Valencia Sisters (7)
Dazzling radiance, a beautiful illusion, a curtain dyed pure white.
Ardena, who had accidentally activated the Orgel of Desire, found herself immersed in a false vision crafted from her deepest longings.
As if demanding she retract her dismissive judgment of it as worthless, the Orgel of Desire conjured an illusion so flawless that it blurred the line between virtual and real.
Impressive…
Ardena had dismissed it as mere repulsive trickery, a tool for peddling fake fantasies. Yet even she couldn’t help but marvel at the space constructed by this single magical artifact.
She stood in a verdant meadow. A gentle breeze tickled her cheeks, and the scent of fresh grass filled her nostrils. Even knowing it was all fake, it felt utterly real.
Nothing here was genuine. The green grass that rustled saruk-saruk under her footsteps, the refreshing wind—it was all born from illusion, nothing more.
“Ardena.”
A man called her name. It was her name he spoke, yet somehow, it wasn’t.
Urk!
When she turned toward the voice, a sudden gust whipped up, blurring her vision. Hazy mirages rose around her. Enveloped in the thick, opaque fog, Ardena waited calmly for it to settle.
She didn’t panic. She knew she was inside a house of mirages, built on pillars of vanity and a roof of imitation.
A mirage can never surpass reality. Nothing in this space can harm me.
Muttering to herself, Ardena watched as the haze blocking her view slowly dissipated.
The mirage shifted. Raising walls of falsehood, it staged the scene Ardena Valencia craved most.
“What in the… world…”
What appeared before her eyes was a bride draped in pristine white. A wedding dress clung to her form. The golden-haired high elf beauty blushed as she shyly took the man’s outstretched hand.
The man produced a ring. He slipped it onto the delicate finger of the high elf bride.
It was a common sight in a wedding hall, but witnessing it left Ardena reeling in shock.
Yushin.
The man handing the ring to the bride—it was unmistakably Yushin Gilliard. And the high elf bride reaching out with a bashful expression was…
“Fakes are nothing but fakes!”
Ardena bellowed. Watching the happy couple bask in marital bliss, her face twisted in fury as she gripped her sword hilt.
A brilliant yet sorrowful arc slashed through the mirage.
Pfshaaa!!
A mirage was a mirage, after all. Under Ardena’s true strike, it lost its power, wobbled unsteadily, and shattered.
“Begone. I won’t let some illusion preempt my future.”
As the disorienting haze spread once more, Ardena returned to reality.
The glowing Orgel fell silent. As if intimidated by the target’s unyielding purity, it halted abruptly and snapped its lid shut.
* * *
The half-elf girl returned. Carrying the magical accessories stored in the warehouse, she seemed oblivious to the incident.
If she learned that the Orgel of Desire had suddenly activated and tormented Ardena’s mind, she’d have been stunned and apologized profusely.
Not wanting to blame the girl for her own carelessness, Ardena pretended nothing had happened and examined the accessories she’d brought.
“Is this a ruby?”
“Yes! It’s imbued with fire resistance magic!”
In response to Ardena’s question, the half-elf proudly showed off the ruby-adorned necklace artifact. But Ardena thought it didn’t suit Alonne and scanned the others.
Then she found one she liked: a brooch decorated with a vivid pinkish-red gem matching Alonne’s eye color. Its elegant design would pair perfectly with formal attire.
Alonne will stand on formal stages soon enough. She’ll wear dress uniforms often then. I should buy her this brooch.
Ardena picked up the brooch. The pinkish-red gem and bright pearls gleamed in the palm of the high elf warrior captain.
It would suit Ardena just as well. The half-elf hoped she’d use it herself, but hearing it was a gift, she kept quiet.
“We’ll take this one.”
“Yes!”
“And…”
Ardena handed the brooch to the half-elf and spoke again. She pointed at the display shelf.
Her finger aimed at the Orgel.
“Get rid of that thing. It’s no good to show trash like that to civilians.”
“Understood!”
Having bought the brooch as a gift for Alonne, Ardena headed to the first floor where Yushin waited.
It had taken quite a while. But Yushin didn’t show any irritation.
As Ardena descended, he approached her.
“Get the gift?”
“A brooch.”
“Good to know it’s something normal.”
“…What’s that supposed to mean?”
Having finished their business in Maherith, Yushin and Ardena returned to Valencia Castle.
After notifying the maids of their arrival, Ardena went to her sullen little sister, who’d spent the day moping.
Alonne was swinging her sword in the training grounds. Perhaps sensing graduation exams approaching, the academy’s trials had turned the Valencia family’s lazybones into a practice bug.
“Alonne.”
“S-Sis…”
Alonne, deep in training, halted her swing and faced Ardena. Remembering the morning, she gazed at her sister like a rain-soaked puppy.
“I did you wrong. I’m truly sorry about this morning.”
“N-No… I’m fine. You weren’t wrong. I do rely on Master too much.”
The Valencia sisters apologized to each other, airing out their pent-up grudges.
Ardena offered a small case. Opening it revealed the brooch adorned with pinkish-red gems and white pearls.
Caught off guard by the gift, Alonne beamed with genuine joy. Not only reconciled with her sister, but a present too. Her gloomy day vanished in an instant.
She vowed to treasure the brooch.
“And I got cake.”
“For real?!”
“Fresh cream cake, bought by Yushin himself. I heard it’s your favorite.”
“Let’s eat together, Sis!”
“Sure.”
Ardena and Alonne shared the cake from Maherith’s famous patisserie, truly making up. Yushin, watching the sisters devour it happily, could only sip his coffee.
“Sis, what about Master?”
“Leave him. He’s a human who committed a grave sin.”
“Okay…”
If Sis was that mad, Master must’ve killed someone on the street or something. What’d he do this time? Alonne pitied Yushin but kept shoveling cake.
“Ahem.”
Watching Alonne eat busily, Ardena extended her cake-forked bite toward Yushin, who sat nearby.
One bite wouldn’t hurt, right? Feeling bad for making him watch alone, she offered him a chance.
“Can I?”
“If you don’t want it, forget it.”
As Ardena withdrew, Yushin leaned in and took the fork in his mouth.
He ate the cake. It was the fork Ardena had used several times, but he didn’t mind.
Ardena, realizing the indirect kiss via fork, shook her head furiously, her pale cheeks flushing crimson. Her face burned like the strawberries atop the cream cake.
“Alonne.”
“Yeah, Sis?”
“You’re my proud little sister.”
“D-Don’t embarrass me…! Thanks for the support…”
Alonne fidgeted bashfully at Ardena’s encouragement.
* * *
After reconciling with Alonne, Ardena chatted with Yushin in the garden.
“Told ya. Just cake and she’d be thrilled.”
“Alonne was happy with the brooch I gave her. No way a mere cake fixed her mood.”
“So damn stubborn. Get called pigheaded often?”
“Urk! Shut your pervert mouth!”
Unable to deny being a pervert, Yushin bit his lip at Ardena’s retort.
Ardena smirked. This irredeemable guy was hopelessly cute in his little moments. She was head over heels.
Smiling at a man she could justifiably kill—a lingering resentment, but every moment with him was bliss. Undeniable.
“Glad it worked out anyway.”
Ardena nodded at Yushin’s words.
“…You were right.”
“Anger cooled a bit?”
“Don’t make me laugh. I haven’t forgiven you one bit.”
Ardena whipped her head away, still prickly. My fury remains. I only tagged along for Alonne—not to forgive you.
Faced with her iron will, Yushin scratched his head. No way a high elf miss would bend easily; he was stumped.
“Got a consolation gift.”
“…For me?”
Surprised, Ardena blinked at the mention.
Yushin reached into his pocket, fiddling before pulling out a small case—identical to the brooch one.
Opening it revealed a deep green emerald.
Precisely, a ring set with the verdant gem.
“Must’ve cost a fortune…”
“It’s fine. I billed Ileina.”
Would’ve been cooler without that. Yet Ardena smiled, loving even his quirky side.
“Gimme your hand.”
Yushin extended his. Like an obedient pup to her master, Ardena offered hers.
“Saw the ring alone on the first floor and grabbed it. Not asking full forgiveness with this. Just… thanks for always. Y’know.”
“Thank you, Yushin.”
Yushin, a bit nervous, shakily picked up the ring toward her finger.
Left ring finger. Ardena had extended it.
Reading the signal, Yushin slipped the emerald ring onto Ardena’s left ring finger.
“Pretty.”
Suddenly receiving a ring from her love, Ardena recalled her earlier words.
I won’t let some illusion preempt my future.
Back then, she hadn’t seen Yushin gifting a ring to her in a wedding dress.
But now was different. She met his gaze.
Illusions could never beat reality. Ardena knew her conviction held true, and she regretted nothing of her love for him.
“Like the evergreen branches of World Tree Bria shining forever… I’ll treasure this ring you gave me.”
Elves likened unchanging love to World Tree Bria’s branches. Amid time’s chain, they confessed eternal vows—one of the purest ways.
Oblivious, Yushin took it as simply treasuring the gift.
At his bewildered look, Ardena flashed a radiant smile, white teeth gleaming.
