Meanwhile, inside the Tokyo Sanctuary—
The Holy Child's slender fingers traced the edge of her tablet. The crystal chandelier spilled cold light into the night, glinting across her silver-white hair but failing to soften her faintly furrowed brow.
On the screen was the urgent report just submitted.
Half an hour ago, an abnormal high-energy reaction had erupted outside Tokyo's Monolith.
With most satellites destroyed by the Gastrea, the military had been forced to dispatch drones for reconnaissance.
Now, what lay before the Holy Child were the fragments of footage they had barely managed to capture amid the chaos.
Every image carried a strange blur.
The drones could not get close—any that entered a certain range were instantly obliterated by unknown energy waves.
In most shots, only two battling figures could be vaguely discerned.
The few clearer photos showed two girls—one blonde, one with purple hair.
The rest of the images defied comprehension.
Scenes like straight out of a fantasy film: prismatic magic lights weaving in the sky, casual gestures summoning oceans of flame, a conjured fighter jet weaving through spells, the two figures locked in a dizzying aerial clash.
The instruments confirmed the high-energy readings.
And farther from the battlefield, drones that captured clearer footage showed any Gastrea trying to approach being shredded to pieces the instant they touched that space.
Abruptly, at the moment she saw the blonde, fiery silhouette, one name rose unbidden to the Holy Child's mind—Zeroy.
Then another virtual screen appeared before her.
It showed Zeroy forcing Patchouli down, then feeding her a potion, waiting for her to wake.
"So this is Lady Zeroy... such a cute girl..."
Murmuring, the Holy Child gazed at the blonde girl on the screen. She had already secretly tested that mysterious vial of serum.
Unbelievable as it was, the sample had been genuine.
Meaning, she truly was encountering things science could not explain.
"Perhaps... God has finally cast a glance of mercy upon this world."
She dared not have her researchers attempt to replicate or analyze the serum.
Not out of fear of erasure, but out of fear that any act of defiance might cause this miracle to vanish.
She simply memorized every word on the virtual screen, then immediately looked up the meaning of "conquer."
Combined with the hint about affection, it seemed God wished her to pursue this girl named Zeroy...
She didn't understand why… and why it was another girl.
Maybe God had made some mistake? Or perhaps God simply enjoyed watching girls together?
More importantly, she didn't feel herself worthy of the rewards God promised for doing so.
Though she was said to be of unparalleled beauty, the fairest of all Holy Children, in the end, she was merely the ruler of Tokyo Area.
A mortal, and largely a powerless figurehead.
She knew her place well.
Anyhow, none of that mattered. She didn't need to think so much. Even the faintest hope, she wanted to seize for this hopeless world.
For the children. For this world. She would not hesitate.
She was ready to pursue another girl.
To be granted such an opportunity… this was the world's blessing, and her greatest honor.
Surely this was why she could see these visions now—so she might learn of Zeroy.
Though she was prepared to give her all, pursuing someone she had never met, and a girl at that, would not be easy. After all, feelings involved two people. Her willingness didn't guarantee Zeroy's.
To learn in advance would help foster those feelings.
With that thought, the Holy Child fixed her focus entirely on the screen—on the blonde girl.
Then she heard the words, "I plan to cut off 95 to 99 percent of the world's heads."
"...Eh?"
Her violet eyes froze, her thoughts stalled.
Misheard. She had to have misheard...
"Whose heads?"
"People's."
"—!"
Her face went white, her body staggering back a few steps.
Why... surely there was some mistake? Why would God's messenger say such a thing?
God's messenger… that was how the Holy Child had judged Zeroy. Why else would God send her to conquer Zeroy?
So she had no doubt that Zeroy could do it.
Hearing those words, her first thought was that everyone truly would lose their heads.
'No! There had to be some misunderstanding! Lady Zeroy surely didn't mean it…'
On screen, the dialogue continued—Patchouli asking the very question she wanted to: why?
"This has to do with the children..."
Zeroy began to speak of the Cursed Children.
...
"I will never acknowledge such vile creatures as the same species as me."
The skies cleared, moonlight spilling like gauze, cloaking the forms of Patchouli and Zeroy in a silver haze.
"...So, you plan to kill them?"
Patchouli's voice was soft, yet stark in the still night.
"Yes."
Zeroy nodded, calm and unhesitant.
"You want to judge them?"
"No." She shook her head lightly. "That would be too noble."
Her motive was neither complex nor exalted.
"Vermin should be exterminated. That's the simplest truth."
"They can't be allowed to live. Why let such beasts exist, when they'll only go on hurting innocent children?"
Looking into Patchouli's eyes, her voice carried a trace of wounded innocence.
"To spare the wicked while punishing the good… how can the world allow such a thing?"
"..."
Through the screen, the Holy Child opened her lips, but not a word came out.
She was pale, bloodless. Speechless.
Zeroy paused, her tone softening. "I love beautiful things, so I want to protect them. That's all."
"If it's protection, why do you torment them?" Patchouli pressed.
Zeroy blinked, almost childlike, as if it were obvious. "When you see disgusting vermin, don't you want to step on them a few more times? When you face an enemy, don't you want to cut them a few more times?"
...
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