Kana had not expected the packing to go by so quickly.

She thought at least Lysera would take forever, given how she always insisted on folding everything neatly and lining it up just right, but even Lysera rushed this time.

Within the hour, their bags were stacked by the door, ready to be carried out.

Kana glanced at Irielle, who was double-checking her pack with quiet efficiency.

"Are you alright? Do you want to send a message back to your family before we go? Let them know you're coming home?"

She asked carefully.

Irielle's hands froze for the briefest moment before she tightened the strap on her pack.

"No."

Her voice was flat, almost cold.

"There's no need. My family isn't worth remembering—much less reminding that I'm coming back. I would rather we slip into the elf village, gather the information we need, and leave before they ever find out I set foot there."

The sharpness in her tone made Kana blink. She had assumed that returning home would be at least a little comforting for Irielle, but clearly she was mistaken.

The girl's face carried a hardness that left no room for further questioning. Kana bit back her curiosity and gave a small nod.

"Alright. I won't bring it up again."

Instead, she turned back to her own bag, methodically checking through her belongings. A few sets of clothes, her notebook, and the charms Lysera insisted she carry "just in case."

It wasn't much, but it was enough.

When the three of them finally stepped outside, Kana drew in a long breath. It felt strange, leaving after so many days of staying hidden away. Strange, but refreshing too.

They made their way to the carriage service, where lines of travelers were already haggling with drivers over fares.

Kana stepped forward politely, asking for passage to the elf village. But the driver's expression soured instantly.

"No carriage goes there. Not with the unrest brewing. Monsters have been sighted near the borders. A few humans already lost their lives, and no sane driver would take passengers into that mess."

He said, voice heavy with disdain.

His eyes lingered on Irielle longer than necessary, his gaze carrying something unspoken but unpleasant. Then, as though reconsidering, he added.

"Unless you're willing to pay… a great deal more than you are now."

Lysera's purse strings loosened at once.

"We'll pay the difference."

She said firmly, already fishing for coins.

But Kana quickly held up a hand, shaking her head.

"Wait. That's too much. If the unrest is as bad as he says, even paying extra won't guarantee our safety. We'd be relying on someone else's nerves not to fail halfway."

She turned to the other two, her expression firm.

"It might be better if we rent our own car instead. It would be cheaper and safer. At least that way, we control how and when we move."

Lysera gave Kana a skeptical look.

"Cheaper, yes. But who exactly is going to drive it? Do you know how? Because I certainly don't."

Kana faltered.

"…Well, no."

"Then what's the point? We'll be stuck in the same place anyway."

Before Kana could reply, Irielle's voice cut in smoothly.

"I know how to drive."

Both Kana and Lysera turned to her in surprise. Irielle's face betrayed nothing, but there was a quiet confidence in her words that suggested she wasn't bluffing.

"…Really?"

Kana asked.

"Yes. We'll rent a car. I can handle it."

Irielle adjusted the strap of her bag again.

Lysera pinched the bridge of her nose with a sigh.

"Something tells me this car won't make it back in one piece. But fine. Better to rely on ourselves than waste coin on cowards."

With that, the decision was made.

As they stepped away from the carriage stand, Kana felt a mixture of nerves and excitement fluttering in her chest.

They were setting out again—toward danger, yes, but also toward answers. For the first time, she wasn't just being swept along. She had chosen this path herself.

And that made all the difference.

They left the carriage stand behind, weaving through the market street until they found the rental stalls near the far end.

Rows of vehicles sat under canvas roofs, most plain and worn from travel, a few gleaming with newer polish.

Kana felt oddly out of place among them, her hand brushing the side of one carriage-like car with wheels that seemed too thin for rough roads.

Irielle went ahead without hesitation, speaking curtly with the clerk.

"Something sturdy. It doesn't need to be fast."

The clerk gave them a long look, eyes flicking between Kana's human features and Irielle's pointed ears. His mouth twitched as though he wanted to comment, but he thought better of it when Lysera's gaze hardened.

A moment later, he handed over the keys to a boxy, somewhat dented vehicle that looked like it had seen too many rough trips already.

Kana stared at it uncertainly.

"This is… safe?"

"As safe as it needs to be."

Irielle replied. She ran her hand over the side, checking for cracks before moving to the driver's seat. Her movements were practiced, not hesitant.

Kana exchanged a quiet glance with Lysera. Neither had expected Irielle to be so decisive, but neither wanted to argue either.

They loaded their bags into the back, Lysera muttering under her breath about inevitable scratches and lost deposits.

When Irielle finally turned the engine on, the vehicle roared with a sputtering growl before settling into a steady hum.

"Get in."

She said simply.

Kana climbed into the seat beside her while Lysera slid into the back. As the car rolled forward, a strange exhilaration filled Kana's chest.

It wasn't a carriage pulled by beasts, nor a walk along the well-worn paths—this was something else entirely. Something that felt freer.

They passed out of the city gates, the buildings thinning into stretches of road bordered by wild grass and scattered trees.

The air smelled different here, fresher, tinged with earth and dew. Kana leaned against the window, watching as the horizon slowly expanded.

Lysera's voice broke the silence.

"So, what exactly are we planning once we reach the elf village? Walk straight into danger and hope the right answers fall into our laps?"

Kana pressed her lips together, her reflection staring back from the glass.

"Let's go and get more information first."

Irielle's hands tightened briefly on the wheel, but she said nothing.

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