Their true nature.

While villagers watched from a distance, guards—acting on noble orders—loaded the purchased goods one after another onto the back of the wagon bed.

Once both carriages were full, the nobles didn’t even glance toward the villagers before leaving.

After the nobles had gone, those who cautiously peeked into the shop gasped.

The inside of the shop was empty—shelves bare, nothing left. The shopkeeper stood there, dazed, as if the storm had just passed.

The villagers asked, “What on earth happened?” but the shopkeeper just shook his head, clueless.

＊＊＊

Tetsu kept his distance from the nobles, blending into the trees, and followed them at a careful pace.

The guards, mounted and positioned to guard the carriages, scattered around, moving as one.

Watching her constantly scanning the surroundings as she moved, I couldn’t help but think—this wasn’t just some noble riding in comfort. She was on high alert. Like she was guarding royalty herself.

How long had we been traveling?

Suddenly, they veered off the road and plunged into the forest. But the carriage got snagged on tree roots, and it was clear it couldn’t go further. So they transferred the cargo onto the horses, leaving the carriage behind, and carried just the goods onward.

The noblewoman who’d gotten out of the carriage gave some quick orders, then mounted a horse alone and disappeared into the deeper woods.

(…What’s going on?)

The guards checked the cargo on the cart, loading burlap bundles onto the horses. After just two or three loads, the horses swayed unsteadily. So the guards shrugged their packs onto their shoulders and led the horses forward on foot, deeper into the woods.

Even if most of the guards are distracted by the loads, don’t let your guard down— their coordinated movements say otherwise.

Scanning the distance, I catch sight of guards resting off to the side.

Tetsu slips silently into motion, gliding soundlessly behind the men. He ducks into the underbrush and eavesdrops.

"...But why go all the way here...?"

"Can’t help it. This place is full of thin-bloods. Think about the spirits’ wrath..."

"Thin-bloods"—that’s what they mean by people with light-colored hair.

In this country, closeness to spirits is measured by how dark your hair is. Golden-haired ones like Yui? They get pushed to the edges, dumped in backwater villages like Faro.

That’s exactly why she moved here—perfect for hiding Yui. But nobles who look down on those with weak spirit ties? They shouldn’t be showing up in a backwater village like this. If they’re after Yui, their actions are way too obvious.

“…We’re not even the ones guarding those traitors.”

“The King says he’s eradicating that entire family. We’ve just got to hold our breath for now.”

“Don’t you think it’s weird? If we’re guarding them, won’t we get caught in the spirits’ wrath too? I’m scared we’ll end up on the wrong side of that.”

“Don’t even say it… Everyone’s already scared enough.”

They spoke in hushed tones, faces grim.

Hearing that, Tetsu tilted his head.

(...Guarding traitors?)

Who exactly are these guys protecting?

From their talk and clothes, they might be knights serving the kingdom. If people of their rank are guarding traitors, then they must be protecting criminals...

(What even is the wrath of the spirits?)

Questions keep piling up, one after another.

The people of this country might dislike the thin-bloods, but they don’t treat them as criminals.

In a small village, being shunned is common enough—but Faro Village has enough thin-bloods that they’re not shunned like that.

In Faro Village, there’s a belief that you have to work twice as hard.

They accept thin-bloods because they’re trying to earn the spirits’ approval—devoting themselves completely to their work.

(...Wait. Didn’t the king say he wanted that family wiped out?)

The family the king hates? I don’t even need to think about it. And the phrase "invoking the spirits’ wrath"... it feels like it’s confirming it.

(Oh no... if I keep this up, that noble will be furious.)

Tetsu quietly slips back into the shadow of the nearby bushes. Once he’s reached a safe spot, he mentally maps out the surrounding area.

He recalls that where the nobles headed, there’s a small stream along the base of the mountain.

Guessing they’re transporting supplies there, he decides to circle around and check the location.

Even though he’s only deduced it from what the men were saying, he can’t shake the bad feeling.

Why would someone like that hide an enemy soldier—someone he’d happily kill—right here?

The memory of the massive weapons order sent to the blacksmith makes Tetsu go pale.

(No way…)

After searching for about two hours, he finally spots the group.

But just seeing them from a distance is enough to turn his blood cold.

(That can’t be... how could cursed ones be here... like this?)

The position of the smoke tells him where the fire is burning.

A little off from where he’d guessed the center might be, he could tell something pitch-black was gushing out from there.

＊＊＊

Yui gently kept stroking the back of her, who was asleep contentedly on her lap.

Every now and then, if he strayed to an unwelcome spot, her tail would flick out and smack his palm with a soft *thwack*.

Even that was adorable. “Sorry, sorry,” he murmured, returning to the right place.

When he tickled her neck, her throat rumbled with a purr. How long had it been since she’d let him do this?

“…You know, you’ve always been the one cheering me up, haven’t you?”

He remembered—when she’d been so kind, hadn’t he been feeling low a lot back then?

Each time, he could almost hear her saying, “Just keep stroking me,” as if to distract him.

A presence by his side since childhood.

She was such a huge presence, leaning against him so gently.

“You’re kind, you know. Always thank you.”

Her unpredictable actions were impossible to understand. Maybe it was just chance. But Yuu’s feeling—like she was being comforted—wasn’t wrong.

Smiling, Yuu ran a hand through her head, happy, like this moment could just go on forever.

Then—above, the sound of a door creaking open.

"...Tetsu, maybe?"

She slipped off his lap with a light grace.

Like she was saying, “I’ll check it out,” she hurried up the stairs without a second thought.

"Wait, hold on!"

Panicking, Yuu grabbed the lamp and scrambled after her up the stairs—only to hear Tetsu’s voice from above.

"Milady Yuu, I’ve returned."

"Good work....Thank goodness you’re safe."

Yuu’s eyes trailed from his head down to his feet, and she exhaled, relief washing over her.

But Tez’s face was pale. Yuu tilted her head, eyes narrowing. "What’s wrong with you?" she asked.

"Milady Yuu... we’re in serious trouble."

"...What do you mean?"

From somewhere just outside Yuu’s line of sight, her ears twitched slightly.

"A cursed one is nearby."

"...A cursed one?"

"He wasn’t an assassin, no. But he was hiding the royal family of Tembarr. The weapon orders from the blacksmith—likely a spark for war."

"...N—no..."

Yuu froze, stunned into silence for a moment. Then she snapped back to thought, frowning.

Tez watched her in silence.

"...What is the king even thinking?"

"............"

If we keep going like this, war is inevitable. They’re hiding the Tembarr royal family just to justify a war? That’s the only explanation I can think of.

I can’t fathom the king’s intentions—waging war on a family cursed by spirits, claiming it’s all for the spirits’ sake.

To Yuui, who’d been tossed about by spirits since the moment she was born, that couldn’t possibly be justice.

"...The vanguard isn't led by the king. It's the people..."

Yui’s fist trembled with rage.

"Standing atop the corpses of my father, my mother, and countless others… do you really think you can justify this as being for the spirits…?"

"Master Yuui..."

If we're supposed to have angered the spirits, then why is that land overflowing with their blessings? Isn't what your highness says a contradiction? That the spirits actually *want* this from us? How absurd!!

Tetsu listened in silence, as did she, to Yuui’s words, spat out like trash.

But Yuu immediately fixed her eyes with resolve, gripping the sword. Tekku panicked at that.

"Wait! You can't be serious!"

"If the culprit's there, we'll send them back. Tekku, show us the way."

"No! You mustn't go near them!!"

Yuui narrowed her eyes at Tekku’s frantic, ashen-faced resistance.

Usually, he’d just follow quietly. What’s gotten into him now?

The room was thick with an unnatural silence.

Yuui, sharp as ever, had noticed something—but her face showed only confusion, unsure of what it was.

Tekku slowly released her arm, then dropped to his knees, bowing deeply in obeisance.

"Your Highness... no, Princess Liru. I—I can’t go to the side of the cursed ones. I swore to protect you. The closer you get to the cursed, the less I’ll be able to stand by your side!"

"...Tekku?"

Yui flinched, overwhelmed by Tetsu’s desperate cries to stop him from leaving.

What on earth is Tetsu saying?

"...us?"

A sense of unease prickled at my words—I blurted them out before I could stop myself—and suddenly, there she was, looking up at me from beneath Tetsu’s feet.

"...It's about me, Ruel. I made a promise with him to watch over this land. I am the spirit who rules the night. Lore."

I am Tiots, a spirit bound to Lady Lore. I am the mother of Lady Ruel, bound by pact.

Lüel was stunned into silence by the sudden confession.

The people standing right in front of me—those I’d always thought of as family.

Lyrue, shunned by everyone for having only faintly colored hair and a weak bond with spirits, was deliberately neglected by her brother—and then killed in a staged accident, along with the rest of her family.

The being who saved me—adrift and alone, after losing everything I’d loved to my half-brother—was a spirit.