Ruger noticed that the fair, clean-looking young girl wore a wizard's robe that did not quite fit her. The hem was even torn. Her large eyes darted about, filled with innocence and curiosity.
"It's my first time in the Nightmare World, but I somehow feel so comfortable and familiar here..."
The innocent, petite girl spoke softly as if she had known them all along.
Ruger blinked and kept his expression under control.
"My name is Ruger, and this is Lord Layden. If I'm not mistaken, you aren't a Level Five wizard apprentice yet, are you?"
As he spoke, Ruger pointed to another seat beside the bonfire—a crude stone.
Only after the girl bowed again did she sit down peacefully on the stone.
At the same time, she seemed puzzled by Ruger's casual question, as though she were trying hard to think it over.
"If it's something inconvenient to answer, you don't have to mind me," Ruger hurriedly said when he saw her inexplicably pensive look. "Sometimes I say impolite things. Please don't take it to heart."
Layden handed her a cup of fruit tea.
The girl, lost in thought, startled and instinctively shrank back.
The sight left both men thoroughly baffled.
Nana Erz came back to herself, revealing an apologetic smile once more. She carefully reached out and accepted the cup.
Holding it in her hands, she looked puzzled again. Rather than looking at the tea inside, she slowly turned the cup between her fingertips, as though feeling the tea's warmth—or perhaps caressing the roughness and smoothness of the cup's outer wall.
Ruger glanced at Layden. Neither of them spoke to disturb the somewhat peculiar girl.
Layden gathered his thoughts and began taking out various ingredients to prepare a meal, chiefly meat from the black-and-white giant python.
In truth, the