Gideon Reise 

As long as there is someone to inherit it, that feeling will continue to live on.

Paragons, created by Machines to restore the devastated world. Suddenly, they could act according to their own will, and truly gained individuality. However, there were still exceptions among them—programs who had traveled outside the electronic paradise on their own accord. They drifted ashore into the bodies of Paragons, acquiring their own individuality. Those with such individuality were classified as having special traits among the Paragons, and these traits continued to be passed down. The siblings Yonah and Gideon Reise were two such inheritors.

They trained as guards in preparation for humanity's approaching rebirth. Thus, as time passed, the two of them gained the strength they needed and encountered the Returnee called Lena Ishmael.

The descendants of a program that traveled outside paradise, together with a newly born Returnee from that paradise—what would such an encounter bring? The first page was about to be written in a new era of the story of paradise.

We escaped Ionia using the ferry ship and headed for Ephes Colony. It was apparently thanks to Lena that we were able to escape the Innovators' sudden attack. I was unconscious at the time, so I missed it...

"Oww..."

My face hurt where that red-haired asshole had decked me. I looked so pathetic...not cool at all.

"...Nn...ah..."

Lena was all worn out from crying, and Yonah sat at her side hugging her. Miriam was nonchalantly tinkering with the controls. I wanted to be the kind of guy who could stay calm at times like this, too. Not to mention my fighting strength...

Brigandine lay in front of me, separated from its partner. I could still fight without the other. But, because of my weak will, it was all I could do to survive the fight. The result was the battle of Ionia. The city was destroyed, and many of our allies lost their lives. There should have been twelve Returnees, but only Lena remained. We couldn't afford to lose any more.

The strongest wins on the battlefield! That's the one and only rule!

The red-haired man's voice wouldn't leave my head. Yeah, I knew. As I was, I couldn't protect Lena.

"Dammit...I gotta get way stronger."

I couldn't forget this frustration. Someday, I'd definitely get him back for it.

"We've arrived at Ephes! Be ready in ten seconds!"

"Mm...wha...?"

How long was I out...? I must have been tired enough to fall asleep in spite of the ship shaking.

"That's ten seconds. How long are you planning to sleep in?"

"...I literally just woke up."

Miriam gave a half-hearted reply and went over to Lena and Yonah, still hugging each other in their sleep.

"Hey. Wake up, sleepyheads."

"...Hmm..."

Their expressions seemed to soften.

"...Hey, freak, do you always stare like that when I'm not looking?" Miriam asked me.

"Wha—I wasn't looking!" I protested.

"Then stop standing there like an idiot and start carrying Lena. She still hasn't recovered all the way, you know."

With a bleary-eyed Lena on my back, we got off the ferry. We were in the allied city of Ephes, at the heart of Ephes Colony. It was one of the closest cities to Ionia and had long been on friendly terms with it. It was thanks to that connection that Miriam was able to make it in time during the Innovators' last attack. We followed Miriam from the landing pad to a rest facility.

"They sure were tired, huh? Fell asleep the second they went in the capsules," Miriam remarked.

"Hey, Miriam, do we really have the time to relax in a place like this? We can't just stand around—we should keep moving, even if it's just a little."

"Ugh, seriously? You don't get it," she began. "That's the problem here. You guys have gotta get to Perses—that's, like, the farthest city I can think of. A certain someone failed to protect the Pequod, so it needs repairs and maintenance. If we don't get it together here, we're never gonna make it there...yah!"

"Ow!"

She flicked me in the forehead.

"What the hell!?"

"Have you calmed down a bit? A man's gotta keep it together at times like this, right?"

Miriam was right. If I didn't stay calm here, all our efforts would amount to nothing.

"Sorry...you're right."

"Wow, pretty humble of you! What happened to the cocky little brat Gideon from before?"

"Sh-Shut up. You're even smaller than me, so don't go talking like an old hag."

"The small comment was unnecessary, stupid brat."

Before she finished speaking, Miriam dug her fist into my stomach.

"Guh! Why...did you..."

"What's wrong? Can't answer me cowering on the ground like that?" she taunted.

"Whatever...I'm just a piece of shit nobody who passes out from a hard punch..."

"Wow, you are terminally pathetic."

"Fuck off."

"Oh, hey, I forgot I had something to give you. Here."

"...huh?"

I felt something near me and grabbed it. In my hand was a familiar black gun—

"Vambraze! Don't tell me you picked it up—wait, don't throw guns! It's dangerous!" I yelled.

"It's fine, I'm a firearms specialist."

"That's all you have to say?"

"Don't worry about the details, man. Doesn't it make you a little happier?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Of course!"

"You've got the power to fight. So you know what you need to do, yeah?"

Miriam reached a hand out to me. That's right. I did have the power to fight. So there was just one thing I could do now!

"Hey, Miriam. Can I ask you a favor?"

"Oh? What's that?"

The interest in her reply told me she already knew what I was about to say.

"Train me," I said.

"Sure."

I took her outstretched hand.

"Get ready for me to beat the hell out of you, brat."

"Ha, if you say so, old hag!"

I saw Miriam smile for the first time—it was a little crude, but that detachment was just the comfort I needed right now.

"Hah...hah...I can't...move...any more..."

I sank to the floor of the training room, thoroughly beaten by Miriam's demonic training regimen. Miriam was still full of energy herself. Honestly, I had thought I'd be able to fight a bit more.

"Gideon, you got a moment?"

"Wh-What now? Don't tell me you wanna go again?"

"Not for that. There's actually someone I want to introduce to you guys."

"Who?"

"Pardon me," another voice spoke.

"Hey, you want people to get the wrong idea?" Miriam hissed. "Stand up straight!"

"Ow—oww! I get it, I get it, stop pulling me!"

The voice laughed. "I see you're getting along well."

An old man calmly strode into the room, his white attire suggesting he held a high status.

"Allow me to introduce you, Gideon. This is Seth, the Machines' appointed overseer of Ephes Colony, as well as my foster father."

The colony's overseer... This guy was a huge deal. And...her father?

"When'd you get so polite?" I asked.

"My, is something the matter?" the man responded.

Miriam glared at me, her sharp gaze asking, you know what'll happen if you say anything, right?

"N-No, nothing at all."

"Is that so? Well then, if I may continue, firstly, the matter of Ionia Colony is truly unfortunate. I offer my condolences to the fallen."

"Thank you very much," Miriam replied gravely.

"I'm glad for your safety. I know you won't be here long, but I will do everything to support you all. Please, spend your time as you wish."

His gentle expression turned grim as he began talking about our current affairs. "Now, we must prepare for the approaching war with the hardliners. I'll be heading back."

"Ah, yes! Thank you for everything!"

"Of course. Miriam, I leave the others to you."

"Yes, father. I assure you they're in good hands."

Miriam smiled brightly as her father patted her. Huh...maybe she was actually cuter than I—no, no, no! What the hell was I thinking!? I was just exhausted, so...!

"All right, spill it. What are you standing there mumbling about?" she finally asked.

"Shut up. First off, since when do you talk like that? Pretty humble of you, eh? Milady Miriam?"

Before I knew it, I was blurting out all the thoughts floating through my mind.

"That's enough outta you!"

In an instant, Miriam delivered a heavy kick to my butt. I sank to the floor once more.

"Owww...!"

"Stand up! We're not done!"

"Huh!? Haven't I had enough!?"

"I'll have to shut up that mouth of yours. Get ready, brat, 'cause I'm really gonna beat you down this time—you should be grateful."

Not good... She really meant it. Why did I have to say that...?

Just as Seth said, it wasn't long before the war with the hardliners began. As the alarm blared, the scenery from back then came to my mind. I didn't want it to happen again.

"Father! What's the situation!?"

When we arrived at the command room, an operator greeted us with the cruel truth.

"Analysis complete! The hardliners—the invading army—number approximately 2,000!"

It was on a completely different order of magnitude from Ionia. Maybe it was to counter that gun Lena had...

"Thank you for coming. I have something to ask of you all," Seth spoke, his expression more grim than usual. "Even with this city's defenses, we cannot push back their front lines. Leave this place and escape at once."

"But—! We have to fight!" Yonah objected. "I don't want to see any more citizens get hurt!"

I felt the same. I wanted to fight them.

"Yeah, I can't sit back and watch like this!" I said.

"Yes, let us fight too!" Lena added.

"I cannot. You must understand that you have a mission to fulfill."

No matter how we argued, he wouldn't open his mouth again.

"Let's go," Miriam said, walking toward the exit as if nothing had happened.

"Wait! Isn't this your hometown!? How can you just accept this!?"

I ran after Miriam and grabbed her shoulder, but she shook my hand off. Our gazes met when she turned around.

"Just...shut up."

Her eyes surged with an intense emotion that was neither hatred nor sadness. There was nothing I could say back to her.

"Father," she said. "We'll be on our way."

"I'll be counting on you. Even if we fall here, as long as you all continue living alongside Lena, our hopes will not be lost."

"...Yes. Well, then."

There was no more conversation between them. The looks they exchanged said everything.

Miriam led Gideon and the others through the city, illuminated by the setting sun and the blaze of war. Seth had told them just one thing: to escape the city without fighting the Innovators at all.

"This is Squad 14, we can't take any more—"

"The front lines have fallen! I repeat, the front—"

Battle reports kept coming through the communicator on the way to the landing pad.

"Shit, you guys..."

As the situation worsened by the minute, the voices of her dying comrades ate at Miriam's heart, while she could do nothing but run away. It felt like torture, slowly constricting her from the inside. The fighting hadn't yet reached the city center, but no one could know when the enemy would come rushing in.

"There it is! The landing pad!"

Far above the landing pad, a fierce battle for control of the skies raged between the fleets of Ephes and the Innovators. There, a light cut across the crimson sky in a straight line. The Innovators' fleet had fired an optical weapon, burning up Ephesian airships. At the same time, those airships struck the Innovators with missiles. A great conflagration blossomed across the night sky.

"Let's hurry before this place goes up too!" Gideon called.

"A little more, Lena, hang in there!"

"Okay!" Lena replied. "Oh, Miriam! Look out!"

"Huh?"

Miriam turned around at Lena's words. The wreckage of a destroyed airship was about to crash down on her.

"Ah..."

"Miriam—!"

Gideon instantly moved to grab hold of her and then jumped back from the spot. It was just a fraction of a second, but it made the difference between life and death for Miriam, who was nearly smashed flat.

"Th-Thanks, Gideon..."

"Shit! The fire's in the way!"

The debris lay scattered across the landing pad, completely blocking off their path.

"Miriam, is there a way we can get around it?" Gideon asked. "Hey, say something...Miriam?"

Still in Gideon's arms, Miriam's eyes widened as she grasped the communicator tightly.

"...Fa—Fa, ther..."

"I repeat. Ephes Colony has fallen. Still, we will oppose the Innovators until the end. Even if we are destroyed here, future generations will surely inherit our will."

Miriam curled into a ball, unable to move from her spot as Seth's voice came from the communicator. She was desperately holding on, but the countless blows of despair had pushed her heart to the brink of collapse.

"Ah, ah... Father... Father..."

Miriam had fought so fervently with her small body, but now, crying her eyes out with the communicator in hand, she truly was a frightened young girl.

"You shouldn't cry, Miriam. Stand up," Gideon said.

"It's hopeless... There's no way we could ever escape the Innovators..."

"Doesn't matter. You've got a duty to take us east. You don't just get to decide it's over."

"Look at the situation! How are we supposed to get out!?"

Miriam wouldn't meet his eyes. Gideon squatted down in front of her, held her head, and got close enough to press against her forehead.

"Look me in the eyes, Miriam!"

"Gide...on..."

"No giving up before you try! The path goes on no matter what! If you don't see it, look harder! You can go anywhere as long as you don't give up!"

"D-Don't mess around! If you think attitude alone can fix this, I'd like to see you try!"

As tears rolled down her cheeks, Miriam's cry reached the girl in white. A desire to survive and save others moved her feet.

"I might be able to do it," Lena said, stepping forward with the small black Daybreaker in her hand. When she slowly readied it, a light shone from the gun and her eyes, as if they were resonating with each other.

"Alignment with Lena Ishmael confirmed. 40% limited activation approved."

"Wha—the gun talked!?"

"She should be able to destroy just the ship!"

The jet-black gun, as if absorbing even the light of the flames, gradually turned a pure, glowing white. It was a tiny light of hope amid the dark depths of despair.

A torrent of light, burning through the sky. It flashed through the sky, piercing through the wreckage of the burning ship, and carved a path forward.

"It's like a shooting star..."

"She...really managed to only blow away the ship."

Paying no mind to Yonah and Miriam's astonished faces, Lena and Gideon high-fived.

"Hey, Lena," he asked, "how'd you manage to destroy just the ship? That light was way more powerful before, yeah...?"

Lena closed her eyes as if recalling the scene, and voiced the feelings that had suddenly arisen in her.

"To be honest, I'm not really sure myself. I just thought that I wanted to do something about this situation, and it responded to me."

The party had found surviving hope in the path Lena cut, but their time was limited.

"Okay...we have a path. Let's get going, Miriam."

Gideon reached out to a dumbfounded Miriam. She tried to take his hand, but suddenly doubled over in pain.

"Your knees hurt? My bad for letting you get injured."

"Don't bother," she protested. "It's really not that—"

Before she could finish, Gideon wrapped a hand around her back and her knees, and stood up to carry her.

"Hey—the hell do you think you're doing!? This is embarrassing!"

"Enough out of you, old hag! Let's go, guys!"

With Gideon in the lead, the party made their way to where the Pequod was parked in the landing pad. Miriam took the pilot's seat and started the engine. Immediately, a console popped out and an emergency alert sounded. An armored bike stormed onto the landing pad, the explosive roar of its engine audible from across the battlefield. Riding it were the very hardliners responsible for the attack on Ionia—Isabelle and Saul.

"Her again!? Ugh, get off our case!" Miriam groaned.

To fight, or to flee? Miriam had to make a choice, and a second's delay could mean utter defeat. Amid the panic, Miriam noticed that someone had contacted her. She pressed the device blinking red and opened the line. On the screen she saw Seth, who not long ago had announced the fall of Ephes Colony.

"Father!?"

"Leave those ruled by their hatred to me. You need only head east."

It was a bolt from the blue. A combat vehicle appeared on the bridge's screen. The person riding it was none other than Seth. He was using his own life to stage a suicide attack on the Innovators.

"Fly far, ship of hope! Do not let them have their way with this world!"

"...I...understood, Father!"

Immediately after, a flash and an explosion enveloped the armored bike. A voice echoed in Miriam's ears as she flew the ship.

"Miriam, I am so proud to be your fath—"

Miriam could only sob at his final sentiment. Aboard the silver ship, Miriam and the others soared high into the blue.

"Fatheeeeeer!"

Miriam's cry was swallowed up into a peaceful sky oblivious to the horrors of war.

The party made their bitter departure from the war-torn allied city of Ephes, and flew off for the distant Perses Colony. They all stared at the scene reflected on the screen. They didn't want to miss a single moment until the burning city was finally out of sight.

"F...Father..."

"Miriam..."

Gideon placed a hand on the sobbing Miriam's shoulder to comfort her—even he hesitated to crack his usual jokes.

Dammit...I was useless again...

How long had he been thinking that? Holding his unhealed wound, he thought that the gloomy silence on the ship would continue, when...

"Honestly, how long are you all gonna look so depressed? You can keep staring at the floor, but Father's not gonna pop out of there."

It was none other than Miriam who lightened the mood.

"I made a promise to him. Lena, I'm gonna get you to Perses no matter what," she said.

"...Miriam...thank you..." Lena sniffled.

"Whoa, whoa, keep it together, okay? Now, you've all gotta be tired, yeah? Get some rest for a bit."

"Yeah, you're right..." Yonah replied. "Uh—what? What is that...?"

Before she could head for the sleeping quarters, Yonah spotted something on the radar.

"What's up, Sis...huh? What's that white spot...Miriam!"

On the radar at the Pequod's center, a white light popped up in the lower left. The ID displayed that it was an allied ship, but the speed with which it approached the Pequod was plainly abnormal. It was gradual, but in a few more minutes, it would certainly make contact.

"Wha...!? No doubt about it...that's the enemy!"

Tension ran through the inside of the ship. It shook, as if mocking them. The Pequod was under attack by an unknown vessel. The rear-mounted camera captured an image of an aircraft. Enlarging the image on the screen revealed a small, high-speed attack vessel. Aboard the ship, which was designed to be operated by one person, was the blue-eyed woman who had stood in their way countless times—Isabelle Yagrush.

"She's so damn persistent!"

"She chased us all by herself—is she insane!?"

"I'd love to get some distance here...but she's faster, so she'll board us at this rate. We can't let that happen."

"Miriam! Lemme borrow your rifle! We'll shoot her down! Come on, Yonah!"

"Fine by me—let's put an end to her!" Yonah replied.

"Got it," Miriam said. "I'll draw her in 'til the last second. Make sure you shoot her then!"

The two jumped onto the rear deck wearing safety harnesses, and instantly spotted the attack ship from their unstable footholds. She had closed the distance enough to be seen by the naked eye.

"Gideon! She's already in my Peacemaker's range. Can you make the shot?"

"Yeah, I'm on it!"

At Miriam's broadcast, Gideon instantly readied the Peacemaker. However, no matter how much he had trained, landing a direct hit at a high altitude with shaky footing and powerful winds was no easy task.

"Shit...should have expected it to be this tough in the air."

In between his attacks, the ship was quickly closing the distance. Just then, there was a flash of light.

"An attack! Get down!"

Machine gun fire burst at them. The bullets missed them and instead scratched the Pequod's armor, but had they been hit directly, even a Paragon's body wouldn't hold up. Furthermore, if the Pequod took much more damage, a crash would be unavoidable.

"What do we do...!?"

"You two! We'll hide in the clouds for a sec! Come back in!"

"Roger!" they said in unison.

The moment they returned to the inside, the Pequod dipped downward. In the blink of an eye, the ship was enveloped in waves of white clouds, close enough to touch. When Isabelle saw that the ship had vanished into the sea of clouds, she plunged in after them.

"Tch, still following us? I expected that, but she doesn't know how to give up!"

"I gotta think of something to do..."

"Either she runs out of fuel or we crash... Whoa, Lena? What are you—!?"

"Huh? What's Lena's doing?"

Footsteps clanged through the corridor as they waited for Miriam's response. The sound got closer, revealing the owner to be Lena.

"Lena!?" the siblings exclaimed.

"Let me help!"

Paying no mind to their concern, Lena clutched her glowing white Daybreaker to her chest.

"That's right! Lena's gun could swallow up the attack ship."

"We can't put her in danger...but right now, we have to rely on her."

"Guys! We're about to leave the clouds!"

The group nodded at Miriam's words and returned once more to the deck. As soon as they opened the hatch, they were assaulted by fierce winds and freezing cold air.

"W-Wow, it's windy..." Lena remarked.

"Don't bite your tongue from the shaking, Lena!"

"Hey, she's coming!"

There was a soft boom, like plunging into a ball of cotton. The shape of Isabelle's attack ship emerged, drawing a white line through the night sky, moonlight at her back.

"Now! Shoot her, Lena!"

"N—No... I can't...aim..."

Despite all her training in the old world, it was near impossible to aim at such a small target while the ship shook every which way. As she breathed hard, no longer able to tell if it was the ship shaking or her own body, Lena felt Yonah's hands wrap around her own.

"Oh...Yonah?"

"It's all right, Lena. I'll be your eyes."

"Okay!"

Lena heard Yonah's breathing in her ears and adjusted her own to match. Her body's trembling naturally subsided. The gleaming gunfire and sparks scattering off the armor gently faded to the edges of her vision.

Along the line of fire, blue and silver eyes crossed paths.

Both pulled the trigger at the same time. A torrent of light engulfed the ammunition fired from the attack ship, painting a silver line through the night sky with its trajectory. The powerful impact created turbulence around the light, catching the attack ship in the surge. Smoke began pouring from its hull as it lost momentum, until it was out of sight altogether.

"You did it...you did it, Lena!"

"Everyone, stay on your toes! The turbulence is headed our way. Get back inside, quick!"

The moment they returned inside, a vicious jolt shook the three of them. It continued shaking for some time before gradually subsiding, and silence finally returned inside the ship.

"Whew...finally calmed down," Gideon sighed.

"Thank you, Lena," Yonah said. "You really saved us...ah, Lena? Lena!?"

Yonah called her name fruitlessly, as Lena sank into her side and lost consciousness, as if called someplace deep and dark.

The blue-eyed woman chased us out of the city we escaped with countless victims. Thanks to all the damage the ship took in our battle, we had no choice but to give up on our route cutting across the central part of the continent. We took a route along the coastline, searching for a place to refuel and repair the ship. Moreover, we had to prioritize the unconscious Lena's recovery. By the time we made it away from the blue-eyed woman, the night had already surrounded us. Flying blindly to look for another colony would be too difficult. So, we decided to land somewhere we could conceal the ship somewhat, and wait for morning.

Miriam, Yonah, and I took turns patrolling to watch for attacks. Miriam wasn't coming back from the deck at the shift change, so I called up to her, but she just sat there alone.

"Miriam, you know it's your shift next?"

I called out, but she didn't spare me a glance.

"Hey, I said it's time! Did you fall asleep?"

Her breath hitched.

"Just...leave me alone right now..." she replied.

"Aw, come on...don't tell me..."

"J-Just give me a bit. I wanna be alone here."

She piped up quickly, interrupting my words.

When she says that, there's no way I can leave her alone.

I went and sat down next to her.

"...Sheesh," she muttered.

I pulled her shoulders closer to me. Her small body was trembling faintly.

"You don't hafta hold it all in yourself," I said.

"...G-Gideon..."

"Yeah?"

"What's with you? Even though you're just a brat...who's weaker than me..."

"Yeah, I'm weak, and I'm a brat."

I didn't need her to tell me that. Still there were things I understood because I was weak.

"That's why I can't leave you alone," I continued. Softly, I put my hand on hers. Which one of us was shaking...?

"And look—you're the only one I can show that weakness to."

"Ah..."

"I know you're scared. I'm scared too. So..at least with me, you don't have to bear it alone."

Some obstacles had to be overcome with another person. That's how the others saved me.

"...Not fair...saying stuff like that now..."

"Hey, if you wanna cry, then cry."

At that moment, I felt Miriam's body heat intensely. Her feelings reached me through the heat that passed through my chest.

"...ah...ahhh..."

We stayed like that for a long time. Before I knew it, the shaking of our joined hands had stopped.

"It's almost dawn," I noted.

"Sure is," she replied, sighing. "I can't believe I showed you something so embarrassing. I'm really losing my edge."

"It's all because of me, yeah?"

"Wh—huuuh!? As if!"

"Seriously, you can stop that. Lying to yourself, I mean."

Miriam turned around, nearly jumping.

"What the hell are you talking about all of a sudden?" she demanded.

"That you put up a front so no one makes fun of how tiny you are."

"That—"

"I'm glad I got to meet the real you. Do you hate when people see that side of you?"

"I don't...hate it."

"Then you can show it just to me. Just the way you are."

Miriam looked the other way. Time passed with no reply. Was this the right time...?

"Well, whatever. Are you feeling better? You could go back to the ship and get some rest."

"Wait."

I tried to stand, but something suddenly blocked my vision. I felt a faint heat from Miriam.

"Nn—!?"

"...Heh."

Looking at my bewildered face, Miriam smiled through her tears.

"Perhaps when I'm just with you, being this Miriam isn't so bad," she said.

Her smile was a little crude. Even so, she was the most beautiful Miriam I'd ever seen.

"Y—You...you actually..." I stammered.

"What'cha staring at? Cat got your tongue?"

"You—you're so cruel for catching me with your sneak attack, old hag!"

"Pipe down, brat! That was the wisdom of age."

"You wish!"

In the end, things went back to the usual. At that very moment, we were surely beginning to change.

We waited for dawn to get moving, and headed down the coastline, checking for cities where we could refuel along the way. The central part of the continent still seemed to be desertified, and we learned that there were places still untouched by Paragons' hands. The world was so vast...but knowing that and seeing it firsthand were two completely different things.

Hm? Wait, did something shine just now?

"Hey, Gideon. Did you see that?" Yonah asked.

"Yeah. That structure doesn't match the scenery...there's gotta be a city down there!"

We contacted Miriam immediately.

"You think there's a city? Hmm...the ship's map doesn't have one on record there."

"If it's not on the map...maybe it's abandoned?" Yonah suggested.

"Yeah, that could be it. Well, we don't know what's down there. Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

Miriam looked at Lena, lying on a simple bed.

"Well, can't knock it 'til you try it. Let's go!"

"Roger!" the siblings returned.

We found a flat area we could use to land, and began our search of the abandoned city.

Antulya.

That was what a rotting sign said, buried in the sand. I glanced around the area. Sure enough, the buildings were terribly deteriorated, eroded by sand and wind. The exposed pipes everywhere were rusted, their joints peeking through, and the grass growing apologetically around the dilapidated structure gave it a lonely feeling. I listened carefully, but the only other sound besides us was that of the wind.

"I know she said we should try it, but there's really nothing here...how harsh," Yonah said.

"We're still on the outside," Gideon said. "Maybe we'll find a treasure at the center! Doesn't this kind of place get you excited?"

"Hah, sure."

Yonah was feeling down about Lena's condition, but I hoped exploring this city might relieve her tired heart. As we searched, we made our way toward the city center.

"This is...the town square, maybe?" Yonah guessed.

Children's playground equipment was set up in an open space at the center. In a hall further back, stone benches sat evenly spaced apart.

"Think they used it for meetings and festivals?"

"It looks like a place for people to come together..."

Even a city this large would die without its people. I felt a sense of loneliness come over me. I moved to touch some ruins whose shape caught my eye, when—

Shing.

A wet metallic sound came from behind me. Goosebumps spread across my body at the unusual sound.

"Who's there!?"

I turned around in a flash. There was a blue doll—rather, a strangely dressed man—how long had he been sitting there? I faced him, holding Vambraze out of sight.

"Who are you...?"

"I do apologize for startling you," he spoke. "You see, it's been quite some time since there have been any visitors to this decaying city, and I felt a twinge of curiosity. I couldn't help but involve myself."

The man doffed his hat and stood, bending his body strangely. Yeah, this guy was way too shady. Here we were in a long-abandoned city in the middle of a desert, encountering an unknown Machine—this was abnormal no matter how you looked at it.

"So? What's a Machine like you doing in a city like this?"

Depending on his answer, I'd shoot. The man in blue carried a worn-out shotgun at his waist. We had no way of knowing his strength in combat, and it was possible we would have to fight him. But, he seemed to have no interest in fighting, and made his appeal with his arms spread wide.

"Oh, my, I have no intentions of hostility against you. So long as you don't mean to provoke me here, that is."

With that, he began to tell his story. Apparently, he was living out his retirement here. He had quietly whiled away the time since drifting here, always preserving his lifestyle. I found it hard to totally believe his story, but every now and then, as he talked about the city, I felt his gentlemanly passion for it..

"Hmm, I've talked for quite some time. Perhaps it's thanks to this body of mine? I may have found an unanticipated joy in exchanging words with others," he said, pointing us to the exit as if he were a tour guide. "It's hardly enough to thank you for your time, but I can offer you some fuel. Where have you left your ship?"

We decided to guide him to the ship. When we arrived, Miriam was initially wary, but Yonah's story seemed to convince her.

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"Well, we've finished refueling, so let's be off."

We had refueled without incident, and were ready to leave the city. As we were about to board from the rear deck, we heard a hatch suddenly pop open.

"Everyone...I'm so sorry..."

"Lena!? You're doing better!?" I called.

"Yeah, sorry...I just made more trouble for you all."

"What are you saying? Nothing's your fault. If anything, it's you who saved...whoa, hey, you're burning up!"

Lena crouched down, Miriam supporting her.

"Lena!? She can't be out like this, we have to get her to bed right away!"

"Lena, you said?" the man in blue spoke. "Surely...you can't be...Artemis...?"

I hadn't expected him to show any serious interest in us. And yet, he was clearly shaken at the sight of Lena. His expression shone with pure, childlike joy, unable to contain his curiosity. And then, he said:

"Would you allow me to examine her? It is rather old-fashioned, but I can show you to the city's medical equipment."

"Hold on a sec, pal," Miriam interjected. "I'm not simple enough to just follow you blindly. Who the hell are you?"

"I suppose this will be my second introduction, then. My name is Blue Stein. I am one of the gods who formerly administrated the electronic paradise—the lowest ranked among them."

A Machine and a self-proclaimed god. Right now, I had no idea the changes to our journey this strange encounter in the abandoned city would bring.

Up until this chapter, Miriam has had one particular style of speech: she uses the personal pronoun atashi, a casual, more feminine variant of watashi; the second-person pronoun anta, a blunt and often rude variant of the common anata; and otherwise casual speech patterns. Around Seth, she suddenly flips to using the extra-formal watakushi and other polite forms. Gideon teases her for being an ojou-sama, a prim and proper young lady—and she flips back to her casual speech to berate him. After their kiss in Episode 9, her "being this Miriam isn't so bad" line is spoken with watakushi and anata, showing her allowing herself to be softer with him.

Related note: Miriam addresses Seth as ogifu-sama, a very polite way to refer to a foster father, stepfather, or father-in-law—I decided the first makes the most sense given the setting, but it was a bit wordy to make her say this every time, so I opted for just "Father," which sounds far more natural in English, letting her explain their relationship to Gideon when first introduced.

Also, Blue Stein is here! (He's blue) Fans who had read the digital Metaverse stories up to this point would recognize him as the real-world incarnation of Old Blue, a former ruler of the Metaverse exiled from the mainframe after Typhon seized power, and an ally of our Lena's predecessor. It'll be some time before we have complete translations of that storyline available, but currently you can read a summary via the doc linked on the digital Metaverse page!