Amatsu gazed down at the village. We could hear the people chatting in their houses; it was dinnertime. “What I want to tell you, simply put, is to be wary of Spica La Gemini.” “You don’t have to tell me…” “Really? You’re the naivest girl out there. You feel even for your enemy.” I couldn’t argue with that. My firm belief, the compass of my life, was that people could understand one another by talking it out, even if they had once been at one another’s throats. “I’m not sure where to begin… Okay. I was originally one of the Five Imperial Sabers of the Heavenly Paradise, but the previous Goddess ordered me to infiltrate Inverse Moon.” “You’re a spy? So you really weren’t with Inverse Moon from the beginning.” “Exactly. And don’t let Her Highness know that, okay?” “Of course.” I nodded. “Thank you… According to the previous Goddess, the world will end if we let the Wicked God Slayer do as she pleases. And this isn’t just an assumption. She’s seen the future. She knows.” “Was she a fortune teller?” “……… I see. Karla didn’t tell you… That makes my job harder…” Amatsu frowned from the bottom of his heart. “The previous Goddess is the one with the charm on her face, right?” “Yes. And she is Karla Amatsu from two years in the future.” “What?” “Think back on it—weren’t her voice and mannerisms similar? That version of Karla Amatsu turned back time twelve years to change the future.” “………Wha…?” WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?! My scream echoed beneath the new-moon night. Surprised villagers came out of their houses. They were all beast-folk. This must’ve been the Lapelico Kingdom. I could say nothing more, my jaw on the ground. Amatsu heaved a heavy sigh and explained the truth behind the Heavenly Ball, the previous Goddess’s identity, and what had happened to her in the end. “And so she fulfilled her mission and disappeared.” “Wa-waaah… Waaaaah……!!” The next thing I knew, I was sobbing. It was such a tragic tale. I never could’ve thought all that happened to the Goddess behind the scenes… Well, actually, there had been a lot of foreshadowing, but my mind could barely keep up with the Heavenly Ball as it was. The other Karla Amatsu sacrificed her own time to stop the terrorists from destroying the world and entrusted her past self with the future. I could never make that choice. Karla truly was one amazing Goddess. “Goddess Karla appeared before me over ten years ago. Naturally, I couldn’t believe she was the future Karla Amatsu at first. After all, Karla was nothing but a weak-kneed and impudent child. Who could believe that brat would grow up to be like that?” “Who’s this brat you’re talking about…?” “We don’t need to talk about past Karla. The point is I couldn’t believe it, but I ended up having to after seeing the proof. It was then Goddess Karla told me about her timeline, the future the terrorists destroyed.” That I couldn’t believe. Inverse Moon taking over the Heavenly Paradise after Karin Reigetsu became Goddess and declaring war on all other countries… “I was ordered to investigate Inverse Moon when I was sixteen. I quit the Five Imperial Sabers at eighteen, left the Heavenly Paradise, and became a member of Inverse Moon. Odilon Metal, who you defeated before, joined around that same time.” Many merciless terrorists were in Inverse Moon. They had done a lot of harm to me and my friends. “I worked tirelessly to gain the esteem of Spica La Gemini. I did terrible things you would detest me for. I’m not trying to write off my misdeeds as unavoidable, but at the very least, I had to perform them to fulfill Goddess Karla’s orders.” “And then…you got close to Spica.” “Yes. But…” Amatsu hesitated for a moment. “That girl hasn’t the least intention of destroying the world. Her thoughts are confined to ‘the inside of her room,’ so to speak. She’s like how you were before.” “What does that mean? She’s a shut-in just like me? Ah!” “Don’t worry about hiding it. I already knew you were a shut-in.” “…” Talk about embarrassing. “In any case,” he said, going back on topic, “I couldn’t believe Spica would destroy the world. She just wanted to go to the Netherworld.” “She did say she wanted to turn it into a peaceful paradise… Wait, but you can go to the Netherworld, right? But you never took her?” “There’s a limit on the size of things I can take between worlds. Besides, I didn’t feel the need to fulfill the enemy’s wish. The only thing I did was tell her about a terrorist named Yusei who was causing trouble in the Netherworld.” He frowned. “…To be quite honest, I think Yusei is far more dangerous than Spica.” “Yusei… The leader of Star Citadel, right?” “Yes. The Netherworld is at war because of her. If it weren’t for your mother, the conflict would’ve encroached on this world by now.” “R-right! You know my mom?!” “We killed each other a few times when I was an Imperial Saber. About six years ago, she fell victim to a natural disaster and was thrown into the Netherworld. There, she found out about Yusei plunging it into war, and she’s been going up against her since. Yusei will end up invading this world if we don’t stop her. Just like how Nerzanpi Rocha damaged the Enchanted Lands.” “W-wait—hold on. Is my mom…?” “She’s alive and well.” “Not that. I mean, yes, that’s good to know, but… Why did she never come back to …?” “She’s been fighting. Sacrificing herself…for the sake of the people.” That was Yulinne Gandesblood for you. Nothing like this shut-in vampire. But… “But what about a quick visit or something?” “As you know, it’s difficult to go back and forth between this world and the Netherworld. Besides, my Core Implosion can only transport small things. She’s too tall.” “But you could transport me.” “You’re short. You’re just small enough to count as a carry-on.” “You make it sound like I can fit under your seat!” “But isn’t it good news, though? Now you can just stay over here in this world.” I was at a loss for words. It was only just hitting me that the homeworld I’d yearned for was right in front of me. But I still had a job to do. “…I can’t go home now. I have to go to Star Cave.” “Of course. Let’s continue, then.” Amatsu crossed his arms, unfazed. “While I spied on Inverse Moon, I also assisted the mercenary group Full Moon. From my experience within both organizations, I can tell you that Yusei is more dangerous… And the Goddess herself mentioned that Tremolo Parcostella plans to lay waste to the Foreworld.” “Huh? She’s really using strings to…” “She has a hidden power.” “What? Another one?” “We don’t know what activates it, but she can control black miasma. Goddess Karla told me Tremolo is responsible for killing Nelia Cunningham in the future.” I was speechless. Amatsu paid no attention to my bewilderment and continued: “That’s how dangerous Star Citadel is… But no matter how strongly I advised Goddess Karla to be more wary of Yusei than Spica, she refused to budge. She insisted it was Spica La Gemini who had destroyed her world. Apparently, even Tremolo ended up under Spica’s rule in that future.” “Mmm…? Wait, so then does that mean Tremolo joined Inverse Moon in that timeline…?” “The world is never certain. I still don’t know who is friend and who is foe.” Amatsu looked up at the new moon and sighed. “But within this haze, I trust Karla alone. I want to believe what she says is right. So I wanted to warn you to watch out for Spica.” “…I see.” “By the way, apparently, you’ll eventually fight Spica and die.” “Could you at least have broken the news with a bit more gravitas…?” I wanted to object, but I couldn’t say it would be impossible. I could easily picture Spica slaying me. Amatsu gave me a sidelong glare. His kimono fluttered with the spring breeze, and he softly opened his lips. “Don’t trust Inverse Moon. Not just Spica; Tryphon and Cornelius are brimming with wicked will, too. You’ll wind up hurt if you get too close to them.” “…What about you and Fuyao?” “I don’t deserve to be trusted, either. I’m just a scoundrel who dedicates himself to deceiving others. As for Fuyao…she’s the most dangerous of them all at present.” “But she saved me.” “She’s been acting weird since we got to Neoplus. Something seems to be vexing her.” I hadn’t noticed, but he had spent more time with her before. “Talk’s over.” Amatsu turned around. “Be careful, Terakomari Gandesblood. Karla will be heartbroken if you die.” Amatsu activated his Core Implosion again, and the scenery returned to the bar in the Netherworld. “Where were youuu?!” Spica pestered me, red in the face. She stinks. She’s hammered. I then noticed she was holding a leash, which connected to a collar around Lingzi’s neck. “Save me,” she said, tears in her eyes. Now it was war. “Stop picking on Lingzi!” I yelled. “She’s my pet now!” Spica shouted. Fuming, I carefully explained that, actually, she was my wife. Spica burst into laughter while Lingzi’s face boiled over, and I returned to my seat in embarrassment and took a sip of oolong tea. However, Spica had spiked it with mustard, and I spat it all out like a fountain, hitting Tryphon directly in the face, which started twitching with indignation. That only made Spica cackle even louder. So ended our get-together. The fatigue took over me the moment I got into the room. What the heck’s the problem with her? She’s even worse than my little sister! I had nothing but respect for Amatsu for putting up with her for the years he’d been a spy. “Haaah… I need a bath.” I sighed, walking to my suite’s bathroom. We’d swapped out the cheap inns we’d stayed at so far for a luxury hotel with private bathrooms. “We got all this tax money to spare! Let’s stay somewhere nice!” Spica had exclaimed. So it was time to sweep away the fatigue with a nice bath. My head was about to explode from everything Amatsu had revealed. Clack. I opened the bathroom door and found Fuyao, stark naked. “…” “………” Wet hair, flushed cheeks, a moisture-shrunken tail. She stared at me through the steam. I stared at her body unthinkingly. She was covered in scars. Clearly, she couldn’t have gotten the injuries littering her chest and sides just from falling down the stairs. I shivered. Had she gotten them during the fight with the Varmint? “…What’re you looking at?” “Waaah?! S-sorry!” I turned around in a panic. I heard Fuyao’s damp feet carry her to bed. She rummaged through her bag, took out her underwear and pajamas, and started putting them on like I wasn’t even there. “Wh-why are you here?” “…You didn’t hear? This is a two-person bedroom.” And why are you with me? I could take a guess. Spica must’ve decided that on a whim. “…Huh? But didn’t we come here together from the bar…?” “Are you blind? I left that place a while ago. Merrymaking only wears me out…” Fuyao ended up putting on her pajamas before I recovered from my confusion. They were made for beast-folk: There was a hole for the tail. …I have no idea how to talk to this girl. But there was something I had to ask her. “Fuyao, are you hurt?” “…? No, I’m not.” “But those scars…” She clicked her tongue. “…What do you care?” “How can’t I?! We gotta go to the hospital!” “These are old wounds. They’re not from the Varmint.” I didn’t understand. If they were old…then how come the Dark Core hadn’t healed them? “Ha.” Fuyao chuckled, as if she had read my mind. “Scars…changes to the body are recognized as part of the individual with enough time, so the Dark Core stops having effect on them. I always let my wounds heal away from the Dark Core’s area of effect. That’s why the scars remain.” “B-but why would you do that?” “Pain makes you grow.” Is she stupid? Nobody likes pain. It’s like poison that numbs your heart. But…if those scars weren’t from today’s battle, then I had no reason to say anything about them. “Get lost. I’m going to bed.” “…You’re not drying your tail?” She glared daggers at me. I was so scared, I wanted to coop myself up, but this was my chance. She had saved me two times now, and I hadn’t thanked her yet. I mustered my courage and parted my lips. “Thank you for today. You saved my life.” Pomf! Fuyao buried her face in her pillow. So she sleeps face down? Her tail wagged, and she sighed with annoyance. “…I’m going to kill you one day. I couldn’t let that monster snatch my prey.” “Are you still mad about what happened in the Heavenly Paradise?” “You humiliated me. I resent you down to the very marrow of my bones… But I won’t kill you now. Because you’re not ready to die.” I tilted my head. “…You said that before. What does it mean? You don’t kill people…indiscriminately?” “That would make me no different from a beast. And I’m no beast.” Amatsu had said that something was bothering Fuyao. Looking at her again now, I did think she seemed to be acting strange. Her other silly personality wasn’t showing up. And her third (?) personality, the one who had come out before the restaurant, wasn’t appearing, either… Anyway, trying to understand her more now could be a good idea. I looked through my backpack and took out a pack of inari sushi. I’d bought it before going to the bar, since Fuyao had seemed to want some. “Hey, Fuyao, could you please tell me why you think that way?” “Shut up. It’s lights-out time for kids.” “Consider this an afterparty. Look, I even brought inari sushi.” “!” Fuyao’s tail and ears shot up. She seemed interested. “Well, we wouldn’t want it to go bad,” she mumbled, sitting up. “Do you have a split personality? Where’s the other one?” “She’s asleep. She’s been quiet since we got to Neoplus. She always shows up to ruin the mood, but…” Fuyao talked in between bites of sushi. Her expression was flat. Rather, it was her usual stern terrorist look. But going by how her tail swayed rhythmically, I thought she was in a good mood. “…She hasn’t been reacting at all lately. I have control all the time now. It’s tiring.” “That’s normal for most people… When did this happen? Did you always have a split personality?” “It was some years ago. I think I had even more alters before, but they all converged into the other at some point.” What? I couldn’t possibly understand that without a degree in psychiatry. The point was that Fuyao right now seemed to be the original. I felt like it was easier to talk to this one. “I see. But I can’t imagine there being another me inside me… Sounds complicated.” “Not really. Our base beliefs are the same. She also respects that people should choose their place to die.” “That thing about you not killing those who aren’t prepared to die?” “Yeah. I have only killed those who have stood against me prepared to die. No exceptions.” Fuyao sighed. “…Is that enough? That’s about it. I have nothing interesting to say.” “Why are you with Inverse Moon? What’s your goal?” “…My goal is to be stronger. I joined Inverse Moon because…Her Highness took me under her wing.” “Spica? Where were you born? The Lapelico Kingdom?” “…” Maybe I asked too many things at once. I couldn’t tell if she was mad or unsure how to respond or something else. After a long pause, Fuyao spoke again. “I was born in a rural village in the Lapelico Kingdom that no longer exists. It was destroyed. I became a homeless orphan.” “Wha…?” “And after a streak of bad luck, I ended up crawling on the dirt somewhere I didn’t know. It was then that I met Her Highness. I don’t like that girl, but I do owe her.” Fuyao reached for her third inari sushi. She must’ve been hungry after not eating anything at the bar. I kept quiet. I didn’t know what to say. The fact her village was destroyed was too heavy for me to react to. “Uhhh,” Fuyao said, maybe feeling awkward from the silence. “And what’s your goal? Are you living for something specifically?” “I…” I thought for a moment before replying. “…For vacation? And world peace, yeah.” “How admirable.” “You’re not putting me down for it?” “There’s no point. Nothing I say could make you abandon that ideal. Tryphon said people can never understand one another… Couldn’t agree more.” “Hey, you are putting it down! Just indirectly.” “I’m not. The whole of humanity wants what you’re trying to achieve. If there was world peace, nobody would suffer from war. Even Her Highness, and I, and everyone else in Inverse Moon wish for the same… The problem is we see how hard it is to make that a reality, and through our struggles, we wound up being branded as terrorists. That’s why you’re so noble…for screaming about world peace without hesitation.” I was shocked. Fuyao wasn’t lying. Could it be? Was it really possible that in the right situation, this foxgirl and I could come to understand each other? She was a hopeless terrorist and a killer who’d ridiculed Karla’s dream, but even so, maybe we could reconcile. “Y-yeah!” I grabbed the inari sushi pack and brought it to Fuyao’s mouth. “Of course everyone wants world peace! And if peace comes to the Netherworld, then you’ll be able to eat all the inari sushi you want!” “I don’t care that much about inari sushi…” “Eat it! There’s still a lot more!” “No, you have some— BGH!” I shoved the sushi into her mouth. She resisted at first, but she soon gave in and started chewing, her cheeks rosy. That was too bold to do to a terrorist. But now I knew she didn’t kill arbitrarily. She had been honest with me and said people should be able to choose when to die. Fuyao swallowed the sushi and glared at me. “…Don’t get too cocky, or I’ll kill you.” “B-but you liked the food, didn’t you?” “…” She neither affirmed nor denied my question. The faint hope of us becoming friends welled up in my chest. Fuyao showed no enmity. No hostility. I could even feel some gentleness from this terrorist. So I took a step forward. “…We can make world peace a reality. It can’t be that hard.” “You’re delusional. The world is full of terrible conflict.” “The war in the Netherworld will end soon. I know so because my mom is working on it.” “…” Fuyao’s expression froze, but I didn’t notice. She had told me a lot about herself, and I thought it only fair to tell her about me. My mouth couldn’t keep from running. “She’s amazing. She’s fighting somewhere out there for world peace. I thought she died a long time ago, but a little while ago, I learned she’s okay.” “I see.” “She sent me a message asking me to help those in need. So I want to try to achieve world peace. I want to be like her one day… Although I doubt I could ever be half the woman she is.” “…I see.” “I feel like I’ll meet her soon. But I feel like I won’t be able to talk. I don’t know what to say to her… Hey, would you like to meet her? The Empress says she loved fighting, so maybe you’ll get along.” I heard a slash. A cut formed on my cheek. The ceiling and the floor swapped places after the sharp pain hit me. I was smacked onto the mattress. Fuyao had pinned me to the bed in the blink of an eye. Crrk! She plunged down her katana, burying it next to my ear. “Wha…?” Fuyao’s face was right in front of mine, her eyes glowing with hostility. She spoke in so low a voice, her words felt chilly. “A daughter does not bear the sins of her mother. But this tests my restraint.” “Wh-what’s the deal, Fuyao…?” “Yulinne Gandesblood destroyed my hometown.” My heart stopped. The memories came back instantaneously. Cherry blossoms prancing in the air of the Eastern Capital. In the middle of the blurry scene, a wounded foxgirl let out a series of hoarse screams. “I don’t care about your dream or anyone else’s! I only care about accomplishing my goals! “I will be stronger than anyone else. I’ll show you! “I will exact my revenge on Yulinne Gandesblood for destroying my hometown!” Cloing. A switch flipped. “Sorry. Fuyao went a bit too far.” I was befuddled. Those words had come from Fuyao’s own mouth. The new inhabitant of her body furrowed her brows with worry and reached toward me. “You’re not hurt, are you? Ah, she cut your cheek. I’m sorry.” “Wh-wh-wha…?” “Fuyao has some issues.” It wasn’t her chirpy “tail” personality. And obviously not her aloof “head” personality. It was like an entirely different person was taking over her body to make her talk. Is this her third, or even a fourth, personality…? Cloing. A switch flipped again. “Sorry! Made you bleed, eh?!” Now it was her “tail” personality. Fuyao smiled and pulled the katana out of the bed. I could barely keep myself from shaking. Even now, she emanated bloodlust. I’d stepped on a land mine. Just when I thought I was starting to understand her. “The ‘head’ is pretty delicate. Without me—the ‘tail’—to back her up, she wouldn’t even be able to stand on her own.” “…You… You’re…” “Don’t be scared. I won’t kill you. But I should let you know, Neoplus’s miasma really messes with my mental state.” “What was that other personality just now…?” “Well, the ‘tail’ used to be split into multiple personalities. They blended together with the passage of time… But now it seems like they’re differentiating again. I guess the miasma is keeping me from fronting like usual. That swirling willpower of sadness is mixing my personalities around, making them come out all weir—” Cloing. A switch flipped again. “Shut up already. My head hurts. I’m going to sleep.” “F-Fuyao!” “You go to sleep, too.” After that, she refused to respond. Setting aside the multiple personality issue… Maybe Fuyao and I weren’t meant to understand each other. I couldn’t imagine my mom destroying Fuyao’s hometown, but for whatever reason, the foxgirl clearly resented her. Frustrated, I brought my hand to my cheek. I couldn’t sleep. How much suffering was this foxgirl carrying on her shoulders? “HELL YEAH!! I’M OUT OF THAT STUPID CELL!!” Midnight. In the backyard of the government offices, a girl howled at the moon. Her clothes were tattered. Her body was covered in mud and scrapes. She was clutching a worn-down spoon in her right hand, and there was a hole just big enough to fit a person by her feet. In but a single night, Nefty Strawberry had risked it all to dig her way out of Inverse Moon’s underground cell. “Heh… Heh-heh-heh… Just you wait. I’ll kill all of you.” The flames of revenge burned within her. They had stolen everything from her. And now they were plotting to steal everything from Star Citadel. She would turn them into mummies in return. But for that, she needed her coffins. Nefty could not take on Spica or Terakomari alone. She resigned herself to searching for her coffins inside the building. I just hope they didn’t throw them away… Nefty tossed her spoon aside and sneaked to the back door like a ninja. But then: “Who’s there?!!” “Agh!” The guards found her right away. Two people in uniform. Back to the cell?! She broke out in a cold sweat, but then she remembered she had no reason at all to be worried. After all, she was Count Sandberry—their boss. In fact, this was her chance to prove the other her was a fake. “Good evening, gentlemen. Nothing to worry about on this side.” “G-Governor Sandberry?! Why are you here…? And what happened to you?” “Just took a bit of a tumble. Oh, but don’t worry; I’m not hurt. By the way, have you seen my coffins?” The guards looked at each other before glancing at her in suspicion. “You said you didn’t need them anymore and ordered us to burn them.” There could not be worse news. They burned my stuff?!?! Just before she pulled out her hair, Nefty noticed the weird stares the guards were giving her. “…Excuse me, Governor. What do you put on pizza?” “Huh? What’d you just say?” “It’s our password. You gave it to us. You told us that if someone who looked like you ever showed up, we should ask you for it.” What the…? Inverse Moon is too damn smart…! “…U-um, what was it again? My brain’s a little scrambled from my fall, ha-ha. Mind letting me off without the password just this once?” “No. What do you put on pizza?” “………………………………………………………………………………Onions?” The look on the guards’ faces changed. They glared at her as if she was an intruder. “She’s a fake!! Capture her!!” The thunderous yell echoed throughout the entire building. “I’M THE REAL ONE!!!” Nefty ran for her life. Guards materialized from every direction. “Kill her!” they yelled, in an unbelievably inappropriate display for government workers. Nefty was crying already. They were supposed to be her men! Damn it, damn it, damn it! You’ll pay for this!! A few minutes later… She managed to lose them by a hair. Exhausted, Nefty sank to the ground of a filthy back alley. She was covered in bruises from tripping multiple times while fleeing. Just a few days ago, she had been living it up as governor, and now she was reduced to an outlaw… What had she done to deserve this? “Sons of guns! I’m sick of this!” Things were looking awful. She was in the palm of Inverse Moon’s hand. This can’t be happening to me! Then Nefty saw something even more disheartening on a notice board. An official government announcement. “Wh-what the hell?!” She tore the paper off the board and brought it close to her face. It was an announcement for an event called the Great Spelunking, held by none other than Count Sandberry. They’re messing with me again?! But it didn’t end there. ◆ Announcement: Let’s kill the criminals during the Great Spelunking! With each passing day, more and more people are falling victim to the Varmints in Star Cave. Just recently, a medium-size specimen appeared in the plaza in front of Star Cave and kidnapped a small child. More residents of Neoplus have been attacked since. According to government investigation, the Varmints are under the control of a terrorist group we have identified as Star Citadel. These threats to the peace hide in Star Cave and plot to destroy public order in Neoplus. We cannot allow them to run free. For that reason, the government of Neoplus hereby asks all mercenaries in Neoplus, with or without a mining license, to join hands in a grand-scale exploration of Star Cave to discover Star Citadel’s hideout and wipe them out, along with their Varmints. We have identified two people as leading the charge in destroying Neoplus: Yusei and Tremolo Parcostella. You will be remunerated for your participation and the completion of the request. Please help us build a better future for Neoplus. “……………………Oh, shit.” Oh, shit. Nefty’s hands shook, and a cold sweat ran down her back. She’d underestimated Spica La Gemini. That stupid vampire had some malevolent willpower in her, sure, but Nefty hadn’t expected her to be this ruthless. Spica was turning against her all the fame, fortune, and power Nefty had worked so hard to build. “WHAT NOW?!” she screamed, pulling her hair. Tremolo was still in Star Cave. She was probably prepared to kill Terakomari and Spica while she looked for the Dark Core, but she couldn’t possibly have the power to take on all the mercenaries in Neoplus. What could Nefty do? Tell me, Yusei… Plop. Something fell behind her. Nefty turned around on reflex. Her jaw dropped from the shock of finding her bunny plushie there. “Y-Yusei?! Yusei!!” She quickly scooped the plushie into her arms. It had to be Yusei. The bunny didn’t move without willpower. “Thank goodness! Oh my gosh!” Nefty sobbed, rubbing her face on the bunny’s belly. “Yusei, Yusei, Yuuuseeei! You gotta hear this! Spica’s crazy! Tremolo’s gonna die! What can I do?!” She could feel her willpower coming from the plushie. The soothing power of the stars. Then Nefty received the answer to all her problems. “Huh? A Magic Stone? Nerzanpi’s? But then Star Cave will…” The plushie shook a little. Yusei whispered to her not to worry. All her fears dissipated. There could be no problem if Yusei reassured her so. “Yeah. Tremolo will be fine. Okay.” The light of dawn shone upon Neoplus. Nefty smirked with the plushie in her arms. Then she noticed someone approaching. The boss of Black Scorpion, Eugena Scorpin, stalked down the alley impatiently. She was red in the face. Her lackeys (the guy with the beard and the shirtless guy) propped her up as they tottered across Neoplus under the glow of morning. “…Boss, you drank too much.” “How else am I supposed to get through this bullshit?! Hurry up to the next stop!” “It’s already morning. I think that’s enough for toda—” “Shaddup!” She slapped her naggy lackey silent. She had already gone on one hell of a pub crawl. That’s what it took to drown her sorrow. Until recently, her life as a small-time thug had been going off without a hitch. She would find wimps and out-of-towners, drag them to the back alley, and mug them. Her nose was beyond exceptional; she never got too greedy, and she always booked it right before the guards showed up. It had been two or three years of smooth sailing. She was about to become queen of the petty criminals in Neoplus. But those brats sent it all crashing down. Terakomari and Fuyao…was it? It should have been a simple job. Just kill a girl who had a bounty on her head. But it had ended with her getting beaten up, and the Black Scorpion’s reputation going down the drain. “They’ll pay…! I’ll kill them the next time I see them!” “That’s the spirit! Cheers!” Just then she heard clapping. A bizarre girl stood next to a dumpster. Brown skin, a golden hair ornament, a rabbit plush in her arms, and a proud, scornful glare in her eye. But there was something wrong about her. She was covered in mud. Her clothes were in tatters, and she wasn’t even wearing shoes. She looked too impoverished for her haughty bearing. She also seemed familiar, somehow… “Boss! That’s Governor Sandberry!” “Governor…?” Don’t be stupid… But she really was. The legendary ruler who had brought prosperity to Neoplus. She marched over to them wearing a smile brimming with confidence. “You’re Black Scorpion, aren’t you? The gang that’s been wrecking public safety in Neoplus.” “Ha! Are you here to arrest us? What an honor to have the governor herself do it.” “No, no. I’m here to recruit you.” Recruit…? The three of them cocked their heads. Nefty giggled. “I want to get rid of Terakomari Gandesblood and Fuyao Meteorite.” “!” “Wanna lend a hand? You have it out for them, don’t you?” Eugena took a step back on reflex. She did want to destroy Terakomari and Fuyao, but what was with this girl’s aura? It was far more intimidating than that of the most seasoned of mercenaries. “…What are you plotting?” Governor Sandberry chuckled. The sunrise illuminated the girl, revealing her inexpressive, corpse-like face. Governor Sandberry spoke. “Truth is, I’m in this group called Star Citadel. We want to destroy humanity. I’m in charge of guarding our leader, Yusei, and procuring resources—but that’s beside the point. Right now, I’ve got one job: eliminating Terakomari and Spica, the morons who are turning this town to shit. And you three are going to help me do it.”
Chapter 205
28 min read