"It feels like it's been a while since I last heard your voice, Elle."
"I was thinking the exact same thing."
They exchanged wry smiles, then traded a few brief words about how things had been going and other light pleasantries.
"...Elle."
When Katia called his name, her voice carrying just a hint of wavering—
She stepped closer, and then—thud—rested her head against his chest.
"Lady Katia?"
"Sorry. ...Just let me stay like this for a moment."
It was a posture that looked like she was clinging to him, yet she wasn't quite embracing him—just quietly, ever so slightly, leaning her weight against him. She was, at least, managing to hold back from fully collapsing into him.
Somehow, Ermes felt he could understand what she was feeling right now.
If they let themselves truly collapse into each other—if they fully leaned on one another for support—there was the fear that neither of them would ever be able to stand back up again.
Because nothing—absolutely nothing—was over yet.
"Because this is only the beginning, isn't it?"
Katia answered, sensing that Ermes's words showed he understood.
"Yes. Defeating that Monster is part of it, but... the real fight for us still lies ahead."
"...Right."
That was correct.
Right now, all their resources were devoted to dealing with Karma—not by choice, but by necessity. Even so, the true battle for the two of them lay beyond this point: the fight that would come after defeating Karma, after storming into the Royal Capital.
The real enemy they needed to defeat. The person they truly needed to talk to... both of them were waiting inside the Royal Capital.
Katia was with Yurugen.
Ermes was with Laplace.
Partners bound by deep entanglements, ones they had realized from the start would never see eye to eye, or ones they had thought shared the same ideals but who secretly wished for ruin.
"............"
...Suddenly, if only now, the thought came.
When Yurugen betrayed them, Katia had screamed "Why?" over and over. Ermes had felt exactly the same thing. Why had they—why had they gone and done something like that.
The specific details of it, they still didn't know.
But... the broad strokes of the motive, now they could sort of understand.
It was simple, really.
Yurugen, and Laplace too. They had followed what they believed in, what they simply could not help but do, or what they deemed "right" for themselves.
No one, not a single one of them—
had just done whatever they wanted.
That was probably all there was to it.
The specifics of it.
They themselves might not be able to comprehend it. Perhaps even assuming they could easily accept or empathize with it was arrogance in its own right.
But, even so.
—I do want to understand, properly. Right now, honestly, that was what they felt.
And for that sake... they couldn't afford to stand still in a place like this.
Surely, Katia's feelings were something similar.
That was why, right now. They both had to keep their nerves taut for that very purpose. This was a time when they had to keep their eyes on that truth and continue pressing forward.
……However.
And yet, precisely because they had spent the longest stretch of time together, they were special to each other. Even just this light contact was enough to make it feel like something deep inside her heart was mending.
"Thank you. I'm okay now."
A few minutes later, Katia pulled away. What shone in her eyes was her usual, resolute light.
……Because they both already knew what they had to do.
"We're going to win, El."
"Yes. Without fail."
Childhood friends, master and subordinate, and people who could walk together side by side.
For those two, no extra words were needed.
Having exchanged just that, the two of them once again began walking in separate directions.
……It felt as though the anxiety she had been harboring just a little while ago had been eased, if only slightly.
And so.
The day of their decisive battle had arrived.
Sorry it's a short one!
Next time, the battle begins!
I plan to go full throttle from the start, so I hope you'll look forward to it!