The forest path wound along the mountainside on one side of the river valley, leading deeper into the island. Across the river lay a broad stretch of terraced fields.
Maya and Sephiroth's group were heading toward the village.
The innocent, kindhearted shrine maiden was probably in her early twenties, and a trace of worry lingered in her reddish-brown eyes.
Most of her waist-length blue hair hung loose down her back, though she had tied two buns on either side of her head. Two long, whisker-like locks framed her forehead, with pink jewel ornaments the size of ping-pong balls hanging from their ends.
She wore a cream-colored sleeveless dress and red thong sandals. Around her waist, she had tied another short skirt with a diagonal slit, its light brown fabric embroidered with white edging and green patterns. It looked as though she had fashioned a skirt from a piece of ethnic-style cloth.
"Dr. Sephi, I'm truly sorry about earlier. I panicked."
Maya was a simple, trusting person, and by now she more or less believed that Sephiroth's group meant no harm.
But she genuinely did not want these people to put themselves in danger, either. She hurriedly explained, sounding a little anxious.
"...The Seven Star Sword is extremely dangerous. It's a cursed sword that will plunge the world into darkness. Please, you shouldn't risk getting involved."
Along the way, the two sides had briefly introduced themselves.
Ain had also given a simple explanation of their purpose. After all, there was nothing worth concealing about their stated objectives.
-Investigating the "lawless Marines" and searching for their "missing colleagues."
But Maya understood that the Seven Star Sword was behind all of this.
"Plunge the world into darkness, huh... Miss Maya, do you know how big the world is?"
Looking at Maya's outfit, Sephiroth