Assault Lily Wunder: Epilogue
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The Odaiba Counteroffensive
The gentle breeze continued to blow, as the setting sun dyed the ocean a deep orange hue.
“And that was the end of the Odaiba Counteroffensive.”
By the time Misaka reached the conclusion of her tale, the day was drawing close to its end as well.
The first-years—Egawa Kusumi, Tanaka Ichi, and Endo Araya—were sitting on a bench by the shore as they listened to Misaka’s story. After going to a vending machine and buying ramune, Amano Soraha and Banshoya Ena had handed it out to everyone, then sat on the bench as well and joined Misaka’s audience.
“I knew already, but still, it really was an incredible battle…” Ichi murmured, one of the ramune bottles held in her hand.
“Aww, I seriously wish I could’ve fought in it,” said Araya, her face still sparkling with excitement.
All of them already knew what had happened during the Odaiba Counteroffensive, and had seen the combat records from it. But hearing the story told by Misaka—someone who had actually fought in it—was far more amazing than just looking at the records.
Kusumi cuddled up to Soraha’s side, while Araya spoke, her curiosity not yet sated.
“After the Counteroffensive was over, what did the Lilies who fought in it do next?”
Misaka took a gulp of her ramune before answering the question.
“Well, even though none of us were dead—a real miracle, that—we definitely weren’t in good shape. So we went to Odaiba’s infirmary and got patched up.”
“So that was the last time you all saw each other?” asked Kusumi. Misaka, Soraha and Ena exchanged a look.
“The day after the Counteroffensive, we held a victory party in the auditorium of Odaiba Girls’ School,” Misaka said. “We thought it’d be a letdown to just go our separate ways without even celebrating a little.”
The very next day, they had borrowed an auditorium from Odaiba Girls’ School and held a get-together to celebrate their victory in the Odaiba Counteroffensive. Every Lily who had fought in the Counteroffensive had come to the party.
As she remembered what the party was like, a smile rose to Misaka’s lips. “I don’t think I’ll forget that party for the rest of my life,” she said. “Waku was crying like a leaky faucet ’cause she didn’t want to leave us, but Hibari and Noa somehow managed to calm her down. Then Altea, Yuzuriha and Momiji were acting thick as thieves with each other all of a sudden… all sorts of things like that. Everyone had an amazing time.”
“Ahaha. It’s been a year, but I remember the party real well, too,” Soraha said with a smile. Ena’s own memories of the occasion caused her to instead heave a sigh.
Not only had the members of the five divisions attended the victory party, but every other Lily who had fought in the battle had, too. They all wanted to celebrate the glorious battle they had fought together, and the fact that they had survived it.
Even Senda Koume and Sasaki Yasuna, who had been evacuated in the midst of the Counteroffensive due to their injuries, had been there at the victory party. They’d shaken Misaka’s hand and promised to fight together with her again one day.
“It sounds like it was a lot of fun, Soraha-nee-sama,” said Kusumi, close by her Schutzengel’s side.
Soraha nodded. “It was,” she said as she gazed out upon the water, painted a different hue by the twilight sun. “Words can’t describe how tough it was, fighting that battle, but… it was really fun, too. I’m proud to have fought in it with everyone. And I’ll treasure those memories forever.”
The Odaiba Counteroffensive, harsh battle that it had been, had forged lasting bonds. The Lilies there had fought at each other’s sides while staring death in the eye. Had the Neunwelt Tactical Technical Conference taken place as planned, they never would have shared those incredible moments together.
As the victory party had drawn to a close, Tithia Paumgartner had made a final pronouncement to all of the Lilies in attendance, with Takegoshi Chihana and Altea Alessandrini at her sides.
“I shall forever take pride in the miraculous victory that we won together, my sisters-in-arms! And I would have us all fight together again someday!”
When those words had been said, the divisions had parted ways at last. The Lilies exchanged contact information and promises to fight together, and then finally returned to their own Gardens. But though the victory party had lasted a single day, the memories of it were like none other.
Misaka, Ena, and Soraha all gazed out at the water together.
“Even after all this time, I’ve never been in another battle that felt like fighting together with everyone at the Counteroffensive did.”
“I hope all of us can fight together again someday.”
Kusumi’s eyes sparkled as she asked “That’s why you wanted to go help Yuuna-sama, isn’t it, Soraha-nee-sama?” At that, Soraha chuckled uneasily.
Misaka stood up from the bench and planted her hands on her hips. “We’ll never abandon our friends,” she declared. “That’s what being a Lily means, doesn’t it?” As she smiled brilliantly, the twilight sun illuminated her from behind. Kusumi and the other first-years nodded to her in agreement, their faces filled with determination.
“Now then, the sun’s setting already. It’s about time we went back.”
The other Lilies stood up, and together, they started walking down the road to Yurigaoka Girls’ Academy.
“By the way, the Makuhari Recapture happened right after the Odaiba Counteroffensive,” Ichi mentioned to Soraha as they walked. “And I heard that some of the Lilies who were at the Counteroffensive fought in it as well.”
“Sure did,” Misaka said, a look of envy upon her face. “If only Yurigaoka had let me, I would’ve gone and fought there too.”
Ichi and the other first-years stared at her in astonishment. “You fought that hard, and you still wanted to fight more?” asked Ichi.
“I mean, Shinano and Koume and the other girls from Nakaogushi were there. So were Komuku and Kaina from Irma. And doesn’t it just make your heart race? Taking what’s ours back from the Huge.”
Following the Odaiba Counteroffensive, an operation called the Makuhari Recapture had taken place in Chiba. The Counteroffensive had lasted just one day, but the Makuhari Recapture was a carefully planned campaign that much preparation had gone into. It had taken several months from its initial planning to its eventual success.
Lilies from Nakaogushi like Noguchi Shinano and Senda Koume, and those from Irma like Miyamoto Komuku and Nakabayashi Kaina, had taken part in the campaign and been key to victory.
“And now Noguchi Shinano-sama is one of Nakaogushi’s student council presidents,” Ichi remarked. Ena nodded to her.
“Shinano and Koume have always felt responsible for what happened at Odaiba. I think they seized the opportunity to redeem themselves,” Ena said.
The Lilies from Nakaogushi had taken the blame for the line of battle collapsing during the Odaiba Counteroffensive. Senda Koume, whose reckless attitude had lead to her division overextending themselves and nearly caused a disaster, was a particular target of criticism.
Not a single one of the Lilies who had fought by their side at the Odaiba Counteroffensive bore any ill will towards the four Lilies. But even so, they had taken part in the Makuhari Recapture to atone for their mistakes, and gone on to win many glorious victories until they’d become the pride of Nakaogushi.
“Tithia-sama became the student council president of Mercurius, too,” continued Araya with a smile. “Altea-sama’s her vice president, and I hear Rieglider-sama is still devoted to her.”
“Tsukioka Momiji-sama and Kawamura Yuzuriha-sama, they’re the student council president and vice president of Odaiba Girls’ School, as well as the captain and vice-captain of Legion Heorot Saints. As for Kawabata Hotaru-sama and Fujita Asagao-sama, when Funada Kiito-sama and Ui-sama returned to Odaiba, they formed Legion Hronesnæsse together,” recalled Ichi. “All the Lilies who fought in the Odaiba Counteroffensive went on to do amazing things, huh?”
Then Ichi noticed Misaka trying to hold in her laughter. “Misaka-sama, what’s wrong?” she asked.
“Well, everyone calls Momiji the ‘Tyrant’s Bride’ now, don’t they?” said Misaka, still struggling to not laugh out loud.
“Ooh,” went the first-years, understanding dawning upon their faces.
The story went that after the Odaiba Counteroffensive, when Altea Alessandrini had returned to Mercurius, one of the other Lilies there had posed a question to her.
“Sir, have you thought about taking the Oath of Minne?” she had asked Altea. “If you were to offer it to someone, or if someone were to offer it to you, what would you want them to be capable of?”
The “Oath of Minne” is a special bond unique to St. Mercurius International School which two Lilies may choose to form. One of the Lilies takes the role of the Ritter, or knight, and offers her courtly love to another Lily in the role of the Adelheit, or lady. The Ritter devotes herself to the Adelheit henceforth, and their relationship is very much like that of lovers.
Altea had given the question some thought, then answered with this.
“Indeed. Were I to offer Minne to another… she hails from a different Garden, but I would insist upon a Lily akin to Tsukioka Momiji, from Odaiba Girls’ School,” Altea had said. “For everything that I require in a battle partner is to be found in her, and all of it without flaw.”
Altea had simply meant to use Momiji, who didn’t even attend St. Mercurius, as an example. But, given how popular the example she’d cited was even at Mercurius, it had caused a huge uproar among everyone with an interest in Lilies that Altea had said that nobody short of the Pass Artist was fit to be her partner.
As a result, people had started calling Momiji the “Tyrant’s Bride” without the girl herself even being aware of it at first.
Ena shook her head. “Goodness, was that ever a commotion,” she said, with a troubled expression on her face.
“The Counteroffensive’s probably near and dear to Altea, just like it is to us,” Soraha said with a wry smile.
Ichi, as she walked next to Misaka, asked her a question. “Misaka-sama, Yurigaoka recognized Legion Sanngriðr’s achievements in the Odaiba Counteroffensive and finally allowed your legion to become an official one,” she said. “That was quite a change in your fortunes, wasn’t it?”
“Well, I suppose,” said Misaka. “It’s ‘cause after what we did, they didn’t really have a choice.” Kondo Misaka, Kiko Totori, and Imagawa Homare had proved themselves in the Odaiba Counteroffensive. Shortly after it, Yurigaoka Girls’ Academy had recognized Legion Sanngriðr as an official legion with Misaka as its captain.
Kusumi turned towards Soraha. “But then Álfheimr disbanded…” she murmured to her Schutzengel.
After the Odaiba Counteroffensive, Álfheimr—the legion celebrated as the world’s strongest at the time—had disbanded, all of their members going their separate ways. Soraha had even lost her motivation to fight for a while because of that, and considered retiring, but then she had met new friends and formed the second-generation Álfheimr with them.
Soraha smiled. “After the Counteroffensive, we all went looking for our own paths forward,” she said. “Back when we disbanded, it hurt, but I’m proud that now I can fight together in the second-generation together with you and everyone else, Kusumi.” She took Kusumi’s hand in hers.
“…Soraha-nee-sama,” said Kusumi, smiling and squeezing Soraha’s hand. Ichi, Araya, and the others looked upon them with warm smiles.
“Makes sense. You’ve found some real strong Lilies to have by your side, Sora,” said Misaka, smiling as well. “Yeah,” replied Sora with a nod as she glanced at the rest of her legion.
Eventually, the six of them approached the gate of Yurigaoka Girls’ Academy, and Ichi saw a number of people standing near it. “Aren’t those Sanngriðr?” she said in a hushed voice.
The other members of Kondo Misaka’s legion, Sanngriðr, were waiting for her at the gate. Kiko Totori, Imagawa Homare, Hasebe Touka and several others were all standing there. “Oh, right!” exclaimed Misaka. “I promised to have tea with them. I’m going on ahead, then!” She set off at a brisk run to join the rest of her legion.
But then she suddenly stopped, whirled around, and raised her fist in the air. “Hey, Sora! Our legions are allied, so let’s go on an expedition next time!” she shouted.
“Yeah, let’s!” Soraha called out, raising her fist up high to match Misaka’s. “We couldn’t during Niigata, but next time, we’ll go out of control together!”
After the Odaiba Counteroffensive, everyone had promised they would fight together again… but it wasn’t likely that they would ever get together in the same place, not all of them. They might never have the chance to fight together again. Even so, the bonds forged by that battle were strong. It was those bonds which had liberated Niigata, as many a Lily had gone to the aid of her old sisters-in-arms from the Counteroffensive.
“I’ll see you later!” shouted Misaka, waving at them once more before she ran the rest of the way to join her friends.
As she watched Misaka leave, Soraha wrapped her arms around her own friends, standing to either side of her. “We ought to go meet up with the rest of Álfheimr ourselves,” she said.
And thus it was that the Lilies who fought in the Odaiba Counteroffensive found new dreams, new allies to fight with, and new horizons to set out for.
One year ago, on a day not long after the Odaiba Counteroffensive, Kondo Misaka had been summoned to the student council chamber of Yurigaoka Girls’ Academy.
“Kondo Misaka-san. I have called you here to inform you that as of today, Yurigaoka Girls’ Academy has acknowledged the formation of a new legion, Legion Sanngriðr, with you as its captain.”
It was with those words that Yamazaki Meika, the Brynhildr, offered a framed certificate to Misaka. Standing next to her was Izue Shinobu, her assistant.
The Brynhildr is one of the three student council presidents of Yurigaoka Girls’ Academy. She serves as the commander-in-chief of every Lily at Yurigaoka.
Meika smiled brightly as she waited for Misaka to take the certificate. “To think Misaka-chan’s finally made it to being a captain,” she remarked. “Do your best from now on! I’ll be rooting for you!”
Shinobu, standing by Meika’s side, also smiled and offered some words of encouragement.
“Your valiant deeds during the Counteroffensive were without equal. And so now you stand at the threshold, Misaka. May only victory await you!”
Misaka grinned back at the two. “Thank you very much!” she said, taking the certificate in both hands and bowing deeply to them. Then she left the student council room. Waiting just outside the room were her friends in Legion Sanngriðr.
Among them were Kiko Totori and Imagawa Homare, who had fought with Misaka in the Odaiba Counteroffensive. But there was also Murakami Tokiwa, a second-year and Misaka’s Schutzengel; and three Lilies who were still third-years in junior high school, Kurokawa Nady Hanna, Seike Tomoyo, and Imai Seira. All of them were members of Sanngriðr.
“Misaka-sama!” exclaimed Kurokawa Nady Hanna, running right up to Misaka. Though she was a beautiful girl, her smile was still as innocent as a child’s. Later, she and Misaka would take the Schutzengel’s Oath together, and become sisters.
“What happened, Misaka-sama?”
Misaka lifted the certificate she was holding high in the air for everyone to see. “Check it out!” she said. “We’re official now!”
“Ooh!” exclaimed the other members as they looked at the certificate. Hanna hugged Misaka in delight. “That means we’re finally members of a real legion, all of us!” she said.
Homare put her hands on her hips, puffing her chest out. “I daresay that we saved Odaiba, so anything less would have been absurd,” she declared.
Kiko Totori let out a sigh, but she was smiling too. “It wasn’t just that,” she reminded them. “Don’t forget how hard Tokiwa-sama worked for this too.”
The others looked at Tokiwa, and with the bearing of a refined lady, she smiled a lovely smile. “It’s only natural that I do all I can for my adorable Schild,” she said. “And after all of your grand accomplishments, it would have simply been unfair had they gone unrewarded, would it not?”
It hadn’t been solely because of Misaka and the others’ accomplishments at the Odaiba Counteroffensive that Sanngriðr had been officially recognized. Tokiwa had also done a great deal to make it happen.
Murakami Tokiwa’s brilliance and her great achievements on the battlefield, as well as her personality, made her one of the most popular Lilies at Yurigaoka Girls’ Academy. She had always believed in the talent of her Schild, Misaka, and watched over her. She had faith that, one day, Misaka would become a Lily that Yurigaoka would be thankful that they had.
If not for both Tokiwa’s pressure upon the school and the student council, and its members’ achievements at the Odaiba Counteroffensive, Legion Sanngriðr might well have never become official.
Misaka hugged Tokiwa tight. “Thank you soooo much, Tokiwa-nee-sama!” she said.
“No fair, Tokiwa-sama!” Hanna exclaimed, flinging her arms around Misaka and Tokiwa both as the others looked on with troubled smiles.
Then Misaka turned to face the rest of them. “Now that our legion’s official, everyone, let’s not give up ’til we’re Yurigaoka’s strongest legion!” she declared. The junior high school members raised their fists in the air and shouted “Yeah!”
As she looked at her friends all raring to go, Totori chided them, “We should tell Touka about this. I’m sure she’d want to hear all about it.” Misaka looked in the direction where she knew Touka was, and smiled. “Yeah, we should do that!” she agreed.
But no sooner had she said that than a bell rang throughout the entire school. It was the bell that signaled that the Huge had appeared. The members of Sanngriðr’s faces grew tense.
“A horde of Huge is making landfall on the Enoshima coast. Sanngriðr, you are to intercept them with all possible haste.”
When she heard the announcement, Misaka turned to her friends with a wide smile. “Sanngriðr’s already going on its first mission!” she exclaimed. Her eyes were sparkling with excitement to be going on her first mission as an official legion, and the other members were no less thrilled.
Misaka, the captain of the legion, issued her first-ever order to her legion members.
“Let’s go! Sanngriðr is moving out!”
With that, Kondo Misaka and the rest of Legion Sanngriðr set off at a brisk run.
The following year—after Hasebe Touka, Luise Ingels, Tetsukawa Toa, and Yamanashi Hibari had also joined Legion Sanngriðr—they became famous throughout all of Japan for their many glorious victories.
And now the Uncontrollable Legion, with Kondo Misaka as its captain, is set to write a new chapter in the legend of Yurigaoka Girls’ Academy.