Ten days had passed since his previous eting with Luna. And today, he intended to et her again. It would mark the beginning of sothing far bigger.
With Kurogasa at his side, Atlas made his way toward the open clearing where Luna’s forces were stationed.
Several tents were set up across the area, surrounding a tower-like structure at the center. An outer fort marking one of the key zones under Luna’s control.
The two figures erged from the shadows, stepping into plain sight. Instantly, every soldier in the camp turned their attention toward them.
And the mont they recognized the two intruders... Weapons were drawn.
Every single one of them stood at the ready.
Several figures stepped forward from the camp, four won and one man, all of whom radiated experience and strength. Their swift, coordinated response made it clear, they were Luna’s most capable warriors.
"State your purpose!" one of them demanded.
But before Atlas could respond, another spoke up.
"Wait, I know who they are."
Atlas took a mont to observe them closely.
One thing imdiately stood out. Unlike their previously flashy, over-the-top magical girl outfits, Luna’s troops were now dressed in practical, thick-furred armor suited for the island’s brutal cold.
This confird what Kurogasa had previously reported, they only wore those ridiculous magical girl uniforms during battle.
Which raised an interesting thought...
Was their transformation ability limited? Did it consu stamina or have a duration that prevented them from using it frequently?
Atlas stored that thought away for later. For now, he stepped forward and spoke clearly.
"Atlas of Gacha Haven. I wish to et with Lord Luna, and as you all know, we are currently under an agreed ceasefire."
Silence followed.
Then, a familiar voice rang out from within the camp.
"Lower your weapons."
The mont Atlas heard it, he imdiately recognized the speaker.
It was Luna.
A soft, calm, and composed voice. One that, surprisingly, carried a natural sense of reassurance. It was a tone similar to Lyrassa’s. A tone that felt out of place for soone leading an army in war.
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.
Standing near the camp’s center was a figure clad in thick armor and a heavy fur-lined jacket. From a distance, only her face was visible.
But Atlas had no doubt, it was Luna. Yeah... even Luna herself was in her normal form.
And strangely enough, Atlas felt a wave of relief. Because for a while now, a certain nagging question had been bothering him.
He had briefly wondered, did their transformation ability also alter their entire bodies? He had no idea why, but sothing about Luna looking so young always made him wonder...
Was she actually just a teenage girl? Or did the transformation change their physical forms entirely?
But seeing her now, dressed in normal clothing, in her real form. That question was finally answered.
Luna walked toward Atlas, moving past her troops with a calm, steady pace. Stopping just a few steps away, she tilted her head up slightly to et his gaze. Her small fra makes the height difference between them even more apparent.
She smiled.
"You ca earlier than we agreed. Did you change your mind?" she asked.
"Not really," Atlas replied. "But I do have an interesting offer I’d like to discuss with you."
Luna gave a slow nod before responding.
"Let’s talk inside." Then, she glanced behind Atlas, where only one other person stood. "I don’t know if you feel safe entering our camp, but if you’d rather not, we can talk out here instead."
Walking deeper into enemy territory alone, with only Kurogasa at his side was undeniably risky. The lords here were stronger, their numbers overwhelming. If things went south, escaping wouldn’t be easy.
But...
Atlas wasn’t about to lie to himself.
It was freezing out here.
Even after all this ti, he still hadn’t fully adjusted to the kind of cold that bit deep into his bones and numbed his skin.
And besides... sothing about Luna felt different from the other lords he had encountered. She was less hostile. Less threatening. And, strangely enough, Atlas found himself feeling comfortable around her.
Luna tilted her head, waiting for his answer.
Atlas exhaled. "Fine, let’s talk inside."
The mont he agreed, Luna let out a soft, amused laugh.
"You’re so cute... But don’t worry, I won’t do anything dangerous or threatening. You’re even free to refuse any food we offer if you’re afraid we might poison it."
Atlas and Kurogasa followed as she led them toward the tents.
"Would you even consider poisoning us?" Atlas asked casually.
"No, that would be a waste of ti, wouldn’t it?" Luna replied without hesitation. "A direct battle would be much faster."
Atlas smirked. " and my guard aren’t that easy to defeat."
Luna chuckled, glancing at him with interest. "I admire your confidence. Well... I hope you really did bring sothing interesting, considering how bold it was of you to co here with only one person at your side."
Atlas sat across from Luna inside the tent, while Kurogasa remained standing alertly behind him.
Surprisingly, despite the harsh environnt outside, the tent was quite comfortable. There was a heater, a cabinet stocked with food, and a large table likely used for strategy discussions.
On one side, there was even a comfortable-looking sofa, an unexpected luxury in the middle of a battlefield.
Luna leaned forward slightly, her expression curious yet composed.
"So, what is this interesting offer that made you co all the way here... just the two of you?" she asked, her voice carrying both enthusiasm and an undeniable sense of calm.
Atlas didn’t waste a single breath.
"I offer an alliance."
He laid his intent bare, no pretense, no drawn-out buildup. The words struck bold and sharp, almost reckless in their audacity.
And just as he expected, Luna’s reaction ca swiftly.
"That is... interesting."
Her gaze lingered on him, sharp and curious, before she tilted her head ever so slightly. "You’re offering us an alliance... but shouldn’t it be you begging for one? Tell , what makes this any different? Why should we even consider it, when we have more troops, more lords, higher levels, and, quite frankly, more power?"
Atlas smirked, unshaken.
"I’m offering an alliance that guarantees victory on this island," he said smoothly. "In return, I’ll grant you future access to it. But make no mistake, we retain full control."
Luna let out a soft laugh, shaking her head at his audacity. "Atlas... are you sure the madness of this place hasn’t already driven you insane? Look at you, speaking so boldly. I’m kind enough to entertain this, but tell . Where does this confidence even co from?"
"I’ll explain the terms and conditions in full," Atlas replied evenly. "You’re free to listen, or to walk away. But I assure you, this is not an offer you can afford to ignore."
"But I’m not in the mood to waste ti."
"So? What do you think?"
For anyone else in her position, laughter or outright rejection would have been the natural response. But instead, Luna remained calm, her composure intact.
"Very well," she said at last. "Tell more."
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