The Saint of Revelation

Bang! Flame erupted from the sniper rifle’s muzzle as a light recoil nudged the mech backward. The anti-materiel round fired from the Aindium sniper rifle tore the head off a mass-produced Aindium wrapped in a thick barrier.

White Fang kicked the enemy it had been fighting into the sea, then strode over to the mech whose head I had destroyed. It knocked the machine down and ripped the cockpit out like a radish from wet soil. Seeing that, I couldn’t help thinking White Fang really did possess absurd power even among Aind-class units.

The Kelpie team recovered the cockpits from the sunken Aindiums before they could disappear into the depths and loaded them onto the battleship. Before long every battle was over.

The news of Line’s victory spread across the area through a wide-range broadcast. The third-year Kelpie team dispatched from Alitus, along with Rendel and me, gathered on the battleship where the suppression had just ended.

“Everyone worked so hard! Some of you were in your first real battle, yet you all fought brilliantly.”

Yvette, who had taken charge as leader, spoke first. We exchanged words of encouragement, wrapped up the Karmanu operation in a warm and friendly atmosphere, and prepared to withdraw.

“Thank you for your hard work!”

As the only first-year present, I gave the seniors a crisp bow and let out a small sigh of relief. Returning with them meant there would be no misunderstandings. With luck I might even make it back before the opening ceremony.

Watching Line’s fleet enter the Karamis Islands naval base, we decided to follow. Having been sent under the guise of peacekeeping forces, they probably wanted to leave one more impression and secure a firm promise of compensation. I personally had nothing to receive from Line, however.

More than twenty cockpits lay lined up on our battleship’s deck like coffins. I didn’t know whether they belonged to some nameless faction or to Karmanu pilots under Rubens, but Line would claim them all. I would have to gather information on them later.

Yvette, who had gone ashore as our representative, returned quickly. Post-battle processing kept them busy, she said, so outsiders would have to negotiate additional terms later.

I switched to open comms and answered.

“Would it be all right if we came with you?”

“Perfect. Will you be departing immediately?”

Whew. That was a relief. Meeting Line right now would probably earn me an earful. I had charged into the operation on my own initiative, disappeared for two full days, and—most importantly—her ascension to the throne was now all but certain. I was terrified she would tell me to drop out of the academy.

Hostile forces kept popping up without regard for borders between Karmanu and Alitus. To oppose them, the protagonist Rendel’s strength was absolutely necessary. If I left school now, his mental state would probably collapse. I didn’t want to admit it, but it was true. Explaining all that to Line would be harder than returning to school first and writing her a letter instead.

“Ah, um, the opening ceremony is right around the corner, so we really need to head back immediately…”

“Sister.”

A private channel with Line suddenly opened. Her red Aind-class unit, Ardent, appeared on one side of the naval base.

If the battle had dragged on I might have been able to refuse indirectly, but it had ended so quickly that the sun was still high. Using time as an excuse was impossible. The naval base was chaotic with post-battle cleanup, so the sisterly meeting took place inside a small tent set up on the outskirts.

“Senior?”

“Yes?”

“This time I need to speak with my sister alone…”

“Ah! Sorry.”

Rendel, who had followed me all the way to the entrance as if it were natural, stepped back awkwardly. It didn’t look like he planned to return to White Fang either. If voices were raised, he would hear everything. I just hoped that if the words “drop out” or “quit” came up, he wouldn’t come bursting in.

Filled with dread, I stepped inside the tent. Line sat in a chair with three sturdy guards standing behind her.

“Ah, you’re here. Everyone, leave us for a moment.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

The guards filed out. A short while later I thought I heard Rendel’s voice. Line gave a small chuckle and shook her head.

“So Rendel escorted you.”

“N-no, he just followed on his own.”

“That is what an escort is, Lewina.”

Line approached and gently pinched my nose.

“So. How is school?”

“Exactly as I wrote in the letters. It’s fun and I’ve made many friends.”

“I see.”

Line turned her back to me and stared at the tent wall for a long time. Several seconds that felt like an eternity passed.

“You clearly need more training on how to use an Aindium.”

“…Pardon?”

“Mounting three auxiliary AIs on a masterpiece and that’s the result? Don’t go around telling people you learned from me.”

It wasn’t a real scolding; the tone was closer to playful teasing. But hadn’t I performed rather well? This was only my third real battle. Before I could protest, Line spun back around.

And then—seeing the crown princess and older sister whose eyes glistened with unshed tears, I found myself unable to speak.

“And stop making your sister worry, you little troublemaker.”

Line raised her hand and gave me a light rap on the head. There was no strength behind it; it didn’t hurt at all.

“I’m sorry.”

Line spread both arms and pulled me into a tight embrace. Against her soft chest I felt the hard press of her hand on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my back. Tears I couldn’t hold back blurred my vision.

“I’m sorry… hic.”

“I know.”

Line patted my back.

“I know everything.”

After a while my stinging nose finally calmed. I cleared my throat several times and looked up at her.

“Then… may I continue attending the academy?”

“What kind of question is that? Karmanu is not completely safe yet. You seem to keep getting into dangerous situations at school, but with the headmaster and good friends around you, it’s probably safer than staying here.”

Line glanced toward the outside of the tent in a meaningful gesture—probably in Rendel’s direction.

“Your opening ceremony is next Monday, isn’t it? Hurry back. I’ve prepared transport. Give Rendel my regards.”

She turned me around by the shoulders and gave my backside a light pat. I almost yelped but held it in and dashed out of the tent.

“I’ll write to you!”

“Good.”

Through the fluttering tent flap I caught a glimpse of Line smiling.

Feeling much lighter, I ran to Rendel.

Rendel, who had been preparing to depart, broke into a cold sweat the moment he saw the message that suddenly arrived. The situation had reached the point where he could no longer even joke that he and Luna had nothing to do with each other. A short while later Luna asked whether he had heard anything from her sister. He answered that nothing had happened and firmly resolved to return to the academy as quickly as possible.

The bulletin board was flooded with the phrase “sister’s threat letter,” so just to be safe I contacted Rendel. He said nothing happened. Well, if it were something serious he would have told me, right?

The universe is filled with a sense of distance far vaster than any open sea. Endless darkness dominates the field of view. Among the first generation of space colonists, some were said to have gone mad from the terror, but after several generations those tales had become mere legends.

Galaxia viewed from the moon possessed a clarity so vivid it erased any feeling of remoteness. A blue planet wrapped in a transparent mana magnetic field. Those born and raised in space admired it, longed for it, and hated it. The man who ruled most of the lunar territory was no exception.

Sipping Galaxia wine while gazing out the dark window, the man checked his watch, rose from his seat, and donned his coat. Masked servants followed silently behind him as he left the room. Since he visited the same place at the same hour every day, no one bothered to ask his destination.

When the man reached the iron door bound in chains and gave a slight nod, the seal on the firmly locked entrance released. With a heavy clank the chains fell away, the massive padlock was removed, and the thick iron door slowly swung open.

The sound of dress shoes echoed across the white marble floor of the temple. A small figure prostrated before a giant statue stirred and rose unsteadily.

“You failed, I take it.”

The child had an androgynous, beautiful face and a slender voice. The ruler of the moon irritably stripped off the glove on his right hand and slapped the child across the cheek.

“Didn’t you clearly say it would succeed this time?”

Despite the violent action, the man’s voice remained eerily calm. The child lowered their head deeply, as if trying to hide the reddened cheek.

“That is how the Revelation was read.”

“Then you must have read it incorrectly.”

The man seized the child by the collar and lifted them into the air. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Only when their breathing grew ragged did he release them with a violent shove. Looking down at the child sprawled helplessly on the floor, he pulled his glove back on and brushed off his clothes.

“If you commit the same error next time, know that you will no longer be able to preserve that noble, precious life of yours.”

The man turned to leave the temple, paused at the doorway, and spoke with biting sarcasm.

“‘Saint of Revelation.’”

With a heavy creak and thud, the iron door slammed shut. The child known as the Saint of Revelation remained collapsed on the floor for a long time.

Several minutes later, in the utterly silent temple, the child slowly rose.

“……”

They stared down at the pure white holy garment now stained crimson by nosebleed, then wiped their nose roughly with a sleeve. Their face was terrifyingly devoid of emotion.

Staggering forward, the child knelt before the statue, clasped both hands, and began to pray.

The continued failure of every operation proved that the being who twisted the Revelation they had read—the Saintess of Revelation—was still safe. Therefore the child could not help but offer prayers to the god.