Roman propped her chin in her hand and gazed somewhat listlessly at the hazy night outside the window. Her raised cheek made the Merchant's Daughter look a little plump, giving her a lazy, adorable air. The starlight reflected in her dark brown eyes, which held a faint purple tint unlike those of ordinary Eluin people, wove together a story filled with a young girl's dreams.
"So boring, Hypamira. Do you really like crabs that much?"
The priestess girl blushed and answered hesitantly, "But, Miss Romane, don't their shells look rather cute? Firm and heavy, perfectly in keeping with the teachings of the goddess—"
"When you put it that way, they do seem a little cute."
The Merchant's Daughter's eyes lit up as though she had found something fun. She subconsciously turned to look at the crabs Hypamira kept in her treasured fish tank. Ever since the little fat dragon Star had killed her previous pets, Hypamira had switched to these crabs, since they might not die quite so easily.
But perhaps because she turned too abruptly, Roman suddenly leaned backward and lost her balance.
She screamed in fright and flailed her arms, thinking she was about to fall flat on her back. Yet she suddenly felt someone support her from behind, allowing her to regain her balance.
Roman jumped and looked back in lingering fear, wanting to see who had caught her, only to find that the room was empty apart from her and Hypamira.
The door was open, though, revealing a pitch-black corridor outside.
"Hypamira, did you just catch me?"
"Miss Romane, a-are you all right?"
Hypamira seemed to have only just realized what had happened.
Apparently not. Roman looked around in confusion.
"Huh, Brando?"
"White Mist?"
She called out twice, but no one answered. Her little brows drew