Chapter 19: The Letter
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To Sena,
I’ll be back as soon as I can. Don’t worry about me since Sensei is here. I’ve packed some food in your Magic Bag, so make sure to eat well. When I return, let’s have a meal together and chat a lot. It would be nice to bask in the sun together too. The place I truly belong is right here with you, Sena. So, I would be grateful if you could welcome me back with a warm “welcome home.”
Well then, I’m off.
From Ichiro
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When she woke up in the morning, the first thing she did was read the letter.
It had become a routine for her since he had left. By doing so, she could feel his presence.
Ever since Sensei had descended from the mountain, she had been alone. The cheerful laughter of Sensei, who would always be by her side, had faded away with his words, “I have some work to do,” and he had left the mountain, often without a word for a long time.
During those times, she felt as if a great hole had opened in her heart. Yet, she thought that until Sensei returned to her, she could quietly wait here—at Hidden Mountain, a place where no one could approach—without feeling anything, just like a Cicada that spends most of its life buried in the earth. That was what she believed.
But despite that belief—
She gently pressed her lips against the letter in her hand.
Being alone in this vast mountain, the days without them had become far too long for Sena.
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Before Sensei returned, when she had spent her days with him, she had prepared various bags filled with medicines for him when he said he had to descend to the surface.
“You’re worrying too much,” he had said with a wry smile, but now she understood a little of how he felt back then.
In the corner of the hut was a small Magic Bag. “You’ll need this too,” he had said, having acquired it from somewhere. He often boasted, “I have the money, so it’s fine,” but she remembered him saying that it was something that couldn’t be obtained for just any price when he had gathered information in town.
Inside the Magic Bag, time flowed very slowly—within hers, there were simple meals prepared by him that could be eaten just by warming them up, along with a large supply of the Potion he loved.
—You’re worrying too much.
She didn’t even realize that her cheeks were softening.
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She warmed up a jar of curry and generously poured it over thin, dry bread that resembled naan or focaccia, taking a hearty bite. For a palate cleanser, she enjoyed the tangy flavor and texture of his homemade pickles.
He had learned how to make it from the locals, muttering to himself, “Should I add kelp broth or not? That is the question,” as he experimented and finally created this masterpiece.
On that day, when she was tasting it, his expression had been annoyingly smug. She had felt a mischievous urge to say, “You still have a long way to go,” but she shook her head in her heart and simply offered her plate, saying, “It’s delicious, I’d like a second helping.” For some reason, he had then let out a triumphant roar of “Woohoo!” that she still remembered.
“It’s delicious. Thank you, as always.”
After finishing her meal, she whispered to him.
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In the usual grassland—
As always—
She danced.
As if to shake something off,
As if to escape from something,
And as if to slice through that very something.
In truth, she had no need to dance.
Not only that, she didn’t even need to eat.
No, she didn’t need food, nor sleep, or even to maintain cleanliness.
Even without eating, the energy she drew from nature was inexhaustible. Furthermore, as a being of the extraordinary, she had no reason to sleep, and dirt, dust, and grease were naturally decomposed and returned to nature.
An existence that was eternally one with nature—this was who she was.
As her dance reached its climax, her movements gradually became more intense.
She enjoyed her meals, indulged in sleep, and practiced Kung Fu as she always did, all for the day when Sensei would return—and for him.
Moreover, the daily life that shaped her now was the bond and connection she shared with them.
And then—her dance transformed.
Stronger particles of light swirled around her.
Her clothes fluttered in the wind, leaving behind an afterimage that matched her movements.
The finale was near.
Her movements grew even more fierce, and their elegance became almost artistic.
And then, at the climax—
“Break!!!”
She let out a roar.
The trees shook, and birds scattered into the sky.
At that moment, she took off running.
To be precise, she was using a sort of spatial leap, disappearing and reappearing in short bursts.
Her full speed was divine.
Even during intense training, her expression rarely changed—but now, various colors danced across her face.
Yes.
Her first words were always set.
Arriving in front of the hut in a flash, she waved to him as he appeared from afar, and with all her heart, she said:
“Welcome home, Ichiro.”