“Everyone calls you Ruli? I thought your nickname was ‘Grumpykin’,” Kire said in between sips of coffee. “You look better.” 
Ed offered an amiable smile in response, though his gaze was scrutinizing Ruli as he spoke. “Glad to finally meet you under better circumstances. These two call me Ed.” He likewise didn’t offer his hand. 
Kire’s nose wrinkled at the memory of the seaweed homebrew she had tasted. “She did. I just had a sip. That’s—it’s—very—” 
“Terrible,” Narda put in with a chuckle. Kire looked around as if expecting the elf to hear the insult to her drink and give her a beating. Kire finished her current cup and went to get food, hoping to wash down the taste. 
“Be careful what you wish for,” she said as she ate. “Where is she right now? I can tell her I’d spar with her afterwards, if everything goes smoothly today. But there is a strong chance we’d find something at the gate, even if it had been dormant these past nine months. Magic that powerful always leaves some sign or other. There were reports of a great fire, or a flash like lightning, the day Ed and his soldiers had supposedly died, and rumors of swathes of Gemini-occupied territory being occupied by monsters.” She sipped from her mug, then thought it over. “Once, a whole town that had sheltered the Gemini had gone mad. Not that different from what happened to Cordon three months ago. You never know with gates.”

The other Amrian soldiers arrived for their breakfast, each one giving a polite bow to the former Empress, who greeted them in turn. “I think I can finish transporting them in two trips. Leaves me—two, maybe three portals just in case, depending on what we encounter at the gate.” 
“Is Envy awake? He told me he’ll be seeing us off when we go to the gate,” Narda asked Ruli; Ed grinned knowingly at her. 
“He should be; it’s not too early, I think,” Kire said, thinking aloud. “As soon as they’re done with their breakfast, we’ll move. Gods, I hope it isn’t going to be like the mines at least.” 
Kire clearly was eager to get on with the day. The moment it was clear that the rest of the Amrian soldiers had finished with their breakfast and have sufficiently woken, Kire got up and went to gather them. Ed, having just finished his own meal, followed along with Narda. “Be back in two shakes,” Kire said to Ruli. “Whoever’s coming along, we’ll meet them at the main cave.”


Now that they were all refreshed, and Kire was at a hundred percent, bringing the remaining seven was easier. Having been forewarned, Elva, Janes, and the attendants were able to receive them smoothly. “And Ed?” Elva asked, even though she already knew the answer. 
“I promise, after one more bit of business,” Kire replied with a grin. 
She reappeared in the cavern with Ed and Narda standing by. At Kire’s behest earlier, the giantess held onto the map they were given by their guide, and Kire spread it out on the floor, mouthing Aera’s instructions as she scanned the markers the princess had placed on the map. [i]West, then angle southwest.[/i]