Part 2
The group arrived at the Wind Elves' estate, a modest yet elegant house with a beautiful garden. Amid Astralith's overwhelming opulence, the place felt like a tranquil oasis—lined with graceful trees and stone paths, more reminiscent of a botanical garden than a noble residence.
In front of the entrance, two young elf guards with green hair straightened as they saw the group approach.
One of them immediately lit up, waving excitedly.
"Look—it's Yuna! Hey, Yuna!"
The other guard jabbed an elbow into his ribs, clearly exasperated.
"Idiot! We're on duty—it's Miss Kazeharu."
Yuna let out a light laugh, clearly used to their antics.
"Good morning, Marcel. Still as spirited as ever."
She then turned to the other guard with a warm smile.
"And Marco, you're just as straight-laced as always. You know you can call me Yuna."
The guard with flawless posture nodded calmly, his composure unshaken.
"You know me well, Yuna. I can't help being this formal."
Beside him, Marcel laughed boisterously and smacked his partner's back.
"Come on, Marco, at least pretend to loosen up a little!"
"Please, go right in!" both said at once, pushing the doors open with matching grins.
As they crossed the entryway, Yuna gave them a grateful look.
"Make sure you both take your breaks."
"Yes, ma'am!" the boys replied in unison, as energetic as ever.
Deeper inside the Aeris estate, a young wind elf—clearly the receptionist—was darting nervously from one end of the hall to the other. She kept murmuring her greeting under her breath, adjusting her posture, and taking deep breaths every few seconds.
Beside her stood an older elf with silver hair, sharply dressed in a tailored suit. His gentle smile carried both amusement and understanding as he watched her fuss. Two elf maids stood nearby in silence, perfectly poised to receive the visitors.
The older elf chuckled softly before speaking.
"Relax, Mei. It's just Yuna. Take it easy."
The young elf stiffened, her hands trembling slightly, but she straightened her back with determination.
"I know, Father… but I don't want to mess this up. Not in front of her friends."
Mei inhaled deeply, squared her shoulders, and stood ready. As Yuna and the others approached, she swallowed hard, shut her eyes for a moment, and then exhaled.
"W-Welcome to House Aeris! I, Mei, extend to you the most cordial… um… the most cordial hope to all of you—"
An awkward silence fell over the entrance.
Haruto blinked.
Rina tilted her head in confusion.
Thalindra, arms crossed, muttered under her breath.
"…Wasn't 'welcome' the word she was going for?"
Eliza, seizing the chance, smirked mischievously.
"Hmph… how poetic. I like it. Not just welcome—they give us hope."
Mei turned crimson. She opened her mouth to fix her blunder but only stumbled further.
"N-No! I mean, I hope House Aeris can be a home of—wait, no, a house of—!"
Yuna, unable to hold back her laughter any longer, stepped forward.
"Mei. Breathe."
The young elf froze for a second, then buried her face in her hands.
"I'm such a disgrace!" Mei cried.
Her silver-haired father sighed patiently, though there was still a smile tugging at his lips.
"I told you to take it easy."
Still smiling, Yuna gently placed a hand on Mei's shoulder.
"Don't worry. It's a pleasure to see you again."
Slowly lowering her hands from her face, Mei's cheeks remained red, but the warmth in Yuna's smile eased her embarrassment. She relaxed her shoulders and let out a small sigh.
"Welcome, Yuna… and all of your companions."
"Much easier, right?" Yuna teased.
Mei nodded quickly, though she still couldn't bring herself to meet the visitors' eyes.
Haruto, still baffled, leaned toward Thalindra and whispered:
"What just happened?"
"I don't know," Thalindra replied with a smirk. "But it was fun to watch."
At last, the group entered House Aeris, leaving behind the awkward—yet comical—welcome.
Inside, the two maids bowed respectfully as Yuna and her party entered.
"Good morning, Clara. Good morning, Tina," Yuna greeted them with a smile, recognizing the elves in maid uniforms.
"Good morning, Yuna!" Tina answered cheerfully. "How was your journey?"
Yuna exhaled lightly before responding.
"Quite eventful. The Ciales Sea seems to have a piracy problem these days…"
Tina's eyes widened.
"So you came by ship? I'm so jealous—I'd love to travel by sea someday."
As they chatted, Yuna's gaze drifted across the household staff. The maids, the butler, even Mei the receptionist—all of them wore formal uniforms instead of the light, airy garb typical of their tribe.
Unable to hold back her curiosity, Yuna finally asked:
"Forgive me for asking, but… why are you all dressed like this instead of wearing your tribe's clothes? Isn't it uncomfortable?"
Clara crossed her arms, irritation plain as she tugged at her maid outfit.
"It's Astralith's regulations. We're forced to dress according to our role… they call it 'etiquette.'"
Yuna's brows furrowed.
"So even in your own home, you can't wear what you like…"
"Exactly," Tina muttered, rolling her eyes. "It's a pain, but if we want to keep operating in the city, we have to play by their rules."
Haruto, listening in, snorted.
"Typical light elves. Forcing their 'good taste' on everyone else."
Clara and Tina exchanged looks and nodded, clearly agreeing.
"Well then, putting that aside…" Yuna said, taking the moment to formally introduce her companions now that all the wind elves were gathered.
She stepped to the center of the room, her tone shifting to something more formal.
"These are the humans."
She gestured first to Haruto.
"Haruto Kibou, from a place called 'Tokyo.' And this is Simmone Amoretta, from a place they call 'London.'"
She paused briefly, her voice growing more serious.
"Both of them come from another world."
The atmosphere tightened at her words. Though the wind elves were more open-minded than the light elves, the concept of otherworldly travelers was still difficult to digest.
Haruto bowed respectfully, while Simmone executed a graceful curtsey, her natural poise making her look every bit the refined lady. She lifted her skirt slightly, careful not to let it touch the floor.
"What a beautiful girl… she looks like a doll," Tina murmured, her eyes sparkling.
"You're right. And her skin—so pale and smooth… I'm jealous," Mei whispered in admiration.
"Ahem," Yuna cleared her throat before continuing with the introductions.
"This is Master Craftswoman Thalindra Terrafist, from the city of Molgaroth."
The dwarf grinned with confidence, raising her thumb in a rough, proud gesture typical of her kind.
"Always a pleasure to meet new people."
Yuna then turned toward Rina, who, to everyone's surprise, was staying unusually quiet.
"This tall young lady is Rina, a half-human of reptilian descent," she explained. "Thanks to her camouflage magic, she appears just like an ordinary human."
Rina recalled what she'd been taught and nodded, trying her best to sound polite.
"Nice to meet you. Rina be me."
The elves nodded courteously, though they quickly picked up on her awkward phrasing. It was clear she wasn't used to much socializing.
Finally, it came time for the last introduction.
Yuna hesitated, taking a breath before speaking.
"And lastly…"
She paused, choosing her words carefully.
"What I'm about to say must not leave this room. Please don't let it cause alarm."
The wind elves exchanged curious glances at her serious tone.
But before Yuna could continue, a dramatic voice cut through the silence.
"Fear not, deer of the forest."
Eliza stepped forward with calculated elegance, her voice dripping with theatrical weight.
All eyes turned to her, unsure of what was about to happen.
Crossing her arms, she tilted her head slightly, her imaginary cloak fluttering behind her.
"My presence need not inspire fear or shock…" she declared in a low, deliberate tone. "For I am the one who walks in shadow… the chosen bearer of the dreaded Eye of Eclipse."
With exaggerated flair, she raised her hand high, striking a pose worthy of a manga villain.
"I am… Elizabeth Tepes, daughter of darkness!"
A heavy silence blanketed the hall.
The wind elves blinked, caught between alarm and confusion, unsure if this was a threat—or some bizarre joke.
Haruto groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
"…Here we go again," he muttered.
The elves still hadn't reacted, staring blankly at Eliza's theatrical display.
Then Simmone's eyes narrowed, her glare sharp as a blade.
A shiver ran down Eliza's spine. Her lofty posture faltered, her proud expression crumbling into hesitation in less than a heartbeat.
"T-Tee-hee!"
In an instant, her entire demeanor flipped.
Clasping her hands together in mock sweetness, she tilted her head and smiled like the picture of innocence.
"Forgive me, young elves. I was just playing~." Her voice shifted into a ridiculously saccharine tone. "I'm human, just like them~."
The silence grew even heavier.
The elves exchanged baffled looks, clearly at a loss for how to respond.
Haruto let out a long, weary sigh.
"At this rate, I'm going to get a migraine…" he muttered under his breath.
Yuna clapped her hands lightly, her smile polite but strained as she tried to reel the conversation back on track.
"Perhaps it would be best if you showed us to our rooms. It's been a long journey—we could all use some rest."
"Y-Yes, of course, Yuna," Mei stammered, still flustered. She quickly moved toward the stairs. "Please, follow me. I'll show you to your rooms."
Haruto and Yuna exchanged a knowing look before trailing after her, the rest of the group close behind.
A good rest didn't sound bad at all after the road they'd traveled.