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After finishing her tea and witnessing the unexpected incident between Bete and Linne, Riveria returned to her room to wash her teacup. However, her mind was still preoccupied with curiosity about the strange vehicle she had seen earlier.
She filled a small basin with water and began rinsing her cup, but her hands moved automatically while her mind busily analyzed. "Its shape is uniform, definitely a projection by Shirou... But how does that vehicle work? Why can it move just by pedaling?"
The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to see the vehicle up close.
Unconsciously, her steps became more hurried than usual. Once finished, she immediately left her room and descended from the fourth floor, gracefully navigating the stairs despite the urgency in her movements.
Upon arriving at the terrace overlooking the backyard, Riveria stood there for a moment, observing the scene before her. From a distance, members of the Loki Familia were still enthusiastically playing with the strange vehicle.
Her green eyes swept across the area, and something different caught her attention.
Among the similarly colored vehicles, there was one that stood out.
A strikingly pink vehicle, pedaled by a young elf girl with a light brown ponytail.
Riveria narrowed her eyes slightly, recognizing the figure in an instant. Lefiya.
The young elf girl seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself, pedaling with a steady rhythm. Although she still appeared a bit rash, she looked quite confident, as if she was already getting used to riding the vehicle.
However, perhaps due to her instincts as a student, Lefiya suddenly turned her head, and her gaze met Riveria's, who was observing her from the terrace.
As if receiving an extra boost of energy, Lefiya immediately pedaled faster toward her.
"Lady Riveriaaa!" Lefiya called out enthusiastically, her smile wide.
Riveria remained standing calmly, watching as Lefiya approached. The girl then nimbly dismounted from her vehicle, stumbling slightly as her feet touched the ground, but quickly regained her balance.
"Welcome back, Lady Riveria!" Lefiya said cheerfully, her breath slightly ragged from the fast pedaling.
Riveria nodded, greeting her with a gentle gaze. "It seems you're all enjoying this new game."
Lefiya nodded eagerly. "Yes! It's so much fun! At first, I was hesitant, but after trying it, it's not as hard as I thought!"
Riveria's eyes shifted to the pink vehicle beside Lefiya, examining it more closely. "What is this vehicle called?" she asked with curiosity.
Lefiya, still excited, confidently answered.
"It's called a bicycle!"
Riveria gave a small nod, then without hesitation, stepped closer to the pink bicycle that Lefiya had just left. Her hand lightly touched the handlebars, feeling the texture, which was somewhat familiar to the materials she usually knew.
"May I try it?" she asked casually, her eyes still observing the unique vehicle.
Lefiya, standing beside her, quickly nodded. "Of course, Lady Riveria! But—"
Before she could finish her sentence, Riveria had already mounted the bicycle, lifting the kickstand with a smooth motion. Lefiya froze for a moment, surprised by how quickly the woman acted without a hint of hesitation.
However, a problem immediately arose.
The long green dress Riveria was wearing was clearly not suitable for such an activity.
As soon as she tried to place her feet on the pedals, the hem of her dress got caught, restricting her movement. She tried to adjust slightly, but it still felt difficult to get into the proper sitting position.
Lefiya covered her mouth, holding back a laugh. "Hehe... I had the same problem, Lady Riveria. At first, I tried riding it while wearing a skirt, but it was really troublesome!"
The girl pointed to the shorts she was wearing. "It's more comfortable if you wear something like this."
Riveria glanced at Lefiya's legs, noticing how the shorts indeed provided better freedom of movement. However, she didn't want to give up just because of this small issue.
With her determination set, Riveria took a more drastic action.
"No problem," she murmured softly, before lifting the hem of her dress high, leaving enough room for her legs to move freely.
Lefiya, who saw this, was immediately shocked. Her eyes widened, and her face turned slightly red as she caught a clear glimpse of her mentor's white thighs. "L-Lady Riveria!?"
But Riveria didn't care. She finally managed to place her feet on the pedals and began trying to pedal.
At first, her movements were very awkward. The bicycle wobbled left and right, almost falling several times. Both her hands gripped the handlebars tightly, struggling to balance her body.
Lefiya, watching her, couldn't help but feel a strange sensation. She had never seen Lady Riveria look so disheveled before.
Previously, Riveria had always been known as a graceful, calm, and dignified figure. But now...
The woman looked like a child learning something for the first time.
Lefiya immediately recalled an incident some time ago, when Riveria, out of curiosity, tested Reinforcement magecraft on herself, which Lefiya had accidentally witnessed.
"Lady Riveria... You've really changed since meeting Shirou..." Lefiya thought to herself, unconsciously smiling slightly as she watched her usually perfect mentor now so enthusiastically trying something new.
With great difficulty, Riveria finally managed to control the bicycle and circled back to Lefiya, who was still standing in front of the terrace, watching her mentor struggle to master the unique vehicle. Although the bicycle's movement was still a bit shaky, there was a flash of satisfaction in the elf's green eyes as she finally managed to stop the bicycle steadily.
"Hahh... Interesting," Riveria said with an enthusiastic smile. She lightly patted the handlebars, as if acknowledging the vehicle's uniqueness. "But I'm still not satisfied. My clothes are too restrictive."
Lefiya, seeing how enthusiastic her mentor was, immediately smiled broadly and without thinking, offered, "Then, Lady Riveria! I can get you more comfortable clothes! That way, you can try again right away!"
However, Riveria simply shook her head gently, calmly declining. "No need. I'll ask Shirou to project some for me tomorrow."
She then shifted her gaze to all the bicycles in the backyard before looking back at the pink one she had just ridden. "By the way, all these bicycles are Shirou's projections, right? But why is yours different from the others?"
Lefiya immediately puffed out her chest proudly, as if this was the moment she had been waiting for. "Of course, it's different, Lady Riveria! This pink bicycle isn't a projection by Shirou!"
Riveria raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. "Not a projection?"
Lefiya nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Shirou and I made it directly to the Forge! This bicycle is made from real materials, actual iron, and coated with real paint! Unlike the others, which only last three days before disappearing into prana!"
Riveria looked at the bicycle with a more interested expression. She then bent down, running her fingers along its surface, feeling the cold iron of the bicycle's frame. "So this is really made from real materials..." she murmured softly.
As her fingers traced the body of the bicycle, her eyes caught an inscription engraved on the frame.
"Faker II...?" She read the inscription slowly, then looked at Lefiya with confusion. "What does that mean?"
Lefiya smiled proudly and answered confidently. "It means this bicycle is mine, 'Faker II'!"
Riveria grew even more confused. "Faker II? Why 'II'?"
Lefiya giggled before explaining. "Because the original 'Faker' is Shirou!"
Riveria fell silent for a moment, letting her thoughts wander as she stared at the 'Faker II' inscription on the bicycle's frame. The word felt like a clue that connected two people she never expected to have similarities—Lefiya and Shirou.
She tried to piece together the connection. Faker meant a counterfeiter, someone who imitates something that isn't theirs. Riveria's green eyes narrowed slightly as she analyzed. "So... the reason you two are called 'Faker'... is it because Shirou imitates weapons with his magecraft, and you imitate the magic of other elves?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.
Lefiya's blue eyes sparkled as Riveria quickly grasped her meaning. "Exactly, Lady Riveria!" she said excitedly. "Shirou can create copies of legendary weapons with his magecraft, while I imitate the magic of other elves with my 'Elf Ring.' We both use something that isn't truly our own."
Riveria nodded slowly, understanding the concept. However, something bothered her. "But the name 'Faker'... why do you embrace it? Doesn't it sound like an insult?"
Lefiya smiled broadly as if this was something she had thought about often. "At first, it was," she said, her voice softer this time. "The name was first used by one of Shirou's old enemies. A man who was very arrogant and believed all the world's greatest treasures belonged to him. He called Shirou 'Faker' as a taunt because Shirou could only create copies of legendary weapons but never owned the originals."
Hearing this, Riveria remembered something. "Gilgamesh, right?" She glanced at Lefiya, confirming. "Shirou mentioned that name when he talked about the Holy Grail War in his world."
Lefiya nodded quickly. "Yes! The King of Heroes, as he's called... But what's interesting is, that even though it started as a taunt, Shirou never really rejected the name. I also thought, doesn't it sound cool?"
Her face lit up like a blooming flower, showing the sincerity in her feelings. "I wanted something that connected us, something that could show I'm walking the same path as Shirou, even if I'm still far from his level."
Riveria could only smile faintly upon hearing this. It wasn't a happy smile, but rather a slightly bitter one. It was clear how much Lefiya admired Shirou—not just as a friend, but more than that.
Clearly, I'm not the only one who has feelings for him...
However, Riveria didn't let those feelings show on her face. She simply took a breath of the cool evening air, then looked back at Lefiya, who was still smiling cheerfully in front of her. "In that case, you should prove that the name isn't just an empty nickname," she said calmly.
Lefiya clenched her fists with determination. "Of course, Lady Riveria!"
Riveria felt her heart beat a little faster than usual. There was something in the way Lefiya spoke that made her want to confirm something—something she had long suspected but only now felt confident enough to ask directly. She swallowed, then in a voice slightly softer than usual, she asked, "Lefiya... do you like Shirou?"
"Ehhhhh!?"
Lefiya jumped in surprise, her eyes widening, and her face instantly turned as red as a ripe tomato. "W-Why are you suddenly asking something like that, Lady Riveria!?" she said in a panicked tone, her hands flailing in front of her chest as if trying to deflect the question.
The exaggerated reaction only strengthened Riveria's suspicion. Instead of changing the subject, she pressed her question further. This time, her voice was calmer, but her tone clearly didn't allow Lefiya to avoid the question. "Not as a friend... but as a man and a partner. Do you like him, Lefiya?"
As if her body had lost strength, Lefiya's shoulders slumped, and she lowered her head. Her light brown ponytail swayed slightly as she tried to avoid Riveria's gaze. In a small voice, almost like a whisper swallowed by the wind, she said, "Is... is it that obvious on my face?"
She bit her lip, as if feeling embarrassed, then continued in a faint voice, "Because Tione and Tiona also seem to have noticed... and now Lady Riveria too..."
Riveria felt something like cold water pouring over her heart. She had already guessed the answer, but hearing it directly from Lefiya still made her feelings tremble slightly. However, she kept her expression calm, like the still surface of a lake. She took a slow breath before replying, "Yes, Lefiya. It's obvious on your face. The way you look at him, how you act around him... It's all enough of an answer."
"Ahhhhhhh!!"
Lefiya immediately covered her face with both hands, letting out a muffled sound of embarrassment mixed with frustration. "This is so embarrassing!!" she said in a restrained tone, her body swaying slightly back and forth as if she wanted to disappear from the world.
Riveria could only look at her with a faint smile—a smile that couldn't be said to be entirely genuine. However, she maintained her grace, hiding any unnecessary feelings. "You don't need to be so embarrassed, Lefiya. It's a natural feeling."
Lefiya kept her face covered, but through the gaps in her fingers, Riveria could see the redness spreading to the tips of the girl's pointed ears.
Riveria took a deep breath before slowly sitting on the long bench on the terrace. From where she sat, she could see the bustling backyard filled with Loki Familia members happily playing with their bicycles. Some were laughing joyfully, others were racing, while some were still wobbly and almost falling. The warm atmosphere was a slight contrast to the feelings swirling in her heart at that moment.
With a gentle motion, she patted the seat beside her and said softly, "Sit down, Lefiya."
Lefiya, still trying to shake off her embarrassment, turned to her mentor. After hesitating for a moment, she finally sat down next to Riveria, her face still flushed.
A brief silence enveloped them before Riveria asked in a calm but meaningful voice, "Since when, Lefiya?"
Lefiya blinked, looking at her mentor in confusion. "Since when what, Lady Riveria?"
Riveria glanced at her with a slightly amused expression before repeating her question more clearly. "Since when have you liked Shirou? He hasn't even been in the Loki Familia for six months yet."
Lefiya's eyes widened. She hadn't expected the question to go straight to the point. For a moment, she felt her heart beating faster. Riveria's gentle and attentive gaze made her feel valued, but she was completely unaware that her mentor wasn't just listening—she wanted to know more about Lefiya's feelings for Shirou.
Lefiya lowered her head slightly, her fingers intertwining on her lap. "I... I don't know," she said softly. "I can't remember exactly when these feelings started."
Riveria observed her student's hesitant expression but remained patient. In a softer voice, she tried to encourage her to recall. "Try to think again. Since Shirou joined our Familia... was there a specific moment that made you feel differently about him?"
Lefiya bit her lip, trying to remember the days she had spent with Shirou. She had always been close to him, but when had she started to develop feelings for him? The question now filled her mind.
Lefiya let out a slow breath, her eyes wandering as if retracing her memories since the first time she met Shirou. She then turned to Riveria and asked, "Lady Riveria, do you remember when Shirou first joined the Loki Familia? Back then, you told me to be his mentor and teach him the basics about the dungeon."
Riveria raised an eyebrow, recalling the event. In a calm but slightly teasing tone, she replied, "Of course I remember. At the time, you protested because you felt younger than him, but you eventually accepted it. But I didn't expect that to be the start of your love at first sight."
"That's not itttt!!" Lefiya quickly denied it, her face turning red again. "I was just trying to remember how our relationship developed from the beginning!"
Riveria smirked slightly, enjoying how hard Lefiya was trying to deny her feelings. "Alright, then... what was your impression of Shirou back then?" she asked with curiosity.
Lefiya lowered her head slightly, trying to recall her feelings more clearly. "At that time... I just wanted to be a reliable mentor. Shirou was new to Orario, and I wanted to make sure he understood how to survive in the dungeon."
Riveria smiled faintly before suddenly saying, "Ah, wait a minute... when you think about it, the relationship between the three of us is quite interesting, isn't it?"
Lefiya blinked, not understanding her mentor's point. "What do you mean?"
Riveria raised a finger as if drawing a diagram in the air. "Back then, when Shirou first joined the Familia, you were his mentor, teaching him about the dungeon. Now, he's my mentor in magecraft, while I remain your mentor in magic. So, we're all mentors to each other."
Lefiya fell silent for a moment, trying to process the logic her mentor had just presented. The more she thought about it, the stranger yet more logical it seemed. Their relationship seemed to form an interconnected circle.
"Ugh... thinking about this is making my head spin," Lefiya muttered, massaging her temples.
Riveria chuckled softly at her student's expression.
Finally, with a long sigh, Lefiya said, "But now Shirou has become a great adventurer... so I can't really be called his mentor anymore."
This time, there was a hint of melancholy in her voice as if she realized that her role in Shirou's life might no longer be as important as it once was.