Kanjira: Ah, ouch. Is your medic skill really okay?
Matilda: Hah? Are you questioning my skill? I was always, for most of the time, the best student in first aid class! There, the pain is gone, yeah?
Kanjira: Well, hmm, not bad.
Matilda: Hey, I'm not done with your stealing!
Matilda pats her on the wound to show her discontent.
Kanjira: Hey, hey, hey. Ah! I already apologize!
Matilda: Humph, slick!
Matilda turns her eyes toward the two people standing under the tree.
Matilda: Hmm. I didn't expect to see this.
Matilda: What a spacious yard for a house located right next to the train station!
A massive sacred fig stands in the middle of the yard.
It looks a lot older than it was in the photo, and it has become leafless, like a skeleton.
Shamane: Old buddy, I'm surprised that you're still here.
His rough hands land on the equally rough bark. The tree responds with nearly imperceptible cracks.
Kaalaa Baunaa: We have settled everyone so far. I didn't expect so many Manus members here.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I've never encountered them before. They can't be communicated with. How horrible!
She's still haunted by the battle.
Kaalaa Baunaa: And, since we meet them here, it means ...
Shamane: Kumar did cooperate with the Manus.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Ugh!
Kaalaa Baunaa: Shoot! It's completely out of control.
Kaalaa Baunaa: The incantation in the cave—She must be able to detect the fluctuation caused by it, and that gave us away.
Kaalaa Baunaa: But what in the world is her purpose?
Kaalaa Baunaa: Did she think I would stop her? So she deployed these things to slaughter the village?
Kaalaa Baunaa: Does revenge matter that much to her?
Kaalaa Baunaa feels everything is so absurd.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I trusted her. I never believed she would do such a thing, even if we're no longer on the same path.
Shamane: ...
Vishnu's idol feels particularly hard in Kaalaa Baunaa's soft palm.
Kaalaa Baunaa: But the reality tells me, my trust in her is nothing but a joke.
Shamane: Hatred changes people.
Shamane shakes his head.
Shamane: It's not a choice, Kaalaa Baunaa. You don't have to feel bad for trusting people. You trust someone because they are trustworthy, but you never need a reason to hate.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Shamane: Let your guard down for even one second, the toxic idea will sneak into your mind, and it would be impossible to get rid of it.
Shamane: It will burn your mind and sanity, until you become an animal living for revenge, even forget your own name.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Shamane: ...
Shamane: Oh, don't look at me like that. It's nothing personal! In my mind, she is still my cool and scholarly sister. I was young and easily fooled back then.
Shamane: What I said was based on my real-life experience. I was way more outrageous than her!
Shamane: Ah, I mean, we were all young once, right?
Kaalaa Baunaa shakes her head and sighs.
Kaalaa Baunaa: No matter what, she is already on the move. But we don't even know where she is.
While Kaalaa Baunaa and Shamane are talking quietly, in the other corner of the yard, a heated quarrel is taking place between the girls.
Matilda: Don't even think about it! The painkiller won't last long. There's no way you can drive with a wounded foot!
As soon as Kanjira stands up, Matilda pushes her back to the seat.
Kanjira: But Sherjah is still out there! She can't use any arcane skills. If she's find by the mask monster ...
Matilda: Even, even if you are right on this, I can't just let you ... Hmm?
SPF-I: SPF-Ⅰ Portable Contact Device activated. Abnormal arcane skill fluctuation detected. Conducting analysis.
Matilda: It just activates itself, eh?
SPF-I: Source of abnormal arcane skill fluctuation confirmed. Similar faction: Manus Vindictae. Margin of error: 0.121%. Emergency support application sent.
SPF-I: Adjusted support application priority to: HIGH.
Matilda: Does it mean we can ask the Foundation for backup now?
Matilda: This is great! People, I finally got in touch with the Foundation!
Shamane: Yeah? That's good news!
Kaalaa Baunaa: But the Manus is still wandering out there.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Before the Foundation evacuates them, the village will be destroyed.
Kaalaa Baunaa: We can't just sit around and watch.
Kaalaa Baunaa looks down at the glasses. Her finger gently swipes across the broken temple.
Kaalaa Baunaa: There is another way.
She speaks up, though hesitantly, after the long silence.
Matilda: Way? What way?
Kaalaa Baunaa: If she can do it, I can do it, too.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Maybe I can find traces of her if I enter the Realm.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Because I also mastered meditation skills.
Kaalaa Baunaa's eyes fix on a stone. She's lost in her thoughts.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Yes, that's right. I know the path inside.
Kaalaa Baunaa: What do I need? Yes, water, enough water to soak me in.
Her eyes can't help but move to the large ceramic vat in the corner.
Matilda: Ms. Kaalaa Baunaa?
Shamane: ...
Shamane: Now, hold on. Please wait.
Shamane waves his hand in front of the researcher, who is already carried away by some emotion.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...?
Shamane: If it was so easy, why don't you look for her in the Realm in the first place?
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...!
Kaalaa Baunaa: I ...
Shamane: It is a risky move. Am I right?
Kaalaa Baunaa: How did you know?
Shamane: Oh, just my instincts, or experiences, perhaps.
He gives her a gentle wave of his hand.
Shamane: No offense, but when I look at you, I see a desperate tiger cub cornered by the hunters.
Shamane: The situation is not as simple as you think.
Shamane: Since she can "invite" us to Mor Pankh, she can play the same trick and "invite" you to her Realm.
Shamane: This could be a trap, a trap to keep you stuck inside the Realm.
Kaalaa Baunaa: ...
Kaalaa Baunaa: You are right. It is a risky move.
Kaalaa Baunaa: With the other two idols as her anchors, she is the true dominator of the Realm now.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I can't foresee what's ahead of us in there, so I've been avoiding it.
Kaalaa Baunaa: But ...
Kaalaa Baunaa looks up at him.
Kaalaa Baunaa: We don't have other choices, do we?
Shamane: Whoa. Now we are talking, you seem ready.
Shamane: But, hmm ...
He shakes his head with slight disapproval.
Shamane: Whatever you decide to do next, don't. This is the advice from an experienced hunter.
Kaalaa Baunaa: Why?
Shamane: Because whatever is in your mind now is going to send you into the hunter's trap. This happens to all kinds of animals. When the animal realizes it is cornered, its mind will be in a muddle.
Shamane: It can't think of anything else, but at the same time, it strangely grows overconfident. It will take the gamble of escaping from its last way out, which is also going to be the entrance of the trap.
Shamane: Trust me.
He seems unusually serious.
Shamane: I know how you feel. You thought there's no way out but a footlog bridge.
She stares at his face for a long time. Eventually, she shakes her head.
Kaalaa Baunaa: The Manus followers are still wandering about, and some villagers haven't been moved to safer locations.
Kaalaa Baunaa: But sometimes, we must take the risky path to get out of the dreadful situation, even though it is full of traps.
Shamane: ...
He notices her fingers clutch and loosen repeatedly out of anxiety.
Kaalaa Baunaa: It may not solve all the problems, but it's better than doing nothing.
Kaalaa Baunaa: If this really is a trap, that means we will meet again.
Kaalaa Baunaa: And I have been waiting for a chance to talk to her face-to-face for too long.
Shamane: ...
Kaalaa Baunaa: I have been chasing after an imaginary goal since she left me.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I watched that star closely, taking down everything that I could observe. However, despite all the efforts, deep down, I know better than anyone else—it's useless.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I remember those days, almost half of which were like living in a mist. But now ...
Kaalaa Baunaa: But now, I can feel it. Her silhouette is right there in front of me.
Kaalaa Baunaa: To be honest, this is not the best time to "seize this chance."
Matilda: Ms. Kaalaa Baunaa.
Kaalaa Baunaa: But no matter how I look at it, this is too good an opportunity to pass up.
Shamane: ...
Shamane meets her gaze squarely.
Then he blinks. He scratches his head, feeling a bit powerless.
Shamane: Emm. Okay. Fine. sighs
Shamane: If you insist on doing this, I will not stop you.
Shamane: We all have our lessons to learn. And you are right—we don't have any better options.
Shamane: What is it they say? No risk, no feast, huh?
Shamane: But please keep this in mind—no matter what happens, your safety will always be the top priority.
Shamane: We cannot bear to lose someone who is capable of putting this to an end.
Kaalaa Baunaa: I will.
