Cainan Melvias 

• Mass Death. Episode 8.

• Episode 8. Cainan’s relationship with Thero in general has very heavy existential overtones. Cainan has a mental break at the very end.

Saint Bathsheba is a symbol of hope for the Paragons.

After the death of their leader, Ahav, she united his followers and marched into the center of the region to destroy the mechanical species that ruled the land.

Her invasion knew no bounds, and in the blink of an eye, she overtook cities and reshaped the balance of power.

Once they started marching, they would never stop, even if they caused thousands of casualties. This line of thinking was something that the mechanical species could never understand.

What made this possible was control through fear. Those who objected were ruthlessly discarded, forcing their wills and actions to be subsumed into the greater rule that had been established.

They would use any means to achieve their goals, and there were no exceptions. Even if it meant sacrificing one's own life.

――

―――― 

Bathsheba, watching from the rear as the Paragon march toward Perses Colony, the central city of the mechanical species, receives a report on the war situation from her follower, Thero.

"Lady Bathsheba, it seems the Perses Colony will soon fall."

“That’s right.”

The obedient followers who serve by her side… Many of them had endured the grueling experiments conducted by Ahav and his researchers, and Thero Dawid was one of them.

They willingly offered their cooperation to fulfill Bathsheba's wish for the destruction of the world, and Bathsheba's assault on Perses colony is designed to test a hypothesis that she came up with in her search for a way to reach her goal of destruction.

That is, the destruction of the System that uses the Supervisors and Returnees.

Each city receives its directives from a Supervisor that has the ability to connect to the System. Perses is a critical point in the central part of the continent—its size vastly different in scale from the other core cities. The city's computing capabilities that build into the System are incomparable to those in other colonies, so the Supervisor who commands Perses must surely have higher access rights.

An autopsy had revealed that the Returnees possessed some sort of link to the System.

In short, if one could send a command to the System to destroy itself using the Returnees as a “key”, it could be possible to destroy the System itself.

Suddenly, Bathsheba thinks back on a Returnee girl she once encountered in the Zeleucia colony.

‘That girl had the power to interfere with the System, or connect directly to it…’

Her lips curved in a distorted manner, Bathsheba mutters only one thing,

“My wish…” She follows with instructions for Thero. “Please bring me the Returnee women alive. You may eliminate all those who stand in your way.”

“As you wish.”

Bathsheba smiles as she watches Thero leave.

“Hehe… I can't wait…to release everyone from the curse of life…”

Bathsheba sings, as if cursing—as if praying—for the world's destruction and eternal salvation.

The hellish military forces led by Bathsheba finally succeed in bringing down the Perses Colony.

However, the Returnee they were targeting had disappeared in the chaos of the battle, and the Supervisor had managed to escape. Bathsheba ordered her men to pursue them, and they quickly took control of the colonies around Perses.

After several battles, Bathsheba heads to the central tower that stands in the center of Perses. 

It was to meet with Thero, who was continuing to analyze the system.

However, Thero and the others had left at an inopportune time.

Bathsheba thinks about leaving again, but suddenly her eyes are drawn to a sight inside the tower. The vast space there was different from that of Zeleucia.

While Zeleucia was black and isolated, Perses is white and inorganic.

The world enveloped in white gave off the illusion that she was floating somewhere in space–disorienting all of Bathsheba’s senses.

“――? I…”

Move. No matter how she ordered her body to move, it would not listen. She was overwhelmed by a strange sensation, as if her mind and body had become disconnected. 

“――、――――?”

She couldn’t speak. The only thing that comes out of her mouth is a string of meaningless sounds.

“Ah…Ah…”

She was losing everything so quickly.

Her senses had been so distorted by the experiments that she was unaware of the disease that was eating away at her.

The light of her life was flickering, so small that it seemed ready to go out at any moment.

――I don’t want this.

I am going to die alone without accomplishing anything.

I’m not afraid of death at all.

But… I can’t forgive myself for not being able to see the destruction with my own eyes…

No…I don’t want this…!

“―Lady Bathsheba!?”

Bathsheba was found by Thero, and somehow she just barely managed to survive. However, she showed no signs of recovery, and eventually death would inevitably come and take her away.

With time running out, Thero made a decision.

“All I can do… Is place Lady Bathsheba in suspended animation…”

It’s a desperate plan to delay her death by putting her body in a dormant state. The chance of success is slim, but it’s better than nothing.

“I’m sorry, but we can no longer afford to be at war with the machines. Our plan needs major revisions, but it is all for your sake. I will make your wish come true, I swear it!”

Thero takes over after Bathsheba is sent to sleep, working to come up with a plan in the limited time allotted.

As Bathsheba lay in the apparatus, Thero gazed upon her through the glass—speaking to her as if trying to squeeze something out of her.

“I wish I could be there to witness your great wish come true…”

Thero was also running out of time. Although it was possible to prolong his life somewhat through treatment, it was unlikely that he would be able to see his plan through to its end.

It had been awhile since Bathsheba had stopped making appearances, and it was beginning to take its toll on the war effort.

The offense against the surrounding cities had slowed down, and the forces of the mechanical species and moderates that had supposedly retreated were beginning to spring back to life.

The Perses Colony was now under direct siege, and it would only be a matter of time before it would be returned to their hands.

Thero was in command from the control room, when his men, gasping for breath, came to him.

“Lord Thero! We have made preparations to retreat. Hurry, before the mechanical species army closes in!”

“Superimposition.”

Thero glances at the remains of a machine species cowering nearby, its eyes flickering slightly as it stares vacantly into the distance, then he quickly turns on his heel.

“We must anticipate the next move. We need to take advantage of this chaos.”

After that, Thero and his men disappeared from the war-torn Perses, accompanied by his confidant and Bathsheba.

They would commence their next plot against Perses–and began to spread the false news of Bathsheba’s death.

――

―――― 

“What happened to me? Falling asleep on the line of duty…”

Cainan woke up in his office.

In wartime, personal time is a luxury. This is even more so for two-faced Cainan, who must keep up a facade. He had been pouring his heart and soul into two sides, and fatigue seemed to have overtaken him all at once.

“That day...a long time has passed since Lady Bathsheba fell. Finally, we’re ready to attack that colony.”

Cainan slowly stands up from his seat and heads for the window. Outside, he sees a large fleet of transport ships flying away to a frontline base.

As he watches the ships leave, he sees the vestiges of another man in his reflection in the window.

“I'm sure you must feel disappointed not to be able to witness this day. But rest assured, I will grant Bathsheba's wish. Not Thero Dawid, but Cainan Melvias.”

Thero’s memories continue to whisper in Cainan’s mind.

As if in defiance of the man who continues to influence him long after he has left this world, Cainan scowls at his reflection.

As the vanguard unit was about to embark, Cainan, having finished communicating with Lotto in his office, frowned at the unexpected situation.

"This time, the result was assisting Solo in his escape."

Joachim Yiamur, the mercenary sent out by Cainan to capture Solo. He's good at taking advantage of his own position---even using Cainan to freely move around as he pleases.

“Hmph...He's as skilled as ever at getting around, but that's to be expected.  Solo's safety is practically guaranteed.”

However, Cainan had different things to be concerned with at the moment. With Solo's disappearance from Olympias, a new source of anxiety has surfaced.

A man who hates Solo with all his heart— Void.

For the man who was after Solo's life at every turn, war would be an easy excuse to use.

“He’ll use Solo as an excuse to hasten the invasion.”

In addition, if Lotto's information is correct, Solo is now working with a Returnee woman. If Void finds out, he will be able to dispose of Solo without anyone noticing.

“We must expedite our plans.”

The Returnee woman that Lotto happened to encounter seems to have the potential to be the perfect vessel body. Obtaining a quality Returnee body is one of the essential elements of Cainan’s plan. He had to get his hands on it at all costs.

“...Well, it's about time.”

At the upcoming war guidance council meeting, the war will be announced earlier than expected.

Cainan went to the meeting.

“—it starts now. This decision is absolute.”

As expected, the meeting began by discussing the topic of accelerating the timeline for the start of the war. Many of the attendees were shaken by Void's remarks, but some seemed to have expected it and listened calmly to what he had to say.

Among those gathered at the meeting were the lords entrusted with the management of the major cities, led by the leaders of the hardline faction: Void, Rhea, Sargon, and Cainan.

There is a barrage of frustrated questions from the lords who have not yet prepared their resources, but nothing they say can sway the decision. Void's firm stance caused the meeting to slowly quiet down, until Rhea promptly intervened.

Rhea called out to Esther, her direct military officer and head of the Jagrush family that manages the Gorizia colony. The air is tense, and she looks around at the participants in the military council with a rigid glance. She then reads out the information necessary to construct a front line.

For many of them, this is a familiar sequence. It's like everyone is following a set course, just playing out the "part" of listening to what Void has to say. After confirming several items on the agenda, the topic moved on to the topic of troop formation.

Since Cainan had already laid the groundwork for the advance, it was decided that Cainan would lead the vanguard unit.

“—Then the command of the vanguard will be given to Cainan. Are there any objections?”

The lords expressed their approval one after another. Cainan was listening to the words of praise with a calm expression, but this was interrupted by Sargon's dry laugh.

“Do you really expect a civilian without any battlefield experience to serve as a spearhead?”

“Hmm, are you disappointed?” Cainan asks, his calm demeanor remaining unchanged.

“I’m just a lord of a remote territory, but I'm concerned about you serving in this position. Are you really prepared for that?”

A provocative light flashed in his eyes—as if he would bite at the slightest sign of weakness.

“Hmm?”

Unfazed, Cainan looks Sargon squarely in the eye and declared, “I’ll give you a front row seat to the power of my greatest masterpiece, the tactical weapon ‘Bardiel’.”

“Let's see that confidence on the battlefield.”

"Then I'll include Sargon's squad in the vanguard. Void, Cainan, do you approve?"

“I am at your service, Lady Rhea.”

“...”

Void gave him a suspicious look, as if trying to solve a puzzle, before replying curtly.

“Enough nonsense, just show me the results.”

After the meeting, Cainan heads to the frontline base to spearhead the invasion of the Perses Colony.

Cainan and Sargon each had their own agendas in mind.

As the transport ship moves towards the frontline, Cainan is lost in thought as he looks over the data on the Returnee woman Lotto has captured.

If these numbers are correct, she’ll be a perfect vessel to host Lady Bathsheba. Now it all depends on how we conduct ourselves.  

The final essential element of the plan is to capture the most advanced Supervisor, a state-of-the-art Machine.

Eva Dominance… Let that Machine who has stood in the way all these years be an offering to Lady Bathsheba!

The elimination of the highest commander in the center of the continent would be a major step toward bringing the long war to an end, and would further strengthen the control of the Earth.

However, Cainan's plan is different from Void's.

For Cainan, all that matters is the resurrection of Bathsheba and the fulfillment of her wishes, not control of the Earth. If Void and the others were to find out about this, he would be in danger. Void, especially, would be inconsolable if he knew that plans to resurrect his mother Bathsheba were underway without his knowledge.

How to deceive Void, Rhea, and the perceptive Sargon…

“Huh… I guess I'm enjoying this situation right now.”

The slightest hint of a smile on his face fades as Cainan checks the deployment chart of his troops. He notices that some units didn't match their planned positions and numbers.

"Sargon... Are you trying to test me?"

Sargon's troops, moving to the north from the southwest of the frontline base, were fewer than Cainan had anticipated.

Cainan thinks back to the fearless smile he had flashed at the meeting.

“Whatever you're hiding out in the middle of nowhere… I won't let you do whatever you want, you bastard!”

As the sun rises, the battle that will decide the fate of the entire world will begin. All the actors are in place, and all that remains is to wait for the show to begin.

The war with the Machines opened with a strike from the Paragons.

A massive beam of light fired from Bardiel, the tactical weapon Cainan deployed in the mountainous region, pierced a hole through the long defensive line the Machines had set to hinder the invasion. 

A more advanced version of Solo's Barakiel, Bardiel is several dozen times larger and has enough firepower to break through a Viamaris' force field. Although it was not as maneuverable, its specialized firepower demonstrated its power as the “spearhead” of the vanguard.

The line of Machine soldiers deployed in the defensive area was thrown into disarray. When the assault began to let up, a convoy marched in from the plains and charged in.

Sargon, standing by in the mountains, lets out a sound of admiration at the spectacle.

“As expected, you came forward on your own.”

The battle scene is continuously changing.

Sargon thinks to himself that it was time to eliminate Bardiel, and that would soon become a reality.

“Move out. All units, engage!! Show them what we are made of!!”

Surrounding the enemy soldiers who had penetrated deep into the mountains, they instantly destroyed them. The movement resembles a pack, each member controlled by a single will. 

Additionally, Sargon's troops had the advantage of being highly adaptable to the situation.

――

―――― 

The front was gradually moving to the east, with an offensive by the forces that had been called in from the north under Void's direction, Sargon's forces from the south, and Cainan's forces pushing forward in the center.

With each side using all their military power to the fullest, the Machines are steadily driven back. If the offensive continues, it's only a matter of time before the defensive zone collapses.

“All right! Conditions are favorable. Artillery, catch your breath―”

Cainan's orders were interrupted by a beam of light that abruptly swept across the sky above the frontline base. The light made a direct strike into one of the defensive zones along a straight line, opening a large tunnel and collapsing the front line.

The true nature of the light was similar to the glow of the turret on “Megiddo Gog,” a mobile weapon that was once sealed in the Zeleucian colony.

"Hahaha! The enemy's defenses have fallen silent before my sword! Everyone, advance! Let's take back our territory!"

A shrill voice echoed across the battlefield.

The arrogance of his speech alone was enough to immediately identify who had arrived. It was Void, the one who had started this war.

“Void... I didn't expect him to make a business trip just to flaunt his authority.”

Cainan had a sullen expression on his face, but it was true that the path to Perses was now open. In fact, with the general himself encouraging the soldiers on the front lines, the morale of the troops was steadily rising.

The energized troops rushed forward to attack.

However, what awaited the advancing army was an even stronger Mechanical defense force.

In addition to quadrupedal mobile weapons, heavily armed Mechanical infantrymen, and mobile tanks, there was a group of silver Viamaris—airborne mobile units—waiting in the rear.

“...What is that…?”

Then, on the plain behind the group, they saw something standing at equal distances apart, surrounding the Perses Colony. It was long and cylindrical, resembling the central tower that existed in each colony—and the top of the tower suddenly glowed red.

In almost an instant, a beam of light surges and strikes down the Paragon troops that had concentrated in the breached defensive zone.

Although not as powerful as Bardiel or Megiddo Gog, a direct hit would have been too much for the infantry units.

“As expected, everything up until now was just a trial run.”

The invasion was completely halted by the intermittent beams of light. Meanwhile, the Mechanical army is gradually closing in on the defense zone.

Yet, there was no sign of impatience on Cainan's expression.

Just as Cainan was about to give orders to the detachment, an enormous object crashed down from the sky, cutting through the gray clouds.

It fell in an arc like a meteor, and was struck by a beam of light from the quick reacting cylindrical tower, scattering intense sparks. Then, it caused a massive explosion on the ground, engulfing the tower and the Viamaris.

“Wh… What on earth is going on?”

“What's the matter? You seem upset, Captain.”

“Sargon… Did you bring that here?”

“You got me!”

Amid the billowing smoke and flickering flames, something slowly rises up. Its true form is a giant steel god with a distorted shape reminiscent of a monstrous skull.

“Wake up, Dvergr! Destroy these mechanical pretenders! Let me thrust my sword at their throats!”

“—!!!”

As if in response to Sargon's call, an eye-like structure on the chest of the mobile weapon shines brightly and eerily.

The demon sword Dáinsleif—who once killed an artificial god—has returned with a new name.

With a rumbling sound, the mobile weapon, Dvergr, rushes across the ground.

There was nothing on the battlefield that could stop the sword wielded by Dvergr, which boasted a mass nearly twice that of the mobile weapons deployed by the Machines. The simple difference in mass was irrelevant whether the opponent took defensive action or not. They would simply be crushed or slashed to pieces the moment they were touched.

“Sargon... That tactical-grade—no, strategic-grade weapon was the ace up his sleeve!”

Having seen the scene from the combat ship, Cainan was overcome by a sense of uneasiness and hastily opens the communicator.

“What are you planning, Sargon? You obtained a mobile weapon in secret, and now you’re acting on your own!”

“Haha! Well, isn’t that precious? Behind the iron facade Lord Cainan is a chattering little boy!”

“What you're doing is worthy of a court-martial. Surely you know this? So act like it!”

“So what are you going to do about it? Kill me? You won’t escape punishment, Lord Cainan. It'll be worse for you if you go against the flow.”

 “That doesn't mean I can let you get away with this!”

The more impatient Cainan becomes, the more Sargon's demeanor relaxes. His smile deepens.

Suddenly, Sargon asked, “You seem so panicked, Lord Cainan! Is there something upsetting about my troops heading in first?”

“...What?” 

“I can't help but feel you came into this battle with a different goal in mind…”

“A different goal? On what basis?!”

The words Sargon had spoken to him gradually entangled his thoughts, and a thick sweat began to trickle down his cheeks.

For a brief moment, he was at a loss.

Cainan realizes his mistake too late. He hadn't denied Sargon's accusation.

Sargon's keen perception caught even the slightest change in heart, and he would seize them firmly in his grasp. He read the change in Cainan’s facial expression, and in a single breath, he understood.

“You know, I’ve been watching you for a long time. Even before this war began, you were always so prepared—like you always knew what was going to happen next… Are you working with them? No… Maybe you're just someone else’s puppet?”

“Ggh…!”

“Hahaha! Don’t glare at me like that. You really want to ruin that handsome face of yours? Regardless, if you’re a strategic leader, you’re still a greenhorn in need of humbling. These past ten years or so of your life… Our experience is not the same. We aren’t even in the same league!”

“Sargon!”

Sargon laughs fearlessly as Cainan shows his true emotions.

“You’re starting to look like your ‘true self’, Cainan.”

“What do you want, you bastard? Are you trying to pretend to be God by using that Dvergr?!”

How stupid and simple minded! There is no such thing as God. I am a king! A conqueror! I am the one who will lead this broken world to righteousness!”

“Ggh…I— I won't let you get in my way! This world must be guided by Lady Bathsheba's wishes!" 

“Hehe, is that your true intention? You’re surprisingly ignorant. Then come after me with everything you've got!

Then the communication was cut off.

Cainan's operation was derailed by the Irregulars, but the same was true for the Mechanical species. He let out a short breath and dispatched instructions to each unit.

“All troops, follow that mobile weapon! Turn this chaos into your ally!”

“Raaaaagh!!”

Sargon's forces, led by Dvergr, are about to reach the outer perimeter of the Perses colony.

“Rampage as much as you want… For this one moment, the battlefield is yours, Sargon.”

Fists clenched tightly, Cainan turned to steer his ship towards the machine city.

With the destruction of the outer shell of the Perses colony by the mobile weapon Dvergr, the war was finally reaching its climax. 

Unlike the idyllic atmosphere of Ionia, Perses is more akin to the cityscape of Olympias. The only difference is that the entire city has a silvery metallic luster. The vast city is teeming with inorganic structures, and there is almost no sign of human activity.

This made it a perfect place to hide out.

In urban combat, it’s imperative to find and eliminate soldiers and weapons hiding behind obstacles either one by one, or destroy the obstacles themselves and engulf them completely, otherwise there is the risk of being overwhelmed.

Sargon carefully advanced his infantry, launching a single-point offensive that relied on the breakthrough power of Dvergr.

"Hmm…That's strange."

Although he had been expecting the enemy attack to become more intense as they encroached upon their main territory, there was not any sign of fierce resistance.

"Is it a trap? No, that's—"

Sargon was suspicious, but his concerns faded when he caught sight of a group of transport ships in the distance. The fleet, visible behind the central tower, was retreating from the city at full speed.

It was enough for the word “victory” to begin to flash through the invaders' minds—

“Gahahaha!!! How pathetic! They’re so scared they’re running away!”

Watching the withdrawing fleet from the flagship, Void cries out with pleasure, raising his clenched fist in exultation.

“Our victory is assured! All forces, exterminate all remnants of the Machines!”

“Hyaaaa!!!”

The Paragon who responded to the call cheered in victory.

However, despite the victorious atmosphere, Cainan alone was not satisfied. He was staring intensely at the silver city on the monitor.

“It’s strange… This city was imprinted in me, but there was never anything like this.”

After voicing his doubts, he only felt more certain.

The memory of Thero whispered in Cainan’s mind.

The Perses that Thero had seen was a beautiful cityscape teeming with nature, not a lifeless and inorganic place.

The eerie sense of unity only arouses Cainan’s suspicions.

“I can sense…someone’s intent…."

Feeling anxious, Cainan reaches for the communication console to contact Void, only to find that a secret message had just been sent to him.

“T-This is—!”

Cainan hastily connects with Void.

“Tch, what do you want, Cainan?"

“I want all troops to fall back now. Something doesn't feel right about this.”

“Something doesn't feel right?”

“Right, the Machines are up to something– We need to fall back now.”

“What are you talking about? What a bunch of nonsense. Just look at them retreating like this! They’re repeating the same mistakes as last war!

The video of the enraged Void abruptly cuts off, and communication with him goes dead.

“Suit yourself, then—”

“Well done on getting to this point.”

Suddenly, a voice rang out throughout the city.

As if being guided, Cainan’s eyes are drawn to a monitor, where a huge three-dimensional image is being projected over the city.

There on display… was a Machine woman.

Without blinking, the woman stared at them with eyes engraved with a cross-shaped pattern, and then announced in a matter-of-fact manner,

“My designation is Eva. I am the Supervisor of the Perses Colony and proxy for the world governing System.”

Eva had an unnatural appearance, as if she had been stripped of human warmth, and was merely imitating the human form.

“That's Eva Dominance...!”

“Oh, so you're the head of the Machines! But it’s too late for you to show your face now! It doesn't matter if you beg for your life or not, I’ll turn you into scrap metal myself!”

“You are to be commended for your ability to break through our defense perimeter and invade the city.”

Eva continues, paying no heed to Void's words.

“Therefore, in honor of your great efforts, I've decided to bestow upon thee a chance.”

“A chance?”

“Return to the System, and start afresh with a proper and harmonious form. Only then will you be liberated from this futile strife and hatred…That is thy only salvation.”

A proposal from the Machine.

It meant being reborn into new humanity within the Metaverse System, following the path of the old humans.

From the perspective of a Machine, it is naturally the best and most efficient proposal.

But they weren’t “things.” They were “people” with a sense of self.

“Gch… On and on… How long will you keep mocking us before you’re satisfied!? Do you really think we’ll accept such nonsense now!!?”

“You refuse my forgiveness?”

“Of course! If this is the path to salvation, then all we have left is to annihilate Machines and Returnees alike!”

“I see… It seems like our words are beyond your reach. It is regrettable that we cannot save thee. Thy choice has been made, and I shall accept.

Eva's expression changes slightly.

In that moment, Cainan picks up on her intent, and he screams across the entire city.

“All troops, fall back immediately! Now!!”

As he says this, Cainan veers his ship towards the central tower.

And then, sensing the urgency of the situation, Sargon ordered his soldiers to retreat—

“Eva Dominance XII commands. Purge the Paragon.”

At the sound of Eva's voice, a great change took place in the city.

The silver city began to shutter as if it were a living organism and became covered in small, hexagonal scales. Then, as all the scales began to vibrate in sync—

—A shockwave ran through the entire city.

With only a few words from Eva, Machine Supervisor, the situation had turned on its head. 

Countless Paragon bodies were scattered across the city. The ships that had been flying in the sky and even the mobile weapons were frozen, and the area was filled with silence.

Eva's plan was to use Perses itself as a weapon.

The sonic weapon, “Harmonia.”

It allowed for sound waves to be moved directionally, making it possible to focus and attack specific targets.

By the time the Paragon remaining inside the city realized they were under attack, they had already been destroyed from the inside to the point of no recovery.

The same goes for the pilot of Dvergr. No matter how strong the armor, it was nothing but a scrap of paper in front of Harmonia.

Those who experienced the least damage were a small portion of Sargon's force, which barely escaped the target area, and the ships of Void and Rhea, which were positioned in the rear of the city.

And so…The only ones to make it to the interior of the city were the crew of Cainan’s ship.

“We have to seize the command center before that Machine notices us.”

“Yes, sir!”

On the way to the command center, Cainan thinks back to his last memory—the message sent to him just before Eva’s appearance in the sky above the city.

It was Thero Dawid, a collaborator with whom Cainan had been in secret contact with, and the one who had implanted his own false memories in him.

‘I'll use everything I can…’

He didn’t know if Thero was in the city, but the fact he had been able to enter at all was likely due to Thero’s guidance.

If that was the case, it wasn’t impossible that he might appear in front of him someday.

‘It doesn’t matter whether you monitor my actions or not. What matters is the results.’

He had to subdue Eva as quickly as possible and secure the Machine body. It was only a surprise attack. The longer it took, the more at a disadvantage Cainan would become.

Cainan's troops kicked aside the Machine soldiers scattered throughout the interior and ran for the command center. And then―they finally arrived at the heart of the colony, in front of the door to the command room.

“You guys will hold them off here."

"B-but, Lord Cainan, are you going alone?"

“No, I’ve got a trump card. Once we have her in my sights, it's over.”

“I understand. Please stay safe."

“I'm counting on you here.”

Leaving his aides saluting, Cainan opened the door to the control room... And there was Eva, surrounded by white space, connected by cable to a pillar that stretched from the center of the to the ceiling.

“We meet at last, Eva Dominance.”

“―Why is a Paragon here?”

With a small, scornful smile, Cainan opens his mouth.

“Your plan to turn an entire city into a strategic weapon is brilliant. However, no matter how well you devise a plan, if there's even one flaw, it's all meaningless.”

“An operation? It’s impossible. Not once has our defense perimeter been breached in the past.”

“Hmph, how foolish. Your assumption is incorrect.”

“Incorrect? No, that isn’t possible…”

Eva, who had prided herself on being perfect, felt a slight flutter in her mind.

“Would you understand if I told you it was 14 years ago?”

The small flutter becomes a large ripple that leads to an impossible answer.

“No way, you’re already… No, this Paragon all this time…”

Seeing Eva's expression of shock gradually deepen, Cainan spoke in a voice laced with amusement.

“Did you finally notice?"

“He’s nourished a snake in his bosom…!?"[1]

“Good answer.”

Cainan leisurely approaches Eva.

The fact that he had managed to slip through the colony's security system and stood in front of her unharmed was proof enough.

Eva spoke calmly, so as not to tip him off that he was pushing her into a corner.

"You think you can defeat me on your own? With just a draw of your gun?"

The desperate remark was met with a laugh.

“It's over, Eva. As soon as I stepped in here, the outcome had already been determined.”

“Are you out of your mind? It seems like this Paragon has a flaw after all. Your emotions render you unable to comprehend the absolute difference between yourself and Machine.”

Cainan responded to these words with delight.

“—Incunabulum.”

“Ah—?”

A look of surprise flashed across Eva's face.

Then, as if she had lost focus, the rebellious gaze she had been directing at Cainan was now directed elsewhere. Her body movements slowed down.

“W–why…?”

Eva collapsed in place.

“Superimposition.”

Saying this, Cainan gently stroked his chest.

Even though he had Thero’s help, deep down he was skeptical that it would work as well as it did. Before Eva could regain control of her body, Cainan pulled the cable out of her body and connected her to a terminal he had prepared.

“Lady Bathsheba… Your wish will finally become a reality. Eternal salvation is coming. The beginning of the end you desired—”

Cainan looks up to the sky, driven by an urge welling up from within.

“...?”

Just then, he felt his vision waver for just a moment.

After the war with the Machines, he was so excited to have played a role in fulfilling Bathsheba's great desire that he was on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

Cainan made that decision, but the words that came out of his mouth immediately afterward made him feel uneasy and out of place.

“I… No, we’ve done it. You've done well so far, Cainan."

Cainan. Why did he call out his own name just now?

Had he really intended to speak those words in the first place?

A chill runs down his spine. His thoughts spin rapidly as he reflects on his actions. He was the one who came up with the plan to seize the body of the Machine. He was the one who was in charge of the war.

And yet, Cainan couldn't remember when he'd started behaving like that.

Cainan screams, struggling against the sudden sensation of his footing crumbling beneath him.

“I– I’m… Cainan Melvias…I’m not you, I can't be!!”

Was it a feeling brought about by Thero’s memories, or was it something Cainan's soul truly desired?

In the gap between two personalities that are beginning to blend, Cainan is about to be swallowed up by something.

[1] The original line「獅子身中の、虫……！？ (“A worm in the lion’s body”) as “He’s nourished a snake in his bosom…!?”

The original line is a Buddhist term, referring to those who cause disaster from within or return a favor with an enemy. It can also be used to refer to people who cause harm while inside an organization, or people who are allies but cause trouble from within. 

The closest approximation I thought to use in English was “He nourished a snake in his bosom…!?”, which refers to one of Aesop’s Fables, The Farmer and the Viper. In this story, the farmer takes pity on a viper in the cold. The viper, revived by the warmth, bites and kills the farmer, who dies knowing it was his own fault.

With Thero’s snake theming, I also thought it was an appropriate choice.