We go over to the tent that has been erected by the portal. As soon as I came back with Aria, we were soon rushed off our feet again before we could even say anything, as a soldier sent by Melody urged us to come over here.

Indeed, under guard, but being treated as guests, are those S-Rank mercenaries that helped us back in Hal-Castemour. Fortinbras, Esraye, Jeanette and... Darion, right? The two guys seem groggy and sleepy, and the girls dishevelled and exhausted.

"Mmm... I see, so Kuro was studying the portal, and then these guys popped out?" Seria says to the guard, flicking a twin-tail.

"I'm sure the mercenaries guild has already identified them, but I can confirm they seem to be the same ones." Aria nods.

We go over to them. Seria immediately cackles as they look up at us.

"Fufufufu... I'm impressed, ladies. Honestly. Navigating the void is no easy task." She grins.

"Hah... who... oh... the underaged Sage..." Mutters the blonde girl, who looks up over the bags under her eyes.

"Jeanette... is this thinking a wise thing to let out?" Esraye says, though her eyes shift.

"Ah..." Jeanette puts a hand over her mouth.

"Mmmm... its fine. I will allow it. After all, it’s not like I came to help you two. My priorities were with the boy and these girls, but it does not truly excuse allowing a soul to be stuck in the void." She shakes her head.

"I am truly, honestly impressed, and glad, you were able to survive." Seria bows slightly.

The two mercenary girls look at the sage acting humble and seem surprised, but their expressions do seem to soften. I suppose I would be surprised as well.

I feel a little bad myself. I did spare them a thought initially, but then everything with Aeris happened.

Speaking of which.

'Hello! Hello! Mr. Scythe! Wake up!'

Esraye suddenly looks at me wide eyed. Her gaze then drops to my sword. Err... to Aeris...

'Nn! Yes! I am young! Aeris is only 51 months and 215 seconds old! Wow! You're a 1 year old? That's amazing!'

It seems that, this time, I can't hear the enunciation of the scythe in question. But I can guess at the content of the discussion being related to metal spirit's and their hilarious misconceptions of time.

Esraye looks back up to me.

"Your spirit child. It speaks itself?"

"It does. I named it Aeris."

I suppose Aeris having her awakening technically happened after we, and the mercenaries, were sucked into the void, didn't it?

Esraye narrows her eyes.

"Spirits speaking. I have seen once. In the fire. All it wanted. Was to eat. Be careful. With spirits that talk. In Aarotir. They are not... normal."

There is a moment of silence.

'Master-sama... is Aeris... not normal?' Aeris suddenly asks quietly in my head.

Hah...

Of course, you're not normal. Normal is boring. Aeris is brilliant. And unique. Special. My special spirit.

'Ah! Nn! Of course!' She happily titters.

"Girl, that is purely superstition." Seria rebuffs her.

Esraye glares over to the sage, her previous wary expression returning.

"Esraye-sama, the sage does mean well, yes?" Kaede surprisingly steps forwards.

They stare at one another for a moment.

"You sure have become more assertive, little blade." Looking at her, Esraye shakes her head, and manages a small smile.

Did something happen between them before... ah... when Kaede was sneaking still... hmm...

"Mmmm... still; superstition has warped roots in common sense, much of the time. One certainly should not underestimate a conscious spirit. It is undeniably powerful in that case, after all." Seria nods with her finger to her lips.

That proclamation appears to settle down the tanned metal mage.

"In any case... how did you escape, yes?" Kaede asks. "I have been briefed in the basics of the void, but I was not conscious myself for my own escape."

"Honestly... it is mostly. Jeanette in this case." Esraye answers Kaede.

"Another thing of renown for her to boast about. Heh..." Darion suddenly quips.

"I should have left you there... but I like Esraye-chan too much." Jeanette gives her brother a flat look.

"Ahem... well..." she goes on and starts to explain.

"First of all, although it is a realm of nothingness, it is also malleable. The void spirits are not intrinsically malicious as such, but just seek things to consume, much like death itself. It is interesting in how much the movements of the spirits there form patterns, such as..."

I let her carry on to Seria when she starts drawing complex magical formulae in the air immediately out of my league. Kurono also listens in to this. I don't doubt this is important, but...

'Don't worry, master-sama. Aeris doesn't understand maths either. Why can't 1 + 1 equal 11?'

Ha! If my spirit says so. I'd love to get a science boffin from earth in to study spirits, though. I think that there is so much more this world could learn from more proper scientific method. But I can see the merits of the Sage like system as well, for sure.

In any case, before this, I was trying to think about what our next move will be.

Well... maybe it’s actually my first move? Everything up to this point was preparation to make a move. And in the meantime, Cultivator has been doing solitaire. I'm coming in a terrible board state. It’s like one of those chess problems you read in the newspaper puzzle section.

"Um... Nii..."

Always hated those things. Because they only have one proper solution.

"Um... hello? Nii!?"

What can do to pull off a successful objection here, and start a turnabout? Is there really anything I can do to stop this inevitable tsunami...?

"Hey! Listen!" Kiku suddenly shouts.

"Oh... Kiku... you're a fracking genius! That's it!"

I grab her hand and leap up happily with her.

"Eh? Eh wot?!? Ehhhh!?!?"

Thank you, annoying tutorial fairy reminder. There is precisely one thing I can do.