Nest of the flying cryptid.
Above it, a small-powered suit of armor resembling an inflated spacesuit takes off into the air.
“Both of you, keep quiet!”
Mili’s shout echoes through the cockpit.
While this is happening, the nest below, which is wriggling, comes closer rapidly, creating the illusion that it is approaching us.
Boom.
With a heavy thud and a slight impact, the armored suit lands on the flying cryptid’s nest.
“We, we’ve arrived, sister.”
“Good job. After handling the reinforced exoskeleton well last time, now you’re also good at piloting an armored suit, huh?”
“Huh, is that so? Hehe…?”
Mili, feeling a little shy, scratches her cheek.
Even so, the armored suit, which had been clomping about on the nest, stops in front of a clear sign of destruction.
A deeply gouged hole and the emaciated, dry arm hanging out of it.
It’s the remains of the Brain we took down earlier.
“Then, I’ll open the cockpit. Be, be careful since the footing is unstable.”
“Ah, Seoli?”
“Yes! I’ll be back!”
Answering cheerfully, Seoli leaps out of my arms toward the Brain’s remains.
The Brain, which was hit directly by the high-speed cannon and barely retains any form, appears a bit too gruesome to show a child, but Seoli simply stretches out her hand toward it, smiling brightly.
Even in its quite ruined state, there seems to be no issue with retrieving the orb as a round object rises from the Brain’s body, being sucked into Seoli’s.
Having recovered the orb from the Brain, Seoli approaches the pheromones that were charred black by the explosion.
Seoli repeats the same action, recovering all the orbs, and the small child who lifts her hand high into the air returns, bounding back toward us.
“Small mom! I’m back!”
Crying out, Seoli leaps back into my arms.
As I fondly stroke Seoli’s hair who’s acting so affectionately, a natural smile forms on my face.
“Yeah. Our Seoli is doing well now, even on her own.”
“Heheh.”
With that, all the orbs outside should have been retrieved.
The only thing left is the enormous orb that Seoli mentioned, which is supposedly inside this nest…
“Seoli, there’s no way we can get the large orb from in here, right?”
“Yeah! It’s too far away!”
Seoli nods her head.
“Alright, then let’s withdraw for now?”
“Yes, yes! I’ll go down again!”
Mili re-seals the cockpit and moves away from the nest, keeping a large distance.
Had they been watching our actions; Nisia’s communication came through at just the right moment.
[Edju, are you done with what you had to do?]
“Yeah, so now we prepare the bombardment-”
“Small mom!”
Seoli’s urgent shout interrupts my words.
Looking down, I see Seoli clutching the collar of my coat with her small hand.
“Seoli? What’s wrong?”
“Don’t just hit that thing!”
Pointing her right hand at something in the distance as she says this.
What her cute finger points at is the flying cryptid’s nest we were just standing on.
“Seoli, you’re saying we shouldn’t attack that?”
“Yeah! We can’t!”
“Hmm…?”
This is the first time Seoli has asserted her own opinion.
Given that she has never once acted like this before now, I’m certain there’s a reason for her sudden reaction.
[Edju?]
“Can you give me a moment?”
[Alright.]
After the conversation, I look back down at Seoli.
“Seoli, you said there’s an orb in there, right?”
“Yeah!”
Seoli nods her head.
“And we’re not supposed to attack that thing?”
“Yeah!”
Seoli nods her head again from somewhere above.
There’s a large orb inside, and we cannot attack it.
Until now, Seoli hasn’t reacted particularly to taking down core enemies.
But considering her unique reaction this time, it seems like this is more than simply recovering an orb.
“Hmm.”
After thinking for a moment, realizing there’s no time to delay, I immediately make a decision.
“Mili, can you bring us closer to the nest again?”
“Eh, sister? What are you planning to do?”
“Since it’s not safe to attack from the outside, I want to go inside and take a look.”
“Yes, yes?! Go inside of that thing?”
“Yeah.”
Even though attacking from the outside might not be possible, Seoli said there’s a big orb inside, which makes her intention clear.
That is, to retrieve the large orb from within.
Moreover, this massive entity is the nest of the flying cryptids; there must be many entrances and exits between the inside and the outside, so we can use one of those pathways to go in.
Besides, this is the first time that Seoli, who has always been smiling, has strongly asserted what she wants.
If our little one wants to do something so badly, it’s a guardian’s duty to let her do it, right?
“Nisia, with this, can I ask Balder to keep an eye on the surrounding area?”
[I understand. If you’re going inside, I’ll descend and join you.]
“Eh? You’re coming too, Nisia?”
[Yeah. With Edju’s strength, there likely won’t be any big issues, but dangerous situations can arise. I thought I could help with my strength in case of an emergency.]
Nisia’s suggestion.
Indeed, as she said, the inside of the nest is an unknown area that I don’t fully understand, and the abilities of a robot summoner lean heavily toward attack.
In situations like these, where we have to act while running risks, Nisia’s excellent defense demonstrated in the friendly matches will help ensure safety much more effectively.
“That’s a good idea. I’ll wait for you.”
[I got it. I’ll contact Balder and be right there!]
…
Thud.
“Ugh.”
Nisia flinches slightly at the unpleasant sound.
“Are you alright?”
“Mhmm. I’m fine. I’m just not used to it yet.”
Nisia turns her head, smiling at me as I’m carried on her back.
Judging by her pale complexion, I can tell she isn’t entirely well, but she moves forward resolutely, likely trying not to worry me.
Thud, squelch.
Nisia’s shoulders slightly tremble with each step she takes.
However, I can fully understand why Nisia is reacting like this.
Whoosh…
The musty air spurting out inside, as if breathing, and the walls and ground that constantly wriggle.
Even the Cryptid Colony felt alive and induced resistance; this place goes beyond that, being inside an actual living organism, naturally causing a stronger rejection response.
“Mom! This way!!”
Of course, Seoli seems entirely unaffected by any of this.
“Yeah. Baby, girl. Let’s go that way.”
At my words, Seoli, who nodded her head, steps forward, leading the two summoned creatures in the direction she pointed.
Usually, Gai would accompany us, but because the passage’s size varies significantly, we had no choice but to release the summon.
“This way!!”
“There!”
Seoli, guiding us through the dimly lit space, walks ahead while pointing the way.
During our continuous movement, we encountered a few cryptids who had lost control and were rampaging; they had already sustained significant damage from fighting among themselves and were not difficult to suppress.
Finally, after continuing our journey, we arrived at a vast chamber.
“Small mom! We’re here!”
Seoli suddenly runs ahead.
Baby and Girl rush in front of her, checking the room’s safety, followed by Nisia stepping inside.
Fortunately, there were no other cryptids in the room, but what awaited us there was a surprising spectacle beyond our expectations.
In the center of the wriggling walls, a figure resembling a human, its head bowed, was half-fused.
The body, possessing feminine curves, has long red hair that hangs limply, covering its face.
“Eh… It’s a, person!?”
Nisia is startled.
But narrowing my eyes and carefully examining the figure, I shake my head.
“Calm down, Nisia, and take a closer look at the arms.”
“Arms?”
“Yeah.”
At my words, she cautiously turns her head and gazes at the thing that looks like a person.
“Ah, the exoskeleton-”
Nisia notices the peculiar detail and blurts out.
That’s right, the exoskeleton.
An external characteristic that absolutely does not grow on a human body—proof that the figure before us is a cryptid.
‘And that red hair…is it possible?!’
As I widen my eyes, Seoli extends her hand toward the cryptid fused into the wall.
“Hyah!”
With the sound of an adorable shout, a different transformation occurs.
“Huh?!”
Seoli’s entire body begins to glow.
The body of the cryptid fused into the wall also emits the same light, filling the wide chamber.
“Se, Seoli!!”
Nisia’s cry.
And in the next moment, the red-haired girl fused into the wall vanishes without a trace, revealing an existence that resides in my memory.
The long, white hair stretching down, the pupils glowing with the chill of winter, two emerald eyes.
The exceptionally beautiful face shows no emotion, and the elegant curves that overflow with femininity exude grace.
The great nemesis of humanity: the White Queen.
Within her arms lies the red-haired girl, who was half-fused into the wall, sleeping as a young girl of Seoli’s size.
“Uh… What?”
Nisia mumbles, stunned by Seoli’s sudden transformation.
The icy gaze of the White Queen, who was staring down at the red-haired girl, turns toward us.
Eyes like sheets of ice.
The mouth of the White Queen slowly opens.
The first words spoken by humanity’s great nemesis are –
“Hehehe, mommies!! Seoli has grown amazingly big!!!”
It was none other than Seoli as usual.
