Sunset afterglow.
The squirrel that had been fed by the pink-haired girl now stood on a branch, clutching a small pile of nuts, gnawing away with total concentration. The dark forest was dyed a flowing amber by the setting sun.
It nibbled on a nut, squinting its eyes toward the dirt road at the edge of the forest, gilded gold by the sunset.
Many strange things happened in the forest today.
It couldn’t remember much—only vaguely that a few humans had barged in. The one that left the strongest impression was the pink-haired human.
After they entered the ruins, a huge noise erupted, and many monsters fled from deep within the forest to the outskirts. After that, the humans left too.
Finally, a tiny black-haired human came out of the forest, holding a bright red plush toy, crying softly as she followed the others away.
Human troubles are really hard to understand.
The little squirrel naturally didn’t understand any of this. It just focused on eating the nuts in its paws. In its world, food was more important than anything.
After finishing the nuts, it watched the group of humans climb onto a slowly approaching carriage.
The carriage gradually faded away, disappearing from sight.
Wheels rolled over the stone road, making a rhythmic clatter.
The carriage wasn’t large, but it could comfortably seat four people facing each other. A soft magical lamp hung from the ceiling, its light swaying gently with the carriage’s jolts, casting warm shadows on everyone’s faces.
Yiruo sat by the window.
She watched the scenery slowly recede outside.
Looking down, she held a freshly baked melon bun in both hands, eating it in small bites.
The outer crust of the melon bun was baked crispy, covered with a thin layer of crumbly topping.
The moment she bit into it, a soft crack sounded as the topping shattered between her teeth, followed by her teeth sinking into the soft bread.
Sweet, very soft.
She chewed slowly, her movements careful and focused, like a little squirrel. Yiruo’s eyes slightly narrowed, revealing a hint of contentment.
“Do you know the proper way to eat a melon bun?”
Just then, Elliana couldn’t help asking.
Yiruo looked down at the bread in her hands and shook her head.
“Eat the crispy part first.” Elliana pointed at the topping on the bread. “Then eat the soft part inside.”
“That way you can enjoy both textures evenly.”
Yiruo tried as she said, then slightly widened her eyes.
It really was… delicious.
Elliana raised her head with a little pride, while Yiruo looked at her with a hint of seriousness and subtle admiration.
Across from them, Reya was using a small gadget created by Miss Witch—the “Magic Pastry Dispenser”—to take out a sweet melon bun and eat it in big bites.
Hearing the two discuss the proper way to eat a melon bun, Reya burst out laughing.
“You know, little Yiruo, this isn’t just an ordinary bread~”
Yiruo looked up at her.
“The cake this morning? Elliana made it too~”
Yiruo paused slightly, turning her gaze to Elliana.
“Elliana’s family runs a dessert shop. She’s really good at making these.”
Elliana, being praised like this, shyly turned her head away, cheeks faintly flushing.
“…I made it,” she said softly. “Since my family runs a cake shop, I’ve been making things since I was little.”
After a pause, she added, “I usually prepare everyone’s breakfast too. Sometimes I use bread as a substitute for a meal.”
Yiruo looked at her gentle smile, remembering how she had proactively handed her that breakfast cake back then.
“…Thank you,” she said quietly. “Your cake was really delicious. I liked it a lot.”
Her voice was very soft, almost drowned out by the wheels, but Elliana still heard it.
Her smile grew warmer.
“You don’t need to thank me,” she said. “I think we’re already really good friends now. Making something for a friend is a happy thing.”
She had wanted to say “family,” but at the last moment, she changed it to “friends.”
She was a little worried that Yiruo might not be ready for that kind of relationship yet.
Warmth.
For the first time, Yiruo truly understood that word.
She glanced at Rabi in her arms, then at the two in front of her, as if something was filling her heart.
Just then, her gaze fell on the other side of the carriage.
Yilena was leaning in the corner, legs crossed, a thick white magic book open on her lap.
The book had a dark blue leather cover, slightly worn, with yellowed pages densely filled with text and occasionally interspersed with complex magic circle patterns.
She was looking down, her pink hair falling from her shoulders, covering half her face. Those usually mischievous eyes were now unusually focused.
Reya leaned over and whispered, “Miss Witch loves reading these white magic books. Once she gets into it, she’s like this.”
Yiruo nodded.
Just then—
“Whoa—!”
The coachman’s shout came from outside the carriage, followed by the horses’ neighing and the wheels gradually stopping.
The carriage gave a slight lurch.
The door was knocked.
“Adventurer ladies inside—” the coachman’s hearty voice rang out, “We’ve arrived!”
Yiruo pushed open the door and stuck her head out.
The night wind hit her face, carrying a scent completely different from the forest—a mix of cooking smoke and food aromas, full of the atmosphere of daily life.
Herlia City.
A remote but lively small town where people of various races lived together in harmony.
Yilena closed her book and gently pulled out a piece of parchment tucked between the pages, waving her hand casually. The paper dissolved into motes of light and vanished into the air.
“For the rest of the way, we’ll walk back slowly.”
Elliana and Reya stayed behind to pay the fare, while Yiruo stood in place, surveying her surroundings.
The streets were paved with neat stone slabs, with lampposts set at intervals on both sides.
She paused slightly.
What glowed on the lampposts wasn’t magic, but a transparent spherical lampshade emitting a warm orange light.
“That’s electricity~” Yilena walked up beside her and explained with a smile. “They used to use electro-gems, but now they can harness that energy directly.”
Electricity.
The word left a vague impression in Yiruo’s mind.
In the distance came lively sounds from restaurants still open. Through the windows, she could see people sitting together, eating steaming food, chatting and laughing.
She was a little lost.
This was a world she had never seen before.
“Come on, little Yiruo~” Yilena gently patted her head.
Yiruo snapped back to reality and followed their lead.
The four walked slowly along the street.
Yilena took the lead, her pink hair especially noticeable under the lights.
Elliana and Reya chatted quietly behind, while Yiruo held Rabi, her gaze constantly sweeping around.
Suddenly, her attention was caught by a shop.
A sign hung by the door: “Fortune-telling.”
She hesitated for a moment, then finally looked away.
Just then—
“Meow.”
A faint cat cry came from a nearby alley.
Yiruo instinctively turned.
In the dim depths of the alley, a black cat sat silently.
It was tiny, almost merging with the shadows, but its deep blue eyes stood out sharply.
It didn’t move, like a statue.
But Yiruo could feel it—it was looking at her.
She was about to walk over, but the black cat turned and disappeared into the darkness.
“Little Yiruo?” Reya’s voice came from behind. “What’s wrong?”
“…Nothing.”
She withdrew her gaze and rejoined the group.
But those deep blue cat eyes left a deep impression in her mind.
As if they saw through something.
“Here we are~”
Yilena stopped in front of a two-story café.
Through the display window, small tables with checkered tablecloths, soft sofas, and a neat row of countertops could be seen.
A hand-painted sign hung by the door:
[Reywonaer · The Witch’s Respite]
This was Yilena’s “home.”
Yiruo looked up at the sign swaying gently in the night breeze, then at the warm light flowing through the windows.
“Go on in~” Reya gave her a gentle push from behind.
In her arms, Rabi nuzzled softly against her arm.
“…Mm.”
She answered quietly, took a deep breath.
Then stepped forward.
Pushed open the door.
A wind chime rang—
Clear and gentle, like a silent welcome.