Volume 5: The Stone Which Forms Dreams

[150]
"Dreams..."

I don't have a very good impression of the word "dreams".

Since I came to the Sanctuary, I've been having only unpleasant dreams.

What are "dreams"?

Maybe... dreams are what you wish would come true?

[151]
A gray man-made planet.

Artificial sky, artificial earth.

I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it either.

Someday, I would go to the outside world.

I always thought outside, a much different world awaited me.

[152]
But that definitely can't be here.

*beeping*

Robot- ...EL-SAMA.
WAKE UP.
ZEPHEL-SAMA.

Robot- YOU HAVE GUESTS.
I'LL SHOW THEM IN.

*dazed*
Zephel- ............

Guests!?

[153]
Ange- It's kind of an interesting house.
It's completely different from the other Guardians.

Rosa- Don't look around so much.

Rosa- I'll be going after all.

Ange- Wha? No, no, if you don't reconcile here, afterwards it'll become awkward, Rosalia.

*clasp*

Rosa- I didn't particularly have a fight with Zephel-sama.

Ange- But.

Ange- Zephel-sama is a little bit scary. I feel helpless alone.
*Usually Marcel-sama is with me.*

Zephel- What's with you two? What do you want?

*Kya.*

[154]
Ange- H, hello, Zephel-sama.
Sorry for interrupting you, but I'm taking advantage of your offer.
*Kyaa, maybe he heard.*

*nervous*

Zephel- ?

Ange- Our date... it's today, isn't it?

Zephel- Is it?
Oh, I remember. On an impulse, being annoyed by that jerk Randy...

Ange- Uh.

Ange- *"An impulse"...*

Zephel- Why is that Queen Candidate with you too?

Zephel- Weren't you not interested?

Rosa- I... I...

Ange- Oh, I brought her against her will.

*Maybe he is scary after all.*

Ange- It doesn't matter... does it?

[155]
Zephel- I don't really mind.

*phew*

Hm?

*Realizing the reality with a start.*

Ange- ?

Zephel- ... Wait! Wait here a bit!!

Zephel- Don't come in.

*slam*

*clattering*

*bang, slide, clatter*

*bowing*
Robot- THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SEEING YOU, QUEEN CANDIDATES.
PLEASED TO MEET YOU.

Zephel- All right, come in.

*clatter*

Robot- FEW ROOMS IN THIS MANSION ARE BEING USED.
*SO IT'S FULL OF DUST EVERYWHERE.*
BOYS HAVE LOTS OF USELESS THINGS HIDDEN AROUND TOO.
*REALLY, IF HE HAD SAID BEFOREHAND I WOULD HAVE CLEANED UP NEAT AND TIDY.
HE'S AN INCORRIGABLE MASTER.*

[156]
Zephel- You shut up!

*bonk*

Robot- OW.

*sliding*

*WHAT A VIOLENT MASTER.
AND NOTHING IS IN ORDER AT ALL. GRR.*

Zephel- Sit over there anywhere.

Ange- Oh, um, I came with confections I made with Rosalia.
Won't you have one?

*Ugh.*

*airy*

Zephel- D, don't bring those kinds of sugary objects into my room!!

*slamming open*

Ange- Kyaa, I'm sorry!

Ange- But, but... we also prepared cookies with plenty of spice for you.

Ange- Please... try some.

Zephel- .........

[157]
*munch*

Zephel- It's delicious...

*munching*

Ange- I'm glad. It was Rosalia's idea.
I'll try one too.

Zephel- Really?
*She cooks?*

Rosa- It's that I had already checked the Guardians' preferences.

Ange- *Ugh.*

Rosa- Oh, for heaven's sake, how foolish, Angelique.
*It's deluxe, deluxe!!*

Ange- It's spicy!

Zephel- Hey, bring in some tea.

*beep?*

*beep*
Robot- UNABLE TO EXECUTE. I'M NOT PROGRAMMED FOR THAT.

Robot- MASTER, YOU HAVE TEA EVERY TIME YOU MEET WITH THE OLD GUYS.
YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DRINK TEA AT HOME, DIDN'T YOU?

[158]
*beep*
Robot- THAT'S IT.
EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY.

*shoom*

Zephel- Oh, hey!

Servant- Make yourselves at home.

*clink*

Ange- Y, yes.

Ange- Is that person a robot too?
*Or a cyborg...*

Rosa- Don't make rude remarks.

Robot- EVEN IN THIS MANSION, THERE ARE PEOPLE.
*MINERAL WATER FOR THE MASTER.*

[159]
Zephel- Being fussed over by other people here and there is annoying.
It's not like me to employ servants, and
it's best if there are the minimum number of people necessary.

*zipping by*

Ange- Oh, what's that?

Robot- THEY'RE REPORTS ON THE EFFECT OF THE POWER OF STEEL ON PLANETS AND
NEWLY DEVELOPED TECHNOLOGY.

Rosa- You're doing work on your day off? Zephel-sama?

Ange- *Wow, I can't understand it.*

Zephel- Sorry.
*Mm...*
But it's not work ar anything like that.

[160]
How very unexecpected...

Zephel- In the outside world, technology is rapidly being developed and
there are lots of things I'm not familiar with.
Even though I'm the one who sends the igenuity,
that I can't keep up is annoying.

Being locked up in a place like the Sanctuary.

Zephel- So, wanting to touch them directly and try them out...

Robot- *I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE DOES AFTER THAT, HOWEVER,*

Robot- HE OFTEN SNEAKS OUT OF THE SANCTUARY.

*shaking*

Ange&Rosa- *Huh?*

Zephel- You really are annoying! I don't remember programming you like this!
*Using such absurd words!*

Robot- WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I'M THE CRYSTALLIZATION OF THE NEWEST TECHNOLOGY, AREN'T I!!
*TREAT ME WITH CARE!*

[161]
Robot- HELP ME, QUEEN CANDIDATES!

*shoom*

Zephel- H, he...

Rosa- *stifled laugh*

*ahahaha*
Ange- Oh Zephel-sama.

Zephel- Tch.

[162]
Zephel- I'm kind of thrown off.

This must be my room.

*hit*

*click*

Just with them being here, the atmosphere is completely different.

*mussing hair*

I'm kind of nervous.

Zephel- Hey.

Ange- Yes.

Zephel- You probably came to see Mecha-Chupi.
*Let's go outside.*

Ange- Yes!

*gasp*
Zephel- I ended up saying it myself!! *Mecha-Chupi...*

[163]
I'm suddenly thrown off.

Ange- Wow, amazing!

Zephel- Dives.

*shoom*

*click*

Zephel- Turns.

Zephel- Loops.

[164]
Zephel- Are you going to try?

Ange- Is it alright?

Ange- Kyaa!
*It's flying!*

*gleam*

Zephel- Wow, nice work.

Ange- Ehehe.

Ange- Here, Rosalia, you're next.

Rosa- Huh? Me?

Rosa- Wa... wait.
*This is too sudden.*

Ange- Oh, it's stalling. Hurry, hurry.

*weakly*

Ange- Rosalia, it's falling!

*panic*

Rosa- I can't! I...

[165]
*plop*

*rustling*

Rosa- Oh...

Zephel- Mecha-challenged.

*sharp glance*

Rosa- I'll go find it!

Zephel- Humph.

Ange- Wait, Rosalia. I'll help too.

Zephel- Hey, you, today's dinner.

*suddenly*

Box- Snacks

[166]
Zephel- .........

Robot- EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY.

*shoom*

Robot- OUR GUESTS AND THEIR DINNER.

*Zephel-sama, Mecha-Chupi is fine.*

I was thinking I always want to run away from here.
My whereabouts are in a different place.
That I'll someday obtain the real me that didn't become a Guardian.

Robot- *SINCE IT'S THE FIRST TIME FOR OUR GUESTS, PLEASE MAKE AN IMPRESSION.*

Chef- *Deluxe chicken curry!!*

But,
recently I haven't had those unpleasant dreams.

[To the Land Dreamed of Once/End]