This is not the date I wanted.

"puff……"

Watching the interaction between the three people, Meng Yue couldn't help laughing, and the expression on her face eased slightly.

"Well, that's about the situation on our side. Bili-chan, what happened on your side?"

"I……"

Meng Yue opened her mouth, hesitated for a moment, and then said nothing, pointing to the command room which was approaching.

"Let's go in and talk."

The automatic door slowly opened and Mengyue stepped into the command room.

"Ms. Meng Yue?!"

"Really? I'm glad you're okay."

"Well, long time no see everyone."

Looking at the crew of Fraxinus EX, Mengyue replied softly.

Looking around the room, Mengyue saw Kawagoe, who "tired too quickly", Mikimoto, the "President", Shiizaki, the "Straw Doll", Nakagawazu, the "Dimension Destroyer", Minowa, who was "under protective observation", and Kannazuki Gongping, the deputy commander of the ship and the masochist.

Mengyue discovered that their expressions had become somewhat haggard at this moment, and compared to what Mengyue had remembered, they lacked some life and energy.

This is no wonder. In their hearts, Kotori's status is no less than Shidou in the eyes of the elves. Seeing her boss turn around because of despair while she is helpless must be a huge blow.

"Ok?"

Suddenly, Meng Yue felt something was wrong. She noticed that in the command room in front of her, besides Qin Li, there was another person she knew missing.

"Where's Lingyin? Isn't she here?"

"..."

Hearing Meng Yue's question, everyone fell silent for an instant. After a long time, Shen Wu Yue stood up and spoke with some embarrassment.

"…Analyst Murasame is missing now. When the commander turned the tables, everyone was confused, and when they calmed down, he disappeared. Although we have sent people to search, it seems that… the situation is not good."

Hearing this, Meng Yue couldn't help but fall into thought, then lowered her head with an apologetic look on her face.

"I see... Sorry for asking a weird question."

"We believe that Analyst Murasame is safe now."

[Excuse me, everyone. Director Woodman from the headquarters sent a communication request.]

At this moment, Ju Ya suddenly spoke.

Woodman?

When they heard that the call was from their boss, they hurried back to their seats, their faces filled with tension and anxiety.

Soon, the screen switched to the headquarters, and everyone saw that Woodman was sitting in a wheelchair facing the camera, while his personal secretary Karen was standing silently behind him.

"Director Woodman."

Kannazuki straightened his back and bowed solemnly to Woodman.

[Sorry to bother you during work hours? Deputy Commander Kannazuki.]

Woodman smiled slightly and asked in a gentle tone.

"No, not at all. It's just that..."

Shenwu Yue shook his head and then asked with some confusion.

"You contacted us specifically, is there something?"

[Yes, indeed. I just received a report that you have reunited with the spirit called "Liang Yi Meng Yue", right? ]

"Eh? Well...it's true."

[Would it be convenient for me to talk to that elf? ]

"This one……"

Hearing Woodman's request, Kanwuzuki looked at Mengyue in the dark with an inquiring look.

After thinking for a moment, Mengyue walked to the front of the screen.

"…What's the matter? Elliot Baldwin Woodman."

[Oh, you are Liang Yi Meng Yue...]

Woodman showed a somewhat surprised expression, looked at Mengyue for a few times, and then spoke.

"Come to think of it, this is the first time we've met. You've taken good care of me before, and I've always wanted to meet you, but unfortunately I haven't had the chance."

"Well, this isn't the first time we've met. You've helped me a lot, so I'd like to thank you in advance."

After answering politely, Meng Yue looked at the gentle middle-aged man on the screen and asked.

"Then, do you have anything you want to ask me?"

[Well, a few days ago, I received news from an informant at DEM. DEM's director, Isaac Westcott, was assassinated by an unknown person and died unfortunately.]

Woodman casually dropped a bombshell that shocked the entire audience, then looked into Meng Yue's eyes and asked slowly.

[That person... is it you? ]

In an instant, all shocked eyes focused on Liang Yi Meng Yue.

Who is Westcott? He is the boss of their mortal enemy DEM and the culprit for the current situation. They have lost count of how many times they have been disrupted by him during their missions. It is no exaggeration to say that there is no one present who does not want to cut him into pieces.

However, no matter how much they hated him, everyone knew that Westcott was not only cunning but also very cautious.

Their greatest enemy was killed suddenly in a place unknown to them. To be honest, when the people of Fraxinus heard the news, they felt more of a sense of unreality than relief.

"Yes, I killed him."

Meng Yue did not hide it and nodded straightforwardly.

[It's really refreshing to admit it. 】

Woodman said somewhat unexpectedly.

"Nothing. Even if you didn't ask, I was going to tell everyone. After all, I don't think I did anything wrong, and there's no need to hide it."

[I see. So... Ike is dead...]

【…】

After taking a long breath, Woodman and Karen on the screen had complicated expressions, some relieved, some sad.

【Ms. Mengyue.】

After a long while, Woodman adjusted his interest and spoke slowly.

[Ike was my former colleague and partner. I know him better than anyone else. He deserved his death no matter how he committed the crime. Even if you didn't kill him, I'm afraid he would be killed by someone else one day. So I won't hate you. Instead, please allow me, Tiny, to express my gratitude.]

"Thank you is different. If possible, I hope you can repay me with something more practical, Woodman."

Meng Yue shook her head and said.

【Oh? What do you want? 】

Hearing Mengyue's words, Woodman raised his eyebrows and looked at her with interest.

In response, Meng Yue did not rush to state her request, but turned to look at the crew of Fraxinus EX and asked seriously.

"Everyone, do you want your commander, Gokawa Kotori, to come back?"

The moment they heard this, everyone's heart trembled.

"What do you mean now? Do you have a way to restore the commander to his original state!?"

"Yes." Meng Yue answered with certainty, "The reason why I assassinated Westcott is that if he were alive, he would be harmful to Tohka and the others; and secondly, I wanted to find a way from him to restore the reversed spirits to their original state. In fact, I did achieve my goal. But unfortunately, this method cannot succeed by me alone, and I need the help of others."

After saying that, Meng Yue repeated the question she had just asked.

"Ask again, do you want Kotori to come back?"

"I do! Of course I do! As long as the commander can be saved, I, Kannazuki, will not hesitate to sacrifice my life."

"Of course, I owe the Commander countless favors, and it would be too much if I didn't repay them."

“Although I am not happy that Kanbutsuki answered first.”

"Although I feel a little uneasy...but I am willing to believe what Miss Mengyue said."

The members of Fraxinus responded excitedly.

Before this, they actually had no hope for the recovery of the reversed spirits. After all, as far as they knew, in order to restore the reversed spirits, they must have the power of Gokawa Shidao. Now that Gokawa Shidao was dead, the spirits naturally had no possibility of recovery.

But Meng Yue's words rekindled their fighting spirit.

"Woodman. That's what I want."

At this time, Mengyue turned her gaze back to Woodman on the screen.

"My goal is the same as yours, to save the elves in distress. But my own strength is not enough, so I hope you can give me the command of this airship and the resources of Ratatoskr."

After listening to Mengyue's words, Woodman closed his eyes and thought for a long time before nodding in agreement.

[Indeed, I have no reason to refuse... I agree to your request, Miss Mengyue.]

"...Bili sauce?"

Staring blankly at everything happening before his eyes, Erya was speechless for a moment.

Suddenly, she felt that the Yin-Yang Mengyue in front of her seemed distant and strange.

04 The Melancholy of Honjo Nia

==============================

Gokawa Shido... is dead?

When he first heard the news, the first feeling that came to Honjo Niya's mind was doubt.

Is this some April Fools' joke that went too far? A trap set by the enemy to destabilize us? Or is it a trick to deceive the enemy?

However, such self-deceiving doubts soon lost their meaning, and what followed was a trivial sense of luck, like desperately grasping at a life-saving straw.

No problem, the boy will be fine. Doesn't he have the ability to heal even if his chest is torn apart? Hasn't he been able to use the power of the spirits to protect himself? He has gone through so many difficulties so far, and this time he will definitely...

——Itsuka Shido, stopped life activities.

However, what is presented before us is not a miracle like the one depicted by the protagonists in light novels, comics, and animations, but a quieter, colder - cruel and ruthless reality.

Even today, Honjo Niya can still clearly recall how he felt at that time.

Just like there is a big hole at the bottom of a bucket, the happiness in the bucket cannot be stopped from flowing away, and what is left in the end is only an empty shell.

Itsuka Shido is dead. Every time I think of this fact, the pain in my heart increases.

The boy's voice could no longer be heard.

The boy's smile is no longer seen.

I couldn't play tricks on him, talk to him, or even see him again.

The more I realize this, the more frightened I become.

In the end, sadness and despair fill the empty heart, making people want to roar desperately and cry loudly.

And it is this kind of emotion that has become the fuse that creates more tragedies.

How painful is it to say goodbye to someone important forever? Even Erya herself was hit so hard that she could hardly accept the reality. Then, those who lived with the boy day and night must have to endure a shock several times, or even dozens of times, more than her.

Ah, that’s it.

Looking at his companions who collapsed and ran away because of despair, Erya thought helplessly.

This is the boy’s home. Every elf here is connected and gathered together because of the boy.

So the moment the boy died, everything that connected them would naturally cease to exist.

——————————————————I am the dividing line between dream and awakening————————————

“…an unknown ceiling.”

Staring at the fluorescent lights on the ceiling of the room, Honjo Niya instinctively complained.

"Oh... by the way, I'm now... living in Kotori-chan's airship."