Chapter 23

Shizuku stands at the front of the Universal Guard’s flight hangar, arms folded as the massive Ark-Class Flagship preps for launch. The others gather around, looking somewhere between serious and visibly restless.

Shizuku
Alright, everyone—captains, Lily, Celeste, Kalt.
We're heading to the Northern District.
We’ll be riding the Universal Highway all the way up—12 hours straight.

Berwick
(snorts)
Better than teleporting blind into Givre’s territory.

Shizuku
It’s gonna be long.
So I figured... we’d make a detour.

Everyone
(in unison)
A what?

Shizuku
(smiling smugly)
We're swinging by Gastran.

The hangar goes silent. And then:

Lily
NO WAY.

Alto
(grinning wide)
The food capital of the Eastern District?!

Asche
The last time I went, I cried eating the Emrys’s Specialty.
That wasn’t even a spicy dish.

Celeste
It better still have the Berwitto.
It better.

Berwick
You only want it because they named it after me.

Celeste
Exactly.

Shizuku
We’ll take two hours there, max.
Everyone eat, rest, and gear up before we head for Raureif.

Eris
I call dibs on the Catfish Nuggets: The Eris Way.
Anyone touches them, you’re flying off the ship.

Kalt XVIII
(quietly to Astera)
…They act like they're going to a festival, not to depose a mind-controlling monarch.

Astera
It’s their way of relaxing.
You’ll get used to it.

Suddenly, the hangar door opens again…

Celeste
…By the way, I brought the entire Arcana Sound and Support Guard.
They’re loading in now.

Shizuku
(stares)
Why.

Celeste
(smiling innocently)
We need as much support as possible, correct?

Asche
You're gonna make the ship fly off rhythm.

Celeste
Then maybe you should sit on the wing and steer with your face.

Berwick
That’s it. I'm getting an Alto Styled Ice Cream and ignoring all of you.

Alto
It’s literally just vanilla with too much star sugar.

Berwick
Exactly.

Lily
Can I get the Lily’s Platter this time without the tomato?

Shizuku
No. It's tradition.

Celeste
Someone order me Energaid and Warrior’s Ale. I’m mixing them.

Astera
That's how you lose 10 years of your life, Celeste.

Kalt XVIII
...What is Bbq Flavored Beer?

Asche
Don't ask. Just… don’t.

Alright. Load up. 

Next stop: Gastran.