Little Sister? Big Sister?

The terrifying explosion blasted open a vacuum, annihilating the Ether-corrupted buildings along with everything else in its path.

But inside the holy shield, Remiel Dan's pupils contracted. She had seen Gepetto's remains being retrieved by its true body!

Beneath the blood-red Hollow boundary, crimson threads extended from the dark opening and hauled Gepetto's wreckage into the sky.

Gepetto's shrieks lost their edge. Like a puppet with its strings cut, it was lifted away by the puppeteer behind the curtain. Beyond that opening, beyond the Black Wall, lay the true body of Gepetto.

"Should we stop it?"

Remiel Dan was about to turn and ask when her expression changed. Sakura had vanished without her noticing, and Griseo had climbed onto her back.

Was she treating her like a mount?

"Hey, hey! Little sister, I may have wings and I may be able to fly, but I'm not a mount!" Remiel Dan protested.

"Dan, chase it!" Griseo ignored her protest and pointed at the opening overhead.

"Huh?" Remiel Dan froze. She had meant to stop the puppet's remains from being retrieved. Griseo meant to charge straight into its lair?

"Little sister, under the terms of the Pact, we can't go over there..."

"Dan, hurry!"

"All right!"

At Griseo's second shout, Remiel Dan steeled herself. To hell with the Pact. To hell with the danger.

Curiosity killed the cat!

As a guardian of the boundary, she had always sought the source of Ether. Now someone closer to it than Wanzhou stood right before her.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

White light burst from Remiel Dan as she spread her angelic wings and carried Griseo toward the opening in the sky.

"It's almost been retrieved."

The being beyond the opening seemed to sense their intentions. It let out another warning shriek, and the crimson threads