"Leader, welcome to our tribe!"
The children were the first to run forward, laughing as they tossed flower petals into the air. Even Skiv slowly stepped toward her, holding a colorful flower crown carefully in both hands.
"Leader… please forgive me for how I treated you before," Skiv said softly. "If I had known the truth, I never would have acted that way."
Roxanna, who had literally just woken up minutes ago, was still standing there like someone whose mind hadn't fully loaded yet. It took her a little while to understand everything that was happening, and then, at last, a bright smile bloomed on her face.
"You don't need to apologize like that," she said gently, reaching out to pat his head. "Really, it's alright. You were just scared, and you didn't know I was a different person. I'm not angry at you at all."
Skiv stared up at her in disbelief, his eyes shining. "R-Really? You've forgiven me?"
