Chapter 81: The Council of War

Our traditional post-convention "victory feast" is now a somber "council of war." We are crammed into a booth at our usual family restaurant, but the mood is anything but celebratory. The table is covered in food, but no one is eating with much enthusiasm.

Kenji is the only one who is still buzzing. "A new goddess has descended!" he proclaims, his voice full of a traitorous excitement. "Did you see the detail on her wings? The way they moved! It was a miracle of engineering and beauty! We are not worthy!"

"Kenji," Rina says, her voice dangerously quiet. "If you say the word 'goddess' one more time in reference to anyone other than me, I will personally shove this entire plate of gyoza down your throat."

Kenji immediately shuts up.

"She was… on another level," Haruka admits, her voice a low, grudging whisper. It is the highest form of praise she is capable of giving. "Her budget is clearly astronomical. We cannot compete with that kind of tech."

"It is not just the tech," Rina says, her eyes distant as she replays the scene in her mind. "It is her presence. Her control. She did not move for hours. Her posture was perfect. She is not just a crafter; she is a performer."

"She is a threat," Miki says, her manager-mode fully activated. She has her laptop open on the table, a spreadsheet of LUNA's known stats already compiled. "She has conquered the Korean cosplay scene, she has a massive international following, and now she has made a perfect, explosive debut in Japan. She has completely stolen your momentum."

The weight of their defeat settles over the table. Rina and Haruka, who have spent the better part of a year locked in a bitter rivalry, now look at each other. The animosity is gone, replaced by a shared, grim understanding. They are no longer rivals for the same throne. A new queen has arrived, and they are now just members of her court.

"So what do we do?" Hana asks, her voice small and worried. "Do we just… give up?"

"Never," Rina and Haruka say in perfect, synchronized unison. They look at each other, surprised by their shared sentiment.

A new fire begins to burn in Rina's eyes. It is not just about beating Hime-Hime anymore. "We cannot out-tech her," she says, her voice firming with a new resolve. "We cannot out-budget her. So we have to out-passion her. We have to be better crafters, better performers. We have to create something she cannot buy."

"An alliance," Haruka says, the word tasting strange in her mouth. She looks at Rina, a grudging respect in her eyes. "You and me. Our combined skills. Our teams. We stop fighting each other and focus on the real enemy."

It is a shocking, unthinkable proposal. Ectiqa and Hime-Hime. Working together.

Miki's eyes light up behind her glasses. "A strategic partnership," she muses, already seeing the marketing potential. "The two queens of Japan, joining forces to defend their territory against an international challenger. The narrative is perfect."

"I am in," Rina says without hesitation, extending a hand across the table.

Haruka looks at her hand, then at Rina's determined face. She gives a small, sharp nod and takes it. "I am in," she agrees.

Kenji starts to weep with joy. "The ultimate team-up arc! It is happening! I am witnessing history!"

I am just staring at them, my mind still stuck on the 'Starlight Paladin' pendant. My two biggest problems have just formed an alliance. And I have a terrible, sinking feeling that their new, unified focus is going to make my life even more chaotic than it already was.