The night beyond the city was colder than the forest—without trees to block the wind, chilly gusts swept freely through the air, bending swathes of grass beneath their touch.

Above, a pale crescent moon hung amidst a tapestry of stars. I sat on a wooden crate, gazing at the crackling orange flames of a campfire a short distance ahead. Even from here, its warmth seeped into my skin.

"Eating roast meat on a cool night like this? Pure bliss," boomed a bald, burly man with thick mustaches, taking a hearty bite. "Though a swig of wine’d make it perfect."

Our caravan was feasting. Merchant guards huddled around the fire, most skewering wild boar meat on thin branches to roast over the flames. I wondered about the hygiene but stayed silent—people in this world lived by their own rules.

Earlier today, when we first met Violet, her father President Bluton had been leading a hunting party deep in the mountains. That explained why only Violet greeted us upon arrival. The stark contrast between father and daughter made one marvel at the mysteries of bloodline inheritance.

"Hey, Aranthien! Stop just standing there—join us!" Bluton called out to Eunice beside me. "Let me tell you, meat from berserk-type demon beasts? One word: *magnificent*!"

My eyelid twitched as I glanced at Eunice.

She remained perfectly still, shaking her head. "Thank you, but I’m not hungry. And I dislike greasy food."

"Greasy…?" Bluton frowned at his skewer.

"What about your sister? Surely *she’s* hungry?" Bluton chuckled, his sleek black mustaches curling upward. "From what I recall, you two haven’t eaten since joining our caravan this morning. But if you dislike roast meat—Elson!"

"Here, President Bluton!" A guard stood up.

"Bring the provisions prepared for the young lady."

"Eh? But… that’s *her* food… for outsiders…" the guard hesitated.

"They’re no outsiders—they’re Violet’s friends," Bluton said warmly. "Refuse them, and you’ll earn the young lady’s displeasure."

"Right away, sir!" Elson sprinted toward a supply wagon.

"No need," Eunice called out, her tone crisp as frost. "We require nothing."

"Ah…" Bluton waved Elson back without pressing. "Return to your meal. Our guests are content."

"Eh?"

"Eh nothing! Your roast’s being devoured as we speak!"

Elson spun around to see another guard gnawing on his nearly-done boar skewer.

"Wiz, you bastard! I’ll kill you!" Elson charged back, sparking a fresh round of brawling among the guards.

"This caravan holds too many uncertainties," Eunice murmured, her gaze steady on me. "Until we verify their trustworthiness, their food remains unsafe. Unknown safety *is* danger."

Her caution ran bone-deep.

Was this why she’d triumphed in the Levitating Tower?

In that arena, everyone but yourself was an enemy. Trust meant death. Only slaughter after slaughter paved the path to the Demonic Sword’s power.

I’d have refused such a fight a hundred times over.

The cruelty was unbearable.

I’d never craved conflict. In my old world, I’d been invisible—a background character who faded into walls. Not so much disliking people as… shrinking from them. Solitude became my shell.

*A hikikomori*, they’d have called me.

I couldn’t pinpoint when my presence first thinned like mist. Gradually, I grew content with silence, peace, and empty rooms. Crowds prickled my skin with unease.

Yet tonight, I realized that old discomfort had vanished.

When had it slipped away?

"Coyne." Eunice’s voice cut through my thoughts. "Daydreaming? Because I refused the food?"

"N-no…"

"My body doesn’t hunger easily. There’s another reason, isn’t there?"

"I… truly don’t feel hungry," I stammered. Her cool, melodic voice had sharpened a realization—one tied to that vanished unease.

"You seemed lost in thought just now," she continued, turning toward the starry sky. "You may share it. Or not. Everyone keeps secrets."

I barely heard her. My mind clawed backward through memories.

A thought crystallized, stealing my voice:

Since walking beside Eunice, that strange hollowness inside me had faded.

Could it be… because of *her*?

I stared at my hands, then at Eunice. The black-haired "me" standing in the night sensed my gaze and turned, her expression serene.

"What are you looking at?"

Her dark eyes held the depth of a summer night sky—cool, endless, hiding riddles in their shadows.

Beneath that gaze, my heart quickened its pace.

Being with Eunice had erased that old emptiness.

*No way… Could it be… I’d actually fallen in love?!*