This time, he managed to protect his target.
Behind the shield, Qualia looked at Ace, as her dark hair shook with the aftermath of the attack, and nodded.
He caught a glimpse of the ‘tasty’ he could not protect in Mind.
At the time, he was furious enough to completely forget about optimal solutions, and he used every bit of that anger, frustration, and regret as feedback.
That was why he felt happy, even as Ace looked at him with confusion from behind him.
He was glad he did not lose her after finally turning her into a friend.
“You’re always protecting me.”
“Affirmative. Its members’ are included in the ‘tasty’ Hello World protects.”
“Understood. In that case, I will protect yours.”
Qualia then turned to Ddos and the others, as if changing the subject.
All the other magic dolls were caught in the deepest output of the Gaia skill, Domain Tree.
“Damn you… Why… Why didn’t this work either…”
Ddos stomped his feet in frustration, as Qualia calculated another optimal solution.
It would be simple to destroy the branches and trunk if the magic dolls used their skills. He figured he needed to hack them before that happened, but was stopped just before taking off running.
“Qualia, I am facing an unexpected phenomenon.”
Whispered Ace.
“Domain Tree is made of magic energy, and it is the deepest output skill to overpower enemies. But currently, I can advance to the next phase of the skill.”
“Request explanation. What does that mean?”
“I don’t know either. But as I faced my former master, and as I fought alongside you, there was a change in the magic energy provided to my magic stone. I believe that had an influence.”
Was it because she faced Ddos as an enemy? Because she fought alongside Qualia?
Or was it because she fought according to her own will, that the locks on her spirit were undone?
At that point, neither Ace or Qualia could compute an explanation.
“My task is to neutralize the magic dolls, and render my former master unable to resist. With my skill having advanced to the next phase, that is possible.”
Ace closed her eyes, and her magic stone began to shine again.
Before, it was green, but now it shined with a peach color.
“Deepest output of the Gaia skill, Honeypot.”
Suddenly, flowers bloomed.
One, two, five… All the branches filled with pink buds exponentially.
Cherry blossoms. Although Qualia did not know the name of this tree.
The tree stood tall, and decorated the gray world around it with a gentle pale pink color.
As Qualia looked up, he definitely felt ‘tasty’.
“Cute, like it.”
Eventually, the cherry blossom covered branches wrapped around the magic dolls also began to shine with that same pale pink color.
One after the other, the magic dolls closed their eyes as if they were dozing off, and the shine of their magic stones disappeared into the void.
And as it did, the cherry blossoms bloomed.
“W-what!? Hey!? Activate your skills and get out of there!”
Ddos, the only one not embraced by cherry blossoms, yelled instructions at the magic dolls, but they were in a deep sleep, and not listening.
“Your orders won’t reach the magic dolls. Honeypot sucks in magic energy to create cherry blossoms. Because of that, the magic dolls have entered sleep mode due to lack of magic energy.”
“W-what… Ace, since when do you have that fea… Eek!”
Ddos shrunk back when he saw Qualia approaching.
“You freed the beast people and gave the magic dolls instructions to kill them. Based on the rules of humanity, you should be detained.”
“D-do you know what will happen if you put your hands on me…!? Hehe, I got an indulgence… You think that doesn’t matter just because you burned it!? You made an enemy out of Queen Route, that witch! You made an enemy out of the ‘Truly wonderful fair skies church’! You made an enemy out of the nobles on Queen Route’s side that are present here! Uh?”
Ddos acted tough, but most of the audience had voiced their complaints and left at that point. Most left scathing product reviews, that the magic dolls were not trustworthy.
But even if Queen Route herself was there, that mattered little to Qualia.
He had no reason to fear a being he could not learn, like god.
“That is no reason not to detain you.”
“Eek… Stay away…!”
“Qualia, I cannot allow you to do that.”
But Ace stood between Qualia and Ddos.
“I have received instructions from my former master to protect him from you. I cannot allow you to neutralize him.”
“Hihi… Good… Good! Good girl. Haha, that’s what you ge… Hn?”
But Ace was not facing Qualia. Her eyes were pointed straight at Ddos’ plump body.
“My role is yet to be defined. But I know what I should do now.”
“What? What are you saying? You’re going to kill that brat, right…?”
“I should neutralize my former master, Ddos.”
Ddos frowned, unable to follow her logic.
“We killed beast people per your instructions. But according to the registered law, and from the point of view of benefits and disadvantages, that cannot be said to be a correct measure.”
“…Ace? You…”
“After all, killed beast people cannot eat diced steaks. We should not be killing them.”
“S-stay away!”
Ddos, seemingly finally understanding his position, retreated further back.
But it was too late. Ace was already right in his face.
“Neutralizing you stops you from causing further damage.”
“Why!? You’re my tool! How can a tool turn against…!”
“You never instructed me not to attack you.”
“You’re just a tool! Just a product! I should’ve never invested in things like you!”
Ace pulled back her right hand, and spoke at the same time as Qualia.
“You are wrong.”
“You’re wrong.”
Ace punched Ddos in the nose and sent him flying back.
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Top quality literal punchline.
I’d love to see Ina and the princesses reactions to a second Qualia