"What on earth was he trying to do? That damned word 'sacrifice' doesn't sound like anything good."
Robin wandered through the forest with Mash, standing there with her hands on her hips in anger.
"Or is this the kind of drama all you 'heroes' like? Because it lets people write about you in history books and sing your praises for thousands of years?" She stomped her foot and gritted her teeth. "What's the point?! Isn't it better to just live properly?!"
Mash's lips twitched.
She wanted to point out that, strictly speaking, Anno and the others probably could not be considered "alive" right now, but Robin was still angry, so she decided to let it go.
"Miss Robin, are you this angry because you consider Grandfather a friend?"
Mash suddenly thought of something and teased her.
"If I didn't consider him a friend, would I be saying all this?" Robin rolled her eyes without denying it. Then she suddenly squatted down and let out a long sigh. "Though it might be selfish of me to say this, I think—"
"If he goes back to that Throne of Heroes or whatever, and all of you leave too... then won't I be all alone again?"
There was a faint, nearly imperceptible grievance in her voice, yet it was utterly clear to Mash.
All alone...
Mash recalled what Fujimaru Ritsuka had told her about Miss Robin's past.
Ever since Miss Robin's mother had died, Miss Robin had been alone.
Perhaps she had had friends before, but they had ultimately remained distant. Otherwise, Miss Robin would not have said something like this.
"Hey, Miss Robin, Master told you, didn't he?"
Mash sat down beside Robin, looked up at the canopy overhead, and smiled faintly.
"Thank you for being Grandfather's friend."
"He did say that."