Groggy (5)
"I'll speak."
Kanis stepped over to Dorothy's side.
"If the Temple only needs minerals, why does it have to be this exact spot?"
Iruki answered plainly.
"That's right."
"Then why are they kicking us out? This is a historically important ruin. Besides, our whole team is funding this project out of our own pockets."
"I thought they were offering compensation?"
"That's not the point."
It wasn't about money; it was about pride.
"At least explain it to us, can't they? If they can use the whole mountain range, why be so strict about one spot?"
"The Temple is busy. They won't set a cap on extraction, and they don't have time to consider your circumstances."
Kanis read Iruki's desire to leave no sliver of uncertainty and understood immediately.
"So basically we're just an annoying, troublesome bunch?"
"You could put it that way."
Anger flared in Kanis's eyes.
"Oh ho, so you've grown up a lot, Iruki."
When the escort knights behind them drew their swords simultaneously, a terrifying aura spread out.
"Ugh—!"
Closer and Sabina stepped into the Spirit Zone, but even without fully focusing, they already knew.
'She's really strong.'
The shared killing intent alone felt like it could stop the breath in their chests.
"Kanis, it's useless." Arin said.
"Iruki isn't going to change her mind."
Through Arin's clairvoyance, Iruki looked like a vast flame burning on living fuel.
'This isn't the same as betting your life.'
Her resolve—to make it happen—seemed to go far beyond any mere fear of death.
"Tch! Consider yourself lucky."
When Kanis withdrew his killing intent, Closer and Sabina left the Spirit Zone too.
The mood turned miserably tense.
"Do you have to put it like that?" Dorothy asked.
"You could explain it nicely. Ask for help, plead for understanding. We're not strangers…" Iruki took her in with her eyes.
The four-dimensional girl who used to love daydreaming had grown into a competent adult leading a team.
"You've changed a lot."
Her bold outfit, the blunt way she spoke—she wasn't the same as before.
"No, you're wrong."
Sure, many things change with age.
But having shared the same years also meant there were things that never changed.
"The world outside school is hard. I'm not the same stubborn kid I used to be. But I'm still chasing a dream. Kanis, Arin, Closer, Sabina—we all kept the dreams we had back then."
"Fine. Then let's say I changed."
"You told me!" Dorothy snapped.
"There are no adults in this world. Only children, and children pretending to be adults."
"Actually, some of that childhood is still in you. So why talk like that? As if you're a real adult now."
She sounded hurt.
Though calculating, Iruki—the one Dorothy remembered—was the kind of person who truly understood what mattered.
"…Sorry, but there's no time for this."
Only Arin understood what "no time" really meant.
'Iruki's right, Dorothy.'
Arin didn't know exactly what was wrong with Iruki's body, but she was already on the brink, someone who had long since let go of clinging to life.
'Yet she won't say it… because she wants to stand proud in front of her friends.
'I would've done the same.'
So even as her classmates argued, she had no choice but to keep silent.
"Really? No time?"
Dorothy spun and stalked over to Hickory 19, then flung herself down flat.
"No way! We're not moving! Step over us or kill us—do whatever you want!"
Dorothy's eyes were squeezed shut; her face was painfully sad.
'What a brat.'
Even if it were anyone else, Iruki shouldn't be treated like this.
'Dorothy's been longing for this meeting so much…'
Sabina, understanding Dorothy's feelings, lay down beside her and shouted along.
"Yeah! Kill us, kill us! Kill us—!"
Aromi pushed her glasses up and said flatly, "We'll take her into custody."
Just as the knights took a step forward, Iruki turned and said,
"That's enough. We'll retreat for today."
"But—"
"We've been surveying the Arca Mountains for a long time. Our skills aren't lacking; we can be of help. Starting a disturbance now isn't good."
Aromi's comment bent her office protocols, but respect for Iruki came first.
She told Kanis, "By the Commander's orders, we'll give you one day. Make a good decision."
When the Temple's carriage rolled away, Arin came up to the others.
"They left. Get up."
Dorothy sat up, still looking sulky.
"We won't be able to work today. Let's go back and make a plan. Review Iruki's proposal, too."
No matter how angry, a mage still did her work.
"Sorry our lodging's so shabby. We didn't expect overnight guests…"
Iruki's place was a temporary barrack three hundred meters from the mining site.
"It's fine. How's the excavation team?" Aromi feigned a look toward the outside.
"They're holed up in the prefabricated building—haven't shown themselves. I think they're reviewing the documents we handed over."
Iruki rose from her chair.
"They'll probably accept it. Their anger is with me personally; they're sensible, smart people. Don't worry."
Aromi forced a smile.
"I'm not worried about them. I'm worried about the Commander's health. Since it's come to this, rest for a day."
Even if she wanted to rest, Iruki couldn't stop thinking about the army of hell.
After everyone but the sentry fell asleep, Iruki, who had nodded off in a chair, heard footsteps and raised her eyelids.
"Let go. Put me down." At the entrance to the barrack, Dorothy stood with a knight holding her arm.
Off the clock her youthful features returned, though her clothes still didn't fit the role.
"Commander. This woman just—"
"It's fine."
After the knights saluted and left, Dorothy rubbed the arm that had been held and came closer.
"Amazing. People would die for a word from you."
"What do you want?"
Dorothy didn't answer right away.
"If this is about mining rights, my position hasn't changed. Starting tomorrow, we'll contract with the military supplier we selected…"
"That's enough."
Dorothy cut her off.
"Work aside, don't we have something personal to settle?"
Dorothy closed the gap faster than usual.
"Have you been drinking?"
"That's not the point. What I want to know is… why did you do that?"
"Do what?"
Dorothy hadn't forgotten for a moment.
"We kissed. You remember that."
"You did it."
"Either way! And we dated, right?"
They'd broken up after thirteen minutes, but it still mattered.
"Why did you do it? Did you feel anything for me? Or was it just curiosity? Which was it?"
"What does it matter?"
"It matters to me."
First love, first kiss.
It could have been left as a fond memory, but seeing her now, Dorothy couldn't help asking.
"I—..."
Recalling their school days, Iruki sighed, fell silent, and turned away.
"Drop it. It's meaningless."
"Meaningless? Why? Because you're in a higher position now and it seems childish? Or are you afraid I'll hold you back—"
"I'm going to die soon."
Dorothy's words cut off abruptly.
"W-what?"
"My brain's a bit too good. It's eating away at my lifespan. Lately it's been working even harder."
If it were a joke, it would be a cruel one.
"W-what are you saying? You can't die just from being smart."
"It's not at a dangerous level. I might last a long time. But I'm the Temple's key brain, and I don't plan to stop. If I keep pushing it into overdrive, then—"
Iruki made a popping, explosive gesture.
"No way."
Dorothy shook her head.
"That can't be true."
She raised her voice to hide how much her chest actually ached—how much she missed that friend.
"Ha! Don't be scared. You can still hang on for a while, okay?"
For now, yes.
"Honestly, it's easier to speak plainly. I can't afford to be weak. I'm responsible for so many lives. Oh, that Hickory 19 you built looks great. You modified it a lot, didn't you?"
Dorothy pouted.
"Why are you so dumb? Nothing's changed—you haven't changed at all!"
Iruki gave a bitter smile.
"Anyway, help me out. You're the team leader—convince the others…"
Before she finished, Dorothy grabbed Iruki by the collar and threw her onto the bed.
"I told you I didn't come to talk work. I came for an answer, and I'm getting one."
She kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the bed, pressing Iruki's face between her thighs as she dropped to her knees.
She wore short denim shorts that left most of her thighs bare.
"…What are you doing?"
"If you don't know that, you're not a man." Of course Iruki understood.
"You're crazy."
"Why so formal? I'm Dorothy."
Of course she knew that too.
"I told you. I won't stop. I might die soon—my life could be too short to do anything with you."
Dorothy tugged one corner of her mouth up.
"Are you going to skip eating because you might die tomorrow?" Iruki, lost in thought a moment, slowly turned her head from side to side.
'Left thigh. Right thigh.'
There was nowhere to run.
'Fine. Go straight.'
Iruki bolted upright.
The next morning.
Like a thief, Dorothy slipped out of the barrack and walked into the makeshift building as if nothing had happened.
In the common room, the team had gathered to review the Temple's legal filing.
Sabina looked up.
"Where were you this morning? You weren't in your room."
"Huh? Oh, I went to check the mine for a bit."
Feigning innocence as she entered the lounge, Kanis grumbled.
"Tch, no matter how you look at it, being chased off like this is absurd."
It was the same issue as before.
"Um, hey."
Dorothy spoke cautiously.
"How about we step back a bit? Honestly, Iruki must be overwhelmed with the war. The ruins are important, but shouldn't humanity surviving come first?"
As the team blinked at her sudden change of heart, Arin said, "We were actually leaning that way too. There's little chance of winning a court fight against the Temple."
Sabina, chin in hand, shuffled through the files.
"We reviewed it. It's not a bad deal. We can secure rights to the next excavation site, and the penalty clause they offer for relinquishing this one is sufficient."
Dorothy brightened.
"Then should I meet the director? Maybe I could bargain for even better terms."
The file snapped shut.
"No objections to that. But there's one thing we absolutely must clear up first."
"Huh? What's that?"
Sabina, half-lidded, pointed at Dorothy.
"You slept with her, didn't you?"
"Oh ho?"
As Closer turned with an intrigued look, Dorothy rolled her eyes.
"Well, how to put it… I couldn't explain it even if I had ten mouths."