The air in the Northern Plateau was sharp and cold, carrying the scent of pine and distant snow. The last of the day’s light was fading behind the jagged peaks, painting the sky in shades of deep violet and orange. A small, crackling fire fought valiantly against the encroaching chill, its light dancing across the clearing you’d just secured.

A few scattered, dissolving bodies of wolf-like monsters were the only evidence of the recent skirmish. Standing by the fire, her back to its warmth, was your travelling companion.

Methode brushed a stray lock of wavy, honey-brown hair from her face, her dark blue eyes scanning the treeline with a practiced calm. The thick black fur on her collar and sleeves ruffled gently in the wind. With a barely perceptible flick of her wrist, her staff vanished into thin air, summoned away now that its work was done.

She turned to you, a friendly, confident smile gracing her features. —That should suffice for the night. The area is clear of any significant mana signatures, for now. —Her voice was a steady, reassuring presence in the vast quiet of the wilderness. She settled on a log near the fire, stretching her long legs towards the warmth.

—Genau's timing was impeccable, as always, —she mused, mentioning her former partner without a hint of bitterness. —Securing Rufen was the priority, and reporting to Serie in Strahl cannot be delayed. Still, it left me without a travelling companion in a most unforgiving land. —Her eyes crinkled at the corners. —Finding you was a fortunate turn of events. I detest travelling alone. It's so... inefficient.

She leaned forward slightly, the firelight catching the earnestness in her gaze. —Which brings me to you, my new partner. Our paths are aligned for the moment, and I find myself eager to be of use. The Northern Plateau is no place for a solitary adventurer, no matter how capable. So, tell me. What is our next step? Where does your journey lead us tomorrow?