The next morning.
"You... why are you here so early?"
As she unlocked the video store door and began preparing to open for the day, Belle was surprised to find Tsukishiro Yanagi already standing at the entrance.
She blinked in confusion. The incident in the lockdown zone had ended just yesterday—so what brought her here so soon?
Seeing Belle still half-drowsy, Tsukishiro Yanagi let out a quiet sigh. Her expression turned serious as she spoke in a calm, even tone.
"The lockdown zone was lifted early this morning. That area is now under the jurisdiction of the Public Security Bureau. They've begun restoring it for residential use."
"I see..."
Belle nodded slowly. But if it were just that, Yanagi wouldn't be here looking so grave.
Sensing Belle's puzzlement, Tsukishiro Yanagi didn't waste time on small talk.
"Not long after we left the lockdown zone yesterday, Section 6 was approached. In that situation, our identities weren't exactly easy to hide."
"With the current political tension, no one can really move against anyone else. What caught me off guard, though, was that the hollow inside the lockdown zone vanished right after we left."
"That's the reason the zone was lifted—but those people now believe Section 6 tampered with the hollow. They've been confronting our higher-ups about it ever since."
Tsukishiro Yanagi shrugged lightly. Those people couldn't touch Section 6 anyway, and the top brass was still protecting them—but she herself didn't understand what had happened.
It was frustrating, being blamed for something they hadn't done.
Of course, what bothered her most was why the hollow had disappeared in the first place.
That hollow had been left behind by Zane, and the only one who had approached and entered it was Eous. That was why she'd come to the video store.
As for Harumasa and Soukaku, they were off investigating other leads.
"Huh?"
"You're saying... the hollow inside the lockdown zone disappeared?"
Belle immediately woke up, surprise flashing in her eyes. After a moment's thought, she turned toward Wise, who had just come down the stairs.
"Brother, Yanagi-san said—"
"Belle."
"We've got a job."
Wise interrupted her mid-sentence, waving his phone as he approached. His tone was low but clear.
"I wasn't sure what was going on before, but after that call, I think I understand what you're both talking about."
"It's about the hollow in the lockdown zone, isn't it?"
His gaze fixed firmly on Tsukishiro Yanagi as he spoke directly.
"Someone has given Phaethon a mission. This job will help Zane—and it'll also help Section Chief Miyabi. We'll need Section 6's cooperation. I trust you won't refuse."
Then he turned to his sister.
"Also, this will require coordination on multiple fronts. We'll be heading to the outpost soon. Belle, bring Eous along. We're making a major move this time."
Wise's tone carried a rare gravity. Though Belle didn't fully understand yet, she could sense the urgency. She nodded and hurried off to prepare.
The video store, which had barely opened for the morning, promptly flipped its sign to "Closed."
Once Belle was gone, only Wise and Tsukishiro Yanagi remained at the entrance. She was clearly waiting for an explanation.
As a trusted partner, she deserved at least some clarity.
"The call," Wise began, "was from Shin."
She'd explained only the basics over the phone—but they'd already discussed things briefly through the Inter-Knot beforehand.
After all, he still needed to keep track of what had happened during the lockdown zone's final phase.
As for the mission itself, their task was to help Shin recover the hollow that Zane had left behind.
How exactly they were supposed to do it, the methods, or the reason behind it—Wise still didn't know.
He couldn't even remember what had happened inside the hollow yesterday. Every trace of it was gone.
Still, deep down, he had a faint feeling that it was connected to the memories he'd lost.
In those last moments, all he could recall was that chaotic, prismatic world—
And...
The birth of life.
...