The Kurosaga man who had just pounded his chest now threw his arms open wide. “What would happen if this war were lost while we remained in the Country at the End of the World? We wouldn’t be able to stay locked up in there forever. We’d never be able to resolve the issue of our food shortages without the outside world. Isn’t that obvious?”
Another Kurosaga stepped forward—a woman this time. “Those who couldn’t fight—the pregnant ones—we left them behind when we came. It’s okay. Even if all of us should die in battle, the Kurosaga have a future.”
“If we win, then…” said Fugi, picking up where the woman left off. “There’ll be no need for our line to continue.”
I understand what she’s getting at. There won’t be any need for a mark-bearer to exist.
“Then I think we should do everything we can to improve our chances of victory, even if it’s just a little. If I’m here with you, then…” Fugi looked to me. “That’s one more Forbidden Magic user that he has access to in battle.”
“…”
Fugi stared at me intently. I didn’t respond. Munin tightened her grip on her shoulders.
“Ahem… Listen to me carefully, Fugi.”
Her daughter turned to look back at Munin.
…The look in Munin’s eyes right now. It’s hard to notice when we’re traveling together on the road, but the way she speaks… She really is a mother.
“What I’m saying is…it’s not about whether the Kurosaga’s line of mark-bearers can continue. Well, I suppose that does have something to do with it, but…it’s more that, if something were to… If you were to die… I…”
“But it’s okay if it’s you, then?”
She’s saying, “You might die, Munin. Is that fine?”
At Fugi’s question, Munin’s gray eyes began to tremble.
“I-I… I am the chief of the Kurosaga, and as such…”
Fugi’s lips twisted up with emotion, trying to hold back what was welling up inside of her.
“Ngh!” But Fugi couldn’t keep it in. “There’s no point! I feel the same as you do… If you died, Munin, I…there’d be no point to any of this!”
“Fugi… You…”
Fugi was crying.
She always seemed so calm, collected, and expressionless. According to Munin, that’s just how she’s always been. That explains why her mom looks so surprised. Fugi isn’t the kind to get this openly emotional.
…She doesn’t look good when she cries—I guess she’s not used to it.
“You might die too, and I… I—I can’t bear to think about that…”
“Fugi…”
“No, I…I can’t take it.”
Fugi embraced Munin and clung to her.
“If I’m going to die…then I want to be here at your side for just a little longer! If I can be the one to defeat the Goddess, then I want to help out too! I want to help, Mom! The way we said goodbye, I…I couldn’t bear to let that be it!”
It sounds like she hasn’t raised her voice in years. It might be the first time she’s ever had her emotions explode out like this.
Fugi sobbed into Munin’s chest.
“Oh… You really are just so…” Munin squeezed Fugi tight with one arm, putting her other hand over her mouth. She was crying too.
“Chief,” uthe Kurosaga man said, his voice trembling at the sight of his leader in tears. “Even if you did win this war for us… Saved our country and lived to tell the tale… We could never tell that to the next generation of Kurosaga. Could never admit to them that we sent our chief out there alone into battle. Those that can’t march are a different story, but…we can fight! Can’t we, Kurosaga?!”
The Kurosaga behind him sent up a forceful cry in response.
“And the other people of the Country at the End of the World are risking their lives out here too, aren’t they?! I know you asked us to stay behind but… We couldn’t just sit there!”
“We…” The Kurosaga woman stepped forward again. “It’s okay. We understand that we might die in this war, but we want to claim victory here. Seize it with our own hands. We want to know we did this for ourselves, even if we do end up falling on the path. Fighting for what we believe in…that’s how we want to live.”
Over the woman’s shoulder, the Kurosaga man nodded his agreement. It was clear from their expressions that the others were of the same mind too.
…Maybe the Kurosaga have changed. Maybe they’re ready for this. Their history of being targeted for extermination by the Goddess probably has something to do with their…
“…Determination,” I mumbled to myself.
They’ve managed to survive and protected their ties to one another, all the way down the generations to this present moment.
“You’re all…” began Munin.
“We’re all family, right? So come on…let’s fight, Munin,” said Fugi—her face still buried in Munin’s chest. “Together.”
Munin bit her lip.
I could tell her heart was leaning toward a conclusion, but she was still conflicted. She kept her hands on Fugi’s shoulders, but it was me who she looked to next. The others also looked lost—turning to me like they were seeking an answer.
But this isn’t my call.
“This isn’t my decision… It’s yours, Munin.”
The expression on her face told me she knew what my answer would be. I saw no shock in her eyes.
“But, well…you don’t need to decide all of this right now, do you? There’s no rush. Even if you do end up deciding no, it’s going to be hard to say that when you’re under this much pressure.”
I looked around at the crowd.
“Calm down and talk this through. Luckily, we’ve still got time for that. It doesn’t matter to me which path you choose—I’ll accept either outcome.”
“Ahem,” Munin began. She glanced down at Fugi, then looked to me. “This war against the Goddess… If Fugi were to come with us, would that raise our odds of victory?”
“No.”
Maybe that’s the answer I should give her here.
“It wouldn’t change a thing.”
Perhaps that lie would keep Fugi away from our showdown with the Goddess.