Finally, Tomorrow
Early the next morning, Ceria received word from Johann. The administrative paperwork was expected to wrap up that afternoon, which meant she and Ryan were to set off for Westgard as soon as dawn broke the following day.
Perhaps because of the news, she had been in extraordinarily high spirits since sunrise. Even with nothing more than buttered toast for breakfast, she chewed with her cheeks puffed happily full, wearing a look of pure bliss.
“Mmm-hmm-hmmm~”
Robert handed over the demon’s coordinates to the pair, his expression laden with reluctance and regret.
“I suppose this will be your final assignment. Please exercise the utmost caution until the very end.”
A B+ rank demon—bearing the knowledge that it shared the same hazard tier as the Bear Type they had faced before, they set off toward their destination with a touch of tension in the air.
“Ceria, can I ask you something?” Ryan called over the hum of the engine, his hands steady on the bike’s handlebars.
“Sure, ask anything you like.”
“Well, we’re heading to your place tomorrow, right? What are your family members like?”
“Curious, are you?”
“You told me yourself that I’d probably get the final approval. If we’re going to be living under the same roof, I ought to know. Come to think of it, I realized I’d never asked.”
“Ryan, don't tell me you had zero interest in my family until now...? Hold on, let me think for a second.”
Perched behind him on the seat, Ceria buried her face against his back, seemingly lost in thought. Just as he began to wonder what kind of thinking required burying one's face in someone else’s spine, she exhaled.
“Phaaah~ All right, I'll start with Dad. You already know he's the Commander of the Western Knights, right?”
“I know that much, at least.”
“Like I said before, he’s warm and deeply caring. And apparently, when he was younger, he was so handsome that women were constantly fawning over him.”
“Ohh.”
“That’s all you have to say?”
“Well, you have to give me more to work with. If all you tell me is that he's nice and good-looking, what else am I supposed to say?”
“So impatient! It’s called buildup, Ryan. Buildup!”
From there, Ceria rattled off story after story from her childhood with her father. The more Ryan listened, the more obvious it became just how dearly Johann treasured his daughter.
“What about your mother?”
“My mother…”
The cheerful enthusiasm that had carried her voice vanished in an instant. Her answer came in a single, quiet breath.
“…She passed away. When I was four… during the War of the Ominous Bird.”
It had nagged at Ryan that through all her stories about Johann, Ceria had never once mentioned her mother. Now that he knew why, words failed him.
As if trying to dispel the sudden chill settling over them, Ceria forced a brighter lilt back into her voice.
“From what Dad told me, she was just as wonderful a person as he is. She was a famous singer throughout the entire country, too. I really wish I could’ve heard her sing.”
“…Yeah. That would’ve been nice.”
“During the War of the Ominous Bird, while Dad was on the front lines fighting, Mom was traveling around volunteering. Then her relief camp was ambushed by demons… and, well. That was that.”
“Mr. Robert mentioned it once before, but that War of the Ominous Bird… it really must have been a catastrophic war.”
“Anyone from Westgard knows about it. Though I was only four at the time, so I don’t really remember anything…”
Unwilling to let the gloom linger, Ceria steered the conversation in a new direction.
“My older sister, Aria, is prettier than anyone in the whole world. Even more than the celebrities on television. Though… she does have a bit of a cold personality.”
“Yeah. I saw her in that magazine. She was gorgeous. She looked like someone who’d have that kind of aura, too.”
“…Right. Gorgeous, yeah. She’s deployed on missions most of the time, so she’s rarely home anyway. Is there anything else you’re curious about?”
“I don’t think so, not right now. I’m sure I’ll learn more once I meet them in person.”
“Yeah. Seeing them for yourself is the best way…”
A brief silence hung between them, broken only by the wind whipping past.
“Hey, Ryan.”
“Yeah?”
“You called my sister gorgeous just now, didn’t you? …What about me?”
“Hhhhm~ Well, as for you, Ceria~”
“Strike! Too slow!”
“Hey! The handlebars are slipping! Don't hit me while I'm driving!”
Snort. Hnn-uff—!
Resembling a colossal, stark-white bison, the demon exhaled furious plumes of hot steam from its nostrils. The crown of its skull protruded outward in an unnatural, armored bulge.
Factoring in the wicked horns sweeping forward from its brow, colliding head-on with that skull was an outcome that had to be avoided at all costs.
Stationed at a distance where the monster would not easily detect them, the two cautiously appraised their window of opportunity.
“It’s a Bison Type,” Ceria whispered. “Part of the Beast Legion, just like the Bear Type. Its straight-line charge is deadly, so whatever you do, stay out of its direct frontal path.”
“You even know that?”
“Differentiating demon classifications is basic protocol. Tactics change entirely depending on what you’re up against. Impressive, right?”
Ceria thumped her chest proudly with a small fist.
“Yeah. As expected of you, Ceria. You’re amazing.”
“W-well, I wouldn’t say amazing…”
Her cheeks flushed scarlet at the offhand praise. She was far more vulnerable to compliments than she liked to admit.
“It’s a B+ rank… Let’s make sure neither of us gets hurt.”
“Right. I won’t mess up this time.”
“Then I’ll take the lead again. That thing looks like pure muscle.”
“Sounds good~”
“Phew…”
Drawing a deep breath, Ryan strode boldly toward the beast.
Ceria clasped her hands before her chest, quietly murmuring a brief prayer. It was not a standard rite for combating demons, but her desire for their safe return outweighed protocol.
Please, don't let Ryan get hurt…
The moment Ceria settled into stance, Ryan hoisted his halberd over one shoulder and stepped deliberately into the monster’s field of vision.
Catching sight of him, the demon’s snorts grew violent. Its massive hooves began to paw at the earth.
Here it comes…
With an earth-shaking rumble, the towering mass of muscle lunged forward. Ryan had anticipated the charge, yet the beast’s raw speed and momentum were startling nonetheless.
The moment the demon drew close enough that altering its course became impossible, Ryan hopped lightly to the side. The wickedly curved horns grazed past the fluttering hem of his coat.
In the same breath, Ryan swung his halberd, raking the blade across its flank. He had intended a deep laceration, yet the resulting gouge was surprisingly shallow.
High physical defense? Its hide is even harder than the Bear Type’s.
Glancing down, he checked where the horn had grazed him. The fabric was slightly torn, but the skin beneath remained untouched.
Good. It’s not too fast to track. Next time, I strike harder…
Confidence surged through him. Twirling his halberd in a wide, sweeping arc, Ryan deliberately baited another charge. The beast wheeled around, snorting hot vapor once more.
Staying outside the creature's peripheral vision, Ceria calculated her next move.
If even Ryan could not easily cleave through its torso, cutting into that bulk with her own strength was out of the question. She dredged up the textbook weaknesses of the Bison Type from memory.
Ryan flicked his fingers in a taunting beckon.
“Come on, then! Take another swing!”
As Ryan sank into his stance, the demon charged. Infuriated, it bolted even faster than before. Yet a trajectory he had already seen once was impossible to miss.
“Up top this time!”
Ryan launched himself into the air, clearing the monster’s back. As his shadow passed overhead, the beast jerked its skull upward, but Ryan had already cleared the reach of its horns before they could impale him.
Bringing his halberd around in a horizontal slash, he struck its nape. The blow landed flush, but it was still not enough to bring the brute down.
The instant the demon spun around to reorient on Ryan, Ceria broke into a sprint.
Bison Type containment doctrine: If a decisive strike isn't possible, neutralize the legs first…!
Seeing her move, Ryan surged forward as well. Pincer attacks from opposing angles were bound to throw any target into disarray.
The head!
Ryan brought his halberd down with crushing force onto the crest of the demon’s skull. Simultaneously, Ceria’s blade bit deep into its right hind leg.
While an instant kill was unattainable, an assault of this magnitude should have been more than enough to incapacitate it. A violent vibration rattled up Ryan’s arms through the shaft of his weapon.
Damn, that skull is rock-hard! But after a blow like that, it has to be—
The demon's severed right leg gave out, buckling beneath its weight. Ceria's opening gambit appeared to have paid off.
Yet in that very breath, an immense impact slammed into Ceria's chest.
Whether driven by primal instinct to guard its rear or a calculated counterattack, the demon lashed out violently with its remaining hind leg, catching her dead center.
“Gah!”
Ceria was thrown violently backward, skidding across the dirt. Caught off guard by her cry, Ryan was pushed back as the thrashing beast slammed against the shaft of his halberd.
“Ceria! Are you okay?!”
He barely managed to regain his footing before casting a frantic glance her way. She was slumped on the ground, clutching her chest, her breathing ragged and choked.
Having repelled the intruder behind it, the demon fixed its bloodshot eyes back on Ryan. With its hind leg crippled, however, its balance was severely compromised.
Ceria’s hurt. I have to get her back to the research facility right now…
Panic surged through Ryan, quickly giving way to a white-hot fury that flared behind his eyes the moment he saw her in pain. He gripped his halberd with both hands and charged.
He aimed straight for the skull. Sensing the lethal intent radiating from him, the beast attempted to parry the blow with its remaining horn, but the sheer force of Ryan's strike pulverized the horn into splinters.
Hnn-ufff!
Staggered by the staggering shockwave and hobbled by its shattered hind leg, the demon lurched violently. Ryan did not let the opening slip. He whipped the halberd around with everything he had.
“Go down! Right now!”
Driven by the full weight of his fury, the heavy axe blade crushed the side of the beast’s skull, sending its massive bulk crashing onto its side. Seeing its legs flailing in a desperate attempt to rise, Ryan raised the weapon once more.
Once pinned to the earth, finishing it was no longer difficult. Yet the creature thrashed with such feral stubbornness that extinguishing its vitality took several brutal, unrelenting strikes.
Only after the earth stopped trembling beneath his blows did the demon finally cease all movement.
Ryan threw his weapon aside and bolted toward Ceria. To his relief, she was already pushing herself up onto her feet.
“Are you all right?”
“Yeah… I can move…”
“Can you walk? Lean on me.”
“I’m fine… It’s not that bad… Really, don’t worry about me, Ryan. Finish what you need to do…”
She claimed she was fine, but in Ryan’s eyes, she looked anything but. Hastily harvesting the required biological sample, he scooped her onto his back and helped her onto the motorcycle.
“I really am okay…”
“You don’t look it. We’re heading back right now to get you treated.”
The moment they arrived at the facility, Ryan sought out Robert and asked him to examine Ceria. Robert led them to the medical wing, stating that he would first take a Projection Photo before making any determinations.
Scrutinizing the developed scan, Robert delivered his diagnosis.
“You mentioned taking a direct blow to the chest, yes? There is a hairline fracture along the rib. Fortunately, given your constitution as an Awakener, it should knit together swiftly. I will provide you with analgesics. Should your condition deteriorate further, however, I strongly advise visiting the Knights’ Hospital upon your arrival in the capital.”
“Thank you, Doctor. Come on, Ceria, let’s get you into bed.”
“Okay…”
Once the pair departed the examination room, Robert retrieved Ceria’s Projection Photo once more. He adjusted his glasses, peering intently into the translucent film.
Hmm… What is this…?
After staring at the image for a long, quiet moment, Robert tilted his head back toward the ceiling, his mind drifting into deep, calculating thought.
In the corridor connecting the research wing to the living quarters, an uncharacteristic silence settled between them. Only the steady rhythm of their footsteps echoed against the empty walls.
Why isn't she saying anything? Is she in that much pain?
Neither uttered a word until they reached the door to Ceria’s room. Since he had walked her all the way to her quarters, Ryan wanted to at least see her off properly.
“Get some rest. If anything feels wrong, tell me right away.”
“Yeah…”
Ceria pushed the door open listlessly. It was a posture devoid of the vibrant energy that usually defined her.
“Ceria? Does it hurt a lot?”
“No. It’s actually feeling much better now.”
She forced a weak, strained smile.
“Well, that’s a relief. You looked so down that I thought you were still in severe pain.”
“I guess… I’ll see you tomorrow, then…”
Despite her words, her hand remained frozen on the doorknob. She lingered there, hesitating.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I really am fine. It’s just…”
“Just what?”
At his gentle prompt, Ceria finally found the words, speaking with evident effort.
“I’m sorry for making you worry. I wanted so badly to be useful to you… and knowing I just ended up being a burden has been eating away at me.”
“What are you talking about? If you hadn't severed that leg, bringing it down wouldn't have been nearly that easy. You were an incredible help. And besides, getting hurt in a fight isn't something you need to apologize for.”
Just as before, there was a strange, grounding weight to Ryan's words. He delivered them with offhand simplicity, yet the warmth they carried seeped straight into her chest.
“Thank you for saying that. The pain really isn’t bad. For some reason, I’ve always healed faster than other people anyway. Though… I really wish I had your durability instead, so I wouldn’t get hurt in the first place.”
“As long as you’re all right, that’s what matters. I’ll see you at dinner.”
Seeing the tension ease from her face, Ryan breathed a quiet sigh of relief and headed back to his own quarters.
That evening, Ceria took the pain medication Robert had prescribed and retired to her room early right after eating. Though she insisted she was fine, her body clearly needed the rest.
Tomorrow was finally the day they departed for Westgard. Tossing and turning while trying to anticipate what kind of questions Johann might ask him, Ryan didn't manage to fall asleep until the early hours of the morning.
When the decisive day broke, Ryan washed up thoroughly and waited in his room for Ceria to arrive.
Yet as the minutes ticked steadily past, she never came knocking.