On the deck of the Oceanos, Daniel eagerly awaited the arrival of a peculiar VTOL flight. Soon enough, it approached and landed, and as its door opened, a small girl dashed towards Daniel with a wide smile.
"Papa!" she exclaimed before leaping into Daniel's arms, who crouched down to receive her.
After exchanging kisses on her cheeks, the girl noticed two familiar figures standing beside Daniel: Koyuki and Envy.
"Mama! You're back!" she exclaimed, rushing into Koyuki's embrace for a hug. Koyuki felt a mix of emotions in her heart.
"Hello, sweetie, it's been a while, hasn't it?" Koyuki said as she kissed Sylvana's cheek, the latter giggling in response.
"Oh, now that your mom's back, you've forgotten all about me," Envy teased, drawing the little one's attention to herself.
"No, Aunt Envy, I would never!" little Sylvana quickly hopped towards Envy from her mother's embrace, causing Koyuki to feel a twinge of dejection.
At that moment, Michaela descended from the VTOL. In her hand, she held a cage containing a yellow iguana.
The iguana seemed startled at first upon seeing Envy, but quickly returned to its usual calm demeanor as it surveyed its new surroundings with curiosity, much like any ordinary animal.
"Hello, my lord, Ms. Koyuki, Ms. Envy," Michaela greeted the three with her customary kind smile.
"Hey, did you do it to her yet?" Koyuki whispered mischievously in her husband's ear.
"Do I look like a dog to you?" Daniel retorted, slightly annoyed.
Yep, that's her personality, just as it was before she became a witch and got depressed because of the event of that night. She always enjoyed teasing him, but he was equally fond of teasing her. Wait... maybe she picked that up from me? No, it couldn't be, Daniel thought to himself.
Unbeknownst to the couple, their whispered conversation seemed to be overheard by the archangel. Her face turned red, and even Envy, who wasn't paying attention, noticed. But Envy didn't feel like teasing or trolling the archangel right now; her attention was fixed on the peculiar yellow iguana.
"Hmm..." Envy's eyes studied the lizard, which seemed slightly nervous under her gaze.
"Oh, Aunt Envy! Let me introduce you. This is Princess Aura!" Sylvana beamed as she gestured towards the yellow iguana in the cage.
"She's a talking iguana! Say hello to Aunt Envy, Princess Aura," Sylvana said to the iguana.
The iguana remained silent, still eyeing Envy and the others with curiosity, just like any normal iguana.
Daniel then shifted his attention to Mammon in the cage, who was looking at him, trying his best to evoke sympathy while shaking its head, signaling Daniel not to reveal its true identity to Envy.
At that moment, Daniel could only remain silent, solemnly acknowledging Mammon's impending miserable fate.
—
After exploring the impressive and luxurious interior of Oceanos, the three arrived at their assigned rooms. Sylvana opted to stay with Daniel and Koyuki, while Michaela chose to stay with Envy, who was eager to befriend the archangel.
Once preparations were completed, and all those bound for America were onboard, Oceanos, the mighty super submarine, phased through dimensions and launched its transatlantic voyage at full throttle.
Traveling from Japan to America in its phased state, the speed of Oceanos couldn't quite match that of a jet. This was due to the need to maintain its presence in the current dimension and the delicate balance required to avoid slipping out entirely.
Nevertheless, its speed rivaled that of high-performance cars like Ferraris and Formula 1 racers, enabling it to reach San Francisco Harbor from Japan in just a few days – considerably faster than a conventional ship.
As the iconic Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco Harbor came into view through the periscope, Daniel sat in the command room, surrounded by futuristic computers, contemplating his next move.
Unsure of San Francisco's current situation following the activation of the Grand Alteration spell, he pondered two options: contacting Greed to pre-arrange their arrival or sending out small reconnaissance teams equipped with drone support to assess the situation.
Suddenly, a familiar, melodic voice broke the silence. "Danny..." Turning his head, Daniel saw Koyuki standing before him, clad in her signature red shirt, black leather jacket imbued with magic, jeans, and boots – her usual attire for action and combat.
"Let me accompany one of the reconnaissance teams," Koyuki suggested. "I lived in San Francisco for a while, know the city well, and even have a safe house there. I can be of assistance."
Daniel considered her proposal thoughtfully. He knew his wife disdained being treated as helpless or merely decorative. Action and purpose were essential to her. Denying her this opportunity would undoubtedly lead to a drawn-out dispute.
"Very well," he conceded. "But you must take Tomoe with you. Her skills will be invaluable in case of unforeseen circumstances."
Koyuki suppressed a playful pout at her husband's protective nature, readily accepting his condition. Her past experiences had understandably instilled worry in him, and she wouldn't burden him further.
"Thank you, love, You're the best." she whispered, planting a quick kiss on his lips before leaving the command room to prepare herself and contact Tomoe.
.
Daniel, lost in thought in the command seat, wrestled with another nagging concern before finalizing his decision about Koyuki's mission. His paranoia wouldn't allow him complete peace of mind. He decided to dispatch additional backup to discreetly follow her.
"Michaela," he spoke into his communicator, his voice betraying a hint of worry, "Please meet me in the command room."
"On my way, my lord," Michaela replied promptly.