The Twilight Manor was quiet that morning. After finishing her report, Riveria stayed alone in the courtyard.
The underground waterways were complicated, and with the town right above them, the Nine Hell—wielding overwhelming magic—had cast only a single spell, yet the chill from that person had spread through the dark tunnels. After the shivering members protested, Finn decided Riveria would stay behind to watch the manor.
Flower scents drifted through the empty courtyard, but the elf princess felt no joy. She wondered whether that boy was safe.
A sharp breeze swept in, and Ais answered the question just by arriving. Faint currents of wind coiled around her. The boy on Ais's back, hidden under a dark hood, clung tightly to the Sword Princess's shoulders so he wouldn't be blown off by the violent gusts.
Only when they rushed into the courtyard did the storm finally settle.
Riveria frowned and stepped forward. Had they been attacked by monsters?
"Ais… what happened?"
She looked at the pale boy and asked.
"I just… completed the mission."
Ais blinked, unaware of how rough she'd been.
"You used Magic, didn't you? Did Loki tell you to do that? Did you run into monsters again?"
Worried, Riveria fired off questions one after another.
"No monsters. I needed stealth and speed, so I used magic," Ais said slowly.
Riveria understood. Loki had probably told her to avoid being seen, so the one controlling the monsters wouldn't notice. And this natural airhead had carried out the order in her own way.
For a boy, this treatment was far from polite.
"Put him down first."
Riveria couldn't bring herself to scold her.
Ais set him down on the grass. The freezing wind had knocked Bell out cold; he lay there like a statue, unable to speak.
I messed up. That was Ais's first thought.
Before she'd carried him, he'd been sleeping so peacefully. Even Ais had been curious about what kind of dream he was having. Now he looked like he'd been through torture.
"What do we do…"
This boy seemed to be someone the Goddess favored. She should have treated him with respect, yet she'd ruined everything. Realizing this, Ais turned her head helplessly toward the all-capable Riveria.
"..."
"..."
Silence rose between them in the empty courtyard.
Riveria wanted to tell her it was only a small mistake, nothing that would harm him. She could go rest, and Riveria would take care of the boy. But she knew that if she said that, the stubborn Ais would only feel worse.
She was a natural airhead anyway. The Sword Princess would have to manage.
From that morning's events, Riveria had learned something. In just a few days, this unknown raw gem of a boy had already caught the eyes of Heith and Ryuu. More people would gather around him from here on.
Since she couldn't keep this treasure to herself, she might as well let Ais and the others grow close to him. Surrounded by blooming flowers, the boy would likely grow even faster—and if anything happened, she would notice immediately.
"Riveria?"
Ais blinked her golden eyes, confused about why the other had suddenly drifted into deep thought. This seemed more serious than she'd expected. Under that natural, guilty gaze, Riveria glanced at the half-conscious boy.
"If you want to make it up to him, let him rest his head on your lap until he wakes."
Ais blinked again.
"...Just that?"
"Mm. Physically, he only needs to lie down with something supporting his head and he'll recover. As for his mind—waking up to find himself resting on the lap of a beautiful blonde girl is more than enough compensation."
Truthfully, if Ais hadn't been the one asking, Riveria would have been tempted to do it herself. From what Loki had said, this was a perfect chance to close the distance. Riveria's level was far above the boy's, and with all her duties as a member of the Familia, chances to meet him in the future would be rare if she let this slip.
Watching him grow from afar had its own charm, but Riveria wanted to view him as a curious new sapling in the forest, watching each small change unfold. For the sake of this adorable airheaded girl, the elf princess decided to give up that precious opportunity.
"I understand. Thank you, Riveria."
Ais gave her sincere thanks. She didn't fully get it, but if Riveria suggested this as compensation, it couldn't be wrong.
"It's nothing. Call me when he wakes."
Riveria had no intention of merely watching from the sidelines. Ais being able to bring the boy back to the Loki Familia was already something to be happy about. As she slowly walked away, she glanced at the slightly awkward human girl and left behind a small smile.
Gentle sunlight poured across the hallway. For some reason, the once dull, tedious plants now looked much sweeter in Riveria's eyes.
…
Ais had never felt anything like this before. Simply having a boy rest his head on her slender thigh gave her a strange, unfamiliar sensation. It felt… a bit embarrassing.
Not wanting to disturb his body, Ais ignored the growing warmth on her cheeks and carefully shifted her leg. Pure white hair, light clothing…
Riveria hadn't told her where she was supposed to look while doing this. So the clueless human girl could only study the boy with the shy curiosity of a child watching a rabbit.
Then a thought suddenly struck her.
This boy was the one everyone called the "weakest Adventurer." The same newcomer Bete had mocked at the tavern that day. The conversations from the tavern were still fresh in her mind. Despite being just a rookie, he had stepped forward and saved others.
In the healer who had defended him, Ais had seen the admiration one held for a hero.
Pure effort.
Pure courage.
The moment Ais realized that, the gloom in her heart completely vanished. The frustration from the halted expedition faded away, and even the endless black flames that had been burning inside her quieted a little.
A warm, soothing feeling spread through her body. The Sword Princess felt her lips curl up without thinking.
I really want to ask… how did you get so strong?
As curiosity welled up inside her, golden eyes and crimson pupils met for the first time.
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on P@treon.
[Upto 50 chapters ahead for now]
[email protected]/PinkSnake