Cassia stepped out of the room in the guise of "Cassius." Kaguya was standing right outside the door to their quarters. She had changed into a yellow dress she must have purchased somewhere nearby. Her hair was neatly arranged, and her tail swayed nervously from side to side. On the usually cold and detached face of the man she saw complex emotions surfacing—emotions he tried, but failed, to hide as he looked at the ash-haired beastkin girl.
At that moment, she resembled a lovestruck teenage girl, though clearly burdened with deep worry. She didn't seem to notice the small change in his demeanor.
"Let's walk," she said, heading toward the inn's exit.
"All right," Cassius replied, following her.
They walked in silence through the city streets, each lost in their own thoughts about what they wanted to say to the other. After about ten minutes, Kaguya seemed to gather her resolve and broke the silence first.
"Cassius, I've thought about this for a long time. I want to follow you to the Nightingale continent. I don't care how dangerous it is. I love you! I love Alex and Anna! I love and respect Luvia—she feels like an older sister to me."
"Don't say anything yet. I know I'm asking too much—asking you to accept my feelings and to keep looking after our group. We haven't known each other for long, and yet here I am, confessing my love and asking to become part of your family. I probably sound reckless. But I do love you! So much that I'd do anything for you."
As Kaguya poured out the emotions she'd been bottling up, Cassia was at a loss for words. She had prepared herself for many possible outcomes from this conversation—but not this. She understood the girl had fallen for the persona she had created for her disguise, but she had never expected Kaguya to be so determined.
Part of her wanted to run away right now. But summoning her courage, she spoke, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible.
"Kaguya, I appreciate that you had the courage to say this to my face. But I see you as a friend. A friend I would entrust with my life. I don't feel the kind of desire you hope for. I can't feel it."
Hearing those words was like having her heart sliced into pieces. Tears welled up in Kaguya's eyes, though she fought desperately to hold them back.
"Why?" she whispered. "I know I'm not as beautiful or smart as Luvia. I'm not as strong as you. But I can be useful. Why do you keep pushing me away? Why? Why?" By the end, she was almost shouting.
Noticing passersby turning to watch, Cassius gently took her by the hand and led her into a secluded alley.
"Kaguya, please understand. We come from different worlds. You have your family. We have our own troubles. I don't want to pull you into them. Live your life, Kaguya. Go to the Neutral Continent. I promise—we will always be friends. But you cannot follow us."
"You're worried about Aika and Chris?" she countered, trying to suppress her sobs. "I've already spoken to them. They support me. Please, tell me what's wrong. I'm sure we can figure it out together. I don't want to leave you."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"You're too weak. Don't take it the wrong way—I'm not insulting you or looking down on you. It's just a fact. My problems would destroy you and your family. I can't even tell you what they are without putting you in danger."
Cassius's words didn't seem to reach her.
Kaguya couldn't hold back anymore. The tears streamed down her face, leaving silvery trails on her soft cheeks. Her ash-colored ears drooped in despair. She turned away, trying to hide her face behind her hands.
She didn't want the man she loved—the one to whom she had just bared her heart—to see her like this. Her legs trembled, and the stares of bystanders felt like spears piercing her from every direction.
Gathering the last of her strength, she turned and ran off without looking back. The tears now flowed freely, blurring her vision. She didn't know where she was going or what would happen next. She only knew she couldn't stay near the people she had grown so deeply attached to.
She ran as if trying to escape her fate—trying to flee from the inevitable heartbreak that had now become her constant companion.
Her thoughts were chaotic, like a shattered mirror. Their conversation echoed painfully in her mind:"I love you.""You're just a friend to me.""I want to follow you.""You can't.""I know I'm not as beautiful or smart as Luvia, or as strong as you.""Yes—you're too weak."
She felt worthless before him. She felt like she had no right to be part of his world.
The tears wouldn't stop. She could physically feel the emptiness spreading inside her, leaving only cold and a dull, relentless ache in her heart.
She ran faster and faster, hoping to find solace in movement—if only for a moment.
She ran blindly, knowing only one thing: tomorrow, she would say goodbye forever. She would never again see the man who had stolen her heart. She would no longer speak to Alex to comfort him. She would no longer hear Luvia's wise advice or see little Anna's stubborn face.
Cassia watched Kaguya flee but didn't go after her. She felt she had no right to.
The disguised maid's face was marked with regret and sorrow. She replayed the conversation in her mind, blaming herself for waiting too long, for choosing words that were too harsh. She knew she had deeply wounded the girl who had offered her heart so sincerely.
But painful as it was, the truth had now been spoken. Along with the bitter weight of guilt, Cassia also felt a small relief that she had finally said what needed to be said, before Kaguya became even more entangled in emotions she should never have felt for her.
Casting one last look at the girl disappearing into the distance, Cassia sighed heavily and muttered to no one in particular:
"Protect her until we depart."
"But the mistress ordered me to accompany you," came a voice in reply.
"I'm not asking. I'm ordering, as your superior."
"This will be reported."
"So be it."
As the voice faded, Cassia turned and made her way to the city docks where she was to find a suitable ship. Her mood was foul. She sincerely hoped to run into some fool she could take her frustration out on.
But fate seemed determined to deny her even that small release, and she arrived at the harbor without incident.
At the docks, sailors were busy unloading cargo. Traders approached them constantly, hoping to snatch up anything of interest.
It was still daytime, and the docks were bustling with people. City guards moved back and forth, keeping order.
Out of the corner of her eye, Cassia noticed one sailor discreetly slipping something into a guard's sleeve as the latter inspected his ship. Well, that wasn't her concern. In fact, she was looking for exactly such a crew.
Of course, the vessel had to be large enough to cross the ocean to the Nightingale continent. Another requirement was a captain with connections and a less-than-sterling reputation.
She walked the docks and entered a tall building that towered over the ocean. Built of stone and resting on stilts, it gave the impression that the entire massive structure floated above the water.
Inside, numerous ship captains sat waiting for potential clients. Above each captain hung a shelf, and on every shelf rested a large bottle containing a miniature version of their ship.
But these were no mere models. Thanks to high-level Magical Empire enchantments, full-sized ships were miniaturized and stored in these bottles to prevent the harbor from becoming overcrowded. Only Odin knew how many resources the Empire had poured into developing this system, but it had become one of its trademarks.
Cassia examined the vessels and their captains one by one, judging mostly by appearances—but with her sharp instincts, that was more than enough.
She stopped before a rugged man dressed like an ordinary sailor.
He had a mustache disconnected from his chin and a beard shaped like an anchor. His light clothing revealed a muscular chest, and a saber hung at his waist. Everything about him screamed that he had steered his ship through more than one storm.
Above him, in the bottle, floated a three-masted schooner. Its sails were yellowed from moisture and time, but the vessel itself looked sturdy.
"I want to hire a ship to cross the ocean to the continent of Velnora with my family," Cassia said, intentionally naming the wrong destination.
"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! You've chosen the right man for the job, sir! I'm Captain Sinbad of the Violet. And your name, mister?"
"Cassius. But you may simply call me Mr. Ashforth. So—will you take the job or not?"
"Of course, but as you know, it all depends on the price. We don't sail for free, ha-ha!" the burly captain replied with a grin.
"We sail tomorrow. I'm in a hurry. I'll pay ten gold lyres for the entire voyage. You can drink it all away with your crew when you return—I don't care. Here's three gold as an advance. You'll get two more the moment we depart. The remaining five will be paid upon safe arrival. We leave at dawn tomorrow. Also, I want no inspections or questioning of me or my family. Any issues?"
"No, Mr. Ashforth. Given your generosity, we'll do everything possible to deliver you safely to Velnora. Will there be any trouble with witches when we arrive? They tend to be... wary of foreigners."
"There will be no problems in Velnora," Cassius replied with a sly smile—one that Captain Sinbad completely misunderstood.
Having secured the deal, Cassia left the building and set out to handle the remaining preparations.