A Day by the Lake
Once again, the two ventured out into the wilderness to fulfill Robert's request. Fortunately, this assignment was a B-Rank—a far less demanding target than the beast they had faced the day before.
Far across the open field, a lone demon caught their attention as it drifted aimlessly through the grass. It possessed the slender, modest frame of an ordinary human male, but a pair of elongated wings trailed lazily behind it, brushing the earth with every languid step.
"Ceria, what kind of demon is that?"
"A humanoid build... and especially those wings... That's an Angel Type."
"Even though it's a demon?"
"Only in appearance. I remember reading in the tactical manuals that they punch far above their rank."
"Hmm... What's the plan, then?"
"Ryan, mind if I take the lead on this one?"
"You?"
"Yeah. Unless I step directly into their line of sight, demons almost never notice me. Its physique doesn't look particularly durable, so I can slip behind it and finish it in a single strike."
"If you're confident... all right. I'll follow at a distance and back you up."
"Thanks."
Carefully skirting the demon's peripheral vision, Ceria crept forward. She closed in to a distance where an ordinary knight would have long been discovered, yet the creature remained completely oblivious to her presence.
Ceria tightened her fingers around the hilt of her blade. While she lacked overwhelming physical power, her greatest asset was her blinding speed. Overwhelming an enemy with a swift, lethal opening strike was her true forte. Even during Team 2's joint exercises, initiating the ambush had always been her responsibility; whenever her initial strike failed to bring a monster down, her seniors would step in to deliver the finishing blow.
...Now!
Having closed the distance, her posture set and blade primed, Ceria kicked off the turf and surged forward. She had drilled relentlessly to stifle the sound of her footfalls so that nothing would betray her approach. Up until today, every demon she had ever stalked had only realized she was there after feeling cold steel bite into flesh.
At that exact moment, the demon's head snapped backward.
Golden irises set in a porcelain white face met Ceria's startled blue eyes.
Of all the moments to turn around...!
Her sword arm was already in motion. There was no halting the momentum now.
The instant the creature turned, Ryan burst forward across the field, bracing himself to parry an imminent counterattack. Yet his boots skidded to an abrupt halt in the dirt. Despite whipping around and locking eyes with Ceria, the demon had made no move whatsoever.
Her blade slashed clean through its slender neck. The pale head tumbled into the grass, and the decapitated torso crumpled sideways onto the earth.
"Haa... haa..."
Ceria let out a ragged breath. The swing itself hadn't winded her, but the sheer jolt of being detected had left her heart hammering against her ribs. Had the creature lashed out, she couldn't say with certainty that she would have walked away unscathed.
"Ceria! Are you all right?"
"Ah, Ryan... I'm fine. Just... a little startled when our eyes met..."
"I saw. It caught me off guard too. But it just stood there and took the hit."
"Yeah. It didn't flinch at all..."
"I've never seen a demon refuse to fight back. Let's harvest the samples and ask Mr. Robert about it."
As Ryan crouched to excise the requested parts from the corpse, his gaze drifted up toward Ceria. She was pressing a palm against her forehead, wincing slightly.
"Ceria, headache?"
"Yeah. A little..."
"Let me see."
Ryan reached out and rested his hand against her brow, but found no trace of a fever.
"Doesn't feel warm. Is it bad?"
"No... I think the ride made me a little motion sick. My stomach feels a bit unsettled, too."
"Then I'll take it slow on the way back. If it still hurts once we're inside, we'll ask for some medicine."
"Okay..."
Stowing the harvested samples into his pouch alongside Ceria's, Ryan climbed onto the bike. Mindful of her nausea, he rode back at a gentle, steady cruise. Though relieved to feel her headache subsiding with the cool wind, Ceria soon realized that heat was spreading across another part of her face entirely—her cheeks were burning bright red.
That, of course, remained her little secret.
"Thank you very much. Judging by the anatomy, this is indeed an Angel Type. Even during my service in the chivalric orders, I rarely crossed paths with one. You two possess remarkable luck."
Robert appeared thoroughly delighted to have obtained biological matter from such an elusive specimen. When Ryan recounted the bizarre encounter in the meadow, however, Robert's placid smile gave way to genuine curiosity.
"It did not retaliate... That is peculiar. By their very nature, demons harbor absolute hostility toward humanity. And for a creature whose very existence revolves around combat, instinct alone should have triggered a defensive reaction."
"Could there be a reason for that?"
"Nothing comes to mind immediately. Perhaps its stamina was depleted to the point where it lacked the strength to mount an offense—though what could exhaust an Angel Type to such a degree remains a mystery."
"Are these Angel Types considered strong?"
"Indeed, Ryan. Alongside the Red Lotus Legion, they are regarded as among the most hazardous threats humanity faces. Their mana manipulation and intellect are extraordinary, making them exceptionally troublesome to deal with."
"I see..."
"Well, further research may illuminate the answer. Thank you once again for your assistance. Please, take the remainder of the day to rest."
Robert disappeared into the research wing with the specimen container. With noon having barely passed, Ryan found himself wondering how to spend the long, empty hours ahead.
"Ryan, are you bored?"
"A little, yeah."
"Then... want to go somewhere with me? There's a place I'd love to see."
It was rare for Ceria to suggest an outing first, and Ryan gladly took the opportunity to escape the confines of the bunker. With her seated behind him on the bike, they rode until they arrived at the shores of a sprawling lake.
At the sight of the wide, sparkling water, Ceria spread her arms wide and dashed straight down to the bank.
"Wow, it's so cool! Ryan, come here!"
Dipping her hands into the crystalline water, which revealed the lakebed below with startling clarity, Ceria swished them back and forth. As she stood there relishing the crisp mountain chill slipping through her fingers, Ryan walked up beside her—only to be ambushed.
"Hah!"
Ceria scooped up a generous splash of water and hurled it straight into his face.
"Whoa!"
The cold spray sent a sharp shock through his senses, instantly washing away the lingering fatigue of the morning's hunt. Still, an unprovoked attack demanded retaliation. It was only fair.
Ryan cupped both of his broad hands, scooped up as much water as they could hold, and scattered a massive shower over her.
"Kyaaah!"
A delighted squeal escaped her lips as the splash soaked through her hair. Wiping her dripping forehead with the cuff of her jacket, Ceria laughed brightly.
"Hehe, nice and cold, right? Before the war broke out, people used to travel from all across the country just to see this lake. The region's ancient name even meant 'Beautiful Lake.'"
The vast body of water stretched before them, gleaming under the afternoon sun like a polished mirror. After gazing out across the tranquil expanse for a long while, Ceria turned her gaze toward Ryan.
"Ryan... have you ever been here before?"
"...No. Why do you ask?"
"Oh... it's nothing. District 48 was famous for this lake, that's all. Since the old name meant 'Beautiful Lake,' I just wondered if maybe you'd visited in the past..."
At his denial, Ceria's gaze drifted back toward the sparkling surface.
He's never been here?... Then why...
Glancing around the shoreline once more, she looked back at Ryan. He seemed to be straining his mind, earnestly trying to piece together whether he had ever set foot here before his memories vanished into thin air.
The answers won't come quickly. Which means... I need to keep Ryan by my side for as long as I can.
That morning, Johann had sent word that the administrative clearances would likely wrap up by tomorrow. Assuming no complications arose, all that remained was meeting Johann face-to-face to secure his final authorization. To unravel the questions haunting her, Ceria needed to stay close to Ryan at all costs. In a way, she was far more desperate for that approval than he was.
"...Ryan, we're heading to Westgard soon. How do you feel about it?"
Her round, clear blue eyes seemed to shimmer with quiet anticipation, eagerly waiting for his answer.
"...Honestly, I'm nervous. I can't even picture how massive a city like that is."
"Well, Westgard is on a completely different scale compared to District 48. But if it's you, Ryan, I know you'll adapt in no time!"
Ryan gave her a wry look, as if asking what on earth could possibly give her such unfounded confidence.
"I just have a good feeling about it. Hehe. If there's anything you don't understand once we get there, just ask me. I'll explain everything."
"Hmm... What kind of place is Westgard, exactly?"
At his question, Ceria crossed her arms and tilted her head in thought. It wasn't that she lacked knowledge; rather, she was wrestling with where to even begin.
"What are you most curious about?"
"I remember that a city called Westgard exists. But what it actually feels like, what it's known for—none of that comes back to me. Before I lost my memories, I don't think I ever visited."
"Is that so... In that case, should I start with what it looks like from the outside?"
Ceria crouched down on the bank and began sketching in the damp sand with her fingertip. She drew a large oval and filled its interior with an assortment of geometric shapes. Her drawing was hardly a masterpiece, but it was clear enough to convey the general layout.
"Is that Westgard?"
"Yup. It has this massive circular defensive wall running around the perimeter—you've seen city walls near the residential districts, so you can picture that, right? And inside, there are all sorts of towering buildings. When you first see them, you might even wonder if people actually live in them!"
Indeed, the silhouettes Ceria traced in the sand looked radically different from the low-rise structures of District 48. Amid the cluster of buildings, one spot marked with a neat little star caught his eye.
"What's that one?"
"This? My house! The place where you're going to live, Ryan."
Ceria tapped the tip of her scabbard against the sand drawing with a proud grin.
"...That assumes I actually get approved, though."
"Ryan! You shouldn't even think about getting rejected! Confidence is half the battle!"
"I-I know, but... just thinking about Commander Johann makes me pretty tense."
Seeing Ryan look so visibly intimidated, Ceria burst into laughter. She could easily guess the terrifying monolith he had conjured in his mind.
"Ahaha, stop, I'm tearing up! Just what kind of monster do you think my father is?"
"Well, he is the Knight Commander... I picture someone extremely..."
Ryan held his arms wide and puffed out his chest, pantomiming an imposing, immovable giant. His exaggerated gestures only sent Ceria into louder giggles.
"Oh, you're impossible. Sure, he's tall, but my dad isn't scary at all. He's incredibly gentle and warm, so you really don't need to be afraid."
"Are you sure it'll be fine?"
"You'll see the second you meet him. And if the worst happens, I'll figure out a way to pull some strings."
She wasn't merely reassuring him. If Ryan genuinely failed to gain Johann's blessing, she was fully prepared to take drastic measures. To her, Ryan was worth every bit of trouble. She had spent years searching for her fated person; she had no intention of letting him slip away now.
"Somehow, that makes me feel like I shouldn't let things get to the point where you have to 'pull strings.'"
"Why? What kind of strings do you think I'd pull?"
Ceria tilted her head, gazing up at him. Those wide, innocent blue eyes carried an intensity that sent a chill down Ryan's spine—though of an entirely different kind.
"...Never mind. I'll make sure to get approved on my own merit."
"See? That's the spirit! You've got this~"
After lingering by the water to admire the view a while longer, the two mounted the bike and began the journey back toward the research bunker. Holding tightly to Ryan's waist as he steered along the rural road, Ceria whispered a quiet resolve to herself.
I will uncover the truth. So Ryan... please stay by my side until then...
By the time they returned to the bunker, chatting amiably throughout the ride, the sun had already slipped beneath the horizon. Hearing the low rumble of the engine, Robert stepped outside to greet them in person.
"You were gone for so long I began to fear you had encountered a demon. Wherever did you go?"
"We just patrolled a bit further out..."
Ryan trailed off as he noticed Robert's gaze wasn't fixed on his face, but rather on his right hand. Ryan looked down.
Realizing that he was still firmly clasping the hand he had offered to help Ceria dismount from the bike, he hurriedly pulled it back.
"...It is late. Please, head inside and get some rest."
Ceria slipped past them and darted into the bunker. As Ryan followed her up the stairs in silence, he caught a sideways glimpse of her profile—her cheeks and the tips of her ears were glowing crimson.
"See you tomorrow."
"Yeah, sleep well, Ryan. ...Thanks for working so hard today."
With that, Ceria slipped into her quarters as if fleeing an ambush.
Having brought the long day to an end, Ryan retreated to his own room and prepared for sleep. Thoughts of the demon that had refused to fight back and the afternoon spent with Ceria at the lake drifted through his mind.
Still... even if it was a high-threat demon, I'm glad it didn't counterattack.
When Ceria had first volunteered, he had harbored quiet misgivings. Yet even without resistance from the target, severing a B-Rank demon's neck in a single blow was proof enough that her skills were nothing to scoff at.
...That lake was truly refreshing.
The cold sting of the water against his skin during their splash fight—it felt far too precious to leave behind as a fleeting memory. But had he gone there alone, he doubted it would have felt half as cool or vibrant. Having someone beside him to share the chill and take in the same horizon was what had made the experience truly meaningful.
Even after we move to Westgard, I'd like to visit that lake again. Maybe when summer comes around...?
Perhaps because his mind lingered on the water as he drifted off to sleep, Ryan found himself standing beside the lake once more in his dreams, laughing and splashing in the cool shallows alongside Ceria.
(Ceria appearing in his dreams!)