"So… you foresaw all of this?"
In the spacious, brightly lit bridge conference room of the Asteria-class destroyer, Goredolf Musik cradled a steaming cup of Darjeeling tea. Though his body still trembled slightly, he made every effort to maintain a noble air of dignity.
He looked from Steve to Sion, his gaze shifting back and forth as if checking whether he was still half-dreaming.
"It wasn't really foresight so much as the result of calculation," Steve answered, seated respectfully in the front row with the gentle smile of a kindly upperclassman.
Indicating the person beside him, he said, "This is Sion Eltnam Sokaris, an alchemist of Atlas Academy—and also my Master."
"It was her high-speed thought combined with my future sight that let us glimpse a sliver of the frozen edges of Human Order."
"That's correct." Sion adjusted her glasses, naturally taking control of the conversation. After spending the past few days together, she had become fully accustomed to Steve's performances.
"Six months ago, we already detected abnormal magical disturbances from another planet," she said.
"While we can't prevent the arrival of that being known as the Alien God, at least we can preserve humanity's last spark of hope—that is, Chaldea, all of you."
"The last glimmer of human history…" Fujimaru murmured the words softly. She sat beside Mash, both hands clasped around a cup of hot cocoa. The warm liquid ran down her throat, dispelling the Antarctic chill, finally calming her nerves.
"But… why do you want to save us?"
Mash remained guarded, her instincts as a protector unyielding. "With this warship—and those giant robots—surely, with power like that, you could fight the Alien God yourselves?"
"A great question, Mash Kyrielight." Steve rose and walked toward the vast viewing port.
Outside, the dazzling starfield streaked past at incredible speed, proof that the warship was traveling at nearly the speed of light.
"Power is just a tool," Steve replied. "To save the world, you need not just the sword, but also the heart."
He turned, looking gently at Ritsuka. "The human courage you've shown these past two years—never giving up in the face of despair, reaching out even to the unknown—is the strongest weapon against that merciless Alien God."
"This ship and these weapons are only a stage for you to display that courage more effectively."
Despite the anxiety behind these words, in that hopeless moment—having just lost their home and friends—the message was like a powerful stimulant, revitalizing everyone's spirit.
"And furthermore, this isn't the end."
Sion chimed in with impeccable timing. "This Asteria-class ship is certainly advanced, but at the end of the day, it is still just a military vessel."
"Our real base is in the North Sea, one of the Mage's Association's three great departments, known as the Wandering Sea."
"There you will find unbreachable wards—and a certain surprise that Steve has especially prepared for you."
"The Wandering Sea?!" Goredolf exclaimed again. "That legendary drifting sea, obsessed only with Age of Gods magecraft and known to outright reject modern magecraft… we can really enter? Or are we bound to become someone's specimens instead?"
"No need to worry, director." Steve slapped Goredolf heartily on the back, making the portly director wince. "Just give them my Master's name, and the portal will open."
"Because she's now the landlady there, after all."
…With misunderstandings cleared and the tension fading, exhaustion came flooding in. But first, a monster called curiosity took hold of the their hearts.
The Asteria-class ship was flying at high velocity in the stratosphere, due to reach the North Sea within hours. In the meantime, Steve took on the role of tour guide, enthusiastically showing the inquisitive children all the wonders of this tech marvel from the Gundam.
"Whoa! What is this?! I can't even comprehend this engine design!" Da Vinci Lily abandoned all composure as a genius of all fields, and pressed herself up against the power room's isolation glass like a child seeing an exciting new toy. Her blue eyes sparkled with passion as she rapidly recorded data on her tablet.
"That's a Minovsky-Idé type thermonuclear fusion reactor," Steve explained with patience. "Put simply, Asteria uses special particles to compress and control nuclear fusion."
"Not only does this provide an effectively infinite energy source, it can also generate a defensive barrier called the I-Field."
"Special particles…? Something like ether?" Da Vinci contemplated for a while before responding, "No, they seem quite fundamentally different. These particles seem to interfere with electromagnetic waves… Oh! That must be the secret behind the optical camouflage and the radar jamming you just described. Fascinating!"
"Steve, may I open it up and look inside?"
"Denied." Steve refused without a second's hesitation. "If this ship is disassembled, it'll sink."
"Aw, you're such a cheapskate!"
Meanwhile, Ritsuka and Mash showed strong interest in the residential areas.
"Um… Mr. Steve—" Ritsuka raised her hand shyly, "Sorry, but does this ship have any… well, bathrooms? You know, considering we're in Antarctica, and… um…"
"Obviously," Steve said. With a snap of his fingers, the automatic door slid open to reveal a spacious, luxurious public bath (which he himself had renovated with state-of-the-art technology). "Even on a warship, in these times, quality of life counts as part of combat capability."
"This facility features a fully automated cyclical water supply and artificial hot spring powder—plus a jacuzzi. Please use them freely."
"A-A hot spring?!" Ritsuka and Mash exchanged glances, their eyes lighting up. For girls who'd just braved the snow and ice, nothing could be more tempting than a hot bath.
"There's even an automated cooking machine in the canteen," Steve continued, pitching his luxury cruise to the group. "Just order from the menu—Japanese ramen, French cuisine, or a simple hamburger—and it'll be ready in three minutes, flavor guaranteed."
"Really?!" Now it was Goredolf's eyes that sparkled. "Is there meat? Do you have proper steak?"
"Plenty to eat," Steve smiled, enjoying a fatherly satisfaction as he watched the smiles return to everyone's faces.
Yet what intrigued him most was a question Mash asked while touring the bridge.
At the time, Mash was standing before a giant holographic star map, staring at a red dot—the theorized site of the Alien Gods' Tree.
"Steve…?" Mash turned to him, serious violet eyes clear. "Why do you have such power? This ship and those robots… they don't seem to belong either to magecraft or modern science."
"It's as if they come from… outside the realm of possibility itself."
"Mash, you really do have sharp intuition." Steve strolled over beside her, looking at the blue sphere on the starmap representing Earth.
"You're right. This technology comes from the future, from a time when humanity has long since left Earth's cradle and flourishes among the stars."
"In that world, relying on nothing but wisdom and steel, humankind made a new home in the vastness of the universe."
There was a depth in his voice that drew everyone's attention, as though he was recounting an ancient fairy tale.
"I am both the ghost of that era, and its witness."
"My coming here isn't just to save the frozen present—but also to show the people of this world a different future."
"Humans… really live in space?" Ritsuka leaned closer, eyes bright. "Like in a science fiction novel?"
"Crueler than a novel, and yet more romantic." Steve smiled. "But for now, don't worry about the distant future."
"You just need to know one thing—this ship and these forces are now your sword and shield."
"As long as you don't abandon hope, this power will be with you."
"…Yes!" Ritsuka, face a little flushed from the head-pat, responded with more determination than ever. "Thank you, Steve. There's still much I don't understand, but we'll do our best!"
"I believe in you." Steve said, turning to gaze at the horizon where morning was breaking. Below the clouds, the gray water of the North Sea was just coming into view.
"Alright, everyone, break time is over." He gestured toward the mist-covered sea ahead, an assured smile on his face. "Welcome to our new base—the Wandering Sea."
"And—this is where our counterattack to take back the future begins in earnest."
…