national championships before our grandfather passed away. It was enough to make even him pleased... But I always felt sorry; I always wondered if that were really something she wanted to do and if she resented me. I kept avoiding her because of that... and now we ended up like this.” Kirito stopped talking and glanced down at Silica’s face. “So I might have saved you to satisfy myself, to atone for my past... Sorry.” Silica was an only child so she couldn’t completely grasp all of what Kirito said. But for some reason, she felt as if she could understand his little sister. “...I don’t think your little sister resents you, Kirito-san. If she didn’t like it, then she wouldn’t have been able to work so hard at it. She most probably liked kendo very much.” As Silica said this, choosing her words carefully, Kirito smiled. “It seems I’m the one who keeps getting comforted... Is it really like that? ...It would be nice if it is.” Silica felt something warm spread in her heart. She was happy that Kirito had opened up to her. The two soon arrived at the north entrance of the village. Countless white flowers grew from the vines that were coiled around the slim, silver-colored metal arch. The main street passed through it and stretched on to become a highway surrounded by green hills before disappearing into the haze. “Well... our adventure finally starts.” “Yeah.”