Side Story.
What usually comes to mind when you hear those words?
For many writers, it's a familiar maneuver.
A deliberate slowdown when a narrative needs depth instead of speed.
It appears when the main story is too busy sprinting forward to stop and breathe, while the world behind it keeps demanding attention from every angle. A necessary chaos... that label isn't far off.
As for readers, reactions tend to split.
Some go, "Nice, lore snack."
Others mutter, "Why are we not saving the world right now?"
And then there's the classic, "Shit. This again? When are they going to fight/fuck?!"
"Hmm?" (Cera)
When done badly, it feels like filler. Dead air. Pages that exist only because they're allowed to. When done right, it's like patties eaten at 3 a.m. It sounds wrong. Like, who wants a patty at three in the morning?
Yet somehow, someone does.
And when the main story finally returns, something has shifted.
The readers know more.
The characters know more.
Even if nothing physically changed, the emotional context did. Old scenes suddenly hurt more. Future choices feel heavier, like they're dragging invisible weight behind them.
Side stories do be rude like that.
"Hmm?" (Cera)
Right. A short recap of what's happened so far in this side story.
"Hmmmmm?" (Cera)
Due to reasons best described as convenient, all three main characters somehow ended up in this unknown land.
There's Cera, the overly catchy and small mother. Sakura Zeimachi, the deadbeat father by both reputation and effort. And Hylia, the youngest child, a blossomed flower who happens to love chocolate ice cream a little too much.
These three are the ones dragged into this side story, while Yjor, the eldest, was left behind to keep an eye on the Void. Someone had to stay responsible. It clearly wasn't going to be the parents.
"Hm? Huh? Somehow… I don't hate that summary~" (Cera)
After meeting a girl named Mumei, they continued exploring this strange place, step by step, curiosity first, common sense somewhere far behind. Just what fate awaited them in this land brimming with countless mysteries...
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This world, or more precisely, this planet, was once one of the many variants of Earth.
In stories where planets and galaxies can be created with ease, the blue world humanity calls home has been rewritten endlessly, split into more versions than anyone can reasonably keep track of.
An Earth of superheroes.
An Earth of jujutsu sorcerers.
An Earth where fantasy never stayed fictional.
An Earth where dinosaurs still roam.
There's even an Earth where Hololive exists.
And, somehow, one where it never did.
However, there was something that set this Earth apart from its countless other variants.
This world, this planet, was a convergence point. A place where elements and concepts drawn from many different sources were forced to coexist.
Such worlds were rare, but not impossible.
It wasn't carefully designed. It felt more like a mess that built up over time, packed with all sorts of things—some fine, some toxic—thrown together without much thought. That much, at least, already explained from Mumei's story.
Inconvenient as they were, such worlds served a purpose.
Because when things went wrong elsewhere, this was the kind of world that absorbed the fallout. Not like a septic tank, built to contain "shit" no one else wished to deal with. But more like a container, in the crudest sense of the word.
"I knew this is that kind of place, isn't it? You sense any of your kindling?" (Zeimachi)
"Yeah... slightly. But this one isn't mine. Probably from someone else." (Cera)
Perched on his back, the young woman swung her legs idly.
"Instead of worrying about that, why don't we go over to Mumei? Or maybe it'd be better to just call her here. It's not every day you run into someone from Hololive, right? Even if this version's only based on their lore." (Cera)
"Easy for you to say while being carried." (Zeimachi)
"Okay then," Cera said cheerfully. "I'll call her~"
For beings accustomed to the processes of Rebirth, Creation, and Command, delving into the origins of a world was nothing unusual. It's a routine, one they had performed countless times before.
That was why they could quickly piece together who Nanashi Mumei really was, and even imagine the futures that might follow, shaped by long experience and countless meetings and goodbyes.
Mumei herself, however, only understood half of what her world truly was.
"It's probably okay." 「Nanashi Mumei」
Fluttering, flittering, a paper bag bearing a simple emoji face hovered nearby.
The so-called Friend followed her closely, drifting through the air with an almost mindless loyalty. Alongside the Guardian of Civilization, this unassuming scrap of paper served as her constant companion.
"They don't seem to carry any dark factors either." 「Nanashi Mumei」
Fluttering, flittering.
The paper bag bobbed in the air, as if quietly agreeing with her judgment.
After brushing the sand from her clothes, Mumei and her paper bag friend continued following the trio as they moved forward. In any case, lingering under the desert sun was the last thing she wanted.
The heat was oppressive, and the dry air clawed at her throat with every breath.
At the very least, they soon came upon an area scattered with ruins. It wasn't much, but there were fragments of stone that could be leaned against, patches of shadow that offered some relief.
That is a relief for everyone, except for the one being carried.
Though she had yet to find anything resembling an oasis, Mumei felt that this was enough for now. She had a place to stop, a temporary base of sorts, and the trio themselves, who for reasons felt oddly like a family on a casual holiday on this barren land.
At least, that was how it seemed to her.
"Mumei-chaan~ Hurry over here~" Cera called out. "It's hot over there~"
"Stop moving. Hold the parasol steady!" (Zeimachi)
Getting closer and closer, Mumei wiped a bit of sweat from her brow.
"Are you… not feeling hot, Zeimachi?" 「Nanashi Mumei」
"I'm fine," he replied flatly. "Just a little troubled by my back, thanks to this passenger."
The passenger immediately started protesting at being called a burden.
"Please don't get offended, but aren't you supposed to have higher durability as a Guardian? What would people think if their Guardian started sweating after a short walk like this?" (Zeimachi)
"Yeah…" Mumei said softly. "If only it were that easy."
As she gazed across the desert, Mumei shielded her eyes against the blowing sand. Fragments of the Guardian's past surfaced, memories of civilizations she had seen rise, flourish, and collapse.
The faces, they're returning to her mind again.
When she lowered her arm again, she noticed the two of them watching her, their gazes carrying a faint but unmistakable empathy. It was the same look she had seen countless times before, reflected on the faces of those who looked upon her.
"Rough days, eh?" (Zeimachi)
"Maybe? For some reason," Mumei said quietly, "my body doesn't feel the same as usual."
"Is that a weakness of the Guardian of Civilization I'm sensing, hmm~?" Zeimachi mused.
"Zei, your creepy side is starting to take over. I'm sorry for this creep." (Cera)
"W-Well... not that it troubled me..." 「Nanashi Mumei」
As a creature given form through their existence, Mumei often carried complicated feelings toward the concept of civilization, which she had watched rise and fall countless times over.
They were capable of building civilizations advanced enough to reach the stars, yet unable to solve the cries of starving children. They could create laws and courts meant to judge countless races, yet still failed to deliver justice to everyone.
They possessed many beautiful things, yet they also harbored a darkness just as profound.
Remembering the look in their eyes earlier, the Guardian found herself thinking.
Were they the same?
Could they be capable of good, and yet become deadly by their own hands?
'These three… are they like that too?Which side of humanity are they facing?'「Nanashi Mumei」
If that proved to be true, then at the very least…
"Then again…" Mumei said hesitantly. "You all seemed to accept my explanation far too easily. Are you perhaps not ordinary humans? Ah… was that question offensive? I don't really take sides with any particular race."
"Hwah?! Did you hear that, Zei?! She actually thought I was human! As expected of me!" (Cera)
"Do you have to scream right next to my ears? Get off already. And stop hogging my head," Zeimachi sighed. "Don't mind her. She's definitely not human. Unlike me and Hylia. Ah, Hylia!"
The man shouts at the crouching little girl with various hair color.
He added sharply, "Don't just touch whatever you find buried in the sand!"
Unfortunately, the little girl was already digging, shaping something with quiet focus.
"That girl really took after me." (Zeimachi)
"Oh really? I think the way she dismissed you is more like me~" (Cera)
"No worries. I'll take a look." 「Nanashi Mumei」
A soft thank you followed from behind her.
Leaving the shade those two provided, Mumei walked on, her floating paper-bag friend drifting beside her, its face warped into a melting emoticon. It really was hot, even for paper.
Still, there was a gentle warmth there, enough to keep her heart feeling light and comfortable.
Up ahead, they spotted Hylia with her hands buried deep in the sand.
"Hmm hmm, hmm~? What's wrong, Mumu?" (Hylia)
"…Mumu? Ah, yeah, that's me. So, yeah... hey little Lia. What'cha doing? If you keep playing with sand that hot, you'll end up burning your hands. If you want to build something of sand, wanna try on a beach instead?" 「Nanashi Mumei」
"No? Could it be you think I'm trying to build a sandcastle or something?" Hylia giggled.
"Oh? Then what are..." 「Nanashi Mumei」
As she unearthed it, Hylia revealed a metallic object clutched in her hand. After a few shakes and puffs of dust, it took on a familiar shape. At least… according to the girl's own conclusion.
"A medal… for a giant? You know about this, Mumu?" (Hylia)
"Let's see what this is. Hmm… it looks like a belt, the kind used by wrestlers. It's sort of a replacement for a medal, used by Wrestlers who got a Champion's title. Yeah, as far as I know." 「Nanashi Mumei」
"Ahh! Champion! Zei is one too, you know!" the girl said excitedly. "But… it's waaay too big, even for a belt. Oh, wait! I think there's more. You can have this belt, Mumu! I don't really want to be a champion."
"O-Okay?" Mumei replied, clearly unsure how she had just inherited a wrestling title.
Hylia plunged her hand back into the sand at her feet.
After a bit of digging, she pulled out several stranger metal objects. One was a warped chunk of metal, its original shape hard to identify. The other looked like fragments of a weapon, broken but unmistakably artificial.
She then set the objects down and blew the stray sand off them, making them glint more clearly.
"Hmm! That's better. Not sure about this one… but this—shield?" (Hylia)
It was then Mumei also chimed in beside her.
"More like a shoulder guard. Wait—gimme that busted piece from earlier? Thanks." 「Nanashi Mumei」
She took the shattered fragment, rotated it a couple times, then slotted it against another part. "See? Now it's basically an arm guard. But this whole thing looks like a total relic. Nobody's using gear like this in actual combat anymore."
Hylia blinked. "No one guards their arms anymore? What if they hurt their elbow?"
"Ahaha, it's not like that. It's just… craftsmanship and tech have moved on so much that stuff like this is basically art now. Antique, y'know? Like those fancy display pieces rich people put on shelves." 「Nanashi Mumei」
The girl tilted her head confusedly.
Then, Mumei traced lazy patterns in the sand with her finger.
"You know about lasers, spaceships, plasma shields, all that jazz?" 「Nanashi Mumei」
"I do! I do!" Hylia nodded so hard she almost bonked her own knees.
"Exactly. Those are the things people actually keep under their bed. But hey, if a laser ever glitches and aims for your elbow, maybe this'll save your... uhh, cheek one last time. Retro style." 「Nanashi Mumei」
Wearing and clasping the arm guard, Mumei waits for Hylia reaction.
"But… do they use Zei's essence every time they make stuff like this?" (Hylia)
Mumei blinked. "His essence?"
Still clutching the metal, Mumei turned to her paper-bag friend
"What... essence are you talking?" 「Nanashi Mumei」
"This mark… and this familiar feeling. It can't be wrong—it's from Zei. Hmm… let's go ask him. It'll be faster that way. Don't worry, even if he gets a little mad, Zei's not a bad guy. He's just trash… like me." (Hylia)
Mumei stared for a second, processing. "…Yes?"
Hylia shrugged. "Even I don't really understand how Zei thinks. That's why better ask him directly!"
Just like that, she sprang to her feet and started moving toward the ruins where those two resided.
The Guardian of Civilization was having a hard time keeping up with whatever rabbit hole this conversation had just dove into, but she shrugged and trotted after Hylia anyway, the arm guard still dangling from her hand like forgotten luggage.
Even walking right next to her though, Mumei couldn't shake the weird feeling bubbling up after Hylia's last comment. What kind of kid picks up self-deprecating humor like that at her age? Calling herself trash so casually?
She was starting to get a little worried about this tiny family unit.
"Aren't you the reason we're even stuck in this dump?!" Zeimachi threw his arms wide, kicking up a mini sandstorm. "Why should I care what happens to you, huh?! Get down here and get sand in your shoes just like me! Oh—Hylia. What's wrong, kid?"
"And aren't you the one who shoved that ice cream in my mouth until I couldn't even talk?! That's why you couldn't hear me, genius! You even dragged Lia into this whole mess! Don't worry, Lia—hold on a sec, I got this." (Cera)
Just what's happened after she left?
Mumei's earlier unease cranked up a notch.
The way they were going at each other—this was straight-up classic family-level mess.
The kind Mumei had watched play out across centuries in a thousand different flavors: loud, petty, tangled-up in old grudges, and somehow still glued together by sheer stubbornness.
She knew that fights like this were pretty much unavoidable in any family.
Still, she couldn't help wondering what had caused them to suddenly clash like this, especially when they had seemed perfectly fine just moments ago. But at the same time, whatever the reason is, this kind of argument wasn't something you put on display for just anyone to see.
Especially not in front of a kid.
She glanced sideways at Hylia, who was just… standing there, big bright eyes locked on the chaos like it was the most fascinating thing she'd ever seen. No flinching. No tears. Just pure, unblinking curiosity.
The kid looked way too comfortable with this kind of view.
Even though she'd only known the kid for like, one and half a day tops, Mumei had crossed paths with (and walked away from) enough broken families to spot the pattern from a mile off: when the adults scream like this, the kid either shuts down… or gets way too good at pretending it's normal.
And Hylia was smiling. A little too easily.
Mumei's feathers twitched. Not the good kind of twitch.
The Guardian thought that this little girl was about to get sad at watching her "Parents" arguing, however, that was so untrue. Because instead of being gloomy, she was smiling like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Eheh, it's gonna take a while," Hylia said with a little shrug
Mumei blinked slowly, the arm guard suddenly feeling heavier in her grip.
'Ahhh. So it's that kind of thing. 「Nanashi Mumei」
Okay, yeah. This little crew was officially on her "keep an eye on" list.
'I really didn't expect to handle family issues right after waking up.' 「Nanashi Mumei」
Not because they're doomed or anything—but because happy-go-lucky kids who smile through family fireworks usually have a story behind it. And Mumei? She'd heard enough stories to know most of them weren't the feel-good kind.
"Hah?! Spout every little nonsense you've got, but you really think you can lie to my face?! You weren't even saying anything useful—just yanking my shirt like a toddler! And don't you dare drag Hylia into this mess when you're the one who let her waltz right into it!" (Zeimachi)
"No, Zei, it's YOU!" (Cera)
"Say what?! Clearly it's YOU!" (Zeimachi)
The argument kept cranking hotter by the second.
Mumei, stuck listening to the whole thing, felt her stomach twist tighter.
She'd seen enough history to know how fast "heated words" could flip into something uglier—shoves, swings, the kind of stupid that leaves bruises. And yeah, her experience screamed that this was exactly the trajectory.
Kids weren't supposed to watch that kind of thing unfold.
They need to be stopped. But the problem is, the kid in question, Hylia was still standing there, smiling wide and letting out these little giggles every time one of them landed a particularly dramatic line.
Like it was the best show on the planet.
What the actual hell was up with this tiny family?!
Where was that dependable man? Where's that comforting woman?
Mumei cleared her throat, shifting the arm guard to her other hand like it was suddenly too heavy.
"Ah… umm… excuse me, Hylia?" 「Nanashi Mumei」
Fluttering, flittering… even her little floating paper bag buddy was doing that same distressed wiggle beside her—tiny crinkles of worry practically radiating off the thing.
Peace seemed like the only sane option here, so Mumei crouched a bit, aiming to de-escalate the whole dune-side circus by calming Hylia down first. Get the kid settled, then maybe nudge the yelling adults toward not turning this into a sand-throwing brawl.
But nope. This little girl just beamed that same bright, unbreakable smile, reached out, and—pat pat pat—gave the floating paper bag a gentle little head-pat like it was the world's tiniest, most anxious fairy.
The bag froze mid-flutter for a second, then gave this soft, surprised rustle.
Almost like it was blushing through the paper.
Mumei blinked. Twice. "Uh… okay, that's… what? You didn't act like this yesterday?"
She stared at her own floating companion getting full fairy-princess treatment from a kid who seemed completely bulletproof to family drama. The arm guard in her hand felt like the least confusing thing in her life right now.
Hylia kept giggling, not even bothering to glance back at Zei and Cera's ongoing scream-fest.
"Don't worry, Mumu," she said, giving the bag one last gentle pat before grinning on Mumei. "Since Yjor isn't here, this is actually way too calm. Ah… I think they're about to wrap it up soon. Come on, let's go ask them about this metal! Relax, I can handle them if it gets rough!"
Mumei's eye twitched. "That… doesn't sound like a good solution at all."
"Why not? They listen way better when I win~" (Hylia)
The Guardian pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a long, suffering sigh.
"Am I overthinking this?" 「Nanashi Mumei」
"Hey, Zei, there is—" Hylia started, turning toward the still-yelling duo.
But then, she stopped.
Something shifted in the air. An odd, unfamiliar presence prickled at the edges of her senses. In an instant, her focus shifted to the woman being carried piggyback, the seriousness in her gaze appearing out of nowhere.
"Cera, there is contact." (Hylia)
At that exact moment, their argument cut out, like someone slammed the mute button.
They fell silent in perfect sync, eyes locking straight onto Mumei—the Guardian of Civilization, standing there with a relic in one hand and a very confused expression on her face.
"W-What's wrong? You two just… went dead silent out of nowhere…" 「Nanashi Mumei」
The woman with parasol crossed her arms, a slow, smug little smile creeping up. "As planned."
"O-Oi the parasol! Sigh, you don't have to tell me," Zeimachi muttered, dusting sand off his hands like he'd just wrapped a perfect scene. "I'm really not into the shouting marshal role… ugh, my throat's sore now."
"Uhmm… I don't know what just happened, but since you guys aren't fighting anymore… it's all good? Phew." She rubbed the back of her neck, glancing between. "And… sorry for butting in, but you really shouldn't fight in front of kids, y'know? Lot of them grow up to be villains later on."
Hylia's eyes went comically wide, her little mouth forming a perfect 'O'. "I… will become a villain?"
"That's not what I meant! Not you! Just… in general! But hey, thankfully you two stopped yelling. So… mission accomplished? But... uhh, why'd you stop arguing so suddenly? And why… are you guys looking at me... like... that?" 「Nanashi Mumei」
She instinctively shifted, trying to angle her body so Hylia shielded a bit of her front.
The Guardian of Civilization was starting to feel seriously off—like the air itself had teeth.
"Mumei-chan." (Cera)
"Nanashi-san." (Zeimachi)
"Umm, yes," Mumei answered, her voice cracking just a fraction.
"Ready?" (Cera & Zeimachi)
That's when several other weird things started happening all at once.
For no apparent reason, the blazing desert suddenly felt colder.
The light that touched skin seemed swallowed by shadow, devoured before it could warm or burn. A sharp, unmistakable darkness rolled through the air, turning the dry furnace heat into something crisp and almost wintry.
"Like what I've told you before, I'll found it out." (Zeimachi)
"And leave me to make you light." (Cera)
The sun was still up there, glaring down like nothing had changed… but it didn't shine.
Even the hot wind flipped for once, have become cool and sharp, carrying a chill that made Mumei's feathers ruffle involuntarily. Goosebumps prickled across her arms as she also noticed the following scent.
Faint at first, almost buried under the sand and salt.
Metallic. Rotting petals. Something old, final, and very patient.
"Scent of... sand's people?" 「Nanashi Mumei」
Then without warning, the ground erupted in a chain of explosions. Sand shooting straight up in angry fountains, pelting everyone with burning-hot grit that stung like tiny fire ants.
The footing turned treacherous. What was solid a second ago, it flowed downward like liquid, draining fast into gaping sinkholes that opened up like pores across the desert floor.
The nearby ruins groaned and trembled. Ancient pillars swayed, then started sinking—slow at first, then faster—pulled under. One cracked clean in half with a loud snap before it got dragged under completely.
"Ohh? That's from Dune, right?" (Cera)
"I dunno much, I didn't watch it pass the first movie." (Zeimachi)
At first Mumei thought it was another energy fluctuation under this barren land.
She'd seen that kind of thing before: buried power clashing with itself, spitting out pressure in violent bursts. Normal-ish, for a place soaked in old many old history.
But then she saw it.
Far across the shifting dunes, something massive breached the surface.
Not a sinkhole. Neither a pillar.
A silhouette—long, segmented, impossibly tall even from this distance.
Rows of jagged teeth caught the dimmed light like broken glass, glinting dry yet hungry. The thing coiled under the sand, then rose again in a slow, deliberate arc that made the whole horizon feel wrong.
"Sandworm… it's so huge…" Hylia breathed.
"Local deity, Shai-Hulud? Why the hell are they here… no, wait—there's one still alive?! Last one was... supposed to be slayed by the Hero of United Kingdom, wasn't... it? Or is this a different one?Or did the hero just do a half-assed job?!" 「Nanashi Mumei」
"Whew, that's one long ass lore dump." (Zeimachi)
"It's true though?!" 「Nanashi Mumei」
"Nonono, Mumei-chan~" Cera cut in cheerfully. "You shouldn't throw out all the details at once. Be mysterious. Explain it slowly, piece by piece. Start with stuff like what they eat, how long they are… you know. Meaningless information first."
"IT'S ABOUT TO EAT US!" 「Nanashi Mumei」
Hylia tilted her head, still staring at the rising silhouette. "They're… coming here?"
"They? Plural?!" Mumei's voice cracked on the last word.
The ground answered for her.
Farther out, sand exploded upward again in a fresh geyser, spraying grit like confetti.
A second shadow breached the surface, long and segmented, teeth flashing in the dimmed light. Then—a third stirring the sand, circling slow and deliberate, like sharks scenting blood in the water.
The paper bag let out a tiny, pathetic whimper-crinkle, fluttering to Mumei like it wanted a hug.
This place… it was basically a giant graveyard for every kind of energy anyone ever wanted gone.
At least that was the easiest explanation the Guardian of Civilization—could spit out. Discarded power, war runoff, leftover battle junk—all dumped here over centuries, piled up under the sand until the ground itself became one big, sleeping landfill of bad history.
But that wasn't the full picture.
Beneath the energy waste and the rusted-out war scraps, other things had been buried too. Not just "stuff." Actual "Things." The kind that got put to sleep on purpose, wrapped in silence and forgotten so hard the desert swallowed them whole.
Things that didn't rot—they waited.
Only the "Time" could really untangle the knot of confusion twisting in her gut right now.
"Hey, now that's a spoiler, you know." (Cera)
"I didn't say anything?" (Zeimachi)
Too bad the Keeper still hadn't bothered to show up.
"We need to run, hurry!" Mumei shouted, voice cracking as she thrust her hand out toward them.
No one took it.
Instead, they all tilted their heads—eyes fixed on the spot where the sun should've been, where the light was fading like someone slowly turning down a dimmer switch.
Mumei followed their gaze, and the second her eyes locked on that wrong, swallowing darkness overhead, the ancient arm guard slipped right out of her fingers. Clattered uselessly into the sand like it has done protecting anything.
She needed way more than some old metal right now.
Something to shield her mind from whatever the hell was staring back.
"…What is that… darkness up there… n-no way!" 「Nanashi Mumei」
"Don't look at it too long. Even if it's not the real one… it's still them." (Cera)
"You know about it?!" 「Nanashi Mumei」
The ground rumbled again—deeper, hungrier—like the worms below were answering the shadow's call. Above, the curtain of darkness kept spreading, slow and deliberate, blotting out more of the sky with every passing second.
Her paper bag friend suddenly darted inside her cloak, crinkling frantically as it burrowed against her chest. The little thing was scared. Hiding like a human child would. And that realization hit Mumei harder than the rumble.
'My body… it's shaking. Just like that time.'「Nanashi Mumei」
The Guardian of Civilization—watcher of cities, keeper of history—had seen so many destroyers come and go. Local deities like those dune sandworms were just one among many: massive, village-crushing beasts that roared through the sand like living earthquakes.
Sure, they were worshipped as gods, capable of wiping out towns in a single thrash.
But in the end? Mumei didn't fear them.
Because civilizations always bounced back. They rebuilt. They adapted. They kept crawling forward as time marched on, stubborn as weeds in cracked stone. This, though… this was the first time she felt true fear.
The kind that whispered: 'There might not be anything left to rebuild after this.'
That thing above wasn't a storm, a beast, or some madman's weapon.
It was the bane of her concept. The destroyer of Civilization.
Mumei's knees finally buckled—just a fraction—before she got caught.
"Lia, stay with her," Cera said, voice sharp but steady, eyes still fixed on the spreading darkness.
The girl's small hand immediately tightened on Mumei's cloak. "Stay close to me," she whispered, like she was the one doing the protecting. "Don't worry, it'll be fine and it'll be alright."
Mumei blinked down at the kid, voice barely holding together. "Hylia? It's that thing! The one who annihilate everything! Even when every people from this planet fight it! ...It's still..."
Cera get down from Zeimachi's back—slowly, gracefully.
"Mumei-chan, you're the Guardian of Civilization. One of the concepts created by social creatures, races, or whatever else exists in this world who grouped and thrive. And the one feeling that always clings to those sentient beings is… fear." (Cera)
"Yeah, so calm down." (Zeimachi)
The words landed like stones in still water. Mumei felt them ripple through her
"That thing up there has already targeted you. You're the last barrier keeping it from getting its hands on this world. It's already defeated and controlled the other concepts… but you—you're the only one still free from its grip." (Cera)
Instantly, the sand under their feet shifted, then glowed.
A deep, pulsing red aura rolled out from Cera like spilled blood, spreading fast across the dunes. It wasn't hot. It wasn't burning. It was… protective. Like a thin, fragile membrane trying to hold back the dark that was pressing down from above.
Mumei stared at the red glow creeping toward her boots like spilled wine on carpet, then flicked her eyes back up at Cera, feathers still half-ruffled.
"So… I'm the last loose thread. The one thing keeping this thing from erasing everything." Mumei paused, voice low. "How… why? Why do you know about this stuff? Do you know what that thing above actually is? Since when?"
Cera tilted her head, almost amused. "Like how you treat those sandworms, maybe? Just another local problem… until it isn't. It's also a problem since I can't just bash it away without a good reason, hmm..."
Meanwhile, the man cracked his back with a loud pop, rolling his shoulders.
"Perhaps that thing has been targeting this world from the start?" (Zeimachi)
"Looking at how it engulfing the other concepts, why'd it takes you so long to figure that out? Much like what Mumei-chan explained... after the people of this land cross their line for so many times and still make it, they finally crossed a wrong line." (Cera)
"Which lead them to getting "THAT's" attention." (Zeimachi)
Mumei blinked between them, the red aura still pulsing faintly under her feet like a dying heartbeat.
"You two… knew?" Mumei asked, voice cracking a little. "About the thing above? About… the other concepts? But... I thought you were just explaining a bit of this land's history. However if you know something about the other concepts, then!"
The Guardian of Civilization about to ask about her counterparts.
After all, they were meant to be the same kind of being as her—manifestations born from the very Concepts that shaped this world, living within it rather than above it.
The Five Concepts.
The Five Council's member.
That was what they had once been.
Her voice came out quieter than she intended.
"Didn't I already say that? Don't worry. We'll get them back." (Zeimachi)
"…Are they still there?" 「Nanashi Mumei」
"They're still around," Cera said. "Just… not like you."
"But they're safe?" Mumei pressed.
Zeimachi didn't sugarcoat it. "They're alive. But don't add expectations beyond that."
Meanwhile, Hylia was still clinging tightly to Mumei's cloak. She looked up at her with those big, bright eyes. "So… we fight it? Like always? It'd be bad to just leave Mumu's friends suffering, right?"
Mumei let out a shaky breath that almost sounded like a laugh. "Kid… thanks. But I think 'fight' might be a little optimistic. How the hell are we supposed to fight something like… that? Even if the whole Council worked together…"
But the moment she looked at the two of them—Cera and Zeimachi—this time they weren't joking. No teasing smiles, no sarcastic quips. Just calm yet serious faces, staring back at her.
"We didn't know everything from the start," he said quietly. "But we knew enough to know you were the target as we keep moving on this desert. And I knew enough we weren't gonna stand by and watch it happen."
Cera nudged him, then added with a faint smile, "Sorry if this make you super confused. But since Zei already know what the problem is, he just wanted to help you as fast as he can. Make sure to ask him about it later!"
The darkness above rippled again—slow, almost mocking.
"Heh, you'll shit yourself if you know who this is standing beside me." (Zeimachi)
"Isn't it the same for you? That thing will definitely screamed loud." (Cera)
Then, just as it began to encroach, four vermillion lights flickered into existence around Zeimachi. Four feathers tore free, snapping into formation like cards thrown from a Duel master's hand.
They hovered for a heartbeat—glowing brighter—then snapped together in mid-air, morphing and expanding into four massive, shimmering platforms. Each one big enough for one of them to stand on, soft-edged like a carpet woven from silk and feathers.
"Huh, Feathers... unlike mine they seem more shiny." 「Nanashi Mumei」
"It's Zei's Feather after all." (Hylia)
Hylia hopped right onto it, tugging Mumei's cloak and slightly nudged her to get on her Feather. Zeimachi followed on his, completely at ease, arms crossed and looking only mildly interested.
Cera lingered a moment longer, then flashed that mischievous little smile of hers.
"Ohho, to think you would serve a seat for me~ You really are soft to women, aren't you?" (Cera)
Without a word, Zeimachi flicked his wrist.
The vermillion platform right in front of Cera simply vanished—poof—like it had never existed.
"Heeey! Geez! You're really not taking me along like that?!" She rolled her eyes dramatically, then turned to Hylia with a grin. "Lia, you don't have to worry about Mumei anymore. Let me and Zei handle this. Go have fun, but don't go too far, okay?"
Hylia blinked, surprised for half a second.
Then her face lit up like she'd just been given permission to raid the candy jar. She leaped off her own feather, bounced once on Zeimachi's platform (making him grunt in annoyance), and landed right next to Mumei.
Before the guardian could even process what was happening, Hylia threw her tiny arms around Mumei's waist in a quick, fierce hug. "Don't worry! Be happy! Yaay!"
Mumei froze. Full system error. Wings locked, feathers puffed, brain.exe has stopped responding. Affection? From the colorful little gremlin who treats cosmic voids like mild rain? What?
But before she could even stammer out a "Kid, what—?" Hylia was already gone—hopping back onto her feather platform with a happy squeak. It then lifted off smoothly, carrying her higher, spinning in lazy loops, circling the group like a happy satellite.
"Be careful, Cera! And don't tease Zei too much!" (Hylia)
As for Mumei… she couldn't quite comprehend what the hell was going on here.
"What… what is going on? Are we really going to fight that?" she muttered, mostly to herself.
She tried to step fully onto her feather platform.
One foot on, the other hovering awkwardly.
But about her balance? Not great.
She was actually getting annoyed. The Guardian of Civilization—watcher of empires—was about to fall off a magic feather because her sense of equilibrium decided today was a good day to take a vacation.
Zeimachi watched her struggle for a second, then tilted his head.
"Well, maybe just grab on me. It'll be easier. I'll also talk some stuff." (Zeimachi)
Mumei's head shifted towards him.
Reflexively, Mumei took a step back. Her hand darted to her side, fingers closing around the hilt of her dagger, drawing it halfway free before her mind finally caught up.
She was angry. Frustrated. Genuinely irritated that Zeimachi seemed capable of doing whatever he pleased. Even defeating threats from this world itself just before tomorrow. She knew this is wrong but, she just can't help it.
With an embarrassed huff, she slid the dagger back into its sheath.
Heat crept up her cheeks beneath her feathers.
"What's wrong?" (Zeimachi)
"Zei… you're scaring her, don't forget you almost stripped her naked," Cera said, glancing sideways toward the distant sandworms churning the dunes like impatient sharks. "Hmh, looks like they found something under there. You two should hurry up."
"Sorry. I think I'm just jealous in your capability." 「Nanashi Mumei」
"Where's your emphatic man? Tone your oblivious mode down, big guy." (Cera)
Without another word, he just grabbed Mumei's straight onto his feather platform.
"Whau?! Where are you grabbing!?" 「Nanashi Mumei」
Although, he gripped her arm, due to her imbalance it shifted to her waist instead.
"You go take care of what under the sand. I'll talk with the one above." (Zeimachi)
"Are you sure? We literally just got here and you're already rushing to end it?" (Cera)
"I don't want unpaid overtime! Morever, that way we could meet more Hololive member right?" (Zeimachi)
They soared high in seconds, wind whipping past them. Cera stayed below for a moment, waving lazily while Mumei squeaked again as the feather platform suddenly lurched upward.
"Even though we're just in the second chapter..." (Cera)
Once they were airborne, Mumei finally managed to stand properly on Zeimachi's feather—though she had to cling to the guy she'd literally met for the first time today. Hugging him for dear life while trying to keep her dignity intact.
She kept trying to ask him for any kind of explanation—words tumbling out in a frantic mess.
There was a strong urge to shove him off so she could actually hear the answers properly, but she couldn't risk it. One push and she'd be free-falling instead of flying. Besides, he was way stronger than she'd thought.
Like, annoyingly solid.
"Can you tell me what is going on?!" Mumei half-shouted over the wind, voice cracking between frustration and pure bewilderment. "What's wrong with everything happening here?! What's the plan?!"
"For starters, you're the guardian of civilization, yet why are you here and not in any settlement instead? You said if the concept of civilization is almost gone, then as the guardian of it, shouldn't you get some backlash... as the core of your sole existence fades." (Zeimachi)
Mumei blinked hard, wind stinging her eyes. "Can… can you explain it to be more basic?"
"The important question is this: is there any civilization still left in this world?" (Zeimachi)
"That's... definitely..." Mumei started, then faltered.
Zeimachi didn't let the silence linger. "Are you sure? Then let's move to the next important question. How long have you actually been sleeping in this desert? And are you certain that everything you remember… is still the way it used to be?"
Mumei's feathers ruffled involuntarily. "Not long… it should've just been… a nap here?"
And that was when the strangeness finally hit her.
She stared at the endless dunes far below, the cold wind biting harder now, and for the first time since waking up, Mumei wondered if maybe she hadn't just taken a nap. Maybe she'd been gone a lot longer than she thought.
"You're precious, Nanashi-san… or you've turned into something precious. Even though there's no civilization left in this world anymore, your existence is still preserved. It didn't perish." (Zeimachi)
"Perish…? More elementary! Like, baby-level words?" 「Nanashi Mumei」
Zeimachi let out a short breath that might've been a laugh. "…Three of us arrived here. We found the seed—which is you. You met us, we talked, reminisced, watch us like how a small civilization. Your concept got reawakened. That thing above woke up. More happened."
"Ohh... I see, I clearly understand that. So... this is, your fault?" 「Nanashi Mumei」
"Well, kind of. No need to thank me." (Zeimachi)
Mumei's eye twitched. She opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
"Sana... the Speaker of Space, a concept like me, was defeated by that." 「Nanashi Mumei」
"Oh! So it was her." (Zeimachi)
While the others were busy holding an impromptu class in midair, Cera began to move below. Her dark red aura spilled across the sand, sinking into every grain before she pulled it all upward in one slow, heavy motion.
"Let's get it all away, shall we?" (Cera)
Like a massive crane forged from pure will, Cera shaped her red aura into something solid and terrifyingly precise—a giant, glowing scoop. With it she carved out a huge chunk of the desert—tons of sand, rock, and buried secrets—all lifted in one clean, expert motion.
She moved with the ease of a veteran excavator operator.
Even the giant sandworms were caught in the drag, their massive forms thrashing wildly as her manifested power tore them upward like fish hooked against their will.
"Jackpot~" Cera giggled to herself, clearly enjoying the destruction she was causing.
She peeled through the desert layer by layer, unraveling every hidden nook and cranny of sand like old, forgotten bandages. From there she molded the scooped-up sand and fused it with her red aura, shaping it into another platform.
Not only sturdy, but it also glowing faintly crimson, ready to carry whatever she'd just dug up. Only then did she understand what Zeimachi meant. The wasteland stripped bare of its sand, revealed a lonely figure sleeping in solitude.
Beneath the barren land lay another concept—still asleep, still waiting.
"Heyya young miss, time to wake up. Your body's gonna crumble if you stay like that." (Cera)
After Cera called out to her, the woman stirred, eyes fluttering open in bewilderment. Yet even after centuries buried under the desert, her face and hair were stunning—untouched, radiant, almost unfairly perfect.
"Green hair golden eyes and motherly charm, there's also horn on top of her head. Okay that's enough of ara-ara for today. But that must be another chair member in her group, right? The Nature." (Cera)
Cera's gaze lingered a second too long, a faint flicker of envy crossing her features.
"You're wrong ▀▀▀▀ You're clearly wrong!" (Cera)
The woman rose gracefully, her voice soft but carrying across the empty expanse.
"...Are you the one who have awoken me young child?" 「Ceres Fauna」
With a gentle flex of power, branches and roots sprouted beneath her feet—thick, alive, twisting upward like a living throne to support her. They lifted her smoothly from the crater she'd been buried in, carrying her higher until she stood level with Cera.
While Cera waited, the woman's golden eyes began drifted upward. Far above, she spotted a familiar silhouette soaring on a vermillion feather platform, a man beside her, both heading toward something vast and dark in the sky.
The Mother Nature's eyes narrowed just a fraction.
"Mumei-chan? What is she doing here? She's supposed to be..." 「Ceres Fauna」
"Oh… looks like you got your memories intact. Good. I have no idea what to if another amnesia patient come up. What's your name, young miss? And do you mind keeping your pet worms quiet? The sand they're spitting everywhere is getting a little annoying." (Cera)
The Mother of Nature's brows knit slightly. A faint suspicion flickered across her face, suspecting that these two might be behind the whole scheme. And she wasn't entirely wrong.
"...Ceres Fauna," she answered softly.
"You answer calmly huh? Mine is Cera, nice to meet you." (Cera)
With that short introduction done, a golden apple materialized in her open palm. It shimmered with high-level life energy—not just glowing, but radiating warmth that made the air around it feel alive.
Almost instantly, tiny sprouts of vegetation pushed up from the scraped-bare ground—small plants, grass, vines—greening the wasteland in seconds like it had just remembered how to breathe.
Following right after, the giant sandworms began to behave strangely. Thick, viscous liquid started seeping from the cavities in their mouths—dripping, pooling, almost like they were drooling or… purging something.
Cera tilted her head, watching the worms with mild curiosity.
"Huh. Gross." (Cera)
She smiled as she watched Fauna try to get the head start, pushing past Cera and her platform with a surge of vines and roots. And though it was just plants and vegetation, once they tangled around you… good luck getting free without a serious struggle.
"Fyuuu… how scary," Cera drawled, snapping every single vine and root in an effortless flick of her wrist. "Well, like usual ▀▀▀▀, I leave you to tell me about Zei's fight. I'm going to talk a little with this… Mother of Nature. Don't mind us down here."
From her body, Cera let her dark red aura flow outward—thick, liquid-like, pouring down her back and coiling around her shoulders like living smoke ready to strike. The dark red aura moves as if its alive and took a shape of [REDACTED] showing its animosity.
Hmm?
It took the shape of [REDACTED] while showing animosity...
It took the shape of [REDACTED]...
...
...You mess with narration again?
"The me right now is not the me from tomorrow you know. Since my detail of feat will be a major Spoiler, I'll be the one who gatekeep it at bay. Well, be at ease~ I don't have super growth effect like Emiya anyway." (Cera)
How will their clash result? Who is the other figure waiting at the end of Zeimachi and Mumei flying course? And more importantly... where's Hylia? Those details will only be revealed, until the next time.