Aya began to suspect that she had activated some kind of stealth or quantum state, and that she had to establish some kind of connection with these people in order to be noticed, such as by initiating a conversation. Otherwise, why would everyone ignore her when she stood there for so long? At first, she tried intentionally chewing the dried sweet potato loudly to give them a hint, but they didn't even look her way, which was unbearable. It seemed that she had to speak up directly.

"Hey! Wait a minute, where did you come from?"

Finally, they took notice.

"Why did you steal our food?" angrily shouted the boy lying on the ground.

So that's what they were concerned about?!

"I was a little hungry and happened to smell the food next door, so I took a little," Aya calmly swallowed the last piece of dried sweet potato in front of their strange gazes, breathed a long sigh, and said, "Is that the only question you have for me?"

"What do you mean 'only'? Aren't you indifferent about stealing?"

"Not really, it's just that in the castle we used to take directly from the kitchen, so I'm used to it—by the way, isn't it fair for you to offer me a little food as a reward for rescuing your friend?"

Aya said somewhat disappointedly.

"What did you say about rescuing the young lady—huh?"

Upon hearing Aya's last sentence, the others finally reacted and almost simultaneously turned their astonished gazes towards her.

So, their reflexes are as slow as going around the earth, huh?

"If there's nothing else for the time being, would you mind if I go find something to eat before Kazuki comes in?" Since waking up on the airship, Aya hadn't eaten anything, and now she was starving both mentally and physically.

"Hold on a sec!"

The boy on the ground raised his head to look at Aya, but his tone was no longer so aggressive. "Did you really save Miss Kazuki?"

"If you're talking about the person outside," Aya nodded.

Thinking back carefully, it seemed like only Aya could have done it. After all, according to the original situation, Haiki Town was completely controlled by the Great Priest and the Flowing Rock, and even Kazuki herself understood that rescue was almost impossible.

"We apologize for not noticing you earlier." The young man who had originally pointed his bow at Aya gestured to his companion and bowed respectfully to Aya. "If you truly rescued Miss Kazuki, we are extremely grateful."

"Wait a minute, Hunter-niisan!" The boy shouted, "We still don't know if this person is a spy sent by the Flowing Rock! And does she look like someone who can single-handedly rescue Miss Kazuki?!"

The boy continued to rant—could you please stay in one place and stop squirming around like a tapeworm? It's disgusting!

Aya felt her scalp tingling as she stared at the boy. Kids like him at this age are really troublesome. Although, considering her age based on Dragon's timeline, she's just a child too.

But he's not wrong. Her outfit really lacked credibility...

"Longjing, it was indeed Mr. Aya who rescued me from the town."

Kazuki walked in from the cave entrance, and Soya, who had calmed down and regained a composed expression, followed behind Kazuki at a half-length distance, holding a long knife.

"And now, I want to formally greet everyone and assure you that there's no need to worry anymore. I have indeed returned."

The girl smiled calmly and gently, her hands folded in front of her as she deeply bowed.

"In short, it's the best news that Miss Xuanzi can come back."

"Hahaha, it seems that Miss Shuoya is the happiest one after all? Although she has been stopping us from saving you, she actually wanted to go the most."

The atmosphere in the cave completely broke free from the recent cold and depression, and became warm again.

The only one who couldn't figure out the situation was Aya. After a hero's appearance, she had been following her instincts all the way. The reason for all this was that she followed the belief of "beautiful girls are justice" and chose to save Xuanzi instead of assisting the old man on the other side.

It's just like some annoying galgame, where you have to make a choice between thundering from the beginning, and if you choose wrong, it's an instant game over.

Although the situation looks okay for now, I can't be completely sure which path I chose.

Noticing Aya's confused expression, Xuanzi came to Aya and said, "Let's complete part of the agreement with Mr. Aya first."

Oh, is it finally here? The background introduction of the mission? Aya has completely treated the situation here as a side quest like in Mist Swamp.

Hai Xi Town is a seaside town under the jurisdiction of the Morning Sun Country. If you have to say what is special about it, it is its geographical location, which is in the extreme east of the Morning Sun Country's territory, the first land to welcome the morning sun.

The Hiragi family has been the noble family governing this town for generations. Compared to those big nobles who are rooted in prosperous areas and always think about power and profit, the noble families in places like Hiragi are relatively "humble".

Continuing for several generations, they quietly developed Hai Xi Town while being in a corner. Although they have not done anything that will be remembered for eternity, they can still justify themselves to their people.

Until the death of Xuanzi's father, Kawashii.

Hiragi was a bit special in this generation. In the past, each head of the family, who was also the manager of Hai Xi Town, was always a man. However, among Kawashii's two children, Xuanzi, as the older sister, was obviously more capable and better at dealing with people than Iwari, to the extent that she could handle some tasks as Kawashii's deputy at a young age.

Although according to the tradition of the Morning Sun Country, Iwari should succeed Kawashii, for the sake of the residents of Hai Xi Town, Kawashii finally decided to pass this position to Xuanzi.

"So your little brother staged a coup and captured you because he couldn't accept it? He sounds like quite a little brother." Aya commented, rubbing her chin, and then frowned, "But wait, you said that you are more capable and prestigious than that guy? Why did he overthrow you?"

"Tsk, it's all because of that bastard—" Ryokoji gnashed his teeth, as if he wanted to bite someone.

By the way, why are you still tied up?

"Ryokoji, let me finish," Xuanzi stopped Ryokoji, lightly caressed her chest with her left hand, and looked somewhat helpless, "Because what they said is true, I did attempt to assassinate the High Priest."

"...Oh." Aya blinked her eyes for a moment, then tentatively responded.

"Why are you reacting like this! That's the High Priest!" Ryokoji couldn't help but shout, and the eyes of everyone else except him looking at Aya were quite amazed.

"So why should I be surprised..." Aya scratched her head, unable to understand. Who is the High Priest?

"Um, I almost forgot that Mr. Aya is an outsider." Xuanzi smiled apologetically, "Mr. Aya, do you remember the dark figures you encountered on the way here?"

"I do remember, but what does that have to do with what you said earlier?"

"In a sense, it is quite significant," Xuanzi said, "The Dark Forms were once cataclysmic beings that dominated the entire Dawn Empire."

"What?"

Hold on, let's put aside everything else for a moment. Are you saying that the dark elemental creatures were the disaster that ruled the whole country? This is just too outrageous!

Indeed, elemental creatures are quite powerful in combat, but their strength lies purely in their elemental form. And pure elements bring forth another problem.

The restraint relationship is very clear.

For example, these dark elemental creatures, although it's unknown why they naturally spawn, the ones we encountered before couldn't withstand even an hour after the sun rose. They would completely disintegrate, even more extreme than the blood clan.

"So are you saying you're certain that these things can become a natural disaster?"

Aya looked at Xuanzi with a skeptical eye, only to find everyone around him looking at him with even more amazed expressions. Hey, what are they doing? Don't make it seem like I'm the abnormal one.

"Mr. Aya..." Xuanzi pondered for a moment before speaking, "At first, when you mentioned that you're an outsider, I had some doubts. But now, it seems that you're not just an outsider to the Dawn Empire."

"...Huh?"

It took Aya five seconds to understand what Xuanzi meant, but he still couldn't figure it out in the end.

"What you mean is, as long as dawn arrives, the Dark Forms will be completely wiped out?"

"Isn't it like that?" Don't scare me, the balance between attributes is a natural law.

"No, the Dark Forms...based on the experience of the Dawn Chasers who have fought against them for many years, they indeed get weakened by light, that's without a doubt. But the problem is..."

Shuoye spoke up, "Dawn will not come. The sun has never risen in the Dawn Empire."

Aya naturally didn't believe in something like "the sun will not rise," but when he followed Xuanzi and Shuoye outside the cave and looked up at the sky, the undeniable reality presented itself.

He had been travelling and fighting ever since he landed, completely absorbed in his surroundings. It was only now that Aya noticed the difference in the sky of the Dawn Empire.

Unlike a typical dark night, the night sky of the Dawn Empire was not a starry sky dotted with shining stars on a black velvet background. The overall brightness was much higher than the usual night, no wonder Aya, who was always afraid of the dark, didn't even have a clue after landing.

...Tsk, I thought I had grown up.

Moreover, the moon was much larger than conventional knowledge, hanging high in the sky without changing its position with time.

"Dawn, the Dawn Empire... these are all scenes that exist only in legends. Although the Dawn Empire is named after it, what we actually have is an eternal and endless night."

Xuanzi looked up at the bright moon and said in a leisurely manner, "In recorded history, the entire Dawn Empire was once occupied by the Dark Forms, and people could only survive in the crevices, with countless deaths due to their attacks. Until one day, our divine lord who shelters us created the 'Moon in the Sea.'"

"It brings a ray of light in the long night."