[Realm: Álfheimr]

[Location: China Country]

[Outskirts]

It was not long before they found themselves beyond the porcelain city's walls—if those fractured barriers could still be called walls at all. Vast cracks split the once-pristine surface, wide enough to serve as exits without ceremony or guards needing to open gates that no longer properly functioned.

Puck hovered just ahead, turning slowly in the air as she took it all in.

"So," she began, dragging the word out as her gaze shifted from the broken walls to the open land beyond, "most of the Deseruit Beasts are holed up in this Dark Forest you mentioned?" Her tone was still polite as she glanced down at Anastacia, who stood below with a small contingent of porcelain guards flanking her.

"Yes," Anastacia replied, folding her hands carefully at her waist. "If you continue south, you'll reach a crossroads, the old stone markers are hard to miss. Beyond that the forest begins. It is as dense as it is unwelcoming." She hesitated, then added softly, "A dangerous place filled with Deseruit Beasts."

"I see…" Puck murmured, drifting a little higher. ("That's where we came from.") Her thoughts aligned quickly. ("Another entrance into the Great Forest—just not the part fairies prefer to use. The feral zones. Figures.")

Grimm did not linger on the view or the princess's tone.

"Then we should not delay," he said flatly, already turning his body as if the matter had been decided the moment it was spoken.

"Yes—of course," Anastacia replied quickly, dipping her head once more. "Forgive me for keeping you any longer than necessary." Her voice softened. "And… once again, you have my gratitude. For agreeing to do this at all."

"Keep it," Grimm said without turning back. "Gratitude has a habit of turning into expectation."

With that, he began walking.

Puck watched him go for a heartbeat, then sighed and looked back at Anastacia. "Sorry about him," she said with an awkward little smile. "Seems he's not great at social exits. Or entrances. Or middles."

She floated after Grimm, catching up easily.

"You know," she said, folding her gauntleted arms, "you don't have to sound like you're dismissing everyone you talk to. You could try being… I don't know. Less you."

Grimm stopped.

He turned just enough to look at her, the faceless helm giving nothing away. Somehow, that made the silence more annoying.

Puck squinted. "Ugh. Don't do that. I know you're giving me the driest look imaginable under there."

"I asked no question," Grimm said. "Yet you insist on answering one."

She groaned. "I am seriously starting to think you do not make for a pleasant traveling companion. At all."

"South," Grimm said, resuming his stride. "That is the direction she indicated. Is it not also the general direction of the forest your kind inhabits?"

Puck blinked. "…Oh. So I'm only useful when it's convenient for you."

He said nothing.

She deflated with another sigh. "Yeah. South lines up." She tilted her head thoughtfully. "And yeah, these feral Deseruit Beasts? Almost definitely from the Great Forest. It's enormous. People forget that. Fairies have Elfame, sure, but we're not the only ones who live there—or the only ones the forest tolerates."

"Then entering the forest should place us near them," Grimm reasoned, passing the remains of a collapsed porcelain structure.

"No," Puck corrected immediately. "That's not how it works." She drifted closer, her tone serious now. "The Great Forest is very selective. Fairies enter near fairy territory. Always. The forest nudges you where it wants you." She paused. "Cobweb probably adjusted it for you the first time. If we enter through a proper forest gate now, we'll end up right back in Elfame."

"A sentient forest," Grimm said slowly, tilting his head. "An inconvenience. But very interesting."

"That," Puck replied, "would be a very long explanation."

"Then it can wait," Grimm said. "If you have no immediate solution, we consult the harpy."

He reached into his armor and retrieved Gier's feather, lifting it between two gauntleted fingers.

"Oh. Right," Puck murmured, drifting closer again. "Cobweb did say she was well-informed." She hesitated, watching the feather glow slightly. "Still. She seemed terrified. And honestly your whole presence doesn't exactly help. Especially with that apperance."

Grimm stopped again.

"What," he asked calmly, "is wrong with my appearance?"

Puck circled him slowly. "Well… everything?" she said with a small shrug. "You look very... evil. I mean, I know you're mostly reasonable, but you're not the type of person I'd trust with anything."

"Hm." Grimm looked down at himself, as if seeing his armor properly for the first time. He had never concerned himself with such things. "Irrelevant."

"Maybe," Puck said lightly, "but irrelevant things still scare people." She brightened a little. "You know, gold would help. Gold armor. It'd look great with your red hair."

"One's appearance does not warrant that degree of consideration," Grimm replied.

"That sounds suspiciously like denial," Puck said with a grin.

"Hmph." Grimm raised the feather. "Let us reserve our breath for matters of consequence."

The feather flared.

A surge of intense blue light erupted outward, swallowing the space around them—and in the next instant, their world bent away.

The transportation was instant.

One moment there were porcelain structures and the vast plains, the next the sun bore down on them without mercy, warm and bright. Lush grass pressed beneath Grimm's sabatons, bending rather than breaking. The air was thick with the scent of flowering bark, damp soil, and flora that only existed where magic had taken root long ago.

And with that—

"Eep!"

The sound was thin and panicked.

Grimm's head turned immediately.

They stood once more in the clearing of Elfame—the same one Cobweb had led them through before. Before him, dropping clumsily to her feathery knees as if the ground had vanished beneath her, was Gier.

The harpy's drooping blue eyes were wide and unfocused, her pupils blown large as they locked onto Grimm's towering form. Her entire body trembled, wings half-spread as though unsure whether to flee or shield herself. She looked seconds away from fainting outright.

"You shall help us," Grimm said at once, his voice level as he returned the feather to his person.

"H-huh?" Gier blinked, the sound barely making it past her mouth, confusion momentarily cutting through the fear.

"Hey—!" Puck snapped instantly, darting closer to Gier's side. "You just scared her half to death, you can't just show up and start issuing demands like that!"

Grimm glanced at her silently.

Puck sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Sorry. Really. He's… not great at second impressions." She tilted her head toward Grimm. "Or impressions in general."

"Y-you two…" Gier's voice shook as she slowly forced herself upright, talons scraping faintly as they found solid footing again. She took a small step back, then another, her winged arms folding protectively in front of her chest. "Y-you were the ones Hēafodmann Cobweb brought. I—I remember now."

"Yep," Puck said quickly, smiling in what she hoped was a reassuring way. "Grimm and Puck. We've technically met already, but, uh… less yelling involved this time."

"I-I was told to assist you," Gier murmured, her gaze turning back to Grimm again and again despite herself.

He noticed.

"Cease your fear, harpy," Grimm said, not unkindly but without softness either. "I have no intention of harming you. You hold no value to me as a threat."

Puck stared at him.

Then slowly turned back to Gier.

"Please don't listen to that," she said flatly. "He's a big idiot who doesn't know how words sound when they leave his mouth."

"S-should you really say that…?" Gier whispered, eyes darting nervously toward Grimm as though expecting retaliation.

There was none.

Desperate to redirect the moment, Gier gestured shakily toward the base of the great tree behind her. "I-if you need something… I-I mean, if you wanted to buy anything, I-I'm still setting up."

Scattered across the grass were various items: a violet orb veiled in slow-moving fog, the broken upper shaft of a staff with a red gem embedded in it, loose pages etched with unfamiliar symbols, and a small metallic badge worn smooth.

"Do you sell a lot of things, Gier?" Puck asked gently.

Gier nodded, a fragile smile tugging at her lips. "Y-yes. Many fairies are… curious about things from outside Elfame." She hesitated. "B-but I mostly trade."

"Huh," Puck murmured, floating a little lower. "Guess I never really paid attention to the non-fairies here." She straightened. "Right—sorry. We should probably get to why we're here. Do you know an easy way to reach the Deseruit Beasts' section of the forest?"

Gier froze.

"H-huh?" Her wings twitched. "W-why would you want to go there?"

"There's something we need to take care of," Puck answered carefully, drifting closer but not crowding her.

"O-oh…" Gier swallowed. Realization dawned, followed by unease. "I-I think I have something that might help." She forced a small nod. "J-just a moment."

She spread her wings and launched herself into the air, flapping awkwardly toward the hollowed structure built into the tree. Inside, rummaging echoed—wood shifting and objects clattering softly.

A few seconds passed.

Then something dropped.

A dull thud struck the grass.

Gier followed a moment later, slowing her descent as she landed, cradling the object between one wing and her chest before lifting it.

"A horn?" Puck asked, tilting her head.

It was thick and blackened, its surface scarred with deep scratches. Roughly the length of a human arm, but far thicker.

"Y-you need a piece of a p-potent Deseruit Beast," Gier explained, holding it out with both wings. "S-so the forest… registers you as one of them w-when you enter."

Grimm took it without hesitation.

"You have our thanks," Grimm said.

Puck blinked. "…Whoa. You have manners."

Grimm did not respond. He looked down at Gier instead.

"What payment do you require, harpy?" he asked.

"O-oh—!" Gier waved her wings frantically. "N-no, don't worry! T-this one's free!"

"I see," Grimm said. "Then I will repay you at a later time."

He turned and walked away.

Puck lingered, staring after him for a second.

("Huh. So he can be nice.")

She smiled at Gier before drifting after him.

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