The Twilight Manor in the morning was shrouded in a layer of white mist. Lefiya jogged back to the tower, finishing her morning training.
"Ais-san... Good morning."
The blonde girl stood in the center of the corridor, seemingly having waited for quite some time.
"Ais-san, you always wake up earlier than me..." Lefiya wiped the sweat from her forehead and responded shyly.
Ais lifted the corners of her mouth. In the past, Lefiya had focused solely on magic power training. But ever since meeting that boy, she began physical conditioning. No matter how exhausted she grew, Lefiya persisted in her runs without a single complaint.
Ais felt joy at the Elf girl's transformation. It seemed her decision to give Lefiya a gift had been the right one.
"This is for you... a gift..." Ais handed over a modestly sized package. Exquisite decorations adorned its exterior, sealed with a beautiful purple bow.
Lefiya's eyes widened. Ais had actually taken the initiative to give her a gift.
"Eh? Ais-san... I haven't done anything deserving of a gift..." Lefiya flustered to the point of being at a loss.
"Just take it..." Ais, unsure what to say, firmly pressed it into her hands.
Lefiya gazed at the faint, shy smile on the blonde girl's face and slowly accepted the gift box. The box felt unexpectedly light, as if containing something feathery.
"May I open it?" Lefiya asked curiously.
"Mhm."
Under Ais's watchful gaze, Lefiya slowly lifted the lid.
"Huh?!"
"...Ais-san?! Wh-what is this?!"
Lefiya's mouth fell open as she stared in disbelief at the contents. Inside the elegant box lay a matching set of purple lingerie. The sheer lace fabric was subtly transparent, adorned with exquisitely crafted lace trims. This was definitely not ordinary underwear!
Alarm bells blared in Lefiya's mind.
Ais tilted her head slightly. "Hmm? Don't you like it?"
"I definitely wouldn't wear something like this... No, wait... I'm truly delighted to receive a gift from Ais-san..." Lefiya, mindful of Ais's feelings, amended her words. "But the issue isn't here... This... How could anyone possibly wear something like this?!" Lefiya stammered frantically.
Ais blinked. "Is it not okay? But the shop assistants said this was the most suitable gift..."
"Shop assistants? What kind of gift is this...?" Lefiya found it utterly unbelievable that such an embarrassing piece of lingerie could be a gift from the very blonde girl she yearned for.
"Um... It's an informal wedding gift for a close friend," Ais answered truthfully.
"...?!"
Lefiya's heart fluttered at the mention of "close friend," but the words "wedding gift" instantly sent her thoughts into a chaotic whirlwind.
Could it be... the Captain hadn't explained things clearly to her? Why, of all people, Ais-san?!
Lefiya wanted to protest, but sudden embarrassment left her speechless.
"Listen, Lefiya... actually, Bell... likes elves." Ais shared the information she'd gathered, as if encouraging Lefiya. Since her friend and the young man's relationship was warming, she naturally wanted to lend a helping hand.
"...?!" Lefiya's thoughts were under relentless assault.
Why bring this up now?
How did Ais-san even know?
Bell Cranel likes elves—could it be true?
No... Why does this matter to me?!
"Wear this... and you won't lose..." Ais repeated the words she'd heard from the shopkeeper. This is the girl's victory outfit, the shopkeeper had introduced it as such.
"Wear?!" Just imagining it sent a wave of blushing shivers through Lefiya's body. Her face flushed crimson, utterly unable to comprehend who exactly she was supposed to compete against.
"Sleep boldly with Bell..." Ais uttered the final words.
Before the echo of her voice faded, Lefiya's defenses crumbled completely.
"Sleep... sleep with that human?!" Blush spread to the roots of her ears. Lefiya placed the gift box into Ais's hands and bolted away.
"I... I just remembered I skipped a lap! I'll go exercise some more!" Lefiya's figure disappeared around the corner.
"..." Ais glanced at the lace-trimmed gift, puzzled. If she wears outer clothes, wouldn't it be invisible underneath? Why is she so embarrassed... She herself had slept beside Bell before—why was Lefiya running away? Ais recalled the time she'd dozed off beside the boy on the grass, convinced it was just a heartwarming, perfectly normal thing to do. The blonde girl tilted her head, her confusion deepening.
By the time Riveria caught wind of the situation, Ais had already placed the gift box outside Lefiya's door.
…
To shake off her shame and distress, Lefiya sprinted down the street. She should've known better—Ais was a complete airhead. This wasn't the blonde girl's fault. The fault lay entirely with the boy! Liking elves and all that... How could he utter such frivolous words!
Could it be... that journey with her two companions was merely for the sake of having one on each arm?! Unforgivable... And he wanted me to wear that shameful lingerie... And sleep with him... Absolutely unforgivable!
Lefiya completely ignored Ais's actions, unfairly pinning all the blame on the boy. Just as her anger was boiling over, several figures blocked her path.
"You're the Thousand Elf, right?"
"...Apollo Familia. What do you want with me?" Lefiya instantly recognized their clan insignia. The diminutive male standing foremost offered a fawning smile.
"Actually, we have something to tell you about Bell Cranel." The Apollo Familia knew the power behind Lefiya. They dared not resort to violence. Provoking the Loki Familia's retaliation would leave even god Apollo himself unable to escape unscathed. Though unable to resort to force, they still had other means to provoke the youth.
"Bell Cranel?! Why are you coming to me about that human?!!" The mere mention of the boy's name ignited fury in Lefiya's eyes, her anger now plain on her face.
Under the Thousand Elf's furious glare, the Pallum man shuddered in terror. Suppressing his fear, he stammered: "Um... aren't you two about to get married?"
"Hmm..." Last night, Lefiya had consulted Finn about handling the rumors. He advised her to temporarily acknowledge the relationship. Evilus had plotted for a long time. Their attack on Astraea had only just subsided, and though the likelihood was low, intelligence about the youth resolving the incident and saving the goddess might still leak. Lefiya's status could serve as a protective shield for Bell, blocking smaller-scale hostilities.
"Yes... of course we are!" Lefiya gritted her teeth, responding reluctantly.
The Apollo Familia frowned, taking a shaky step back. If they were a couple, why was she being so fierce?! That vicious, terrifying aura seemed poised to annihilate the very people who'd asked the question. The Pallum male was nudged by his companion, flashing a fearful, bitter smile.
"Th-that... actually... we saw Little Rookie enter the Pleasure District..."
"..."
Surprisingly, Lefiya showed no shock. She glanced at the group and replied, "You must have mistaken him for someone else. That human would never go to a place like that."
Though somewhat displeased, Lefiya trusted the youth's character. The youth pursued a harem full of smiles—how could he possibly sink into the Pleasure District?
"It's absolutely true! We saw it with our own eyes! And he probably spent the night in a brothel—go ask around if you don't believe us!"
The Pallum male declared with confidence.
Their words held no falsehood; even if a god were present, their testimony would stand unquestioned. This intelligence was the weapon of Apollo Familia.
Once the rift between the youth and his girlfriend deepened, leading them to part ways, the resentful youth would surely come seeking revenge.
The male Pallum was satisfied with his flawless plan. It was nothing short of genius.
Just as he basked in his triumph, an ominous, dark aura began to spread. Unbeknownst to him, the other women of Loki Familia had appeared at the corner of the street.
"Sword Princess... Crusher... Nine Hell?!"
Faced with the overwhelming pressure of top-tier adventurers, the Apollo Familia trembled in fear.
"Your words are intriguing. Care to share the details with us?"
Riveria spoke with a smile.
Dark clouds gathered, and a bitter wind howled.
The judgment from the depths of hell sounded its trumpet.