Having known Shu for so long and experienced so much together, Mei already understood him well.
And after spending so much time with him, Mei had come to realize something a little strange. Shu's attitude toward them seemed a bit...
...too important... He would even prioritize their safety over his own life.
This wasn't normal... Although Mei didn't know if it was because Shu valued his own life too little or their lives too much, she knew it wasn't normal.
It wasn't that Mei hadn't seen people who would disregard their own safety for others, who would even give their lives to protect them. In fact, she herself was willing to unhesitatingly give her life for the other members of this team.
But the bonds between them were different. Mei knew clearly that she had the highest priority, while Kiana was an unshakable conviction.
It seemed that among the four of them, only Shu and Bronya were somewhat similar...
...both of them were not normal. There was a sense of camaraderie in their shared affliction.
After silently pursing her lips, Mei finally let go of her hand.
"Alright..."
She remembered clearly that when the Herrscher appeared, there were only a few minutes left on the countdown.
Although Kiana, who was her responsibility, was out of control, Mei was willing to believe in a miracle...
"A wise choice, though tinged with some irrational thoughts," the Herrscher sneered, as if casually.
"Thank you for your help," Noah said, still with that awkward politeness, like a person holding up an empty shell.
The paused world began to flow again, confirming that everything around them was just an illusion that could be ended at any time.
And as the scene moved, a voice, either of earnest advice or indignant rage, exploded.
"You're so careless with my arrangements! What on earth are you trying to do?! Did I do something to wrong you?! Why are you retaliating against me like this!!"
The woman's tone grew more and more agitated, until the last few sentences were almost hysterical.
"Can you take a little responsibility for your own future?!"
There was finally a brief pause in the roar. Seizing this short moment, the Herrscher was the first to let out a cold laugh.
"Responsible? I know what I'm doing, and I know why I'm doing it. I have always been very responsible for my actions."
"But we shouldn't be doing this. Mom has assigned us tasks. We should finish those tasks first before doing what we want to do," Noah said immediately.
"Mom won't harm us."
"Heh—" The Herrscher laughed as if he had heard the world's greatest joke. "She won't? She certainly won't. But does she know what will harm us and what won't?
"A person can only know what will harm themself, just as she only knows that if we don't become piano masters, she will be harmed by those around her."
Noah was silent for a moment. "You can't deny that the decision she made was indeed for our own good."
The Herrscher just laughed twice, then turned the topic to Mei.
"Then what do you think?"
The decision seemed to have fallen into Mei's hands, but it wasn't just the decision that had come to her...
["Mei, you should practice your swordsmanship," the man called "Father" stood before Mei. The vast height difference made the man's not-so-burly body block all of Mei's sunlight.
Mei looked up, at Ryoma who had cast a shadow over her. She slowly put down the toy spatula she had just picked up, then quickly stood up.
"Yes, Father," Mei bowed slightly to Ryoma, then slowly walked to the weapon rack and took down the small bamboo sword that best fit her size.
"Let's begin training. Your tasks for today are not many. First, practice the three basic sets, then start learning the first form," Ryoma said to Mei, following behind her.
The little Mei turned, wanting to look at her father, but he was backlit by the sun. From her upward-looking perspective, Mei couldn't see Ryoma's expression at all.
In the end, Mei could only lower her head, grip the sword hilt with both hands, and assume the stance.
"...Yes, Father."
Whack—! A sharp bamboo sword struck the one in Mei's hand. "Wrong stance! Did you forget the stance I just taught you yesterday?!"
The reprimand startled the somewhat absent-minded Mei. She quickly assumed the standard stance from memory. Although Ryoma's sword hadn't struck her body, the force he used to strike her sword was considerable, making Mei's hands tingle.
"The Hokushin Itto-ryu is our family's secret art. It is something our Raiden family must never forget. Since you are my, Raiden Ryoma's, daughter, the successor of the Raiden family, you must learn it and then pass it on!"
"Practice with your heart! If you haven't mastered it by tonight, you won't get any dinner!" Ryoma left with these words and walked away in a hurry, as his secretary had come to inform him of new work.
The shadow that had covered the sunlight disappeared. Mei watched Ryoma leave, for a moment not knowing if she was relieved or if she was suppressing something.
Only after Ryoma had disappeared from the dojo did Mei lower her head and swing her sword forcefully.
"Yes... Father..."]
"He says 'you should,' and then forces these complicated, unpleasant tasks on you, packaging it all as a matter of course... Even so, should you thank him?"
The Herrscher's voice was filled with a suggestive tone. Mei suddenly felt something stir within her. A feeling of unwillingness, of defiance, began to spread.
But the next moment, this emotion was quickly soothed.
"Then what can we do? As children, we are curious about everything. We distinguish between good and bad based on our own preferences. If our parents don't set a direction for us in advance, we will only destroy ourselves."
Noah spoke with righteous conviction. Anyone who heard these words would feel that "what he said does make sense."
"If a fledgling is born in a wasteland, then before it learns to fly, the bird will die first from hunger, predators, or even the wounds left by its own careless struggles."
Noah waved his hand, and the miserable corpse of a young bird in the weeds was clearly visible.
"But the children of sea turtles face countless predators immediately after hatching. They come from all directions. Only by overcoming these innate difficulties can they rush to the sea. When have they ever needed guidance?"
The Herrscher sneered, casually presenting another case.
Two gazes fell on her at the same time.
"Raiden Mei, what do you think? Does a ship need a storm or a harbor?"