Gently placing the bow she crafted at the spot where Takamine the Mistslicer vanished, Asase Hibiki returned to Seirai Island. In the panel, her silhouette seemed drained of all vitality.
Whether it was due to her age or because she had "personally" killed her beloved, it was unclear.
Readers' eyes widened—not from being moved, but because Asase Hibiki, upon returning to Seirai Island, undid the seal on the island!
The panel showed a towering thunderstorm, unlike the storms of the Sakoku Decree. This one raged indiscriminately both within and beyond the island.
A monstrous creature in the form of a Thunderbird soared and wreaked havoc over Seirai Island, lightning storms trailing in its wake.
The Shogunate's fleet was capsized by the thunderstorm, as was Ako Domeki's ship, the Kosekimaru.
Under the thunderstorm's influence, the small fishing village on Seirai Island fell into ruin, and the islanders gradually left, leaving the island desolate.
At Asase Shrine, the cat named Neko licked her puffed-up fur.
"Tingly, prickly things—so annoying. They make my fur turn into fluff balls."
"Hibiki, Domeki, where are you? Come brush my fur already."
A year later, the shrine was covered in dust, with cobwebs forming in some corners. Neko sat restlessly inside, gazing toward the Torii gate. They should be back soon, right?
"The sun and moon keep circling the sky. Why haven't you come back?"
"Mew, I'm in a bad mood."
Another year passed, and it was raining. The rain slightly cleared the shrine's accumulated dust, but it might have made things dirtier. Neko sheltered under the eaves.
"Water—so annoying. It's cold and makes me sleepy."
"You still haven't come back? Why…"
Another year, clear skies. The ground was littered with fallen leaves, and the offering box had cracked. Neko caught a bird.
"Birds—good stuff! Hibiki, come back quick so we can eat together!"
"Hibiki…"
Spring, summer, autumn, and winter cycled through, and Neko stayed at the shrine, waiting.
"I get it. Hibiki's not coming back because the shrine's too dirty, right?"
"No choice then. I'll take care of it for you."
Another year passed, and the shrine gained a few more cats. These kittens played in leaf piles and napped on the Torii gate, carefree and content.
"The shrine's lively now. Hibiki, come back quick."
"Why haven't you come back… Is it because there are no humans?"
As time wore on, the shrine's items deteriorated further. Neko patted the offering box with her paw pads but didn't know how to fix it.
"The little kittens are all fine. Why aren't humans coming?"
Unbeknownst to her, the first batch of kittens had already passed away.
"Is this why? If I fix this, will humans come?"
Time marched on, and who knows how long had passed. One day, two figures—one big, one small—arrived at the shrine: the Traveler and Paimon.
Neko was overjoyed. Humans! Humans had finally come!
With the Traveler's help, the offering box was fixed, the Ema rack was repaired, the shrine was cleaned, and eating together with them felt so warm.
The loneliness seemed to fade? She didn't feel as sleepy as before?
The Traveler… would she come back tomorrow?
I told her I had more tasks for her, so she should come back, right?
She won't… not come back, right?
The next day, the Traveler's figure appeared again, waving to Neko with a smile.
"Neko, we're here."
Neko mimicked the Traveler's wave, overjoyed.
"Traveler, good stuff!"
"Hibiki, come back quick. You'd like them too."
"The Traveler found a stone human to make a stone Neko. Something good will happen, right? Hibiki…"
"I went to the place you mentioned, but you weren't there…"
"Where did you go? Why won't you come back?"
"Why…"
"I can take care of myself and the shrine now! I won't trouble you!"
"Come back quick… Hibiki…"
Readers couldn't take it anymore. Don't kill me with a pet knife!
Shikikan, oh Shikikan! The story started so heartwarming; we thought you'd changed. But you were waiting to hit us with this!
Whether the pet dies first or the owner does, it's always a tragedy in the end!
This brings up Jean. She keeps an ordinary turtle, so she doesn't have to worry about outliving her pet or leaving it heartbroken if she dies.
In contrast, Baizhu is a counterexample—sigh.
Speaking of Liyue, everyone was enjoying a storytelling session at Third-Round Knockout, but now, those with pets started missing home.
Hu Tao also began missing her guest, Zhongli.
"Pets, huh…" Faruzan mused, thinking of her "Q-Treasure." That could be considered her pet, right?
She shook her head. What was she thinking? It had been so long.
This brought up another person who treated a robot as a "pet"—Abattouy.
Lucian had mentioned this person's future to Tighnari, advising him to keep an eye out.
So, at this moment, Abattouy was receiving financial support from Lucian, ensuring he didn't spend all his medicine money on research and was still doing well.
Lucian might not have much else, but he had plenty of money. Even without his manuscript fees, the wealthy women on his list—any one of them could easily cover it.
Just give those rich ladies a foot massage, a shoulder rub, or a full massage, and the money would come rolling in.
In fact, Ei was practically hoping Lucian would ask for some money. At least it would repay a bit of the favor, right? It might not be much, but little by little, she'd feel justified in playfully threatening him with her sword!
He'd definitely dodge, right? No problem, no problem.
If push came to shove, Lucian still had a hidden backup resource—the Northland Bank!
Tragedies that money could prevent were no longer tragedies!
Speaking of this story set in Inazuma, the people of Inazuma naturally felt deeply moved. They triggered a "reminiscence attack," thinking of Tejima.
Tejima was the same, waiting day after day, year after year, for someone who would never return…
For that uncertain day of reunion, Tejima prepared countless stories in his notebook, but sadly, he never had the chance to tell them.
Come to think of it, Yae Miko was similar. Though she didn't show it, she too had been waiting for Raiden Ei, recording many stories she wanted to share with her.
Thinking about it, Yae Miko, the Grand Shrine Maiden, was once kind of the Shogun's pet…
Oh no, oh no, why am I suddenly thinking of naming a pet "Yae Miko"?
Speaking of Fontaine, I wonder if anyone's thinking of their pet named "Furina."
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice · Furina: About Pets
"Little cats are so adorable! I really want to pet one, but… you absolutely can't name a pet 'Furina,' okay!"