After returning the fan they had found to the shrine maiden, both of them instinctively ignored the woman's usual chuunibyou-like, cryptic remarks and headed straight down the stone steps leading out of Chinju Forest. They descended to the foot of the mountain, then walked side by side toward the beach on the northern side of Narukami Island.
Whoosh...
The sea breeze at night was colder than during the day, blowing their hair into the air in all directions. Although chilly, it still felt rather comfortable against their cheeks. The sound of the wind mingled with the rhythmic waves, like nature itself playing a mysterious melody belonging only to the night, making one reluctant to leave.
"Are you cold?"
Feeling the chill on her face, the Shogun suddenly thought of Kokomi and turned toward her with concern.
"A little... but it's all right."
Kokomi rubbed her hands over her upper arms.
"..."
Hum...
Seeing that, the Shogun took out the shawl she had once used before and draped it over the girl's shoulders just as she had back then.
"Thank you..."
Kokomi pulled the shawl tighter around herself, a faint warm flush appearing on her tranquil, beautiful face.
"Has Watatsumi Island been short on any supplies lately?"
The Shogun asked.
"Not for now. Supplies are quite sufficient, thanks to everyone's efforts. And with Lady Ei having lifted the Sakoku Decree, Watatsumi Island can conduct trade with other nations now. Whether economically or in terms of... resources, things are much better than they used to be."
Not only that, but Inazuma's economy as a whole was now several times stronger than before. It was all thanks to everyone's efforts. Whether in commerce and trade or in developing tourism, everything had advanced to another level.
"I see. That's good... If you run into any difficulties, write to me."
The Shogun reminded her.
"Mm..."
Kokomi nodded lightly and obediently agreed.
"Oh, right... I'll send you some local specialties tomorrow. Remember to receive them, all right?"
Remembering something, Kokomi smiled and reminded her.
"Understood. When the time comes, just have them delivered directly to Tenshukaku."
This quiet exchange of gifts carried the feelings they held for one another. Even separated by great distance, they would still think of each other. It was warm and comforting, and she liked that feeling very much.
Looking at the distant sea and the softly glowing beach, Kokomi could not help stopping.
"...? What's wrong?"
Seeing that, the Shogun stopped as well and looked toward her.
"The beach... don't you think 'the beach' has a special meaning for the two of us?"
Kokomi clasped her hands behind her back, rose lightly onto her toes, and turned to face her.
"...A special meaning? Let me think... Mm—it does, I suppose. You could call it fate."
After all, back then, the two of them had often ended up on beaches, both in the beginning and even now.
Come to think of it...
"Do you still remember the first time we met?"
Kokomi asked.
"You mean when you repelled Sara's forces? Yes. That was on a beach too. You were commanding from the deck of an abandoned ship. I noticed you at first glance. You stood out so much, and you were so strikingly beautiful."
The Shogun smiled.
"..."
Kokomi froze for a moment and felt a burst of embarrassment inside before returning to her usual expression.
"Haa... Thinking back on it now still feels rather unbelievable. At the time, I thought you must have hated me by the time you left."
Kokomi sank somewhat into her memories.
"You were wrong... I didn't hate you at all back then. On the contrary, you caught my interest... I thought you were an intriguing person, someone I couldn't quite figure out."
"Hehe... I still have the handkerchief you gave me back then. Look."
Kokomi took out the handkerchief from that time. It was the very one the Shogun had given her to wipe the blood from her neck. The bloodstains were gone now because Kokomi had washed it.
"Haa... It's all in the past. Who would've thought that two people who couldn't get along back then would become as close as we are now, even ending up in... another kind of relationship?"
The Shogun sounded somewhat emotional.
"Mm... It's all in the past now. Watatsumi Island has returned under your rule, returned to Inazuma, and is protected by you. We people of Watatsumi are your subjects, Shogun-sama. Thank you for everything along the way, whether toward me or toward Watatsumi Island... This care you've shown us, Kokomi... Haa... will never forget it for the rest of her life."
Kokomi's eyes were slightly red now, as though she might cry, but she did not. She simply thanked the Shogun with heartfelt sincerity.
Perhaps Lord Orobashi's spirit in the heavens would be satisfied as well.
"Why say something like that? Watatsumi Island is still some distance from Narukami Island. Its administration remains in the hands of you, the Divine Priestess. If you truly want to thank me, then promise me you'll take better care of yourself. You need to balance work and your health. Promise me."
The Shogun intended to turn Watatsumi's forces under Kokomi into an independent organization separate from the Tri-Commission, though naturally still under her command. That would make things more standardized and avoid a great deal of unnecessary trouble.
"All right..."
Kokomi nodded silently.
The two continued walking side by side for a while before they saw the harbor in the distance. A small boat was waiting there, and Gorou's figure could be faintly seen on the deck.
"This is far enough, Shogun-sama."
Kokomi stopped and turned to face her.
The Shogun glanced at the docked boat...
"Be careful on the way back..."
"Mm... I heard the Test of Courage has three rounds. I hope you enjoy yourself."
Kokomi offered her blessing as well.
"That depends on how things go..."
The Shogun shrugged.
"...For Miss Kamisato's sake, you should enjoy yourself too, all right~?"
Kokomi smiled at her.
"That's true. If she's happy, then I'm happy too."
"Hehe... That's good..."
Kokomi paused as she turned away, then looked back at her again and walked up to her, raising a hand to gently stroke her arm.
"What is it?"
The Shogun placed her own hand over the back of Kokomi's and asked softly.
"Shogun-sama... when you have the time, you should come visit Watatsumi Island once in a while, all right? You haven't been back for a long time since that occasion."
Kokomi rested her head against her and rubbed against her gently.
"Mm... If I go, I'll write to you in advance."
The Shogun wrapped an arm around the girl's waist and lowered her head until her lips rested against the top of Kokomi's head as she comforted her.
"All right... I'll wait for you. Mwah~"
Kokomi slowly released her, removed the shawl from her shoulders, and handed it back. Then she leaned close to the Shogun's face and gave her cherry-colored lips a feather-light kiss. Under the Shogun's shy, slightly flushed gaze, Kokomi turned away and left with happiness filling her heart.
Against the nighttime beach, the girl's departing figure looked so lonely and slender... exactly as it had when the Shogun first saw her.
After walking some distance away, Kokomi briefly spoke with Gorou, who had come out to meet her, before the two stepped onto the deck together. Gorou informed the boatman, and the passenger boat set off.
Hoooonk—
The ship's horn spread across the sea, carried to the Shogun's ears by the ocean breeze.
Watching the boat carrying Kokomi slowly recede into the distance left her emotions complicated.
"...!"
At that moment, Kokomi, standing on the deck far away, turned back toward the beach where the Shogun stood and gently waved to her through the sea breeze.
Seeing that, the Shogun raised a hand and waved back.
"—!"
However, the girl suddenly covered her mouth and bent forward, apparently coughing several times. Gorou immediately draped a coat over her shoulders and said something to her. Kokomi nodded lightly, glanced once more toward the Shogun, then went into the cabin with him.
"I already told you to take care of yourself... Haa."
Seeing that, the Shogun sighed in relief and murmured softly. Then she glanced back toward Chinju Forest, where the Test of Courage was still taking place. After thinking for a moment, she turned to head back, only to stop immediately in the very next second.
She had only just remembered that she still had an appointment with Ei. This was the rest period after the second round, so she might as well go find her now rather than make her wait too long.
Ei's location seemed to be the open area beside the beach directly to the east, near the game known as Akitsu Yuugei. As the Shogun approached, she saw Ei sitting on a rock, gazing up at the moon. Hearing footsteps, Ei came back to herself and looked toward her.
"The second round is over? How did it go?"
Ei stood and asked.
"Pretty well... We found the item almost immediately."
The Shogun answered casually.
"Hehe... As expected."
Ei smiled.
"..."
The Shogun narrowed her eyes and gave her an adorably sulky look before walking over to stand beside her and gaze out at the sea ahead.
"So, what are we doing?"
She asked.
"Akitsu Yuugei. Will you play a round with me?"
Ei raised a hand and pointed toward the fantastical game area set up across from them.
"Sure... But I might not be very good at it. I'm a little rusty, so you're not allowed to laugh at me."
The Shogun folded her arms and spoke to the person beside her.
"Shogun... when have I ever laughed at you? Come on..."
Pat.
Ei directly took her hand and led her into the open area. She glanced over the rules on the signboard. They were more or less the same as what she remembered, and the main point was simply to let the Shogun familiarize herself with them.
"Ready?"
Ei asked.
"Mm... I think so. Let's start. Who goes first?"
"We'll decide with a Mora coin."
Ei suggested.
"Fine."
The Shogun took out a Mora coin and placed it in her palm. Under both her and Ei's gazes, she tossed it directly into the air. The coin spun continuously, its two sides flashing back and forth at high speed until, just before it landed, she slapped it onto the back of her hand.
"Heads is you. Tails is me."
"Mm..."
Ei nodded.
"..."
The Shogun lifted her hand, slowly revealing which side of the coin was facing up.
Heads.
"It's me. I'll go first."
Ei immediately activated her elemental power and awakened the field. The Shogun understood and put the coin away before stepping back to the edge to watch her play.
Crackle!
Ei's elemental power filled the surrounding field, transforming the space opposite them into a vast array of elemental blocks. The blocks formed irregular shapes and stacked against one another like acrobats, occasionally drifting according to a set pattern.
Whoosh!
With a sweep of her sleeve, Ei transformed the space in front of herself into a barrier several meters long. She raised a hand and gathered a sphere of lightning in her palm, then threw it directly against the barrier to prepare for launch.
She's so practiced...
Watching Ei's movements flow seamlessly from one to the next, the Shogun could not help feeling impressed. As expected of a veteran player of Akitsu Yuugei.
"...!"
Yet somewhere near the field, another person was hiding at that very moment.
It was a woman dressed in a red-and-black kimono, with long black hair falling to her back, a somewhat pale face, and a distinctive thorn-like decoration across it.
"How could this be... esteemed Narukami?"
The woman nervously bit her finger, her expression extremely tense, as though her plans had suddenly been thrown into disarray.
"...Damn it. This is bad."
Chizuru, keep it together!
I can't let that tragedy happen again!