Vol. F Ch. 1 Ep. 3: A Fissure in Everyday Life 1

I-I think I found it!

...! You found it?!

Y-Yes, I believe so! I've located some kind of underground structure measuring about 132 m x 23 m x 13 m at specified coordinates.

That must be it! Contact the general right away! This is of utmost urgency!

Yes! On it!

And use the anti-espionage network to contact the chief of defense of the General Student Council too.

Yes!

...

Hurry! Go, go, go!

Yes!

Kaiser PMC...

The PMC troops are moving towards the desert?

Mm. On an unprecedented scale.

Whatever could they be doing? I wish they would've just stayed quiet.

What Shiroko said is true. I've noticed mobilization of Kaiser PMC troops all over the area recently.

Those jerks really think they can just trample down our district like it's their backyard.

They must be doing something in the Abydos Desert. We have no visibility there since it's still considered Kaiser property.

We can survey the area unofficially, undetected.

Shiroko...

I love your enthusiasm, little one, but let's try to learn from our past mistakes. That didn't work well for us the first time either.

Y-You're right...

I agree with Hoshino! Maybe we can ask Sensei what to do next.

I would love to consult Sensei as well, but they've been especially busy recently... We might just be a bother...

What nonsense are you spewing?! Sensei'll make time for us.

Let's have some faith, Ayane. Sensei has always helped us whenever we needed it.

They're right. Sensei wouldn't have messaged me to check in on how I was doing if they didn't care enough to help.

You got a text from Sensei?!

Shiroko, you braggart! Don't rub it in our faces!

I wasn't trying to brag about anything. I'm just reporting the facts.

Heehee. If Shiroko's happy, we should just leave her be. Although, I wish Sensei had checked in on me too...

No way! Shiroko's so spoiled because you always leave her be! You have to lay down the law sometimes!

Y-You really think so?

Um... I...

Look at those big puppy eyes! How can you stay mad at her? ☆

Hahaha... More importantly, what did Sensei say?

Just asked how I was doing. It was nothing special, really?

Interesting... Just out of nowhere? For no reason?

We can get to the bottom of it easily. I'll send Sensei an invitation to come to Abydos.

That sounds like the perfect plan! Thank you, Ayane!

This concept is no good.

What? Why?! I thought it was great!

We chose a fantasy genre RPG with a combat system based around swords and magic.

Yes, and...?

And the main character of our fantasy RPG is riding around on an intergalactic battleship.

They're fighting evil space pirates! How is the main character going to rise up and defeat evil without a battleship to fight them?!

And I'm trying to tell you that RPG heroes don't fly on spaceships...

Well, why not? I think "Space Hero" has a really nice ring to it!

What do you think, Yuzu?

I-I... It's not too bad... It has a kind of Dadaist vibe people like these days...

See?! I might not know what that means, but she said it was super cool!

You too, Yuzu?

I like the space hero too.

Aris?

Aris! You're back!

How was visiting the Engineering Department?

They performed a simple physical examination and various health checks, but said nothing was abnormal.

Veritas has asked me to complete regular examinations. Like weekly quests.

Th-That's good... I hope you're feeling okay...

What about that weird thing that tried to take over your body... Kei? Did you manage to find Kei?

Do you ever pay attention? Its name is Key, not Kei.

Stop sweating the little details! Kei sounds better than Key anyways!

No. We have not found Kei.

We're just going with Kei? I guess it doesn't matter either way...

The Engineering Department does not currently have the technology to identify if Kei is still inside of me, so Veritas is also helping me now.

...As long as you're okay with it.

Of course she's not okay! That weirdo tried to turn Aris into some robot princess thing! Don't worry Aris, I'll kick its butt if it ever comes near you again!

Really, though. Are you okay, Aris?

I am good. The next time I see Kei, I will release my laser beam at three hundred percent. No, I will do it at one hundred thousand percent!

And I very much like Momoi's space hero. A party of heroes on an intergalactic battleship! It is a good idea.

You get me! I really love it because riding on an intergalactic battleship is my life's dream!

Will I ever get to ride a battleship as well?

I don't think that'll be possible, Aris...

What do you mean? The Engineering Department told me they were making a huge ship that can sail the skies with real fancy technology, like with Aris' railgun.

There's no technology in Kivotos fancy enough for a flying battleship. It's a pipe dream that'll just leave you wanting.

R-Really...?

It is okay! Dreams are meant to achieve the impossible. I have learned this from my adventures.

Aris is right! I'm inspired! Okay, our new story for the game is going to be a space opera about a party of space heroes!

Yes! I like this idea very much!

Let's change the genre to a bullet hell shooter with an extremely hard difficulty...with no continues or annihilation bombs...

*sigh* ...I knew this was gonna happen.

...

Kei...

Princess... Do you deny...the very purpose of your existence... The purpose of mine?

A key deprived of its function is no longer a key. It is rejected.

...Understood.

I shall keep watch over you from the shadows, princess... Aris.

But one day you will reach the end of the road and you will no longer be able to deny your purpose. Aris, you will be forced to accept our fate.

And when the time comes...

...Hm.

Aren't you offloading the worst of your tasks off to me, Rio?

First you invoke the dangerous legacy of the Nameless Gods, fail, and now you turn around and ask me to process and analyze heaps and heaps of data.

Well, I suppose being remorselessly shameless after nearly causing the end of the world is the privilege of our Big Sister.

You are blessed by my presence in your life, for I am as pure and beautiful as mineral water from an ice cap. I will benevolently grant you a favor.

Now then, what did you want to tell me?

...

...

This...

It's not concrete. It's an interpretation of speculation on top of a hypothesis, but I still see it...

With this... I can empathize with your apparently paranoid delusions that led you to such drastic matters.

I must admit, Big Sister is a fitting name for you indeed.

I am nearly as impressed by you as I am by myself, the delicate genius beauty known for her mastery of the Omniscience.

But you made up the Omniscience degree.

You startled me...! Eimi, h-how long have you...

Ever since you were saying something silly about ice caps?

...

Wasn't the Super Phenomenon Task Force originally under the direct control of President Rio? I know where that is.

So, did the president leave us a message?

I haven't gotten to everything. The most important data left is locked up in her black box, so it'll take me some time to sort through it.

But the biggest takeaway is this: we must prepare for a supernatural phenomenon of a staggering degree.

What do you mean?

Consider it a warning from Big Sister.

A warning that something ominous lurks on the horizon.

...

What is our next course of action?

Eek! How did you sneak up on me too? If you keep startling me like this, my perfect face could form a wrinkle!

The president's exclusive maid, Toki...?

I have been here from the beginning. There are many places to take cover in here.

Wow, that must be the skills of a special agent. I didn't catch a single hint of your presence.

You didn't go with the president?

No. She told me to do as I pleased from this point forward and disappeared.

I'm still trying to understand what that order meant.

I was hoping to find some answers in the place where the president resided most often when the two of you came.

Hm...

Did you not join the C&C after Rio's departure? You came from them originally... Did they reject you?

No. The upperclassmen were very kind to me, however...

However?

How do I say this...

...

Ah. I understand the situation.

...

I wouldn't have taken you for the shy type.

Making friends may not be my strong suit, but if something dangerous is threatening Kivotos, that's where my talents shine. I can help.

...What do you think, President?

One as wise as me knows better than to turn away a genuine offer of help.

Thank you!

Heehee. Excellent. Our next steps are clear.

Eimi, we'll need to enlist Schale's help to move forward.

Understood.

...