{Chapter 5} Return Home
Hiroto arrived back at the gate of his house. It was already getting dark.
“Phew, finally home. Even a dump like this feels like home once you get back, huh,”.
He said, letting his face relax as if he had finally taken a breath.
He opened the shabby, oversized gate and stepped inside.
(I wonder if everyone’s home… I should thank them for this!)
Thinking that, Hiroto headed for the tent that served as his temporary home to drop off his luggage.
A few hours earlier, when Hiroto had arrived at the airport, Akira Kamimae, a retainer of the Shitenji family, had come by car to pick up Mizuho and Marion. It was only then that Hiroto learned, to his surprise, that Marion was being allowed to stay at Mizuho’s parents’ house.
Mizuho had offered to see Hiroto home, but he declined and came back alone by train.
When Mizuho heard that Hiroto wanted to part ways there, for some reason she looked anxious for a moment, then nodded.
Before they separated, however, Mizuho and Marion had firmly told him the same three things, repeating them more than once.
First, buy a cell phone with the payment you received this time.
Second, of course, give them his contact information.
Third, as he promised at Miramar, tell them the name of the school he attends and his home address.
Hiroto was intimidated by the two girls’ unusual intensity and nodded over and over.
The first and second were taken care of immediately since he had been given their phone numbers up front, he was to contact them as soon as he bought a cellphone.
The third could be answered on the spot, so he wrote down that he attended Houraiin Kitsurin High School and his current address on a piece of paper and handed it over.
Mizuho and Marion inspected the paper as if devouring it, and at last he was given his freedom.
Akira, watching the exchange from the car, first put on an expression of disbelief before breaking into a grin.
“Well then, Mizuho-san, Marion-san, thank you so much for today!”
“Yes—Hiroto, be careful on your way home.”
“Hiroto, make sure you contact us, okay?”
“Got it!”
They exchanged those words, Mizuho and Marion got in the car, and Hiroto watched until the vehicle was out of sight.
From the back seat, Mizuho and Marion turned to look at Hiroto, who was still seeing them off.
“Seesh… he should at least get himself a cell phone.”
“Hehe, but he said he could buy one with the reward this time. Let’s wait for his message, Mizuho-san”
Marion soothed her with a smile.
Then Akira, sitting in the driver’s seat, called out in a somewhat theatrical tone.
“Is he a colleague? No—well, I never imagined Mizuho-sama would come back from Miramar with a boyfriend. We have to celebrate this at the house!”
Akira’s loud, cheerful voice made Mizuho go pale with shock; her face flushed bright red.
“Wha—w-what are you saying, Akira!? No, that’s not it! He’s—”
“That’s right! Akira, you’re wrong! He’s not Mizuho-san’s boyfriend or anything! It’s hardly an exaggeration to call him a stranger!”
“What did you say!? Marion!”
“Mizuho-san said it herself!”
“I never said he was a stranger!”
At the girls’ reactions, Akira put on an even more exaggerated tone of surprise.
“Oh? Is that not the case? Then is he Marion-san’s boyfriend?”
“Eh!? N-no, not a boyfriend or anything… and even if that day—”
“That day will never come! Ever!”
“Wha—!”
This time Marion glared at Mizuho with tears in her eyes.
The back seat grew lively, and Akira looked truly pleased. He was grinning, thinking the ride to the Shitenji mansion wouldn’t be boring at all.
But when the image of Mizuho’s father, Takanari, crossed his mind, his expression shifted to one of disappointment.
(Well, Mizuho-sama and that fellow are in for a hard time. Maybe I’m being nosy, but I should drop a hint to Lady Akane. And judging by Marion’s behavior… it’s delightful that she’s both a professional and personal rival to Mizuho-sama.)
Akane Shitenji was Mizuho’s mother and was said to be the brains of the Shitenji family. Secretly, among the retainers, she was nicknamed the “Takanari Stopper” or the “Mizuho Controller.”
That nickname was considered the highest level of classified information among the retainers.
After the two girls had made a ruckus in the back seat for a while, Mizuho’s cell phone rang.
“Eh…? Who could that be? I don’t recognize the number at all…”
Mizuho looked puzzled at the unknown number but answered anyway.
“Hello? Is this Mizuho-san? It’s Nina.”
“Nina! Yes, this is Mizuho!”
Marion, sitting beside her, was surprised to hear Nina’s name and stared at Mizuho.
The call was small talk—an apology for not having had a proper farewell this time, followed by a wish to keep in touch as friends going forward.
Mizuho accepted Nina’s offer gladly, and after that the conversation shifted to Marion. From current events in Miramar to each other’s everyday lives, they quickly hit it off.
After all, even with the countries being different, they were girls of the same generation.
“Then, see you, Mizuho-san. I look forward to seeing you again.”
“Yeah, right. If you ever come to Japan, be sure to contact me.”
Mizuho’s speech loosened a little; the intimacy between them had clearly increased.
“Yes! Of course. Well then…”
When the call ended, Mizuho and Marion exchanged looks and smiled.
Before heading to the Shitenji household, Mizuho and Marion stopped by the Agency’s Japan branch in Shinjuku to meet with Branch Chief Hisae Omine and report the completion of their mission in Miramar.
The moment Hisae saw Mizuho, she ran over and hugged her, praising her for her work on the mission.
“Thank you, Mizuho-chan! You protected the branch’s operating funds—I’m so glad! Really, I’m so glad. When the name ‘Surtur’s Sword’ came up I almost went pale, but as expected of the future ace of the Japan branch! Both of you did wonderfully! Serves Ten’i Muhō right!”
Behind her, secretary Shima Kakitake was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.
Mizuho was a little taken aback by the Japan branch executives’ exaggerated behavior, but since they were clearly pleased she decided to let them be.
After briefly and succinctly reporting the events in Miramar, Mizuho and Marion said what they had intended to make sure Omine and her secretary Shima knew.
“Omine-san, thank you for sending reinforcements on this mission. If it hadn’t been the three of us, I don’t think we would have gotten through it.”
“Don’t mention it… Huh? Three? Ah, now that you say it, that’s right. Wait… who did we send again? Shima-chan?”
“What!? Ah… sorry. I’ll check it now.”
Seeing their reactions, Mizuho and Marion exchanged knowing looks.
“It was our peer, Hiroto Domori. His rank is D.”
“Oh—there it is. Yes, we did dispatch him! Hiroto Domori, rank D… indeed he’s your peer. Sorry I couldn’t recall his name immediately.”
“Shima-chan must be tired too, what with Surtur’s Sword and everything…”
“No, I try to prevent this from happening, but… I’m sorry.”
Mizuho turned to Omine and gave an honest assessment of Hiroto.
“His contribution to the Miramar mission was extremely important. This isn’t favoritism—if he hadn’t been there, there’s a possibility we wouldn’t be here now.”
“Eh!?”
Omine and Shima were surprised by Mizuho’s report.
“Omine-san, what Mizuho-san said is true. Despite being Rank D, his achievements are equal or rather even surpasses ours. And his abilities….”
“W-What are you two saying? I get it that the boy did quite well, but he is Rank D, right? To say his abilities surpass yours, someone Rank A….”
“It’s true. If I fight him one-on-one, I don’t think I could win at all.”
“…..!”
Mizuho’s words shocked them in two ways, first, the content itself, and second, that Mizuho Shitenji had said it.
The Mizuho that Hisae knew was a girl who rarely acknowledged others. Given Mizuho’s ability, that was understandable. But the current Mizuho was different. There was even a calmness to her expression that made her seem more mature.
(What a very good sign. She’s come back a lot more grown than we expected. That rank-D kid is intriguing. Whoever makes Mizuho say that… It must be someone exerting a major influence on her growth.)
Omine nodded seriously.
“I understand the report. We’ll keep a close eye on that as well. I’ll arrange an opportunity to meet this Domori-kun.”
“Thank you.”
At Omine’s words, Mizuho and Marion relaxed and smiled.
Seeing the reaction of these two future aces, Omine became even more surprised.
Omine became even more interested in this rank-D boy. Shima, standing beside her, felt the same.
If two prodigies who could one day carry the Japan branch—or even the whole Agency, depending on how they grew—were both so moved that they said such things, Omine wondered what kind of boy could inspire that.
For now, she set that thought aside, looked over Mizuho and Marion, and spoke as if she’d made up her mind.
“All right… It’s technically classified, but since you two are involved parties, I’ll tell you. In the not-too-distant future your roles within the Agency will increase. Think of this as information sharing with that in mind.”
“Yes.”
“The whole sequence of events in Miramar will be subject to a detailed investigation by Agency headquarters.”
“…!”
Mizuho and Marion’s eyes tensed.
Hisae continued speaking as she looked at the two of them, their faces tense.
“That’s only natural — it’s caused quite a stir. Right now the Agency and various nations are throwing everything they have into keeping this under wraps. Part of the reason is that the opponent turned out to be ‘Surtur’s Sword.’ They’ve been tracking them for a long time, and yet missed their machinations in Miramar, so the Agency has responsibility too… But honestly, there are so many things we don’t understand. And not trivial things, either.”
Hisae took the materials Shima handed her and let her eyes fall on the documents.
“First and foremost, the biggest mystery is that Surtur’s Sword was defeated. We don’t know why that happened. Internal conflict, intervention by another organization… At the moment, it’s completely unknown. That in itself is abnormal. And their actions in this incident… Fortunately they were wiped out, so it’s fine, but their moves looked a bit hasty. The real question is… were they really hasty?”
Marion reacted to the way Hisae hesitated.
“Are you suggesting that if Surt Sword had continued with its plan, the next step would have been against our side? Are you suggesting, Head of Branch, that there might have been other organizations or ability users acting in concert with Surtur’s Sword?”
“We don’t know yet. That’s why the investigation is being conducted rigorously. Still, that’s the premise we’re working on — investigations proceed like that.”
“…”
“Anyway, the biggest problem here is the entity that defeated Surtur’s Sword.”
Mizuho’s eyes widened at Hisae’s words.
“Hisae-san, what do you mean by that?”
“Well, it’s obvious. Surtur’s Sword is an S-class enemy even to the Agency. If there exists someone with the power to defeat them, that could, if mishandled, affect the balance of power in the world.”
“Is it really that big a deal?”
“Yes, it is. Whether that presence is an organization or an individual… in any case, it would be an extraordinary force. And another important point is why that entity opposed Surtur’s Sword in the first place. Unless we know their motive, we can’t respond or handle them properly.”
“…”
“So, that’s the situation, just so you know. Since you were on the scene, you might be asked to file reports. Oh and also… what was it? Umm, Domori-kun as well.”
Mizuho and Marion couldn’t hide their surprise at how serious things had become, but after Hisae started talking about *who* defeated Surtur’s Sword and their motivations… they’d been tuning out for a while.
As Mizuho thought about the incident in Miramar being so thoroughly investigated, she wondered what those grown-ups at the agency—who were already overthinking everything—would think. She even felt a little sympathy for them.
Because…
The reason Surt Sword was destroyed… was because of *one boy’s hypocrisy and whimsy*.
When Hisae reiterated that they should keep what she’d said confidential, Mizuho and Marion nodded and returned to the Shitenji residence.
◆
Hiroto slipped past the unnecessarily large but dilapidated Japanese house toward the tent in the courtyard, but somehow noticed a different atmosphere within.
“Huh? I didn’t notice because it was dark, but… hasn’t this place been cleaned up a lot? Wait! The well’s bigger!”
Hiroto approached the tent by the veranda, surprised even more when he saw light spilling from inside the house. It looked like someone was living there.
“Huh? What’s going on here?”
Hiroto tossed his luggage into the tent and hurried to what had been a dilapidated entrance hall, slowly opening the sliding door. Stepping inside, Hiroto surveyed the interior.
“What… what does this mean? This looks way prettier than before I went to Miramar!”
“Ah, I’m back!”
The instant Shiro’s cheerful voice rang out, the hallway light flickered on. The sliding door on the left side of the far end burst open, and Shiro and Susan tumbled out, pouncing on Hiroto in a hug. He caught them both with an “Oof,” as Kiyoko and Sally peeked around from behind.
“Welcome back, Hiroto! You’re late! We were worried you weren’t coming home!”
Shiro and Susan immediately plastered their faces against his chest.
Hiroto looked around at everyone who had come to greet him. He’d heard bits and pieces from Gaston, but he still felt dazed by the unfamiliar situation.
“Everyone remembers me…”
“What are you talking about? We knew you were coming back today! There’s no way we could forget!”
As she said that, Shiro and Susan hugged him a little tighter than usual—maybe even a bit possessively.
Then Kiyoko emerged from behind them, wearing a loose summer sweater and denim skirt, holding a bottle of sake in one hand. She looked like she’d already had a few sips.
“Everyone’s been waiting for Hiroto, just waiting and waiting! Even Goukou was fidgety, which is rare… I wanted to show him that funny side of himself… Wait, Hiroto?”
Kiyoko gasped, her eyes watering as she listened to Hiroto quietly, her lips pressed tight in a trembling silence.
“Say, Boss, were you really this happy people waiting for ya? You’re quite the attention-seeker.”
“A-ah? Huh? This isn’t what I meant! Weird… why am I crying? Th-this is d-dirt?”
Seeing his reaction, Shiro and Susan exchanged glances before Shiro grinned.
“Really, Hiroto? Then let’s give you something even more moving! Look! Goukou and I worked together with everyone to fix up this house!”
Hiroto roughly wiped away the tears from his right eye and was stunned by Shiro’s words.
“Eh? Everyone!? It wasn’t just my imagination after all! S-Superb, it’s almost completely fixed!”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Hiroto looked around the house, a huge smile spreading across his face.
Sure enough, while the sliding doors and shoji screens were still in tatters, the pillars, floors, and earthen walls looked brand new.
Hiroto trembled with gratitude for his friends. He couldn’t thank them enough.
“Whoa, amazing! Seriously amazing! This means we don’t need to spend anything on repairs… Wait a minute? So… I didn’t have to work this hard after all…”
On the one hand happy, but on the other, Hiroto realized something and trembled for a different reason entirely.
Kiyoko and Sally watched him with grins spreading across their faces.
“Hehehe… And we even completely rebuilt the bath! We can even heat water from the well now~!”
“That’s right! It’s very important~”
“R-Really? So, I don’t have to go to the public baths anymore? This is just too amazing…”
“So, Hiroto, try it out later.”
“Y-Yeah! Can’t wait! Whoa, super happy!”
Kiyoko and Sally smiled at his excitement.
For some reason, both of them were breathing heavily…
“I’m looking forward to it too~”
“I’m super excited too~”
The two beautiful women stared intently at the delighted Hiroto.
Hiroto didn’t notice their eyes had a slightly predatory glint in them.
Susan then lightly poked him as he savored his joy.
“Huh? What, Susan?”
“…There’s still more.”
“Eh? There’s even more stuff?”
“Food… we made it~”
“Eh!? Food?”
Hiroto was surprised again.
“Yeah! The ladies were practicing together, and Shiro worked hard too! We used up all the ingredients though…”
“I tried my best too~”
“I did my best as well~!”
“I got kicked out halfway through because I said I’d become a kitchen drunk. Even though I’m good at cooking.”
Shiro, Susan, and Sally eagerly vied for his attention.
But… Hiroto wasn’t reacting to that.
“Whoa! All the ingredients!? A-Are those enough for a week’s worth of…”
“Now now, Boss! Let’s go inside! It’s your welcome-home party!”
Gen ignored Hiroto’s reaction and pulled him by the arm. Gen just wanted to celebrate everything all the time.
Hiroto resigned himself to not being able to say anything to everyone who had done so much for him.
And then, a handsome figure stepped forward hesitantly from a respectful distance.
“Lord… And what of Miramar’s situation…”
“Huh? Ah, yeah… it went well, Goukou. Thanks to everyone too. Thank you all!”
Everyone looked happy at Hiroto’s heartfelt and sincere gratitude, each with their own expression.
“Yay! Let’s celebrate right away!”
“Yeah! Exactly! Let’s have a party!”
“(Nodding) Celebrations… are important. I like them.”
Shiro bounced up and down, pushing Hiroto’s back as she did so. Susan was still clinging to his right arm. He felt like their physical contact was unusually intense today.
“Alright! Then I’ll bring out the special sake we’ve been saving!” Everyone, get ready!”
As Kiyoko said this, Shiro and the others eagerly headed into the living room to help prepare the food.
Hiroto watched them go with a thoughtful expression.
He could feel warmth spreading through him at the sight of everyone together.
“Heehoo, Hiroto~!”
Suddenly, Kiyoko wrapped her arms around his back from behind, placing her chin on top of his right shoulder with a flushed face from the alcohol. Hiroto felt something large and soft pressed against his spine, making him straighten up.
“W-what!? Kiyoko-san?”
“Everyone… they were all really worried about you, even though they seem fine now. Not just Shiro and Susan, even Goukou said he’d come get you!”
“Eh? Really? I’m just coming home, so there’s no need to worry that much…” *gulp*
Kiyoko then proceeded to nuzzle her face into his shoulder, making him squirm slightly.
Kiyoko gently placed her slender, white index finger against Hiroto’s lips.
Hiroto felt his face heat up at Kiyoko’s seductive gesture.
“We’re contract partners, you know. The highest-tier kind of contract, even. That’s why I can sense things happening to you, Hiroto. Especially when you’re sad or hurting…”
“…………”
“So, even if it’s hard now… someday, please tell us anything.”
As she said this, Kiyoko blew a warm breath against Hiroto’s ear.
“Whoa!”
Hiroto blushed and covered his ear.
“I’ll cheer you up anytime, *anytime*, I will! If that’s what you want, even tonight!”
Hiroto widened his eyes, pinching his nose to hold back the rising emotions.
(S-so, is that…? Hey! Stop pushing it in so deep! Don’t push any further!)
It felt like all the blood in Hiroto’s body was about to boil over. He flapped both hands as if trying to fan himself down. Then, seeing Kiyoko’s face up close, he realized she wasn’t just flushed from the sake.
Kiyoko spoke with the confidence of a very experienced woman, but Hiroto understood it was her way of cheering him up. He couldn’t help but smile.
“Haha, thanks… Kiyoko-san.”
With heartfelt gratitude, Hiroto placed his hand over hers on his shoulder and smiled warmly.
“…! Ah, um! Well then, hurry up and come!”
“Eh? Yeah, got it.”
Kiyoko suddenly looked flustered for a moment, averting her face before clutching the sake bottle to her chest and scurrying towards the living room.
(That smile is totally unfair! Hiroto! You’re making me want to get serious about this…)[TN: He’s gonna get eaten up someday and very soon even]
“Hiroto! Hurry up!”
“Waaah!”
As usual, everyone in the hallway was calling out to him from the living room, urging him on.
Hiroto nodded with a smile and started walking down the hall.
(…Everyone! Thank you!)
“Um, excuse me, I am sorry to interrupt but…”
A voice called out behind him, and Hiroto turned around.
“Ah! Gaston! Where have you been all this time!”
Gaston appeared in the entryway, and Kiyoko and Shiro, who had headed to the living room, came back towards the entrance.
“Oh, it’s Gaston. Welcome!”
“Greetings, everyone.”
A tall man with deep-set eyes and silver hair was bowing repeatedly while wearing a forced smile.
“Everyone… I’ve decided to live here as well, so I’ve come. Though, I expect you’ll often be out. My name is Gaston, and I’m just a humble vampire. Nice to meet you all.”
They had met in Miramar, but they hadn’t really had much time to talk, so Gaston formally reintroduced himself with another bow.
Shiro and the others widened their eyes at Gaston’s introduction.
“Eh! A vampire!? Gaston is a vampire?!”
“…That was quite the surprise.”
“Oh, I knew it already.”
“Me too~”
“Boss~, you’re the first person I’ve ever seen who’d make a contract with a vampire… no, someone with such a magnanimous heart…”
“My Lord, as expected of you. To win over even a vampire with your charisma…”
“Waaah! Waaah!”
“No, that’s not true~”
Hiroto covered his face with both hands and lamented.
Gaston explained the situation simply next to him.
“I was in a slump when I met Master, and he completely knocked some sense into me. If you tell me to do something, I’ll do it.”
Shiro and Kiyoko were surprised by this and couldn’t help but ask back.
“You got knocked down? A vampire?”
“Yes, more than that… I couldn’t fight back at all, I almost died. But Master saved my life with his kindness. I have various troubles, but I’ll never be a burden…”
“By ‘various troubles,’ I’m guessing you mean the vampire community and the Ability User Agency.”
Hiroto’s expression clouded over at that.
But Kiyoko, who didn’t know or care about such details, said nonchalantly, “Well, it’s fine, isn’t it? As long as we don’t cause any trouble—”
“Yeah, anyway, Hiroto already seems to have made a contract with them!”
“I don’t really mind…”
They acted like they couldn’t care less.
But Hiroto had something he’d wanted to say about this contract for a while now.
“Hey! Wait a minute—how did *this* even happen? How did everyone suddenly make contracts without telling me?”
“Gaston-san, could you help set out the food?”
“Certainly. Well then, please give us your best service, sir!”
“Now then! Boss, why don’t you sit back and relax—”
“Ugh… no one’s listening to a word I say.”
Then Shiro came up to Gaston with a smile.
“You did call yourself Gaston, right?”
“Yes.”
“If you want to live here, there’s just *one* important rule you need to know!”
“Yes, what is it?”
“That’s right, we’re all Hiroto’s friends. And us too! That’s all there is to it.”
“Huh? Friends… with everyone here?”
“Yeah!”
Gaston turned back towards Hiroto with a surprised look.
Hiroto scratched his head and nodded with an apologetic yet embarrassed expression.
“Y-yeah… I understand. So many friends… ugh…”
“Oh my, Gaston’s crying.”
“Crybaby…”
Kiyoko shrugged in exasperation.
“Seriously? Over something like this! How old are you even?”
“Eek, 1529 years old! Sorry… nng!”
“What is it? You’re still young. Pull yourself together.”
“That’s true~”
“Yeah…”
“Huh!? That’s Young? Then Kiyoko-san and the others must be…”
Instantly, Kiyoko and Sally’s eyes froze over, their faces blank.
“Ah… never mind, it was nothing.”
Hiroto clamped his mouth shut under the invisible pressure of the women.
(*Just how old are they…?*)
“Well, Gaston, why don’t you come inside instead of crying so much? Hey, Hiroto?”
“Let’s go, let’s go!”
“Yeah, that’s right. Come on, Gaston.”
With one more resident added, Gen and Kiyoko led Gaston into the living room.
As Hiroto started walking, Shiro turned back to him as if something had just occurred to her.
“Oh, right! Someone named Tetsuzou came by with a message for you.”
“Eh!? Grandpa came? What did he say?”
“Um… ‘Matsuri-chan told me to contact you. If you don’t, she’ll come to your house,’ that’s what he said.”
“Eh—?! That’s bad! I have to call her quickly, or she’ll definitely come here! But, but, we’re meeting at school tomorrow…”
As Hiroto panicked wildly, Shiro and Susan stepped right in front of him.
“Hey, Hiroto.”
“W-what?”
“Who’s Matsuri-chan? ……A girl?”
Shiro’s casual question…
Hiroto looked up at Shiro and Susan. The faces of Kiyoko and Sally, who had been watching from the living room on all fours since this topic came up, seemed somehow frightening.
“Eh? W-who is she? J-j-just a classmate! Just a…”
As he said that, everyone smiled gently… or at least *seemed* to, which made Hiroto breathe a sigh of relief for some reason.
And then, as Hiroto entered the repaired living room again, he was once more moved. He stared blankly at the subtly questionable dishes Sally and the others brought out, and then they all cheered together in celebration of his return.
“Hiroto~?”
After a while of lively celebrations, Kiyoko suddenly leaned her entire body against Hiroto’s back from behind. Her face was already on the verge of being completely plastered.
“W-what? Kiyoko-san. C-close.”
“We worked really hard this time, didn’t we~?”
“Y-yeah! That’s true.”
“Well then, can I ask for a reward?”
With Kiyoko’s words as the starting point, everyone’s eyes suddenly focused on Hiroto.
“Eh? A reward? Yeah, I guess it’s only natural to do something like that. I was thinking about it too.”
“Yay—!!”
“We are grateful, Lord…”
“Uga Uga!”
Hiroto had been planning a thank you gift from the start, so he thought it was fortunate to be able to hear everyone’s requests directly. He also considered avoiding giving them something completely off-base, and Hiroto smiled along with their joy.
More than anything, the fact that they’d saved a considerable amount on home repairs made Hiroto feel confident, and he had already planned for some extravagant spending.
“Fufufu, then go one by one, starting with Shiro.”
“I saw it in Kiyoko’s magazine before, but I want to go to an amusement park! The Mouse Kingdom!”[TN: I believe it is Mickey Mouse Land or Disney]
Uuuu, Hiroto couldn’t help but smile at Shiro’s adorable pleading.
“That big rat looks so delicious!”
“No eating it!!”
“What about Susan?”
“…With Shiro.”
Oh, Susan wants to go to the amusement park too? Maybe I should take them together then?
“That duck over there…”
“I said no eating it!! Not even if you cook it!!”
“And Gen?”
“Ah, ah! I wants to go to the ninja house! If Ahshi studies that…then I can work with Gouko-dono to modify this house—”
“No, no modifications? That’d make things uncomfortable. Just looking is fine.”
“What about Ugaron?”
“Uga uga!”
“Hmm? What’s it say? Want lots of walks?”
“Heh heh, Ugaron, got it.”
“If you don’t get the walks, you will grow bigger from stress? Like…this house big?”
“I will do them! No skipping walks!”
“And Goukou?”
“I require nothing. But if permitted…if it’s not too bold of me, may I request a spar with Lord?”
“A spar?”
“Yes, if possible…just once would be fine.”
Hiroto thought for a moment. Goukou’s request seemed like good practice for him as well. Even during the Miramar incident, he wondered if he’d been able to handle things without using that power if his own strength had been greater.
Hiroto had seen Goukou’s spear skills before, and as a swordsman himself, he found the proposal incredibly appealing.
“Alright! Goukou. I’d practically beg you myself. Don’t say just once—I’m available whenever you are. And I definitely want to hear your thoughts on my swordsmanship too.”
Goukou’s eyes widened, he dropped his chopsticks and began trembling slightly.
“Ohhh, what boundless generosity… This Goukou is moved to tears!”
Goukou burst into tears, so overwhelmed with emotion that he couldn’t see straight. Hiroto decided to leave him be. Goukou was always so dramatic… really.
“Next up, Gaston.”
“Yeah, I’d like a car.”
“…Huh?”
“Well, you know, driving in Miramar for the first time—it was an amazing experience!”
“You! That was your first time!? And… a car?!”
“Yes, I want one.”
Hiroto couldn’t answer immediately to this request from Gaston. Sure, Gaston had been incredibly helpful this time around. But… how much did he think cars cost?
(What in the world is this vampire wanting?! All that money we raised for fixing up the house could disappear!)
“Boss, I was pretty useful this time, right?”
“Guh! Of course, you were. But a car… you. It’s probably difficult for someone underage like me to buy one—there are so many documents and stuff. Besides, you don’t even have a driver’s license.”
“I’ll get one. Just need to go there, right?”
Gaston pulled out a pamphlet from a driving school that advertised “Comprehensive Courses for Foreigners.”
(Haah! What is this level of preparedness? Was he really alone for fifteen hundred years?)
“And I’ll buy the car myself, so it’s all good. I have full French citizenship and a working visa, yes.”
“What!?”
“Plus, I found out that foreigners can get new licenses in Japan too, so no problem. They even have English materials.”
“Guguh!”
“Boss, having a car would be really convenient, you know? And since I’ll use it for work, I can write it off as an expense.”
“Huh!? Work?! You’re working now?!”
“Yes, I’ve started an antique business. I know a lot about antiques and old things, you see.”
“Y-yeah… Gaston has seen the real world firsthand…”
“Boss, just think of this as an investment. Once my business is up and running, I’ll pay you back.”
Gaston looked surprisingly serious.
“I… wanted to have dreams and goals too. My time in Miramar was a really good experience. Maybe I got inspired by the people there.”
“Mmm, if that’s the case, then it’s like supporting Gaston’s reintegration into society…”
(Fifteen hundred years alone… is he even capable of communicating with customers? But still… what is this level of social adaptation from Gaston?)
However, Hiroto was surprised but also felt a desire to support Gaston.
Cars are expensive—really expensive—but depending on the model, maybe they could afford one with the reward money. Of course, it would have to be used.
“…Hmm.”
Life had always been hard, but he’d somehow endured.
And if he kept getting work from the organization… well, things might just work out.
Hiroto felt like a father whose hopeless slacker son suddenly decided to buckle down and pursue his dreams, and he agonized over it…
(But maybe this is how people change… through encounters and experiences. And for Gaston too, it’s a challenge.)
The words “my experience in Miramar” resonated with Hiroto. He pictured the people in that country who had dedicated their lives to pursuing dreams and goals.
“Guaran, Mathew, and… Nina.”
People who each had their resolve, desperately searching for what they could do as they took action.
It was precisely because of these people that Hiroto’s heart was moved.
Hiroto stared at Gaston’s earnest face…and released his crossed arms, slapping his knee.
“Alright! Fine, I’ll buy it! Buying it is the answer, right? Once the reward comes in, we can go look at used cars! This whole Miramar incident wouldn’t be cleared without Gaston, and if he works hard on the job, that’s fine with me! But only something within the reward budget. Gotta think about future expenses, you know?”
“Really!? Thank you so much, sir!! I’ll work my hardest, and if things go well, I’ll treat everyone!”
“””””Ooh! Sounds good, even if we don’t really get it, vampire!””””” “UgA!”
For some reason, Kiyoko and the others were also cheering.
This feels a lot like rewarding past achievements, Hiroto thought with a wry smile. It was a significant decision for him, but he considered Gaston to be something of an unsung MVP in this whole Miramar affair.
(I wanted to put that toward my tuition being paid in installments… but oh well. Well, as long as I keep doing the job, things should be fine. The agency’s rewards won’t be *this* good every time, but they’ll still be decent enough.)
Listening to the commotion around him, Hiroto closed his eyes.
(And… Nina-san and the others are working so hard too. It must be incredibly difficult for them, full of obstacles. But I know they won’t give up.)
Thinking that gave Hiroto a surge of courage, and he gripped his hands tightly before opening his eyes. With a clear look on his face, he looked at Gatson and the others and nodded quietly.
“Okay, so that leaves Kiyoko-san and Sally-san, right?”
As Hiroto said this, the tipsy Kiyoko raised her voice loudly.
“Yes! Finally, it’s my turn!”
“It’s my turn too—Kiyoko-san is in charge of organizing or MCing. So I go first.”
Sally, equally flushed from alcohol as Kiyoko, protested. She even seemed a little unsteady on her feet.
(Sally-san is a heavy drinker despite her appearence. She always ends up drinking just as much as Kiyoko-san. But… where did they get all that liquor?)
Hiroto rolled his eyes at the number of bottles rolling behind them.
“I can’t wait! And I’m getting a reward today!”
“Me too—I’m getting one today!”
“Huh? Today? Right now? What kind of requests do you two have…?”
(What could they possibly want? Or rather, since it’s today, maybe not something material?)
Hiroto tilted his head in thought.
“Oh, come on! It’s too much trouble to say separately—let’s just say it together!”
“Okay then!”
With that, the two stood up.
“Huh? Why are you standing up? Where are you going? Hey, both of you!”
Kiyoko and Sally left the living room without another word.
What’s going on? Hiroto looked around at everyone else, but no one seemed to know what was happening.
After waiting for a while, the sliding door to the living room suddenly burst open.
“Ta-da! Sorry we kept you waiting, Hiroto!”
“Eh… Kiyoko-san!? Hold on a second!”
Hiroto’s eyes widened, his mouth hanging open in shock as Kiyoko appeared from behind the door.
Because… Kiyoko was wearing a daring black bikini.
“My reward for you is… a full-body massage! Hiiiii-ro-to!”
“Y-you—? A massage!? In that outfit…!?”
“That’s right, I’m asking you now! Hmm, it seems like she’ll be putting oil on me, so the tatami mats will get dirty. How about we do it in the bathroom instead? Hiiiii-ro-to!”
“N-no… wait a minute!”
Kiyoko’s overwhelming… no, truly overwhelming proportions.
And that black bikini perfectly showcased her assets (mainly her chest).
The intense sex appeal was wreaking havoc, and Kiyoko was more than satisfied to have Hiroto’s gaze glued to her.
(W-W-waaaaa… too good. No way! Impossible. But is it okay? Y-yeah! This is a reward! A reward? Whose?)
Hiroto’s adolescent circuits were about to short-circuit, and his brain couldn’t process the situation fast enough. His face was bright red, and his pupils were unnaturally dilated.
There was no way… this vicious enemy could be resisted by an underdeveloped teenage boy, and Hiroto stood up unsteadily.
“M-M-Mm-massage, right? A f-full-body one! Th-that’s, y-yeah, it’s a reward! Y-yes! I-I guess there’s nothin’ I can do!”
Seeing Hiroto like this, Shiro realized he was in a dangerous state and shouted.
“Wait, Hiroto, don’t go! This is bad! Kiyoko!!”
“Fufu, this is my reward. Shut up, child~. Now then, Hiroto, come here~, welcome.”
(Kukuku, it’s working, it’s working!)
As Hiroto, swaying slightly, tried to follow Kiyoko, another sliding door burst open with a bang!
“I’m here! Sorry for the wait!”
There stood Sally, cheerfully stumbling out—clearly drunk.
Hiroto, who had been helplessly drawn in by Kiyoko’s full-on seductive display, straightened up in shock and turned to face Sally… causing his brain circuits to short-circuit.
“N-n-n-n-n-no!”
Hiroto’s blood pressure spiked so high from the sight of Sally that he temporarily lost the ability to speak.
Even Shiro was dumbfounded.
Kiyoko, who had been in such a good mood just moments ago, began trembling violently at the sight of Sally and let out a squeak.
“S-Sally! You—you!”
Sally was… clad in nothing but two flimsy towels strategically placed over her chest and waist.
“My reward is—getting to give Hiroto-san a massage!”
“You idiot girl! Why are you giving the massage if it’s your reward?! And where did you even get that idea? Besides, that’s not exactly masseuse attire!”
“But it says here men like it this way! Are you happy? Hii-roto-saaan?”
Hiroto’s eyes were glued to Sally, who shamelessly bared her translucent skin… his mouth hung open, but he couldn’t make a sound. You wouldn’t have guessed it from her usual attire, but Sally’s style had a certain… perfect form.
Then, finally, liquid burst through the capillaries in Hiroto’s nose and trickled down in two streams.
Shiro and Susan gasped as they looked at Hiroto, then for some reason checked their own chests with both hands… repeating a fist-to-palm motion several times before settling into an utterly dejected expression.
“And I’ll be using my body to give you massages! The magazines all say so! This will solve our frosty relationship!”
“Y-you’re going to use your body?!”
Hiroto’s eyes turned bloodshot, and the amount of red liquid flowing from his nose increased.
“What magazine are you talking about, you perverted, slow-witted girl!? No, no, NO!! This is ruining my gradual-acceptance-of-fact strategy!”
The daringly dressed Lyoko grabbed Sally by both shoulders with just two towels on her and tried to drag her out the sliding door, while Sally grumbled.
They were staggering from drunkenness, not watching where they were going, so Sally stepped on an empty bottle of sake that had been scattered near the door.
“Whoa! Ouch!”
“Oh maa.”
Kiyoko and Sally lost their balance.
The two immediately fell onto Hiroto, who was standing nearby, staring blankly at his bloodied nose.[TN: By the power of plot, a lucky encounter]
“Eh!? Gah!”
Hiroto was forced to support both of their full weights, slamming his back against the tatami mat, his head into an empty bottle.
“Ow! That hurts!”
“It really does sting!”
Kiyoko and Sally rubbed their heads and waists as they looked up at Hiroto, who was pinned beneath them.
And there he was… a virgin boy with dazed eyes, but also a look of ecstatic on his face.
“Hiroto!”
“Hiroto-san!?”
Hiroto opened his eyes for just a moment, gazing at the ceiling as if looking into the distance…
“A reward… I’m… glad I’m alive…”
He left those words behind before collapsing completely, consciousness fading away.
“Hirotoooo! Wake up already! This is important!”
“That’s right, Hiroto-san! We’re going to improve our relationship!”
But Hiroto didn’t wake up, and Kiyoko and Sally just shook him desperately.
“Kiyoko, Sally…”
Suddenly, a deep, vibrating voice called out from behind them.
“Hah!”
“Haa—”
The sheer force of the voice made Kiyoko and Sally’s exposed shoulders rise.
They turned around to see Shiro and Susan standing there with slippers in hand, their eyes bloodshot red.
“Ah, Shiro-chan, Susan! It’s—it’s okay!? They’ll grow up eventually!”
“T-that’s right. Besides, just having stiff shoulders isn’t really good for anything. Two is plenty—”
Shirosha and Susan twitched their foreheads.
“W-w-what are you talking about?”
“…(Nodding)”
“A-Ah! N-no, that’s not what I meant! It was…”
“It’s about your chests!”
“You idiots! Sally, how can you be so oblivious to the situation…”
Kiyoko and Sally were thoroughly slapped with slippers and lectured endlessly.
Meanwhile, Gen and Goukou were clinking glasses as if nothing had happened, celebrating Gaston’s departure, while Ugaron wagged his tail happily.
“Gaston, congratulations!”
“Yes… make sure you do not waste the Lord’s feelings.”
“Of course. Thank you very much.”
Gaston happily accepted sake from both of them.
“I followed Master Hiroto to learn again,”
Gaston downed the sake in one gulp.
“A dream and a purpose make people grow. And by connecting with such people, seeing, learning, influencing each other, I too can change.”
Gaston turned his gaze to Gen and Goukou.
“Master fought only to protect the dreams and goals of people like that—even if it meant abandoning those connections… This is… I think, a sad thing.”
Gen and Goukou nodded silently at Gaston’s words.
Goukou looked at Hiroto, who lay collapsed, his eyes filled with a mix of awe and gentle concern.
“Yes… From now on, we’ll protect them. The connections Our Lord will gain from here on out…”
“That’s right!”
The three of them poured sake into each other’s cups once more, raised them to their lips, exchanged glances as if toasting—and then drained them in unison.
◆
The next morning, Hiroto trudged his way to Kitsurin High School for the first time in a week.
But his face was haggard, and he walked with an unsteady gait.
After what happened, Hiroto had slept until morning, finally waking up and staring blankly at the clock before snapping back to reality. He scrambled into his uniform, sighed at the defeated figures of his companions in the living room, and rushed out of the house.
“I got a real beating last night… I’m grateful to everyone for helping me out, but geez—guess it’s my job from now on to teach you all some common sense. Right, right—I should give a lecture sometime. These guys clearly don’t know our kind of common sense! Especially Kiyoko-sanm and Sally-san!”
Hiroto had learned from yesterday’s experience that he absolutely needed to do something about the Kiyoko and Sally R-18 duo.
As Hiroto approached school, his nerves began to fray slightly.
(I took a week off… how’s everything? Did Ichigo handle things okay? No, I can’t expect too much. After all, the other party is Ms. Birei.)
“Ugh, this feels heavy. And everyone probably forgot about me again. Wait—does that mean Mirei-sensei might have forgotten me too? If so, maybe I could get away with it!? No… she definitely keeps track of absences. ‘Who’s this student’? She’d immediately grill me.
Hiroto stepped through the school gates and trudged forward when he saw a boy completely white walk into view ahead of him.
(Huh? Completely white? What is that—is he one of our students? But… a uniform that’s entirely white… no! It just looks white! Could it be…?)
Thinking the worst, Hiroto rushed over to the pale student and peered at his face.
“Ah!! I-Ichigo! What happened!? W-What’s wrong, Ichigo!”
“…Huh?”
Ichigo slowly turned his lifeless, hollow eyes toward Hiroto.
“Hey, Ichigo! What’s with that look? Like a boxer who just used all his power in one punch!?”
After staring at Hiroto for a moment… his eyes gradually widened, and the hair that had seemed white returned to black.
“Noo-wa!? W-Who are you, Hiroto?! From where?!”
Ichigo leaped back several steps, glaring at Hiroto with maximum suspicion.
Seeing his friend acting like this–something he’d never seen before, Hiroto’s expression turned serious.
(Ah… so Ichigo forgot about me too… Wait, no? Didn’t he just say Hiroto?)
“I can’t do it anymore! I really can’t! I’m not in the mood to follow up! Give me a break!”*
“What’s wrong with you, Ichigo?! What are you even talking about?!”
“…………”
Ichigo froze, then glared at Hiroto as if sanning him from head to toe.
“W-What?”
“You… Hiroto?”
“Huh? I’m Hiroto! What’re you on about, Ichigo?”
“Fufu… so it’s Hiroto. You are Hiroto… fufu.”
“D-Don’t do that weird laugh! It’s creepy!”
Ichigo grinned ominously, his face twisting into shadows.
“Fufufu… fu-ha-ha-ha! Then I won’t hold back! Prepare to receive the righteous fury of a guy whose youth was almost completely shattered foolish Hiroto!”
“Whoa! W-What’s going on? I don’t get it!”
Hiroto dodged Ichigo, who suddenly pounced.
“Shut up! You have no right to say anything! Just take my righteous fist!”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying! What happened?”
Ichigo was fully in beast mode completely refusing to listen.
“Fushuu! And you… used that power, didn’t you.”
Hiroto’s face stiffened at Ichigo’s question.
That might be connected to this incomprehensible rage.
Ichigo had apologized before for forgetting Hiroto.
At the time, Hiroto realized he’d been selfishly using his powers without considering how it affected Ichigo–and that made him realize how narrow-minded he’d been.
“Ah… sorry, Ichigo.”
“That’s not fair! Hiroto!”
“Huh? What? Not fair?”
“You’re the only one who gets to be forgotten! As for me… I… ugh. The cross I bear! It’s not something I can just put down so easily! And it’s all because of your friends! Which means! It’s all your fault!”
“Friends? Friends… huh? Don’t tell me, mine?”
Hiroto instantly sensed—no, he didn’t even need to think—that comrades, as Ichigo said, referred to Kiyoko-san and the others.
(D-Don’t tell me they came to the school while I was gone? What on earth for? No, more importantly, what did they even do? Those people… )
“That’s right… thanks to that, I’m… I’m aaaaaa! In just one week…”
“…(gulp)”
“I’ve shot straight to the top of the BL Appreciation Club’s idol rankings! Even among the closeted BL fans ”
“Eeeeh!? What happened?!”
“Shut up! You’re lucky you got forgotten, but my name is permanently etched into history now! You, who tarnished the history of me, the very me who took pride in being a womanizer… ”
“You shouldn’t be proud of that.”
“I’LL KILL YOU——!”
“Whoa there! Your eyes! Your eyes are getting dangerous! Ichigo, calm down!”
(Okay, I’d better run. For now, just run—it’s best to escape until Ichigo cools off!)
Having made that decision, he figured discretion was the better part of valor. He immediately spun around to sprint toward the school building, but just then… someone clamped a tight grip on Hiroto’s shoulder.
“Eh?”
“…I finally caught you, Hiroto.”
There stood the duchess of hell—or rather, his childhood friend. The girl was gripping Hiroto’s shoulder hard enough to crush it, while radiating a killing intent that no ordinary person could possibly possess.
She was still wearing her kendo uniform, presumably having just finished morning practice with the kendo club. In her other hand, she held a bamboo sword.
“M-M-Matsuri-chan!”
“You really made me chase you all over the place last week.”
As though this were nothing unusual, Shizuka, also dressed in her kendo uniform, walked right past them without paying any attention.
“Good morning! Hakamada-kun, Domori-kun, Matsuri! Don’t be late for homeroom, okay? I’m going ahead.”
With that, she simply left.
Surrounded by a tiger in front and a wolf behind, Hiroto could do nothing but watch Shizuka’s retreating back.
“Hiroto…”
“…What is it, Matsuri-chan?”
From behind him came Ichigo’s rough breathing—fshuuuu.
In an instant, Matsuri’s eyes flew wide open.
“YOUUUU! What are you trying to do?!”
“Eek! Calm down! Matsuri-chan, it’s probably just a misunderstanding! It’s definitely a misunderstanding!”
“You seduced female students (Goukou)! You became the idol of the entire male student body despite being a guy (Shiro, Susan, Sally)! You went around creating and modifying wells on school grounds without permission (Gen)! And finally… you got the entire school involved in a battle for Hiroto (Kiyoko?)! And on top of that, you did that to me… and then suddenly disappeared!”
At the end, Matsuri’s face turned bright red, and her voice grew quieter and quieter.
Hiroto had absolutely no idea what she was talking about, but somehow, it was painfully easy for him to figure out who was involved in each of those incidents.
(But what does she mean by the last one? What did I do to Matsuri-chan…?)
“You’re going to take responsibility!”
“Responsibility?! Responsibility for what?!”
“Yeah, responsibility! For your failure to properly manage things!”
Matsuri and Ichigo grabbed Hiroto by the shoulders from both sides.
Realizing that resisting was completely pointless, Hiroto closed his eyes.
(Aaaah… goodbye, me.)
By the time Shizuka reached the entrance hall, she heard something resembling a scream coming from somewhere in the distance. But she simply hummed to herself as she headed toward the changing room, eager to get changed.
Later, after homeroom in Class 1-D, Hiroto was summoned to the faculty office by Mirei, who wore her usual expressionless face. There, he was quietly ordered to spend the next month cleaning all the toilets in the school buildings and pulling weeds across the enormous grounds of Kitsurin High School.
“Is there anything you’d like to say?”
“…Nothing at all.”
“Good. From now on, if you need to be absent, make sure you contact us beforehand.”
“I swear I will, even if it costs me my life.”
Hiroto bowed deeply and left the faculty office looking utterly battered.
With tears in his eyes, Hiroto made a vow as he stepped into the hallway.
He would hold a lecture at home as soon as possible.
The subject of that lecture went without saying
“Common Sense of Society.”
And, thinking about the future, he swore from the bottom of his heart that he would make all of his nearly thirty friends who were currently away from home attend it.
After seeing Hiroto off, Mirei sighed and returned to her desk work.
Behind her, a television installed in the faculty office was broadcasting extensive coverage of the establishment of the new government following the coup in Miramar.
Mattou had also declared the democratization of Miramar at the United Nations, announcing that he would retire from the military and enter politics.
He announced plans to establish a new constitution within two years and hold general elections within five years, while calling on other countries to invest in and provide aid to Miramar.
The Japanese government’s position was also reported on the program: Japan welcomed Miramar’s opening of its markets and intended to promote active aid and investment while working to improve relations between the two countries.
The turmoil that had occurred in Miramar had attracted enormous attention around the world.
Rumors had spread that numerous monsters had been sighted during the civil war that accompanied the coup, and because the story had even been featured on variety programs around the world, Miramar remained the subject of special reports for quite some time.
For the most part, however, it was treated as an occult-themed variety story about a developing country where superstition still held considerable influence, and it failed to generate any major public reaction beyond that.
Only on the internet did the topic continue to generate heated discussion, entertaining occult fans for a long time.
In a room of the former Marshal’s Office in the capital, Nephy, where Mathew and the others were stationed, several young men who had served directly under Guaran were taking a short break.
They were the comrades who had escaped Nephy together with Guaran as his devoted pupils when Kaliguda’s forces attacked, and who had survived the deadly fighting at Nina Hill.
One of them, Sasan, had separated himself from the others and was working on an oil painting as a hobby.
Maungsan, a fellow soldier and comrade who had also survived countless life-or-death situations alongside Sasan, approached from behind with a cup of coffee in hand and peered at the painting.
“Whoa, this is pretty impressive, Sasan.”
“Hmm. Honestly, I’d like to devote more time to it, but this is an important time, so I guess it can’t be helped.”
“Hmph, I almost feel like complaining to Lord Guaran about this. He did say that ‘the time would come when you’d be working while grumbling at me’ after all.”
“…That’s certainly true.”
The two recalled their late mentor, Guaran, and smiled quietly.
But within those smiles lay an inexpressible reverence and respect for him. And they took pride in being the ones who had earned the right to speak of him like this.
“Ah, isn’t that… Nina Hill?”
“Yeah, it is. Our lives were picked up from that fierce battle. Thanks to that, there’s nothing we’re afraid of anymore. I don’t know if that’s why, but I can’t help but remember the fighting on that hill. No, rather than forgetting it… I want to capture this while my memory is still clear.”
“I see… So this is General Mathew, and this is Lord Guaran. Huh? Who’s this?”
“Huh?”
Mausan pointed at a figure in the painting—a boyish-looking person among the many soldiers depicted.
And for some reason, that boyish figure was holding something like a sword, which seemed out of place.
The boy stood at the forefront of the troops, looking as if he were rallying them.
Despite having painted it himself, Sasan tilted his head in response to Mausan’s observation.
“No… huh? I don’t know. When did I paint this? I think I was drawing like crazy when I had some rare free time yesterday…but who is this person?”
“Hey, you drew this yourself, right?”
“Yeah… that’s true.”
Sasan and Mausan stared at the unfinished painting for a moment.
Then… Mausan spoke up.
“Why not leave it as is? Well, I’m no artist…”
“…?”
“For some reason… this figure feels indispensable here. Yes, somehow like a guardian or hero who led us to victory and gave us courage…”
“…I agree. For some reason, I feel the same way—that he’s absolutely essential. It sounds strange coming from me since I drew it myself, but maybe he could even be considered the symbol of this painting…”
The two nodded simultaneously as they gazed at the painting depicting the soldiers on Nina Hill when a colleague called out from behind them.
“Alright, break time’s over! There’s an endless amount of work to do, so rejoice, everyone!”
At that call, the young Miramar workers stood up with wry smiles and returned to their tasks.
But in each of their eyes was a resolve to support Miramar in the future.
And in the now-empty room remained only…Sasan’s oil painting of Nina Hill.
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