Ata Town

"Then can we ride mounts?" Elufiel glanced into the woods. Shrubs and tree trunks were everywhere, and she had no desire to challenge the uneven terrain after the snowfall.

"Like that big bird last time?" Odovish looked at her.

Elufiel waved a hand. "There are others, actually."

A forest wolf fitted with a saddle appeared out of nowhere before them. Odovish stared at the great wolf's fluffy gray-white fur with curiosity and scrutiny, murmuring, "Truly remarkable."

Elufiel handed the forest wolf's reins to the mage. "It's cute. It doesn't bite people without reason."

Odovish watched the elf pet it as though it were a large dog, then looked at the fangs protruding from the wolf's mouth at close range and nodded. "Mm, it truly is very cute."

Ata Town

The two wolf mounts raced through the forest. Faced with the mage's silent inquiries, Elufiel found herself with a bit of a headache over how to explain. First and foremost, she was a player, and only then a Blood Elf of Azeroth. Although so much time had passed that she had nearly forgotten her memories as a human, her body had indeed been turned into data. Because of that, she possessed things the natives of Azeroth did not—her toy box, her backpack, and naturally, her mount collection. The first two did not seem particularly unusual due to the existence of storage tools, but the last was unique to her alone.

However, Elufiel was, after all, an elder elf who could be considered a living fossil. She quickly found a reasonable explanation. "Do you know about spatial magic? Some spellcasters construct another space parallel to this world, one entirely belonging to its creator. My mount space is like that. It changes form according to my will and has no other vessel. If I die unexpectedly, my space will vanish with me."

Odovish's eyes lit up where Elufiel could not see them. "There is an old tale passed down in Kanado. It says that the ruins from the ancient war of the gods are preserved in a special place, where a 'gate' opens once every three hundred years, though the gate's location is never fixed. Could that also be a kind of space? Are there examples that can continue to exist after their creator is gone?"

Elufiel pondered for a while. "In truth, so-called parallel spaces all rely on magic to sustain them. Once they lose their supply of magic, the space will soon be unable to hold itself together and collapse. If no one is sustaining that space, then something else must be supplying it with energy. As long as there is a continuous supply of magic, theoretically, a space can exist indefinitely."

Because of their conversation, they slowed down, and now they looked more like they were taking a stroll through the woods. Odovish followed up with several more questions, and Elufiel answered as best as she could recall. At last, she said, "I am a priest, after all. I can only offer you some superficial observations and simple theories. I have not studied anything more profound."

The mage looked at her earnestly, his voice gentler than usual. "Never belittle yourself. What may seem to you like simple knowledge that even children understand is, in Kanado—a place where the arcane has reached the end of its road—an important piece of a missing puzzle."

"I'm glad I could help, Mr. Mage." Elufiel smiled, patted the forest wolf's back, and accelerated ahead.

Odovish followed after her. "Perhaps one day in the future, I will invite you to see the ruins of the gods."

"I look forward to it."

Ata Town was the largest animal hide processing center near Bitter City. Their inherited craft made hides softer and free of any unpleasant odor. As a result, many merchants came to Ata Town every year to purchase furs and hides.

Elufiel and Odovish arrived around noon and found a small tavern for a meal. The scent of bread and ale filled the entire establishment. The plump landlady darted through the hall with movements that did not match her figure, while two children laughed and played behind the counter.

From the moment she entered the town, Elufiel noticed that the shadow of the curse had not reached this place at all. She just did not know how long such peace and tranquility could last. From the moment the curse began to spread, if it was not brought under control in time, it would take only two days to reach Ata Town, which was less than half a day's journey away.

During the meal, the curse on Elufiel changed into a disease status. Odovish had just been about to say something when he saw the elf pop a meat roll into her mouth and instantly dispel the curse. Her casual manner was like swatting away a buzzing mosquito—no, perhaps even easier than that, since the curse would not fly back on its own.

"Actually, it is not that frightening to us," Elufiel said. "Where we come from, this is commonplace."

Odovish looked thoughtful. "It seems you are accustomed to war."

"It would be more accurate to say that conflict is everywhere." Elufiel smiled.

Odovish took a sip of potato stew before finally asking the question that had long lingered in his heart. "May I boldly ask what you think of what happened today?"

"Of course," Elufiel said. "Would you be willing to take a walk with me this afternoon?"

"It would be my honor."

The world of Kanado had twelve months in a year, each with its own name: Rain Moon, Bud Moon, and Flower Moon symbolized spring; Gleam Moon, Hot Moon, and Flame Moon represented summer; Wine Moon, Fruit Moon, and Mist Moon heralded the harvest of autumn; while Frost Moon, Snow Moon, and Frostmoon denoted winter.

When Elufiel had first learned of this from the mage, she had told him, "It sounds wonderful."

It was now the middle of Frostmoon, the coldest time of the year. Even the sunlight seemed pale and powerless, while the frigid wind blew away what little warmth remained.

Elufiel and Odovish walked along the town's pedestrian street. Flowers had been planted on both sides of the road, and they must have been beautiful in spring, but now no one paid them any attention.