[At this point, head into the forest and make your way to the flower field. I’ll send the Hero your way.]

That’s what the young mage who recently joined the party had said. At first, Lapirie had been incredibly startled by Aswell's sudden decision to bring her into the party, and she had voiced her opposition.

It wasn’t the first time Lapirie had objected, stepping in on behalf of Serlin, who had joined the party before her, and Arya, who had been with them from the beginning. Aswell, being the Hero, attracted a lot of attention from women.

Among them were those who tried to join the party by gaining Aswell's favor while hiding their true identities and skills. But every time that happened, Lapirie had driven them away, protecting both Aswell and the party.

Part of it was because she had feelings for Aswell, but more than that, she was worried about keeping the party safe. While others envied her for being the princess of the Elven Kingdom, Lapirie herself didn’t like that status at all.

She had joined the Hero’s party to escape the stifling life in the kingdom. So when Aswell approached the Elven Kingdom's borders, she had "coincidentally" met him and, thanks to her exceptional archery and navigational skills, was able to join the party.

"I never want to go back to those days."

Lapirie, the Elf Princess—or rather, the Elf Archer—wanted to continue living this life.

But a few days ago, a young mage had joined the party. Or perhaps she only looked young. Lapirie had heard that human age doesn’t always match physical appearance.

Either way, the girl who introduced herself as "Louis" had claimed she would handle the party’s equipment and support. Lapirie found that strange. After all, a mage wasn’t supposed to handle such tasks.

Overwhelming firepower, vast range, and mysterious, immense spells.

That was how Lapirie and the rest of the Hero’s party envisioned mages. But Louis had outright denied that image.

'Another incompetent woman joining the party?'

Some people used flimsy excuses to hide their lack of skill. That’s why Lapirie had cast her vote against Louis joining, but in the end, Louis became part of the party.

And what Louis did after that… even Lapirie, who had opposed her, had to admit her skill.

[These are gloves.]

The gloves Louis had handed her were so astonishing that Lapirie was left speechless.

"These are… on par with relics of the Elven Kingdom…"

Just gloves—simple fabric without any metal plating. And yet, they were inscribed with more than ten magical spells.

What’s more, Louis had tailored the spells specifically for each member of the Hero’s party, and those spells were beyond what Lapirie could have imagined.

Turning mana into wind to make aiming even more precise?

The gloves were incredible, but what shocked Lapirie even more were the additional features Louis hadn’t mentioned.

The wind not only improved her aim but also supported her movements. People who create things usually exaggerate a bit when describing their creations.

But this young mage had done the opposite. Maybe she was too lazy to explain, or maybe she just forgot.

Either way, after seeing just those gloves, the party’s doubts vanished in an instant. The opposition meeting had ended with Louis sleeping, all while radiating a dazzling magical aura that left even Aswell surprised.

Seeing Louis's impressive skills, Lapirie had gone to apologize to her. And as a fellow comrade who admired Aswell, she had prepared to acknowledge Louis as a rival—only to be met with an unexpected response.

[Honestly, I only joined the party to gather materials. I’m not interested in the Hero at all.]

With that cute face, Louis had flashed a cool smile and boldly declared that she would help Lapirie win over Aswell.

After that, they’d had several conversations, which had led to Lapirie now wandering through the middle of the forest.

"Will this really work…?"

The idea that she could get closer to Aswell had made her accept the plan without much thought. Although Serlin and Arya had crossed her mind later, it was too late to change her mind with Louis, and so, the day had arrived.

She recalled the young mage with the blue eyes and stoic expression who had given her a thumbs-up.

"Ugh…"

She should’ve worn something more fitting for a romantic atmosphere. Flustered, she had come in her battle gear, and now a bit of regret was washing over her.

"If I turn right here… huh?"

But that regret quickly disappeared. As she neared the path to the flower field Louis had told her about, she saw some figures moving in the distance.

It was monsters, the scourge of the world.

"..."

The embarrassment on her face quickly vanished, replaced by cool composure. In the blink of an eye, her bow was drawn, and she released an arrow.

Swoosh!

The wind, transformed by her magic, swirled around the arrow, helping it fly swiftly toward its target.

----!!

The amorphous creatures were startled, then, seeing Lapirie had killed one of their own, they began fleeing in the opposite direction.

"No, not that way!"

They were heading toward the flower field. If even one of them made it, who knows what would happen to the beautiful flowers. In an instant, Lapirie shot three more arrows, sending them flying after the monsters.

A short chase began, with Lapirie desperately pursuing the creatures. Although she was fast, thanks to living in the forest, she couldn’t catch up to the monsters right away.

Soon, the landscape ahead opened up, revealing a breathtaking view. The dreamlike hues of the flower petals came into sight, making Lapirie even more anxious.

The chance to win over Aswell was slipping away. While that was important, another feeling began to grow inside her.

The forest and the flower field will be ruined.

Elves love nature and live in harmony with it. Lapirie was no different; she was an elf, and she loved the forest and its flowers.

"You can’t go any further!"

Just then, a voice called from behind.

"Lapirie!"

"…Aswell!"

He had only called her name, but the dark-haired Hero immediately understood her purpose. And faster than the elf, he sprinted forward, raising his holy sword.

Moments later, light flowed from the holy sword, completely obliterating the last remaining monster that had been fleeing from Lapirie.

"Phew…"

"Thank goodness…"

Fortunately, the creature had left no trace leading to the flower field. Relieved, Lapirie sank to the ground, momentarily overcome with exhaustion.

She looked at her hands, gently caressing the flowers, and realized where she was.

It was the flower field.

She lifted her head to see the vibrant flowers swaying gently in the breeze. With the setting sun casting its light from the opposite side of the forest, the natural colors of the flowers shimmered, doubling their beauty.

A flower field bathed in the sunset.

Right now, only Aswell and Lapirie were there.

"The flower field…"

She heard Aswell murmur from behind her. He had been told what to do here by Louis, but now that the moment had arrived, Lapirie couldn’t think of anything.

"Lapirie, were you chasing those monsters because of…"

Just then, one of Louis’s words came to mind.

[If you can’t think of anything to say, just speak from your heart.]

So Lapirie spoke.

"Yes, I wanted to protect this flower field."

Her hand gently brushed against the flowers, filling her heart with warmth. This moment felt like a dream, one she wished would never end.

But she knew she had to tell Aswell how she felt.

"Aswell."

"…Yeah?"

She turned her body to face him directly, meeting his gaze. His black hair, soft eyes, strong physique, and shining holy sword—her eyes only saw him.

"…Thank you. For showing up when I needed you."

Speaking in a serious tone, unlike her usual self, she expressed her gratitude. The key was to show him a different side of her.

Slowly, she knelt in the middle of the flower field, focusing on the flowers. If Aswell hadn’t come, these flowers would have lost their color and died.

That thought stirred her emotions even more.

"Thank you so much for helping me protect them."

"…"

Aswell, the Hero, seemed visibly flustered by her thanks. He averted his gaze, fidgeted with his hands, and awkwardly touched the holy sword.

Somehow, with the sunset casting a red glow on his face, he looked just as flustered and red as she felt.

'It’s okay if I don’t confess right now.'

Lapirie thought to herself. This conclusion had come from a mixture of her many thoughts and feelings.

"I’ll be there for you when you need me, too. Thank you again."

"…Yeah. I, uh, I need to go get something Louis asked for. I’ll be right back."

With that, the Hero hurriedly disappeared into the flower field. A few moments later, Lapirie snapped out of her trance, overwhelmed by the scent of the flowers and her racing heart.

And then—

"Ack?!"

She quickly fanned her face, which had turned beet red, and hurried back to the camp. The plan had been a success—no, a resounding success! She couldn’t wait to tell her ally the good news.

"Phew…"

Aswell stood in the center of the flower field, reflecting on what had just happened.

His comrade, Lapirie, had seemed like a completely different person. Usually, she was the lively, energetic one who lifted the party’s spirits.

But just a moment ago, she had been so… serious, and beautiful.

The sight of the Elf Princess sitting among the flowers was a breathtaking scene that most people wouldn’t see in their entire lifetime. His heart, which had been steady for the past year, suddenly pounded as he watched her smile softly, relieved, at the flowers.

If he had stayed there any longer, who knows what might have happened.

Aswell couldn’t imagine. But the reason he had managed to leave was that, in that fleeting moment, another person had crossed his mind.

Louis.

For a brief second, Aswell had thought of her. Her soft white hair, her half-lidded blue eyes, and the robe that covered her small frame.

He had no idea why. But Louis had come to mind, and suddenly, he remembered what he needed to do.

"I, uh, I need to go get something Louis asked for…"

The strange flower Louis had requested. That had given him an excuse to escape from Lapirie.

'I’ll need to be more careful from now on.'

This time, he had managed to get away by thinking of Louis, but there was no guarantee he’d be able to do that next time. Having those kinds of feelings toward a comrade wasn’t something a Hero should have.

"…Is that it?"

Soon, Aswell spotted the flower Louis had asked for. Just like she had described, it was an iridescent flower, glowing like a jewel.

A single white flower, standing out on a small hill in the flower field.

"A pure white… flower."

White. Again, the mage’s face came to mind. Once more, for reasons he couldn’t explain, the delicate flower reminded him of Louis—so small yet brilliant.

"…Let’s head back."

Aswell carefully picked the flower before the sun completely set and made his way out of the flower field. By now, Lapirie must have returned as well.

He really needed to get back before Louis finished setting up camp.

TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars for the translation - I'd really like to see how far Leon goes and how far we can increase the number of chapters. Thanks~!

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