“Huh? At a time like this you’re still sleeping… hurry and get up!”
Lian shook Iyue’s arm and pulled away the hat covering her face. Iyue only glanced at her before closing her eyes again.
“This is exactly the kind of time to sleep. I traveled all day, and the horse got scared off by those gunshots and explosions earlier. It’s pitch black outside and raining… don’t tell me you expect me to carry you and run all the way to Cyrus using magic power?”
“…Can’t you?”
“Are you trying to exhaust me to death?” Iyue flicked her forehead, then snatched the hat back and covered her face again.
“Haste makes waste. Didn’t you wake up early this morning? And you were carried around in a sack by those two Demon Race members all day—you need proper rest too.”
After saying that, Iyue turned over, facing the other side of the tent.
“Hey, hey… honestly!”
“Stop whining. Go to sleep. Or what, you already have a family now and still need your big sister to lull you to sleep like before?”
Hearing this, the anxious Lian immediately recalled some extremely embarrassing memories.
“N-no need! Let’s rest—tomorrow morning we set out!”
Blushing, she lay down on the other side of the tent. After hearing her settle down obediently, Iyue picked out a dry wool blanket from the pile of supplies and tossed it over to her.
“That’s more like it, my good little brother Lian En. Though now, I suppose I should call you little sister Xiao Lian instead?”
Hearing Iyue’s teasing, Lian angrily wrapped the blanket around her head.
Although she was very unwilling to just close her eyes and sleep, reality soon proved Iyue right.
Since waking up, she had kept her mind in a state of intense focus, listening to every movement outside the sack—especially now, when she couldn’t enhance her senses with magic power.
This had actually drained her mentally. Wrapped in the blanket, she soon grew drowsy from the familiar warmth and the soft patter of rain outside the tent, gradually drifting into sleep.
“…Honestly, you’re still the same child who makes people worry.”
Hearing Lian’s breathing become steady, Iyue turned over to look at her.
The blanket she had given Lian had been warmed beforehand with magic power.
In the past, during those nights when they had no choice but to camp outside in cold and damp conditions, she would always prepare something like this for her.
Looking at Lian’s face, Iyue suddenly felt as if she had returned to the past.
During that journey to save the world, there must have been many times—more than once—when she had watched over this child who didn’t know how to take care of herself.
…My little brother Lian En. I never thought I would truly see you again…
She reached out and gently stroked Lian’s hair, filled with emotion.
Lian slept deeply. Her brows had been slightly furrowed, but after Iyue touched her, they slowly relaxed.
Iyue felt her eyes grow moist.
As a high elf with a long lifespan, she had experienced far too many unforgettable partings of life and death. But most of them, she had expected or prepared herself for.
Only Lian’s sudden disappearance had been different.
Over the past dozen years searching for the Relic, she had traveled across nearly the entire continent.
Every time she arrived at a new village or city, she would ask the locals about the Hero’s whereabouts.
Just like with clues about the Relic, Iyue would chase any hint about Lian, no matter how uncertain… yet every time, her hopes were disappointed.
She believed she had never given up.
No matter how many failures she endured, she always believed Lian wouldn’t just vanish without a word… but from a certain year onward, when she arrived in new places, she no longer asked about the Hero.
“…Honestly… you made me search for so long. But the fact that you came back… that’s really wonderful.”
Iyue wiped her tears and smiled.
Lian heard a melodious and wistful flute-like sound.
She lifted her head and found herself back in that dim forest.
Sunlight filtered down but could not pierce the canopy, leaving only scattered patches of light on the ground.
Walking through the forest, Lian quickly remembered—this was the Darkwood Sea, the dwelling place of the elves.
She had come here to find a suitable scout for the newly formed Brave’s Party.
It was said this person was the most outstanding archer of the Fairy Race in five hundred years, from a prestigious family that had served the Elven Royal Family for generations.
Yet she did not live in the elven capital built among ancient trees, but instead in a simple, humble wooden house on the outskirts of the forest.
The sound was not coming from the house.
So Lian circled around and followed the melody deeper into the woods… until she saw an elven girl sitting on a thick branch of a towering tree.
She wore green and white light armor, her long hair flowing like molten gold.
A longbow carved from ancient wood rested on her back, and she held a leaf to her lips, gently playing it.
At the base of the tree stood a small grave marker.
As Lian approached, the music abruptly stopped.
“What is a human doing here?”
An arrow struck the ground just an inch in front of her as a warning.
Lian looked up to see the elven girl already drawing her next arrow, her voice cold and detached.
This was the first meeting between the Hero and the ranger—Lian and Iyue.
“…Mm… mm…”
Lian softly snored.
“Wake up, sleepyhead.”
“Mm… mmm…”
Then her face was sharply poked. She opened her eyes to find Iyue propping her chin up, smiling at her.
“Is it already morning…?”
“Yes.”
The smile on Iyue’s face grew wider, her eyes filled with a strange fondness.
“W-why are you staring at me like that?”
Lian felt uneasy under her gaze.
“Oh, can I make a request?”
“What?”
That smile was becoming more and more suspicious.
“Let big sister Iyue rub your cheeks a little.”
“W-what are you saying?!”
The request instantly startled Lian fully awake. She shrank back, only to bump into the tarp at the edge of the tent.
“Come on, just let me. Your face is even softer than little Milin’s… just like a daughter indeed.”
As Lian retreated, Iyue moved closer, reaching out with mischievous intent.
“I’m warning you, don’t come any closer! I-I’m getting up!”
Lian tried to crawl out of the tent but was grabbed by the wrist. The next moment, she was pulled into Iyue’s embrace and had her cheeks relentlessly rubbed—
“Let go of me, you old woman! My ears are getting squished! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!”
“You still dare call me an old woman… do you think I’ll let you off? I’m going to make up for all the frustration of not finding you for over a decade—and all the regret of not being able to pinch little Milin’s cheeks—by taking it all out on you!”
“Help—someone help—!”
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