“Guhh...” A groan woke Imira with a start. Fumbling from inside of the haramaki, she knocked her head against a sack of grain they’d purchased from Morse. Unlike most travelers, Alric loaded their cart to excess, taking advantage of Sparky, who seemed to share his supernatural physical ability. There was still quite a bit of room, but it placed her closer to Imira than she would have liked.

Noticing they’d stopped and catching a heavy scent of herbs and bread, Imira slowly pulled herself over the edge of the cart. Legs still burning from overexerting herself the day prior, she collapsed upon dropping to the ground. Using the cart wheel to support herself, Imira took a few moments to get used to the discomfort before looking for Alric.

At the moment he wasn’t readily apparent to her eyes, but she easily spotted him off the road hunched over a pot and iron oven. The grasses in this area were less dense; though that didn’t take away from the sight of several square meters of thoroughly churned earth. Freshly furrowed dirt without a speck of plant matter— it should represent an astonishing amount of effort for ‘fire safety’, but Imira was growing numb to Alric’s strange priorities.

“Oh you’re awake a little early, but breakfast should be ready soon. You probably have quite the appetite after yesterday.” Looking her over, he gestured her to come closer before snapping his fingers several times. “” Dirt vanished from her shins and her face and hands felt much cleaner.

Silence was too common to be uncomfortable between them. As many stories and lessons he shared, Alric refrained from pushing an unnatural conversation, and sometimes suddenly stopped speaking for an hour just to bask in the quiet. For the moment she unabashedly watched his movements while waiting, as trying to hide her glances from him would be futile. Alas, it seemed he really was just cooking. Stirring in a handful of ground herbs, he lifted a spoonful to his mouth, nodding.

“Tell me what you think.” He asked, but considering the bowl he levitated towards her was full, her opinion didn’t really matter.

Taking a bite, Imira could only call the dish confusing. Savory, sweet, spicy, with multiple herbal undertones, while it wasn’t bad, she didn’t know what to make of the jumbled arrangement.

“It’s okay.”

“Curses! I must raise my cooking skill...but how will I get swordfish?” Shaking his head, Alric opened the iron oven to reveal a loaf of bread. Tearing it into thirds, he tossed her a piece and began to nibble away. “At least the bread is good.”

Taking a bite herself, the bread was in fact good, lacking the same room for creativity as the soup did. Imira found herself too occupied in her thoughts to fully enjoy it, absentmindedly wolfing down the meal with mechanical motions. Surprised to find her spoon clattering against an empty bowl, she froze for a second. She wasn’t going to get anywhere mulling over her own thoughts.

“Alric...I still don’t understand.” The mage sighed with a soft smile, gently tapping the reeter sap on his cheek while looking contemplatively into his soup.

“Hoh, you don’t understand? Just what is it you don’t understand?”

Imira carefully considered her next words. Though he flaunted his transgressions against Tian Meng and common sense, everyone had a personal code they abided by. There wasn't any other way to describe how he treated the beast hunters, his tone had been too serious just to call it a whim.

Alric wanted her to follow the same path, but she simply couldn't understand why. It seemed to be a road that put oneself in great danger. Imira didn't believe she could sacrifice herself for others, nor did she want to.

How would Alric react to that though? He implied she only needed to pretend while near him, but Imira didn't know how to do that either. If she couldn't follow his teachings, would he limit her training so the power couldn't be misused?

She would never understand anything if she didn't try to find out.

“Why take any risk? Not just yesterday, but you flirt with danger casually. Isn't it too much, no matter how powerful you are, it’s dangerous.”

“⭓⭓ ⭓ ⭓ ⭓ ⭓⭓⭓ ⭓ ⭓⭓ ⭓ ⭓⭓.” Speaking aloud in his own tongue, he seemed melancholic. “It isn’t something you come to on your own. Seeing the fire of idealism is needed to light it within yourself.”

His words didn’t help at all. How could such an esoteric and undefined ideology be spread in such an accidental way?

“Yesterday wasn’t a very good demonstration. There most definitely were lessons you should not forget, but if you can’t feel the passion yet that’s alright. Just have some seconds for now, you’ll learn in time.”

Filling her bowl again, he got up to feed Ria. Imira ate her fill while looking off through the grass. It wasn’t something her eyes could reveal, but there was the feeling that something surrounded them. She didn’t know what, but she’d noticed Alric gazing around the seemingly empty terrain numerous times. Thinking he was looking out for threats at first, it became more apparent that he didn’t need to do any looking.

It was different than her eyes which highlighted creatures she could see and those very close to her. Alric saw through trees and apparently even several feet around his body. Even creatures stalked from behind, he still had asked her to try looking for it before turning around himself. So the mage had long been aware of whatever followed them.

He hadn’t made any mention of it though. Was it another test of her abilities? Or did he just think of it trivial or irrelevant?

Whichever was the case, Imira scoured the surroundings trying to catch a hint of it. She needed to push her abilities to become better. Even if Alric helped her, she couldn't leave it all to him.

“Alright make sure you've done your morning stretches and we’ll set off after I clean up.”

“There’s no practice today?” Imira cried out in shock. Was he really putting a stop to her training?

“You fainted yesterday. I pushed you too hard, you need time to recover. And speak up if things ever become too difficult—”

“I don't need a break, I can still continue…”

“I can still see the weakness in your limbs. You aren't moving with the fluidity I know you’re capable of.” Alric shook his head, gathering up the empty cookware. “Not every moment needs to be training. I know there’s not much else out in these grasslands, but bear with it.”

But what else was there, aside from training? The grasslands may as well have been a featureless plain. Unlike city folk from their glass towers, she’d lived in the countryside long enough for several lifetimes. ‘Natural beauty’ wore thin over time, not that endless grasses and bushes ever struck her as particularly sublime. Nor did the place have any history to tell, a mere patch of dirt, and it wouldn't even be used as a training ground.

Not wanting to be dragging her feet, Imira vaulted back into the cart after slowly stretching herself. Scooching into a corner, she looked over at her traveling companion. Having just been ‘fed’ mana after her meal, Ria once again slumbered. A part of their daily routine, Imira admitted it was comforting to have a few hours where the girl would certainly not awake.

Bright orange skin with a glossy texture peeked out from under her clothes. The cartoonish hue stabilized several days ago. Alric asked her to keep an eye on Ria, but there were no readily apparent changes. Even her eyes hadn't registered any changes for several days. Alric claimed it was merely a benchmark phase, there would be future transformations but only after her current form ‘completed’. Between his handwaving and the overly clean pattern he described, Imira was certain it was all guesswork.

She watched Ria all the same. Even if it had been guesswork, it led to her becoming more active, and Imira still felt uneasy around her. This time of morning was one of her few reprieves.

Cart rolling on, Imira began wondering when Alric was going to start speaking. Normally she would be given a topic to reflect on before he fell silent. Would today have absolutely nothing, with no opportunities?

Imira began fidgeting through their supplies. If nothing else she could at least take inventory to busy herself.

“Hold on for a day or two more *Tagalong Girl*. When we make it to a decent population center, there’s bound to be something there for you.”

Imira felt her jaw detaching in surprise. This was not at all the action of someone trying to lay low. What would he do about Ria, the very reason he set out on this journey?

“Aren’t we supposed to be traveling without drawing attention to ourselves? Why would we stop in a city?”

“Braan is separated from Derriad by a mountain range. It’s better to stop by a city to gather maps and information when the Church isn't on the lookout for us. Hmm, I suppose you should know that, but no more work talk for today.” Alric explained a little before stopping. “It’s just you’re not the type for frivolities are you.” Muttering and sighing to himself, he contemplated her situation.

Imira felt torn as to why she was affronted. It wasn't as though she couldn't feel joy. The whole reason she left that rinky village was to pursue her happiness. And why should anyone appear frivolous in this setting, even if they were an optimistic person. He was the strange one for expecting her to act the part of an excited child.

The silence between them stretched on until Ria woke up.

“Where’re we? Weren't there others?” Though a strange thing to say upon first awakening, the older girl put together a coherent question.

“Their elf wasn't particularly fond of us, so we split ways. I think we’re a day or two out from a larger town, where we’ll stop to plan our route to Braan.”

Ria stuck her head up over the side of the cart for a moment before slumping back down to the sack of clothes she used as a pillow. Through half-lidded eyes she started staring at Imira.

“You're just sitting there.”

“You don't do much else.” Imira fumed, it wasn't like she had much choice in the matter. She couldn't keep up with *Sparky* going at this pace, and the small cart was rather limiting. Besides, Ria did nothing other than hibernate all day, so she didn't want to hear anything about it from her.

“You're always...doing things. So not seeing you…is surprising.” Ria closed her eyes while she talked. “Never seen you work...so much; but you have...and now a...break.”

“Ria, I’m sure you don't mean to, but you’re not being very considerate of your junior. And like I said *Tagalong Girl*, it's just a short break. We can do a few small exercises tomorrow.”

With a pouting face, Ria fell silent. She didn't act outright hostile like at the start of the journey, but she still treated the mage coldly. Considering they both had bright personalities and tended to help others more than they should, Imira found it strange Ria didn't get along with him better. True she probably didn't have the presence of mind to understand just how much he’d helped the village, but even so it was unlike her.

Prior to transforming, Ria certainly would have found him attractive; Imira heard her harp at Rion enough times to recognize she valued thoughtfulness while still being forceful. Rejecting Alric despite his kindness had Imira feeling some pity for the man, but mostly suspicion of the girl who changed so much.

Slothfully resting across the cart, bright skin was only the smallest of differences between her and the energetic chieftain’s daughter.

With a watchful eye, Imira blankly gazed upon her as the three traveled in silence.