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After eating a late dinner at the dorm, I returned to Melua’s atelier one more time.

I had been thinking about what message to write on the guitar, and I had finally come up with the perfect words for Hom.

“Higher than the Sky—that suits Hom perfectly.”

Tracing the words I had written on the guitar body, I murmured to myself.

It was the same when I named Hom’s personal unit Altered during the Zersteller. Names carried the wishes of the person who bestowed them.

Come to think of it, my own name was the same. My father had named me after the fresh green color of my eyes, which resembled the leaves of a Dragon Tree, wishing for me to grow up healthy under the protection of the Black Dragon God. All the more reason why I regretted naming Hom after the “hom” in homunculus. Since she liked the name, I couldn’t change it now, but from this point onward, anything I gave her would have a name chosen with proper thought and meaning behind it.

That was the least I could do to atone.

The words Higher than the Sky carried my wish that Hom would always strive for greater heights, no matter how far she went. The presence of Estea—both a rival and a friend—would surely make the rest of Hom’s life all the richer.

　　　＊＊＊

When I returned to the dorm again, Hom was nowhere to be seen. She had left a note saying she was in Alfe and Farah’s room, so I went to pick her up.

“Ah, Leafa!”

Almost at the same moment I knocked, Alfe opened the door from the inside.

“Welcome back!”
“You knew it was me?”
“If it’s you, Leafa, I can tell right away.”

With that joking remark and her bright smile greeting me, I stepped into the room and noticed an enigma device sitting on the desk.

“What’s this?”
“Nyaha! Senior Marie practically forced us to take it,” Farah explained.
“And until just a little while ago, we were having a meeting with Estea, Lady Marie, and Lady Melua, ” Hom added with a nod and held up the enigma device for me to see.
“I see. That does look convenient. You can stay in touch without having to keep running back and forth between the dorms.”
“Exactly. We also decided what song we’re going to perform.”

Alfe nodded and operated the Mermaidia. The familiar melody of Prayer of Gratitude began to play, and I nodded in understanding.

“It’s popular, and it’ll probably make people stop and listen.”
“Exactly. It was the Empire’s top-charting song last year, and songs like this seem like the kind of thing that can reach people regardless of whether they’re nobles or demi-humans!”

As Alfe agreed with Farah’s comment, she manipulated the Mermaidia once more. The name Nike Apophyllite appeared, and before long, the rock arrangement we had heard at the live house the other day filled the room.

“This is…”
“The rock arrangement we heard at the live house! Senior Marie actually managed to get the recording.”

Farah swayed to the rhythm as she listened intently.

“So are you planning to perform this version as it is?”
“No. Senior Marie said it would be too ordinary if we just copied it…”

Alfe shook her head hesitantly in response to my question.

“We decided to add even more arrangements,” Hom explained in Alfe’s place. “Lady Marie said we should include music that only we can create.”

“I see… The reasoning makes sense, but it sounds like things are about to get very busy.”

For Hom and me, complete amateurs when it came to music, the hurdle was quite high. Still, they must have set that goal because they believed it was achievable. If so, there was only one possible response: rise to meet it.

“Estea plans to finish the arrangement by tomorrow.”

Estea probably viewed the student council general election as a battle she had to win for her own sake. Even so, being compared to Nike, supposedly the Empire’s greatest songstress, had to be putting pressure on Alfe. Was that why her smile had been gradually losing its brightness?

“…Alfe, are you alright?”
“Ah, yeah… But I’d like to talk with you alone, Leafa.”

Answering in a subdued voice, Alfe glanced toward Hom and Farah.

“So we were actually talking about switching rooms for tonight.”

I see.

Hom and Farah had already figured out what was troubling Alfe. And apparently, I was the only one who could help her work through it.