After Filvis left, Bell silently walked over to Lefiya.
Moonlight reflected off that slender back. The shoulders of the golden-haired elf rose and fell faintly, as if she were trying to hold something back.
"The wind tonight is so strong it stings the eyes."
Standing behind Lefiya, Bell spoke softly.
"Mm... Filvis left... she left without even saying goodbye to you..."
Lefiya answered through her sobs, her pointed ears tinged red with sadness.
She did not turn around. She only lowered her head and let the cold moonlight swallow up her silhouette.
"Everyone's still in Orario. We'll definitely have a chance to see each other again."
Bell comforted her.
Though the possibility was small, Filvis might really be like Cassandra and able to foresee disaster, which was why she had taken all those actions.
Bell looked at the matter rationally.
From the moment he accepted her confession, he had already prepared himself for the possibility that Filvis might leave without saying a word.
"But she entrusted her magic to me..."
Lefiya turned around emotionally.
Beneath her trembling lashes, tears slid down nonstop like shattered starlight.
Lefiya understood very clearly that in that brief farewell, Filvis had already resolved never to see him again.
Whether because of the curse of [Banshee] or for some other reason, that noble elf girl and the boy who was her lover would never cross paths again.
"Filvis obviously liked you so much... so why...?"
Between broken sobs, Lefiya forced the words out.
To elves, magic was something incredibly important.
And after knowing her for only a single day, Filvis had entrusted her barrier magic to Lefiya.
The reason for it was all to protect Bell.
That kind of sincere and genuine love did not just lose its chance to bear fruit. It no longer even had the chance to sprout.
No matter which side she stood on, Lefiya felt it was simply too sad.
"You really are an idiot."
Bell reached out and gently patted her on the head.
Unexpectedly, Lefiya was so lost in crying that she did not dodge at all.
Bell said gently, "Even if Filvis means to avoid us, we can still go find her ourselves and take her hands. Lefiya-san, do you remember our promise?"
"Uuu... our promise... of course I remember..."
The rise and fall of Lefiya's shoulders gradually eased.
The two of them had made many promises.
To work hard together and catch up to Ais, to keep the crystal candy safe, to remember Lefiya's growth, to teach her the technique of Concurrent Chanting...
Lefiya knew that what Bell meant now was saving Filvis together.
Bell was serious.
Even after going through two hellish battles, those crimson eyes were still burning with fierce flames.
Even if it was the [Banshee], Bell would still rush forward and embrace her without hesitation.
Lefiya stared into Bell's eyes, and for a moment, forgot to cry.
"Looks like the wind's stopped. I was just thinking that if Lefiya-san couldn't remember, I'd have to use the ritual to help you remember."
Bell laughed softly.
"Mm..."
Lefiya hurriedly wiped the tears from her face with both hands.
"Filvis must be avoiding you because you're always in heat!"
Lefiya threw out a completely baseless accusation.
Bell knew it was only a joke, so he played along.
"If that's how it is, then I can't let my other lover run away too, so come home with me."
"Who's your lover?!"
Lefiya's expression changed in an instant, and soon the only trace left was the faint streaks of tears on her face.
"If you keep acting like this next time, I'm not going to comfort you."
Bell replied softly.
"I don't need you to comfort me... no, that's not it... I'm absolutely not going to cry again!"
Lefiya gave a huffy snort and quickly turned away.
"I'm going back with Ais-san!"
The moonlight fell across her thick golden hair, where traces of tears still seemed to glimmer.
"Wait, Lefiya-san. Did you have some kind of argument with Ais-san?"
Bell looked toward the blonde girl in the distance and asked.
"No... probably not?"
Lefiya had been through too much in a single day, and she could not be sure whether she had accidentally upset that airheaded girl somewhere along the way.
"I think she seems a little strange. You should pay attention to that."
Bell offered the warning in good faith.
"I understand."
Lefiya nodded, then walked toward Ais in the distance with uneasy steps.
Neither of them said goodbye.
They both knew that with their promise between them, saying "see you next time" would have been far too sentimental.
To Lefiya, that kind of unspoken understanding without rigid formalities had already become one of the basic rules of getting along with Bell.
She walked over to Ais's side and blinked nervously.
"Ais-san, sorry for making you wait. Let's go back together."
Lefiya studied Ais's expression.
Her beautiful face revealed nothing, yet her gaze quietly shifted away.
"Lefiya... were you crying?"
Ais lowered her head and asked softly, like a timid little girl.
"N, no. It's just... the wind was too strong! Right, sand blew into my eyes!"
Remembering Bell's words, Lefiya decisively told a lie.
"I know you were crying... don't lie to me... was it because of the gem?"
Ais asked tentatively.
"The gem? Mm... no, it was because of something else. I'm fine now."
Lefiya answered honestly.
She looked toward Bell and the others in the distance, then added dejectedly,
"I lost the gem during the battle, so there's nothing I can do about it now... I still have other things... like crystal candy..."
Lefiya tried to use the crystal candy to convince herself.
The matter with Filvis, practicing Concurrent Chanting, preparations for the expedition...
There was already a mountain of things Lefiya had to deal with. She could not keep moping forever over a single gem.
"Is that so... that's good..."
Ais let out a sigh of relief.
She touched the bag she carried with her, then looked toward Bell in the distance, as if she had just gone through some fierce inner struggle.
Ais turned away and spoke.
"Lefiya, let's go back..."
"Mm..."
Lefiya blinked in confusion.
What did she mean by that's good?
Was she relieved because Lefiya was not staying depressed?
It still felt a little strange...
Lefiya silently followed behind Ais, while her thoughts kept churning.
Just like Bell had said, the blonde girl was definitely hiding some kind of secret right now.
But what could it possibly be?
Lefiya went back over every detail of this trip into the Dungeon.
Nothing had seemed wrong before. It was only on the way back that Ais-san had started acting strangely...
And the beginning of it all had been that one sentence.
"The gem was a gift from Bell."
Why would Ais-san be happy that Lefiya had lost her gem?
Could it be...
Did she have those kinds of feelings for Bell Cranel?!
Ais-san thought the two of them were lovers, and had been secretly jealous the whole time...
That was why she had said something like that's good.
Mm...
That permanently horny rabbit!
Even Ais-san likes him...
No, it is still too early to come to a conclusion. She had to observe a little longer.
If that really turned out to be the case...
Lefiya tightened her grip on her wand.
Under the moonlight, an unusual gleam flashed through those blue eyes.
...
...
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