Yumigawa Senki and her group spent most of the day returning from the Eastern Moon Empire to the Central Continent; by the time they stepped in, dusk had already draped the sky.
Though they hadn’t been away from the Mizumi Clan for long, the sight of familiar courtyards stirred a soft ache; home rose like warm steam in winter.
“Phew—Central Continent air’s still crisp.” Senki rolled her shoulders; the breeze felt like pine needles combing the lungs, clearing her head.
She stretched, face bright and dewy; fewer people meant the air stayed uncluttered, like a clear pond after rain.
“Yeah. You only know after a trip—home fits like a well-worn robe,” Yumigawa Nozomi said, voice light as a bell.
“Compared to the Central Continent, the outside feels like penance—loud, bright, yet somehow harsher.”
For Elyar, who’d lived years in the Valley of Wind, crowds were drums in a skull; she favored the stillness here, like snow settling in a temple yard.
Soon, the three stepped into the Mizumi Clan’s main grounds. As always, not even half a shadow moved… no, someone sat under a big tree ahead.
They drew closer. A beauty slept in the dappled shade, long crystalline pink curls spilling like flower petals, chest rising slow as tide. At her feet, comics and novels lay scattered, a trail of lazy afternoon.
“Eh? Isn’t that Serenemoon? Why’re you sleeping out here—hey, wake up!”
“Mm…” Lids lifted, slow as dawn. Seeing Nozomi’s impossibly cute face, Yugong Jingyue tilted her head, dreamy: “Ara~ why’s Littlesky in front of me? Am I still in a dream?”
“It’s not a dream.” Nozomi pinched her soft cheek, grinning. “Serenemoon, we’re back!”
“Oh!” The word snapped the haze. Jingyue sat up, eyes scanning like swallows. “Huh? Where’s Little Emperor? I don’t see him.”
“Serenemoon, seriously.” Senki came up with a helpless sigh. “We finally come home, and you’re worrying about Emperor. That stings.”
“So Little Emperor didn’t return? What a letdown~” Jingyue yawned, laziness draping her again. Yet a gentle smile slipped onto her lips without her noticing. “Still—welcome back.”
“Mm. We’re back.” Senki, Nozomi, and Elyar shared a look and answered in unison, like three notes landing on the same chord.
“We haven’t seen big brother in a long while, either. We miss him tons!” Nozomi puffed her cheeks, thinking of Yumigawa Sumeragi far off on the Northern Abyss Continent—her gripe stabbed more at FrostyLily Dream than at him.
“Oh? What happened? Where’s Little Emperor? And why don’t I see Xinuo Miss or Little Hill?” Jingyue frowned in mild confusion. If they came back, they should’ve come back together. With only Senki, Nozomi, and Elyar here, something had clearly gone wrong.
“I’ll explain.” Senki sketched the chain of events, clean and spare, like ink lines on rice paper.
Minutes later, Jingyue nodded, dawn breaking in her eyes. “I see. That’s serious. I didn’t think the outside was that chaotic. So Emperor’s with Lingxiao and the girls now? I’m kinda jealous.”
“Do you need supplies on your return?” she asked after her sigh faded.
“Since we’ll be fighting Dark Demon forces across the entire Eastern Moon Continent, we need elixirs—lots of recovery and healing.” Senki’s voice was steady as a drawn bow.
“Elixirs for sure. First, let’s report you’re back to our parents and tell them what’s happening outside.” Jingyue rose and brushed dust from her skirt, light as falling petals.
“Okay.”
On the way to Yugami Yuu’s manor, they ran into a few maids, two or three at a time. The maids’ joy fluttered like sparrows; if Jingyue hadn’t said there was urgent business with the clan head, those girls would’ve held them hostage with questions about the wide world.
Inside the manor’s main hall.
“Huh? Senki? Littlesky? When did you get back? Where’re Emperor and Lingxiao?” Yugami Yuu set down his teacup, surprise rippling across his face.
“Yuu, listen to yourself.” Ayane shot him a look, then turned to the sisters at the doorway. A soft smile bloomed. “Welcome home.”
“Mm, we’re home.”
They swapped into indoor slippers and sat across from Yugami Yuu and Ayane. As for Elyar, she’d peeled away earlier, saying she didn’t want to play third wheel, and had gone back to the Valley of Wind for now.
Senki sipped the black tea Ayane had poured, then reported everything from outside, truth laid out bead by bead.
After he listened, Yugami Yuu’s face tightened, clouds pulling in. “So the Worldgate has issues. I hope Senior Xinuo can fix it. Otherwise, the world will plunge into disorder again.”
“Yeah. That Dark Demon faction might threaten peace itself.” Ayane’s worry showed in her eyes and voice, fine lines of rain against a window. “Also… isn’t the Mizumi Clan ignoring the outside too much? If you hadn’t told us, Senki, Yuu and I wouldn’t even know Dark Demon existed.”
“That’s because you two live like cats in sunlight all day,” Nozomi muttered around a cookie. “You don’t follow the outside at all, though people here rarely care for it anyway.”
“Littlesky’s right. Father, you’ve been too lax as clan head.” Senki nodded, agreement clicking into place. A trip outside had shown her how leisurely Yuu was—practically clan head in name only.
“How’s that my fault…?” Yuu gave a helpless smile and took a sip. “Our Mizumi Clan never had many people. Most are scattered across the Central Continent, living their own lives. Those at the main house can be counted on one hand. The clan’s been stable; there’s little to manage. As for the outside… I admit, I haven’t kept it close to heart.”
“Meh, this easygoing air fits the Mizumi Clan.” Ayane eased the heat off him, her tone like a fan’s gentle wave. “Don’t blame Yuu for everything. He became clan head only because, at the time, he was the only adult male left at the main house. He inherited it because there was no other choice.”
