Back to Gorthok's mansion.
Six months had passed since Hajime lost his arm inside the wall that had formed itself from huge boulders.
Since then, he hadn't taken a single step inside, instead choosing to observe from a distance, always making sure he couldn't be spotted by anyone working in the mansion, anyone except Kiku. She was now always with him, no matter where he went.
But this wasn't just a simple tag-along or an "I'm in charge of taking care of you" kind of thing. It was something more. Complicated. Kiku had her own reasons for staying close to Hajime. And in those six months, Hajime had changed, even if only a little; he had become more focused, more attentive, noticing details he might have ignored before.
