That place was a little closer to the heavens than the earth, possibly closer to death.

The vegetation dotting the rock was spa.r.s.e, the presence of animals was rare, and the blessing of life was hard to come by anywhere. Irrelevant to the abundance of water. This place was more p.r.o.ne to a lack of air.

“…Oof…! Hah…And, one…!”

The hoe which the man swung down stuck into the ground and churned the gravelly soil.

No matter how unkind the world is to them. If they have no other place to go, people would live there. They split open the wasteland, plow it, plant it, and live eating their meager harvest.

Together, of course, with the Hahashik[1]. Together with the one precious proof of the world’s love.

“Alright, good work! Now, take the Sorghum grains with you. We’re aiming for three sacks!”

“Hey, understood! Take it ‘n go!”

Stopping the hand holding his hoe, the man turned his head to the direction of the voice. His personal granary was over there. Several of his compatriots had opened the lock and entered, and were carrying out from inside the corn which he had harvested and ground into flour last year.

Three sacks. That, is not a trifling amount. Not at all. It was enough for a family of four to live on for four months.

“That would leave us with one meal a day until the next harvest. Is this really okay, Meraiz?”

His partner, a water spirit, whose body was fixed to the man’s back with a belt styled like the letter “X” and who had been scattering fertilizer on top of the dirt at the same time as the man had been plowing, asked this of his master.

“It’s fine, Eku. The children of the future will eat it. I’ll think of it like that, and I won’t feel hungry.”

“Before the future, the children of the present will starve. You have three of them in your household, Meraiz.”

“Then, I’ll make do with one meal every two days. That way, the children can eat two meals a day.”

With unshakable determination in his heart, the man answered. Confirming that this was an unmovable conclusion for his master, the spirit accepted it and nodded again, and the two of them silently continued their work.

“Hey, Meraiz, Dar Nanak’s comin’ today! Come by ‘n say h.e.l.lo, don’t hafta be much!”

At that voice, the hand plowing the dirt stopped. In the next moment, sticking his hoe by his feet, the man dashed across the fields. Starting to run after his compatriots who’d gone ahead of him, he overtook them and went even further.

At last, he could see it. His figure was there on the highest ground in the surrounding area, at a place which allowed him to command a view of the earth.

At first sight, he took a breath. She was accompanied at her rear by many warriors who were armed with air shooters and bow guns. The man was staring straight ahead of him far into the distance at the one to whom he would entrust his children’s futures.

“Long time no see, little girl.”

Facing the back of a small body, the man thus called out. Waiting one beat, the girl’s slightly hard voice came back.

“That form of address, cease with it already, Meraiz. …Yesterday night, the succession to the t.i.tle of Dar was formally completed, wasn’t it? No more jokes from now on- I’ll have you treat me as the head of the family.”

It was a tone that deliberately eliminated familiarity. Sensing her, the man revised his att.i.tude.

“…That was rude of me. Dar Nanak.”

“That is better.”

Nodding repeatedly, the girl didn’t face him again. From her firm demeanor, the man felt a sense of trust together with a touch of loneliness.

“Dar— so, how are the preparations for battle?”

“The soldiers are adequately disciplined. The preparation of the chosen site in the mountains is also 80% completed.”

“I see…”

“You peasants have shouldered the burden for it. To invite their carelessness, I didn’t allow you to work on the plains for a while, and I didn’t allow you even to go retrieve the abducted Hahashik. …Those who have lost their partners, those who have let their children starve, they are allowed to hate me.”

At the girl’s words, which emerged with a bitter smile, the man was silent and shook his head side to side. That was chief among all of her resolutions.

“—When’s it starting, the battle?”

“Very soon. Likely, before the next Spirit Festival.”

Sooner than expected, the day of destiny was drawing near. The man body’s shook suddenly and inquired.

“…Can we win, Dar Nanak? Against them…those, frightening changelings of the plains.”

Receiving his question, the girl reached out her hand to the endless scene sprawled out below her as if she were yearning for something-

“…Say, Meraiz. Our current world[2], it’s only half.”

Like that, she tightly clenched her fist. With the determination to seize the future.

“That’s why I’m going, to take it back. The other half of the world[3] that was taken from us.”

The dearest wishes of the clan, the vow of certain victory, her actions spoke more eloquently of those than anything.

“—You understand, right? That is why we must be victorious!”

Over the ridges, through the trees, into the valleys- her voice echoed across to every corner of the mountains.