――Natsuki Subaru had gone missing, and Emilia was in a state of sheer panic.

“Please, Subaru… just stay safe with Rem.”

The shadowy menace that attacked the Pleiades Watchtower, along with Subaru and Rem—no, to be precise, it was not just the two of them but also another uncertain element that had been swept away with them.

Emilia was able to keep herself relatively composed because Beatrice and Ram, who were connected to Subaru and Rem, guaranteed their survival.

Of course, even if they were alive, there was still the possibility of facing dangerous or frightening situations.

Rather, since they had to rescue Rem, who was sleeping in an unknown land, it was absolutely certain that Subaru would do something reckless. But with neither Emilia nor Beatrice able to be by Subaru’s side, the panic was overwhelming.

“I have to find Subaru and the others quickly…!”

With that resolve, Emilia and her party set off to conquer the Pleiades Watchtower.

First, they needed to figure out how to sneak into the Volakia Empire to the south, where Subaru had presumably been tossed—currently a nation that prohibited travel to and from the Lugnica Kingdom.

“We should attack from the Kararagi side. They’re probably less vigilant than the standoff between Lugnica and Volakia,” said Anastasia, who had promised her cooperation in the search for Subaru.

Anastasia and the others, including Julius and Echidna, also had vivid experiences in the Pleiades Watchtower and were certainly not in a comfortable position.

Even so, Emilia was incredibly happy to have Anastasia offer her help for Subaru’s sake.

“I’m so glad to be friends with you, Anastasia.”

“Well, I’d say it’s a bit different from friendship. After all, the relationship between us and Emilia remains competitive. But…”

“But?”

“Once everything with Natsuki-kun and the Royal Selection is settled, let’s be friends. Just like Emilia, I don’t really have many friends either.”

Anastasia said that lightly, promising to be of help.

Even if she understood it wasn’t the right time, Emilia couldn’t help but look forward to that promise—the one of seeking out Subaru and becoming friends with her.

And then—

“If Lady Anastasia is planning to pass through Kararagi, it would be wise for us to look for ways to cross the border with Volakia,” said Roswaal, who had rejoined Emilia’s group after returning from the Pleiades Watchtower and grasping the urgent situation.

However, even with Roswaal’s position and power, entering the Volakia Empire was reportedly not easy. If they tried to fly in, the flying dragons would likely attack.

Even with Roswaal’s agreement, entering the Empire was no simple task.

After all, the Empire was still vastly expansive. Even if they managed to enter, it was uncertain whether they’d be able to easily find Subaru and the others.

Amidst an increasingly dire situation, the reliable idea came directly from him.

“I do have a plan for entering the Volakia Empire, though it’s not the most commendable method and poses a risk,” Otto said, hesitating to introduce the idea.

Otto, who had returned after recovering in Watergate City Pristella along with Garfiel, presented a hopeful avenue for the troubling problem.

However, the method was precisely—

“—Smuggling. From the southern city of Pictat… If we start from my hometown, we might be able to prepare a way to get in.”

Smuggling meant crossing the border without following the normal procedures.

As Otto pointed out, it was not a respectable approach; and thinking about what might happen if they got caught, it was unequivocally dangerous.

Yet, if there were truly no other methods…

“For Subaru’s sake, we must do everything we can,” Emilia declared, setting her heart firmly.

Even though Ram and Otto voiced their concerns about her determination, nobody said “let’s not do it.” Everyone was praying for Subaru’s safety.

That was the source of Emilia’s pride above all else.

“I will absolutely bring Subaru back safely! I can do this!”

“Yeah, you’re right. —Let’s give it our all!”

Emilia gently and strongly responded to Beatrice, who was anxiously separated from Subaru, as she held her small hand tightly.

And while they had adventures involving Otto’s dangerous old acquaintances targeting him in his hometown, negotiations with tough individuals to help them cross the border, and a commotion over Frederica’s special physical trait regarding brides, the group crossed the nation in search of Subaru.

“—That’s as far as you go!”

Thus, Emilia declared as she brought snow to the chaotic Castle City.

△▼△▼△▼△

“――――”

The sight of numerous buildings collapsed, the once beautiful streets now transformed into a haunting ruin.

Even as large shadows flitted back and forth in the air, utilizing their wings to ravage people’s lives, Emilia’s anger swelled even further.

How could something so horrific be happening?

Was there truly no other way? Did they not make a proper effort to find a solution?

Yet, as Emilia herself contemplated, she too could think of no means to halt the fighting other than wielding her own power, and that frustrated her.

Therefore, Emilia resolved to remember this regret as strongly as she could.

For that purpose—

“—Ice Age.”

As Emilia whispered, heat began to rapidly dissipate from around her.

The air gradually cooled, and soon white snowflakes began to flutter down from the chilled sky. Emilia enveloped the city afflicted by the flying dragon calamity in a biting cold.

She carefully adjusted her magical power to avoid going overboard, for she absolutely did not want to freeze the city like her homeland, Erior Forest, nor severely reduce the temperature to the point of putting Regulus’s brides into a near-death state.

What Emilia needed to do was bring an unbearable ice season to the territory where the Empire, unfamiliar with cold, resided.

A bone-chilling wind, a blanket of white snow, and the breath of winter wrapped around the beleaguered Castle City.

Thus—

“Dragons are weak against cold. And when the flying dragons, who have never known such freezing cold, come about, its severity will surely reflect on their wings.”

As Emilia stood on the partially collapsed city wall, a figure lightly landed beside her.

Glancing over, Emilia nodded, saying, “Yeah.”

“The cold weakness of flying dragons was something Petra-chan taught me before we left. She’s seriously diligent, and she quickly learned a lot about the Empire,” she said.

“So, you relied on your servant’s wisdom, huh? No wonder you came up with a decent plan, considering the half-demon’s usual lack of brains,” the figure replied.

“Don’t put it that way! And how do you even know I’m half-elf… Huh?”

Emilia folded her arms and puffed her cheeks, but her expression changed as she looked at the figure—who had an orange hair waving in the cold wind and wore a red dress, slightly different from the person she remembered.

“Wait, Priscilla? What are you doing here? This isn’t Lugnica!”

“I’ll return that exact question to you. Though I have a good idea why you’ve set foot in the Empire… well done crossing the country.”

“Oh, but the method is a secret! I’m not supposed to talk about it. And I’m also meant to hide who I am, so be careful. I…”

Surprised to see Priscilla, whom she never expected to reunite with in a foreign land, Emilia felt an odd mix of emotions.

However, she couldn’t afford to be shocked. The method Emilia had used to enter the Empire was illegal, blatantly wrong.

She knew she had to clearly communicate this to Priscilla.

But then—

“—Priscilla, look out!”

Interrupting her words, Emilia urged Priscilla to be careful.

In the next moment, Priscilla clicked her tongue and leaped away, narrowly avoiding a spinning blade—Wing Blade—that whizzed down where she had just been standing.

The crumbling wall was cleanly sliced by the razor-sharp blade, miraculously sparing it from imminent collapse. Priscilla, having dodged the blade, landed much closer to Emilia.

And then—

“What the hell is going on with you all?”

Priscilla brandished the Wing Blade she had caught in one hand, her voice tinged with anger.

Looking down into the chaos of the destroyed streets, a horned girl stood alone, her eyes fiercely watching Emilia and Priscilla.

It seemed she was quite furious too. But Emilia was furious as well.

And so, with a pointed finger, Emilia declared, “My name is Emily! I’m a passing Spirit Mage!”

She almost slipped up with her real name, but managed to introduce her alias just in time. Upon hearing Emilia’s declaration, Priscilla squinted while the horned girl’s eyes sharpened with suspicion.

“Spirit Mage… just like that dog-human?”

“If you’re thinking about Arakia, that’s a ‘Spirit Eater,’ not a Spirit Mage. You’re mistaken, Madelin Eshault.”

“Ugh…”

Madelin’s expression tightened at Priscilla’s words, as if her thoughts had been read. However, Emilia could not ignore what had just been revealed.

“What do you mean ‘Spirit Eater’? What happens to the spirits?”

“As you can hear, they devour spirits. They incorporate their power for their own use. Very few exist, even in the Empire, with Arakia being the only case.”

“You eat spirits!? That’s terrible…”

It was unbelievable for Emilia, a Spirit Mage herself who had contracts with several lesser spirits.

If Pack or Beatrice were to meet that “Spirit Eater,” would they be gnawed on? Just the thought made her feel sorry for them.

However, rather than worrying about what was not presently occurring, the immediate problem took priority.

“Are you Madelin-chan?”

“Don’t underestimate dragons, half-demon.”

“Then let’s talk, Madelin. You’re the one commanding those flying dragons to attack the city, aren’t you? I want you to stop it, right now.”

Glancing away, Emilia surveyed the area where the flying dragons continued their assault on the opposite side of the city. Their movement appeared slightly sluggish compared to before.

Emilia’s power was swirling the temperature down, influencing the dragons’ vitality.

If this continued, it could be possible to bring them all down to the ground. But she would rather avoid doing so. She did not want to see the flying dragons die.

“If you truly care for the dragons, I want you to listen to my request.”

“――――”

“Madelin?”

Emilia tried to communicate her words as sincerely as she could.

Perhaps Otto or Ram, or even Petra, could have articulated it better. Yet when Emilia had rushed in on seeing the city being attacked by dragons, she was the only one who could respond urgently.

Since she was the first to arrive, Emilia vowed to do everything in her power.

Ultimately—

“How presumptuous, thinking to plead with dragons, you human!”

It seemed Emilia had ignited Madelin’s wrath.

“Your words will not sway them, whoever you may be. Dragons—are not creatures that lend ear to words from those who dwell upon the earth.”

Madelin’s furious reply silenced Emilia. As both parties continued their exchange, Priscilla—a silent observer—took note of the failed negotiation.

Emilia felt invigorated by her just being there.

“Priscilla, all the time I thought you were just being mean to me.”

“I do not consider mentioning that something unworthy should not be judged as such to be unkind. Please do not misinterpret my words, I am merely being compassionate. —Now, what shall we do?”

“Yeah.”

Nodding, Emilia conjured an ice hairpin with her left hand. As she offered it to Priscilla, she squinted curiously.

Seeing Priscilla’s reaction, Emilia nodded and said, “Let’s stop her together. We can’t play mean.”

“Don’t belittle my actions as mere childishness, half-demon.”

Priscilla exchanged barbs while taking the ice pin from Emilia, then cleverly tamed her long hair that had been swaying about. The sound of the ice clasp connecting rekindled her familiar aura as Emilia faced Madelin below.

And then—

“—I’m sick and tired of facing those who fear nothing in front of dragons.”

“I just had a big fight with a giant dragon not too long ago, so…”

“—Ugh!”

“It’s not that I won’t be afraid of you just because you wish for me to!”

As Madelin bared her sharp teeth in a challenge, Emilia boldly replied without hesitation.

Immediately, Madelin’s eyes narrowed like a land dragon’s, and the Wing Blade she held was hurled at high speed and forcefully aimed right at Emilia and the others.

Seeing it approach with dizzying speed, Emilia conjured ice great hammers in both hands.

She swung the ice hammer upward from below to smack the spinning blade aside.

“Ugh, whoa!!”

A powerful recoil thudded in her hands as she firmly stepped in, barely managing to deflect the blade’s trajectory, which whooshed above the heads of Emilia and Priscilla.

However, the unbelievable force shattered the hammer, and Emilia looked down at her hands.

“Such strength… I might just be weaker than her…”

“Of course! Comparing dragon and human is wrong to begin with! It’s foolish—”

Madelin, advancing with her petite body, strode forth with triumph in her eyes as Emilia gritted her teeth.

In that instant—

“Please!”

“Don’t give orders to me!”

As Emilia landed on the ground, propping her hands against it, Priscilla snatched the twin daggers created by Emilia and leapt over Emilia, striking at Madelin.

The right and left hands bearing the ice blades approached Madelin from opposite angles, and she quickly defended herself with her outstretched claws, a high-pitched clang resonating through the air.

“Don’t get cocky…!?”

“Hyah!”

As Madelin parried the dual blades and attempted to counterattack, iceed tips from Priscilla’s attack grazed the side of Madelin’s head. Reacting quickly, Madelin leaned away, meanwhile, Emilia surged in ahead to thrust a spear made of ice at incredible speed.

“Swap out!”

As Madelin barely withstood the spear, it was immediately followed by Priscilla showcasing her icy sword dance.

With the hem of her red dress flicking stylishly, Priscilla gracefully wielded two shining, azure ice blades, and her sword dance struck every part of Madelin’s body, forcing her to step back.

“—Why, why, why, why?! What’s going on here?!”

With no time to do anything but fend off Priscilla’s relentless onslaught, Madelin screamed in frustration.

But Priscilla’s assault showed no signs of slowing down. To make matters worse for Madelin, when Priscilla ceased her dance—

“Here! And that! Take this!!”

With no chance to catch her breath, Emilia unleashed one ice weapon after another, applying extraordinary reflexes while slapping them down with force.

—Priscilla with technique, Emilia with brute force sealed off Madelin’s defensive capabilities.

The Wing Blade sliced, slammed, swung around, and was hurled.

The dragon-human’s inherent physical abilities surpassed any human’s. Much sturdier than an ordinary subhuman, when placed against a dragon-human, all those considered superior would appear as frail as twigs.

It was horrifying, but any notion of being on par with the dragon-human made even the ogres feel trivial.

The dragon-human was not a subordinate species at all; they were fundamentally different from humans.

Dragon-humans lie outside the realm of humanity. —And yet, why was she struggling so much?

“Who the hell are you… what are you?!”

Endless anger led to pointless strikes, until finally, the anger that surged within her ebbed.

What remained after her rage faded was the desolved lament of a dragon. Swinging the Wing Blade horizontally, Emilia ducked down meanwhile Priscilla jumped to evade.

Then, split into two directions, they simultaneously addressed Madelin’s lamentation.

Who are you to question us?

“—Emily!”

“I am me!”

The ice great axe raised and the shining twin ice blades flashed, both smashed into Madelin.

Her head’s sharp horns collided with the ice blade while the bow of her torso was bombarded by the might of the ice axe, forcing Madelin to fly backward without the wherewithal to brace herself.

In the midst of the battle, unyielding snow stacked thinly upon the ground; Madelin’s body bounced once, then twice, flying straight into a pile of rubble with a boom that raised a white plume.

“――――”

The Wing Blade slipped from Madelin’s hand, crashing against the back wall as the formidable wall—tasked with defending the Castle City from southern threats—finally collapsed under its duty.

After a loud crash from the collapsing city wall, Emilia slowly got up, warily eying the heap of rubble that had imprisoned Madelin.

“…Did we defeat her?”

“There was resistance. Unfortunately, it was lacking in firmness,” Priscilla remarked.

“Lack of firmness…?”

As Priscilla stepped forward, Emilia watched the dust from the twin blades dissolve into nothing. She tilted her head, noticing that Priscilla was not currently eating anything.

Priscilla met Emilia’s gaze with her own crimson eyes and replied, “Is it so surprising that I would say a dragon-human of such a rank feels rather disappointing?”

“And by ‘Kyushinshou,’ what does that mean? Are they subhumans?”

“An ancient race said to be extinct. They supposedly possessed the ability to communicate with the dragons long gone from this world, but it could well be a myth or folklore.”

“Dragons… are you suggesting they can communicate with Volcanica too? They seemed a bit senile…”

As Emilia timidly broached the subject, Priscilla raised her brow slightly. Placing a delicate finger to her lips, she said, “I could hardly fathom such a thing coming from your mouth. Have you perhaps changed somewhat?”

“—? Ah, do you think I’m joking? I’m not joking at all, I actually met Volcanica a little while ago, but I think he’s gone senile because he’s all alone now…”

Emilia hastily defended herself against Priscilla’s incredulous response. But she quickly remembered what was truly important.

“Anyway, we’ve got to stop Madelin from moving the flying dragons!”

“If the cold continues, it won’t be long before all the sluggish flying dragons are hunted down.”

“But there are still people in danger! Subaru and Rem might be in trouble!”

“—Hmm.”

Emilia dashed past Priscilla towards the rubble enveloping Madelin. Priscilla narrowed her well-shaped eyebrows as she watched her charge ahead.

However, that irritated reaction went unheard by Emilia, who was striding across the wreckage to dig out Madelin with an ice shovel.

In any case, while she observed Emilia from behind, Priscilla sighed softly.

Taking an unexpected turn of events, she acknowledged a favorable outcome. Yet, the overwhelming damage caused by Madelin and the flying dragons could undo this.

At minimum, they’d have to consider relocating their base to Magic City Chaos Frame or rely on their ally, Selena Dracloy, for assistance.

“Whatever the case, first we must bring their wings down,” she thought while momentarily suspending her thoughts for the future and gazing up at the overcast sky.

Emilia’s vast mana seemingly possessed the capacity to recreate climate changes across a limited scope. Depending on how she applied it, there were countless options.

Naturally, what was valued in Volakia wasn’t necessarily revered in Lugnica. Indeed, if she decided to live in Volakia, she could avoid wasting time aimlessly.

That being said, considering her disposition, it seemed unlikely that Emilia would survive in Volakia.

“――――”

In that moment, as Priscilla gazed up into the sky, her eyes flickered slightly.

Her jewel-like crimson orbs trembled upon catching sight of an oddity amidst the vast expanse overhead.

As Priscilla pieced together the source of the anomaly—

“There! Madelin, I’m pulling you out now. But be quiet and listen to us…”

“—Ah.”

“Huh?”

Having located the girl buried in the rubble, Emilia used her ice shovel to shift away the debris. The dragon-human girl lay on her back, covered in dirt and snow, her two horns stark against her fragile-looking figure.

She moved her lips, a frail whisper barely escaping as Emilia leaned closer, hoping for words of surrender to convince Madelin to call off the flying dragons.

But her hopes were dashed as Madelin uttered just a single name.

“—Mezoleia.”

――In the next moment, a roar of “Dragons” rang from above the clouds as destruction rained down upon the earth.

△▼△▼△▼△

The moment white light was unleashed from the skies, Emilia and Priscilla moved in tandem.

Silently, without sign or signal, an ice tower arose, and atop its peak, the two beautiful figures danced into place.

The tower stretched into the air, rising in an instant to a height of more than ten meters, as Emilia raised both hands above her head to create a massive icy canopy over the area where the white light was set to impact.

She proceeded to layer down smaller canopies, one after the other, until six layers of ice canopies blanketed the sky.

Meanwhile, as she coordinated the icy defenses, Priscilla extended her elegant fingers toward the void, drawing forth the “Sun Sword” from the emptiness.

A magnificent crimson sword decorated in mesmerizing jewels, yet the brilliance flowing from it was palpably weakened compared to its peak condition.

Nonetheless, with the sword poised, Priscilla gazed overhead.

In the next moment, the incoming white light struck the outermost canopy, piercing through successively until the first began to crack, then the second and third followed suit, bearing down towards the ground.

However, it would be unjust to say that the punctured canopies had rendered their roles ineffective.

As the incoming light struck, a slight shift in its angle occurred despite being undermined.

As the first, second, and third canopies refracted subtly, such changes evolved into dramatic shifts for the fourth and fifth, leading to a significant alteration in the moment the sixth was breached, securing a definitive change in how the light would flow.

Straight down, the white light bore down on the ice tower, aiming precisely at the two standing atop it.

In response, the vibrant ruby light erupted brilliantly as it manifested into a fierce flash of energy—

△▼△▼△▼△

“――――”

All sound ceased as if struck by a heavy silence, and for the first time, Emilia felt an almost tangible stillness, a sensation that might have lasted a mere second yet felt much longer.

As the shockwave expanding from the southern edge of the city enveloped the entire Castle City, everything was overturned into chaos.

The ground heaved, buildings were torn from foundations, and humans caught in the open were tossed about like dried leaves, while the flying dragons soaring above were battered by the turbulent winds.

Unmercifully, indiscriminately, everything was consumed by the devastating shock that overwhelmed everyone in the city.

Naturally, those injured were rushed in, and Fropp, who’d been busily tending the wounded at the estate that had turned into a makeshift treatment center, found himself thrown against a wall from the shock.

“—Ugh.”

Whether it was several seconds, or tens of seconds, or possibly even minutes, he could not tell.

Feeling an intense impact dig into his back, Fropp experienced a sensation as if all his insides were rolling over. Although he felt little pain, it could also be attributed to the jarring feeling being too intense to comprehend.

If it were true, he would continue his ordinary day to day life, witnessing his sister Medium living a secure and happy life, relishing in his success at avenging the world, and pass away quietly as an old man, blissfully unaware of which would finish him off.

Once it came to that point, one couldn’t distinguish whether he died from injury or aged away.

“Alrighty, I’ll take it, I don’t think this is severe…”

Taking precautions, carefully assessing his condition before attempting to rise, Fropp found his limbs responsive, fingers intact. It seemed neither his ears, nose, nor eyes had suffered any damage, thankfully. While caution was warranted, being excessively pessimistic was also unwise.

After shaking off that disorienting feeling, he stood up, wiping away the dim vision and looking around.

Initially, the once noble and splendid interior had transformed into a hellish tableau dominated by the scent of blood and anguished cries, and now with the added shock, its ghastly nature was compounded further.

It was possible that injuries he had previously treated now flared up all over again, or worsened entirely. He had to alleviate their suffering and reach out to help once more.

“I wonder if the butler and Utakata are safe…?”

Having entrusted Madelin’s confrontation to Priscilla, Fropp joined Lem’s team at the estate, lending help to attend to the injured.

His eye still glimmering with flames, Schult also assisted with his worries for Priscilla, attempting to find a sense of calm amidst the chaos.

With that one incident of shock, their progress had been completely derailed.

“What in the world…?”

As Fropp surveyed his surroundings, a distressed voice broke through.

Looking closely, it was Rem peering out from the far end of the hall. She, attending to serious injuries requiring her healing magic, had also been caught in the same shock, spinning in confusion.

With her cane, Rem frowned as she peered outside through a window.

Was something more terrifying unfolding than the attacks from the flying dragons or the rampage of one of the Nine Divine Generals? Fropp too shared her apprehension.

At that moment—

“—This is bad!”

Eyes wide, Rem hurried to the estate’s door, her expression growing grave. Whatever she had seen outside compelled her to dash out in alarm as Fropp called after her, “Lady!”

Cradling his aching side and knee, Fropp chased after Rem as outside, she knelt beside the form of a fallen figure.

It appeared yet another victim had been unearthed by the previous shock.

As Rem squatted down to assess the individual, Fropp drew closer, awestruck by the magnitude of the earlier blast, which he had not realized while inside.

“This is…?”

Snowflakes danced down from the clouds above Gwararu, heavy blankets forming layers in the southern sky, while rays of sunlight pierced through.

It was a sight that could even be called fantastical, and Fropp, exhaling white mist, felt a shiver run through him.

Above, the sudden drop in temperature and the emergence of such an aberrant scene clearly suggested an unusual climate change; even in dreams, visuals like this rarely materialized.

In other words, conjecturing that this was indeed real, Fropp shook his head.

“Fropp-san! Please help. We need to carry this child inside!”

“Right, I got it. Even under this mysterious sky, we can only do what we can. We’ll give it our all—”

As he turned to help Rem, the color drained from Fropp’s azure eyes as his words faltered midway.

The reason was clear—it was the small figure behind Rem seeking assistance.

The figure tossed about by the last shock, the one Rem had suggested they carry inside was small. Small, delicate, and sporting two small black horns on her head.

Then, as if slightly regaining consciousness, the young girl slowly raised her arm with sharp claws extended behind Rem.

“—――”

Once again, silence engulfed the area as Fropp felt the flow of time stuttering in his perception.

In front of him, Rem remained blissfully unaware of the impending threat hovering behind her. The girl, poised to lash out, now seemed to act purely on reflex rather than intent to do harm to Rem.

Certainly, she must have experienced something horrific. While that was a cause for sympathy, it was frustrating that emotion alone would not change the situation.

“—――”

The guards, Kuna and Holly, stationed at the mansion, were likely still taking their time recovering from the shock, absent from view, yielding no assistance.

Neither could he count on Schult, who was ignited with passion and helping with care, nor on the comatose and unresponsive Heinkel.

If he closed his eyes, his sister’s beaming smile would fill his thoughts.

Swearing to become strong, to ensure her brother would face no pain, she indeed had grown stronger.

Yet with the memory of the person who’d opened the gateway to the world—and many others—all surfaced.

—Take care of yourself, Fropp. Self-sacrifice is the behavior of fools.

Once, his benefactor had laughed those same words at him during his reckless acts of bravery.

At this very moment, Fropp contemplated repeating those words.

“I’m fine with being called a fool.”

Because the people he cared about would all clap and laugh along with him.

“Fr—”

He stepped in, pushing Rem aside just as she extended her hand to shove away the thin shoulders.

In that moment, a reckless fool put himself in harm’s way.

――Blood would be spilled, as Fropp O’Connell collapsed into the cold earth.