Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 40 - Chapter 4

Episode 4: Imminent Departure! The People Packing!

Room 106 was pure pandemonium as the Corona House crew prepared to leave for Forthorthe. The trip was just a few short days away, and the journey would be a long one. There was much to be done. The necessary paperwork had already been taken care of, but there was still luggage to pack and other arrangements to make. Most everyone was busy.

“All righty! We, the lovely Sanaes, will take care of buying snacks!” Sanae-chan announced.

“Would you mind lending me a hand before you go out shopping?” asked Shizuka.

“Only if you help me carry my bags later!”

“It’s a deal! Thanks.”

“Clan-dono,” called Kiriha. “We’ve received word that the joint training exercise will take place as planned.”

“I suppose we can’t miss that. Can you handle it, Pardomshiha, Yurika?” asked Clan.

“I shall make the arrangements,” replied Ruth.

“I’ll do my best,” agreed Yurika.

“I need to go stock up on cat food for Snoozy,” remarked Maki.

“I’ll accompany you. I want parts for my bike, since we don’t have them back in Forthorthe,” added Theia.

“Would you mind if I tagged along as well?” asked Harumi. “I’m afraid my wardrobe might be a bit lacking... Theiamillis-san, there will be ceremonies and other such formal occasions, won’t there?”

“Indeed. But you can wear your uniform— Oh, that’s right. You already graduated.”

“That’s why I was hoping to get your and Maki-san’s advice while shopping.”

At present, the girls were having a meeting about the various chores and things that still needed to be taken care of before their departure. With so much to do, the plan was to divide and conquer. Nalfa and Kotori were doing something similar over in room 105. This left only the boys with free time on their hands.

“I guess the girls all need plenty of time to get ready,” muttered Kenji, who was sitting on the ceiling with the assistance of Clan’s antigravity device.

Koutarou, who was sitting next to him, responded, “I mean, there’s plenty to do. We’d never get it all done without the girls. We’d be screwed without them.”

“Pretty sad when you think about it...”

“Yeah, we only get to sit on our hands because we’re useless.”

“Meow.”

Kenji and Koutarou’s conversation was interrupted by Snoozy. The cat usually enjoyed being doted on by the girls, but they were too busy for him today, so he crawled into Koutarou’s lap instead. Snoozy was already used to the variable gravity and had walked straight up the wall to get to the boys on the ceiling.

“That’s right, Snoozy,” Koutarou said with a smile. “We’re in the same boat.”

Koutarou had already completed his own personal preparations for the trip. He’d packed everything he would need into the large backpack that he used when traveling for baseball. He didn’t have much in the way of luggage to begin with, and since he’d been to Forthorthe before, he knew exactly what to take with him. As a result, he’d finished up well before the girls and was as free as Snoozy.

“More importantly, Kou...” Kenji began.

“Hmm?”

“Meow?”

“You gotta help me!” he begged, suddenly in tears. Despite seeming so cavalier, Kenji was actually a rather serious boy and rarely cried in front of others.

“What now?!” Koutarou reacted in shock.

“Kotori won’t forgive me! In fact, she won’t even talk to me anymore! This has never happened before! I really need your help!” Kenji pleaded, grabbing hold of Koutarou’s shoulders and shaking him.

As Koutarou stopped him, he replied, “I mean, I’ve never seen Kin-chan this angry either. How am I supposed to know what to do?”

Kenji had been in hot water with his sister for some time, but the rift between them had come to a head when they were conscripted for the Forthorthe trip. Kotori had blown up on him and wouldn’t even give him the time of day now.

“Don’t be so heartless!” Kenji shouted.

“You have no choice but to apologize, dude!” Koutarou shouted back.

“I guess so... I know that, but I just...” Kenji leaned over the tea table, which had been banished to the ceiling along with the boys, and sobbed. He loved his little sister, so getting the cold shoulder from her was excruciating to him.

That was about when said sister entered room 106 through the hole in the wall with a tray in her hands. Nalfa followed shortly behind her, also carrying a tray. They’d brought tea and treats so the girls of room 106 could take a short break from their work.

“Everyone, we brought tea!” called Kotori.

“And cake! Take whichever piece you’d like!” called Nalfa.

The three Sanaes and Yurika threw their arms up into the air and shouted in celebration as the other girls quickly began clearing off the table they’d brought in for their meeting. They were all eager for a breather and something sweet to eat. Kotori and Nalfa set cups and plates down in front of all the girls, then moved up to the ceiling.

“Have some, Kou-niisan,” Kotori offered.

“Mackenzie, Kin-chan’s going to serve us tea,” Koutarou said, prodding Kenji with his elbow. He saw this as a good chance for the two siblings to reconcile.

“R-Right.”

Koutarou and Kenji went way back, so Kenji immediately understood what his best friend meant. He immediately turned to his sister to say something, but before he could open his mouth...

“I don’t have anything for that louse,” Kotori said bluntly. Her eyes were ice cold, but her words burned. She wanted nothing to do with Kenji. She still couldn’t forgive him for choosing his date with Emily over everyone else’s safety.

“Y-You know, I can understand why you’re mad, Kin-chan,” Koutarou began, “but if you stay angry forever, it makes you look like the bad guy. At least try to rein it in around other people, okay?”

“Er, um... I’m sorry, Kou-niisan.”

After Koutarou’s reluctant scolding, Kotori calmed down a little. Even though Kotori was upset with Kenji, she certainly didn’t want to take it out on anyone else. She was a calm and gentle girl by nature, but she couldn’t help being stern with those who ran afoul of her sensibilities.

“I like you better when you’re nice and smiling, Kin-chan,” said Koutarou.

“I’ll try to be like that then.”

“But I know you get tunnel vision when you really set your heart on something.”

“Please stop. It sounds like you’re saying I’m good at holding a grudge.”

“Ahahaha!”

By the time Koutarou was laughing, Kotori was back to her usual nice, smiling self.

Thanks, Kou! I knew you would be able to do something!

Kenji pressed his hands together in a gesture of gratitude for his best friend. Kiriha was the only one who noticed, but after thoughtfully tilting her head to the side, she decided not to say anything.

“Heehee,” Nalfa giggled as she watched over her best friend.

“What is it, Nal-chan?” Kotori asked, taking notice now that she was back to normal.

“I was just thinking that you and Koutarou-sama really are like brother and sister.”

Nalfa had an older brother of her own, and while they butted heads from time to time, they generally got along well and cared deeply for one another. When she looked at Kotori and Koutarou, she could tell they had a similar kind of relationship.

“She recently decided that we are brother and sister, after all,” Koutarou replied.

Kotori nodded vigorously in agreement. Even if she wanted Kenji out of her life, Koutarou was still near and dear to her heart. She’d been looking up to him as her real brother ever since, which was a reassuring change of pace to her.

“Kotoriiiii!”

Kenji, meanwhile, felt like he’d been disowned. Fearing he’d lost his little sister for good, he let out a cry of despair that struck anguish in the hearts of all who heard it. The entire Corona House crew, however, knew that Kenji was only reaping what he’d sown.

“Anyway, have you finished up everything you need to for the trip, Mackenzie?” Koutarou asked as though nothing were wrong.

“Do I really have to go...?” Kenji, the victim of a merciless mental beatdown, looked up at Koutarou with hollow eyes. He looked like nothing mattered to him anymore.

“It’s that bystander mentality of yours that gets Kin-chan so worked up, man. You’re more important than you think.”

“Only because you suddenly became some legendary hero out of nowhere. So much has happened in the past six months that I can’t keep up.”

Koutarou couldn’t argue there. Kenji was being dragged into something that had nothing to do with him. Moreover, the recent whirlwind of events would have left anyone reeling. Putting his life on the line for an alien he’d befriended was one thing to Kenji, but who could just up and accept that their childhood friend was an intergalactic hero? Unlike Koutarou and the girls who’d come to terms with it gradually over time, Kenji had been forced to confront it most abruptly.

“And now we’re going to Forthorthe in a UFO? I honestly can’t tell what’s real anymore...”

“Resistance is futile. We will take you with us by force if necessary,” Theia informed him.

“That’s kidnapping!” Kenji protested.

“Oooh, it’s like a real alien abduction!” Sanae cooed.

The young psychic’s eyes were sparkling, as were the eyes of the magical girl sitting next to her. In movies and on TV, aliens were always whisking humans away on UFOs. And though Theia had no interest in studying Kenji for science, in truth, she was threatening to commit an abduction. Sanae and Yurika both loved that sort of thing.

“Any thoughts on cattle mutilation?” Sanae asked eagerly.

“You sure know about the most useless things, don’t you?” Koutarou asked in turn.

“Eeheehee.”

Sanae wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but she had an uncanny memory for anything and everything occult.

“Say, on the subject of people suddenly becoming heroes,” began Theia, “I have a feeling Snoozy’s going to be an overnight sensation in Forthorthe.”

“Meow?” Snoozy looked over at Theia when he heard his name, cocking his head in puzzlement. He couldn’t yet understand human language in full.

“Why?” Koutarou also cocked his head, although in his case, it was because he could understand Theia.

“Snoozy is in some of Nalfa’s videos, you know? Forthorthe is quite interested in this adorable little creature.”

Most Forthorthians wanted to know more about Earth, including the animals that lived there. It was the first alien planet they’d encountered in some time. Moreover, it was the Blue Knight’s home planet.

“There are cats in Forthorthe, aren’t there?” Koutarou asked.

“Yes, but not with this sort of coloration. Not to mention that he lives with you,” replied Theia.

“So that’s the deal... You better prepare yourself for when we arrive in Forthorthe, little guy.”

“Meow?”

“They’ll make a big deal out of anything.”

“Meow!”

Snoozy, interpreting Koutarou’s attention as an invitation to play, gingerly grabbed and released his finger. Asking people to play like this was Snoozy’s specialty, and he got exactly what he was hoping for as Koutarou reached for him and began petting him.

“Are you having Satomi-kun play with you, Snoozy? Lucky you.”

“Mrrrow!”

When he heard Maki’s voice, Snoozy literally ran up and down the wall back and forth between her and Koutarou. His owner was special to him, and he was naturally more energetic when she was around. Seeing this, Nalfa couldn’t help reaching for her camera.

“Master, Her Majesty is quite fond of cats as well,” Ruth informed Koutarou.

“So Elle’s a cat person, huh? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her...”

At the mention of Elfaria, Koutarou’s thoughts turned to the faraway empress. Sensing that he’d lost Koutarou’s attention, Snoozy scratched at his lap.

“Okay, okay, let’s play more.”

“Meow!”

Now that Koutarou was paying attention to him again, Snoozy began to rub up against his leg. Theia happily watched over the two of them, confident in her assessment. Snoozy would definitely be a star in Forthorthe. More than Koutarou and Snoozy, however, she was interested in Koutarou and Elfaria.

“Despite what you say, are you looking forward to seeing my mother again?”

“She can be a handful, but we are friends after all. I still remember how shocked I was to come back to this day and age only to find out she’d assumed the throne.”

“Even though I’d already told you my mother was empress?”

“I know you told me that, but hearing your mother is empress and knowing Elle—that strange, funny girl—became empress are two totally different things. I mean, I’m over it now, but still.”

Just like how Kenji had trouble seeing Koutarou as a hero, Koutarou had had trouble coming to see Elfaria as a ruler. Fortunately it hadn’t posed much of an issue while she was removed from her position during the coup, but he’d struggled to see the odd girl he’d met twenty years in the past as the sovereign of a galactic empire. His impression of her back then colored how he treated her now.

Thinking this over, Koutarou silently took a sip of tea and stared into his cup. The unique aroma was unmistakable—it was Forthorthian Rubustori tea. The Rubustori plant had previously been believed to be extinct, but just over a decade ago, it reappeared on the market and was now a standard variety of black tea in Forthorthe. It was also Elfaria’s personal favorite.

“Koutarou-sama, is there something wrong with the tea?” Nalfa asked, concerned when she saw Koutarou staring at his cup. She’d brewed the tea herself, so she was afraid that she’d screwed it up.

Koutarou shook his head with a smile. “Just the opposite. It’s difficult to make good Rubustori tea, but this is delicious. I’m impressed.”

“Oh, good. I actually practiced a lot.”

“I see. No wonder.”

“Isn’t that great, Nal-chan? All that tea we drank together was worth it!” Kotori jumped in, cheering on her best friend.

“Yes!”

Nalfa burst into a smile, relieved and overjoyed. She knew that Koutarou liked Rubustori tea, so she’d practiced especially hard to perfect making it. She and Kotori had shared dozens of cups before coming up with something satisfactory.

“Hmm... Yeah, let’s do that,” Koutarou mumbled to himself.

“Koutarou-sama?”

“I’ve decided to go do a little shopping myself.”

“I see.”

Indeed, Koutarou realized that he still had something to do before the trip. It was nothing big, but he was confident it’d be worth it.

With the voyage to Forthorthe right around the corner, Theia, Maki and Harumi met up one sunny day to finish their shopping. Rather than the long-established stores of the shopping street they frequented on a regular basis, they were headed to the newer specialty boutiques by the station.

“What are you looking for today, Theia-san?” asked Maki.

“Meow?” echoed Snoozy.

The ever-serious Maki tended to be quite formal with Theia. Snoozy, however, treated the princess just like everyone else.

“I was thinking of getting some things for my bike,” Theia, walking at the head of the group, turned to reply.

Hearing this, Harumi cocked her head. “But Forthorthe has bikes too, doesn’t it?”

“It does, but they don’t use the same parts.”

“Ah, so you’ll be taking your bike with you.”

Harumi now nodded in understanding. Theia wanted to take her Japanese-made bike back to Forthorthe, so in order to keep it in good condition, she’d also need to take the tools, parts, and supplies to service and maintain it while they were away.

“I’m mostly after tubes for the tires, as well as chains, brakes, and transmission wires. The parts that get the most use wear out the fastest.”

“Yes, it would be terrible if you brought your bike with you only for the chain to fall apart after a few days.”

“Meow!”

Maki also nodded in understanding. Snoozy didn’t understand what they were talking about, but he offered his input all the same.

The bicycle store by the station was rather large and stocked a variety of parts and supplies for people who liked to service their own bikes. They were arranged based on function, but since Harumi knew very little about bikes, she scarcely knew what anything was for except the tire tubes.

“What is this?” she muttered, picking up a small plastic bag that was on display next to the tires. Inside was a cylindrical metallic rod, a plastic cap made to go on it, and a piece of rubber. She couldn’t even imagine what they were for.

“Ah, that’s a valve to prevent the air in the tire from leaking back out,” replied Maki, peering at what Harumi was holding.

Harumi smiled in return. “Now that you mention it, I think I’ve seen this twisty bit on bike tires before when putting air into them.”

“You’ve pumped your tires before?”

“Ahahaha, yes.”

Even if they used them every day, most girls weren’t savvy about the mechanics of bikes and their various parts. Maki had had to replace a leaky tire valve herself before, so that was the extent of her own personal knowledge. The intricacies and specifics of the machine were largely the interest of more serious sportsmen, so it was no surprise that Theia was the only one of the Corona House crew who was personally invested in the subject. Since the moment the girls had entered the store, her glittering eyes had been darting from shelf to shelf.

“Now, one thing I do understand is these baskets,” said Harumi. “I would pick the cutest one for my bike.”

The baskets were much more within Harumi’s comfort zone, and there was a wide selection to choose from. Unfortunately, none of them were cute enough to suit Harumi’s tastes, so she didn’t end up purchasing one for herself.

“You should pick your sporting goods like you would any equipment,” Theia announced as she returned to the group. “Practical all-weather designs are focused on durability and performance over looks.”

“I guess you would have to use your basket in the rain and on potentially rough terrain,” Harumi mused.

“Indeed.”

They were getting more aesthetically pleasing over time, but since most baskets were designed for mountain bikes and road racers, they rarely came in flashy styles. That’s why Harumi couldn’t find one she liked.

“Welcome back, Theia-san. Are you already done?” Maki guessed as she glanced at Theia’s shopping basket, which was already full of parts.

“No, I still have some more to get,” she replied.

Theia hadn’t come back because she was done. She’d come to get a second basket.

Theia ran this way and that all over the store but eventually came to an abrupt halt. When they saw the princess staring at something, Harumi and Maki walked over to figure out what.

“Hmmmmm...”

Theia was standing in front of a shelf, her arms folded and her narrowed eyes fixed on the products. She was currently scrutinizing bike seats.

“Is something the matter, Theiamillis-san?” Harumi inquired.

“Putting on airs has backfired on me...” Theia muttered.

“Putting on airs?” Maki echoed.

At that, Harumi and Maki exchanged looks. When they did, Theia reluctantly explained, “Simply put... when I was choosing the body for my bike, I picked a larger frame. I couldn’t bring myself to buy a child-sized one.”

Given Theia’s stature, child-sized parts were a much better fit for her. She was too prideful to accept that, however, and had insisted on getting the smallest adult parts available instead.

“Loath as I am to admit it, my legs are short. I need the saddle to be as low-profile as possible so I can reach the ground.”

With her current bike build, even with the saddle lowered to its minimum height, she could just barely reach the ground with her toes. That was what she meant when she said putting on airs had backfired.

“The thing is, there aren’t that many low-profile designs. The limited selection is problematic. Should I just stick it out with what I have or try to find something lower? I’m stuck, like Harumi was with the baskets earlier.”

“Ah, so that’s your dilemma. I wasn’t sure what was happening when you suddenly stopped, but I’m glad it wasn’t anything important,” Harumi said in relief.

Theia, meanwhile, was pouting. “This is important. The length of my legs is a major issue for me.”

“They’re pretty long for your height, Theiamillis-san,” Harumi offered.

“I’m still short,” Theia rebutted.

Theia’s problem was indeed her height. The people around her found it cute, but she considered it a most grievous condition.

“I wish I were your height,” said Maki, much to everyone’s surprise. She rarely voiced a contrary opinion about anything.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Theia argued. “You have no idea what it feels like for someone to tell you the child size is just perfect for you!”

“Maybe not, but you’re the only one of us that Satomi-kun can carry so easily.”

It was a different story with the assistance of powered armor, but lifting a person was strenuous labor. Nevertheless, Koutarou could carry someone of Theia’s stature with relative ease. Maki had always been a little jealous of that.

“I bet it feels amazing when he wraps his arms around you in a hug too,” Maki added.

She was jealous of that too. She’d already matured into a grown woman, so she’d never get to experience it for herself. She would have loved to be Theia’s size.

“When he... What...” Theia quietly muttered and then fell silent. As the seconds ticked by, her face turned more and more red. She knew exactly what Maki was talking about. “I-I can’t deny it...”

“I thought so.” Maki smiled, although her face was a little red too. She was imagining Koutarou embracing a more petite version of herself.

Meanwhile, Harumi was pouting. “It is unfair that you’re the only one, Theiamillis-san...”

Theia had a very physical way of expressing her feelings for Koutarou. If she couldn’t see him for a while, she would tackle him the next time they met. And when they fought, she would go all out against him. Even when waking up Koutarou in the morning, she wouldn’t hesitate to use a body press on him. In other words, she had physical contact with Koutarou on an almost daily basis. Behaving that way was beyond the painfully shy Harumi, so she, too, was a little jealous.

After finishing up at the bike store, a certain awkwardness hung over the three girls. They were of a sensitive age, after all. However, by the time they’d finished lunch, everything was back to normal between them.

“You said you wanted to buy clothes, right?” asked Theia.

“Yes,” replied Harumi. “Clothes, accessories, and some cosmetics.”

Now that they’d wrapped up Theia’s shopping, they’d be moving on to Harumi’s. Her primary goal was filling out her wardrobe, so she wanted to pick up several pieces.

“But you always seem so fashionable to me already, Sakuraba-san,” said Maki.

Maki didn’t think Harumi’s current style was lacking in any way. She always wore modest but refined clothes. Of the nine girls, her tastes were the most impeccable, followed by the more adult Kiriha and the trendier Shizuka. Maki certainly didn’t think Harumi’s wardrobe needed updating. The people of Forthorthe didn’t know what Harumi normally wore, so there was no reason for her to feel she needed new clothes either. If anyone, Maki thought Yurika was in the direst need of some fashion help.

“We are going to a different planet with a different culture, and the impression we make will reflect on both Earth and Japan. As the oldest among us, I at least need to dress properly,” Harumi explained.

Indeed, Harumi was concerned about presenting herself as a representative of Earth. In other words, she wanted something nice to wear in more formal situations. As the oldest of the group, she wanted to set the best example.

“Leave it to Harumi to be so on top of things. No one else has said anything about that,” remarked Theia.

“But Sakuraba-san, isn’t your Satomi knights’ uniform enough for formal occasions?” asked Maki. As an official band of knights, the Satomi knights indeed had their own uniform, and Maki felt that would be more than appropriate.

“They’re Forthorthian in style, and they’re a little too stiff. I want something more fitting of a civilian,” Harumi explained. She was concerned that a military uniform would be too much for, say, greeting the hotel employees wherever they’d be staying. Her everyday wear was a little too casual for that, however, so she wanted to find a good compromise.

“I see... Come to think of it, you’re right about that,” said Theia.

“Although I would like some regular clothes too,” admitted Harumi.

“In that case, wouldn’t it have been better to invite Satomi-kun along?” asked Maki. The girls would constantly be by Koutarou’s side in Forthorthe, so she thought it would be best to pick something that was to his tastes.

However, Harumi panicked and shook her head. “N-No, absolutely not!”

“Why not?”

“Th-That’s...” Harumi faltered, her face beet red. Seeing her like this, Theia and Maki glanced at each other with puzzled expressions. Resigned, Harumi walked over to them and whispered something into their ears.

“...You’ve gained weight?!”

“Theiamillis-san, shush!”

“S-Sorry.”

“My figure hasn’t changed, but for some reason, I have gotten a little heavier...”

“Ah, so that’s what’s going on,” Maki remarked with a sage nod and a slight smile.

“What do you mean?” Harumi asked.

“You’ve always had a weak constitution, haven’t you, Sakuraba-san? But now you’re exercising and eating more, so you’re putting on muscle,” Maki explained.

“Muscles are heavier than fat, so that would explain the additional weight without any change to your waistline,” Theia added. She knew as much thanks to her experience with athletics. She was generally heavier than other girls of the same size and stature.

“I actually think my waist has gotten slimmer too.”

“Then it really must have been a shock to see that number,” said Maki.

Harumi nodded in embarrassment. Even though gaining weight when she gained muscle made sense to her, it was still quite a blow to see it on the scale. And since her size and weight were inevitable topics when shopping for new clothes, she’d known ahead of time that she couldn’t bear to have Koutarou around for that conversation.

“I can’t imagine that Koutarou would care, though,” argued Theia.

“He is always telling you to put on more weight, Sakuraba-san,” agreed Maki.

“Ahaha... I must say I do feel a little healthier,” admitted Harumi.

Without Koutarou present, Harumi spent the afternoon consulting Maki and Theia instead. She methodically picked out several outfits for a variety of occasions, including official gatherings, meetings, and simply going out into the city.

“Having Sakuraba-san around at times like this is great,” remarked Maki.

“She’s a great coordinator. Although it pains me to say, she makes for a better leader than me.”

“Please don’t put me on a pedestal like that. I’m just a normal university student, not to mention... it makes it harder to go to my next destination.”

“Your next destination?” Maki asked.

The princess and the magical girl exchanged looks again. By this point, they’d already finished buying clothes. Harumi had an outfit for every situation she could think of, so there shouldn’t have been anywhere else to go.

“Th-This way...” Her face beet red once more, Harumi guided the two girls to a large sales area on the other side of the store.

“I totally get it now, Harumi!” exclaimed Theia. Once they arrived, she immediately understood why this was her final destination.

“Indeed, you certainly couldn’t have brought Satomi-kun here,” agreed Maki. A girl’s weight and figure mattered more in this part of the store than any other, for it sold the most intimate clothing imaginable.

“I-I want you to be honest... Um, what kind of underwear are you wearing? And I’m not just asking about now, but in the future too.”

Indeed, Harumi had brought the girls to the undergarments section. Choosing new underwear was her greatest dilemma. It was why she’d really brought the other girls along today.

“I want to excite Satomi-kun, but I don’t want something so extreme that he’ll think I’m a pervert,” volunteered Maki.

Maki fell a bit on the conservative side. If the opportunity arose, she wanted to wear something that Koutarou would like. But at the same time, she was such a serious girl that something too over the top would backfire. She thus believed a certain amount of restraint was necessary.

“You don’t have to leave everything up to him!” Theia insisted. “If you stay on the offensive, your underwear won’t matter. As they say, the best defense is a good offense!”

That was Theia’s philosophy. She always wanted to make the first move, even in relationships. Although she wanted to be attacked herself at times, she generally preferred to be the aggressor. She thus believed that underwear—a passive piece of armor—wasn’t all that important.

“That’s a tactic only you and Kiriha-san could use!” Harumi protested. As a defensive player herself and a believer in old-fashioned romance, taking the initiative was beyond her. “It’s too much for me!”

“Then in my case, I suppose I’ll be going for something really extreme,” said Theia.

“You want to come on strong, Theia-san?” Maki asked.

“Er, well, you could say that. Going on the defensive doesn’t suit me.”

“So Maki-san believes in moderation, and Theiamillis-san believes in going on the attack...” Harumi muttered.

With this, she stopped to think for a moment. She was naturally partial to Maki’s theory, but if Maki were absolutely right, Harumi also felt that she’d already be closer with Koutarou than she currently was. That being the case, going on the offensive seemed like a good idea—although not to the extreme that Theia suggested.

“But you’re not really ready to let him see you in your underwear yet, are you?” Theia couldn’t help asking.

“Well, no... but...”

“Then why not go with something daring?”

“Because Kiriha-san said that accidents can happen at any time!”

Harumi wanted to ensure she was decently dressed at all times. As the oldest of the group, she’d be interacting with all sorts of people in Forthorthe. She couldn’t just wear what Koutarou would like. Moreover, she had no intention of showing off her underwear of her own accord. She was only concerned about being prepared for accidents. Like Kiriha had said at the beach, they were always a possibility. As a romantic, she’d objected to the notion at first... but now that she was thinking about it calmly, perhaps there was something more she could do than simply waiting for Koutarou.

“Accidents, you say?” mused Theia. The first thing that came to mind for her was wrestling with Koutarou. There’d been times when her clothes had gotten disheveled or tugged loose. If something were to slip off, some daring underwear might be necessary after all.

“An accident with Satomi-kun...” Maki’s mind, meanwhile, immediately went to giving Snoozy a bath. Whenever she did that, her clothes would get wet and see-through. If Koutarou happened upon her in such a state, he would get a glimpse of her underwear, so she began considering exactly what he’d see.

“Harumi, I will buy underwear too!” exclaimed Theia.

“Me too! Help me out, Sakuraba-san!” exclaimed Maki.

As an alien, Theia wasn’t entirely sure what kind of underwear Koutarou might like. Similarly, Maki had an ascetic upbringing and wasn’t up to date with Japan’s fashion. They both wanted to upgrade their armor, and they saw Harumi as the perfect guru in that department. Playing defense was her specialty, after all.

Many commercial establishments in Japan were gradually beginning to accept pets in stores, but the bicycle shop and clothing boutiques the girls had visited weren’t on the list. Pets in such stores would be problematic, so Snoozy had had to wait outside for the girls until they were done.

“Meow.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Snoozy.”

“Meow!” Snoozy’s carrier was outfitted with hover thrusters, optical camouflage, air conditioning, and an automatic food dispenser courtesy of Clan and Ruth. To a cat, however, a cage was still a cage, and Snoozy accordingly voiced his complaints.

“You can go into the next store, okay?”

“Meow?”

“Heehee, that’s right. We’re shopping for you next.”

The final stop on the girls’ shopping trip was the pet store. Clan and Ruth had told Maki they’d be able to synthesize anything she might need on the trip, but that would take time, so Maki wanted to pick up everything she’d need in the immediate future while she had the chance.

“A pet shop, huh? I’ve never been to one, even in Forthorthe.” Theia was excited. This was her first ever trip to a pet store. She was looking forward to seeing what kind of place it was and what they sold.

Seeing Theia’s enthusiasm, Harumi grew curious. Harumi didn’t have a pet herself, but she’d still been to a pet store to see the animals before. Theia had apparently never done such a thing. “Is that because, as a princess, you always had access to things you needed without shopping for them?”

“Indeed. Ruth or my attendants would bring me anything immediately. It wasn’t until I came here that I had the experience of shopping for myself.”

Theia’s status was the real reason she hadn’t been to a pet store before. As an imperial princess, she couldn’t simply go out shopping whenever she pleased. Instead, she’d had attendants to bring her things, so the very act of shopping had been foreign to Theia before coming to Earth. She’d since been to bike shops and clothing boutiques, but never a pet store. And as soon as the girls crossed the threshold, she took off in excitement.

“Look at all the creatures!”

The pet store sold animals in addition to supplies. There were dogs, cats, birds, fish, and even reptiles. It was like a tiny zoo, and Theia was like a child on her first visit. She gleefully walked up and down the rows of cages and tanks.

Maki watched her with a smile. “Goodness, Theia-san. Heeehee.”

“Meow!” Snoozy was also excited at the sight of other animals, though not as much as Theia. Since pets were allowed in the pet store, he’d actually been several times already.

“Maki-san, please go ahead and buy whatever you need. I will look after Theiamillis-san,” Harumi offered.

“Thank you very much, Sakuraba-san. Let’s go, Snoozy.”

“Meow!”

Harumi chased after Theia, and Maki took Snoozy deeper into the store. The animals for sale were up front in order to catch shoppers’ eyes. They also enjoyed the bright environment, although there were certain species kept in darker areas of the store. Maki passed them all as she made her way to the back, where pet supplies were housed.

“Mrrreow!” Upon spotting a fish tank, Snoozy began scratching at it when they walked by. As a cat, he was quite interested in fish.

“Stop that, Snoozy. These fish aren’t for eating.”

“Meow...”

“No means no, even if you look at me like that.”

Snoozy desperately wanted the fish in the tank, and while he did tug at Maki’s heartstrings when he looked at her so sadly, she was already here for his sake. She remained resolute and continued her journey to the pet supplies in the back of the store.

“Let’s see... First up is food.”

Maki pushed a cart toward the shelves of pet chow. There were all kinds depending on the breed, age, and dietary needs. Picking out the right one could be time consuming, but fortunately, Maki was a frequent shopper here. She knew exactly where to find the food for kittens.

“Snoozy, how much do you want?”

“Meow.”

“A lot? Okay, then that’s what we’ll get.”

Maki went along with Snoozy’s suggestion and put several bags of the usual kibble in the cart. She was a specialist in indigo magic, but she could detect especially strong desires even without the use of spells. She could tell that Snoozy wanted lots and lots of food. Similarly, she could also convey simple ideas to Snoozy. So while she appeared to be talking to herself, she was having an actual conversation with the cat.

“And catnip?”

“Meow!!!”

“Okay, okay, but only one bag.”

“Mrow!”

Maki loaded the cart as they chatted away. They had plenty to buy, so this went on for quite some time. Anyone who saw the two of them couldn’t help thinking...

“Maki, you are almost like a mother.” Theia was the first to say it out loud when she saw them. She was on cloud nine after getting her fill of looking at all the animals.

“Really? That makes me happy to hear,” Maki replied with a smile. She took it as the highest grade of compliment. “I couldn’t even imagine keeping a cat in the past.”

After being sold to a slaver and brought up in a militaristic society, Maki was naturally distrustful—even of animals. The idea of raising one herself had never even crossed her mind back then, so being described as motherly now meant a lot to her. She was truly growing out of the shackles of her past. It was wonderful news to her ears.

“You are doing a great job as Snoozy’s mother,” Harumi agreed. She’d gotten the same impression as Theia. Maki and Snoozy radiated love and care for one another, and that was something Harumi prized highly.

“A mother, huh? I wonder if I’ll be a real one someday,” Maki mused.

“You will. I’m sure of it,” Harumi assured her.

“I suppose that’ll have to wait until Satomi-kun makes up his mind.”

“Yes... I suppose it will, teehee.”

If Maki was going to have a child, she wanted it to be with Koutarou. Given how serious he was, however, that potential future was still a long way off.

“I guess you’ll have to wait a while before you meet my baby, Snoozy,” lamented Maki.

“Meow.”

“Until then, you’ll have to be our baby instead,” said Theia.

“Ahaha, that sounds good.”

“Meow!”

“It seems Snoozy is fine with that too.”

The girls knew they were pressuring their beloved to make an impossible choice, so they were all willing to wait as long as it took for him to give in. Snoozy would be with them until that day, and most likely well after. He’d made his decision far faster than Koutarou.

Sanae could act as two people by separating part of her soul from her body, so with the arrival of Sanae-nee from another world, there were effectively three Sanaes. This had caused some confusion initially, but everyone had quickly gotten over it—except for Sanae-chan.

“I expected there to be more of a reaction to there being three of us!” she insisted, folding her arms from where she was astrally projecting beside her body. The gesture was largely for dramatic effect, however; she wasn’t actually angry.

Knowing that, Shizuka replied with a slightly exasperated smile, “Well, there were already two of you... Adding one more to the mix isn’t that surprising.”

Sanae-chan had joined the Corona House crew as a ghost, and they’d later collected Sanae-san—her physical body. It had been over a year since then so everyone had, in fact, already gotten used to the idea of there being multiple Sanaes. No one was really fazed by adding another.

“So you’re all tired of me? Next, you’ll be getting rid of me...” Sanae-nee lamented, wiping an imaginary tear from her eye. She had the same penchant for theatrics that Sanae did, which only put a further damper on the mood. The Sanaes were the only ones who didn’t seem to notice this.

“Come on. You haven’t even had a boyfriend yet,” interjected Sanae-san. Having grown up normally, she was the most down-to-earth of the three Sanaes.

“That’s because he won’t go that far,” Shizuka said bitterly.

They behaved more like lovers than actual lovers did, but the person they cared for was being very stubborn. An ironclad will was keeping his common sense and sincerity safe. They were both troubled and happy by that. It made them understand that they were being treasured.

“Don’t worry. Even the most impregnable dams eventually spring leaks,” Sanae-chan reassured her other selves.

“Hopefully three of us will mean three times the pressure,” said Sanae-nee.

“I just hope we’re not a burden...” fretted Sanae-san.

The Sanaes and Shizuka were currently on their way to visit Shizuka’s late parents at the cemetery on a hill at the edge of the city. The somber reason for their trip was part of the reason the Sanaes were making such a commotion. They wanted to lift Shizuka’s spirits a little.

“Thanks, you three,” she murmured.

“Hmm? What for?” Sanae-chan asked.

“I wonder... Heehee.”

Shizuka thought it would be uncouth not to thank them, but she also thought it would be uncouth to bring it up directly. In the end, she settled for being vague.

It had been a while since Shizuka’s last visit, so the Kasagi family grave was a little dirty. Weeds had sprouted up around it, leaves had gathered on top of it, and it was covered in a fine layer of dust. The girls’ first job was thus cleaning it up before paying their respects.

“Let’s do this! Get to work, ladies!” Sanae-chan ordered.

“That’s unfair... This is why you left our body, isn’t it?” Sanae-san asked.

“That’s just a coincidence.”

“Sanae-san is right. This is unfair,” Sanae-nee cut in. “You’re one of us, so you’re going to work with us.”

Shizuka, Sanae-san, and Sanae Onee-chan were presently the only ones cleaning. Sanae-chan was projecting and thus had no physical body to work with. All she’d done to help was levitate over a bucket of water. Her other two selves were none too pleased with her.

“Sorry, but psychic powers aren’t suited for delicate work,” she informed them.

“You can do it if you try! It’s a matter of guts!” Sanae-nee argued.

“She’s right, Sanae-chan! You’re always demanding that I do reckless things,” Sanae-san added.

“Okay, okay... Jeez.”

Upon being hounded by her other selves, Sanae-chan got to work. She didn’t put up too much of a fight either. This place was precious to a dear friend of hers, after all.

“I appreciate all the help, everyone,” said Shizuka.

“Don’t sweat it,” replied Sanae-nee. “This is your family grave, so we’ll treat it like our own.”

“Indeed,” threw in Sanae-san. “You’re always doing so much for us, this is the least we could do for you.”

“Are you two acting like super good girls just to get back at me?” asked Sanae-chan.

“You’d do the same if our positions were reversed, wouldn’t you?”

“Well, yeah.”

Tending to a grave was ordinarily gloomy work, but thanks to the Sanaes, the mood was bright and cheerful. They might have caused a nuisance for other visitors, but thankfully, the girls were the only ones around today. Perhaps the departed resting there might find them noisy, but Shizuka was fine with that. The Sanaes could hear the voices of the dead, so she was sure they’d speak up if it was really too much trouble.

Besides, I’m sure Mom and Dad prefer it this way...

Shizuka thought that it was best that they carried on like normal rather than being cautiously reserved. She wanted her parents to see what great friends she had. Once the cleaning was done, Shizuka turned to the gravestone and addressed them.

“Mom, Dad, I’m sorry I haven’t been to visit in so long. I brought the Sanaes with me today.”

In spite of the situation, the tone of her voice wasn’t dark at all. The Sanaes had indeed lifted her spirits. Moreover, thanks to them, Shizuka knew that death wasn’t the end.

“Ma’am, sir, your daughter means the world to us,” said Sanae-nee. As the oldest of the group, she spoke respectfully... yet what she said sounded off. That wasn’t typically how one would greet a friend’s parents.

“Heh! You sound like you’re going to ask for her hand in marriage, Onee-chan,” teased Sanae-chan.

“Shush! This is important, so don’t play around,” Sanae-san scolded her. She was concerned about the propriety of it all.

Shizuka, meanwhile, didn’t seem to care. “Oh, it’s fine,” she said. “Anyway, Mom and Dad, we’ll be going back to Forthorthe soon. That’s where Theia-chan and the other aliens are from.”

Shizuka had come to see her parents today because it had been ages since her last visit. She wanted to let them know she’d be leaving, and she also wanted to introduce the Sanaes. So while the visit was important, it wasn’t strictly serious.

“I’ll be watching over your daughter. I swear to take good care of her.”

“See? It totally sounds like you’re going to marry her.”

“Please, you two!”

“What’s the harm? Her parents look like they’re having fun.”

That was the reason the Sanaes were so carefree. With their psychic powers, they could see Shizuka’s parents watching over them.

“Ah, you can see them again?”

Sanae had seen Shizuka’s parents watching over her before, which made Shizuka very happy. That was how she’d learned that death really wasn’t the end.

“Yeah, I can see them right now,” Sanae-chan told her. “This might sound funny, but they look very bright and full of energy. Do you want to see for yourself?”

“You can do that for me?!”

“Hmm, hang on. I think I just need to do this... Hyah!”

Thanks to the recent addition of the sword-shaped crest on her forehead, Sanae could now show Shizuka her parents by sharing her spiritual energy with her. The crest was a sign of their contract with Signaltin, and it connected them in new and special ways. Effectively, she could let Shizuka use her spirit sight temporarily.

“Mom! Dad! They’re really faint, but I can see them!”

Indeed, Shizuka could now see her parents. Their forms were hazy, but she could feel their presence, and that was enough for her. The moment she could sense them near, tears welled in her eyes.

“I’m sorry they’re hard to see, this is the limit of our maiden power... I mean, of our psychic abilities,” Sanae-nee apologized.

“Huh? What are you talking about?” Shizuka asked.

“Um, you can really only see ghosts when they have lingering regret attaching them to this world. Your parents are a little worried about you, but for the most part, they know you’re happy and doing well.”

The spirits of the departed remained attached to the material world by their regrets. For Shizuka’s parents, their biggest regret was having to leave their daughter alone. But seeing how happy and healthy she was now, that regret was waning and so was their connection to the world. That was why they looked so hazy to her.

“So, ideally, I wouldn’t be able to see them at all?”

“Yep. Although that can be pretty sad.”

The day Shizuka’s parents stopped worrying about her entirely, they would disappear from this world completely. They would finally move on. And although it was poignant, it was the natural order of things.

“Then I think that would be for the best,” said Shizuka. “Even if I can’t see them, I’ll just have to believe that they’re happy.”

Shizuka had no idea what the afterlife was like. Perhaps her parents would live happily in heaven, or perhaps they’d be reborn. Either way, she didn’t want to hold them back any longer than she should. She knew she couldn’t rely on her late parents forever.

“You’re amazing, Shizuka. You’re so strong. But I think you’re right.”

Sanae agreed with her—that moving on would be for the best for them. Sanae personally would have wanted her parents to stay with her forever, but Shizuka did make a good point. Sanae deeply respected her for that.

“In that case, I’ll be doing my best, Mom and Dad!” Shizuka cried.

“Next, she’ll be back to say she’s engaged,” Sanae-nee added.

“That’s enough of that!” Sanae-san fussed.

“I dunno,” Sanae-chan replied. “She might not be too far off.”

“W-Well, we are talking about Shizuka-san’s happiness, so I guess it’s all right...”

Shizuka was determined to live her life to the fullest so that her parents wouldn’t worry—and it would only be better if she did return one day with news of marriage for them. That way, she could send them off with a smile.

Following the graveside visit, Shizuka and the Sanaes made their way to the shopping street. They were headed to a specialty store that sold sweets and traditional snacks like rice crackers and manju. Their second task for the day was to buy mass quantities of refreshments. Since Forthorthe didn’t have any of the girls’ favorites, this was an especially important job.

“Your spending limit is 500 yen! Bananas don’t count!” Sanae-nee instructed like a teacher on a school field trip.

“Everything on this list will be well over 500 yen. Should we really be buying so much?” Sanae-san asked timidly.

The original Corona House crew plus Nalfa, Kotori, and Kenji made for a total of thirteen people. The shopping list of everyone’s must-buy snacks was several pages long. If Shizuka and the Sanaes really bought it all, room 106 would be flooded with snacks.

“It’ll be fine!” Sanae-chan assured her.

“We’ve already talked logistics with Clan-san and Ruth-san,” Shizuka added.

Fortunately, there was plenty of space to store things on the spaceship. Clan’s Hazy Moon had so much cargo capacity that they could have loaded the entire store into the bay without putting a dent in it. It didn’t realistically matter how long the girls’ list was.

“Oh?” Sanae-nee piped up as she happened to glance inside a store they were passing. “Isn’t that Koutarou?”

“I think that’s... the tea shop,” said Sanae-san, glancing at the store sign.

“Heeey, Koutarooouuuuu!” called Sanae-chan. Unlike her other self, once she’d spotted Koutarou, she wasted no time flying over to him.

“Hey, you guys,” he said.

“Whatcha doing?” Sanae-chan asked him.

“Grabbing some tea and coffee.”

“Ah, of course. Gotta get the stuff you like, right?”

“Yeah. They make good gifts too, you know?”

“How polite of you to consider such things, Koutarou,” threw in Sanae-nee, nodding her head.

Koutarou furrowed his brow at this. “I’ve always been particular about manners. I used to do sports.”

“Harumi’s also making sure she’s prepared for all sorts of formalities—I’m not sure sports has anything to do with it.”

“Unlike me, Sakuraba-senpai didn’t need to have etiquette drilled into her.”

Koutarou grabbed hold of Sanae-nee’s face and squished her cheeks between his hands. That seemed to be exactly what she wanted, as she put up no resistance whatsoever.

“You should learn some manners too,” he said, turning to look at Sanae-chan.

“Ahahaha, yeah, right,” she replied.

“Hmm?”

As Koutarou continued to squish Sanae-nee’s cheeks, he couldn’t help noticing Sanae-san squirming at the back of the group. It wasn’t until he watched her closely that he noticed she wasn’t just squirming—she was emphatically pointing at Shizuka and trying to tell him something.

Is something the matter with Landlord-san...?

Shizuka was smiling as she watched Koutarou and Sanae-nee, but Sanae-san’s apparent desperation told Koutarou that there was more to it. He took a moment to ponder what.

“Okay, that’s enough,” he said.

“Whaaat?” Sanae-nee protested.

“I have important stuff to do.”

“What could be more important than showing me affection?!”

Once he’d made up his mind, Koutarou released Sanae-nee. She looked displeased, like she wanted him to continue. When she saw him walk over to Shizuka, however, her displeasure vanished.

When Koutarou reached Shizuka, he looked her up and down. “Hmm...”

“Satomi-kun?”

“I wonder if this is right...”

There, Koutarou tilted his head and embraced her.

“Eek!” Taken by surprise, she yelped a little. “Huh? What? Satomi-kun?!”

“And around we go.”

With his arms still around Shizuka, Koutarou began to spin. It was the sort of thing a parent might do to humor their child, but he and Shizuka were both teenagers. They looked more like a couple playing around.

Thinking about it, Landlord-san just came back from visiting her parents’ grave. I should be especially considerate.

Shizuka was a bastion of strength and stability (except when it came to her weight), but even she needed a tender touch every now and then. Koutarou wanted to give her that.

I’ll need to thank Sanae-san later.

He’d only picked up on it because of the squirming Sanae-san. If he thanked her now, however, Shizuka would catch on. He knew he’d have to do it privately some other time.

“Okay, that’s enough.”

After a few whirls, Koutarou set Shizuka down. The unexpected spinning left her a little dizzy, so she clung to him for a moment even after her feet touched the ground. She closed her eyes and whispered, “Satomi-kun, did I look that sad to you?”

“Hmm, if I had to say... you should have,” Koutarou whispered back as he supported her.

In return, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. “I love you, Satomi-kun.” She offered him love, not thanks, for she felt his actions had come from a place of love as well.

“What’s the matter all of a sudden?” he asked.

“You wouldn’t take me seriously unless I said it at a time like this, would you?” she asked in turn.

Koutarou was in the painful process of trying to choose one of the girls. Because of that, he ordinarily wouldn’t have accepted such a loving gesture. He’d abandoned that stance for the moment, however. He was putting himself out there for Shizuka’s sake.

“Will you come to my parents’ grave with me the next time I visit?”

“Yes.”

Koutarou had no idea of the significance of that trip to Shizuka, but he understood that it was important to her. He didn’t hesitate at all to agree to it.

After parting ways with Koutarou, the girls returned to their snack shop raid mission. Sanae-san held the list in hand and Sanae-chan browsed the shelves for what she wanted as the group walked through the store.

“What did Koutarou say to you back there?” Sanae-chan asked.

“To buy some extra cola and candy,” Sanae-san answered.

“He never grows up,” Sanae-nee muttered. The Koutarou in this world was just like the one from hers. He was as childish as ever.

“I think it’s kinda cute that boys are like that,” Shizuka interjected with a smile bright enough to dispel shadows. She saw it in a positive light, although his behavior had no doubt colored her opinion. Koutarou always did what he needed to when it was important, so she had an easy time overlooking his other dalliances and screwups. “We girls tend to mature too fast, right?”

“I can’t really say we’ve grown up either,” Sanae-chan replied.

“There’s actually quite a few requests for candy on here, so let’s buy lots of it,” Sanae-san added.

“Ahahaha! It’s true. That side of us never changes.”

Indeed, there was a side to the girls that stubbornly refused change as well. Koutarou had a hard time understanding it, so he could use any sympathy he could get from them—or so the Sanaes thought to themselves as they watched Shizuka load up the basket with candy.

“What’s wrong?” Shizuka asked when she noticed Sanae-nee rubbing her face.

“It’s nothing,” she replied, shaking her head with a smile. “I just got something in my eye.”

“I see. Could you come over here for a moment?” Shizuka said, pulling a handkerchief from her bag. Sanae-nee was actually a little older, but Shizuka treated her just like the Sanaes of this world.

“Sure thing.” Sanae-nee approached as requested.

Shizuka peered at her face. “You’ll hurt your eyes if you rub them too much... but I think you’re okay. It looks like your tears flushed out whatever it was,” she said with a smile as she wiped her dear friend’s cheek.

In truth, Shizuka knew why Sanae had really been rubbing her eyes. Just as Shizuka had been before, Sanae was thinking back on happy times. That was why Shizuka wanted to do something for Sanae, just as Koutarou had done for her.

“Thank you, Shizuka.”

“It’s only natural.”

“But I’m not this world’s Sanae.”

“It doesn’t matter what world’s Sanae you are to me.”

“Shizuka...”

Sanae-nee felt like a stranger in this foreign world. Even though it was so familiar, it wasn’t hers. The people who lived here weren’t the people she knew. That made her lonely—but Shizuka wanted her to know that she wasn’t alone. She was still a Sanae, after all.

“I’m sure everyone else feels the same way,” said Shizuka. “Including Satomi-kun, of course.”

“Th-Thanks... I feel a little better now.”

Fortunately, Shizuka had successfully gotten her message across. A smile returned to Sanae-nee’s face. She had lost a lot, but she could see now that she didn’t have to go it by herself.

“Give love to all Sanaes! We demand equal treatment!”

“Why do you always have to say unnecessary things at times like this, Sanae-chan?!”

The girls would soon be headed to Forthorthe, and Sanae Onee-chan would need to reclaim what she had lost from the enemy they’d face there. There was no time for tears. Now was the time to stand tall with her newfound allies. That was the determination fueling her smile now.

With Koutarou and the girls about to leave for Forthorthe, there arose a question of who would manage relations between the empire, Folsaria, and the underground while they were gone. It was ultimately decided that the three nations would resolve any issues that came up between themselves. They were accordingly arranging technical training together and joint exercises to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses—and how to cover for each other. Koutarou, Ruth, Clan, Yurika, and Kiriha were taking part in the joint training today as field experts.

“I’m sorry to make you come all this way, Nana-sama,” Ruth apologized.

“It’s fine. Thanks for letting us borrow Satomi-san.”

Ruth was participating in the anti-mobile weapon training aboard Warlord III-Revised, which had been updated with a second seat in the cockpit. Today’s exercise would additionally serve as a test run for the machine. She wanted to confirm that there were no handling issues with the new setup. And since Koutarou was taking part in the anti-personnel combat training, Nana was filling in for him as Ruth’s pilot. Her artificial limbs could control Warlord III-Rev just like Koutarou’s armor. Still, prodigy or not, this was Nana’s first time piloting the machine. She would only hold up with Ruth’s help.

“Master is running back and forth all over the place today.”

“Ahaha, so we aren’t the only ones.”

When Nana said “we,” she meant the Imperial Army forces she’d come with that would be remaining on Earth. Nana was currently on loan to Forthorthe and serving as Nefilforan’s adjutant. Nefilforan’s unit would be returning to Forthorthe with Koutarou and the others, so they weren’t taking part in the joint training exercise.

“Being able to fight with so many techniques is a special skill only Master has.”

“Yet going around acting like he’s the weakest is just like him...”

“I think the only one who could beat Master when he’s fully armed is Shizuka-sama in dragon form.”

“Well, that’s kind of cheating... Satomi-san really is the strongest, huh?”

“He would be if he only aimed for weak points.”

“What do you mean?”

“He believes in fighting fair.”

“Ahahaha, that’s the Blue Knight for you.”

Ruth and Nana chatted away inside Warlord III-Rev as they fought. They were serving as the “enemy” leader, so the imperial soldiers were primarily fixated on them. They were under heavy fire, although one would never know based on their conversation. Their abilities coupled with Warlord-III Rev’s performance allowed them to handle the imperial soldiers with ease. The goal of this exercise, however, was for the trainees to improve over the course of the day. This would be the only time Ruth and Nana could talk so leisurely.

“Say, I’ve been meaning to ask... Why has this become a two-seater? Satomi-san piloted it solo before,” Nana remarked, cocking her head and glancing over at Ruth in the newly added copilot’s chair.

The cockpits of mobile weapons tended to be cramped, and that went double for Warlord III-Rev with the addition of a second seat. Nana and Ruth were so close that if they leaned even a little, their faces would touch. Nana had wondered if that was really okay.

“It’s due to highly political circumstances... Actually, I would prefer if you kept this to yourself, but Kiriha-sama rode with Master like this in our battle the other day for tactical reasons—and certain parties were envious.”

“Ahaha, so you wanted to do it too.”

“Yes.”

In the fight with the black hound, Kiriha had boarded Warlord III with Koutarou to attract the enemy’s attention. Tayuma abhorred both Koutarou and Kiriha, and his fire would have been unpredictable if he’d split it between them. That was how Kiriha had come up with the idea to stick with Koutarou in order to make the enemy easier to read. It was solid strategic thinking, although there were those who doubted her exact motivations. This had given rise to jealousy, and so a copilot’s chair was installed.

“That’s how it came to be, but I believe it’s a very powerful addition—tactically speaking,” Ruth explained.

“What do you mean?” Nana asked.

“We each have our own unique abilities, so by adding this second seat, we can provide additional enhancements to Warlord III-Rev.”

“So if Princess Theia were to ride along, it would be specialized for bombardment. And if Maki-san did, it would be specialized for magical combat. They can use their powers on the front lines as Satomi-san protects them. That does sound strong.”

Theia and Maki were skilled in marksmanship and magic respectively, and if they could fight without having to worry about defending themselves, they would be that much more powerful. Riding along in Warlord afforded them that protection, meaning they’d maximize their combat potential alongside Koutarou.

“But the most effective of all would have to be Kiriha-sama as a mobile command post,” Ruth insisted.

“Because she can command from safety?” asked Nana. “It’s true that the commander’s post is typically loaded with all kinds of reconnaissance sensors, so that would kind of be like cheating.”

Indeed, the advantages weren’t limited to Theia and Maki. Kiriha, Yurika, and Sanae would each provide benefits of their own as well. Nana was starting to see the logic to the second seat. She objected to the idea that Kiriha would be the best copilot, however.

“In truth, I think that you would be the strongest addition, Ruth-san,” she said.

“What? Me?” Ruth stammered.

“With you aboard, you would be able to control a bunch of unmanned crafts on the front line even with jamming in effect. The Motor Knights are a sort of unmanned craft, so it’s a perfect match.”

Ruth was a skilled operator, which was typically a rearline role. She was talented at controlling and firing all kinds of machines and cannons, and she’d done so to great effect in many battles. But since jamming was a common tactic in space warfare, her usefulness in combat was often hampered. That would change if she were riding in Warlord. As long as she was on the battlefield herself, she would be able to operate unmanned crafts and automated turrets even with jamming in play. If she wanted to be extra cautious, she could even use laser or wired transmissions to reach them. Her options opened up considerably.

“Riding with Master...”

The seed Nana planted in Ruth filled her head with ideas. She could use her forte to help Koutarou seize victory. And she could repel all possible threats to him—nothing mattered more to her than that.

“I’m entrusting the controls to you.”

“W-Wait, Ruth-san!”

Ruth suddenly relinquished control to Nana and the AI and began working on something else. Warlord III-Rev on its own was more than enough for the trainees to handle, as the AI that Ruth had created was a force to be reckoned with. That alone was proof of her abilities, and now she’d put her mind to creating something even stronger.

Satomi-san sure is loved, heh... But I’m going to give him a piece of my mind later!

As a result, Nana was left to struggle on her own for a while.

Once the anti-mobile weapon training was over, Ruth began polishing her ideas for Warlord III-Rev in earnest. Nana had nothing better to do, so she decided to check in on the other training sessions. She made her way over to the anti-magic training that Yurika was leading. As always, she was interested in what her disciple was up to.

“Oh no! Instructor Yurika is advancing!”

“Where?!”

“It’s the Yurika Attack! I can see grenades all over!”

“Fire back with the Yurika Launcher!”

“Everyone, get down!”

As Nana approached the training field, she held her hand up to shield her eyes from the sun as she scanned the grounds. There were all sorts of obstacles set up like a mock city, and imperial troops were engaged in a fierce back and forth with Rainbow Heart soldiers.

“Look at them go at it. Seems fun,” Nana remarked.

There were spectating trainees all around, excitedly watching the show while on their breaks or as they waited for their own turn on the field. As much as she loathed her reputation, Yurika had gained quite a following. Someone had even named the move where she teleported in a spread of grenades in a geometric pattern. They called it the “Yurika Attack,” and a special grenade launcher had been invented to replicate it. The technical staff on the Forthorthian side was itching to record more of Yurika’s tactics and share them with Forthorthe.

“W-Wait, men! The grenades are holograms!”

“They got us! Look alive! They’re attacking with standard infantry now!”

“They’re already on us! Fire!”

The mock battles between the two sides typically played out with Folsaria’s soldiers taking the initiative with their creative assaults and Forthorthe counterattacking. Folsaria was one step ahead thanks to their mobility, camouflage, and magic, but Forthorthe wouldn’t take a beating lying down. They had the advantage in terms of technology, and if they set their minds to defending and intercepting their enemy, they were surprisingly tenacious and could gain the upper hand against the lightly armored Folsarian magicians.

“So Folsaria needs to work on their defenses and Forthorthe on taking the initiative. It’s clear what their homework will be.”

Nana was satisfied. She’d been transferred from Folsaria to Forthorthe, so both sides were important to her. She hoped they would learn from the day’s exercises.

“I imagine they’ll have even more homework once the People of the Earth join the fray. I’ll need to keep a close eye on things.”

Nana’s watchful eyes turned sharp—this was the face of a genius magical girl. Even though she was retired, fate had returned her to the line of duty as a commander. She now wielded troops instead of magic, but her talents would come in handy for this job as well. Indeed, the prodigious Nana was back in action.

When Yurika stopped by the rest area after the mock battle, Nana greeted her with a sports drink in hand.

“Good work out there, Yurika-chan.”

“Thank you, Nana-san.”

Yurika thanked her master for both the drink and for the compliment. She happily opened the bottle and downed its contents. The heated battle had left her parched.

“Heh, you’re welcome. Although, I have to say, it’s rare to see you train of your own volition.”

Yurika had actually volunteered to lead the anti-magic training. It was for her own good, but it was nevertheless rare for her to suggest such a thing.

“I know that I can’t get complacent with where I am now. I need to be able to defeat that wrinkly old man.”

It was the resurrection of Grand Wizard Grevanas that had inspired Yurika to start training. His strength came from his vast experience and the many battles he’d fought as a court magician. He had immense mana—and he knew how to use it. Yurika wanted to be able to say the same. If she couldn’t face Grevanas on equal footing, the lich would undoubtedly get the better of her. She was thus training as hard as possible to level the playing field.

“That’s a good attitude, Yurika-chan. Keep it up and you won’t have to worry about Maki-san stealing your seat as archwizard out from under you.”

“She’s about to?!” Yurika’s eyes went wide. She and Maki were both assigned to Blue Tower, so if Maki were to become an archwizard, it would mean taking Yurika’s position.

“Ahaha, a little birdy told me that there was a discussion along those lines.”

Nana had been surprised to hear the rumor herself, especially given the objections to Maki joining Rainbow Heart in the first place. Her accomplishments since that time, however, spoke for themselves. Rainbow Heart had to reconsider that she was the kind of magician they’d been waiting for all along. With the apprehension regarding Maki resolved, her reputation continued to soar. She was serious and careful when it came to her work, and her conduct always conveyed deep sincerity. Yurika’s questionable personality begged the question of whether Maki would be a better fit for the title of archwizard. There had yet to be an official meeting on the matter, but word was that the idea had been floated.

“No way! I could never win against Maki-chan!” Yurika could barely get her head around the rumors, but she’d always felt that Maki was the better magical girl. She couldn’t offer much of an argument in her own defense.

“Don’t worry. Here you are leading special training all on your own accord. As long as you’re mindful of your position as archwizard, the higher-ups are sure to notice.”

“Really...?” Yurika slumped her shoulders and cast her eyes downward.

“There’s no need to worry, Yurika,” called a new voice. “See over there? How many of those people are here to watch you?”

When Yurika heard those words, she immediately looked back up.

“They all shouted in excitement over everything you did. There are even people here to gather data on you, like me. That’s not something we do for fun—it’s out of respect.”

The new arrival on the scene was Clan. She was participating as a technical advisor for Forthorthe, and she was additionally helping Yurika with her training by recording her matches. That was how she knew so many people had been watching her all this time.

“S-Still, they aren’t watching me as a magical girl,” Yurika protested.

“It doesn’t matter how they see you. What’s important is that you have the power to protect people. Isn’t that right?”

“Y-Yes, I think so too!” Yurika nodded repeatedly at Clan’s wisdom, which struck a chord with her. Her energy and enthusiasm were returning.

“Besides...” Clan walked up to Yurika and whispered, “All that matters is that he sees you as a magical girl, right?”

Yurika stared at Clan in wide-eyed surprise, and Clan smiled in return. Yurika’s face then slowly turned red.

“You think so? Hmm, maybe... That’s what Satomi-san said before.”

Blushing furiously, Yurika began fidgeting. She adored romance manga, but when it came to her own love life, she was as naive as could be. She squirmed as she imagined all kinds of things. More importantly, she’d gotten over her doubts and worries.

“Well, if you understand, then get going! There are people waiting for you!”

“Y-Yes!”

Clan smacked Yurika on the butt, causing her to jump up in an about-face. She could see troops gathering once again on the field. The next match was about to start.

“And if possible, could you use the new spell I taught you? I’m sure it will elevate your reputation as a magical girl.”

“I understand! I’ll be off, then!”

Back in form, Yurika ran off with light steps. She looked like she might fall a few times, but that was just how she always was. There was no need to worry anymore.

“Thank you, Princess Clan,” said Nana.

“Such a slip of the tongue isn’t like you,” returned Clan.

“I suppose I let my guard down...”

“Heh. Rather than being a perfect girl, having some flaws makes you more desirable.”

“I’ll try to think of it that way.”

After this brief exchange, the two remaining girls smiled at each other. Clan’s expression, however, shortly turned serious again. Since this was a good opportunity, there was something else she wanted to talk to Nana about.

“By the way, Nana... That girl really is special, isn’t she?” she asked.

Nana’s expression also turned serious as she nodded. She had an inkling of what Clan was getting at. “Yes, I was really surprised when I first noticed Yurika-chan’s talents too.”

“As I suspected, she’s special even among magicians, isn’t she?”

“Yes, she really stands out from the crowd. It’s like she was destined to become a magical girl.”

Yurika was ordinary no matter how you looked at her. She was just a normal manga-loving girl who wasn’t in the best of shape. That had also been Nana’s first impression of Yurika, but there had been signs. When they first met, for example, Nana had noticed that Yurika was overflowing with mana even though she was well beyond the age considered trainable—and the results spoke for themselves. Nana had resolved to teach her the basics in order to defend herself, but Yurika absorbed everything Nana taught her like a sponge. Indeed, it was as if it was simply meant to be.

“She was easily able to make highly toxic chemicals after I taught her the slightest bit about them,” Clan confessed.

“Not even I could do that—it takes too much mana. Wait, what about those chemicals?” Nana asked.

“They were dangerous, of course, so I stopped her before she was able to finish... But it wouldn’t surprise me if she could easily synthesize banned chemical weapons.”

Clan had been helping Yurika both with her training and as a teacher of sorts. She thought Yurika would be even stronger if she was a little more inventive with her magic, so she’d had her try her hand at mixing chemicals. Yurika had successfully followed Clan’s instructions to a tee. Excited by the results, Clan had pushed her to try increasingly drastic things... right up until she’d had to call the whole experiment off before it got out of hand.

“You’re saying Yurika-chan doesn’t seem like a master magician because she lacks the knowledge and experience to go with her talent and magic?”

“But of course. What teenage girl knows anything about chemical weapons?”

“And right now, she’s in the process of learning...”

Nana turned her attention to Yurika as the next mock battle began. When she raised her staff, she was like a beacon for the Rainbow Heart troops and a wall to the opposing underground troops. She was doing everything in her power to gain the experience she was lacking.

“That’s why you were the only one to notice her potential, Nana.”

“Maybe so. Honestly, I felt it would be dangerous to let her be.”

“Yes, I shudder at the thought of her power being used for evil.”

By the time Nana had picked up on Yurika’s natural talents, she knew it would be better to bring her into Rainbow Heart’s fold for her own protection. If not, it only would have been a matter of time before a villainous force found her. And when Nana thought about what might become of the world—much less Yurika herself—she hadn’t been able to leave the fledgling magical girl alone.

“Satomi-san needs to keep a firm hold on her reins,” Nana warned. “One wrong turn could spell disaster.”

Right now, Yurika was in the process of learning by experimenting with new magic. For instance, Clan had just taught her an extremely effective wide-range attack by lowering the oxygen in a given area. It could incapacitate any number of enemies with only the slightest expenditure of mana. Not being able to get enough oxygen in the demanding heat of battle was like drowning on land—and the attack was practically indetectable. Used on a large enough scale with ritual magic, it could massacre an entire army.

“There’s no need to worry. Veltlion set even me on the straight and narrow. Yurika will never stray,” Clan assured Nana.

“Heh, you’re right. We can leave everything to him.”

Nana thought back ten years to when she’d first thought Koutarou was a necromancer and reflected on how wrong she’d been. There was no way he would ever let Yurika stray. Nana was certain Clan was right about that.

About then, a chime rang from Clan’s bracelet and her AI reported, “Your Highness, you have a message from Ruthkania Pardomshiha.”

“From Pardomshiha? Hmm, well let’s have it.”

“As you wish, my princess.”

“Wh-What is this?!”

When the message opened, Clan flinched. Normally one or two holographic windows would open, but right now, they were spamming open one after another.

“Plans for a backpack for Warlord III-Rev...?” Clan adjusted her glasses and began reading through Ruth’s message.

“Ah...” Nana muttered. She had a bad feeling about where this was going.

“The backpack’s primary function will be storing arms and additional communications equipment... It holds a large number of unmanned crafts... Adds and improves comms... I see! This is for when Pardomshiha is riding along!”

Ruth had sent Clan specifications for additional gear she’d want when aboard Warlord with Koutarou. Clan’s job would be to generate blueprints based on Ruth’s documents. This was their standard procedure when creating new equipment.

“Oh dear... I knew it.” Nana scratched her head with an unusually bitter expression, which made her look a little like Yurika. She then said nervously, “I-It seems you’ll be busy, Princess Clan.”

“You could say that again. This is a big job...”

Nana knew Clan would find out the truth eventually, so she decided to go ahead and confess. “I’m sorry. This is all because I said something unnecessary to Ruth-san.”

“You put this idea in her head?!”

“I’m sorry! All I said was that I thought she’d be the strongest copilot for Warlord!”

Nana was referencing her earlier conversation with Ruth, who was normally modest and quite rational. Whenever it came to Koutarou, however, she got a sort of tunnel vision. And that was exactly how Clan had ended up with specifications for new gear in her hands.

“Nana, you’re acting strange today. I’m already busy, and this is just...”

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

Nana apologized profusely. First there was Yurika, and now there was Ruth. While the former was perhaps inevitable, the latter had totally been avoidable. Nana had created a string of headaches for Clan that was potentially about to get a lot longer.

“And if Theiamillis-san hears about this, she’ll demand a version for extra firepower.”

“That might not be the end of it...”

“...”

“I’m sorry! Really, I’m so sorry!”

Today was a busy day for Clan. She was acting as a technical advisor, teacher, coach, and much more. But it was clear that tomorrow and the many days after that were going to be just as hectic.

The joint training exercises were between Forthorthe, Folsaria, and the People of the Earth, so Japan wasn’t explicitly participating. The Sun Rangers had been specially invited, however. They were more or less an independent faction, but they did technically serve the Japanese government. They were thus the only representatives from Earth, making them a very special presence indeed.

“Thank you very much! My kid will love this!” one soldier cried, bowing to Kenichi repeatedly. He’d asked all of the Sun Rangers for their autographs. The rangers had been hesitant at first, but when the soldier said his son was a big fan, they could hardly refuse.

“Er, I couldn’t be more honored... Let’s train hard out there together,” Kenichi replied bashfully.

“Of course! I want to make my boy proud!” the soldier said before taking his leave.

“It looks like you’ve gotten quite popular, Sun Rangers,” Kiriha observed as she walked over. The Sun Rangers primarily used spiritual energy technology, so they had an advisory tech team on tap that included Kiriha. She approached with the group of technicians, who greeted the Sun Rangers before moving on, leaving only Kiriha behind.

“Just two years ago, we were totally worthless... It’s kinda crazy to think about,” Hayato replied with a wry smile.

The soldier who’d just left hadn’t been the only one to ask for an autograph, handshake, or a photo. Underground dwellers were approaching them regularly. In the past, the Sun Rangers were widely frowned upon as a waste of tax money, but now they were now the stars behind the anti-invader department. Their reputation had skyrocketed. The People of the Earth were especially fond of them and treated them like heroes. They would never forget how the Sun Rangers had fought for them.

“You’ll just have to get used to it,” said Kiriha. “You’ve earned it.”

“I’m honored,” Hayato replied, his smile transforming. He still felt a little weird receiving so much praise from the underground dwellers, but he was indeed proud.

“By the way, Black Rose-san, thank you for coming all this way for us,” offered Kotaro, the youngest of the Sun Rangers, with a deep bow on behalf of his older team members who’d yet to show her any respect.

Kiriha smiled and bowed in return. “My, how polite. I only know how to use the technology, so despite being part of the tech team, I’m mostly here for appearances. The technicians are the ones doing all the work, so defer your thanks to them.”

“You could say we’re here for decoration, ho!”

“Ho! We are haniwas, after all!”

Everyone knew Kiriha was as sharp as a tack, but that didn’t make her an expert on spiritual energy technology. She generally understood its construction and how to use it, but nothing more advanced than that. So rather than acting as a technician on the team, she was largely just supervising the People of the Earth.

“Ahaha, we’re in the same position, Black Rose-san, so I think you’re the perfect person to thank,” Megumi said with a smile.

The Sun Rangers themselves weren’t receiving any technical training. That’s what their tech team had come for. At most, they’d be learning how to use new tools and techniques after the fact, so Megumi understood exactly how Kiriha felt.

A warm and friendly mood overtook the group, but one of the Sun Rangers was still worried. It was their most considerate member, Daisaku. “Are you sure about this though, Black Rose-san? Weren’t you concerned about the spiritual energy technology falling into the hands of the Japanese government?”

It wasn’t just spiritual energy technology. Folsaria, Forthorthe, and the People of the Earth were all afraid of their respective technologies leaking into Japan—even on a governmental level. That was why only the Sun Rangers had been invited to the training retreat, and it gave Daisaku pause.

Kiriha smiled gently at him. “It’s true that we don’t fully trust the Japanese government. We know that they have good intentions in general, but with such a large organization, there are inevitably bad actors mixed within their ranks.”

Given the size of the nation’s government, there was no guarantee that every member meant well. There were undoubtedly those out for personal gain or simply money. There was also the possibility of double agents. So while the Japanese government was fully cooperating with the invaders at the moment, the invaders were still rightfully concerned about potential security compromises. Better safe than sorry, after all. And the Japanese government understood their caution.

“So... why us?” Kenichi asked on the heels of Daisaku’s question. He’d been wondering as much since they were invited.

“We trust you. We trust in the Sun Rangers,” Kiriha declared with a calm smile. “Do we need any other reason?”

The Sun Rangers were at a loss for words. Kiriha’s belief in them was profound confirmation that they’d done the right thing. The joy and surprise they felt over it left them speechless.

The first to manage a reply after a minute or so was Hayato. “That’s Black Rose-san for you... You really are different.”

“I wish I had a girlfriend like that,” Kotaro followed, blurting out his true feelings. His wide eyes were fixed on Kiriha.

“Nah, Kotaro,” said Hayato. “We’re no match for her.”

“I know that. I’m no Baron-san. I’d be happy with just a day.”

“Yeah, a day would be nice. That would give me something to brag about.”

Hayato and Kotaro could hardly believe that Kiriha was younger than them. She was mature, persuasive, and resolute. She already possessed all the qualities of a good leader.

Hearing their praise, however, put a small smirk on Kiriha’s face. “If you must know, I have my reasons. While we’re away, we’ll need someone to protect Earth. And we need that someone, or someones, to be as strong as possible.”

The Sun Rangers were moved by Kiriha’s faith in them, but that faith was also calculated to a certain degree. While the Corona House crew was in Forthorthe, the Sun Rangers would be charged with protecting the planet from any enemies that might appear. Indeed, they needed to be as strong as possible. Forthorthe, Folsaria, and the underground all agreed on that.

“But you still trusted us enough to choose us. So it’s the same thing,” Kenichi replied with a smile.

Somebody inevitably needed to fill the void the Corona House crew would leave—the only question had been a matter of who. So even if Kiriha’s choice had been a calculated one, the fact remained that she had picked the Sun Rangers over anyone else. In short, she trusted them to protect the planet and responsibly handle any technology they were entrusted with to do it.

“Thanks to that, my Sun Diver is being repaired,” Daisaku laughed.

He’d been forced to self-destruct his multipurpose submarine, the Sun Diver, in the raid on Ralgwin’s base. The Forthorthians remembered that selfless act, so they’d offered to use their advanced technology to repair it. Daisaku and the Sun Rangers had happily agreed. The Sun Diver, after all, was one of the legs to the giant robot they used in combat, the Sun Fighter. Once the Sun Diver was back on line, they’d be able to use the Sun Fighter again too. It would greatly increase the Sun Ranger’s combat options and prowess.

“We’ll also be updating your comms, so it should be easier for you to work with us,” Kiriha added.

Each of the three factions had decided to contribute upgrades to the Sun Rangers’ Sun Machines, but unlike the complete overhaul of the destroyed Sun Diver, these were largely improvements to their comms systems and sensors. Since the relay of information was an integral part of combat, these upgrades would increase their ability to coordinate with their new allies. The sleeker, lighter components used would also have the benefit of making their crafts slightly faster than before.

“Thank you for everything,” said Kenichi, bowing to Kiriha. The mission ahead of him was so important that the kindness being extended by all three factions moved him to tears.

“This is for everyone’s sake and not just yours,” replied Kiriha. “If you’d like to show your gratitude, do it with results.”

“Yes!”

Kenichi’s fighting spirit burned anew in his heart. He’d once thought that his dream of protecting people was all but lost, but through a playful twist of faith, he was now getting another chance. Whether or not he seized the opportunity was up to him, and he was more than ready to rise to the challenge. The other Sun Rangers felt the same way.

“Black Rose-san really is great,” said Hayato.

“I wish we could trade Professor Roppongi for her,” said Kotaro.

“There’s no way that would happen.”

“I know.”

Once the serious talk of work was over, the mood relaxed a little. Megumi took the opportunity to walk over to Kiriha with a smile. “By the way, Black Rose-san, how are things going with Baron-san?”

Kiriha was momentarily stunned by the abrupt question, but she quickly calmed herself and smiled back. “No developments, I’m afraid. He’s so earnest that it’s giving me a hard time.”

“Well, he is a living legend.” Megumi groaned and folded her arms, then cast a glance next to her. “I’m glad that I have Daisaku-san.”

“I’m just a normal guy, after all.”

Megumi and Daisaku had started dating a while back, but she didn’t think things would be so easy for Baron Demon and Black Rose. Koutarou was a hero of legend—with all the baggage that came with it.

“Still, to us underground dwellers, you Sun Rangers are heroes too,” Kiriha reminded them.

“Oh, I guess so, huh?” mused Megumi.

Although Koutarou was a hero, he still thought of himself as a normal guy just like Daisaku did. And because he tried to behave like one, he hadn’t made much progress in his relationship with Kiriha.

“I’d say the problem is his lack of awareness—or maybe he’s really too conscious,” she complained.

Koutarou had a strong desire to set a good example. He couldn’t bring himself to do anything that might disgrace his title as Alaia’s knight, even if that was what Alaia herself wanted.

“Also, a real hero wouldn’t pursue their own happiness when the world’s in trouble. We’re putting off getting married too,” added Daisaku.

At first glance, the yellow Sun Ranger appeared to be laid-back and mild-mannered, but he could be determined and quick to action. He’d already proposed to Megumi—but even though she’d said yes, they were putting off the big day. Weddings took time to prepare and plan, and given how busy the two of them were, they simply couldn’t fit it into their schedule at present.

“So we’ll be doing our best until then,” Megumi proclaimed.

“Yeah, I think it’s the right thing to do. Then we can finally get married in bliss,” Daisaku added.

“Oh, Daisaku-san! Not in front of Black Rose-san!”

Daisaku wanted to see their mission through and secure a peaceful future for himself and his bride-to-be. The thought thrilled Megumi, so even though she scolded him for bringing it up, her true feelings were quite clear.

I wonder if Koutarou will be able to make a decision when things are peaceful again...

Looking at the happy couple, Kiriha began thinking of her own future. She hoped it would be just like theirs.

With all preparations finally complete, Koutarou and the others were at last ready to depart for Forthorthe. The paperwork was done, the arrangements were made, and the luggage was packed. All that was left now was to set out.

“Couldn’t you guys have done something about this...?” Koutarou asked in exasperation when he saw the girls’ bags. It was a veritable mountain. They each had several pieces while Koutarou had but a single backpack.

“This is after we already cut it down. There was even more at first,” Yurika explained, spreading her arms wide. The original mountain had apparently been much larger.

“Yeah, so there! We worked really hard to cut it down this much!” Sanae said with a giggle as though it didn’t concern her.

It was no coincidence that Yurika and Sanae had the most luggage out of anyone. Shizuka also would have been a top offender if she hadn’t given up on packing all her dieting supplies.

“If this is seriously your attempt at cutting down, I give up,” Koutarou acquiesced.

“Eehee!”

“You’re the one who said girls need extra time to get ready, Kou. You shouldn’t be surprised,” cut in Kenji.

“Kin-chan and Nalfa-san don’t have that much luggage. In fact, you have more than they do,” Koutarou argued.

Kotori and Nalfa each had a backpack and a wheeled suitcase, just like they were going on a normal trip. So while they technically had more luggage than Koutarou, they’d packed far more reasonably than the other girls.

“What’d you even pack in there, Mackenzie?” Koutarou asked.

“Wait? Just normal stuff like clothes. Plus hair and skin care products.”

“Ah, so you’ve packed to maintain your looks.”

“It’d be a disaster if the products there didn’t work for me.”

“You worry about the strangest things, man.”

At that point, Kotori and Nalfa entered the room. They’d left their suitcases with the Hazy Moon’s crew, so they were only carrying their purses now.

“What were you just saying about us, Kou-niisan?” Kotori asked.

“Oh, you heard that? I was just commenting on how everyone else packed two to three times the luggage you did.”

“Ahaha, Kotori and I were last-minute additions, so we didn’t want to trouble anyone by bringing too much stuff,” Nalfa explained. “If I were returning home on my own spaceship, I might have packed just as much.”

“Your own spaceship...? Yeah, I have no idea what that’s like,” Kotori muttered.

“Heehee, I guess not.”

Kotori was just a normal girl from Earth. Nalfa came from a well-to-do family, but owning their own spaceship—even one considerably less impressive than the Hazy Moon—was extraordinary. Most Forthorthians wouldn’t know what it was like to have one, much less Kotori. The two girls shared a laugh.

“I can’t relate either,” said Koutarou, joining in the laughter. He felt more like Kotori, which shocked a certain someone.

“Koutarou, you could buy your own spaceship, you know?” Theia asked, blinking repeatedly.

“And where would I find the money for that?” he asked in turn.

“In Forthorthe. You could have a different vessel for each day of the year. You could even build a castle with a spaceport.”

“That money might as well not exist. I can’t use it unless Forthorthe is in danger.”

Koutarou had astronomical assets in Forthorthe from the stipend Alaia had left for him and the interest it had accumulated on it over thousands of years. The amount was unprecedented, and the government had long given up on trying to calculate its actual worth. Whatever the grand total turned out to be, Forthorthe would no doubt have to default on the sum. It had thus been decided that whenever Koutarou requested money, they would provide it for him indefinitely. That saved them the trouble of tabulating his net worth while simultaneously supplying him with virtually unlimited funds.

Koutarou, meanwhile, had no intention of ever using said funds. Alaia had left him a stipend as a sign of trust, and he wouldn’t dare resort to it frivolously. He knew she’d intended the money to be used for Forthorthe’s sake. He also knew that Forthorthians glorified his purchases to the point that they had a serious impact on the economy. It wasn’t like he could simply buy anything he wanted. Moreover, he had a secondary source of funds from the salary Theia awarded him. There was no reason to touch the Forthorthian treasury.

“I’m sure that Empress Alaia wouldn’t mind you having a spaceship or castle. What do you say, Harumi?” asked Theia.

“Well, based on the ideals of ancient times, it would be somewhat disconcerting if a lord’s estate wasn’t impressive enough. I’m certain Alaia would have insisted on the propriety of it all.”

Harumi shared a soul with Alaia, but they were distinct entities who’d grown up under entirely different circumstances with entirely different personalities. Because of their special connection via Signaltin, however, Harumi possessed Alaia’s memories up to the point that she’d parted ways with Koutarou two thousand years ago. Harumi thus had a good understanding of how Alaia thought and felt. When it came to political decisions, she could make them with the utmost confidence on her behalf.

“See? Even she says so,” Theia prodded Koutarou

“Sakuraba-senpai!” he cried.

“I’m sorry. It just slipped out.”

Though Harumi apologized, she didn’t feel too guilty. She’d told the truth, after all, and Koutarou was just being overly serious. She might have apologized to him more sincerely in the past, but she was now smiling playfully. The ribbon tied around her wrist was a little reminder to be a little more forward at times like this.

“Say, Aika-san, what is Satomi-kun worth right now?” Shizuka asked curiously, looking to the treasurer of the Satomi Knights.

“I’ve only done rough calculations myself, but I’m pretty sure the interest on it alone exceeds the empire’s budget by a few zeroes.”

Forthorthe would go bankrupt merely trying to pay the interest on Koutarou’s assets. Trying to calculate his net worth beyond that was pointless. Once Maki realized that, she, too, had given up on it.

“I’m no economist, but can’t the government, like, just change the interest rate?” put forward Shizuka.

“That decision would have to come from the central bank, and it would affect economic activity throughout the empire. There could be severe inflation and the value of Forthorthian currency could tank,” Maki explained.

“So that’s not something you can do willy-nilly, huh?” Shizuka mused. She’d been wondering if the government could wriggle out of the interest, but apparently it wasn’t that easy.

“In other words, Koutarou was wise not to touch the stipend and Elfaria-dono was wise not to tamper with economic policy,” Kiriha said in summation.

If either Koutarou or Elfaria had acted differently, Forthorthe would have been in for financial disaster. Thankfully, they’d avoided that.

“I believe Master was just living up to Empress Alaia’s expectations,” Ruth said with a smile. Koutarou had acted chivalrously, and as a knight herself, Ruth was pleased with his behavior.

Clan, meanwhile, was suspicious of Elfaria. “Are you sure that Elfaria-san wasn’t just trying to entangle Veltlion further?” she asked. The empress was always bent on finding new ways to bind Koutarou to Forthorthe, and Clan suspected the debt Forthorthe owed him was another of her schemes.

“I wonder...” mused Theia. “Oh! Speaking of my mother, I need to contact her before we set out.”

Theia immediately began fiddling with her bracelet. At the mention of her mother’s name, she’d remembered this last crucial task before departure. The group was currently on schedule, so it was just a formality to check in.

When traveling between Earth and Forthorthe, no vessel was faster than a royal-class battleship. With their powerful warp drives, they could make the journey in just ten days. But non-passenger crafts—like communication pods—could make it even faster.

Communication pods were small containers that transported data. Since their only cargo was nonliving, they could skip most of the standard safety protocol for warps involving humans. The only precaution necessary was to avoid populated areas. And because of their small size, many of them could be launched simultaneously to ensure at least one reached the target destination. Of course, that meant classified data couldn’t be sent this way. There was no such thing as crack-proof encryption, so there was always a risk of any intelligence being sent via comms pods falling into the wrong hands. This was no concern for a daughter sending a message to her mother, however.

“We’ve completed all preparations to depart, so we’ll be on our way shortly.”

That’s a lovely smile, Theia...

The pod Elfaria had received contained a message from Theia accompanied by a brief rundown of their itinerary. The message was in the form of a video, so Theia’s bright smile was on full display on Eflaria’s virtual monitor. In the past, she’d only ever seen her daughter look lonely, but something had changed in her. Now she was beaming. As a mother, Elfaria couldn’t have been happier.

“Once we arrive, there’s a great deal I’d like to discuss with you. Until then...”

Just as the message was about to end, the real reason for Theia’s smile came into view.

“Hey, Theia, we’re about to head out.”

“I know. I’m just sending a message to Mother, so hold on.”

“You’re always in such a rush, yet you’re the one keeping us waiting.”

“Shut it, you! That’s the privilege of royalty!”

Theia had changed because of the people she’d met on Earth. And the person who’d had the biggest influence of all on her was the man she loved. And Elfaria could feel how close they were even through the screen.

“You can’t just claim princess privileges whenever it’s convenient for you.”

“But I am a princess.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just hurry it up.”

“I know!”

Elfaria was indeed happy, but she watched the screen with a complicated expression. Theia was her daughter, but she couldn’t help seeing Koutarou as something more than her daughter’s partner.

He hasn’t changed at all...

After speaking with Theia a little, Koutarou left the frame. Elfaria’s eyes followed him with sincere longing.

But you’ll never turn my way, Layous-sama...

Theia and Koutarou would be married one day—Elfaria was sure of that, and that she felt that should be enough for her. That was why she’d sent Theia to Earth, after all. But when she thought back on meeting Koutarou twenty years ago, it tugged at her heart.

How pathetic. It’s not like I am some teenage girl...

Elfaria knew she was being foolish. Koutarou was meant for Theia, yet there was still a part of her that wanted more. A part of her that wanted him to look at her.

“Ah, hang on. There’s something I want to tell Elle too,” Koutarou said as he entered the frame again, this time staring straight into the camera.

Layous-sama...?

Elfaria’s mind went blank. All Koutarou had done was look into the camera, but it felt like he was looking at her directly. Of course, she knew getting giddy over something so small was silly, but she couldn’t change how she felt.

“I bought some local tea I’ll be bringing. I mean, it’s cheap stuff that I could afford on my part-time pay, so it’s probably not fitting to present to an empress. But I thought it might be fun to compare teas, so you better get yours ready too.”

A warm feeling Elfaria couldn’t describe spread through her body. It was the same warmth she’d felt twenty years ago. Of course, Koutarou in the video had no idea.

“Welp, see you,” he said before cutting the video.

The bright, unguarded smile he flashed left a profound impression on Elfaria.

“You are the only one who could tell an empress to have tea waiting for you, Layous-sama...”

She grasped at her chest, almost as if trying to hold something back inside her. With her hand pressed to hear heart, she slowly stood up.

“How can you so easily...”

Elfaria then walked over to a cupboard and glanced at her pots and cups through the glass. Tea was her hobby, so there were several sets lined up. The question was which to use. There were plenty of other things to consider too, like which tea to brew.

“When he gets here, I need to punish him...”

Elfaria selected a cup from the cupboard and looked at it from every angle. She then put it back and picked a different one. After that she chose saucers, a pot, and the tea itself, all with the same care. She seemed to be enjoying herself.