Under the setting sun, just as Cid looked away from the cruise ship, the black figure walking ahead of Millia through the bustling crowd below seemed to sense something. She stopped and turned toward the massive cruise ship behind her, revealing the face of the other member of the duo, the one Cid had known was there but had never actually seen.
It was an exquisitely beautiful face belonging to a young girl with long, straight black hair. The vibrancy of youth blended with an intellectual elegance, and her bright crimson eyes swept across the ship's windows before she tilted her head with an adorably puzzled look.
Because the black-haired girl had stopped so suddenly, No.711 Millia, who was walking behind her, crashed into her at nearly a running speed. The impact sent the black-haired girl stumbling several steps forward, while Millia lost her balance and fell to the ground.
"Ugh... Ah..."
Her bottom struck the ground, drawing an involuntary cry from Millia. At the same time, she caught the hat that had nearly fallen off and pressed it firmly back onto her head.
"Hey, No.712! Why did you stop all of a sudden?!"
Millia complained irritably at the black-haired girl she had run into, but her movements did not slow in the slightest. She sprang to her feet, grabbed the girl, and tried to drag her away.
"Sorry, sorry, No.711. I thought I felt the gaze of an old acquaintance I haven't seen in a long time, so I got distracted for a moment..."
The black-haired girl smiled apologetically, completely unconcerned by Millia's complaints, and allowed herself to be pulled along at high speed.
She spoke in a light, almost joking tone, but Millia's face instantly went pale. Her already rapid steps grew even faster until she broke into a run, looking as though she wanted nothing more than to abandon the black-haired girl and escape by herself.
"It was probably just my imagination. There's only one person in this world I could call an acquaintance, and there's no chance I could meet him right now, so it must have been my imagination."
Perhaps because Millia was moving too quickly, the black-haired girl gave a soft laugh as she explained. Then she placed both hands on Millia's shoulders and lifted her into the air, leaving Millia's short legs dangling helplessly.
"Put me down! We need to get out of here immediately!"
Held back by her companion, Millia was so anxious that she wanted to knock the black-haired girl unconscious and drag her away herself.
"You haven't misunderstood something, have you? Relax, No.711. There's no way they could imagine that we would double back and return here. Even if they discover us, it's not as though we're completely incapable of fighting back."
Seeing how panicked Millia was, the black-haired girl blinked and gently tried to reassure her, having misunderstood the reason for her fear.
It was not that she lacked caution. She simply understood that they were hiding in the most obvious place.
They had already returned to "their" territory. If they had truly been discovered, a battle would have broken out aboard the cruise ship, and there was no way they could have escaped so easily.
Rather than hiding everywhere in constant fear, it was better to trust the tools they carried. At least then, if a battle did occur, they would have a slightly better chance of victory.
"You idiot... Put me down already! What was I thinking when I agreed to come with you? He was on that ship! He'll capture both of us and take us back!"
Millia struggled to escape the black-haired girl's grasp, only to discover miserably that she could not break free without hurting her. She finally lowered her head in resignation, looking utterly despondent.
"Him? Who are you talking about?"
The black-haired girl paused. Realizing that she had misunderstood, she did not offer any further explanations and simply asked what Millia had seen that could frighten her so badly.
"..."
At the question, Millia's lively eyes flickered several times. She nearly spoke, but ultimately abandoned the idea of telling her.
"I see. Is it something you can't talk about?"
Noticing Millia's hesitation only made the black-haired girl more curious.
She believed that she and Millia were fairly close. At the very least, after living together as roommates, their relationship had already surpassed what she shared with most people.
"It seems I accidentally missed the chance to meet someone extraordinary..."
Although she sighed as she said it, her face remained unconcerned.
After all, what was there to worry about?
She adjusted the hat on her head. She might greatly dislike that mad scientist, but she had complete confidence in the quality of her creations. They truly were first-rate.
"You idiot! If I'd known you were this unreliable, I would've left you behind and escaped by myself!"
Millia complained bitterly, genuinely regretting how unreliable her companion had turned out to be.
Still, she had to admit that the girl had a point. If that terrifying existence truly wanted to capture them, they would not escape even if they fled to the ends of the earth.
"You ungrateful brat. You would've abandoned me and run? Don't forget that I was the one who helped you escape. Without me, you'd still be suffering under that demonic Elf, No.559. Whatever you saw aboard that ship, you can't change the fact that you've already boarded my pirate ship!"
The black-haired girl frowned in displeasure. Carrying the small Millia in one hand, she lightly tapped her on the head with the other.
As for what was aboard the ship, she had no interest in investigating too deeply.
The device created by that purple-haired Elf was clearly effective. The fact that the "him" Millia feared so much had not appeared to pursue them suggested that he had never noticed their presence.
Millia yelped when she was tapped on the head and prepared to argue again. However, after a moment of silence, she seemed to remember something and chose to remain quiet.
"By the way, No.711, what's your real name? I was always too busy and exhausted to ask before, and in Shadow Garden I only ever called you by your number. We've been together for so long, but I still don't know your real name."
The black-haired girl carried Millia's slender body as she walked, asking the question as casually as though making idle conversation.
Millia immediately tensed.
"Why are you asking?!"
"Hmm... I'm only curious. We've left Shadow Garden now, so continuing to use the numbers we had there feels strange. Just look at what happened at lunch today. We only went to get something to eat, but you came back in such a panic."
Faced with the bristling Millia, the black-haired girl offered a gentle explanation.
"..."
"Can't you tell me?"
When Millia continued to remain silent, the black-haired girl assumed that this was another subject she was forbidden to mention.
"My mother told me that before asking someone else's name, you should introduce yourself first."
"I see. It sounds like you came from a good family..."
At those words, Millia's expression stiffened slightly. Unfortunately, because she was being carried in front of the girl, the black-haired girl failed to notice.
"In that case, I'll introduce myself first. My name is Akane Nishino, not Akane Nishimura, like that idiot Elf Beta keeps calling me. I suppose you could say I'm from another world. Right now, my goals are to find a way home and locate the only friend I have in this world."
Akane Nishino spoke cheerfully, showing no irritation despite Millia snapping at her several times.
When they reached a shaded area, Akane set Millia down and gazed gently at her with crimson eyes.
"Millia."
Feeling uncomfortable beneath Akane Nishino's gaze, Millia gave only her real name before falling silent again.
"That's all?"
Millia nodded, confirming it, and left Akane Nishino speechless.
"You could at least introduce yourself in a little more detail. I told you my real name, which only one other person in this world knows, as well as the main reason I remained in Shadow Garden for so long..."
"I'm not interested... Is that why you escaped?"
Millia looked away and asked the question casually.
"That was part of it. Right now, I have a reason I absolutely must leave. Of course, I also didn't want to become another piece of material on that mad scientist's operating table. What about you?"
Remembering what happened when she first arrived, Akane Nishino touched her head with lingering fear.
She had almost been turned into an idiot.
"I... You came looking for me, so I followed you out..."
Millia's voice gradually grew quieter.
Akane Nishino's gaze made it impossible for her to continue making excuses. She lowered her head and spoke in a barely audible voice.
"They killed my father..."
"Uh... No wonder Instructor Lambda said you had a rebellious streak, Millia. It would be stranger if you didn't. Yes, that fits my impression of Shadow Garden quite well."
Akane Nishino fell silent for a moment before making a helpless comment.
"Actually, Beta-sama and the others... treated me fairly well."
Millia defended Gamma and the others.
She knew perfectly well what side her father had belonged to. As the daughter of a Cult of Diablos officer, she had only been rescued during Shadow Garden's purge because she suffered from Demon Possession.
She understood how despicable both her father and the organization he joined had been. Shadow Garden had saved her, but Shadow Garden had also undeniably killed her father.
That contradiction left her deeply conflicted.
"And... why did you come looking for me?"
Millia remembered that after escaping, Akane Nishino had immediately gone to Itogami Island to find her.
Although she had intended to stop talking to Akane, she could not suppress her curiosity.
"Why? Hmm... You were the only person in the Garden I was close to, Millia. I couldn't just stand by and watch you fall into a pit of fire."
Caught off guard by the question, Akane Nishino thought for a moment before giving what she considered a perfectly ordinary answer.
Remembering everything she had witnessed during her year in Alexandria, Akane Nishino could not help breaking into a cold sweat over Shadow Garden's future.
Shadow Garden was a superorganization combining military power, religious devotion, and commercial monopoly.
However, after the enormous upheaval several months earlier, Shadow Garden had become a massive powder keg in Akane Nishino's eyes. She would not have been surprised if it suddenly transformed into an antisocial organization and dragged the entire world down with it.
"...What do you need me to help you with?"
Perhaps moved by Akane Nishino's answer, Millia abruptly became serious, surprising Akane herself.
"Help me find a place. I promised to meet him there."
...
Inside a store owned by the Mitsugoshi Company, large numbers of attractive young women in black bodysuits moved through the building, thoroughly searching the premises, which had officially been closed for maintenance.
Outside, Gamma stood at the entrance with a grim expression. No.559, a girl with long pink-gold hair, knelt on the ground beside her with a look of complete resignation.
"Still no clues?"
Gamma impatiently tapped the ground with her high heel.
When she saw a brown-haired woman dressed as a secretary hurrying toward them, her eyes lit up.
"Nu, what did you find? Have you discovered any clues about No.711 or the attacker?"
"I'm sorry, Gamma-sama. We searched the entire island as thoroughly as possible without alerting any third parties, but we still found no trace of the attacker. Our preliminary conclusion is that No.711 and the attacker have already left Itogami Island."
Gamma's expression darkened completely at Nu's answer.
Itogami Island was an Artificial Island in the middle of the sea. Countless aircraft and passenger ships passed through it every day.
How were they supposed to find them now?
"Are there no other clues?"
Gamma asked again, unwilling to give up.
Unexpectedly, Nu nodded.
"Gamma-sama, we have identified the attacker."
"Who?!"
Gamma's voice rose uncontrollably.
She deeply hated the attacker who had suddenly assaulted No.559 and taken Millia away.
"It was... No.712."
After a moment's hesitation, Nu truthfully reported the intelligence received from Alexandria.
"Her?"
Gamma spun around.
She knew of the girl from another world, but was she not supposed to be under observation in Alexandria while assisting Eta with her experiments?
"Yes. According to the report from Alexandria Headquarters, No.712 attacked personnel at headquarters and escaped from Alexandria."
"...How did she manage that? Beta, Delta, and Alpha were all there!"
Gamma could not understand it.
She admitted that Akane Nishino was fairly strong, but given Shadow Garden's defenses and combat strength, how could anyone below SS-class escape from headquarters, where so many powerful fighters were gathered?
"...It seems No.712 accidentally learned about the items created by Eta-sama while they were being cataloged. She looted the warehouse and escaped with all of Eta-sama's devices. Beta-sama was knocked unconscious on the spot by one of the items No.712 used. Delta-sama was confined at the time, while Alpha-sama had gone deep into the mountains to practice swordsmanship."
"What about the message? There are so many people at headquarters. Why did this information only reach us now?!"
"Eta-sama left a hidden passage while constructing the headquarters' defenses, and No.712 obtained the blueprints. That is why her escape was only discovered now."
"...Eta. It's Eta again. Where is she?!"
"No.712 made her move while assisting Eta-sama with an experiment. Eta-sama was struck by Eta Special Attack-kun and remains unconscious. We do not know when she will awaken."
"...Then never mind."