The Branded Female Fencer

The Alphilis and the others ran their horses with selflessness. The distance is 600 km. Though the horse's speed and endurance did not line up, it did not change that he needed to be allowed to rest, and by the time he ended up rushing 600 km east of the cave, a whole day or more had already passed.

But even though the prairie is on its way to an end, it is still a time of storm, a line that was supposed to see the storm with a break around the exit. Alphilis realizes that the dizziness takes turns taking a nap, but he can't see Aerial.

"Nia, where's Aerie?

"No, I haven't seen it"

"Outside, perhaps?

Alphilis heads to the rocks outside. The time is already night, but strangely bright.

It was an alphilis that strolled for a while in search of the figure of Aerial, but I found the figure of Aerial on the high ground of the rock and climbed that far. But there was no way for Aerial to turn around the Alpha Reese, and Alpha Reese was speaking up.

When Fuji Alphilis looks at the view of the prairie, the western sky is bright, no, red.

"The sky... red?

"Father's fire."

Answer with Aerial staring into the west sky. Alphilis laid down beside Aerial with his uncle and a gentle peek at how she was, tears were streaming from Aerial's eyes.

"Aerie... are you okay?

"Oh, I'm fine"

But Aerial never wets the tears that tell her cheeks, and her eyes are nailed to the western sky. Alphilis stared at the sky together as he explored the words.

"That fire... of Faranx?

"Oh, my father is a flaming beast. He said he could exercise his sorcery because of his old courtesy with the Spirit of Fire. But simple sorcery is rarely available, and even if it is, it is only something of magical power. They say that the price to exercise is their own lives, too. He laughed at the inconvenience."

"That means..."

"Oh, my father is dead"

"... yes"

Aerial speaks softly. But it was the moment to say it that sounded pale, but Alphilis knew she was going through all sorts of grits by the time she twisted the word, so she didn't dare say anything.

Alphilis waiting for the next Aerial word as it is. But there is no word for Aerial, and as always, her tears will not stop. Alphilis was not sure if he should say anything, but he guessed how it was, Aerial said the words first.

"I'm sorry, Alfie, you're worried."

"Yeah, I'm the one... who can't do anything."

"No, I'm glad Alfie's here with me."

Aerial grinned. Though that smile seemed lonely, the breezy freshness flowing through the prairie has never been lost. Tears are still flowing.

"My father..."

"Yeah?"

"My father had told me that eventually he would die. He who is alive, not just himself, always dies, and when he dies, he returns to the wind... and in this world of weak and strong eating, he must be very familiar with death, and more or less his father will soon have a life expectancy."

"I was aware..."

"Oh, I'm not dull either. I noticed it a long time ago."

As expected by Faranx. Even though they were not real parents and children, there still seemed to be a deep connection between them.

"When I found out that my father's death was near, I thought. Do you want to avenge yourself, or don't you want your father to die... something funny, even though I hated you so much. But strangely, I remembered that both my mother and Father Faranx said the same thing..."

"... what?

"'Everything stays in the wind', they say... when all goes back to the wind. Life, honor, anger, sadness... I'm sure you'll cry too. So now I'm crying without stopping... but there's something strangely I don't want to give back."

The alpha leash is irritating. Aerial is biting his lips off to the point of bleeding.

"Aerie... what don't you want to give back?

"... anger."

"... against what?

"... it's that man..."

"Huh? But..."

"He's alive..."

There was blood coming from Aerial's lips. But Alphilis also got his doubts ahead of him, rather than caring about the blood he'd shed.

"That... using magic on that scale? How do you know that?

"The wind taught me... he must be alive. He killed your father."

"There's such a stupid story..."

"There seems to be... what the hell your father did to him. Father fed it many lives to live as a beast. In order to preserve the order of the prairie, I have attacked the interior to show off. But what did you do to him? My father's only hope was to finish his life quietly already... and I'm not convinced. I hate him, I want to go kill him with this hand right now. But..."

Aerial stares at his hand. The hand is bewildered.

"I'm scared... I was wondering if I could defeat someone like your father who couldn't even do anything about it. I'm not afraid to be killed, I'm afraid I can't do anything"

"Aerie."

"My hands tremble just thinking about getting out in front of him... what an amnesia. I never thought I was so weak. Totally pitiful to have... this is the Lord of the prairies, the daughter of the Flaming Beast..."

"And... I can't stop crying. Come overflowing later... will this grief really heal? Tell me, Alphilis."

"I..."

Alphilis thought about himself. The grief of losing a master has not fully healed. Nor do I resent the fact that they chased me home. But I can still laugh. She thinks it must be because of all the people who support her. If Lisa or Miranda weren't here, I wouldn't be relieved.

"I... think humans can live because there are all kinds of people, things I can't do alone, I have family, friends, lovers... because I don't have a lover, but my friends could do a lot on this journey. So, Aerie, can you count on us more? You can cry alone, but don't think you can fool us or hit eight... but I'm not sure they're telling us this well."

"Depend on people..."

Alphilis is pounding and wearing his head. Aerial stared at such an alphilis with no expression for a while... but eventually smiled a little and stood up.

"Then... can you hear my hope for one thing...?

"Fine, but... what do you do?

"No, I just need you to stay put... and never turn around on me. I don't want you to say anything or say anything to anyone here. Just keep it in Alfie's chest."

"?... Fine."

"... thanks"

That said, Aerial has put a trick on Alphilis' back and forehead. And when I grasp his back, his hands are trembling in small pieces.

"Father... Father... why, why don't you put me down... we're all on our own! My real father, my mother, everyone inside... Faranx, my father will all leave me... please don't leave me alone... I don't like one... I don't like one... I'm that strong or something..."

"Aerie..."

"I... wanted my father to live in any way... in the end my heart wasn't strong enough to hate my parents' hatred... on the contrary, let it be my hatred, and incline my love as a real family... but I couldn't die with him, and I was scared of him... how could I... uhh, guh..."

Aerial never raised his voice loud, but he was crying to grab Alphilis' back. Honestly, because Aerial was putting a lot of effort into it, Alphilis was experiencing pain in his back, but was very unwilling to put that in his mouth.

Continued