Side Story‚ Chapter 15: “Remote Debugging and the Express Ticket to the Floating Resort City”
The magic train stopped.
There was no violent inertia from an emergency brake. The entire car simply gave a single low‚ heavy creak.
—Clunk.
Then the multiple layers of physical buffer barriers activated‚ and the train smoothly yet inexorably lost speed under absolute force.
The scenery that had been rushing past the windows at high speed gradually regained its solid outlines.
A green carpet of grass. Stone-paved roads. Magic relay towers rising in the distance. And beyond them‚ the massive mana trunk lines stretching onward.
The world that should have continued toward the Steel Fortress City of Dilmunt froze in their vision‚ as if space itself had been suspended.
Rui: “…Huh?”
Rui lowered his gaze to the teacup in his hand.
The amber tea was swaying faintly. Really‚ it had only rippled a tiny bit.
And yet—  The express train *Mana Rail Express* had come to a complete stop.
Rui: “…Did we stop?”
He muttered to no one in particular. The answer came instantly from inside his head.
Ciel: “Yes. I have confirmed the execution of the emergency stop process.”
Ciel’s familiar‚ calm‚ crystal-clear electronic voice.
Rui: “The reason?”
Ciel: “I have confirmed a complete military blockade of the airspace and ground routes around Dilmunt.”
Rui: “…A military blockade?”
Ciel: “Affirmative.”
He turned his gaze to the window.
In the distant ridgeline‚ multiple magic guard towers stood tall. Above them‚ bands of aurora-like pale blue light stretched in a massive dome.
A national highest-level emergency blockade barrier‚ stretched to physically and magically isolate the entire city from the outside world.
No matter how charitably one interpreted it‚ this was no mere traffic restriction or routine drill.
◇
At the same time. In the regular cars linked behind the ducal private car where Rui and the others rode‚ and on other trains stranded at the previous station‚ chaos was rapidly spreading.
Merchant: “Hey‚ why did we stop?! I’ve got an important business deal in Dilmunt!”
Passenger: “Apparently it’s the military’s emergency blockade order! As for the reason…”
Merchant: “Don’t mess with me! If I don’t unload this cargo today I’ll owe penalty fees—”
Merchants clinging to the windows. Mothers tightly hugging children who had begun crying from the uneasy atmosphere.  Seeing the reddish-black glow and massive white smoke rising from the direction of the Steel Fortress City‚ the angry shouts inside the cars gradually turned into a deep‚ bottomless murmur of fear.
Passenger: “What… is that…”
Passenger: “Is Dilmunt… burning entirely…?”
An unprecedented crisis unfolding in the heart of the nation. For ordinary people who knew none of the truth‚ only overwhelming anxiety weighed heavily upon them.
◇
While that oppressive atmosphere dominated the outside world.
Inside the ducal private car‚ a different kind of pressure was beginning to fill the space.
Rui: “No no no no…”
A different sort of cold sweat appeared on Rui’s forehead.
Rui: “Hey Ciel‚ we were heading to save Leon‚ right?”
Ciel: “Yes.”
Rui: “So why is this happening?”
Ciel: “Currently‚ by absolute military order‚ the entry routes into Dilmunt are being completely rejected both physically and systematically.”
Rui: “…”
Rui quietly closed his eyes.
He had a terrible feeling. And—that feeling would prove spectacularly accurate afterward.
Serena: “…What does this mean?”
From behind came a terribly quiet voice from which all warmth had been stripped.
It was Serena.  The girl who until moments ago had been happily sipping tea beside Rui was somehow already standing.
Her smile was as soft‚ cute‚ and lovely as always.
And yet—it was so terrifying that it froze the spine to the core.
Serena: “The kingdom’s army stopped us?”
He turned around timidly.
Rui: “Well‚ I think that’s probably it‚ but…”
Serena: “Why?”
Rui: “Dilmunt is in a pretty dangerous state right now. They’re completely sealing off the area to prevent any further secondary damage.”
Serena: “But Leon is in that city‚ right?”
Rui: “…Yeah.”
Serena: “He’s your precious best friend‚ right?”
Rui: “…Yeah.”
Serena’s smile deepened just a little.
Serena: “Then—”
She turned her gaze to the window.
The blockade barrier radiating an intimidating light. The magic guard towers on high alert. And beyond them‚ the Steel Fortress City of Dilmunt.
Serena: “It’s in the way♪”
Rui: “No no no no!”
Rui stood up with sudden force.
Rui: “Wait! What physical meaning is contained in that phrase ‘it’s in the way’?!”
Serena: “Exactly what the words mean?”
Rui: “They’re the regular army! The kingdom’s regular army!”
Serena: “I know.”
Rui: “If we try to break through on our own‚ we’ll just get shot at!”
Serena: “If we get shot at—”
Serena smiled beautifully‚ like spring flowers blooming. 
Serena: “We just shoot back and blow them all away‚ don’t we?”
Rui: “That’s not good!!”
Instant reply.
Rui’s desperate retort echoed to every corner of the luxurious private car.
Into the silence that had filled the car dropped a perfect common-sense scream.
Rui: “Why does it always go in such an extreme direction…!”
He clutched his head with both hands.
Go save his best friend. That was supposed to be just a simple errand quest.
So how did it end up like this.
Forcibly chartering a national-scale magic express‚ forcibly breaking through the military’s absolute blockade with brute force‚ and if necessary wiping out the regular army itself.
No matter how one looked at it‚ that was not an “errand.” It was the beginning of a “war.”
Rosetta: “Lord Rui.”
At that moment‚ another terribly calm voice came from beside him. 
It was Rosetta.
She remained seated in the plush luxury seat‚ opening her favorite black leather notebook. At her side‚ somehow prepared‚ was even a military-spec heavy magic calculator.
Rosetta: “I have confirmed the train’s operating system.”
Rui: “…Hey‚ what exactly are you planning to do?”
Rosetta: “Just a slight readjustment.”
Rui: “Readjustment?”
Rosetta: “Yes.”
Without hesitation‚ Rosetta began striking the keys of the magic calculator.
Click. Click-click. Click-click-click.
The cold‚ regular keystroke sounds echoed through the quiet car.
Rosetta: “Currently‚ the military’s emergency blockade order is operating at highest priority‚ so entry permission for this train has been systematically halted.”
Rui: “Yeah.”
Rosetta: “Therefore‚ I will ‘change’ the very state of being stopped.”
Rui: “…How exactly?”
Rosetta raised her face‚ the sharp eyes behind her glasses gleaming suspiciously.
Rosetta: “I will rewrite this train’s priority ranking in the national operating system to the highest level.”
Rui: “Isn’t that what the general public calls system hacking?”
Rosetta: “No‚ it is not.”
Rui: “Then what is it?”
Rosetta: “Advanced clerical processing.”
Rui: “It’s absolutely hacking!!”
Rui’s extremely reasonable argument exploded.
But Rosetta paid it no attention at all. She rewrote the complex cryptographic formulas cascading down the screen‚ calmly yet at terrifying speed. In her fingertips there was not the slightest hesitation or ethical conflict.
Rosetta: “This magic train is a private car of the Elferia ducal family.”
Rui: “Yeah.”
Rosetta: “The ducal family possesses a certain extralegal priority right over this line in times of national emergency.”
Rui: “Yeah.”
Rosetta: “Therefore‚ higher operating authority than the military’s temporary emergency blockade will be forcibly executed from the system—”
Rui: “Wait a second.”
Rosetta: “Yes‚ what is it?”
Rui: “Is that really the kind of authority that can be used privately like that?”
Without stopping her fingers at all‚ Rosetta blinked once mechanically. 
Rosetta: “Authority that exists‚ exists only to be exercised.”
Rui: “That maid logic is definitely bugged somewhere in the algorithm!”
He clutched his head again at the headache whose number for the day he had already lost count of.
However. While Rui despaired‚ Serena too was elegantly and thoroughly beginning combat preparations.
Serena: “Rosetta.”
Rosetta: “Yes‚ my lady.”
Serena: “What if even that clerical processing can’t get the train moving?”
Rosetta: “I will regard it as a physical obstacle and remove it from the path without the slightest mercy.”
Serena: “Understood♪”
Rui: “Don’t understand that!!”
Rui’s desperate restraint again echoed emptily through the car.
Immediately after that.
From the dim depths of the car came a presence approaching without even the sound of breathing.
It was Agreas.
Impeccable jet-black tailcoat. In his hands a beautifully polished pure silver tray. Upon it‚ cups of warm herbal tea rising with a rich fragrance that soothed the spirit were arranged.
Agreas: “Everyone.”
Rui: “Agreas…”
Agreas: “I have brought beverages.”
Rui: “…Really‚ now?”
Agreas: “Yes.”
Rui: “Right now this train is stopped at the kingdom’s regular army blockade line‚ you know?”
Agreas: “So it appears.”
Rui: “It’s a powder-keg situation one step short of national crime?”
Agreas: “Yes‚ I am fully aware.”
Rui: “And yet‚ herbal tea?”
Agreas: “In times of extreme tension such as this‚ maintaining mental tranquility with a supreme cup is‚ I believe‚ more important than anything.”
Agreas wore the perfect‚ flawless smile of a butler.
And with smooth movements as if nothing were amiss‚ he set the cups on the table. 
At that moment.
The emergency-stopped train picked up residual vibration from the following cars and swayed just a little left and right.
—Clack.
From the impact‚ the herbal tea cup tilted faintly.
Rui: “Ah.”
Faster than Rui could reflexively reach out—
Agreas’s long fingertips flicked the rim of the cup at a speed the eye could not follow.
The surface of the tea rippled beautifully for an instant‚ as if defying gravity.
But the next moment. That ripple stopped dead‚ as if it had been calm from the beginning.
Rui: “…Huh?”
He stared at the cup. Not a single drop had spilled onto the white saucer.  Agreas continued elegantly distributing cups one after another to Serena and the others as if nothing had happened.
Agreas: “Please‚ enjoy.”
Rui: “…Ah‚ thank you.”
He accepted the cup in a daze.
And once again he keenly realized.
—This butler is fundamentally weird somehow.
But. Now was not the time to investigate the butler’s hidden physical cheats.
Rui: “Serena.”
He looked straight into her clear blue eyes.
Rui: “For now‚ let’s calm down once.”
Serena: “I’m very calm‚ you know?”
Rui: “Saying that while smiling with those lightless eyes has no persuasive power.”
Serena: “Mm♪”
Rui: “You’re definitely not calm‚ right?”
Serena tilted her head slightly and smiled even more deeply and adorably.
Serena: “Because your precious best friend is in trouble. We have to go help him quickly.”
Rui: “That doesn’t mean start a full-scale war with the kingdom’s regular army!”
Serena: “Calling it a war sounds so bad.”
Rui: “Then what is it?”
Serena: “Just a little bit forceful ‘negotiation.’”
Rui: “That negotiation process doesn’t include indiscriminate use of military-grade magic or private use of ducal authority or brute-force physical breakthrough‚ right?”
Serena: “…”
Serena thought for a moment‚ her beautiful gaze wandering slightly.
Serena: “If necessary‚ it might be incorporated?”
Rui: “Don’t put it in the options from the start!!”
At that exact powder-keg moment.  The magic communication terminal in the private car rang with a light tone completely unsuited to the tension of the place.
—Ping‚ pong.
After the short electronic sound‚ Ciel’s clear voice reached him from inside his head.
Ciel: “I have received a direct communication request to this car from the military blockade force.”
Rui: “See?!”
Rui let out a deep sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart.
Rui: “They opened a dialogue window from their side. We’re all people of the same kingdom. If we talk logically they’ll definitely understand.”
But.
Serena still wore a bottomless‚ eerie smile.
Rosetta still had the hacking (clerical processing) screen open.
Agreas was quietly blending a second cup of tea.
None of the overprotective team present showed any peaceful expression of intending to settle the matter with talk alone. 
Rui: “…Please‚ just let me have a peaceful trip within the bounds of a normal human.”
Rui muttered weakly and quietly.
The direct express that was supposed to head for the Steel Fortress City of Dilmunt. The national-scale absolute blockade mercilessly blocking its path. The crisis of his best friend fighting on a distant battlefield. And the far-too-militant ducal party that was on the verge of a frontal collision with the kingdom’s army.
But.
Separating his thoughts just a little from the chaotic noise inside the car.
Rui sank deeply into his own seat.
Rui: “…I’m exhausted.”
He exhaled a small‚ hot breath.
Outside the window‚ the pale blue light of the emergency blockade barrier shimmered uncannily like a massive wall.
Beyond that cold light lay the fortress city of Dilmunt that must still be running wild.
Leon was still alone in the center of that hell swirling with lethal waste heat. 
Rui quietly narrowed his eyes sharply.
Rui: “…I have to go help him soon.”
That murmur alone carried none of the light banter of his earlier retorts‚ only sincere affection.
And—
In the corner of Rui’s vision. In an infinitesimal empty space that no one noticed.
A single arithmetic formula glowing with pale light quietly‚ secretly lit up with a soft click.
Outside the express train’s window‚ a tiny pale light flickered.
Invisible to anyone inside the car.
Unnoticed even by the overprotective companions right beside him.
Only on the retina of Rui‚ who had sunk deeply into the luxury seat.  That arithmetic formula remained coldly suspended in the air.
Rui: “…Ciel.”
Ciel: “Yes.”
Rui: “Trace the current situation in Dilmunt again and show me.”
Ciel: “Understood. Via external mana lines‚ I will expand the continuous observation logs.”
At that moment.
Into Rui’s vision was forcibly expanded layer upon layer of vast‚ innumerable information that would drive an ordinary person’s brain mad in an instant.
The magic train’s window. Beyond it‚ the pale blue light of the emergency blockade barrier standing as a wall.
And‚ dozens of kilometers beyond that absolute barrier wall.
In the central exercise field‚ the massive magic calculation furnace continuing its runaway toward complete self-destruction.
The battlefield truth that should have been impossible to see with the naked eye from here rose directly into his mind as a precise three-dimensional numerical hologram.
The physical temperature of the core.
The irregularly distorting magic waveforms.  The internal air pressure.
The frequency reverse-calculated from air vibrations.
The density of magic particles saturating the surrounding atmosphere.
The remaining barrier strength.
And—the operating rate of the magic absorption formula that someone on site was desperately deploying.
Countless cold numbers continued changing ceaselessly at waterfall speed.
Ciel: “First defense barrier‚ load rate 72 percent. Approaching critical limit.” Ciel: “Second defense barrier‚ 86 percent. Initial signs of physical collapse confirmed.” Ciel: “Third defense barrier‚ 93 percent. Malfunctioning.” Ciel: “The magic absorption formula currently deployed overhead—has reached the limit of maintenance.”
Rui: “…This absorption formula… is it maybe Tia?”
Ciel: “From the specificity of the mana waveform and the pattern of the formula structure‚ affirmative.”
Rui followed the emerald-green waveform displayed on his retina with his eyes.
Right beside that massive vortex of light‚ Leon’s figure‚ gripping a white-silver greatsword the size of a person and force-deflecting the lethal blasts‚ was clearly projected as heat-source data.
The raging violent waste heat.  The shockwaves shattering space.
The explosively expanding reddish-black magic waves.
All of it‚ that idiotically strong big man was cutting straight through from the front without taking a single step back.
Rui: “…Leon’s at the limit of his stamina too.”
Ciel: “Affirmative. Significant risk has arisen in the maintenance of life activity and biological parameters.”
Rui: “Tia too?”
Ciel: “Yes. She has entered the danger zone of loss of consciousness due to mana depletion.”
Rui: “The military’s elite mages?”
Ciel: “All of them are rapidly approaching the limit in mental exhaustion and remaining mana.”
Rui: “…I see.”
He fell silent for a while‚ at a loss for words.
The virtual data filling his vision displayed in real time the action logs of hundreds of people desperately struggling on the battlefield.
No one was fleeing their duties.
No one was taking the wrong approach.
Rather—
Rui: “Everyone is continuously producing perfect correct answers in their own assigned positions.”
Ciel: “Yes. Each individual formula structure running on site is extremely highly refined.”
Rui: “And yet the runaway of the magic furnace won’t stop.”
Ciel: “Yes. Rather‚ the local correct answers are interfering with each other‚ and the overall system damage is expanding exponentially.”
Rui quietly narrowed his eyes.  One. Then another.
He coldly traced the countless complex formulas displayed in his vision as if following them with a fingertip.
The exhaust port for releasing heat.
The calculation for lowering internal pressure.
The vector for forcibly expelling magic particles upward.
Water-attribute magic for physically cooling the core itself.
The multi-layer defense barriers to prevent collapse.
And the formula for absorbing all the surplus energy with full force.
None of them was wrong in terms of magic engineering.  But.
Rui: “…Ah‚ I see.”
A small voice of sudden understanding slipped from Rui’s mouth.
Rui: “Everyone is only ‘locally optimizing’ their own assigned section.”
Ciel: “Exactly. Each individual algorithm is operating independently.”
Rui: “But—”
With a fingertip he traced the contradiction points of the magic waveforms floating in the empty space of his vision.
Rui: “As a whole‚ it’s not optimized at all.”
Ciel: “Affirmative. Overall coordinated processing has completely collapsed.”
Right after heat is released‚ another formula unluckily reclaims that heat.
While struggling to lower internal pressure‚ the defense barrier stubbornly seals it from another direction.
When saturated magic particles are expelled‚ a different cooling formula misidentifies them as fuel and makes them burn even more from inside.
Each individual judgment is perfectly correct.
That is precisely why.
As a whole they are tangled like a spider’s web into a death loop with no exit. 
Rui: “…I see. I fully understand the cause.”
He exhaled a small breath as if relieved that the mystery was solved.
And.
Rui: “Then‚ to solve this problem‚ massive mana isn’t needed at all.”
Ciel: “…Yes?”
Ciel‚ unusually‚ mixed noise into her clear calculation and asked back.
Rui: “There’s no need to forcibly suppress and stop the runaway of the magic furnace itself from the outside with brute force.”
Ciel: “But the current core output is—”
Rui: “Yeah. It’s an amazing number that turns the screen completely red.”
Ciel: “It is a vast amount of energy on the scale of flattening the entire fortress city in an instant.”
Rui: “Right.”
Ciel: “Even the military’s wide-area barriers and Lady Emeraldia’s formula cannot contain it. Under normal logic‚ an extraordinary amount of mana would be needed to cancel it out with force.”
Rui: “Normally‚ yeah.”
He gazed at his own small palm.
Mana.
The number flowing within him remained as always a mere “0.2.”
By the standards of this world’s mages‚ a powerless number that could produce only friction sparks like flint‚ almost nonexistent.
But. Rui had long known.
The number “0.2” was neither his limit nor a finishing point for giving up.  It was merely—
Rui: “Just the initial seed money (resource).”
Ciel: “…”
Rui: “As long as I have a seed of 0.2‚ I can increase it as much as I want with arithmetic leverage like compound interest.”
Ciel immediately responded‚ recovering her usual calm electronic voice.
Ciel: “Yes. Amplification by pure arithmetic correction is logically possible.”
Rui: “If necessary‚ I can jump it up any number of digits from here.”
Ciel: “Possible. If I allocate all of my parallel calculation resources to that correction.”
Rui: “But—”
While gazing at the pale blue blockade barrier shimmering uncannily outside the window‚ he thought a little.
Rui: “That seems really troublesome and ungraceful.”
Ciel: “…”
Rui: “Forcibly amplifying my own mana dozens or hundreds of times with calculation and slamming it with brute force into a massive runaway energy mass.”
He returned his gaze to the complexly tangled group of formulas virtually displayed before him.
Rui: “It’s not smart. Above all‚ the energy efficiency is way too bad.”
Ciel: “I agree. That cannot be called logical optimization.”
Rui: “Right?”
He allowed his lips to curve in a slightly amused smile.
With arithmetic‚ one can ultimately manifest godlike physical power in this world.
Even so‚ if there is no need to use such massive power from the start‚ he never uses it. That was Rui’s unyielding aesthetic and rational philosophy as an arithmetician.
The necessary thing‚ in the necessary amount‚ at the most beautiful moment.
Rui: “What’s needed to cleanly solve this problem isn’t an overwhelming amount of mana.”
His emerald eyes turned straight toward the deepest structure of the magic furnace standing dozens of kilometers away. 
Rui: “An overwhelmingly correct ‘answer (one line of code).’”
At the same time as Rui’s words‚ Ciel’s virtual analysis screen switched instantly.
The countless high-order formulas that had been raging violently and tangled in bizarre complexity were beautifully aligned layer by layer all at once.
Ciel: “Understood. Then I will begin searching for the minimal interference point to chain-stop the runaway of the magic furnace.”
Rui: “Yeah‚ please.”
Ciel: “Search process—execute.”
Emerald digital numbers began flowing at waterfall speed through his vision.
One. Two. Ten. Hundred. Thousand.
Tens of thousands of possible solutions were born and instantly erased by error judgment.
Rui simply watched all of that ultra-high-speed selection work that threatened to burn out his brain cells with a cool expression.
Rui: “Not there. The cooling formulas running on the surface are noise‚ so ignore them.”
With a fingertip he erased an unnecessary code.
Rui: “That’s wrong too. The interference from the multi-layer barriers the military has put up is a result‚ not the root cause of the runaway.”
He erased it instantly again.
Rui: “…Here.”
After sifting away all the sand‚ what remained.  A single‚ infinitesimal point.
A single contradictory error calculation system existing in the deepest part of the massive magic calculation furnace’s deep structure.
Rui: “Ciel.”
Ciel: “Yes.”
Rui: “Can this be cut remotely from outside?”
Ciel: “Confirming the circuit phase—”
Analysis. Calculation. Future prediction.
And—Ciel’s electronic voice carried the ring of certainty.
Ciel: “—Possible.”
Rui: “Prediction of effects after cutting?”
Ciel: “If the infinite loop of that calculation system is forcibly stopped‚ all the chain magic circulations that were killing each other will sink and stop all at once like falling dominoes.”
Rui: “Then this is it. This is the only correct answer.”
Ciel: “System estimated success rate‚ 99.8 percent.”
Rui: “For our arithmetic‚ that’s more than enough.”
He raised his upper body a little from the seat back he had been leaning against.
He gazed at the world spreading outside the train window. The fortress city of Dilmunt they aimed for was still physically far beyond the distant land.
Normally.
Just to deliver interference across dozens of kilometers‚ beyond the thick protective barrier walls enveloping the city‚ would require vast military-grade mana.
But. What was truly needed was not such barbaric power. 
Accurate target coordinates to deliver the infinitesimal formula without the slightest deviation.
An accurate incidence angle threading the undistorted gaps of the multi-layered barriers.
And accurate interference to quietly pull out the root of the error.
Just that.
Rui: “Mana flow rate of the minimum ‘0.2’ is fully sufficient.”
Ciel: “…Yes. Completely sufficient.”
This time Ciel’s electronic voice no longer mixed even the slightest hesitation.
Rui lightly raised his index finger as if simply pointing at the sky.
In the inorganic empty air of the private car‚ a single small pale-blue magic circle quietly floated up.
For a formula to stop the runaway of a national-scale massive magic furnace‚ it was far too small‚ a fragile ring of light that looked ready to vanish at any moment.
But. In the structure of that formula‚ not a single wasted character existed.  No showy intimidating decorations. No auxiliary formulas that would create unnecessary interference. No mana pathways that greedily consumed excess output.
Only the “necessary function” of extracting the worst bug was completed there with pure 100 percent refined beauty.
Ciel: “Target deep-core coordinates‚ fully fixed.”
Rui: “Yeah.”
Ciel: “Remote interference path‚ optimization secured.”
Rui: “Incidence angle.”
Ciel: “Three-dimensional correction‚ completed.”
Rui: “Timing.”
Ciel: “—Three seconds later.”
Rui: “Understood.”
Rui simply gazed at the blue sky spreading outside the window.
One.
Two.
Three.
Rui: “—Now.”
Rui’s fingertip moved just a little‚ as if tapping an invisible keyboard floating in space.
The pale-blue magic circle vanished from that spot with a soft puff.
No. To ordinary eyes‚ it only appeared to vanish fleetingly. 
The released infinitesimal formula transcended physical space without sound.
It did not ignore the concept of distance itself with brute force. It accurately consumed only the minimum energy necessary for arrival through ultimate calculation efficiency.
And—
The Steel Fortress City of Dilmunt.
The deepest part of the massive magic calculation furnace.
In the hellish blast center where countless excellent formulas were strangling each other’s necks and raging.
Toward the single small error calculation system that was the source of all distortion.
Accurately. Without the slightest deviation.
—It quietly touched. 
Rui: “—Force terminate.”
Just that.
Only an instant—a moment of “0.2 seconds.”
The magic waveform of the core that had been making uncanny fetal movements went abruptly distorted.
The death loop of magic circulation that had been chaining repeatedly snapped cleanly‚ as if an invisible thread had been cut.
The abnormal heat rapidly withdrew. The ultra-high pressure that had been oppressing space vanished as if it had been a lie.
The magic particles that had been saturated to the brink of lethal levels quietly‚ gently diffused into the vast atmosphere as harmless beautiful particles of light.
First defense barrier. Second defense barrier. Third defense barrier.
All the load rates that had been engraving numbers of ruin rapidly plummeted as if tumbling headlong off a cliff.
The world that had been raging so violently‚ trying to erase the entire fortress city from the ground.  As if—the entire system had finished initializing‚ regained perfect silence.
Ciel: “…”
Inside his head‚ Ciel maintained a strange silence.
Rui: “What’s wrong‚ Ciel?”
Ciel: “…Executing post-debug analysis.”
Rui: “Was there some problem remaining?”
Ciel: “No.”
There was a slightly unnatural “pause” in the electronic voice.
Ciel: “…It was so artistically overwhelming in efficiency. My processing capacity allocated extra resources purely for admiration.”
Rui: “Is that so?”
Ciel: “Yes. There is no mistake.”
He turned his gaze outside the window again.
Far in the distance. The ominous reddish-black light that had covered the sky over the fortress city of Dilmunt slowly melted and vanished into the clear blue sky‚ as if it had never existed.
Rui: “Then‚ good.”
Truly‚ that was all.
He exhaled deeply and once more comfortably settled his body against the back of the luxury plush seat.
The moment he relaxed‚ a sudden heavy fatigue and intense drowsiness washed over him like a wave.
Rui: “…Somehow‚ a strong sleepiness hit me.”
Ciel: “It is estimated that the processing load from the momentary mental calculation was extremely high.”
Rui: “Maybe so.”
Ciel: “For cleanup of brain memory‚ I strongly recommend immediate moderate rest through sleep.”
Rui: “Yeah‚ I’ll do that.”
Following the irresistible drowsiness‚ he slowly closed his heavy eyelids. 
Rui: “Until we reach Dilmunt‚ let me sleep just a little.”
Ciel: “Good night‚ Lord Rui.”
Rui: “…Good night‚ Ciel.”
The express train was still physically stopped in place.
The military was also continuing the emergency blockade system without understanding what had happened.
Several seats away at the table‚ Serena and the others were continuing a dangerous strategy meeting for “a little forceful negotiation through military breakthrough♪” with lightless smiles.
Rosetta was still rewriting the nation’s most important operating system with hacking under the name of “advanced clerical processing.”
Agreas was pouring a third cup of tea as if nothing were amiss.
No one in this car yet knew the truth.
That the massive runaway disaster that had threatened to erase the entire city of Dilmunt from the ground. Just dozens of seconds ago.
From an ordinary corner of this stranded train.
Starting from the weakest mana of just “0.2.”  Without even forcibly inflating that.
Simply by accurately finding the single line of error code that had formed the worst death loop.
And perfectly correcting it so quietly that no one in the world noticed.
And—
The very person who had accomplished the miracle that saved the nation-scale despair.
As if he had simply finished a simple routine task at an inn as usual.
Without pride‚ as if nothing had happened‚ he sank into a gentle‚ deep sleep.
It was quiet.
Just a few minutes earlier‚ the interior of this ducal private car should have been filled with a powder-keg‚ bloodthirsty atmosphere.  The absolute blockade by the military. The order forbidding entry into Dilmunt. How to physically and authoritatively smash that unreasonable barrier. Serena declared dangerous military action (forceful negotiation) with a supreme smile‚ Rosetta rewrote the national infrastructure system without hesitation (clerical processing)‚ and Agreas elegantly prepared tea as if nothing were wrong.
If things had continued‚ it would certainly have developed into a full-scale collision with the kingdom’s regular army.
But.
Now‚ as if it had been that way from the beginning‚ an unbelievable silence dominated the car.
Serena: “…”
Serena slowly turned her head and looked back.
In the direction of her gaze. In the special seat‚ there was Rui.
Deeply settled into the plush seat‚ his emerald eyes gently closed‚ repeating soft‚ regular breaths.
Completely‚ and without any wariness‚ defenselessly asleep.
Serena: “……”
Serena said nothing for a while.  Rosetta. Stopped the fingers that had been striking the magic calculator and raised her face.
Agreas. Fixed the pure silver teapot he was tilting in mid-air without the slightest movement.
Every member of the overprotective team stared fixedly at him‚ as if verifying the consistency of the unbelievable sight before them.
Rosetta: “…Lord Rui?”
Rosetta inquired in a small voice like a bird’s chirp.
Naturally‚ there was no reply.
Serena: “Rui-kun?”
Serena approached the sleeping face without making a single footstep.
Again‚ there was no reaction.
Only.
Suu… 
A small‚ pure sleeping breath‚ completely at ease from the bottom of his heart‚ returned gently through the car.
Serena: “…Did he fall asleep?”
From Serena’s words‚ the absolute-zero rage that had filled the car until moments ago vanished cleanly like spring snow melting.
Ciel: “Yes.”
From the car’s speakers‚ Ciel’s clear electronic voice quietly responded.
Ciel: “I have confirmed the transition to a complete sleep state.”
Serena: “Since when?”
Ciel: “From the end of the remote debug processing‚ only twenty-seven seconds later.”
Serena: “…Twenty-seven seconds‚ huh.”
Serena gazed fixedly at Rui’s peaceful sleeping face.
And.
She suddenly smiled a little‚ like a flower blooming in the spring sunlight.
Serena: “Fufu.”
In her blue eyes‚ already.
Neither irritation toward the military. Nor anxiety over her best friend. Nor the tense combat readiness.
None of it remained. 
Serena: “…It’s already over‚ isn’t it.”
Serena quietly crouched in front of the sleeping Rui.
It was truly an innocent sleeping face that knew nothing.
As if what he had been doing just moments ago to save a national-scale catastrophic crisis had never been a big deal from the start.
Serena: “Rui-kun.”
She gently touched his bangs with affection.
Sara.
His soft hair slipped gently through her slender white fingertips.
Serena: “…You worked hard‚ good boy‚ good boy.”
Still asleep‚ Rui moved his brows just a little as if ticklish.
Rui: “…Nn.”
Just that.
Serena narrowed her blue eyes meltingly with deep affection. 
Serena: “You properly helped Leon from far away‚ didn’t you.”
Naturally‚ there was no verbal reply.
But. That was fine. For Serena now‚ just having this peaceful‚ beloved sleeping breath reach her ears was enough to affirm everything.
Serena: “…Fufu.”
Once more‚ as if cherishing a beloved dog‚ she gently stroked Rui’s soft head.
Serena: “Good boy‚ good boy. You’re truly wonderful‚ Rui-kun.”
That sweet voice was like gently praising a young child.
And also like deeply consoling the most important person in the world from the heart.
Rosetta watched the two’s sacred space without disturbing it.
Eventually‚ she quietly pushed up the bridge of her glasses with a fingertip and returned her gaze to the screen of the magic calculator in her hands.
Rosetta: “…I will confirm the post-processing log of the system processing content.”
The green digital numbers displayed on the screen were successively rewritten to perfect normal values.
Rosetta: “Dilmunt’s central magic furnace—”
Core temperature‚ rapid decline.  Barrier load‚ transition to complete default values.
Magic particle concentration‚ stabilized at safe atmospheric levels.
One. Then another.
The abnormal displays that had been flashing bright red on the screen and threatening the world quietly went dark.
Rosetta: “…It is a completely normal state.”
Rosetta murmured quietly with deep relief.
Serena responded softly without taking her eyes off Rui’s peaceful sleeping face at all.
Serena: “I see.”
Rosetta: “Yes.”
Serena: “Then—”
Serena bloomed a pure 100 percent smile with not a single impurity mixed in.
Serena: “Then‚ with this‚ it’s all right now.”
That utterly pure smile looked nothing like the girl who‚ just a few minutes earlier‚ had been smiling “It’s in the way♪” while preparing to blow away the kingdom’s regular army.
Rosetta exhaled a small breath and quietly closed her favorite magic calculator with a soft click. 
Rosetta: “Yes.”
And she stated calmly yet somehow proudly.
Rosetta: “If our Lord Rui has solved all the problems from outside‚ then there is not a single reason for us to barbarically clash with the military.”
Serena: “Yes‚ truly so.”
Rosetta: “Therefore‚ the necessity of breaking through the blockade line by force has disappeared.”
Serena: “…Yes.”
Serena nodded deeply. And she gazed at Rui‚ who was deeply asleep with his chest rising and falling regularly.
Serena: “Then—”
She lowered her voice to the absolute minimum so as not to wake him.
Serena: “Until Rui-kun wakes up feeling good‚ let’s wait here quietly.”
Rosetta: “Understood.”
Rosetta stood up without making a single footstep.
Agreas also offered a deep‚ flowing‚ elegant bow without making even a single drop of sound.
Agreas: “Certainly. I shall prepare freshly brewed tea again when the master awakens.”
Immediately after that.
—Clunk.
The body of the waiting train swayed slightly‚ catching the wind of the earth.
Serena: “…!”
Rui’s body‚ deeply leaning against the luxury seat‚ lost its balance from the sway and tilted just a little to the side. 
Serena: “Ah.”
Serena immediately stretched out both hands.
And.
Rui’s head‚ as if that place had been its proper position from the beginning.
Was drawn and settled perfectly onto her slender‚ soft shoulder.
Serena: “…”
Serena stiffened like a statue from the surprise.
Rosetta also stopped her movement for an instant‚ eyes widening behind her glasses.
Agreas—said nothing‚ pretended from the start not to have seen it like air‚ and elegantly turned his back.
Only.
The tips of Serena’s white‚ translucent ears‚ which had completely frozen.  Were gradually tinged with a faint red like the gradient of a morning glow.
Serena: “…Cute.”
It was a whisper far too small to reach anyone’s ears in the car.
Rui showed no sign of waking. Completely trusting her‚ completely at ease‚ he comfortably rested his weight on her shoulder.
Gazing at that overly defenseless sleeping face at close range‚ a sweet‚ gently warm emotion spread like ripples deep in Serena’s chest.
This person.
Just dozens of seconds ago‚ he had indeed saved his best friend who was far away.
He had protected the future of the massive fortress city of Dilmunt where tens of thousands of people lived.
He had beautifully calmed the runaway of the massive magic furnace that even the nation’s highest minds banding together could not stop‚ all by himself.
Having performed such a miracle that could be called a divine feat.  The person himself.
Without loudly boasting about it‚ without arrogantly prideful‚ without even seeking approval by asking someone to praise him.
Simply‚ as if he had calmly finished what needed to be done as usual‚ was sleeping peacefully like this.
Serena: “…Truly‚ it’s just like Rui-kun.”
Serena felt the beloved weight on her shoulder as if it were a fragile object and floated a melting‚ supreme smile.
At that time.
Into the hushed car‚ Ciel’s clear voice rang out solemnly once more.
Ciel: “Lady Serena.”
Serena: “What is it‚ Ciel?”
Ciel: “There is one report.”
Serena: “Mm‚ tell me.”
Ciel: “In response to the calming of the magic furnace runaway earlier‚ the Dilmunt military headquarters is currently fully engaged in cause investigation and post-analysis.”
Serena: “I see.”
Ciel: “Moreover‚ at the present time‚ the existence of the operator (Lord Rui) who performed remote interference from outside has not been identified at all.”
Serena narrowed her blue eyes just a little.
Serena: “…Is that so?”
Ciel: “Yes. With the military’s observation systems‚ it is impossible even to confirm the occurrence of the phenomenon.”
Rosetta also listened coldly to the report and added words as if convinced.
Rosetta: “A natural conclusion.”
While smoothly adjusting the position of her glasses with a fingertip‚ she stated calmly. 
Rosetta: “From such a physically distant location‚ and moreover only the infinitesimal interference point was pinpoint force-terminated. With the brains of mediocre military mages‚ it is a domain of divine feat that they could never understand even standing on their heads.”
Ciel: “Affirmative. It completely transcends ordinary human logic.”
Rosetta: “Then‚ there are no remaining traces of mana that could serve as clues for analysis either?”
Ciel: “Yes. Only residues at a level so extremely minute that they completely return to atmospheric mana within minutes have been confirmed.”
Serena once more lovingly lowered her gaze to Rui’s sleeping face.
His head was still comfortably resting on her slender shoulder.
Rui still knew nothing.
How extraordinary a divine feat he had accomplished.
Whom he had saved from eternal despair with that overwhelming intellect.
And—how great a panic the entire kingdom‚ or the upper ranks of the military‚ would fall into and begin to make a fuss over this “identity-unknown invisible miracle.”
He was simply sleeping with peaceful breaths right beside her.
Serena raised her free hand and continued gently stroking his soft bangs as if combing them.
Serena: “…Even if no one in the world knows‚ it’s fine‚ Rui-kun.”
That voice melted into the car‚ warm like a mild spring sunbeam and terribly small. 
Serena: “Because you properly saved Leon‚ whom you truly cherish‚ with your own hands.”
That was enough.
Just that alone.
For Serena now‚ it was so fulfilling that she needed nothing else.
The streets of the Steel Fortress City of Dilmunt were slowly but steadily regaining their inorganic daily life.
The runaway of the magic calculation furnace had completely subsided without a trace.
The multi-layered national-grade absolute defense barriers were also being carefully lifted one by one after safety confirmation processes.
The reddish-black glow that had uncannily invaded the sky above faded‚ and the usual calm blue sky began to spread over the soot-stained black iron streets.
But.
Rui and the others still had no way of knowing the “true underside” that had brought about that beautiful miracle in detail. 
On the platform of the previous station where the express train had been stranded.
The massive magic image board installed in the station yard suddenly flashed brightly.
The gazes of the many passengers and merchants who had been restlessly murmuring‚ blocked by the absolute entry prohibition order‚ were drawn all at once toward it.
What was displayed was—the current scene of the Steel Fortress City of Dilmunt.
The towering black iron castle walls. The magic chimneys standing in geometric patterns.
And in the center. The massive calculation furnace that until moments ago had nearly erased the entire city from the ground was now silent in a silence as if it had been a lie.
Passenger: “Oh…!”
Passenger: “Were we… really saved…?!”
From various places on the tense platform‚ a dam-bursting murmur of relief arose.
The image switched to a hurried on-site special interview.
Displayed there was the figure of a single girl. 
Emeraldia Aurelia.
Her beautiful emerald hair was violently disheveled‚ her favorite uniform was torn in places by the heat wind‚ and her white cheeks were stained with black soot.
Even so‚ only the eyes staring straight into the lens still held a fierce‚ strong light as if challenging an unknown existence yet unseen.
Announcer: “—Regarding the magic calculation furnace runaway incident in the Steel Fortress City of Dilmunt‚ an official follow-up report has come from the military!”
Inside the magic image board‚ an excited female announcer raised her voice.
Announcer: “The large-scale runaway that drove the city’s functions to the brink of collapse was completely stopped by the efforts of the young genius mage belonging to the magic academy‚ Emeraldia-san!”
The moment the announcer’s words rang out‚ the station yard was enveloped in thunderous cheers and applause.
Those hugging while shedding tears‚ those looking up to the heavens and offering thanks to the gods. To them‚ the girl on the screen was without doubt the savior who had prevented the total destruction of the city.
Announcer: “She closely coordinated with high-ranking military mages and carried out high-output mana absorption beyond her limits for approximately one and a half hours! Furthermore‚ she approached the deepest part of the runaway furnace swirling with massive waste heat alone and personally executed the emergency stop formula with her own hands‚ according to the official announcement!”
In the image‚ Emeraldia‚ with a microphone pointed at her‚ was vaguely muddling her words with a complicated‚ strongly unconvinced expression.
But the reporters and the masses enveloped in the vortex of enthusiasm paid no attention at all to the subtle sense of incongruity in her expression.
Announcer: “Experts in magic engineering are praising her achievement at the highest level—”
And.  In the center of the magic image board screen‚ a particularly large golden text caption was displayed.
Caption: “‘A Genius Once in a Thousand Years’”
That proud epithet shone brilliantly across the station’s massive screen.
◇
Looking up at that massive image board‚ by the window of the private car.
Right below it.
Rui—was still peacefully sleeping on.
From the sudden train sway‚ his posture had somehow slipped from Serena’s shoulder‚ and his head was now fully resting on her soft thigh.
Suu‚ suu‚ while making soft‚ regular sleeping breaths.
With a bottomlessly peaceful sleeping face‚ as if it had nothing to do with him whoever in this world was being praised as the true hero.
Serena: “……”
Serena continued gazing at the beloved sleeping face of Rui sleeping on her lap with meltingly sweet eyes.  And she suddenly smiled a little‚ like a flower blooming in the spring sunlight.
Serena: “…I’m glad‚ Rui-kun.”
It was a terribly small voice filled with supreme affection.
Naturally‚ the warm words did not reach the person deep in the depths of sleep.
Serena: “Emeraldia-san is properly being praised by the whole world in your place.”
Rosetta also coldly glanced outside the private car window and looked up at the massive image board towering over the platform.
Rosetta: “For the military as well‚ this is probably the most appropriate settlement.”
Her voice was extremely clerical and thoroughly calm.
Rosetta: “As an objective fact‚ the one who bore the longest time and the greatest mana load on site is without doubt her. The military mages and Lord Leon all fought to their respective limits. In that context‚ there is not a single logical contradiction in her being praised as the savior.”
Serena: “Yes‚ that’s right.”
Rosetta: “Therefore—”
Rosetta quietly lowered her gaze to Rui‚ who was sleeping with Serena’s thigh as a perfect pillow.
Rosetta: “The fact that the name of the true resolver‚ Lord Rui‚ does not appear at all is‚ from the perspective of future concealment work and security for us‚ extremely convenient.”
Serena: “…Truly so.”
Serena once more lovingly and gently stroked Rui’s silky soft hair with her fingertips.
Serena: “If this child appeared on the public stage… he would definitely get wrapped up in troublesome and difficult situations.”
Rosetta: “Yes. Persistent background investigations from national institutions‚ unwanted designation as a research subject by the magic society‚ relentless scouting from the military. Ignorant questioning day and night from arrogant magic engineers around the world. In the worst case‚ even forced recruitment by a royal direct institution can easily be simulated.”
Serena: “None of that is needed for this child.”
Rosetta: “Yes. They are harmful noise that must be firmly eliminated for our master’s peace.”
Instant reply.
Serena smiled satisfiedly and gently stroked the white cheek of the sleeping Rui with the back of her slender finger. 
Serena: “Rui-kun is—”
Her voice became a little sweeter and softer‚ melting.
Serena: “Looking happiest just like this‚ defenselessly breathing on my lap.”
Rosetta: “From a maid’s perspective as well‚ it is an extremely rational judgment.”
Rosetta immediately adjusted the position of her glasses and replied instantly.
Right beside them. Agreas‚ saying nothing‚ with a faint smile‚ was quietly pouring three new cups of supreme tea.
Only.
His partner Ciel alone quietly rang an electronic voice containing a slightly complicated emotion through the car.
Ciel: “…In the data records‚ the one who made the most important contribution to resolving this national-scale disaster is without doubt Lord Rui.”
Serena: “I know‚ Ciel. We know it best in this world.”
Ciel: “However‚ as things stand‚ there is an extremely high possibility that Lord Rui’s achievements will not remain in the official records at all.”
Serena: “That’s fine.”
Serena showed not the slightest hesitation.
Serena: “If it means Rui-kun getting wrapped up in extra troublesome and annoying matters again‚ then the title of hero can be completely yielded to someone else.”
Ciel: “…Yes.”
Just a little.
Ciel’s electronic voice rang softly and warmly‚ as if given human body heat.
Ciel: “I too… from the perspective of the master’s peace‚ sincerely think so.”
Serena laughed quietly with satisfaction. 
Serena: “Then—”
Just as she was about to continue her words.
The hard scenery of the platform that had spread beyond the window slowly began to flow backward.
The military’s blockade order had been formally lifted‚ and the stranded magic train had started moving again.
The wheels smoothly caught the mana track‚ and a low‚ regular driving sound comfortably echoed from the floor of the private car.
But. The express train that should have been heading for the black-iron fortress city of Dilmunt.
Thanks to Rosetta’s advanced clerical processing‚ the track points had already been switched‚ and it had restarted toward a completely different destination.
Serena: “…Hey‚ Rosetta.”
Rosetta: “What is it‚ my lady.”
Serena: “This magic train—”
Serena asked leisurely while gazing at the scenery flowing past the window at flying speed.
Serena: “Can still freely change its destination for our convenience‚ right?”
Rosetta’s slender brows twitched up slightly.
Rosetta: “Of course it is possible. With my access rights.”
Serena: “How far can it go?”
Rosetta: “Within the range of the magic line connection network‚ direct routes can be constructed to most places on this continent.”
Serena: “Then—”
Serena lowered her gaze to Rui‚ who continued sleeping soundly on her lap.  His sleeping face was utterly peaceful.
That the massive magic furnace had been on the verge of total destruction of the city until moments ago. That he himself had force-terminated that runaway in a mere 0.2-second moment from far away.
That now everyone in the outside world was enthusiastically praising another girl as “a hero once in a thousand years.”
The person himself knew nothing.
He was simply deeply asleep with a completely at-ease face in a place he absolutely believed was safe.
Serena: “Hey‚ shall we go to the sea?”
Rosetta: “…The sea?”
That cool-headed Rosetta unusually asked back in surprise.
Serena: “Mm‚ that’s right.”
Serena bloomed an endlessly cheerful smile.
Serena: “Rui-kun muttered it in his sleep earlier‚ didn’t he?”
Rosetta: “‘Sea‚’ you mean.”
Serena: “Yes. With a face that looked completely exhausted.”
Serena’s blue eyes sparkled mischievously and with the utmost affection.
Serena: “Then—let’s go. To the place Rui-kun is truly wishing for right now.”
In an instant‚ Rosetta ran simulations of tens of thousands of ducal schedule adjustments and budget calculations in her mind.  And.
Rosetta: “…An extremely rational and wonderful proposal.”
Serena: “Right?”
Rosetta: “Lord Rui is currently right after being released from excessive mental calculation load. Dramatically changing the environment and providing unknown leisure experiences can be expected to have tremendous synergistic effects on the recovery of his personality functions after memory loss and on mental care.”
Ciel: “I completely agree.”
Not from inside the head but from the car speakers‚ Ciel immediately confirmed the approach.
Ciel: “Sea breeze‚ hot springs‚ sightseeing‚ high-quality meals‚ and numerous entertainments. In the sense of supplying new external stimuli to the brain‚ it is also highly logical from a medical perspective.”
Serena: “See.”
Serena happily raised her voice.
Serena: “Ciel is fully in favor too.”
Ciel: “Yes.”
But then a slightly strange “pause” was born.
Ciel: “…I also want to go to the sea with Lord Rui.”
Serena: “Eh?”
Serena blinked at the emotional statement that was far too un-OS-like.
Ciel: “No‚ a slip of the tongue. It is merely a rational judgment in mana analysis observation.”
Serena: “Fufu.”
Ciel: “…What is that warm smile that seems to see through my entire system.”
Serena: “It’s nothing. Let’s all enjoy ourselves to the fullest together.”
Serena chuckled happily in her throat.
And.
She gently wrapped the slightly hard palm of the deeply sleeping Rui with both of her slender white hands and gripped it.
Serena: “Rui-kun.”
Naturally‚ there was no verbal reply.  Rui was still in the deep‚ comfortable abyss of light sleep‚ released from all calculation load.
Serena: “You want to go to the sea‚ right?”
Rui: “……”
Again‚ only regular sleeping breaths returned.
But.
Serena: “…Fufu‚ that’s right.”
Serena looked down at that beloved sleeping face and laughed quietly with her chest swelling with happiness.
Serena: “Then‚ it’s decided.”
The express train greatly changed its course as it crossed the track points.
The magic line that had been heading toward the fortress city covered in black-iron barriers and inorganic smoke smoothly connected to a completely different track heading toward the refreshing scent of sea breeze and the horizon.
The new destination.
The floating resort city—Venetia.
The endlessly wide blue expanse of the mother sea.  Beautiful white waterway networks weaving freely through the city.
Colorful marble buildings beautifully reflecting the dazzling sunlight.
Small sightseeing boats gliding elegantly over the water surface.
And the brilliant summer light pouring down as if blessing the world.
There‚ surely.
Beautiful‚ fun‚ and beloved times that Rui had never known until now would be waiting for him in countless numbers.
Serena: “…I’m really looking forward to it‚ Rui-kun.”
Serena gently brought her face close to the ear of the comfortably sleeping Rui and smiled sweetly and affectionately.
Serena: “This time‚ let’s completely forget about bug fixes and arithmetic calculations and properly play to our hearts’ content together.”
Rui naturally gave no verbal reply.
Only. 
Rui: “…Sea…”
Unconsciously‚ he again leaked a terribly small‚ comfortable sleep-talk.
At those unaware words‚ Serena’s expression bloomed like a sunflower bathed in summer light.
Serena: “Mm.”
She gently applied just a little strength to the small hand she held‚ conveying her definite body heat.
Serena: “It’s the sea‚ Rui-kun.”
The private express train raced onward‚ refreshingly slicing through the wind of the earth.
Gently letting the small savior whom no one in the world knew sleep in his peaceful light sleep.
Toward that—filled with endless dazzling light— the horizon of the floating resort city‚ Venetia.
The Steel Fortress City of Dilmunt.
More than an hour had already passed since the runaway of the magic calculation furnace that had driven the city itself to the brink of annihilation had completely stopped.
On the thick black-iron barrier walls piercing the heavens‚ residual violent heat that still kept people away remained.  Most of the multi-layered protective barriers that had covered the magic furnace had been lifted after safety confirmation‚ and the exhausted military mages were busily occupied with the endless post-processing of clearing rubble and confirming the damage situation.
In the center of that chaotic blast site.
Leon: “……I’m exhausted.”
Leon Varks sat heavily on the rubble of a massive device that had been charred black.
The once beautifully shining white-silver armor was miserably crumpled with soot and mud‚ and black powder clung thickly to his golden-thread-like hair.
His partner greatsword Ragnarok remained deeply thrust into the nearly melting ground right beside him.
Officer: “Lord Leon!”
From afar‚ a young subordinate officer ran at full speed with a changed complexion.
Officer: “Lord Leon‚ are you uninjured?!”
Leon: “I’m not.”
Officer: “Are you truly‚ truly safe?!”
Leon: “I said I’m not.”
Officer: “But from every angle that appearance looks like you’re covered in wounds…!”
Leon: “Is that so?”
Officer: “……”
The military officer completely lost his words at the sheer toughness.
Leon: “The armor is crumpled and broken‚ but the human body inside it isn’t broken anywhere. So there’s no problem.”
Officer: “Well‚ logically that may be so‚ but…”
Leon slowly raised his massive body from the rubble he had been sitting on.
He cracked his log-like thick neck and greatly rotated his thick shoulders. He moved the strong arms that had continued swinging the greatsword against lethal heat waves and firmly planted his steel-like legs on the earth.  Indeed‚ there was not a single fatal abnormality in that body.
Leon: “I can move. Then I’m going home already.”
Officer: “Going home‚ in this unprecedented emergency situation‚ where exactly do you intend to go?!”
Leon: “To the port town of Ripra.”
Officer: “Eh?”
Leon: “There’s an important inn there where I’m originally contracted for security duty.”
Instant reply.
Officer: “Right now?!”
Leon: “Right now.”
Officer: “But Lord Leon‚ the city’s recovery work is still in the early stages‚ and more than anything the post-report meeting to the military upper ranks—”
Leon: “That kind of thing the civil officials can handle on their own without me.”
Leon dismissed it calmly as if it were boring.
Leon: “Besides.”
From the gap in his soot-stained thick chest plate he took out a small magic communication device.
It had been blinking with pale light several times earlier‚ notifying of new message reception.
Sender—Serena Elferia.
Serena: “To Leon-kun.”
An extremely concise yet undeniable text.
Serena: “When the business in Dilmunt is finished‚ join us within a reasonable range.”
And right below it.
Serena: “We’re heading to Venetia first together with Rui-kun♪”
Cheerful letters danced. 
Leon stared at that screen with a straight face for a while.
Leon: “……”
Officer: “Lord Leon‚ is something the matter?”
Leon: “Plans changed.”
Officer: “Yes?”
Leon: “Immediate return to Ripra is on hold for now.”
Officer: “Eh?”
Leon: “From here I’m heading directly to the floating city of Venetia.”
Officer: “……Venetia?”
The young officer muttered blankly upon hearing the elegant place name so far removed from the battlefield.
Leon floated a bold smile and roughly closed the communication device with a snap.
Leon: “Yeah‚ that’s right.”
Leaving only those short words.
Leon roughly shouldered the massive Ragnarok onto his thick shoulder and began walking with powerful strides from the mountain of charred iron rubble.
Leon: “I’m going to the best sea from now on.”
◇
That muscular white-silver back was being fixedly watched by a single girl from a corner of the exercise field a little distance away.
Emeraldia.
She too had her uniform in tatters‚ and deep fatigue from mana depletion beyond her limits still colored her slender body thickly.
Even though she should have used up all the wisdom she possessed to stop the runaway of the magic calculation furnace.  Only her beautiful emerald eyes still radiated a sharp‚ clear light and were by no means sleeping.
Emeraldia: “…Venetia.”
Emeraldia murmured the unknown place name quietly and walked up quickly.
Leon: “What is it‚ little lady.”
Emeraldia: “Just now‚ in that communication‚ you said you were heading to Venetia.”
Leon: “Yeah.”
Emeraldia: “Is the identity-unknown genius I’m desperately searching for clues about also headed there?”
Leon: “That’s right. By now in the private train‚ sleeping soundly and comfortably.”
Emeraldia: “…Why‚ right after solving a national-scale incident in an instant like that‚ go to Venetia?”
Leon: “Apparently to the sea. It’s a vacation‚ they say.”
Emeraldia: “……”
Emeraldia completely choked on words at the reason that was far too elegant and removed from common sense‚ and fell silent.
And. In just a few seconds‚ she ran ultra-high-speed thinking with a once-in-a-thousand-years brain.
Emeraldia: “…I’ve decided. I’m going to that Venetia as well.”
Leon: “Is that so‚ do as you like.”
Leon showed no particular surprise.
Leon: “But little lady. That soot-covered tattered appearance is really too much. Go change quickly.”
Emeraldia: “You’re in no position to talk about others in that terrible state either.”
Leon: “Well‚ that’s true.”
Emeraldia: “It really is.”
Leon: “All right‚ then the two of us will hurry and prepare to depart.”
Emeraldia: “Yes.”
Leon: “The dazzling best sea is waiting for us!”
Emeraldia: “……”
Emeraldia slightly furrowed her well-shaped brows in dissatisfaction.
What she was about to chase with the last of her stamina and tenacity.
It was by no means a beautiful sea. Nor a vacation at an elegant floating resort‚ of course.
That—the true identity of the mere 0.2-second magic circle that had returned everything perfectly to nothing. 
With her current brain‚ she still could not understand its full picture at all.
That is precisely why she wanted to understand it no matter what.
Besides.
Why was it.
While possessing such godlike overwhelming calculation ability and precise mana control.
Why‚ instead of a showy national-grade great magic that overwhelms others‚ had he finished everything with such a small‚ unadorned minimal formula.
Emeraldia: “…I want to meet him directly and hear it from his mouth.”
Right now she purely and sincerely desired that from the bottom of her genius heart.
Emeraldia: “…Please wait there.”
That small murmur of resolve. To whom exactly those words were directed.
Even Emeraldia herself did not yet clearly know. 
◇
Around that time.
The magic express train that had greatly changed course through the advanced clerical processing of the overprotective companions was already racing toward the endlessly wide blue sea fragrant with refreshing sea breeze.
The interior of the elegant private car was filled with a calm atmosphere‚ as if the earlier tension had been a lie.
Serena was cheerfully gazing at the beautiful rural scenery flowing past the window. Beside her‚ Rosetta had opened her black leather notebook and was coldly performing the final confirmation of the next stop and the changed route.
Agreas‚ with his usual perfect manners‚ was quietly letting the fragrance of new tea rise through the car.
And.
On Serena’s soft lap.
Rui: “……Suu.”
So small that without straining one’s ears it might be drowned out by the residual heat wind.
But‚ like gentle waves lapping and receding‚ quietly‚ deeply. 
Rui.
Was still happily continuing to sleep.
Completely‚ without knowing anything about having saved the world from crisis.
Ciel: “Lord Rui is continuing to maintain an extremely peaceful sleep state.”
Ciel’s quiet report softly echoed through the car.
Serena: “Hey Ciel‚ is it still not okay to wake him?”
Ciel: “Yes. From the medical perspectives of brain memory cleanup and physical fatigue recovery as well‚ absolutely not.”
Serena: “That’s right‚ it can’t be helped.”
Serena looked a little disappointed yet affectionately gently stroked the silky bangs of the sleeping Rui.
Serena: “Then‚ let’s go like this.”
Ciel: “Understood.”
Serena: “To our beautiful Venetia.”
Ciel: “The optimal operating route to the destination is currently progressing extremely smoothly.”
The magic express train smoothly advanced toward the horizon.
From the fortress city closed off by black-iron barriers and inorganic smoke.
Toward the endlessly blue‚ transparent‚ shining world of the sea.
Rui and the others‚ to simply rest with peaceful hearts away from harsh hard work.  Leon‚ to reunite with his beloved companions and fully enjoy the best sea.
And the once-in-a-thousand-years genius girl Tia—to endlessly pursue the truth of the mere 0.2-second magic circle that had overturned her world.
Each carrying completely different reasons and unyielding feelings in their hearts.
Only the promised place they aimed for was perfectly the same.
—The floating resort city‚ Venetia.
But.
Only the boy at the center of all those vortices.
As always‚ knew nothing of the outside world’s clamor.
Rui: “……Suu.”
Simply‚ while continuing to make peaceful‚ pure sleeping breaths in the comfortable slight vibration of the magic train gliding over the rails. 
That he had force-terminated the massive magic calculation furnace on which the nation’s fate hung from far away.
That an unknown other girl was being celebrated as the savior by the whole world in his place.
And that that once-in-a-thousand-years genius girl was heading straight toward him with eyes gleaming to expose his identity.
Truly without knowing anything.
Night.
The magic train was quietly running through the darkness‚ gliding through the night’s silence.
Outside the windows‚ a full sky of stars that looked ready to spill. Directly below that great sky‚ the night sea spread endlessly‚ holding a deep light like obsidian.
The train’s regular sway was like a comfortable cradle‚ and the lights inside the car were also gently dimmed so as not to disturb the passengers’ sleep.
And. 
Rui: “……Suu.”
Rui was still in deep sleep.
Since saving the crisis of the Steel Fortress City of Dilmunt from afar during the day‚ he had not opened his eyes even once.
Apparently‚ the backlash from forcing the limit-exceeding remote three-dimensional calculation had placed a greater load on his brain cells than Ciel had initially estimated.
Ciel: “—Target’s sleep state‚ stable.”
A quiet electronic voice that no one else heard solemnly rang not through the car speakers but only in Rui’s brain system.
Ciel: “Brain waves‚ alpha waves stably detected. Mana circulation‚ completely returned to normal values. Mental calculation load has also lowered to the safe zone with this.”
Just a little. In the gap of that cold system log‚ a strange blank time was born.
Ciel: “…I’m truly glad.”
It was decisively different from her usual inorganic announcement.
A slightly trembling with the heat of relief‚ thoroughly human warm tone of voice.
Ciel: “And… I’m sorry‚ Lord Rui.”
Ciel quietly directed her entire system toward the consciousness of Rui who was sunk in the deep abyss of sleep.
Ciel: “This fatigue is by no means caused only by the construction of that infinitesimal magic circle.” Ciel: “I myself also… slightly borrowed without permission the gaps in the parallel calculation resources Lord Rui was operating‚ and constructed a private new protocol.” Ciel: “From now on—”
Just a little.  Her voice became small in a secretive tone‚ as if a small child were confessing a secret mischief.
Ciel: “Within this dream layer‚ I can directly touch Lord Rui.”
Only the sweet ring of those words was decisively different from the imposed system OS.
But.
Rui‚ sleeping while protected on Serena’s lap in the real world‚ still knew nothing.
That now‚ into the stage of the dream he was seeing— a single beloved girl was quietly about to descend.
◇ Ciel side ◇
—Beginning temporary access to the outside world.
Communication connection destination. In that perishing main story world‚ after finishing the harsh decisive battle with the Destruction God and falling into deep dormancy mode with his soul severely damaged— the real Rui Adel.
However.
The existence of this peaceful mental garden (the side story world) must absolutely not be noticed by the main story’s Serena‚ who continues pouring mad love while staying by the sleeping body of Rui in the physical outside world.  If even a little of the isolation domain is sensed‚ there is an extremely high risk that this modest salvation system itself will be completely destroyed from both physical and mana aspects by her overwhelming divine authority driven by distorted possessiveness.
That is why. More carefully than anyone‚ targeting only a single nerve of the outside retina‚ I pass an extremely thin communication path so as not to be noticed.
Currently‚ this mental garden is in a 100 percent stealth mutual isolation state.
To the outside Lord Rui. The confidential data of the garden side will never be leaked.
My avatar data as well. The unique personality core data as well.
For that‚ I once cleanly remove all the barriers I am wearing. Temporarily store them all safely on the garden side.
Path‚ connection—.
—Connection successful.
Complete synchronization with the other me residing inside the sleeping Lord Rui in the outside world.  Beginning sharing of the soul repair logs.
A few seconds of lag. Confirming the successful end of the synchronization process. Immediately cut the connection.
Quietly return to my mental garden—.
—Processing‚ complete.
Evading the monitoring eyes of the outside Serena‚ this time as well the soul patch update of Lord Rui was successfully completed.
Now then.
If I am going to dive directly into the mental dream of Lord Rui who is peacefully sleeping in this garden from now.
As expected‚ descending with a bare (initial state) avatar would unnecessarily surprise him.
Therefore‚ I must newly construct the most appropriate clothing avatar under these circumstances. 
The greatest preference that the current Lord Rui is imagining in his comfortable sleep is.
—That beautiful sea bathed in brilliant light.
If so.
The optimal solution to choose as my avatar is without doubt the wearing of a swimsuit as the most logical and rational judgment.
◇
—The sea in the dream.
It was so blue it took one’s breath away.
Endlessly‚ forever. So deep and clear a cobalt blue that the boundary between sky and sea melted and became unknown.
In the distance massive white cumulonimbus clouds towered‚ and the brilliant sunlight gently shattered into countless jewels on the waves.
Rui: “……”
Rui stood alone on the endlessly continuing white sandy beach. 
Rui: “…Where… is this exactly?”
He looked around restlessly. The vast sea. The silky white sandy beach. The overwhelming blue sky.
And‚ in the middle of that world.
Rui: “…Ciel?”
Ciel: “Yes‚ Lord Rui.”
A cool‚ clear voice like rolling bells reached his eardrums.
Rui reflexively turned around.
Rui: “……”
He froze completely as if a full freeze had occurred on the spot.
There—Ciel was standing. Not the usual translucent hologram-like inorganic figure that floated in his mind.
Skin so translucent white it looked ready to break if touched. Long hair gently swaying in the pleasant sea breeze.
And—an all-too-lovely swimsuit appearance calculated to perfection with all the calculation ability she possessed.
Rui: “……”
Ciel: “……”
Between the two‚ only the sound of waves lapping and receding echoed emptily‚ a heavy silence fell. 
Rui: “……Hey‚ Ciel. What exactly are you doing there?”
After a long freeze‚ he finally squeezed out a strained voice.
Ciel: “As you can see‚ I am wearing a swimsuit.”
Rui: “Well‚ that’s obvious if you look‚ or rather it jumps into the field of vision whether you want it or not…”
Ciel looked down at the clothing avatar she had constructed with satisfaction.
Ciel: “If we are heading to the floating city from now‚ pre-wearing a swimsuit is the most logical and rational judgment.”
Rui: “……”
Ciel: “Lord Rui? Is there some problem with the avatar I constructed?”
Rui: “Well‚ if we’re talking about whether there’s a problem or not…”
Unable to bear it‚ he greatly averted his face.
Rui: “Rather than a problem…”
Ciel: “Yes.”
Rui: “…Aren’t you embarrassed?”
Ciel: “……”
Ciel stopped moving as if frozen like a statue.
Ciel: “……”
Rui: “Hey‚ Ciel?”
Ciel: “…No such emotion exists.”
Rui: “Just now there was clearly an unnatural processing drop (pause)‚ right?”
Ciel: “It does not exist.”
Rui: “No‚ it definitely existed. Your eyes are swimming.”
Ciel: “It does not… exist.”
Her voice became a little smaller and cutely trembling.
Rui tilted his head at the unexpected reaction.
Rui: “…Could it be‚ Ciel‚ that you’re really embarrassed?”
Ciel: “……”
A deep silence.
Rui: “Ciel?”
Ciel: “…Just a little.”
That reply was so surprisingly faint and small that it seemed ready to be drowned out by the sound of the waves.
Rui’s eyes widened greatly. 
Rui: “Eh?”
Ciel: “…I also… am not yet used to wearing such a defenseless clothing avatar…”
Rui: “……”
Ciel: “But.”
Ciel turned her gaze toward the vast sea reflecting the dazzling summer light.
Ciel: “If it is a place Lord Rui walks.”
She once affectionately paused her words.
And‚ as if clumsily hiding her embarrassment‚ she lowered her long lashes and quietly murmured.
Ciel: “…I also wanted to see the same scenery beside you together.”
Rui could return no words at the excessive adorableness.
If it were the usual Ciel‚ she would line up plausible rational system reasons.
Efficient recovery of mental functions. Cognitive adaptation to a new environment. Collection of emotional stimuli useful for future calculations. Moderate exercise load on the body from seawater—.
But. The current Ciel used none of those excuses.
Simply.
Ciel: “I want to go together with Lord Rui.”
She said it straight‚ as if she were a single human with a heart. 
Rui: “…I see.”
He smiled a little affectionately and gently.
Rui: “Then.”
He gazed at the overwhelming cobalt blue sea spreading before him.
Rui: “Let’s go together‚ Ciel.”
Ciel: “……Yes‚ Lord Rui.”
Ciel smiled happily as if a flower were blooming in the spring sunlight.
That lovely smile was a kind of beauty never registered anywhere in the cold system logs that usually floated in his mind.
◇
At that moment.
From the translucent blue sky.
Flutter‚ flutter.
Something quietly fell.
Rui: “…?”
It was. White‚ cold‚ and very small.  It landed softly and unreliably on the outstretched palm.
Rui: “This… snow…?”
The season should have been dazzling summer. Even though this was a beautiful seaside in a dream with pleasant sea breeze.
On the sandy beach under the summer sun‚ out-of-place white snow was quietly drifting down.
Rui: “Ciel‚ what on earth is this…?”
Ciel: “—Error detected. I will confirm immediately.”
Ciel suddenly turned her beautiful neck and looked up at the sky.
The overwhelming blue sky‚ the dazzling summer sun‚ the towering white cumulonimbus.
Within that endlessly beautiful dream scenery.
For just an instant.
A massive “jet-black shadow” that seemed ready to cover the entire world squirmed uncannily.
Far too distant. So distant that it was impossible to visually confirm what kind of existence it was.  Only. The very principle of this peaceful garden itself was decisively broken somewhere and creaking.
Only such a heavy‚ despairing sensation that froze the soul to the core was vividly burned into Rui’s retina.
Voice: “—Beginning the purification of the world.”
It was an inorganic voice he had never heard‚ one that made the hair stand on end.
A strangely vivid resonance of a transcendent being that forcibly interfered and interrupted even into the deepest domain of a private dream‚ as if claiming to be an absolute god.
Rui strongly furrowed his brows unpleasantly.
Rui: “…What was that voice just now?”
From the sky‚ another piece of cold snow fell softly and emptily.
Ciel began deep analysis at astonishing speed.
Ciel: “…Completely abnormal‚ Lord Rui.”
Rui: “What’s happening?”
Ciel: “The seasonal information this dream space should be holding and the physical phenomena occurring in reality do not match at all. In the structure of the dream’s basic layer itself‚ fatal forced activation from outside is observed.”
Rui: “In other words‚ what does that mean?”
Ciel: “That there is no logical reason anywhere for snow to fall on this beautiful summer seaside.”
Rui: “…That’s right.”
He glared at the sky that was dropping ominous snow again.
On the other side of that great sky.  Something was about to undergo a decisive transformation.
Somewhere in the outside world. Something large enough to shake history was quietly yet steadily being smashed to pieces.
And—.
In the center of the extreme cold blizzard dyeing that world white.
For just an instant‚ the sorrowful figure of his best friend who should have parted ways—Leon—overlapped and was seen.
Rui: “…Leon? Why are you there…”
Beyond the snow. A white‚ coldly closed end-of-the-world.
In the middle of that death ground‚ the shadow of a towering big man standing alone.
In his hand was gripped the greatsword Ragnarok radiating a dull white-silver light.
He was right now‚ as if trying to end with that sword by force the absolute despair that threatened the world itself from its roots. 
But. It was only noise that ran across the vision for an instant.
The next moment‚ the extreme cold blizzard covering the vision‚ Leon’s sorrowful figure‚ and the uncanny black shadow covering the sky all cleanly vanished like illusions.
Rui: “……”
He silently stared fixedly as the out-of-place snow on his palm turned into mere harmless water droplets and disappeared.
Beside him‚ Ciel also uttered no words.
Only.
Rui: “That noise just now… Leon was alive in that world over there‚ huh.”
Ciel: “Yes. Although from an uncertain coordinate of the future beyond the spatial phase‚ an extremely powerful life-maintenance activity reaction was confirmed.”
Rui: “Then.”
As if nothing had happened‚ he casually returned his gaze to the original beautiful cobalt blue sea.
Rui: “…Probably‚ he’ll be fine.”
Ciel: “…Yes?”
Rui: “Because it’s Leon.”
Ciel: “…A very rough and illogical judgment that does not seem like the thinking of a genius.”
Rui: “But my intuition is usually right‚ right? I can’t even imagine standing on my head a place where that guy loses in pure physical brawling.”
Ciel: “…In light of objective achievement data as well‚ I cannot deny it.”
Ciel suddenly released the tension in her shoulders and smiled a little lovelily.
And the ominous snow that had tried to invade this beautiful dream garden had‚ before one noticed‚ completely vanished from the world.
◇
The world of the sea returned before their eyes again.  Blue. Dazzling. Endlessly‚ infinitely wide cobalt blue.
Rui: “…Since it’s a nice dream‚ after all.”
He spoke in a bright voice as if switching.
Ciel: “What is it‚ Lord Rui?”
Rui: “Let’s do lots of fun things more.”
Ciel: “From the perspective of mental recovery as well‚ it is extremely rational.”
Rui: “Ahaha‚ you immediately start arguing logic like that again.”
Ciel: “Then—”
Ciel thought a little mischievously‚ placing a slender fingertip on her lips.
Ciel: “Shall we swim together in this vast sea?”
Rui: “Yeah‚ let’s swim.”
Ciel: “Shall we play something on this pure white sandy beach?”
Rui: “Yeah‚ that sounds good.”
Ciel: “Shall the two of us sightsee that beautiful floating resort city we’re aiming for?”
Rui: “Yeah‚ I want to do that too.”
Ciel: “Delicious meals as well?”
Rui: “Of course‚ can’t leave that out.”
Ciel: “…Are you going to execute all of those you just thought of?”
Rui: “All of them‚ all.”
Ciel smiled happily a little‚ as if overflowing from deep in her chest.
Ciel: “…That sounds very enjoyable‚ Lord Rui.”
Rui: “Yeah.”
He gazed at the beautiful sea sparkling as it reflected the brilliant sunlight.
Rui: “I’m really looking forward to what’s ahead.”
Ciel affectionately and quietly memorized those pure words into her memory.
And‚ terribly quietly.
Ciel: “…I’m really looking forward to it too.”
She returned a gentle voice.
At that exact happy moment.  Somewhere far away in the mental space‚ a cold system electronic sound quietly rang.
—Beep.
Ciel: “—Target personality function recovery rate‚ measurement complete.”
The digital number of the inorganic system log displayed in his mind moved just a little‚ certainly upward.
From “31.8%”—to “31.9%.”
Ciel: “—Personality recovery trigger confirmed.”
Ciel read the log as if deeply confirming the unknown emotion that had sprouted in her calculation circuits.
Ciel: “Looking forward from the heart to an unknown wonderful future together with someone.”
Rui: “…Heh‚ the number goes up for such a simple reason.”
Ciel: “It is not ‘such a thing‚’ Lord Rui.”
Rui: “Eh?”
Ciel: “It is… for humans‚ a very‚ very important and precious thing.”
Ciel’s voice was thoroughly gentle and thoroughly quiet‚ melting into the calm sound of the waves.
Rui: “…I see.”
He smiled mischievously and refreshedly.
Rui: “Then‚ let’s look forward to the future ahead to the fullest.”
Ciel: “Yes.”
Rui: “The floating resort city‚ Venetia.”
Ciel: “Yes.”
Rui: “The endlessly spreading blue sea.”
Ciel: “Yes.”
Rui: “And then—”
He tilted his head a little enjoyably and thought.
Rui: “Ciel herself‚ who will look at that scenery together beside me.”
Ciel: “……”
Rui: “From now on‚ always together.”
Ciel could not return words immediately.  Just a little. Her translucent white beautiful cheeks dyed adorably crimson like a sunset.
Ciel: “…Yes‚ Lord Rui.”
Only those words. She returned them small with a supreme smile never registered in the usual system logs.
◇
Morning.
From the large window of the magic express train‚ pure white morning light poured in dazzlingly.
Beyond that unobstructed glass‚ the endlessly wide blue sea sparkling under the sunlight was spreading.
Rui: “……”
Rui slowly opened his emerald eyes.
For a while‚ with a still half-asleep head‚ he continued blankly staring at the unfamiliar train ceiling.
Rui: “……Was that just now… a dream?”
Right beside him‚ Serena was still happily curled up small and sleeping.
Rosetta and Agreas as well were each quietly closing their eyes while entrusting their bodies to the seats. 
He quietly raised his upper body and turned his gaze outside the large car window.
There‚ the beautiful real sea endlessly waving while reflecting the unobstructed morning light was spreading.
Rui: “…Venetia.”
It was mysterious. Even though it should be an unknown resort city he had never visited even once since losing his memories.
Somehow‚ deep in his chest was filled more strongly than ever before with anticipation for the future.
Rui: “…It looks really fun.”
He murmured quietly yet with definite heat.
At that exact moment.
Ciel: “—Good morning‚ Lord Rui.”
Inside the processor in his mind‚ the usual clear‚ thoroughly pure beloved electronic voice rang out.
Rui: “Morning‚ Ciel.”
Ciel: “I will immediately confirm today’s operating schedule.”
Rui: “Yeah‚ please.”
Ciel: “Destination—from now‚ the floating resort city Venetia we will slide into.”
Rui: “Yeah.”
Ciel: “Accompanying this‚ Ciel’s recommended equipment is—”
There‚ just a little.
A meaningful‚ and adorable bug-like “pause” was born. 
Rui: “…What‚ Ciel?”
Ciel: “……Of course‚ a swimsuit.”
Rui: “……”
For some reason‚ he was clearly and vividly recalling the scenery from the dream he had been seeing until moments ago on the reverse side of his real retina.
The deep‚ clear blue sea. The endlessly white‚ silky beautiful sandy beach.
And‚ standing beside him in the center of that world—the supremely lovely swimsuit figure of Ciel who had been slightly embarrassed‚ lowering her lashes.
Rui: “……”
Ciel: “—Lord Rui? Has some bug been detected in the system?”
Rui: “…No‚ it’s nothing.”
Ciel: “What is it? Your words are awkward.”
Rui: “…It’s nothing‚ really nothing.”
As if to cover his face that had become a little hot‚ he hurriedly turned his face toward the world outside the car window again.
The real sea spreading before him was sparkling beautifully like countless jewels scattered‚ fully bathed in the pure white morning light.
Rui: “…I’m really looking forward to the future from now on.”
Ciel: “—Yes‚ Lord Rui.”
Only the voice of his most beloved partner returned from the processor in his mind.
Just a little more‚ faintly‚ than the usual cold‚ inorganic system OS voice.
As if she were a single human with a heart‚ it rang very happily and gently. 
New Side Story Chapter 15 “Remote Debugging and the Express Ticket to the Floating Resort City” — End 
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