The Reibu Festival had ended, and the city had finally regained its tranquility.
The echoes of drums and flutes, once so lively, had faded into the night like distant memories. Only the soft glow of the streetlamps remained, casting a quiet light over the lingering remnants of the celebration.
I was cooling off in the night breeze on the veranda of the ryokan Nagisa had arranged for us. I’d just stepped out of the bath when I felt a presence approaching.
"What are you doing?" Luna asked, sitting down beside me while drying her damp hair with a towel.
"Just catching the breeze. I wanted a moment to clear my head."
"I understand. Things have been... turbulent, to say the least." Luna let out a quiet, weary sigh.
The situation had developed far differently than we’d anticipated, but we had achieved our primary goal: Kyokutou was back in our hands. However, remnants of the Cult likely still lurked within the country. We would need to smoke them out.
At the same time, we could finally begin our investigation into the Phoenix Shrine—and the Principles of Magic—starting tomorrow.
Looking back, it was only thanks to everyone that I’d made it this far. I could never have reached this point alone.
"It feels like it’s been such a long journey, yet it passed by in the blink of an eye," I mused.
"It really does. We were still working as Explorers in Tsutrail only a few months ago, and yet we’ve come so far."
"This past year in particular has been intense. So much has happened. There were plenty of hardships, but I encountered even more kindness than I ever expected."
"Me too. If you hadn't saved me, Master Orun, I wouldn't be standing here today. Thank you. Truly."
"...That was sudden. But if we're sharing thanks, I’m the one who’s grateful you’re here. Honestly, I think the only reason Titania helped us That Day was because of the bond you’d built with her—"
The moment the name left my lips, Luna’s hands froze.
Even in the moonlight, I could see her fingers go rigid against the towel.
"...Luna?"
I turned to her, puzzled, only to find her staring back with a blank expression. It was as if my words made no sense to her—as if I’d just spoken a name she’d never heard before.
"Um... Master Orun?"
"...What’s wrong?" My voice trembled without my permission.
Luna slowly tilted her head.
"—Who is Titania?"
The moment the question reached my ears, I felt something inside my mind begin to crumble.
No... there was no way.
And yet, Luna had undoubtedly uttered that name with genuine, heartfelt confusion.
The summer breeze suddenly felt deathly cold—.
Thank you for reading to the end of the chapter!
This concludes Chapter Nine.
I am planning to begin posting Chapter Ten on October 24th. There is a possibility it might be moved forward, but it won’t be delayed any later than that, so I would appreciate your patience in the meantime.
I also have an announcement!
As of today (September 19th), the Audible version of the second volume of the light novel has been released! I’d be delighted if you could check it out.
Link: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0F2T7Q7BP
What follows is a brief afterword.
Once again, thank you for following the story this far!
How did you find Chapter Nine? Personally, I felt that because I focused on tightening the narrative and moving the plot forward, the chapter ended much sooner than I had expected (haha).
There are still many stories I want to tell set in Kyokutou, so I hope to weave them into Chapter Ten and beyond. For example, a relaxed episode at an open-air bath.
As you might have guessed from the cliffhanger, I intend for Luna to be the main focus of Chapter Ten! I’ve tried to put her center stage several times before, but the spotlight always seemed to shift to other characters before I knew it. This time, I really want to focus on her and see her story through to the end! (Or at least, I hope I can...)
Besides Luna, I’m also looking forward to writing about the fairy tale era and catching up with Sophia and Selma, so please stay tuned.
One final, serious note:
The words and philosophies expressed by the characters are strictly their own values. They do not reflect my personal thoughts or beliefs as an author, nor are they intended to promote any specific ideology.
Thank you for your understanding.