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Today again, all the children gathered in the open field, their faces filled with anticipation.
Today's story was Pai's turn.
The children looked excited, wondering what kind of "story world" they would see this time.
"My story is simple..."
"It's a story about enjoying nature—seeing beautiful flowers in a lovely forest and spending time with cute animals."
Pai explained that her story was meant to be something they could simply relax and enjoy.
However, the more the boys listened, the more their expressions subtly stiffened.
They had been hoping for something exciting—adventure or combat.
Dabi and Ellie quietly approached Yona and whispered:
"There's a hidden mission, right?"
Yona gave no answer and pretended not to hear.
Frustrated, Dabi pressed her again.
"There's at least a monster in the forest, right? And hidden gear?"
Sensing Dabi's suspicious behavior, Pai shouted:
"Dabi, what are you doing!?"
Startled, Dabi quickly stepped away.
[The process of completing each story worked like this.
First, each child would outline the main flow together with Yona.
Then Yona would organize it into written form and deliver it to EAT.
EAT would do a simple review and pass it on entirely to the Golden Owl.
After that, the owl would handle the rest.
That was roughly what the children understood.
Perhaps because of this, as time passed, some of them began to subtly pressure Yona.]
Before Rogi arrived, the children had only known EAT for a short time, so they mostly enjoyed short stories.
Stories that ended within a day—or at most two.
That didn't mean they had never attempted long stories.
As the children's wishes grew, the story worlds became larger, and Yona faced major difficulties.
Whenever that happened, she went to the study room teacher and received a lot of help.
The teacher taught her how to divide story flow and structure chapters, and how to remove excess elements to achieve balance.
Through that process, Yona learned how to divide long stories into multiple parts.
Those structured stories could then be delivered to EAT without problems.
For example, "Magic Child," which Yona had been preparing, was also a long story. It was still incomplete.
However, that story had now been passed to Rogi, leaving Yona with nothing at the moment.
Even so, Yona had endless ideas.
And she found great joy in organizing her friends' stories.
---
Now the children gathered and stacked their hands together, shouting:
"Doritori Toris!"
As Pai's story began, the space around them started to change.
Before they knew it, they were standing in the middle of a vast field, facing the entrance to a forest.
The girls squealed with delight at the flowers and small animals running around.
Meanwhile, the boys' faces shifted between blank and dissatisfied expressions.
Pai, who looked incredibly happy, approached Yona with a smile.
"It's exactly like what I imagined. It's so beautiful."
Yona wanted to share in her joy, but the stares from Ellie and Dabi made her uneasy.
At that moment, Ellie voiced a hopeful suggestion.
"Let's wear suits and explore the forest!"
His words lit up Dabi and Leo's eyes like a ray of hope.
"Yeah! We need to prepare for danger. Let's put on suits!" Dabi strongly agreed.
But Pai approached them again with a smile.
"Guys, if we walk just a little into the forest, I prepared a boat so we can ride and enjoy the scenery.
You want to see it, right?... Follow me~"
Before she even finished speaking, Pai turned around and hurried off with Yona.
Eti and Rogi quietly followed behind.
The boys' small rebellion failed—for now—but they did not give up.
"It's nice that we're using a boat instead of walking through the forest~" Rogi said excitedly.
Yona, looking apologetic, began to speak: "Actually, that's because—"
But Pai quickly interrupted.
"Yona can't walk long distances with crutches~"
Hearing that, Rogi regretted not thinking about Yona's situation.
After that, she followed quietly, hitting her own head lightly.
Sensing the heavy mood, Eti stepped in to lift the atmosphere.
"Yona oppa, should we make it so your arm and leg are healed in the next story and go on an adventure?"
Yona smiled at the innocent idea.
"I tried that before... but it didn't work~"
The atmosphere became heavier again.
Eti lowered her head quietly, just like Rogi.
At the front, Pai's expression could not be seen, but she was also filled with regret.
"Why did I say it like that...?"
"…'Because of crutches'? What was I thinking?"
Pai had come here excited, like it was a picnic.
But now, an unintended heaviness spread among them.
Behind them, the boys were planning another rebellion.
Ahead, Pai's group walked, each carrying their own regret.
Soon, Pai—who was walking in front—spotted something first.
She smiled—
but what she saw was not what she expected.
Instead of a beautiful wooden boat, there was a giant upside-down turtle.
"What is that turtle?" Pai's expression hardened instantly.
Her hope of reversing the mood collapsed.
Pai: "Yona, what is this? Is this really a boat?"
Yona: "It's an amphibious turtle boat~"
Pai: "I imagined a small wooden boat…"
Yona: "Sorry… I thought it could be used on land too…"
Pai: "Why would we move on land?! I said we'd stay in the forest!"
Rogi: "Pai, why are you upset? I like it."
Pai: "…Really? Hmm… still…"
Then Eti spoke without thinking:
"It might be hard for oppa to move around the forest with crutches…"
Pai froze.
("Yona prepared this turtle boat for me… and I just criticized it…")
Pai went silent.
Yona lowered her head, feeling guilty.
Pai couldn't meet Yona's eyes.
Eti also felt guilty.
In this chaos, Rogi desperately wished for someone to fix the situation.
Then Rogi suddenly had an idea.
"Where's EAT? Why isn't he here?"
The silence shattered.
Yona and Eti looked at Rogi fondly.
At that moment, EAT appeared on top of the turtle boat.
Pai glared at him.
"Why are you showing up now? Were you sleeping?"
EAT replied calmly.
"I do not sleep."
Pai frowned.
"No one can live without sleeping!"
EAT muttered:
"I told you—I'm not human."
Soon everyone gathered.
The children climbed onto the turtle boat.
It began moving slowly along the forest river.
The turtle's head pointed forward, and its legs paddled through the water.
Before entering the forest, everyone had been burdened with their own thoughts—
but now they were simply happy.
The animals and the vast forest were breathtaking.
But Ellie thought:
"Is this really it?"
Ellie looked at Dabi. Dabi looked back.
Together, they turned their gaze toward Yona.
Yona avoided their eyes.
Dabi approached and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey~ this isn't the end, right? You definitely hid something, didn't you?"
Yona: "…There isn't…"
Yona felt pressure—but also a bit of regret.
Pai had insisted there would be no events in this story.
Yona had originally planned hidden missions and hardships—
but Pai had rejected all of them.
Dabi and Ellie didn't know that.
Their expectations didn't fade.
Yona muttered:
"Ugh… something, anything, please happen…"
But as they floated along the river,
even the animals avoided them.
Nothing seemed likely to happen.
Pai: "Isn't it nice? I wanted it to feel like a picnic~"
Rogi: "It's really peaceful and beautiful."
Leo: "Better than I expected… it's amazing."
Pai: "Yona, thank you for bringing my idea to life~"
Yona: "Haha… yeah…" (heavy-hearted)
Eti: "I've never seen anything like this!"
EAT: "Beautiful… and the scent is nice…"
Eti had never left the village before.
This overwhelming nature amazed her.
EAT seemed satisfied seeing the children happy.
"Sometimes, a day like this is good~"
Then—
the turtle boat began to speed up.
At first, no one paid attention.
Leo noticed.
"…Is it getting faster?"
Pai: "Really?"
EAT: "This place is unpredictable~"
Dabi: "I wish it went faster."
Ellie: "Yeah."
Pai: "Just give up. Nothing's going to happen."
EAT: "Pai is the owner of the story. Just go along with it."
Eti: "Then next time, should we complain too?"
Then—
the boat lurched violently.
"Aaah!"
The speed became dangerously fast.
"What's happening?" Pai shouted.
The boat shook harder and faster.
Pai: "Yona!!"
Yona: "It's not me!"
Pai: "Then who is it?!"
Yona: "I don't know!"
Pai: "Dabi told you, didn't he?!"
Yona: "No!"
Dabi suddenly shouted:
"Thanks, Yona!"
Ellie added:
"Yeah, thanks!"
Yona was shocked.
"What are you talking about?!"
[The boat shakes violently]
Now it was hard to even stand.
None of them knew—
the small river would soon merge into a massive, fast-flowing current.
EAT: "Everyone—grab onto something!"
Screams filled the air.
The boat entered the main river.
Everyone clung desperately.
Leo protected Eti with his body.
The shaking slowed—
but the speed kept increasing.
Ellie: "Suit! Take out the suits!"
Pai: "…Suit? …Should we?"
Pai: "EAT, give us the suits!"
EAT let go of the railing—
and was thrown out of the boat.
"Aaah!"
Splash.
"Gah—!"
The children screamed.
"EAT!!"
He floated away in the river.
There was nothing they could do.
Dabi: "Yona!! Where's the hidden equipment?!"
Yona: "There isn't any!!"
Pai: "Why not?!!"
The boat surged forward.
Rogi looked ahead.
Something was wrong.
The river—disappeared.
It looked like the boat was being pulled upward—
into the sky.
As if the river itself led into the sky.
-4 C END