Frigid billows gushed from fine cracks imperceptible to human eyes. The leaking iciness from the wooden board walls would make anyone approaching the girl's room shiver from the sudden drop in temperature. Inside, Essairyn was harmlessly practicing her swordsmanship. Yet the quivering air shrieked noiselessly wherever her blade passed. The scintillating gleam of the frozen sword frolicked around the room, casting it in an ice-diamond luster. Even the morning light couldn't match the intensity of the reflecting illumination inside the living space. Nor could the glowing stream of falling dusk color the room gold.

Creak. The blade whistled in a downwards strike in the direction of the opening door. Silver hair bounced weightlessly like spiraling feathers behind a honey-cream complexion. "Sairyn, you ready?" The brilliant ice sword disappeared into the magic cache as Essairyn bobbed her head at Izlende. The platinum haired girl scrunched her face at the appearance of the frosty room. "I know you can't reveal that weapon in public, especially not in this mission, but man, this is crazy. I hope everything thaws in time before we go to bed tonight!" Izlende plodded over to the nearest piece of furniture and tapped a suspicious finger upon the shimmering chair. "Eeep~! So cold!" She dramatically clutched her arms after quickly withdrawing her finger.

The sight made Essairyn giggle. "Don't worry. You know it only takes half an hour."

Izra flashed a helpless smile. "I know, it just amazes me every time. I still can't believe you got an elemental weapon from some random farmhouse couple on the outskirts of a town! What luck! Although... it's not like anyone else but you could use it anyway, haha!"

"You can try again if you want," offered Essairyn.

"Nah." Izra waved her hand and chuckled. "I don't want to get ice-burn again." A sudden remembrance of yesterday's scene with the boys popped up in her mind, making her laugh louder in amusement. "Pft! Though I wouldn't mind seeing Rion's face again! I've never seen him so red in my life, hehheh!"

Essairyn shook her head at the sound of Izra's devilish chortles at the expense of her boyfriend. "You're the one that set him up like that. Poor guy! So evil, but I approve!" She gave a thumbs up, and Izra grinned, returning the gesture.

The two girls strolled over to the modestly resplendent dining room of the town inn while chatting pleasantly. Despite having known each other for barely five days, the girls formed a quick bond. Essairyn was delighted to have found someone who she could be completely comfortable without any pretense or caution. She didn't want to be clingy with someone she had just met, but luckily, Izlende shared her enthusiasm.

So, Essairyn flicked away her inner self-warning to not get close so quickly. Regardless of what happens, she felt most at ease with Izlende, so there was no need to restrain herself due to concerns about the future or self-preservation from getting hurt. This decision made Essairyn realize that she needed to live more emotionally free. If she kept guarding herself, she'd only end up the same as in her previous life. With little Akari alone, Essairyn still needed to remove the final psychological barriers between them. She hated loosing friends from disconnect caused by time and her weak courage. She was cowardly to let go of people she held dear and then mope introspectively like she had suffered greatly. Essairyn only had herself to blame for the layer of ice around her heart that sparkled innocuously. People were drawn by her aura, then eluded, and rebuffed. A magnet that attracted all until it was too close and repelled everything, everyone.

"Yo Izra, Sairyn! Over here!" Theryn thumped the table with a bright smile. Ennrion glared at the blonde while Rakun elbowed him. "Ack! Okay okay, I only wanted Sairyn to sit next to me anyway, not Izra, tch!" Ennrion half-rolled his eyes at Theryn's confession.

"Not today, buddy! She's with me." Izlende stuck out her tongue and plopped next to her boyfriend. She patted the seat to her left for Essairyn to sit. Seeing the other girl oblige, a sunny smile graced her elvish face. She had to resist pinching the other's cheeks like she was an older sister doting on a younger. Izlende, though, was in fact a year older than Essairyn. Except for Ennrion, the Academy group including Aispin were all the same age. Brynhilde was a year younger, Ennrion, one older.

Shortly after the two girl's arrival, the rest of the crew arrived along with the host of the dinner. Upon the sight of the inn's owner who had invited them to this small feast, Essairyn inwardly gasped. It was the red haired man that she had encountered previously. Amber eyes connected lavender for a brief, breath-stopping moment. Instantly, her mind tumbled with theories. She could now connect a name to his face. As she sat down after the group's greeting, she wiped away her conspiring thoughts. Questions could be asked in person later.

"Thank you all for staying at my inn and graciously accepting my humble wish to dine together. I hope you enjoy the modest town delicacies I have prepared. Please dig in!"

Essairyn averted her enigmatic gaze from the man named Kajarn. Landing upon the assorted dishes that seemed to be glossed in a delicious shine, her eyes sparkled ravenously. Hearing the accompanying low rumble of her stomach, Darren seated next to her blinked at the girl with round eyes. If Essairyn weren't feeling a little self-conscious, she'd have smiled a little at his curiously cute expression. Izlende, on the other hand, cackled at her. Pouting, Essairyn stabbed the food closest to her and chomped down on a strip of steak. A radiant light flushed her countenance. Ah~! Nothing beats good food! Hearts seem to emanate from Essairyn as she devoured everything in front of her.

"Whoa, and I thought I was the biggest foodie!" gasped Izra.

"Oh, I know someone who has an even bigger bottomless pit!" snickered Essairyn, thinking of a certain fox.

"So you admit to having a bottomless void for a stomach!" Theryn hooted, receiving another elbow jab from Rakun. Hurt by his scolding, the blonde was tear-filled as he protested, "You hit me again! And I thought we were best friends! What's with you hitting me so much lately!"

"Because you've been very bad lately," responded Rakun apathetically.

Theryn held his chest as if he had been struck by a brutal arrow. "My best friend, you have hurt me so." Everyone laughed at Theryn's antics; even Ennrion scoffed in amusement.

The rest of the dinner continued merrily. When Essairyn retired to her chambers before Izlende returned, she was impudently greeted by a pale caramel streak. Immediately, the girl retaliated with aggressive head pats and cheek squishes.

"Mmphff! I surrender!" shrieked Akari as she struggled in Essairyn's arms. "Pah-too!" The fox shook her fur after the girl let go. Akari didn't run and just looked at her with vigilant but happy eyes. "You're hardly around now. I rarely get to see you these days. Are these rounds even effective? Did you discover anything yet?"

"What, did you miss me, cutie?" Essairyn grinned and hugged the fox who was now the size of a small dog rather than a stuffed plushie. She already missed the miniature Akari who had gotten fat and big from good food of the Farinheld inn and Byar'non campus. The fox was too large to stand comfortably on her shoulder now. "We didn't find anything yet." She sighed. The rounds they made around town amounted to nothing. Farinheld operated as usual, and the villagers were normal outside of the mild anxiety about the previous events happening again. "You should join me next time instead of lounging around all day."

"Hey! I was not! I was helping too!"

"Is that so? Then tell me, did you discover anything?"

Akari turned away guiltily. "N-no."

"Hm, thought so." Essairyn lazily smiled and rolled over on her back on top of the bed covers. "Pu~ you deserted me as soon as we entered Farinheld. So you can't complain that I didn't look for you."

"Wah!" Akari jumped and slumped over Essairyn's belly with her front legs. "You can't say that! You know I like to explore on my own! Besides, I don't like that guy. He looks at me weird..." She drew soft ellipses with her right paw on the girl's shirt.

Essairyn propped herself up on her forearms. "You mean the inn owner, Kajarn?" Akari nodded with big, glimmering eyes. Essairyn placed her palm comfortingly behind the fox's head. "Yeah, I have mixed feelings about him as well. And to think that he's actually a noble, too. ...I wonder what he's doing in this small town much less in Byar'non."

"Maybe, he was just restocking in the main city for his business?"

"I thought you didn't like him, but you're making up reasons for him?"

"I don't know. We might just be overthinking things because of the mission and all. And it's not like it's the first time people stared at me strangely. Actually, you're the weirder one for sticking with me."

"Hmph, I would rather have you over him anyway. Although, to be honest, I dig the long hair. It's quite pretty. Do you think he's a fire elemental or something with that red hair and orange eyes?"

Akari shook her head. "Trust me, when you see a fire elemental, that guy's red would pale in comparison. He isn't even an elemental, just a human."

Shocked, Essairyn sat up completely. "Really?! But he's dressed so finely! And a noble!"

"Humans can be part of the noble class too, you know? It's not like the elemental kingdoms are anarchies. Sure they can't be part of the royal family, but there are plenty of mixed elementals who married humans. Kajarn isn't mixed though. His family serves As'rien kingdom."

"Choyal family, huh?" murmured Essairyn pensively.

"I know nothing about the family except that they've been around for a long time. Maybe the royal family's pretty lenient? Or he got kicked out?"

The door clicked open. The two turned their heads at Izlende's entrance who had returned from Ennrion's quarters. "Hey girls! How're you feeling after dinner, Sairyn? Theryn's jaw drop when you announced you had a second stomach for desserts was priceless! I can't believe that idiot actually took your words literally!" Izra guffawed with her fingers over her mouth. "I kinda understand though. Your magic's amazing, anyone would think you're something special!"

Essairyn blushed at the casual compliment. "Thanks? Haha..."

Izlende suddenly darted toward Essairyn's bed and leaned over to whisper mischievously, "Let's surprise Brynhilde in the washroom."

"Huh?!" Essairyn jerked back in surprise.

"She deserves it after stealing the bathroom first for three nights in a row! Gods, I can't believe this inn only has one each for the guys and girls on this floor!" Izlende voiced vehemently. "And we're not allowed to use the ones on the other floors! Such a tiny inn, so strict! F*** this! I want hot water today!"

"Pft!" Essairyn stifled her laugh. It was true that the spoiled Brynhilde spent all of the hot water with her hour long soaks. While the inn was nice overall, it was still lacking due to being in a small town village detached from the city. They would have to wait another hour before the water heated sufficiently enough, and that was if the guys didn't consecutively shower. Both she and Izra weren't patient enough to wait or skip the shower after another dusty, long, fruitless day of scouting. The unsuspecting Brynhilde who took Izlende's tolerance for granted didn't know what hit her that night. The prank was a comical success——and an antithesis to the fires of the hellish next morning that struck too early for anyone to prevent Farinheld's destruction.