Saori suddenly dropping to her knees was truly beyond my expectations.
In my understanding, even if she really had been captured and brought before me, she should have continued putting on that ridiculous attitude of someone who would rather die than surrender.
...Could it be that she was trying to catch me off guard and fire another shot at me?
After a brief moment of confusion and unease, what followed was the feeling of a fist that had been prepared to strike finally being released. Yet the opponent had surrendered without even accepting the challenge, leaving behind a sense of frustration, followed by anger.
Couldn't she have at least waited until I mocked her a little first?
However, after hearing Saori's words filled with sobs, I more or less came to understand.
Other than Azusa, whose situation was still questionable, I had long known about the bond between the members of Arius Squad. In fact, judging from Saori's past words, it could even be said that the fundamental reason she betrayed me again and again was for the safety of her companions.
But now, the Arius Squad that Wakamo had brought back before me only had three members left.
And right after Saori, two more thuds rang out one after another. Misaki obediently fell flat on the ground in a full prostration, followed by Hiyori, whose expression was one of half understanding, trembling as she followed suit.
"Even though... even though we had already escaped for this long..."
Saori choked out her words.
"But I still... I still couldn't stop that woman..."
"What are you trying to accomplish by telling me this?"
I asked coldly.
"Isn't this precisely the result caused by the choices you made yourself?"
"I know... but, but... if this continues... Atsuko... the Princess, she'll die..."
My brows furrowed as I caught the key word.
"Die?"
"Y-yes... tomorrow morning... when the sun rises, she will be killed by that woman... You probably won't believe what I say anymore... but I hope you can believe this one thing..."
"What difference does it make if I believe you?"
I asked.
"Rather, isn't this the most natural outcome for you who betrayed Beatrice and were captured afterward? Those who tried to take the lives of innocent people just to survive, what right do they have to complain after paying the same price once they fail?"
Put another way, if they had believed in me, this would not have happened.
They had completely brought this upon themselves.
"No... Atsuko is different..."
However, Saori said,
"Atsuko was originally created for the purpose of being 'killed'... From the moment she was born, she carried the fate of becoming a sacrifice..."
A sacrifice?
I remembered that the Arius students did not call Atsuko that. They called her "Princess," didn't they?
Amid my confusion, Saori continued her broken explanation.
"That woman said... if we wanted to change the Princess's fate, we had to obey her commands... By doing so, not only the Princess... but our other companions could also be saved."
Just as I had guessed at the beginning.
"Go to your side, obey all your commands, gain your trust, and then become the tool she uses to steal the technology you possess... Or seize the Eden Treaty, turn the Justina's Council of Saints into Arius's possession, and then take control of Trinity and Gehenna..."
Beatrice's ambitions were truly enough to make me want to laugh, yet at the same time, the thought of such a possibility actually coming true sent a chill through me.
And at the same time, I noticed another problem.
What did it mean that they had failed to seize the Eden Treaty?
Hadn't the Nameless Gods and the Gematria already reached a cooperation?
Those Justina Council members who had been converted were still wandering through the ruins, capable of threatening both me and the safety of all Kivotos at any moment.
Was it that Beatrice had concealed this from Arius Squad, or...
Could it be that these two organizations were not cooperating as we had previously assumed, and had merely happened to collide with each other?
This guess was far too absurd. The moment it appeared, even I was startled by it. But there was no time to continue thinking deeper into it now.
"If we did that, Atsuko wouldn't have to become a sacrifice anymore... But..."
Saori choked painfully.
Her ten fingers dug into the floor, her strength so great that her knuckles faintly turned white.
"I failed... We failed... Arius Squad couldn't complete the mission. Everything... everything was because of my own incompetence..."
Outside, it seemed that endless rain had begun to fall. Yet inside the room, there was also the sound of dripping water.
I had basically determined that she wanted to tell me something, yet I still asked casually.
"So, after saying all this, what exactly do you want from me?"
"I... I..."
Saori trembled.
"Even though I know that making such a request now is shameless... even if I am rejected... no, being rejected would be the normal thing... But right now, the only person I can think of asking for help is Sensei..."
Bang.
Saori pressed her forehead against the cold, damp floor, her voice nearly breaking.
"Betting my life on this, no matter what command you give me, I will obey... I will never dare defy you again. I will never betray you again. I will never run away again... Please show mercy... Please forgive me..."
After saying that, she suddenly seemed to remember something. She took out an object from close to her body and placed it on the floor in front of her, then returned to her original dogeza position.
"The halo destruction bomb. This too, I give to you..."
I was startled, but on the surface I still pretended to remain calm. I stopped Wakamo, who wanted to act in my place, and stood up from the sofa to pick up the bomb.
I normally didn't have a halo anyway, and with the Shittim Chest protecting me, I probably wouldn't be injured.
Even so, I still felt slightly uneasy.
Saori, kneeling at my feet, said:
"Using this to control my life is fine... Even if you take my life right now..."
"No."
Misaki suddenly spoke.
"Please forgive my rudeness. Please spare the captain's life first. She is stronger than any of us. She will certainly be useful to you. So, if punishment must be carried out, please do it to me instead."
Saori suddenly turned her head.
"Misaki, you...!"
Hiyori's body trembled along with her. She gathered her courage, but her voice still carried fear.
"I... I still ask you to punish me. Someone as useless as me... Even if I were locked in a basement and tortured, I... I..."
"Waaah! S-sorry, although there are still many things I want to do, but please punish me instead, waaah!"
As if she had imagined some tragic future, Hiyori immediately burst into tears.
"You, you..."
Saori gritted her teeth and pleaded with me.
"Sensei, please do not listen to their nonsense... The one who betrayed you was me. The one who hurt you was also me... They were only dragged into this because of me, their incompetent captain! Please punish only me! I beg you!"
...
A clumsy trick.
I would not be moved in the slightest by enemies competing to sacrifice themselves.
Besides, why were they so certain that I had to take the life of one of them as an example to others?
Even if they were merely resources that could be found anywhere, wasting something that was sincerely offered and easily obtainable was not my style.
I sighed.
"After saying so much useless nonsense... in the end, what exactly do you want to obtain from me?"
"Please... please save Atsuko..."
Saori sobbed.
"Please... save the Princess..."
"I understand."
Looking down at her, still kneeling on the floor, I asked gently.
"Then, do you know where Beatrice took her?"
Saori hesitated.
"...The Arius Basilica in the Arius District. There is a secret sanctuary prepared by that woman there. She is probably there."
I couldn't help but sigh.
"You know the details quite well."
Perhaps she did not notice the strange tone in my voice, or perhaps she noticed but did not dare show it. Saori continued haltingly.
"Because the Princess told me about it before... That place seems to have been prepared for the Princess from the very beginning... Since long ago, the Princess has always said that one day she would be offered there as a sacrifice... That woman... seems to be holding the ceremony at dawn tomorrow... There is not much time left for the Princess..."
"I see."
I nodded.
"I understand completely."
I returned to the sofa and sat down, casually placing the halo destruction bomb on the side farther away from Wakamo, then asked:
"In other words, we need to depart as soon as possible, pass through the Trinity underground catacombs where the route may change at any time, head to the Arius District, and arrive at that so-called Basilica before sunrise tomorrow. Am I understanding correctly?"
"Yes..."
Saori added:
"Also, the only entrance we know can only be used before today's date changes... After midnight, that entrance will be closed."
"B-because the school side has already stopped giving us the correct passwords, so..."
"If the entrance closes, we will have no way to return to the Arius District."
Hiyori and Misaki beside her also added their own words one after another.
I glanced at the current time, then looked at the three of them again. The corners of my mouth rose uncontrollably as I softly said:
"Actually, you haven't completely failed yet, have you?"
"...What?"
"Within the limited time when you cannot gather a large force, making me go to the Arius District, where the situation is still completely unknown, and bring me before Beatrice..."
Saori raised her tear-stained face. With an expression of disbelief, she finally saw the mocking smile hanging on my face.
Then came my contemptuous words.
"The mission Beatrice gave you has not completely failed. Isn't that right?"
At that moment, the wind and rain outside the window seemed to suddenly stop.
Only a deathly silence remained in the room.
...
Amid a darkness resembling chaos, a pair of bewildered golden eyes slowly opened.
"Next, we shall move on to the most important matter."
"But of course!!"
"No objections... Before that, there is one thing I would like to confirm."
The golden-haired fox-eared girl faintly heard these unfamiliar voices discussing.
Thus, Yurizono Seia's consciousness gradually became clearer, and she roughly understood her current situation.
She had originally wanted to rest for a little while before Mika arrived. Perhaps because she was overly exhausted, she had fallen asleep at some point and had once again entered a lucid dream.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that this was one of the prices she had to pay for using her own abilities without restraint for such a long period of time.
However, it was not yet time for her to rest. She, who could obtain information through this method, had to...
"Maestro, is there something troubling you?"
That elegant voice and the title used afterward, along with the creaking sound of a wooden puppet moving, drew Seia's attention.
What entered her eyes afterward was a conference room covered in unsettling red light, and four figures standing in each corner...
Monsters?
The black and white strange figure in a black suit, the two-headed wooden puppet in a dark blue suit, the headless person holding a portrait in a dark brown suit, and the red-skinned woman wearing a pure white dress with crimson eyes and white feathers covering her face.
Although she had never seen them before, their excessively distinct appearances instantly allowed Seia to recognize their identities.
'The Gematria!?'
While Seia remained shocked and uncertain, the conversation among the Gematria continued.
The existence called "Black Suit" asked:
"Maestro, is there something troubling you?"
"I have something I wish to ask Beatrice."
"...Oh? What is it?"
Beatrice asked.
The next moment, Maestro angrily questioned her.
"Do you still remember that I accepted your invitation and assisted you some time ago? The matter of copying the Guardian of the Commandments and assisting your side's plan."
"Yes. I am truly grateful, Maestro. Thanks to you, my territory has obtained even greater power."
Hearing this, Maestro's entire body emitted a piercing noise from head to toe.
"I do not remember permitting you to use those things for that purpose. Rather, using my creations for something like that was done without permission. The previous modifications were also indeed..."
"Maestro."
The existence who faintly seemed to be their leader, Black Suit, interrupted.
"Regarding that incident, have we not already reached a conclusion? Either it was an accident... or it was another part of his plan?"
"But of course!!"
The Decalcomanie within the portrait cried out passionately.
Golconde, holding the portrait in one hand, also agreed.
"Indeed. Maestro, there is no need to make matters overly complicated."
However, Beatrice gave a cold laugh.
"Heh. In your eyes, is everything part of his plan? Your thoughts are far too excessive. From that incident, we all gained many things as well. Could that also have been his arrangement?"
After saying that, she looked toward Maestro again.
"Moreover, this precisely proves that the phenomenon itself is not your possession."
"...How rude. I am not claiming ownership. What I mean is..."
"Rude?"
Beatrice suddenly raised her voice.
"How dare you... say such a thing to me."
"Now, now. Please, both of you, calm down."
Golconde once again stepped in to mediate.
"My apologies. I believe Maestro must have regarded his unique interpretation of universal things as his own exclusive expression."
With several strange creaking sounds, Maestro did not refute it, expressing silent agreement.
Thus, Golconde changed the direction of the conversation and continued.
"However, from Madam's perspective, this may not be something that requires particular consideration. After all, the methods by which we interpret this world are all different."
However, Beatrice did not accept the step Golconde offered. Dissatisfaction still remained in her voice.
"In other words, you find it unacceptable that I took Maestro's weapon without permission. Is that correct?"
"...What you did was not art. It was an act without any aesthetics, merely something done for the purpose of creating a weapon."
"Yes. Exactly."
Beatrice not only admitted it openly, but also asked in return.
"Is there a problem with that?"
Then, she looked around at everyone present.
"And it is not only you. The technology provided by Black Suit, the originals interpreted by Golconde, I used them in the same way."
After these words were spoken, the two people mentioned remained silent for a moment, and the atmosphere in the conference room became heavy.
Yet Beatrice seemed completely unconcerned.
"I have no interest in your art. I have been emphasizing this ever since I became a member of the Gematria, have I not?"
After a moment of silence, a faint laugh sounded.
"Kukuku..."
Black Suit slightly nodded.
"Indeed. Perhaps this is for the best. That is what I think. There is no need for disputes between companions. After all, Madam is responsible for securing her own territory in Kivotos. That is the most important matter for our plan."
Golconde followed.
"The Arius District. Bringing all the students and the academy there under your command. That truly deserves to be called an extraordinary achievement."
The atmosphere in the room eased as well, but Seia, secretly observing this meeting, felt her heart grow heavier.
"Although Black Suit's Abydos was unfortunate..."
Golconde realized what he had said.
"Ah, my apologies. I did not intend to make a sarcastic remark."
"Kukuku... Do not concern yourself with it. Indeed, it was unfortunate that we failed to calculate Sensei's existence. However, to witness, and even personally participate in, such a... breathtaking undertaking, for researchers who seek the unknown like us, it is already an immense honor."
Hearing her future husband being mentioned, Seia held her breath even more.
At this point, Black Suit looked toward Beatrice and politely asked with expectation.
"Speaking of which, Madam, how is the confirmation regarding that matter?"
"...Ah. It has basically been confirmed."
Beatrice's tone sank.
"Judging from the location... it is indeed the [Five Holy Wounds]."
"Oh?"
Black Suit's voice was as elegant as possible, yet it could not conceal his delight.
"Is that truly the case?"
Golconde's tone became excited.
"Oh... this is truly..."
Maestro's entire body rattled with clicking sounds.
"This can only be called unparalleled art!"
The Decalcomanie shouted.
"But of course!!"
Amid this scene that resembled a celebration, only Beatrice gave a cold laugh.
"Do not become happy too soon. They are merely a few holy wounds. Do you truly believe that alone is enough to make someone a Holy Son? The thorn wounds on the forehead, the whip marks and pressure wounds on the back, none of those are reflected at all."
Black Suit was silent for a moment before speaking.
"...Madam, what you say is true. However, please do not forget what Arius, which inherited from the Saint's Council of Justina, is truly capable of representing."
Golconde also said:
"Treating Kaiser PMC, which temporarily reached cooperation with Binah, as belonging to Lower Egypt, and thereby recreating the image of the [Apophis]... If Sensei recognizes Arius as the empire from the distant past that controlled the suffering of the Holy Son and incorporates it into the ritual..."
However, upon hearing these words, Beatrice raised her head even more proudly.
"Hmph. Do you think I failed to consider such a possibility? No. If Sensei truly did that, I would instead become even more ecstatic. If he truly planned to become the Holy Son, replacing the destined child who slays the Holy Son, and use that to ascend even higher, then the one who would advance upward with him would be me, Beatrice!"
Realizing she had become too excited, Beatrice slightly restrained her emotions and spoke with composure.
"My apologies. In any case, organizing this matter was also thanks to Saint Miqura Mika. Ever since she visited the Arius District, I have indeed received a great deal of assistance from her."
Upon hearing this unexpected name, Seia's pupils suddenly contracted.
"That is right... It was Misono Mika who gave me inspiration... Calling her my muse would not be an exaggeration."
Beatrice muttered to herself.
"The inspiration of using the Eden Treaty to secure [Primordial Dignity], and the judgment that the prophetic archangel should be dealt with first, were both made possible thanks to her."
Next, she looked at the headless figure holding the portrait.
"A being as troublesome as the prophet naturally had to be eliminated first. I express my gratitude to the Decalcomanie who provided valuable technology... No, to Golconde."
"But of course!!"
"I merely provided the original."
Golconde politely said.
"The one who completed it was Madam. Rather, did that technology fail to support Madam?"
"Yes... However, the defense system prepared inside the sacrifice beforehand was of great help. For that, I thank you, Black Suit."
"...Kukuku. It is good that the technology of the nameless priests was able to be put to use."
"And the final inspiration Misono Mika brought me... was precisely regarding Sensei."
Beatrice paused and sighed emotionally.
"It was because, after we noticed that existence, she invited Sensei into Trinity that I was given more opportunities to understand and investigate him. Only then was I finally able to discover... that he was actually so weak and powerless!"
Black Suit lightly coughed.
"My apologies for interrupting. Madam, that does not rule out the possibility that it was Sensei's acting. He defeated the princess of the Nameless Gods. That was information you personally provided."
"You have started again, assuming everything is carefully arranged by him. But why not think that his failure to even notice my observation was simply a coincidence?"
Beatrice paused, then continued.
"Besides, his path has always conflicted with my plan. If he was willing to share, then perhaps it would have been fine... But that unbearably intense greed of his will only continue to squeeze the space available for my growth, causing everything I possess to lose its meaning..."
She looked around at everyone and spoke solemnly.
"To you, Sensei may be a respected pioneer, or even a spiritual mentor. But to me, he is my enemy. To accomplish my plan, this existence must be erased. No, he must become nourishment for my growth. Just like... what you believe he is doing to me."
Hearing this, none of the other three members of the Gematria expressed their opinions. All of them fell into deep thought.
As if she had already expected their reaction, Beatrice spoke casually.
"It seems you are not very satisfied with my decision. In any case, we are only pursuing our own goals. You have no right to interfere with mine, do you?"
Black Suit pondered for a moment, then nodded and sincerely replied.
"...Yes. We do not have such a right. Do as you wish, Beatrice."
Immediately afterward, Black Suit changed the direction of the conversation.
"However, regarding what you are planning, you have not yet told us the details. Madam, what exactly are you plotting in the Arius District?"
"I am preparing an altar."
"An altar...?"
"It is fundamentally no different from what you did in Abydos."
Beatrice said.
"However, I do not intend to form a contract."
Black Suit nodded as if he understood.
"Ho. A ritual in place of a contract... Originally, one could consider these two methods to be no different... But if you intend to carry that out, Sensei will certainly come to interfere, will he not?"
"Precisely."
Beatrice said.
"He has long regarded the Arius students as his own possessions. He will definitely come to stop me. Therefore, I have already prepared a move beforehand. Arius Squad will attempt to deal with Sensei."
Black Suit pondered.
"...I see. Arius Squad. Using Sensei's tolerance toward students... Kukuku."
Beatrice casually explained.
"Although I intend to discard them as expendable tools, telling them that they will be forgiven as long as they kill Sensei is an offer they cannot refuse. Even if they cannot accomplish it, at the very least they can delay the arrival of that mortal body before me. And before that..."
Then, her tone became excited once more.
"I never expected such a coincidence. The centurion who pierced the so-called Holy Son with a spear was precisely the bearer of the Arius royal bloodline. Once I complete the ritual, and ascend to a new status through the fragments of its mystery, Sensei's fate of being killed by me will already be decided!"
"...I see. But before that, as a companion, I still wish to remind you of one thing."
Black Suit softly said.
"What if this too is part of Sensei's plan? After all, there is the precedent of the supreme mystery of Abydos. And you, who usurped the position of Arius student council president..."
"Then let him come."
Just as she was about to interrupt impatiently, Beatrice suddenly changed her tone, as if she had sensed something.
At the same moment when Seia was almost unable to control the turbulent emotions in her heart...
"...It seems a mouse has slipped in."
Beatrice said coldly.
"Here?"
Golconde asked in confusion.
"Isn't it only us..."
Before Golconde could finish, Beatrice spoke to herself.
"I seem to have said too much. I shall take my leave first."
After that, her figure quickly disappeared from the conference room, leaving behind the three members of the Gematria staring at one another.
And Seia, whose consciousness gradually became hazy, beginning to drift between dream and reality.
Breathing heavily, coughing, and having almost completely lost her strength, Seia once again heard the sound of a door opening in a daze.
She raised her blurry eyes and saw a pink figure entering gracefully with steps that carried both nervousness and excitement.
"...Mika..."
Seia softly called out from the bed.