The sun was sinking behind the rooftops of the small town, painting the sky in streaks of orange and purple—almost hopeful shades, or at least less horrible than my headache.

Jonka didn’t give me much room to argue.

“You’re not walking back alone,” she declared, gripping my arm firmly. “I don’t trust your ability not to pass out halfway there.”

I muttered something, but I knew she was right. Or at least not worth arguing with.

Every step felt like a reminder that I should be in bed—not pretending I could walk in a straight line.

We wandered through the quiet streets, a few locals throwing curious glances our way. Two strangers in a forgotten town. Jonka kept fiddling with the frog hat on my head while I tried to wear the expression of someone who hadn’t just gotten his ass kicked by a tree.

“So, this whole fighting magic branches thing… You gonna explain that someday?” she asked, half teasing, half genuine.

“Maybe when I’m less… dying,” I replied, gently pressing my temples.

The conversation flowed easily—oddly comforting after the chaos. She talked about the town, the neighbors, stories from the market stalls, like she was trying to show me that this place had meaning. That it could anchor someone.

“That stuff about being a princess from Berimen…”

“What about it?”

“Nothing…” I felt dumb even bringing it up.

“You don’t believe me, huh?”

“Do I have to answer that?”

She sighed.

“We’re not from here, Hat. Even if you don’t believe it. But that’s a secret.”

“A secret? Why are you telling me so many of those?”

“You seem… like me.”

Ouch.

That one stung more than if she’d punched me.

“What do you mean by that?” I narrowed my eyes. “Depending on your answer, you may have just made an enemy of the royal family.”

She laughed. “You’ve got a lot of secrets. I can see it. That’s why I believe you.”

“Oh…”

Silence.

But then she smiled again, still missing a tooth.

The street leading to the inn was narrow and smelled of old bread and smoke. Almost cozy. Almost.

The lights were starting to flicker on, casting little circles of warmth in the growing dark.

Jonka stopped in front of the inn, that same mysterious smile on her face.

“This is your stop,” she said, flicking my forehead. “Bring the book back tomorrow.”

“…What?!” So she knew I took it.

“Bye, Froggy! Hope we meet again sometime…” she said with a laugh that sounded like she didn’t expect we would.

“Hey!” I tried to swat her hand away, but she was already gone—vanishing into the night like things that sneak in quietly and leave before you realize they mattered.

I stood there, letting the silence wrap around me.

When I looked up at the inn, someone was at the window of my room.

It had to be Marty. He was the only one traveling with me tonight.

I sighed.

“Great. Just what I needed. My favorite stalker friend.”

I stepped inside and climbed the stairs while the usual comments followed:

“What’s a kid like that doing out this late?”

“Where are his parents?”

When I opened the door to my room, Marty was sitting on the bed, facing the door. He didn’t even pretend he hadn’t been waiting.

But his face… he looked disappointed?

“Where were you, Hat?”

“I just… went out for some air.”

“All day?”

“Okay, fine. Some things came up. That’s all.”

“Oh yes, ‘some things.’ Let me guess—‘some things’ with feminine traits?”

“…What?”

He sighed, getting up and walking to the window like he was carrying the weight of my sins on his shoulders.

“Don’t play dumb… and to think I promised Tarmellon—”

“Promised what?”

“That I wouldn’t let your wild, primitive instincts go unchecked!” he said dramatically, hands to his head.

“Idiot…”

“Listen to me, Hat.”

He crouched down in front of me, gripping my shoulders with that intense, over-serious stare of his.

“You have a huge responsibility now.”

“…What responsibility?”

“The sacred duty of a man toward a woman! But I won’t allow it! You’re too young. Your future lies in sitting in a chair, writing books at the Ivylin city magic academy. That’s true glory! That is your destiny! No girlfriends!”

I couldn’t tell if he was cursing me, advising me, or just screwing with me.

“Hold on… you’ve got it all wrong. She’s just a… a…”

“A…?”

Honestly, I had no idea how to describe her.

Friend? Too soon.

Acquaintance? I barely knew her.

“A homeless kid I decided to help! You know, out of my overwhelming kindness—”

He stood and returned to his usual blank expression.

“No, you’re definitely not kind. But at least you reminded me that someone like you would never have a girlfriend.”

That… hurt.

But honestly, maybe that was the best-case scenario.

“Oh, by the way. I ‘found’ this. Thought it might be useful.”

I pulled the book out from where I’d been hiding it in my clothes.

Marty looked down at it.

His eyes widened.

“…Impossible.”