Chapter 291 - Beyond the Prologue
"—Been a while, yooo!!"
"…………Ah, yeah… about six days, maybe?"
"This is long overdue, but! Regarding the Four Pillars the other day, I wanted to thank you again and again for your generous support!!"
"No, um… I thoroughly enjoyed watching the archives. You entertained me, too—"
"Which is why I've hastened here today with a new request! I was humbly wondering what your schedule looks like, Kagura-san!"
"—You're so damn loud! What's with all that energy!?"
After sending Ashe back to her room in the real world, I dove into the virtual world with an empty mind.
Spotting her name on my friends list for the first time in a while, I wasted no time in charging into her workshop.
My long-neglected exclusive magitech artisan was, as ever, the epitome of a cool older-sister type and the personification of approachability… Ah, that feeling of relief is just the best.
"Jeez… Seeing you all wound up like this, I guess things were as rough as I expected."
"It'd take a whole day to explain…"
Her smile held the perfect amount of distance—sympathetic, but also like it was someone else's problem—and I immediately opened up with my complaints. The additional friendly pat on the shoulder was just what my soul needed…
"Well, at least I'll stay the same as always for you. And I won't let you break, either. You don't think you're at the 'very top' already, do you?"
"…………If I may speak plainly without fear of being misunderstood, Sis, I seriously love you. I'll follow you for life."
"Don't be an idiot. What are you gonna do following me around? Your job is to charge ahead—and stop calling me 'Sis.'"
On top of the immense, priceless trust I have in her—a different kind than what I have with Sora—is this lack of reservation.
I know this is her way of being considerate, which is why I really can't thank her enough…
"—Finally… I suppose it feels that way because the time someone provided was just so dense."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Her voice thick with emotion, Kagura's gaze was fixed on something ahead—on the large, rugged workbench, different from the stylish one in Nia's workshop.
Lying there was a massive lump of iron, pulsating with a faint light that illuminated the surroundings.
Following the grand finale of my battle with Irori, and although my climactic showdown with Ashe unfortunately didn't end in a direct victory—I still gained more than enough 'experience.'
It was time for my… no, our Terror Armament to finally evolve.
"Is this going to take a while again?"
"Nope, the evolution itself is quick. We can start right here."
Heck yeah.
It was the same when my Anima—[White-Flawed Straight Sword]—was upgraded to [Everquartz, the Sky-Soaring Crystal Sword]. I had a feeling it would be like this.
"You're grinning."
"Aren't we both?"
How could I not be excited? We were about to witness the next chapter of this sword's story—a story told by both its weaver and its wielder.
"No need to draw it out—let's do this."
"I'm counting on you."
There was no need to wait. I couldn't possibly doubt her skill as a craftswoman. Not then, not now, not ever.
I took a step back to watch.
The magitech artisan in her kimono caressed the skin of the iron lump, which waited in silence—and in that instant, the entire body of [An-ri Galta (Prologue: The Wedge-Fragment that Sings of Eternity)] began to shine brightly.
Not just shining—it was glowing red-hot.
I couldn't understand why her slender fingertips, touching its body, didn't burst into flames. The blast of hot air felt like it was searing my avatar's skin.
"—Haru."
She rarely called me by name, so I shifted my gaze from the sword to the person.
The magitech artisan stood serenely, her face cool despite being buffeted by the hot wind, but her coppery eyes, fixed on the iron, were burning fiercely.
"It's asking—do you move forward, or go back?"
"………………"
Even when I silently prompted her to continue, she said no more. As if in a trance, her voice sounded unusually sacred.
Forward, or back.
If I were to consider only the literal meaning of the sword's question, there was only one choice.
However, considering the question was being asked at a moment when its 'evolution' was already decided, the word 'back' couldn't possibly have a negative meaning.
It was a question about the true nature of [An-ri Galta], something that both I, who had wielded it, and she, who had entrusted it to me, probably understood.
This sword—was never meant to be a sword in the first place.
"………………Let's decide together."
"You're forgetting one… no, one blade."
"Right—my opinion is, I'd like to leave it up to its will."
"Hah, what a coincidence."
The magitech artisan laughed once, her crimson hair swaying, and placed both hands on the sword—
"I was thinking that would be the most interesting outcome, too…!"
A white-hot light, surpassing even the red glow, filled the workshop of the 'Playful Fire-User.'
Wait a minute? Did I ever actually explain the details of [An-ri Galta]? No, that can't be, but… wait…! Well, I've shown all its abilities in the main story, so this should be fine…!!