Epilogue

We were all back in the safe house. Several weeks had passed since our assault on the Secular compound and we received word from the agency that Secular activity in Japan had dramatically decreased to almost nothing. To anyone paying attention, it was obvious something shifted. Politics and news were being handled in completely different ways than usual, Japanese tech companies were announcing new projects faster than before, even if they were bound to fail, and people with complete unknown backgrounds were making waves on both social media and in the arts. It was a complete cultural shift. It was much too early to say if it would all be a net positive, but I was content in knowing that this country would at least be dictating its own path and not some ancient organization manipulating everyone from the shadows.

I was still recovering from the major wounds I received. It turns out a hole in the stomach and shoulder don’t heal quickly, even with the help of magic. Tsuki and Marie were acting as personal maids for me, completely on their own volition. I in no way insinuated that I wanted them to do this for me. I also did not in any way ask for them to dress up in French maid outfits. I did not, and you cannot prove it otherwise. I was currently lying down on a couch in one of our entertainment rooms, playing games on our new console. Tsuki and Marie walked in, in their adorable outfits, and served me tea and some baked goods. I attempted to reach over to grab the tea, but Marie insisted she serve it to me personally. I relented and drank it down, a feeling of nostalgia washing over me.

“It’s been some time since I got to have a special blend of yours. This one is really good.” I said, gulping down more of it.

“Tsuki helped me make it.” Marie said with a small smile.

“I put my special Tsuki sauce in it!” She said, striking an idol pose.

My eyes widened as I stared at Marie.

“It’s not what you think.” She assured me, before leaning down and whispering in my ear. “It’s both our special sauces.”

“I hate you both.”

Marie and Tsuki giggled as they sat down on the other couch across from me, grabbing controllers and joining me in the game I was playing.

“Hey, where’s Ichiro, didn’t he say he’d be around today? I still never got a full explanation from him.” I said, trying to distract the girls as they were currently beating me in the game.

“We just saw him before we brought you the tea and cookies, he’s not in here?” Marie said, pumping her fist in the air as she got first place in the game.

“Yea, where is that weasel?” Tsuki said, sniffing around like a cat.

“I’m here.”

“Whoa!” I jumped up from the couch, as Ichiro’s voice echoed from behind me. “How long have you been there?! Ow, my stomach.”

Ichiro was sitting behind the couch I was lying down on, his knees pulled up to his chest and his arms wrapped around them.

“Since you started playing the game.”

“Well, get out from behind there and grab a controller.” I said, tossing him one.

“I’m not good at these games.”

“Whatever, you still owe me an explanation.” I sneered at him. “I was in a coma for pretty long, and when I woke up I was back here. How the hell did I get out of the tower?”

Ichiro shuffled over to a chair and sat in it, bringing his feet up on the seat and his knees to his chest, sitting awkwardly as he joined the game with us.

“I made a more powerful Abyss spell. I also theorized that we would get overrun by Apostles and Bishops. By looking at Hikari’s map she gave us, I realized that the way Kirin remodeled everything, there was only one way to get up to his throne room.”

“Following you so far.” I said, focusing on the game more than listening to him, as this was all stuff I theorized too.

“Well, I also knew that you would prioritize us over yourself. So I gave you that spell as a last resort. Or I told you, that, anyway. Because I also know you wouldn’t use something like that in a fast-paced magic fight against an Elder. So, when I was making the gate spell, I also took more mana than needed from you and Tsuki to create that spell.”

“You cunning little snake.” Tsuki snarked.

“I agree.” Marie followed. “Snake.”

“So that performance you put on, saying you didn’t want me to do it and all of that, even the whole ‘I blame myself’ thing was really just an act? How couldn’t I tell?”

“I gambled on the Elder ability of seeing sincerity only working in face-to-face conversations. Also I’m a really good actor.”

“I’ll say.” I paused the game and turned around to look at him. “So you planned all of that, just to save my ass because you knew I’d be stubborn and save you guys as well as complete the mission?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, cool.”

“That’s all you’re going to say?! He made me think I was going to lose you! Do you know how much that hurt to hear you say goodbye to me?! How I thought you were breaking your promise!? We only had- never mind.” Marie blurted out, yelling and scolding Ichiro until interrupting herself and returning to the game.

“Never change, Marie. You're so cute. I was telling the truth, Ryuki; you hurt her, I will steal her from you.” Tsuki said, winking at me.

“Ah, I love you guys.” I said in a chuckle.

Then the game paused and I looked around, confused. The three of them jumped on top of me, hugging me.

***

“So, where do you think our next mission will be?” I said to Marie as we lay together in bed.

“I don’t know. Maybe somewhere exotic. Like Jamaica.” She responded, snuggling into me.

“Jamaica? Really? You think there’s an evil Secular compound there?”

“Why not?”

“Fair point. I was thinking maybe we’d get shipped back to Poland.”

“I heard a team already took care of them there.”

“No way, really? So, two compounds were taken out?”

“Apparently.” Marie sat up in bed and looked down at me. “Honestly, I don’t want to think of that, though.”

“Oh, okay. Then what do you want to think about?”

“This.”

Marie jumped on top of me and kissed me deeply and passionately. It was a moment of peace. I was with the people I loved and the person I cherished most in a comfortable home, able to relax after years of hardship. I didn’t know when it would end or what our next mission would be, but I did know one thing; right now, I was truly happy for the first time in years.

The End.