Part 2
Cherri's auditorium was livelier than usual. The dryad, ever serene, remained seated on her floral throne, attentively observing the group gathered before her.
Though she had already heard about Rina from Haruto, this was their first official meeting—where the velociraptor girl would stand before the guardian of Mythara.
Sunlight filtered through the sakura petals above, bathing the space in a soft pink glow that floated in the air, setting the tone for the solemn occasion.
As group leader, Yuna stepped forward and gave a slight bow of respect.
"Lady Cherri, thank you for taking the time to receive us. We've come today to formally introduce two new members of our adventuring party."
She paused briefly before adding,
"And to also discuss the details of our latest request."
Cherri tilted her head curiously, resting her chin on one hand as she looked at the newcomers with interest.
"I've heard quite a bit about Rina. I must admit, it's intriguing to see an extinct being. But… what of the other one?" Her gaze turned sharply to Eliza, analyzing her with keen eyes.
"I'd like to hear from them directly—what are your intentions?"
Until that moment, Rina had remained still, but now she instinctively began sniffing the air.
Cherri watched her with a soft smile.
"Oh, golden-eyed one… we finally meet. You've piqued my curiosity."
Rina tilted her head, confused, and glanced at Haruto as if seeking some kind of signal.
He simply nodded in response, giving her the go-ahead.
Taking a deep breath, the velociraptor girl stepped forward.
"Rina… Rina is me. Lived in forest long time. Hid from those who wanted to catch me… but now, I have friends. I'm not alone anymore."
She glanced briefly at Haruto, as if reaffirming her words.
"Haruto saved Rina. So I promise to help however I can."
Cherri closed her eyes for a moment, as though weighing each word carefully.
Then, with a graceful motion, she raised her hand. In a gentle flash of light, tiny magical sakura blossoms bloomed at Rina's feet.
"I hear no malice in your voice, but there's still much you must learn about living among others."
Rina looked down, fidgeting nervously with her tail.
"Rina understands… Rina fix broken fences and say sorry to elves."
Cherri allowed herself a faint smile.
"That would be a fine start."
Her gaze then shifted to the poised figure who had until now stood with arms crossed, observing everything with a haughty air.
"And you must be… Elizabeth Tepes."
Her eyes, now sharper, held a glint of suspicion.
"The daughter of Victor Tepes…"
Eliza smiled gracefully, placing a hand over her chest and stepping forward with an air of regal flair.
"Oh, what an honor that you know my lineage, Guardian of Mythara."
"Yes, I am Elizabeth Tepes, daughter of darkness and bearer of the Eclipse Eye."
"But worry not, I have no intention of casting shadows over your humble domain."
Thalindra let out a sigh and muttered under her breath,
"Here we go again…"
Cherri narrowed her eyes, unfazed by the vampiress's theatrics.
"Why would a pureblood vampire and heir to Transylvania seek refuge in my forest?"
Eliza's smile remained, though her tone lost some of its dramatic edge.
"I defected. I don't share my father's ideals, and his kingdom has become something I no longer wish to follow."
"I want to travel the world on my own terms—far from Netheria and its chains."
Cherri regarded her in silence, petals drifting gently in the breeze. Then, after a long pause, she closed her eyes and nodded slowly.
"It's a simple answer… but what matters is whether it's sincere."
Eliza placed a hand over her chest with confidence.
"Oh, believe me, dear guardian, I've never had any interest in lying about something like that."
Cherri let out a quiet sigh.
"Haruto…" she called suddenly, turning her attention to him. "You've become a magnet for… unique individuals."
Haruto gave a small smile—a mix of resignation and pride on his face.
Kizuna fluttered beside him with a playful giggle.
"That's right, Haruto-kyun! This party's getting weirder by the day, Kizu!"
"We're still missing more demi-humans, obviously!"
Cherri shook her head softly, reclining slightly into her floral throne with a faint smile.
"Very well. I'll allow both of them to remain in Mythara—on the condition that they follow the forest's rules and cause no trouble."
Her gaze shifted to Haruto and Yuna.
"You two will be responsible for them."
Yuna nodded firmly.
"Understood, Cherri."
Rina wagged her tail excitedly, shifting side to side.
"Rina be good! Rina help friends!"
Eliza closed her eyes with a composed smile.
"Oh, how kind of you. I shall also be a most excellent companion."
Haruto crossed his arms, sensing the group grow more chaotic with each passing day.
Cherri watched them for a moment longer before closing her eyes once again.
"Good. With that, the first part of this audience is concluded."
"The mystery of 'Golden Eyes' has been resolved. Now, onto the next topic: the Sakura Dungeon."
"The Sakura Dungeon?" Haruto echoed with curiosity.
Cherri nodded gravely.
"As you know, to the north of the Sacred Tree lies a level-three dungeon—the most important one in Mythara."
"That's the one where adventurers have been vanishing without a trace…" Yuna added, arms crossed. "It must be where the wandering monsters in the forest are coming from."
"Exactly. At first, I suspected it had something to do with 'Golden Eyes,' but thanks to Rina, we've ruled that out. Which means there's a real threat inside that dungeon."
The group exchanged serious glances as Cherri continued.
"As you know, I'm forbidden from entering due to my spiritual power, and the other elven leaders can't leave their duties unattended."
"Which means… you're planning to send us," Thalindra muttered with a resigned tone.
"I have no one else I can trust," Cherri replied calmly. "Besides, Yuna's father is already busy investigating possible traitors within Mythara, so I can't rely on the sentinels either."
"I have no objections," Yuna said, stepping forward.
"But since we're a team, we should discuss it together before accepting such a dangerous mission."
"And we're missing Melodía…" Haruto added, folding his arms with a thoughtful expression. "She's our strongest offensive asset."
"My dear mortal, your greatest offensive asset stands before you."
Eliza placed a hand dramatically over her chest, striking a pose worthy of an opera villain.
"With but a flicker of my eye's power, I could reduce that dungeon to rubble in the blink of an eye…"
Silence.
No one responded. Not even a blink.
Eliza narrowed her eyes, still frozen in her theatrical pose, then let out a faint sigh.
"Tch… Not even a 'wow'... how rude."
Cherri, entirely ignoring the vampiress's outburst, turned her gaze toward the Sacred Tree, as if seeking answers among the drifting petals.
"That's a good point…" she murmured thoughtfully, before fixing her eyes back on Yuna.
"And I also know Melodía's birthday is coming up soon, which means you'll need to travel to Astralith—the city of the Light Elves."
Haruto felt a chill run down his spine.
Astralith wasn't exactly known for being a friendly destination.
Cherri stood from her throne and walked gracefully until she was face-to-face with Yuna.
With a solemn gesture, she handed her an envelope.
"This is my second request. I'd like you to deliver this letter to Lord Aurelius Luminis."
Haruto watched the envelope in Yuna's hands, a strange sense of unease creeping over him.
"Melodía's father… I haven't heard anything good about him—but nothing particularly bad either. He's definitely a mysterious man."
"Is there anything we should know?" Yuna asked, holding the letter with a serious expression.
Cherri exhaled slowly, her face growing even more grave.
"Lord Aurelius Luminis hasn't responded to any of my letters in months."
"No matter how busy he is, I'm still the highest authority in Mythara."
"If I were to go in person… it would cause a considerable stir in the city."
"I see… it's a delicate situation," Yuna murmured, thinking aloud.
"If Melodía were here, she'd know what to do. She's the most diplomatic among us."
"Believe me, if I could, I'd leave this to your father," Cherri sighed, clearly frustrated.
"Don't worry. I think we can handle this request just fine. As for the dungeon… please give us a little time to discuss it."
The dryad nodded and crossed her arms.
"You're my last resort when it comes to the Luminis. If he doesn't respond to that letter… "
"I'll be forced to visit Astralith myself, no matter the consequences. But I'd rather avoid that."
A heavy silence fell over them at Cherri's firm tone.
"As for the dungeon," she continued, "you don't need to concern yourselves just yet."
"Entry is currently restricted to adventurers only, and an Aeris sentinel unit is handling the wandering monsters."
She turned to Yuna, her eyes steady.
"When you reach a decision, inform me immediately, young Kazeharu."
"Understood."
"With that said, this meeting is adjourned."
Everyone began to rise and make their way out, but Yuna lingered a moment longer, her eyes fixed on the envelope in her hands.
"…Ah, one more thing."
Cherri approached the young elf and, with a gentle smile, placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Your mother would be proud."
"You've grown so much lately… without a doubt, you'll become an even greater adventurer than she was."
Yuna's eyes widened in surprise, then softened as she returned the smile with heartfelt sincerity.
Without another word, Cherri turned and departed, her cloak of petals dancing around her as she vanished into the forest breeze.