Once the conversation ended, they naturally made their way back to their respective lodgings. Kuon and Kanon, who shared the same room, returned to their own place as well.
Kanon lay face-down on the bed, burying her face into it, her legs swinging back and forth in time with the hums she let out.
Watching that, Kuon finally let out a breath of relief. The sight gave him the certainty that he'd truly returned from that battlefield.
But it was still too early to rest. There was still something he needed to discuss with Kanon right now.
"Now, let's go over another important matter."
After Kuon said that, he watched Kanon react by raising and waving her hand, as though telling him to go on. Of course, she still hadn't lifted her face from the bed.
" ... To sum it up, we've gathered enough money for the time being. Each of us still has 50,000 CRD left over from that earlier small mission, and combined with our latest earnings, the total comes to 1.3 million CRD. What do you plan to do with your share?"
After a brief silence, Kanon finally rolled onto her side, ending up in a position where she lay facing Kuon.
"Let's just combine our money. That way we won't have to bother splitting it."
"No, even if you say that—"
Kuon tried to object, but Kanon seemed uninterested in hearing his explanation. She shifted her body once more, this time lying flat on her back, facing the ceiling of the room.
"Even after you explained to me how much that amount actually is, I don't really care. I've never held that much money even back on Earth, and I don't even know what I'd use it for—because I'm already perfectly content with how things are right now."
" ... What if I cheated you and ran off with all this money?"
"If that happened, then I'd simply have to end everything. I'm confident in my ability to judge people, and I've chosen to trust you. That's exactly why, if you did cheat me, the fault wouldn't lie in my judgment, but in you—betraying not just me, but your own ambitions and ideals as well. I'm certain you're not someone who'd stoop that low, no matter the goal."
Raising her hand toward the ceiling she couldn't see, Kanon conjured a few shards of ice crystal, spinning them idly around her wrist.
"Just keep the money as savings for our future. I don't know how much we'll need, but doesn't it feel like what we have now is still too little to reach that goal of yours?"
Clenching her fist, the ice crystal shards Kanon had been toying with instantly dissolved back into the surrounding air. Kuon simply watched, saying nothing for a moment, before letting out a short huff and steering the conversation elsewhere.
"I think that's enough on this topic. There's something I want to talk about regarding what we should do going forward."
Kanon's hand dropped limply, and she rolled back over, her face pressing into the pillow again. Kuon ignored her lazy fidgeting and chose to keep talking.
"Remember what I mentioned before? About the plan to start a company, or an organization."
"Ahh, the one you put on hold? I remember. Have you mapped out a solid plan for it yet?"
Kanon lifted her head as she spoke, and she could immediately sense Kuon's gaze settling on her.
Kuon nodded before answering, "That's right. What I'm going to build is an organization focused on research and development. R&D, for short. And the first topic I want to tackle is everything related to the Black Tide."
Kanon took a moment to think it over, then quickly turned over and pushed herself up to sit on the bed.
Several scenarios played out in her head, and Kanon couldn't deny that it was, in fact, a fairly solid idea. Besides, she'd more or less already guessed why Kuon had chosen Black Tide as his first topic.
'It's definitely because of what happened there.'
"That might actually work. But, are you really sure about it?"
In truth, Kanon couldn't think of anything that suited Kuon better than the idea he'd just proposed. At the very least, given Kuon's ideals and way of thinking, Kanon was certain he wouldn't choose a dirty or deceitful path; and a business model built entirely and solely around the concept of material profit was something he'd surely avoid.
Kanon closed her eyes and checked the broadcast—only to find a stream of comments echoing much the same thoughts as her own.
> Anon8532: "Yeah, I figured as much."
> Anon8533: "Can any of you think of anything else that'd fit him better? I doubt it. He was never really the businessman type to begin with, right?"
> Anon8534: "Besides, he was a researcher from the start, wasn't he? Such a shame I can't find any of the papers he published at Imperial St. Solenne University."
The comment jogged Kanon's memory. Though Kuon himself had never confirmed it outright, the strongest assumption held that he'd been a researcher before being sent here as a Drifter.
> Anon8535: "I'm curious about that too, but he's the one who wiped it all himself. I hope something's still recoverable...."
> Anon8536: "Has anyone actually checked? I mean, shouldn't there still be at least a trace or two left behind?"
> Anon8537: "I'm a researcher at Imperial St. Solenne University. At the very least, his name's never shown up in any database I have access to. If I knew his field, I might be able to dig deeper."
> Anon8538: "Shouldn't it be something related to material processing? He's pretty skilled with that."
...
The comments kept rolling in, but they'd already drifted into a topic different from what Kanon was looking for.
"That's about it. There are so many new things that interest me, and I think this is a good opportunity to try them out one by one."
Kanon opened her eyes again and let out a breath after hearing Kuon's answer.
It had been like this ever since they'd first met. Kanon tried to recall everything Kuon had been researching lately, and there were a few things that even she found genuinely interesting.
Like the spellcasting method that was still left unresolved even now. Kuon had decided to shelve its development after hitting a dead end for quite a while.
As Kanon was mulling all of that over, Kuon spoke again. "But given our situation, we can't keep moving from one city to another. Especially now, with our partnership with Felix and Vierra, and with establishing the company I mentioned. At least until everything's stable on our end, we'll be staying in this city. So, I'm sorry."
Kanon tilted her head. "Why are you apologizing?"
Kanon couldn't tell what expression Kuon was making right now, but from the low tone of his voice, she could hear a mix of dejection and guilt in it.
"It feels like I'm tying you down to one place. As a leader, I want to make sure everyone who follows me keeps their freedom. I'm also sure there are plenty of great opportunities out there, including chances for you to learn even more of the things you're interested in. But for now, I need you to stay settled here until the first foundation is ready to be built."
Hearing that, Kanon narrowed her eyes for a moment. Her emotions began to tangle together in her mind, and every word she wanted to say failed to come out. In the end, all she managed to get out was a single question.
" ... Since when have you figured all of that out?"
"Since the very first mission we ever took as Adepts."
A short answer, but one that hit right on the mark. Kanon smiled wryly, lowering her face.
"That desire of mine was only ever something that came from being curious about all the things in this new world. It doesn't change my decision to follow you at all. In fact, isn't that part of our vow? That you'd give me things I've never had, and show me things I've never seen or felt. As long as that vow still holds, everything I want will eventually come to me, one thing at a time, and you're the one who'll make that happen."
The answer seemed to strike something in Kuon, as he visibly startled for a moment, before finally letting out a light huff, as though to say it had been obvious all along.
"Thank you. In that case, let's move straight on to the next matter."
" ... There's more?"
Kanon made a face of protest, but quickly let out a resigned sigh right after.
"It's about our living arrangements. If we're going to be staying in this city for a long time, it'd be better to have a permanent base. I also need a place I can use as a workspace."
Up until now, Kuon had been doing his deskwork in their room, with Kanon watching everything he did, and sometimes that work could be quite disruptive, since it involved noise and Aether manipulation that could easily throw off Kanon's senses.
Besides, having a place of their own would make plenty of things easier for them. Kanon was well aware of how important that was.
"In that case, are we going to look for a new place tomorrow?"
Kuon nodded as he answered, "That's the plan. We'll go meet a housing agent tomorrow, and let's hope we can find something within what we're willing to spend."
"Just curious, but who exactly is going to be living in this new house?"
Kanon thought of Felix and Vierra for a moment, but quickly shook her head to clear the thought away. Finally, Kuon answered, "I'm assuming it'll just be the two of us. Vierra and Felix only have a temporary working relationship with us, and they've got their own matters to attend to as well."
For some reason, that answer left Kanon trembling with an emotion, a feeling she couldn't quite place. Just as she tried to identify that new sensation, it vanished completely, as though it had never been there at all.
'Annoying.'
> Anon9832: "Wow."
> Anon9833: "Wow."
> Anon0934: "Wow."
Kanon said nothing more, burying her face back into the pillow. Watching that, Kuon rose from the edge of the bed he'd been sitting on this whole time, and told Kanon to rest as much as she liked.
"We won't be taking on any other missions anytime soon. Enjoy your downtime," he said, reaching for the cloak hanging on the chair.
"Where are you going?"
"Training," Kuon answered briefly.
For the record, it was nearly midnight by now. But that was nothing more than routine for Kuon. He always went out at night to train.
" ... Go on, then. You're too stubborn for me to warn three times over."
Kanon had already warned Kuon not to overdo it, but his superior physical condition made him stubborn, brushing off her warnings outright.
On the other hand, Kuon genuinely prioritized training efficiency, making full use of his physical constitution. All he really needed was a little time to rest his mind, which carried a heavy burden as a result of Accel and the relentless activity of the past days.
On top of that, the past several days had been packed with other activities, leaving him no time to check on and explore his own progress. That was exactly why Kuon wanted to make use of this time.
Glancing over at Kanon, who lay on her stomach swinging her legs back and forth, Kuon let out a resigned sigh.
***
The next morning, Kuon and Kanon went straight to meet the housing agent Kuon knew, thanks to a recommendation from a UAA staff member.
Given their total budget, the agent offered plenty of decent properties, but most of them failed to meet the criteria that would satisfy either Kuon or Kanon.
"In that case ... do you two have any particular preferences you'd like to prioritize? It might be hard to find something luxurious, but I might be able to dig up a few good matches."
"It doesn't need to be luxurious. What matters most is the location and the facilities. We don't like commotion, so it'd be better if the location's a bit removed from crowded areas, and I need a workspace. As for the rooms, I'd like you to try offering some options first."
A reasonable request. The agent nodded as he mulled over the criteria Kuon had given him.
"There are a few that match on facilities, but they're close to the city center, so I wouldn't recommend them. But ... I do have a suggestion. Would you like to hear it?"
"Go ahead."
"Instead of a regular property, what if I offer you a plot of land that already has a building on it? The price is a bit above average, but it meets every one of your criteria."
Kuon heard that and felt it sounded almost too good to be true. He glanced at Kanon for a moment, meaning to gauge her reaction, and Kanon simply answered with a nod.
" ... What's wrong with the land?"
The moment the question left his mouth, the agent's face briefly clouded with worry. Even so, he kept up his professionalism and gave an explanation. "The issue is, the land and the building have been left abandoned for quite a while, and the distance might be a bit farther than you'd expect—about fifteen minutes to reach the nearest residential area."
"The price itself is also relatively cheaper than other land and properties, since the building on it is quite old and needs renovation in certain areas before it's livable."
Not a bad offer at all, Kuon thought to himself. He then turned to the side—toward Kanon, who was still standing in silence, a bored look on her face.
"What do you think?"
Kuon asked, wanting confirmation, but Kanon simply gave a light shrug as she answered, "I can't help out with the renovation, so I'll leave the final decision to you."
Their money would likely fall short if they had to pay for actual renovation services, which was exactly why Kanon suspected Kuon would end up doing all of it himself.
"Not that I was planning to ask for your help anyway.... Alright, we'll go check the place out first, and decide after that."
***
Compared to what the agent had described, the actual condition of the place turned out not to be nearly as bad.
Standing on a plot of land spanning five hundred square meters was a building that could fairly be called a villa, or a 'small mansion.' There were three usable bedrooms, with a possible fourth if they were willing to give up one of the two existing workspaces.
The location was a bit remote, sitting almost right up against the forest, but a clearly marked boundary had been set up to ensure a safe distance from the forest's depths.
It was built in a mixed architectural style, classic stonework blended with wood in other sections. There was some damage—holes in the roof and floor. Kuon made a mental note to give the place a thorough cleaning later, given that snakes or rats could easily have nested there.
In the end, he decided to buy the property right then and there.
As soon as the agent left to handle some matters related to the payment, Kuon and Kanon headed back to the inn to gather the belongings they'd left behind.
"What's left after buying the house is two hundred thousand CRD. I'll set aside fifty thousand each for the two of us—you can use it to buy whatever you want. Just tell me if there's something you'd like to get."
"That really was a great place, wasn't it?"
Dragging a suitcase in her left hand and gripping her cane with her right, Kanon smiled. Her face was partly hidden beneath a white floppy hat wrapped with a dark blue ribbon. Its brim was wide enough that Kuon—taller than her and walking right beside her—couldn't see her face from above.
" ... It really was. Hard to believe we found such a great place in such a short time."
Not only did it have a spacious workspace, its distance from other homes was also perfect for two people looking for peace and quiet.
Kuon could freely train or experiment without worrying about disturbing the neighbors, while Kanon could finally breathe easy without having to deal with a headache every time she opened her eyes.
"Compared to that crowded inn, our new place is honestly perfect. Thank you for being willing to fix it up."
Kanon turned and lifted her head, facing Kuon with a gentle smile.
Kuon didn't answer right away, instead looking at her for a moment before finally letting out a relieved breath.
"It really is a great place, but we'll need to go shopping tomorrow. You don't want to die of boredom out there, do you?"
"Mhmm. Would it be alright if I brought Vierra along too? She might be able to help me with a few things."
Kuon didn't need to hear any more than that. He understood right away what she meant.
'Of course women have matters of their own to deal with.'
"No problem. We should let her and Felix know we've moved anyway."
Kanon answered with a smile, eyes narrowing slightly. She then lowered her face again, looking forward, continuing to walk at her own pace without stopping.
For the rest of the way, neither of them said anything more—just walking on, their minds light.
***
That night, Kanon sat at the edge of her bed, gazing at the candlelight she could only make out as a blur.
Outside the window, the sky had gone completely dark, with only moonlight slipping in through the glass.
The room was spacious enough to fit three single beds pushed together. Even then, there was still plenty of room left for a wardrobe and a desk.
It had originally been the master room with a single double bed, but Kanon had decided to bring in another bed from a different room for herself to use. Now, her bed sat right beside Kuon's, forming what could basically be called one giant bed large enough to fit three people, with room to spare.
"Didn't I say you could have this room to yourself? I can sleep in a different one."
That was what Kuon had said when Kanon came asking for his help moving the bed. But in the end, Kanon had decided to be stubborn about it.
"You barely rest or use a bed anyway, so wouldn't it be better if we just combined them? Then we won't have to bother cleaning a room you never even use."
Of course, that was just an excuse.
No matter how they arranged things, Kuon would end up tidying the entire house himself once the time came anyway.
In the end, all he could do was sigh and let Kanon do as she pleased without overthinking it any further. Even so, Kuon couldn't help but feel a little concerned, since this girl seemed to have far too little guard up around him.
Now, sitting at the edge of his own bed, only a few inches from Kanon's, Kuon busied himself examining the crystal fragments in his hand.
But perhaps swayed by the mood, or wanting to fill the emptiness that had settled over the room, he turned to the side—toward Kanon, who still sat quietly where she was.
"What are you looking at?" he asked.
Kanon drew a breath. Her eyes looked heavy-lidded, but she made the effort to turn and face Kuon.
"The candlelight," she answered briefly. Her soft voice sounded as though it might dissolve right into the night breeze that occasionally slipped in through the gaps in their window.
Kuon had already repaired the roof and the gaps in the walls, but there was probably still work to be done on sealing the room properly.
"What about you? What are you doing?"
Kanon turned the question back on Kuon, hoping for an answer that might stretch the conversation between them a little longer.
"Just trying to interpret these crystals."
Kuon answered that much, but then something occurred to him, and he spoke again. "What do these crystals look like to you?"
Kanon drew a breath and turned her attention to the objects in Kuon's hand. There were three of them, two sharing a similar Aether pattern, while the third looked unique even to her own eyes.
"Those two crystals came from monsters, didn't they? Their pattern and Aether flow are similar. It's murky, but still something I can make sense of. But the other one...."
Kanon furrowed her brow for a moment before continuing, "Its flow and pattern resemble the Aether inside a person's body, but the flow itself is a tangled mess, like knotted thread. Except...."
Kuon didn't rush her, choosing instead to wait for Kanon to finish stringing her words together.
"How do I put this? There's something about it I can't quite explain. It's like ... the frequency is just completely different?"
The answer came out sounding more like a question. Kanon's voice carried an edge of uncertainty as she struggled to speak.
'Frequency....'
It might have just been a random word Kanon had picked to voice her thoughts, but Kuon decided to make careful note of it.
For now, he understood that Kanon couldn't give him a precise answer.
" ... Sorry, I don't have a way to explain it properly."
Perhaps sensing his silence, Kanon lowered her head and apologized, her voice gradually fading.
"Thanks for the answer. Don't worry, I'm not blaming you. If you could explain it just like that, I doubt this world would be stuck at a dead end—knowing nothing at all about the disasters plaguing it."
Kanon didn't argue, but then she felt Kuon rise from where he sat. Maybe this was her chance to ask.
"That crystal ... isn't that one from Apocrypt?"
"That's right. I picked it up from one of the 'Infected' back when we were still on the mission in Notarn. But it's not really useful, so I'll throw it away."
Either way, Kuon had no intention of keeping a material with radioactive-like effects anywhere near Kanon.
After answering, Kuon started walking toward the door. But he turned back and looked at Kanon for a moment before saying, "Get some rest. I'll go train outside."
Without waiting for Kanon's reply, Kuon walked straight out and shut the door behind him.
Left alone in the room now, Kanon could only let out a resigned sigh, then let her body fall onto the bed—savoring the softness and the comfortable silence, something she'd never been able to get at a public inn.
Kanon rolled to the right and left for a moment before settling right in the middle of the bed. Faintly, her ears caught the sounds of Kuon's training outside.
Judging by the sound, Kuon was probably drilling his own speed, punching a tree over and over. Personally, Kanon didn't really understand that kind of training, and chose not to say anything about it to him.
Besides, warning Kuon to stop, or throwing jabs at him about how rarely he actually rested, would have been pointless anyway.
Kanon let out another long sigh. Suddenly, it all came back to her—so many things had happened since Kuon found her among that pile of corpses.
Before all of that, Kanon had spent her time in Lios simply wandering without direction, without any real purpose. She'd just kept walking wherever her feet took her, surviving on the salted apples she found scattered through the forest. And even back on Earth, her routine hadn't been all that different; she'd just kept on living without ever doing or feeling anything that felt truly real. Sometimes she even questioned how she was still alive at all, up to this very moment.
But it was those directionless footsteps that had led her life to this point—to the point where she'd finally chosen to walk alongside someone carrying a great ambition as a human being.
Kanon felt her eyes growing heavy as her consciousness, little by little, began drifting off into the realm of dreams.
Her broadcast had already ended a while ago, so there wasn't really anything else for her to do. In the end, all Kanon could do was lie there, bored, listening to the sound of Kuon's training from her bed until she finally drifted off into a deep sleep.
Perhaps tomorrow, and every day after, would become just another extraordinary day where she could look back and watch how far her journey had come—from someone who once had no life to speak of, to this very point, a point where, for the first time, she finally felt alive.
Arc 1 — Sunken Ice — END