After completing maintenance on the three tallest towers of Midmidir, it was their final day in the kingdom, and Rynelle allowed them to enjoy it however they pleased.
Irene had asked to visit a ton of places, and the thought filled her with excitement. As soon as the sun rose, she sprang up on the bed, waking her friends in the process, and exclaimed,
"This is an excellent day to go out."
◇◆◇
"This is a terrible day to go out…," Irene declared in a depressed tone, her ears drooping.
Outside the inn, the entire kingdom was shrouded in a massive cloud. The fog was so dense that it was impossible to see more than two meters ahead.
"Where exactly am I supposed to be? Silent Hill?" Irene muttered, not changing her posture.
"This is the first time I've seen this too," Hanami commented. "Is it safe to be outside?"
There was no sound anywhere around them. It was as if the entire kingdom had completely shut down.
"I can't even hear the usual machinery," Irene said. "Why don't we ask the innkeeper?"
When they went back inside, they spoke with him about the situation outside. The elderly man explained,
"It's not dangerous. It happens at least seven times a year. We consider it part of our culture and turned it into a tradition. Because it can be risky, the kingdom shuts down all machinery that could be damaged, and since everything becomes very quiet, people respect that silence. Nowadays, it's used to make relationships more intimate, and no one raises their voice much."
Irene and Hanami instinctively looked at each other. Rynelle, meanwhile, asked,
"So we can go anywhere?"
"Anywhere that doesn't require leaving the streets. Since you're visitors, I'll give you what everyone uses on this day."
◇◆◇
"A bit plain for a tradition, don't you think?" Rynelle remarked, observing the rope.
"What matters is the experience you share and live through, not the objects used," Irene replied.
The three of them walked down the street tied together by a very short rope, allowing only a few centimeters of distance between them. They also wore small silver bells on their wrists that made a subtle sound as they walked.
Up until then, they hadn't noticed the colored lines painted on the ground. They had assumed they were city decorations, but they were used for moments like this. Each color led to a different district of Midmidir.
It didn't take long for them to reach the center of Midmidir, where people were only occasionally visible and their voices sounded like soft whispers in the distance.
Irene, who was walking in the middle, sighed before saying,
"What a shame that our trip through Midmidir has to end on a day like this. Still… being inside a cloud is exciting. I never imagined it would be possible."
Her curious eyes moved all around. While physical objects like lampposts, benches, or even the street itself would come into focus when they got close, most of the time there was nothing but dense fog.
Hanami moved closer to Irene and took her hand, intertwining their fingers. Irene was surprised and turned to look at her. The vampire gestured for her to stay quiet while winking.
Thanks to their white cloaks, it was hard to notice that they were holding hands. Before Irene could look away, Hanami blew her a silent kiss. That made Irene smile, her cheeks turning slightly red.
The bustle of the city center slowly made itself known. The calm was still there, but merchants were calling out to people to buy their goods.
"The market?" Irene murmured.
"Yes. Rynelle and I—"
"Shh."
"Oh. Nothing," Hanami said, covering her mouth.
"Huh? What was that?" Irene asked.
"Don't mind that clumsy vampire. Let's keep walking," Rynelle said.
Irene turned to look at Hanami, but she was already pretending to look the other way, as if something had caught her attention.
"Hmmm," Irene hummed suspiciously.
People began to appear very close to them—sometimes standing still, other times coming from the front or from behind.
'It's like watching chunks load in an open-world game,' she thought with a small laugh.
When they stopped in front of a clothing merchant, Hanami stepped closer, pulling Irene and Rynelle along with her. She leaned over the garments and said,
"Is this Midmidir fashion? Maybe I should buy something from here," she said, placing her index finger on her lips. "Though I don't see any women's clothes that would make me look pretty."
Irene leaned in as well, without letting go of Hanami's hand, and observed. Most of the clothes were full garments that covered everything, like a nun's habit.
'Definitely not. I want to show off my curves.'
Rynelle immediately lost interest. She shifted her gaze toward a barely visible stall off to the side and noticed necklaces.
"Come."
She gently tugged on her friends, making them move forward. They stopped in front of the stall and browsed. Hanami understood immediately and took the task seriously as well; however, both she and Rynelle shook their heads at the options.
Irene noticed their synchronization but didn't give it much thought. After weaving through more people, they finally reached what they were looking for: a jewelry shop for women, specifically one selling earrings.
Hanami and Rynelle guided Irene aside and began pointing at one item after another. They shook their heads at each other's suggestions and put the pieces back.
Irene raised her eyebrows, confused, and asked,
"Why do you look so coordinated?"
She was ignored.
When they found a piece they both liked, they nodded, and in one swift motion, Irene's eyes widened and her ears twitched.
"Ta-da!"
"Congratulations!"
"A-are?" Another twitch ran through her left ear. "An earring?"
A gold earring with two horizontal gems had been placed near the tip of her upright ear. The gems were a ruby and a sapphire.
"It's your gift for officially becoming an adventurer," Hanami said.
"From both of us. For you."
As they spoke, Hanami took the merchant's mirror and held it in front of Irene's face. The kitsune held it, examined herself, and reflexively moved her left ear. Then she turned slightly to see it better from the side.
"The gems…," Irene murmured.
"That's us. So you'll always carry us with you," Hanami explained.
Irene immediately noticed the meaning: the ruby for Hanami's eyes and the sapphire for Rynelle. Her cheeks were tinted with a soft blush—not from embarrassment, but from amazement.
As she touched the earring and saw how it caught the light, she smiled. Rynelle said,
"She likes it. That'll be the one."
"She definitely likes it," Hanami agreed, smiling with her teeth showing and her eyes closed.
Irene didn't even bother to protest.
'So I can always carry you with me, huh…'
The elf and the vampire split the cost of the earring. The merchant thanked them for their purchase, and they continued walking.
'What kind of life could I possibly ask for? It feels like I'm living in a dream… My best friends are an elf and a vampire, and they gave me a gift as a reward for becoming an adventurer in a fantasy world, all while walking inside a cloud…'
She let out a soft laugh under her breath as she looked up at the dense fog.
'None of this makes any sense…'
The sound of her boots echoed against the concrete ground. Hanami and Rynelle moved between stalls, talking and asking Irene questions, which she answered automatically. Her mind drifted through her thoughts, as thick as the fog surrounding her.
'Coming to Midmidir wasn't just passing through a kingdom like Rynelle made it sound. In just three days, things happened that became memories I'll never forget.'
She timidly glanced at Hanami's profile as she talked with Rynelle.
'Today, I'll enjoy this kingdom among the clouds to the fullest and live like I never have before. I even feel inspired to write my novel.'
She stepped ahead, took Rynelle's and Hanami's hands, startling them, and began walking faster, a grin on her face.
"Come on! I want to do so many things with you today!"