Land of the Blades

40. Shadows

—That doesn't mean we have to defeat that woman in two weeks, just that we won't be attacked in that period of time —the prince said, after we have moved to something akin to a bar. We were still underground, but we were now at the border of a crater, with a window open right next to us—, ah, you might already know about it, but that planet over there is from where you came.

There it was, in all its roundish magnificence, but it was mostly covered in gray clouds. I had an idea of how it should look from Shirou's memories, but that was from the world a long time ago. I would have liked to be able to see our small island from there.

—It doesn't matter if she is struck in the moon, she can just throw a meteorite against us at any moment —I said, remembering why our world was in such state.

—Bringing that thing here took her a whole month —the Prince said, calmly sipping in a funny smelling drink—, but maybe she could improvise with something smaller but still destructive.

—We can protect our island —I said glancing towards Caster, who confirmed it with a nod—, but if she attacks this moon, the fragments of my brothers that you scattered over its surface will drift into space. You shall collect them and take them to the planet immediately.

—I understand. But do you really want us to do so? The finest dust will certainly drift into space if we attempt to collect everything. Anything below 4 in the scale of hardness will be lost, including your original phosphophyllite parts, if they are present on this moon.

—T-that's...

—I'll set a barrier —Caster chimed in—, it will prevent anything from drifting from this planet. There aren't leylines in this place, so it will not last for too long, and it will not resist if Franny decides to attack.

—Understood. Mantis, could you manage this operation?

—O-of course, my prince! —she said, bowing towards us. I had almost forgotten she was still there —I won't disappoint neither you nor Phosphophyllite-sama.

—I'm sure you'll do an excellent job —the Prince said, a slight intoxicated tone on his voice—, it has become a bit late, so I'll ask both of you to remain here for the night, we'll take you back to the planet at first thing in the morning.

—Why can't we go now?

—Hmmm, even in this state of affairs, the guild will take my head if I make them work at night.

—The guild??

Turns out, the Lunarians have kept much of their daily routines as when they were humans; they ate the same number of times each day at the same time, and worker the same exact hours each day. Humans used to do it to obtain "money" and be able to buy products and services, but the Lunarians just kept doing out of habit and boredom. After a brief talk in which the Prince told us a bit more about their failed attempts to make Sensei react, probably induced by the alcohol he was drinking, he asked Mantis to take us to our room for the night, as well as give us a tour through the installations.

—I'm sorry if this place looks a bit run down —Mantis said—, this is one of our older homes, and it had been abandoned for quite a long time. The city we have on the third biggest moon used to be our home for the longest time, and it looked a hundred times better than this. We had all kinds of workshops and facilities, top of the notch. Now we have to make do with old tech and whatever we brought with us. Ah, but I'm not complaining, this is for the best for everyone!

—Don't worry about that —I said—, if you don't mind me asking... why does your face look so much like my old one?

—Ah! —she had a small panic attack—, I'm sorry if that has bothered you, Phosphophyllite-sama.