Chapter 6: Since the Noodles Were Getting Soggy, We Decided to Go Eat Together

"So, were you satisfied with how it turned out?"

"—For that, you have my thanks."

I gave a slight bow, even though I knew she couldn’t actually see me. Maybe I’d picked up more of Japan’s customs than I realized. Hard to believe it’s been a whole year in this world.

"Well, it’s not like I did the investigating myself. Go thank your former subordinates who stayed behind."

"Yeah. I know."

Back then, none of the defected Brigade Legion members ever returned to our world. They gave up their names and blended into life on Earth. The one-time-use return device still sits unused, gathering dust in the old hideout.

Their reasons varied. Some were seeking redemption; others had simply given up on going home.

But when I reached out, they chose to help. Though we had once been enemies, they offered to repay a small debt to Luna—the one who stopped their leader’s rampage.

They were all skilled. Thanks to their recovery and analysis of Savaros’s data, we were able to complete the current dataset.

"Those kids must’ve worked hard too. Did you see what they included?"

"Yeah. …I’m grateful."

Leonia was referring to a device that measured the Dark Seed’s corruption level—a byproduct of their analysis. I’d already installed it on my terminal. At the moment, Youta’s corruption sat at 80%. Not exactly comforting.

At 100%, she would likely vanish completely. The rate was inching upward—slowly but surely. A reminder that time was running out.

"So, do you have a plan?"

"Dunno. But I’ll try everything I can think of."

Anyway, to summarize the report:

Youta became Luna because the Sacred Beast rebuilt her damaged existence by merging three elements: Luna, the Dark Seed, and Youta herself. Our goal was to repeat that process—but this time, tilt the balance toward restoring Youta.

Thanks to the salvaged data, we now had the means. The cognitive rewriting that made people accept Youta as Luna had just been a side effect. If Youta reverted, those changes would unravel on their own.

How could I be sure? Because Brigade Legion had its own cognitive manipulation tech.

That’s how I infiltrated this world as Kurosaki Haruto—and how the defectors lived ordinary lives here. If I left, all traces of Haruto—school records, contracts—would vanish like they never existed.

That said, the Sacred Beast’s power was on another level. At best, our tech could forge documents—not rewrite memories or reshape a decade’s worth of history.

But one problem remained: the Dark Seed.

As long as it stayed, Youta was in danger. Worse, it seemed to actively guard Luna’s body—as if it wanted her to remain that way.

Forcefully removing it wasn’t an option. The Seed had fused with her too deeply, filling in the gaps of her existence. Reckless interference could destroy what remained of Youta.

So what could we do?

The answer was simple—yet painfully difficult for someone like me.

In short: Youta had to produce positive emotional energy on her own. Positive and negative energies naturally repelled each other. If we timed it right, the Dark Seed’s hold could weaken.

But the key was self-generation. External triggers wouldn’t work—it had to come from within.

Negative emotions were easy: rage, envy, hatred. Positive ones? Joy. Friendship. Love. Sadly, I didn’t grow up in a world where those came naturally.

When I explained that to Leonia, she smirked—half mocking.

"Hmph… Haven’t you already given her one of those emotions?"

I blinked. If anything, I owed Youta far more than she owed me.

"What do you mean?"

"You’re her best friend, right? Then she must feel something for you. She still doesn’t know you’re a traitor."

Her tone was casual. “Well, I didn’t see it myself, but…”

"…Suppose so."

The truth was, I’d never told Youta who I really was.

Originally, I approached her to investigate the power behind the Silver Witch—the white magical girl. As Kurosaki Haruto, I observed her, looking for the most efficient way to harvest emotional energy. Even when we joined forces to stop Savaros, she died to that cursed bullet, never knowing the truth.

When Youta woke up as Luna, she was unstable—on the brink of being consumed by the Dark Seed. That memory still stings.

So, the moment never came.

Guilt played a part too. Ideally, she’d never find out—

"Make absolutely sure she doesn’t. If she loses her only anchor, the ‘Youta’ inside her might vanish entirely."

"Yeah."

"Honestly, it’s a miracle she kept enough of her ego to function at all after absorbing the Seed. Her positive emotions must’ve been that strong."

After that, I half-listened to Leonia’s lecture, lost in thought. When I finally checked the time, three minutes had passed.

…The noodles are getting soggy. Better hurry.

The next afternoon, I invited Youta out to eat.

"Shared meals ease tension. Not a bad first move."

That was Leonia’s advice. We went to Eirakutei, a ramen place known for its rich tonkotsu broth—a personal favorite of mine.

The owner greeted me like a regular, though it was actually Youta who first introduced me to the shop. Back when she was still male, she often came here with Hagino. But since becoming Luna, she usually dined alone.

Watching her enjoy the shop’s signature flavor for the first time in six months sparked a flicker of hope—until I checked the monitor at home.

The corruption level hadn’t changed. Maybe a tiny improvement—but barely worth noting.

—This might be harder than I thought.

Still, I had expected that. Next step: ask the people around her what she likes.