The two girls think for a moment.

  _ Shailly: “ Let's go see Kaya. ” she says confidently.

  A frown appears, her lips pressed together.

  _ Ma?ko: “ Huh? Why her? ”

  _ Shailly: “ I'd feel reassured if she agreed with me. ”

  With her hands on her hips, Ma?ko sighs.

  _ Ma?ko: “ I don't want to see her, but if that's what you want, I'll go with you. ”

  A slight smile appears.

  _ Shailly: “ Thank you. ”

  Their search proves fruitless. The questions they ask the villagers yield no clues. So they decide to knock on her cabin door directly.

  _ Kona: “ Are you looking for Kaya? Sorry, I don't know where she is. ”

  _ Shailly: “ Damn… ”

  In the wake of this, an idea pops into his head.

  _ Kona: “ No, wait. I have an idea. ”

  Shailly's pupils dilate.

  _ Shailly: “ Really? ”

  _ Kona: “ If you've looked everywhere and can't find her, check the training ground. ”

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

  Ma?ko tilts her head slightly.

  _ Ma?ko: “ Normally, we're not allowed to be there without an adult present. ”

  _ Kona: “ That's right, but knowing her, I wouldn't be surprised. ”

  _ Shailly: “ Thanks for the info, Kona! ”

  _ Kona: “ No worries, but is there a problem? ”

  With a puzzled look, Shailly makes incomprehensible hand gestures. A reassuring hand gently rests on her shoulder.

  _ Ma?ko: “ We can tell her, we have nothing to hide anyway. ”

  Shailly stares at Ma?ko, her mind relieved.

  _ Shailly: “ You're right. ”

  Then, she connects her pupils to Kona.

  _ Shailly: “ I didn't want to tell you about it so as not to worry you, but… ”

  Once the situation is explained, surprise flashes across their faces, frozen by the disconcerting brevity of Kona's response.

  _ Shailly: “ So you noticed something about Keren the tutor too!? ”

  _ Kona: “ Yes, and I don't think I'm the only one. ”

  With a finger to her temple, she begins to think.

  _ Kona: “ Regarding Gwen's lie, I'm seriously starting to have doubts about our village. ”

  _ Ma?ko: “ What makes you say that? ”

  _ Kona: “ If you think about it, this isn't the first lie they've concocted for us. ”

  With the hand removed from the shoulder, the girls hold their breath.

  _ Kona: “ The villagers have instilled in us the idea that the Recluses are all evil people and very dangerous. Yet Ay's tribe proves just the opposite. A kindness emanates from each of them, including Ay. ”

  Anxiety buzzes in their minds like a swarm of bees, the stings of intrusive thoughts.

  _ Kona: “ She would never have healed anyone else otherwise. Besides, if a Reclu is supposed to be evil, why negotiate with him to bring him into our ranks? ”

  Although no answers are found to these questions, the mysteries are gradually being cleared up.

  _ Ma?ko: “ You're right. These cases are fishy. ”

  _ Kona: “ If the elders are deliberately lying to us, the chief must have given specific instructions to cover up these mysteries. ”

  Ma?ko rolls her eyes, partially hiding her gaze with the palm of her hand.

  _ Ma?ko: “ Damn, she's in on it too, then. ”

  _ Kona: “ We'll have to figure out these mysteries on our own. ”

  Shailly clutches her chest, overcome with anxiety, her head bowed.

  _ Shailly: “We're a close-knit village, united. Everyone here is kind. So why are they lying to us? ”

  Watching the scene out of the corner of her eye, Ma?ko places her hand on Shailly's head, her face expressionless.

  _ Ma?ko: “ Let's not waste any time. Let's go find the other one. She might have some information. ”

  Shailly stares at Ma?ko, her face innocent but with a troubled look.

  _ Ma?ko: “ What? ”

  _ Shailly: “ The other one's name is Kaya. ”

  Ma?ko looks away.

  _ Ma?ko: “ Oh, I forgot. ”

  _ Shailly & Kona: “ Liar. ”

  Kona closes the door to her cabin and the girls hurry toward the training field.