Outside the settlement, Kana sat on the edge of the bed in the dimly lit inn room, her fingers fidgeting against the blanket.

Her eyes wouldn't stay still, darting between the door and the window as if willing Irielle to appear at either one.

The silence was unbearable, each passing second tightening a knot in her chest. Finally, she turned to Lysera, who was leaning calmly against the wall with her arms crossed.

"Tell me she's going to be fine."

Kana said, her voice almost pleading.

Lysera tilted her head, her expression as composed as ever.

"Irielle has years of experience in infiltration. She knows how to move without being caught. Trust me—she wouldn't risk herself carelessly."

Kana nodded slowly, trying to take comfort in Lysera's confidence, but the unease gnawed at her.

She opened her mouth to speak again when sudden bursts of laughter and chatter erupted downstairs from the common room of the inn.

Snippets of conversation drifted upward.

"Did you hear? The elves caught an intruder," one man said, his voice carrying easily through the thin walls.

"Mm, they say they'll offer her body to the wolf goddess. Apparently, it'll strengthen the goddess's return."

Another replied.

Kana's blood ran cold. She felt the words like a physical blow, and her stomach twisted with dread.

The unease that had been clawing at her all night solidified into a sickening certainty. She looked at Lysera, eyes wide.

"No. It has to be Irielle… it has to be her they're talking about."

Kana whispered.

Lysera's brow furrowed, her calmness faltering for the first time.

"Kana—"

"We have to save her. No matter what it takes, we have to save Irielle. She risked herself for us. I'm not going to just sit here while they—

Kana cut in, her voice trembling but fierce. Then her voice cracked.

"—while they use her like that."

Lysera met her gaze and after a long moment, gave a sharp nod.

"Agreed. But tell me, Kana—how do you intend to sneak into the elves' territory? They won't exactly welcome strangers, especially not after catching one intruder already."

Kana froze, her mind racing. Every option she thought of crumbled against the reality of their situation.

She wanted to say they could sneak over the walls, but she had no idea how fortified they were.

She wanted to say they could disguise themselves, but the elves had ways of seeing through lies—she had heard Irielle explain that once.

Her fists clenched.

"Then brute force. We'll break in. It doesn't matter how dangerous it is. If it means saving her, then I'll fight my way through every last one of them if I have to."

Lysera's expression hardened and she shook her head firmly.

"That is reckless, Kana. Do you think the two of us alone can go against an entire settlement? We wouldn't make it past the gates. And if they caught you—what then? Irielle would be lost, and so would you."

Kana bit her lip, her shoulders trembling with frustration.

She knew Lysera was right, but the thought of standing still, of waiting, made her chest ache with helplessness.

She opened her mouth to argue again when they both caught another thread of conversation drifting in from the open window.

"…too dangerous these days. Delivering goods to the elf village… monsters on the road, unrest inside. But orders are orders. If we don't go, we'll lose the contract."

Someone muttered.

Kana and Lysera both turned toward the sound at the same time.

Traders. Delivering goods.

The idea sparked in Kana's mind before she even realized she was saying it out loud.

"If they're delivering goods… then maybe that's our way in."

Lysera's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"You mean disguising ourselves as part of their delivery?"

"Yes. If we pose as helpers, the elves might let us through without question. And once we're inside, we can find Irielle before they—

Kana said quickly, hope creeping into her voice. Her voice hitched.

"—before they do anything to her."

Lysera considered it in silence, weighing the risks. Then she gave a slow nod.

"It is not without danger, but it is far more likely to succeed than a brute-force attack. We should try."

Without wasting another moment, the two of them headed downstairs into the inn's common room.

The air smelled faintly of ale and roasted meat, the tables crowded with traders and travelers.

Kana spotted a group of men huddled around a corner table, their conversation matching the fragments they had overheard.

She walked straight up to them, her heart pounding.

"Excuse me. We overheard you speaking about the deliveries to the elf village. We can do it for you."

Kana said, her tone as steady as she could manage.

The men looked up, surprised, and then suspicion immediately clouded their faces. The oldest of the group squinted at her.

"You? And why would two outsiders volunteer for such a thing?"

Lysera stepped forward, her posture calm but firm.

"Because you clearly don't want to make the trip yourselves. Let us handle the delivery. All we ask in return is that you give us the means to enter the village without drawing attention."

The traders exchanged wary glances. One of them scoffed.

"Sounds too good to be true. What's your angle?"

Kana met his eyes, determination burning in her gaze.

"We have our reasons. But if you really don't want to risk it yourselves, then this is your best option. Otherwise, you'll lose your contract. Do you want that on your hands?"

The group fell silent at that, muttering among themselves. Suspicion lingered in their eyes, but practicality won over in the end.

"…Fine. You can take the goods. But don't expect us to take the blame if something goes wrong. You get caught—it's on your heads."

The older trader said at last.

Kana exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and gave a firm nod.

"That's all we need."

Lysera placed a reassuring hand on Kana's shoulder, steadying her.

Though danger loomed on every side, for the first time since Irielle had left, Kana felt like they had a real chance to bring her back.

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