Raven and Sarah were the first to get off the plane, followed by Brenda and Alex.

“We’re here,” Raven said, her voice calm and controlled.

Inside the helicopter, Mira and Rem remained seated. Rem held Mira in a tight hug, both visibly devastated by the loss.

“Kay’s waiting over there!” Alex said, pointing to the motionless figure.

“Kay?” Mira asked, visibly confused.

“Straighten up your face, you don’t want to make him even more worried,” Rem said, trying to encourage her daughter.

“You too!” Mira replied, with a tired but firm look.

Rem forced a brief smile to comfort her and stood up.

“Mom?” Mira thought, surprised, before following her.

The two got off the helicopter, the cold early morning air enveloping them.

“He didn’t move at all!” Brenda commented, watching Kay.

“He must be embarrassed to find you.” Go to him! — Rem encouraged.

Mira hesitated, but started to move away towards him.

— Could this be it? I didn't expect him to find Mira wearing the mask... — Raven murmured thoughtfully.

— Like Alpha Zero, right? I get it! — Rem said, laughing softly.

Mira approached without saying anything. When she got close to Kay, she leaned on him, seeking comfort.

— You've been waiting here all night... I'll wake you up, but just leave me like this for a little while. — Mira said, her voice choked.

— He's sleeping. — Rem confirmed, crossing her arms.

— It makes sense. — Sarah commented naturally.

Suddenly, Kay, still asleep, hugged Mira instinctively.

— Are you awake? — Mira exclaimed, confused, pulling his mask lightly.

When she removed it, she realized that he was still fast asleep.

— How curious... This must be an automatic reaction, an unconscious manifestation of his desire to prepare himself to comfort you. — Rem explained, approaching with the others.

— Mira? — Raven called, equally confused.

Mira, however, seemed to finally relax in Kay's arms.

— I don't understand... But it's so warm... — Mira murmured, closing her eyes as tears ran down her face.

— Then stay there. I need a shower. — Rem said, moving away.

— I need to get some sleep! — Brenda declared, already turning around.

— Me too. — Alex agreed, following her.

— Do something with his legs later! — Raven joked, referring to Kay's position, before moving away.

— That's great, huh, Mira? Enjoy it. — Sarah finished, leaving immediately.

Mira remained where she was, crying silently, but she seemed calmer in that situation.

— I'm sorry... — Kay suddenly whispered, her voice breaking the silence.

The girls stopped at the same moment.

— Kay? — Mira called, surprised.

— I didn't get there in time to help the captain... — Kay said, slowly waking up.

Mira remained silent, absorbing his words. The others watched him, confused. Then, without saying anything, Mira leaned over and kissed him.

— Thank you. I'll make some coffee. You have something to give to my mother, don't you? She's over there. — Mira said, quickly moving away.

Mira hurriedly left, leaving Kay and the others in a mix of perplexity and concern.

— "Mira?" — everyone thought, confused.

Kay began to move slowly.

— How did you get out? Your feet were in the ground. — Raven commented.

— I just pulled. — Kay replied, exhausted. He lowered his head, sad. — I made her even sadder. I ended up making everything worse...

— It wasn't that. It was like she saw a ghost. — Rem said, with an analytical look.

Kay took a deep breath, then handed something to Rem.

— I don't know who told her, but I only managed to get this back from the captain... — he said, showing her the wedding ring.

Rem took it delicately, looking at the object with contained emotion.

— You don't have to feel guilty about this. It was already a miracle that you arrived in time to kill the Ghouls. I thank you for avenging him for us. — Rem said, stroking Kay's head tenderly.

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— I'm sorry... — Kay repeated, her voice breaking.

— It's okay. I knew this could happen a long time ago, but I refused to believe it would be possible. We'll get through it. Don't worry. Now let's go inside, our arrival must have woken the soldiers! — Rem said, with a reassuring smile.

— What? Aren't we supposed to be in the Third Division? — Kay asked, confused.

— What are you talking about? — Rem replied, frowning.

— Why are we at the base? Did I... fall asleep again? — Kay asked, putting her hand to her head.

— Kay? This is no time for jokes! — Raven said, worried.

Suddenly, Kay staggered, her expression contorted in pain.

— General... Who? A Ghoul? Why don't I remember...? — Kay stammered before fainting.

— It seems my daughter knows what's going on. Take Kay to the infirmary. Let's go to the kitchen and hear what Mira has to say. — Rem ordered, with authority, as she walked away.

— I'll take him. — Alex said, lifting Kay carefully.

While Alex took Kay to the infirmary, Rem and the others went to the kitchen. There, they found Mira crying even more while making coffee.

— So, what do you have to tell us? — Rem asked directly.

A little later, in the cafeteria, everyone was seated. Mira began to calm down, although her eyes were still red.

— I remembered that heat. It happened once in the past... After Kay killed the Ghoul in the forest, he was crying. I was scared, but I went to comfort him. — Mira said, her voice choked with memories.

— I remember that. You were hugging each other. — Rem replied, with a distant look, remembering the scene.

— It was at that moment... I don't understand, and it seems that Kay didn't realize it either, but when I hugged him, I felt that same warmth. A little later, he passed out. And then, all the memories of that day... Everything he felt, came to me. At least the rest of the day, after he drank my coffee. The memory of his parents' death, of him killing the Ghoul... He lost it, but I remember everything he saw! — Mira said, excited.

— Are you saying that, from the moment we were about to leave the Third Division until now, he won't remember anything? — Rem exclaimed, alarmed.

— Yes. There's only one thing he hasn't forgotten: the way the Ghoul moves. He must remember it, but not clearly, it's more like an instinct. — Mira explained.

— What kind of nonsense is this?! Will he really forget everything, while you keep his memories? That can't happen! — Raven protested, indignant.

— It wasn't Kay who chose it! He doesn't even know that this has happened before. He can't even imagine that I have the memories of his parents' death! — Mira replied, trying to justify herself.

— Make him remember! — Raven said, taking out her cell phone and showing a video of Kay in the castle.

— He dreams about that day many times, but he never remembers it. — Mira replied, in a melancholic tone.

— Try anyway! — Raven insisted, holding out her cell phone.

— When he got off the plane, he already started to feel guilty. He keeps thinking that everything would be different if he didn't have to pay that punishment. He believes that it would be different if only you were by my father's side at that moment. — Mira said, trying to contain her frustration.

— What did he want? For me to die too?! — Rem exclaimed, shocked.

— You know that's not it! — Mira said firmly.

— I know... Maybe, together, we would have managed to kill the Ghoul general. But what about the other Ghouls in the place? How many humans would have died before we killed them all... If we killed them at all. — Rem reflected, with a distant look.

— Kay is already at 200%. — Mira stated, as if that were obvious.

— He broke that percentage a long time ago, when he used 150%. So, thinking that he can go further is natural. — Rem agreed.

— But one of the scientists who creates and repairs the suits said that it's impossible to go beyond 100% without breaking the limit. Kay thinks Julius can do it too, but even he doesn't seem to be sure about that. — Mira said.

— Why are you changing the subject? Him using the suit more is a good thing for the army, isn't it? — Rem asked.

— But this scientist... She became his girlfriend. — Mira revealed, seriously.

— How did that happen?! — Rem exclaimed, surprised.

— It seems that his promise to accept the girls this week was still working, but, to him, it sounded more like an order. He accepted right away. — Mira said, crossing her arms.

Raven was visibly shaken.

— It wasn't the same with you. He was thinking about you. But with this girl... He accepted right away. There was something wrong with him. — Mira explained, looking at Raven.

— Wrong? What do you mean? — Raven asked, confused.

— It seemed like hypnosis. The moment she asked, even as a joke, he accepted. It was strange. — Mira stated.

— "They completely changed the subject..." — the other girls thought, watching from afar.

— But why would he accept someone he doesn't even know? — Raven insisted.

— She looks like Emilia. In fact, they're cousins. — Mira revealed.

— A scientist cousin of a princess? Where have I heard that before? — Rem murmured.

— Aiko. She's a prodigy who... — Brenda began, but was interrupted by the distant sound of a helicopter.

— Another squad? It must be the Second, but they wouldn't arrive at the same time as us. — Raven said, intrigued.

— You're right. — Rem agreed, drawing her sword.

— Don't worry! We've already been informed of their arrival. — Fernanda said, entering the cafeteria.

— How long have you been there?! — Mira exclaimed, surprised.

— I just got here. My condolences. — Fernanda said sincerely.

— Thank you. — Mira and Rem replied at the same time.

— It seems that this prodigy they speak of has already repaired his suit personally. I understand her being interested in the suit of a 100%, but to have repaired it personally? It makes me a little jealous! — Fernanda joked.

— Have you already repaired his suit? He used the limit break! Wasn't that too fast? — Raven asked, incredulous.

— He absorbed the Ghouls while passing through the divisions. Don't you remember he asked for that? But, in fact, the suit should have been damaged. Yet, it arrived intact, to the point that he killed all the Ghouls and spent hours using it without any problems. — Fernanda explained.

— His suit was damaged, but when he absorbed the general, it was repaired. — Mira said.

— Did Kay tell you that? — Fernanda asked, suspicious.

— More or less. — Mira replied.

— That general had an abnormal regeneration. I wouldn't say it was instantaneous, but very fast. According to the soldiers, it was less than a minute. — Fernanda explained.

— Without eating anything? — Rem asked, surprised.

— Nothing. — Fernanda confirmed.

— Isn't it enough that they are stronger than us, now they also regenerate? — Raven said, irritated.

— Kay killed him in a few seconds. We'll have to break our limits too, if we want to have any chance. — Mira said, determined.

— Kay is abnormal. There's no way to break the limit of something limited to 100%. — Fernanda argued.

— If he was able to, then it's possible! We just need to find out how. — Mira replied.

— This base is hectic... — Momo commented, entering the cafeteria.

— You're the leader of the squad sent by Yumi? — Mira asked.

— What an honor! Did you remember me? I'm happy! — Momo said, with a smile.

— She's tall... — the other girls thought, looking at Momo.

— Thank you for coming! It was hard to convince your captain to stay there with her division. She was waiting for us at the airport. — Mira said.

“She what?!” Nina exclaimed, entering the cafeteria.

“She went back to her base soon after. Sorry to give you all this trouble.” Mira said, with a tired smile.

“Don’t worry. She gives us trouble all the time.” Nina replied, with a playful tone.

Mira laughed, seeming lighter.

“I feel better. I’ll make some coffee. Welcome her, Rem!” Mira said, heading to the kitchen.

“Okay!” Rem replied, standing up. “Let’s go outside and meet this prodigy.”

“She came?” Raven asked, curious.

“Probably.” Rem said, heading out towards the courtyard.

“What does this girl look like?” Sarah asked, intrigued.

“Let’s find out.” Rem said, with a smile.

In the courtyard, some girls were still glancing at Mira, who remained in the kitchen.