After the festival was over, the students from the other schools went back to their respective countries.
　It is the role of the host country to see them off to the gates.
　The students line up and wave to the carriage as it pulls away.

　I was saying goodbye to Iolada and the others.

'Thank you, Lacer Singh Stark, for your help. Thank you for helping Io.

　It was Canal who bowed his head.
　The blue hair of the blue elf swayed and sparkled in the sunlight.

'I thank you as well, Lacelle-kun. Thank you for helping out Canal.'

　Iolada also thanked him.
　They all bowed their heads together.

'I didn't do anything else to be thanked. I was just doing what people deserved to do about Iolada's case. I didn't mean to help Canal either. I was just competing.

　Hearing my words, for some reason, Iolada pouted.
　Beside her, Canal also fell on his face and shook his shoulders.

''Really, you're not being honest, are you?

　Hmm?　Is that right?
　I was just saying the honest words.
　Did he think I was hiding my embarrassment?
　It's not so simple.

"Sheila Singh Stark!

Yes!

　Suddenly, Sheila was struck by the emptiness when Canal called her name.
　I shuddered my shoulders in a jolt.

'I won't lose next time.'

...Yes. I won't lose either.

And....

　Canal suddenly became sullen.
　As if in some kind of distress, he now blushes.
　When he finally hid behind Iolada's shadow, he popped up like a forest spirit.
　When his partner prompted him, Canal confessed.

'Can I call you Sheila?'

"...what?　Oh, yes. Then can I call you Canal, too?

'Uh-huh!　Good!　It's soooo good!

So we're friends.

　He held out his hand from Sheila.
　The Demon Jewel Realm's Kirinji widened his eyes and gulped.
　His face shone and he grabbed the proffered hand.

''Yes!　Friends!

Nice to meet you, Canal.

Yeah. Nice to meet you!　Sheila!

Good for you, Canal.

　Iolada placed her hand on Canal's light blue head.
　She stroked it lightly, and a cheery voice replied, "Yes.

　I wasn't sure what she was happy about.
　But Sheila and Canal both look happy.
　I guess that's all right now.

　As I watched them chatting, a hand was held out to me.
　It is Iolada.
　She had a somewhat challenging look on her face.
　I took the offered hand in mine and Iolada pulled my arm back as it was.

　I couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you going to kiss me? I put my face so close to it that I thought it was a good idea.
　Sheila, who was watching beside me, said, "Heeee! I screamed.
　Iolada went on to whisper in my ear.

'I won't lose next time,'

Aren't you a third grader?

　You said the same thing to Lyna.
　Well, that's okay.
　For some reason, I feel like this man is doomed.
　Maybe one day I'll be in front of him again.

　That would be fun.

"That's all well and good, but whatever you hear at the after-party, please keep it to yourself.

'I know, wise man, I know, I know, I know.

　Finally, Iolada leaves.
　Rather, she was pulled away by Sheila.
　My sister, who came between me and Iolada, glares at the man who attacked my brother.

'Well, we're leaving then.'

Bye-bye!　Sheila.

　Iolada waved his back and Canal waved his hand away.
　In response, we kept waving, too.

　When we were out of sight, it was as if the sun had suddenly shaded off somehow.

''It's as if something has suddenly become lonely. These were people who fought with everything they had, but at the end of the day, it felt like we were family.'

　Indeed..........
　There's a lonely feeling inside me that resembles a sense of travel loneliness.
　Sheila was right, we did our best to fight.
　But there's no rancor, no hatred.
　There was a mutual admiration for each other.

　This is what warfare will look like 300 years from now.

　They were not fighting for their lives, but they were each fighting seriously.
　There seemed to be no difference between them.

　War in peace.

　That's how I see it now.


　It's not a bad thing.


"Lacelle!　Sheila!

　I heard a voice.
　Cecil is waving his hand.

'They're all going to have a post-event launch now!

　What's the after-party party?
　Isn't the after-party a launch pad?

　Well, I'm pretty sure we worked hard the night after.
　I guess they're going to have a launch once again.

'I'm sorry, Cecil. Me and Sheila will pass.

'What?　But, brother. I've been invited by all of you to join us.

Actually, I've got people waiting. It really has to be today.

Yeah. Okay, all right. I'll tell everyone!

I'm sorry.

　Cecil withdrew.
　He went out into the city with the other students.

"Brother, what do you mean by 'people'?"

I told you, Sheila. I'm gonna give you a treat.

　I was stroking Sheila's head.


　◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆


　Me and Sheila go back to our own house.
　My sister noticed right away.
　The lights were on in the house.
　I heard a noise and the shadows inside moved.

'Brother!　He's a crook!

　Sheila was alarmed.
　Gently, she opened the door.
　She crept to her feet and made her way to the living room.

　With a rush, she opened the door and her sister stepped in.

'Who are you!

'Aaaaaaahhhh!

　A man screams.
　Sheila, the "crook" as she called it, slumped to the ground.
　He had blonde hair and deep blue eyes.
　An old scar stretches from his right cheek to his throat.

"----

　Sheila gulped.
　Eventually, she screamed in a screaming voice.


　'Father!


　Luxor Singh Stark.
　In other words, our father was lying on his haunches.

'Hey, hey, Sheila. It's been a while.

How did you get here?

What, you didn't hear from Lacelle?　Lacelle called the king and got permission to summon me to King's Landing.

　Only a nobleman of marquis or higher can leave his domain without the king's permission.
　As a baron, Luxor needs the permission of the king or the country and the surrounding lords.
　I've heard that this is one of the measures to make the management of the fiefdom be taken seriously.

　I asked King Amst to summon father to the capital with the summons.

''Brother, why didn't you tell me this?

I wanted to surprise you.

Shit!　Tell me and I'll give you a more clean bill of health.

It's okay. You're pretty enough without makeup.

Oh, my brother!

　Poka popped me on the shoulder.
　Luxor pats his chest in relief as he watches his siblings play with each other.
　Then his face tightened.
　Kneeling on the floor, my father bows his head.

'I'm sorry, Sheila, and I hope you'll forgive my father for not appearing in your presence for nearly eight years.

Oh no..... It's not your father's fault. He couldn't leave the estate.

'Lacelle told me what happened. I was of no help to you when you were in pain. I'm sorry, Sheila.

　Luxor lowers his head.
　His shoulders shook, and a drop fell to the floor with a plop.
　It was my father's tears.

　Seeing Luxor's appearance, Sheila's eyes also burned.

'Indeed, for eight years, I have lived without anyone offering me a hand.

..........

'But, Father. Not now.

　Sheila gently put her hands on her father's cheeks.
　Looking at Luxol's face, which was a little older than it was eight years ago, her sister said.

''Still, I am so much happier now. I have my brother and my father. I've never been this happy in my life.''

　Sheila's face was filled with tears.
　Still, she tried her best to smile, trying to reassure her father.
　But the more he tried to smile, the more he tried to laugh, the more he sobbed.

　And the faster he broke down, the faster he broke down.

'Ooohhhhhhhh!

'Sheila!　Oh!　Good to see you!

　Father and son embrace.
　The rut of eight years has turned to tears.

　Drops.....

　Suddenly, I heard the sound of tears dripping.
　I look at my feet.
　Then a few more drops spread out on the floor.

　I hurriedly touch my cheek with my hand.
　My fingertips are wet and moist.
　That's when I realize for the first time that I'm crying.

　I realized that I was crying.

　I don't know what it is.
　This feeling.....
　It's not sadness, it's not happiness or fun.

　I can only say that this is what family is all about.

　Three hundred years ago, long before that, I didn't have a family to call a family.
　So I never had this feeling.
　It was just a strange feeling.

　Maybe I'm learning something important along with strength.

　I was crying quietly as I watched Luxor and Sheila embrace each other.