Published: January 24, 2026
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Two days have passed since the battle ended.
The collapsed roofs and the scorched stone pavements still left scars all over Hanemiya.
But more than that, the sound of people’s laughter and the brightness of lights wrapped around the town.
The calls from vendors mixed with the laughter of children.
I lightly rolled up the sleeve of my yukata and looked around.
Today was the final day of the Spirit Dance Festival.
Normally, the festival would have been in full swing from the very first day, but this year was different.
On the first day, suddenly, Philly’s spirit invocation brought forth phantom demons in Hanemiya.
We managed to repel Philly and then the Yata no Hebi that appeared afterward, but the damage caused by the phantoms was not insignificant.
Since the battle ended, we had been busy with the town’s reconstruction efforts, led by Nagisa.
Normally, we probably should have continued the restoration work today as well.
But Nagisa decided, “Let’s hold the festival as planned today!”
There were opposing voices, but she declared in an unusually strong tone for her:
“—It’s precisely because something sad happened that I don’t want everyone to keep their heads down. It’s okay to have days to shed tears. But just as much, we need days to smile and look forward. At least for the final day, I want to hold the Spirit Dance Festival as usual. Because I believe that will be the first step for this country to start moving forward again.”
Although we weren’t there, Kiryu later told us this with a happy expression.
“At first, there was opposition, but... no one expected Nagisa-sama to say something like that, so everyone was dumbfounded.”
Fuuka, who was listening with me, also looked happy.
Her expression hadn’t changed at all, as usual.
I had heard that Nagisa, usually somewhat shy and not the type to step forward, stood before the rubble, looked over the soot-faced people, and spoke those words.
That’s why now, lanterns lit up the town like this.
The wounds have not fully healed.
Even so, the festival was held, even if it meant pausing the reconstruction.
Everyone raised their faces, believing in her words.
As the sun began to set, the night was already spreading over the sky.
The laughter of passing people overlapped, and festival music gently drifted from afar.
“...Not bad,”
Oliver, standing beside me, let out a small laugh.
He too wore a yukata.
It was a subdued piece made of deep grayish-blue fabric, decorated with fine geometric patterns.
“I agree. It has a different charm than the thanksgiving festival in Tsutolairu.”
When I said that, Oliver nodded while gazing off into the distance.
“Thanksgiving festival, huh. Reminds me of last year.”
“You kept kicking me out of the party and just kept spinning your wheels.”
“Don’t say that. That period is a complete black history for me...”
Oliver gave a wry smile and looked away.
Yet, there was also a somehow relieved look on his face.
“That said, I’m not trying to blame Philly for everything. Even under cognitive alteration, the final decision was mine. If I’d been able to trust Orun all along, I wouldn’t have done such a stupid thing.”
“I see. But because Oliver did what he did, we have now. I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t been kicked out, but I want to be able to say—this current path is the right one.”
At those words, Oliver slightly widened his eyes, then gave a soft smile.
“...Orun, since you recovered your memory, you’ve started saying those embarrassing things so casually.”
“...Maybe so.”
I thought so myself.
If it were the old me, I probably wouldn’t have been able to straightforwardly speak my true feelings like this.
As a child, I was afraid of my parents and the people in my village reacting badly, so I couldn’t talk about my dreams or true feelings, but now I feel like I’ve changed just a bit.
If I don’t say it, it won’t get across.
I finally realized such an obvious truth.
Of course, that doesn’t mean I should say everything.