Having resolved the matter with the nameless baron—whose name, frankly, was of no to them—Aris and her paniouro their inn.

  As fate would have it, Farkonia had just arrived as well.

  “What’s with that wistful look on your face?” Misako asked, scrutinizing Farkonia's expression with a raised eyebrow.

  “It’s nothing,” Farkonia replied, shaking her head. “I simply entered someone I onew.”

  “I see...” Misako couldn’t quite pce why, but a faint sense of uirred within her.

  “Enough about me,” Farkonia deflected smoothly. “What have you all been up to?”

  Misako, never oo mince words, unched into an expnation. “We dealt with the orchestrator behind the chaos. That ‘something’ turned out to be a baron pulling strings from the shadows.”

  At her words, Farkonia’s gaze darkehe por cup in her hand shattered with a sharp crack, pieces scattering across the table as her grip tightened.

  “Where is he?” Her voice was low ahing.

  “Turned over to the city lord. They’re pnning to follow Imperial w for his punishment,” Misako replied calmly.

  “And unishment might that be?”

  At that moment, Sisi and the others emerged from behind Misako, curiosity lighting their faces.

  “The noble who supported the plot has been hao the Emperor for senteng,” Misako expined.

  “Ah… In that case, there’s little to worry about. While I would’ve preferred to deal with him personally, the Emperor’s justice should suffice,” Farkonia said, albeit begrudgingly.

  “Emperor of tus is said to be a fair man, is he not?” Sisi inquired, tilting her head.

  The history of the tus Empire spanned turies. Even before the war, Misako, and Farkonia had been sealed away, cut off from the world for over five hundred years. Yet, the pace’s reputation for uncorrupted governance had surprisingly endured.

  “From the loads of information I gathered so far, the current Emperor is known for his fairness, so yes,” Misako firmed. “Although word has it that he’s preparing to abdicate in favor of the First Prince. As for the prince’s character? That remains to be seen. Still, given the Emperor’s duct, his heir should follow suit.”

  “Speaking of which,” Misako begaone shifting, “I’m pnning to head to the Imperial Capital.”

  “To the capital? For urpose?” Farkonia asked, intrigued.

  “We uncovered numerous victims—both magical creatures and non-human races—in that baron’s underground chambers. To aid them, I io seek the assistance of the Alliance of All Living Things.”

  “The Alliance of All Living Things? I’ve heard of them,” Mira chimed in, recalling her days at the academy. “They’d often host campaigns to promote their cause. Not as rge as the other dozens anizations like White Witch Church or the Witch’s , but still signifit.”

  “Ihough the church views them as an affront,” Aris remarked, her quiet voice carrying an edge.

  The Holy Light Church, infamous for its disdain of non-human races, was staunchly opposed to the alliance's ethos of harmony among all species. The alliance's reje by the church was, ironically, a testament to its ideals.

  “Miss Misako pns to visit the capital? t me in!” said Marlyno with a determined grin.

  “Perfect! I’ve been wanting to see that bastard’s senteng myself. It’ll soothe the sting of not being able to bst him to pieces with magic,” added Veridith, crag her knuckles.

  Thus, Marlyno and her group resolved to apany Misako.

  As for Farkonia and his panions?

  “We’ve lingered here long enough,” Farkonia said with a faint smile. “Might as well head to the capital too.”

  “Hm? It’s only been a few days, but it feels as if weeks have passed,” Veridith remarked wryly.

  “Pu!” ughed Pupu in agreement, clearly eager to tag along.

  “I’ve no objes,” Aris added softly. For her, staying with Farkonia and Misako was not merely a prefere an unspoken promise she was determio uphold.

  “By the way, where are Elyssa and Diana?” Marlyno suddenly asked, her question hanging in the air.

  “When Mira was napping on your back, I caught a glimpse of Elyssa dragging Diana into their room,” Misako replied nontly. “Haven’t heard a peep since.”

  “…Sleeping, perhaps?” Marlyured.

  “Likely,” Misako said with a smirk that suggested she suspected otherwise.

  Drawing from her vast trove of knowledge acquired from otherworldly manga and novels, Misako could guess with unnerving accuracy what might have transpired. The se practically wrote itself.

  ‘Who would’ve thought? Turns out D and S roles are reversed… Reality truly doesn’t disappoint.’

  As luck would have it, Elyssa and Diana chose that precise moment to emerge from their room.

  “Oh-ho~ All done, are we?” Misako teased, her smile full of mischief.

  “Done… Wait, what!?” Elyssa stammered, her posure crag before she hastily backtracked.

  “Holy, I thought the first time would take longer. I figured we wouldn’t see you for days,” Misako tinued, resting her on her hand with a sly grin.

  “You—you i—! No, wait!” Elyssa’s flustered retort only deepehe group’s amusement.

  Diana, for her part, stood behind Elyssa, trembling slightly, her face flushed a vivid scarlet. She g to Elyssa’s shoulder, her breaths uneven. She looked utterly u unmistakably healthy.

  “Moving on,” Misako interrupted, sensing the ain focus. “We’re heading to the capital. Are you two ing along?”

  “Wherever Elyssa goes, I follow,” Diana decred dreamily, her words earning a horrified look from Elyssa.

  “You…! Do you have any idea what you’re—!”

  “Right then!” Elyssa cut in abruptly, her cheeks burning. “If she’s decided, then we’re going with you.”

  “Splendid,” Misako said with a chuckle. “The city lord’s given us a fast pass through the teleportation gates. o queue.”

  And so, after a few short yet strangely enduring days iown, the group began preparations for their jouro the Imperial Capital.