Mithra's face was pale, cold sweat dripping down.
The Fleshforge smelting state felt exactly like a girl enduring her menstrual cycle.
Her body, stiff with internal cramping and pain, moved through the streets.
Suddenly, the horizon in the distance brightened intensely.
Dawn?
She hadn't precisely planned the timing, but fighting from the afternoon until the next morning didn't seem particularly unusual.
In just over half a day, she had truly experienced an immense amount.
A rich sense of new experience? Naturally, none of it was pleasant.
Fatigue? Only a slight residue.
Except when dealing with Safin, Mithra's emotions had never truly fluctuated. To this day, if asked to describe her general feelings, she could only offer the assessment: "nothing special."
This was precisely why she had always failed to complete her reflective essays on personal impressions back in high school.
The light before her eyes grew even more dazzling.
Was dawn ever this blindingly intense?
Mithra slowly widened her eyes, realizing that what she perceived was likely not the mere light of dawn. More precisely, it wasn't just the break of day, but a Miracle being performed by some entity, utilizing the dawn light as its canvas.
["Dawn": A Light miracle, a Miracle of Light that can only be utilized during dawn. It purges evil and exorcises demons, purifying all defilement. The grand path of light opens before your eyes; all things born of darkness silently recede. This is the supreme illumination.]
Swish!
The entire Gross town was instantaneously engulfed by this dazzling light of Dawn. All Cursed Beings were instantly purified on the spot and reduced to dust. The Nightborne Church members were paralyzed with terror and hadn't even managed to react to the events when numerous gray-robed figures surged toward them.
"Holy Sanctuary!"
Someone reacted quickly, identifying the attackers.
The Holy Sanctuary Believers swiftly launched a coordinated assault on the Nightborne Church members. Not to mention that the Nightborne Church, having endured such torment throughout the entire night, was already exhausted physically and mentally, their vital energy almost completely depleted from years of constant attrition.
This group of Holy Sanctuary Believers was also by no means composed of ordinary people; most of their miracles were advanced, far beyond the basic level.
Aside from the Nightborne Knights, most other Believers were no match.
Not to mention that under the effect of "Dawn," those harboring defiled hearts also had to endure immense spiritual pressure.
This was a completely one-sided purge.
Mithra stood motionless beneath the brilliant light.
Looking at the information her enhanced vision provided, she wondered if anything about her—her true nature—would be revealed under this light.
But she had no intention of flinching or hiding.
Mithra felt her conscience was clear. Whether as a Stranger or a transformed beast, no matter how restless or chaotic those states felt, they were all intrinsically parts of herself.
But looking at the final result, it seemed she had been overthinking the potential consequence.
"Dawn" not only had no adverse effects on her but, instead, a trace of warmth gradually rose within her body, slightly alleviating some of the internal pain from the smelting.
However, the relief was still limited; at most, it merely meant she didn't have to break out in a cold sweat. The underlying discomfort remained.
Suddenly, two Holy Sanctuary gray-robed figures abruptly materialized directly before her eyes.
For a moment, the close encounter felt unnervingly similar to an ambush in a narrow alley.
Mithra narrowed her eyes: "What do you require?"
Her tone wasn't very pleasant, but she wasn't intentionally being rude. It was simply that the physical discomfort she was experiencing made her spoken words sound somewhat unwelcoming.
"There's a survivor here!"
Then these two gray-robed individuals shouted, rushing towards Mithra.
"Huh?"
Mithra was momentarily stunned, then was swiftly lifted—one grasping her head and the other her feet—and carried away with remarkable coordination and stability. Even while moving at high speed, Mithra didn't feel any particular jarring or distress.
Feeling slightly awkward, Mithra opened her mouth, intending to speak.
"Sorry we took so long!"
"Your complexion is dreadful; we need to get you treated immediately!"
Then these two, speaking one after the other, completely silenced Mithra.
So, Mithra simply closed her eyes.
Well then, she thought, I might as well get some decent rest.
...
At the town entrance, a convoy of white and gray vehicles temporarily set up camp.
They pitched tents, laid out rows of sleeping mats, and distributed water and rations, offering aid to all the residents of Gross Town.
The treatment area was highly active; various healing miracles and flashing totems worked ceaselessly.
Standing before Mithra was a woman with long, slightly curly black hair. A delicate longsword was sheathed at her hip. She wore a somewhat distinctive black garment among the gray-robed Holy Sanctuary members, accented with white trim, resembling a nun's habit but with key differences.
Most notably, her eyes seemed to be covered by a layer of white substance; upon closer inspection, one might assume she wore a blindfold.
Her name was "Aoife," seemingly the leader of this Holy Sanctuary convoy. The "Dawn" miracle from earlier was also cast by her.
"So that's the full account. That is what you knew happened in the town. You have truly endured significant hardship," she stated in an appreciative and admiring tone, her voice soft and melodious, after hearing Mithra's report.
"That is the situation. So, have you detected anything abnormal about me?" Mithra asked expressionlessly.
At this moment, inside a treatment tent, the woman was holding Mithra's hands gently with both of hers.
Not long ago, Mithra had been brought here for examination, but they hadn't managed to discover anything definitive.
Mithra's body was exceptionally healthy—so healthy it astounded them. All her vital indicators were well within the robust range for a normal person. Mithra even observed these Holy Sanctuary members performing blood tests.
Of course, this "test" and modern medical examinations probably only shared the "blood draw" component as a similarity.
And the final results left the accompanying medical personnel in the Holy Sanctuary convoy completely bewildered.
Mithra was perfectly healthy; not only her physical body, but her mind was also very sound.
Yet, she exhibited weakness, discomfort, even nausea, a pale complexion, profuse cold sweat, and occasional retching. She perfectly mirrored someone severely out of physical shape after intense exertion.
The problem was that these symptoms did not subside with rest or stillness.
Thus, since basic miracle medicine couldn't resolve the issue, they had no choice but to call in advanced miracle medicine, namely Ms. Aoife, who was currently before them.
During the treatment period, Mithra also cooperatively informed them that she was half a person from the Enchanted Realm.
Of course, the others didn't grasp what "half an Enchanted Realm person" signified, but they generally understood she originated from the Enchanted Realm. So, Aoife conveniently inquired about the town's overall condition.
Mithra had now recounted the story from her perspective, omitting details about her three transformations and the casual destruction of a Wandering God. She didn't know if the lady before her had gleaned any insight.
"Although, from a fundamental physical perspective, your body is quite normal, from a more in-depth analysis, your physiology seems to be a composite mixture of many, many elements. I dare not pry too deeply, as I sense it might be perilous," Aoife stated with a trace of seriousness.
"Your flesh and blood are undergoing alterations in a way that ordinary individuals cannot perceive. This modification is linked to the advanced application of Self miracles, but you… I do not mean to diminish you, but your utilization of miracles doesn't appear to have reached that sophistication yet."
"Oh?" Mithra grew interested.
She hadn't anticipated this lady would actually possess some actual insight, truly perceiving a few key elements.
The advanced application of Self miracles—was this the essence of her Fleshforge, or perhaps even her physical Weapon Forge?
Though not necessarily factual, it offered a viable line of reasoning.
"My apologies; my knowledge is shallow, and my experience limited. This is my current boundary. If it is truly imperative, please return with us to Andemiriya for better examination and treatment," Aoife stated.
"I will go when I find the opportunity," Mithra replied, withdrawing her hand and flexing her wrist.
Aoife gently lowered her hands and said: "I realize our oversight may have caused you some dissatisfaction."
She had, of course, also been informed about Safin by Mithra.
"No dissatisfaction. Everyone simply needs to perform the duties they are assigned and strive their utmost. As long as the world doesn't detonate tomorrow, nothing is a significant issue," Mithra remarked casually.
"Your perspective is quite unusual."
"Unusual? It should be described as detached, perhaps even a little apathetic toward others."
"What about that pendant?" Aoife reached out and pointed to the pendant hanging around Mithra's neck. "If you are occupied, I can deliver it on your behalf."
"I will make time to go myself. Otherwise, how could you face his daughter and convey this message?" Mithra touched the pendant.
"..." Aoife's smile stiffened momentarily. "Are you genuinely not upset with us?"
"No," Mithra looked up at her, appearing completely devoid of anger.
"Very well. Oh, right, we have taken in another young person from the Enchanted Realm. Perhaps you recognize them?"
...
After a brief conversation, Mithra bid farewell and departed. With somewhat unsteady steps, she followed Aoife's directions and found Redwyn, who appeared even more distressed than herself.
Redwyn was completely bandaged, almost unrecognizable. A miracle healer had been specifically assigned to administer restorative miracles to him at regular intervals.
His spirits were low. When he spotted Mithra, his eyes immediately turned red.
"What's wrong?" Mithra sat beside him, her tone softening subtly.
"I couldn't save them…"
"Didn't five people survive?"
"Only five…"
She recalled the townspeople they had made agreements with at that time—at least over a dozen, though most were women and children.
Or rather, it was precisely because the majority were women and children that Redwyn felt such profound self-reproach.
"That knight… I was no match for him at all. Mithra, you are truly incredible… so incredibly strong…" Redwyn began to sob, tears streaming from the corners of his eyes.
Redwyn had run into a team of Believers led by a church knight while evacuating the townspeople.
Only Redwyn had encountered such a contingent, and his solitary survival was remarkable in itself.
Attempting to shield those defenseless townspeople was perhaps too ambitious. The fact that five managed to survive could indeed be called a stroke of luck.
"I am not amazing either… My strength was granted by others, and the miracles were taught by Safin and you. In the end, I could only sweep up the debris for this town," Mithra glanced toward the gray-robed Holy Sanctuary figures busy outside. "Not even truly cleaning up the mess, just passing through."
Redwyn shook his head slightly, choked by emotion, unable to articulate anything further.
"Your current experiences will serve as your future nourishment. At least avoid rotting away like me. Become an extraordinary person soon," Mithra maintained her impassive expression, her tone steady.
Shortly after she finished speaking, the tent flap suddenly opened.
"Brother, I've come to see you!" A child ran in.
Redwyn immediately froze, then belatedly recognized the child.
It was the boy they—he and Mithra—had rescued when they escaped the town and returned to Earth. It seemed the city had honored its commitment and entrusted the child to the Holy Sanctuary convoy.
"Brother, why are you crying? I heard the aunts and uncles from the Holy Sanctuary say you're a hero who saved many people…"
Redwyn had managed to hold back his tears until this moment, but now he was utterly unable to contain them.
Mithra stood up, and as she passed the child, she reached out and gently stroked his head: "You look after him."
Then she left the tent.
Standing beneath the sun, she glanced up at the sky.
Hmm, the weather wasn't too bad today…
...
The aftermath in Gross Town proved slightly more complicated than anticipated.
The Holy Sanctuary immediately launched an investigation into the town's incident, emphasizing that they had already been focusing on the recovery of a Wandering God.
The traces left by the Night Hunter were quite clear; its identity was swiftly ascertained.
In the Gross Mine, Mithra observed the gray-robed Holy Sanctuary members purifying the lingering curse and then commencing a search operation.
A contingent delved deeper into the tunnels, while Aoife led Mithra to the pile of corpses.
Mithra was there to offer assistance. After all, as a key witness to the event and Safin's apprentice (half-disciple, at least), Aoife claimed she was functionally half Holy Sanctuary herself.
Mithra always felt she was merely being drawn into their affairs, but since it was a free affiliation, there was no harm in accepting it.
Even though Mithra repeatedly insisted she wasn't angry, Aoife always seemed unconvinced.
At this moment, Aoife held a flat "stone" that glowed with a pattern resembling a wireless signal. This artifact served as their communication device.
"Alright, the entity is confirmed to be the individual known as 'Hunter,' a Wandering God. Its recovery is confirmed, but its power is scattered and not yet fully focused. Its current location is unknown. Immediately dispatch the investigation team in the outer mountains to track it," she commanded, her voice gentle yet authoritative.
Recalling that the "Dawn" miracle had originated from her, Mithra reflected that although she wasn't far behind in power, Aoife was certainly a seasoned master.
Hmm… Aoife's apparent age might also be misleading. This world hosts gods, so aging or possessing unusual longevity was entirely plausible.
Mithra drifted off for a moment, thinking, and found she had no interest at all in living for an extended period.
Living too long would feel so tedious it would inspire self-destruction.
Aoife placed down the communication slate. Other team members around her were meticulously collecting various clues from the site, exhibiting a strong investigative zeal.
"There are indeed strong traces of that Hunter left here. Thank you for your assistance," Aoife said, turning to Mithra, who was lost in thought.
Mithra snapped back to attention, shook her head, and replied: "This is just the normal entrance path to the tunnels; you would have discovered it yourselves."
Aoife was about to respond when a gray-robed individual approached her and spoke. Aoife's expression shifted to reveal a hint of surprise.
"What's wrong?" Mithra inquired.
"There's another Wandering God's trace remaining."
"Oh," Mithra nodded expressionlessly.
"Did you observe anything else unusual?" Aoife turned her head, her expression becoming slightly serious, and asked.
Mithra shook her head: "I was nearly eliminated by your so-called Hunter. I don't know what transpired afterward. I already informed you that the Hunter battled something here. I also retrieved Safin, who was recovering, from this spot. And there were screams other than the Hunter's shriek, which I detected not only in the mine but also in town."
Mithra was generally direct, but she preferred to avoid carelessly exposing matters concerning Wandering Gods and beast-men, as these touched upon some internal conflicts within the Dream Nexus.
It was better to maintain a slight separation between the Stranger and herself. Anyway, they didn't seem to detect any anomalies in her presence.
Ah, she should also slightly compartmentalize her beast-transformed self.
But while Mithra was enjoying this fun exercise in compartmentalization, the Holy Sanctuary contingent was facing a headache.
They confirmed Safin's corpse right under Mithra's nose. These gray-robed individuals inexplicably felt immense guilt and refrained from doing much else, gathering only the necessary intelligence before departing, ensuring they didn't disturb Safin's eternal rest.
It was confirmed that Safin's body remained present, but the Hunter miracle and, most importantly, the Hunter Greatsword, were gone. They could only deduce that the Hunter was not deceased and had left the area.
And this Wandering God, which suddenly manifested and clashed with the Hunter, was quite unfathomable.
"No distinctive features, no traceable miracle information. The residue left behind is faint and not strong… This Wandering God might have manifested quite recently, perhaps not even having fully developed its unique power," Aoife concluded after examining the scene with her team members.
Mithra, with her arms crossed, nodded as if deep in contemplation.
"Completely inconclusive findings. For now, we will log the details and forward them to the Seminary for analysis," Aoife stated, shaking her head helplessly.
"Are Wandering Gods exceptionally dangerous?" Mithra asked aloud.
Aoife turned to face her.
Although her eyes were shielded, Mithra could still vaguely sense the presence of a focused observation.
"Since you have faced the Hunter, it should not be difficult for you to perceive the inherent danger in a Wandering God's existence," Aoife's voice carried a serious tone, though it held no particular effect on Mithra.
"It was merely a momentary encounter; I didn't grasp anything exceptional. Moreover, probably because of Safin, that Hunter didn't initially intend to target my eyes," Mithra remarked, touching her eyelids.
"Truly worthy of being the legendary fearless one. No wonder the Eyes of Night, which have been dormant for so long, chose you—though historically, it seems almost unprecedented for the Eyes to select someone from the Enchanted Realm," Aoife remarked with emotion.
No, no, no, I became fearless because I was chosen.
Mithra thought this internally but kept it unspoken. Instead, she continued: "So, I don't know the specific threat posed by Wandering Gods, assuming their individual strength is merely a matter of raw power."
Hearing this, Aoife was generous with imparting knowledge: "If possible, we too prefer not to become adversaries of Wandering Gods, but such immensely powerful individuals who can operate with complete autonomy are inherently synonymous with peril. After a Wandering God solidifies its symbol, its governing principles often become extreme, leading it to act purely self-servingly and disregarding others. Furthermore, their activities result in the propagation of anomalous miracles, fostering cursed pollution. The tragedy of Gross Town you witnessed, those Cursed Beings, originated in precisely this manner."
Mithra pondered this information thoughtfully.
And Aoife continued: "The Wandering God individual designated as the 'Hunter' has, according to records, taken the lives of eleven Eyes of Night bearers in total. Its objective is glaringly obvious: exclusively the Eyes of Night. However, it demonstrates zero regard for anything else during its pursuit. One bearer of the Eyes of Night was once the monarch of a kingdom. Even after offering various conditions to prevent a massacre, he was still ignored and hunted down. The king's demise led to widespread kingdom chaos, and the subsequent proliferation of Cursed Beings ultimately caused the nation's collapse."
"They are monsters that only think of themselves and disregard others. Moreover, they cannot be permitted to interact with ordinary people for extended periods. The reason the Dream Nexus is so chaotic now is largely due to the Wandering Gods."
Mithra looked at Aoife, momentarily speechless.
Eleven?
The Hunter Greatsword in her hand possessed thirty-four eyes. A conservative estimate suggested that at least seventeen owners of the Eyes of Night had met their demise at the hands of the Night Hunter.
That accounted for six more than the Holy Sanctuary's records indicated.
Noticing Mithra's expression grow somewhat solemn, Aoife smiled: "My apologies, I appear to have been overly serious."
"It's alright. So, it seems there truly are specific considerations," Mithra acknowledged.
Her next assignment was to locate these entities and subsequently hunt them down.
This was the mission delegated to her by the great powers operating behind the scenes, and she fully intended to execute it.
However, a Night Hunter that was not fully recovered due to various mishaps had already administered a severe beating to her. The strength of a completely formed Wandering God was difficult to even imagine.
Fortunately, the great entities' missions had no specified time limit; she could proceed at her own pace.
This made Fasellos's task of collecting God-killing weapons seem somewhat more practical.
Conveniently, God-killing weapons were also specifically designed against Wandering Gods. The arrangements made by the great entities were once again interconnected.
Once again, praise be to all who are watching.
The destination was set, and Mithra refrained from asking too many further questions.
Inquiring further might lead to the awkward query, "Why does a novice like you possess this knowledge?" After learning the name "Lebionce" from Safin earlier, she decided to avoid asking any more questions that seemed unduly mysterious.
The investigation of Gross Town concluded, and the remaining matters held no relevance for Mithra.
She received a "communication slate" gifted by Aoife.
[Holy Sanctuary Communication Slate: A miracle artifact that houses complex cooperative miracles to achieve long-distance communication functions. Its cost is exorbitant. This communication slate is exclusively for the Holy Sanctuary and can only contact other Holy Sanctuary communication slates.]
[— Is it perhaps too extravagant for such a device to appear within the Dream Nexus?]
After Aoife taught Mithra how to utilize it, Mithra looked at the slate and remarked: "You people are truly remarkable."
"It is one of the research achievements of recent years. Certain lines of thought from the Enchanted Realm people have proven to have groundbreaking significance. Not all Enchanted Realm people transmit such barbaric and strange… Apologies, I misspoke," Aoife corrected herself. Although powerful, she maintained a high degree of deference, frequently apologizing immediately if she sensed an error.
Even though Mithra had told her "It's alright" countless times, it proved useless.
This communication slate was presented to Mithra only after Aoife consulted with her superiors.
For some reason, the surrounding Holy Sanctuary gray-robed individuals all regarded Mithra with reverence and apology.
Hadn't she merely discussed the transaction she finalized with Safin? Was completing a clearly defined transaction truly worthy of such profound respect?
In any case, the Holy Sanctuary people had already begun to consider Mithra one of their own. This communication slate served as a token, and it also contained Aoife's communication channel, enabling Mithra to contact her from most locations within the Dream Nexus.
The Holy Sanctuary convoy would remain stationed for a period. The most critical follow-up task in Gross Town was not managing the remnants of the Wandering God, but dealing with the townspeople.
After bidding farewell to the still-busy Aoife, Mithra turned and saw Redwyn, who was now able to walk. His bandages were significantly fewer, and his entire bearing exuded surging vitality as he moved forward.
Redwyn waved from a distance, hobbling and jogging towards Mithra.
Then, as Redwyn approached, he overheard Mithra say: "I was just about to ask how much longer until you could stand up. If you took any longer, we'd become missing persons yet again."
Redwyn's still outstretched hand immediately froze.
It took only half a day to traverse Gross Town, but waiting for Redwyn to recover and cooperating with the Holy Sanctuary's investigation required several days.
If Redwyn hadn't managed to get up soon, she would have had to return by herself.
"I can stand up now; I just waited a little longer. Are you alright though? Your complexion hasn't looked good these past few days," The person who had been crying earlier was nowhere in sight; Redwyn's smile was still firmly in place.
Because the Fleshforge smelting took longer than anticipated, Mithra was still in a weakened state, generally appearing unwell: "It's fine. Just consider it a monthly adjustment period, like everyone experiences."
After speaking, Mithra went to borrow a conveyance from the Holy Sanctuary, leaving Redwyn bewildered.
What monthly adjustment period? Does everyone have one? Isn't that something exclusive to girls...?
Not daring to ask further, the two borrowed a Holy Sanctuary carriage and traveled to the city at the foot of the mountain. After reaching the Transmission Point, they returned to Pentlake City on Earth.
After retrieving their ID cards and Redwyn's phone from the item storage, Redwyn originally wanted to take a taxi to quickly return, but Mithra pulled him onto a bus in the name of saving money.
"Looking like this, those guys are going to laugh at me again," Redwyn commented, glancing at his heavily bandaged appearance in his phone's selfie camera.
"You said your new semester is commencing soon, didn't you?" Mithra inquired.
"Yeah, another new semester. Sigh, graduation is still so far away," Hearing this, Redwyn couldn't help but look somewhat distracted.
Redwyn's Ki Academy required one additional year of study compared to most other Miracle majors. As Believer majors typically required a minimum of five years of study, Redwyn's university path totaled six years. Redwyn was currently only in his third year, meaning graduation was indeed still a long way off; barely more than halfway complete.
Although the ensuing years apparently wouldn't impose many restrictions on them—for instance, in this era, Redwyn and his peers could already travel freely and unsupervised within the Dream Nexus.
The school here genuinely seemed unconcerned about these young subjects running wild.
Ignoring Redwyn's occasional groans because his wounds were jarred by the crowded, swaying bus, Mithra maintained a composed, distant demeanor.
Returning to Hydria University, Mithra bypassed Redwyn's hopeful, pitiful gaze for a farewell escort and went directly to the placement center to report.
It was another round of physical examinations.
This time, however, she didn't have to sit in the small isolation room but was instead in Chensar's office.
"Your experiences… are truly rich. And your classmate who accompanied you—this kind of exposure can perhaps become valuable capital for growth," Chensar couldn't help but remark after listening to Mithra's account.
"I hope it's not too much, too soon," Mithra stated calmly.
"I highly suspect there might be an issue with your emotional expression, but your mental state can still reach a perfect peak. You should realize that the mental well-being of many people today is far from optimistic," Chensar said with a slight smile.
"Thank you for the encouragement."
"Anyway, for the time being, you don't seem to have any immediate plans to venture out?" Chensar asked after shifting the topic.
"No, I plan to learn some more things. You mentioned I could study freely at this university," Mithra replied.
Chensar nodded in affirmation: "While the primary goal is for you to supplement modern knowledge, for special returnees like yourself, such convenience does exist. It's commendable that you are choosing to settle down and focus on your studies."
After speaking, Chensar typed briefly on the keyboard before her.
"Your temporary enrollment certificate is also processed. Welcome to the Hydria University family. Aside from official reporting here, you can essentially live like a Hydria student. But remember, some General Education courses are mandatory; this is the necessary prerequisite for your access privileges."
"Understood, thank you."
Bidding Chensar farewell, Mithra turned and departed.
She had planned to locate Matsuri first, but her timing was fortunate; she encountered her directly on the way toward the library.
"Hmm? Mithra, you're back," Matsuri saw Mithra and inquired gently, "You look like you've experienced quite a bit."
Mithra ignored Matsuri's occasional rambling. This was akin to Mithra's usual absentmindedness—it arose without clear reason or origin, and wasn't worth investigating deeply.
She held out a rather exquisite leather pouch in her hand, which felt surprisingly heavy.
"For me?" Matsuri cautiously accepted it with both hands.
Mithra stated: "The antique sewing needles and other sewing implements you requested. I picked them up casually; I'm unsure if they meet your specifications."
They had been recovered from the Hawthorne family mansion and had previously been entrusted to Redwyn for temporary safekeeping. They appeared quite high-grade, fitting for the lineage of an old mining magnate.
Mithra currently stored the majority of her possessions with Redwyn. Lacking a personal bag was indeed inconvenient, but Mithra tended to be careless and prone to losing items. She briefly considered stuffing them into her own body, but that constituted a "Weapon Forge," not a "Storage Room." A "Professional Weapon Master" would never resort to such an expedient tactic.
Matsuri seemed pleased, eagerly opening the sewing pouch to inspect the contents.
Mithra observed that she fell silent for a short while, so she chose not to interrupt, quietly turning and moving away from the immediate vicinity.
"Hey, why are you leaving?" After she had walked some distance, Matsuri's voice called out from behind.
"I'm in a hurry to clean up. How long do you expect me to wait for you to finish admiring them?" Mithra turned back and replied.
"Alright, alright. Thank you. These are the tools I'm more familiar with. The sewing machine I acquired earlier wasn't quite what I desired," Matsuri said helplessly, but still offered sincere thanks.
"Ah," Mithra nodded and continued to walk away.
"It seems your clothes wear out rather quickly?" Matsuri immediately asked again.
Mithra turned back once more, momentarily speechless, because she was currently clad only in the hooded cloak Safin had provided earlier. The standard issue clothing from the placement center was long gone.
Mithra genuinely wished she could say that if the quality of clothing matched her trousers—which, even when torn and tattered, still hung sturdily at her waist—things would be different. But mentioning it seemed somewhat inappropriate.
Mithra remained silent, but Matsuri, being quite familiar with her habits, didn't take offense and stated: "I will fashion clothes for you as repayment."
"Materials and funds…"
"No need. I will make clothes for you free of charge from now on. Of course, if you happen across superior fabric, I certainly won't decline it," Matsuri shook her head.
Mithra exchanged gazes with those golden eyes for a moment, then turned away: "Then I shall impose upon you."
This time, she truly left without looking back.
She really needed a proper shower.