Dimensional Descent

Aina tried to rein in her cries, but she couldn't seem to do so. At a moment like this, Leonel would have already swooped in and placed a silencing array everywhere and even hidden her from the crowd. But, he wasn't by her side at the moment.

Having had such a thought, she only seemed to cry harder.

Milan, who had taken up the duty of 'guarding' Aina as he felt he should as one of Leonel's teammates, suddenly became flustered beyond compare. How was he supposed to deal with this? What the hell was going on?

"Ah…" Milan grabbed onto his back. "… Dammit, Cap… Couldn't you have been more light handed?"

The blaring alarms of the pillar made it difficult for even Milan to hear himself, and yet Aina's sobs felt so clear to him. He didn't know if it was because he was close by or if it was something else, but it was almost as though her emotions were being painted onto the air.

The truth was that Aina had completely lost control of her mental coercion. Let alone Milan, even if one couldn't hear her, it felt as though her sobs were being projected right into their minds. And, instead of growing quieter, they only seemed to grow in strength.

Just when Milan truly had no idea what to do anymore, Yuri seemed to appear out of nowhere, sinking to her knees before Aina.

Aina, sensing that someone was before her, tried to look up. But, all she saw was the blurry silhouette of someone she felt she would recognize if not for her tears.

"Young Mistress…?"

"Y-Yuri?"

Aina hardly finished her words before she plunged into Yuri's chest. Her tears fell like a waterfall, casting a melancholy halo over the surroundings.

She had never seen Aina like this before. In fact, she could never remember having seen Aina cry at

shy, quiet and reserved type in order to not draw attention to herself, but her

cadence of the ugly cries through her palm. Everything from Aina's wheezing exhales to her sniveling attempts

almost feel Aina collapsing from the inside out. Her grip around her only grew tighter,

I can't do it, Yuri… He's… He's going to

words were like a

of shattered glass… The destruction of perfectly crafted gears… The ruin of

expression flickered. This was about Leonel? But why did it sound like Leonel hadn't done anything wrong? But if he hadn't done

He's… He's going

good news, ready to tell Aina that she had contacted her father again for the first time in such a

know what

changed. Her aura flared and a strength many

to reveal something she probably shouldn't, she calmed, realizing that

her out completely. At that moment the blaring sounds of the alarms seemed to grow a pitch louder, but the reality was that they were finally

the distance, her gaze expressionless. But, neither of them said

…

be a

along with Head Hutchin had all sent a glance toward Aina. Usually, they wouldn't care about the relationships between their students. They

clearly something wrong

Morales family. The power he wielded or could potentially wield in the future was enough to crush them several times over. They were already in such a predicament to begin with,