Part 3
Night had fallen over Mythara, and Cherri's auditorium glowed under the silver light of the moon and a few magical lanterns strung between the branches of the Great Tree.
The dryad played a gentle melody on her lyre, letting the notes blend with the whispers of the wind and the soft chirping of crickets.
Footsteps broke the stillness, but she didn't stop playing.
"Lady Cherri, I apologize for disturbing you at this hour," said a familiar voice, polite and respectful.
Without lifting her gaze from the strings, Cherri offered a faint smile.
"Don't worry, Zephyrus. You know your visits never trouble me—no matter the time."
Yuna's father emerged from the shadows, walking at a steady pace. He carried a neatly wrapped wooden box, which he carefully placed on the table.
Cherri eyed it with curiosity, raising one eyebrow.
"I'll bite… What have you brought me this time?"
Kazeharu crossed his arms, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"As you know, Yuna's friends are staying at our home. Haruto cooked something today, and when they heard I was coming to see you, they insisted I bring you a portion to try."
Cherri set aside her lyre and gently ran her fingers over the surface of the box, the gesture tinged with nostalgia.
"An offering…" she murmured with a soft laugh. "It's been ages since anyone offered me something in this way."
Kazeharu smiled warmly.
"I'd say it's more of a gift they wanted to share with you. But if you'd rather call it an offering, by all means."
Cherri looked at him for a moment, then sighed—part amused, part resigned.
"That boy respects you, but I don't think he sees me as a goddess. More like… a friend. Which, I suppose, isn't such a bad thing."
She laughed quietly, though a flicker of melancholy shone in her eyes.
"Lately, I've felt as though I'm losing my status as a deity," she added, stroking the box with delicate fingers.
Kazeharu frowned, placing a hand solemnly over his chest.
"Don't say that, Lady Cherri. We all revere you."
"Without you, this forest would be nothing but a dry, lifeless plain."
She gazed at him silently for a few seconds, then let out a gentle sigh.
"Don't get me wrong, Zephyrus."
"The Aeris tribe has always been devout, as have the Ignaris. You risk your lives every day for Mythara."
Her voice grew quieter—nearly a whisper, contemplative and distant.
"But I feel like the other tribes no longer show the same respect… Even the Lumaris seem to think they stand above me."
"Perhaps… it's time for me to step down."
A chill ran down Kazeharu's spine. Without thinking, he dropped to one knee in front of her.
"Please don't say that. Even if some have drifted away, you are still our guiding light. None of us would ever want to see you go."
Cherri turned her gaze toward the moon, letting its glow reflect in her eyes.
"Sometimes, immortality feels more like a burden than a blessing…" she whispered, as if speaking only to herself.
For a moment, silence settled between them. Then, the dryad gently shook her head and refocused on Kazeharu.
"But enough of that. I doubt you came here just to deliver food."
The elf nodded and, with a swift motion, pulled a scroll from his sleeve.
"That's right," he said, handing it to her with a serious expression. "These are the details from my investigation."
"It appears a group of Earth Elves has been allowing slavers to pass through the cliffs."
Cherri's eyes grew stern as she unfurled the scroll and began to read in silence.
"According to my sources," Kazeharu continued, brow furrowed and tone tight with concern, "the slavers arrive by ship from the north… and are being lifted up the cliffs using the magic of those elves."
Cherri closed her eyes for a moment. A flicker of anger began to bubble beneath her usual calm.
"So the traitors have finally revealed themselves…" she murmured, her voice growing sharper.
Kazeharu nodded solemnly.
"Unfortunately, Terram isn't aware of it. Maybe the 'Golden Eyes' incident was the perfect distraction to divert his attention."
Cherri rested her chin on her hand, thoughtful.
"Do you think he could be involved?"
"I doubt it. I've known him since we were children—he doesn't have the cunning for something like this."
"And besides, for Terram, his land and his family have always come before gold."
The dryad tapped her fingers gently on the armrest of her floral throne.
"Very well… I'll send this information to Ignaria. They'll strengthen patrols near the cliffs. But don't halt the investigation—I want to know who's really behind this."
Kazeharu bowed his head respectfully.
"We'll follow your orders, Lady Cherri."
She looked at him with a small smile, though her gaze carried deep trust.
"Zephyrus… you're the only one I trust without question."
The elf lowered his head humbly.
"I'm just doing my duty. I don't deserve such praise."
Cherri let out a soft laugh.
"Always so modest… It's one of the things I've always admired about you—and your family."
"In fact, there was a time I considered Yuna as the next leader of the Aeris tribe."
"But it seems she's already chosen her own path."
Kazeharu looked down. A shadow of melancholy passed across his face.
"In the Aeris, we believe each soul must be as free as the wind… If this is the path she's chosen, it's not my place to stand in her way."
Cherri stepped closer and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Ever since she received her 'blessing of the moon,' we knew the wheel of fate had begun to turn."
"Mizuki already had plans for her…"
Kazeharu nodded in silence, his eyes still downcast.
"Don't lose faith, Zephyrus," Cherri continued with a serene smile.
"Do you remember Ayumi?"
"She was a brave adventurer, too."
"Perhaps one day, Yuna will return—and settle back in the tribe."
Kazeharu sighed, as if trying to hold onto those words, even while the weight of doubt lingered in his chest.
"And besides," Cherri added, twirling lightly among the floating petals, "she's still so young."
"Even I don't know what her future holds… but if Mizuki has placed her faith in her, there must be a reason we don't yet understand."
With a mischievous glint in her eyes, Cherri stepped closer and gave him a light poke on the head.
"Though you're not fooling me, you know?" she teased.
"What's really eating at you is the thought of her falling for Haruto, leaving the nest… and leaving you all alone."
Kazeharu tensed immediately.
"W-What?! That's not—!"
His face turned bright red as he scrambled for a believable excuse.
Cherri burst into a delighted laugh, clearly enjoying his flustered reaction.
"Oh, Zephyrus… you're still so easy to read."
The elf sighed, trying to regain his composure.
"I suppose… you're right."
Cherri gave him a warm, knowing smile.
"That's what I mean. You always act so steady, but your heart is always on your sleeve."
"That's why I trust you so much."
Kazeharu let out a small chuckle—something rare for him.
"I guess there are still things even I can't hide from you… Lady Cherri."
The dryad didn't respond right away. Her gaze lifted to the sky, where the moon shone with a gentle, tranquil glow.
"Don't you think the moon looks especially beautiful tonight?"
Zephyrus looked up. A deep nostalgia filled his eyes as memories of Ayumi—and of his daughter—wrapped silently around him.
"…Yes. Very beautiful. It brings back a lot of memories."
He fell quiet for a moment, as if searching for the right words to express what he felt… but in the end, he simply let out a soft sigh.
"I'll take my leave for now. I have some matters—and guests—to attend to."
He gave a small bow before turning to leave.
"Thank you for your hard work, Zephyrus," Cherri said gently.
"And don't worry about Aurelius… I'm sure Yuna will know what to do when the time comes."
The elf nodded and disappeared into the forest, his figure slowly fading into the shadows.
Cherri watched him go and exhaled softly.
"That Zephyrus… still bound by his past. But it's something only he can resolve."
With a quiet gesture, she leaned back in her floral throne and turned her gaze again to the moon.
The image of Mizuki drifted into her mind, along with a tangle of thoughts she couldn't quite unravel.
"Just what are you really planning, Mizuki? I still don't understand Haruto's purpose in this world… What was the true reason behind his summoning?"
She carefully opened the box Zephyrus had left and gazed at its contents in silence.
"Was it really a mistake…?"
She took a small bite, but her mind kept circling the same question.
"No… Mizuki never leaves anything to chance."
The forest of Mythara fell into a peaceful night hush, while the dryad remained lost in thought, bathed in moonlight.