Oiwai

Li-Jua, Ishi, and Pil moved through the dimly lit streets, their shadows stretching and swaying under the flickering glow of the town’s lanterns. Pil, in her nimble nymph form, drifted just above the ground, her wings shimmering faintly in the moonlight as she lazily floated beside her companions.

The meeting with Kataude had been... complicated.

While he hadn’t outright refused their request for help, his manner had been anything but reassuring. After his ominous warning to Ishi, he had begrudgingly agreed to aid them, but had given no indication as to how or when. Instead, he had unceremoniously thrown them out of the tavern, claiming that he was tired and needed to drink in peace without “a bunch of damn brats” bothering him.

That bitter dismissal left a lingering frustration in Ishi’s chest.

She had hoped for a clearer answer, some kind of certainty, but instead, she had walked away with little more than vague promises and a growing sense of unease. Had she really convinced the legendary warrior? Or had he simply humored her?

Sensing the tension in her friend, Li-Jua broke the silence.

"Listen, Ishi," she said, her tone calm and measured. "I know this didn’t go the way you wanted, but it wasn’t a rejection either. And if I’m being honest, he doesn’t seem like such a bad guy."

Ishi glanced at her but said nothing, so Li-Jua continued.

"You need to understand," she went on, "even if Mugen’s empire wronged him, that doesn’t mean he carries the same hatred you do. People don’t all feel the same, even when they’ve suffered under the same hands." She reached out, giving Ishi’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. "For now, let’s rest. It’s been a long day."

There was something about Li-Jua’s words that always soothed her.

Even though Ishi still felt that nagging frustration deep inside, the healer’s presence grounded her. She envied how Li-Jua remained so composed in every situation, so effortlessly mature. Maybe that was why the world still saw Ishi as a child.

As they neared the inn, the distant sound of laughter and music reached their ears.

At first, it was subtle, muffled voices, the occasional cheer, but as they got closer, it became clear that there was a full-blown celebration underway. The winding path leading to the inn was lined with bonfires, their golden flames dancing against the night sky. Villagers from Soranoe, along with Aricia’s guards and her acolytes, had gathered in large clusters, drinking, dancing, and reveling in high spirits.

Ishi blinked, caught off guard by the sight.

"What the hell is going on now?" Li-Jua muttered, narrowing her eyes at the spectacle.

Before anyone could answer, a sudden voice shrieked with joy—

"Rei! Reeeeeeei!"

Before Ishi could react, a figure hurtled into her, throwing their arms around her in a tight embrace.

Ishi staggered back in shock. "A-Aricia?! What’s going on?”

Aricia pulled back slightly, beaming. "We’re celebrating, obviously! Can’t you see?" She gestured wildly to the ongoing festivities. "We’ve been waiting for you!"

Li-Jua folded her arms, watching Aricia with mild suspicion. "And what exactly are you celebrating?"

Aricia turned to her, eyes alight with excitement.

"You, of course!" she declared. "Come, Li-Jua, let’s raise a glass to the great heroine who has finally, after fifteen long years, defeated the Nippurufishu!"

Aricia wasted no time. She grabbed Li-Jua firmly by the arm, her grip strong and insistent, and dragged her toward the heart of the celebration. The healer barely had a moment to protest before she found herself being unceremoniously pulled through the throng of cheering villagers and soldiers, all basking in the golden glow of the bonfires that lit up the night.

"Attention, everyone!" Aricia's voice rang out, loud and commanding.

The revelers turned toward her in an instant, their drunken chatter fading as they waited for what she had to say.

With a broad grin, Aricia threw an arm around Li-Jua’s shoulders and declared, "I present to you the great Li-Jua, the hero who has rid us of the monstrous sea beast, the Nippurufishu!"

A wave of deafening applause erupted through the crowd. Cheers, whistles, and the clinking of mugs filled the air as the villagers raised their drinks in tribute. A chant of Li-Jua! Li-Jua! quickly took hold, growing louder with each repetition.

Li-Jua stiffened. She wasn’t used to this kind of attention.

"The great heroine will now give us a few words!" Aricia continued with playful authority, turning to Li-Jua with expectant eyes.

"Uh—" Li-Jua hesitated, lowering her voice so only Aricia could hear. "Yeah, that’s not happening. I don’t do speeches. Let’s just... skip this part, yeah?"

"Oh, come on, don’t be so modest!" Aricia teased, nudging her.

Before Li-Jua could argue further, a familiar presence appeared beside her, grinning like an idiot.

Miller.

The redheaded pseudo-warrior stood there, fully recovered, with that same cocky smirk plastered across his face.

"Not bad for a damn cave gorilla like you," he said, his voice laced with amusement. He extended a massive mug of ale toward her. "Go on, I’ll let you take the credit this time."

Li-Jua barely heard his words, her focus was locked on the large drink in his hand. Her frown melted into a broad, satisfied grin.

"Now that’s more like it," she said, grabbing the mug. "For once, you actually know what you’re doing, you absolute moron!"

She took a long, heavy swig, downing a significant portion before slamming the mug back down with a grin.

"You had me worried for a second back there, you know," she added, clapping Miller on the back, hard. Too hard. The force sent him stumbling to his knees, much to the amusement of the surrounding crowd.

"Alright, fine!" Li-Jua announced, lifting her nearly empty mug. "Since you’ve all gone through the trouble of celebrating, I’ll say a few words."

She drained the rest of her ale in one go, then casually grabbed Miller’s full mug from his hands and lifted it high.

"Listen up! Thanks for the celebration, but that overgrown fish wasn’t anything special. If it helped you all, then great. Cheers!"

She threw back another deep gulp, and the crowd exploded into cheers once more. People surged forward, patting her on the back, offering more drinks, and showering her with praise.

Miller, ever the socialite, lingered at her side, soaking in the lively energy. Aricia remained nearby as well, twirling and swaying with effortless grace, her voluptuous figure moving in sync with the music as she drank and danced by the bonfires.

At a distance, Ishi and Pil stood apart from the chaos, observing.

Pil fluttered beside Ishi, her iridescent wings glimmering as she hovered lazily.

"Jealous?" Pil asked, her tone teasing.

Ishi barely spared her a glance. "You already know I’m not," she said dryly.

Pil smirked. "True. I can sense emotions, after all. But it’s fun to mess with you."

Ishi sighed, crossing her arms.

"You’re worried," Pil continued, her voice suddenly softer. "You’re afraid that one day, Li-Jua will let go of all that resentment she carries, try to live a normal life, and leave you behind."

Ishi stiffened slightly but didn’t deny it.

"Exactly," she admitted. "I’m... not like her. Li-Jua has this way of drawing people in. Everyone loves her. If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be here right now. I don’t know what I’d do if she decided to walk away from all this... walk away from me."

Pil hummed thoughtfully. "I get it. Lady Li-Jua is... special. Even I feel an undeniable attachment to her, and trust me, that’s rare for a spirit like me. But unlike you, I don’t share your fears."

"Because you have your own reasons for staying close to her," Ishi said, glancing at the nymph. "Your sisters."

"Exactly," Pil confirmed. "My only motivation is to save them. No matter what happens, I’ll be at her side. I don’t have the luxury of worrying about anything else."

Ishi looked at her curiously. "You’re oddly talkative tonight. What’s with that?"

Pil grinned mischievously. "Maybe I just felt bad for you."

Ishi narrowed her eyes. "Oh?"

"Yeah," Pil admitted. "I don’t like all those random nobodies getting so close to my Lady Li-Jua, but I’ll tolerate it. For tonight, at least." She flicked her wings and spun in the air before adding, "Besides, your mood was so miserable that it was draining the life out of me. I figured cheering you up was in my best interest."

Ishi gave her a deadpan look. "Didn’t really work. But I appreciate you saying, thanks."

For a moment, Pil looked almost... flustered. Her cheeks darkened slightly, and she quickly turned away.

"Not that I care or anything!" the nymph huffed. "It’s just, if Lady Li-Jua saw you sulking, she would get upset, and that I cannot allow!"

And with that, she zipped off, darting toward the crowd to join the ongoing festivities.

Ishi watched her go, shaking her head.

"She’s not as bad as I thought," she murmured to herself.

But she didn’t follow.

Instead, she turned and started walking toward the inn. She had no interest in celebrating. There was too much on her mind.

I have a lot to think about. She thought.