"Mizuno-dono…"
Gold Ship gazed at Mizuno surrounded by all that warmth, and a surge of loneliness welled up inside her. Instinctively, she reached out toward Mizuno.
But the moment she moved, Rice Shower noticed. She instantly raised her little knife across her chest, squaring off against Gold Ship in a clear stance of attack.
"Gold Ship-san, you still haven't paid for what you did to Onii-sama." Rice Shower's expression was anything but friendly—her eyes on Gold Ship as if looking at an unforgivable criminal.
Rice Shower's coldness made Gold Ship feel the distance between herself and everyone else only grew.
"Heh, is that so…" Gold Ship let out a bitter laugh, pulling her outstretched hand back in defeat.
She clenched her fists, shadow washing over her whole body.
But Gold Ship didn't wallow for long. She'd always been misunderstood as an "Alien"—it wasn't in her nature to be fragile like a regular person. She quickly gathered herself, rose from the ground, lifted her chin, and shot Rice Shower a disdainful look.
"Rice-san, do you really think that chasing me away will save your precious Onii-sama?" Gold Ship sneered, her tone so calm it seemed like everything was still under her control.
Only, standing there stark naked, nobody quite knew where to look.
"Broshi, at least put some clothes on…" Mizuno covered his eyes, picked up the clothes from the ground, and tossed them to Gold Ship.
"Fine…" Gold Ship, realizing her current appearance lacked any persuasive force, took the clothes and put them on.
"Ahem…" Gold Ship cleared her throat, once again assuming her earlier stern attitude as she pressed Rice Shower.
"Rice-san, do you really think that chasing me away will save your precious Onii-sama?"
"What do you mean?" Rice Shower frowned, puzzled.
What did Gold Ship mean, that even after driving her away, Onii-sama still couldn't be saved?
Was there someone even more dangerous planning to harm Onii-sama?
Seeing Rice Shower fall into her rhythm, Gold Ship smiled faintly and pointed at Mizuno, slumped in his chair.
"Rice-san, do you know how your Onii-sama ended up in a wheelchair?"
"!" Mizuno realized at once what Gold Ship was about to say and hurried to cut her off.
"Gwah! Broshi! Don't go blurting that out!"
"Shut it!" Gold Ship snapped, ignoring Mizuno's protests and continuing to explain to Rice Shower:
"Rice-san, your Onii-sama nearly died back then!"
Gold Ship then described everything that happened at the Warehouse: Mizuno's Uma Mint constitution, the battle between Fortune and Misfortune, how, with Fortune absent, Mizuno could only self-destruct… She recounted it all to Rice Shower, with plenty of dramatic embellishment.
"Rice-san, do you get it now? Your Onii-sama has always been trapped in a living hell. Ending up disabled in a wheelchair—that's the best-case scenario!"
"This…"
Rice Shower, after hearing Gold Ship's story, looked as if she'd been struck by lightning. Her body trembled uncontrollably.
She turned to look at Mizuno; the light in her eyes faded.
So Onii-sama… was really in so much danger…
"?!" Mizuno was startled by Rice Shower's yandere-like expression and quickly tried to defend himself:
"No, no, no, it's not like that! I'm perfectly safe, okay?!"
"Hmph. Safe?" Gold Ship snorted coldly, shooting back:
"You're already this crippled and you still try to shoulder everything alone. Not once do you consider how we feel! Do you have any idea how much it would hurt us if you suddenly disappeared forever one day?!"
"Guh…" Mizuno guiltily turned away, at a loss for words.
Seeing him dodge the question again, Gold Ship only shook her head, too tired to keep chasing the issue. She turned instead to Rice Shower, who was still hesitating, and reached out her hand, genuinely.
"Rice-san, if you want to protect your Onii-sama, then you should understand—I'm your ally!"
"The world outside is a mess. With that guy's weak constitution, he'd die for sure without this basement's protection!"
"Rice-san, you want to get closer to Onii-sama, don't you? Why don't we just stay here together, and happily make little Uma foals with him?"
Gold Ship kept trying to persuade her, hoping to bring Rice Shower over to her side.
"Forget about Fortune and Misfortune. The three of us living happily together—that's more important than anything!"
"Is that so…" Rice Shower blinked, considering it. Gold Ship's logic made sense, and she was genuinely tempted. Staying here, making babies with Onii-sama—that was number two on her "Ten Things to Do with Onii-sama" list.
Number one was building a private house where no outsiders could bother them, then sticking with Onii-sama forever…
"Onii-sama…"
Rice Shower gazed at Mizuno, eyes hazy, cheeks gradually turning rosy.
"Gwah! Rice Shower! Don't listen to Broshi!" Mizuno flailed, terrified Rice Shower would follow Gold Ship's example—locking him up in the basement out of fear for his safety.
But to everyone's surprise, Rice Shower didn't leap at Mizuno or do anything excessive. She stared at him for a few seconds, then looked away—not with longing, but with even firmer resolve.
She touched the sachet hanging from her chest and answered Gold Ship earnestly:
"Gold Ship-san, you're not wrong. The outside world really is dangerous for Onii-sama, being human. I've also been troubled by the Misfortune goddess before, and I know how tough the enemies Onii-sama faces really are…"
"But!"
"If this is Onii-sama's choice—no matter how dangerous, no matter how impossible—I'll respect it! I'll stand with Onii-sama!"
"Besides, I don't want to back down either, or just sit and watch as that Misfortune goddess keeps bringing pain to others!"
"The Misfortune goddess really is terrifying—mortals don't even qualify to fight her…"
"But after so many battles—whether it was on the plaza when Onii-sama helped me drive her out, or at the Warehouse protecting Gold Ship-san—didn't Onii-sama win, every time?!"
"Onii-sama's always working so hard for us! So I believe in him, always—that Onii-sama will definitely succeed!"
"What Onii-sama can't do, I'll do. The pain Onii-sama has to face, I'll face with him!"
"Rice Shower will always support and protect Onii-sama!"