After we finished bathing, Isis-san and I stepped out of the bathhouse and sat together on small chairs I had arranged in front of the campfire-style heater by the tent.
I pulled out a mini-burner magic tool, set up a small pot, and poured in some of the instant soup sold by Kuro’s Trading Company to warm it through. Technically, the soup stays warm inside the package from the moment it's opened, so heating it over the fire was mostly for the sake of the atmosphere.
After a few minutes, I poured the soup into mugs and handed one to her.
"Here you go."
"...Thank you... Kuromueina... thinks of... so many interesting... things."
"That’s for sure. Coming up with the ideas is one thing, but actually being able to manufacture them is the part that really impresses me."
I sipped the soup and looked up at the stars. It was something I had always wanted to do—the simple act of nursing a hot mug while gazing at a clear night sky was an experience I had long admired.
I stole a glance at the woman beside me. Isis-san was clutching her mug with both hands; when she noticed me watching, she offered a sweet, lovely smile. It was a truly heart-warming sight.
We sat there for a while, engaging in idle chatter while lightly sipping our drinks.
"So, Vul and Spica-san get along well, do they?"
"...Yes... they seem to be... kindred spirits... and are often together... Iris is usually... with Polaris."
"I see. By the way, how are Sirius-san and Rasal-san doing?"
"...Those two... fight often... but... I believe... they are actually... very close."
"The 'closer you are, the more you bicker' type of relationship, then?"
"...Yes... they acknowledge each other... but they just... can’t be honest with their feelings... something like that."
"I see."
It sounded like their dynamic might be similar to the one between Chronoa-san and Ein-san. They were rivals who bickered constantly, yet they knew each other better than anyone else, and they remained on good terms despite their friction.
Still, Isis-san’s circle had certainly become lively in the blink of an eye. It felt as if Iris-san had only just joined her, yet now subordinates seemed to be gathering one after another as if drawn together by some invisible thread. Moreover, they all seemed to have great chemistry; they generally moved as a group and got along well, which clearly made Isis-san very happy.
"I don't know, it’s just a hunch, but I feel like your home is going to keep getting more crowded and even livelier from here on out, Isis-san."
"...Is that so... if it does... I would be happy."
"Come to think of it, didn't you mention that you made a flower garden recently?"
"...Yes... a garden of Blue Crystal Flowers... it is very beautiful... so I want... Kaito... to come see it too."
"I’d definitely love to. The Blue Crystal Flower is a very special flower to me as well, so I'm really looking forward to visiting."
Under normal circumstances, Blue Crystal Flowers don't grow in clusters—their blooming is usually erratic and unpredictable—but as the spirit of the flower itself, Spica-san could apparently make them blossom whenever she pleased. She had used that ability to create a massive garden.
The sight of Blue Crystal Flowers blooming as far as the eye could see must be truly magnificent. Given how rare they were elsewhere, it would likely be a one-of-a-kind location in the entire world. Perhaps it would eventually become a tourist attraction for the Land of Death. Or rather, by the time that happened, the land might no longer be called that, and the area itself would be known by a different name entirely.
"I’m looking forward to seeing how things change from here."
"...Yes... until I met Kaito... I never thought... that I would look forward to... the future."
"Was that because of the Magic Power of Death?"
"...I had not... given up hope... but... I did not think of it as something to look forward to... thinking about the future always made me anxious... and only dark thoughts... would come to mind."
Having said that, Isis-san paused for a moment. She turned toward me, gave a soft smile, and then continued.
"...But... after meeting Kaito... after falling in love with Kaito... now... the future... the things to come... are so exciting... that just thinking about them... makes me smile... it is all... thanks to Kaito."
"It’s because you never gave up hope yourself, Isis-san."
"...Even so... the one who... took hold of that hope... and took my hand... was Kaito... so, thank you."
In the past, her future had held nothing but anxiety. Looking back, even when we first met, she had tended to look down, and her expression had been that of someone who had almost surrendered, even if a faint glimmer of hope remained.
Even after we got to know each other, perhaps due to the weight of her past, Isis-san had often worn a somewhat troubled look. However, I felt that with every moment we spent together, her smiles increased and she became brighter.
Seeing her now, no longer looking at the ground but speaking with a smile about her excitement for the future, I felt that this was truly the version of Isis-san that was her truest self.
???: "I wonder what this substance left behind by the melted Serious-senpai is... It looks like cream."
Machina: "...Let me see. Oh, it tastes like custard cream."
???: "...How can you eat that without a moment's hesitation? You're my best friend, but you're absolutely missing a few screws..."