| ARC IV | Chapter 4: Toward Lea Nor!

 In the middle of the night, while heading to Lea Nor. Amethely woke up when she heard the rustling sound beside her. She felt a slightly damp sensation, making her slowly open her eyes.

 "....." She realised that Alum was profusely sweating and blushed as she thought she was too clingy, making him too warm and being the cause of his discomfort, but… she soon realised that it wasn't the case. Alum's breathing was uneven, ragged—he had a nightmare.

 (Al…) 

 This wasn't the first time she'd seen him have a nightmare. However, they've recently begun to sleep in the same bed every night. This was the second time she'd witnessed him having a nightmare.

 Amethely wrapped her arms around him, trying to soothe him by gently stroking his hair and whispering, 'Al, I'm here for you.' hoping that it would reach him.

 She glanced outside the small window and saw a raging storm. It was dark since the moon was blocked by all the dark lightning clouds. Still… she feels pity, thinking this is but a cruel mockery.

 (…How cruel… the fact that both his attributes relate to his worst experiences… and yet…) 

 Amethely knew, even if he hadn't told her anything.…

 (Every time Al used his magic, he had a dark look on his face, and his eyes became lifeless…even when he tried so hard to hide it from me…) 

 When Amethely witnessed him having a nightmare for the first time, she panicked. She didn't know what to do and accidentally woke him up at that time.

 This time, however… she wanted him to rest.

 Despite Alum's calm and listless look, he was highly alert and unable to relax for the most part. Amethely knew this. After all, they'd spent so much intimate time with one another, and she learned many things about him.

 Even if he didn't elaborate or mention his thoughts, she picked up on the minor gestures, and… to be fair, she knew he did as well. Sometimes, she didn't even have to say anything, and Alum would comfort her or generally do things that made her happy.

 Amethely, as bright as she was, used to be so dull, yet… even now, she has her moments of doubts.

 (…Am I ever good enough?) Amethely would occasionally think. It was both for the people of The Empire. But… mostly for those she dearly cherished.

 At first, her life goal was to become The Saint, picking up the role of her grandmother Riria, the people's guidance and the pinnacle of supportive magic.

 But… because of her less diverse affinity for other elements, she extensively researched Instruction Magic. Using that to cover her flaws, however… using it without a tool or catalyst to the extent of that type of magic is almost unheard of.

 At most, talented people would only be able to emulate a mid-class spell. Her sister Chely was not an exception to this, as she's only able to emulate up to mid and maybe high-class spells.

 Even then, she was unable to have a relaxed manipulation of said spells as they're all fixed, meaning that alterations would be impossible, yet… Amethely can do that.

 So… in a sense, she's in the unique class of mages alongside carve-less rune mages…

 And as she was comforting Alum, he calmed down. His breathing was rhythmic, and he'd nuzzled close to her. (Adorable….) Amethely thought as her lips curved into a soft smile.

 But… her expression then turned a little sad.

 (If only I could use magic to calm him down, he wouldn't have to be so alert all the time or even have nightmares…) But Amethely could tell that Alum was using similar magic, which is why she was hesitant, fearing it could damage his perceptions due to overuse.

 She felt that it was sort of a pity, in a sense that his curse was a blessing. Even his powers are things from the past that still haunt him. Although Alum did not elaborate much… she had a feeling it had something to do with the proficiency of his powers.

 While it was a good thing, he passively converted and absorbed mana from not only the surroundings but also spells used on him. Everything becomes a bit unstable and isn't as effective on him unless he self-casts the same spell.

 "….."

 Amethely stopped stroking his hair and removed his bangs, putting her forehead on his, whispering, 'Al… I wish for the day… you're fully ready to tell me….' as she then softly kissed his cheek.

 Despite her wanting to confirm things with Hilos, this was the wrong time, as it was in the middle of the night. Not only would she be going behind his back to meet another man, but she would also be a hypocrite, telling him and herself that she'd wait until he was ready to disclose it.

 And… ever since they've been together, Alum has never visited Luna's study alone this late.

 While Amthely was jealous of their strange closeness, it made sense since they were so similar and very compatible. Or… maybe even more than she was with him….

 Regardless of that, Amethely deeply trusted the two of them, so it never was an issue. In essence, she wouldn't mind too much as she's trying not to restrict him in any way.

 Still… his consideration and thoughts made her incredibly happy. Even if she put her faith in him, she couldn't deny the uneasy feeling she had when Alum was with another girl.

 "Al… I'm a greedy girl. I want us to have a happy family. I want you to tell me that you love me, shower me with affection, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life… if possible, maybe even for an eternity?"

 Speaking to herself and wishing, it made her wonder, (Does Al think the same? Or will his feelings for me one day fade?) Thinking that, she felt a sharp pain in her chest. 'I… I don't want that,' she uttered.

 Despite her sweet, flowery words. Amethely knew that love wouldn't grant all her wishes. For the happiness she yearned for, she knew that they had to be more open with one another, their ideals had to align, and most important of all… she had to accept that they would never 'become one' as such things were only nonsense because they were their own individuals with reason and dignity.

 As greedy as she was, she knew that happiness wasn't cheap and that love alone wouldn't be enough. For example, her parents were best friends before they were a couple. Their relationship was built on more than love… even if love were a big part of it, it would never be the sole reason….

 But… Amethely knew that; to Alum, she was but his lover, as they didn't exactly start as friends, and she doesn't know how to break out of that…

 Despite their closeness, she felt some sort of distance between them, one that he didn't have with Noel or Luna….

 "...Maybe I'm overthinking again?" Amethely asked herself, then closed her eyes, falling asleep with her beloved person.

 …

  …..

 …

 Leaning on the railing and watching the stormy weather, Noel uses mana to enhance his vision and look at the two beasts fighting each other… (Did Al go out into a world like this?) He pondered.

 The Thunderbird beams rays of concentrated lighting beams in every direction, incinerating the surroundings and lighting up the sky alongside thunderous roars. The Hydroviper would make dark clouds and static electricity, using the storm itself to generate water, creating layers of barriers and water blades that cut through the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds.

 It is said that, in the eastern parts of the Lesich Empire, these two creatures were the cause of the rampaging storms and provided fresh water to the eastern, southern, and western parts of the empire.

 This is why they aren't being exterminated, and well… it'd be pretty challenging to slay two S-ranked beasts…. But also… they did more good than harm as they don't intentionally harm humanoids since they're not seen as a threat. To them, the mortals are but bystanders as they see no point in hunting anything so weak.

 While Noel continued to watch them, a [Hypersonic Hydro Blade] struck the barrier with such intensity—which didn't even make a loud noise as the barrier absorbed the attack, not even shaking the aircraft or anything.

 (Welp… I've gotten used to it….) Noel thought as he didn't even flinch.

 To be fair, this was his 20th time or something, experiencing the attacks colliding with the barrier.

 (Although… it's scary how I got used to it so fast…) He later thought, shuddering a little.

 Then, a beautiful girl with ash-brown hair approached and said, "Hi…" in a low voice. She had a stern look on her face as she was still in [work mode]. But… he was glad she was informal with him. Otherwise, he'd cry.

 "Supp," Noel replied with a wide grin.

 In turn, Chely's expression softened, and a faint smile on her would surface. She walked up to him and stood beside him.

 "Are you unable to rest?" Chely inquired, as she felt a little uneasy for whatever reason. Which didn't go unnoticed by Noel, so he gently held her hand.

 "I thought I'd take some fresh air," Noel said, squeezing her delicate hands. It always surprised him each time. After all, Chely was wielding the sword, but… thinking that she cared enough not to ruin her soft and beautiful hands. He couldn't help but smile.

 "I see…" Chely answered, looking a little awkward.

 (It seems like she has something on her mind, but what could it be? Wait! Don't tell me she's lonely without me!? Well… probably not.) Noel pondered for a while and noticed that Chely was repeatedly glancing at him. "Hm? What's wrong?" Noel casually asked.

 Chely's face flushed a little at his question. She didn't think he'd notice her gaze, so she replied, "Nothing." She stepped closer until she was able to lean on him.

 "...What's this? You call this nothing, Missy Chely?"

 Chely's face became completely red as she confessed, "I-I wanted to see you and get rid of some thoughts, that's all!"

 Noel tilts his head, asking, "Thoughts?" as he is curious about what she wants to forget.

 'There were some… strange sounds from a room….' Chely shyly muttered.

 "What? Strange sounds? Is it a thief, or is someone injured? Are they okay?" Noel asked. He genuinely had no idea what she meant to say. (Could this be a murder mystery that occurs on big cruising ships!?) 

 (…..)

 Somehow, Chely noticed how far off her boyfriend was… "They were making love!" She flusteredly cried.

 "...."

 Noel stared blankly at her, saying, "Huh?" he couldn't believe it. His mature yet innocent girlfriend was being all timid because she stumbled upon such a scene? She wanted to come and forget about it while being with him?

 (Wait… how does that help? I mean… had it been me, it'd be thinking about that stuff more if I went to go and see her… ahh, my dirty mind! We've only been official for a good two days! And we haven't even kissed yet!) 

 So…to hide his own embarrassment, he began to tease her instead, saying, "Oh? How do you know that? You lewd girl!" which, of course, resulted in him getting his toes stepped on.

 (Ouch…Well, I guess I deserved it…) 

 Chely stared at him with a pout, "I'm not a child." she retorted with a deadpan look. Noel found this cute and would scratch his head as he laughed it off.

 "Ahaha, so there are people like that onboard, huh?"

 Chely crossed her arms, still a bit flustered. She huffed and said, "They have no manners at all! B-being so loud and… apparently r-rough…!"

 ".....Chely, I don't think I needed that info!"

 "Ahhhh! Sh-shadup! Dummy Noe!"

 "Hey, who are you calling, dummy!? And Noe!? Dammit, Miu?!"

 "What!? Don't say rude things about Miu! Isn't she your wonderful childhood friend!?"

 "She is precious and is irreplaceable!"

 "...." suddenly, Chely got a little jealous.

 To which Noel shuddered a little… (Why do both the Ilis sisters look so scary when jealous…?) 

 "...You're irreplaceable as well, Chely!"

 Still pouting, Chely asked, "Really?" in a sheepish way, "But… you're trying to replace me as The Hero!" although she knew what Noel was getting at, she wanted to hear more from him, even if she had to be a little devious about it. It was a skill acquired by watching her little sister….

 "....Th-that's not what I meant!" Noel tried to clarify, "I was referring to my love for you!" Noel shouts. It was unbearable as he couldn't help but die on the inside from the cringe. (How the hell does Al say all these cheesy lines without dying on the inside!?!?!)

 "I-I see… hihihi~" Chely tried to play it off, but she fidgeted while awkwardly giggling.

 "....."

 (Ahh! To hell with it! This reaction is worth it!) 

 """..."""

 And then, his eyes met with the other guests, sipping their drinks as they snack while watching the two of them.

 The audience thought it was some sort of performance organised by the staff… at least at first. And since they heard their hero's name, they took a closer look and realised it was the hero herself and her boyfriend… so… they waited for the 'reconciliation kiss.'

 "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" the drunken crowd encouraged and cheered.

 …..

 …

 That's right, the aircraft Jepples was a commercial one. It has an affiliation with the military and guild, among other powers, so… their trip was reasonably cheap.

 Noel had forgotten about the other people and turned bright red, but as red as Chely, her head went, 'Poff!' and she began to drag him away from the deck.

 …

  …..

 …

 In Miu's room, Luna and Emely played cards. Miu was sitting in the corner… she'd lost early on and was feeling depressed about being so bad at it….

 Emely glared at the two cards in her hand. She felt nervous as Luna was one tough opponent….

 "...Luna, please…." Emely pleaded.

 And with a smug look on her face, Luna took heart four, leaving the jester in Emely's hand.

 "Dammit…."

 "The losers have to do anything the winner says, right?" Luna asked.

 …It was Emely's and Miu's idea to play cards, and as a penalty, the losers had to do anything the winner said. Despite being the first time Luna played, she won 5 times in a row… making Miu feel depressed as she was the first to lose each round….

 ""Yes…"" both of them replied.

 "Well then, Miss Emely, I heard that you've gotten along pretty well with the shop owner of the flower shop in the commercial district. How did you get to know him?"

 (…How does she know about that!?) Emely then turned her gaze to Miu, and she basically had a question mark above her head and was curious as well….

 "...When Illya and I went out to drink, I met him while having some drinks, then we met again in his shop and got to know each other better that way…."

 "...Mm-hmm," Luna replied, as she then asked, "Where is Illya now?"

 Luna was a bit curious since Emely had come over and left Illya alone. Emely awkwardly averted her eyes, "She went over to her boyfriend's room, and… our rooms were beside each other…. So… I wanted to give them some… privacy…."

 Luna tilted her head, not understanding the situation, whereas Miu blushed.

 "...."

 And seeing her reaction, Luna blushed as well, "I-I see…." Luna awkwardly said when she realised what Emely meant.

 "...Yeah…."

 "...Why didn't they just share a room?" Luna asked.

 Emely looked a little fed up and sighed, "Honestly, I don't really understand their reason, but it was something like this, "If we're apart, I'll miss him more and get more excited when I see him~" she said."

 ""...""

 "You two can interpret that however you want, but… she did say that."

 "....."

 "....."

 "Anyhow, I wish we could've invited Ame and Elly as well~," Miu changed the subject, making the two other girls jump on board.

 "Well… Ame is with Al. She said that she wanted to cuddle the tired Al to sleep… is he a child or something…?" Luna felt a little murky inside, but… she had to deal with it…. "...As for Chely… she had some beasts to move, and they were apparently too close, so…. She had to chase them away a little…."

 "Njyihihi~, that's Elly for you!"

 Luna and Emely glanced at each other and nodded. "We've been curious, but why are you referring to Chely as Elly?" Emely curiously asked.

 Miu snuck a glance at Luna. (So sneaky…!) she thought.

 Luna knew that Miu was trying to escape her penalty by changing the subject and making her ask a question as a request, alleviating her from any embarrassing request. Emely picked up on it as well and didn't want to be the only one suffering… so….

 "...Elly and Noel have been getting along well recently, well, apart from their daily banter, they don't realise they're flirting…." Miu lowered her head as she sighed… "But that's beside the point," she said. "Anyhow… yesterday, Elly came to me and asked a bunch of questions about Noel… and in exchange, I asked her a bunch of questions too!"

 "Well, she's definitely acting like a girl in love," Emely comments, but she then turned to Luna, "By the way, I never took Your Majesty as someone interested in love," Emely said as she peered at Luna, "So… why did you suddenly ask me about love, Your Majesty?"

 "...." Miu pondered and thought it was strange as well, "Yeah! That's right!" and supported Emely's conquest to find the truth. (This has absolutely had nothing to do with me trying to delay my penalty or anything!) 

 "...There is no deeper meaning to it. I'm a girl as well, so… naturally, I'm curious about love."

 (What a bunch of BS!) Miu thought as she glared at Luna.

 Avoiding Miu's gaze, Luna then said, "Miu, about your penalty…."

 'Gulp'

 "Wh-what about it…?"

 "Let's see… oh!" Luna had an evil grin on her face, "You'll be my dress-up doll this time!"

 "...." last time, Miu had her ways with Luna, and now… she wanted to get some revenge, still… (Does that even count as a punishment?) She thought and hesitantly nodded, "Luna… you're not making me wear anything strange, are you?"

 Emely and Luna looked at each other, and they said, ""It wouldn't be a punishment, now would it?""

 "E-eep!"

 Miu rushed toward the door, trying to escape, but as the door slid open, and she exited, "Huh…!?" before she realised she was on the bed.

 "....."

 Luna had opened a rift, connecting the two points of space when Miu tried to escape. She faintly smiled at Miu, saying, "Where are you going…?"

 "Yeah, where are you going?" Emely joined in.

 "...K."

 ""K?""

 "Kyaaaa!"