On a night without a single cloud in the sky, the sight of their overlapping lips under the shinning moonlight was like a painting.

How long did they kiss? It couldn’t have been longer than a minute or two.

However, their time soon came to an end as Vihera gently let go of Rei’s body.

A silver thread connected their lips.

Under the moonlight, it seemed rather beautiful than obscene.

It seemed that this embarrassed Vihera quite a bit though. her face and cheeks blushed as she wiped away the threads.

It was the same for Rei. Surprised by Vihera’s sudden kiss, he wiped away the threads connecting them at the same time.

「What do you mean? Why did you do that all of a sudden?」

「Oh? I’ve said this for a long time. Only someone stronger than me can have me.」

With a charming smile, Vihera spoke with her eyes indicating that she was already Rei’s.

「……I’m glad you feel the way you do. But do you really have to make a decision like this just because of that?」

Of course, Vihera was a beauty on par with Elena and Rei couldn’t help but feel happy that Vihera had entrusted herself to him.

However, it was also true that Rei was somewhat unconvinced by Vihera’s words as her reason was that Rei was stronger than her.

「Rei.」

That was why Rei had asked the question, however, the person who responded was someone completely unexpected.

The familiar voice was heard from behind Rei.

Practically speaking though, it was normal for that person to be angry, considering what they had just seen Rei do.

However, as her golden hair glittered under the moonlight, there was no reproach in her eyes.

Of course, she still didn’t approve of what Rei had just done and she had a bitter expression on her face.

「Elena?」

「……You shouldn’t embarrass a woman so much. Just guess yourself.」

Despite the expression on her face, Elena’s words weren’t blaming him for kissing another woman other than herself, but rather reproaching him for his actions after.

It was true that Vihera had always acted like she was trying to attract Rei. That couldn’t be denied.

However, the Vihera of right now gave off a different feeling.

That feeling was something Elena……no, only Elena, noticed.

Vihera seemed to have a clear change in her mentality during the previous day’s fight against the Marschel family.

After the battle with Oricule ended, she had gone back to her usual banter.

However, Elena had felt something different with Vihera after that.

That is to say, Vihera gave off a similar feeling to how she herself felt about Rei.

That was why Elena stopped Rei, who was trying to get Vihera to explain her feelings.

Originally, she hadn’t wanted to do that, but having the same feelings for Rei, Elena decided to accept Vihera’s open declaration of war.

(……Although, there are various things about that kiss that I’m not happy about.)

Even though that was what she thought in her heart, her pride as a woman stopped her from interfering with the moonlit kiss.

Letting out a small sigh, she put those thoughts aside as she turned to Vihera and asked.

「More importantly, are your injuries okay? Rei attacked with all his strength.」

Hearing those words from Elena, Vihera turned to look at her body as her cheeks still blushed from the afterglow of her kiss.

Even under the moonlight, Elena could clearly see the bluish-black bruises that had formed on Vihera’s body through the thin clothes she wore.

Just looking at the bruises would cause an ordinary person to frown.

However, Vihera caressed the area softly, as if the bruise was dear to her.

「Mm.」

Byune went over to Vihera and handed over a container she was holding.

A potion. And one that seemed much higher ranked than the ones sold in the shops.

「Thanks. I had prepared one since I was going to fight Rei, but……I guess I won’t need to use it after all.」

As she said that, Vihera pulled up her clothes and poured the potion over the bruised area.

Normally, if the internal body was injured, like with this bruise, applying a potion from the outside would have very little effect.

The best option would have been to drink it instead of pouring it over the bruised area.

However, considering the bad taste of potions, few people would sacrifice their sense of taste of for a bruise.

It was the same for Vihera.

……However, that was where the difference started.

The potion, which would normally have minimal effect when applied on a bruise, suddenly cleared the bruise away.

This was proof that the potion used by Vihera wasn’t a cheap one sold in the city, but a rather high quality potion.

Elena instinctively asked Vihera about it.

「Vihera, what is that potion?」

「Didn’t you two receive a magic item that allows you to communicate at long distances? This is the potion I received.」

Vihera’s explanation made sense.

「There certainly were a lot of magic items, so I guess it wouldn’t be strange for there to be high quality potions as well.」

「Right. ……Well, I ended up using it for a bruise.」

Replying to Rei with a small shrug, Vihera turned to Elena.

「Now that you and I are truly at the same position, let me declare war again. I like Rei. I don’t know if this is enough to be called love. But, it’s true that I still want to be with him in the future.」

「That is the same for me. No, I can assure you that this feeling I have for Rei is love. In that respect, I seem to be one step ahead of you.」

Rei was at a loss as to what to say to Elena and Vihera, who ignored Rei as they started their own fight.

However, he eventually turned to Vihera and spoke as he thought of something.

「I’m honestly happy you think that way of me. Unfortunately, Elena and I will be leaving Exil soon.」

「Oh, is that so?」

Elena nodded and replied to Vihera, who asked her for confirmation.

「You also saw the paired orbs at the Silva family residence. The reason we came to Exil was to find one of those magic items.」

「Hmm……so even when you’re apart, you’re always thinking of talking with Rei.」

It was easy for Vihera to see through her, but Elena nodded as she had nothing to be ashamed of.

「That’s right. Considering my relationship with Rei, isn’t that natural?」

「I see. If Elena and Rei can talk any time even when you’re far apart……well, I guess I’ll just follow Rei.」

「……What?」

It seemed that the words Vihera spoke were very unexpected. Elena asked back with a blank expression.

Next to her, Rei’s eyes widened in surprise.

Byune was the only one who just nodded her head slightly without any surprise.

「Are you really that surprised? Even though I look like this, I’m still an adventurer, you know? There’s no need for me to just stay in Exil. The reason I came to Exil in the first place was to fight strong monsters in the dungeon. It was just for fun.」

「That’s……that’s true……」

Elena had no rebuttal to Vihera’s reasoning.

She just looked at her surroundings, as if she couldn’t keep up the argument……before suddenly turning to Byune, who was about to pet Set and Yellow.

「Oh right, what will Byune do? I don’t know what will happen to the Fraut family, but it doesn’t change the fact that Byune is still a child. Since that’s the case, I feel Vihera’s cooperation is necessary.」

「I’m also a little worried about that……but since the Silva family will fully cooperate with the Fraut family’s revival, I’m not overly concerned.」

Rei, who had been listening in to the two of them, suddenly wondered.

It was true that there weren’t enough families currently governing Exil. But even so, it felt like it was a bit too much of a rush to revive the Fraut family.

The Silva family had already spent much of its assets due to the recent conflicts.

Rewards for the adventurers that looked up to Vosk, rewards for the adventurers hired by the guild, compensation for those who suffered losses in the conflict. In addition to that, a considerable amount of money had also been spent covering necessary expenses.

The use of the Silva family’s assets to revive the Fraut family was enough to make Rei feel uncomfortable.

That said, Rei didn’t know it was because Vosk felt indebted to the Fraut family, or more precisely Byune’s parents, and was trying to repay the favour to their daughter, Byune.

As Rei was thinking about that, the conversation between Elena and Vihera gradually heated up.

「In fact, Rei and I have already bonded. And yet, you dare to intrude on our relationship!?」

 

 

「Heh……bonded, huh?」

Hearing Elena’s words, Vihera looked all over Elena’s body.

Despite her armour, cloak, shoes, and other protective equipment, Elena’s body was rich enough that it couldn’t be hidden.

Rather than just looking over her, it would be more correct to say the Vihera’s eyes leered over Elena’s body.

「W-What do you mean with that look?」

「……I’m just asking, but when you say you’ve bonded with Rei, you just mean you’ve been hugged by him, right?」

「……」

Those words seemed to be too direct for Elena and her face went red.

Seeing that, Vihera seemed to immediately realise something. She spoke with a charming smile.

「Oh, it seems it seems the meaning of the word ‘bonded’ is different for you and me.」

「T-That’s……」

Seeing Elena at a loss for words, Vihera followed up with more.

「Is the only reason you’ve bonded with Rei a kiss? If that’s the case, then I’ve bonded with Rei too……」

「Mm……」

Hearing those words, Elena remembered the previous scene……and the scene she had seen through Yellow’s memory when Vihera and Rei fought for the first time.

「Well, I can certainly understand your impatience as you can’t keep staying with Rei.」

「I’m not impatient……」

「Is that so? Then you don’t mind if I act together with Rei, right?」

「……However, your appearance is too eye catching. Rei already gets dragged into disputes easily. If someone like you follows him while dressed to provoke nearby men, it will only make things worse.」

「Mm.」

Byune nodded as he stroked Set’s head.

She pretended to be uninterested as she stroked Set, but it seemed that Byune was also concerned about Vihera’s future.

To Byune, Vihera was someone who had cooperated with her and even taught her combat techniques.

A friend, an older sister, a teacher, and a family member.

They had only been together for a few years, but to Byune, Vihera was an irreplaceable existence.

The memories of their time spent together passed through her mind and a faint expression of sadness, that no one aside from Vihera could understand, appeared on Byune’s face.

「Oh dear, it looks like I’ve made a mistake.」

Vihera quickly noticed Byune’s expression and went over to her with a small smile as she gently stroked her head.

「Mm.」

The sight of Vihera stroking her hair made Byune fantasise that it wasn’t Vihera, but her deceased mother, stroking her. ……If she voice her thoughts, Vihera would probably pretend to be angry while making a troubled face.

After all, Vihera wasn’t old enough to have a kid Byune’s age.

As she thought of that, Byune enjoyed the caress of Vihera’s hand, which had protected her from all sorts of things over the past few years.

 

 

Ultimately, Byune’s actions resulted in a vague conclusion to the day’s events.

Vihera left after professing her like for Rei and declaring that she would take the initiative herself.

Elena seemed disatisfied with that, but it was also true that there was a side of her that seemed to enjoy that disatisfaction.

No matter how much Elena was liked by Ara and the rest of the Knights……it was probably for the same reasons that she didn’t have any friends she could interact with as equals.

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