Nyne barely touched his dinner before returning to the tent. He wanted to lie in bed immediately, but reluctantly headed to the bath and soaked in cool water. While the attendant priests carefully washed his body and shampooed his hair, Lu suddenly let out a sharp scream. “Oh my! Wh-What is this? How did this…

But instead of surrendering as he always had, Nyne once again asked Amon to set him down. A different kind of emotion was still pooling inside his chest. Amon glanced over the ground and gently set Nyne down on a flat surface. Nyne walked to the leopard still lying on the ground and pulled the…

“You did well.” Amon’s lips curved into a strange smile as he praised him. Nyne, pulling his hand away, realized his fingers were trembling too much from excitement. He clenched his fist tightly and instinctively glanced around—but there were no attendants nearby, nor anything to wipe his hand with. He considered tearing off a leaf…

They entered the forest, escorted by the priests. As dawn slowly broke, sunlight began to scatter the cool mist lingering in the woods. Birds chirped from the treetops, and the underbrush rustled with whatever creatures passed through. Nyne perked up his ears and looked around, but since they were still at the forest’s edge, nothing…

The puzzle pieces Lu had given made a big difference in easing the boredom of the carriage ride. But they couldn’t erase it completely, and by the time they finally arrived at their destination, Nyne felt so overjoyed he almost forgot his dignity and wanted to cheer aloud. He hadn’t known traveling by carriage could…

The carriage ride was pleasant—for exactly one day. By the second day, Nyne had grown tired of the repeating scenery—forest, riverside, water, boats. He tried reading a book, but even that made him feel nauseated, so he had to set it aside quickly. Nodding off was only entertaining for so long. He wanted to hear…

The carriage had stopped at a riverbank thick with palm trees. The occasional river breeze cooled the sweat of the priests and slaves, who busily prepared lunch. Even this scene, mundane to others, felt novel to Nyne. He spent a while simply watching before taking a few steps forward. “Sha, it is dangerous.” Nyne was…

He was curious how the people of Trastasa lived in their daily lives, but unfortunately, he couldn’t see it for himself. The rumor that the Shas were leaving for the Hunting Festival had spread, and crowds had poured into the streets to bow along the central avenue. All Nyne could see were empty buildings, abandoned…

“Ice water.” When Nyne asked for ice water again, the priests brought it faster than before and offered it. After taking a few sips, he noticed Lu fidgeting nearby with a face full of things he wanted to say. Handing the half-empty cup to a priest, Nyne asked curiously, “Lu, is there something you wish…

Lu, who was skilled at easing Nyne’s twisted moods, cautiously tested the waters while offering a sweet treat. When Nyne narrowed his eyes and took a bite of a snack made of melon soaked in honey atop a thin cracker with herbs, Lu let out a breath of relief and spoke. “Lord Nyne, the garments…