After leaving the women's training grounds, Kenthelion finally exhaled in relief. The emotional energy, the fiery determination in their eyes—it had touched his heart.
But it also made his lower body… respond.
"Damn… too serious. Way too fired up," he muttered, quickening his pace like a man fleeing an emotional battlefield.
As soon as he reached his quarters, he beelined for the water dispenser, pouring glass after glass and chugging them like a soldier returning from the Sahara.
Shizuka Marikawa was sprawled out on the couch, lazily twirling a strand of hair. She tilted her head and blinked at him. "Hmm? What's up with you? You look like you just escaped a zombie horde."
Kenthelion answered flatly, "I'm scared of tigers."
"Tigers?" Shizuka raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, they're scary. All big and jumpy and rawr."
He nodded slowly. His eyes—just for a moment—drifted downwards.
"Yup… tigers. Big, intimidating… and I'm pretty sure this one right here is the queen of them all."
He immediately turned his gaze to the ceiling, pretending to admire the architecture like it was a masterpiece of ancient design.
"Where is everyone else?" he asked quickly, tossing out the question like a smoke grenade for a quick escape.
Shizuka lifted her fingers and started counting them one by one, her face suddenly serious like a schoolkid trying to do math under pressure.
"Saeko's training with the combat nuns… Aunt Yuriko and Takagi-san are doing a base inspection… Rika's out field-testing her new gun on zombies… and little Alice is taking a nap."
She gave a small nod of satisfaction, proud of her flawless report.
Kenthelion watched as she absentmindedly fidgeted with her fingers. There was something so bizarrely charming about her—like a chaotic guardian angel who somehow survived the apocalypse through sheer luck… and physics-defying boobs.
He smiled to himself without even realizing it.
"This one… she's a special kind of weird."
-----
Kenthelion stepped into his temporary office at Haneda Airport, Tokyo. The familiar ticking from his wristwatch suddenly filled the room.
He quickly pressed a small button on the watch. Instantly, a hologram flickered to life—a sharp-eyed little girl with blazing red hair and a mischievous grin. This was Red Queen.
"Pervert big brother, when are you coming back to Terra Aeterna? If you don't return soon, these mechanicus will keep bothering me here," Red Queen teased in a flirtatious tone.
Kenthelion sighed. "Relax, I'll be back tomorrow. Let the others handle the universe's construction for now."
Red Queen sounded impatient. "By the way, big brother, there's a woman showing up near the base."
Kenthelion demanded, "Go on."
"A woman…"
"Say it!"
"A beautiful woman…"
Kenthelion furrowed his brow. "Damn it, can you finish your sentence? You're getting naughtier, Red Queen, you know that, right?" He couldn't resist teasing the hologram. Ever since Red Queen became accessible through his watch, she'd gotten way more talkative—especially now that she was apparently learning about humans through the internet.
Red Queen giggled before saying, "Her name is Miyamoto Rei."
Kenthelion snorted. "Miyamoto Rei… She's not dead? Came here alone? That woman does have some skills."
He recalled his past life reading manga, watching anime, and browsing forums. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who wasn't too fond of Miyamoto Rei and Takashi Komuro. Lots of people shared the same opinions. That's why Kenthelion decided not to overthink it.
"Red Queen, tell Yuriko Takagi and Saya Takagi to meet with her," Kenthelion ordered.
Red Queen replied casually, "Okay, bastard."
Kenthelion frowned. "Red Queen, I was just thinking—Takashi Komuro is the bastard? Why'd you call me the bastard?"
Red Queen mocked with sarcastic flair, "In those novels, a guy who hangs out with more than ten women at once is usually called a bastard."
Kenthelion paused, contemplating. Maybe she had a point. By now, he already had several women from movies and anime—ranging from leads to side characters.
He then said firmly to Red Queen, "Alright, don't stay too long here. Get back to Terra Aeterna or I'll throw you to those mechanicus."
"Hmm, you're an evil pervert, big brother!" Red Queen ended the communication with a pouty but still playful tone.
--------
The atmosphere at the Haneda Airport forward outpost was tense. The air felt frozen between towering steel walls that surrounded the perimeter, reinforced with barbed wire, deep trenches, and towering stacks of sandbags. Behind this fortified defense, foreign-looking automated turrets stood alert, their barrels aimed outwards—sworn to protect this place from any approaching threat.
Miyamoto Rei walked forward slowly. Her body was caked in dust, her face dull, and her school uniform torn in several places—she looked more like a war-weary refugee who had crawled out of hell than an ordinary high school girl. Every step she took carried the weight of a long, painful journey, wounds that hadn't healed, and memories still too fresh to forget.
Before her stood rows of massive military vehicles in perfect formation. At the front loomed a Leman Russ tank, exuding dominance, followed by a Hellhound that looked ready to spew fire at the slightest provocation. Further back, the silhouettes of Basilisks and Manticores towered ominously—reminding Rei of modern military hardware she'd seen before, though these looked larger… and far more alien.
She bit her lip softly.
"If the Takagi family has this much power… there's no way their estate was destroyed just by zombies. Maybe the undead aren't the main threat anymore."
The rumble of heavy machinery drew her attention. A Chimera APC rolled out from behind the base, its treads growling softly against the asphalt. Several soldiers stood guard on top, clad in sleek, black-silver power armor and holding rifles with an otherworldly design.
The side hatch opened. Two familiar figures stepped out.
Yuriko Takagi radiated grace in a luxurious evening dress, her mature, voluptuous figure commanding attention. Beside her, Takagi Saya stood in her still-pristine Fujimi High school uniform.
"Rei! Why did you come alone? Are you hurt?" Saya shouted, her voice sharp with panic—even though she still retained that classic tsundere tone.
Yuriko gently touched her daughter's shoulder, calming her, then gave Rei a slow, steady nod.
"Saya, take her inside. She needs somewhere safe."
Yuriko's gaze now fixed firmly on Rei—sharp eyes, yet filled with understanding. It was as if she could assess the entire situation with just a single glance.
"Rei, come with us. Take a bath, eat something… then we'll talk. I'm sure you have a lot to tell us."
-----
After ensuring Miyamoto Rei was safe, Saya Takagi led her into the main residence, now serving as a quiet rest and coordination center—far removed from the noisy bustle of the military outpost outside.
"Rei, go take a shower first. I'll wait for you in the dining room," Saya said, her voice softer than usual.
In the living room, Yuriko Takagi stepped inside, slipping off her coat. She glanced left and right, searching for someone.
"Hey, isn't Kenthelion here?" she asked, a hint of confusion in her voice.
Shizuka Marikawa, lounging comfortably with a cup of tea, replied casually, "Kenthelion is out, Auntie."
From a corner, Rika Minami had just returned and was changing out of her jacket. Seeing her, Yuriko immediately approached, narrowing her eyes.
"Rika Minami? You're back already? Good. From now on, we'll stay in this house. The barracks are full of men—kind of uncomfortable. Besides, I hear you've got a little fan over there, right?"
Yuriko's tone was a blend of a dorm matron and a harem manager. Rika only smiled faintly and nodded.
"All right, I'll stay here," she replied calmly.
Yuriko raised her hand in a casual gesture. "You two catch up. I won't disturb you," she said, then stepped out.
Not long after, Yuriko called three new housemaids she had recently recruited: two young women and a little girl—Kiriko Miyamoto, Asami Nakaoka, and little Airi, Alice's playmate.
"Kiriko, Asami, Airi, prepare tea for everyone and a warm meal for one. We'll wait for the guest to finish her bath—she must be hungry."
The three nodded and quickly went to work.
Meanwhile, in the dining room, Saya Takagi stared sharply at Miyamoto Rei after hearing a shocking summary.
"What? The Takagi family estate was breached by zombies? And Father… is dead?" Her voice rose, almost angry. "Didn't I send three containers full of weapons and millions of bullets? And… we have 4,000 guards! How could this still happen?!"
Rei remained silent, then slowly began to recount the final message from Soichiro Takagi.
Saya listened carefully. The words were brief, but hit her like a hammer to the chest. She fell silent, eyes wide, breath catching.
Yuriko Takagi heard voices coming from the dining room while she was still in the kitchen. When the news of Soichiro Takagi's death reached her ears, her heart wavered for a moment. She froze briefly. Although he was her husband, the feelings she once had for him had long since faded. Her heart now belonged entirely to Kenthelion.
In the dining room, Miyamoto Rei stood calmly but with a heavy tone, recounting every detail of what had happened at the Takagi residence—from beginning to end. Every word from his mouth struck the silent room like a hammer blow.
Until suddenly—
"Takashi Komuro! I WILL KILL YOU!"
Takagi Saya exploded with rage. Her eyes burned red, her face twisted with fury and grief. She never expected that her father's death was caused by the naïveté of her own schoolmate, Takashi Komuro.
"Calm down, Saya," Yuriko Takagi said, her gaze sharp but filled with tenderness. She rose from her chair and slowly approached her daughter, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Then she called out,
"Guard."
An Astra Militarum soldier immediately entered the room, standing at attention and saluting. "Your orders, ma'am?"
Without hesitation, Yuriko issued her command like a battlefield commander:
"Inform Colonel Jacob. Deploy all drones and reconnaissance units. Capture a young man named Takashi Komuro—alive. As soon as he's found, bring him before me."
"Order received, ma'am!" The soldier saluted once more before leaving to carry out the mission. He made sure to deliver the message directly to Colonel Jacob.
Miyamoto Rei stared at Yuriko in disbelief. He had never imagined this woman wielded such power here—power strong enough to command even a colonel's obedience.
---
At the Command Headquarters — Colonel Jacob's Office
A liaison officer quickly relayed Yuriko Takagi's message.
"Colonel Jacob, the lady commands that you apprehend a young man named Takashi Komuro."
Colonel Jacob frowned.
"The lady? As far as I know, His Majesty the Emperor does not yet have a queen…" he muttered.
But after a moment's thought, his expression changed.
"Ah… the woman who always accompanies His Majesty. Of course."
He glanced at his officers and nodded firmly.
"Prepare drone units and mobile squads. Sweep the entire city. Capture the target alive."
"Orders acknowledged, Colonel!"
Soon after, Jacob reported back to Kenthelion via holographic display.
"Your Majesty, Lady Yuriko's request has been received. Forces are preparing to apprehend the target."
Kenthelion nodded lightly behind the cool blue glow of the hologram.
"Approve the operation and proceed. Do not harm him, but make sure he cannot escape."
"Yes, Your Majesty."