Prologue

It was the fifteenth of the white month.

When I awoke with the rising of the sun, the first thing I saw was the adorable sleeping face of a boy right in front of me, which seriously caught me off guard.

His hair was a yellowish brown, and his features were gentle like a girl's... I was looking at the very familiar youngest son of the main Ruu house, Ludo Ruu.

Umm...?

As I stared at that cherubic face, I quickly searched back through my memories.

After the dinner with Zuuro Suun and everyone, Ai Fa and I went to the main Ruu house for the night, while Bartha joined Shin Ruu's family. Up till yesterday we had all been using the one vacant house in the Ruu settlement, but we had decided to let the former members of the main Suun house use it last night.

Shin and Ryada Ruu must have been taking turns guarding and watching over Bartha as she slept. And Gulaf Zaza's group who were also staying in the Ruu settlement had surely done the same for Zuuro Suun and company.

Then, there was me and Ai Fa.

The main Ruu house didn't have any spare rooms, so Ai Fa slept in Granny Jiba's room, while I slept in the boys' bedroom.

Up until now I had only slept separately from Ai Fa when I had to suffer being held prisoner for several days, which made for some real restless nights. But this time around I had a friend like Ludo Ruu to chat with, and at some point I'd apparently drifted off.

Currently, the gentle sunlight of early morning was streaming in through the window. Apparently even though he was an early riser as far as men went, even Ludo Ruu didn't get up at daybreak.

His face really is cute when he's sleeping... I thought in a sleepy daze, having finally gotten things sorted out in my mind.

Ludo Ruu had an androgynous face to start with, so when he let loose an innocent smile, he was every bit as cute as a girl. But now that his lips were mumbling like a kid's as he peacefully slept, he looked positively adorable.

If I said that to him, though, he'd probably slug me.

Putting that thought behind me, I rolled so I was facing upward and gave a big stretch. Then I casually glanced over the other way, and was once again taken aback.

That was because Darmu Ruu of all people was lying there sleeping.

Now that I think about it, it's his room too...

Since the main Ruu family was so large, they generally slept two to a room. And as these two were the only unwed men in the house, it made sense for them to double up.

What was worth being astonished over, though, was what Darmu Ruu looked like asleep.

Naturally, his wild wolf eyes were currently hidden. And where normally his face was all tense in a way that made him seem unapproachable, now it was perfectly calm. Even the way his long black hair fell smoothly over his cheek and shoulder somehow looked very unlike him.

Now that I thought about it, if you took those scary eyes he got from his father out of the equation, Darmu Ruu had a pretty handsome face, even for a person of the forest's edge. And he really was Ludo Ruu's big brother too. His nose was high, his lips thin, and even when his cheeks were taut, they also somehow had a slim, gentle curve to them. While he wasn't as androgynous as Ludo Ruu or Rau Lea, he was still only nineteen years old-a fact that really hit me when I saw how gentle he appeared while sleeping.

I sorta feel like I'm looking at something I shouldn't see... I couldn't help but think, only for Darmu Ruu's eyelids to slowly rise.

With a half awake, murky gaze, he looked at me from up close and personal.

"What're you doing...?"

"Huh? Ah, um... I usually get up at daybreak."

I couldn't help but break out in a cold sweet, but fortunately Darmu Ruu's eyelids slowly lowered back down.

"The men will all still be sleeping now... If you're awake, then go help the women or something..."

"Right. I'll just do that."

I slowly got up, then opened the door and slipped out while making as little sound as I could manage.

And then before I could even catch my breath, the neighboring door was flung open.

"My, Asuta, you're up already...?"

"Good morning, Asuta."

It was the oldest sister, Vina Ruu, and the second oldest, Reina Ruu. Apparently they had also woken up along with the sunrise.

"You can keep on sleeping, you know... We'll handle the washing..." Vina Ruu said while stifling a yawn. Even this early in the morning, her pheromones were still on full blast.

"Nah, I'm the sort who can't get back to sleep once I'm up, so I'll take care of some cooking preparations or-" I stopped short, suddenly remembering my business in the post town was on break for today.

After all, today was finally the meeting with Cyclaeus.

"For now, I guess let's head outside...?"

With that, we headed for the plaza as a group of three.

Along the way, we just happened to run into Ai Fa and Rimee Ruu coming out of the other hallway. Normally, Granny Tito Min shared a room with Granny Jiba, but since Ai Fa was sleeping there, Rimee Ruu had asked to switch bedrooms.

And before long, Granny Tito Min and Lala Ruu also exited their room too.

As we greeted one another good morning in whispered tones, we all left the house.

"Oh my, I see you're all together," Mia Lea Ruu noted, having been waiting there for us as we stepped outside.

With that, all the women of the main house aside from Jiza Ruu's wife Sati Lea Ruu had gathered. She must have been excused from morning work because she had to take care of her one-year-old son.

"Well then Vina, your group should take care of the washing. We'll dry out the pico leaves, and then get to work on the firewood."

"How about I help chop firewood, then?" I interjected, only for Mia Lea Ruu to blink in surprise.

"Ah right, your business in town is on break for today. In that case, you can just take it easy until we're done with our morning chores. Then you can join us for gathering herbs and wood, right?"

"I owe you all for giving me a place to sleep day after day, so I'd like to help out a little if I can."

"I see. If you're really going to insist, then I guess we'll have to give you something to do."

And so, we all headed around to the back of the house together.

No matter how important of a day it might be, you still couldn't afford to skip these daily tasks. As for what all that entailed, it didn't really change between the Fa and Ruu houses. Washing the clothes and the dishes from dinner and drawing water to start with, gathering herbs and firewood before the giba woke up when the sun hit its peak, and then chopping the wood, managing the pantry, and making jerky. It all had to get done, every single day.

That wasn't to say there was so much to do that it became overwhelming. They were just all important tasks that couldn't be put off for later. It was relaxed but also solemn work, undertaken while gradually building the bonds between fellow clan members. That was how the women of the forest's edge spent their days.

If our relationship with the nobles of Genos collapsed as a result of today's meeting, this beloved, peaceful, everyday routine would be blown to smithereens. And yet, the Ruu women all wore the same bright smiles as always while they worked.

There was little doubt in my mind that they all trusted Donda Ruu. No matter what occurred from here on out, they believed that man who served as their clan head and one of the leaders of their people would choose the best path possible leading forward.

On the off chance... Seriously, just the off chance, that the people of the forest's edge end up having to abandon Morga, then I'm sure everyone in the Ruu clan will keep following the path laid out by Donda Ruu wearing the exact same expressions on their faces, I thought as I walked along, only for Ai Fa to nonchalantly approach.

"Ah, Ai Fa, did you have a nice, long chat with Granny Jiba last night?"

"Yes," she nodded, her gaze steely for some reason.

"What's the matter? Nothing of note really happened on my end, you know."

"I see... That second son didn't try to do anything to you?"

"No, Darmu Ruu went right to sleep. Ludo Ruu and I just chatted for a bit."

"I see," Ai Fa repeated, but her gaze remained fixed on me.

"Seriously, what's up...? You look all worried about something."

"Worried, is it?" Ai Fa mumbled-unusual for her-and then she drew in close to my ear. "It's just... sleeping separately from you reminded me of those agonizing days of your absence, which disturbed my rest."

That admission made me shoot Ai Fa a look of shock.

And in response, she pouted back at me. "It seems you were able to sleep peacefully, unburdened by any such concerns."

"No, I was exactly the same way last night too. I was just too embarrassed to say so..." I quietly replied, only to receive an elbow jab to my side.

I wasn't quite sure what I had done to earn that....