As they continued forward, Alicia and Wisesa realised the enormity of the Ukihashi Bridge that severed the convenient capital from the austere expanse beyond, much akin to a lofty freeway with myriad tendrils, its asphalt white and embellished with thin spiral patterns. A few engine carriages sped out of the city (unclear what compelled them to leave the sanctuary), and more pedestrians carried stacked belongings and a line of congested metal trucks yearned to ingress. Izel began to make her way through the crowd, charting the course, while Alicia, with Kaito and Tome clasping her hands, were in the middle. Wisesa brought up the rear. Unlike the direct trajectory of the carriage’s route, the pedestrian one branched out, snaking towards the portals on various sides of the city wall.

The capital of Takamagahara stood encircled by robust bronze ramparts with their stature rivalling skyscrapers, embellished with labyrinthine circular spiral interlinked, as well as depictions of warriors, Ninshu artists, dignitaries, and even primordial colossal beasts. These portrayals appeared authentic and impressive at the same time, particularly the renditions of the monsters—which certainly had different characteristics than the absurd mujinos of yesterday.

Alicia seemed to be able to behold the entirety of the cityscape atop the wall, at least the pillars and towering buildings. When they finally reached the bridge, the verdant mountain turned out to be filled with thousands of abodes in hues of green and red, with an actual woodland crowned the summit and diminutive towers in its midst.

Although it was crowded, the youths encountered little delay, for it appeared that the wayfarers quickly underwent a cursory procedure and entered the city in short order. Moreover, based on Izel's and the Kagatsean children's stories, it was already an imperative decree for the denizens living outside the capital’s confine to seek refuge within its precincts due to the impending mujino wave and the increasingly bizarre types of its kind.

Izel had just received permission and entered the wall when a civil guard on gatekeeping duty became a barrier for her and the rest of her retinue.

"It is fine, Officer," Izel said, "These companions are under my aegis."

"Let me determine whether they’re under your aegis or not, Tamoanchanese," the gatekeeper replied sharply. "Foreigners. I need identification and the reason for your arrival in Takamagahara."

Kagatsean civil guards, be it the gatekeeper or those who flitted by on dragonfly steeds, bore an aspect more intimidating than its Camelot counterpart or Yawadwipa’s warriors. Their jackets of sombre hue obscured their lower visage, billowing and rigid, fortified with armour upon the chest and back. Long were their muddy-green-striped trousers and their round hats of black steel, adorned with spiral patterns and woven regular stripes, nearly veiled their eyes. All but their noses laid bare to Alicia’s glare.

Alicia and Wisesa reached into their bags, each taking out a piece of golden paper tied with a golden ribbon. There was a sun emblem embossed on each surface.

"Will this help?" Alicia asked, handing the golden paper to the gatekeeper.

"Official travel documents from Lojitengara?" the gatekeeper cast a gaze slightly downward, meeting the red-haired lass and the blangkon-wearing lad. His hands swiftly took the ribboned papers. "It perplexes me that youths of your age travel to a foreign land while carrying the imprimatur of state, all without an escort." His scrutiny then descended to the children at the lass' sides. "Or they’re the ones?”

"They are Kagatsean children. We found them when Mujino attacked us."

"Oh, you saved Kagatsean sons and daughters? How kind." The gatekeeper tore the gilded papers, revealing another layer of papers inscribed with Yawanese script. Only when dipped in water did the scripts metaphored into the local symbols.

"Alicia Crimsonmane, from Camelot. Wisesa Rukmamenggala, from Lojitengara."

"That's us."

The gatekeeper's stern regard oscillated between the papers and the visages of the two adolescents in front of him. "The documents are genuine. And you saved Kagatsean citizens, so I guess we are in debt."

"Great. Can we get in already? Ain't nobody got time for waiting around." Wisesa interjected, countenance already strained. They had little room to stretch and breathe. The lad even considered jumping straight from the city wall to find relief.

"Calm down, Young Sir. The others can be redirected to the other lines if that's what you want. We have our procedures for foreigners. Just a brief question before you get permission. I want to know again your reason for coming here."

"We seek the Kagatse Branch Magisterium office, good Sir," Alicia responded.

"For what purpose...?"

A momentary hesitation clouded Alicia’s countenance, as if composing her thoughts. "Let's just say it's a very important matter that only we and the Head Magisterium need to know."

"Very important? How important? How important is it compared to the Mujino invasion or the irrigation of our lands and plantations across the region?”

Wisesa, growing impatient, spoke up again, "Look, man, the deal is this is strictly for the Magisterium. So, are you gonna open up and let us in, or what?"

The gatekeeper displayed his flashing eyes, hand already hovering over a large rifle at his waist. The heads of the other guards at each door also turned their attention to Wisesa. As did the air patrols flying overhead. With bulging eyes as well, Alicia turned to Wisesa and pinched his arm. Wisesa exchanged a look with the lass, equally annoyed, shoulders half-raised.

"Forgive the impudence, Officer,” Alicia pleaded. “We're..., quite exhausted after the long journey here."

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"So are those at the back of the queue."

"Sure, sure... It's just that, this message for the Magisterium is only intended for the Magisterium itself. There can be no other intercessors besides us."

One could not tell whether the guard was staring at her intently, contemplating, or pretending not to hear—again his face was shrouded by his hat and uniform collar. Nevertheless, his hands ceased their prior engagement with the rifle’s polished wooden haft, now crossed before him.

"Even though you're from Camelot, Miss, you're not another wave of help sent by the central Magisterium, are you?" the officer asked.

Alicia shook her head, "No. I dinnae think so."

"I thought so. I guess since you're from Lojitengara, you probably want to relay tidings concerning the recent Moon Eater invasion."

"That's—"

"No need to answer, Miss. Just my guess. After all, confidential report, right?" added the guard after a sigh. By leaving all of his left fingers flexed except for his index and middle, the guard extracted the papers from the water, and suddenly they were dry. "You know, we were hoping for a new platoon of mages, not two little kids. And I don't know why the Kagatsean Magisterium should care about your story if my guess is correct. They are already stretched thin with all the magic work; you guessed it, the extermination of mujinos is one of them.

The guard handed over the travel files to Alicia. "But go ahead if you want to try. Welcome to Kagatse, welcome to Takamagahara. Please acquire a brochure at the entrance to acquaint yourself with the Kagatsean folk's way of life."

Just as Alicia and the others were about to pass the gatekeeper, they were blocked again.

"By the gods, now what?" Wisesa clucked his tongue.

The gatekeeper’s face shadowed by his round hat bowed low towards Tome, who appeared uncomfortable. She turned to look away.

"Do you know whose child she is?" the gatekeeper asked.

"Uh... no, Officer," Alicia confessed. "One of our objectives is to find their parents here."

"Leave the children here. I and the other civil guards will search for their parents at the civil guard office."

The gatekeeper was indeed considerate. However, upon seeing Tome's anxious face and Kaito's gradual shake of the head, Alicia strengthened her hand grips. "The children will be fine with me, good Officer. We’ll look after them until they are reunited with their parents."

"Is that included in your reason of arrival or in the documents?"

"I think ensuring the safety of the children only requires a conscience and cautious action. Not documents."

"Are you sure?" the gatekeeper's tone suddenly turned cold. "You don't need to trouble yourself."

Alicia swallowed hard, but her face remained resolute.

"We're just making sure you won't harm the children,” the guards appended. “Many refugees go missing without cause when they are evacuated from villages to the capital. Children make up the majority."

"Well, Sir, unfortunately, we are but a cadre of youths," remarked Wisesa. "What’s in it for us to cause trouble in a foreign land?"

"There have been small attacks in various areas in Kagatse, some of them attempted murders. Most of the culprits are of your age," the gatekeeper asserted, pausing before veering again to the gate’s side. "But what you said is not wrong. There's no benefit in causing trouble here. Our state policy doesn't prohibit the execution of foreign citizens, and our current shogun has no plans to change that policy. And most of the attackers in the recent incidents were Kagatsean locals."

Alicia and the children breathed a sigh of relief as they quickly entered the gate tunnel, where the new bright light and commotion awaited them on the other side.

"Please comprehend that gatekeeper. He does tend to sniff where he should not. No matter how much I wanted to punch him," Izel said as she approached them, equally relieved.

"Maybe you should," Wisesa countered.

Izel laughed. "I wish I could, but I must exercise restraint, for I shun stirring tumult that might imperil our kind,” she said as she synchronised her stride with theirs. "Well, even though a small blow, I dare not instigate a vigilante mob bent on Tamoanchan’s genocide. But I saw you were getting impatient with the guard yourself. You should have been the one to sway the fist!"

"It won't happen, Izel, not if I'm still being babysat by this Western woman."

Alicia rolled her eyes.

"So, you seek audience with the Magisterium, yes?" Izel queried. "I can once more be your cicerone in the city. Three brief stops on the train, and the office lies adjacent to the station."

"I want to see otosan and okasan!" Finally, it was Tome's turn to voice discontent.

Alicia smiled, nodding, and tenderly caressing the child's head. "Yes. The Magisterium can bide its time. It's better if we go to the nearest civil guard office first."

Izel just bobbed her head left and right, her lower lip protruding. She made sure no civil guards were passing by. "For some reason, Kagatsean civil guards do not sit well with me. Something is unsettling about them."

"Due to their nearly concealed visages? I sense it too."

"More than that. I know not; uneasy sentiments have always accompanied my proximity to them.”

Wisesa seemed desiring to vex Izel, as he said, "You know who else is uncomfortable around civil guards?"

But Izel swiftly cut him off. "Hush, Man! Were I a criminal, all my efforts to hone my inner and outer skills would be in vain in Citlalicoatl's eyes. I think I've humbled myself enough to become a candle merchant. It's a decent job. There is no need to degrade myself any further to become a brigand."

Alicia's eyes may have been impassive, but the claim of humility from one not known such virtues left her mind in a state of bewilderment.

"Man, you keep throwing that Citlati—whatever that was—stuff around!" Wisesa responded. "What's the deal with that? What in Durga's soul are you talking about anyway?"

"That...," Izel’s gaze returned to the front. "Pay it no heed! I mean, is it not a human's duty to exert their utmost as an expression of their faith in their god?"

"So you dinnae want to escort us to the civil guard office?" Alicia asked.

"I didn't say that. If you want to, by all means. But I have a better idea: the refugee centre for those dwelling outside the capital is near. We can go there directly, ask the refugee officials the whereabouts of their parents!” Izel turned to Kaito and Tome. “Do you know your parents' names, Little Ones?"

"Okasan and Otosan!" Tome's confident response resonated.

Kaito, on Alicia's left side, was taken aback. "No, no. I mean, yes, Izel-neesan. I know their other names. I've seen them in the family records!"

Tome turned her face to her brother behind Alicia's hastening thighs, "Dakara, Okaasan to Otousan no hontou no namae wa 'Okaasan' to 'Otousan' janainda?”

"Eto...," Kaito scratched the back of his head, then tugged at Alicia's skirt. "Alicia-neesan, I don't know how to answer this. My sister asked if the names of our parents aren't 'father' and 'mother.'"

Alicia could not stifle a burst of laughter. "A splendid query, Tome! You see, when you were born, yer parents became yer father and mother, and those are the names they used because they were happy to be yer parents, just like you call me Alicia-neesan! But, like you, Tome, who have a name, and me, Alicia, who have a name, they also have names!"

Tome's eyes and mouth widened, "Oh... sokka."

"Isn't that interesting?"

"Interesting! A little confusing," Tome candidly replied. "But Tome understand a little."

"You'll understand. Dinnae fash yerself." Alicia continued to laugh.

"Then what are the names of Otousan and Okasan...?"

"In due course, aye? When we reach the evacuation centre."

Before they knew it, their feet had passed the city gate's mouth, and when they entered, Alicia and Wisesa found themselves in disbelief. They saw high-rise buildings sheltered beneath a spiral-patterned white ceiling and dozens of giant lamps posing as their sun. Though they had yet truly to enter the underground. []