Morning.
Elisa slowly opened her eyes, gazing at the ceiling, lying still to savor her final moment of peace.
"Haa…" With a sigh, she got up. While washing up, she opened the cabinet and glanced at the dishes inside—items she'd bought from the market.
After freshening up, Elisa picked up the pack she'd prepared last night and the wooden box containing her letters. At the door, she looked at the slippers on the floor, memories of Catherine and Dahlia's visits flooding back.
Creak! The door opened. Elisa stepped out, gently closing it behind her.
"After today, everything changes," She said, glancing at the door. She recalled her clumsy first day moving in, a faint smile tugging at her lips, though her eyes held a trace of sadness.
Tap, tap, tap…
Elisa turned and walked away, taking half an hour to reach the pizza shop—a trip that usually took ten or twenty minutes. Today, she couldn't bear to hurry.
Creak!
The pizza shop door opened, and Elisa stepped inside, spotting a few waitresses already cleaning.
"Huh? Miss Elisa, what's with the pack?" A round-faced waitress asked, staring in surprise.
"Oh, some family matters came up. I need to head home for a few days," Elisa lied smoothly, forcing a smile. "Just came to say goodbye for a bit."
"Oh, I see! You scared us, Miss Elisa. We thought you were quitting!" The round-faced waitress said with a laugh.
"No way. A job this good? You won't find another like it," Elisa said, shaking her head.
"Exactly! Only a fool would quit," Another waitress nodded emphatically.
"So, Miss Elisa, how long will you be gone?" The round-faced waitress asked.
"Maybe a while. Depends on how things go. Hard to say," Elisa replied, a flicker of helplessness in her emerald-green eyes. She smiled faintly. "While I'm gone, please look after the shop."
Of course, it was uncertain. If she got the chance, maybe she'd return in a few years to taste the pizza again.
"No problem! Leave it to us," The round-faced waitress said with a firm nod.
"Good." Elisa glanced around the shop, then placed the wooden box on the counter, patting it. "If Miss Ayesha comes by at noon, please give her this box."
"Got it," The waitress replied.
"Thanks, everyone," Elisa said softly, nodding before turning to leave. She paused outside, overhearing the chatter from within.
"What's been up with Miss Elisa lately? She's been acting strange these past two days. Yesterday, she left super early—totally unlike her."
"Do you think something's wrong? Should we ask Miss Ayesha later?"
"Hmm… could it be that she's got a crush? Maybe she's going home to talk about marriage?"
"No way… really? Miss Elisa's so gorgeous, most guys wouldn't measure up. Unless it's someone like the city lord."
"…"
Elisa gave a bitter smile. Marriage? Would she ever have that day? Unlikely. With a bounty of a thousand gold coins on her head, revealing her identity would only bring endless harassment from those eager to capture her for the reward.
As for Ayesha, Elisa knew the horned girl well. If Ayesha learned about Moth City, she'd insist on coming along. Elisa couldn't drag her into that "hell."
Tap, tap, tap…
Elisa headed toward the city gates, stopping by a bun shop to buy a few meat buns—her meals for the day.
"Hey, isn't that Miss Elisa? Going on a trip?" A passerby greeted her.
"Yeah, got some business out of town," Elisa replied politely.
On her way out of the city, many recognized her, exchanging greetings until she finally left Sedona City behind.
"I wonder if I'll ever come back," Elisa murmured, standing outside the city gates, watching Sedona City grow lively. She turned and strode onto a wilderness path, taking a shortcut to Moth City.
She'd likely reach Moth City around in the evening, traveling on foot.
The weather wasn't kind. Tiny snowflakes began to fall, as if bidding her farewell.
…
Near noon, Ayesha finished her patrol and headed to the pizza shop, as usual, to grab a slice.
Creak…
"It's freezing out there. Good thing it's just light snow," Ayesha muttered, pushing open the shop door. Her eyes went straight to the counter, but Elisa wasn't there.
"Welcome!" The round-faced waitress called out instinctively, then froze when she saw Ayesha.
"Where's Elisa? Is she not here?" Ayesha asked, puzzled.
"Oh, Miss Ayesha! Miss Elisa had to step out for some business," The round-faced waitress said earnestly. "She left a box for you."
"A box?" Ayesha raised an eyebrow, taking the wooden box the waitress handed her. Curious, she opened it and saw a stack of envelopes, the top one addressed to her.
"A letter?" Ayesha frowned, a sinking feeling in her gut. She picked up the envelope addressed to her, opened it, and began to read.
"Ayesha, I'm sorry. I lied to everyone. I'm an elf. I'm so sorry for hiding it from you all this time… My days in Sedona City have been wonderful, and I'm so grateful for your care. I have to leave now—I need to save my kin… I'm truly sorry for leaving without saying goodbye. I was afraid that if I saw you, I wouldn't be able to leave Sedona City. I really, really don't want to leave everyone."
"…" Ayesha froze, staring at the letter, her hands clenched into fists. The words read like a final farewell.
Creak!
Ayesha grabbed the wooden box, slammed the door open, and sprinted toward the castle. She needed Annie to help her make sense of this. What was going on?
"Damn it, what the hell is happening?" Ayesha muttered, her face etched with anxiety. Her straightforward nature didn't mean she was naive.
Elisa's letter made it clear: she was about to do something incredibly dangerous, something she might not return from.
"…" The round-faced waitress stared blankly at the swinging door, a sense of foreboding washing over her. She felt something big was about to happen. Silently, she prayed, "Miss Elisa, please be safe. She's such a good person."
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