The Following Morning~
Kanda awoke to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. The room was filled with the quiet, rhythmic breathing of the girls beside him—still tangled in the aftermath of their nighttime "exercise." Carefully, he slid out from their warm embrace, trying not to disturb their rest, and made his way to the shower.
After refreshing himself, he went downstairs. Claris and Maya were already at work, having set the table with a well-prepared breakfast. The aroma of freshly brewed tea and warm bread filled the air. He exchanged a brief word of thanks, then ate in thoughtful silence. His mind wasn't on the food—it was on what he planned to do next.
Once finished, he made his way to Antonia's residence. Before leaving, he'd already contacted Kuune and asked her to come there for a meeting. There were questions that had haunted him since the last encounter—questions that only she might be able to answer.
He waited in Antonia's meeting room, seated on one of the long sofas. Antonia sat across from him, sipping tea. Fifteen minutes passed before Kuune arrived, accompanied by Durel. Her expression was composed, but there was a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes.
Chaika hadn't come—she was still asleep at his house after spending the evening there for dinner.
---
In the Meeting Room
The soft clink of porcelain echoed faintly as cups of tea were placed before each of them. The steam rising from the cups curled lazily into the air, as if reluctant to reveal what it knew.
Kuune sipped her tea and spoke first. "Ichijou-kun, what is it you wish to ask us this morning?"
Kanda leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. His voice was low but steady. "I want to know more about the Dogisia Federation… The place Madam Jens comes from."
There was a pause. Kuune's gaze lingered on the swirling surface of her tea.
"…Why now?" she asked, her tone calm, but guarded.
"Because it feels like we're standing in the middle of something that started long before we were even born. Jens's grudge—it's personal. But it's also more than that. I want to understand her motives… and why she keeps involving me in all of this."
Kuune set her cup down. "What I know about Dogisia is… fragmentary. And deliberately buried, I suspect. Even among our oldest archives, information about them is vague, fragmented—like someone wanted to erase their existence, or rewrite it."
"That in itself is suspicious," Antonia muttered.
Kuune nodded slowly. "Indeed. What is known is that the Dogisia Federation was founded more than 20,000 years ago, shortly after our own Catia Federation. They were not conquerors. On the contrary… they were considered one of the most peace-oriented civilizations in the galaxy. They avoided conflict, focused on diplomacy and scientific advancement. They contributed countless technologies to neighboring systems—some of which are still in use today."
"That doesn't sound like a civilization worth destroying," Kanda said.
"No. It doesn't," Kuune agreed, her eyes narrowing. "Yet they were. The Galactic Federation of Intelligent Life deemed them a 'threat to universal harmony' and authorized their extermination."
Durel shifted uncomfortably, casting a glance at Kuune, but said nothing.
Kanda frowned. "That phrase… 'threat to universal harmony.' What did they really mean by that?"
Kuune was silent for a moment. When she spoke, her voice was quieter. "No one knows. Not anymore. The official reason cited was... irreconcilable ideological differences. But that's just an empty phrase. There are rumors—whispers passed down by a few who survived or studied them. One says that Dogisia had begun experimenting with something forbidden."
"Forbidden?"
"Some claim it was time manipulation. Others say it was soul resonance—technologies that could disrupt the natural order. There's even a theory that they found a way to touch something beyond our dimension. But all of it is conjecture. We've never recovered any of their true archives. Every trace of their civilization was wiped out."
Kanda let the silence hang in the air. The weight of those words was heavy.
"Was there… anything else?" he asked finally.
Kuune hesitated. "There is… one legend. A curious one. It's said that Dogisia's first ruler was not a native of their planet—but a human. A lone traveler from a distant star. He—or she—arrived mysteriously, and united the warring tribes of that world into a single federation. This founder possessed knowledge and abilities far beyond anything known at the time. Over generations, the story became myth. Whether it's true or not… no one can say. Outsiders who visited Dogisia before its fall reported nothing unusual. Or perhaps… they were made to forget."
Antonia frowned. "If Jens is descended from that line…"
"She might know more than anyone left in this galaxy," Kuune finished her thought.
Kanda tapped his fingers against the armrest. "Do you believe she's trying to rebuild Dogisia?"
"I don't know," Kuune admitted. "But if she is… it wouldn't be surprising that she's interested in you, Ichijou-kun. If the legend is true—if their founder was human—then you may remind her of something. Or someone."
The room fell into a long silence, broken only by the soft ticking of a wall clock and the occasional clink of a tea cup.
After a while, Kuune asked, "Ichijou-kun… What do you intend to do with this knowledge?"
Kanda's voice was calm, but resolute. "First, I want to speak with Jens. Face to face. I want to hear her reasons for being here. Second, I want to understand what truly happened to Dogisia—beyond the propaganda. Third, I want to see if there's any path where we don't have to be enemies. And last…"
He looked directly at Kuune.
"…I want to uncover why she hates your world so deeply. Her expression, during that last transmission—it wasn't rage. It was sorrow wearing the mask of hatred."
Kuune nodded in response to Kanda's explanation, her usual soft expression attentive yet unreadable. Just then, a faint chime echoed from her communicator. She tapped the device, her posture straightening as the incoming call connected.
Kanda watched curiously as Kuune's face subtly transformed—her gentle smile faded, replaced by an austere calm. Her eyes narrowed slightly, focused, serious.
When the call ended, the silence between them was heavier than before.
"Who was that transmission from, Captain Kuune?" Kanda finally asked, the quiet tension urging him to break it.
Kuune turned toward him, her voice low. "It was another Captain from the Catian Exploration Team. She informed me that… an important individual will be arriving on Earth soon. We've been ordered to receive her."
"That doesn't sound like a reason to look so grim," Kanda replied with concern. "Something in that conversation changed your mood. Why?"
Kuune hesitated for a moment. Then she said, "This individual… she made a specific request. One that surprised me."
Kanda leaned forward, eyes narrowing with interest. "What kind of request?"
Kuune looked directly at him, her gaze deep and solemn. "She requested your presence during the reception."
"…Me?" Kanda blinked. "Why me?"
"She's on her way now, escorted by another Captain. Her estimated arrival is in about five hours." Kuune paused, then added, "The one we are to receive… is Lawry."
Kanda tilted his head slightly. "Lawry?"
Kuune nodded slowly. "Yes. Codename Lawry—the last remaining first-generation Assistroid."
The words hit Kanda with unexpected weight.
"The first generation…? I thought they were all—"
"Retired, decommissioned, or lost to time," Kuune finished. "Yes. But she endured. Alone."
"Why is she coming here?" Kanda asked, his voice quieter now. "And why me?"
Kuune exhaled softly, her hands clasping in her lap. "I can't say why she asked for you. Not yet. But I can tell you why she's coming to Earth."
She paused, looking out the window as if watching something only she could see.
"Her last master… was human. A wanderer who left Earth long ago during its forgotten space age. His dream was to one day return. But his journey ended in failure. A miscalculated hyperjump sent their ship off-course. It drifted into a silent, nameless region of space. The engines failed. The hull cracked. They were stranded, lost. No one knew where to search."
Kuune's voice turned softer—gentler.
"He died there, surrounded by the emptiness of space. Alone… except for Lawry."
Kanda said nothing, letting the words settle.
"She remained with his body," Kuune continued. "Year after year. In the dark. With no repairs, no updates, no power to call for help. Her systems degraded. Her artificial skin began to pale. Her memory drives stuttered. She stopped functioning properly. But she endured, because he asked her to. His final words were: 'Take me home.'"
There was a silence that no one dared to fill.
"Eventually, one of our long-range reconnaissance ships stumbled upon the wreck," Kuune said, her voice trembling ever so slightly. "The hull was coated in cosmic dust… as if the universe itself had been trying to erase them. Lawry was still active. Barely. Her signal was so weak it almost didn't register."
Kanda felt something twist in his chest.
"She refused repairs," Kuune added. "We tried. But her inner framework was… beyond even Catian technology now. Her model was designed by a civilization that vanished before our stars were even mapped. We couldn't touch her without risking irreversible corruption."
"Then… she's…" Kanda didn't finish.
"She's dying," Kuune said softly. "Not in a way we can save. Her systems are slowly shutting down—organically, methodically. She asked to come here to fulfill her master's wish. To walk Earth's soil. To see the sky he once loved."
Kanda exhaled slowly. "And when her systems finally stop?"
"She will be taken to the Sanctuary of Stillness," Kuune said, folding her hands. "Where Assistroids who reach their end rest peacefully. A quiet meadow where time forgets."
There was a long pause between them.
"She requested me personally," Kanda murmured. "But why?"
Kuune shook her head. "That, I can't answer. Maybe she's seen something. Maybe it's intuition. But she asked for you by name, Kanda Ichijou."
Kanda lowered his gaze, his heart heavy. "…Then I'll be there. I'll honor her final wish."
"Thank you, Ichijou-kun." Kuune smiled, subdued but genuine. She dipped her head slightly in gratitude.
"It's the least I can do," Kanda replied.
After finishing his conversation with Kuune, Kanda returned home briefly before heading with the rest of his household to Antonia's residence for lunch. He had asked Claris to inform everyone about the meal and to gather them all in the dining hall.
Within thirty minutes, the room was lively with chatter as everyone arrived. The maids moved gracefully between the long tables, serving one dish at a time. The aroma of freshly cooked food filled the air, bringing a brief sense of comfort.
Once everyone was seated, they offered a prayer and began their meal.
As they ate, Kanda shared the story Kuune had told him. He recounted Lawry's long and sorrowful journey, her unwavering loyalty, and her desire to fulfill her master's dying wish.
A hush fell over the table. Conversations faded. Even the clinking of utensils slowed.
Some of the girls bowed their heads in silence. A few had tears quietly welling in their eyes.
"That's… so heartbreaking," one of them whispered.
"To wait all that time," another said softly, "just to come here and die?"
"It's not just dying," Claris said, looking at her plate. "It's devotion. Pure and unshakable."
Kanda nodded. "She could have shut down a long time ago. But she didn't. Because of a promise."
"If she's spending her last moments here," Manami said, her voice trembling slightly, "then we'll make sure she knows she's not alone."
The group nodded in agreement, a quiet but resolute understanding passing between them.
After lunch, they each returned to their homes. Kanda stayed behind at Antonia's place, checking on the maintenance and upgrades to their weapons from the last mission. Time passed quickly, his mind still on Lawry.
Eventually, he returned home, where Manami greeted him.
"Kio left for his club," she informed him. "He also wanted to know if you've finished your summer homework yet. School starts next week."
Kanda groaned. "Thanks for reminding me…"
He sat down and began working. Two hours passed. His expression soured with each passing worksheet.
"…Fighting Madam J was easier than this," he muttered, burying his face in his arms.
As twilight set in, Kuune's message finally arrived.
Incoming ship confirmed. Origin: Catia. Arrival estimated within the hour.
Kanda stood slowly and walked toward his window. The sky was still blue, but fading. Somewhere beyond that horizon, a ship was coming. And on it, someone who had waited lifetimes to return.
He took a breath and began preparing to go.
He wouldn't keep her waiting.
END OF THE CHAPTER