Mari let go of Miyu's hand and ran forward.
"Dad!"
Her small figure dashed across the square at full speed, weaving around several people who were watching the scene with curiosity.
Mr. Yoshida saw her approaching and froze for a moment.
He seemed unable to believe what he was seeing.
For six days he had searched without rest. He had traveled through forests, mountain trails, and neighboring villages. He had begged for help from people who had slammed doors in his face. He had spent entire nights without sleeping, consumed by the fear that he would never see his daughter again.
And now she was there, alive, running toward him.
His legs gave out and he fell to his knees just as Mari reached him.
The force of the hug almost made him lose his balance.
"Dad! Dad!"
The little girl clung to him with all her strength.
Yoshida immediately wrapped both arms around her.
He hugged her as tightly as he could, as if he feared she might disappear again at any moment.
"Mari..."
His voice broke.
"Mari... you're here..."
Tears began to fall down his face without him making any attempt to stop them. Mari was crying too, and neither of them seemed willing to let go.
A short distance away, the group watched the scene in silence.
For a few moments, no one wanted to interrupt that moment.
Finally, Rei spoke.
"I'll contact headquarters."
His calm voice contrasted with the emotion of the reunion.
"I'll report Shimamoto's capture and request a cleanup team for the laboratory. We can't leave any trace of his research."
He glanced toward Zeke.
"Zeke... I'll leave the situation with the girl in your hands."
Without waiting for a response, Rei walked away from the square while taking out his phone.
Mochi watched him leave. There was something in his words that caught her attention.
"The situation with the girl."
She didn't like that expression. Frowning, she approached Zeke.
He remained watching Yoshida and Mari with an expression that was difficult to read.
"What did he mean by 'the situation with the girl'?" Mochi asked, crossing her arms. "She's already with her father. The job is finished, isn't it?"
Zeke let out a sigh and slipped his hands into the pockets of his trench coat before answering.
"Mochi... saving her was only the first part."
The young woman's expression hardened.
"What does that mean?"
"It means the problem didn't simply disappear because we managed to rescue her."
Mochi remained silent.
Zeke continued speaking calmly.
"As I explained before, Mari possesses an affinity for ether far above average."
Mochi's gaze shifted toward the girl. Mari was still hugging her father.
Now both of them were laughing through their tears while he fixed her hair.
They looked like a normal family.
A family that had just recovered something they thought was lost.
"For anomalies," Zeke continued, "a girl like her is extremely valuable."
The smile slowly disappeared from Mochi's face.
"Valuable? You mean..."
Her voice grew quieter.
"They'll come after her again?"
Zeke didn't answer immediately.
That silence was enough.
Mochi felt a knot form in her stomach.
She looked at Mari again.
The girl seemed happy, completely unaware of the conversation taking place.
"That's not fair," Mochi murmured.
Zeke turned his head slightly toward her.
"Hmm?"
"I don't think it's right."
Mochi clenched her fists.
"We saved her. We risked our lives to bring her back."
Her gaze never left Mari.
"I can't accept that we just leave her here waiting for another anomaly to show up and take her away again."
For the first time since the conversation had begun, Zeke smiled.
"I'm glad to hear you say that."
Mochi blinked.
"Huh?"
"It means you're starting to understand something important."
Zeke turned his attention back to the Yoshida family.
"Being an OHRA agent isn't just about defeating anomalies."
The morning wind swept through the square.
The leaves of several trees rustled softly.
"Killing monsters is the easy part."
Mochi watched him silently.
"The hard part is deciding what comes afterward."
The young woman fell into thought.
Until now, she had always imagined the work of an agent as a series of missions and battles. Find anomalies, defeat them, and go home.
But reality seemed far more complicated.
There were people involved, and consequences.
Responsibilities that continued even after the battle was over.
Zeke started walking.
"Follow me."
"Where are we going?"
"To talk to Yoshida."
Mochi followed him immediately.
Zeke walked straight toward Yoshida and Mari.
When he saw him approaching, the man immediately stood up. His eyes were still red from crying and there were tears on his cheeks, but he nevertheless tried to regain his composure.
"Mr. Yoshida," Zeke began in a kind but firm voice, "I'm glad to see that Mari is safe."
The man bowed his head.
"There are no words to thank you for what you've done for us."
"Don't worry about that. However, there is an important matter we need to discuss."
Yoshida's smile gradually faded.
"Is something wrong?"
Mari looked up as well, curious.
Zeke crouched slightly so that he was at the girl's eye level.
"Mari is a very special girl."
"Special?" she asked.
"That's right."
Zeke looked back at Yoshida.
"And precisely because of that, this village is no longer the safest place for her."
The man's expression immediately tightened.
"What do you mean?"
Mochi remained a few steps behind, watching the conversation attentively.
Zeke explained the situation carefully, omitting details that would be difficult for someone outside of OHRA to understand.
He spoke about the risks Mari would face if she remained there.
He explained that some people were born with unusual qualities, and that his daughter was one of them.
He also made it clear that this could attract danger in the future.
Yoshida listened in silence.
His hand never let go of Mari's.
When Zeke finished, the man remained thoughtful for several seconds.
"Then... what can we do?"
It was the question Zeke had been expecting.
"I have a proposal. There is an academy in Kyoto."
"An academy?"
"Yes. A place where Mari can study in a safe environment."
Yoshida frowned.
"That sounds very expensive."
"You won't have to worry about that."
Zeke smiled.
"Mari will receive a full scholarship."
Yoshida's eyes widened in surprise.
"A full scholarship?"
"Tuition, materials, housing, and living expenses."
The man seemed unable to believe it.
"Furthermore," Zeke continued, "you will also be provided with a home so that the two of you can live there."
Mochi watched as Yoshida's expression gradually changed.
First disbelief, then hope, and finally relief.
"Are you serious?"
"Completely."
Yoshida lowered his gaze toward Mari.
The girl did not seem to fully understand the conversation, but she smiled when she saw her father's expression.
For a few seconds, he remained silent.
Finally, he squeezed his daughter's hand.
"I accept."
His answer came immediately.
"If it means Mari will be safe, I accept."
Zeke nodded, satisfied.
"I'm glad to hear that."
Yoshida gave a deep bow.
"Thank you."
His voice broke again.
"Thank you for saving her."
"Just make sure to take good care of her."
"I will."
Mari also gave a small bow.
"Thank you for rescuing me!"
Miyu smiled and waved a hand.
Mochi responded with a somewhat embarrassed smile.
Even Kotone, though she tried to hide it, seemed slightly less grumpy than usual.
After saying goodbye to the Yoshida family, the group left the square.
For several minutes, they walked through the village streets in silence.
Finally, Mochi broke the silence.
"So... was all of that already planned?"
Zeke walked with his hands in his pockets.
"More or less."
"The academy and the scholarship?"
"Yes."
Mochi glanced back toward where they had left Yoshida and Mari.
"Seems a little too generous."
"It is."
Zeke let out a small laugh.
"But don't think they're doing it purely out of kindness."
Mochi raised an eyebrow.
"Huh?"
"Rei is also reporting Mari to headquarters."
It took the young woman a few seconds to understand.
"Wait..."
Then she remembered what Zeke had said about the girl's affinity for ether.
"The Agency is interested in her?"
"Very much so. That academy I mentioned is actually an institution focused on training agents."
"I see..."
"Everyone at headquarters will be delighted to find someone with that kind of potential."
Mochi didn't know what to think about that.
On one hand, she was happy that Mari and her father would have a chance to start over.
On the other, she couldn't help wondering how many expectations would end up resting on the shoulders of a seven-year-old girl.
Before she could continue reflecting on it, Rei returned.
He slipped his phone into one of his coat pockets.
"I finished the report."
"And?" Zeke asked.
"They've already sent a team. They'll secure the laboratory, collect the evidence, and eliminate any trace of Shimamoto's research."
Zeke nodded.
"Perfect."
"Now we have another problem."
"What is it?"
Rei pointed at him with a tired expression.
"We're behind schedule."
Zeke froze for a second.
"Ah..."
"Very behind."
"Well..."
"Far enough behind that we'll have to cut several stops if we want to arrive on time."
Miyu let out a small groan of disappointment.
"We're going to cancel part of the sightseeing trip?"
"I'm afraid so."
"That's a shame..."
With nothing more to say, the group set off to resume their journey.