Chapter 100

Still, she couldn’t dismiss it as a child’s nonsense. The civilization a thousand years ago had far more advanced Guiding Force technology than the modern era. If this was the opinion of a researcher from that time, then it was valuable knowledge. Menou couldn’t trust it completely, however. She had reasons to doubt it, even if they were small. During the fight when Maya was still Pandæmonium, the girl displayed a fair amount of attachment to her homeland. The Four Major Human Errors initially desired to return to Japan just as Hakua did. “Don’t you…want to go back to your original world…?” “Nah. Not anymore.” Maya replied as casually as one might discard a piece of trash. “I like it when people compliment me, you know? Dancing, singing, acting… If I look cute doing it, people pay attention. I love any world that praises me for being adorable.” Maya had been loved. Even if it was calculated on her part, she still felt unmistakably loved. “So I don’t care anymore.” The one who’d praised her the most was gone from this world and the other. Nothing else drove Maya. It was evident from her tone that Japan didn’t matter to her anymore. Menou brought up another subject to lighten the mood. “Sahara certainly is late.” “No kidding. She’s got some nerve making me wait.” As if in reply, Sahara’s voice sounded from somewhere nearby. “Seriously, what is your problem…? I don’t have a big sister. You’ve got the wrong girl.” “A big sister would never mistake one of her younger siblings! But, oh yes, of course. It’s been less than a year since you were born, right? No wonder you don’t know your big sister yet.” “Excuse me? I’m seventeen, for your—” “Awww! It’s amazing you can speak so well already. And you walk despite being only an arm! But you do realize there’s no need to imitate organic life by breathing and all that, right? Playing copycat is bad for your brain—I’d stop that if I were you. So come on, little sis. Let’s go back home, just me and the arm that’s really my sibling, okay? Having a meat sack for a body is such a drag! Flesh that isn’t red is garbage. There’s no point mucking about with it. But don’t worry. Your big sister will build you up into some nice pretty colors, okay? Come on now!” Sahara was being harassed by a strange person. A glamorous woman with bronze-colored skin clung to Sahara’s artificial right arm. She was wearing sunglasses that concealed her eyes, but there was no disguising her loveliness. “…Who’s that?” “I have no idea, dammit!” Sahara was deeply unhappy with the situation. Another oddball. Menou’s forehead creased as she wondered how they’d resolve this new situation. “Hmm?” The brown-skinned beauty hanging off Sahara removed her sunglasses to peer closer at Maya. Menou and Sahara both gasped. Her eyes were the clear, marine blue of pure gemstones. If the color were limited to her irises, it could be discarded as stunning natural beauty. The issue was that her sclera were dark and shimmered like obsidian. Upon noticing this clearly inhuman feature, Sahara swiftly yanked herself free. Intelligence to match any human’s, and near-perfect mimicry. Menou couldn’t sense the shape of this woman’s Guiding Force, but there was no doubt about it. She was a conjured soldier made from all three primary colors. Sahara hurried over to Menou and Maya. Those Primary Color conjured soldiers possessed of all three shades were considered so dangerous that meeting one spelled almost certain death. While Menou raised her guard against this powerful foe that had appeared out of nowhere, Maya and the brown-skinned woman stared at each other and scowled. “Ew, gross. Raw garbage from the south. Don’t get any closer or she’ll get her rot all over you, little sis.” “Tell me, Sahara. Why has my minion brought back a piece of scrap from the east?” The south and the east. Sahara silently pleaded for help, trapped in a quarrel between the offshoots of two Human Errors, and Menou carefully avoided eye contact with her.