I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit

Well, well, look at you! So dedicated, you've earned a little extra treat! 🎉

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Commanding the winds, summoning storms, and reshaping the world—what appeared was the roaring fury of the heavens and the earth's searing wrath. It was a force that rivaled that of the gods themselves.

So, when the four Kiichis merged back into one and descended to the ground, Sara gazed at her master with a complicated expression.

"Master… are you sure you're not a god?"

"I've told you already—I'm not a god! There's no reason for me to lie to you, so why keep asking this over and over?"

While the distinction between youkai and gods could indeed be blurry in Japanese folklore, Kiichi was certain she had little connection to the gods of Teyvat.

"But, Master, you wield such immense elemental power… yet I've never seen you use a Vision." Sara's voice carried a mix of wonder and skepticism. "And it seems like you can control more than one element."

Faced with Sara's persistent questioning, Kiichi found herself at a loss for how to explain it.

So, she brushed it off with a vague answer.

"By the way, Master… are we really still inside the seal?"

Sara glanced around at the scorched landscape left behind by Kiichi's display of power. Even though she had witnessed it with her own eyes, it still felt surreal.

Could a human being truly accomplish something like this?

Or rather… could someone capable of such feats still be considered human at all?

Possessing the kind of power that could reshape the heavens and earth, Kiichi could easily convince people she was a god. Yet she adamantly denied it.

"Even after all that, nothing here has changed," Sara remarked.

"Of course," Kiichi replied matter-of-factly. "The key function of this seal is to prevent what's inside from getting outside. So, naturally, its internal restrictions are far stronger. Breaking the seal from within is thousands—no, millions—of times harder than from the outside. And given the sheer scale of this seal, it can easily withstand the release of a Noble Phantasm."

As she explained, Kiichi's eyes sparkled with intrigue.

After eliminating the horde of Rift Hounds, she hadn't stood idle. She had been carefully analyzing the seal.

Her goal was to eradicate every monster trapped within the seal. That way, even if the seal were broken, no harm would come to the outside world.

Initially, she had assumed the sealed area was a small, confined space housing all the Rift Hounds. But upon entering, she realized the scale of the seal was far greater than she had imagined.

Searching for every single monster one by one would be inefficient and risk leaving some behind. To ensure she captured all the Rift Hounds, Kiichi aimed to analyze the seal's structure and fully understand its workings.

It was during this process of tracing the "threads" of the seal's design that she stumbled upon something unusual.

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It is said that every living being is born into this world with a purpose—a mission that defines the meaning of their existence.

Compared to the near-eternal existence of the world, even the longest-lived creature is but a fleeting moment.

Can something so brief hold meaning? Can something so enduring truly have purpose?

Is the weight of a mission determined by the length of one's life? Or does it hinge on something else entirely?

"Do what you're meant to do."

If one possesses a mission, does that alone qualify as life?

Or must one also harbor memories of the past and dreams for the future to be truly "alive"?

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"I'm done!"

The young girl clasped her hands together, her expression one of deep reverence.

This was a meal prepared by her parents, and she always ate with gratitude in her heart.

No matter how many years passed, she would never tire of her parents' cooking.

"And now, it's Chika's playtime!"

Hopping down from her chair, she left the table covered in dishes.

"Do what you're meant to do." 

Washing dishes and cleaning up were her parents' responsibilities. She was just a child, and her role was to play and indulge her curiosity.

"I'm heading out!"

As she stepped out of the house, she called out to her parents—because she was known as the best-behaved child in the village, loved by everyone.

"The weather's great today!"

Of course, it was always like this here, so her observation was stating the obvious.

What should she play today? What would be fun?

Once, she had many friends to play with. But they had all left before her.

Still, Chika didn't mind. She knew plenty of games to play by herself.

After all, she was clever and well-behaved—that's why everyone felt safe leaving her behind in the village.

"I know! I'll count flowers today!"

Leaving the village, the girl began meticulously counting every flower she saw.

"One red flower… two red flowers… three red flowers… one white flower… Oh! Here are three white flowers. White flowers are amazing—they've caught up to the red ones! Ah! Another white one… wait, now the red flowers are ahead again. Come on, white flowers, you can do it!"

She had no idea how long she'd been counting. After all, in the world she lived in, time as others understood it had little meaning.

For her, time was simply divided into moments like "wake-up time," "breakfast time," "lunch time," "dinner time," and "bedtime."

"One hundred thirty-seven red flowers… one hundred thirty-eight red flowers… one hundred thirty-eight white flowers… Hmm, the red and white flowers are neck and neck… Whoa!"

Her flower-counting game came to an abrupt halt when a massive commotion arose in the distance.

Storms, icy rain, flashes of lightning, and fiery pillars—it was as if a tranquil lake had suddenly erupted into chaos after centuries of stillness.

Even as the chaos subsided, the girl stood frozen, her expression blank with shock.

"…Huh? Where was I?"

When she finally came to her senses, she realized she had completely forgotten her place in the count.

Letting out a helpless "uuuu," she felt utterly lost.

Should she start counting flowers again? She pondered for a moment.

But the distant commotion lingered in her mind, tugging at her curiosity like a mischievous cat.

However…

"That direction… That's where the bad dogs are, isn't it? Mommy and Daddy told me Chika isn't allowed to go there."

Reluctantly, she decided to let it go. No matter how curious she was, there were some things she just couldn't do.

Just as she resolved to return to counting flowers, she noticed something in the sky—something slowly flying toward her.

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This bonus chapter is like an encore after a rousing performance—totally worth staying for, wouldn't you say? Oh, and don't worry, my lyre's got plenty more tunes to play next time!

But for now, it's time to take a bow. Thank you for the applause (and all that wonderful support). If you're feeling extra inspired, you know where to find me—[patreon.com/WiseTL]. Toss a coin, and who knows? Maybe the next bard will sing your praises!

Now, go forth, Traveler, and revel in the wonders of this world. Until next time! 🍃✨