Sky Striker Princess, but the swan song of Valkyrie.

[I wonder what Rei and Hibiki are doing right now. Speaking of which, I just saw that Hibiki's condition has research value. Rei probably wouldn't dissect Hibiki, right? No, that's unlikely...]

Sitting on the sofa, the black-haired girl's thoughts began to wander aimlessly.

"What?! Yi's condition has worsened again?!"

Suddenly, just as Kohinata Mirai was about to immerse herself in her thoughts, Kazanari Genjuro, who was on the phone, exclaimed in surprise.

[Tsubasa, that entertainer, I remember she was also Hibiki's partner...]

Kohinata Mirai thought to herself, her attention drawn to it.

"Okay, yes, I understand. I will make time to visit her."

Before Kohinata Mirai could think any further, Kazanari Genjuro hung up the phone with a change in expression.

"What happened to Miss Yi? I remember she's recuperating in the hospital right now?"

Kohinata Mirai asked with some concern.

"Tsubasa... It's like this, Tsubasa and Tachibana used to be comrades who fought together, and now that Tachibana has been captured, she has become unable to focus on recovering after learning this news."

"Just now, the nurse who was taking care of Yi called me for the third time and told me that because Yi was too stubborn, her wound, which had been getting better, reopened and her condition worsened."

When Kohinata asked Mirai, Kazanari Genjuro briefly told her about the message he had just received.

"Tsubasa... does she care about Hibiki that much?"

Upon hearing Genjuro Kazanari's answer, Mirai Kohinata asked.

"Ah, it's probably because Tachibana's disappearance as her comrade reminded her of Kanade, who also lost two years ago."

Kazanari Genjuro thought to himself.

"Miss Kanade... By the way, is there any chance that Miss Kanade will wake up?"

Kohinata Mirai remembered what she had seen in the report: the songstress whom Tachibana Hibiki also liked very much, who was still in a cryogenic chamber recuperating because of her battle with Zero.

"At present, we don't know. We are working hard on treatment technology, but we haven't made any breakthroughs. Recently, we have been considering transferring the cryotherapy unit to the United States to see if we can help Zou wake up with the help of American medical technology."

"Kaze no Genjuro said."

"I see. I hope Miss Kanade can wake up."

Kohinata sincerely wished for the future.

"Well, anyway, for this reason, I'll need to find some time to talk to Yi later."

"It's getting late. You just said you were leaving, so let me see you off."

At this moment, Kazanari Genjuro glanced at the time and, thinking that he would need to find an opportunity to counsel Kazanari Tsubasa on his psychological issues later, decided to stop their casual conversation and focus on his work so that he could find time to visit him.

"...Um, Mr. Fengming, could I help you with this?"

However, just as Kazanari Genjuro was about to do this, Kohinata Mirai, after a brief moment of thought, made this suggestion to him.

"Help? What do you mean?"

Kazanari Genjuro didn't understand for a moment.

"Miss Yi is troubled by Hibiki's matter. I think I can talk to her about it and see if I can help her calm down and focus on her recovery."

Kohinata Mirai briefly explained her plans.

"Let's talk... I mean, Kohinata, are you planning to visit Tsubasa?"

Kazanari Genjuro asked.

"Yes, that's it. Let me give it a try. I hope I can do my part in Hibiki's case. If Ms. Tsubasa can recover faster, Hibiki can be rescued sooner."

Kohinata Mirai nodded and said this.

"That makes sense. Alright, since you want to try, Kohinata, I'll give you the position in the Tsubasa ward."

After considering Kohinata Mirai's suggestion, Kazanari Genjuro felt it was acceptable and agreed to her request.

"Yes, thank you. I also look forward to having a good chat with Ms. Tsubasa who protects Hibiki."

Kohinata Mirai said with a smile.

P.S. Good evening.

Chapter 111 The First Meeting

A sermon is taking place in a hospital next to Lydian College.

"Miss Fengming, your body needs rest right now. Please don't do anything that would make things difficult for us."

In the clean and tidy ward, a nurse in white said this to Feng Mingyi, who was lying on the hospital bed, with a mixture of anger and helplessness.

She understood the other person's anxiety, but the other person's repeated lack of cooperation with the treatment did put immense pressure on medical staff like herself who were treating the other person.

"Yes, I understand, I won't do it again."

Faced with the reprimand from the medical staff, Feng Mingyi responded dejectedly.

"I hope Miss Fengming truly understands that this is the third time this has happened to you. If you continue like this, we really cannot guarantee your health."

The nurse said wearily, and after confirming that Feng Mingyi had no intention of leaving, she left the ward directly.

啪挞

As the sound of the door closing and then disappearing filled the room, silence enveloped the single hospital room where only Feng Mingyi was present.

In the end, did I still fail to accomplish anything?

The tranquil environment fosters drowsiness and contemplation, and in this solitude, the quiet wind-whistling wing experiences the latter.

What should I do?

Lying down on the flat bed, feeling the weakness running through his entire body from his toes to his neck, Feng Mingyi thought to himself.

Once again, I failed to protect my comrade. Because of her, I lost another comrade I could have fought alongside.

Thoughts like these have echoed in Kazunari Tsubasa's mind ever since she learned that Tachibana Hibiki had not been able to return.

What I should have protected, the comrades I should have fought alongside—I missed them all again. I had already honed myself into a sword, so why did it still turn out like this…?

The blue-haired girl's heart was filled with melancholy blue, and her eyes were filled with self-blame and helplessness.

If I were stronger, if I were more diligent, would things have been different? Would Kanade and Tachibana have been spared the sacrifice if I had tried harder?

Thinking this, the image of the energetic flaxen-haired girl from yesterday seemed to appear before Kazanari Tsubasa's eyes.

[Damn it, damn it, why, why is it always like this? I can never protect the things I should be protecting. What reason do I have to call myself a sword?]

Hating his own weakness, Feng Mingyi forced himself to sit up in bed.

She understood that her current approach was completely futile in the face of the current situation.

However, the thought that while she was complacent, someone else was suffering in her place made it impossible for her to stop herself from acting.

Takka-

"Miss Yi, what are you doing?"

Just as Feng Mingyi was about to stand up, holding an IV stand in one hand and leaning on a cane in the other, wrapped in a hospital gown, a black-haired girl opened the door to the ward and looked at her with some surprise.

"Ah, no, I just wanted to take a walk... Wait, who are you?"

Upon hearing the girl's voice, Kazami reflexively assumed it was a medical worker, but she quickly realized that it might not be.

"Kohinata Mirai, that's my name."

The black-haired girl introduced herself.

"Kohinata Mirai, who? That name sounds familiar, like I've heard it somewhere before. Oh right, I remember now, you're from the Tachibana clan..."

Listening to the girl's self-introduction, Feng Mingyi struggled to think for a moment before remembering that it was the name of the girl who was always chattering around him and that he mentioned most often.

"Yes, I am Hibiki's friend. Because of some things, I learned about Hibiki's situation, and now I've come to visit you, Ms. Tsubasa, who protected Hibiki."

Seeing that Kazunari Tsubasa recognized her, Kohinata Mirai slightly raised the fruit basket in her hand as a gesture.

"A friend of Tachibana?"

Upon realizing Kohinata's future identity, Kazanari Tsubasa's pupils dilated instantly.

[Are they here to interrogate me? Well, that makes sense. Compared to me, the people most heartbroken and worried about Tachibana's arrest are her friends and family, like Kohinata. In other words, is she feeling the same grief I felt when I lost Kanade?]

The next moment, a series of similar thoughts flooded Feng Mingyi's mind.

"I'm so sorry. As Tachibana's senior, I failed to protect her properly and now I'm in such a sorry state, making you see me in such a disgraceful state. I'm truly sorry."

Finally, Feng Mingyi's myriad thoughts were expressed in these words.

"No, Miss Yi doesn't need to apologize. I've read the report, and Miss Yi has done the best she could."

Looking at Kazunari Tsubasa, who was shrouded in a low-pressure atmosphere, Kohinata Mirai shook her head slightly and said calmly.

"No, there's no need to comfort me like that, Kohinata. I was a useless sword because I failed to defeat my nemesis, failed to shoulder my responsibilities, and failed to protect anything."

However, the more indifferent Kohinata Mirai appeared, the deeper Kazanari Tsubasa's guilt became, and her mood became increasingly depressed.

"Miss Yi..."

After a while, looking at Kazanari Tsubasa's dejected appearance, Kohinata Mirai couldn't help but have some thoughts.

Miss Tsubasa's regret was genuine; her remorse for failing to protect Hibiki was very real and intense.

Kohinata Mirai realized that she could sense that what Kazanari Tsubasa did and the beliefs she held were not false.

[If it's Miss Yi, if she's like the person I saw, someone who would sacrifice her own life to protect others, then she should be someone I can trust.]

Having confirmed this premise, an idea, an idea that could truly help Kazunari Tsubasa recover properly, came to Kohinata Mirai's mind.

"Miss Yi, may I ask you a question?"

Having finished thinking, Kohinata Mirai looked at Kazanari Tsubasa, who was still wallowing in self-pity, and after organizing her thoughts, asked her this question.

"Question... Ah, of course."

Attracted by Kohinata Mirai's words, Kazanari Tsubasa immediately replied.

"Exactly, I want to know, in Yi's eyes, what kind of person is Lingyi?"

Kohinata Mirai asked her question clearly, word by word.

"Zero...why do you ask that?"

Upon hearing Kohinata Mirai's question, a very complex expression instantly appeared on Kazanari Tsubasa's face.

"That's right. I've seen before that you, Miss Yi, have fought the most with Zero and are the closest to her. So, I'd like to know a little bit about what kind of person Zero is in your eyes."

Kohinata Mirai gazed at her senior, who was a bit older than her, and calmly emphasized her question with eyes as still as water. Then she quietly waited for the other person's answer.

P.S. Good morning.

Chapter 112 The Conversation That Unveils the Mystery (Part 2)

The girl's question seemed to stem from mere curiosity, but it caused Feng Mingyi's previously smooth train of thought to falter slightly.

"...I have nothing to say about her opinion. As someone who defends the country, the only possibility for me and her, as an enemy, to meet is on the battlefield."

After hesitating for a moment, Feng Mingyi's eyes hardened, and he spoke with a hint of impatience.

"is that so."

Although brief, Miss Tsubasa seemed to hesitate when answering.

Kohinata Mirai's expression remained unchanged, while her inner thoughts continued to race.

"So, to Miss Tsubasa, Miss Zero is an evil person whose existence is intolerable and whom she must fight against?"

Then, Kohinata Mirai asked, as if to confirm something.

"Yes, that's right... and for me as a defender, and for me as a sword, that's enough."

This time, Feng Mingyi did not hesitate at all, and emphasized loudly in a very strong tone, as if she had always been so certain that things should be this way.

"I see... If that's what Miss Tsubasa says, then it must be correct."

Kohinata Mirai nodded, saying this as she began to think.

[Miss Tsubasa is very emotional; she really hates Rei... at least on the surface.]

However, in certain situations, when people are emotionally agitated, there is another possibility: they may deliberately feign agitation to conceal their true thoughts.

Kohinata Mirai was thinking, her gaze fixed on the present moment.