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The two of them rolled onto the bed and started to think.

 

“Well, I guess we have to move to Plan C.”

“I suppose.”

“But still, Chiharu.”

“What?”

“Plan C is not enough.”

“That’s true.”

“Where should we go?”

 

They looked up at the grains of the wooden ceiling. Chiharu opened her mouth.

 

“1, have the birdfolk take us to the beastlands.”

“Yes, Master Chiharu. I just thought of a crazy future where we are surrounded by bird people.”

“2, have the birdfolk take us to the elf lands.”

“Yes, Master Chiharu. They probably wouldn’t agree to that.”

“That Miragaia! Well then, 3. We’ll follow the soldiers to Gromble.”

“I think that could work.”

“4, we just relax and enjoy traveling the dwarf lands.”

“Totally.”

“5, we backtrack.”

“Yes. We can stay at the hot spring for a week.”

“Yes.”

 

They could take it so easy. But.

 

“The miasma is already thin over there.”

“Yeah.”

“And it’s still thick in Gromble.”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, so our destination. Let’s say it at the same time, okay?”

“Here we go.”

“Here we go.”

 

They nodded at each other.

 

“Gromble.”

“Gromble.”

 

Right?

 

“Hmm, I wonder why?”

“An old habit from Japan? I don’t feel like I can have fun when others are working hard.”

“We’re adults, after all. We can’t just throw away our responsibilities.”

“Adults, huh? Well, we did have a nice long 12 days vacation at least.”

“It was so fun. Even though there was a guardian half of the time.”

“Though, they spied on us.”

“Prince.”

“Hah!”

 

They rolled around laughing again.

 

“But, we won’t return so easily.”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s ask Edmond for help.”

“Yes, let’s.”

 

They needed to get some rest for tomorrow. But…

“Haha…”

“Chiharu?”

“Your face during dinner…when you fluttered your eyelashes.”

“Ughh. I didn’t think you would find it so funny…hehe.”

 

It took them a while to fall asleep.

 

In the dwarf castle, Aeris was holding the bag that was from Chiharu.

 

“So many magic gems. She had hated the idea of growing these so much, but they were going to places thick with miasma on their own. What sense of responsibility. Chiharu, I hope that you are not suffering. I wish that I could at least be by your side.”

 

Sauro was staring at Aeris after handing him the bag.

 

“Aeris, she isn’t suffering at all. They’re having lots of fun, actually.”

“No, no. They probably want to return, but cannot. What about their travel expenses?”

“They seem to be richer.”

“What about strange men following them around?”

“…”

 

Well, he couldn’t say there wasn’t one. But Sauro knew that there was nothing he could say to satisfy Aeris. Still, it was getting tiresome, so he did hope that they would return soon.

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