Sweet floral scent. Hazy steam. And the touch of warm water. A small sigh breezed as a youth leaned back, gazing up at the dim lights on the ceiling. Water drops ran down his wet, slicked-back hair.

 It was supposed to be relaxing, yet he couldn’t ease the tension—neither his body nor mind. His body has never been this heavy, and his mind has never been this clouded.

—Sigh… 

 As another sigh escaped his slightly parted lips, his eyes hung half-lidded and dazed. Once in a while, Alum would feel regret resurface in his mind and let it spiral. And red pages of recollection kept turning in what was supposed to be a relaxing bath. Then, it stopped turning. The page was melancholic, blue, and pale. A girl with ruby-red eyes tearfully. Her head leaned slightly to the side as she mustered a pained smile.

 “Miu…” a hushed murmur unconsciously escaped.

 His chest tightly squeezed as the sharp pain clasped his heart. Slowly, he clenched his chest, painfully gritting his teeth as he thought—Unbelievable…

  ..

 When Alum made his way out of the bathroom, he found Amethely cooking—♪Mmm~hmm, la~laa~la~nah~mmh~hmm~♪ Happily, she hummed, her head swayed side to side rhythmically. Sheepishly, she smiled.

  The sizzling noise and the pleasant aroma of food tickled and roused his hunger. His world lit up. The grayscale splashed with saturated, cozy, warm colors—his heart squeezed, sending sharp pain throughout his chest. And yet. It wasn’t unpleasant. It was the same sensation from earlier, and yet, this time, it was somehow different.

 “Nnh? Ah! A-Al…” Bashfully, her attention turned toward him. “S-since were you standing there?” she softly asked as her cheeks reddened.

 “…”

 Alum didn’t know what it was. Was it her subtle head tilt? Her shy, shaky eyes? Or her soft-looking lips which were left slightly parted? Her warm tone? He didn’t know how he could be so attracted to her. But he did know—I love her… he thought without question.

 “I-I just got out,” he replied, subtly averting his eyes as he tapped his hair with the towel. “It smells nice. What are you making?” he calmly inquired while scratching his cheek, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes.

 Wh-whaa~? Aww~! He’s so adorable! She swooned after noticing Alum act shy.

 “Steak! I’m making steak!” she declared with a blinding smile.

 Left squinting his eyes, Alum thought—bright…

 “Or—”

 Before she could speak, Alum interrupted. “I’m not picky. And it smells delicious,” he said.

 “O-oh…” Amethely sighed quietly. “I’m relieved. Eh~he~hehe~” she giggled. “It’s done soon. Could you wait a few more minutes?”

 “No,” Alum replied monotonously.

 “Huh…? I’m troubled, you know?” Noticing that she’d been teased, Amethely puffed her cheeks into an adorable pout as her eyes narrowed. With fists resting on her hips, she scolded him playfully. “Please wait!” she voiced in mock exasperation.

 “Pfft…” a light chuckle escaped Alum’s lips. “Hmm, got caught?” he slightly leaned his head sideways.

 Then, instead of heading toward the diner table, he headed toward Amethely, who continued to eye with narrow eyes. Yet, she couldn’t hold the facade for too long before the sulking melted into a shy smile.

 “Meanie…” she lightly huffed as she giggled.

 Instinctively, Alum wanted to hug her, but since she was cooking, he refrained. It wasn’t surprising per se; he was usually controlled and composed, but when it came to Amethely, he’d find himself impulsive. It might’ve been strange that he didn’t act on it, in a way.

 Smugly, he asked, “Can I help?” brushing off her previous comment about him being a meanie.

 “Nnn… but I’ve already finished everything though?” Amethely teased back. “The vegetables are nicely washed, rinsed, chopped, and potatoes are in the oven too,” she added, grinning playfully.

 “No sauce?” Alum smiled subtly, tilting his head questioningly.

 “…” Amethely’s eyes darted away from his teasing gaze. “Well… after the steak is done,” she quietly murmured.

 “I jest. I’m told to stay away from the kitchen,” Alum confessed, chucking lightly.

 Curious, Amethely gazed into his golden eyes. “Huh? Why?” she inquired.

 “Not sure…” Alum averted his eyes.

 I somehow don’t doubt that… Amethely giggled inwardly, warmly watching his slightly flushed face.

  ..

 After eating the food prepared by Amethely, Alum found himself being stared at by the beautiful girl. Not many words were exchanged between the two, yet it wasn’t stale. With a dreamy look, Amethely rested on her palm, smiling gently.

 But the way she looked at him suddenly made him somewhat self-conscious. Getting somewhat awkward, he averted his gaze, leaving her giggling as he tried to focus on the food instead. The meat was tender and juicy—he thought, but couldn’t actually tell since he was enamored by her at this point.

 “Thank you for the food. It was good,” he said, locking eyes with her.

 “Really?” Amethely’s eyes widened, brimming with glittery joy. “Ehehe, I’m glad. And y-you’re welcome,” she added sheepishly.

 As those words escaped her, tension somehow seemed to be relieved from her body. Her shoulders sunk as she appeared more relaxed. Her gentle eyes warmed his chest, rousing fuzziness and comfort. It was as if she’d been trying to elicit a reaction—which succeeded, leaving him shy.

 He’s so cute… Amethely thought, struck by heartache. But… he seemed down today for some reason. Now that I think about it. Why is it that he looks unwell? Last time we met, he was coughing blood. This time, he seemed stressed out. Nnnhg…! I wanna be there for him! But I don’t want to pry…! Mmmgh… what a dilemma…

 “Mm? Ame, what’s wrong?” Alum asked while picking up their plates.

 Snapping out of her thoughts, Amethely blinked a few times. “Huh…? Oh… um, I should handle that…” she replied as she quickly got up.

 “It’s the least I can do. Besides, I still have some time before I need to leave.”

 “Mmm… okay…”

 Alum flashed her a soft smile before heading to the kitchen. But as soon as he arrived, she noticed a puzzled look surface on his face.

 My! Al surprisingly has a cute side like this, doesn’t he? Aww… it makes me want to take care of him~

 She giggled quietly before heading over to help him put it in the dishwasher.

  ..

 When it was time to say goodbye, Amethely really wanted to walk Alum back, yet he refused her offer, thinking it’d be a waste of her time. It wasn’t that he wanted to spend less time with her. It was just that it was inefficient for her to walk him and then back again.

 Of course, Amethely couldn’t rebuke that logic, thus huffing as she puffed her cheeks. Shyly, she spread her arms wide and looked sideways but glanced from the corner of her eyes.

 “Hug…?”

 Without any hesitation, Alum took one step and enveloped her in his arms, squeezing her tight. “Mm, I was going to,” he said.

 Amethely was soft. Despite the firm embrace, it wasn’t hurting. Instead, it was comforting as Amethely melted, pressing onto him fully.

 “Really?” she asked. Her usually warm and gentle tone was more sweet than usual, slightly childish in tone even.

 “Mm… Really.”

 “Hmm~ B-but the last time you asked me. And I thought I should be the one requesting one this time?” Amethely noted somewhat questioningly.

 “Mm?”

 Just as Alum mused something to himself, Amethely could feel his head shift to the side, a soft cheek then rested on her head.

 “What are we, taking turns?” he asked, amused by the conclusion he reached.

 Amethely couldn’t help but giggle at the teasing. “Oh! That sounds fun! Then you’re next?” she added playfully.

 “Pfft… sure.”

 Tenderly, she pulled away and looked up. “Al… I’ll come see you next time,” she bashfully spoke. “I want to know more about you… u-um… so… can I…?”

 “…” Alum flashed her a warm smile, his cheeks slightly rosy. “Of course. The sentiment’s—mm… t-to say... the feeling’s mutual.”

 It was a short reply, but it was all it took her heart to skip yet another beat—it always did with him around, yet she couldn’t get used to it.

 “Nnnhg…!” Amethely fidgeted as she looked down, clasping her hands and pushing them against her chest. “I-I’m getting all shy now…” she stammered, slowly looking up.

 “Hmm? You don’t say?” Alum teased, smirking, yet his facial muscles did not move.

 “You’re blunt…” Amethely giggled lightly.

 “Mm. See you later, Ame.”

 “Nn, bye-bye…” Amethely smiled, waving softly.

 “…”

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

 The two stood there in silence. Their eyes locked as the atmosphere began to emit a sweet fragrance and the room painted in vibrant warm colors—it was as if time stood still.

 “…It appears as though I don’t want to leave…” Alum confessed, scratching his cheek, chuckling.

 Meanwhile, Amethely covered the lower half of her face, blushing ferociously. “Y-yeah…” she managed to say.

 “Um… so… bye,” he said, stepping through the door.

 “Nn… bye…” Amethely replied, reluctant, but bid him off with a warm smile.

—Shiii-che-shi

 When the door closed, her shoulders rose as did her temperature—beet red and steamy hot all over, a small—poof, and a cloud of steam reeked from her head.

 Unsure of how to react, she ran and jumped onto the bed, burying her face in her pillow while kicking her feet. A strange but endearing squeal managed to escape, making her sound like a certain kitchen utensil.

 Today was so much fun! I got to spend so much time with him and, and… Aww, I love hiiiim!

  ..

 Walking back, Alum was dazed until he met up with his escorts. They seemed perplexed and tried to retain their professionalism, and yet, both couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle. The usually stoic Alum was—whether he knew it or not, smiling with rose-tinted cheeks.

 “Do you have a destination in mind, Mister Alum?” one of them asked.

 “Mm, the market.”

 The escorts exchanged glances. “Understood,” they affirmed.

 …

 ..

 In one of the open training facilities, a youth was drenched in sweat, running as he kept his even breath. A lot has happened since they arrived in this world, but he was slowly getting used to things around here.

 As he continued to run laps, his damped gray hair swayed freely as they’d lost their shape. Sometimes, they would obstruct his view. Nevertheless, his amber eyes stayed focused until he reached his goal of ten laps.

 Urk… these training amulets sure know how to make things difficult, he thought.

 A small huff then left his chest as he wiped off the sweat from his forehead. Occasionally, he’d receive glances from the others, but it didn’t bother him. And since the incident on the open plains, his distant classmates, who’d occasionally speak to him, were kind of scared to do so, especially when they learned the one they usually talked to was a facade.

 Yet, David did not care. After his successful revenge, he’d been independent but always felt empty inside. Whatever goal or goals people usually had, there was no such thing in sight.

 From a young age, he learned to be independent with survival as the sole motivation. He lacked aspiration. Other than wanting to show off, be cool, and be like the person he admired, there wasn’t much going on in his life—at least until now.

 David clenched his fists, almost grinning to himself—I’ll be useful to you, he cackled inwardly.

 He removed the amulet and focused on the practice dummy—his body surged with warmth and gathered the magical energy in his hand, materializing a blue spear with engravings of serpents.

 The ground beneath him had become wet, and he stepped forth. The water crystalized the ground instantly beneath his feet as he stabbed the spear into the ground—he reached his hand toward the target and clasped his hand.

—Krrrrrrr-shhhhhh!!

 Ice spears protruded from the ground, trying to impale the practice dummy. Its resistance was absurdly high, so he didn’t have to hold back—not that he was going to anyways. The moment his attack connected, two ice blocks smashed into the target.

 A thunderous clap echoed as shards of ice scattered everywhere. David breathed heavily as the expenditure of his mana was too much and too fast for him to recover, leaving him gasping for air. But…

—It’s still not enough… is it?

 Just as he was about to cast more magic, he noticed Alum walking toward him.

 “…”

 But, for some reason, his idol was uncharacteristically smiling. Even though it was faint, it was a smile.

 “Not bad,” Alum voiced calmly.

 “Thanks…” David averted his eyes, unconsciously placing a palm on his neck. “So, what are you doing here?”

 “Came to see a friend. You weren’t in your room.”

 “Y-yeah… I was restless,” David murmured.

 “Is that so? Either way, how are things going? Is Luna teaching you all well?” Alum inquired.

 “Oh, well… it’s not too difficult, I suppose. Though, The Princess is a bit frosty when you’re not around,” David shrugged.

 Alum chuckled. “Is that so?” he questioned. “Mm. She’s rather warm if you can look past her exterior,” he added casually.

 Umm… yeah, if you say so… David thought.

 “I’ll keep that in mind. But are you just here to talk? Though, it’s very unlike you.”

 “Something like that,” Alum shrugged. “I got you something. I’m not certain what you like,” he said, materializing bags of what seemed to be treats.

 I’m not really into sweets, but… well…

 “Thanks, I’ll pick the cookies then.”

 Alum tilted his head quizzically. “Mm? It’s all yours,” he added.

 Perplexed, a “Huh…?” escaped David’s lips.

  ..

 Earlier today, Miu already cried her heart out by the shore. Strangely enough, she could focus today despite being rejected and heartbroken—she had to confess, she felt proud she was stronger than she thought, even though she had her doubts.

 Regardless, today, she’d met a strange man named Alester, and when she asked Luna about him, she was met with wide eyes. Thus, she was told to come to Luna’s study later during the day—which was now.

  “I spoke to Uncle. Are you sure his name was Alester?”  

 Seated on a luxurious sofa, Luna spoke calmly as she poured them a drink—a pretty strange sight considering Luna’s status as royalty. Though Luna didn’t seem to care, and neither did Miu too much, although it was pretty grandiose for her.

 “Yeah… um… am I in trouble?” Miu joked lightly.

 “Mm, considering you’ve gotten away with comfortably cuddling me to sleep despite my protest, I’d say no.” Luna chuckled as she recalled the memory. “Though, why do I feel as though you’re awkward with me today?” she added.

 “Oh… um…”

 How could I possibly not be!? My crush has a crush on you! Or I think he has!

 “C-can we save that for later?” Miu mustered up the words.

 “I’m fine with that. So? You met him briefly at the shore, and then he disappeared?” Luna asked, patting the seat beside her.

 “Yeah… is he someone important? I mean, I figured he was… but he didn’t wear a uniform, so I thought he might’ve been off duty…”

“Mm, you could say he’s important. But he’s not a military official. Then again, if there was someone who’d be able to bypass our security, it’s him,” Luna shrugged.

 I… think you should be more concerned if that’s the case, Miu thought.

 And due to lingering awkwardness, Miu reluctantly sat beside Luna as she laid a few books on the table.

 “Not that he cares for mortal concerns,” Luna added, having guessed Miu’s thoughts.

 “I-I see… so he wasn’t human after all?”

 “…I’m not entirely sure either,” Luna mused, tilting her head. “I know he’s a powerful entity. Some consider him a God. Well… he’s not very well known amongst the common folk.”

 “What does that mean?” Miu asked nervously.

 “Simply put, he’s worshiped by the few wealthy nobles of long living lineages—such as elves and some beastkin. They believe he’s Ashen, Lord of Ash.”

 “…Even if you tell me, it’s not like I understand,” Miu chuckled awkwardly.

 “Mm, I suppose. But what caught my interest is that you spoke to him? Of course, I’m not doubting you, rather… why were you… umm… crying…?” Luna asked reluctantly.

 “H-huh? H-how did you—”

 “Well, the whole base has a sophisticated surveillance system. However, extracting visual information from it took time. But we did confirm you were with someone—it was a void. Which indicates they are at least as powerful as Uncle or Lady Chely.”

 “O-oh…”

 Miu gulped, which made Luna chuckle lightly. “Mm, though, he’s not necessarily dangerous. We refer to him as a neutral entity—even those who challenged him in the past were met with indifference.”

 However, what Luna didn’t mention was that there was one soul who declared war on Alester—The Dragon Emperor Theldroch. In the distant past, when the continent was more unstable, there was another empire in the central continent ruled by Dragonkin.

 But… that place is now but ruin and forest. What once was a prosperous empire had turned into a forest many dare not enter. The mana residue is so intense that even great birds avoid flying over the area.

 “Really?”

 “Mm, we’re investigating, so don’t worry. But…” Luna bit her cookie. “Why are you avoiding me today? Is it related to why you were crying?” she bluntly asked.

 “…”

 Struck by sharp pain, Miu clenched her chest. And the reason couldn’t have been more obvious to Luna. Even though she’s independent, or in short, a loner who interacts with few people, her observational skills were on par.

 “Did Al reject you?”

 Looking away, Miu finally opened her mouth, “He did…” with a pained expression. Luna, you’re mean… she thought.

 “I see. Cheer up. You’re beautiful. And my remark is valid—I’m beautiful, and if I tell you you are, then you must be.” Luna casually shrugged.

 “Ah-ahahaha… than you…” Miu blushed. Even though people usually call her pretty or beautiful, she hasn’t quite received one delivered like that—especially from a pretty girl with silver and black hair she deemed more pretty than her.

 Seeing Miu blush, Luna smirked, although subdued. “Mm. And I believe you to have misunderstood. It isn’t me whom Al likes,” she remarked, casually dropping a bomb.

 “!?”

 C-can she read minds!? No, wait… if it’s not Luna-chi, then who?!

 “I’ve known for the past week, I suppose. But it wasn’t something I could’ve told you. After all, he had to be the one.”

 “…”

 Before continuing, Luna sipped her tea. “But I suppose the reason for your sorrow is quite complicated. He likes you, you know?”

 Again, Miu was reminded of the fact that Alum did like her.

 “…”

 “Al and I. We’re similar. I can’t speak for him. But. I presume he’s scared of hurting people close to him. Even if he seems indifferent, he’s quite caring. I like myself. Thus, I like him. He cares for you. Thus do I. But even if he didn’t. I would.”

 “Luna… P-pfft… ahaha, you have a strange way of comforting people, you know?” Miu grinned teasingly.

 “S-shut up,” Luna rebuked, staring Miu dead in the eyes.

 “Still. Thanks.” Miu took a deep breath before sighing and clenching her chest. “Even so, it hurts.”

 “…I don’t really understand. I’m content being loved by him.”

 Before asking, Miu already knew what Luna would say but did so either way. “…Luna, have you ever been in love?” she spoke in a serious yet warm tone.

 “No…” Luna slightly shook her head.

 “Then…” Before Miu realized it herself, tears wheeled up in her eyes. “Alum you… you dummy… dummy, dummy, dummy!”

 Huh…? Frozen by the sudden outburst, Luna was unsure of what to do.

 “Hic… you said you liked me, yet… and yet… hic… awaaaa…. Ahaaa-waaa.”

 And while Luna was frozen on the spot, Miu pulled her into her and began sobbing uncontrollably. Like a plushie, Luna stared into space—how does one react in this situation? She thought.

 Luna began stroking Miu’s soft white hair as the crying continued—she somehow comforted someone even though she did not know how to. Then, time slowly passed, the golden light that shone began turning orange, and Miu was getting drowsy. This time, she was the one in Luna’s bosom.

 “Nngh… pillow… where…?” Miu murmured sleepily.

 Luna’s eyes twitched, but said nothing as she continued to comfort the heartbroken girl. A smile crept up on her face. Never did she think she’d make another friend so soon, not to mention someone opposite of her—sweet, innocent, and expressive.

 She didn’t know whether she’d get along with Miu, but she somehow did. How did it even begin? She knew, of course. First, it was a tug for Alum’s attention; she even thought Luna was her rival, and yet she still made an effort to befriend someone as cold-hearted as her.

 Love, huh? Everyone’s in love. I don’t understand what it is like, but… love. Mm, that does have a pleasant ring to it, even though it seems to cause more heartache than it’s worth.

A/N,

so… um, I have no excuse why this chapter was late. I got addicted to helldiving… difficulty 10 is such a menace but so fun…

I also thought about writing a valentine special, but like, c’mon, this series is like valentine on each chapter release either way, lol.

Also, gotta love Luna, haha.