"Pfft..."
The bedding still warm from a human body was gently laid upon the bed, together with the sheet so neatly arranged that not a single wrinkle could be seen, creating a clean and tidy bed.
"Whew..."
Looking at the bed, so orderly it was nearly meticulous, Chiba let out a soft breath and slowly straightened up.
"Chirp... chirp..."
In the morning light streaming through the window, several autumn birdcalls filtered in with the sunlight, adding a touch of liveliness.
At this dawn after the night, in this secluded place far from the crowds, everything remained as peaceful and ordinary as it had on any other morning.
As if last night's fierce battle had never happened.
After straightening up, amid that peace and plainness, Chiba picked up a rag from the side, turned his head slightly, and looked over the quiet, spotless room that had already been tidied to perfection. He silently nodded.
Although this place looked as if nothing had happened, as peaceful and ordinary as ever, as secluded and quiet as before, the calmness and blandness of the surroundings did not mean the people living here could remain calm and indifferent as well.
Chiba had originally planned to get some proper rest, at least sleep for an hour or two, but in the end, he never closed his eyes.
In this quiet silence, it seemed even easier to recall the past—to remember the people who had once existed, and the things that had happened.
And sometimes, even a calm mind could not suppress those beautiful memories buried deep within the heart, memories that kept surfacing in the stillness and quiet.
At the end of the Night of the Nine-Tails, during the final hours before dawn, when Chiba lay in the bed in this room—his own room—the very bed