Ais looked a bit worried when she closed her boots, her thoughts were in turmoil after her talk with Riveria.
I...love...Bell?
She was confused, her body and mind had felt weird the last days, but it never came to her mind that this could be the case. Ais thought it was because of the grim fights they had...not this.
Could she be in love with Bell? She liked him very much...but was it that way? Riveria wouldn´t have lied with her diagnosis...but Ais was unsure. Love was never a theme for her, her goal was to become stronger
to defeat the black dragon.
Do I...want to love...Bell?
Unnoticed by her, just out of her field of vision, her small, child self looked at her, the chin leaned on the hands and smiled. It was the pure, maiden like part of her mind, always watching
smiling when she trained with Bell. A part of her had already accepted the feelings...but the bigger part, was confused. Normally a part of her would decline the feelings of love to him.
In the past she would only focus on getting stronger, defeating monsters and such. But due to her fight with Revis...and her victory over her, Ais started to change.
After her talk with Riveria she had returned to her room and lied down on her bed, staring up to the ceiling and thinking about the talk. Her heart fluttered and her face was still red.
What are you going to do?
Ais turned her head slightly to her younger self...it was a form of self talk she did from time to time.
What do you mean?
Aren´t you happy? You love Bell! It´s so obvious!
Her younger self grinned happily.
Maybe...but...should I?
Ha...don´t tell me you are going back to your "doll princess" behaviour?
Doll...princess?
You know, like we were in the past, only focused on getting stronger.
But..I...
You want to rescue mother...we have to rescue mother...but...if you go on like this...there is no point in saving anyone!
What?!
Let´s say you get stronger and stronger...your companions keep dying on your way, losing more and more of them and yourself. Let´s say you slay the black dragon and free mother...and then?
Then?
Everything...everyone will be gone. Your Familia, your friends...Bell...they all might be dead. You would have saved mother...for what?
She would be free!
And we would be gone...we...you...I...wouldn´t be Ais anymore...
Her eyes widened while she thought about it.
Not...me...anymore?
Do you think mother would still hold you after becoming a monster worse than the black dragon? She would be saved...and her daughter gone. Do you think she wants that? Think of father too!
Father...
Her thoughts wandered back to the past...her father and mother had protected her...sacrificed themself to protect their daughter.
If I...become like that...they would...become...sad...
Correct!..Now...think of something else father said.
"Ais...I can´t become your hero...I already have your mother.."
So Bell...
He saved you...you nearly lost yourself in the black flames...if it weren´t for him..
You are right...
Of course I am right! I am you! The voice of your heart!
This is confusing...
I know, right? Oh and...there is something else.
Hm?
Bell saw...you naked...now you have to marry him...don´t you think? Riveria said something like "Ais...don´t show your skin to anyone but your beloved."..remember?
MMmmmh!
Ais got deep red again, rolled around and pressed her face in her pillow, squealing while kicking her legs.
Love was never the easiest topic...and it was all new for Ais. She still had much to think about.
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"Oy Ais...have you heard?" Tiona walked to Ais who finished closing her boots.
"Hm?"
"Lefiya got in a fight with Bete."
"Oh."
"And she...used a weapon."
"Oh!"
This news was no laughing matter, fights between adventurers were forbidden by the guild, but when it happened in the Familia, it was the Familia who took care of that. Loki had set up a strict
rule that everyone would receive a harsh punishment who did something like that.
"Where is she?"
"In Loki´s room...Finn and Riveria are also there."
"Hmm..."
Tiona smiled slightly. "Don´t worry too much, I´m sure nothing too bad will happen...everyone knew how bad Lefiya´s condition was...and how Bete is sometimes."
"Irgh...should I...stay here? But Bell waits for me..."
"Nothing will change if you stay here, go. If something bad happens I will come to tell you."
"Thank you, Tiona."
"Say hello to Argonaut for me."
"I will."
Now Ais was worried about even more things...she sighed. She was only sixteen but had so much to worry about...
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"..."
"Lefiya...do you have to say something?"
Loki sat in her huge armchair behind her desk and looked at the young elf. Being one of her favorites or not...Loki was angry.
"I have no excuse."
Lefiya sat on the other side of the desk, a tissue in her hand and a glas with water in front of her. Something was clearly wrong with Lefiya, she looked...calm...and angry. She didn´t sobbed or whimpered...but
tears kept flowing from her eyes, at this point they were afraid of her dehydrating, so she drank the water.
"So it just happened?"
"No, what I´m meaning is, I have no excuse because I´m not sorry."
Riveria´s eyebrows rose a bit, she had never seen Lefiya like that, Finn on his side frowned.
But for now Loki was the one that kept talking with her. "You are not sorry for hurting a fellow Familia member?"
"Bete isn´t a Familia member of me at this point anymore, he went too far. He always picks on those of a level lower than himself, he doesn´t understand that people are sad about lost ones.
Maybe he just doesn´t care about anyone or anything at all, but I am different."
"Are you sure that Bete doesn´t care? What brings you to this?"
"Line."
The name was all Lefiya had to say, all of them knew what Bete said after the incident with Line.
"Have you ever considered that this is Bete´s way of dealing with loss? That he is not capable of any other way? Have you ever talked with him about that?"
"I don´t want to talk with Mr. Loga anymore, nor be in the same room with him."
Now Lefiya even refused to use his first name, Riveria and Finn glanced to each other.
"Lefiya I can´t let that go, that you did that to one of the others. Yes you are in sorrow and I will keep that in mind...but snapping like that and cutting someone...this cannot be forgiven."
Lefiya wiped her eyes and frowned lightly, she had a headache from all that crying, yet the pain in her chest didn´t stopped. "I know the rules."
Loki sighed. "Lefiya you don´t make that easy for me! If I could I would keep you as my personal maid as punishment..."
"Loki stop with your fooling around!"
Now Finn and Riveria frowned by Lefiya´s tone...she was almost growling.
And now...Loki got angry, she was often a foolish goddess...like a perverted, old man...got often punched or kicked around by her children for doing foolish stuff to them...but she was still a goddess.
Her eyes opened slightly. "What did you just say to me?"
"I said stop with your fooling around! I have had enough of this! Enough of all this! What do you expect me to say? That I´m sorry for hurting Bete when he talked ill about my dear, dead friend? That he picked on me again and I snapped?
I´m not sorry! I just want to be alone and mourn about Filvis' death!"
After her last words her lower lip trembled again and the tears intensified, Lefiya wasn´t herself.
"Loki wa-" But Finn was cut off.
"Silence!"
It was rare for her children to see their goddess like that.
"Loki, please wait and calm down first. It´s not good to-"
"SILENCE!"
Even Riveria had to step back.
"Lefiya...I won´t let that pass...you don´t talk to me like that."
"You can´t just be serious or foolish like you want to be!"
"I am a god."
"So what? Do you have the right to do that, but I a mere mortal don´t?!"
Finn and Riveria really wanted to intercept, Loki and Lefiya were too angry to think clearly now...a bad way to have a serious talk. If they would just take a few minutes break, the talk would take a different direction.
"Show me some respect."
"Why?" Lefiya´s face was contorted with anger, her head hurt even more from frowning.
Her Frontal sinuses really hurt when she frowned, since she had to blow her nose really often for the last days, her nose was also red and raw. Lefiya´s body screamed to just lie down and sleep...
that didn´t helped her mind to focus, her usual friendly and shy behaviour was gone.
"I am your goddess."
"Then you should understand! You were the one that got me out of my room after I thought Filvis was dead for the first time! You know how much it hurt me! And now my best friend is dead! So much happened in the last times, more and more adventurers die left and right...even from our Familia!
Who will be the next I have to cry for? Ms. Ais, Ms. Tiona...Lady Riveria? I just can´t stand all this anymore!"
"Lefiya I´m very understanding, everyone can see that you are completely exhausted and hurt. Many don´t understand why you cry for a monster and- Ah stop! Let me finish!...I heard what happened to Filvis, I know it wasn´t her fault."
Lefiya calmed down a little bit by these words.
My head hurts...
Finn and Riveria were fascinated to see how the angry Loki calmed down a bit and thought about what almost had happened...unexpectedly grown up from her.
"But others don´t see it like that. I have already talked with Bete, he will receive a huge punishment, trust me. But the fact remained that you attacked him with a weapon...if he hadn´t turned around you might even hit his back."
"I don´t care..."
"Lefiya!" This time Riveria yelled at her.
The younger elf only flinched lightly, her enormous respect for Riveria kept her from lashing out at her.
"My answer is the same, I´m not sorry for cutting Mr. Loga."
Finn sighed. "Lefiya...do you even understand how serious this matter is?"
She turned her face to him.
"We are a Familia, a family...a dungeon party. We have to be able to rely on others blindly. There must be no hesitation in helping someone if they are in danger just because you don't like them or are angry ... otherwise, people will die.
The dungeon doesn´t allow that kind of behavior."
"I can´t..." Lefiya only mumbled.
"Lefiya?" Loki frowned, after calming down even Loki became aware of what she almost had done...what was about to happen now.
"I can´t forgive him...I won´t forgive him."
Loki sighed. "Lefiya...you do know the punishment for what you did?"
With red eyes, Lefiya looked up to Loki, she didn´t shudder in the slightest. "You said anyone who attacks another Familia member with the intent to hurt them seriously...will be kicked out."
It was an iron rule of the Loki Familia, if Loki wanted to be believable, she couldn't just ignore it...even if she wanted to. And Lefiya didn´t only use her weapon, she even prepared magic too...
"There are a couple of extenuating circumstances." Riveria crossed her arms in front of her. "First, there were witnesses that it was Bete who started it. Second, he kept on doing it after you told him to leave you alone. And third,
everyone saw how bad you felt...that you are not yourself at the moment."
The situation wasn´t easy for anyone present.
"Lefiya."
She turned her head to Finn again.
"As the captain of the Familia and the party I have to ask...can you go along with Bete? I can´t tolerate a relationship like this in the party...not in the dungeon."
For a moment Lefiya was in thought...she was aware of how serious the situation was...but her heart still hurt.
With a grim look, she opened her mouth. "No, I can´t continue to work with him...I don´t want to be near him."
"This is a problem..." Finn rubbed his closed eyes.
Since Bete was the same there was only one choice...one had to leave the party until both calmed down enough...and Lefiya would still receive her punishment.
"Loki, Finn..if I may?" Riveria stepped next to Lefiya and put a hand on her shoulder, to support her.
Both nodded.
Riveria looked down to Lefiya, who looked up to her. "I think it is for the best if we take a break...give Lefiya some room. After a while...when your feelings have calmed down...things will look different."
As she saw Lefiya nodding slightly, Loki sighed. "Okay...so we all agree that Lefiya´s punishment will be lowered."
"I agree." Finn nodded.
"Me too."
Lefiya´s look wandered from one to the other.
"Lefiya." Loki put her hands on top of each other.
"Yes?"
"As the goddess of this Familia...I have to react to that incident. You broke our most strict rule and even with your current condition, I can´t allow my children to attack each other because they are emotionally hurt...as much as I can understand that you can´t think straight right now.."
The young elf nodded.
"So...I will now announce your punishment. Considering that we have all agreed to mitigate your sentence...I will take my blessing from you and you will have to leave the Familia...for one year. After the year we will talk again and see if you are willing and able to return..."
Lefiya gulped, Finn and Riveria could see how little Loki wanted to do that ... how much she wanted to resist...but it was her own rules for the Familia...and it wasn´t like Lefiya had done nothing.
"Okay..." It was hard to say if Lefiya was crying because of that...or because she was still hurt.
"Finn...Riveria...leave us alone."
Both looked very uneasy when they left the room.
"Lefiya...I will be honest with you...I don´t want to do this."
"It´s okay...Loki."
Carefully, Lefiya opened her clothes and revealed her back to Loki. The goddess gritted her teeth and sighed...but she took out a needle and poked her finger. After dropping the blood on Lefiya´s back and the Falna appeared...Loki did what she had never done before...what
she had hoped to never have to do...she took her blessing away from her own child. Lefiya was still a level four and able to use her magic...but she was much weaker now than normal. If she would receive the blessing from any other god, she would return to her full strength and would even be able
to earn Excelia again. They would report that to the guild, so Lefiya couldn´t enter the dungeon and...earn money this way.
When it was done and Lefiya put her clothes back on, she was suddenly startled when Loki hugged her from behind, sobbing. "I don´t want to do this! Believe me please!"
"It´s okay Loki...I brought this to myself..."
Without looking back because her heart hurt even more, Lefiya got up and left the room. Outside she saw Finn and Riveria.
"Lady Riveria...thank you for everything...Mr. Finn...you-..."
Lefiya stopped and suddenly ran off...crying.
Everything is just too much for her at the moment...
Riveria looked after her pupil...but she wasn´t allowed to follow her.
Finn sighed. "She is broken...it is all too much for her...I hope...she will recover...with time."
Lefiya wasn´t the first adventurer that felt like this...nor the first that wouldn´t ever recover.
Thankfully no one crossed Lefiya´s way to her room, slowly she put all of her belongings into two large bags...her heart, mind, and feelings were in turmoil. The events of the last days were about to overwhelm her.
She had lost Filvis.
She lashed out at Bete...
And now Lefiya had lost her Familia...
Lefiya had...nothing left...
Before she could leave her room, the order of silence came to the whole Familia, everyone left the path between Lefiya´s room and the entrance. That was not to bring shame over her...but they knew it would hurt her even more to see her Familia members now.
Still...
One of the guards outside mumbled when she passed them. "Good luck..."
Going the path from the entrance of the Mansion to the main gate was hard...the hardest walk she ever did. Eventually...the big gate closed behind Lefiya. She stopped for a moment and glanced over her shoulder...she had stopped crying...simply because her body couldn´t produce tears right now or it would dehydrate.
"Farewell..."
It wasn´t easy to say who was hurt the most at this moment.
When it was Bete´s turn to get punished, Loki yelled and screamed at him, while they understood Bete´s past, he had to stop being like that. Loki had once banished him for a week from the Mansion. This time he got banished for a month and would receive the "Cleaning Duty" for the upper Floors for three additional months.
Also Finn told him that this was the last time he would tolerate this behaviour of Bete.
The sad thing about it ... or the ironic ...Bete had really only tried to tear Lefiya out of her grief, which threatened to eat her up ... in his own way ... he could only express himself that way.
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Ha...since when I´m so nervous when I am about to train with Bell...
Ais walked to their usual place on the top of the walls of Orario, in the past she had kept that a secret...but now many people knew about this. When Loki had found out, she had cried and moaned about how Hestia´s white bunny boy wanted to steal her cute little Ais.
Thankfully at this point, Riveria already had a guess about Bell´s and Ais´ feelings and carried the lamenting Loki away, talking to her in earnest about Ais. Loki had to accept that someday Ais would fall in love with someone...hopefully...and that this someone probably wouldn´t be from their Familia.
Up to this point, Loki tried to refuse this fact...and Riveria made sure that Ais didn´t know about this dispute.
In the past when she offered Bell to train him, she told him to come here. She giggled lightly when she thought about how worried she was about what would happen if Finn, Gareth and Riveria found out. Ais thought she would be in much trouble...little did she know that all three would probably smile.
Happy that Ais did something besides dungeon crawling.
"Ms. Ais! Good morning!" A grinning Bell awaited her.
Mmmmh!
For some reason, Ais blushed instantly. "G-Good morning...Bell."
She stopped about five meters away from him, the hand on her sword hilt.
"Hehe...how are you this morning?"
"I feel better...not so exhausted anymore." She smiled slightly.
"Aaaah I feel so good, hehe."
"Did something happen, Bell?"
"Hehe...I...reached level five."
No...way...
Ais´ eyes widened slightly...it was probably no surprise after Bell defeated Nidhöggr...he was full of surprises. Behind her, the young self of her mind clapped with an open mouth...
"Bell...you are...level five?"
"Yes, after that night...my status was high enough to level up again."
"Con...gratulation..."
"Thanks...and please help me train again, Ms. Ais!"
"Bell...Ais is fine."
The surprise of Bell reaching level five was enough to make Ais forget about her huge problem with him at the moment. Now she could concentrate on their training, and bored of that her younger self lay down and slept.
"Oh and Bell...thank you...for your help in Knossos...I heard your voice...and the bells."
"Huh?"
A smile so beautiful that it took Bell´s breath away bloomed on Ais´ face. "Thank you...Bell."
"A-Ais?"
In the next moment, Ais jumped forward and unsheathed her sword, almost too fast for Bell to react. Just in time, Bell drew the Hestia Knife and Hakugen, it almost felt like Ais was moving a bit slower than usual.
She aimed at his chest with a stab, Bell held the Knives crosswise and diverted her thrust upwards. Now his defense was open so instead of jumping back, Bell jumped forward to tackle Ais with his shoulder. She made a swift sidestep but Bell followed.
Let her have no room for movement!
Her eyes followed his movement while she unleashed a swift series of thrusts into his direction, he blocked some of them, evaded others and just took some with his armor.
He had learned that he couldn´t block every single attack and he wore his armor for a reason. But Ais was a level six and still faster than Bell, one time his hand didn´t get down fast enough and she stabbed him right
into the stomach, she had used a special magic item on her blade before so she wouldn´t cut or impale him...but it hurt.
"Gah!"
Bell sank down to one knee, an eye closed in pain, and gasped.
"Don´t stop even if you get hit!" Ais repeated her lessons.
She jumped forward and dealt a strike against Bell, but he evaded to the side and kicked after her leg, he was just pretending to be really hurt.
So Ais´ sword missed Bell and slammed into the ground, cracking open the stone.
Oh oh...the guards will yell at me again...
Ais gulped lightly but turned her face to Bell, the kick had broken her balance a bit and Bell intended to use this moment. He slashed at her from above and the side, his two weapons were his only advantage.
She raised her sword to block the Hestia Knife from above and blocked Hakugen with her gauntlet...Bell used his greater strength to shove her arms to the side, but Ais jumped backward, spun around, and thrust to him again.
Bell noticed every single movement of her, he was like that since he returned from the 37th Floor, where he was trapped. He didn´t make unnecessary movements, kept his arms close to his body and his defense up, except for when he tried to lure her into a trap.
He kicked himself off the parapet to get room between them, immediately he jumped forward again, trying to get as close as possible to Ais since he had shorter weapons. In the moment he turned around, Bell sheathed Hakugen behind his back, only using the Hestia Knife.
Why is he putting away his weapon?
What followed was a tactic that even Ais had never seen before, it was something that Bell had worked on together with Ryu. This only worked against opponents until a certain size...it was perfect against humanoid ones.
Bell thrust the Knife forward in a stab, Ais blocked to the side but Bell punched to her stomach. Ais was fast but her weapon wasn´t meant to fight somebody that close to her and Bell made sure that Ais had the parapet in her back.
She raised her arm to block with the gauntlet, Bell changed the direction of his punch, slamming his wrist against her gauntlet. He let go of the Hestia Knife and caught it with his other hand, moving the blunt edge of the knife to wedge her arm. Her eyes widened surprised, Bell made a fist with his right hand and punched towards her shoulder guard, to break her balance.
Ais raised her right leg for a kick, but Bell pulled his and her arm down, she had to stop the kick since the tip of his Knife was in the way. She wrestled against him, her gaze focused...Ais had never seen Bell so concentrated. With a swift movement, Ais
turned her sword in her hand to stab at Bell from above, he threw his Knife up, catching it with his right to block her sword while he rammed his left fist into Ais´ belly...at least he tried to. She got used to his sudden new fighting style very fast, Bell was good...really good...but Ais was better.
A series of quick attacks and counterattacks followed, Bell switched his weapon hand while staying in close combat with Ais faster and faster. One time again he surprised her when he dropped his Knife, grabbed her arm, and turned around to throw her over his shoulder. Ais yelped in surprise, but managed to land on her feet, Bell pulled Hakugen from his hip while holding her arm with his remaining hand.
"Aerial!"
A sudden wind burst threw Bell backward. "Ack!"
Ais ran after him, raising her sword for a stab.
"Firebolt!"
She ducked down to the side, the magic attack flew harmless over the wall into the sky. Bell jumped forward to tackle her with his shoulder, a loud screeching echoed over the wall when Hakugen scraped along "Desperate". Ais
was too experienced to let herself tackle, so she danced to the side. Bell reached his target as he ran forward and rolled up, holding both Knives in his hands.
"Hah...Hah...Hah..."
"Ah...hah...hm..."
With a glint in their eyes, both jumped forward again, and the clashing of their weapons filled the air.
He´s gotten much better...he´s not moving recklessly anymore...he got very careful about his timing...he notices everything..
A feint pink shape of happiness came to Ais´ cheeks and she couldn´t help but smile lightly.
Yes!
She smiled brightly.
He became much better!
"Buhargh!"
The last trick of Ais...unintentionally used...broke Bell´s concentration...her smile...he was weak against that. She hit his chin from the side with her sword, his head jerked around and he fell to the ground.
"Oops...I...did it again..."
Bell was unconscious...again.
"!" Ais made a shocked face as she saw him lying there. "Th-This is..."
Like in the past...he´s lying there...so defenseless...
A strong red shade came to her face...this situation was...Ais small privilege, she held "Desperate" in her right hand and clenched her left hand to a fist.
Time for revenge...for surprising me like that!
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"Ngh.."
Ais sat on her knees again, Bell´s head rested on her thighs, she looked down into his peaceful, pure face.
Bell...it´s strange...I feel...so calm...with you...
Slowly, Ais stroked his forehead and hair.
"Ungh..."
Slowly blinking, Bell started to open his eyes again.
"Ai...s...?"
"Bell."
Now he saw it...what his head was resting on...and that heavenly sight from below.
"Wait, what?!"
In a panic, Bell crawled backward with a bright red face.
"H-Huh? A-Ais?! W-Why did you give me a lap pillow, again?"
She looked confused, wasn´t it obvious to Bell? "...Because you recover faster when I give you one?..."
"Eeeeeh..." Bell´s face was red as he looked at her.
The silence continued for a short while.
"..."
"..."
"I´m sorry...actually...I...wanted to give you one..."
Bell startled and looked all too similar to a shocked bunny.
Ais is a natural Airhead! Ais is a natural Airhead! Ais is a natural Airhead!
"Bell...did you...not like it?"
"What?!"
Bell rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed. "W-W-Well i-it´s not like I don´t like it...I mean...it´s like...an additional benefit..."
Ais looked confused.
"So you...want me...to give you one...or not?"
"Well ahm...I mean...it´s a bit embarrassing...while I´m awake."
Ho...
"So..." A strange glint came to Ais´ eyes. "You´re fine as long as you´re unconscious?"
"A-Ais? What's with the strange glint in your eyes?"
Ais got up again and raised her sword.
"You´re just imagining it."
"H-Huh? Ah! W-Wait...GYAH!"
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Ais sat there and patted Bell´s head and smiled blissfully.
.
"Gah!"
.
"Gyuh!"
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"Ack!"
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...
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Again and again, they fought...and Ais knocked him out every single time.
.
Wait...that´s not the goal of the training!
Ais mouth was slightly open as she made a shocked face, noticing her mistake.
But...it´s fun...like this...training...growing...training again...growing further...and...together...
Her face was a bit red..but her heart calm as she watched him.
"Unnh..."
"Bell, are you okay?"
"Gah?!"
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Shortly after they fought again, Ais was a bit distracted by something...an unpleasant feeling inside her...
When she attacked from above, Bell used her distraction to block her sword and other hand, moving his body forward and pinning her body between him and the parapet.
Eek!
In an instant, Ais´ face grew really red as she saw his face so close to hers.
B-B-Bell?! What are you doing?!
Her younger self hid her face behind her hands...only glancing to them between her fingers.
Bell was often close to her in training...but it was the first time she noticed how...strange she felt then.
"Ais."
"B-Bell?"
"My w-Ah.."
"*GROOOWL*"
Bell stopped his sentence and looked at Ais, who made a shocked face. Slowly his gaze wandered down on her body...right when her stomach growled again.
"Mmmh!" Her cheeks got really red again.
"Ahm Ais...are you...hungry?"
She glanced to the side with a slightly opened mouth, not able to return his gaze.
"N-No-"
"*GROOOOOOWL*"
"Mmmmmh!" Steam rose from her head.
"Ehehe...ahm...s-shall we...got and eat something?"
Ais glanced up at Bell...blushing heavily...but nodding. "Okay..."
"How about, my treat? They seem to have a new special potato snack."
Ah Bell...I really...do love you...
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Lefiya wandered aimlessly through the city, the whole situation raced through her head.
What shall I do...Where should I go...what...how...when...
She didn´t notice the people around her...after some time she looked up...and saw a certain building before her.
"The..."Benevolent Mistress"..?"
Maybe she should eat something...
