Chapter 56 Staying at Arzenal and Momoka’s arriaval

Lucia spotted Hilda's group, consisting of three girls, including herself, dressed in casual attire. They wore sleeveless white tops akin to sportswear, with short vests layered over them, exposing their midriffs, and short skirts. Additionally, there was an alternative set with long-sleeved tops and white waist cloaks that reached near their ankles. Hilda sported a sleeveless top with a skirt and waist cloak, while the two girls beside her wore similar attire with short skirts.

As their eyes met Lucia's, the trio was momentarily captivated by her striking appearance. Hilda took the lead, approaching Lucia with the other girls trailing behind her.

"Are you new here?" Hilda inquired, her curiosity piqued by Lucia's unfamiliar face.

Lucia, currently clad in Norma's standard attire of a long-sleeved top and skirt with a waist cloak, her silver-white hair fashioned into a ponytail with front bangs, revealed her uniquely beautiful eyes. However, unlike Hilda and her group, Lucia's clothing covered her belly.

Hilda mistakenly took Lucia for Norma, who had been sent to Arzenal after being exposed, because Lucia was wearing Norma attire.

Hilda couldn't help but notice Lucia's composed demeanor, unlike most girls sent to Arzenal who often struggled with self-acceptance upon discovering their Norma status. Hilda remembered Ange's initial reaction upon arrival—constantly denouncing Norma and vehemently denying any association with them. Yet Lucia seemed different, prompting Hilda's surprise.

Normally, Norma were identified at a very young age and sent to Arzenal. Consequently, most girls adapted easily to their new surroundings and were raised as soldiers without fully comprehending the perilous nature of their existence. Ange's situation was exceptional; she had been shielded by her parents throughout her life and only discovered her Norma status at the age of 17. If not for her brother's jealousy, Ange would have lived out her days as the empress of the Misurugi Empire.

"Hmm… I guess I am," Lucia mused for a moment before replying with a smile.

"You're strange…" Hilda remarked, puzzled by Lucia's calm demeanor.

"How so?" Lucia inquired, curious about Hilda's observation.

"Normally, when someone discovers they're a Norma and gets sent to this prison-like place, they aren't as composed as you," Hilda explained.

"Indeed," Lucia nodded in acknowledgment of Hilda's observation.

"My name is Hilda," she introduced herself.

"Ah, I'm Lucia Kurayami," Lucia replied with a warm smile.

"Kurayami?" Hilda echoed in surprise, as using family names was against the island's rules. No one on the island typically used their real names, adhering to this strict protocol.

"You should use another name here. The commander would punish you if you still used your family name," Hilda explained, concern evident in her voice. She didn't want Lucia to face punishment from Jill, though she was unaware that Jill's authority held no sway over her.

"I see… thank you for the advice, Hilda-san. I'll be careful. Then call me Lucia," Lucia said with a gentle smile, appreciating Hilda's concern. Hilda returned the smile.

"It's okay. You don't need to add 'san,'" Hilda replied, indicating a sense of informality between them.

Lucia understood that Hilda's concerns didn't extend to the norms or mana users on the island. The only thing Hilda cared about was her mother. She was what some might call a 'mama's girl' and harbored plans to escape from Arzenal secretly when the time was right.

Despite outward displays of affection toward Chris, Rosalie, and even Zola, who was now deceased, in reality, they were all superficial. Hilda had been putting on an act for a long time, all to facilitate her eventual return to her loving mother.

Hilda wasn't one to easily engage with strangers, but upon seeing Lucia, she felt an instinctual sense that Lucia might prove useful to her in some way. Unbeknownst to Hilda, there was also a part of her that yearned for Lucia's attention—a sentiment akin to her feelings towards her beloved mother.

As Lucia and Hilda conversed casually, Chris and Rosalie remained in a daze, captivated by Lucia's presence. Rosalie, with her short orange hair and blue eyes, couldn't help but wonder, "This is crazy, why does she look so incredibly good?"

Meanwhile, Chris, with her short light-blue hair tied in a braided ponytail cascading over her right shoulder and a bang covering her left eye, felt her heart racing at the sight of Lucia's smile, a slight blush gracing her cheeks.

After a while, Hilda, Chris, and Rosalie's attention shifted as they noticed someone approaching. Their conversation ceased as they turned to see Ange walking towards them. Lucia also noticed Ange's approach and turned to face her.

Hilda, Chris, and Rosalie were visibly surprised at Ange's presence. They had believed Ange to be dead, so seeing her alive and well was unexpected. Hilda and the girls knew that Salia and two other teammates had been searching for Ange, but they never expected her to be found alive.

"Tsk. She wasn't dead," Rosalie muttered, her displeasure evident in her tone as she observed Ange's arrival.

Chris remained silent but shared Rosalie's resentment towards Ange, her anger simmering beneath the surface.

Hilda refrained from speaking, but her expression conveyed her disdain for Ange's survival. When Ange reached Lucia's side, she grabbed Lucia's arm and attempted to drag her away from Hilda and her group, clearly indicating her desire to avoid interaction with them.

'I thought Ange would confront Hilda with her usual personality…' Lucia thought, noting Ange's avoidance of confrontation, and obediently followed her lead.

"Wait," Hilda called out, halting Ange in her tracks as she attempted to pull Lucia away.

Ange stopped and turned to face Hilda and her group, Lucia mirroring her actions.

"What?" Ange retorted, her expression devoid of emotion, her gaze piercing Hilda as if she were insignificant.

"Your wannabe princess attitude hasn't disappeared even after returning to Arzenal? And now you're dragging newbies around like they're your toys?" Hilda fired back, her tone laced with sarcasm.

"I guess you've gone mad after being submerged in saltwater," Hilda continued, mocking Ange's behavior.

Ange stared at Hilda for a moment before suddenly pulling Lucia close and planting a kiss on her lips. Lucia, taken aback by the unexpected gesture, reciprocated the kiss, their lips intertwining in a passionate embrace.

After a moment, they parted, and Ange turned to face Hilda, who now wore a mask of anger. Hilda watched in disbelief as Ange embraced Lucia, her rage palpable.

"Well, my girlfriend was so beautiful that even bugs tried to get her attention," Ange remarked, turning to Lucia as she spoke but directing her words towards Hilda and her group.

"Anyway, thanks to those bugs, I had a chance to meet my girlfriend. Let's go," Ange said to Lucia, leading her back to their room.

Hilda, Chris, and Rosalie watched as the two left, but Hilda wore an unusual expression. She didn't approve of Ange's behavior towards the new girl at all. There was an unfamiliar sensation stirring within her as Ange kissed Lucia. Despite not having spoken much with Lucia, Hilda found comfort in her presence. It was the first time she had felt refreshed simply from conversing with someone. Even though she had two friends and lovers by her side, she didn't feel truly content. Since arriving in this hellish place, everything had felt fake, all for the sake of returning to her mother.

However, when she talked with the beautiful new Norma girl, Lucia, she felt at ease and genuinely enjoyed the interaction. But then, unexpectedly, Ange appeared and whisked Lucia away, referring to her as her girlfriend and kissing her while casting a sidelong glance at Hilda.

At that moment, Hilda felt an unfamiliar anger, as if something she cherished had been stolen by Ange. Lucia, too, didn't refute Ange's words or actions, indicating that she may have welcomed them.

"Tch. Let's go," Hilda muttered, calling Chris and Rosalie as she turned to head back to their room.

In the hallway leading to their room, Lucia and Ange walked side by side, their hands intertwined.

"…Sorry…" Ange apologized, acknowledging her earlier behavior.

"It's okay. They were the ones who damaged your para-mail, right?" Lucia replied understandingly.

"Umm…" Ange nodded in confirmation.

As they continued on their way, Lucia and Ange engaged in conversation, gradually making their way back to their room.

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As a few days passed since Lucia's arrival at Arzenal, life on the island continued relatively unchanged. Ange diligently trained, and Lucia spent time with her. During this time, Lucia encountered various characters from the Cross Ange anime, as well as unnamed individuals. Notably, Emma Bronson, the supervisor of Arzenal, had not made any disparaging remarks about humans coexisting with Norma.

It appeared that Jill had not informed Emma of Lucia's status as a Mana user. If she had, Emma would have likely confronted Lucia immediately. Lucia also interacted with the Norma children in the teaching room, where they were instructed on rules and the history of dragons and para-mails.

Ersha often accompanied the children, seemingly enjoying her time with them. Despite being only seventeen years old, Ersha exuded a maturity beyond her years. Lucia couldn't help but feel that Ersha appeared older than she actually was.

In the classroom where the children were taught, Lucia was warmly welcomed by the enthusiastic youngsters. To them, Lucia was like a beautiful big sister, and everyone wanted to play with her. Even the instructors paused their lessons to engage with Lucia, a departure from the usual protocol that Jill surprisingly didn't punish when Lucia was involved.

Lucia couldn't help but think about her unborn child, currently being carried in the bellies of Shizuka and Yuriko. She thought she would have more time to spend with Shizuka and Yuriko. Of course, Lucia did spend time with them as well, but she hasn't met with her wives for a few days now as she has been in Arzenal.

Lucia couldn't help but feel a surge of anger as she witnessed the Norma children being taught that fighting dragons was a natural part of life. Some of the children even expressed a desire to visit the capital cities and empires, believing them to be safe havens from dragon attacks. Despite the potential dangers they faced, they seemed strangely indifferent to the risks involved.

This troubled Lucia deeply. In the world she came from, such indoctrination of children into accepting violence and peril as normalcy was unheard of. While she acknowledged that there might be similar practices in underworld societies, it didn't make it any less appalling to her.

The real Lucia, who had experienced her own share of hardships and dangers while growing up with her sister Luna, might not have reacted with as much anger. After all, their world had been far more treacherous than the Mana world. But the Lucia inhabiting her body now couldn't abide by such a system. She was determined to put an end to Embryo's madness.

Lucia often found herself pondering whether she should visit the world of "Punishing Grey Raven." However, she realized it wasn't necessary, as eventually, she and Luna would meet again. Additionally, just because she now inhabited Lucia's body didn't mean that the real body from the game world had disappeared. Nevertheless, Lucia still entertained the idea of visiting that world someday.

In the meantime, Lucia frequently interacted with Hilda and Salia, engaging in conversations with them. Ange didn't intervene, as she respected Lucia's autonomy and disliked being controlled herself. Because of Lucia's presence, Salia's squad became friendlier than before. The squad consisted of Salia, Ange, Vivian, Ersha, Hilda, Chris, and Rosalie.

Initially, Hilda, Chris, and Rosalie harbored resentment towards Ange due to the death of their former captain, who had been Hilda's, Chris's, and Rosalie's lover. They blamed Ange for the captain's demise. However, after spending more time chatting with Lucia, they gradually let go of those feelings and began to forge a bond with Lucia instead.

Vivian and Ersha were delighted to see the squad becoming friendlier, and even Ange began to engage in conversations with them, though she still maintained her distance from Hilda, Chris, and Rosalie. Hilda didn't take offense, content with chatting with Lucia and enjoying her time with her. The atmosphere at Arzenal grew more relaxed as the threat of dragon attacks diminished, allowing them to focus on training and preparations for future battles.

Under the moonlit sky, transport aircraft headed towards Arzenal, carrying supplies and provisions for their fight against dragons. As the aircraft landed in the hangar, Norma girls swiftly began unloading the supplies. A girl in an officer uniform, wearing glasses, meticulously inspected the transported goods near the aircraft. This was Emma, the supervisor of Arzenal, ensuring that everything was in order for the upcoming operations against the dragons.

As Emma meticulously checked the supplies, ensuring everything was accounted for, a human-shaped shadow moved stealthily within the confines of the aircraft. Despite the bustling activity around them, no one seemed to notice as the mysterious figure slipped out and sneaked into the Arzenal base, aided perhaps by some form of anime logic.

Once inside the dock, the intruder's appearance was revealed. She had dark blue hair and was clad in a maid outfit adorned with white and blue hues, though it appeared torn and dirty from three days of wear without washing. Her sole intention in infiltrating the transport aircraft was to reunite with Ange, whom she considered her master.

She had always longed to follow Ange, but circumstances had prevented her from doing so, especially after Ange's abrupt departure to Arzenal. Even if she had wanted to follow, she knew that she wouldn't have been allowed. Thus, she resorted to sneaking onto the transport aircraft, driven by her desire to see her beloved master once again.

"Receipt confirmed. Good work," Emma commended the person in charge with a salute.

"Then see you again soon," the girl replied with a salute in return as the aircraft took off and departed. Shortly after its departure, a girl from the command room made a startling announcement that echoed throughout Arzenal.

<Attention everyone. There is an intruder in the Arzenal dock.>

<Target has escaped onto the upper deck. All units in vicinity, provide backup immediately.>

Meanwhile, Lucia and Ange were relaxing on a sofa inside their room. Ange rested her head on Lucia's shoulder as she sat in Lucia's lap. Unlike in the anime, Ange had purchased a few items from the shop and decorated their room. However, this room wasn't their original room but a larger one that Ange had purchased from the shop.

Ange and Lucia had been guided to a spacious, empty room, similar in size to Hilda's group room. They quickly set about decorating it to their liking. A large bed for two people was installed, complemented by walls painted in soothing colors. Ange added a sofa, a set of tables and chairs, and even a kitchen, although Lucia was the one who handled the cooking.

Ange found great joy in spending time with Lucia, and she didn't want her to feel confined to a prison-like room. With ample funds at her disposal, Ange splurged on the room's furnishings. Normally, she wouldn't have cared for such luxuries, but ever since meeting Lucia, she found herself more inclined to indulge in comforts and pleasures

As they heard the announcement about an intruder in Arzenal, Lucia recalled the event involving Momoka, Ange's former maid, had snuck into Arzenal just to see her again.

"Let's go and check," Lucia suggested, ready to investigate.

"…Can't we let other people handle it? It's just one intruder after all," Ange protested, reluctant to leave the comfort of Lucia's lap.

"No. I just want to see who would want to sneak into Arzenal, where only Norma live," Lucia explained, emphasizing her determination to investigate. Ange reluctantly agreed, knowing that Lucia's curiosity wouldn't be easily swayed.

Both Lucia and Ange hurried to the location where the intruder was spotted. Their room wasn't too far from the dock, and they arrived quickly. There, they found a group of Norma girls pointing their guns at an unarmed girl wearing a dirty maid outfit. Ange's eyes widened in surprise as she recognized the intruder.

"Momoka?" Ange exclaimed, causing the Norma girls to turn their attention towards her, including the maid, Momoka.

"Angelise-sama…" Momoka's voice trembled as tears welled up in her eyes. She rushed towards Ange, disregarding the guns pointed at her.

"Angelise-sama!" Momoka cried out and embraced Ange tightly.

Ange was taken aback by Momoka's sudden appearance but reciprocated the hug, never expecting to see Momoka in such a place. The tension in the air dissipated as the Norma girls realized that Ange and Momoka knew each other.

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After the commotion settled down, the Norma girls returned to their tasks, leaving Ange to bring Momoka back to their room. Momoka followed Ange, her gaze drifting towards Lucia, who emanated a beauty she had never seen before in the empire.

While Momoka knew Ange to be one of the most beautiful girls in the empire, she couldn't help but feel that Lucia's beauty surpassed even Ange's. Momoka couldn't shake the feeling that Lucia must be royalty from another empire, her radiance casting a shadow over Ange's own beauty.

"Why are you here, Momoka?" Ange asked as they walked.

"I-I just wanted to meet with Angelise-sama!" Momoka replied in a panic, her attention still somewhat focused on Lucia.

"Just that?" Ange questioned, continuing to walk.

"Y-yes? Ah, I wanted to continue to serve Angelise-sama," Momoka answered nervously.

"Ange," Ange interjected firmly.

"Yes?" Momoka responded, confused by Ange's tone.

"It's Ange now. No longer Angelise," Ange clarified.

"B-but, Angelise-sama," Momoka protested.

"It's Ange! Norma Ange! I'm not the princess of the Misurugi Empire!" Ange exclaimed, her voice tinged with the memory of her deceased mother.

"Ange," Lucia whispered softly, reaching out to hold Ange's hand. Ange's agitation began to subside as she felt Lucia's calming presence.

"Haa... Sorry. I just," Ange sighed, feeling a pang of guilt as she looked at Momoka, who appeared on the verge of fainting from nervousness.

"It's okay, Angeli... Ange-sama," Momoka said with a forced smile, trying to reassure Ange.

"Well, why not talk inside?" Lucia suggested, gesturing towards their room as they reached the door.

They entered the room, and Momoka took in the surprisingly large and well-furnished space. In contrast to what she might have expected from a plotline, the room was clean and decent.

"It's quite small..." Momoka remarked in a low tone as she looked around the room, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the surroundings.

As Momoka commented on the room's size, Lucia's eye twitched slightly, though she understood that it might feel small compared to what Momoka was accustomed to. However, in Lucia's perspective, the room was still quite spacious. It had everything they needed - tables, a kitchen, a bathroom, a large bed, a closet, and a sofa. There was even plenty of space for additional furnishings if desired. So, in Lucia's view, it wasn't small at all.

They settled at the table, and Lucia headed to the kitchen to prepare something to eat, recognizing that Momoka must be starving after hiding in the aircraft for over three days. Meanwhile, Ange and Momoka engaged in conversation as they sat together at the table.

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