Night fell upon the open clearing beside the Koutetsujou.
Warm firelight dispelled the darkness, the festive atmosphere seemingly diluting the sorrow held in people's hearts. Faces bore genuine smiles as they gathered together, the innocent laughter of children drifting through the air from time to time.
"Honestly, my blade wasn't meant for this sort of thing..."
Kurusu Konochi wore a stiff expression, using his katana to cut the paper slips intended for making wishes.
"Takumi, thought of what you're going to wish for yet? It wouldn't happen to be wanting two wives, would it?"
"I—I'm not that pathetic! At the very least, I want three!"
Ikoma and Takumi, brothers-in-arms who faced life and death together, chatted with their arms around each other's shoulders. Their banter prompted Kajika, standing nearby, to cover her mouth and stifle a giggle.
"Which station do you plan to open your flower shop in?"
"If nothing goes wrong, I intend to settle in Kongoukaku. It's more crowded and lively there."
"Everyone from the Koutetsujou is going there too. It looks like we won't have to part ways after all! By the way, have you thought of a name for the shop?"
"Not yet. Mumei, do you want to help me come up with ideas?"
"Sure! Let me think..."
Mumei followed closely behind Misono Mika with a skip in her step, as if she rediscovered her childhood nature. She talked incessantly, constantly finding new topics.
Mika didn't find this annoying; on the contrary, she felt happy chatting back and forth with Mumei. She was actually quite a chatterbox herself. No one had taken the initiative to talk to her much lately, and she felt like she was nearly bursting from the silence.
At the center of the crowd, several stalks of sturdy, upright bamboo stood planted in the ground. These were for hanging the wish slips. Rumor had it that the higher a slip hung, the higher the probability of the wish coming true.
"Lady Mika, Mumei, let's make our wishes together."
Ayame Yomogawa handed over a brush and paper slips as she saw the two approach. Mika and Mumei took them.
Swept up by the relaxed atmosphere, Mika stole a glance at the laughing crowd. A pleasant smile spread across her face. They say laughter is contagious; it seemed that wasn't a lie.
Mika felt as though she finally found the scenery she always wanted to see. She wanted to see people set aside their prejudices and show genuine smiles.
Unfortunately, this was only temporary.
Perhaps only the legendary Eden could allow people to maintain such a happy state of mind indefinitely.
'Does an Eden that makes everyone happy truly exist?'
Mika believed it did, because she hoped the kind-hearted who endured suffering could ascend to heaven and find the happiness they couldn't obtain in life.
Against the backdrop of a cruel reality, those who were upright and kind often met poor ends. High-mindedness is the epitaph of the noble; despicability is the passport of the base.
"Kindness is rewarded with kindness, and evil with evil."
That was likely just empty talk. The reality was that bad people often lived very comfortable lives. Because of this, she hoped that in another world, souls who didn't receive their due rewards in reality could reach the eternal paradise, Eden.
"As for the wish..."
Mika snapped back from her thoughts and raised her brush to write her first wish in this world. Once she finished, the others also completed theirs.
Just then, a mischievous Mumei snatched a slip away from a guilty-looking Takumi. His suspicious behavior was simply too intriguing to ignore.
"Give—Give it back!"
"Don't be so stingy. In exchange, I'll let you see my wish too."
Mumei nimbly dodged Takumi's hands. After reading the words on the slip, her expression turned complicated. "Eh? Is this really your wish?"
"Mumei, what did Takumi write?" Ikoma walked over, curious.
Seeing this, Takumi gave up the struggle and took the initiative to state his wish aloud. "I hope to survive... everyone's wishes are pretty much the same right now anyway."
"What? I thought you'd write something bold, like 'I'm going to marry three wives in the future'." Mika chimed in.
"That—that... that was just a j-j-j-joke! Lady Mika, please don't take it seriously!"
Takumi's face flushed crimson instantly, and he gestured wildly as he tried to explain.
'It's over! I'm going to be seen as a frivolous guy!'
Mika looked at the panicked chubby boy. If she remembered correctly, in the original plot, Takumi was shot and killed by Amatori Biba while trying to block a fatal blow for Ikoma. It was a shame that someone who made such a wish would willingly give up his own life to save his friend.
This was perhaps true friendship.
"Don't panic, I'm not mocking you. I think wishes should be written with a grander direction. You have to take the long view. Want to see what I wrote?"
Once Mika saw everyone looking at her, she flipped her slip over. The characters were clearly visible in the firelight.
—Lead everyone to defeat all the Kabane!
Mika had her eye on the position of Shogun!
However, the onlookers didn't think that far. After a collective gasp, their faces filled with undisguised joy. This wasn't just a wish; it was a genuine reassurance! If Mika took the lead, what did they have to fear?
Ayame Yomogawa looked surprised, but then she held her own slip high and shouted, "My wish is to revitalize Aragane Station!"
The moment she said this, those nearby who felt a strong sense of belonging to Aragane Station laughed with profound relief. Ayame made the kind of statement expected of a leader, giving those who didn't know where to go a reason to expect and hope for the future.
With those two leading the way, the remaining people found new inspiration for their wishes. They picked up brushes again and scribbled away. As everyone hung their slips on the bamboo, brilliant fireworks rose into the distant night sky.
"Lady Mika, on behalf of all the survivors of Aragane Station, I express our gratitude for your constant protection!"
Ayame held out an exquisitely crafted dagger with both hands. It was inlaid with beautiful gemstones and looked incredibly valuable.
At this moment, almost everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up at Mika with grateful eyes. Clearly, Ayame had discussed this with everyone and secured their unanimous consent.
Mika froze for a second, then smiled happily, reaching out to accept the dagger. "I will treasure it."
'I killed people right in front of them and even threatened everyone. Can that really be forgiven so easily?'
Mika toyed with the dagger. The white wings behind her fluttered uncontrollably, the resulting breeze even blowing Ayame's long black hair.
Ayame's gaze reflexively shifted downward, lingering on those active wings. She couldn't help but think to herself.
'It seems Lady Mika really likes this gift. No, she's probably just very satisfied with our performance.'
The gift itself was only secondary.