Ever since Aoi-san's condition stabilized, research institutions of every stripe had been practically hounding Luna-chan.
It was, for all intents and purposes, true immortality.
To those in power or titans of industry, it must have sounded like a dream come true.
However, Veronica-chan held a different view.
"I have no desire to witness the Empire’s downfall, nor the end of the universe itself. One only needs to look at the Elder to see that excessive longevity is a form of hell. A modest life span is enough. Being able to see the faces of one’s great-grandchildren is plenty. I don't mind the research into immortality, but I am opposed to its widespread implementation."
She was absolutely right.
Death was frightening, but... the idea of having one's body converted into computer components like Luna-chan's, or merely being kept alive by force like the Elder, was far more terrifying.
As for the person in question, Luna-chan apparently said, "Once the war is over, I plan to reconstruct a physical body and live a normal life until I die~."
While she hadn't grown tired of manga, anime, or games, she seemed weary of politics and the prospect of an endless life.
"I'd like to try raising a child at least once," she had added.
It seemed that even an existence bordering on godhood eventually settled on the pursuit of happiness within a human framework.
Speaking of beings close to gods, there was my fiancé, Leo.
"Hey, Leo. Do you want to be immortal?"
"Agelessness sounds alright, but I think I'll pass on the 'never dying' part."
"You want to be ageless?"
"Well, you know how I drink a lot of water, right? ...The truth is, my old man suffers from urinary tract stones... I really don't want to experience the kind of pain that makes a grown man scream. I drink water all the time to be safe... After all, the incidence rate is lower the younger you are..."
He sounded truly desperate.
To think the hero of the Zork War lived in fear of urinary tract stones...
The true victor of this conflict might be the stones that form inside the human body.
A few days later, I was finally allowed to visit Aoi-san in her hospital room.
After all, a soul transfer was a first for even the most seasoned researchers.
It seemed her discharge was still some time away.
I went with Leo to pay our respects.
Female soldiers were guarding Aoi-san’s room.
They weren't there to protect her from suspicious outsiders, however.
They were specifically chosen to protect Aoi-san from the researchers.
Because of this, doctors and staff with nursing qualifications, like Kevin-chan, were permanently stationed inside the room.
We had plenty of experience fighting enemies from within.
That was why we always assumed the worst-case scenario.
Luna-chan herself had once had her body carved up while still alive by an Emperor and scientists who craved immortality.
Aoi-san's current predicament was likely something Luna-chan took very personally.
That was why Luna-chan was also keeping a constant watch.
Even so, she had issued a warning to every researcher involved:
"If you attempt to harm Aoi-san, you might be the next brains in vats."
I liked to think that as long as no one was truly insane, things would be fine.
But perhaps that was naive.
It seemed there were actually people who wanted to become a brain in a vat...
I simply couldn't understand it.
Leo and I were well-known figures.
Even so, we followed the entry procedures to the letter.
When we stepped inside, Kevin-chan was there.
"Hello, Claire-chan. You too, Leo."
"Yo, Kevin. Good work."
"Aoi-san, Leo and Claire-chan are here to see you."
"Thank you, as always."
"Here, this is for you."
I handed over an assortment of snacks and fruit.
Since blades were strictly prohibited, I had brought cut fruit.
"Thank you so much!"
I was confident in both the presentation and the flavor.
They were products I took great pride in, sourced from the luxury supermarket that served as a purveyor to the Emperor—my family's business.
Apparently, fresh fruit had briefly fallen out of favor in the past, but now that there were many planets where cultivation was impossible, they had become luxury items.
There were things that could be grown via hydroponics and things that couldn't.
Some results were delicious, while others were quite the opposite.
Canned and dried fruits were available in abundance.
However, fresh fruit was treated as a premium commodity that was incredibly difficult to obtain.
Strawberries were grown almost like common vegetables and were easy enough to find, though.
Citrus fruits also circulated to some degree because they stayed fresh longer.
As for other varieties, even citizens of the Imperial Capital couldn't get their hands on them unless they grew them themselves.
In that sense, the food situation on our ship—which was supplied with massive quantities of fruit from the Planet Kamishiro main house—was of the highest possible caliber.
And these cut fruits were undoubtedly top-of-the-line.
It was a gift that represented the full resources of my family.
A product for which a dedicated transport system had been established all the way to this remote region far from the capital.
I couldn't help but want to boast just a little.
The corners of my mouth curled upward involuntarily.
"Oh, Claire! That smug face of yours is so cute."
Leo poked my cheek.
Calling me cute... honestly! Don't say things like that in front of people! It's embarrassing!
"What's wrong with it? This is a product I'm proud of."
"Ah, Aoi-san, Claire's family runs a supermarket. I ordered from them once, and the quality is amazing!"
"Such a wonderful gift! Thank you!"
Aoi-san beamed at us.
"Claire-chan is the type whose feelings show on her face quite clearly, isn't she?" Kevin-chan added with a giggle.
"Eh... Is it really that obvious?"
I usually tried my best to keep my composure.
"Yeah, it's always right there. You're very expressive, Claire-chan."
Oh, goodness.
And here I thought I was doing such a good job of controlling my emotions.
I wanted to be the cool, composed type, and I genuinely believed I was projecting that image!
Ah! How mortifying.
"Claire... just give it up. Everyone close to me eventually loses their mask."
I felt a sudden urge to deliver a full-force chop to Leo's chest.
But he was certainly right.
Even a member of the Imperial Family like Veronica-chan had recently taken to lounging around in a tracksuit.
Ren-chan, who used to act haughty as a defense mechanism against her complex about being of the beast race, had become much more approachable.
Melissa-chan, on the other hand, had become increasingly girlish.
Luna-chan had gone from being treated as a deity to being a mere playmate.
Kevin-chan had started being treated like a girl, though I suppose that was an exception.
As for Tatiana-chan, she had gone from a delinquent to a younger sister who refused to warm up to anyone.
To begin with, Leo himself was being treated like a neighborhood stray cat.
There was no way I would be the only one left unaffected.
(On the other hand, Eddie-kun’s misunderstandings had been cleared up, and his reputation had actually improved.)
"By the way, you mentioned that Mother is afraid of me?"
Leo, nice save!
He had effectively derailed the conversation for me.
"Yes. Major Leo is an anomaly even among successive Jesters. Since every strategic move Mother makes backfires on her in an illogical and frustrating way, she seems to have given up on trying to understand you, Major."
...It seemed Leo's victims weren't limited to the Empire, but spanned the entire galaxy.
As expected of my fiancé.
"Consequently, it appears she intends to launch an offensive using the violence of numbers."
It seemed our brief moment of tranquility was about to reach its end.