・Epilogue

"Ah... I lost. I didn't expect you to use a trick like that. You're quite dirty, aren't you?" "A loss is a loss-dagya! Hey, Guest, throw some salt on her! Salt!" "I'll leave without you telling me to."

However, Glietta didn't move for a while. She leaned against the kitchen exit, staring intently at the interior of the Rabbit's Tail Tavern.

The countless scratches carved into the tables, showing how much this place was loved by the students.

The "Today's Specials" blackboard, softly lit by the gentle evening sun. Beside it was a slightly lopsided pink bunny that Guest had drawn.

The well-polished pots. The floor that Ban-chan had worked so hard to clean (though some might say she just shed fur everywhere).

It was as if she were burning the image into her memory.

"Hey, Guest, do you have an important item?"

.

"I... hehe."

"For example, something equal to your life."

"Something more precious than your soul."

"Something you wouldn't let go of even if you sold out the world."

"The thing of greatest value."

She stopped there and waited for a moment.

Kanakana-kanakana-kanakana...

The sound of cicadas echoed from the kitchen exit. What did Guest do? One's own treasure that cannot be traded for anything in this world.

Did they speak of it honestly?

Or did they choose silence?

"...I see."

Seeing Guest's reaction, Glietta gave a faint smile and turned on her heel. This time, she left the Rabbit's Tail without looking back.

"This shop must be that girl's important item. To think she'd even leave it behind..."

Glietta shook her head lightly. Her silver hair gave a soft rustle.

"...No. Goodbye then. It's a shame I couldn't crush this shop. Truly."

...

"Is she gone-gya?"

. Guest nods to Ban-chan and begins cleaning up the counter. Tomorrow starts early. Even though they've gotten used to it, preparing for such a popular shop is heavy labor.

Tug, tug.

Ban-chan, who had appeared behind them at some point, lightly pulls on Guest's sleeve.

"I'll help-gya!"

Even when told it's past a kid's bedtime, she won't listen.

"Calling a 300-year-old lady a kid is rude-dagya! Besides, did you forget-gya? I'm Guest's—"

Just the two of them in the kitchen. The partners began washing dishes side by side.

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"Hey, this is bad-gya, Guest! Mia's shop is!"

The next day, you were pounded awake much, much earlier than planned.

Dragged along by a pale-faced Ban-chan toward the Rabbit's Tail Tavern, you saw—

─────────────────

Crunch. Crunch.

That figure was nothing like a princess returning home. Mia walked on in silence. The northern lands. The white darkness. Across the azure snowfields, relentlessly.

"...Haa..."

. "...So cold."