『Daughter of the State. Born in the State, raised in the State, and the future of the State… Even you have fallen.』

Even in the face of the angel’s overwhelming majesty, Historia's will remained unshaken.

“I will correct myself. I apologize for not meeting expectations.”

『You had power, authority, and honor. And yet you abandoned everything. Why? What was lacking that led you to betray the State?』

Historia gripped her gun with her injured hand. She, too, was a master of extreme ki manipulation. Within minutes, she’d managed to set her broken bones back into place, though her hand was still far from its original state. Even so, she held the gun with her damaged hand, ready to fight.

“…A friend.”

Amadeus tilted its head.

『Just for that?』

“…And a place where I can have friends. The State had nothing for me.”

『You had power, authority, and numerous subordinates. And yet, instead of fulfilling your responsibilities, you ran away… You are truly a child.』

The angel’s lament seemed to signal the end of the conversation. Although it could have offered forgiveness based on her actions, Historia showed no intention of asking for it. With their views at odds, only a battle remained. Everyone held their breath, expecting the fight that would soon unfold. In the silence, tense as a string about to snap, a pair of animal eyes gleamed behind the angel.

“Meow!”

The sudden attack from Navi, the cat, marked the start of the battle.

Aji and Navi, being animals, had no interest in things they couldn't eat, and the State’s identity and ideology certainly weren’t edible. The moment Navi entered the quiet, dim communication module, she had curled up and dozed off. However, the angel’s grand entrance had been loud enough to wake even a sleeping cat.

As I groaned in pain, I muttered to myself.

“Ugh, this is why I brought these beasts…”

Amadeus was made of light, and anything that shimmered and moved fast would trigger Navi’s hunting instincts. With no human flesh to shield it, Amadeus would struggle to detect an animal’s sneak attack. Or so I thought.

『A mere beast.』

The true Amadeus, occupying a human body, noticed Navi and spread its wings wide.

The wings flashed before Navi, and by instinct, her eyes locked onto the tips of the wings. She struck with her paw like lightning, only for it to slice through an illusion.

『If faith is all you have.』

“Nyooow!”

A burst of radiant light, and Navi was sent flying with a shriek. She had been smacked by two of Amadeus’s other wings. White fur stained with blood scattered through the halo of light.

『I will teach you just how arrogant that is.』

Amadeus folded its wings in midair, creating a brief storm inside the building, before suddenly accelerating as if grasping an invisible handle. It surged forward toward Historia.

Historia, who had intended to coordinate her attack with Navi’s, found herself facing the angel alone when Navi was thrown aside.

But Historia was one of the Six-Star Generals, a master in combat. The angel was narrowly within her range of expertise.

'The wings move before the arms and legs. The power that drives the angel comes from its wings. I’m not sure, but I need to confirm. So, avoid the wings.'

Remembering the angel's characteristics, Historia lunged forward, narrowly dodging as a massive wing grazed her nose. Even as the strong wind battered her face, she kept observing her opponent.

'The reach is too broad. The attacks are swift and precise. Close range is impossible. Then!'

Historia completed her assessment and raised her gun. She aimed for the narrow gap between the three wings on one side, shoving the barrel into the sliver of space and firing with all her strength.

Click.

The bullet didn’t fire. White feathers had wedged into the barrel of the gun.

'Not only the wings but the feathers too…?! Damn!'

『I am the State itself. Within the State, Amadeus is omniscient.』

Amadeus’s wings enveloped Historia.

What torment would a fly atop an eagle’s wing endure? I could ask Historia later for the answer. The expanded wings flicked Historia away. She was tossed about, sliding across feathers, getting scratched, and swept up in a whirlwind—all within a blink of an eye.

“Damn it. That’s a disaster.”

The power of the true form of the angel, Amadeus of the State, was terrifying. Most frightening was its intelligence and the ability to wield its knowledge.

“Nyaa! That thing is weird! It’s hard and sharp!” Navi screamed in pain, rolling on the ground. Despite the heavy impact, she didn’t seem critically injured. While Amadeus fought, it had avoided dealing a fatal blow to Navi, merely clawing at her fur like a hook. Navi felt the pain but wasn't in immediate danger. She’d probably keep a wary distance, just watching.

“Woof…”

Aji, unfortunately in IA’s body, was now licking his paws by my side. Useless creatures.

“…Woof. It hurts.”

“Me? Yeah, it hurts a lot.”

I grumbled, pulling out two Heart cards. There was no obvious injury, but the sheer force had left an impact. There was blood, some damage to my internal organs, and my bones ached.

When one part of you hurts, you use the right medicine for it. When your whole body aches?

“An anesthetic, of course.”

I overlapped Hearts 4 and 5, leaving a small gap between them and holding them flat. A crimson liquid oozed from the gap. Hearts 4, Death, and Hearts 5, Sensory Poison, combined to make a drug that deadened sensation.

Yes, an anesthetic. Or rather, a narcotic.

This medicine I made with the cards—everything in the Heart deck is simple yet potent. I tilted the card to let the liquid flow into my mouth. A sharp taste that quickly faded to flavorless. The anesthesia was kicking in. I’d feel the backlash later, but survival came first. The future could only be planned once you stayed alive.

“Woof. Not you. Her.”

“Who? That glowing thing?”

“Woof.”

Is now really the time to worry about her? She willingly sacrificed herself, surrendering her body to summon a shared spiritual angel.

“She must be in pain. Summoning an angel by sacrificing herself… She probably won’t last more than an hour…”

But an hour is plenty of time for her to finish me off. I need to think of a plan before she has time to steam-cook me as some angelic delicacy.

As the drug took effect, the pain receded, replaced by a rush of energy. With this surging strength, I felt capable of anything.

But… of course not. That sudden surge of confidence was the anesthetic’s side effect. Reality was full of pain, and forgetting it meant losing sight of reality as well. But as a mind reader, I stayed grounded, reminded by those around me. I straightened up, ignoring the shakes in my body.

Captain Ivy rushed to my side.

“Sir! Are you unharmed?”

“I’m fine for now, Captain Ivy.”

With my senses restored, I surveyed the area. Historia was still fighting, and Navi, cautiously watching, crept closer to the angel. The Princess had been evacuated by Siahti. Siahti still had her thumb, which might be helpful in a pinch… but who knows if the angel is susceptible to black magic.

It’s a dire situation.

“It’s been a while. I missed you. How’s your injury? Is it severe?”

“It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“Good. With your health confirmed, I’ll now report on the current situation.”

A true Signaler even after a near-death experience. Having checked on me, Captain Ivy began relaying information with a steady voice.

“Currently, the Amadeus summoned by Signaler Yuel is displaying strong hostility toward both you and the other Signalers, and myself. Our chance of victory is 0%. Therefore, I strongly recommend that you evacuate this area.”

“Evacuate? I didn’t expect to hear that from you, Captain Ivy.”

“There is no time for idle chatter. The situation is urgent. If Major Historia is defeated, Yuel’s Amadeus will immediately attack you and me.”

The tone was as rigid as a golem, but the content was different. Captain Ivy was alive and determined to survive. Preferably, together with me.

Yes, the will to survive is what’s needed here. Even if it means defying the angel’s orders and escaping. Without that resolve, the Signalers would remain innocent and flawless.

I banged on a seamless wall.

“There’s neither a door nor a window here. How do we escape?”

“We must buy time. Based on my assessment, Yuel has a strong sense of caution toward you. Did you ever threaten her?”

“No idea. I don’t even know who Yuel is… Wait a second.”

A Signaler said earlier that Captain Ivy was the one closest to the original Signaler A. I had suspected Captain Ivy held a significant role. She was the first in the identification sequence and possessed a surprising ability, capable of transmitting her will from the surface to the Abyssal Tantalos.

Though Tantalos was on the outskirts, it was by no means a trivial facility. It housed ancient monsters and criminals, those capable of threatening the State.

Anyone who monitored such a place alone would be no ordinary person. I’d tried to establish a connection for this reason.

“Do you know Yuel? Who she is, where she lives?”

Perhaps, Captain Ivy was more influential than I’d realized. She listed off her knowledge with emotionless precision.

“Negative. Signalers are assigned identification names and are not informed of each other’s locations. Even among Signalers, this applies. I have communicated with Yuel but had no other interactions.”

“You communicated with her? And now that same Signaler has summoned an angel here.”

This is beyond my understanding. But I can guess.

This entity, Yuel, possesses the powers of a Signaler. She communicated with Captain Ivy and brought an angel here.

Yuel, this unknown presence, spans the entire State. In other words, it’s impossible to be certain of her location… but we can speculate.

“The State didn’t fall from the sky. It was made with a purpose.”

When the kingdom fell and the State rose, they built the headquarters here instead of in the major city of Amitengrad. Initially, it was a facility for overseeing the installation of the Metaconveyor Belt. Soldiers set up lodgings on the plains where horses once roamed and managed resources and manpower for the belt.

“If that angel played a role in the State’s creation, she’d be somewhere long held by the State.”

Once the Metaconveyor Belt was completed, and the State entered its golden age, this place became its headquarters. A practical decision. This was once a prairie for grazing but became a transport hub with the belt’s revolution. It would have been wasteful to abandon a site already developed.

“Like this very headquarters.”

“But the headquarters is vast, with numerous armed soldiers on standby. How do you propose finding her here?”

Normally, it would be impossible. But there might be a way. Nothing under the sun is new. Creation is imitation, barring chance. Signalers, too, are likely modeled after something.

The State is a god. The Signalers are priests. And Captain Ivy is closest to A.

“Captain Ivy, do you trust me?”

It must have seemed an odd question, but she nodded without hesitation.

“Affirmative.”

Hmm. I thought I’d need to explain if she lacked faith. But no need for further explanations.

“If she can find the Signalers, and if you can see through their eyes… I can’t do it, but you can find her, Captain Ivy. Look for her, Captain.”

No doubt. No questions asked.

Captain Ivy is a well-trained soldier and will execute the mission with her utmost effort. As long as her faith is strong.

“Understood. Signaler Ivy. As of now, I will undertake the mission to locate Signaler Yuel.”