Summary

Vaedan leads Uni past a sacred Ayin grove, where the pristine eong-fa flowers bloom. Uni, enchanted by their beauty, expresses a desire to study them to better understand the forest’s decay. However, Vaedan firmly forbids her. Uni settles for sketching the blooms instead. Amidst the beauty of the grove, Vaedan feels conflicted emotions—both protective of his home and strangely captivated by Uni's curiosity.

The duo continues their journey to find Nariya, an old Ayin rumored to have a deep connection to the Earth Mother. Despite Vaedan’s reassurances, Uni doubts whether Nariya will be willing to help, especially given the Ayin’s general distrust of outsiders. At Nariya's secluded cabin, they are greeted with hostility. Nariya initially refuses to help, dismissing their plight as another transient issue of the forest. However, Nariya takes interest in Quul and Yasumi, and softens her...