"Yes," Akane agreed readily enough, smiling down at her feet before she sipped at her tea. "There are so many hard workers among us. And everyone seems like they've sacrificed so much, just so we could get to this point." It was, to her, rather heartwarming just to think of it.

"Ales, what are you going to do if we win?" She lifted her lashes to look at her smaller friend. "Do you think you'll stay here, in Crystallis? Or did you plan to return to your home? Assuming we have the choice to go either way, of course."