Non-Administrated World #97, Star Rail Universe…
The next morning after the meeting, the dining area of Peverell Manor was wrapped in a strange mood.
Noah was absentmindedly poking at his food, half of his attention fixed on Sirin's still-empty seat. March had barely touched her plate. Caelus kept glancing toward Noah, then toward the empty chair, as if trying to think of something to say and failing each time. Himeko held her cup with both hands, her eyes lowered in thought, while Welt and Dan Heng spoke in low voices near the end of the table.
"Sirin-chan still hasn't come back," March said softly.
"Yes…" Hayate answered, worry clear in her voice.
Reinforce sat between Hayate and Noah, barely touching her food either.
"She promised she would return once she found something," Reinforce whispered. "But… for Sirin-san, it may have already been so long."
Noah's fork stopped moving.
His expression became a mix of worry, impatience, and helplessness. It was the face of someone whose fear had been trying to stay hidden, only for someone else to say it aloud.
For those staying in the real world, Sirin had been gone only since yesterday's alert. But for her, inside the deeper parts of the Quantum Realm, it could have been days, months, or even years.
"She'll come back." Noah lowered his fork and looked at her empty seat.
His voice was small, but everyone could hear the effort behind it.
Hayate reached over and gently placed her hand over his on the table.
"She will," she said, firmer this time. "Sirin-chan is stubborn."
"Very stubborn." March gave a faint smile.
"World-class stubborn." Caelus nodded.
That almost made Noah smile.
Then the space beside him suddenly distorted. Everyone at the table reacted instantly. Chairs scraped against the floor. Weapons and magic circles were ready within a single second.
But Noah did not move; the Force had already told him that she was back. The next second, purple light opened beside his chair, and Sirin finally stepped out of the Quantum Realm, materializing beside Noah.
Before she could even let out a single breath, three voices immediately crashed into her.
"Sii!"
"Sirin-chan!"
"Sirin-san!"
"Ughh…!"
Noah, Hayate, and Reinforce did not waste a single moment. They hugged her tightly, clinging to her as if they were afraid she would vanish again.
When Sirin finally realized who the brave fools were who had dared to tackle the mighty Miracle ☆ Magical Girl Sirin, she could only let out an exasperated yet loving sigh.
"…Yeah. I missed all of you, too."
"No…" Noah's arms tightened around her. "We missed you more. So much."
Hayate pressed her forehead against Sirin's shoulder, her voice trembling with emotion.
"Welcome back, Sirin-chan."
"Sirin-san… welcome home." Reinforce buried herself against Sirin's cheek, crying softly.
Sirin closed her eyes and let them be. Her heavy, lonely heart suddenly became lighter.
For Noah, Hayate, and Reinforce, she had only been gone since the alert.
For Sirin, she had been away for seven long years.
Seven years without Noah's warmth.
Seven years without Hayate's laughter.
Seven years without Reinforce's tiny hands patting her face.
What she had instead was seven years of chasing a monster alone through the void.
So, Sirin did not act proud or pretend she was fine. She simply hugged them back and allowed herself to relax.
"I'm… home."
"…"
Void Archives, who had also returned with Sirin, felt a bit awkward since no one seemed to notice him.
He would deny it later, of course, but at that moment, Void Archives felt neglected. Despite his cube-like appearance, he radiated an unmistakable aura of, 'I also worked hard, you know?! Can someone please appreciate this mighty Divine Key?!'
Void Archives simply floated there in complete silence. If a golden cube could pout, he was absolutely doing it. He adjusted his position slightly so someone could see him.
No one noticed.
So he tried again by flashing several golden screens around himself.
Alas, still no one appreciated this Divine Key.
Void Archives' glow dimmed by one tragic, dramatic degree.
March, who had been watching the reunion with teary eyes, suddenly blinked when she noticed the golden cube floating beside them.
"…Wait. Is VA sulking?"
"I am not sulking." Void Archives instantly brightened.
"You absolutely are." Caelus stared at him.
"I am a Divine Key. I do not sulk. I am merely experiencing justified neglect."
"That is sulking." Dan Heng glanced at him.
"A highly technical term of sulking, perhaps." Welt adjusted his glasses.
Himeko covered her smile with her cup.
Void Archives slowly rotated away from them with offended dignity.
"History will remember this betrayal."
Noah finally noticed him and let out a small, tired laugh. Still keeping one arm around Sirin, he reached out with his free hand and gently tapped the golden cube.
"Thank you, too, VA. You worked hard."
Void Archives stopped rotating and said nothing. Then his golden glow returned, brighter than before.
"Hmm. Recognition accepted. You are welcome, Captain."
Sirin opened one eye and gave him a faint smirk. "What a needy cube."
"Correction: I am a Divine Key that requires emotional maintenance," Void Archives corrected at once. "Please do not compare me with generic AIs."
That earned a hearty laugh from Sirin. Hearing her laugh like that made everyone feel that Sirin had truly returned to them.
Noah's expression softened even more. Hayate's shoulders finally relaxed, and Reinforce sniffled while rubbing her eyes.
"Waaah… she laughed. Sirin-chan laughed." March clasped both hands over her chest.
"Don't make it sound like some miracle," Sirin muttered, though there was no real bite in her voice.
Caelus leaned slightly toward Dan Heng and whispered, "It kind of is, right?"
Dan Heng gave him a look. "Do you value your survival?"
"I heard nothing. I saw nothing." Caelus immediately sat straight.
"I heard that." Sirin glared at him.
Caelus picked up his cup and drank as if coffee could protect him from Herrscher's judgment.
For that precious moment, the dining room was filled with peace.
—-------
Once everyone had settled down, Sirin slowly pulled back from Noah and Hayate's embrace. Noah's hand remained on her arm, reluctant to let go, but he forced himself to loosen his grip.
Hayate noticed the change in Sirin's expression first. The softness she had shown during their reunion slowly faded, replaced by the cold seriousness of a hunter who had finally found the trail of her prey.
"…Sii?" Noah's expression changed as well.
Sirin looked at him.
"I found him."
Every sound in the dining room stopped. The cups. The utensils. The small murmurs. All of it stopped to make way for Sirin's words.
Sirin straightened despite the fatigue still weighing on her body.
"I finally found Dormammu."
"…Are you sure?" Noah's eyes widened for only a moment before they narrowed.
Void Archives floated forward, his earlier sulking gone.
"Coordinates confirmed. Dimensional residue, pressure signature, and spatial distortion pattern all match Dormammu's known profile. There is no mistake."
Welt stood from his seat at once.
Dan Heng's eyes sharpened.
Himeko slowly placed her cup on the table.
"This information changes everything." Hayate let out a deep breath.
Reinforce nodded. "Because now, Dormammu's greatest advantage of hiding in an unknown location is gone."
"We can finally move offensively," Noah said. "Not just defend against the incoming attacks."
For the first time since the alert came, everyone could see light at the end of the dark tunnel. The endless hunt was no longer blind. Dormammu had been found. Now, they could finally fight back.
"I'll contact Chaldea and the alliance." Himeko stood from her seat.
"Void Archives, share the data with us. I'll prepare the analysis for Atlas and Chaldea's dimensional probe models," Welt said, looking at the Divine Key. "They will need it to monitor those sections."
"Done," Void Archives replied immediately after transferring the data.
Dan Heng straightened as he reviewed the data from his terminal. "I'll update the deployment routes and inform the teams to remain ready."
"Granny, Gramps," Noah called to his grandparents' alternates. "Sorry, but can I ask both of you to take Hayate's and my place on the teams being deployed outside the sanctuary?"
March looked like she wanted to argue, but when she saw Sirin's exhausted face, she stopped and gave a nod.
"…Okay."
Caelus took her hand and gave it a light squeeze. "Leave it to us."
"I'll inform Chrono-kun and Lindy-san as well," Hayate said. "TSAB support forces can use these coordinates and send some fireworks."
Reinforce wiped her eyes and lifted one hand. "I'll assist with the calculations."
"Alright." Noah nodded, then turned toward Sirin in his arms.
"You did well, Sii."
Sirin blushed and turned her face away with a small huff. "Of course I did."
Her reaction was so adorable that Noah could not help smiling at her.
"For now, rest. Sleep. Eat." His voice softened. "Because once you are ready, we will go and finish Dormammu once and for all."
Sirin looked at him, then at the others watching her with gratitude and support.
"…Okay."
With that, everyone began moving immediately, while Noah stayed behind to care for her. Messages were sent, reports were opened, and the dining room's mood changed from breakfast to command center in less than a minute.
The next phase of the coming battle had already begun.
—---------
In Uminari City, Mirror Dimension.
Silver and ruby-colored lights worked in tandem to seal yet another tear in the dimensional wall.
"Fuu… that's another one done." Noah Schweinorg let out a relieved sigh after seeing the tear close shut.
"Tear number 135 has been sealed. Thank you for your hard work, Master, Miss Alisa," Argent reported.
"As expected from my chosen master! She can work smoothly with the Young Master!" Ruby immediately boasted.
But Alisa was not happy with her praise at all.
"Yeah, right." Alisa gave her a cold, indifferent look. "Chosen Master, she says. More like a chosen romantic partner for Noah."
Ruby, Argent, and Noah all flinched at her tone.
"S-so-sorry, Alisa…" Noah apologized, his expression filled with guilt. "I never thought Grandfather had added a clause saying that anyone who became a Kaleidostick's master would become an eligible marriage candidate."
Alisa's expression immediately softened, and she waved her hand.
"It's not your fault, Noah. This is your grandfather's fault, along with Ruby, Argent, and the missing Sapphire, for hiding it from you and us."
Ruby fidgeted and looked guilty, while Argent displayed a guilty expression on his screen.
"Still… sorry about my family."
Alisa sighed, then held his hand, much to his surprise.
"A-A-Al-Ali-Alisa?!"
"N-no need to be that surprised!" Alisa gave him a light glare, but with her red cheeks, she did not look intimidating at all. "I-I can be sweet too, you know!"
Noah looked away and covered his face with his hand, but the way his ears turned completely red did not help him at all.
"My, how sweet. I feel like I might vomit sugar if this continues," Reines said from the side, her usual smile twitching.
"…How nice," Gray whispered.
Olga, on the other hand, had twitching brows. "You two, we are still in the middle of an operation here! Don't flirt!"
Trimmau, who had been observing from the side, blinked. "Observation: Mistress Reines, Miss Gray, and Miss Marie are showing signs of jealousy toward Miss Alisa for being able to make Young Master Noah blush."
"Trimmau!!!!" the three young ladies shouted.
"I knew there was a reason I always liked Trimmau!" Ruby crossed her wings and nodded.
"A Mystic Code can always appreciate a fellow Mystic Code with the same skill," Argent added.
"Hmph!" Alisa huffed, but she did not release Noah's hand.
"Ahahahaha…" Noah let out a wry laugh.
To make sense of the current situation, after Ruby and Argent's previous slip-up regarding Sapphire's master, the two Mystic Codes confessed everything.
According to Zelretch's instructions, whoever became the master of Ruby or Sapphire would automatically become a candidate to be the partner of his heir, Noah.
Meaning, they would eventually marry him and carry the Schweinorg name together into the next generation.
Since Ruby, Sapphire, and Argent were all made using Zelretch's greatest achievement, the Second True Magic, Kaleidoscope, passing that craft to the next generation was not only his obligation as a magus, but also his desire.
With Noah being his heir to his magic, wealth, power, and position, choosing a partner for him was something Zelretch considered very seriously. He would not accept just anyone as his only grandson's partner.
They needed the will, ability, and talent to share that burden with him.
So when the girls finally learned that side of the Kaleidostick contract, they looked at Ruby and Argent with stares that could pierce holes through them.
As a side note, when they asked Ruby and Argent whether Ruby and Sapphire's previous masters, Rin and Luvia, had also been considered potential marriage candidates for Noah, the answer was a bit brutal.
"Oh, them? Yes, they were once candidates, but they lost their qualifications when Sapphire and I terminated our contracts with them."
"With their volatile personalities, they proved they were not fit to become Master's wife or carry the Schweinorg name. Therefore, Ruby and Sapphire terminating their contracts with them was justified."
The moment the two said that in their usual, almost indifferent tone, the young girls and Noah fell completely silent.
Now back to the present.
Noah remembered the last reports they had received from Waver and Chaldea, then looked at Olga.
"By the way, Marie, any update from Waver-sensei? How is the defense deployment going?"
Olga immediately straightened herself and took out her Chaldea tablet.
"As per the current deployment strategy, our group is assigned to Uminari defense. We will also receive backup support from Lord Peverell's group."
"Oh, so the mysterious Lord has graciously lent us a hand?" Reines narrowed her eyes in thought. "I wonder what the newly risen lord decided to send us."
"Backup? Do you know them?" Alisa asked, not knowing much about magical world politics.
"Not everyone has an ulterior motive, Reines," Olga said.
"That's right, Miss Reines. Maybe this Lord Peverell is just a nice person," Gray agreed.
Reines' smile tightened as she gave the two naive girls a look.
"With the recent betrayal of our most trusted 'friends' and Lord Zelretch's background planning, I find that difficult to believe now."
That silenced both Olga and Gray.
"…Really sorry about this." Noah's shoulders dropped.
Alisa let out a sigh, already feeling sorry for Noah's troublesome family.
'Hmph! Then I'll just make this family set itself straight!… Wait, did I just think that?!'
Her cheeks reddened as she realized she had imagined fixing Noah's family as if she had already accepted her role as Noah's partner.
"S-so, any idea who our backups are?" Alisa repeated, trying her best to distract herself from imagining her married life with Noah.
"Oh, them. We don't have much information, but they are allies of Lord Peverell from beyond the stars," Olga answered, snapping out of her own thoughts.
"Beyond the stars? Are they aliens?" Alisa's eyes widened.
"Well, technically, they are. Even Lord Peverell was originally one. But the support team being sent to us was born from this world and simply joined the organization operating from the sea of stars," Olga added.
Somehow, that made Alisa blink and frown.
"…Why am I getting a strange deja vu here?"
'Why does this sound like Nanoha and the others?'
But before they could continue, both Argent and Ruby suddenly looked alarmed. They floated higher and stared into the distance.
"Argent?" Noah asked.
"Ruby?" Alisa frowned.
"Is something happening?"
Olga immediately checked her tablet and frowned. "Based on the data I'm receiving, there are no immediate tears around us."
"Are you sure?" Reines asked, unusually without teasing.
Olga nodded. "Yes. This tear should be the last one in our vicinity."
"…We are receiving an SOS signal from Sapphire-chan," Ruby said.
"Based on the signal she is sending… I believe her master is in danger," Argent added.
"What?!" Noah reacted immediately. "Where are they now?!"
The rest of the girls became alert as well.
"Surprisingly, they are not far from us," Ruby replied.
Argent displayed a map showing Sapphire and her master's location. "Based on the positioning tracker, they are in Mahora City, Tokyo."
"Tokyo?! How is that not far?!" Alisa, agent of common sense, complained. "That would take us at least an hour by car or train!"
"Huh? We can teleport there directly, though?" Ruby said casually.
Alisa's complaint died heroically.
"Yeah, of course… Magic. Hooray…"
"Alisa-san…" Gray gently patted her shoulder.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Noah said immediately. "Let's go now. If we delay, Sapphire and her master will be in danger!"
"Roger. Preparing emergency teleportation to Sapphire's marked location," Argent replied quickly.
"That's right!" Ruby cheered. "Let's all go and finally meet Sapphire-chan's master, since the Young Master clearly cannot wait any longer to meet her!"
"Ruby!!!!"
Noah, Alisa, Olga, Reines, and Gray all shouted at her.
In a flash of silver kaleidoscopic light, the tiny group teleported away.
—----
'Just how did this happen?' Suzuka Tsukimura thought as she collapsed onto the ground, completely exhausted.
She could not stand.
She could not even raise her arms.
At that moment, she was completely drained.
"Suzuka-sama! Please hold on for a few more seconds! I have already called the Young Master and my sister for help!" Sapphire shouted as she weakly deployed a barrier to protect Suzuka from the Quantum Shadow's attack.
'Right… Sapphire and I detected a tear opening in this city and decided to check it out, but we were overwhelmed instead.'
"Suzuka-sama! Please stay with me! Help is coming!"
Suzuka forced her eyes open. Her fingers trembled against the ground, but no matter how much she tried, her body refused to move.
A few meters ahead of her, the Quantum Shadow stepped closer. Sapphire's barrier shook as its lance-like limbs struck it. A thin crack spread across the blue shield.
"Sapphire…" Suzuka whispered.
"Please do not speak, Suzuka-sama. Preserve your strength."
"But you're…"
"I am still operational."
Another attack landed, and the barrier cracked again.
Sapphire's voice remained even, but Suzuka could hear the faint strain beneath her elegance.
The Quantum Shadow raised its arm again, and Sapphire moved in front of Suzuka, her gem glowing weakly.
"Emergency barrier reinforcement. Output limit exceeded."
"Sapphire, no…"
"Contract priority: protect Master."
Blue light spread in front of them, thinner than before but still beautiful.
A fragile wall of sapphire moonlight stood between Suzuka and the monster.
The attack landed.
The barrier finally shattered.
Sapphire was thrown back, her small body spinning through the air before dropping beside Suzuka.
"Sapphire!"
"I… apologize, Suzuka-sama," Sapphire said, her voice weak. "I could not properly protect you."
Suzuka reached for her, but her hand barely moved even as the Quantum Shadow stepped closer and closer. Her breath hitched as she thought of her friends. Alisa, Nanoha, Fate, Hayate, and, strangely, the boy she had bumped into that morning.
The strange boy named Noah.
'Is this really… where it ends?'
But before the attack could reach her, a familiar warmth wrapped around her waist.
"Argent Bind."
Silver threads shot forward and wrapped around the Quantum Shadow, locking its limbs in place before it could fall.
Hearing that familiar voice, Suzuka quickly opened her eyes and saw the same boy she had bumped into that morning.
"…It's… you?" Suzuka weakly murmured.
"Hey there, little moon." Noah smiled slightly at her. "I would love to say it's nice to see you again, but I really wish it wasn't while I'm rescuing you from becoming red paste on the ground."
"Whaa…"
But the next voice she heard made her eyes widen even more.
"Magical Splash Flare!!!!"
A bright red-pink light swallowed the entire area, erasing the Quantum Shadow that Noah had stopped in place.
When Suzuka turned to see who had unleashed such an attack, she let out a surprise gasp. Standing there was a familiar person, her dear friend wearing a frilly magical girl costume similar to hers, except with brighter colors and a much flashier design.
"Alisa-chan…?"
Alisa, who heard Suzuka call her name, moved her eyes away from the crater she had made and glared at her friend.
"Suzuka-chan… you have a lot of explaining to do."
But before anyone could say anything else, a bright and elderly voice chimed in between them.
"Hohohoho, the young lady is right."
When they turned, they saw an old man hunched over, with long, almost impossible eyebrows.
"Everyone has a lot of explaining to do."
====== Chapter 218 END ======