After a whirlwind of events, we somehow managed to keep Xeoral in the air.
“Overall Healing!” I chanted. I restored everyone back to good health, starting from those who were most injured. As I looked over my friends and everything around me, I realized that we really were pushing our limits this time around, and we’d been in more danger than I’d thought.
Unfortunately, my healing magic wasn’t really effective on Noa’s body. I’d thought I could help regenerate her crumbling body, but my spell simply enhanced one’s own self-healing abilities—if one’s own ability to heal themselves deteriorated, my spell wouldn’t be as helpful. It was probably like how I couldn’t instill vigor into a person who was about to die. There was probably another spell to aid healing in a different way, but I’d have to look into it on another day. Personally, I was just overjoyed that Noa was still alive, and I decided to just take it one step at a time. There was no rush.
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed since the whole ordeal, but Xeoral gradually began to float higher above the water again, and it was now gracefully swimming through the air. That troublesome device was now under control thanks to the efforts of Orthoaguina and Sita, but they’d probably have to call in some researchers from Kairomea to fully dismantle it. The plan was to restore Xeoral back to its original state—it was probably difficult to do anything of the sort without Noa’s consent, but I was sure that we’d be good on that end.
Emilia and the prince also wanted to help with any restoration efforts when the time came. Even though our hectic debacle had only just ended, those on top were always busy, it seemed—all I could do was quietly cheer them on as they swamped themselves with work. Incidentally, the humanoid mithril statue surprised me by suddenly activating and getting to work, doing its utmost best to clean up the utter mess, so I suppose the restoration efforts were already well under way.
According to Orthoaguina, Nike had abused his rights and sealed the statue away, allowing it to only indirectly jump into action. Now that Nike had died, the statue was able to move as it pleased, and now it had its work cut out for it. Admittedly, I found it adorable how sad the statue looked trying to puzzle out how it could even begin to handle the fallout of Nike’s device.
“By the way, how can we go back home?” Emilia asked now that we’d all caught our breath. “We’ve got some plans to speak with our mother below.”
Now that she mentions it, I have no clue how we’re leaving either...
According to Orthoaguina, there had been some sort of platform that would stretch up from the mermaid stage and temporarily allow travel to and from Xeoral, but since Nike had destroyed it and we’d been launched here, I was at a loss for how to proceed.
“Ahem, you all have no need to worry,” Orthoaguina declared. “According to the fairies, much like how the spirit was capable of throwing us onto Xeoral in an emergency, Xeoral itself has a method of wrapping guests up in a mucus-like membrane that allows them to be safely shot down into the sea and collected by the spirit. These mutual methods have been available since ancient times.”
I could practically hear him puff out his chest in pride, like he’d been dying to show off knowing that answer. You arrogant book...
“Um, so we have to fall back to the sea, just like how we fell onto Xeoral?” I asked.
“Well, yes,” Orthoaguina replied. “When put simply. Rest assured, Xeoral isn’t alive, so you won’t be inside a bubble of spit or anything. It’s a very convenient sticky substance that can absorb any and all shock.”
We all fell silent.
“We refuuuuuuse!” Emilia shouted.
“I’m sorry, Princess Emilia, but if we’re to follow your schedule, we need you to acquiesce,” the prince said apologetically.
Sacher and Safina gave an apologetic bow before dragging Emilia away. “Noooooo!” she screamed. “You monster! You demoooon!”
Uh, should you be saying something like that?
“Lady Sita, I leave the rest to you,” Prince Reifus said.
“Y-Yes, Your Highness,” Sita replied.
She and Rachel apologetically followed poor Emilia, who had the unfortunate privilege of being the first to be shot out of the island. I knew that Xeoral wasn’t a living creature, but watching it spit her out sort of reminded me of something gross... I decided to keep that to myself, however. Yep, Mary, no matter how crazy things get, you always have to remember one thing: Nothing good ever comes from associating with spirits and fairies. Once Emilia was shot back below the island, I guessed that she’d explain the situation to Queen Belletochka and end up being thrown back up with some supplies. I feel so bad for her...
Nike’s wretched destruction of our exit platform was truly unforgivable, and I was demanding it be fixed immediately for the sake of justice. If the restoration didn’t make it in time, we’d also be spat out, after all, and I wanted my interaction with that thing to begin and end at thanking Emilia for her service.
Just as I was making my case, however, Noa approached us, supported by Lily, Snow, and Tutte, and the mithril statue was also behind them.
“First things first, a burial,” the prince said.
Noa was trying to rush to our side, but I didn’t want her to push herself and went to her first.
We planned to have the burial once Emilia returned, and after a while, a familiar ball reached the island. Queen Belletochka had accompanied her daughter to Xeoral this time around, but Her Majesty looked pale, having thrown out her back from being launched so mercilessly by the spirit. I pretended not to notice the queen was looking so pitiful.
We respected Noa’s wishes and decided to bury Agard’s remains in Xeoral. Since Eneres seemed like their home, I suggested that maybe he could be buried there, but Noa claimed that separating him from the Argent Armor would be too sad, and I had no reason to press further.
When we searched for a burial spot, Noa said that she wanted to lay him to rest beside the evening primroses. After Noa dug through her memories, she, Snow, Tutte, and Lily searched for some, and shockingly enough, in the middle of this desolate land was a single spot with them that had seemingly been protected by some sort of mysterious force. Was this thanks to the will of the Argent Armor? Or were the fairies protecting this place? Unfortunately, we could no longer ask the former for any answers.
The Argent Armor had received the brunt of my attack and her soul was purified, but shockingly, the armor itself hadn’t been destroyed. The quiet, normal suit of armor had been reassembled on the pedestal in the depths of the temple and silently stood there.
“Wouldn’t a bigger ceremony be more fitting?” Orthoaguina asked out of kindness. “Surely, we can build a better, grander gravesite as well.”
But Noa shook her head. “This is just fine. Agard never liked stiff formalities, and when we threw the armor away, he said that he wanted to live quietly without attracting any attention.”
Noa received the help of the mithril statue as she buried Agard’s remains. “Agard, you gave me so, so many fun memories. Thank you,” she murmured. “And thank you for giving me a heart. Please watch over me and the rest of us from above.”