Time slipped unnoticed into twilight.
Walking with the setting sun behind her, Ritsuka halted before a house.
Turning to gaze at the wooden sign reading "Fujimaru" mounted on the wall, Mash spoke softly: "Is this Senpai's home? I know Japanese families often display their surnames beside their houses."
Ritsuka nodded. "Yes… It feels strange. I've only been gone two weeks, yet it feels like an eternity since I last came home. I don't know how Mom and Dad are doing now. At this hour, they must have returned from work and are preparing dinner, waiting for me to come back from school—if I hadn't gone to Chaldea."
Staring at the front door, she took a deep breath, patted her cheeks, then raised her hand to press the doorbell beside it.
*Ting-tong!*
The bell chimed.
For some reason, Ritsuka suddenly felt a flicker of nervousness. This was just an ordinary return home—yet somehow, her heart didn't feel normal. Her pulse raced wildly, as if trying to leap right out of her chest.
Moments after the bell rang, the door opened. A woman with red hair, strikingly similar to Ritsuka, stepped out—and her eyes immediately locked onto Ritsuka's figure.
"Ritsuka?"
"Yes, I'm home, Mom," Ritsuka smiled.
"Why did you suddenly come back? Aren't you working for that international organization called Chaldea?"
Only then did Ritsuka remember: Chaldea had been presented to her parents as an international research organization operating across multiple fields…
Scratching her head, Ritsuka—who had never once considered how to explain things to her parents on the way—felt awkward and resorted to a flimsy excuse: "W-well… it's just… a regular vacation! Vacation! The Head of Department gave me time off and told me to go home and rest for two days!"
"I see. But at least call ahead and let us know you're coming."
After scolding her careless daughter slightly, Mrs. Fujimaru turned her attention to Mash beside her: "And who is this?"
"Hello, I'm Mash Kyrielight, junior—"
"Friend," Ritsuka cut in. "Since the department is on break, I brought Mash along. It wouldn't be right to leave Mash alone in the dorm, right? Isn't that so, Mash?"
Mash quickly nodded. "Ah, yes… Sorry for the trouble."
"A friend of Ritsuka's? Nice to meet you. I'm Ritsuka's mother—Oh, right, come in! Don't stand outside the door. We're just having dinner. Would you two like to join us?"
"Yes! I'm starving. Haven't eaten anything all afternoon. Mash must be hungry too, right? By the way, Mom—are there enough plates and chopsticks at home?"
Hearing the word "dinner," Ritsuka's eyes instantly lit up. After wandering all afternoon, she was ravenous. Without hesitation, she grabbed Mash's arm—the still-slightly-awkward girl—and pulled her inside.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
At the same moment.
Inside the Ryougi Residence.
With dinnertime approaching, Naoki Tora and the others also gathered in the Ryougi family dining room.
Though they were a prominent local family in Kan'u City, since Shiki herself disliked unnecessary complexity, their family dinners mirrored everything else about their lives: simple and unadorned. In essence, they were no different from meals taken at Garan no Dou.
There weren't many people at the table.
Naoki, Shiki, Angelica.
The three sat quietly around a small round table, enjoying the dinner prepared by Angelica. This had become routine whenever Naoki returned—but Angelica didn't always cook; most of the time, Naoki himself prepared meals. Shiki rarely cooked at all.
Midway through the meal, Shiki set down her chopsticks and plate, then fixed her gaze on Naoki. "Is that really acceptable, Natsukawa?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"Fujimaru. Is it truly alright to let her go back? If we allow her to return home, she might decide she doesn't want to leave again."
Shiki's question caused Naoki to pause mid-bite.
Indeed, it wasn't an impossible scenario.
No matter how great Ritsuka's future accomplishments would be according to Naoki's knowledge, the Ritsuka standing before him now was still merely a child—naive, innocent, far removed from the hardened young woman he knew.
Though she had completed two Singularities, endured several battles, and shown no signs of retreat, it was impossible she hadn't felt fear during those experiences.
Afraid she might die. Afraid she couldn't succeed. Afraid she'd be hurt… Such thoughts were natural, understandable. Yet Ritsuka concealed them exceptionally well—or rather, forced herself to suppress them. She knew she could only move forward, never retreat or stop, so she buried every emotion beneath stoic determination.
It was also a choice made by the true Ritsuka. But here, perhaps some part of her motivation stemmed from Naoki. Deep down, Ritsuka believed that when she reached the limits of her fear, the Head of Department would appear and pull her back.
But now, things were different.
Now, there was Mifune City—a potential "escape route."
When an escape exists, one cannot fully commit their strength. Nor can one summon complete resolve.
[Even without me, the Head of Department can handle everything.]
[If it's just about being strong, Aoko-san is already more than capable. Let her take care of it.]
[I'll only be a burden if I go back.]
[Battles are terrifying. I still have to fight the Demon King. Can I really do it?]
"..."
These kinds of thoughts, however faint or subtle, would inevitably surface after Ritsuka returned from the warmth and comfort of her hometown.
"You left today at noon, correct?"
"If, at that moment, the girl developed the thought of not wanting to leave… what would you do? Force her back using a Spiritron transfer? Or…"
Shiki left the sentence unfinished.
Naoki bit his chopsticks and sighed. "Then that would amount to forcing her to fight. Chaldea isn't an organization devoid of conscience. We won't compel a minor to fight."
"But your point is valid. If such a situation truly arises, we'd have no choice but to accept it."
"But…" Shiki, could it be that the outcome ends up being the exact opposite of what you suggest?"
The opposite?
Not fleeing, but becoming even more determined to fight.
"Take myself as an example."
"If I were in Fujimaru's position right now, returning home this time would only strengthen my resolve to end the Incineration of Humanity. After all, compared to some vague goal of 'saving the world,' I have a far more specific purpose."
"That purpose—"
"To return to my parents' side, and protect this place… the very place I will ultimately come home to."