A long time had passed since Ayoi began following the old man.
Kanezawa was long gone, dissolved into the mists behind them. With every step, the monk spoke; he explained the foundations of the task he was offering, trying to simplify his words as much as possible. It was as if he wanted to lighten the burden by dividing its weight into syllables.
Deep down, Ayoi was questioning the righteousness of her decision.
But that thought didn't last long. She shook her head as if to banish the doubt emerging in her mind. She had already accepted the monk's offer and followed him. From this point on, there was no turning back.
The stone path beneath Ayoi's feet had long since vanished, replaced by damp earth split by ancient roots. The trees grew so close together that the sky appeared only in fragmented patches. Light filtered through the leaves and fell to the ground, changing shape with every step, as if the forest itself were breathing.
The monk was still a few steps ahead.
He neither hurried nor hesitated. He seemed to know the way by heart. Ayoi, without realizing it, had grown silent. Her white silk dress forced her into narrow, measured movements to avoid snagging on branches; the puffed fabric on her shoulders would swell slightly with the wind and then settle again.
After a while, the forest thinned out. The trees receded, and a clearing appeared before them. In the dead center of the clearing stood an old village house.
It looked neither like a village shrine nor a magnificent temple. It was made of stone; simple, angular, and defiant of time. There were no hanging bells or colorful ornaments... It was as if the temple was hidden within nature itself.
Behind the temple lay the true grounds—a wide clearing surrounded by the forest.
The ground was flat, intentionally cleared. There were no stone pavements or drawn boundaries. A few traditional Japanese cushions placed at different points were the only orderly elements of the space. The trees encircled this area, keeping the wind and sound tucked inside.
This was not a square. It was a stage.
Ayoi slowed her steps. Even the air here was different; not heavy, but dense. It was as if every breath wanted to be noticed.
The monk stopped, and the shadow of the temple fell over them both.
At that moment, Ayoi felt they were not alone. There was no one in sight—but the space was not empty. Each of the cushions looked as if it belonged to someone. An invisible order, invisible eyes...
The monk spoke without turning around. Ayoi lifted her head. What had begun in the village did not end here—it began here.
The heavy door of the temple slid open silently with a single touch from the monk.
The interior was cooler than the outside. The stone floor swallowed the sound of their footsteps, and the high ceiling left even their breaths without an echo. There were no decorations on the walls—no sacred figures, no inscriptions. It was as if this place had been consciously stripped of everything that could distract.
The monk stepped back. With a slight nod, he invited Ayoi inside. The moment the girl crossed the threshold, she realized they were not alone.
In the center of the room, a few traditional cushions were spread on the floor. Around them stood youths in different corners. Their stances varied; some were relaxed, others more guarded. But the moment Ayoi entered, they all stood up.
This was not a greeting. It was more like... a learned rule.
Ayoi stopped. She felt a brief moment of hesitation; should she bow, or stay where she was? Her eyes instinctively darted to the monk.
The monk was calm. He wasn't directing this moment; he was merely observing it.
The first to break the silence was a young woman standing near the wall. Her arms were crossed, and a faint smile played on her lips. Her eyes scanned Ayoi from head to toe—looking with scrutiny rather than curiosity.
Sakura:
"Is this the apprentice you found during your seven-day search, Master?"
The words weren't loud, but they hung in the air of the room.
Ayoi's brows furrowed slightly. Though she didn't fully understand what was said, she sensed the tone. She didn't back down—her posture simply stiffened. She turned her gaze back to the monk. The monk still didn't speak.
A large, well-built young man standing opposite Sakura stepped forward slightly. His voice was calm and measured.
Daichi:
"It isn't right to use that tone toward someone we haven't met yet, Sakura."
Sakura shrugged. Her smile remained, but its meaning changed. The air in the room didn't grow heavy, but time did.
Ayoi felt it. She understood that she was no longer just a guest, but someone being noticed and weighed. The silence didn't squeeze her; it was trying to accept her presence.
The monk struck his staff once on the floor. The sound was short and sharp.
Everyone fell silent. At that moment, Ayoi realized this wasn't a guest room. This was a border, and she had already stepped across.
From the very back, a young man who had been watching everything silently left his spot and approached Ayoi. His steps were relaxed—neither cautious nor hurried. When he reached her, he reached out his hand without hesitation. Ayoi looked at the extended hand in surprise.
Ryuji:
"Hi, I'm Ryuji. And you?"
She slowly lifted her gaze. The boy was so tall that she had to tilt her head back significantly to meet his eyes; she barely reached his chest. She hesitated for a second, then gently placed her hand in his palm.
Ayoi:
"Ah... I'm... Ayoi. My name is Ayoi."
Ryuji's face brightened instantly. He nodded with a wide, sincere smile. When he let go of her hand, it was as if he were truly pleased by the introduction.
The large young man approached next. His stance was solid; he didn't look down on Ayoi, but consciously lowered his gaze to her level.
Daichi:
"I'm Daichi. Welcome to our team, Ayoi."
Ayoi smiled slightly. She bowed her head shyly, clasping her hands in front of her. She hadn't expected to be met with such direct acceptance.
At that moment, Sakura's eyebrow arched slightly. Her amber-orange eyes roamed over Ayoi; there was a subtle glint in her gaze, its intent hard to read.
Sakura:
"She doesn't look like a villager at all... She looks like someone from high society. Even beyond that—she looks like a noble."
Ayoi's eyes instinctively found Sakura's. Nervously, she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She said nothing; she just stood there.
The monk's face grew serious. He turned to Sakura. His look was long and silencing.
Master:
"You haven't been introduced yet, Sakura. Instead of making such rude assumptions, you should try to bond through polite conversation."
"That is the rule of being a team. Conflict between you is forbidden."
The atmosphere in the room shifted once more. Ayoi felt these words weren't just for Sakura, but for everyone.
And in that moment, she understood: Here, they weren't just being taught power, but balance.
The monk gripped his staff with both hands and took a brief look at the cushions in the center of the room. Then, his gaze traveled over each of his students. It was neither harsh nor soft... but certain.
Master:
"Meditation will be held in one hour."
Everyone in the room unconsciously stood straighter.
"Ayoi is a stranger to this order."
"You will tell her what we do here. How to prepare, how we work..."
"Pass on everything you know."
His gaze finally rested on Ayoi, wearing a warm smile. He was entrusting her not to the words, but to the others in the team.
As the monk turned to leave, Daichi stepped forward. There was no rush in his voice, but there was eagerness.
Daichi:
"If you'd like, I can help. Before the meditation—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Sakura stepped forward with a sharp movement. Her feet hit the tatami almost fiercely. Her eyes flicked to Daichi for a moment, then to Ayoi. Her voice held not challenge, but ownership.
Sakura:
"No need."
"As two girls, we'll support each other."
She turned to Ayoi. This time her gaze wasn't measuring—she had decided.
"I will prepare her."
The air in the room tensed for a second. Daichi paused, looking as if he might say something, but he gave up. Ryuji watched the scene silently, a faint, hard-to-read expression on his face.
The monk didn't stop. He simply picked up his staff.
Master:
"Very well. Good luck."
His voice was neither approving nor questioning. This was not a judgment; it was a decision left to the flow. Ayoi looked at Sakura. She didn't know yet if this was an offer or a challenge. But she was sure of one thing:
This one hour would pass much slower than she thought.
Sakura grabbed Ayoi by the arm and pulled her out through the sliding door. The movement was firm but not painful; there was a decisiveness in it that said, "let's not waste time." As they walked through the side corridors of the temple, Sakura began to talk. The daily routine, training hours, when the meditations were held... she explained it at length. Her tone was warm, but she left an invisible distance between them. It wasn't that she didn't want to get close—she was just cautious.
Ayoi nodded in agreement, scanning her surroundings. But her mind couldn't keep up. The weight of the decision she had made without thinking was now starting to settle on her shoulders. Still, she tried to listen to Sakura. She didn't want to run away.
After a while, her steps slowed. Sakura's gaze drifted to the dress Ayoi was wearing.
Sakura:
"That silk dress is quite comfortable for meditation, but I don't think it will be for training."
Ayoi looked at her dress. She squeezed the fabric slightly with her fingertips. Then she turned to Sakura with a thoughtful expression.
Ayoi:
"Training... Ah... does it require much movement?"
Sakura gave a short, mocking laugh. She gathered her dark red hair from her ponytail onto her shoulder and began to play with it. This time, there was real amusement in her eyes.
Sakura:
"Okay, now I'm absolutely sure you're not a noble."
A faint look of surprise appeared on Ayoi's face.
"I'm talking about warrior training. Think of it like infantry training."
"We are guardians... or warriors."
"Or adventurers."
"Whatever you want to call it."
Ayoi breathed a deep sigh. She looked around and sat on a log lying sideways in the corner. Her shoulders slumped for a moment.
Ayoi:
"I never had the chance for things like that... or for many things, actually. Now... everything is so new, and I think it will take time to get used to it."
Sakura sat down beside her. This time, there was no distance between them. She turned toward Ayoi, her gaze sharp but non-judgmental.
Sakura:
"None of us were born as warriors of the jewels called Elementals. Don't worry. We'll learn together."
She paused briefly.
"You... only joined about two or three weeks late."
Ayoi looked at Sakura in surprise. Her mind weighed time for a moment—then she remembered the first moment they met. It was strange that the girl who had mocked her was now speaking so calmly and almost supportively.
Sakura must have noticed Ayoi's expression, as a slight smile appeared on her lips.
Sakura:
"Alright, I have the perfect adventurer outfit for you."
She stood up.
"We're going to change your style."
She looked Ayoi up and down.
"Looking at you... I immediately thought of water. How about something simple?"
Ayoi hesitated for a moment. Then she thought, taking her time. She nodded her head slowly in approval. Seeing this, Sakura turned around. Together, they began walking back toward the temple.
---
In the room at the back of the temple, the atmosphere was more relaxed.
The sliding doors were closed; the sound of the wind outside reached here only as a faint whisper. Futons spread out as floor beds defined the layout of the room. This was not a formal space—this was the only place where they would stay together and could let their guards down a little.
Ryuji was sprawled on his own futon. He had his legs crossed and his arms folded behind his head. He was looking at the ceiling, appearing relaxed as if his thoughts were hanging somewhere up there.
Daichi sat opposite him, cross-legged on his own futon. He was trying to form a small accumulation of energy between his palms; the resulting vibration would dissipate after a while. His face was serious.
Ryuji broke the silence.
Ryuji:
"So, Daichi? What do you think about the new girl?"
He turned his head slightly and looked at Daichi out of the corner of his eye.
Ryuji:
"Seems like another person as pure as you has arrived. I guess our team is balanced now."
Daichi's gaze sharpened instantly. The energy in his palm dissipated. He stared at Ryuji.
Daichi:
"Not pure. Reserved."
His tone was clear; this wasn't an opinion, it was an observation.
Daichi:
"And despite that, she is far more noble than Sakura."
Ryuji chuckled softly. He was actually similar to Sakura in many ways: leadership-oriented, outspoken, sharp-tongued... the only difference was that he did it with a laugh. Daichi had been forced to deal with this personality alone for weeks. Ayoi's arrival had been a silent relief for him.
Ryuji:
"She seems like a good person, that's true."
He fell silent for a moment. His eyes fixed on a point on the ceiling.
"But Sakura is partially right. The girl... doesn't look like the type to stay loyal to the team."
Daichi frowned.
Ryuji:
"If you ask me, she'll get bored."
"And she'll fail us."
Daichi shook his head slowly.
Daichi:
"I don't think so at all. In fact, I think..."
He paused briefly.
"She might even bring some joy to our team."
Ryuji turned his head to look at him this time.
Daichi:
"At the very least, she might suppress the energy of the passive-aggressive Sakura, who never calms down despite all that meditation."
Ryuji remained silent for a moment, then burst out laughing. For a short while, the room truly warmed up.
Ryuji:
"I'd like to see that."
As his laughter subsided, his voice grew a bit more serious.
Ryuji:
"But Sakura taking her under her wing like this... This will either be a very good thing..."
His gaze drifted across the ceiling.
"...or a total disaster."
Daichi didn't answer. But the expression on his face showed clearly that he was thinking of the same possibility.