Part One: Setsuna

It was the morning after our lively dinner party. Ragi and Alto had organized it because they’d been worried about how awkward things had gotten between Cyrus and me during the Founding Festival, and thanks to their little scheme, whatever lingering tension there had been between us had finally disappeared.

I was eating breakfast, filled with a sense of gratitude.

“I’m glad my prank worked,” Ragi said cheerfully with a chuckle.

“It was my first successful prank!” Alto beamed beside him.

Now that I thought about it, I had ended up involved in all sorts of affairs for people since arriving in Lypaed. I’d helped out at Norris and Elly’s shop, taken part in Sir Georges and Lady Sophia’s wedding, and even dealt with the misunderstanding between the queen and king during the festival. The fact that none of those issues had spiraled out of control was all thanks to Ragi and Alto’s support. I silently thanked them once again, deep down in my heart.

Our work at the guild had also been going well. We were handling quests smoothly and earning a decent amount of money. Lately, it was nothing but monster hunting quests issued by the kingdom of Lypaed, which was quite repetitive, but there had also been our first quest investigating those ruins as a trio, which had been a lot of fun.

I thought it would be nice if the three of us could take on another quest together when we had the time, but then immediately regretted it because it led me to think about Ragi’s future.

I hadn’t been able to sense Ragi’s presence at all back when Jackie had ended up in that awful state. It felt like his very life force was weakening. I’d been making sure to check on him every day, and the results were clear.

Ragi’s energy is fading…slowly but surely.

“Master!” Alto’s voice snapped me out of my reveries, back to the breakfast table.

“Hm?”

“Will you come fishing with us?”

I’d only been half-listening, my thoughts elsewhere. Alto had been begging us to go fishing all through breakfast. Ragi said he was still exhausted, having eaten too much at the previous day’s feast, but Alto’s enthusiasm had won out in the end.

“I’ve got a quest to take care of today,” I said.

“Oh.”

“Sorry,” I apologized.

“It’s okay! I’ll go with Gramps, and we can catch some fish for you, too!”

“I’ll be looking forward to dinner, then.”

Alto’s drooping ears perked right up as soon as I said that. “I’ll catch a big one!” he promised with a beaming smile.

He and Ragi began gathering up the things they’d need for their fishing trip while I started cleaning up the dishes.

I planned to head to the Adventurers Guild after the two of them left, so I took my time washing up. But then Ragi suggested, “We’re heading the same way for a bit, so how about we walk together?” so I picked up my pace.

We chatted as we walked about what they’d be fishing for, when they’d be coming back, and that sort of thing. Before long, we reached the fork in the road where we would part ways.

As I watched the two of them walking off, laughing together with their backs turned toward me, I suddenly felt a wave of unease I couldn’t shake. I raised my hand and quietly cast a spell.

I hope I’m just worrying for nothing.

Two magical birds took shape above my head and flapped into the sky. It was the first time I’d cast this spell since using the birds to gather information outside of Lypaed, but they followed Ragi and Alto without issue. It had taken a lot out of me when I’d used them before; this time was much easier.

Looks like I can send out a few more without any trouble.

I created several more birds and released them into the sky, just to make sure nothing dangerous was lurking near the two of them.

“Master!” Alto suddenly turned and waved to me with both hands.

I waved back, standing there until their figures disappeared from view.

Part Two: Alto

After we said good-bye to Master, Gramps and I walked for a while and eventually reached a fishing spot he’d recommended. It was quiet and there were no people around, just the faint presence of animals. It felt like the whole place belonged to us.

I could hear the gentle babbling of the river and saw fish jumping out of the water one after the other as we got closer. The sight made me eager to put my line in as quickly as possible, but I suppressed the urge and focused on checking the area for monsters first.

“Gramps, are there any monsters nearby?”

I still wasn’t good at detecting monsters that were far away. I wished I was better at it, like Master and Gramps.

“Looks like we’re fine. I don’t sense anything around here,” Gramps said with a calm smile.

“Where should we fish?” I asked.

“Shall we try going a bit farther upstream?”

“Yeah, let’s do that!”

We walked along the river, looking for a good spot to fish. Once we found one, I drove the barrier needle into the ground and got started.

Since people didn’t usually come to this spot, the fish started biting right away. Something tugged at my line every time I cast it out. I was having so much fun.

I wish Master could’ve come with us.

I felt a little disappointed, but I shook it off and focused on catching as many fish as I could to surprise him when he got back from his quest.

“Alto, how about we take a short break?” Gramps said as he sat down on a rock and pulled out some drinks.

Master always reminded me to take breaks and stay hydrated. I remembered that and forced myself to stop fishing, then sat down next to Gramps.

He handed me a cup of tea, which felt warm and comforting.

“Did you get a good haul?” he asked.

I proudly showed him my bucket full of fish. “How about you, Gramps?”

“I suppose I did okay.”

But when I peeked into his bucket, he had even more than I did.

“Think it’s enough for dinner?” I asked.

“I’d say so.”

“Hmm… I wanna eat ten fish, and I bet Master will want the same.”

“You think so?” Gramps asked.

“Yep, I know he will!”

“I see…”

“And I’m gonna catch even more and beat you, Gramps!”

“I guess I’ll have to try a little harder, then,” he said, pulling snacks out of his coat pocket.

The fish had grown wary and stopped biting, so we packed up our gear and moved downstream. I was scanning the river intently, searching for movement, when Gramps let out a quiet chuckle.

“Gramps?”

“You really love fishing, don’t you?”

“I sure do!”

“Why do you love it so much?”

“Hmm…”

I thought back to the first time I’d ever gone fishing. I hadn’t caught a single fish and ended up sulking, but then Master put his hands over mine and we caught one together.

I still remembered the feel of that first tug, the back and forth with the fish, the weight of the one we’d reeled in together. It was so much fun, and I’d been so happy.

But the thing that made me happiest wasn’t catching the fish.

“When we went fishing for the first time, I saw Master looking like he was really enjoying himself.”

There were times when Master smiled, when he seemed happy and like he was having fun. But it was rare to see him smile because of something he was doing.

“He looked really, really happy that day.”

“…”

“Yeah, I like fishing. But what I really love is that when I’m fishing, sometimes I remember his smile. That’s why I like it so much.”

I just stood there, having stopped walking at some point without realizing it.

“I see. Then I suppose we’ll have to catch a lot and surprise him, won’t we?” Gramps gently patted my head, looking off into the distance. The expression in his eyes made me wonder if maybe he felt the same way.

“What made you start fishing, Gramps?”

“Hmm, I guess it all started when I was hungry and went to snatch some fish out of the water with a friend.”

“Snatch? Not catch?”

“Back then, none of us had fishing rods,” he said.

“Wow! Then how did you catch them?”

“It’s simple, really. Want me to show you?”

Gramps rolled his pants up to his knees and took off his shoes, then stepped into the river. I almost shouted in surprise, but he swiftly suppressed his presence. I knew better than to make any noise when he did that.

He moved slowly through the water. Suddenly, Gramps stopped and plunged a hand below the surface, then in one sharp movement, he sent a fish flying with his palm.

“Alto!”

I scrambled to catch the fish and dropped it into the bucket. Meanwhile, Gramps sent another one flying. I didn’t even have time to take a breath. After doing it a few more times, he finally stopped and beckoned me over.

The river water was freezing, biting against my skin. Still, I wanted to try it myself, so I stepped carefully toward him, doing my best not to disturb the surface.

Gramps silently pointed down. I followed his finger and spotted a few fish swimming lazily through the water. Then he made a grabbing motion with his hand. He wanted me to catch one. I’d been watching closely enough, so I figured I could probably do it.

I picked a target and quickly thrust my hand into the water, but the fish darted away before I could even get close.

Drat!

I took a step forward to give chase, determined to get it this time, but suddenly found myself underwater.

I thought I heard Gramps shouting in the distance, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying. I didn’t even understand what had just happened. I looked up and saw the surface of the water above me shimmering with light.

Bubbles drifted through the freezing water as I completely lost my sense of balance. A strange, muffled sound echoed in my ears, and my nose started to sting. As soon as that pain hit me, I heard a loud splash, and the next thing I knew, someone was pulling me out.

“You okay?” Gramps asked, holding me up with both arms.

“Okay?” I repeated, bewildered. I still didn’t understand how I’d ended up in the water. I was too confused to even think straight. Gramps let out a relieved sigh and started to explain.

“The riverbed here looks shallow, but it’s not. Even if it appears that way, it can actually be deep enough that your feet can’t touch the bottom. And the current is often stronger than it looks. That’s why you always have to tread carefully.”

It was only then that it finally clicked. I’d stepped into a deep spot and been pulled under.

“I’ll be more careful from now on. Thanks for saving me, Gramps.”

“It’s nothing worth thanking me for. Honestly, I figured you might fall in.”

“What?! That’s not nice!” I pouted.

“Kids are supposed to mess up and learn from their mistakes,” he said with a chuckle. Then, he adjusted his grip on me and lifted me into his arms.

“I don’t wanna mess up,” I muttered.

Every time I’d failed to escape the slave traders, they’d beaten me. I hated the pain, the way my chest ached, and the coldness in my fingers. I hated all of it.

I must’ve started shivering a little because Gramps gently began to rub my back.

“If you really don’t want to fail, there’s a way to make sure you never do.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“Well, it’s simple: Do nothing. If you never try anything, you’ll never fail. But that also means that you’ll never grow.”

“Huh?”

That wasn’t the answer I expected. Sure, if you never did anything, you wouldn’t mess up. But didn’t that sound super boring?

The look on my face must’ve been funny because Gramps laughed softly. When he spoke again, his voice sounded calm, like it was settling into the quiet air around us.

“Alto, you don’t have to be afraid. People grow by failing. Even when their lives are on the line, they still make mistakes. That’s why we fail before it actually counts. We stumble beforehand so we don’t when it really matters. What’s important is learning from those mistakes and making sure to never repeat them.”

“Master says that, too. He always tells me not to make the same mistake twice.”

“Really?”

“Did you mess up a lot, too, Gramps?”

“Oh, more times than I could possibly count.”

We reached the riverbank as we were talking. Gramps gently set me down, and I took off my wet clothes, used them to dry off, then pulled a change of clothes from my bag to get dressed.

As Gramps was rolling his pant legs back down, I noticed something on his left ankle.

“What’s that decoration on your leg?” I asked.

“Oh, this? It’s a magical tool.”

“A magical tool?” I was really curious, so I asked him all sorts of questions, but Gramps just laughed and wouldn’t tell me anything.

Maybe he was teasing me. I narrowed my eyes at him, and he grinned and said, “Come now, don’t be mad.” I told him I’d forgive him if he shared a story with me about one of his mistakes.

“Well, I suppose I can’t say no to that,” he said with a chuckle, and began talking about when he was a kid.

He told me about the time he’d nearly drowned in a river, just like I had, and that his friend had pulled him out. How he’d eaten some kind of fruit that looked delicious but turned out to be poisonous. When he jumped off a cliff he thought was just a small drop but was actually really high up and broke his leg, so his friend had to carry him all the way home.

Every one of his stories was more unbelievable than the last.

But what really stuck with me was how the same friend showed up in almost every single story. They must’ve been best friends. Sometimes Gramps got a wistful, quiet look in his eyes. I wondered if he missed them. I wanted to ask but remembered how he said he couldn’t travel long distances anymore, so I decided not to bring it up.

Still, I couldn’t help but think how amazing it would be if Master, Gramps, and I could go on a journey together someday.

“So what now? Want to keep fishing?” Gramps asked.

“Oh, right! I have to catch some more fish for Master!”

We kept fishing until a little past noon. I was just starting to get hungry when Gramps suggested we head back. Even though I wanted to stay a little longer, I nodded and packed up my things.

There was an unfamiliar carriage parked at the gate when we got back to our house, carrying our buckets full of fish. As we got closer, the door opened, and Sophia stepped out. She was one of the women who came to the dinner party last night.

“Hello, Master Ragi. Alto.”

“Hi, Sophia! What are you doing here today?”

“I came to thank you for the lovely dinner yesterday,” she said with a warm smile. She handed over a basket she was carrying, but I wasn’t sure what to do with it, so I looked up at Gramps.

“Well, that’s very kind of you. Thank you for the gesture,” he said.

“You’re more than welcome. I had such a wonderful time yesterday. I was hoping we might talk again, if that’s all right.” She looked a little shy as she smiled at us.

“How about joining us for tea, then?” Gramps asked, smiling back.

He opened the door and invited her in. As soon as we got inside, Gramps went to the kitchen to prepare tea, and I showed Sophia to the living room.

Once she was settled in a chair, Sophia asked about my treasures, so I told her about them one by one, mixing in stories about Master as I went. By the time Gramps came back with the tea, I was so into it I was already heading to my room to grab an insect shell to show her.

“Why don’t we save the shell for later and have some tea first?” Gramps said with a laugh.

I didn’t know why we had to wait, but I did as he said and sat down.

Once my tummy had stopped grumbling a bit, Sophia asked, “Did you enjoy fishing today?”

I showed her the bucket, and she looked really surprised. She’d probably never gone fishing before, so I told her what made it so fun. She listened the whole time, smiling, laughing, and even worrying when I talked about almost drowning.

“What do you usually do for fun, Sophia?” I asked, turning the question around.

“Hmm, let’s see… Well, I usually read or do embroidery, I suppose.”

“Oh. You don’t play outside?”

“No, I wouldn’t say that I do.”

So she stays inside all the time? She doesn’t ever want to run around and play?

“Do Georges and Fred not play outside either?” I asked.

I knew Cyrus did, because he’d gone fishing with us before. But I was curious about the others.

“I’m not sure if ‘playing’ is the right word, but both Sir Georges and my brother train in martial arts. They spar with swords, go horseback riding, things like that. I can ride a horse, too, so sometimes I join them when they go out.”

“Wow! You can ride a horse? Really?!”

“Yes. I can’t gallop at top speed, but I can go quite fast,” she said with a smile.

“That’s so cool… I wish I could ride a horse, too.”

“You want to learn how to ride a horse, Alto?”

“Yes!”

I told her how I was the only one who hadn’t been able to ride when I’d gone on that quest with Master and Gramps to explore the ruins. I’d felt so left out.

“Have you ever asked Setsuna to teach you?” she asked.

“Well, Master’s really busy. And we don’t have a horse.”

We could borrow one from the guild, but they gave priority to people who were on actual quests, so it was tough to get one just for practice.

“I see…,” Sophia murmured. “Well, in that case, would you like me to teach you the basics?”

“Well yeah… But we don’t have a horse.”

“My father’s heading out on a hunting trip the day after tomorrow, so we won’t have the horses after that, but I can arrange one for you to use until then. You can come by my house to learn how to ride if you want.”

“…”

I really did want to learn to ride a horse, but going to a stranger’s house alone felt a little scary. And leaving Gramps behind felt like I’d be ditching my original quest of looking after him. I was just about to turn her down when…

“Would you mind if I joined as well, Sophia?” Gramps asked.

He must’ve sensed how I was feeling and stepped in to help. My tail automatically started wagging.

“Of course not,” she replied.

“It’s really okay if Gramps comes too?”

“Yes. You can come together,” Sophia said with a gentle smile.

Part Three: Sophia

What started out as a short visit to thank Master Ragi and Alto ended up turning into a little tea party, and before I knew it, the afternoon had passed in the blink of an eye.

When I got home, I told my family about the visit and how I’d invited Alto to learn how to ride a horse. Father’s expression darkened as soon as I brought it up. He didn’t like the idea of inviting strangers over, but once my brother explained that they were acquaintances of Prince Eugene and Lord Keith, he eventually gave his permission.

That reminded me that I hadn’t actually told him much about the dinner the day prior, so I gave a quick explanation with my brother there beside me. Both Father and Mother went wide-eyed with surprise. I couldn’t blame them; that’s how I had felt at the time, as well.

Once I finished telling them about the tea party, Father told me it was all right to teach Alto how to ride, but that I mustn’t let him ride at full speed. Children sometimes get overexcited and push their horses too hard, he told me. He gave my brother a look when he said it, and Fred glanced away awkwardly, which made me laugh.

I promised my father I’d be careful, then made one more request. Since Alto was shy around strangers, I asked to keep the lessons limited to just the three of us—Master Ragi, Alto, and me.

The first day of lessons, Alto wasn’t afraid of the horse at all. We started with the fundamentals, including how to safely approach a horse, how to mount and dismount, and how to sit properly while riding.

He’d probably heard all of this before during that quest he did with Setsuna, but I wanted to go over it again to make sure nothing went wrong.

Even though the explanation was probably boring, Alto listened carefully. And when it came time to mount, he climbed up using the step stool with all the focus in the world. I held back the urge to help, watching as he finally swung his leg over the saddle and got himself into position. Once he was settled, I took hold of the reins and walked beside him.

Alto rode with wide-eyed excitement from beginning to end. He struggled a bit when it came to turning the horse, but he never stopped smiling. He was such an excited little boy. Master Ragi stood off to the side, watching over him with that warm, gentle expression he always had for Alto.

After the two of them waved good-bye and left for the day, I went back inside. Mother’s voice immediately greeted me. “He’s such a handsome, polite young boy, isn’t he?” I guessed she’d been watching from the window.

The second day, when Alto returned, he was eagerly pulling Master Ragi along by the hand. I asked if he was sore from yesterday’s lesson, but he just tipped his head to the side and said, “No, not at all!” with an energetic grin.

Satisfied, I started with a quick review. There were a few times when I had to correct his posture, but for the most part, Alto had already gotten the horse to walk steadily on his own.

“Would you like to try a trot next, Alto?” I asked.

“Yes, please!” His eager reply made me smile. Since I wouldn’t be able to keep up on foot, I attached a long lead line to the horse to keep it under control.

“First, let’s practice keeping your balance at a trot, okay?”

Alto patted the horse’s neck and said, “I’ll try my best, so take care of me, okay?” It was heartwarming how sincere he was with the animal.

He practiced for a while, and I could tell he was getting more and more comfortable in the saddle. After a while, I suggested we take a break. Alto munched cheerfully on some cookies, excitedly chatting all the while about how much fun riding was. Master Ragi sat nearby, smiling fondly as he listened.

We were sitting there enjoying the peaceful moment when we started to hear noise from inside the house. Alto’s ears twitched as he listened carefully, but Master Ragi didn’t seem too concerned.

I stood up to see what was happening and saw Sir Georges walking toward us.

That’s odd, I thought. I wasn’t expecting him today. I tried to think why he would be here, but I was certain we hadn’t made any plans. Even so, seeing him approach filled me with more joy than confusion. When Sir Georges reached me, he gave me a sheepish grin and said, “Sorry to drop by unannounced. I actually came to meet with Fred, but I heard Ragi and Alto were here, so I wanted to say hello.”

He turned and thanked them for dinner the other night. It made sense that was why he was here, but knowing he hadn’t come expressly to see me did leave me feeling a bit disappointed.

Sir Georges must’ve noticed this, because after expressing his thanks, he turned back to me and handed me a small bouquet wrapped in beautiful paper. He’d been hiding something behind his back earlier, but I never imagined it would be a gift for me. It was a lovely surprise.

“Thank you. The ribbon’s very pretty as well.”

I guessed Elly had done the embroidery by hand, which made it even more special.

“I was surprised to hear you were all out here doing riding practice,” Georges said. “Does Setsuna know?”

“Yes, Master knows,” replied Alto.

“He was quite surprised, as well,” Master Ragi added.

“I imagine so,” Sir Georges said with a chuckle. “Are you having fun, Alto?”

“Yeah! So much fun!” Alto answered immediately.

Sir Georges smiled at him kindly and nodded. “I’m glad to hear it. I love riding, too.” He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. “Would you mind if I helped with your practice, as a thank-you for the other night? I may not look it, but I’m actually the best rider in Lypaed, if I do say so myself.”

“But aren’t you meeting Fred today?” Alto asked.

“I can cancel. He seemed busy anyway, so it’ll all work out.”

“Okay! I’ll wait.”

With that settled, Sir Georges joined in on Alto’s training.

Time passed by so quickly it didn’t even feel real. Before we knew it, Alto’s session was almost over, which made me feel a little sad.

Alto must’ve felt the same way, because his ears drooped, and he started petting the horse more and more. Sir Georges and Master Ragi both watched with amused smiles.

“Alto.”

“…”

He clutched the reins tightly, as if he didn’t want to let go.

“Would you like to make the horse run?” Sir Georges asked. “I’ll guide you.”

“Huh? Really?” Alto exclaimed. His head shot up, and his eyes sparkled with excitement.

“You’ll be in good hands with Sir Georges. He and my brother helped me when I first learned how to ride, too,” I said.

“Yeah, I wanna try it! I wanna go fast!” Alto said.

Sir Georges smiled and went to get his own horse from the stables. Once he returned, he trotted slowly beside Alto, gradually picking up speed until the two horses were cantering side by side across the field.

This must’ve been the fastest Alto had ever gone. He looked like he was having the time of his life as he cut through the wind on the horse.

“He’s not afraid. He actually seems to be enjoying it,” Master Ragi said.

“I wasn’t nearly that confident my first time,” I admitted. “Honestly, I’m a little jealous.”

I’d been terrified to go fast on a horse until I was much more used to riding.

Master Ragi let out a short laugh. “But the fact that you stuck with it and learned anyway is something to be proud of.”

“Thank you.”

The two of us chatted quietly as we waited for the two horses to return.

After a little while, Alto came trotting back, breathless and eagerly looking for approval. “Did I do good? Was I riding okay?” All of us nodded as one.

“You kept your posture the whole way through,” I said. “You really looked like you were in sync with the horse.”

“Yeah! I was running right through the wind!” He was practically vibrating as he turned to tell Master Ragi about it. “But…my butt kinda hurts…”

Everyone laughed.

“You rode just like a real knight,” I told him.

“Yeah, you could be a great knight,” Sir Georges agreed. “You’re already skilled enough to be on your own, at least when it comes to riding.”

All of a sudden, Alto stared at us, frozen.

“Alto?” Sir Georges asked.

“Alto?” I tipped my head to the side, puzzled. He blinked a few times, then looked up at me.

“Was I…really that good?” he asked quietly.

“You were. You were amazing,” I said gently.

“Thank you.”

But the enthusiasm had disappeared from his voice. He lowered his head like he didn’t know what to do, the smile gone from his face.

Did we perhaps go overboard with the compliments and embarrass him?

I decided not to say anything else. Master Ragi and Sir Georges also looked a little perplexed, but they didn’t press him, and we all led the horses back to the stables together. Alto remained silent, looking a bit down. I was starting to worry, but Master Ragi leaned close to me and murmured, “He’ll be fine,” so I decided not to bring it up.

“I’ll be sure to let you know when you can come riding again,” I said at the gate. Master Ragi and Alto both smiled and nodded.

“Sophia, Georges, thank you both for teaching me how to ride!” he said.

“You’re very welcome.”

“Cyrus is good at riding, too,” Sir Georges told him. “You should ask him to take you next time.”

“Wow, really? I’ll ask him!”

“Thank you again for everything these past few days,” Master Ragi said with a smile.

“I had a wonderful time chatting with you, Master Ragi,” I said. “Please give my regards to Setsuna.”

“I will.”

And just like that, our two-day riding session came to an end leaving a worry lingering in my heart.

Part Four: Drum

The Adventurers Guild had started to settle down into its usual midday lull. I figured it probably varied from place to place, but here in Lypaed, most people came in early to report on the quests they’d finished the day before, so mornings were the busiest time of day.

New quest notices were posted in the morning as well, so it made sense to come early and grab a new quest while reporting in. Back when I was still working as an adventurer, I’d always report in as fast as possible to get paid right away. I’d been reminded of that when I first got stationed here.

Setsuna had dropped by during the morning rush and hung around for a while, but he’d finally chosen a quest and headed out. A few younger female adventurers had turned to watch him go, though I couldn’t tell if he’d noticed or not.

He spoke politely and was graceful in his movements. On top of that, he was so handsome you rarely saw someone with his looks. It was no wonder the women at the guild couldn’t take their eyes off him. We’d had some guild staff do a background check on him, and they’d told me he was even popular with the other women around town.

They should be here soon…

It was almost time. I’d arranged the meeting specifically so my guests wouldn’t run into Setsuna, and it would start as soon as they arrived. I found myself thinking about Setsuna since he would be the main focus of the discussion.

What stood out the most was how much he cared for his young apprentice. When I first heard he’d taken in a beastfolk kid to mentor, I hadn’t believed it. I’d even sent for the records to double-check myself.

The documents described how Setsuna had rescued the boy from slavery in Gardir. Apparently, the two of them had built a strong bond during their stay at an inn there.

I knew the moment I saw it with my own eyes that the connection between them was real and couldn’t be faked. They were a true mentor and apprentice.

Still, I never would’ve guessed that giant, Dahlrok, would end up running an inn…

She had once been part of a team of black-ranked adventurers called Drink and Dine. It was hard to believe someone like that was now working as an innkeeper. I remembered the note I’d read… Apparently, she’d turned the place into a kind of safe haven for beastfolk.

No, that’s not important right now… What matters is Setsuna.

I thought of some of his other qualities. The first thing that came to mind was how reserved and kind he was. Unfortunately, that kindness had backfired. Adventurers from outside of Lypaed had started calling him a coward.

It all began around when the Founding Festival ended. Setsuna had gone to pick up a quest from the board just as another adventurer reached for the same one. He was from out of town, having come for the festival like many others.

Setsuna gave up the quest without complaint, purely out of courtesy. Since the local adventurers knew him well, they assumed he was just being kind and didn’t think twice about it. The outsider, however, seemed to think that Setsuna had backed down because he was too timid to stand up for himself. He started spreading the rumor that Setsuna was a coward, which caught on with the other out-of-towners.

Before long, people started deliberately grabbing quests he was about to take. I’d even stepped in a few times when it got too out of hand.

“Why do you keep giving up the quests?” I remembered asking him.

“There are plenty of others,” he’d replied casually. “It’s not like I had my heart set on that one, and if someone’s got fewer options than I do, isn’t it better to let them have it?” I was too stunned to even argue.

The meeting time had snuck up on me as I was lost in thought, and I spotted the familiar faces heading my way.

“I see you two are as inseparable as always,” I commented.

“Of course we are.”

“Looks like you haven’t changed, either. Good.”

After that quick exchange, I left the front desk to the other guild staff and took the two of them downstairs to a private room.

After going through everything I’d found out, Halman quietly said, “I see. When I first got wind of this back in Miglis, I didn’t think much of it—”

“It’s a good thing we hurried,” Nancy said, cutting him off. “We couldn’t use the teleportation circle inside Lypaed, either, so we had to be careful. It was a real hassle.”

She always interrupted him like that and was completely oblivious to it, but Halman never seemed to mind. I suppose married couples have their own ways about them that other people just don’t understand.

“The spell used during the noble marriage proposal ceremony in Lypaed was definitely Time magic,” Halman began. “Our intel says the sorcerer left the kingdom afterward, but—”

“That claim doesn’t hold much water,” Nancy finished.

“Right. What do you think, Drum?”

“What do I think? It has to be a lie. There’s no way they’d just let someone like that go. As proof, Lypaed Castle hasn’t shown any indication of trying to find the Time sorcerer. Even now, when the conflict with Guilonde is heating up and they’re desperate for talented individuals.”

“So either they’ve already pledged their service to Lypaed, or they’re still somewhere inside the kingdom. But since your digging didn’t turn up anyone who’s recently entered the king’s service, the second explanation’s more likely, right?”

“Why even ask me if you’re just gonna summarize the whole thing?” I grumbled and glared at Halman.

He gave a wry smile, then continued. “That means it’s worth looking into the person who’s spreading the rumors he left. I assume that’s your read on the situation—”

“This sorcerer, Setsuna, certainly sounds impressive,” Nancy said. “How long’s he been an adventurer again? Just a few months, and he’s already purple rank? That’s not normal.”

“Even if you factor in the medicinal work, that kind of rank progression’s just unheard of. He’s already becoming a hot topic among the guild staff. But this would all make sense if he really is the Time sorcerer.”

The married couple kept chatting back and forth, not letting me get a word in edgewise.

“What I don’t get is why he’s hiding it,” Nancy wondered aloud. “If he’s a Time sorcerer, then why not just say so?”

“Drum?” Halman asked.

“He doesn’t care about ranks. He told me he only registered as an adventurer to earn money for traveling. That’s it. He doesn’t want anything else. So he’s probably hiding his abilities to avoid getting tied down.”

It was something that had just come up in casual conversation, but I could tell he’d meant it.

“Wait, seriously? So he’s not even trying, and that’s how far he’s gotten? Time sorcerers really are on a whole different level!”

“That means we probably can’t convince him to join the guild as staff.”

“Yeah, if traveling’s his goal, then he’ll never accept a desk job,” I said.

“What if he was black rank?” Nancy asked. “If he is the Time sorcerer, he’ll qualify without question. And being ranked that high makes traveling easier, doesn’t it?”

“Maybe,” I considered, “but that comes with added responsibilities like the Black Council. That’s the biggest catch.”

Every major decision for the Adventurers Guild went through the Black Council, which was comprised of all the guildmasters and the black-ranked adventurers. And when a meeting was called, attendance was mandatory. Setsuna wanted to roam freely, so I highly doubted he wanted any part of that.

Nancy’s voice cut in as I was thinking it over. “But is he even in a position to travel right now?”

Halman remained silent.

That was my cue to say what none of us wanted to admit. “Even if we want to lure him in with the perks, we first need to make sure he really is the Time sorcerer. And if he won’t admit it, then there’s not much else we can do.”

“True,” Halman agreed. “If we can’t confirm it’s him, there’s no way forward.”

“But what if he doesn’t tell us?” Nancy asked. “Should we threaten to expel him from the guild? Ah, but I guess someone with his talent can earn money even without the guild’s help. Hmm… Then what if we threaten to kick out his apprentice, too?”

“Absolutely not. That’s a terrible idea. Don’t even think about it.”

“But you know what’s at stake,” Nancy argued. “The whole guild could collapse if we lose the Time sorcerer. We’re already pulling staff from everywhere to look for him. This isn’t the time to play nice.”

“Maybe, but using threats goes against everything the guild stands for. I’d rather just be honest and explain how desperate we are. If he is the Time sorcerer, maybe he’ll agree to help.”

“No, that’s too big a risk,” Halman said. “If it’s not him and we give him that kind of intel, there’s no telling how he might use it. We should keep quiet until we’re sure he’s the Time sorcerer, and until he agrees to cooperate.”

“I hardly doubt it’ll be that easy,” I muttered. “He’s cautious and doesn’t seem like the type to let something slip.”

“In which case, Nancy’s suggestion is the most realistic, right?”

“Hang on, you’re going to make me threaten him?!” I exclaimed.

“Of course. You’re the only one who knows him.”

Great. This has gone completely off the rails. I really don’t want to be involved with this…

With the situation having escalated dramatically, all I could do was let out a deep sigh.

Part Five: Ragi

Alto had been out of sorts ever since his riding lesson ended. I knew when this had started, but not why, exactly. I’d told Sophia not to worry and said he’d be fine, but honestly, I wasn’t so sure about that.

I could ignore it if he was just tired. That’s what I’d been hoping it was, anyway, so I hadn’t brought it up to Setsuna the night before. But come morning, as I saw Alto chatting with him at the breakfast table, I realized something was still off.

I knew I wasn’t just imagining it, either. Setsuna smiled and nodded along as Alto chatted away, but behind his calm visage, I could tell he was carefully observing the young boy.

“I wanted to ride more,” Alto muttered.

“Should we get a horse for you next time we go out on a quest?” Setsuna suggested.

“Um, I… I wanna practice more…” Alto looked away as he answered softly. “I can’t ride by myself very well yet.”

“Okay. Well, how about once the monster hunt quests settle down, I’ll ask if we can borrow a horse for you to practice on?”

“Yeah,” Alto agreed happily. “I gotta get better. A lot better.” On the surface, it sounded like an ordinary conversation, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. Just the other day, Alto had been glowing with confidence, proud that he could ride on his own now.

So what had changed?

Setsuna must’ve sensed something, too, because he kept his thoughtful gaze on Alto.

Later that morning, once the chores were done and I’d finally sat down to rest, I heard the sound of a carriage stopping outside. Curious, I went to see who it was and saw Norris, Elly, and Sophia all standing at the door. They’d come together to see us.

Our guests brought a bouquet of flowers and some sweets, which I accepted as I invited them inside.

The house sure had seen a lot of visitors lately. And to my own surprise, I hadn’t found it bothersome at all. In fact, it made me realize that people really could change, even at my old age.

Alto was caught off guard by our guests, but before long, he was chattering away and telling Norris and Elly all about his riding lessons. They praised him for learning to ride, and Alto thanked them, but something about him seemed different.

Elly noticed it too, and she gently started asking Alto about it. Finally, he said, “I’m just sad I can’t ride anymore.”

She tried to comfort him, but I knew that wasn’t really the reason why he was sad.

Sophia glanced over at me. I met her eyes and smiled, silently reassuring her not to worry. She must’ve been concerned about his behavior from the day before and come to check on him. She really was such a kind girl.

Alto was just as quiet and glum when the time came for them to leave. Maybe that was why they promised to come again the next day. He watched them go, looking strangely sad, then shut himself in his room, saying that he was going to study.

What’s been bothering him, then?

I tried to remember exactly what happened when Georges had praised Alto.

What was it he said? Oh, that’s right…

“You could be a great knight. You’re already skilled enough to be on your own, at least when it comes to riding.”

It was just a kind, offhand compliment. But something about it must’ve stuck with Alto.

A great knight…skilled enough to be on your own…

I turned it over and over again in my mind until it finally clicked.

Ah, now the conversation with Setsuna this morning makes sense.

My heart ached when I thought about the secret Alto had been carrying around. I let out a deep sigh, trying to release some of the heaviness inside of me and decided to talk to Setsuna about it later tonight.

Once Alto had gone to bed, I found a quiet moment to talk with Setsuna. He placed a cup of tea on the table instead of his usual drink, then sat down on the sofa with a knowing look.

“This is about Alto, isn’t it?”

I nodded and explained everything that happened the day before, including the moment I believed had made Alto so sad. Once I was finished, Setsuna let out a slow, deep sigh.

“There have been a few times these past few days when Alto’s suddenly looked away from me in the middle of a conversation. There was a guilty look in his eyes, even when he was smiling and talking like normal. I haven’t seen him make a face like that in a long time.” Setsuna took a sip of tea before continuing. “I’ve been trying to figure out what was wrong with him, but after hearing your explanation, it all makes sense.”

“Do you mind telling me what you’re thinking?” I asked. I assumed we’d both come to the same conclusion, but I wanted to hear it in his own words.

“Well, it’s been four months since Alto became my apprentice. When we first met, he couldn’t read or write. Even talking was a struggle. Now he can read books appropriate for his own age.”

“That’s true.”

“But sometimes, even after all this time, he has trouble expressing his feelings when something’s bothering him.”

“Yes, I’ve noticed that.”

My own son had gradually begun to express himself more clearly as he got older, but Alto still seemed to struggle with it. His memory was outstanding, and he picked things up astonishingly quickly, but sometimes his sentences became halting or he withdrew, just like he had the day we first met.

Sometimes I wondered if maybe he could express his feelings normally. If I was wrong about that, though, it would end up hurting his feelings, so I’d never brought it up.

“I think Alto can express himself properly now. And that he’s realized he can describe how he’s feeling,” Setsuna said.

“I agree.”

“At first, I assumed it was just a habit, that Alto would express his feelings as he came to trust me. I thought once he discovered how much more clearly he could share his thoughts that it would naturally happen…but it didn’t.”

“…”

“That’s when I realized he’s choosing not to share his feelings on purpose, and I couldn’t figure out why.”

“…”

“But now I understand: He’s afraid. Afraid of being seen as a grown-up…of being recognized as capable and independent enough to survive on his own.”

Ah, so we have come to the same conclusion.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “He enjoys growing up, but he’s scared of being treated like an independent adult.”

“I don’t plan to stop being his mentor as long as that’s what he wants,” Setsuna said.

I could tell he meant that. Maybe he was already thinking ahead to the day Alto would eventually leave the nest. Personally, I wasn’t so sure that day would ever come. If I had to say, I’d guess the two of them would still travel together for a long time, but I kept that to myself.

“Alto didn’t tell me he was praised by Sophia and Georges,” he said.

“Well, ‘you’re good enough to be on your own’ was probably the last thing he wanted to hear.”

That must’ve been why Alto insisted he needed more practice when Setsuna asked if he wanted to take a horse on their next quest. He wanted to make it clear he wasn’t ready yet to ride on his own.

“So what will you do?” I asked. “It’s easy enough to lift that burden from his heart, but how do you want to deal with it, Setsuna?”

He placed a hand over his mouth thoughtfully, his gaze cast downward. After a pause, he finally spoke, his words slow and careful.

“I want him to find the courage to face the fear of losing me and take that first step on his own.”

It was just as I’d imagined. He wasn’t only thinking about Alto improving his skills; he wanted him to grow emotionally as well.

The ability to stand tall and overcome hardships on your own was something you needed to be able to survive. Setsuna understood that. That was why he’d resolved to watch and wait to see how things played out, even if it went against what his heart told him.

“I agree with your thinking, Setsuna. Let’s wait until Alto’s ready to take that next step on his own.”

“Thank you. Honestly, I’ve already told him over and over again that I’ll never leave him, so it’s really not anything to seriously worry about,” Setsuna said with a wry smile.

Part Six: Setsuna

After Ragi and I finished talking about Alto, we continued chatting late into the night. I knew he was keeping me company for my own sake, so I felt a bit guilty about keeping him up.

The next morning, Alto still looked down during our morning training. I didn’t expect anything to have changed overnight, and I left the house without much hope that things would get any better today.

I made my way to the guild. Drum approached me as soon as I stepped inside. He didn’t greet me with his usual gusto, so I could tell something was on his mind.

“Got a minute?” he asked.

“Sure.”

He left the other staff to handle the reception desk and asked me to follow him up to the second floor. It was the same room we’d used when I spoke with Norris. I hadn’t taken any quests that would require a meeting in private, though, so something already felt off.

I took a seat and used my detection abilities. Sure enough, there were two people in the next room observing us. As I was thinking about what that might mean, Drum sat down and gave me a serious look.

“I’m just going to come right out and ask: Can you use Time magic?”

“No, I can’t.”

I figured someone would ask sooner or later, but this is still a pain.

He kept his gaze on me, trying to gauge whether I was telling the truth. “There are plenty of sorcerers with rare abilities who try to hide them. I don’t fault them for it; they do it to protect themselves. If you say you’re not one of them, then I want to believe you, but…” He sat up a little straighter before continuing. “The guild headquarters sent word. They want confirmation of whether or not you’re a Time sorcerer.”

The atmosphere in the room grew heavy, but still I said nothing.

“You know, you don’t match your appearance at all,” Drum said with a tight smile.

“Should I take that as a compliment?” I asked.

He narrowed his eyes a little as he stared at me. “Yeah, I guess so. I underestimated you. I thought you’d cave and tell me right away.” Drum spoke in that same familiar, easygoing tone he always used, but there was a certain pressure behind it now—the intimidating air of a seasoned adventurer.

Still, I’d faced Revale’s hostility without even flinching, and compared to him, this was like a gentle summer breeze. More than anything…I was starting to get annoyed.

“I don’t like these kinds of negotiations,” I said.

“Sorry, but I can’t let the youngsters walk all over me now, can I?” Drum said with a shrug.

I started to stand up from my seat before I could say anything I might regret.

“You’re not afraid of being kicked out of the guild? That ever cross your mind?”

He was bluffing. An ordinary adventurer might hesitate at the idea of being expelled from the guild, but not me.

“Not really. Leaving the guild wouldn’t bother me.”

His eyes widened.

“Like I said before, I only registered in the first place because it makes traveling easier.”

True, being a guild member offered certain perks, but I had no intention of letting them push me around.

“I can survive anywhere, no matter the situation.”

Drum lowered his gaze in thought. I could sense mana flowing in from the other room, so they were probably using Telepathy to communicate.

“That may be true for you,” he muttered, “but not for your apprentice.”

Once he brought Alto into it, my irritation erupted into fury.

“If Alto’s expelled, the quest he’s doing right now would have to be canceled. I’m sure you don’t want that.”

The world around me seemed to turn red.

“…”

The color drained from Drum’s face.

“I warned you earlier: I don’t appreciate negotiations like this.”

I stood up, drew my sword, and threw it at the wall. The blade pierced the stone, causing cracks to spread, and a moment later, the wall came crashing down. I calmly retrieved my sword, sheathed it, and sat back down.

Drum stared silently in shock at the crumbled wall.

“Why don’t you come out now?” I called out.

A woman stepped over the rubble, looking pale and clearly shaken.

“If you try to take Alto’s quest away from him, I’m prepared to do whatever it takes,” I said evenly.

“That’s not what we want,” she said hastily. “None of this would be necessary if you’d just tell us the truth.”

They’re still trying to negotiate.

Her arrogant attitude made my stomach churn. I could feel a dark fire building inside me.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

It didn’t even feel like I was speaking to a person anymore—just a humanoid figure making noises that sounded vaguely human. I conjured a whirlwind, trying to shake off the feeling.

“Setsuna, knock it off.”

Drum’s voice brought me back to myself, and I released the gale, letting it dissipate.

“…”

“…”

Still, I was done compromising.

“I stopped, so what now? I have no intention of continuing this conversation.”

“I’m sorry. We were in the wrong. Could you just calm down for a moment?” A man stepped out from the adjacent room.

“And why should I?” I asked.

“My name is Halman. I’m the assistant deputy guildmaster of the Adventurers Guild headquarters and an Earthmaster. This is my wife, Nancy. We put Drum up to this. He had no intention of actually banning you from the guild. Please calm your anger.”

“Is that it?”

“I apologize, the way we went about this was all wrong. I was hoping you might hear us out.”

“No thanks.”

“Setsuna, I know I’m not in any position to ask, but please listen,” Drum said. “The survival of the guild—of all adventurers is at stake, Alto included! I’m not trying to bluff like earlier. This is serious. It’s a matter of life and death.”

The look in Drum’s eyes had changed, back to that of the guildmaster I recognized. That was enough to calm my anger a bit.

“You’ve always looked out for Alto, so I’ll believe you.”

I put away my sword and took a deep breath, then sat down.

Once everyone was seated, Halman said, “We heard your conversation with Drum, but I want to ask you one more time: Can you use Time magic?”

“No, I can’t. And honestly, I thought you’d at least explain why you’re going to such extreme measures in the first place.”

“If we can’t confirm you’re the Time sorcerer, I won’t be able to tell you anything.”

“So if I’m not, then I don’t even get to know why all this is happening? Do you realize how ridiculous that is?”

“I’m sorry, but that’s just how it works.”

“Do you really have so little integrity?”

“Setsuna, this concerns the very survival of the Adventurers Guild,” Drum stressed. “There’s no way we can share anything unless we’re absolutely certain. I’m not asking you to understand, but please don’t get angry.”

Halman’s earlier response had only stoked my rage again, after it was just beginning to settle. I took a deep breath, trying to control my emotions.

“If you really want to know all about me, why don’t you add a rule to the guild’s guidelines that says adventurers have to answer every question honestly,” I said icily, unable to keep the sarcasm from my voice.

“We can’t add anything that contradicts our founder Master Shigeto’s core principle: ‘Respect the will of each individual.’ That rule still stands. It’s only right for you to criticize us when we act against it. We made the wrong choice in our rush to find a solution. I promise we’ll honor his vision from now on. So please, let’s just start over.”

The moment I heard Halman say that, fragments of information unfurled in my mind.

I’m shocked… Really shocked. I never imagined Hanai founded the Adventurers Guild. Is that why Kanade encouraged me to register as an adventurer?

I dug deeper into the memories that surfaced and discovered Hanai had also established guild facilities like medicinal clinics and orphanages. I didn’t know why he’d created these systems to support the world, but it was clear that despite being brought here against his will, he hadn’t spent his life idly.

He lived like a camellia.

“Is something wrong? You look troubled.” Halman had noticed I wasn’t responding and paused the conversation to check on me.

He was ordered around and bound so many times, he must’ve never wanted to force those things on anyone else…

The three of them gave me wary looks.

“I can use Time magic,” I told them.

Halman stared at me, a look of confusion on his face. “Why the sudden honesty? I mean, don’t get me wrong… I’m glad you’re telling us.”

“I merely remembered the founder’s words about the guild’s mission: to protect all lives equally. If revealing I’m a Time sorcerer can help uphold that, then I think it’s worth it. People’s lives are at stake, aren’t they? That’s what you said.”

My reasoning was actually even simpler than that: I couldn’t turn my back on what Hanai had built.

I stood up, reached for one of the flowers in a nearby vase, and cast a spell on it. “Time for the flower has stopped. It won’t wither anymore.”

I was recreating the effect of the flowers from the marriage proposal ceremony. It would be days before anyone could prove this was true, though, so I offered another demonstration. I turned to the crumbled wall and restored it with Time magic.

The three of them watched on wide-eyed as the wall repaired itself in reverse.

Drum and the others seemed too startled to speak, but eventually they exchanged glances and Halman stepped forward to talk. “I’d like you to take a look at this first.” He took a Cube from his pocket. “Master Shigeto created this Cube. It contains a permanent supply of mana that allows Void and Time magic to function within it. That said, we don’t fully understand the mechanism that keeps it charged.”

I could have probably figured out how it was made and how it worked if I searched through my memories, but I decided not to.

“There’s both Void and Time magic inside the Cube. Void magic needs to run constantly, so that’s the Cube’s default attribute. Time magic, on the other hand, only needs mana when a monster is placed inside the Cube, so it doesn’t need a constant supply. It has a store of roughly one year’s worth of Time mana, which is consumed as needed.”

“I see.”

As long as it kept affecting its target, Time magic would gradually expend mana. Basically, the user’s mana determined how long they could stop, advance, or rewind time, and as long as the Cube preserved the monster, it was constantly using up stored mana. But Halman was saying that the Cube started out with a year’s worth stored inside.

“The Cubes are recovered and recharged with Time mana before that reserve runs out. I can explain how we do that later. It can be done at any time during that year, but since you can’t tell how much power is left just by looking at it, we collect the Cubes six months after they’re handed out.”

“No one ever explained that to me when I got my Cube,” I said.

“That’s because you’re special, Setsuna… In more ways than one.”

“What do you mean? It’s not just because I can use Time magic, right?”

“No, of course not. Let me explain. When someone becomes an adventurer, there’s so much to learn that we purposely don’t go into detail about the Cubes. That can wait, since the mana reserve lasts a whole year. After six months, most adventurers reach green rank and can handle the extra information, so that’s when we retrieve the Cube and explain everything.”

“All right. So the reason I didn’t know was just because I haven’t been an adventurer for six months yet.”

“That’s right. Any adventurer who’s green rank or higher normally knows this already,” Halman said with a sheepish smile. “Anyway, once we collect the Cube, it’s sent to headquarters, where we can store more Time mana inside. We only need a small amount to convert the Cube’s attribute from Void to Time.”

“And then you need someone who can use Void magic to revert it to its original attribute?”

“No, that’s not necessary. Once the Cube has accumulated a year’s worth of Time magic, its attribute will automatically switch back to Void. We don’t really know how it does that, either. There used to be more detailed manuals, but they were lost in a fire long ago.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt. Please continue.”

“That brings us to why we’re here today. The Time sorcerer who used to help us convert that mana recently passed away, so now we have a problem supplying the Cubes.” Halman’s expression darkened as if he were remembering what had happened. “We still have spare Cubes for now, but they’ll run out soon.”

“…”

“Most of the guild’s funding comes from the profits of processing and selling monsters that adventurers capture using the Cubes. If we lose that source of income, the guild’s finances will be in serious trouble. Without the Cubes, it will become far more difficult for adventurers to store and transport monsters, which will lead to a huge drop in monsters from hunts.”

Adventurers weren’t the only ones who fought monsters, but it was far easier for them compared to mercenaries or soldiers, thanks to the Cubes. Take away the Cubes, and it was clear that fewer monsters in general would be slain.

“It won’t just be adventurers and the guild who’ll suffer if that happens. More people will be killed by monsters,” Halman explained.

“But if word gets out that the Adventurers Guild might collapse, the world will fall into chaos. We can’t risk telling anyone,” Nancy said.

“We planned on sharing everything when we decided to ask for help from a Time sorcerer. But, obviously, we couldn’t share such information unless we knew for sure you could use Time magic.”

“I understand the situation and the trouble you’re in, but it’s hard for me to forgive what you did,” I told them.

“You have my deepest apologies,” Nancy said.

“I’m really sorry, Setsuna,” Halman said.

“It was wrong. Please forgive us,” Drum said.

I still felt some resentment, but the survival of the Adventurers Guild really did matter to me, too, just as I’d thought earlier. So I decided to set my anger aside.

“I’ll accept your apology as long as you promise me this will never happen again.”

“Of course. You have my word.”

The three of them exchanged relieved looks.

“So what exactly do you need me to do?” I asked.

Halman rubbed his chin. “About that…” He pulled out a cylindrical magical tool. “This is a component of the apparatus from the Adventurers Guild headquarters that converts the Cubes’ attributes. This tube here is where the conversion takes place. You place a Cube on the left end, grip the tube, and channel Time magic into it. The Cube then moves to the right, and during that process, its attribute changes to Time.”

“I see. May I try it?” I asked.

“Of course, please do. We can’t operate it ourselves, so it’ll be faster for you to understand if you use it yourself.”

I took the tube-shaped device and set it flat like Halman had said, then placed the Cube on the left end. Next, I imbued it with Time magic, and sure enough, the Cube began to glide through the tube like it was on a conveyer belt. It stopped at the right end and started flashing with different colored lights.

“Oh, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen that,” Halman commented. “It means Time mana is being stored in the Cube.”

“What’s with the lights?”

“They’ll stop once the Cube’s reserves are full.”

“So that means it worked, right?”

“Yes. Thank you. We’d like you to do exactly what you did just now, every day.”

“Channeling magic into a Cube isn’t hard at all, so I’ll help. It’s not like I have to carry it around with me.”

The amount of mana I’d expended to activate the device was so slight I could’ve done it while cooking dinner. I told Halman that, but his expression darkened.

“No, you don’t understand. It can only be done at the guild headquarters.”

“Why? It doesn’t seem like a complicated process.”

“The process itself isn’t, at least if you say so. But the problem is the number of Cubes that need to be processed.”

“How many are there?” I asked.

“About thirty thousand per day.”

I was dumbstruck.

Thirty thousand a day… If I worked eight hours, that was three thousand seven hundred and fifty an hour, or sixty-three a minute. It took about a second for the Cube to finish processing: Sixty a minute was thirty-six hundred an hour, meaning I’d have to work eight and a half hours every day.

It was hopeless.

“That sounds terrible. I couldn’t keep working as an adventurer if I did that. I take it you came even though you expected to refuse?”

“Yes,” Halman said. “We’ve prepared a written oath forbidding you from disclosing any of this. We’ll look for someone else if you decline, but—”

“The search for Time sorcerers hasn’t gone well,” Nancy cut in. “You’re the only one we have left to ask. We’re begging you.”

“If you’d like to continue as an adventurer, then as your compensation, we can promote you to black rank,” Halman said. “It’ll take time to process, but I can guarantee it. We’ll also pay you an annual salary of ten thousand gold.”

“Please, Setsuna.”

They hadn’t needed to say all that because I’d already made up my mind. I couldn’t stand the thought of being tied to the guild forever. I still wanted to travel.

I began to examine the device in my hands, hoping there might be another way. And surprisingly, I discovered there might be a simpler solution than I’d first thought. The device was activated with Time magic, but the magic construction formula that converted the Cube’s attribute from Void to Time didn’t actually care about the element of the magic being supplied.

I inspected the Cube itself as well, just to be sure. When mana flowed into it from the device, the Cube triggered the conversion mechanism and started storing Time mana.

I wondered why the spell had been designed that way, so I searched my memories. It turned out that at first, the plan had been for any sorcerer to be able to perform the conversion, and the device had originally been made to activate for any attribute.

Later, someone realized that if a Cube malfunctioned, they’d need a Time sorcerer on hand to fix it, so the magic construction formula had been revised to work only with Time magic.

They must’ve never imagined there would be so few Time sorcerers left…

I wondered whether a Void sorcerer was needed as well, but it seemed like it was fine because of the Cubes’ protection spell.

Since the Cubes were so small, only one of their two attributes could be targeted by a protection spell. Void magic had been prioritized, meaning there was a possibility that the Time components would fail.

Once I finished examining the Cube, I looked up at the three other people in the room.

“All that matters is that the Cubes end up being filled with Time magic, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Could I have a drop of your blood? I want to analyze your mana and modify the tube so you can operate it yourself.”

I pricked Halman’s finger with a knife and let a drop of his blood fall onto the cylindrical device. Then, I manifested the device’s magic construction formula and rewrote it, changing it to activate when it came into contact with Halman’s mana rather than Time magic.

“There. Now you can activate this device.”

“You realize how outrageous this is, right?” Halman said, stunned. “No one has ever been able to display, let alone modify, the spell formula in this device.”

“That’s just because the formula wouldn’t appear without Time magic. Anyway, go ahead and try it now.”

Halman followed the same procedure I had, activating the device and making a second Cube glow. I also checked to make sure it no longer responded to my Time magic.

“I think that solves the problem,” I said. “But if the Cubes or this device ever break, please come and see me again.”

Halman stared at me, his eyes glimmering with a complicated mixture of emotions.

“…The Time sorcerer who passed away couldn’t ever get the formula to appear. He struggled with it terribly. There were even days he drowned himself in alcohol, and he died without ever succeeding.”

I knew what he was trying to say, but I kept silent and waited for him to finish.

“But you did it in a matter of minutes. He couldn’t do it in his lifetime, but you had no trouble whatsoever…” He averted his gaze then murmured, “Your power and talent frighten me a little.”

I knew what he meant. It was only natural for people to be afraid when they encountered someone with power they couldn’t even comprehend, or someone who could do something no one else could. The mere existence of someone beyond their own understanding was unsettling.

In that moment, it felt like the world was telling me I didn’t belong here. I’d honestly expected Halman to react like that, but I’d shown him what I could do regardless, because I couldn’t abandon my journey or Hanai’s legacy.

Still, it felt like my heart had cracked actually hearing those words from his lips.

I averted my gaze and pretended I hadn’t heard him. “Is there anything else?”

“Well, since you’re asking, there is one thing I’d like to ask you about the Cubes, but also for my own knowledge. The previous Time sorcerer never told me anything about Time magic.”

“What is it?”

“I always wondered when I saw the Cube’s attribute change, why the Time sorcerer never just rewound the Cube itself. If you turned back time to when it was fully charged, it should be ready to use again straight away, right? You put the wall back to how it was before; couldn’t you do the same sort of thing?” Halman looked at the pair of Cubes, which were still glowing softly.

“You can stop or speed up time for items that contain mana, but not reverse it,” I explained. “Restoring its mana by putting it back to how it was, as you just said, is not permitted by the laws of nature.”

“So you can’t turn back time for things that have mana in them? Right, if you could, you could make old people young again, and no one would ever die from wounds or sickness. You could even bring the dead back to life by granting them mana. I guess it’s something the gods refuse to allow. That makes sense. Thank you.”

“That’s probably why, yes. We can’t turn back time for someone who’s grown old. We can’t bring back the dead. Some things simply aren’t within our power to change…”

It didn’t seem like they had any more questions, so I was finally free to leave. Yet an indescribable fatigue clung to me as I walked back to Ragi’s house, where he and Alto were waiting. I couldn’t bring myself to look for any new quests that day.

Part One: Setsuna

For a few days after that meeting, Drum had spoken to me with a stiff, tense expression on his face. But once I saw him a few more times, our relationship gradually began to go back to normal.

One thing that did change, however, was that yesterday, my emblem had shifted from the first purple rank to the second red rank—I’d jumped six ranks at once. Drum told me there had been some discussion about it behind closed doors and explained why I was red now.

“But it wasn’t long ago I became purple rank,” I said.

“To be honest, I wanted to promote you to black,” Drum said, sounding frustrated. “You’re a Timemaster, a Windmaster, and you helped keep the Cubes running. That’s clearly a good enough reason to promote you. But when you get promoted to white or black, the reason for it has to be officially disclosed. And since you asked us not to reveal that you’re a Timemaster, even Halman couldn’t promote you past red.”

They’d asked what I wanted as compensation for fixing the Cubes, and I’d specifically requested that they keep my Time magic a secret. If the guild itself had reacted that way, then it would be a nightmare if word got out. That was the last thing I wanted, so I made their silence my reward.

“I didn’t ask for anything like that,” I said.

“Oh, don’t say that. It’s not all bad,” Drum said with a mischievous smile.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, there aren’t many reds around here. So red-ranked quests tend to pile up.”

“…”

“Hardly anyone makes it from purple to red, you see. The difficulty skyrockets once you reach purple 3, and more people die. There are very few red adventurers, but the red quests just keep on coming. Oh, and by the way, there are even fewer adventurers ranked above red—less than ten whites, and you can count the black-ranked adventurers on one hand.”

“Then, you made me red so I could be your workhorse, huh?”

Drum nodded seriously. “Well, you seemed bored with the purple quests, right?”

“They were tough,” I insisted.

Drum gave me a look of disbelief. “But like I said, there’s an upside. One that’s perfect for you guys.”

“What is it?”

“You’re planning on continuing your journey with Alto, right? Just the two of you?”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking. Unless another adventurer comes along who’s willing to accept Alto.”

“I figured, which is why I think this is going to suit you. Once you reach red rank, you’re allowed to form a team. You should put one together and be the leader.”

“I wouldn’t have any members on the team, though.”

“What are you talking about? You’d have Alto, obviously.”

“Hmm.”

“The medicine you taught us to make will be hitting the market soon. And once that happens, everyone’s gonna know your name. You’re ranked red now, so you’ll be flooded with people trying to recruit you—but not if you register a team and make yourself the leader.”

“Won’t people just try to join my team instead, then?”

“Nah. They’re not allowed to if you say up front you’re not accepting members. So it won’t be a problem.”

“Why isn’t it allowed?”

“Everyone wants to join a popular team, right? There was a time we allowed it, but it became too much for teams to manage.”

“I see.”

“Like I said, it’s not all bad, right? You should register a team as soon as you can.”

“Okay, I’ll think about it.”

I decided I’d ask the others over dinner that night. Drum handed me the paperwork, and I took it, then headed home.

Ragi was the first one to speak after I’d explained everything. His voice was calm and gentle. “Generally, if someone has promise, they’ll get a lot of offers. I can’t speak for the Adventurers Guild, but I’m sure that would happen, knowing how hard you work, Setsuna. So I think you should go ahead and form the team.”

“Are there any potential downsides I haven’t thought about yet?”

“I’m not sure. It doesn’t seem like it, going on what you’ve told us so far.”

“What do you think, Alto?” I asked.

“I…uh…” He trailed off and fell silent. My eyes met Ragi’s. Alto looked so upset I almost stepped in to help, but I suppressed the urge, deciding to let him speak for himself.

“Alto?” I called his name, and he looked up, blinking with surprise. He must’ve been deep in thought. I pretended not to notice and asked again. “What do you think?”

“I…don’t want lots of people coming to us… So I think it’s better to make a team.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do.”

“Okay.”

“Now, what’re you going to call your team?” Ragi asked cheerfully.

“Good question.”

“You probably shouldn’t pick something random, considering you’ll be famous,” he said.

“I’m not sure that’ll happen…”

“Oh, between you and Alto, I’m sure your team will stand out one way or another,” he said with a wry chuckle.

That left me feeling a little gloomy, so I started thinking about possible names to distract myself.

“Hmm, our team name…”

“There’s no need to rush. You can take your time thinking it over,” Ragi said.

“Right… Hey, Alto. Try to come up with some names, too,” I said as I stood up to return to my room. He still had that same sad expression on his face, but all I could do was silently cheer him on.

Part Two: Ragi

When I looked out my window in the early afternoon, I spotted Alto huddled in a corner of the garden. He must’ve been struggling with his thoughts again. At first, he’d tried hard to act like nothing was wrong whenever we were around, but now, he’d stopped trying. Sophia, Norris, and Elly had come by on their days off to visit him, but each time they left more worried than before, seeing how his energy gradually seemed to wane.

I had decided I wouldn’t ask him what the matter was. Still, he looked so sad out there all alone, so I went outside to keep him company.

I came up behind Alto, but he didn’t turn around to look at me.

“What are you doing out here?” I asked.

“…”

He didn’t answer. My heart ached seeing him so glum. I gently tried again. “I thought we could take a little walk. Would you come with me?”

Alto finally lifted his head and nodded, then stood up and took my hand. Normally, he’d have been full of questions, his eyes bright with curiosity about everything we passed, but he’d lost that spark the last few days. He just walked quietly by my side.

“Gramps, I’m sorry… My quest is to keep you company, but we haven’t talked much lately…”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” I said with a smile. However, it did nothing to lift his spirits.

It’s not just about leaving the nest… He’s worried about the quest, too.

That was just like Alto, who had such a strong sense of responsibility. But the truth was the quest didn’t mean much to me anymore, so I wished he wouldn’t worry about it.

“Even without the quest, I’ll still be here with you, and you can always rely on me. Not just me—Setsuna, too.”

That was the closest I could come to offering help outright. I didn’t know if he understood, but Alto did manage a faint smile in response.

We walked along in silence until we reached the nearby pond. A flock of birds scattered from the water with a flurry of flapping wings as our footsteps approached. As Alto watched them rise into the sky, he murmured, “I can’t fly…”

“…”

“I…”

He trailed off, coming to a stop.

“Alto, are you sure you can’t fly?”

He looked surprised by my question, but I didn’t look away and slowly asked again.

“You’re sure you can’t fly? Do you want to fly?”

“…”

He kept staring straight ahead. It looked like he was trying to answer, but no words came out.

I shouldn’t have asked.

Maybe he’d only been watching the birds and imagining himself with them but didn’t want to really talk about it. Or maybe he’d never intended on sharing his feelings at all. I thought he might not be ready to talk about it, so I didn’t press him any further.

It might’ve been too soon.

I could see it weighing on him, so I looked away and began walking again, hoping he’d understand he didn’t need to say anything. I wanted to say, “You don’t have to answer now,” but the words got stuck in my throat.

Guilt washed over me as I heard him run to catch up to me.

I probably shouldn’t have made him think about leaving the nest.

I let out a sigh, wondering if there was anything I could have said that would have set his heart at ease instead of only adding to his burdens.

“Gramps.” He came up beside me, calling out softly to let me know he was there.

“Why don’t we go buy something sweet for—”

But before I could finish, an uncomfortable feeling rose within me. I felt a dull ache in my chest. My knees gave out, and I fell to the ground. Alto let out a startled cry and grabbed my shoulders.

“Gramps!”

I wanted to tell him not to worry, but I couldn’t speak. It hurt too much to breathe.

“Gramps! Gramps!!” His voice sounded far away.

Ah, so this is it. I’m going to die soon.

I’d been thinking for a long time now that I was ready. I had no comrades left. I’d abandoned my family. I was the one who’d chosen this path.

Is this some kind of punishment?

Even though I’d accepted all of that, now that the moment was finally drawing near, I found myself terrified of dying alone. I wanted to see my family and old friends. But it was too late to go to them now, so instead I’d sought out someone to stay by my side at the end.

Is this why it feels like I’m being punished? Because I was selfish?

“Gramps! Gramps!”

I knew this day was coming. I’m dying.

Alto’s voice seemed to drift farther and farther away as my consciousness grew hazy.

I wish I could’ve lived…just a little longer. No…longer than that.

Even if it was just for a few seconds more, I wanted to stay with this beastfolk child and that lonely young man who gave his all to everything. They’d been so kind to me and given me such peace of mind. I had so many things I wanted to teach them, so much I wanted to say.

I had another wish, too. I wanted to see Alto spread his wings and fly like those birds one day. That wish cruelly spread through every part of my body…

Part Three: Setsuna

I was sitting by the window, tossing up potential team names as I had been for the past few days, when a surge of frantic signals suddenly flooded in from the birds I’d left with Alto.

He’d gone out for a walk with Ragi a little while ago. Alto still seemed gloomy, but I hadn’t felt like there was anything in particular to worry about.

He should have Ragi with him.

A feeling of dread twisted inside me. I closed my eyes and directed my consciousness toward the birds. The information streaming into my mind told me that Alto was calling out Ragi’s name over and over again.

I teleported to them without a moment’s delay.

As I appeared, Alto whirled around to face me, looking like he was about to burst into tears. His lips trembled as he struggled to explain. “Master! Gramps… Gramps is…!”

I gently placed a hand on his back to reassure him, then knelt down to check on Ragi’s condition. He didn’t seem injured or sick.

So we’re finally getting to that inevitable time…

I forced down the sorrow rising in my chest and spoke as calmly as I could for Alto’s sake.

“It’s all right. He’s not hurt. He’ll wake up soon.”

“Really?”

I nodded and lifted Ragi into my arms, then used magic to teleport us all back to the house. Alto still looked worried.

“I’m going to put him into his bed. Can you help get it ready for me?”

“Okay.”

Ragi was unconscious but breathing. Once he was lying down, I put a hand over his chest and began to channel healing magic into him—though I didn’t know if it would do any good.

“We can’t turn back time for someone who’s grown old. We can’t bring back the dead. Some things simply aren’t within our power to change…”

The words I’d said to Halman repeated over and over in my mind. I could almost see the unavoidable future taking shape, and it shook me. I shut my eyes and drew a slow, steady breath, trying to quiet my thoughts.

I have to keep it together for Alto’s sake, I reminded myself firmly. I couldn’t show any fear, confusion, or sadness. Nothing that would upset him.

I finally opened my eyes again and saw Alto standing behind me, watching me anxiously.

“It’s all right now, Alto.”

“Okay.” He looked up at me, a solemn look on his face. “Master, is Gramps sick?”

I hesitated for a moment, not sure how to answer. Should I tell him the truth or spare him?

But before I could make that decision, a quiet voice spoke.

“I mustn’t have eaten enough. I just got a little dizzy…”

Alto’s gaze shifted over to the bed, and for the first time in days, he smiled one of those big, radiant grins he kept only for Ragi.

“Gramps!”

“Sorry I worried you, Alto.”

“Are you okay?!”

“Yes. I collapsed because I didn’t have enough to eat. That’s all.” Ragi focused on Alto as he spoke, then glanced over toward me with a sheepish smile. I understood what he meant without him having to say anything. He wasn’t ready for me to tell Alto the truth.

“In that case, I’ll start dinner right away. I’ll make plenty, so eat as much as you want,” I said with a smile.

He nodded and quietly said, “Okay. I’m sorry.”

I shook my head, saying he had nothing to apologize for, then stood up to go make dinner.

Alto looked visibly relieved and immediately began scolding Ragi for not eating enough, though his tail was wagging happily.

I felt conflicted as I watched them and quietly left Ragi’s room.

Alto had fallen asleep while I was cleaning up the dishes, and Ragi carried him to his bedroom.

I wondered if I should stay for our usual chat, but decided Ragi might still be exhausted and that it was better to just let him rest. I was about to say good night when he called out to me.

“Setsuna, would you keep me company a bit longer?” He lifted a bottle of liquor in his right hand. I’d been wanting to talk to him, so I accepted the invitation without hesitation.

“Of course. I’ll make some tea instead, though. You probably shouldn’t drink.”

“Oh, alcohol’s got nothing to do with it. In fact, where I come from, you take a bottle like this as a gift when a friend’s laid up in bed.”

“Is that right? I guess the more important question is, do you still have room left after dinner?”

He slowly sank into his chair and gave me a troubled look. “You should’ve made less food if that’s what you were worried about.”

Since Ragi told Alto he’d collapsed from hunger, Alto had spent the whole meal piling more and more food onto the older man’s plate. Ragi seemed both exasperated and touched as he ate every last bite.

With that light banter, we settled into our usual routine. This was when the adults could chat after Alto had gone to bed. That said, we mostly talked about Alto.

As our conversation finally settled down, silence fell between us. Normally, it would’ve felt comfortable, but tonight it seemed somewhat heavy.

Ragi was the one to break the lull, speaking in a voice so soft it felt as if he was almost afraid to disturb the quiet.

“Setsuna, as I’m sure you’ve already realized…I don’t have much time left now.”

I returned his gaze, taking in his words.

“But before that time comes, there’s something I have to do…”

“What’s that?”

He set his glass down on the table, then stared at me with a piercing look. I blinked, unsure of what he was about to say.

“Will you fight me tomorrow, Setsuna?”

For a moment, I wondered if I’d misheard him. I repeated his words in my mind a few times, trying to make sense of them.

Fight? Me and Ragi? Why?

Before I could ask, he let out a deep sigh and began to speak again, letting his thoughts spill out.

“As I am now, I doubt I could summon even half the strength I once had. But from one day to the next…my body’s wearing away. Before that happens, Setsuna, I want you to fight me. I want to die having fought one last time.”

Hearing him say that made my heart ache. “So you want to fight, and…what? Surely you don’t mean you want me to kill you.” My voice trembled. Ragi flinched as if my reaction had startled him, and he looked away.

“Before, I was nothing but a soldier, or so that’s what I’d thought once. I wanted to die in battle. And I’d be lying if I said that urge has completely disappeared.” He let out a sigh so deep it seemed to empty him, then met my eyes again. This time, his voice was calm when he spoke. “But that’s not why I asked you. Alto doesn’t understand what it means to bring out the full power of beastfolk. He was born and raised among humans. He can’t even imagine what that looks like, so I want to show him. I want him to see what it means to fight with the strength of our race. Or has he already seen that from someone else?” Hearing him speak so calmly helped ease the internal turmoil I was feeling.

Kara seemed to fight normally. She didn’t move any differently from a human.

I hadn’t fought any other beastfolk since setting out on my journey, and Alto hadn’t mentioned anything like that, either.

“I don’t think he has,” I said quietly.

Ragi nodded. “Every human is born with mana. Whether or not they can use it is another story, but it’s there. Beastfolk, however, are generally born without magical abilities.”

“Right.”

“But they’re born with something else: a different kind of strength that every beastfolk has. That said, you can’t learn to wield it without training, even if you have the talent. So it’s no different from magic, in that sense.”

I’d read a book before that said beastfolk who couldn’t use magic had special abilities instead. However, it had also said that this was limited to beastfolk who weren’t born with mana, so I’d never thought to ask Ragi about it, since it didn’t apply to Alto.

But going off what Ragi had just said, that was wrong. I guess it only made sense; you couldn’t trust a book about beastfolk written by humans. So I decided to ask, just in case.

“Alto does have mana, though. Can he still use these beastfolk abilities?”

“It doesn’t matter whether he has mana or not—what’s important is that he carries beastfolk blood.”

“I see.”

“He won’t be able to activate that power until he gets a little older…but I don’t have the time left to wait for that. I only wish I could’ve taught him myself,” Ragi said sadly.

“…”

“That’s why I want to leave something behind. He was born to human parents and grew up never even knowing what it means to be beastfolk. I love Alto like a grandson, and I want to pass along whatever I can to him. If I can’t teach him, then maybe if I show him a battle he’ll never forget, it might become something he can use in the future.”

Just like at the ruins…

I remembered seeing Ragi act bravely for Alto’s sake in the same way when the three of us had explored those ruins together.

Ragi gave me a mischievous grin when he saw the expression on my face. “Besides, I’ve been thinking I’d like to go up against my grandson’s master, who he looks up to so much.”

I just shrugged in response, unsure of what to say.

“It’s a selfish wish of mine, I know. But would you grant it anyway?”

I understood how Ragi felt and what he was hoping for. He didn’t want to fight me so he would die; he wanted to do it so he could leave a part of himself behind for Alto. I was certain that fight would become something precious to the young beastfolk boy. To be honest, though, I didn’t want to fight Ragi. I wanted to refuse, because I knew without a doubt that he would risk everything to convey what he felt he needed to. But if I turned him down, he’d leave this world with regrets in his heart—and there was no way I could let that happen.

I made up my mind and gave him a reply meant to provoke him a little, so he could throw himself into this last battle without any hesitation. I believed that was the only way I could ever repay him.

“Sure, I’ll fight you. If you don’t mind being crushed in front of Alto.”

I put everything I had into that bluff.

Ragi’s eyes widened in surprise, followed by a momentary silence. But then his lips curled into another mischievous grin, and he fired back with a booming voice. “How cocky! Do you really believe you can defeat me so easily? That arrogance will come back to bite you!”

“I’m pretty strong, you know,” I said.

“So am I.”

Neither of us backed down. We stared each other down for a little while longer, waiting for the other man to be the first to flinch. Finally, I declared my intentions without breaking eye contact.

“I won’t hold back tomorrow. I’ll crush you.”

“Good. I’ll give it my all as well, to entrust everything I have to Alto…and to defeat you.” Ragi looked like he was enjoying himself so much and was so satisfied that I couldn’t help but smile back at him.

Part Four: Ragi

Ever since I was a child, I’d loved fighting and growing stronger. As I grew older, my reasons for fighting increased, but deep down, I always just enjoyed the struggle itself and the thrill of victory.

I don’t remember exactly what first set me on that path, but it probably had something to do with watching my father take down monsters like it was nothing. By the time I knew what was going on around me, I already admired him. I longed to be as good as him, and then to surpass him.

When he died protecting our kin, that determination only grew stronger. I convinced myself that weakness was what made me lose things, and that if I became the strongest of all, I’d never have to lose anything again.

So I threw myself into relentless training and hurled myself into reckless battles. Eventually, I became as strong as my father, then stronger.

Thanks to that strength, others began to gather around me. Old friends and new comrades, a wife and child. Without realizing it, fighting had become a way of protecting people, which gave way to other goals. In the end, it grew into a desire to protect an entire nation.

I never resented that duty. It was a joy, if anything. No matter how many times I thanked the human who’d told me to build a kingdom, it would never be enough. It was ironic that the same race of humans were the ones who’d driven the war to such a fever pitch.

That was when an uninvited guest had appeared beneath the azure dew tree in the center of the village. The azure dew tree was Sagana’s great tree, said to be the dwelling place of the gods themselves.

It bloomed in Silkis, grew with Salkis, bore fruit in Manakis, and became a sacred tree that watched over us in Wilkis.

That sole divine tree was the beastfolk’s greatest treasure, the ground around it deemed sacred, forbidden to all but a chosen few. And yet, a human had stepped onto that land. Our rage and hatred exploded the instant we saw him, directed squarely at the intruder.

He caught our assault in midair with Earth magic. Hurled us backward with Wind magic. Bound us in place with Void magic. Then set everything around us ablaze with Fire magic.

The flames surged higher, threatening to consume the azure dew tree itself. It was only then that he spoke:

“My name is Sledea. Hear me, foul beasts. I shall purify this land in the name of Endia, goddess of the moon. Do not resist. Return to nothing.”

We had no way of stopping him. We couldn’t even look away from the destruction as it rained down upon us.

Suddenly, we witnessed a miracle. A single white dragon descended from the sky, the gusts of wind from its flapping wings beating back Sledea’s flames. Its eyes burned with fury as it landed in front of Sledea and immediately attacked. Eventually, the dragon unleashed a bolt of lightning which pierced the man’s arm, and he vanished without a trace.

The dragon transformed into an elderly man, and we were free from the spell that had bound us.

One of my friends stepped forward and asked, “Why would an exalted dragonfolk like yourself come here?”

“I came to visit an old friend, but never imagined I would get caught up in something like this.” The old dragon stroked its long, white beard and slowly looked around. “Not only has everything burned down, all themid-level spirits have been put to sleep with Darkness magic. Like this, the grass and trees here will never grow back.”

“That can’t be!”

“What’s more, that man masked the nature of his magic so it can’t be identified. I would guess putting the spirits to sleep was also a plot to hide his identity. How despicable. This never would have happened if higher-tier spirits were here, but they won’t come near this place.”

We were overcome by despair. Just then, the dragonfolk man began to cast some kind of spell. “It will be all right now,” he said, and sat down right where he was.

Nothing seemed any different, so we had a hard time believing him. He just smiled at us.

However, his words were soon proven true. The very next day, fresh grass and flowers sprouted across the burnt sanctuary.

“I have restored this land with magic and made it so no one harboring ill will can ever enter again. You can all rest easy now.”

“I—I don’t know how to thank you…”

“There’s no need for thanks. But…I’d like you to make this place you call the sacred land livelier again. Long ago, people used to gather here to share drinks and dance.”

We told him we would, and starting that day, we held a feast for three days and three nights to celebrate the sanctuary’s revival. After what had happened, my hunger for strength only grew deeper, so I would never again face defeat from a human. I trained endlessly so I’d never be humiliated like that again.

One day, the dragonfolk man quietly approached me and said, “Shall I grant you my protection?”

“Yes, please,” I said without hesitation.

He fixed me with a piercing gaze and spoke in an even voice. “Then you shall have it. If you intend on defending this land my friend cherished, I will help you do so. However, an excess of power can lead one to lose their way. So will you promise me to always act justly and remain true to yourself?”

“I promise,” I said. And with that, I received the dragon’s protection.

Later on, I left the kingdom. Since I’d received that protection with the sole purpose of defending the nation, I was worried that it would vanish once I left. But the dragon’s protection remained.

Once Setsuna left the room, I let out a long sigh to calm the restless excitement inside of me.

When was the last time I sparred with anyone?

I tried to remember but couldn’t. It must’ve been so long ago that I’d forgotten. Honestly, I couldn’t even remember the last time I fought someone with all my strength. I had been too powerful with the dragon’s protection, so no one would agree to duel me.

Ever since I gave up the mercenary life after losing my comrades, I’d kept my identity hidden and lived quietly, training only to keep myself in shape.

I had been born and raised a warrior, and in a sense, I’d already died as one. However, watching Alto train so earnestly to get stronger, and Setsuna, whose power seemed endless, had caused something to stir inside me again.

I want to show Alto how beastfolk fight. I want to face Setsuna and beat him.

I picked up the glass of liquor on the table and drained it in a single gulp.

Setsuna has made a dragon knight’s pact and carries a dragon’s protection. There’s no need for me to hold back.

I brushed my fingers against the anklet I’d been given along with that protection. My fighting spirit was rising again.

Setsuna had asked if I wanted him to kill me. For anyone who’d lived their life as a warrior, it was only natural to want to die on the battlefield, and I’d told him that I used to think that way. Now that I thought about it, though, that wasn’t exactly right. What I should’ve said was, “Try to kill me if you can.”

Why am I talking like he’ll win automatically? I’m gonna beat him. I’ll be the one Alto looks up to with awe.

“I won’t hold back tomorrow. I’ll crush you.”

He’ll crush me?

How interesting. I’d give him everything I had in return.

Determined, I stood up and left the living room.

Part Five: Linus

I had just finished hearing the morning reports and was about to dismiss everyone when the doors burst open. My wife, the queen, stood there panting, and the instant our eyes met, I thought she was about to burst into tears.

The prime minister and other ministers were about to scold her for barging in, but they fell silent when they saw the look on her face.

She was always smiling, so it was incredibly rare to see her looking so sad, and no one quite knew how to react.

“What’s wrong?”

Lilia stood frozen in the doorway, but hearing my words seemed to bring her back to her senses, and she slowly walked over to me. Everyone watched, wondering what had happened. She greeted me, then spoke in a trembling voice.

“Setsuna sent a message.”

“What did it say?”

“It said, ‘I would like to receive my payment for the quest I previously completed for you. I shall be awaiting your reply’…” Lilia lowered her gaze.

“I see.”

“I hope he’s all right…”

“As do I.”

“Would you let me handle this?” she asked. “I’m the one who has to reward Setsuna for the quest.” She clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest and looked me straight in the eyes. She seemed to be turning over all sorts of thoughts in her mind.

“As you wish,” I said.

“Thank you. There’s one other thing I’d like to ask.”

“Yes?”

“I wish to have another maid assigned to me.”

“A maid?”

“Yes. I would like to have Sophia serve as my maid.”

I glanced over at Fred and Georges, Sophia’s brother and fiancé. They both shook their heads slightly. It seemed like the queen had come up with this idea just now and hadn’t told anyone about it beforehand.

“May I, Your Majesty?” Fred asked.

Of course… They must be trying to understand what’s going on.

I nodded, and Fred voiced the question that was surely on everyone’s minds. “My queen, what connection is there between having my sister serve you and Setsuna’s reward?”

I raised a hand to stop the queen from answering. “We can’t discuss that. There are some things we are unable to disclose at present.”

Fred nodded silently while I took a moment to mull over what we could share.

“First, the reward owed to Setsuna is to take care of Alto here in the castle.”

I phrased it like I was providing a piece of imformation, leaving no room for questions. Fred remained silent, waiting for me to continue.

“Sophia will be formally contracted as the queen’s maid; however, her primary duty will be to look after Alto. Once our agreement with Setsuna comes to an end, so will her assignment. The reason Sophia was chosen is because of her bond with Alto. Just earlier, Georges was telling me how well they’ve been getting along during his riding lessons, so I judged her the best fit.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I hadn’t mentioned that Alto was shy around strangers, but anyone who knew him was already aware of that. It was just another reason why Sophia had been entrusted with his care.

“I’ll send word officially to her home tonight, so please consider it. I know you’re also preparing for a wedding, so I won’t force it on Sophia, but I do hope for a favorable reply.”

There would be doubts as to why Alto had been taken into the castle’s care, but I couldn’t reveal that without breaking my promise to Setsuna. I chose to end the discussion here to make that clear.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Fred said, his expression unchanged.

He was an outstanding knight, but in moments like these, I couldn’t help but think how inconvenient it was that his face revealed so little about his emotions.

Part Six: Cyrus

The previous day, after the discussion about Sophia ended, the king had summoned me to a private meeting. He’d told me I would be serving as Alto’s bodyguard while he was here, requested as part of Setsuna’s compensation.

“Also, it’s dangerous outside the castle, so make sure Alto doesn’t leave the grounds. I’m personally responsible for fulfilling Setsuna’s reward, and our kingdom has no option to refuse. As such, I’m ordering you to temporarily step away from your post as Eugene’s first knight and take up the duty of guarding Alto for a short while.”

“I’ll do everything I can to honor your promise to Setsuna,” I replied, and Eugene gave me a wry smile.

“You seem to be away from my side these days more often than not.”

“There’s one more thing,” the king added. “Setsuna requested that Alto not be made aware that he’s under protection until he arrives at the castle. So be careful not to let that information slip.”

The first thought that went through my head was that something was about to go down. But after turning it over in my mind all night, I still had no idea what that might be. So the next afternoon, once things had calmed down, I decided to head over to Ragi’s house.

Alto wouldn’t be suspicious if I said I had the day off and came to visit. I might even get the chance to talk to Setsuna.

I dismounted in front of Ragi’s house just as I saw Setsuna and the others step out the door.

“Oh, Cyrus!” Ragi said warmly. “What brings you here?”

Alto trotted over toward me.

“It’s nothing important. I just thought I’d stop by to thank you for the other day, but it looks like the three of you are heading out.”

It didn’t look like I would get anywhere, so I was about to say I’d come back later when Alto spoke up excitedly. “Master and Gramps are gonna see who’s stronger!”

Hang on. Setsuna’s a Time sorcerer with the dragon’s protection…

Alto was bouncing around with excitement, and I glanced over at Ragi. There was a strange, indescribable expression on his face that he wasn’t able to hide.

“It’s just a little game,” he said with a laugh. Yet he was carrying something in a large leather pack and radiating with an enthusiasm that suggested he was taking this quite seriously.

“Setsuna?” My voice sounded half-pleading, but I didn’t have time to worry about that now. It probably sounded like I was begging him to reconsider.

“Don’t worry. We agreed not to use magic.” He said it so casually, I felt my head spin. “Actually, you came at just the right time, Cyrus. We were planning on fighting in the field behind the house. Could I ask you to be the witness?”

Ragi nodded in agreement.

I opened my mouth to protest, but when I saw how determined they both looked, I couldn’t get any words out. There was an almost melancholic atmosphere in the air.

“Also, can you explain things for Alto?” Setsuna murmured in my ear as he passed by me on his way to the gate.

Once we got to the back of the house, Setsuna and Ragi kept going a little farther into the field.

Still watching them, Alto pulled a barrier needle from his bag and stabbed it into the ground.

“Master told me to stay here with you while he fights Gramps,” he said.

“What’s that for?” I asked.

“It’s a barrier to keep people out. Master told me to do it.”

I nodded, but I was still confused. “Do you know why Setsuna is fighting Ragi, Alto?”

“Nope, but Gramps looked really happy!”

“He did?”

“Yep.”

I had no idea why this was happening, but regardless, it was clear I wouldn’t get the chance to talk to Setsuna until it was all over.

Just then, their voices rang out clearly. “Alto should be able to hear us now,” I heard Setsuna say.

“Thank you. Will we also be able to hear Alto?” Ragi asked.

“Yes, but only Alto’s voice will come through.”

That meant they wouldn’t be able to hear me. I wondered if Setsuna thought maybe my explanations would get distracting.

Wagging his tail, Alto called out, “Can you hear me, Gramps?” At the same time, I saw Setsuna say something to Ragi. The elder beastfolk man responded to Alto, then turned and bowed his head to me.

“What do you want to do about weapons, Setsuna?” he asked.

“What were you thinking of using?”

“I’ll use my fists.”

“Then I’ll fight with a sword and shield.”

“A shield?” Ragi asked, surprised. “I don’t recall ever hearing about you using something like that before.”

“Well, I’ve never used one in front of Alto, but I know how to handle it.” Setsuna pulled a small, round shield from his bag, while Ragi took out bracers and shin guards from his large leather pack.

“Why doesn’t Master ever use a shield when he’s with me?” Alto asked, sounding like he was pouting a bit.

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how I should answer. The honest reason was that he never needed one.

A shield was meant to deflect or block attacks, but Setsuna could easily evade any attack. What I really wanted to know was why he was bothering to use one now.

I couldn’t say that, though, so I searched for a more suitable reply to Alto.

“See how bulky that shield is? It’s not ideal for traveling. A shield can be useful if you’re out hunting monsters in an area you’re familiar with, but that’s not the kind of life you and Setsuna lead, right?”

As I spoke, I looked over at the bracers Ragi was putting on. They had that pale gleam unique to bluesilver, something you’d never see in common weapons shops in Lypaed.

“Can I ask you something, Alto? Do you know why Ragi has such fine armor?”

“I dunno. But he said he used to be a mercenary, so maybe he bought it back then.”

Bought it?

There was no way he’d just happened to come across bluesilver bracers for sale somewhere. I’d bet anything he had them made specially.

He must’ve been a pretty famous mercenary.

I watched Ragi buckle the last strap and look up, giving Setsuna a wicked grin. I was staring at him, wondering what he was planning, when he reached down, pulled up the leg of his pants, and unfastened an anklet around his left leg.

Setsuna’s eyes widened, an unusual reaction for someone who was usually never surprised. Ragi casually slipped the anklet into his bag.

“What’s going on…?” Setsuna asked in a quiet voice.

I was speechless.

“Look, Cyrus…,” whispered Alto.

Half of the right side of Ragi’s face had turned black… A dragon emblem stood out vividly against his skin, stretching down past his eye and along his neck.

“I never noticed before,” Setsuna said.

Ragi looked almost triumphant. “That anklet was made to seal the dragon’s protection and the mark.”

“I didn’t know you had either. That’s rather convenient, isn’t it?”

“I envy you, Setsuna. You don’t have even the smallest mark on you. The dragon who gave me his protection liked to show off a bit, so this was the result.”

“It’s hard not to notice when it covers half your face. Is that why you kept it sealed?”

Ragi’s expression softened, growing wistful. “Yeah. When I first asked the dragon to erase the emblem, he refused and told me the protection and mark must remain as one.”

“What then?”

“This protection allows my body to pick up on any shift in movement and respond instantaneously, so it was too precious to give up. I needed strength because at the time, I was working to establish the kingdom of Sagana.”

“…”

“But the emblem drew too much attention. I asked the dragon over and over again to remove it, and eventually we reached a compromise. The mark would only appear when the protection was active, and he crafted an anklet so I could control it.”

“I see.”

“It cost me a fortune. The anklet’s made of gold and silver, but I didn’t happen to have any lumps of precious metal just lying around,” he said with a laugh.

“You mean…?”

“That’s right. I pulled out a bag full of gold and silver coins and asked them to make it with that.”

He laughed so heartily that even Setsuna couldn’t suppress a smile.

“So, Setsuna, what sort of protection did your dragon grant you?” he asked.

“I don’t know. My wife arranged for it in secret.”

“And you pretend you’ve never noticed out of courtesy?”

“That’s right.”

“You’re a fool. The proper thing would be to thank her and ask about it. Tuuli is probably waiting for you to bring it up,” Ragi said with a sigh.

Honestly, I felt a little worried for the older man. I couldn’t imagine how Setsuna would get back at me if I ever teased him like that. But instead, he only gave a sheepish chuckle.

“Maybe you’re right.”

“Not that it means much coming from a man who abandoned his family and friends,” Ragi murmured self-deprecatingly, standing up again. Setsuna looked almost sad as he watched him.

“…Sorry, it just slipped out.”

“Is there a reason for that?” Setsuna asked quietly.

“Not really.”

“I see. I guess I thought it had something to do with your title… Hero of Sagana.”

Ragi’s mouth twitched slightly. “I suppose it would be pointless asking how you know about that.”

“Well, only one person comes to mind when you hear about a beastfolk with the dragon’s protection—the Hero of Sagana.”

Seeing Ragi’s dragon emblem hadn’t shocked me half as much as hearing that name out loud.

“Master told me about Sagana’s hero! That was Gramps?” Alto asked in a small, cheerful voice.

The Hero of Sagana was a beastfolk man who’d fought the humans trying to stop the founding of Sagana. He carried the dragon’s protection and had struck down an entire brigade of knights singlehandedly, earning him the name Knightslayer. He was still honored in Sagana as one of the nation’s founding heroes.

Elsewhere, in the allied kingdoms of Kutt, Ellana, and Gardir, there had been a bounty on his head until just a decade ago.

He was a legendary figure whose appearance and fighting style were mostly unknown. Only his deeds had been recorded in a book detailing the historical events.

The final line read, “After witnessing the founding of Sagana, the Hero left the kingdom. He was spotted around Alion fighting those who preyed upon beastfolk, and was last seen in Lycia one hundred years ago, after which he disappeared without a trace.”

The story had been told with a bitter hatred on the Southern Sibling Continent, where beastfolk were despised, and with reverence on the more tolerant Northern Sibling Continent.

I admired heroes, so I’d read the book about the Hero of Sagana more than once.

I can’t believe that was Ragi…

“Honestly, Setsuna, I can’t measure up to you. There’s no point getting into all that now, though. All I can say is that I was weak, which is why I abandoned my wife and child, broke my promises to my friends, and ended up here.”

“You regret it, don’t you?”

Ragi shook his head. “Regret isn’t the right word. Throwing everything away was just plain foolish. Deeply and truly foolish.”

It was clear he didn’t intend on sharing any more details. Ragi spoke in the same self-deprecating way, which pained me even just to hear. I suspected Setsuna felt the same way, because he deliberately lightened his tone and changed the mood.

“I never imagined you had a dragon’s protection.”

That single sentence seemed to rekindle something fierce in Ragi’s heart as a fighter.

“Are you thinking of calling this off?” he asked combatively.

“You must be joking. This is just starting to get interesting,” Setsuna said with a smirk.

“Since both of us have the protection of a dragon, I’d have to say I have the advantage in strength since I’m a beastfolk,” Ragi said with a confident grin.

“But I’ve mastered mana control,” Setsuna said, sounding just as confident.

I heard a gasp from beside me the moment he said it. I didn’t know what difference that made, but Alto seemed to.

“Ah, I see. I’ve faced skilled opponents who could control their mana before, but they won’t be able to compare to you, Setsuna.”

“Thinking of calling this off?” he teased.

“You’re terrible at jokes. Shall we begin?” Ragi took off his shoes and stood barefoot in the grass, then turned to face Setsuna.

“I can’t possibly beat you when it comes to humor,” Setsuna retorted. “But if you’re ready, let’s do this.”

They were both smiling, but their eyes were cold.

“I’m going all out, just like I said yesterday,” Ragi said.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” replied Setsuna.

They each took a step back, widening the distance between them.

“I will…”

“I’m going to…”

The two men paused momentarily, glaring at each other, before finishing in unison.

“…Crush you!”

Neither of them waited for an opening, because there was none. The space between them vanished in the blink of an eye.

The moment Ragi entered Setsuna’s range, Setsuna’s sword came down with a speed I’d never seen before. But Ragi evaded in a way I never could’ve imagined.

He just stopped?

He’d killed all his momentum in a flash, freezing exactly where he stood. His eyes locked on the descending blade and tracked it to the last moment before stepping forward into a spinning kick.

Setsuna’s left arm snapped up, his shield catching the blow. A sharp metallic clang rang out as the shin guard struck the shield. Setsuna didn’t even flinch, but he was blown back several meters across the yard.

Even after that, he maintained his stance. Ragi seemed satisfied and didn’t press the attack.

“That was just a greeting,” he said calmly. “How’d you like it?”

“Honestly, I’m impressed. Is that the power of your protection?” Setsuna asked.

“No. Any first-rate beastfolk warrior can do that. I haven’t even begun to show you my true strength.”

“I see. I may have underestimated the unique abilities of beastfolk.”

The two of them smiled at each other, chatting as though nothing was out of the ordinary.

“Gramps was moving so fast, but how’d he stop like that?” Alto whispered beside me.

He was probably just talking to himself, but I remembered what Setsuna had said before and realized what had happened. I pointed to the ground where Ragi had stopped.

“See how there’s a divot in the dirt there? Ragi turned his foot sideways and drove it into the ground to cut his speed.”

“Oh, so that’s why there’s a hole…”

It sounded simple in theory, but I knew it was a lot more difficult than that.

I could probably do it, since my body’s guarded by the dragon’s protection, but a normal human’s bones would snap. Even a beastfolk child like Alto wouldn’t be able to.

That was how fast Ragi’s movements were. I gave Alto a stern look. “Don’t try to copy him.”

His eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“Setsuna will scold you,” I warned, and finally he nodded reluctantly.

As we spoke, Ragi closed the gap again. This time, things were different; the first strike had been a surprise, and Setsuna wouldn’t let him get away with the same thing twice.

Every time Ragi moved in, Setsuna shifted back, keeping a sword’s length between them. And since Ragi was barehanded, he couldn’t force his way inside. A sword’s reach was greater than a person’s fighting with bare hands, so if Setsuna kept that distance, he could keep attacking indefinitely. Setsuna also had his shield, so even the blows Ragi did manage to land were easily deflected.

Regardless, every strike Ragi threw was as sharp as a honed blade. He didn’t waver or let up, even when Setsuna blocked or turned them aside. His attacks came from all directions, relentless as a whirlwind. All it would take was a single blow to end the fight.

I knew that because every clash of bluesilver bracers against shield and every ricochet of sword against armor cracked the air like thunder.

“This isn’t going very well,” Ragi muttered with resignation.

He leapt back, resetting the distance between them.

“Who’s winning, Cyrus?” Alto asked quietly.

It looked like an even match. Neither of them had landed a clean hit yet. Still, I could tell who had the upper hand.

“Well, if you look at things at face value, Ragi’s more aggressive, and he’s attacking more than Setsuna. So, in terms of stamina, Setsuna has the advantage.”

Partway through my explanation, however, I heard Ragi begin to speak and stopped talking so I could listen.

“It seems like I won’t be landing any real hits unless I take this seriously.”

“You weren’t serious before?” Setsuna asked.

“I’ve only been using the power granted by the dragon’s protection up until now. Not my innate beastfolk power.”

“I see. I’m very sorry.”

“Hmm?”

“Like I said earlier, I still don’t know exactly what the protection my wife gave me actually does. Whenever I focus on mana control, it seems to activate on its own, but I’ve never felt like it made me stronger in any discernible way.”

“Intriguing,” Ragi said.

“My brother-in-law said the protection functions when I’m controlling my mana, and even though he knows what it does, he refuses to tell me.”

“Family should be more open with each other,” Ragi said with a wry smile.

“I agree,” Setsuna said.

They were both smiling, but it was obvious their thoughts were worlds apart. Ragi was referring to the two of them, while Setsuna was clearly blaming Revale. It was easy to read from the look on his face.

“When I found out you also had the dragon’s protection, I thought we’d be able to fight on equal terms. Forgive me for disappointing you,” Setsuna said.

Ragi laughed out loud. “Oh, there’s nothing to apologize for. If your protection’s working without you knowing, then you’re hardly using it properly. It’s only fair I spar with an untested youngster like you.”

“That’s quite a thing to say. In that case, I won’t hold anything back.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

As I listened to them, I finally understood the point of this match.

The strength of an adult beastfolk and the enhanced power of the dragon’s protection. Someday, he’ll have both…

I looked down at the young boy beside me.

This battle is all to act as a demonstration for Alto.

Even so, I doubted Alto could imitate any of this, or even truly comprehend it yet. That was probably why Setsuna had asked me to explain the match as it happened, so the experience wouldn’t be wasted on him.

Still, isn’t it too soon to show him something like this?

That thought was just starting to root itself in my mind when Ragi shifted his stance, and I forced myself to set it aside and focus on the fight.

His new stance was something I’d never seen before. It was so strange that even Setsuna looked taken aback. He spoke as if giving voice to my own doubt.

“Are you really able to move with that posture?”

“Of course,” Ragi said, his voice overflowing with confidence. He lifted his chin. “I’m going to show you a fighting style only I am capable of.”

“Can Gramps really move like that, Cyrus?” Alto asked, looking up at me.

“I imagine so,” I said.

“But it looks so hard to move in.”

Ragi had sunk low to the ground, almost like he was crawling, with his left leg stretched out far behind him as he balanced on his right.

Assuming he can move like that, how would I deal with it if I were fighting him?

While I was still thinking up an answer, I turned to Alto. “Let’s say Ragi keeps moving as fast as before. How would you attack him?”

“I’d swing my sword down?”

“That’s one way, yeah. The basic sword strokes are down, up, horizontal sweep, and thrust. But no matter which you choose, it isn’t easy to hit someone who’s crouched so low to the ground.”

“How come?”

“Because of your striking range. It’s like a sphere, with your arm at the center.”

“You mean he’s staying close to the ground instead of standing straight in front because it’s outside that range?” Alto asked.

“Yeah. That’s why if you attack the same way you’d strike an upright enemy, you won’t hit him. You have to account for the difference in reach. But since we don’t normally train for that, you’d just have to guess. And even then, it probably wouldn’t matter if you went up against an average opponent. But landing a hit would be nearly impossible with someone who’s got moves like Ragi.”

“Gramps is amazing,” Alto said, sounding impressed.

“But the option you’d want to avoid the most is swinging down from overhead.”

“Why’s that?”

“’Cause if you miss, you’ll end up hitting the ground instead. Then you can’t follow up with another attack right away, which will create an opening for your opponent. Worst-case scenario, your sword could even get stuck in the ground, and then it’d be all over.”

“Oh, I get it. I thought swinging upward was bad because if you missed, you could get countered from below and lose your sword… But I guess swinging down is even worse.”

“Sure is. So your only choices left are either to thrust or cut horizontally. But the strike zone is so small with a thrust that it’d be hard to connect. So a sweeping strike is the best approach. Oh, and just so you know—if you’re on horseback, the distance to the ground is even greater, making it that much harder to land a horizontal sweep.”

“I get it. Because you’re really high up on a horse.”

Alto was thinking about his own experiences, so he hadn’t seemed to realize it yet, but I suspected this stance was how Ragi had once earned the nickname Knightslayer.

“But if that stance is so strong, how come everybody doesn’t use it?” the young boy asked.

“Well, it’d be impossible to manage all the blind spots that come from having such a low sight line without Ragi’s dragon’s protection.”

From this point on, he wasn’t fighting to try to impress anyone. He was trying to win.

But why? Did his fighting spirit as a warrior somehow get rekindled after all this time?

“Master! Gramps! You can do it!” Alto called out, his voice high and bright.

The moment he shouted, Ragi broke out into a run. Setsuna leaped forward as well. They charged at each other head-on, planning to trade blows at a speed impossible to evade.

Just then, I saw Setsuna’s right hand move. He was faster.

He can’t block that!

I thought for sure his sword would pierce Ragi’s right shoulder. But the instant before it made contact, Ragi grabbed the blade with both hands, leapt forward, and twisted in midair. Setsuna tried to kill his own momentum, but Ragi flipped over his head, twisted in a half turn, and landed. By the time Setsuna looked back at him, Ragi had already gauged his movements perfectly and leaped into the air once again.

Ragi’s right heel came down mid-somersault, aiming for Setsuna’s left collarbone. Setsuna raised his small shield to dampen the impact.

Next came Ragi’s left heel, targeting Setsuna’s other side. Setsuna dropped his sword and brought up his right arm to block the blow.

But he wasn’t done yet.

Ragi braced both feet against Setsuna’s defenses and used his core strength to wrench his body upright. He clenched both hands together, then drove them down toward Setsuna’s head with all the power he had left. A sound like shattering glass rippled out in waves. Ragi pushed himself away as the sound reverberated around them. Setsuna calmly bent down like nothing had happened and picked up his fallen sword, along with something else from the ground.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to break your precious earring,” Ragi said.

“Please don’t worry about it. I didn’t think it could break from an impact that strong, either. And I can fix it,” Setsuna replied, tucking the earring into his coat.

“Still…” Ragi looked at him, his face clouded with regret.

I didn’t know what was going on, so I asked Alto if he knew the backstory. He said that Setsuna’s earring was a charm that defended against physical attacks and a keepsake from his brother.

“Master asked if Gramps wanted him to take it off earlier, but Gramps said he wanted to face Master the same way he always fights, so he left it on.”

Neither had expected the earring to break. Ragi looked incredibly apologetic, but Setsuna’s expression was composed.

“My brother loved this sort of thing, so I actually think it’d make him very happy. It’s all right, really,” Setsuna insisted.

Eventually, Ragi’s face softened into a smile.

“More importantly,” Setsuna said, changing the topic, “what was that technique of yours just now? I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“It doesn’t have a name,” Ragi said. “It never had need of one. You only name a technique when you intend to pass it on to someone else, and none of my skills were created for that purpose. So it’s remained nameless.”

“Right. That makes sense. My brother used to say, ‘It sounds cooler if you name it,’ and he’d come up with all sorts of names. He said it was so you could shout them before you struck.”

“Why would you do that?” Ragi asked.

“He said it makes the fight more exciting.”

“He sounds like an interesting man. I would’ve liked to have met him.” I could tell Ragi was trying to hide a smile.

“I wish you could’ve, too. So at least let me show you this.” Setsuna shifted into a different stance with all his weight on his back foot. He lifted his small shield in front of the tip of his sword, hiding the blade from view.

“I don’t like just taking hits without repaying them in kind. So I’ll return the favor with my Gathering Clouds attack.”

“You know, you’re no better than your brother,” Ragi said with an amused chuckle. He began to circle Setsuna, who slowly pivoted on his rear foot to keep his sword aimed at his opponent.

Ragi completed the circle and seemed to give up on finding an opening.

“…”

He suddenly reversed direction, stepping in to close the distance. At the same time, Setsuna twisted his left arm, rotating the small shield to be parallel to the ground. He thrust his sword forward through the opening, slicing an arc diagonally through the air.

And that wasn’t all. Setsuna simultaneously flicked his shield forward, throwing it low and to the left.

Now that Ragi’s escape routes to the left and above were both cut off, he leapt to the right. A follow-up strike was waiting for him there—a sweeping slash. Ragi realized he couldn’t dodge this one and raised the bracer on his right arm to block the blow.

A dull clang rang out, and he was blown back, landing face up on the ground.

I figured that was the end of the fight. Setsuna seemed to think the same, because he sheathed his sword and stepped closer. Ragi gasped for breath and forced himself upright, lifting a hand to stop Setsuna.

“That’s an unbelievable technique. I would guess the sword flash was moonlight and the shield was the clouds hiding it… But the idea that the shield itself would drift like a cloud never crossed my mind.”

“Are you all right, Ragi?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine. I concentrated all my strength in my right arm to block it. But I’m nearly spent.”

“Shall we stop here, then?” Setsuna asked, apparently concerned about how hard the older man was breaking. But Ragi shook his head.

“Would you indulge me in one last round?”

Setsuna stepped back, picked up his shield, and drew his sword again.

“Thank you.” Ragi paused to catch his breath. “This technique is called Falling Mountain. Please watch closely.”

Instead of responding, Setsuna simply returned to the Gathering Clouds stance, as if to say it wasn’t his place to answer that wish. He kept his eyes locked on Ragi, who slowly approached.

“Why isn’t Gramps charging in to attack like before?” Alto whispered beside me.

“For one thing, I don’t think he has enough strength to do that anymore.”

“Oh, right. He was breathing pretty hard a few seconds ago.”

“The other reason is that he probably decided he can’t completely evade that thrust and planned to block it again. See how Ragi’s got both arms up to protect his face?”

“Isn’t that dangerous?” Alto asked, sounding worried.

“Sure, if he were wearing ordinary steel bracers, which would break. But those are forged from bluesilver, so he trusts that they’ll protect him.”

We both held our breath as we watched Ragi creep forward little by little, his toes gradually sliding forward, closing the distance. The next moment, Setsuna swung the small shield. Shockingly, Ragi got one more step in during that fraction of a second before Setsuna’s thrust could reach him.

But why would he…?

While that thought was still running through my head, an earth-splitting crack! rang out.

I expected Ragi to be blown backward again, but instead he twisted his body and planted his left foot against the ground, absorbing the force close to his chest and redirecting it. He used that momentum to spin faster and swung his right leg into a sweeping kick aimed at Setsuna’s shoulder.

Setsuna saw it coming and lifted his shield to block.

But Ragi abruptly stopped the spinning motion of his supporting leg and altered the trajectory of his kick, ending with his foot right above Setsuna’s shield. Then—unbelievably—he pinched the rim of the shield between his big toe and second toe and used it as a pivot point to launch himself upward.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye.

Somehow, in that instant, the roles had reversed, and Ragi’s left knee was driving straight toward Setsuna’s face. But Setsuna’s reflexes surpassed those of a normal human, and he tilted his head to the right just in time to evade the strike.

Now that Ragi had lost his target, his body passed over Setsuna’s left shoulder. He twisted in midair to face Setsuna again, landing in a handstand. I wondered again if that was the end of it, but I suddenly saw Ragi’s arms circling Setsuna’s waist, and I realized everything up until now had just been the lead-up to this attack.

His legs wrapped around Setsuna’s neck. The momentum from his jump knocked Setsuna off-balance, causing him to stagger. Ragi was trying to throw Setsuna down and smash his head against the ground.

It looked like there was no way for him to withstand it, but Setsuna reversed his grip on his sword and drove the blade into the earth. His entire body seemed to creak under the strain, but he anchored himself to withstand the momentum.

A few seconds passed, then the force from the technique dissipated. Realizing his last attack had failed, Ragi finally unhooked his legs and collapsed to the ground.

Setsuna quickly let go of the sword, turned around, and caught Ragi as he fell. Ragi murmured something into Setsuna’s ear, but I couldn’t hear what he said.

Whatever he whispered caused Setsuna’s face to fill with sorrow. When he spotted Alto running toward them, however, his expression immediately changed into a soft, gentle smile.

Alto ran up to them, his eyes sparkling. Ragi sat on the ground to catch his breath while the young boy hopped around excitedly. “Gramps! I—I’m never gonna forget that fight! Not for as long as I live!”

Ragi gazed at him silently.

“I promise! I’m gonna be just like you one day! Watch me!”

Ragi opened his arms and pulled Alto into them. I glimpsed tears spilling down Ragi’s cheeks as he hugged the boy, but Alto couldn’t see his face from where he was, so he couldn’t tell. I glanced over at Setsuna. He was standing there facing away from us.

Part Seven: Ragi

Most of my life has been spent in battle, so I never doubted I would also die in battle. And somehow, even at the very end, I always wished I would.

My right fist punched through a monster’s leg, and its tail came swinging down at me.

Oh, my wish is finally coming true, I thought.

But then one of my allies shoved me aside, and she’d been the one struck by the tail and sent flying. Soon after, the monster’s shadow vanished, and I was left holding the woman’s hand.

“I thought you wanted to buy something to take home to your daughter,” I said.

Part Eight: Setsuna

The next morning, Ragi didn’t come downstairs. I wondered if he’d overslept after we’d stayed up chatting the night before. When Alto and I had finished training and I’d made breakfast, I finally went to wake him. At first, I thought he was asleep…but when I went into his room, I found him lying there staring at the ceiling.

“My legs won’t hold me up anymore,” he said softly.

I couldn’t bring myself to answer. Silence fell between us.

“Can you eat?” I finally asked.

“I don’t have an appetite.”

“Beastfolk will grow weak about a week before we pass and gradually lose our mobility. Then a few days before our death, we’ll stop being able to eat.”

I remembered hearing that once, and it came back to me right away.

“Gramps?” Alto poked his head in through the doorway, unable to wait any longer. “Breakfast is ready.”

“Sorry, Alto,” Ragi said gently. “Gramps ate a bit too much yesterday, so I’ll skip breakfast this morning. I also stayed up late chatting with Setsuna, so I’m a bit sleepy.”

Alto glared at us both, his cheeks puffed out. “You two always tell me not to stay up too late!” he said, then stomped back to the living room.

“Sorry to cause you trouble,” Ragi murmured.

“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “More importantly, do you mind?” I stepped closer and laid my hand on his arm, casting a healing spell over him. His complexion was fine, and I detected no injury or illness left in his body, so of course it had no effect.

“Oh, would you look at that. My hangover’s gone,” he said.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the joke.

I knew that the time to say good-bye was drawing near. But now that it was right here in front of me, I felt like tearing open my chest just to rid myself of this pain in my heart. I didn’t want to show those emotions to anyone, though—not Ragi, and not Alto.

The next morning, Ragi still couldn’t get out of bed. Alto was so worried, he refused to leave his side.

“These things happen when beastfolk grow old,” the elderly man explained.

That seemed to satisfy Alto for now, though he still wouldn’t budge from Ragi’s bedside.

Cyrus had just come back from shopping, and he spoke gently as he stepped into the room. “Is there anything else I can do?” I’d already explained everything to him the day I fought Ragi, about how I needed Cyrus to protect Alto and what I’d need from him in the coming days.

“Thanks, but we’re fine for today,” I said.

“Sorry to make you come every day. I know you have your own work to do,” Ragi said. He sounded in discomfort, yet happy at the same time.

“Please don’t worry about it,” Cyrus replied. “Just promise that you’ll spar with me when you’re feeling better.”

He gave me a look as he said it, then slipped out into the hall. I wondered what that was about, so I followed after him. We didn’t speak until we were all the way back in the sitting room, where Cyrus finally stopped and turned to me.

“Yesterday, when I went home, Her Majesty was there. She welcomed me back, and I can’t even begin to tell you how relieved that made me feel. That’s when I realized part of me is hurting over saying good-bye to Ragi more than I thought.”

“…”

“I’ve seen people die before. But I’ve never stayed by the side of someone I’m close to as they died. I didn’t know it could feel so…heavy.” From the way he spoke, I could tell that Cyrus had been carrying the same pain I’d been feeling ever since Ragi had become bedridden. “I think Her Majesty understood, and that’s why she came to say something.”

“Did you tell her you’ve been helping me?”

“No, but she would’ve known. She always knows. I’ve never been the type to stay cooped up at home.”

“That’s probably true; you’re easy to read. I’m sure it was obvious to her.”

“She was worried about you, too,” Cyrus said. “Are you all right?”

“I’m afraid of losing someone who matters so much to me.”

A precious part of my life was disappearing. That wasn’t something that could easily be summed up by “I’m afraid.”

“But it’s better than the shock of hearing about someone you love dying suddenly. So I think staying here and doing as much as I can takes the edge off it a bit.”

My grandfather’s death had been so abrupt. He’d fallen ill and stopped coming to the hospital room where I was. I had believed he would recover any day, but I never got to see him again. I hadn’t even been able to go to his funeral.

His gentle smile, the warmth of his hands, his cheerful voice—all of a sudden, the only place any of those things lived anymore was in my memories.

I know I couldn’t have left the hospital room. Still, I wish I could have seen him just once. I wish I could’ve thanked him.

“I see. If that’s how you feel, then good. But if anything happens, I want you to tell me straight away,” Cyrus said.

“You’ve already done more than enough. You did all the shopping so I didn’t have to leave them, and kept Alto and Ragi company when I needed a break. I’m truly grateful.”

“I’m glad to hear that. All right, then. I’ll go check in on them.”

“Okay.”

Cyrus gave me a sad smile and walked back toward Ragi’s room.

The next morning, Ragi finally woke up at dawn for the first time in a while, and I breathed a long sigh of relief.

“Is there anything you’d like?” I asked gently.

“No, nothing in particular. Have the three of you eaten?”

“Not yet. I was just about to cook something.”

“Would you eat in here with me, if you don’t mind?”

I nodded and stood up, then went to the kitchen. I set a pot of carrot soup on the stove. It was something I’d prepared earlier, just boiled carrots passed through a sieve and blended with milk until smooth. I’d made sure all our meals were easy on the stomach in case Ragi felt like eating.

As I warmed up the soup, Alto came in and pulled a cup from the shelf.

“What do you need?” I asked.

“Gramps said if I brought him water from the well, then he might be able to drink it. So I’m gonna go get some.”

He rushed out the back door. Maybe the soup really was too much for Ragi after all.

By the afternoon, Ragi had drifted back to sleep. He didn’t wake again when evening fell, though his breathing was steady. Cyrus was worried but tried not to show it as he left for the day.

I sat by Ragi’s bed as he slept, took his hand, and let healing magic flow from my palm. I knew it wouldn’t extend his life, but I couldn’t sit here doing nothing.

His hand twitched faintly.

“Set…suna?”

“Sorry. Did I wake you?”

“No…” He turned his face slowly toward me and gave me a weary smile. “You’re here…every time…I open my eyes. But are you…getting enough rest…yourself?”

“I’m getting plenty,” I lied.

He must’ve known I was just saying that, but he just gave me a strained smile and said nothing else.

“Could you wake…Alto…for me?”

…

I let go of Ragi’s hand and gently shook Alto awake. The moment he opened his eyes and saw Ragi smiling at him, he shifted back into his human form. He must have sensed Ragi didn’t have much time left.

“Gramps…,” he said in a trembling voice.

“Alto.” Ragi reached for his hand, and Alto grasped it firmly.

“Alto, Setsuna… I’m so grateful…to have met you both. Spending…these last few months…together…made me so happy…”

“Gramps…” Tears spilled from Alto’s eyes, soaking the back of Ragi’s hand.

…

“The desk…drawer…”

His voice was so faint it was barely audible, and Alto and I responded at the same time. The young boy squeezed Ragi’s hand tightly, as if willing him get better.

“Setsuna… Make sure…you look after Alto…”

“I swear it. I will protect him, even if it costs me my life.”

Ragi managed another tired smile.

“Alto… Stay close to Setsuna. I’ll be watching…to see you grow up…big and strong…”

“I will! I’m gonna get so strong… So strong you won’t even believe it!”

“I can’t wait to see that…”

Ragi closed his eyes and took a deep, steady breath, then opened them again with a happy smile on his face.

“It’s all right, really… Alto, Setsuna… Don’t be so sad. I’m only…taking a little trip…to the Waterside. Even if my body changes…I know…we’ll meet again someday…”

“No! No, I don’t want you to go! Gramps!”

Ragi…

Ragi’s fingers moved slightly, and he looked up to the ceiling, gazing far beyond it. Then, as if offering up a final prayer, he breathed weakly in the beastfolk language, “<May I…be born again…in Sagana…>”

He closed his eyes, then took his final breath.

Part Nine: Cyrus

The previous evening, after I’d finally made it home, one of Setsuna’s enchanted birds came to tell me that Ragi had passed away. I sent it back with the message, “Leave it to me. You stay with Ragi and Alto,” then hurried out to arrange Ragi’s cremation.

It was already late, so there were a lot of places I couldn’t contact until the next morning. Part of me was grateful to be keeping busy, because that meant I didn’t have time to grieve yet.

By the time I finished all the paperwork, it was too late to go to the castle, so I simply left a message with the guard at the gate and went back home.

Dawn arrived, clear and pale as if the sky had been stretched thin and washed in blue. I was the first to arrive at the castle that morning.

The king wasted no time. He issued a direct order that Lady Sophia and I were to bring Alto to the castle. Eugene and Keith would accompany us to the crematorium, and naturally, their knights Georges and Fred would join as their escorts.

It was the king’s way of showing respect. He wanted to alleviate Georges’ concerns about his fiancée and Fred’s about his sister, while at the same time express his sincerity to Setsuna. Otherwise, it made no sense to send such prominent nobles when it would only slow down the workings of the government.

I drove the carriage while Lady Sophia, Eugene, and Keith rode inside, and the two knights flanked us on horseback.

He’s lost the person who kept him grounded, and the ties binding him to the kingdom will only increase. It’s going to feel even more suffocating…

As I was mulling over my friend’s burdens, Lady Sophia leaned forward and asked if we could stop by Elly’s flower shop, and I turned the horses down a different road.

I almost forgot about them. I’m definitely not thinking clearly.

When I told Norris and Elly that Ragi had died, they both stood frozen for a long moment. Then, they hung a sign on the door saying that the shop was closed, loaded flowers onto the carriage, grabbed a lap blanket, and climbed into the carriage to come with us to the crematorium.

I couldn’t stop glancing at the blanket Elly was holding, and eventually, I asked her about it. Tears were in her voice when she answered that she was going to embroider it on the way. I thought that sounded too dangerous to do in a carriage, but when I looked at Norris, he shook his head.

“His old lap blanket was so worn, she wanted to give him a new one. She thought it would look plain as it is, so Elly was going to give it to him after she embroidered it. We were planning on bringing it to him on our next day off…”

Norris suddenly got choked up and looked away. I couldn’t say anything, just gripped the reins tighter and kept driving.

Setsuna and Alto were already there by the time we arrived, saying their final good-byes.

Norris and Elly handed them the flowers—white lisianthuses—and Setsuna and Alto laid them over the coffin together.

Next was my turn. Norris passed me another bouquet of lisianthuses, and I placed it on the coffin, trying to etch every memory I had of Ragi deep into my heart.

One by one, each of us said good-bye.

Finally, Norris and Elly tucked the new lap blanket over Ragi’s legs. Together, we sent him on his way to the beautiful, peaceful Waterside, where they say all life’s sorrows are washed away.

We stood before the small window of the cremator, watching the flames grow hotter and brighter.

Lady Sophia sobbed quietly behind me, her shoulders shaking. Georges put an arm around her and held her close for comfort. Behind them, Norris and Elly wept.

Setsuna and Alto stood there motionless, staring at the rising flames. Eugene, Keith, and I simply watched over the two of them.

Left alone with our grief, a small voice suddenly cut through the silence.

“Why…?”

It was Alto. His fists were clenched. He was whispering something, but none of us could hear it.

Then, he raised his voice and glared at Setsuna. “Why?!”

His anger felt so targeted and threatening that it startled everyone, and we all turned to stare at him. Only Setsuna’s expression remained the same as he gazed back quietly.

None of us knew why Alto was so mad. We couldn’t imagine how a boy who trusted Setsuna so completely could look at him like that.

Alto’s voice rose to a furious shout as he continued glaring at Setsuna. “Master! Why…? Why didn’t you save Gramps?!”

His eyes, already red and swollen from crying, now filled with fresh tears. Yet even through his sobs, his anger didn’t fade. It was like every part of him was screaming with unbearable sadness.

“You saved Cyrus, didn’t you?!”

I didn’t say anything.

“You saved the king, too! So why?! Why couldn’t you save Gramps?!” Alto cried in a ragged voice that none of us could answer. Setsuna just stood there, quietly taking the weight of all his grief and anger.

“Is it because Gramps is beastfolk? Is it because he’s not human? Is that why you wouldn’t help him?!”

My heart ached with such a sharp pain that I wanted to say something, but Setsuna lifted his gaze toward me and stopped me with a look.

“I thought you…of all people…would save him, Master. But you’re human! So maybe you only save other humans!”

Once Alto’s accusations had died down, Setsuna lowered himself to one knee and met the young boy’s gaze. Alto didn’t flinch. He just kept glaring at Setsuna.

“You’re right. I am human,” Setsuna said softly.

The grief-stricken fury in Alto’s teary eyes burned even hotter.

“Ragi was beastfolk. You’re beastfolk, too, Alto. But I’m only human.”

“…!”

All we could do was watch.

Setsuna reached out to lay a hand on Alto’s shoulder, but the boy slapped it away so hard the sound of it echoed through the air, making Lady Sophia and Elly both gasp.

Setsuna didn’t even blink. He just looked at Alto, his voice low and even.

“I’m human, Alto. Not a god. Just as you were born beastfolk, I was born human.”

Alto’s eyes widened, and his hand—the same hand that had struck Setsuna—trembled at his side.

Part Ten: Sophia

The blue sky seemed to go on forever. It was too bright for my eyes, swollen from crying as they were. I lowered my head, fighting back the tears. I’d come out here to look for Alto, but I couldn’t find him anywhere.

I was standing there, unsure of what to do, when Elly and Norris caught up to me. We decided to search together.

Elly glanced over at me while we walked. “Sorry if I’m overstepping here, but did you already know about Ragi?”

Her question startled me. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, Norris and I were so shocked by the news, we froze. But you were so calm, like you’d already prepared for this. Like you’d known ahead of time.”

“…”

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No… I can’t share all the details, but I was told by the queen,” I said softly.

“The queen? So did Sir Georges and Sir Fred know, too?” Elly asked.

“No, my brother and Sir Georges didn’t know. I was told to keep it a secret.”

“Are you sure it’s okay to tell me, then?” She looked worried, but I smiled at her reassuringly.

“I can tell you I knew about it, but I can’t say much more than that.”

“No, you don’t have to. I was just thinking it must’ve been hard on you if you’d already known about today,” she said gently.

I froze and turned to look at her. Something I’d been holding back inside finally spilled out. I never realized how terrible it felt to carry your grief all alone.

“Are you all right? It must’ve hurt so much,” Elly said.

She took my hand in hers and held it tight, her eyes shining with tears.

“I… I still haven’t…”

It’s only been a few days for me, but Setsuna knew this day was coming ever since he met Ragi.

I couldn’t finish my sentence. I didn’t even know how to put any of it into words.

Ragi, Alto, and Setsuna had always seemed like a real family to me. They were so close and so comfortable with one another, the atmosphere between them felt like a gentle breeze.

Setsuna had never given any indication that we’d have to say good-bye to Ragi soon, especially not around Alto. Only now, remembering the look on his face, did I finally understand that.

It must’ve hurt terribly, living each day knowing this was coming. What had it felt like to smile through it all? I couldn’t even imagine how strong he’d have to be to hide his true feelings.

Tears silently streamed down my cheeks when I couldn’t hold them back any longer. Elly reached into her pocket and dabbed a handkerchief at my eyes.

“We need to find Alto,” she said softly.

Her warm hand closed around mine again, guiding me forward, and a few more tears spilled out.

A short while later, Norris slowed ahead of us. He’d found Alto curled up under a tree, sound asleep with tear stains on his face. The young boy must’ve been completely exhausted, both mentally and physically.

“He’s fast asleep. I’ll carry him,” Norris said quietly.

He carefully gathered Alto up in his arms so as not to wake him.

When the cremation ended, we returned to Ragi’s house. Following his wishes, Cyrus dug a hole in a sunny spot in the backyard, and Setsuna placed the urn inside. Then, all together, we slowly covered it with earth.

Alto still hadn’t woken up. We’d discussed whether or not to wake him, but decided in the end that it was kinder to let him sleep.

When the last bit of soil was in place, Elly and Norris laid flowers over the grave, and we all bowed our heads in silent prayer.

Afterward, we rested inside Ragi’s house and shared stories about him.

Setsuna told us about how mischievous Ragi had been and how he’d always played pranks on them. I realized that was a side of him I’d never seen. He’d always seemed like such a kind, dignified old gentleman.

When the conversation died down, Setsuna looked around at us. “Thank you, everyone. I should let you all get back to your duties.”

After thanking Prince Eugene, Setsuna turned to Sir Cyrus and me.

“I’m counting on you both to look after Alto,” he said, bowing his head.

Apparently, Sir Cyrus had already told him I would be helping to take care of Alto.

“What’s this about?” Elly asked, looking puzzled.

“I have quite a lot to take care of in the coming days, so I requested Cyrus and the queen look after Alto for me in the meantime, and the queen asked Sophia to help,” Setsuna explained. “I was just thanking the two of them again.”

“You could have asked us,” Elly said, sounding a little hurt.

“Alto seems quiet, but he can act out at times. If he realizes I left someone else to look after him, he’ll try to run away and come home. Besides, you both have your work at the flower shop.”

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Elly protested.

Norris placed a hand on his wife’s arm to calm her before turning to Setsuna.

“So what do you have to do now?” he asked. “If there’s anything left to be done today, we’d be glad to help.”

“I need to go to the Adventurers Guild,” Setsuna said. He explained how Alto had come to stay with Ragi.

Fresh tears rolled down Elly’s cheeks, and I knew she felt the same way I did. Norris took her hand and gently comforted her.

“Please don’t cry,” Setsuna said softly. “Alto and I were both so happy to spend that time with Ragi.” He gave her a faint smile. “So thank you, but there’s nothing you need to help with today.”

“Should we come by tomorrow?” Norris offered.

“There really isn’t much left to do. I can finish cleaning up by myself.”

Norris was about to say something else, but Lord Keith stepped forward to address the couple. “If that’s the case, then there is one thing you can help us with.”

“What is it?” Norris asked, surprised.

“It would be easy enough to bring Alto to the castle in the carriage if he could sit up, but since we’d rather not wake him, there aren’t enough seats. Could you lay him in your wagon and bring him with you instead?”

Norris looked hesitant, but Setsuna bowed his head.

“It would mean a lot to me. He’s so worn out I’d like him to rest as long as possible. Could you do that?”

“How can I refuse if both you and Lord Keith are asking? Sure, we’ll bring him to the castle without waking him.”

With that settled, we all left Ragi’s house.

Setsuna bowed to us one more time at the gates.

“Thank you. Please take care of him.”

As we walked away, I glanced back to see Setsuna looking so lonely standing there by himself. For a moment, it struck me how empty the doorway looked without Ragi by his side. The sight made my heart ache.

Part Eleven: Norris

After Ragi’s funeral, Elly and I took Alto to the castle.

We crossed the bridge over the moat, and a knight waited for us just beyond the gate to guide us to the throne room.

I thought we’d be able to head home right away…

I glanced over at Elly, and she gave a little shake of her head. Apparently, she was wondering the same thing. Why had commoners like us been summoned here at all?

“It’ll be okay,” Prince Eugene reassured us quietly, but I was still tense.

Inside the castle, we were shown to a hall with high ceilings. Various dignitaries from the kingdom stood solemnly on either side of the throne.

Sophia stepped forward and gave her report to the king. Once she was finished, His Majesty began to issue orders in a steady voice. The first was directed at me and Elly.

“The two of you are forbidden from going anywhere near Setsuna until he comes to collect Alto.”

Elly and I exchanged baffled glances.

Why…?

We were completely clueless. As we stood there in stunned silence, the king gave his next order to the contingent from the castle.

“Keith, you are to ensure that this same order be spread throughout the castle. Patrols around Ragi’s residence shall be increased, and the treatment of any who enters the property shall be left to Setsuna’s discretion. I have also requested through the Adventurers Guild for any intruders to be arrested and delivered to the dungeon. This is to be made known throughout the royal household and carried out with the utmost caution. You will also arrange to increase the ranks of the regional guard and brief them accordingly.”

Lord Keith bowed. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

Thoughts were swirling through my mind so fast I could barely keep up. Nothing made sense. The king must’ve noticed, because he looked at me and granted me permission to speak.

“May I ask why we are forbidden from seeing Setsuna? Elly and I were planning to help him tomorrow.”

“Did Setsuna refuse your offer?”

“Yes,” I admitted. “He said he could manage cleaning up on his own.” I’d assumed he was only being polite, though. Elly and I had discussed how lonely that house—which until now had been filled with so much laughter—must feel now that Setsuna was there all alone, and we’d agreed to visit him.

“I understand it’s coming from a place of kindness, but your presence would only hinder him now,” the king said.

I wasn’t sure what to say. All I could do was stand there and try not to let the frustration show on my face.

“Norris. I know all too well how you feel, but what you may imagine Setsuna meant as ‘cleaning up’ and what he actually meant are two different things.”

“What do you mean?”

“Setsuna’s ‘cleaning up’ involves eliminating any thieves targeting the home of his late client.”

My vision went a little dim. Elly’s left hand found mine and clutched it, trembling.

“You know about the quest, don’t you? It had been posted on the guild board for a long time, which unfortunately made it common knowledge that once the funeral was over, there would be a house full of unclaimed wealth left behind. Now that the funeral’s over, it will be irresistible to thieves and bandits. It is my own failing that I allowed things to reach such a state, and I regret that deeply.”

“No…” I didn’t know what else to say, hearing the king express such remorse.

“Setsuna wrote to me that he would cast a powerful spell across the property to protect it,” His Majesty continued. “It would make him very sad if you ended up getting caught in it.”

“…”

“That’s one of the reasons he wanted Alto sent here—to keep him out of harm’s way.”

“…”

“There’s one other thing. In his letter, Setsuna also said that Alto had already been hurt so badly by this loss that he shouldn’t have to see the kind of people who’d come sniffing around after such a tragedy. If we were to ignore his concerns and get injured, questions would arise as to how it happened. In which case, the situation would come to light and Alto would be hurt all over again.”

“…”

“That is why, by royal decree, you must not go near Setsuna. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Elly and I both managed to say.

“However, in return,” the king said in a gentler tone, “I shall give you another duty. You will deliver flowers to Alto’s room while he stays here in the castle. Beyond that, you are free to spend your time as you wish.”

We looked at each other, unable to hide our surprise. The king just smiled and nodded kindly to us.

The wagon moved slowly along the road on our way home. Today had been filled with events that seemed almost too hard to believe, and now it was drawing to a close.

Elly sat beside me with her head bowed and shoulders slumped. I knew I had to find the strength to comfort her.

Now that I thought about it, it wouldn’t have been unusual for us to lose touch with Ragi and everyone else once Setsuna finished the quest he did for us. But lately…it had started to really feel like we were going to visit family. It was a place we’d grown attached to.

No matter when we dropped by, Ragi always welcomed us with a warm smile. Sometimes he and Alto would come up with a prank and rope us into it. Even that was something we’d grown to love.

That house and Ragi himself had become so dear to us, so of course it felt sad now.

“Norris… Do you think Setsuna will be all right?” Elly murmured, still looking at her lap.

“This was his own decision,” I said quietly.

“I know. And I know how sad he’d be if we got hurt because of him.” She lifted her head, gazing absently at the sky.

“What kind of flowers should we bring Alto tomorrow, Elly?” I asked.

“Something cheerful to make him feel better.”

“Some bright colors, then?”

“Hmm. Maybe something a bit more interesting would be better.”

“Like what?”

“How about a carnivorous plant?”

“That might only make things worse.”

“You think so?”

“Something pretty would probably be better.”

“Then, how about touch-me-nots?” Elly suggested.

“They are unusual, the way they droop when you touch them. But that might make him feel a bit lonely right now, so maybe not.”

I pictured Alto sitting alone in his room, poking a touch-me-not, and the thought of it made me so sad my heart ached.

“Hmm, what else is there that’s interesting?”

“Maybe interesting isn’t the way to go,” I said.

Our conversation drifted off in an odd direction as the wagon rattled along.

A new moon caused the stars to glimmer brightly in the night sky above us, and I struggled to keep the sense of loneliness from swallowing me whole.

Part One: Setsuna

After watching the carriage disappear down the road, I cast a barrier over Ragi’s property, then teleported directly to the Adventurers Guild to report the completion of Alto’s quest.

Normally, the person who accepted the quest was expected to deliver the report, but I knew Alto wasn’t in the right state of mind to do that, having just lost Ragi. Facing the reality of losing someone so precious to him was already more than he could handle right now.

If my only concern was his feelings, I could’ve waited until Alto could come here himself, but there were other circumstances that didn’t make that possible.

The guild had strict procedures for when a client died. If a quest they posted on the board was still unclaimed, it was removed immediately; if it had already been accepted, it was withdrawn within three days.

It was a rule meant to protect adventurers from losing their pay when a client passed away. If the reward had already been entrusted to the guild, a portion of it could be paid out for the percentage of the job already completed. If not, then the guild would at least award the adventurer with achievement points, so their effort wasn’t for nothing.

None of that mattered to me, though. I couldn’t let Alto’s quest go down in the guild’s records as being unfinished.

That was why I strode over to the front desk to talk to the guildmaster, Drum. “Alto completed his quest today. He’ll submit the official report when he’s ready,” I said, sticking to the facts only and not bothering with pleasantries.

Drum looked at me with a somber expression. “You did well.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Setsuna, there’s something Ragi left with me for you.”

“For me? When did he do that?”

“A few days after the Founding Festival. There’s something addressed to Alto as well, but I’ll give that to him personally when he comes in. Yours was a separate commission from Ragi.”

“A commission? He paid you to hold onto a letter for me?”

“Yes. It concerns Alto’s reward.”

“Why would he go to all that trouble?”

He could’ve just told us himself. I didn’t see the reason to go through the guild for that.

“You really don’t understand, do you?”

“I don’t. Did he tell you why?”

“No, but I have a good idea. He thanked me for bringing you into his life. And I could tell he sincerely meant it. You and Alto treated him like family.”

“…”

“So in the end, he didn’t want to discuss money with members of his family. Talking about payment would have forced him to acknowledge that there was a transactional relationship between you. I think he simply wanted to remain your family until the end.”

True, it had been a quest, but Alto and I also both thought of Ragi as family.

“Thank you.” I bowed my head to Drum for sharing Ragi’s feelings with me.

“There’s no need to thank me. I’m sorry to bother you at a time like this, but I have a personal commission for you here. It’s from the kingdom of Lypaed.”

Right. That was the other reason I came to the guild…

I had already anticipated what would happen after Ragi died back when I accepted that request from the queen. After all, I’d been getting glares from a few adventurers ever since word spread that Ragi’s quest had been taken off the board.

That was why I’d arranged for the queen to take Alto into her care. Part of me had hoped nothing like that would come to pass, and that it was all just ugly speculation. But deep down, I knew better.

Reality wasn’t very kind. My enchanted birds had already discovered men lurking around Ragi’s home, scouting the place out. Now, they were also conspiring with the outsiders who’d shown up for the Founding Festival, coming up with a plan to raid the house.

That was why, in addition to taking in Alto as compensation for curing the king’s illness, I had asked the king to issue an official quest through the guild to eliminate the bandits targeting Ragi’s estate. I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving Ragi’s memory to be defiled by scavengers.

I’ll deal with them myself…

“I accept.”

“Are you sure, Setsuna? You don’t look well,” Drum said warily.

“I’m fine.”

I completed the paperwork and turned to leave the guild. I’d only walked a few steps before a group of five men blocked my path.

“Excuse me,” I said politely and tried to move around them, but one grabbed me by the shoulder.

“Hey, buddy. That beastfolk’s dead now, ain’t he? You must’ve come outta that a rich man. He rejected all of us…”

“…”

I ignored them and tried to leave, but the men grabbed my arms and spoke to me in low, menacing voices.

“Betcha earned yourself a small fortune, huh? How ’bout givin’ us a taste? Us humans gotta stick together.”

“Yeah, you only got the job ’cause he turned us away.”

“You used that beastfolk brat you’re always dragging ’round.”

They’d practically confessed. Alto and I had only come to the guild together a few times, so they must’ve been keeping a close eye on us to know that much.

“Must’ve stunk like animals, living with beastfolk.”

“Are you trying to pick a fight with me?” I asked. “Because I’m happy to oblige.”

“You’re pretty bold, thinkin’ you can take all of us on alone. Don’t come cryin’ to us when you regret it.”

The men snickered with amusement. Drum moved to step out from behind the counter, ready to intervene, but I didn’t have the patience to wait.

I summoned a small whirlwind and slammed the men against the ceiling. The next moment, I dispelled it and dropped them hard to the floor. The sound of the impact echoed through the entire guild, drawing every eye to us.

Tension hung in the air, like a wire being pulled so tight it might snap at any second.

“Don’t think you’ll get away with this!”

The man who seemed to be their leader had somehow managed to dodge the brunt of my spell. He drew his sword, and I saw from the emblem on the back of his right hand that he was red level three. He must’ve thought the gap in our ranks meant he could underestimate me.

“What are you going to do about it?” I glared at him, putting as much malice into my gaze as I could.

The seasoned adventurers in the room backed away, hands going to their weapons as they watched me warily from a safe distance. The amateurs just trembled, frozen where they stood, unable even to speak or move.

The air seemed to darken as my hostility emanated across the room. One by one, every person there held their breath and braced themselves.

“You’re just a filthy beastfolk’s lapdog!” The man lunged at me, swinging his sword. I slipped past the blade and struck his arm, causing him to drop his weapon, which clattered against the floor. Judging by the sound of the impact, I’d broken his arm. But I didn’t care.

I stepped behind the man, grabbed his head, and slammed it face-first into the floor.

“Hngah!”

He let out a strangled cry, and a dull crack echoed through the room. I lifted his head again, about to slam it down a second time, when—

“Setsuna!!” Drum shouted from behind me. He was pale and trembling.

That was enough to bring me back to my senses. I forced out a long breath and let my hostility dissipate. The moment that pressure lifted, the adventurers all collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.

Drum waited until he’d steadied his own breathing, then sternly raised his voice again.

“It’s against the law to kill someone.”

“This was a duel.”

“Dueling to the death was permitted in my predecessor’s time, but not anymore. And fighting inside the Adventurers Guild is against the rules.”

“Oh, really?”

I grabbed the thug, still writhing in pain, by the collar and started to drag him across the floor. The sound of his body scraping across the wood echoed throughout the room. No one tried to stop me. They all just watched, pale and too stunned to move.

“Setsuna…what are you doing?” Drum asked in a panic.

“If it’s against the law here, I’ll take him to Mubana. No one will care there.”

“…Are you out of your mind?”

“Not at all. I’m a Windmaster. I went about halfway getting rid of monsters, so I can teleport there and drag him the rest of the way.”

The man was still conscious and started shouting for help. I ignored him and continued slowly toward the doors.

Drum rushed forward, standing in my way. “Setsuna! You can’t kill him! Ragi wouldn’t have wanted this!”

“…”

He continued in a quieter, almost pleading tone. “Let go of him, Setsuna.”

I drew in a long, steady breath and fought against the rage swirling inside of me, then released my grip.

“…I’m sorry. For causing trouble.”

Drum’s shoulders finally lowered, and relief flooded his face. “I don’t have any complaints besides you breaking the rules.”

“…”

“These men will be punished. If more like them come out of the woodwork, I’ll see that they’re thrown in the dungeon. But you’ll be punished as well.”

“That’s fine.”

I’d broken the guild rules, so it was only fair that I would be punished, and I didn’t resist. Still, the next words that came out of Drum’s mouth caught me off guard.

“Heal their wounds and set their bones.”

“…You want me to do it?” I asked.

“That’s your punishment.”

As punishment, I couldn’t refuse, even if it did leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

I called on my Wind magic to heal their injuries and set their bones just like Drum had asked me to. Once I was finished, Drum looked them over and gave a wry smile at how little care I’d taken.

“It’s hard to question them properly if they’re half-dead. I understand how you feel but try to consider the rest of us.”

I knew that was only half the reason. If the kingdom of Lypaed took the men into custody and found them unnecessarily beaten and bruised, it would cause problems. Drum was only thinking ahead. I didn’t care either way, and the thought crossed my mind just how soft-hearted he was.

“Setsuna, I’m giving you the details of your assignment. When you deal with the bandits, don’t kill them. Bring them in alive and hand them over to Lypaed.”

As I started to head toward the door, I called out to Drum, “What happens outside the guild doesn’t concern you.”

“Don’t kill them.”

“What are you going to do, lock me up?”

“No. It’s just a request from me.”

“…”

I stared at him for a while, neither agreeing nor refusing, then left the guild.

Just the day before, this house had been full of a warm, gentle light. But now I was all alone. The lamps were extinguished, and the home that had known the same owner for so many years had fallen into silence.

After Drum had driven a wedge into my resolve and told me not to kill the bandits, I’d undone the spell I cast earlier. Instead, I set up a new barrier to prevent intruders from entering the house, another to soundproof it, and a third to keep anyone from escaping the property.

Tonight was a new moon, so the garden was pitch black.

Normally, this would’ve been the evening I met with Tuuli, but I had sent a letter explaining I was too busy. And so, with the last of the sunset spilling over the windowsill, I opened Ragi’s letter.

In it, he talked about how happy meeting Alto and me had made him and left instructions about the house and land, which he’d entrusted to Alto. He wrote words of concern, apology, and gratitude.

At the very end, Ragi had written, Setsuna, it’s not the setting sun of twilight that suits you, but the light that shines at dawn.

I couldn’t help but laugh a little, realizing he’d remembered something so trivial.

All I’d done was mention once that I liked the setting sun.

“Sure, twilight may be beautiful, but it’s a lonely kind of beauty,” had been Ragi’s response. “A light that’s disappearing, like me.”

“Twilight doesn’t suit you, Ragi. You and Alto are always playing pranks. You shine bright, like a light that refuses to go out.”

He’d given me that low, amused laugh of his. Then, with a serious look, said, “It’s too soon for a youngster like you to chase after a light like that.”

“Anyone would seem young compared to you,” I’d said, and he chuckled again.

That’s all it was. Just a simple, passing conversation.

The fading light. The day Ragi had burned out the last of his life by sparring with me, our fight had also ended at twilight. In that dim glow, he’d turned to me and whispered, “I wish I’d met you sooner.”

At the time, all I’d been able to do was nod. But I wished now that I had put my feelings into words. If I had, I would’ve shouted them.

“I wish I’d met you sooner, too…”

It wasn’t twilight, but I murmured the words aloud in that silent room where no one was left to hear them.

After that, I just sat at the window and waited for them to come.

I heard voices outside, complaining that they couldn’t get in. Reaching out with my senses, I could tell that they were already in the yard.

Why do people stomp about without a care in the world for what others are going through?

I couldn’t help but think about that as I put on a pair of shin guards and bluesilver bracers.

All I wanted to do was mourn Ragi in peace.

Part Two: Alto

I tried to grab Gramps’s hand, but no matter how far I reached, my fingers didn’t touch his.

“Gramps! Gramps, wait for me!”

I jolted awake, sitting up so fast my heart pounded against my ribs.

It was a dream…?

I was breathing hard, so I forced myself to take deep, even breaths.

For a split second, I was relieved that it had only been a dream. But then reality sank in, and the tears started to fall.

That’s right. Gramps is already gone.

“Gramps…! Gramps…”

It hurt. It felt so lonely. The thought that Gramps wasn’t there anymore made my heart ache so bad I didn’t know what to do. So I curled up in bed and tried to stop hurting.

Suddenly, something warm and soft wrapped around me, and a gentle hand began to stroke my back.

“I’ll stay right here until you calm down. It’s all right to cry as much as you need to. Let all that sadness out of your heart, and once you do, it’ll be a little easier to breathe.”

Those arms were too soft to be Master’s. The scent wasn’t Gramps’s, but it was still comforting. And the voice was so tender it felt like it was embracing my heart.

I stopped trying to hold it all in and wept openly.

I was so sad. Every time I thought of Gramps and all the days we’d spent together, my heart ached even more. All those feelings churned around in my head and pressed down on my heart until it felt like I couldn’t breathe. I never knew happy memories could turn into painful ones.

I don’t know how long I cried, but the person holding me never let go. They stayed, just like they’d promised.

When my head finally felt clear enough to look up, I saw gentle eyes looking down at me and a hand smoothing my hair.

“Your…Majesty…?”

The woman holding me smiled, her expression as warm as Master’s.

“I’m glad you remember me. It’s been a while.”

“H-how…? Where am I?”

“You’re at the castle.”

“The castle?”

I had meant to ask why I was there. Maybe I hadn’t said it right, though, because she only answered where I was.

I tried to remember what had happened before I fell asleep, and the image of Master’s sad eyes came rushing back to me. I felt all the blood drain from my face.

“Master!!”

I’d said such awful things to him. I couldn’t stand the ache in my heart, so I’d run away without even apologizing.

“Master!” I tried to jump out of bed, but the queen stopped me.

“Setsuna isn’t here right now.”

“Where is he? I have to go see Master.”

A troubled look crossed the queen’s face, and she slowly shook her head. “Setsuna asked that you stay here for a while.”

He wanted me to stay here? The queen’s voice sounded like a far-off echo.

D-did Master…abandon me?

All the strength drained from my body. I broke out into a cold sweat. The queen started to say something, but her voice melted into a fog and disappeared inside my head.

“D-did Master…get fed up with me?”

I’d slapped away his hand as hard as I could.

“I—I said awful things to him…”

I’d screamed at him that he hadn’t saved Gramps because he was a beastfolk.

“Master isn’t that kind of person!” I know how much he loved Gramps. “I-it’s all my fault! I said such terrible things!”

I’d taken all my emotions out on him.

“Is that why Master…?”

…Hates me?

I was still speaking when the queen shook me so hard it almost knocked the wind out of me.

“Alto!” There was a stern look on the queen’s face that I’d never seen before. She stared right in my eyes. “Setsuna always puts you first.”

“Then why? Why am I here? Master doesn’t even want to look at me…”

“That’s not true, Alto. That could never be true.” She cradled my face in both hands and made me look at her. When she spoke again, her voice was gentle. “Setsuna had something urgent to take care of. He was worried about leaving you alone, so he asked me to look after you.”

“…”

“He also left a message for you: ‘Wait patiently until I come to get you, and don’t neglect your training.’”

“I—I wanna go be with Master…”

“You aren’t going to follow the instructions he left you?”

“No! Because I haven’t said I’m sorry!” I’d already cried so much, but tears continued to pour from my eyes.

As the queen wiped them away, I heard a soft voice behind her.

“Alto, Setsuna asked us to look after you, so you’d be safe.” Sophia stood behind the queen. I hadn’t noticed her until now, and I wondered if she’d been standing there the whole time.

She took my hand, her eyes shining with tears. Her hands were so warm that the ache in my heart eased a little.

“…”

“Be a good boy and wait here for now, all right?”

“All right,” I echoed. I didn’t want to cause any more trouble. They looked relieved when I finally answered, and the two women gave me gentle smiles.

I still felt upset, though, and kept staring at my lap. The queen leaned a little closer and said, “Do you think you can eat anything, Alto?”

I didn’t have any appetite, but since she’d asked, I nodded.

“Good. I’ll have some food brought in, then. Let’s eat together.” The queen called out to Margaret, who was standing in a corner of the room. I looked around in a daze and saw it was dark outside.

It didn’t take long for the meal to arrive. The three of us sat together and ate. Even though I didn’t really feel hungry, being surrounded by such kind people somehow made the food taste warm and comforting.

The next day, I still hadn’t seen Gramps or Master. I stayed curled up, feeling depressed, until a man called the general came to see me. I hid behind Sophia, quietly watching him when he reached down and tousled my hair so hard I thought he might pull it out. He was rough and clumsy, but I could tell he was trying to be nice.

Once he’d done that, he grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and picked me up. I flailed around, but he just ignored me. The general carried me straight to the training grounds and set me down there. I wished he’d just leave me alone, but instead he held out a sword to me. I turned my head away in a huff.

Sophia caught up to us and gently reminded me that Master had told me not to neglect my training, so I had no choice but to pick up the sword and swing it at the general. He blocked it without any trouble at all.

“Well, now. Setsuna’s strong, but it seems he’s not much of a teacher if this is all his pupil’s capable of!”

“Master is an amazing teacher!” I shouted. It was one thing to insult me, but I wouldn’t let anyone insult Master.

“Is that so? Well, I’m not so sure, judging by the way you swing that sword.”

I was furious. I brought the sword down with all the strength I had. But in a flash, he hooked my ankle and sent me falling to the floor.

“When you let anger cloud your mind, it’s easy for your opponents to take advantage of that. Come on, what are you waiting for? Get up and attack me again.”

I didn’t need him to tell me that. I scrambled to my feet and swung my sword over and over, but each time, he struck my shoulder, stomach, and back. Before I knew it, my arms and legs were numb.

“That’s enough for today.”

I could barely move a muscle. I gritted my teeth. I hadn’t managed to protect Master’s honor. The general had been right all along.

“How pitiful,” he said. “You must feel humiliated as Setsuna’s disciple and the grandson of the Hero of Sagana. I’ll train you myself for as long as you’re here in this castle, so you won’t bring shame to either one of them.”

His words made me think of when Gramps and Master had fought each other. That’s right. I promised Gramps I’d grow up to be just like him!

Tears spilled down my cheeks again.

“When things get tough, you should let yourself cry.”

I was lying on the floor with my head in Sophia’s lap, having been dropped back off at my room by the general.

“But some day, you have to be able to smile again for Ragi’s sake. Otherwise, I think he would be very sad.”

She’s right. He’d be worried about me if he saw me like this, so I should smile.

Yet despite that thought, I couldn’t stop crying.

Four days passed since I’d been left at the castle.

The queen and Sophia stayed by my side while I was there, and Norris and Elly brought me flowers. The four of them always chatted with me, so I wouldn’t feel lonely.

I kept training with the general, and occasionally, Georges and Fred also sparred with me. Once that was over, Eugene and Keith helped me with my studies. Eugene always got annoyed when Keith compared me to how he’d been as a child, though, so I kind of wished I could just study by myself.

It was warm and comfortable here at the castle, but I missed Master unbearably.

My place is with him. That’s where I belong.

So, one day before dawn, I quietly climbed out of bed and buckled on my sword. Someone would catch me if I went out into the hallway, so I snuck out the window into the courtyard and crept toward the gate.

That’s the place I stood with Master and Gramps when we looked up at the queen on the balcony.

That memory made my heart ache. Still, it hurt a little less than it had that day.

I stayed there staring until my eyes started to dry out, then I erased my presence again and climbed the wall separating the courtyard from the moat. I stood up at the top of the wall and looked down. The moat looked really deep.

There was no way I could leave through the main gate; the guards would never let me. So if I wanted to get out, I’d have to jump into the moat and swim. That said, I’d never swum before. Still, I’d made up my mind, so I unstrapped my sword and crouched down.

Just then, I heard a voice say my name.

“Alto. Just where do you think you’re going, sneaking out of the castle like this?”

“…”

Cyrus stood at the base of the wall. I hadn’t seen him even once these past four days.

“Didn’t Setsuna tell you to stay here until he came back for you?”

“B-but I just wanna see him…”

“And you’re going to ignore his instructions?”

“…”

“Do you not trust your master?”

“That’s not true! I do trust him!” I snapped back.

At first, I thought he was disappointed in me, and that was why he’d left me behind. But after staying here for a few days, I’d realized something.

“Then why can’t you wait patiently for him?”

All those horrible things I’d said to him that day were still weighing on my heart. And the kinder everyone here was to me, the more I pictured Master’s face.

“…”

“Are you really going to go?” Cyrus asked.

I nodded. Nothing he could say would change my mind.

“You know Setsuna’s going to be very angry.”

“I’m going anyway.”

Cyrus let out a sigh when he heard how determined I was. “Fine, but I’m coming with you. And if you won’t agree to that, I’ll drag you back to your room by force.” He looked me straight in the eyes, and I met his gaze without flinching.

“I’m under orders to keep you here in the castle. So if Setsuna gets mad, you better stick up for me, okay?” he said, flashing me a smile.

I strapped my sword on my back again and jumped down from the wall. Cyrus let me climb up onto his horse, and we rode to go see Master together. Even though it had only been a few days, a sense of nostalgia spread through my chest the closer we got to Gramps’s house.

Even though I knew he was gone, part of me still felt like maybe he’d be there when I walked through the door. That he would look up with a smile and say, “Welcome home, Alto.”

My heart felt heavier and heavier, and when we finally arrived at the house, I kept my gaze fixed on the ground.

I quickly searched for Master’s presence, but he wasn’t inside. Maybe he was out back. I began to feel frantic as I reached out, desperate to find him.

“Found you!” I sensed him behind the house and ran to him without thinking.

The moment I stepped into the backyard, I was speechless.

Just four days ago, the backyard had been totally empty. Gramps used to stand there and say, “Maybe someday I’ll plant a garden here.” Now, though, the whole yard was covered in small white flowers, their petals swaying in the breeze.

Master stood by himself at the edge of the white flower field, covered in mud. I heard Cyrus gasp behind me. My heart pounded when I saw how much Master had changed and how incredibly thin he was.

Master was staring blankly at the sky. I’d never seen that look on his face before. Honestly, I didn’t even know he could look like that.

He was just standing there watching the clouds, and seeing him like that hit me so hard I thought my heart might split in two.

The queen’s words flitted through my mind: “Setsuna always puts you first.”

It was only then that I realized… I finally understood. Every time someone here had shown me kindness, it was because Master had paved the way for me.

…

Master. So many kind people have stayed by my side these past four days.

Master. I ate hot meals with people who cared about me.

Master. There was always someone who held my hand as I fell asleep in a warm bed.

…Ma…ster…

My tears wouldn’t stop.

Master, did you even eat at all while I was gone?

Master, why does the air around this house smell like blood?

Master, did you plant all these flowers so Gramps wouldn’t feel lonely?

Master, were you out here all alone this whole time?

Master, you made sure I had a warm place, but then you stayed here…all alone.

…Master…

I clenched my hands into fists and filled my lungs with air. I couldn’t let him be alone anymore. I had told Gramps that I would keep my promise to him and get stronger.

“M-Master!” I shouted.

My voice startled him, and he turned toward me. “Alto? What are you doing here? You’re here too, Cyrus…?”

I couldn’t wait. I sprinted straight for Master and threw my arms around him.

“Alto?” he said, gently resting a hand on my back. Just hearing his voice and feeling his warmth made the tears stream down my cheeks again.

I didn’t want him to see my face, so I stayed pressed against him, letting out all the words I’d carried inside me.

“Master, I said such terrible things to you. I didn’t mean it! I never meant any of it…”

Master had always loved sharing a drink with Gramps.

“You must’ve been hurting so much…”

I knew he’d been using magic to try to heal Gramps, even after he collapsed. “Master, I’m sorry…”

He cared about Gramps, too. I was sure he felt just as sad and lonely as I did. But I’d blamed him.

He wrapped his arms around me while I sobbed.

“I’m not upset. I know you didn’t really mean it, Alto.” He slowly pulled back and knelt down so he was at eye level with me. I didn’t look away but gazed right back into his eyes.

“You’ve learned to express your feelings. That’s great, Alto.”

His voice made my whole body go stiff. Even though I’d decided to come here on my own, I was still scared. I could feel my heart pounding as I tried to imagine what Master would say next. My legs began to tremble. Still, I’d promised Gramps to be strong, so I didn’t look away.

“Alto, don’t be afraid of growing up. You don’t have to be worried.” He took my hand in both of his. It was so warm that I felt myself stop trembling.

“As long as you wear this bracelet, I’ll always be with you.”

That wasn’t the answer I’d been expecting. I was still scared. I didn’t want to be apart from him. I wanted to stay by his side forever. And that wish was so big it slipped right out of my mouth.

“I—I don’t think I’ll ever take it off.”

“If that’s what you want, that’s fine.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Really. But I think that, someday, you’ll meet someone even more important to you than me or Ragi. Someone you’ll want to protect with all your strength, just like Ragi did.”

I couldn’t imagine someone ever being more important to me than Master or Gramps.

“Maybe it’s hard for you to picture now. And that’s okay. But I want you to remember something.”

“What?”

“Even if you take off your bracelet and return it to me, the time we spent together won’t go away. Just like the happy memories you have with Ragi will always be there, I’ll always be your master, and you’ll always be my apprentice.”

“Master…”

“So don’t be afraid of the day we might part. Cherish the present, and never stop trying to grow.”

“Okay.”

“And even if you can ride a horse well, or express your feelings now, that doesn’t mean you’re ready to go off on your own.”

“Huh?”

“There’s still a lot you have to learn before you become an adult.”

I must’ve looked surprised, because Master gave me an amused smile and started listing off all the things I still needed to learn.

Wow, there’s so much… That kinda makes me happy.

“The path to becoming independent isn’t as easy as you might imagine. So it’s all right to take your time growing.”

Right. It’s not easy.

“Besides, you’re still just a child, Alto.”

Maybe I wasn’t supposed to be happy about that. Maybe I was supposed to hurry up and turn from a duckling into a swan. But Master had told me it was fine to take it slow, so I decided I’d just stay a duck a little longer and do my best.

“Alto. Were you glad to have met Ragi? Or do you wish you never had?”

“I’m very glad I met Gramps. Meeting him made me happy. You feel the same, right?”

I would never wish I hadn’t met him, even if right now, it hurt me and made me sad.

“Yeah, I do. I’m very glad I met him.” Master smiled softly. He stroked my hair and got to his feet, then took something from his pocket and held it out to me.

“Take this crystal and say ‘Unfold.’”

I did as he said, gripping the crystal tightly as I whispered the magic word.

I felt mana activate, and suddenly, in my mind’s eye, I saw Master and Gramps fighting side by side.

“…”

I could hear Gramps’s voice! I could see him standing there. Tears spilled down my cheeks without my realizing it.

“It’s something Ragi left behind for you. I’m not beastfolk, so I can’t teach you how to use their power. It won’t be easy, but you’ve decided you want to be strong like Ragi, right?”

“Yeah! I’m gonna be strong, just like Gramps. And like you! I promise I will!”

“Right. I’m sure you will. So don’t forget the day Ragi and I fought each other. Don’t forget what you just said. And if you ever feel scared to keep going or start to lose your way, just remember what Ragi left for you.”

“Okay. I will, Master!”

He nodded and gave me that gentle smile of his. Master’s face almost seemed to glow against the colors of dawn.

“Looks like a painting…,” I blurted out.

Master looked up at the sky. “It does. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

I meant he looked like a painting, but I guess he thought I meant the sky, so I looked up at it over his shoulder.

“It kinda looks like twilight.”

“It does a bit, but this is actually dawn, and…” Suddenly, he stopped speaking.

I looked up at Master, who was staring up at the sky with an odd, faraway look in his eyes. He looked so lonely in that moment that it reminded me of when I’d found him standing alone out here.

“Master?” I called out to him without thinking. He slowly lowered his gaze and shook his head as if to say it was nothing.

“Alto. Ragi is resting here.”

I looked down and saw a gravestone carved with Gramps’s name. All the white flowers in the garden had been planted around it. Gramps’s soul had departed for the Waterside, but his body would remain here on the earth until it returned to the land. The cool morning breeze made the flowers sway like a cradle rocking him to sleep.

Gramps…

I knelt down in front of the gravestone and repeated my promise that I’d become strong. I prayed there silently for a moment, then stood up. I’d had an idea. I asked Master to wait, then ran to my room, found what I was looking for, and came back to the garden.

“Alto?” Master gave me a curious look when he saw what I held in my arms.

“Jackie will stay here with Gramps. That way, he won’t be lonely. And Jackie’s really strong, so he can protect Gramps, too.”

I didn’t know exactly what had happened here while I was gone, but I could tell Master had fought someone.

He looked surprised for a second, but then he slowly nodded. “You’re right. I’m sure Jackie will guard him well.”

I nodded back.

After a while, Master let out a long sigh and turned to face Cyrus. “Well, Cyrus?”

Cyrus had been standing behind us this whole time, watching everything happen.

“Yeah?”

“I’m fairly certain I asked you to keep Alto away from here.”

“Yeah, you did,” the knight replied.

“So what are you doing here with him now?”

“You didn’t really mean it, right? Leaving it to me was a bad idea in the first place.”

Master had an exasperated look on his face. “So that was your plan all along.”

“Well, since I didn’t meet your expectations, how about we just forget about the payment this time?” Cyrus said. “You can put in another request later.”

“Why are you acting so smug about failing to keep our agreement? Do you even know what the word ‘integrity’ means?” There was a dangerous glint in Master’s eyes.

“Hey, wait a minute! Alto, don’t just stand there! Help me! You promised!”

I remembered the promise I’d made him.

“Master, I’m the one who asked him to do it!”

“Fine. I’ll drop it, for Alto’s sake,” Master said, letting out another big sigh.

“You can just make another request later.”

“Like I said, why are you acting so high and mighty? You’re the one who messed up.” Seeing Master with that wry smile on his face always made me feel strangely happy inside. “Though, honestly, I already feel like I’ve been well compensated, considering how much you helped with Ragi.”

“That’s not true,” Cyrus said, his voice firm. “I did that because I wanted to, not because you asked me. I did it for Ragi.”

“You’re a lot more conscientious than you look, Cyrus.”

“Was that really necessary?!” Cyrus protested, and all of us burst out laughing.

Once we calmed down, Cyrus’s expression turned stern. “Seriously, though. Look at yourself. Your clothes, your face… You look terrible.”

“Do I?”

“You can’t tell?”

“Not really.”

I realized I hadn’t seen Master eat much at all since Gramps became bedridden. And he’d already been awake whenever I’d woken up. He looked a lot thinner than before.

I started to feel worried, so I grabbed his hand. “Master, the food at the castle is really good.”

Plus, there were a lot of kind people there. I wanted Master to feel some of the warmth I’d felt.

“You’re right. It is delicious.” Master smiled like he was wondering what had come over me all of a sudden.

“But you know,” I went on, “they always bring out so much food I can’t finish it alone. You should eat with me, Master.”

“Ah, I’m not really that hungry…”

“But haven’t you finished everything you needed to do?”

“I guess so.”

“Then come with us! And you’re gonna eat!” I pushed Master’s back, making it clear that I wouldn’t take no for an answer. I was pretty sure Cyrus was worried about him, too.

“Hmm”

Even then, Master wouldn’t budge, so I gently took his hand.

“Master, the food at the castle is really good.”

“All right, Alto. I’ll go back to the castle with you.” It sounded like he’d finally given up and started walking forward.

The sky was growing brighter, and the stars began to fade, one by one. The three of us walked together down the path in the pale light.

When we stepped out of the garden, I let go of Master’s hand and stopped to look back. Even now, when I thought about Gramps, I still felt like crying.

Even so, I turned away from his gravestone and hurried after Master so I could keep my promise to him.

Part Three: Setsuna

I only realized what a mistake I’d made once we arrived at the castle.

I’d let Cyrus and Alto push me here without protest, but as soon as I stood in front of the gates, I looked down at myself for the first time and regretted not changing clothes first.

The past four days, I’d felt like I would be crushed if I didn’t keep myself busy. So I’d gone without sleep or rest and planted flowers nonstop. I must’ve been so dirty it defied description.

I’d only half believed Cyrus when he told me I looked terrible. But if I’d just listened to him, I could’ve cleaned myself up before coming here.

It would be incredibly rude to meet with the king like this.

“Cyrus, I’m sorry, but I think I should go back and change first…”

I hadn’t even finished speaking when I heard two shrieks.

“What on earth?! Setsuna! Why are you so thin?!”

“Setsuna! Are you unwell?!”

The queen and Sophia must have been searching for Alto and caught sight of me in the process. The state I was in made them shriek.

The truth was, I hadn’t felt like sleeping or eating, so I’d just kept working. But if I admitted that, they would worry even more, so I simply told them I was fine. Both of them let out sighs of relief, then began whispering to each other.

The guards from the gate came running due to the commotion, and even they were gawking at me.

Yeah, I must look worse than I thought. I should really go back…

“I’m so sorry about this. I’ll return and come back after I’ve changed…” I started to say.

“You’ll do no such thing, Setsuna!” The queen took hold of my right arm. I was about to protest that she’d get her clothes dirty when another voice came from my other side.

“We’re not letting you leave, Setsuna. I have a feeling you won’t come back if we do!”

I sighed as Sophia grabbed my other arm. The two women exchanged glances, nodded firmly, then started pulling me forward.

“W-wait, I’m covered in mud!”

“That’s why you’re going to take a bath!”

“I’ll get the bath dirty!”

“That’s what a bath is for, Setsuna.”

“No, really, I’ll just go home and come back—”

They ignored my protests and dragged me along so forcefully that I almost wanted to ask where they’d been hiding such strength.

“Uh-uh. You’re bathing here. You look dead on your feet!”

I do…?

I hadn’t thought anything of it before, but now I was starting to feel embarrassed. Maybe that was a sign that I was starting to regain some composure.

“That’s right, Setsuna. Our gallant young lord is a complete mess!”

The two of them kept speaking one after the other without giving me a chance to get a word in edgewise.

Keith and Fred appeared once they heard the commotion, but the moment they spotted me, they started to turn around and go back the way they came. I made eye contact with them in a silent plea for help, but they gave me a look that said they didn’t have that sort of power and disappeared down the hallway.

Maybe it was too early in the morning, or maybe everyone else was just too afraid of the queen to interfere, but no one else came near after that.

I had no escape and no one to rescue me, so I had no other choice but to let myself get shoved straight into the baths. The queen finally let go of me at the entrance, but Sophia pushed me all the way into the changing room, where an entire group of attendants were waiting.

“I find it hard to believe the queen had time to send for you after she saw me,” I said, unable to hide my suspicion as I recognized one of the ladies.

“I always try to anticipate Her Majesty’s desires,” Margaret said with a smile so sweet I found it frightening.

“That means everyone here…?”

“Yes, all of us serve Her Majesty, including Lady Sophia. We were instructed to assist you with your bath.”

This is ridiculous. I glanced around at them, searching for any chance to talk sense into someone. “Is Lalegul not here today?” I was trying to buy time, bringing up someone who might help me.

I’m sure this is due to the queen’s meddling or Margaret’s mischief. But how do I convince them to stop? I could run, but then Alto would only worry…

“Lalegul has returned to her homeland due to family matters. Now then, shall we get you ready for your bath?”

“I see. Um, would you all please leave?” I knew it wasn’t very creative, but I couldn’t think of any other way to get out of it.

“Are you asking us to defy our queen’s command?” Margaret’s fixed expression and calm tone made her impossible to read.

“Did she actually give you that command? You were only guessing that’s what she wanted.”

I’d only run into the queen by chance, and she hadn’t sent any instructions afterward. Not that I thought logic would get them to back down.

“If you insist, I shall confirm by Telepathy.”

Of course you will…

It had been so long since I’d dealt with that kind of trickery that my mind automatically started searching for the best move. But before I could decide, Margaret surprised me by bowing her head.

“Her Majesty instructed that such things should not be forced upon unmarried ladies.” As she lifted her face, she glanced behind me.

I turned and saw Sophia holding her hand in front of her mouth, trying not to laugh, a pink hue coloring her cheeks.

“If you’ll excuse us.” Margaret led the attendants past me and out of the changing room.

What were they even trying to accomplish? They’d left so easily after giving me all that trouble that I found myself just staring after them, bewildered. Maybe that was what Sophia found so funny, because she finally cracked and started laughing, keeping her hand in front of her face.

“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help it.”

“What’s so funny?” I asked.

“That serious look on your face as you worried about the attendants, then that stunned looked on your face now—the contrast was just too much. Forgive me.”

“Okay… But seriously, what were they trying to do?”

“They only came to play a prank on you. Yesterday, Alto said he should come up with a fun bit of mischief to cheer you up. When I asked him why, he said that Ragi had told him a lighthearted prank can ease a heavy heart,” Sophia said softly.

“I see.”

“So we decided to try it ourselves.”

“But you three didn’t even have time to plan anything together.”

“A little while ago, we talked about the day you might come to pick up Alto. It just ended up happening sooner than we expected.”

“Right. Still, I can’t say I found it enjoyable.” I tried to keep my voice light so it wouldn’t sound like I was complaining.

“Really? It seems there’s more to the art of pranks than I realized,” Sophia said with a frown.

I almost told her that it was one art I hoped she wouldn’t pursue further, but she continued.

“I felt a little relieved when I saw your face just now. Before, it was like there wasn’t a drop of life left in you. I’ll leave you to yourself for the time being, so please, get some rest.”

After Sophia left, it was like the commotion had never happened in the first place, leaving behind a deep, peaceful quiet.

I spotted a tall mirror against the wall and stood in front of it.

Yeah… I really do look terrible.

Still, I looked a little better thanks to everyone’s help. I was truly grateful for that.

Once I got out of the bath, I found a fresh set of clothes waiting for me. It was obvious from the moment I unfolded them that they were entirely to the queen’s taste. So, of course, I took out my spare clothes from my bag and put them on instead.

The queen pouted a bit about it afterward, and I couldn’t help but think she should give those clothes to her own child to wear.

Part Four: Alto

The queen and Sophia took Master away to the baths. I tried to run after them, but Cyrus placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Alto, would you want the same treatment?”

“Huh?”

“Would you want to be dragged off and shoved into the bath?” he asked.

I pictured Master getting scrubbed from head to toe by the two women while he flailed around, and I shook my head.

“Exactly,” Cyrus said with a shiver.

“I don’t want that. But will Master be okay?”

“He’ll be fine. If he doesn’t want them there, he’ll shake them off and come back on his own. Let’s just wait in his room until he returns.”

“Master has a room here?”

“The queen asked the king to have one ready in advance so he could rest when he came to collect you. That just happened a little sooner than they were expecting.”

“The queen’s really nice,” I replied.

That made me happy. I’d really been hoping someone would show Master the same warmth they’d given me.

“Oh,” Cyrus said suddenly, “I need to apologize to the queen and Sophia for sneaking out of the castle.”

“You can do that later, can’t you. I’m sure they’ll be back soon.”

“Yeah.”

I walked with Cyrus to the room that had been prepared for Master. It was the same one we’d once stayed in, disguised as a bard and his attendant.

Cyrus didn’t bother knocking before he opened the door. The queen and Sophia were already sitting there having tea.

“Why are you here already? Aren’t you supposed to be looking after Setsuna?” he shouted in surprise at the queen, but when Sophia glanced at him, Cyrus straightened up and bowed to apologize.

He tried to back out and quietly shut the door as if nothing had happened, but the queen wasn’t about to let him get away with that.

“Come in, both of you, and have some tea with us,” she said with a sweet smile.

“There’s no escaping now,” Cyrus muttered under his breath, before bowing and taking a seat.

“Come here, Alto dear. We have delicious cookies.”

The mention of cookies was enough to make me step inside the room, but I knew I had to apologize first.

I bowed my head low for sneaking out without permission. I was prepared for a scolding, but the queen and Sophia just said, “Next time tell someone where you’re going. We were worried sick,” and let it go.

With that off my chest, it was time to enjoy the cookies. They asked how we’d found Master, and I told them about the moment I’d spotted him looking so tattered it seemed like the wind would blow him away.

Remembering why I’d brought him here, I explained that I wanted Master to have good food and kind company to help him feel better.

The queen and Sophia nodded repeatedly, promising that they would do their very best to help Setsuna recover.

A little while later, Master came in with Margaret.

He looked cleaner after his bath, and the color in his face looked a little better. He took a moment to get settled while the servants began to carry in one dish after the next and set them on the table.

This looks so good!

The castle meals were always delicious, but tonight’s looked especially good. Master stared blankly at the food. I was sure he must be thinking the same thing, about how delicious it all looked.

Once everyone was served, we began to eat.

At first, Master politely tried to decline, but the queen and Sophia wouldn’t hear of it. They just served him food without asking and set the plate in front of him, staring quietly at Master until he picked up his knife and fork.

They were so determined, it was honestly a little scary, and I didn’t dare say a word. Cyrus must’ve felt the same way, because he only sighed and started eating the mountain of food placed in front of him. Margaret had served his portion while the other two were busy.

“Alto, don’t hesitate to let us know if you’re still hungry. I’ll have the cooks prepare more right away.”

“Okay!”

“And Setsuna, eat as much as you want. We’ll keep your plate piled high.”

“…”

Master gave Sophia a little nod. I felt so glad when I saw that.

I chatted with Master about which dishes I liked the best, and it wasn’t long before I was piling food onto his plate, too.

“Alto, you can have some of mine,” Master said, setting aside some of the food on his own plate for me like he always did when I said something was yummy. But today it was more important that Master ate than me. So I shook my head and told him I didn’t need any. It was nice of him to want to share, but today, he needed to eat at least twice as much as I did.

“Master, if you eat it, you’ll get your strength back!”

“You’re right.”

The queen and Sophia watched over us with warm smiles. Meanwhile, Sophia noticed that Cyrus had already cleaned his plate. “Would you like seconds, Sir Cyrus?”

“No, thanks. I’m pretty full.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Oh, and you might already know this, but if you serve Georges twice as much as you gave Setsuna, it’ll make him really happy.”

Sophia looked puzzled as she turned to him. “But Sir Georges always eats the same portions you do…”

“Sure, at lunch and dinner he eats as much as me, but Georges always has a hearty breakfast. You probably didn’t know that, Lady Sophia.”

That reminded me of Gramps. He used to have a big breakfast but was careful not to overeat at night. Master, on the other hand, typically didn’t eat much at breakfast, had a bigger lunch, then had a lighter dinner.

“Goodness, I didn’t know that. Is that right?”

“Yes. So when you get married, make sure to cook him a big breakfast.”

“Thank you, Sir Cyrus. That’s very good to know.”

Sophia smiled brightly and Cyrus nodded cheerfully.

Master watched him, looking like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he kept quiet. The queen similarly looked like something was on her mind, but Margaret approached her, and she seemed to forget whatever she’d been about to say.

A little while later, when Master’s appetite began to slow and he seemed tired, the queen gave him a gentle smile.

“Setsuna, do you have any obligations tomorrow? Anything you must attend to?”

“No, nothing urgent.”

“Then you should stay here at the castle until you’ve recovered your strength.”

“What?”

“You may not notice it yourself, but your complexion is poor, and you’ve lost far too much weight.”

“I’ll be fine. I promise to eat properly from now on.”

“I’m afraid I don’t believe that. You’re just like the king, always pushing yourself beyond your limits,” the queen said, casually dismissing Master’s words.

“I can’t possibly impose on you any more than I already have with Alto…”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ve already spoken to the king and everything is arranged.”

“That’s very kind, but I really—”

“Setsuna, I’ll continue taking care of Alto, so please rest and focus on regaining your strength,” Sophia said, cutting him off. The two women weren’t taking no for an answer.

Master and the queen went back and forth a few more times, but he eventually seemed to realize it was hopeless trying to convince her and finally gave in. A look of immense satisfaction settled on the queen’s face. She glanced around the room, then tipped her head to the side.

“Hmm? Where did Cyrus go?”

Come to think of it, Cyrus had said he’d remembered something he needed to do and slipped out earlier, but he hadn’t returned.

Suddenly, I remembered how he’d muttered, “There’s no escaping now,” before we entered the room.

As I puzzled over who he was trying to escape from, I heard Master murmur beside me in a small, sad voice… “It’s cruel to run off by yourself.”

Later, Master lay down for an afternoon nap, and the moment he did, he fell fast asleep.

When Cyrus stopped by that evening to check on him, he chuckled and said, “It’s no wonder, considering he hasn’t been eating or sleeping for days.” He ended up staying with me until it was time for bed.

After that, I was too worried to sleep by myself. I kept thinking Master might stop breathing if I wasn’t there, so I crawled into bed beside him. I’d check and make sure his chest was still rising and falling every so often.

Somewhere in the middle of the night, I fell asleep without realizing it, and when I woke up, it was already morning.

I felt so relieved to see Master awake again, but he had a hand pressed to his stomach, and his face looked pale.

“Master, are you okay?”

“I think so…”

I didn’t know what was wrong, but before I could ask, the queen and Sophia came into the room with breakfast. Since Master hadn’t eaten dinner last night, they started piling up even more food onto his plate than they had the day before.

At lunchtime, Sophia gently shook him awake and insisted he had to eat as much as I did.

“That was just cruel…,” he murmured, though I didn’t know what he meant. Master still seemed exhausted, and he took out some kind of medicine and swallowed it. He was looking worse for wear today than I’d imagined he would.

Then he collapsed back onto the bed and sighed. “I can’t take it anymore. I’m going to lock myself in here for teatime and dinner. Keep them away from me, Alto.”

“Master, is your tummy too full?”

“Yes. I’ve eaten more than enough, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Okay. Then I’ll tell them I’ll eat your share instead.”

Master’s eyes went wide. He looked like he was in so much pain I felt bad for him.

A while later, Master let out a deep breath and slowly pushed himself up. He wasn’t clutching his tummy anymore, so maybe the medicine was working.

“I’m going to the castle library to do some research. What are you going to do, Alto?”

I remembered Master had asked the queen at breakfast whether he could use the library, and she’d told him he was allowed so long as he was accompanied by a knight.

“I’ll come, too.”

“Okay, let’s go together.”

“Yeah.”

When we got to the library, Master started reading books about the history of this region. I wandered among the shelves, wondering what I should read. Then I heard several voices talking.

I didn’t recognize them and thought about leaving, but then I heard a name I did know.

“Hey, don’t you think that new maid, Sophia, is really pretty?”

“Yeah, she is.”

“I was thinking of trying to talk to her sometime.”

“You probably shouldn’t do that.”

“Why not? You could at least support me. I’m in love with her.”

Love?! Oh no! This is serious! I have to tell Master, or this is going to be a disaster!

“Don’t you know? Sophia is Sir Georges’s fiancée.”

“Huh?”

“You really didn’t know? Their engagement ceremony was all anyone could talk about.”

“Ahhh…”

“Aw, c’mon. Cheer up.”

“…Being jilted after just a few days is ridiculous.”

Their conversation broke off, and it sounded like they walked away. I whirled around and ran back to Master as fast as I could.

“Master!”

“Alto, you need to be quiet in the library.”

“Sorry.”

“What happened?”

“I heard something terrible!”

“Something terrible?” Master asked.

“Yeah! I think it could be a crisis for Sophia and Georges!”

“What’s going on?” He closed the book he’d been reading.

“A man I don’t know said he was in love with Sophia and that he’d been jilted!”

“…”

“What should we do? He could kill Sophia!”

“…”

“Master, this isn’t the time to be smiling like that. This could turn into a battle for Sophia’s love!”

“…”

“I think I should tell Georges so he can protect Sophia.”

“Alto, it’s all right. You don’t have to worry,” Master said as he rubbed his eyes, sounding very tired. “Sophia and Georges already pledged their love to one another, so there won’t be any fighting. Probably.”

“Really? Then it’s okay?”

“They accepted each other’s feelings and held an engagement ceremony, where they promised to get married.”

I knew what marriage was. That’s what Master and Tuuli had done.

“So then Sophia won’t be killed, and Georges doesn’t have to fight?”

“That’s right.”

“Oh. That’s good.”

“And the man said he’d already been jilted, didn’t he?” Master asked.

“Yeah, but what does ‘jilted’ mean?”

“It means she doesn’t love him back.”

Master gave me a small, awkward smile, then went back to his book. Love sure sounded like a complicated thing, so I decided I should look for a book about it and learn more.

I found one called The Princess of Many Loves: A Study of Lacio, the Beauty Who Toppled Kingdoms, and sat down to read it.

Part Five: Norris

It all began one afternoon when Sir Fred came by Alto’s room with some sweets, saying he wanted to visit Sophia. He explained that her parents had asked him to visit since she was living at the palace now.

Since Sir Fred was first knight to the prime minister, Lord Keith had come along as well. Elly and I had met them before, but we were still too nervous to relax.

Setsuna, meanwhile, had been hiding in his room every day around this time. I suspected it was because Sophia and Elly kept trying to feed him until he felt like he’d burst. Honestly, I couldn’t blame him. If someone piled that much food on my plate, I’d want to run away, too.

Lord Keith was one thing, but then the queen came to visit with none other than the king himself and said, “I’d love to have tea with Alto.” My heart nearly fell out of my chest.

Naturally, the king’s first knight accompanied them, and the tension in the air was so thick I almost felt like I’d suffocate.

Alto seemed used to it, though, and he greeted the queen and king casually. It struck me that, in a very different way from Setsuna, he was amazing.

When we saw that Alto was perfectly fine, Elly and I exchanged glances.

“Alto, since you have so many guests, we’ll be going now. We’ll come back again tomorrow,” I said quietly.

But before we could slip out, the queen called us back. “Oh, we’re just about to have tea! Please stay and join us. I’d love to hear about the flowers you brought.”

The maids had everything set up before we could decline, including place settings for me and Elly.

“How did they get everything set up so fast? It’s unbelievable,” Elly whispered, awestruck by their efficiency.

The first knights initially refused to sit down, but the queen asked them so earnestly that they eventually gave in. They sat down at the round table alongside the rest of us, bringing the total to nine.

We only came here to bring flowers to Alto. How did this happen?

I knew Elly was wondering the same thing.

As the tea party began, the queen’s warm personality made it a surprisingly cheerful gathering.

Sophia started asking Elly about how she and I had met. I noticed Sir Fred just gave me a sympathetic look, but I just stayed quiet and drank my tea.

After that topic of conversation finally wound down, the queen asked Sophia how she and Georges had fallen in love. Sophia happily shared the story, which Elly listened to with a sparkling gaze.

Weren’t we supposed to be talking about flowers? Whatever happened to that?

I kept that thought to myself, though, and waited for the time to pass, watching Alto steadily work his way through the cookies.

The women’s conversation never seemed to slow down. Before long, they’d moved on to stories about Lord Keith and Prince Eugene’s childhood, and even Sir Cyrus’s old heartbreaks—all truly excruciating topics for the men in the room.

If those men knew they were being discussed like this behind their backs, they’d be so embarrassed. So maybe in that sense, I’m fortunate to be here instead. Or…maybe not.

My sense of what was fortunate seemed skewed, so I shook my head to snap myself out of it. When I happened to look up, a maid caught my eye and gave me a sweet smile. A chill ran down my spine.

Meanwhile, whenever the queen seemed about to say something that might embarrass the king, he very smoothly steered the conversation in a different direction. She never seemed to notice and would, instead, begin to reminisce about their past. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration watching how deftly he handled the situation.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Sophia turned to Alto with a gentle question. “Is there anyone you like, Alto?”

Everyone turned to look at him.

“Someone I like? You mean Master?”

The whole mood of the tea party softened with his innocent reply.

“Not Setsuna… I mean, someone you love in a special way,” Sophia explained kindly.

“You mean…romantic love?”

“Yes, just like that!” Elly said cheerfully, clearly enjoying herself.

But Alto frowned and suddenly looked deeply troubled, then let out a little groan. “I don’t wanna love anyone like that. It’s too scary!” The color drained from his face, and everyone fell silent. “Bloody battles over love are even scarier.”

I honestly never imagined I’d hear Alto say something like that.

“Bloody battles?” the queen asked gingerly.

“Everything changes when you fall in love! They scream and say they’ll show you hell!” the young boy blurted out, his voice trembling. His entire body was shaking now.

Did he witness some kind of horrible love triangle over Setsuna?

“Love…is when you fight to the death until it’s a bloody mess and the last one standing gets to keep the girl, isn’t it?”

“…”

A hush fell over the room.

Why on earth does Alto think that’s what love means?!

“Ah-ha-ha!” The king burst out laughing.

But Alto looked totally serious. “I thought I was in love with Master, but then Master told me that the kind of love I felt for him was like family. And he was right. Because I’ve never once wanted to kill Tuuli or Kukka.”

“Why would you kill them…?”

“Because to make love come true, you have to fight to the death and win, right?”

“Er, um…” The queen seemed at a total loss for words.

Still chuckling, the king asked, “Did Setsuna tell you that?”

“No, Dahlia did.”

“Dahlia?” The queen tilted her head, clearly puzzled by the name. We asked Alto who that was, and he launched into an explanation.

Apparently, Dahlia had a beard that didn’t exist in the morning but would grow in by evening. She had muscles big enough to swing an ax the size of Sophia, and her clothing ripped whenever she flexed her muscles.

I glanced around. Everyone was frozen with the same strained expressions except for the king, who was listening with amusement.

Alto kept right on chattering away, oblivious to the atmosphere. I could tell this Dahlia had made quite an impression on him.

“Alto, why do you think love is so violent and messy?” Elly asked gently, placing another cookie on his plate as she tried to steer the conversation back on track.

“Dahlia told me about a book called The Farthest Ends of Love, which was all about love!”

Alto began to describe the story, and as he spoke, the mood grew heavier and heavier.

Basically, the book was about a woman who abandoned her lover to run away with a new one. But before she could escape, her former lover found her and killed her.

Why would anyone choose a book like that to read to a child? I don’t understand it.

Lord Keith pressed a hand to his temple. Sir Fred and the king’s first knight managed to keep their expressions perfectly composed, displaying remarkable self-control. The king seemed entirely uninterested and accepted a refill of tea from a maid wearing a calm, serene smile.

The women, meanwhile, listened with fascination, so I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe this Dahlia person wasn’t entirely wrong about human nature. And the thought unsettled me.

“Dahlia said the ultimate love is when you kill the one you love, and then you die, too. But I figured, if you had to kill someone, you should kill the other person, not your lover. Because if you kill the one you love, you’ll never see them again!”

“…”

“And then I thought if someone tried to take Master away from me, I’d have to kill Tuuli and Kukka. But I couldn’t do it. So that’s when I realized I wasn’t in love with Master after all.”

So that’s why Alto said he couldn’t kill Tuuli or Kukka.

“Love is scary. So that’s why I decided I don’t want it,” Alto declared.

I could understand how he’d come to view love like that, but it was also fundamentally mistaken. The queen, Sophia, and Elly were quietly discussing it among themselves. It sounded like they were deciding which book to give him to read next.

Honestly, I thought it better not to bother him with things like love until he was old enough to understand it himself, but I didn’t have the courage to butt into their heated discussion.

Once the ladies had finished chatting among themselves, the queen turned to Alto.

“Was Setsuna’s love as messy as that?” she asked. There was a certain glint in her eyes, though I couldn’t tell what it was hiding.

Alto’s expression clouded over as the women watched him.

“What’s wrong?”

“I think…Master loves Tuuli,” he murmured before falling silent again. It looked like he was trying to sort something out in his mind. The rest of us watched him, uncertain of what to say.

Alto slowly began to speak again, and no one interrupted him.

“Tuuli was smiling, but she was crying the whole time. Her smile looked so sad and lonely. It hurt so much right here.” He pressed his palm to his chest. “I thought Master would go to her, but he never once turned back. He just kept staring straight ahead when he left on his journey.”

It was such a fragmented story that, at first, I couldn’t understand what he meant. But halfway through, I realized he was talking about when Setsuna and Tuuli had said good-bye to one another, and I found myself imagining what Setsuna must have felt.

“I thought Master didn’t notice she was crying, so I was going to tell him. But he looked just as sad as she did, so I didn’t.”

Alto gritted his teeth, waiting for something inside him to pass, then went on.

Sophia and Elly were blinking back tears, and even the queen looked sorrowful.

“But I still don’t understand. I don’t know why Master left on that journey without doing anything when she was crying. And I couldn’t bring myself to ask him, because he looked so sad.”

No one here knew what really happened between Setsuna and Tuuli, so we had no idea what to say to Alto.

Part Six: Linus

Night had fallen by the time I finally rose from my seat in the study. I’d been telling everyone not to overwork themselves since the Founding Festival, so I wasn’t exactly setting a good example, but I’d only just returned to the country a few days ago, and there was too much that was waiting to be done.

We’d set out for the Kumiu Port in Mubana to provide aid, only to receive word it had fallen. Instead, we’d continued on to the royal capital of Una, where we had an audience with the king of Mubana. I’d expected him to convene a war council to reclaim Kumiu Port, but unrest had broken out all over the kingdom, and Mubana was in no state to continue the war. So, in the end, they’d decided to abandon the port.

The unrest all over Mubana had likely been incited by agents from Guilonde, but I couldn’t help but think that their system of government itself was partly to blame for failing to detect and prevent it. Just as it had been in our kingdom, there could be no doubt that a number of Guilonde informants had been embedded inside the country.

I’d witnessed the sorry state of our allied nation firsthand, and we managed to return to the castle just a few days before Setsuna’s message arrived. Since then, I’d spent almost every waking moment gathering reports about what had happened during my absence and what challenges awaited us.

Tonight, however, would be the end of this busy schedule, and the next day, I’d finally be able to resume a more measured pace.

I rubbed my weary eyes and let out a quiet sigh. As I turned down the lamps and walked out, my knight opened the door and led the way.

My steps slowed as I glanced toward the courtyard. Someone was sitting out there alone. I wondered who it could be at this hour and narrowed my eyes to see more clearly. It was Setsuna.

He was gazing up at the night sky, drinking. I couldn’t read the expression on his face, but there were two glasses on the grass beside him. One must have been meant for the old man who passed away.

When he’d first arrived at the castle the other day, Setsuna had looked so emaciated I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. Lilia and Sophia had angrily fussed over him, but maybe that was exactly what he’d needed.

I turned away from my quarters and headed for the courtyard instead. Setsuna must’ve sensed me coming because he turned his head. As he started to get to his feet, I motioned for him to stay where he was and sat down beside him.

“You know, sitting on the ground like this hardly suits you,” I said.

“You’re sitting here, too, aren’t you?”

“It does rather undermine the dignity of a king.”

Setsuna shrugged. “It’s not the first time I’ve done this.”

I tipped my head back and looked up at the moon, no more than a thin crescent. Setsuna took a glass from his bag and poured me a drink. I swallowed it in one gulp.

“It’s good,” I said.

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Judging by the glass sitting next to him, he must’ve spent many nights sharing drinks at this hour, remembering the departed this way. I searched for some words of comfort to offer him.

“You know, I never once shared a drink like this with my father.”

“Really?”

“It wasn’t that we didn’t get along from the start. He was a foolish king to his subjects but a kind man to his family. Or perhaps he was too kind to us, and that was why he became a fool. He would buy us anything we asked for and took from the people to do so.”

“…”

“I thought my father was a great king who could grant any wish until I learned how the world really worked. I even imagined that when I came of age, he’d be the first person I’d share a drink with.”

“Did you two ever make that dream come true?” Setsuna filled up my glass again, and I watched the reflection of the moon shimmering in it as I continued speaking.

“Once I realized my own life was built upon the suffering of the people, I started speaking to my father less and less. By the time I reached adulthood, the chasm between us had grown so deep there was no way to fix it.”

“It must have been painful, not being able to understand each other. In that sense, I guess I was fortunate.”

“I suppose so. I’ve never regretted defying my father or my brother. But there isn’t a day I don’t wonder if he could’ve shown his subjects the same love he had for his family. Perhaps we could have shared a drink like this. I can’t deny that thought makes me a little envious.”

I lifted my glass and swallowed the pale moon with my liquor.

“That may be true,” Setsuna murmured, taking a drink himself.

Somehow, in that moment, there was a fragile, ephemeral quality about the man. As if he were a cloud drifting away.

“What do you intend to do from now on?” I asked.

“I don’t know. Though I think one day I’ll go to Sagana for Alto’s sake.”

“Ah, the beastfolk kingdom. Will you go by ship?”

“Yes. There’s no need to hurry, so I could travel to Miglis or Nubul first and set sail from there.”

“You sound as though you have other plans in mind.”

“I was thinking it might be interesting to retrace our path. According to a text I found in the castle library, there’s an underground stream running through the cave. If I follow it downstream, I could cut down the travel time to Kutt considerably. I’d like to try it.”

It momentarily occurred to me that this might serve as an alternative trade route, now that Mubana’s port had fallen. But another thought rose to the surface.

“I see. So you don’t want to put down roots here in this kingdom?”

Setsuna lifted his gaze and met mine directly.

“I don’t know that, either. For now, I expect I’ll stay at Ragi’s house for a while, but I haven’t decided what I want or what I should do.”

“I understand. I suspect quite a few people here would be glad if you chose to stay.”

“It means a lot to hear there are people who feel that way.”

Once he said that, I found I had nothing else to say. There was an uncertainty to Setsuna that made me want to help him. He was someone my wife and retainers all valued deeply, and he’d once saved my life. That only made the feelings stronger.

But I wasn’t close enough to him to be part of his daily life. And because of that, I thought it wouldn’t be right to butt in any more than I already had. So I said nothing.

“Setsuna, do you truly have no interest in serving this kingdom?” I asked.

“I can’t say I expected a recruitment offer at a time like this,” he said with a soft chuckle. “I have no desire to serve any kingdom right now.”

“It was just a joke.”

“I know.”

He’d looked up and smiled brightly when I said that, but I could sense he was forcing it.

“I’ll keep it in mind as my first choice, though.”

We fell silent after that, each of us drinking without speaking. After a while, Setsuna frowned. I studied him, wondering what had brought that on.

“How is it you always find me no matter how often I move around?” He hadn’t even finished the sentence before the general appeared before us.

“Why must you keep changing locations every night? It’s a nuisance to have to track you down all the time, Setsuna!”

The first words out of his mouth were a complaint.

“I only wanted to have a drink in peace. Whenever you show up, you start demanding I pour you some.”

From the way they spoke, it seemed the general had been helping himself to Setsuna’s drinks every night. I couldn’t help but laugh quietly to myself. I’d known since long ago just how much Dolph loved a good liquor. Setsuna shot me a sulky look when he heard me chuckling and grumbled, “It’s not funny, Your Majesty.”

His uninvited guest had already settled himself down in front of Setsuna while we were talking. Setsuna let out a sigh and poured him a drink.

He could easily avoid being found if he really wanted to, I thought.

Yet he didn’t, probably because he felt it would be rude to disregard Dolph’s feelings. I was certain Setsuna believed Dolph had begun searching him out because he couldn’t bear to see him drinking alone.

“What’s this you’ve brought tonight?” Dolph asked.

“It’s a bottle from Ineses.”

“South of Gardir?”

“That’s right.”

“What sort of a country is it?”

“I’ve never been there myself, so I don’t know.”

“Then how do you have it?”

“I make it a habit of buying any unusual spirits I come across,” Setsuna replied.

“I see. Southern vintages never make it up here. This’ll be a treat. Ahh… Excellent!”

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Bring out some food. You can’t have a good drink without something to eat.”

“I don’t even want to see any food. I’ve overeaten the past few days as it is.”

“You need snacks with a drink!”

“I don’t want any.”

“Well, I do!”

“…”

Setsuna reluctantly rummaged through his bag and took out some snacks. I felt a bit bad for him.

“Dolph. I was under the impression that you’d already returned home for the night,” I said, trying to rescue Setsuna.

Dolph looked momentarily surprised, then laughed. “I did go home. I was startled to find you here tonight, Linus.”

He addressed me by name, perhaps sensing my intention.

“I came across him by chance, unlike you.”

“Yeah, I was deliberately searching for him.”

“…”

Setsuna shot him a thoroughly annoyed look, but Dolph didn’t seem to care in the slightest.

I turned the conversation to trivial things to make it more comfortable for Setsuna. Not long afterward, I suggested we end our little drinking session before Lilia started to worry.

Setsuna pulled a bottle out of his bag and spoke to Rombal.

“This is a vintage from Lypaed that’s approximately a hundred and twenty years old. It’s only produced in small quantities, so it’s difficult to come by. Please take it as a souvenir, since you didn’t get to drink anything tonight.”

Knowing what Setsuna was up to, my first knight tried to refuse, but when I told him to go ahead and take it, he reluctantly accepted. Dolph’s eyes gleamed in a way that was almost unsettling, but I pretended not to see it.

Part Seven: Setsuna

The sky was a deep autumn blue, a color that always seemed to carry a hint of loneliness. I stared up into it as Alto and I left the castle behind and headed for the Adventurers Guild.

Four days had passed since I’d arrived at the castle, and I’d finally been given permission to go home. I’d meant to return to the house Ragi had left to us right away, but everyone had refused to let me leave.

The house was still under strict guard by the knights of Lypaed. From what I’d heard, though, all the thieves from the past few days had been the ones I’d personally sent to prison. There hadn’t been any new arrests since then.

“Master, I’m going to report in. And I’ll apologize for being late, too.”

“Go ahead.”

Alto looked a little nervous at the guild entrance, but he readied himself and walked over to the reception desk.

He’d grown so much over these past few days it was almost startling. I could finally see a real determination in him to stand on his own. There’s a certain saying that goes, “If you haven’t seen a boy for three days, look again with fresh eyes.” I was impressed by just how perfectly that seemed to fit Alto.

I felt proud as I watched him go and followed him into the guild. The instant I stepped through the door, a nervous hush fell over the place, but I ignored it and kept focused on my apprentice.

Alto tipped his head to the side curiously, glanced around, then went to stand at the end of the line.

When his own turn came, he spoke to Drum on his own.

“Good morning, Drum. I’m here to report on the completion of my quest. Sorry I’m a little late.”

“Ah, Alto, it’s been a while. I understand the circumstances, but being late is unacceptable.”

“Can’t I turn it in now? I really want this quest to count. It was important.” His ears drooped as he spoke, but there was an earnest resolve in his voice.

“I had advance notice, so I’ll let it slide just this once. You should thank your master for that. But be careful from now on. If you’re late, the quest will be deemed null and void, treated as if you never took it on.”

“Thank you.”

“Here’s your payment.” Drum handed him a large envelope. “Three gold coins and five silver coins, plus a bonus. It’s all inside. You get thirty points for this one. Normally, you’d lose some for reporting in late, but the client gave such high praise that I’m granting the full thirty. Since that’s not many points considering the duration of the quest, the bonus was adjusted to balance it out, so you should have no complaints. Okay?”

“Yes.”

“And there’s a thank-you letter from the client inside as well. Ragi was really pleased with your work, Alto.”

Alto wagged his tail contentedly.

“I was happy, too. I got to spend all that time with Gramps,” he said, looking straight at Drum when he said it.

Drum laughed quietly. “I see. This next part’s not about the quest, just a bit of advice. Since you registered as an adventurer, you’ve hardly taken any jobs at all. It’s been nearly six months now. You’ll never be a full-fledged adventurer if you don’t step up. Got it?” It was stern, but I could tell Drum was just concerned.

For a moment, I thought back to how Nestor in Gardir used to call every yellow-ranked adventurer “kid” and bark at them far harsher than this.

“I’ll work hard,” Alto said.

“Good. That’s what I like to hear. Now, tell your master to get in line and come to the counter. He’s staring from all the way back there.”

“Thanks.”

Alto put the envelope in his bag as carefully as if it were a treasure, then stepped away from the desk.

He really could’ve just called to me. His voice carries plenty far without Alto.

I smiled wryly, waiting for my apprentice to come running back.

I joined the end of the line while Alto went to check the quest board as Drum had advised him to.

“Good morning, Drum. I’m sorry for the trouble I caused the other day.”

“You finally showed up again, Setsuna. The moment you walked in here, the whole place went quiet,” Drum said with a heavy sigh. “I never thought you were the sort of guy to show such hostility. You were angry with Nancy, but you never gave off that feeling.”

“That day, I think I went past anger altogether. Looking back now, I’m still a little surprised at myself.”

“Well, I hope I never have to feel that from you again.”

“I’ll make sure of it.”

“That hostility of yours could kill a man outright. Don’t go picking duels in front of me,” he warned.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

He said that last remark with a completely serious look on his face, but when I answered, he seemed satisfied and moved on to business.

“You’ve got a report for me today, right? I had word from the kingdom.”

“Yes, I completed the designated request from Lypaed. Here’s the certificate.” I handed over the proof Keith had given me, and Drum gave it a quick look.

“It’s all in order,” he said, and gave me my payment.

Even though I was the one who asked them to post the request in the first place, it still felt a little odd to be the one accepting the reward. But that was just how the system worked.

Drum gave me a look when I didn’t step away after getting paid. “What is it?”

“It’s about the team you mentioned to me before.”

“Oh, that. So you decided to form one?”

“Yes, I’d like to register it today.”

“Sure thing.”

I gave him the paperwork. I’d already filled out all the documents, and Drum briskly flipped through them. “Just to confirm, your name is listed as the leader, Alto as the sub-leader, and no other members. Correct?”

“That’s right.”

“You left the team base blank. You sure about that?”

The team base was simply the designated headquarters where the members gathered. Registering one with the guild came with several benefits. If you didn’t list a location because your house was private and a client wanted to send something to the team, it couldn’t be delivered. In that case, the guild would accept packages and forward them to you.

“It would be convenient, but we don’t really live anywhere,” I said.

“Some teams list inns they’re staying at and change the address all the time,” Drum said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, sure. But there are plenty of stories of people forgetting to update the registry after moving and things turning into a mess, so I don’t recommend it.”

“That doesn’t sound like something I’d want to risk, so let’s just leave it blank.”

“All right. You can always add one later if you change your mind. Just drop by whenever.”

“Okay.”

“One last thing. Are you sure about the team name?”

Before answering, I closed my eyes for a moment, recalling the scene from Ragi’s backyard four days ago.

“Setsuna, it’s not the setting sun of twilight that suits you, but the light that shines at dawn.”

Those words from Ragi’s letter had stayed with me all this time. Maybe that was what he’d wanted to tell me—not to be the fading twilight, but the illuminating dawn.

Although the colors were similar, their meanings were worlds apart.

A cool breeze stirred across my cheek, ushering in the dawn of a new day.

The light of a new day beginning. The wind of a new day starting.

“Setsuna? What’s it going to be?”

I thought of that feeling and answered Drum.

“Please register us as Dawn Wind.”

The house that no longer belonged to anyone looked lonely. Both Alto and I came to a stop without meaning to.

“Master…,” Alto said quietly. I placed a hand on his shoulder and nodded, then we stepped inside together.

“We’re home,” Alto said, raising his voice so it would reach the back of the house.

There was no reply, of course, and the boy’s ears drooped.

“Welcome home,” I said softly in response. After that, we silently walked inside.

…

Once we set down our bags, I headed to the kitchen to start dinner. I told Alto he could relax and do whatever he liked, but he shook his head and said he wanted to help me.

Our first meal alone together felt almost unnaturally quiet since the lively days at the castle. Maybe it was because of that silence, but Alto started eating faster than usual and ended up choking.

“Gramps…water…”

I handed him a glass, and Alto gulped it down. He didn’t seem to realize whose name he’d just called. Once he swallowed, he got back to eating.

But after a few moments, his hand froze in midair and tears began to spill down his cheeks.

I waited silently for him to finish crying, then tried to change the mood with a question.

“Alto, is there anything you’d like to do tomorrow?”

“I don’t know about tomorrow, but right now I want to read that letter from Gramps.”

“All right.”

I couldn’t redirect his thoughts anywhere else, but the way he was dealing with saying good-bye to Ragi didn’t feel fragile or as if he would break.

“I can’t think of anything else,” he said.

“It’s okay. Let’s just take it easy. And tomorrow, how about we go look in Ragi’s room? There’s something I’m curious about.”

“There is?” He set his hands in his lap and closed his eyes like he was trying to remember.

“You know the desk drawer? We talked about it.”

“Oh, right.”

“I thought I’d look through it tomorrow. What do you think?”

“Yeah, I wanna look, too.”

“Then we’ll do it together,” I said.

“Okay.”

That was all we decided for now. It still felt too soon to talk about what came after. When I mentioned future plans, Alto didn’t react at all, probably without even realizing it himself.

Once we’d finished eating and cleaned everything up, there was nothing left to do but sleep.

Alto took the letter out of its envelope and started reading while I watched over him.

Trying to suppress his voice as he began to cry in the quiet room, he curled up into a little ball. I reached out to stroke his back, and he clung to me.

“I’m so sad. So, so, so, so sad… I miss Gramps. I miss him so much.”

Even though his voice was quiet, it was heavy with loneliness. I kept gently stroking his head, unable to say anything at all.

At the castle, Alto had managed to stay upbeat, but being back in this house must’ve brought the grief of losing Ragi crashing over him again. He cried and cried until he shifted into his baby wolf form.

I couldn’t bear to leave him alone as he sniffled and shivered, so I carried him to my room. I lay him on the bed, placed the letter above his head, and sat beside him. Before long, the sobs turned into quiet breathing. After he’d fallen asleep, I stood up and moved to the desk.

It was too lonely a night to sit still, so I let my thoughts drift toward the days ahead.

In the middle of that, I remembered something a certain man had once told me: “I don’t want you to hesitate to rely on me. I promise I’ll help you.” What I was going to ask of him and what he’d originally meant by those words were two different things, but I knew he wouldn’t mind.

The next morning, I left Alto asleep and stepped out into the backyard to train.

A cool autumn wind was blowing. When I reached the usual spot, my gaze drifted without thinking to the window of Ragi’s room.

…

On days when Alto and I trained together, Ragi happily watched us from that window.

Alto would run over to him whenever we finished.

For a moment, I half expected to see the window swing open, but I forced my eyes away. Still, the feelings of grief for Ragi that welled inside me were too strong to push aside, and I started with hand-to-hand training instead of sword practice to clear my head.

It struck me as I moved that I’d never wondered why Kyle had devoted himself so wholeheartedly to hand-to-hand combat.

Maybe he’d known some beastfolk himself. That thought came out of nowhere.

But as I kept moving, all those distractions faded, and I was left only with the resolve to honor Ragi.

I cooked breakfast at the usual time and made a little too much out of habit.

Alto finally came shuffling downstairs, and the first thing he did was scold me. “Why didn’t you wake me up?!”

I thought it wasn’t my fault he hadn’t woken up on his own, but I gently told him it was important to rest.

As we ate, I watched him carefully. He didn’t seem as sad as he had been the previous day. Still, I decided it was best to steer the conversation away from Ragi.

“Alto, let’s talk about our team.”

“Okay.”

“They gave me identification cards when I registered it, so I’ll give you yours now.”

When you registered a team with the guild, they gave you a card marked with your name and the team name.

“This proves you’re part of a team, so keep it somewhere safe.”

“I’ll put it in my bag.”

“There are some quests only teams are allowed to take on, so now we can try those together. Let’s do our best, okay?”

“All right.”

After that, I went over the rules again. We’d read them together when we filled out the paperwork, but I wanted to be thorough, just in case.

Alto listened and answered with a steady voice, much to my relief. He seemed more composed than I’d expected.

Satisfied, I decided it was time to suggest we check Ragi’s desk drawer.

“Okay,” he said, standing up firmly.

When I opened the door, the room felt exactly the same as it had. Ragi’s presence still hung in the air.

We stepped in together and began to look through the drawers, eventually finding a bundle of envelopes tied with a string.

As we examined them one by one, we found letters for the people who had come to visit him, one for Alto and me, and one addressed to someone whose name I didn’t recognize.

“Who’s Roshna?” I didn’t know the name, so I set that one aside for the moment and opened the letter to me and Alto.

It was two sheets of paper.

On the first, Ragi had written that we could do as we liked with the things on the shelves, and that he wanted us to deliver the other letters. Also, if we ever went to Sagana, he’d like us to bring that letter and a sword to someone named Roshna.

The sword was special, made just for Ragi.

“Since the sword bears the emblem of Sagana, I wish to leave it with someone I trust—you, Setsuna, and Alto. But if certain circumstances make it impossible for you to deliver it, please ask the Adventurers Guild to take care of it instead.

“It’s difficult for humans to enter the inner regions of Sagana, so don’t force yourselves unnecessarily.”

This sword must’ve meant a lot to him to entrust it to us.

“Master?”

“Hmm?”

“What does the other page say?” Alto asked, and I began reading it again.

The second page was filled top to bottom with places Ragi recommended we visit, including a meadow where rare flowers bloomed, a hill with beautiful sunsets, a secret spot to catch giant fish, and a drop steep enough to break your legs if you leapt from it. There were also directions to a meadow where pleasant winds always blew, a small lake whose surface mirrored a sky full of stars, and a tree so enormous you could see it from miles away.

The words practically danced off the page with joy, each line telling us how wonderful Sagana was.

I could sense how much Ragi had longed for his homeland in every line. This letter represented his homesickness and love for the country and his pride at having been born there. There wasn’t a shadow of sadness in it, only affection.

At the end of the page, there was one last line: “It would make me so happy if you and Alto could come to know the Sagana I loved.”

I thought I understood now why there were two letters.

The first had been to cover his final unfinished business. When I thought of Ragi now, though, I felt sure that he hadn’t passed on with any regrets. Writing that letter must’ve been what let him find peace.

In the second letter, I felt nothing but Ragi’s deep love for Sagana. There wasn’t even a trace of longing to return. It was the same as when, at the end, he’d prayed in the beastfolk tongue for rebirth rather than homecoming.

That feeling was something different from my own longing for home.

Even now, I still wished I could go back to the place where my father, mother, and Kyoka were. That would never change, regardless of the ties I formed here.

But Ragi felt differently. He’d filled the first letter with his regrets and longing to return home, then simply fallen asleep in Lypaed with love in his heart for his homeland.

I realized why the letter had been written in two parts. It was to show that nostalgia was made up of two things: the people you leave behind and the land itself. One sheet entrusted us with his unfinished feelings toward those he knew, while the other passed on his love for the land.

That was why, at the end, he’d had no regrets. Only love.

I don’t know if I can ever feel that way, but maybe Kyle would’ve understood.

Now that I thought about it, Kyle hadn’t seemed to have any regrets when he’d given me this body. He said he’d die if he couldn’t hand it over. Part of that was surely meant to persuade me, but I think he also truly meant it.

Even after living for so long, I still believed feelings like that never really changed. Maybe that was only true for me, though. Even when I searched Kyle’s memories for the answer, I never found it. Those feelings were still locked away behind a door I couldn’t open.

“Master.”

“Hm?”

“I want to grant Gramps’s wish. And I want to see all the places he wrote about.”

“I feel the same way.”

“Okay!”

I reached underneath the bed like the letter instructed and found a bundle wrapped in cloth. When I unwrapped it, it revealed a sword with the crest of Sagana engraved in the hilt.

“Alto, would you mind carrying Ragi’s sword for us?” I asked.

“Can I?”

“I’d like you to.”

“Okay!”

Alto took it as if it were something precious, whispering under his breath, “Gramps, I’ll make sure it gets there.”

He wrapped it carefully in the cloth again and put it in his bag.

“Master?”

“Yes?”

“Can I take Gramps’s lantern?”

“This whole house was left to you, Alto. It’s yours.”

“Then I want to bring it on our next journey.”

“Ragi mentioned wanting to get a new one. Are you sure this is the one you want?”

“Yes, I do. But I’d hate it if it broke.”

“Shall I put a spell on it, then?” I asked.

“Yes, please.”

I took the old lantern that had been sitting beside a wooden box, enchanted it to keep it from breaking, and handed it back to him.

“Thanks,” Alto said brightly, then stowed it in his bag with the same care as the sword.

“And then…” He looked around the room for something.

“What are you looking for?”

“Gramps’s bracers and greaves. He wrote in his letter that someday he wanted me to wear them.”

“Those are in my room. They were a bit dusty, so I cleaned them up.”

“Thank you, Master.”

I softly closed the door and followed Alto, who headed to my room with a quiet joy in his steps.

That night, I couldn’t bring myself to sleep. I thought I’d have a drink, so I slipped out of my room, but when I reached for the door to the living room, it struck me that there was no real reason to come here.

I could’ve stayed in my room if I was going to drink alone.

I didn’t feel like going back, though, so I sat on the sofa instead. I removed a bottle and glass from my bag and poured myself a drink, the moonlight pouring in through the window. I took a sip, but it was as flat and tasteless as water.

I didn’t want to admit why, so I decided to blame the glass. I reached for the shelf, thinking I’d use the one I always did. That was when I noticed something tucked between two bottles there.

The only thing I’d remembered being there was Ragi’s favorite alcohol, some bottles we’d chosen together, and a few glasses.

Curious, I pulled it out and found two envelopes. “To Setsuna” and “To Alto” were written on their front in Ragi’s handwriting.

I sat back on the sofa and opened the one addressed to me. When I read what was inside, I couldn’t help laughing. My voice echoed through the still room.

“I was planning to ask you myself, Ragi.”

Of course, nobody answered. I knew that. Of course I did.

But maybe somewhere deep down, I still hadn’t fully processed it. I thought I had, but it seemed like I’d only been pretending.

That’s it. I was still searching for you all this time.

I’d searched for him during morning training, waiting for the window to open. I’d waited for someone to call out “Good morning.” I’d made enough for three, even though two would’ve been enough. I hadn’t just cooked Alto’s favorites, but Rago’s, too, thinking he might say, “I’m hungry.”

Even now, sitting here in this room, part of me thought he’d say, “Can’t sleep? How about we share a drink, Setsuna?” with a smile on his face.

Even though you’re gone.

I’d dug his grave. I’d caught the thieves who targeted his house. I’d completed the quest. I knew all that. But my heart still hadn’t accepted the truth that I’d watch him pass away.

Ragi was the first person in this world to ever give me a place where I could feel at peace. He was someone who’d made me feel like I’d finally fulfilled the promise to my grandfather. Someone who gently gave guidance not just to Alto, but to me, too.

But now, he existed only in my memories. Just like my family.

You’re not here anymore.

I couldn’t hear his voice or see him smile or ever speak to him again. The last little prank he’d left behind in his letter had made my heart ache.

“Setsuna, since you enjoy cooking, I’d like you to have my kitchen knife. Please use it to teach Alto how to cook. I’m sure he’ll be able to make delicious meals someday.”

The first time we ever drank together, that’s what we’d talked about—how Ragi had let Alto hold a kitchen knife and how he’d been scared out of his mind.

When I asked if he thought he could teach Alto to cook, he’d said, “Not a chance.” And after that, he never let Alto hold a knife again.

There’s no way I can do it if you couldn’t, Ragi.

“I’m not letting him use a kitchen knife until he’s a little older, Ragi,” I said, answering the empty chair where he used to sit.

There was no reply. Of course.

“You’re really not here anymore,” I said aloud, as if to engrave the words upon my heart. There was nothing left to do but admit it and accept it. Yet all at once, I felt sorry for saying it. I leaned back against the sofa and looked up at the ceiling.

You probably would’ve wanted me to smile, huh?

I slipped the letter back into the envelope and set it on the table, then poured Ragi’s favorite drink into his glass.

“Thank you for coming into my life. It was truly a joy. But this time, it really is good-bye.”

I downed my drink in one go and set it back in its place. His smile was gone.

I looked out through the window at the moonlight, the words coming unbidden to my lips.

“I can’t stay here anymore, because you’re gone.”

When I was at the castle, I’d had the vague thought that I’d stay there for a while and keep working as an adventurer. I hadn’t abandoned the idea of traveling again someday, but I thought maybe I could spend a peaceful winter here until the weather improved.

Lypaed had come to mean so much to me because of the bonds I’d formed here.

When I was at the castle, I’d believed that my relationships with the people I met would continue. But Ragi was one of those people. And now I finally understood that he was gone.

Yet now that I’d recognized that, the sense of loss had begun to eat away at me. I knew without a doubt that if I stayed in this house filled with so many memories, my heart would crumble and fall like a ball rolling down a slope.

I was sure Ragi had wished for me to live here, and part of me wanted the same. But I also knew that if I did that now, my heart would break.

One day, I might give up traveling and fulfill Ragi’s wish to make this place my home. But that would have to wait. Because if I did it now, I wouldn’t last.

Thankfully, Ragi had left behind a purpose for me to leave. Maybe he hadn’t really thought I would use that reason to walk away from this house. Maybe that wasn’t what he’d intended at all, but now that my heart had reached this point, Ragi’s request felt like a lifeline I could cling to.

Still…

I let out a long sigh and forced myself to stop thinking. I knew that I’d be ignoring Alto’s feelings if I decided everything on my own right then.

Alto might not feel the same pain I did. He might find comfort in the memories here and decide he wanted to stay. And if that was what he chose, then I’d have to resolve myself to stay here with him.

I sighed again, tidied away the bottle and glass, and returned to my room.

The next day, I gave Alto the letter from Ragi.

He tilted his head, then took out the sheets of paper and the wilted sprig of canib grass from the envelope.

Canib grass was a plant used to play a game similar to what we used to call “grass sumo” back in Japan. Alto had learned the game on the day of the Founding Festival and started playing it often with Ragi, but he’d never once managed to beat him.

“Is there something inside the grass?” Alto carefully pulled out a thin string that had been hidden inside the stem. He stared at it for a moment, thinking, and then when the realization struck him, he stomped his foot angrily.

“Gramps! You were cheating!”

“…”

“All that stuff about ‘Alto, I would never do something so underhanded’—that was all a lie! You really were cheating!”

Alto had suspected Ragi all along and tried everything to figure out the trick but never managed to. Ragi had always feigned innocence, and now that Alto had finally uncovered the truth, it was no wonder that his face had turned red with indignation.

After venting his anger, Alto’s shoulders slumped. He turned his attention to the letter, but as soon as he finished reading it, he threw back his head and yelled, “Unforgivable!”

The letter had said, Gramps got away with victory.

I was sure Alto could practically hear Ragi’s triumphant laughter.

Although I did my best to calm Alto’s outrage, I brought up what I’d been thinking about the night before.

“Alto, I think it’s about time we start deciding when we’ll set out again. What do you think?”

“You mean, to fulfill Gramps’s request?”

“That’s part of it, yes. But remember, we were already on a journey of our own.”

“Yeah.”

“We’ve saved enough money, so I’d like to start traveling again.”

“I think that’s a good idea.”

“And before we pick where and when to go, I want you to decide something first. About whether you’re really ready to leave.”

“What do you mean?”

“Once we leave here, we might never come back to this house. I want you to think about that before you decide.”

“Why not?”

“You remember why I travel, Alto? I told you that I want to see the world. That’s the reason why I can’t promise we’ll ever return here.”

“Oh.”

“If you don’t want that or if you’d rather stay here, that’s okay. I won’t stop you. And if you want to stay, I will, too, as your master.”

“Okay.”

“And if you decide you want to come back after all, once we leave, we’ll turn around and come back together.”

Alto closed his eyes and quietly thought it over.

“I’ll go with you.”

I could see a steady resolve in his gaze.

“I really want to stay in this house forever. But I know if I did, that would just be because I’m relying on Gramps again. If I do that, I’ll never grow up. I don’t think Gramps would want that.”

His words made my heart ache. Alto was always so strong. Much stronger than I was.

“Thanks, Alto. Thank you for agreeing with me.”

“That’s all right! I want to find something I want to do, too!” He hadn’t hesitated at all in his response, and it felt like a weight had lifted from my chest.

“Then it’s decided. We’ll set out on our journey again.”

“Okay.”

“Let’s decide on our destination next. I’m thinking we should go to Sagana to fulfill Ragi’s last wish. What do you think?

“I want to go to Sagana to make Gramps’s wish come true, too.”

“Then we agree.”

“Yeah. I think Gramps would be happy.”

“Now, we need to decide whether to deliver the sword before winter comes or wait until spring.”

“Why are there only two options?”

“His last letter said that the village where he lived gets heavy snow in winter. It’ll be dangerous to travel there at that time of year. So I was thinking we should go either before the snow comes or after it thaws.”

“Snow sounds bad.”

“Winter will begin in about three months. If we go through Nubul or Miglis and take a ship to reach Sagana via Lycia, we’ll be cutting it close. To deliver it before winter, we’ll have to go through that cave again. If we wait until after, we can go by ship at a slower pace.”

“…”

“If we leave before winter, we should start preparing immediately. It’ll be a rush. If we wait until after, we’ll have more time to get ready. Which do you think would be better?”

“I want to deliver the sword before winter.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because that sword… Gramps really, really wanted it to reach Sagana. So the sooner we take it, the better.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I agree. Then we should leave soon.”

“Okay. Let’s start getting ready today,” Alto said, the determination shining brightly in his eyes.

The next day, we started preparing for our journey while making the rounds to say good-bye.

First, we went to the Adventurers Guild and left a letter for Agito with Drum. I also wrote a message to be delivered to the guild in Kutt. Then around lunchtime, we visited Norris’s flower shop.

Sophia and Georges happened to be there since it was his day off. They’d been on their way to see us and had dropped by the shop to pick up flowers. We were all relieved we hadn’t missed each other.

After that, Norris led us all to the room in the back.

“So Setsuna, did you come by today just to visit?” he asked with a warm smile, offering me tea while I looked around the familiar space.

“No, I had a small errand, but since Sophia’s here, too, there’s something I need to tell you.”

They all appeared puzzled as I took out a piece of jade and a magical device.

“That’s…,” Georges said with a frown. I couldn’t blame him. It was the same enchanted device I’d used to imbue the thousand paper cranes with Darkness magic during the Founding Festival.

“It’s all right,” I assured him before setting the jade on top of the device. “I wanted to give Sophia a small thank-you gift for teaching Alto how to ride a horse.”

She looked hesitant, but I activated the Darkness magic device and imbued the jade with the spell. The device immediately broke apart. Everyone gasped, but I shook my head calmly. “I knew this device would break after one more use, so there’s no need to worry.”

I wanted to be sure that Georges or Sophia witnessed the device shattering, even if it meant deceiving them a little. It was the only way to soften the criticism the king would inevitably face once word spread.

After all, if a Time sorcerer who was also able to wield Darkness magic and had the dragon’s protection left the kingdom, the backlash against the king would be severe.

To ease that burden, I needed people to believe that I’d only been able to use Darkness magic because of a device, and once that device was destroyed, it was no longer possible.

“While I was thinking of how to thank you, I thought you might appreciate a magic item that let you watch your engagement ceremony any time you wished.”

I picked up the jade from the table and handed it to Sophia.

“When you say ‘Unfold,’ the scene of your engagement will appear in your mind. You can even share it with others. All you need to do is think of showing them, while they think of wanting to see it, and then activate the device.”

I paused for a moment. Originally, I’d planned to visit Sophia at her house to give her this gift, and I was going to ask her to share the memory of her engagement ceremony with Elly. After all, this had never only been meant for Sophia; I’d created it because I wanted Elly to see that moment, too. Thanks to that idea, I’d also been able to record Ragi’s battle to share with Alto. I wished I could have made one for Elly, too.

However, that memory belonged to Sophia and Georges. It felt wrong to take it upon myself to create a tool and hand it to Elly without their permission, which was why I’d asked Sophia first.

Saying it here in front of everyone would make it hard for her to refuse if she would rather keep that memory private, though, so the words caught in my throat.

Sophia looked puzzled, but she accepted the piece of jade. And, in the end, my worry turned out to be without cause.

“Would you care to see our engagement ceremony then, everyone?” she asked.

They all nodded.

“Unfold,” Sophia said, and the radiant scene appeared in our minds.

“It’s so beautiful,” Alto whispered next to me.

Elly’s eyes shone with tears. “I’m so glad the flowers we grew made you so happy.”

Sophia’s cheeks flushed with joy.

We chatted for a bit about the ceremony, and I realized how late it was. It was time to tell them the real reason I’d dropped by.

I handed out the letters Ragi had written for them and told everyone that we would be leaving Lypaed.

I thanked them for everything they’d done for us. Elly and Sophia both tried to persuade me to stay at least through the winter, but I apologized and said my mind was already made up.

Norris had a melancholy smile on his face as he offered to host a farewell gathering for us the next day, saying, “It would be too sad if this were our final good-bye.”

After that, we made our way to the castle, where I asked the guards if I could speak with Cyrus. I knew he was likely guarding Eugene and thought there may be a chance I wouldn’t be able to see him, but he showed up a few moments later.

Eugene had arranged for another knight to cover for him for a short time so Cyrus could come to see me.

Since he didn’t have long, I got straight to the point and explained everything.

“So that’s why I’d like you to give these letters to Eugene and Keith from Ragi.”

“All right. I’ll deliver them later. But this is so sudden. You barely have any time to say good-bye.”

“Norris and the others are hosting a farewell party tomorrow, but…”

“I won’t be able to get the time off. You’re leaving the day after tomorrow?”

“Yeah, that’s the plan.”

“Then I’ll come see you when my night shift ends. Don’t you dare leave without letting me say good-bye,” Cyrus warned.

“All right. I won’t.”

When he said he’d come to see us off, memories of meeting Cyrus in the Zeghur Forest and everything that had happened since then welled up in my mind all at once. I knew how much he cared for Alto and me. We’d only been able to properly send Ragi off to the Waterside because Cyrus had helped us.

“Thank you for everything, Cyrus.” I looked him straight in the eyes and spoke from my heart.

“Don’t say that. It’s not like this is good-bye forever. Besides, I still haven’t given you your reward, so be sure to think it over.” He gave me a smile, but then his expression grew serious. “And don’t forget what I told you.”

Although he was still smiling, it didn’t reach his eyes. “I think of the two of you as my friends.”

I remembered that he’d once said during our travels: “If you or Alto are in trouble, I might be able to lend a hand.”

“I’ll remember.”

“Because you were our traveling companion,” Alto added earnestly.

Cyrus let out a soft laugh and roughly tousled Alto’s hair.

“H-hey, stop that!” Alto scrambled to smooth his hair back down.

Cyrus laughed again, then murmured softly, “I’m really going to miss you guys.”

Part One: Alto

We were leaving Lypaed today.

We’d been going to set out a few days earlier, but Elly and Sophia had asked us to do a few things for them before we went, so in the end we waited until their next day off.

Everyone was going to come see us off tomorrow, but Master secretly changed our plans and decided we’d leave today instead.

“I know we should say good-bye in person,” he’d said, “but I just can’t, so I’ll leave letters behind.”

That’s why, ever since yesterday, Master had been writing letters to everyone.

I thought I’d read the letter Gramps had given me one last time, so I sat down on the ground and unfolded the paper.

I’d cried the first time I read it. I just wanted to hear his voice. I wanted to see him again. That was all I could think about.

The second time I read it, I felt like something was off, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. But now that I read it again, I finally understood what was bothering me.

It was Master’s words that made me realize it.

“I know we should say good-bye in person, but I can’t, so I’ll leave letters behind.”

Saying good-bye in person…leaving letters…

Gramps’s letter had come to me from the guildmaster. Why had he given it to Drum in the first place? He was right here with us the whole time, so why go to the trouble of giving it to someone else? A memory flickered through my mind. It was something Gramps told me before:

“These things happen when beastfolk grow old.”

I hadn’t thought anything of it at the time.

…

Once I noticed that single piece of the puzzle, though, all the clues I hadn’t seen before began to fall into place: the reason Gramps left the letter with the guildmaster; the reason why he and Master suddenly sparred; the reason the deadline for the quest had been so vague; the reason Master had spoken to me the way he did when I accepted it; and the real reason behind Gramps’s final request.

Gramps knew exactly how much time he had left.

Master must’ve known, too. I was the only one who hadn’t understood. I hadn’t even realized.

A single teardrop fell onto the paper. Did I even do anything for him at all?

I’d misunderstood everything about that request. Had I ever given Gramps what he truly wished for?

I’m so glad I got to meet him…

But maybe he didn’t feel the same.

I…

“Aaagh…” Grief, anxiety, and regret all rose up inside of me until I felt like I’d scream. I bent forward, trying to hold back the tears.

Suddenly, I felt a warm hand on my back. I didn’t need to turn around to see who it belonged to.

I faced the gravestone and began to speak, pouring out everything inside my heart.

“I—I couldn’t do anything. Maybe Gramps wasn’t happy after all.”

“How did Ragi usually act? Did he look sad or angry?”

“Gramps…was always smiling. He looked like he was having fun.”

A quiet voice seemed to say, “Then that’s your answer.”

I turned to meet Master’s gaze.

“Ragi smiled because you were with him, Alto.”

“Because I was with him?”

“That’s right; because you were there. Or did he write in the letter that he wasn’t happy?”

Tears streamed down my face.

“He…wrote that he was happy.”

“The Gramps you remember and the letter he left behind are telling you the same thing, aren’t they?”

I looked into Master’s eyes and nodded.

Gramps always smiled so brightly. He was always smiling! That was proof that he’d been happy. Even now, the memory of him smiling was enough to wash my doubts away.

“Master, you knew, didn’t you?” I asked, and he nodded clearly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Maybe I could’ve done more if he’d told me.

“When you take on a quest, you must accept everything that comes with it.”

There was nothing but the truth in Master’s soft words. I had no reply. I was the one who’d chosen to accept the quest. It had been my responsibility.

“Did Gramps know that I didn’t understand what the quest was really about?”

“He knew.”

“Then why didn’t he say anything?”

“Because I asked him not to.”

I didn’t know how to answer that, and Master just stood there, silently watching me.

“What if I’d asked questions back then and checked what the quest was really about? Would you have told me?” I asked.

“Yes. If you’d asked, then I would have told you.”

I wanted to blame Master. Part of me wanted to scream and demand to know why he hadn’t told me. But another part of me felt like that was wrong. And in the end, this had all happened because I wasn’t ready yet.

There was also a part of me that thought maybe I was better off not knowing all this time. Because if I’d known the truth, I wasn’t sure if I would’ve been able to give Gramps a genuine smile.

I fell silent and Master patted me on the back before stepping away. I didn’t follow him. Instead, I stayed there and spoke quietly to Gramps inside my heart, sorting through my emotions.

I’m not sure how long I stayed there, but it felt like I was speaking to him for a really long time.

When I finally ran out of things to say, I got to my feet and forced myself to shake off the urge to stay here. I stood in front of Gramps’s grave and told him I was leaving on a journey. Then, I asked Jackie to take care of Gramps and turned away.

I kept walking and didn’t look back until I reached the gate where Master was waiting for me.

I wondered if he had been standing there the whole time, ever since he’d walked away earlier. He must’ve been. Master had told me he’d cast a barrier over the house Gramps left to me, to keep anyone from going inside.

I felt like Master had changed a little lately. He was still just as warm as ever, but he was acting differently somehow. He never used to rush me before, no matter what I did. He always just stayed right beside me.

But now, when he sensed that I was deep in thought, he quietly slipped away. Yet for some reason, whenever I ended up crying over Gramps again, he was right there without me even realizing it.

I wondered why he didn’t stay with me like he always had before, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask.

“Did you finish your letters, Master?” I asked.

“Isn’t it a little late to be asking that, Alto?”

Our next destination was Sagana.

It was far away from Lypaed, so I thought I’d have plenty of time to chat with Master on the way. It had been a long time since we’d traveled together, just the two of us.

It hurts so much to leave Gramps behind, but at least Jackie will be here with him.

“Let’s go, Master!”

I grabbed him by the hand and took my first step into a new world.

Part One: Cyrus

Lady Sophia and Elly stood in front of Ragi’s house, looking dejected and lonely as they read the letter. Georges and Norris were gently trying to comfort the two of them, but they seemed inconsolable.

“He promised…”

“It’s awful, isn’t it?”

The letter was an apology for leaving in secret the day before. It explained that seeing everyone in person again would have made it too painful to say good-bye.

“I know we were a little pushy, but this is still so awful! I really wanted to see them one last time…,” Elly said and began to cry.

“…” Norris didn’t say anything, but I figured he probably felt the same way.

“Do you think we’ll ever see them again?” Lady Sophia asked as she and Elly lowered their heads.

“I’m sure…they’ll come back,” Georges said, but he didn’t sound very convincing. More like he was forcing out the words for his fiancée’s sake. All four of them probably felt just as sad about not getting to say good-bye.

But it had stirred up a different emotion inside me.

I knew this would happen.

I looked away from Georges and found myself remembering that day when I was keeping Ragi company while Alto went out to get him some water from the well.

“Cyrus, would you mind listening to me for a moment?” Ragi had asked weakly.

“What is it? Do you need something?”

“No, it’s nothing like that. You know that I don’t have much time left, don’t you?”

I hadn’t tried to deny it. His expression looked much too serious for that.

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry for causing you so much worry. But if it’s not too much trouble, could I ask you a favor?”

“Of course. Anything you like.”

“Please make sure that when I die, this house passes on to Alto. That’s partly because I want it to feel like a base for Alto and Setsuna, and partly because I’d like them to remember me, even just a little.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” I said.

I hadn’t had any objections, so I’d told him what I honestly thought.

“But…I don’t think they’ll stay here very long. Because this isn’t where Setsuna’s journey ends. Perhaps someday it will be, but that could be years. Maybe decades. Maybe never.”

“Yes, I know that Setsuna still wants to keep traveling. It’ll be sad if it comes to that, but I understand if it does.”

Honestly, I would have liked for them to stay in Lypaed forever and forget about weighing up the pros or cons of it. I assumed Ragi was trying to prepare me for them leaving. But I’d misunderstood.

“I left my own home behind when I drifted here to Lypaed. My reasons for leaving were different from Setsuna’s, of course, but still…”

I’d wanted to ask why Ragi had abandoned his home, but he’d seemed to have something urgent to tell me and kept the conversation going.

“I had two close friends. When I told them I was leaving the kingdom, we argued. I said we’d talk it out the next day, but I never intended to. Maybe I’d planned on deceiving them and leaving them while we were still arguing all along.”

“…”

“Setsuna and I are alike in that way, when someone tries to change our minds. I can easily imagine how that would eat away at him. That’s why I know that Setsuna is going to leave Lypaed without telling anyone, just like I left my homeland.”

“That’s…” I paused and considered whether that would really happen, and how I would feel if it did. I reached the conclusion that I’d be disappointed, sad, and angry. I’d think, Is this all our friendship meant to you?

“But Cyrus, when that day comes, I hope you’ll be able to forgive Setsuna,” Ragi had said.

For a moment, I hadn’t understood why he was telling me all this. But when I looked into Ragi’s eyes, it all became clear.

“Do you regret it, Ragi?”

“It was selfish of me. I lost everything. My family’s warmth, my sense of purpose as a warrior… Yet Alto and Setsuna filled those voids for me. That alone was enough to save me.”

“…”

“I know it’s presumptuous to want anything more. But even if I was the one who lied to them and left them behind in anger, I still can’t help but wish that somehow, my friends and family have forgiven me for it. That’s the truth.”

“Why didn’t you ask them to forgive you? They were your friends, right?” I asked.

“Well, I was afraid. My hands were shaking so much I couldn’t even hold a pen to write. So I decided to pretend. I told myself that they’d already forgiven me. But of course, there I was, someone who’d betrayed his own friends. So I couldn’t really believe it myself. In the end, all I could do was hope that I’d eventually forget.”

“But you never could, could you?” I said.

“No. Even when I was living happily with Alto and Setsuna, every time I closed my eyes to go to sleep, those memories would come back to me. Even when I tried to forget everything else, that feeling was the one thing that remained.”

“…”

“That’s why I felt a spark of hope when I saw you now, Cyrus. You came here to apologize to Setsuna. You looked after both of them with such care, and you’ve stood by my side as well. So if anyone could speak for my friends in my place, I thought it might be you.”

The longing in Ragi’s voice and his need for his friend’s forgiveness had been so strong it left a deep impression on me.

I hadn’t been able to answer him right away, though. If he was all I had to consider, I knew I should’ve just told him, “They forgive you,” even if it was a lie. But he never would have been satisfied with such a shallow excuse.

It felt like there hadn’t been enough time to gather my thoughts. The fact that he’d chosen to speak to me when Setsuna and Alto weren’t here meant he didn’t want either of them to hear it on purpose.

Because of what Setsuna overheard, it would only weigh on him and affect his future choices. And if Alto heard, he’d realize how little time Ragi had left.

And Alto will be back any minute now with that water. I have to find an answer before then.

I had so many thoughts swirling inside of me. Honestly, part of me still felt like I wouldn’t really know until the moment came. But I forced myself to replay that moment in my mind and accept whatever feelings welled up so I could sort through and try to embrace them.

I doubted whether it was enough, but when I’d finally managed to give my reply, Ragi nodded.

A heavy silence had followed, perhaps because Norris noticed the small smile on my face. All four of them were looking at me.

Part Two: Revale

I went home a few months ago.

The moment she saw me, my mother sank to the floor and started to cry. When she finally managed to speak, she said she was so glad I was alive, and it hit me all over again how much pain her children had caused her. It made my heart ache just to think of it.

My younger brother had been deceived by humans, had his heart stolen, and died. When Mother heard the news, she’d fainted on the spot.

My sister, driven by my revenge, had committed a forbidden offense and been stripped of her name. She’s been sentenced to a thousand years of imprisonment, and even after her sentence ends, she’ll be exiled from the Dragonlands forever.

Mother spent half a year bedridden, thinking she would never see her daughter again.

And as for me, I left home to search for my sister and hadn’t returned for seven hundred years.

I couldn’t imagine the grief Mother had been carrying all that time.

Then Father came home. When he saw me, he just stood there, almost too stunned to move.

“You’re alive,” he said.

“Yes. I’m home.”

“I see that. I’m glad you’re safe,” Father said, letting out a long sigh of relief. When he tried to speak again, all that came out was a hushed whisper.

He must’ve been trying to say my sister’s name, but he couldn’t because that name was lost.

“The girl…”

Is she alive? Is she dead? That had to be what he wanted to ask.

“…”

I almost said her name before I caught myself and cleared my throat to cover it up.

“I don’t know.”

“I see.”

A conflicted look passed across Father’s face.

I knew the truth, though. A human named Setsuna had come upon me by chance and shown me proof that my sister was alive. She hadn’t died when her magic surged out of control. She wasn’t alone, either, and she had a new name.

I knew that Father and Mother would be overjoyed to hear the news, but I fought down the urge to tell them and stuffed it deep within my heart.

I cast a spell on myself to keep me from ever uttering Tuuli’s name out loud.

“Does your return mean you’re ready to make a pact with the dragon king?” Father asked quietly.

I shook my head.

“No, I’ve already made a pact with a human I met recently.”

Father fell silent, and all the color drained from Mother’s face. “Why?” she wailed. “Why would you make a pact with a human?!” Her voice was filled with anguish, and I understood her feelings all too well.

I hated humans, as well.

Maybe our family would still be together, still smiling, had we never gotten involved with them.

There were times when I felt an ache so strong it nearly turned into rage when I thought about that.

I helped Mother into a chair and tried to calm her down, while Father’s face twisted with pain. “You would refuse the dragon king’s pact even if it means binding yourself to a human?”

The only answer I could give him was silence.

“Then why did you come back? I thought you said you’d never return.”

I tried to decide how to respond. I couldn’t tell him the truth, but he’d know if I was lying.

“My master said I was in the way and told me to go home. So I’m planning on taking it easy here for a while.”

They both gave me a puzzled look. Under normal circumstances, a dragon would stay by the side of the human with whom they’d made their pact.

Since they looked so bewildered, I left out anything about my sister or the fact that we’d fought and simply told them how I met Setsuna.

“It’s hard to believe, but if all that’s true, does that mean you’ll be staying here for a while?” Mother asked hopefully.

“Yes. My plan is to stay here for about two years as long as nothing else comes up. I left matters regarding the other continent and my sister’s situation in my master’s hands. While I’m here, I intend to look into what the former dragon king is planning. If my sister’s still alive two years from now, I doubt he’ll simply leave her be.”

“…”

I also thought that I might come to understand why my parents had never left to search for Tuuli. But I didn’t say that out loud.

I couldn’t stand to see the pain on their faces anymore, so I turned and headed for my room.

When I opened the door, I saw that the inside had been cleaned until it was spotless. Mother must’ve come in here every day to make sure it was in the same condition as it was when I’d left. I was certain she’d done the same with my siblings’ rooms.

Staying here wasn’t particularly convenient if I was going to investigate freely; the two of them would get caught up in trouble if anything happened. So I decided to wait and start my investigation once I’d moved out.

Still, I couldn’t bring myself to leave right away.

I needed to stay here at least until Mother regained a bit of strength. Since neither my brother nor sister could do it anymore, I felt it was up to me to comfort her, even if I could only do so much.

I’ve been living with my parents all this time, carrying those burdens and emotions.

But now that Mother was slowly returning to her old self, I was planning to move out as early as the next day.

I’d already arranged for a place to live through the connections of a friend, so I could settle in there anytime. All I needed to do was take my things over.

I suddenly felt nostalgic when I thought my time in my childhood home was almost over, and decided to visit the place where I used to play with my siblings. It had been so long since the last time I was here, but it looked exactly the same. Even the same gentle breeze was blowing.

I remembered how back then, my brother, sister, Kyle, and I would all sit here, talking and laughing while the wind blew around us.

I also remembered how my sister had always worn that necklace Kyle had given her. I’d told her it was too soon for her to have something like that, but when Setsuna showed me what she looked like now, it suited her perfectly.

I gazed out at the view, lost in thought, when a single white bird suddenly appeared in the distance and flew right toward me.

It circled overhead a few times, gliding on the wind, then perched gently on my shoulder. It let out a clear, lovely chirp—then vanished without a trace.

In that moment, I heard a voice echo in my mind. Before me, a stone appeared, floating in the air, and the voice in my head told me it was a magical device used for communication.

What struck me as odd, however, was that the stone contained my own mana even though I had no memory of ever sharing it with that creature.

I thought about it for a moment, and the only explanation I could come up with was that it must have extracted mana from my blood.

“…”

The idea that he might’ve collected my blood during our fight sent a shiver through me.

I shook my head, trying to dispel the sense of unease inside me, and instead tried to recall the other piece of information the bird had brought me.

“Tuuli is well. Today she contacted me and said she wants to learn how to mix medicines.”

That was all.

Yet it was enough to reassure me that she was trying to live with her head held high.

Part Three: Tuuli

“You want me to teach you how to mix medicinal herbs?” Setsu had asked me with a voice so serious it felt it would pierce right through me.

It was the night of the new moon in the first month of Manakis. I wasn’t sure how to answer, but later, I was glad I hadn’t just gone along and given a reply right then.

I was still being punished. Should I really be allowed to make something that could save lives? Regardless, I really did want to learn what Mother would have eventually taught me about herbs. I wrestled with this contradiction for some time.

Setsu hadn’t contacted me since. I found myself wondering why he hadn’t said anything and felt a bit sad over it.

This led me to question what I really meant to him. Maybe it had all been a mistake when he said he loved me.

That thought brought a strange mixture of relief and frustration.

However, on the new moon of the second month of Manakis, I’d received a letter from him saying that he wouldn’t be able to see me for a while. That was when I realized something important.

What mattered most was to think carefully and find an answer I could believe in myself. Brooding over Setsu was wrong, as was blaming him. I shouldn’t be waiting for him, either.

So I kept thinking about it until I finally came to a conclusion. Quietly atoning was a worthy way to make amends, but helping others could also be a form of atonement.

I didn’t just want to learn. I wanted to learn a skill—how to prepare medicines—so I could help others. That was the realization I came to.

Maybe it took me too long to realize that, but I wrote to him before I could let my resolve waver again.

I’ll do my best, so please teach me how to prepare medicinal herbs.

After all the time I’d spent agonizing over my answer, that was all I wrote. I didn’t include any of my reasons.

I wondered if he’d be frustrated when he read it, but that wasn’t important. All that mattered was that this was something I could stand by with conviction.

The next day, I received a reply from Setsu.

He sent me so many things along with his letter, including a notebook detailing how to prepare the medicines, tools for making them, an encyclopedia of herbs, another for minerals, and a few other necessities. Basically, everything I needed to learn.

He also included detailed instructions in his letter on how to use each tool. As I read it, I wondered if he’d prepared this letter long before my reply even reached him.

“Hey, Kukka. What do you suppose this monster encyclopedia is for?” I asked.

Kukka seemed curious, peeking through the barrier to see for herself. “Some monsters have parts that may be used as ingredients for medicine.”

I’d seen my mother make medicines many times, but never anything using monster parts.

“What kind of monsters can be used for that?” I asked.

“Well, there’s one called a ‘corvasal,’” she said.

I repeated the name quietly to myself as I flipped through the encyclopedia. “It says its scales are used to make ointments that help with burns and cuts.”

The corvasal in the drawing looked huge. Its whole body was covered with scales, so I figured it must provide a lot of materials. Once I’d finished going through everything, I checked the letter again.

It listed the items Setsu had sent and outlined a schedule for my future studies.

Yet there wasn’t a single word in there that suggested how Setsu saw me as a mate. Until now, he’d always included some sort of expression of affection toward me.

Of course.

I thought maybe Setsu wanted a bond like the one he had with Alto—a bond between a teacher and student. And if that’s what he wished for, I would respect it. It would be easier for me that way as well.

Teacher,

Thank you for all the study materials. I have already memorized the names and uses of the tools. Kukka is showing me samples of the herbs, which I am comparing to the encyclopedia. I will study as hard as I can so I can help someone someday.

Thank you,
Tuuli

After I finished writing, I read over the letter carefully and slipped it into an envelope. It was quite late, so I decided to send it the following morning, then curled up in my blanket.

Part Four: Rudol

The Adventurers Guild was more crowded with humans than expected. I’d thought if we came first thing in the morning, it would be empty, but I was dead wrong.

We ended up standing at the back of the line for the reception desk with four people ahead of us. I had no idea how long it would take, so I left Kara in charge of holding our place and stepped away. I walked over to the corner where magical devices were on display.

There were all sorts of things that could be useful for our journey, each one with a price tag propped up in front of it. I made sure to memorize all the prices, then returned to the line.

The prices of those magical devices fluctuated a lot due to supply issues, so the merchants never set fixed prices. Everything was sold at market value.

Still, there were so many sorcerers in residence at the Adventurers Guild that they could pretty consistently secure the devices, which was why they could post the prices openly like that. I heard it was also a courtesy to prevent adventurers from wasting time haggling when they’d come in for quests instead.

On the other hand, they still made sure to consider the merchants in each region and adjusted the prices monthly to reflect the local economy.

That was why wanderers like us—mercenaries without a permanent base—could rely on the guild’s pricing to avoid being swindled.

Still, some found that to be too much trouble, so they’d register as adventurers and take side jobs.

“Thanks for that,” I said to Kara.

“No worries,” she replied.

Just then, the adventurer in front of us finished talking to the woman at reception, and we moved up in front of the desk.

“I’m Rayna. How can I help you today?” she asked glancing at our hands to confirm we weren’t adventurers, then gave us a polite smile.

“We wanted to see if you were holding any messages for us. Is that okay?” Since there were a few people waiting behind us, I wanted to check on that first. I didn’t want to cause any trouble.

“If you just want to check on any letters or packages here, it shouldn’t take long. But it may take a bit longer if you want us to look into whether something’s being held for you at another guild. And if you don’t know which guild it was left with, you should expect to wait several days.”

“Hmm, that’s not what I was expecting. We don’t have that kind of time, so I guess we’ll just come back another day.”

“Oh? At least give me your name, just in case I do have something here for you,” Rayna said.

“Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt. The name’s Rudol. If you have anything from an adventurer named Setsuna about someone called Alto, I’d like to know.”

Suddenly her eyes widened. “Oh, you know Setsuna? Looks like you’re in luck!”

I had no idea what that was supposed to mean, but she told me to wait a moment and disappeared into the back before I could ask.

I could practically feel the people behind us glaring as she finally came out holding an envelope.

“Setsuna said, ‘I don’t know where they’ll be coming to pick this up, so please keep it here at Kutt.’ You’re lucky you came here, or maybe Setsuna just has good instincts!” She spoke so forcefully it made me want to cover my ears. I took the letter and signed for it, then we left the Adventurers Guild. I let out a deep sigh of relief.

Two hours later, we made it outside the town and watched carefully to make sure we weren’t being followed.

“We should be fine this far out,” I said.

Kara paused, scanning our surroundings before she stopped walking. “Okay. Let’s see what it says.”

I went ahead and opened the letter.

Dear Kara and Rudol,

Up until now, we’ve been in Lypaed. I didn’t find any new leads, but Alto and I enjoyed our time there. I hope our next destination will be just as enjoyable. Please don’t push yourselves too hard on your journey.

Setsuna

After I read it out loud, Kara let out a grumpy sigh. “What is wrong with him? He hardly wrote a word about Alto!”

“You’re looking at the wrong part.” I gave a dry chuckle and pointed at the line about not finding any new leads.

Kara glared at me and said, “I know that,” but I continued anyway.

“Looks like he tried to look into things while they were in Lypaed, but he didn’t find anything. We did some searching ourselves on the other continent a long time ago, remember?”

That said, we’d gone because there was more mercenary work…

The people on the northern continent were much kinder to beastfolk than those here. It wasn’t the kind of place someone obsessed with persecuting our kind would bother to stay for long. That’s why searching for clues about his whereabouts there felt like it was in vain.

“Well, we’ve spent years looking for him. There was no way he’d come across something in just a matter of months,” she said.

I agreed with Kara. Still, I had to admit that I’d been hoping Setsuna might’ve stumbled onto something, no matter how small.

At this point, we only had one option left.

“Shall we stick to the plan?”

“I don’t know what other choice we have.”

I glanced at the end of his letter, where he told us not to push ourselves too hard, then I pulled out two bracelet-shaped magical devices. I handed one to Kara and slipped the other one onto my left wrist.

Kara’s appearance began to shift into that of a human before my eyes. I must’ve looked the same.

“This plan’s about twenty years in the making, isn’t it?”

“Sorry,” Kara said. “It took a long time for me to hone my swordsmanship.”

“You did what you had to. Now no one will suspect you of being beastfolk.”

Typically, beastfolk fought barehanded; only those who lived among humans carried weapons. On the other hand, humans almost always relied on weapons, which was why Kara had needed to learn how to use a sword.

“Just to be clear, this bracelet only changes your appearance. Your form itself doesn’t change, so be careful. Especially with your ears.”

“I know.”

Kara took a blue bandana from her pocket and tied it around her head. “That should do it.”

Seeing her look so proud wearing a human face was a very strange feeling.

“Now there’s just the sword left.”

I took the sword bearing the crest of Eln from her hands. I’d packed it into a steel box with anti-corrosive magic and buried it underground.

“It’s hard to leave the only thing we still have from our homeland in a place like this.”

“I know, but we have no other choice. Just the crest alone could make someone realize who we are.”

“Yeah, there’s no telling when some scholar-slash-mercenary will come along,” Kara said bitterly, but I knew the truth. She never would’ve agreed to leave that sword behind if she hadn’t met Setsuna the scholar, no matter how dangerous it was.

“All right, let’s start with Toria, the place they say he was born.”

The only regions left we hadn’t combed were Gardir, Ineses, Toria, and Ellana—the regions where discrimination against beastfolk was most severe.

We’d always avoided them, but if those were the only places where we still had any chance of finding a clue about Sledea, we had no choice.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself. First, we need to go back to Kutt and buy new swords.”

I silently promised the buried blade that I’d come back for it someday, then we walked away.

Part Five: Dahlia

I was just about to start making dinner when a letter arrived from Nestor at the Adventurers Guild.

Letters from him almost always meant trouble, so I made a point to open them right away. Not long ago, he’d sent word out of nowhere asking if I’d take in ten beastfolk children for him. Trying to care for ten children with no guardians was more than I could handle alone, so I’d spent some time agonizing over what to do before rushing over to the guild for more details.

The beastfolk children had been there, their eyes clearly filled with fear as they held their breath and sat completely still. It must’ve been the result of slave traders drilling that behavior into them.

They only answered weakly when I spoke to them, so I made my mind up then and there that I’d be the one to look after them by myself.

Still, all I could really do was prepare good food, offer them soft beds, and watch over them with kindness. Nestor had paid adventurers to heal all of their physical wounds, but the wounds in their hearts had hardly faded at all.

When it was time to eat, they’d started to smile a bit.

That was when I’d regretted that all I could serve were mild dishes that wouldn’t upset their sensitive stomachs. I wished I could’ve let them eat much more delicious food, but I was still glad they liked the cooking that I was best at.

I wonder how they’re doing now. I hope they’ve reached their destination safely without any trouble. Though I guess with Agito there, I probably don’t need to worry.

I read through the letter, thinking about those beastfolk children who’d left in the moonlight.

I’m curious what he wants this time.

“Oh my. Another case of taking in beastfolk children?”

Until now, I’d only had requests to care for beastfolk slaves like this once every few years—never as often as this.

“This time, the one who rescued them is coming along, too. So it’s a male adventurer and two former slave children. It’s probably best to have them all in the same room.”

I tucked the letter away and began preparing to welcome the three of them.

It says the children are quite frail, so I’ll make sure to prepare food that’s easy to digest.

Just as I was finishing the preparations, I heard someone at the front desk calling for me, so I hurried over.

“Yes, yes. I’m coming.”

I answered the door, and an adventurer greeted me politely.

“Hi there, I’m Zigel. Nestor, the guildmaster, sent me. I’ll be in your care for a while.”

Most people who met me for the first time made an unpleasant face, but the man didn’t react at all.

No wonder Nestor likes him.

“It’s nice to meet you, too. I’m Dahlia; I run this inn. Did you come ahead by yourself? Nestor said there would be three of you.”

“They can’t stand on their own yet, so they’re still resting in the carriage.”

After a brief explanation, I helped Zigel carry the two beastfolk children inside.

They’d already been carefully treated, so all that remained was to let them rest until their strength returned.

“Sorry to trouble you with all this,” Zigel apologized, but I told him not to worry. I was used to it.

I noticed he looked weary himself, so I invited him to sit down and have some tea.

Zigel told me his story while we drank.

“These kids were slaves at the trading company I used to work for. I took care of them for a while. I don’t hold any enmity toward beastfolk, though, so I couldn’t treat them poorly. That’s how we grew close.”

“I see. So that’s how you met them?”

“One day, a former co-worker told me the two of them were going to be disposed of. He said if I wanted to save them, he’d sell them to me. Not out of kindness, of course. That man always despised me. He probably just wanted to see me suffer, knowing I couldn’t afford to pay it.”

“But you managed somehow, right?”

“Yes, I paid what he demanded and watched him grind his teeth in frustration.”

Zigel laughed for a moment before going on.

“I was born and raised in a kingdom without slavery. So even when I worked at that company, I tried to treat slaves as equals to improve their conditions. I think that’s what got under my co-worker’s skin.”

“I understand.”

“Those two, they were always so kind to me. I had to help them, no matter what.” He made it sound like a simple decision, but I was sure it hadn’t been easy to bring them here. He’d stood his ground to save them, which wasn’t something many people could do. I admired that.

“By the way, Dahlia, is this sort of thing common at your inn?”

“Not exactly common, but just the other day, I took in about ten children.”

“That must be what they were talking about at the guild. There were rumors about a female knight from Gardir who all but gave the beastfolk kids away to Agito from Moonlight. People said it was reckless for him to take them in, and some even claimed she was Agito’s mistress and that his wife’s reaction was terrifying.”

“Oh, I doubt that. Agito and Saara are very close. They took those children in together. I don’t know what circumstances led to it, but—oh, Saara is Agito’s wife, by the way.”

Agito had decided to cover the lodging fees, medical expenses, travel funds, and everything else they’d need to survive. Whatever the reasons, it must’ve been serious.

“Before that, I looked after another adventurer here named Setsuna. He was very polite, just like you. He’d saved a beastfolk child who was about to be killed and taken him in as his apprentice.”

Zigel’s hand froze in midair as he reached for his cup. He fixed me with an intense stare. “A young man with brown hair and pale violet eyes? Very handsome?” He described Setsu’s characteristics with a serious look on his face.

“Oh, you know Setsu?”

“I do. He helped me once. Now that brings back memories…” He smiled and narrowed his eyes as if recalling something precious. “Setsuna truly is a kind person.”

“He is. He left little Alty here when he was so exhausted and went running around day and night to gather funds.”

“So they could leave Gardir as soon as possible?”

“Right.”

Apparently, Zigel had come to the same conclusion. He told me that he also wanted to get these children out of the kingdom once they recovered their strength. Gardir was simply too dangerous for beastfolk.

After that, he asked about Setsu, so I told him about the time I’d spent with Alty a few months ago. Every now and then, I’d hear him murmur, “Setsuna had it rough, too.”

I could see the realization dawn on him while we talked that Setsu had already done what he himself was trying to do. And somehow, that seemed to spur Zigel on and fill him with resolve. As our conversation wound down, he finally let out a long breath, as if all the tension had left him.

He must’ve been carrying everything on his own, protecting the children. No matter how much Nestor vouched for me, he wouldn’t have been able to trust a stranger so easily.

“It’s all right. I’ll make sure those two are safe. You should focus on what you need to do,” I told him.

Zigel straightened his back and gave me a deep, respectful bow. “Thank you. Please take care of them.”

“Of course. Leave it to me,” I said.

He looked so relieved as he bowed again and finally lifted his cup. Taking a sip, he murmured softly, “I wonder how Setsuna’s doing now. I hope he’s doing well and smiling somewhere.”

“I’m sure he’s traveling happily with little Alty.”

I pictured Setsu looking just a little exasperated beside a cheerful Alty.

“Yes, I hope so. I’d like to see him again someday. All this time, I’ve held onto the promise I made him in my heart. I’d like to meet Alto, too.”

Zigel smiled. He didn’t tell me what that promise was, but the kind way he narrowed his eyes told me that it was something he was looking forward to.

Part Six: Agito

We reached the port town of Reglia on the Gardir border at around noon and finished the job.

After that, we’d rented out an inn we knew and decided to relax. Our quest had been to evacuate beastfolk children from Gardir. At first, we’d planned on carrying out Nestor’s idea of taking them to Kutt, the neighboring kingdom, but after seeing all ten of the kids at Dahlia’s inn, I’d changed the plan on the spot. I couldn’t shake the fear that once we left, some slave trader from Gardir would find them again even though the slavery of beastfolk was prohibited in Kutt.

The children all looked so small and fragile. Saara had been furious when she saw just how much worse their condition was than we’d been told, and she’d insisted we find a safer way to protect them.

That’s why I decided to have them sail from Reglia to Lycia and live at a guild facility there. Since the trip involved a carriage and a ship, I figured even children whose strength had withered away from slavery would be able to last the journey.

Of course, traveling together with the children meant I didn’t have time to earn any income.

I didn’t regret it, though. We’d secured a future for those kids, which was enough for me. Saara was so overwhelmed with emotion when we handed them over to the guild staff at the port that she cried.

I’d been surprised when a Gardir general brought up Setsuna’s name, but I also felt a sense of accomplishment that I’d kept my promise to protect him. If taking that commission to keep him safe had ended up drawing unwanted attention on Setsuna, I never would have forgiven myself.

That aside, I also just wished to see Setsuna mature into a young man without any kind of interference. If that future happened to be within Moonlight, my own team, then I couldn’t ask for anything better.

“Shall we get started, Agito?” Doug called out as he entered the dining hall.

I’d known Doug for a long time. He’d been with me since I first formed the team, and I’d asked him to serve as my sub-leader. When my eldest son Chris reached white rank, Doug had stepped down and said he wanted to make way for the next generation, but he still took part in every major decision. He was someone I could always rely on.

“Not yet. We’re still missing a few people. Let’s wait a little longer.”

Each team was free to decide how it handled making the decisions. In team Moonlight, we did it by holding meetings.

Our meeting rules were simple: all members had to attend, anyone purple or higher had the right to speak, and anyone red or higher could vote. The team leader retained the power to veto any decisions. If I rejected a proposal, it didn’t go through.

“That’s true. Maks and the others aren’t here yet,” Chris said.

Doug scowled as he flopped onto a chair, then muttered something about “those guys.”

I was going to head back to Lycia after this, where the guild’s main headquarters were located, to attend a conference held only for black-rank adventurers.

I had a little time to spare; otherwise, I would have sailed with the beastfolk children. Instead, I’d decided to return by land and pick up a few quests along the way to make up for the earnings we’d missed out on recently.

Today’s meeting was mainly to decide how many commissions we’d take on. The monsters lately seemed stronger than usual, and I wanted to reduce our workload to improve safety.

We hadn’t reached the scheduled meeting time yet, though, so I didn’t start. Doug wasn’t serious with his grumbling; he did that all the time. And I heard Chris laugh as they began chatting.

I decided to use the time productively and read through the letters I’d received from the Adventurers Guild that afternoon. I opened the envelopes and skimmed through their contents one by one. Most were requests from other teams to form an alliance with Moonlight—an arrangement where teams took on commissions together or lent each other members when they were shorthanded.

Because of that, either the teams needed to be evenly matched in strength or had to offer something the other team lacked. That was the bare minimum requirement for an alliance.

Yet none of the letters I was skimming seemed to meet that standard. If anything, it was obvious they just wanted to reap the benefits of working alongside a black-ranked team.

I sighed as I kept reading. None of these letters struck me as promising. Before I knew it, I was down to the last one.

The envelope was written in the handwriting of the Lypaed guildmaster. It was marked as an alliance request from a team called Dawn Wind.

Inside was a short letter introducing the team, written by Drum, and another letter from Dawn Wind itself.

See, this is how it should be done.

When a lesser-ranked team approached a higher one, the proper etiquette was to send the request via the guildmaster. Unfortunately, more and more teams had been ignoring this etiquette lately and sending letters on a whim.

The fact they understood even that much basic courtesy already set them apart from the others.

I broke the seal and began reading, feeling hopeful. As soon as I saw the sender’s name, a wave of nostalgia washed over me, and goosebumps broke out over my skin. I must’ve looked shocked, because Chris spoke up.

“Something the matter?”

The other members were staring at me, too. I just ignored them, though, and read the letter all the way to the end.

“It’s an alliance request.”

“From a black-rank team?”

“Nope. According to this introduction letter, the team was only formed about three days ago.”

Chris looked stunned.

Beet, my third son, chimed in while sipping his drink. His tone sounded entirely unimpressed. “Three days? Well, they’re way out of their league.”

“What’s got ya so shocked, Pops?” Elio, my second son, asked, sounding more curious than critical.

“I bet he’s just as surprised by how brazen they are,” Beet said, sounding bored.

“No. I’m going to accept this alliance request.”

My sons and everyone else in the room froze in disbelief.

“Father?” Chris said.

“Dad?” Beet said.

“Pops?” Elio said.

My three sons all called me something different. I’d raised them all the same, so I never understood why they addressed me so differently.

“Wait, wait, wait. We’ve never allied with anyone, and now all of a sudden you want to? And with a team that’s three days old? You can’t be serious,” Elio said, sounding skeptical.

“You losing it, Dad?” Beet said, just sounding plain rude.

“Is it a big team? Like, are they famous adventurers who formed a team together?” Chris asked, glancing at the letters.

“No. There are only two members.”

“…”

“Seriously, what’s the deal, Pops? This team just started three days ago with two people. How could they not be dead weight?”

“I agree with Beet,” Elio said.

“I can’t see any advantage to allying with them,” Chris said.

I raised a hand in silence and decided to tell them the truth. “The leader of this team reached red rank, level two, in less than a year.”

The room fell completely silent.

“You’re kidding me. That’s the same rank as me!” Elio said.

“Purple, maybe. But red? If I had to guess…,” Beet said, staring at me like he already knew whose name was on the letter. “Setsuna?”

“Yep.”

“That’s the young man you met in Gardir, right? The one who shot up to green in record time?” Elio asked.

“Yeah.”

“He was promoted to purple recently because of all the help he gave the clinic, wasn’t he?” Chris said.

“That’s right.”

“So what did he do this time to reach red?”

“I don’t know, but I have a theory,” I said.

“What is it?”

“I can’t say.” I had a good idea why, but it wasn’t something we should discuss here.

And since the guild headquarters hadn’t contacted me about it, the reason for Setsuna’s promotion was almost certainly confidential. I couldn’t speak lightly about it.

“You’re killing us here, Pops.” Elio gave me an exasperated look, but Doug interrupted to get things back on track.

“Does it matter why he was promoted? The point is, even if he’s red rank it’s hardly appropriate for Moonlight to ally with a team led by someone so new. So why do you want this alliance?”

“Just simple curiosity. Hearing their stories alone would be worth it to me, as if I’d been through an extraordinary experience myself.”

“Nah, that’s too vague. What exactly are you hoping to hear?” Elio asked.

“Well, how he got to Lypaed, for one,” I said. I held up the envelope so Doug could see the guildmaster’s handwriting.

“You mean he didn’t sail there?” Beet asked.

I shook my head.

“No. In the second month of Salkis, Setsuna was in Kutt. I sent him a letter there, and I know he got it, but in the third month, the medicine I requested arrived from Lypaed.”

Everyone fell silent.

“That doesn’t add up. It takes four months to get from Kutt to Lypaed if you hurry. There must be some kind of mistake,” Elio said.

“That’s why it’s so strange. He’s done something impossible.”

Beet gave Elio a look that seemed to say, “How can you not see that?”

“What do you think happened, Father?”

“Well, my guess is that he found the cave that’s said to connect Lypaed and Kutt and traveled through it.”

Elio sucked in a sharp breath.

“No way… That’s impossible! You probably don’t feel it as strongly, Pops, but any sorcerer wouldn’t go anywhere near those monsters with their terrifying amount of mana!” Elio, a Firemaster, insisted. The color drained from his face.

I hardly needed my son to remind me of that. Everyone knew the Baudal mountain range near Kutt and the Toria Plains were steeped in enormous magical power and that colossal monsters had made it their territory.

“Then how do you think he crossed from Kutt to Lypaed?”

“…”

No one had an answer.

I watched Elio fall silent and felt a powerful urge to speak with Setsuna myself. “Honestly, I would’ve preferred Setsuna to join Moonlight, but it can’t be helped if he’s formed his own team.”

I shifted my gaze away from Elio and looked around at everyone.

“So you all know, I intend on forming an alliance with his team, Dawn Wind.”

“Let’s wait until all the members have gathered before we discuss that,” Chris said.

Doug and the others nodded in agreement.

I tucked the letter away, wondering how best to persuade the members of our team who didn’t seem excited about the idea.

Part Seven: Kelvy

Watching the 69th protest furiously in front of me, I found myself remembering something from long ago—the day a new hero had stepped into this room to replace my old partner.

It was normal not to hear anything for a while once a hero left the Hero’s Home, so I hadn’t kept my link with my partner active. That was why, when the sudden connection came, it caught me completely off guard.

I had scrambled to re-sync and felt relieved when I sensed he was still alive. However, when his image had sharpened into focus, the transformation left me speechless.

He’d had golden brown hair and pale green eyes—nothing like the black hair and eyes I’d known before.

“Hey. It’s been a while, Kelvy.” He’d spoken so casually it made me angry, and I ignored the greeting.

“What happened to you, Kanade?”

“I was just reborn, is all.”

I knew it wasn’t a lie. His mana was more than double what it had been before.

“And you think that’s an explanation?”

“Oh, come on. You can see for yourself if you sync properly. Why waste time explaining?”

This one never did understand other people’s feelings. It was odd for me to say, perhaps, but he ought to have learned what worry meant by now.

“Anyway, I’m not Tokito Kanade anymore. I go by Kyle now.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so there was a pause. Finally, I managed to force out, “I see. Good for you.”

Kanade had been born the son of a musical family. The name his parents had given him meant “May you perform the great symphony of life together with many people,” and that was how he’d lived in his original world.

Yet in the hero’s life, which was far longer than the one he’d left behind, that name became nothing but a shackle that bound him.

Although he’d always taken pride in it, a life of being confined among only a handful of chosen humans was a life unworthy of his name. He’d wanted to change it, but that wasn’t allowed.

His name had been a hope, a beacon to the masses, so they’d said he could never change it.

“You’re one to talk,” I muttered.

The only people who insisted on calling him Kanade were those who wanted to oppress him. Even the ordinary people who knew the name simply called him “the 23rd hero,” or just “the hero.”

However, he reached a point where he couldn’t stand the name at all. And near the end of his life, he’d even asked in his journals that his wife stop calling him by it.

I once asked why he’d chosen the name Kyle.

“I was drinking in a tavern and picked it on a whim when I was drunk,” he’d said.

I knew that was probably half a truth and half a lie. The hero’s physical makeup was such that he hardly ever got drunk. That part was just something he said to avoid having to justify why he’d picked a name so casually.

The proof of this was that every time he changed his name, he always said it was because of a drunken impulse.

In that way, names came to mean little to him. Maybe he’d grown attached to the first one he’d chosen decades before, though, because he’d eventually gone back to Kyle.

At the same time, he’d started wishing in the dreams we shared when we synced that his wife would call him Kanade again.

Looking back on it, I think he’d already decided to die.

I remembered the words he left behind as his final request:

“I wonder if Setsuna will change his name the way I did, or if he’ll be like the old man and hang onto it until the end. Either way, if you ever leave this place and meet Setsuna, look after him for me, Kelvy. Take care of my little brother.”

That was why I understood the 69th’s protests. Or perhaps I should say, his complaints.

Names were important.

“It’s all because hardly anyone bothers to call me by my name!”

“Why don’t you ask the princess of Gardir to use it?”

“Ty won’t ever stop calling me Hero!”

I realized I’d only made the situation worse and watched as his complaints only grew.

“Fine, I get it. You’re even more irritable than usual. Are you drunk?” I asked.

“I’m seventeen! I’m not even old enough to drink!”

I’d meant it as a joke, but he answered me with a perfectly serious expression on his face.

“Isn’t sixteen the age of adulthood in Gardir? Or did they change it without telling me?”

“It is, but in my old world it’s eighteen. That’s why I didn’t drink at the banquet!” He seemed to be tiring himself out with all that yelling and was losing steam.

“Oh, so you’re still just a kid.”

“I am, but that’s got nothing to do with my name. Plus, I’ll be an adult soon anyway.”

His eyes lit up for a moment, but then he seemed to remember what he’d been complaining about and brought the conversation back.

“I finished every task you’ve given me, Master Kelvy. So I’m not weak anymore, am I?”

“You hate being called Alda that much?”

“Of course I do! Who would want to be called ‘weak one’? I have a name! It means ‘child of light and water’!”

“Yet all you’ve managed so far is to use Light magic in particle form. You’ve finally taken your first step. Not as a hero, but as a Light sorcerer. You’re getting better, but you’ve still got a long way to go as a hero.”

He pouted, but I was telling him the truth.

“So what do I have to do to be recognized as a real hero?” he asked.

“Well, normally you’d need to master using weapons in tandem with magic. But you have no talent at all for anything physical.”

“Master Kelvy, there’s a nicer way you could’ve put that…” He pouted, but I ignored him and continued.

“All right. If you can learn to use a different element while in light particle form, then I shall acknowledge you as a full-fledged hero.”

“That’s it? You’re serious?”

“You can be pleased if you like, but it’s far more difficult than anything you’ve tried so far. And if you can wield Water magic in that light particle form, just like your name, I’ll call you by your proper name.”

The moment I stopped speaking, his body began to shine and turn translucent. He transformed completely into pure light and water materialized in front of me etched with unfamiliar symbols.

“I wrote my name in the writing of my homeland.”

He returned to his normal form and looked at me. “My name is Adel.”

He looked so happy just then that he reminded me of Kanade, smiling peacefully when his wife called him by his name.

Part Eight: Tylera

Seven days had passed since I arrived in Ellana.

I had an audience with the Holy Emperor the day after we arrived, after which officials began to plan the victory celebration. It was held for three days afterward in the Holy City.

During that time, the hero spent every day at the Hero’s Home. His knights were assigned barracks and lived in disciplined order under Deputy General Larutas.

I alone had been exempted from that order and given a state guest room just below the top floor of the east spire. If things had gone to plan, or rather according to our fake plan, I should’ve departed for home today. But instead, I was staying for what would happen the next day.

“Ty, are you really going to marry him?”

“Yes. It’s not something to fuss over,” I said.

“But you don’t even like him, do you?”

The hero had asked me the same question over and over ever since I told him about the marriage the previous night.

“Feelings aren’t necessary in a political marriage between nations.”

This was a matter decided in cooperation with the three great powers, and not something that could be overturned.

The Endian Holy Church had made the first move. It put the faith off-balance not to have a priestess to guide the hero of this generation.

Hence why they were going to make me the priestess. I couldn’t use magic, but they planned to cover that by appointing a sorcerer to stand behind me and perform spells, making it look as if I was casting them.

That had provoked a response from the Holy Emperor’s court in Ellana. They couldn’t ignore the church breaking precedent by conducting its own diplomacy with Gardir.

The compromise was to bring me into the imperial family. First, I would marry into the Ellana family. That would be handled by the Holy Emperor’s court as a diplomatic matter. Once that was done, the church would announce that I had actually been a priestess. If I was an imperial royal, it would be treated as an internal matter, separate from politics. Both sides must’ve agreed to that trade-off.

Originally, this plan should have been canceled. My father had already arranged for me to meet the prime minister’s second son, Sargel, in hopes of a match, and this agreement had only arrived in Gardir after that.

However, my father had accepted this proposal very quickly when I refused that match. After all, it was shameful for Gardir to be without a priestess.

My wishes were never going to be considered in such circumstances. The only concession I had been able to ensure was that I would not be removed from my post as the hero’s commander.

Once I became priestess, it would have been easy for them to replace me. If that happened, the hero’s future would grow even more uncertain—the one thing I would not allow.

“But…” The hero started to say something else, but there was a knock at the door, announcing a visitor. I excused myself and opened it.

“Dear Sister, would you please read this book?” Three priestesses trailed behind a small girl who entered, carrying a book. It was none other than the Holy Emperor of Ellana.

“You’ll get in trouble if you come here like this,” I warned.

“It’s all right. I just told them it would be for a little while before bed.”

She set the book down on the table and gestured for the priestesses to wait outside the room.

“I’ll go back to my room, then.” The hero tried to quietly excuse himself, but the Holy Emperor stopped him.

“You have to stay. You’re going to protect my dear sister and me.”

I had already explained that it was my duty to protect the hero, but the Holy Emperor refused to accept it. So the hero always ended up staying with us, but he didn’t seem to mind. He had a cheerful expression on his face.

My first meeting with the Holy Emperor had been three years ago, when I visited to offer my formal greetings to the previous emperor upon reaching adulthood.

In Gardir, it was customary for royals to pay their respects to the Holy Emperor when they came of age, and the treatment one received in Ellana varied depending on rank.

I had no right of succession and wasn’t a priestess. I was of low status, so everyone assumed that the banquet would be hosted by the court, not by the emperor himself.

Yet it was indeed the previous Holy Emperor who had held the banquet—special treatment that caused surprise both at home and abroad.

The reason immediately became clear. The emperor told me I looked exactly like his deceased elder sister and asked that I treat the current emperor as though she were my own younger sister.

I stayed in Ellana for a month, and the young Holy Emperor called me Sister, growing quite attached to me.

Three years had passed since then, so I assumed she would’ve forgotten me by now. Yet it seemed that even as a child, I remained vivid in her memory.

That attachment was now being used to support this marriage.

No royal marriage could proceed without the Holy Emperor’s consent, no matter what the church or court decreed. The couple had to stand before the emperor and be granted permission, so if they didn’t give you their blessing, the arrangement would be called off. As such, it was customary to sound out the emperor’s feelings in advance.

There was always the potential for interference, as well. Ellana’s nobles never welcomed marriages between their royal house and foreign dynasties, and they often petitioned the Holy Emperor to call them off.

They would say there were too few royals to spare for foreign alliances.

This time was no different; they were trying to intervene. However, the young emperor knew nothing of politics, and when the court told her, “Princess Tylera will become your real sister,” she’d immediately agreed.

In other words, if the Holy Emperor had been someone else, this marriage would never have happened.

“Sister, does the horse with wings in this story really exist?” she asked.

“I’ve never heard of such a creature.”

“Huh? You don’t have them?” Surprisingly, the protest came from another voice.

“Did you have them in your world?” I asked.

“Of course! They weren’t monsters, though. Just animals from the plains.”

“Animals?” echoed the emperor.

“Yes, and we brought them back to our village and raised them. Oh, do you know what racing is?”

“My Imperial Guard holds a horse race every six months,” the emperor said.

“Yeah, just like that! We used to race winged horses in my village the same way. You’d start them running on the ground, then make them take off and fly in a vertical loop, and whoever reached the goal first would win.”

The hero swung his right arm around in a big circle as he explained. His voice grew more animated as he spoke, and the Holy Emperor listened with shining eyes.

However, halfway through their conversation, it was interrupted by a second visitor knocking firmly at the door.

“Your Imperial Majesty, it’s time. I have come to escort you.”

“Brother. Is it that late already?”

The man who opened the door and spoke was Detraas, the Holy Emperor’s older brother, and the man I was about to marry.

The Holy Emperor returned to her chambers, and the hero took that as his sign to leave as well.

I accompanied them both to see them safely delivered.

“Please allow me to escort you last, Princess,” Detraas offered me his hand in front of the Hero’s Home.

“I can protect myself. There’s no need for such concern. You should return to your own quarters.” I ignored his hand and began walking toward the central spire.

“What kind of man would leave his betrothed by herself?” He quickly caught up to me and began walking ahead, but since I said nothing, he soon went quiet, and we continued on in silence.

We passed through the central spire and reached the eastern spire. Statues of Gladia, god of earth, and Saadia, god of the sun, towered over us, made of the same bluesilver alloy and standing ten mer tall.

Yet even these grand statues existed merely to be looked down upon, because in Ellana, these two gods were said to have created beastfolk, and therefore considered lesser or beneath the others.

We passed between them and entered the inner wall of the eastern bridge, stepping into the little chamber that held an elevator.

Detraas opened the door and gestured for me to go in first.

I walked into the center and waited while he closed the door between us. Then I set the room’s key onto the pedestal in the middle.

The Wind magical device activated, and the floor began to rise gently.

“It’s tomorrow at last,” he said. He must’ve known I wouldn’t answer but continued anyway. “I assumed you would come to live in Ellana once our marriage was arranged. But that wasn’t how it turned out. I never imagined you would insist upon keeping your position as the hero’s commander as a condition of accepting the proposal.”

“…”

“I had always assumed that you became the hero’s commander merely as a way to improve your own situation. I know all too well how harshly women are treated in Gardir.”

“…”

“But now I understand that your loyalty to the hero is genuine.”

“…”

“That’s why I have no regrets about this marriage.”

“…”

“Because I know exactly how you feel. I serve the Holy Emperor with my whole heart.”

The elevator came to a halt the exact moment he stopped speaking, almost like he’d timed it that way. I took the key from the pedestal, and Detraas opened the door. He guided me the rest of the way to my room.

I gave a slight bow at the threshold and didn’t say a word. Then I went inside, sat down in a chair, and closed my eyes.

I couldn’t tell whether he was being sincere or not. And honestly, it didn’t matter. This marriage wasn’t something that feelings could undo.

Instead, my thoughts drifted to the words of the late Holy Emperor.

“My daughter will be all right. I know you shall protect her. What worries me is you, Tylera. Be wary of Detraas. Never allow yourself to trust him.”

I still didn’t know what he’d truly meant by that. But if there was one thing I could wish for, it was that Detraas was telling the truth. If we both remained faithful to the ones we served, perhaps then we could live without regrets.

The next day, the two of us stood side by side before the doors to the throne room.

I wore my armor, however, Detraas was dressed not as one of the Eight Imperial Knights but as a member of the imperial family.

I knew he would be, but I’d never once considered bringing my royal princess attire. I hadn’t had any intention of giving the hero any chance to notice, because I wouldn’t have been able to bear it if he were to realize what was going to happen and worry about me on top of everything else.

The doors opened, and the figures waiting inside came into view.

The chamber was filled with nobles from Ellana and the priests of the Holy Church. Only the hero and Larutas were in attendance from Gardir.

The Holy Emperor was seated on the throne, flanked on either side by the holy regent and the imperial regent, the emperor’s attendants. The dais they occupied rose above a floor spread with a blue carpet that stretched from the throne all the way to our entrance.

Six of the holy sorcerers and seven imperial knights stood to the left and right of the carpet. The hero stood by the knights, awaiting our approach.

I was the first to step forward. This was tradition in Ellana, where women held precedence.

Detraas followed once I began to walk, and together we made our way to the foot of the dais, where we knelt.

“Sister…” The young Holy Emperor called out to me, starting to rise from her seat, but the holy regent cleared his throat softly and met her gaze, and she slowly sat back down.

Everyone in the chamber pretended nothing had happened.

The Holy Emperor turned to the side and gave a small nod. At this, the imperial regent raised his voice.

“Princess Tylera Fille Gardir, you are granted permission to address the court.”

There was always something unsettling about this custom, having the woman instead of her family announce her own marriage. But here, it was entirely natural. Everyone waited in silence for my words.

“…”

Just as I started to speak, it happened. Once again, the Holy Emperor rose to her feet. The holy regent began to move, as if to intervene—but before he could, the Holy Emperor’s body lifted into the air and a radiance burst forth from within her. The light gradually expanded and enveloped her, taking on the shape of a person.

Divine power…

I didn’t fully understand it.

Ancient texts described it as “a special power imbued by the gods, distinct from magic.”

The teachings of the Endian Holy Church called it “divine power that the gods used to form the land and create the waters.”

It was the power of creation itself.

And the only being in this world who could wield that power was the Holy Emperor. It was an ability passed from emperor to emperor by which the gods came down to the mortal realm—a miracle known as the Divine Descent.

The emperor’s own will played no part in its use. When the gods wished to convey their words to mortals, the Holy Emperor’s power was activated entirely beyond their control, allowing the gods to speak through them.

Hence why the emperor was called “the mouthpiece of the gods”.

The light fully wrapped around her, now a complete figure, rising until it nearly touched the ceiling.

Everyone present sank to their knees, watching in awed silence.

The hero…

I hadn’t foreseen this, but I’d explained to the hero that during the Divine Descent, he must show respect by bowing down on both knees. Whether he knew that was what he was witnessing, though, was another matter.

I didn’t need to worry, in the end. I saw him kneeling as instructed in the corner of my eye.

Only then was I able to let out a breath.

The next moment, the Holy Emperor spoke. Although the voice came from her throat, it didn’t sound like anything I’d ever heard, but was heavy and overwhelmingly powerful.

“In Toria…twin demons are born. And with them…thousands of fiends will rise, making Yufyu a place of death. The day is near.”

The light dispersed into a fading mist once she was finished speaking, and the emperor slowly drifted down to collapse in the holy regent’s arms.

Talk of our marriage was immediately set aside, replaced by urgent discussions on how to subdue the monsters.

Hours later, we returned to the barracks to relay the plans once the strategy had been decided.

Ellana resolved to dispatch the third legion of the Holy Emperor’s army to Toria the following day. Preparations had already begun.

That would provide thirty thousand soldiers.

Of course, there was no way to gather so many men overnight. First, an advance force of five thousand stationed in the Holy City of Endia would set out immediately, with the main host to follow as it assembled.

The hero’s knights, who we’d brought with us, were to join the vanguard en route to Toria. There were only fifty of them, however, so Ellana would formally request reinforcements. I accepted and pledged to send an appeal to Gardir for additional troops.

“Larutas, I have something to ask you,” I said.

“You want me to go to Gardir alone and arrange the reinforcements, correct?”

“Yes, thank you. Once the briefing here is complete, I’ll draft a request for the king. I’d like you to depart today, if possible. When you cross into Gardir, you have my authorization to use the guild’s teleportation circles. I’ll prepare the permit as well.”

“Understood. But how many soldiers do you think we’ll need?”

“What’s your estimate?”

He paused.

“Twin demons are likely large creatures. But ‘twin’ could either mean double-headed or two separate monsters. Let us assume for now that it means two bodies. If we interpret ‘thousands of fiends’ as a round figure, ten thousand, for example, that would be a horde of medium-sized monsters.”

“I asked for your opinion, Larutas.”

He was just repeating what they’d said in the earlier council.

“You hardly need the opinion of a minor noble such as myself, no?”

“I value your judgment. Or do you mean you wish to see us under-deployed, to bring death upon us all? You should know that even if you try to flee, it would be useless. Your name will be listed as the chief strategist of the reinforcements.”

He scratched his head with a sigh.

“The consensus in the meeting was that fifty thousand troops would be required, thirty thousand from Ellana and twenty thousand divided between Gardir and Toria. But I believe that won’t be enough. If ‘twin’ refers to two-headed monsters, how many of them will there be? In past Divine Descents, whenever the god’s warnings left the number of great beasts unspecified, at least three appeared. We should set out with seventy thousand men.”

I expected nothing less from a man of his rank. He’d studied the precedent well.

“I agree. That leaves forty thousand unaccounted for. If Toria perceives a threat, they’ll mobilize every soldier they have to match Ellana’s thirty thousand.”

“So then our kingdom should only have to provide ten thousand,” he said innocently.

“The more troops, the better. If both nations are committing thirty thousand each, Gardir will hardly be allowed to offer ten. I’ll write to the king that we should match them.”

“Understood.”

Our discussion concluded, I turned to look at the hero, who’d been silently walking beside me this whole time. I could guess what he was thinking.

“You mustn’t worry about the Holy Emperor, Hero.”

“But she didn’t wake up after that, did she?”

“When one so young undergoes a Divine Descent, it’s normal for them to sleep for three days due to the strain.”

“Still, it’s scary she didn’t wake up.”

“It’ll be all right. The gods protect their chosen vessel. They leave a little of their divine power behind in the emperor’s body, which allows them to sense malice, repel disease, and avert disaster. The Holy Emperor won’t die.”

“That’s good, then.”

It was easy to see that the hero’s cheerful mood wasn’t just because he’d stepped out of the spire and into the sunlight.

The next morning, I went to his house to get ready for our departure. He was already outside, all packed and waiting for me, beaming like he couldn’t hold it in.

“Morning, Ty!”

“Good morning. You’re in a fine mood today. Did you have some kind of nice dream?”

“No, that’s not it. After we said good-bye yesterday, it really sank in that your wedding was postponed. I’m glad you didn’t have to marry someone you don’t like.”

I almost told him I really didn’t care one way or the other, but I didn’t want to ruin his good mood. So instead, I looked for something else to talk about and settled on the book he was clutching so tightly.

“You’re holding that book like it’s your greatest treasure. Where’d you get it?”

“Heh-heh. This book is my teacher, Ty.”

“You know you can’t just take things out of the Hero’s Home without permission.”

“It’s fine, really! No one’s going to mind something like this. More importantly, I’m going to get so much stronger! Just you wait.”

I doubted reading alone would make him any stronger, but I kept that thought to myself. Again, there was no reason to spoil his excitement.

“The Holy Emperor asked me to protect you, and I told her that I would, Ty!”

I sighed and decided there was no point in arguing anymore. Still, seeing him so endlessly bright and cheerful made me a little warm inside.

I simply walked behind him, following wherever he led until we reached the inn.

ROKUSYOU

“Let’s go, Master!”

That’s Alto’s line in the epilogue. The words with which he and Setsuna leave Lypaed and take the next step in their journey.

Originally, I planned for Setsuna to repeat the same line he’d said when they first set out back in Volume 1: “Let’s go on our journey together now, Alto.” But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how different both Setsuna and Alto have become since then. They’ve grown a lot, and I wanted that line to show just how much Alto has changed, so I decided to write something new.

I thought it turned out to be the right line for Alto. He faced Ragi’s death head-on and still chose to move forward. It feels like a personal milestone for me as well, marking the end of the first part of their journey.

Volume 6 only brings us to the close of the first arc, if you compare it to the web novel version. Setsuna and Alto’s journey is far from over. We’re going to keep giving it our all, so I hope you continue to follow along and watch over them.

USUASAGI

Thanks so much for picking up Volume 6 of The Ephemeral Scenes of Setsuna’s Journey. My name is Usuasagi.

If you haven’t read the main story yet, I recommend going back to the start of the book and reading through it, then coming back here when you’re done. From this point on, I’ll be talking about how we planned out Volume 6.

The story in Lypaed began in Volume 4 and concluded in this volume. In the web novel version, this arc would have wrapped up in Volume 5 had we not included the short stories, so this time, we ended up adding an entire volume’s worth of new material and doing extensive revisions. Here’s why we made those changes:

First, I wanted to finally write about some parts of Ragi’s past that had never been fully revealed, including his dragon emblem and the reasons he left the mercenary life behind. I always intended to explore those in the web novel someday but never had the chance, so I chose to tell them here instead.

Second, I wanted to depict Ragi’s final days in detail. Back when I was writing the web novel version, I decided against it because I thought most readers wouldn’t want to watch a character’s slow decline toward death.

But as time passed, I began to worry that leaving those days unwritten would create too big of a disconnect between what I knew about Setsuna’s feelings and what the readers knew. So in the end, after a lot of discussion, we decided that we would show it all in the print edition.

The third reason was to give Ragi a sort of redemption. I often wondered, even before the series went to print, if he really passed away at peace. After all, although his longing for family was fulfilled during his time with Setsuna and Alto, he still never received forgiveness from his old friends.

So I quietly decided that if we ever did a print version, I would add that resolution. At the time, I didn’t mention this to Rokusyou, because there was really only one character who could act as a stand-in for those friends—that being Cyrus—and I wasn’t sure yet if he’d grow into someone who could carry that role.

I was prepared to stay quiet and never bring it up if it came down to it. But as I kept writing, especially from Volume 3 onward, I focused on helping that character grow into a person worthy of it. By the time I was ready, I felt confident enough to convince Rokusyou, and thankfully, it worked! (Though it wasn’t easy, because Rokusyou always thought of Cyrus as the comic relief, so I had my work cut out for me.)

Anyway, that’s how the Lypaed arc took shape. I really hope that someday you set aside time to read Volumes 3 through 6 together in one big stretch.

One more thing, and this may be a bit of an aside, but the story of the 69th hero has also wrapped up its time in Ellana. Ellana wasn’t really familiar territory in the web novel version, but I wanted to give a glimpse of the sacred city in the print version.

That storyline really forms one complete arc spanning Volumes 3 through 6. So if you’re in the mood, it would make me so happy if you read through that section as a whole as well.

From here on, the story will move to Sagana and Toria. I really hope you continue encouraging us. It would mean a lot.

ROKUSYOU & USUASAGI

Finally, we want to express our deepest appreciation to our editor, who has always stood by us, to sime, whose illustrations have once again touched our hearts, and to everyone involved in bringing Volume 6 of The Ephemeral Scenes of Setsuna’s Journey to life. And of course, a big thanks to you—our readers—who have stayed with this story.

March 5, 2025

Rokusyou & Usuasagi