"What is going on here?" A firm yet gentle voice cut through the air.
He turned immediately. The crowd behind him parted, giving way to a woman with deep amber eyes, auburn feline ears, and long hair of the same color spilling down her back. She wore a simple grey tunic.
Is she the Miss Chief the burly man mentioned?
As if answering him, the burly man shouted from behind,
"Miss Chief!"
Well… that answers it.
The burly man hurried toward her.
He remained still as the man whispered briefly to the Chief. She nodded once and stepped toward him.
"I hope he has not caused the Exalted One any trouble," she said, bowing her head slightly.
Only when she stood right before him did he notice more details.
She was tall, taller than most of the women around her, yet he still had to tilt his chin down slightly to meet her gaze.
She's different from the others… She didn't bow the moment she saw me. So she must hold real authority.
"I—" He barely began before she interrupted again.
"But I must ask… has Sir Hermit come from the Night Forest in the west?"
For a heartbeat, his mind screamed—
Why does everyone insist on interrupting me?!
The crowd erupted. Hushed, agitated whispers spread like wildfire.
"A HERMIT?!"
"SHUT IT, YOU IDIOT! DO YOU WANT TO GET WHIPPED!?"
"No wonder he looked strange… nothing like the Exalted Seraphims—"
…
He sharpened his senses, ears tuning to every whisper.
So Seraphims weren't identical after all—there were differences. And he was a Hermit, yet still considered a Seraphim. That meant Seraphim was the race, and Hermit a distinct group within it.
But speculation wasn't enough. He needed more.
While thinking this, he finally responded.
"I don't think any of this is necessary." He paused, measuring his words. "I only want to ask a few questions… if that's acceptable."
"Oh, and as for your question—"
"Yes, I did come from that direction."
The crowd murmured again, though not as loudly as before.
So that place isn't that special? Or do they simply not know the ruins hidden behind the heavy fog??
The woman lifted her head, a soft smile gracing her lips.
For a brief moment, he felt… strange. He couldn't place the feeling until his eyes met hers.
Unlike her smile, her eyes told a different story.
Relief.
His heart stirred, a glimmer of hope blooming inside him.
Why does she look relieved? Could it be? Does she know who I am? No—if she recognized me, she would have acted differently. Yet here she was, treating him as… ordinary.
His thoughts collided and drifted, none finding solid ground.
"That's a relief. I ask the Exalted One to forgive this one's ignorance," she said, still smiling softly.
Oh.. Hm? Ignorance?
Does everyone here apologize for no reason?
"Ah! I haven't introduced myself. Please, refer to me as Anise. I am the Chief of this village."
"I can tell," he replied, glancing at the crowd before returning his gaze to her.
Anise chuckled, covering her mouth with her right hand. Her amber eyes caught the sunlight, gleaming warmly.
"It is obvious, but we still introduce ourselves this way. Well… that's just formalities." She looked around the village.
She stepped closer and gestured toward a small cabin in the distance.
"May I ask the Exalted Sir to come to my residence? It isn't appropriate to speak here," she said, casting a quick glance at their surroundings.
Looking around, he noticed the crowd of felineeared onlookers staring at him with eager, almost intrusive curiosity.
Weird people…
With that thought lingering, he turned back to Anise and nodded firmly.
"Lead the way."
Anise smiled lightly and began walking toward the cabin.
After a few steps, she paused, turned to the crowd, and clapped sharply.
"Alright, everyone, back to work!"
A ripple of displeasure drifted through the air. The villagers didn't complain, but their ears twitched and drooped before they reluctantly returned to their tasks.
Strange… cat ears, but no tails… What kind of evolutionary path is that?
He was still thinking that when he noticed three familiar figures.
The sibling trio, Lulu, Kato, and Kufu, kept sneaking glances at him. They tried hiding behind corners, peeking from shadows or cracked doorways, pretending to sweep or carry baskets that were suspiciously empty.
Their eyes shone with a mix of awe and dread.
They were terrible at hiding.
Anise spotted them instantly.
"Lulu. Kato. Kufu." Her voice snapped like a twig underfoot.
"What did I say? Back to work. You don't have all day."
The trio froze.
Lulu's ears puffed in alarm.
Kato stared hard at the ground.
Kufu groaned faintly.
For a moment, none of them moved.
Then, with the tragic resignation of children trudged away.
Lulu stomped in misery, Kato slouched with theatrical suffering, and Kufu lingered just long enough for Anise to narrow her eyes before bolting like a startled cat.
So much for being the oldest…
Only after the trio vanished did Anise resume walking.
He followed a few steps behind, keeping a respectful distance.
Silence settled between them, heavy and close. The longer it stretched, the more it pressed on him.
He opened his mouth, ready to break it—
But Anise spoke first.
"I imagine it must be overwhelming. Waking in an unfamiliar place… not knowing where you are, or what's expected of you."
She slowed, then stopped entirely.
His eyes widened.
"Yyou… how—how did you–"
He hadn't told anyone. So how could she know?
She turned to him with calm certainty.
"Rest assured. Everything will be alright. I'm here."
Her smile was warm too warm for someone who barely knew him. Strange as she was, she clearly understood more about his situation than he did. Maybe she truly could help.
He steadied himself and gave a stiff nod. His lips pressed into a line as he held back his questions.
Then Anise's tone shifted.
"But before anything else, we need to get you some clothes. You'll embarrass yourself if you meet the other Exalted Ones looking like that. Even if you're a Hermit, you wouldn't be taken seriously."
Instinctively, he looked down. Rugged pants, bare feet, an upper body covered by nothing more than a scrap of cloth.
He looked like a beggar in every sense.
"Uhh… well…" He raised his eyes again. "I apologize. I'll be troubling you."
Anise waved it off.
"It's nothing."
She continued walking, her tail flicking thoughtfully behind her.
"Let's get you proper clothes and fix all of… that," she said, gesturing at him. "But first.. tell me what kind of style you prefer."
He froze.
"I'm not sure. I don't know much about fashion, so—" He cleared his throat. "Whatever suits me, I guess? Compliments my appearance?"
"Tch tch. That won't do." She clicked her tongue. "You're a Hermit. You have a role, and you need to look the part. Fortunately for you…" Her eyes gleamed with mischief. "I happen to be a fashionista~."
"Oh… uhh… that's… amazing? I'll be in your care." A flicker of dread tightened his gut.
Anise chuckled, her composure melting into playful confidence.
"Don't worry. I'll take good care of you," she said, finishing with a wink.