Majesty...”
Koutarou’s chest suddenly felt warm and tears formed in his eyes. The bonds they had supposedly left behind two thousand years in the past were still protecting them even now. He couldn’t keep his cool after coming face to face with proof of that.
“Thank you so much, Your Majesty...”
Koutarou squatted down by the stone monument and traced the engraved letters with his finger. As he did, he felt like he could feel Alaia’s presence. He was sure she had knelt here and done the same thing.
“Say, Clan...”
“What?” she asked, her voice surprisingly gentle.
“We have a place we have to return to, so we couldn’t change history. That’s why... I know we had to do this, but I...”
Koutarou’s tears fell on the monument, just above Alaia’s crest. They flowed down into it and disappeared.
“But... even... even then, it’s so hard...”
“It is, Veltlion... It really is...”
Tears glimmered in Clan’s eyes behind her glasses. But she didn’t know why she was crying. In the past, she’d never cared about others. Her tears, however, were proof that she had formed a tight bond. So she didn’t fight them, and simply cried together with Koutarou.
Elfaria witnessed it all. She’d forgotten the tea seeds and left them on the table in the Cradle. She turned back around as soon as she remembered, but her playfulness got the better of her, so she decided to sneak up on her two new friends so she could surprise them.
“Layous-sama... can you...”
However, just before she was about to jump out, she overheard Koutarou and Clan’s conversation. And when she did, she immediately understood that now wasn’t the time for something like that.
“Can you only live according to the fate prepared for you as well...?”
Elfaria was the crown princess. As things were, she would eventually become empress. But she wasn’t satisfied with that. She wanted to live freely rather than following a path that had been laid out for her. That was one of the reasons for why she had devoted herself to her research. When Koutarou appeared before her, she’d hoped that he would be the one to free her from her path.
“Layous-sama...”
But it seemed that Koutarou was someone else who was bound by what fate had in store for him. Realizing that, Elfaria was disappointed. But at the same time, there were other emotions budding within her—sympathy for the suffering Koutarou, and a sense of yearning born from that sympathy.
Koutarou and the others were using Elfaria’s private plane to travel from Veltlion’s special territory to the capital city of Fornorn. Koutarou was surprised that the flight took less than hour. He’d assumed it was farther than that based on how long it had taken to walk on foot.
“To think that long and painful journey could be over and done with in just an hour...”
It was a strange feeling. His journey had started just before the Mastir checkpoint. They’d crossed the mountains and checkpoint, and then cut across the Mastir territory. From there, they then forcibly broke through the border to the Pardomshiha territory, pushing forward to what would later be known as Veltlion’s special territory. Since that journey had taken place only a few months ago, Koutarou remembered very clearly just how hard it had been.
“It took the same amount of time when we travelled from the capital to the cave in the Cradle, remember?”
“But we were running around all over the place looking for somewhere to hide the Cradle back then.”
“Layous-sama, look. We can see Fornorn now.”
As they reached Fornorn’s airspace, Elfaria ordered her private plane to lower its altitude. The plane dropped below the clouds, revealing the city. It was a massive metropolis filled with skyscrapers. It greatly resembled what one would expect to see of a large city on Earth, with the addition of plenty of greenery. It had skillfully been added into the city planning to soften the sharpness of the modern cityscape.
“This is amazing... So from where to where is Fornorn?”
“Oh, silly Layous-sama... Everything you can see is Fornorn.”
Elfaria smiled at Koutarou’s question. She wanted to boast about the large capital, but she also found his reaction amusing.
“Veltlion, that large dome you see over there was built on the ruins of the coliseum. And the largest tower you can see over there is just around the north gate.”
“I see... Thanks.”
In the end, it was Clan who told him what he really wanted to know. He was interested in how big Fornorn had grown compared to two thousand years, and for that, Elfaria’s explanation was insufficient.
“To think that Fornorn has turned into this...”
In Koutarou’s memories, Fornorn only had buildings made out of brick, stone, and wood. At most, they were three stories tall. Excluding the royal palace and the magician’s tower, of course.
But in the current Fornorn, high-rises were commonplace. The tallest, of which there were quite a few, reached over a kilometer into the sky. Moreover, the buildings here weren’t made out of concrete like he was used to, but some lustrous material he’d never seen before. It truly looked like a futuristic city out of a movie.
“Guess it was inevitable... It’s been two thousand years, after all...”
From the sky, Fornorn bore no resemblance to its past self. So to him, it was just like any other unfamiliar place. It didn’t feel like he had returned to the capital, which made him feel wistful.
“Even though it might not look the same, this is the country that you and Alaia-san protected. This isn’t like you, Veltlion. It’s like a knight getting flustered because the decorations on his sword changed.”
“...What’s important is what’s inside, huh? You’re right. Thank you, Clan.”
Clan’s words changed Koutarou’s perspective. It brought him back to himself.
Layous-sama and Clan-sama sure have a strong bond...
Elfaria was looking at the two and slumped her shoulders. She hadn’t understood the meaning of Koutarou’s question, nor had she been able to say anything when she saw him looking plaintive. But Clan had easily found the answer to both. Since Elfaria had only just met Koutarou, that much was to be expected, but she couldn’t help but feel depressed since she felt like she was losing out as a princess.
If there’s no bond, then I’ll just make one! I won’t lose to this fate!
However, Elfaria wasn’t one to get discouraged by something like that. She could take a hit if need be. And even though she didn’t wish for the throne, she had the qualities of an empress.
Seeing Fornorn from the surface didn’t have the same level of impact it did from the air. When you couldn’t see past the buildings in front of you, it felt just like being in a city on Earth. Buildings lined the wide roads with vehicles going up and down them. Of course there were differences in the details, but the overall impression was the same.
“I think I’ve managed to calm down.”
“Please don’t look around so much. You look like a country bumpkin. It’s embarrassing.”
That might not have been the case if it had just been the two of them, but with Elfaria with them now, Clan was a little more sensitive than usual.
“All right, I’ve ranked up.”
“Eh?”
“You used to call me a neanderthal, remember? So being a country bumpkin is a big step forward.”
“Is that true, Clan-san?! How could you say something so audacious to Layous-sama?!”
“W-Wait a moment! That was before I knew who he was!”
The three of them were currently on the move, having changed their mode of transportation to a car—though one far different from what you would find on Earth. It didn’t need a driver, and the vehicle itself floated above the road. It only needed its tires when it was stopped or broken down. And since it ran on electricity, the interior of the car was very quiet, with nothing hindering the discussion between the three passengers.
“Hahh...”
Even Clan’s sigh reached Koutarou’s ears.
“What’s wrong?”
“Look over there. You can see the Schweiger residence.”
The Schweiger family residence was inside the Fornorn city limits. It looked like an annexation of several large research facilities, and could easily be seen even from afar. It slowly passed by as the car moved along, and for some reason, Clan seemed to be suffering a little.
“Hey!”
A thud rang out.
“Ow! What are you doing?!”
“You didn’t look like a girl who was finally able to return home after going through such a trying journey... Now that you’ve gotten your energy back, tell me what’s up, Clan.”
“You really are... If you want to comfort me, there are softer ways of doing it.”
Clan shot a nasty look at Koutarou. But thanks to him, her pained expression from just a moment ago was gone.
“...This is the world twenty years in the past, right?”
“Supposedly. It only looks like the future to me, though.”
“In that case, my grandmother will pass away soon.”
Clan’s expression turned dark once more. She was recalling the death of a family member, and was wondering what she should do.
“Do you want to save her?”
In Forthorthe of the past, they had tried to save everyone in danger, regardless of what history dictated. And by that mindset, Clan should save her grandmother now that she was here and had the chance.
“I would like to, but the situation is complicated.”
“What do you mean?”
“Grandmother will die five years from now. Since I know what the disease she passed away from is called, it probably won’t kill her if I intervene now... It was brought on by aging...”
“Natural causes as they call it, huh?”
“Yes. But... should I really change history? Grandmother apparently wasn’t very Schweiger-like. After her death, her fortune was invested into a lot of different funds as per her will. The amount of children that her money saved should be quite considerable.”
“That does make it a difficult decision...”
Clan was worrying because she had a very complicated problem on her hands. Her grandmother would die because it was her time, but Clan was resistant to simply letting a blood relative pass away. Yet on the other hand, her death would lead to great things.
Up until the day she died, Clan’s grandmother continued to increase her assets, and she left it all to good causes. Saving her now would delay that donation, which would deny help to children who needed it. The lives her money could save immediately would be lost. That said, the longer Clan’s grandmother lived, the more she’d be able to increase her fortune. It would increase the amount that did go to saving lives, ultimately saving more of them in the long run. Clan didn’t know what to do.
“All right, Clan. Let’s just think about it for a while. This might be a distasteful way of putting it, but there’s still five years left.”
Koutarou was planning on thinking about the problem for a while. It was complicated enough that even his input might be useful.
“...You’ll think about it too?”
Clan was surprised by what Koutarou had said.
“Yeah. That’s what we’ve done all this time, right?”
“That’s... true, but...”
Clan had figured that this would be her problem to deal with. But Koutarou didn’t feel that way. That made her strangely happy.
I see... So this is what it means to not be alone...
She had someone she could share her feelings and her future with. It was reassuring in a way that brought brightness back to her expression.
After getting out of the car, Elfaria led Koutarou and Clan down an unpopulated alley. Their destination was just beyond it. It was a shop that Elfaria purchased research materials from—one that could be pressed for a little extra assistance when need be. She was planning on having them order in the part Koutarou and Clan needed for the Cradle.
“Even though the city’s more advanced, these kinds of alleys have the same feel to them.”
Compared to the futuristic and colorful main roads, the older looking alleyways seemed more familiar to Koutarou.
“Again? Jeez...”
Clan got embarrassed when Koutarou started looking around like a tourist again. That was when Elfaria pulled on her sleeve.
“Um, Clan-san.”
“What is it?”
Since Elfaria was whispering, Clan whispered back in response.
“Are you and Layous-sama going out?”
However, after hearing what Elfaria had to ask her, Clan instinctively raised her voice.
“N-N-No, no, no! Of course not!”
“Hmm? What’s wrong, Clan?”
Reacting to Clan’s shouting, Koutarou looked over at her.
“It’s nothing! It’s just girl talk!”
“You guys sure do a lot of that...”
Thanks to his everyday life with the invaders, Koutarou knew it was best not to touch on anything that qualified as “girl talk.” So when Clan said the magic words, he quickly lost interest and began looking around the area again. Right now, the futuristic alien city was far more captivating.
“Phew... That surprised me.”
“...So you’re really not going out?”
“Veltlion and I are just stuck together. Could you please not blurt out something so shocking all of a sudden?”
“I see. I’m sorry.”
“So... why are you asking about that?”
Clan filed her relationship with Koutarou under being stuck in the same boat, but she was still interested in that kind of talk.
“Actually, I wish to go out with Layous-sama myself.”
Elfaria blushed a little and looked at Koutarou. She was embarrassed, but she didn’t try to hide her feelings from Clan. Elfaria was extremely honest in that regard.
“...Huh?”
In that moment, Clan felt like her heart was being squeezed by someone. She was far more surprised than before, but because it was a different kind of surprise, there was no shouting this time.
“I didn’t think it would be possible if you and Layous-sama were already dating, but if that’s not the case, I still have a chance.”
“Please wait. That man is the Blue Knight, but what’s told in the legends is not everything there is to him.”
Clan assumed that Elfaria’s words were the byproduct of her admiration for the legendary hero. But she knew that wasn’t all there was to Koutarou. He worried. He suffered. He even shed tears at times. While he was a legendary hero, he was a normal person underneath it all. So any relationship born from revering him as a hero would end up with both parties unhappy.
And that wasn’t the only problem. If Elfaria and Koutarou were to be joined in marriage, history would change significantly. Also, though Clan might not want to admit it, she needed Koutarou. For the problem regarding her grandmother, and for the journey to come. Those complex feelings were what made her try to stop Elfaria.
“I know. That’s why.”
“Huh?”
“He knows the pain of living his life in accordance with his fate...”
Elfaria had a very serious expression as she spoke. Feelings she couldn’t abandon.
“Elfaria-san, you...”
Elfaria knew that Koutarou was suffering because he’d been forced to take on the role of the Blue Knight. And when she realized that, Clan could no longer oppose Elfaria.
After introducing Clan to the shopkeeper, Elfaria returned to the storefront so she could talk with Koutarou, who was curiously staring at the items on display.
“As expected from Forthorthe... They’re just selling robots like it’s perfectly normal...”
“Welcome, customer. I am Weyland, a domestic robot made by DKI—a new model released this spring!”
What had caught Koutarou’s eye was a humanoid robot. Several different kinds of them were on display amongst the heavy equipment and other machinery. Out of them, Koutarou was talking to a domestic model.
“Oh, Layous-sama, do you like robots?”
“Yeah. In our world, fiction with robots is really popular with kids. When I was small, I loved watching shows where they had people controlling giant robots to fight monsters.”
“Giant robots? I see...”
Elfaria flashed a cheerful smile. Her heart leaped for joy each time she learned something about Koutarou that was unrelated to the Blue Knight, something about him unconstrained by the path set for him.
“How regrettable. It seems that I cannot live up to the customer’s expectations.”
Meanwhile, the robot called Weyland drooped its shoulders. Its reaction was quite the opposite of Elfaria’s.
“What kind of robot are you?”
“I was made to perform chores for people too busy to do them themselves. Our company has always been distant from the war industries, so we specialize in domestic products. This model boasts the top performance in housekeeping.”
“Sorry, but we’re doing okay on our chores.”
Koutarou remembered the faces of the girls in room 106. They didn’t need a robot to help with anything around the apartment. While the two haniwas were technically robots, their main job was playing with Koutarou and the others.
“That’s a shame.”
“That’s right. I’ll do all the housekeeping, so Layous-sama doesn’t need a robot.”
“You will? Why?”
“Silly Layous-sama, what are you saying? That’s a wife’s job, isn’t it? Heeheehee.”
Elfaria giggled with an innocent smile on her face. It was the smile of a young, high-class wife.
“Elle, when did you become my wife?”
Koutarou felt a headache coming on. But at the same time, this reminded him of talking with Sanae, Yurika, or Kiriha, so there was something pleasant about it. If he ignored the wife comment, that is.
“Just recently. I made the decision.”
“Without even asking me?”
“I believe fate is something you take into your own hands.”
Elfaria asserted herself, flashing a very princessly expression for a moment. She was going to use any means necessary to become Koutarou’s wife.
“Don’t take my fate into your hands as well.”
“Do you hate me?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Then there are no problems. I’m confident I’ll make a great wife.”
Elfaria placed her hands on her chest and nodded. Just as she said, her expression was overflowing with confidence.
“There are major problems!”
“Layous-sama, if you marry me, you’ll obtain half the galaxy! I think that’s a great deal!”
“You idiot!”
A thud rang out.
“Stop spouting things a villain in a movie would say! Treasure yourself more!”
Koutarou had a place he had to return to and a reason to go back. He was also bothered by Elfaria selling herself short. And he didn’t know how to respond to marriage offer out of the blue from someone he’d just met. His fist responded for him instinctively.
“Eeheehee...”
Yet for some reason, Elfaria was mischievously smiling as she held her forehead.
“Wh-What?”
Sensing something ominous from her smile, Koutarou took three steps backward in retreat. Elfaria responded by taking three steps forward and peering up at him.
“Layous-sama, you finally hit me.”
“What about it?”
“I already know that Layous-sama only hits those he really hates and those he thinks of as more than friends. Heehee, now I’m one step closer.”
Koutarou would say harsh things to Clan and sometimes even make use of light violence. But not with Elfaria, who he had just met. She’d realized even in just the short time they’d known each other that she needed to become someone worth hitting in order to get along better with him.
“Come on now...”
“Despite how I look, I’m good at laying groundwork and establishing facts.”
Seeing Koutarou’s shoulders droop, Elfaria donned a proud smile. She was serious about trying to become his wife. They were both troubled by the paths they were bound to. She wanted to take his hand and blaze a new trail.
After they were done making arrangements for the part they needed, Koutarou and the others went out to purchase food and water. After that, they would return to Veltlion’s special territory and wait until the part was ready. Since Koutarou and Clan were still in what was the past to them, they didn’t want to walk around carelessly and accidentally change history.
“Is this the last of it?”
“There’s one more box, but I’ll get that. So yeah, the box you’re carrying is the last.”
“Give me that one too. I’ll put it on top of the one I’m carrying.”
“It’s okay. This is nothing.”
“Clan, you can return to being a princess when you’re back home for real.”
“That’s right, Clan-san. Leave this to the married couple.”
“Ah, hey, Elfaria-san!”
Koutarou and the two girls were in the parking lot, in the middle of loading the provisions they’d purchased into the car. It was a rather noisy affair. Now that they’d gotten used to each other, Clan and Elfaria talked to each other like girls their age usually did.
I’m sure neither of them have someone they can discuss their true feelings with...
Koutarou believed that their meeting had been a positive one. In the hierarchical society of Forthorthe, princesses were normally rivals. But because these two were from different ages, they didn’t feel that sense of competition between them. Thanks to that, they could understand each other’s worries and sympathize with each other. And because they would eventually get separated by time, there was no need to hold back in what they shared with each other. Clan only had to worry about not giving away too much information about the future, but that didn’t affect anything personal. In other words, it was the perfect situation to befriend one another. That’s why Koutarou left them be, even if they clashed a little.
“Clan-san is a princess. I am Layous-sama’s wife. My husband’s luggage is my luggage. What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing’s right with it! I can’t have another princess carry my luggage! I especially don’t want to become indebted to the Mastir family!”
“It’s okay. I’m soon to become part of the Veltlion or Satomi family.”
“That’s not the problem! My pride won’t allow it!”
“Wait up, you two. Let’s just leave it at that.”
However, Koutarou suddenly broke things up.
“Okay, Layous-sama.”
“No, I won’t— Wait, what’s wrong, Veltlion?”
Unlike Elfaria who obediently stopped, Clan was too worked up to let it go right away. But when she saw the serious expression on Koutarou’s face, she understood that something was up and got serious too. He looked just like he did when an enemy was upon them in past Forthorthe.
“People are coming. Looks like three of them.”
“Are they enemies?”
“I can’t tell. There’s no murderous intent, but I feel hostility.”
Koutarou could use the psychic powers that Sanae had given him, but since he had been separated from her for so long, they were growing weak. He couldn’t see auras as clearly as he used to, which was why he hadn’t noticed the mysterious people approaching until they were quite close.
“It’s them.”
“That’s the imperial military uniform. And it seems like all three of them are quite high up the ladder... What is the meaning of this?”
Three men wearing military uniforms were approaching with hostility directed at them. The part that Clan ordered under Elfaria’s name was not illegal, so it wasn’t something that should have attracted the military’s attention. The only other possibility Koutarou could think of was that the Cradle had been discovered. But Elfaria quickly informed him that wasn’t the case.
“I’m sorry, Layous-sama, Clan-san. Those people are here for me.”
Elfaria was watching the men with a sharp look. She stood perfectly upright and carried herself with gravity. It was as if the carefree attitude from before had just been a dream. That was the first time Koutarou and Clan saw the true Princess Elfaria.
Knowing that the approaching men were from the military, Elfaria left Koutarou and Clan behind her and stepped forward alone. That was both because she wanted to protect their identities, and because she knew that the situation wouldn’t be dangerous in spite of the hostility.
“What is the meaning of this? I don’t have any recollection of calling for the military.”
Elfaria’s voice echoed through the parking lot. With few other people and cars around, her voice reached far.
“We’ve come because we have business with you.”
The person in the middle of the approaching group of men answered. He was the highest ranking of the three and acted as their leader.
“I can’t ignore that. If the military is coming into contact with a princess during her private time for an arbitrary reason, their responsibilities will need to be taken into question.”
“Worry not. Our responsibility won’t be taken into question from just your testimony. We are currently doing deskwork right now, after all.”
“Nonsense...”
Elfaria’s stare grew sharper.
Is the military running amok...?
Seeing how Elfaria and the men were interacting, Koutarou could get a rough idea of the situation. The military was pulling away from the control of the empress and the government, and was acting on its own. Even the most well constructed organizations would deteriorate after two thousand years, it seemed. Forthorthe’s current military was nothing like the one Koutarou and Alaia had led in the past.
“You have drowned in your power and haven’t realized that you are out of control.”
“I can assure you that we are not out of control. We are acting under proper management.”
“Someone never using the breaks can’t tell if they’re broken.”
“Let us stop with this meaningless chatter, princess. This topic will never lead us anywhere. There’s something more important right now, is there not?”
The man grinned and forcibly changed the subject. He showed the princess no respect, not even in conversation. In fact, it was like he was looking down on her.
“Now that would be meaningless. I have no intention of withdrawing my stance on disarmament.”
“Surely you can do something, Princess Elfaria. It would be easy. Your Highness won’t get in our way, and we won’t get in yours.”
“You are already in the way, yet you say you won’t be? You jest.”
Elfaria laughed, but her eyes said nothing about this was funny. The laugh was just a tactic. And in the response, the man’s expression changed.
“We don’t want to have to do anything violent, now. You’re the next in line for the throne, after all.”
He couldn’t stand to have a young girl laugh at him. It brought his brutal nature to the surface, and he spoke to Elfaria in a low, deep voice. The men’s goal was to threaten her.
“How unsightly. The military brass has sent you over several times because they fear me. Threatening me now is surely meaningless.”
But Elfaria didn’t falter. She maintained her smile and stared down the men with cold eyes.
“You brat, don’t get so full of yourself!”
“Look, you’re already out of control. What happened to your proper management?”
“Tch.”
Humiliated, the man grinded his teeth. He’d lost the moment he let his temper get the better of him.
“Go back where you came from. And tell your superiors that Forthorthe’s royalty won’t yield to anyone.”
The winner was Elfaria Kua Forthorthe. Though young, she was a prideful Forthorthian royal.
Even after the men had left, Elfaria remained quite serious for a while. The girlish expression she had with Koutarou and Clan had vanished somewhere. It was replaced with a dour look that stuck with her even after they returned to Veltlion’s special territory, and the rest of the day.
“I’m starting to understand how it’s all fitting together...” Clan muttered as she watched Elfaria leave the cave.
“He knows the pain of living his life in accordance with his fate...”
That’s what Elfaria had said about Koutarou back in Fornorn. But looking at it differently, it also meant that she did as well.
Elfaria-san has been after a life different from that of an empress all this time. But fate won’t allow it. If she doesn’t become empress, a princess that opposes military disarmament would come to power and the military would continue to run wild. She’s caught between the life she wants and the life she must live. And that’s when Veltlion appeared. No wonder she fell for him...
If Elfaria didn’t become empress, the military’s rampage might develop past the point of no return. But in order to do anything about it, she’d have to become empress, which wasn’t what she wanted. Her desires and her duty were at odds.
“Elle is in a tough spot... Just like Empress Alaia...”
Koutarou understood that Elfaria was conflicted. Alaia had been the same way. She wanted to avenge her parents, but she was also willing to give up on that for the sake of her people. So it was thanks to Alaia that Koutarou was able to understand how Elfaria felt now.
“What do we do?”
“Let’s have Elle do what she wants. She probably...”
“...You’re right.”
Elfaria was getting further and further away from Koutarou and Clan. After waving to them one last time, she left the cave.
“Hey, Veltlion...”
“Hmm?”
“After seeing her, I’ve made up my mind as well.”
Clan turned to Koutarou and clasped her hands in front of her chest. A strong determination shone in her eyes. She’d reached a decision as a princess.
“I will leave Grandmother be,” she said with firm determination.
“Are you fine with that?”
“Yes. I think trying to save someone who’s reached the end of their natural life is going too far. She is certainly someone I would like to meet, but...”
Clan’s voice gradually grew quieter as she looked down at the ground. They were talking about family, so this wasn’t something easy for her. But she soon looked back up, the will behind her eyes still present.
“I really don’t think time travel should be intentionally taken advantage of.”
“You mean don’t travel through time with a purpose?”
“Yes. I believe the policy we adopted in the past is the correct approach. Time travel should only be used to return to where you belong. But if you come across someone in trouble in the process, you help them.”
Koutarou and Clan didn’t want to change history, but they couldn’t overlook tragedies occurring right in front of them. That was how they’d justified their actions in past Forthorthe, and Clan thought it should still apply now.
“If not, we’ll never be able to return home. Who knows how much time it would take to resolve everything happening around us?”
Koutarou and Clan knew a lot about what would happen in the next twenty years. If they wanted, they could probably prevent a great deal of tragedy. But that would completely change the course of history, preventing them from returning home.
“Travelling through time sure is difficult...”
“Normally this is the Goddess of Dawn’s domain.”
“That’s right. You and I aren’t gods. We should respect the people earnestly living in their respective ages.”
There were other issues apart from the matter of the course of history, however. For instance, Koutarou and Clan knew a lot about what would happen in the future, but the people alive right now in this day and age didn’t. Yet even without that knowledge, they were working hard towards their goals and dreams. Having people with advanced knowledge of the results of that hard work intervening would stomp on all those dreams. Koutarou and Clan’s interference would be the same as being told their dreams won’t come true, so they were a waste of time and they’d be better off doing something else.
On top of that, there was a limit to how much time Koutarou and Clan had. They couldn’t resolve absolutely everything that would come up between here and there. They would have to choose what to intervene in, and those would be decisions that affected a great number of lives. They would literally be deciding who to save and who not to save. But how could they decide the value of each life? Everyone only had one shot at life; all lives were equally important. So if they acted to save some people and not others, they’d be saying that wasn’t true.
“Clan, you’re not wrong. You’re just human.”
“Thank you, Veltlion. I feel like some of the weight has been lifted off my shoulders because you said that.”
It would be a difficult problem for anyone. This was the first time in history that humans had been faced with the worries of a god. It was no surprise that they couldn’t reach a perfect solution for those worries. For Koutarou and Clan were no gods.
The several days it would take for the ordered part to arrive passed peacefully. Elle would come to visit the Cradle in the morning, and after staying with them until the evening, she would go back home. She even stayed the night a few times. And it was like that that the three of them spent their time in a fashion suitable for their age.
“Layous-sama, let’s go take a look at our wedding hall.”
“Oh yeah, where do Forthorthians hold their weddings?”
“Normally in a temple before the goddess.”
“You mean the Goddess of Dawn?”
“That’s right. However, as life has become more modern, it’s more common to use hotels or similar venues decorated like temples. With the increase in population, there aren’t enough temples to handle all of the weddings.”
“Well, that makes sense. Fornorn is pretty impressive, after all.”
“Our ceremony will of course take place in the temple dedicated to Signaltin.”
“Nobody’s allowed to enter that place, right?”
“Clan-san is the only one we need to attend. Now, let’s go and have our wedding!”
“Wait a moment, weren’t you just going to see the place?!”
“What does this food taste like?”
“Well, you’ll just have to find out.”
“All right, let’s give it a try.”
“Veltlion, if you eat that many at the—”
“Hack, ack, ack! What the... It’s so spicy!”
“Ahahah! Here, Layous-sama, some water.”
“Th-Thanks... ahem... That’s just playing dirty. Something that looked like this on Earth would definitely be sweet.”
“It’s because you ate so many.”
“If you knew, you should have stopped me.”
“You shoved them all in your mouth before I could.”
“A-Anyways, Elle...”
“Mmhmm?”
A thud rang out.
“Ow! Why did you hit me?!”
“You did it on purpose, didn’t you? That water you had prepared beforehand is all the proof I need.”
“Bingo! Teeheehee...”
Yet another thud rang out.
“Can I stay over tonight?”
“Are you sure? Won’t everyone worry?”
“I’ve already let them know that I’m not returning for the day because of fieldwork.”
“Jeez, you sure come prepared... Well, I don’t have any complaints.”
“All right! Layous-sama, let me hear all your wonderful stories tonight.”
“I don’t mind, but... why are you putting your luggage in my room?”
“O? If we’re not in the same bed, how am I supposed to listen to your stories?”
“Sleep in the room next door!”
“You’re telling your wife to sleep in another room?! Is this marriage going downhill already?!”
“Stop playing around and go!”
“Okaaay.”
“Jeez, what a girl...”
“Clan, you should stop talking and chase after her.”
“Why?”
“Elle is carrying her luggage into your room.”
“All right! This room is a goldmine!”
“Heeey!”
“Clan, aim to kill, okay?”
“That’s the plan. Ah, but aren’t your psychic powers weakening?”
“Probably.”
“Layous-sama, can I shoot instead of Clan-san?”
“No. you can’t.”
“Whaaat?! Why not?!”
“Why not? Well, that’s because you only ever think about playing tricks, right?”
“Psychic powers tell you that too?!”
“I can tell even without them!”
“That means we understand each other!”
“You sure are gutsy, Elfaria-san...”
“Could this be the bond between a husband and wife?!”
“You idiot!”
And just as the three of them began thinking that it wouldn’t be so bad if they could spend their days together like this for a while longer, Elfaria got a call saying that the part she’d ordered had arrived at her hotel.
“What’s the matter, Elfaria-san? Bad news?”
“No, I got a call that the part was delivered...”
Elfaria realized that they would part ways soon enough, and with that, her happy feelings turned into loneliness. The magic vanished in an instant.
“I see...”
The same was true for Clan. Because their time together had been so fun, it would be hard to say goodbye. And things would be even harder for Elfaria. Koutarou and Clan might be able to meet Elfaria again soon enough, but to her it, would be more than twenty years. The problem with time travelling presented itself yet again.
“Layous-sama, I got a call saying that the part has arrived, so I’m going to go pick it up now.”
“I see...”
Koutarou was in the middle of cooking when Elfaria came in and gave him the news. Struck by loneliness, he immediately stopped what he was doing. Since he had only recently parted ways with Alaia and Charl, it stirred up complex feelings in him. And because of that, he said something rather unlike himself in response.
“Elle, you can leave the part for later. Let’s go get it together when it’s time for you to leave for the day.”
“Layous-sama... are you sure?”
“Yeah. We need to hurry in order to not change history, but a few hours isn’t going to make a difference. It’ll just change when we leave a little.”
“I agree. We should at least have enough time to eat, drink some tea, chat, and say goodbye to the people we’ve met.”
“Those are quite the illogical words for a member of the logical Schweiger family.”
“I’m sure I take after my grandmother.”
“Teehee, did your grandmother try to kill Layous-sama as well?”
“Of course not, jeez...”
Even though the part they needed had arrived, Koutarou and Clan didn’t leave immediately to go get it. They would go pick it up with Elfaria when she went home for the day. For now, they’d eat dinner together. They still had a few hours left. They weren’t planning on using that remaining time for anything special. They would just let their little vacation continue for a little while longer. Koutarou and Clan figured it would be forgivable to indulge a little bit at the end of their long time travelling voyage.
But there were those that wouldn’t be so understanding of the peaceful time they were spending together. It was just after the clock passed 4 PM and the sun was starting to set when they came.
“Damn it!”
Koutarou was the first to notice their approach, and he slammed his fists into the table in anger.
“Layous-sama? Did you not like the snacks?”
“What’s the matter, Veltlion?!”
Elfaria and Clan were taken aback by Koutarou’s sudden action and stared at him in surprise.
“It’s the enemy! I’m not sure on their exact numbers, but I think there’s five or six of them. They’re headed this way from the entrance of the cave.”
Koutarou sensed blood thirst closing in. Unlike the hostility he’d felt from the military men the other day, this was bona fide intent to kill. As a result, even though Koutarou’s powers were growing weaker, he picked up on it as soon as it was in range.
“Give me a second... I’ve confirmed it with the Cradle’s sensors as well! There are six of them! They’re headed this way, fully equipped!”
Using the Cradle’s sensors, Clan set her sights on the approaching men. Their movements were precise and organized like that of trained soldiers. Each of them was equipped with a rifle and black body armor. They were quite clearly a combat squad.
While it was a small ship, they were too few to attack the Cradle. But that was only obvious; they hadn’t expected to find a spaceship here. They had assumed it was just a dig site. In other words...
“They’re here to kill me. They’re most likely illegal mercenaries sent by the military.”
Their target was Elfaria. Six men was more than enough to take out a single girl. The military had seen an opportunity and decided to act on it. In order for Elfaria to get her excavation approved, she’d snuck into Veltlion’s special territory alone in hopes of making a compelling find. Thanks to that, there was no one but Elfaria around, and nobody was aware of her exact location. If they killed her here and now, no one would ever find the evidence. They’d tracked the delivery of the spaceship part to her hotel, and then from there followed her to the cave.
“It’s been two thousand years since then...”
“Layous-sama?”
“It’s been two thousand years, and you still won’t stop fighting...”
Koutarou slowly rose from his seat. He was fuming. He could never find it in him to forgive those who dared to trample on the Forthorthe that he and Alaia had fought so desperately to protect.
“Clan, could you prepare my sword and armor?”
“Understood. Veltlion, show them the power of the legendary Blue Knight.”
Koutarou thought that after two thousand years, he could be rid of the title of Blue Knight. But he was quite wrong. The legend of the Blue Knight was about to get its second chapter.
Elfaria’s first impression of the Blue Knight in the flesh was that he was beautiful. His armor was a vivid blue, and he had both a gold and silver sword hanging from his waist. On his chest was an insignia made from wood and wool. But the armor had been through many fierce fights; it showed signs of severe damage and had several large dents in it. The mantle on his back was dirty, and so were the swords. Their silvery and golden sheens had lost much of their luster.
“So this is Layous-sama... the real Blue Knight...”
But even with Koutarou in this state, Elfaria was moved at the sight of him. He was a real knight, something very rare these days. It was a beautiful thing to her.
“He’s completely different from his normal self like this, isn’t he?”
“Yes...”
It was a beautiful sight indeed, but it wasn’t his appearance that was beautiful. Koutarou was a normal looking boy, and the armor he was wearing was dirty. But his dignified behavior and his overwhelming willpower were so knightly that he transcended aesthetic beauty. He was the very image of a Forthorthian’s ideal knight.
“But will he be all right? He’s going up against six people.”
“There’s no need to worry. When he’s making that face, Veltlion won’t lose to anyone.”
As Elfaria and Clan watched over him, Koutarou drew one of the swords from his waist—the silvery white one. It was the sword of kingship, Signaltin, proof that its wielder was a guardian of Forthorthe.
“Just watch, Elfaria-san, how the legendary knight who protected Forthorthe alongside the Silver Princess fights...”
Koutarou paused, as if waiting for Clan to finish speaking, and then charged towards the soldiers with just one sword in hand. Looking at it rationally, he shouldn’t stand a chance against six fully armed men. However, neither Clan nor Koutarou had any doubt of his victory.
The Blue Knight had a special place in the hearts of the people of Forthorthe. But he was a historical figure that had lived nearly two thousand years ago. It was unthinkable to imagine that he would just suddenly appear in front of them. That’s why, when the six soldiers saw Koutarou, they assumed he was just a deranged Blue Knight maniac.
“Hey now, that armor has seen better days.”
“He must have been playing around in that armor for a long time.”
“But still, it’s well made. Even I might want to play around in that armor.”
“Stop spouting nonsense and kill him. Even though he’s crazy, a witness is a witness.”
“Hey, everyone, aim for his head. I want to take that armor back home with me.”
“Sheesh, guess we don’t have a choice...”
That carelessness was their first and worst mistake. They should have attacked Koutarou the moment they saw him. But they underestimated him. On top of that, they never expected that he would be completely aware of their positions and movements. As a result, Koutarou had the upper hand and struck first.
“Uwaaaaaaaah!”
All of a sudden, the man in the front was blown away. He lost consciousness after being bathed in an intense shockwave and collapsed to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut.
“Huh?! What just happened?!”
The men were stunned. They had no idea what was happening until after Koutarou attacked a second time.
“It’s him?! The Blue Knight maniac— Waaaaah!”
One of the men repeatedly fired his rifle. The soldiers were using beam rifles, which fired beams at incredible speed. On top of that, they were at close range. Their shots would be impossible to dodge ordinarily.
“Phew...”
Koutarou exhaled a small breath and twisted his body. When he did, each and every one of the beams passed by him. It was like he knew where the beams would travel beforehand.
“They missed... I can’t hit him! The beams won’t—”
After making his way through the beams, Koutarou casually swung his left arm at the man who’d fired at him. When his fist caught the man, the electricity built up within his gauntlet zapped him, knocking him out instantly.
“F-Fire! Fire!”
“Damn it! That damn joke of a kid!”
Now two men down, the remaining soldiers finally realized that they weren’t going up against any normal opponent, and hurriedly turned their guns on Koutarou.
“If you were going to fire, you should have done so sooner.”
The next moment, the men were deprived of their sight. That was because a small globe that had rolled up to their feet was spewing out smoke at a fierce rate. It was one of Clan’s custom-made smoke grenades, and the heat of the smoke even nullified the soldiers’ thermal vision. It was very simple, but it proved quite effective in modern combat.
“Damn it, a smokescreen!”
The four men hurriedly cast aside their thermal goggles and attempted to get out of the smoke.
“But he can’t see through the smoke either! Don’t panic—just get out of the smoke!”
“Uwaaaaah!”
However, for Koutarou who could see his enemies’ auras, it was as if there was no smoke to begin with. As the men tried to escape the cloud of smoke, they lost yet another of their ranks. But their misfortune did not end there.
“Captain! The enemy!”
“What?! There are three of him?!”
Standing in front of the three remaining men as they emerged from the smoke were three Koutarous. And all three of them attacked the men at the same time.
“It doesn’t matter how many there are! Kill them!”
“U-Understood!”
The men repeatedly fired their rifles, each attacking the Koutarou in front of them. The three Koutarous struck by the beams vanished like smoke. They were all illusions created by magic.
“They’re gone?!”
“Holograms?!”
While the three men were distracted by the illusions, the fourth Koutarou emerged from hiding and snuck up on them.
“You should have wondered why I was relying on a heated smokescreen.”
The fourth Koutarou swung his sword with both hands, sending two of the remaining three men flying. And just like the first man, they rolled along the ground and lost consciousness.
The first three Koutarous were illusions created using Signaltin. However, they weren’t advanced enough to produce a heat reaction, so there was a risk that the men might see through them with their thermal vision. That was why Koutarou had gone with the heated smokescreen. So once the soldiers took off their thermal goggles, everything was going according to Koutarou’s plan. And while the men were distracted by the illusions, the real Koutarou moved in. Attacking a defenseless opponent was child’s play to him.
“Wh-Who are you?!”
All the remained was one man, the leader of the squad. He was a skilled shooter, but on his own he couldn’t hurt Koutarou. The armor’s barrier was still going strong and Koutarou could see through the man’s aim with his spirit sight. He no longer stood a chance against Koutarou, and repeatedly fired as he slowly backed away.
“Who? I’m just a Blue Knight maniac like you said. But I might have gone a little too far.”
“Why are you siding with that girl?! What could you possibly get out of that?!”
“Isn’t it obvious? Aren’t I dressed as the Blue Knight? Of course I’ll protect the princess. I’m stupid, after all.”
Koutarou walked up to the man and casually punched him in the gut, sending his last enemy to his knees. A long time had passed since Koutarou had been separated from the girls of room 106, and the powers he borrowed from them were growing weaker. But even then, he’d come out victorious and unharmed. The fight ended precisely how Koutarou and Clan had expected.
Replacing the part only took a few minutes. It was operating fine, and Clan confirmed that there should be no problems returning to Earth. So now that the problem with the Cradle was resolved, only a personal problem remained...
“Layous-sama, Clan-san. Thank you for everything up until today. Thanks to you, I’ve made up my mind.”
Elfaria was saying her goodbyes before Koutarou and Clan departed. In the end, she’d chosen to not go with them.
“I think I should become the empress of Forthorthe.”
“I see... I thought you might.”
“So you did know.”
“I’ve seen the way a princess looks when she makes an important decision before.”
“You’re the Blue Knight after all, Layous-sama. Heehee...”
Elfaria flashed a broad smile. She no longer had any doubts or hesitation. She was determined to live as the empress of Forthorthe.
“But Elfaria-san, why did you decide to become the empress? I thought you didn’t want to walk down the path laid down for you.”
“You’re right. I wanted to break free from my fate and struggled to do so. But I also had to wonder if it was the right path to walk down regardless. That’s why I studied the Blue Knight and the Silver Princess.”
“To find out how they acted when faced with a similar choice?”
“Yes.”
Should she live her own life, or should she live for the sake of her people as the empress? Elfaria didn’t know, which was why she sought her answer in the chronicles of the Blue Knight and the Silver Princess.
“And just when I wasn’t getting anywhere with my research, I met the real Layous-sama.”
“So that’s why... Weren’t you disappointed?”
“A little. But that’s why I fell in love with Layous-sama. Because I knew he struggled against his own fate like me.”
Koutarou hadn’t been able to give Elfaria the answer she needed. He had only walked down the path chosen for the Blue Knight. He hadn’t made any heroic decisions of his own. But Elfaria was able to sympathize with the hardships he’d suffered. She hadn’t found her answer, but she began feeling like they could look for it together.
“That’s why I was serious when I said I wanted to date you and marry you, Layous-sama. I seriously wanted to escape the path laid for me together with you.”
“Then why did you give up on that?”
“I don’t think of it as giving up. Rather, it’s because I couldn’t give up.”
Elfaria smiled. She certainly didn’t have the expression of someone who’d given up.
“You couldn’t give up?”
“Yes. I love Layous-sama. That’s why I want to protect the Forthorthe that he had protected despite his own worries.”
If they were to hold hands, they would need to protect the same things. In other words, after learning that Koutarou worried about the same things she did and falling for him, Elfaria’s path was sealed.
“Even if I must walk down the path in front of me, I get to decide how I walk. And I was able to find a way of walking that I could accept.”
“I see... Then your research is complete, isn’t it, Elfaria-san?”
Hearing the conclusion that Elfaria had reached, Clan smiled.
“Pardon?”
She then brought her mouth to Elfaria’s ear and whispered so that only she could hear.
“The Silver Princess felt the same way you do, and chose to continue to protect Forthorthe...”
“Then the Silver Princess really did...?”
“Love Veltlion, yes. Despite knowing that he was only a fake... No, perhaps it was because she knew he was a fake, just like you...”
Clan smiled once more as she said those words. And with that, tears began forming in Elfaria’s eyes. All kinds of feelings were being stirred up inside of her. Not just feelings directed towards Koutarou, either, but also feelings for the Silver Princess and for Clan.
“Thank you, Clan-san.”
“Y-You don’t need to thank me...”
Clan started blushing. Having lived her life always keeping people at a distance, she wasn’t used to being thanked.
“I think I should be allowed to say thanks to a friend who worried for me.”
“Friend...? Then, thank you too, Elfaria-san.”
Finally, the two girls shook hands. Clan was looking away, her face bright red, but her feelings were properly conveyed to Elfaria.
“Layous-sama.”
After having said her farewells to Clan, Elfaria turned to Koutarou. It was their turn now.
“I’m repeating myself, but thank you very much for everything. I will never forget these days we’ve spent together.”
“Become a great empress. That’s what both Empress Alaia and I wish for.”
“Yes... Teehee.”
While listening to Koutarou’s words of encouragement, Elfaria nodded and giggled. Since this wasn’t anything someone would laugh at ordinarily, Koutarou gave her a quizzical look.
“What is it?”
“I was just thinking that if you had said that at the very start, this might have only taken five minutes.”
“This is the kind of thing you needed to decide for yourself.”
Koutarou firmly believed that everyone chose their own path in life.
“Heehee, that might be true for men... but not so much for women.”
Elfaria didn’t mind following the path the man she loved had illuminated for her.
“No, it’s true for women too.”
Koutarou was adamant. That stubbornness would later make Ruth cry, but Elfaria only giggled.
“Oh my, teehee...”
“Can you understand my hardships, Elfaria-san?” asked Clan from the side.
“Heehee, I’m starting to.”
After the two girls had a good laugh, Elfaria turned back to Koutarou. There was something she wanted to ask him.
“Layous-sama, can I just ask you one last thing?”
“Yeah, what?”
“If I seriously asked you to take me with you, what would you have done?”
Elfaria wanted to know what Koutarou would have done if she hadn’t chosen the life as the empress, and had instead chosen to walk alongside him.
“That wouldn’t have happened.”
However, Koutarou shook his head.
“Elle, you were a proper princess of Forthorthe the day we first met. That’s why, no matter how much you joke around, I know you would have chosen this in the end.”
“Layous-sama...”
Elfaria’s smile crumbled and gave way to tears streaming down her cheeks.
“Thank you very much, Layous-sama. I will forever take pride in those words...”
And so the time for Koutarou and Clan to part ways with Elfaria had come. The two of them departed for Earth, and Elfaria went on to become empress. They wouldn’t reunite for another twenty years, but despite all that time, the bond between them never weakened.
The mellow smell of tea filled room 106. It was an unusual aroma compared to the tea they normally drank. And the person preparing it all was equally unusual.
“It will be ready soon, Layous-sama.”
“It’s fine. Let’s take it slow. It’s the weekend after all.”
Elfaria was sitting at the tea table opposite Koutarou. She was the one preparing the tea.
It was Sunday today, and all of the girls had left to go buy swimsuits, leaving only Koutarou behind. As he was pondering what to do, Elfaria had appeared. Seeing that he was free, she prepared him some tea.
“Oh yeah, that reminds me. There was something I wanted to ask you.”
Koutarou and Elfaria were rarely alone together. Since Theia or Ruth were always with her, there were several things he wanted to talk to her about, but couldn’t. Fortunately, neither of them were here now, giving them a real chance to talk.
“As long as it’s not about my age, I don’t mind.”
Elfaria casually nodded as she watched the tea leaves stirring inside the glass pot. As far as she was concerned, she had nothing to hide from Koutarou other than her age.
“What’s Theia’s dad doing right now?”
Koutarou had heard plenty about Theia’s mother before, but he had never heard about her father. He’d always wondered about it, but he wasn’t sure if it was something he should ask Theia about. He thought Elfaria would be a better option.
“Theia doesn’t have a father,” she said, shaking her head.
“What do you mean?”
“I had a fiancé determined for me, but he died of an accident before we married... So his sperm, which had been cryopreserved just in case, was used for artificial insemination.”
“So that’s why... No wonder she never mentions her father.”
“Yes... So I’m afraid I’ve made her feel lonely all this time.”
Elfaria had raised Theia on her own. But as the empress of a galactic nation, raising a child was incredibly difficult. That’s why Theia’s personality had turned out the way it had, and why she’d clashed with Koutarou and the others at first. If it weren’t for Ruth, there was no telling how she might have ended up. Elfaria regretted that.
“But that’s not the case anymore. She has you, and she’s made friends too.”
“Yes. While this might be imprudent to say in this situation, having been chased out of my country and all... I am incredibly happy to be able to see Theia smile the way she does.”
Elfaria smiled, and there was a gentle look in her eyes. She may have been looking at Koutarou, but he was sure she was only thinking of Theia in that moment.
“Can I ask you something else?”
“Yes.”
Elfaria rubbed her eyes and nodded. But the tears weren’t the result of sadness. Far from it. The look on her face was bright.
“Was Theia coming to this room your doing?”
That was another thing Koutarou was curious about. It was unthinkable to believe that the daughter of his friend from the past had come to his room for her trial just by pure chance, especially since the trial was supposed to be decided at random by a computer.
“Yes. I was the one who sent Theia here. Because I knew you were here.”
Elfaria readily confirmed Koutarou’s suspicions.
“Why did you do that?”
“There were two reasons.” Elfaria raised two demonstrative fingers. “The first was to protect Theia. If she was by your side, I was hoping you would keep her safe.”
“That sounds just like you.”
Koutarou could clearly understand that reason. If it was Elfaria’s daughter, Koutarou would protect her unconditionally. That said, he’d actually already formed his own bond with Theia before he met Elfaria.
“And the other reason was... revenge on you, Layous-sama.”
“Revenge...?”
Koutarou’s voice faltered in surprise. He wasn’t at all expecting her to say that. She then puffed up her cheeks and played with her hair as she glared at Koutarou.
“You were my first love, Layous-sama. But I happened to overhear you and Clan-san speaking, and you called me ‘Theia’s mother.’ With that, my first love came to an abrupt end. I was heartbroken. Isn’t that just cruel?”
Koutarou did indeed see Elfaria as Theia’s mother. And since Koutarou had had no intention of changing history, there was no way he could be with Elfaria. It meant, even though she loved Koutarou, she had no chance with him.
“So as revenge for that, you sent Theia?”
“Don’t you think fulfilling both a mother and daughter’s first love is wonderful?”
Since she couldn’t be with Koutarou, she wanted Theia to be. She wanted her daughter to be happy where she couldn’t. That would make up for what she’d been through. And if Theia and Koutarou got married, Elfaria would be able to pester him as his mother-in-law.
“...I feel sorry for Theia.”
“There’s no need to. She became a Blue Knight fanatic even without my intervention. I guess it was destiny. All I did was make sure her trial was the invasion of this room.”
Elfaria had sent Theia to room 106 in order to protect her, and to get her revenge on Koutarou. While she was here on Earth, she would be out of the reach of the military. Moreover, she’d made a place for herself in Koutarou’s heart. Elfaria’s plan was proceeding smoothly.
“Thanks to you, Layous-sama, I could focus on trying the military’s disarmament without any worries. The existence of my daughter was my weakness, after all.”
“I’m not so convinced on this disarmament thing anymore.”
“On what grounds?”
Elfaria pouted again. She felt like her senses from twenty years ago were coming back a little.
“Who would believe that someone who made that ridiculous spaceship was pushing for disarmament?”
To Koutarou, Blue Knight didn’t look like it was made by a disarmament pacifist. It looked like a brutal weapon of war, specialized in mobility and attack power.
“That ship has several safeties, I’ll have you know.”
“You disabled those, remember?”
“That’s not what I mean. That ship is a power that can never be misused,” Elfaria said with a boasting smile.
“It can’t be misused?”
Not following what she was getting at, Koutarou urged Elfaria to explain.
“Indeed. Layous-sama’s aspirations are the first safety, you see. Then Theia and Ruth, who are on the same wavelength as you, are needed for offense and operation. On top of that, you can’t control the ship with just your power alone. If you’re missing any of your powers, the ship’s performance will reflect that. Everyone has to be united under one cause. As such, there’s no weapon safer than that ship.”
“...Now that you mention it, your enemies were the ones who misused power.”
“Yes.”
Elfaria’s enemies were those who lost control of themselves without even noticing in their quest for power. Compared to that, Blue Knight was a power that was always under control. As long as Koutarou and the others’ bond remained firm, Blue Knight held tremendous power that could not be abused.
“Elle...”
“Go on.”
“What’s your personal goal?”
“Whatever are you talking about?”
Elfaria flashed an awfully cute face. It was quite clearly the expression of someone playing dumb.
“Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. You didn’t make that weapon just because it could be controlled like that.”
“As expected of Layous-sama. You know me so well!”
Elfaria seemed happy, and she began her explanation as she waved her finger around gingerly.
“My goal was to make you essential for the control of that ship so that you couldn’t run away from us. I won’t repeat the Silver Princess’s mistake.”
“You’re the same as always...”
Elfaria’s tactical ability to lay groundwork well in advance had Koutarou slumping his shoulders. However, since he had already decided to walk down the same path as the girls of room 106, he didn’t think too much of Elfaria’s interference now. If anything, he was happy that an old friend hadn’t changed even after all this time.
“You won’t tell me I’ve gotten beautiful?”
“That will depend on the tea.”
“My, my, you bully.”
Elfaria poured tea as Koutarou watched. The red tea sparkled as beautifully as liquid rubies.
“Here, Layous-sama.”
“Mm.”
Koutarou received the tea cup and took a sip. As he did, a familiar, rich flavor spread throughout his mouth.
I had my suspicions from the smell, but this really is Rubustori tea...
The tea that Elfaria had prepared was made from Koutarou and Clan’s favorite, Rubustori tea leaves. But since the Rubustori plant had been extinct for over eight hundred years, it was impossible to acquire in modern Forthorthe. Which meant that this must have come from the seeds that they’d given to Elfaria twenty years ago.
So Elle has been growing those seeds...
It was difficult to grow an extinct plant with no data on the species. On top of that, she would’ve had to discover the ideal way to brew the leaves on her own. It was an endeavor that required some serious dedication.
“Hey, Elle.”
“Yes? Do you not like the taste?”
“That’s not it... Do you still—”
Koutarou was about to ask something, but he changed his mind midsentence.
“Do you know that you’re still beautiful?”
In the end, he said something else. What he was about to say at first was something that required a great deal of courage to say to someone far older than him, even if she looked young.
“My...”
Elfaria blushed a little and smiled happily. As she did, she really did look like her younger self. She looked just like she had twenty years ago.
“That’s right, Layous-sama. I have snacks as well.”
“I know your game. I bet they’re spicy.”
“Would you like to eat them together?”
“Only one at a time.”
“Teehee, okay.”
It was a clear Sunday afternoon. The sunlight was shining in through the window on Koutarou and Elfaria. Only their calm voices could be heard inside of the normally noisy apartment. The only other sounds were the ticking clock, the cars driving by in the distance, and the singing birds just outside. It was a gentle, calm, and quiet Sunday.
“These are pretty good when you only eat one at a time.”
“That’s how they are. I still... love them.”
And so Koutarou and Elfaria spent their first weekend together in twenty years like no time had passed at all.
Bright lighting illuminated the formerly dim office. The cracked wall had been plastered up and the ancient desks had been replaced with brand new ones. It was completely different from how it was a few months ago.
“Kenichi-niichan, are you okay?”
“I’m not okay, but if I admit that, my heart might break. So I’m fine. By the way, where’s Hayato?”
“In the infirmary. He couldn’t move his finger, so he went there to have them fix it.”
“Megu-chan, you should eat something.”
“I don’t have the appetite. You can have mine, Daisaku-kun. You’re our only hope right now.”
But compared to the renewed office, the people inside were worn down. It was like the former gloom of the office had been transferred to them.
Their leader, the man in the red jacket, was covered with injuries and leaned over his desk to rest his body. Next to him was a boy in a green jacket with bags under his eyes. The girl in the pink jacket looked a lot thinner then she had before. The man in the yellow jacket next to her was worried for her, but even he had bandages wrapped around his head. There was one more member to their group, but he was currently in the infirmary. They were all in bad shape.
“Kotaro, how many times have we mobilized this month?”
“Eighteen... No, nineteen times?”
“If we’re going to be mobilized this often, we’re all going to done in eventually.”
“Things suddenly got a lot busier since last month...”
A waste of the national budget. Tax thieves. That was what the group used to be called. But nobody would dare use those names now. They had been working nonstop for a while now, taking on dangerous jobs on their own and fighting for the good of everyone.
“Sun Rangers, I bring bad news.”
“What’s the matter, professor?”
“It seems like a major battle will be taking place shortly.”
“What?!”
The Sun Rangers of the Sun Squad. They were the nation’s ace in the hole when it came to unknown threats, and the only squad around capable of dealing with invaders. When they were busy, it meant the bad guys were busy too.
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