"Aigis."
It was a shield of great renown in Greek mythology.
In Greek mythology, there were two shields known as "Aigis."
One belonged to Zeus.
The other belonged to Athena.
Both shields had been forged by Hephaestus, the god of smithing.
The former was made of goatskin, yet it was filled with magic. Not even a direct lightning strike could damage it in the slightest. Merely waving it could summon storms; placing it in the sky would darken the heavens, while the sky would clear when Zeus took it up.
The latter bore inscriptions and functions such as "Terror," "Battle," "Ferocity," and "Pursuit" at its four corners. At its center was mounted the head of Gorgon Medusa, turning anyone who looked upon the shield into stone.
Because of this legend, the name Aigis was often used as a metaphor for something exceptionally sturdy and tough.
Even the U.S. Navy's most important integrated surface warfare system in active service had been named after it.
And now, a divine artifact bearing that same name had appeared here.
"Its previous owner was a Hero candidate summoned from the Other World. Relying on this armor, he fought on the front lines the entire time. Protected by this armor, he was never injured, and no matter how fierce the battle, he was never defeated by anyone. That remained true until he passed away from illness."
Chris stared straight at the Sacred Armor called Aigis, murmuring quietly as though speaking to herself.
"You protected your master until the very end. You worked hard..."
Chris's expression as she murmured was neither as carefree as usual nor as scatterbrained as she had been moments ago. It was a gentle look, like that of an exalted being detached from the mortal world.
That gentleness was sacred and beautiful.
That's