Hometown

On the third day, everyone is scheduled to enjoy a sightseeing cruise on Lake Tuzhoo, but Shinosuke has decided to go off on his own for personal matters.

While everyone is relaxing after breakfast, Shinosuke steps outside the cottage after finishing his preparations, only to find Milena standing there.

"Lord Shinosuke, if you please, may I accompany you?"

Milena was dressed casually, wearing a rare, subdued dress unlike her usual elegant attire.

Yet, a sword hung at her waist, creating an undeniable contrast with her gentle appearance.

"I don't mind, but this isn't a sightseeing trip for personal enjoyment—there's nothing entertaining about it."

"I'm fine with that," she replied.

There was no need for Shinosuke to hide anything, and there was no problem with Miliena coming along, so he let her do as she pleased.

The two set off from the cottage toward the nearby transit station.

The planetary transit system on Torchigi, being a remote planet often considered a backwater, had extremely limited service. Upon reaching the station, the two ended up waiting a full forty minutes.

"By the way, where exactly are we going?"

After finally boarding the orbital transit system, the two.

A vehicle, predominantly yellow and black, sped through an endless expanse of grassland.

Though the train consisted of three cars, theirs was completely empty except for them.

Milena had been enjoying the vast grassland scenery and the wind flowing through the window, but after about an hour, she grew bored and began to wonder how much longer this landscape would continue.

" We're headed for Utsumiya, the capital of this planet. It'll take another two hours, and the scenery will keep going during that time."

Hearing Shinosuke's reply, Milena sighed.

"Truly a lush, green planet..."

"That's why it's pointless to follow along—I already said it'd be boring, didn't I?"

Sitting across from Shinosuke, Milena gazed at his face intently and smiled.

"But being together like this, just the two of us, doing nothing—it's a rare and precious time, isn't it?"

"Is that so?"

"Yes, it truly is."

As Milena said, spending quiet time together, gazing at the unchanging scenery without doing anything, wasn't such a bad thing after all.

For a while, a comfortable silence passed between them.

"By the way, why did you suddenly say you'd follow me?"

It was Shinnosuke who broke the silence.

Mireena briefly opened her forehead eye to look at Shinnosuke, then immediately closed it.

"Master Shinnosuke, aren't you going to meet someone important?"

"Huh?"

"After all, that's the outfit you're wearing. It's not hard to figure out if you think about it."

"This outfit?"

Indeed, today Shinnosuke was wearing his uniform.

Not the casual, everyday version, but the formal one.

"Given that Shinnosuke-sama, usually so careless about appearances, is in formal attire, it's clearly for an important matter. My eyes don't lie."

Indeed, Miliena's eyes couldn't be deceived.

Shinnosuke couldn't help but smile wryly.

That very reaction confirmed to him that Miliena's prediction was true.

Eventually, the orbital transit system carrying Shinnosuke and the others arrived at the capital city of Utsunomiya.

Shinnosuke stepped off the platform and began walking, with Miliena following closely behind.

Miliena carefully held a bouquet of white flowers she had bought from a shop along the way, cradling it against her chest.

After walking in silence for about thirty minutes, the two found themselves atop a small hill.

Before them stood two small stone monuments side by side.

This was the Tōchigi public cemetery.

"Are these the graves of Mr. Shin nosuke's parents?"

"Yeah. Mother passed away from illness, and Father died in an accident when I was young. Mother rests in her grave, but there's nothing in Father's grave."

Milena knelt down and placed a bouquet of flowers before the two tombs, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes.

"So, Mr. Shin nosuke really came to visit his parents after all."

"Yeah... But I came here right before entering the officer's school, so it's been over ten years already. What a terrible son I've been..."

"Master Shin nosuke is a man who works at sea, after all. It's best that he stays healthy and active—nothing matters more than that."

"Is that really so?"

"Yes, I understand perfectly."

Shin nosuke shrugged and smiled.

"That may be true... But coming here was just a side trip during this journey. I still think my parents are terrible, though..."

"That's very much like you, Shin nosuke. In fact, not only me, but Sera and Linah also noticed you were coming to visit your parents. Yet they both refrained out of consideration."

"Why?"

"If three potential brides suddenly showed up, your parents would be completely taken aback. That's why I came on behalf of the three of us. But I made sure to report Serah and Linah's presence properly to your parents as well."

"Three potential brides? My parents would be absolutely shocked."

"…And there's one more thing. I made a promise to your parents that we will always protect you, Shinnosuke-sama."

"That’s even more troublesome than I thought..."

Shinnosuke tried to picture his parents' faces in his memory.

The two of them were staring at him with expressions of disbelief.

After that, Shinnosuke and the others thoroughly enjoyed their vacation.

On the final night, the last evening before departure the next morning.

Fireworks were being launched at the lakeside for tourists.

Mireina and the others were captivated by the traditional fireworks, passed down from generations of skilled pyrotechnicians.

"This is magnificent. I will never forget this sight as long as I live."

"Yes, me too. I'm truly glad I joined the crew of Shinosuke's ship. Let's definitely come together again someday."

Mireina linked her arm with Shinosuke's right arm, while Seira did the same with his left, both gazing up at the sky.

"Truly beautiful, isn't it? Thank you so much for bringing me here, Shinosuke-san."

Rina stood behind Shinosuke, arms crossed, yet wearing an air of calm contentment.

Thus, with everyone thoroughly satisfied, Shinosuke's vacation came to a peaceful end.

Back in the Salius Stellar Province, the usual daily routine awaited—though, unbeknownst to anyone, it would soon be anything but ordinary.

No more sickly sweet, lukewarm episodes—this one's the end.