Kays Translations

Chapter 83: Reina and Sieg’s Past (Part 2/2)

“What’s this all of a sudden? You’ve been wandering around for half a year, and after saying you were taking a break and bolting from the army, now you come begging for a favor?”

Sieg Sylphid pleaded with his superior.

“Please… let me take command of the occupation forces in Japan.”

“…I see. Alright, I’ll put in a recommendation for you. You’re the Sword Saint, after all — your record is more than enough. There won’t be any objections. No one else wants the job anyway.”

“Thank you very much.”

“…Did you find them?”

“…No.” 

Sieg lowered his eyes. 

“And — as of today, I’m retiring from the KOG knights. I’m also surrendering my title as Sword Saint.”

“…I see. Understood. Take some time to rest. The Emperor’s health is failing, so there won’t be another war anytime soon. You’ve done well.”

And so, Sieg became the commander of the occupation forces stationed in Japan, devoting himself to the country’s recovery.

Thanks to his efforts, the looting and violence in Japan soon subsided —

— though it remained under Asgard’s control, renamed as Special District 13.

But Sieg’s true reason for staying was to create a world where his daughter, Reina, could live in peace.

And —

(At the very least… I want to make sure no more Japanese are killed.)

That was why he’d chosen this path, why he had climbed to the top of the military ladder.

“Reina… I’m home.”

Sieg had built a house in Japan.

And from then on, it was just the two of them living there.

“Reina, let’s go here today — see if it rings a bell!”

He visited each place tied to their old memories, hoping that something might help Reina recover her lost memories.

But —

(There’s nothing left…)

The places from their past were nothing like he remembered.

Mountains of rubble. Scorched, dead trees. No trace of the beautiful sights from before.

“Reina… is there anywhere you want to go? Anything you’d like to eat?”

But Reina gave no answer.

Still, Sieg kept talking to her, patiently, day after day.

(What should I do, Sakiko… what can I do…)

“Memory impairment like this… the only thing we can do is take it slow. There’s no miracle cure, I’m afraid.”

“I see…”

“To be honest, the human brain is still a mystery to us. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”

“N-No, thank you, Doctor. I appreciate it.”

Sieg had consulted a doctor, desperate to bring back the bright, cheerful Reina he remembered.

He tried everything, but nothing worked. Not once had she spoken.

“Ah, by the way… they say memory is more strongly linked to smells and tastes than to words or sights. You know — how a scent can suddenly bring a memory rushing back?”

“…I see. Smell, huh.”

That thought planted an idea in Sieg’s mind.

One day, he stood in the kitchen, apron tied around his large, Terminator-like frame — a comical mismatch — and started experimenting.

“‘Season to taste’!? Write down the grams! Why write ‘season to taste’!?”

Frowning at a cookbook, he attempted dishes he’d never made before.

If smells and flavors could bring back memories, then he would recreate the Japanese meals they used to eat.

The result —

“…Mushy rice, salty miso soup, and something that was supposed to be a rolled omelet but turned into a solid block of scrambled eggs. Yeah, back to square one.”

Sieg, who had never cooked before, usually relied on rations, feeding the same to Reina.

But when he thought about it, his wife Sakiko had always cooked Japanese food for them.

If only he could recreate that taste. That was his only hope.

But the results were always disastrous.

“…This is harder than I thought.”

And then —

“Reina!?”

Reina walked into the room on her own — something she almost never did. She had followed the sound of Sieg cooking.

When she saw him, her expression fell, as if realizing the person she was hoping for wasn’t there.

Seeing her reaction, Sieg understood.

“…I see. You thought it was Sakiko, didn’t you? I’m sorry, Reina.”

But his eyes lit up with determination.

“So this is the right path. Alright. Just wait, Reina — I’ll recreate Sakiko’s cooking, I promise.”

From that day on, Sieg practiced every single day.

His fingers were cut and covered in burns, but still he kept cooking.

There was no one left to ask about Japanese food — the only thing he could rely on was the taste stored in his own memory.

And finally —

“…Hmph. Well, it’s at least edible now.”

At last, his cooking reached a level that could be called “decent.”

All that time, Reina had been silently watching him cook, every single day.

“Reina. It’s not as good as your mom’s, but I finally got it right. Want to try it?”

Sieg served her the meal.

Reina quietly picked up her chopsticks, skillfully held them, and brought a piece of rolled omelet to her mouth.

“How is it…? Reina.”

“…”

“…I see.”

But then, just as Sieg was about to lose hope —

“…It’s salty.”

“Reina!!”

That day, Reina spoke for the first time.

With tears streaming down her face, she kept saying it was too salty, but still, she brought the food to her mouth.

“…Mama made it… much sweeter…”

“Yeah, yeah. That’s right, it was much sweeter.”

Sieg gently embraced Reina.

Tears flowed from her usually emotionless eyes.

And from Sieg’s too.

“Let’s practice together, okay? From now on, let’s practice a lot, always together.”

From that day on, Reina and Sieg started cooking together more and more.

For a moment, he thought her memory might’ve returned, but it seemed to only be temporary — her memories didn’t fully come back.

And yet—

“Reina, can you help me?”

She gave a small, firm nod.

From that day, Reina began to show will.

Her memories were still lost, and her emotions were still faint.

But it seemed she was finally able to communicate.

Sieg decided to explain to Reina, whose memory never returned, that she was his adopted daughter.

Because when he once tried to forcefully remind her of the past, of Sakiko — Reina had hyperventilated and lost consciousness.

Realizing there were things that still needed time to come back, Sieg chose to act not as her true father, but as her foster one.

And still—

“I may just be your foster father, but I want you to call me Papa.”

“Understood, Papa.”

That was Sieg’s last selfish wish.

◇ End of Flashback

“…Reina, it’s time we talk about it again. About your mother. Your mother’s name was Sakiko Kurokami — she was Japanese. A pure-blooded Japanese woman whose older brother was a soldier in the Japanese army. I don’t know what became of him now, but his name is Isshin Kurokami. He’s a strong man, with a daughter the same age as you. We drifted apart after he opposed our marriage, but… they’re your last living blood relatives. If you ever meet them… I want you not to fight. If I’ve died, it was probably at the hands of a Japanese or someone from an allied country. But Reina, I’ve also taken things just as precious from others, just like they did from me. So maybe not now, but someday, when your heart allows it, I want you to be the one to end this cycle of hatred. That’s my final wish, from your Papa.”

“So Kaguya and I… really are cousins.”

“And I’m sorry. At first, I told you you were adopted for your own sake. But as time passed, I couldn’t bring myself to tell you the truth. I couldn’t save your mother, and I thought you must have resented me for it. That’s why… I could never say it. I’m sorry.”

“Sob… I never resented you. I never once hated you, Papa.”

Reina continued to cry as she watched the recording.

“And lastly… Reina, I’m gone now. But you must live. And you must be there, right? Mitsurugi. I’m counting on you to look after Reina. I know I can trust you.

And now, I’ll end this recording.

Reina, there’s one thing I never managed to say to you…”

And finally, Sieg spoke the words he had never been able to say, the ones he had locked away ever since he chose to act as only her foster father, keeping his distance.

“I love you.”

And the recording came to an end.

“I… I loved you too, Papa. You did so much for me, every single day. I wanted to tell you I loved you too. I wanted to say thank you…”

The words Reina had wanted to say, the ones she couldn’t say that day on the battlefield, were the very same.

“…Reina.”

Kenya held Reina tightly in his arms.

But he knew his voice wouldn’t reach the one she truly wanted to hear.

And still—

“Sieg loved you, Reina. Right until the end. And his last wish was for me to look after you.”

“Papa… Papa!! Waaahhh!!”

Reina cried and cried, with Kenya holding her close.

The two of them cried together until the sun finally set.

…

As the sun disappeared below the horizon, dusk gently wrapped the two in its light.

And then, at last, Reina spoke.

“Thank you, Kenya. I’m okay now.”

“…Reina.”

“I met Kaguya. On the battlefield — she was piloting that red KOG.”

“What? That red one was Kaguya?”

“Yeah. She told me then… that I’m weak because I have nothing to protect. But today I’ve made up my mind. I don’t want to lose anyone precious to me ever again. So I’ll protect you — even if it costs me my life.”

“I will too. I’ll risk my life to protect you, Reina.”

Reina and Kenya embraced each other.

After crying their hearts out, the two of them found the strength to face Zeke’s death.

Because that was what Sieg had wished for, too.

“…What do we do now? What should I do?”

“…I don’t really know either…”

And then, Reina and Kenya stood up.

Their feet were steady on the ground, their eyes fixed forward.

Losing Sieg had been unbearably painful.

Even so — they couldn’t let themselves stop there.

“…But let’s do our best, Reina.”

“Yes.”

The girl replied with a smile.

Looking at her face, no one could ever say she lacked emotions anymore.

Reina and Kenya stood tall.

They had accepted Sieg’s death — and moved forward, clearly and firmly.

And just as the two were about to head home—

A girl with jet-black hair appeared before them, walking toward them, holding a single flower.

Kenya and Reina had no way of knowing.

About the grave beside Sakiko Kurokami’s.

That it was the family grave of the Kurokami clan.

And that the first place the girl — the one who had reclaimed Japan — would visit,

was for a simple reason.

“…Huh?”

To visit the grave of her dearest family.

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