But this popsicle was smooth and tender.
Her palm bore calluses from frequently using a gun.
Kiana raised her head and looked toward a rooftop.
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Maybe it was just an illusion, but she felt someone was over there.
But she did not dwell on it.
They had no enemies or acquaintances here. No one should be watching them.
With that thought, Kiana turned and left, catching up with the other two.
"Hey! You two, wait for me!!" Kiana immediately shouted when she realized they had gone far ahead.
Lin Nai slowed his pace as well, waiting for the rash girl behind them to catch up.
Bronya glanced at Kiana. There was no longer any doubt that she was an idiot.
Lin Nai: My Head Itches, I Must Be Growing a Brain
After they finished eating.
The three of them wandered around the little town.
After all, there was nothing else to do right now.
Kiana planned to look for a copy shop so she could print the missing-person notices first.
But on the way there...
"Lin Nai, Lin Nai! Look, there are pigeons over there!" Kiana pointed in surprise at a large plaza.
A great many pigeons were gathered there.
People nearby were feeding them, scattering bits of bread and such.
Kiana's eyes lit up. She had never fed pigeons before!
Well...
But she had eaten them.
Whenever Lin Nai tossed a Light Wheel into the sky, one or two pieces of poultry would occasionally fall down. Upon inspection, they turned out to be pigeon.
Don't ask how Kiana identified them.
Once, in a plaza, Lin Nai used Ruthless Iron Hand to grab a pigeon by the back of its fated neck.
Then he casually took it away with her.
That night, they had an extra dish.
A roasted squab.
And so, Kiana understood exactly what those things that occasionally fell from the sky were.
Poultry cut in half!
It was... it was pigeon!
That day, Kiana ate with even more relish.
Because roasted pigeon was delicious.
"If there are pigeons, then there are pigeons. What are you doing? Thinking of having an extra meal?"
Lin Nai and Bronya followed after Kiana, who had charged ahead at a jog.
Bronya watched the white pigeons flying all over the sky and unconsciously held out her hand.
A pigeon landed on Bronya's hand.
It made Bronya freeze for a moment.
"Coo."
The white pigeon tilted its head and met Bronya's gaze.
Seeing this, Lin Nai took out a camera and gently captured the scene.
It looked rather nice.
"Woohoo!"
Kiana ran toward the pigeons, startling a whole flock into flight, while she herself laughed happily over there.
Anyone who did not know better would have thought she was trying to steal the pigeons' food.
Of course, Lin Nai photographed that scene too.
He took two pictures.
One was a beautiful memory...
The other was a forced-perspective shot that made it look like she was delighted to have snatched the pigeons' food.
He would release it as embarrassing blackmail someday.
Without realizing it, Lin Nai wore a malicious grin that made Kiana shiver.
Kiana looked around in confusion. Could it be that some vile commoner wanted to harm her?
Vile commoner: Lin Nai.
Bronya was still staring at the pigeon.
The pigeon cooed twice, spread its wings, and flew away.
The girl continued watching the bird in the sky.
"Pretty free, isn't it?"
"Hm?"
Lin Nai walked over to Bronya's side and looked at the birds in flight.
"Birds are free creatures because they can fly through the vast sky and feel the wind freely."
"You're the same, Bronya."
"You're free too. You've already escaped the cage that held you."
Bronya fell silent and lowered her head to look at her hands.
Was she... free too?
"Everyone is free. Everyone longs for freedom. If you're locked up, then find a way to escape."
"Mm."
Bronya nodded gently. A cage...
The outside world was beautiful, far more beautiful than that concentration camp.
Bronya knew that. One month.
It was neither short nor long.
But during this time, she had truly experienced what the outside world was like.
Lin Nai took her and Kiana to all sorts of places to have fun, putting up a few missing-person notices along the way.
She had not said anything, but little by little, she had begun to feel happy too.
It did not show on the surface, but she was no longer so numb inside.
Freedom...
The two stood together, watching the birds in the sky.
Kiana had spent money from her little stash to buy some pigeon feed and was feeding the pigeons.
She paid no attention to Lin Nai counseling Bronya over there.
It was not the first time, anyway.
After playing in the plaza for a while, the sky gradually darkened.
It was too late to go to a copy shop now, so the three decided to return to the hotel and rest first.
Night.
The sleeping Bronya frowned, then suddenly woke from her bed and rubbed her temples.
She had dreamed that Lin Nai and Kiana had both died.
They had been killed by people from that concentration camp.
And she had returned to that place...
Bronya silently looked out the window.
The heavy night sky seemed to have been thickly smeared with endless black ink, leaving even the faint starlight unable to escape.
Bronya got out of bed and glanced at Kiana on the other bed, whose sleeping posture was somewhat strange.
She unconsciously let out a breath of relief.
But this girl really was an idiot... Did she even kick off her blanket in her sleep?
Bronya walked over and carefully covered Kiana with the blanket she had kicked away.
Then she changed clothes and walked out.
The sleeping Kiana scratched her stomach, mumbled a few words, and turned over.
She did not notice at all that someone was missing from the room.
Nor did she notice herself leaving the room and taking the elevator.
Just like that.
Bronya wandered the streets alone without any destination. The empty streets were so quiet.
Before she knew it, Bronya had arrived at the plaza where she had watched the pigeons that afternoon.
Bronya stopped there.
A breeze swept lightly past her face as Bronya stood quietly.
Bang!!
At the same instant as the gunshot, Bronya rolled forward and evaded the bullet.
Find cover, draw her pistol, aim!
Tap, tap, tap—
Footsteps approached.
A masked man appeared there.
Bronya's pupils contracted.
"Silver Wolf."
"..."
Bronya gripped the gun in her hand and stared fixedly at the masked person.
"Why didn't you go back?"
"..."
"Silver Wolf! Have you forgotten the rules?!"
Faced with the other party's repeated questioning and furious rebukes, Bronya did not answer. Cold sweat covered her forehead instead.
At the same time, she secretly considered how she could kill him as quickly as possible.
He was that person's subordinate, that person's confidant...
Before you continue