Zuzu let out a long sigh, picking up his scattered berries like a man who had lost everything.
"All my berries… Now what will I give to His Highness?" he mumbled. As he reached for another berry, something shiny caught his eye.
"Huh? What's this?" He picked it up, turning it over in his hand.
An earring.
He stared at it for a second, then blinked.Then blinked again.Then his eyes widened as realization smacked him in the face.
"Wait… wasn't she wearing this? IT'S HERS!" He quickly looked around, expecting to spot Astra nearby.
Nothing,She was gone. Zuzu sighed again but then suddenly froze.
"Oh no… I need to find my way back before he disappears again! I don't trust those useless guards."
In a rush, he scooped up the berries, unknowingly tossing the earring into the basket as well, and took off, grumbling about how his day just kept getting worse.
______________
Astra pointed at the wooden sign hanging above the shop's entrance.
"Arisu, is this the shop you were talking about?"
Arisu eagerly nodded. "Yes! This is the one! Come on, let's go inside!"
Without wasting a second, the two girls rushed in, completely forgetting about Shion, who was still outside, lost in his own world. He stood there, examining the new flute in his hands, He held it up next to his old one, tilting his head slightly as he compared the two.
"It doesn't look as rare as mine… but it looks good enough."he scoffed, "what doesn't Look good in my hands?"
After a moment, Shion noticed that neither Astra nor Arisu was beside him. He scanned the area right, left, then front, assuming they had gone inside. Just as he was about to follow, he saw them coming back. He expected them to be grinning with triumph, but instead they looked like two broke gamblers who'd just lost everything.
Shion raised an eyebrow, glancing at their empty hands. "Where's your heavenly honey? Didn't you get it?" Astra let out a long sigh. "It's all sold out."
Arisu shook her head in despair. "Not even a single drop left."
"The people were so eager, it was all gone in a day! Why did it have to be like this?!"Shion blinked, then scoffed. "Wow. Tragic. I'm sure the gods are weeping for your loss. Too bad you didn't get to taste heaven. But honestly, it's probably for the best. Who knows? You might've gotten addicted and never come back."
Astra and Arisu stood there, caught between not knowing whether to laugh and cry at their luck.
"Come on now, we should head back to the inn." Shion turned to Arisu. "And Miss Naname, if you'd like, you can join us for dinner tonight. Consider it a way of lightening your heart after this… heartbreak."
Astra's eyes lit up immediately, turning to Arisu with an eager expression. Arisu hesitated for a moment, thinking. But after glancing at Astra's hopeful face, she finally sighed and nodded.
"Alright… I'll join."
Astra grinned, linking her arm with Arisu's. "Great!"
——————
As they made their way back to the inn, each step felt lighter, their moods lifted by the gentle melody flowing from Shion's flute. Astra and Arisu hummed along, swaying slightly to the rhythm, their earlier disappointment forgotten.
Above them, the cashew-shaped moon glowed softly, its beauty enhanced by the soothing tune that danced through the night air. The world seemed calmer, as if even the stars had paused to listen.
As soon as they neared the inn, the melody from Shion's flute stopped. Astra and Arisu both felt an odd shift in the air almost as if something had been snatched from them.
Their eyes landed on a group of men standing at the entrance. They looked like travelers, tired from a long journey. One of them stood in front and was talking to the inn's manager, who soon rushed off in a hurry.
Assuming they were simply seeking shelter for the night, At first, Astra didn't care until the man's face became clearer. Astra's eyes widened in recognition. At the same time, the man looked up and spotted her. Their fingers shot out, accusing each other in unison.
"You again?! Aren't you the one who crashed into me earlier? What are you doing here? Wait—are you following me?!"
Astra scoffed, placing her hands on her hips. "Following you? Please. I've been staying here long before you even showed up! Shouldn't you be explaining why you're here?"
The man rubbing his temples, "You're staying here?" He looked up at the sky "Oh, heavens… we're supposed to stay in the same place as this girl?"
"Yes, I'm staying here. If that's a problem, you're welcome to leave with your group."
The group of men exchanged surprised glances. One of them stepped forward, stammering, "H-how dare you speak like that? Don't you have any manners? Do you even know who you're talking to?"
Astra raised an eyebrow. "Whoever it is doesn't matter, maybe you should learn some respect yourself. I'll say it again, if any one have a problem, they are free to leave and find another place to stay. If you don't find any then the street's are free."She shrugged, while Shion watched everything with a smirk.
The man clenched his fists, his face reddening. "How dare you say—"
Before he could finish, Astra swung her sleeve toward his face and walked past him, her long braid flipping and nearly hitting him. Arisu quickly followed, while Shion shot the man a smirk before trailing after them.
while Zuzu stood there, fuming. "What on earth! Your Highness, why did you choose this place of all? And where did you disappear to, leaving us behind here?"
He turned to the group of guards, now disguised as travelers. "What are you looking at? Go search for him! Don't think you can rest already. Useless as ever, couldn't keep an eye on him. Disperse!"
The guards exchanged nervous glances before scattering in all directions, leaving their luggage behind.
Zuzu's eyes widened. "Wait! Come back! What about the luggage? Who's going to take it inside? I can't do it alone! Anyone? Come back!"
But it was too late; they had already vanished from sight. He sighed, eyeing the scattered bags.
Not knowing what else to do, he began carrying them inside.
"...Your Highness, just don't get into trouble…"