Finish preparing in the morning.

The rest of your bag is packed. You're washed, full of food, and as ready to go as you'll ever be. The entire household meets in the courtyard, even Peony, and those travelling out are dressed for the task--Niki and Eva with their nice new gear, Snow like a shadow with a bow and blade, Delphi fluttering behind her, and Alice ready with her... strange magic robot body. Both Amara and Peony discuss what they know of the frost lotus, and they seem confident you'll definitely find one with relative ease in the Silverleaf forest. It'll be a few days there and and then back again though, with over half of the trip being off-road. It'll be only two of you in the wilderness, though with you at seventh level, and Amara at fifth, you feel like you can take on goblins and slimes.

Even Nyllia is there, just as she said she would be. Nobody would forget that. She apologizes for not coming sooner, but you don't question it. She seems to always be busy, though up until now, you always considered her work to likely be far more important than yours. Now things are changing. You and your party explain to her what you know, and what needs to happen. Everyone seems in agreement that if they were to trust anyone with that information, it would be her.

"That is a lot to hear," Nyllia responds. "I would like to speak more about this, but time is of the essence. It sounds to me that there is one more ingredient you require. Allow me to find the location of a wyvern in your absence. It may take time, but at the very least, I can provide you with the quest. And I will personally help you slay it."

"And do not worry, Mr. Warren," Amara says. "The forest may be large, but the elves within keep it safe. There is no forest I know of that has so few monsters. We must simply travel straight across the plains, and then we will be there before you know it."

"I've been south. The monsters around there aren't anything you can't handle," Niki assures you.

"Oh, right. Take this." You walk over to Niki and place your Arcane Eye in her hand. "It's bound to me. So you can take it anywhere, and I can tune in to make sure everything is all right. I can even fly it where I want, so who knows? Maybe it'll actually help out."

"I'll keep it safe!" She slips it into a pouch on her belt.

"You really have come far," says Nyllia. "I hope we can find time soon to catch up properly. Your life is non-stop excitement, is it not?"

"That isn't always a good thing," you mutter.

"Let me make you a promise. When this is all over, we will have ourselves a date, and you can tell me all about all the adventures you have had in my absence. That is, if you do not mind."

"A date--?"

You feel a tug on your sleeve. When you turn, you see Yin standing beside you.

"Uhm... as the lord of this estate, you're free to come and go as you wish. It isn't unusual. Though with so many long absences, I'm beginning to..."

"What's wrong, Yin?" you ask.

She shakes her head. "Please come back safely, Master! And when we're finally done, you can stay home and relax, and I'll be there to do whatever you wish."

When she said date, she just meant a friendly outing together, right? Nobody reacted like it was weird. Though maybe nobody expects a girl like her to do anything that bold. I've seen the other side of her. I doubt anyone would even believe me.

A puddle of slime slowly rises into the shape of a girl. Jelly tilts her head, confused. "Leaving?"

You pat her on the head. "I told you, we need to get some stuff to stop a very bad person. I'll be back. Be good while I'm gone. Yin is in charge, all right?"

The sun is barely over the horizon. Outside of the gate, you split from the others. Both you and Amara go south, Lady Tesgella heads out on her own, and the others go north. You'll hopefully meet back at Avana around the same time, give or take a couple days, with everything but the final piece. Then it's just a matter of putting it all together. The arrow will be made, a small army will be formed, and the Demon King will fall. That's the plan. You have no idea what'll happen after that, but it can't be worse than all of this you reckon. It'll be nice just to no longer have Sa'dis looming over you from the Pecho Peaks. Kings rise, and kings fall.