"Something I need...?" Kouko thought on the question for a moment. It didn't take long. "To keep you safe, of course." Even if she said that, though, this person seemed completely different from the Princess. It wasn't hard to tell, really. She couldn't imagine the Princess sounding so stern. "Why no one else is here, I've no idea, but at this point, I couldn't well leave your side to retrieve them, now could I?"

The tiny woman moved to find her own position of rest, leaning against a nearby rock. "Now, if I might, Mizuki-chan. What brings you out here all by yourself? Even if you can take care of yourself to an extent, it still isn't safe..."