A year after meeting him, Koutarou had become an irreplaceable existence to Sanae, even though in the past he had been an enemy that she had wanted to chase out no matter what.
Sanae could no longer imagine life without Koutarou. When she woke up in the morning, she would see his carefree sleeping face. If she didn't, she didn't know who she would say good morning to.
“By not enough time, how much specifically!?”
Koutarou poured more into his arms as well. Though since it was an emergency, it might not have been in response to Sanae's voice. But Koutarou definitely didn't want to lose Sanae. So by chance, he realized Sanae's wish. But that wasn't just pure coincidence. It was an inevitable coincidence thanks to their overlapping feelings.
Koutarou... Koutarou...
Sanae entrusted herself to Koutarou. If she was going to disappear, she would rather melt into Koutarou and become one.
“One or two minutes... no, it shouldn't take two minutes”
“Less than two minutes...”
Hearing that, Koutarou lightly grasped his right hand and brought it to his face.
“...Master...”
Just seeing that movement, Ruth could tell what Koutarou was about to do.
Koutarou was going to use the bracelet on his right wrist to call forth Signaltin in order to buy enough time for Sanae.
I have to hurry and take her highness away from here...
Koutarou shouldn't want to show Theia Signaltin. But if Sanae was in danger, he wouldn't hesitate to bring Signaltin out. In that case, the best solution would be for Ruth to take Theia somewhere else.
“Your highness, let us do what we can as well”
“Ruth?”
“Let us return to the Blue Knight and bring with us devices to stabilize space”
These words were mostly to take Theia away from there, but in the case that Signaltin wouldn't work, she also wanted to prepare as much as possible. Ruth was also worried for Sanae.
“Very well!”
Theia quickly decided. Sanae was a precious friend to her as well. And at the same time, she was also a rival competing for rulership over room 106, so she was someone she had to defeat fair and square. A royal's battle couldn't be decided by the other party dying from sickness or accident.
“Let us hurry back to the Blue Knight!”
Theia moved towards the wall furthest into room 106 so she could use the teleportation device that had been set up there to return to her ship.
“Yes, your highness!”
Ruth nodded and signaled Koutarou with a glance.
I will leave the rest to you, Master...
Seeing Koutarou respond with a nod, Ruth chased after Theia. But there was someone that stopped them.
“Please wait!”
When that voice rang out in room 106, everyone's eyes opened wide. It was Yurika, who had been silently watching until now.
“What is the meaning of this, Yurika!! We are in a hurry!!”
Theia who had been stopped was angry. There was less than four minutes left. Theia had to return to the Blue Knight quickly as possible.
“I'll hear what you have to say later!”
“Ah, p-please wait! Listen to―”
“I don't have the time!!”
Theia rejected Yurika and headed for the Blue Knight.
“Wait, Tulip!!”
However, that was when Koutarou stopped Theia as well.
“P-Pleb!?”
Because Koutarou had called her Tulip, Theia instinctively turned around as she was standing on the doorway to the Blue Knight.
“Believe in her!!”
Koutarou shouted to Theia with determination.
“Ah, okay...”
Those few words were enough to stop Theia.
There should have been a reason for him to call her Tulip. Hearing his determined voice made her stop as she could feel how serious Koutarou was.
“Speak, Yurika, what do you want to do!?”
Koutarou was convinced that he could believe in Yurika. Her eyes right now were the same as when Maki had gone missing on the snowy mountain.
“Satomi-san...”
Yurika was surprised. Normally Koutarou wouldn't believe her and treat her poorly. She couldn't believe that he was siding with her now.
But, this...
Yurika had seen Koutarou's earnest glance before. They were the same as when Maki had vanished on the snowy mountain. The same glance he had shown when Yurika had tried to chase after Maki alone, but Koutarou had offered to help.
I don't really understand, but Satomi-san believes in me!!
Yurika didn't even notice that she was different from normal. She wasn't aware of her own growth. But even then, she could clearly feel that Koutarou believed in her.
That's why Yurika could confidently declare it.
Someone believed and put hope in her.
And that feeling awakened the courage and confidence sleeping within Yurika.
“Magic!! I will use magic to buy those two minutes!!”
Yurika clearly stated.
Surely everyone in room 106 would admit that the Yurika in front of them right now was without a doubt a magical girl.