30 Successor 4

Changing the past changes the present as well.

That is an appealing phrase to Mio.

If she had altered a past that was only an hour old, she would not have had to flee like this.

Yes, for instance, if she had not gone shopping at that time today—

“……Wait?”

She had received such a warning.

Mio’s gaze shifted to Chi.

“…You knew?”

“I swear. We weren’t targeting Mio. We had originally set our sights on another human. Mio happened to be involved in the same actions, and was caught in the crossfire—”

“So it was really you all along… that was—”

The runaway ASID.

An anomalous individual that did not obey Mio’s command as successor queen.

Even if not part of the same herd, another queen could have suppressed actions outside those of the queen’s guard.

I had already considered it abnormal that it couldn’t be done——.

"Back when we still fought on our home planet, we used captured ASID units as mobile weapons. A type known as Acid Frame, the progenitor of the Assault Frame. What you see now is a reconstruction using current technology. Fully autonomous. I think it’s quite impressive. What do you think?"

"...The feeling when asked for an opinion after being shown a weapon made from a human corpse. Do you understand that?"

"I see. I was indeed careless. Please allow me to apologize."

It doesn’t matter.

What Mio cannot forgive is that the person before her now has shattered her peace.

"Why did you do this?"

Suppressing the anger rising from her core. Mio asks in a low voice.

Otherwise, she might explode.

She might lose control and let her rage take over.

"Exactly as I said earlier. For the Laitera Project."

Mio understands the anger rising from her core.

Yet Harold speaks calmly, without shame.

He sees only his own righteousness.

"Don't joke about this!"

Mio's rage ignites. She shifts into combat stance.

The ASID malfunction they orchestrated caused damage in the urban zone.

May and the others were ultimately only grazed.

But the situation could have been far worse—death was not out of the question.

Several buildings have collapsed.

It is not surprising that casualties have occurred in secret.

At least many have been injured.

"Countless people are hurt—how can you look so calm? If you've done something wrong, you must apologize!"

Harold stares, then begins to tremble with laughter.

“What’s so funny? Laughing during a conversation is rude.”

“No. I’ve committed another rudeness. I was simply shocked at myself—more human than you, Harold, who calls himself human.”

Harold spoke as if mocking himself, admitting that Mio, more than Harold himself, seemed truly human.

Chi’s expression shifted subtly.

“You ask why you’re so calm. The answer is simple. Because everything can be erased. Made as if it never happened.”

“…You’re serious?”

“Dead serious. No room for doubt. Once the Laitera Project is complete, altering the past becomes possible. Naturally, one must be cautious about the content of the change—but every loss at every stage can be reclaimed.”

Mio trembled at Harold’s declaration.

He’s insane.

A crude assessment, even for Mio.

Logically, it was sound.

Change the past, and the present changes too.

Change the action that caused it, and the outcome changes as well.

But even if one understands that, accepting all the harm that led to it is beyond the grasp of ordinary thought.

"If you cooperate, the truth about your friends—the very reason the captured unit was released into the city—can be undone. Not only that. You can reclaim what those involved in this plan seek to recover."

And what terrified Mio was Harold’s conduct in this moment.

That it stemmed entirely from goodwill.

She could understand causing harm with ill intent.

But causing harm with good intent—this was uncharted territory.

Yet Harold’s proposal seemed ideal to Mio, if she turned a blind eye to everything that came before.

It would simply bring things back to zero. There was nothing in Mio’s past she truly wished to change.

Then—.

"Please. Mio. I want to see my older sister again."

"An older sister?"

"Yes. My sister, who died ten years ago—she was engaged to Jin."

"Ten years ago?"

Mio’s thoughts halted.

In the instant a single idea flashed through her mind, she experienced a sensation of losing all perception.

A stillness so profound it felt as though her pseudo-biological systems had ceased functioning.

Points connected.

The death ten years prior.

The reason for her being taken in.

The meaning behind Jin’s gaze.

She wished it were a misunderstanding.

But Mio had no evidence to refute the thought.

The reason she was here.

That realization struck her.

Ah. The phrase 'blood drains from the face.' Could her body even replicate that sensation?

"Chi. Tell me about your sister later."

"Very well... but your complexion—"

"I’ve decided, Mr. Hallored. I’ll cooperate."

Mio cuts off Chi’s concerned words with a declaration.

“Let me change the past, in return.”

“Of course. As long as the alteration does not conflict with another’s desire.”

“I believe there will be no conflict.”

Halroed appears momentarily bewildered by Mio’s sudden eagerness, then quickly smiles.

He likely considers it a cheap price to gain the assistance of a queen who is beyond humanity’s reach.

“Then welcome, Mio Higashi. Welcome to the Laitera Project. We look forward to working together for a long time.”

Mio firmly grasps the offered hand.

If she is to use the ether she herself has birthed, then control lies here.

Not cooperation.

This is complicity. A grave crime against humanity.

Still, she does not care.

She has come to know her own guilt.

The things she has taken without awareness, all along.

There is no other way to atone than to assist Harold.

To alter the past. To rely on that power.

"Sorry. Dad..."

The words of apology vanished without reaching anyone's ear.

◆ ◆ ◆

In a certain star system.

One planet orbiting a central star.

Several warships waited along its orbital path.

Among them.

A warship classified as a Lombardia-class battleship.

To put it mildly, it was in ruins.

The armor, once repaired to near-new condition at departure, now bore no trace.

Like the assault frames, the nanoskin armor could average minor damage across its surface and self-repair.

But the damage had exceeded its capacity.

The armor had thickened unevenly, barely preserving the vital sections.

Conversely, other areas had lost nearly all defensive capability.

The other two Rosario-class cruisers were in a similar state.

On the bridge, voices overlapped one another.

"Amphibious landing craft recovery complete. Fuel for atmospheric departure is now depleted."

"Structural repair rate at 68%. Further progress would drastically reduce efficiency due to material processing constraints."

"Sixty-one operational Ravens remain across the fleet. Stock parts exhausted. Cannot maintain further operational status."

Reports arrived in rapid succession—each one citing a shortage of materials.

Predictable, really. Under normal conditions, each of these ships would have undergone dock repairs before receiving resupply.

To have reached this point using only the materials packed aboard and those acquired locally was no small feat.

"Is this our limit...?"

The captain of the Lombardia-class battleship frowns upon assessing the current fleet status.

Far from optimal.

Yet improvement seems unlikely at this point.

"Only two responded to the call. I hope desperately that the others haven’t all been sunk."

"Our ship’s communication systems have a range limit for omnidirectional transmission."

"Would have been better if we’d managed synchronization with Overlight during evacuation."

"No such luxury existed... There’s nothing to be done."

The captain shrugs at the consoling words from the communications and helm officers, making a decision.

The time to act has come.

"To all ship crews. Our situation is dire. Supplies are scarce. No allied forces are present here now."

As the speech concludes, one pilot pauses mid-motion.

Checks the status of the craft.

Performance remains below standard, as always.

The maintenance crew did their best, but resources remained scarce from the outset.

This unit was repaired using parts taken from a heavily damaged unit, despite being relatively undamaged itself.

Far from complete.

There. To have gone to such lengths—bent so far out of line to comply with this pilot’s reckless demand—it leaves me no choice but to bow my head in respect.

Yet, only we can denounce the betrayal of the Second Fleet.

The enemy is the Second Fleet.

In other words, a cyborg squadron.

He thinks.

Can it be won?

In this机体 state.

And we alone can save our comrades, scattered as they are.

If there were a familiar technician here.

The unit might have performed slightly better then.

But she is not here now.

Whether they are safe or not remains uncertain.

Rise up. We shall reclaim the world we dwell in, with our own hands.

Given the circumstances, the Second Fleet’s defense forces are likely stationed under the guise of support for the Third Fleet.

We must break through that.

We begin the main ship recovery operation now!

At the command, one pilot — Jin Higashi — lifted his face.

Stay safe, Mio, Shirley, Lieutenant Sasamori, Lieutenant Nastin...