Toaru Hikuushi e no Seiyaku:V2Part4

Part 12 (Part 4 of Volume 2)

“Is it just you? Where’s Reiner?”

With her emerald eyes blinking, Mio pointed at Kiyoaki.

“And what about you? Where’s Cecil?”

Kiyoaki was equally puzzled, pointing at Mio, who had arrived alone at the meeting spot.

The two of them faced each other, unable to move.

—Could it be a setup?

Realizing this, Kiyoaki was exasperated with Cecil’s meddling. Though bright and innocent, Cecil sometimes played childish pranks like this.

“Oh... yeah. Just the two of us, huh?”

Reiner was probably involved as well. Given their personalities, they might be hiding in the shadows, observing them.

Kiyoaki glanced around.

The clear December sunlight illuminated the laughter of young people wandering through the main street of Air Hunt, Canal Street in Matonrouge. Small, stylish shops lined both sides of the street, their colorful signs, shop windows, and umbrellas contrasting beautifully against the blue sky. The aroma of freshly baked bread and pizza wafted everywhere, and the orderly cobblestone streets reflected the bright sunlight, creating a blissful Sunday afternoon atmosphere.

Although they were mostly young people, nearly all were students from the officer academy. Many wore uniforms, but just as many were in casual clothes. On weekends, more students preferred to go out into the city rather than stay in the dorms, and the main street reflected the vibrant energy of youth. At the open cafes that jutted out onto the street, many young men and women chatted happily, coffee cups in hand.

Mio, too, was dressed in casual clothes suitable for a Sunday outing instead of her usual uniform. A white blouse paired with a navy skirt and a pink cardigan. She wore a matching pink ribbon at her chest and had applied light makeup on her eyes and lips. She looked like a typical seventeen-year-old girl, showcasing a side of herself rarely seen within the confines of the academy.

Kiyoaki, simply clad in his navy-issued jumper over his uniform, regretted not wearing something a bit more appealing, but he shrugged his shoulders to maintain a stoic expression.

“Reiner suddenly had a date, so she couldn’t come.”

Mio crossed her arms in front of her chest, looking somewhat displeased, as if sensing something off.

“And Cecil said she couldn’t make it because she was feeling unwell.”

The two of them exchanged glances for a moment, then let out a simultaneous sigh. It was likely that those two had conspired together, hiding behind trees or around buildings to observe them, but neither Cecil nor Reiner appeared anywhere in sight, half-hidden smiles betraying their plans.

What was going on?

The origin of this situation was yesterday.

During the second period of naval history, they had coincidentally ended up together in a group of four. Although they were all in the same flight department, they were in different specializations, so it was rare for them to be in the same class. After the lesson, while casually chatting, Cecil suddenly exclaimed, “Tomorrow is a day off, so I want us all to go see a movie!” It seemed that a romance film that had become a massive hit in the Harmonia Empire was showing in Matonrouge, Air Hunt. Its excessively sweet content had been a hot topic among the students. Kiyoaki wasn’t particularly interested, but Cecil insisted, “It’s supposed to be so embarrassing that you’ll blush and fall over just watching it! It won’t be scary if we all go!” So, with a light-hearted agreement, he said okay, but when he arrived at the designated meeting spot, both Cecil and Reiner were absent.

Go on a date.

In his mind, Cecil and Reiner urged him in unison.

It was frustrating to succumb to such childish, shallow antics. Did they think he was that kind of frivolous guy? His relationship with Mio wasn’t of such a trivial nature. They were still students, and since plans had fallen through, it would be embarrassing to watch such a romantic film alone together.

As he was about to convey this sentiment to Mio, she puffed up her cheeks in an uncharacteristically displeased manner, crossing her arms and turning her face away.

“W-Well, if the two of them can’t come, I guess that can’t be helped... I mean, I really don’t want to. But if you really want to see it, I guess I can go with you.”

It seemed Mio was willing to go. After a moment of internal confusion, Kiyoaki managed to compose himself.

“Oh, uh, really? Well, if you’re okay with it, I’m okay too...”

Upon hearing that, Mio placed her hands on her hips and looked angry.

“I-I don’t want to see it! I’m just reluctantly agreeing since you want to...”

“Oh, yeah, sorry, I got it. I want to see it, yeah, sorry about that...”

It seemed Mio was indeed curious about the movie. He had no idea what kind of film girls enjoyed. Feeling unexpectedly flustered, Kiyoaki glanced around once more to confirm that Cecil and Reiner were truly absent, steeled himself, and nodded.

“Got it. Alright, let’s go. To the movie theatre.”

With an awkward prompting, Mio, still blushing, nodded nervously, and the two of them headed toward the theatre.

Kiyoaki felt restless and fidgety.

This was something he could never have done in the Akitsu Federation. If he had walked side by side with Mio in the vicinity of the Kanan Officer School, rumours about them being an embarrassing couple would have spread throughout the town, and he would have been summoned to the gym by upperclassmen, facing rigorous training until dawn.

But here, students could openly date in the streets. Some even walked closely together, hugging shoulders or waists.

And within this new normalcy, he found himself walking through the Sunday streets with Mio.

—His heart raced.

Inside, my heart reacts dramatically to the turmoil within me. I can smell a lemon-like scent coming from Mio, who is walking right beside me. The ends of her hair, bouncing playfully, catch the sunlight, making her seem dazzling.

— Mio isn’t a child anymore...

When we first met, she was pure innocence. With an attitude like a princess, she almost forcefully made a promise to marry me.

“I’m going to be Kiyoaki’s bride!”

She had been laughing in the canola flower fields in August, wearing a tiara made of flowers.

Five years have passed since then. I lost my hometown and family to Uranos and could no longer remain the carefree boy I once was. I vowed revenge against Uranos, and alongside me, Mio also pledged to share the same goal.

Since then, I haven’t mentioned that marriage promise to Mio.

And Mio hasn’t said a word about it either.

It was just a fleeting whim between innocent children.

I could dismiss it with such words, an ordinary promise that kids make while playing house.

It would be awkward to bring it up again. If she were to laugh it off, I would get hurt. So, I don’t bring it up.

— But I have never forgotten.

Every time I meet Mio like this, that smiling face with the canola flower tiara flashes in my mind. Sweetness and sadness push up against a membrane, making my heart race.

Neither of us says a word. There’s no need to rush, yet somehow, we walk faster. To break the awkward silence, I need to talk about something trivial.

“It’s nice weather today. It’s already December, but it’s warm.”

“Yeah, it is.”

“...”

“...”

The conversation ends, and we continue toward the movie theatre, like industrial products on a conveyor belt.

What’s this? This is no good. When did we become like this?

I scold myself while searching for an appropriate topic. Lately, I’ve been too focused on answering the questions posed by Illia, and it seems my ability to engage in normal conversation has deteriorated.

Right, as a cadet deeply involved in world affairs, I should bring up the current economic downturn facing the St Vault Empire.

Just as I was about to start speaking...

“We’ve arrived.”

We had arrived at the movie theatre. Kiyoaki sighed and swallowed the economic jargon he had planned to say, looking up at the impressive three-story concrete building. Currently, there was only one movie playing—rumoured to be a romantic film—and it was quite crowded.

"Wow, what a long line. It must be really good."

As Mio said, it was surprising to see so many young people lined up in front of the theatre on the somewhat rural Air Hunt Island.

Cadets receive a salary, and since they don’t usually go out to have fun, they have more money than students their age. After purchasing tickets and lining up at the end of the queue, we quickly moved inside. Since it was a switch system, we passed by the audience coming out from the previous showing. Most of them were students from the same school, so, as expected, there were familiar faces among them.

"Hey, Kiyoaki, you’re watching something so risqué too? ...Wait, Mio! What are you two doing? Is this a date?" "Hey, what’s going on? Why are you dating without telling me?"

I had been caught by the last two classmates I least wanted to see, who immediately made a fuss over trivial matters, and I couldn’t help but feel exasperated.

"Are you two really dating?! Are you gonna kiss? KISS?!"

The two idiots puckered their lips and excitedly moved closer while calling out "kiss, kiss" repeatedly. I couldn’t recall their names, but I recognized them as two of the more crass cadets.

"N-No, it’s not like that..."

"Then why are you watching this erotic film together? It has to be that kind of thing!"

Upon hearing the phrase "erotic film," Mio froze. The two idiots continued to throw around vulgar terms at her without mercy.

"Shut up! Don’t say those disgusting things! Mio, these two are no good, let’s go..."

Panicking, I pulled Mio's hand and fled the scene. Their excited shouts chased us from behind, but we hurried away.

"Ugh, this is the worst... I ran into the most obnoxious pair."

Sitting next to each other, I glanced back to check if they were coming in. Mio, beside me, had a strained expression on her face.

"...."

"I’m sorry, I surprised you, didn’t I? They always talk about such vulgar things, and they know about you too..."

I realized I was still holding Mio's hand.

"Oh..."

I hurriedly released it. Mio looked down; her cheeks flushed. The sensation of her soft, slightly cold hand lingered on my palm.

"Sorry, did I hurt you?"

She shook her head without looking up.

"...I’m fine. Yeah... But, those two earlier... didn’t they say something weird? About some erotic whatever film...?"

When she glanced up at me with concern, the opening buzzer rang, and the room went dark. The audience quieted down, and the projector cast a bright blue light onto the screen.

"Well, since Cecil wanted to see it, it must be something that kids would enjoy. Those two just exaggerate everything, so it’ll be fine..."

Encouraging Mio, I turned my gaze to the screen, only to be confronted with provocative and bold imagery that I had never seen before, filled with challenges to social norms—something I had never encountered in the Akitsu Federation.

"......!!"

Blood vessels popped in Kiyoaki's eyes.

"......!!"

Beside him, Mio widened her jade-coloured eyes in shock.

The opening scene suddenly presented graphic depictions, which after delving into the characters' inner thoughts, escalated further in the middle, leaving both Kiyoaki and Mio in a bewildering situation they had never experienced before.

"W-What...?!"

Kiyoaki couldn't help but let out a voice in response to the spectacular imagery he was witnessing.

".... This... I can't take it!!"

Mio covered her bright red face with her hands and wouldn't look at the screen. The audience from St Vault seemed accustomed to such expressions, laughing and commenting loudly as they enjoyed popcorn, whistling and cheering at the scenes.

"...Cecil, why would you want to watch this?!"

Kiyoaki finally screamed. Beside him, Mio stood up from her seat.

"Let's go! This is a movie students shouldn't watch..."

Following Mio, who hurriedly kept her face down, Kiyoaki also dashed out as if escaping from a disaster, crossing in front of the audience and seeking refuge outside into the bright sunlight.

"I might have underestimated Cecil..."

Stirring his soda float with a straw, Kiyoaki reflected on the situation.

"Seriously, the people here have a different sense of humour. How can they laugh at something like that?"

Finally calming down from the embarrassment, Mio took a sip of her hot lemon tea.

In the middle of the wide, stone-paved street, deck tables and aluminium chairs were set up, with colourful umbrellas sprouting in the open café. Kiyoaki and Mio were trying to shake off the unsettling experience of the unhealthy movie in the open, cheerful environment of the café.

However, for the two who had grown up in a pure, strict environment, it was too much stimulation. Each time their eyes met while sitting across from each other, a strange awkwardness enveloped them, causing them to look down. The scenes they had just seen overlapped with Mio in front of him, leading Kiyoaki to despair over his own shamefulness.

—What am I thinking?

Kiyoaki clenched his right fist and thumped himself on the head.

"W-What...?"

Mio looked up in surprise.

"I just lost my focus, so I needed to pump myself up."

At the Kanan Officer Academy, he often got hit by senpais. Here, there was no one to hit him, so he had to do it himself.

Mio looked at Kiyoaki with a slightly exasperated expression before breaking into a smile.

"...Me too. I'll pump myself up."

She gently tapped her own fist against her temple.

"...Things aren't going well, are they?"

Then, to cover the awkwardness, she stuck out her tongue playfully. Kiyoaki returned a vague smile and searched for another topic.

Although they had known each other for a long time, it was their first experience going out alone, watching a movie together, and having tea like this. It felt different from being with the others.

A cold wind blew once. The street trees had already donned their winter attire. The sky was clear, resembling a pristine water tank, and high clouds drifted peacefully.

"It's already winter, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Time flies."

It's been more than three months since they arrived at Air Hunt Island. By April next year, they would be in their fourth year, and the following year they would graduate and head to the battlefield as candidate officers. Their time to live peacefully as students was not very long.

—Right now, a very precious time is slipping away in front of me.

Looking up at the drifting clouds, Kiyoaki suddenly felt a wave of sentimentality.

—A precious time that can never be reclaimed...

It's a common sentiment that many teenagers probably feel multiple times. However, for some reason, Kiyoaki's heart ached at that rather clichéd thought.

"I wonder what will happen to us after we graduate?"

He muttered that thought aloud.

"...Kiyoaki, you're joining the Akitsu Air Force, right? I'm going to the St Vault Navy."

Mio replied with a straightforward path. It was obvious, but since they had different nationalities, they would be joining different military forces after graduation.

"...It's lonely, isn't it? We just managed to get close to everyone, and now it's just me and Kagura who have to join different forces."

"...Kagura is feeling lonely too... But we have to repay the Akitsu Federation for sending us here with their taxes."

"...Yeah, I know..."

Kiyoaki nodded. Being able to study at the world's top military academy was thanks to the blood taxes of the Akitsu people. The impoverished Akitsu Federation was becoming a proper sovereign nation, and they were spending valuable money to allow him to attend. After graduation, he would have to repay everything he learned here as a soldier for the Akitsu Federation.

And that meant there was a possibility of encountering Illia, Mio, Reiner, Cecil, and Balthazar as enemies on the battlefield one day.

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

—Friendship is eternal.

That vow eerily brushed against the depths of his memory. They had unknowingly made a very cruel promise.

"This conversation is getting dark. It's a day off, after all. Let's talk about something brighter."

Perhaps sensing the same feeling, Mio said this in a cheerful voice to dispel the heavy atmosphere. She clapped her hands in front of her and smiled as if remembering something.

"That's right! Today, I finally got to try the rumoured Fairytale donuts!"

"Wait, really? They exist?!"

Kiyoaki asked again in surprise. Mio's smile brightened.

"We had a fierce competition for them, but I got half! They were so delicious! They smelled so much like eggs, were moist, and the sweetness was so refined..."

As she spoke, Mio's expression became dreamy. Kiyoaki felt envious.

"That's awesome. They say they just appear on the student council table early in the morning, right? I had no idea..."

The mysterious donuts that Cecil mentioned when they broke through enemy lines in the Eriadore airspace. The creator's identity was unknown, and they reportedly appeared on the student council table without any warning. Their flavour was said to be heavenly, and many claimed that the creator should be running a donut shop rather than being a soldier.

"They're surprisingly delicious, and they have cute drawings of bears, raccoons, and rabbits. I really don't understand why the person hides their identity. If they put that much effort into making them, they should be happy to let everyone see them eat them. What does it mean to sneakily make donuts at night and quietly leave them behind with animal drawings?"

"I don't know, but when something unpleasant happens, people have various ways of letting off steam. Maybe for that person, making donuts is a way to relieve stress."

"That's a bit odd, right? It's amazing that they can keep making donuts without anyone noticing. The animals they draw seem strangely angry, and that makes them oddly cute. I wonder who makes them..."

The conversation about the Fairytale donuts became the catalyst for light-hearted chatter between the two.

"Speaking of odd, I guess it's really Reiner. He always goes to the clubhouse on weekends. He doesn’t drink, but it seems like he's always hitting on girls. So today, I thought it was suspicious that he wanted to hang out with us."

"Why does he like girls so much? Isn't that a bit strange?"

On Air Hunt Island, there was a popular clubhouse among officer candidates, and on weekends, local girls came to try to catch the attention of "future candidates for commanders," hosting various parties. It seemed that Reiner went there every week, changing girls like clothes.

"He spends all his time having fun, but his grades are still decent. He always seems carefree, but He really is talented, Reiner. His results in mock aerial battles are better than mine..."

"You can't let Reiner beat you when you only have piloting skills to brag about! Even if you're not good at studying, you should be at least as good as Illia in mock aerial battles, right?"

"Yeah, that's true, but... Illia really is impressive. She's been trained since she was little. I think she has put in an incredible amount of effort."

"Yeah, she seems amazing. Kagura was feeling envious. She said that while she can beat Illia on the ground, she can't do it in the air."

Mio joked. In the girls' dormitory, the "Seven of Eriadore" were being treated with care, and Mio, Illia, Cecil, and Kagura lived together. Kiyoaki was curious about how Illia lived day-to-day and decided to ask.

"Cecil is always sticking around, so I'm just living normally. Lately, I've been talking to her a lot. We can’t really joke around, but she helps me with studying and practice."

"Wow... So, you communicate with girls, huh? It seems like guys can’t get close at all."

"It seems she really hates being seen as a girl. But at the same time, she doesn’t want to be treated like a guy. It’s a waste since she's so beautiful."

"Oh, but I learned from Illia. She said that not shooting when you should can't lead to victory, and I should think about why I'm shooting down enemy aircraft... Since then, I've been thinking about it. The words are simple, but when you start to think, it becomes quite a deep issue."

Kiyoaki found himself pondering that topic again.

"I think Illia has probably gone through the same issues. Maybe that's why she can see my shortcomings so clearly. The hesitation I feel when I pull the trigger is obvious even from the ground."

".........................."

"There’s a theory that women are more suited to being pilots than men, and it might actually be true. They’re calm, bold, and artistic. Their flying style is high and graceful. They fight like they’re dancing, and just looking up from the ground is mesmerizing..."

At that point, Kiyoaki finally noticed something was off with Mio.

It was too quiet. And there was a troubling light deep in her eyes. That was...

A chill ran down his spine. He realized he had made a mistake.

"Ah... I mean, she's an opponent I don't want to lose to..."

"Is that so?"

Her reply was noticeably sharp. The way she lowered her eyes and brought the tea cup to her lips suddenly felt distant.

"Uh, yeah... that’s right."

That's right. Ever since the Eriadore breakthrough, whenever Kiyoaki talked about Illia, Mio would inexplicably get angry. He thought that maybe she had let go of her anger after he successfully completed the night landing for her, but apparently, the embers were still smouldering.

He decided to change the subject. He had to talk about something that would make Mio happy.

"By the way, winter break is in a week. I’m looking forward to it. Are you going back home, Mio?"

After the abrupt topic change, Mio gave him a slightly suspicious look, then took a breath and spoke somewhat wistfully as she set down her cup.

"My dad got transferred to Crossnodal Island in October. He took my mom and my two younger brothers with him."

"Oh, really? That's a lot of transfers. Crossnodal is in the North Maris Sea, right?"

"Yeah. It's technically an independent country. I heard it keeps its distance from the Hydrabard Alliance, so it seems they haven't been caught up in any wars. I plan to spend winter break with my family in Crossnodal."

Mio's foster father was a diplomat, so they moved frequently. It seemed he was currently stationed far away in a small country northwest of Air Hunt Island. After losing her biological parents to war when she was young, Mio was taken in by her foster parents, and she truly cherishes her new family. The eight siblings were all children who had been picked up from around the world by her foster parents, and although they had no blood relation, they were reputed to be closer than a real family even when they were on Messus Island.

"Are your siblings doing well?"

"Yeah. My older brother and sister graduated and are traveling around the world. They’re all amazing. Sometimes I wonder if my dad only took in children with bright futures."

"The oldest is a businessman at a top trading company, the eldest daughter and the second son are bureaucrats, and the second daughter works at the Central Bank of St Vault, right? That’s impressive. It must be pressure for you, being the next in line."

"Yeah... But I want to repay my parents. The reason I can study here is because of my family. I think if I can do well in the St Vault Navy, they'll be happy."

"Yeah, you can do it, Mio. You have to make your family proud."

Kiyoaki encouraged her sincerely. His parents and older sister were already gone, and his hometown of Messus Island had also been taken by Urano, so he had no family waiting for him to return during winter break. So he felt a little envious of Mio.

"Are you... going to be okay? What about winter break?"

Noticing her concern, Mio asked worriedly, so Kiyoaki smiled.

"I'll stay here and study. There are others in the dorm who aren't going home, so I'll be fine. Maybe I can stretch my wings in the empty campus."

"...I see. I'll bring you a souvenir. Look forward to it."

Feeling the atmosphere getting darker again, Kiyoaki forced himself to find another topic to talk about.

He had a feeling that time alone with Mio wouldn't come by again, so he wanted to share a little more time like this. The topic didn’t really matter; what was important was that Mio was right in front of him, sharing the same moment. The initial awkwardness faded away, and Mio regained the straightforward expression he had known since childhood.

They talked endlessly about their practical training, instructors, and squad members... Enjoying the way Mio's eyes widened, her cheeks puffed, her carefree laughter, and how she lowered her lashes in thought, Kiyoaki lost track of time, and before he knew it, the shadow of the parasol had grown long across the pavement.

"Mio, aren’t you cold? Are you okay?"

"Not at all. Let’s keep talking."

The tomato-red sun was burning in the sky beyond Mio. The clouds drifting by were about to be dyed in the colours of night. This enjoyable time was coming to an end soon, and that thought made him feel very lonely.

Maybe Mio felt the same way; she suddenly turned serious and stared at Kiyoaki.

"About Illia's words from earlier... the question of why we shoot down enemy aircraft... I have a feeling I understand what she wants to say."

"Really? You think so...?"

"I'm not sure. But I think... if I watch you normally, I can kind of guess what she's talking about..."

"Wait, what do you mean about me?"

There might be something that women notice in each other. Kiyoaki eagerly asked.

"I don't know, but probably... you don’t really want to win by kicking others down, do you?"

That statement pierced deep into his heart.

"You’re not suited for competition. The moment you try to win against someone else, you start feeling bad about it. It’s impossible for someone like you to kill someone on the battlefield."

That hit hard. Mio’s words stabbed into him without mercy.

"But there’s something about you that stands out among others... This is going to sound cheesy, so please don’t laugh. If you promise not to laugh, I’ll tell you."

Suddenly being so serious made Kiyoaki respond while pulling the arrows of her words from his heart.

"Come on, just tell me. I won't laugh. I understand it's serious."

After a brief pause, Mio reflected Kiyoaki in her emerald eyes.

"I think the reason you can fight is... for others."

".........................."

"I can’t fight for myself. But for someone important, I’d fight tooth and nail... I think that’s the kind of person you are."

With that clear statement, Kiyoaki let out a soft groan.

Being told that to his face made him blush and feel embarrassed, but he knew it was true; there was indeed that side to him.

Immediately, he thought of that night landing. At that time, he had confronted Balthazar to save Mio. He had defied the captain's orders, insisting on landing to save Mio, ultimately putting the lives of the other five at risk to execute his plan.

Looking back calmly, he realized the horror of his own argument.

What Kiyoaki had essentially said was, "I want to save Mio, so you five bet your lives on my piloting skills." From Balthazar's perspective, such arrogance in a subordinate must have been hard to stomach. Though Balthazar reluctantly agreed to go along with Kiyoaki's insistence, swayed by Illia and Kagura’s support, Balthazar's gaze on Kiyoaki was still cold.

──At that moment, I just wanted to save Mio.

──And I shouldered the lives of the other five on my piloting skills...

──As if it were the most natural thing. Without a hint of doubt.

"Here’s a suggestion: next time before you fly, think of someone important, like your parents or your sister. Consider it a battle to protect that person. That might help you perform better."

Mio's suggestion sank straight to the depths of Kiyoaki's being. If that were the case, he might be able to shoot down the enemy. He had a feeling about that.

"…I understand. I don’t have anything to say to that. Yeah… I do think I have that side to me..."

As he hung his head, Mio smiled.

"That's a good thing. It’s part of who you are. It’s kind of cool and kind of pathetic at the same time, but that’s just you."

Mio's encouragement warmed his heart. Although he had lost his entire family, he was immensely grateful that Mio was right there with him.

The sky, unforgivingly, was losing its colour.

He wished the sunset would last for another two or three hours.

Looking up at the crimson sky, he suddenly spotted a shadow flying toward them.

"Hmm...?"

It was a bird.

Flapping its wings, it was approaching straight toward them. Kiyoaki recognized its flight and wing shape.

"Is that... could it be...?"

As he pointed, perhaps out of surprise, Mio's hair lifted slightly. Her eyes widened.

"Fio!!"

With a cry, Fio landed on Mio’s shoulder as if it were returning home.

"Ah, Fio! Fio!"

Almost in tears, Mio gently placed one hand on Fio and rubbed her cheek against it. The clever bird responded with a "Fi!" and accepted the affection with a completely natural expression.

"Fio, that’s amazing! You crossed the sea for three months just to see me!"

"Oh, Fio! Please don’t do this again!"

Tears streamed down Mio's cheeks. Fio, who had been pure white, was now dirty with a light gray from the long journey, with patches of feathers missing. It must have been a difficult journey for such a small bird to come here alone without any companions. But still, Fio wanted to see Mio.

"Fio, I’m sorry. I won’t leave you behind again. We’ll always be together..."

Mio apologized to Fio through her tears. Kiyoaki felt a warmth rising in his chest as well.

"Fio is amazing. No matter how far apart, you can find Mio’s location."

"Maybe because you were with her. Fio can find you too. We first met thanks to Fio..."

Mio ordered some walnut bread, tore it into small pieces with her hands, and fed it to Fio. Although the bird couldn’t possibly understand human emotions, its earnest pecking at the crumbs radiated a sense of relief as if it had returned home after a long journey.

"We'll always be together... always, Fio..."

Mio repeated those words several times as if to reassure Fio. The two of them and the one bird rejoiced in their reunion in a foreign land, far from their homeland, until darkness fell.