"So, you sneaked into my room through the window while I was in the bathroom."
"Nn."
"That means you were watching me for an entire hour."
"Nn."
"Which also means you saw everything—from what happened in the bathroom to what I said on the video call."
"Nn. Everything."
"..."
"..."
—Squish...!
"Nnnnnnn..."
"Say something other than 'nnn'—dammit."
I aggressively squished Anellia's cheeks, moving them up and down, swirling them clockwise and then counterclockwise, while I pondered an appropriate punishment for Anellia.
I had been hesitant toward Anellia at first, who still radiated a mysterious aura even now.
But I figured I could exploit my status as the 'Vice Leader' of the squad, so I didn't care.
"Do you understand that peeking into someone's quarters isn't acceptable?"
"I asked for permission."
"—Six hours ago, you dunce. Ever tried knocking on the door?"
"It is best I talk to you in secrecy, Vice-leader."
"...Tch, I'm gonna stop trying to think you people have basic common sense."
I sighed and stopped pinching her cheeks, opting instead for a flick on her forehead.
—Flick!
"Au."
"Next time, if you don't want a harsher punishment, knock on the door."
"Yes... Vice-Leader."
Feeling slightly annoyed because my sleep had been interrupted, I scratched my head.
"I can't exactly blame you since you notified me beforehand and I decided to go to bed anyway, so I guess we're even."
I sat down cross-legged on the bed while Anellia stood by the window, despite my explanations.
"Sit down. Here," I said, tapping the mattress.
—Tap! Tap!
I pointed to the soft bed I was sitting on and indicated for her to join me. Taking this as an order, she didn't hesitate and sat down on the bed, knees on the mattress and legs tucked underneath her.
I jolted myself awake, knowing this conversation would be important. I looked at Anellia with serious eyes.
It involved the Eidolon of Null, after all—one of the major antagonists in our world.
"What did you want to talk about, Anellia?" I asked, resting my hand under my left cheek.
"..."
Unlike her usual resolute demeanour, Anellia hesitated, taking time to open her mouth.
"...The Eidolon of Null, currently known as Zero, is the 1st director of Project ANGEL," Anellia said.
"What?" I raised an eyebrow, surprised but not entirely taken aback.
During my stay in Trestkania, I gathered information about the organization, from the current ownership by the 2nd director to the irregular abilities unique to angels and its infamous reputation.
Having a literal echelon—one of Morze's most influential officers—as the 1st director would undoubtedly spark endless friction, not just among the Trestkanians, but the world.
That they are still operational, even as a 'secret' organization, is nothing short of a miracle. It must be due to the 2nd director, Alathea, that they have maintained such a status.
"Nn, Zero was the creator of the 1st generation ANGEL serum, used in the operation to transform people into angels by implanting the mana core to the brain."
"The ANGEL serum and implanting the mana core to the brain... isn't that a one-way ticket to hell?" My eyes twitched at the thought, as I had never heard of such a suicidal experiment.
In this world, the 'mana core' functions like a second heart. If it is destroyed, it's the same as losing your heart, resulting in the death of the host.
Mana is as abundant as oxygen, and without the ability to store it—similar to how we breathe oxygen—it becomes a critical issue.
Using normal Earth terms, it's like trying to place the heart in the brain, which makes no sense whatsoever.
"Yes. Under his illegal experiments, 98% of his subjects died, leaving only four survivors... and I was one of them—Subject-13." Anellia clenched her hands, her eyes devoid of light.
I couldn't predict what she was thinking; her very eyes seemed capable of peering into the void itself.
"...Once the experiment is successful, what happens next?" I asked, curious about the purpose of this beyond causing unnecessary deaths.
Anellia nodded, indicating that she would demonstrate rather than explain, as it would be quicker than words.
—Voom...!
At her command, Anellia's wings, which were attached to her back, ejected and moved as if they were additional limbs.
Her precise control was immaculate, something that seemed plausible in a world centuries into the future.
"The serum grants us unnatural strength, computational power, and unique abilities that function separately from traditional magic."
Lux could absorb bloodshed and use it as an energy source, effectively providing him with unlimited mana.
Nox possessed the ability to conjure black chains strong enough to bring down eldritch monsters with a mere touch.
Eskieth showcased excessive firepower, creating explosives seemingly out of nowhere.
Anellia's reaction speed and flexibility allowed her to adapt instantaneously, utilizing her wings in a dynamic way.
For Demiurgians, they have Magic Arts, the power to manifest tangible concepts such as
They can even choose to evolve their selected Magic Arts, thereby becoming stronger.
Other nations have their own forms of Combat Art, and some even utilize methods beyond magic.
Yorselania employs alchemy, focusing on tools fueled by mana, which is a blend of technology and magic.
For those outside the Ancrel continent, such as the nation Tide, mystical objects known as
Of course, everyday magic still exists beyond the Demiurge. However, each nation has its own specialty, all designed to defend its homeland during the wars with monsters decades ago.
There was only one nation that stood out from the rest, which abandoned all forms of magic and focused on developing technology.
Trestkania.
They were creating mass weapons of destruction, enabling them to rise faster than anyone else as they focused on a single goal.
Until now.
In comparison to tangible concepts, the abilities wielded by the angels in the Xero Squad were far more complex, representing a more supernatural phenomenon that the host influences.
"As a result of implanting the mana core into the brain, it influences the mana core, severely impacting the host's perception and manifesting their desires and fears in their truest, rawest form into reality."
—Flick!
"...?"
With a sound like heavy metal dropping to the floor, Anellia's wings suddenly collapsed, losing control.
"For the uncontrollable ability to be managed by the host, our wings were designed to control this manifestation."
—Zzzt!
"A-Anellia?"
I noticed something was seriously wrong with Anellia.
Her body began to distort, creating afterimages even though she wasn't moving.
Influencing things around her, everything else followed after, struggling to exist properly in this dimensional plane.
Under such an anomaly, the mana surrounding her went ballistic, resulting in an incomprehensible phenomenon.
This strange occurrence was eerily similar to Scarlett's ability to evolve her
"Anellia, stop that!" I shouted, getting up from the bed and reaching for her wings.
"Each angel has their own manifestation, their wings serving as the new vessel instead of the body. With this, we can control them efficiently, as if they are a part of our own bodies," she explained, enduring the pain as best as she could.
"Kkgh!" I struggled to carry her wings, plugging them back on her back one by one, not expecting them to be heavier than I had imagined.
—Thud!
I pushed through and connected them back to Anellia until they were all in place.
—Clink!
Once her wings were attached, she activated a switch I didn't understand, and the glitchy aura faded away, returning to normal.
"Why would you do that, Vice-Leader?" she asked, tilting her head, puzzled by my actions.
"Were you planning to kill yourself?!" I screamed, pressing my forehead in frustration.
I couldn't comprehend what had just happened or what might have occurred if she had stayed in that state for too long.
If she remained in that state, it would only worsen until she glitched out of reality—erased from existence.
"I was showing you the consequences of the serum, Vice-Leader—"
"—And risking your life? What the hell is wrong with you?"
"I am a tool, Vice-Leader. That is a known fact."
"..."
I fell silent, surprised by her blunt declaration. Her face showed no emotion, as if she truly believed it, accepting her role as a 'tool' rather than a 'human.'
"Anellia, this will not be an order from me as the Vice-Leader; rather, this is a request from me, Aria."
—Clump!
"Mgh." She made a small, audible sound when I forcefully cupped her cheeks in my hands.
They were soft and fluffy to the touch, which was one reason I did what I did, but it was also to convey the seriousness of my next words.
"Anellia, to me, you are not a tool, but a human that I can trust." I hesitated, shaking my head and setting aside how mentally unstable this squad was.
"If you were to die on me, those around you would be upset—even I would be. Remember, without you, I wouldn't be here in the first place."
At the very beginning, it was she who held me under her arms, saving us from the Sentinel back then.
"You saved me, Anellia. I want you to know that I can save you, too." I smiled, grateful for everything she had done.
"...Understood." Anellia lowered her head, unable to refute my words, and looked away.
"Hehe, you're welcome." I patted her shoulder, pleased that she finally said something outside of my commands.
Anellia's ears turned a little red, but I decided it was best to keep my comments to myself and go with the flow.
...
...
...
'Ah, we got sidetracked, didn't we?' I remembered that we were discussing why they were so strong and how the wings were not their true capabilities, but rather a seal or vessel for their manifested abilities.
She might have exerted herself too much by removing her wings, which could explain why her eyes appeared groggy.
"...Do you want to stop here? Are you sleepy?"
"No, I am not."
"Yes, you are."
Feeling a little sleepy myself, I knew I should lie down soon.
Continuing this conversation wouldn't be wise, given how tired I was; I might forget everything at this point.
"Huaaah... let's just continue this tomorrow. Is that fine with you?"
"...Nn."
"Good. You can go now. Don't say you're not going to sleep because that would be unnecessary. I would hate that, so sleep."
"Understood, Vice-Leader."
—Tap... Tap...
With that final message, she stood up from the bed and went to the window through which she had come, heading back to her room.
"Good night, Anellia." I waved my hand, succumbing to the sleepiness that enveloped me.
"..."
—Clunk!
Too lazy to turn around, I lay down on the bed and made myself comfortable, deciding to leave the complicated matters for tomorrow.
It took a while to fall asleep, but I was relieved when I began to doze off—something I had longed for.
While many questions from today were answered, even more had arisen, creating a never-ending loop.
...
...
...
—Rustle...!
I didn't hear it due to my grogginess, but I sensed something moving from the other side of the bed.
Still, too sleepy to care, I closed my eyes, assuming it was probably nothing.
=======
—Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap!
"What the hell are you doing in my room?"
"Oh, good morning," Eskieth greeted me with a deadpan expression, completely contradicting her actions, starting with the fact that she was in my room taking pictures of me.
With her lightning-fast fingers, she took a picture of me five times a second, savoring the moment.
Confusion washed over me as I tried to understand why she was in my room, especially since she was snickering the moment our eyes met.
It was then that I turned around and noticed a familiar person sleeping beside me...
…
...
...
"Ah." I couldn't say anything, so I just placed my hands over my face.
"So soft..." Anellia hugged me tighter, using me as a pillow, still fast asleep.
Attempting to pry her away was futile.
When I turned my head to look at Eskieth again, she wore a smirk on her face, reminiscent of a mischievous mutt that I just wanted to punt into the sky.
"P-Pfft...! You two are so cute together~!"
"I'm going to kill you someday, I swear on my soul."