Lady, who invited Lydia to the lodge, introduced herself as Hinagiku.
At present, Lydia sitting upon one-person sofa. For Hinagiku said, ‘I’ll fetch a drink,’ she withdrew to within the house.
Incidentally, Ohan awaiting outside.
Lydia restlessly peered over the lodge.
Lodge is very simple and frugal. There were bare minimum, necessary for life.
That is: sofa, table, and bed.
Along with, probably, a simple Food Maker and Recycling Box, which placed within depth of the dwelling, speculated Lydia.
Lodge ceiling is awfully tall, and, being Ohan to get through the entrance, he would be able rise inside.
Upon Lydia swam her gaze to the table, she found an emerald green sphere locked up in the vial.
Lydia tilted her head.
What is this-?
For her never seen before that kind of object, Lydia gathered the tablet from her backpack, which placed upon the floor, took a picture of vial with its camera, and searched it up.
The hit was a cultivation method of growing moss, denoted as terrarium.

“He-,” Lydia nods. “Isn’t it cramped?”

Upon that questioning, Lydia put a tablet on the table.
Moss grew no reply.
Well, of course. Vegetation​ have mere primitive consciousness, thence they would not respond to human language.
Hinagiku returned, placing a coffee cup at the table.

“It’s café au lait.”
“Thank you. I like café au lait.”

Lydia silently regarded over Hinagiku.
By eye, Hinagiku appeared to be in the middle of her twenties. Adult female. Her hair black, and is casually tied up. Pupils of identical to hair hue.
Hinagiku has a harmonised features, they, however, have not much of expression, leaving, thus, a slightly cold impression.
Pale skin, the body was feeble, rather than slender, and appeared exceedingly unhealthy.
Hinagiku bore a white coat. A coat akin the one of lab worker.
Nevertheless, she doesn’t seem to research anything at this lodge.

“Is that so. You like café au lait​?”
“Uh-huh. Say-, Hinagiku, why are you living here alone?”
“Is there other places to live?”
“For the world is destroyed?”
“Well, yes.”
“Hm–.”

Lydia took a sip of café au lait. That tasted a little distinct of the café au lait​ I usually drink at the library.

“Lydia, was it?”
“Uh-huh. I am Lydia. Nice to meet you.”
“Aha- What’s Lydia doing here?”
“Exploration.”
“Exploration? What of?”
“The world.”
“Is that so. You investigating the places of the world that are, and are not remain?”
“Well, something of the sort.”

To be honest, may be closer to say that I commenced it out of curiosity, rather than expressing it as proper research.
Silence.
Hinagiku kept standing, and quietly staring down at Lydia.
Lydia averted her eyes. She didn’t know the reason, but felt Hinagiku’s gaze was not very good as though.

“Apropos,” broke the silence Lydia, without making an eye contact: “was this house built after the world’s collapse?”
“No. It’s been here since before the decay. This is my hideaway.”
“I see. Somehow it seemed like a fresh house.”
“I am performing a proper maintenance. I have nothing else to do.”

During the exchange, Lydia felt something being out of place.
Wondering over what that was, I intimately examined the present conversation.

“Hinagiku, right now, what is your age?”

The source of discomfort is the age of Hinagiku. If she was the owner of this place in prior of the world’s collapse, her age did not match.

“I haven’t count. However, I think, it’s about fifty.”
“Fifty!?”

She doesn’t appear to be, by all means.

“Aha- I haven’t count, so maybe more,” Hinagiku bent her neck. “I stopped growing now. It’s by-product of my project.”
“Is that so?”
“Aha- I don’t wish to grow old and rot away. I’m a person who has been praised for being close to god. I can’t bear the sight of approaching death.”
“Close to god?”
“I produced humans. No sexual intercourse. Furthermore, an outstanding​ human beings. I named them a new humans breed.”
“I heard… that… I have.”

Weird. Lydia turned drowsy rapidly. Without knowing a reason. Consciousness, however, growing vague.

“Let’s have a lot of chatter when you wake up, cute Lucy.”
“Who…”

Who are you?
Albeit wishing to ask, I cannot assemble the words.
Eyelids dropped, and her consciousness faded away.

◇

Lydia was within the dream world.
An infinite, peach-coloured​ room. Where is impossible to divide which is the top and which the bottom. Albeit I believe to standing somewhere, no ground can be found anywhere.
It’s been a very long time since I felt thus.

“Iris, where are you-?”

Bustling about, Lydia observed her surroundings.

“Here.”

The violet​ iris greatly swayed under Lydia’s feet.

“It’s you after all.”
“Yea. Ourself, after all.”
“Have you came to fulfil my love again?”
“Different. Thy amour nigh fulfilled. Appears though ye got married, so for thou that is unnecessary. We came for thy primal purpose.”
“What is the purpose?”
“Can not utter yet. Howbeit ourself believes upon the hour of our next contact, ourself shalt be able to preach thou.”
“Is that so?”
“So that is.”

Blank. Not a silence but blankness. Akin a crevice of the life, a short, blank space flowed in.
Suddenly, Lydia recognised her circumstances.

“Am I, asleep?”
“Quite so. Sweven. Thuris ourself can meet thou. Upon thou wake up, however, thou once again shalt hast an assignment ahead.”
“I see. Apropos, are you prepared to this?”
“No. Thyself, that is imposed to thou.”
“Why to me?”
“Sith thuris is bound to.”
“Understood. So? You are going to give me some hint again, aren’t you? Since I am cute.”
“Right. For thou art cute.”

Iris lightly shook, laughed as though.

“Tell me.”

Slump, Lydia flops down upon the spot.

“Uh-huh. Ourself shalt teach thou. ‘Upon thou perceive that, assignment is culminates.’”
“What should I realise?”
“Ourself can not utter as much. It is uncomplicated, however. Such shalt grew concluded afore long. Thereupon, it reaches a nigh perfection. It is akin a validation on existing of issues.”
“Is that so?”
“Yea. Well, then, we hast ceased.”
“Uh-huh. Although​ I’m not sure I understand it well, still, I understand. Thank you, good-bye.”
“Ah- See you, Lydia.”

Lydia raised her right hand, Iris swayed from side to side.

◇

When Lydia woke up, she was in cage.
Its perimeter roughly two meters long, wide, and deep.
She surrounded from all four sides and from top with iron bars, which are completely dividing the outside and the inside. Lydia is inside, and the outside being a chamber, the lodge, whereat she was drinking café au lait a while ago.
Lydia stood up and checked her body. No injuries to be seen, no feeling of discomfort either. She, however, was not dressed.
Nude Lydia deprived of her wearable likewise.
Taking into account functioning air conditioner, the air is clean and not chilly.
I am simply imprisoned, understood the girl.
But if I call Ohan, I can leave immediately.

“Hinagiku, where are you?”

Lydia lightly touched one of the iron bars.
Upon that instant,

“Ow, hurts!!”

a furious shock-wave hit Lydia.
Lydia anxiously verified her hand - it did not fade away. Is properly attached. With no visible damage.
What was the pain from before, Lydia was perplexed.

“It’s a stun gauge.”

The voice of Hinagiku was audible from behind.
Lydia turned around; sitting upon one-person sofa Hinagiku with a glass in hand, was peering at Lydia.

“If you aren’t masochist, Lucy, I advice you not to touch it.”
“Stun gauge?”
“Electric current flowing through the bars. Thus, it’s stun gauge.”
“Why electric current flowing through?”
“Ah-, Lucy. Cute Lucy. I didn’t wish to do this.”
“Despite you done it.”
“Aha-, yes. Indeed. I don’t want to hurt Lucy. I just don’t want to lose you. And wishing to see you naked. That’s all.”
“Naked?”
“Ah- Nice view. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen an actual girl naked.”

Stated Hinagiku, wearing a grave expression.

“…Is, is that so…”
“However don’t get me wrong. I’m not fine with everyone.”
“Who would be fine?”
“You, Lucy.”
“Is that limited to only myself?”
“Well, it’s not limited.”
“I see. I’m not the only one.”

For it to be Yuuyami, Lydia would receive a special treatment.

“I love you, Lucy.”

Suddenly, Hinagiku declared thus.

“Despite a moment ago you said I wasn’t special!?”

For love confession, timing is the worst.

“Basically, if that’s a beautiful girl, everyone would love her?”
“That means any beautiful girl would be fine!? It’s dreadful frivolousness!”
“It can’t be that way. I’m sincere.”

Hinagiku gulped down the liquid from the glass.

“A sincere frivolousness!”

I can’t keep up with the meaning any more, thought Lydia.

“Hm…”

Hinagiku touched a chin with right hand, pondering over it.

“W, well, that’s fine, could you get me out the stun gauge?”

Lydia is neither pet nor criminal. No reason for her to be imprisoned in the cage.

“No.”
“At any price?”
“No, at any price.”
“I see.”

Lydia sighed.
After that, she still hesitated whether to call Ohan.
If Lydia call him, she will be saved. In front of Ohan, something akin a stun gauge has not much of difference from a cardboard box.
However, supposing Ohan recognises Hinagiku as an enemy?
Terrifying even to assume it.
Nevertheless, if they can understand language, firstly always goes a warning. Accordingly, if Hinagiku obey at that time, no problems shall occur.
It is unknown, however, if Hinagiku would docilely obey.

“Why don’t you call Ohan?” asked Hinagiku.
“It’s dangerous for Hinagiku, so I will not.”
“How kind of you, Lucy. However Ohan, that accompanied Lucy, was originally mine.”
“Eh?”
“And since my admin’s authority remained. Give me a moment.”

Standing up, Hinagiku placed her glass upon the floor, and picked something from behind the sofa and carried it.

“My authority should have been erased.”

What Hinagiku held,

“It was not, so Ohan listened to my order.”

was similar to torn off with a great force,

“An order, to destroy himself.”

Ohan’s head.
Such an egregious order— Losing her strength, Lydia flopped down.