Ignited

"Is it over...?"

Looking up at the now-quiet night sky, I stepped away from the window.

A sudden, unexpected fireworks display.

I had no idea what they were celebrating, but it had been a wonderful sight.

Part of me wished I could have watched it with Zeto, but after spending the entire day in the Labyrinth, my stamina was completely depleted.

I threw my exhausted body onto the bed.

Flump.

The plush mattress immediately welcomed me with its soft embrace.

I really detested the Labyrinth.

Most of all, I hated how difficult it was to find my way around.

Perhaps because I had vented all my frustration from getting lost onto the monsters, they hadn't felt particularly strong.

But wandering aimlessly had drained my energy, forcing me to leave the Labyrinth early.

On my way out, I had checked the Labyrinth exploration rankings, and the gap between Zeto and me was still immense.

"When will I ever catch up to him...?"

Lying on the bed, I muttered to myself and reached my hand out into the empty air.

Naturally, there was nothing to grasp.

To protect Zeto, I need to be at least...

...stronger than him.

In a way, it was only natural.

But catching up to Zeto—who was always so diligent, pushing himself to train so hard that he literally coughed up blood—was no easy feat.

Isn't there a better way?

I was trying my absolute best, but at this rate, I felt like I would never catch up to his shadow.

Just then.

Knock, knock, knock.

Someone was knocking on my door.

At this late hour? Who could it be?

I walked over to the door and spoke.

"Who is it?"

"A package has arrived for you."

A package?

Hearing the voice from behind the door, my father, Jeras Clementine, immediately came to mind.

I had recently asked him if there were any spare elixirs left at home. Since my father took an immense... liking to Zeto anyway, I had already told him in advance that it was for Zeto.

Click.

A female Academy staff member was standing outside.

She was a familiar face I often saw around the dormitory.

Whenever a student received a letter or a package, it would be delivered to the Academy first, and then a staff member would bring it to the dorms.

"You are Lady Yuri Clementine, correct?"

"Yes."

"Here is the letter that came with your package."

The seal on the letter bore the crest of the Clementine family. It had to be the elixir from my father.

"...Thank you. But where is the package?"

I asked the staff member, who had only handed me a single letter with no package in sight.

"Ah, well, because of its size... I had to leave it in the dormitory courtyard for a moment."

"...Its size?"

I asked back, my eyebrows arching at her words.

It was strange. There shouldn't be any elixir so massive that it couldn't be brought inside the dormitory.

"I think it would be faster for you to check it yourself. I'll be on my way now. Oh, and if you require any 'butchering' services, please let the Academy staff know."

"Right..."

After my lukewarm response, the staff member offered a warm smile and walked down the hallway.

Butchering...?

Surely he wouldn't have sent an entire Salamander just to give me its tail.

Deciding to check the letter first, I stepped back into my room and broke the seal.

Then, I slowly read through it.

It was indeed a letter from my father.

"..."

He hadn't sent an elixir.

My father's reasoning was that since Zeto wasn't his 'son-in-law' yet, giving such a precious elixir to someone who was merely a 'close friend' might place too much of a burden on him.

Following that sentence, he proposed an alternative.

Wait, then what he sent as a package was...

...Having read the entire letter, I bit my lip.

I was well aware of the 'time-honored' Clementine family stamina dish.

When I was young, I used to wonder how anyone could eat such a thing.

But it was surprisingly delicious, and from my own experience, nothing was better for restoring one's vitality.

In particular, according to our family's head chef, Hutton, this stamina dish was exceptionally good for 'a man's body.'

He said it would make their strength overflow.

Was it really ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that potent...?

At any rate, if his words were true, Zeto was a man, so the effects would be guaranteed.

A stamina dish would surely breathe life back into his frail body.

There was just one problem...

...I was absolutely dreadful at cooking.

Folding the letter neatly, I immediately headed down to the dormitory courtyard where the 'package' was waiting.

"What is that...?"

"Isn't that a Magma Bear?"

"Who left something like this here?"

A crowd of female ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠cadets had already gathered in the courtyard, whispering and staring.

And for good reason—lying in a corner of the courtyard was the massive, scorched carcass of a Magma Bear.

This beast... was the main ingredient for the stamina dish.

Squeezing through the crowd of cadets, I quietly announced, "It was sent to me."

Having found their answer, the onlookers slowly dispersed.

I crossed my arms and stared at the Magma Bear, lost in thought.

Cooking for Zeto myself seemed like a wonderful idea.

But just because it was made with 'devotion'... did that make it okay if it tasted terrible?

I didn't have the confidence to make it as delicious as Hutton did.

Just then, a familiar voice called out from behind me.

"Yuri! What are you doing out here?!"

It was Lucia.

Lucia bounded over to me with light, energetic steps.

Then, her eyes fell upon the Magma Bear in front of me, and she gasped in shock.

"A-A Magma Bear...!"

"My family sent it. More importantly, what are you doing up? It's rare to see you awake at this hour."

I asked because it was unusual for Lucia, who always went to bed early, to be coming back from outside the dormitory.

"Hehe, I was out watching the fireworks... Did you see them too, Yuri?"

"Ah, yes... I saw them from my room. They were beautiful."

"Right?!"

Lucia said excitedly.

Lucia didn't know what the fireworks were celebrating either. She had simply woken up from her sleep and rushed outside.

Perhaps that was why she was still wearing her pajamas.

As the true meaning of the fireworks remained shrouded in mystery,

I spotted another familiar face walking toward the dormitory behind Lucia.

Eisel...?

Her platinum-blonde hair swayed as she walked, but something about her was vastly different.

Eisel Ludwig, who was hesitatingly stepping into the dormitory, was... completely dressed up.

Her hair was neatly tied with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a beautiful ribbon.

And what was with that short dress?

It bared her shoulders completely, accentuating her soft, delicate curves.

She looked entirely different from her usual self... but well, there was no denying she looked beautiful.

"Oh, Eisel!"

Sensing Eisel's presence, Lucia turned around and waved.

Eisel turned her head toward us.

Her face was completely flushed, a far cry from her usual indifferent expression.

...Without saying a word, Eisel wore the expression of a girl hopelessly in love.

She could actually make a face like that?

Just as that thought crossed my mind, our eyes met.

"..."

With her cheeks still rosy, Eisel glanced at me and flashed a deeply smug, satisfied smile.

"..."

I had no idea what it meant, but it rubbed me entirely the wrong way, causing my brow to furrow.

As Eisel disappeared fully into the dormitory, Lucia quietly sidled up to me and whispered.

"Looking at Eisel's face, she must have had an amazing time!"

"An amazing time doing what?"

My brow furrowed even deeper as I questioned Lucia.

Lucia placed a finger on her lips and looked upward, searching her memory.

"Uh... well... I saw Zeto and Eisel walking together while holding hands earlier today! And back when we fought the Muster too... Could it be that legendary thing called a 'date'?!"

"...A date?"

"Yes! Everyone was saying how well they look together!"

While Lucia answered brightly, my face only grew stiffer.

They went on a date? Zeto and Eisel...? Don't tell me that smug smile of hers was...

A smile of victory.

Reaching that conclusion, the image of Eisel's face from moments ago flashed vividly in my mind.

Grit.

I clenched my teeth so hard they ground together.

"Right... So that's how it is..."

A single question had lingered, but it was instantly resolved.

I hadn't quite understood why she had gone to such lengths to dress up for a date with Zeto, but seeing Eisel's smug grin made it crystal clear.

She hadn't just dressed up for Zeto; she wanted to show off how she looked standing beside him to everyone else.

Whoosh~

"..."

Suddenly, a cool breeze blew from beside me.

Turning my head, I saw Lucia, looking utterly terrified, sending gusts of wind magic toward me.

Ah, it seemed my sparks had almost singed her.

"Y-Yuri, your flames...! You're doing it again...! I-If I did something wrong, please just tell me...!"

Although Lucia was desperately trying her best with a tearful face, the heat rising from my body showed no signs of cooling down easily.

I turned my gaze back to the fallen Magma Bear.

A date, huh?

Couldn't treating him to a home-cooked meal and spending time together also be considered a date?

The location was the key.

"Lucia, if I wanted to treat a friend to a meal, where do you think would be the best place to eat?"

"Huh? Cooking all of a sudden? Hmm..."

At my question, Lucia stopped her wind magic and fell into deep thought.

Before long, her eyebrows twitched in a peculiar way, and she spoke.

"...Wouldn't it be best to eat in your room? Unless you're planning to pack a lunchbox...?"

"My room? Inviting him to my room...?"

"Yes! That way, you can serve the food straight from the kitchen. It'll taste much better when it's hot!"

Lucia answered with a bright, innocent smile.

Spending intimate, private time together in my room...

...That was an incredibly good idea.

With that, I felt like I could easily overshadow Eisel's date.

This was a battle.

The only problem is how to get Zeto, a guy, into my room...

I scratched my messy hair.

...Well, I'd figure something out.

Having safely concluded my date with Zeto, I barely managed to drag my trembling legs back to the dormitory.

Click.

Opening the door and stepping into my room, I collapsed face-first onto the bed.

Instantly, all the strength drained from my body.

I buried my burning face in the mattress.

"..."

The words Zeto had spoken on the hill while 'looking' at me were still echoing in my ears.

'Indeed. It really is beautiful.'

Beautiful.

Zeto had definitely said it was beautiful.

I knew very well he wasn't talking about me, and that he was merely playing along with my excited explanations.

Even so, it felt as if he had called me beautiful, and the thought made me incredibly shy.

It was a delusion, but I wanted to believe it.

I decided to believe it.

That was how happy it made me.

I had barely managed to hold myself back from throwing my arms around him.

"...Ugh."

It felt as if someone was gently poking my lower abdomen.

My entire body tingled with excitement, prompting me to uselessly beat the mattress and kick my feet in the air.

So this is what a date feels like.

Zeto had gifted me another emotion.

Love.

This was love.

Just looking at his face made my heart pound wildly, a feeling entirely different from the comfortable warmth I used to feel when talking to him.

Is it really okay for me to be this happy?

I wanted to brag about it to someone.

Should I tell Blanc...?

But after imagining Blanc's reaction, I quickly dismissed the thought.

She would probably just think I was being silly.

It would be better to keep that conversation as a secret shared only between Zeto and me.

I should also express my heartfelt gratitude to Blanc for teaching me what a proper date was.

...Could those unannounced fireworks have been Blanc's doing as well?

Even though Zeto couldn't see them... thanks to them, we were able to engrave a beautiful memory in our hearts.

I was overjoyed, but my train of thought soon drifted to Zeto's curse.

Even at this very moment, the curse was likely eating away at his heart and slowly draining his life force.

"Phew..."

I rolled over onto my back and stared at the ceiling, trying to calm my racing heart.

Yes.

This was only the beginning.

This was merely the starting point to make Zeto 'mine' and mine alone.

I wanted to fill Zeto's mind with thoughts of me as soon as possible.

This was the only small greed I had left, an uncontrollable desire.

The crimson-haired girl I ran into on my way back to the dormitory, Yuri Clementine.

I had been able to flash her a thoroughly satisfied smile.

Zeto's lips belonged to me.

Zeto was mine alone.

After all, I had already secretly marked my territory with a kiss.

"Heheh."

I giggled softly and rolled around on the bed like a child.

It seemed sleep would elude me entirely tonight.