However, because of the spacequake, the place had lost all its usual bustle and was completely deserted.
Behind Shido lay an enormous crater. Presumably, it was a Spirit's handiwork.
"Kotori, where's the Spirit?"
Shido glanced around but saw no sign of a Spirit.
Then Kotori answered him.
"The Spirit's signal is inside this Dome. Shido, go in and take a look."
"Okay..."
Shido nodded lightly, opened the doors, and slowly walked inside.
Time rewound to the AST base, a little over ten minutes before the spacequake began.
"Sergeant Origami Tobiichi, your confinement is lifted as of today. You may resume normal AST missions and training."
In a certain room, a middle-aged man addressed Origami, who stood before him.
Hearing her superior's orders, Origami gave an expressionless salute and replied in a completely flat voice.
"Understood."
Back in June, Origami had piloted DEM's defective unit, the White Lycoris, without authorization and attacked the Spirit Efreet (Camael) at Tengu Eternal Paradise, disregarding the safety of the public.
Not only had she exposed the existence of Realizers to ordinary people, causing an extremely damaging incident,
but she had also failed to kill Efreet (Camael), instead inflicting severe damage on the unit.
Normally, Origami should have had all her memories concerning the AST and Spirits erased with a Realizer, then been discharged from the military.
But thanks to the intervention of the DEM Executive Director, a man named Isaac, an exception had been made. Her punishment was reduced to the lenient measures of temporarily being barred from using a Realizer and prohibited from participating in any AST activities.
Today was the day those punishments expired.
Just then—
"What is the meaning of this!? Don't you owe me an explanation!?"
The door burst open, and Origami's captain, Ryoko Kusakabe, stormed in with a stack