The Goddess’ Embrace

 

Inside the MCS of Unit 6, Fran looked around—left, right, and up.

「What’s happening?」

To her astonishment, a maintenance crane was lifting Unit 6 off the ground.

「Put me down! If this keeps up, my mistake could cost my comrades—!」

But the crane gave no response. It simply continued its work, heedless of her pleas.

「I’m fine, really. Sorry, Fran.」

The voice over the comm belonged to one of her comrades in the Defense Force—the pilot of the Bear she had tried to save before being caught by the crane.

「You are? Oh, thank goodness…」

「A Familia saved me.」

「A Familia…?」

Familias weren’t exactly common in the L451 Defense Dome.

「Fran! There’s a ton of them now!」

One of the waiting mechanics offered a rushed explanation as Fran’s Unit 6 hovered in midair.

Dumbfounded, she watched as a multitude of half-track armored vehicles thundered beneath her.

「That many… But why…?」

Something was clearly out of the ordinary.

The crane, heedless of nuance, unceremoniously dropped Unit 6 into the hangar bay.

Three Worker Silhouettes in standby caught it and stabilized its fall.

「Refuel first, Fran.」

「That fleet of half-tracks—what’s going on?」

「We don’t know! But all the pilots are Familias!」

「……」

Something unknown and uncanny was undeniably at play.

◆　◆　◆　◆　◆

At one of the boarding gates, an unfamiliar dog-type Familia stood barring the way of volunteer fighters from the L451 Defense Dome.

「Everyone, please evacuate. We’ll handle the fighting!」

Even as he spoke, other Familias were cheerfully hopping into armored vehicles.

Drawn by the commotion, Nate arrived on the scene.

「Where did you all come from?」

「Right here. We were born yesterday. Asia gave us the mission to protect you.」

「Asia?!」

「Yesterday?! This Defense Dome doesn’t have Familia production capability. And creating a new Artifact Consciousness should require Asia’s authorization!」

「It’s true… Asia hasn’t abandoned us after all…」

The Familias’ declaration sent a shockwave through the gathered residents.

The Therianthropes trembled, moved to tears.

「Yes. Kou-san asked Asia on your behalf. We’ll handle the battle. Please evacuate.」

「He can do that too…?!」

「Asia’s Knight…」

A Therianthrope youth muttered the title under his breath, almost reverently. Nate didn’t catch the words.

He turned to face the confused residents of the Defense Dome and spoke with steady resolve.

「Your concern is appreciated. Truly, it seems Asia hasn’t forsaken us. —First, please evacuate. Trust the Familias.」

「O-okay…」

「Even newborn Familias are fighting, and we’re just gonna sit around?!」

「Right! We want to help too!」

「Help with resupply using the Workers. New Silhouettes are being built at this moment, but we don’t have enough hands.」

「Why didn’t you say that earlier?! I’m on it!」

「Me too!」

As volunteers were sorted between evacuees and Silhouette pilots, Nate returned to the control tower.

「What in the world is going on…?」

「Nice to meet you. I’m Asia. You must be Nate.」

A silver-haired girl appeared on the control tower’s monitor—Asia herself.

「A-Asia…」

Nate stood frozen in disbelief. The idea of Asia intervening in such a remote outpost had never crossed his mind.

「I never meant to abandon you, you know? I just… really couldn’t manage everything. No excuses though. I’m sorry.」

「No, we humans are the ones who failed you. I’ve long wanted to apologize for that.」

「Then we’ll call it even. Heh… Thank you. For now, let’s focus on defense. Kou asked me personally if I’d protect everyone in this Defense Dome. And it seems the Defense Dome itself cares about you all. It agreed to help happily.」

「The Defense Dome… cares about us?」

「Yes. It’s been watching—watching your resolve as you fought to protect this place, never abandoning it to the end. It never had the authority to act before. But now, with Kou’s permission, the Dome and its facilities can fight alongside you. This is your reward—for loving this place.」

「…Heh. I really don’t know what’s going on anymore. But… thank you, L451 Defense Dome…」

「Understandable. Kou never explains anything, does he? Honestly…」

「Did Kou call on you himself?」

「He did! He’s the one who freed me, after all… but let’s keep that part secret, okay?」

Asia giggled mischievously, pressing her finger to her lips.

Nate was speechless.

—So that man was Outis…!

The one who rescued Asia. The one who claimed her. That grandiose blue-haired uniform had been a disguise all along.

「I’ve issued defensive orders to the Familias too. With the Defense Dome’s aid, we’ll have the upper hand in urban combat. Stay sharp.」

「Yes, ma’am!」

Nate opened the comm line to the entire Defense Dome and gave the command.

「This is Commander Nate of the Defense Force. Listen well—Asia is with us. She’ll fight at our side. —We will win against Greisen!」

From protecting to prevailing.

That shift in tone told the residents that his words were the truth.

◆　◆　◆　◆　◆

「Asia… really…?」

Fran heard the transmission too. She could hardly believe it.

Ever since Nisos and Unit 5 arrived, miracle after miracle had occurred.

「But we have to move. The Aberration Arms are coming, along with waves of Ever Is and Armadillos. We can’t let our guard down.」

「You’re a little too eager. Stay calm, Fran.」

A silver-haired girl appeared on-screen.

「Asia!」

「Nice to meet you, Fran. And you too, Unit 6. I’m counting on you both.」

Asia had spoken not just to Fran, but to the Silhouette she piloted as well.

「Y-yes!」

「That additional armor installed on Unit 6… it’s dear to me. Kou was using it when he rescued me. I believe it’ll protect you and your Defense Dome as well.」

「He rescued you…?」

「Yes. Two years ago, Unit 5 and Metal Iris—wearing that armor—freed me from the Stones’ grasp.」

Fran stood stunned. She had no idea the equipment she now bore carried such a history.

「That armor’s terribly inefficient. While metallic hydrogen was under technological lockdown, Kou poured his heart into developing it. It should pair well with Unit 6’s current specs.」

「Without access to metallic hydrogen…」

She had always thought Kou was simply gifted, blessed.

And now she felt ashamed for assuming so.

「Surprised? When he first arrived, Kou was dumped in a ruined wasteland, barely clinging to life. He escaped by the skin of his teeth using a damaged and discarded Silhouette—Unit Five. All he had was the same prototype greatsword as the one you have, and a single Familia… no rifle at all. Yet he swore he’d save me—and he did.」

「He went through that much…」

「He survived on water and rations alone. He didn’t have power from the start. Keep this secret too, okay?」

「Are you sure you want to share something so important with someone like me?」

「Because you now bear the armor Kou entrusted. You deserve to know.」

「This armor… it’s heavy. In more ways than one.」

「It is. So be thoughtful on the battlefield. Whatever happens—survive.」

「Yes!」

Asia smiled warmly at Fran’s firm reply, then ended the transmission.

Resupply would be complete soon. Time to sortie was fast approaching.

「What do you think, Unit 6? This armor really is heavy. But we can’t afford to lose. Not now.」

Then, unexpectedly, Fran began to tremble.

A voice echoed—unmistakably from within the cockpit.

「We were entrusted. Think on what that means, Fran.」

The words—an unforeseen reply from Unit 6 itself—left Fran wide-eyed.