After a few minutes, Alicia steered the carriage toward Aer, wheels humming like bees. Aer had a teleportation array ready, its lines glimmering like frost.

"All right. The teleport begins." Her voice rang like a bell in mist.

At her word, the circle erupted, a tide of light swallowing carriage and crew. Vision went milk-white; a rustle swept the air above.

When their senses settled, the world had shifted seamlessly, like a scroll turned to a new painting.

Before them lay an unfamiliar emptiness, a bare ring of land like winter fallow. No buildings, just a moss-grown well squatting like a silent frog.

Bleak as old stone, it didn’t look livable at all. It certainly wasn’t Dio’s main base hidden in glory.

"So... where even is this? Aren’t we teleporting straight to the final Boss?"

"Sorry," Aer said, calm as still water. "Long-range teleport needs a marker. I only marked this spot."

"If I didn’t misremember, there should be a village here," she added, voice thin as wind over grass.

Yet only a lonely well and a statue of Aer stood here, like guardians without a crowd.

Clip-clop, clip-clop... Hoofbeats rolled in from afar, drumming like rain on a wooden roof.

The sound drew near. Everyone tensed, eyes swinging toward it like reeds in a gust.

"Whoa!" The rider reined in before them, dust settling like gray snow. He dismounted and sank to one knee before Aer.

Excitement and respect lit his face like twin lanterns. "Greetings, my lady Magus. I came late. Please forgive me."

Aer didn’t flinch; she lifted her right hand, a small wave like ripples on a pond. "No need. I’m here on business. Don’t trouble yourselves."

"No! How could your matters be trouble? You should know—"

Aer cut him off, clean as a blade of wind. "Enough. Take me to your village chief."

Knowing he’d rambled, the man swallowed his disappointment like a bitter seed, nodded, and led them on.

On the carriage, Lian watched the guiding soldier and glanced at Aer beside Alicia, curiosity rising like steam.

"Hey... Aer, why do they respect you so much?"

"It’s nothing," Aer said, cool as shade. "Same as the last village. I saved them, that’s all."

The answer didn’t satisfy Lian; his curiosity flared like a spark catching dry twigs. "But... don’t you kind of hate humans?"

"It’s just whim and interest," Aer said, voice drifting like a cloud. "Don’t dwell on it."

Lian wanted to press, but a village lifted ahead like a cluster of eaves on the horizon. He let it go.

— Arrived at the destination —

The soldier pointed to a wooden door, finger steady as a signpost. "Report, my lady. The chief is inside and ready to meet you."

Aer nodded, a small motion like a falling petal, then turned to Lian and offered her hand. "Let’s go."

Their long practice held like moon and tide; Lian took her hand without hesitation and followed her in.

Alicia felt it first, a little ache like a cold thread through cloth—she might be extra here. Still, she trailed them like a faithful shadow.

"Greetings, my lady..." A broad-shouldered man bowed to Aer, posture heavy as a stone gate.

It was imposing when a muscular man bowed—if only he weren’t in a Japanese schoolgirl outfit, cat-ear headband, and white thigh-highs like snowy vines.

Aer studied him, puzzlement flickering like a moth at a lantern. The outfit didn’t matter; who was he?

"So... who are you again?"

"No need to wonder, my lady," he said, voice rough as rope. "The former chief has passed."

"I’m the new village chief, in my third year, twenty-four this year. It’s no surprise you don’t know me."

Relief eased through Aer like dusk settling on a pond; it wasn’t her memory failing.

"I’m sorry the former chief is gone," she said, words straight as a spear. "But it’s not the time."

"We’re here to hunt the Calamity, so we don’t have time to visit him."

"I know your purpose," the man replied, tone warm as hearth fire. "Don’t worry."

"The old man was content, having your help in life. He won’t regret anything where he is now."

Polite words, yet Lian felt a steady sincerity beneath them, like coals glowing under ash.

Aer nodded, understanding clear as morning. Then she looked at the man as if remembering. "Right—what’s your name?"

He rose slowly, height looming like a wall; at over two meters, he blocked their sun.

Those clearly defined A—no, B-grade pecs sat like shield-plates; an unforced authority spread like heat.

Then he touched his index fingers together before his chest, a shy-girl gesture, absurd and funny on a giant.

He poked and blushed, face pink as peach skin—like a maiden in first love. "I... my name is..."

Lian cut in, expression cool as a mirror. "You’re Qin Miaomiao, right?"

"I wanted to say it earlier. Cat ears, white thigh-highs, JK—three traits stacked together."

"And that red scarf on your neck like a slash of sunset. I can’t imagine any other name."

The man froze, shyness flipping to shock like a banner in sudden wind. "As expected of my lady’s companion."

"You even saw my true name... one of them!"

Lian basked in his success like a cat in sun, but the man had another question ready.

"Might you also guess my wife’s name, my lord?"