KYOUKA DIDN'T FEEL LIKE GETTING UP.

They say all the world's comforts can be found in the space between the bed and your blanket when you really need to get up in the morning. Blood slowly filled her limbs, and the fog of sleep withdrew back into her subconscious.

Though she was reluctant to part with her bed's soft embrace, she undeniably felt great. It was the complete rejuvenation of mind and body that only came after a deep, satisfying sleep, the kind where you wake up feeling fully energized with a clear mind.

Just five more minutes…alright, alright I'm up. The morning light flooded into her eyes, and she beheld a familiar sight at her bedside: hair like silk dyed in pure cinnabar and piercing bright cobalt eyes like stained glass.

“…Are you an angel?”

“Well, it seems your sense of humor is intact. A cause for celebration, certainly.”

Henriette's eyes narrowed. Did I do something? Come to think of it, why is the princess here anyway?

“I don't mind waking up to this view, but to what do I owe the honor?”

The bright and cheerful mood she woke up with evaporated under the princess' suspicious gaze.

“Allow me to cut to the heart of the matter, then. Have you no recollection of your recent actions?”

“Recent? Well yeah, of course I do—”

Her eyes widened. She broke out in a cold sweat, shivering despite the warmth of the room. Sick to her stomach, she jumped out of bed and rushed to the washstand. There, she puked her guts out. She remembered everything up to the point of blacking out from massive blood loss.

How…how did I not die? She looked down at her arm which should've been completely torn off from the elbow down but didn't have a scratch on it and worked just fine. It wasn't just her arm. She frantically inspected every inch of her body in a mirror, but not a single trace of the wounds and injuries she clearly remembered acquiring during that battle could still be found.

Of course, the most significant damage she took that night wouldn't be visible through a mirror, but she didn't need an x-ray to tell that it was all gone. Crushed ribs, a collapsed lung, probably even more than that, but I feel fine. Actually, I feel strong. There's no way that was all just a vivid nightmare, right?

At some point, Rena was called to assist the vomiting Kyouka. The two patiently waited for her to calm down, and by the time everything got cleaned up, she had her thoughts in order and was ready to set the record straight.

“Sorry about all that, and thanks.”

“Think nothing of it; being a maid is my official job, after all.”

“It appeared to me that you did not immediately have all your memories in order. Some confusion is within reason, but Kyouka, that was quite the violent reaction. Just what could you have remembered?”

Kyouka told them everything starting from when she thought she heard Lily's voice calling out to her from the forest up to her last moments of consciousness before what she thought would be her death. The two listened with serious faces, and for a while, they thought deeply in silence after hearing the whole story.

“Miss Kyouka, are you absolutely certain those are your most recent memories?”

“Yeah, honest. Actually, when I woke up just now, I sort of thought I'd gone to the afterlife.”

“Kyouka, listen well and do not panic. The morning after all of what you just told us happened, you were late for breakfast, so Rena went up to your room, and found you in bed.”

“What!? There's no way! I know it hap—”

Henriette raised her palm as if to say she wasn't finished.

“You were in bed with dirty feet, wearing strange clothes, and covered in blood.”

“And completely unharmed, I must add.”

This turn of events exceeded Kyouka's imagination. Knowing her experience wasn't a dream she'd already tried to figure out how she got out of that situation. She thought the most plausible explanation would've been someone like Rena finding her in the forest.

As for her injuries, she still didn't know much about magic and alchemy, so it was well within the realm of possibility that this world possessed some means to regrow limbs, but if she was already safely back inside the mansion within just a few hours, then she was simply stumped.

“…I don't suppose anyone's claimed responsibility for treating my wounds and bringing me all the way here.”

“None of the other servants saw you or anyone else enter the premises in the early morning.”

“Oh, Rena, did your associate not come to check on Kyouka the other week?”

“Yes, the search was over, and the moratorium on trade had been lifted, so he wanted to thank Miss Kyouka before leaving town.”

“Thank me? But I failed. That monster knew Lily's voice, so she's…”

Rena looked at Henriette who nodded with a solemn expression.

“Miss Kyouka, it was Conand who called off the search. A wildfire cleared out some undergrowth, and Lily's body was found in the ashes.”

“Considering what you just told us, she likely got stuck there while trying to hide from that unknown creature. Terribly unfortunate, but not your fault, Kyouka, nor anyone's.”

So Lily's been found and the thing that killed her is probably dead too, so the only loose end left is me? Sensing Kyouka's inner turmoil, Henriette held her hand and smiled gently.

“It seems we lack critical information. There is nothing more we can figure out by talking amongst ourselves. Kyouka, you have been through a truly harrowing ordeal. Worry not, there are people in this world who understand its dark corners well. Be assured that I shall be in contact with them shortly. Rena, you understand, yes?”

“Yes, Your Highness. We are at a disadvantage against unknown threats. Given the circumstances, I must temporarily take leave of my duties. Please allow me to keep watch over Miss Kyouka.”

“Good. For the time being, you are neither a maid nor my personal attendant. I must ask you to take up your sword once again.”

Kyouka had finally awoken from weeks of deep sleep, and although she was not found alive and well, Lily's disappearance was now a solved case. Ostensibly, they shouldn't have had anything to fear anymore, but none of them could off the sticky feeling of foreboding creeping into their hearts. By the time their conversation concluded, the bright morning sun had vanished behind a gray veil of cloud.

“Think it's gonna rain?”

“The days do seem to have gotten darker lately, unusual for this time of year. Now, rest time is over.”

“Alright, this time I'll land a hit! Feels like I've been getting closer.”

“Oh, is that how it seemed to you?”

“Tsk, just sit tight…”

Kyouka's near-death experience with an otherworldly abomination gave her a sense of urgency. She could ill afford to simply sit around and wait for her special abilities as a Traveler to awaken, so for the past couple days, she's been having Rena train her to fight.

“Hey, why do we train with swords anyway?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, the princess carries one around, so I understand why would train like this, but I've never seen you carry a sword. ”

“…Habit, I suppose. You are correct in that the sword is not my preference, but I have trained multiple members of the royal family in swordsmanship. What was it you said you did on your world?”

“I'm a high school student. An apprentice scholar, basically.”

“Right, that. While it was clear from the outset that you have never held a sword in your life, for a mere scholar, the actions you displayed in the battle against that creature in the forest intrigue me. Are you certain high school students do not engage in combat?”

“No, definitely not…okay, delinquents might get into fights, but fights to the death only happen in manga—err, legends.”

“In that case, you might be the type of Traveler who does battle on the frontlines. A surprising development, to be sure. I have been forced to reevaluate your aptitude.”

“Why? What other types are there? I just assumed fighting monsters was the basic job description.”

“Ask Her Highness when you get the chance. Now, unless you intend to survive every battle by the skin of your teeth, we must get back to your training.”

“I've barely seen her lately. What's she up to?”

“If you are a warrior, then leave the complicated matters to leadership. It is for your sake, anyway.”

“Alright alright, but put the sword away. Neither of us are nobles, so show me how you really fight.”

“…Very well. ”

Rena let go of her training sword. What is she doing? Don't just drop it on the flo—

“—WAH!?”

Out of nowhere, Kyouka's view flipped, and for a moment, she felt weightless before rapidly accelerating until gravity brought her back down with a loud thud. Before she knew it, she found herself looking up at the ceiling. Then, the hollow clang of the training sword finally falling to the ground echoed through the hall.

“I had intended to let you down softly, but that was quite a sound.”

Standing over her was Rena looking unbothered, hands lightly gripping her collar. With a faint smirk, she let go and helped Kyouka up.

“…Okay, what the hell was that.”

“What do you mean? I simply walked up to you and threw you on your behind.”

“But you were standing like ten feet away!”

Rena chuckled. She's been less porcelain doll-faced around Kyouka as of late, but letting out even a small laugh like this was still exceedingly rare.

“All right, then. Keep your secrets.”

Kyouka gave an exaggerated shrug.

“Ugh, why am I the only one who got all sweaty and gross? Is that an elf power too?”

“Afraid not, Miss Kyouka. There simply was no opportunity for me to break a sweat. Here, use this.”

“…Thanks.”

Kyouka reached out for the towel—but it was a feint.

Instead, she grabbed Rena by the wrist and pulled her in while going for her collar with the other hand.

Rena intercepted that hand and tried to pull away, but Kyouka knocked her off balance with a foot sweep.

Rena fell over in an awkward position, and Kyouka quickly turned her on her stomach, pinning her arm to her back.

“Did I manage to catch you off guard because your super speed isn't always activated, or was that actually not super speed at all but some other kind of ability? You wouldn't tell me, so I had to test it.”

“…An apprentice scholar, was it?”

Kyouka leaned over to whisper in Rena's ear.

“Well? Feel like talking yet?”

“Sure, just take care not to lose your head.”

What is she talking about? How can she still stay calm like this? Just in case, Kyouka looked up to scan her surroundings and across the room, she saw a dagger spinning around like a boomerang—and she was sitting right in its flight path.

“Woah!”

She ducked in a panic and felt the blade skim the back of her head, narrowly avoiding a close shave as it zoomed past her with high-pitched whistling noise.

In her moment of distraction, she had unknowingly loosened her grip.

Rena scrambled her way out from underneath, and with her feet acting like a spring, pushed Kyouka away, sending her tumbling backwards.

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“I-I almost died just now! Just where in the world did you even pull that out from!?”

Kyouka stayed low to the ground as the dagger kept spinning through the air until it finally landed in Rena's hand.

“Please forgive Rena here, she can get a little too excited. Nothing to worry about, she had no intention of letting that blade actually touch you, right?”

“Of course. I had it under control.”

Henriette had come to check on their training.

“Still, try not to scare her.”

“Y-yeah, please…”

Rena shrugged.

“It was Miss Kyouka here who said she wanted to see how I really fight. I simply obliged her request.”

“Kyouka, dear, that may not have been very wise.”

Evidently, no…but thanks to that stunt just now, I think I understand what she's doing and why she's called Windwalker.

“Okay, fair enough. At least I learned something.”

For a second, Rena showed a wry smile.

“Do not sell yourself short, Miss Kyouka. Considering you had no knowledge of my Arcanum, you performed quite well.”

Kyouka didn't even bother asking. She glanced at Henriette who met her gaze with a knowing look.

“Some people are blessed, or cursed, with an indelible mark on the soul. I wish there were more to it than that, but no one really knows where these gifts come from or what machinations of fate decide who gets what.”

“What kinds of gifts?”

“Hard to say, some Arcana are so subtle they never even get identified.”

“Yes, though some are so spectacular that their bearers go down in legend.”

So pretty much anything is on the table in this setting, huh. I wonder if Henriette's appearance is the result of an Arcanum? It's definitely a blessing…yeah I probably, no, definitely shouldn't say that out loud.

“Could I awaken one, too?”

The master and servant looked at each other.

“If I recall, yours manifested from a very young age.”

“From before I was old enough to form clear memories, as I was told.”

“That must have been quite the handful!”

A toddler running around at super speed throwing homing knives all over the house…

The three of them were startled by a sudden, loud crash. Shards of glass spilled onto the floor, and a black object went tumbling towards the girls.

“Is that a…bird?”

“No…”

…A bat. Covered in broken glass like a pin cushion, the pitiful creature crawled towards them, leaving a trail of blood.

“Poor thing…”

“I feel like I've been seeing them outside more often lately.”

“Shall I lay it to rest?”

“No, wait—”

—Is it looking at me? She looked the animal straight in the eyes. A strange sensation, a feeling she couldn't place, or just a gut feeling told Kyouka that it was crawling towards her. It opened its mouth weakly, squeezing out a brief, high-pitched cry before taking its last breath.

“Miss Kyouka?”

“Sorry, it was nothing.”

“Are you perhaps thinking about that monster? From your description…”

“…It was like a bat, yeah. There's no way in hell that thing was a natural-born animal, though.”

“What do you mean?”

“I'm not sure. I don't know enough about what's out there, but maybe it was some kind of disease.”

“You mean that thing was actually a person transformed by an unknown disease? Surely not! Otherwise, would there not be more of them?”

“But then what else could it be?”

The unusually silent Henriette finally chimed in.

“About that—I may have some idea.”

“Wha—seriously!?”

“That night, you moved without your own knowledge; therefore, you could not tell us where this incident transpired.”

No way…

“You found the place!?”

“I believe so. A clearing with a building in the middle of the forest should stand out from the air. With daylight, it should not be too difficult to find, but recall that I had just recently asked the town guard to send hippogryph riders to help with Lily's search. It would be shameless of me to call in another favor again so soon after the last, so I took matters into my own hands.”

“Wait, princess, don't tell me you went out on your own?”

“It has been a while since I last rode Thera. Oh, dear, no need for worry. I assure you, a gryphon would be more than a match for even a dozen abominations.”

…I guess? It felt like dumb luck, but I did manage to put up a fight.

“So…did you find the body? I don't think even a monster could've survived those wounds…”

Henriette looked uncomfortable. Her constant, serene smile wavered for a moment.

“To start from the conclusion, I believe what you encountered that night was likely a victim of Feyr magic. If I am correct, then it would be impossible to determine whether they were originally a person or an animal.

It took a few days to find the location because I incorrectly assumed it would be somewhere around the city where Lily disappeared. In the end, I found it dangerously close to the Whispering Woods.”

“That would make sense…”

Rena was visibly disturbed by the revelation, but the significance was lost on Kyouka.

“What makes sense?”

“I told you about my kind's lost homeland before. The Whispering Woods is one of the many entry points throughout the continent. No one of sound mind would go near such a place because Feyr magic abounds.”

“The Feyr are a contentious topic. Whether they were truly gods or exceedingly advanced sorcerers is a subject of intense argument among scholars and some elements of the population.

The important point is that they are said to have built the lost city of Avalon and, to protect it from invasion, infused the surrounding woods with myriad charms and curses that can bend the land itself and twist the forms of foolish mortal trespassers.”

“So that thing might've been just a regular guy—”

“—Or a bat, possibly.”

“…Right. And whatever they were, they wandered too deep into the wrong part of the forest, stepped on the wrong flower or something, and got cursed with a fate worse than death?”

“Given the long history of unfortunate encounters with the Feyr's cruel legacy, I would not be surprised. Though even for me, it is a first to hear of an outcome quite as horrible as this.”

So I guess that's case closed, then?

“Oh, yeah. Did you go inside the shack? There was some weird stuff in it.”

“Ah, no, afraid not. I could see the remains of an old wooden structure, but, sorry, the scene is unpleasant to recall. I would have liked to investigate further, but from corner to corner, the clearing was just filled with a writhing mass of rats. I should hope never to see such a disgusting sight ever again. If anything organic was down there, there is surely nothing left.”

How the hell? That clearing was about the size of a baseball field! Kyouka shuddered, trying to block the image of hundreds of rats cannibalizing each other from even appearing in her mind.

“Is that a…thing that just happens in the woods around here?”

“I certainly hope not.”

Colorful jars and flasks with strange shapes lined the shelves. The clashing scents of a hundred different exotic powders, fresh herbs, and perfumes assaulted the senses of anyone who entered an alchemist's shop.

Kyouka picked up a bottle of mysterious, red liquid.

“Careful now, missy. That there's a vial of salamander oil.”

“What does it do?”

“Well, for starters, ye could accidentally burn down this humble little establishment of mine. Before I was born, my teacher made large batches of the stuff to sell to the Clerics.

Most efficient way to deal with Revenants during The Pestilence was by burnin' 'em, see? But after a couple unfortunate souls accidentally incinerated themselves, they started keeping small vials in locked metal boxes.”

She gently put the bottle down and took several steps away from it. Well gosh, maybe keep this stuff locked up or something…

“What're ye lookin' for, anyway? Ye don't look like ye know yer way around, lookin' all absent-minded and all…err not to be rude, eh?”

“No, you're right. I don't know anything about this stuff, so I came to learn.”

“What, ye came to be an apprentice? Out of curiosity, no less?”

The stout old man took off his hat and rubbed his shiny head in exasperation, unsure what to make of his eccentric visitor.

“That's a bit much. There's just a couple things I really need to know. Don't worry, I don't expect to borrow your expertise for free.”

“I saw ye arrive with the princess' maid, so I wasn't really worried about that, but alright. Ask away, missy.”

“Can I see your healing potions?”

His round, red face contorted into a troubled expression.

“Err…got anything for injuries?”

With a sigh, he walked over to a shelf full of tuna can-shaped wooden boxes, pulled one out, and handed it to her.

“That'll close up most wounds, stop the bleeding in seconds. If yer a guest up at the mansion, I'm sure they already have a dozen of these stocked at any given time.”

This isn't quite what I had in mind.

“Look, pops. I don't need some over-the-counter ointment. Give me your strongest stuff, strong enough to, say, reattach an arm.”

“Missy, do I look like a miracle worker to ye? Did your friend get their arm bitten off by a drake or some such? Your best bet would be to send 'em off to The Order as soon as ye can, and bring the arm! No guarantees, though.”

The Order?

“So you're telling me there's no alchemical solution that can do the trick?”

“Well, I'm just an old man who's lived out here all his life. If such a thing did exist, I sure would like to lay my own eyes on it before I croak! Though I shudder to think what the cost would be.”

“If it's that rare, guess it would cost a fortune.”

“Oh no, missy, don't misunderstand. I speak of the terrible cost that would surely be incurred by the madman who makes the concoction. Understand one thing: nothing is free, especially in alchemy.”

Kyouka didn't get what she came for, but she bought a few random curiosities as thanks for humoring her. The man saw her off with a satisfied smile and a wave, telling her she can come back any time.

“No luck, I presume?”

Rena had been keeping watch outside. Kyouka sighed and shook her head.

“The alchemist totally recognized you, you know?”

“Yes? I have been living here for a number of years now.”

“No, that's not…”

Rena stopped wearing her familiar maid outfit. As Kyouka's personal bodyguard, she now wore strange, dark clothes and a black cloak whenever they were outside the mansion. I thought that outfit was supposed to be some kind of disguise.

“Oh, yeah. You were right, by the way. It seems something as convenient as a potion that can save you from losing a limb doesn't exist even in this world. That's just weird.”

“I understand that coming from a world with no magic whatsoever, it may be tempting to believe that anything is possible, but unfortunately…”

“Speaking of magic, the alchemist told me to look into something called The Order. Know anything?”

“Of course. In fact, Her Highness has been trying to establish contact with them.”

Come to think of it, I seem to recall Henriette mention something about people who might know something about monsters. Could those two lines of inquiry be converging? Huh, who would've thought.

“So what's their deal? They sound pretty important.”

“…I look forward to the day you no longer have to get history lessons from a warrior by trade. The Order of Saint Longinus was founded by some of the first Travelers.

That makes it older than my kind's arrival from Sylvania, so records are hopelessly sparse and often difficult to distinguish from myth even when scholars manage to dig up scraps of information.

The thaumaturgy practiced by their Clerics is a mystical art of a wholly separate tradition from The Tower's sorcery. Indeed, they are well known for their ability to heal the sick. Personally, I have trouble believing mortal magic can reattach an arm, but if anyone can do it, they will be in The Order.”

Woah, I really need to meet these guys.

“But why does it sound like they're hard to reach?”

“Up to about a century ago, it would have been easy. They used to have outposts all over the continent, but those have long since been abandoned.”

“What? Why? If these people can even heal people, why would the kingdoms just let them leave?”

“I said they are known for that ability, yes, but that is not all there is to them. Remember, The Order was founded by Travelers, Miss Kyouka, people who were brought here from your world to do battle against all manner of unnatural calamities.”

Oh, I think I know what she's getting at…

“So they're not just friendly neighborhood doctors. The Order is a military organization.”

“Very good, Miss Kyouka. In eras past, the Clerics have at various points been the world's most effective fighting force. Not only that, but their headquarters being located in The Republic means they are a fearsome group of warriors who wield powerful mystic arts whose leadership is aligned with a foreign nation.”

“…And they had outposts in every other nation. Okay, got it.”

“No worries, Her Majesty will arrange a meeting, but it may take some time to get an answer from all the way across the border.”

Their business in town concluded, Kyouka suggested the two stop by a tavern on the way home. Rena gave her a quizzical look.

“The food is better at home, I know. But it wouldn't hurt to experience more of the local culture.”

“Is this that 'tourism' thing? Earth has such strange customs.”

Eschewing the busier establishments on the high street, they settled on a cozier place to have dinner. Despite being on a quiet street, the inside was surprisingly lively. For most people, the day's labor was done, so they've come to relax and socialize.

Kyouka snuck a glance at her companion. I can't tell what would stand out more, her regular maid outfit, or this RPG rogue cosplay she has on now.

“Is alcohol not to your taste, Miss Kyouka?”

“You didn't order any either.”

“I am…immune to intoxication.”

“Well, it's illegal for me…wait, no, what's the legal drinking age here?”

“Legal drinking age?”

“Oh. That answers that. Okay, guess I'll take a tankard.”

They shared a large bowl of beef stew. The liquid was a darker brown than what you'd get at the average family restaurant in Japan. It smells great!

“Ow!”

Kyouka burned the roof of her mouth on the first spoonful. Rena sighed.

“Come now, Miss Kyouka, you are almost the same age as Her Highness.”

“Yeah, well, I'm not a princess…”

It's a little spicy, not a hint of sweetness. I guess they don't use cream? Pretty good, especially for the season.

“You know, one of the things I'm most thankful for is that food in this world is pretty normal.”

“Were you expecting us to eat giant insects?”

“Yeah, or worse. I do miss pizza, though.”

“If it is at all possible, Her Highness could probably have the kitchen prepare whatever that is.”

“You know, what? I should ask. Pizza isn't that complicated.”

The barkeep handed Kyouka a tankard full of bright pink liquid.

“Okay, that's not what I was expecting.”

I thought it would be yellow or even red. This looks more like an energy drink! And why does it…smell like vanilla? And eggs? Alright, if we're doing this, just gulp it down in one go.

“Well, here goes nothing…”

Kyouka put the tankard to her lips, closed her eyes, and downed the strange drink while holding her breath. As Rena watched in amusement, her attention turned towards the sudden arrival of a loud cohort.

About half a dozen men entered the tavern together talking loudly amongst themselves. They were dressed in heavy coats for travel, clearly not locals. Being loud and annoying wasn't a crime, but as she was technically on guard duty, Rena paid close attention to any unusual elements like the presence of outsiders, especially those wearing clothes that could conceal weapons.

“Apologies, gentlemen, but I'm afraid we're full this evening.”

“What!? You would have us starve for the night, then? And we came to do a service to this city!”

“I'm sorry, but there are plenty of other—”

The man, who was speaking for the group, grabbed the barkeep by the collar.

“Do you know who we are, pops?”

“P-please just let me go!”

“Okay, fine.”

The man pulled on the collar, easily lifting his struggling prey up until his feet couldn't touch the floor. Then, as his buddies laughed, he threw the old man across the tavern into a table of people. They were all knocked over like bowling pins, and a mix of panicked and angered cries could be heard all around.

The tavern descended into anarchy. Some inebriated patrons started a brawl with the outsiders, while others were more concerned with removing themselves from the situation unnoticed. Rena held her face in her hands and let out an exasperated groan.

“Miss Kyouka, I think we should—”

When she turned to tell her companion they should leave, her seat was empty. Rena jumped out of her seat and hastily scanned the chaotic tavern, only to find Kyouka where she least expected.

“Miss Kyouka!?”

“Hey, you!”

Kyouka had walked over to the group of ruffians who started the commotion.

“Huh? Wha—AAAHHH!”

The man who had thrown the barkeep suddenly fell over, screaming in pain. A steak knife was poking out of his knee.

“I don't need your help…”

“Miss Kyouka, what has gotten into—oh, dear.”

Rena, who had thrown the knife and rushed to Kyouka's side in the blink of an eye, finally understood the source of the problem—Kyouka was drunk, very drunk. Her face was bright red like a traffic light, and she could barely focus her eyes in front of her.

The fighting stopped as the use of a knife represented an escalation of violence that shocked most of the remaining patrons to sobriety. The crying man's buddies, on the other hand, were outraged and now directed their attention towards the two girls.

Rena kept a poker face and weighed her options. Kyouka was completely out of it, barely conscious. The ruffians shouted insults and started surrounding her. She reached into her cloak, found the handle of a dagger, and waited for the right moment—but it never came.

A loud smack brought everyone's attention to the front of the tavern. There, leaning on the door was a tall elf with long, greasy hair wearing an animal pelt. Evidently, the sound had originated from a clap of his large hands. The rowdy men meekly stood aside, opening up a path for him to walk up to the girls.

“Cool your heads, lads! Do you not see that she is my kindred? And that hair—fourth generation, perhaps? Marvelous…you are blessed by the gods. Ah, don't worry about this bleeding idiot. It's his fault for offending you, yes? Let's just leave it at that.”

“Ugh, you must be one of those Brotherhood thugs.”

“Oh? I'll take that as a sign that our name has spread throughout the land.”

“Sure…now if you would kindly step aside? We must be on our way.”

To Rena's surprise, the man obediently made way for them. She gave him a suspicious look, but he just stood there with a discomforting grin. Still, if he wasn't going to do anything, then that was all she needed, so Rena supported the wobbly Kyouka as they made their way out of the tavern.

“Be my guest—just one thing, though.”

As they walked past him, he casually put a hand on Kyouka's shoulder.

“Who's this you've got? A pet?”

Rena immediately pulls Kyouka away and glares at him.

“She is my charge. Try that again, and you will join your lackey on the floor.”

Faced with such open hostility, the towering elf looked completely unbothered. He simply threw his hands up in surrender and laughed. The other men weren't even looking at them. They just stood awkwardly and avoided eye contact.

Finally, the girls made it out without further incident. The tall elf waved at them from behind, his exaggerated smile never never faltering. On the carriage ride home, Kyouka fell sound asleep.