Silence settled over the living room.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Chika was still sitting on the floor, her back pressed against the sofa. Her breathing hadn't fully steadied yet. Her hands trembled slightly.
Airi stood a few steps away from her, head lowered, shoulders slumped—
not in a threatening stance, but in exhaustion.
"…I…" Airi's voice was quiet,
"I didn't mean to…"
Her father slowly stepped closer. "Airi."
She looked up.
There was no anger in his eyes.
Only… concern.
"You've already been through enough," he said softly.
"Don't carry everything on your own."
Her mother gently wrapped her arms around Airi from the side.
Airi's body trembled slightly at the touch.
"I just… didn't want to be made fun of again," Airi whispered.
Chika watched them.
For the first time, her expression wasn't playful.
Not teasing.
Not challenging.
"…I went too far," she said quietly.
Airi looked at her, surprised.
Chika looked away. "I thought it was just a normal joke. I didn't think it would go…"
She swallowed.
"…that far."
Lumina let out a long breath and finally stepped forward. "Airi's power reacts when her emotions are suppressed. That's dangerous… especially for herself."
Akari nodded. "Especially if she keeps forcing herself to hold everything in."
Arou, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "You're not wrong for being strong. And you're not wrong for being afraid."
Airi slowly raised her face. "…Really?"
Arou nodded. "What's wrong is when people forget you're still human."
Silence fell again.
Chika slowly stood up. "Hey…"
Airi tensed instinctively.
But Chika only raised her hand slightly. "I won't bring up the frog thing anymore."
"…Seriously?" Airi asked, unsure.
"Yeah," Chika said.
"But not because I'm being nice."
Airi: "?"
Chika sighed. "Because… if I keep going, it might not just be the frog that dies next time."
Airi: "..."
Her father cleared his throat. "I think that's enough for today."
Her mother nodded. "You all look exhausted."
Lumina gave a small smile. "We should get going."
Akari glanced at Airi. "If you need to talk… don't keep it all to yourself."
Airi nodded slowly. "…Thank you."
As Lumina and Akari walked toward the door, Chika looked back at Airi one last time.
"…Hey," she said lightly, but not joking this time.
"Next time… just say when it's enough."
Airi paused, then nodded. "…I'll try."
The door closed.
Morning resumed as usual.
But one thing had changed—
No one saw Airi as just the one who defeated the Demon King anymore.
Now…
they saw her as someone who needed to be protected.
---
Night fell quietly.
Airi's house was calm. No guests, no laughter—only the soft ticking of a wall clock.
Airi sat at the edge of her bed, staring at her right hand.
It wasn't shaking.
It wasn't glowing.
But the memory of that morning was still vivid.
The darkened sky.
The lights going out.
Chika's frozen expression of fear.
"…I almost…"
Airi clenched her fist.
"…lost control."
Her breathing became uneven.
She leaned against the wall, pulling her knees close to her chest.
When she fought the Demon King, she hadn't felt fear like this.
No hesitation.
No doubt.
But this was different.
That wasn't an enemy.
That was family.
A soft knock came from the door.
"May I come in?" her father's voice.
Airi paused, then nodded. "Yeah…"
He sat on the chair beside her bed.
For a moment, he said nothing.
"You know," he finally began,
"strength isn't just about defeating your enemies."
Airi lowered her gaze.
"The harder part," he continued,
"is stopping yourself."
Airi bit her lip. "I'm scared that one day… I might hurt someone I shouldn't."
Her father looked at her for a long moment. "If you're afraid, that means you're still aware."
Airi looked up. "…Really?"
"Really," he said firmly.
"The truly dangerous ones are those who aren't afraid of themselves."
Silence filled the room again.
"Dad…" Airi spoke softly.
"If I lose control again someday…"
He stood up and placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "If that happens, we'll be there. To stop you—or to bring you back."
Airi took a deep breath.
Outside the window, the moon shone gently.
But when she closed her eyes—
that dark face with white eyes appeared again.
Not as a threat.
But as a reminder.
That the power she held…
was still waiting to be fully controlled.
---
The next morning, the town looked normal.
The sun rose, shops opened, and people went about their routines.
But beneath it all…
something had changed.
At a corner of the market, two townspeople whispered.
"They say the Demon King was defeated yesterday…"
"Yeah. But that's not the strange part."
"That girl, right?"
"Airi?"
The whispers spread.
At a tea shop:
"I heard the sky darkened before the Demon King fell."
"They say it wasn't the Demon King… but that swordswoman."
Near the city gates:
"Golden threads from her eyes…"
"Is that magic… or a curse?"
The stories twisted.
Some exaggerated.
Some left out key details.
What remained was a single impression:
Airi was dangerous.
---
At home, Airi sat at the dining table, holding a cup of now-cold tea. Her hand paused midair as she heard whispers from beyond the fence.
"…That's her house."
She slowly set the cup down.
Chika, passing by, stopped. "…You heard that too?"
Airi gave a small nod.
No laughter.
No teasing.
For once, Chika didn't add anything.
---
Later that afternoon, Arou and Nova arrived.
"We need to talk," Nova said seriously.
Arou added, "The city's shifting. The guards are on alert. Not for the Demon King… but for you."
Airi fell silent.
Soon after, Lumina and Akari arrived.
"Some officials want to meet you," Akari said.
"They claim it's just to 'ensure safety.'"
Airi clenched her fists. "…I don't want to become a problem."
Lumina looked at her gently. "You're not the problem. Their fear is."
Arou crossed his arms. "And fear always looks for a target."
Silence filled the room.
Outside, someone lingered near the gate, staring at the house before walking away.
In the distance, a guard's bell rang once.
Not an alarm.
A warning.
Airi looked out the window.
"…It seems," she said quietly,
"this fight isn't over yet."
---
That afternoon, the city bell rang again.
Not loud.
Not urgent.
But enough to draw attention.
Soon after, a city guard stood at Airi's door. His posture was polite, but his face was tense.
"Airi," he said,
"on behalf of the city council… we request your presence."
Chika crossed her arms. "Request—or force?"
The guard hesitated. "…A request. For now."
Airi stood. "It's okay."
Arou stepped forward. "We're coming too."
The guard nodded. "That was expected."
---
The council hall was crowded.
Guards stood at every corner, watchful—not for an external threat.
But for Airi.
Whispers rose again.
"That's her…"
"The one who darkened the sky…"
"They say she can lose control…"
Airi felt her chest tighten, but she kept walking.
At the front sat several council members. Their faces were serious—not hostile, but not welcoming either.
An elderly man spoke first. "Airi. You saved this city. We have not forgotten that."
Airi bowed her head slightly. "…I only did what I had to do."
"But," he continued,
"the power you displayed… exceeded our expectations."
Nova frowned. "You're afraid."
"We are cautious," another council member replied.
"This city cannot afford another threat."
Airi clenched her hands. "Do you see me as a threat?"
Silence.
That was the answer.
Arou stepped forward slightly. "If she were a threat, the Demon King would have destroyed this city yesterday."
Some of the council members fell silent.
The elderly man sighed. "We do not wish to imprison you. Nor harm you."
"Then what?" Airi asked.
"We want supervision."
The word felt heavy.
"Whatever happens," he continued,
"we must know. For the sake of the citizens."
Airi looked down.
She remembered Chika's face that morning.
The fear in everyone's eyes.
"…What if I refuse?" she asked quietly.
The man met her gaze. "Then the city will consider you… a risk."
Silence.
Lumina looked worried.
Akari tightened her hand.
Airi closed her eyes briefly.
Then opened them again.
"…I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me," she said calmly.
"If that's the way… I'll consider it."
Some council members looked relieved.
But not all.
In the corner of the room, a hooded man narrowed his eyes.
"Interesting," he muttered under his breath.
"A subject like this… is rare."
Airi felt it.
That gaze.
And for the first time since the Demon King was defeated—
she knew…
a new threat had appeared.
One that didn't come with a sword.