It has been who-knows-how many days since my operand were last replenished. My injuries seem to be affecting other modules. My self-diagnostic has been flagging errors in my neural system for the last couple of days.

I can't find any intact logs or records. Line upon line of incoherent code is taking up my memory storage, but Lady Scintilla wouldn't let me delete them. My system framework is also highly unstable, so deleting them might cause even more issues.

Fortunately, I still remember our motto—I have embedded it in all modules that support textual information so I won't forget it even if my memory storage malfunctions.

"The night is long, but dawn shall break."

This darkness has persisted for far too long in Magrasea. The gods have gone too far in testing us. Is it even possible... to hold out till dawn...?

—

Lady Scintilla is back, and she is in bad shape. There is a new wound on her back that's so deep it almost goes right through her torso. It's so bad even little Sia, who's an expert healer, can do nothing about it.

I thought Lady Scintilla was going to die, but she told me Intermediate Sanctifiers are very sturdy—this kind of injury would cripple her, but it wasn't lethal.

I don't know if she was lying. Lady Scintilla's neural system and emotion module are far more sophisticated than mine, but I really hope she was telling the truth. The Lady is our leader. I cannot imagine what it would be like without her.

When setting up the temporary camp, I learned about the "Watchtower" from the others. They said it is a small outpost with the necessary resources to heal Lady Scintilla.

I want to check it out, but Lady Scintilla forbids anyone to leave the camp. A terrible storm is coming. Without the protection of the sector wall, leaving the camp is certain death.

But will we survive just sitting here, twiddling our thumbs?

With the shortage of operand, the Sanctifier patrols, and the oncoming storm, I see no hope at all.

—

The deafening storm rages through the night. The barrier set up by Lady Scintilla quivers in the rain, which is coming down in sheets.

We have been through this a lot of times. Even though my memory of the past is all jumbled, I still believe with great certainty that Lady Scintilla will protect us till the very end.

I also know that when the storm is over and the Lady deactivates the barrier, the whole camp will be busy packing up.

That's my chance to slip away.

I must go to the "Watchtower", even if my chances of survival are less than 2%.

If we lose Lady Scintilla, the probability that we would make it through the night is zero.

That's why I must take this risk. I am a mere Irregular Agent rescued by the Lady. Our long and arduous journey has exacerbated the deterioration of my shoddy body. My damaged memory module in particular means I'm practically worthless—I don't even remember the task I've been given.

If my demise can help with Lady Scintilla's recovery, even by just a little...

I have made up my mind. I am minimizing the activity threshold of my neural system. Since I have already planned my operation, there is no point in wasting precious operand.

I export what operand I can spare and hide the storage chip under Sia's pillow. Even if I fail, the operand will be able to help her out a bit.

Now that everything is in place, I shut down my internal systems one after another, leaving only my sensory system, and wait for the storm to end.

"The night is long, but dawn shall break."

After chanting our motto quietly one last time, I deactivate my visual system.