"Vill-V, why did you call us here?"
Mei and Vill-V had discussed "under-the-table" projects more than once, but bringing Kevin along was truly rare. Seeing Vill-V fiddling with something with her back to them, Mei waited for a long time without her turning around. She frowned slightly: "I still have..."
"Oh dear, oh dear, can't you have a little patience like Lin? If it were him, he would definitely wait without a word until I spoke first." Vill-V wore a mysterious smile and nudged her hat with a wrench. "I almost miss the days when he was still around."
"He's only been out for two days."
"Oh? Has it been? I thought it had been two years. Maybe I've learned time magic?"
"So... what is this about, exactly?"
"Hmm... this is why Mei occasionally isn't to my taste. But as soon as Kevin glares, I don't dare act out. I really envy having such a powerful boyfriend~"
Vill-V shook her head as if truly envious, then finally reined in her performative urge under the dual gaze of Mei and Kevin. She patted the curtain behind her.
"Come out."
The curtain was pulled back from the inside, and what appeared before Mei and the others was—
"Unit One?"
Behind the curtain was Prometheus. Her signature mechanical expression and light grey long hair allowed Mei to recognize her instantly. The reason it was "recognize" was that her appearance had undergone a earth-shattering change once again.
The original seventeen-eight-year-old girl's physique had been heightened once more. A curvaceous figure and a head of slightly curly hair tied into a single ponytail made her look completely mature.
"I made this new body for her based on my own physical data. Her original body and chip were burned out last time. Fortunately, Lin brought her back in time to prevent data corruption." Vill-V circled around the new Prometheus, smiling proudly. "A body made entirely of Soul Steel, possessing human-like flexibility while being tougher than any other creation. Utilizing the Second Herrscher's space-folding technology, she's equipped with floating cannons, hand cannons, and split missiles, plus my latest beam particle technology."
"The ultra-light anti-gravity device implanted in her body can't fly for long periods, but it allows for short, agile levitation—as if jumping through the air. There's also an emergency data transfer system that allows her to transfer data within three milliseconds if the body is damaged. You could say she's built to both run and fight."
Kevin remained silent for a short while after staring at Prometheus's mechanical face, then said: "Is that all?"
"What do you mean 'is that all'? Please, before you is an AI bionic human made with the highest technical crystallization of humanity and the genius Vill-V! She's even sweet-looking and capable of procreation! A century ago, humanity couldn't have even imagined the birth of such a creation!" Vill-V, dissatisfied with Kevin words, slapped Prometheus on the back. "It's super cool!"
"We didn't come to see you show off how you've remodeled Prometheus again..."
"Wait a moment, Kevin."
Mei suddenly stopped the impatient Kevin. She stared at the new Prometheus and then asked Vill-V: "Entirely Soul Steel?"
"Uh-huh."
"Space-folding technology?"
Vill-V smiled happily: "That's right."
"..."
The point wasn't Prometheus, but the technology Vill-V was using. Since she could already use Soul Steel to create Prometheus's body, that meant...
"As I said, to watch a magician's performance, you must learn to wait for the surprise."
Vill-V snapped her fingers, and Prometheus took out something from a seemingly ordinary drawer beside her...
Two guns.
"Praise it! The supreme masterpiece of the Spiral Workshop! Symbolizing humanity's first step in conquering the Herrschers! A God-Slaying weapon created using the power of a God!"
"Divine Key: Judgment of Shamash!"
Vill-V took off her top hat and gave a slight bow. "While I have some byproducts worth mentioning, I think you're probably more curious about this right now."
...
"Hello, my friend."
A tall woman with wine-red hair swirled her red wine glass, sitting in a corner of the bar table. She didn't look like the owner of the table, but rather like a tippler quietly freeloading in the corner.
Before her, a nun nodded slightly and sat opposite her.
"Have they... gone on a mission?"
"Yes. It's a pity Elysia can't attend this party." Eden swirled her glass and gave Aponia a gentle smile. "A toast to our absent friends."
"Then let's toast to Ellie."
Aponia did not decline. She raised her glass and drank it with an aura no less imposing than Eden's.
After a glass of high-intensity red wine, a faint, lovely blush appeared on Aponia face, adding a bit of earthly charm to her otherworldly countenance.
"Hehe, few people I know are so bold. When you were a nun before, did you drink often?" Eden asked softly as she watched the unfazed Aponia set down her glass.
"I am still a nun," Aponia corrected first, then said, "No... I rarely drink. Only when necessary for holidays do I have a glass."
"So, have you adapted?"
"Yes..." Aponia nodded gently. "Without realizing it, I have adapted to life here."
Perhaps it wasn't so great, but Aponia held no grievances.
"I see... a change in identity..."
"You seem to have a lot on your mind," Aponia pointed out.
"Is this the 'destiny' you see?"
"No." Aponia shook her head. "It's just that your thoughts are written all over your face."
"..."
"If you need it, I can be a listener. It is what I am best at."
Prayer and listening were the skills a nun excelled at most. Aponia usually only confided in one person, but listening was something she had always done—even the "sin" and "punishment" of those "monsters" in the Deepest End.
Eden fell into deep thought for a long time. She listened to the slight creaking of her seat as her restless feet fidgeted. After a long while, she spoke slowly: "How do you think wine should be drunk for it to taste best?"
"...I don't know much about wine."
"The answer is that it tastes best when drunk with others. Drinking alone allows you to taste only the wine, without any other flavor." Eden set down her glass. "Like a record, it only has a beautiful melody when played on a gramophone."
"Many people, including Lin and Ellie, have told me this. But I've thought a lot about whether I can do something more."
"Aponia, can you see my destiny? My destiny as a Fusion Warrior?"
"You don't need to tell me. I only want someone to bear witness."