After a full night's rest, Hoshigaki Sora woke to find the planet bathed in a new dawn.
"Another day full of hope," he murmured, for reasons even he couldn't quite explain.
Maybe it was because this planet felt so suffocatingly still and bleak—it needed a little hope.
But Sora wasn't just here to sightsee today. He had a question, and the only person who could answer it was the First Seat.
Stepping out of his room, he found the entire settlement already buzzing with activity.
"Reinforce the east wall—double-check the structural integrity!"
"South side! There's still a gaping hole in the wall, people!"
"Quiet! I'm trying to think here!"
Despite everything, people were working with purpose—patching gaps, reinforcing defenses, hauling supplies. There wasn't even a trace of despair left from last night's battle against the Antimatter Legion.
Then again, maybe they'd simply gotten used to it. Maybe for them, surviving the Legion wasn't unusual anymore.
Sora took it all in silently. After asking someone where the First Seat could be found, he headed in that direction.
But along the way, he ran into Robin.
She'd clearly been up for hours. At the moment, she was laughing and playing with a group of children from the settlement.
Wearing simple clothes, her radiant face and serene expression gave her a quietly ethereal presence.
She looked up when she spotted him and walked over.
"You're awake."
"Yeah. And you're…?"
"I had nothing else to do this morning, so I asked the First Seat if I could help. She gave me this job."
Robin looked a little sheepish, but there was no hint of complaint in her tone. As someone who'd once been an orphan of war herself, she clearly didn't see any shame in this kind of work.
"Is that so? Well then, give it your all. I've got something to ask her myself."
Sora patted her shoulder, wishing her luck. He definitely wasn't cut out for her kind of work.
He knocked lightly. When permission came from inside, he entered the First Seat's room.
Compared to last time, she looked visibly more exhausted.
"I knew you'd come," she said, offering a faint smile. "But first, let me thank you—on behalf of all the survivors—for what you did last night."
"If not for your efforts, we never could've completed the evacuation with zero casualties."
Sora scratched his head, a little embarrassed, but he recovered quickly.
He didn't bother with small talk. He went straight to the point—the storm of arrows from the Hunt last night.
"I summoned them," she said plainly.
That caught Sora off guard. No denial. No attempt to deflect.
Seeing his expression, she continued calmly:
"I am Anna Bergalo—the last royal of this planet."
"The reason the royal line bears that title is because we can communicate directly with the planet's will. With its help, we can simulate the blessings of other Aeons."
"That's also why Planet Camille is known as a 'living planet.' The planet itself is sentient."
Sora inhaled sharply.
This planet is that powerful? It can replicate other Aeons' powers?
And communicating with the planetary will… it was basically like having Philip on standby—Camille's very own mental library.
But then came the inevitable question—
"If it's that powerful… how did it fall to the Antimatter Legion?"
He'd seen those arrows. The Legion couldn't even survive them. How could they possibly win?
"Because the Annihilation Gang infiltrated the planet and established a foothold on its surface—a stronghold known as the War Foundry."
Anna's voice grew somber.
"In the end… it was our own failure to defend Camille that let them in."
The Annihilation Gang. One of the many factions claiming allegiance to the Aeon of Destruction.
Of course, to Nanook, those so-called devotees likely weren't even worth the attention—about as meaningful as a child breaking a vase for attention.
But they clung to their delusions, and worse yet, they succeeded.
They brought the War Foundry to Camille.
"The Foundry suppresses the planet's consciousness. It keeps it dormant… and slowly saps its life."
It was also the source of the Voidrangers, the Tramplers, and even the Doomsday Beasts. A factory of destruction.
"So if the War Foundry is destroyed… the planet can recover?" Sora asked, immediately latching onto the crux.
"In theory, yes," Anna nodded. "But the Foundry was placed in a region where the planet is most deeply affected. I can't access my powers there at all."
That explains everything.
Why she could summon the Aeon's blessing—yet still had to keep running.
"Do you have any way to destroy it?"
"We didn't," she said. "Until you arrived."
Sora blinked. "Me?"
"Several days ago, a ship crash-landed about a few hundred kilometers from here. Among its wreckage… we found what we needed."
She tapped the table lightly. The door opened, and someone stepped in carrying a tray.
On it were three glowing objects—cool, blue, and ominously radiant.
"These are energy bombs, crafted from the crashed ship's power core. With them, we can destroy the War Foundry."
Anna stepped forward, tiny frame casting a long shadow in the morning light.
"I know it's selfish to ask," she said quietly. "But would you help us save this planet?"
"Your strength… it's something we can no longer do without."
So that's what all the openness was about earlier, Sora thought. She was leading up to this.
He studied the girl—so poised, so composed—and then noticed something she couldn't hide:
The subtle trembling at the corner of her eye.
She was scared.
But more than anything… she was hoping.
Hoping he'd say yes.
Hoping he wouldn't walk away.
"You don't have to answer now," Anna said gently. "Whatever you choose, we will respect it."
"If you choose to refuse, we'll make arrangements to help you leave this planet as soon as possible."
"In three days, we'll begin our first operation to dismantle the War Foundry."
"Until then… we await your answer."