The large door leading to the residential sector.
Letaria stood before it, hands folded gently in front of her.
(…This is my first time actually going outside.)
The bracelet-type terminal Milea had given her yesterday rested cool and glowing against her wrist.
Then, out of nowhere—
"Hello, Letaria! I'm your guide today—Stesia Rinin!"
A voice, absolutely bursting with energy, hit her without warning.
"Eep—!"
Her shoulders leapt.
Standing at the door was a girl with a short golden bob.
About the same age as Letaria.
With a smile like a small explosion.
(…She has a great deal of energy.)
"…Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Letaria returned it as quietly as she could manage. Stesia's smile only got bigger.
"You're so different from your battle footage!"
"…?!"
(What on earth does she just come out and say?!)
"Wh-where is Captain Grain…?"
"The Captain is a very busy man!
But! Today! Stesia Rinin herself will be your guide!"
(…Her enthusiasm is quite a lot.)
Letaria gathered herself and stepped up to the door.
◆◆◆
The door opened quietly.
As it did, Stesia said—
"You're not wearing the dress you had on when you first arrived."
"Ah, yes…well…"
(That dress they kept calling a costume…)
Just thinking about it made something squirm in her chest.
Stesia continued.
"I only caught a glimpse, but it was so pretty!
Could I see it sometime?"
"…"
Letaria stopped walking.
(…She isn't making fun of me, is she?
She genuinely thinks it was…pretty?)
"…Perhaps, if the occasion arises."
That was the most she could manage.
Stesia, entirely unbothered, set off again—nearly bringing Letaria's hand along with her.
◆◆◆
The residential sector was livelier than she had imagined.
Multi-tiered open spaces rising overhead.
Lines of light cutting through the air.
People dressed in ways she had never seen.
Aromas ranging from sweet to sharp.
(…So this is a city.)
Nothing like the towns she had known back home. Nothing like the corridors of a grand temple.
Cold in some way, yet alive.
"Letaria, this is delicious—would you like some?"
Stesia had stopped at a food stall.
"…I'll have some, thank you."
She brought the offered skewer to her mouth, carefully.
(…It's actually quite good.)
"Payment—like this."
Stesia held her terminal to the reader.
Letaria copied her with the bracelet—
Click.
"…That pays for things?"
"It does! Convenient, right?"
"…I see."
(What a peculiar world…)
◆◆◆
They had been walking for a little while when a man approached them.
"Excuse me—have you ever thought about modelling?
You're absolutely stunning. I'm sure you'd be hugely popular."
"…Model-ling?"
Letaria tilted her head—
And Stesia stepped in front of her.
"Sorry, we're on a date right now!
Maybe another time!"
"Oh—my apologies then."
The man left without another word.
Letaria stood very still.
"Wh-what is modelling, exactly…?"
A beat.
"A D-D-D-Date?!"
Stesia doubled over laughing.
"Ahaha! It just came out!"
"What do you think you're saying without even asking me—!!"
(A d-date…!
That's—I didn't—this isn't—!)
Her face was on fire.
Her ears too.
Stesia went on laughing, entirely without guilt.
◆◆◆
After that small uproar, something in the corner of Letaria's vision caught her attention.
A child, crying.
"What happened?"
Stesia crouched down beside them.
"My cat…my cat got lost…"
Stesia looked uncertain.
In that moment—
Something inside Letaria fired. An instinct. A signal.
(…It's there.)
She let her awareness reach toward her magic. And there it was, clear and certain.
"…This way."
"Letaria?"
She started walking without hesitation.
An alley. Up high.
A small shadow, curled on a metal beam.
"…There."
Stesia's eyes went wide.
"How did you know that?"
"…A feeling."
She couldn't explain it.
She had simply—known.
Letaria made use of the nearest foothold and reached up.
The cat settled into her arms without fuss.
(…It seems I've made a friend.)
A quiet surge of pride.
She brought the cat back to the child, whose face lit up at once.
"Thank you! You're amazing, big sister!"
"…"
(Big sister…)
To be thanked by someone, without obligation or pretense behind it.
"…Of course."
She said it with a show of confidence. But the corners of her mouth had softened, just slightly.
◆◆◆
As they walked, Letaria said—
"Quite useful, isn't it. Having me along."
Stesia beamed.
"So useful! But really—how did you know where it was?"
"…Hm. A lady's intuition."
Stesia laughed.
Letaria, without quite noticing, laughed too.
(…Not bad, this world.)