By the time Jean Stardust opened her eyes, she was back in the guest room. A moment later, Rimuru also regained his senses.
And in Jean Stardust's Synesthesia vision, Miss Meido also opened her eyes synchronously.
"Thank you, Rimuru, this was very helpful to me."
Jean Stardust formally thanked Rimuru; she had never felt this good before.
Although she hadn't noticed it before, now, in comparison, it felt like she used to move her body in water. While not exactly unfree, she still faced various resistances.
But now, her entire body felt as if it had broken free for the first time, truly moving. All the energy within her could be directly perceived and manipulated at will.
This feeling was so exhilarating, it made her want to drill her head with her fingers.
"Lord Jean, Rimuru and I need to discuss the next steps. Would you mind accompanying Miss Milim? After all, we shouldn't let our guest feel bored."
Miss Meido reminded Jean Stardust that it was time for the next step.
"I understand. So, would you like to go out for a stroll with me, Milim?"
"OK!" Milim happily agreed, even running over and latching onto Jean Stardust's arm.
---
"Hey, Rimuru scolded me when I went back earlier."
"What did he scold you about?"
Chatting with Milim, they walked down the corridor. Since their only interaction was during the trial, the conversation naturally shifted to what happened after the trial.
"He said, 'If you want to be friends with Jean Stardust, you should think from her perspective.' Something like that."
Milim imitated his voice perfectly, down to the intonation.
"What he said wasn't wrong, but I didn't mind, so it's nothing. However, if you want to make friends with others, thinking that way would be better."
"Then Jean Stardust is my friend now, right?!"
"Uh, yes, if you don't mind."
"Yay! (＾－＾)V" Milim made a V-sign and smiled very happily.
Seeing her like this, Jean Stardust even began to wonder if she had been tricked.
"Actually, I don't have many friends, because my eyes can see through reality, so I can see all the fear, admiration, longing, and clinging in their hearts."
Jean Stardust stroked her head. She had also spent a long time alone. Among those who survived that era, Guy was obsessed with his love-hate relationship with his good friend Rudra, Ramiris stayed in the underground labyrinth every day, and Dino, who had fallen to protect Milim, awakened as the Sloth King and became a slacker. In fact, there was truly no one who could accompany her.
"But Jean Stardust is different. When I first looked at Jean Stardust out of curiosity, Jean Stardust also looked at me with the same curious gaze. At that time, Jean Stardust seemed pure white."
This reminded Jean Stardust of her first time entering the Cycle Trial, full of curiosity, and seeing Milim gave her the same excitement as seeing a character from a game.
"And now? What have I become now?" Jean Stardust asked, following up.
"Hmm, although you seem to be thinking about all sorts of things and have various colors, how should I put it? It's like a smooth and meticulous surface. No matter what color, it can only cover it but not permeate it. The innermost part is still the Jean Stardust from back then."
"So the core hasn't changed? Then..." Just as Jean Stardust was about to ask further, her phone rang.
It was a message from the Young Master.
[Lord Jean, several of your friends were ambushed by demon beasts that went berserk under the influence of Sector 45 while returning to base after a mission. The current Barrier strength can hold for about half an hour. Should we send people to suppress them or teleport them back first? - Ciel Phantomhive]
"Are you going, Jean Stardust?" Milim directly saw through Ciel's intention in sending the message and seemed eager to go.
"Let's go. Of course, I'll rescue my own wife myself." She replied to Ciel with a message, then created stardust crystal wings on her back.
"Jean Stardust has a wife already?!"
"Of course, FrostNova is super cute. I'll introduce you to her later."
She opened the corridor window and floated out. Milim also seemed to activate her floating ability, completely weightless, but she didn't fly on her own; she simply clung to Jean Stardust.
[Burst Mode]
Burst Mode began, but this time, the bikini armor did not appear outside her clothes; instead, her body itself emitted a blue light.
Jean Stardust, who could now perceive souls, no longer needed to materialize that armor to release her soul power.
Then, relying on the newly acquired Changer trait, she gathered all observable fluctuations around her and simultaneously activated the Wind King Barrier, forming an optical camouflage.
Her invisibility was now elevated to a whole new level. Of course, this action wasn't to hide herself, but to avoid affecting others, as an emergency deployment from the central power structure of the Underworld would certainly cause chaos below.
Despite this, Jean Stardust's speed was not slow at all. With the enhancement of the Wind King Barrier, wind resistance was negligible, and all acceleration was almost entirely converted into kinetic energy. Within seconds, Jean Stardust became an unseen streak of light, flying towards the central teleportation plaza.
She didn't use the long queue entrance below, but instead flew directly into the center of the giant teleportation ring. There was an emergency teleportation entrance here, usable by anyone with authorization, and Jean Stardust's authorization naturally meant there was nowhere she couldn't go.
With a flash of white light, Jean Stardust and Milim arrived in an area of mountains and wilderness. Clearly, on the extremely deep side wall of a distant rift valley, a spherical light shield was being attacked by several large black birds, while a large number of demon beasts covered in dark matter were also surrounding it.
After confirming the location, Jean Stardust once again transformed into a streak of light, taking Milim and heading in that direction.
---
—Second Affairs Office Mini-Theater—
(Ciel received Jean Stardust's reply: I'm coming with Milim, will be there in a few minutes.)
Subordinate A: 'Count' sir, this is monitoring point A. We are now on site and have confirmed that the demon beasts attacking the base show no signs of human control.
Ciel: 'Princess' will arrive in a few minutes. I emphasize, if there's any chance the demon beasts could harm them during this time, eliminate them directly.
Subordinate A: Understood. But then, if no demon beasts attack, won't 'Princess' have come for nothing?
Ciel: Then you go pretend to be a demon beast! It's rare to have an emergency fall from the sky. Otherwise, where would I find entertainment? I can't just perform self-immolation for them, can I?
Subordinate A:...?
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