Chapter 1: Welcome Home Yuna (2)

Part 2

Yuna walked ahead, confidently climbing the stairs that led them to her home. Each step made the wood creak slightly—a sound that didn't seem to bother anyone except Thalindra. With every creak, the dwarf's distrust of those rickety structures grew.

"I miss the solid stonework of Molgaroth," Thalindra muttered, her voice revealing more nervousness than she wanted to admit.

Yuna looked back with a reassuring smile.

"These stairs have stood strong for years, and our home is reinforced with magic, so there's nothing to worry about," she said in a calm tone, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Thalindra snorted but gripped the ropes of the staircase a bit tighter.

"It's normal to feel that way. After all, heights can make you dizzy," added Simmone, gracefully hopping from one step to the next with a lightness that seemed almost unreal.

Thalindra frowned at her.

"You're not even tall enough to reach dizziness," the dwarf snapped back, a hint of sarcasm in her tone that made Haruto stifle a laugh.

"Well, just try not to look down, Thalindra," Haruto chimed in from behind, clearly amused by the scene.

The dwarf grumbled but took the advice to heart. When they finally reached the upper platform, she let out a long sigh of relief, trying to regain her composure.

"See? Nothing to worry about, Kizu," said the tiny Kizuna, fluttering energetically above Thalindra with a mischievous grin.

Thalindra raised an eyebrow and looked at her with a mix of fatigue and sarcasm.

"Sure, just don't trip, Kizuna. Oh right… you can't, because you fly," she replied, crossing her arms.

Haruto couldn't help but chuckle quietly while Kizuna spun mid-air, ignoring the remark with a playful giggle.

Yuna, who had been watching the exchange with a smile, turned to the group and pointed at the entrance of her home.

"Well, here we are. Welcome to my house," she announced proudly, opening the door and inviting them in.

The incredible wooden details and the lively plants decorating the spacious Kazeharu home left Thalindra impressed.

It was a warm and welcoming place, completely different from the solid, utilitarian dwarven dwellings she was used to.

"I'll go prepare some tea in a moment. Please, make yourselves comfortable," Yuna said warmly as she headed toward the kitchen.

"My favorite part of the day," commented Simmone, delicately settling down on a cushion. "Yuna's tea and cookies are simply the best."

Thalindra, by contrast, let herself fall heavily onto another cushion.

"Alright, what do we know so far? Let's go over it," she said, crossing her arms with a serious expression.

"We don't have much info, but... Olivia, are you awake?" Haruto asked, glancing at his shoulder.

With a flash of light, the tiny Olivia appeared in her physical form, yawning as she floated lazily.

"Greeting! Good morning, master. I was dreaming about cupcakes…" she said, her voice dragging with a drowsy tone.

"Sorry to bother you, Olivia, but we need your help," Haruto responded patiently.

"Note! Don't worry, master. Just give me a sec and I'll—" Before finishing the sentence, Olivia dozed off again, floating in the air with a tiny sleep bubble escaping from her nose.

"Don't fall asleep, Kizu!" shouted Kizuna, quickly flying over to shake Olivia with force.

"Surprised! Sorry, sorry. I'm focused now," Olivia said, still groggy. Her eyes struggled to stay open as she blinked slowly. "What information do you need?"

"Tell us about demi-humans, Olivia. What do you know from your database?" Haruto asked, his tone serious.

"Information!" Olivia exclaimed with a burst of enthusiasm that sharply contrasted her sleepy expression. "There are a significant number of different types of demi-humans. But in essence, they are beings imbued with magic. Most of them live in Mythara, Yurei, and the ocean."

"Interesting," said Thalindra, bringing a hand to her chin in thought. "Tell me, do any of them have camouflage abilities?"

"Information! That I cannot confirm," Olivia replied, crossing her tiny arms. "However, it's possible that some type may possess camouflage magic. Based on the environment in Mythara, the most logical candidate would be a reptilian species."

"And what's your reasoning for that assumption?" asked Simmone, her gaze reflecting curiosity.

"Deduction!" Olivia announced, puffing out her chest proudly. "It's quite simple. Mythara is a forest that maintains a spring-like or temperate climate nearly all year round due to its location. In short, there's no snow or extreme cold."

Kizuna floated closer to Olivia, but not without making a dramatic change first.

In a flash of light, she appeared dressed in a tiny trench coat and a detective hat. She held a toy pipe that puffed out delicate magical smoke.

"Elementary, my dear Olivia!" she exclaimed grandly, bringing the pipe to her mouth as she struck a thoughtful pose, floating in circles. "Following this logic, cold is its weakness—thus, it chose this forest as a safe haven. Kizu!"

The scene left Thalindra blinking in disbelief, while Haruto brought a hand to his face, trying to contain his laughter.

"Seriously, Kizuna?" Haruto asked, half amused, half resigned.

"Of course! It's the most logical deduction!" Kizuna responded, adjusting her tiny hat and striking a triumphant pose.

"Setting aside Kizuna's low-budget comedy act, she's right. Fortunately, cold is my specialty," Simmone added, as a crystal of ice elegantly formed in the palm of her hand. The icy shard shimmered with a cold, beautiful light.

She turned the crystal gently, watching as the sparkles danced along its surface.

Though her expression remained serene, a glint of admiration lit her eyes, as if she were evaluating a work of art rather than a magical creation.

Yuna, who had been listening closely, approached the table with flawless poise, carrying the tea set and cups with utmost elegance.

As she distributed the cups with precise, practiced movements, her posture radiated the grace and discipline of someone used to perfection in every detail.

A soft breeze slipped in through the window, lightly stirring her hair, which seemed to sway in rhythm with the wind as she spoke.

"A year ago, we went on an expedition to track it down. Sentinels like us are the best trackers," she said seriously, pouring tea with a precision born of long habit.

Yuna settled into her place at the round table, gently setting down the teapot before continuing.

"Usually, we can sense magic through the wind currents, but that day..." her voice deepened as her eyes met those of her companions. "Something was different."

"Let me guess, nothing. You couldn't find a trace," Thalindra interrupted with a half-smile.

"Exactly. Not a hint of magic," Yuna confirmed, bringing her teacup to her lips. "But I could feel its eyes watching us."

"So it hides from both magic and sight… what a fascinating creature," murmured the dwarf, pulling out a small notebook and pencil to take notes.

"Note! I can't find any entity in my database that matches these traits," said Olivia, sipping from her tiny cup with a focused air.

"Yuna, can you tell us more about that mission? Did any elf get injured?" Haruto asked, his eyes fixed on the elf.

"Now that you mention it, no," Yuna replied, setting her cup on the table. "We set up a series of traps, but none caught anything big—just a few small animals."

"What was strangest," Yuna added, interlacing her fingers, "was how the traps were disarmed. It was as if they knew exactly where each mechanism was. It didn't feel like instinct—it felt like intelligence."

Thalindra tapped the table lightly with her pencil, her expression lighting up with excitement.

"An opponent who knows the terrain better than the elves, hides from magic, and disables traps. This will be a challenge worthy of someone like me," she declared, continuing her notes enthusiastically.

"And being able to disable traps like that is no small feat," added Simmone, delicately picking up a cookie. After a moment, she set it back on her plate and crossed her arms, assuming a thoughtful posture.

"If it's that well adapted to this environment, it's likely watching us even now. That makes it a dangerous rival."

"The fact that there were no casualties gives us an important clue," Haruto said, crossing his arms as he analyzed the situation. "It doesn't seem to be a confrontational creature. That probably explains why the livestock attacks aren't very frequent."

The group slowly nodded, each reflecting on the new pieces of the puzzle as the tranquility of the house wrapped around them. Everyone processed the information in their own way, weighing the potential implications.

Yuna, who had remained silent through the last few exchanges, finally looked up at the group with a serious expression.

"This isn't a typical creature," she said firmly. "If we want to catch it, we'll need to be smarter than it is."

For now, it was all just speculation. The puzzle was still incomplete. They would have to wait for Cherri and Terram to arrive with more details about the new mission that awaited them.