The road to the city stretches far longer than it looks on any map, winding through open plains, narrow forest paths, and hills where the wind never seems to rest. Days blend into one another as the group moves forward at a steady pace, rising with the sun and stopping only when the light begins to fade.
Emilia rides with Hikarimetsu each day, held safely within her arms, the gentle scent of sakura always close and always calming. The steady rhythm of the horse and the Hikarimetsu's presence behind her make the long journey easier to bear, even when the road stretches on without end.
This expedition is her first long trip since coming to this world, the first time she has gone so far from the village and the forest where she first woke. Everything feels new and unfamiliar, and riding a horse proves to be far more painful than she ever imagined.
