The Archivist glanced at the supplies scattered around the room.
The packed bag.
The rolled bedroll.
The waterskin resting against the wall.
Then she nodded.
"You've decided."
Sakura looked up.
"I have."
The words felt strange.
For years, she had wandered without a destination.
Now she had one.
A distant one.
A dangerous one.
Possibly a foolish one.
But it was hers.
The Archivist seemed satisfied.
"Good."
Sakura narrowed her eyes.
"You sound like you expected this."
"I did."
"Why?"
The silver-haired woman considered the question.
Then answered simply.
"Because you came here searching."
That was all.
No mysterious explanation.
No hidden meaning.
Just the truth.
Sakura couldn't argue with that.
The room fell quiet.
Rowan broke it almost immediately.
"So."
Both women looked at him.
The cartographer pointed at Sakura.
"When you find him, what are you going to say?"
Sakura froze.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"I haven't even found him yet."
"Exactly."
Rowan folded his arms.
"You've had years to prepare."
The annoying part was that he had a point.
Sakura opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Because she genuinely didn't know.
What do you say to someone after years apart?
What do you say after crossing an entire continent?
What do you say to the person you've refused to forget?
Eventually, she sighed.
"I don't know."
Rowan nodded.
"Fair."
The Archivist unexpectedly spoke.
"People rarely know."
Both of them looked toward her.
The woman gazed out the window.
Toward the city.
Toward the countless lives moving below.
"When important moments finally arrive..."
A pause.
"...they almost never happen the way we imagined."
The room grew quiet.
Sakura stored the words away.
Not because they sounded wise.
Because they sounded true.
A knock interrupted the conversation.
The door opened.
A young archive assistant stepped inside.
"Sorry."
She bowed slightly.
"The evening bell is about to ring."
The Archivist nodded.
"Thank you."
The assistant left.
Moments later, the sound echoed across Aurelis.
A deep bell ringing from Crown Isle.
One note.
Then another.
Then another.
The sound drifted through the open window.
Across the city.
Across the water.
Across the evening sky.
Sakura walked toward the window.
The sun was setting.
Golden light covered the capital.
The bridges glowed.
The ships became silhouettes.
For a moment, the entire city looked like something from a painting.
Beautiful.
Peaceful.
Temporary.
Tomorrow she would leave it behind.
The realization felt heavier than expected.
Not because she loved Aurelis.
She had only been here a short time.
But because it had become the first place in years that offered answers.
The first place that gave her direction.
The first place where someone believed Haruto might truly exist.
The Archivist walked over and handed her the velvet pouch.
Sakura looked down.
The two empty necklaces rested inside.
Waiting.
"You almost forgot these."
Sakura laughed softly.
"That would've been embarrassing."
"Extremely."
The Archivist agreed.
For a moment, all three of them stood by the window.
Watching the sunset.
No mysteries.
No clues.
No questions.
Just silence.
A comfortable one.
Eventually, Rowan cleared his throat.
"Well."
The word immediately sounded dangerous.
Sakura knew him well enough now to recognize that tone.
"What?"
The cartographer grinned.
"When you find him..."
"Oh no."
"...tell him I helped."
Sakura stared.
The grin widened.
"Rowan."
"Yes?"
"You've never met him."
"Details."
The Archivist actually sighed.
A genuine sigh.
Which somehow made the joke even funnier.
For the first time that day, Sakura laughed.
A real laugh.
One that lingered even after the sun disappeared beyond the horizon.
Tomorrow, she would leave Aurelis.
Tomorrow, she would begin the journey north.
And for the first time in years—
she wasn't traveling because she was lost.
She was traveling because she finally had something worth following.