At the Hydra Kingdom's royal castle, Laguna and Lilia sensed a bizarre presence and stepped outside just in case. However, that alien aura had vanished since that fleeting moment, leaving them to exchange puzzled looks.
"Is something wrong, Your Majesty?"
"No, it is nothing. Return to your posts and do not mind us."
"Yes, Ma'am!"
Just as Laguna replied to the guard and prepared to head back inside, a young girl appeared out of thin air.
Equipped with a single mechanical wing and eyes that shimmered with the colors of the rainbow, the girl—Machina—manifested without a single precursor. Naturally, teleportation interference was meaningless against her, so her arrival was a foregone conclusion, but to those unaware of her nature, it was a dire emergency.
"What?! An intruder!"
"…Huh?"
"——?!"
The immediate reaction of the royal guards was only natural. However, a split second later, Machina released a pressure so intense the very space seemed to creak. Lilia, Laguna, and the knights all gasped in unison.
They understood instinctively. The being standing before them existed on an entirely different dimension.
"That was lèse-majesté, wasn't it? Why is a meat slab speaking to me without permission? I have promises with Shallow Vernal and Kuromueina, so I will overlook it this once, but there won't be a next time."
"…U-Um… m-m-may I have permission to speak?"
"Hmm? It’s fine, Lilia. What is it?"
When Lilia spoke up fearfully, Machina withdrew the crushing pressure. While she wasn't as doting as she was with those she called her children, Machina was relatively tolerant of Kaito's friends and lovers. Of course, there was a gap as wide as the distance between heaven and earth in how she treated a 'friend' versus a 'lover,' but even so, they were in a far better category than anyone else.
In any case, because Lilia and Laguna were individuals associated with Kaito, Machina did not show blatant displeasure even though they had addressed her so abruptly. Especially regarding Lilia, Machina would forgive almost anything, partly due to her empathy for the woman’s position and partly because she was one of Kaito’s lovers.
Facing this version of Machina, Lilia posed a question with a nervous air.
"…Could you perhaps be… Eden-sama?"
"Hmm? Oh? …Ah, right! I went to show this form to my beloved child, but I hadn't visited Lilia yet. That's right. Well, call me Mana when I’m in this form, not Eden."
"Y-Yes. Understood, Mana-sama."
While Lilia spoke with Machina, Laguna signaled the trembling knights to withdraw while she herself knelt on one knee and bowed her head. Once Lilia uttered the name 'Eden,' Laguna's course of action was clear. Since this was an exceptionally dangerous existence even among those Laguna knew, she chose not to speak carelessly and left the diplomacy to Lilia.
Lilia also realized that she was the only person present who enjoyed a somewhat friendly standing with Machina, so she handled the situation while enduring the worsening pain in her stomach.
"So, Mana-sama. What business brings you here today…?"
"Ah, the actual business is with the King over there, but I'll just tell you, Lilia. I'm going to build an Authentic Hot Spring Inn as requested by Shallow Vernal, so I'll be using a portion of the land. I'll return it when I'm done… Well, this dimension is already 'that' way to begin with, so I don't think it'll be a problem, but I'm telling you beforehand as a courtesy."
"U-Understood. As for the location…"
"Oh, I'll decide that on my own, so it's fine. Well then, I’m counting on you."
"H-Heeek…"
After stating her business and nothing more, Machina gave a light wave of her hand and vanished. Once she was gone, Laguna stood up with the swaying, unsteady movements of a ghost. At the same time, Lilia turned toward Laguna with the stiff, jerky motions of a broken tin doll.
"…So she says."
"…An existence even the Gods cannot handle, and one whose actions are entirely unpredictable… Give me a break… Besides, what is an 'Onsenyado'? Does 'Onsen' refer to those hot spring baths?"
"Y-Yes, I believe it is an inn where one can bathe in a hot spring… but since she called it 'authentic,' it may be something entirely different from what we are accustomed to."
"I truly hope it remains within the realm of common sense…"
"…Yes, indeed."
As the two of them looked at each other and spoke those words, they both reached out and clutched their stomachs almost simultaneously.
Serious-senpai: "Shocking New Fact… Machina was still soft toward Kaito's friends compared to others…"