Once inside, it didn’t take long for the four of them to gather in the living room. A brief but comfortable silence settled over them as they adjusted to being back. Mikael leaned into the couch, his muscles finally relaxing. A deep sense of satisfaction lingered— their mission had been a success.
Knowing that all of them had now reached Military Rank 2 and gained access to Emergency Extraction filled him with a sense of security. As long as they exercised caution when selecting worlds and avoided reckless risks, they would always have a safety net. That knowledge lifted his mood considerably. However, when his gaze shifted to Amelia, that momentary satisfaction dulled.
She sat apart from the rest, outwardly composed, but the way her fingers idly traced patterns against her sleeve betrayed an underlying tension. Her green eyes, usually sharp with focus, held a distant, almost vacant quality. Mikael didn’t need to ask to know what weighed on her mind.
During their mission, Amelia had thrown herself entirely into battle, strategy, and relentless training, using them as a way to keep her thoughts at bay. She had given herself no time to dwell on anything beyond the immediate fight, no room for emotions that could slow her down. But now, back in the Akashic Records, with no enemies to face and no urgent objectives to accomplish, the memories she had tried so hard to suppress resurfaced—Nexoria’s destruction, the countless lives lost, and the crushing weight of all she had been unable to protect.
Mikael felt his own mood darken. His gaze lowered slightly as the image of Shadow’s sacrifice forced itself into his mind. He had accepted what had happened, but acceptance did not erase the weight of it. And for someone like him, who was unaccustomed to feeling indebted to others, it was an unfamiliar burden to bear. Shadow, Amelia’s bodyguard—someone he had barely even known—had thrown her life away to save them.
He knew, logically, that her actions had not been for his sake. She had sacrificed herself for Amelia, her duty and devotion clear until the very end. Mikael had simply been fortunate enough to be with her at that moment. Yet, despite understanding this, he couldn’t shake the unease it left in him.
It lingered at the edges of his mind, creeping in whenever he let his thoughts wander. During the mission, he had done his best not to dwell on it, keeping himself occupied with battle and objectives. But now, without the constant pull of danger, he found himself doing exactly what Amelia was—drifting back to thoughts he had tried to avoid.
Across the room, Kiara and Lyra were engaged in an unexpectedly fluid conversation. Their relationship had always been an unusual one—a mix of contrasts and common ground—but surprisingly quickly, they had grown accustomed to each other’s presence. What had started as a mere acknowledgment of one another with Mikael acting as their common point had gradually evolved into something resembling genuine friendship.
Despite their differences, their interactions carried a natural ease, their words flowing without effort. Kiara’s playful yet composed nature meshed surprisingly well with Lyra’s reserved and analytical demeanor, creating a dynamic that, while unconventional, felt oddly balanced.
Lyra adjusted her glasses, tilting her head slightly as she replied to Kiara. To an outsider, her quiet demeanor might have made her seem timid, but in reality, she was far more perceptive than she appeared.
It didn’t take her long to notice the shift in the room’s atmosphere. Her gaze settled first on Amelia, who sat unnaturally still, an unmistakable gloom hanging over her. Then, she turned to Mikael. His expression remained neutral, but something about him felt off—his earlier energy had quietly faded, replaced by a subdued weight.
Recognizing the oppressive mood settling over the room and having her ideas on the source of it, Lyra adjusted her posture and spoke, her voice light yet purposeful, ensuring Amelia would hear. "Now that we’ve reached Military Rank 2, we can finally explore other worlds freely," she said with an almost casual certainty. "This is where we can truly start growing stronger."
Her words cut through the silence like a light in the darkness. Mikael immediately sensed a shift beside him. Amelia stirred, the distant look in her eyes breaking as reality pulled her back. For a moment, she remained motionless, then her fingers curled slightly, gripping her sleeve before she abruptly stood.
"I’m going to explore a world alone," she declared, her voice steady but laced with undeniable determination.
Mikael wasn’t surprised. He had expected this. The moment Amelia regained clarity, there was only one thing she would seek—to grow stronger. To sharpen herself so that next time, she would not be powerless.
This had been her goal ever since Dirarnia’s destruction and the countless lives lost. She had wanted to become stronger, to avenge those she had failed to protect. But Mikael, fearing for her safety, had intervened. After the small conflict between them, she understood his point of view and had reluctantly agreed to wait until she reached Military Rank 2, Private First Class and gained access to Emergency Extraction.
With it now available, she finally had the safety net that would allow her to push forward without Mikael constantly worrying about her.
A part of him wanted to tell her to take time to rest, but he didn’t. He understood her drive, and asking her to stop now would be hypocritical, especially when he himself had taken risks for power.
Instead, he simply met her gaze. "We’ve already talked about this, so I won’t give you a long speech, but just… be careful, okay?" His voice was firm but carried a faint note of ‘pleading.’
For a brief moment, Amelia’s expression softened as she recognized his concern. Then, she gave him a small nod. "I know."
With that, she turned and walked out, her resolve unshaken.
Mikael watched her leave before exhaling softly. A strange mix of emotions settled within him—concern, understanding. But in the end, he knew one thing for certain.
This was Amelia’s way of moving forward.
And he wouldn’t stand in her way.
As the door closed behind her, he found himself lost in thought once more. The weight lingering in his chest hadn’t completely dissipated, and for a while, he remained silent, his gaze unfocused.
Kiara and Lyra, who had been engaged in conversation, soon noticed his distracted state. They attempted to draw him in, but his responses were half-hearted at best—short, absentminded, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.
Kiara, however, was not one to give up so easily. Leaning slightly forward, she spoke with deliberate playfulness. "Say, Darling…"
"Mm?" Mikael responded automatically, not fully processing her words.
But that didn’t deter Kiara in the slightest. A sly glint flashed through her dark blue eyes as she continued, "I remember you being curious about the Art Fighting Usage book I bought. Would you be interested in seeing me use my harp and music in an actual fight?"
Her tone was casual, but the intent behind her words was clear. She knew him too well. With his near-obsessive training habits and undeniable love for battle, there was no way he wouldn’t be intrigued.
And just as she expected, Mikael’s eyes sharpened, the previous dullness vanishing as curiosity took its place. "What do you mean?" he asked, his full attention now on her.
Kiara gestured toward Lyra, who was still seated beside her. "Lyra and I could have a spar. A real one, where we go all out against each other!"
"Eh?" Lyra blinked in confusion, staring at Kiara with wide, incredulous eyes. It was clear from her expression that she hadn’t expected to be dragged into a fight so suddenly.
Mikael, meanwhile, was intrigued. He had already witnessed glimpses of Kiara’s combat ability when they hunted the so-called ‘dinosaurs,’ but that had hardly been a true display of her full strength. He had also heard about how she helped take down Redgate City—her music spreading across the area, lulling enemies to sleep. It was something he would have liked to see firsthand.
At that moment, he was about to agree, his interest piqued, but Lyra’s startled reaction gave him pause. He turned to look at her, and in that instant, the realization dawned on him.
Kiara wasn’t just trying to entertain him, she was trying to change his idea from Amelia's departure.
A warmth spread through his chest, something deep and unspoken settling into place. His gaze softened as he looked at Kiara, who had so effortlessly lifted his mood.
Without thinking, he blurted out, "You know I love you, right?"
For a second, Kiara froze. Her mouth hung slightly open, her dark blue eyes wide in shock. Then, as if a system reboot had just occurred in real-time, her expression twisted into something entirely different—a crazed, euphoric smile. Her voice dropped into a fervent murmur, repeating over and over like a broken record, "My darling loves me… My darling loves me…"
Mikael chuckled, a wry but undeniably warm smile tugging at his lips. The gloom that had clung to him earlier had almost entirely vanished.
His gaze then shifted to Lyra, who was silently watching the scene unfold, clearly hoping to escape any further attention. She wasn’t particularly opposed to fighting but it wasn’t exactly her favorite pastime either. She would much rather be curled up in a quiet corner with a book.
Unfortunately for her, Mikael wasn’t about to let her off the hook.
"And just so you know," he continued, his voice gentle yet firm, "it’s not just Kiara—I love you too, Lyra."
The words hit their mark with pinpoint accuracy. Lyra stiffened, her face instantly turning red. ‘Too unfair!!’ she thought, internally flailing. How could she not be affected when the usually cold and composed Mikael was looking at her with such warmth, declaring his love so openly?
Her gaze dropped to the ground as her thoughts swirled. But after a moment, they shifted.
‘Well… why not?’ she reasoned to herself. ‘It’s just a spar. If it makes Mikael happy, then…’
Sneaking a few glances at him, she quickly made up her mind.
Lifting her head, cheeks still flushed, she turned to Kiara, who was still lost in her euphoric daze.
"Let’s go spar!" Lyra announced, grabbing Kiara’s hand and dragging her away in a swift retreat. In truth, it wasn’t just about the spar—she needed to escape Mikael’s intense, affectionate gaze before she completely lost her composure!
A few minutes later, the three of them arrived at a private arena they had rented for the hour at the cost of 20 LP.
In the Akashic Records, attacking another person was strictly prohibited, making direct sparring impossible under normal circumstances. These special arenas, however, provided a safe space where combatants could fight freely.
And as an added bonus, these special arena’s systems ensured that even if someone was seriously injured—or outright killed—they would be fully restored afterward. Not that they intended to push things that far, but it was a good safety net to have.
Lyra and Kiara now stood opposite each other in the center of a grand, medieval-style coliseum. The massive stone structure was completely empty aside from them, the usual roar of an audience replaced by silence.
Ten meters separated them.
Lyra stood ready, one hand raised, mana coiling around her fingertips as she prepared to unleash her magic.
Kiara held her harp close, one delicate finger hovering over its strings, poised to strike the moment the battle began.
Both of them were determined to give their best.
For Lyra, this was simply a means to lift Mikael’s spirits—to help him push past whatever weighed on him.
For Kiara, it was the same… but it was also something more. This was her chance to impress her beloved D~A~R~L~I~N~G.
A mechanical female voice resounded through the coliseum, clear and emotionless.
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