The sky had been at dusk just a moment ago, but without any transition—in what seemed like the very next moment that no one noticed—it had jumped straight to night.
A waning moon hung in the sky without warning.
The instant he saw that moon, Iver even froze for a moment.
Judging by the moon's phase, the New Moon Ritual would probably be held tomorrow night.
But...
Could it really be this soon?
Iver clearly remembered that there should still have been five or six days before the new moon when they arrived. Could the flow of time here be chaotic not only within each day, but from one day to the next as well?
He immediately grew worried. Don't tell me it skipped my New Moon Ritual.
Eagle Cape Village was a little uncanny. Iver was no longer even sure what day it was.
Just then, Iver suddenly felt the floor beginning to turn cold.
He reached a hand toward Sherlock like a surgeon asking for a scalpel. "Candle."
Sherlock obediently took a candle from his portable material bag.
Flames sprang from Iver's fingertips and lit it.
The moment the light appeared, the icy darkness beneath his feet instantly dissipated.
—The Wild Hunt would not attack a house with light inside.
Now they could not only no longer feel the cold, they could not even hear the Night Parade Knights shouting and laughing. Thus, they had no idea how the battle outside was going.
"You two, put out the fire in the room. And remember to carry the priest down."
Iver said calmly, "I'll treat him first. He was probably knocked unconscious by the shock just now. Hopefully he isn't hurt. But all the firepower was directed at me, so it shouldn't be a serious problem."
"What exactly happened?"