Chapter 4
In the jagged mountains of the Dragon's Fangs, several types of starfish units were moving beneath the clouds around the fifteenth tusk if one counted along on the surface. Beneath a cleft in the tusk-shaped rock beneath the clouds stood a enormous, crimson, cross-shaped structure. Countless anchors and chains held a Guild ship within the Dragon's Fangs, keeping it in place. These "white terrorists" were the cause of the disruptions of the migration preparations of Anatoray-Disith.
I am always by Lord Dio's side.
Within that Guild ship, in a bridge made out of glass, a lone figure sat on a single leather-upholstered sofa. Delicate fingertips stroked the hair of a beautiful boy who was resting with his head on her lap. The girl had long been at a loss for words, so used the movements of her hands and fingers to express her feelings and thoughts to the boy."...Lucciola." The boy opened his eyes and looked up at the {girl}.
"Ah..." Words attempted to be spoken were lost in her throat.
"It's okay, Lucciola. I understand what you're thinking, even without words." Resting on her lap, Dio moved his hand up to {Lucciola's} neck as light flooded in through the clouds and wrapped the two delicate forms in warmth.
"Mad-Thane was there instead of me..." Sophia stood apologetically next to Mad-Thane's coffin, which was surrounded by olive flowers.
"My husband fulfilled his mission until the very end." Dressed for mourning, the figure of Mad-Thane's young widow smiled as hard as she could through her grief.
"And Claus?"
"Nothing yet ... but we are looking to pursue every avenue to find him."
"... I see." Sophia excused herself from her escort, Vincent, and ascended the heavy cargo airstair to board the ship. The airflow from the cargo increased, gently rustling the beautifully landscaped gardens below, making the waters in the fountain dancing around in the sunlight. The Mad-Thane butler, Worsley, bowed his head deeply as Sophia's royal aircraft took off.
In the five months since Claus disappeared, the Exile had left Prester and returned to the mother planet full of people. The news of Mad-Thane's death was brought with them as well, and not only was his daughter, Holly, devastated, but Lavie and Alvis were impacted as well.
"It's not Claus' fault that my letter didn't make it to him. I'll be okay, so please, go look for Claus." In the ward clinic completely filled with returnees, Holly spoke as she moved her hands. Having just lost her beloved father, she was trying to keep herself moving to put up with her grief.
Claus probably felt the same sort of sorrow himself that Holly is feeling now. So, unable to forgive himself, he disappeared.
"I can's just forget the fact that the letter you entrusted to him couldn't be read to your father." Lavie spread out the sheets she just washed. "So, that settles it! I'm going. Not only for Claus, but I'll absolutely come back with Dio, too." Wrapped in the fresh scent of the newly cleaned sheets, Lavie decided then to return to Prester.
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