One hour later.
Fyar opened his eyes. The pain in his chest had subsided. Illya’s steady heartbeat in his ears managed to calm him down.
Fyar pulled back slightly from Illya’s embrace. He stared at Illya’s face. The girl was sleeping soundly, a small smile playing on her lips.
Fyar stroked Illya’s head gently, then planted a long kiss on her forehead. He closed his eyes, absorbing the warmth of Illya’s skin.
Fyar observed Illya’s face again. His fingers traced the girl’s jawline softly.
"I hope I can really marry you, Illya..."
"F-Fyar..." Illya murmured in her sleep, her brow furrowing slightly before relaxing again.
Fyar chuckled softly. "She looks beautiful even when sleeping, huh..."
Fyar went back to stroking Illya’s forehead.
Fyar’s smile slowly faded. His eyes gazed into the distance, his hand still moving gently on Illya’s forehead.
"A normal life..." Fyar murmured softly.
"Can I get it..."
I don’t know why I suddenly dreamed of something like that...
But well... I miss them...
Ryan... Arbert... Garifel... Derick...
If only I could tell you guys that I got Isekai’d and got a beautiful future wife...
Fyar bit his lip.
But well... I also found someone I can consider a friend here...
I just want to live happily with Illya for now...
At least... marry her... But to get that I have to become strong... maybe as strong as Fathir...
Fyar sighed. "Well, whatever happens... is bound to happen..."
Fyar stared at Illya’s neck.
"E... wait... hold on."
Fyar observed Illya’s neck which looked pure white under the aurora light. Fyar touched Illya’s collarbone. There was a faint reddish mark there. He saw several similar marks on her shoulder, and other marks on Illya’s cheek and waist.
I-I... I went too far... Fyar muttered inwardly, his face heating up.
He then moved slowly out of bed, pulling the blanket high to cover Illya’s body.
Fyar walked to the large mirror in the corner of the room. There, between his purple hair and his open shirt collar, were several dark red marks. One mark was clearly visible on his left earlobe.
"Turns out she’s just as wild..."
Fyar smiled thinly, touching the bite mark on his ear.
...
The castle dining room looked magnificent.
A large crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, radiating warm light throughout the room.
In the center of the room, a large round table made of black wood was surrounded by red velvet chairs. The balcony door was wide open. The view outside directly faced the sea of clouds and the purple aurora sky.
Hasya sat casually in one of the red chairs, cutting the roast turkey on his plate with elegant movements. Rasie sat next to him, eating fruit voraciously. Zaefal sat beside Rasie, looking lost in thought while occasionally sipping mushroom soup.
"Did you sleep well, my Rasie? Where’s my morning kiss?" Hasya asked, tilting his head and pointing to his own cheek.
"Huh? Why are you asking, that’s so gross," Rasie replied curtly without turning, continuing to chew her apple.
Hasya chuckled. "Eh? Why like that eh? Didn’t we already have a date? Eh? Eh?"
Hasya shook his head dramatically, holding his chest as if hurt. "Hmm where did the Rasie go who hugged my waist earlier..."
Zaefal and Cyhas instantly jolted. They turned quickly toward Rasie, their eyes wide.
"R-Rasie?"
"Hugged?"
"Huh? What-" Rasie choked on her fruit. Her face instantly turned bright red.
"T-that was because this bastard turned off the sh-shield so the wind came in!! I wasn’t hugging, that was just holding on!!!" Rasie shouted in panic, her hands waving in denial.
"Eeeeh? Is that sooo?" Hasya said in a teasing tone, his eyes squinting playfully.
"Yes yes!!"
"Shut up just eat already, dammit!" Rasie buried her face in her plate.
Hasya looked at Zaefal and Cyhas. "You know Zaefal, Cyhas."
"O-oi!" Rasie protested.
"Rasie was so cute earlier."
"She hugged, laughed."
"Even offered a kiss to m-"
Before Hasya finished his sentence, Rasie stuffed her mouth with a whole apple.
"Shut up dammit!! Shut up shut up shut uuuup!"
"R-Rasie... turns out you’re that wild..." Zaefal said in shock, his fork hanging in the air. "Are you the Rasie I know..."
Zaefal chuckled softly. "I misjudged you."
"Y-y-you’re w-wilder than I thought... R... Rasiee..." Cyhas looked down shyly, her cheeks blushing.
"No that’s not true, not true!" Rasie ruffled her hair in frustration.
The double doors opened wider.
Fyar and Illya entered fully.
They had bathed and dressed neatly. They were still wearing the same clothes as before.
"Morning... or night I suppose...," Fyar greeted briefly. He tried to control his facial expression to look flat.
"M-morning," Illya greeted. Her face looked fresh, but there was a faint red tint on her cheeks. Her steps were slightly slower than usual.
They pulled out the red chairs and sat across from Hasya and Zaefal.
"Ooh you guys woke up late..." Rasie commented, already sitting normally though her face was still slightly red.
"Oh morning Illya, morning Fyar!" Hasya greeted cheerfully, the apple in his mouth gone.
"Morning Illya, morning Fyar," Cyhas greeted.
"Oh morning you two," Zaefal greeted.
Fyar nodded, he then poured water into his crystal glass calmly.
Hasya put down his fork. His red eyes narrowed sharply staring at Illya.
"Hmm? Wait, wait."
Illya extended her right hand to take the plate of fruit in the center of the round table.
The movement made her dress collar tilt slightly to the side.
There, on Illya’s neck was a very conspicuous purplish-red mark.
Hasya also saw similar marks on her slightly exposed shoulder. There was also another fainter mark on her left cheek.
Hasya grinned widely.
"Heeh," Hasya murmured.
"Vakmi," Hasya called casually without turning.
Vakmi emerged from the shadows in the corner of the room. "Yes, Young Master?"
"Are there insects here?" Hasya asked. His eyes didn’t leave Illya’s neck.
"No, Sir," Vakmi answered firmly.
"Hmm hmm hmm. There aren’t any right..." Hasya propped his chin on his hand. He pointed at Illya with his chin. "Then do you know what kind of attack bites Illya’s neck like that?"
Fyar, who was drinking, immediately choked.
D-damn.
Cough! Cough!
Water spilled slightly onto the shiny black table.
Illya froze. Her hand reflexively went up covering her neck quickly. Her face exploded bright red up to her ears.
"T-this..." Illya stammered. Her eyes darted right and left in panic. "Th-this this-this!"
Rasie frowned. She stared at Illya’s neck, then saw Fyar’s panicked reaction coughing.
"Hmm?" Rasie tilted her head.
"What’s wrong with you?"
"Why suddenly-"
Rasie’s sentence stopped. Her eyes widened. She followed Hasya’s gaze, then stared at Illya, then shifted to stare at Fyar.
Fyar’s purple shirt was slightly loose at the collar due to coughing. At the base of his neck, near the collarbone, a similar reddish mark was visible, only darker.
Rasie looked at Hasya who was staring at her while raising his eyebrows repeatedly.
Zaefal started to notice too. After realizing what happened, he looked down, his shoulders shaking holding back laughter.
Cyhas covered her mouth with both hands, her pupils constricting in shock.
"Ulalalalalallaaaa trala trala la laaa," Hasya said while shaking his head right and left in a mocking tone.
"Ulalala tralalalaaa," he continued.
Rasie pointed at Fyar and Illya alternately with the fork in her hand. Her mouth gaped wide.
"HAAAAH?!"
"You guys?!?"
"Oh my god!"
"YOU GUYS.....?!" Rasie shouted with a loud echoing voice.
Hasya laughed with satisfaction. His laughter broke under the crystal lamp.
"Good job Fyar, good job Fyarrrr," Hasya said while clapping slowly.
Fyar covered his eyes with both hands, sighing deeply.
"Yes..."
"Whatever you’re thinking is true."
Illya’s face turned crimson, she looked down deeply avoiding her comrades’ gazes.
"Fyar," Zaefal called.
"Yes?"
When Fyar turned, Zaefal nodded slowly while smiling proudly and giving a thumbs up hidden under the table.
"Oit," Hasya called.
When Fyar turned to him.
Hasya also nodded while smiling widely and raising his wine glass toward Fyar.
Fyar replied with a slow nod while raising his water glass.
Rasie chuckled in disbelief. "I didn’t expect Illya could be that rough huh."
"Haaa look at that purple hair sa-"
"R-R-Rasieeeee!!!" Illya screamed, her face already like a boiled crab.
Rasie chuckled. "Alright, alright, alright."
"Invite me to your wedding Fyar, Illya," Hasya said casually while cutting meat again.
He looked at Rasie. "Want me to feed you?"
Hasya stabbed a piece of meat with a fork and aimed it at Rasie’s mouth.
"Aaa open."
Rasie pulled her head back, her hand swatting the air in front of her face. "S-stop it damn it, what are you doing?"
"Don’t be like thaaat!" Hasya protested. The fork with meat remained hovering in front of Rasie’s mouth.
"If you let me feed you, I’ll give you a spoiler on what today’s training is."
Rasie flinched. "S-spoiler?"
Rasie stared at the meat, then looked at Hasya suspiciously. She snorted in annoyance. "Tch."
Rasie opened her mouth, her cheeks slightly blushing.
"This is because of the training spoiler, don’t get ahead of yourself stupid!"
"Hmm good, good..." Hasya said satisfied as Rasie devoured the meat.
I-is that Rasie? Is that the Rasie I know? She can blush and act like that??!
Damn, she really turned into a tsundere girl with that guy... he conquered her so fast, Fyar muttered inwardly, amazed.
"Heh..." Fyar chuckled softly while staring at Rasie, as if mocking her back.
Rasie clenched her jaw seeing Fyar’s smile. "No, it’s not like that damn it..."
"Open your mouth, opennn," Hasya fed another piece again.
Rasie opened her mouth again and was forced to chew it with a sullen face.
"How is it, tasty?"
Rasie didn’t answer, just chewed aggressively.
"Okay, okay, okaaaay," Hasya looked back at Fyar and his party. His face changed to be a little more serious.
"Today’s training is..."
Hasya spread his arms wide.
"Killing the monster from yesterday in a one-on-two duel!"