The wood campfire went up fast, a small sun of branches licking the dusk with orange tongues.

Yue Liuyi and the others lifted a massive stone pot onto the rack; with no power or gas, they had to coax flame the old way.

A fire mage could spark it, sure. But a broth wants long, steady heat; that takes stamina and finesse few adventurers can spare.

It had been simmering a while. Fresh mushrooms bobbed like little boats, and the broth had thickened, a rich scent rolling out like warm fog.

On the other side, Dixue taught the adventurers to grill fish over the coals. Thanks to spices from an elven settlement, fish dipped in cumin and salt gleamed under firelight like lacquered silver.

“Looks amazing! If Zaocun were here, she’d go ‘waa!’ and pounce, I just know it.”

A small sigh rose in Yue Liuyi’s chest like a wave. Three days away from the Skyship crew—were they well in elven lands? Were they eating what they loved?

Still, not everything was gray. The wind was shifting fair. She had kindred adventurers at her side and a proper camp; no more sleeping rootless under cold stars.

Her hint of melancholy was a ripple Dixue noticed. The silver-haired girl took out a small box and held it before the blue-haired girl.

“LittleSnow… what’s this?”

“A bow for Little Yue… mm, on it goes! It looks so good!”

The silver-haired girl reached out. A cobalt ribbon settled into Yue’s hair, the bow fluttering like a small wave; cute made softer, softness made cuter.

“Eh? Thank you, LittleSnow!”

“Ehehe~ My Little Yue is the cutest~”

“But I bet LittleSnow would look cute in one too!”

“Eh? Then… I’ll buy one next time…”

…

While the girls chatted, Lia jogged over about dinner, breath a little winded, eyes bright.

“Lady Dixue, Lady Yue! The mushroom soup’s done, but our retreat last night was too rushed. Lots of utensils are missing. What do we do?”

“Bowls… that’s easy. It’s not rice-tree harvest season, but the husks make fine bowls.”

Outside Yue Liuyi, nothing seemed to stump Dixue. The silver-haired girl blinked, and a solution fell like a ripe fruit.

“Ah! Why didn’t I think of that! As expected of President Dixue… I’ll go with Tiger Girl to find rice-tree fruit!”

“Tiger Girl’s on a mission for me. She’ll be back soon. Lia, find Emily. As a wood mage, she’ll spot rice trees best.”

“No wonder I couldn’t find Tiger Girl… I’m on it!”

“Good.”

…

Dinner came together fast. Adventurers gathered in threes and fives like little constellations. Each got a grilled fish and a bowl of mushroom soup. Faces showed the day’s toil, yet no one sagged.

To earn by your own hands and fill your own bowl—few things warm the chest more.

In that bright moment, Yue Liuyi stepped up to speak. Dixue had penned the words, but letting Yue deliver them kept the silver-haired girl wrapped in a mist of mystique.

“Thank you for all your hard work today. We of the Azure Front aim for peace. We came together for the same goal, and we won’t shortchange your efforts. Tiger Girl, did you bring it?”

“Mm! Right here!”

Tiger Girl strode in with a bag as big as a crate, nearly a cubic meter, hefted like a feather in her hands.

Thud!

She let it drop. Dust leapt up like startled moths.

It was a Rainbow Hawk courier order from the elven settlement. To avoid exposing the camp, Dixue had it sent to a nest locker a ways off, then had Tiger Girl haul it back.

The fire danced and painted everyone’s faces. Under a scatter of jeweled stars, curiosity flickered in every eye. What had the elves sent?

“What is it?”

“I think it’s bread!”

“As long as it’s not leaves! I don’t want another mouthful of leaves…”

“Could be cotton, maybe.”

“All right, no more wild guesses. This is sponsored by the Elven Parliament. In a moment, everyone can pick a set!”

“Eh?”

When Lia opened the package, jaws dropped all around. The women cheered, surprise ringing like bells.

Inside lay clothes—on top, a whole drift of pretty dresses.

Better yet, the dresses were elven-made. Curves that hugged the body, gilt patterns like flowing sunlight, airy skirts that caught the light—every stitch carried elven love of beauty, outshining common dresses a hundredfold.

And because elves live among trees, they were trail-ready on top of lovely—no fuss, no chafing, immune to snagging leaves or branches. Convenience taken to the limit.

“Wow! I came to the New Land hoping to earn enough for one like this, but I didn’t expect…”

“So cute! I want this one!”

“Can I wear a skirt too?”

Dresses this pretty and this practical live in every girl’s dreams. And now, they were real, for free—joy bubbled like a spring.

…

Across the fire, the men’s delight matched it beat for beat. Their elven uniforms looked plain, sure, but the elven daggers left seasoned men wide-eyed.

The Inner Ring might be far ahead in tech, but elves still keep a craftsman’s soul. Unlike assembly-line market goods, each blade was hand-forged by a master, every curve and temper tuned close to perfect.

They felt right in the hand, and in the jungle they bit clean—one cut, and brush fell away like rain.

…

Such dresses and such blades are elven secrets. Without deep ties, humans can’t buy them at all.

No wonder faith in the Azure Front swelled like a tide. Almost everyone felt sure: follow Lady Yue Liuyi’s steps, and they’d leave the Elven Forest in peace. War losses, jailed friends—handled, one by one.

“Thank you, elf big sisters!”

“They’re actual fairies!”

“I love elves the most~”

The camp filled with rising, falling joy, like surf on a warm shore.

“Take your time choosing. Lia will distribute. I’ll eat dinner back in the cabin.”

…

Yue Liuyi walked back to the room. Dixue hadn’t shown her face tonight; she stayed in the bamboo house to watch Ailuna, just in case.

“I’m back… huh? What’s this?”

“A dress for Little Yue!”

“Huh?”

Yue froze. She’d thought the adventurers’ dresses were elaborate enough, but the seven hanging in the bamboo house were true works of wonder.

Blue, white, red, beige, black, brown—the colors fell like petals. Each dress had its own theme. The blue rippled like the open sea; the white felt clear as sky, pure as a bridal veil; the red hummed with indomitable strength, its hemline full of taut motion; the beige breathed easy, perfect for casual hours; the black carried solemn weight, Gothic lace twining like dark ivy; the brown stood stately and calm, the poise of a noble young lady.

Those six were so beautiful Yue could hardly imagine wearing them.

And the seventh made all six dim.

“LittleSnow… is this… also a dress?”

“Mm, but it’s for the water. Custom-made for Little Yue. See the chest? Your name’s on it!”

“Don’t mix a school swimsuit in with those! I am not some ditzy airhead!!”

…

After a bit of playful scuffling, they set out dinner to eat together in the bamboo house.

Ailuna was still in a cage, so the two girls used spoons, feeding the pink-haired girl one bite at a time.

It felt like a quiet day at the zoo, feeding a small animal in its pen. And Ailuna did tremble like a little animal, skittish as a leaf.

“Thank you, sisters…”

“You’re welcome. Ailuna, you like dresses too, right?”

“Mm… I do.”

She had been staring since they walked in, eyes shining at Dixue’s gifts, like a neighbor child sniffling at the smell of pie.

“But when I went shopping, I didn’t know Ailuna-chan would come… so I didn’t prepare. And like this, you can’t change anyway…”

“Mm…”

The pink-haired girl nodded, cheeks flushing. She didn’t dare say her panties were still damp.

Even if she did, with legs chained she couldn’t change into a fresh pair. She’d have to go commando.

Shame pooled in her like cold water. Deeply, painfully ashamed.

(It’s my fault… I’m locked up… I must’ve done something wrong… This is the punishment!)

“Right, Ailuna-chan, do you eat grilled fish? There are bones, so I’ll pick them out for you.”

“Um… don’t trouble Yue-chan, I…”

She tried to refuse, but that juicy, tender fish unraveled her words at the lips.

“Open up, aah…”

“Aah…”

Yue Liuyi teased a clean flake free and raised it to Ailuna’s mouth. Seeing that, Dixue’s brows pinched like two little wings.

“I—I’m sorry!”

Sensitive as a deer, Ailuna caught the silver-haired girl’s look. She stopped eating at once, breath held for an apology—

But Dixue’s palm settled on her pink head, steady as a warm stone.

“It’s not Ailuna. I just had a good idea.”

“Eh? LittleSnow, did you figure out how to unlock Ailuna’s chains?”

“Nope. I thought… if I lock Little Yue in a cage, I can feed her too!”

“Don’t say that like you mean it!!!!”