The Star-Spear on a Glittering Night

That evening, when Linzbellfeed visited the spring, the tent was pitched in the same spot as during the day, and that woman—Carla—was tending a campfire.

After confirming there were no other humans nearby, Linzbellfeed lightly alighted beside Carla.

“Weren’t you going to make the old men at the temple panic and fawn over you?”

Repeating the young man’s words from earlier that day verbatim, Linzbellfeed watched Carla chuckle and tip the bottle of liquor in her hand.

Then she let out a deeply satisfied breath.

“Well, as you might expect, when I went to introduce myself with my robe and staff, the old men at the temple panicked. They prepared a very fine guest room for me, but...”

Carla took another sip of liquor and glanced sideways at Linzbellfeed.

“It was so fancy I couldn’t relax, so I let my junior disciple, Louis, use the room and slipped out. Well, I’ll attend the ritual, so it should be fine, right?”

So saying, Carla popped a piece of dried meat into her mouth.

Watching her, Linzbellfeed wondered why they were there...