Kitty Killer Isn't Too Cold

"Good work, Medic. Progress is even better than I expected. At this rate, I might even be able to perform your little cat's physical examination a day early... By the way, has there been any change in your left eye?"

"...The inflammation has basically been cleared up..."

"Then have you decided which eye to use? If you do not want to use one of Loken's creations, I can also try transplanting a Rhine Lab mechanical prosthetic eye for you..."

As Kal'tsit spoke, she tossed out technical documents bearing the logos of various tech companies one volume after another. Never mind the second-rate companies—even Rhine Lab's technical manuals were here?

"However, considering your personal feelings, I need to tell you in advance... Prosthetic eye technology will inevitably involve Rhine Lab's chimeric treatment. In essence, that too is a technology born from inhumane experiments... And in terms of restoring vision, it is expected to be inferior to an Originium-derived organ..."

"Because I have no rejection reaction to the Bruce family's Originium-derived organs?"

Though phrased as a question, Medic's tone was certain... Of course she knew why Kal'tsit had reached that conclusion from her physical examination report... After all, her body had been an aberrant monster capable of adapting to any organ from the very beginning...

Thinking of that, Medic sighed.

"Well... I am a Chimera. I do not reject human biological organs... The only thing that rejects them is my heart..."

"It seems you have already made your decision."

Closing the technical manual she had just opened, Kal'tsit looked at Medic, who still appeared somewhat reluctant.

"I will not ask in detail why you changed your mind... But for your post-operative recovery and mental health, you need to manage your emotions. Do not become immersed in the illusions of Arts. Finally, remember to send the cultivation tank to me."

"Understood."

Waving goodbye, Medic left Kal'tsit's office and checked the watch issued by the Security Bureau again... Outside the ship, it was already pitch-black, while the watch displayed 21:00 Columbia time.

"Overtime... Hate it..."

After briefly voicing her thoughts, Medic walked through Rhodes Island, where even the lights flickered on and off, clutching her growling stomach as she felt her way toward the "kitchen" to sneak herself a late meal.

But the catering truck had obviously been put away long ago, since the space was needed for training... Medic found nothing to eat, but she did spot several familiar figures.

The man built like an iron tower had his upper body bare, sweat gleaming beneath the industrial floodlights. Since the temperature difference in Columbia was immense after nightfall, the muscular man wearing sunglasses this late at night looked as though he stood in paradise. His rising sweat billowed like mist, like flames blazing upward.

Ace: "Su Sulo! Do not think the Medical Department does not need training! You signed an external operations contract too—you are an external operations operator! Without a strong body, are you going to become a burden to the team when you encounter rioters, or even Catastrophes? What holds you back has never been your Vulpo physique, but your weak will that always wants to give up! Do not give up! One last lap—!!"

Watching Su Sulo, changed into a light tank top and shorts, run laps around the track with a mournful face and a backpack on her back—or rather, simply "shuffle" along—Medic stopped to watch despite failing to find any food. Seeing someone else suffer was still entertaining.

More importantly, beside Blaze, who was also watching the show and had even more steam rising from her head than Ace, sat a water bottle and something that looked like a packet of biscuits... Well, though she wanted to say she had not been drawn over by the food, Kitty Killer instinctively followed the route through the lit training ground that best concealed her figure and movements, sneaking up beside Blaze.

"...She looks so pitiful. Has Su Sulo been running all day?"

"No, no. Since she is not as physically capable as combat personnel, she kept stopping and starting. She has only done less than ten kilometers so far... Huh? Medic, you are off work?"

"Mm... I'm hungry. Got anything to eat?"

Though startled by the cat who had somehow appeared beside her, Blaze saw the fellow Feline a head shorter than herself drooping her ears and asking for food. She smiled a little damply and opened a packet of biscuits.

"I do. How about biscuits and a sports drink? I just mixed them together from what I had on hand..."

Listening to Blaze's strangely garbled explanation, Medic's cat ears twitched as she took the water bottle and sniffed it.

"...Light saltwater... That really is a pretty good sports drink."

"Resources are limited, so pardon the poor hospitality... Want to try this biscuit? Ace's baked biscuits are as hard as rocks, but I put cheese in the middle, so they are at least edible... Ah~"

Seeing Blaze happily trying to feed her, Medic was not used to it, but accepted the kindness anyway... Yet as she chewed the crunchy hard biscuit, which could easily scratch her mouth if she was careless, Medic had no choice but to turn her attention to the water bottle in her hands.

"Mmph, mmph... Not... not bad..."

"Um, Medic, you do not have to force yourself that hard... Also, you took way too big a bite. I was seriously worried Ace's dark cuisine would choke you to death just now... I do not know what Kal'tsit would say to us if that really happened..."

"Anyway, I'll give you something in return."

Watching Medic continue chewing biscuits with a sound like grinding teeth, Kitty Killer held the water bottle like a bartender. Just as Blaze's eyes lit up, Medic switched to gripping the bottle with both hands, then began shaking it furiously from side to side and violently up and down.

The commotion on Medic's side even caught Ace and Su Sulo's attention... And watching Su Sulo get distracted, step on her own foot, and fall flat on the ground, Ace sighed... Clearly, Su Sulo's training could not be accomplished overnight.

"Alright, rest... Su Sulo, you still did not meet the target today. All I can say is that you need to focus more on endurance training from now on. We will conduct another endurance test next month... By external operations standards, your physical strength must at least rise above the 'deficient' state."

"Y-yes... I understand..."

"Get up already. I know you do not want to move at all... But look over there..."

"Uh... (⊙o⊙)? Medic!! Save me!!"

Looking at Su Sulo lying on the ground and whimpering, Medic had no choice but to end her performance with a sudden behind-the-back bottle toss.

"Sorry, Blaze. Looks like they need this more over there."

"It's fine, it's fine~ That bottle of saltwater was originally prepared for Su Sulo... Come to think of it, I think I felt a bit of Originium Arts just now... What did you do?"

"Nothing. I just compressed some air into the saltwater... It is not as good as proper carbonation, but it is still sparkling saltwater."

"Ohhh—! Make one for me later too, okay?!"

"Sure."

As they chatted casually, Blaze happily opened another cheese-filled biscuit and fed it to Medic. After the two put down their supplies and began helping the little fox lying on the ground remove her weights, Ace, having wiped off his sweat and put on his training clothes, pointed at himself pitifully after hearing Medic had made sparkling saltwater.

"What about me?"

"Well, ladies first."

She handed the water bottle to Su Sulo first. Watching the pink—though almost white under the lights—little fox gulp down the sparkling saltwater in several wild swallows, then let out a long, loud burp with absolutely no regard for her image, Blaze wrapped an arm around Medic and burst out laughing at Su Sulo's dead-eyed expression.

The big cat's laughter was just that infectious. Even Medic, who had always worn a calm expression as though nothing could stir her, could not help revealing a faint smile.

"...That is the bad part about soda... That is why I generally prefer milk..."

Su Sulo: "I do not think I had a choice... Damn it, Medic, why are you not doing endurance training with me..."

"Because I still have work to do with Kal'tsit."

As she spoke, Medic opened the waterproof wrapping on another biscuit... Ace's rock biscuits, dark cuisine though they were, were neither easy to eat nor particularly tasty, but they were exceptionally filling... After only three biscuits, Medic was surprised to find herself seemingly full.

So, was she still going to sneak food from the catering truck?

After thinking about it, Medic decided to preserve a little dignity... It was only her second day aboard the ship. She had better not establish too many strange impressions of herself.

After that, Miss Medic used her special ability to make two more servings of sparkling saltwater, satisfying Ace and Blaze's cravings. Before they knew it, the time had reached ten o'clock... The four of them had enjoyed their conversation—or rather, having been physically and mentally exhausted after a full day of work, they dispersed soon afterward.

The four of them each had their own tasks tomorrow. If they did not rest soon, Kal'tsit would be difficult to answer to.

What Medic did not know was that after she left, a purple-haired hooded Sarkaz emerged from the void...

After Medic returned to her room, endured the little cat's assault, and calmed the little cat with Cole and Kate after it had gone an entire day without seeing its "Sister Nana," she remembered that she still needed to bring Kate's eye to Kal'tsit, forcing her to make another trip.

At the same time, next door—

The pink-haired Sarkaz stroked the rabbit-eared girl sleeping with her head on her lap and asked softly.

"...Did you see that Arts just now, Ascalon?"

"Your Highness, you know I do not specialize in the path of Arts... But I did see it... There is no doubt that it was Witchcraft of the Court... But that is all I can confirm."

As she spoke, the purple-haired hooded Sarkaz looked toward the shadows at the side. Within that darkness... a Banshee played with a bone pen, curiosity filling her eyes.

"It was Bloodfiend Witchcraft... That girl manipulated water as though it were blood... A killing technique meant to vaporize an enemy's blood became a trick for making drinks in her hands... Hehe. If that Lord knew, he would probably rush over coughing blood from every orifice."

"Oh my, Logos... Though you have some minor issues with the older generation, do not always wish for the Court to embarrass itself... Though I do think what you said is very possible."

Quietly agreeing, the pink-haired Sarkaz woman covered her smiling mouth with one hand and glanced around from side to side... as though she genuinely feared the Bloodfiend Lord of the Court might leap out from a corner.

The purple-haired hooded woman looked toward the Banshee.

"We can more or less confirm it now, then... Just as Lord Kal'tsit said, that person... likely possesses the Crown as well..."

"Just as Outcast said, although the Law and the Crown interfere with each other... both are indeed functioning normally within her... And the Law recognizes someone capable of using Witchcraft as a Sankta. Does that mean..."

The pink-haired Sarkaz woman raised a hand to stop him, and Logos did not continue speculating... After all, whether the conclusion was true or not, it would be of no help to the Sarkaz's present circumstances.

The pink-haired Sarkaz woman merely gazed absentmindedly at Amiya on her lap again. The girl bit her lip as though looking upon something terrifying even in her sleep.

"...Although I agreed to relinquish my authority, whenever I see this child suffering even in her dreams, I wonder whether I abandoned the responsibility that was originally mine... Amiya... Poor Amiya... Why must you bear this hatred and fury that never belonged to you... You are still so small... You do not even understand what hatred and anger themselves mean."

"If it were that child... At least that 'Angel' who already possesses a sense of self and can think for herself... even if she were filled with anger, she would not casually hate anyone..."

As she spoke, the pink-haired Sarkaz shook her head.

"What a pity... Someone so suited to wearing the Crown is destined to never be accepted by the Court, simply because she has been accepted by the Law... Simply because she is the Sarkaz's natural enemy... When will we understand that the meaning of hatred itself... is that it has no meaning at all?"

"Your Highness..."

Seeing Ascalon hesitate to speak, the pink-haired Sarkaz gave a faint bitter smile.

"Sorry. I always say things that make everyone unhappy..."

Seeing both of them bow their heads slightly, the pink-haired Sarkaz woman's bitter smile deepened.

Then, she carefully moved Amiya aside... covered her with a blanket, and walked to the porthole...

Not even a trace of starlight could be seen in Columbia's wilderness outside. Like the future of the Sarkaz in her eyes, it was utterly dark.

When would dawn break, and when could they await the light... Kal'tsit had promised her that such a day would come, only... as the price, she herself might not live to see it.

But as she looked at the image projected from the crystal ball gifted by a certain Lich on the table, the Sarkaz hero, the Sarkaz King, Theresa, revealed a faint smile.

"Ah, Kal'tsit... At least, on this ship in the future... I hope you will no longer wear such a lonely expression..."

"Kal'tsit?"

She knocked, but unexpectedly received no response. Carrying the container holding Kate's eye, Medic had an appointment and chose to push open her boss's office door directly.

Normally, an assassin provoking her superior like this would probably be shot eight times the moment she opened the door and ruled a suicide... But... Kal'tsit gave Medic a fairly good feeling.

After these days of interaction, Nana felt that this person was the sort of... highly focused technician.

Though when carrying out missions, compared with Kal'tsit—who could at most provide the appropriate equipment, perhaps accompany her personally, but could offer no greater support—Nana would rather have a manager who could prepare everything and support her while balancing ideals with reality.

But... even merely looking at the other woman's sleeping face, Medic felt that... this person who seemed to understand everything, wanted to do everything, and truly did everything within her power, this person who did not know what she was so urgently rushing toward... possessed an inherently soothing strength in her actions that made people want to support her unconsciously.

How strange. Her speaking skills were clearly far inferior to the manager's... So why was it that when the manager spoke of ideals, Nana only wanted to run away, while with Kal'tsit, Medic wanted to support her actions?

Was it because Kal'tsit was truly charging forward alone?

Medic did not understand such things. Like her potted plants, she merely landed on Rhodes Island and took root on Rhodes Island.

You help me, and I will help you.

Medic was just a simple Feline. To gain her support, there had never been any need for so much talking.

Pushing the door open and looking at the jade-colored Feline reclining slightly in her office chair, Nana's first thought was that this posture made her very easy to shoot, before she remembered she was not here to carry out a mission.

Squinting as she leaned closer, Kitty Killer saw no sign of the woman waking after a long while. Only then did she confirm that this jade-colored fellow Feline who worked around the clock was obviously not some aberrant Demon or machine... She was human too, and she could get tired and fall asleep.

Come to think of it, Medic had seen a bed behind the office bookshelf. It was slightly messy, so Kal'tsit seemed to have been sleeping there before, but was now at the desk... Could she have been waiting for Medic to bring Kate's eye, then fallen asleep waiting?

With that deduction in mind, Kitty Killer carefully placed the container holding Kate's eye inside a safe storage cabinet equipped with fall protection...

Then she looked at Kal'tsit reclining in her chair, her small mouth slightly open as she breathed. Miss Assassin first took off her own coat... then felt that was not right, and brought over the blanket from the bed instead... That somehow felt even less right.

Slowly moving the dark green column-shaped crystal blocking the way into a corner, Kitty Killer finally decided to carry Kal'tsit onto her bed. The process was slightly... for some reason, rather nerve-racking, but fortunately everything went smoothly.

Finally, she carefully tucked the blanket around her. Perhaps, much like caring for the little cats at home, Nana had gradually developed a bit of maternal instinct while caring for Matilda.

"...This should do it."

Saying that, Medic checked one last time that the container she had brought was placed somewhere it would not be easily damaged. Kitty Killer gave the dark green crystal, which seemed to have shifted position again, a puzzled glance before deciding that she should meddle less in her superior's affairs... Then she left and shut the door behind her.

As always, after the cat left, in Kal'tsit's office where she could not know... Kal'tsit's expression remained unchanged, but her ears had turned faintly red. The moment she heard the door close, she opened her eyes.

The jade-colored Feline stared blankly for several seconds, then rubbed her face. As though to combat the cold of Columbia's wilderness, Kal'tsit rubbed until her face turned red before climbing out from beneath the blanket.

She did not know why, when she had woken halfway through being carried, she had inexplicably chosen not to make a sound.

Had she once again been affected by her body's hormones?

Kal'tsit did not know.

She could only put on her clothes, then retrieve that eye from the cabinet. Like a green diamond, it possessed beautiful fire when examined closely.

The cultivation of this eye had originally been scheduled to begin tomorrow afternoon, but because someone had casually laid hands on it, she could no longer sleep.

Workaholic Kal'tsit could only devote her limited time to infinite work once more... Of course, just as she prepared to begin, she suddenly sensed that something was off about the atmosphere around her.

Originium Arts? No, it was something beyond modern concepts.

Kal'tsit, who knew very well what was beneath this ship, immediately put on a stern face again.

"...Theresa?"

Thanks to the airy sound of a young girl's laughter seeming to echo through the air, Kal'tsit's face, which had still carried a trace of embarrassment moments earlier, had completely returned to its usual expression—as though she bore a grudge against the entire world.