“...I feel sorry for Theia.”
“There's no need to worry. She became a Blue Knight maniac even without my intervention. I guess it was destiny. All I did was make sure so that her trial became the invasion of this room.”
Elfaria had sent Theia to room 106 in order to protect her, and to get revenge at Koutarou. As a result, she was protected from the out of control military, and she had taken place inside of Koutarou's heart. Elfaria's plan was proceeding smoothly.
“Thanks to Reios-sama I could focus on trying to disarm the military without worries. My daughter was my weakness after all.”
“I'm not even so sure on that disarmament statement.”
“On what grounds can you say that?”
Elfaria pouted again, she felt like her senses from 20 years ago were coming back a little.
“Who would believe that someone that made ridiculous spaceship was for disarmament?”
To Koutarou, the Blue Knight didn't look like it was made by someone who wished for disarmament. It only looked like a brutal weapon specialized in mobility and attack power.
“That ship has several safeties on it.”
“Did you disable those?”
“That's not what I mean. That ship is a power that can never be misused.”
Elfaria showed a boasting smile.
“It can't be misused?”
Not following, Koutarou urged Elfaria to explain.
“Yes. Reios-sama's aspirations is the first safety. Then Theia and Ruth who are on the same wavelength as you are needed for offense and defense. On top of that, only you can maintain your power. If any of that is missing, that ship will perform below average. Everyone has to be united under one cause. There's no weapon that can be misused less than this.”
“...Now that you mention it, your enemies were those who misused power.”
“Yes.”
Elfaria's enemies were those that who lost control of themselves in their desire to increase their power without even noticing. Compared to that, the Blue Knight's power could be controlled. As long as Koutarou and the others bond remained firm, the Blue Knight would hold tremendous power.
“...Elle.”
“What could it be?”
“What is your personal goal?”
“What could you be talking about?”
Elfaria showed an awfully cute face. It was quite clearly the expression of someone playing dumb.
“Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. This is you we're talking about, you didn't make that weapon just because it could be controlled.”
“As expected of Reios-sama. You know me so well!”
Elfaria seemed glad, and as she slightly waved her finger around, she began her explanation.
“My goal is to make Reios-sama essential for the control of that ship so you can't run away from us. I won't repeat the Silver Princess' mistake.”
“...You're the same as always...”
Elfaria's groundwork and ability to create established facts instinctively caused Koutarou to drop his shoulders.
However, since Koutarou had already decided to walk down the same path as the girls of room 106, he didn't think much of it. If anything, he was happy that the friend he had been able to reunite with was the same as always.
“You won't tell me I've gotten beautiful?”
“That will depend on the tea.”
“My, you bully.”
Elfaria poured up tea as Koutarou was looking. The tea was sparkling as beautifully as rubies.
“Here, Reios-sama.”
“Hm.”
Koutarou grabbed the tea cup and took a sip. As he did a familiar, rich flavor spread throughout his mouth.
I had my suspicions from the smell, but this really is Rubustori tea...
The tea that Elfaria had prepared was made from Koutarou's and Clan's favorite, the Rubustori tea leaf. But since the Rubustori had been extinct for over 800 years it was impossible to acquire in modern Forthorthe. Which meant that this must have been made from the seeds that they had given Elfaria 20 years ago.
So Elle always took care of those seeds...
It was a difficult to grow an extinct tree with no data pertaining to it. On top of that the prime condition to bloom the tea leaves had to be found. That was something that required some serious dedication.