Return.

Once Shylock had solidified his decision to open his own bar, things progressed as fast as always.

After all, we had Panthera and Ventisca — the two most powerful families in town — cooperating with us to move things along.

Heathcliff: Phew… I’m glad we were able to prepare everything for the pre-opening party without trouble.”

Akira: “Me too! I’m grateful that everyone decided to chip in and help us as much as they did.”

Akira: “Thanks to all that work, this place looks like it could be a real bar… Or that it’s gone back to being the bar it used to be, I should say.”

Snow: “It appears there are quite a few familiar faces present and making merry tonight. What an odd pair those two make.”

Akira: “Odd pair? Ah…”

Looking over, I could see Owen resting his cheek in his hand, his elbow on the counter — and Cain, trying to make conversation with him.

Cain: “So you’re Owen, right? Wanna have a drink with me?”

Owen: “Hey… Don’t just sit down next to me without asking first.”

Cain: “Ah, whoops. Sorry, should I go…?”

Owen: “…”

Owen: “I guess I’ll let you sit with me just this once, if only because the face you made just now was so amusingly embarrassing.”

Cain: “Uh…”

Cain: “Well, whatever. Anyway, I guess our eyes really do match now, don’t they?”

Cain: “Honestly, I never could’ve guessed that when we met again, your eye would’ve changed to look like mine.”

Owen: “Hmph. I can’t believe it either. Being an Alter Ego really is the worst.”

Cain: “Oh, right, the side effects. Having your personality or body change a little bit does sound like a pain…”

Cain: “…Hey, Owen.”

Owen: “What?”

Cain: “If that's what happened to you when you became an Alter Ego, does that mean you’ve got a thing for my eyes, or…?”

Cain: “Ow! Hey, why’d you kick me?”

Owen: “Because you’re making fun of me, that’s why. As if I’d ever have a thing for someone like you.”

Cain: “You don’t have to get so mad. I only said it because I was remembering how you stared into my eyes the first time we met…”

Looking frustrated, Owen sat in silence as Cain tried to defend himself, rubbing his injured leg.

Owen: “…Ugh. Of all the memories I could’ve kept, why did it have to be that one?”

Cain: “Huh? Did you say something?”

Owen: “No. I guess I must’ve just thought you were something weird to look at while I died.”

Akira: (The more they fight, the closer they seem to get…)

Akira: (I guess they’ll probably be great friends from now on. Maybe.)

I looked around at all the tables in the bar with a warm feeling in my chest.

Cain and Owen weren’t the only ones getting along — I could see everyone else also making an effort to interact with others outside of their own organisations.

Riquet: “…This is delicious! What is it?”

Mithra: “Sauteed lamb.”

Mithra: “Nero instructed me to bring something as a gift on his behalf if I was invited to your family’s bar, so I asked him to make this in particular.”

Mithra: “That is to say, I am the one who chose to bring what you are eating. Which means I deserve the credit.”

Riquet: “Is that so…? I have no idea who this ‘Nero’ person is, but he’s a terribly wonderful cook.”

Riquet: “I can't stop eating!”

Arthur: “Hold on, Riquet. You have sauce around your mouth.”

Arthur: “Here, hold still for a moment.”

Riquet: “Ah… Thank you, Arthur.”

Riquet: “…”

Mithra: “Why are you staring at us like that?”

Riquet: “The two of you are clearly very skilled at using a knife and fork.”

Riquet: “I myself don’t know how to use them as neatly as you do. I always seem to make a mess…”

Arthur & Mithra: “…”

Mithra: “If that is all it is, then I suppose it would not be too much of a pain to teach you how to use them.”

Arthur: “If it’s something you want, Riquet, then of course I’d be happy to help teach you as well.”

Riquet: “Really…?! That’d be wonderful!”

Akira: “…I think Vollmond Town is going to be a little different from now on.”

Akira: “People who were at odds with and fighting each other not very long ago are now smiling and chatting at the same bar.”

Akira: “Don’t you think that’s incredible?”

Heathcliff: “Yes, it really is…”

Heathcliff: “I never thought a day would come where I'd be sharing a glass with Don Snow.”

Snow: “Ohohoho. On the contrary, I am the one who should be saying that to you.”

Snow: “You are a rather unusual young man, who refused to back down even while bargaining with me. ‘Tis an honour to be able to converse with you now.”

Laughing together in a bashful sort of way, the two men downed what was in their glasses simultaneously.

Shylock: “I see that you’ve emptied your glass, Akira. Allow me to take your next order, if you please.”

Akira: “Ah, thank you, Shylock! I’ll be there in a moment.”

Shylock looked every inch like the perfect bartender from where he was standing behind the bar, a colourful array of liquor bottles behind him as he greeted me.

Shylock: “Well then, what would you like?”

Akira: “Hmm, well… There’s so much to choose from! Is it alright to ask for you to surprise me?”

Shylock: “Fufu, if that’s what you desire, then of course you may.”

Shylock: “I shall do my best to make you a special drink you’ll be sure to enjoy.”

Excited, I sat down on one of the stools in front of the bar, watching the nimble way Shylock moved his hands as he lined up various bottles and a cocktail shaker on the counter.

He filled the silvery shaker with various different types of juice — orange, lemon, and pineapple — then tossed in some ice cubes that clinked against the metal sides.

Idly shaking everything together, Shylock then poured the finished cocktail into a glass for me.

And just like that, I had my very own personalised drink, created by the bar owner himself.

Akira: (Wow… The way he did that was almost like magic. It’s strange, but I feel sort of comforted…)

Shylock: “Thank you for your patience. Here.”

Akira: “Wow, it looks delicious… Thank you so much!”

The glass was full of a pale yellow-coloured liquid, smelling both fruity and mildly acidic.

While I was savouring the taste of this incredible drink, Shylock began speaking to me in a low tone only I could hear.

Shylock: “Akira. Do you remember the other me we found sleeping in Murr’s residence?”

Akira: “Of course. You’re talking about the Shylock still inside that capsule, right?”

Shylock: “Indeed. Murr visited me unexpectedly last night, and told me that…”

Shylock: “…Thanks to all the work he’s put into his research, it’s possible the original me may end up regaining consciousness after all — though the likelihood is still rather slim.”

Akira: “Huh?!”

Akira: “Are you alright with that…? I mean, it must be kind of strange…”

Shylock: “Fufu. I appreciate your concern.”

Shylock: “Though I may have been disconcerted to hear such a thing in the past, meeting you has helped to dispel any doubts I once had.”

Shylock: “I am myself, regardless of how many Shylocks there are in this world.”

Akira: “I see… Yes, you’re right.”

Akira: (I’m so glad. Shylock really does seem to be fine with it now.)

As I exhaled quietly in relief, Shylock leaned forward me again and murmured to me in a mischievous, naughty voice—

Shylock: “Regardless, I’m the only Shylock you’ll ever need, isn’t that right?”

Then he winked at me, his words honeyed. I felt my heart skip a beat, enthralled.

Akira: “Y-Yes…! I mean, of course…!”

Riquet: “Akira! Shylock!”

I turned around, the sound of that cheerful voice from behind me bringing me back to myself.

Akira: “What is it, Riquet?”

Riquet: “My friend Mitile will be getting here soon! Isn’t that exciting?”

Akira: “Mitile?”

Riquet: “Yes! When I was still sick and stuck in my hospital bed, he always used to visit me so we could talk to each other through the window.”

Riquet: “I hadn’t seen him at all since recovering… But it turns out he was actually a member of the Panthera Family the whole time!”

Riquet: “I told Arthur all about it recently, and he realised who I was talking about and brought Mitile to come see me again the other day!”

Riquet told us all this with a smile so big it could barely contain his happiness, and I saw Shylock watching him speak with warm eyes.

He’d decided to keep the truth from Riquet for now — the truth that he was an Alter-Ego. It seemed like too much for someone as young as him to have to be burdened with.

When he wanted to know the truth about who and what he really was… Then Shylock would tell him.

Shylock: “…Riquet. You don’t remember why and when you were separated from Mitile, do you?”

Shylock: “If you ever desire to fill in those gaps in your memory, please don’t hesitate to ask me.”

Shylock: “I will tell you all that I know when you do.”

Listening to Shylock speak with his head tilted curiously, Riquet then gave us a delicate smile.

Riquet: “I understand. Thank you.”

Riquet: “…But Mitile was happy to see the person I’ve become. And I like that person, too.”

Riquet: “So there’s really no need for you to worry.”

Shylock: “…I see. I’m glad, then.”

Looking at each other, the two of them then started to laugh softly.

Shylock’s concern for Riquet’s identity… Perhaps Riquet had picked up on it somehow.

That’s the feeling I got seeing him smile like that, at least.

Shylock: “Each of the three main families — Luna Piena, Panthera, and Ventisca — are all currently on the hunt for that man in the black silk hat.”

Shylock: “We’re being quite relentless in tracking him down. It’ll only be a matter of time until we can make him answer for the mess he’s caused.”

Akira: “That’s a relief… Hopefully it’ll put an end to all the strange things that’ve been causing an uproar in town.”

Shylock: “Indeed. The only mystery left to solve after all that… Is who you are, Akira.”

Akira: “Ahaha… You’re right. We never did figure me out, in the end.”