"What brings you here?"
"I'm here for a visit."
"...Please come in."
Stellarium Military Department.
I came here to meet Rustila.
It took a little time to see her.
"The first three weeks are basic military training. The cadets are very busy, so visits are difficult except during meal times or free time before lights out."
"Then I'll wait."
I sat on a bench at the main field and watched the cadets.
Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!
At the sound of the whistle, the cadets who had been running laps diligently gathered in formation at the instructor's gesture.
"Since we completed the physical fitness assessment yesterday, today we'll check your attunement with your constellation and Aether proficiency. Everyone, please infuse your Plasma Swords with Aether and stand in front of the measuring equipment."
Aether, measuring equipment.
Just those two words and I could already predict a cliché.
The cadets came forward one by one to swing their swords at the target.
When a sword touched the target, the measuring equipment calculated various factors including Aether density and displayed a comprehensive ability score.
"B-grade, B-grade, B-grade, A-grade, B-grade... S-grade?"
The instructor grading the levels was startled.
A cadet had received an S-grade assessment. It was a female student with her hair in a bun. She returned her sword with a smug expression and went back to her place.
"She has three constellations?"
"As expected of General Pardmont's daughter."
From the information I overheard, I could make an inference.
So that's Rustila's rival.
That's when it happened.
BOOM!
The ground shook with a thunderous sound.
"What was that noise!"
"The Aether density was too high and broke the equipment!"
I knew this would happen.
I didn't need to see who did it.
"This can't be, a 'condensation' phenomenon!"
"How many constellations does she have for the Aether to come out liquefied?"
A woman's silhouette appeared through the dust rising like smoke. She was bowing her head. Then a familiar voice was heard.
"I'm sorry. Should I pay for the damages?"
"Not at all, Cadet Kersil. You bear no responsibility, so please don't worry."
Rustila Kersil. It was her.
With that display, Rustila had drawn all attention away from the bun-haired female cadet. The girl who had received the S-grade assessment was now biting her nails. The rivalry was already apparent.
"It would be better to measure Cadet Kersil's abilities differently."
"Let's determine her grade by having her spar with the instructors."
After clearing away the broken equipment, the instructors set up an Aether barrier.
[— Physical damage is reduced by 100% for material bodies within this barrier.]
Following orders, Rustila preheated her sword and swung it lightly. The condensed Aether flowed down the blade and dripped like water.
"...My goodness, using both 'Body Stars' and 'Liquid Sword.'"
The sparring with the instructor began.
And ended.
The sword technique wasn't even visible. The moment the match started, the ground caved in and the instructor collapsed.
Fortunately, the barrier seemed to have prevented serious injury, but the psychological damage was fully conveyed.
"...F-final grade. Omega."
There was no swordsman stronger than her in the entire Military Department.
***
I waited two hours longer than expected.
Rustila, whom I hadn't seen for days, looked completely different. Dressed neatly in her military uniform, she exuded dignity and discipline.
Her face brightened as soon as she entered the reception room.
"Eidel!"
After a light handshake, we sat down. I asked her:
"How's the military?"
"I'm so happy right now."
Rustila forced a smile. Her claim of happiness was half truth, half lie.
"Why were you so late?"
"I was meeting with the higher-ups. They said my schedule will be different from the other cadets from now on."
It couldn't be helped.
Rustila had been a genius swordsman who calmly sliced monsters since entering Academia, and now she had obtained the 12 Zodiac signs. There probably wasn't a cadet, no, a soldier in the military academy who was more outstanding than her.
"I'm exempt from basic military training, and they'll decide again when a Great Omega grade swordsman arrives. Until then, I just need to attend theory classes."
"That's great!"
I smiled brightly.
Originally, I was going to ask her to help with research only on weekends, but now it seemed possible for her to work full-time rather than part-time for a while.
"Eidel, it's all thanks to you."
"What do you mean..."
"You're the only one who's supported me since our first meeting, all the way to where I am now."
Rustila said.
"I think I know why you came here. It's for research, right? Tell me anything I can help with."
"Well then..."
Just as I was about to smirk, it happened.
["What exactly are you plotting?"]
The starlight rippled in the empty air, and a constellation fragment manifested.
It was Virgo.
["Didn't you already write a paper with this child? That should be enough. What more do you need?"]
"Does one only write a single paper?"
I immediately objected.
Virgo sighed.
["Look, Rheinland boy. Rustila needs to focus on military training now. The end is approaching soon. Before that, she needs to become stronger, find my remaining fragments, and rise to a high position in the military."]
There was some logic to that.
But it didn't feel urgent right now.
"Nobody knows when that guy will come."
That was actually true.
The "end" moved independently of Ireh's regression.
Since Laplace twisted causality, there was no guarantee that the 1st cycle and the 100th cycle would operate the same way even with identical initial conditions.
Their intervention was like quantum mechanics.
"In such cases, people tend to solve the crisis at hand first."
["Is there another crisis right now?"]
"Yes, there is."
I appropriately modified my future knowledge as I spoke.
"Strange movements have been observed in the south recently. The Aether Belt might be blown away by a windstorm soon."
["...What?"]
Got her properly hooked.
Virgo asked anxiously:
["Why... there was no such information in my interstellar exploration network?"]
"The world as seen by constellations differs from the world as seen by humans. We understand the universe through the window of science. And if this prediction is correct, the strongest black hole from the Darwin system will come."
I continued my logical explanation.
"The Darwin system has many members. Therefore, they have a clear hierarchy among themselves. Higher-ranked outer gods treat lower-ranked ones like slaves. They'll probably use those slaves to create a 'windstorm.'"
Windstorm.
It's similar to the phenomenon caused by the outer god Sapaul before.
However, he was just a high-level outer god, while the one coming this time is at the apex of a group, making the scale completely different.
This is also when the original story's atmosphere began to darken significantly.
"We need a weapon to contain... no, to completely counter the Darwin system outer gods."
["Didn't you say the best option was that graviton bomb or whatever?"]
"It takes too long to produce. Don't you know engineering? We need to research with crystals in a cost-effective way."
Because that's how humanity has survived.
"Research on Darwin system crystals is already actively progressing. It has strong support and interdisciplinary research is thriving. The success rate is high. So, Constellation, I'll be taking Rustila to work with me in her spare time."
["...Haah."]
Virgo sighed and then returned. She probably decided there was nothing to gain from talking with me.
But the constellation had no idea.
That through this research, I was aiming to take down not just the outer gods.
***
I proceeded to persuade the higher-ups at the military academy and brought Rustila back with me.
As soon as I opened the laboratory door, I saw Mezulen busily etching a crystal.
"Oh? It's Rustila. Hello? Heheheh."
"Um, Eidel?"
Rustila's glare was piercing.
I cleared my throat and explained the situation.
"This is Mezulen, whom you already know. And this is Ireh Hazlen, a junior from the Physics Department who's a year older than us. You saw her at the professor's wedding, remember?"
"Ah, that time..."
Rustila nodded and continued.
"...The one who caught the bouquet?"
"Bouquet? Oh."
Ireh, who had been fiddling with equipment, stiffened her expression upon hearing that.
An awkward atmosphere lingered for a while.
"Why are there only women in the lab?"
Rustila asked with a hint of displeasure.
"Well, I just happened to bring in smart people..."
Rustila exhaled a sigh.
"I can understand Mezulen. She was our classmate at Academia."
The situation was quite delicate.
Although we hadn't officially confessed, from Rustila's perspective as someone dating me, she couldn't stand seeing me getting chummy with other women.
But I genuinely needed these people for my research, which led to this predicament.
I gave a bitter smile and whispered to her:
"If we write a paper, I'll give you second authorship."
"Second author?"
Rustila's eyes perked up.
At least she showed interest.
"But that requires me to contribute something. Wouldn't it violate research ethics if I'm listed as an author without helping?"
"Remember our crystal research before? This study is an extension of that. Your help is absolutely necessary, so why shouldn't you be an author?"
"..."
"Besides, think about it. How many papers have you written with me? Two, right? Look around. You and I are the most senior members in this lab. This research lab wouldn't function without you."
Rustila, who had been slightly sulking, turned her head.
She cleared her throat and softened her expression.
"Ten."
"Hm?"
"We need to write at least ten more papers together."
Wow, just listen to her. So coquettish.
Honestly, if this isn't a love confession, then what is?
I agreed unconditionally.
"Now... what can I help with?"
"For now, let's focus on learning how to use the equipment. Ireh and Mezulen will show you how."
"Okay. And?"
"I'd like you to become friends with Ireh for a while."
Creating a relationship of mutual trust between the protagonist and the sword saint.
It was an essential task for the future.