The tower corridors twisted and branched like a maze, as difficult to read as the hearts of young girls.
Bell walked heavily along the elevated corridor.
He had learned the cause of the incident from Ais. Elfy had claimed that if Bell won the mock battle, Riveria would reward him with a kiss.
It was nothing more than wild talk from that talented girl, yet Ais had believed it. She even thought Bell had fired that cannon-like Magic at her because he wanted to win the mock battle.
The blonde girl had joined later and had not been part of the mock battle at all. The logic was full of holes, yet somehow, it fit perfectly with Ais's natural way of thinking.
But what truly made Bell's steps heavy was not Ais. It was the shouts ringing out around him.
"Where did the Little Rookie go?!"
"Is the reward for the mock battle true?!"
"Find him, now!"
The women of Loki Familia were blocking the corridor ahead.
Led by the elves, they searched for the intruder like guards of the forest.
"…"
Using his extraordinary memory and reflexes, Bell slipped past the guards and moved through the maze-like corridors.
Without a doubt, this was Elfy's doing too.
Bell did not need to retaliate himself. All he had to do was tell Riveria, and she would naturally have countless ways to settle Elfy's excessive behavior.
The problem was that Bell first had to avoid layer after layer of guards and reach Riveria.
"Guard this place. Then he won't be able to see Riveria-sama!"
A female elf spoke with her companions, taking position on the corridor's main route.
While Bell was thinking about how to break through, a flash of golden-yellow hair swept past and dragged him into a room.
"Lefiya-san."
Bell knew who it was and did not resist.
"Shh… Honestly, what are you even doing?"
Lefiya complained.
In less than half a day, the boy had turned the atmosphere around nearly every woman in Loki Familia upside down.
"Lefiya-san, are you willing to believe me?"
Bell tried to confirm what the golden-yellow elf truly thought.
Depending on the situation, Lefiya might be the greatest obstacle standing in his way.
"Of course I am. A k-kiss? There's no way Riveria-sama would do something like that."
Lefiya answered without hesitation.
Then she narrowed her eyes and questioned him softly, "You permanently horny rabbit, you aren't actually hoping for it, are you? Riveria-sama would absolutely beat you to your knees!"
"Lefiya-san, the wager for the mock battle was only about changing how Anakitty-san and the others address me. Everything being spread outside was made up by Elfy-san."
Bell did not want to ignite Lefiya's anger, so he avoided the topic of whether he had been hoping for a kiss.
"Mm… No wonder…"
Lefiya thought back to her roommate's usual behavior and quickly accepted the boy's explanation.
Elfy generally did not lie, but there were times when she treated her own fantasies as reality. This time, she had probably taken a joke about the wager seriously.
"I need to go see Riveria-san."
Bell gently steered the conversation forward.
He had intended to ask Lefiya for help, but the golden-yellow elf's flushed cheeks and fidgety behavior drew his attention.
"Lefiya-san, what's wrong with your finger?"
"N-nothing!"
Lefiya's cheeks instantly turned bright red.
She clenched her index finger inside her fist and hid it behind her back, then stuck out her tongue and licked her lips.
"I-I'll draw the others away. Use that chance to go see Riveria-sama!"
Lefiya offered to help of her own accord.
"…"
Before Bell could even think about what the golden-yellow elf was so embarrassed about, she had already pushed the door open and headed toward the corner of the corridor.
A moment later, her clear shout came from nearby.
"I saw Bell Cranel earlier! He was over by the courtyard on the right. He must be trying to climb over the wall!"
Lefiya turned all the shyness she felt in front of the boy into fiery energy.
"What?!"
"Hurry and stop him! Don't let him lay a finger on Riveria-sama!!"
The hurried footsteps faded into the distance.
Bell seized the opportunity, crossed the corridor, rushed up the stairs, and reached Riveria's room.
He did not knock. Time was precious, and the guards might come rushing back at any moment.
Bell went straight into the room. He had expected at least a complaint, but to his surprise, the room was completely silent.
Riveria was leaning back in her chair, resting with her eyes closed.
Her jade-green hair spilled loosely down to her waist. Seen from the side, Riveria's graceful figure was fully visible. Her dignified face carried a faint weariness and calm, like a stunning flower sleeping deep within the forest.
"!"
Just as Bell was staring in a daze, a staff shot toward him with lightning speed.
"Sorry. You're here."
After Riveria realized who it was, she apologized and put away her staff.
"So the battle just now really wasn't easy, was it?"
Bell asked softly.
With the outside in such an uproar, the fact that Riveria had not stepped in to stop it was proof enough of how tired she was.
"Yes. Ais has grown a great deal, and unlike Finn and the others, I'm not skilled at close-range combat."
Riveria answered honestly.
She smoothed her disheveled hair and looked at the boy in confusion. "Why didn't you knock? Is it related to the commotion outside?"
"…"
Bell thought for a moment about whether he should be the one to explain the truth.
Riveria would find out sooner or later anyway. There was no need for him to hesitate.
"Here's what happened. Elfy-san…"
Bell told her the whole story from beginning to end.
"…"
Riveria pressed her lips together, a faint blush crossing her cheeks.
The two of them were alone in the room now. Although they were in the sitting room, the bedroom was only separated from them by a curtain.
The rumor about a kiss still stirred a warm current in Riveria's heart.
"I'll deal with Elfy. The reason I called you here was to give you something for the expedition."
Riveria opened a drawer, preparing to take out the magical item she had readied.
When she saw the discarded letter paper, her gaze flickered in panic. But no matter where she looked, a wave of embarrassment surged up.
On the desk, there was also a carefully arranged vase. The flowers inside were the same kind the boy had woven by hand into her hairpin.
"T-These are a pair of magical items made from twin crystals. If the jewel in one breaks, the other will resonate with it."
Even with her cheeks flushed, Riveria forced herself to stay calm and handed over the blue ring.
"The expedition will be extremely dangerous, Bell Cranel. I will wear this magical item at all times. If anything happens, break yours. Even if we are far apart, I will rush to your side as quickly as possible."
Riveria explained the magical item's exact function.
The expedition ahead was, quite literally, a long journey.
The boy had only been in Orario for about two months. From that perspective, an expedition lasting more than ten days was undeniably long.
And for most of that time, Riveria would have the boy all to herself.
Because of camping and rest periods, Riveria would inevitably have to be apart from Bell. Even setting that aside, unexpected events in the Dungeon might separate the two of them.
Riveria had long since anticipated that she would be the one looking after the boy on this expedition.
Taking all of that into account, she had specially commissioned Asfi of the Hermes Familia to make this pair of ring-shaped magical items.
"All right, I understand."
Bell accepted the magical item frankly.
He examined it. The ring was quite slender, and the blue light it gave off was extremely dim. It would not interfere with battle at all.
"Wear it on the middle finger of your left hand, so it won't be accidentally damaged in battle."
Riveria suggested softly.
"Mm."
Although Bell understood the meaning of wearing a ring there, he hesitated only briefly before following her suggestion and slipping it onto the middle finger of his left hand.
Out of courtesy, he did not stay long in Riveria's room. After expressing his thanks, Bell hurriedly left.
"The Little Rookie?!"
"He came out of Riveria-sama's room!"
"Wh-what?!!"
"Catch him! We absolutely can't forgive this!!!"
As the boy left, another commotion erupted outside.
Riveria took out the matching ring, endless emotions rippling through her emerald-green eyes.
She slowly raised her left hand and, copying the boy, slipped the ring onto the same finger.
On the day before the expedition, Twilight Manor was exceptionally lively.