Chapter 176

Captain’s quarters of Iason.

With the help of Mili and Sita, I change into a new set of command attire for the Fangju, completely soaked in blood.

“Miss, could you please raise your arms?”

“Yes.”

At Sita’s request, I stretch both arms upwards.

Mili, who was standing behind me, helps me slip into the dress she was holding.

It’s a frilly, floaty one-piece dress that gives off a cute vibe—although it’s not an outfit style I particularly favor, and it does remind me of children’s clothing, so I was a little hesitant. However, of all the outfits I received from Ms. Rises, this one was the most normal, so I didn’t have a choice.

While these thoughts crossed my mind, Sita busied herself with fastening the buttons on the front of the dress.

“All done, Miss.”

“Miss, you look so cute!”

“Mm, thank you both.”

Receiving their efforts with this response naturally led to an awkward silence.

Our eyes met in the empty air.

The atmosphere, reminiscent of when we first met, was both familiar and strange, causing me to instinctively touch my face.

“Being here like this reminds me of when we first met.”

“That’s true.”

Sita gave a gentle smile.

“Um, are you both doing okay at the academy? Is there anyone causing trouble or bothering you?”

Our connection began in the Outlands, the first bond I made in this world. Though I’ve been busy, I couldn’t help but feel that I might have been a little distant from Mili and Sita thus far, so I cautiously asked.

“Yes, thanks to you, I’m doing well.”

“Me too!”

Sita nodded, and Mili enthusiastically chimed in.

“Hehe, if I think about it, meeting you that day feels like the best luck we ever had from the junkyard!”

“Right. If we hadn’t met you, we’d probably still be stuck in that junkyard.”

Sita moved closer to me after saying that.

She knelt down and gently embraced me.

“Eh, er, Sita?”

“Thank you for finding us that day.”

“I—I do too!”

Suddenly, Mili ran from the opposite side to hug me as well.

The sensation of their soft and gentle embrace made my cheeks slightly warm at how unexpected their display of affection was. Right then, a familiar voice rang from the corridor.

“Edu, is it okay to come in?”

“Ni, Nisia?”

Mili and Sita let go of me upon hearing the voice outside. After confirming, I responded.

“Yes, you can come in.”

Instead of a verbal response, the door simply opened.

However, Nisia entered alone, without Seoli by her side.

“Huh? Where’s Seoli?”

“She’s in the infirmary. Anyway, Edu, I think we should go quickly.”

“Huh? What’s the matter?”

“It’s about the red-haired girl we saved—she’s regained consciousness.”

“Ah.”

So that’s why Nisia came alone.

Understanding the situation, I turned to look at Mili and Sita.

“Then, Mili, Sita, can we talk later?”

“Yes, Miss, please come back.”

“Sure! Take care!”

“Edu, I’ll carry you.”

“Mm.”

Plopping onto Nisia’s back.

We depart the captain’s quarters and head towards the infirmary.

The door to the quarters automatically closes behind us.

Inside, Mili and Sita quietly gaze at the now-closed door.

“She’s gone.”

“Miss is always busy, so it can’t be helped.”

Sita replied calmly.

Her face contained a resolute determination.

“…”

Sita closes her eyes, recalling the past.

Each day back then was painfully repetitive—digging through the Outlands’ most scorned garbage dump just to survive.

The only people approaching were those with ill intentions, trying to use us for their greedy purposes.

Those bleak days seemed to stretch on endlessly.

Even if you tried to ignore it, the realization that your life held no value, no meaning, would inevitably creep in—an existence that was colorless and worthless.

That was when “Sister” appeared.

With her long silver hair and incredibly beautiful appearance, she felt out of place in that dump, more fragile and likely to break under the malevolence that saturated the Outlands.

Perhaps that’s why we couldn’t look away from her delicate presence.

And then, her first words to us.

“Hey, you two, could you come over here for a moment?”

What started as a brief, seemingly insignificant encounter ended up being an important bond for me.

It was my first experience of warmth and care from another person outside of Mili, a bond that completely transformed my life.

Sister never treated us differently or with prejudice. Without making it a big deal, she kept moving forward, providing both of us with a new path forward.

Thanks to meeting her, Mili and I were able to leave the Outlands and find ourselves here now.

As curiosity turned into trust, and trust into belief, Sister’s presence continued to grow stronger in my heart.

Even if we weren’t blood-related, Sister has already become my true family alongside Mili.

Because of this, it was even more painful to hear her words that day.

“Awakeners are assigned difficult missions based on their strength, and they tend to get consumed more quickly too.”

Sister explained her own dark situation so casually.

Though I don’t know what thoughts led her to say those words, considering her actions up until now, it seems she faces these dark fates head-on.

So, Mili and I quietly vowed something to ourselves.

We promised that Sister wouldn’t have to face the dangers alone.

We promised to do whatever we could to support Sister with all our might, even if it’s just in our own small way.

“Anyway, we can finally help Sister now, can’t we? All our efforts haven’t been in vain!”

“That’s right? Yes! Today Sister praised me for doing well with the armored suit!”

As Mili enthusiastically boasts, Sita quirks an eyebrow.

“…I wish I could get praised more too.”

Sita inwardly grumbles cutely and clears her throat.

“…Regardless, we need to keep going strong. Things have improved thanks to Sister’s efforts so far, but there’s no guarantee that everything will continue to go as well.”

It’s not that we don’t trust Sister.

However, despite our recent victory, our enemies remain powerful and our own strength is still insufficient.

Thus, we must keep pushing forward, to become the support Sister needs.

“Yep!”

“Little Mama! Big Mama! Welcome back!”

As soon as we entered the infirmary, Seoli greeted us.

However, my expression tightened at the sight before me.

– …

A red-haired girl was standing below Seoli, making fists with her small hands and lightly hitting Seoli’s legs as she muttered.

My pointing finger instinctively rose, pointing at the red-haired girl.

“Seoli, what are you doing right now?”

“Hehehe, I’m asking for the pearl I took and the pearl taken by the big monster to be returned!”

“You took the pearl?”

“Yep!”

Seoli nods.

I slowly recall what happened earlier.

Come to think of it, Seoli mentioned having a large pearl, and we found the red-haired adult woman inside that nest we infiltrated.

Putting it together, it now makes sense.

“Apparently, the nest was powered by this girl’s abilities.”

The secret behind the strangely large nest.

And the reason why adult-looking Seoli appeared so much more mature than the red-haired girl now made perfect sense. The nest had been stealing her powers, which Seoli ultimately took for herself.

“Um, Seoli, can we return the pearl?”

“Yep!”

Full of energy, Seoli reaches toward the red-haired girl still lightly hitting her legs. Light glows from Seoli’s body, and with a flash, the familiar small Seoli appears.

In response, the red-haired girl, who had been hitting her legs, starts glowing too, rapidly growing into her adult form.

Not nearly as dramatic as Seoli’s transformation, but still quite impressive — a slender young woman with red hair now stood gracefully before us, possessing a mature and feminine elegance that was a far cry from the captive we had rescued.

Compared to the previous version locked inside the nest, she appeared even more grown-up.

– !!!

The red-haired girl looks down at herself, blinking in awe at being restored to her original form.

“Wow—”

An involuntary reaction.

I found myself genuinely admiring the sheer power of Seoli.

Could she really go between extremes at will?

A powerful ability capable of encompassing wildly different extremes, truly one that could protect the balance of the world.

– ~.

Apparently pleased with her normal form, the red-haired girl strikes a cool pose, at least until—

“Yah!”

Seoli’s voice rings out again, and both of their bodies are enveloped in light.

Seoli reverts to her adult form, while the red-haired girl returns to her toddler body.

– …

The red-haired girl collapses onto the floor, her expression stunned as if her world just ended, after witnessing this bizarre phenomenon like a daydream.

“Hehehe, I can do this!”

“Amazing.”

“Amazing? Seoli’s amazing!!”

Seoli happily jumps around.

I gently pat her head and step forward with Nisia’s help, standing beside the red-haired girl.

As I approach, she flinches and shrinks back, her wet eyes filled with fear now locking onto my face.

“It’s okay.”

Reaching out to the girl’s head.

At that moment, her small frame suddenly bounces upward.

Krrrak.

Her mouth opens, revealing a set of jagged shark-like fangs as the red-headed girl bites into my extended hand.

“Ouch.”

“Edu!?”

“Little Mama!”

Nisia’s shocked voice and Seoli’s cry ring out, but I raise the opposite hand to stop them.

“It’s fine, it’s fine.”

I smile at the red-haired girl and repeat the words.

As I continue to gaze down at her, she must have perceived my sincerity, because she releases the hand she was biting, opening her mouth.

– …

Her eyes, still full of caution.

I reach out one last time, placing my hand on her head.

Gentle pats.

Her wide, startled eyes blink repeatedly as she’s clearly surprised by my unexpected behavior.

– …

The continued softness of my touch gradually fades the fear in her pupils.

The red-haired girl stumbles to her feet and extends her small hand toward mine.

“Ma, ma?”

She asks cautiously, as if seeking assurance. I respond with a bright smile.

“Yes, Ma-Ma. Come here.”

“…!”

As I open my arms, she runs into them.

I observe her affectionately, activating the True Sight among my positive traits to confirm the initial doubt that had lingered in my mind since our first meeting.

Words float above the girl’s head.

– Red Queen (Umbra).

“Could it really be…”

One of the three named monsters among the highest-tier Queen cryptids—Queen of Despair, White Queen; Queen of Nightmares, Purple Queen—and the exceptionally rare Red Queen, feared by all.

That monstrous entity hides now in the form of a child in my arms.