Khalia

"Enough with the grim talk. Check on Heidemarie first. She's shaking like a deer." Everyone's attention turned at once at Chloe's words, and only then did Heidemarie clutch her trembling hands. "...Heh. I said that, but I can't help being nervous. This might be too much for a student to handle. Heidemarie, it's not too late to turn back, if you want to." Chaos rooted in the planet Ellinad, the 'Theater of Illusions.' The Theater of Illusions suddenly triggered an additional bloom for reasons unknown. Its influence spread instantly, consuming even Ellinad's Second Pioneer Base. Countless casualties occurred as a result. And that number continues to rise at an explosive rate even now. It was the greatest disaster Heidemarie had ever witnessed.

But her companions remained calm. "That's disappointing, Heidemarie. I thought after a few missions, you'd learned to trust us. Don't worry. You won't have much to handle. Just think of it as getting used to real combat with us." "Mev, talking like that won't relax anyone. I'll show you how it's done. So... Heidemarie, three Protos are participating in this operation. One of them is said to be exceptionally capable. So don't be too afraid. If things get really bad... just throw Mev in as bait and run. That idiot will survive somehow." "What?" Evie's joke lightened the mood.

Heidemarie took a deep breath and looked at her companions. People walking into the flames without hesitation. Faces smiling as if nothing was wrong. Right. It's the same mission. No one is tense. Nothing has changed about what we have to do. Trust them. I'm the only one overthinking this. That's what she told herself.

Three hours since mission start. Terrain twisted by the influence of Chaos. Screams and cries of the people. Blaring alarms that numbed the ears. [-kzzzt.] Reports continued to pour in through the communicator. [SS Edenity 3rd Platoon, facing annihilation...] [Area 5, additional collapse... kzzzt... rescue impossible...] [Requesting support...repeat, support... kzzzt...] The Chaos storm raged without pause, and rescue operations grew increasingly difficult.

"Mev...!" Even Evie showed unease, and all eyes turned to Mev. "...This won't work." Mev spoke, as if coming to a decision. "At this rate, all the survivors will die. We split up. Right now, protecting them matters more than rescuing. Khalia, head to the civilian residential area in Area C. Evie, you're with me. We're heading to the emergency bunker in Area A. Chloe, support the first Protos. And lastly, Heidemarie, you go to Area D—" He stopped mid-sentence. His gaze shifted to Heidemarie's trembling hands. "...No. You focus on rescuing civilians while we buy time." Reading his intent, Heidemarie raised her voice. "I-I can fight too!! I'm a combat agent, how can I—" "You're going to fight like that, shaking? That's an order from your commander."

At Mev's words, Heidemarie fell silent. Even now, her hands were trembling. "Heidemarie. I told you, it's enough for a rookie to get used to real combat. You won't be able to avoid fighting entirely. Just... keep a little distance from the most dangerous areas. Understood? From Area A to D is within the Protos' assessment range. Stay within it." The others seemed to feel the same as Mev. Seeing their expressions, Heidemarie had no choice but to nod. "Alright. Go with Khalia first. The residential area in Area C hasn't been fully consumed yet. Once you're done, regroup with us. The communicator frequency is—" "I-I've set it." "Split up." At Mev's command, everyone moved in different directions.

Smile

Ellinad, Second Pioneer Base, Area C

As soon as Heidemarie handed over the bleeding man to the pioneer base Agent, she asked.

Ignoring the suggestion, Heidemarie rushed back into the scene.

Ellinad Second Pioneer Base

She shouts into the communicator.

The communicator emits a brief static noise.

Through the communicator, the sounds of intense combat mixed with monster roaring could be heard.

Even at the simple request, her mind went blank.

The withdrawal of combat Agents depended on how quickly she could rescue the survivors.

She took a deep breath and steadied herself.

After a brief silence, a response came back.

The noise over the radio was growing louder.

Ellinad Second Pioneer Base, Indoors

As she tears open the door, she sees a trembling family of six people.

To reassure anxious civilians on site, rescue Agents must always smile.

She recalls the advice Khalia once shared.

Heidemarie forced a smile.

Heidemarie lowered her voice, concealing Khalia's transmission.

The survivors mustn't become anxious.

Ellinad Second Pioneer Base

Heidemarie was running urgently, carrying a rescued child in her arms.

Though she used the shuttle as an excuse, the slower the survivors moved, the longer Khalia and the Agents would have to remain on site.

Without realizing it, she found herself asking the rescued to hang in there.

As they reached the point where the Pioneer Base Agent was visible, she shouted.

Heidemarie set the child down and turned around.

She turned up the volume on her communicator again.

At the same moment the radio crackled over the public frequency, a middle-aged woman appeared before Heidemarie.

The woman was pointing at the debris of a collapsed building.

In this moment of conflict, someone's voice echoed in Heidemarie's head.

Past Reminiscence

Ellinad Second Pioneer Base

Heidemarie looked back and forth between the communicator and the collapsed building... and made her choice.

Because that was the promise.

Ellinad Second Pioneer Base

After rescuing the middle-aged woman's husband and three additional people, Heidemarie picked up her communicator.

Static.

Khalia's voice, breathless.

Heidemarie felt her blood run cold.

As Heidemarie headed toward the field, a monster that had broken away from the group revealed itself.

Khalia

Ellinad Second Pioneer Base

After defeating the monster, she stood up.

Too much time had been wasted.

Even during combat, she had heard Khalia's transmissions over and over.

Heidemarie recalled Khalia's last transmission as she sent her signal.

Then, with a tremendous sound, the ground shook.

Building 34-2, where Khalia had entered, began to collapse.

Heidemarie stood frozen, watching the scene.

Mev's Request

Deep within Area A, Ellinad Second Pioneer Base

A transmission she had sent hundreds more times while heading toward the interior of the command center.

No answer came, but Heidemarie tried persistently.

The radio signal was poor due to Chaos's influence.

The interference was getting worse.

Finally, Heidemarie pleaded into the communicator.

Heidemarie felt relief at Mev's voice and headed deeper into the command center.

Her anxiety about her dying companions far outweighed her fear of the Monsters she might encounter.

Just like with Evie, Heidemarie couldn't bring herself to tell Mev about Khalia.

For now, she only mentioned Evie.

Heidemarie froze in place, stunned.

At Mev's firm tone, Heidemarie's lips trembled.

A monster's roar echoed through the communicator.

Mev urgently sought confirmation.

Heidemarie answered through her tears.

At her promise, Mev's voice became much more at ease.

Soon after, a horrific scream rang out over the radio, then cut off to nothing.

Heidemarie, who had been frozen in the nightmare, turned around in an instant.

This wasn't the time to grieve or despair.

To keep her promise to Mev, she had to get back to Evie.

But at that moment, a monster crawled out from the end of the corridor, shaking the building.

Mev & Evie

Ellinad Second Pioneer Base, Indoor Area A

Blood flowed, obscuring her vision.

Her exhausted body trembled, losing control.

Something was wrong with her leg too, it was hard to walk straight.

Still, Heidemarie got up and moved toward Evie.

Supporting herself with blood-soaked hands, she turned down the corridor.

Where Evie should have been, only bloodstains remained.

Heidemarie's body, which had been struggling to hold on, slowly collapsed.

Her dust-covered fingers groped across the sticky pool of blood as if searching for the person who had been there,

but no answer came.

Heidemarie laid Evie's notebook before Mev's grave.

Inside the notebook was a hastily scribbled sentence.

[Mev! We're having a baby! You're in big trouble now!]

Heidemarie closed her eyes in apology.

Chloe

Ellinad Second Pioneer Base, Area B

The surroundings grew increasingly chaotic.

Before long, it became impossible to even tell which direction led to escape.

Monsters were closing in, but Heidemarie felt a strange sense of relief.

Her companions were by her side.

Chloe cut off Heidemarie and picked something up from the ground.

It was a Life Core.

Chloe said as she brushed back Heidemarie's hair.

Looking around, the Agents whose eyes met hers nodded.

Those words weighed heavily on Heidemarie's chest.

Heidemarie mustered her last bit of courage and told Chloe about their companions' situation.

Chloe's expression hardened for a moment.

After a moment of silence, Chloe pressed the Life Core into Heidemarie's hands.

Chloe's promise that she would never die in front of her.

Heidemarie nodded.

Chloe contacted the Protos mother ship. The Life Core began to respond.

In her fading vision, Heidemarie's eyes fell upon Chloe.

Chloe smiled.

Ellinad Second Pioneer Base Indoors

The report was filled with details of the personnel Heidemarie had rescued.

A record showing the rescue of over a hundred civilians trapped inside the Chaos, and the elimination of dozens of monsters including high-risk entities in the process.

It was an overwhelming achievement for a student agent to accomplish.

However, Heidemarie's eyes were fixed on one spot.

At the bottom of the document, written in small letters.

[Deceased - Agents] [...... Mev/Khalia/Evie/Chloe - Bodies unrecoverable]

Water droplets fell onto the report.

Heidemarie clutched the report and began to cry out loud.

Heidemarie placed her hand on Chloe's grave.

The Day of Reunion

Before the graves of her companions

Heidemarie spoke as she pulled out weeds growing around Khalia's tombstone.

Heidemarie brushed off the pollen that had accumulated on Evie's tombstone.

Heidemarie smiled as she looked at Mev's tombstone.

Heidemarie pressed her forehead against the grave and whispered.

She looked at her companions.

Before she knew it, tears were streaming down Heidemarie's cheeks.

Waiting for a forgiveness that would never come, Heidemarie remained before her companions' graves for a long while.