Alicia seemed to remember something. She shifted lightly in Rei Ao's arms, lifted her face, and her eyes held a trace of longing and hope.
"Rei Ao-sama…"
"Hm?"
"I…I'm a little homesick."
She spoke softly, fingers unconsciously twisting the edge of the quilt.
Rei Ao's gaze gentled. He stroked her hair. "Want to go back for a visit?"
"Can we?"
Expectant light bloomed in Alicia's eyes.
"Of course," he agreed without hesitation. "I haven't seen that hard-headed girl Sui in ages either. Perfect chance to check if she's improved. Once I wrap things up here, I'll take you back."
"Wonderful! Thank you, Rei Ao-sama!"
Overjoyed, Alicia looped her arms around his neck and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, then blushed at her own boldness and buried her burning face against his shoulder.
Her pure yet daring gesture delighted him, and he laughed aloud. He was about to say more when a peculiar ripple echoed through his mind—the chat group's chime for new members joining.
With a thought, a translucent screen unfolded in his consciousness.
Sensing something too, Alicia blinked curiously but didn't interrupt.
Sure enough, the interface showed new arrivals.
"Aqua, Albedo…"
Rei Ao raised an eyebrow. Those two? Now that's a curious pairing.
The group was already buzzing over the newcomers. Seeing Aqua's familiar crash-landing, self-own style of entrance, a playful smile tugged at Rei Ao's lips. He willed it, and the group owner badge lit up beside his name.
Rei Ao: "Welcome, both. @Aqua, @Albedo. I'm the owner of this group—Rei Ao."
He continued, stating the chat's core premise outright.
Rei Ao: "To be clear: this Trading Chat Group links many different worlds. Every member here—Aqua and Albedo included—comes from an independent, distinct world."
Right after the message went out, Aqua's response was, surprisingly, lightning fast.
Aqua: "Different worlds? I see!"
Aqua: "No wonder even using my divine-realm permissions I couldn't dig up a thing on this busted group. I thought some shady evil god was behind it! This explains everything! Hmph~"
She said it as casually as remarking, "Nice weather today."
Erica Blandelli: "…Huh? That's it? Just like that?"
Fubuki: "Unexpectedly calm."
Shiba Miyuki: "This goddess's ability to accept things is quite extraordinary."
Akame: "She seems to already know that other worlds exist."
Frieren: "It is rather odd."
Facing everyone's surprise, Aqua sent over a smug sticker practically (in her mind) radiating holy light.
Aqua: "Hmph hmph hmph~ What's so surprising?"
Aqua: "You mortals just don't get out much! (head-bob.gif)"
Aqua: "This goddess is the all-capable, super-excellent Water Goddess Aqua!"
Aqua: "Guiding souls to reincarnate in other worlds is part of my daily routine."
Aqua: "Linking different worlds? Child's play for this goddess—perfectly natural."
Aqua: "As for you lot—being able to join a cross-world chat group means your luck's pretty good!"
Aqua: "Clearly you're under the blessing of my radiance! (starts shamelessly talking herself up)"
Aqua: "Wahaha! This goddess really is everyone's favorite!"
Watching her act like she'd seen through everything and used it as an excuse to brag, the chat filled with ellipses and reaction stickers.
Leaning on Rei Ao's shoulder, Alicia read the feed on the screen and couldn't help a hand-covered chuckle. "This goddess is… quite something."
Rei Ao's mouth twitched. Even through the chat he could picture the "wisdom goddess's" gloriously foolish face. And, well, the group really did seem taken in by her bluster.
An odd hush fell over the chat.
Through it all, Albedo kept a flawless silence. Yet in the Throne Room of the Great Tomb of Nazarick, gazing at the strange interface in her mind, her luscious red lips pressed together…
Different worlds… beyond Nazarick, beyond even the existence defined by the Supreme Beings?
An unprecedented urge to investigate—and a secret, nameless longing—quietly sprouted in her newborn heart.
Being a subordinate was a game setting. But now, she had a self. Albedo was beginning to drift from her parameters.
The Tomb lay deathly still. Albedo withdrew from the chat in curiosity. She walked the Ninth Floor's Throne Room; the click of her heels echoed through the empty hall, making the silence feel even lonelier.
She'd lost count of how many times she'd patrolled the Tomb. From the graveyard above to the deepest underground palace, every inch remained in perfect order—yet shrouded in a bizarre stasis.
Every servant, guard, even the floor guardians were frozen as if time had been stopped.
Demiurge stood in the library, finger forever poised on the edge of turning the next page. Cocytus held a sword form in the training grounds, muscles taut yet lifeless. Even Shalltear, usually the noisiest, was fixed like a fine statue in a momentary backward glance and smile.
"What is going on?"
Albedo's whisper was swallowed by the quiet almost at once.
She had tried everything to wake them—magic, physical contact, even invoking the overseer's authority to issue compulsory commands—all to no effect.
The entire Nazarick was like an insect sealed in amber: perfect, yet devoid of life.
Worse, she discovered she could not leave the Tomb. Every portal and passage to the outside was sealed by some invisible force.
"Did something happen to Nazarick after the Supreme Beings left? An attack?"
She considered it, then dismissed the idea. There were no signs of battle; the defenses were intact. How could an intruder freeze the entire Tomb without triggering a single alarm?
It seemed only… a World-Class Item could do such a thing!