The streets of Eidolon seemed quieter as the day stretched on. A soft golden light bathed the upside-down buildings, and floating lanterns drifted lazily through the air. Kazuki wandered ahead with Lumi trailing behind, her bag of snacks noticeably lighter. For a brief moment, everything felt almost… peaceful.

But peace never lasted long in a place like this.

"Hey, Lumi," Kazuki called, glancing back. "Where exactly are we headed now?"

"Oh, you'll see!" Lumi skipped forward, her eyes glinting with mischief. "There's a super secret spot I've been dying to show you!"

Kazuki frowned. "Super secret, huh? That doesn't sound suspicious at all."

Lumi giggled, then suddenly stopped. Her expression turned serious for a second—an expression Kazuki wasn't used to seeing on her. Before he could ask what was wrong, she spun around with her usual grin. "Hurry up, slowpoke! You're gonna miss all the cool stuff!"

Kazuki rolled his eyes but followed. They weaved through alleyways that seemed to twist and bend in impossible directions until they emerged in a wide courtyard bathed in twilight.

There, in the distance, was the same young woman from the casino—the one with the silver hair. She stood at the edge of a stone bridge, gazing at the shimmering water below.

Kazuki froze. "It's her again…"

Before he could take another step, the man from earlier—the one balancing on the table—appeared on the opposite side of the courtyard. He leaned casually against a wall, tossing a small crystal in the air and catching it repeatedly.

"Okay," Kazuki said, turning to Lumi. "Now you have to tell me who they are."

Lumi bit her lip, clearly struggling to come up with an excuse. "Um… just tourists?"

Kazuki raised an eyebrow.

"Very dedicated tourists?"

The silver-haired woman glanced over her shoulder, her eyes locking onto Kazuki's. For a brief moment, she smiled—kind and calm, just like before. But something about that smile sent a chill down his spine.

"Tourists, huh?" Kazuki muttered.

Before Lumi could respond, the silver-haired woman turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows. The man with the crystal followed her shortly after, tossing his crystal one last time before catching it with a flourish and vanishing into the air.

Kazuki felt the weight of something unseen lingering in the courtyard.

"Lumi…" he said slowly. "I don't think they're tourists."

Lumi sighed, scratching her head. "Fine, fine! You're right—they're probably not tourists. But you'll find out soon enough! I promise!"

Kazuki stood in silence, his eyes fixed on Lumi as she continued to munch on her snacks. Her carefree attitude was both comforting and infuriating at times, especially now when he had questions that needed answers.

"Lumi…" Kazuki's voice broke through the casual atmosphere.

Lumi looked up, her mouth full, trying to form words but only managing a few muffled sounds. She quickly swallowed. "Huh? What's up?"

Kazuki took a deep breath. "About Hotaru… You didn't tell me she's a Trailblazer. Why didn't you say anything?"

Lumi's hand froze mid-reach toward the snack bag. For a split second, she looked guilty—eyes darting around, trying to find a way out. But Kazuki wasn't going to let this slide.

"I—uh—well, I thought I'd leave that to her to say, you know? She's… special, Kazuki. Really special," Lumi stammered, avoiding his gaze. "I didn't know how to explain it."

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Kazuki's frown deepened. "What do you mean by that?"

Lumi sighed, putting the snack bag down on the table. She knew she couldn't avoid this forever. "Hotaru… she's a Trailblazer, alright? But not like you or the others." Her expression darkened for a moment. "She wasn't chosen, Kazuki. She wasn't invited. She was… teleported here. Just like that."

Kazuki blinked in surprise. "Teleported? What does that mean?"

Lumi hesitated, glancing at Kazuki. "I can't explain everything. Some things about Eidolon… they don't make sense, even to me. But Hotaru… she's here for a reason. I just don't know what that reason is. She's been here a long time, and she knows a lot more than she's letting on. Just be careful with her."

Kazuki's mind raced. He didn't understand everything, but one thing was clear—Hotaru wasn't like the others. Something about her was different.

Before Kazuki could ask more, there was a sudden shift in the air, and the conversation was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"You two done talking?" Hotaru asked casually, her tone nonchalant.

Kazuki turned to see that, once again, Hotaru had appeared beside them—this time standing just a few feet away, watching them with her usual gentle smile.

But this time, there was something about her smile that sent a chill down Kazuki's spine. It wasn't the same carefree smile from before. There was a subtle darkness to it, a strange sense of distance that didn't belong in her usually innocent demeanor.

Hotaru blinked as she looked at Kazuki, her expression neutral. "You look confused. Did Lumi say something that caught your attention?"

Kazuki stiffened. There it was again—the sense that something was off, like he was missing a piece of a puzzle.

Lumi, sensing the tension, quickly grabbed Kazuki's arm and tugged him toward the inn they had been heading to earlier. "Come on! Let's go inside. No need to stand around here forever."

Kazuki wanted to ask more, but Lumi's grip was firm, and Hotaru remained silent as they entered the inn. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was walking deeper into something he didn't understand. Something dangerous.

Lumi had taken Kazuki to a small, quiet Inn. She had disappeared for a while after getting some snacks, leaving Kazuki alone with his thoughts. His head was full of questions about the tournament, about Hotaru, about everything he didn't understand.

Just as he was about to lose himself in his thoughts again, the door creaked open, and Hotaru stepped in. Her usual calm, innocent smile was still there, but something about it was different now. It wasn't the playful smile she had earlier. There was a depth to it, a hint of sadness that Kazuki hadn't noticed before.

"Hey," she greeted him softly, stepping into the room and sitting across from him. "Lumi said you were thinking too hard. You should try to relax."

Kazuki smiled faintly. "I guess I have a lot on my mind... about you."

Hotaru looked at him, her eyes soft, as if she were trying to decide whether or not to say more. After a moment of silence, she spoke again.

"I didn't want to stay here, you know. In Eidolon. It wasn't something I chose." Her voice was quiet, almost hesitant. "But I couldn't leave. There's something here that I can't escape."

Kazuki raised an eyebrow. "But you don't want to stay? Then why do you?"

Hotaru leaned back slightly, staring at the ceiling. "It's complicated," she said softly. "I don't even know why I ended up here in the first place. I was just living my life, and then one day... I was here." She looked down at her hands, a faint frown crossing her face. "I didn't ask for this. I didn't want to be a part of this world, but here I am."

Kazuki didn't know what to say. He could tell that Hotaru wasn't the kind of person who would open up easily, so hearing her speak like this felt like a rare glimpse into her real self.

"Then what happened?" Kazuki asked, his curiosity piqued.

Hotaru hesitated for a moment, her eyes glimmering with something unreadable. "I don't know if I should tell you this… but… you saved me."

Kazuki blinked, confused. "Saved you? I don't think I've ever even met you before today."

She nodded slowly. "You don't remember me, do you?" she whispered. "I guess that's not surprising. But you were the one who saved me... back when you were still in your world."

Kazuki's heart skipped a beat. "What? How could that be? I wasn't even in Eidolon then. I didn't know anyone here until I met Lumi."

Hotaru's smile faltered for a brief moment, as if she were trying to hold back something. "You wouldn't remember, because it wasn't supposed to happen. But you did save me, Kazuki. And that's why I'm here. I owe you, and I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you."

Kazuki leaned forward, a sense of urgency in his voice. "But… what happened? How did you end up here?"

Hotaru shook her head. "I don't really know. I was in a different place, a different time, but somehow you… you saved me. In your world, in your time. And that's how I ended up here. I'm here because of you."

Kazuki's mind was racing, trying to piece together what she was saying. Was it possible? Had he really saved someone from another world, without even knowing it? And now she was in Eidolon, tied to him in some way?

Hotaru's gaze softened, and she looked at him with an odd sense of gratitude. "I don't want to be here. I didn't ask for any of this. But I'm here now… and I need to make the best of it. For both of us."

Kazuki was speechless. There was so much he didn't understand, so many things that didn't add up. But for now, one thing was clear: Hotaru wasn't just some innocent bystander in this world. She had a connection to him, something deeper than he could grasp.

"Don't worry about it," Hotaru said, her voice a little more upbeat now, though there was still an air of sadness in her tone. "I'm here now, and I'll make sure you don't get too lost." She smiled again, but this time, it felt more genuine, though there was still a shadow in her eyes.

Kazuki didn't know what to say. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but he didn't know if he was ready to hear the answers.

For now, all he could do was nod. "Thanks, Hotaru."

She stood up, walking to the door. "I'll leave you to think for a while. But just remember... things aren't always what they seem, Kazuki. You might have more questions than you think."

With that, she left, leaving Kazuki alone with his thoughts once again. His heart still raced, and his mind was flooded with questions, but one thing was for certain—nothing in Eidolon was simple. Not the people, not the world, and certainly not the strange connection he had with Hotaru.