Hard-Shell Tower,
Shirahoshi had lived here alone for eight years. Her father and brothers were too busy to visit her every day, and the ministers and soldiers who brought her supplies or came to report matters never stayed for more than five minutes. Though it was all for her safety, living here was no different from being imprisoned.
So she was terribly bored and lonely here. Fortunately, Megalo, her beloved shark, kept her company. Otherwise, she might have begun to wonder whether she would go mad.
"Megalo, do you think Father and my brothers will come see me today?"
Shirahoshi was lying on her bed, her enormous fish tail swishing behind her as she spoke to Megalo in front of her.
"I haven't seen Father or my brothers in so long. And Mother... I've never had the chance to visit her grave. I want to go outside so badly!"
Shirahoshi was feeling a little down. To avoid Vander Decken IX's harassment and sniper attacks, she had not even attended her mother's funeral back then, nor had she ever had a chance to visit her mother's grave all these years.
She could endure this loneliness and solitude, but she desperately wanted to see her mother. Whenever she thought of it, her desire to leave grew even stronger.
But she also knew that going out would be dangerous, and that her father and brothers would worry about her because of it. So she could only force those thoughts down.
After hearing her, Megalo rubbed his nose against her palm in consolation. Shirahoshi rolled over and lay on her side, boredly preparing to take a nap. Perhaps she might even see her mother in her dreams.
As she thought that, a sudden bang interrupted her as she was about to fall asleep, and