Chapter 1 – Universal Ruler Shamash
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Part 1
I──Iris Freya was simply mustering all my strength to the utmost.
In order to push the darkness that wanted to swallow the world, Angolmois into a “shape”, I continued to yell with everything I had.
Neun’s authority that was dwelling inside my voice became bluish white light that cleaved the jet black dome and defined the darkness as bone dragon.
I could feel the light that didn’t vanish even when swallowed by End Matter shining inside myself.
This light illuminated everyone and me──if we had this radiant light that was burning like the sun, surely we should be able to illuminate all the darkness.
Believing that, I mustered the authority that was named “Shamash(The Universe Defining Blue Light)” even more.
──Mononobe has rescued Mitsuki-chan. I was happy……everyone, smiled. That’s why, I won’t let everything end at this kind of place!
「────!!」
The light intensified even more when I screamed myself hoarse.
However, it was then.
Suddenly, strength left my body.
──Eh……?
I didn’t know what happened.
But, I couldn’t feel the heat that was inside me until just now anymore.
An intense cold attacked me. When I realized, the ground was approaching me. However my arms and legs wouldn’t listen to my command. My sight was turning black.
There was no pain even though my face should have hit the ground. I could faintly hear someone was calling my name.
──W, hy? I……what happened to me? Even though this wasn’t the time to collapse. Even though we had to do something about Angolmois…….
Question and anxiety bloomed inside my head, but the coldness that was invading my body was freezing even my consciousness.
──Monono, be.
Even his face that came to mind was frozen white. My body shivered from the coldness that seeped until the deepest part of me.
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Part 2
「Iris-san……I wonder if she is alright.」
Mitsuki’s small whisper echoed through the narrow and gloomy corridor.
「Right now we can only trust on Shinomiya-sensei and others and wait.」
I──Mononobe Yuu was staring at the closed door of the infirmary while saying that to persuade myself.
「I’m worried……」
Lisa was standing while leaning on the corridor’s wall. She muttered that to herself.
In front of Naglfar’s infirmary, I, Mitsuki, Lisa, Tia, Firill, Ariella, and Ren, the seven of us were waiting for Iris’s examination and treatment to finish.
Shinomiya-sensei, Kili, and Vritra were inside the infirmary. Kili and Vritra were there in order to perform healing using biological conversion in case Iris was wounded.
Normal “D” couldn’t create complicated biological tissue using material conversion. Only Vritra and her daughter Kili could possibly do that.
「Iris’s body……it was very cold.」
Tia muttered while crouching down. Firill nodded to her words.
「Yeah, that’s not normal. Why so suddenly……」
There Ariella turned her gaze to the end of the corridor.
「……I can hear footsteps. This is Jeanne’s.」
Then just as Ariella said, a girl with platinum blond hair that was tied behind her head──Jeanne Hortensia turned at the corridor’s corner and entered our sight.
「Nn……amazing. Onee-chan, you know that just from footstep.」
Ren muttered in admiration.
「Captain!」
Jeanne came running when she found me.
「What’s wrong? Did something happen?
I put myself on guard in case she brought even more bad news in this situation, but Jeanne shook her head.
「Ah, no, I don’t have anything to do so I thought to report the current situation to captain directly……I’m also worried about her.」
Jeanne glanced at the infirmary’s door and said that. Jeanne too must be worried about Iris’s condition.
「……We still don’t know how is Iris doing. Though if it’s just the examination then they should have finished right now──」
「I see……then I’ll report the current situation while waiting. Currently Naglfar is crossing the south Atlantic Ocean toward Africa continent. But the fuel is about to run out, so we are scheduled to resupply midway at an island that belonged to NIFL.」
Jeanne looked around at us and reported about the course of our plan from here.
「What happened to Angolmois?」
It was Lisa who asked that. Then Jeanne showed a bit of hesitation before she suppressed her emotion and answered.
「Based from the observation through surveillance satellite, Angolmois hasn’t moved from the spot where Atlantis continent was at. The giant cube that Vritra created became a shackle that is stopping it from moving. But……something like black mist is gradually spreading from the center of Angolmois’s body.」
「Black mist──it must be the End Matter.」
Mitsuki said that with a heavy tone. Jeanne nodded.
「Yes, most likely. The “solidification” from Neun’s authority seems to be incomplete. However I don’t think that what captain and everyone did is pointless. The expansion speed of the black mist is slow. It will take several days until it arrive at other continent. Originally it should be able to swallow the world in the blink of eye.」
Iris collapsed just before Neun’s light could cram End Matter wholly into the vessel of Angolmois──that weakened the light.
Because the solidification ended in incomplete state just as Jeanne said, the End Matter was leaking bit by bit.
「But, the result will be the same if we don’t take any measure. The spreading End Matter will completely cover this planet sooner or later.」
Ariella shook her head saying that we couldn’t be optimistic. Ren looked up to her and declared with a small voice.
「……I think, we can push back the End Matter, if everyone combine their strength again. But──」
Ren turned her gaze at the infirmary where Iris was at.
I recalled Iris’s figure that suddenly collapsed and clenched my fist.
「Yeah……we won’t be able to completely illuminate Angelmois unless everyone is present. Besides even if Iris get better, it will be too dangerous without first understanding the reason of her collapse.」
In short we had nothing we could do at present.
But, I couldn’t possibly say that out loud. We couldn’t possibly accept the despair.
Beside me Mitsuki joined the fingers of both her hands and casted her gaze down as though she was praying.
Mitsuki wished to kill herself in order to save at least half the world. I brushed aside her wish and persisted with my selfishness to save the whole world including Mitsuki. That was why──.
「……But, I absolutely will do something about it. If the method that we can think of right now is impossible, I’ll form some other plan. Everyone too──please. Lend me your strength and knowledge without giving up.」
I lowered my head while saying that. Small chuckles slipped out from the surrounding.
「You don’t even need to ask for that. Even now I’m desperately racking my brain.」
Everyone nodded at Lisa’s words.
「If it’s knowledge then leave it to Tia! Tia will definitely find the way to beat Angolmois using Yggdrasil’s Akashic Record!」
Tia raised her hand energetically and looked at me with a serious expression.
──Come to think of it, I was curious about the “Disasterification” Apocalypse.
At the morning of the day when we charged into Ragnarok’s mist, Tia visited my cabin and spoke about her doubt. She said that the seventh calamity was the only strange one. She questioned why the world didn’t create Neun’s authority to oppose Apocalypse when it attacked.
And now I had obtained the answer to that. Shinomiya Miyako told me just before I got out of the End Matter dome.
Perhaps Tia might think of something if I told her about it. I opened my mouth to do just that, but the infirmary door made a beeping electronic sound at that time that signed the unlocking of the lock.
「Tsu──!」
We turned around at the door. The door opened before our gazes. Shinomiya-sensei was standing with a grave expression there. Kili and Vritra were also visible inside the room.
「Shinomiya-sensei! How is Iris-san──」
Mitsuki hurriedly asked. To that Shinomiya-sensei shook her head with a tense expression.
「……I’m sorry. I can’t determine the cause of her condition using the limited examination equipments in Naglfar. She has no external wound. But her temperature keep decreasing even though there shouldn’t be any abnormality in her body.」
Shinomiya-sense moved aside after saying that.
──Iris.
I couldn’t just stay still and entered inside the infirmary. There I found Iris wrapped in a blanket with intravenous drip connected to her arm.
The oxygen mask that was put over her mouth was slightly cloudy. It was a sign that she was breathing.
Kili who was standing beside Iris’s pillow sighed when she saw me.
「Yuu, to be honest──I’ve already thrown the towel. There is nowhere in her body that need to be healed using biological conversion. But, it looks like Okaa-sama has some kind of idea about this. Listen to what she has to say.」
Vritra stepped forward after Kili urged like that.
「My comrade. This person──Iris Freya fainted when she was in the middle of using Neun’s authority correct?」
She asked without any preface. I nodded at her question.
「Yeah, that’s right.」
「I see……then the cause of her condition might lie in the authority itself. I heard that all of thee have become able to use the authority fully, do you understand the essence of it now?」
Being asked that, I glanced at Tia who was behind me.
「We have learned a lot about Neun’s authority. Everyone should listen too. There is something that Shinomiya Miyako told me.」
「Miyako did……?」
Firill frowned in surprise. I nodded back at her while starting to talk.
「Neun’s authority is “light” that illuminate and define everything. But we human doesn’t have any organ that produce light, so we didn’t know where the authority resides. But I noticed thanks to Iris. How humans define various things using words──」
「Fumu, so you found the location where the authority resides.」
Vritra narrowed her eyes in deep interest.
「Yes──Neun’s authority is residing in our “voice”. With that we became able to draw out the authority’s true strength but……according to Shinomiya Miyako, it seems that this power originally belonged to Apocalypse that was formerly called “Shamash”.」
Other than Mitsuki and me, everyone still didn’t know about the relationship between Neun’s authority and Apocalypse, so they were stirred hearing that.
「Apocalypse was a higher life form that opposed End Matter’s erosion the longest……but it was finally swallowed by End Matter just before it reached earth──it seems that it “turned into a calamity” that attacked earth after that.」
「Wait a second. Why is Apocalypse’s power manifested as Neun’s authority?」
Kili voiced her doubt. That was the same question that I asked Shinomiya Miyako.
「It seems that’s also something that Shinomiya Miyako doesn’t know the answer. But she said that if Apocalypse managed to devour the world and reincarnate, it might be somewhere very nearby.」
Then Mitsuki added on my explanation.
「Miyaki told me to “search for the light’s source”……she told me to “find the sun that illuminate you”. She think that will be the key to destroy Angolmois.」
「It’s enough knowing that much.」
Vritra spoke up sharply as though to interrupt Mitsuki’s words.
「Vritra, do you know something?」
I asked with held breath.
「Yeah, in general. O successor of Yggdrasil. Thou should also understand the situation.」
「Tia?」
I turned my gaze to Tia who succeeded Yggdrasil’s power.
「Yep……Tia might understand. Including the reason why Iris is suffering, everything……but, if that’s the case then the method to heal her……」
Tia nodded, but her expression was stiff and gloomy.
Cold sweat trickled on my face because the situation seemed to be really bad, but Vritra casually continued.
「Fuh──certainly thou won’t be able to do anything. But it’s possible to heal her for me.」
I questioned her when hearing that.
「Really!? Then quickly─」
「Thou don’t even need to ask. Let’s leave the detailed explanation for later, first I shall treat this person. It might become too late for her if we leave her untreated any longer.」
After saying that, Vritra touched Iris’s arm that was connected to IV drip and closed her eyes.
「Okaa-sama……we can count on you right?」
Kili turned a sharp gaze to her own mother and asked her with a slightly high pitched voice.
「If my thinking is correct, she will immediately wake up.」
Vritra answered clearly.
I didn’t know what Vritra was trying to do, but good complexion was returning to Iris’s face as though to prove her words.
But, I wondered why……it felt like the air around us was getting colder in exchange──.
No, there was no change shown in the infirmary’s thermometer.
However it felt like there was something lost. There was a sense of uneasiness as though the ground beneath me was getting unstable.
Was Vritra doing something that couldn’t be undone?
Such thinking crossed my mind but──.
「Her temperature, blood pressure, heartbeat rate──they are returning to their normal value!」
Jeanne who was watching the monitor that was connected to the measurement devices raised her voice joyfully.
The unknown anxiety vanished from that report and relieve filled my chest. As long as Iris was saved that was enough.
「I can’t believe it……what in the world is going on?」
Shinomiya-sensei was peering into the monitor in disbelief.
And then Vritra pulled out the IV drip’s tube from Iris’s arm and closed the wound there with biological conversion as the finishing.
Right after that, Iris blinked and opened her eyes. She raised her body in a flash from the bed.
「O-ouch……eh? I don’t have any injury……no wait, why am I wrapped in so many blankets like this? Besides why is everyone──what happened with Angolmois……?」
Iris who was pressing her hand on her arm that had IV drip stuck there just now tilted her head and looked around at us in surprise.
「Iris……」
I reflexively hugged Iris seeing her acting as usual like that.
「Eh!? M-Mononobe? Wah, even Mitsuki-chan──」
Mitsuki was also hugging Iris from the other side of the bed.
「Thank god……I’m really glad that Iris-san is safe.」
Everyone else also gathered around Iris and touched her arm or cheek to ascertain her safety.
「Your body, is warm like normal……」
Lisa sighed in relieve, but Iris yelled from getting mobbed like that.
「W-what’s going on? S-someone explain it to meee!」
Iris’s voice echoed inside the infirmary.
However we were too immersed in our happiness that we couldn’t answer her right away.
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Part 3
The sky and sea extended endlessly.
Naglfar was crossing the blue world with the sun that was starting to incline toward the west behind it.
Flight travel would consume a lot of fuel, so currently Naglfar was returning by cruising on water. It seemed that our distance with Angolmois was already nearly a thousand kilometer, so we could relax for now.
「──Won’t be long now.」
I checked the time with my mobile phone and leaned on the iron railing.
Iris had recovered for the time being, but just in case she was receiving a reexamination right now. Because of that the explanation of the situation from Tia and Vritra was postponed for thirty minutes later in the bridge.
It seemed everyone returned to their cabin for the moment, but I was wasting time at the bridge’s outer passage that had good visibility.
The strange vague apprehension in my chest hadn’t vanished. I would feel stifled if I stayed inside the cabin.
*Kan, kan, kan──.*
Then my ears heard footstep walking up the stair of the outer passage.
「Nii-san──so you’re in this kind of place.」
And then I turned toward the voice that was calling at me. There I found Mitsuki with an exasperated smile and her hand pressing down on her hair that was fluttering from the sea breeze.
「Are you looking for me?」
She nodded when I asked her and approached me.
「Yes. I’ve put it off due to the matter with Angolmois and Iris-san but……there is something that I have to confirm with Nii-san no matter what. Before the battle start again……」
Mitsuki stared at me with a serious expression. She stopped walking at a distance that was half a step closer than the distance that she usually put between us.
At this range I would be able to embrace her if I reached out toward her──we exchanged gaze from such close distance.
「Something you want to confirm?」
I frowned. Mitsuki took a deep breath nervously before she opened her mouth.
「Nii-san──what do you think of the me right now?」
「Eh? What do I think……why are you suddenly──」
I was bewildered by the unclear question. Mitsuki looked down with a grave expression seeing that.
「As expected……it’s no good. But, that time Nii-san said to me that even just a little will be fine…………you told me that. You even said that you can bet all your assets on it……that was why, I believed Nii-san──」
「Mitsuki……?」
Her voice was small so I couldn’t really hear her. I brought my face closer to hear her more clearly, but then Mitsuki raised her face vigorously and grabbed my arm tightly.
Her strength was unexpectedly strong. Mitsuki’s face was bright red and there was the color of resolve in her eyes.
「Nii-san, please look! This is my……all out approach-!!」
*Funyun*
There was a soft sensation on my palm. Heat and heartbeat were transmitted through the cloth.
「Heh?」
My understanding couldn’t catch up with the sight before me.
For some reason my hand was being pushed on Mitsuki’s left chest. My fingers were sinking into the modest bulge of my little sister chest.
「Nh……a……」
I unconsciously moved my fingers and Mitsuki let slipped a voice that was filled with heat.
However she didn’t get angry and stared at me with moistened eyes. Her face was already reddening as though she was boiling inside. Her hand that was grabbing my arm was slightly shaking.
Even so Mitsuki didn’t avert her gaze and peering into my eyes──searchingly, looking for something.
I couldn’t understand at all how things became like this. But when I noticed Mitsuki’s face was already right before my eyes.
I was leaning forward because my arm was pulled. Mitsuki was standing on her toes and brought her face closer toward me.
A warmth touched my lips.
It was a kiss that only lasted for a moment like a peck.
「Nii-san, I love you. I──my feeling, hasn’t changed at all.」
Mitsuki’s voice was shaking. She was trembling from uneasiness and fear.
「Even if Nii-san changed completely, my most important person will always be Nii-san. That’s why……I’ll be happy if Nii-san can like me again──no matter how slight it is.」
Even so Mitsuki smiled and told me her feeling.
But perhaps she reached her limit with that. Mitsuki let go of my arm and plopped down on the spot powerlessly.
「Mitsuki……」
I put my hand on my chest. I couldn’t breath.
Then my hand felt my heart pounding like alarm bell.
My face was hot. Perhaps my face had gotten as bright red as Mitsuki’s face.
「Ah──」
Mitsuki looked up at me who was like that and smiled happily.
「Thank god……Nii-san is embarrassed……it looks like my approach──is a bit effective. It’s just as, Nii-san said……」
「N-no, obviously I’ll get embarrassed if you do something like that to me. Or rather why so suddenly──」
When I asked her in feverish haste, Mitsuki smiled wryly.
「Nii-san, you still don’t get it? Right now there is no End Matter inside me you know? I got cajoled by Nii-san’s sweet talk and threw it all away. What would happen if that’s the case……Nii-san too should know about it right?」
「Tsu──don’t tell me……」
There my mind finally arrived at the reason why Mitsuki did something like this.
「Yes──right now I’m in the future that I feared the most. Nii-san already lost the reason to protect me. Until now the Ninth Dragon was sealed inside me, so Nii-san paid attention to me the most due to your Neun’s instinct. But now I don’t have that special privilege anymore.」
Mitsuki shook her head sadly.
Seeing that made me felt anger at my own stupidity. I arbitrarily decided that I would face my own change only after Angolmois was defeated but──I was mistaken.
The situation that Mitsuki feared had arrived even without waiting for Angolomois to be destroyed and Neun’s instinct vanished.
Yes……thinking about it from my position as the ninth Counter Dragon──as Neun, Mitsuki who was liberated from End Matter had already become an existence that didn’t need special treatment anymore.
I didn’t feel any change in me, even so surely there was something changing inside me without my awareness.
But──.
「Mitsuki, don’t make that kind of face. It’s fine, I……perhaps I have become a me that’s different from what Mitsuki is looking for but……even so──」
I kneeled in front of Mitsuki and hugged her head on my chest.
「──Mitsuki is really important for me. Can you hear……the sound of my heart? My heartbeat is increasing this much from how much I like you.」
Mitsuki tightly grasped my clothes and pressed her ear on my left chest.
「I can hear it……the heart, is pounding hard. Nii-san, said that you will definitely fall for me if I lightly approached you but……it seems that it’s true.」
Mitsuki smiled mischievously and gazed upward at me. I scratched my cheek.
「Well……that’s how it is. But, I won’t let you call something like that as “light”. What you did just now, its destructive power is too great.」
The sensations of the soft chest and Mitsuki’s warmth were still remaining in my palm and lips. Mitsuki averted her gaze shyly hearing my words.
「……Nii-san you pervert.」
「No, if anything in this case it’s Mitsuki who is──」
「Y-you’re wrong! Nii-san is the perverted one!」
Mitsuki yelled with a bright red face. She separated her ear from my chest and stared at me from very close.
「B-but……if Nii-san will like me even more with this approach……I-I don’t mind doing it once more you know?」
Mitsuki asked me with a serious expression even though her voice was shaking.
I got a flashback of the softness of her chest and the sensation of her kiss. The inside of my head became pure white.
「You said one more time……w-which one do you mean?」
I was losing composure from that unexpected offer and asked such stupid question.
「Either……is fine. Nii-san can choose which one you want to do……or perhaps both……or even something else……」
Mitsuki said that and closed her eyes.
She opened her arms and exposed her chest, while she also lifted up her chin as though looking for a kiss.
「Tsu……」
The sound *thump thump* of my heartbeat was echoing inside my ears.
My gaze was coming and going between Mitsuki’s lips and her chest that was small but beautifully shaped. Sometimes my gaze also moved toward her white thighs that peeked out from her skirt.
There was no way to choose. I didn’t even know if it was really okay to choose. But, I understood that there was no choice of not choosing. Both Mitsuki and I myself were wishing to touch each other more. We wished to ascertain each other’s feeling.
This was surely──a method for that.
My body naturally moved when I thought that. My hand reached out and softly touched Mitsuki’s cheek. I brought my face closer.
Mitsuki’s body twitched. She must have noticed what I was going to do. However she kept her eyelids closed and waited quietly.
──Mitsuki.
I resolved myself and obeyed my feeling by closing the distance.
.
「Student council president-san, there should be a limit even in flirting don’t you think?」
.
But Mitsuki and I were shocked by the voice that came from the side and looked over there at the same time.
Before we noticed it the door that connected the inside of the bridge to the outside passage was opened and a girl with long black hair──Kili Surt Muspelheim was peeking out.
Kili was approaching with a twitching smile. She spoke with anger seeping out from her whole body.
「It would be troublesome if you run away again, so I let you do as you like for a while but……this is the limit of my patience. What do you mean one more time huh? Be a bit more reserved.」
Kili said that and separated Mitsuki and me.
「Wha……s-since when you were watching……」
Mitsuki asked with a high-pitched voice. Kili answered her sullenly.
「Almost from the start. Good grief──even though you had put us into that much trouble……and yet you are stealing a head start at this kind of time……won’t it be better if you add twenty or thirty more pages of the written apology?」
Kili spoke sarcastically.
「Uu…………I-I understand. It’s a fact that I’m doing something indecent outside……I’ll add the amount of my written apologies.」
The serious Mitsuki accepted Kili’s demand with an expression that was a mix of embarrassment and vexation. Kili seemed to feel good from that and smiled. The she put her arms around my neck.
「Hey, Yuu──before spoiling your little sister, shouldn’t you give me a reward first? I refuse to work for free.」
Kili said that and brought her face closer.
「O-oi──」
I was flustered, but Kili was holding my neck firmly so I couldn’t move. Seeing that Mitsuki hurriedly moved to pull away Kili from me.
「K-Kili-san, what are you doing!?」
「You’re asking me that? I’m just doing the same thing like you, you know? I wonder if you have any right to stop me after flirting that much by yourself.」
「T-that’s……」
Mitsuki faltered when Kili prodded her at where it hurt. However Kili’s arms let go of me abruptly and she stepped back from me after that.
「Fufu──that’s a nice face. I’ll let you off with just this much this time. I want reward from Yuu but, I……I’m looking for Yuu because I need to talk. That’s why for now I’ll prioritize that.」
There Kili erased her smile and stared at me seriously.
「A talk?」
I urged her with my gaze. Kili took a breath and opened her mouth.
「It’s about Okaa-sama.」
「──About Vritra?」
Kili nodded at my confirmation.
「Because Tia’s binding is taken off, Okaa-sama has regained her power. Of course she will be reliable as ally if we fight together but──now we also can’t ignore Okaa-sama’s opinion because she has strength. That’s why I want to warn you. Yuu, don’t get influenced by Okaa-sama’s words.」
Kili spoke with a strong tone. I frowned in respond.
「……Are you telling me to not believe Vritra?」
「No, Okaa-sama shouldn’t betray us in this situation. What I want to say is that in the end Okaa-sama is acting for the sake of the “world”. In the end me, or Yuu, or Iris-chan and others──won’t enter her consideration.」
Kili shook her head and continued speaking with loneliness──or resignation somewhere in her expression.
「If you just obediently get on the rail that Okaa-sama laid, we surely will fail to notice the effect it might have to something important for us. That’s why Yuu, when you are at a loss you should obey your own heart instead of Okaa-sama. I think perhaps, that will be the correct path “for human”.」
This was something unusual for Kili. She was giving me an earnest warning without any ulterior motive behind it.
I was surprised that Kili who kept claiming that she was a dragon until now was saying something like “for human”.
「…………I understand.」
That was why I stared straight into her eyes and nodded.
I didn’t know what kind of premonition Kili had or what she was feeling uneasy about. However I believed that I should properly listen to her words just now and engraved it into my heart.
「I’m counting on you, Yuu. Then it will be time soon, let’s go to the bridge. Ah, I’ll keep what I saw here a secret, so don’t worry.」
Kili sent an implying smile at Mitsuki before heading toward the door that connected to inside the bridge.
I followed behind Kili together with the red faced Mitsuki.
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Part 4
『Ooh, my friend! And all of you lovely ladies! How magnificent it is that all of you are safe and sound! Good grief……that NIFL bunch won’t give me any information at all, so I couldn’t sleep at night with worry.』
A high-spirited voice echoed inside Naglfar’s bridge.
In the monitor the image of a blonde girl clad in white coat──Midgard’s headmaster Charlotte B Lord was being projected. Charlotte was leaning forward with a flushed face. Behind her, her secretary Maika-san was standing by.
「──I’m sorry for that, “Grey” Vampire. We also had our hands full over here. Because of that we put any being that is useless in the battle against dragon outside of our mind.」
Major Loki Jotunheim who was sitting on the captain seat apologized sarcastically at Charlotte.
『H-how rude can you be calling someone useless like that! Just so you know, I’m making full use of my power and connections to keep the chaos in the world due to the appearance of unknown territories and Bahamut to the minimum!』
Charlotte looked offended and replied back with a rough tone. The two’s gazes that were even filled with killing intent clashed.
Charlotte and Major Loki were like cats and dogs──no, their relationship could even be called as bitter enemy, so it couldn’t be helped that they couldn’t get along with each other.
But at this rate the atmosphere would become even more volatile and we wouldn’t be able to get into the main topic, so I interrupted their conversation.
「So you have worked really hard Char──thank you. Even though we have only separated for several days……I feel like I’m really missing you a lot.」
Charlotte looked toward me after I said that and smiled brightly.
『Fufu, no need for gratitude. I only did what I should do. It’s nothing significant at all compared to everyone’s effort over there. Only a little time has passed but……I can’t recognize you anymore. You must have overcome a great hardship.』
She narrowed her eyes and looked around at me and everyone around me.
Iris, Mitsuki, Tia, Lisa, Firill, Ariella, Ren, Kili, Vritra, Jeanne, Shinomiya-sensei──everyone except Shion was gathered here.
Vritra stepped forward from among them and opened her mouth.
「That should be enough greeting. The time left for us is limited. In order to find a way to destroy Angolmois, first I wish to share──about the true identity of Neun’s authority.」
Then Tia also hurriedly stood beside Vritra and raised her voice.
「Umm, Tia has also learned a lot of things, so Tia will also join this talk!」
Vritra nodded slightly to that.
「Certainly──what I have is a mere speculation. If there is a mistake in it, correction from the successor of Yggdrasil who possess definite information will be needed.」
Vritra said that and looked around at us.
Major Loki narrowed his eyes slightly but he didn’t object at all. Everyone else also waited for Vritra’s words quietly.
──In the end Vritra was acting solely for the “world”, huh.
「Got it. Then tell us.」
I recalled Kili’s “warning” while urging Vritra to continue. Vritra then began to talk with a stiff expression.
「Then first, let me make a confirmation about the origin of Neun’s authority. The girl who became Angolmois’s core said this. That it was the power possessed by the Seventh Dragon, “Shamash”.」
She turned a gaze at me that asked if there was any mistake about it. I nodded back at her.
By Angolmois’s core, she meant Shinomiya Miyako. She entrusted a lot of information to us in order to give us a chance to win.
After I affirmed it, Vritra took a breath and continued speaking.
「Seventh Dragon……Apocalypse resisted End Matter’s erosion using “Shamash”, but it finally reached its limit and got swallowed by darkness──it transformed into calamity itself and descended to Gaia. And then it swallowed all lives and vanished somewhere……this is our perception about this until now.」
That’s right, even Vritra and Tia only knew that much. If Shinomiya Miyako didn’t tell us, we would still be in a standstill at that stage.
「However according to the information that we obtained this time, it comes to light that Angolmois’s objective is to absorb all lives in Gaia and be reborn as a new life──」
Vritra mentioned the information that was obtained from Shinomiya Miyako.
Shinomiya Miyako who became Angolmois’s core said that she had the authority to remake earth into an environment that suited her. In other words Shinomiya Miyako could become the god of the new world.
But Shinomiya Miyako herself didn’t wish for that.
What she wished for was only Mitsuki’s happiness──.
「Then, what happened to Apocalypse……it’s easy to imagine. Yes──what Apocalypse did was the same act of barbarity like what Angolmois is trying to do right now. It devoured Gaia and obtained a new life.」
When Vritra said that, Tia who was listening to her silently nodded her head.
「Tia felt it’s strange why Neun’s authority wasn’t created when Apocalypse came, but Tia finally understand the reason. Because Apocalypse was the owner of the authority……at that time there was nothing that could be done about it.」
Vritra looked around at us with a sharp gaze after hearing that.
「And then what’s important is what happened after that. If my conjecture is right, this planet──Gaia and the past me didn’t give up resisting by any means.」
Vritra said that with her head held high. There was happiness and pride mixed somewhere in her tone.
Before this, she once acted like she couldn’t accept the action that her past self chose. That must be why her spirit was uplifted after understanding that part of the reason.
「Most likely Gaia intentionally granted life to Apocalypse in order to resist the even greater mass of End Matter……Angolmois that would arrive later on, and made it a part of this world.」
「A part, of the world……?」
I couldn’t fully understand what she said and frowned.
「Yeah, just like how Gaia incorporated human that was an alien species into its ecosystem, you can also think of this as Apocalypse getting fused into this world too.」
「Then the reincarnated Apocalypse……is existing somewhere in this world?」
I somehow digested Vritra’s words and asked that.
Then Vritra got a somewhat distant look and silently shook her head.
「There is no meaning in giving Neun’s authority to human if Apocalypse is currently existing. Most likely Apocalypse is mixed in even more widespread fashion……it’s mixed with the world itself. No, perhaps I should say that it’s intentionally getting mixed into the world. The power of creation using Dark Matter……this seventh authority was surely used to subjugate the seventh calamity.」
Vritra formed a small Dark Matter on her palm and laughed.
「……What do you mean? Didn’t you say that Apocalypse was given life?」
I asked for explanation at Vritra who was saying something incomprehensible.
「Yeah, but it was undoubtedly not allowed to be reborn as “individual”.」
「Individual──」
Now that she said it, it was certainly strange.
If Apocalypse had devoured the world and be reborn, it should become the god of the new world.
However we were told that the world was restored to “like before” by Vritra when she possessed her complete power.
「……From what you said just now, it sounds like Apocalypse only got its power taken away.」
Vritra’s small hand crushed the Dark Matter and her lips twisted at my muttering.
「Exactly! What my predecessor──the omniscient and omnipotent god called Uroboros accomplished in the past was none other than such feat. We can conclude that when Uroboros restored the world using Dark Matter, she “mixed” Apocalypse that was trying to reincarnate. As a mere remnant I can only imagine what happened at that time but……a lot of things suddenly make sense if we assume that was what happened.」
In order to oppose the Seventh Dragon Apocalypse, Vritra was given the authority of Dark Matter creation as the Counter Dragon of that time.
However I was told before this that she must have lost the majority of her power and original self when restoring the world. Now she called her previous self as predecessor and differentiated her with her current self.
Vritra told me that she didn’t understand why her predecessor self saved the world by sacrificing herself. Existence of such scale existed in her past and at the present time, that was why she also didn’t know anything about Apocalypse.
「Mixing in that when restoring the world……」
The scale was too big that my understanding couldn’t catch up.
However Kili stepped forward and spoke at that timing.
「In other words, does that mean Apocalypse is also mixed inside us?」
Vritra replied affirmatively to that question.
「Yeah, exactly. Consequently all of thee can use “Shamash”. Neun’s authority is the output device to manifest that using Apocalypse’s factor as fuel. Due to that──」
Vritra turned her gaze to Iris then.
「……Vritra-chan?」
Iris tilted her head with a puzzled look. Vritra watched her while saying.
「This person must have greater amount of Apocalypse’s factor mixed inside herself than other people. That’s why when swallowed by End Matter, she was able to become the “light source”. However at the same time that also means that when all of thee are using “Shamash”, thou draw out a lot of power from this person. Then it’s inevitable that she will become the first person to “run dry”.」
「Run dry?」
Iris asked back in surprise.
「There is no such thing like infinite or inexhaustible power. The demise won’t come if such thing exist. Just like how even Dark Matter is limited, it’s only natural that even “Shamash” has a bottom line. And then what happen when that bottom line is crossed? Thou can see the result from what happened to the past Apocalypse.」
Vritra paused for a moment there. Tense silence filled the bridge. Color of understanding was gradually filling everyone’s face.
I also arrived at that answer and my body trembled.
Vritra nodded seeing us like that.
「That’s right. Something that come to an end──will change to End Matter. No, things that completely burn out won’t even leave behind any remains……it might return to nothingness. Iris Freya just now was in the verge of going through that.」
Everyone’s expression froze at what Vritra pointed out. I also forgot to breathe for a moment.
I imagined Iris turning into the black End Matter and vanished──.
「Eh……I, almost died?」
The one who received the biggest shock was Iris herself. She checked her own body in disbelief.
「Indeed, if I didn’t supply thee with my Dark Matter──that would be thy fate.」
「Vritra-chan gave me Dark Matter……?」
Vritra nodded slightly at Iris’s words.
「The only way to keep away the end at the distance is to take away the power to live from other people──just like how Angolmois is trying to devour Gaia’s life to reincarnate. In that regard, Dark Matter that contains every possibility is the source of life, the very future of the planet. It can be said as the most effective medicine to stop the progress of demise.」
「So that happened……thank you Vritra-chan!」
Iris thanked Vritra and tried to hug her, but Vritra lightly stooped down and slipped through Iris’s arms.
「It’s too early for thee to thank me. I saved though because thou are a necessary existence to completely solidify Angolmois. But──there won’t be the second time. I won’t save thee even if you fall into the same state once more.」
「Ee──」
Iris gulped. Firill cut in at that moment.
「We can just take Vritra’s place to supply her with Dark Matter if she isn’t going to do it isn’t it?」
However Vritra scoffed at those words.
「Foolish. How much Dark Matter do thou think I spent before this for that? Even the total amount of Dark Matter that “D” has consumed until now can’t possibly compare. I used Dark Matter in the amount that shorten even this planet lifespan. All of thee won’t be able to stop the progress of demise no matter how much Dark Matter thou supply.」
Ariella let out a hoarse voice hearing that.
「Even more than the total amount of Dark Matter that all of us has used up until now……that sounds like a joke……」
Vritra heard Ariella’s mutter and sighed deeply.
「It’s not a joke. That’s just how immense the energy that is required in order to resurrect something that is about to end. After all it’s an act that is going against destiny.」
The dumbfounded Iris returned to her senses at that moment and opened her mouth.
「W-wait Vritra-chan! Is it true that the planet’s lifespan is shortened for saving me?」
「It’s true. Dark Matter is the planet’s future. If it’s run out, the world will also meet its demise. Producing Dark Matter like this is no different than getting an advance from the future.」
Vritra divulged the information of Dark Matter’s true identity, or perhaps it should be called its essence instead. She formed a lump of Dark Matter above her palm once more.
We who had been using Dark Matter until now like it was nothing reflexively looked at each other.
「Each time we formed Dark Matter……the planet’s lifespan is shortened, how can that──」
Mitsuki hugged herself without being able to hide her bewilderment. But Vritra shrugged slightly and shook her head.
「Hmph, be at peace. A conversion to inorganic object will leave almost no lasting effect to the remaining amount of Dark Matter. What can consume the “future and possibility” is when thy use Dark Matter to increase life──therefore I put on a limited to all of thee “D” so that thy are unable to perform biological conversion.」
「……Nnu, I thought that we can’t perform biological conversion is because our brain’s processing ability is insufficient.」
Ren put her hand over her mouth and let out her voice in surprise. Kili also folded her hands and glared at Vritra with a bit of displeasure.
「That’s also the first time I’m hearing about this. I wonder if my ability to perform biological conversion isn’t because my superior brain……but simply because I don’t have that limiter.」
「Exactly. My daughter, thy are nothing more than an individual without such limiter incorporated. Thy are not an existence that is superior than human by any means.」
Kili fell silent after that. After a while she muttered 「I see──just as I thought.」.
The conversation was cut off. The bridge was filled with a slightly awkward silence.
Major Loki who had been keeping quiet all this time looked around at us and opened his mouth.
「That’s an interesting conversation but──we are slightly diverting from the main topic. I wish to sort out all these new information and make clear of our plan going forward. Correct me if there is any mistake in what I’ll say.」
He said those words as the preface and began to talk dispassionately.The machine intelligence Atla who was flying around inside the monitor puffed out her chest saying 『Listen carefully to what master is saying!』.
「──Currently, Angolmois ‘s movement is sealed by a cube of great mass. However End Matter is still leaking out from that body, eroding the cube, and continuously spreading to the surrounding. We haven’t discovered a method to destroy Angolmois’s main body, but dealing with the spreading End Matter can be said as our urgent business.」
Major Loki turned his gaze at Iris then.
「The blue light that all of you have……Neun’s authority, it has been proven that can be used to solidify End Matter. Therefore we can only rely on you all, but running out of that power will directly lead to death. The burden on Iris Freya is especially great and Vritra said that she can’t treat her any further than this……」
Major Loki talked with a tone that contained implication. I frowned at him.
「What do you want to say?」
「What I want to confirm is just one thing. Second Lieutenant Mononobe. Even knowing that the life of your comrades and your own might be lost, do you still have the resolve to fight using that light──that is my question.」
Major Loki narrowed his eyes testingly, evaluatingly, and waited for our answer.
Cold sweat trickled down my cheek. Major Loki would continue cooperating with us if I told him that we had the resolve. However if even one of us refused to use the authority, the amount of light would become insufficient. Most likely it would be impossible for us to push back the Dark Matter in that case.
In that case, Major Loki would start thinking about other way to save the world. If there was no other choice, he might change direction to use a method to force us to use Neun’s authority no matter what.
After all he was the man who was “mankind’s hero”.
「…………」
Major Loki and I glared at each other without me giving any answer.
Now that I knew there was a danger to Iris’s life, I couldn’t lightly say that we would use our authority. Everyone else also seemed to be concerned for Iris.
Iris seemed to sense that atmosphere and looked around restlessly at us. She then clenched her fist tightly before opening her mouth.
「Um, I──」
But Kili raised her voice loudly to interrupt her.
「Wait a second! In the first place the prerequisite is strange!」
「Eh……Kili-chan?」
Iris looked toward Kili with a surprised face.
Kili looked at such Iris with irritation before turning a sharp gaze at Vritra.
「Why is it that Iris-chan and us have to be the one to shoulder the risk! There won’t be any problem if Okaa-sama supply us with Dark Matter! The planet’s lifespan doesn’t matter! We only have the present……either way it will be the end if End Matter swallow the world so……it should be fine that us who fight while risking our life is compensated isn’t it!?」
Kili threw that yell that was filled with indignation at Vritra, but Vritra’s expression didn’t change.
「I can’t do that. Reversal of the demise will consume Dark Matter at tremendous rate. If I do the same thing, the lifespan of the planet might be used up right away. In other words our defeat will be almost set in stone the moment Neun’s authority run dry once more. We don’t have any choice anymore.」
「Tsu……even so──」
Kili still tried to argue even after hearing Vritra’s answer, but no word came out.
A heavy silence fell into the bridge. Charlotte’s sigh echoed at that timing.
『……How vexing. I have no words to give to my friend and the maidens. Hero’s son, this isn’t something that can be concluded immediately. They need time to think. I too wish to investigate whether there is something that I can possibly do.』
Major Loki crossed his legs after hearing Charlotte’s words and relaxed his shoulders.
「──It can’t be helped. Let’s take a break for now. Either way dealing with End Matter is something that only all of you can do. Therefore I shall think of the aftermath of that.」
He looked around at Iris and others as though to give them a reminder before his gaze stopped on me.
「Second lieutenant Mononobe, I wish to talk with you for a bit. Come to the deck at 5 PM.」
「──Got it.」
I unconsciously raised my guard wondering what kind of business he had with me.
There was around thirty minutes until it was five o’clock. Although I was curious about Major Loki’s business with me, what I should do right no was──.
I looked at Iris who got out of the bridge alone with a fast pace and hurriedly followed behind her.
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