"...Ayesha, Her Majesty once told me that I'd yet to experience life and that's true, but the same goes for Ava as well," said Hope as he stared at Ayesha while they were sitting down on the floor.

The ones who were severely injured were taken away by the other medics, leaving Hope and Ayesha alone. This was the perfect opportunity for Hope to prod Ayesha into letting him go find Ava.

Thinking back, these two came from different backgrounds, and Queen Fortune recognized their potential to aid Le Morte d'Angharad organization. So far, they'd done an outstanding job.

No matter what tasks they were given, Hope and Ayesha carried them out obediently. However, the times when they disagreed on certain matters, did exist, and this was one such a time. Their desires bubbled, their loyalties tested.

After Ayesha finished bandaging his wound again, Hope stood up, his eyes stared out into the corridor. "I'm going to look for Ava."

"...You can't go, Hope." Ayesha pulled the blonde boy's shirt, and he looked over his shoulders. As a medic, and someone responsible for her patient's wellbeing, she insisted on Hope not joining the search group. Straining himself like so would lead to an unstable mental state. She did acknowledge Hope's resolve, his determination to fulfill his promise. But, what would come out of it if he hurt himself?

"I don't understand why you're willing to risk opening your wound when Za'im had others looking for her in your stead," said Ayesha as she stood up, glaring at Hope. "Za'im had ordered you to standby. So you must remain here."

"...Ayesha, I understand your concerns, really. But... it just doesn't sit well with me when I know I can be out there and help, even in the scantest way possible. I want to be useful."

"...Hope."

"For the longest time, I did nothing much for the organization. I don't have your careful and thorough method in treating the injured, and I'm pretty much inept when it comes to fighting."

Hope turned his back and went out into the corridor just before Ayesha stepped in front of him. She put both hands on her hips and glared daggers at the blonde boy.

"Look, I'm not your mother, Hope. I can't always be there looking out for you!"

"I don't want you to look out—" Hope bit his lip before he finished his sentence. "...Sorry. But I must go, Ayesha. I promise I'll come back as quickly as possible with her."

"...Why do people that I..." Ayesha's voice trailed off for a moment, "...always try to get themselves hurt. I just want to do good deeds, for them."

Suddenly, two Teria soldiers—blood covering their body—appeared from behind Ayesha with knives in hand. Hope's eyes opened wide, and he grabbed Ayesha by the shoulder and threw her to the side. One knife within sight plummeted towards him, and Hope gritted his teeth, bracing for what was to come.

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However...

"Graakh!"

Ayesha swiftly broke the soldier's thrusting arm with two steps—a palm thrust to his shoulder before she pushed his forearm at an awkward angle. He fell afterward and his comrade shifted his attention to Ayesha.

"You!" He thrust his knife towards Ayesha, and she quickly stepped out of reach. Furious, the soldier slashed and Ayesha ducked ever so smoothly, her hand snatched the knife of his fallen comrade. Without any wasted movement, Ayesha stabbed the knife into the soldier's leg, and he screamed in pain.

The soldier unconsciously lowered his body as he gritted his teeth. Ayesha's eyes locked onto his knife, grabbed it, and jammed the blade into the man's throat.

"Grrkhhaakhh!"

Ayesha heaved a sigh and stared at the soldier groaning from a broken arm. "I suppose he won't move for a while."

"...Ayesha. That's... incredible."

Hope could feel his muscles tightening up. He was the one who'd thrown his life to save Ayesha. And yet, the same fifteen-years-old girl saved him instead, and he blushed in embarrassment. Ayesha stared at him with a crestfallen expression.

"...You've fought in the past?" prompted Hope.

"...I'd done some things, unforgivable atrocities to those who tried to harm me, and also to those who were very much corrupted, in a sense."

Hope shook his head, his hands shaking. Most people who joined Le Morte hid their background and past especially to those who they didn't trust. But in Hope's case, he revealed what happened to him to the first person he'd worked with other than Richarde.

Ayesha.

Due to his inability to fight effectively, he was sent to the group of medics assigned under the First Squad. Countless times he tried to learn how to apply bandages to injuries, and how to stitch wounds, and the same number of failures slapped him in the face. Only after Hope stumbled into a few kids did he found a role to play for the First Squad.

He knew nothing of Ayesha's past and background. To him, she was a kind-hearted girl who wasn't afraid to be forthright if it meant she could help people.

"I-I never knew that you can fight like that, Ayesha."

As much as Hope was surprised by it, Ayesha found her skills to be a curse from the past.

With a raised voice, Ayesha said, "Isn't that why we're all here? We have sinned so much that, we're forced to languish under these circumstances. I want to do good deeds, more than the sins I've committed."

"Go, go find her," said Ayesha finally, before she bit her lip.

"...I owe you for this. Thank you."

Hope tore his gaze from Ayesha and started running. He figured since so much time had passed, that Ava must be outside right then. Expeditiously, applying his acuity to the task at hand, Hope ran through the possible spots in the base that Ava could've gone to. The first possibility was the entrance through the parking lot. After some thought, Hope brushed it off since the distance to get there from Ludwig's spot—where Ava was last seen—proved quite far.

There were hallways that Ava could destroy to go outside. And if the multiple explosions and shockwaves from before came from such an attempt, then the choice was obvious. The die had been cast.

Hope searched ceaselessly, risking his wound opening up from every slump and founder. The searing pain kicked in again, and he grimaced.

"......Ava?"

Hope stepped into pools of blood as he called the little girl standing before a destroyed wall. Darkness had enveloped her, and when she turned around, Hope floundered and his mouth gaped. He stared at Ava incredulously.

The dark-haired little girl was covered in blood from head to toe, her crimson eyes shone bright amidst the horror environing her.