Otome’s eyelids fluttered, her breathing shallow but steady. Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinking as Victoria’s worried face swam into focus.

“Otome!” Victoria gasped, her voice thick with emotion. She leaned closer, brushing a stray lock of hair from Otome’s damp forehead. “Thank goodness. You’re awake. How do you feel? Can you speak?”

Otome’s gaze shifted to Victoria, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of her cracked lips despite the evident pain shadowing her expression. “Well… I’ve been through worse,” she murmured hoarsely. Her voice was weak but carried the same dry humor that seemed ingrained in her. “Although… we did have a healer on the team back then. Makes a difference.”

Victoria’s lip quivered, guilt and frustration warring in her eyes. “Don’t. Don’t joke about that,” she chided softly, though her voice cracked with emotion. She looked down at Otome’s injured leg, grimacing at the hastily wrapped bandage already stained with blood. “This wound... It’s bad. It’s going to get infected if we don’t do anything about it.”

Otome shifted slightly, wincing at the pain that rippled through her body. “I’m fine. Just… don’t make a fuss, alright?”

“A fuss?” Victoria’s voice rose, her frustration boiling over. “You’re slowly bleeding out, and I—I can’t even help you!” Her hands balled into fists, trembling as she averted her gaze. “All this training, all the things I’ve learned, and I couldn’t pick up a single skill that could help you right now. What good am I if I can’t even save a friend?”

Otome reached out weakly, placing her hand over Victoria’s clenched one. “Hey,” she said softly, her smirk fading into a more sincere expression. “You’re here, aren’t you? That’s more than enough.”

Farthington, leaning casually against a nearby tree, broke the tension with his usual smirk. “Touching, truly, but we’re sitting ducks out here. Every minute we waste is another chance for someone to catch up with me—uh, I mean us.”

“He’s right…” I said, stepping forward, though my attention lingered on Victoria, who was still kneeling by Otome. “We can’t stay here. Otome, can you manage being carried? We need to get through the forest before sunrise. We’ll find proper shelter, clean water, and maybe someone who can help you.”

Otome, despite her pale complexion and labored breathing, shook her head resolutely. “No way,” she rasped. “I’m not deadweight. I’ll walk.”

“You can barely stand,” Victoria protested, her voice sharp with worry.

“And yet, I can stand,” Otome countered, using Victoria’s shoulder to prop herself up. Her legs trembled under her weight, but she gritted her teeth and straightened up as much as her injury allowed. “I don’t need to be carried. Just… someone walk with me. Keep me steady if I falter.”

There was a moment of hesitation before Huairen stepped forward. “I’ll stay with her,” he said quietly.

“Fine,” I relented, though unease prickled at the edges of my thoughts. “But the moment you can’t go on, you say something. No pushing yourself past your limits.”

Otome smirked faintly, leaning on Huairen’s offered arm. “Alright.”

With that, we began our journey deeper into the forest, the night stretching on around us. The canopy overhead was thick, the moonlight barely piercing through the dense weave of leaves. The air grew cooler, and the sounds of nocturnal creatures stirred in the distance, but the oppressive silence of danger wasn’t far behind.

Hours passed in a blur of quiet steps, the forest’s darkness finally giving way to the faint light of dawn. The orange glow of the rising sun cast long, dappled shadows across the forest floor. Warm hues danced through the trees, bathing our tired faces in soft light.

Finally, the forest thinned, the towering trees giving way to an open expanse of grassy hills. Otome swayed slightly, exhaustion etched into the lines of her face. Huairen steadied her, his grip reassuring.

“We made it,” Farthington said, his tone uncharacteristically subdued as he gazed out at the sunrise. His usual smirk was absent, replaced by a rare moment of calm reflection. “…I need some tea,” he added with a sigh.

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Victoria stepped forward, her eyes scanning the rolling hills that stretched out before us. Her sharp gaze settled on the horizon, as if piecing together a mental map of the land. “We’re officially out of Cielmouth now,” she murmured, her voice tinged with relief but also laced with determination. “Let me think… If I remember correctly, the territory closest to where we are now is the March of Luminastra.”

“The Luminastra lands?” Otome rasped, leaning heavily on Huairen but refusing to let herself fall. “That’s noble territory. If we’re lucky, they won’t immediately throw us to the wolves for trespassing.”

“And if we’re not lucky?” Farthington quipped.

Victoria shot him a sharp look. “Then we’ll have to be diplomatic. The Luminastra family is known for their charity and fairness. We’ll hope their reputation holds true.”

I nodded, processing the information. “How far do you think we are from the nearest settlement?”

“Not far,” Victoria said after a moment of thought. “Maybe a few hours' walk if we keep up the pace. They’ll have a small town or an estate on the outskirts of their lands. Either way, we should reach it by afternoon if we push through.”

Farthington sighed dramatically, adjusting his coat as he stepped forward. “Lead the way, then. But if we run into trouble, I’m blaming you, Victoria.”

“Blame me all you want,” Victoria replied briskly, her focus already on the path ahead. “Just keep your wit sharp and your feet moving.”

The group trudged forward in a strained silence, the forest slowly giving way to clearer terrain. The thick canopy overhead thinned, allowing the rising sun’s orange glow to filter through more freely, casting long, soft shadows on the ground. Birds chirped in the distance, their melodies a rare moment of serenity amid the tension that lingered between us.

After what felt like an hour of navigating uneven paths and brushing aside branches, the landscape finally opened up, revealing a dirt road. The faint outline of rooftops came into view, nestled against the backdrop of rolling hills.

“There,” Victoria said, pointing ahead. Her voice carried a tinge of relief. “That must be the edge of the March of Luminastra. It’s smaller than I expected, but that looks like a town.”

Otome, leaning heavily on Huairen for support, lifted her head to squint at the sight. “A town means people. People mean supplies and, hopefully, a healer,” she muttered, her words strained from exhaustion.

Farthington rubbed his hands together, an exaggerated grin breaking through his usual aloofness. “And tea,” he added cheerfully, earning a few tired but amused glances. “What? Tea is great!”

“Don’t celebrate too soon,” I warned, keeping my voice low. “We’re still strangers here. Let’s not assume this is going to be easy.”

Victoria nodded. “She’s right. We need to approach cautiously. The Luminastra family may have a kind reputation, but we don’t know how their subjects will react to a group of injured and disheveled strangers showing up out of nowhere.”

“Then It would probably be better if only a small group of people were to go. Two or three of us at most.” Nanik suggested after a long span of being silent during the rest of the journey.

“In that case, I’ll take Otome with me. Since we look like twins, and one of us is injured we probably won’t make them be on edge,” I suggested.

Victoria crossed her arms, her brow furrowed in concern. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Otome needs rest, and you’re a stranger to us.” Her voice carried a note of skepticism as she glanced at Otome, who was leaning heavily on a tree for support.

“I can handle it,” Otome interjected, her voice firm despite her evident fatigue. “If only two of us are going, it makes the most sense for me to go. Tokei’s right—our resemblance might put people more at ease.”

Victoria hesitated, clearly torn. Finally, she sighed, rubbing her temples. “Fine. But if anything happens to her, Tokei, you’ll answer to me. Got it?”

“Understood,” I replied, meeting her gaze steadily.

Otome gave a small, reassuring nod to Victoria before turning toward me. “Let’s go before she changes her mind.”

With that, we began our trek toward the town. The forest thinned out as we approached, giving way to a quaint village surrounded by lush farmland. The rooftops gleamed softly in the morning light, and the sound of distant chatter floated on the breeze.

As we neared the outskirts, a woman carrying a basket of vegetables noticed us. Her eyes widened, and she set the basket down abruptly, rushing toward us.

“Are you all right?” she asked, her voice warm. Her gaze flicked to Otome, taking in her disheveled state. “You look exhausted! Oh dear, what happened?”

Otome and I exchanged a wary glance, surprised by her friendliness. “We’ve had a rough journey,” I replied cautiously. “We’re just passing through and hoping to find some help.”

The woman’s face lit up. “Oh, you’ve come at the perfect time! Miss Elli is in town today—she’s the most wonderful person, always helping those in need. You must come to the town hall with me. She’ll know just what to do!”

Before we could respond, she beckoned enthusiastically, gesturing for us to follow. Her cheerful demeanor was disarming, and despite our initial hesitation, we fell into step behind her.

The town itself was charming, with cobblestone streets and modest homes adorned with flower boxes. Villagers bustled about, exchanging greetings and going about their routines.

The woman led us to a larger building in the heart of the village, its doors wide open and a small crowd gathered inside. “Here we are,” she said, beaming. “Miss Elli should be right inside.”