"...Okay, let the game begin."

As she said this, Yue jumped out of the window, and the next moment, her figure disappeared into the night.

"Damn it, I'm definitely going to catch you!"

"Hehe, I won't lose!"

After the two of them shouted loudly, Kaori spread her silver wings and Tio grew dragon wings, and the two of them suddenly flew out of the window.

They both turned around at the same time. Kaori had a complicated expression, as if saying, "There's really nothing I can do." Tio blinked, then immediately chased after Yue.

"How should I put it, Shia is truly loved by everyone."

"I'm very proud to be a father."

Hajime and Cam smiled at each other.

Then, under the guidance of Kamu, Hajime walked out of the city and headed deep into the sea of ​​trees - the former settlement of the Hauriya tribe.

Under the big tree, you can see the tangled roots and a young girl standing under the tree.

She did nothing but stare at the big tree in front of her.

The atmosphere around her gives people a very quiet and steady feeling, which is completely different from her usual innocent and happy image.

With her pale blue hair and a profile full of tranquility and love, she looks both mysterious and beautiful. Anyone who strays into the forest and sees her will surely be captivated by her.

A figure walked towards the girl, Xia. Perhaps not wanting to ruin the mysterious atmosphere, his steps were quiet and gentle.

"Mr. Hajime."

"oh."

Xia didn't seem surprised. She called the man's name with a smile on her face.

Hajime stood quietly beside Shia, as if cuddling with her.

For a long time, neither Hajime nor Shia said a word, but just stood there quietly gazing at the tree before them.

Finally, Shia spoke.

"Did your father come to see you?"

"Yes, but he left soon."

"Hehe, father is smart too."

Yes, Kam had sought Hajime out to take him to Shia. And perhaps out of a father's affection for his daughter, he'd hoped to give Hajime and Shia some time alone, if possible. Light, realizing Kam's intentions, deliberately teased Kaori and Tio in a playful manner, creating a moment for Hajime and Shia to be alone.

But seeing Kaori and Tio's reactions when they left, they must have known what was going on and gave Shia the time they spent with Hajime.

"Is that your mother?"

"Yes, my mother is buried under this tree."

In the Sea of ​​Trees, the dead are buried beneath trees to allow them to return to nature. The body and soul, having concluded their earthly mission, become one with nature, nourishing the sea of ​​trees and its inhabitants. New life is then born, and this cycle of life is revered by the demihumans. Trees serve as tombstones and symbols of the deceased.

"—I once wanted to be a hero."

"Um?"

Shiya's sudden words left Shiya completely bewildered. Shiya stared at the tree and continued:

"—I once wanted to be someone who could protect my family. Not just by running away and hiding, but by being a hero who could fight against all enemies who tried to take away those who were important to me, and protect all those who were important to me."

"..."

"These are the words of my mother, a woman whose eyes and heart are like a blazing fire."

Her mother was of the weakest race and was frail and sickly. She was a woman with the weakest body but the strongest heart—Mona Hauriya.

This was the name of Xia's beloved mother.

"...That's why I gave birth to you."

"!whee."

Shia suddenly turned around and looked at Hajime, as if she had suddenly realized something. Hajime was looking at the tombstone with a look of clear respect.

——I hope the child born will be a strong child.

In the past, her mother told Xia that she had made such a wish.

Just as she wished, Xia has a strong body and indeed inherited her mother's inner strength.

Seeing that her lover recognized her, a shy smile naturally appeared on Xia's face.

Shia's cheeks flushed as she looked up at the tree that stood in for the tombstone. With mixed feelings, she spoke to her deceased mother:

"Mother, what you told me is true. Although the world is very harsh, it can also be very gentle. I have found that person. Let me introduce you to Mr. Nagumo Hajime—a person who is important to me."

In the past, Mona once said that the person who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Xia must be in the outside world, and they would definitely have a wonderful encounter.

Even though she doesn't have the ability to see the future, Mona's predictions are always accurate.

Even now, Shia still feels inferior to her mother. Will she ever be able to become a woman as beautiful, elegant, and strong as her mother? Achieving such a goal seems quite difficult.

But even so, she was closer to her mother in some ways.

"My father, the Hauriya clan, and I—we became heroes."

If Mona were still alive, what would her expression be? Would those fiery eyes sparkle with even greater excitement? Or would she offer a sheepish smile, hoping they wouldn't do anything dangerous?

Thinking of her mother in the past, Xia narrowed her eyes, and then——

"Thanks you."

"Eh? Hajime-san?"

Hearing the sudden words, Xia looked towards Shiji, but saw that Shiji's eyes were fixed on the big tree of Mona, so she knew that the words were not spoken to Xia, but to Mona.

"I climbed out of the abyss, determined to make the world my enemy, and embarked on a journey together. I'm sure we could have overcome all obstacles even if it had always been just the two of us... but I'm sure it wouldn't be as happy as it is now. The richness of Yue and I's journey, our hearts, and our lifestyle is undoubtedly due to your daughter."

“Hajime-san…”

Shia was speechless. Hajime smiled faintly and once again expressed his gratitude to the mother of his beloved girl.

"Thank you for giving birth to Shia."

Shia looked up at the sky, because if she didn't, she wouldn't be able to hold back the tears in her eyes.

The two of them spent a peaceful and warm time under the big tree of Mona. Even the pure white fog that tempted people to lose their way now seemed to be gently enveloping them.

The comfortable silence ended once again with Shia's words.

“Um… Hajime-san.”

"Um?"

"Thank you. You've done so much for me. I can't express my gratitude enough... Thank you so much."

Save the clan, take her on a journey, fulfill her wishes, and become the enemy of the country.

They guarded each other's backs, entrusted their lives to each other, and shared life and death together. This was how much Hajime trusted Shia.

Then we spent this time together in front of our mother.

Shia's words filled with gratitude made Hajime look away in embarrassment.

"...Yes, thank me now. I'm also looking forward to your performance when we conquer the remaining large dungeons."

"Hehe, normally, you should say 'You're welcome' at this point, right?"

Hearing what Hajime said, Shia smiled softly, but immediately looked at Hajime with a troubled expression.

"What can I do to repay Hajime-san?"

"If you wanted to thank me, you already did, right?"

“That’s just a verbal thank you. I want to repay you in a more tangible way. Hajime-san, what can I do to please you? …If you just ask, anything is fine. Truly anything is fine…”

Shia wiggled her rabbit ears and pressed her body against Hajime.

She stood beside Hajime, gazing at him with a tender gaze, her breath so hot it seemed to burn him. Although Hajime was fully aware of what Shia was saying, he did not respond. Instead, he said with a wry smile:

"... All you have to do is laugh without thinking. You are our happy pill, right?"

"What? You're calling me stupid?! You told me I was important to you right in front of the Emperor, hugging me tight! Right now, you should be saying, 'Repay me with your body, hehehe,' and then lunging at me! Please read my expression!"

"It seems I need to have a good discussion with you about what kind of image I have in your mind."

"A coward named infatuation."

"Isn't it better to describe it as infatuation?"

Shia puffed her cheeks to express her dissatisfaction, but immediately became dejected, and her rabbit ears drooped as if they had lost their strength.

"...All kidding aside, I really want to repay you. Ever since I met Hajime-san and Yue-san, I've been receiving your kindness. Hajime-san and Yue-san both told me to just keep smiling, but my smile comes naturally because I feel happy being with you two, so it's not really a repayment at all."

"Didn't I just say that? I've also benefited from you, and I can say that I've benefited a lot."

"Well, I can't let it go. I'm not talking about repaying you in that way. I hope to repay Mr. Hajime and Miss Yue in a more tangible way... Although I've thought about it for a long time, I still can't think of a way. Mr. Hajime said he doesn't want my body anymore... He hugged me and said I was important, but he doesn't want my body..."

“Stop being so awkward…”

Seeing Shia's temper, Hajime seemed embarrassed. Even though she said she wanted to repay him, Hajime felt that it was enough. Shia, despite her tears, still desperately followed them, not leaving Hajime and Yue alone, so it was Hajime who was grateful.

But for Shia, she would feel bad if she didn't repay Hajime.

"If Hajime-san falls in love with me, then you won't have to work so hard. I will serve you well... Alas, there's nothing I can do. I can only repay you by working harder during this journey."

"Yeah?"

Shia shrugged, while Hajime gave a wry smile.

At this moment, Shia looked up at the sky and saw a light appear in the fog above.

That is a phenomenon that occurs when a part of the fog becomes thinner by chance, and the moisture in the air is refracted by the moonlight.

"Mr. Hajime, Mr. Hajime. Could you please come with me for a moment?"

"Hmm? Okay."

Shia flapped her rabbit ears and happily began to climb the tree. Hajime followed nimbly, stepping on the tree holes and branches.

They arrived near the top of Mona's tree. Normally, the branches near the top of a tree would be thinner, but there, the branches were tangled together in a complex way, forming a very comfortable area for sitting.

"We buried our mother here because this was her favorite place."

"I see. This seems to be a secret base."

Hajime and Shia sat side by side on a thick branch at the top of the tree that was large enough to accommodate both of them.

"Look, Hajime-san, you can see a rare sight from here!"

"...Oh? Oh, this scenery... is truly dreamy."

The mist thinned considerably as it flowed, revealing a vast sea of ​​clouds. The fog barely reached the height of Hajime and Shia, while above that, the sky was clear and fog-free.

The moonlight shines on the sea of ​​fog, flickering and presenting a dreamy scene.

The scene could be described as a pure white sea strewn with gemstones.

"This is a very rare phenomenon, a treasure for my mother. We are so lucky to be able to see this beautiful sight at this time."

"Your mother is really thoughtful."

The mother must have brought her here to reward her daughter for her hard work. Hearing what Hajime said, Shia's bunny ears twitched, looking a bit coy.

The two looked out at the dazzling sea of ​​fog.

Hajime quickly glanced at Shia. Shia's hair, too, reflected the moonlight, its pale blue-white hair gleaming as it blew in the wind. Gazing at her profile, Hajime suddenly remembered the time he'd embraced Yue and Shia in front of Gaharud.

To be honest, it was almost an unconscious action. When he came to his senses, he had already hugged the two of them in his arms.

Hajime could say that Yue was still the only one special to him—that was beyond doubt. But even if it was an unconscious action, the reason he embraced Shia was...

Thinking of this, he began to smile at himself.

Because he felt that he was really selfish.

He claimed that no one could compare to Yue, yet he harbored a desire to possess Shia. He was truly selfish. It seemed that Shia had, without realizing it, become incredibly important to him. At least important enough that Hajime would hold her in his arms, just as he did with Yue, subconsciously refusing to let go.

While Hajime's feelings for others probably weren't as strong as his for Yue, he could no longer conceal his feelings for Shia. Now that he was aware of them, he couldn't ignore them. A sudden thought struck him: Should he show some respect to the girl who was desperately following them?

“Um, um, Hajime-san? What’s wrong? I’m embarrassed when you stare at me like that…”

When Hajime came to his senses, he noticed that Shia's cheeks were flushed and she was shy and coy. Her rabbit ears also seemed to be saying, "Ugh~ Why are you staring at me~" and were sometimes drooping and sometimes moving towards Hajime.

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