There were sixteen expedition members in total— eighteen if Flone and Little Chick were included. The group borrowed three carriages to comfortably seat everyone.

The carriages were waiting for them near the castle gate.

After Seol Jihu directed Agnes, Kazuki, and Hoshino Urara to separate carriages, he himself headed for the first carriage.

"Representative."

Just as he opened the door and was about to get aboard, Kazuki called out to Seol Jihu.

"Yes?"

"There…."

Kazuki pointed towards a certain direction with his finger. Seol Jihu reflexively followed the finger before tilting his head.

Kazuki’s finger pointed towards an alley covered in the morning fog, but Seol Jihu couldn’t see anything that was out of place.

"What about there?"

"Hmm…."

Kazuki paused for a second before shaking his head.

"Nevermind. It was nothing.”

"Should we check it out?”

"I don’t think there’s a need to delay our departure to investigate it. I must have been mistaken.”

"That’s new. For Mister Kazuki to make mistakes.”

"Perhaps I’m a little nervous. Sorry.”

Seol Jihu shrugged his shoulders before boarding the carriage.

Kazuki gazed at the alley for a few more seconds before quietly getting in and closing the door behind him.

A moment later, the carriages began to move at the sound of the coachmen’s whips.

The three carriages passed through the gates and quickly disappeared beyond the white fog.

And then.

"…"

When the last carriage was out of sight, a person appeared from the alley. It was a small girl wearing a hood over her blond hair that spilled over her shoulders.

The girl walked out of the alley.

She silently stood at the place where Seol Jihu and Kazuki had exchanged their conversation. The girl repeatedly opened and closed her lips as if in regret, but no words came...