["Back at the Palace of Astrum, after relaying Jing Yuan's information to Qingni, a trace of sadness immediately appeared in the girl's eyes."]
["'Every time the past comes up, she either changes the subject or pretends not to hear,' Qingni took a deep breath, her fingertips unconsciously clutching her skirt. 'I can probably guess that something from Mom's past is a wound that will never heal. So, after I grew up, I stopped asking.'"]
["'Even geniuses are divided by fortune and misfortune…'"]
["Welt nodded in agreement. 'Indeed, Yukong doesn't want you to bear the weight of her reputation. Besides, on a battlefield of life and death, talent and fame mean little.'"]
["Qingni's eyes lit up. 'You mean, she's reminded of the pain of losing her best friend, so she won't let me fly. The more talented I am, the more scared she is—scared I'll repeat her mistakes?'"]
["Welt didn't dare to presume Yukong's thoughts but suggested that mother and daughter have a proper talk. Before that, though, Qingni wanted to confirm some of her mother's past, searching for her old diaries in the archives."]
["After some effort, Qingni quickly found the shared diary between Yukong and Caiyi, but its contents made her face grow increasingly pale."]
["…"]
["The Past—"]
["Yukong suddenly grabbed Caiyi's shoulders from behind, playfully pinching her cheek."]
["'Hey!' Caiyi nearly jumped in surprise, but upon seeing it was her, her eyes lit up. 'You scared me to death!'"]
["Yukong grinned, revealing a small row of teeth, her teal hair tips swaying lightly in the morning breeze. 'Caiyi, we're going to be partners!'"]
["'Ugh, the thought of teaming up with my rival from the races feels a bit weird, heh. Oh well, orders are orders!'"]
["Caiyi's face flushed red, and she let out a soft hum. 'Last time's record doesn't count—that was because of Guangyuan…'"]
["'Heh, I knew you'd use Guangyuan as an excuse—alright, we're about to head into battle together to take down those Abundance invaders at the border, so, ahem…' Yukong cleared her throat dramatically, darting to Caiyi's side. 'Quick interview, Miss Caiyi, are you nervous?'"]
["'Not at all!'"]
["'Great! Very confident!' Yukong's crisp voice rose a few pitches. She suddenly grabbed Caiyi and spun her around, their uniforms flaring like wings. 'It's settled—we'll be the greatest pilot duo ever!'"]
["A whistle for assembly sounded in the distance, and Yukong tugged Caiyi along as she ran. 'Hurry up, partner! We can't be late for our first mission!'"]
["'Alright, Yukong, slow down—' Caiyi stumbled along, dragged by her, but couldn't help laughing. The pilots' camp was nearly filled with the sound of their laughter."]
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End——
"This is Lady Yukong's past?" Fern's eyes widened, staring in disbelief at the lively, spirited Foxian girl on the Celestial Screen. "She's like a completely different person…"
"Yes, back then, Yukong still had a spark in her eyes."
Frieren sighed softly. The young Yukong was like a freshly sharpened knife—keen and full of vigor. Though they now knew what she would later endure… seeing this vibrant girl worn down into the paperwork-burdened figure of today felt like a pity.
Watching Yukong's smile on the screen, Frieren realized that since Stelle arrived on the Xianzhou, Yukong hadn't once shown a genuine, open-hearted smile.
The radiant, flower-like smile of Yukong, the Helm Master… it felt so unfamiliar.
"But, Lady Frieren, have you noticed? Caiyi looks so much like Qingni—whether it's their hair or the color of their eyes," Fern suddenly said from the side.
"…Hm? Now that you mention it, you're right. Could it be that Yukong isn't Qingni's biological mother?"
["The Past—"]
["The light of dusk slanted into the room. Yukong pushed open the half-closed door and saw Caiyi curled up in a corner. A photo of Guangyuan rested on her lap, the smiles in their shared picture now dampened by her tears."]
["A tear fell onto Guangyuan's pilot uniform in the photo, the dark stain resembling a drop of un-dried blood."]
["'Caiyi, back then… Guangyuan must have been so proud,' Yukong knelt beside her, hesitating for a long time, unsure how to comfort her, simply placing her hand over Caiyi's trembling one."]
["Caiyi's shoulders shook violently, and she finally let out a suppressed sob—a sound that seemed to be wrenched from the depths of her chest, carrying heart-wrenching pain."]
["'Caiyi…' Yukong reached out, pulling her into an embrace, feeling her tremble like a reed about to snap in the wind."]
["The blood-red sunset crept across the edge of a framed photo on the wall."]
["In the photo, Guangyuan was smiling as he pinned the badge of the Xianzhou's ace pilot duo onto Caiyi's uniform, his fingers lingering at her collar, the gilded badge glinting faintly in the twilight. Now, that same light fell on Caiyi's pale face, the badge clutched tightly in her hand, its metal edges digging deep into the flesh of her palm."]
Akame ga Kill——
"…This is war," Najenda said gravely, shaking her head. "Unavoidable."
She had seen such scenes more than once. A newlywed wife weeping for her fallen husband, an elderly mother staring at her children's casualty lists… During her time as an Imperial general, she had witnessed too much. She thought she'd be numb to such scenes by now.
"Sigh…" Losing the mood to smoke, Najenda stubbed out her freshly lit cigarette underfoot.
Tatsumi lowered his head heavily, trembling silently. Since joining Night Raid, he had always acted with his comrades, never viewing a war from an ordinary soldier's perspective.
Hearing Caiyi's desperate sobs, he felt as if someone were carving his heart with a dull knife, the gut-wrenching pain almost unbearable.
"Just like Caiyi and Guangyuan, who fought for victory even at the cost of their lives, the war we're fighting is one like this," Najenda said, giving Tatsumi a deep look.
"There are surely many people in the Empire suffering and tormented like them. Our job is to ensure they never have to cry again."
Najenda took a deep breath. "…Even if it means many will die in the process."