“I… I… I remember everything…”

Reina had recalled all her memories.

The truth that her real father was Zeke.

And that her mother had been Japanese.

“I… I never once… I love you so much, Papa… not even once!”

Reina sobbed against Kenya’s chest.

She had always felt a distance from her father.

She thought it was because she was adopted.

But that wasn’t it.

“Reina, there’s somewhere I want us to go together right now.”

“Huh?”

She had no idea how long they cried.

Even so, their hearts had calmed a little.

One of them finally spoke up.

“Tanaka gave it to me earlier. He said if anything happened to Zeke, to come here.”

Kenya opened a single letter.

Inside was a Japanese address in Osaka, along with the notation “A-23-124”.

“What’s that?”

“I don’t know, but I have a feeling there’s something important. So let’s head there now—to Japan. I’ll take you. Tanaka’s helping out. At this point, with diplomatic ties severed, the only way in is via KOG. But I can get you there safely. No matter who shows up, I can protect you.”

Reina nodded quietly.

And with Tanaka’s cooperation, Kenya boarded Takemikazuchi and set off for Japan.

…

Osaka, once Japan’s grand metropolis.

Now, it was all ruins, with no one living there.

There were slums somewhere, apparently, but from what they could see, no people anywhere.

“This address… over there? It’s a mountain.”

Kenya headed to the exact location given.

It was a mountain.

Thick with trees, man-made structures dotted through a cleared forest.

He landed and hid it in the shadows of the trees.

And as they approached after landing, it became clear.

“This is a cemetery…”

A vast field of graves carved into the mountainside, stretching as far as the eye could see.

Countless graves, all relatively recent.

“Kenya… what is this place?”

“Probably the graves of soldiers who died in the war against Earthguard. Otherwise, they wouldn’t all look so uniform… and they wouldn’t be this new.”

Every grave spread across the hillside was comparatively fresh.

“I wonder what’s here…”

Kenya recalled the notation: A-23-124.

It indicated a section.

The graves around them were marked “U-13-670”.

“Let’s go, Reina.”

Kenya took Reina’s hand and headed for their destination.

They arrived.

A grave like any other.

But the moment they read the inscription, Reina dropped to her knees in tears.

“No way… this is…”

“Reina, what’s wr──Kurokami… Sakiko Kurokami… this is…”

Right before their eyes.

At the base of the grave was the name Sakiko Kurokami etched in stone.

The same surname as Kenya’s beloved Kaguya.

“This grave has… Mama’s name… Mama’s name carved on it…”

“Reina’s mother? This? Kurokami… no way. What the hell…”

“This is Mama’s grave. Mama’s. I remember it clearly. My mother’s name is Sakiko Kurokami, and my father’s name is Zeke Silfield. I’m their real child.”

(Kurokami… no way. Are Kaguya and Reina blood related?)

Kenya pictured Kaguya, who bore the Kurokami name.

He thought of their connection, but couldn’t see further.

Then he noticed something on the grave: a package.

A pristine box, as if recently placed.

Kenya exchanged a glance with Reina and nodded, then opened it.

Inside was a tablet-like device.

“This is… a video.”

Kenya activated it.

The screen showed a single video file.

He opened it.

Zeke Silfield appeared on screen.

…

Right after Zeke set off from Earthguard toward Japan.

The day the World Union would arrive, even if it was at night.

Zeke had come to that grave.

“Sakiko… I’m sorry. As an Earthguard, I… fought the Japanese for Lord Road.”

The man stood alone before the grave, placed a box there, and left.

“That’s my atonement… for failing to save you.”

…

“Papa!”

“Zeke!?”

Kenya and Reina cried out at the sight.

But Zeke on the video gave no response.

“A recording… So this is what Zeke left behind.”

“Papa… we’re watching!”

“Reina…”

“I’ll listen. If this is Papa’s last words.”

Reina and Kenya watched the video intently.

◇ Rewind to the time when Japan fell to Earthguard.

“Why! Why didn’t you tell me!!”

Zeke, who had fought on the front lines of the EU Great War, grabbed his superior by the collar and snarled.

He had been on the front for over a year, unaware of the war between Japan and Earthguard.

He knew nothing.

Not of Japan’s defeat, nor the war’s end.

Or more precisely…

“It was His Majesty’s command. Absolutely do not inform you—no, not just you, but all frontline soldiers.”

It had been concealed.

Information control was perfect. In this world where media beyond imperial broadcasts hadn’t developed, you couldn’t know about a war if you were far from it.

“Wh-why!”

“We couldn’t have you leaving the front lines. Or turning against us.”

“My wife and daughter!! They’re in Japan!”

“That’s exactly why, Zeke.”

“N-no way…”

“But His Majesty has fallen ill. The EU Great War is over. So I’ve decided to tell you.”

“…”

Zeke bowed his head.

“My apologies, sir.”

Then Zeke headed for Japan.

(Sakiko, Reina… please be alive.)

…

Zeke searched. Through Japan, now occupied by Earthguard after the war’s end.

He used every resource: his feet, former colleagues, subordinates—anything at his disposal—to find his beloved family.

But the Japan he reached had no trace of the beautiful landscapes he remembered.

“No… Reina, Sakiko.”

But as time passed, the search grew harder.

Hope for their survival faded to despair. Beautiful Japan was ravaged beyond recognition.

Cherry blossoms withered, buildings reduced to rubble piles—it was no longer habitable.

A full year passed. Japan, thoroughly trampled, lay in tatters.

Still, Zeke searched.

Every Japanese corpse he saw tore at his heart.

“Sakiko… Reina…”

With hollow eyes, unkempt beard, he wandered only places of memory.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Zeke finally collapsed to his knees and broke down crying.

“What was it all for… I couldn’t protect you… what was the point.”

Inside Zeke burned regret and hatred.

Regret for failing his loved ones. Hatred for the emperor who kept him pinned to the front.

Zeke knew it already.

Half a year—his wife and daughter were surely dead.

Yet unable to give up, Zeke wandered aimlessly.

One day, rumor reached him of a cemetery for war dead in Osaka.

Zeke went to Osaka and checked every single grave.

And at last, he found it.

Sakiko Kurokami

His wife’s name.

“Uwaaaaaaaaah!!!”

Those words snuffed out Zeke’s last lingering hope deep in his heart.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Sakiko!! I’m sorry!! Reina!!”

Zeke apologized endlessly to the grave.

Silently, the grave gazed back at Zeke—but offered no reply.

He wept before it until nightfall, under the moonlight.

“What should I do now? What would make you happy? Dying here won’t let me see you, huh.”

No answer came, of course.

Then a message arrived on Zeke’s terminal.

From a subordinate who had been helping.

“We’ve taken in a war orphan half-Earthguard from a cleared slum. Silver-haired girl. Might be…”

Zeke leaped up from the grave at the message.

He rushed to his subordinate.

“Hah… hah… where?!”

“This way, Zeke.”

And Zeke met her.

No mistaking it.

Her body covered in bruises, hair a tangled mess.

Her eyes vacant, devoid of emotion—like she’d given up on even living.

“A-ah… Re… Reina! Reina!”

“Good, Zeke.”

“Thank you! Really! Reina, do you understand? Reina!”

But the girl didn’t respond to his calls.

“Seems she’s lost her memories, can’t speak. No reaction to anything… She was treated horribly in the slums. Half Japanese, half Earthguard.”

“I see…”

Zeke embraced the girl.

“It’s okay now. Papa’s here, Reina. It’s okay now!”

Still, the girl gave no response.

The subordinate bowed and left the room.

Only Zeke and Reina remained.

“I swear I’ll never let you go again. I’ll protect you, no matter what.”