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In a room inside the main branch of the Downing Trading Company, one of the largest merchant organizations on the continent with its headquarters in the capital of the Hitia Duchy, Shion lay sleeping.
Her attendant Telshe was nursing her, unusually wearing glasses.
"How is Shion doing?"
As Telshe sat in a chair beside the bed and gazed at Shion's sleeping face, a voice echoed inside her head.
Through the glasses made from spirit eyes, she caught sight of Titania, the owner of the voice.
"No, she remains asleep as before. Are you not the one who knows more about this? The Fairy Queen can see the future, correct?"
Telshe shook her head in response to Titania's question and instead posed one of her own.
"It is true that I can see a certain degree of the future. However, this child has become a Transcendent. She is already beyond the scope of what I can perceive. After all, she touched the outside and immediately exercised magic that interfered across the entire world. She must have pushed herself tremendously. I have no way of predicting when she will wake up."
At the beginning of this year, Amunzaas had launched a large-scale operation.
It involved simultaneous attacks on bases of the Cyclamen Cult scattered across the continent, based on information provided by Titania.
On the western side of the continent, the cult's executives consisted only of the Guide and the Doctor, and their focus had been directed toward the war between the Nohitant Kingdom and the Saubel Empire, so the operation had proceeded as planned.
In contrast, on the eastern side, interference from the cult executive known as the Battle Ogre had resulted in considerable damage to Amunzaas as well.
During that operation, Shion had single-handedly assaulted what appeared to be an important cult stronghold called Farm, where she confronted a magic human with the ability called Magic Eater, which could be called her natural enemy.
In the course of that battle, Shion had touched the outside and become a Transcendent.
However, the overwhelming flood of information from touching the outside, combined with interfering across the entire world, had pushed Shion to her limit, causing her to lose consciousness.
Telshe, who had been carrying out a different operation nearby, quickly finished her own task and rushed to Shion's side, only to find her already collapsed on the ground. She then transported her to the Hitia Duchy.
Since then, Shion had not yet opened her eyes.
"Was this development also within your predictions?"
Telshe asked while fixing Titania with a sharp gaze.
"That is a misunderstanding. It is true that Shion's unique ability has become the greatest uncertain factor in that person's plan. However, both that person and I had been operating on the premise that Shion would intervene. I would like you to believe that."
"I see. Then that is fine."
"...That is surprising. I thought you would press the issue more angrily."
Titania did not know Telshe well, but she had assumed the girl prioritized Shion above all else, so she had expected stronger resistance.
"If this was a choice made by Shion herself, then I will simply respect that decision. In this case, on the contrary, I will show no mercy to anyone who objects to Shion's choice."
"I see. I once had a master as well, so I can understand your feelings to some extent. That is precisely why I will never forgive those humans who deny the world my master chose. Even if it means trading my own existence, I will cast them into hell."
Normally, Titania displayed only surface-level emotions and almost never revealed her true feelings.
However, genuine emotion rode on Titania's words now.