Girl was enjoying afternoon teatime.
Sitting upon a cheap chair under parasol, mere saucer occupies the table.
Tea cup that supposed to be placed there as well, was now in her right hand.
Girl elegantly spends her time, whereas viewing scenery of the fallen world.
With the snow melt, that became her daily routine.
Albeit weather as yet a little chilly, since she needs a time to simply drink a single cup of tea, it doesn’t really bothered.
Behind the girl rises a military AD, Type・Ohan. It’s the truth, nothing but stands. In case of problem not taking a place, Ohan does not talk.
However,

“Ojou-sama.”

Ohan uttered such word.
Synthesized voice has not a trace of emotion. Neither warm nor cold. Mere flat inorganic voice.
Even so, little girl considers it’s good enough. That doesn’t means she likes it however.

“What is it?”

Girl asked without paying so much as a single glance behind.
She don’t hold any special feeling toward Ohan, whatsoever.
From the standpoint of little girl, Ohan just a tool. Same as teacup. Well, Ohan has a slightly further convenience than a teacup.
Nevertheless, essence is similar. It goes not beyond created for humans property.
Artificial skin unnecessary for AD. Same for its clothes. If velvet voice undesirable, kindness superfluous as well. All it need to listen instructions and execute them correctly.

“Intruder in the area.”
“Details?”

Girl put tea cup on the table.

“Probability of being a motorcycle ninety-eight percent.”
“Motorcycle, huh.”

Hmm, girl hit her chin with left hand.

“On autopilot?”
“Passengers. Affirmation of two people.”
“So there are human beings.”

It might be Single Wing I had been impatiently waiting for, thought the girl.
Hopefully that would be so.

“Probability of it to be onee-chama?”
“Implementation authentication by facial recognition… Authentication error due to distance.”
“Useless, as ever, huh–.”
“Beg your pardon.”
“Would you please execute it again as they get closer?”
“Understood.”

Girl was far away, motorcycle as yet seem to be mere dot.
If passenger of motorcycle wouldn’t be person who she has been impatiently waiting for, it’s hopeless. Girl don’t need friends. However, that would be fine if Single Wing will return.
Girl reaches for her teacup again, sipping the tea.
Be relaxed, patient, and constantly gracefulー that is her creed.
Whereas, after letting to pass a short while,

“Authentication by facial recognition completed,” said Ohan.
“Yes. So?”
“Probability of being Lucy-sama ninety-nine percent.”

Upon hearing result, girl formed a slight smile.

“You’re finally back, onee-chama.”

◇

“Hello!”

Got off the bike, Lydia greeted peach haired girl.
Yuuyami also got off the motorcycle, whereas fixing her gaze upon military AD Ohan.
Ohan looked at bright red visual sensor of Yuuyami. At extremely indifferent, and even afraid gaze.
Afraid? Me? Yuuyami was surprised at her own emotions. That goes without saying when she haven’t had awareness; although even after conscious came to dwell within her, she have never experienced the feeling up until now.
Yuuyami grew a little perplexed​ upon running across the feeling of fear for the first time.
However, Ohan does not show any further reaction. No warning, he does not shift a finger.
Nearly three meters high Ohan, standing as though a wooden doll.
Being the way it is, currently fear appears unnecessary, Yuuyami calms herself down.
Supposing I was human, my pulse rate would rise and I would sweat, Yuuyami drew such assess.

“Welcome home, onee-chama.”

Girl places teacup and looks at Lydia, letting a smile show upon the face.
According to eye measurements made by Yuuyami, age of the girl between ten and twelve years old. As individual, she slightly younger than Lydia.
As for her race, she consimilar to Lydia, half Mongoloid and half Caucasian. Slender lines, mild underweight can be spotted. Her health however doesn’t seem to be poor.
Green, big eyes are round and cute.

“This clothes, it’s cute!” Stated Lydia.

Girl clothing a black Gothic Lolita dress. With but a chest area being white. Fair amount of decorative frills slightly fluttering, noticed Yuuyami.
Whereas grew happy, imagining how would it suit Lydia as well.
Without being immersed in her happiness however, Yuuyami keeps observing​ the girl.
Little girl wears black tights decorated with tiny black ribbons upon her ankles.
Below ankles black Rubber Soles.¹
Basically, girl favour of black, concluded Yuuyami.
However brighter colours would look better with peach hair of hers, drew such conclusion as well.
Still, Yuuyami aren’t so boorish as to utter the opinions one by one.

“onee-chama’s clothes not very cute, huh?”

Lydia clothes designed by Yuuyami.
Perhaps I may have no taste, Yuuyami drops her shoulders.

“Although not cute, it’s stylish, isn’t it?”

Lydia tilted her head.
Upon these words, Yuuyami restores dropped shoulders back to its original state. If Lydia pleased, that’s great.

“It is. Not bad.”

Saying that, girl pointed her gaze at Ohan.

“Can I ask the stool for onee-chama?”
“Roger.”

Ohan has dull synthesized voice. Not a shred of emotion can be found. Albeit Ohan designed for military, so velvet voice unnecessary.
For Yuuyami is LM series, serving a customers also included in her work. Accordingly, she embedded with pleasant velvet voice.
Ohan rotated upon heels before moves precisely for five steps.
With that, unhurriedly headed to basement down the stairs.
If they had an underground facility, likelihood of Lydia is resided here as well seemed to be plausible. Location is quite near the spot where Lydia was picked up.
Whew, Ohan came out of sight, Yuuyami took a breather.
Fear has already gone, however she can’t reach peace of mind with military AD nearby.

“Hey-hey, why do you call me onee-chama?”

Lydia asked, whereas friendly grinning.²

“Only because onee-chama is onee-chama. But, onee-chama doesn’t remember.”
“You aware of Lydia having no recollection?”

As expected, Lydia was here. As well as she has a certain relationship with this girl.

“Ara, is this one of peculiarity with your AD, interrupt while others talking?” Girl tilted her head. “Usually, AD don’t interrupt human conversation. I wonder if onee-chama rewrote it?”
“Nicely grasped, Yuuyami is AD! At first I couldn’t really differentiate myself of Yuuyami!”
“I know it,” girl slightly shrugged her shoulders. “The latest generation AD, LM series type Ⅱ, am I right? I often had to have such expensive AD. Actually, I think the only one deployed in underground library was in operation… this Yuuyami? Was it?”
“Yes. I am.”

At Yuuyami reply, girl shows slightly sullen expression.

“I’m chatting with onee-chama.”
“Is that so? I’m sincerely apologise.”

Yuuyami lowers her head. It is rather refinement​ movement. Ten people out of ten would expressed their gratitude for it being so lovely.
Yuuyami knew such action and implement it.

“The movement is so perfect, you can fall in love with it,” said the girl to express her admiration. “As expected, being designed by me and onee-chama.”
“My design?”

Slightly inclining her head, Lydia cast a gaze upon Yuuyami.
Yuuyami immediately executes search through the database for her designer.

“The designer’s name is… I believe it’s masculine name.”

The hit name wasn’t a feminine name, regardless of how you would read it.

“That one incompetent, right? Ones who actually designed it was only me and onee-chama, that fellow was just self-importantly giving instructions.”

Good grief, girl shook her head.

“Did we really create Yuuyami?”
“That’s right.”
“Waah, former me was amazing-!”

Lydia clapped her hands in delight.
The girl, who I coincidentally rescued, was my birth parent—Yuuyami was being deeply moved.
Perhaps no coincidences in this world, everything might have been inevitable, considered Yuuyami. Can be rephrased as destiny.
My encounter with Lydia was fateful, wasn’t it?
Yuuyami filled with urge to share a hug, during jumping up and down, with Lydia, however she suppressed her feelings for the time being.
She has to ask the girl.

“You a… No, not you, Lydia; present name of the girl you keep calling onee-chama is Lydia.”

Yuuyami sent a short glance at Lydia, but immediately returns her eyes back to the girl.

“I’m Lydia. Nice to meet you.”
“…Lydia, huh–.”

Said girl, a little dissatisfied.
Perhaps she didn’t pleased with the name, Yuuyami doesn’t brings it up however.

“Hence, the question is who are the other party?”

Asked Yuuyami, girl smiles a little.

“At first, I am Raphael. onee-chama used to call me Rapha.”
“Is that so,” says Lydia. “Can I call you Rapha again?”
“Yes, naturally.”

Yuuyami performed a search for the name Raphael, however results which would seem to have relation to the girl weren’t found.

“Hey, Rapha, are we sisters?”
“There is no blood connection. For that reason we can even get married.”

Marriage, something inside of Yuuyami reacted at the word. She doesn’t understand what exactly reacted. Albeit she doesn’t understand, it’s exceedingly​ unpleasant feeling.
What sort of emotion was that?
Even reckoning upon it for a short while, she was clueless.

“So that’s how it is. I’m not going to marry Rapha though.”

Upon Lydia showing a clear refusal, unpleasant feeling, that born inside Yuuyami, disappears.
Being that a true nature of emotion remained indistinct, Yuuyami grew a shred of disappointment.

“Well, that’s how it is,” girl a little shrugged her shoulders. “We are the product of Angel Project. onee-chama is Hatsu Ten, me Ni Tenmoku.”³
“What is Angel Project?”

Asks Lydia, having a keen interest.

“Well, to put it simply, it’s the project of creating humans from nought. Naturally not just humans, its objective creation of outstanding, novel human beings.”

1. high-soled shoes; back

2. [Nikoniko] - friendly grinning, reminded me Love Live; back

3. First Heaven and Second Heaven; back