NOVEL ONLINE FREE Despite inflicting considerable damage to the Millennium Autonomous District, the Ark incident, which marked Mika’s third abduction, could conclude with a happy ending.
Aris had regained her daily life and gained a roommate named Kei. It could feel somewhat discomforting to share a body with a personality that had once stolen her own…
“Ah, crisis situation… Please, another me!”
“Ah, Aris-chan…? It’s not like I can keep losing like this…”
“I’m sorry, Hanao Yuzu. The princess desires victory.”
She was getting along well… very well, with her sudden roommate. While there were still some who remained wary of Kei, they were gradually becoming accustomed to her presence.
Having already faced heartbreak once, Kei was now a being capable of doing anything for Aris. Since she had chosen to give up the Ark to preserve Aris’s life, her only remaining mission was to assist the princess.
“Aris-chan… I think this is a bit… wrong…”
Just a moment ago, Aris’s character had hit rock bottom, with the K.O. message flashing on the screen from just a single hit. In contrast, Yuzu’s character was in an extremely advantageous position, with her health bar barely touched.
But when Kei intervened, the situation flipped 180 degrees. As the K.O. flashed on screen, it was Yuzu’s character that lay defeated on the ground.
“I believe if Aris has a rival like Yuzu, she can reach even greater heights!”
After quietly finishing her task, Kei handed over control to Aris and vanished. Thus, Kei had seamlessly blended into Aris’s daily life.
“…Ah! Yuzu, I must take my leave now. I completely forgot I have an appointment with Rion-senpai soon.”
“Are you really saying you can’t play any longer…? Ugh. Be careful, Aris.”
Considering what Rion had done, it was understandable that Aris felt uneasy about meeting her.
However, at least for the Game Development Club, Aris had somewhat forgiven Rion, largely thanks to the Honest Conversation they shared aboard Utnapishtim’s Ship.
Leaving the Game Development Club’s room, Aris walked through the campus, greeting her fellow Millennium students as usual. In her haste to meet her appointment, she was able to arrive at Millennium Tower without being late.
Without delay, when she stepped into the first-floor lobby, Aris tilted her head in confusion.
At the same time, in a corner of the lobby, two girls, Yuuka and Noa, were chatting over coffee. Yuuka’s gaze quickly fell on Aris.
It was as if she had a radar for detecting young girls.
“Oh, Aris-chan!”
“Hello, Aris-chan♪”
“Yuuka! Noa-senpai!”
With a bright smile, Aris approached the two. However, Yuuka squinted her eyes at Aris.
“…Wait a minute. Why is Noa the only one called ‘senpai’?”
“Perhaps it means I regard Yuuka-chan more comfortably?”
“Is that so? That makes me a bit happy…”
Aris nodded as she observed Yuuka’s rapidly changing expressions.
While others addressed themselves with ‘senpai,’ Yuuka was Yuuka, just as Mika was Mika. Of course, there were reasons she didn’t necessarily call others ‘senpai’ because they belonged to different academies.
“You came to see Rion, right?”
“Ah, yes. I promised to visit Aris at this time.”
“Okay, then. Noa and I should head up as well, so let’s go together.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Yuuka stood up, and Noa chuckled softly. After all, Yuuka really adored cute kids.
The three of them quickly ascended to the top floor of Millennium Tower and headed straight to Rion’s office.
[You can come in.]
So fast that it was like lightning, the three received permission and paused. What they saw was Rion and Mika sitting very closely together, having a conversation that looked suspiciously intimate.
As Yuuka blinked in surprise, she turned her gaze to Noa. Seeing Noa with a slight frown at the corners of her mouth, her judgment was swift.
“Uh, I just realized I seem to have something I need to take care of. I’ll head out first!”
It was true she had something to take care of, so Yuuka felt no guilt at all. She wanted to avoid getting involved in someone else’s love triangle.
“…Yuuka-chan is something, isn’t she? What does she think of people?”
Noa, reading her thoughts easily, scratched her cheek with a fingertip before sitting across from Mika. Aris took the seat facing Rion.
“You two look like you’re getting along well, huh? Even today.”
Noa had no real desire to meddle in Mika’s relationships. It was fine for people like Nagisa or Hina to voice complaints, but she believed she had no place in the somewhat complicated relationships everyone was tangled in.
However, she certainly yearned for the seat next to Mika…
‘I actually prefer the spot in front of Mika.’
The front, where she could fully imprint Mika’s figure in her memory, was the seat she cherished the most.
So perhaps? When they met together with Haruna, Haruna’s place next to Mika became hers.
Just witnessing the two together was enough to make Noa the happiest person in the world.
“Heueng… does it look that way?”
“Then, does it not look that way?”
“Ahaha! That’s true. Yes, our relationship is what it is…”
Mika responded casually to Noa’s words as she suddenly grabbed Rion’s hand. Then she lifted that hand and brought it in front of her face.
Chuu.
Leaving a light kiss on the back of Rion’s hand, Mika grinned.
“It seems our Rion-chan really likes me a lot.”
“…That’s true.”
Rion’s comment following Mika’s proclamation made Noa’s eyes widen in shock.
That the president, Rion, would so readily agree to such a statement and blush lightly…
‘Really… If Mika-chan captures him, Rion-senpai has no chance.’
With that, it looked like if Mika wanted it, he’d willingly give up everything.
In that moment, Noa suddenly had a question.
“Um, Mika-chan? Did Nagisa-san easily let you off the hook?”
And upon hearing that question, Mika’s body stiffened.
“…Ahaha. Well, I wonder about that?”
“She didn’t, did she?”
“Ugh, uhm. It seems Rion-chan is somewhat…”
Mika glanced sideways at Rion as she corrected her statement.
“No, she’s quite upset with him.”
“That’s understandable. Honestly, I don’t view Rion-senpai that nicely either. The Rion I know would probably just be repeating that he wouldn’t allow it.”
For those entangled in a romantic relationship with Mika, it was likely they shared similar sentiments. The details of the incident had long been transmitted without the omission of even the tiniest detail.
“Uhm, that may be the case, but I think it’s probably better than when it was with Haruna-chan.”
It wasn’t just idle talk. When it came to Haruna, perhaps because she felt her position was threatened, Nagisa desperately tried to keep Haruna at bay.
Compared to that time, this time, where Mika’s intentions were clear, it wouldn’t have been unexpected if the outcome had already been determined.
“By the way, sorry for the late greetings! Hey there to you both☆”
After a cheerful greeting to both of them, Mika changed her expression to something more serious as she looked at Aris.
Rion’s expression grew slightly darker as he fixed his gaze on Aris.
“Actually, I wanted to have a slightly serious conversation today. How’s your condition since that day?”
A week had passed since the Ark fell—a long time for some and short for others, filled with various occurrences.
After a week of many people running around tirelessly, losing sleep to deal with the aftermath, Mika returned to Millennium once she had regained some leisure time. It was to check on Aris’s condition once more.
“…? I’m perfectly fine.”
“No, uhm. What I meant to ask was…”
“Ah! Is it about Kei? If so, I recommend that you talk directly with Kei!”
Mika stared blankly, as if questioning ‘Wait, is that possible?’.
She then chuckled softly as she watched Aris’s eyes turn crimson once more.
“…Haha.”
“The princess’s vessel is in perfect condition. Furthermore, I remain only to support the princess with her permission. I promise not to take any unilateral actions that might cause issues against her will. Is that response sufficient?”
“Uh, um? I haven’t asked anything yet…”
“Please feel free to ask anything you wish. I will answer sincerely.”
Mika felt an unexpected sense of goodwill from Kei and gently tapped the table, gathering her thoughts before speaking.
“Actually, most of what I want to ask has already been answered by Kei-chan… There’s still something I’d like to say, though.”
“…It’s not Kei-chan; it’s Kei. And, what is it that you want to say?”
“Yes.”
Perhaps she had now accepted the name Kei or simply resigned herself to it. Mika, gazing at Kei, who didn’t seem to deny it, wore a genuine smile.
“Thank you, Kei-chan. For saving Aris-chan.”
“…I must reject that. I have not done anything worthy of such gratitude. My purpose of existence is solely to assist the princess, and her safety must be the highest priority. Thus, I—”
“Thank you anyway. Aris-chan is as precious to you as… perhaps even more so to us too. So, it’s my thought that even if we were temporarily adversarial, I believe we can get along well from now on. So what do you think about that?”
“…”
Kei blankly stared at the hand extended towards her from Mika. After hesitating for a moment, she let out a small sigh.
“Princess, please do not rush me…”
Though she grumbled, Kei ultimately grasped Mika’s hand carefully.
“Let’s get along well from now on, Kei-chan☆”
“…I too, will do my utmost to look after the princess.”
“Uh? I was talking to you——oh. You’ve already gone in.”
“Kei is a bit shy. She enjoys hiding like a boss entering invincibility mode during phase transitions!”
Aris exclaimed this, lightly ignoring Kei’s complaints ringing in her mind. She then turned her head to Rion and posed a question.
“Rion-senpai, do you remember?”
“…What about?”
“Surely you haven’t forgotten our promise from last time…? This is troublesome. Beeep. Aris’s favorability decreased by 10.”
“…Ah. I remember. As discussed, although not the next life…”
“I’m glad you remember! I was worried I might be stood up, Aris, and was very anxious.”
A bright smile that ranked among her brightest smiles so far broke on Aris’s face as she spoke.
“If I make a game with Rion-senpai, there’s no doubt it will become the greatest game ever!”