Chapter 131: Fortunes and Night Whispers
The next morning, the sun shone brighter than usual, as if trying to wash away the tension of the previous day. After disembarking from the yacht, Yukima Azuma received a report via a secure channel:
"The meteorite landed in a remote mountainous region with low population density."
Upon hearing this, the three girls visibly relaxed. It was the best outcome they could have hoped for, given the circumstances.
But Yukima Azuma didn't reveal the full picture.
What the report didn't say in plain words—but what Yukima had pieced together—was that although the meteorite had landed in a remote mountain range, the shockwave from its impact had reached the outskirts of a nearby town. Nearly one-third of that town had been devastated. Over 500 lives had been lost.
It was a tragedy.
And one Yukima decided not to share. Not now. Not while the girls were still shaken. Adding the weight of so many deaths to their hearts would only deepen the emotional toll.
To help lighten the mood, he suggested their final destination for the Hokkaido trip: Asahikawa Shrine.
"Huh? Asahikawa Shrine?" Kitagawa Marin's eyes lit up when she heard. "Nice! That's a great pick! Especially in summer, it's got such a peaceful vibe."
While Hokkaido was most often associated with snow-covered scenery, the summer foliage of Asahikawa had its own kind of charm. Verdant, lush, and alive.
The car left their temporary villa and gradually exited the city, trading high-rises and bustling streets for forested roads and mountain trails. The trees on both sides grew denser, wild and untamed. Through the windows, the group occasionally spotted small woodland animals darting between branches.