Kuuderika's voice was very soft, so soft that it was almost inaudible.
Arche burst into tears. She ran over and hugged her two younger sisters tightly.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I'm late, sister... I'm so sorry..."
Ureirika cried too.
Kuuderika cried too. The three sisters hugged each other and wept together.
Higashino Makoto stood at the door, looking at them, his dark eyes devoid of any emotion.
Illya walked to his side, her long, silvery-white hair gleaming golden in the sunlight.
"Big brother."
"Um."
Are you sad?
"No."
Illya smiled, looking completely innocent.
I never expected her to behave so wildly that night.
"How cold-blooded, big brother."
Higashino Makoto didn't reply. He turned around and went downstairs.
Arche cried for a long time, until his tears ran dry, until his voice became hoarse, until Ureirika and Kuuderika stopped trembling.
She released her sisters, wiped away her tears with the back of her hand, and took a deep breath.
"Pack your things. Let's go home."
Ureirika lowered her head and looked at her hands.
"Elder sister."
"Um?"
"Can we... come back and visit occasionally?"
Arche was stunned.
"What?"
"Us..."
Ureirika's voice was very soft.
"It's great here. I feel very safe and secure with my older sister and brother."
Arche's lips were trembling.
"Why?"
Ureirika remained silent for a long time.
"Because our older brother is very kind to us. Just like..."
Ureirika looked up, her emerald green eyes fixed on Arche.
She paused.
He's like a father.
Arche's tears welled up again.
"Ureirika-- "
"Elder sister."
Ureirika took her hand.
"We just wanted to be able to visit our older brother occasionally."
Arche looked at her for a long time. Then she nodded.
"Good."
She stood up, walked to the door, and looked at Higashino Makoto standing in the corridor.
"Higashino. Higashino."
"Um."
They said they hope to visit you occasionally.
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment.
"Okay, but I'm leaving soon. If you can find me, you're welcome."
Arche chuckled softly.
"Good."
Higashino Makoto glanced at her but said nothing more.
He took three small badges from his pocket and handed them to Arche.
"For you."
Arche took the badge and looked down at it.
The badge was small, only the size of a fingernail, with a pattern engraved on its silvery-white metal surface.
A black cross burning with flames, with a pair of pure white wings extending from behind the cross to encircle its main body.
She didn't know that it was the seal of the Black Cross.
"What's this?"
"The badge allows for one Fourth-Tier Angel Summon per month."
Arche's pupils contracted slightly.
"Fourth rank?"
"Yes. The summoned angels are roughly stronger than a Steel-rank adventurer. They can be used to save your life or to make money."
Arche's fingers gently traced the badge.
"Mr. Higashino, this is far too precious—"
"It's not valuable, just a failed product."
Higashino Makoto's tone was flat.
In his opinion, a mere fourth-tier magic was practically unusable.
"I wanted to make something better, but I failed. These are defective products, so they're useless to me. Consider them a gift."
He was just marking it, because in his eyes, these three sisters belonged to him now.
He plans to wait a few years, fatten them up, and then eat them together.
Three sisters, twins--
Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.
Arche didn't know what Higashino Makoto was thinking. Looking at him, her emerald green eyes glistened with tears.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
Higashino Makoto turned around and walked downstairs.
"Pack your things and have lunch before you leave. The landlady made apple pie."
He walked downstairs, his footsteps echoing on the stairs.
Arche stood in the corridor, watching his back, holding the three small badges in his hand.
"Elder sister."
Ureirika walked up to her.
"Big brother is gone."
"Um."
You cried.
"No."
You're lying.
Arche wiped away his tears with the back of his hand and took a deep breath.
"Let's go get some apple pie."
The three sisters walked down the stairs hand in hand.
Leinas received the badge that evening.
She stood by the window of Higashino Makoto's room, her long golden hair shimmering with a reddish-gold light in the sunset, her deep blue eyes fixed on the badge in her hand.
This badge was slightly larger than Arche's, with the same pattern engraved on its silvery-white surface, but with an additional ring of fine runes around the edge.
"What's this?"
"The badge allows for one summoning of a sixth-tier angel per week."
Leinas's pupils contracted slightly.
"Sixth rank?"
"Yes. The summoned angel is far more powerful than a steel-level adventurer. Use it to save your life, or to do what you need to do."
Leinas looked up at him.
"Higashino Makoto, why did you give me this?"
Because you've helped me a lot.
I didn't help you with anything.
"You have."
Higashino Makoto walked up to her and stopped.
"You come to keep me company every night; that's helping me."
Leinas's face flushed slightly.
That--that is--
What is it?
"Yes—I came of my own volition."
Higashino Makoto looked at her for two seconds.
"Then we should definitely give it to them."
Leinas lowered her head, looking at the badge in her hand, her fingers gently stroking its silvery-white surface.
Higashino Makoto.
"Um."
Are you leaving?
"Tomorrow."
"Will you give it back?"
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment.
"I don't know. He'll probably come back, but the timing is uncertain."
Leinas's fingers stopped. She looked up, her deep blue eyes meeting his.
"Is this badge a farewell gift?"
"No, it's a commemoration."
What are we commemorating?
"In memory of the days we spent in the Baharuth Empire."
Leinas looked at him for a long time.
Then she pinned the badge to her chest, a slight smile playing on her lips.
"I will keep it safe."
"Um."
Higashino Makoto turned around, walked to the window, and opened it.
The setting sun streamed in through the window, bathing the entire room in a golden-red hue.
In the distance, the towers of the imperial city shimmered in the setting sun.
I'm leaving tomorrow.
"I know."
"Aren't you going to try to keep me?"
Leinas was silent for a moment.
Is it even worth trying to keep them?
"No."
"Then we won't try to stop you."
Higashino Makoto chuckled softly.
"You're quite optimistic."
It's not that I'm easygoing, it's that I know I can't keep it.
A big shot like Higashino Makoto wouldn't stay just because of someone like me.
Leinas walked over to him and stood beside him by the window.
Her long, golden hair shimmered with a reddish-gold glow in the setting sun, and her deep blue eyes gazed into the distance.
Higashino Makoto.
"Um."
"Thank you."
"What are you thanking me for?"
Thank you for healing my face. Thank you for giving me the badge. Thank you for being with me.
"Okay, I accept."
Higashino Makoto didn't say anything. He just stood there, looking out the window.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, it painted the sky a golden-red hue.
In the distance, the lights of the Imperial Capital began to illuminate one by one.
That was Higashino Makoto's last night in the Baharuth Empire.
He's leaving tomorrow.
Higashino Makoto.
Leinas's voice rang in my ears.
"Um."
"I mean, don't make me go back tonight."
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"Good."
That night, a woman spends her last night with another man.
The moonlight shone on the two of them, casting their shadows onto the wall, where they overlapped.
In the distance, the bells of the clock tower rang out, long and deep, echoing in the night breeze.
That was the start of a new day.
It also marks the end of an old day.
For Higashino Makoto, that was the end of his journey to the Baharuth Empire.