Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 13 - Chapter 1

Homecoming

Sunday, April 25th

Even on Sundays, mornings began early in room 106. The reason for that was Koutarou and Ruth’s daily training. While everyone else was sleeping, they would go out, just the two of them. That was how things had been for several months now.

However, Ruth didn’t appear today. And without her here, there was no one to wake Koutarou up. As a result, he was still lying on the floor, rolled all the way over up against one of the walls of the inner room.

The sound of unhesitating footsteps could be heard passing by Koutarou. The cause of said footsteps sat down in front of the TV and grabbed the remote to turn it on. Lots of anime aired on Sunday mornings, so this was an important time of the week for any anime fan.

“...Ah, Sanae-chan, if you run around like that, you’ll wake up Satomi-san!”

Someone was already sitting in front of the TV, and they scolded the new arrival. They were apparently worried about the sound of loud footsteps waking up the owner of the apartment.

“So what? He can wake up if he wants.”

“If he wakes up, he’ll make me study!”

“So just study. You want to go to university, right?”

“If I’m studying, I can’t watch TV!”

“It’s okay, you can just record it. God bless modern technology.”

“But I want to watch it now!”

The new arrival sat down next to the person who was already there, and they began watching TV together. Fortunately, not even their ruckus was enough to disturb Koutarou. And when their show came on, they began talking less and less, so in the end, they didn’t wake up Koutarou.

“Satomi-kun, sleeping in a place like that... Heehee.”

“That’s dangerous, Aika-san. If you get too close to Satomi-kun when he’s sleeping, you’ll regret it.”

It wasn’t long before another two people appeared in the small room. They intimately exchanged words as they looked at Koutarou, who was sleeping by the wall. After talking with each other all night long, they’d gotten closer.

“Kasagi-san, what do you mean by that?”

“Not only does Satomi-kun sleep in odd positions, but he also tends to hug things while he’s half-asleep. When Yurika tried to wake him up last, he caught her in some wrestling moves. Ruth was even mistaken for a tree covered in beetles once.”

“Heehee, that’s just like him.”

“I told you it was dangerous.”

“...But I want to experience such interactions between friends too.”

“You sure are eccentric, Aika-san...”

“This is the first time I’ve lived with truly nice people, you know...”

“It’s lots of fun. Every day is like an adventure.”

“Ahaha...”

Because neither of the two new arrivals had families, they related to each other a great deal. Though they didn’t look like it on the surface, deep down inside they were very similar. After the long talk they’d had the night before, they’d come to understand each other and now had a very friendly atmosphere between them.

“We should just wake him up. The room is small enough as it is, and he’s all sprawled out on the floor like that...”

“Clan-san, what did you do when you were travelling with Satomi-kun?”

“Lifting him up a little and then dropping him was effective. Fortunately, it was easy to do because that armor could be remote controlled.”

It was then that yet another two people appeared, and compared to the others already in the room, these two had a much calmer air about them.

“Hmm, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“I imagine that would be hard for you since you don’t have any strength, Harumi, but... Oh wait, you could just use magic instead.”

“It still doesn’t feel like I’ve really become a magician...”

One of the two new arrivals had a weak constitution and required regular medical care. They even had a checkup scheduled for later this morning with the second figure that had arrived with them. This person had access to extremely advanced medical equipment and was able to treat them much more efficiently than modern medicine could. To the person with weak constitution, this was extremely reassuring. They’d chosen to meet up here at room 106 before proceeding on to the medical exam.

“Has everyone gathered?”

There was one last person on the scene. They poked their face out from the kitchen in the hallway to the inner room. They were often singlehandedly in charge of most of the housework around room 106. And even now, they were wearing a hairnet to hold back their luxurious black hair as they prepared today’s breakfast.

“Theia-chan and Ruth-chan aren’t here yet.”

“Hmm...”

“Kiriha, what’s for breakfast today?”

“Salmon, miso soup, and boiled spinach.”

“All right! A jackpot breakfast!”

“Um, what should we do about Satomi-san?”

“It’s about time to wake him up.”

“Whaaaaat?! Why?!”

“What’s with that reaction?”

“Whenever Satomi-kun wakes up, he forces Nijino-san to study, so she doesn’t want to wake him.”

“Quit being so picky, Nijino Yurika.”

“Maki-chan, you can only say that because you don’t know what it’s like!”

Apart from Koutarou, there were seven others in the room now: Yurika, Sanae, Maki, Shizuka, Clan, Harumi, and Kiriha. These teenage girls had all gathered in room 106 over the past year, each for their own reasons. But as a result, they had all come together and formed a tight bond of comradery.

In addition to Koutarou and the girls, there were two more comrades in their circle. And after washing his face in the bathroom and getting ready for the day, Koutarou realized that they were missing.

“Huh? Where are Theia and Ruth-san?”

Theia was a prideful girl with beautiful golden hair that really stood out. Ruth was serious and honest, and extremely trustworthy by nature. They were a princess and her attendant knight that had come from the other side of the universe. Normally both of them would have shown up in the apartment by now as well, but neither was present.

“...Actually, they ran into a little trouble last night, so they’re busy trying to deal with that.”

Kiriha was the one to answer Koutarou’s question. She continued her explanation as she filled a bowl with rice.

“They said they’d drop by this morning, however, so they should be here soon.”

“What kind of trouble?”

“The situation is complicated, so it’s better if you hear it from them directly. Just be patient, Satomi Koutarou.”

“I see...”

Koutarou began thinking with a complex expression on his face as he sat down at his usual spot. He then looked at the gate connecting the apartment to the space battleship Blue Knight. Noticing that he looked more serious than usual, Harumi called out to him from the other side of the table.

“Are you worried about Theiamillis-san?”

“I mean, I’m worried about everyone. The situation is more complicated than we thought.”

Yurika and Kiriha’s enemies were secretly working together. And because of that, everyone was in danger. That was an endless source for concern for Koutarou.

“But since I can’t see Theia and Ruth like I can all of you right now... Yeah, it makes me a little anxious.”

If they weren’t right in front of him, he didn’t know for sure if they were okay or not and felt like he couldn’t do anything for them. It put him a bit on edge.

“There’s no need to worry that much, Satomi-kun.”

“Sakuraba-senpai...”

“If this was about something important where Theiamillis-san’s life was at stake, Kiriha-san would have woken you up much sooner.”

“That’s... true.”

Koutarou nodded and looked to Kiriha. She responded with a smile.

I guess that means there’s some difficult decision she has to make on her own...

If Theia was in any kind of danger, Kiriha wouldn’t be so carefree about it. That said, if it was something simple, Kiriha would have explained what was going on already. That meant it had to be something in the middle. Theia wasn’t in danger, but it was serious. It was likely something along the lines of an important decision that had to be made.

“Nothing’s going to come from worrying, so let’s eat first!” Sanae shouted.

She cheerfully wrapped her arms around Koutarou’s neck like always. Breakfast was a source for energy, and she wanted to be able to wait for Theia with her usual enthusiasm.

“...You have a point. All right, let’s have breakfast.”

“Yeah!”

Thanks to Sanae, Koutarou was looking less stressed now. And thanks to that, the atmosphere in the entire room relaxed a little. In truth, Theia and Ruth’s absence was something everyone was concerned about.

Theia and Ruth appeared in room 106 just as Koutarou and the others had finished with breakfast. The two girls looked tired, and their expressions were dark and gloomy.

“...Good, you’re all here.”

Immediately after arriving, Theia addressed everyone in a serious tone. Ruth quietly stood behind her, watching. Just seeing the two like that was enough for Koutarou to get an idea of the severity of whatever was going on.

“Everyone, there is something I’d like to say. May I have some of your time?”

With that, the other girls who had been doing various and sundry things gathered around the tea table without a single complaint. Waiting until everyone sat down, Theia slightly lowered her head.

“Thank you, I appreciate it.”

“Theia, what happened?”

As Koutarou urged Theia to continue, their eyes met. After looking at him for a long moment, Theia slowly began explaining as she started to tear up.

“Actually... it seems my mother has fallen ill in Forthorthe.”

“Your mother? You mean Elle... Um, you mean the current empress, Her Majesty Elfaria?”

Koutarou pulled Theia’s mother’s name from his memory banks, and Theia nodded solemnly in response.

“Yes. My mother’s body isn’t as hardy as mine. It seems that she was a bit overtaxed with her official duties and has taken ill because of it.”

“Oh yeah, present Forthorthe is...”

Koutarou wasn’t very knowledgeable about the political state of present-day Forthorthe, but he remembered what Theia and Clan had told him. Theia’s mother, Elfaria, was a pacifist whose political agenda included disarmament on a national level. As a result, her relationship with the army soured, and all reforms ground to a standstill. Since Elfaria was up against extreme backlash from the military, Koutarou could easily imagine how busy she must be. It simply sounded like she was overworked.

“That’s why... though I am very reluctant to do so...” Theia paused for a moment to look at everyone gathered around the tea table before finally continuing. “I am thinking of returning to Forthorthe, and... I will be giving up my right to the throne.”

When Theia spoke those words, room 106 practically froze over.

Theia had originally come to room 106 in order to claim her place in line for the imperial throne. She’d been given a trial to prove she was worthy, and for that, she needed to seize control of Corona House room 106. That’s why she had come to Earth and how she had met Koutarou and the others. She was determined not to return to Forthorthe until she claimed rulership of the apartment.

At least, she had been until her mother had suddenly fallen ill. Theia’s real reason for wanting to become the crown princess was so that she could strengthen her own influence and be of help to her mother, who was in a tough position politically. Her admiration for the Blue Knight also largely came from her desire to protect her mother. But that desire was so strong that, with her mother ill, Theia felt she had no other option but to return to Forthorthe and help take care of her. She wasn’t childish enough to give up her mother for the sake of her own happiness.

And so Theia had decided to leave Earth and return home. She still hadn’t completed her trial, but this was all so sudden that she was pressed for time. If she waited until her trial was complete, it might be too late. So though she was reluctant to leave, it was something that she had to do.

In order to leave Earth, there was a lot that needed to be taken care of, which was why Theia hadn’t slept at all. She worked well into the night, and even as the sun was dawning on a new day, Theia was still preparing for her journey home.

“I didn’t think there would be much... but looking at it now, there’s a lot more than I imagined.”

“That’s just a sign of how much we’ve gotten involved with the people of this planet.”

“Indeed...”

She had to submit a leave of absence to Kisshouharukaze High School, say her farewells to all her close acquaintances, and finally, pack up her luggage for her return to Forthorthe. She was currently in the middle of carefully putting all of her belongings into plastic containers in her private room on Blue Knight.

The schoolbag she carried to class. The notebooks she used during class. The uniform and accessories she wore to school. The swimsuit she wore to the beach last year. The books and CDs she’d bought while on Earth. The game console and games she would stay up at night to play.

She had things both from room 106 and from her own private room on the Blue Knight. They were all associated with precious memories, and she fondly recalled each of them as she put the items away. Like Ruth had said, these weren’t just belongings. They were precious mementos that served as proof of the time Theia had spent on this planet and how much she’d grown.

“It’s hard to leave this planet behind...”

“Yes...”

When she’d first come, Theia wanted to clear her trial and return to her mother as quickly as possible. She only thought of the locals as neanderthals, and had no intentions of staying in an underdeveloped place like Earth for long. But now, she wanted to stay on this planet for as long as she could. She’d begun thinking of this little blue planet as something special.

Theia stopped organizing her luggage and looked towards a wall in the room. There hung a crimson tulip, carefully preserved. That flower was the most valuable treasure Theia had obtained while on this planet. Seeing Theia staring wistfully at it, Ruth stopped organizing as well and called out to her.

“...I expect Satomi-sama is your number one regret about leaving, Your Highness?”

There was a second crimson tulip decorating Ruth’s room. They were both gifts from the same person.

“Yes. We won’t be able to fulfill my promise of always being with him...”

In the past, Theia and Ruth had decided to live together with the man who’d gifted them the tulips. But with the sudden development of the situation concerning Theia’s mother, they’d have to go back on that decision. The man who’d given them the tulips couldn’t leave room 106 as things were. But Theia had to return to her mother no matter what. It seemed inevitable that they’d be separated now.

“I wonder if this was the extent of our will...”

“Your Highness...”

Theia had resolved themselves to walk this path with him, yet it had come to such an abrupt end. Theia was unbearably saddened as she got to learn how weak her love was in the end. Ruth felt the same way. She too had resolved herself to walk the same path as Theia.

“I’m sorry, Koutarou... Forgive me...”

Theia instinctively spoke the name of the person who’d given her the tulip. Filled with bittersweet emotion, her trembling voice hung in the air.

“Theia, do you have moment?”

That was when a visitor appeared outside of Theia’s room.

Koutarou had been given full authority to operate Blue Knight and all of its available functions, which included permission to enter the living quarters reserved for royalty. Koutarou had used that authority to come visit Theia and Ruth.

“Just a moment...”

Koutarou could hear Theia’s voice coming from the intercom placed by the door to her room. He was standing in front of it, waiting for her to let him in and giving his outfit one last look-over. Since this was such an important moment, he didn’t want anything to be out of place.

Thinking about it, this might be the first time I’ve come to see Princess Theiamillis...

In the past, Koutarou had only ever come to visit his friend Theia, and never Princess Theiamillis. That made this a milestone in a way, since it was a sign of acknowledging her as a proper princess. As a result, he was feeling a little nervous.

“...All right.”

The door silently slid to the side as Theia invited him in. It revealed a petite girl in a dress who had long, blonde hair flowing over her shoulders. Upon seeing her, Koutarou looked down and kneeled.

“It is an honor to meet you, Princess Theiamillis. I am Satomi Koutarou, a wandering knight without a lord.”

Koutarou spoke something similar to a line he’d practiced for the play. Thanks to that, the words fell from his lips quite naturally.

“Koutarou...?”

“I came here today to make a request of Her Highness. I seek your permission to enter the room.”

“What are you...”

Theia was puzzled by this version of Koutarou, who had a completely different air about him than usual. That’s why, despite his polite request, she simply stood there and stared at him.

“Your Highness, Satomi Koutarou-sama is seeking permission to enter.”

Sensing that Koutarou was up to something, Ruth urged Theia ahead on his behalf.

“Ah, yes... Permission granted. You may enter.”

And finally, she invited him in.

“I am honored. Please pardon the intrusion.”

Still a little nervous, Koutarou entered Theia’s room. Since Theia didn’t know what Koutarou was thinking, she was equally nervous. Her heart was racing. The two of them stood facing each other as if this was the first time they’d met.

“Allow me to introduce myself once more. I am Satomi Koutarou, a wandering knight without a lord.”

Koutarou walked up to Theia and kneeled again as he introduced himself once more.

“Wh-What business do you have? Let’s hear it.”

Theia answered in a somewhat shrill voice. She was still quite confused. Koutarou’s way of speaking and his attitude were completely different from normal. Despite it being a Sunday, he was wearing his school uniform. But unlike usual, he had the top button of his shirt buttoned and his collar properly straightened. He was even wearing his school cap, which he rarely ever did.

Your Highness... Master...

Ruth gently watched over Theia, who still looked confused, and Koutarou, who looked very serious. She felt like something special was happening.

“I came here today to make a request of Her Highness.”

Still looking down, Koutarou began to speak again. Seeing him like that, Theia only grew more and more disquieted. She started wondering if the person in front of her was really Koutarou at all.

“And that is...?”

Theia urged Koutarou on. She couldn’t stand the unease that had come over her. Koutarou responded by raising his head and staring straight into her eyes.

Ah...

In that moment, Theia’s anxiety vanished without a trace and she returned to her usual self. There was a smile on Koutarou’s face—his usual smile that Theia and Ruth so loved.

“My skills are average, and I am a mere country knight with a domain just six tatami mats large.”

Koutarou pulled out a large sheet of paper and placed it on top of a nearby container.

That’s...?!

Theia’s eyes opened wide. The sheet was the scoreboard that they’d used to compete for rulership of the apartment. It had Koutarou and the other invaders’ names written across it alongside their scores. However, only two of the names remained now: Theia’s and Koutarou’s.

Theia had 218 points, just like she recalled. But Koutarou had 862 points. Everyone else’s points were gone, apparently given to Koutarou based on the total. They were the only two left in the running.

“Princess Theiamillis, please make me one of your vassals.”

“What...?”

Theia’s brain ground to a halt when she heard those unexpected words. She couldn’t understand why he’d said that.

“Congratulations, Your Highness!”

Ruth shouted out with a joyous expression in her stead. Having observed all this from the sidelines, she understood exactly what Koutarou meant.

If Theia accepted Koutarou’s request, Koutarou would become her vassal in both name and reality. That would mean all of the points on the scoreboard would effectively become Theia’s, which would in turn mean that the apartment would be hers. Adding it all up...

“Rejoice, Your Highness! Your trial is complete! With this, you will have earned your right to the imperial throne, Your Highness!”

“My right to the throne...?”

It would mean that Theia had successfully completed her trial, cementing her place in line for the imperial throne.

“Yes, Your Highness! You have splendidly overcome the trial and fulfilled your obligation as a princess!”

“I... acquired the rights to the throne...?”

Theia looked at Ruth with blank surprise written all over her face. But even as Ruth happily smiled back at her, it didn’t feel real. As if to get a secondary confirmation, Theia looked to Koutarou.

“Koutarou, is what Ruth is saying true? Have I completed my trial?”

“Almost. You have yet to give me an answer, Your Highness.”

“My answer?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Will you accept me as your vassal?”

“Ah...”

Based on Koutarou’s calming tone and gentle look, Theia gradually began to understand the situation.

Koutarou has accepted me as his master...

Before long, her understanding evolved into great joy. Theia’s heart was pounding like the bassline of a rock song. She suppressed her impatient feelings and called out to Koutarou.

“S-Satomi Koutarou...”

Theia was desperately trying to calm herself, but she was stuttering and her voice faltered. Her vision began to blur with the tears filling her eyes. There was no way she could stay calm at a time like this. The magical day had finally come.

“Yes.”

Koutarou kept his head bowed as a sign of subordination. Seeing that, Theia made her declaration.

“I will accept you as my knight, and formally grant you the title of Theiamillis’s Blue Knight.”

“...I will humbly accept, my princess...”

Thus the pledge between master and servant was made.

Learning that Theia would be returning home, the first thing Koutarou worried about was her right to the throne. With her mother ill, the chances of Theia returning to Earth any time soon were extremely low. And if she couldn’t make it back, that would essentially mean she’d be throwing her trial and giving up her place in the line of succession for good.

So Koutarou had gone to the other invaders and begged them to trust in him and in Theia, and to temporarily entrust him with all of the points. Each of the girls had accepted. Koutarou then became Theia’s vassal. And with that, Theia became the rightful ruler of room 106 and thusly completed her trial.

However, with the threat of the radical faction and the evil magical girls looming, room 106 couldn’t be left under Theia’s sole rule. Something would have to be done about that, but they had a plan.

Corona House room 106 would be appointed the Satomi territory of the Mastir family, and Koutarou would become its lord. And when Theia had returned to Forthorthe, she would grant him control of the points he’d borrowed from the other girls, and he would return them accordingly.

By doing that, Theia would complete her trial and the situation would return to as it had been. It was a somewhat forced method, but there should be no problems in theory. It was a tricky solution to a tricky problem, only made possible thanks to the mutual trust between Koutarou and the invaders. Normally, Theia wouldn’t have accepted such charity, but in her current predicament, it was the only option.

Immediately after making their pledge, Theia rushed towards Koutarou and threw herself at him.

“Koutarou!”

“Whoa!”

Completely unprepared, Koutarou hurriedly tried to catch her while still kneeling. Theia didn’t doubt for a moment that he would catch her, and leaped at him with all her might. Koutarou had no choice but to reciprocate and embrace her with all his might.

“You said you’d become my vassal, Koutarou! I heard it with my very own ears! You won’t get away with taking it back now!”

Her intense joy streaked down her face in the form of tears, and she held on to Koutarou’s head with both arms. She was like a child that had just gotten the stuffed animal she’d always dreamed of, and she hugged Koutarou as hard as she could as if to close the distance between them as much as possible.

“I am your master! No matter how far apart we may be, I am your sole master now!”

“H-Hey, Theia... you’re getting a little ahead of yourself. What about the sword?!”

In Forthorthe, it was tradition to touch the left and right shoulders of the knighted person with the flat of a royal sword to officially bestow their title upon them. But Theia had skipped all that and gone straight to hugging Koutarou instead.

“It’s fine! I already did that half a year ago! Your answer is just half a year late!”

“What?”

“Heehee, Her Highness is right, Satomi-sama. The ceremony of bestowal was actually performed half a year ago after your first fight with Clan-sama. Of course, you were asleep at the time...”

With a smile, Ruth explained what Theia meant to the confused Koutarou.

Half a year ago, during their first play, Koutarou had saved Theia from an attack by Clan. And as thanks, Theia had performed the ceremony to declare Koutarou her knight. Back then, Theia still wasn’t being entirely honest with herself, so she had secretly conferred the title on him while he was asleep. And with Koutarou finally giving her his answer today, the ceremony that had been initiated over half a year ago was finally complete.

“The ceremony is now complete! Take pride, my knight!”

“Don’t be unreasonable! How can I take pride when you’re hanging on to me like this?!”

Koutarou was still in a kneeling position with Theia’s arms wrapped around his head. He found it hard to take pride in that.

“You can do it if you try!”

“I can’t! Jeez... Here I was taking this all serious and everything...”

Since he was officially going to become Theia’s vassal, he’d expected there to be a formal ceremony. Theia, however, had completely overlooked and bypassed that. Dumbfounded, Koutarou shrugged off his knightly persona and returned to speaking the same way he usually did.

“What’s important is confirming that your feelings and oath have forged a new bond between us, not the ceremony itself. There’s no ceremony more meaningful than this,” said Theia.

“You’re absolutely right... But you’re just using that as an excuse, aren’t you?”

“Auuugh... Could it be... that you really hate me?”

Theia’s expression turned gloomy. She eased her grip on Koutarou a little and peeked at his face with a worried look.

“Of course not!”

“Then it’s no excuse. This is fine.”

But she soon returned to a smile and embraced Koutarou’s head with even more strength than before. Since she knew it wouldn’t be long before they parted, she wanted to hold the boy she loved for as long as possible.

“Come on...”

“Make sure you remember that, Koutarou,” Theia whispered into Koutarou’s ear as she gently stroked his hair. “This is me. This who I am. I am not a perfect princess. I am rough, full of flaws, and selfish. Even if we’re far apart, make sure you don’t forget that...”

“Say, Theia...”

“Yes?”

“You don’t have as many flaws as you say... You’re just unfair.”

“Heh, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

The hand stroking Koutarou’s hair was unbelievably gentle.

“I’m not going to say goodbye.”

“Yeah. We’ll meet again, right?”

“I don’t know when... but that’s what I’m planning.”

Theia would be returning to her mother in Forthorthe. And until the problems back home were resolved, she wouldn’t be able see Koutarou again. But she knew she didn’t want to leave it at that. Someday, she would return to Earth and live together with Koutarou. And if the problems around room 106 were resolved by then, she might even take him back to Forthorthe with her. So though she reluctantly had to leave for a while, she hadn’t given up on a bright future.

“But... it’s strange,” Theia muttered quietly, still stroking Koutarou’s hair.

“What is?”

“Just a while ago, I was feeling guilty over not being able to keep my promise to you. Even though I decided to live here with you, here I am leaving you behind...”

“As long as we meet again, there’s nothing to feel guilty about.”

Koutarou too had decided to believe that their future would be bright.

“Yes... Maybe it’s because you’ve became my vassal, but that’s how I feel myself. Aren’t I self-centered?”

“It’s better that way. You’re a leader, remember? People will feel more at ease if you remain optimistic.”

“Is that how it works?”

“Of course. You’re my princess, you know?”

“...”

“What?”

“I... I’m really happy, but... it’s a little embarrassing...”

“You... You’ve been saying that for an entire year, so don’t get embarrassed now.”

“But... now that I’m actually your princess, I... you know? I guess I wasn’t mentally prepared...”

“...I think that’s the part of you that’s unfair.”

As if answering Theia’s feelings, Koutarou hugged Theia back.

“You’re my knight, after all...”

And so the two formed their bond as master and servant as the scheduled hour of their separation drew nearer. However, neither of them were pessimistic. They both believed that bond would draw them back together one way or another.

Once they were done talking, Theia sent Ruth to see Koutarou off the ship, while she stayed behind in her room. She said that she was going to go back to organizing her luggage.

“I better thank Her Highness later...”

As Ruth was walking down the hall, she looked back over her shoulder for a moment. Glancing at the door to Theia’s room, she felt a little apologetic.

“What do you mean?”

When Koutarou asked that, Ruth turned to look at him. Because it was just the two of them now, Koutarou and Ruth had their arms linked together as they walked. They were close enough together that they could kiss.

“Her Highness most likely did this in order to give me some time to say farewell to you.”

“Theia...”

Hearing that, Koutarou turned to look behind him too. The door to Theia’s room was slowly getting further away, but Koutarou felt like he could see her smiling.

“She’s been a little too kind lately. She should be just a little more selfish...”

“It might be just as you say, Master.”

“Huh?”

Koutarou stopped and looked at Ruth. She stopped and looked back at him in response.

“If Her Highness knew who you really were, I wonder if she’d still be so quick to return to Forthorthe...”

Ruth questioned whether or not Theia would be able leave Koutarou behind on Earth if she knew that he was the Blue Knight. Objectively speaking, leaving behind the Blue Knight, the most beloved knight in all the history of Forthorthe, wasn’t something a royal would do. But as things were, she couldn’t take him with her, either. For that, she would have to wait until Kiriha and the other invaders’ problems were resolved. But she didn’t know what would happen to her mother during that time. And if, in the worst case scenario, Elfaria were to lose her life while Theia was away, then in an equally worst case scenario, she might choose to take her own.

Worried about affecting Theia’s decisions, Koutarou had asked Ruth not to reveal his identity as the Blue Knight to her. Back then, Ruth had mixed feelings about it, but now she felt like Koutarou had made the right choice in keeping it a secret.

“All things considered, a Forthorthian royal would never be able to abandon the Blue Knight, huh?”

“That’s right, Master. I believe you acted wisely, and I am profusely grateful for that.”

Ruth bowed deeply to Koutarou. She was extremely thankful that he’d held her back. If, overcome by her excitement, she’d told Theia the truth, things might be playing out for the worse right now.

“But, personally speaking... both Her Highness and I deeply regret having to part with you.”

Tears formed in Ruth’s eyes as she looked up at Koutarou. Just like Theia, she had sworn to live by his side.

“Ruth-san...”

“I’m sorry. I, I...”

The tears driving her to silence, Ruth threw herself at Koutarou. To her, parting with Koutarou was just as painful as having to part with Theia would be. Their meeting had been like a miracle, yet now they had to leave him. No matter how much they swore to meet again, having to say goodbye was still extremely painful. And unable to bear it any longer, all Ruth could do was cry.

“Master, why did you appear to us like this? You should have done it in a much more normal way!”

If their meeting had been simpler, they could just take Koutarou with them. But fate hadn’t allowed for that. There were other people that needed Koutarou, so Theia and Ruth couldn’t keep him for themselves.

“I’m sorry...”

All Koutarou could do was apologize. It was hard for him to part with Ruth and Theia too. But there was nothing else he could do. Koutarou had things he needed to do on Earth, and Theia had to return to Forthorthe to be with her mother. And so all he could do was apologize to the crying Ruth and gently hug her.

“Satomi-sama, Satomi-samaaa!”

Ruth continued to hold on to Koutarou and cry for a while longer, as if she were shedding tears for both her sake and Theia’s.

Finishing their preparations, Theia and Ruth were set to leave that night.

“Everyone, thank you for everything up until today.”

“We had a wonderful time. Words of gratitude are not enough for you all.”

Standing at the far end of room 106, Theia and Ruth were saying their farewells to everyone. Behind them was the glowing wall that connected the room to Blue Knight. Just like they’d arrived through it a year ago, they’d be departing the same way tonight. And once that gate disappeared, it would be a long time before anyone saw it again, if they ever did at all.

“Theia, this isn’t the end, right?”

Even Sanae, who was always energetic, wore a gloomy expression now that the time to say goodbye had come. She looked at Theia and Ruth with a frown as she thought back to something Theia had said to her once.

When Sanae was about to reenter her body, Theia had told her that there was a time when she was worried about being an alien, but that she had decided to forcibly overcome that fear and any obstacles in front of her. She told Sanae she’d have to overcome the loss of her memory the same way.

That’s why Sanae wanted to overcome this parting with just as much bravery. Though Theia had to leave, Sanae believed that they would meet again someday.

“Of course. I won’t give up over something like this. I’ve decided to live with you all. It might not be possible right away, but I will definitely return.”

“You promise?”

“I don’t lie. You can count on my return. Just wait for me.”

“Yeah!”

Living up to Sanae’s hopes, Theia nodded confidently. Sanae smiled brightly to see it. It wasn’t like they would never meet again. In that case, she should see them off with a smile.

“Theia-chan, for you...”

Yurika approached Theia and Ruth after she was done talking to Sanae. She presented them with a shopping bag from a nearby convenience store.

“Hmm? What’s this?”

“It’s some snacks and the latest manga. I figured you might get bored on your spaceship...”

The bag was filled with parting gifts. Forthorthe was ten million light years away. And even with Forthorthian technology, such a long journey would take several days. That’s why Yurika had thought of getting them something to kill time with, and after consulting the contents of her wallet, she decided on snacks and manga.

“Thank you, Yurika, I’ll make sure to enjoy these.”

Theia accepted Yurika’s present with a smile. Truth be told, she had tons of ways to kill time aboard Blue Knight. Such entertainment was considered a necessity for space travel. And if they froze the time aboard the ship during their journey, there wouldn’t be any need for it at all.

But Theia was happy to receive Yurika’s token of consideration, so she accepted the gift without a peep to the contrary. She didn’t say that she didn’t need them, nor did she question who would give a princess snacks and comic magazines from a convenience store.

“When I return, I’ll make sure to bring some books and snacks from Forthorthe.”

“Yes, please do!”

Theia was happy that Yurika didn’t think of her as anything other than a good friend. She was far happier over that than being treated with respect as a princess.

“Theia-dono.”

“Kiriha... I’m sorry for having to leave so suddenly.”

When Kiriha approached after Yurika, Theia apologized politely. The balance of power in room 106 would shift when she left, and that would cause the most trouble for Kiriha. She was worried that the radical faction that opposed Kiriha would pick up momentum.

“Satomi Koutarou will be your representative, and the existence of the evil magical girls has been proven now. My adversaries will likely not take any more action for some time.”

However, Kiriha herself didn’t seem too worried. Koutarou, now a lord, would still preside over the apartment like he always had. And in addition to that, the evil magical girls had revealed themselves. The radical faction was secretly connected with the evil magical girls, but since they couldn’t officially acknowledge that, they wouldn’t be able to work together in the open. Thanks to that, Kiriha had plenty of time to prepare for whatever might happen next.

“I see. Well, if you say so, it’s probably true.”

“Leave it to us. We will protect this place until you return.”

“Please do. I’m trusting you.”

Theia knew very well just how tough Kiriha was. Even though she could overwhelm Kiriha in terms of sheer firepower, she had never actually been able to beat her. She was a worthy rival, and Theia felt comfortable leaving things in her competent hands.

“Pardomshiha.”

While Theia and Kiriha were talking, Clan tugged on Ruth’s sleeve.

“Clan-sama... This is goodbye for now.”

“Yes. It will be lonely here without you.”

Clan was going to remain on Earth instead of returning to Forthorthe alongside Theia. Officially, she was here on a scientific research mission, but in truth, she was staying behind to back up Koutarou and the others.

“More importantly, Pardomshiha, I think you might need to brace yourself.”

“Oh?”

“I haven’t heard anything about Her Majesty Elfaria falling ill from my information network. She might be bad off enough that they don’t want the information public... so please take care of Theiamillis-san.”

“Thank you very much, Clan-sama. I am very grateful.”

Clan’s family, the Schweigers, was at odds with Theia’s family, the Mastirs. And since the Schweiger family was renowned for its prowess and advancements in the fields of science, they had a favorable relationship with the military, unlike the Mastir family under the rule of the peaceable Elfaria. As a result, Theia and Clan had access to different networks of information through their families.

Information regarding the current empress’s health would undoubtedly be something the military and the Schweiger family would be interested in, so if it hadn’t reached Clan’s information network yet, that likely meant the royal family in power—the Mastirs—was keeping it on a very strict need-to-know basis. Though she didn’t dare say it out loud, Clan even feared that Elfaria might have already passed away.

“What are you two talking about?”

That was when Theia, who had finished talking to Kiriha, came over to her two fellow Forthorthians. As she did, Clan and Ruth abruptly cut off their conversation and offered her smiles.

“I was just passing on some things to Clan-sama.”

“Th-That’s right.”

“I see. We’ll leave the rest to you after we’re gone, Clan.”

“Yeah... Leave it to me.”

Clan and Ruth had quickly changed the subject, but fortunately, Theia didn’t seem to suspect anything. She smiled and gave an honest farewell to Clan as well.

“Theia-chan, this is from me and Aika-san.”

“It’s only been two days, but... take care.”

“Thank you. You two take care too.”

Shizuka and Maki had also prepared a parting gift. When Theia peeked into the paper bag they handed her, a wide grin spread across her face.

“Clothes, huh? What a lovely surprise.”

Shizuka and Maki had gotten her clothes and accessories from the shop in front of the station. The fashion was unique to Earth, and a gift like clothes would last for a while, so Theia would be able to enjoy them for some time to come. As a girl, Theia was happy to receive something like this.

“...I feel like I’ve lost...”

Yurika, comparing the price point and quality of her present with Maki and Shizuka’s, slumped her shoulders.

“That’s not true, Nijino-san. Theiamillis-san will enjoy your present too.”

“Yeah, Harumi’s right. Yours was nice in its own way, so there’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“Thanks...”

“Also, Nijino-san, if you’re that embarrassed over your present, then I’ll have to be even more embarrassed over mine... Here, Theiamillis-san. I got this for you.”

“What’s this?”

“It’s the manuscript for the play. I had everyone from the drama club sign it.”

“Oh!”

Harumi presented Theia with the manuscript from the January play. The cover had been signed by the members of the drama club and everyone who’d participated in the production. Harumi had worked hard to gather them all.

“This must have been difficult to manage...”

“No, when I called everyone, they all came on their own. They all told me to give you their regards, too.”

“I see... If I had more time, I’d like to go give my thanks to the drama club as well...”

Theia affectionately ran her hand across the cover of the manuscript for a while before eventually looking out through the window in the direction of Kisshouharukaze High School. The play had been a memorable event that had helped Theia grow immensely.

“Thanks to Theiamillis-san’s play, I was able to make a lot of friends... And I’m very sorry to see you go...”

“Harumi... I am too. I wanted to have a nice, long talk with you someday.”

Theia and Harumi shook hands. Deep inside, they’d always both acknowledged each other and had a mutual respect for each other. Theia admired Harumi’s behavior as a princess during the plays, and Harumi admired Theia’s sun-like presence. Because they each had something the other didn’t, there was a lot they stood to learn and gain from each other, and that’s why they were both disappointed to part ways so soon.

“Theia, Ruth-san...”

Waiting for the girls to finish saying their farewells, Koutarou finally stepped forward.

“Koutarou...”

“Satomi-sama, thank you for everything up until today...”

Theia and Ruth looked at Koutarou as he approached. They’d made a lot of friends at this far edge of the universe, and through what felt like nothing short of a miracle, they’d met their love. Holding back the tears was the most either could do in the face of their parting.

“Theia, you did good. You can go home proud. Go get doted on by your mother after all this time.”

“Yes... I’ll do just that...”

“You too, Ruth-san. Go see your family and spend some time with them. And then the two of you can come visit us again someday. We’ll be waiting.”

“Satomi-sama... Yes!”

Unable to bear it any longer, tears began flowing from Ruth’s eyes. She loved this boy enough that she was a fool to think she’d be able to hold them back in the first place.

“Koutarou, I will leave this room to you. Even though your territory might be small, don’t let your guard down. Defend it as the lord of this land until my return.”

“Don’t worry. I’m the man who defended this room against the Holy Forthorthe Galactic Empire’s Princess Theiamillis without backing down even a single step.”

“Indeed you did...”

Unlike Ruth, Theia held a brave front and managed to hold back her tears. Her eyes were moist, but she didn’t relent a single tear. It was a demonstration of her pride as a princess, and of her strong will to return to Earth.

“I think it’s about time to go.”

“You’re leaving already?”

“Yes. The longer I stay here, the more I will wish to take everyone with me. So, Ruth...”

“Yes. Everyone, thank you so very much... Goodbye.”

“Farewell.”

Theia and Ruth said their final farewells before turning around and heading for the glowing gate leading to Blue Knight.

“Theia, send letters from time to time! I’ll send some too!”

“Farewell, Theia-dono. I’m looking forward to the day we meet again.”

“Theia-chan, I’ll get the rest of the manga and hold on to it for you!”

Each of the remaining seven girls called out to Theia and Ruth as they began walking away. Hearing all of those voices made Theia and Ruth realize once more just how blessed they’d been.

Sensing their approach, the passage to Blue Knight opened. As it did, Koutarou felt a sudden urge to stop the two girls.

Wait, don’t go!

Yet in the end, he was unable to say those words. He knew that it would only cause them trouble. Holding it back, the words just echoed inside him. Koutarou was the only one who didn’t say anything as they left.

But just as Theia and Ruth were about to disappear, they both nonchalantly looked back behind them. It was as if the silent words in Koutarou’s heart had reached them after all. But they gave no answer. They simply stared at him as though they were trying to burn his appearance into their minds.

Theia, Ruth-san...

The two girls then disappeared in the light.

Silence fell over the apartment. None of the eight people left behind said anything, and it would be quite some time before they did. Meanwhile, a blue shooting star streaked through the vivid, starry sky.