Onboard the flying ship, when everyone was gathering in the canteen, they saw Iseria was gazing on the air. She looked like she was struggling with something. Tilting her head and placing her cheek on her palm, Iseria was staring at her curry dish placed on the wooden table. Everyone was not sure what was happening to her. Ras, Mercedes, Yuna, Tamarinne and Arkasus looked at each other as they were discussing who should speak to her.

"Iseria! Iseria!"

Finally, the honor was "given" to Ras, the only male member on the ship, excluding his fluffy guardian. Ras looked at the female elf and called her name rapidly until she woke up.

"Oh! Uhm… sorry," Iseria startling that she nearly dropped her spoon. She looked at everyone embarrassingly and apologized to them.

"Something's wrong?" Yuna asked.

Did not want to worry them, Iseria quickly replied, "I'm okay. Just… something's in my mind and I really don't know how to stop thinking about it."

"Definitely something is going on," Yuna commented.

"I guess so," Iseria sighed.

"Is there something we can help?" Mercedes suggested.

"Well…"

Iseria looked at the Homunculus and she wondered if it was the last person who she wanted to take advice from. Like Ras, Mercedes did not understand human emotions and Iseria could not tell she was not the same. She was not sure if Yuna and Tamarinne could help her. The only person she could rely on when she needed advice was not here. Then she remembered what he advised her before.

The female elf took a deep breath to release all the heavy thought before she spoke on, "It's about me and Lady Alexa."

"You mean, the young girl who is your subordinate?" Ras looked at her and she nodded.

Several days ago, when Iseria was preparing for the trip. Alexa came in her room nervously. Iseria wondered why she came and told her to sit down on a wooden chair, before she offered her a cup of herb tea.

"Lady Iseria, can you tell me why you came in a hurry?" Iseria softly asked.

The young girl held the teacup made from porcelain. She looked at the tea surface disappointingly before she replied, "Pardon me but… I heard that you're going to Witchaven. Can I ask why I can't follow you as always?"

"Oh, about that…" Iseria sat down on another wooden chair in front of Alexa, "… it will be dangerous so we agreed that only the Heirs will go. I got permission from Sir Charles."

"It didn't answer my question."

"It did. I already said it will be dangerous so I could not let who isn't capable to come with us. The enemy we will be facing is Tenebria. You already acknowledge what she can do and it means there will be Archdemon with her, in the worst-case scenario."

"Even so, I believe I am capable to support you…"

"No, you are not," Iseria boldly responded as Iseria insisted. "I know you for too long and I admire your concern for me but when I said you are not strong enough, I really mean it," she explained.

Both of them kept silent as they did not know what to say next. Looking at Iseria's expression, she knew that she was serious and if she tried to do what she wanted, she could be punished due to insubordination. However, she did not want to let her go into danger without her. She wished to be with her together, and even died together. She also did not want to see her be with anyone except herself.

As for Iseria, if it was her before, she would force Alexa to stay no matter what. It was not because she did not trust her, but because she did not want Alexa risk her life meaninglessly. On the other hand, after expressing her past and trauma to Al, she started not keeping distant from others like before, and she started considering their feelings more than ever. Then she thought about Alexa's feelings toward her.

"Lady Iseria, I want to ask you a question and I want your sincere answer. Can you do that?" Iseria sighed a deep breath and looked at Alexa directly. As the young girl nodded, Iseria asked, "Do you like me?"

Alexa was surprised by the question and she did not hesitate to answer it, "Of course."

"More than admiration? Or more than a friend?"

The next question startled Alexa. Iseria's eyes were looking at her as she could read her mind. Alexa could not speak anything. Her mind started being full of thoughts. She wondered why Iseria asked those questions. Was it because she finally understood her feelings, or she hated them? The longer Iseria was waiting, the more confused Alexa was.

"It's more… than a friend," Alexa placed her both hands on her chest and bowed her head down as if she did not want to look at Iseria.

"I see," Iseria responded. "So, you love me, right? Like a man confess his feelings to the woman he loves?"

"Yes," Alexa replied weakly while her tears rolled on her face. To her, it was a forbidden love but she still hoped for it. It was nothing wrong if she hoped for something that could make her happy. Everyone hoped, and so did she.

"Thank you," Iseria smiled and it was enough to calm Alexa down, "I really appreciate your feelings to me."

Alexa was surprised when she heard the answer and she thought that her hope had not disappeared yet.

"And I'm sorry… that I can't respond to it," Iseria then honestly rejected it.

"But why?" Alexa felt enraged as the disappointment growing bigger, and she started speaking senselessly. "Is it because you love someone else? Is it the Heir of the Covenant? Or is it the Suin man? What makes them better than me, because they are all male?"

"They don't relate to it. And no, it's not the fact that they are men," Iseria tried to stay calm but she could not hold it and shout at Alexa. Realizing Alexa was stunned after that, Iseria took a calm breath and softly explained, "It's not because of Ras, or because of Al, or anyone else. It is simply that I can't."

"Then why?"

"Because I see you as a friend, a trusted friend, nothing more, nothing less," Iseria answered and she knew that Alexa would be disappointed. "Please tell me, Lady Alexa, is love the only solution for a relationship? Why can't you let me decide for myself? Why can't we just be good friends?"

When Al told Iseria why he left Constella, instead of staying and fighting for his love, or, taking Elena for himself. She still remembered his sad smile when he replied that it was his choice to love her, but it was not her choice to love him. Everyone had their own choices in their life, including a life partner. He looked at the sky full of stars and told her that no one liked being imposed by others.

As for Alexa, she did not know what to say next. She tried to say but she could not speak anything. They kept silent before Iseria packed her stuff and left.

Back to the present, everyone was surprised to hear Iseria's story. Ras commented, "I didn't know that human emotions can be that complicated. I mean, I surely see Alexa's admiration towards Iseria but I couldn't imagine that she wanted to be with her until the end. Is that what is called "love"?"

"Love is a complicated topic but yeah, I think you can say that," Yuna said.

"Does love between same-gender happen in your world?" Iseria then looked at Yuna and asked.

"Yes, it does. But most of the time, it's a complex topic that I and many people would rather not speak about it," Yuna nodded and she struggled to speak out her thoughts. "But I think as long as it doesn't become an obsession, well, more like, even if it's not an obsession, it's still a dilemma when you just want to be a friend of the one who loves you, so is the opposite."

"Do you love anyone?" Mercedes then asked Yuna which made her not know how to answer immediately.

"Well…" Yuna's face turned red as she looked at Ras but then she remembered that she had someone beside him. They just had not realized their feelings yet and Yuna did not want to step into their relationship. She then answered, "No, I don't. I'm still a young and energetic girl. Love is a disaster that will destroy my freedom."

"I can tell that you're lying," Tamarinne laughed at her childhood friend.

Seeing it was the chance to cheer everyone up, Yuna quickly turned to Tamarinne, "You don't have the right to speak here. Remember that we are on the way to rescue your precious boyfriend."

"Wait, what?" the young idol was surprised as everyone looked at her. Her face blushed when Yuna kept teasing her.

"Arky was right. Tamarinne knows things about love," the fluffy ball on Tamarinne's laps spoke as if he did something proudly

"I see, so Tamarinne knows what love is since she seems to be through it," Ras commented and Tamarinne was stunned of what he just said. His face looked so innocent like a child being curious about things around him. He then asked, "Can you please share with us what love is?"

"Is it true that when a man makes a woman's face turns red, it is a sign of love?" Mercedes added and she had the same innocent face as Ras.

"It must be the truth, right? Also, has he given you any snacks?" The next one was Arkasus.

The three of them targeted Tamarinne non-stopped and in the end, Iseria had to step in to save her from them while Yuna kept laughing joyfully. But in the end, Tamarinne did not hesitate to share her story, although she was very shy about speaking up.

"First, let's say love can come from many meanings, not just about two people," she spoke and looked at the Heir of the Covenant, "Ras, when you fight the evil the protect Orbis, do you fight because it is your duty, or because you don't want bad things to happen on it?"

Her question made Ras paused. For a long time, he only thought his duty was to fight the Archdemon and he had nothing to think about. And then, after he had made friends with so many people, seeing their dream and compassion on this Orbis, he slowly understood why they even risked their lives to fight. They were not fighting for themselves but they were fighting for what was precious to them. Arkasus, Iseria, Mercedes, Kise, Ruele, and Vildred, they all fought for the same cause. Remembering Kise, Ruele, and Vildred, Ras felt sad when they were no longer here, with him. But no matter what, he swore that he would carry on their dreams.

"I did think because it was my duty," Ras spoke up, "but after so many years, I realized that it was no longer a duty anymore and yes, you are right. I fight for Orbis because I don't want to see it be destroyed."

"Is Orbis precious to you?" Tamarinne asked next.

"Yes, it is," Ras nodded.

"Do you have strong emotions for it, like you feel happy when people are living peacefully, or feel angry when someone tries to sabotage the peace?" she asked another question.

"Yes, I do," Ras could not deny it.

"When you have strong emotions that make you feel happy, you can call it love. That said, it is your love for Orbis that motivate you to protect it," Tamarinne smiled and explained.

"Oh, I see," Ras was surprised as if he understood something. "So, if two people have strong emotions for each other, it can be called love?"

"It's very complicated, but it's true at some point," Tamarinne nodded, and then, she missed Al and it made her sad but she could not let it affect the others. She then said, "Let's say, if you have someone special stays on your side, both of you can always share your emotions, or, feelings, to each other. You will be through happiness, joy, pain, and even despair. But it's not like you will be through them all, it is like you will share them with each other, and from that, you will be able to overcome anything."

"But in Lady Iseria's case, why isn't it the same?" Mercedes looked at Iseria and then asked.

"Because Lady Iseria has her own choice. We cannot impose our thoughts and feelings on each other. Love is also built on respect as well," Tamarinne explained. "We can meet many people in our lives, but there is only one person we will want to stay and walk until the end."

"There is something I want to ask…" Ras wondered if his thought was right and it made him sad. Tamarinne nodded and then he asked, "I and Vildred were very closed. We fought together many times, we enjoyed and shared every moment we shared. Is it called love, too?"

"It can, but that is friendship. A lot of people often mistake love and friendship. There is some area that love has, but friendship doesn't. Staying together until the end is an example. A life partner will give a different experience than a friend, or I think so," Tamarinne tried her best to explain. In the end, it was her view about love and she wondered if they could see the same as her.

Ras stopped asking anymore questioned and considered every time he spent with his friends, and he realized there were three people who he had the most feelings for.

The first one was Ruele, the female soul weaver who was Guardian Zaeon's Heir in the sixth world. When the Archdemon killed her, Ras felt very angry and desperately to reach her, but it was too late. The next person was Vildred, a general from Ezera kingdom, who had fought together with him for six straight worlds, before he betrayed and came to the dark side. It was Ras's fault for Vildred's betrayal. Ras still blamed himself that if he told Vildred the truth about the recycle of life and destruction of Orbis, maybe it would lead to a different path. But the past was the past and he could not change it. And the day Vildred died, he felt a strong sad emotion but it was not the same as Ruele.

The last person was not even a human. She was created in a laboratory for an experiment. When he looked at the short light purple hair sitting next to her, he felt the same feelings he had for Ruele. The moment when he stabbed her on the chest after her corruption, Ras felt regret and sadness but he was filled by hope when he knew there was a way to bring her back. He still remembered that he went through everything and when he finally saw her smile and felt the warmth from her skin, he felt like he did not need anything than her appearance.

"Are you okay, Ras?" Mercedes asked when she the strange look Ras gave her.

"No, nothing," Ras smiled and it was enough for Mercedes not to mind anything else. Then he turned to Tamarinne and spoke confidently, "Tamarinne, I promise that I will do everything I can to bring Al back."

"Thank you," Tamarinne gratefully thanked him.