After Annie and the five others, including Black Rabbit, had been teleported away for more than ten minutes, Russell finally returned to the living room with Leticia, Lily, Shirayuki, and several other members of the maid group. He had come back earlier, but then gone out again to do who knew what. Now they were carrying tea, drinks, pastries, nuts, and other refreshments, seemingly ready to reward and celebrate their Nameless community's contestants for their flawless defense.
But who could have expected that the moment he walked in, he would be stunned to find that, aside from the guest, Shiroyasha, who sat alone looking a little displeased, all his companions had vanished?
"Huh?"
"Shiroyasha, why are you the only one here?"
"Where did Annie and Black Rabbit go?"
Russell gestured for Leticia and the others to set down what they were carrying, then looked around again, but found nothing. After a moment's thought, he had no choice but to ask Shiroyasha, who was looking up at him and Leticia's group, with some puzzlement and awkwardness.
"..."
Shiroyasha opened her mouth, not wanting to say much.
But when she saw Russell, Leticia, and the others crowding around her, their faces full of concern and curiosity, she had no choice but to sigh and speak slowly.
"You were too late!"
"They just went to challenge someone."
"But don't worry."
"I think they should be back soon, right?"
Though she wasn't entirely certain, Shiroyasha said this with confidence.
Because of the fog's influence, time at the Nameless community's base was now independent from the rest of the Little Garden world. So she believed that no matter how long Annie and Black Rabbit's challenge took, it should have lasted only an instant here.
Of course, she wasn't certain. More than ten minutes had already