I followed Akio-san and his sister out of the room, leaving behind the family, having their emotional reunion, and the strange, fey maid Hyath. I’m still not sure what to make of her, though from the little we’ve talked… I think we have had quite simir experiences in the past. I guess that makes me feel close to her, at least a little. It was really amazing what one could get used to in time. Daddy had said things would get better for me, and even if he didn’t uand my struggles, he had tried to help, even if his advice had not always been the best.

  Eri-san has it hard too. But… it sounds like it could have been worse and the cruellest fate was avoided. Why… why are so many people… no, not just people, Yokai too, so eager to hurt others? As I pohis, we were approached by two people whuarding the outside of the hospital room, the rge, muscur ban Aliyah, and a tall, well-built western man. Travis, I think?

  “Not with your brother today?” Akio-san asked, and she snorted, pulling a face.

  “It isn’t like we are joi the damn hip, is it? Not like the pair of you.” she gestured to Aiko-san.

  “Hey, my bro and I are hardly like that.” She protested, and I couldn’t help but smile a little. I don’t have any siblings, but it must be nice having someone so close. Still, your words ck persuasion, I know.

  “Yeah, whatever.” She grumbled. “Well, as it happens, Trey and Manx are guarding the hospital rooms of the other casualties. It’s uhat something will happen until reinforts arrive from Tokyo, but shit, with the way things went down today, who say? Best to be alert.”

  “That’s right.” Akio-san agreed, a guilty expression on his face. “I appreciate it.”

  As Aliyah returned her agreement, I once more wo the straurn of events that had ed my life these past few months. We were all versing in English, and while my English was sidered pretty det, as I o know it for my job in the Finance Ministry, ever since I had accepted Akio-san’s offer to bee his Hero, I found that I could uand it fwlessly.

  “So anyway…” Aliyah’s expression hardened, causio take a step back. I guess I’m still a coward at heart, even though she ’t hurt me. After all, if she punched me, it’d just pass right through me. After all, I’m already dead.

  “I warned yht?” she said, her voice cold. “I’m your subordinate, so this might be out of line, but… what the fuck were you thinking, getting your fiancée all cut up like that? Shit, it was hideous. It’s a wonder her poor parents didn’t drop dead from the shock. She’s just a damn kid. I said this would happen if you kept being careless. Now… she’ll be crippled for life, at such a young age, but hell, she’s better off than the dead.”

  Travis looked rather nervous as she unched intry pints, but Akio-san merely aking it in, which seemed to annoy her more. Before she could escate though, Aiko-san butted in, not bag down.

  “Hey, that’s not fair! It’s our fault, we were the ones who…” she stopped as Akio-san gripped her shoulder, she turned, looking surprised, but at the expression on his face she quietened down.

  “No, Aliyah is right. I’m the leader, I carry the for my mistakes.” He took a deep breath. “I should have listened. I got tant. I’ve coasted by too many times on guts and luck, and this time it nearly ran out. Even so, in the end we were saved by another miracle.” He looked so… dowed. I hadn’t seen him like this, and it made me feel unfortable. After all, he was the one who saved me, defeated the monster Kondou Kazuo, ahe cve to his will. Although I guess the results of that weren’t as he hoped as well.

  “I’m gd you finally get it. But shit, looking all sad and gloomy won’t reverse what’s been done. Your pirlfriend…”

  “She’ll walk again. I’ll fix the scars too.” Akio-san said, his tone level, not rising ter. “Until I’ve dohat, I ’t rest. And from now on, I’ll be sure to weigh up the dangers before ag.”

  “Really? Reattat surgery isn’t great, not for injuries like that. You heal that well?” Aliyah asked, surprised.

  “I would say see for yourself, but Eri’s a bit self-scious about the scars where I re-joihe cut limbs. I ’t say I bme her.” Akio-san sighed guiltily. “I haven’t had time to do anything about them, nor her body. Even so, with rehab and care, she’ll make a full recovery in time. That doesn’t mean I don’t uand what nearly happehough.”

  “Good.” Aliyah said, a little thrown off by his unusually diffident attitude. I get it, I’m used to his ber-than-life presence, his wild cims. “It’s all right for you to get injured, or those of us in the business. We are old enough to make our own decisions, take our own risks. Though shit, try not to get too hurt, or It’ll only worry them. But… ses like this, kids being carried out, horribly maimed and dead. Shit, it’s Sierra Leone all ain. I never wao see that shit ever again…”

  “Well, I know my bro did his best. At least… at least the twins and the irl made it, right? And they be healed too.” Aiko-san said quietly, havihe horrible se herself, and having only retly recovered from her hysteria at Eri-san’s injuries.

  “Yeah, I guess I’ll praise you for that.” Aliyah ceded. “I get that you were rushed. When you let bigger idiots than you cause problems, sometimes there’s no good solutions.” She shrugged, her chest, which was a wonder, outg mine and every other woman’s around by quite some margin, jiggled under her suit, and her hair-beads chimed softly. “Look, shit, you’re the boss now. And I get there’s a ton I don’t ua. Even if you phing out, as soon as shit goes south, you never know what’ll happen. If pns worked all the time, you’d be in the US being interrogated right now.” She ughed bitterly. “It’ll happen again. People will get hurt, even die. Just… don’t be careless or stupid, and hopefully it’ll be those that were ready and willing to pay that price. That way, you’ll not have the weight of guilt on your sce, like you do now. These kids aren’t soldiers, not yet. Maybe when they are older…”

  Surprisingly enough, she’s giving genuine advice. Despite her looks and brash attitude, she might be a kind person at heart. It seemed Aiko-sahe same. “Yeah. I guess that makes sense. My bro always did take too mu himself, and was bad at saying no to girls. Hell, it’s how he ended up with Hinata-, Motoko- and Natsumi-.” Her smile was wan, but it was genuine, which was a relief. “The only thing I’ll disagree on is that Eri was willing to pay that price, and she’s young, but she’s no child. No more than I am. Our only mistake was believing we were strohan we are. I guess the power went to our heads. But I know… I know Eri will learn from this. Besides…” her smile was impish now. “… she’s already vinced uncle she o move to Tokyo for her healing and rehab, the sly minx. Trust Eri to seize any ce to get closer to my bro. ime… ime she’ll be ready.”

  “Really? Well… I guess I was already a veteran at her age, me and Trey both, though we did have a very different upbringing.” Aliyah sighed. “Well, so long as you realise. Overestimating your own skills, or uimating the enemy, both lead to more deaths than anything else.”

  “Hey, Aliyah…” Travis said, looking unfortable. “Is that all you want to say?”

  “No, I guess not.” She shrugged again. “Look… that kid, the ohat got out and alerted you to the shitstoing down… you did a good thing, saving his sisters. If they’d have died, I don’t think he’d have ever fiven himself. So…” she reached out and spped Akio-san on the shoulder. “… you made mistakes. Bad mistakes, don’t get me wrong. But at least be proud of that, okay?” she smiled, and it was surprisingly charming. “So anyway, you got shit to dht? So go on. We’ll hold down the fort here. And maybe I’ll ask yirl to show me when her scars are healed, just to check you aren’t bullshitting me.”

  Aiko-san ughed. “No way. You’re a dangerous woman, Aliyah-. Eri isn’t stupid enough to let you ogle her.”

  “We’ll see. Drop the - crap. I ain’t Japanese, and I’m hardly the cutesy sort.” Aliyah waved that off, a little embarrassed. ”Now go o lost.”

  Akio-san nodded, and with that we followed him to another room. Onside, we sat down, and there was silehis atmosphere, it’s… a bit grim. I had experience w in Gover, so I khat he was struggling to talk about something… problemati these circumstances, all I do is smile reassuringly. After all, it’d be rude to use my telepathy to find out. On spotting some facilities for making tea in the er of the room, I stood up and started making some.

  “Oh cool. I’ll have a cup.” Aiko-san said, reading the mood. She’s quite a personable girl, rather unlike Eri-san. Opposites attract, I guess. “So… spill, bro. I know when you have something on your mind.” She tinued.

  He looked at us for a moment, before addressing us. “This might be a bit unfair to you, Haru-san, as you’ve already found out what the Boundary is like, when Kondou Kazuo and I cshed. But even though I’m asking Aiko, the same applies to you, all right?”

  “This sounds serious.” Aiko-san said, though her expression told me she knew what he was getting at.

  “It is. Aiko, Eri nearly died. People did die. I know we are all aware of that, but even so… this isn’t a game. I still believe being strong is for the best, as Haru-san attest. But the danger is real. Very real. We nearly lost Eri. Maybe… well, I’m not saying you shouldn’t train, but I think taking you to the battlefield is too much of a risk.”

  “Really?” Aiko-san said as I handed her a mug of tea, before passing oo Akio-san, who took it with a small smile. “Look, you saw the state I was in. Yeah, I… I never really accepted the truth. After all, I only heard stories from Shaeu, Hyath and the others. The epic battles, the heroism… it all seemed cool, like in a manga, right?” She took a sip. “Hey, this is good! Well, anyway…” she tinued.

  Of course it’s good. A secretary always has to make good tea, otherwise they’ll never get ahead. Epic battles, heroism. I know there’s little of that to be found. Terror, violence, death. Even so… someone o be the oo take charge, fight to protect everyoherwise… only those who revel in using power will have it. And that is not a kind world, not at all…

  “… I’m scared. Of course I am. Scared Eri was going to die. That you’ll die, or Shaeu, or anyone else I care about. Look, I didn’t know the people from your training school in anything other than passing, but they were still acquaintances, so to have them die oer another… yeah, I’m shaken up, sick, scared. But…” she put dowea, stood and took her brother’s hands, surprising him. “… I’m more worried for you. I know you are too soft-hearted. It’s why you could never say no to Eri or me. You feel the guilt, don’t you? And there’s more. No hiding the truth from me, bro. Out with it.”

  “Yamato-san… he won’t wake up again. We had no choice but to leave him for the Night Parade. Saving Eri was my priority, and I had to choose. So I chose.”

  I see. That plicates things. Susanoo fa will be crippled, it seems most of their didates died too. But the fallout, as a lot of Akio-san’s support was Susanoo, like Hikawa-Kawagoe shrine… as I ran sarios in my head, Aiko-san persisted.

  “Yeah, well, I’d take Eri over him in a heartbeat. And I’m sure you did your best, bro. But… I said out with it. Tell me what you are really hiding.”

  “There’s no fooling you, is there, sis?” he managed, and she snorted, shaking her head.

  “Of course not. Eri and I have been watg your back as long as we remember. No matter what you say, I won’t be upset. Look… Eri will live, right? And sure, I’ll miss her while she’s doing her rehab with you, but knowing that she’ll be able to walk and move again, well, you’ll just have to make it up to her, the time she’ll lose. So, tell me. Why are we here? What’s up?”

  I… no, wait. He didn’t? I suddenly realised what it likely was. After all, when I frohat vile pervert who murdered me, we ran some experiments… moments ter, he firmed my suspis.

  “I cheated Nurarihyon, well, only teically.” He said, shog me. To think that Nurarihyon is real. I hardly believe it. “He took Yamato-san’s Astral body, and a curse means he ’t return to his Material o’s why we had so much trouble gettio safety. The same sort of deal.” He digressed. “Anyway… instead of ing straight back, Shaeu and I went to Kiyomizu-dera aroyed Yamato-san’s Territory…”

  “I was right then.” I said, and Akio-san nodded.

  “I knew you’d work it out. You’re a smart woman, Haru-san.”

  I felt a little happy at the pliment. As a career woman, being praised for my talents was the validation I wanted, and besides, ents on my appearance or anything else like that only brought up bad memories.

  “So, what, you made sure Nurarihyon missed out on the prize or something?” Aiko-san asked, puzzled. The way she tilts her head when thinking is pretty cute. I see why he dotes on her. She must be popur ba her hometown.

  “No.” I denied her. “He probably did it for…” I turned my attention to my master, Akio-san, uanding why he would be feeling such guilt. After all, if that monster is any indication, even if Nurarihyon somehow releases Uchida Yamato-san, he’ll likely bear the ill-effects of a forcible seizure… “You took it, didn’t you? His Divine Favour.”

  “I did.” He agreed. “We lost Mine-san, Naruhito-san, no way we could afford to lose a third.”

  “So, wait, what does that mean?” Aiko-san asked. “Wait, does it…” she realised.

  “Yes. Sis, I have his gift of Golden Warriors, though I ’t use it myself. I could break it down and strengthen myself, but that seems wasteful. I grow stronger in other ways.”

  “So, why tell me?” Aiko-san asked.

  “Because… we must be patible.” I answered, uanding. “It makes sense, after all, I’m already a didate from Kannon. Though for you to be…”

  Akio-san took a sip of tea, troubled. “It surprised me too. Apparently you are very patible, Haru-san and sidering what I’m asking you to do, be the bridge between Tokyo and Kyoto, holdiory in a dangerous pce, it might be prudent to make you stronger. Besides, it would be good to research what a sed Divine Favour does.”

  I see. “Well, if you set up a Gate like you have to the nds of the Fae, my strength isn’t so important, as reinforts be gathered quickly. Though I do uand the need for experiments. The Ministry will hat data….”

  “So, I’m patible too?” Aiko-san asked, surprised. “Really?”

  “Yes, really. I was surprised too.” Akio-san mused. “Though I don’t think your patibility is amazingly high with it. If it was some archer god like Artemis or Hou Yi, then I’d get it. It might have to do with you gaining the sunlight mutated element. Kiyomizu-dera is a very dense area of light element after all, and Haru-san’s gifts are light-based as well. I suspect that Ren-san likely has the affinity too, but…”

  “There’s no way you reveal what you have.” I decred, uanding. “Only you and I were present when you took the first Favour, so… it would seem predatory, or worse. A grieving father would hardly uand, so giving it to someone in Susanoo is impossible.”

  “What… what about Eri? She could use it to help her heal…” Aiko-san said thoughtfully.

  “Sadly she has no aptitude at all, even having a little light element. Well, Kannon is a Goddess of Mercy, and Eri… she’s ly the kind, fiving sort.” He shook his head.

  “Ouch. If she hears you think she’s mean and vengeful, there’ll be hell to pay!” Aiko-san tried to lighten the mood, her face twisting in flig emotions, disappoi and something else. “Though she does have that yahing going, for sure. And also, I guess a lot of people mistook her quiet nature for being polite and kind all these years, whereas really, she be quite nasty. Though she’s getting much better. She’s grown up, just like you, bro. She even has other friends now, though she might deny them. Damn, that’s a blow. If she had that power, she could be safer by your side…”

  “She could. But it isn’t an option. And I am limited in how long I search for a carrier, as I am stantly losing adherence, and I only have just about enough to give this to someone else. If I dey, breaking it down is the only option remaining.”

  “I get it. So… that’s why.” Aiko-san uood. “Damn, what a time to be offered this. If it was before tonight, I’d have accepted in a heartbeat, you know. I was always upset at falling behind Eri. Lovers’ Link sure is a dam. I was totally jealous, it was eating me up inside. So, if I could be special, like you, able to go as far as my skills and perseverance would take me… I’d have snatched your damn hand off.” She sighed, finishiea with a couple ulps. “But now, I know the reality. Death waits if we make a mistake, and it isn’t a fun game, it’s a genuine war at times. And you ’t afford to waste this on me, unless I’d be itted, putting it to proper use…”

  “Yes.” He agreed. “Also, if you take this, maybe that’ll be it. While we do o run experiments on granting sed Favours, it might be best to increase our numbers…”

  “Well, it isn’t like yoing to be swimming ihings, right bro?” she shrugged. “Not like some gift from Hachiman is going to fall into your p, is it?”

  “I guess not. I’m hoping this will be the st, but… it won’t be.” He seemed certain. I think we o know more about that.

  “So, here’s the thing.” Aiko-san said at st, after falling silent for a few minutes, deep in thought. “Haru-san, you know better than me, what do you think?”

  “Me?” I asked, surprised. “Well, I would be prepared to accept it, though not for the strengthening, I doubt I’ll ever be a fighter like Akio-san or Shaeu. But knowing the effects of a merger would be useful, definitely. But… I think you o ask yourself this. If you don’t take this now, would yret it iure?”

  “Regrets, huh?” she nodded. “That’s good advice, Haru-san. I guess adults know their stuff. Shit, if only I had time to think, but I don’t, right bro?”

  She be surprisingly foul-mouthed. Still, if you ’t swear in this situation, when you?

  “No, I’m afraid not. I’m sorry, it’s quite the burden to put on your shoulders, but… Aiko.” She flinched as he said her name so seriously. “You’re my sister. I believe you handle a little pressure. Besides, it isn’t a decision you have to make alone.”

  “Damn bro, way to give a girl a heart attack, getting all serious like that. But yeah. I’m not alone. Hey, Haru-san…” she addressed me. “… are you really okay with this? It’d match you perfectly, I guess.”

  “I’m fine.” I shook my head. “Like I said, I’m not a fighter. I’ll just maintain a Territory in Kyoto, but it’ll be your brother who ma. I’m just his Vassal and Chosen Hero. And for that I’m grateful. I’m not able to do what he , but that doesn’t mean I have no worth. We her talents too.”

  “Do what he , huh?” she pondered. “You know what, that’s also really great advice. Thanks again, Haru-.”

  “-? I’m a little old for that…” I began, but she cut me off.

  “No way. I tell, you should definitely be a - from now on. But again, thanks. That helped me make up my mind. Though mom and dad are going to be pissed off. Dad’s still furious about Eri. But then…” she met her brother’s eyes, blue looking into grey. “Eri lived, didn’t she? And she’ll be as good as new sooner or ter.”

  “Better than new.” Akio-san promised. “Even so, just because she came back this time, doesn’t mean I’ll always be able to protect you.” he warned.

  “I know. I think that’s for the best. That you face reality. Don’t get me wrong. You’ve alrotected us, for an unreliable big brother…” her smile was bright, as if a demon had been driven from her. “… you always were there when it mattered. But it isn’t for you to do everything alone. Nobody could ever hope to, not with something so big and dangerous. So… just do your best, and I’ll do my best too. Haru- will as well, right?”

  I nodded, matg her smile. “I’ve been through hell. Not literally, even though I’m already dead.” I lightehe mood with a joke. “But I know now I’d rather use what I’ve been given. Besides, yes, Akio-san is reliable. He saved firls, and mao salvage a Divine Favour, even if he made mistakes. Nobody who lives doesn’t mess up sometimes. And I know yrieving, guilty, Akio-san… but put that aside. You chose to lead us, and you are an important man. Many people, many women rely on you. There’s no time to be disced.”

  “She’s right, bro!” Aiko-san backed me up. “s. I’ll take this burden alongside you, and I’ll help you expin it to our parents. I’m an athlete, if I let fear make me miss my ce, I’ll never five myself. If something happens to anyone I care about, knowing I could have beeo help… well, I’m not having it. So yeah, shame it isn’t more to my strengths, but if I grow alongside the effort I put in… well, I might just catch you up, bro! After all, you’re the zy IT bum, whereas I’m a motivated sportswoman!”

  “I agree. This is for the best. But you’ll have to listen to your brother and support his goals, all right?” I warned her.

  “Yeah, you got it, Haru-! Damn, Eri is going to be jealous of me now. You o find her ooo… uh, bad thing to say, sidering, right?” she trailed off, mortified at her pse.

  “Yeah, no kidding.” He sighed. “sidering that would mean I’ve had to fight another didate. But if I ever do find one, of course she’d be wele to it. Hinata, Motoko and Natsumi too.”

  “Yeah, Shiro has one already, right?” she asked, and I had to admit I was curious about this mysterious girl too.

  “Yeah, in a way, definitely. So, st ce to back out?” he warned.

  “No way. I’m good for it! Let’s at least salvage something from the disaster, right? And don’t worry, I’ll keep it quiet until it’s safe to mention it.”

  “First, we should cross-reference her statistics before and after.” I said, reag for the tablet I carried with me everywhere nowadays.

  “I was just going to suggest the same.” Akio-san agreed. His Eye fred amber, and he dictated the stats of his very excited sister, her fear, if irely fotten, now submerged by the possibility of being able to do something about it.

  “So like, my Lovers’ Link skill has gone up?” Aiko-san said after we noted down her atistics. “Has my resolve won your heart, bro?”

  “Don’t be stupid, little sis sapphire.” He answered. “My skill grew stronger during the ret battles. So even if you didn’t go for this, well, you’d be able to get somewhat stronger.”

  “But it’s not going to make me strong enough, not if I want to really be a part of things, right?”

  “True. There are limits to easy growth. Whereas those with Divine Favours have more scope, though someone who works hard like you could probably surpass those didates who just rely on their gifts. Eventually.”

  “I don’t think she waually.” I interjected. “Aiko-san…”

  “Aiko-, I insist!” she objected, so with an exasperated smile, I ged my way of address. Seriously, it’s hard to stay depressed with such a cheerful girl about. Tonight was awful, but she’s right. If some good e of it…

  “Aiko- wants to help you now. And to be ho, she ’t do as bad a job as Uchida Yamato-san has…”

  “Uh, that praise seems a little lukewarm, Haru-.” She pined jovially. “I guess it’s true though.”

  “Well, here goes then. Last ce to back out.” Akio-san said, and at her resolve, he began to el aether, and something else, I could feel the heavy presence of it, and it felt familiar, resonating within me. Aiko- shuddered, sringing from her, and a rainbow glow shimmering with indigo and golden hues rippled over her.

  “Wow, this feels… odd. It should hurt, it feels like hot metal running through me, but it… kinda feels fortable, you know?”

  “Let me trate. This is hard work…” he muttered, and as we watched in silence, he tio i her with his Eye, maniputing the flows. There was one final brilliant glow, and then he slumped to his knees, exhausted.

  “Damn, I was too exhausted for difficult work like that. My head hurts like hell.”

  “No way. Wow, just wow. This is crazy. o! This is what you feel like all the time, Haru-, bro?” Her eyes were wide in wonder. “Damn, I get it. Golden Warriors, huh? I think…” she frowned, and moments ter a golden statue shimmered into being, wearing a frilly dress-style armour, and carrying a long two-handed axe. Wait, isn’t that… uh, okay. I felt a headache ing on myself, simir to Akio-san.

  “So, uh, why does it look like Eri? Uh… well, maybe because when I think of a fighting woman, it’s her nowadays? Well, the facial expression is quite different, but… yeah, I’ll work on it.” she muttered. “But hey…” she brightened up, addressing me. “Guess we are sisters in Kannon nht?” she dismissed the warrior, which popped into a shower of rapidly-fadiher. “Guess I o hide this for now. So, uh, bro. Hit me with the good news. How badass am I now?”

  “Impatient as ever, huh? Give me a moment. And it wasn’t as simple as I hoped, maybe because your chakra work is based on a Fae one, rather than human? I had to do some Chirurgery, and I was not ready for that.” He pined.

  “Oh, quit whining, bro. You love sacrifig to help out your adorable little sis. Sg points with me makes you ecstatic, I know. You get it, right Haru-?”

  “it seems so.” I hid a giggle behind my hand respectfully.

  “Yeah, yeah. Well, my troublesome little sister, here. I think… we’ll all be satisfied.”

  On hearing the numbers and his impressions I had to agree. This is very valuable data, and paring it to my own statistics, we see the areas we have to take into sideration.

  “Damn, bro, I’m badass! Though pared to you and Shaeu, I still suck.” Her mood swuweeion and disappoi. “Well, I’m on a par stats-wise with Eri now, I guess, and I’m much lower level, with better skills, so I’ll overtake her soon enough. She’s going to be jealous! That’ll teach her for stealing the mard moving to Tokyo! No level ht? I’m going to grind Nishimorioka until there’s nothi!”

  “Start making sense, please!” Akio-san chided her, though he had a happy and proud expression on his weary face.

  “I see. The important thing is, we see what ged.” I said, heading off their fortable bickering. “All your stats went up by at least a hundred. Some of that is likely due to the increase in the Silver Cord and Chakra work too. It seems a little low, really. Especially pared to him…” I hated to remember that bastard, just doing so made me feel sick, but when I did so I forced myself to remember his end, us tearing his cursed gift from him, leaving him a living corpse.

  “Yes, I think that while a lot of his blessing was focussed on his physical abilities, Aiko’s is going towards the Golden Warriors. If it’s anything like Yamato-san could do, each Warrior is definitely powerful.”

  “I see, so what does that mean?” Aiko asked.

  “I think that you’ll get less stats levelling up than perhaps might be expected from your Silver Cord and Chakra work. Though it should still exceed what you were getting before. But yolden Warriors skill should grow instead. Well, it’s just specution, but from what I could see with my Eye and during the rush job on the Chirurgery, that’s what I expect.”

  “I see. Well, isn’t that going to be a problem ter?” she asked, and I nodded, impressed at her insight. pared to Akio-san and the others, most likely. “After all, if I have crappy stats, it doesn’t matter how strong the Warriors are, I could be taken out before I use them properly.”

  “True. Well, I think we are going to o resort to further Chirurgery, your work has been thrown off a bit due to the Divine Favour, I’m sure it should be strohan it is now. If I grow more skilled, ces are we make further adjustments down the line…”

  As they discussed their future goals, I listened, amused. Yes, you tell they are brother and sister, they are quite alike. And… at least the shadow of grief and guilt on their faces is starting to fade. I knew well what it was to feel sorrowful, hopeless. I still sometimes felt panic rising up, bad memories, but time and the pany of those who cared could ease all wounds. Though for Akio-san, I fear worse is to e. Fag Uchida Ren-san… now that is going to be painful for him…