With Horizon having recently grew, it took Orion less than an hour to return home, leaving him a good amount of time to think.

The first thing he saw when he approached the house was a little girl playing with a white dog and a green-haired woman.

They were tagging each others, and rolling in the grass with big smiles on their faces.

Stella, Sirius, and Drania all stopped and turned toward him the moment he entered their sight.

"Papa! You're back!"

With a smile worthy of a lovely daughter, she ran toward him and hugged his legs. Sirius followed right after and ran around him a few times before sitting next to him.

Orion crouched and placed his right hand on the girl, while his left hand caressed Sirius' back.

"Yes, I'm back. Were you having fun?"

She nodded, showing how happy she was. Seeing his daughter brightly smile, he looked at Drania, who, for some reason, stayed a little further away from them.

Noticing something strange, he observed her quietly.

'She's trying to avoid looking at me, and her ears are a little red. What is happening today?'

'Wait, don't tell me I messed up the barrier yesterday?!'

A little embarrassed and worried, Orion looked at Stella and asked her a question.

"Stella, have you heard something last night? Have I bothered you in your sleep?"

"Huh?"

The girl tilted her head, confused.

"I haven't heard anything? Why?"

Letting out a sight of relief, Orion hugged her and shook his head.

"No, it's nothing. I was afraid the 'training' I was doing yesterday might have awakened you, that's all."

Hearing that, Drania's face turned completely red, as she recalled the memories of this morning's meeting.

'If Karteira's moans haven't leaked out of the room, then what could it be?'

He thought, before looking at Stella.

"Are you going to continue playing outside?"

"Yes. Can I?"

"Of course. You can even go to the beach, but only if you ask someone to go with you."

"T-Then..."

His daughter grabbed his shirt shyly, and looked at him with puppy eyes. Unsurprisingly, this made Orion's fatherly instincts kick in.

"Can we go together today?"

"Hmm..."

Orion began to think. He still had a promise to fulfill with Karteira, but he also couldn't bring himself to disappoint his little girl.

"I'm sorry."

Seeing the frown on his face, she dropped her head down and let go of his shirt. Even Drania felt greatly saddened by the tone of disappointment in her voice.

"Oh! No, no. It's not that I don't want to!"

"Eh?"

He placed his hand on her short black hair, and caressed them gently.

"You see, I promised Karteira to train with her today. I was thinking about when to go."

Stella instantly brightened up. She hugged her father and smiled.

"Don't worry. I won't ever refuse a request from my cute daughter."

Forgetting about her previous embarrassment, Drania looked at the heartwarming scene with a smile.

Orion stood up, and asked Stella.

"So, do you want to go now, or do you want to go after I finish training?"

Placing a finger on her lower lips, Stella thought, before she looked at Drania. She nodded and turned to look at Orion.

"I want to play with Drania a little more."

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Drania smiled brightly hearing the little girl wanted to play with her more, while finally approaching them.

"Alright. I'll come pick you up later then. Have fun."

"Yes!"

Letting go of his daughter, Orion walked toward the approaching fairy, and stopped next to her.

"I don't know what's on your mind, but I leave her in your care. Have fun."

She twitched when she heard his voice so close to her ear, and panicked.

'He found out?!'

Orion continued without noticing the sweating Drania, and entered the house. After he had closed the door, she breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Stella.

"What do you want to play next?"

The two returned to play, while Sirius slept on the grass, peacefully.

...

"Oh, you're back?"

Amelia, as usual, was the first to notice Orion had returned. He entered the living room, where she was tapping on the tablet, changing the plane's scenery in the process.

"Yes."

"What did Tiohr-nam say? Are you fine?"

She placed the tablet on the coffee table gently and stood up from the couch. Worriedly, she waited for his answer.

"She said I made a complete recovery. I can give my whole in training again."

"That's good to hear."

Relieved, she placed a hand on her chest and smiled. With that said, she immediately changed the subject, and went straight to the point, knowing why he was here.

"Karteira is already waiting at the training ground. When you're ready, go join her. She said she was ready to show you how strong she became."

"Alright. I will do my best not to disappoint her."

"Don't go too hard on her, alright?"

"Sure."

Orion turned around and walked into the kitchen. A few minutes later, after preparing his favorite black coffee, he returned to the living room.

"Amelia."

"What?"

From the upper floor, a slow and sad music could be heard. After opening the door, he had listened carefully without speaking of it, but curiosity got the best of him.

He looked at the ceiling without answering her, which made her also look upward.

"Oh. That's Olivia. She never told you, did she? She plays the violin occasionally."

"I had no idea."

Amelia nodded.

"Of course, she tried to avoid playing while you are here, she said. She probably thought it would bother you?"

A frown appeared on his face.

"I know what you're thinking. But understand her. Understand them. They are afraid of disappointing you."

"As if it would make me think that... Really, they can do what they want, I won't mind at all."

He sat on the couch, next to Amelia, and closed his eyes with his cup between his hands. He perked his earring senses and listened to Olivia's solo performance in silence.

"This is an incredibly sad music."

Said Amelia, as she dropped her head on his shoulder.

"It is. I have a feeling it is related to her parents."

"Like a representation of her feelings?"

"Something like that. Accepting and moving on are two similar, yet different processes."

"Right. I hope she can one day get over her sadness."

Orion nodded.

"That's why we have to support her."

"Hmm..."

The music faded, turning the house completely silent. In his heart, Orion knew Olivia was hurt, but if she did her best not to play while he was here, it was definitely to avoid making him worry.

He drank his coffee in one go and looked at Amelia.

"Alright, I should go before she found out I was here. Don't tell her, alright?"

"Sure. Don't go too far."

"I'll try."

With a smile, he dropped his cup on the table and stood up. A second later, he warped to Karteira's location.

"..."

Amelia quietly waited, until footsteps echoed down the stairs, into the corridor.

"Oh..."

Olivia entered the living room and looked at Amelia. The corner of her eyes were red. Just like Orion had guessed, this was a very difficult pill to swallow for the youngest member of the group.

"Olivia, why do you keep playing if it hurts you so much?"

Genuinely concerned, Amelia stood up and walked toward her.

"I don't really know. I like playing it, but every time I do, it reminds me of them. And I can't stop crying once I start. Since I still need to practice, it just always ends up like this."

"Is that right?"

Amelia gently embraced her and patted her back in silence.

Letting herself be comforted, Olivia stayed motionless in her arms. She wasn't sad anymore, yet that hug appeased her mind greatly.

But then, looking over her shoulder, she noticed the cup on the table.

"Did Orion come back?"

"Huh? No."

She broke away from Amelia, and pointed at the cup.

"Oh, that's mine. I was thirsty, and I wanted to try some black coffee."

"In his cup?"

"Is that wrong?"

Amelia crossed her arms before pouting.

"If he gets angry at you, I won't help."

"It's fine. He doesn't get angry easily."

"If you say so."

She walked past Amelia and sat on the opposite couch. When she was out of her sight, Amelia wiped her forehead with her sleeve and nodded.

'Good job, me.'

After congratulating herself, she turned around and picked up the cup, before moving to the kitchen to clean it.

...

*Wrrrrrr*

A portal opened in the training area. Orion walked out of it and looked around him.

'Where is she?'

Scanning the surroundings, he quickly found the person he was looking for.

A few meters on his left, in the distance, Karteira was stretching her body in her training clothes. A black shirt with short sleeves, and black shorts that stopped halfway at her thighs, made of flexible matter.

Her hair, which was pretty long, was tied into a ponytail to avoid them blocking her sight.

'She's serious.'

Orion only saw her wearing these when she wanted to go all out. Still, he knew this was training, and not a full on fight like previously.

He knew he had to avoid using his full strength.

"Karteira."

Hearing her name, she looked in his direction.

"Finally. I thought you would never arrive."

"What can I say? I am pretty busy."

With a joking smile, he stopped in front of her.

"So, what are the rules?"

She asked after straightening. Karteira crossed her arms and waited.

"You can go all out. I'll put some restrictions on myself to make it a bit less dangerous for you, but if you manage to push me on the defensive, it's your win."

"Restrictions?"

With a nod, Orion explained.

"I won't use anything more than the Second Gear. No Arm Overdrive, either. And just to make it more interesting, I won't warp around."

"I don't like it when you go easy. Though, what happens if I force you to use more than what you said? My win?"

"Sure, surprise me. I already know what you are capable of, so go as hard as you want. Know that it's not going to be easy."

Karteira slammed her fists against one another, and smiled wildly.

"Then, I'll force you to go all out. I won't be satisfied otherwise."

She turned around and walked away, putting some distance between them.

"Oh, Karteira."

"What?"

Glancing at him over her shoulder, she stopped walking.

"Have I told you?"

*Flash*

A wide grin formed on her face.

"I'm not an easy target."

This training would become a light magic against light magic fight, pushing the limits of both fighters.

As Orion's angel wings flapped the dust off the ground, the fight began.