The evening sky above Velria bloomed with a thousand colors. Paper lanterns were strung across streets like strings of stars pulled down to earth, and the scent of roasted meats, sweet pastries, and spiced wine drifted through the air. Bells chimed, drums beat, and laughter echoed—the Harvest Moon Festival had begun.
Saeko, sitting quietly in her inn room, heard the music rise through the city. She looked at her reflection in the small bronze mirror propped against the wall. Her usual attire—plain, practical traveler's garb—did not fit the night's mood. After a moment's silence, she opened her travel chest and unfolded the garment she rarely wore: a kimono of her homeland.
