"..."
Just as Finn finished changing and was about to leave the bathhouse, the shy voice of the golden-haired elf drifted through the hallway.
Finn had missed his chance to leave.
If she was this embarrassed, how had she found the courage to block the bathhouse entrance?
Was this the power of love?
Well, he might as well soak a little longer...
Finn had no intention of eavesdropping on their conversation. He sighed softly and turned back toward the bath.
...
In the hallway, Lefiya was pressing her lips together, her face bright red as she looked at the boy.
Her rich golden hair fell loose around her, tiny droplets of water clinging to the ends. When the damp strands brushed against her pointed ears, the beautiful girl shivered instinctively, as if she had just stepped out of the bath.
Ignoring her still-wet hair, Lefiya nervously held out the glass bottle in her hand.
Inside the small bottle, two black hairs and one long golden strand lay quietly, as if bearing witness to the golden-haired elf's affection.
"When I asked, Tiona-san gave hers to me right away. Tione-san asked what it was for, but I managed to gloss over it."
Lefiya explained where the hairs had come from. "And the golden one belongs to Alicia-san. I secretly plucked it while she was in the bath, so you absolutely can't tell her, okay?"
"Thank you, Lefiya-san."
Bell gently accepted the glass bottle. The instant their fingers touched, Lefiya trembled as if she had been shocked.
Judging from her state, she must have rushed over as soon as she got the hairs, which was why her long, rich golden hair was still damp.
"D-don't get the wrong idea. I bear some responsibility for the dagger breaking too, so that's why I helped you get everyone else's hair."
Lefiya pulled back her right hand, insisting that she was only doing what she should and that there were absolutely no personal feelings involved.
"Mm..."
Bell thoughtfully put the glass bottle away.
He was thinking that the hairs had more or less been collected now. Aside from Filvis, nearly all of his encounters in Orario were covered.
As for the black-haired elf who had left without saying goodbye, Bell had not yet decided whether he should go directly to Dionysus Familia and request a meeting. If he rushed over carelessly, it would probably backfire and make Filvis avoid him even more.
"Ugh..."
Seeing the thoughtful look on the boy's face, Lefiya's heart suddenly tightened.
"Permanently horny rabbit, are you after Ais-san's hair? I absolutely won't give you Ais-san's hair!"
Lefiya's expression changed again and again, as if she were struggling against some enormous force.
She lowered her head and stammered, "Um... i-if you can promise not to have any bad intentions, then I can help you..."
"..."
Bell was momentarily speechless.
What kind of fierce battle had this girl fought inside her heart to reach that conclusion?
Bell truly did not have the heart to crush Lefiya by telling her the truth about yesterday, that he had actually already obtained Ais's golden hair.
The boy's instant of hesitation only fueled Lefiya's imagination even further.
"Ugh... D-don't tell me you want Riveria-sama's?!"
Layers of gloom instantly covered Lefiya's beautiful face.
She gave Bell no time to explain and spoke on her own.
"What are you thinking?! Riveria-sama's silky emerald-green hair is absolutely not something you're allowed to violate! Thank goodness only I know about this. If Alicia-san and the others heard it, they would definitely attack you! Ugh... Permanently horny rabbit, come with me!"
Lefiya forcefully grabbed the boy's wrist and started walking down the hallway.
"Lefiya-san..."
Bell did not resist and let the elf girl drag him along.
Even the boy could not calm Lefiya's surging emotions without lying.
Although it was a misunderstanding, Lefiya was not exactly wrong. The first strand of hair Bell had collected was indeed Riveria's, and his feelings for the Elf Princess might be even more intense and pure than Lefiya imagined...
Her rich golden hair fluttered in the night.
Droplets slid down from the ends, spreading where their skin touched before melting into bashful warmth.
"..."
Lefiya pulled Bell forward in silence the entire way.
To think he actually had designs on Riveria-sama. It was outrageous!
Lefiya wanted to condemn the boy's heretical thoughts, but she also did not want to cause trouble for Bell. If anyone else in Loki Familia heard, the situation would definitely become extremely complicated.
And so, enduring the gazes of the other members, Lefiya headed toward the exit of Twilight Manor.
"Oh? Are you two planning to go another round after your bath?"
The human girl Elfy leaned against the door with a knowing grin.
"Ugh... Elfy-san, I'm going out for a bit!"
Lefiya stormed past her own room without loosening her grip at all.
"Got it. So you're not coming back tonight?"
Elfy asked with a light laugh.
"..."
Bell understood now. This brown-haired girl really did love gossip, just as Lefiya had said.
Now that she was the target of the teasing, Lefiya could not help frowning.
"I'll be back soon!"
Lefiya kept her head down and continued forward.
"Eh? Little Rookie, you're pursuing a harem, aren't you? How can you finish that quickly?!"
Elfy's energetic cheering rang out from behind them.
Lefiya's ears turned bright red, and she quickened her pace.
Bell sighed softly. In Loki Familia, where so many members had fiery tempers, that loose-tongued human girl probably got beaten up quite often...
The two passed through the hallway, drawing the gazes of Loki Familia's other members.
"Lefiya-san is actually this bold?"
"Idiot, they already hugged during the War Game. It's just holding hands, what's there to fuss over?"
"That's true... But judging from the look of things, Loki is definitely going to get jealous, right?"
Amid the scattered chatter, Lefiya and Bell arrived at the front courtyard.
Whether it was enemies meeting on a narrow road or simply bad luck, Bete had only just stepped through the gate when he saw the two coming toward him.
He was drenched in sweat, clearly having gone all out with his training.
"Tch."
Bete glanced at the two of them, then quickly turned around. Before they could notice him, he set off once again on his training route.
From the sky corridor, a Goddess took in the entire scene.
Loki raised her wine bottle and shouted, "Aaaah, this is driving me mad! Riveria, freeze that brat solid! Keep him frozen for a hundred years!"
"I can freeze all of Loki's wine too, if necessary."
Riveria's lips curved as she looked gently at the boy in the courtyard.
"That's no good. Without this wine, I can't go on living."
Loki narrowed her eyes, staring at the two figures sinking into the night.
In that instant, it was as if she had taken off her mask and regained the majesty of a Goddess.
"This wine is my treasure, after all. Upheaval is about to descend..."