The morning after the Martial Arts Festival ended, the sky above Trevia was covered in thin clouds. The stone plaza was quiet, as if the fervor of the previous day had been a lie. The remnants of the food stalls had been cleared away, the flags from the spectator stands removed, and the city was returning to its ordinary self as a commercial hub. It was almost hard to believe that the name of the Spiral God Killing Fist had echoed before eight thousand people just yesterday. Mira Narasa had set out for the Trevia Pharmacists' Guild headquarters early in the morning. A stone building standing on the north bank of the Elder River. The place where she had defended her examination eligibility through her own strength yesterday—today she had returned to take the formal test. Clutching a leather satchel to her chest, she climbed the stone steps. The crescent-shaped tattoo on her left cheek glowed white in the morning light. (I'm nervous... but) The hallway from last night came back to her mind. I love you—she had said. Her voice had trembled. She had said it while looking directly at Retsu's face. After that, Retsu had slowly reached out and placed his hand on top of Mira's head. Thank you, he had said quietly. It wasn't an answer. Mira still couldn't measure the meaning of that single word. Had it been an expression of acceptance? Or something else entirely? Retsu's profile was always calm, and there was no way to tell what he was thinking from the outside. But—she had decided to give everything to finishing today. This was the test that her teacher Rena had kept recommending. Before seeking an answer, she would grasp this with her own hands. The examination hall was on the second floor of the guild. There were seven test-takers. Long desks were placed in front of shelves lined with medicinal plant specimens. The test papers were distributed, and the examination began. It was a test of precision in compounding and knowledge of plant classification. With each question, Mira overlaid Rena's voice in her mind. That voice—the one she had heard so many times in the workshop in Haruno Village. For wounds from Galdor Kuma claws, use a diluted extract from the poison sac of the Spiral Snake. The salve made with Wind-Rending Eagle feather oil is weak to heat, so store it in the shade. The amount of compound should be adjusted according to body weight as a basic rule, but for the elderly and children, use a different calculation formula—. Her hands moved. They didn't stop. The test ended, and she waited in the hallway for the results. The stone wall was cold. Her pale purple eyes gazed down the hallway. The guild clerk opened the door and called Mira's name. The passing certificate was small. The Trevia Pharmacists' Guild seal was stamped on it, and Mira Narasa's name was written there. Mira stepped out onto the stone stairs and held the paper in both hands. A single tear fell. She tried to hold back, but another fell. Joy, the desire to report to her teacher, and—the feeling of wanting to show it to Retsu—all mixed together. When she returned to the white-walled inn, Retsu was alone in one of the inn's rooms. An old manuscript lay on the table. It was one of the volumes of Rena's personal effects that had arrived from Haruno Village. Retsu was carefully rewrapping it in thin paper. The manuscript, which contained a page with a copy of the Spiral God Killing Fist's spiral crest, had been the basis for yesterday's re-entry into the tournament. It needed to be returned. When Mira opened the door, Retsu looked up. "[gentle]I passed" She said it briefly, but directly. Retsu paused for a moment. The hand that had been rewrapping stopped. "[serious]I see" That was all. But Mira understood—something had moved in Retsu's eyes. If she had to name it as an emotion, it was something close to satisfaction. His usually calm amber eyes had softened, just slightly. Mira sat down in the chair by the window. Retsu returned to wrapping the manuscript. There were few words between them. But the silence was different in quality from before. It had no weight. There was no distance. As Retsu folded the edge of the wrapping, even though he wasn't facing Mira, he was aware that she was there. Mira understood that. She knew that the words of her confession still hung in the air, but something was still moving inside Retsu—she had only that certainty. --- In the morning, Rud Ashbal was heading to the Ashbal Sword Arts Dojo in the eastern district of Trevia. The stone wall of the dojo bore the crest of Ashbal Sword Arts. A school of practical sword technique with a history of one hundred fifty years. Silver-streaked hair was tousled by the wind. An eye patch over his left eye. His hand was not on the hilt of the sword at his waist today. Vald Ashbal was watching his disciples practice in the corner of the courtyard. Fifty-eight years old, short hair with white streaks, broad shoulders. This man had arranged messengers and horses for Retsu—the single move that had made yesterday's re-entry possible. Rud stood before his father. "[serious]I came to report directly about using your name. I borrowed the dojo's reputation for participation in the special match" Vald didn't answer. He watched the disciples' movements for a while. Then he spoke quietly. "[serious]You moved for someone" "...That's how it is" Vald turned to face outside the courtyard. "[gentle]Since this morning, the name of the Spiral God Killing Fist has been spreading around here. The swordsmen who saw yesterday's match are talking about it. The name of the opponent you lost to" Rud was silent. Having said only that, Vald returned to supervising the practice. He neither scolded nor praised. He simply stated the facts. That was this man's way. Rud left the dojo and stood on the stone pavement for a moment. Yesterday's match played in his mind. Retsu's movements. That sensation of the spiral energy circulating through his body—the vortex power that had been transmitted the moment he received it with his sword. He had lost. There was no doubt about it. That weight remained heavy. But—the hatred for himself as Seraphina's tool had disappeared, leaving behind a strange lightness. Rather than continuing to move within that woman's calculations, he felt like he was standing on his own feet now. (The desire to defeat him hasn't changed) Only now it remained as his own sword's problem, not as someone's pawn. That—wasn't bad. As Rud walked along the stone pavement of the eastern district, he confirmed that sensation. Retsu's back was heading somewhere—if there came a day when he would face that direction, that would be the true settlement. Not now. Not yet. --- Evening came. The dining hall of the white-walled inn had settled down from the bustle of the tournament period. Wooden tables, stone floor, lamplight flickering. The smell of goat meat stew drifted through the air. The three of them sat down together. Rud sat across from Retsu, and Mira sat beside Retsu. Rud gave a brief order to the servant who came to take their order. One mug of ale and stew. Retsu ordered water. Mira ordered warm tea. While waiting for the food to arrive, Rud turned his eyes to Mira. "[serious]You passed the pharmacist exam, didn't you" Mira looked a bit surprised. "[surprised]...How did you know?" "I saw you running toward the guild this morning. With that satchel" Rud turned his eyes back to the plate. He didn't say congratulations. But the fact that he brought it up was Rud's way of expressing it. Mira seemed to understand, as she quietly said "Thank you" and wrapped both hands around her tea cup. The food was brought out. The three of them each had their dishes before them. There was little conversation. But the silence was not uncomfortable. It was a time when each of them was quietly processing what had happened during the tournament. Mira set down her chopsticks after eating about half. She turned toward Retsu. Her voice was calm. Small. But it didn't waver. "[gentle]I want you to come back to Haruno Village with me" The sounds of the dining hall seemed to fade away. Retsu set his chopsticks on the table. He looked at Mira. Her pale purple eyes looked directly at him. They were the same eyes as in the hallway last night. The continuation of the words she had confessed was here—the feeling that she wanted to be with Retsu, before he set out on another lonely journey, was all contained in the quietness of her voice. Retsu looked at Mira's face for a while. "[serious]I'm going on another journey" He said it briefly. He didn't give a reason. He didn't say where. That was all. A deep sadness flashed across Mira's expression. Her eyes wavered slightly. But immediately, her face returned to its calm state. She wasn't searching for words to stop him. She had known from the beginning—that Retsu's journey was heading toward a place wider than this village. That she didn't have the words to stop it. Rud didn't look up from his plate. He had heard all of this. Understanding the weight that flowed between the three of them, he said nothing. This was not a place for him to interject. After the meal, the three of them stood quietly. Rud headed toward the stairs first. He didn't look back. Mira said a small "Good night" to Retsu and disappeared into her room. Retsu stood in the same spot until her back turned the corner. --- The night in Trevia was quiet. Retsu went out alone onto the roof of the inn. The stone railing was cold. The night wind rustled the hem of his gi. In the distance, the outline of the Galdrock Mountain Range was visible in black. The lights of Trevia spread out below his feet. The martial arts arena, which had been so lively until yesterday, was dark tonight. The tournament was over. Footsteps came up the stairs. Quiet, without hesitation. Retsu turned around. A figure in a black long coat stood at the roof exit. The face was in shadow. The gender was unclear. But Retsu knew that this was one of the attendants who had moved back and forth along the corridor on the side of the guest seats in the arena yesterday. The attendant silently held out a sealed letter. Retsu took it. He opened the wax seal with his finger, and inside was a single sheet of paper. There were few words. —I know the way to the Spiral Cavern. If you wish to meet, go east. E.V. Retsu's hand stopped on that single line. The Spiral Cavern. Goura Peak—the highest peak of the Galdrock Mountain Range, at an altitude of four thousand eight hundred meters, the cavern said to exist near its summit. The place where Goura Razin, the founder of the Spiral God Killing Fist, a martial monk, attained enlightenment about four hundred years ago. On the rock face near the summit, the traces of the founder's fists are said to be carved. Fewer than five people have reached it in the past fifty years—it was that harsh a place. Retsu had heard that story from his grandfather. He had heard it many times. If he was to live as a practitioner of the Spiral God Killing Fist, he would one day have to see the founder's traces on top of Goura Peak. E.V.—Esme Vorn. The woman who had told the attendants in the darkness of the corridor yesterday to "investigate the user of the Spiral God Killing Fist." The woman who practically controlled the operations of the Trevia Martial Arts Festival. Black long coat, and a smile that never faded. And despite bearing the same surname "Vorn" as Seraphina, their relationship was completely unknown. The attendant confirmed that Retsu had finished reading the paper, then turned on his heel silently. He descended the stairs and disappeared into the darkness. Retsu remained alone on the roof. The night wind blew. He looked at the dark distance in the direction of the mountain range. To master the Spiral God Killing Fist was Retsu's path with the fist. To confirm with his own body everything that his grandfat