Sora departed for Berka on Lunamaria’s advice.

“Even though Berka was in the same Kingdom of Canaria, it was a city far to the west, requiring a significant amount of travel time. Riding on Kala Solas, the indigo-winged wyvern, Sora could make the trip quicker than usual, but it still took several days.

During this time, Kagari had returned to Ishka from the Titis Forest. Having seen everything worth seeing in the forest, Kagari decided to spend the remaining time observing the human city and indulging in street food.

Suzume was the one who guided Kagari around.

For Suzume, Kagari was the first of their kind she had met besides her parents. Having lived alone in the forest until just a few months ago, Suzume wasn’t very good at interacting with others, but she naturally had an interest in her own kind.

Thanks to Kagari’s spirited personality—or rather, because Kagari proactively spoke to her—the two managed to get along well enough to have regular conversations.

“Wow, everything I eat in the human city is delicious! I liked the stalls in the Western Capital, but honestly, they don’t compare to here.”

Holding a skewer of grilled river fish in his right hand and a pie filled with honey and fruit in his left, Kagari expressed his amazement. Suzume, holding a pie in both hands, asked with a curious expression.

“Really?”

“Yeah. The food at the stalls here is fit for royalty over there.”

With that, Kagari opened his mouth wide and took a big bite of the pie. The large triangular piece was more than half eaten in an instant.

Next, Kagari bit into the grilled river fish, crunching through the bones with a hearty snap and then grinning widely.

“After something sweet, the salty flavor really stands out. After something salty, the sweetness becomes more pronounced. It’s the perfect combination.”

As Kagari spoke, his eyes sparkled like a child’s, making Suzume chuckle softly.

To Suzume, Kagari was two years older, but his behavior wasn’t much different from the three children—Ain, Zwei, and Dora.

Feeling like she had gained an older brother, Suzume happily nibbled on her honey pie.

While doing so, she remembered the time when she first left the forest with Sora. Back then, Suzume had been just as fascinated by everything she saw, heard, and ate as Kagari was now.

Suzume shared this memory with Kagari.

“When I first left the forest, I was also amazed by the liveliness and abundance of this city.”

“Suzume, you’ve been living in that forest all your life. Coming to this city from there must have been quite a shock.”

Kagari’s voice softened with concern as he continued.

“I heard from Sora that Kijin are persecuted here. Did you have any hard times?”

“It’s fine. Back then, Sora, Ciel, and Lunamaria always protected me.”

As Suzume said, ever since she came to Ishka, she had rarely encountered danger just because she was a Kijin. Even now, she wore a bird-hunting hat that Sora and Ciel had bought for her, which concealed her horns. However, she wore it because she liked it, not because she couldn’t go out without it.

Naturally, it made sense. Suzume was a member of the Dragon Slayer Clan, the Blood Spraying Sword, and had been personally commended by the king of the Kingdom of Canaria for bringing the Jiraiya Oak fruit, which had potent antidote properties.

Harming Suzume would mean antagonizing the Dragon Slayers and the Kingdom of Canaria, a foolish act ensuring her safety in Ishka.

Furthermore, Suzume had been learning magic from Miroslav, martial arts from Priestess Sarah, and had resolved numerous requests brought to the clan alongside Ciel. She had become a formidable adventurer capable of fending off attackers on her own.

“…Even so, I still can’t match Sora,” Suzume said with a sigh.

There was no doubt she had become stronger since living in the forest. After accompanying Sora to Berka, he had started giving her responsibilities without hesitation.

Suzume was no longer someone who needed to be protected.

However, if asked whether she was truly helpful to Sora, she could only shake her head.

Sora’s growth was so remarkable that, no matter how hard Suzume tried, the gap between them only widened.

Of course, she had no intention of giving up, but sometimes she felt a sense of futility, like trying to grasp the moon in the sky. This feeling was shared by Ciel, and the two would occasionally confide their frustrations to each other in their rooms.

They weren’t complaining about Sora, but about their own lack of power.

Kagari looked puzzled at Suzume.

“Can’t match him, huh? I don’t think that’s true.”

“…Huh?”

“Of course, Sora is amazing, but I think you’re incredible too, Suzume. You’ve already met with your Anima, right? If you’ve met your Anima, you’re just one step away from mastering Soul Equipment.”

Kagari’s voice held no hint of mere consolation. He was simply pointing out an obvious fact.

For Suzume, it was a shocking revelation. Mastering Soul Equipment was a long-held dream for both her and Ciel. She hadn’t realized she was so close to achieving it.

Suzume, bewildered, opened her mouth to speak.

“W-what do you mean I’ve met my Anima?”

“It’s exactly what I said. You haven’t realized it yet? Haven’t you encountered something like a giant you had to look up at in your dreams, or talking animals, or a red-eyed Kijin?”

“I have!”

Suzume’s voice rose involuntarily. Before going to Berka, she had told Sora about a person with blood-red eyes appearing in her dreams, which matched Kagari’s description perfectly.

In fact, Sora had also mentioned that the red eyes might belong to a demon god. However, he had also cautioned that his information was second-hand and obtained under duress, so it wasn’t necessarily reliable.

In her dreams, the red eyes did not speak or attack but just stood there, making Suzume unsure if they really were a demon god.

However, Kagari, being another Kijin and someone who had mastered Soul Equipment, had a convincing air of certainty.

Suzume placed her hand on her chest, trying to calm her racing heart, and asked Kagari cautiously.

“Is it something you can recognize just by seeing?”

“It depends on the person. In your case, it’s probably because we are the same kind, but I think your Anima is similar to mine.”

Kagari’s Anima was Toutetsu, an evil god said to be closest to the demon god Shiyu.

Kagari felt that Suzume’s Anima was similar to Toutetsu.

It was common knowledge among the Kijin that an Anima close to Shiyu was particularly powerful. It was also common knowledge that female Kijin with two horns possessed more magical power than male Kijin with one horn.

Kagari’s intuition told him that if Suzume mastered combat and Soul Equipment, she would become a warrior rivaling himself. Perhaps, she could even become like Atori, who sealed the serpent three hundred years ago while leading the warriors of Phantom Burial.

—Well, it might be tough for someone as kind as Suzume to reach the level of himself or Sora. But then again, Atori was also said to be gentle when not in battle, so maybe there is a chance?

Kagari mused to himself.

Kagari, who longed for a deadly battle with a formidable opponent, was more than willing to offer advice and support to Suzume if she desired it.

This willingness stemmed not only from camaraderie but also from his considerations as the younger brother of the king of Nakayama.

As he had mentioned to Sora, it was evident to anyone that Suzume was attracted to him. The reason she hadn’t acted on her feelings was likely because she felt that her weak self wasn’t worthy of him.

If Suzume could gain confidence by mastering Soul Equipment and be united with Sora, it would soften the attitudes of their kind who harbored prejudices against the human Sora. This would make their relocation much easier—at least, that’s what Kagari believed.

However, he had no intention of sharing these thoughts with Suzume. Mixing calculations into the pure love of her young compatriot would be highly inappropriate.

On the other hand, Kagari had conveyed these thoughts to Sora. He figured that Sora wouldn’t mind having a bit of calculation mixed into his feelings. In fact, he thought that making him aware of this perspective might make him more conscious of Suzume.

Remembering Sora’s anxious face when he asked him if he had fallen for Suzume at first sight during their bath together, Kagari couldn’t help but laugh.

Seeing Kagari suddenly burst into laughter, Suzume tilted her head in puzzlement.