The Ghost of Emerald III

In front of Shinosuke, who was searching for Milina, the girl appeared once again.

Staring up at Shinosuke motionlessly from right in front of him.

"What exactly are you hoping for?"

Shinosuke spoke to the girl, but she turned her back to him, her expression sad, and walked away, disappearing into the depths of the corridor.

Beyond that lay the restaurant and entertainment facilities.

"An apparition of Emerald III...? Are you leading me there?"

For some reason, the girl didn't seem to carry any malice.

If that was the case, then perhaps Milena was also there, where the girl had vanished.

Shinnosuke opened the door to the restaurant.

Dozens of corpses lay scattered inside the dining hall.

It seemed most of Emerald III's passengers were gathered here.

And in the center of the room stood Milena.

"Milena. Don't go acting on your own. I was worried."

"She led us all the way here. Now that I've come to this place with her guidance, I feel like I finally understand..."

Milena looked down at the corpse lying at her feet, clad in a white robe resembling a priest's vestment.

"Is this a priest from the Seigul Church?"

The Seigul Church, more accurately known as the Seigul Holy Church, is the state religion of the Seigul Holy Nation. It teaches healing, peace of mind, and reincarnation, and has now expanded its influence across the galaxy.

"Technically, they are medical clerics. To put into practice the Seigul Church's teachings on healing and mental tranquility, Seigul clergy serve dual roles as both medical practitioners and religious officials."

Pointing to a cylindrical container placed beside the fallen priest, he said,

Something had been burned inside the tube, leaving behind white ash.

"What is this?"

This is incense used by the medical priests of the Sect of Seegul. It's primarily used during rituals for its relaxing effects. When used in excess, it can induce anesthesia or hypnotic states, so it's also used as a sedative or anesthetic in emergencies. It's a designated medication that only medical priests with proper qualifications can handle.

"Quite detailed."

I really enjoy history. Studying human history inevitably leads to learning about the history of the Seigul religion. No other religion has expanded so widely across countless planets in human history. It has neither oppressed other religions nor been oppressed, and it has gained the support of countless people throughout the galaxy. It's truly fascinating.

"Remarkable knowledge, as expected. I like history too, but religion never really caught my interest. My curiosity always ended up focusing on spacefaring technology and military advancements."

Milena gave a faint smile in response to Shinosuke's words.

"Given how much of this space has been used, perhaps they believed in reincarnation and faced their final moments with that faith..."

A melancholy smile touched Milena's lips as tears streamed down her eyes.

When Marx entered the cooling system room, she was there.

In the corner of the room, a makeshift table had been placed, and on it lay a body covered with a pure white sheet.

Perhaps due to the room's temperature of minus twenty degrees, she looked exactly as she had in life.

She must have been brought here immediately after death and placed on the table.

Next to her lay a single note.

The note was written by the crew of Emerald III, who had placed the girl here, and it contained details such as the date and time of her death.

...We, the crew of Emerald III, were unable to save many passengers. Leaving so many crew and passengers behind, placing Clara here might just be my own selfish desire. But I wish to return Clara—who traveled alone aboard Emerald III and set out alone—to her family in as peaceful a state as possible. Clara had said she was visiting her grandparents in the Sirius Star District. For a 10-year-old girl, that was a three-month journey. A devout follower of the Seigul faith, Clara always remained positive, smiling cheerfully even in this dire situation. When a female crew member offered to sleep with her, fearing Clara might feel anxious lying alone in her room amid such hopeless uncertainty, Clara declined. Around her, peace and the quiet rhythm of everyday life continued to flow. That calm presence undoubtedly helped us crew members maintain our emotional balance. There was always a smile on Clara’s face. When she weakened from malnutrition and approached the limits of her strength, the adults around her urged her to enter cryosleep. But she stubbornly refused, not wanting to awaken in a future unknown to anyone. She held fast to the teachings of the Seigul faith, wishing to find peace in sleep and enter the cycle of reincarnation. She passed away peacefully, as if falling asleep. As crew members of a ship that met with disaster, this may be a selfish wish, but I sincerely hope Clara’s soul finds peace as it passes through the wheel of reincarnation and finds happiness in her next life. Lead Fielder, Second-Class Crew Member, Navigation Controller, Emerald III

Marks looked upon Clara's body, laid out in repose.

Dressed in a lime green dress and with her hair neatly arranged, an ordinary person might mistake her for merely sleeping—or in cryogenic stasis.

But Marks, a doll, could not be mistaken.

There was no doubt: that was Clara's body, carefully laid out and preserved.

"External appearance match rate: 96.2 percent. Identified as the same individual. Unable to reach any conclusion other than unscientific ones regarding the contradictory circumstances, therefore rejecting the conclusion."

Only one thing was missing—the cute necklace that the other Clara had been wearing around her neck.

Scanning the surroundings, it was nowhere to be found.

Miliyna was also nowhere to be seen, so staying here any longer served no purpose.

"I will continue searching for Miliyna."

Clara's necklace might have been lost somewhere on the ship.

Marks added Clara's necklace to the list of items to search for.