"Why...?"
A murmur slipped unconsciously from Filvis's lips.
She had already set up her misdirection on the city wall. The boy should have appeared on the other side.
Why was he here?
Had he seen through her plan?
Wouldn't taking the longer route have made it easier for them to miss each other?
Confusion echoed in her crimson eyes, but the scarlet eyes meeting hers showed no concern at all.
"I didn't expect to run into you here, Filvis. Let's go down together."
Bell made no mention of the misdirection the elf girl had attempted. He answered this calculated reunion with warmth instead.
According to his earlier guesses, whether Filvis had foreseen the calamity or was involved with the dark forces, the only way to keep her from running away was to treat the situation as an ordinary chance encounter.
"Mm..."
Filvis hesitated for a moment, but still accepted the boy's request and walked down the stairs with him.
On the dim steps, the boy deliberately made his footsteps heavier, afraid Filvis might accidentally stumble.
The girl noticed that tiny detail. Together with the joy of reuniting with her lover, it stirred Filvis's heart.
Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, the view suddenly opened up.
"Filvis, you should be free right now, right? Wait here with me for one more person."
Bell smiled and looked up toward the city wall.
In the moonlight, rich golden hair danced in the wind.
"Viridis?"
Filvis frowned, realizing the boy's plan.
The reason Bell had not worried about missing her, and had deliberately taken the longer route to the left-side stairs, was because he had left the other path to the golden-haired elf. With trust between them, the two had worked together and formed a foolproof net.
To coordinate perfectly in an instant like that, they were practically a loving married couple...
Filvis swallowed down her envy and jealousy, quietly waiting for Lefiya's arrival.
The moonlight was like frost, and the surroundings were strangely quiet.
Simply because the boy stood beside her, a warmth she could lose herself in bloomed inside Filvis's heart.
Filvis enjoyed that brief peace, not knowing how much time had passed.
Judging by the moon's position, it had probably only been a few short minutes.
"Hah... hah..."
Lefiya ran down the stairs, gasping for breath.
She was covered in sweat, clearly having used every bit of her agility to run at full speed.
"Bell Cranel, you chose this route on purpose, didn't you?"
Lefiya asked.
Given two choices, she had picked the wrong answer. She had run up and down the stairs and gone in one huge circle.
"You worked very hard for your evening exercise, Lefiya-san."
Bell dodged the question.
"Ugh... You knew what would happen, didn't you? Now I have to take another bath when I get back... Elfy-san is definitely going to laugh at me!"
Lefiya puffed up her cheeks and complained.
She could already imagine what her roommate would say. "You only just finished bathing before you went out, and now you can't wait to go back to the bathhouse as soon as you return. You must have done some kind of exercise and worked up quite a sweat, right?"
That gossip-loving human girl would definitely say something like that!
"Hm? Weren't you the one who wanted to run, Lefiya-san? You only had to wait at the bottom of the stairs."
Bell deliberately put on an innocent expression.
"Eh?"
Lefiya blinked.
That was right. To complete the encirclement and stop Filvis-san, she only needed to guard the stairway entrance and let the boy run by himself.
"Lefiya-san really is an idiot."
Bell came to his conclusion.
"Ugh, permanently horny rabbit, don't call me an idiot!"
Lefiya wiped the sweat from her forehead and answered with a bright red face.
"Hehe..."
Filvis watched the two of them interact, and her smile turned into a sound before she could stop it.
She immediately covered her lips with her hand, trying to hide her happiness, but the laughter kept slipping out.
The laughter spilling from her cherry-colored lips was like birdsong, gathering into a soft and lovely melody.
"F-Filvis-san..."
Lefiya shyly called her name.
It was all Bell Cranel's fault. Now she was being laughed at again!
Even as Lefiya thought that, a sincere smile also spread across her face.
Because Filvis had left without saying goodbye, Lefiya had once shed sorrowful tears for the boy. Now that the three of them were gathered together again, it was more precious than any scenery.
"You two really are a strange pair of lovers."
Filvis laughed softly.
"Uuu..."
We're not lovers!
Because of Finn's decision, Lefiya could not voice that defense. She could only blush, letting out shy sounds that never became words.
"Ah... I never thought a certain black-haired elf would be so heartless. It's only been a few days, and she's already forgotten her vows of love completely."
Bell looked at Filvis and answered meaningfully.
"Th-that's..."
Now the embarrassment moved to Filvis's face.
Because she was filthy, she could no longer remain by the boy's side.
Filvis had already said something like that when they met in the Dungeon. Repeating it now would only prove the boy's words and make her seem fickle.
Only when it came to this burning affection did Filvis not want to lie to the boy.
"..."
Lefiya stared blankly at Filvis.
In that shy silence, there was also an unspeakable secret that made one's heart ache.
The noble elf girl had endured countless pains and watched helplessly as her companions died one after another. It was a loneliness beyond imagination, a despair and guilt enough to destroy the heart.
Filvis had finally found her own hope, Bell Cranel. Lefiya truly could not accept the two of them parting unhappily like this.
"Filvis-san, Bell Cranel... Let's go make wine together!"
Lefiya suddenly made the request without any warning.
"Hm? Why bring that up all of a sudden?"
Filvis blinked in confusion.
"B-because you're from Dionysus Familia, aren't you, Filvis-san? That God really likes wine, right?"
Lefiya gave an answer that barely made sense.
Dionysus cast aside taboo and savored fine wine. One shop had even seized on that idea in its advertising, claiming its wine was an exquisite vintage that transcended all taboos.
Lefiya had happened to hear that rumor, which was why she brought the topic to that male God.
"That has nothing to do with me."
Filvis answered calmly.
"Ugh... Um..."
Lefiya was at a loss for words. Her suggestion had been a spur-of-the-moment idea, so naturally it could not stand up to scrutiny.
Bell looked at the golden-haired elf's beautiful face and saw through her thoughts.
Lefiya must have made that request because she wanted to create precious memories and a promise. That kind, touching young girl's heart was showing clearly on her flustered expression.
"There's a shop not far from here holding a winemaking event. They let guests stomp grapes and make wine of their own."
Bell raised the corners of his mouth, giving Lefiya a reasonable helping hand. "It happens to be on Filvis's way home. Should we go try it together?"