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Allen woke Eris up around noon. Though he'd called it "breakfast time," his hands betrayed him—he'd pinched her nose shut, suffocating her awake.
But Eris was generous. She didn't get angry.
If it was Allen, no matter how he woke her, she wouldn't mind.
Well, maybe it wasn't about Allen.
It was just that Roa was too big—visually overwhelming. And it was a water city, something Eris had never seen before. The main roads were all rivers, dazzling and shocking the girl.
The moment she chased Allen out of the carriage—before she could even kick him (scratch that) or whine at her brother—a single glance at Roa's distant skyline stole her attention.
She walked blankly to Sylphy, Isolte, and Rudeus' side, standing at the edge of the mountain path and staring down at the water city below.
It felt so close, like it was imprinting itself into her mind. The twin waterfalls behind the city brimmed with mist, as if one deep breath would fill her lungs with moisture, droplets pattering against her cheeks.
So, so close.
She almost believed that once they descended, a short carriage ride would take them straight to Roa.
But it was an illusion.
The mountain deceives the horse.
What seemed near from this vantage point was actually far—so far that traveling by carriage would only get them there by midnight, or later.
Yet now, in the afternoon, the group—who'd only seen Roa's distant silhouette that morning—had already arrived at its "gates."
The mountain deceives the horse?
No horse would be deceived.
Because Allen had taken a boat.
Their ship's sails were furled, relying only on the rudder as it cut through the blue-green river. Lush trees blurred past the eyes of curious onlookers along the banks before abruptly giving way to Roa's towering outer-city spires.
Then came Roa's "gate"—the Brigid Continental Bridge.
A 70-meter-long land bridge arched overhead, spanning the main river and connecting the two tallest towers on either bank. Faint traces of carriages and crowds could be seen crossing it, their noise tumbling down onto the water below.
Docked along the bridge's sides were ships of all sizes.
Though "sides" wasn't quite land—the river branched into smaller canals, weaving between buildings like alleyways.
This was Roa's entrance.
Its public carriage hub.
Its aquatic face.
Roa—far more prosperous than Roa—was a water city that welcomed visitors with a bridge for a gate.
"Sylphy! Look, fish are jumping out of the water!"
"Eris, don't lean over the railing! You'll fall!"
The ten-meter-long ship cut through the river, afternoon sunlight glinting off the waves in blinding flashes.
It danced across Sylphy and Eris' faces—one excited, the other panicked.
Eris' vibrant red hair whipped in the wind like spilled paint as she clung to the railing, half her body hanging over the edge, eyes wide as she stared at the fish darting below.
"The fish fell back in! Sylphy, look! There'll be more—oh! Another one jumped!"
"Eris, if you're already leaning that far, don't bounce! It's dangerous!"
Behind her, Sylphy used wind magic to press Eris' waist down, pinning the girl's rear against her own body in alarm.
"Get down already!"
"Hah? Sylphy, don't pull me! I can—"
"Allen will get mad!"
"Uh—" Eris' excited expression faltered. She peeked sideways—Allen was leaning on the railing, watching the distant bridge with an amused smirk. He'd clearly heard her but didn't react.
After a pause, she waved at him, trying to catch his attention.
"Let Eris stand on the railing, meow~! (≧◡≦)"
Allen rejected her outright, not even turning his head. "No."
Eris' eyes lit up.
By the Eris Meow Request Guidelines, if Allen refused outright, there was still room for negotiation! She pressed her advantage: "If you let Eris stand on the railing, the nose-pinching this morning is forgiven, meow! ☆"
Allen glanced up, considering.
Forgiven, huh? So next time, I can pinch her nose even if she's not asleep…
Well, Eris is an Advanced-rank swordsman. She won't fall off a railing. And if something happens, I'm right here to catch her.
Letting her play a bit is fine. It's normal for her to be curious—she's never been on a boat before.
Totally reasonable—
Just as he thought this, he caught Sylphy's expression out of the corner of his eye.
—Frowning, trying to look stern, but her puffed cheeks made her seem more "fluffy" than intimidating.
Uh… Eris is still a kid.
"No. A skilled swimmer still drowns. You're strong enough to hold onto the railing, but if you get careless, it'll be trouble later. Like if you carry that mindset into a fight—"
Ahem. He was rambling, but kids needed discipline.
(And no, Sylphy's expression had nothing to do with it.)
(He conveniently ignored that Sylphy was younger than Eris.)
"Got it!"
Eris had her answer the moment Allen glanced at Sylphy. Her lips pursed as she hopped off the railing, planting her feet firmly on the deck. She rested her chin on her hands, crimson eyes scanning the river churned by the ship's wake, the bustling crowds along the banks—
But she didn't look for fish anymore.
The Eris Meow Request Guidelines had been updated to Rule #4:
—*If Sylphy opposes a request, and her reasoning is sound/concerned for safety, Allen will 100% refuse.*
Tch.
Next time, I'll pick a moment when I'm completely in the right!
Sylphy blinked at Allen, then patted Eris' head. The latter scowled but didn't dodge.
Allen smiled.
Sylphy's ability to "tame" Eris seemed to stem from their clashing personalities—a dynamic unaffected by timelines.
From his perspective, their interactions felt oddly… peaceful.
One was his little sister.
The other was his future wife.
Harmony and—
Wait.
Rudeus, what the hell—
Allen's thoughts screeched to a halt.
Behind Sylphy and Eris, Rudeus—seeing Eris get scolded—had jumped onto the railing with a smug grin, clinging to it despite the wind magic cushioning him. His eyes locked onto Eris with clear挑衅.
Two seconds later, Eris lunged, smacking the back of his head.
"What are you so proud of?!" she roared.
"Don't fight, Eris," Sylphy chided.
"I've put up with you this whole trip! Why won't you let me ride in the first carriage?!"
"At night, fine! I know you want Allen, Isolte, and Sylphy to have privacy! But what about daytime?! And you're the one who should've left! You hogging the carriage ruined all of Allen's chances!"
"A whole month of perfect nights—wasted! Do you have any shame for Sylphy?! For Allen?!"
Rudeus' rebuttal was piercing.
So piercing it silenced everyone.
Allen: (…Dude. What the FUCK.)
Eris: "??"
Sylphy: "!!!!"
"Huh? What?!"
"Ru-Ru-Ru—Rudeus! Shut up!"
"Ow! Sylphy, why'd you hit me too?! Am I wrong?! Don't you think Eris is in the way?!"
"In the way?! Say that again!"
"Rudeus, what are you saying?!"
Allen stared, dumbfounded, as Rudeus, Eris, and Sylphy erupted into chaos. Their voices rose, their words grew wilder, and his lips moved soundlessly.
And the worst part?
This was a public ferry.
They weren't alone!
He whipped his head around—passengers nearby were already staring. A couple three meters away, the man's hands groping his partner's rear, were very interested in the spectacle.
Allen's neck suddenly itched.
He turned—Isolte's black hair fluttered in the wind, strands slipping into his collar. She stood beside him, smiling as she stared at the couple, her gaze lingering hard on the man's wandering hands.
Allen: …
Then Isolte leaned closer, her lips near his ear—close enough for whispers, but no further.
Her voice drifted into his ear:
"Shixiong, after descending at noon, you insisted we take the ferry to Roa. You even dismissed the carriage drivers, deciding to rest here overnight before heading to the capital via the Altier River."
"Though it saves time… I'm curious. Why? Didn't you say James might have assassins waiting here? We could detour to the capital."
(At noon, they'd reached a small riverside dock where ferries—called yindu—operated. These boats shuttled travelers to Roa via waterways.)
(Yindu—guiding guests across the waters to Roa.)
Roa was nestled in a valley, surrounded by highlands. Any dock along the river led downstream, straight to the city.
Far faster than carriages. If they'd boarded at night, mountain winds would've sped them to Roa in two hours.
But even now, with only the current's aid, they'd made good time.
Allen squinted against the afternoon sun, mimicking Isolte's usual expression.
She, meanwhile, watched him from the corner of her eye.
Wind from the distant water city billowed his clothes, carrying her next whisper:
"Knowing James, if he planned an assassination, he'll follow through. He's cautious, obsessive about cost and benefit. Even if we detoured, he'd just move the ambush to the capital. He hates sunk costs."
Isolte blinked.
"Sunk costs?"
"Simplified: He won't waste preparations. Once he's invested, he has to use it. It's his nature."
Isolte paused, then leaned even closer, her lips brushing his ear as she watched the couple—now making out against the railing, the man's leg hooking around his partner's thigh.
Her fingers pressed against Allen's chest, bracing herself as she whispered:
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