The Oracle’s reply was swift. “I don’t know. To tell the truth, I was equally astounded back then, since the dreamwalkers were the first to be targeted by the Holy Temple’s agents.”

“Their beast trait was too powerful,” Marie murmured. “I’ve read some of the analyses on their massacre, but I can only conclude that either divine intervention or a traitor high up was at work.”

“That was our conclusion too,” Galina glanced at the sleeping Nakama, and Aziz followed her gaze to see the little girl turning her head randomly, as if she was looking for something. “And it seems that she’s beginning to get the hang of it, by how she’s evidently searching for something.”

“What’s the odds of her succeeding?” Pinnacle Kolya asked.

“In looking for our little sleeping prince?” Galina asked. “Nearly zero, if you ask me. There are virtually no records of dreamwalkers succeeding in waking those in a coma, or else they would have been a medical corporation by now. Even the Holy Temple wouldn’t have tried exterminating them.”

“Right…we did see a lot of people like them in the Holy Temple, eh?” Kolya shook his head. “Glad we took them out before they could be forcibly awakened.”

“Are you talking about the previous Popes?” Marie asked.

“Yes. Most of them were in a coma, recovering from heavy injuries at one point or another. If they had something as miraculous as the Crystal of True Restoration, they could have added to the enemy ranks. Fortunately, these things have been very rare.”

“Heavily injured? How?” Marie pressed on.

Kolya began counting off his fingers. “Let’s see. From half-successful assassinations by their vengeful wronged and by the special forces of the other others. From trying to suppress newly-ascended Demigods. From trying to save wounded familiar spirits of the Human God and getting caught in the crossfire. And from holding off entire armies of either people or monsters.”

He paused. “Did I miss out anyone?”

While the others were talking, Aziz had picked up a meat pie and placed it near Nakama’s nose, but there really wasn’t a reaction. Disappointed, he straightened his back and shifted his eyes around. Save for the stoic Phantom Blade and the bemused Isabelle, no one else had seen his little act.

He was too lazy to place the delectable treat back onto the table, so at the risk of stuffing himself before the main course, the colonel decided to eat it, turning his attention to the conversation once more.

“Julian the Thirty-Sixth died on the toilet. Destroyed his own internal organs when trying to deal with constipation,” Galina helpfully supplied. “It wasn’t pretty either. His internal organs were splattered all around the bathroom, as was a whole bunch of faeces.”

Everyone gagged at those words.

“Sofia! It’s dinner!” The Pinnacle sighed. “I apologise for her faux pas.”

Aziz stared at the little meat pie he was about to bite into, and then placed it back down on the nearby table, having lost his appetite. The Oracle had managed to strangle his nascent hunger with a few words, an experience that everyone in earshot had clearly shared. It was fortunate that an isolation barrier had been placed around them for privacy’s sake, or else the entire bunch of important people outside would have been utterly disgusted too.

After a few moments, the Oracle began to speak. “Anyway, my point is that dream walkers shouldn’t have the ability to seek out people in a coma, so I really doubt her odds of success.”

Everyone didn’t speak for a few minutes after that, most of them looking at the carefree, asleep little girl in the Phantom Blade’s lap.

“Come to think of it,” Aziz found himself asking, “why are you here, Phantom Blade?”

“Xanadu, please.” Her face revealed a small smile. “Her brother made me an offer I can’t refuse, and that’s why I’m here. I suppose he probably saw something like this coming, though.”

“What kind of offer?” Aziz asked. “If you don’t mind telling me about it.”

“One about our futures,” she replied.

“No, it isn’t,” the golden-haired Isabelle snapped back. “Don’t say things this misleading, okay?”

“You’ll only be misled if you wanted to,” Xanadu replied.

Aziz took a step back as the two ladies began to banter back and forth, and found some comfort in the unruffled Marie. “What’s with these two?”

“You’re asking about the wrong person,” Marie replied, a grin on her face. “Anyway, this…Isabelle’s very devoted to him, for some reason. Are Earth’s kids this fearsome?”

“He’s an exception,” Galina chipped in, her eyes on the two girls who were arguing quietly. “I get a feeling that he’s very different from Kolya and I. My boyfriend’s a serial flirter, but Gaius isn’t as frivolous as him. Rather, I get a feeling that the kid is able to inspire loyalty, consciously or unconsciously. It’s not just love I see, but something far greater.”

“How philosophical,” Aziz mused. “Would it be great if the Pinnacle was like that too?”

“I’d rather not, thank you very much.” The Oracle lowered her voice into a conspiratorial whisper. “Kolya’s a blockhead through and through. If I didn’t make my intentions known mere weeks after we met, he’ll be surrounded by lots of women.”

“Surely you don’t think that’s enough, do you?” Marie asked. “Have you forgotten about Champion Solaris?”

Galina swivelled her head to look at Pinnacle Kolya, who shivered immediately. “We should get engaged as soon as possible, in case your heroism in the battlefield makes more women fall for you.”

“…yes, ma’am.”

Aziz glanced at the ridiculous couple, and turned away to hide his smile. His boss had evidently overlooked the undercurrent of devotion both sides held for each other…or was she just trying to provoke them into getting together before the war got going?

The colonel wasn’t sure which was which.