---

The once quiet forest was filled with the sound of rain, and the rain clouds above transformed into a bright sun by the next day.

The Knights Order that came from Kraus was busy shaking off the wet cloths soaked from the night’s rain as they prepared to leave the forest. With the tournament approaching, Damian, the one responsible for this area, commanded them to move to the Legion.

Once the order was given, they hurriedly began to get ready to leave.

No matter how seasoned the Knights Order was after years of hunting down monsters, it was only natural that they would prefer to move to the facilities of the Legion rather than remain in the damp forest.

Perhaps this was why, as they earnestly moved, the dismantling of the campsite proceeded at a speed twice as fast as when they had set it up upon arrival.

Everything seemed to happen in an instant as Orcus, coming out from the tent to the sight of the stopped rain, finally came to his senses while riding his horse and leaving the forest.

One who always led the flow was now swept up in a fast current that he was unaccustomed to.

As he stepped outside, eager to suggest going out for hunting, he found the Knights Order preparing to leave, and despite being the Empire’s prince, the highest authority here was Damian. Since he had commanded them to move, it was only logical for Orcus to follow.

It wasn’t an issue that Damian, not the Emperor, was leading the situation. Orcus was already aware of this fact.

He was merely struggling to think amidst the busy movements of those who knew nothing.

With no one providing any explanation, it was natural for confusion to arise in his mind. By the time he found Damian to clarify things, the dismantling of the campsite was already complete.

While riding his horse and gazing at the receding forest, Orcus spoke with a hint of disappointment.

“I felt like it was finally getting interesting…”

“That’s something you can find after the tournament. The tournament was created to tackle the monsters, but there’s also leisure for the warriors. It’s not held for just a day or two, but rather a whole week, so there’s no need to be too disappointed.”

“True, but shouldn’t I practice a bit more to get good results in the tournament? There’s still time left before it starts.”

Damian seemed to contemplate for a moment before responding to Orcus’s words with a light laugh.

“It’s a good mindset, but Orcus, with your current skills, staying here to hunt for another day or practicing hitting targets at the Legion won’t make much of a difference. So stop the chatter and just follow me.”

Rather than feeling angry at Damian’s harsh words about his archery skills, Orcus simply frowned and replied.

“Are you saying you’ll make me do that again once we reach the Legion?”

“Didn’t you just say you wanted to practice more to achieve good results at the tournament? So you’ll have to do as you wish.”

At that, Orcus let out a sound like air escaping a balloon, looking utterly bemused, but Damian didn’t seem to care. As Orcus tried to retort, Damian laughed and continued the conversation.

Anyone who overheard their conversation would surely faint. No matter their friendship, the heir to the Count and the heir to the Empire surely carried an absolute class difference behind their titles.

The Emperor, who had told him to make friends, would undoubtedly be surprised if he witnessed this scene.

Knowing Orcus’s temperament better than anyone, he would understand that even if he allowed Orcus not to use honorifics, he wouldn’t comfortably carry on such a conversation.

This was proof that Orcus thought of Damian as a friend.

Even though it had not been long, the nature of their relationship had shifted largely due to Orcus’s initial upbringing, but it was also clear that Orcus, who was generally wary of others, found some kind of synergy with Damian.

However, whether Orcus’s meaning of ‘friend’ was the same as it was for others remained a question only Orcus could answer. Whether a friend was a buddy to share intimacy with or simply a consumable friend born from the Emperor’s command was something only Orcus would know.

“In any case, no matter how hard I try, I can’t win against Her Highness the Princess.”

“That’s purely a matter of talent. If the tournament were to be held with magic, I wouldn’t mind losing.”

“In any case, I still can’t win against Elena.”

“….”

Orcus’s expression soured rapidly at Damian’s words.

What he said was an undeniable truth, so there was only so much dismissing it. However, like Damian, he also found it hard to figure out what to say, as he had nothing to nitpick about Damian.

In the end, all he could do was reveal his feelings through his facial expressions.

Sometimes Orcus thinks.

Was it really a good choice to stop using honorifics that day?

While engaging in such trivial thoughts, Orcus continued his conversation with Damian.

*

When they first arrived in the forest, Damian, Elena, Noel, and Orcus were all riding in the carriage. But now, the only ones riding in the carriage were Noel and Elena. This was because Damian suggested that Orcus ride a horse on the way to the Legion.

It wasn’t that Orcus couldn’t ride. After all, horseback riding was almost essential for nobles. Naturally, Orcus, being a prince, had learned to ride since childhood.

It was certainly familiar for him to mount a horse. He rode at least once a week, so how long could Orcus remain seated on a horse?

Even sitting comfortably in a carriage would feel stiff after some time. Given the jolting and lack of back support on a horse, the answer was already quite clear.

While Orcus’s body was trained, that was due to his lineage and not through any effort of his own. Even if his body was fine, the sensations he felt might be entirely different from his perfectly sound body.

Though the distance from the campsite to the Legion wasn’t far, it still took two days to move a sizable group. Damian thought this was plenty of time for Orcus to get accustomed to riding.

To ensure safety, Damian kept watch beside Orcus, and inadvertently, the carriage ended up with only Noel and Elena.

Noel, who loved to move, could have chosen to ride beside Orcus, but contrary to everyone’s expectations, she opted to ride in the carriage with Elena. Of course, her choice stemmed purely from being with Elena.

Noel turned her head to look out the window.

She could see Orcus and Damian on horseback outside.

While she couldn’t hear what they were saying, it was amusing to watch Orcus’s expression change every moment. Occasionally, his face looked a bit off, but their ongoing conversation truly seemed enjoyable.

After moving to the South, Orcus began to show many sides of himself that she had not seen while in the Imperial Palace. Meeting Elena again and forming a bond with Damian Kraus—every moment of her life in the South had been filled with joy.

“Hmm…”

Noel found herself unable to tear her eyes away from them for a while before she turned back to look at Elena, who sat beside her.

Elena’s beauty never faded, no matter when she looked at her.

A pure white girl who was utterly different from herself. The gentle lavender scent she exuded seemed to have a calming effect on Noel.

Had she been in her usual state, Noel would have been excited to talk with Elena, but now, Elena remained silent. Although she had hoped to catch up on the way to the Legion, that dream couldn’t come true.

Between Noel and Elena, the atmosphere wasn’t awkward.

Since the day Noel discovered that Damian was Elena’s fiancé, Elena had not acted frivolously as she had before. While there were instances where Noel would occasionally ask Damian for a spar during training, it never affected their relationship.

The reason for Noel not talking to Elena now was simple.

“Hyah…”

At the faint sound of a soft breath, Noel glanced at Elena’s face, which was completely relaxed, and without hesitation, she reached up and gently touched Elena’s cheek.

The warm, soft elasticity of Elena’s cheek felt like touching slime. Although Noel had never actually seen or touched a monster like slime, she imagined.

In a word, the sensation was pleasant to the touch.

Caught in an addictive cycle, Noel continued to knead Elena’s cheek. She pulled and stretched it, even flicking it with her fingers. Each time, the changing expressions of Elena’s face provided enough entertainment to make Noel laugh.

Squeeeze—

“Ugh!”

“Ha!”

The Elena Noel met again in the South was different from the one she had known before; so much had changed, yet some things remained the same. Her blissful smile now was proof of that.

Since their reunion, Elena had become far more mature and composed compared to her previous timid self.

Noel thought Elena’s changes were wonderful, yet deep down, she felt a tinge of regret at not seeing the playful side she had witnessed in the garden that day. But seeing her like this now, her worries seemed unfounded.

If there was any downside, it was that proper conversation with Elena in her current state was impossible.

After all, you couldn’t have a conversation with someone who was asleep.

While kneading Elena’s cheek, Noel pondered her friend’s change. This state of Elena had come about that very morning. And Noel had somewhat figured out the cause behind it.

‘What exactly happened in that tent?’

During the torrential rain of the previous day, Noel had found Elena soaked in Damian’s tent.

Though Elena had her own tent, there was nothing strange about them being together. After all, Damian and Elena were engaged, so Noel harbored no doubts about their presence together. It was a sight she had often seen in the Lord’s Castle, though witnessing water pouring down as she opened a tent was a first.

The reason she pointed to that day’s events as the cause for Elena’s condition now was that Elena’s aura had notably changed afterward.

When Noel entered the tent, Elena had left the spot immediately without greeting her. As she vanished into the rain without even grabbing her raincoat, Noel stood there dumbfounded, while Damian shared a brief glance with her before raising the corners of his mouth.

Noel was perplexed by Damian’s smile, unable to fathom its meaning. Ultimately, without any further conversation, she returned, harboring only questions about Elena’s sudden actions.

Her next encounter with Elena came after hearing about their departure to the Legion following the rain.

When she met Elena once more, her demeanor was certainly quite different from before.

While she had previously seemed composed and unbothered, it felt as if everything had loosened a layer.

The change wasn’t only in her aura. With a hint of red blooming across her snowy skin, Noel initially worried that yesterday’s ordeal had affected Elena’s health. While she was a mage, Elena had a physique that wasn’t honed like Noel’s, so recalling her soaked figure from the previous day made it natural for Noel to fret about a cold or any ailment.

However, it didn’t take long for her to realize it wasn’t due to any illness.

“So, what exactly happened yesterday?”

“Y-yeah?”

“In the tent. You were with Damian, right? I saw water pouring down as soon as I came in…”

“Uh… well, um…”

Elena’s speech stumbled awkwardly and her face flushed as she lowered her head, having only managed a few words.

Noel looked at Elena, fascinated by this side of her she’d never seen before, but Elena offered no more words. Clearly struggling with how to respond, her face red, she turned her gaze out the window toward Damian. With that, Noel decided not to press her further about that day.

Watching Elena panic only fueled Noel’s curiosity, but she had no intention of prying into something the other preferred to keep to herself. More than that, her actions hinted that something had taken place with Damian, and that alone was enough for Noel.

After a while passed, no longer blundering around thanks to Noel’s question, Elena soon nestled beside her, slipping into sleep.

She likely hadn’t slept well the previous night, but Noel figured she didn’t need to delve into the reason.

“Love…?”

Noel mumbled the word that suddenly popped into her mind as she glanced at Elena.

While she didn’t know the exact reason, she felt that this might be what had changed Elena’s state. Love between a man and a woman—what was an incredibly unfamiliar concept for Noel, one she had never considered at all, left her feeling only a sense of curiosity.

Damian and Elena. Elena and Noel.

The difference in this relationship might stem from the emotional thread connecting them.

After pondering this for a moment, Noel shook her head and resumed playing with Elena’s cheek.

“Yap.”

“Hehe…”

Noel could not think of the differences between love and friendship, no matter how hard she tried. All she could reaffirm was that friendship was what linked her to Elena, while the emotional bond connecting Elena to Damian was love.

If one day she were to fall in love, wouldn’t something change within her too?

Imagining the face of Elena when she was with Damian, Noel decided to fantasize about the possibilities of someday experiencing love herself.

 

---