The door to the hotel suite room opened with a soft click. Hayato stepped inside, feeling physically and mentally exhausted after the stressful IS trial. "I'm home," he said, his voice flat.
Inside, SERA and Exia were sitting on the sofa, watching a television program about marine life. SERA—still in the physical form of a silver-haired teenage girl—turned and smiled. "Welcome back, Hayato."
Exia also turned. Her gaze was still somewhat vacant, but there was something different—a bit more focused. Her thin lips moved slowly. "We… lcome… ba… ck."
Hayato felt a small warmth in his chest. He approached, then gently patted Exia's head. "Seems there's progress. I hope… someday you'll be able to remember everything."
Just then, on the television, the news segment changed. His own face—slightly edited to look more "heroic" and handsome—appeared on the screen, with the Prototype IS unit in the background.
The reporter's voice boasted: "…the second man to successfully activate an IS! Hayato Hayama, a 16-year-old youth, has been confirmed as a potential IS pilot…"
SERA chuckled softly. "Better to be considered a new hero than a dangerous anomaly who can activate an IS without touching it, right?"
Hayato frowned. "No, both are equally bad." He took out his smartphone and opened a news app. Comments were already flooding in.
[Anon123: Tch, he's just lucky he's handsome.]
[BOT69: Just say you're ugly, LOL.]
[NoNameGuy: It should have been me, not him.]
[Divine_IS12: Unfortunately I didn't succeed, if the IS reacted then at least at the IS Academy I would get a girlfriend where there are lots of girls.]
[ADuckOnQuack: His handsome face, doesn't he seem like he's not Japanese to me?]
Hayato quickly closed the news website. "I need to rest."
He turned to SERA. "By the way, SERA, can you make a Memory Orb? Like in the manhwa The Gamer? A gray orb that can implant information directly into the brain?"
SERA nodded, but her expression was serious. "I can. But it has to be done slowly. Inserting massive information all at once could damage or overwhelm Exia's consciousness. I'll create a gradual module."
Hayato looked at the wall clock. It was only two in the afternoon. He tried to find some entertainment, opening a streaming service.
But this world seemed to be dominated by mecha and shoujo genres. There was no trace of Fate, Fairy Tail, or other anime he knew. Finally, he decided to take a nap—the best escape from the chaos.
SERA spent the rest of the afternoon patiently teaching Exia: internet basics, simple arithmetic, geography and history of this world. Exia's progress was slow but steady. Emotions began to appear in small sparks—confusion, curiosity, even a slight smile when SERA showed pictures of kittens.
---
Time passed unnoticed. The sky outside the window changed from orange to purple, then to a star-studded pitch black.
"Hayato. Wake up. It's dinner time." SERA gently shook Hayato's shoulder.
Hayato opened his eyes, still foggy. "I just fell asleep… but it's already night?" He sat up, then glanced at Exia who was already standing by the bedside.
Exia looked at him. In her pale red eyes, there was a small spark—no longer total emptiness, but something almost like… anticipation. "Let's… have dinner," she said, more smoothly than before.
Hayato smiled. "Alright. Let's go to the hotel restaurant."
The three of them descended to the hotel's luxurious restaurant floor. The ambiance was elegant with dim lighting and soft piano music.
But that tranquility shattered the moment Hayato saw two very familiar figures sitting at a table near the window: Chifuyu Orimura in her all-black formal suit, and Tabane Shinonono wearing a lab coat, complete with mechanical rabbit ears that occasionally twitched.
Tabane immediately began waving her hand excitedly. "Hayato-kun~! We meet again!"
Chifuyu nodded formally, but her eyes immediately analyzed Exia and SERA. Exia, upon seeing Chifuyu's cold face, hid behind Hayato's back, clutching his clothes tightly.
Hayato glared at Tabane. "Why are you here?"
Tabane giggled. "Don't be so mean~ I just wanted to see if Exia-chan is healthy or not."
Chifuyu stood up, approaching with calm steps. "Forgive us if we startled you. I am Chifuyu Orimura. And this is Tabane Shinonono."
Exia, still half-hidden, spoke softly. "Exia… Blackett."
SERA stepped forward slightly. "SERA. That's all."
"We're going to eat first," Hayato said curtly, trying to end the conversation. He led Exia and SERA to the buffet section, filling his plate with various dishes.
Exia, guided by SERA, took curry and pudding. SERA herself only took a few small cakes. Chifuyu returned to her table with a simple plate, while Tabane… looked like she was having a feast, with a pile of food on her table.
After eating, Hayato didn't give them a chance to start. "So, what do you want to convey?" he asked directly to Chifuyu.
Chifuyu looked at him. "You will enter the IS Academy. It's for your own safety. Several parties have already caught wind of you—the man who activated an IS without touching it. At the academy, we can protect you."
Hayato sighed, then looked at Exia. "What about her? Can she come?"
Chifuyu narrowed her eyes. "Although the academy can be a safe place, are you sure you want to force her back into an environment full of machines and high technology? It could trigger trauma."
Tabane pouted. "Nee, Chifuyu-chii~ You really can't get her in?"
"No," Chifuyu stated firmly.
[It seems there is no other choice but to return her to her family, Chelsea Blackett. Perhaps she can take care of her, and she must be very worried about her missing sister.]
Chifuyu and Tabane were both surprised to hear that. Chifuyu closed her eyes for a moment, as if considering, then pulled out a student ID card from her suit pocket.
"You start school at the IS Academy tomorrow." She handed the card to Hayato. "And… who is this woman?" Her gaze focused on SERA.
SERA just smiled. "I'm just Hayato's friend."
But in Hayato's mind, his thoughts "leaked" once again.
[She is an AI. Though I'm also surprised she can have a physical form thanks to the Arc of Embodiment.]
Chifuyu immediately looked at SERA with deeper suspicion. Tabane's robot rabbit ears twitched quickly, catching the interesting "keywords": AI. Physical form. Arc of Embodiment. Her eyes sparkled like a scientist discovering a rare specimen.
"Wah~! You're SERA, right? Nice to meet you, I'm Tabane Shinonono!" Tabane jumped closer to SERA, her nimble hands already trying to pinch SERA's arms, testing the texture of her "skin."
"Is this real? Not a robot? Or… a high-level holographic projection?"
SERA pulled her arm back, her face showing displeasure. "Stop it. I'm not an experiment material. And it's already late, you should go home."
Chifuyu quickly grabbed the collar of Tabane's lab coat and pulled her back. "She's right. It's late. Let's go home." Her voice was firm.
"Ehhh~ But I want to try other things first~!" whined Tabane, wriggling like a child.
"No." Chifuyu dragged her out of the restaurant, leaving Hayato, SERA, and Exia behind.
Hayato looked at the clock. It was already nine at night. He looked at Exia. "Exia… it's night here, but at your family's place it might still be daytime. Sorry, we can't stay together forever. There's a family waiting for you."
Exia suddenly gripped the hem of Hayato's clothes tightly. "I… want to stay with you all." Her voice was small, but full of determination.
SERA looked at her gently. "Your older sister, Chelsea, is waiting. She must be very worried."
Without further explanation, SERA raised her hand. To the few people in the restaurant who weren't paying much attention, it seemed as if Hayato, SERA, and Exia just stood still for a moment and then walked out. But in reality, SERA had created a simple illusion. When the illusion activated, she immediately triggered conceptual teleportation.
---
The air changed. The temperature became slightly warm, and the scent of roses and freshly cut grass replaced the aroma of hotel food. They stood in a large, well-maintained garden, in front of a majestic Victorian-style mansion. The midday sun illuminated the yard.
A brown-haired woman was watering rose plants near the terrace. She was wearing a neat maid uniform. Upon hearing footsteps, she turned—and her right hand immediately reached for the rapier tucked in her waistband.
"Who are you?!" her voice was tense, full of caution. She was Chelsea Blackett.
Three unfamiliar figures appeared from the shadows. A blond-haired man with blue eyes (Hayato), a girl with silver hair and electric blue eyes (SERA), and… a brown-haired girl with red eyes, wearing simple casual clothes, hiding slightly behind the man.
Chelsea stared at the third girl. Her breath caught. That face… that face…
Hayato stepped forward slightly, showing a non-threatening posture. "My name is Hayato Hayama. I'm just a passerby. This is SERA." He pointed at SERA. "And this… is Exia Blackett. The girl I saved."
Chelsea was speechless. The rapier in her hand trembled. "This… is impossible…" Then, tears began streaming down her cheeks. She threw her rapier onto the grass and ran closer.
Exia, hearing the name "Blackett" and seeing the face of the woman who resembled her, slowly stepped out from behind Hayato.
"Chel… sea?" she whispered, hesitant.
Chelsea didn't answer with words. She immediately pulled Exia into a tight embrace, her body trembling from years of suppressed sobs. "You're back… Where have you been? I've searched everywhere…"
Exia, in that embrace, also began to cry. Tears that had been buried by amnesia and emotional dissociation finally burst forth. "I… am home."
"Welcome back," sobbed Chelsea, patting her sister's back.
SERA approached, holding out a physical document she had created with the Arc of Embodiment—a confidential document about the Excalibur project that had been "cleaned" of horrific details, only showing that Exia had been involved in a secret project and was now released. "Here are the documents. He saved Exia. We… must go now."
Hayato nodded, turning to leave. But before he could take a step, Exia let go of her sister's embrace and hurried over to him. Her small hand grabbed Hayato's hand.
"Thank you, Hayato," she said, her eyes still wet but filled with clarity and genuine feeling for the first time.
Hayato looked at her. Somehow, without thinking, without logic, he bent down and gently kissed Exia's forehead. It wasn't a romantic kiss—but a farewell gesture, a blessing, a promise that she would be alright.
SERA smiled seeing it. This was Hayato's choice, and Exia responded sincerely.
Chelsea gasped, but seeing her sister's peaceful expression, she didn't protest.
Exia smiled slightly—the first truly warm smile since Hayato had known her. "A gift," she whispered.
Hayato took a breath, then gently patted Exia's head. "Then, we'll be going now. Take good care of yourself."
SERA waved. "Goodbye, Exia."
Then, in an instant, Hayato and SERA disappeared from the mansion garden, leaving Chelsea and Exia standing there stunned, staring at the spot where they had just been.
---
In their hotel room, the air vibrated subtly. Hayato and SERA reappeared.
Just then, a bright blue system window appeared in front of Hayato:
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Target: Exia Blackett
Status: RESCUED
Condition:
• Partial amnesia (family memory recovering)
• Emotion stable & developing
• Biological condition: OPTIMAL
Hidden Plot: Resolved
[Hidden Development: Ocular & Existential Adaptation]
Expanded Perception:
Vision penetrating normal spatial & energy spectrum detected.
Biological Adaptation:
· Respiration without oxygen
· Cosmic pressure resistance
Adaptation classified as: Post-Human / Conceptual Survival
Arc of Embodiment:
Tier-2 Progress: 78% → 95%
Arc of Embodiment nearing Tier-2 Completion.
Reality interference probability increased.
Observer-class entities may begin noticing user.
[Reward: Saint Quartz x30 & Artefact Gacha x1]
SERA observed the notification with a satisfied smile. "Congratulations. You not only completed a Hidden Plot, but also increased your conceptual understanding. The Arc of Embodiment rose by 17%."
Hayato looked at the almost-full progress bar. "Almost Tier 3…"
"My suggestion," said SERA. "Don't use Saint Quartz for summons in this world. Resonance could call something undesirable. Save them for later."
Hayato nodded. But his eyes were fixed on the "Artefact Gacha."
"Artefacts… I can create artefacts with the Arc of Embodiment. Why is the system giving me a chance to get an artefact? What's the difference?"
"Artefacts from this system might have pre-made 'concepts,' or be entirely from other worlds. It could be something useful, or… something dangerous. I can't predict either."
Hayato let out a long sigh. He felt tired, relieved, but also heavy. Today was too long. "Alright. I'll save it for now. Now… I need sleep. School at the IS Academy tomorrow."
SERA nodded. "Sleep. Hopefully nothing bad happens tomorrow."
Hayato lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. In his mind, he saw Exia's smiling face, then the faces of Lala and Lilith whom he left in another world. He felt a deep longing, but also a strengthening resolve.
With that thought, he finally closed his eyes, sinking into the much-needed sleep. The night in Infinite Stratos passed, bringing a new day—the first day at the IS Academy—which would surely be full of new challenges.