It was the next day. Grey clouds still shrouded the city, their shadows casting a perpetual gloom over Orario's streets. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to seep into everyone's hearts, a constant reminder that darkness still lingered.
Thankfully, Hermes Familia had managed to locate several Evilus bases throughout the city. We'd already formulated a coordinated strike plan that would be executed in three days' time.
I stood in my room, gazing out the window at the troubled city below. Something gnawed at me—a persistent unease that I couldn't shake. When I'd learned that Astrea and Ganesha Familia would be working together on one of the operations, that feeling had only intensified.
The sensation was so strong that I'd actually approached Finn earlier, requesting permission to join their joint mission. As expected, he'd initially refused—after all, I had my own assigned role in the overall plan. But when I mentioned the bad feeling, something in his expression had shifted.
"Go ahead," he'd said quietly, his eyes distant with thought. "If your instincts are telling you something, it's worth listening to."
Maybe he understood because he dealt with his own form of premonition. That thumb of his had saved Loki Familia countless times, after all.
Now, staring out at the grey sky, I couldn't help but feel that the approaching operation would bring more than just another battle against the Evils. Something was coming—something that would change everything.
I just hoped we'd be ready for it.
I hoped I was ready for it.
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F*ck it, sitting in my room is not going to help me. I need fresh air.
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I was walking on the street, which seemed so gloomy that I thought it was a ghost town. The windows of all the houses were shut tightly. There was no stall to be seen. Only the workers and the adventurer were present, taking care of the rubble from the previous attack.
As I was walking, I came across a person, or a young girl to be exact. Wearing a green cloak with a flower pattern hood covering her head and a green mask hiding her face. But the mask failed to hide her natural beauty as she walked the street deep in thought.
"Ryuu!" I called out to her, and she jumped with a start, turning her head to find me. "Ah.. sorry, did not mean to startle you."
"Arin? No, do not worry about it, I was just deep in thought." Ryuu said. She must really be thinking something deep if she doesn't even notice me approaching.
"So, are you by yourself?" I asked.
"Yes," Ryuu replied. "I'm on patrol. We decided we should keep up appearances, so that the Evilus don't suspect anything." It seems they are already briefed about the mission.
Both of us started walking side by side. But I could tell she was troubled about something.
"Is something up?" I finally asked her.
"No, I'm just…thinking about things," said Ryuu, but her eyes remained fixed to the ground.
"You don't have to lie to me, you know," I told her. "Besides, you're really bad at it!"
"A-Arin…" Finally, her gaze lifted from the ground to meet mine.
"You can tell me you know, if I do not have the answer to your question. Then we can both worry and ponder over it." I told her.
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"So you are worried because of that creepy god," I said after hearing her. "Sorry, I should have interfered earlier."
Ryuu shook her head. "It's okay," she said. "You were busy doing what needed to be done. You don't need to apologize."
We walked for a bit in silence until Ryuu turned towards me. "What do you think justice is?" she asked me. "True justice, I mean?"
I looked at her, meeting her gaze. "I do not think there is one single definition of it." Ryuu lowered her head, seemingly hearing the same thing from others as well. "But." I continued as she lifted her face. "I believe there is more than one justice in everyone's hearts."
"More than one justice? How can that be?" She asked in wonder.
"I also believe," I said, "that every person carries a sword in their heart—one they use to protect their justice. And they should try to find that sword as much as they try to find that justice itself."
"A sword in the heart?" she said, her hand going towards her own wooden sword.
"Your strength, your resolve, your method of protecting what you believe in. For some, it might be actual combat skills. For others, it could be words, kindness, or even sacrifice. But without that sword, justice is just an ideal with no power behind it."
Ryuu stopped walking entirely, her masked face turning toward me. "And you think I should find mine?"
"I think you already have it," I said gently. "You just need to accept that it's okay for it to be different from what others expect. Your justice doesn't have to look like Alise's, or your goddess's, or anyone else's. It just has to be yours."
Ryuu again looked at the ground, deep in thought; her hand rested on her sword.
"It might not be the answer that you were seeking or an answer you can give to that creep," I said. "But you know, at times like this, I find it's best to be honest with yourself."
"Huh?"
"About what it is you really want to do," I said and turned around. "And what I want to do is make you happy, Ryuu!" I said. "That's my justice now!"
"…!" Ryuu's sky-blue eyes shot wide open. I smiled and took her hand. "Let's dance, Ryuu! Right here, right now!"
"Wh-what? Arin? Have you lost your—?!" I ignored her words and pulled her this way and that, in a comical dance.
"What's going on?" said a dwarven laborer.
"An elf and a human, dancing?" said another, a weary human man.
"They just started all of a sudden, in the middle of the street!" said a third, a sparkly-eyed catgirl. Before long, a great crowd gathered, to which I paid no mind whatsoever. Ryuu, on the other hand, was blushing so hard you could see it through her mask.
"A-Arin! Stop it!" she shrieked. "Why are we doing this?"
"Nope, I am not stopping until I see that smile of yours." Seeing Ryuu, it was like she'd been suddenly pulled up on stage to play the main part in a slapstick comedy.
As they watched, the initially miserable grown-ups cast aside their gloom, hooked on our sloppy dance. Soon, they were hooting and whistling, calling out names. They were accompanied by the whoops of children, jumping up and dancing on the stones. Before long, Ryuu and I were completely surrounded by a wall of people.
"See?" I told her. "Everyone's smiling now! They're clapping their hands, stamping their feet, and getting all excited!"
"B-but they're looking at us!" Ryuu protested. "Everyone's watching me trip over my own feet! This isn't making me happy, it's just embarrassing! Stop it, Arin!"
"No! Nope, like I said. We're going to keep dancing until you smile!"
"Wh-what…?!" There wasn't much Ryuu could do that wasn't clumsily attempting to stay upright. It was then that a familiar face appeared out of the crowd.
"I thought I heard loud voices…" the girl said. "What on earth are you two doing?"
"Ah, Asfi!" I called out. "Do you want to join us, too?"
"I'll pass," said Asfi, a tired expression on her face. "I took enough dance lessons in the castle where I grew up to last me a lifetime."
"A-Andromeda! Save me!" came Ryuu's voice, pinning her final hopes of salvation on the blue-haired girl, but Asfi mercilessly shrugged.
"I'm afraid there isn't anyone who can stop him now. Certainly not me… Besides," she said, cracking a mischievous grin, "I don't get to see you like this very often. I think I'll stay and watch awhile."
"Andromedaaa!!"
"...Ryuu!" I said suddenly. "Justice will persevere!"
"Huh?!" By now, Ryuu was so embarrassed, her face and ears all but gone red. "Even if the answer we reach isn't the right one at first, justice can change and keep going!"
I looked her deep in the eyes. "I will help you preserve it."
"Smile, Ryuu. Smile for the sake of your justice, no matter what form it takes!" Ryuu stopped dancing. She reached for her mask and showed me the smile I longed to see.
"…I will!" she said. And I
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couldn't be more happier.
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The two of us began dancing again. Soon, instruments joined in and added to the chorus of cheers, and the entire street became a ballroom in the gloam. Smiles returned to people's faces, and the sounds of good cheer echoed across the town.
"…Justice will persevere, huh?" muttered Asfi as she watched us. Her elegant eyes burned every last detail of the happy scene before her into her brain. "I'll remember those words in the sunset."