Moonlight streamed through the skylight, making the ice wall shimmer like crystal.
Bell opened his eyes, and the first thing he noticed was the incredibly soft jade-green hair.
He found himself nestled in Riveria's embrace, as if he were a child.
"You're awake," Riveria said with a gentle smile.
"Is the battle over?" Bell's first thought was the current state of the Spirit Land.
"Yes, the Spirits' anger has subsided, and the Sacred Tree is safe."
Even now, Riveria found it hard to believe.
Had it not been for the youth's courage, which had ignited the elves' fighting spirit, and if the unicorns and the intermediate Spirit Euphie hadn't intervened to help Bell, the Spirit Land would likely have fallen into tragedy.
"That's good."
Only then did Bell relax, but then he realized the awkwardness of their current position.
The two sat together beneath the tree, using its trunk as a pillow.
Riveria reached out her right hand, wrapping it around Bell's neck to support his body.
A soft warmth pressed against the back of his head, and a refreshing fragrance surrounded them.
"If you're feeling well enough, could you please stand up? My arm is starting to go numb…"
Riveria covered her shyness with a clumsy excuse.
As a top-tier adventurer, such a position would never cause her arm to go numb.
"Sorry, this spot is like paradise. It felt so good I didn't want to leave," Bell responded with a lighthearted joke, not calling her bluff.
He carefully stood up and sat beside Riveria, leaning against the tree.
"Bell Cranel, let me give you some advice. When it comes to certain women, you'd do well to tone down remarks like that—especially with goddesses like Artemis. Otherwise, you'll fall flat on your face sooner or later."
Riveria recalled the chaste goddess she'd once encountered, and in her mind, she could already picture Bell getting a sound beating from Artemis.
"I've heard of that Familia Goddess. Isn't she in Orario?" Bell picked up the thread.
He'd often heard rumors about Artemis, for she, like Hestia, was one of the three great virgin goddesses.
"That goddess and her Familia uphold justice in the southern continent. Since the ruins of the Great Tree Sea seal away monsters, the goddess Artemis hasn't established a presence in Orario," Riveria explained patiently.
"That's truly unfortunate," Bell said with a regretful expression.
"To fixate on that pure goddess just from hearing her name—what a terrifying man," Riveria teased with a chuckle.
For this boy, always ready with sweet words, who knew what might happen if he ever truly met Goddess Artemis?
"What if I told you I've set my sights on the lovely Riveria-san?" Bell asked.
Riveria froze for a moment before responding calmly, "If that were truly the case, you probably wouldn't make it back to Orario alive. Never utter such words to anyone, especially those rigid elves."
Though reluctant, Riveria was undeniably royalty. If the elves learned that a human dared to covet this royal flower, they would likely descend upon him relentlessly, disrupting his peaceful life.
Bell had seen the elves' fanaticism firsthand. Even someone as gentle as Alicia became fiercely irritable when Riveria was involved.
He glanced at the discarded fruit pit on the ground and smiled faintly. "By that logic, you'd have to keep feeding me Sacred Tree Fruits in secret too."
"…."
Riveria blinked.
After a moment's thought, a faint blush spread across her face. "Bell Cranel, I don't know what you're expecting, but on this matter alone, I must be clear."
Her tone grew slightly urgent. "I merely used the ice as a container, crushed the fruit, then massaged your back correctly to help you consume the healing fruit."
Riveria insisted that her actions had been entirely proper.
Unlike a certain fool, she knew how to handle an unconscious patient.
"I agree. So why are you so flustered, Riveria-san?" Bell asked, gazing at her dignified face.
"..."
Riveria quickly averted her eyes, avoiding his gaze.
She had mistakenly thought the boy was expecting a kiss or something.
Acting like this only made her seem like she was imagining things!
Riveria never expected she'd be so thoroughly outmaneuvered.
She cleared her throat twice, trying to mask her awkwardness and shyness. "Anyway, I'm just glad you're awake. Why did you have to do something so dangerous?"
Surviving the explosion of the Fire Dragon at such close range was nothing short of a miracle. Riveria knew that he had done it to protect the Sacred Tree and save everyone present. Still, she couldn't help but ask, wanting to understand what the boy truly sought.
Bell understood that Riveria was asking for a deeper reason.
"Riveria-san, you once asked me if I believed in the [Unknown]."
"I believe the [Unknown] exists. It's not some unseen rare artifact, nor some new material we've just acquired."
"One day, it will appear before us. That's why, on this journey to seek the [Unknown], we must always be prepared."
The crisis they faced was merely a part of the journey; all the suffering they endured were just stepping stones toward the unknown. Even if it only added an inch to his height, Bell would never choose to flee. He firmly believed that only by overcoming countless hardships and stacking them into a mountain could one reach the realm of the unknown.
"I see..." Riveria said softly.
She lifted her gaze to the starry sky.
The path the boy had chosen was one filled with thorns—no shortcuts, no retreat. He wasn't waiting for the unknown to come to him; instead, he was using suffering as his foundation, aiming to reach the far side of those stars. Such an existence itself was already the unknown.
Riveria kept her thoughts to herself. She simply gazed at the stars, sitting silently beside Bell for a long time.
As the frost receded, the night fell into an eerie stillness. The concern and worry of the elf maidens sounded particularly jarring against the quiet.
...
On a certain plateau, the air within the city was as fresh and pure as the praise it received. Aina opened an envelope, a faint smile on her face.
"Aina, when I couldn't sleep, you often told me fairy tales about the Spirit Land."
"It really was as beautiful as the stories described. I even had an unforgettable battle there with a young man."
"I can only share part of the details with you. Please forgive my greed and selfishness."
"My own fruit has vanished without a trace. What you ate was the gift from that youth."
"Though there are legends of romance, I believe Eina and Nina would surely thank the him on your behalf."
"Honestly, it was a journey full of twists and turns, but it was exhilarating. My heart, too, was swayed by the spring breeze."
"In the end, I don't want to repeat my earlier farewell."
"Let me dream a bold dream."
"Aina, when the flowers bloom again, let's invite that young man to join us on our journey."
The elegant script faded as Aina smiled.
...
Meanwhile, in Riveria's bedroom, several letters of the same material lay crumpled into balls, the surfaces smudged with discarded words.
"I feel Bell Cranel is the embodiment of the unknown."
"You might worry hearing this, but Eina seems quite infatuated with that boy too."
"Perhaps one day, I'll visit you with a special identity. When that time comes, please show mercy..."
"I look forward to seeing if [Luck] will favor him, allowing him to master a new Magic."