"It's Thorne! Run!"
"No, wait!"
The people immediately scattered, no one paying attention to Edmund, who desperately tried to keep them.
In the end he made a long sigh of frustration, looked at Cyril, and stormed up to him, step by step.
"Why did you pick timing like that!? Was that on purpose?"
"Maybe."
"It's one thing after another in this place..." Edmund pointed at Cyril, on his face a deep frown.
Cyril's face was the same as ever. "Sorry about that."
Edmund froze and quickly calmed down, the look in his eyes changing to one of confusion.
"Alright. Did something happen?"
But he was ignored.
Soon Cedric walked out from hiding, along with Anna and Emily a certain distance away from them.
Edmund widened his eyes for a second before the frown on his face returned.
He heaved another sigh, mumbling to Cyril.
"Oh well. If you think about it, it's good you interfered. I was already tired of babysitting."
He then placed his right foot forward, brought his left hand to his chest, and bowed towards the new arrivals.
"My name is Edmund. I've heard plenty about you, Cedric."
Cedric hastily waved his hands, his face somewhat perplexed.
"Please don't be so polite, I feel weird!"
"As you wish."
Edmund quickly straightened his back, then smiled towards the two girls.
Emily returned the nod somewhat absentmindedly.
Anna reflexively took a step back, which immediately froze his polite smile.
"Ahem, what's the plan, Cyril?"
He cleared his throat and pretended he saw nothing.
"Nothing much, I planned to see how Myra was doing. You've seen her?"
Edmund's smile twitched, transforming into a helpless one.
"You could say that..."
"Follow me, I'll show you the way."
Cyril and the rest followed after the green-eyed noble, taking brief stops at certain intervals for puzzles.
"Hey, this is really not bad, actually." Edmund's voice turned livelier as he relaxedly solved a magic circle.
"Can you help me out here...?"
"I can't see your magic circle, you are on your own."
"..."
...
As they walked, Cyril occasionally stared at the sky, following the sun's descent.
It's turning nighttime, and quickly... I don't think it's even noon out in the real world.
"Maybe when the sun comes down, it marks the end of the lesson?"
Could be.
Cyril nodded to himself and stared ahead.
To his side, Edmund looked at him with a questioning gaze.
"What's on your mind?"
Cyril contemplated ignoring him but returned the glance at the end.
"...Do you and Anna have some history?"
Even now, Anna walked behind Cedric, closer to the edge of the group.
Before this, they stayed closer without any issues.
Edmund's eyes turned tired.
"Of course not. She seems like a minor noble. Why would I-" He quickly interrupted his whisper, turning his voice even quieter.
"I do not." Then his gaze turned teasing.
"But why do you care? Cyril, the cold-hearted, suddenly experienced warmth?"
Cyril kept silent, simply staring at him for a second.
The butterfly on his shoulder suddenly jumped closer to Edmund and fluttered her wings, as if about to strike him.
"...!"
Edmund quickly stepped away.
"Alright, it was just a joke..."
"It was a terrible joke."
They walked for a while longer, their pace unhurried.
By this time the sun had almost completely disappeared, and the woods appeared shrouded in the night.
The moon was clearly visible, its glow as if intensifying with time.
The group exited into a clearing, in the middle of which stood a wooden cabin, cozy lights peeking out of its windows.
The surrounding darkness only made it more inviting, the perfect place to take shelter.
However, it looked somewhat off.
The logs it was made out of were inconsistent. Changing their color and texture at random places.
As if whoever made it used all kinds of tree types for it, but never the same.
There was a chimney above it, with smoke rising and disappearing in the air, ensuring no one finds this place.
"We are here."
Edmund motioned towards the cabin and turned to face the rest.
"Earlier Myra was patrolling the area. I guess she is inside now."
"Thanks."
Cyril nodded to him and immediately walked forward.
The others waited for a short second and followed after him, their eyes curious.
"I'll stay here." Aside from Edmund.
After briefly stopping to observe the cabin from the outside, Cyril walked up to the front door and opened it.
It looks a bit similar to the house in Shamrock Village.
"If it was built by a madman, maybe."
The place looked like a combination of countless other cabins, all mashed into a single one. The walls, the floor, and the random junk lying on the bizarre shelves were all inconsistent with each other.
Despite this, the place possessed a certain lived-in quality.
Weird feeling...
Cyril walked towards the fireplace. It looked as if it were cut in two, one side from bricks and another from stone.
Fire peacefully danced inside of it, bringing warm light to the whole cabin.
In front of the fire was a rocking chair. It softly swayed back and forth.
Myra sat in it, staring into the flames with a distant expression.
What's up with her?
Cyril stood right in front of her and patted her shoulder.
"Myra."
"...!"
Immediately the auburn-haired girl sprang to her feet.
"I am not doing anything!" She straightened her back and kept still.
Her eyes stared at him somewhat blankly, coming into focus soon.
"Oh, aha-ha." She awkwardly chuckled and relaxed.
"Hey, Cyril. What are you doing here?"
Her stance turned casual, her shoulders slightly slumped, and her eyes lazily half narrowed.
She looked at him, completely ignoring the red butterfly on his shoulder.
"She sure is relaxed..."
"I came to check on you."
Cyril looked around the cabin and took a seat on a chair nearby.
"Check on me? Is something wrong?" She lazily muttered.
Why is she so out of it...?
Cyril blankly looked at her, then motioned with his head towards the entrance.
"...?"
Myra slowly followed his action and found a small crowd standing at her doorstep.
Her eyes soon widened, focusing even further.
"Right! The lesson! I am here. I am not sleeping!"
She slapped her cheeks and shook her head, as if to give herself some energy.
Cedric slowly waved to her, a smile on his face.
"Hi, Myra."
Anna gave her a nod, while Emily awkwardly waved as well.
"Hello... everyone." Myra pointed towards Anna and Emily.
"Aren't you two supposed to be our enemies?"
Cedric awkwardly scratched his hair and laughed.
"Haha. The lesson is almost over, right? I feel I've done enough already, I just want to relax."
Sitting on the wooden chair, Cyril nodded.
"It's almost over?" Myra frowned, looking at the window of the cabin.
Outside was as dark as at night.
"Huh."
"Did you spend the whole lesson in this cabin?"
Cyril asked as she stayed silent.
"I walked around sometimes. What else can I do?"
"Did you not try to move the object you are supposed to guard?"
Cyril raised the disc in his hands, and Cedric half raised the pole hanging on his back.
Myra blankly observed them and helplessly shrugged.
"But I don't even have something like that."
"The bracelet just took me here. I assumed I have to guard the cabin itself."
Really?
Cyril looked around, trying to find something that could look important.
The whole cabin was filled with all sorts of junk, but nothing seemed particularly of note.
Huh.
"Glad that's not us."
Must've been boring.
As he remained silent, Myra fidgeted with her hair for a moment and sent him a curious glance.
"What about you? How was the test?"
Immediately Emily, who kept quiet near the entrance, flinched.
Myra confusedly looked her over and then back to Cyril, her curiosity intensified.
Cedric's smile turned a bit awkward as he looked away from them.
Anna simply kept her face neutral, staring at the butterfly on his shoulder.
"It was a bit chaotic... but I had fun."