Vella stared at Hajin until the hand resting on her shoulder became real enough to trust.
Then both palms struck his chest, pushing him backward through the flowers before fresh tears crossed her cheeks.
"Where did you go," she asked as her fingers caught his coat. "I searched every path inside this endless field while you remained gone."
"That almost sounded like a welcome," Hajin replied while rubbing the place she had hit. "The violent impact weakened the warm effect of your possible welcome."
"Answer before I improve the impact," Vella said as her grip tightened near his collar.
"The Goddess pulled my consciousness somewhere outside this ring world," he replied as both of them settled beneath the nearest tree.
"I think she placed me inside a stored memory, though nothing there could notice me."
Vella wiped one wet cheek with her sleeve, then shifted closer across the grass.
"Tell me everything you saw," she said while her yellow eyes refused to leave his face.
