I direct a puzzled expression at Zara, who is ostensibly not meeting my gaze.
"Okay...what exactly do you need to tell me?" (Mizuki)
She stares at a wall of the room in silence, a conflicted expression on her face. After several moments, she finally meets my gaze, a nervous but resolved look in her eyes.
"After we finish visiting the other demi-human tribes, I...intend to remain here with my people. I think my time living with you in Eden has reached its natural conclusion. I did not expect that we'd reach this point so soon, but...I'm Elder now. My people need more attention from me than they've been getting, and it's hard to help them from across the world.
"By setting you up to speak with Lyla in the others, I was hoping that you might...take a liking to one of them. If they could replace me in Eden, and grow under your mentorship like I have, it would make me feel much better about my decision." (Zara)
I blink, caught off guard. Feeling a pang of loss, I give Zara a concerned look.
"What about all your other plans with us? The meeting with the Empire, the Royal Announcement, my and Ilina's engagement and wedding, and any other exciting things on the horizon. You're saying we won't see you anymore?" (Mizuki)
Zara winces and shakes her head.
"I know it's ungrateful to say, considering the debt that I and my people already owe you, but I was hoping I could still be a part of what you do outside of Eden. At least the big events that you mentioned. Also, ideally, I'd still like to see you all. You're all welcome among my people whenever you can spare the time...
"I'm sorry for burdening and disappointing you like this, I just can't afford to spend so much of my time simply contributing to Eden's growth with Alara. Not right now, at least, when my own people desperately need me." (Zara)
I blink, directing a puzzled expression at her.
"Oh...is that all? You scared me there for a second." (Mizuki)
Some of Zara's anxiety vanishes, and she gives me a confused look.
"You're...not upset?" (Zara)
I shrug.
"No, why would I be? You're not my wife – I don't care where you sleep. As for the rest, aren't you just asking for the same consideration as Alara and Ilina? They both have leadership responsibilities that they go off and handle on their own all day, and I still consider them part of my inner circle.
"There's also no issue with us staying in touch. I teleport Ilina to Avalon every morning to do her job, then back every night to spend time with us. I teleport Alara to visit her mother every week. So, I wouldn't mind teleporting you to visit us for an hour or two every single evening if that's what you wanted. You're one of us now, Zara – like a little sister to me – I'll always make time to see you." (Mizuki)
Zara freezes at my words, an unreadable expression on her face.
For several moments, she does nothing. Then, she slowly climbs to her feet and walks over next to me. I raise my eyebrows, watching her stand next to me in silence with that same, weird look, wondering what's on her mind. Suddenly, her arms hesitantly move to wrap me in an awkward hug, catching me off guard.
"That is a great relief to hear, Mizuki...thank you." (Zara)
Still stunned by what may be the first physical expression of affection I have ever seen from Zara, much less been the target of, I absentmindedly move my hand to pat her lightly on the back.
"Uhm...no problem." (Mizuki)
After a couple more awkward seconds, Zara releases me and steps away. There's a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Mizuki, how will I get in touch with you if I want to visit?" (Zara)
Shaking off the lingering feeling of derealization, I narrow my eyes thoughtfully.
If Zara is going to be operating out of wolf-kin village now, I think a little gift is in order. Actually, scratch that. I helped Alara build Eden from the ground up, and I just promised to give Ilina several new trains – I can't short Zara and her people, right?
I give Zara a mischievous grin.
"Say Zara, tell me about your development plans for the village..." (Mizuki)
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
Almost half an hour later, Zara and I are sitting at her little table once again. I glance around her house in satisfaction, studying my handiwork.
In one corner, ingots of various useful metals are stacked to the ceiling. In another, a hidden panel has been carved out of the floor, granting access to a secret MMC beneath that has already been linked to ours in Eden. On the table between Zara and I, there sits a tin box full of gold and even platinum coins, an item box spell ring for Zara, and ten large, aluminum-lined buckets.
The latter was something I thought up on a whim, after hearing that Zara's people were currently trekking outside the village's walls to retrieve water from a nearby river every day. The buckets are enchanted with my custom water spell to fill themselves by collecting pure water vapor from the atmosphere and condensing it. I thought these could be set up in permanent areas around the village, acting like public water wells of sorts.
I nod proudly, and smirk at Zara.
"So, what do you think?" (Mizuki)
Zara studies all the new items around her with a conflicted expression. She sighs.
"Obviously, my gratitude is considerable...I just wish I had more to give you in return." (Zara)
Before I can dismiss her concerns, Zara reaches into a pocket of her clothes and appears to grab something. She presents her hand to me, opening her palm to reveal three silver medallions of sorts. Inspecting them briefly, they appear to be imprinted with a picture of a wolf holding a sword in its teeth.
I give Zara a puzzled look, and she smiles.
"They are meant to be official crests, like the ones we received from the Elf Queen. These carry the new, official seal of my people, and they grant you unconditional access to our village. I had them made last night, and I was hoping that you could pass the other two along to Alara and Alto when you return to Eden. Soon, we will be closing off our village from outsiders, until we have grown enough as a people to deter exploitation. Humans will be banned from our lands entirely, and other races will need special approval to enter the village. These crests ensure that you are the exception to those rules." (Zara)
I take the crests from Zara, studying them curiously for a few moments before dropping them into my item box. After, I give her a surprised look.
"Closing off your village and lands, huh? Did your people really socialize with humans much to begin with, outside them attacking you? Also, why exclude the other non-human races from your village, especially the other demi-human tribes? I thought you wanted to establish diplomatic relations on this trip of ours." (Mizuki)
Zara purses her lips thoughtfully.
"We'd get the occasional small group of non-threatening humans visiting our village for one reason or another, usually trade or to hire us to help with navigating the surrounding forest. However, I also suspect some of them were bandits or slavers in disguise, planning their next attack. I'd rather not give them the opportunity.
"Similarly, we didn't bother monitoring or regulating other races' presences in the surrounding forest that is generally considered wolf-kin territory. We didn't really have the means to enforce such a thing, and saw nothing to gain by trying. As a result, we'd often have little notice to thwart large groups of ill-intending humans arriving in our village. I think it's time that changes as well...we need to send a message that our territory and cities are to be respected as much as the humans' or the elves'." (Zara)
I nod absentmindedly, then cut her a curious glance.
"And what about restricting the other races' access?" (Mizuki)
She shrugs.
"That's just a precaution that I hope proves unnecessary, and that I may retract in the coming weeks. Ideally, our meetings with the other demi-humans will go smoothly, and we will work together to protect our lands as a whole. However, their races and cultures, despite being lumped together with us with the term 'demi-human', are quite different. It has been a long time since my people interacted with them, and there's no guarantee that we will get along.
"Furthermore, the wolf-kin are not the only demi-humans persecuted and enslaved by the humans. All of our races are, to some extent, and that breeds a certain...desperation, that we should be wary of. If one of the other races learns of our rapidly growing strength before we can protect ourselves, it's not impossible that they may try to claim our resources for themselves, or to eliminate a future threat." (Zara)
I raise my eyebrows, surprised by the apparent lack in cohesion between the so-called demi-humans. It never occurred to me that they'd actually ever turn on one another unprovoked.
I sigh regretfully. This trip has even higher stakes than I realized.
I give Zara a wry smile.
"Hope for the best, plan for the worst – I suppose that's all you can do. And on that note, are you ready to be on our way? I think this is the first genuine adventure that you and I have ever gone on, just the two of us. Hopefully it's nice, boring, and productive...no offense." (Mizuki)
To my surprise, Zara let out a short bark of laughter, her eyes taking on an amused gleam.
"HAHAHA! Mizuki, I have accompanied you enough to know by now...this trip will be anything but boring." (Zara)
I give Zara an exasperated look.
She just had to go and jinx us...