A Promise Made
—tain?
...Captain?
Captain!
H-huh? What...?
I barely managed to open my eyes to the sound of someone calling my name in a worried voice.
Captain!
Captain... are you all right?
Lisa? And Claire...?
What's going on...?
What do you mean "what's going on"? You've been unresponsive for two whole days! We thought something had happened to you!
Two days?!
You didn't show up at the training grounds yesterday without notice...
And when you didn't come in again today, we came to check on you ourselves.
I was just... tired, so I've been sleeping a little...
You mean... you've been sleeping here... this whole time?
...Have I really been out for two whole days?
Despite sleeping for two days straight, my head felt foggy and heavy instead of feeling refreshed.
Rubbing my bleary eyes like someone still short on sleep, I headed for the training grounds.
But no matter how long I waited, Seira never showed up.
Maybe she's at her favorite park again?
Remembering the busy park she loved, I decided to head there.
Just as I expected, I found Seira sitting on a quiet bench in the corner of the park.
Captain... How did you find me here...?
...I've been looking for you everywhere, Seira.
I thought... if I stayed at the quarters, you might never wake up...
...I'm sorry...
If you stayed at the quarters, I'd never wake up...?
What do you mean by that?
Caught off-guard by Seira's words, all I could do was stare at her in confusion.
Seira rose from her seat and walked toward me.
Captain, have you ever heard of... succubi?
Succubi...?
You've never heard of them? They're those evil demons that feed on a person's life force.
I'm a succubus hunter. Been tracking them down for a long time.
...I see. The rumors have already spread...
What's going on, Seira?
Captain, I...
...
I'm a Mystic that feeds on dreams.
But many people know me by a different name.
A succubus.
...Then that means...
...I'm sorry I hid it from you.
You must be... upset with me.
Everyone says succubi are wicked beings that lure people into eternal sleep, after all...
...Then those stories...
The rumors spreading among people, are they true?
I just...
I just wanted everyone to rest peacefully and enjoy happy dreams.
Because those happy dreams... make me happy, too...
But... I can't completely control my powers.
If I stay in one place for too long, some people... never wake from their dreams...
That's why I've always had to wander... never staying anywhere for long.
Seira whispered softly, her eyes filled with sorrow.
When I got the invitation to join the Journey, I hesitated...
Because staying in one place for an entire year... could be dangerous.
But if I could gain the power of the Star Savior...
If I could become stronger...
Then I might finally learn to control this ability... this dream domain of mine.
...That's what I believed.
I wanted to believe that day would come.
If I had great strength... then...
...I'd like to live here in NOA.
I want to make friends...
And have a favorite little shop I can visit every day.
...Things that seemed ordinary to others... were distant dreams for Seira the succubus.
Two days ago, no matter how long I waited, you never came... so I went to wake you.
But no matter what I did, I couldn't wake you up...
When I saw your face deep in sleep, I realized something.
I realized this wasn't where I belong... and that I had to leave....
Without thinking, I took Seira's hand.
It was cool, almost chilly to the touch... light as a feather, and softer than air.
So fragile that... it felt like she might disappear if I let go.
You said you wanted to live among people, remember?
...
Please don't worry about that. It was just... a foolish dream of mine...
I gently let go of her hand and spoke.
...If you truly want to quit...
I won't stop you.
...Captain.
But if that's not how you really feel...
If you still want the power of the Star Savior...
If your goal is to see the Journey through to the end...
If you wish to complete the Journey as a Journey member...
Then I'll do everything I can to make that happen.
Because...
...That's my job as your Captain.
If staying close to Seira means being affected by her power...
There's only one thing to do.
...I just have to find a way to stay awake!
Captain...
If we give up here, Seira might never get another chance like this again.
The reason I joined... the Journey?
Mm... well...
I needed to become stronger.
I...
I need... the power of the Star Savior.
I'll look into every and any way I can help you.
So tell me, Seira... What do you want to do?
...
I...
...
After a long silence...
I also... want to see it...
The end of the Journey...
As she mustered up the courage to reply, I saw a faint, relieved smile on her face.