The sky was slowly darkening; night was about to fall.
The group's escape route from Nagazora City was blocked by the unidentified fallen object. Since it was still burning and radiating the intense heat generated from atmospheric friction, no one dared to approach it for a closer look. They could only wait for the high temperatures to dissipate.
Li Xuan sat down on the ground to wait for it to cool. Kiana, Mei, and Bronya Zaychik followed suit, not caring about ladylike composure.
"The moon is beautiful tonight," Li Xuan murmured to himself, looking up at the sky. He gazed at the full moon, as large as a jade plate, and it reminded him of the moon he used to see from the grassy fields of his home village as a child. A sudden urge to go home washed over him, but... he could never return to the world that was his.
Sitting beside Li Xuan, Mei and Bronya Zaychik also looked up at the moon, lost in thought, seemingly with their own worries. Kiana, however, was the least able to stand such a melancholic atmosphere. Though she missed her scoundrel of a father, she was confident she would find him one day!
Hmph, Kiana thought, puffing out her chest with confidence. Her curious gaze shifted to the fallen object ahead.
"It looks a bit like the cabin of a spacecraft," Li Xuan said, noticing Kiana's stare. He stood up and walked towards the object, and the others quickly followed. By now, it had completely cooled down.
"Why would a cabin crash here?" Kiana asked, leaning in for a closer look. The exterior of the spherical cabin was made of some transparent, unknown metal. "There seems to be someone inside!" Kiana exclaimed.
She rushed forward and grabbed what looked like the cabin door with both hands. "Be careful," Li Xuan quickly warned, watching Kiana's reckless move.
"Heave-ho! I got it open!" Kiana shouted excitedly like a child after prying it open.
The others quickly gathered around to see.
"It's a very cute little sister~" Raiden Mei said, her motherly instincts seemingly activated as she looked at the person inside the cabin.
"?!" Li Xuan, a mere bystander, suddenly widened his eyes at the person inside. A young girl, who looked to be in her early teens, sat inside as if asleep. Her head was slightly bowed, but one could still make out her delicate features and snow-white skin. She wore a sailor uniform with long, wide sleeves and had laurel-blond hair, adorned with two crystal-like hair clips on either side of her head. In her arms, she cradled a long spear.
It was as if opening the door had woken her. Under everyone's gaze, she slowly opened her eyes, revealing a pair of clear, golden pupils, as pure as golden amber.
"How... how can this be?!" Li Xuan froze on the spot the moment he saw her face. The girl before him was more than eighty percent similar to a person so familiar in his mind... It was as if the world was playing a cruel joke on him.
"...Spiritual carrier survival confirmed. Threat assessment updated," the girl said with a flat expression after opening her eyes and sweeping her gaze over the group.
"Eh!?" Bronya Zaychik, standing nearby, was surprised to hear the girl's mutterings. She felt a strange sense of familiarity.
"Little sister, are you okay? You were unconscious just now," Mei said in a gentle and friendly tone.
"...System connection rejected. All command authority has been transferred to the spiritual carrier..." the girl with vacant eyes suddenly said. A moment ago she was expressionless, but now she seemed to have a spark of life.
She looked at the group of people surrounding her, their eyes fixed on her, and a trace of panic flashed in her eyes. She tightened her grip on the spear in her hands.
"Don't come near me!" The girl, seemingly panicked by their curious stares, suddenly shouted like a cornered rabbit. "-Valkyrie System, activate!" The dormant machine awoke, following her will.
"...Mei-nee-sama, danger!" A deeply buried memory suddenly resurfaced, and Bronya Zaychik shouted, pulling Mei, who was closest to the girl, away. The others subconsciously followed and quickly retreated.
Under the moonlight, the spherical cabin emitted a beautiful yet deadly white light. Several parts detached from it, forming glowing, floating units that hovered around the girl.
The girl stood under the moon, her golden eyes flashing with a murderous intent that was both beautiful and holy.
(End of Chapter)