Captain Abby, whom I hadn’t seen in a while, seemed even more lifeless than before. With a rigid expression devoid of any human warmth, she looked at me as if she had no more life than a golem.

In a dry tone, she spoke: "I am Captain Ivy of the Military State’s Signaler Corps."

‘Yes, I am. It’s truly… wonderful to meet again.’

Though her words were stiff, her thoughts conveyed something different. Probably a result of her unique magic.

It wasn’t a big deal for me, since I could read her thoughts, so I let her spoken words wash over me as I continued the conversation.

"Ivy? What happened for things to end up like this?"

"I was called to Inner Circle Command for an inspection of potential mental contamination. During the process, a terrorist incident involving Hughes, the so-called Pied Piper of Hameln, disrupted the Signalers’ judgment. As a result, I lost my name and was reassigned to the Inner Circle Signaler Headquarters on a temporary basis."

‘If I may ask, I had already resolved myself to my fate, but what brings you here? The very person responsible for Hameln, yet instead of escaping, you’ve returned to the Inner Circle? Were you not injured while on the run?’

"It seems a lot happened while I was away. You’ve become quite a notable figure, Captain Abby… or is it Captain Ivy now? You were the one who spoke to me then, weren’t you?"

"Affirmative."

"Why change your name, though?"

‘I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to lose Abby. You remember me as Abby.’

I heard her thoughts first, followed by her words as if in an echo.

"As you might guess, a Signaler’s designation is merely a means of identification. My name holds no meaning beyond that."

‘I am Abby in your memory. If I were speaking to you through a golem, I would have to be Abby. Otherwise, you wouldn’t recognize me.’

"But you don’t mind if I call you Captain Beep? After all, I can call you whatever I like."

"...!"

The Military State seeks to control everyone. As long as they follow orders, they can live without guilt or responsibility, if not in happiness.

But criminals still exist within the State. While minor compared to other nations, their presence is significant considering the State’s strictness. Many of them are petty criminals who find joy in rebellion, committing unnecessary crimes despite knowing the risks.

In short, the Military State is not perfect.

That much is obvious. The people who built this State were human, after all.

This Signaler, this Captain Abby who has grown attached to her name, is proof of that.

"Captain Beep."

"I am…."

Captain Abby faltered as if something had broken. I reached out to her.

Invisible to others, I could see the morning glory vines. I pretended not to notice them and gently patted her shoulder.

"Your shoulders are so stiff. You haven’t been exercising, have you?"

As my hand touched the vines wrapped around her shoulders, they began to crumble like dried leaves that had withered over decades. Abby stammered.

"A-affirmative."

"How long do you plan to live like this? If you’re going to stay cooped up and work, you should at least take care of yourself."

"I work through the golem. There’s no reason for me to maintain my physical form."

"But you’re synced with a biological form. If you improve your body, the golem’s functionality will increase too. The more flexible your body is, the more you can accomplish through the golem."

"There is no reason for me to take your advice, nor am I obligated to comply!"

Synchronization requires everyone to be the same. In other words, if someone becomes different, the synchronization breaks. I had prepared various stimuli to help Captain Abby feel alive during the few days we spent together.

If the Military State is a body, then Signalers are the nerves.

And the most deadly toxins affect the nerves with the smallest amount.

"Your attempts are futile. She is a Signaler and a loyal soldier of the Military State. Moreover, she is under the current module’s control. Your communication with her is limited."

IA interrupted.

She may have been saying that, but I sensed a strange unease. Perhaps she instinctively realized that I was injecting venom into the system.

I sneered and said, "Stay out of this. I’ll break the Signaler my own way."

"Is this revenge against the Military State? However, as you mentioned, attacking the Signalers is meaningless. She wasn’t even commissioned until after the Hameln incident, and the Signalers were only involved in information control."

Ignoring IA’s words, I reached out and brushed Abby’s hair. The vines that adorned her blonde hair caught on my fingers. My hand, like a mist, passed through the vines, as material cannot interact with a mental construct.

‘Are you breaking the synchronization? But a unique magic like this is an embodiment of the mind. Influencing someone else’s mind requires synchronization, and even then, it’s limited to receiving memories or information….’

That’s right. Material can’t interact with the mental.

But my hand can reach Abby’s heart.

The vines snapped. The leaves withered. The flowers wilted.

Every time we spoke or made contact, the morning glory vines crumbled. The delicate purple petals drooped, and the fragile stems broke, leaving them unable to stand on their own.

‘The unique magic…!’

IA gasped.

‘From what I know, Abby only met the Pied Piper for a week! And yet, he’s breaking the unique magic?!’

Realizing that I was breaking Abby’s curse, IA urgently cried out, "Is this the revenge you sought? It’s meaningless!"

"So what? Nothing in this world truly has meaning."

Meaning is something humans assign. So anything can be done. It’s up to me to decide what meaning I attach.

Now, are all the players assembled?

Most of the Signalers trapped inside have come out. Although they look different, they all share the same hollow eyes, the same awkward movements as if they’d lain dormant for ages, and the same pallor as though they’d never seen sunlight.

Though freed, they weren’t grateful. They looked at me with defiant eyes, as if to ask why I’d brought them out.

For the Signalers, confinement was natural. They shouldn’t show their faces to anyone. That was their duty.

While they all shared this common thought, IA grew more fervent and shouted sharply.

"Abandon any thoughts of mentally contaminating a Signaler. I warn you. If a Signaler is rendered unable to function due to mental contamination or other reasons, they are disposed of! Your actions only put her in greater danger…."

"I can’t listen to this anymore!"

I strode up to IA and slapped her. A loud crack echoed as her head snapped to the side.

It hurt terribly, but I had ensured her face wouldn’t bruise by spreading my palm to maximize contact. The surprise only doubled the effect.

The easiest way to deliver a psychological shock is through physical impact.

"How dare you talk about disposal?!"

Again, but this time on the left. Another slap, making IA stumble backward as I stood over her, seething with anger.

"She’s your comrade! Even if it’s only been a few days, she’s your comrade of similar age and rank, in a similar position! Don’t talk about disposing of her as you please!"

"...?! What…?"

Don’t give her time to think. Though IA was the spokesperson, she represented the other twenty-five Signalers, backed by nearly five hundred more.

And I was alone.

To contaminate them all mentally...

"Do you want Captain Abby to die?! Is that what you want?"

IA wavered as she rose, responding, "No. Her abilities are rare among the Signalers. Losing her would be a significant blow to the Military State."

"Is that all? She’s your comrade! Do you think it’s okay to dispose of a comrade as you see fit? Don’t you feel sadness, loss, or regret?!"

"Such emotions are not permitted for Signalers."

"Permitted or not…!"

As I shouted with a fury that matched my words, Historia, who had just broken through the last door, called out to me with a grim expression.

"Huey, over here…."

"What is it?"

"The Signaler…."

She was at a loss for words, as if shocked by what she’d seen. I steeled myself and walked over.

"What’s going on?"

"...The Signaler is unconscious."

"What? Get them out of here!"

Historia nodded and dragged out an entire cot. The metal frame scraped against the wall with a loud noise.

This wasn’t quite what I’d expected. I’d imagined Historia dramatically carrying out the Signaler, but here we are.

I approached the Signaler lying on the cot, breathing shallowly. The Signaler, Z, was completely unconscious.

Observing Z’s condition, Historia remarked, "They have a fever and are breathing heavily. Could it be a cold?"

"No. Judging by the symptoms, it’s a spirit sickness. They’ve become a vessel to summon the Military State’s angel."

"Spirit sickness? A vessel…?"

"Yes. Aemeder, the guardian angel of the Military State. You don’t summon a being as powerful as the Six-Star Generals without a cost, right? Naturally, a vessel is required."

I glanced over at X and Y. Unlike the other Signalers, they were particularly pale and appeared sickly.

"Wait. If they’re vessels, does that mean they… took their own lives?"

"Usually, that would be the case. But it seems the Military State has developed a more efficient method. No need for a total sacrifice."

Well, it’s time to use this. It’s almost too valuable for this situation, but there’s no other choice.

I spread my fingers and drew out a card. This time, it was a Heart.

Unlike the clovers enchanted with magic and the diamonds that transform into weapons, the Hearts are one-time use items. Precious, and not something to be used lightly.

But there’s no point in hoarding them. Now’s the time. I inserted the Heart card between my fingers.

"It seems they used synchronization magic to distribute the risk. They are many but also one, sharing even the cost of summoning the angel. However…"

The Heart affects the human body directly, altering it temporarily.

I drew a Nine of Hearts and grasped one end, shaking it. At first, it wobbled, but gradually, with patience, it began to react.

The red Heart, shaped like an organ, started to quiver, as if filled with liquid, though it was just a drawing. It looked like a small vial of fluid rather than an illustration.

That’s it.

I folded the Heart in the center, letting a drop of red liquid seep through the crack. I pinched the edge, allowing the liquid to pool, and showed it to everyone.

"This medicine can save this one. What do you think? Tempting, isn’t it?"

Naturally, no one would willingly take medicine from a shady figure like me, especially one who just declared his intent to destroy the Military State.

Y, who was closest to Z, looked sharply at me.

"Signaler Izett is in a weakened state. If you have business with her, I’ll take it on her behalf."

"I’m trying to help her. How exactly would you take her place?"

"Healing, you say? What assurance do you have that this medicine will help Izett?"

"There’s no guarantee, but I can promise you one thing. I only use these medicines myself. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t go through the trouble of carrying them around like this."

Y’s gaze followed the card as I waved it. Unlike the other Signalers who watched me, Y couldn’t take her eyes off the medicine.

"Well? Make your decision. I doubt she’ll make it through the night without it. Will you let her die, or risk a bit and give her the medicine?"

The Signalers exchanged glances and nodded. They knew Z was in critical condition.

If she would die without the medicine, then logically, there was no reason not to try it. It was the reasonable choice all Signalers reached.

But only two, X and Y, purely wanted to save Z.

Because they, the lowest in the hierarchy, were also used as vessels for Aemeder. Though their pain was less severe, they shared a sense of kinship with her.

"This is perfect timing. I need someone for this. Would you take the medicine and feed it to the patient?"

"Me?"

"Yes. She’s completely unconscious, so it’s likely to block her airway if it’s not given carefully. It’s sticky, so you have to be cautious."

The decision was quick. If that was the method, there was no reason not to follow.

Y nodded and took the card. Watching her, I added, "Oh, by the way. We’ve summoned the angel three times. Who were the other two vessels?"

Y hesitated briefly before answering, "Myself and Signaler IX."

"What an interesting coincidence. The three at the back of the list, all used as vessels in succession."

I said it casually but was subtly pointing out the cracks in their system.

Signalers have a hierarchy. Those with high synchronization compatibility are given designations closer to A. The more valuable Signalers are used last.

It makes sense. The Signalers at the top can absorb the cost for those lower down.

But knowing that doesn’t make it easier to accept. Especially if pain is involved.

"There is a rational reason for this…."

Just as IA started to interject, I turned to her with a fierce tone, cutting her off.

"We have a patient here! Be quiet!"