Atsuko has finished packing up her instruments at the hotel. She does a final tally of her devices. Several hotel staff are helping her move the instrument.

“Let’s see,” the teal-haired nekomata says. “Nanocosm Viewer?”

“Check,” Saizo says

“Manameter?”

“Already accounted for!” Hoshikage says.

“Kaguya Parallel Mirror?”

“We moved that yesterday!” Kasumi says.

“Okay, those should be the last of the instruments,” Atsuko says. She and her shinobi move to the lobby of the hotel.

There, they find, Kei, Aika, and Noboru standing guard over the tanuki sake reading a book on determinism while the aspiring author and the songstress are making sure the instruments are overseeing the item as they are transported onto a moving truck.

“That took a while,” Saizo says.

“If only the last Manameter didn’t break down,” Atsuko says. “Lousy hunk of junk that was.”

“You know we could have gotten one after moving to Rosenkreuz,”

“I wasn’t sure if they would have the right materials,” the twin tailed nekomata says. “At Noir, at least I knew where the parts and materials could be found.

Kasumi twirls one of her orange pigtails. Hoshikage looks at her protege with some amusement. “You excited to meet that man again?”

“What!” Kasumi says, “Of course not!” she tries to deny her infatuation as fog forms around her feet.

The instruments are loaded onto the truck. “Where do you want these to go, missy?”

Atsuko gives the location of the town of Rosenkreuz.

“New Virginia, that is pretty far,” the trucker says.

“I know.” Atsuko gives him several pieces of gold. “This should cover the fare, right?”

Aika looks at the hotel wistfully. “I’ll miss this place,”

Kei cleans his glasses. “I won’t, this place is too noisy.”

Aika sighs. “Maybe I can find a new venue at Rosenkreuz.”

“What happened at Club 4706?” Kei asks.

“The patrons there seemed a bit too…forward,” Aika says.

“Alright,” Atsuko says. “Ready to go?”

“Of course, Akko,” Hoshikage the Starsahdow says.

“Ready!” Kasumi the Mistwalker says.

“We are prepared,” Saizo the Disarmer says.

“Indubitably,” Noboru the Enlightened says.

“We’re ready,” Aika the Songstress says

“Where is Suzume?” Iyashi Kei the Soother says.

Atsuko points at the truck. Suzume the Swallowtail is already there, having elected to oversee the transport to Rosenkreuz. Kasumi begins to express concern about Suzume but stops before she can out of fear of getting scolded by Hoshikage.

Hoshikage beams a cheerful smile. “So where’s our ride Akko?”

“Saizo rented a vehicle for us,” the teal-haired girl says. Her two tails perk up in excitement.

Hoshikage and Kasumi check each other’s outfits, making sure they are both loaded with baubles in case their trip encounters complications.

Saizo and Atsuko lead the shinobi to a vehicle. It is an old model of car, as evidenced by its black paint job and white tires. It has barely enough room for the seven of them. Kasumi and Aika are appalled at the tight fit.

“Saizo,” Kasumi says. “You couldn't get a bigger car?”

“Dealer was asking for too much,” Saizo says. “This was the cheapest I could get.”

A look of dread warms over Kasumi, as she now fears the long and cramped trip. She looks back to see if the moving van is still there, but she is already driving off. Hoshikage notices her student’s frown.

“Cheer up, Kasumi,” Hoshikage says, “It’s only about, like seven hours.”

“Seven hours!” Kasumi gripes.

“Well we are crossing state borders,” Kei says. “Of course, we do have to consider the traffic…”

Everyone soon boards the black car. Kasumi is squeezed between Hoshikage and Kei. Noboru and Aika, enter on Kei’s other side as Saizo and Atsuko take the front seats. Saizo drives the car into the streets, the vehicle soon begins the long drive to Rosenkruz, and to the Black Box.

✦✦✦

Three hours later, Aika, Kasumi, and Hoshikage are fast asleep. Kei takes note of the scenic natural beauty outside while Noboru continues reading his book on determinism. Saizo continues to drive while Atsuko keeps an eye out for monsters and assailants.

The car radio begins a news article. “Our affiliates at the Cerberus region have reported another dungeon core has recently vanished. The Thunderpeak Mountains was recently raided by strange machines last night.”

Atsuko finds the news disturbing. She knows that there had been dungeons vanishing for a while, sometimes with the surrounding area also disappointing. But the frequency of this happening gives her pause.

“Saizo,” Atsuko says.

“Yes, Atsuko?”

“Do you think…”

“No. If that dungeon seemed capable, you’d be the first to know.” Saizo’s eyes are fixed on the road as they drive on a mountain.

A few minutes later, after the radio reports on a new sale at the largest mall in Noir, and an announcement of a gala held at Gatsby Tower. The station reports another news side.

“The Ebony Guards have reported a sting operation in Broadway was successful.” The anchorman tells of how the Guild had used intelligence brought to them from someone liberated from a certain factory on Joyfuller Island to local and bust a Rouge Dungeon. “…Rumors swim about a mysterious ‘Project Stronghold’. The Guards are holding a press conference later tonight to address these rumors.”

“Project Stronghold huh?” Atsuko says. She wondered what it was about.

The car soon enters a lush forest. The mix of orange and green leaves marks autumn’s beginning.

“Remind me again, what is today?”

“September Four,” Saizo says.

“We missed the equinox, huh?” Atsuko says.

Atsuko changes the radio to a station playing music suited to travelers. Noboru puts his book away. “How fascinating, I have no idea that people spent so long discussing the existence of free will.”

“Kinda easy to take it for granted,” Atsuko says. “Even though there is no evidence for or against it.”

Kasumi takes up, she tries to move her arms while yawning. “Are we there yet?”

“One more hour,” Saizo says. “Give it time.”

“Think Suzume will beat us there?” Hoshikage says with a yawn.

“The truck had a five-minute head start,” Kei says. “And its route is overall shorter, she’s likely waiting for us at the guildhall by now.”

“I’d hope so,” Kasumi grumbles.

Hoshikage stretches her arms. Allowing Kasumi enough room to do the same. Aika eventually wakes up. “Are we—”

“No,” Saizo says.

Aika goes back to sleep.

“Lucky her,” Kasumi grumbles. The car’s heat and the lack of comfort makes it difficult for her to return to sleep.

The car soon arrives at the town of Rosenkreuz.

✦✦✦

Atsuko’s vehicle arrives at the Rosenkreuz guildhall. They found that the moving van and Suzume are already there. Suzume holding a burger in her hand. The car parks and everyone leaves the vehicle.

“Freedom!” Kasumi yells. Saizo sighs, Hoshikage chuckles.

Suzume the Swallowtail approaches Atsuko. Her hakama has a small stain on it from her lunch. “There is a burger joint inside if you want lunch. It’s gonna be a while before the boys can move the instruments out”

“Awesome,” Atsuko says. She leads her shinobi into the guild hall. There they see unfamiliar faces looking at them. Saizo and Suzume look out for faces with ill intentions while Atsuko looks for more familiar faces. The nekomata approaches the counter.

“Hello there,” Pauline says. “Don’t think I saw you lot here before.”

“Hello,” Atsuko says. “We’re here to find a dungeon known as the Black Box.”

“Y’all here to raid again or…” Pauline says, recalling the cases of most of Atsuko’s band from their prior visit.

“We want to ask its dungeon master about some opportunities.”

“Ah, right,” Pauline says. “They did tell me they were expecting some folk here.” She looks over the descriptions he provided. “Cat ears, teal hair, two tails, Yanese… Looks like you’re the one! I’ll give you directions to the Black Box right away. Oh, and we’ll help move your equipment there as well.”

“Ariga—,” Atsuko says before realizing Pauline wouldn’t understand her native tongue. “Thank you, madame…”

“Pauline.”

“Pauline, right. Thank you.” Atsuko smiles. She and her group order lunch. Once the truck is empty and leaves, they finish their meal. They leave. Atsuko leaves a tip of thirty-nine silvers on the tables.

Pauline gathers some men and women to help transport the equipment while Pauline and Benoit lead Atsuko and her party to the location of the Black Box. They eventually come across the location of the dungeon.

“You weren’t kidding when you said the name was literal!” Atsuko says as she beholds a large black cube. The glossy exterior reflects Stella’s light like a mirror.

“So why did we have to take the long way around?” Kasumi says, remembering that the dungeon has an extension in Noir.

“It is imperative that we ensure Lady Atsuko’s safety,” Saizo says. “If she went somewhere in Noir that never returned, that could arouse suspicions.”

“Besides,” Noboru says. “The fresh air is appreciated.”

Kasumi rolls her eyes.

Atsuko and her entourage enter the Black Box.

✦✦✦

The Yanese party are greeted by Elizabeth as they enter the blue and black dungeon. “Welcome!” the fairy says.

“Hello!” Atsuko says. “Nice to meet you again.”

Emily’s voice echoes to Atsuko. “Welcome…or should I say welcome back?”

Atsuko notices an air of gloom in the air. “Did something happen while we were preparing?”

“That can wait, right now we have a more formal tour.”

Pauline look at Atsuko and her party. “Alright, looks like my work here is done. Give Heathcliff my regards, Emily?”

“Will do, Pauline,” Emily says to the guild’s head.

Elizabeth gives Atsuko a tour of the nearby areas of the dungeon, including the atelier. The Dwarves and Raine notices the nekomata’s precess.

Atsuko says hi to the three.

“Glad to see you’re finally here!” Sarah says. “Now then I think you have somethign to give her, brother!”

Richard is reminded of the teal cyberworks armor he had crafted for Atsuko at her request. He rushes out to get the suit of armor. Black with metallic teal pieces. Atsuko takes a look at the armor and asks is there is a dressing room. Sarah directs her to one.

Atsuko puts on the adaptable armor and is immediately impressed by the fit. She looks in front of the mirror and sees how it looks. “I see you have good taste!” Atsuko says to the dwarves.

“Thank you!” Richard says.

Saizo asks if there is anythign special about the Armor. Sarah brigns up it purpose being to grow and adapt with the wielder, using special enchantment and techniques. Elizabeth also beings up the Sleepshell enchantment, which confuses the ninja.

With Atsuko dressed, she and the ninja move tot he core room to discuss her microdungeon experiments and her plans to test Emily.

✦✦✦

A while alter, Atsuko arrives in one of the sentinel arenas of the Black Box, lead there by Elizabeth. Heathcliff and Tim are already waiting

“So,” Emily’s voice echoes to her. “About these Microdungeons…”

“Right,” Atsuko says. “If you may recall, my thesis is that there within objects entire universes. But reaching them requires specific properties. Properties I think you have.” He nekomata smiles. “I’ll need to test you for these properties, but I think you’ll able to handle them, Emily.”

“So what exactly are your methods?” Tim says curiously.

“My research delves heavily into the field of quantum mechanics,” Atsuko says. “Hyperbolic spaces, conformal field theories, negative curvature spaces, stiff that is hard to properly explain, but the general gist is that I will created technology derived from the avatara to allow travel on a very small plane, while using various techniques to ensure we arrive in the microdugneon with pinpoint accuracy. I spent the batter half of a decade researching this.”

“We’ll have to take your world for it, cher,” Heathcliff says.

“Quantum mechanics, that would explain why you need a dungeon with nanotechnology.” Elizabeth thinks on the idea, but finds it more incredulous, but the events of the engines had left her with a little more belief in their existence. At the very least it would explain why a Dungeon was able to grow so powerful so quickly.

“Now for the first test, I noticed that some Sprites take taken up residence here?”

“Long story,” Emily says. “Why bring that up?”

“I think the illusory powers of their mirage Staves would make testing in chaotic environments much easier. Oh and we’re gonna need you to pilot an avatara for some these.” Atsuko says.

“You’ve mentioned visiting Cerberus before?” Tim says.

“Uh-huh,” Atsuko says. “Some of the dungeons there seemed promising, but none of them were able to succeed these trials.”

Emily’s avatara manifests in the room. “So what trials do you have in mind.”

“Glad to seen you’re as keen as I am!” Atsuko says with a cheerful smile. “These tests are threefold. One will focus your adaptability under rapidly changing situations. The second will focus on the camaraderie of our little crew and concentration. The last will be about creating a smaller avatara.”

“Okay? “Emily says.

“Is any of these tests dangerous?” Heathcliff says.

“Only the first one, projection of a consciousness should be easy for a dungeon core, and I’d have to assume your crew is already close with how you were able to handle my shinobi and Gatsby Tower. That reminds me, how are those Witches of yours doing?”

“The Coloraturas?” Emily says.

“Yeah,” Atsuko says.

“I think they took to me rather well,” Emily says. “Have you guys met?”

“Only once after the party,” Atsuko says. “They seem like a nice bunch of kids. But I want to properly met them and the rest of your residents. After all, if things go well. We’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

“You already met the dwarves, right?” Emily notices Atsuko is wearing the cyberworks armor designed specifiably her her.

“How could you tell?” Atsuko cheekily says.

“Call it a hunch,” Emily says.

“I’ll see about gathering everyone here,” Heathcliff says. “At least everyone that hasn't been to Noir.”

“Let’s see,” Emily says. “That would be Carla, Lydia, Keith, Euryale, Stheno, Flowena, Ulric…”

✦✦✦

After Atsuko is properly introduced to everyone living in the Black Box. She leads everyone to the outside forest and then uses the sprites’ Mirage Staves to create an illusion of one of the Black Box’s rooms.

“Hello my name is Atsuko Izumi, and I’d like to assume you’re already familiar with the superliminal nature of the sprite’s dungeons.” The teal-haired girl says.

“Yeah,” Emily says.

“Then this should be easy.” Atsuko points to a picture of a forest on the wall, held upside down at a diagonal angle. “For safety reasons, I’m only testing the Sentinels and Emily here. Emily will be first. Ready? Go!”

The picture is superimposed onto the walls behind Emily’s avatara. Emily felt a tingling sensation as the image was suddenly painted onto her. Atsuko uses the mirage staff to conjure the forest into reality, and Emily’s sense of gravity shifts as she falls up to the ground.

Saizo enters the illusory forest to fight Emily. “Karakuri Arts Zero Two!” His prosthetic conjures a force of wind that pushes Emily deeper into the forest.

Atsuko takes another picture, this time of a volcano. “This one’s going to be hot. Atsuko uses the mirage staff to create an illusory volcano in the distance. A lava plume erupts in front of Emiyl and she stops to avoid being singed. Kasumi enters the battle and uses her mist to blind Emily as she engages with her in hand-to-hand combat. Emily tries to strike at the orange-twintaled kunoichi, but she makes a charging leap and rapidly strikes her arms with her own. Deflecting her slashing attempts. The purple-haired avatara anticipates a strike and leaps back, dancing around Kasumi and tripping her.

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“No fair!” Kasumi says.

Tim leaps in and fights alongside Emily as the mist changes to reveal that Atsuko has conjured a gilasaur and overlaid the illusion of an arctic desert around them. The bitter cold air blows as Tim and Emily face the two shinobi and the illusory dinosaur.

“Seems like someone is a little impatient,” Atsuko says.

“He’s always like this,” Heathcliff says.

“Seems he’s not the only one.” Elizabeth sees Clara walking towards the dinosaur, attempting to talk it into night attacking.

“So much for testing them one by one,” Atsuko says.

Noboru chuckles. “Perhaps we can kill two birds with a single stone milady?”

Emily and Tim protect Clara from the ninjas as she attempts to talk the gilasaur down. Tim glares at Saizo.

“This is a friendly spar, boy,” the ninja says. “No need to be so tense.”

“Tense, me?” Tim says as he closes his eyes and points his Qiang at the shinobi. “Perish the through.”

Saizo chuckles.

Atsuko holds up an image of wooden automata and materializes them with the mirage staff. The wooden machines try to attack Emily, but she dodges and cuts the illusions down. More suddenly appear and Clara gets the gilasaur to eat the wooden mechanical monsters.

Atsuko sees the three can hold their fairy well. She takes another image and overlays it to the fight.

Emily’s avatara and Carla collapse to eh ground. Tim finds his body suddenly grows heavier.

“Mom!” Charlotte cries out for her mother as she struggles to stand up under the increased gravity. She tries to counter with a spell she learned from Anemone to allow Emily and Clara to be weightless.

Atsuko notices the little alraune and loon on in surprise. “Guess I’m being tested for adaptability as well,”

Sarah and Nina arrive to help Emily up and fight off some of the wooden Karakuri illusions. Suzume tries to slash t the young dwarf, but Richard fires a shot from his stunner and intercepts Sher.

“You’re not laying a hand on my sister that easily!” Richard says

Suzume humphs.

Atsuko overlays images in rapid succession changing the scery to various locales. The Colroaturas enter the fight to help Emily against the chaotic test. They end up fighting in frozen tundras, in underwater reeds, and in a simulacrum of the vacuum of space, again not only the shinobi but also illusions of wooden robots and several yokai.

Atsuko is pleased by both the teamwork and the ease at which they dispatched the illusions.

The magical girls work in tandem to feel an illusory ogre. Lily uses the mirage staff to turn the illusions against Atsuko. Rose strikes some tengu down with her lightning while Azalea and Hydrangea use gel spells to inter another ogre.

Azalea also uses the gel to prank the shinobi, encasing Kasumi in slime.

“Hey!” Kasumi says.

“Sorry,” Azalea says “But this is one of my harder to pull-off jokes!”

A while alter, Atsuko is satisfied. She sues the mirage staff to dispelled the illusions.

“How did we do?” Emily asks

“Well above expectations,” Atsuko says. “The Microdungeosn are a place of uncertainty, but if you were able to hold your own here, then I’m certain there is nothing they can throw at us!”

“That’s good to here.”

Rose breathes heavily. “I though you said those were illusions!” the lamia cries out.

“They are,” Atsuko says. “Most of them hit like wet noodles, as well.”

Lily yawns. “I suddenly feel sleepy.”

“That…wasn’t part of the illusions.”

Stretlizia says. “So when does the second test start?” She makes a pose that indicates her readiness to fight.

“About…the moment Tim decided to intervene basically,” Atsuko says. “Suffice to say you nailed that as well. I must apologize if the illusions were harder than expected.”

Streltizia slumps. “Aw. I was getting fired up!” Clover giggles.

Ulrich and Flowena help Atsuko clean up the illusions’ effects on the land.

“You guys should take some time to rest,” Atsuko says. “The last test will begin tomorrow.”

Everyone returns to the Black Box, has dinner and turns in for the night.

✦✦✦

Meanwhile, at the Mirage Feywood. Several fires blaze. The bioluminescent forest is populated by sprites choking on ash and steam as mechanical monsters march toward the upside-down palace. Several sprites try to ward off as many machines as they can with their illusions, but for each robot, they seal in the land, and two more march in their place and corner the poor fey.

Admits this chaos. The Baron Roberts fights Puck in front of the palace. Puck tries to slash at the Baron with a sword, but the fellow avatara’s steam-powered armor shields him from the blade.

“Why do you resist?” The Baron says. “You know it is futile!”

“Why do you fight,” Puck says. “You know you will be punished for your transgressions!”

Roberts scoffs. “I will rise above this pitiful lot and rule from on high! Any punishment here shall be by my hand!” He rushes forward and slams Puck. The two fall through the window of the palace and land on the river below. Robots use their jets to avoid colliding with the water as Puck splashes into the water.

“Heh!” the Baron says. She turns his back and sees the palace. He knows the Core Severance Protocols only work within his domain, and that he has to find the actual core itself to absorb it and its mana.

The Baron Robots sees a glint from the tip of the tallest spire and hovers down towards it., It is of a final shape to him, two cones connected by a halo-like ring. The shape of a Divine Dungeon’s core. He smirks and reaches out for the mirage Feywood’s core, only for it to vanish, replaced by a stone wall along with the rest of the palace.

“Wretched illusions!” Steam erupted from the pipes on his armor as he glared at the false palace. He turns around and sees a small group of sprites aiming their staves at him. One of them is clad in crimson with blond hair.

“Leave now, or suffer the consequences of your sins!” the red-clad sprite says.

“So the Dungeon Master finally arrives,” the Baron smirks.

“Maeve, don’t do this!” Puck’s voice echoes to the blond sprite.

“I’m sorry my love,” Maeve says. “But I will not abide this trespasser’s presence anymore!” She uses the Mirage Staff on the Baron, but the intruder flies above them and fights with Maeve. Puck manifests a new Avatara to try to stop Roberts from reaching Maeve, but the avatara and Master are unable to hold the Baron off for long.

Puck is stomped to the ground, while Roberts holds Maeve by the neck. “Now, lead me to the core, of your girlfriend here gets it!”

“Go ahead you cur!” Maeve says. “Do your worst!”

Puck tries to stand up, as Maeve defiantly tries to escape her captor’s grasp. “Stop this madness,” he desperately cries out to the invader.

“Give up,” the Baron says. “Your fate is inevitable. Accept it!” He begins choking Maeve.

“No!”

“Going once,” The Barren tightens his grip on Maeve’s windpipe. “Going twice!”

“I’ll do it! Just please! Let her go,” Puck pleads.

The Baron looks at the core’s avatara and sees the look of despair and defeat in his eyes. He drops Maeve and glares at Puck. “Let’s go!”

Puck stands up. Maeve pleads with him to not sacrifice himself, but Carnegie knocks her out. Puck rematerializes the palace and the core with it. The Baron flies closer to the core.

“It’s a good thing I went straight for the avatara first,” the Baron thinks. “His Last Bastion Protocols are useless if he has no will to fight.” He places his mechanical hand on the core and begins to absorb it. Puck feels the Last Bastion Protocols activate, but he sees the carnage around him and knows that the energy and power it grants him are not enough to surmount this foe. He can only hope the ones that escaped to the Black Box are able to continue in their new home and that the brass-clad fiend would be felled one day.

The Feywood begins to fade, alongside all of the sprites within and alongside Puck and Maeve. Carnege looks on as Puck holds Maeve’s unconscious body in his arms. “Forgive me, dearest Maeve,” he says as both begin to vanish. Their mana is becoming absorbed by the Baron. The illusions and wonder are slowly being replaced by a mundane forest. All that is left is the automata and the blaze the baron left in his wake.

The Baron looks are Carnegie. “How long until we reach New Virginia?”

“It will take the army four weeks, sire,” the Engines’ Dungeon Master says. “They are liable to know of our advance.”

“It matters not,” the Baron says. “They will fall all the same, and then I will get my vengeance on that wretched nekomata.”

The two men return to the Engine to begin their month-long march towards The Black Box.

✦✦✦

Early the next morning, Atsuko takes the time to interview them personally before testing Emily’s ability to create smaller avatara. She begins with Tim.

“Hello there,” Tim politely says.

“Hello!” the teal-haired nekomata greets him with a smile.

“This seems very unrelated to the tests.”

“I wanna get to know you guys better.”

“You seem very confident in Emily’s abilities,” Tim says.

Atsuko grins. “You noticed haven’t you?”

“Is there a reason for your confidence?” Tim says.

“A chief quality is a material that can be used to scale down to microscopic scales. Emily’s items seem to possess that innate capability from what I’ve observed so far. Simple as that. Her upcoming test is simple to see how close she can get to the femtomolecular level.”

“Un-huh,” Tim says. “Is there any reason why you are seeking out Dungeons specifically?”

“Reasons huh?” Atsuko thinks about it a bit. “I will admit that I have a personal desire to research dungeon and their cores in general, this was part of what led me to try to find proof of microdungeons. Beyond that places and entities claimed to be blessed by the administrators themselves. I figured they would be the more likely to have the proper qualities, and reason to help me with this.”

“I see,” Tim says.

“Now then how did you and Emily meet?” Atsuko says.

“Heathcliff, my mentor of sorts, wanted to be a Dungeon master.”

“Interesting,” Atsuko says. She notices something in Tim’s eyes that hints at deeper reasons. “Any other reasons.”

“Well, she seemed to be very sick at the time. I couldn't leave her in that state.” Tim says.

“I see,” Atsuko makes a cheeky grin.

“Why are you giving me that look?”

“No reason,” Atsuko lies. “Kasumi is gonna be very disappointed,” she thinks. “You said you came from Faiborough, right?”

Tim nods. “I also spend some time in Jiang-Hu.”

“‘Some’ feels like an underestimation considering you seem you have a decent grasp on bajiquan.” She notices Tim’s Qiang.

“My training was…cut short,” Tim says. “I rather not dwell on it, so if you have any other questions?”

“Nope! You’re free to go,” Atsuko says.

Tim leaves the room, as Atsuko writes down some notes.

“That Qiang seems like it would be perfect for the trial,” the nekomata thinks.

Heathcliff enters the room next. “Bonjour, Atsuko.”

“Bonjour,” Atsuko says. “Carolingian huh, with a hint of Creole, sounds tasty.”

“Cher, I’m not a dish,” the red-clad knight quips. “Though I do dabble in making good dishes.”

“I know, your roux was very delicious. Before we get too hungry…”

The two answer several questions about each other, though Heathcliff avoids questions on why he left Charlemagne.

“So, what’s in it for us?” Heathcliff says in a businesslike tone.

“I believe that if we can access the microdungeons,” the teal-ringleted girl says. “Then we can allow the respective items to grow more powerful. You know how at least eighty percent of mana that goes into creating arms and armor seems to dissipate into the aether right.”

“How does your microdugneosn address that?”

“My ability to answer that question depends on your ability to comprehend the possibility intimation can be encoded in the boundaries of lower dimensions,” Atsuko says.

“Quantum woo, got it,” Heathcliff says.

Atsuko pouts.

“Hey if it works, I’m all for it,” Heathcliff says. “Astra knows how many secrets we have yet to unlock.”

“It is believed the Messengers are sent to help us reach these secrets,” Atsuko says.

“You’re not one of them by any chance?” Heathcliff says.

“Good question,” Atsuko playfully says. “Am I one of them, Emmy?”

“Um,” Emily’s voice echoes to them both. She looks at Atsuko and doesn't feel anything unique about her. “I don’t think so?”

“Well, that settles that!” Atsuko says.

Heathcliff sighs. “Well, I’ll have to take your word for it, cher. Regardless, we’re glad to have you aboard.”

“Pleasure to have the opportunity,” Atsuko smiles.

“One last thing,” the knight says. “Were there any Dungeons in Cerberus that came close to proving your hypothesis?”

“The Mirage Feywood was promising, but it turned out the sprites were too unfocused, and their core was uninterested in the microdungeons.” Atsuko noticed that some of the sprites in the Black box were eerily familiar to her. “The only other viable candidate was the Engines but…”

“But?” Heathcliff raises an eyebrow.

Atsuko sighs. “We found out that the dungeon lack any of the proper qualities, the core did not take that well. He attempted to keep me from leaving, but he didn’t anticipate my retainers’ ability to open an escape.”

“Those ninja are your retainers?”

“Yes,”

“Pardon me, but you don’t seem the type to have retainers,” Heathcliff is curious about her background. “You say you’re form Yae, right.”

“Yamatai specifically,” Atsuko says. “And that is all I will say on the matter.”

“Fair enough,” Heathclfif is still curious, be he senses that Atsuko is aware that he has his own secrets and would rather not presser with that in mind.

“I look forward to working with you Heathcliff Ford. Adieu.”

“Adieu, cher.” Heathcliff leaves

Now what is next… Atsuko sees two names. Sarah Ebony Smith and Richard Aurum Smith. As if on cue, the dark-skinned siblings arrive.

✦✦✦

Atsuko continues her interviews. From the dwarven siblings, she learns that they are talented craftsmen. From the Truces, she learns that they were from a civilian called Hamlin and that Carla and Charlotte are trying to free certain children from entanglement with Emily’s mana. From Minerva and Nina, they learn of the latter’s desire and eagerness to become an adventurer. From the Hermandezes, she simply used the opportunity to chat with them, already knowing about their ties with the Rouges Guild of Noir. Then she talked with Elizabeth about the nature of Dungeon Faeries as well as Obsidian, the Forgemaster. Elizabeth leaves that meeting with some uncertainty.

“Let’s see, that just leaves the witches,” Atsuko says. “Should I interview them all at once?”

“I don’t know, people think we are a little wet behind the ears!”

Atsuko suddenly feels water dripping from the back of her head and turns around and sees Azalea. “Hi there!”

“Azalea Adagio, right?” Atsuko says, her cheerful facade unfazed by the clione’s prank.

“Pleasure to meet you! Didn’t have a chance back the party.” Azalea swims to Atsuko with a great big smile on her face.

“I heard you aspire to be a comedian one day?”

“Of course,” the blue-haired prankster says. “I love to make people laugh.”

Atsuko senses several other presences besides herself and Azalea. “Can your ‘audience’ reveal themselves then?”

Raine is the first to emerge. “We’re sorry about that. I tried to warn her,” the phoenixian girl says.

“No problem, I’ve suffered worse water pranks,” Atsuko says. “You must be Raine, right? Raine Carnation Cadenza?”

“Yes,” the red-haired girl says.

Anemone uncloaks herself and the others. “I’m Anemone Aria,” the wolf-eared girl says. Her purple ringlet and pointed hat catches Atsuko’s interest.

“Friends call me Clover Capriccio!” the green-haired peryton fawns says.

“Hydrangea Harmony,” the cyan-haired girl with glasses says. “Nice to meet you.”

“Lily Borea Legato!” The blond centaur filly says with exuberance.

“Strelizia Sonata,” the orange-haired minotaur says bluntly.

“I’m Rose Rhapsodia!” The pink-haired lamia says. “Smiter of evil, heroine of justice!”

Atsuko giggles. “I heard a fair bit about you girls while staying at Noir.”

The nekomata talks with the group of eight orphans. She learns several details about them, including about their now faded familiar Whisper and how they gathered the eight girls together after they were bereaved of their parents.

Atsuko wonders if the time is right to ask them about their parents, knowing that it could be a sensitive topic for them. Clover asks her about any information on her missing parents but the Yanese girl admits she has no idea about their current whereabouts.

“Parents are a pain anyway,” Streltizia says.

“Streltizia!” Raine says.

Atsuko looks at the minotaur and suspects that something terrible has happened to her, she then looks at the red-winged girl with curiosity. She then looks at Lily, prancing around the room.

Clover gets Atsuko's attention and apologizes, before going on a flurry of long-winded tangents that is eventually interrupted by Hydrangea.

“Sorry,” Hydrangea says.

“Clover can get long-winded at times,” Azalea says.

“Anyway,” Rose says to Atsuko. “Is there anything you want to ask us?”

“I supposed I should ask how you are adjusting to your new lives as Sentinels!”

“Oh, we love it here!” Lily says.

“It is better than the Underground at least!” Clover says

“That said, we haven’t repelled any visitors yet,” Rose says.

“Hmm,” Atsuko says. “It has been more than a week since we last met.”

“That was my fault, sorry,” Emily’s voice reaches Atsuko again. “We had instead gone out to a few dungeons instead.”

“Ah, that’s understandable,” Atsukos says. “You wouldn’t happen to be responsible for the Vanisher’s base on Joyfuller Island going missing,” she says with a cheeky grin.

“How did you know?” Emily says.

“You just told me.” Atsuko smiles before turning to the Coloraturas. She speaks with them for a couple of hours and learns a few more details about them, including Raine’s interest in metallurgy and apprenticeship with the Smiths, Stretlizia being Clover’s best friend, Rose and Raine’s love of sweets and the excursion to the Cocytus Manor.

“It seems like you have gotten rather busy lately,” Atsuko says.

Azalea swims around Atsuko. “We’re good little girls, honest,”

“I would hope so,” Atsuko says. “Just make sure the target is in on the joke next time okay?” she still feels watter dripping from her ringlets.

A while alter, the Colroaturas leave the room, and Atsuko prepares for the next test.

“Quite a crew you gathered here,” Atsuko says.

“Yeah,” Emily says. “I hope they aren’t too much trouble.”

“Hah, with how rowdy Kasumi gets, I’m used to it. Now then its time for the third test, can you direct me to a suitable location?”

Atsuko leaves the room, guided by Emily to a large room within her for her third and final test.

✦✦✦

“Okay, this is the final test!” Atsuko says to Emily. “The goal is to see how small you can make an avatara. I will be using some advanced microscopes to examine them.”

“An [Avatara]?” Elizabeth says. “Why?”

“I’m going to be using this as a basis for something I call Femtonauts. These will allow our consciousness to explore the microdugneons,” Atsuko says.

“Okay,” Emily’s voice echoes to Atsuko. “I’ll try.” Emily manifests an avatara of herself. The remote body stands lifeless. Her vacant eyes seem to pierce to the very soul. Emily creates a second one, half the scale of the first. She then crafts a third, then a fourth, then a fifth, and so on until Atsuko needs a telescope to see the lifeless doll.

“How’s that?” Emily says to Atsuko.

The nekomata uses a pair of players to take the smallest of the piloted avataras and place them on a table. “Well within my expectations.”

“What exactly are these ‘Femtonauts,’ supposed to do?” Tim curiously asks.

“They serve as vessels for our expeditions,” Atsuko says with aplomb. “As part of my research, I had examined how Avataras are created and reversed engineered a process to make artificial ones, for the consciousness to inhabit.”

“I’m intrigued,” Sarah says. “Maybe I can help with making those?”

“Thanks,” Atsuko says. “But the nature of the tech means we’ll need very delicate hands. I fear these are something only a dungeon could create and a specific one like that.”

“I see,” Sarah sighs.

“However, I do have an idea for a vessel designed to carry cargo betwixt and between normal reality and the microcosmos. I also require applications or shrinking and growth spells. If you have any insights into either, that would be appropriate.”

“Any reason why?” Richard says.

Atsuko places a rune enchanted slip onto the magnifying glass, allowing her to see Emily’s increasingly diminutive avataras. “The first is to see how objects from these microdungeons interact with normal physics, the latter is also needed for that end, but also helps with a more efficient method.”

Atsuko places another slip onto the glass, now allowing her to see things at a microscopic level. She sees the most recent avatara happily waving at Atsuko.

“Is this as far as you can go?” Atsuko says.

The avatara of Emily nods her head.

“Alright,” Atsuko puts away the glass.

“How did she fare?” Elizabeth says.

Atsuko sighs. “Emily has failed…”

“I see,” Heathcliff says. “Sorry things did—“

“To disappoint me!” Atsuko cheerfully says. “She had purrfeclty exceeded expectations.”

“Prolly a good idea Azalea’s is sleeping right now, cher,” Heathcliff says with a chuckle.

Atsuko laughs. “Sorry, I couldn't resist. Anyway, Emily make sure you save that scale as a construct. I’ll be working with you and anyone willing to help to prepare the equipment!”

“Got it!” Emily’s voice echoes to Atsuko.

Throughout the night, Atusko, Emily, Sarah, Richard, Elizabeth, Saizo, and Noboru work on readying Atusko’s equipment.

✦✦✦

By the morning, the basic infrastructure is prepared. The Kaguya Parallel Mirror is placed by one of the walls. Its cylindrical shape is right next to the Manameter and some microscopes. A small platform is constructed for suspending the targeted item in midair, behind it are terminals made to calculate and calibrate the position and path of the vessel and Femtonauts.

“Alrighty!” Atsuko says to everyone. “Sarah and I have worked on a rudimentary vessel, I call it the Takarabune.” She directs everyone’s attention to a strange vessel, it holds a sleek, aerodynamic profile, with two small triangles jutting out each side. It resembles accounts of vehicles called “shuttles,” that were attested to by archaeological sites.

“Isn’t that a ship that sails during Yanese celebrations?” Heathcliff asks.

“Yanese Cycle’s Turn celebration to be precise!” Atsuko says. “I gave it the name as a good luck charm. The point of the ship is to serve as a ‘Marker’ for the Femtonauts to materialize at.”

“How exactly are you planning on getting it to those microdugneons? “Clara asks. “It seems a bit too large for that.”

“Elizabeth and the sprites helped me with that detail. She found a perk for Emily that allowed her to shrink objects. The goal is to shrink it as it moves to the object, using the perspective-warping magic of the Sprites’ Mirage Staves as well as the shrinking perk to get it small enough to enter hyperbolic space. It will then send a signal to the Kaguya Parallel Mirror, that will be used for projecting our concisenesses to the Femtonauts. We still have to do a few more things before everything is ready, including getting a weapon to use as a test subject for the maiden voyage.”

“A weapon?” Emily asks.

“Preferably one that has been imbued with the mana of this wielder. Something like…that one!” the nekomata points at Tim’s Qiang.

“Huh?” Tim points to his weapon.

Atsuko nods.

Tim mulls on the idea. He knows he was entrusted with the weapon by his previous mentor. “This qiang shall be your teacher,” he thinks. Those were the last words his previous mentor said before they parted ways, and the last words he heard from him while he was alive. He has traveled with the weapon ever since but has hardly learned anything in that time. He wonders what his mentor meant when he said those words. “Perhaps these microdungeons can answer that quandary.” Tim turns to Atsuko. “Is there any risk to the item itself?”

“There is a small chance of mana overload,” Elizabeth says. “Where the item is unable to contain the mana within and explodes.”

“I’ve accounted for that,” Atsuko says. “As long as my calculations are right, then there is little chance of that happening. It’s safe.”

“As safe as an experimental technology can be, anyway,” Heathcliff says.

“Very well, any knowledge learned here is well worth the risk,” Tim says.

“Great!” Atsuko says. “We’ll attempt the first trip tomorrow.”

“I bear urgent news!” a courier from the guild arrives bearing a notice.

Everyone turns to the courier. “Urgent news?”

The guild employee hands Heathcliff an envelope, it has red decorations denoting it as a warning. The knight opens it as the courier leaves. “We have received notice of a strange army of mechanical soldiers from the Cerberus region embarking for New Virginia. They were already sighted to be in the direction of the town of Rosenkreuz. All Dungeons and adventurers in the area please report any sightings to the local guild at once!”

“Oh dear,” Heathcliff says.

“It seems someone is mad that Emily escaped,” Esteban says with a grimace.

“Pardon?” Atsuko says.

Heathcliff sighs. “Tell me, Atsuko, have you heard of a dudgeon called ‘The Engines’?”