Published: January 24, 2026
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After putting down my sword, I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand, and the summer breeze passed gently over my skin.
The wind cooled my heated body.
I like summer.
Because I love this time after practice when I can feel the breeze filled with the scent of fresh grass all over me.
"…?"
As I closed my eyes and felt the wind, a faint sound suddenly reached my ears.
I activated my qi to sharpen my hearing.
Then, I could hear it more clearly than before.
(…Crying?)
It was a small sobbing sound that seemed to melt into the flow of the wind, but I could definitely hear it.
Parting through the grass, I walked toward the direction of the sound.
I found a small girl dressed in a miko outfit sitting hidden in the shade of a tree—Nagisa.
"What’s wrong?"
When I called out, Nagisa shook her shoulders in surprise.
Then, cautiously, she lifted her face.
Her eyes were filled with tears about to spill over.
"…Fuuka, onee-sama…"
When she realized it was me who had approached, Nagisa ran to me.
She then buried her face into my kimono.
While wrapping my hand around her back and slowly stroking her head,
“Onee-sama, I just can’t do it…”
Nagisa muttered weakly with tearful voice.
“…You mean the dance for next month’s festival?”
“Yeah… I don’t have the talent… I can’t possibly do such an important role all by myself…”
Here in Kyokutō, every year in mid-August, my family (the Shinonome Family) and Nagisa’s family (the Asagiri Family) take the lead in holding the Spirit Dance Festival.
As a child, I haven’t been told the full details yet, but I’ve heard this festival is the most important event in this country.
Nagisa was assigned a role starting this year, performing a dance at the festival.
It seems her practice isn’t going smoothly, but I think that’s understandable.
The dance is a crucial role within the festival.
It’s strange to expect such a heavy responsibility from a girl not even ten years old.
…Lately, I often don’t understand what the adults are thinking.
Not long ago, when I asked, they used to tell me many things, but now it feels like they’re keeping secrets from me.
For some reason, I don’t really understand why, but this unease feels very unpleasant.
To me, Nagisa is like a sister—someone very important.
If I can’t rely on the adults now, then I have to help her myself.
“In that case, how about we do it together?”
“…Together…?”
Nagisa raised her face from where it was buried when she heard my proposal.
“Yeah. If it’s hard to do it alone, I’ll be right there beside you. If we’re together, you can do it, right?”
“B-but… then your role, onee-sama…!”
“My role is just to swing the cursed sword, it’s simple. If me dancing beside you helps you give it your all, then I’ll do it too.”
“Onee-sama, thank you… If it’s like that, I can try my best!”
The weak Nagisa from a moment ago had disappeared, replaced by a bright expression.
“If that’s decided, let’s start practicing right away. I can do the bare minimum, but not enough to fulfill the role, so let’s see who improves faster.”
“Yeah!!”
That became the last promise Nagisa and I made.
And I was never able to keep that promise.
â—‡
Hot. Hot. Hot.
I loved the summer breeze scented with fresh grass.
It should be the season to feel that now.
Yet, why does what pierce my nose are the smells of burning grass and trees, and the dreadful stench mixed with blood and iron…?
Flames rise to the sky and spread, covering the night darkness as if trying to swallow it.
“Why did it come to this…?”
“Run, Fuuka!”
Though stunned by the sudden events, I ran through the forest with Haruto pulling my hand.
Today was supposed to be a joyful festival day.
During the day, I could hear the laughter of many people.
Now, it has turned into screams and shouts.
Among them were many voices searching for me.
But the reason they search for me is not to protect me.
—It is to kill me.
When this turmoil began, my parents were the first to be killed.