Just ten-odd minutes later...
Before Annie had even finished washing up, three figures came tumbling out of a space rift that ripped open and snapped shut in an instant. They staggered clumsily, clothes rustling, and crashed hard onto the soft, luxurious carpet in the living room.
Those three could only have been Ilena, Fern, and Frieren.
But now, all of them looked utterly disheveled. Gone was the carefree scene Annie had seen earlier: them holding pancakes drizzled with amber honey, eating pastries covered in thick chocolate and studded with nuts, and nibbling delicate little frosted cakes as they chatted.
Now, they looked about as bedraggled as could be. Their earlier ease had vanished without a trace.
For instance, Ilena's signature witch's hat hung crookedly on her head. A few strands of silver-white hair clung messily to her cheeks, which were flushed from her hurried breathing, and the hem of her gray-black witch's robe was covered in dust and bits of grass.
Fern had one hand pressed to her chest as she panted heavily. Her usually immaculate hair was disheveled, and lingering alarm showed on her face.
Even Frieren, who rarely showed much expression, was breathing a little harder than usual.
She had been the first to steady herself and try to regain her composure, but it was easy to tell from her slight wobble as she stood that teleporting in such a hurry and forcing the spell's destination had drained too much of her mana.
"Thank goodness!"
"We're back..."
"Yeah!"
"We're saved!"
"Ugh—"
"My ankle! It hurts!"
As the three of them stood there covered in dust, still shaken and complaining, their miserable state made a stark and rather comical contrast with their earlier, leisurely stroll through town with desserts in hand. Then the washroom door opened with a soft