episode_0409

The fighting had ceased, but a tense standoff continued.

“Alright, so what are you going to do about that? Aren’t you going to explain why something like that was born?”

Violet pointed to where the killer, tightly bound by chains, was located. Perhaps because it had been left on the outskirts, it miraculously remained unharmed amidst the aftermath of countless battles.

“I apologize, but it’s classified according to regulations.”

From the clear discomfort transmitted across the network, beyond the boundary line, Violet instinctively sensed that her opponent was truly hiding something troublesome, a secret of adults.

“Hmph.”

Observing Violet, who let out a deep sigh, Exoria quickly discerned during their short interaction that this notorious terrorist possessed an unexpectedly simple nature. Aside from a few questionable aspects, her childlike tendencies were remarkably prominent. She flared up in anger like a flame but quickly calmed down, and her interests shifted without pause. The thought that the Ariel Group’s unique hive mind might have influenced the formation of such a personality crossed her mind.

“It can be said that my responsibility is greatest for the numerous misunderstandings that arose from this incident. I sincerely apologize for this once again.”

“Enough, you’re just going to say it’s classified by regulations anyway, aren’t you?”

Exoria’s figure suddenly entered Violet’s vision as she grumbled. She moved slowly, gracefully, as if gliding across the floor. Only now did Exoria realize. The being before her might be humanity’s first ‘Apostle’ in history. Even if its operational principles were far removed from humans, it would be wise to maintain a favorable relationship somehow.

“As we find ourselves in a complex and difficult conflict, I express concern that we cannot easily concede or resolve the issues. Therefore, I have a proposal.”

“A proposal? Go on, tell me.”

A flicker of curiosity danced in Violet’s eyes.

“It might be rather sudden, but Violet Dunhind Ruzilin, no—Ariel Group. As the Chief Advisor, I propose cooperation with Arsite. An alliance, or even complete integration, can be offered.”

“Huh? An alliance? Integration?”

Violet, filled with wariness, sprang back in surprise like a rabbit.

“That’s absurd. When we fought Luminexa, you participated in attacking us. And now you’re saying we should be friends just because we have similar interests? That’s strange. First, would your superior agree to that? And I know you helped spread the virus. Why should I do that?”

Exoria elegantly raised the fan in her left hand, a mysterious smile on her face.

“I will persuade the Administrator-nim myself. Since we have realized our interests are aligned, and since I have clearly recognized your exceptional abilities, we should put past misunderstandings behind us. We will fully compensate for any damages incurred and cooperate to the fullest extent.”

“Oh-ho! So you’re saying we should ‘get on the same boat’ with you?”

“So to speak, yes.”

“What about the other clans? Restraidna was also at the forefront of knocking us down. And those Federal guys?”

“…Regarding that,”

Exoria’s voice lowered slightly.

“It would be best to keep it a secret for now. Of course, for more details, it would be best for you to visit the consortium and reach an agreement directly with the Administrator-nim.”

Exoria slowly extended both her hands. From beneath the trailing sleeves of her luxurious dress, white, slender fingers gently reached out towards Violet.

“So, Violet Dunhind Ruzilin, as one who shares a common cause, will you join the Arsite Consortium?”

Violet unconsciously extended her hand and clasped Exoria’s white hand. Simultaneously, Number 1 in her mental realm also took a hand. The woman in the mental image smiled warmly, and Violet responded with a laugh. A strange intimacy seemed to flow between the two beings.

Violet gently withdrew her left hand and swiftly activated the fuse hidden inside her vest.

“No.”

“?”

-Boom!

Violet’s body, which had just been shaking hands, instantly exploded.

**

Thick smoke and fragments of flesh were scattered in all directions by the strong air pressure. As the dust and smoke settled, Exoria, perfectly intact, was revealed behind them. Her dress remained perfectly preserved, not a speck of dust on it despite the aftermath of the explosion.

“Is that a refusal? What’s the problem?”

“I don’t listen to those weaker than me.”

“What kind of nonsense is—”

Immediately after, the warehouse was once again engulfed in violent flashes and deafening explosions. This time, larger, more violent firestorms rained down in succession. The ground shook, and the entire warehouse vibrated.

“Command Center to units! Battery 1, Battery 2, Battery 3! Commence simultaneous impact fire!”

-Rumble!

The warehouse, engulfed in flames, quickly collapsed. As mortar shells rained down, huge concrete debris from the warehouse was violently pushed in all directions. A cloud of dust and fire mixed together rose into the sky. Exoria, now visible, unleashed intense fury.

“You impudent ruffian! Why are you doing this? I thought we had reached an understanding that we are not enemies? What is the problem? What impulse is causing such ill effects?”

Even in her anger, she sharply scrutinized the sky of Violet’s mental realm. Could what she had seen before truly not have been a delusion? However, the confusion was fleeting; soon, countless Violets began to invade her mental realm, crossing numerous boundaries. Like a sudden storm appearing in a clear sky, the Violets relentlessly encroached upon Exoria’s mental realm.

“Are you truly trying to absorb me? What malevolence lies within your mental realm to make you do this? If this is the case, how are you any different from that un… speakable one!”

“What are you talking about? I’m not going to absorb you!”

“Then, why on earth?”

Completely overwhelming the exile in the mental realm, the Violets shouted in unison.

“It’s nothing much, you just know too much!”

The Violets unanimously reached a conclusion. They understood that the opponent was not an enemy. But a problem still remained. That Apostle knew their name. They had even recognized their face to some extent through the mental realm. This was an unacceptable risk.

“Arsite is skilled in espionage, aren’t they? We have no intention of revealing our identity to anyone! And while I don’t know about you, I can’t trust that Administrator-nim! To be honest, it’s hard to trust you either.”

The Apostle as an individual might be trustworthy. The possibility certainly existed. After all, they and that being were connected directly, mind to mind. Lying was impossible. But the clan could not be trusted. Especially not the head of the organization rumored to be the most sinister in the Academy City. A figure named Elena was famous for her extremely secretive and unpredictable actions.

The Command Center had no intention of completely discarding the accumulated distrust since the fight with Luminexa. Furthermore, judging by its actions so far, Arsite was, after all, an organization that antagonized them and secretly trained killers with bizarre abilities, wasn’t it? The Scholarship Officer’s usual tone when mentioning them, and the perception of their friends, were also negative.

“Violet, I will thoroughly guard your secrets! I can personally persuade the Administrator-nim—”

“Ah, and there’s one more thing!”

And another thought had settled in her mind. It was also a small act of revenge against Arsite, who had troubled her alongside Luminexa.

“Why should I join you?”

In fact, a completely different, outlandish idea had been brewing in the Violet network for some time. The Ariel Group’s aggressive recruiting spirit, which involved physically relocating talented individuals upon discovery, must have simply kicked in.

“You join *us*!”

“!?”

Exoria’s expression twisted in bewilderment.

Through the recent mental contact, Violet had gained an opportunity to think carefully. To borrow Violet’s own simple analogy, the being before her tasted like Ennis mixed with Bernike. A being with sensitive sensibilities and a story full of melancholy. Moreover, it endured Violet’s contact for quite a long time. It had ample talent. And it wasn’t human. There were already plenty of non-human entities under Violet, so adding one more wouldn’t be a problem.

“Exile! You’re ours now!”

“You! You’re completely insane!”

“Join the Ariel Group! We won’t absorb you. We’ll just take you with us!”

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes!’”

The exile, who had risen within the warehouse, elegantly drew her fan. Around her, the Violets they had deployed in a short time were rapidly approaching in droves. The sound of their footsteps pounded on the surrounding floor like a torrential downpour.

Suddenly, the surrounding concrete debris floated into the air as if alive, then rained down on the Violet group. Mounted machine guns spat fire to counter the psychokinetic attack. The quiet open space was instantly filled with explosions and streaks of light. Flames and smoke covered the sky.

“Apostle! Refusing to join us with such remarkable abilities is an act of treason against democracy! We’ll forgive you just this once!”

“From now on, this is your affiliation! I’m your boss!”

“Nice to meet you!”

The shouts of multiple Violets, echoing from various angles simultaneously, resonated. Exoria calmly surveyed her surroundings. Her mental realm was completely swarmed with Violets. Reality, too, was being utterly ravaged by heavy metals, gunpowder, and magic. Violent chaos spread everywhere.

“Stay still! Let’s go home!”

Exoria lightly flicked her fan. Anti-tank missiles, trailing fiber optics, spun in circles before the warped space. A couple of the missiles changed direction and caused loud explosions next to the approaching squads. Flames and debris flew everywhere.

“Is this your idea of etiquette?”

“You’re an Apostle anyway, this much won’t kill you.”

“That’s right! Even if a nuclear bomb exploded, you’d be fine.”

Exoria was speechless at the Violets’ innocent replies. They truly intended to kidnap her.

“Let’s take her and show her to the Scholarship Officer! We need to verify her.”

If she was a good Apostle, she could be a comrade. If a bad one, they could kill her immediately. The Violets self-congratulated, thinking it was truly a wise decision.

Before long, the Violets had once again delved through the flames and smoke. The figures of the girls, densely packed in both the mental and real realms, surrounded Exoria like a siege net.

“Stay still. We won’t actually absorb you. We’ll just knock you out for a bit…”

Countless Violets in the mental world completely surrounded Exoria like a swarm of bees. Each Violet wore the same expression and held a resolute will.

“Let’s be with democracy!”

“!”

Heat surged within her.

The exile squeezed her eyes shut. A scene had vividly flashed into her mind at that familiar word, heard so carelessly. Tragic sights she had tried so hard to erase, fragments of memories stained with blood and fire, momentarily swept through her consciousness.

“Democracy… Is that so.”

The exile slowly opened her eyes. In her gaze, resentful contempt and profound wrath were coldly embedded. At her intensely felt emotions, the Violets instinctively flinched and recoiled.

“How regrettable. Even after a hundred years, there are still those who believe in such delusional and outlandish ideologies…”

With an elegant gesture, she folded and unfolded her fan again. The moment the sharp snap of the fan cut through the air, the Violets suddenly witnessed themselves being flung far away by an immense force.

“Huh? What is it! Why aren’t we suppressing her!”

The Violets in the mental realm were roughly pushed back towards the plaza beyond the boundary line. Like being swept away by an invisible giant hand, the Violets were helplessly carried along. Soon, the boundary line between the Violet Plaza and the bleached wasteland began to shake unstably.

“Then I’d rather return!”

“No! You can’t go! Hehehe!”

Subtle interferences within the network were blocking a complex power. Exoria thought to herself. It would likely take more time than expected to completely disconnect from the network. It seemed she might have to unleash her true power and have a proper fight against that notorious terrorist.

The murderous intent or malice she had felt before was no longer detectable. The emotions emanating from Violet resembled those of a playful, innocent child. If she were to follow her willingly, Violet would not do anything fatal or dangerous to her. The signals she felt from her in the mental realm were clearly so. However, the problem was that Exoria herself could not accept such an action.

Despite all this disrespect, her thoughts remained unchanged. The Ariel Group was clearly an important entity that should be treated with goodwill. Yet, a limit was gradually being felt. It seemed that Violet was indeed human after all. What were humans, if not this young, violent, intelligent species with infinite potential, rarely seen in the vast universe? Children who needed clear guidance from an adult.

Thus, the exile decided to teach this rude young Apostle an unforgettable lesson.

“Understood, Violet. If that is truly your will…”

Exoria’s voice grew coldly calm.

“This one body, I shall willingly and seriously respond.”

The relic deeply embedded in the exile’s occiput began to glow faintly. The next moment, the surrounding air violently fluctuated as if alive. Blue energy created a fierce vortex around her. This was a unique phenomenon occurring when a vast amount of Aether interacted with the surrounding atmosphere.

For a moment, a faint light emerged behind her head. That light slowly coalesced as if possessing will, forming a perfect ring shape. The light, initially faint, gradually intensified, beginning to bathe everything around it in a strange glow.

“What is it!”

Cries of surprise and admiration, simultaneously heard from both the mental and real realms, filled the space. Exoria felt a faint emotion, buried deep a century ago, slowly resurface from the depths of her subconscious. That sensation was similar to the mix of guilt and the thrill of transgression a person on a long ascetic diet might feel from a sudden binge. Only a moment later did she clearly realize exactly what that emotion was.

Superiority complex.

It was an exhilaration only those who extinguished stars and swallowed lands, and their forces, could possess; an elation experienced only by murderers who had elevated their own worth by stepping on the corpses of others.

“Violet Dunhind Ruzilin. There are two erroneous points in the words you have spoken so far.”

“?”

For the first time in a very long while, the exile fully recalled the emotion of arrogance and elegantly unfolded the ornate fan in her left hand.

“First, you said you do not listen to the words of the weak. You were mistaken. I am not weaker than you.”

Simultaneously, bizarre grey silhouettes began to spread out from beneath her feet like ripples.

“You’re surrounded, Apostle!”

“Of course, I will not be able to defeat you. I cannot kill you or break you.”

At the unexpected change, the Violets moved restlessly. The Command Center, bewildered by the sudden phenomenon, hastily revised their tactics and pondered new strategies. However, they could not fathom what it was at all. The sight of the surrounding darkness suddenly beginning to lose its color was too distant to comprehend.

“Apostle, resistance is futile—”

“To add one more thing, you are under a grave misunderstanding.”

Behind Exoria’s head, a perfect circular halo appeared sacredly. A ring of light, simultaneously holding unspeakable guilt and divinity, shone mysteriously.

“I am not merely the ‘Apostle’ you speak of, Violet.”

The exile elegantly raised her right arm and lightly snapped her fingers. A clear, crisp sound threaded its way through the roar of explosions and magic. It was just a simple snap, merely the sound of fingers being flicked.

That was all.

For an instant, the world lost all its colors.

The Command Center was terrified by their own sudden disappearance from the detection map.

“Command Center to field! Where did everyone go!”

The Violets finally realized that they had suddenly appeared in an unfamiliar wasteland. Wasn’t this the mental world of that ‘Apostle’ just moments ago? No. They were wrong, they hadn’t merely been dropped. The Violet Network’s precise triangulation faintly indicated that they still physically existed in this real world, in the open space where the warehouse had been.

“No way, did the mental realm invade reality?”

The collective intelligence rapidly approached a terrifying conclusion through instinctive intuition.

“Where is this!”

Violet urgently asked the being before her. The brightly shining halo was now displaying its overwhelming presence with strange colors. The exile from another dimension subtly twisted her lips.

“Welcome to my world, Violet.”