"A short outing?"

  Titania tilted her head at Karteira's suggestion.

  "Indeed. I believe this would be a better strategy than running around like headless chickens."

  Turning to the twins, she shot them a sharp glare.

  "We can't leave for too long. Someone has to stay with Lucensia, and Mia needs to periodically replenish our oxygen."

  She continued as the one in question gave a firm, silent acknowledgment.

  "The treacherous terrain won't be in our favor either. The heat, the ash, and all the suffering they cause will sap our strength rapidly."

  Everyone absorbed her remarks, their expressions tightening.

  "So, I propose this." Karteira lifted one finger.

  "We should leave either alone or in groups of two. Two should always stay behind in case something like earlier happens again."

  Her tone was suggestive, but her expression left no room for refusal.

  "That is a good idea." Nia stepped forward, aligning herself with Karteira. "I volunteer to go first."

  The twins stared at each other—one filled with worry, the other faintly smiling.

  A short silence followed, loudly conveying the internal dialogue between them.

  In the end, Mia relented, exhaling a long breath of exasperation.

  "Fine." She turned to Karteira. "I'm leaving her in your hands."

  Karteira met her gaze steadily.

  Seeing the unusual pairing, Titania smiled.

  "Something wrong, Mother?" Karteira asked, catching the warmth in her gaze.

  "No. I was simply admiring the scene. I have never seen these two work separately before."

  She said this while glancing their way.

  "..." Mia crossed her arms, visibly displeased.

  "Haha~" On the other hand, Nia scratched the back of her head.

  Observing their reactions, Titania gave an approving look.

  "We will wait for your return. I assume you won't be staying more than an hour inside that forest, correct?"

  Her daughter answered without hesitation.

  "Yes. Staying longer than that will cause more problems than it solves. We can also take longer breaks by alternating."

  A quiet murmur of agreement passed between them.

  "That is a plan I devised with our health as the primary concern." She smiled. "Now, let's make it work."

  ...

  "Are you sure?" Karteira asked.

  "I've never been more confident." Nia answered, her eyes fixed on the forest below as they flew.

  "I know this isn't the first time I've seen you two work separately, but it still feels wrong." Taking long strides through the air, the blue-haired fairy glanced upward.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  "..."

  Contrary to her usual demeanor, Nia remained quiet.

  "I'm not that oblivious. You did that so one of you could support Mother while relaying information to each other."

  Surprised, Nia's eyes widened.

  "I forget your senses are quite sharp, even though you rarely rely on them." The sound of her wings grew louder beside Karteira.

  "I try not to overstep in family matters. I've learned my lesson," Karteira said. "We all hold the same status, so I prefer to observe."

  Scanning between trees and piles of ash, she remained on high alert for any movement.

  Nia smiled.

  "You're kind." Her hand rested atop Karteira's cerulean hair. "I wanted to talk to you. Alone."

  "Somewhere my sister wouldn't hear." Her voice lowered.

  "I assume you've cut the link?" Karteira asked, concerned.

  "Temporarily," Nia replied. "Nothing to worry about."

  Seeing her hover in front of her, Karteira gradually slowed her pace.

  "..."

  Unable to see the fairy's eyes clearly, she lifted an eyebrow.

  Then Nia turned to face her fully, drifting slowly backward.

  "I'm going to act a little differently than usual. Forgive me." Her hand rose to her mouth, covering it completely.

  An unexpected grinding of teeth escaped her. Her eyes darkened, filled with intense anger.

  "I want to destroy those pillars! I want to get rid of everything in this cave!" Her voice carried pure rage, startling even Karteira.

  "The miniature sun, the forest, the heat, the ash, the gravity..." She clasped her hands together forcefully, the sharp clap echoing through the forest.

  "I want to crush them all. Especially this Devourer! Titania doesn't have to fight it again." She glared at the ground. "We can do that!"

  "We can rid her of the nightmare haunting us! Why put her on the front lines again? Why do we have to make her suffer again?"

  Karteira listened quietly until Nia's voice finally fell silent.

  "That is her only way to accept it and make peace with herself," she said calmly.

  Nia gave a firm nod, her gaze drifting toward the cavern ceiling.

  "I know. I understand that feeling very well. We even were the one to ask her directly."

  Her fingers curled at her sides.

  "I was just sharing my thoughts with you. Sis doesn't like it when I get angry, so I thought you wouldn't mind if I vented a little."

  Lowering her face, she smiled at her friend.

  "It's alright. I share the sentiment."

  Seeing Karteira's fists clenched and her arms trembling, Nia pressed her lips tightly together.

  As she returned to a faster pace, Karteira and Nia moved swiftly between the trees.

  Moments later, a powerful wave of fire stole the air from their lungs.

  "Ugh!" Nia covered her mouth and nose with both hands, forced to descend as smoke curled from her wings.

  Blue light enveloped her body, shielding her from the intense heat.

  As a tall structure came into view, Karteira gritted her teeth and pushed forward.

  She stepped in front of Nia, bracing herself against the mounting heat.

  "Y-You don't have to stand in front, Karteira!" her voice came out muffled behind her hands as she followed closely.

  "Don't worry about me. Focus on yourself."

  As they advanced toward the first massive tree burning with blue flames, the lack of oxygen quickly caught up with them.

  "Hah... Kh..." Karteira struggled for breath.

  Nothing moved around them. No enemies guarded the structure.

  Passing rows of burned trees that looked nearly identical, they pressed on with determined steps.

  The ash grew deeper and thicker, making every movement more strenuous.

  Nia stepped precisely into the footprints Karteira left behind, conserving her strength in case something happened.

  "The... tree!" she called out upon seeing the gigantic trunk looming ahead.

  "Follow..." The single word slipped from Karteira's lips as she approached what appeared to be an entrance.

  Using the last of her dwindling oxygen, Karteira pushed forward and crossed the threshold.

  She inhaled sharply.

  "What?" Shocked, she stared at her hands.

  "I can breathe in here..." Turning around, she looked at Nia, who slowly lowered her hands from her face.

  The fairy drew in a deep breath, wearing the same astonished expression.

  "The heat's gone too," Nia observed, spreading her wings cautiously.

  "What is wrong with this place?" Karteira muttered.

  They paused, attempting to assess their surroundings.

  "..."

  Then their attention shifted to the interior of the tree.

  "This really looks like a giant, hollow trunk," the green-haired fairy said, resting her index finger against her cheek. "If not for those mysteriously floating platforms, I wouldn't find anything suspicious."

  Karteira examined the ground more closely.

  "There's a strange motif over there." She moved toward it, careful with each step.

  But just as she was about to stop in front of the symbol, it vanished and reappeared beneath her feet.

  "Karteira!" At the last second, Nia realized it was a trap.

  Light enveloped Karteira, and with a powerful push of her leg, she leapt backward.

  Her knees slid across the ground as she came to a stop beside Nia.

  "That was close. Good thing I stayed cautious." she said as the motif flared bright red.

  They both watched as a column of fire shot upward.

  "..."

  Strangely, Karteira rose to her feet and began walking toward it.

  "What are you doing?!" Nia exclaimed, startled.

  "Aren't you feeling it too?" Lifting her left hand, Karteira extended it into the swirling fire.

  "-!" Horrified, the fairy gasped.

  Yet it took only a second for realization to dawn.

  "Is it... not burning?" she asked, stepping closer with hesitation.

  Karteira moved forward, stepping into the center of the vortex.

  "It's fine," she replied.