"What, in the name of all the gods, happened here!?"
Karina did not know what had happened before her arrival.
While she was trying to catch up to Amihige, the battle between Satoru and Ishizuchi had already stopped being a private duel. The dryad, who had returned to check on the condition of the leader of the forest giants, became frightened when she saw him losing and ran to call the others. The giants arrived without knowing all the details, saw Ishizuchi fighting Satoru, and immediately joined in to assist him.
Ishizuchi tried to stop them before the conflict grew more than necessary, but when he explained the reason for his duel and spoke of Mito, none of them could remain on the sidelines. She had been an old friend to them as well. Not all of them shared Ishizuchi's pain in the same way, but all of them had something to remember, a personal debt to her memory, or a story in which she had left a mark. That was why, when they decided to raise their weapons, Satoru accepted their challenges in the same way he had accepted Ishizuchi's.
Shortly after, that was the result.
The clearing was destroyed.
The ground had sunk in several places, the thick roots surrounding the area bore impact marks, some rocks had split, and several nearby trees had lost branches or were leaning dangerously. Dust still hung in the air, and in the middle of all of it were the nineteen forest giants.
Some remained lying on the ground, breathing heavily as they recovered their strength. Others were sitting, leaning against trunks or stones, checking their arms, shoulders, or damaged weapons. They did not seem dead or defeated in spirit, but all of them carried clear signs of battle. Torn clothes, visible bruises, blood from small wounds, and grave expressions that did not try to hide the result.
Karina arrived bending slightly forward, one hand over her chest and her breathing rough from running.
"I was with Amihige when the dryad appeared," she said between short breaths. "She told him something I couldn't hear, and he ran off. I followed him, but… what is this?"
Her gaze swept across the clearing again.
Then it stopped on Satoru.
He was standing near the center of the disaster, his clothes arranged once more and his cape over his shoulders. If not for the state of the clearing and the giants scattered around him, it would have looked as though he had just finished a quiet walk.
Satoru looked at her.
"I did not expect everyone to get involved."
Karina took a second to respond.
"And what did you expect to happen after fighting their leader?"
"Why do you assume I was the one who provoked the conflict?"
Karina looked at him without expression.
"Because if there is one thing I have learned about you, it is that normal does not apply when you are nearby."
Satoru remained silent.
Karina narrowed her eyes.
"Am I wrong?"
Satoru did not answer.
That silence was enough.
Karina let out a long, tired, defeated sigh. Then she brought a hand to her forehead, looking at the clearing as if she still expected to find a reasonable way to organize what she was seeing.
She did not find one.
The only thing she could think was that Muno had lost any chance of approaching Yamaki before even presenting itself formally.
Even so, she tried to straighten herself.
She turned toward Ishizuchi, who remained seated on a wide rock, his hammer resting to one side and several marks of combat on his body.
The leader of the forest giants did not seem furious, though there was no lightness in his face either. His gaze carried an old weight, an exhausted calm that did not erase the pain or the decision that had led him to fight.
Karina bowed her head.
"Lord Ishizuchi, I… I apologize for what happened. Although I do not fully understand the situation, we came from Muno and…"
"Do not apologize for a decision you did not make, human child."
Karina stopped.
Ishizuchi placed one hand on the handle of his hammer.
"No one here was dragged into battle."
One of the giants, sitting near a broken root, finished adjusting a companion's shoulder before speaking.
"We raised our weapons by our own will."
Another giant, older than the rest, slowly picked up an enormous spear from the ground. The shaft was cracked, but not broken.
"Falling after that is not a disgrace."
Karina looked at them without knowing what to say.
Amihige was among them. He had dirt on one side of his face and a dark mark on his arm, but he was still standing. Upon seeing Karina's concern, he lowered his head slightly.
"You do not need to carry this. Satoru accepted our challenges, but we chose to make them."
Karina pressed her lips together.
The answer did not completely reassure her, though it did make clear that insisting on apologizing could make things worse. Those giants did not speak like victims or humiliated enemies. They spoke like warriors who had made a decision and now held the result without looking away.
That, somehow, made her feel even more out of place.
"I see…" she murmured.
Her voice sounded dry.
Then she glanced sideways at Satoru.
"Then the only thing left for me to know is who you killed for everything to end like this."
Karina had said it with irony.
The problem was that silence fell immediately afterward, and it was not an awkward silence, but a heavy, deliberate one.
Ishizuchi did not look away, but his expression closed just enough for Karina to understand that she had touched something far more serious than she had imagined. Amihige lowered his eyes slightly. The dryad, who was floating over a nearby root, stopped moving.
Satoru did not say anything either.
Karina understood that she did not want to know.
Or at least, that she did not want to know at that moment.
"Fine," she said at last, crossing her arms while puffing her cheeks slightly. "I don't care anymore."
Raka spoke from the necklace with measured calm.
"Lady Karina, I believe it would be wise to observe before intervening again."
Karina lowered her gaze toward him.
Raka continued.
"You are standing before a race of warriors. For them, a debt and a duel do not necessarily contradict each other. They can raise a weapon for honor, measure their strength, and still accept the result without turning it into eternal enmity."
Karina looked at the giants.
Several were starting to stand with the help of their companions. One held another's arm until he regained his balance. A third checked the head of his hammer, ran his fingers over a crack, and then rested it against his shoulder without saying anything. There was no joy in them, but there was no overflowing resentment either.
"For a human," Raka continued, "this may seem like an irreparable offense or a public humiliation. For them, treating it that way could be precisely what is offensive. They chose to fight and accepted falling. If you try to apologize as if their will had been taken from them, you might deny the weight of their decision."
Karina listened in silence.
The explanation did not make everything seem normal.
But at least it allowed her to understand why no one was acting as she expected.
Karina took a deep breath.
"I understand."
Ishizuchi observed her for a few seconds, as if measuring the sincerity of that answer. Then he nodded once.
"You are still young. There are things only time can teach."
Karina went a little stiff.
"Thank you… I think."
The dryad let out a small sigh from the root, more relieved than bored.
The atmosphere began to settle without the need for many words. The giants picked up their weapons, helped one another stand, and gradually cleared the area. No one treated Satoru as an enemy. Nor as an ordinary guest. They looked at him with a mixture of respect, caution, and memory that was difficult to separate.
Karina noticed.
And decided not to comment.
For once, she preferred to remain silent.
***
The meeting took place after the giants recovered enough strength to move.
They did not choose a ceremonial hall, but a wide space inside the great tree, formed between roots and stone. There were seats sized for the leader and the elders, arranged as if all of them were the ones who ruled that place. For Karina and Satoru, however, there was no furniture suited to them, since that space had been made for giants, but a pair of wooden chairs had been requested for both of them.
Karina was somewhat nervous because of the change in location, but even so, she made the effort to sit with dignity.
Satoru sat beside her without showing discomfort.
Raka remained silent on her chest.
In addition to the giants, a dryad and an elderly gnome observed from the edges of the hall. Both seemed uncomfortable. Everyone present knew about the battle, and that could be seen in the distance they kept.
The forest giants, on the other hand, seemed calmer.
Ishizuchi took a seat in front of them. Amihige remained to one side, his arms crossed and his gaze firm.
The leader of the giants spoke first.
"Now that our matter is finished, tell me why Muno came to Yamaki."
Karina straightened herself.
This time, at least, the conversation was about something she could explain.
"To begin with…" Karina said, choosing her tone carefully as she hesitated for a moment, "we did not come on behalf of anyone. This visit was our own initiative. We wanted to meet you, and if possible, learn whether Yamaki would be willing to consider an alliance in the future."
Ishizuchi listened without interrupting.
That helped Karina continue.
"We do not have the authority to negotiate all the details. We only came to ask whether that conversation can exist."
The gazes of several giants settled on the two of them.
They did not need to speak for the doubt to become clear.
Something did not fit.
Karina carried the Muno name. That alone implied closeness to human power, to those who made decisions. But the one beside her was Satoru. The same man who had just faced all of them and remained standing.
Their gazes moved between the two, filled with confusion and disbelief.
One of the giants finally spoke.
"Then… in what position do the two of you speak?"
The question was addressed to both of them.
But the gazes did not remain on Karina.
"My relationship with Muno is circumstantial," Satoru said calmly. "When I arrived, the barony was under the influence of a demon. I eliminated it, and after that, I established an agreement with them. I lend them my strength, and in exchange, I obtain certain benefits."
His voice showed no emotion at all. He spoke as if he were simply describing a fact.
"That does not give me authority to speak on behalf of Muno or define the terms of an alliance," he continued. "But I can say this: the people who govern now will not disappoint you."
For that same reason, Karina had been the one to speak from the beginning.
She took a deep breath before continuing.
"Originally, I came to find you because we needed help," she said. "The threat we were facing no longer exists, but that does not mean Muno is well."
She stopped for a moment.
Her expression changed.
The flustered girl from earlier disappeared, leaving someone more serious and aware of the weight of what she was saying.
Karina avoided the giants' eyes.
"Shortly after arriving… I learned that Muno and Yamaki have history," she added in a lower voice. "And not a good one."
The silence grew heavier.
Karina pressed her lips together.
Then, gathering courage, she raised her head.
"But my family is not the same family that ruled centuries ago," she said. "And Muno is not the same place either."
Her hands tensed slightly over her knees.
"I know that does not erase what happened. But…" She paused briefly. "I ask that you give us a chance to prove that we are different."
Ishizuchi looked at the gathered giants.
There was no clear vote. They exchanged brief words in their own language, slow looks, and silences that seemed to weigh more than many phrases. Karina did not understand everything, but she could tell that no one was speaking in haste.
Finally, Ishizuchi looked back at her.
"We will receive Muno's representative."
Karina felt part of the tension leave her shoulders.
"Thank you."
"But any agreement must be reviewed every three human generations."
Karina blinked.
"Every three generations?"
An elderly giantess seated beside Ishizuchi spoke in a calm voice.
"Humans change quickly."
Another giant added:
"The one who promises does not always live to teach the weight of his words."
The elderly woman nodded.
"And those who inherit an agreement may remember the benefit without remembering the debt."
Karina lowered her gaze slightly.
She did not like hearing it.
But she could not say it was unfair either.
Raka spoke softly.
"To them, that period is not born from distrust. It is a way to prevent a promise from aging until it becomes an empty custom."
Karina slowly nodded.
"I will convey that condition to Viscountess Nina."
Ishizuchi held her gaze.
"Then it is in your hands."
***
During the next two days, Karina was able to walk through Yamaki without the urgency of the first visit.
Most of the inhabitants did not know what had happened in the clearing, and that made things simpler. To them, Satoru was the human who had saved the children from the poison, so when they saw him pass, many bowed their heads in gratitude. Others watched him with curiosity, but no one seemed to treat him as a threat.
Satoru received all of it with his usual calm.
Karina, on the other hand, took longer to get used to it. At first, she tried to behave with the dignity expected of a daughter of Muno, walking with her back straight and greeting those she encountered with care. But Yamaki was not a noble salon, and maintaining that attitude became difficult when she began crossing paths with curious children, visitors of different races, and inhabitants who seemed as interested in her as she was in them.
"Why are they looking at me so much?" she asked in a low voice.
Raka answered from the necklace.
"It is likely that you are looking at them quite a bit as well."
Karina fell silent.
Then she looked away from a group of kobolds carrying baskets of dried herbs.
"Is it that obvious?"
"From their perspective, perhaps."
Karina did not know how to respond to that.
Even so, little by little, she stopped tensing with every look. The children of the young giants were the first to approach without much caution. They were already completely recovered, and their energy made that clear. One of them, with his hair gathered in a thick braid, approached Satoru while Karina spoke with a gnome woman about the herbs used in the village.
The child looked down at him.
Satoru raised his gaze.
"Do you need something?"
The child hesitated for an instant, as if he did not quite know how to begin. Then, with sudden determination, he lifted him.
"?"
"Huh?!"
Karina let out a small cry when she saw Satoru being raised without warning.
The child did not seem to notice her reaction. On the contrary, when he saw that Satoru did not resist or show annoyance, his expression lit up with a mixture of relief and enthusiasm. He adjusted his grip carefully and began walking quickly.
For him, they were only normal steps.
To Karina, it looked as if he was running away.
"Hey, wait—!"
She took a step to follow him, but stopped when she saw where he was going.
The child approached a group that was already waiting for him. They were not only young giants; there were children of different races gathered there. Karina recognized them immediately.
They were the ones Satoru had saved.
The child lifted Satoru a little higher, showing him off with pride. The others approached at once, talking among themselves with excitement. Karina did not understand what they were saying, but she did not need to. Some pointed, others bowed slightly, and several looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and gratitude.
Satoru did nothing.
He allowed himself to be passed from one pair of hands to another with his usual calm, without offering resistance, so still that for a moment he looked like a doll.
Karina stared at the scene.
And then, unable to help it, she began to laugh.
Karina brought a hand to her mouth.
She did not want to laugh.
She really did not want to.
"Lady Karina…"
Raka addressed her.
Karina turned around and covered her face with both hands, though her shoulders still trembled.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry, but…"
"You do not seem sorry."
"I'm trying!"
The giant child carefully lowered Satoru after a nearby forest giant saw the scene, froze as if he had seen a ghost, and hurried toward the children to tell them to put him down. Satoru set his feet back on the ground, adjusted his cape, and made no further comment.
Karina needed several seconds to recover her composure.
***
Later, Karina understood why some homes near the great tree had reinforced roofs.
The sound came first.
It was a deep creak from the upper branches, followed by a heavy impact that made the ground tremble several steps away. Karina turned sharply, brought a hand toward Raka by instinct, and saw an enormous fruit rolling slowly over the ground. It was as tall as a small house, with a dark, rough shell that had left a mark in the earth when it fell.
However, unlike what Karina expected, no one screamed or ran.
A group of young giants approached with thick ropes, and two gnomes began checking the point of impact with the naturalness of people who saw such a thing every few days.
Karina pointed at the fruit.
"That just fell from the tree."
"Yes," Amihige answered, walking nearby.
"It could have crushed a house."
"They only fall once a month. Besides, that is why we do not build under the heaviest branches."
Karina looked up.
"And if one falls in the wrong place?"
Amihige thought about the answer for a moment.
"We repair what it breaks."
Karina decided not to ask more.
Shortly after, she discovered that those fruits were not only an everyday danger, but also a source of pride for Yamaki. The shell was so hard that opening it required heavy tools or the strength of the giants. Among visitors, there was a custom of trying to cut it with a sword or an axe. Most managed no more than leaving a superficial mark.
Karina considered it a dangerous tradition.
The inhabitants of Yamaki seemed to consider it entertaining.
One of the fruits was placed in a cleared area. A young giant took an old sword, clearly made for human hands, and offered it to Karina with an expectant smile. Karina immediately took a step back.
"No, thank you."
The young man tilted his head.
"You do not want to try?"
"I would like to keep my hands."
Amihige let out a low laugh.
The next one to receive the weapon was Satoru.
Karina had a bad feeling.
Not because she doubted he could cut the fruit, but because she already knew how unpredictable he could be.
Satoru observed the sword.
Then the fruit.
"Do I only need to cut it?"
"If you can, hehe!" the young giant answered.
Satoru raised the weapon.
The cut was clean.
The shell opened from top to bottom without visible resistance, and the fruit was divided into two parts that slowly separated until they fell to the sides with a heavy sound. The sweet smell from inside immediately filled the air.
Those present fell silent.
"Woah!"
"Huh…?"
"Seriously?"
Karina looked at Satoru.
"Honestly, I am not surprised."
"What is the matter?"
"Nothing. I just thought that, for once, something might take you more than one try."
Satoru looked back at the opened fruit.
"The shell is more resistant than it appears."
"That is difficult to believe when you are the one saying it."
The tradition did not end there.
Since the first cut had been too clean, some inhabitants brought even more resistant fruits, and Satoru accepted trying with swords of different weights. He did not seem to do it to show off. In fact, he barely responded when the others commented on something. He only changed the position of his feet, adjusted the force of the cut, and observed how the shell behaved under each strike.
Karina watched him for a while.
There was something absurd about seeing him practice with giant fruits while the inhabitants of Yamaki evaluated the result as if it were a completely normal activity. But it also made sense.
Satoru liked practicing martial arts, after all.
"Sometimes I think he does not know how to rest," Karina murmured.
"Perhaps that is his way of doing so," Raka replied.
Karina thought about it.
Then she watched Satoru split another fruit with a diagonal cut so precise that both halves slid in opposite directions.
As an undead, does he need to rest?
Amihige heard the comment and smiled slightly.
"That fruit makes good liquor."
Karina looked at him immediately.
"Liquor?"
"Yes, and a very strong one."
"That explains why everyone seems so interested."
"It is also difficult to prepare. By the way, does Satoru like to drink?"
Karina observed Satoru.
"I have never seen him drink alcohol."
Or eat anything in general.
She thought about this when she remembered the days they had spent together, but naturally, she did not share it.
"Oh~ Is that so?"
Karina sighed. It was clear the giant had his own idea.
***
During those days, Satoru also spoke with a kobold.
Karina did not hear the whole conversation.
But Satoru listened without interrupting, and even seemed interested.
That alone told Karina it was not a casual conversation.
Although Satoru did not tell her the details afterward, he did say he wanted to speak with Nina about it when they returned.
***
Nina's notice arrived on the third day.
Satoru stopped while they were walking near one of the main roots. Karina heard no voice and saw no one approaching, but the way he barely raised his gaze was enough to make her understand that he had received some message.
"What is it?"
"Nina requests our return."
Karina remained silent for a few seconds.
The last time she had been in Muno, the castle had still been under the demon's shadow, and she had been forced to flee in search of help. Since then, too many things had happened, but the fact remained simple.
Karina lowered her gaze for an instant, arranging the mixture of relief and nervousness that tightened her chest.
"I see. Then we should prepare."
Satoru nodded.
"Yes."
When Ishizuchi was informed of their departure, he asked to see them one last time in the same hall where the meeting had been held. Karina was present as well. There was no reason to exclude her; after all, she was the daughter of Muno and one of the people who had brought that conversation to Yamaki.
Ishizuchi sat in front of them. Amihige remained to one side, and two elderly giants waited in silence near the wall.
Satoru was the first to speak.
"There is something I do not understand."
Ishizuchi looked at him.
"I am listening."
Satoru stood before him, his cape still over his shoulders.
"You know that I killed someone important to you. Even so, you accepted receiving Muno and allowed me to remain here."
Karina said nothing.
The phrase made her remember the silence that had fallen in the clearing when she had asked earlier. She still did not know the answer, and from the way the giants had reacted, she understood that it was not a matter to touch lightly.
Ishizuchi placed both hands on his knees.
"You believe one thing should cancel the other."
"It is what many would do."
"Perhaps," Ishizuchi replied. "But we cannot live that way."
The hall fell silent.
Ishizuchi did not seem angry. His voice was deep, calm, and precisely because of that, Karina felt she should listen without intervening.
"Humans live briefly. Sometimes they need to close a loss immediately or turn it into a wound that pushes them until the end. We live longer. If every painful memory forced us to destroy everything it touched, Yamaki would have been empty long ago."
Satoru held his gaze.
Ishizuchi spoke without looking away from him.
"It is moving forward. We remember those we lost. We remember what they did for us and also how they left. That does not change because you saved our children, nor because you accepted our weapons without scorning our pain."
Karina lowered her gaze slightly.
She did not know that person's name. Nor did she know what had happened. But for the first time, she understood that the giants were not treating Satoru with simple tolerance. There was a decision behind it. One that did not seek to erase the past, but to carry it without letting it destroy everything else.
Ishizuchi continued:
"We do not know everything that happened between you. Perhaps we never will. But we saw your reaction, we saw how you answered when we raised our weapons, and we saw that you did not speak with mockery of the one who fell before you. That is enough to know you did not treat her death as something insignificant."
Satoru remained silent.
Ishizuchi continued after a few seconds.
"Besides, we also remember your mercy."
Satoru raised his gaze.
"When we raised our weapons, we placed our lives in that battle. You defeated us and then stopped. If you had wanted to finish us off, none of the forest giants would still be here."
The elders remained silent.
Karina did as well.
"That does not erase what came before," Ishizuchi said. "But it is also something we must carry in memory."
Satoru lowered his gaze slightly.
"…I see."
Ishizuchi nodded.
"That is how it is."
The silence lasted a moment longer, until Ishizuchi spoke again.
"During the meeting, you said you worked with Muno in exchange for certain benefits."
"Yes."
"What kind of benefits do you receive in exchange?"
"Materials for alchemy and other branches. I need them for my research."
Ishizuchi brought a hand to his beard.
"Then perhaps I can help you. I have an old friend with broad knowledge in that field."
Satoru raised his gaze with clear interest.
"Who?"
"Some call her the Witch of the Forest of Illusions."
Satoru went still.
Only for half a second.
Karina noticed.
"I appreciate the offer, but it will not be necessary," Satoru said.
Ishizuchi raised his eyebrows slightly.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes. For my research, I prefer to control the origin of the materials and the method of obtaining them. Depending on external assistance could affect the results."
Karina glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
Satoru did not usually explain that much.
"Besides," he continued, "I do not wish to place an additional debt on Yamaki when the agreement with Muno already covers my main needs. The gesture is appreciated, but unnecessary."
Karina narrowed her eyes.
Don't tell me…
Ishizuchi observed him for a few seconds, though he did not insist.
"If that is your decision, I will not press."
"I appreciate the consideration."
"Then allow us to offer you something else."
Ishizuchi signaled to one of the elderly giants. The elder left the hall and returned shortly after with a large bag of old leather. He placed it in front of Ishizuchi and opened the straps. Inside were weapons and objects of human size, pieces accumulated over the years through trade, old debts, or travelers who were no longer there to claim them.
"Accept this as another kind of gift."
Satoru observed the contents for several seconds.
Then he picked up a spear.
It was a spear of excellent quality. Its shape was simple, without excessive ornamentation, but the metal of the tip had a firm shine, and the balance of the weapon was precise. Satoru held it with one hand, checked its weight with a brief movement, and then nodded.
"This one."
Ishizuchi observed him.
"Will it be of use to you?"
"Yes."
He added nothing more.
The farewell was brief. The giants did not use long promises or unnecessary ceremonies. Amihige accompanied them to the exit of the great tree, the dryad watched them from a high branch, and some of the recovered children waved their hands when they saw them pass.
Karina answered them with a small smile.
Satoru inclined his head once.
Then they both took the path out of Yamaki.
Karina walked in silence for a while. Muno waited at the end of the road, and she decided that, for now, she would not think more about her companion's actions.
***
The return to Muno was not silent.
Since early morning, Nina had ordered the city entrance to be prepared. It was not a full celebration or a parade, but neither was it a discreet reception. Soldiers and trusted men gathered by Nina formed on both sides of the main road. Behind them, some civilians had gathered out of curiosity, murmuring among themselves as they tried to see beyond the line.
Liza remained beside Nina, with Tama and Pochi a little behind her.
She was not wearing the same clothes she had left Muno in.
After what happened during the mission, a light plate armor had been prepared for her, reinforced at the chest, shoulders, and arms, but without covering her body completely. Her fighting style depended too much on movement and the spear to confine her in heavy armor. It was a gift given in recognition of her mission.
But the most visible thing was not the armor.
It was the line on her cheek.
The potion she had taken after her battle had closed the most serious wounds and returned enough strength for her to remain standing. However, the cut on her face had not disappeared completely. A thin scar remained, marked from beneath her cheekbone to near her jaw.
Liza had not tried to hide it.
She had no reason to.
Even so, as she waited, her fingers moved once toward her cheek before stopping.
"You do not need to be so nervous," Nina said beside her.
Liza immediately lowered her hand.
"I am not nervous."
Nina smiled without looking at her.
"Of course."
Liza remained silent.
The viscountess had spent several days working without rest. From the first day Satoru had left to find Karina, Nina had taken control of the situation: she organized reports, brought order among the soldiers, managed the prisoners, and began stabilizing the city. Inside the castle, things had clearly improved.
Outside of it, Liza could not be sure.
Nina seemed aware of that.
"Everything is prepared," the viscountess said. "I spoke with him before he left. This should not cause problems."
Liza looked at her.
The certainty in her voice should have reassured her.
Nina smiled with confidence, as if she clearly knew how things were going to turn out. Liza wanted to believe her.
Even so, something tightened in her chest.
It was a strange feeling, difficult to arrange.
Then she heard the flapping.
At first, it was a distant sound, mixed with the murmurs of the crowd. Then several civilians raised their heads at the same time. After that, the soldiers did as well. Some let out restrained exclamations, others took half a step back before remembering they were in formation.
Liza also raised her gaze.
For an instant, she did not understand what she was seeing.
A white horse descended from the sky, its wings spread and the sun behind its silhouette. The light outlined its feathers and made its coat shine, turning each movement into something too clean to seem real. It looked as if it had been taken from a story, from those tales where heroes arrived from the sky to save the day.
And on that magical beast was her master.
Liza stopped breathing for an instant.
Satoru was not wearing his hood.
Since she had known him, he had almost always hidden his face when he stood before others. Not because he needed to, but because his appearance drew too much attention. Liza knew that, which was why seeing him like this, exposed before the entire city, surprised her.
He wore an elegant black garment adorned with golden embroidery that stood out without becoming ostentatious. His posture on the mount was firm and natural. There was no arrogance in his expression, nor a smile meant to please. Only that calm of his, serene and difficult to move.
Precisely because of that, he was so striking.
His beauty was not soft or delicate. It was born from his bearing, from the severe symmetry of his features, and from the confidence with which he seemed to occupy the space around him. His blue eyes, shining like sapphires under the sunlight, did not give the impression of someone kind at first glance, but they did give the impression of someone impossible to ignore. It was a strange, firm, almost unnatural beauty, closer to the image of a hero carved into legend than to an ordinary person.
Liza heard the murmurs die down.
Then she looked at the audience.
The civilians who had been observing with curiosity before were now still, some with their mouths slightly open. The soldiers maintained formation, but even they seemed to have forgotten for a moment that they needed to breathe. Several women stared upward without blinking. Some men straightened their backs, not with fear, but with an instinctive admiration toward something that appeared strong, dignified, and distant.
Liza slowly turned her gaze toward Nina.
The viscountess did not seem surprised.
That was when Liza understood.
She was selling her master's image!
Not in a vulgar or offensive sense. Nina was taking the fear Satoru had left behind because of the rumors and transforming it into something else. A figure people could admire before they feared. A visible savior. Someone strong, beautiful, capable of returning with the daughter of Muno safe and sound.
Liza understood the usefulness.
But even so…
Had her master accepted that?
For a moment, she came to suspect that Nina had tricked him somehow. Then she dismissed the idea almost immediately. Tricking Satoru in something like this did not seem likely, and Nina was not that reckless.
"You know," Nina said in a low voice, "this is the first time since we met that you have shown so many emotions."
The viscountess's voice did not sound mocking.
Or at least, she hid any trace of mockery very well.
Liza looked at her.
Nina let out a light laugh, almost imperceptible.
"I asked him to return in a way that would not cause fear. Something visible, striking, and easy to associate with a heroic story. I did not know what he would choose, but I cannot say he chose poorly."
Liza looked back at Satoru.
The magical beast descended gracefully, moving its wings just enough to soften the landing. Behind Satoru, seated carefully and holding on as best she could without losing dignity, was a young woman with blonde hair and an elegant dress. From her features, her figure, and the way several soldiers reacted upon seeing her, Liza did not take long to recognize her.
Karina Muno.
The second daughter of the Muno family.
The person her master had gone to find.
Nina continued in a low voice:
"Appearances do not solve problems by themselves, but they help people decide how to look at someone. Men admire strength. Women are not immune to beauty or status. And he can present himself with all of that."
Liza did not answer.
The words made sense.
Somehow.
Tama and Pochi, behind her, did not seem to be thinking about the politics of the scene. The two of them looked upward with shining eyes, as if to them there was nothing to analyze.
"Master looks incredible," Pochi murmured.
"Very shiny," Tama added.
Liza could not contradict them.
Nina kept her eyes on Satoru for a few more seconds.
"Although there is something else I did not fully explain to him."
Liza looked back at her.
"Something else?"
"Only a possibility," Nina replied. "If things move the way I think they will, it could help us even more than the entrance."
The calm way she said it made Liza feel that strange premonition again.
"What do you mean?"
Nina smiled faintly.
"We will see."
The mount touched the ground in front of the city entrance.
The men gathered by Nina took a step forward at the same time, marking the beginning of the formal welcome. The crowd held itself back, though the murmurs started again, lower and more excited than before.
Nina advanced first.
Liza followed a step behind her, her back straight and her hands steady. Tama and Pochi moved behind her, trying to behave seriously despite their ears and tails betraying them.
Karina descended from the mount with some help, visibly relieved to set foot on solid ground. Nina received her with an elegant bow, and the soldiers greeted the daughter of Muno with firm voices.
Satoru remained on the mount for one more instant.
Then he looked toward Liza.
She bowed.
"Welcome back, Master."
Satoru opened his mouth.
"I have retu…"
He stopped.
The silence that followed was brief, but long enough for those nearby to notice. Satoru descended from the mount without saying anything more. The movement was simple, but the attention already on him made it seem heavier than it was. Nina, who was at his side, naturally took a step back and left Liza fully in front of him.
Liza barely raised her gaze.
"Master…?"
She was about to ask what was wrong.
But she did not manage to.
Satoru's hand arrived first, resting gently against her cheek.
"Ah."
The contact was light.
Even so, Liza froze instinctively. Satoru's fingers rested beside the scar, and his thumb passed near the line marked on her skin without pressing on it. It did not hurt. The wound was no longer open. But the simple touch made Liza feel a brief shiver that was difficult to hide.
The crowd fell silent.
Liza was not in a condition to pay attention to them.
Behind her, Tama and Pochi were watching with wide eyes, completely still in place. The nearby soldiers, the sergeant, and Karina as well, still beside the mount, observed the scene with similar expressions.
Satoru withdrew his hand.
Then he looked at Tama and Pochi.
He said nothing, but his eyes moved over their faces, their arms, their postures. He was searching for any visible sign of injury. When he found none, he looked back at Liza.
She felt heat rise to her face.
It was not like her.
But she could not avoid it.
Satoru's brow furrowed slightly.
"What happened while I was away?"
His voice was low, but everyone present could hear it.
It did not sound like a shout or an open threat. It was too calm for that. However, there was a cold pressure beneath it, the kind of displeasure left unspoken by someone powerful enough that no one nearby could ignore it. And yet, mixed with that pressure, there was also a restrained concern that made the question feel different from simple anger.
"Master, I…"
Liza's voice came out less firm than she expected.
Nina intervened before she had to continue.
"There were several events worthy of your attention during your absence," she said with a calm smile, "but it would be better to explain them at the castle. This is not the place to speak in detail."
Satoru looked at Nina.
The viscountess held his gaze without lowering her head.
After an instant, Satoru accepted.
"You are right."
Nina inclined her head slightly, satisfied.
Satoru looked back toward the city entrance.
"Let us proceed."
The order was brief.
The soldiers reacted immediately, and the crowd began to open for them to pass. Nina walked beside Satoru without hesitation. Liza advanced near them, still feeling the place where her master's hand had touched her cheek. Tama and Pochi followed her, throwing glances at each other as if trying to decide whether they were allowed to talk about what they had just seen.
Behind them, Karina remained beside the winged mount, her expression of disbelief growing clearer by the second.
"Raka…"
The necklace took a second to respond.
"I-I do not have a clear idea either, Lady Karina."
"You too?"
"Not one that I believe would be prudent to say aloud."
Karina looked toward Satoru, then toward Liza, and then toward Nina, who walked beside him as if everything were going according to plan.
The crowd followed them with their eyes as they advanced toward the castle. At first, there had been fear and curiosity toward the figure from the rumors. Now the murmurs were different, softer, more alive.
Satoru was still the man who had caused a stir, but for many of those present, the reasons were starting to change.
******
Author's Note:
As always, thank you very much for reading and continuing to follow the story.
With this chapter, we can finally say that the events equivalent to Volume 4 have come to an end. Satou spent more time in Muno in the original story, but the most important parts have already been handled here.
Now, as I mentioned when we entered this phase, only one original arc of my own remains to close several pending matters. In that arc, we will finally conclude the motivations that will give meaning to the title of the story.
As for this chapter, I decided to show a small glimpse of what is to come: Satoru being able to interact and coexist with others.
In previous chapters, he has often been placed in situations where, for one reason or another, he could not have prolonged interactions with many people. And the people who are usually close to him, such as the demi-human girls or Hans, tend to be very disciplined most of the time.
The giants were also interesting for me to write because this is one of the first times Satoru interacts with people whose perspective is shaped by a much longer life. Technically, Satoru is also a long-lived being, but it is important to remember that he was "born" not long ago. Because of that, seeing how the giants carry memory, loss, grudges, gratitude, and time was something I wanted to include.
There is also a reference in this chapter to the Witch of the Forest of Illusions. Some readers may remember that she has appeared before, so I wanted to leave that connection here without going too deeply into it.
This chapter also ended up being very long. It probably could have been divided into two chapters, but after the mini-arc focused on Liza became longer than expected, I felt it was better not to split the story into even more separated parts.
I hope you have enjoyed the story so far.
For those who would like to support my writing and future projects, you can also visit my Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/cw/GreenHistories
Your support is entirely optional, and simply reading, commenting, and continuing to follow the story already means a great deal to me.
That is all for now. Thank you again for reading and for your support.