"My other self." Seele bit her lip. "How did you get us out last time?"
Veliona scoffed. "Just like this. Except that thing didn't take me seriously back then. One punch, and the exit opened."
"But this time..." Veliona paused. "Even if I wrung every last drop of power out of [Twins], I wouldn't be completely certain."
"As long as it isn't zero, we have a chance," Seele said quickly. "You're different from me. I still can't control all the power in this body, but you can. That's why you could protect me in the Sea of Quanta, and why you could see a way out of the maze that I couldn't."
She took a deep breath. "If there's still a chance to turn this around, the key is in your hands."
Veliona froze. "You... have you lost your mind?"
Seele's eyes were clear, yet held the resolve to stake everything on this. "I talk about becoming stronger on my own, but here I am asking for help. Sounds contradictory, doesn't it?"
"But the bigger picture comes first. There's no shame in admitting I can't do it."
"Especially to you."
"Seele?"
Veliona's heart lurched. An unfamiliar premonition crept up her spine.
Then Seele lowered her head, her voice as soft as a feather touching the ground. "Please, my other self."
The tension suddenly left Veliona's shoulders. Her lips tugged into a somewhat helpless smile. "Ha... you always find some new way to surprise me. Just handing over control like that? Do you really trust me that much?"
Seele replied gently, "Of course. I've trusted you from the start. After all, I've always been watching you, and you've always been watching me, haven't you?"
"So this time, I'm giving you complete control of our body. I'll sink into the deepest layer