Chapter 114 : Calm Sea

When opening the window in the quiet room, hot early summer wind blows in along with dust.

The last fragrance emitted by flowers beginning to wither without anyone tending the garden.

“…”

Creak

As Sumire tries to open the window further, a sound comes from her joints.

The sound coming from her limbs replaced with silver prosthetic arms and legs was unfamiliar.

Originally, these were wounds that could be completely healed in the process of blooming, but because those wounds left by her sister allowed her to become a true guardian, she refused restoration herself.

“It’s quiet.”

The main house she returned to after a long time since the funeral was desolate.

She never imagined she would see such a quiet scene of the main house in her lifetime.

People who used to come and go so frequently that the threshold was worn down

People belonging to Fujimoto Security.

Ninjas belonging to the Nameless Unit.

They no longer existed because they were either killed by Anna or had left for other places.

The invincible family that had controlled all of Japan for hundreds of years and finally had no one above them except for a single person.

Power that could make tens of millions bow their heads with just a word.

The end of that power was just the scent of flowers and silence coming from the slightly withered garden.

A voice calling Sumire as she looked out the window for a moment.

“Sumire.”

“Grandfather.”

“Were you resting? Did I disturb you?”

“Not at all.”

Sumire tried to support the old man struggling to enter the room with her silver prosthetic hand, but he refused.

“It’s fine. You’re in no state yourself.”

“…”

“That foolish man… because of his own karma and greed, our precious granddaughter has become completely covered in wounds.”

“…”

Sumire, who had defended her uncle and been driven out by her father, settled everything with her grandfather who had nominally been the chairman of the Fujimoto Group.

Her grandfather, who had even his family name taken away by her father and was confined to the hospital with just his name on it.

Now only Sumire and her grandfather remained with the right to dismantle Fujimoto.

“…Now it’s all over.”

“Yes.”

Because her father had strictly separated the shares that collateral and direct lines could have in order to create an absolute dictatorship system.

Because he had thoroughly hidden the structure of connected businesses like a maze so that no one but himself could hold everything.

The process of completely dismantling the Fujimoto Group, which had already shattered with the ruler gone, was not difficult. Even if there was someone with dreams of founding a new empire by gathering small pieces from it, it would take a very long time.

“…”

“…”

Sumire and the Fujimoto chairman were quietly sitting in chairs, facing the incoming wind.

Early summer breeze tickled their noses.

The faint scent of withered wisteria flowers mixed in.

A nostalgic fragrance.

The Fujimoto chairman shed a tear as he smelled the fragrance carried by the wind.

In this fragrance, he was born, married, had sons, and was abandoned.

Wrinkles engraved with guilt and powerlessness for not being able to stop the fight between his two sons. Tears flowed over them, gathering like ditches and seeping in.

The regret, resentment, remorse, self-blame of a father abandoned in old age…

“Foolish man. Power scatters so meaninglessly.”

“…”

“It is the way of things for flowers to completely wither after spring passes. Why couldn’t he let go of that?”

“…”

No flower blooms for ten days.

It was the end of Fujimoto, which seemed like it would shine brilliantly forever in Japanese history.

Sumire reminisced about the scent of wisteria flowers in the house where she was born and raised, together with her grandfather until the moment the evening sun set.

When attendants caring for her grandfather appeared to take him home.

After greeting her grandfather, Sumire slowly walked out of the house.

Because she now intended to return this mansion to society, it would be the last time she walked proudly as the heir of Fujimoto. She probably wouldn’t visit this place again until she died.

Swish

The corner of the garden.

The wall where wisteria flowers used to bloom profusely.

Sumire stroked the wall where all the flowers had fallen and only leaves remained, recalling memories.

Mother, grandmother, the gardener uncle, the servants.

Familiar faces who used to talk to her when she walked elegantly alone in the garden.

Faces she had sent away one by one.

-Young miss! Please try this!

-Young miss! Are you satisfied with the state of the garden today?

-Sumire, come here.

-Child, let’s eat some snacks together with grandma.

Thud

The sound of brushing against bushes disappeared and a hard metal sound was heard.

What Sumire encountered at the end after walking forward with her hand on the wall for a long time was the main gate.

The 18 years of memories that were both long and short had ended.

Now it was time to leave.

She had to go to where the salon members and Kaede, who had now become close enough to call friends without embarrassment, were waiting.

There were still things to do as a magical girl, as the chairman of the Council, as the boss of the salon, as a guardian.

Sumire, the young lady of the Fujimoto family who used to walk in the garden holding hands with her sister, now remains in this house forever.

What is leaving is the guardian Sumire who protects people among people.

-Hehehe!

-Hehe!

Thinking she saw two girls holding hands passing through the garden, Sumire turned around in surprise.

“…Anna?”

But there was no one there anymore.

Only the huge mansion seeping into the sunset looked eerie, with all lights completely out.

The wisteria garden that used to sway like lavender waves on a spring day had disappeared like mist somewhere.

“…”

Sumire looked forward again and turned her back on the mansion where the scent of wisteria flowers used to be.

She walked into the brilliantly lit downtown.

She advanced towards the place where countless people walk, live, cry and laugh.

The place where friends are waiting.

The place where magical girls are waiting.

The place where people live.

“Goodbye, everyone.”

And so Fujimoto disappeared into history.

* * *

Flash

Once again, her eyes snap open without fail.

Chirp chirp

Cock-a-doodle-doo

Bird sounds heard suspiciously often.

Mountain breeze seeping into her nostrils.

Dry and stuffy barracks air.

Sleeptalking of platoon members grinding their teeth or muttering something.

“…”

Hong Nayeon, platoon leader of White Wing Company Headquarters Platoon, magical girl of [Sea].

She checked the watch on her left wrist while still half asleep.

5 minutes before the wake-up bugle.

“Ah, please.”

After being thoroughly trained at the training center, her eyes always open before the damn wake-up bugle even sounds.

That’s because the training of Lee Minseul, the 1st Platoon leader and magical girl of [Shooting] who was assigned as her training supervisor and instructor, always involved unexpected situations.

Some days she would set off flash bangs 2 hours after lights out and order them to be in full gear within 5 minutes.

Some days she would make them do guerrilla training in the mountains right after shooting practice without returning to the base.

‘I still shudder thinking about that time.’

When Lee Minseul, who had been grilling her like popping beans for two months, smiled like an angel and told her to speak informally now, pinning the rank insignia on her chest, she cried tears of joy but thinking about it now, it was vexing.

-Sniff, Min…Minseul, thank you…

-No need for thanks.

Minseul whispered while embracing her.

“The real military life starts now.”

Nayeon didn’t know the true meaning of those words at the time.

Because right after that, the day of trials came and she received orders to defend Busan with the headquarters platoon members.

‘Se-Second Lieutenant Hong Nayeon! I will defend it without fail!’

It was simple to clear out the black lions rushing towards the beach in Busan, which the magical girl of [Cyberbrain] had already covered with silver cannons and soldiers.

In the first place, her ability showed excellent compatibility in toying with enemies on the beach.

The problem was the days full of duties after the day of trials.

Intense work traveling all over South Korea, and time that doesn’t pass.

It was truly dreadful.

Bam―Bam―BamBamBam――BamBaraBamBam

“Uuugh…”

“D-Damn.”

“Save me.”

The headquarters platoon members, except for the magical girl of [Meal Service] who had already gone to the mess hall long ago, got up staggering.

One of the platoon members mechanically closing the curtains and arranging bedding muttered while looking at the situation board.

“Huh? Platoon leader.”

“What.”

Although Hong Nayeon was the youngest in the headquarters platoon, Park Saebyeok said it would be a waste to put a born 2-star magical girl as a regular platoon member, so she appointed her as the platoon leader of the headquarters platoon which didn’t have one. And the headquarters platoon members respected Hong Nayeon who had parachuted in, in their own way.

“The company commander is calling.”

“Hm?”

There was a message urgently calling Nayeon on the monitor showing the real-time situation of White Wing Unit members.

“What is it? We’ve completely cleaned up Busan now.”

“Don’t know.”

Nayeon scratched her butt while arranging bedding and passing by company members moving for morning roll call, staggering into the company commander’s office.

Knock knock

“Second Lieutenant Hong Nayeon, I have business at the company commander’s office…”

“Ah, it’s urgent, so please change and prepare to go out right away.”

“I must have misheard?”

Nayeon was flustered because Park Saebyeok usually acted according to FM unless it was an extremely urgent matter.

“I heard that the Walpurgis meeting designated Lieutenant Hong as a key combatant for the next trial. This is something I just received urgently too, so we’ll have to go together to hear the detailed situation.”

“T-trial, you say?”

“They say the next trial is in the seas of Europe.”

Nayeon’s vision went black.