Still laughing! This is all your fault!
Ayla didn’t actually fly; she just took off as the captain.
Now that the flight was over, she felt completely drained, not a bit of strength left, lying in the girl’s arms and gasping for breath.
Don’t ask whose arms.
If you ask, I’ll just ask back—which side do you mean, front or back.
No, how did it end up like the Battle of the Forest, being supported by the healer in the front while an old assassin delivered backstabs from behind?
If it weren’t for the pair of obvious softness pressing against her own softness on her chest, Ayla would have thought she’d never left that day.
“This time it was so early, how disappointing.”
Leah deliberately pouted, rubbing against her.
“Or is it because you missed me too much?”
Sss, don’t rub, stop it.
Ayla didn’t have the strength to speak anymore, and Miss Saintess noticed this too, so she simply kissed her.
“Then let’s sleep. Good night~”
There was a fragrant, sweet, sunlit feeling on her face, but soon, an icy chill landed on the other cheek.
The person behind didn’t seem to want to leave.
Heat in front, coolness in back, Ayla was so exhausted she nearly fainted, and just before losing consciousness, her last thought was—
Will I catch a cold when I wake up tomorrow?
ZZZZZ
The Elves moved up their departure time.
Originally, they’d said tomorrow, but now they didn’t want to stay another day and urged the Human Kingdom to hurry and send people to depart.
“I really can’t stand it, every breath of air in the Human Kingdom is filled with greed, ignorance, and arrogance.”
Tereka pinched her nose.
“I just want to go home quickly.”
The others followed behind, silent.
They knew Tereka wasn’t truly unable to endure the kingdom’s air; it was because she’d been upset these past days.
First, the little fool Silitya had been talked into circles, then that big-chested Ayla demanded sky-high prices, and even Maken left her speechless.
Living over two hundred years, when had she ever suffered so much grievance?
The Kingdom had little objection to the Elven Envoy Group’s request.
After confirming, they sent a guard to the camp to notify the girls.
Celes spoke awkwardly.
“We haven’t gathered yet today, so it’s impossible to depart immediately. We’ll inform you after we assemble.”
After sending the guard away, Celes returned to the camp and looked at the empty sofas in the first-floor hall, feeling momentarily at a loss.
Ayla and Miss Leah had gone to the Chapel and wouldn’t be back for a while.
Vina was still sleeping in—her usual morning routine—so that was normal.
The only abnormal thing was Zero.
The assassin girl usually slept little, never more.
But today, she was uncharacteristically unable to get up.
Strange.
Just as Celes thought this, she heard footsteps tapping down the stairs.
“I saw people from the Royal Palace at the window earlier.”
Zero asked her.
“Did something happen?”
“Yes,”
Celes quickly shifted to business.
“The Elven Envoy Group hopes we’ll leave with them today.”
She didn’t mention the reason, but whether a day earlier or later made little difference.
“Then let’s go.”
Zero picked up a pen and paper from the table and left a note for Vina.
“We’ll go to the Chapel to find Ayla and Miss Leah.”
As for the Little Witch, she’d come over after waking and seeing the note.
***
They say people only truly understand themselves when they lose their freedom.
Ayla felt she had no freedom at all sandwiched between two people last night and got to know herself very well.
With things like this, plus a repressed Sword Saint maiden hiding her true self, and a Little Witch who only wanted chaos, if everyone found out…
At 10:30 in the morning, Ayla, who had just woken up, broke out in a cold sweat.
She remembered the line she’d thought last night—there’s no sacrifice too great to accept.
There is. There absolutely is.
Now it was nearly noon. Leah had gotten up early as always, watching the sunrise.
As for the Undead who’d hugged her from behind all night, she’d already returned to being a living person.
In the small room that had held two humans and a ghost last night, Ayla was now alone, enjoying a rare sense of peace.
But only for a moment, because soon she heard knocking at the door—
“Ayla, are you up? Hurry and get ready, Celes and the others are here to find us!”
What, they’re here?
Ayla hurriedly dressed, washed her inner thighs, and ran out, nearly fainting when she saw Celes and Zero standing together.
But the first thing Celes said was:
“The Elves want us to move early—we’re leaving today.”
What, the information wasn’t leaked?
Ayla sneaked a look at Zero.
The assassin girl was looking at her too, smiling brightly.
What did that mean?
Did the things said last night in Necromantic Form mean she was truly innocent, or… was she teasing me?
Ayla took less than a second to decide:
No matter the truth, assume she’s truly innocent.
Otherwise, if you break her disguise and she spills everything, then brings the other two girls over…
What would I do?
“Then let’s go… Oh, right, why do the Elves want us to leave early?”
Just talk business.
Celes didn’t have an answer, but was glad the topic shifted.
Ayla pretended to analyze, covering reasons from the Elven Envoy Group’s discomfort with the climate and homesickness to conspiracy theories about them not wanting to give time to react, and finally to pessimists fearing the Holy Spring Seal would break soon and wanting help back home.
Talking and chatting, the girls met the Little Witch near the Royal Garden.
“Really, I woke up, saw the note, and found you were all gone. You even made me wait here. What good things did you do without me?”
Vina put her hands on her hips, cheeks puffed in protest.
“We just went to the Chapel to find Ayla and Miss Leah.”
Celes replied seriously.
Vina moved closer, suddenly touching the fair-haired beauty’s thigh.
“Why’s your thigh all wet?”
Ayla’s heart skipped.
“I just woke up and wiped it with water to refresh myself.”
Vina used her magician’s abilities to check.
“It really is just water. You’re so weird. It’s the first time I’ve seen someone refresh themselves by washing their thighs. Normal people wash their faces.”
Ayla didn’t dare answer and just gave a small, awkward laugh.
At that moment, Zero circled back from the Royal Garden, handing something to the girl.
“Ayla, it’s been a while since I gave you flowers. I just picked this.”
Since summer had passed and autumn was here, most of the flowers in the flowerbed had withered.
There weren’t many still blooming at this time.
So what kind of flower could be picked now?
Ayla looked down at her palm and saw a small daisy lying there.
“……”
She felt something was wrong, but didn’t dare say it.