"Wow..."
That was the only word I could find when Cornelia stepped out in her gala attire.
It wasn't that the dress didn't suit her—it was that it suited her so perfectly it was disorienting. She wore an evening gown of burning, brilliant crimson. The neckline was daringly low, the rich fabric framing a plunging décolletage that commanded my undivided attention. The shoulders and back were equally exposed, revealing the porcelain-white, artistic curves of her frame with unapologetic grace.
Though she had spent years as a warrior known as the "Witch of Britannia," sprinting across countless battlefields, her skin was flawless. Looking at her now, few would believe she was a pilot of humanoid weapons of mass destruction. Any scars she had carried from the Black Rebellion had been erased by the pinnacle of Shadow Mirror medical technology.
The dress was tailored to accentuate her hourglass silhouette with such precision that on any other woman, it might have trended toward the gaudy. But Cornelia possessed both the alluring charm of a woman and the innate majesty of a royal; she wore the gown with a devastating elegance that made it impossible to look away.
"What is it?" she asked, her voice uncharacteristically small. "Does it… not suit me?"
I shook myself out of my daze and shook my head.
"Quite the opposite. It suits you so well I forgot how to breathe. I'm currently patting myself on the back for having the impeccable taste to choose you as my partner."
"Is that so?" A small, relieved smile touched her lips. "I'm glad. Truly. I never had much use for parties back home. I usually left that sort of thing to Euphie."
At the mention of her late sister, Euphemia, a shadow of grief crossed her eyes, and she looked down.
"I see," I said softly. "In that case, I suppose I owe Euphemia a debt of gratitude."
"Gratitude?"
"Think about it. Because she was always the one attending the galas, the number of people who got to see you like this was kept to a minimum. If the world had seen you in this state more often, you would have been buried in marriage proposals, royal status or not."
I reached out and gently brushed my fingers against her cheek.
"Honestly… you have a habit of being charming without even trying. It's troublesome," Cornelia murmured. She leaned into my touch, her own hand overlapping mine. The grief for Euphemia didn't vanish, but for the moment, it retreated into the background.
A knock at the door interrupted us. "Pardon me. Lord Axel, Lady Cornelia, the gala is about to begin. Please proceed to the hall."
It was one of the Athha family servants.
"Understood. We're coming," I called back. I offered my arm to Cornelia. "Shall we? It's a bit of a shame I have to share this version of you with a crowd."
"Don't worry," she smirked, linking her arm through mine. "I'll let you monopolize me as much as you want later tonight… though I suspect I won't be the only one monopolizing you."
As we walked toward the ballroom, the effect was immediate. Every guest we passed—man or woman—found their gaze physically snagged by Cornelia's beauty and her sheer, overwhelming presence.
"You certainly have a high gravity well," I whispered.
I saw a man's head whip around to follow her, only for his female partner to jab him with a sharp, judgmental glare. On the other side of the hall, a couple stood side-by-side, both equally mesmerized.
"Proud of your partner?" Cornelia asked, pressing her soft, firm weight against my arm.
The men in the hallway shifted their gaze to me. Their eyes were no longer admiring; they were filled with a concentrated, 100% pure jealousy that felt like actual physical pressure against my skin.
"We're here," I said, bracing myself as we reached the double doors.
The ballroom was packed with the elite of three worlds, all waiting for the host, Uzumi Nara Athha, to make his entrance. When we—or rather, when Cornelia—stepped inside, the room didn't just go quiet; it froze. The ripple of conversation died down as eyes were drawn to her like moths to a flame.
Amidst the sudden silence, a voice rang out.
"Axel!"
In a normal room, it wouldn't have been that loud, but in the vacuum of Cornelia's entrance, it sounded like a shout. The blond man who had spoken realized his mistake and gave a sheepish grin as he approached. Beside him was a woman with short black hair, sighing in exasperation as she followed.
"Mu, Natarle. I didn't know you two were on the guest list," I said.
The man was Mu La Flaga—my closest thing to a "bad influence" friend in this world. The woman was Natarle Badgiruel, his partner and a former officer currently residing in Orb with the rest of the Archangel crew.
"Man… you really cleaned up nicely," Mu muttered, staring at Cornelia. To his credit, he was the only one in the room capable of speaking while looking at her.
"Mu, don't stare. It's rude," Natarle scolded, tugging at the sleeve of his suit.
"And you, Natarle," I said, looking her over. "Seeing you out of uniform is a first."
In my mind, Natarle Badgiruel was synonymous with a military collar. But today, she wore a deep forest-green gown that brought out a hidden softness in her features.
"Right?" Mu grinned. "She kept trying to pick something boring and drab, so I had to step in and choose this one for her."
"I see." The neckline was a bit lower than I expected for Natarle—definitely Mu's influence.
"I told him it was too flashy," Natarle muttered, looking genuinely embarrassed. "But he wouldn't listen."
As we talked, the rest of the room began to whisper.
"That's Axel?"
"The Shadow Mirror?"
"The one from the other world?"
"Who is the woman with him?"
"They're the ones who saved Orb…"
The atmosphere changed. The awe for Cornelia was joined by a calculating, piercing scrutiny directed at me.
"Sorry about that," Mu whispered, noticing the shift.
I shook my head. "Don't be. They were going to find out eventually. It was only a matter of time."
Just as the tension threatened to become awkward, the lights dimmed. A spotlight hit the stage, where Uzumi Nara Athha now stood.
"Guests, thank you for joining us tonight," Uzumi's voice boomed. "The Earth and the stars. Naturals and Coordinators. We have survived a tragic war, but today, that conflict belongs to the past. Tonight, we drink, we talk, and we celebrate the dawn of a new era!"
Waiters began circulating with trays. I was handed a glass of amber liquid.
"I'm not much for alcohol," I told the waiter. "I'll take a juice or tea, if you have it."
"Of course, sir." He swapped my glass for a chilled orange juice.
"To the bright future of Orb and the Shadow Mirror… Cheers!" Uzumi shouted.
"Cheers!" the room echoed. I clinked my glass against Cornelia's, Mu's, and Natarle's.
"So, what have you two been up to?" I asked Mu. "I haven't seen you since the ceasefire."
"I've been… adjusting to life in Orb," Natarle said, her tone a bit stiff.
"And I've been busy being her shopping consultant," Mu joked. "Plus, checking in on the Archangel crew. And occasionally giving Kira some much-needed life advice."
"Kira?" I asked.
Kira Yamato was currently living a quiet life in Orb with his family. He and Cagalli had decided to keep their shared lineage a secret for now. If the word got out that he was the "Super Coordinator" son of Ulen Hibiki, every Blue Cosmos fanatic on the planet would be gunning for him.
"Is he having trouble with the radicals?" I asked.
Mu laughed and shook his head. "Nothing that simple. Though in a way, it's far more dangerous."
"Honestly, Mu. Stop teasing the boy," Natarle sighed.
"Teasing him how?" Cornelia asked, clearly curious. Despite their different backgrounds, the two women shared a "soldier's soul" that made them get along surprisingly well.
"Well, it seems Kira has two very influential ladies vying for his heart," Mu explained. "Lacus Clyne from the Eternal, and Flay Allster, whom we rescued at Mendel. The poor kid doesn't know what to do because he has feelings for both of them. He came to me for advice, and well…"
Natarle suddenly gave me a very flat, unimpressed look.
"And do you know what Mu told him?" she asked.
I had a very bad feeling about where this was going.
"Mu told him: 'Look at Axel. He's got multiple women who love him, and he treats them all as his partners. Just do what he does!'"
I choked on my orange juice.
"Mu! You idiot! Your 'advice' just put my life in danger!"
"Hey, don't blame me!" Mu laughed, dodging my glare. "You're the one walking around with a harem of world-class beauties. It's only natural for people to be jealous."
As Cornelia and Natarle began discussing the "harem" situation with terrifyingly calm interest—dropping comments like "Axel certainly didn't waste any time" and "I suspect he was a womanizer in his old world, too"—I realized I was in a losing battle.
But fate decided to grant me a reprieve.
"Lord Axel, Lord Mu. It's been a long time."
I turned around to find Ray Za Burrel standing there, looking sharp in a formal suit. Beside him, Gilbert Durandal offered a polite, knowing smile.
Name: Axel Almar
Level: 38
PP: 615
Melee: 262
Shooting: 282
Dexterity: 272
Defense: 272
Evasion: 302
Accuracy: 322
SP: 462
Ace Bonus: SP Boost (Consume SP to improve Slime's performance)
Growth Type: All-Purpose/Special
Air: S
Land: S
Sea: S
Space: S
Mental: Acceleration - SP Cost: 4
Effort - SP Cost: 8
Concentration - SP Cost: 16
Direct Hit - SP Cost: 30
Awakening - SP Cost: 32
Love - SP Cost: 48
Skills: EXP Up
SP Boost (SP Up Lv. 9 & SP Recovery & Concentration)
Telekinesis Lv. 10
Attacker
Gunfight Lv. 9
Infight LV.9
Ki Limit Break
Geass (Gray)
???
???
???
???
???
Kills: 374
-------------------------------
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