The day after my dinner with Kiriha and Kyo, I got a message from the headmistress. It said that in five days’ time, a merchant carriage would depart in the morning to take me to Llinger Kingdom.
As soon as I got the message, I started my preparations. But that said, all I had to get ready was my money, a change of clothes, food, and the bare minimum necessary to get by on. Now that I wasn’t a student at Luqvist anymore, I went to a shop in town and picked out some clothes and a robe to take with me. I didn’t need my uniform, but I’d worn it for the two years I was enrolled at Luqvist. It felt valuable, so I packed it together with my things.
Everything I needed for my trip fit neatly in a rucksack, which surprised even me.
With all my preparations done, all that was left was to wait until the day of departure. When it arrived, I went to Kiriha and Kyo’s place to say goodbye. They’d been especially kind to me, and I wanted to thank them for it.
“I never imagined we’d be seeing you off so soon,” said Kiriha. “Good luck out there!”
“Thanks!”
There was a part of me that wanted to stay in Luqvist a little longer. I couldn’t help thinking that school would have been more fun together with those two.
“I don’t know how rough and tumble the rescue team is, but don’t push yourself too hard, yeah?” said Kyo. “Sometimes you have to know when to relax, okay? I feel like you’re always kind of tense.”
“Says the guy who only knows how to relax . . .” muttered Kiriha.
Kyo’s head dropped between his shoulders. I couldn’t help but laugh. Kiriha let out an exasperated sigh, then turned back to me.
“But he’s right, you know,” she said. “You let things weigh pretty heavily on yourself, and sometimes you need to let go and rest. This is especially true now that you’re going to a whole other country where you don’t know anyone. You’re going to feel anxious sometimes. I bet it’ll be the same as when we first got here—we weren’t used to being surrounded by humans.”
“Yeah, good point,” I said.
When I’d first come to Luqvist, I was scared and worried, but that would have been nothing compared to how Kiriha and Kyo would have felt. It couldn’t have been easy for them, surrounded by humans, most of whom didn’t like them.
“But I’ll be fine,” I said. “I’m going to where Usato came from. I’m sure everyone there will be kind to me.”
Even Usato himself had said that the rescue team—aside from their rugged appearance—were all good people at heart, so I didn’t think I had to worry about that.
“Yeah, it’s that attitude that I’m a little worried about,” said Kiriha, “but if you say you’ll be okay, then I guess you’ll be okay.”
“Oh, I should probably get going,” I said.
It wasn’t much longer before the carriage would depart. There was no exact time set, but seeing as the merchant was going to be kind enough to take me, I didn’t want to be late.
“Alright then. Good luck, Nack,” said Kyo. “Make the most of your time in the Llinger Kingdom.”
I laughed.
“We’re practically neighbors, so I can always come see you guys when I want to,” I said.
“That’s true,” said Kyo with a chuckle.
He was a bit rowdy and a bit rough around the edges, but Kyo was a good guy—he was always looking out for the people he cared about.
“Don’t let Usato influence you too much,” said Kiriha. “We don’t want to be bewildered by a complete change in personality the next time we see you.”
I laughed again.
“Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
“Well, I’ve still got my fingers crossed . . .”
Kiriha’s comment worried me a little. In any case, she’d been a huge source of support for me. The food she cooked was delicious, and I felt it was her quiet kindness that saved me on more than a few occasions. It was strange to think that my two best friends in Luqvist were beastkin, but I didn’t think that was a bad thing at all.
I took a deep breath and composed myself.
“Kiriha, Kyo,” I said. “Thanks so much for everything you did to help me until now! We part ways for now, but I’m sure we’ll meet again!”
“If we get some time, we’ll come see you in Llinger,” said Kiriha.
“Great! Well then, until then!” I said.
And with that, I turned around and walked off. I held my head high and did my best to keep all my sentimental thoughts at bay. I knew that if I turned around now, I’d stop walking and I’d start crying. I’d made up my mind, and I was determined to see my goals to completion, so I kept on walking until my two friends were well out of sight.
“According to the headmistress’ message, the merchant carriage should be around here somewhere,” I muttered.
I’d left Kiriha and Kyo’s home and was now near the gates to exit Luqvist. I looked around in search of the merchant carriage that would take me to Llinger.
“Where is it?”
There were a lot of carriages stopped near the city gates. There were plenty of people, too, but I couldn’t tell which of them was my ride.
“I guess I’ll just have to ask someone.”
I let out a little sigh and mustered up the courage to stop someone passing by. But just as I was about to do so, I caught sight of the city from the gates and stopped in place.
“I’m really leaving today,” I uttered as the reality impressed itself upon me.
I looked at the cityscape that had become a part of my everyday life and the busy main street, lively with students. I looked at all of it and felt a feeling of awe wash over me. It had always been such a dark and gloomy place for me, but finally, here and now, it struck me as breathtaking.
“This is where it begins,” I said. “This is where my new life starts.”
It was my journey to join the rescue team.
“What are you doing, just standing around like that?”
The voice behind me caught me completely by surprise. It was followed up by a kick in the back.
“Huh?!” I said, lurching forwards, baffled.
I knew that irrational, arrogant voice.
“What are you doing, sneaking up on me like that?! What do you want, Mina?!”
My old childhood friend and former bully, Mina, stood looking down at me with her arms crossed.
“Nothing, really,” she said. “I was just going for a walk, and then I saw an idiot standing around in the middle of the road. Figured I’d give you a gentle shove.”
“Mina . . .”
She hadn’t mellowed out in the slightest. Not only had she not learned a thing from our battle, it had only encouraged her to be more of who she was.
“So you’re leaving,” she said.
“How did you know?”
“Halpha told me.”
Why did I suddenly feel betrayed for my kindness? Then again, it wasn’t like I’d done him any great favors.