Published: February 1, 2026
Rizel, having awakened from sleep, buried her face into the pillow with a hazy mind.
The time was probably earlier than usual. She was still sleepy but felt like she could get up.
While pondering what to do, she nuzzled against the smooth pillow and suddenly noticed the texture was different than usual. It was thinner and a bit firmer. However, it wasn’t uncomfortable, so she slowly lifted her head.
“...”
She opened her eyes slightly and looked down at the pillow, drifting off for a few seconds.
Her view was partially blocked by flowing hair as she turned towards the sheets, but when she shifted her gaze toward the window, she saw an empty bed and a door a little further away. For a moment, she lost track of which way she had been lying, but her waking thoughts finally arrived at the correct answer.
“(That’s Sars.)”
Yesterday evening, or rather just before nightfall.
She had managed to reach Sars before the gates closed. Although entering the country involved the usual misunderstandings and some delays against her will, she had successfully set foot inside.
By that time, it was completely dark outside, so she had gone straight to the inn without doing any sightseeing.
“Mm...”
She sat up and tucked her hair behind her ears.
Looking around, her feet instinctively moved to get off the bed, but then she paused and placed them in the opposite direction. She stood up and shivered slightly. The mornings in Sars were chilly.
Rizel decided to quickly get dressed and began preparing herself efficiently.
“(I wonder if the other two... went out.)”
They were sharing a triple room.
Although a single room would be easier, they didn’t particularly dislike the triple. The three of them accepted the assigned room without any special thoughts. They no longer held grudges about not being able to relax when spending time together, nor were they the type to fuss over other people’s presence.
Wearing her usual clothes for the Capital City, she thought for a moment before putting on a thin jacket and left the room. The room was far from the stairs, so she passed doors likely occupied by other guests and headed to the stairs.
“Oh, you’re up early. Good morning.”
“Good morning, Grandmother.”
Rizel smiled kindly at the elderly woman whose face was lined with wrinkles but radiated warmth.
This woman was the landlady of the inn—and also the mother of the landlady in the Capital City (Parteda). Thanks to her connections, the inn had been recommended, and arrangements had been made, making last night’s lodging smooth.
“Shall we have breakfast? You only had a light meal yesterday, so you must be hungry.”
“Please, I’d love that.”
“I’ll prepare it right away.”
Rizel smiled, amused, and the woman laughed softly, her slightly curly white hair swaying. Her bent back and slender frame showed her age, but her steps as she turned away didn’t betray any frailty.
Strangely, her back reminded Rizel of the landlady from the Capital City. Smiling slightly, Rizel opened the dining room door.
Since she was tired yesterday, she only had a light snack and hadn’t really looked around much, but the dining room was small with just two tables to match the two guest rooms.
Still, large windows prevented any sense of confinement and the space had a surprisingly calming atmosphere. She noticed an unused fireplace in a corner and guessed that winters might be quite cold here, so she sat by the window nearby.
She then turned her gaze outside the window, which overlooked what seemed to be a courtyard. By the way, this was the second floor.
“Ha ha! That brat from before has really grown up just like I expected!”
“You’ve gotten weaker, old man.”
“No way, he’s strong! The old man’s seriously strong!!”
A one-armed veteran elder wielded a sword, fighting against beloved party members.
They probably weren’t fighting seriously. Jill and Eleven swung their swords at a speed the old man could handle. Still, the elder who continued to face both of them and laughed heartily while swinging his longsword was quite a mystery.