"Jin is missing."
A shockwave of grief rippled through Hourai Island.
A short time passed...
Pegasus 1 returned, bringing Reiko with it.
Reiko's state of distress was like nothing anyone had ever seen before. She hung her head, her voice failing her.
"Reiko-san, what happened?"
"Reiko-chan, tell us... what...?"
After being asked repeatedly, Reiko finally forced her heavy mouth open.
"WHEN... I RETURNED... FATHER... WAS ALREADY... GONE."
"What!?"
Reiko had entered Adriana Tierra’s laboratory while Jin waited inside Pegasus 1.
Then the eleventh space vibration had occurred. Concerned, Reiko went back to check on him, only to find Pegasus 1 exactly as she had left it—but Jin himself was nowhere to be found.
"IT IS... MY FAULT. I SHOULD NEVER... HAVE LEFT FATHER'S SIDE."
With those final words, Reiko fell into a deep silence and did not speak another word.
"It’s a lie! It’s a lie!!...Jin-nii would never just disappear without saying anything!!!"
Turning toward the shrill cry, the others saw Elsa being held tight by Mine.
"Elsa, calm down. It’s all right, it’s all right. Jin-san will surely..."
"..."
＊ ＊ ＊
"...How is Elsa?"
"Mine-san is with her."
Shortly after that, the entire Jin Family gathered and learned the truth of what had happened.
No one had the words to comfort the sobbing Elsa. They decided to leave her be for the time being, entrusting her care to her biological mother, Mine.
"Is Jin really gone? It has to be a lie, right?"
Marcia spoke, her voice filled with disbelief.
"Five hours have passed since then, but we haven't heard a thing..."
Reinhard answered weakly.
"Laojun is searching as hard as he can, too, but it seems he can't find a trace."
Hanna’s voice was thick with sorrow.
"If he were on Ars... no, if he were anywhere in this world, he would have been found by now."
Milowina had also wilted, looking completely drained of spirit.
"That boy... I always felt like he was living his life in a hurry..."
The words Martha murmured made her look as if she had aged ten years in a single moment. They pierced the hearts of everyone present.
"Perhaps he was rushing development because he had a premonition it would come to this..."
With tears in her eyes, Stearena spoke through a heavy sigh.
"The way he lived, as if he were racing against time... I'm sure..."
Vivienne's throat tightened, and she found she couldn't say any more.
"Stop it! Jin will definitely come back!"
"That's right! If it's Jin, I know he'll..."
Beena and Saki shouted, unable to endure the suffocating gloom.
"T-That's right! Jin-san will be fine! I'm sure of it!"
Lishia also tried to speak in a bright voice, though her words grew smaller toward the end.
Just then, Elsa arrived, supported by Mine.
"Elsa!"
"Elsa, are you feeling better?"
Elsa gave a silent, small nod.
Then, she spoke with strength despite her haggard face.
"...That man has made every impossible thing a reality. I will simply believe in him and wait."
"Y-You're right! Everyone, he'll definitely be okay!" Toa agreed.
"Yes, Jin-dono has always achieved what seemed impossible. All we can do is believe and wait," added Rodrigo.
"Because he's Jin, after all!" Goose said.
"Common sense only exists to be broken. Since he's the one who taught us that, I'm sure he'll return," Louis said.
"That's right. Because it's Jin, isn't it?"
"If it's Jin-sama, he'll be fine no matter what happens!"
Sion and Marikka also raised their voices. Even if it was just forced cheer, they felt it was better than the alternative.
"Everyone, thank you for coming today for my husband."
Elsa bowed to everyone.
The sun was already beginning to set on Hourai Island.
"I'll be fine, so..."
"Elsa-san, if anything happens, please let me know. I'll come at once."
"Thank you, Berche-san."
"...Well then, we'll head back for now."
"Mhm. Rai-nii, thank you."
"Mine-san is here, and Hanna and I will be here too, so everything will be all right."
Martha thumped her chest. She was clearly pushing herself, but no one had the heart to point it out.
"Well then, see you again."
"Goodnight."
"Take care."
One by one, the guests left Hourai Island, leaving only Mine, Martha, Hanna, Milowina, and Elsa behind.
"We should stay here tonight as well."
"That's a good idea, Grandma!"
They decided to stay the night on Hourai Island so they could be there the moment Jin returned or receive any word immediately.
＊ ＊ ＊
One day passed, then two. A week went by, then a month.
But no clue regarding Jin's whereabouts was found.
The space vibrations had also completely fallen silent. They no longer occurred at all.
It was as if Jin had taken the cause away with him.
"Elsa, you're looking well."
"Rai-nii, thank you."
Since the disappearance, members of the Jin Family had been taking turns visiting Elsa every day.
For now, there was no change in her condition, which allowed everyone to breathe a small sigh of relief.
Then, on May 10th, news reached the entire Jin Family that Beena had successfully given birth to a baby boy.
"Congratulations, Beena."
"Congratulations!"
"Congratulations!!"
Elsa finally allowed her expression to brighten that day as she offered her congratulations to Beena.
"...Thank you."
Beena was resting in bed with Louis standing by her side.
"Have you decided on a name?"
"Yeah. We're going to name him Reginald."
"Heh, that's a good name."
"Reggie-chan, welcome to the world."
With such joyful news, smiles finally returned to the faces of the gathered friends.
＊ ＊ ＊
"Ugh... sob..."
In the darkness of the night, Elsa lay alone under her futon, letting out muffled sobs.
"I've wished so many times that this was a dream. I thought that if it were a dream, I just wanted to wake up. But it isn't."
Elsa could vividly remember Jin's face on the day he said he would be back.
"...That man told a lie, just that once."
At that moment, just as she felt she was about to be crushed by despair.
Elsa felt a faint movement in her lower abdomen.
"...Eh?"
And then, it happened again.
"...Could it be... the baby?"
According to her knowledge, it was right around the time she should start feeling fetal movement.
"His... baby..."
Elsa gently pressed her hand to her stomach.
"The baby of me... and him."
Through her hand, a sense of warmth seemed to fill her heart and body.
"I... have to be strong..."
From that day on, Elsa stopped showing her tears.
She officially moved back to Kaina Village, into the house Jin had built specifically for her.
Edgar accompanied her.
Reiko and Laojun had not spoken a single word since that fateful day.
＊ ＊ ＊
Summer arrived.
Elsa's belly had grown noticeably large.
When she checked with magic, it appeared she was carrying twins. Perhaps because of that, the fetuses were growing a bit slowly, but no other abnormalities were found, and the pregnancy was progressing smoothly.
"Yes, you're doing well today too. Elsa, everything is perfectly fine."
"Sally-sensei, thank you very much."
"If anything happens, send Edgar to get me at once."
"I will."
Then, on August 17th, at the height of summer, the cries of infants echoed through Kaina Village.
"...!"
"Elsa, you did wonderfully."
Elsa successfully gave birth to twins.
They were fraternal twins, a boy and a girl.
They weighed 2500 grams and 2600 grams respectively.
Though a bit smaller than average, they were perfectly healthy. After their first bath, they soon began to nurse.
"Healthy little ones. Elsa, you did a great job."
Sally praised Elsa warmly.
"What are you going to name them?"
"..."
"How about Yuu and Mio?"
A voice spoke up suddenly.
"Reiko-chan?"
"Congratulations, Elsa-sama."
"Thank you....About those names just now?"
"I asked Father about it once before. He said that if it were a boy, he liked the name Yuu, and if it were a girl, he liked Mio."
Reiko shared that he had also mentioned names like Ryo, Sakura, and Misuzu.
"Thank you, Reiko-chan. In that case, I'll name them Yuu and Mio."
"I see. Yuu-chan, Mio-chan, my name is Reiko. I look forward to being with you from now on."
"Reiko-chan, newborn babies don't understand anything yet."
"Is that so? I did not know that."
A cool breeze blew through Kaina Village.
It was a beautiful sunset sky, as if announcing the end of summer.