When they became alone, the sun had not yet gone over the horizon, but the morning sky was being painted blue.
“…Do you remember? If the sun was going over a mountain and we climbed it before morning, we got to see the night sun. It sounds silly now, but I just remembered it.”
Liebe continued to speak to Ina next to her, with not much more time left.
His whole body was turning into light and disappearing like soap bubbles.
Ina’s bedroom was full of this final light. It felt like a sight of a celebration, but the moment was anything but.
The little sister had not yet crawled out of the abyss of her consciousness, and the older brother’s existence had only minutes left.
But still, the tragic siblings would be together in the end.
“It’s kind of lonely. You used to say you’d marry your big brother, and found such a nice guy.”
“…”
“And you even found yourself something like a little sister. A magic doll even. But she seems really attached to you.”
“…”
“I heard that you’re still dreaming about opening your own place. Your food is really good, so your big brother is rooting for you. Or I wish I’d be here to…”
“…”
“I’m really sorry. I thought you were dead, and that nothing mattered anymore. And even after I learned you were alive, I didn’t stop. The world is so cruel that… I was scared.”
“…”
“And I’m still scared. You were hurt like this. You suffered so much, and you might die. My fears were right. I was right to be worried…”
“…”
“…But still, after all that fear, in the end, you were hurt. All I did was further corner beast people like us… All I did backfired.”
“…”
“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry…”
“…”
“For you, for beast people… I did things I shouldn’t have.”
Liebe faced down, sunk by his own gravity.
Uncertainty and regret. He let himself disappear as he voiced all of it.
Suddenly, there was a small tremor.
(Don’t… Cry… Big… Brother…)
Liebe thought that tremor and voice might just be a trick played by his mind as he felt weaker.
Ina showed no reaction after that. She continued to lay in her coma.
Was it an illusion god showed him on a whim, or the result of the cap in her consciousness being opened a little?
“Ina… You…”
But that voice was like a distant, faded memory. It was the same thing Ina said when he got hurt, or felt regret.
Ina never cried when she was hurt. Instead, she cried when someone else did. What worried her was when her big brother was hurt.
“Ha… Ahahaha…”
Life returned to his sinking expression.
In the middle of that light, Liebe laughed. He looked at her sleeping face while also crying, having felt like a little bit of life had returned to her.
“Sorry. You don’t need to worry about your big brother anymore.”
Even his tears evaporated into light.
“I have to leave you. This world is so painful, but still, you have to live with everyone here, Ina.”
The sunlight coming in wrapped around this end. And among this fresh light, Liebe said his final words with a full smile.
“It’s morning Ina. Wake up, everyone’s waiting.”
Qualia, who waited outside, saw on his left eye a reaction disappear.
And right after that, Ace picked up the special magic stone Quiet next to Ina.
