Part 1
Several days had passed since Rina and Elizabeth joined the group.
Haruto and Yuna took it upon themselves to help Rina reintegrate into society. At first, some of the wind elves eyed her with suspicion, but little by little they began to grow accustomed to her presence.
The children, in particular, adored her.
"Golden Eyes hid again!" shouted a small elf, running with excitement.
"We can't find her! She's way too good at this!"
From somewhere among the trees, a playful voice whispered:
"Rina is master of hide-and-seek."
Watching the scene from a distance, Yuna sighed with a smile.
"Looks like she didn't have any trouble getting along with the kids."
"Makes sense," Haruto said, shrugging. "If someone spent their whole life hiding, it's obvious they'd be unbeatable at that game."
While things seemed calm in the village, the situation was completely different in the distant city of the dwarves.
The bustling sounds of Molgaroth filled the streets—the clang of hammers striking metal, merchants shouting to passersby to check out their wares.
Between the stalls of weapons and magical artifacts, three figures walked at a relaxed pace, though their goal was clear.
"So… we're looking for a decent healer, but not just anyone," said Simmone, her hands clasped behind her back as she strolled calmly. "What exactly is the standard we're going by?"
"Someone who's not a pushover," Thalindra replied without hesitation.
Simmone and Eliza exchanged glances.
"Well, that rules out about 99% of healers," Eliza said with a mocking smile. "Healers aren't exactly known for their physical resilience."
"I don't need them to be warriors, but they should at least be able to survive without us babysitting them constantly," Thalindra frowned.
"Last time we relied on Melodia to heal us, she nearly fainted mid-dungeon."
"She's definitely not cut out for that role," Simmone admitted. "And if we're going to face stronger enemies, having a healer will be essential."
"If you want a really strong healer, you should consider summoning someone—like the heroine Sofia, who was part of the group that defeated Demon King Nikolai Noxeris."
Thalindra crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, sure."
"How did we not think of that?"
"I'll just head to my forge, whip up a magical summoning artifact, and boom—ten minutes later, we've got a healer hero dropping from the sky."
"Anything else, your vampiric highness? Want me to make you a crown while I'm at it?"
Eliza narrowed her eyes and clicked her tongue, clearly offended.
"Of course, little dwarf with no vision… I don't expect you to understand the brilliance of strategy."
Then, she struck a dramatic pose, placing a hand over her eyepatch.
"Even if you lack the power to summon a hero from distant lands, fear not, jujuju… With the power of my Eclipse Eye, I could overcome any obstacle…"
Before Simmone could fire back with a sharp remark, a gentle voice interrupted their exchange.
"Excuse me… I couldn't help overhearing your conversation."
All three turned at once.
Standing before them was a young woman with long pink hair and fox ears, bowing her head with a kind smile. She wore the robes of a priestess, adorned with golden embroidery over white fabric.
"If you're looking for information about healers, you might find what you're looking for at our café—'Dreaming Kitsune,'" she said in a calm, melodic tone. "It's a cozy place, and I might be able to help you."
Thalindra glanced at the café's entrance, where an elegant sign with a fox emblem hung on the door.
"They have cafés now too…" she muttered, recognizing the Satori company's emblem. "What else are they going to buy up?"
The kitsune girl waited patiently, her smile undisturbed.
Simmone sighed.
"We've got nothing to lose. Besides, I'm curious about what kind of tea they serve here."
"Well, if there's information involved, I guess it's worth it," Eliza shrugged.
"Alright then, let's go," Thalindra said, taking the lead.
As the kitsune girl led the way, Simmone cast a sideways glance at her.
There was something about her demeanor that didn't quite sit right. She didn't seem like just a simple priestess…
Meanwhile, back at the Great Tree of Mythara, Cherri was pacing around her auditorium like a caged animal.
Her thoughts were a whirlwind of worry.
"Maybe they solved the 'Golden Eyes' issue, but there's still…"
She clenched her fists and began mentally listing every problem that kept her up at night.
"Slavers… infiltrators… assassins… traitors… the disappearances in the Sakura Dungeon…"
With each word, her frustration grew.
"There are too many loose ends in my forest. And that… I don't like."
The sound of her footsteps echoed through the vast auditorium as she paced back and forth, her mind racing through every possible solution.
But just when she thought her list of worries couldn't get any longer, another issue struck her like a blow to the head.
"And on top of that… the Light Elves problem!"
Her gaze darkened, and with a sharp thud, her fist slammed onto the wooden table, making the stacked documents tremble.
"That insolent Aurelius Luminis hasn't answered a single one of my letters!"
Her voice reverberated through the empty hall—but no one replied.
Because, indeed, Aurelius had yet to respond.
She closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.
"If I don't do something soon… Mizuki is going to scold me again."
That thought sent a deeper chill down her spine than any threat in Mythara.
She knew she couldn't sit idly by.
Time marched forward mercilessly, and somewhere in the village of Aeris, someone else shared a similar unease.
The morning breeze blew gently through the branches of a small sakura tree, sending pink petals swirling through the air before settling atop a finely carved wooden altar.
Lord Kazeharu sat in silence, gazing at the second cup of tea he had carefully placed.
Steam rose in soft spirals, slowly vanishing into the cool morning air.
"My dear… how quickly time flies," he whispered in a wistful tone, his eyes fixed on the name carved into the wood. "I miss you more with each passing day."
He brought the cup to his lips and took a slow sip, letting the warmth spread through his chest.
"I wish you could be here to see how much our daughter has grown. She's becoming a fine adventurer… just like you were in your younger days."
His voice faltered slightly at the end.
"She's made new friends… and while it warms my heart to see her surrounded by people who care for her, it saddens me to think she'll soon be leaving the village."
He lowered his gaze, his heart torn between pride and sorrow.
"She's chosen to follow the same path you did."
The petals continued to fall in a gentle swirl, as if trying to wrap him in an embrace.
"It seems that was Mizuki's will… I know you felt it from the day she was born."
The wind picked up, rustling the sakura's branches.
Lord Kazeharu closed his eyes for a moment, letting a single tear slide down his cheek.
"And yet… I can't bring myself to accept that she's leaving…"
His voice faded into the whisper of the wind, carrying his buried sorrow away with it.