Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 33 - Chapter 4

Episode Clariossa: Everything There Is to Know About Electronic Amplifiers

Clan’s head was filled with thoughts of Maki and Koutarou. Maki, who’d been dreaming of another life with Koutarou, had woken up just a little while ago and run out of room 106 with a grave expression on her face. That was why Clan had gotten Koutarou up and made him chase after her. Both she and Maki had been Koutarou’s enemies once, so they shared a great number of concerns about their relationship with him. Clan often worried for Maki the same way she did for herself.

“Glasses, hurry up and pick a card already!”

Sanae was holding a couple of fanned-out cards toward Clan, flapping them up and down. She was rushing Clan, who’d been distracted from the game at hand.

“I’m sorry. I was just a little lost in thought...”

“You had a big wrinkle on your forehead and everything.”

“I wouldn’t want it to be permanent, so I’ll put such thoughts aside for now.”

“Good!”

Clan smiled at Sanae and selected one of the cards she was still waving at her. Discounting Harumi, Maki, and the girl from the ruins, the remaining seven girls were currently in the middle of a game. As per the previous round, the winner would get to be the next in line to get a glimpse of another life with Koutarou. The game they’d chosen this time involved connecting cards to work your way through a maze and collect various treasures. There were multiple goals, but only one would win the game. The players traded cards while trying to be the first to make it there.

“Well, I’ll use the card I took and play it right away.”

“And I’ll draw a new card.”

Clan put the card she got from Sanae down in front of her while Sanae drew a new card from the pile. With that, Clan’s turn was over. The game allowed players to take a card from another player’s hand rather than the deck on their turn if they so chose. This allowed them to interfere with other players’ plans or steal cards to further their own. The rules of the game were quite simple, but the card-stealing aspect made it very strategic.

“Then I’m taking one from Kiriha!” Sanae announced.

“Oh, so that’s what you’re up to,” Kiriha mused.

“I can feel a dangerous aura emanating from you. You’re planning something, aren’t you?”

“Correct. But will you be able to pull the right card?”

“Uh, you didn’t look at your cards, did you?”

“Heh, certainly not. If I had, you’d be able to read them with your spirit sight, after all.”

The next turn saw an intense showdown between Sanae and Kiriha. As expected from a contest to see who’d get to sneak a peek at a different world, everyone was desperate.

I wonder how Maki is doing... Veltlion went after her, so she’s probably not in any danger, but...

But despite the fierce game at hand, Clan’s mind was elsewhere. She really was worried about Maki.

Moreover, having been Koutarou’s enemy for so long, she wasn’t particularly anxious to see what her life with him might have been like. She was curious about it, certainly, but her foolish past kept her from looking forward to it the same way the other girls did. That was partially why her mind was still on Maki, who was in a similar position. She wanted to know what had happened.

“Wait, did Clan-san just find the goal?” Yurika piped up.

“...What?”

Clan snapped to her senses upon hearing that. Several minutes and a few more rounds had passed since Clan had taken the card from Sanae. But with her mind out of the game, it wasn’t until Yurika pointed it out that Clan realized she’d won.

“Hmm, Clan was pretty difficult to read today...”

“Clan-san, your poker face was perfect.”

“Very well done, Clan-sama.”

Theia, Shizuka, and Ruth all praised Clan. Her victory was that impressive to them, although it could hardly be said that Clan had done it on purpose.

So I’m going to be the next person to peek at a different world...?

Clan had just been playing one card after another without any real strategy while she was thinking. She was quite astonished that had led her to a win.

“We’re home.”

“We’re back.”

“Meow!”

Fortunately for Clan, Maki and Koutarou returned to room 106 just after she seized victory.

Prior to Maki running out of room 106, all Clan had heard was that Maki had a good dream. She’d said that she had a cat in the dream world, but suddenly in the middle of her story... Maki’s face turned deadly pale and she ran out of the apartment. That was why Clan had sent Koutarou after her rather than going herself. She was worried, in the worst case, Maki might need someone more trustworthy.

“M-Maki, you... You’ve got cats! Ahahaha!”

Indeed, Maki had returned home with three cats. The unexpected scene made Clan burst into laughter. She couldn’t keep a lid on her overwhelming relief, and she was genuinely amused at the sight. Maki wasn’t exactly a cat person.

“I’m sorry, Clan-san... I had to find out how they were doing in this world.”

“Ahahaha, phew... W-Wait, in this world?”

“Yes. In my dream, I saved these little guys.”

Maki had apparently flown out of the apartment to check on the cats she’d had in another life. In the dream she’d had about it, Maki had saved the cats and then kept them as pets. When she’d realized that they might not be safe in this world, she dashed right out of Corona House.

“And since you have them with you now, I take it everything turned out fine?”

“Yes, Satomi-kun came to save this little one.”

“You called?”

There, Koutarou came into the room with a saucer and milk for the cats.

“Oh, no. We were just talking about you and Dozy.”

“Ah, I see.”

Koutarou crouched down on the spot, setting down the saucer and pouring milk into it. The cats almost immediately came over and started sniffing around the saucer. Once convinced it was safe, the smallest cat started lapping up the milk as the two larger cats watched over it.

“Anyway... Sanae’s really the one who found Dozy. She sensed it drowning and scared, and told me to go save it...”

“I, Sanae-chan, strive to become a magical girl kind to both animals and nature! Hello again, Dozy!”

“Mew!”

There, almost as if summoned, Sanae appeared from behind Koutarou. The cats seemed familiar with her, as they didn’t momentarily tense up like they had with Clan.

“Thinking about it now, I remember Satomi-kun and Sanae-san being with me in the other world...”

Maki was desperate to save the cat she’d met with Koutarou, although he would have saved it even if she hadn’t. She’d just been in a fluster from her dream, and she now let out an embarrassed giggle to try to laugh it off.

“So it was for nothing, then? Hahh... Jeez, talk about a false alarm...”

Once she had a full grasp of the situation, Clan let out a deep sigh. One of relief, of course. She’d genuinely been concerned about Maki.

“...You’re not all bad after all, Clan,” Koutarou said with a smile.

Considering her personality and experience, Clan had always kept others at a distance in the past. Because of that, Koutarou thought it was rather unusual for Clan to be concerned about Maki.

“E-Even I worry about other people sometimes.”

“Relax. It’s not like I was making fun of you.”

“Then what were you doing?”

“You said that you wanted to become an even more impressive empress than Her Majesty Alaia, right?”

“Whether or not I can really make that happen aside, isn’t that a natural ambition for a royal? What of it?”

“I was just thinking that it doesn’t seem all that impossible from here.”

Compared to Alaia, Clan was lacking in terms of humanity and experience, but she certainly wasn’t Alaia’s inferior when it came to intelligence and courage. Moreover, Clan pulled ahead when it came to scientific innovation and perspective on the future. As things stood, it definitely wasn’t impossible for Clan to surpass Alaia... and Koutarou was glad to see that.

“Th-This is so sudden... I-I don’t even know how to... Um...”

Clan, who was previously grumpy because she thought Koutarou was slighting her, suddenly changed her tune. Her face red, she cast her gaze downward to avoid eye contact with Koutarou, all the while twiddling her fingers. She was acting like she’d just been confessed to by the boy she loved. As a princess looking to become the greatest empress of all time, it meant a lot to hear praise like that from the man she recognized as the greatest knight of all time. It meant as much as, if not more than, a heartfelt confession. After all, becoming the greatest empress meant having the greatest knight serving at her side forever.

“But Clan-san, there’s still a part of Satomi-kun that hopes that you’ll stay a princess,” Maki interjected with a big smile on her face.

“Hey, wha— Aika-san!”

Koutarou had been staring at Clan with a smile, but he fell into a panic when Maki called him out like that.

“Er... What is that supposed to mean?” Clan asked.

“He wants you to fulfill your dream, but he secretly also wants you to stay his princess.”

“H-Hey, I don’t...”

“Really now? Are you hearing what Satomi-kun is saying, Snoozy?”

“Meow.”

Maki laughed and picked up the smallest of the three cats. It seemed to trust her quite a bit, as it affectionately rubbed its face against her fingers. Seeing how dishonest Koutarou was being about his feelings compared to the cat, Maki couldn’t help but want to laugh.

“...”

Koutarou, meanwhile, was silent. The girl from the ruins had said she’d grant any wish he had, and he’d wished for Clan and the other girls back. He felt there was nothing more to say on the matter. Really, the only thought on his mind right now was wishing that midnight would come sooner. He couldn’t wait for their memories to be wiped of all this.

“Even if I become empress, I’ll still be your... um... I mean to say I won’t change at all...”

Koutarou’s only saving grace right now was that Clan was more or less in the same position. She was equally bad at showing her emotions, and she wasn’t sure how to act with someone who liked her for herself, not for her status as a princess or her abilities as a scientist. She was in no state to think about Koutarou’s odd behavior.

“B-But you know, if you’re serious about becoming like Her Majesty, then you have your work cut out for you.”

“What?”

“If you become empress, then you’ll need to join hands with your adversaries—just like you did with me. And that’s your worst suit, right?”

“...Veltlion...”

Koutarou’s words sank deep into Clan’s heart. It was only an attempt to change the subject, but it was truly what Clan needed to hear. If she were to become the empress, she couldn’t just eliminate anyone who opposed her. Politics were about compromise. Like Koutarou said, she would have to work toward finding middle ground with lots of different people.

“Then this is good timing.”

“What is?”

“If I take a look at another world, then I’ll get to observe the two of us on opposing sides. I’ll make sure to study it for future reference.”

Koutarou’s words also helped bring clarity to the murky feelings in her heart. If her future meant endlessly having to overcome opposition, then the first confrontation she had with Koutarou was hardly anything. Considering what she’d be up against in the future, her fight with Koutarou was actually a good lesson. If she averted her eyes from it forever, then surpassing Alaia would be nothing more than a pipe dream. Clan mustered her courage to face her own foolishness.

Though she was prepared for it, facing her past folly was still a shock for Clan. She badly wanted to cover her eyes while watching what had happened the day of the first play, but she could still remember it clearly—she’d attempted to assassinate Theia with a trap she had the utmost confidence in.

“Tch, damn fake Blue Knight! You’re getting in the way!”

The Clan of this world clicked her tongue in frustration. Before her stood Koutarou in blue armor, appearing from the smoke of an explosion. He held his arms spread wide to shield Theia, who was directly behind him, with his own body.

“There is no way I’ll forgive some barbarian from a backwater planet for interfering with my plans!”

Clan had absolute confidence in herself, but Koutarou—a primitive brute in her eyes—stood in her way. She lost her cool over her wounded pride, her expression twisting and her voice seething with malice.

Without even realizing that my opponent was the epitome of knighthood, I arrogantly looked down on him and cursed him for being a backwater barbarian. And my behavior... Just what part of this did I think was befitting of royalty? I don’t look or sound like an empress-to-be... Hahh...

Observing the fight, Clan clutched her head in agony. Faced with her own past, she was filled with disappointment and shame. Past Clan had known she wasn’t suited to become empress, but believed she could still seize the throne one day by killing Theia. Had she gone through with it, however, even if she’d gained the title... she would have made a terrible ruler.

“A-Are you okay, Theia...?”

“I’m okay! You protected me! There’s no need to worry. Only my hair is a little scorched.”

Another source of consternation for Clan now was Koutarou and Theia.

Veltlion and Theiamillis-san were already so close...

Theia and Koutarou were still something between rivals and friends at this point, but they were already acting like a princess and her knight. The time they’d spent together so far had fostered a mutual sense of respect.

Compared to them, the Schweiger family had... no hope. There was no way I could’ve won. Signaltin never would have protected me when I was like this...

“Kyaaah! Th-The barrier’s converter won’t last at this rate!”

“Haaaaaaaah!”

“I-I’m being beaten this easily?!”

The power of the royal families’ greatest treasure, Signaltin, protected Koutarou and subsequently Theia. But not Clan. In fact, it was what overpowered and defeated her. That meant that, at this point in time, Clan had no aptitude as a royal... much less an empress.

But if I’m going to become empress, I’ll have to confront far worse than this... I can’t look away...

Staring down her own immaturity and the head start Theia had gotten on her, Clan was swamped with a gloomy feeling. But in spite of it, she refused to avert her eyes. If she was going to become an empress that surpassed even Alaia, looking away would be a mistake.

Clan continued watching her bitter past unfold... But something was different on the day of the second play.

“Can you protect everything?! You can’t even protect your friends with that sword alone!”

“I’ll protect them all! I have to make sure that they all succeed with their invasions!”

During their second confrontation, Koutarou had Clan against a wall. Feeling cornered, she’d unleashed her secret weapon: the Super Space-time Repulsion Shell. As its name suggested, the Repulsion Shell blew its target through space-time. And thanks to Koutarou cutting it in half, it activated prematurely, sending both Koutarou and Clan to Ancient Forthorthe.

You did well to stop this fool, Veltlion. Jeez... I really am just...

Watching over everything, Clan applauded Koutarou. She couldn’t deny what she’d done that day, but in the end, she was glad Koutarou had stopped her. It was thanks to him that Clan was finally able to face what she’d done. It was over now.

“But still... just where is the real Blue Knight?”

Past Clan had now left Koutarou with Alaia and was moving on her own in search of the Blue Knight. Koutarou was serving as a replacement until she found the real deal. Without him, the course of history would change forever—leaving her and Koutarou unable to return home. And since they were stuck in the same boat, they’d agreed to a reluctant truce.

“He can’t be that far from the route the princess and the others are taking... Otherwise he wouldn’t be able to show up and save her in time.”

Three days had passed since Clan parted ways with Koutarou and began her search, but she’d yet to find a single trace of the Blue Knight. She’d first checked the towns and villages near where they’d found Alaia, assuming that the Blue Knight couldn’t be far from their fated meeting spot. Nevertheless, no one had seen or heard of him. No one had ever met a Layous, and no one knew a knight that wore blue armor. Clan got the same answer no matter who she asked. The same turned out to be true in this town, so she gathered her things and prepared to move on to the next.

“Wait...”

Yet just as she reached the gate, a flash of inspiration hit her. She thought back to the cliff far beyond the forest in front of her.

“Maybe that wasn’t really where the Blue Knight was supposed to save her!”

That was where Koutarou and Clan had encountered Alaia, but perhaps Alaia wouldn’t have met her end there either way. Perhaps she could have jumped to escape, or perhaps she would have been captured only to be rescued later. Clan had been absolutely sure the Blue Knight was supposed to save her on that cliff, but that wasn’t necessarily true.

“In that case, I need to rethink my strategy from the ground up...”

Clan crossed her arms to think. Koutarou hadn’t saved Alaia in the Blue Knight’s place; he’d jumped the gun. That meant things had happened sooner than expected, so Clan would have to expand her search radius considerably. Once she worked all this out, Clan tapped her bracelet to enlarge her map.

“That should do it... I have four days left. I just hope I can check everywhere in time...”

Once she had her new map, she kicked off the ground and floated up into the sky.

The small device Clan was wearing let her manipulate gravity around her, essentially allowing her the power of free flight. She normally took special care not to use it anywhere she might be seen, but time was of the essence right now.

“How pathetic that my only clue is Theiamillis-san’s manuscript. It’s so unreliable... And gosh, it’s cold up here. Jeez, this could hardly get any worse...”

Clan sighed as she floated higher into the air. All she had to go off of presently was the script for Theia’s play. Not only did it feel like she was relying on an enemy, but Theia’s account of the legend wasn’t exactly taken from the history books word for word. There was no telling how differently things might actually play out, meaning that Clan couldn’t depend on the script but so much. It made it uniquely frustrating that it was her only lifeline.

“...Achooo!”

With the harvest festival around the corner, winter was fast approaching. Moreover, the higher Clan flew, the colder the harsh winds became, fanning the flames of her frustration.

Koutarou wrung out the damp towel and put it on Clan’s forehead. He then peered at her face. Her cheeks were bright red, but not from blushing.

“So you caught a cold and came back early, huh?”

Clan had planned to spend a week searching for the Blue Knight, but she was forced to return on day five after catching a cold. She’d fallen under the weather while flying through the freezing skies without rest. And now she was lying in bed at an inn after meeting up with Koutarou and the others.

Koutarou had taken it upon himself to tend to Clan to make sure no one else saw the medical kit she had on hand. Alaia and her cohorts were allies, to be certain, but recklessly introducing advanced technology to them could change the course of history. Moreover, Koutarou was the only one who knew how to use the kit.

“...Do you have any complaints about my return?” Clan asked.

She was burning up with a fever, but her voice was ice cold. She and Koutarou were still quite distant at this point. They’d settled on a truce, but they were at each other’s throats just a week or so ago. Clan hadn’t fully come around on their alliance just yet.

“Not really. I did at first, but I thought better of it when I realized what’d happened.”

Koutarou was equally critical of Clan, but he came around when he saw that she was unwell. He knew she was out of shape from the get-go, but she’d insisted on doing the hard work of searching for the Blue Knight. It wasn’t really a surprise she’d fallen ill, so Koutarou refrained from giving her a hard time about it.

“Besides, I know when to keep my mouth shut. You were working hard, so I’m not going to rib you right now.”

The real Blue Knight was still nowhere to be found. Clan was anxious over his whereabouts, so she’d soldiered on in her search even while pressed for time. When Koutarou considered being in her shoes, he didn’t think he could have done any better. Really, he didn’t have the right to complain.

“I’m sorry to call the search off so suddenly...”

Perhaps because Koutarou didn’t take the opportunity to dig at her, Clan’s expression softened and her voice took on a warmer tone.

“Well, how did it go while you were looking?”

“To start, I checked all of the towns and villages along the path that Alaia-san and her cohort took.”

“I see. That’s a sensible way of doing it.”

There, Koutarou and Clan got down to exchanging details about what they’d been doing. They talked freely and openly without any degree of hostility between them. It seemed Clan’s cold had gone a long way toward lowering the barrier between them.

This is turning out pretty interesting. Because I caught a cold, our relationship is developing in a positive direction...

Clan of the future watched this all unfold with great interest. She hadn’t gotten sick in Ancient Forthorthe, so she didn’t discuss things with Koutarou for another two days. But when she caught a cold here, the timeline essentially advanced, jumping their relationship forward two days.

To think something so trivial could change fate...

It was seemingly the smallest of things. Clan had only caught a cold, but it was enough to bring about momentous change. This two-day head start on their relationship would make all the difference in the world.

“Oh yeah, it’s about time...”

“Kyaaah!”

In the middle of their conversation, Clan suddenly let out a yelp and recoiled. But not without reason—Koutarou had suddenly leaned in.

“Calm down. I’m just changing the towel on your forehead. I’m not going to do anything to you.”

Koutarou, however, had no ulterior motives. As promised, he simply took the towel off her forehead and rinsed it in a wooden basin. They’d been talking for long enough now that he thought it was time to refresh it.

“I-I see...”

“What did you think I was doing?”

“A man leaning over a woman... in bed... is a little...”

“You idiot! What do you take me for? I wouldn’t do anything to an invalid!”

Even if they’d still been enemies, Koutarou wasn’t the type to take advantage of someone defenseless. He was irritated at the suggestion and spoke a little more harshly than before because of it.

“R-Right. I-I’m sorry.”

Clan knew by now that Koutarou was rather old-fashioned. She admitted her mistake and apologized, partially out of courtesy since he was taking care of her.

“Even if you weren’t sick right now, you’re my only ticket home. I’d be in real trouble if I got on your bad side. The same goes for you, doesn’t it?”

“I-Indeed, we are in the same boat...”

Without Clan’s help, Koutarou had no way of returning to Earth. And without Koutarou’s cooperation, the course of history would change forever. Clan and Koutarou both needed each other in order to get home.

“If I do something to you now, you might toss me out in deep space somewhere.”

“Maybe I would...”

“So I’m going to play nice until we get back to present-day Earth.”

“...So a temporary truce it is...”

“I’d prefer a permanent one, honestly...”

Koutarou had been focused on Clan, but he turned his gaze toward the starry skies outside the window for a moment.

“...”

She knew what he was really looking at. His thoughts were on Theia and his other friends far, far away on Earth. He sought a permanent truce for their sake.

“I-I seek a truce too, you know?! If you do something strange in this time period, it’ll have an impact on the future! And you need to act as a replacement for the Blue Knight until I can find the real one!”

It was because Clan knew where Koutarou’s heart was that her words had a bitter edge to them. After all, she was the one in front of him now, and a strange feeling began budding in her chest. She wanted him to look back at her. Of course, Clan was unaware of all this at the time. She still perceived Koutarou as an enemy, and her mind was somewhat hazy because of the fever. The subtle changes happening within her went completely unnoticed.

How vexing of myself... I should have come around when he carried me on his back... Gosh, I guess this is how Theiamillis-san and the others have felt watching me lately...

But the truth wasn’t lost on the Clan observing the situation. From an objective point of view, she readily spotted the change. It was an effective check on her perspective, forcing her to realize how other people must feel when they saw her. The way she refused to admit her feelings was unbelievably vexing.

I’ll try to be more honest when I wake up... There’s no point in trying to hide it. I’m sure everyone already knows... even Veltlion...

Seeing herself in this position gave Clan a hint about how to handle her own situation. There was no point in desperately trying to hide what was already known. In fact, it would cost her more than she stood to gain—both from her friends and the boy she loved. The same would be true when she was empress, both with opposing factions and her allies.

Knock, knock, knock!

Just as Clan made up her mind about the future, there was a rapping at the door.

“Yes?”

“It’s me.”

“Princess Alaia?!”

To Koutarou and Clan’s surprise, it was Alaia knocking. Not wanting to keep a princess waiting, Koutarou leaped up from his wooden chair to answer the door.

“I’m a princess too, you know...”

I’m a princess too, you know...

Both Clans had the same reaction. She was frustrated at the difference in the way Koutarou treated her and Alaia, despite knowing the circumstances. However, even though both Clans had the same reaction, the feeling behind it was quite different. Present Clan watching all this unfold was honestly a little happy Koutarou wasn’t treating her like a princess.

“I brought some food.”

“If you had just said something, I would have come to pick it up.”

“Heehee... The truth is that I wanted to see how Clan-sama was doing, so I brought it over personally.”

“I’m sorry for the trouble. Here, I’ll take that.”

“Certainly. Here you are.”

Alaia handed the tray of food over to Koutarou with an innocent, trusting smile. When the Clan observing this world saw it, she was reminded of something.

Alaia-san really does have feelings for Veltlion...

Present Clan knew that Alaia fell in love with Koutarou on the night of the harvest festival. That was two days from now, but it was as plain as could be that she already had feelings for him. Clan could also see now how objectively attractive Alaia was. She would be irresistible to most men.

I’m impressed you were able to turn her down and return home in the end, Veltlion... I can’t tell if you’re stupid or just stubborn... Well, what would you expect from the Blue Knight?

Despite Alaia’s feelings, Koutarou would return to the present with Clan. In other words, he’d chosen the girls back home—Clan included. Clan was proud of that, though her stubbornness made her sound more critical than she really was.

“Hey, Clan. Her Highness went out of her way to bring you something to eat.”

“My sincerest apologies for the imposition... It is an honor, Alaia-san. Pardon... I mean, Your Highness.”

They were both princesses, but Clan admired the legendary Alaia. She was thrilled that she’d brought food just for her, which helped soften the resentment she felt toward Koutarou.

“There is no need for thanks after everything you two have done for me.”

“You honor me.”

“I made sure to bring things that were easy to eat. I hope they’ll help you recover.”

“Thank you very much for your consideration.”

Alaia smiled at Clan as they chatted. Her face was still red from the fever, but she spoke clearly and lucidly. It was clear, sick though she was, that her life wasn’t in danger.

“Do you even have an appetite?” Koutarou asked.

“I will happily eat whatever Princess Alaia brought. But in small amounts, please.”

“Yeah. You take small bites even when you’re not sick, don’t you?”

“You just lack manners.”

“It’s not about manners right now. You just need to eat. A cold is just a battle of stamina, you know?”

“I just can’t eat that much all at once!”

Koutarou cut Clan’s food into small morsels with a knife and fork. On the menu was typical inn fare: bread, soup, and freshwater fish. It was pitiful compared to what Clan was used to at home, but she didn’t complain about the food. Instead, all her complaints were directed at Koutarou, who was feeding her. She looked like a fussy baby bird being fed by its mother.

“Heehee...”

Alaia giggled at the sight, causing Clan and Koutarou to stop in their tracks. They both gave her a mystified look.

“I was just thinking back to when we first met, when Layous-sama was carrying you, Clan-sama. The two of you seem to get along so well.”

Alaia, her heart warm, wore a bright smile. But Koutarou and Clan both protested.

“Hardly. She’s just always causing me trouble.”

“That’s my line! You always say the most unnecessary things!”

They couldn’t help thinking of each other as adversaries still, which was why they were only reluctantly cooperating. But even so, they’d spent quite a bit of time together now and their relationship was already starting to change. Neither of them were aware of it yet, however, hence their reaction to Alaia.

“Heh, it certainly doesn’t look that way to me... Heehee.”

Alaia, oblivious to Clan and Koutarou’s history, could tell there was more to their relationship than they were admitting. They seemed even closer now than when Koutarou had carried Clan.

“I can’t keep up with her sly, spiteful antics.”

“This is all your fault to begin with! You’re too stuck in your old-fashioned way of thinking!”

“Yet even if it’s because you’re sick, you let Layous-sama stay by your side as you slept, didn’t you, Clan-sama?”

“Erk...”

Clan had always promised herself that she would only let the man she’d marry see her sleeping face. But now Koutarou had seen it... And Alaia didn’t realize the grief she’d caused Clan by pointing that out.

“And as for you, Layous-sama, you’re caring for Clan-sama without any complaints.”

“Ugh...”

Koutarou had given Clan an earful, but it was true he’d never once complained about taking care of her. It was only when Alaia pointed it out that he came to realize that wasn’t exactly how one treated a mortal enemy... He was no longer too sure how he felt about Clan.

“See? It seems to me the two of you are rather close, heehee.”

“...”

“...”

Koutarou and Clan exchanged a look before blushing.

Don’t tell me I...

That’s not possible... This man is my sworn enemy.

But in the end, both of them remained obstinate, coming to the conclusion that Alaia was sorely mistaken.

The way Clan saw it, catching a cold was the turning point in her relationship with Koutarou. Ever since that day, she found herself stealing glances at him constantly. But she wasn’t the only one who was changing; Koutarou continued being kinder to her even after she recovered from her cold.

“What is this?”

“Don’t ask me, Veltlion. I don’t know anything about life in Forthorthe two thousand years ago.”

“Hmm, I guess we’ll pick one up.”

“What? Why?”

“It’s clear that it’s food. And you just got better, so you need to eat what you can.”

“I might not be able to eat it all...”

“Then I’ll eat the rest. Anyways, let’s go!”

“Jeez, you always have to have it your way... Heh...”

Today, Koutarou had taken Clan out to observe the harvest festival with him—his idea of getting her a little fresh air and sunshine now that she was feeling better. The harvest festival wouldn’t begin in earnest until that evening, but the town was festive enough already during the day that there were decorations and smiles as far as the eye could see.

“Do you see that balloon-like bird normally in present-day Forthorthe too?”

“Unfortunately, there are almost none left alive. Supposedly their population was largely hunted off by animals migrating from the south.”

“I guess they don’t run so good when they’re that round, huh?”

“Do you like them?”

“Yeah. They’re pretty funny and cute.”

“You sound just like a child.”

“I can still pass for a child, and so can you.”

“Heh, that’s true. I’d forgotten.”

Clan and Koutarou spent a while taking in the hustle and bustle of town, and that afternoon became a precious memory for her. She was almost always cooped up in her laboratory and virtually never went out to play. Perhaps that was why the afternoon left such a strong impression on her.

“Preventing the water source from being poisoned will change the course of history... But at the same time, we can’t just look the other way.”

“I’ll take responsibility for forcing your hand in the matter. Besides, whatever happens in Forthorthe aside... Earth shouldn’t change much because of this, so you can stay at my place for a while.”

“You mean in that old, cramped apartment of yours?”

“Landlord-san would kill you if she heard you talk about it like that.”

“Landlord-san? Oh, you mean that monstrous—”

“Don’t ever say that to her face either, okay?”

“S-Starting today, I’ll be washing my own clothes!”

“Why? Aren’t you busy treating everyone?”

“Even if I’m busy, I just realized that there’s a line that mustn’t be crossed!”

“This is an emergency, so I don’t really think you have to be so concerned about that.”

“Having the Blu— I mean, having a man wash my underwear is already an emergency!”

“Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden? Talk about weird...”

“You are not just kind to Alaia-san, but Charl-san as well, aren’t you?”

“Well, yeah. She’s royalty, and this is a terrible time for her. She’s also pretty defenseless. I don’t have any reason not to be.”

“I’m also royalty, and this is also hard on me. I’m also pretty defenseless.”

“You’re—”

“What?”

“Well... Hmm, it’s hard to put into words.”

“Then why not show me what you’re trying to tell me?”

“Like this?”

Squish!

“Veltlion, take your hands off my face at once!”

“Sheesh, you’re the one who told me to show you...”

“Oh yeah, Clan. Princess Alaia was talking about preparing a room just for you.”

“What?! I-I don’t need one!”

“You know, you’re technically an unmarried girl, so she seems to be worried about the propriety of you staying with me, even if we are supposedly master and servant.”

“I have no need to be concerned about my reputation in this day and age! Moreover, I can’t do anything that might leave a record of my existence here!”

“Oh, yeah, you’re right. That would be a problem.”

“See?!”

“Then we can just use my name to get two rooms and—”

“That might still influence the future, Veltlion! It’s safest just to stay as we are!”

“Really?”

“Yes! Jeez, you really don’t get it...”

“Hey, Clan!”

“...”

“What’s with the long face?”

“I’m just a little discouraged after seeing how majestic Alaia-san really is. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to reach her level...”

“You’re wrong.”

“...What?”

“You were able to keep it together when Dextro attacked.”

“That was just... desperation. It wasn’t especially on purpose.”

“I think that’s how it is for everyone. It’s not like Princess Alaia is like that all the time either.”

“Are you trying to cheer me up?”

“I dunno... Not especially, I guess...”

“You aren’t very honest, are you?”

“It’s pretty difficult.”

“Heehee, that’s true. It certainly is...”

In the end, it wasn’t just the harvest festival. Clan had made precious memory after precious memory with Koutarou in past Forthorthe. Whenever she thought of one, ten others came to mind right along with it. They weren’t all of happy times, but they pieced together to form something profound—a change in Clan. And because of that change, Clan was planning on making a proposal to Koutarou. It was now the evening of January 24, 2010, just after the second play had ended.

Koutarou had a part in the play, but Clan didn’t. After making sure he got to the gymnasium and watching the last scene from afar, she headed up to the roof where Koutarou had asked to meet her afterward. Clan leaned on the railing, lost in thought as she watched the sun set. She was planning on waiting for Koutarou here like this.

“Jeez, he just doesn’t understand a woman’s feelings. Granted, maybe it’s because he doesn’t know that I...”

Clan appeared to be in a good mood. She was smiling and even humming to herself from time to time. She was only waiting for Koutarou, but the air about her was completely different than before. Though she was unaware of it herself, she was acting very similar to a girl in love waiting for her boyfriend.

“I’m sure that Theiamillis-san went through a lot too. She was crying and everything... heh heh...”

Clan squinted as she looked up into the fading sun, recalling Theia’s reaction to her and Koutarou reappearing. She’d burst into tears, her knees giving out from under her. Clan now knew that wasn’t a sign of weakness; it was a sign of the hardships she’d been through.

“...What are you grinning over here all by yourself for?”

“K-K-Kyaaah!”

Surprised by the sudden voice by her ear, Clan slipped off the railing she was leaning on with her elbows. In a panic, she grabbed it with her hands to steady herself before whipping around to face the owner of said voice.

“Veltlion, don’t call out to me from so close all of a sudden! You scared me!”

“Well, you didn’t react when I called to you from afar.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. So what are you grinning about?”

“That doesn’t matter!”

Clan couldn’t reveal the truth, so she instead rebuked Koutarou and turned away. He could tell she was acting strange and considered prying further, but ultimately decided against it. He’d come here for a more important reason, after all.

“Okay, okay. Fine.”

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

“There’s two things I want to ask you.”

When Clan broached the subject, Koutarou’s expression turned somber. He had two serious favors to ask of Clan: to keep quiet about what happened in the past, and to delete the data from past Forthorthe on the armor that he was currently still wearing.

So this part hasn’t changed... I guess Veltlion wouldn’t have come back if it had...

Once they got to talking, things played out just as Clan remembered them. Koutarou was sure that these two measures were necessary in order to protect Theia and keep things quiet in Forthorthe. Clan agreed with him, though she did have a bone to pick about Koutarou’s fixation on Theia.

“It’s all done.”

“Thank you, Clan.”

“You’re welcome.”

It wasn’t long before Clan was done copying and deleting the data from Koutarou’s armor. She slowly lowered her braceleted right arm as the smile on her face faded.

“By the way, Koutarou, rather than another request, I have a suggestion.”

Clan was now the one looking to Koutarou with somber eyes. Finally feeling somewhat relieved about the prospect of being able to return to his normal life, Koutarou answered her casually.

“What is it?”

“Won’t you serve me?”

“Wh-What?!”

But his peace of mind was quickly blown away by Clan’s so-called suggestion. She’d said just about the most shocking thing he could imagine.

“Y-You... Are you serious?!”

After spending so much time with her, Koutarou no longer had any wish to fight Clan. That said, her relationship with Theia and the others was still contentious. And for that reason, he’d expected his truce with Clan to be dissolved upon returning to present-day Earth. So instead, to hear her suggest that they get closer rather than further apart... It was the surprise of a lifetime. He couldn’t help but think that it was some kind of joke.

“I am.”

Yet on the contrary, Clan looked perfectly sincere. Her serious eyes remained focused on Koutarou as she waited for an answer.

“Don’t be stupid! If I do that, Theia won’t be able to complete her trial!”

Theia’s trial was to conquer room 106 and its residents. In other words, if Koutarou agreed to serve Clan, Theia would fail her trial. That made it an impossible proposal to accept, which was the biggest reason he thought it was a joke.

“Please calm down. I don’t mind if you wait until after Theiamillis-san’s trial is complete.”

“Huh?!”

With that, Clan surprised and confounded Koutarou even more. What she’d just said flew in the face of why she’d come to Earth in the first place.

“If you serve at my side, I won’t mind giving up my right to the throne. That will even put Theiamillis-san one step closer to becoming empress herself.”

“J-Just wait a minute, Clan! Do you understand what you’re saying?!”

It was meeting Alaia that had recently made Clan want to become empress in earnest. Yet now she was talking about giving up on the throne altogether. Koutarou was baffled.

“You’re the one who doesn’t understand, Koutarou.” With a soft sigh, Clan gently dragged her finger across the sword in Koutarou’s hand. “It’s almost as if you can’t appreciate the value of this sword.”

“Its value?”

Koutarou lifted the sheathed sword up in front of him—the holy sword Signaltin, the sword given to him by Alaia.

“The greatest treasure of the royal families, a relic of history, the sword of kingship: Signaltin. Just how meaningful do you think a person who can wield this might be to the royal families?”

It was only there that Koutarou began to understand Clan’s intentions. Signaltin’s worth was indeed unfathomable to the royal families. That was why Clan was willing to give up the throne to have it. In other words, Theia’s problem could now peacefully be resolved at Koutarou’s discretion.

“Of course, it holds meaning for me too,” Clan said as she put her hand to her chest, her cheeks flushing red.

Oh?

Seeing this, the Clan observing them felt something was off. She remembered saying the exact same thing herself, though it had given her no reason to blush.

“In other words... you want a royal heirloom like this to stay in the hands of the royal families. You also want to study me and this sword, don’t you?”

“Study...?”

At that, Clan seemed surprised. She honestly hadn’t been thinking about studying the sword or Koutarou.

“Oh? Was I wrong?”

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t mind being able to do some research...”

Once Koutarou suggested it, she couldn’t deny that Signaltin would indeed be a worthy research subject. But that wasn’t her priority right now.

“Then what did you mean? What does it mean to you?”

“...”

Clan fell silent as she cast her eyes downward, her cheeks turning bright red all over again. It took her a moment to muster her courage before looking back up at Koutarou.

“This way, everything will be resolved... and we won’t have to fight...”

That was what was truly important to Clan right now, far outclassing research. After realizing her own immaturity and finally getting along with Koutarou, she wanted to avoid a confrontation with him no matter what... as that would mean fighting with the only person who understood her.

Our reasons are different!

The most surprised of all at this development was none other than the Clan observing this world. At this point in her own timeline, she hadn’t realized her feelings. Her primary goal in asking Koutarou to serve her was research. But after catching a cold in past Forthorthe, the Clan of this world had come to realize her true feelings sooner.

“Yeah, that would be for the best... I agree.”

The throne to Theia and Signaltin to Clan. Clan couldn’t give up her right to the throne of the most storied empire in history for nothing, but Signaltin was a suitable price. And by making sure Clan and Theia both got what they wanted, they should no longer have a reason to fight. Koutarou and Clan wouldn’t either. It was indeed a perfect resolution.

“Ah...”

Hearing Koutarou agree with her, Clan broke out into a smile. The situation was intricate, complex, and multifaceted, so she’d been unsure whether or not Koutarou would really agree to serve her. She was prepared for him to refuse, but she was also scared of being rejected... So in the end, she couldn’t be happier that they saw eye to eye on the matter. The big, blossoming smile on her face spoke to her relief.

I really don’t want to fight against a girl that smiles at me like this...

Clan’s smile tugged at Koutarou’s heartstrings. Hers was as bright as any of the other invaders’ when they’d revealed their true selves to him.

“I-I... I will hear your answer formally another time, so do make sure to think about it.”

“R-Right...”

Koutarou was entranced by that smile. He couldn’t help wondering if Clan had always been so pretty, momentarily finding himself at a loss for words. Puzzled by his silence, Clan looked at him quizzically.

“...Koutarou?”

“Oh, my bad... Yeah... But even if this doesn’t work out, make sure you face Theia fair and square, okay? And in a fashion befitting Forthorthe royalty, with no one’s life at stake. That way, I won’t have to intervene.”

“Please don’t worry. Even I’m not foolish enough to do something to lose Signaltin’s protection.”

“That’s true. You’re very calculating, after all.”

“Jeez! Can’t you compliment me some other way?!”

And with that, the seriousness between the two of them dissolved into their usual banter. Things had been tense, despite all the smiling, but now everything was perfectly back to normal.

“You say that, but— Achoo!”

“Oh? Catch a cold?”

“I’m fine. It’s probably just from the evening chill.”

“Anyways, that aside—”

Both Clan and Koutarou could feel something clicking into place deep in their hearts. It shifted their perspectives a little, making the light of the setting sun appear all the more vivid.

Koutarou came down with a cold the day after the play. After coming home from his part-time job that evening, he collapsed with a fever. It caused a ruckus in room 106, but fortunately his fever had broken by the next morning. That helped put everyone at ease, but just to be safe, Koutarou stayed home from school.

“I’ll come back when things get boring at school, so just sit tight until then, ’kay?”

“Just make sure you study some.”

“’Kay!”

Sanae, the last one to leave for the day, slipped through the wall and headed outside. The invaders had discussed leaving a couple of people behind to take care of Koutarou, but since he was already getting better, he’d shooed them all off to school. He wanted them to concentrate more on their studies than on him.

“Achoo!”

Koutarou’s sneeze echoed through the now empty apartment. Though his condition was improving, he still wasn’t back to full health yet. He’d sent the girls off to school in spite of that for two reasons: the first was that he didn’t want them to worry, and the second was that he had a hunch there was someone else who’d be willing to take care of him.

“Seems like you caught a cold after all...”

Not long after Koutarou sneezed, a familiar voice called to him from his bracelet. It seemed his hunch had been right, for said voice belonged to the second princess of Forthorthe, Clariossa.

“I’m surprised you could tell.”

“You can thank the bracelet for that. It’s constantly monitoring its wearer’s health.”

There, a hologram of Clan appeared from Koutarou’s bracelet.

“So it still functions like it did in Ancient Forthorthe and ten years ago...”

“That’s right. I got a notification while I was in my lab, and I wasn’t sure what to think.”

“Oh yeah? I was sure that you were stalking Theia or something.”

“Certainly not! Alaia-sama would never do that, so neither would I!”

The holographic Clan furrowed her brow at Koutarou’s snide remark. Of the girls around him, her expression was the most dynamic. He couldn’t help ribbing her a little just to see it.

“I know. I just wanted to tease you.”

“Jeez... Is that really the kind of attitude you take with someone who’s going to be taking care of you?!”

Suddenly, Clan’s voice was coming from somewhere in the apartment rather than Koutarou’s bracelet. He looked up to see her emerging from the glowing wall, arms crossed. She’d used a transfer gate to warp to room 106 instantaneously, so she was still making the same sour face she had been in the hologram.

“I’m sure that the reborn, mature Princess Clariossa will forgive me out of the kindness of her heart.”

“Y-You little...”

“Oh, Princess Clariossa, you’re oh-so beautiful today.”

“...I can just leave, you know?”

“N-No, wait! I’m sorry, Clan.”

Koutarou was of course grateful to Clan, and knew he’d be bored out of his mind without anyone around. He was perfectly happy to apologize to get her to stay.

“You could have just been more honest from the start, jeez...”

With a small sigh, Clan took a seat by the resting Koutarou and leaned over to take a peek at him.

“Please don’t look at my sleeping face. It’s something only my future wife is allowed to see,” he said with a grin, parroting what Clan had once said in past Forthorthe.

“I’ve already seen it countless times! Be more serious! I’m here to treat you!”

“You don’t have to get so angry... It was just a friendly joke.”

“If you don’t cut it out, I’m going to take you seriously!”

“Are you saying you are my future wife?”

“I...”

“...”

Silence fell over the room. Clan had already seen Koutarou’s sleeping face countless times, so if that really was a privilege reserved for his wife-to-be, then...

“A-Anyway, how are you feeling?!”

Clan couldn’t help but blush at the thought of marrying Koutarou. It wasn’t a strange thought, however. In fact, it was easy to imagine. But precisely because of that, she rushed to change the subject. She was scared that she would say something strange if she didn’t.

“O-Okay. My fever’s broken, but I’m still lightheaded.”

Koutarou was also eager to change the subject and jumped on the opportunity. He was equally flustered over imagining taking Clan as his wife... and the pleasant, warm feelings that came with that.

“A-All right, then let me run some tests and get you some medicine.”

“Yeah, thank you.”

Both of their mouths were dry, their hands clammy, and their heads burning up. They were both still overtaken with emotion, despite having changed the subject.

The two worlds are clearly different now. I wasn’t this conscious of Veltlion when I came back... much less my own feelings. I even tried to sever my connection to him...

Things had distinctly diverged at this point from how the observing Clan remembered them. Her relationship with Koutarou was nothing like this upon their return to Earth, so her own timeline was no longer a point of reference. In truth, she had no idea what would happen from here.

But if these two are this close, then if I show my feelings to my own Veltlion... maybe he would respond the same way...

Clan couldn’t imagine what would happen next, but she could imagine her Koutarou responding in kind if she were able to put her strong feelings into words. At this point, she was certain that she had a stronger connection to Koutarou than the Clan in front of her did.

“I’ve got the results from the diagnosis. It really is just a cold.”

“That’s all technology can tell me, huh?”

“The real difference is where we go from here. I’ll get you medicine specifically for your condition.”

“Now there’s a real advancement in medical science.”

Slowly but surely, Clan and Koutarou calmed themselves as they continued to chat about other things. Nevertheless, their hearts remained unmoved. They couldn’t deny their feelings from before, and both of them wondered in the back of their minds if it was really okay to have simply dropped the subject.

“Um...”

“Hey...”

That nagging feeling grew stronger and stronger until they both blurted something out. But because they did so simultaneously, they inadvertently took the wind out of each other’s sails.

“Wh-What?”

“It’s nothing... What were you going to say?”

“N-Nothing in particular...”

At this juncture, neither of them knew what to say. It was an effective stalemate. What could they say to get back on that topic, and how could they do it in a way that wouldn’t invite misunderstanding? Sanae would have said this was easy, but it couldn’t be harder for the two of them.

“...”

“...”

Silence returned to the room, but it was far heavier than before. At this point, they’d both vaguely realized what the other wanted to talk about... and they knew they’d probably regret it if they didn’t talk now. Yet the silence still continued. Several minutes felt like several hours.

“Hey, Clan.”

Koutarou, eventually, was the one to break the silence. He was quicker when it came to taking action, but he mostly just couldn’t stand the tension any longer.

“Wh-What is it?”

“I, uh... I can’t really explain why, but... I don’t mind you seeing my sleeping face...”

“I-I don’t particularly mind you seeing mine either... A-Although I don’t really know why myself...”

They were too embarrassed to put their real feelings into words. The change in their relationship had been too fast. But one thing was clear: neither minded the other seeing them asleep. That was the most they could express right now.

“Heh... heehee...”

“Ahaha...”

And that became how they confirmed each other’s feelings. The oppressive silence from before was blown away by their refreshing outburst of laughter.

“W-We really are stupid! We’re well past this! Ahahahaha!”

“Hahaha, yeah! But I blame my cold!”

There was no denying that they’d started out as enemies, but they’d since overcome all kinds of hardships together. At one point, they were even prepared to get lost in the space-time continuum together... And here they were, fretting over each other’s sleeping faces. It was just too funny.

“Heehee... Really, I blame my cold too...”

But they were only able to laugh together like this because they’d been able to soothe the unease in their hearts. They both now knew that their feelings weren’t one-sided, and Clan was smiling more sweetly than ever before because of it.

Kiriha first noticed that Koutarou was acting strange toward the end of the month after he’d gotten over his cold. Her first inkling that something was up was that someone had clearly come to take care of him while he was ill. The washbasin had been moved, and there were fewer clean towels than there were before she and the other girls had left for school that day. There was also a glass that had been used for tea which had obviously been washed by a more thorough hand than Koutarou’s. When Kiriha asked him about all this, he simply said that a friend had come over. She began observing him after this and discovered that he would meet with Clan from time to time. That was where things took a very strange turn in Kiriha’s eyes as Clan, up until very recently, had been Koutarou’s mortal enemy.

“It appears more time has passed than we thought...” Kiriha mused, her arms folded.

During the second play, Koutarou had cleaved Clan’s superweapon in two. He and Clan had both gone missing for a few minutes in the resulting explosion, and all they’d really said upon their return was that they’d gone to a distant world. Based on the way they talked about it, however, it sounded as though they’d been gone far longer than just the few minutes it had seemed like. Kiriha had been assuming it was a period of a few days or so, but seeing Clan and Koutarou now, she started to suspect that it was really much longer than that.

“So this is where you were, Ruth,” Kiriha called out in greeting.

When it came to gravity and space-time, Ruth was by far the most knowledgeable of their group. She was the only person who could answer Kiriha’s question now.

“What is the matter, Kiriha-sama?”

Ruth was currently in Blue Knight’s maintenance hangar. It held all size and manner of machines for maintaining Blue Knight’s various weapons. Ruth was presently in the middle of servicing the maneuver suit—in other words, Koutarou’s armor.

“There’s something I’d like to ask you.”

“If you came all the way here, then... is it something confidential?”

“I’m glad you’re so fast on the uptake. It’s about Koutarou and Clan.”

“I see. So that’s what this is about...”

There, Ruth narrowed her eyes. She had her own misgivings about the two. But upon hearing that was the subject, she stopped what she was doing and walked over to Kiriha.

“I was just thinking that Koutarou and Clan seem to be getting along a little too well recently. I suspect that they were together for far longer than we initially imagined, so I wanted to ask you about space-time travel.”

“Satomi-sama did say that he had traveled to a different world and had to work with Clan-sama to return. He also said that going into too much detail would cause problems.”

“This leads me to my question: how much would travel between worlds affect the passage of time?”

Kiriha guesstimated that it would have taken several months at minimum to foster such a momentous change in Koutarou and Clan’s relationship, and she had confidence in that. It was based on personal experience, after all. That was why she was wondering if a distortion in the passage of time of that magnitude could have occurred when traveling between worlds.

“Based on the nature of the weapon that Satomi-sama detonated, both he and Clan-sama were definitely exposed to dense gravity. However, based on the energy readings, the ensuing distortion in the passage of time should have only amounted to a few days or weeks.”

“That’s short... That wouldn’t explain the change in their relationship.”

Ruth’s answer wasn’t enough to satisfy Kiriha. It backed Koutarou’s story, but it certainly didn’t explain what had happened with Clan.

“If your deduction is right, Kiriha-sama, then two new possibilities arise. The first is that time simply moved faster in the world they found themselves in.”

If the passage of time was effectively faster at their destination, then a few minutes on Earth could have amounted to months over there.

“And the other possibility?”

“...They didn’t travel to another world at all.”

Ruth wasn’t entirely sure about the second possibility, so she couldn’t answer Kiriha with any confidence. Nevertheless, there was circumstantial evidence to support the theory. She couldn’t completely discard the idea.

Ruth’s circumstantial evidence included the condition of Koutarou’s armor when he returned. All the data from the time period he was missing had been erased. And so, looking for answers, Kiriha and Ruth decided to pay Clan a visit.

“Even if you were sent to a different world because of an accident, what reason is there to hide what happened? Who exactly is it going to cause problems for, and how?” Ruth asked.

If Clan and Koutarou had been sent to a world that had nothing to do with this one without any other issues, they could have just selectively erased the data that they didn’t want anyone to see. That way, they could have avoided any supposed problems caused by it without inviting suspicion. Yet all of the data from that timeframe had been wiped. Was it really possible all of it was that damning?

“Wh-What might you be talking about? I erased all of the data because that was the simplest course of action. It would have taken too much time to weed through it and only remove the problematic parts.”

Confronted with Ruth’s logic, Clan was in a panic. She racked her brain, desperately searching for exactly the right words. There were a lot of landmines and pitfalls she had to avoid in this delicate conversation. Fortunately, things were working out so far. Clan gave a logical reply, and Ruth relented. That, however, was where Kiriha stepped in.

“Then it wasn’t just past Forthorthe that you traveled to?”

The priority on the armor’s automatic translator had been changed, with Ancient Forthorthian slotted at the top. Ancient Forthorthian was spoken widely two thousand years ago in Forthorthe, but it was now considered a dead language. That was why, when Kiriha saw it prioritized in the translator, she assumed it meant that Koutarou and Clan had gone back in time, leaving them no choice but to wipe the armor’s data completely.

“How—”

Clan found herself speechless. She couldn’t respond to Kiriha’s sudden remark, but in truth, it wasn’t completely unexpected. And so Clan took a moment to pull herself together, then started racking her brain again. She was up against Kiriha, her most dangerous foe. She’d have to be even more cautious than before.

“How would you assume that? The language spoken there was unknown. Ancient Forthorthian just so happened to be similar, which is likely why it was given priority in the translator.”

“By the way, Clan-dono, I have a message from Kii: ‘If you don’t do your own laundry, Onii-chan is going to hate you.’”

“Wha?! How do you know about— Oh no!”

Kiriha was indeed a formidable opponent. Knowing Clan’s mind was on Forthorthe, Kiriha attacked from a completely unexpected angle. Clan couldn’t hide her genuine surprise upon hearing Kii’s name, betraying her true colors.

“So it really is true... I suspected as much the moment I set foot in this spaceship again. I have a vague memory of its interior.”

Kiriha nodded, satisfied with Clan’s reaction. She then looked at her with gentle eyes. Not the kind you would regard an enemy with, but an old friend.

“Then, then... You’re Kii?!”

The glint in Kiriha’s eyes was familiar to Clan. She’d seen it before in the eyes of a runaway girl she met ten years ago just outside Kisshouharukaze City.

“Hello again, Onee-chan,” Kiriha said with a childish, innocent smile.

In truth, Kiriha hadn’t smiled like that in the last ten years. It was something she’d stopped doing the day she grew up, and this was the first it had resurfaced since. That was just how meaningful her meeting with Koutarou and Clan a decade ago had been.

“What do you mean?”

Ruth, unaware of the situation, quizzically inclined her head. She had no idea why Clan called Kiriha “Kii” or why Kiriha called Clan “Onee-chan.”

“The truth is that when Onee— When Clan-dono and Koutarou returned from Forthorthe, they stopped by Kisshouharukaze ten years ago. That was when I first met them.”

When she turned back to Ruth, Kiriha was already back to her normal, adult self. She proceeded to tell Ruth her story. About how she ran away from home to the surface, how she chased after a blue comet, and how she stumbled upon Koutarou and Clan... all leading up to the present day.

“So something like that happened...”

Ruth nodded sagely after hearing Kiriha’s story. Contrary to expectation, it was now Clan who was cradling her head in agony.

“What a mess... I even pointed a weapon at Kii... I’m glad I lost. I really, truly am...”

She was surprised to learn that Kiriha was Kii, making her all the more appalled she’d tried to kill the little girl she was once so desperate to protect. A chill ran down her spine when she thought about what would have happened if she’d succeeded.

“I was surprised too. To think Clan-dono was my Onee-chan...”

Kiriha felt something similar. The lady in her memories was so completely different from the Clan she knew. That was why she hadn’t realized it sooner, despite their identical looks. Granted, Kiriha had her vague childhood memories, a ten-year handicap, and something as illogical as a timeslip working against her. No one could have expected her to figure it out on sight.

Nevertheless, Kiriha was also relieved that she hadn’t gone too far.

“And...”

There, Kiriha pulled out a card from her bosom. It was the Kabutonga trading card she’d treasured for so long.

“I’m sorry, I just remembered something urgent. I’ll be taking my leave for now.”

“Kiriha-sama?”

“Yeah, I bet... Get going, Kii.”

“Thank you, Onee-chan,” Kiriha said as she ran out of the Cradle.

By the time she passed through the door, Clan and Ruth were already out of her mind. There was something far more pressing at hand. Something she absolutely needed to do.

“Heh, that side of her hasn’t changed at all...” Clan giggled as she watched Kiriha run off.

The young Kii of ten years ago was clever and quick to spring into action whenever she made up her mind. And seeing her act this way, Clan could definitely see Kii in the now-grown Kiriha.

“Where is Kiriha-sama going?” Ruth asked.

“Kii has finally discovered a clue about her first love, so she’s gone to meet him.”

“Her first love? I see...”

Ruth also had a clue as to his identity. That’s why she was certain that something wonderful would happen.

“Ten years have passed since then... and her feelings have remained the same all this time...”

Clan flashed a bright, gentle smile. She was overflowing with compassion—something no one would have thought her capable of just weeks ago.

Clan-sama has changed...

Seeing her this way, Ruth could tell. She was sure that something had happened to stimulate such a change while she was gone. She also had an idea of what that was.

“You met Her Majesty Alaia in Past Forthorthe, did you not, Clan-sama?”

That was the conclusion Ruth had come to based on the damage to Koutarou’s armor, the erased data, and the updated translation priority list. And now that she knew Clan and Koutarou had traveled at least ten years back in time and that Clan had undergone such a transformation... Ruth was certain that Clan had become friends with Alaia two thousand years in the past.

“Th-That’s not...”

Clan reflexively tried to deny it. Koutarou had asked her to keep it quiet to avoid any problems, and she’d agreed.

“...You’re not wrong. We did indeed travel two thousand years into the past and meet Alaia-san.”

But she reconsidered her stance partway through and revealed the truth to Ruth. Considering what had just happened with Kiriha, she knew she wouldn’t be able to deceive Ruth.

“Then is Satomi-sama...”

The damage, the data, and the translator. The facts of the matter told Ruth in a roundabout way what had really happened to Koutarou in the past.

“He is... He is none other than the person we Forthorthians know as Layous Fatra Veltlion.”

“Satomi-sama is the Blue Knight?!”

Astonishment filled Ruth’s face. She froze in place before the strength left her knees, forcing her to sit down.

“I... see... So Satomi-sama is the knight commander, His Excellency the Blue Knight... That means we’re... Oh, Goddess of Dawn! I thank you for delivering this miracle unto us!”

Ruth leaned forward and began to cry like a child. Her parents had actually been having marriage talks recently, and she was considering accepting for Theia’s sake. Her future husband’s power would make it easier to secure Theia’s future... But Ruth’s heart wasn’t in it. In fact, her heart was already devoted to someone else. But if Koutarou was truly the Blue Knight, then she could love him with impunity. There was nothing more joyous than that. Ruth’s exalted tears, which continued to flow freely, said as much.

“I’m happy for you, Pardomshiha...”

“Th-Thank you very much, Clan-sama...”

“Having you thank me feels strange.”

“Hngh... You never should’ve attacked us.”

“I can’t argue there. Jeez... I would like to go back in time and smack myself.”

Clan began fiddling with the computer at her hands with a wry smile. There was a lot she wanted to show and tell Ruth. Indeed, it was clear a change had come over her, but she herself remained unaware of it. Ruth had noticed, but she was too busy crying at the moment.

While Kiriha and Ruth had at last learned the truth of what had happened in past Forthorthe, it was kept secret from the others for a while. As Clan and Koutarou had warned, this information had the potential to cause serious problems. Yet even so, Koutarou had no choice but to bring out Signaltin against the various enemies that threatened them. By that summer, everyone knew that Koutarou was the Blue Knight. Thanks to her assistance in the battles they faced, Clan was also accepted into their circle of friends during that time. When the truth about Koutarou finally came out, everyone understood why she’d been helping them.

“Even if you say that, I can’t just do that all of a sudden!”

“Why not?”

“Th-That’s... Because of everything that’s happened...”

Nowadays, seeing Clan in room 106 had become an everyday occurrence. And today in particular, she was sitting at the tea table and talking to Sanae.

“There’s no point in sweating the small stuff like that. Your position is especially strong today, so now’s your chance.”

“Even if you say that...”

Clan cast her gaze downward at the tea table. On it sat an alarm clock with its cover removed. The alarm clock belonged to Koutarou, and Clan had been called to repair it after it suddenly stopped working. So, as Sanae had said, Clan was in an especially strong position today. Nevertheless, that wasn’t enough of a motivator for her to be more honest.

“Okay, then I’ll show you how when Koutarou comes back!”

“What was that about me?”

Almost on cue, Koutarou returned to the room carrying a tray loaded with a bottle of tea and several cups. It was a hot summer day, and since he’d specifically asked Clan to come over to help, he thought he should show her some hospitality.

“Koutarou, Koutarou, sit down here!”

“Yeah? Okay.”

He was none the wiser to what Sanae and Clan had been discussing, and obligingly followed Sanae’s instructions. He set the tray on the table and sat down cross-legged on the cushion he’d been using before.

“What is it?”

“Whee!”

As soon as he was in position, Sanae suddenly dove onto his lap. She’d been doing this since before she ever got her body back, so he wasn’t particularly surprised at the gesture. He simply reached out over her back and began pouring tea.

“Koutarou, stretch!”

“Okay, okay.”

As an athlete, Koutarou would do stretches in the apartment from time to time. By sitting in a butterfly position, pushing his feet against each other, and lifting his knees up and down, he could stretch his hips without taking up much room or being too much of a bother to anyone. And when he did it with Sanae lying in his lap, she would move up and down with his legs. It was silly, really, but Sanae enjoyed it. She would move her arms with the rise and fall like she was swimming.

“I’m getting good at this.”

“Maybe we should actually go to the pool someday.”

“Yeah! That would be fun! Teeheehee...”

Satisfied with Koutarou’s reaction, Sanae let out a giggle and glanced over at Clan. It was like her eyes were saying...

Just do something like this!

Indeed, Sanae was trying to show Clan how to be more intimate with Koutarou.

I-I can’t do that!

But Clan swiftly shook her head back and forth. Sanae’s demonstration was far too high-level for a novice like Clan to attempt. Besides, Koutarou would be flabbergasted if she tried something like that.

“Sanae, have you gotten a little heavier?”

“Yup! I’ve gotten taller!”

“Good thing you got your body back, huh?”

“It’s only natural that we’d keep growing together.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

But while the Clan of this world was shyly hiding within her shell, the Clan observing all this felt enlightened.

So that’s how you do it... He would certainly be surprised if I did something, but it should be within the permissible range...

She’d already made up her mind and was now actively looking for clues about how to proceed. Her intention was to collect as much data as possible.

“...What are you doing?”

Seeing Clan fiercely shake her head and then stare at him, Koutarou couldn’t help asking her what was up.

“What?! N-N-Nothing!”

Clan fiercely shook her head yet again, which only made Koutarou more suspicious. He reached out for her face nearly out of reflex. As of late, he’d taken to tugging on her cheeks until she answered him, the same way he did with Theia and Sanae.

“Ah...”

Seeing what he was about to do, Clan broke out into a smile. She’d been feeling jealous whenever he did this to the other girls recently. However, his hand stopped before it reached her face.

“Anyway... So, how’s the alarm clock look, Clan?”

Since he’d called her over for repairs, Koutarou didn’t want to be too rude to her today. Little did he know this ran counter to Clan’s wishes.

“Aw...”

Her expression grew darker. She’d wanted him to go all the way. Not just to rub her cheeks, but to get even closer. That was a feeling that had been blossoming inside of her ever since Koutarou had caught a cold.

“What’s wrong, Clan?”

“Uh... Um, er... The alarm clock, was it?”

Returning to her senses upon seeing Koutarou shoot her a worried look, she hurriedly changed subjects. It did little to ease Koutarou, however.

“Yeah, but are you really okay? You’re acting strange.”

“I’m fine! Ahem... So, about the alarm clock... The problem is a faulty connection between the battery compartment and circuit board. It can be fixed with a little soldering.”

“I see. Then can you do that?”

Fortunately, Clan was able to talk herself out of the situation by getting down to business. Koutarou’s attention shifted over to the clock. The small, visible gap was the reason for the malfunction, and Clan was relieved to see Koutarou staring at it rather than her.

“I can fix it right away... Or, rather, I could if I had the solder to do it. I’m currently out, so I’ll go buy some more,” she said as she stood up.

Soldering was like a form of simple welding, which used different kinds of metals depending on the parts and the project. Clan just so happened to be out of what she needed for this particular repair, so she was happy to go out and cool her head while she bought some more.

“I’ll come too.”

But, contrary to her intentions, Koutarou offered to come with her. He stood up too and headed for the front door without hesitation.

“I-It’s fine! It’s not a big deal...”

“I can’t let you go alone. I’m the one who asked you to fix it.”

Koutarou was willing to ask Clan for help, but he wasn’t the kind of guy that would leave all the work in her lap. He thought it was the least he could do to go buy the necessary solder.

Clan was initially shaken when Koutarou offered to go with her, but once they were out and about, she realized she’d overreacted.

“Hold up, Clan. Let’s let that car past first.”

“Er... Okay.”

There was so much going on in the hustle and bustle of the city that his eyes were never focused on just her. Things may have been different elsewhere... The most problematic of which would’ve been if they were left alone together. But out in public, Clan didn’t have much to worry about.

I guess I am still sheltered when it comes to these sorts of things... I don’t want this...

Clan’s outlook on life had opened up significantly after meeting with Alaia, but her vision was still very narrow when it came to certain things. As someone striving to become a worthy noble, that was something disheartening.

“What is it?”

“I’m just a little embarrassed thinking about how narrow my point of view is...”

“You don’t need to be so bothered over not seeing a single car. No one keeps perfect track of their surroundings, you know?”

“...”

Koutarou had misinterpreted Clan’s statement, assuming she was referring to the passing car. Clan, however, let it slide. She wanted to keep what she really meant a secret.

“Oof!”

Suddenly, up ahead at the pedestrian crosswalk, Clan and Koutarou saw an elderly woman trip and fall.

“Oh no!”

Clan quickly ran over to her. The way she was now, there was no way she could just turn a blind eye to an old woman in need. This particular crosswalk was especially dangerous, as it didn’t have any traffic lights.

“Are you okay?” Clan worriedly asked the elderly woman as she offered her a hand.

“Thank you, dear. I seem to be fine,” the elderly woman replied with a clear voice as she took Clan’s hand.

As she said, she appeared to be fine.

Looks like I didn’t need to step in... Good, good...

Koutarou was just a few steps behind Clan, but since the woman didn’t seem to be hurt, he left things to her.

“It’s dangerous here, so let’s walk across together.”

“Thank you, dear. I’m sorry to be a bother.”

“Hardly.”

Clan held the elderly woman’s hand and escorted her to the sidewalk on the other side of the road. It was the opposite direction from where they were originally headed, but Koutarou didn’t complain. He would’ve done the same thing.

“Thank you so much. What a kind girl you are.”

“Oh, I still have a long way to go...”

“Ohoho. Come now, dear.”

After thanking Clan, the elderly woman turned an elegant smile to Koutarou.

“Your girlfriend is really something, isn’t she?”

“Yes. She’s very reliable when it counts.”

The girlfriend part aside, Koutarou thought the elderly woman was exactly right. He’d seen this side of her several times now. And because he saw no reason to split hairs with a stranger about his relationship with Clan, he nodded.

“Take good care of her, you hear? Girls like her are hard to find these days.”

“I intend to. Although, we do fight every now and then...”

“Ohoho, that’s okay every once in a while.”

Satisfied with her exchange with Koutarou, the elderly woman turned back to Clan.

“Well, I’ll be on my way. Thank you again, dear.”

“Please do take care of yourself.”

“Oh, that’s right!”

“Oh...?”

The elderly woman turned to leave, but suddenly seemed to remember something and walked back over to Clan. She then leaned in and whispered something in her ear.

“...Hold on tight to that boy, you hear? He’s like my husband. The moment you let him go, he’ll fly off who knows where.”

“E-Excuse me?!”

“Ohoho! Good luck, dear!”

And with that, the elderly woman walked off, leaving behind a blushing Clan and a bowing Koutarou.

I wonder what she told her...

Based on how Clan was behaving, it must have been something embarrassing. Koutarou was curious, but not enough to ask outright. Clan had helped a person out of sheer goodwill, and he didn’t want to ruin that by saying something stupid.

“All right, I guess we should get going too.”

Instead, Koutarou suggested they be on their way. He turned around and entered the crosswalk again, seemingly in a good mood despite not having done anything.

“Ah... Wait a moment!”

In a fluster, Clan hurriedly chased after Koutarou. What the elderly woman had said was still whirling around in her head, so she wasn’t paying very much attention to where she was going.

“Kyah!”

And because of that, just like the elderly woman, she tripped and fell in the crosswalk.

“Ouch...”

When Clan tried to get up, a hand suddenly appeared in front of her face.

“Are you hurt, Your Highness?”

When she looked up, she saw Koutarou smiling.

“Thank you, Veltlion. I seem to be fine.”

She took hold of his hand and squeezed it tight. He squeezed hers back and pulled her up.

Normally, Clan would have been too stubborn to take his hand. But because of what he said, and what the elderly woman had said before him, she decided to hold on to him. Ultimately, the encounter with the elderly woman was a blessing in disguise.

“It’s dangerous here, so let’s walk across together.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry to be a bother.”

“Hardly.”

Clan and Koutarou had a good laugh as they walked the crosswalk together, hand in hand the entire way.

She did say not to let go of him. And Sanae told me to be bolder...

Even after they were on the other side of the road, Clan continued holding on to Koutarou’s hand.

Clan had tripped and fallen like the elderly woman, and she’d gone through the same exchange with Koutarou. Koutarou was just joking around, but it led to a strange development... Even once they were on the other side of the street, Clan held on to his hand.

“Do you see that post over there, Veltlion? The corner shop to the right of it is our destination.”

Clan was acting a little strange. Her behavior was normal, but she seemed unusually tense. But that wasn’t all. Moreover, the sparkle in her eye, her manners, and the way she carried herself all seemed especially gentle to Koutarou... And he wasn’t exactly sure why he felt that way.

That thing is the only thing I can think of...

If he had to hazard a guess, it had something to do with the fact that he was still holding her hand. They were already several hundred meters from the crosswalk, but Clan’s hand remained in his. Koutarou hadn’t let go of hers, either. He always pushed people away by nature, but for some reason he didn’t feel like that right now. It was a most mysterious feeling.

“Veltlion? Are you listening?”

“Hmm? Yeah, I heard you. We’re turning by that post, right?”

“...Is something on your mind?”

“You could say that. It’s a delicate problem, so I’m not sure what to do about it.”

“That’s an unusual worry for you. Heh...”

The truth was that Clan knew precisely what Koutarou was thinking about; she simply pretended not to. As he’d said, it was a delicate problem. Moreover, she didn’t have the courage to bring it up outright. This was already testing her limits.

If I try to put it into words, I’ll just... I’ll end up sounding sarcastic and saying something stupid. So, in that case...

Whenever Koutarou and Clan talked, he always ended up teasing her. But he knew good and well that now wasn’t the time for that. So, instead of trying to talk about it, he gave up on words and simply squeezed Clan’s hand tighter.

“Ah...”

A small gasp escaped Clan’s lips. At the same time, tears filled her eyes. She’d anxiously been awaiting Koutarou’s response... And now that he squeezed her hand, she was overwhelmed with relief.

“C’mon, don’t cry... You’re making it seem like this is my fault.”

“I-It is your fault. I’ve been waiting so anxiously...”

“Well, you’re the one doing weird things.”

“Th-That’s... If I’d used words, I only would have said something strange.”

“I know how you feel... I probably would’ve done the same.”

Koutarou smiled wryly at this state of affairs. It was possible that his own nature had had an influence on it, but either way, Clan and Koutarou both had trouble being honest about their feelings. They knew this was a roundabout way to address things, but they couldn’t help themselves. And that was exactly why Clan gave him a wry smile in return.

“And how would you have reacted if I’d actually said it?”

“I dunno, maybe just by saying that it was hot or we should get moving... What about you?”

“If you’d actually said it... I would have told you that I just forgot to let go, or that I wanted to but you hadn’t yet...”

“Aaand we would’ve ended up fighting like always.”

“I wish we could just fight the way you do with Theiamillis-san...”

“We’re like this precisely because we can’t.”

“Indeed. Heehee...”

Theia and Koutarou fought just as often as Clan and Koutarou did, but Theia attacked with her fists. Clan couldn’t do that, but holding hands wasn’t a bad alternative. Even if they couldn’t be honest with words, they could be perfectly clear with each other this way. And when Clan realized that, their relationship took another step forward. She was now as close to Koutarou as Theia was, or perhaps even closer.

“Ah, we’re here, Veltlion.”

“So this is the place...”

At last, they arrived at their destination. It was an electronics specialty shop that stocked resistors, transistors, and the like. It was filled with all sorts of tiny parts that Koutarou had never seen before. Clan, however, had been here several times before.

“Wha...”

Clan walked right up to the display window. She usually followed behind Koutarou, but she was the one pulling him along this time. There was something on display that elicited that much excitement from her, and she stared at it through the glass with Koutarou by her side.

“Hmm, that’s an interesting looking thing.”

“Isn’t it? It’s a radio that uses vacuum tubes. Next to it is an amplifier that also uses them.”

Clan’s eyes were sparkling at the sight of the assembly kit for a radio and accompanying amplifier. They were simple makes using vacuum tubes. From a technological standpoint, this was old hat to Clan. But nevertheless, the design of several vacuum tubes lined up in a wooden case was intriguing to her. It had a certain aesthetic appeal.

“This seems like it would look good sitting on top of a wooden chest.”

“I am surprised you can tell.”

“I did live in the ancient past for a while, you know?”

“Yeah, heehee. That’s true.”

Even as she spoke to Koutarou, Clan’s eyes remained fixed on the display window. Its design and its neat presentation as an assembly kit all spoke to her. She looked like a child admiring the latest toy.

Come to think of it, she didn’t get along very well with her family, did she? I bet she never got to fully enjoy her childhood...

Koutarou knew a bit about Clan’s family situation. Her sheltered lifestyle was in part because of her poor relationship with her family, her late grandmother being the only exception.

Maybe that had something to do with how she treated that woman too...

Koutarou couldn’t help wondering if the elderly woman had reminded Clan of her own grandmother in some way. But here she was, practically glued to the display... If Clan’s grandmother had been here, what would she have done?

“Should I buy it?”

Normally, Koutarou never would have been forthright enough to ask that. But spurred on by what had happened today and the warm sensation of Clan’s hand still in his, he was able to be a little more honest.

“Y-You don’t have to do that! I have money, so I could just come back later and—”

Clan reflexively shook her head just like she always did. But her hand had other ideas, as it squeezed Koutarou’s all on its own.

“Just shut up. I’ll buy it, so you put it together.”

That was the reason Koutarou didn’t hesitate to say that, and he squeezed her hand back just as hard.

“...You’re so selfish. You always just do whatever you want...”

Clan gave a seemingly dissatisfied response, but her tone couldn’t have been brighter. Betraying her true feelings, an equally bright smile was plastered on her face. Despite what she’d said, it was clear she was overjoyed. Not even Koutarou failed to pick up on that.

“I don’t really think that’s the case this time.”

“Er... Um, I’m sorry for being so stubborn. And Veltlion... thank you...”

“Sure. This is actually pretty convenient, you know?”

“Sometimes things are just easier to say this way...”

“Hahaha, you can say that again!”

“Heeheehee...”

They shared another laugh together as they stepped inside the store. They bought the solder they were after, as well as the vacuum tube radio kit. But neither was the most important thing they went home with that day, holding hands all the while.

In order to fix Koutarou’s alarm clock, all Clan needed to do was remove the battery compartment and then properly solder it back in place. With her exceptional skill and steady hand, the entire process took less than ten minutes. But in stark contrast, the vacuum tube radio got a very different treatment. She took her time putting it together.

“Veltlion, could you get me the 10 kiloohm resistors?”

“The bag’s full of these things. You’ll have to give me more than just a number.”

“Heh, okay. I think it’s brown, black, orange, and gold.”

“Brown, black, orange... and gold. Found one.”

“Thank you.”

The reason for the slower pace was simple: Clan was having Koutarou help. Since he was completely unfamiliar with this kind of work, he was frequently holding things up. Clan could have done the whole project much faster on her own—within a day even. But here they were on day three of working on it together. Since they only worked on it when they both had free time, however, “day three” actually fell two weeks after they’d originally purchased the kit.

“Anyway, Clan, I’ve been meaning to ask... What even is a vacuum tube? It’s sort of glowing on the package, but that’s not the point of it, right?”

“Vacuum tubes served the same function as semiconductors before those were invented, and they have plenty of uses. For radios, their primary function is to turn the radio waves in the air back into audio signals, or to enhance said signals.”

“That makes it sound like it’s something really important.”

“It is. You can say that all modern electronics began with the vacuum tube.”

Rather than just the radio, Clan was interested in building it with Koutarou. As such, she didn’t mind all the time it took to explain things just for him. If anything, she was actually enjoying it. It was obvious enough that even Koutarou noticed upon entering day three of the build. She’d seemed so disappointed when they’d had to put it off, but now she was smiling brighter than ever as they worked away on it.

“Even in Forthorthe?”

“Yes. Even in Forthorthe, the vacuum tube was born from research on lightbulbs. So in a way, Earth is following in Forthorthe’s footsteps.”

“So that’s why you’re so interested in these tube things, huh?”

“Yes. I’ve only ever seen pictures of them in old documents... They have a certain warmth to them.”

“I can get that. They’re pretty cool.”

“Heehee, they certainly are.”

The two of them chatted away as they worked on building the radio. Considering the talk-to-work ratio, however, progress was slow. Nevertheless, Clan was still in a good mood. She was smiling whether she was working or talking, and Koutarou was just having fun watching her. In a sense, this little project they’d embarked on together was no different from them holding hands... although neither of them had realized that yet. As things stood, they were simply enjoying their time together.

“Are you thirsty, Clan?”

“A little, now that you mention it.”

“Okay, lemme go get some tea.”

“Hold on. Let me get it today.”

“What about the radio?”

“Heehee... What’s the rush?”

Over the course of the project so far, Koutarou had been the designated host while Clan kept working away. Feeling like her womanliness was taking a hit, however, Clan was eager to offer to do it this time around and practically leaped up from her seat. She took a single step... and then went down.

“Kyah!”

She’d been sitting for so long that one of her legs had fallen asleep without her even noticing. Suddenly springing up like that, she couldn’t support her own weight and fell straight for the tatami mat.

“Clan!”

Seeing her fall, Koutarou threw his hand out to grab hold of her. She ended up pulling him down with her, but Koutarou was okay with that. It was far better than letting her fall helplessly. Even if the tatami mat might break her fall some, she could still be hurt.

“Velt—”

“Ugh!”

And so Koutarou fell to the floor with Clan in his arms. It knocked the wind out of both of them for a second, but fortunately, that was the worst it did.

“Owowow...”

“Are you hurt, Your Highness?”

Koutarou had asked her the same thing two weeks ago when she tripped and fell. He was even looking at her the same way. The only difference was that rather than Clan being on the ground in front of him, she was safely in his arms this time.

“I, um... Thank you, Veltlion. I think I’m fine...”

Clan was physically fine, but she was an emotional mess. It was only inevitable given the situation, but she’d never been so close to Koutarou. She couldn’t stop herself from blushing. Moreover, they were in a rather awkward position. Clan was lying on top of Koutarou like she was about to kiss him.

“Be careful, okay? Yurika does this a lot too.”

Koutarou didn’t seem to particularly mind, however. He was often this close with Sanae, and Yurika was constantly falling over on a near daily basis. So in Koutarou’s eyes, this wasn’t anything particularly out of the ordinary. He simply smiled at Clan the way he always did.

“...”

Nevertheless, Clan was so flustered that she’d fallen silent. Being this close to Koutarou made her blush furiously... yet she didn’t want it to end. Like she’d talked about with Sanae, she genuinely wanted to get closer with Koutarou. This was just too sudden for her.

“What’s up, Clan?”

“...”

“Clan?”

Clan avoided making eye contact with Koutarou, but she made no attempt to get off of him. She’d said she wasn’t hurt, but she was red in the face and seemed to be hiding something. Koutarou was puzzled.

“Um... well...”

Clan moved her hand ever so slightly, gripping Koutarou’s shirt... and tugging at emotions within him.

She’s cuter than ever. This is the first time I’ve seen Clan like this... No, I guess there was two weeks ago.

Such sentiments welled up in Koutarou’s chest as he looked at Clan. He felt like his heart was being squeezed. And there, he too fell silent. He didn’t want to say something stupid and ruin things.

“...”

“...”

Their hearts and minds were captivated with the same thoughts, wondering what they could do to make this moment last forever.

But since neither of them knew how the other felt, they were both worried. What should they do? What could they do? Sanae or Kiriha would both be laughing at them for fretting over such things, but Clan and Koutarou still just couldn’t be honest with one another. They didn’t know what to do and they were desperate... oblivious to the fact that they didn’t have to do anything at all.

“...”

“...”

Time passed—it felt simultaneously like an eternity and like the blink of an eye. They both continued to worry and wonder, lost as to what they should be doing. And still very much unaware that they were already doing it.

“S-Say, Clan...”

As expected, it was Koutarou who finally broke the silence. He was just as worried as Clan was, but his personality drove him to action.

“Y-Yes?”

Anxiety filled Clan’s chest and she nervously clenched her fist trying to figure out what she should say. As a result, she ended up tugging more on Koutarou’s shirt.

“I feel like I’ll screw things up if I try to use words, so let me use actions instead...”

“I... I don’t mind...”

“Then...”

As Clan continued to tug at his shirt, Koutarou gently lifted his arm and wrapped it around Clan.

“...”

He still said nothing. Just silently hugged her.

“...”

Clan was equally speechless, but she wanted to answer him in kind. She gently lifted herself up and forward, pressing her lips against Koutarou’s cheek before lying back down on top of him.

“...”

“...”

Time continued to pass in silence, but it was fundamentally different from before. Rather than nervously avoiding eye contact, they were warmly smiling at each other now. Something precious had surfaced and settled into its rightful place.

A total of three weeks after Clan and Koutarou purchased it, the vacuum tube radio was finally complete. It had taken six hours of work, far over the time commitment listed on the box.

“That took quite a while...” Koutarou sighed as he looked over the completed radio.

The radio itself sat in a wooden case with knobs and five vacuum tubes that stood out like chimneys. The whole thing glowed with a soft, warm light.

“Was there any reason to hurry?” Clan asked with a smile.

She too looked over the radio, reaching out and putting her hand in Koutarou’s as she did. Without batting an eye, he held it tightly.

“Not at all.”

“If anything, I feel like it was over too soon. Heehee...”

The reason why the project had been so delayed was obvious. The building process was frequently derailed with Clan and Koutarou often ending up doing something else entirely. Over the past week, they were lucky to get one part installed for every twenty minutes of break they took.

“Since it’s finally built, why don’t we listen to it? It would be a waste to just stare at it.”

“Jeez, where’s your sense of elegance?”

“I don’t know what’s elegant about an alien building a vacuum tube radio.”

And the reason for all the derailing was the change that had come over their relationship. It was just a couple of weeks ago that both of them had felt tense to be near each other, but things couldn’t be more different now.

“Would you dare say that to Alaia-san?!”

“Of course not. She’s elegant by nature.”

“Then say the same thing about me!”

“Oh, can it. You’re just an alien.”

“Silence, neanderthal!”

Well, things may have sounded the same, but they too were different. Clan and Koutarou were smiling at each other and holding hands as they called each other names. It couldn’t have been more obvious they were joking around. And perhaps that was the most important difference of all. Rather than just physically being connected by holding hands, they were holding each other’s hearts too.

“Me neanderthal, so me smash radio!”

“Ah, wait a moment. The battery’s not in yet.”

Snap.

“There you go, neanderthal.”

“Ooga!”

Click.

Despite his primitive threat to smash the radio, Koutarou very gently turned the power on. When he did, soft static began coming from the speaker. Clan carefully turned one of the dials, and the soft static clarified into a voice.

“...There will be heavy rain in the Ogasawara Archipelago today. Make sure you take an umbrella if you’re going out...”

“It works!”

“Sounds like we found the weather.”

“It’s really something that the vacuum tube glows, you know?”

“Well, it was derived from a lightbulb. There are vacuum tubes that don’t glow too, but these were crafted specifically to do so.”

“I can see why. The warm glow is nice.”

The whole radio seemed to glow with the dim, orange light from the vacuum tubes. It was almost like an old oil lamp. It had a delightful charm to it.

“It’s even more wonderful than I had expected...”

Clan rested her chin on the tea table and admired the radio in front of her. She’d seen an example at the store, but somehow this one looked different. Perhaps it was the warm light and classical music playing as the radio program changed.

“Heh... heehee...”

But perhaps most importantly, it was the fact that she’d made this one with Koutarou. Clan grinned to herself as she fiddled with the knobs and dials.

“You look like you’re in a great mood.”

“I’m allowed to be every once in a while.”

“Once in a while? Hasn’t it been pretty much every day lately?”

“Has it...?”

“Yeah. You’ve been smiling nonstop.”

“Goodness... Heh, and you’ve just been watching me?”

“...”

“Heehee.”

Building the radio had been more fun than Clan was expecting, and it continued to be fun even after it was complete... yet she was still a little sad that it was done. That was the only downside.

“But... you didn’t find it boring to put something like this together, Veltlion?”

“Guys tend to like this sort of stuff.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“Besides, I’m always asking you for favors, so I certainly don’t mind doing things like this with you every now and again.”

“Can you not just honestly say ‘thank you’?”

“Yeah, that’s probably the problem.”

“I forgive you. I can’t honestly say it either, heh.”

Koutarou and Clan’s relationship had changed dramatically over the past couple of weeks, but in the most subtle way. They were doing and saying most of the same things they always had, but the feelings behind it all were different.

“Besides... you’ve been rather nice. Almost every day, in fact.”

“Have I?”

“Yes. You’ve been ever so gentle.”

“And you’ve just been watching me?”

“Yes. Heehee...”

“Then I guess I should be a little rougher from time to time.”

There, Koutarou took Clan’s hand and pulled her close. He then gently wrapped his arms around her neck and squeezed.

“Ow, that hurts!”

Despite what Clan said, she wasn’t in any pain. In fact, she was giggling. She knew good and well that Koutarou would never actually hurt her on purpose. He was holding on to her tightly for a very different reason.

“Jeez, Veltlion. You’re so oafish...”

Clan knew his reason, and she was happy about it. She just felt that playing along would be best for both of them. Yet even as she complained, she lovingly stroked the arms that embraced her.

“I am a neanderthal after all.”

“And I’m an alien, and a quack princess at that.”

“Ooga!”

“Kyah! Ahahahaha, if you insist on your oafish ways, I will turn you into green goo!”

Lately, Clan and Koutarou had been watching movies together as they worked. The aliens in movies always used lasers to turn their enemies into green goo, and it had become something of a running joke between them.

“Oh, how scary... Actually, now that I think about it, is there any truth to that green goo stuff?”

“It’s so inefficient that I wouldn’t dream of using it, but I could certainly make a laser that would do something along those lines.”

“That’s an evil alien for ya.”

“Mind your tongue, you backwater ape.”

“Ooga!”

Koutarou looked down at Clan, and she looked up at him. They were shockingly close. If one of them moved just a hair, they would inadvertently kiss. Unlike the last time this happened, however, both of them were calm. Neither could admit it, but they trusted each other implicitly.

“Ooga booga...”

“You don’t have to be so scared to touch it. The radio won’t break that easily.”

“Booga.”

“I’ve only started to appreciate it recently, but you’re overly cautious with things I treasure, aren’t you?”

“...Oo...”

“Jeez, you are so... Teeheehee.”

Clan and Koutarou thus sat chatting with each other for some time. About what happened yesterday, about a good book... The topic shifted and the conversation evolved frequently. It was like instead of enjoying talking about something, they were simply enjoying talking to each other.

“All right, let’s go.”

And their casual conversation came to an abrupt end as the orange light of sunset began streaming in through the window. Koutarou unwrapped his arms, freeing Clan.

“Oh? Where to?”

Clan looked a little lonely. She was personally hoping things would stay like this for as long as possible, so she stubbornly stayed in his lap with a sullen expression.

“The store.”

“Which store?”

“The one where I bought this radio.”

“What are you going to do there?”

“You’re so slow on the uptake.”

“Stop putting on airs and just tell me already.”

“We’re going to buy the vacuum tube amplifier.”

“The amplifier...? But why?”

“You really are slow on the uptake... Consider this my way of keeping things going.”

“Ah...”

There, Clan finally realized what Koutarou was getting at. Now that the radio was finished, he wanted to move on to the amplifier. And just like with their earlier chatting, it wasn’t about the build... It was about spending time together. Koutarou wanted to keep that up.

“A-Are you sure? The amplifier is a bit expensive...”

“You don’t want it?”

“I do! Very much! But we won’t need just the amplifier. There’s also the record player, so...”

A vacuum tube amplifier needed a record player and speaker as well. Unlike the radio which could be used on its own, the amplifier required the full set of kits—which would cost a fair bit more. Clan felt bad about that.

“Don’t worry about the money. I have funds that I only use for important things.”

Ever since Koutarou started work at his part-time job, he’d been putting away the majority of his pay. He believed that it was more efficient to save and spend when necessary rather than constantly be spending casually.

“...Is this important?” Clan asked worriedly.

In the past, she’d always had complete confidence in her worth. But as a more mature woman, that subject gave her great pause. She still felt like she was far from an ideal noble.

“Isn’t it? There’s not much that’s more important than this.”

Spending money on this was like making an investment in their relationship. It was embarrassing, but Koutarou mustered his courage to take that step forward.

“You’re right. You’re so right... This is important!”

And Clan felt the same way. This was a precious, important investment.

“Then get up and let’s get going.”

“Okay.”

Clan had been stubbornly sitting in Koutarou’s lap, hoping to keep the conversation going. But after hearing what he said, she sprang to her feet. Her long hair slapped Koutarou’s face like a whip.

“Ouch... I know that you’re happy, but calm down a little.”

“I most certainly will not! You’re the one who got me so excited, so I expect you to take responsibility!”

“As you wish, my princess...”

“Now, let us go!”

“Yes, yes. As you wish.”

And so Clan and Koutarou left room 106 together. They were only going out to buy a sound amplifier assembly kit, but it didn’t look that way.

It’s like they’re going out to buy an engagement ring...

That was what it seemed like to the Clan observing all this, and that beautiful sight was the last she saw of her dream.

The first thing she saw when she woke up was a familiar wooden ceiling and a familiar boy looking down at her.

“Are you awake, Clan?”

“Hmm... Veltlion?”

“From the look on your face, I’m guessing things didn’t turn out so bad.”

“Um...”

Clan stared up at Koutarou and racked her brain. Her dream hadn’t abruptly cut in the middle of something, so she hadn’t awoken in a daze like Harumi had. She thought back clearly on what she’d seen, recalling something similar to this.

That’s right... Veltlion saw my sleeping face...

When she remembered it, she blushed a little. But she wouldn’t let it throw her off anymore. It was still embarrassing, but she believed her relationship with Koutarou was beyond such things now.

“It was awful at first. I mean, I was awful at first. The worst of me was on full display.”

“Figures. Immediately after you fell asleep, there was a big furrow in your brow. Just like this.”

“Was it really that bad?”

Clan put her hands on her cheeks and blushed slightly. She was embarrassed she’d made a face like that.

“Yeah. I mean, it didn’t last long, so it’s not like I got a really good look or anything.”

“I see... So we really did perceive time differently.”

“So it seems. The rulemaker is over there, so if you want to know more, go ask her.”

“That’s not necessary. I believe that being able to freely find the answer to anything is the same as not knowing anything.”

“That’s your way of saying you need to figure things out for yourself, right?”

“Yes, that would be the gist of it... Our relationship didn’t improve because someone else told us what was wrong with it, right?”

“Yeah... I guess that was an important part of it.”

Koutarou understood what she meant. He and the other girls weren’t able to make peace with Clan just because they knew it was the right thing to do. In fact, they hadn’t been sure that it was. They had to feel that out for themselves.

“That is often the case in science as well. Like I said before, vacuum tubes were derived from lightbulbs.”

“Vacuum tubes?”

At the mention of vacuum tubes, Koutarou cocked his head to the side. That was when it hit Clan.

Oh, we haven’t talked about that...

It was only in her dream. Here in the real world, Clan and Koutarou had never discussed vacuum tubes.

“Yes, er, well, you see... vacuum tubes were used before semiconductors. They were created from modified lightbulbs.”

A sad look overtook Clan as she explained. She was disappointed that Koutarou didn’t know about vacuum tubes. Of course, like with Harumi and Maki, she was glad to be back in her own place and time. But nevertheless, the vacuum tube radio had left a deep impression on her.

“So if a higher power— Well, I suppose she’s right over there, but nevertheless. If a higher power had simply told man how to make the perfect lightbulb, we never would have had vacuum tubes.”

“Because it was a byproduct of the research, huh?”

Koutarou had no idea what Clan was really thinking as she explained this, but he could readily see the melancholy look in her eyes. Did it have something to do with vacuum tubes?

“So, what exactly is a vacuum tube?”

It was only after praying for the return of Clan and the other girls at the ruins that Koutarou truly began to understand his own feelings for them. And with that understanding, he now hated more than ever to see them sad. So if vacuum tubes were the only clue he had to go off of, he would pursue that lead as far as possible.

“Veltlion...”

Clan didn’t really know what Koutarou was thinking either. She had no idea why he’d zeroed in on the vacuum tubes, but it was clear that he had.

It was his own earnest, clumsy way of showing his feelings. Clan too would have to respond in her own clumsy way to get to the truth, however... Just like how the Clan in her dream had reached out for Koutarou’s outstretched hand. She had no need to be envious of herself in the dream world because she was absolutely sure she could do the same thing here. She had the necessary groundwork. All she needed now was courage. And so Clan smiled.

“Its structure is almost identical to a lightbulb. The key difference is another stripe next to the light-emitting part, and the light-emitting part controls the flow to it.”

“Hmm... So when it gets hot, electricity runs across that other stripe?”

“My, that’s surprisingly sharp for you. And exactly correct. Now, try to imagine the next step. What would happen if it got even hotter?”

“...More electricity would run through it?”

“Precisely. By taking advantage of that, you can control and amplify the electricity. All basic electronics, really.”

“So you could, like, change the volume that way?”

“Correct again. You really are on the ball today.”

Even though they were each unaware of what the other was thinking, there seemed to be a sort of tacit understanding between Clan and Koutarou. An understanding that they needed to try things. To feel them out. Even if it was just chatting to kill time. Who knew what might come of it, after all? Just like with vacuum tubes.

Time passed and it was now almost May. Koutarou and the girls had long had their memories wiped of the events of April 5th so that they could go about their daily lives as normal. This had its disadvantages, however, in that it meant Clan remembered nothing of peeking into another world.

“What’s that thing you’ve been carrying around with you lately? A lightbulb?” Koutarou asked her one day.

“This? It’s a vacuum tube,” she replied.

“What’s that?”

“Vacuum tubes were the precursors to semiconductors. They’re essentially modified lightbulbs.”

After having their memories wiped of that night, there was no way Clan and Koutarou could know they were repeating a conversation they’d already had.

“Okay, I get that much, but... Why are you carrying it around? It looks pretty fragile.”

“It’s actually already broken.”

“What?”

“It was a broken tube I replaced, but I couldn’t bring myself to throw it away...”

“Ah, I get that. I have trouble throwing out my old bats and stuff too.”

“That’s surprisingly romantic of you.”

“Hey, that’s my line. Anyhoo, does that mean you have an emotional attachment to that thing?”

“Actually, I had a dream about a vacuum tube radio... I thought it was a lovely idea, so I bought one to build for myself as a sort of charm.”

“A charm...? Oh yeah, I remember everyone talking about that.”

Koutarou and the girls had all concluded back in April that it would be too sad to forget absolutely everything about the dreams they’d had. So they all petitioned the girl from the ruins to allow them to remember their dreams as exactly that—dreams. That way they would be harmless enough, and the girls could choose to go about acting on them as they pleased. That was why Harumi now wore a ribbon around her wrist and why Maki had gotten a pair of headphones. It was also why Clan had bought a vacuum tube radio.

“Honestly, you should pay a little more attention to me yourself.”

Experiencing firsthand just how thickheaded Koutarou was when it came to women, Clan sent a sharp glance his way. It seemed that, no matter the world, women didn’t have a lot of tolerance for that.

“I try, but it’s pretty hard to do things you’re not used to.”

“My... That’s surprisingly obedient of you.”

Koutarou would normally put up a fight—especially against Clan—but for some reason, he didn’t this time. Clan’s bespectacled eyes opened wide in surprise.

“I also had a dream that left a pretty strong impression on me. It was about my mother scolding me.”

“Whatever for?”

“Roughly put, she was telling me to be nicer to people,” Koutarou said with a shrug.

After having that dream, Koutarou had scrutinized his life and come to realize that he was causing trouble for the girls in his own way. In Clan’s case, it was frequently pushing her buttons on purpose. That was just sort of the relationship they had, but he now appreciated that he took it a tad too far sometimes. So at times like this, he now tried to dial it back.

“And so you had a change of heart...”

“Yeah. Well, I wouldn’t say it was a change of heart, but it at least gave me a direction.”

“Because changing yourself is hard?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

Even when you want to change, it’s difficult to unlearn what’s long been ingrained into you. For example, it might take years for Koutarou to hold himself back from blurting out insults at Clan. He’d only just started on his journey of correcting that, but things would slowly change over time.

“So be it. If you’re making an effort, it would be cruel to hold you responsible for what you can’t help.”

“Your generosity is a great honor, Your Highness.”

“Pfft... You only do that at times like this.”

“Well, speaking of changing... I think you girls have been changing too.”

“How so?”

“Hmm, it’s hard to put into words. It’s like your presence has grown softer... you know?”

“Heh, if we hadn’t, then there would be no point in our charms.”

“Your charms, huh?”

“In my case... mine’s for courage.”

There, Clan pensively put a finger to her chin. Each of the girls had picked a different charm for a different reason, and Clan’s represented courage.

“I think you have more than enough courage already, Clan.”

Koutarou gave Clan a puzzled look. He had seen her panicked plenty of times, but he’d never seen her truly frightened.

“That’s not the kind of courage I mean.”

At his core, Koutarou still didn’t understand women. Clan flashed a wry smile, but she kept hope alive that he’d grow.

“Then what kind of courage did you mean?”

“That’s...”

Clan’s smile disappeared as she looked down at her hand. In it was the broken vacuum tube—a part of the radio she’d bought as a charm. After staring at it for a second, she looked back up at Koutarou.

“...This,” she said as she took his hand.

It was a simple enough gesture. Sanae or Kiriha would hold hands with Koutarou on a daily basis. But that wasn’t the case for Clan. There were a plethora of obstacles in her way, and she couldn’t reach over them until she had the courage... Until now. But it still wasn’t easy. The desperate look in her eyes and the bright red color on her cheeks as she squeezed Koutarou’s hand said as much.

“Clan...”

“I seek the kind of courage... to do the right thing when the time comes.”

“That kind of courage, huh...?”

Koutarou could feel the warmth from Clan’s hand, and from her heart. In broad strokes, his worries were ultimately similar to hers.

The courage to do the right thing... That’s what I need too.

Koutarou denying people and pushing them away was, in the end, because he lacked courage. So he shared that goal with Clan and squeezed her hand back as he stared at the vacuum tube too.

“Veltlion...”

Clan’s eyes shot wide open. She hadn’t had the confidence to hope for this outcome. That was exactly why she needed courage, and exactly why a smile broke out on her face.

“...”

“So you will squeeze back... You’re always being mean, so this is a... a little...”

“...”

Koutarou simply squeezed Clan’s hand, not saying a word. If he opened his mouth, he knew he would say something stupid. That much hadn’t changed—this Koutarou was every bit the same as in the other world.

“Let’s go. We’re almost at the store, right?”

“D-Do you see that post over there, Veltlion? The corner shop to the right of it is our destination...”

Today, Koutarou and Clan were headed for an electronics specialty shop. Koutarou had recently kicked his alarm clock in his sleep, rendering it nonfunctional. He’d asked Clan to repair it, and so they headed out for some solder to get the job done.

“C’mon, don’t cry... You’re making it seem like it’s my fault.”

“It is your fault.”

“You started this.”

Koutarou pulled on Clan’s hand and dragged her around the corner to the store. There was no doubt about it—it was the exact same one from her dream.

“So you bought the vacuum tube radio here too?”

“That’s right... I-It has such a classic design... I j-just thought it was wonderful...”

“Seems like it would look good sitting on top of a wooden chest.”

“I’m surprised... that you can tell.”

A strange sense of déjà vu overtook Clan. She felt like she’d had this exchange with Koutarou before—a holdover from her dream of another world. But Clan’s memories of it were vague and hazy at best, so she couldn’t identify it as the source of the feeling. Nevertheless, it was enough to put a smile back on her face.

“I did live in the ancient past for a while, you know?”

“Yeah, heehee. That’s true.”

After wiping away her tears, Clan peered through the display window. Before her sat the vacuum tube radio she so adored, and next to it was the vacuum tube amplifier. Koutarou watched as she admired them lovingly.

“Say, Clan...”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Nah, never mind.”

“What a strange boy you are...”

“I don’t want to hear that from a strange girl like you.”

“How interesting... When we’re holding hands like this, your words don’t seem to have their usual edge.”

“Ugh...”

In the end, Koutarou didn’t ask. There was no point. He simply bought the vacuum tube amplifier kit without consulting with Clan, and they spent the next several weeks assembling it.