Chapter 31: Rejection from a Partner

When I returned to the commander's office, I found Yellow meditating on the sofa. The energy leaking from her was interfering with the electronics; while not enough to break them, it was causing the circuits to go haywire. The vacuum cleaner had spontaneously started up and was busily sucking at the floor.

Sparks were also jumping from the stack of unused pots and pans in the kitchen. If this continued, it was going to get dangerous.

"I’m back, everyone!"

"..."

"Welcome home, Commander."

"Welcome baaaaack. How was she?"

"I can’t exactly say she looks healthy, but she’s out of immediate danger for now. A friend of hers is overseeing her care. Is Yellow doing okay?"

I turned my gaze toward her as she remained deep in concentration.

"At this rate, the carpet is going to catch fire..."

"Oh? That’s an easy fix. Hah!"

Despite her cute, energetic shout, the dark-haired girl pulled a metal knife from the stack of dishes and hurled it at Yellow’s head with terrifying speed.

A heavy crack of static filled the air. Yellow now held the kitchen knife firmly between her index and middle fingers. To my eyes, the movement was nothing more than a lingering afterimage of a lightning bolt.

In the past, she likely would have just sat there and let the blade bury itself in her skull. It was clear that the encounter with Asuna—with an S-Class Slayer—had served as a massive catalyst for her growth. Ever since then, she had been... different.

"So? How was Master?"

Yellow looked at me, her eyes filled with a longing to seek guidance from her mentor once more.

"I was just telling them..."

"It’s fine. I’ll explain."

"Geez, if you had kept scorching the floor like that, I was going to make you take the carpet's place."

"Me? As a carpet!?"

"Actually, that doesn't sound so bad."

"Hey!"

They were treating her pretty harshly, but I felt like pointing out that it was her own fault for not paying attention.

"Regardless, we have to wait for instructions from Lady Alter. We..."

"Naturally, we want to save Lady Asuna."

"I haven't even had the chance to ask what kind of tea she likes yet."

"I still have so many things I want her to teach me!"

"So, you’ve come."

A little over a week later, we were summoned by Alter to the General’s office. I felt a sharp pang of recognition when I saw the mass-produced unit standing beside her. I nearly rushed forward.

"Asu—"

"Quiet down."

Alter had moved in front of me before I could even blink, her hand up to signal me to stop. I retreated a few steps, feeling a bit sheepish.

"First, I must explain who this girl is. Introduce yourself."

"Acknowledged. I am Mass-produced Phantasm Girl: Lica-series, A46."

"Asuna..."

"Yes. This girl is Asuna, yet she is not Asuna. If we must give her a name... let it be Esil. I want your squad to look after Esil from now on."

The girl called Esil stared blankly into the void, devoid of any spark of consciousness. It was a common sight for a mass-produced unit, yet for some reason, my vision began to blur.

"As Rabia explained, this girl is the owner of the brain memory Asuna transplanted into herself. She has no memories of her life until now. She claims only that she served a great cause at a certain research facility."

"I see..."

"I’ve run her through a battery of combat tests. Her ability is only slightly above the median for the original series, and she remains unable to use any special powers. Most likely, the 'instruction manual' for using those eyes was massive. Transplanting the brain memory was a desperate measure to store that data, and because Asuna’s own consciousness has closed off, the information is now inaccessible."

Alter turned her gaze toward Esil and spoke.

"Tell us about your sister’s final moments."

"My elder sister was attacked by a Phantasm Girl calling herself the Themis Violet. Sister killed seventeen shadows possessing power equal to her own before her consciousness ceased. I have been entrusted with messages for Lady Alter and Master Kazuto."

"!"

"I intend to decide our future course of action after hearing this," Alter said.

We nodded to each other, and I prompted Esil to continue.

"First, to Lady Alter... 'Do not lose sight of the truth.'"

"Understood."

"To Master Kazuto... 'Don't throw away that lighter.'"

"I won't."

"Have you made your decision, Commander Amane?"

"Yes. I want to save Asuna. To hell with a world where she can’t smile."

In my dream, Asuna had been laughing through her tears. I knew she didn't want to die. Nobody does.

"Is that so..."

Alter offered a thin smile at my answer, and then—

"But I will not permit it."

Her eyes, filled with an unmistakable, cold rejection, pierced right through me.