"—Reedus, what are you drawing?"
Levy's voice had gone cool, the light fading from her eyes. On the round-bellied artist's easel, a handsome boy and a silver-haired barmaid smiled at each other amid a dreamy backdrop.
"Why, Aurel and Mira—don't you think they're a perfect match?" Reedus said, utterly absorbed, missing the flat line of Levy's mouth.
A hush fell over the few who noticed. Happy's wings drooped; Macao and Wakaba exchanged a wary glance.
Behind the bar, Mira, mid–spoonful of melon parfait, blinked. "Eh?"
Aurel looked from the painting to Levy. Her lips pressed tight; the tips of her ears were scarlet. He set down his pen, stepped from behind the counter, and—very gently—took her hand.
"Reedus," he said, tone mild, "it's a lovely piece. But next time, ask your models first, okay?"
Reedus froze. "Ah! M-my apologies!" He fumbled for a cloth to blur the lines—then stopped as the paper flashed white and the scene redrew itself into a trio: Levy, smiling shyly between Aurel and Mira, everyone laughing over parfaits.
The guild murmured. Reedus squinted at his own work. "Strange… my hand moved on its own."
Levy's fingers tightened around Aurel's. Her lashes fluttered. "I-it's okay. I just… didn't like people deciding things for us."
"Fair." Aurel squeezed back.
A familiar chime rang in his mind.
['Protagonist? So What!' complete. Reward granted: Secret Sword—Tsubame Gaeshi.]
Aurel exhaled once, feeling a hair-fine, lethal geometry settle into his muscles—three intersecting cuts that existed before motion itself. Invisible, inevitable.
"Levy-chan," Mira called softly. When Levy looked over, Mira set her spoon down, cheeks faintly pink. "About the painting… I wasn't teasing earlier. I really do think Aurel is… well, my type."
The bar went still again. Levy's breath caught.
Mira smiled—small and a little helpless, eyes honest. "But I also think you look good together. So… don't mind me, okay?"
Aurel glanced at the quest panel, half-expecting the chime—nothing yet. The line between shyness and confession was thinner than a blade. He met Mira's gaze.
"I like working with you, Mira. You take care of everyone. It's easy to… like that." He let the words hang—open, warm—but not evasive.
Mira's hand lifted to her chest. Her smile deepened, embarrassed but luminous. "If I'm honest… I've been a little jealous today."
There it was—the feeling surfacing, clear as sunlight.
['Hidden Affection!' complete. Reward pending: Little Dora.]
The panel dimmed back into invisibility.
Levy, who'd been holding her breath, let it out in a tiny "ah," then bowed her head. "Mira-nee… thank you."
Mira waved both hands, flustered now that she'd said it aloud. "N-no, I should thank you—both of you."
From the garden, Natsu's groan drifted in as Happy dabbed his eyes with a napkin. "Our money…"
"Eat before it gets cold," Aurel said, tapping the table; the devil-hot curry still steamed, and the sashimi gleamed like fresh-cut jewels.
"Right!" Natsu came back to life, inhaled a spoonful—then erupted. "HOT! BUT GOOD!"
"Fish! Aye!" Happy dove face-first into a platter.
At the bar, Levy tucked a strand of blue hair behind her ear and leaned toward Aurel. "Um… after your shift, will you walk me home?"
"Of course."
"Great! Then I'll… nap here for ten minutes." She placed her cheek on her folded arms—this time with a tiny, satisfied smile.
Cana, passing by with a stack of IOUs, snorted a laugh. "Young love. Hey, newbie—fancy lunch rain check, okay?"
"Rain check," Aurel said amiably.
He slipped back behind the counter as Shadowkhan whisked away empty plates. The guild's hum returned—warm, chaotic, alive.
Five jobs in one day still loomed on the panel like a dare. He poured a fresh round, glanced at the request board, and planned.
For now, though—he let the moment breathe: Levy's soft doze at his elbow, Mira's lingering blush, the sunlight slanting through stained glass and catching on floating dust like tiny stars.
And, coiled and waiting beneath his skin, a threefold cut that could split the air itself.
(End of Chapter)
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