“Here we go.”

Vel led Yuna around to the back of the house, advancing toward a cave opened between the claws of the ancient dragon. Deep inside, a glowing magic circle awaited, its walls adorned with ancient symbols and inscriptions, exuding a mysterious atmosphere that seemed to transcend time. Yuna had visited this place several times before, but it always filled her with an inexplicable feeling.

It was said that Vel was the one who had drawn this old magic circle, but Yuna didn’t know much about her. She was like a mother and a teacher to Yuna, raising and guiding her, yet her origins and past remained shrouded in mystery. Whenever Yuna asked, she received only vague answers, and delving deeper seemed to be avoided. Still, Yuna trusted Vel and adored her.

“Yuna-sama... here.”

What Vel presented was a white hood delicately embroidered with a complex magic circle that Yuna had never seen before, giving off a mysterious power.

“Please cover your head with this. Just in case the illusion magic is broken, this hood will keep you safe.”

As Yuna put on the hood, Vel raised her hand. Light enveloped Yuna, and within that light, her silver hair transformed into chestnut brown, while her crimson eyes shifted to a clear blue. Her silver horn vanished, and she appeared as an ordinary girl.

“Yuna-sama, you look absolutely adorable! Truly, your cuteness cannot be hidden by illusion magic!”

Vel praised her excitedly, nuzzling against her.

“Oh, thank you.”

Though Yuna lightly ignored Vel's enthusiastic comments, she smiled. The world where Yuna and Vel lived existed in a space called the “Spirit World.” It seemed to be slightly out of sync with the world where humans lived, but Yuna found it too difficult to understand what that meant. However, every few months, they visited the human village of “Rusona.” They timed their visits with the arrival of merchant caravans, which meant that Yuna could take a break from the studies and etiquette practice she disliked. That was a small joy for her.

“Yuna-sama.”

Prompted by Vel, Yuna took her hand and stepped into the magic circle. As the circle glowed brightly, the next moment, the two found themselves standing in a deep forest. It was lush with greenery, and the faint sound of birds chirping could be heard. A gentle breeze blew, brushing their hair.

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But suddenly, a strange odor brushed past Yuna’s nose.

“...Huh?”

Yuna tilted her head and looked at Vel. Usually, this forest was filled with the chirping of little birds and the presence of animals, but now it was unnaturally silent, replaced by a tense atmosphere.

“Yuna-sama, this way.”

With a slightly tense expression, Vel took Yuna’s hand and began to walk through the forest. They carefully moved forward, and soon they could see a road ahead. Continuing along that path should lead them to Rusona village.

However, Vel suddenly stopped.

“...This is... bad.”

“Vel... what’s wrong?”

Yuna asked anxiously, and Vel directed her to the shade of a large tree, her voice carrying an unfamiliar tension.

Vel guided Yuna beneath the large tree, and although Yuna felt confused by Vel's demeanor, she followed her instructions.

“Vel, what’s wrong?”

As Yuna asked nervously, Vel cautiously replied while keeping an eye on their surroundings.

“Something unusual is happening. The silence in this forest is not normal.”

Normally, one could feel the lively chirping of birds and the presence of small creatures. Yet now, all sounds had vanished, as if the entire forest was holding its breath. Yuna felt an increasing sense of unease at Vel's words.

“Yuna-sama, please wait here for a moment. Something is happening... I will go check it out.”

“Wait... Vel, are you going alone?”

Yuna felt compelled to stop Vel, but she swallowed her words upon seeing Vel’s serious expression. Vel had always protected Yuna in every situation. And there had never been a time when her judgment was wrong. That was why Yuna pushed her anxiety aside and decided to trust Vel.

“It’s okay. I’ll be back soon, so please stay quiet here.”

As Yuna worried, Vel led her to the shade of a large tree.

“There is a miasma nearby. Yuna-sama, do not move from here.”

Yuna nodded at Vel’s words. The mention of miasma made her heart skip a beat, but Vel’s calm expression provided her with a slight sense of reassurance.

“If anything happens, please use the spirits.”

Yuna was always accompanied by two spirits for protection. They never left her side and would guard her at all times: the wind spirit Sol and the green spirit Grill.

“Now, I’ll go scout the area.”

With that, Vel vanished. Yuna felt a wave of loneliness wash over her as she watched her leave.

“If I stay here... I’ll be okay, right?”

She called out to Pi-chan, who had perched on her shoulder. Pi-chan circled above Yuna, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.

However, as if it had discovered something,

“Pii!”

Pi-chan let out a cry and flew deeper into the forest.

“Pi-chan!”

Before Yuna’s voice could reach it, Pi-chan disappeared from view. After a while, Pi-chan returned.

“Pii! Pii!”

It circled above Yuna before flying back into the depths of the forest again, this time at a slower pace than before.

“Is it telling me to follow?”

Yuna glanced around. Vel had told her not to move, but from Pi-chan’s behavior, she understood that there was an emergency.

“I’m sorry, Vel. I’ll come back right away...!”

Yuna muttered a quick apology and steeled herself as she began to chase after Pi-chan.