☀️ Arselia and Akonia

—That's great! And I'll do the same. —repeated the not-so-"realistic" statement in the context of their previous conversation. —Oh yes, by the way. —rummaging in his pockets, he hands Anpan a deck of cards. —Since you're interested, it's best to be in control of your own destiny. And for good luck, this deck has stood the test of time.

—Alright, you probably need to prepare and all that... And your mentor will probably be back soon, I wouldn't want to interfere with someone else's timeline... It was nice meeting you, guys. If you have a chance, come visit us too.

—That's... a very sound logic, —says Aiyano, suppressing the urge to add "for once" (even though it wouldn't be true). —Well, in that case, I have something to arm you with for this battle.
She reaches into her bag, and from the wormhole within, she pulls out a framed photo of May Jingo, which she had placed in a beautiful frame.
—The greatest work of my former boss at the agency. If we are to believe the gray demons, then he... was one of those who suffered on November 5th, —looking down at the floor, she squeezed the edge of her dress with her free hand. —He was a man I had long refused to accept, given my natural distrust, but it didn't offend or discourage him in the slightest. One of the brightest people of the highest caliber that I have had the honor to know. As it turns out, his words were prophetic... I suppose I have nothing left to do but continue to carry on his ideal, —she smiled and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, shaking her head. —This photo doesn't depict me or Sonata, so it might seem meaningless to you. But believe me, it can gradually change your life for the better. It carries an idea, a spirit, something that gives you the strength to move forward. In part, it is what made me who I am today, and now I entrust it to you. Hang it up, and over time, it will help you defeat Ahuri and your chosen opponents.

—There is some truth in that. Something like this doesn't fall under the criteria of etiquette, does it? In that case, we shouldn't waste another minute.

—Another question is that it would destroy your soul, and therefore I wouldn't "endure" it in the sense that I wouldn't be satisfied with such an outcome. If the worst were to happen (although I hope it doesn't), I would study all aspects of the world, biology, medicine, and anatomy, learn any magic, whether it's body modification or creating artificial bodies with soul transfer... I would find any artifacts, but I would restore your beloved appearance. Or... it's possible that the Suzerain is capable of something like that, —she added, although she wasn't sure if it would be rational to increase her debt to the Empress, with the risk of refusal.