"Ah… no matter how many times I think about it, something about this still feels wrong."
Shiomi slumped over the desk, clutching his head.
What troubled him wasn't the existence of the ORT subspecies in the South American Lostbelt, but the fact that ORT itself existed in Proper Human History's South America.
As the saying goes, within seven steps of a venomous snake, there must be an antidote.
It might be a stretch, but Shiomi believed the key to conquering the South American Lostbelt and defeating the ORT subspecies had to lie somewhere within the Lostbelt itself.
What concerned him more now was the unknown threat—possibly summoned by the planet, its purpose unclear—slumbering somewhere upon the world.
It was almost certainly aimed at humanity, yet it showed no sign of acting immediately.
If mishandled, it could become something even more terrifying than "Harvest Star."
In the end, why did the planet want to eradicate humanity? What exactly had humans done wrong in the future?
"Why not take this opportunity to ask Fou again?" Morgan said with a faint smile, trying to reassure him. "My husband can understand those monosyllabic words now. He must know what to do."
"I already asked." Shiomi rested his chin against the tabletop, staring at the chess pieces that had been captured and set aside. "But Fou isn't very clear about it either. He only said it has something to do with what happens after the planet's end."
"That's a bit too far off—" Scáthach started to joke, then suddenly paused. "The planet's end?"
"Is there a problem with that?" Morgan asked.
"No. It's just… I have a vague feeling." Scáthach fell into thought. "The planet does possess a survival instinct, and from it came something called the Planetary Suppression Force. But the planet's unconsciousness is far more composed than that of humans. When natural death arrives, it would accept it."
Morgan raised an eyebrow. "You really know things like that?"
"I didn't become the ruler of the Land of Shadows for nothing," Scáthach replied. "For humans—and for all other life that exists on this planet—the concept of death is entirely different from what it means to the planet itself."
"I remember Master mentioning something like that before," Shiomi said as it came back to him.
The Land of Shadows focused primarily on combat in its teachings. Even when it came to knowledge, it was usually centered on how to fight.
As for deeper secrets and lore, Scáthach had always brushed over them lightly.
Back then, even she had believed those matters would never concern Shiomi, so there was no need to explain them in detail.
"If you remember, that makes this easier," Scáthach said with a slight smile, her eyes still on the chessboard. "Let's assume this. If you were ordinary humans, and you knew you were about to die of old age, what would you think?"
"Accept it, I guess," Shiomi answered calmly.
"Mm." Morgan nodded, much the same.
"Then suppose that after you die, a parasite living inside your body—something that couldn't harm you while you were alive—would continue to survive even after your death. No matter how your corpse decayed, it would go on existing. What would you think then?" Scáthach pressed further.
Shiomi shrugged. "That's only natural, isn't it? Isn't that how human death works?"
"Fairies turn into dust and mud after death, so it's hard to imagine. But if that's simply the law of nature, there's nothing to worry about. You'd already be dead." Morgan spoke just as matter-of-factly.
Their answers didn't surprise Scáthach. Or rather, that was how most humans would think.
Of course, there were exceptions. Some people couldn't accept such a possibility—those who chose cremation or other means to erase their remains would fall into that category.
"But when it comes to a planet, that's different," Scáthach said. "A planet's death means it no longer possesses the conditions necessary for humans or any other life to exist. But what if, at that point, the primates living on it could continue to exist even after the planet itself has died?"
"…Is that even possible?" Shiomi asked.
"Perhaps," Morgan replied, not entirely certain. "If it's humanity, they might actually pull it off."
After all, the Bleached World could be seen as a kind of suspended death for the planet.
Even so, survivors like Chaldea still remained upon it.
"When a planet reaches its end, its Suppression Force disappears. Entities like the Primate Killers would vanish as well," Scáthach continued. "And at that point…"
"If life still continues to exist on the planet even after its death, then the planet sending a request out to the cosmos before dying would make sense." Artoria stepped into the room as she finished the thought.
"So in Earth's case, other planets also possess a similar survival instinct, almost like siblings to humans?" Shiomi quickly grasped what Artoria was suggesting.
"It's simply a hypothesis that fits the current situation," Artoria said. Finding no empty chair, she sat down directly on Shiomi's lap. "Perhaps that's why ORT came."
Shiomi then voiced the final doubt that lingered in his mind.
"But the planet isn't anywhere near its end right now, is it?"
"I wouldn't know." Artoria wrapped her arms around Shiomi's neck and nuzzled against him affectionately.
"So in the end, we still haven't solved anything." Morgan gave Artoria a light push. "Move aside. You're blocking my view."
Left with no choice, Shiomi turned his chair slightly and scooted back a few centimeters, trying to keep all three of them within his line of sight.
"Still, that was a very valuable hypothesis. It'll help with what I need to do next," Shiomi said with a smile. He leaned forward and placed a light kiss on the exposed skin at the neckline of Artoria's casual clothes in thanks.
"So, what you ought to do next…" Scáthach murmured thoughtfully. "Just don't let responsibility tie you down too tightly. Otherwise, you'll end up like the King of Knights in your arms, walking yourself into a dead end."
"…Tenkei's insight surpasses mine. He wouldn't have taken as long as I did to understand it." Artoria shook her head.
"It's not that dramatic," Shiomi said, shaking his head as well. Then he reminded Scáthach and Morgan, "You two were helping me think this through. Shouldn't you get back to your game?"
"Whose turn was it?" Morgan suddenly realized she couldn't remember.
Scáthach paused, thinking it over. "It was probably my turn. I'd been mulling it over for quite a while… but once I got distracted, I completely forgot what move I was planning to make."
"Master, you're not about to ask me for advice, are you?" Shiomi pulled a pitiful face. "I'll definitely lose."
"Winning and losing don't matter. It's just something to pass the time," Scáthach said casually, lightly tapping Shiomi's calf with her foot. "Since everyone's here, why not let me see my beloved disciple's wisdom?"
"Master, please don't." Shiomi deliberately tightened his hold around Artoria. "Why not let His Majesty the King of Knights play instead? She's surely better at this than I am."
"Tenkei…" Artoria looked at him in surprise at how smoothly he'd shifted the burden.
Morgan calmly straightened her sleeve. "What's wrong? Afraid of losing to me… no, to your own sister?"
"Not necessarily."
The provocation worked. Artoria rose from Shiomi's lap and switched seats with Scáthach.
"Good luck."
With that, it became Scáthach's turn to pull Shiomi close and relax against him.