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A series of fantasy books about a vegeta-lion searching for the One Fragment. There's already eight books out.

It went largely unnoticed until the sixth book came out, and it established a foothold in foreign markets through the official translations.

The author's name is Kotobuki Yukari. Most of the profits from her books have gone to a fund for children in need.

If she had been even ten years younger, she might have left her mark as one of the great authors of the 21st century.

Yukari is surrounded by executives and editors, interested in working with her on her future projects.

Now there's a name she hasn't heard in decades.

The truth of the matter is, Hachijo Tohya has expressed interest in meeting with her. Discreetly.

At the turn of the century, Hachijo Tohya caused a great uproar with her announcement that she would unveil the diary of Ushiromiya Eva. However, she vanished without ever following through with it.

At the time, Yukari thought she was using the Rokkenjima incident to advance her own publicity. However, in the end, her sudden change of heart was what killed the craze, letting the cat box remain shut.

Yukari arranges for a quiet meeting in a coffee shop next Sunday, under one condition.

Just the two of them, she insists, but the man says there's a slight snag in that regard.

Yukari feels a sudden premonition.

How had Hachijo been able to write with such detail about the Ushiromiya family all these years, if she wasn't connected to it?

But if anyone from the family were somehow still alive, the name of Sakutarou would have been a dead giveaway.

Could it be?

Kotobuki Yukari finally meets the two people who make up Hachijo Tohya.

Yukari asks if they're married, Ikuko says only that they've been together for a long time.

The years haven't been a time of isolation and loneliness for him as they were for her.

Just seeing him again is enough.

Ange confirms it. Yes, he's found who he's looking for.

Looking at it again, there's no doubt at all.

Ange's eyes fill with tears.

She's finally been rewarded for her faith. That's enough.

What happened on that day?

That day, Battler and Eva entered the tunnels. Eva escaped to Kuwadorian, Battler split off and fled to the old submarine base.

His memory still has a lot of holes in it. That's also why he was gone for all these years.

Ange took on a new name to live in the future, but in the end, it just delayed her reunion with her brother for years.

She had even tried to get an interview with Hachijo, and been rejected. How many times did they nearly cross paths?

At the time Ange requested an interview, Hachijo already knew that Tohya's true name was Ushiromiya Battler. She thought that he could use the chance to meet his sister.

But...