“What—what’s happening?!”

Fear rushed in, a cold tide clutching Yue Liuyi’s chest; her body shifted on its own, a change flowing like moonlight over still water. For her, this kind of instinctive transformation was a first. Worse, the sun was still up like a pale coin, yet she couldn’t return to Dongfang Chen.

(Could it be… I stayed as Yue Liuyi too long and now I can’t go back? Does something like that… even exist?)

A chill skimmed her heart like frost on bamboo. Turning into a girl was her one-of-a-kind gift—not magic, but a mark carved into her life. She had never imagined a day when the path back vanished like mist.

(N-n-Now… am I going to be a girl forever? If that’s true…)

The blue-haired girl hugged her head, panic twirling her in place like a startled sparrow. Her white robe hung loose like a cloud; her tiny feet snagged the hem, and—whump—she went face-first into the earth.

“Ah—ow…”

The ground was packed dirt, so the fall was more bruise than break, but tears still welled like dew. Smudged and dusty, she looked heartbreakingly small.

She glanced down at herself. The white robe had always been roomy; one spill and it tore wide, pale skin flashing like porcelain under a thin veil. Without any underthings, the sight felt scandalous, heat rising like a blush of dawn.

“Uu…”

She swapped back into her little dress, soft fabric wrapping her like a gentle cloud. It was a bit dusty, sure, but it settled her nerves like a hand on the shoulder.

“What do I do now…”

It wasn’t just her problem—there was the pink-haired girl too. She stood there, lost as a leaf in wind. Her strength had slid back to “normal,” and she couldn’t budge that iron cage an inch.

(I’ll have to go back…)

“Um… I’ll head out first. I’m going back to camp for help!”

Even with the girl asleep, Yue Liuyi spoke to her softly, her voice a thread through quiet air.

“Mm…”

“Huh?”

Unlike before, the pink-haired girl answered with a tiny nod, lashes trembling like moth wings, as if she were waking.

“Where is… this? Eh—such a cute girl?”

The pink-haired girl opened her eyes, confusion drifting like mist as she locked a gaze with Yue Liuyi. Her irises were a pale yellow, pure as a moonflower.

“Um… are you the one who woke me? I thought I heard your voice.”

Even awake, the pink-haired girl didn’t move. Only her eyes pointed straight to Yue Liuyi like twin lanterns.

“Huh? Woke you? I… guess that was me…”

“Thank you… I’m Ailuna, and—eh!? I’m…!?”

Her eyes went wide like twin suns. Her palms and legs trembled, trying to rise, but iron bars penned her in like a cold cage, and chains hugged her wrists and ankles tight.

“Eh!? Why am I locked up… I’m sorry! I can’t remember a thing… b-but please, please don’t violate me! I’ll make amends for any wrongs!”

Chains kissed iron with ding-dong clinks, a nervous bell-song in the air. The plea set Yue Liuyi’s face aflame, especially with such a powerless, adorable girl staring up like a fawn.

“N-no… no, that’s not it! I’m here to help you… I’m Yue Liuyi, not a bad person!”

“Y-you came… to help me?”

“Mm! Ailuna, did you lose your memories? Anything from before? Can you recall even a fragment?”

“N-not clearly… just my name…”

She shook her head, gaze unsteady as if the world were water. It didn’t feel like a lie; fear sat on her features like a shadow.

(An elven girl, abducted? These poachers… have they started trafficking people?! Damn it!)

She must be an elven girl stolen by poachers. The Inner Ring bans human trafficking, but some nobles and tycoons have unspeakable demands; such filth keeps creeping like weeds.

A cute elven girl like this… sold, she’d fetch millions, maybe tens of millions. The thought burned like acid.

Good thing Yue Liuyi explored that cave, and those poachers met their end, never slipping out of the Elven Forest.

“Um… did I… commit a crime to be locked up?”

“No. I don’t know exactly what happened… but Ailuna, you seem innocent.”

“W-why am I in here then… my wrists and legs are tied together, I can’t move at all… I c-can’t even do that…”

“That? If I can help, I will!”

“Y-you can’t help with that…”

Her cheeks colored like peach petals. Her voice went thin as silk; her legs crossed and rubbed, a nervous dance like willow leaves brushing. Wet shimmered in her eyes, ready to spill.

Yue Liuyi knew that look; she’d just felt it herself when she turned into a girl and… wanted to do that.

“Ah! I… b-but I can’t undo the chains… Don’t worry, I’ll run to camp and bring help!”

“Thank you, Liu… eh?”

“Just call me Liuyi.”

“Mm, thank you, Liuyi!”

…

Yue Liuyi sprinted back toward the camp, wind tugging at her blue hair like river current. A kilometer wasn’t short, but she ran without stopping, heart thudding like a drum in a temple hall.

That kind of need was way too embarrassing. Better to free the girl quickly, before the moment turned unbearable.

But before she reached the tents, a familiar figure cut across the mountain path—silver hair like winter light, arms folded, her face as cool and serious as an ice pillar.

“Huh? LittleSnow…?”

“Little Yue!”

At the sight of Yue Liuyi, Yedie Snow’s brows knit, pressure rolling off her like a stormfront as she stepped closer, one careful beat at a time.

“Um…”

Yue Liuyi’s heart stuttered like a startled bird. LittleSnow had told her not to leave camp lightly, and she’d not only gone out—she’d been gone all day.

She trembled, a reed in a gust. It was the first time she’d seen LittleSnow angry with her. She was ready to apologize; her “willful” errand had surely made everyone worry.

Unexpectedly, there was no scolding—only a fierce embrace, warm as a quilt after frost. Tears splashed onto her shoulder like brief rain, the touch on her skin achingly familiar.

“My Little Yue!! You came back safe!!!”

“LittleSnow?”

“Doesn’t matter what happened; you’re back, safe and whole. That’s enough… that’s everything.”

LittleSnow usually wore calm like armor, clever and fearless. But when it came to Yue Liuyi, she turned simple as a village girl, honest and bare. Now she held her and cried, no dignity, only heart.

Yue Liuyi froze, wrapped in warmth like a fire at dusk. Words scattered; she didn’t know what to say.

(Huh?)

Her heart kicked, a sudden tremor like a fish under ice. She never knew how to answer LittleSnow’s feelings, because she had been a boy, and might not always live as a girl beside her.

But if she could keep being Yue Liuyi forever…

(Then at least… I could stay with LittleSnow forever.)

“I—I’m sorry. I ran off again and made you worry!”

She hugged the silver-haired girl back, her apology soft as falling snow.

“Mm… It’s okay… I know, Little Yue is a strong girl. Even alone, you manage. I just… fear you’ll face some accident when I’m not there. That over-worrying—that’s my fault as your sister.”

“No way! Your care makes sense—it’s solid and true!”

“Little Yue?”

“I’ll try not to run off. I don’t want you to worry, either.”

“Hehe, my Little Yue is the cutest! Mm… let’s drop that topic.”

Still holding her treasure, LittleSnow seemed to soak in enough “Little Yue energy.” She dabbed her tears away and flashed a sly smile, quick as a fox.

“Want to hear what I gained today? Pretty big haul!”

“From you? Of course I do!”

“First, in Lanmu-li, I reached the elven administrators. They agreed to supply us with materials.”

“Huh? Why!? Don’t they hunt adventurers?”

“Because of the evidence we provided, the white-robed frame-up fell apart like a house of cards. The unknown faction’s shadow is forcing many in the Elven Parliament to reexamine the war. Voices for peace are rising like spring birds.”

“That’s amazing!”

“Not only that, I contacted the Rangers Lodge branch in the Elven Kingdom. We found where Maria and the others are held… They’ve been split across three sites. One is a royal residence; the guards are tight as a drum.”

“Then… is everyone okay!?”

“For now, yes. The elves are still a gentle folk.”

“That… puts me at ease.”

She tried to exhale, to let her shoulders drop like leaves—but something pricked her mind like a thorn.

(What else… huh? Right—RIGHT!)

“Ah! Right! LittleSnow, I picked up a girl! She—”

“A girl?”

Smiling silver turned to a small frown, her brows hooking like cranes’ wings.

“Mm! An elven girl I found outside, she looks really pitiful…”

“Mm, and she needs help urgently, so Little Yue ran back as fast as the wind, yes?”

“Huh? How did you know?”

“And she’s very cute, is she? Hmph! Little Yue, such a bee chasing blossoms. You ran back so hard—for another girl.”

“Eh!? E-ehh? B-but that girl…”

Her words stalled; the reason was way too embarrassing to say aloud.

“Yes, yes, because she has a very urgent need, Little Yue hurried home. Otherwise you’d still be wandering like a leaf.”

“N-no, that’s…”

“Hmph.”

Even as she huffed, the silver-haired girl took Yue Liuyi’s hand, stepping forward with long strides like a huntress.

“Huh? LittleSnow…”

“I want to see which little miss thinks she can lure my Little Yue. Point the way!”