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A small, crude village, familiar as a distant view.

Before entering the forest... Akudo had told her that he wanted her to stop by, if possible.
However, Koai didn't understand why he wanted her to stop by.
Before she entered the forest, he had made various preparations for her, like getting marker pebbles ready and taking back the horse she had ridden on the way.
He had mentioned that he might be able to bring a horse to coincide with her return this time as well... but it was hard to believe that was the reason.
In fact, from the direction of the village... or rather, she couldn't sense any magical presence in the vicinity. If Akudo were near the visible village, she should have been able to sense his unique... ripe yet strangely unrefined scent of magic, so unsuited for sorcery.

While thinking such thoughts, Koai turned towards the village, deciding to head there for the time being. And just as she took a few steps...

"Hey, you there! Heeeey!!"
A moving figure shot out from the village and came running towards Koai.
Koai paid it no particular mind and continued walking. Since they had come from the village anyway, she would naturally get closer by heading there.
As she walked on with that thought, she heard the voice again.

"Hey, I'm coming over! Don't run away!"
By this point, she could clearly see that the one shouting was a human figure.
Judging by the way they were shouting "you there," the figure might be someone who didn't know Koai.
And for Koai as well... despite being close enough to make out the figure, she couldn't sense any accumulation of magic at all.
A figure that sparked no interest whatsoever. Not that she had any intention of running away.

"That appearance... could you be Lady Koai!?"
Just as she could make out that the figure was a young man of the Green Demon Tribe (Elf), the youth called out Koai's name.

"...If I am, what of it?"
A voice she didn't recognize, a face she'd never seen.
To be called by name by that, was not something Koai found particularly pleasant.
It wasn't pleasant, but she answered for the time being.