After spending the day shrouded in the dense fog of a cloud, Irene took back what she had said about it being a terrible day. It had turned into quite an adventure alongside her friends. She couldn't help but feel happy every time she thought about her ear brooch.
Once they had used the inn for the last time, they left early in the morning. They were now inside their wagon, which had been stored in a warehouse. Hanami had only woken up to get them moving, as she slept peacefully in the back.
Irene watched with a nostalgic, satisfied smile as the kingdom among the clouds drifted farther away. They descended along the main route, the rising bridge that led to the different levels of the kingdom.
That main road was always packed with wagons and carriages coming and going from Midmidir. For some reason, the bustle delighted Irene's ears.
"Enjoy every second, because we still have a long journey of mountains and grass ahead of us," Rynelle said. "It'll be a boring trip, well within the standard expectations of long-distance travel."
"We'll make the trip fun. As long as I'm with you, I don't care where I am." She held onto her golden brooch as she looked toward the horizon.
Rynelle smiled at her. It made her genuinely happy to see Irene enjoying her gift. They were still a kilometer above sea level, but the scenery kept Irene's curious gaze entertained.
"Though someone would rather sleep," Rynelle hinted, glancing over her shoulder at Hanami.
Irene looked at her as well. The vampire was sleeping on her side, her hands tucked between her thighs.
"She just didn't want to wake up early, since we didn't do anything that exhausting."
Irene smiled fondly and wrapped herself completely around Rynelle, saying:
"That means we have time just for ourselves!"
Rynelle looked at her with a calm yet puzzled expression. Irene began to sniff her until her face pressed against the elf's sapphire-colored hair.
"You smell so good… You always smell so nice."
"It's just conditioner," she replied calmly, keeping the eye closest to Irene closed.
Irene let out a soft giggle with her lips closed and stayed pressed close to Rynelle for the entire ride.
◇◆◇
By the time they had left the kingdom of Midmidir far behind, night had caught up with them, but they hadn't reached an area where they could set up camp. They were on a bridge eight meters wide, surrounded by the sea.
Irene lowered the map with a frustrated sigh and said:
"It's the Great Oceanic Pass; it's sixty-two kilometers long…"
"Irene~!" Rynelle complained in a tone that, at the same time, didn't seek to scold her.
"It's my fault, I know…"
Hanami leaned against the divider separating the seats from the cargo area. She sighed, resting her cheek against her hand, and said:
"We're already too far in; going back would take us one or two hours. Besides, the horses are already exhausted."
"Sorry…" Irene lowered her head and ears.
Rynelle remained in the wagon, slouched over her thighs and holding her head. That frustration made Irene shrink even more. Hanami was the one who stroked the elf's back and spoke in her usual seductive tone:
"Alright, alright. We'll set up camp here, and everything will be fine. I'll start unloading the supplies; you rest for a moment, little elf. Irene, help me, okay, sweetheart?"
"Yes…"
The two of them got down from the wagon and opened the back. It took them about forty minutes to set up all the tents. Throughout the entire process, Rynelle remained silent.
Even when Hanami spoke to her from time to time to ease the mood, she didn't respond and simply kept working. This made Irene feel even worse.
The growling of all three of their stomachs was noticeable due to the calm of the ocean. The wind brought a chill to their bodies, but even so, they hurried to get everything ready.
When the last tent was finally set up, Irene watched Rynelle stand up and tried to speak to her, saying:
"I-I'll prepare the food so we can all have dinner before going to sleep."
Rynelle opened her canvas tent, went inside, and closed it. Irene lowered her gaze sadly. Hanami, meanwhile, walked over to her and patted her head.
"Just give her some space. Tomorrow you can apologize."
"I don't want to go to sleep knowing she's upset with me…"
"For now, you'll have to accept it, little fox. We should eat something, but if she doesn't eat, I won't feel comfortable either. In any case, it's already very late, so… let's go to sleep, okay?"
Irene nodded gloomily. This made Hanami grab her cheeks and give her a small kiss on the lips. Irene was startled at being caught off guard. The vampire gave her a playful look and whispered:
"If you're feeling sad, we can go somewhere more private. I'll put you in a very good mood."
Irene's cheeks warmed, and she felt a tingling between her legs; however, she couldn't take it seriously at a moment when Rynelle was angry.
"M-maybe another day…," she said, looking away.
Hanami smiled at her sweetly. She turned her around and gave her a light smack on the butt.
"Go to sleep, little fox."
Irene walked off, giving one last shy but happy glance. Hanami blew her a kiss while winking. That cheered Irene up even more.
◇◆◇
When morning came, the three of them had breakfast in silence, but Rynelle didn't say a word to Irene. The atmosphere became slightly uncomfortable. The vapor from their breaths kept all three of them hunched over to preserve body heat.
As soon as they finished their stew, Rynelle stood up and headed to the edge of the ocean to wash her plate. She returned, placed the plate inside the wagon, and packed up her canvas tent.
At all times, Irene followed her with her eyes, and whenever Rynelle turned toward the wagon, she looked away. After that, Irene only fed the horses, brushed their coats, and remained there.
By the time the morning hours passed, the wagon was already moving in a straight line under a tense atmosphere. Hanami decided to sit in the middle to keep them apart.
Unlike before, Rynelle was the one checking the map. Irene, meanwhile, kept her hands tucked between her knees, constantly thinking about how to fix things. No matter how hard she tried to focus on something else, there was nothing but miles of water.
"U-um…," she began. "R-Rynelle…"
The elf didn't take her eyes off the map.
Irene lowered her head. She waited a moment and spoke again.
"I'm sorry for getting us into this…"
There was no response.
Once again, she waited a moment and spoke again.
"I know it's my fault… and I'm sorry for that…"
Her body jolted slightly at the sharp sound of the map paper being pulled taut. Rynelle accompanied the gesture with a shift of her body and turned her back on her.
Irene grew even more dejected. Hanami, meanwhile, calmly sipped her coffee without getting involved; but noticing the tension, she spoke up to help a little.
"Ryne, aren't you going to say anything?"
"I'm concentrating on the map, okay? Stop bothering me."
The speed and sharpness with which she spoke revealed everything. Hanami sighed. Irene looked down and spoke in a timid tone.
"If you want to vent, do it, but don't talk to Hana like that."
"Better shut up. We're stuck here because of you in the first place."
"I know it's my fault, and that's why I'm apologizing. I don't want to spend the whole trip like this with you."
After a brief silence, just when she thought she wouldn't get a response from Rynelle, she finally spoke:
"Next time, pay more attention to the road so you won't be so useless. That'll fix more than your apology ever could."
Irene's eyes glassed over, and she gasped for a moment, drawing both of their attention. She quickly stood up and retreated to the back of the wagon, crying softly.
Hanami and Rynelle watched her. The elf lowered the map and let out a long sigh. Then, Hanami spoke to her in a calm tone:
"You need to stop being so impulsive when you're angry. What you said to her wasn't okay."
Rynelle looked away, her expression now worried.