Thanks sm for the ch 🙏
Regarding the discussion here, my personal opinion is that there is a mythological component to their journey that kind of supports this all getting even more fantastical. The symbolism of the tiger and the dragon in the east is literally stuff of legends and I can't shake the feeling while reading this that it's somewhat of an epic. From the moment we find out about their dramatically different lifespans we get a little voice wondering "what's gonna happen when the consequences of that arrive?" The chapter with the dragon and the wolf brought that to the light even more and establishes a fate they're dedicated to avoiding because they want to be together. After watching them and their bond being put through the ringer again and again while fate tries to tear them apart (remember how their "place" in mythology is of being legendary foes and their initial status as predator and prey - but their feelings for each other challenge that), I'm tentatively getting more and more confident the tragic route of "we can't escape such fate" is not really the most natural development for this story. The more west they go, the more their journey feel mythological and the more that nudges me to the side of "they're getting Hakurei's lifespan extended somehow." (I wonder if Hekidou gives her half of his or something.. there's gotta be some kind of price you would see in a legend or a fairy tale, idk...)
I still have my reservations, though... In the dragon&wolf chapter, the wolf makes a remark about the dragon being too concerned of the future and not fully enjoying the time they have right now, and that can reverberate to our main pals 💀