Chapter 55

Towering spires hum with mana-tech, and spiritbound trams whir across suspended tracks. The Grand Universal Guard Plaza sits gleaming, waiting.

A distant BOOM splits the skies—

The Arkship of the Universal Guard emerges through a fold in space, reality snapping back into place behind it. Gleaming with imperial blues and radiant sigils, it descends slowly, hovering above the arrival platform.

Eris
(taking off her glasses and smiling as the city air rushes in)
Ah… Minamo. No snow. No mental corruption. Just good old humidity and caffeine.

Berwick
(buttoning his uniform again)
Feels weird walking off a mission successful.

Asche
(stretching his neck)
Let’s not make a habit of that.

Celeste
(spinning dramatically as she exits)
Hark, Minamo! Your actual best captain has returned!

Shizuku
(sighing)
You had one week to be normal.

Alto
(smiling softly as he walks beside Shizuku)
I think this is the part where we pretend we’re not starving again, despite eating an entire nation's worth of food.

Student Mage
(whispering to a friend)
That’s them. That’s the crew who rethroned Raureif’s rightful heir...

City Speaker
(stepping forward with an official bow)
On behalf of the Central District, Minamo welcomes the Universal Guard back. Our cities are safer because of your work—thank you.

Shizuku
(saluting)
We protect the universe not for glory…
—but because it’s ours.

Lily
(turning to Astera as they walk through the plaza)
Do you think Kalt’s watching?

Astera
(tapping the side of his comm crystal)
He better be. I sent him a front-row vision rune stream.

Eris
(grinning)
Good. Let him see what it means to walk forward—guarded, yes, but proud.

Asche
(smirking faintly)
So, when’s the next war?

Celeste
(laughing)
Hopefully not before I finally get a dish named after me.

Shizuku
(stepping forward as the elevator doors open)
We’ll find out soon. But for now— Let’s go home.