The afternoon sunlight was just right.
Cool, comfortable air filled the office, driving away the heat.
It was already three in the afternoon when Miss Esnie woke. She had slept especially soundly during her nap.
In the battle a day earlier, Esnie and Yucas had joined forces against Zero Misen. Although the two sides were evenly matched in combat strength, Zero possessed a number of technological weapons they had never seen before. She had even disrupted their connections to their Exoskeleton Armor several times during the fight, causing considerable trouble.
In the latter half of the battle, Zero Misen had changed tactics, transforming from an elusive assassin into a reckless berserker, trading wounds for wounds as though determined to fight to the death.
This was not her original body, but a clone formed from highly concentrated psionic energy. Its strength was every bit as formidable, however, and with it fighting without any regard for its life, the two of them had been forced to give their all in a head-on clash to regain the initiative.
Although they had ultimately stabilized the situation on the main battlefield, both had suffered significant injuries.
Feeling the faint ache in her left shoulder, Esnie remained composed.
Despite the protection of her Exoskeleton Armor, Zero's High-Frequency Cutting Blade had left dozens of wounds of varying sizes on her body. The worst was a cut on her left shoulder, so deep that her shoulder blade was nearly visible.
"Huh... M-Mr. Jonas?"
Miss Esnie sat up straight, only to discover that someone had appeared beside her bed without her noticing.
Jonas sat beside the bed, peeling an apple with a small knife. The apple was rosy and juicy, looking utterly delicious.
The girl suddenly trembled. It was not just her appetite that stirred; a little warmth welled