Chapter 34 - EP.1 The Butterfly Dream 7

Sanctum. Halloween's dedicated pit stop in the central hub.

ROA's transport-specialized armored vehicle glided inside.

As the vehicle pulled into its usual parking spot with practiced ease, Ifrit spoke casually while touching up her makeup.

"Don't come out right away. Wait for a good moment, then leave through the back. There's a staff entrance farther inside the pit stop."

"... Were we not leaving together?"

"I'd like to, but experience tells me that probably won't work. At times like this, someone usually needs to tank the hits."

Everyone inside the vehicle nodded.

Everyone except Ash. He had no idea what she was talking about. Still, she was the team leader, so he decided to nod along.

"... Very well. I shall do so. But might I ask why? I am quite unable to follow this conversation."

Having finished her makeup in the meantime, Ifrit grinned. Perhaps it was the vivid colors covering her face, but her smile looked positively radiant.

"You'll see what I mean."

"Ready for me to open it, boss?"

Ifrit nodded at Jack O' Lantern, then continued speaking to Ash.

"Santa's Rest Stop, right? I'll see you there soon. Go on ahead and get some rest. And... take good care of the kid. We'll settle our deal then, okay?"

PSSSH.

The sound of hydraulic cylinders cut through their conversation. At the same time, the armored vehicle's rear hatch swung wide open.

The acrid smell of ozone, the scent of energy drinks, and ear-splitting music flooded into the vehicle together.

And that was not all.

A cheer loud enough to drown out everything else shook the air.

"Aaaaaah!!"

"See! I told you! It's Team Elementary Girls!"

"Ifrit! Could you tell us how it feels to have the highest view count of this festival?"

"Are Elementary Girls planning a spectacular comeback after this?"

"Senior! I love watching your streams! Could we do just one challenge together?"

The armored vehicle was surrounded by hyenas who had caught the scent of success: unknown idols, gossip-starved reporters, and streamers.

Each peered into the vehicle with their own desires in mind. As though answering their enthusiasm, Ifrit stepped forward.

"Hello, everyone!"

Not a trace remained of the exhaustion on her face just moments before. Instead, she wore a bright, refreshing smile that captured every eye.

Ifrit stepped elegantly out of the armored vehicle as though walking a red carpet.

"Oh my, look at all of you! Do we have any Ifrities here? Hands up, Ifrities!"

Ifrit was a veteran, and that did not apply solely to exploring ruins.

She waved and winked with easy composure amid the barrage of camera flashes and questions.

"... Huh?"

Ash immediately understood what she had meant by "tanking the hits." That slender woman was taking the entire barrage of questions and flashes on her own.

She was not simply shouting at them to go away. With a bit of banter here, a joke there, and the occasional bit of fan service, she kept the crowd's eyes fixed on herself.

Indeed. She was a veteran idol.

"But, Ms. Ifrit!"

Even experience had its limits, however. This time in particular, there was nothing she could do.

The crowd had a different star in mind.

"Is Ash Blade in there too?"

"That's right! Is he inside?"

"Just one word with Mr. Ash...!"

For the first time, cracks began to appear in Ifrit's picture-perfect smile.

"Ah, ahaha...! Our guest members are utterly exhausted right now, so... I'll be handling the interviews. Oh! How about I tell you about when we first discovered the Nexus Port?"

The crowd would not listen.

"No! We want to see Mr. Ash!"

"What are Ash's plans going forward? Will he officially be joining Halloween now?"

Things were beginning to take an awkward turn.

'Fuck, these hyena bastards...!'

In truth, letting Ash give an interview would not have been much of a problem. Whatever anyone might say, he had all but been the star of this expedition.

But Akina, his partner, was in terrible shape. With the girl barely managing to recover physically and mentally and shake off the Echo Effect in her head, Ifrit could not let an interview waste their time.

She had to divert their attention somehow.

As Ifrit struggled to maintain her smile and think of what to say next, figures appeared through the rear hatch.

"H-huh?"

"Siren! It's Siren from Witchcraft!"

"But why is Siren coming out of there...?"

Siren could barely stand, even with Dullahan supporting her. Limping on her already-treated left leg, she came to stand beside Ifrit. Every eye turned to her in an instant.

The number-one idol in such a wretched state. What could make a juicier story?

Amid the barrage of camera flashes, Siren suddenly pulled Dullahan, who was still supporting her, closer.

"Without Team ROA's help, my teammate and I would have been in grave danger. I will never forget what they've done for us."

[Ahem.]

She did not stop there. Siren bowed to Ifrit, who stood beside her looking as though she had seen a ghost.

"Above all, I would have been in terrible danger if not for my senior, Ifrit."

Acting all friendly out of nowhere.

Ifrit's pale-purple eyebrows twitched.

But she was a veteran. Instantly grasping the situation, Ifrit affectionately slipped an arm around Siren's shoulders, as if to say, Let's see how you like it.

She even threw in the most benevolent of smiles.

"Of course I'd look after a junior. You've been through so much, our dear Siren."

This time, Siren looked as though she had bitten into shit.

Their bitter rivalry was common knowledge among those in the know. Yet now they had made up?

A fresh barrage of camera flashes soon rained down on the pair.

Ash had been watching the spectacle blankly when a tap on his shoulder made him turn.

It was Jack O' Lantern.

"Thanks for everything, big guy."

"... Why the sudden thanks?"

"I've got to thank you. Without you, we'd all have been fucking dead on this expedition."

Jack chuckled, then tilted his neck from side to side with exaggerated motions.

"Give it a little while before heading out. Get back safely, and I'll see you soon!"

With those parting words, Jack pushed out the portable medical bed—the gurney—on which Lamia lay, shouting as he went.

"All right, all right! Medical emergency! Everyone move! Block the way and I'll plow right through you! You've been warned!"

Another barrage of flashes greeted Lamia's half-wrecked form. Confusion piled upon confusion until the scene became a veritable maelstrom of chaos.

Amid that manufactured pandemonium, Ash briefly watched the backs of everyone who had stepped forward, then gathered Akina into his arms and left the armored vehicle.

No one paid him any attention.

* * *

"Mmm..."

After repeatedly furrowing her brow, Akina opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was an old, grease-stained ceiling. A familiar sight. She was in her temporary room on the second floor of Santa's Rest Stop.

"... Huh?"

That was strange. Her last memory was of roaming cyberspace, extracting ancient knowledge.

She had no idea how or why she was now lying in bed. Worse, her body felt as heavy as sodden cotton, and her head was filled with noise so severe it gave her a headache.

"... What? Was it... a dream?"

The thought of a dream brought things to mind, but only fragments of sensations.

The smell of something burning. Sorrow. And anger.

Even Mister's voice, lingering in her ears from time to time.

"Mister?"

Come to think of it, Mister—Ash—was nowhere to be seen. His absence became an inexplicable unease.

At last, the girl hauled her stiff body upright and hurried downstairs.

Mister was not there. Grandpa was, though.

"Don't give me that bullshit! Anyone can see it's been welded back together! Accident-free, my ass!"

"Just ask for a discount. Spare me the amateur appraisal."

"Give me a discount."

Sprawled across the counter, Santa was arguing with a customer. Akina abruptly shouted in their direction.

"Where's Mr. Ash?"

Santa looked up at that, then lowered his sunglasses slightly to study the girl.

"... Hmm. Blue."

"What is?"

Santa did not answer. Instead, he pointed upward with his index finger.

"Ash should be on the roof. He's been there ever since he got back."

"The roof? Why?"

"Why are you asking me? Stop making a fuss and go. Hurry!"

Akina promptly turned to leave, but Santa called quietly after her.

"Listen, Akina."

"What?"

Santa mumbled something for a moment, then closed his mouth and shook his head.

"... Nothing. Go on up."

Akina tilted her head, but Santa seemed to have already lost interest, turning his attention back to his argument with the customer.

Akina climbed the short flight of stairs and opened the rooftop door.

As it creaked open, Sanctum's dazzling nightscape and a cold night breeze greeted her.

So did Ash.

He sat formally upright amid the lights, gazing out at the city's ever-changing panorama.

Neon from the enormous billboards swept across his steel body. With each passing light, his ink-dark frame took on a different color, only for it to fade again.

"Mister!"

Akina ran straight over and plopped down beside him.

"What happened? We did it, right? Right? Hehe, I knew I could do it! I really am a genius, aren't I? Anyway, what happened? I can't really remember... Hehe."

Ash remained silent despite her torrent of words. Akina tilted her head.

"Mister, are you listening?"

Ash slowly turned his head. Still, he said nothing. His teal optical sensors glowed as he carefully examined the girl before him.

Eventually, his gaze settled on her eyes. Akina's eyes, shining blue rather than gold.

"..."

Ash turned away again and gazed at the nightscape.

Akina puffed out her cheeks at the strangely cold, heavy atmosphere.

"... What's wrong? Did I, um, make some kind of mistake?"

A sulky note seeped into her cheerful voice. She clearly did not like the way Ash was ignoring her.

"Misteeer! Say something! Oh, your voice module isn't broken or anything, is it? It was a little—no, a lot out of date, but..."

Her bright voice filled the quiet rooftop.

After listening silently to her chatter for a while, Ash turned to look at Akina once more. Then he activated his voice module.

"Miss Akina."

"Hmph! What the heck! So it isn't broken! What's gotten into you? Are you mad at me or something? What on earth happened to make you so..."

"The data card you gave me contains a wealth of information. But there is one thing missing. For some reason, all mention of the 'Echo Effect' has been left out."

"...!"

The girl flinched, but Ash did not stop. His teal optical sensors shone coldly.

"Why did you do it?"

Akina could not readily answer.