Below the stars, under the shade of light, was a flick of silver light. Metal screeched in agony as it was torn apart. Armor and swords split into pieces one after the other.

—KABOOM!

 Barriers cracked as lightning blinded the surrounding darkness. The mages looked at the girl before them in shock—she’d appeared out of nowhere and torn them apart one after the other. In just a few seconds, their numbers halved.

 “Princess… Luna…?” one of the mages managed to utter as her figure came into view.

 Luna turned towards the vulnerable mages—their eyes shook, as did their hearts, hands, and legs. Their spirit crumbled as she shattered defenses. Her Divine Blade—Moon Fracture quickly took care of anything that came her way—slicing spells as well as it does flesh and steel.

 “You who have sinned beyond redemption—the trafficking of humans, beastmen, elves, and lesser demons. Article Six, section eight of The Imperial Codex of Law states that enslavements of mortals and rare specimens are to be punished,” Luna coldly stated while coolly looking at the terrifying mages.

 “…” They knew fully well that they were deserving of punishment—but being executed wasn’t on the list if they ever were to be caught.

 “There is no use for scum such as you. Shall I name all crimes committed by your organization? We are tolerant—most of you went to prison. But. Article Eight section nine—death to those who try to harm a royalty.”

 That’s absurd… the criminals thought—who in the world would’ve thought the crown heir would be sent to take care of crimes when things spiraled out of control?

 “Hahahaha!” A deep, menacing laugh echoed behind the massive trees. “I’m astonished, truly. Who would’ve thought that The Imperial Princess herself did such dirty work? I never thought that the commander of the Elite Wyvern Squad was a deadly assassin herself.” A hooded figure revealed themselves—his eyes hollow as his soul.

 Luna’s eyes narrowed as she turned towards the man with a blade pointed toward her—BOOM! Bolts of flame plasma and lightning illuminated the forest in a flash as they soared her way.

 However, Luna didn’t flinch. When the man mentioned being an assassin himself, he’d be lousy if he was. Hence, Luna anticipated a surprise attack. In a burst of intense mana, her body became engulfed in lightning as she activated [Mana Armor] infused with lightning.

 As if time itself warped, she became indifferent to the bolts of flames and lightning. Instantly, she dodged—what was left looked like a path of strings leading to everyone nearby. Nobody, not even the assassins in the shadows, had time to react to Luna’s [Lightning Trace]. Within a flash, anything and everything on the path was cut cleanly without resistance as Moon Fracture ignored it all.

 Whatever it was, limbs, armor, heads, or bodies that were cleanly split in two, blood flooded the woods as the camp silenced into the howls of distant beasts.

 But amidst that silence, Luna gazed up toward the stars. A moonless night was the perfect opportunity for a surprise attack. The criminals had already lost their main base yet continued operations in the dark woods.

 The blade in her hand slowly dematerialized and disbursed into faint twinkling silver light as her [Mana Armor] slowly lost mana, losing its glow.

 With the bloodshed around her, it was sure to attract all kinds of beasts. But the sound of flapping wings above her reassured her as a faint smile surfaced on her face.

 “Druun?” the creature purred as it landed beside her.

 “Nees,” Luna called its name, placing a palm on its smooth, feathery head. “Did any of them escape?” she inquired.

 “Druun!” the creature nestled into her palm.

 “Good work,” she said softly.

 Nees, an Ilifelen Wyvern, and her companion. Unlike the other Ilifelen Wyverns with smooth white feathers—Nees was like Luna and had a mix of silver and black feathers. Even her parents, who got her as a pet for Luna, didn’t expect that the abandoned hatchling would be so similar to their daughter. But…

 “Are you going to hunt with the others later?” Luna asked. Her tone didn’t change but even Nees sensed loneliness behind those words.

 “Druun…” Nees seemed to ask if Luna was going to be okay without her.

Luna chuckled a little. “I’ll be fine. I’ll rest and treat myself to something nice while visiting a few bookstores.”

 “Drrrrun!” Nees jumped up and down lightly.

 Unlike Luna, Nees was quite the sociable Wyvern and occasionally flew away to hunt with her lover and his large family near the Zederes mountains. Of course, she only went when Luna was out of commission—even though she could tell that her master was about to collapse from overwork—her way of rebelling forced Luna to rest.

 Earlier, Luna’s uncle, Rigeld, told Nees that this mission was the only one outside of the capital. It meant Luna could finally take a break and enjoy her youth before the next big assignment.

 After a while, the rest of the Wyvern Squad and the clean-up squad arrived. “Princess, we have located and released the captives. As for the criminals—they are captured and are awaiting a trial,” a member reported concisely.

 “Good work. I have executed those on the list.”

 “Thank you.” The man placed a palm on his heart and bowed slightly before looking her in the eyes. “We’ve also written down a report on this MI and the list of buyers in their database,” he said calmly as he handed Luna a coin-like crystal chip.

 Luna affirmed with a slight nod of her head. “Tell the others there will be no new mission for a month,” she said coolly.

 “…” The other members overheard and were stunned as they gathered material from the scene. “What do you… mean, Princess…?” the man asked.

 “It is a command from Uncle. The major criminal organizations have fallen—only corrupt cults remain—which are not within our expertise.”

 “Understood…”

 The man sighed in relief, yet his motivation seemed to have dropped—like many squad members, he took pride in his work. But Luna essentially told them they weren’t as needed now.

 …

 ..

 Despite the deck’s chilly cold air, Luna found herself comfortable. Her heartbeats were steady. Warm comfort enveloped her as she slowly opened her eyes. She was covered in a blanket, and her surroundings sparkled as the frost twinkled in the morning sun.

 Luna hadn’t expected to fall asleep, yet… she did. She slowly remembered yesterday’s event from where Nees dropped her off and how she became friends with a wanderer from another world.

 About said friend…

 Alum, who Luna had been leaning on was awake and playing with a ball of water—manipulating it as he pleases into different shapes—even animals she was unfamiliar with.

 Did I fall asleep? Luna questioned herself but couldn’t take her eyes off Alum’s magic. Mm, it feels nice. Her thoughts wandered as she rubbed her head on his shoulder, nuzzling around a little to make herself more comfortable.

 “Morning,” Alum said as he glanced at her.

 Looking up to meet his gaze, Luna greeted him with a “Good morning” before closing her eyes again. The comfort of leaning on his shoulder and being enveloped by warmth was pure bliss—it was as if she’d forgotten how to rest properly until now.

 I’ve never had anyone lend them their shoulder to me before… however, I must say. It is more comfortable than expected, Luna mused as she thought Alum’s shoulder was a comfortable sleeping place.

 “When did I fall asleep…” Luna inquired. Although her eyes were closed and her expression unchanged, her voice rang with reluctance and bashfulness even as she realized it was uncharacteristic of her.

 “After the warm snack Chely gave us,” Alum replied casually.

 “Mm, I see.” Slowly, she opened her eyes, emptily gazing at the deck. “Were you not bored?” she inquired as her eyes approached his side profile.

 Alum’s hair looked softer in the gentle light—it glistered and twinkled. There was frost in his hair, yet he seemed unaffected.

 “Not sure,” Alum replied as he glanced at her.

 Their eyes locked, and Luna knew she was quite strange herself—but she felt compelled to return the favor.

 He wouldn’t mind… right? Luna thought.

 Her hand surfaced from the blanket. Alum tilted his head slightly, gauging her intention. When he realized that Luna tried to reach for his head, he bowed down a little to make it easier for her.

 “…”

 “…”

Quietly, Luna brushed the frost from his hair. But despite it containing frost, his hair remained soft, and the frost was easily removed.

 What is this…? Luna wondered. It somehow feels nice to run my hand through his hair… she thought. And despite there being now more to remove, she quietly began to enjoy herself and pat his head.

 Luna didn’t lack common sense… she may be inexperienced in many aspects. But Alum also seemed strange to her.

 He wasn’t… bored? He’s not sure? Was he awake all night and… did nothing but stargaze? She thought as she continued to stroke his head. Even I would’ve fallen asleep—which I did, she added.

 “What did you do all night?” Now that she was fully awake, she could tell that Alum was exhausted despite his demeanor not telling her much, but she could tell he didn’t mind being patted. “You must’ve finished the book too… don’t tell me you did nothing…” she voiced, slightly worried.

 “Hm? I didn’t read ahead.”

 Alum’s calm, almost indifferent statement shocked her—she then recalled telling him not to read ahead during a small banter.

 She hesitated to ask, “So… you did nothing…?” with worry clearly displayed on her usually inexpressive face. Her lips were slightly parted, and her eyes widened with slightly raised brows.

 “I read some of the parts and studied them—look, I can even write a few words,” Alum replied casually as he drew some letters which formed a few words with water magic—one spelled “Luna.” Somehow, he’d managed to write her name.

 “…”

 How did he…? Astonished, Luna gazed back and forth at the text and at Alum

 “How did you…?”

 Although Luna didn’t even finish her sentence, Alum knew what she wanted to ask. Thus, he simply replied, “I worked out the phonetic structure and syllabic interrelation, organizing some of it as you read aloud at my request. But I can’t do anything more complex without knowing the rules. There’s also this strange translation—that helped too.”

 “…I’m speechless.” Luna was shocked, to say the least, but for some reason, she felt a ticklish sensation within her heart as she giggled softly. “Ah-haha… Alum, I’m speechless. Truly,” she said with a dazzling smile.

 “Mm,” Alum only nodded. However, a soft yawn escaped his lips. Instead of lingering on the topic of himself, he peered Luna in the eyes. “Did you sleep well?” he asked.

 “Mm, I did. Thank you for lending me your shoulder.”

 “No worries, since it’s morning, should we have breakfast?”

 Luna usually didn’t have breakfast this early in the morning. The sun was still at the horizon, and Ilifel barely came into view when she glanced toward the ocean. But… Growl—her stomach rumbled a little for whatever reason, causing her face to heat up and turn rosy. Despite being expressionless, it was apparent even to Alum that Luna was embarrassed.

 “…Did my stomach growl when I was asleep…?” Luna sheepishly looked at him, her voice as tiny as her posture.

 “Yes, that,” Alum replied.

 Luna could tell it was the reason Alum suggested having breakfast in the first place. Her face grew hotter with each passing moment.

 “I… would like breakfast, thank you…” she averted her gaze, her lips pouting as her cheeks were puffed a little as she sulked.

 Although ashamed, she couldn’t comment on Alum’s lack of tact—or perhaps blunt honesty at her question. Still, his consideration warmed her chest. It was cozy, lacking any jitter or angst she might’ve expected from embarrassment.

 Luna couldn’t help but smile—even she knew there was a smile on her face.

 “So… how long are you going to… pat my head?”

 “…” Her smile slowly faded as she was stunned momentarily. Luna had forgotten, and it had become an unconscious motion. “Do you dislike it?” she said, reluctantly retracting her hand.

 “I don’t.”

 “I see…” her lips tugged into a small smile as she lowered her gaze. “Shall we head down for breakfast then?” she asked. Unlike her pleasant but cold voice from when they first met, it was now somewhat childish and warm.

 “Mm, let’s,” Alum replied.

 He slowly got up and reached out a helping hand for her. He knew she didn’t need help getting up, and Luna knew that too—she’d never taken anyone’s hand like this before. Her hands were soft and small, almost fragile—though they weren’t. But as she held his hand, they might as well be.

 “What are we…? I don’t think we’re ordinary friends…” Luna mumbled.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

 “Mm?” Alum tilted his head slightly—she’s right… my only other female friend is Miu, but it’s not like this between us… it’s perhaps because… But before Alum could finish his thoughts, Luna tugged his arm.

 “Best friends…?” she suggested, her gesture timid, filled with anxiety—her eyes big and her lips closely sealed, her head slightly tilted to the side.

 “…”

 Alum contemplated for a second. Luna = more than a friend = kin - lovers - family = best friend? Hm? Noel = more than a friend - lovers -+ family = best friend. Emely = family. Miu = friend +- x(romantic interests?) - family = friend…? David = hostile? - hostile + hug refusal + friend acceptance + helpful + clumsy = friend…? Mmhm… She’s a best friend, he concluded.

 “Mm, best friends,” Alum nodded, flashing her a gentle smile.

 “…!” Luna’s eyes twinkled; her return smite more dazzling than his. “Mm!” she nodded, sidestepping closer till her shoulder brushed against his arm.

  …

 ..

 In the usually echoey hall of the airship, mouths were agape as chins hung. Wide open eyes stared at the two youths walking side by side. One had jet-black hair, while the other had a mix of black and silver hair. Their gold and silver eyes complimented one another as did their height difference: a handsome young man walked beside their elegant and beautiful princess.

 Once they arrived at the cafeteria, the silent, groggy mood became filled with whispers. Luna and Alum ignored them and picked whatever food they wanted. Alum wasn’t familiar with the food and left it to Luna. And with a tray of different kinds of food, the two headed to a place to sit.

 “Like this, we can share,” Luna said.

 “I see,” Alum replied, scooping up the vegetable soup and tasting it.

 Watching him eat, Luna picked up a crusty piece of bread on a fork and directed it towards him as if to feed him. Alum bit into the bread. It was as if his pallets were being cleansed; his mouth was left dry, longing for more soup.

 “How was it?” Luna queried expressionlessly—but a small smile surfaced as Alum’s eyes lit up.

 “It’s good,” he replied. He picked up her spoon and scooped up some soup for her.

 A little surprised, Luna ate it—her face turned bright red. As soon as she swallowed, her eyes became slightly teary as she stuck out her tongue, panting from the heat.

 “…How can you eat it like that…?” she said while childishly fanning her tongue with her hands with tiny teardrops at the corner of her eyes.

 “Hm? Was it that hot?” Alum seemed genuinely confused.

 “I was…” Luna pouted, her eyes narrowed as she glared at him. “Your face is red… are you okay?”

 “Oh, it’s hot then…” Alum said calmly and drank a glass of some orange juice that tasted like grapes.

 “…”

 Is he… numb to heat and cold? Luna wondered. He didn’t seem bothered by the cold up on the deck, either…

 Meanwhile, as the two continued eating, the few crew members and soldiers in the cafeteria whispered among themselves.

 “Did Princess Luna just… feed him!?”

 “Guh… not only that, he fed her and… her reaction is… ADORABLE!?”

 “Woah! You’re right! Who would’ve known the cold, stoic princess could be so darn cute?!”

 “Girls… you should be more respectful to the Princess…”

 “Said you! You dropped your spoon into your soup, looking lovestruck!”

 “Ugh!” the man groaned, clenching his chest. “I can’t argue with that…”

 “Wait…! Isn’t that a Wanderer?! What powers does he have to befriend her of all people!? Did he max his charisma in Tactical Spellbook!?”

 “Shh, he doesn’t seem all that outgoing—it’s the silence charisma! Oh, and something you’ll never have.”

 “Urk…” the man’s elbow struck the table as he posed defeat. “I know… I know, dammit!”

 Except for them, the other crew members peeked into the cafeteria from the corridor.

 …

  ..

 In a small room gently lit by the morning sun, Noel slowly opened his eyes to the sound of knocks on his door. Sluggishly, he rubbed his eyes and got off the bed, slapping his face lightly to wake himself up fully.

 “I’ll open in just a moment,” he said calmly.

 A uniform and a mirror were on a desk next to the bed. His hair was slightly disheveled; his expression was clearly not as cheerful or lively as he wanted it to be. And the muscle that usually hid under his clothes ached somewhat for some reason.

 “…They’re… slightly larger and stiffer,” he noted when he looked at his chest and abs. “Woah… my arms too? Damn… did I just get hotter?” he jest as he playfully jabbed at his ego.

 A moment later, he wore a long-sleeved white shirt and black pants. The fabric was silky but had a nice, subtle texture. On top of the shirt was a long cloak with a hood—I look pretty cool, dare I say, he thought while v posing with a hand on his chin in front of the mirror.

 “…”

 Well, enough of that, he thought.

 Noel finally went to open the door. Right outside, he found Chely crossing her arms, leaning on the wall beside the windows. Their eyes met, and a casual smile tugged on his lips.

 “Good morning, Lady Chely,” he greeted her with a slight wave.

 “Didn’t I tell you not to call me that? It gives me the shivers,” Chely replied, hugging herself while looking at him with mild disgust.

 “I jest. I knew nobody was around, so I wanted to tease you a little,” Noel grinned and walked up to her, leaning on the wall beside her.

 “Sigh… that’s like you…” Chely softly chuckled.

 “Oh? You say that so easily despite having known me for just a day?”

 “Well… it might’ve been presumptuous of me, but I believe we’ve gotten to know each other pretty well on a surface level,” Chely said.

 “Hmm,” Noel mused. “So? Why are you here so early? Have we arrived?”

 “Not yet, but we are serving food now at the cafeteria. My subordinates have already awakened the other wanderers and headed there.”

 “Got it… So? You wanted to wake me up personally?” Noel teased as he nudged her on the arm with his elbow.

 “Hmph! In your dreams!” Chely retorted, her face slightly red.

 “…”

 I… pretty much am in a dream right now. At least that’s what it feels like… he remarked inwardly.

 “Haha,” Noel laughed it off. “You wanted to talk, right?” he added, grinning teasingly.

 “Ugh… well... In any case, I think you should keep an eye on your friend. He’s… Come to the cafeteria and see for yourself—”

 “???” Confused, Noel’s head leaned to the side subconsciously.

 At the cafeteria, he saw his best friend close to a girl with silver and back hair. She was significantly shorter than him, and they were chummy with one another. His childhood friend Miu seemed to have spaced out while looking at the two blankly.

 Ah… is she finally realizing he might be stolen one day?

 Noel walked up to her and flung his arm over her shoulders. “Morning, Miu,” he greeted her with a cheerful smile.

 Her gaze trotted toward his, and she seemed to have snapped out of her daze. “Oh! Um… Morning…”

 “What? You jelly that a girl he just met managed to get closer to him while you couldn’t for months?”

 “Noel,” Miu voiced coolly with a smile.

 The light in her eyes vanished for a moment, freezing everyone on the spot—however, Miu blushed and snapped out of it when she realized the murky heaviness in her chest.

 “S-sorry, I didn’t intend… to be so cold towards you…”

 “Nah, it’s on me. Sorry, I stepped on a mine.” Noel retracted his arm and scratched his neck lightly as he apologized.

 “If… you say so… anyways, I’m not jealous or anything, a bit envious maybe. Look! Such a cute girl is feeding him! That’s not fair. I wanna be her friend too!”

 Noel glanced over at Alum and the girl—

 “Oh, your right… damn,” subtly, he turned toward Chely.

 “What?” Chely said coldly, but her ears turned slightly red.

 Hmm? I wonder what she imagined. Noel smirked inwardly.

 Instead of queuing to get breakfast like the others, he walked up to Alum and the mysterious girl. Chely sighed and walked behind him in case.

 “Sup!” he greeted Alum casually as he sat beside him.

 “Morning,” Alum replied casually.

 Noel rested his elbow on the table, his chin leaning on his palm. “I see you’ve made a new friend?” he questioned lightly as his glance darted between Alum and the girl.

 “Mm. She’s Luna. My new best friend.”

 “…”

 Suddenly, Noel glared at Luna with a deadpan expression—new best friend…? He thought with a hint of hostility.

 “Luna. He’s Noel. My best friend, too.”

 As soon as Noel heard those words, his cheerful dazzle returned—as if blinded, Luna narrowed her eyes and glared at Noel as if the tables had turned.

 “…Noel, right?”

 “And you’re Luna…?”

 Luna’s pleasant voice rang cold, but Noel didn’t mind. He replied gently while he smiled warmly—he’s mine, their eyes said as if declaring war.

 “…”

 Stuck between his best friends, Alum quietly scooped up soup on a spoon and shoved it into their mouths as they were about to say something.

 “…!”

 Both Luna and Noel exclaimed as the hot soup assaulted their mouth. They both turned teary-eyed. Luna reached for the drink beside her while Noel snatched Alum’s glass. As they gulped down the drinks, they glared at Alum, who chuckled lightly.

 Meanwhile…

 I don’t even know who’s more jealous anymore, Chely sighed inwardly as she watched the three.

 “…”

 Alum Miller… He has an odd way to connect with secluded people, it seems… Noel, on the other hand… I should make sure he’s far away from my precious Ame… No, it’s perhaps Alum Miller I should be cautious of…

 …

 ..

 “—Achoo…”  

 Early on the academy grounds, Amethely sneezed lightly. Embarrassed, she looked around. Relieved that it was so early and empty, she held the research papers tightly and headed toward the lab; her light steps echoed like a gentle beat.

 …

 ..

 As the others joined them around the tables, Kevin looked at the scene unfolding. The lack of his usual cheerfulness or dumbness worried his friends—they sort of understood why.

 Most of them felt it, too—the withdrawals from technology. Now that everything had calmed down and they didn’t have to worry about starving to death or being attacked suddenly, something went missing inside them.

 Some of them weren’t as addicted as others, but Kevin was practically chronically online—or so they thought.

 Lena noticed something strange. Kevin didn’t seem as depressed to her—he seemed almost anxious about something. Lova also picked it up and saw how he’d been looking at Luna. Kurt and Daniel soon noticed as well.

 Oh… did he fall in love and have his heart broken instantly…? They wondered as Kevin subtly glanced at Alum and Luna.

 But suddenly, they all felt sick. Struck by a headache, it was as if their stomachs twisted weirdly—they’d entered the barrier’s influence.

 Chely had warned them about how the barrier might affect them and had suggested wearing a control crystal amulet—of course, they refused since it was suspicious at best. The Hero respected their decision and didn’t press the topic further—but now, some of them came to regret that decision as they felt nauseous to the point of fainting.

 Quickly, the crew guided them to their rooms and only Alum, Noel, and Miu were left. Noel waved to the others as if to say, ‘Catch you guys later.’

 He turned to Chely, seated in front of him with a smug look, and pulled out an amulet from underneath his shirt. She rolled her eyes and turned away from him, but he noticed a faint smile on her face as she began to eat again.

 Miu and Alum, on the other hand, didn’t have an amulet but seemed fine either way. It seemed like Miu’s mana resonated well with the barrier’s influence without needing to adjust. But in Alum’s case, he seemed to simply not care. So, the others thought nothing of it as they finished their meals.

 …

 ..

 With the sun now above the horizon, the airship Howlen hovered above Ilifel. Howlen began to descend beneath the cloud, slowly revealing the glistening ocean dancing off the sun’s rays, and the whole city came into view.

 Ilifel: a paradise with tall buildings and integrated infrastructure. Airships similar to theirs hovered above, going from and to places as train-like carts traveled in the sky and on land—especially around the metropolitan areas. The tracks lead to all kinds of areas, whether large fields or suburbs.

 Below were many kinds of buildings, but what stood out most were the taller ones with rounded edges and dome-like roofs which were lime-stone looking, giving it a classical look from their world.

 The city had a mix of flora on the streets and on the buildings themselves, too. There was even a lush forest around the central area up ahead.

 “Woah…” Noel couldn’t take his eyes off the glass window like a child with sparkly eyes. “It looks more awesome than it does in those 3d projections…” he murmured.

 “You’re such a kid,” Chely casually said.

 “Ey, I’m not alone here…” Noel replied, nudging her eyes toward Alum and Miu with his.

 Chely’s eyes followed and saw two equally engaged individuals with wide-open eyes filled with childish excitement, causing her to chuckle a little—they are excited, too… she thought.

 “Hey Alum, look, look, that building over there looks like a cat,” Miu said as she tugged Alum’s sleeve.

 “It’s cute…” he said, smiling faintly towards her.

 “Right?” Miu returned the smile tenfold like a dazzling light.

 “…”

 Luna tugged Alum’s arm. “Welcome to Ilifel,” she said gently, softly flashing him a smile. “Oh, that’s my family home.” She pointed at a massive manor in the middle of the city.

 “I see,” Alum replied. “It’s quite big.”

 “Mm, and somewhat lonesome, too,” Luna added.

 “I felt the same…” Alum commented. His reaction was more muted than usual.

 “…”

 Sensing that something was off, Luna stretched her arm to poke Alum on the cheek to direct his attention elsewhere. Miu watched with her cheeks slowly puffed unconsciously, forming a slight pout on her lips.

 “Over there is the grand library,” Luna added.

 “I see,” Alum replied with elevated interest, his eyes brightened again.

 As that was happening, Noel was still stuck on the building Luna pointed towards earlier—if I recall… isn’t that… the royal palace…? He commented internally.

 He turned towards Chely, who snickered lightly before nodding in affirmation, leaving him momentarily speechless.

 Luna then turned towards Noel and Miu, placing one hand on her chest as she gracefully reached out with the other one. She peered at them with her moon-like eyes.

 “Welcome to Ilifel, dearest guests from another world. My name is Luna Ilifel; I promise your prosperity in the name of Ilifel.”

 Noel and Miu were left speechless—she’s THE Imperial Princess!? They exclaimed as their minds raced. They turned toward Alum, but he was just watching the city below.

 “Pfft…” in the background, Chely softly giggled.

Extra:

 “Hey! Professor Emely! Did you just see that!? The animal fed ME!” Noel exasperated.

 “Hahaha, he sure did!” Emely giggled softly.

 “What’s next? Is he gonna pet me?!” he questioned.

 “—No,” Luna joined abruptly. “I petted him.”

 “Uh… what? How’s that relevant?” Noel scoffed, causing Luna’s eyes to twitch.

 “Insolent, it means he has to return the favor—he won’t be petting you, but me!”

 “Grr…” Noel gritted his teeth.

 “…Mmh!” Luna, on the other hand, pouted in silence as she stared at her rival.

 “—Emy, your hair is extra silky and soft today…” Alum said abruptly.

 While Noel and Luna bantered, they hadn’t realized Emely stole the show by hugging Alum and having him stroke her hair.

 “Hehehe,” Emely laughed lightly as she buried her face in Alum’s chest.

 “…” Noel and Luna were somewhat defeated as they stared.

 Mine’s soft, too… maybe not silky, but.. Fluffy? Miu twirled her hair as she watched.

 On the other hand, Chely sighed—now I feel like I want to pat something too… Subconsciously, she reached out and stroked Miu’s hair.

 “…!?” Miu blushed and turned towards her.

 “—Ah.”

 Chely realized what she’d done but didn’t stop, pretending it was intentional as she patted Miu. Miu also realized that Chely was awkward since she assumed she didn't intend for it to happen. So, Miu quietly accepted her fate as the hero refused to backtrack. Before long, she was like a cat snuggling up to Chely. Miu was now being hugged and pampered.

 “…” Luna and Noel noticed they were now the odd ones and exchanged glances—no way! They thought as they glared at one another.