Marcilla's eyes fell, a shadow crossing her features. "Do you think... he's mad at us...?"

"I don't know exactly what he feels or thinks... It's been a while," Amoria replied, her smile strained as she tried to mask her uncertainty.

"I just know that if he wasn't struggling with everything that happened, he wouldn't have left us and stayed away for so long..."

"Yeah... The poor thing," Marcilla murmured softly with a frown.

"Ara~?" Amoria teased, her voice light and playful.

Marcilla shivered, feeling a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.

"Y-Y'know what I mean!! Just stop it already!!" she protested, her face glowing red as she covered it with her hands.

Just then, a figure walked through the door gently.

"Ah... Lalyn...!" Amoria called weakly.

"Amoria, I heard you were unwell. How are you feeling?" Lalyn inquired, her voice carrying a slight chill.

Marcilla's expression darkened as she eyed the white-haired dragon tamer.

"...Lalyn." She murmured.

Lalyn's gaze shifted to Marcilla.

"Marcy," she responded coolly.

"It's 'Marcilla' to you, you prick...!" Marcilla snapped, though Amoria tugged at her shirt, her expression begging for patience.

"...Lalyn... I'm so glad you're here..!" Amoria interjected softly, smiling warmly at the tall, smooth-faced Lalyn, who looked remarkably youthful despite nearing her forties.

Lalyn stepped closer, ignoring Marcilla's irritation, and leaned over Amoria's bed.

"It was you who called, Amoria. How could I ignore such a plea?" she said with a relaxed smile, gently brushing Amoria's cheek with her palm.

Amoria leaned into the touch, her cheeks coloring.

"...Tsche, get a room, you two..." Marcilla muttered, dismissively waving her hand.

"Oh? Marcy, you are also welcome to join this... exchange... As much as I'm against it," Lalyn teased with a frosty edge, turning back to Marcilla.

"S-shut up!!" Marcilla retorted, her face flushing as she turned away.

"How's your daughter doing, anyway...?" Marcilla asked, changing the subject.

"She's fine. She's joining the Academy's Senior classes this year, specifically the Summoner's Department," Lalyn responded, her tone warming slightly as she spoke of her child. "And yours?"

"No surprise there. My daughter and Amoria's daughter are also starting at the Royal Academy this year. She'll be in the Warrior Department, while Amoria's will be in the Holy Church's."

"...I see. I'm glad to hear that," Lalyn murmured coldly into Marcilla's ear, causing her to twitch and blush as she stepped back.

"S-Stop that..!!" Marcilla exclaimed, her cheeks reddening. "W-we're not at that age anymore!!"

Amoria couldn't help but giggle at Marcilla's flustered reaction.

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"Now... Amoria. I assume you didn't call me here just to catch up. What's the matter?" Lalyn inquired, turning her attention fully to Amoria with a focused gaze.

"It's... Well... Better if I just show you this..." Amoria hesitated slightly before handing over Van's badge.

"Hmm? An old badge... Who does this belong to...?" Lalyn mused quietly as she examined the badge closely.

Her eyes widening slightly as her hands twitched a little as she recognized the name on the badge.

".... When... And where did you find this...?" Lalyn asked, her tone shifting to one of firmness and urgency, yet maintaining her deliberate pace.

"Apparently, one of the guards received this from an adventurer who tried to enter... At first, I was startled... I thought it couldn't be him after all this time..." Amoria explained, her gaze lowered as if she were trying to piece together the words on the bedsheets.

"But then the guard mentioned how suspicious the adventurer appeared to him. That's when I realized there was no mistake. It's really Van. He's here... Knowing him, he probably already scaled these colossal walls and made his way into the city... Somehow."

Lalyn's expression was unreadable for a few moments as she absorbed the news.

"...Alright. And..?" Lalyn responded, her tone shifting back to her usual cool detachment.

"A-and..? Lalyn, we need to find him and—" Amoria began, her voice faltering.

"Find him? That pathetic excuse of a man...?" Lalyn interjected calmly.

"I'm sorry...?!" Marcilla responded, her face flushing with anger.

"He was merely dragged along because of his relationship with Magus. He had no talent, nothing unique. Just a skill that made him the perfect meatshield to keep Magus safe and entertain us as he miserably died to the slightest of things. I do not understand why you are so worked up over that trash—"

In an instant, Marcilla pinned Lalyn to the floor, her teeth clenched in rage as she glared into her eyes.

"YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!" she bellowed. Meanwhile, Amoria weakly tried to intervene and pull them apart.

Lalyn maintained her cool, nonchalant gaze as she looked up at Marcilla.

"Am I wrong...?"

"DAMN RIGHT YOU ARE!!!! IT WAS ALSO THANKS TO HIM YOU SURVIVED!!"

"Really...? Then, do elaborate. What did that guy do other than being the perfect meatshield?" Lalyn said, her eyebrows subtly shooting upwards.

"YOU...!!! VAN WASN'T JUST A MEATSHIELD AND YOU KNOW IT!!!" Marcilla shouted, her voice echoing with conviction.

"S-stop this, you two!! Lalyn, you know Van was more than that!" Amoria pleaded urgently.

"Really...? Then, prove it. Given how upset you two are, you must know more about that charity case than I do. Enlighten me about his contributions," Lalyn challenged, her voice sharp.

"Well, he...!!" Marcilla started, still pinning Lalyn to the floor, her mind racing through her memories of Van.

As Marcilla struggled to articulate her thoughts, Lalyn cast a wind spell, sending her flying off.

Calmly standing, Lalyn dusted off her dress and walked toward the door.

"It is truly sad, seeing you two so heated over dear Van, who, in addition to being the dead-weight that he was, left us without a backward glance..." She remarked while opening the door, prompting Marcilla to scowl as she picked herself up from the floor.

"Lalyn... Are you also upset that Van left us, maybe..?" Amoria asked softly, a hint of hope in her voice as she tried to reach deeper.

Lalyn paused at the door, her back to the room. For a moment, her posture sagged, then she slammed the door shut.

"That bitch...!! H-hey... Where's the badge...?" Marcilla called as she noticed it wasn't within Amoria's grasp.

--------FLASHBACK-------

"Are... hrnn... you alright?" Van asked, his voice calm yet strained with pain, as he carried Lalyn through the dungeon, an arrow embedded in his arm.

"Your hand... There's a poison arrow in it..." Lalyn observed coldly, glancing at the side of Van's arm where the arrow had pierced between the plates of his armor.

"Yeah... Haah... Don't worry. I will die in about five hours... since I have some resistance. I'll stay with you until we reach a safe zone..." Van assured her, his breaths heavy.

"This poison... I'm familiar with it. Even a graze feels like a thousand needles stabbing simultaneously... Want me to end you now? I can manage on my own from here... The nearest place not crawling with monsters shouldn't be far," Lalyn offered, her voice steady despite the suggestion.

"No... I am... a meat shield, as you've said... Remember? What if something happens to you while I'm... gone? I wouldn't be fulfilling my role...!" Van protested, mustering the strength to keep moving despite the pain.

"I'll hold on... as long as possible...!!" Van muttered, determination in his voice as he looked and marched forward while carrying the paralyzed Lalyn.

---------------------------

Lalyn leaned against the door, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as memories of Van filled her thoughts.

"Just... a worthless meatshield... That's all he was good for..." she murmured softly, her hands clutching Van's badge as she placed it on her chest a little tighter.

"...You said you'd hold on as long as possible... So why did you have to leave us...?"

"Dummy..." she whispered, her voice weak and tinged with a bashful sorrow.