Closed Loop of Beginning and End

Ash seemed not to see the surprise on everyone's faces, and said slowly, "Tamashi's intention is obvious. He didn't tell us, and insisted on leaving alone in secret, because he didn't want to drag us into this."

"Mercury Trojan Horse is down there. This is the end point of his revenge. He's willing to sacrifice everything for it, even if it means dying inside. If he succeeds, he'd be content to drop dead on the spot; if he fails, he'll have no regrets even if he dies without a grave."

"But we're different. We have a grudge against Mercury Trojan Horse, but it hasn't reached the point where we'd sacrifice our lives to perish together with her. More importantly, we have a way to leave now. We have a future we can grasp."

Ash said calmly, "We are only one step away from happiness."

"For the sake of his own revenge, dragging us travelers who were already going to leave into it and making us gamble our lives? Just thinking about it, I feel that thought is far too selfish, let alone for a believer of Raven Slaughter, whose every deed is for justice."

"If we really go save him, not only will we throw away our lives, we'll also let down his good intentions," Ash said. "We're no longer children who act only on preference. There's no color we like best."

"We can't be emotional. We can't look back. Everyone has their own road to walk. Since our roads are different, then we shouldn't meet again."

Aside from the Orc's slurping as he ate macaroni, only the lingering echo of Ash's words seemed to remain in the shadows of the Gobi Desert. Harvey glanced at him thoughtfully, then shook his head and tightened his grip on Alice's hand.

"...Is