The clock turns back slightly.
This was the Warp Gate room, shortly after Reiko had been called away by Jin.
Elsa spent the time until Reiko’s return walking among the lined-up Warp Gates, peering at them curiously.
Labels such as "Kunlun Island," "Port Rock," "Blue Land," and "8th Fort Ruins" were displayed on the gates, but they were all written in Japanese, which Elsa could not read.
"...So these are all Warp Gates... I wonder where they lead?"
She wandered around with those thoughts, occasionally peeking inside the structures. Within them, magi-formulas were inscribed in characters she found unintelligible.
The internal architecture was equally fascinating. On the ceilings, she noticed mysterious, pattern-like engravings.
"I wonder if I'll be able to make things like this someday?"
Lost in thought while looking up, she accidentally caught her foot on something.
"Ah!"
She tumbled forward, falling directly into the center of a Warp Gate.
Every Warp Gate Jin owned required his specific magic pattern for authentication. However, pinned to Elsa’s chest was the brooch he had given her.
This was the same item that Laojun—who had gone by the name Laozi at the time—had used as a beacon for the magic detector when searching for Elsa during her previous disappearance.
Because of this, the gate recognized her as authorized, and Elsa was teleported away alone.
Ten seconds later, when Reiko returned to the room, Elsa was already gone.
＊ ＊ ＊
Hearing from Reiko that Elsa had vanished, Jin rushed to the Warp Gate room in a panic.
"Search the other rooms, just in case."
"Yes. I shall command the maids at once."
Jin began inspecting the Warp Gate room. The most likely scenario was that she had used a gate to teleport, but he couldn't fathom how she had bypassed the magic pattern authentication.
Setting that mystery aside for the moment, he moved from gate to gate, searching for clues. However, he found nothing.
Warp Gates do not generate heat during operation, and since they are magically self-sustaining, there was no noticeable decrease in stored mana.
"Damn it... if only I’d installed activation counters on these things, I’d know which one was used immediately."
Jin grumbled, but it was far too late for regrets.
Before long, the maid golems reported that Elsa was nowhere to be found within the laboratory or the surrounding fifty-meter radius.
"Argh, if I’d known this would happen, I should have registered Elsa's magic pattern along with Reinhard's!"
"Father, please, calm yourself."
"Master, I have been informed of the situation."
As Reiko tried to soothe him, Anne arrived on the scene.
"Let us analyze the facts logically. The probability that she teleported through a Warp Gate is extremely high. The question then becomes: where did she go?"
Anne spoke calmly, prompting Jin to think clearly.
"Yeah... you're right. First, Kunlun Island. I had the maid golems there check discreetly, but she hasn't returned. If so, the most likely candidate is the gate right next to it."
That was the Warp Gate leading to Port Rock.
"Reiko, can you get in touch with Cattleya and Lotus? They're the ones looking after Marcia."
"Understood."
And so, the search for Elsa began.
＊ ＊ ＊
Elsa materialized at a different Warp Gate, still in the same fallen posture.
"Where... where am I?"
A person cannot return through a Warp Gate until they have first stepped outside. This was a safety measure; otherwise, someone lingering inside could be accidentally sent right back to where they started.
Elsa slowly stood up and exited the gate.
She found herself in what appeared to be a basement, and a fairly spacious one at that. The area was dimly lit, suggesting there was a magi-lamp somewhere nearby.
As far as she could tell by the faint light, there was only one Warp Gate—the one she had just emerged from.
She knew from her studies that entering it again should take her back to her starting point. Because of this, she wasn't particularly worried yet.
At the edge of the basement sat a flight of stairs. She felt a flicker of curiosity. Since this was something Jin had built, she reasoned it couldn't be a truly dangerous place.
Besides, if she went back now, she would surely be scolded. If she was going to get in trouble anyway, she might as well explore—reverting to the tomboyish streak she’d had years ago, Elsa headed for the stairs.
At the top of the stairs was a simple door. When she pushed it open cautiously, she found that it was still broad daylight outside. On Hourai Island, it had already been dusk.
"?"
Puzzled by the discrepancy, she stepped outside. She was in a vacant grassland with a large river flowing nearby.
Elsa took a few steps toward the water. She felt drawn to it for some reason, but she stopped herself at the last moment.
"I have to go back, or they'll be really angry."
Realizing Reiko must have returned and would be searching for her, she felt a wave of guilt. She turned around to hurry back inside, only to freeze in shock.
"The door... it's gone."
The entrance she had just walked through was nowhere to be seen. She was certain she had emerged from a small mound of earth, but no matter where she looked, there was no sign of a door.
Panicking, she knelt down and felt along the ground, but her hands touched nothing but earth.
"...No way."
She searched frantically. Her hands and knees became caked in mud, but she was too distressed to care.
After thirty minutes of searching, she lost all sense of where the original spot had been. All she could see were her own footprints circling back and forth. She no longer knew where she had first stepped out.
"What am I going to do...?"
When she had been kidnapped before, Jin had found her. Would he find her again? What if he was so angry that she’d used the Warp Gate without permission that he didn't come for her?
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."
Overwhelmed by pessimistic thoughts and a crushing sense of isolation, Elsa was on the verge of tears when a voice called out from behind her.
"Hey, Big Sister, who are you?"
She turned to see a girl about eight or nine years old. She had dark blonde hair tied in pigtails and carried a basket filled with wild herbs.
"Where did you come from?"
The question helped Elsa pull herself together.
"I... I am Elsa. I don't know where I came from."
The girl tilted her head.
"Huh. So, are you lost?"
Elsa nodded weakly.
"Really? Then come with me. Let's go see the Village Chief."
The girl turned and started walking at a relaxed pace. With no other options, Elsa followed her.
They soon reached a small village, marked by a boundary of simple wooden stakes and a fence.
"Big Sister Elsa, this way!"
Still clutching her basket, the girl led the way down a small path toward the center of the village. Elsa stopped for a moment to look around, then hurried to catch up.
Here and there stood strange objects Elsa had never seen before. They appeared to be made of bronze and were protected by simple roofs. The ground around them was wet, suggesting they were related to water.
She was curious about the devices, but her own predicament took precedence. She matched her pace to the girl's and followed.
"This is the Village Chief's house."
The girl stopped in front of a building that was slightly more substantial than the surrounding homes.
"Village Chie—f!" she yelled through the door.
A moment later, the door opened and a young woman poked her head out. She looked to be about the same age as Elsa, though one particular part of her physique was significantly more developed.
"Oh, what's wrong? My uncle isn't back yet. He's probably out checking on the wheat fields."
The little girl pointed at Elsa.
"Is that so? Well, you see, this big sister is lost."
"Lost?"
The young woman looked confused for a moment, then turned her attention to Elsa.
"Is that true? Ah, I'm Barbara. I'm the niece of Giebeck, the Village Chief."
"I am... Elsa."
"Elsa, is it? Where did you come from? You don't seem to have any luggage with you..."
Elsa almost blurted out "Kunlun Island," but she caught herself just in time.
"I don't know. I just found myself here. Then I met this girl."
Barbara tilted her head thoughtfully.
"That's very strange. Well, I suppose those things happen sometimes."
She didn't seem inclined to press the matter. Glancing up at the sky, she added, "The sun will be down soon. If you'd like, you're welcome to stay with us."
She beckoned Elsa inside. Seeing the sky turning dark, Elsa decided to accept the kindness.
"Thank you. I appreciate the help."
Barbara smiled and turned to the little girl.
"Thanks for your help, Hanna-chan. I'll take care of Elsa from here, so don't you worry."
The place Elsa had teleported to was Kaina Village.