Lydia and Rapha were drinking café au lait​ in the dining room; at that time Yuuyami came in.

“Welcome back,” greeted her Lydia.
“Yes. I’m back,” Yuuyami sat in the chair.

Before four-person table, in front of Lydia was siting Rapha, whereas Yuuyami sat by Lydia’s left side.

“Well, then, let’s drink it and return to the library.”

Lydia dropped her gaze upon the cup with café au lait.

“Indeed. I am interested to see progress of Maker Factory likewise.”
“Before you’ll go home, I have two subjects I’d like to narrate you.”
“Ah, I wished to ask something Rapha either.”
“If so, please go ahead, onee-chama.”
“Um. Well, why are you calling me onee-chama, not onee-sama?”
“Is that what you wanted to hear? It’s not a lead in?”

Frowned her eyebrows Rapha.

“Uh-huh. That’s main question, though?”

Staring at Rapha, Lydia tilted her head.
Rapha let out a deep sigh afore saying:

“It was a verbal slip up. You don’t remember, onee-chama, but I used to call you onee-sama, you know?”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, so it is. So, I called you onee-chama once by mistake, but I was told you liked it and I need to continue calling you onee-chama.”
“I see. Thank you. Well, then, please, Rapha’s topics.”

Upon understanding, Lydia smiled.

“The two subjects of mine.”
“I heard that a short while ago.”
“Nm…” Rapha launched a bitter sight at her. “Don’t interrupt me. That’s just a preface.”
“Okay–.”

Happily replied Lydia; Rapha sighed.

“The first one. The one regarding​ us.”
“Is that about me and Rapha?”
“Yes, that’s right. Onee-chama, please, be silent for a moment.”
“Understood. I’ll keep my mouth as tight as shellfish.”

Lydia squeezed her lips with fingers of both hands.
Whereafter, but I’ve never seen a real shellfish, she added in her heart.

“As I already said before, we are the new creation of human beings. So, I will narrate you the matters that you surely concerned about.”

Lydia nodded couple of times.

“First of all, our life span, it’s longer than of ordinary humans.”
“Up to what exact span?”

Rapha’s words were snapped by Yuuyami.

“Well, average life expectancy​ of human beings was around one hundred fifty years, our is twice longer; thus it’s about three hundred years.”
“Three hundred years…”

Yuuyami cast her eyes down as she pondered over it.
Each person might consider three hundred years as long or a short period.

“No more than that?”

Lydia concluded it is brief. That was insufficient for the world exploration together with Yuuyami.
Until now, Lydia was never actually concerned about the number of years she would live.
Accordingly, she grew a little nervous upon discovering her exact finale.

“For now, let’s say,” hmm, exhaled Rapha. “I’m still proceed my research, I can prolong​ it up to four or five hundred years.”
“Rapha-san, please, allow me to assist, with your research.”

Yuuyami gazed at Rapha directly.
At such request Rapha showed slightly surprised countenance; in an instant however, restored her usual look.

“Well, I’ll pass the data to you. So, please, do it on your own. I don’t want to collaborate.”
“Understood. Thank you very much. However, in case of you getting any progress, could you share it with me?”
“If so, it’s a contest, Yuuyami.”
“Contest?”
“Yes, that’s right. The contest, which of us will achieve better result.”
“Ha-…”
“Do your best, Yuuyami.”

Lydia tapped Yuuyami’s shoulder.

“Wah, how crafty! Onee-chama is forbidden to contribute her! Cheering​ is forbidden too!”
“Eh, but, even though I wished to tell that to Rapha either–.”
“I will allow you rooting for me.”
“Ah, uh-huh. Do your best, Rapha.”
“Yes, I will!”

In delight smiled Rapha.
Desire​ to conquer Yuuyami; Lydia understands that feeling likewise.

“Due to discussion of the subject regarding reporting each others’ outcome has been settled, please let us move to the second subject.”
“There’s more to it, you know?”
“Is that so? I shall apologise.”

Yuuyami mildly bowed her head.
With light nod, Rapha continued.

“We are not able to grow any more.”
“Eh?”

Puts her hands on the chest Lydia.

“Did you recognise it only now?”

Seeing Lydia’s movement, Rapha asked so.

“Oh no, I, haven’t thought about it, but–.”

Lydia height does not progressed in a long time. Apart from that no changes can be seen in her physique. However, she haven’t worried apropos it. Whereas she believed to grow greatly upon someday.

“Oh no?”

A little tilted her head Rapha.

“To think that my breasts wouldn’t grow-, I was rather shocked.”
“Th, that’s right… W, well-, no need to worry. I’m investigating this problem too, okay?”

Rapha also looked down on her chest.
Whereon was a precipitous cliff. However, Rapha ought to look that way, judged Lydia.
Nevertheless, she did not say it. Thereat a possibility of flying these words back at herself, boomerang as though.
Rapha sent a glance at Yuuyami.
However, Yuuyami does not say a thing.
Brief silence.
The air turns delicate. Impossible to describe it as comfortable. Still, doesn’t neither mean it was heavy.
Lydia forced a wry smile; Rapha let out light sigh.

“Yuuyami,” says Rapha. “Do you need the data?”
“Yes. Therein is no particular problem.”
“It’s serious!” “Wah, it’s serious!”

Replies Lydia and Rapha, against Yuuyami’s remark, overlapped.

“However, for it is not concerning a life. Whereas life expectancy the subject directly connected to life span.”

Indifferently stated Yuuyami.

“AD cannot understand…” Rapha sent a look at Lydia. “I’m not making fun of Yuuyami, okay? I’ve always been respectful. It’s just insurmountable wall due to differences of species…”
“I know.”

Interrupting Rapha’s words, Lydia slightly shrugging her shoulders.
Such was common for Lydia - having disagreements with Yuuyami. Moreover, she recognised Rapha treated Yuuyami as an intelligent life-form.
Otherwise, the word contest wouldn’t appeared.

“So you don’t have to look at me like that?”
“I, I’m not particularly looking at onee-chama.”
“Is that so?”
“So that is.”

Humph, turned away Rapha.

“Um,” says Yuuyami. “My development also… No, my height does not changing, however is not particular issue, is it?”
“It’s not about height.”
“Then, what are we talking about?”
“Try to guess.”
“Hmm.”

Yuuyami revealed thoughtful gesture. Probably reviewing the action log.

“Indeed. Breasts, right. Lydia’s statement of being shocked that her chest will not enlarge, and since then subject was regarding the breasts, right?
“…Yuuyami,” said Lydia wearing a wry smile. “If you guessed, you don’t have to utter, alright?”
“Is that so? I shall remember.”
“Please do. Incidentally, Rapha, is that topic continuing yet?”
“No, it’s not. I’ll quickly move to the second one.”
“Uh-huh. Let’s do it.”

Nodded Lydia.

“I’ll cut to straight to the gist, we have another little sister.”
“Eh?”

Lydia shoot her eyes open.
What will I do if she would be same type as Rapha, wondered Lydia.
Single complicated, mysterious, and troublesome little sister, was already fairly enough.

“Name is Michael. Onee-chama and I used to call her Mika. So, that Mika, I think, brought this world to such a state.”
“Does that means, she destroyed the world?”

Asked Yuuyami.

“I don’t know. Still, surely Mika was involved. Besides, onee-chama, possibly, may be a little implicated too.”
“I, am?”

Lydia intertwined her arm with Yuuyami’s. Otherwise, felt as though she will collapse.
She may have wrecked majority of lives. It is as yet upon a phase of mere possibilities, however Lydia grew very anxious.
Lydia hold plenty of knowledge. Thereat, got a beloved partner. Accordingly, Lydia understands. Loved companion was within each of others’ soul.

“It will be alright,” says Yuuyami. “Present Lydia different person from the former​ Lydia.”
“That’s right,” agreed Rapha. “Besides, I don’t know if onee-chama was actually involved. But, at the very least, onee-chama was aware world should be under such a condition. From that, you might have been involved a little, is only my guess.”
“Yes, might be so.”

The answer to both, Yuuyami and Rapha.
But withal, Lydia’s mind was not clear. It being somewhat gloomy, an overcast as though.

“Can I ask you for farther details?”

Yuuyami was indifferent as ever.

“Fine. But, I wasn’t on good terms with Mika too. So, it’s fragments of pieces of information.”
“That is not a problem. Please.”
“Onee-chama, are you alright? You don’t seem to look well.”
“Uh-huh. I’m fine.”

So long as was holding on to Yuuyami’s arm.
Rapha exhaled a little, whereupon began:

“Mika had no distinction between the right and wrong.”