Endo Yukari's words once again plunged the room into silence.
Even Sayaka opened her mouth, only to fall silent without saying anything in the end.
Surely, what Endo Yukari had said must have been a shock to Sayaka as well—an earnest revelation.
Like Yukina, Sayaka was fully aware of the fact that she was regarded as a tool by the Lion King Agency. She had never complained, at the very least grateful that the Lion King Agency gave her a new life, saving her from dying as an orphan left to starve on the streets.
But still, sorrow—and perhaps even a sense of tragedy—must have weighed on her heart.
And now, from Endo Yukari's mouth, Sayaka had finally come to understand just how helpless the Lion King Agency was, to have turned into such an organization.
Perhaps Sayaka had never once looked at it from the Lion King Agency's perspective. That was possible.
Which was why she was now at a loss for words—completely silent.
Rozen also narrowed his eyes as he looked at Endo Yukari, watching the light in her eyes until he was certain she was not lying.
Then…
"I've never thought well of the Lion King Agency."
As if to respond to Endo Yukari's heartfelt confession, Rozen spoke flatly.
"But I have no position to lecture you."
That was indeed true.
Although the Lion King Agency's ways didn't sit well with Rozen, that was all there was to it.
No matter who the Lion King Agency wanted to use as tools or sacrifice, that was their own business and had nothing to do with Rozen.
Rozen was not so virtuous as to go out of his way to seek justice for the innocent and pick a fight with the Lion King Agency.
"So long as you don't lay a hand on those around me."
Rozen's tone was rather cold.
"During the Blazing Banquet, you showed up as the arbiters, but you didn't harm anyone around me. That's why I forgave you."
"During the Shinjin Lake incident, even though you dragged Nagisa and Avrora into it, you didn't intend to hurt them. That's why I forgave you."
"This time, Himeragi's angelification might have been unexpected to you, but I played a part in that too. It was because I exposed her to all sorts of non-human beings that her compatibility with Sekkaro increased, accelerating her angelification. Besides, it seems like you weren't planning to sacrifice her but were seriously considering her well-being. That's why I can forgive you again."
"This is the first time I've forgiven others so many times. Be glad that each time you've only stepped on the edge of my bottom line, Lion King Agency."
"Otherwise, you'd already be gone."
Leaving those words behind, Rozen turned around.
"I'll return Sekkaro on Himeragi's behalf."
"As for Himeragi, I'll handle her myself. Stay out of it."
"Since she's no longer of use to you, I'll take her in."
"Getting off with just this much—consider yourselves lucky."
With that, Rozen walked toward the exit.
Seeing this, Endo Yukari couldn't help but speak up.
"What do you intend to do with Yukina?"
She didn't sound overly anxious.
After all, Yukina's condition was indeed serious, but according to the records, Rozen had resolved a case of artificial angelification before.
In the past, Rozen had used the power of his eleventh Beast Vassal, Sadalmelik Albus, to reverse time on Kanase Kanon, returning her to the state before angelification, restoring her to a normal human being.
Moreover, according to Kuraki Shirona's report, Rozen had already succeeded in forging another Mechanical Demon-Purging Assault Spear Mark Seven. He also carried divine protection and had performed the miracle of descent before as a Divine Child—so resolving an angelification induced by divine energy should not be difficult for him.
However…
"It's probably impossible to use the eleventh Beast Vassal to reverse Himeragi's angelification the way I did with Kanon."
Rozen said this unexpectedly.
"That Beast Vassal's power rewinds and restores everything. Even if I can revert her body from angelification, other things would be restored too."
For example, personal memories would be reversed—brought back to the state before angelification.
That wasn't a bad thing in Kanon's case, since her post-angelification memories were only of suffering and despair from devouring other candidates for faux angels. Forgetting those memories was probably for the best.
But Yukina was different.
If Rozen wanted to completely erase her angelification, he'd have to revert her to the time around when she first used the Mechanical Demon-Purging Assault Spear Mark Seven.
And at that time, Yukina had only just arrived on Itogami Island, had just met Rozen, had just gotten to know Nagisa and the others. Making her give up all her memories since then and returning her to that state—she would never accept it.
It was clear to Rozen how much Yukina cherished her life on Itogami Island.
That was likely the reason why she tried to run when Rozen attempted to retrieve Sekkaro.
She was afraid—afraid that Rozen would erase all the memories she had made during her time here in order to save her. That was something she absolutely couldn't bear.
Rozen could see that Yukina truly treasured her time after coming to Itogami Island.
After noticing her body's abnormal changes, she had refused to hand over Sekkaro. If he was right, the reason was that she didn't want to leave.
That girl had already realized that her days of serving as a Sword Shaman were numbered. Sooner or later, Sekkaro would be retrieved, her surveillance mission terminated, and she would be made to leave the island.
To avoid that, Yukina had desperately tried to hide her angelification, refusing to surrender Sekkaro.
But if she didn't hand it over, she would eventually become a full artificial angel and vanish from this world.
Given that, Rozen had no choice but to make her surrender Sekkaro.
But that didn't mean Rozen would let the Lion King Agency take her away under the pretext of a reassignment.
That was why Rozen came here—to demand an explanation for Yukina's sake, and more than that, to take her back from the hands of the Lion King Agency.
"In any case, I'll take responsibility for Himeragi. You all don't have to worry."
Rozen waved his hand, taking a step as he merged into space and vanished.
Endo Yukari silently watched him disappear.
Sayaka also wore a complex expression as she picked up Sekkaro from the ground.
"Master... what will happen to Yukina?"
Sayaka murmured in confusion.
"...I don't know." Endo Yukari was silent for a while before sighing. "Maybe she'll turn out better than we imagined. Who knows?"
"Then I..." Sayaka seemed to want to say something.
"If you're thinking of going to see her, forget it." Endo Yukari cut her off. "Leave her to the Divine Child. Don't forget your own mission on this island."
"...Understood." Sayaka lowered her eyes. "I'll locate Master Shizuka Koyomi as soon as possible."
"Good." Endo Yukari nodded and muttered to herself, "Let's hope her sudden disappearance at such a critical time isn't because something's happened…"
...
Meanwhile, in a sewer in the northern district of Itogami Island, a girl leaned against the wall, struggling to walk forward.
Blood flowed continuously from her body.
The girl wore glasses and had two braided pigtails, giving her an intelligent appearance. She was dressed in the Saikai Academy high school girl's uniform.
It was Shizuka Koyomi.
Right now, she was seriously wounded.
And yet, she continued to walk forward with great difficulty.
Her destination—the Minamiya residence in the western district of the artificial island.