True power was never the reckless venting of violence.
It was protection and salvation practiced in calmness.
Because the former only bred hatred and pain in the end—while the latter delivered hope and love.
That night, they stayed at the cottage and planned to depart early the next morning.
The old woman who owned the place received a hefty sum as "seal-the-mouth" money. She desperately wanted to know how a dying woman had suddenly become lively again—but she would never get that answer. Neither Alfia nor the couple would ever reveal something so critical.
Xien and Alfia returned to Orario.
Metaria seemed to have her own plans; she left with her husband as well, and after that it had nothing to do with Xien. He guessed they were going to see their child.
With life restored, the first thing most people wanted was simple:
A reunion with those they loved.
After waving goodbye, Xien and Alfia headed to the outpost where the wyvern had been kept.
The posture was the same as on the way there.
Xien sat in his teacher's arms.
Just as he was about to stiffen up to minimize contact, the voice behind him spoke first.
"Don't be so rigid."
"This is perfect."
"I'll teach you how to handle a wyvern. Come—hold the reins. Lean in…"
She didn't give him the option of refusal.
Her body pressed him in, firm and decisive, like a queen issuing an order.
"A-ah, this…"
"Hm?" Her tone sharpened. "Your answer?"
"Yes!"
Instinct took over.
Xien forced his body to relax and gripped the reins with both hands.
Immediately, he felt warmth and softness against his back.
Whether this was fortunate or disastrous… was hard to say.
As a mage, Alfia's clothing was soft—no cold plate armor, no hard edges.
Which meant that if she chose to get close, Xien would feel everything clearly.
The next second, her hands covered his—just like a parent teaching a child to write—guiding him through the techniques of steering and balance.
Xien's brain began to wander into extremely unhelpful directions.
So… her hands are even softer than Ryuu's? Is it because she's a mage?
No—she's also a warrior…
Then it's some technique? No—probably because of my healing…
He couldn't stop himself.
He wasn't a saint.
In a scene he strongly suspected was deliberately engineered, staying even marginally rational was already his limit.
Behind him—out of his sight—Alfia's cheeks flushed with a faint, captivating red.
The most "special" flight lesson in the world began.
After more than ten hours, Xien finally learned to ride properly—while trapped in a "gentle prison." Congratulations. Truly.
He didn't even have the mental bandwidth to admire the scenery.
They passed the battlefield again.
The traces were almost gone.
It looked like someone had cleaned the place—no magic stones, the craters filled in, even the ground leveled.
Whoever did it hadn't done so for profit.
It felt like the work of a decent person.
If fate didn't let them meet now, then so be it. Perhaps another time.
By the time Orario came back into view, Xien's mind was still half-lagging from the experience.
The wyvern landed at the designated platform, where members of Ganesha Familia led it away.
They dismounted.
Unexpectedly, Alfia escorted Xien all the way to Astrea Familia's doorstep before turning to leave—despite it not being on her route.
Any objections were crushed by the queen's sheer presence.
Only after stepping back into the familiar halls did Xien fully regain clarity.
He glanced at his hands, then at his back, where the lingering warmth of her closeness still clung.
His emotions were… complicated.
All he could manage was a bitter, helpless smile.
It was late, so Xien didn't wake anyone.
But in the main hall, he found Astrea still awake.
The change in her gaze the moment she saw him made it obvious:
She had been waiting.
Xien sat down beside her without a word.
A clean floral scent drifted into his nose, clearing the fog in his mind.
"Was the trip smooth?" Astrea asked gently.
"Very," Xien replied. "Thank you for worrying, Goddess."
"My teacher's sister is well now."
"And my teacher's heart… should be healed too."
Astrea's expression softened.
"Then you did very well, Xien."
"I'm proud of you—truly."
Xien scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.
"Goddess… that's a bit too much."
"Is it?" Her voice was sincere. "Because I mean it."
That was the problem.
When praise came from the heart, there was no easy way to dodge it.
Xien exhaled.
"Thank you."
"And you should rest, Goddess. I'm going to turn in."
He fled like a man escaping a battlefield.
Astrea blinked—then smiled, radiant and beautiful.
He's getting cuter by the day.
And she could feel it:
His eyes had grown purer.
Like a craftsman who had found a raw gemstone—and, with careful protection, watched it shed its outer crust to reveal its true brilliance.
"Xien," she whispered to the garden air.
"My strong child."
"May justice protect you."
At dawn the next day, someone arrived.
Golden hair. Pointed ears. A beautiful face.
An elven girl—
Ryuu.
She wore a casual dress unlike anything she normally chose. The stiffness and shyness in her demeanor made her look like a first-love heroine.
Then she spoke—and Xien's body jolted.
"Xien…"
"Do you have time today?"
"If you can…"
"Could you… go out with me for a while?"
Her cheeks were red, her voice trembling—exactly as Alysse had coached her.
Xien froze for a beat.
Then he understood.
He swallowed.
And smiled straight into her clear blue eyes.
"Of course."
"My lovely elf."
"D-don't say weird things…"
Ryuu stiffened. She wasn't used to this—not the setting, not the soft clothes, not the feeling of standing in front of him like this.
But she endured it.
Because her concern outweighed her discomfort.
Seeing Xien still confident and bright, she quietly exhaled in relief.
Now, she needed to do what she came for:
Answer his question properly.
And apologize—for misunderstanding him.
That day, when Alysse had dragged her on patrol, Ryuu had seen too much.
She saw ordinary people, healed by Xien, breaking down in tears.
She heard them thank Astrea Familia with trembling gratitude.
She listened to stories of bodies ruined, lives crushed.
And—under Alysse's guidance—she also witnessed something uglier:
The hidden malice buried in people's hearts.
Those who tried to exploit the clinics.
Those who raged at the rules Xien set.
Those who wanted to twist kindness into profit.
Some of them had even been healed by Xien.
That truth struck Ryuu like a hammer.
It shattered the naive part of her that believed goodwill would always be met with gratitude.
Alysse's words helped her understand:
Xien's "cold" decisions weren't cruelty.
They were defense.
They were the only way to protect the truly needy from being drowned out by predators wearing masks.
So she had come to apologize.
For her immaturity.
And—prompted by her friends—she had dressed like this and walked into this moment.
Xien spared her embarrassment by inviting her in while he changed clothes.
Ryuu, surprisingly bold after accepting, stepped in.
She looked around the room she had visited once before.
There were more daily items now—personal touches—but nothing messy. Everything was placed neatly.
It was clean, and the air smelled faintly of sun.
She had expected… more chaos.
Because—well—
He was a boy.
But it wasn't like that.
Xien returned quickly, dressed in simple casual wear: a long shirt and trousers, the kind new adventurers favored. He chose darker tones to pair with Ryuu's pale colors.
He still wasn't fully satisfied, but it was the best he could do.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said. "Shall we… go?"
"Yes!"
They left the familia compound together.
At the street corner, two girls happened to see them.
Kaguya and Lyra.
"They're… going where?" Lyra asked, utterly lost.
Kaguya's expression darkened.
"Tch. Can't you tell?"
"That posture. That face."
"It's a date."
"Ah… that's nice," Lyra said dreamily. "Man, I want to fall in love too…"
Kaguya pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Love my ass."
"Go tell the others. We're following."
"Why—?"
Kaguya cut her off.
"How old is Xien?"
Lyra's face changed instantly.
"…Oh. Oh no."
"Move," Kaguya snapped. "I'll mark the route."
Lyra bolted.
Xien wasn't an idiot.
He might never have dated in his previous life, but he had eyes and common sense.
He guided Ryuu carefully—subtle gestures, considerate pacing, attention to what she looked at and what she avoided.
He had already planned several "must-go" spots using the system's stored 3D map.
The rest he would improvise.
And then—
The unexpected happened.
The moment they stepped into the main street, Ryuu reached for his hand and held it.
Her face was so red she couldn't meet his eyes.
Xien's heart surged with a quiet, wicked satisfaction.
Finally.
His previous confession in the Dungeon hadn't been wasted.
This conservative elf—who guarded emotional distance like armor—was taking the first step to close the gap.
And this…
was exactly what Xien had wanted.
They walked on like that—
unaware that every single move was being watched.
Several rooftops away, a small surveillance team crouched.
Kaguya, Lyra, and Iska.
Only three.
Because when the others heard, most responded with some version of: "Nope."
Some were busy—like Maryu, buried in magic research.
Some refused—like Selty, who insisted that spying on a fellow elf would earn Ryuu's eternal hatred.
Some scoffed—like Laila, who declared it pointless.
"With Ryuu's race traits and that wooden personality? What's going to happen?"
And Alysse wasn't even around—she was out on patrol.
So here they were.
Iska looked like she'd been personally betrayed by the universe.
"Ugh… Kaguya, are we doing anything or not?"
"Are you really okay just watching?"
Lyra, meanwhile, was already spiritually ascended.
"Ah… young love…"
Kaguya's jaw tightened.
Iska groaned.
She had rushed over at the phrase 'Xien's chastity might be in danger'—
only to discover that all they were doing was watching two people stroll, shop, eat, and enjoy street performances.
Which, frankly, wasn't any different from what they did together before.
Except now it looked like romance—
and it was feeding them dog food by the bowl.
And since the pair hadn't actually done anything "actionable," the watchers had no excuse to jump out.
Iska exhaled.
"…I want to go home."
"…And lie down."
"…And suffer alone."
....
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