“…I suppose that’s partially Diriyah’s fault. But for you to not even have the slightest inkling…” Ney sighed.
“What are you getting at?” Maha questioned, growing irritated with how Ney was beating around the bush. It didn’t help that it sounded like Ney was faulting her for something too. Her irritation peaking, Maha said, “Spell it out for me already.”
“Miss Maha. Mother Diriyah not want to lose you.” A cute, clear voice calmed Maha down at once.
“Ruri…?”
“You are Mother Diriyah’s only daughter, her own flesh and blood. It makes sense to end Plan Homunculus when only other option is sacrificing you. Any mother would make same choice.” Ruri smiled sweetly.
Maha recoiled. “Do you have any idea what you’re saying?”
“Of course. Mother Diriyah chose you over me. And I think her choice correct.” She said it like it was nothing and didn’t seem to be putting on a brave front. She genuinely believed this was what was right. “I am homunculus. Made to be useful to humans. It would be backwards for you to die.”
“You can’t be serious… You’re fine with this? Being brought into this world, then disposed of, all for the selfish reasons of others…is that not insane?!” Maha practically shouted her question, as though it were her own existence on the line. But Ruri remained calm.
“I am sad. But I don’t think it’s insane. This is what I was made for.” She even smiled. “I haven’t lived long. But I know living is good. Demons must be stopped for people to live. That is why I don’t mind dying.”
Her words pierced Maha’s heart.
“…Are you satisfied, Maha? She’s come to a decision herself. What right do you have to object?” Diriyah said. She seemed to not expect this development, looking a bit put off. But she was right. If Ruri herself accepted her fate, then nothing Maha said from this point mattered.
“…No.”
“What?” Diriyah said.
“I don’t accept it.”
“You… What?”
“Maha…” Ney said with worry.
“Miss Maha?” Ruri said.
Maha looked determined, like she had resolved herself to do something. “If you’re going to get rid of Ruri, then I’ll relinquish my usage rights of Metako.”
“You’ll what?!”
“Miss Maha?!”
Diriyah and Ruri paled. Maha giving up her usage rights of me was no different than humanity losing one of its strongest fighters.
“You don’t think a threat like that will go unpunished, do you?” Diriyah warned.
“I’ve fought for humanity all these years. My accomplishments aren’t few. I’m sure some strong-armed dealmaking can be overlooked.”
“…Hmph.”
“Just give me some time, Mother.” With a serious look, Maha approached Ruri and took her hand.
“Miss Maha?”
“Metako, I want you to search the Akashic Record for me.”
“I can do that. What information do you need?”
“A way to reseal the Song of the End that doesn’t involve disposing of Ruri.”
“Understood. I’m sure you’re aware, but searching for a specific solution requires a hefty price.”
“Of course. I’ll offer up the memories of all the food I’ve ever enjoyed.”
“Very well then.”
After receiving the compensation, I began sifting through the massive ocean of information that was the Akashic Record. It was a herculean task, like scouring a desert for a single grain of sand, but if anyone could do it, it was I, Metako.
“…Search complete. To summarize, I believe expanding my seal is our best option.”
“Elaborate.”
“While I function as an interface for humanity, I am also sealing access to the Song of the End, apart from the hole made by the existence of a homunculus.”
“Right.”
“We could expand my sealing range to cover this hole.”
Maha relayed my explanation to Diriyah, Ney, and Ruri.
“Is that even possible?” Diriyah asked.
“It is. For me.”
“…So she says,” Maha conveyed.
“Hmm. Well, if Metako says so,” Ney said.
“You’re willing to trust her just like that?” Diriyah questioned.
“She’s an alchemist who’s drawn closer to the almighty power than any of us. I believe her words carry weight.”
“…Hmph.” Diriyah seemed dissatisfied and scoffed, but for the time being it seemed everyone was on board. Disaster was averted.
“But I won’t be able to do anything right away. Some preparations are in order.”
“Just say the word. We’ll get what you need,” Maha said.
“The preparation I have in mind isn’t a physical ‘thing.’ I need you to raise Ruri’s abilities.”
“Ruri’s abilities?”
“Me?”
Maha and Ruri both looked puzzled. Their matching baffled faces showed how alike they looked.
“I’ll need Ruri to act as a beacon when I attempt to seal the hole. For this, she’ll have to strengthen her spirit. At present, her spirit is too weak for me to find the path to homunculi within the Akashic Record.”
“So, what do we need to do?”
“Nothing special. Just the same thing you’ve been doing.”
“Meaning?”
“Please continue to work Ruri to the bone.”
“Ah. All right.” Maha eagerly accepted, figuring that sounded simple enough. If anything, the one who had her work cut out for her was Ruri.
“That’s it?” asked the girl. Even she seemed to have no problem with it.
“Hold on, you can’t just decide these things unilaterally.” Diriyah found her chance to cut in then. As vice-captain, she was right about there being a chain of command, but…
“I see no problem with it. Let them try.” Ney, the captain, had the final say.
“Ney! You can’t be serious about taking a risk this big!”
“Who says there’s a risk? At any rate, your daughters seem to have already made up their mind.”
Maha and Ruri returned a nod. For Maha, this was the only way forward without having to deal with the insanity the one who brought her into this world proposed. For Ruri, this was simply the only way she didn’t die…even if it meant some hard toiling in her near future.
Diriyah made a grandiose sigh. “…Ugh. All right, do what you want. But don’t forget to make periodic reports. We’ll do what we can to help out too.”
“…Huh?” Maha said.
“It’s not like we adults want to just twiddle our thumbs and watch you kids do all the work. Who do you think we are?”
“…Mother…”
“Thank you Mother Diriyah!”
With that, Plan Homunculus was temporarily suspended, and the new Operation Super Ruri (coined by yours truly!) commenced.