Chapter 34

For a moment.

“Was it really mental contamination…?”

Giselle sighed in relief.

“Huh? Ah, no!”

She looked at her junior, whom she thought for sure had perished, and saw them waving foolishly as usual upon Giselle’s casual comment.

For that brief moment, she even entertained the thought that miracles truly do exist in this world.

“I’m glad you’re alive.”

Falling from such a height and surviving was undoubtedly a phenomenon not to be ignored, something linked to an anomaly. Yet, Giselle didn’t want to think about that.

“I’m glad… so glad you’re alive.”

All she could focus on was the fact that this junior, the same one who had filled her days over the past half year, was still alive.

That was all that mattered.

This same junior kept leaning onto Giselle.

“Hey, why am I so sleepy all of a sudden…?”

Giselle tilted her head in confusion.

It was true; this junior often acted like a sleep-deprived ghost even under normal circumstances, but feeling this sleepy in such a situation was strange. Given that this junior came back from the brink of death miraculously, Giselle didn’t want to see them leave again so meaninglessly.

Could this junior have internal injuries that aren’t visible?

“Are you okay? Blink your left eye for me.”

“No, it’s not that…”

As Giselle held onto this junior who was drifting off, trying to keep them alert, the junior suddenly looked toward something and joyfully called out a name.

A name that absolutely should not have emerged at this moment.

“IF-017!”

A chill ran down her spine.

“… What?”

For a brief moment, countless thoughts raced through Giselle’s mind.

IF-017?

She didn’t want to turn her head.

She didn’t want to confirm the despair present over there.

But if she continued to act like an idiot, just staring at her junior, something intolerable was bound to happen.

Giselle locked her eyes onto IF-017.

And…

She realized its appearance was nothing like what she imagined.

Ascension.

It wasn’t just the external changes; the most prominent feature was clearly the formation of what’s commonly known as the ‘Orb’ organ.

Its radiance was far from overwhelming—it was absurd.

Even the strongest runaway IF-017-1 instance she had seen so far would resemble a firefly in front of a streetlamp compared to this brilliance.

Which meant…

Looking through the radiance, how could she describe ‘that’ thing?

Monster? Demon? God?

Could any of those words possibly define it?

No.

It was simply enigmatic.

A true unknown.

The phenomenon known as IF-017.

When it looked at Giselle, her hands and feet trembled, her vision narrowed, and her breathing quickened. Giselle was terrified of this being.

Of course, she was afraid just of IF-017 in general, but what scared her the most right now was the fact that the junior in her arms showed no intention of escaping in such a critical moment, behaving like a foolish and clueless idiot.

“… Stop standing there awkwardly. Run away quickly. I’ll buy us some time.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t ask questions, just go. Now. It’s common sense that the lives of Beta Rank personnel take priority over those of Gamma Rank.”

There was no time to prolong the conversation.

Giselle shielded her junior with her own body.

Even though Giselle pushed her junior away with her back, the junior’s steps remained rooted to the spot.

“Why… Why aren’t you running? Are you crazy enough to want to die?”

After shouting out in a panic, Giselle lost her words at the sight of the junior’s eyes.

They were the same.

“I’ll run later, Giselle-senpai. I don’t think I can escape right now.”

Just like the dreaded moment she wished never to remember again, the junior was drawn toward the anomaly as if under a spell. Giselle could do nothing but watch.

That’s why she left the IF-017-1 substation in the first place—to avoid witnessing another such incident. Yet, here it was, repeating once more.

Giselle fell to her knees.

“You’re going to be absorbed… no… assimilated. Not again… not in front of me again…”

Unable to bear seeing this, Giselle lowered her head.

“Senpai, go. Hurry. Everyone is waiting.”

Unlike that time.

This time, for some inexplicable reason, Giselle felt compelled to witness it through to the end. Despite the difficulty, she lifted her head.

And…

A miracle happened once more.

“… You didn’t… You didn’t die?”

—

Kan Hana exhaled a fiery breath.

Her heart wasn’t just warm—it burned with intensity. The warmth emanating from her chest was so powerful that it felt as if her heart were a radiator, heating every part of her body to a toasty warmth. In Kan Hana’s perception, even all the warmth accumulated over the past six months couldn’t compare to the heat of this single moment.

It was certainly inconvenient to carry this much heat around.

Still…

If she had relieved this pressure, wasn’t IF-017 supposed to be feeling better now?

With that thought, Kan Hana scrutinized the expression of IF-017.

“Hm.”

Not much had changed.

This left Kan Hana rather surprised.

Hmm. Wasn’t it uncomfortable because of this heat?

As IF-017 sensed this thought, they tilted their head upward and locked gazes with Kan Hana.

Without realizing, Kan Hana smiled.

Ah, the horns of IF-017 were beginning to radiate gorgeously!

Its eyes had always sparkled like gemstones, but now even the horns were glowing prettily, giving off dazzling light. Seeing this, Kan Hana couldn’t help but chuckle, amused as the scene reminded her of a candy stick.

At that moment, something passed through.

“Huh..?”

Foreign intentions swept through Kan Hana’s mind.

Something vast. Yet, something fragile, tangled with weaknesses.

Something that carried within itself a thousand suns, forcing it to sleep in a lake.

Something tired, something wanting rest.

Unity. Veil. Branches. Origin. Eons. A thousand years of karma.

So enormous…

Too enormous that Kan Hana simply couldn’t comprehend the flow of these intentions.

What did these signify?

The meaning behind these intentions remained incomprehensible to her.

Not the slightest hint.

Yet, it was clear that IF-017, who had emitted such intentions through their sparkling horns, stood right before her.

Fully supportive.

Kan Hana vigorously nodded her head.

IF-017 quietly observed her.

Then, it pressed its hands gently to its chest.

Whoosh—

The light intensified.

The heat began emanating outward, revealing the condensed fire within for the first time.

As if showcasing it, IF-017 presented the fiery blaze that burned within its heart.

Kan Hana understood.

Ah, the heat I transferred was merely the tip of the iceberg. And…

Just as drinking from a cup can’t lower the water level in a lake, the condensed fire within this being was monumental.

The sheer magnitude left Kan Hana’s mouth dry with awe.

“Kyaa.”

IF-017 then comforted her, as if acknowledging her efforts with slight understanding, though a hint of disappointment lingered in its tone.

As the fire from IF-017’s heart streamed and flowed around her eyes, it seemed as if IF-017 was crying.

This stirred something in Kan Hana’s heart.

“I can’t let you go on like this!”

The instant IF-017 turned away.

Kan Hana embraced IF-017 tightly.

The overwhelming satisfaction she felt from the cuddly form nestled within her arms.

And then, moments later,

the heat that rushed into her was even more intense.

She had anticipated it would be severe, but upon direct contact, it exceeded her imagination.

It didn’t hurt, but precisely because it didn’t…

Because it didn’t consume and destroy, this heat only grew stronger endlessly.

Her body melted as though she were turning into jelly. However, she endured, thinking of the warmth emanating from IF-017’s body, one second more…

IF-017 still didn’t look content.

Because of this, Kan Hana pressed her body even closer.

Perhaps due to her dizziness,

a fleeting worry resurfaced in Kan Hana’s mind.

The name IF-017 felt impersonal.

What should she call it?

It would be nice if IF-017 could give her a name.

But surely, it was a distant dream. IF-017 could understand words but couldn’t speak them, right?

That was destined to remain a mere fantasy.

Thinking this,

she was struck with surprise upon hearing a voice from the small head buried against her chest.

“…Luge.”

Kan Hana couldn’t help but be astonished.

What was this?

A name? Could it possibly be IF-017’s name?

Isn’t it supposed to only make cute sounds like “Kyaa” or “Gyaoo”?

Who gave it this name?

What made it answer her unspoken question?

There were so many questions she wanted to ask, but Kan Hana couldn’t hold on any longer.

She squeezed her dry throat one last time.

“Yes, that’s great. It’s a beautiful name.”

Kan Hana left behind not her last words…

No, her “goodnight message.”

“Sleep well… Luge.”

Despite the heat so intense it felt as though she were boiling in a pot,

Kan Hana felt she could rest peacefully because she held the cutest, most adorable thing in the whole world.

Though this adorable thing seemed a bit startled in response,

it was an age since Kan Hana had fallen deep asleep in such warmth and gentleness.

—

I was infuriated while nestled in Kan Hana’s arms.

How dare she butcher the name I specially revealed to her, impressed by her efforts.

Luge?

It’s Luge, not Lu!

This disrespect…!

My mouth opened to deliver a lecture.

But…

“Kyaaa…”

Even if I were furious enough to unleash six breaths of fire, it seems I can’t even let loose a reprimand anymore.

Thump, thump.

This heartbeat which resonates even in sleep is quite strong. It’s entirely different from the hissing sound of Tonton-i the snake.

It’d certainly be better for her to hear this over the noise around us.

Even though asleep, she’s petting my tail carelessly…

Ugh.

I should feel irritated, but why does it not feel so bad?

I intended to shake her off with a loud roar, but only a soft “Gurgle” escapes from my throat.

“Growl…”

The relationship between a god and a priest shouldn’t be like this in my opinion.

It’s shameful.

Shameful indeed.

How, after holding the thousand suns within her arms, could I possibly scold her?

I buried my face deeper into Kan Hana’s embrace.

Thump, thump.

The steady drumming that blocks out all external sounds when I listen closely.

Now that I have inadvertently revealed more than just my divine form while trying to show her the thousand suns, the surrounding sounds must be terrifying to imagine. Very.

Therefore, I wound my tail tightly around her body and closed my eyes.

Yes.

Sleep well then.

My lacking priest.

My consciousness faded into the distance.