The dawn spread like a thin veil across the distant horizon as the incense of mourning faded with the retreating night.
A startled cry shattered the quiet of early morning.
"Wh-why are you coming out of that room?!"
The instant she saw Laurier, all traces of drowsiness vanished from Lefiya's face.
She remembered perfectly well—the room the blonde Elf had just stepped out of belonged to that boy.
Faced with the question, Laurier's cheeks flushed a soft pink. "G-good morning."
Lefiya's eyebrow twitched.
That evasive response told her everything.
The inn's soundproofing wasn't very good. The sounds that had kept her awake last night must have come from that room.
"..."
Even though it had nothing to do with her, Lefiya's face turned even redder than the person involved.
"G-good morning… I-I'll go buy something for you to eat…"
Flustered, Lefiya hurried down the stairs, almost tripping in her rush.
She knew perfectly well that doing such embarrassing things was normal for a couple.
But someone so close to her—especially the boy she'd always cared about—doing something like that right next to her room without even trying to hide it…
And Laurier shouldn't be that kind of person either!
Even though they hadn't known each other long, the blond Elf's pure and upright demeanor throughout their travels had left Lefiya with a very good impression.
Yet last night… Laurier's voice had sounded like that…
Just remembering it made Lefiya's face grow hotter and hotter.
Part of her wanted to gather her courage, storm into the boy's room, and deliver judgment without mercy.
But her shyness overwhelmed her thoughts, driving her to flee instead.
The boy would never force anyone. Whatever happened last night must have been mutual, something that naturally unfolded between them.
But why did she have to be so loud?
Was she not worried that I'd hear?
And… is something like that really that pleasant…?
Lefiya shook her head hard.
Her habit of drifting into wild fantasies was acting up again.
She pushed everything away and silently recited the magic theories she had learned in the past.
The journey continued, but Lefiya couldn't bring herself to look directly at the boy no matter what.
In the slightly cramped carriage, she closed her eyes and stayed quiet.
Before long, she had fallen asleep.
"She's asleep…"
Ryuu was a little surprised at how relaxed the yellow-haired Elf looked.
Just how much trust did she have in the boy to sleep this peacefully under these circumstances?
Thoughtfully, Ryuu stood up, letting the sleeping Lefiya lie down and take up the entire seat, then sat beside Bell instead.
Under their gaze, Lefiya's lips curved up now and then, as if lost in some pleasant dream.
Something had changed.
Ryuu felt it clearly.
Something shameful must have happened between Laurier and the boy.
Just like what had happened with Syr a few days earlier.
Ryuu didn't imagine the details, but her curiosity was strong.
Could love really change someone this much?
Whether it was the usually restrained Syr or the dignified Laurier, both had been dyed a different color by love.
It wasn't a sad or negative change, but something like a flower bud beginning to bloom—brighter and more beautiful than before.
Ryuu had seen that happiness and resolve in Syr's eyes.
And now, Laurier was the same.
"Cranel-san, it's truly wonderful that Syr was able to meet you…"
Ryuu let out a quiet sigh.
She had always wanted to repay Syr for saving her, yet no matter what she did, she could never fill the emptiness in Syr's heart.
Even when the girl smiled so brightly, she was like Ryuu—someone who often showed traces of sorrow.
Their wounds were not the same, but their pain and loneliness were eerily similar.
Until the boy appeared.
Syr changed.
She threw herself into cooking, thought constantly of her beloved—her smile became sincere from the heart.
So even if Ryuu avoided anything too embarrassing, she didn't worry about it too much.
"Ryuu-san, Syr has been under your care all this time."
Bell lowered his voice so as not to wake the sleeping Lefiya.
"No… I'm the one who has been cared for…"
Ryuu replied softly.
Bell glanced at the Elf beside him and sensed something off.
"Ryuu-san… are you afraid?"
To Bell, Ryuu had always faced every hardship with unwavering resolve.
But now she seemed less cold, more weighed down by sentiment.
Ryuu froze for a moment.
She had suddenly found herself reflecting on the past, thinking about Syr and the boy.
It was likely because of fear.
A sorrow buried deep inside her—one she hadn't fully realized herself—yet the boy had picked up on it.
"…You're right. I am afraid."
Ryuu no longer tried to hide it.
The closer they drew to the Sword Smithing City, the stronger the fear inside her grew.
She did worry for Goddess Astraea's safety, but the greater part of it was a tangled mix of conflicting emotions.
She wanted to see the goddess sooner… yet she had no idea what face she should present before her.
On that nightmare-like day, Ryuu had begged Astraea to leave the city because she didn't want the goddess to see her.
Consumed by hatred, taking revenge on the hostile Familia—before the Star Goddess who embodied justice, she must have seemed ugly and pathetic.
Ryuu still hadn't found her own answer to justice, and because of that, she feared seeing Astraea again.
"So in that way, we're the same…"
Bell gave a small smile and quietly spoke about his own past.
Before he ever set foot in Orario, whenever he faced hardship, there was always fear in his heart.
Could he really reach his destination?
Would the promises he made ever become reality?
Just like the promise he made to Laurier about lifespan—the more someone mattered to him, the stronger that fear became.
"We just want to show our best selves to the ones we treasure. That's why we're afraid."
Bell gently revealed the root of her fear.
"..."
Ryuu was left speechless.
Everything he said was true.
She simply hadn't prepared herself to greet Astraea with perfect justice, and that was why she feared seeing her.
"Whenever I feel that way, I have a little trick," Bell said softly. "Pardon me—this is a Magic I never share with anyone."
"..."
Under Ryuu's puzzled gaze, Bell slowly extended his right hand.
"Ryuu-san, focus~"
Bell lifted his index finger, pointing it toward Ryuu's eyes, and slowly began to rotate it.
"Ryuu-san, smile for me~"
That finger, hardly worthy of being called hypnotic, lightly tapped the tip of Ryuu's nose.
"How is it? Pretty effective, right?"
Bell imitated Syr's playful tone.
Hearing the boy use such a rare, almost spoiled-sounding voice, Ryuu couldn't help but smile.
"Everything you're doing is something you learned from Syr… so what 'secret Magic never to be shared' are you talking about…"
"Oh? You figured me out already?"
Bell pulled back his right hand, pretending to be surprised.
"And besides, I'm the one who told you all this in the first place."
Ryuu's smile brightened even more.
"Is that so… Well, Ryuu-san, if you keep that expression, Goddess Astraea will definitely fall for this breathtaking sight."
Bell knew very well that fear never truly disappeared.
Just like when facing monsters, fear was what drew out the potential in people.
The more you cared about someone, the more you feared disappointing them, or making them sad—and that fear pushed you forward, step by step, toward becoming better.
That was the road Bell himself had walked.
So he didn't dismiss the fear Ryuu felt now.
"Breathtaking sight… Cranel-san, please stop teasing me…"
Ryuu felt her heart calm more than before.
If even the boy she admired carried this same fear, then she had no reason to agonize over hers.
Just as Bell said, Ryuu wanted Goddess Astraea to see her without hesitation or doubt.
If she couldn't manage it this time, she would wait until the next.
That just and gentle goddess had always been waiting for Ryuu to return.
Ryuu couldn't run anymore—she would turn her fear into determination and let Astraea witness the change within her.
"But… thank you for the encouragement. I feel much better now."
Ryuu expressed her gratitude honestly.
"It's nothing. I just think Ryuu-san looks even cuter when she smiles, so I said what I did."
Bell had already taken in the elf girl's smile.
Just like the night before their departure, her high-mountain-flower smile was enough to intoxicate someone and give them the courage to move forward.
"..."
Faced with such direct praise, Ryuu truly didn't know what to say.
She could only lower her head, hiding the flush rising on her cheeks.
Under Ryuu's gaze, the sleeping Lefiya let out a quiet giggle, pressing her lips together as if dreaming of something sweet.
The sound of turning wheels sealed off the outside world, wrapping the carriage in long, gentle calm.
Amid the three elves' very different smiles…
The journey's destination—the Sword Smithing City Solingen—finally came into view.