I exhaled deeply as I watched the sisters hugging each other. A deep sigh from my mouth. I was feeling lightheaded and felt like I could pass out at any moment, but I hung on as I stood up and went to the sisters.
However, before I closed my distance, my eyes were distracted by a small thing on the ground, being dimly lit by the lantern on the fallen carriage. I frowned disappointingly as I redirected my footings towards it. I bent over and grabbed it.
"Here you go," I handed out the doll as I walked towards Elise with a sharp thorn in my heart as I uttered the words. "I'm sorry, I lied when I said I forgot to take it from the children's secret base."
Elise let go of the hug from Lisa, as he stared into the broken, spit filled doll, and looked into my eyes. She didn't say much as she simply just grabbed the doll and her eyes darted onto the fallen lifeless body on the ground.
"Do you… want to throw it away…?" I said, just as I realized how insensitive I had been. Looking at Elise's eyes as she stared at Scheon's lifeless body, I finally remembered that the wooden doll was given by Scheon himself.
Hearing that question, Elise simply shook her head and smiled, "No, I'll treasure it. I won't remember the doll as the doll given by a bad person, but a doll filled with Miss Mashiro's saliva."
"I'm… honored?" I tilted my head as I took a second to process it. "Wait no, don't do that! Don't remember my saliva!"
Catherine let out a tired chuckle, rubbing her temple as if she had a headache. "Mashiro, I don't even have the energy to unpack whatever that just was."
Lisa, still weak but definitely awake now, gave her sister a confused look. "Elise… What?"
Elise clutched the doll to her chest, her small hands squeezing it tightly. The dim lantern light caught the shimmer in her eyes, though whether it was from exhaustion or lingering emotions, I couldn't tell.
Elise grinned, holding the doll close to her chest. "It's mine now. Forever."
I let out a sigh, unsure whether to feel relieved or embarrassed. My body still felt like it had been wrung dry, every muscle aching from the strain of maintaining the spatial tunnel. But seeing the sisters like this, hearing Elise's playful words, made the exhaustion a little more bearable.
Catherine crossed her arms, her sharp eyes flicking toward Scheon's unmoving body. Her expression darkened, though she said nothing.
"Mashiro and Catherine, thank you." Lisa noticed her gaze and shifted slightly, her voice quieter now. "Thank you for the heart, Scheon."
I swallowed, looking at Scheon's empty chest. His body was still, lifeless—just another casualty of a world that didn't allow second chances. The wind rustled through the trees, the distant howl of the night whispering through the silence.
Lisa noticed her gaze and shifted slightly, her voice quieter now. "What… what will happen now?"
No one answered immediately.
A yawn interrupted the silence as I tried to cover it immediately, but the overwhelming sleepiness was really assaulting my senses. Lisa and Catherine chuckled at the same time, while Catherine simply smiled as she clutched her magical staff tighter. She let her arms out above her as she made an adorable noise while stretching.
Catherine smiled, befitting the image of a mentor. "You can lean on me, Mashiro. I'll make sure you don't fall."
"I'm not that tired!" I yelled, as I tried to flex my nonexistent muscles. However, in doing so, my fatigueness was tripled, or even quadrupled. I could feel my bones shaking as I tried to lift my arms up.
Catherine saw me doing masculine pose with a rather worn out expression at my stubbornness. Without any words, she reached out her hand towards me.
"Being kidnapped is no small deal, and I forced you to let me borrow your spatial magic." Catherine's voice was small, but kind. She winked at me playfully as she said with a teasing smile, "let's not play strong for now."
I pouted, crossing my arms—though even that felt like a challenge. "I wasn't kidnapped. It was more of a… forced relocation."
Catherine chuckled. "Ah, my mistake. A very violent forced relocation."
Elise giggled at our exchange, while Lisa shook her head, amused. "Mashiro, just take the offer before you collapse."
I wanted to protest, but my body had other plans. My exhaustion was winning, my limbs growing heavier with every passing second. My knees wobbled, and before I could stop myself, I swayed forward.
With a sigh, I reached out to Catherine's hand. "I'll take you up on that."
But just as our fingers were about to touch, a sudden force yanked me off the ground. My stomach lurched as I was swept into the air, a startled scream escaping my lips. Before I could process what was happening, strong yet gentle arms cradled me effortlessly.
"Miss Mashiro, are you alright?"
The voice was soft, almost musical, but the strength behind the grip was undeniable. My head snapped up to see a cloaked figure holding me in a perfect princess carry, her hood concealing most of her face. In a single bound, she leapt onto a high tree branch, her movements fluid and weightless as if gravity itself barely applied to her.
My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. "Wha—?! Put me down!" I flailed, but the cloaked figure held me firmly, as if I weighed nothing.
From below, Catherine's startled voice rang out. "Who—?!"
The figure didn't answer immediately. Instead, she landed gracefully on a thick tree branch, her arms still wrapped securely around me. The moonlight peeked through the leaves, casting a silver glow on the fabric of her cloak.
"Miss Mashiro," she repeated, voice soft yet urgent. "Are you hurt?"
I stopped struggling for a moment, blinking. "I—uh, no? I mean, I was tired, but now I'm wide awake thanks to you nearly giving me a heart attack!"
The girl hesitated before letting out a relieved sigh. "That's good."
From below, I could see Catherine standing firm, her staff raised and her crimson eyes glowing beneath the brim of her witch's hat. Her red hair swayed with the evening breeze, her gaze locked onto the cloaked figure.
That glow in her eyes—I'd seen it before. Back when she examined the luminous gem from the slime. If I remembered correctly, it was her Identification skill.
She sighed and stopped pointing her staff towards the figure and simply stared silently. The sudden tension in the air settled into an uneasy silence. Catherine's glowing eyes dimmed as she lowered her staff, her expression shifting from suspicion to something more unreadable.
The cloaked figure didn't move, still holding me effortlessly in her arms. I was about to demand—again—to be put down, but Catherine's reaction stopped me.
"…I come in peace," Catherine finally said, her voice carefully neutral, yet there was a sharp edge to it, like a blade she was prepared to wield at any moment.
The cloaked figure flinched—so subtly that I almost missed it—before giving a small nod. "That would be wise." Her voice was soft, yet there was an undeniable firmness behind it, as if she was used to weighing her words carefully.
Catherine narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing her like a hawk sizing up prey. The witch's posture was relaxed, but I could tell she was still on guard. "Then state your name."
A tense silence followed. The figure hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly around my arms before she exhaled, as if steadying herself.
"…Not yet," she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.
Catherine's crimson eyes flickered with irritation. "Not yet?" she repeated, her tone carrying a dangerous lilt. Her fingers taped against her staff, an unspoken warning hanging in the air.
The girl ignored her and instead turned to me, finally loosening her hold and carefully lowering me onto the tree branch. My feet wobbled the second they touched solid ground, and I had to grab onto the trunk for balance.
"You're exhausted," she murmured, concerned about lacing her voice.
I narrowed my eyes on her. "Yeah, no kidding. Maybe because someone just yoinked me up a tree?"
She giggled softly, and for a moment, I caught a glimpse of something—something oddly nostalgic. That voice, that gentle laugh…
"Nice to meet you, Yuzu." I said with a smile. On the surface, I was calm. However, my mind was riddled with excitement as I observed the girl in front of me in the flesh. I couldn't help but smile everytime I heard her voice.
Yuzu's eyes flickered when I spoke, a soft smile tugging at her lips. Then, with a fluid motion, she lowered her hood, revealing a cascade of stunning, jet-black hair that flowed down her back. Her fox ears twitched slightly, and I couldn't help but notice how they twitched with a certain grace, almost like they were attuned to the world around her.
"Nice to meet you too, Miss Mashiro," Yuzu replied, her voice low but warm. Her dark eyes locked onto mine, "Yuzu hab come to save you."