Night of doubt

After being accused of being a peeper, Sakura Zeimachi needed to explain his reasons to the ship girl standing in front of him. Thankfully his alibi of the equilibrium between peeking and eavesdropping could be reasonable enough for Z23.

But it doesn't mean he can get away that easily. Together with Javelin heaving a sigh of relief, Z23 dragged their Commander out of the changing room, down the stairs and into the living room. Cera who saw the man felt restless because a child like them, became even happier in this quiet moment where there was no memory to be forgotten.

"The truth is, he's not a fan of slice of life. As you know from Sengoku, he doesn't like being around with peaceful times like this, Haha...Well since there's too many little girls this time, he got conflicted about it~"

The girl whose right eye kept shining laughed at the man's departure. She also uses time acceleration in the bathroom which is still being used by Laffey and Hylia and dry clean their clothes as quickly as possible. Cera is that kind of person, impatient and prefers to use the fast and efficient way.

"Hey...I'm still better than Sengoku who always told someone to die or drop dead."

Not long after, the two little girls came out without wearing their towels and freely shouted in satisfaction. Luckily the Lolicon wasn't here so Cera was able to dress them up right away.

Cera didn't use Kiana's clothes, so the clothes that Sakura Zeimachi had taken were left in the basket that was there. Already neat with simple makeup, the three of them finally headed to the living room where Sakura Zeimachi, Z23, Javelin and Ayanami seat with each other awkwardly.

"...Hey Lolicon."

"I'm clean."

Cera asks what happened because Ayanami always blushes every time he looks at her. It didn't take long because a few moments after Javelin stared at Z23, she opened her mouth to recount the incident the three of them had seen earlier.

"Hmm...So...You got shy because he look at you acting like a cat? Why not, sometime cat is cute. More so when they didn't knock your things over. Yeah man?"

"Agree, that's what exactly my thought is. To have a cute cat girls like her will add more cute points every time she meow-ing on my ears. That's why you don't need to be ashamed, Ayanami-kun."

Cera and Sakura Zeimachi bumped their fist with their same thought of cat girls. However, Javelin and Z23 who heard it actually felt sorry for Ayanami who felt even more embarrassed because of their talk.

"A-Ahaha...I guess it's expected from you two."

"Commander, Cera-san. Ayanami will be troubled if you talk more like that."

"...That's the problem desu...Uuuhhh...Stop saying things like that...."

It seemed that Ayanami was embarrassed because her actions which she thought were shameful is actually being praised by her commander.

After the atmosphere calmed down, Laffey who was sleepy after bathing also gathered and sat beside Ayanami who was still feeling a little embarrassed. Hylia was also present but she was beside Cera who was whispering something in her ear, the feasty haired girl nodded at the information given by Cera.

After telling Hylia the plan, Cera then tells them that this house doesn't actually belong to them, but property owned by someone else. Of course the ship girls were surprised that they could be arrested for breaking into someone else's house, but Cera calmed them down because now they were leaving.

'Is this okay Zei?'

'Technically this house could be said as my house, but only in this world. I'll erase their memories about me so you don't need to mind it.'

'...'

'...Let's go.'

Hearing his principle of not letting himself imprint on other people's lives and hearts, Cera felt…Maybe something couldn't be changed no matter what. All his actions and actions will have an impact on him later and he knows that, but that doesn't mean he will stop from doing that.

'Haha...That's the fool for ya Zei.'

'...'

"Commander?"

"Yeah Javelin-kun. Don't worry, I'm thinking of something."

Before they stepped out of the house, Javelin saw him who had been telepathing with Cera. Because he looked like he was full of thoughts, Javelin who wanted to help came over and asked how he was.

The little girl was very sensitive to the atmosphere around her, and therefore even though she knew that in the end she would not get an answer from her commander, she could feel the trouble from the look on his face.

"Commander...I don't know what you're thinking right now. But I'm sure it'll work out."

"...How can you sure everything will be fine Javelin-kun?"

The man saw Javelin's face full of confidence different from before, from what he knew Javelin was indeed a very cheerful girl and he was happy if the girl returned like that.

"Ehehe...I don't really know how though. But I'm sure as long Commander believe, then it'll be fine....N-Now, let's go to the others."

"..."

A word of encouragement, that's what crossed his mind. Hearing the words from Javelin who was trying to comfort him, Sakura Zeimachi felt very bad and weak because he showed his weakness to the people around him.

'Now then Zei, we'll be going this way.'

'...Ah.'

'...'

The man's legs became even more difficult to move when he knew who he was going to met. He should be able to step up and do what he did to Sakura Megumi before, however, all the small events that made him hesitate made it more difficult for him to take that action.

"Eh? Commander, you're going to separate way from us?"

"Commander...Where're you going?"

Cera will go where she wants to go along with the ship girls and Hylia, while Sakura Zeimachi will face his past. That's why they will separate and go to their respective destinations, and to deceive those ship girls, he used his title as the fool just like usual.

"Ahh yeaahh~ Sorry, but because there's a bar I wanted to go...I need to grab their special cocktail right now....Adieu!!! Remember kids, don't drink like me okay! Byee~"

With a speed that only cartoon characters could achieve, he ran away leaving smoke along his path. It made the ship girl wonder about the truth of the reason he gave.

"...Laffey, you brought that cup desu?"

"Uhn...Commander, such liar."

Beneath her bulging-looking jacket, Laffey pulled out a golden cup she had brought into this world. The cup could shape drinks according to the memory of the holder, so he should be able to be with them without having to go to a bar.

The moon above almost formed into a perfect moon, the air turn cold with the silent of the night. They walked out and headed for their next destination with Cera as their guide, to the place of a golden diva that could gave her the stage she needed.

-------------

*Chamber of Mind.*

This is the Chamber of Mind, a space created through the power of Fenghuang Down as the key of sentience along with his title in the past as the Monster of Emotion. It was mostly created by the Divine Key though, so his title is just what his name in the past.

This place could be likened to a broken room, because everything was filled with static like a static display on a television screen. Even so, his state of mind was not completely destroyed.

There are hidden doors in this room, rooms that hold secrets and their respective contents. At first his chamber of the mind was filled with these doors, but everything changed over time.

Behind one of these doors, there are five personas who have stories from the past with their own unique characters.

El Dust, Nanekluh ref Rednialsig, Sengoku, Necro-phi/Vandango, and then Loli-man. The five of them who were a part of him were discussing something in the room, the room with the rainbow-colored door.

...

....

.....

"Attention my brothers! We're here to discuss a very important matters. Everyone is best girl."

In the midst of a beautiful and comfortable garden filled with five podiums, there is El Dust standing behind one of the podiums with the 'L' logo raising his voice to bring this discussion back on track.

At first, this was the opera room used by them to watch events in the 'Blank World'. But now that their turn was over, the big screen they were using had disappeared leaving this place that was very much like a park in the middle of a metro city.

"Sirin best girl!!! Loli is best!"

"...Bronya will crush your waist!!! Stop with overrated Lolification!"

Not far from the place and the podium he was standing on, there're two other personas who were arguing by pointing at each other. They're Loli-man and Necro-phi/Vandango. Even though at first they seemed calm with each other, but when it came to 'Best Girl', their temperament turned like that.

"Hahaha! You lot really like to argue about an unimportant things don't you. Fu Hua is definitely the 'Best girl' once and for all."

There is also Nanekluh ref Rednialsig who proudly places his best girl indiscriminately regardless of the two opinions.

"What did you say Simp?!"

"...You don't even know the essence of being 'Best girl'."

Who knows what they really want to talk about. But whether it matters or not, Sengoku doesn't seem to care. He kept his distance away from them as well as his podium in the chair he was sitting on earlier.

Maybe he too became interested in the topic of their conversation, and maybe he didn't. Sengoku was the embodiment of his hatred and ferocity, so he keep watching over them like a sovereign looking down at its subject.

"Ah! My brother Sengok-"

"Don't talk to me. Don't come to me. Die."

Even when El Dust called him to join their forum, Sengoku still being a prick and continued to be alone from those weirdos discussing about which one is the best girl.

"*Sigh* Please my brother, we're going to discuss about Moriarty right now...*Sigh*..."

With a sigh released by El Dust, the discussion that should have been about Moriarty as well as the experiences of each of them during their turn, turned even more distorted and ruined by their argument.

--------------

This is the continuation of Moriarty's travel. After the two finished their business with the Leviathan and all personalities had finished their turn, his original body turned into light as her guide to met him.

She flew across the ocean with the moon showing its body. Along with her hair that was blown by the wind and her small face which got exposed to dew from breeze of the cold sea during her journey.

[...It's cold.]

She finally reached this city again, the place where she will meet again with that man and also the moment that'll decide the fate of this world.

[Why...I can't shake this feeling...Can I really with him.]

Just like a maiden who for the first time experienced her first love, Moriarty couldn't think of an appropriate course of action when she's on her way to the town.

She could fly, she could teleport and even shift the dimension to shorten her travel, but she couldn't think straight when her heart was pounding from her nervousness to be reunited with that man.

Everything inside the timeless girl's mind is only about him.

[I...I...Can I really...]

It only took a few more steps for her to get what she wanted most, which was to be reunited with the person she had been waiting for all this time.

But unfortunately, there was a little doubt in her heart. It was a doubt that slowly rose in her heart when she saw the many women that had been present in his life.

[This pain...Will it gone when I met him...]

Her delicate and fragile looking hands slowly moved towards her chest. She noticed that her heartbeat was getting faster the more she imagined the man. However behind that, she also felt a suffocating pain.

[...Hmm? A...Song?]

In the midst of her moonlit musings, Moriarty heard a song. The song sounded soothing and also made the pain in her heart slowly dissipate even though she didn't really understand the meaning.

[...]

As if attracted by the chanting of the song, the timeless girl began to walk towards the source of the sound. The footsteps she made sounded weak but filled with all her feelings for a promise from someone.