*

You brought the money, didn't you?

　Yuka uttered those words as she stepped out onto Main Street.
　It's not meant to be a date, but it's a remarkably demotivating word.
　After all, I shouldn't have come to the Spirit Festival with Yuka.
　I want to leave now, but if I do, I'll piss him off.
　As I was thinking about what I should do, I remembered the conversation we had earlier.

　He asked me if I was a heroine in a galaxy game.

　The game - if I can get into the role, I think it will reduce my stress.
　What role should I play?
　An old man in a supportive relationship - no.
　If the guy I'm in a supportive relationship with acts like a yuka, I'll punch him in the face.
　Unfortunately, you'll have to play with your true self.

''I've brought it to you properly, so don't worry. Eat whatever you want.
The pause bothers me, but I will.

　Yuka looks out at the main street.
　There is no sign of carriages, perhaps because they are restricting traffic, and there are endless stalls lined up along the road.
　Normally, this time of day would be less popular, but there are a lot of people walking down the street.
　Children in particular are noticeable.
　Some children are accompanied by their parents, while others are with their friends.

'There are so many children,'
Yeah.
I'm not good with kids, you know?
I know.
You're not good with children, either.
Yeah.

　Makoto answered after quite a pause.
　You don't have to go out of your way to say that you're not good with children, but you can tell that much by looking at Yuka.
　That's the kind of nuance I meant, but he didn't seem to notice.

''Alright, I'll buy you some grilled sausages.''
Why do you have to be so superior to me?

　Mako went to the grilled sausage and ran into Fene.
　His brother Redd is with him.

'Not my brother?'
Oh, Fene. Are we done talking?
Just in case.

　Fene scratched her head in embarrassment.

'What happened?'
They're not going to live together.

　Mako turned her gaze to Ledo.

'I'm thinking of becoming a clergyman. I'll be living in an inn, and I just can't bring myself to live with my sister.'
Okay.

　Mako gave a small nod.
　If they had chosen to live apart for a purpose, Fene would have to admit it.

''You're giving up the house?''
I'm not giving up.
You're not going to live with us, are you?
I don't want to live with Ledo, but I think I'll have a family of my own sooner or later.

　Fene blushed in embarrassment.

'I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to buy a house for that moment, ssss.
You've decided to buy it?
'Yeah. I'll show you my dream house one day.

　Gulp, Fene clenched his fists.

'And if I have a home, I can get my family together.
Yeah.

　Fene bared her teeth and smiled.
　With a rib, she looks fierce, but with Fene, she's cute and mischievous.

'Hey, how much time do you spend buying sausages?
Hey, Miss. Good evening.

　Fene bows her head and Redd follows suit.
　His angle is somewhat shallow, probably because he's nervous about meeting her for the first time.
　Makoto walked up to the stall and approached the bearded owner.

''Give me four grilled sausages.''
12A.

　He hands me a coin and accepts a grilled sausage.

Here, eat.
Thank you.
I'll take it.
Thank you.

　When he offered the grilled sausage, Yuka and the others thanked him and accepted it.
　Makoto bit into the grilled sausage and looked at it lightly.
　The skin is crispy and the juices are pouring out.

'We're going to walk around a bit more.
Enjoy your time with your family.
Yes.

　Fene walked past Makoto's side and Redd stopped.

'Mako-san, take care of your sister, please.'
Yeah, you go for it.

　Redd tightened his grip on Makoto's hand and followed Fene.

'That's a handshake that's like please make your sister happy.
There you go again.
Because you're flagging things up all over the place.
You want me to take responsibility for raising the flag?
I didn't say that much.

　Mako and the others walked down the main street, eating grilled sausages.

''As we do this...''
I will kill you if you even think you're in love with her.
No.

　How self-conscious are they?
　I'd say, "You're in the right place.

How do you feel, then?
'It's a complicated feeling that I would have had kids as big as you if I'd been married.
You should be happy there!

　Yuka said as if she was miffed, but it didn't change her complicated mood.

'No, I used to say I loved my dad when I was little, and now I'm going to be like you. You can't blame me for feeling complicated.'
'I don't have a choice!　You should be more excited about your child's growth!
I can't.
Do it if you have to!

　Makoto looked at Yuka with a sideways glance.
　If they were related by blood, would he be able to honestly enjoy his daughter's growth even though she had become like this?
　I'm sorry, but I don't think I can be that personable.
　Mako tried to take a bite out of the grilled sausage and realized that there was only a skewer.
　When he looked next to her, his large chest was shaking.

'Yo, Mako.'
"...ribs.

　You've eaten my grilled sausage, and those words come up to my throat.

'You're drunk, aren't you?'
Just a little bit. Just a little bit.

　Liv said, emitting a strong odor of alcohol.

'There's a puppet show going on over there, let's go see it!
I'm not old enough...
Okay, let's go!

　Liv carried Mako up.

*

　Liv took me near the church.
　There were several long chairs and a large wooden frame at the end of it.
　The drapes - or would they be - were down, and the play didn't seem to have started yet.
　Liv has Mako sitting in the last chair and is talking to a man who appears to be a member of the theater company.
　He came back a few moments later with three disposable chopsticks.

'Here, syrup. Here, I bought you some syrup.
That's a piece of Showa-era storytelling.
Do you miss it?
That was a generation ago.

　Yuka took the syrup from Liv and sat down next to Makoto.

'How do you eat this?'
Knead it and eat it.

　Makoto kneaded the syrup with the disposable chopsticks and licked its surface.

'Be careful, you'll get your hands dirty if you don't do it well.
What a pain in the ass! I mean, what's the point in kneading it?

　You know what?　I replied, and as I was kneading the syrup, a loud bell rang out.
　The drapes opened and a pliant female voice could be heard.

''Well it's a story from once upon a time. There was a man in a place.

　A man's puppet appeared and the puppet show began.

　Once upon a time, there was a man.
　He was a shepherd who roamed the wilds with his sheep.
　One day the man came home from grazing to find his family murdered.
　His elderly parents, his soon-to-be-married sister and his mischievous younger brother had been brutally murdered.
　The man ran out.
　He ran, crying tears of blood and spitting out blood.
　He kept running, and before he knew it, he was no longer human.
　He kicked the earth with his four feet and followed the smell of his avenger with his superior sense of smell.
　The man had become a wolf.
　Driven by anger, the man killed one person after another.
　With each person he killed, his anger grew.
　Countless people were killed and three brave men and a priestess rose up.
　They overcame several trials and finally confronted the wolf.
　But the wolf was strong.
　Neither the weapons of the brave men nor their techniques could hurt the wolf.
　Even the spirit arts were blocked by the black light.
　At that time, when all plans were exhausted, a maiden stepped in front of the wolf--.

'Someone help me!　Kidnapper!

　The story was about to reach its climax when I heard a familiar voice.
　At the same time, his neck tingled.
　Makoto turned to see a man in black walking past, carrying Christine.

'Hey, Yuka?'

　When I call out to her, Yuka is watching the puppet show while kneading syrup.
　It's as if she can't hear Makoto's voice.

'Liv?'

　Liv didn't react in the same way as Yuka did.

'Hey, wait!'

　Mako threw down the syrup and stood up.
　Not wanting to involve the crowd, he moved to the middle of the street.

'Hey!'

　When I called out to him again, the man slowly turned around.
　His hair was cut short and he had several ear piercings in his ears.
　He was probably two heads taller than Makoto.
　His arms are thick and his chest plate is thick, as if he works out quite hard.
　The tattoo covering the right half of his face was the most eye-catching feature.

'Oh, Makoto!　Help!
It's been my intention all along.

　It was then that the man let out a loud sigh.

'Don't you get my skills?'
Skills?
'Yeah, it's an enhanced version of recognition inhibition. No one can recognize me when I'm using this skill.
"...what a cheat!

　Makoto spat out a little.
　The only skill that doesn't seem to be of much use to me is the one I have, and I can't explain it.

''That's invincible, isn't it?
Not really.

　The man gives a small laugh.

'If I move too hard, my skills get nullified. Perhaps moving puts us at odds.
Do I have to be so blabbermouth?
Yeah, there are other skills that would be useful. For example--

　When the man raised his right hand, jet-black flames erupted.
　A jet-black stake, which could be two meters long, was formed in the flames.

''My needle will pierce all things!
Materialize!

　The man threw a stake - a needle, according to him - and Mako materialized the fire.
　The excruciating pain hit his brain, but he knew he couldn't prevent it if he didn't materialize.
　Mako raised his arm and flicked the stake.
　A deafening sound echoed loudly and the stake pierced the wall of the church.

'What?　What the hell is going on?!
What the f*ck?

　Yuka and Liv stand up in surprise.

''Ha, your skills have been disabled!
Come on!

　The man turned himself around and Mako followed.

'The game ends here!'

　The man kicked the ground hard and leapt, and Mako tried to kick the ground as well.
　That's when a chill ran down his spine.

'Ignition (ignition)!　Maximum firepower!

　Jet-black flames enveloped Mako and a stake the size of a five-inch nail was released from the man's back.
　Mako swung his arm down, forming a wall of flames.
　But the stake broke through the wall of flames and stabbed into the ground.
　And when the flames cleared, the man and Christine were gone.

''Well you got away.

　Mako looked down at her right arm and shivered.
　This was because of the cracks in the armor that had easily penetrated the Skeleton Lord's body.