"Mm… nothing."
Looking at the empty mailbox, Artemisia could not help feeling depressed.
It had been almost three months since she had been transferred to Japan. She had sent several letters to Britain, so by all rights, there should have been a reply by now.
Just in case, Artemisia went to the company's package storage area.
"Excuse . Are there any letters addressed to ?"
Artemisia asked very politely.
"Oh, what's your na?"
The girl on duty asked without even raising her head.
"Artemisia Bell Ashcroft."
The mont Artemisia gave her na, the girl trembled, then abruptly raised her head, her face filled with surprise.
"L-Lady Artemisia?! I'm terribly sorry!! I was being too lax just now!"
"It's fine, it's fine. I'm not here for an inspection, so please relax."
Seeing the girl spring to her feet like a bouncing coil and salute her, Artemisia chuckled and waved her hand to show that she did not mind.
"Could I trouble you to check for ? The sender's address should be in Britain…"
"Of course. Please wait a mont. I'll take a look."
The girl nodded and began searching on the computer.
Soon, Artemisia saw the other girl's expression turn puzzled.
"I'm sorry, Lady Artemisia. We haven't received any letters addressed to you here."
"I see…"
Hearing this, Artemisia could not help feeling disappointed.
"I'm truly sorry I couldn't be of help."
"It's all right. Please don't worry about it. Then, I'll be leaving."
With a bitter smile and a shake of her head, Artemisia left the area.
"Ashley, Leonora, Cecil… are they all right?"
A little worried, Artemisia hesitated for a mont, then took out her phone and called them.
[Hello. The number you have dialed is powered off. You may leave a ssage…]
"Hello, Ashley. I'm doing well in Japan. I sent a few letters to you all. Did you receive them? Are Leonora and Cecil doing all right? If you receive this ssage, rember to contact ."
After leaving the ssage and hanging up, Artemisia took a deep breath and dialed the next number. But without exception, none of the calls connected.
(Is everyone… all right?)
Artemisia's worry gradually turned into unease and impatience, making her bite her lip. To be honest, if she could, she wanted to return directly to the unit in Britain and confirm the situation herself.
But of course, she knew that wish could not be realized. They were about to go to war with the Spirits. No matter how kind Westcott might be, he would probably not allow her to leave Japan on leave during such a critical period.
(But asking him to contact headquarters and investigate the situation should be allowed, right?)
With a faint feeling of grasping at straws, Artemisia went to DEM's main office building.
"Excuse . Is Director Westcott here right now?"
"The director is not here at the mont."
Westcott was not there? The receptionist's answer surprised Artemisia sowhat.
"Do you know where he is?"
Standing in the spacious elevator, Artemisia quietly watched the floor numbers on the display continue to change.
-5… -10… -20… ding-dong~
Finally, along with the pressure of deceleration, a clear chi rang in her ears, and the elevator doors slowly opened to both sides.
"Stop. Please show your identification."
After stepping out of the elevator, two wizards blocked Artemisia's path.
"A wizard of DEM's Second Executive Departnt. Adeptus 2—Artemisia."
"Yes! No issue."
After confirming that her credentials were valid, the wizards let Artemisia pass. However, that did not an the inspection ended there. Along the way, she encountered all kinds of security checkpoints. The security level was far higher than the main office building.
After walking through a long tunnel, the scenery before her suddenly opened up.
It was an underground world that seed like sothing from a movie. Every direction was tightly sealed with thick steel plates. The lights on the ceiling shone white like tiny suns. Looking across the vast underground space, the workers inside seed as tiny as ants.
"Hah…"
Artemisia slowly exhaled. Although this was not her first ti here, the enormous underground chamber before her eyes still left her sowhat awed.
Probably no one would have imagined that beneath the forest on the outskirts of Tenguu City, there was an underground chamber as large as a do stadium.
Entering the underground chamber, she saw giant aerial warships parked along the way. Every one of them exceeded one kiloter in length. Their steel hulls and thick, nacing cannon barrels all radiated a sense of violence. It was as if they were not machines, but sleeping monsters.
(And there are two more places like this. At least ten ships in one underground chamber… so over thirty aerial warships in total.)
Each ti she thought of this, Artemisia could not help feeling shaken by DEM's terrifying wealth.
After walking for more than ten minutes, Artemisia stopped before one aerial warship.
It was a platinum-white aerial ship. A jade like, beautiful luster flowed across its streamlined hull. Rather than a weapon, it looked more like a work of art. Parked inside this hangar, it was exceptionally eye-catching.
If the other aerial ships were crude, brutal monsters, then this ship gave Artemisia the impression of a sacred and noble dragon.
This was Goetia—Ellen Mathers' personal ship.
Although it had been damaged by Ratatoskr's aerial ship in the previous battle, after a month, it had finally been repaired.
—We found Aru-Mi!
At that mont, a Nibelcole poked her head out from the ship's hull like a ghost, pointed at Artemisia, and shouted.
—What is Aru-Mi doing here?
"I ca to see Director Westcott."
—Oh. You ca to see Father?
—A secret rendezvous? Is this a secret rendezvous?
—Is Aru-Mi Father's lover?
—Kyaa~ a love triangle!
"That is not the case. I have business with the director. Also, Aru-Mi is…"
Artemisia answered helplessly. Then, noticing how Nibelcole had addressed her, she could not help feeling puzzled.
—It's your nickna!
—Artemisia is too annoying to say. So it's shortened to Aru-Mi.
"I see."
Artemisia nodded in understanding. She did not dislike being called by a nickna, so she accepted it readily.
"Oh, Ashcroft. You ca to the hangar as well."
At that mont, Westcott was transferred down from Goetia. Seeing Artemisia, he asked curiously.
"Hello, Director Westcott."
Artemisia first gave a polite bow, then asked.
"What brings you here?"
"Ah, I ca here to make so final adjustnts to the ship's internal formulas."
Westcott lightly patted Goetia's lower fra as he answered.
"Adjustnts?" Artemisia was sowhat confused. "Isn't that the work of technical engineers?"
"Despite appearances, I was originally a researcher. Lately, it has been rare for my hands to itch, so I tried adding so new functions."
"I see."
Since he was the inventor of Realizers, Artemisia did not doubt him and accepted it.
"So then, did you co here to see about sothing?"
"Ah, yes, Director. Actually, I…"
Artemisia briefly explained the situation.
"I see. I understand your difficulty. Although I personally would like to grant your request, we will be fighting the Spirits in a few days. I cannot allow such an important combat asset to be absent, can I?"
Seeing Westcott reject her return to Britain, Artemisia was not surprised. She continued.
"Then could you contact DEM headquarters and have them confirm my friends's safety? Also, after the battle ends, I would like to request leave to return to Britain."
—Oh no, death flag.
—Aru-Mi definitely won't make it back now.
—A mont of silence, a mont of silence.
Ignoring the chattering Nibelcole pouring cold water on her, Artemisia looked at Westcott and waited for his answer.
"Mm, that much is naturally fine. I'll contact headquarters. If there is news about your friends, I'll let you know."
"…Thank you very much, Director Westcott. Then, I will take my leave."
After thanking Westcott, Artemisia quietly left the underground hangar.
(…Is this enough?)
Artemisia thought to herself. For so reason, even though Westcott had agreed to her request, the unease in her heart not only failed to ease, but grew stronger instead.
To be honest, Westcott did not make a very good first impression. Although his appearance could be classified as handso, that gloomy, eerie atmosphere always made people feel a chill down their backs. On her way here, she had even overheard so employees whispering that "the director might not actually be human."
Of course, Artemisia did not intend to judge soone by their appearance. In fact, at first, she had felt this new superior was very easy to talk to, much easier to get along with than the instructors from her ti in the SSS.
But…
(He is… too easy to talk to.)
From their conversation just now, everything had gone too smoothly. Whether it was his initial refusal or his agreent, Westcott's voice had barely fluctuated. The feelings of difficulty and regret were so faint that they seed like acting—weightless, with no sense of reality.
Suddenly, Artemisia rembered the operation from a few days ago. Bombs had been set in the city's air-raid shelters, taking the civilians who would hide there during a spacequake alarm as hostages.
Although it had been called a joke, soone who could calmly bring up such a thing as a joke in an official setting already had a problem in and of itself.
Just as Artemisia was troubled, the phone in her clothes suddenly vibrated with a new ssage.
"Could it be a reply from Ashley and the others?"
Artemisia hurriedly opened her phone, but when she saw the sender and the contents of the ssage, her elegant brows furrowed.
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