For the third time, I passed through the dungeon gate, which can only be accessed via a limited route within the academy city.

By visually capturing the magic power, I followed the path revealed by the light to find the garden.

Well, to be precise, I wonder if it could even be called a garden.

The location, surrounded by advanced technology beyond modern civilization, with an amorphous yet present darkness and a cracked sky as the backdrop, is the innermost part of the Silver Twilight.

It is a place known as Eden.

“…Hah, good morning!”

Kanon, who had just stepped out of a special pod installed in Eden, immediately shouted toward the sky as soon as she woke up.

“Doctor’s reinstallation, check! Conference connection, check! The divided death… yup! It’s shining darkly today too!”

She placed a butterfly on her fingertip and smiled contentedly.

Watching her, a male student with a nondescript appearance frowned.

“Shut up. If you’re done, I’m leaving.”

“Oh come on, we finally meet in reality after such a long time, so let’s chat a bit, 01!”

“Shut up. Unlike you, I’m still working at this very moment.”

He showed the cord extending from his neck, which appeared to be connected to a massive machine behind him, still running.

“Eh, come on, such a wonderful garden, let’s have some tea? The topic: Sorciera.”

“You’re discussing Sorciera because you said she has the Mystic Eye, aren’t you? Damn it, you really deleted the doctor. If you’d been serious, we could’ve produced accurate data instead,” 01 said.

“Is my words not enough for you?”

“You’re too subjective. I still can’t believe you’re 02 now,” 01 remarked.

The deletion of Kanon’s doctor, caused by Sorciera’s interference, had temporarily halted the function of the multiple-proposal space.

The new variable introduced by the Mystic Eye shattered previous assumptions.

As a result, the conference was extremely busy.

“Mystic Eyes have been confirmed in several cases before, both as abilities and as holy relics. However, none of the Mystic Eyes we’ve found seem to match,” 01 explained.

“Sounds tough.”

“Whose fault do you think this is… No, I should be thanking you. Some doctors in the conference are grateful to you. If we hadn’t known that she had the Mystic Eye, the plan would’ve definitely been thwarted,” 01 continued.

Looking at the largest mechanical throne in Eden, 01 spoke with conviction.

“The Trim activation cannot be obstructed.”

“I see, that’s tough.”

Kanon glanced at Trim briefly, then immediately looked away disinterestedly.

Seeing this, 01 spoke again.

“…02, let me give you some advice as a fellow comrade. You are about to lose your brilliance.”

“Brilliance? Sounds tough. Guess I’ll have to buy a lightbulb or something!”

“Sigh… You understand the conditions for being chosen by the doctor, right?”

“Yeah. Endless curiosity. The brilliance of the soul.”

The conditions for being chosen by the doctor lay not just in intelligence but in the way one lives their life.

Above all, it is the relentless pursuit of knowledge, the never-ending refinement of humanity’s wisdom.

That is what makes a doctor, a doctor.

“But, right now, 02, you lack that curiosity. I can’t believe you, who once stood out among the doctors, has come to this,” 01 said, watching Kanon with a sharp gaze.

“I’m sure your selfish plan is about to succeed, isn’t it?”

“…Selfish?”

“Yes. Originally, the Mystic Eye you were granted was meant to create a new body for Trim. Many doctors were researching ways to create a body that could withstand the Demonsgear. Among them, the Mystic Eye had produced the best results,” 01 continued.

Kanon’s appearance as 02, despite her careless demeanor, was due to her achievements.

The results stemming from her bottomless curiosity were what made Trim’s revival a realistic goal.

“You can do whatever you want in the meantime. It’s our privilege. But don’t get it wrong. What you’re doing isn’t a thesis. It’s just a personal hobby,” 01 warned.

“…Hmm, but actually, I’m getting results. Is it about maintaining motivation?”

“Are you really sure about that? During the brief period when your connection was cut, we discussed you. The topic: will the Empty Kanon be useful in the future?”

The atmosphere shifted.

Or perhaps, from the very beginning, it was filled with murderous intent, and now it had surfaced so clearly that even a third party could sense it.

Around them, butterflies of different colors began to multiply.

“Just say it clearly. Beating around the bush is a bad habit.”

“If this continues, you’ll be expelled from the conference. Therefore, this is our first and last warning and request. Hand over the Mystic Eye experiment to other doctors. Let others handle it from here on.”

“Eh, can you even do it?”

“What’s the purpose of a conference? It can be done without you. And you’ll be assigned other research,” 01 declared.

That was the only suggestion to keep Kanon, the genius, within the doctor’s circle of the conference.

“You’re deviating. Don’t waste too much energy on foolish things. Regain your pride as a doctor.”

Kanon had been smiling until then.

Her usual bright and cheerful smile didn’t change even with the possibility of being expelled.

However, the moment 01 called it “foolish,” her expression changed.

It wasn’t quite anger, but neither was it sadness.

It was pure, murderous intent.

“‘Divided Death’”

At the same time, the first wave collided.

The butterflies, which had absorbed each other’s magic, tangled in mid-air and fell.

“You called it foolish? My… my love for my dream!” Kanon shouted, her voice trembling with fury.

“That’s the truth. How long will you cling to the dead? Stop playing with dolls and fulfill your duties as a doctor.”

More blue butterflies began to form around 01.

A stronger form of Divided Death, one granted only to those named 01.

But Kanon, seeing it, didn’t flee. She glared at it, creating her own Divided Death.

The red, burning butterflies seemed to reflect the fire within her heart.

“Let me show you who’s superior.”

“I don’t like pointless conflicts.”

A clash between some of the most powerful figures in the Silver Twilight.

The doctor’s pride and the deadly mission that each was bound to seemed inevitable, as they fought.

“Wait, both of you,” said a voice.

How long had they been there?

Perhaps they’d been there from the beginning.

At the edge of Eden, a middle-aged man sat in a chair with a teacup in hand.

“I will not allow a fight between doctors in my presence,” the man said, bringing the cup to his lips.

At the same time, the evenly Divided Death of 01 and Kanon ceased to function and fell to the ground.

“…Professor.”

“01, if you still have any shine left, it’s okay to trust him, right? And 02, forgive him. He’s still worried about you.”

“I’m fine, really. I don’t mind.”

Though her eyes clearly weren’t smiling, Kanon seemed to decide to hide her feelings.

“Well then, go on. Your precious sister is waiting for you, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Sorciera’s been causing trouble, and I have my hands full too.”

Kanon said this, giving 01 a sharp look before leaving the scene.

01 watched her back, then seemed to lose interest and turned his attention back to the book in his hands. While reading, he muttered to himself:

“Just as you said, Nameless.”

Behind her, a teleportation magic circle appeared, and a black cloak materialized.

“Told you, right? Kanon’s useless now. She’s no good, so we should just kill her.”

Nameless said, then conjured another chair in front of the professor and sat down.

She poured himself tea from his own cup.

“How about it, Professor? This tea, it’s the finest we have at my academy.”

“It’s good. The storage must have been well done. A diligent student must have been in charge of it.”

“That’s right. A very earnest person.”

Contrary to the professor’s behavior, Nameless gulped down the tea in one go, like a child.

“So, have you realized yet? I’m not an enemy of Silver Twilight.”

“Maybe. But we still can’t let our guard down.”

With a calm tone, the professor replied.

Nameless exaggeratedly shrugged.

“I agree. Nameless is wonderful. There are many secrets, but that just means there are more opportunities to uncover them. The academic community already has a favorable view of Nameless.”

“Do you think so, Professor?”

“Hahaha, you’re in a hurry. Can I ask you again why you want to join Silver Twilight?”

With a gentle smile, the professor asked.

“Again? It hasn’t changed. I want to save the world.”

“Quite a grand dream. Yeah, you’re fit for Silver Twilight.”

“In that case, let me in.”

“Well, there’s a top secret division, so it’s not as simple as just saying ‘yes.’ Sorry, Nameless. But how about this: show us a little more. Prove to us the benefits of bringing you in.”

Upon hearing these words, Nameless nodded without hesitation.

“Alright, then. Let me show you a little more of my superiority over the world.”

“Looking forward to it… Oh, by the way, I baked some cookies. Want one?”

The professor pointed to the cookies.

Nameless stared at them for a moment, then shook his head.

“I don’t have time to relax. I’ve never been late or absent, so I’ll take just one.”

Saying that, Nameless grabbed a cookie, activated teleportation magic, and waved goodbye to 01 and the professor before disappearing into the magic circle.

After taking a sip of tea, the professor quietly spoke.

“How about her?”

“As I said before, I’m all for it.”

“I see.”

“Are you worried about something? Even if you are, you can kill her, can’t you? As a friend or a tool, she’s still useful.”

The professor recognized Nameless as a presence that could bring benefits regardless of how things turned out.

And so did the doctor.

From an informational standpoint, despite the suspicion, there was enough value in bringing Nameless into the organization.

But still…

(There wasn’t even a glimmer of the Savior’s light in her, not even a trace.)

Even the professor, known for his analytical mind, found Nameless’s true nature elusive.

Her soul didn’t emit any light at all.