♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Beside the unconscious Ugu, Mond kept calling his name, unable to find any way to help him.
Mond: "Ugu! Ugu... Ugu... what should I do...?"
Watching the Barak, the purple cloak fell into thought and called out to the brown cloak.
Pad: "Rotor!"
Rotor: "What?"
Pad: "Do insects usually help each other like that?"
Rotor: "What are you talking about? Insects don't do that. Stop saying nonsense and let's just finish this."
Pad: "That's what I thought too... but look at them. Don't they seem strange?"
Rotor: "You're imagining things. It's not like we're that busy... Should I just finish this myself?" [stretching]
Pad: "Hmm... no. I'll handle it."
Rotor: "...Suit yourself."
Pad pushed aside his uneasy feeling and stretched both arms toward the Barak.
This time, unlike before, he created a pale sphere tinged with violet.
He enlarged the sphere slightly, preparing to send it toward the Barak—
Pad: "No... that's not it."
He changed the nature of the sphere and redirected it toward the fallen giant Barak.
The sphere lifted Ugu into the air and began moving him slowly to a distance.
Pad: "Still... the fact that he didn't run for his own life and stayed like that... admirable."
Pad: "Fine. Live."
For some reason, Pad felt that this was the right choice.
An unexplainable, almost mystical intuition.
[This momentary decision by Pad would later lead to tremendous consequences.]
Mond followed after Ugu as he floated away, desperately calling his name.
Mond: "Ugu... Ugu... wake up, Ugu... please wake up..."
Pad: "...Look at that... why are they like that...?"
Rotor noticed EAT trapped beneath Ugu's severed foreleg and casually threw the limb aside.
EAT, who had been unconscious, slowly began to regain awareness.
Rotor observed him carefully—
and after confirming that EAT had regained consciousness, approached him.
As EAT's mind cleared, it seemed his lost memories returned as well.
EAT: [muttering] "Ah... right... I... I have to escape!"
Unaware of the situation, Rotor bowed politely to EAT.
Rotor: "Greetings, Lord EAT. Under the orders of Supreme Commander Olpin—"
Before Rotor could finish, EAT suddenly began running.
EAT: "Now's my chance! I have to get to the forest!"
Rotor and Pad watched as EAT ran off in panic.
Rotor: "Excuse me~"
He called out again, but EAT, as if possessed, continued running.
Eventually, Rotor formed a small sphere at his fingertip and flicked it toward EAT.
The small sphere flew toward EAT—
then rapidly expanded, spinning as it grew larger, engulfing him completely.
Like trapping something inside a soap bubble, the sphere sealed him inside.
Then it began to contract.
EAT: "Ugh—what is this—? Kk—gh—gh—!"
The pressure was so strong that he could no longer open his mouth properly.
Rotor waited calmly until EAT regained composure.
EAT: "..."
Rotor: "Red Rooster, Lord EAT~ Greetings. It is our first meeting."
Rotor: "We are aides to Lord Polun—Rotor and Pad."
EAT: "Wh—?"
Rotor: "It is an honor to meet you. We have heard the legends."
EAT: "Gh—?"
Rotor: "Lord Polun wishes to meet you, so we have come ahead to greet you."
EAT: "Wha—!"
Rotor: "...Pardon?"
EAT: "Ghh!!"
Rotor: "In that case, shall we prepare the meeting here?"
EAT: "Mm—mm!"
Rotor: "Ah... understood. We will proceed."
Rotor released the pressure binding EAT.
EAT: "Hah... haa..."
Rotor and Pad stepped apart, bowed, and prepared the space.
Even in this chaotic moment, Pad's mind remained filled with thoughts about the Barak's unusual behavior.
Pad: [thinking] "Why did they act like that...?"
Rotor: "Then we will now summon the Supreme Commander of Olpin—Lord Polun."
Pad: [thinking] "Could it be...?"
A pillar of light rose between Rotor and Pad.
The light spread outward, forming the shape of a gate.
Within the radiant glow, Polun's silhouette gradually appeared.
As the gate of light fully opened, Polun stepped out slowly.
[Golden Owl Polun—the Supreme Commander of Olpin. He and EAT had known each other for a very long time.]
Polun: "Oh! Well, well—look who this is! EAT, it's me! Polun!"
Though Polun appeared relaxed, his steps were hurried.
He waved cheerfully, pretending calm, but his inner state was anything but.
EAT simply stared at him.
EAT: "...Polun..."
EAT looked at Polun once more—
then at his own small, weakened hands.
EAT: "...The reason I ended up like this... Polun, it's all because of you."
Polun quickly grabbed EAT's hand.
Polun: "No... it's not because of me. No—"
Polun: "It's because of you."
EAT: "What!?"
Polun: "Yeah."
♢ ♢ ♢ ♢ ♢
Rogi had been in Acorn Village for only five hours.
After running off in anger, she now found herself in a dead-end alley.
As expected, she had no sense of the area.
Fear began to creep in.
She clasped her hands beneath her chin and looked around anxiously.
She ran again in a random direction—
then stopped once more.
Now she couldn't even remember the way back.
She walked and walked through empty alleys, but everything felt unfamiliar.
Fear grew stronger.
She wanted to cry—but forced herself not to.
Her breathing became unstable.
Tears gathered in her large eyes, and her face flushed red.
She called out for her father—
but no voice answered.
At last, she could endure no more.
She collapsed in the shadow of the alley.
Just as she was about to burst into tears—
A white puppy approached her.
Her overwhelming emotions calmed instantly.
The puppy wagged its tail and nudged its head under her hand, as if asking to be petted.
Rogi gently stroked it.
Her trembling emotions gradually settled.
"Puppy... where am I? I got lost... what should I do..."
The puppy suddenly perked up its ears, looked around—
then began running down a path.
Without thinking, Rogi followed.
"Wait! Let's go together!"
The puppy passed through a navy-colored gate and entered a house.
Inside, an elderly woman with white hair was searching for it.
She noticed Rogi and spoke kindly.
Grandma: "Oh my... who might you be? I don't think I've seen you before."
Rogi: "I just moved here today... but I got lost..."
Before she could finish, tears began to fall.
The woman immediately understood.
Grandma: "Dear, wait just a moment."
She brought her a cold drink from the refrigerator and spoke gently.
After a while—
Grandma: "Oh! That's right, someone said a family was moving in today!"
Rogi: "Yes..."
Grandma: "No wonder no one was around. Come, follow me."
Rogi: "What about the puppy?"
Grandma: "Let it finish eating first."
Rogi followed her through the winding alleys.
The path was complicated.
Eventually, they emerged—
and in the distance, Rogi saw the blue truck and her new home.
They arrived safely.
Rogi looked for the woman to thank her—
but she was already chatting with neighbors.
Rogi bowed toward her and ran inside.
Rogi: "Dad!"
Dad: "Oh, Rogi. You're back. Let's take a look around our new home."
They explored the house together.
The belongings were already arranged, and everything was clean.
Her father began preparing dinner.
Dad: "Rogi, wash up first, then let's eat. And—"
He handed her a device and a bundle of papers.
Rogi: "What is this?"
Dad: "A boy named Dabi said he's your friend. He left this for you."
Rogi: "Ah... the red-haired one?"
Dad: "Yeah."
After washing up, Rogi had her first dinner in the new house.
Then she went to her room.
"I'm tired..."
It had been an exhausting day.
Then she noticed the papers and the device Dabi had left.
On the front of the papers, messy handwriting read:
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for laughing. I was wrong. Please forgive me :)
I left the story summary and Bermuda."
The device—"Bermuda"—looked like an old tablet.
Crude and patched together, as if repaired from broken parts.
Even the charger had been carefully included.
"What a strangely thoughtful guy..."
Rogi lay on her bed, skimming through the story summary.
Then she picked up Bermuda and pressed the power button.
After a loading screen, a chat window opened automatically.
At the top: "Acorn Village Bermuda."
Admin: Ellie.
There were no messages yet.
Maybe she had eaten dinner early.
"Ah... I want ice cream..."