Toaru Hikuushi e no Seiyaku:V9Part13

Final: Toward the Promised Sky (Part 13 of volume 9)

Children's laughter was being absorbed into the blue sky.

Beyond the horizon, with a deep summer sky like an oil painting as the backdrop, a cumulus cloud, its top likely exceeding 10,000 meters, sharply outlined the boundary between the brilliant blue and the bright white cloud with vivid clarity.

The wind blowing over the hill made the green rise and fall like waves, with the sunlight sparkling on the reflections, throwing silver splashes toward the blue sky. Amid this vividly coloured landscape, there was a small house, its weather vane exposed to the sea breeze.

"We're back..."

Kiyoaki stretched his arms up toward the summer sky, inhaling the familiar air of his homeland, Messus Island, Odessa, with all his might. Although the place he'd been living until recently, Santos Island, Sierra Greed, was nice, the sea breeze of his homeland was something special.

Looking behind him, the rolling green fields stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with trees here and there, and beyond them, the gray ridges of mountains. Looking back to the front, there was a fan-shaped white beach and their white home in front of the bright blue horizon and the towering clouds. The expansive, unobstructed view made him want to shout from the bottom of his stomach.

Come to think of it, it was twenty-two summers ago that Messus Island was suddenly attacked by Urano, and Kiyoaki’s family was killed. Today, Kiyoaki had returned to the island and was about to start a new life.

Messus Island now had a population of 16,000 and was a proud, independent country with its own king. If it were still a colonial island of the Akitsu Federation, Kiyoaki, with his history of desertion, wouldn't have been able to return. However, in the confusion of the Federation's collapse, Messus Island became an independent nation, allowing him to safely return home and visit his family's graves.

On the slope of the mountain, the vineyard, which he had bought back, basked in the sunlight. It was once owned by Kiyoaki’s father, Masaharu. Most of the royalties from Kiyoaki's book The Promise, published last year, were donated to the citizens who had suffered war damage in Pleiades, but the remainder was used to buy back this second-hand house and his family’s vineyard. From now on, he intended to live peacefully in his hometown, working the vineyard.

"At that time, I didn’t particularly want to save the world. I just wanted to keep the promise I had made to her, who had disappeared.

Even though she had gone so far away that we could no longer exchange words, I knew that if I broke that promise, it would make her sad.

So, the image of me being portrayed as a saintly figure who sacrificed himself for the world is wrong. In reality, I prioritized my personal feelings above everything else, dragging hundreds of thousands of people into battle, causing death and injury, making me a great sinner.

As a result, our actions eventually led to what’s known as the 'Miracle of Pleiades,' as you all know. However, the portrayal of the seven of us in the news and related books is far from the truth.

First of all, out of the seven, it’s not five heroes and two traitors.

Whenever those two are called 'traitors,' it feels like my heart is bleeding. Please understand that.

Labelling them as 'villains' to create a simple good-versus-evil narrative with the five of us as 'heroes' is inaccurate. All seven of us were just ordinary people, with both good and bad in us. The only difference was the circumstances we were born into and the events that unfolded after we met.

In terms of loyalty to the state, what those two did was certainly unforgivable and might have made them traitors who pushed their comrades into hell. But at that time, in those circumstances, they had no choice.

And even though they had no choice, those two still kept their promises. They held onto promises that no one knew about, promises that brought them no benefit, all while being branded as traitors and pelted with stones.

It's been over ten years since then, but I’m speaking up now because if I don’t, the false image of them as traitors will be passed down to future generations. If you’ve listened to my story until the end, I believe you’ll understand that we five were no saints, and those two were not villains…."

The content of The Promise, which began with such a preface, wasn’t the thrilling adventure story of the "Miracle of Pleiades" that many readers had expected. Instead, much of it was a confession of guilt and remorse for the hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians on both sides who died or were injured during "Operation Odin's Spear." Additionally, much of it defended Mio Syra and Reiner Beck, who were labelled as "traitors" in the many islands.

While the two certainly committed crimes, they had no other options. And without them, the "Miracle of Pleiades" wouldn’t have happened. Mio used Fio to reveal Pleiades’ location, and Reiner captured Illustriali, the enemy commander, and Zenon, the chief of the Chrono Magos. Both played crucial roles in changing the world. The "Seven of Eriadore" were not five heroes and two traitors. They were just ordinary young people who never gave up on their promises, despite being on opposing sides.

Kiyoaki's claims in his confession were not entirely welcomed.

Some of the leaders of the Multi-Island Sea's military declared that they would never forgive Mio and Reiner, while the bereaved families of those killed in the Urano air raids on Air Hunt Island sent a joint letter of protest to Kiyoaki. There was also backlash within the Kingdom of Sylvania, which escalated to a point where it became a burden for Elisabeth. This led to Kiyoaki resigning from his position as a flight instructor in the Royal Army and returning to his homeland.

Since the book’s publication, it had been a turbulent time with no peace of mind, but today marked the beginning of a new life. Kiyoaki looked up at his hometown's summer sky, hoping the children on the island would grow up healthy, surrounded by nature.

And maybe—.

Maybe Mio and Reiner, somewhere in this world, would pick up Kiyoaki's book and read it. He held onto that hope somewhere deep in his heart. And if he allowed himself to dream further, it wasn't impossible that they might secretly reach out to him. Someday, the seven of Eriadore might meet again. Kiyoaki still clung to that dream.

Imperial Year 1367, July, Messus Island, Odessa—.

"Kiyoaki! You’ve got a ton of mail!"

Receiving the deliveries from the bicycle courier, Illia, who had been preparing lunch in the garden of their new home, called out. He saw about a dozen congratulatory postcards for the housewarming, delivered on the specified date. They were filled with messages from the people he had fought with in Odin and members of the Valkyrie.

Kiyoaki sat down in a newly bought deck chair from the town’s general store, moved the table into the shade of the parasol, and, listening to the gentle birdsong of Messus Island, began to read the postcards one by one.

One postcard from Selfaust, the capital of the St Vault Empire, featured a photo of a healthy-looking Lala Scott. She was now part of the Imperial Army’s acrobatics flight team, showcasing her skills at important ceremonies. Apparently, the team included none other than Cynthia, the daughter of Captain Leo, and Lala was passing on Leo’s teachings to her. Cynthia had been moved to tears when she learned how much her father had always thought of her and her mother, even on the battlefield. Surely, Leo was smiling from heaven.

From the distant Balesteros Republic, in the city of Velasquez, one postcard brought a smile to Kiyoaki’s face.

"Kal and Claire! It’s been so long… They look great, don’t they?"

The postcard, which he handed to Illia, featured a photo of Kal-el and Claire, along with their three children, and a handwritten message from Kal-el.

"Congratulations on the new chapter in your life! I’d love for you to bring your family to Velasquez someday. We’ll treat you to real Arimen, cooked by Ariel."

In one corner of the photo, a smiling red-haired woman stood beside Ignacio, likely Ariel. The thought of real Arimen… made Kiyoaki gulp, even in the middle of lunch. After returning from Pleiades, Kiyoaki had once been amazed by how delicious Claire’s Arimen was, but he had heard that even the notoriously picky King Manius of Urano still had frozen Arimen shipped from Velasquez. Kiyoaki made a mental note to visit Velasquez if the opportunity arose, eager to try such an extraordinary dish.

In the garden, Illia and their two children were busy preparing for today’s party. Kiyoaki put the postcards away in a drawer and went to help with the preparations.

"Big brother, not there! They go over here!"

Their nine-year-old daughter, Yumiko, pouted, carefully arranging potted plants in front of the entrance.

"The big one goes here! Yeah, it looks cooler here!"

Their twelve-year-old son, Masaaki, lugged a large potted plant with blooming flowers toward the centre of the garden, struggling as he walked.

"Masaaki, that’s where the table goes! Put it by the entrance!" Illia scolded him.

Masaaki, with a pained expression, turned around and staggered toward the entrance.

Illia then turned her gaze toward the porch, her eyes widening.

"Father! The liquor!!"

Illia’s father, Karsten Kreischmidt, grasped a bottle of whiskey in his one good arm and was basking in the sun, drinking straight from the bottle on the porch.

"Where did you get that? The doctor said you can't drink!!"

Illia snatched the bottle from Karsten and poured what little remained onto the grass. Karsten’s anger flared.

"What are you doing?! That was a gift from my son-in-law!"

Under Illia’s glare, Kiyoaki stammered an excuse.

"Uh, well… yes, sorry, but… Father-in-law said the doctor gave him permission, so…"

"Father is permanently banned from alcohol! You know what happens when he drinks!! He taught Masaaki something unnecessary the other day...!"

Karsten hung his head in defeat, but Masaaki ran over and clung to him.

"Grandpa, I can land on my own now!" "Oh? Really? Well, you’ve got talent, more than your parents!" "Yay! I’m happy! I’ll fly again later!" "No!!" "Stop that!!" "Why?!?" "Because it's dangerous!! You don’t need to fly planes!!" "Being a pilot is absolutely not allowed! It’s too dangerous!!"

Kiyoaki and Illia, as usual, firmly stopped Masaaki, who sulked. Despite their protests, however, Karsten continued to secretly teach Masaaki how to fly a biplane. In the many islands, airplanes were as common as cars, and many people used them to travel from island to island, with farm roads doubling as runways, making it easy to find places to practice.

Of course, the Sakagami family owned a biplane as well. Although Kiyoaki had been an instructor in the Sylvania Royal Army until recently, he refused to teach Masaaki how to fly. Having fought on many battlefields and escaped death countless times, he couldn’t bear the thought of his son going through the same. However, Masaaki had heard stories of his parents’ heroics during the Great War of Mitterrand from those around him, and naturally, he dreamed of flying a plane one day. Thanks to his grandfather’s instruction, he was now capable of taking off and landing a biplane by himself.

Yumiko also ran over, pleading.

"Big brother, let me ride the plane too!" "Sure!" "No!!" "Absolutely not!!" "Masaaki, tomorrow I’ll teach you how to shoot a machine gun!" "Father, stop teaching him weird things!!" "We don’t have machine guns!! They’re not necessary anymore!!"

Despite the usual commotion, the preparations for today’s housewarming party were finally complete, and all that was left was to wait for the guests to arrive.

The garden was filled with colourful flowers, both in the flowerbeds and the potted plants. Adult deck chairs and children's stools were lined up on the lawn, and a large garden table was placed in the centre, with a barbecue grill already lit. Meat and vegetables were laid out nearby, and as they looked up at the distant sky, a medium-sized airship began descending toward them.

Kiyoaki smiled, shading his eyes with his hand.

"They're here. Right on time."

The official aircraft of the Kingdom of Sylvania landed in a nearby meadow, its variable rotors roaring.

When Kiyoaki and Illia went to greet them, holding down the brim of her straw hat, Elisabeth Sylvania—here in a private capacity today—stepped out, without any attendants.

"Long time no see, Kiyoaki, Illia. Your house is so cute and wonderful!"

Elisabeth, who had worn the crown for over sixteen years, embraced Kiyoaki and Illia with the same smile she had always had. Kiyoaki returned the hug, smiling and casually thanking the great queen who had led the Kingdom of Sylvania to become the leader of the archipelago.

"I'm glad to see you, Elisabeth, even though you're busy… Is everything okay with your duties?"

"A queen has to take a break sometimes too. Today, I plan to relax and have fun, so let's enjoy it!"

Raising her hands to the bright blue sky of Messus Island, Elisabeth stretched and soaked in the sunlight with a big smile. Following her from the airship came Balthazar, Kagura, and their five children, all descending with shouts of excitement.

"Hey! You need to greet them first, greet them!!"

As Kagura scolded them, the children, ranging from thirteen-year-old Melchior to three-year-old Caspar, each greeted "Uncle Kiyoaki and Aunt Illia" in their own ways, before immediately turning and charging at Masaaki. Masaaki tried to run, but Balthazar's children moved in unison, steadily closing in on their prey.

"Christina, block the right exit!!" "Yes!!" "Use the cover, Synovios, you circle around to the back of the old house!!" "Yes!!" "Stop it!" "Finish it, Delfina!" "Take this!"

Melchior, with a sharp expression, issued instructions one after another, and the children captured the flailing Masaaki with well-coordinated movements. Five-year-old Delfina finished him off with a slap, and they brought him before Balthazar.

"Here's the spoils of war, Father." "Well done." "‘Well done’!? What kind of education is this? And didn’t you call my house an ‘old wreck’ just now?"

As Masaaki protested, Balthazar, still wearing the same unchanging, expressionless face, glanced at the modest second-hand house and smirked in satisfaction.

"You've made progress, Melchior."

"Where is this ‘progress’ headed? You should be angry! Also, thank you for coming all the way out here."

"I came at the queen's request. Sometimes, it's nice to visit the countryside. Now sit down in seize right there."

Balthazar sat down heavily in a deck chair, ordering Masaaki to sit in seize on the lawn beside him.

"Stay like that until I say you can move." "Yes, sir." "No, not ‘yes, sir.’ Go, Masaaki, you don't have to listen to Uncle Balthazar."

Kagura entered the garden a little later, sat down next to Balthazar, and let out a sigh.

Kiyoaki noticed something from the way Kagura walked and how she sat.

"Kagura, could it be…?" "Yeah. The sixth one." "Wow… Congratulations."

Kiyoaki looked at Balthazar instinctively. Balthazar glared back.

"What’s with that look?" "Huh? Oh, nothing, no hidden meaning." "What do you mean by ‘that look’!?" "I just glanced at you! Why are you suddenly mad? It's good news!"

While Kiyoaki stammered his response, Illia announced the start of the party.

"I'm so happy to see everyone today! We're going to live happily on this island, so come visit anytime you're in the mood!!"

Everyone clinked their glasses in a toast, laying out the meat and vegetables on the grill. The lively laughter of children filled the air as they chatted, enjoying endless conversations.

It had been a long time since all five had gathered.

Balthazar and Kagura's business, The Purple Flower Company, had continued to grow through meticulous market analysis and bold sales strategies. Both of them were incredibly busy. Balthazar, the company president, was known in the industry as the "Venus Flytrap of the flower business," constantly acquiring and merging with rival stores. He was hated by competitors, much to Kagura's dismay.

"I keep saying I just want a small flower shop in town…" "They were the ones who attacked first. Once you're in, you have to go all the way. There's no turning back now." "Honestly… It's like we have no friends left in the industry…"

Kagura’s bitter remarks made Kiyoaki and Illia exchange wry smiles. Balthazar hadn’t changed much, even after leaving the military, but surrounded by so many children, Kagura looked truly happy.

"Elisabeth, what about marriage?"

Illia’s straightforward question made Elisabeth shake her head.

"Everyone keeps setting me up with nobles, but… it’s such a hassle."

"You’ve got a lot on your plate because of your position. What about the rumours with Manius?"

"We’re just friends. I saw him a couple of days ago when Pleiades came to the archipelago, but we just had a drink like always."

"Really? I thought you two seemed like a good match…"

Manius, now the King of Urano, had demonstrated remarkable leadership, shifting Urano’s once-isolationist policies to an open, trade-oriented approach. The heavens and the earth had signed trade agreements, and Urano leveraged its position as a "mobile" city to create significant trade surpluses. With the ability to move its entire living area, it had a distinct advantage in long-distance trade, allowing Urano to flourish even more than before the war. Cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between Urano and the rest of the world had progressed dramatically.

The royal capital, Pleiades, frequently visited the archipelago, spending several months at a time around Santos Island. Many people hoped for a romance between Manius and Elisabeth, connecting heaven and earth in a legendary love story, but the two seemed to see each other as drinking buddies.

Two hours into the party, the liveliness only increased. Masaaki and Yumiko, along with Balthazar's five children, continued to shout and play a game of territory capture, showing no signs of fatigue as they ran around.

Just then, Kiyoaki noticed a motorbike approaching from a distance. It slowly made its way along the grassy path over the rolling hills.

As soon as Kiyoaki realized who it was, his expression darkened.

"Oh no… I didn’t invite her. What’s she doing here?"

The woman who got off the motorbike was in her forties, dressed in a suit and wearing glasses. Illia went to greet her.

"Hello, Utakuni. What brings you here so suddenly?"

"Sorry for the unexpected visit. Something urgent came up."

Tokiwa Utakuni, a former journalist for the Akitsu Daily and now working in the literary publishing department, barely greeted anyone before standing in front of Kiyoaki. She had written numerous sensational articles about his relationship with Illia in the past and had recently continued to publish books that used Kiyoaki’s story to draw public attention.

"There won’t be a second book. We agreed it would only be one."

Kiyoaki firmly stated this to get ahead of her, and Utakuni’s expression turned serious. His book, The Promise, had been written only after persistent pressure from her, and while Kiyoaki hadn’t originally planned to write anything, he was eventually persuaded by the argument that it would restore Mio and Reiner’s honour. The book had been well-received, despite some criticism, and had gone through multiple reprints. Utakuni clearly hoped to capitalize on that success again.

"Please don’t say that. I brought a proposal I’d love for you to look at."

"I’m not a writer. I have nothing more to say."

Kiyoaki answered curtly, but Utakuni cleared her throat and straightened her posture before pulling a proposal out of her shoulder bag.

"You won’t have to write anything. All you need to do is participate in a roundtable discussion, and I’ll handle the rest. Please, at least take a look at the proposal."

Kiyoaki sighed. He couldn’t just send her away after she’d come all this way, so he reluctantly took the paper. The title read:

"The Seven of Eriadore Speak: The Miracle of Pleiades Roundtable Discussion"

Kiyoaki let out another sigh. Scratching the back of his head, he gave Utakuni a distant look.

"What is this? Who exactly is supposed to be having this discussion?"

"It’s a roundtable discussion with the seven of you from Eriadore. We’ll turn it into a book. It’s guaranteed to be a hit."

Does this woman live in a dream world? Kiyoaki couldn’t help but feel exasperated.

"Um… You say we’re all going to gather, but when and where are we supposed to do that?"

Utakuni answered with a completely serious expression.

"Here, today. That’s why I brought the recording equipment."

She pulled a small recorder and a microphone from her bag. Kiyoaki stared at her in silence for a moment, then turned and counted the people in the garden. There were five of them. He raised his hand and pointed them out to Utakuni, just to confirm her understanding.

"Look, there’s Elisabeth, Balthazar, Kagura, Illia, and me… Five people, right? You can count, can’t you?"

Kiyoaki asked, genuinely questioning if her brain was functioning properly.

Just then, the distant sound of rotors reached them from the sky.

Utakuni looked Kiyoaki squarely in the eye and responded.

"A good journalist needs superior initiative and research skills."

Ignoring Utakuni’s words, Kiyoaki looked up at the sky. An old-fashioned small airship was descending toward them.

"To make this roundtable a reality, all I had to do was find the two missing members and convince them to come. Convincing them took time and patience, but it worked."

The adults in the garden noticed the approaching airship and looked up. Utakuni’s voice was drowned out by the sound of the rotors.

"Even with my skills, tracking them down was a huge challenge. But two months ago, I finally found them living on a remote island in the northern part of Mitterrand. After many discussions, I persuaded them. What sealed the deal was The Promise. They both read your book and understood your current feelings."

The airship landed about two hundred meters away on flat ground.

The wind stirred the grass.

Illia looked over curiously. Elisabeth stood up. Kagura, sensing something, turned to look as well.

"Still, they were reluctant to leave due to their guilt. So, with all due respect, I took the liberty of mentioning the other promise you all made. I reminded them that while you had published the book and lost your job for their honour, they hadn’t done anything for you. ‘Even if we become enemies, we will not hate each other. Friendship is eternal…’ I told them they needed to honour that promise to all five of you. Those words finally convinced them."

The rotors stopped, and the hatch of the airship opened.

Two figures, a man and a woman, stepped out.

Seeing them from afar, Kiyoaki’s hair stood on end.

"They’ve come today to fulfill that promise and to show you that your friendship still endures."

It was already clear who they were. No matter how far apart they had been, or how much time had passed, none of that mattered.

"Oh…" Kiyoaki gasped.

"You can count, right? Here are five of you, plus Mio Syra and Reiner Beck. That makes the Seven of Eriadore, right?"

Hearing Utakuni’s words at the edge of his awareness, Kiyoaki let out an unintelligible shout. Without hesitation, he threw the proposal aside and, after a simultaneous display of gratitude and reprimand to Utakuni, ran toward the two.

Elisabeth, overhearing the conversation, noticed as well and let out a startled cry, raising her hands and running.

Illia and Kagura followed behind, calling out their names loudly as they ran.

Balthazar stood up, recognized them, and grinned.

Kiyoaki could only shout as he sprinted with all his might.

Time disappeared. All that had separated them vanished in this moment.

A gentle wind blew, carrying the scent of grass and summer flowers.

Beyond the colourful flower petals, Mio and Reiner were smiling at Kiyoaki.

Without hesitation, Kiyoaki embraced them both. Their arms wrapped around each other’s backs, and the warmth confirmed that this was no dream.

"Mio! Reiner! I can’t believe this, I can’t believe it!"

Those words burst out again and again, overflowing with emotion. Elisabeth, laughing and crying, joined the circle of joy. Illia and Kagura, both beaming with smiles, spread their arms wide and jumped in. Balthazar walked over slowly with his hands in his pockets, casually approaching the group.

Under the summer sky, cheers, tears, and laughter echoed endlessly across the fields of Messus Island.

The seven of Eriadore stood together as one, laughing to their hearts' content and wiping away each other’s tears with their sleeves.

It wasn’t a dream; it was real.

Right now, in this field, the seven of them were together again. Twenty years had passed since they broke through enemy lines in that Eriadore airship, but the promise still lived in each of their hearts.

"Even if we become enemies, we will not hate each other."

"Friendship is eternal."

The echo of that promise resonated into the midsummer sky. The seven of them continued to exchange words that couldn’t quite form, simply laughing and crying. They confirmed with embraces that they were truly together, reflecting on the passage of time in each other’s faces while recognizing the unchanging bonds that lay beneath, laughing through their tears.

Masaaki stood alone in the field, watching the adults curiously.

It seemed like someone really important had arrived, and the circle of seven didn’t seem like it would break anytime soon. The adults were completely absorbed in their reunion, leaving the children to fend for themselves. At one point, a woman with glasses and a microphone approached the group, but under the command of the ever-calm Balthazar, Melchior and the children’s squad swiftly snatched the recording equipment from her, passing it around like a well-coordinated team. The bespectacled woman now sat alone on the beach, hugging her knees and staring off into the distance.

Then, Masaaki noticed someone looking at him.

A girl in a white blouse and red skirt was staring intently at him.

The moment their eyes met, Masaaki's heart pounded loudly in his chest.

Her pale skin, emerald-green eyes, and white hairband stood out. Her shoulder-length blonde hair curled up at the ends, reflecting the sunlight.

The girl suddenly spoke.

"You. You’re going to be my friend."

Masaaki was too stunned to respond. "Huh?" was all he could manage.

"From today, you’re my friend. Unless you want to be my servant, but I thought starting as my servant might be a bit harsh."

What is this girl talking about?

"Um… who are you?" Masaaki asked, still confused.

"Before you ask someone’s name, you should introduce yourself first."

She was incredibly self-centred. Feeling a little overwhelmed, Masaaki introduced himself.

"Sakagami Masaaki… I’m twelve. And you?"

The girl puffed out her chest proudly.

"Fio Belour."

Her emerald eyes gleamed as she continued with an air of superiority.

"I’m ten. I’ve decided you’re going to be my servant."

Fio, the girl, stood with her hands on her hips, exuding confidence. Masaaki thought she might be the kind of person to avoid, but his heart kept racing for some reason.

He didn’t know her, yet she felt familiar. He wanted to get closer to her, to know more about her… His heart kept chirping like a bird, unable to quiet down.

"So, what are you going to do to entertain me?"

Her demands were absurd, but Masaaki thought carefully, then looked up.

"How about we ride the biplane together? Flying is fun."

Fio, satisfied with the suggestion, smirked with a look of triumph.

Sitting in a circle in the field, Kiyoaki and the others were chatting endlessly, with plenty of food and drinks piled in the centre. Suddenly, the familiar sound of an engine caught Kiyoaki’s ear.

Standing up, he gazed toward the private biplane parked near the beach. Squinting, he could see Masaaki in the cockpit, holding the hand of an unfamiliar girl, about to lift her into his arms.

He was wearing platform shoes again and preparing to fly the plane. Realizing this, Kiyoaki yelled out.

"Hey!! You can’t fly that by yourself, Masaaki!!"

But Masaaki ignored the shout and began taxiing for take-off. Next to Kiyoaki, Mio stood up in surprise.

"Fio!? What are you doing?! That’s dangerous!"

"Wait, is that your daughter?!"

"Stop! Please, don’t fly!!"

Kiyoaki and Mio ran side by side, chasing the biplane across the field in a panic.

But Masaaki, holding Fio in his arms, paid no attention to his parents' shouts, accelerating and smoothly lifting off into the sky.

"Ahhh!! Masaaki!! No dinner for you tonight!!"

Kiyoaki raised his arm, yelling at the departing biplane, but the only response was the distant sound of the propeller.

"They… they really flew away…" Mio muttered, sitting down on the beach in disbelief.

In the distance, a large cumulus cloud hovered over the horizon. The biplane was heading straight for it.

"I keep telling him no flying, but he never listens…"

Kiyoaki shrugged and looked down at Mio.

Mio frowned, looking up at Kiyoaki.

"Your son moves a little too fast, don’t you think?"

Kiyoaki could only stammer out an apology. He hadn’t expected Masaaki to be bold enough to take off with a girl he had just met.

"…Sorry. I haven’t been strict enough with him… yeah…"

Mio stared off at the distant sky, then looked back at Kiyoaki with a sigh.

"…I wonder who he takes after."

Kiyoaki pursed his lips. He couldn’t help but remember the time, years ago on this very island, when he had flown off in a biplane with a crying Mio.

"I can’t imagine who."

Kiyoaki extended a hand to Mio.

"It’s you," she said, taking his hand and standing up, brushing the sand off her clothes.

Their eyes met, and they both burst into laughter.

The sound of their laughter rose into the sky.

Kiyoaki and Mio stood side by side, laughing together under the summer sky. The gentle sea breeze and the waves lapping at their feet accompanied their laughter like a melody. It was as if they had been spending every day together, all this time.

At 300 meters altitude.

Masaaki’s heart was pounding as he gripped the control stick. Fio, sitting in his lap, spoke nervously.

"Are you sure we’re not going to crash?"

"It’s fine. I’ve practiced a lot with Grandpa, trust me…"

Suddenly, a large cloud appeared right in front of them.

"Whoa!" "Ahhh!"

With a whoosh, they plunged into the cloud. Everything around them turned white, and they couldn’t see a thing.

"We’re getting wet!" "Hold on, we’ll be out soon…"

Masaaki gripped the control stick tightly, pushing down his fear. His grandpa had told him: "Even in a cloud, don’t panic. Keep your attitude steady. Watch the horizon and make sure your wings are level…"

"I can’t see anything!" Fio said, her voice almost in tears. Masaaki, wanting to reassure her, put on a calm front.

"It’s okay. Trust me." "Okay…" "It’s really okay… look!"

Suddenly, light poured in around them. The sky opened up in brilliant blue.

"Wow, it’s beautiful!"

Fio’s expression brightened. Far below, the cobalt-blue ocean stretched out, with green islands scattered like jewels. Coral reefs surrounded the islands, and dolphins, swimming in formation, left white trails in the sea.

Ahead of them was the summer sky.

A massive cumulus cloud loomed close, so large it seemed to hum with energy. Its peak was so high they couldn’t see the top, and the deep blue sky beyond it stretched out endlessly.

It was breathtakingly beautiful, but also terrifying. The vastness of the sky and the enormity of the clouds hinted at forces beyond their understanding, things both unknown and potentially merciless.

The wind picked up, causing the windscreen to rattle. Fio instinctively wrapped her arms around Masaaki’s neck.

"Are you scared? Do you want to go back?"

Masaaki asked. Fio pouted and replied firmly.

"I’m not scared! I mean… I’m not because you’re with me…"

Her face flushed bright red as she said it. Masaaki smiled, feeling happy.

"Yeah, me too! It’s weird, but when I’m with you, I’m not scared at all!"

His honest feelings spilled out into words.

Fio clung to Masaaki again, looking out at the cloud peaks and the blue beyond.

She was still a little scared, but at the same time, her heart was filled with excitement.

What lay beyond those clouds? What wonderful things awaited in the depths of that blue? If they spread their wings with courage, they might reach something truly amazing. They might feel even more of this excitement and wonder.

"Let’s fly! Oh, um… I mean… we’ll fly! Together!"

Fio, in a strange tone, raised her hand in a triumphant pose. Masaaki, thinking she was a bit odd, copied her and repeated her words.

"Let’s fly, yeah!"

"Yeah! As far as we can go!"

The two of them looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Masaaki opened the throttle. With her by his side, he felt like he could go anywhere. He could fly as far as he wanted. This baseless sense of possibility made his heart race with excitement.

Courage welled up inside him. He could become stronger, fly higher than ever before. He would soar beyond the approaching clouds, further and further into the boundless sky, to discover the true nature of that great something calling to him from deep within the infinite blue.

Together with Fio, they would embark on an adventure into the unknown. His heart throbbed with anticipation. No matter what happened, he knew they could overcome it, as long as they were together.

The propeller roared, and the biplane ascended higher. The children held hands, their innocent smiles lifted toward the sky, entrusting their wings of courage to the wind. The limitless summer sky welcomed them, while the water, wind, and light danced around them in celebration.

The wings were soon swallowed by the blue, and only a pure song echoed in the sky. It was the song of countless lives, a melody that had been sung since the beginning of the world and would continue until its end. Embracing all living things, the summer sky sang its song of courage and hope forever and ever.

The End.

Thank you for reading

Koroku Inumura / Haruyuki Morisawa

References:

   The Rising Sun in the Pacific—From Pearl Harbor to Midway (Volumes 1 & 2) by Ian Toll, translated by Kazuhisa Murakami, Bungeishunju
   D-Day: The Battle for Normandy (Volumes 1 & 2) by Antony Beevor, translated by Hideaki Hiraga, Hakusuisha
   Berlin: The Downfall 1945 by Antony Beevor, translated by Hikaru Kawakami, Hakusuisha
   The Jet Fighter Me 262—The Last Glimmer of the German Luftwaffe by Yoji Watanabe, Kojinsha NF Bunko
   German Jet Aces of World War II by Hugh Morgan and John Weal, Dainippon Kaiga

Koroku Inumura.

With this volume, the 'To a Certain Airship' Pilot series comes to a close. Over the course of 17 books and 7 years and 9 months, I was able to complete this journey. My deepest thanks go to Haruyuki Morisawa, for running alongside me all the way. To former editor Y. Asa and G. Shiken, and current editor N. Mura. Above all, I owe everything to you, the readers. I am currently planning a new series with Gagaga Bunko, so I look forward to meeting you all again in the future!