Faced with Kei's questioning, I felt both utterly bewildered and an indescribable sense of absurdity.
"You mean... Arisu?"
I asked in disbelief.
"How did she even know I was in trouble?"
If I remembered correctly, I hadn't contacted her at all.
Kei shot me a look of disgust.
"You left an imprint on the gun Arisu loves. Like an exhibitionist, you're constantly broadcasting your physical condition and approximate location to us, and you still have the nerve to ask something like that?"
...Huh?
For a moment, I felt like there was something seriously wrong with my ability to understand what she was saying.
Could this be part of the miracle too?
Why had I never heard about this?
I suddenly recalled the several "coincidental encounters" I'd had with Arisu before.
Combined with what Kei had just said...
At that moment, Mika spoke hesitantly.
"Well... she seems to be someone Sensei knows? I kind of get it. But shouldn't catching up wait until later?"
She was right.
There was no extra time to waste on an unrelated conversation.
As for Kei...
She was the one who had once tried to kill me. Without Izuna's authority, I really would have died.
Although she still clearly harbored strong hostility toward me, she also seemed restrained by Arisu's orders. She wasn't going to attack me lightly. This time, she had simply come to deliver the Sword of Light.
In that case, there was no need to complicate things further.
Thinking that, I adjusted the shoulder strap and secured the Sword of Light on my back, feeling considerably more at ease.
With this weapon, whose power already far surpassed ordinary arms, my chances of defeating Beatrice had increased even further.
"It's dangerous here, Kei. You should head back first. Mika... be careful. Everyone, let's move."
The Arius girls all nodded, and Mika smiled as she promised she'd take it seriously.
Among all the voices of agreement, only one discordant reply rang out.
"Hah? Says who?"
Kei asked, clearly dissatisfied.
I froze for a second before hurriedly saying,
"There's no time to explain. Just do it."
Then I continued forward with everyone else.
Kei, however, stubbornly followed beside me and demanded,
"Why? Didn't I just tell you? Staying in a place like this will make Arisu worry."
What the hell is wrong with this girl!?
"I suspect you're becoming disloyal to Arisu!"
Kei declared unhappily.
"I will..."
"You're using Arisu's body right now."
Another group of Justina Council soldiers blocked our path ahead. While directing everyone to engage them, I found time to answer Kei as well.
"The one putting Arisu in this dangerous situation is obviously you. You're the disloyal one."
Kei frowned.
"I am faithfully carrying out Arisu's mission. A traitor who does nothing but lie actually dares question my loyalty to Arisu?"
Uh...
Wasn't the middle part basically your own self-introduction?
Then I noticed something.
"Putting loyalty aside, why don't you call Arisu 'Princess' anymore?"
The moment those words left my mouth, Kei's expression dimmed.
Her voice also became quieter.
"...That was the Princess's final wish. It was also Arisu's very first wish."
I couldn't help thinking that, while I wasn't around, Arisu and Kei must have had many conversations.
Wait...
Could this girl actually be the one who corrupted Arisu?
"In any case, you can't stay here any longer."
Kei continued.
"If you refuse to listen, I'll knock you unconscious and take you back."
I couldn't be bothered arguing anymore.
"Let Arisu come out. I'll talk to her directly."
But Kei replied,
"Arisu stayed up all night playing games. She's currently asleep and can't be awakened. Do you intend to disturb Arisu's rest? You're disloyal."
How was it that both Arisu's unreliability and Kei's habit of throwing accusations around felt completely expected?
I also had no doubt that if I didn't do something soon, Kei would really forcefully "protect" me.
Setting aside whether I could even beat her, if we couldn't finish the fight quickly, the time lost would be something I simply couldn't afford.
So I could only try persuading her.
"Kei, I have something extremely important to do right now. If I leave at this moment, all of Kivotos could be destroyed because of it."
Someone who originally wanted to destroy the world herself tilted her head in confusion.
"Wouldn't that be perfect?"
Fortunately, I still had another card to play.
"If that happens, wouldn't Arisu be sad because there won't be any games left to play?"
Kei remained completely unmoved.
"You are far more important to Arisu than any game."
She figured even that out?
I had no choice but to change my approach.
"Can you really bear to let the world be destroyed by someone else's hands?"
However, Kei glanced sideways at me and gave an answer I never expected.
"Arisu said that is AL-1S and Key's mission, not Arisu's and Kei's."
"Wait... you actually accepted that name!?"
Just how much had Arisu talked with Kei?
If that was the case...
Didn't that mean I'd lost one more way to annoy her in the future?
Even amid my surprise, I felt genuine sadness.
"Don't flatter yourself."
Kei wore that look of disgust again.
"It's only because of Arisu."
I honestly felt that the one saying something like that was the one flattering herself.
As I fought back the urge to voice that thought aloud, the scales in my heart gradually tipped toward solving this problem by force.
"...Fine. I think I understand what you're thinking now."
Kei suddenly sneered.
"If you're determined to throw your life away, I won't stop you."
Although I had no idea why she had suddenly changed her mind, I was more than happy to accept it.
"Then take care."
Kei frowned.
"Who said I was leaving? Are you trying to make Arisu disappointed in me?"
What a huge accusation.
Both exasperated and amused, I asked,
"Then why are you staying? Don't tell me you're actually planning to help."
"Is that not allowed?"
"...Huh?"
I couldn't hide my confusion.
Kei actually intended to help?
She replied coldly,
"Don't misunderstand and start imagining something disgusting. I am simply carrying out Arisu's request faithfully."
Finally recovering from my shock, I realized that, at such a critical moment, we'd unexpectedly gained another powerful ally.
Overjoyed, I completely ignored our past grudge and blurted out,
"Good, good, good! I forgive you! Kei, from now on I'll dote on you too!"
At last, Kei genuinely looked irritated.
"As expected, I'd have to kill you another thousand times before your operating system has any chance of returning to normal!"
What nonsense was she talking about?
Satisfied by her reaction, I calmly took back what I'd just said, words that had been half spoken on impulse and half intended to disgust her.
Forgive Kei?
As if it would be that easy.
Still...
If she performed well, I supposed I could reconsider my attitude toward her, just a little.