[player]Heroine, let it go.
[player]Fighting won't solve the problem. Leave this to me.
Seeing Ciri's stance, I start to worry that she really will hurt Shijukara quite badly. If One Han City were to appear in an anime, its genre would be slice of life, and the overall atmosphere would be happy, peaceful, and relaxed. Fighting and killing are too bloody, and the anime won't be approved.
[player]Aniki, if you look at the current situation, this matter isn't between Raven and outsiders. It's between you and us.
[Shijukara]Hmph, nothing you say will convince me.
[player]Whether what I say will convince you isn't important. What's important is if what you say is convincing enough. Look, you just need to tell us roughly what you were about to do...
[Shijukara]I meant it when I said I can't tell you. Why can't you understand something that simple?
It looks like we won't be able to go on with this conversation unless Shijukara becomes aware of the seriousness of the situation.
[player]Ciri!
I throw the baseball bat into the air, and Ciri's whip slices it into two pieces after it draws an arc in the air. After the heavier half of the bat lands, it bounces twice before rolling to Shijukara's feet. I then see him swallow.
[Shijukara]We're all brothers here! Calm down for now!
[Shijukara]Actually, it's no big deal. The boss wants to meet the leader of Strix today and instructed everyone to go support him.
[Shijukara]We're here to get more people.
[Ciri]How dare you lie!
[Shijukara]Huh?
[Ciri]I heard you clearly. You were talking about looking for a red-crowned crane.
[Shijukara]Yea, we need to find red-crowned crane. So what?
Just when Ciri is about to take action again without saying a word, I get the feeling that something is wrong, so I stop her.
Heroine, let it go. I'm already sick of saying this now. I hope the people from Raven can just act sensibly.
[player]Ciri, what's this red-crowned crane you mentioned?
[Ciri]Hmph! A red-crowned crane is a red-crowned crane. Don't tell me you've never seen a crane with a red crown.
[Shijukara]What red-crowned crane? We're looking for a man with red hair.
[player]A man with red hair... What do you mean?
[Shijukara]Geez, didn't I already tell you before? We're here to get more people.
[Brawny Thug]The leader of the group next door has dyed his hair red, so everyone in our line of business calls him "red-crowned crane."
[Thin Thug]That's right! He is playing basketball in this area, so we came here with aniki to look for him.
[Ciri]...
When I see Ciri hesitating before speaking, I understand that she also realized she misunderstood but is too embarrassed to admit it. In that case, let me, a caring and enthusiastic citizen, help her out.
[player]Well, as they say, it takes a fight for people to get to know each other well, haha.
[player]Everyone, since we've worked out this misunderstanding, why don't we just shake hands, make peace, and go about our own business?
[Shijukara]What the #¥%... &...
[Ciri]...
[Shijukara]Forget it. I don't want to lower myself to your level.
[Shijukara]You better not meddle in the business of Raven next time, or else I'll teach you a lesson.
[Ordinary Thug]Yea! We'll teach you a lesson.
Fortunately, Shijukara and the others leave resolutely after talking tough and stop pestering us because they are scared of the whip in Ciri's hand.
After they leave, I turn around to face Ciri and ask her a question I've had since a little earlier.
[player]Ciri, why did you start fighting them when you heard them say red-crowned crane?
[Ciri]Sigh, I guess it'll be too rude to not tell you since you just gave me a lot of help.
[Ciri]Are you free right now? I'll take you somewhere.
I remember that my original intention was to find an opportunity to take action with her, but I didn't expect an opportunity to come so quickly. Of course, it would be even better if the process wasn't so thrilling and exciting.
[player]Of course I'm free.
Ciri takes me to a courtyard near Soul, which seems like it is uninhabited and has been deserted for a while. The courtyard is overgrown with weeds and filled with unknown wildflowers, and vines have crawled all over one side of a wall and even blocked half the windows, but the beauty of wild growth is on full display.
I hear the hoarse cries of a crane the moment I enter the courtyard. As one rarely hears this kind of sound in an urban area, I thought I had heard wrong and turn to look at Ciri. She nods calmly at me, confirming my thoughts.
I follow her to the base of a big tree with dense branches in the courtyard, where a small and simple house has been built with planks and dry straw. The sound is coming from inside this house.
I stick my head inside slightly to take a look and see a red-crowned crane with dull-looking feathers lying inside. One leg is curled up, and the other has been bandaged and is secured to a splint.
[Ciri]I took in this injured red-crowned crane two days ago. At that time, its leg was broken and most of the feathers on its wings were gone. There's no way it would be able to find its own kind and return to its breeding ground by itself.
[Ciri]I come here to feed it every day while it is recuperating here.
Ciri takes out a bag of bird food that is sealed with plastic wrap from the bag on her waist as she speaks. There are a lot of freeze-dried foods in it, and it looks very nutritious.
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