Ch.6565. Search, Cleanup. Memories.

The Vast Basement of a Small Cabin.

The facility, sensing someone had entered, began producing electricity again after having stopped.

As a result, power naturally flowed to the projector in the conference room, and the device someone had planted there silently began its task.

Quietly, without anyone knowing.

Time was moving in an irreversible direction, unable to mend a cracked jewel.

* * *

“Why are you looking at it like that?”

Blanc seemed surprised when she saw the room.

I couldn’t understand what was so surprising.

“Let’s go in. We have a lot to gather.”

“No, your room… it’s so futuristic.”

Ah, Blanc must have only seen fragments of Eden’s headquarters.

If she’d only seen places like the plaza or conference room, those would look ordinary enough.

Well, if you dig deeper, there are many differences.

She didn’t know our technology was this advanced.

Hmm, I can’t help but feel a bit proud.

To think my quarters would impress Blanc…

“What’s so futuristic about it? Didn’t everyone have rooms like this?”

“No, you know better than that.”

“Well, it’s not uncomfortable, so it doesn’t matter. If I were to complain about such accommodations, I would have lost my mind in prison already.”

“Hmm… so where’s the closet?”

“Place your hand on that wall.”

“Whoa?!”

“Why are you surprised? It’s a dressing room.”

“Wait, there’s a dressing room…? In this room?”

“Well, call it efficient use of underground space, or technology.”

“Wow… if we need to pack all this…”

“It looks like a lot because it’s all hung up, but there’s not actually that much. Besides, weren’t the dormitories just as spacious?”

I sat on my bed for the first time in a long while as we talked.

Though the room is small, it’s efficiently packed with everything needed.

A simple kitchen with a refrigerator and cooking utensils.

A bathroom with a tub and a dressing room…

Compared to when I lived in the slums, I definitely lived a luxurious life.

Hmm, honestly, when I lived here, I used to complain about this damn room being too cramped.

The bed was small too, and Ellie and I almost fell off it a few times…

“Ellie. Remember?”

“How could I forget?”

With those words, Ellie pounced on me as I sat on the bed.

Literally, she jumped at me and pushed me down.

This situation is strange.

We never did this before, even in the old days.

“Ellie, you’re heavy…”

“Did you just call me heavy?”

“No, I can’t breathe! Breathe!”

Only then did Ellie get off me, but she grabbed me and rolled over once, ending up in a position where she was hugging me and I was facing her.

“Ellie, let go. Shouldn’t we go help?”

“Come on, let’s reminisce a little. They’ll understand.”

“No. They don’t know what’s in here.”

“Just a little while, okay? Let’s stay like this…”

“Sigh. Just for a little while.”

In the end, I gave in to Ellie again.

It’s ironic when I think about it.

Ellie used to be childlike yet took care of me like an older sister.

Now, she’s just like a child.

But from what Blanc says about Ellie at school, she’s different there.

At school, she diligently teaches other students whenever they ask questions.

Ah, wait a minute.

I just thought of something else I could delegate to Ellie.

Why didn’t I think of this before?

Ah, because exam period ended. Arin and Red Hair haven’t come to ask questions.

Plus, I collapsed and caused all that commotion.

Hmm, regarding tutoring…

Wouldn’t it be better to ask Ellie, who was a student until just recently, rather than me who left the academic world long ago?

Of course, if I just ask Ellie to do it without any compensation, she might not take it seriously.

Forcing someone to do something rarely yields good results.

Instead, I should offer her some kind of reward.

Well, I’ll think about what kind of compensation to give later.

Through this tutoring, I hope the relationship between Ellie and the magical girls improves.

She’s less difficult than I am, so maybe they’ll accept her better?

For now, let’s aim to stop pointing weapons at each other, start a dialogue, and get closer.

As I was thinking this, Ellie seemed curious about what was on my mind.

“Vine, what are you thinking about so intently?”

“Ah, umm. That a lot happened here?”

“You’re lying.”

“Besides that… well, I was thinking of something good for both of us.”

“Hmm, suspicious. When we’re reminiscing, can’t you just focus on that instead of thinking about other things?”

“I’d like to, but what can I do when thoughts suddenly pop up?”

“Whatever. The mood is ruined now. Didn’t you say you were going to help?”

“I suppose I should. You come too.”

“No, it’s not even my room.”

“So you don’t help with things in your own room?”

“Fine…”

I slowly got up from the bed, deciding to stop being lazy.

My body feels lighter, as if the fatigue from traveling has dissipated.

Or perhaps my body is happy to be back in a place I used to live.

With a light heart, I go between the two magical girls who are organizing clothes and gather my own things.

Besides clothes, I also collect repair kits and weapons that weren’t confiscated.

Of course, I asked Blanc if it was okay to take them.

She said it was fine.

I had an enormous amount of weapons stored in the compartment under the bed, and I’m taking them all.

It would be a waste to leave such weapons here to rot.

But why did the Association leave them here?

Perhaps they couldn’t search each individual residence in the residential area.

In that case, hmm…

I had a somewhat dangerous thought, but quickly abandoned it.

There’s no point in pursuing it when nothing would improve.

It would only make the situation worse.

Yes, let’s stop having strange thoughts.

“Blanc, can you move this over here?”

“Hmm…? A computer?”

“Yes, is that possible?”

“Well, it’s possible. That’s fine. It’s not like we’re short on dimensional storage. More importantly, are these clothes really enough?”

“Yes. There won’t be anywhere to put them when we get back.”

“What about these dolls? Should I pack them too?”

“Ah, um…”

Oh right. The dolls.

Well, comfort dolls, I guess you’d call them.

It’s not like I can’t sleep without them, but I thought it would be better to pack them, so I put them in a box.

How embarrassing that she found them…

“Ah, that. Um… Yes. Please put them in…”

“Why are you embarrassed? You know Seohyun sleeps with things like that too.”

“No, it’s just… ugh…”

I wonder if Blanc knows I can’t lift my head from embarrassment.

Something inside me was screaming that this shouldn’t have been discovered.

Ugh… what is this?

Despite various incidents, I managed to pack everything I could from my room.

My room, which I’ll never return to.

Never again… yes.

I’ll keep the memories as just memories.

Next, we went to Ellie’s room right next door.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been in Ellie’s room too.

Well, traces of her hasty escape remained here.

Perhaps it tells the story of the situation during Ragnarok.

It really looks like it was hit by a bomb.

Evidence that she grabbed only what she could and left.

“Sigh… what a mess.”

“It’s because of you people.”

“Not really.”

“Stop making excuses. Let’s go in and clean up.”

“What excuses? Eden was in the wrong, so we raided for the final operation.”

“Whatever, just go check. Ellie, do you have things to pack?”

“Yes, I need to take my tablet and computer too.”

“And clothes?”

“Of course I need to pack those, right? Oh, and I need to bring stuff from my apartment too. The boiler. Oh no!”

“What?”

“The boiler… I think I left without turning it off when Blanc dragged me away…?”

“Is your place oil-heated?”

“I think so…? I started using it when it got a bit chilly…”

“Won’t it stop automatically when the oil runs out…?”

“Ugh, I don’t know. If there’s a problem, Blanc will handle it.”

“Hmm? Did you call me?”

Blanc, who was busy searching through the closet, looked over and asked.

“No. Ah, please pack those unopened uniforms there. Ellie needs to wear a uniform during training too.”

“But didn’t Ellie come out wearing a different dress?”

“That’s in the drawer on the opposite side. No, above that. Yes, there. Please pack those too.”

“How do you know so well? This is Ellie’s room.”

“When you have to drag someone out who’s always saying they don’t want to go on missions or attend meetings, you learn these things.”

Ellie seemed to bristle at my comment and tried to deny it.

“Vine, I took care of you more often!”

“That was before I regained my memories, wasn’t it?”

“Still! I took care of you so many times!”

“Blanc, ah. Left side. Please give me everything in that drawer.”

“Hmm…?”

“No! Blanc! Give it to me!”

Ha, I was going to use it as leverage to blackmail Ellie.

But Ellie rushed to Blanc first and snatched the small box from her hands, making my blackmail attempt impossible.

“Hmm…? What is it?”

“Probably a USB drive with pictures of me. I don’t know the exact contents, but…”

“Hmph, you don’t need to know!”

Ellie pouted and shook the box.

Well, it’s probably something like that.

We’ve pretty much packed everything from this room too. I wonder if there’s anything else to do.

Probably not.

Now I just need to look around and collect my belongings from the common areas.

Oh, and I shouldn’t forget to stop by the doctor’s lab to get spare repair tools.

Besides that, maybe we could look around the plaza.

Should we also visit the conference room?

Well, we have plenty of time, so we can go wherever Blanc wants to go.

If security is assured, there’s nowhere I can’t access.

So, shall we go?