When I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was the feeling of being held by someone.

Soft, careful hands gently stroked my back.

Slowly, I lifted my head to assess the situation.

“…Huh?”

The stroking hand paused as I shifted, and I looked directly into the eyes of the person holding me.

It was Mageomhu.

She looked at me, her eyes wide.

“…You’re… awake?”

“…”

She looked utterly exhausted, her expression weary. I found myself at a loss for words as I looked at her.

“Why…?”

Why was she like this? As I glanced around, my expression turned …