Martha paused, and something like a real smile touched her lips. "Regardless, I felt it was better to have continued living that lie." Her head tilted slightly, violet-blue hair sliding across her shoulders. "It's far better than that truth."

Reinhard trembled as he gritted his teeth and looked down. But he had no words, and nothing he could say would matter now. Only a hint of disgust rose in him for himself, as he still liked Martha, and it disgusted him for destroying her like that.

Martha's smile widened, becoming almost fond despite everything. "I see... Even with everything, you could feel that way for me." A laugh escaped her. "How funny. But I am tired now. I just want everything to go."

Her hand moved beneath her black suit, and her fingers found something and pulled it out. A long black chain was lifted up, it was a necklace that she held with her blood-stained fingers.

Hanging from the chain was a golden orb that seemed to contain a piece of captured dawn sky. Tiny stars shimmered within the sphere, swirling faintly as if caught in a slow current. Encasing the orb were sharp, elegant pieces of metal shaped like crescent blades and spires.

Some pointed outward like claws protecting a heart, while others curved inward in graceful arcs that seemed to embrace the glowing sphere.

Light caught along every edge, flashing off the polished surfaces and making the faint gold deep inside the orb seem to pulse in response.

Phineas, still clutching his chest where golden strands sealed his wound, blinked rapidly. "What are you planning with the Star Jewel, Martha?"

The words made Reinhard and the others' eyes widen in shock.

"Wait-" Marie's eyes widened in disbelief. "That necklace has always been around Martha's neck… We've always been staring at the Star Jewel?!"

Joseph's lips twitched as his face cycled through expressions before groaning. "They should have really given us a picture."

Scath scoffed. "It's not like those fools knew what form the Star Jewel took. Only its effects."

"So that's where it was." Roana's expression is shifting.

Grans frowned with a sigh. "Having it stay with a First Class Beast Master is a very good idea indeed."

Nikki sighed. "It is. But not for us."

Martha's fingers closed around the orb while the expression on her face shifted into something almost tender.

"The Star Jewel doesn't exist in our reality." Marie says softly. "But instead exists in something lower than ours... For it to appear, one needs to summon it."

Reinhard blinked. His brow furrowed, confusion flickering across his features. Around him, the others showed similar reactions with furrowed brows, questioning tilts of heads, lips parting to form questions they didn't voice.

A wet cough drew every eye downward.

One of the Mehko researchers had managed to prop herself up on one elbow. "That... necklace… Don't tell me that's how you survived!?"

Reinhard's gaze shifted to the researcher, and his brow furrowed. He narrowed his eyes as pieces began clicking together in his mind, and then he realized something. "The time you guys sent her to the Monster Zone?"

Everyone's gaze shifted to him, and understanding bloomed across multiple faces simultaneously.

The Mehko researcher's face showed shock as words emerged in a rasp. "How did you..."

Martha's chuckle cut through the confusion. "Yeah, it was with the Star Jewel that helped me survive..." She paused as her grip on the necklace tightened. "But that was only because my brothers and sisters sacrificed themselves for it to appear."

The words fell into sudden, complete silence.

Reinhard's eyes went wide while the others trembled, and shock was displayed on their faces as well.

The dying Mehko researcher coughed violently as she stared up at Martha. "W-What are you talking about?" The question emerged as barely more than a wheeze. "Their deaths led to the Jewel appearing?"

Martha's light blue eyes remained fixed on the glowing orb cradled in her hands before a smile touched her lips. "For the Star Jewel to appear, a group of people must come together and selflessly sacrifice themselves while hoping for their united wish to be realized."

Martha then closed her eyes as her face contorted before she continued by saying. "As we were all struggling to live in the Monster Zone to complete the mission..." Her voice wavered, breaking on certain syllables. "As we were all pushing ourselves... Struggling to survive and find food..."

Her breathing quickened with her chest rising and falling rapidly, making more blood drip. "Running away from danger and pushing ourselves to not leave anyone behind… That bond seems to have formed before—when we met a terrifying Phantasm Beast and I tried to stay behind to protect them..."

"All of them stayed. They used their bodies to cover and shield me as the beast almost killed me..." Martha's eyes snapped open as tears formed around her eyes.

Silence pressed descended.

The dying Mehko researcher continued staring upward while expression continued shifting.

Blood continued leaking from Martha's mouth as she spoke. "I always thought they disliked me."

Her head tilted slightly with her violet-blue hair sliding forward to partially obscure her face. "That they were jealous of the attention I was getting from the Mehko Group." Her lips curved upward in bitter recognition. "That they resented me for being so strong and forming connections while they didn't..."

Martha's free hand rose to her face. Fingers pressed against her eyes, trying to hold back tears that came anyway. Her shoulders shook with suppressed sobs that made the spear shift, drawing fresh blood.

"But in truth it was the opposite." The hand dropped away. Tears flowed freely now, creating tracks through the blood on her cheeks. "They just wanted to get to know me..."

Martha's gaze turned toward the bodies of the Mehko researchers scattered across the floor. Her eyes moved between them, cataloging each face, each white coat stained red, each pair of eyes.

"But you all poisoned us against each other." Marthah gritted her teeth. "Made me believe they were monsters trying to harm me and Hel..."

Her hand rose before pointing at the bodies with trembling fingers. "All of them sacrificed themselves with the united hope that I would be able to continue living and be happy. Their deaths, their united wish, them having no regrets, and them being satisfied with their actions."

Martha's fingers tightened around the Star Jewel until blood ran from her palm where the metal claws cut in. "All of this met the requirement for the Star Jewel to appear and grant my wish of surviving by teleporting me out of the Monster Zone."

The orb blazed brighter in response, stars within moved faster, creating spirals of white-gold light that seemed to reach outward.

Martha's tears continued falling, each drop catching the light from the Star Jewel before disappearing into shadow.

The dying Mehko researcher's eyes had glazed over. Her chest rose and fell in shallow movements, each breath weaker than the last. But her gaze remained locked on Martha, watching her, but no words came from the researcher.

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