--The arena spectacle.

　The sound of rain hitting the high ceiling.

I'm going to take a break!

　The smiling girl noticed a young man who had come down to the entrance.
　Her keen sense of perception was that of a warrior strongly rooted in herself.

　Knowing this, I pretended not to know him at first.
　Now I was just a vendor, and had nothing to do with the man who came for a walk.

　However, this is not the case if our eyes meet.
　If we recognize each other, we wave to him as friends who have known each other for a while.

　The last customer had just left.

　I lowered the closed sign on the stall and took a step or two.
　The entrance where Futa waits is cool, just out of reach of the rain that blows in through the eaves.

　Gently tucking her damp black hair behind her ear, she smiled softly.

I'm sorry. I heard from Mr. Richter. Mr. Richter told me you were worried about me, but I'm fine!
"Oh, really? Well, as long as you're working hard at the store, you're fine.
Haha, you think so?

　The smile on her face was so weak that it didn't suit her at all. Futa lowered his eyebrows softly.

　Futa lowered his eyebrows softly, afraid to ask her straightforwardly what was wrong with the spear. However, he didn't have any skillful way to get something out of her.

　So...
　Do you think so?　You think so?

　I could only shake my head with a difficult expression.

I'm not sure about ....... I don't know why Prim is looking at me like that. It's hard to say.
"I see. ...... You're right. That's right.

　I don't know why Prim looks like that.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.

"You know. Do you remember the first time we met in King's Landing?
That first game you played?
"I don't know if it was your first time, Futa, but for me it was. My first game.

　She closes her eyes as if she's remembering, and I'm sure that behind her eyes, she's remembering that day.

　Spear and spear. The spears and spears ... the long spears fluttering in the air, their eyes clashing sharply.
　The Prim of that day, indeed.
　He had turned the heat of hatred on Futa.

...... is not really something you want to talk about with Prim with a smile.
Is that so?

　She tilted her head to the side.
　She looked up at the high ceiling.
　The sound of the rain was sinking in.

It was a misunderstanding.

　Misunderstanding. Futa remembers well what that word means.
　I won't forget. You can't forget.
　Regardless of the form it takes, Futa will probably carry the sin he committed for the rest of his life.

　The game at the Colosseum that day.
　It broke Prim's heart badly.

　The champion, who thought he was alone, had grown tired of fighting in the Colosseum. He taunted the fighting swordsmen and disappeared from the world of battle.

　That was unforgivable to Prim.
　She would use her own spear, her own skill. That they were worth fighting for.

　He wielded the spear with that single-mindedness, and arrived at the royal capital like this, only to find out after exchanging spears.
　I knew for the first time the loneliness that Futa had been harboring.

Ah!
I wonder what Futa would think about that.

　I wonder what Futa-kun would think.
　I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.
　There is no strong will, no feeling, no power in her eyes. She just stared listlessly at the sky leading up to the ceiling.

If you're asking me if we could have discussed this before I pointed the spear at you...
"...... that is.

　You can say, "That's just an excuse.
　But that's a kind of escape. The essence of the question she wants to ask is not to talk about the divergence of the past and to expand her vision of the future.

　She must be struggling with something right now in her own way.
　She's probably struggling with something in her own way right now, and is vaguely trying to dig out something from the past that she can use as a clue.
　The first thing you should do is to look at your eyes.

　I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on. I'm not sure what to make of this.



I don't understand .......

　For example, if Futa had been asked Prim's question head on. If someone who was not a stranger, but not really interested in him, had asked him a question because he wanted to hear it, would he have been able to respond politely?
　Even if it had been possible, would you have been able to set up such a place somewhere?

　The situation of the place, the situation of the time, and the situation of the people.
　All of these things are in flux, and the world can change drastically with just one wrong button.

　If you take one more step too late...
　Corona's head might have fallen that day.

　So, the more I think about it, the more the answer comes out as "I don't know".

　I just...

　The more I think about it, the more I don't know.

I'll get the answer next time. I'll give you an answer next time, but it may not matter then.
"Haha, thanks. If you don't know what it is, it's worth thinking about.

　I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's worth it.
　I'm not sure what to make of that.

"...... Mr. Richter told me. He told me.
What did he say?
"...... about the first round of the finals.

　It's a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web.

　First round of the finals.
　The game that Prim Lancaster entered as an honorable mention and was eliminated.
　I'm sure you don't want to remember that, but what was in her mind when she mentioned it so casually?

It was a horrible match, wasn't it, Futa, the commentator?　I'm sure you'll agree.
......
I thought I could beat ....... I thought I could beat him with a fighting sword. But it wasn't the sword he was fighting with. I'm not going to be able to do that. I've been wondering what I've been doing all this time. ...... I've been wondering what I've been doing all this time. ......

　I'm not sure what to do.
　In the event you're not sure what you're looking for, you'll be able to find a lot more information on the web.

　Futa still couldn't tell whether this was a good thing for her or not.
　The change in her appearance clearly showed that she was doing the best she could at the moment, and that she was probably doing the right thing as a salesperson.

　While he is dazzled by the fact that she is trying to do something with all her might, why can't he truly welcome her?
　In spite of Futa's worries, she continues.

But you know. When I'm feeling down like that, Richter-kun...
"What did Mr. Richter say to you?

　At that question, I noticed for the first time that Prim was looking squarely at Futa.
　The amethyst eyes of Futa reflected straight into his face.

　It's not hatred. Not disgust. Not even jealousy.

　What I see in her eyes is a little envy and - resignation.

"Futa defeated Aylan with his sword."
...... That's...
I was really shocked when I heard that.

　I thought I was going to cry.
　I thought I was going to cry.

　Futa was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say.

　That's true. Futa took on Arawn with his sword.

　And he won.
　That fact can't be overturned, and I don't want it to be.

　Now Futa can be proud of his victory.
　He can share his victory with the crowd and with the people he cares about.

　That's why the victory is not yours, and that's why you should be proud of it.

　Even if you feel like hiding that victory behind your back like this, in all modesty.

I didn't understand.

　So Prim continued.
　Huta's eyebrows lowered a little, unsure of what he meant for a moment.

　I didn't understand.

I didn't know what you were talking about. If we could have talked about it, it would have been different. ......
"Yeah, about that.
Yeah. I still don't get it.

　She kicked the ground with her toes in a boring manner, but without strength.
　The girl who innocently competed to see how far she could send the rocks around the place is gone now.

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.

　I don't know... I don't know..." A small, muttered soliloquy.

　The slightest hint of darkness that indicates her distress, but surely that "slight" is enough to close her thoughts and mind.

"...... There's so much I don't understand.

　What was wrong with that?
　No, what went wrong in the first place?


　Am I at fault? Can't I hate my opponent?

　--Isn't Futa's victory over Arawn simply a matter of skill?

　Disbelief in his skill as a warrior whispers.
　Dimly. Distrust of my own spear is growing.
　Come to think of it, since I came to King's Landing. I wonder if I've ever won a proper victory.

　I thought I'd grown stronger by being away from the Colosseum and experiencing so much. But this is the result.
　If we all stepped back from that tower of hot sand and became as strong as we are now, wouldn't we be at the end of our rope with our constant defeats?

　The energy that would normally be wielding the spear was stuck, as if it had been blocked from the source.

　Or maybe it was that day.

　It may have been sealed away with his breath.

　Oh, I see.
　Now I can't even breathe properly.

　--I know, but I can't help it.

So.

　I'm not sure what to do.

You can't do that if you don't talk about it. That's what Mr. Richter told me.
"You've been throwing away ......?
I don't know.

　I don't know." She shook her head emphatically and narrowed her eyes.
　She shook her head helplessly and narrowed her eyes. "I think back to that time with Richter.
　I think back to the time with Richter, when she didn't have the energy to get up out of bed.


Every man has his good points and his bad points, his non-negotiable points and his negotiable points. That's all I'm saying.
Are you saying we can understand each other if we talk?
I'm just saying it might. I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's worth it.

　He said that and turned away.

"Where are you going?
'Haha. Don't get ahead of yourself. You are not the only one who needs to be taken care of.


　You who deny Arawn are just like Arawn.

　These words pierced Prim's heart badly.

"For example. Yes, for example.

　Futa turned to her and said.

　Futa still didn't have an answer for Prim.
　I don't know if it would have worked out if we had talked the day we first met in King's Landing.
　But, yes. If Prim, who denies Aylin, is the same as Aylin...
　And if Richter had said that Huta had won...

　Futa thinks that this is not a question of merit.

"Let's say I was facing Arawn. I came at him with a fighting sword. ...... Yeah, I know. I was fighting him because I knew he was going to kill me.
............

　If there's a difference, it's probably that.

　Think back to the first round of the finals.
　Prim was defeated by Arawn, who took advantage of her unkillability.
　If it had been Huta, it was always a consideration that Aylan would have used such a move.

　That is, after all, the benefit of imitation.
　Futa knows his opponent's principles when he sees them. That's why he was moving accordingly.
　So maybe he was just a boring "sword fighter" with no conviction, Futa thought to himself.

　But it's not just a bad thing.
　Understanding your enemy is something that anyone can do, if the situation allows it.
　Maybe not at a glance, like Huta, but not impossible.

　Maybe that's what Richter was talking about.

　I wondered why he said something like "Huta beat Aylan" to rub salt in the wound, but I see.
　She was so depressed that she couldn't even get up out of bed, and now she's standing up like this.

　It's not that I don't like it," he said.


...... That's not a fighting sword.
I'm sure you're right. But it didn't matter to Aylan.
"......

　She clenched her fists and shivered, and Futa looked at her softly.
　I know how you feel.
　But I don't have the words to say.

　I am the one who defeated Aylan, and I know how she fights.
　But that doesn't mean that I can't tell you all about Aylan's history.
　It would be like forcing Prim to "feel sorry for Aylan" right now.

　In fact, she's the one who's suffering.

"That day...

　As if he couldn't bear to look at her, Futa muttered.
　I think back to the day I first faced Prim in King's Landing.

I don't know if it would have been resolved if we had talked.



　I just... I understand why Prim brought it up.
　Richter told her to understand the other person.
　That she took it as an honest "discussion" was very straightforward of her.

"I think there's a point to me talking to Prim like this."
"Meaning?"
I don't know if I can understand, if I can understand you. I'm not Lilac or Mr. Richter, so I can't tell the difference. Experience, knowledge, ...... beliefs... I'm sure there are many things that determine whether or not we can understand each other, but I don't know them. I don't know. But I can come to my own conclusions by talking about it. So I think there is a "meaning" to it.

　A process that Lilac and Richter may not need.
　It is a process that Lilac and Richter may not need, but oddly enough, it is also a process that Futa does not need in sword fighting.

　So it is strangely ambiguous.
　But he could have put his feelings into words.

　Dislike. I don't like it. Wrong.
　The "meaning" of talking to someone you've been brushing aside.

　I'm sure you can do this because you have time to spare.
　You can do it because you have nothing else to do.

　It's not a bad idea to make the most of your time, then, Futa thinks.

I've been in a lot of trouble with Prim.
What?
"You helped me find Corona, you pushed me. If there's anything I can do to help, I will.
Ha-ha-ha. Thanks.

　He smiled weakly.
　But only a little. Her eyes lit up again.

"Meaning?"
Sorry for the ambiguity.
"No. Mr. Richter doesn't really chew.

　I'll think about it.
　She smiled and turned away.

　I guess she has to work at the concession stand later today.
　I told her, "Good luck.


　Futa now has enough time to cheer for someone.

　But...

But...

　Futa couldn't hear his voice.
　The slightest movement of his lips, as if he was turning away and muttering...

"I'm not enjoying sword fighting anymore."