Returning to the story, the illustrations in the book vanished, and the content shifted back to text with occasional artwork, under the title—A Belated "Good Thing".
Neko and the Traveler returned to Asase Shrine, just in time, as Junpei Oshima had finished carving the stone Neko.
[Junpei Oshima: "Phew, it's finally almost done. What a massive project."]
He said "almost" because he left the final step of the carving undone, leaving one last corner unchiseled.
He waited for Neko and the Traveler to return so Neko could personally chip off that corner—a ceremonial touch.
But Neko didn't quite understand the significance of this act. Was chipping away at stone that important?
[Junpei Oshima: "Well, how should I put it? Generally, things that get made into statues are very important."]
Junpei Oshima meant that Neko herself was important, which is why he wanted to make a statue of her.
[Traveler, teasing: "Then Paimon should make a statue of food."]
The Traveler's offhand quip lightened the mood for readers, especially those who had been overwhelmed by the loneliness of waiting, bringing a relieved smile to their faces.
Neko didn't understand. She could only interpret it as the statue being a good thing.
[Junpei Oshima: "It's probably… hmm… better than good! After all, a statue can be called an 'eternal keepsake,' haha!"]
[Neko: "No, it's not an 'eternal keepsake.'"]
["I did this so that when Hibiki comes back, if she can't find her way, she can see the stone me."]
["Then she'll know she needs to come here and won't get lost or go somewhere else."]
Readers gasped in shock. What!? You're hitting us again!? I just started smiling!
He's laughing and crying—guess how he's laughing and crying?
In the story, Junpei Oshima completed the final step of the carving, chipping off the last corner of the statue in Neko's presence.
As the statue was completed, the clouds in the sky shifted, forming the shape of a cat.
Was this a coincidence? Or a spell left by Asase Hibiki? No one knew.
But regardless, Neko was overjoyed. A good thing had really happened—it must be Hibiki's doing!
Neko was thrilled beyond measure. Hibiki would surely return!
[Neko: "Domeki, Snakeye, and so many of Hibiki's friends—they'll all come back with her."]
["You, you're a good person! Better than food! Hibiki will like you!"]
["I need to go call the little ones and tell them about Hibiki. And then, lots of people will come to pray. I have to instruct them properly…"]
["Hibiki… mew mew mew! So great, so great!"]
Neko chattered excitedly and left happily, leaving the three others exchanging glances.
Junpei Oshima didn't know what was going on, but the Traveler and Paimon knew—Asase Hibiki was human, she had passed away, and she wasn't coming back.
Even humans who became gods couldn't extend their lifespan, let alone Asase Hibiki.
But the Traveler and Paimon didn't dampen Neko's spirits, keeping the truth to themselves.
They decided they'd come back to keep Neko company more often. We'll return.
The final illustration showed Neko curled up asleep in the shrine. In her dream, she was nestled in Asase Hibiki's arms.
Readers fell silent. They couldn't sympathize with Asase Hibiki's final actions, but Neko's emotions deeply touched them.
Partings are the most sorrowful, and waiting is even harder to bear—everyone could understand such feelings.
This story also made people think of the Grand Shrine Maiden, Yae Miko. Neko and Miko—similar names, and their experiences shared some parallels.
You had to admit, the Grand Shrine Maiden was remarkable. She understood everything, had endured countless partings, and couldn't even reunite with her "best friend" in life.
Yet despite all this, she was always smiling. No one had ever seen her cry or even look sad. She always wore that smile. Did she never feel sorrow?
Coincidentally, the next story was about the Grand Shrine Maiden herself. Let's see if she ever felt sad in the future.
Speaking of Yae Miko's story, it didn't start with the familiar Katheryne.
The Traveler and Paimon encountered something peculiar: a supposedly miraculous wishing method had appeared in Inazuma, said to make wishes come true.
Normally, even Paimon wouldn't believe in such a pie-in-the-sky deal, but now it was actually happening.
Everyone in the Plane of Euthymia thought it sounded fake. If such a thing existed, they'd be the first to use it.
The Traveler, reading the book on Seirai Island, also found it absurd. If it's that miraculous, let me use it too—save me the trouble of earning Mora to feed Paimon.
Wait, no, I could just wish for my brother to come back! I almost forgot about him.
Paimon was also thinking: if it really worked, she'd wish to grow taller—not just taller than Lumine, but taller than Lucian!
Then Paimon read that in the story, someone said that after making a wish, their bed was piled with Mora the next day.
"…" Paimon thought it over and decided she'd just grow taller naturally.
Mora, hehe, Mora!
As for the other readers, most didn't believe it, but even the skeptics were curious about the method.
It wouldn't hurt to try, right?
I'll test it with a critical mindset. If it actually works, I'll immediately say "Red Bean Mud Private Marseille" to express my repentance for doubting the wishing method.
Then everyone noticed that in the story, a light novelist also believed in this method, pondering how to take a "shortcut."
Real-life light novelists, however, were unimpressed. Believing in this was less reliable than praying to Lucian.
What made these novelists incredulous was that this wishing method came from a light novel!
Lucian writing the future in light novels was already intense enough, and now there was a wish-granting light novel? Come on, what are you doing!?
This light novel was called True Spirit-Seeking Notes. The author self-published it and, without even going through Yae Publishing House, it became a sensation in Inazuma—truly impressive.
[Amo: "Junichi, give it up. Do you really think a big shot will drop from the sky to write your novel for you? You think this is a light novel plot?"]
[Junichi: "Mr. Amo, can you not crush my dreams? I'm really struggling here!"]
Lucian chimed in: Seriously, let a big shot drop from the sky to write for me! Amo, don't crush my dreams!
If Lucian didn't know what was going on and that Urakusai hadn't awakened yet, he'd really want to give it a try.
Having someone help write his novel? That would be too perfect, sob sob.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice · Yae Miko: About "Wish Fulfillment"
"Oh my, where's such a good deal like that? If you really want to make a wish come true, why not try asking Lucian?"