Don't Misunderstand!
"...It's not bad at all."
Which obviously meant it was incredibly good. She tried to play it cool, but the deep blush spreading across her cheeks destroyed any chance of sounding convincing. Isabel gently stroked her ring finger, a shy smile blooming on her lips. Every time our eyes met, she'd slowly turn away. It was adorable. I wished she would just show her happy feelings freely. She was allowed to be honest with me, after all.
"Shall we wander around a bit now?"
"Yes."
What Isabel had wished for was to spend the entire day together. The one condition was that it had to be just the two of us. We couldn't leave Seria alone for too long, so I'd left a short note saying I'd be stepping out briefly.
The market was lively. Maybe it was because this was a resort country? Souvenir shops lined the streets, and merchants enthusiastically pushed local specialties. Statues and necklaces featuring the Vanir and Aesir gods were everywhere. Crowds of people haggled and traded.
Clang. Clang. Clang!
Dwarven blacksmiths from Nidavellir hammered away at glowing red-hot metal, sending brilliant sparks flying with every strike.
"Whoops."
A stray ember flew straight toward us. When it shot toward Isabel's face as she watched the spectacle, I instantly froze it mid-air. Runes shimmered in the air.
Freeze
"S-sorry about that!"
"It's fine. Keep going."
I answered the flustered dwarf while turning to Isabel, who had ended up nestled against my chest.
"You okay?"
"...N-no. I'm not okay."
"Pfft. You look perfectly fine to me."
Isabel let out a little "Hmph!" and spun on her heel, marching ahead. I gave a faint smile and shrugged, then hurried after her.
How long had we been browsing? Isabel suddenly turned to me.
"Hero, have you visited places like this often?"
"Hmm... Not since coming to this world, no."
I'd been too busy fighting for my life. Isabel looked curious. She wanted to know about the world I'd come from. When our eyes met, I saw pure, burning curiosity in her gaze—the same familiar, nostalgic look my little sister used to give me when she begged for old stories. Maybe that was why my lips curled into a grin.
"Curious?"
"I-I'm not curious at all."
"Aww, come on. Be honest. You are, aren't you?"
"...Ugh."
"It wasn't anything special. Pretty much the same as here, really."
Her reactions were so cute. I might have teased her a little just to see them. But the most important thing was this:
"From now on, don't hide your feelings in front of me."
Of course there would be things she needed to keep hidden. But—
"If that's not the case, is there any reason to keep being dishonest?"
"...I am the young lady's maid and a slave of the Lionblood family."
"....."
I stayed quiet and simply listened. The market was still noisy, but our little space felt like it belonged to just the two of us.
"A slave must not show emotion. That's the rule..."
"But you were honest with your feelings toward me."
At least sometimes.
"...Mm."
"Like I've always said, it's fine with me."
"It's not fine with me."
She was making that pitiful face again. On the surface she looked nearly expressionless, but I could tell. After spending just over a week together, I could read her. She was a woman who felt bright, vivid emotions. A slave. A thing, not a person. Coming from modern Earth, I couldn't understand it.
I placed my hand on top of her head. She flinched, cheeks flushing, lips twitching. She was clearly fighting back happiness and the urge to smile. When she tried to duck her face, I stopped her, tilting her chin up so our eyes could meet. Embarrassment radiated from her, but she couldn't hide the soft, melted smile on her lips. She was beautiful.
"See? You can smile this beautifully."
"...It's all because of you, Hero."
"Whether it's because of me or not, you don't need to hide your feelings."
Because she was a slave? Because she was a thing that had to conceal emotions in front of her owner? What kind of fucking nonsense was that? It was on the same level as the bullshit I'd heard when I was stuck in a party with Ragner, Fina, and Lunaris.
"Seria was surprised by your changes precisely because you kept hiding your emotions."
"The young lady doesn't care..."
"She does care. Because someday, you two will have to stand together."
That's why I was saying this.
"So stop hiding them. Of course, I personally find your reactions so cute I could die."
"D-don't say such embarrassing things!"
"It's true."
It's fucking embarrassing as hell.
"I'm enduring that embarrassment to tell you this. Be honest with your feelings."
"...Ugh."
"I'm not saying you have to change overnight. Take it slow. Just gradually open up from now on. That's enough."
Isabel gave a slow nod. Even then, her fingers kept caressing the ring. Had our conversation reached the ears of the people around us? Many of them chuckled and sent us knowing looks.
"Ahem. Shall we move along?"
I was getting a little too embarrassed.
Isabel agreed and started walking, still touching her flushed cheeks.
"Haha..."
It seemed like it would still take time for her to change completely.
"...Hmph."
Isabel gently wrapped her arms around mine. The sensation was different from Seria's— softer, fuller... Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not a pervert.
"D-don't misunderstand! You're the one who told me to be honest with my feelings...!"
"Oh?"
Her reaction made my lips curl into a smirk.
"L-let's go quickly! ...Hmph."
"Yes, yes~"
Still, it seemed like she was becoming a little more honest.
"Ragner. Say it again. What exactly did Taesik say...?"
"...He said to tell you that if he sees you again, he'll kill you."
I already knew. I'd known, but hearing it from his mouth made rage boil up inside me.
Crash!
"B-big sis!"
Blood covered Lunaris's palm. The glass had shattered and cut her. The stinging pain and flowing blood lasted only a moment—Fina's light immediately healed the wound. She carefully extracted every fragment, down to the tiniest piece, and regenerated the muscle and flesh.
Lunaris's brow furrowed. She needed him. She'd investigated his traces to the very end and learned he was in Jotunheim. She'd sent Ragner, who had been relatively close to him, but... but!
"You fucking idiot!"
Instead, he'd returned castrated. To her, it was an incredibly beneficial turn of events in one sense, but thinking about the future made the whole situation utterly fucked.
"Exile...! This can't be happening."
"...Big sis. I'll follow you no matter where you go."
Lunaris shoved away the clinging Fina. It wasn't a gentle push. She shook her off as if she were something disgusting. That action meant a lot to Fina.
"...Big sis?"
"Fina. Stop it. I'm tired."
"Why are you suddenly acting like this...? D-do you hate me now?"
"To think you're still spouting that nonsense! Can't you read the situation?"
She couldn't even separate public and private matters. What an idiot. Lunaris genuinely thought so. They had been exiled by royal decree. Every title stripped from them, rendering the fame of the Hero's Party meaningless. It was unfair. And she regretted her past self.
"...Damn it, damn it, damn it!"
"Lunaris. What are you going to do now?"
"What else? Obviously I have to meet Taesik!"
"Stop!"
Ragner tried to hold her back. Just looking at the guy's face made his balls tremble. The scar from the axe that had come down on him still ached. The wound Seria had given him had healed, but it tormented him every night.
"...Ugh!"
It hurt. It ached. His masculine pride had been shattered.
"Ragner. Above all, what I asked you to do was to 'request' that Taesik come back, wasn't it?"
"...I did request it."
"Was accepting a fight over the Holy Sword because you were blinded by greed what you call a request?"
Lunaris was furious. Ragner was lying. She'd seen the entire situation through the familiar she'd attached to him. That's how she knew. Ragner had lost his honor and his will to fight. Fina still didn't care about the Demon King. Money and status? Those were luxuries a Saintess could do without. She only wanted Lunaris. Lunaris had gone along with it because she seemed useful, but now she was sick of it!
She wasn't into women. If she loved someone enough to want a physical relationship, she would choose a man. Fina was nothing more than a walking wallet. Honestly, she wanted to get out of this place right now.
...She felt like she could somewhat understand how Taesik had felt.
"...Tsk."
Lunaris clicked her tongue. Fina trembled, saying her sudden change in behavior was strange, clinging to her and begging not to be abandoned.
"I'm so sick of this."
She shook her off. Lunaris had decided. Even if she had to kneel and bang her head on the ground, she had to be with him. She couldn't lose her money and status like this. Above all, there was this lump in her chest she'd felt ever since he disappeared. This suffocating, longing feeling—what was it? His face haunted her until she fell asleep.
"...I must be crazy."
She needed to meet Taesik to understand it. Ragner watched Lunaris. He'd been ignored. The bravest warrior of all had been ignored! This couldn't continue. The greatest vessel to bear his children was leaving. In that case—
"...I can't let you go."
"Move, Ragner."
"If Taesik won't join us, we can just kill the Demon King ourselves."
"Kill the Demon King? Pfft!"
It was so absurd she started laughing. Lunaris thought that if Ragner hadn't been a warrior, he would have been the funniest clown in the world.
"Without the Holy Sword?"
"...I can still land effective hits."
"Is that why we got beaten so badly, rolling around and ending up covered in wounds?"
With a bitter smile, she spoke to Ragner.
"...You're not Taesik. Odin has already abandoned you."
"Lunaris!"
"Raising your voice to whom? You barbarian."
Ragner, who had envied Taesik more than anyone, couldn't hide his shame. He swung his fist at Lunaris. The air split, and the red wine in the glass sloshed violently, nearly spilling over.
"...Raising a hand against a woman. How pathetic."
Defense
Before Lunaris even needed to act, Fina had already cast a barrier. Lunaris smiled. Everything was going exactly as planned.
"D-don't touch my big sis, Ragner."
"Fina. Get out of the way!"
"Hehe. Well done, Fina. I'll spoil you plenty later."
"...Big sis. You don't hate me?"
She didn't answer the question. A single gentle smile was enough. Fina was pure, after all. At Lunaris's smile, Fina's own smile bloomed.
Crack!
The barrier began to break. Layer after layer collapsed and shattered. Pure white fragments of light burst like shards of glass. Fina held firm, ignoring the sight.
"...Kh!"
"Haa... Haa..."
"Fina. That woman is just using you."
But it was useless. Right now, in this moment, Fina wouldn't listen to anyone but Lunaris. She had completely become Lunaris's puppet. She didn't even realize it. Ragner genuinely thought Lunaris was a terrifying woman.
"Without Taesik, I am nothing."
It was true. Without him, she would never have gained the fame and wealth of the Hero's Party. The sacks of money stored in her invisible subspace were incredibly heavy. All of it was money Taesik had earned. She was surprised he'd left it behind, but that just proved how urgent his departure had been.
"...Taesik."
She had to stay by his side. Even if he held all the initiative, as long as she could secure honor and money, she had to remain with him. She couldn't miss this chance. Most importantly, she needed to confirm this emotion she was feeling. She prayed desperately that it wasn't 'longing' or 'love.' She hated herself for never having imagined this would happen. He was human too, someone who had come from another world. Had she really not known that he would eventually leave if all she cared about was money?
So she made up her mind. Fina had protected her. Ragner's fist couldn't reach her. This was her opportunity.
Teleport
"Hehe, you fools. Try getting by without me."
"...Lunaris! Stop!"
"...Big sis?!"
She would find Taesik. She would admit all her wrongs, bow her head, and apologize. She would beg to be allowed to travel with him again. She would even become his slave if necessary. She was willing to date him. If that didn't work, she would offer this sensual body of hers to obtain him.
"...Wait for me."
She hoped he would forgive her.
And with that, Lunaris's body was enveloped in light—
Flash!
She vanished completely, leaving Ragner and Fina behind.