It is the day of departure for Aihara and Ino.

  On the way to the capital, they will meet up with additional relatives who will also be present at the tribunal. Hina, Saku, and a few servants see the two of them off, wishing them a safe journey and a safe return.

  Najun, as always, sleeps in and misses their departure entirely.

  Naki refuses to say goodbye to his father and instead trains all day.

  Hina: “Where is Naki anyway?”

  Saku: “He’s in one of the training rooms. He’s still angry that he’s not allowed to come along.”

  Hina rolls her eyes and heads toward the training room.

  Hina: “You’re behaving like a child, you know that?”

  Naki: “What do you mean?”

  Hina: “I know you’re angry that you’re not allowed to go, but you need to understand that you have to stay here. What if someone attacks us? Who’s supposed to protect us then?”

  Naki fights the training dummy with increasing intensity.

  Naki: “There are other strong people here. As one of the few children around, he should take me with him.”

  Hina: “Believe me, he respects you. He just needs you here right now.”

  After a few more minutes, Naki takes a short break.

  Hina: “Come have breakfast now. You can continue afterward.”

  Although Naki wants to refuse, Hina convinces him by listing what’s being served for breakfast.

  Hina: “Do you like the eggs and the rice?”

  Naki just glares at her irritably and keeps eating like a small child.

  Saku: “Looks like I chose us a great menu. I just have excellent taste.”

  ???: “Shut up.”

  A small boy enters the room holding a sniper rifle. It is a personalized one, made specifically for him, which is why it could easily be mistaken for a toy gun.

  Saku: “Aww, my sweet little brother decided to join us.”

  ???: “Shut up.”

  Akito, Saku’s little brother, grabs some food from the table and immediately turns to leave.

  Saku: “Don’t you want to join us—”

  Akito points his sniper rifle directly at his sister’s face.

  Akito: “How many times do I have to tell you to shut your mouth? I just came to get something to eat, not to talk to you.”

  Hina: “Hey, don’t talk to your older sister like that, and especially don’t point a gun at her face.”

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  Akito: “A secretary has nothing to say to me. You’re not even allowed to talk to me.”

  Saku: “It’s okay, Hina. That’s just how he is. Better leave him alone.”

  Hina looks at Saku in confusion but listens and leaves Akito alone. He takes his food and leaves the room.

  Hina: “Why do you let him talk to you like that? He’s only nine years old and talks like that—to his older sister, who he should respect.”

  Saku: “One rule in our family is not to make Akito angry or contradict him unnecessarily. Even though it annoys me, I stick to it. Good people like me are rare, you know.”

  Naki: “What happens if he gets angry?”

  Saku: “I don’t know exactly, but my father experienced it once. I can’t say much, but he was in the hospital for weeks.”

  Najun: “Are you finally going to tell him?”

  Saku: “Tell him what?”

  Najun: “How he can still make it to the tribunal on time.”

  Naki spits out his rice and immediately jumps toward Najun.

  Naki: “What did you just say? How I can get to the tribunal—on time?!”

  Najun: “I overheard Saku telling Hina earlier that it’s still possible to make it to the tribunal and how to bypass the barrier.”

  Saku: “Why would you tell him that?”

  Naki: “What barrier?”

  Najun: “A barrier Father set up so we can’t leave the estate except in full emergency situations.”

  Naki: “When did he do that?”

  Hina: “He did it when they left. He actually wanted to explain it to you, but you weren’t there.”

  Naki: “Wait. How do I still make it on time, and how do I get through that barrier?”

  Naki looks at Saku expectantly. She tries to avoid his gaze, but Naki remains firm and convinces her to speak with nothing but his stare.

  Saku: “Nowadays we use cars, trains, and similar means of transportation. In the past, people used carriages, and among them there was a special type that was extremely fast: the turbo carriage. These move faster than modern transportation, but they consume a lot of energy, and they’re not exactly stable—especially at that speed.”

  Naki: “Why are you explaining ancient technology to me?”

  Saku: “Just listen first. Last night, my father accidentally mentioned this carriage. They originally planned to travel with it, but then decided they had enough time and didn’t need to use this technically forbidden vehicle. It’s stored in a side warehouse of one of the smaller auxiliary temples.”

  Naki: “Okay, and what about the barrier?”

  Saku: “It’s a magical barrier set up by your father. I think he used a family gift. However, he had to leave one spot open so they could pass through. That’s why I believe that opening is still there—or had to be.”

  Naki: “Hmm. That’s enough for me. Let’s go.”

  All four head to the side temple and search for the turbo carriage. Along the way, they encounter many strange things: a book series called The Snow Sounds, a fortune-telling orb with a skull inside, a harp made of gold, and more.

  Naki: “Here it is. Wow, it looks really old, but also kind of modern. So how do we use it?”

  Hina: “There should be a colorless crystal inside. You can charge it using energy sticks or your own body energy, and that’s how it moves.”

  Naki follows Hina’s instructions and presses one of the energy sticks found in the carriage against the crystal. The crystal begins to glow, and the carriage starts making noises. Two lizard-like horses appear out of nowhere and begin pulling the carriage.

  Naki gets shaken around badly until Hina stops the horses. They move the carriage outside and prepare all the energy sticks they have. Now only one question remains: who is coming along?

  Naki: “I’m definitely going. Whoever wants to come with me can come.”

  Hina: “I’m not even sure you should go. I understand why you want to, but do they really need you, or are you just going to cause trouble?”

  Naki: “They need our help. But honestly, I don’t fully trust them. They might be hiding something—or they just don’t want us to be the ones who save the day.”

  Saku: “I’m coming. For the same reason as you, Naki.”

  Hina: “I can’t stop you, but I don’t approve of this. Najun, you’re coming too so you’ll have numbers, and I’ll personally get a carriage driver who can actually handle this thing.”

  Naki: “You’re not coming with us?”

  Hina: “No. Someone has to look after this broken home.”

  By evening, Hina manages to find a carriage driver, and the group is ready for departure. They start from the same point as Aihara and Ino. The others have a two-day head start, but with the turbo carriage, they might arrive even earlier than their fathers.

  Carriage Driver: “We’re setting off!”

  And with those words, they leave their home behind and begin a journey toward a true battlefield.