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Itogami Island - Six levels underground at the Keystone Gate— The Technology Development Bureau HQ—
A blonde girl with a side ponytail, dressed in a white lab coat and red-framed glasses, walked up to the door. Her right hand, nails painted a soft pink, reached out and pulled it open.
Outside stood Natsuki Minamiya, her lower face hidden behind a folding fan, and beside her was Liana, dressed like a capable office secretary.
"As expected of Natsuki-chan. Always right on time," said the girl who opened the door, smiling. It was Asagi Aiba.
"Don't address your teacher with -chan!" Natsuki replied. She snapped the fan shut and tapped Asagi's palm with the fan's tip, glaring at her. "And don't forget, next year you'll officially be in my class."
"Ow!" Asagi reflexively pulled her hand back and complained, "I haven't even moved up to high school yet!"
"I'll take care of that," Natsuki said as she walked inside.
Her gaze swept over the room, taking in the clusters of equipment and the silver patterns etched across the floor at the center. She frowned.
"Why are there so many machines in here?"
"Seeing if I can analyze the principles behind world-hopping," Asagi said. After Liana stepped inside, she shut the door. "Our dear King Ryo has been missing anyway. It's not like he'd object, so I figured I'd give it a try."
"Heh. That's a lot of pent-up resentment," Natsuki said, unsurprised.
For a girl who'd been "tricked" by Ryo at fifteen into becoming one of the Dawn Empire's top officials, having grievances was only natural.
After all, imagine spending two years barely exchanging twenty sentences with someone you liked, and every single one of them through letters. Any girl in that hazy stage of first affection would hate a long-distance relationship like that.
Still, there were things Natsuki felt she had to make clear.
"Research all you want, but don't expect me to waste brain cells helping you."
She snorted lightly. "Tech involving complex spatial principles like this? To crack it, you'd probably have to sacrifice every last strand of hair you've got. Know your limits."
Having learnt the existence of the Little Garden and understanding how vast the gap was between it and their own world, Natsuki was certain that techniques for traveling between worlds were privileges reserved for gods there.
Trying to tackle it with human brainpower was not something the 'peace officer' responsible for the safety of over three million people had the time or energy for.
"Tch. Stingy," Asagi muttered, her little scheme exposed.
She walked over to the ritual platform and said, "If you won't help, then can you at least ask Miss Aya Tokoyogi?"
"After Ryo went back to Little Garden, isn't it a waste to have a high-ranking witch like her stuck being the head librarian on Itogami Island?"
"Oh? So that's what you're really after," Natsuki raised an eyebrow, her smile turning bright. "I don't have the authority to order her around either. But once Ryo is back, have him ask. Aya won't dare refuse."
"Won't dare… refuse?" Asagi repeated, chewing on the words with a strange expression. "Is Miss Aya that scared of Ryo?"
"You can't sum it up with just 'scared,'" Natsuki said meaningfully, then smoothly changed the subject.
"Alright. Cyrora and Avrora should be arriving any minute now. Once they bring that paper that can contact Ryo, our dear king will finally come home. You'd better start getting ready."
The Primordial Soul of the Fourth Primogenitor, Cyrora Florestina, and the twelfth Kaleid Blood, Avrora Florestina.
Over the past year and a half, the two of them had repeatedly taken action along with December —the tenth Kaleid Blood— stabilizing unrest both on and off Itogami Island. They had carried a huge share of the burden while Ryo was away in Little Garden.
Because of that, some within the Empire had even begun calling them "Queens," a title meant to show both their importance to the empire and their close connection to Ryo.
Of course, aside from Avrora, who accepted the title with her usual airheaded honesty, Cyrora treated the name with indifference, neither acknowledging nor denying it.
"Cyrora…" Asagi took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. "That problematic fourth Primogenitor is probably someone only Ryo can keep in check."
"Then hurry up and start the ritual. Call him back," Natsuki said with a snort.
She found a chair, sat down, and crossed her legs. "Dumping an entire empire on women he's ambiguously involved with, then disappearing for a year and a half. Honestly impressive, how much you all put up with."
"The one who puts up with the most is obviously you…" Asagi muttered under her breath as her hands flew across the controls.
...
About five minutes later, the lab door suddenly opened. Two girls who looked almost like twins walked in, both with radiant blonde hair and clear blue eyes.
"Good afternoon~ Natsuki-chan~ Oh, my subject is here too," said the girl on the right, Avrora, smiling brightly.
"Your Majesty," Liana bowed respectfully, while the others simply nodded with smiles.
"What a waste of time," said Cyrora, her expression noticeably cooler.
She glanced at everyone, then shoved a rolled piece of white parchment into Avrora's hands before moving off to lean against the wall.
"I'm in a hurry. Go call that idiot back."
"Okaaay~" Avrora grabbed the parchment and trotted to the center of the ritual platform.
"Hey! Don't rush it!" Asagi shouted in alarm.
Too late. Avrora had already unfurled the scroll, poured in her magic, and sent out the designated summons.
"Oh my god…" Asagi slapped a hand to her forehead and hurried to compensate.
Data streamed wildly across the surrounding instruments. One value after another spiked upward.
Then, suddenly, space itself seemed to freeze.
It was as if an invisible pen appeared in the void, rapidly sketching within the magic circle.
Black hair, black eyes, a human body took shape in moments. The young man opened his eyes.
Ryo looked around at everyone present. The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile.
"Long time no see."
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Trivia: Fourth Primogenitor & Kaleid Blood Names
Fourth Primogenitor: Cyrora
1st (Aries Zodiac) – Prote
2nd (Taurus) – Deutera
3rd (Gemini) – Tritos
4th (Cancer) – Tetartos
5th (Leo) – Pemptos
6th (Virgo) – Hektos
7th (Libra) – Hebdomos
8th (Scorpio) – Ogdoos
9th (Sagittarius) – Enatos
10th (Capricornu) – Dekatos: who called herself "December"
11th (Aquarius) – Endekatos
12th (Pisces) – Dodekatos but was named Avrora