Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

“Um, well, after that, the plebeian secretly took the exhausted slave and hid away in a brothel in the slums. And then, that fool Eliza—posing as Lady Clara—along with Cardinal Callisto, was all fired up about tracking down and punishing the culprits who had tried to assassinate them. And not long after that, Archbishop Georgios died an unexpected death. Was that because of, you know, that?”
“I wonder. Lately, I find my memory has been declining with age…”

Seeing Pope Theodoros so blatantly avert his gaze, everyone—including Bruno—concluded it was wiser to avoid pursuing that subject further.

“In other words, by that point, Jill had already stepped down from playing the role of Clara?”

At Luke’s question, Coppelia and Pope Theodoros exchanged glances, both falling into deep thought.

“Adelheid had pretty much stepped away from the public stage. That said, she stayed in the Holy Capital for a while, providing medical treatment to adventurers and engaging in charitable work in the slums.”
“The reason Lady Clara remained in the Holy Capital for a while was because of Maria Lou’s treatment, the release of the Spirit of Time, and the issue of how to deal with the slaves.”
“Treatment?”
“Yes, Your Highness. Maria Lou had been forcibly fused with the Spirit of Time, and that was the cause of her drastically shortened lifespan. Lady Clara determined that unless this was removed, nothing they’d do would be able to help her.”
“I see. With such a foreign element inside her, it’s no wonder her internal spirit power was in disarray.”

Ashimi nodded with a bitter expression.

“That’s right. Also, it seems Lady Clara made a promise to the Spirit of Time—that she would release it safely. In return, the Spirit of Time guaranteed that if she freed it, it would send her once to a designated point in the future. So, she stayed in the Holy Capital for a while to prepare for all that, and around the time Livitium was founded, she entrusted everything fully to Eliza and released the Spirit of Time.”
“I see. But why here? And why are you staying here, Coppelia? Also, what did you mean earlier when you said ‘she isn’t here yet’?”
“All of that ties back to the same reason. Even though the Spirit of Time could send her once into the future, to the Spirit, the flow of time is essentially meaningless. It can’t specify an exact era or moment in time. So Lady Clara asked the Spirit of Time to place her somewhere that nobody would visit in the future—specifically, the location where I would bring Your Highness Lucas. Waiting thirty years is nothing for my perpetual engine, after all.”

Though Coppelia declared it proudly, Luke and the others couldn’t help but feel deep respect for her, having guarded this place and obeyed Jill’s orders for thirty long years, faithfully carrying out her duties (more or less) all that time.

“But how did you know I’d come here? Is that also the Spirit of Time’s ability?”

“No. I wasn’t entirely sure about that part myself, but Lady Clara seemed absolutely certain. She said, ‘He’ll definitely come. Luke is the one person I can trust more than anyone.’”
“—?!?!”

I’m recognized!!
Over the past year, Luke had moments where he faltered and even felt like giving up, but with just that one line, it felt as if everything had been worth it.

—Jill, the memory of you was what supported me.
—Meeting you was my happiness.
—And, Jill, being able to proudly say that I love you… that was my pride. Thank you, Jill, for teaching me that!

Luke took a moment to savor the flood of emotions welling inside him, and when he finally calmed down, Coppelia continued with a brisk “Now then.”

“To tell the truth, I wasn’t the only one who remained here for these thirty years. There’s someone else you’re well acquainted with, Your Highness. Without borrowing his wings, you won’t be able to reach your destination—the summit of Mount Clorinda.”

Luke had a hunch.

“Could it be… Sechs?”

Coppelia nodded without hesitation.

“That’s right. Sechs has shed his skin many times over these thirty years and has safely grown into a fully matured dragon.”

♦♢♦♢

Led by Coppelia, the group once again stepped outside and was brought to a clearing by the cliff where no trees grew.

“This flute will allow us to summon Sechs,”
She said, pulling from the subspace pocket of her apron a golden, gleaming trumpet.

Trumpets count as a flute…???

Ignoring the group’s collective skepticism, Coppelia—who could clearly breathe in and out since she could talk—took a deep breath and sounded a triumphant fanfare toward the summit of Mount Clorinda.

Then, showing off her skill, she flawlessly performed the full main theme from St○r Wars, which Jill had taught her.

Just as she was about to transition to the next song after finishing her performance—

“—Hm! It’s coming. Isn’t that it?!”

Ashimi, whose eyesight was the sharpest among them, focused on the summit of Mount Clorinda and called his companions’ attention to it.

At first, it remained invisible to the others’ eyes, but before long it became a tiny speck, and in the blink of an eye—

“H-HUUUUGEEEE?!”

Bruno’s voice cracked as a massive white dragon—an Ancient Dragon—swooped through the sky overhead.

The group had expected a Wyvern of about ten mertes in length, but this Ancient Dragon, stretching at least fifty mertes from head to tail, was far beyond anything they had imagined.

Overcome by instinctive fear, they all unconsciously stepped back.

“…Well, he sure has grown quite a bit, nya.”

Chaton, the very person who had sold that egg, managed to hold her ground but could only stare up in stunned silence.

“H-hey, are you sure this is safe? It’s not gonna suddenly attack us, is it?”

Looking pale enough to keel over at any moment, Jesse pressed the question to Coppelia, who stood calmly in the center of the clearing.

“Of course. Sechs and I understand each other perfectly, so he would never harm me. —Come here, boy.”

At Coppelia’s beckoning, Sechs descended into the clearing with surprisingly light wingbeats and graceful movements.
He came straight down and—“Fugya”—pinned Coppelia flat against the ground with a massive foreleg. Probably, he only meant it as playful affection.

Seeing this, the rest of the group grew even more frightened, but Sechs swept his gaze across them with a puzzled expression. Then, when his eyes locked onto one figure—Luke—his face lit up in astonishment. The next moment—

“Myaooooo~~~~~n!!”

He let out a cry like an affectionate housecat, stretching his neck out toward him.

“S-Sechs? Do you remember me?”
“Mya! Myaooon♪”

Sechs rubbed his enormous head against him with an adorable gesture, and Luke’s tension and fear melted away, replaced by a soft smile.

As he stroked under Sechs’s neck over and over, exchanging mutual affection, Luke suddenly came back to himself and gazed straight into Sechs’s eyes.

“Sechs. I want to go see Jill. Will you take me to the summit of Mount Clorinda, where she is?”
“Myaoon!”

Letting out a cry as if to say “Leave it to me!”, Sechs lowered himself to the ground, inviting Luke to climb on.

Luke lightly mounted his back, settling in around the base of his neck, between his wings.

“I-I’m coming too—”
“Don’t even think about it!”

Bruno, who tried to join him, was yanked back by Eren.

“From here on, this is His Lordship’s task alone.”
“…Tch.”

Once he confirmed that Luke had a firm hold on his back, Sechs rose to his feet, turned toward the summit of Mount Clorinda, and spread his wings in preparation for flight. Along the way, he casually dug Coppelia out of the ground, plucking her up like a potato.

“Then, everyone, I’m off to bring Jill back!”

Luke waved from Sechs’s back, and everyone responded with cheers filled with heartfelt emotion.

With a powerful beat of his wings, the white dragon soared into the sky.

The group kept their eyes on him, watching as his figure flew off toward the summit of Mount Clorinda.

◎[Bonus] Jill and Luke’s reunion scene

《Luke’s ideal》

“Jill!”
“Luke…? Is that you, Luke!?”
“Yes, it’s me. I wanted to see you. I’ve been searching for you, this whole time.”
“Oh, Luke. Thank you. I wanted to see you too. I’m so grateful… for this reunion…”
“Jill. My precious Jill. I’ll never let you go again. We’ll be together forever.”
“Luke… Luke!”
“…I love you.”
“…I love you too, Luke.”

The two embraced each other tightly, shared a passionate kiss, and swore eternal love.

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《Reality》

“JILL!!!”
“Eh? Eeeeeeeh!? W-what in the world is that flying giant monster!?”
“A dragon! And not just any dragon—a fully grown Ancient Dragon!”
“Jill!! —Oh, right, Cestlavie, you’re with her…”
“Oh no, it’s coming this way! If it’s come to this, we’ll have to strike before it kills us! Cestlavie, full support, please!!”
“—No, wait a second! It’s me! Luke!”
“…? Is it just me, or did I just hear Luke’s voice…?”
“It’s your imagination. Let’s take it down quickly! I’d say its weak spot is around the base of its neck!”
“H-hold on! Cestlavie, you realized that it’s me, didn’t you?!”

And so, somehow, amid all the chaos, they were reunited.