Garden of Knowledge: The Wisdom Queen's Descent

In a dim prayer chamber tucked away in one corner of the ship, reserved solely for her, Mebi stood alone.

Her face veiled, she clasped her vine-like hands together, lost in profound silence.

To the eye, she appeared serene, but within, a whirlwind churned—calm, excitement, and a fanatic faith bordering on madness.

'Mother of Wisdom.'

Mebi's prayer rippled outward not as sound, but as waves that resonated through the space.

'Look upon even these lowly ones with mercy, and grant these scattered specks of dust the glory of becoming part of Your flesh. Let them realize that silencing their noisy screams and wails, reducing them to energy to join us as one, is the only true mercy.'

Chilling words, yet her devotion led unerringly to the queen she served—a truly blind, absolute loyalty.

Finishing her prayer, she slowly opened her eyes. A blue glow flickered beyond the veil.

Mebi's mind was filled with the vivid afterimage of the new queen, Eve, whom she had just met.

'Indeed... she was different from the previous queens.'

Over long ages, Mebi had witnessed countless queens rise and fall. Queens who revered power, who prioritized breeding, who reveled in destruction...

But Eve fit none of those molds.

Her attitude toward lowly humans was utterly unique. It wasn't unheard of for some queens to treat lesser beings as pets or toys.

Yet Eve's emotions toward them ran far deeper and more complex.

'An equal bond. Or... familial love?'

A concept utterly alien to xenoforms. But in that strangeness, Mebi felt a fierce curiosity.

'That's not all.'

Eve's power as a queen was unfinished. Her presence and authority were unmistakably queenly, yet the vessel containing them was perilously unstable—like a flower bud just blooming.

'That's why the anticipation builds.'

What ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠form would this incomplete being take once refined and perfected by the Mother of Wisdom?

A young queen who kept the ghost of past glories, Nahibi, as her guard, and had devoured a fragment of the Progenitor while harboring a constellation bearer.

Mebi was certain the path she walked would trace a trajectory unlike any queen before.

Thump.

Feeling her heart pound uncontrollably, Mebi pressed a hand to her chest.

'Ah... how uncharacteristic, lost in sentiment. My discipline falters. Even after eons of training, a mere flicker of expectation shakes me.'

Mebi shook her head, steadying her resolve.

Seven hours remained until the Garden of Knowledge.

After that, perhaps the first new history of her lifetime would unfold before her eyes.

* * *

"Mm..."

I woke to a heavy pressure, having barely drifted off after dodging Nahibi's advances.

My chest felt tight, like someone had piled a rock on it. I lifted the blanket.

"Snooort... snooort..."

"When did you sneak in this time."

Eve was sprawled atop my chest, fast asleep.

Her room was huge, so we'd all started out sleeping separately. Yet she'd burrowed into my narrow space anyway.

'Weird. My senses sharpened with the constellation's awakening, but I missed her completely.'

Was I numb to Eve alone? Or had her sneaking reached stealth-master levels? No way to tell.

I peered at her face.

Her soft, glutinous rice cake cheeks were squished against my chest, drool leaking from her half-open mouth, soaking my shirt. Damp and warm.

'Must've been exhausted.'

I gave a wry smile and grabbed a handkerchief from the bedside. Careful not to wake her, I gently wiped her mouth.

"Mmm..."

She scrunched her brow and whimpered at my touch.

So cute, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I couldn't help stroking her hair. She flinched at first, then recognized the familiar hand and grinned sleepily, nuzzling closer.

"Kal... mine..."

"You little rascal. As if."

What dream was she having? Even her sleep-talk brimmed with possessiveness.

As I patted her back, staring blankly at the ceiling, something poked into the corner of my vision.

A white slime blob with red eyes embedded popped out.

"!"

I startled, freezing up.

I shot back a glare and sent waves laced with curses.

Nahibi's body bubbled furiously.

"Mmm..."

Eve stirred.

Nahibi trembled, speechless. Our childish spat ended abruptly with Eve's yawn.

"Yaaawn..."

Eve rubbed her eyes and sat up.

Nahibi swiftly shifted gears and zipped to Eve. Eve caught the incoming blob with sleepy eyes.

"Squishy, why?"

Nahibi couldn't badmouth me outright and changed the subject. Her pride wouldn't allow it.

"Squish squish, squish squish."

Eve kneaded her.

"Eve, time to get up."

"Nooo... wanna sleep more..."

"No can do. We'll reach the Garden of Knowledge soon."

The door burst open as Lydia rushed in.

"Oh my! Still not up?! Time's running out!"

Lydia pointed dramatically at the wall clock.

"Still five hours left?"

I asked, puzzled. Lydia's eyes bulged.

"Not 'still'—'only'! Only five hours!"

She'd already shifted to arachne form. Six arms whirled, packing Eve's clothes and makeup.

"Eve's first meeting with another queen, and in that outfit? First impressions matter! Making her even cuter and more gorgeous is cutting it close as is!"

Lydia's gaze burned with warrior-like resolve.

"Kal, out! Gotta wash and dress her. The later we start, the harder it is for Eve! Go!"

Her sharp command chased me from the room.

"Women."

Shaking my head in the corridor, the black-shelled spear xenoform guards lined at the door all turned to stare.

'......'

Dozens of eyes on me—awkward.

"Nothing to see. Keep up the good work."

I fake-coughed and hurried off.

I changed into the uniform Lydia prepared and returned to Eve's door.

It slid open.

"Kaaal—!"

Lydia's masterpiece charged out.

"......Wow."

I couldn't help gasping.

No pink bunny hood or baggy tee.

A jet-black dress, like a slice of night sky—subtle pearly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠starlight shimmered in the folds as she moved.

Full skirt, elegant lace, a tiny tiara atop her head.

Not a cute little girl—a noble child queen.

"Eve! No running! You'll wrinkle it!"

Lydia shrieked from behind, but Eve was already in my arms.

"Eve, you look gorgeous."

I scooped her up with a smile.

"Yeah! Big sis made it!"

Eve squirmed in my hold, grabbing her skirt to twirl.

"Orbit entry soon, Garden arrival next—stay still? Fall and dirty it, Lydia-sis cries."

Eve nodded. I set her down gently.

She reached for my hand.

"Hand!"

"Yeah, hand."

My rough palm enveloped her small, soft one.

A faint tremble passed through. I knelt to meet her eyes.

"Eve. Nervous?"

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"How'd you know?"

"'Course I know. Nothing about you I don't."

I bluffed. She beamed.

"Heehee. Like Kal."

"Yeah, keep smiling. It'll be fine."

"Yeah! Not nervous now. Got my strongest knight."

She squeezed tighter. That tiny warmth heated my heart.

Right.

Even if tens of thousands of xenoforms swarmed before us.

Even if singularities crawled everywhere.

My resolve to protect Eve wouldn't waver.

I'm her one and only knight.

Vmmm—.

The shuttle halted. Finally, the Garden of Knowledge.

A massive door parted, blinding light flooding in.

A majestic wave shook the space. Not one voice—hundreds of thousands, millions of xenoforms in choral thought.

We stepped out slowly. The sight was overwhelming—a world tree piercing the sky, surrounded by legions of xenoforms in perfect formation.

The legion's wave crashed over us like a tidal surge. But Eve and I, hands linked, didn't retreat. We held our heads high and strode forward.

All xenoforms bowed toward one point.

Atop the world tree's pinnacle.

A blue light flashed.

Wings unfurled.

Beneath beautiful blue wings, a being descended slowly.

The Queen of Wisdom, Silia, had come before us.