Part 1
Haruto sat on the ground, still exhausted from the battle, as he recounted everything that had happened to Cherri.
The dryad listened in silence, her expression gradually shifting from serene to grave as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place: the legend of the "Golden Eyes," the slavers, the attack… and Rina.
"I think I understand everything now…" she murmured seriously.
Haruto watched her carefully.
"And where is the demi-human now?" Cherri asked bluntly.
Haruto narrowed his eyes. He didn't like that question.
"She's safe," he replied firmly. "Why do you ask?"
Cherri sighed, patient.
"This isn't a judgment or a punishment," she clarified. "But if she's caused disturbances in the forest, she must take some responsibility."
Haruto raised an eyebrow.
"She's been surviving on her own. She hasn't hurt anyone—only a few animals, and only because she had nothing to eat. That's not a crime."
Cherri held his gaze, expression unreadable.
"Even so, she caused trouble for the elves…"
"And she'll apologize for that," Haruto conceded. "But if this turns into a witch hunt or unjust punishment… I'll leave Mythara with her."
A heavy silence settled over the clearing. For a moment, it was denser than the breeze.
Cherri studied him in silence… then let out a soft chuckle.
"No need for tension," she finally said.
Haruto didn't ease his expression. Beneath the exhaustion, his conviction burned steady.
"She's not a threat to the forest. But others are," he added. "And I think they're closer than you think."
Cherri blinked, surprised.
"What do you mean?"
"How did the slavers get into the forest without anyone noticing?" Haruto asked.
"Mythara is a fortress—magic barriers, border guards, sentries. Not just anyone can get in… unless they had help from the inside."
Cherri's eyes narrowed. There was no doubt on her face now—only the dawning realization of a pattern she had chosen to overlook.
"That… would explain a lot."
Haruto crossed his arms.
"If there's a traitor in Mythara, that's the real threat. Not Rina."
"This is more serious than I imagined," Cherri finally admitted.
Haruto nodded slowly.
"I've seen this pattern before."
"Traitors who work from the shadows."
"Who earn trust only to sell it to the highest bidder."
"I'm not fooled by smiles or sweet words. I trust only after I've watched long enough."
His tone wasn't aggressive—it was just truth.
"If I bring Rina back, I expect no trouble."
"She'll apologize. I'll personally make sure she makes things right".
"But if you still see her as an enemy… then you'll have to see me the same way."
Silence fell over the clearing again.
Cherri stared at him—not just measuring his words, but the strength behind them.
At last, she sighed.
"I understand…" she said calmly. "What I don't understand is why you defend her so fiercely. You barely know her."
Haruto didn't flinch.
"It's simple," he replied without hesitation."
"She reminds me of myself… before I was betrayed."
Cherri blinked. There was a bitter edge to his voice that didn't go unnoticed.
"Rina is good and sincere. Naïve, maybe. But I don't want her to go through what I did."
He crossed his arms, recalling the moment she had risked everything just to fulfill a promise.
"And despite the fear, she risked her life for me. That says a lot about who she really is."
Cherri nodded slowly. Haruto's conviction wasn't a fleeting impulse—it was a deliberate decision. And she knew she couldn't afford to turn him into an enemy… not with Mizuki watching.
"Very well," she said, easing her posture.
"I sense your friends are close, so I'll take my leave. I have matters to attend to in my auditorium."
Haruto gave a silent nod as the dryad prepared to depart.
"If you return with Rina, I'd like to meet her. And give her a formal welcome," she added with a gentle smile.
"I promise I won't press about the past… but afterward, we'll talk about the real infiltrators."
Haruto dipped his head slightly.
"That sounds fair."
Cherri held his gaze for a moment longer, then vanished in a swirl of rose petals.The forest fell silent once more.
Haruto let out a breath of relief. For once, he had resolved something without resorting to force. But he knew the traitors were still out there, hidden in the shadows of Mythara.
"Haruto!" Yuna's warm voice broke the stillness. She waved as she approached.
He looked up and saw Yuna and Thalindra making their way toward him. Their clothes were dusty, torn in places—they had clearly been in combat.
"Yuna. Thalindra. I'm glad to see you," he said, relieved.
Before he could say another word, Thalindra grabbed him by the collar and yanked him down so they were face-to-face.
"Haruto, explain something to me... why is there a human girl in MY forge?"
He blinked, scrambling to respond.
"I can explain! Just… don't get mad—"
"It was an emergency, Kizu!" Kizuna chimed in, cutting him off.
The dwarf studied him seriously for a few seconds… then burst into laughter.
"Hah! Relax, kid! I'm joking. Who do you think I am?"
Haruto sighed as he straightened his clothes.
Dwarves have a weird sense of humor…
"Anyway… it's been a long day. Could you go get her?"
Thalindra crossed her arms and nodded.
"Sure, no problem. But tell me—what happened with that Versailles guy?"
"Olivia told us you were fighting him," Yuna added, concern in her voice. "We came as fast as we could."
"Don't worry. With Kizuna… and a bit of luck, we managed to take him down."
Thalindra clicked her tongue and leaned on her hammer.
"Tsk. I missed it. I wanted to see if he could take a few of my hits." She sighed. "Anyway, I'll go fetch your friend."
"Oh! And if you can… bring another bracelet?"
Thalindra raised an eyebrow.
"You think those bracelets grow on trees?"
Haruto shrugged with a smile.
"Hey, just thought I'd ask..."
The dwarf grunted in resignation.
"Fine, I'll make an exception. But this counts as a favor. Got it?"
"Deal," he replied.
Thalindra pulled an ignisite stone from her pocket, struck it against the gem embedded in her bracelet, and vanished in a flash of light through a teleportation circle.
Upon arriving at her forge, Thalindra scanned the room quickly... and the first thing she saw was Rina, poking around the shelves like a child exploring a candy shop.
She was touching tools, sniffing ingots, and staring at every item with wide-eyed wonder.
"Ahem…" the dwarf cleared her throat with intention.
Rina reacted instantly. In a blink, she dove behind some crates as if she'd been caught stealing cookies.
"Greetings! Thalindra, so nice to see you," said Olivia, hovering beside her with a tone noticeably more subdued than usual.
Thalindra raised an eyebrow."Good morning, Olivia. You sound... a bit drained."
"Status: energy levels critical. Must return to virtual panel. Priority: sleep," the construct replied wearily.
The dwarf summoned her own panel. A soft blue light floated in the air before her.
"Wanna rest here? Mine's warm and quiet. I've got it set to 'do not disturb.'"
"Response: affirmative..." Olivia said as she launched herself into the panel. Upon contact, it shifted to a soft lilac hue and then dimmed with a gentle hum.
Thalindra blinked.
"Interesting creature..." she murmured. Then, raising her voice without turning toward the crates, she added: "Come on out. I'm not going to hurt you. Haruto asked me to come get you."
At the mention of his name, Rina cautiously peeked out. Once she saw there was no danger, her eyes lit up, and she emerged from her hiding spot, approaching with cheerful steps. Her tail wagged with excitement, like a puppy that couldn't contain itself.
"You also friend of Haruto?" she asked with a wide smile.
Thalindra looked up. Way up. The girl was much taller than she'd expected.
"Whoa... you're tall," she remarked bluntly.
"And yes, I'm his friend. Name's Thalindra Terrafist, owner of this forge. You must be Rina, right?"
Rina nodded enthusiastically.
"Yes! Rina is Rina!" she said, her tail wagging even faster.
Thalindra sighed and crossed her arms.
Haruto definitely had a knack for attracting oddities.
But deep down, she couldn't help but smile.