Local Netizen Elf’s Life In Another World
Case 359: Schemes.

''Hm? You two...''

Sariel takes a glance at the two figures as they jump off the perching dragon. Two young elven girls, each brimming with energy. Yet, the hems of their clothes are charred a shade of battles.

''The AI machine is stable now.'' Raeliana sighs, pulling out a bottled drink from her spatial storage. ''How's the situation here?''

''It's going... well, I guess?'' Sariel replies. ''We're preparing for a siege on the main demon castle.''

''A siege?''

The plan remains the same: First, shower the enemy with overwhelming artillery, then swoop in and claim victory. If they are going against the demon king without Sylvia, it is essential that the other guards are taken care of first.

Sariel briefly explains the operation to Raeliana and Emilia while keeping her hands busy, sorting out the available warheads for the upcoming launch.

''You two should take some rest. We're all going tonight.'' The dragoness says.

''...''

''...''

For a moment, the two elves stared at one another, a certain idea floating between them. If it's until nighttime... they should have free time now, right?

''Hey, Sariel... how long do we have until the siege starts?'' Raeliana gets in front of Sariel, grinning mischievously.

Puzzled yet obliged to answer, the dragoness peeks at her clock, ''Maybe... another three hours?''

''Perfect!''

''...?''

Suddenly, the two girls became all giddy, whispering something together with enthusiastic smiles on their faces. It seems almost odd. Especially in this kind of setting, seeing two girls cheerfully giving one another a shoulder hug gives people a strange feeling.

''Sorry! We'll be off for a minute!''

''We'll come back in time.''

Leaving behind those words, Raeliana and Emilia jump onto the dragon's back again. 

''???''

Sariel almost tilts her head, and so does the white dragon, who mistakenly has the foolish thought that it would be able to leave just now.

'...What a weird duo.'

Shaking her head, Sariel quietly continues her work.

Somewhere else in the occupied territory, tucked in her chair and fronting numerous screens, Lunaris Lucienne hums a gentle tune. In her lap lies Sylvia, the girl who likes destroying things the most... yet also the most devoted peace lover.

Lunaris's fingers slowly caress the elven princess's hair.

Calm, still, but her eyes never leave the battlefield. After registering Raeliana and Emilia's arrival, the goddess expected those two to either take a break right there or maybe reunite with the other members, but...

''Are they coming here...?''

Several minutes later, the vehicle's door excitedly clicks open.

''Hello~?''

The interior is dark. When Raeliana pokes her head in, she sees Lunaris making a shush face, half illuminated by the screens' light. Then, her gaze falls onto the sleeping Sylvia.

Immediately, her moves get three notches quieter, and the elven girl, followed by her friend, settle themselves beside their lover.

''Her sleeping face is so cute... heheh...''

''Don't poke her cheek like that. She'll wake up...'' Lunaris sighs helplessly at the two mischievous members. ''So? What are you doing here?''

Proudly puffing out her chest, the twin-tailed girl declares, ''We brought back something nice...! C'mon, Emilia!''

Emilia, upon receiving her friend's nod of affirmation, promptly pries open her spatial bag. Soft yet undoubtedly divine light pours out, clashing with the monitors' brightness.

''This is...''

''Divine energy gems—or divine fragments, whatever you call them. They're the spoils from our battle earlier.''

Lunaris instantly pierces the clues.

'It must be Aria's blessings.'

Although planets are, in most senses, not sentient, they possess a certain sort of survival instinct. The fact that Aria has purposely given the two elves these fragments, even when it is still fighting fiercely with the contaminant, means that they have been chosen by nature itself.

Smiling, Lunaris shares the excitement, ''This is a good thing. I was worried that Hanako's recovery might not be quick enough, but if we feed her some fragments...''

''Yeah. She'll be back in no time.''

But just as Raeliana prepares to dump the whole stock onto Sylvia's stomach crest, Lunaris firmly stops her.

''Half of these is plentiful.'' She says. ''She can't absorb that fast anyway. You should bring the rest to the other members.''

''Ah, right.''

So, after leaving an appropriate amount of the shiny stones to Sylvia, the two make a round trip across the battlefield, arriving at various locations to supply divinity. Surprisingly, even after feeding the other three members and themselves, there is still some excess.

''We can just keep this as emergency batteries, but...''

''Mhm...''

'I feel like there's a better way to use them.'

Such are their thoughts at the moment.

But what is a 'better way' to use them? Ideally, that 'way' should be the most efficient. They need to make the most out of these resources so that the upcoming battles go smoothly.

Maybe deploying them as additional barriers to better protect everyone? No, that isn't the play. Maybe fuse them into a massive bomb? But Sylvia already has them...

''Argh... what's the best plan...''

''...''

Emilia quietly ponders as she looks at Raeliana, who is pulling out her hair. If she is asked, 'What is the most important element in this war?' Emilia would unhesitatingly say 'Sylvia Everwood.'

So... the best use of these things must be to strengthen Sylvia... right?

'...Why didn't we think of this before?'

''Hey, maybe...''

''...That's brilliant!''

Chasing the sinking sun, the two rush back to where Sylvia is. Once again, they are greeted with a composed Lunaris, and their lover is still peacefully sleeping.

''A broadcast?''

''Yes!''

Firmly believing in her and Emilia's scheme, Raeliana asserts, ''Sylvia benefits a ton from her believers. If we can show people the heroic way she fights, wouldn't she get even more worship and become insanely strong?!''

''We do actually have something similar planned. It's just that most equipment can't survive in this environment, so we can only film the rear of the battlefield...''

''But with these, we can get even close-up shots, right?!''

''That... might be possible, actually.''

A hundred and twenty minutes before zero hour.

''Ended faster than I thought.''

Letting out a sigh, Sariel closes the notes she has been holding and, after one last check, sends the soldiers and staff to their positions. Right then, a voice comes from afar,

''Hey, Sariel!''

''Hm? Raeliana, why are you here again?''

The girl runs up to Sariel, holding a rather mischievous expression, ''You have time now, right? Follow me!''

''What?''

''It's important, so just follow me!''

A hundred and five minutes before zero hour.

''Huh? You guys are all gathered here... is something happening?''

''Ah, Anna. Come in. We're discussing this...''

Ninety-five minutes before zero hour.

''...It's crowded in here.''

''Oh, Christina! Come in. Sariel is making something for us... it seems.''

''...?''

Seventy-five minutes before zero hour.

''It's done.''

Faint gasps fill the room as the members peek at Sariel's freshly made gadgets—eight glowing pendants, each with almost unlimited recording and transmitting functions. Fueled by the purest divine energy, they are surely unaffected even by the most potent contamination.

''Just need to connect to a server, and then you guys can output it anywhere.'' The dragoness says. 

''I'll handle it.'' Lunaris eagerly volunteers herself. ''But we still have some fragments left...''