Fate's joke

Colin Iliad had not actually understood what Neph meant. For instance, why would inviting her back to the City of Silver bring a King of Angel to his doorstep? Those did not sound like related matters.

But this was no place for a conversation, so the Chief readily changed tack.

"What do you intend to do next, then?"

"Go see the Lord," Neph answered without hesitation.

That was something he could not possibly take part in, so the Chief nodded slightly and turned back to the others.

"In that case, we'll stay here for one night and set off home as soon as day breaks tomorrow, taking these mushrooms back with us-"

Day and night were difficult to distinguish in the Forsaken Land of the Gods. Naturally, the next day the Chief spoke of depended on the lightning overhead. When the flashes became frequent again, the people from the City of Silver prepared to leave.

Neph had thought the Chief would speak to her again, but in fact, he never approached her, even when they were about to go their separate ways. Before leaving, Neph took the initiative to remind him:

"Oh, right.

"If you're going to explore Afternoon Town next, there's something I need to warn you about."

"Please go ahead." The Chief's expression remained unchanged.

"Your language can stir the forces of nature," Neph said, looking toward Afternoon Town. "If you carelessly read unfamiliar names aloud, something bad might happen."

Having given that warning, Neph did not linger. Carrying her lantern, she once again set off in the direction from which that gaze came.

Traveling through the Forsaken Land of the Gods was dull, so her brief encounter with the Chief kept turning over in her mind. She soon realized that, despite his outward courtesy, the Chief of