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Nygglatho, who had just finished examining Chtholly, looked at her with a serious expression.
"Although I don't know the exact reason, your body is no longer that of a Golden Fairy."
Chtholly immediately shot to her feet.
"Wait, what exactly does that mean? What's happening to my body...?"
"I'm not sure either. Based on the test results and current theory, that's simply the conclusion."
After hearing the explanation, Chtholly slowly removed her hat and asked anxiously,
"Then my hair..."
"It may also be a side effect of the coma."
Hearing that, Chtholly sat back down and held her hat tightly in her lap, her expression filled with disappointment.
"What... am I going to become?"
Click.
Just as Nygglatho struggled to find an answer, Kaito walked in alongside Willem.
"Chtholly, little girl, there's nothing to worry about. Having a streak of red hair is super cool!"
Kaito flashed a brilliant smile as he tried to comfort her.
"Hey, Kaito, this isn't something to joke about."
Willem glanced at the dejected Chtholly and spoke anxiously.
"Haha, it's okay, Willem. I think Mr. Kaito is right. It actually looks pretty nice."
Chtholly smiled gently at both of them.
"See? Even Chtholly agrees."
"Fine, if you say so."
Ignoring Kaito's smug expression, Willem turned his attention back to Chtholly while suppressing the worry in his heart.
Seeing that Chtholly had calmed down, Nygglatho continued,
"Although it is beautiful, until we understand what's happening, it's best if you don't touch any relic weapons."
"Okay, I understand. But a Fairy soldier who can't use a sword..."
Chtholly nodded obediently, though disappointment still lingered inside her.
"Oh, forget all that Fairy soldier stuff. Just live a good life with Willem."
"Sometimes people need to be a little selfish. The world keeps turning whether we're around or not."
Watching Kaito's expression, which practically screamed every person for themselves, Chtholly couldn't quite understand his way of thinking.
As a Golden Fairy, she had always viewed herself as a weapon.
Now that she could no longer fight, she felt like a useless person who couldn't do anything.
The future filled her with uncertainty.
"Hey, what do you mean, 'live a good life with me'?"
The moment Willem heard Kaito's words, he became visibly flustered, as though his deepest thoughts had just been exposed.
Kaito glanced at him, waved dismissively, and said,
"Willem, you're a man. Being a tsundere doesn't suit you..."
"You idiot!"
"What about it? Nyeh nyeh nyeh..."
"Pfft!"
Watching the two bicker, Chtholly finally couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing.
"Feeling better now? That's good. It's important to laugh. There are no obstacles in this world that can't be overcome, especially with me around."
"Oh? Administrator Kaito seems awfully confident."
Nygglatho raised an eyebrow at Kaito's completely undisguised confidence.
"Of course I'm confident. There's nothing in this world I can't do!"
Not a single person present believed him.
After all, if Kaito really were that powerful, nobody would still be worrying about the Beasts on the surface.
"Yes, yes, Administrator Kaito is the greatest. Then tell me, can you give birth?"
Nygglatho replied perfunctorily before teasing him with a playful smile.
"Uh... well... that would require someone else's cooperation. I can't give birth by myself."
"Mr. Kaito, what are you saying?!"
Chtholly's face immediately turned red. After imagining something inappropriate, she instinctively glanced at Willem before shouting in embarrassment.
"Hahaha! Little girl, your thoughts are unhealthy! I didn't say anything like that!"
"Huh?!"
Realizing her thoughts had been completely exposed, Chtholly hurriedly raised her witch's hat to hide her face.
"Hahahaha * n"
The others burst into good-natured laughter as they watched the flustered Chtholly.
In the days that followed, life at the Fairy Warehouse remained relatively peaceful thanks to Kaito's presence.
Even when Chtholly used her magic to save a younger child, causing the red in her hair to spread further, everyone maintained an optimistic outlook under the influence of Kaito's carefree attitude.
Until the day a reconnaissance airship sent to the surface was attacked by Beasts and became unable to take off.
The moment the distress signal arrived at the Fairy Warehouse, Kaito knew the final moment had finally arrived.
The reason he had never solved Chtholly's problem earlier was because he intended to resolve everything at once when this moment came.
Inside her room, Chtholly looked quietly at the diary resting on her desk.
Afterward, she walked to the window and gazed at the children below.
Although she could no longer remember nearly half of them, she still forced herself to smile.
She didn't want Willem or Kaito to worry.
"Chtholly, it's almost time to leave."
Suddenly, Nephren's voice came from outside the door.
"Okay, I'll be right there!"
Quickly closing her suitcase, Chtholly took one final look around the room before opening the door and stepping outside.
"Wuwuwu..."
"You have to come back safely!"
"Bye-bye!!!"
Nygglatho had gathered all the children from the Fairy Warehouse to see them off.
Unwilling to part with them, the children shouted their farewells.
The four departing figures, including Kaito, smiled and waved back.
"Farewell, everyone!"
"Goodbye."
"Hehe, little ones, don't worry. With your Kaito Nii here, I guarantee everyone will come back safe and sound!"
Unlike the other three, who carried various worries in their hearts, Kaito remained completely carefree.
Instead, he pulled a funny face and shouted loudly toward the children.
"Then... then... Kaito Nii has to keep his promise..."
The orange-haired Fairy Lakish spoke softly, her expression unusually weak.
"Oh!!! Kaito Nii is so reliable! We're counting on you!"
The energetic little Fairy Corron shouted excitedly.
Seeing this, Kaito imitated a certain youthful hot-blooded man and gave the children a thumbs-up. A dazzling sparkle flashed at the corner of his exposed smile.
"Hehe, Mr. Kaito really is reassuring."
"Yeah. He's happy every day, like he doesn't have a single worry in the world."
Hearing Chtholly and Nephren's comments, Willem nodded in agreement.
Ever since meeting Kaito, someone from the same era as himself, Willem had never once seen him troubled by anything.
No matter how serious the problem was, Kaito always acted as if it were nothing.
Willem could only conclude that it was simply part of Kaito's personality.
What Willem and the others failed to notice, however, was that Ithea, standing beside Nygglatho, gently nodded toward Kaito.
Kaito responded with a subtle wink.
Then, under everyone's puzzled gaze, he raised his head and looked toward the clear blue sky.
At that very moment, far out in the cosmos beyond the planet, a colossal white portal suddenly opened.
One after another, enormous warships began emerging from it...