Published: January 24, 2026
The Spirit Dance Festival had ended, and the town was finally regaining its quiet.
The once lively sounds of drums and flutes had now faded away like a distant memory.
Only the streetlights glowing in the darkness gently illuminated the remnants of the celebration.
Sitting on the veranda of the inn that Nagisa had prepared, feeling the night breeze after a bath, I sensed someone approaching.
“What are you doing?”
Luna sat down beside me, wiping her wet hair with a towel.
“Just feeling the breeze. I wanted to calm my mind a little.”
“I see. It’s been quite a turbulent time, hasn’t it?”
She said quietly, letting out a soft sigh.
Though the events had unfolded far differently from what we had planned, we had accomplished our goal of reclaiming Kyokutō.
But there were still remnants of the cult hiding within the country.
We needed to flush them out.
And alongside that, starting tomorrow, we could finally begin investigating the Phoenix Shrine—the principles of techniques.
Looking back, I realized I had come this far truly thanks to everyone.
There was no way I could have made it this far alone.
“It’s been a long journey, yet it feels like it passed in the blink of an eye.”
“Yes. Just a few months ago, I was still an explorer in Tsutolairu, and now we’ve come so far.”
“This past year was especially intense. So much happened. I went through many hardships, but more than that, I experienced the kindness of so many people.”
“Me too. I was saved by Mr. Orun, so I’m here now. I want to say it again—thank you.”
“...That’s sudden. If you’re saying that, I’m the one who’s grateful to have you, Luna. I believe the reason Titania cooperated ‘that day’ was because you had built a good relationship with her—”
The moment I said that, Luna’s hand froze.
Even under the moonlight, I could clearly see the slight tension in the fingers gripping the towel.
“...Luna?”
When I looked at her in puzzlement, she stared back with a blank expression.
As if she didn’t understand the meaning of the words.
Or as if she had never heard that name before.
“Um, Mr. Orun...”
“...What’s wrong?”
Unconsciously, my voice trembled.
Luna slowly tilted her head.
“—Who is Titania...?”
The moment I heard those words, I felt something slowly crumble inside my mind.
No, that couldn’t be.
But the Luna before me genuinely looked puzzled from the bottom of her heart as she spoke that name.
The summer wind suddenly felt unbearably cold—
Thank you for reading until the very end.
With this, Chapter Nine is complete.
The release date for Chapter Ten is scheduled for October 24.
It might be released a little earlier, but I don’t expect it to be delayed, so please look forward to it.
Now, a quick announcement!
Today (September 19), the Audible version of the second volume of this series was released!
I’d be thrilled if you could check it out.
Link ⇒ https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0F2T7Q7BP
Below is a brief afterword.
Once again, thank you for reading this far!
How did you find Chapter Nine?
Personally, I feel like I trimmed the story quite a bit, so the chapter ended surprisingly quickly (laughs).
There are still many episodes I want to depict set in Kyokutō, so I hope to include them in Chapter Ten and beyond.
For example, a laid-back episode in an open-air bath.
Judging from this chapter’s developments, you might have guessed that Chapter Ten will focus mainly on Luna!
Though I’ve tried several times to make her the main character, other characters ended up taking the spotlight. This time, I want to fully portray Luna! (I hope I can...)
Besides Luna, I also plan to include episodes from the fairy tale era and updates on Sophia and Selma, so please look forward to those.
Finally, a serious note.
The words and beliefs expressed by the characters reflect only their own values.
They do not represent my personal thoughts or beliefs as the author, nor do they intend to promote any particular ideology or belief.
I appreciate your understanding on this matter.