“How are the returning Exalted doing?”

Frost still hadn’t finished her duties as the leader of the Head. She was listening to Weave handover an update regarding the status of the level 200 Exalted.

“The Injector Sites have only just received them. Five of them will be arriving at the 6th Branch as soon as possible. The other four haven’t been found yet by the Stars~!”

Weave was bubbly as always. Even when in front of the Three Heads of Security she continued her sultry and dreamily way of speaking. Her informal tone annoyed the three, but what irked them the most was that she was a Scylla Aquatid.

Something moved underneath her giant, umbrella-like skirt. It was no doubt her tentacles which caused the Triplet’s tails to sway steadily with caution. Disgust rose in their chests, and it was made apparent on Cer’s face, but Weave remained unaffected by them.

As a matter of fact, it only made her happier.

Weave was the last of a long list of visitors, and she was secretly the one who managed relations with the Head and the Nexus with the Exalted. Due to her acclamations of the past and her present help; she was one of the few that Frost readily trusted as a member of the Head.

“That’s fine. Let them keep searching. We have a lot of time to prepare. In the meantime, those Exalted have been affiliated with the Nexus for how long now?”

Frost raised a hand to dispel the unease that was quickly building in the room. She hated that the Triplets still judged people so easily, but then again, Weave didn’t make it any easier for herself.

She was as natural of an airhead as one could get.

“Since my time! So that’s around… more than three hundred and fifty years ago. But like me we all fell off sometime before and after the War in Heaven. But don’t worry! They fought on the Nexus’ side!” She said, curling her fists as if fired up for an unknown reason. “Oh dear me! It’s hard to contain my excitement when old friends will be returning soon~!”

Several tentacles flailed beside her as she clasped her cheeks and swayed side by side. She was like a maiden experiencing love for the first time. Frost could only – no, she didn’t want to imagine how touchy she’d be with those Exalted.

“Abadona the Destroyer; Pupa the Unchanging, Devoid the Microscopium, Zermillion the Architect, and Lunalia of the First Moon. They’ll be of great help to the Nexus!”

One of those names stuck out the most to her.

Lunalia of the First Moon.

That person was one of the first people to be called a ‘Moon’ despite not technically being one as they were an Impuritas. Legend has it that they were the ones that created the concept of a Moon long before it was adapted by the Nexus.

Strong people are going to be entering the scene soon. And that doesn’t even count whatever’s happening on our opposition’s side.

There was a reason why Frost wanted to bring back the Exalted. They were pivotal in the development of the Nexus in a time that predated the Moons and perhaps the Stars; aside from the Iron Stars. It was a fair assumption that they’d also be key in the upcoming war against the Impuritas.

Furthermore, she did not want them to be taken onto their side and reveal secrets that she had yet to discover. That, and also she wanted to get a gauge on their loyalty to the Nexus as early as possible.

The last thing she wanted was to find out that one of them was a traitor.

“You seem to trust them a lot.” Frost commented. “But can I trust your judgement?”

“I’m working closely with the Arbiter and that Galia person, so you can trust me! As a matter of fact – I want nothing more than for you to trust me~!”

“I never doubted you to begin with. Continue with the good work. It’s a shame I won’t be here to directly speak with them. The Arbiter will be taking the mantle in my stead.”

Aside from Jury, the Arbiter was easily the most qualified to lead the Nexus now that her sight had returned.

“Is this about your departure?” Weave asked.

“That’s right.” Frost answered with a nod.

News of the Nexus’s declaration of war against the Impuritas was known by every Beholder, Star, Moon, Exalted and the Ateliers.

Perhaps it was because of this and not the Stars was why the highly acclaimed Exalted had come out of hiding. Those Exalted were much like Weave. They were outdated and their sacred knowledge had become second nature to the Beholders.

But Frost made it clear that she needed them in this endeavor.

“You won’t be seeing them? Oh well. The sooner I let them know the better they’ll take it. They’ve been eagerly waiting to see you, you know? It’s like when the Apostles were drawn to Galia! Or was it the Colors that were drawn to her?”

“… Frost, can you tell this thing to hurry up?” Cer barked, but she was clearly intrigued by what Weave knew about Galia’s past. “Like you know anything about that Snake. Heh.”

“If she hasn’t told you, then it’ll be for the best.” Pride was not something that Weave felt strongly, so she had no reason to prove Cer wrong.

“Tch. Just take the bait and spill it. Haaah.” Cer grumbled, and was quickly silenced by Res.

“Behave yourself.”

“… tsk.”

“Also!” Weave suddenly exploded with enthusiasm, her skirt rustling eccentrically. “Big! Delivery! Something exciting was sent into the Nexus in a casket! Everyone in the Common Hub was raving about it earlier today!”

“A casket?” Frost tilted her head, causing Weave’s heart to visibly throb through her chest. “Was there a funeral today?”

“Must be the corpse of someone big. Don’t tell me…” Ber’s face went pale, greatly concerning Frost. “Jury actually went on to kill the Candidate Moons!?”

… Nevermind.

Frost sunk back into her seat.

Jury’s too kind to punish people that rashly. Besides, why on Earth would we send criminals in caskets in the first place?

“Maybe a Beholder died?” Cer questioned, making Res mutter: “People are going to start wondering how we’re the Three Heads of Security if you two keep this up. I can see it now. The Jester allegations are going to come back. The Three Stooges of Security.”

“Hey, that’s a good one!” Cer slapped Res’ back. “I guess becoming a Corrupted has helped with your boring sense of humor!”

“You can make some pretty funny jokes too, huh Res?” Ber was elated to have heard this from Res, only causing her to wryly smile as she did also find it amusing. “Res? Hello? Elysia to Resssss~?”

“… I can’t wait until we’re alone.” Res’ gripped the air, red mist emanating from her fists.

“So – this casket.” Frost addressed the issue at hand as if the three weren’t even present. “Where is it now?”

“In the Middle Sanctums. It’s now guarded by the Puff Puffs. The Missionaries that guided it weren’t allowed to enter so Galia personally took it there.”

“… That must be ‘it’.”

And by it, Frost meant the weapon Enoch had personally crafted for her.

“Pardon?” Weave said.

“Don’t worry. It concerns only me.”

“Oh… So that’s probably why I was so drawn to it.” Weave wriggled in place, her mind in a daze as she could only imagine what was inside. “A body double… of the Amalgam… how nice if one was also sent to me…”

It was unsettling.

Moreso for the Triplets but Frost knew that this person wouldn’t dare indulge in those fantasies of hers. Despite how she acted, the flames in her heart were white – declaring her as innocent.

… Man, I was never this popular with the girls back on Earth.

“Ironic that it was only after turning into a girl that girls started flocking to you. It must be the doing of a hidden Ability.”

I sincerely hope that isn’t the case.

As if to prove Frost wrong –

 

< Hidden Ability Revealed >

 

< ABILITY: The Mate Attractor >

< Something other than gravitational attraction is at play here >

< EFFECT: People will be attracted to you for reasons you may never understand >

 

– Nav spoofed an Ability for her – a play on the ‘Great Attractor’.

---