Konnie opened her mouth, then faltered. The words caught in her throat. “…I-I don’t remember.” Her gaze dropped to the floor. “Sorry.”

“Oh, don’t be.” Jade gave her a small pat on the head. “I barely remember half of mine. Maybe it wasn’t that important.” She rose to her feet, stretching her arms.

From the kitchen doorway, Red watched them quietly, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly at Konnie before she disappeared toward her workstation.

Konnie’s eyes followed her, then blinked when Red rummaged through a box.

“Konnie,” Red said flatly, “you should get ready while the water’s still hot. And make sure to leave it out here.”

“Leave what out here?” Konnie asked, only for a towel to smack her face.

“Your clothes.”

“R-right…” Konnie murmured, padding upstairs with quiet steps.

From the kitchen came the sharp hiss of oil on a pan. Red leaned over curiously, spotting Shuzuka at the stove. A small smirk touched her lips before she returned to her desk, opening her book and scribbling at her workstation.

Jade glanced around, frowning. “Wait—where’s my staff?”

From the kitchen, a wooden staff whipped through the air and thunked against her head with a hollow crack. “Next time don’t forget it. You left it outside last night,” Shuzuka called over his shoulder.

Dazed, Jade rubbed her temple, pouting. “You could’ve just handed it to me like a normal person…” she muttered under her breath.

Before long, the smell of food filled the air and everyone gathered at the table. The sound of clattering dishes quieted when a voice came from the doorway.

“Hey, uh…”

All eyes turned to Konnie. She stood there in her new clothes—a vibrant purple caplet without a hood, a matching shirt and pants, the familiar yellow sash tied loosely at her waist with one end hanging free, and a fresh pair of boots.

Shuzuka smirked. “Not bad.”

Red shot him a sidelong look. “Not bad? Hah. I’d say perfect.”

Konnie’s gaze slid to Jade. Jade’s lips curved into a gentle smile. “It looks great, Konnie.”

Konnie’s uncertainty melted into a faint grin. “Thanks.”

“Come on,” Jade added, patting the table. “Before the food gets cold.”

After dinner, Jade grabbed her staff. “I’ll meet you north at the edge of the village. Just need to grab something,” she said, waving before closing the door behind her.

Shuzuka held a coin out toward Akane. The gold shimmered faintly, a flower engraved on its surface.

“What is it?” she asked, tilting her head.

He paused, eyes softening. “It’s from…” A sigh slipped out before a faint smile followed. “My lucky coin. Keeps the owner safe.”

Akane’s eyes widened, clutching it like treasure before throwing her arms around him. Her voice trembled. “Thank you!”

Shuzuka turned his head away, stiff at first. “Yeah… just keep it safe for me. I’ll be back for it.”

Akane giggled, holding the coin tightly to her chest. “Don’t worry! I’ll keep it safe forever!” She looked up with a grin so bright it almost hurt.

For a moment, Shuzuka’s usual composure faltered—eyes widening before he hesitated and placed a hand gently on her head.

At the table, Red pressed a handful of coins and pins into Konnie’s palms. “This should help you for a bit. I doubt Jade knows much about currency outside.”

Konnie cupped them carefully, then walked over to the table to sort them into her pouch. Red watched for a moment, then stepped closer to straighten Konnie’s sash with a quick tug. “Don’t lose track of it,” she murmured.

Shuzuka had already stepped outside, leaving the door open. He waited silently.

Konnie followed, but stopped in the doorframe. She patted her pouches, listening to the clinking, then quickly peeked inside both to check. “Really?” Shuzuka muttered, squinting at her.

“I wanted to make sure,” she said as she hurried up beside him.

“The sound wasn’t enough for you?” His voice carried dry amusement. “At this rate, you’ll check every five steps.”

Konnie chuckled.

From down the road, Akane’s voice rang out: “STAY SAFE!!”

She jumped up and down, waving both arms as high as she could, with Red and Touma standing behind her.

Konnie smiled, waving back softly, while Shuzuka only raised a hand without looking back.

As they walked north toward the giant tree, Konnie glanced at Shuzuka. He said nothing, just kept his quiet stride. She tapped her pouch deliberately.

Without looking at her, Shuzuka smirked.

“I was close. Ten steps.”

Konnie puffed her cheeks and turned away with a pout.

As they neared the edge of the village, Konnie spotted Jade speaking with Camie. She waved, calling out, and Jade turned with a smile, matching the gesture.

“Ah, good—you’re here.” Camie held out a familiar crystal necklace, nearly identical to the one Mitsuki had given. “I assume you know what this is. Normally it points back to the village, but I’ve adjusted it—it should guide you the other way, while throwing the guardians off your trail.”

Shuzuka plucked the necklace from her hand and squinted at it. “It’s giving off more than one type of magic.”

“Exactly,” Camie said, unfazed. “The guardians hunt with both eyes and sensors. The most common are the magic-sensing types. This crystal overwhelms them—they’ll see it as a threat and retreat. Still, don’t treat it as a shield. It’s guidance, nothing more.” She slipped it back into Konnie’s hand.

Camie tapped her lip, turning to Shuzuka. “I didn’t realize there were more than two of you. You’ll have to make do. Since you already seem to understand how it works, I assume you know what to do?”

“I know the way out,” he said flatly.

Her brow arched. “Surely you don’t mean walking in a straight line? Those woods are a maze.”

“It worked once. It’ll work again.”

Camie raised an eyebrow at his flat tone. “Surely you don’t mean walking in a straight line? Those woods are a maze.”

“It worked once. It’ll work again.”

Her lips curved into a knowing smirk. “Then let’s hope your luck holds.” She gave them a last look, then turned away. “Stay safe.”

With that, she disappeared over the hill.

Jade crouched, gathering long grass fibers and braiding them into a thick cord. She reinforced the weave by threading in slim wooden strands, spiraled evenly through the braid to distribute tension. With a steady pulse of magic, the fibers hardened, forming a sturdy rope.

He eyed it, then sighed. “Alright.” He looped the rope around himself and the others, tying it off in a half-hearted knot.

“You’re sure that’s secure?” Jade asked, narrowing her eyes.

“Yeah. It’s fine.” Shuzuka was already staring into the trees, clearly uninterested.

Jade’s lips pressed tight as she caught sight of the sloppy knot. With no time to argue, she took Konnie’s hand and drew a deep breath. Together, the three stepped into the Lost Woods.

The golden daylight behind them bled away, replaced by the glow of bioluminescent foliage. Trees towered endlessly into shadow, their roots twisting into the abyss. The wind hushed, and the forest swallowed all sound.

With no signs of stopping, Shuzuka kept walking ahead. “I’ll go first in case we run into a guardian. Just tell me if we’re still on the right path.”

Silence.

He frowned and turned—only to see the rope slack, the knot having slipped loose. “Tch… damn it.”

Jade’s eyes widened as the tether slid uselessly to the ground. Her grip on Konnie’s hand tightened, her fingers trembling. A nervous laugh escaped her, thin and brittle. “So this is what it feels like… being on the other side, huh?”

Konnie didn’t answer. Her wide eyes fixed on the dark between the trees. Following her gaze, Jade froze.

A tall figure stood half-hidden in the shadows, watching them.