✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

「Ahh...

How the years have passed by in the blink of an eye.

And now an ever-so-young pair of children – a monochromatic buddle of ebullience with snow white hair just like us, their mothers – were swimming about in the depths of an ocean on an aquaplanet. Both aged 5 years old, they were out exploring the seabeds while having fun at immersing themselves within the oceanic currents.

Right now, myself and Eri – my younger sister – had been supervising them from a nearby megafloat island. We were relaxing inside a mansion on the island above the aquatic planet’s ocean that entirely made up its only surface. A world where you could only dive deeper.

Enjoying the view of the outdoor back garden, the horizon hosted a serene view of the shimmering waters as we looked out to the cerulean skies.

We were accompanied by two respective maids. Freya Cephyr and Charlotte Florence were the attendants of our children, and for the most part, their caretakers whenever we were too busy to be with our lovely young ones. At least, for the foreseeable future that is. They were on standby, silently absorbing the sunny, laid back ambience.」

“...”

“...”

「Pin drop silence.

There was nothing for us all to do other than stare out to the edge of the world or bask in the rays of the mid-sequence star shining in the sky. The chilly breeze of the fetch generated by the aquaplanet’s Coriolis Effect caressed our sleeveless white yukatas. That was all one could say as far beauty met the eye.

Breaking the silence, my younger sister took the opportunity to speak to heart’s content.」

“Aahh... what great weather!”

“The weather’s always like this on aquaplanets.”

“Hnn... so, why are we here again?”

“Weren’t you the one who wanted to talk about the upcoming Imperium Reselection?”

“Eh? Oh right! It wasn’t that, it was something else.”

“Hmm? So, what is it then?”

“Well…”

「From here on out, it'd be telepathic communication. In line with this, Eri-chan's voice spoke into my mind syncing with her own brain waves.

“The Reselection isn’t going to take place until at least another 5 years into the future. Vynexia is still in a state of interregnum. I’m instead concerned about the Lumiere Family. They’ve decided on running for the throne as well. Their candidacy is all but assured at this stage.”

“Mhm... ‘kay, so is there a problem with the Mynvis plenipotentiary running for advocacy?”

“It brings up a whole load of problems! First of all, that would mean that there will be one more contender to the throne added to the Reselection. And Aya-nee, haven’t you heard that they’re trying to manufacture new Lyxions and advancing our current technology – beyond what's been outlawed?”

“Oh, really now? H~e~e~e~… not the first instance of an attempted technological shift. I’m sure there’s been many past historic repetitions, but all such uprisings have fallen to ruin at the hands of the Emperors. No matter what, it’s near impossible trying to bypass the Elemental Pacts.”

“But what if this time, they somehow did? What if Lumiere has managed to somehow do the impossible?”

“Those in the Aurelia Cosmos would have been the first ones to make that happen then.”

“Aya-nee, you know, there’s still a chance that it’s possible. And besides, it’s the Lumiere Family among all others we’re talking about. They have quite the realistic chance of forcing a new policy movement.”

“There’s not much basis to assume so. You’re thinking they might pose a threat to the Vynexian Republic? If they start such a movement for the sake of overwriting the status quo, there’ll be hell to pay for during the Prystian Summit. And it’s only been a few years since that happened at Prystia.”

“Unn... that’s right… it was more than enough to bring back the stagnant universe to life. What ominous timing it was... those two were also born just shortly after that happened just as one of Kurogane’s ancestors just happened to appear out of nowhere... there’s no way it was just a mere coincidence.”

“I wonder what’s going to happen... A lot of things are going to keep changing from now on, given what a radical rebellion it was. And it’ll probably happen all too rapidly for the Four Cosmics to keep up. I’m truly worried for Sora-chan and Yuki-chan. Well, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”

“It won’t be anything to scoff at if any harm comes their way. It’s about time they start learning the way of Valier Mages.”

“No. They shouldn’t become Valiers. Not those two. If they did, it’d be like inviting trouble to our front door.”

“There’s nothing to be done about it. You can’t circumvent the Pact.”

“Then we’ll forcefully do it. I don’t care what the consequences are.”

“Aya-nee, are you hearing yourself?!? There’s no way we can do that!!”

“Like I said, I don’t ca–”

But cutting off the end of my sentence was…」

Splash!

“A magical beast!”

“Lady Ayame! That's–?!?”

「All at once, the pair of maids cautioned against the sound of a rising geyser offshore. Off the coast? Off the edge? In any case, a huge wave was swept up in the middle of the ocean before our sight, far out into the distance. One that nearly washed the sky, well above the island. The undulating wave carried along with itself the oceanic surface of water.

Translocating in front of me and Eri-chan, Charlotte and Freya with their backs against one other sideways, stretched out their palms toward the incoming tsunami. They released magic in sync as an invisible energy blast, which perforated a giant hole inside the aquatic veil.

Behind the opened curtains of water, unfurling from within were dark sapphire scales and a mane coloured by the depths of the sea where light may never reach. A streamline, serpentine body segmented by crocheted vestral scales with fins tailored from voile. It had a majestic pair of pentadactyl wings webbed in fluorescent turquoise and tapered claws that could rip open the heavens.

Eyes of pearls directed towards the island, a water dragon pulled itself out from the oceans. A laudable dragonic cry scraped the oceanic atmosphere. Its wings flapped once, sending the highest of crests rippling across the surface of the ocean once more.」

“Woaaahhh!!!! So cool!!!”

“Waaaahhhhh!!! Once more!!!”

「A prideful sea dragon, named Lynn, made its appearance with two children in all smiles mounting its head, and it was darting straight towards the airbourn mansion. Awww... I don’t think Lynn will take to that very kindly though...」

“Aya-nee, what… are those two doing…?”

「Exasperated, Eri-chan couldn’t take in what was happening out in the distance. I wasn’t surprised at her reaction, after all…」

“Oh my~! To think that they’d find Lynn~ swimming about under the currents... I’m impressed~ how they haven’t~ been thrown off already ♡.”

「A Lietha Water Dragon. One of the rare species of water dragons that are found inhabiting some of Elyiere’s aquaplanets. And there aren’t all too many planets of such a celestial composition. It was on one odd day where I came across Lynn and became the best of friends – just a while before Sora and Yuki were born. And that’s something Freya would know of.」

“Ahaha~.”

“Uhh…”

「The two maids were conflicted with what they should do. Though, there’s nothing they really have needing to be done.」

“Lady Ayame, please allow us to–”

“No wait, Char~lotte. There’s no need~ for that. That’s Milady’s pet water~ dragon, Lynn. Don’t e~ven think of hurting it, or else you’ll be the one in for a world of hurt.”

“!?… Uhm… so… we just watch without doing anything??”

“Precise~ly!”

「Having their own conversation, Freya calmly held back her junior, Charlotte, from making a mistake she would have regretted for all her life.

Well done, Freya!」

“Uhhh... isn’t it approaching us rather quickly?”

“Like I said~, it’s fine~! At best, Lynn would have just eaten~ them alive by now~ ♡.”

“Eh?!?”

「Within the blink of an eyelid, Lynn had already stopped and alighted beyond the edge of the island. Using her own mana as her source, Lynn seemed to manifest her dynamism into her desired phenomenon. At once, Sora-chan and Yuki-chan had been lifted off her head and rushed in our direction parallel to the incoming Lynn. No sooner than Lynn had abruptly decelerated, Sora and Yuki were being shot with boosted momentum at us: their mothers.」

“Kyaah!!”

“Ehhh!??!”

“!?!”

“Fufu...”

“Miladies!”

「In squeals, both Sora-kun and Yuki-chan flew straight into our arms. Eri and I were bracing ourselves, laying down on the deck chairs placed in this backyard resort and Charlotte was needlessly worrying herself there at the end. The wooden legs of the deck chairs were forcefully skidding backwards from the immense air pressure, while the trees and well-kept bushes by the side of the mansion vigorously rustled.

Lynn turned back with the feeling of something akin to relief. As if she’d had finally gotten rid of a few pests that had earned her irritation.

And I don’t blame the girl one bit.」

“Ahh! Wait!!!”

“Lynnie, don’t go!!! We wanna play mooore!!!!!”

「What daredevils, must I say. They leapt out of our arms, ready to pick at Lynn’s nerves once more and...

Wait a minute…」

“Nnrouu!!?”

““““...!””””

「No way.

Did Lynn just…」

“Why?!! Why won’t you let us?!?”

“Lynnie, one more time please????? One more ride!!!”

“NNNaaa!!!”

「...react to their voices?」

“EHHH?!!?! Then take us along!”

“We wanna go with Lynnieeeeee!”

「...

It was far too surreal a sight.

Words couldn’t express the amount of shock I felt. The chills born from ice cold water dripping down my spine jolted open my eyelids, widely incredulous. This was far too aberrant.

Abnormal.

However you put it, they were clearly communicating – a Vynexian and a dragon.

Two different beings. Two different lifeforms.

And I could feel the distress bouncing off from everyone else too. Freya came forth to placate Sora-kun.」

“Young Lord, w-what’s the matter?”

「Ahh, Charlotte wasn’t in the know but Freya most certainly knows…」

“Hmmfffff... Lynn won’t let us ride on her!”

“W-well... of course she wouldn't, my dear. Dragons don’t like it when you make them angry...”

「Eri-chan lightly told them off. But even she couldn’t hide the quaking in her voice. Then I’m not making up any of this, am I? Please tell me this isn’t actually happening.」

“Yeah, but Mama! Lynnie told us there's a really cool place in the trenches but won't take us there!”

“She said that if we were older, only then we could go there! Lynn can but we can’t!”

「Said? Told? I must be hearing things because they’re heaaavily suggesting that they could verbally partake in dialogue with Lynn.

That just can't be...」

“Yuki, you mean you can talk with Lynn?”

“Eh? Yeah, we can hear her and talk with her.”

“Wait, as in you can speak to her in her language?”

“What language? We've speaking the same way?”

「Ahaha... isn’t that just genuine xenoglossy? That’s not possible… unless they also had similar anima.」

“Uwaahh!! You can’t escape now, Lynnie!!!!”

“We got you!!!! HEHE!!!!”

「With Lynn's attention being diverted, Sora-kun and Yuki-chan took advantage of the small opening worth a single time frame. Lynn halted for the slightest moment. And that lag itself was one, big, fatal mistake. For it took no less than a mere second for the pair to board themselves once more on the back of the water dragon.」

“No… way… Milady Ayame…”

“Freya, tell me later. For now, focus on Lynn first.”

「Just as expected, even Freya was at a loss with what to make of this development. Her eyes said it all.」

“Uhh… is it going to be alright if I may ask?”

“Whatever do you mean, Charlotte? The answer’s pretty obvious.”

「Of course Lynn wasn’t all too happy about such an unwelcome burden.

Flailing around, Lynn tried throwing them off and even tombstoning back down into the ocean before jetting out once more. As expected, even the upthrust of Lynn's ballistic dive couldn’t weaken their grips. Forget our stupefied selves, it seems that Lynn herself just needed an emollient calming down.」

“Milady, should I–”

“Just leave it to me. Lynn doesn’t really like interacting with other Xynexians.”

「Instantaneously translocating beside Lynn, I mollified her pandemonium and hoped that my intentions were tacitly conveyed.」

“Lynn, please settle down.”

「I sure hope I’m wrong about this. But just in case, I flashed Lynn a wry smile which plastered my anxiety. I hope she puts up with Sora-kun and Yuki-chan for the meantime.

Dragons are smart, leal creatures, and very powerful. They’re not to be underestimated as they are very perceptive of their surroundings and understand quite well how to deal with disrup––」

“nnNNNNNRAAAAA!!!”

“Lynn?!?!?”

“”Ah!””

「––To my utmost disbelief, a dense force field of mana erupted from Lynn with such magnitude, not only were both Sora-kun and Yuki-chan blasted away by its tremendous exertion like leaves in a storm, they were close to losing their consciousness as well. They wouldn’t have built up any resistance to high bursts of mana, so their psyche would just collapse for some time in a state of mana-induced coma.

Luckily, they were able to get away without experiencing a blackout.」

“We'll save them!”

「Like feathers falling in the sky, Freya and Charlotte caught Sora-kun and Yuki-chan in their arms, translocating beneath them to prevent them from falling into the ocean. As vulnerable as they are, they wouldn’t be able to swim in the ocean right now, let alone survive.」

“Hnnh…”

“…n…”

「The lights went out for them in the end. Nothing much to be done about this then. In fact, this is perfect.

Lynn obediently left for the depths of the ocean, right after her temper was seemingly doused in water.

Translocating back to the backyard resort behind the mansion afloat in the sky island, the maids laid them both down on the deck chairs in a supine position.」

“Freya, did you hear… what they were saying?”

“It’s just as the young masters had said. They conversed with Lynn just as I could.”

“I see. Eri.”

“...”

“Eri-chan.”

“…”

“Are you thinking what I'm thinking?”

“I hope not...”

“Eri-chan, please check just in case. Freya, Charlotte, I'm sorry for having to do this.”

“I understand.”

“Hn? Why is Milady apologisin–”

「That I cannot answer unfortunately, Charlotte. This was no longer a trivial issue. No one must know of what transpired here. Not even a single soul.

Tilting my head in adagio – a sharp stare out the corner of my eye – my gaze lost its colour in sync with my iris. Overwriting and forcing an irrefutable geas. An undeniable order. A wave of mana rippled out, showering them in what little mercy I could offer in return for their ignorance.」

『You are to forget everything you saw and fall unconscious right now.』

““!?!””

「Feeling the sycophantic gravity of mandation exerted upon them by the master-servant contract, there was no doubt they were being crushed by the pressure of my glare.

The whites of their eyes turned over as their balance crumbled; their footholds becoming unstable. Without any resistance, their souls were forced to collapse just as our children had been knocked out by Lynn, our resident Lietha Water Dragon.

I'm truly sorry, Charlotte. Freya.

But what came next––」

“A s-shiro… tamashi-i…”

「––was enough to make my disconcerted heart rise and plunge in my chest. A phantasmagorical occurence beyond even the wildest of nightmares.」

“…Shi…ro????”

「Ah.

.

..

...

....

.....

Wha...

Sorry, what now?

I couldn’t comprehend what was said.

Tilting my head back as I doubted once more the voice entering my auricles, my nonplussed heart has been stabbed far too many times to count within these mere uncountable moments.」

“Who… has–”

“Both.”

“Both… what…? Eri???”

“They both possess similar anima…”

“Eri-chan. Now's not the time for jo– hk!”

「Jokes?

Why was I screaming at her?

What made me think that it was just a fallacy?

That was just me – myself – wishing to deny the reality shoved in front me.

She was right after all.

Eri was right.

Their anima.

I felt it for myself. I saw it for myself. That colour. The only colour I saw was white. Unlike the threads of our hair. Unlike the light of a blazing star at day. Unlike the purity of snow.

A soul forged into a white receptacle. A white that couldn’t be expressed laconically.

This is far beyond anything I anticipated.」

“…Ayame-nee, what does this mean…?”

“…h-huh…?”

“Ayame-nee…??”

「Perhaps having sensed the state of chaos my mind was in, Eri-chan enquired for what she knows not of.」

“You don’t know, do you, Eri-chan? About anything before the Prystian Era?”

「Veiled in a dark expression, I barely let out in a whisper as I thought back.」

“Before the rule of the Elemental Emperors…? Wait, what does that have to do with anything?!?”

“…”

“Aya–”

“I take back what I said earlier. We can’t risk them becoming Valier mages. Not when they’ve been given such a fate upon birth.”

“Huh!? I know that this is serious but, this is this and that is that!! Unless I’m missing something else here, then please tell me otherwise!!!”

“You're better off not knowing. Even I can’t say for certain what this entails. Better safe than sorry.”

「“Don’t tell anyone about this. Eri-chan. We must protect Sora-kun and Yuki-chan as much as possible.” As much as what we’re capable of. No, maybe even more.

Telepathically, that was what I had finally entrusted Eri-chan with. My determination. My sacrifice.

This… must be kept a secret.」

“I’ll have to… seal away their anima.”

“HUH!!?! AYA-NEE ARE YOU INSANE?!?!”

“Just trust me with one.”

「For the umpteenth time today, I smiled wryly at Eri-chan. I know, it’s possible I might end up causing irreversible damage.

They might even die.

But that’s better than living as they are currently.

Yes, I know I sound hysterically insane. Yes, I myself know that I am neutrally sane.

Such terrible omens – you can’t blame me for worrying, can you Eri-chan? I might even end up doing something I might inevitably regret doing. But I won’t just stay put and let fate force upon them the worst imaginable future by vapidly letting go of this.」

“…”

「My eyes soared out to the heavens as I unleashed my mana. I had to encase everything within half a warpex. I couldn’t let anyone enter either, so I isolated this whole region from any outside interactions. Risking any leaks of what had ensued right now would be detrimental. I covered up the inky canopy of darkness in a raging malestrom of magic across the vast cosmos so that visibility was impossible to obtain.

I inscribed a few of my own rites in order to overwrite reality – such that no one could ever have the fleeting remembrance of what occurred within my domain .

『Delete all memories.』

Once I made sure there would be no problems moving forward, I casted a second spell on par with the formation of complex rites which I had conjured up on my own.

A magic hex that would hide away their anima, such that none could ever glimpse at it ever again. A magic paradigm consisting of curlicues appeared above the supine children. Narrowing my eyelids, I poured in the utmost of my mind’s cathexis onto forging a seal that would be rooted deep within their souls for however long it must take till they are aware of who they themselves are. Gradually, the paradigm deformed and created virtual links to their souls as the constituents–

–denatured.

And evanesced from the world.

And so, part of their souls have vanished.

No, they were simply detached from them. They wouldn’t return, unless a strong stimulus would reconnect them back to Zeroth Elyiere, where I had sealed them. And even within the most unlikely of all improbabilities that it was detected, it would be utterly impossible for it to be found nor could anyone break the seal placed on them––

––nor even have the right state of mind to know or understand anything.

I pray that they are never destined to meet the Emperors.

But this was just–

–the presentiment of the beginning.」

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

「The 26th of Myra, Year 725 of the 727,237th millenia of the 120th eon of the Prystian Era.

A day where a surprise visitor~ would be coming to Alvyion. One who is to become a new member among the Amamiya who own the Heavenly Sky Palace~. One who was very much welcome to being back~.

At that time, Sora-chan and Yuki-chan~ were within the Astral Forest – playing tag with other~ kids their age – unknowing of whom was returning~. Whizzing around everywhere within~ the Astral Emergent Park, chaos broke out as the children romped on their peers, ineptly throwing around uncontrollable amounts of mana to obstruct others within forest’s playground~. The viridescent sky blanketing the forest was more~ accurately a jungle – a mana~ climate brought forth by the blessings of Elyiere from long ago~. There’s a children’s tale for almost anything~!」

“Everyone! Capture those show-offs!!!”

“Hah! You guys will never catch us!!”

“Do your worst, losers!!!”

「The children hopped from~ branch to branch~. The jungle was interconnected via the network of trees and expansive roots lodged within the celestial~ tributaries coursing through the vistas lining the lime~ skies and scaled foliage. They would all become finely~ merged within their vision as they soared~ through the landscape with brisk motion~.

Gliding from branch to branch~, Sora-chan and Yuki-chan evaded their several pursuers in a rapid, high-speed game of touch and go~.

In hot pursuit~, the two of them~ were omnidirectionally surrounded, with little to no leeway of escape~. Just as their game of tag was about reach the climax––」

“Okay~! Game set!”

「––I came in and intervened.」

“Eh!?”

“Miss Frey –!”

*Bling!*

「The young masters must have been surprised, but that surprise was reined in by the notification they must have received on their Rings, facing opposite directions with their backs to each other~. Since there was something of importance they needed to focus their attention on, I ended their chase temporarily~. They opened up their UI through thought alone. They would have seen a clock in the corner of their view, a dock full~ of apps lining the right side as a scrollable column, and an icon with a little notice~. It should have indicated that they received a message~.」

【 18:36 – Return to the Heavenly Sky Palace and meet us at the docking station. 】

「The message they most~ likely received would have told them to return~ back to a certain location at the palace~. An astral mercator projection of the sky should~ have been attached with a location pinpointing to inside an area within the Heavenly Sky Palace where they reside~. They would have to leave right then and there~」

“Young masters, I believe you have been informed to return. Shall we go then?”

“Aww… we have no choice, do we? Let’s call it quits for today, guys. We have to go back home.”

「But before that, Yuki-chan announced to the others that they~ would be leaving. Being the children they all were, not everyone was satisfied with~ the outcome of their heavily one-sided charades~.」

“Ehh?!?!? Just when we were so close to victory!”

“Just a little longer!!!”

“Or are you two just gonna run away!?!?”

“Don’t let them escape!!!!!!!!!”

「As such, Yuki-chan was~ met with no shortage of protests as both she~ and Sora-chan seemed ready to depart without~ giving their friends much time to prudently act upon their disapprovals~.」

“Oh my~.”

「I released a windblast that prevents the children from approaching.」

“““Ah!! Hold o– WHAAAAAAAAAA?!?!”””

「In that time, the three of us disappeared al~together without leaving a trace. We began to return back to the Heavenly Sky Palace. None~ of their playmates could sense us translocating away as they cried out in bewilderment. It must have vexed each and every one of them for they knew~ there was not much they could have done to keep up with us even within their laid-back levity~. And yet, it served as motivation to defeat the lucent pair whenever the next opportunity arises~. They all~ strived for a more favourable outcome in the future.

Hopefully~.

It’s my duty to watch over the monochromatic pair after all~. I continued to escort~ them.

Meeting up at the central plaza in the middle of the Astral Emergent Park, they had taken the leylines~ back to one corner of the Heavenly Sky Palace – the Equaliser’s Supercluster~. We flew through the arrays of planets that served as docking stations and met with their parents, relatives, elders, Servants and many others. And of course, I am to be among the welcomers in due time – ready to receive the newcomer along with Sora-chan’s father – Yuuto Amamiya-kyo.

And this person~ was the young masters’ 13-year-old cousin from Prystia – a Spiral Maiden.

She glanced over to the outside as she stepped out of the warpcell into thin air, greeted all in hospitality of the Heavenly Sky Palace.

The young girl was garbed in a lacquer black kimono that seemed so spiritual and yet so oppressive. Her aura gave off a feeling of distance as if estranged from the world around her. Sorrow crept upon her abyssal pupils, as if weighing down her eyelids in a frown.」

“She's so pretty!!”

“Is that Big Sister Sakuya!?!?”

“Ohh… so you two do remember her! That indeed is Lady Sakuya, but she’s grown up quite a lot over the years.”

「Amamiya Sakuya. Sakuya-chan~. No, it should be Ojou-chan now, right? The years had passed by and she’s finally returned.

It must have taken so much out of the young lady.」

“Hey, Miss Freya. Where’s Elder Sister been all this time?”

“She sent off to Prystia as a Maiden of Lacuna many years ago.”

「Dispelling Yuki-chan’s doubt was Eri-sama – her mother – explaining to them that she is a somewhat distant relative from theirs and what would be the background of the young lady in a plaintive tone~. A sharp glint could be seen in her eyes, which none but Ayame-sama – Sora-chan’s mother – would have taken notice. Maybe it’s something worth noting myself~?

However, just~ as they were children, their ignorance was a bliss~.

For they know not the inner workings of the lives many others might live.

“So that’s where she’s been all these years!!!!!!!”

“No way!?!? You mean Big Sister is an Manarea Ordinaire from Prystia??!”

“Hmm… that’s not quite it either. She started off as an apprentice, but she had to leave her position within the Spire of Lacuna and return due to certain circumstances. She hasn’t yet reached Ordinaire, unfortunately. A few more months and she may have become an Ordinaire. It is such a pity that fate has destined her as such.”

“Then Elder Sister has got to be some sort of natural born genius loved by mana like us, isn’t she?”

“Ohhh??? I'd love to have a magical duel with her…”

「I’m surprised~ they didn’t realise that sooner… Well indeed~, it has been a long time since they were last~ together and it’s not like they would been privy to it all~ the way back then~.」

“Sora, please don’t go troubling the young lady. She’s older than you two by six years, so you wouldn’t stand a chance against her anyway. And do be respectful to her. This is the first time you'll have seen each other in a long time.”

「There’s no doubt that Ayame-sama had understood their feelings but there’s only so much that can be said~. The young masters aren’t~ the type to obediently behave themselves~.」

“Hmph!”

“I'll go meet her first!”

“Oh hey, Yuki! Not if I can help it!!”

““ –?!?””

“My… What did I just tell you?”

「Exasperated, Ayame-sama~ stopped both of them from dashing off to introduce~ themselves to their older cousin. She pre~tty much was someone akin to an older sister~ figure for the two back then, so it came across as no surprise that they’d be so excited~.」

“There’s plenty of time for that later. I'm sure she’s had a long, arduous journey so for now, let the young lady rest. You can go and meet Sakuya later.”

““…uuuu…””

“You two are always looking for mischief, aren’t you?”

「Fufu~! What a pair~ of troublemakers. Both Ayame-sama and Eri-sama~ smiled wryly at their children, as if they couldn’t bring themselves to believe~ the two. But deep~ down, they must~ have known it to be an eventuality. Discourse is always around the pair, following after them at every step.」

“Of course not!”

“We’re not looking for mischief!”

「Fufu~! That’s exactly what troublemakers would say~. The young masters are~ most certainly~ a handful, as always~. It was the one thought we all shared as we watched the warpcell dock itself~ onto the planet’s surface before it began recharging its mana~.

Amamiya-kyo and Saku– Ojou-chan~ vanished from where they had~ stood, once suspended in midair but now~ gone from sight. They greeted the elders waiting for them before taking the leylines which soared~ into the galaxies and beyond~. Sakuya-ojouchan might be taken with the elders for a talk with Amamiya-kyo, her uncle and adoptive father~. before touring the Heavenly Sky Palace~. She might even visit the hypercities may~be? I wondered~ if I should volunteer?

It wasn’t until~ a few days later that our playful~ pair would be reunited once more~ with their older cousin.」

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