As dusk approached, Iyue and her horse entered a pine forest.
The terrain here leveled out, and a drizzling rain fell from the sky.
Tall pines stood amidst the evening rain, the path beneath them carpeted with brownish-yellow pine needles shed during late autumn.
This was the lower reaches of the Songlin River in Northern Elancia, a pine forest born along the water.
Rain fell diagonally, creating a continuous rustling sound among the trees.
Hooves stepped through the soft, damp mud, splashing dark droplets.
Even through the misty rain, the low rush of the river was audible nearby. Iyue knew that by following this river, she would reach Melia’s Farm in about a day.
But she also heard her horse’s heavy breathing.
For the past few hours, she had pushed it to gallop at full speed repeatedly—now it was clearly exhausted.
Its pace slowed, its head drooped slightly, and a mix of rain and sweat dripped from its mane.
“Good work.”
Iyue reached out to pat its neck before dismounting.
She was in a hurry, but she knew she could not push the horse any further.
The bad weather and uneven ground in the pine forest would only increase its burden.
As the temperature dropped into the night, its condition would only worsen.
She had to find a place to rest. Leading her horse into the woods off the road, she looked around.
Her gaze soon locked onto a slightly elevated clearing near the riverbed but away from the water.
The pines there were sparse, and the ground was clean and unlikely to pool water—a good spot for camp.
‘Wait, is that… the light of a campfire?’
In the twilight, the smoke and light from a bonfire were particularly striking.
She rested her hand on her holster and approached with her horse.
Iyue paused. She looked toward the light—in the center of the clearing, two young girls were busy around a small bonfire.
One was bowing her head to add wood to the fire, rain dripping from her cloak; the other was using branches and a tarp to build a rain shelter over the flames.
A small camping tent stood behind them.
The firelight illuminated the girls’ pale profiles.
They heard the noise and looked up almost simultaneously.
In that brief silence, only the sound of rain and the crackling of the fire intertwined.
Iyue stood in the shadows, her hat brim pulled low. She first confirmed there were no other presences before leading her horse forward a step.
“Sorry to disturb you,” she said, discreetly moving her hand away from her holster. “My horse can’t go any further. May I rest at your camp for a while?”
Under the firelight, the two girls exchanged a look.
Iyue noticed their gaze lacked the relaxation common in travelers, yet there was no overt hostility—instead, there was a significant degree of caution, as if they were long accustomed to being approached by passersby.
One look at the bonfire and camp site told her these two were veterans of wilderness survival, just like her.
But they looked to be only seventeen or eighteen… Did they have such rich travel experience at such a young age?
Iyue looked at the two young faces, held tight under the firelight, and sighed in her heart.
‘It has been so many years since the war ended, yet those wandering the roads are still such young children…’
While her thoughts churned, the white-haired girl spoke first. Her voice was cold and calm.
“This place isn’t suitable for more people. Please look elsewhere.”
While habitually scanning their hands, shoulders, and stances, Iyue had confirmed they carried no firearms.
Instead, each had a sword at her waist and a dagger on her belt.
Traveling with only cold weapons suggested high confidence in their skills.
No third person was hidden behind them.
Iyue had seen many such travelers, though usually older.
She also noticed something unique—the girl speaking to her had pure white hair.
It shimmered slightly in the firelight, sliding along the edge of her cloak.
Such hair color was rare on the continent. It either belonged to a rare bloodline or race, or it was the result of a disease or curse.
Iyue’s expression didn’t change, but her mind grew wary.
As she observed them, she noticed the other girl—a black-haired one with a scarf around her neck—was sizing her up with a similar gaze.
Her judgment was practiced—first the horse, then the rain-stained boots, and finally the holster at her waist.
“She’s not lying, Selene,” the black-haired girl whispered. “Her horse really can’t go on. And she’s alone.”
The white-haired girl fell silent for a moment, her gaze lingering on Iyue—specifically on the emerald eyes and the pointed ears of an Elf revealed under her hat.
Finally, she gave a slight nod but added a condition.
“You can stay by our fire. But you must pitch your own tent and keep your distance from us.”
This was a reasonable request for meeting on the road. Iyue immediately agreed.
“Of course. I’ll only stay one night and leave at dawn.”
The two girls nodded and returned to their tasks.
Iyue led her horse a few paces away to a leeward spot.
She cleared away the pine needles and pulled a roll of tarp from her bag.
Using the tarp and nearby branches, she quickly erected a simple tent.
Rain slid off the tarp, forming small trickles on the ground.
Afterward, she led her horse back to the fire. The girls had finished setting up the shelter.
“Can I tie my horse near the fire? Also, I’d like to use your flames,” Iyue asked. “I’ll pay. Is a gold coin from the Holy Nation acceptable?”
She produced a gold coin stamped with the current Pope’s profile.
As the largest country, the gold coins of the Theocracy of Serandor held value nearly everywhere.
However, the black-haired girl looked coldly at the valuable coin, showing no greed.
“No money needed. Use it if you want. Besides, the amount you’re offering is way too much for borrowing a fire—this coin is enough to stay at a high-end hotel in any city for several days. Do you think we’re bandits?”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to test you. My horse and I truly need the rest… and I’m in a hurry.”
‘I didn’t mean to test you’—this was a lie. But Iyue kept her voice and expression as sincere as possible.
“It doesn’t matter if we take it. She’s giving it voluntarily anyway,” the white-haired girl remarked.
“No,” the black-haired girl refused flatly.
“…You’re as rigid as ever.”
With their permission, Iyue tied the horse, removed the saddle, and calmed it with a few words before sitting by the fire.
She took an oil-paper package from her bag—fish she had caught in the shallows earlier.
She skewered the fish on a branch to roast it evenly.
She took a seasoning bottle from her pouch to flavor the fish.
As she did, she noticed the black-haired girl staring at the roasting fish with shining eyes.
“Wait… I’ll give you some when it’s done,” Iyue said to her.
“Then I won’t refuse!”
The girl who had been unmoved by the large sum of money immediately sat upright by the fire.
She stared intently at the fish, and Iyue heard her stomach growl.
“Oh… how embarrassing. Luc, didn’t I tell you not to eat things given by strangers?”
The white-haired girl sighed, resting her head on her hand while sitting on a nearby log.
“It’s fine. Just a little…”
The drizzle continued, and a low cry from an unknown creature echoed through the pine forest.
The distance between the strangers narrowed slightly—but only for Iyue and the black-haired girl.
The white-haired girl remained at the edge of the light, her back straight, keeping a watchful eye on Iyue while occasionally glancing toward their tent.