Yuuyami collapsed backwards.
Whereas her arms that were tightening Lydia, simultaneously set girl free.
Several violent coughs escaped Lydia insides, before her sight grew blurred by tears.
The scene scared her. Pained her. Made her believe she would break.
Rather than aforesaid however, made her bewildered, not understanding a grounds of Yuuyami’ conduct.

“Yuu… yami…?”

Lydia called Yuuyami who ceased any further actions.
Yet, no reply has followed.

“Hey-, what’s wrong?”

With both hands Lydia grips Yuuyami’ shoulder and shook it.
Nevertheless, no reaction can be noticed.

“Yuuyami?”

Tap-tap, she touches Yuuyami’ visage.
Her eyes were shut; seeing her so tidy, Lydia shivers.
So neat, as though completely lifeless.

“Hey-, Yuuyami, get up…”

Tap-tap, lightly slaps Yuuyami cheek.

“I’m, not angry, okay? A little surprised, but it’s alright, you know?”

Gradually, slaps fills the power.

“Heey-…”

Whereafter grows weak before long.
Lydia began reasoning. As never before, reasoning until brain arise a scream.
When ultimately arrives to the answer.

“Shut down..?”

Yuuyami’s quantum brain fell down. Her system abended.
But why? How?
She feels a need to mull once more. Ponder to the degree of her brain turn roast.
Quantum brain cannot abend thus lightly. Latest model quantum brain of Yuuyami in particular. With it being so elaborate even consciousness could dwell within, so precise as though created by the hands of God.
Therefore, it cannot break. Lydia expected so to be. Continuously believed.
Believed Yuuyami bound to live longer than herself.
Such an abrupt ending is unacceptable. Absolutely not allowed.

“I have to help. I have to help.”

Lydia ran towards the motorcycle.
Grabbing Yuuyami’s backpack, turned it upside down, scatter its entire content upon sandy beach.
Whereafter embarks reviewing every item, one by one.
Recognizing every single thing without exception, Lydia despairs.

“Useless…”

Slump, Lydia flops down the sand.
Backpack contained receptacles for samples, food, water, and medical kid for humans.
Nothing useful for Yuuyami can be found whatsoever.

“Right, if I return to the library.”

Lydia shifted her gaze at the bike.
However,

“No… I can’t go back. I cannot return without Yuuyami…”

she would go astray alone. Lost alone, under this perished world.
Lydia haven’t modified motorcycle yet. She wanted to establish artificial intelligence. She wanted to produce compass.
Nevertheless, she have not. As entirely devoted herself to Maker Factory.

“What should I do? What can I do?”

Painful. Imperceivable. Giving her a headache.
After all, Yuuyami, who always gave solutions, being silent now.

“Why did she abend in the first place? What’s the cause?”

Recall— What happened before Yuuyami abended, so accurately as possible. Distinctly.

“Thermal runaway..?”

Likelihood for heat to be responsible for runaway quite low. Supposing such case took a place, she should’ve been hot enough to set Lydia ablaze.
Yet, nothing makes its way though upon her mind with sole exception of heat.
Yuuyami adjust her cooling system in advantage of warm up Lydia. At first, it was a little hot.
Therefore,

“Heat by its nature reducing processing capacity, was there any load..?”

But, what was the load?
She cannot figure it out. Cannot find the reason as for present condition of Yuuyami. Despite her being beside. Despite her touching skins.
She do not understand anything.
However, even so,

“When she grows cold, would she reboot..?”

She has no choice but to cling to this hope. No choice but to wager.
Stood up, Lydia rushes towards the sea.
Whereafter, just like that, plunged the sea, immersed up to her shoulders, until her body get cold.
It’s freezing… Turning numb…
However she has no other way.
Rising up from water, Lydia covered collapsed Yuuyami.

“I’m beg of you, cool down…”

Even though would be much quicker to submerge Yuuyami herself into the water, Lydia do not own necessary strength for carry Yuuyami.
Light and solid, can be described materials used for composite parts of Yuuyami. Nevertheless, was still far heavier than weight of miniature Lydia.
So far Yuuyami’ body keeps its high temperature.
Being over-perplexed to notice, now it hotter than before, upon the time of Yuuyami warming Lydia.

“It’s related to heat after all.”

As soon as Lydia’s temperature grew higher, she immediately dashed towards the sea again.
Thereafter once more lied over Yuuyami to refrigerate​ her.
Over and over again,
repeat after repeat,
continuing a long, long time.
Until eventually, with Lydia lost her senses, her mind grew dim.

“Yuuyami… get up-…”

Lydia collapsed, covered Yuuyami, and realised, she could move no longer.
Before she knew it, sky dyed orange. For present Lydia, such paysage, eroded by ruddy, was left unnoticed.

“Yuuyami, you said, one day I could become stand-alone…”

Nearly no voice left her lips.
Certainly no one could hear it.
Nevertheless, Lydia continues:

“But, it’s impossible, Yuuyami. I can’t be alone. I can’t live alone-…”

Rapidly, her sight deteriorates. She cannot see anything. Cannot see a thing no longer.
Along with beautiful sleeping face of Yuuyami, now feels distant.

“After all”

As arrival of the dark yami at the night,
as descent to the bottom of the sea,

“it’s scary, to be, alone.”

consciousness of Lydia, gradually, was being lost.

◇

“Do you understand me now, onee-chama?”

Upon Lydia opening her eyes, Rapha’ anxious expression came into her view.
What is she worried over? Whereas having this sort of thoughts in her mind, Lydia slightly nodded as a reply the question.

“Wah, good. Resuscitation seem to be successful.”
“Resus… citation?”
“Yes. Onee-chama was dying at the beach. Together with Yuuyami.”
“Yuuyami… Yuuyami?”

Says Lydia, in attempt to rise up. Unsuccessful however, her consciousness appears about to adrift.

“You can’t move yet. I collected both Yuuyami and motorbike, so there’s no need for worries.”

Phew, Lydia exhaled in relieve, for now. If together with Yuuyami, that is good.

“This… is?”

Lydia vision as yet dim. If I get distracted, I lost it right away, felt Lydia.

“We are inside of emergency vehicle.”
“Aah-…”

Lydia knew of emergency vehicles. The car akin to simple operating theatre, car for saving humans from unforeseen injuries and illnesses. To prevent shaking no tires are used. As a substitute, Angie adopted instead, making vehicle lightly float in the air.
In passing, Angie is a common name for Anti-gravity machinery.

“But why?”
“I can’t take it,” sighs Rapha. “Onee-chama didn’t show up, so I was wondering if you got an accident or illness.”
“Is that, so…”
“Yes it is. Onee-chama wasn’t kind of person who would break promise. I thought it wouldn’t change even now. So, I went to the library with Ohan in this very car. “
“…I, to the library…”
“You weren’t there. So I followed fresh trail of the bike tires. Since there was a possibility you getting into troubles.”
“I see… Rapha was, actually, a kind child.”
“Actually, what does that supposed to mean? The way you putting it, as if you trying to say I’m not kind. It’s because you’ve forgot me.”
“Right. I’m sor… Thank you.”

Lydia closed her eyes. Drowsy. Consciousness seemed to adrift.

“Ah, onee-chama, can I confirm only two things before you go to sleep?”
“What?”
“First. Did you, onee-chama, was trying to cool down Yuuyami? With your own body.”
“Nicely, grasped…”
“It was number one of all of the speculations I had,” Rapha sighed again. “At any rate, to behave like a fool… I’m saying, that is impossible to describe as amazing.”
“Saying… aren’t you.”

Lydia tried to laugh, however she is too tired for it.

“Please don’t lift a fried leg.¹ And second. Do you want me to repair Yuuyami?”
“Repair..?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t.”

Said Lydia without taking a thought, whereas her consciousness seemed to sink into the darkyami .

“Why? What’s broke can be fixed. Naturally if now it unnecessary for you, it can’t be helped.”
“That’s, not. But, please.”
“Ha–.”
“Rapha, please, don’t touch Yuuyami…”
“I see. If onee-chama requesting, I will leave Yuuyami as it is.”
“Thank you…”

Within Yuuyami dwells consciousness. The life.
It’s would be a problem if Rapha, who’s alien to it, wilfully repair her and Yuuyami turns different.
No, it’s would be a problem, conservative expression.
If Yuuyami no longer,
despair.
Lydia will despair.
All alone is scary.
As pair world is so warm, every day fills a joy.
All alone was cold enough to die.
Whereas thinking this way,
imperceptibly, Lydia fell asleep.

1. when you take the leg of you opponent (partner) who tried to apply the technique and defeat them, is what it says at dictionary.goo.ne.jp, probably; back