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Aina, who had been kneeling beside Riveria, finally finished her task. Carefully, she placed the pen and parchment on her lap and let out a relieved sigh. "Done," she said, straightening her back, which had started to ache from being hunched over for so long.
Hearing this, Riveria's eyelids, which had been closed, immediately fluttered open. Her bright green eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. Without hesitation, she rose from her prone position, leaving behind the warmth of the sheets where she had been resting.
As she moved, she suddenly realized something—she was still topless. Instinctively, her right hand quickly covered her ample chest, while her left hand reached out toward Aina. "Give it to me," she said with a hopeful tone, almost like a child asking for a gift.
Aina sighed at her friend's excitement. Instead of handing over the parchment right away, she bent down and picked something up from the floor—a black bra that Riveria had discarded earlier. Without a word, she tossed the undergarment right onto Riveria's face. "Put this on first," she said firmly.
Riveria paused for a moment, feeling the soft fabric now covering her face. "Mmmph... Aina?" she mumbled, slightly annoyed by the sudden surprise.
"No buts," Aina said, folding her arms across her chest. "You know I can't let you read something in that state. At least put your bra on before we continue."
Riveria sighed, then obediently took the bra and began putting it back on. She was used to Aina's motherly nature—she had always acted like an older sister, looking out for her since they were young.
Once she was done, she turned back to Aina, who was now smiling faintly. "Fuhh, you really haven't changed, Riveria," Aina said, shaking her head. "When something catches your interest, everything else just fades away. You don't even care about the elegant image you usually project in front of others."
Riveria could only smile faintly, not denying it. "I guess that's just how I am," she said lightly. She then extended her hand again, this time more calmly. "Now, may I see it?"
Aina finally handed over the parchment, and Riveria accepted it with a look of intense curiosity.
Riveria gazed at the parchment in her hands with admiration. Drawn on it was an intricate tree-like pattern, every line and curve resembling part of a sacred calligraphy. "So... this is what it looks like," she murmured softly, almost as if speaking to herself.
As an Elf who had spent her life studying magic, she had never imagined that such a beautiful and complex pattern was hidden within her own body. Each branch of the "tree" looked like a flow of energy, like pulsating veins. So this is what Shirou saw... when he first activated my magic circuits? she thought to herself, her face heating up as she recalled that incident.
Beside her, Aina leaned over to look at the copied result. Her eyes narrowed as she examined the intricate lines. "Hmmm... this is too complicated," she said, tapping her chin with the pen. "We'll have to separate each ancient hieroglyph if we want to understand its meaning."
Riveria nodded quickly, her face glowing with excitement. "Alright! We have to finish this tonight!" she declared firmly. The drowsiness that had been creeping up on her vanished without a trace, replaced by a burning curiosity.
However, Aina could only let out a long sigh and shake her head. "I knew it," she said resignedly. "But aren't you satisfied with just copying it? It's better if we put on our nightgowns and continue tomorrow."
Riveria glanced at Aina and chuckled softly. "Why? It's just the two of us here, right? It's fine if we're just in our underwear," she said casually. Her hand moved to tidy up the strands of her green hair that had fallen to the side, then she added, "In the meantime, could you grab the hieroglyph dictionary from earlier?"
Aina looked at her friend, who seemed so enthusiastic, and let out a long sigh. She glanced at her own body, currently clad only in a white set of underwear. She honestly couldn't understand how Riveria, who always appeared so elegant and dignified in public, could be so nonchalant in such a situation.
"Alright, alright," she said, raising both hands in surrender. "Wait a moment. I'll get it from the living room."
Without another word, Aina got up from the bed, her footsteps light as she walked out of the room toward the living room where she had left the dictionary earlier. Meanwhile, Riveria continued to gaze at the parchment in her hands, a small smile on her face.
Not long after, the sound of light footsteps approached. Aina returned to the room carrying a thick, worn-out dictionary, along with two rolls of parchment and a pair of pens. "I brought you a parchment and pen, too, so we can each take notes," she said with a smile.
Riveria, who had been sitting cross-legged on the bed with the rune tree parchment spread out on her lap, looked up and accepted the pen and parchment with a nod of thanks. Her eyes remained fixed on the intricate lines in front of her, trying to make sense of the pattern.
Aina climbed onto the bed and sat beside Riveria. They placed the parchment with the tree-shaped rune in the middle so both could see it clearly. Carefully, Aina opened the ancient Elf hieroglyph dictionary she had brought, flipping through the pages until she reached the section that might relate to the rune.
"Alright, let's start from the top," Riveria murmured, touching one of the branches of the rune with her finger.
The scene in the room was a contrast yet harmonious. Two Elves with long green hair sat side by side on the bed, their eyes focused intently on the parchment between them.
Riveria, clad in black underwear, looked different from the elegant figure others usually saw. Her eyes sparkled with academic enthusiasm, her face slightly tilted forward, her lips occasionally moving as she read silently or whispered something she was trying to understand. Her research fervor burned brightly, as if she wouldn't let any mystery of the rune remain unsolved tonight.
On the other hand, Aina, in white underwear, gave off a more maternal vibe. Although she still looked young physically, the fact that she had two daughters nearing adulthood was evident in the way she carried herself. Her face radiated calmness and patience, two traits she seemed to always possess in any situation, including calming her overly enthusiastic friend.
They both began writing down their thoughts on their respective parchments, discussing each part of the rune. Every word they identified was immediately noted and compared with references from the dictionary. It took a while, but slowly, the meaning of the rune's calligraphy began to unfold.
After a long time, they finally managed to piece together the words from the hieroglyphs written in the tree pattern. Riveria let out a long sigh, then wrote down the rough translation they had compiled together:
Blóð hēahælfes cynelic bēoð eald and unswīðred, se þe wyrhta sylf asceóp
She glanced at Aina with a satisfied expression. "We did it...!" she whispered softly, almost disbelieving that they had managed to decipher it this far.
Aina smiled and stretched slightly. "Now all that's left is to translate it into a language we can better understand," she said, picking up the dictionary again. "Let's hope the meaning isn't too complicated."
Aina and Riveria stared at the sentence they had just pieced together, trying to understand its meaning more deeply. They knew that translating word by word wasn't enough; they had to ensure that the meaning made sense in the context of Elf history and culture.
"Alright, let's start with the first part," Aina murmured, moving her index finger along the ancient words on the parchment. "Blóð hēahælfes cynelic... Hmm, 'blóð' means blood, 'hēahælfes' means High Elf, and 'cynelic' means noble or royal lineage..."
Riveria nodded. "So this part means 'The blood of High Elf nobility.'"
Aina wrote it down on a separate parchment, then continued to the next part. "'Bēoð eald and unswīðred'... 'bēoð' is a form of 'to be' or 'to exist,' 'eald' means old or ancient, and 'unswīðred'..." She frowned, searching for the word in the dictionary. "Ah, it means 'unfading' or 'unweakening.'"
"So it means, 'is ancient and unfading,'" Riveria concluded, tapping the pen on the bed.
Aina smiled faintly. "Yes, that makes sense so far. Then the last part, 'se þe wyrhta sylf asceóp'... 'Se þe' means 'he who,' 'wyrhta' is 'maker' or 'creator,' 'sylf' means 'himself,' and 'asceóp'..."
Riveria glanced at the dictionary. "The past tense of 'to shape' or 'to create.'"
Aina nodded, writing down their translation in more modern Koine: "The blood of High Elf nobility is ancient and unfading, shaped by the Creator himself."
Both of them fell silent for a moment, digesting the meaning behind the sentence.
"This sentence..." Aina murmured softly, her gaze slightly distant. "It sounds like something related to the origin of the Elf race. There's a legend that says Elves were created directly by the gods."
Riveria looked at her friend and nodded slowly, but there was a hint of doubt in her eyes. "That is a legend often told, but the problem is... we don't know which god is being referred to. Or is it more than one?"
Aina nodded slightly, rubbing her eyes, which were starting to feel heavy. "Yes, it could be more than one. But... this is too deep for us to discuss now..." She yawned widely, her eyes half-closed. "Hoaam... I'm starting to get sleepy, Riveria... How about we rest for now?"
Riveria glanced at Aina, who was starting to sound tired, and smiled faintly. "Alright, but just for a bit... Lie face down, Aina."
Aina opened one eye in confusion. "Huh? What for?"
Riveria only smiled mysteriously, gesturing with her hand. Aina sighed in resignation and lay face down on the bed. "What are you up to, Riveria...?" she asked in a sleepy voice.
Riveria didn't answer immediately, only grinning slightly as she rubbed her hands, preparing to do something.
As Aina began to feel sleepiness overtake her, she suddenly felt something strange on her back. A soft sensation as the clasp of her white bra came undone. Her eyes shot open, and her body tensed.
"Eh!? R-Riveria!?" she exclaimed, quickly trying to hold the loosened fabric against her body.
Riveria, still sitting behind her with a calm expression, only smiled faintly. "Don't panic, Aina. I just want to check something."
Aina looked back at her with suspicious eyes. "Check what? And why did you have to undo my bra!?" She hurriedly covered her chest with her hands, her face starting to turn red.
Riveria let out a slow sigh. "Based on the parchment earlier, this rune seems to be a blessing for High Elves. I just want to confirm something."
Aina huffed in annoyance, trying to adjust her prone position but still letting Riveria speak. "I'm not a noble like you, Riveria! You're a direct descendant of the Alf family, while I..."
Riveria took the parchment containing the tree-shaped rune and placed it beside Aina's smooth, white back. "That's true," she said softly. "But even though you don't have a family name like Alf, you're still a pure High Elf. Your blood is still connected to the ancient lineage, just like mine."
Aina fell silent for a moment, unable to deny Riveria's words. She knew that the High Elf blood within her was still special, regardless of whether she came from a noble family or not. Letting out a long sigh, she finally gave in. "Alright... But you still have to explain what you're going to do."
Riveria smiled contentedly, feeling that Aina was finally willing to cooperate. "I'm going to use a Magecraft called Structural Analysis. It's a technique that allows someone to read the structure of an object—or, in this case, your body. I want to see if this rune also appears on you."
Aina raised an eyebrow, slightly confused. "Another Magecraft technique, huh? This is the first time I've heard of something like this..." She then sighed and pressed her face into the bed. "But... will it hurt?"
Riveria, who had already prepared her Magecraft, extended her hand and began gently stroking Aina's back. "Don't worry," she said in a soothing voice. "It will only feel like a slight tingle. I'll do it slowly."
Aina bit her lip, still feeling a bit awkward, but eventually closed her eyes and let Riveria proceed. "Alright... I trust you, Riveria..."
With a small smile on her face, Riveria began channeling her magical energy, ready to find out if the ancient rune also existed within her friend.
Riveria began channeling prana to the tip of her finger and gently touched Aina's back. As soon as the flow of magical energy entered her friend's body, Aina shivered.
"Uhh... I-I can really feel it..." she murmured, her voice slightly trembling. The warm, pulsating sensation spread across her entire back, almost like a gentle electric current tickling her skin.
Riveria's eyes narrowed as she focused on observing Aina's back. A moment later, her green pupils dilated, and her expression changed to one of surprise. "Found it!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement.
She quickly compared her findings with the copied rune on the parchment. The shape was completely identical. The ancient, swirling lines forming the tree pattern were clearly visible on Aina's back, though unlike hers, the rune seemed to be inactive.
Aina, still lying face down, quickly sat up. With a bit of haste, she reattached her white bra while looking at Riveria with great anticipation. "So, what does this mean? Can I use Magecraft like you do?" she asked hopefully.
Riveria nodded slowly. "Yes, most likely. This rune seems to indicate that you have the same potential..." She then paused before continuing with a slightly hesitant tone, "But the problem is, I'm not good at activating magic circuits myself. I'm not like 'that guy' who can do it so easily like—"
Riveria stopped herself before finishing the sentence, but Aina had already caught her drift. A mischievous smile appeared on her face as she folded her arms under her chest. "Ohhh, so you mean I need that guy you like to activate my magic circuits?" She then rested her chin on her palm with a teasing expression. "But... if that's the case, someone might get jealous, you know."
Riveria raised an eyebrow. "Jealous?"
Aina smiled broadly, then leaned closer to Riveria. "Yes, my husband, of course. I'm not sure he'd be happy if he knew another man was touching his wife's back while she's half-naked, even if it's for a magic ritual."
Riveria smiled faintly, understanding Aina's point. "That's true. You're married, so that would definitely be a problem," she said calmly.
However, Aina wasn't done. She tilted her head with a meaningful expression, then added in a teasing tone, "But it's not just my husband who would get jealous... You'd probably feel bothered, too, if your crush got cozy with me, right?"
"Guh—!" Riveria choked slightly, her body tensing up a bit. She tried to maintain her neutral expression, but Aina's words had hit a nerve.
In her heart, she remembered something—or rather, someone.
The scene flashed back in her mind... When Shirou examined the rune on Lefiya's back. At that time, Riveria had only observed from a distance, pretending not to care. But there was something strange she felt when she saw it. A feeling that was hard to describe, something that unsettled her heart.
However, unlike Aina and herself, Lefiya wasn't a High Elf. That's why the rune on her back was incomplete, unlike theirs.
Riveria let out a long sigh and tried to ignore the strange feeling that had resurfaced. "I-I don't know what you're talking about," she finally said, turning away to hide her expression.
Aina only chuckled softly, feeling satisfied that she had successfully teased her friend. "Well, I'll just take that as an indirect confession."
Riveria could only close her eyes and take a deep breath. Today has been exhausting...
Riveria exhaled deeply before letting her body fall back onto the bed casually. Her eyes were half-closed, but there was a small smile at the corner of her lips as she spoke. "No need to worry about that, Aina. You don't need that guy to activate your magic circuits. I'll learn from him... so no one needs to be jealous."
Her tone sounded casual, but still, she was reluctant to mention the name of the guy she was referring to. In her mind, she thought Shirou probably wouldn't mind. She was sure of it. Shirou was someone who didn't overthink things like this. He would just focus on what he could help with, without any ulterior motives.
Aina raised an eyebrow while crossing her arms. "Yeah, yeah... I know. Besides, you're already used to learning Magecraft from that guy you like, right?" she said teasingly.
Riveria didn't respond. She only hugged Aina's pillow tightly and closed her eyes, choosing to ignore her friend's teasing.
Aina let out a long sigh. She glanced at their bodies, still clad only in underwear, and although she didn't mind much, the night breeze from the window made her feel a bit cold.
With a casual movement, Aina lay down beside Riveria, then pulled the blanket from the side of the bed and covered them both. "Let's just sleep. I'm sure you'll be even more excited to discuss this again tomorrow."
Riveria didn't reply, only mumbling something indistinct before finally feeling comfortable under the warmth of the blanket. The night grew late, and in that room, two Elves who were very different in nature but bound by a deep friendship finally fell asleep, their minds still filled with questions about the mysterious rune they had just discovered.