The summit of the northwest city wall.
Swords danced in intricate patterns, wooden blades whistling through the air. A jet-black dagger traced a violet arc as it knocked aside a lightning-fast silver slash. Without the slightest pause, a wooden blade came crashing down from the opposite side; the crimson strike barely managed to parry it, and the dagger almost slipped from Bell's grasp.
Under the vivid red sunset, the clash of weapons rang out—sometimes sharp, sometimes low and heavy. The slender sword and wooden blade struck like pelting rain, clashing brightly against the dagger. Three figures weaved between one another, golden hair and green hair interlacing into a beautiful, multicolored scene.
On the stone floor, Bell lost his guard for a moment. His dagger was knocked from his hand by the wooden sword, and the golden-haired girl's heavy punch followed immediately. Unable to regain his footing, he was sent flying several meters and crashed onto the ground.
"Take a short rest."
Ryuu looked at the battered youth and suggested gently.
"Mm…"
Ais also sensed it—after countless clashes, the boy's stamina was nearly spent.
Ryuu stepped forward and offered Bell a helping hand.
"Thank you."
Bell grasped the Elf girl's slender right hand and slowly stood.
Several days had passed since proposing the War Game, and the three of them had been training intensely without pause. Ryuu guided Bell to a shaded spot and helped him sit down, then handed him a potion and a towel. When she saw his wounds heal, a faint smile lifted her lips.
But in the next moment, Ryuu realized she had taken the wrong towel. The one she handed him… was her own.
"I'm sorry, Cranel-san, I mixed them up…"
Her apology came too late—Bell had already wiped his sweat with it. Her face flushed red as she shyly took it back.
"Ryuu-san seems far more scatterbrained than I imagined," Bell said with a small laugh.
The trio had been living and eating together these past days. Below this section of the city wall Ais had chosen was a fully equipped living space, complete with private rooms and even a bath. Much like Hestia had turned the church ruins into a base, this was a hidden place known only to Ais.
But ever since training began, Ryuu had been clumsy in all sorts of ways. Even though they only brought essentials, she often grabbed the wrong towel, mixed up blankets, and occasionally even tripped and fell.
"I'm sorry…"
Ryuu couldn't bring herself to look at the boy beside her. Back in the Dungeon, she could camp anywhere without a single mistake. So why had everything been going wrong these past few days?
What was happening to her?
Ryuu truly didn't know.
"Clumsy elf."
Ais blinked and delivered the merciless blow.
"Huh? You're hardly one to talk. Who was it that didn't even pull the curtain while bathing the first time?"
Ryuu recalled the scene when they first arrived and instinctively retorted.
If she hadn't acted quickly—diving forward, sacrificing her own dignity and shame to tackle the boy down—Ais's bare body would have been fully exposed to him.
And the reason Ais gave afterward left Ryuu speechless.
Because no one ever came here before, she never bothered closing the curtain.
Did someone in Loki Familia really take care of this blonde girl like a doting mother?
Ryuu felt it was far too dangerous to leave Bell alone with Ais. Not because she doubted Bell, but because Ais's natural innocence was far too extreme.
So even though she had planned to return to the dormitory to rest, Ryuu decisively stayed—sharing meals and living quarters with them. The result was a constant spiral of embarrassment and clumsy moments.
But as it turned out, Ryuu's choice was right.
Ais always did strange things.
She once placed an unconscious Bell on her lap, gently stroking his white hair as she waited for him to wake. Ryuu had asked, "Why did you knock Cranel-san out?"
Ais only replied softly, "Because… it's a little embarrassing…"
Ryuu had nothing to say to that.
She wanted to tell Ais that if she was embarrassed, she shouldn't give him a lap pillow in the first place. After all, when Bell woke, he would definitely notice the scent and the warmth.
But she couldn't bring herself to say it.
Because both of them were simply too pure.
The soft smile on the blonde girl's lips seemed to overflow with warmth and quiet joy. Even Ryuu found herself curious—what would it feel like if Bell rested his head on her lap?
Of course, that little fantasy ended abruptly with her tripping and falling flat on the ground.
Ryuu gazed at the sunset-colored sky, sitting quietly beside the boy.
This peace had not been easy to achieve. When training first began, Ryuu and Ais had argued; after all, neither of them was good at teaching.
"You're disrupting Bell's training…"
Ais was the first to speak up.
It was supposed to be her turn to train with the boy, yet Ryuu suddenly swung her wooden sword into the exchange.
"I was testing Cranel-san's reaction to surprise attacks. You're the one who just swings your sword mindlessly. You can't teach at all. You should give me some of your time."
Ryuu countered without hesitation.
That single remark ignited a growing storm between the two girls.
"I feel like… I should be careful around here…"
"Who could possibly understand your teaching style?"
Ryuu pointed out Ais's overly instinct-driven approach.
"Bell got knocked flying… You hit way too hard…"
"That's my fault? You're the one who knocked him unconscious!"
"But being unconscious doesn't hurt as much…"
"Mm…"
Ais shot back, calling out Ryuu's tendency to overdo things.
Sparks crackled between them.
In the end, they decided to place the matter before the boy.
"Bell… wouldn't I be the better teacher…?"
"Cranel-san, please answer fairly. Isn't my training method more effective than the Sword Princess's?"
"..."
Faced with the earnest blue eyes of the golden-haired girl and the stern, unyielding resolve of the Elf girl, Bell made his choice—
Both of them together.
Training shifted from sporadic one-on-one sessions to a relentless one-on-two.
The number of times Bell collapsed increased severalfold in an instant.
Three days of grueling practice passed in a blur.
"Hey—!"
Syr appeared, a backpack on her shoulder and a basket of vegetables in hand, descending the inner staircase of the city wall.
Bell and the others immediately stepped forward to take the fish, meat, vegetables, and bread she brought.
"Syr… you could have just left these at the tavern. There was no need to bring them all the way here."
Ryuu said softly.
"Of course not. Your time is important. And don't worry, this little bit of weight is nothing for me."
Syr lifted her slender arm and made a mock-strong pose.
At first, besides ingredients and drinking water, Syr had even offered to bring freshly prepared meals.
But Ryuu politely declined.
The training intensity was high, so the boy needed healthy, well-balanced food.
Ais strongly agreed, repeatedly insisting, "Let Bell handle the cooking…."
So Syr only brought ingredients, and Bell took care of the cooking.
At mealtimes, the scent of warm dishes always drifted from the room beneath the wall.
Ryuu sometimes found herself thinking that living here like this… might actually be nice.
Syr's next words pulled her firmly back to reality:
"The War Game has been scheduled—four days from now. They're using a siege warfare format."
After delivering the intel, she turned and left so as not to interrupt their training any longer.
"Ryuu, no fighting here, okay~"
As she passed by, Syr whispered sweetly.
"…?!"
The sun dipped, and night fell.
Perhaps under the influence of her friend, the Elf girl's face had carried a faint blush these past few days.