March's fingers were still pinching Ellie's cheeks, her grip firm and trembling. Ellie, half-laughing and half-annoyed, tried to pry March's hands off with her own.
"Ow—March! What are you doing? That hurts～♪" Ellie pouted, rubbing her face.
But March's eyes were red, her expression crumbling.
Ellie blinked. Wait… why is she about to cry? I didn't even pinch her back…
Then it hit her. Oh… I pushed my structure too far. My body here fainted while standing…
Ellie coughed awkwardly, trying to shift the mood. "Ah! Why does our little March, who's just as cute as Elysia, look like she's crying? Dan Heng, Stelle—did you bully her?～♪"
Dan Heng folded his arms and looked away. Stelle rolled her eyes and walked ahead.
Ellie scratched her head, smiling sheepishly.
Then she felt a tug on her clothes.
"March?" she said softly.
March suddenly hugged Ellie tightly, sobbing. "Do you even know how scary that was?! I thought… I thought…"
Ellie's heart melted. She wrapped her arms around March's head, gently cradling her. "I'm fine. I just got distracted and sent my soul to the upper zone. Sorry, little March～♪ You were worried…"
March stayed buried in Ellie's arms, trembling.
Dan Heng sighed quietly. Xing, who had wandered off, returned and broke the silence: "Sister Ellie, I want to hug you too."
Ellie blinked. "Come on～ Stelle♪"
Stelle hugged Ellie from behind, her hands resting on Ellie's shoulders—right where March's head had been.
March suddenly sprang up, grabbed Stelle, and tried to pull her away. Stelle clung tighter. The two wrestled like children, while Ellie stood in the middle, mildly suffocating.
"Enough!" Seele's voice cut through the chaos. "Ellie, if you're fine, go see our boss already. I'll wait."
Dan Heng stepped forward. "Ely, are you okay?"
Ellie smiled. "I'm really okay～ But thank you for caring, Dan Heng～♪"
Dan Heng leaned in, voice low. "You used gems again. Why?"
Ellie winked. "If you want to know… how about guessing?～♪"
Dan Heng paused, then sighed. "Forget it. You have your own plan."
He turned to March and Stelle. "Let's go."
Ellie followed, March and Stelle flanking her, each holding one arm as they headed toward Oleg.
—
Meanwhile, in the mechanical settlement…
Ellie's clone stirred, blinking up at the "sky." Her head rested on Clara's lap.
"Ah, Sister Ellie, you're awake," Clara said sweetly.
Ellie sat up quickly, worried Clara's legs had gone numb. "Mah～ Sorry, Clara. My friend just called me～♪"
"But Clara didn't see anyone…" Clara looked around.
Ellie patted her head. "It was a clone～♪"
Clara giggled. Mr. Svarog never patted her head like this. Sister Ellie's touch was warm and gentle.
"Um… are there two Sister Ellies?" Clara asked.
"You could say that～♪" Ellie smiled. "But I'm sorry, little cutie. I have to go now."
Clara's eyes dimmed, but she nodded. "Okay, Sister Ellie. Be careful."
"Mm-hmm～♪"
Ellie stepped back. A pink light enveloped her. As her figure faded, Clara called out, "We… we'll see you again, right?"
Ellie smiled, her voice echoing softly: "Of course～ I'm looking forward to it, Clara's little cutie～♪"
The light vanished.
Clara stared at the empty space, her heart full of quiet hope.
"Let's go, Pascal," she whispered.
Only the snow remained, gently falling around her.