Chapter 13: Chapter 12: A Very Daring Mage And A Saint Sweeter Than Sugar

It is now late, and Rigeld still hasn’t finished all his work. Thus he called Alum for some help. What can he say? The boy has talent. Rigeld has finally been able to track down the ones attempting to assassinate Alum. Chely had voluntarily stepped up to deal with them, she and others took care of their whole gang, and the criminals are now imprisoned. Rigeld was surprised that the Hero would personally take care of it. Even more so when she said, “he’s potentially my future cute little brother; of course, I have to deal with the pests surrounding him.” And with those words, Rigeld sighed, (I’m sorry, Luna.) While thinking about this, he looks over towards Alum and Chely. “Little Al say ahhhh~.” Chely insisted that she would feed Alum sweets, and Alum looked at Rigeld as if asking what in the world was going on. 

Rigeld sighed and kept doing his paperwork. He knew Chely was like this with Amethely and that she loved her dearly. So, as anyone can imagine, this would be the result if she got a little brother. Realizing that his cry for help didn’t get through to the old man, he could only rely on himself. “Um… Chely, I can eat by myself.” He told her as calmly as possible. Only to be met with, “*sniff, call me big sis *sniff, I can’t bare it if you’re so distant little Al, *sniff sniff.” Alum looked at the girl who was on the verge of tears, fake tears, astonished. He didn’t know what to say. (Really, what is going on?) Is this really the same girl he rode a dragon with for a whole day and night? 

Thinking about it more, this wasn’t a bad thing. Since he found her to be stiff and unfriendly, or well, that was his first impression. The more he thinks about it (maybe this isn’t so bad?) He thought. Since Chely is Ame’s big sister, this means that he gets the green lights, right? After some consideration, he decided it would be OK to call her big sis, but (it’s still embarrassing.) In his mind, calling an older beautiful girl that just feels a little strange. She was typically in her armor but was now wearing regular clothing. And it didn’t help that she was clinging onto him with her face buried in his chest, with tears, fake tears. (Ugh… fine, you win!) “Then… b-big sis.” His stuttering and nervousness only fueled her. “Aww! You’re so cute little Al.” She said while latching onto him with a more robust embrace. Alum, of course, couldn’t take it anymore. “Please don’t call me little!” He retorted. “Aww~ what a shame, then here Al, say ahhh~.” Finally giving up, he let her feed him. (Ohh! He is so obedient and cute. Ame always refuses so firmly and doesn’t give in!) 

“Hehe~ how does it taste?” Chely asked. “... It’s tasty,” Alum said a bit courtly while looking at the papers in front of him. Rigeld, who was a witness to all this, sighed once again. (Wait, if I just adopt him….*Sigh, never mind. I’ll just watch over him.) While he thought this, Chely looked his way, and her eyes told him everything. He didn’t even need to look at her smug face to know what she wanted to say, (It’s my win) 

While Alum goes through all the papers, he finds out that the organization that targeted him is now under arrest, and they’re all locked up. (Oh? I can ask her and go out now….) With a sigh of relief, he put down the papers, looked toward Chely, and said, “thank you.” With a soft smile. Hearing this, Chely hugged him, and he didn’t resist this time. “You’re so sweet! Unlike Ame, who doesn't want to be doted on! But oh well, that part of her is adorable too!” No, he didn’t want to be doted on, so he tried retorting, but to avail since she just ignored that part. 

After finishing all this work, Alum left Rigelds office. With only Chely and Rigeld in the room, the atmosphere got slightly tense. “Really now, you need to get a new assistant. They aren't the same, no matter how much Alum reminds you of him. You should move on. I think your wife would’ve wanted that too.” Being told this by Chely, Rigeld couldn’t help but feel that all of his doings were very selfish. He knew that Alum wasn’t a replacement for his dead son, but; he couldn’t help but see him in Alum. Rigeld vowed to his wife in her last breaths that he would protect their son. “... Right. Your right. I really should; it’s getting late now. You better go back.” Seeing Rigeld in a miserable state, Chely felt like she had gone too far; she apologized and obediently left the room. 

 

Alum was now walking in the corridors and was on his way back to his room. Looking out the windows, he could see the horizon sun. He never thought too much about it since the nights were as dark as the world he came from. It was big but not very bright. Even the moon shone more than it did during the nights. As he walked, he sighed. He was thinking of a good way to invite Ame out on a date. Should he just ask her now? Or… maybe not. Sighing once again, he headed out for some fresh air. This part of the base has a garden which is usually fully occupied during the days off and was now empty. 

Once Alum entered the garden, he looked for somewhere to sit. He needed fresh air and some quiet. His surroundings had gotten livelier than he was used to, and while he felt a warm sensation in his chest, at heart, he still liked the peaceful stillness. But unexpectedly, he met Ame. Noticing that someone was there, she turned around. And once she saw who it was, she waved at him with a soft, warm smile, telling him to come closer. Alum saw that she was holding a sword in her hand. (Oh, she must’ve been practicing.) The sword gave the same vibe as Noel’s [Storm’elt Sword]; in other words, it’s her divine weapon. And when he got closer, the divine blade dissipated into light fractures and vanished. 

“What are you doing out here so late?” Ame asked him while not making eye contact with him as she tilted her head to the side and played with her hair. Alum could see that she was blushing slightly despite it being dark outside. “Out on a stroll?” He bluntly replied. “I see,” she said in a low voice while peaking a glace at him. He tried getting closer to her, but she only distanced herself from him. He was unsure how to interpret that and was disheartened. Seeing him like this, Ame became flustered and tried to explain herself. “No, it’s not like that… I don’t want you to get closer because I probably smell….” Hearing this, Alum was relieved. “Phew… I thought you started to hate me….” On the other hand, Ame started to panic. “No! It’s the opposite! Ah….” Depending on how Alum interprets this, she basically confessed to him. But since it wasn’t intentional, he wasn’t going to make Ame clarify it. After all, he was committed to being the one to confess. 

Amethely’s heart was racing very fast. She had basically confessed to the guy she liked, albeit it wasn’t her intention to do so. (Ahhhhh! I’m such a dummy! This isn’t the right occasion, and I'm still not entirely sure he likes me romantically!) Her heart was pounding fast. It was racing more quickly than it ever had in her entire life. “I see… I'm relieved.” Said Alum with a soft smile. (Huh? Did he perhaps not notice?) While Amethely was relieved, she did feel disappointed at the same time. (It’s probably better this way… confessing to him while only being acquainted will confuse him…. We barely know each other after all.) 

Thinking like this, Amethely started to get anxious. The only thing she knew about him was that he was skilled at magic despite his recent arrival to this world. She knew he liked sweets and that he was kind. His aloof self was probably to protect himself, and he probably felt lonely deep down. He could also be quite the tease, too. (Jeez, I’m overthinking again,) she thought. And without realizing it. Alum had walked close to her. He looked her in the eyes and managed to squeeze out his words. “T-then, would you like to join me? For a walk, I mean….” (Ah… his golden eyes are so pretty… he’s even blushing a little, so cute!) Amethely may not have noticed, but her face was crimson too.

“B-but, I'm sweaty and may put you off….” She shamefully said while trying to distance herself. “I don’t mind.” But Alum gently grabbed her hand, and he wasn’t putting any force into it, so if she just walked back, he would just release his grip. This made Amethely conflicted. She didn’t want him to let go, but she felt so ashamed to be near him while sweating this much. She would usually cast magic to get rid of the sent and sweat but was told not to use any magic until she fully recovered. “I-I…. C-can I take a shower first?” She asked while being flustered. But she then felt a warm sensation surround her whole body, and a faint blue glow surrounded her. “There is no need,” Alum told her. Amethely was surprised. He had used cleansing magic on somebody else, which was more challenging than just using it on oneself. (He really doesn’t need me to teach him any magic….) Amethely sulked a bit. “Is this fine…?” Alum nervously asked her. 

“Dummy…” Amethely pouted while she rested her head on Alum’s chest. Doing this, she felt warm and fuzzy, and her heart was racing rapidly. But she didn’t want him to see her face right now, and she didn’t want him to see her defeated, sulky look. (... Huh? This scent…. Big sis? Was she being overly familiar again? People around me are getting closer to him. Am I the only one left behind?) While lost in her thoughts, she cuddled up to him, not wanting to let go. Just a few moments ago, she tried to distance herself, and now she was glued to him. 

Alum was unsure but felt that she wanted him to embrace her, so he gently did. His warmth now surrounded Amethely, and now she knew for sure that their feelings were mutual. She was so happy that she hugged him tighter, and Alum did the same. The two of them stood in silence in each other's embrace. And unexpectedly, Alum was the one to break that silence with a question. “Hey Ame, would you like to have an outing with me? Just you and me.” Amethely nodded. She was also planning to ask him out. She, too, wanted to spend time with him and get to know him better. She refused to let go, not now. She looked up at his face. Their faces were close, and it reminded her of yesterday. But this time, it wasn’t one-sided, and they were in each other's arms. “... Not fair. I was about to ask you. I want to get to know you better; I want to learn more about you, Alum, s-so, please take care of me.” 

Seeing Ame like this made Alum’s heart skip a beat, and it was already beating fast when she hugged him; he could feel her heartbeats, and Ame could probably feel and hear his too. Everything she did made him conscious of her. Alum and Amethely stayed like this for a while; nothing was being said. After a brief period, Alum loosened his embrace. He wanted to stay like this, but after calming down, he proposed they go on a stroll as planned. Ame was reluctantly letting him go. Sensing this, Alum instead grabbed her hand. “You’re fine walking like this, right?” He asked Ame. She nodded and shyly gave him a warm smile. He was getting used to her, and she was also getting used to him. 

Because what is the point if they aren’t able to be comfortable with each other? Alum was unsure what their current relationship was since no words were said. Although it could be interpreted that they are now lovers, he was uncertain that he could call them that. They barely know each other but are learning about each other, and they both hold affection for one another. Isn’t that enough? No, he wanted to affirm with both words and feelings. Both are important. Therefore he needs to confess properly. One could say he is a romantic in the sense that he wants it in a certain way. And he already knew how he would go about it. Ask her out on a date, after the date, properly confess and hopefully become boyfriend and girlfriend. 

 

Under the moonlight, Alum and Ame walked hand in hand. It was peaceful, and the coast winds gently breezed across the garden. Alum wasn’t much of a talker, and Ame was quite shy. Hence they spent their time in silence. It wasn’t awkward or anything, but they did want to know more about the other person. Amethely, who recently used up all her courage in that embrace, could not start a conversation. And Alum barely spoke to any girls and had absolutely no idea what he was doing. He wasn’t sure how to treat her and decided it would probably be best to be himself. He had calmed down a lot compared to a few minutes ago. And so did Ame too. Although she was still shy, she wasn’t avoiding him. 

So the aloof and quiet Alum decided to be the one to start a conversation. “Hey, Ame, why were you in the garden this late?” He asked. Alum thought this would be a pretty good start to a conversation since he really did wonder why she was out this late. She tightened her grip, holding his hand more firmly. Amethely started to fidget a little and said, “please don’t laugh, okay?” She told him while clenching her right hand close to her chest and looking up into his eyes. “A-actually… I was restless and was thinking about you.” Saying this, she turned away from him. Seeing her all bashful made Alum's heartache. Another beat skipped, he thought. (It’s so unfair. She’s too cute.)

Everything Ame did made him shy, but he didn’t feel uncomfortable. It was a hazy warmth unfamiliar to him. Sure he had felt something similar when he was with Emy, Noel, and Luna, and the feeling was similar but not the same. Distinguishing it may be challenging, but he did sense a difference. “... I-I see.” Hearing Alum’s response, she continued despite her current state. “T-that's why I said it wasn’t fair. I was thinking of a way to get to know you better, I also wanted to ask you out, but you beat me to it.” Still, Alum felt that this wasn’t the whole story. “And swinging your sword helped?” Alum commented. 

Amethely, who briefly overcame her shyness, pouted and faced him. “You’re surprisingly mean!” She said while huffing and puffing. Alum couldn’t hold back and let out a chuckle; simply put, this was adorable. “Pfft, hahaha, sorry about that.” He said while softly laughing. “Oh~ mister, I promised not to laugh! Hmpf!” Still holding his hands, she tried to cross her arms and show dissatisfaction. Realizing that she had to let go of his hand to do so, she just sulked instead. And Alum, who was very flattered that she wasn’t willing to let go, got another heartache. And so another beat skipped. “Oh, please cheer up. I wasn’t laughing at that. I found you to be so adorable I couldn’t help—” “But to laugh!? Hmpf!” This, of course, made Alum flustered. Had he really angered her? (I need to apologi—) ” Pfft, he~he~ payback!” 

Amethely adorably giggled. Her prank had been successful. She was also surprised by this herself. She usually would have never thought up a plan like this. And thought, (Oh, is this why people tease me? It’s pretty fun!) She then glanced at the flustered Alum. (Hehe, only you~.) Since Alum was usually calm and collected, it couldn’t be helped. She found this side of him to be endearing and wanted to be the only one to see this side of him. She firmly gripped his hands and pulled him forward. This made Alum warm and fuzzy as Ame pulled him with a grin. “There is a fountain and a seat over there; let’s go!” 

The two of them were not seated in front of the fountain. With the gentle sound of running water and soft breeze, they both looked up, watching the moonlit night sky. Ame was clinging to his arm and leaning on him. She looked comfortable and at peace and even looked elegant. Alum thought this sight was quite unusual since he had only seen her as a clumsy girl. In reality, she is dependable and intelligent. And she has many admirers. Alum knew all this and felt special since she showed him this side of her. The one she doesn’t show to just anyone. He wanted to spend more time with her, to get to know her better. He could always attend the lectures, but… it would defeat the purpose of his independent studies. He told uncle Rig that he would do it and show results with it. Besides, he likes learning the way he did. (Maybe if it was one on one?) He thought. 

He still wanted to study magic by himself, but how about swordsmanship? He could ask Ame to teach him. Would she be okay with that? After all, he has never touched a weapon in his entire life. And it would help him cover for his weakness in combat if he ever found himself in a dangerous situation. And, of course, magic was something entirely different from weapon mastery. Ever since he came to this world, it just felt as neutral to him as it did to breathe. It was a strange feeling, but he got used to it. (Alright, let’s do it!) he then voiced his thoughts. Amehtely’s eyes were shining, and she immediately agreed to do it. “I’ll be happy to spend more time with you!” She said. A thought then crossed Alum's mind; (she’s very honest, isn’t she?) 

Alum and Amethely agreed, and they would meet in the training facility UM.07 every day after dinner. Amethely was surprised that he received a key to a training facility. After all, only high-ranked staff or instructors like her had access. Of course, there were public ones like the outdoor field that is under reparation…. That’s why they had to cancel class today; they needed to reconstruct it to be more sturdy. She was thinking this while clinging to his arm. Alum’s warmth calmed her as it made her bashful simultaneously. It had been a long day, and she was feeling quite drowsy. (Leaning on him and falling asleep wouldn’t be too bad, right?) Amethely thought. After all, she’s done that once already, albeit it wasn’t intentional. This time, however, she wanted to stay like this. 

Beside him, Alum could hear the gentle breath of the girl who fell asleep clinging to his arm. (She looks so relaxed,) he thought. But it wasn’t good to sleep like this; she needed to rest properly. It’s better to wake her up before she falls deeper asleep. Although, he also wanted to stay like this. The appropriate action is to wake her and let her rest appropriately in a warm bed. “Ame, hey, wake up,” he gently whispered. “Umm~ dun wanna~ I feel at peace like this,” Ame said. “... So you are awake?” Alum pestered her. “... Yeah~ but I’m too tired to move. Let’s stay like this, please~?” She said. She looked tired, and her eyes were half open. Alum thought that he was too late. She was already in dreamland and was only half awake now. 

“C’mon, you can’t sleep here; let’s go.” Alum tried yet again. Ame looked at him with pleading eyes, then said, “only if you carry me like a princess, ehehe~.” Her acting spoiled struck him with such a force he froze. (Carry her like a princess? I mean, sure….) and then told her. “Okay, then let’s do it.”  He got up, and she released him. “Jippy~ yey~,” Ame said. She jumped into his arms to let him carry her. “Ehehe~ you’re so daring, Al~.” “Yeah, yeah,” he replied with a gentle smile, and right after saying that, she fell asleep. 

 

Alum was walking in the hallway with Ame in his arms. He carried her like she wanted him to. It wasn’t so bad because the halls around this time were quite empty. Even more so because he chose a path, most people don’t take. Even after opening up to more people, he still found it troublesome meeting someone chatting him up in the hall. And as lady luck would have it. He met the one he didn’t want to meet the most. Alver. They faced each other and didn’t say anything. And as they walked closer, Alver told him. “Please take care of Lady Saint.” Those words were said with a gentle smile. Alum was taken aback. He expected to be questioned or even lectured. But none of that came. 

He was curious, “do you personally know her?” Alum asked. Alver saw that Alum got a little angsty, then chuckled a little. “No, it’s not that; you see, her grandmother saved my father, that is now retired. And her grandmother, the previous Saint, used to take care of me when my father went to the front lines. My mother died of illness, and my father was the only one I had. You may not know, but I have thin elvish blood running through my veins. The Saint looked just like her grandmother when she was her age. I only met her once or twice when she was a child. She probably won't remember. So please, take good care of her.” Alum responded with a nod. “I see,” Alver looked at Alum while grinning. “Then, I’ll be on my way.” Seeing this made Alum think. (Maybe he judged him too early, or well, he’s still stiff.) Parting ways, Alum couldn’t help but chuckle at this revelation. 

Shortly after the encounter with Alver, Alum arrived at Ame’s door. He gently opened her door with the key she had handed him and went inside. This is the first time he has gone inside a girl's room. And unlike his own, Ame had already decorated the room with flora. Her room looked very welcoming and fresh compared to his. Although he moved in before her in this dorm, the room looked pretty much the same as when he first came, except for the stack of books on the desk. On the other side of her room were a workspace, documents, and research materials. Her bed sheets had a cute pattern of flowers. If he remembers correctly, those are Ilis flowers. Or is it far fetch to call them flowers? After all, they are crystalized and highly concentrated with magic. They were typically found in caves with a high concentration of magic that would suffocate any ordinary human. And even then, they were rare. 

They didn’t have any particular use, although they could be used in magic batteries. Magic batteries powering the magi-tech were a more sustainable and accessible source of external magic energy. Alum had read little on this subject since he found this world's science fascinating. The crystals were either harvested through magic beasts or mined. It could also be artificially made through the magi-fication of Decla crystals. Alum had no idea how or why, but reading about it was interesting indeed. He then planned to put Ame down on her bed. But sleeping like this will be uncomfortable. So he had to wake her up. He told the girl in his arms, “Ame, you can’t sleep like this. You need to get changed. Can you do that on your own?” 

Ame, still drowsy, responded in a sleepish and playful voice. “Hmmh~ Yeah~? I think I can, hehe~ thank you for carrying me. It made me feel very special~,” and after putting her down, Alum walked toward the door; he was about to leave, but she nibbed his coat with her fingers and grabbed it lightly. Before he knew it, she had pulled his face closer to hers and given him a peck on the cheek. His face had turned crimson while Ame blushed, fidgeted, and went, “kyaa~.” Alum stood there frozen for a second; he then came back to his senses. He then said good night and went to the door, and Ame had thrown herself onto the bed, burying her face on the pillow; she wished him a good night too. 

After leaving Ame’s room, Alum leaned towards the wall, sliding down. With his face covered while resting his head on his knees, he felt that he had been bested. (That’s a really unfair sneak attack.) He thought. 

 

The day after Amethely had woken up, she had a really pleasant dream, one where she could interact with Alum and one where she even kissed him. Feeling happy, fuzzy, and warm, Amethely got up from her bed. She couldn’t help but smile each and every time she remembered her dream. (If it only wasn’t a dream….) Amethely thought. Today was class as usual, and they now had access to an indoor facility. While the one outside was still being repaired, they had to use the smaller ones currently available. Although it’s a stretch to say they weren’t spacious, it was quite less so compared to the one outdoors. 

She then realized that she was in her uniform. (Strange… huh? No way, it wasn't a dream?) After the realization, she finally recalled that she had promised to teach Alum swordsmanship and that they would have an outing the next time she was free. 

She jumped into her bed and began rolling around, thinking about all the embarrassing things she did yesterday. She hugged Alum tightly, asked him to carry her like a princess, and even kissed him on the cheek. “Ahhh, so it wasn’t a dream!” She screamed while her face was buried in the pillow. She felt so ashamed and happy at the same time. How would she face him now? They had finally been able to talk to each other normally, but she just had to make things harder! “Ahhh, I’m such a dummy!” She screamed yet again. But, he thought that she was sleepwalking. So if she just pretended that she didn't remember, would she be able to act as usual? No, she didn’t want that. She was fond of those memories, and pretending she didn’t know anything about it may hurt Alum too. So she was left with one option, do or die. 

After showering and changing into a new uniform, Amethely walked toward Chely’s room. She knocked on the door and called out to her. “Sis, I’m coming in.” and opened the door. She was greeted by the sight of her big sister lying in her bed. The usually refined and elegant Chely slept while hugging her pillow. Her hair was messy, and even her pajamas weren’t adequately worn. (Jeez, big sis is such a clutz.) Chely, who was still tired, slowly opened her heavy eyelids. “Oh, Ame’s~ here to wake up her sis, hehe~ good girl~.” Chely complimented Amethely. “Jeez, you talk as if I’m a child. Hurry, or we will have little time to eat.” Amethely pestered her sister to get up to change clothes. Chely let out an “okaaay~,” while yawning. “U-umm, sis. I have a date this week. What should I wear?” Chely, who was still half asleep, didn’t react in any particular way and told her, “a date? Hmm~ a dress, maybe? Ame, you would look good in anything~.” 

Amethely thought about it. (A dress, huh?) while thinking that, Chely continued. “You see, you’re so adorable, and I find it hard for any guy who wouldn’t like it~.” Chely, who was still half asleep, then snapped. “HUH!? DATE!?? WOOOOW! Ame, congrats! My little Ame finally asked out little Al. Big sis is proud!” Chely, who had finally woken up, hugged Amethely. She didn’t mind being hugged like this. She was happy that she had her big sister’s support. “A-actually, he was the one to ask; I did my best in other areas, so no worries!” Although there wasn’t any reason to correct Chely, she did so anyways. “I see~ you did your best. When is the date then?” Chely asked Amethely. “ It’s in three days.” She replied. Chely energetically hurried to put some clothes on.

Amethely was now teaching in class with Luna and Chely. The recruits were elite students from the military academy. They’ve learned how to handle and use powerful magic and how to coordinate. But since they still were new, some guidance was needed. They even got excited when they learned the fact that Luna was going to be their instructor. And more pleasantly surprised, Amethely and Chely would join in. Of course, at first, the recruits were skeptical about being paired up with the wanderers. They eventually learned that the wanderers were high achievers. They were all intelligent and academically gifted and learned magic at a very fast phase that made it look like they were already mid-class mages. 

Although most of them lacked in the physical department, some saw fast improvement. Alum’s friend Noel was improving his swordsmanship and magic very fast. And most of the students followed suit. Although it’s Amethely’s second day, not counting yesterday since they all had a day off. She saw what Luna and the other recruits reported with her own eyes. They did improve very fast. She thought. Despite not being able to demonstrate her magical prowess, she still taught them swordsmanship. She was only a few steps behind Chely in that regard, after all. And today, after dinner, she would be alone with Alum as she had wanted. 

That whole day she was practically shining and humming. All her students figured everything out just by the way she acted. She was usually so elegant but was now way more warm and cheerful. They could essentially see flowers and sunshine surrounding her. Miu and Luna, of course, took notice of this. During breaks, Miu and the other girls were very curious and asked Amethely many questions regarding her mood. The guys watched from the sidelines. Amethely was quite shy about it, but she decided to tell them that she would actively pursue Alum, which of course, made the girls really excited to hear. Luna, who was dragged into the conversation by Miu, stood there quietly and faintly smiled. She was happy for them and even congratulated Amethely. 

Watching from the sidelines, Noel continued his practice, and Chely was instructing him. “Sorry to have you stay here with me and practice,” Noel said. Chely then tells him not to worry about it. “What? No need for that. I’m doing it because I want to.” This made Noel curious. Since Chely adored her sister, he found it strange for her not to be interested. “Are you sure you don’t want to join the other girls in their discussion?” He curiously asked. “Huh? Oh, that, well, I heard a lot more of things this morning than those girls would ever hear.” (Oh? That makes sense.) He thought. Chely then said, “well, if you’re curious, you can always ask your friend. He’s over there.” Noel looked toward the entrance where Chely’s line of sight was. He saw Alum walking in. 

After entering the facility, Noel greeted Alum. “Here to see the Saint?” Noel asked teasingly. Alum gave him a short reply, “... Actually, yes. I am. Just kidding.” This surprised Noel a little. Alum never really joked. But it was totally understandable considering the change the Saint went through. He thought that his friend would undergo some change too. His friend seemed more energetic than usual and had a slight blush. Something big must’ve happened. “Ohoou~? Tell me what happened. You see the Saint over there? Her bright, cheerful smile since this morning must be your doing, right?” Alum looked toward the Saint and started to blush furiously. “Ooh, maybe she did something?” Alum shook his head and then nodded. Finally opening his mouth, Alum said, “... well, to tell you the truth, it’s both.” Chely, who was beside Noel, grinned. “I heard it all this morning, Little Al. Good job, sis approves!” Noel gave Chely the weird person look. (Sis approves what?) He thought, and understandably so. Noel had never seen her like this except when she fawned over Saint Amethely. (I mean, it does make sense if Al and the Saint got together.) But he hasn’t heard anything about them being lovers. He knew they both liked each other. How could he not? Pretty much everyone knows. 

“Hey, Che—” *hic, as Alum was about to call her Chely, she started sobbing, so he immediately stopped, “... Big sis…. I told you not to call me little.” Watching this exchange made Noel chuckle. “Pfft, big sis?” Of course, Chely didn’t ignore his comment and glared at him sharply as a blade. And after that did a 180. “Aww~ too bad. Oh well, I heard from Ame that you two would go on a date later this week. So, Al, where are you planning on taking her?” Chely asked curiously. Alum ponders for a moment before answering. “Well, I rather keep that a surprise.” Chely then sulked, “aww~ c’mon, I won't tell.” Alum stood firmly, “no and no.” Chely pouted and backed off. “Meanie~ oh well, tell me afterward, okay?” Alum nodded. 

“That was fast, we literally talked about this yesterday, and you’ve asked her out already?” Noel said, looking impressed. He had known that his friend was very straight to the point, but this seemed awfully quick, even for him. “Well, truth to be told, it was a coincidence. I bumped into her yesterday, and some stuff happened, which led to this and that. Hence I asked her if she wanted to have an outing with me. Well, I did say that, but I figured she found out it was a date since she had told Che—big sis about it.” He didn’t go into details because they would tease him to no end if they found out what actually occurred. He didn’t know that Chely knew. So she decided to have some fun. “Ohou~ maybe something like a. peck?” (No way, was Ame awake!? Maybe Ame remembers everything she did when she was half awake?) This made him happy, of course, but he tried not to show how embarrassed he was after learning that she had fully remembered. 

Alum’s demeanor did not change, but his face was red and steamy. Noel wasn’t oblivious and knew what Chely meant. He also decided to add fuel to the fire. “Did it taste like lemon?” Alum glanced at Noel and replied to his remark. “We didn’t, okay?” hearing this from Alum made Noel realize, “oh, so it was just a simple kiss on the cheek?” he said teasingly. Alum, whose demeanor broke, subconsciously touched the part which Ame had kissed him yesterday. “Oho? To the left?” Noel grinned at kept teasing him. Chely found Alum’s reaction to be very adorable and was about to hug him. But Ame had swiftly escaped the crowd and come to his side, hugging him with a sulky look on her face. Amethely glared at Chely, but Chely found it to be amusing instead. She wanted to hug them both but decided not to. 

Alum was taken by surprise and tried to get Ame off him. It wasn’t because he didn't like it, but it was the fact that everyone was staring at them. “Hey, Ame, everyone’s watching….” Ame then let go of him, saying, “s-sorry, I was just happy to see you here.” She bashfully backed away. “... I’m happy to see you too… anyways, I also brought sandwiches to everyone.” He then proceeds to hand out sandwiches and a drink to everyone. This made Noel curious, “hey, Al, where is the girl who usually delivers these here?” He asked. He knew Alum normally wouldn’t do this unless it were to help someone he saw in need. “Oh… actually, she bumped into me. After that, she suddenly told me she had to do something urgently and handed me this. It wouldn’t hurt to deliver this, I thought.” This wasn’t a lie, and it did happen. However, while He and Ame were hugging each other yesterday, a passer-by happened to see. He, of course, didn't tell Ame about this. As it turned out, it was the delivery girl who saw them. 

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Noel was not buying it entirely, but Ame had sparkly eyes. (Please don’t look at me with those eyes… I had an ulterior motive….) He thought to himself. He then remembered that he had sweets he thought Luna would like and called her over. “Hey, Luna, I brought some sweets for you.” Luna came to his side so fast that by the time he blinked, she was in front of him. For everyone who saw her, she was still the same on the outside, but in Alum’s eyes, she was very excited to try these. “These are from Derin. They are different from the ones we usually eat, but they are tasty.” Luna's eyes were glued to them. “Oh, is it from the newly opened stall near the port?” Alum was surprised that she knew. He had just heard about it when he went out and decided to try some. “Yeah, I’m surprised you knew. They are relatively new, from what I've heard. Oh, these are freshly baked too.” 

He handed them over, and Luna ate them with a smile, it was bright and blinding, and everyone felt warm watching her. Alum couldn’t blame them; she wasn’t tall, but she was very pretty and also the youngest. And the gap between how she usually behaved and this. Well, that is a recipe for charming the masses. He could even see some guys in real-time fall for her. And the girls went and surrounded her. (It seemed like she had befriended the girls.) He softly smiled as he watched. Watching her grow reminded him how he used to be, or well, she seemed to get along more with people than he ever did, but that didn't matter. The point is that she was breaking out of her shell. 

Amethely was watching the whole exchange, she felt a little jealous that they got along so well, but the feeling of warmth watching them overwhelmed her jealousy. She grabbed Alum’s sleeve, looked at him with a warm smile, and said, “you two sure get along well.” Alum turned, faced her, and gave her a short reply, “yeah.” He then continued to speak and looked Luna’s way. “She reminded me of my past self.” Amethely could see some similarities between him and Luna, so it was understandable they would connect well. She released her grip and held his hand instead. Her cheeks turned pink, and her heart beat faster. (I love you.) She told him in her mind, and her face even turned red. 

A little further away, Noel and Chely are eating a sandwich each. They were watching Alum and Amethely. “They’re holding hands,” Noel commented. “Isn’t it sweet? Little Al and Ame are so sweet~.” Chely replied. “They sure are. Oh, how do I even begin to tease him?” Asked Noel with an evil grin. Chely giggled, “same here. I want to tease them right now! But that has to wait.” The two were eating peacefully. It was unusually peaceful between the two. “Hey, you have some crumbs and cream on your cheek.” Noel pointed out. Chely tried finding a handkerchief, but she forgot to bring one and tried using her sleeve. But Noel grabbed her. “Don’t do that. Here I’ll get it for you.” He wiped off the cream on her cheek with his handkerchief. It was a surprise attack, and Chely had let her guard down. Her face got hotter, and she had a faint pink tint on her cheeks and hoped that Noel wouldn’t notice. “Oh? Getting shy?” He teasingly asked her. “S-shut up! It seems like someone needs to work extra hard today!” Noel regretting having teased her, argued back. “Geh, c’mon! You’ve already been a demon this whole day!” Chely raised her eyebrow at his complaint. “Oh?” And realizing his mistake, he cursed at himself, “crap….” 

 

A while later, Alum was outside Rigeld’s office and knocked on the door before entering. Once he was inside, he saw two familiar faces. It was Alver and Rigeld. The two doing paperwork looked his way—Alver, who seemed softer than before, and Rigeld, who seemed more refreshed, greeted him. He bowed and asked why the two were together. And the answer surprised him. “Actually, he is my assistant now,” Rigeld told him. “Huh? That’s sudden. Got a change of heart?” Alum asked. “Well, a little, you could say. You see, he was a government official before he joined and my secretary back when I was king.” Alum nodded, “then why has he been absent all this time?” When asked that, Alver broke in and answered in Rigeld’s stead. “Well, his majesty was appointed to lead as General after handing the throne to his younger brother. And Prince Melien was his assistant. Unfortunately, he passed away from illness.” Alum knew that Rigeld used to have a son, but he didn’t know that he assisted Rigeld in military affairs. “I see. Then why did Mister Alver decide to join the army?” Alum asked another question. “Oh? That, well, it was pretty dull, so I quit. I later joined the military and got the role of managing security.” 

Alum wasn’t sure how to respond to that. “I see. How come you’re helping his majesty now?” Alum was curious and asked. But Rigeld spoke. “C’mon, you can call me the way you usually do! Hahaha!” Alver nodded, telling Alum that he didn’t mind. Alver then answers Alum’s question. “Well, an old friend seemed to need a helping hand, and I already transferred the role to someone else months ago, so it’s fine.” Alum nodded. Rigeld then asked Alum why he was at the office. He usually came to help him out in the evening, so Rigeld found it strange. “Well, you see, I wanted to ask if there was a smith who could make this into a short sword.” 

Alum handed Rigeld the box he’s been carrying. It had some weight to it, even for someone like Rigeld, who had exceptional physical strength. He opened the box, “metal?” Alum then said, “magic infused metal, actually, I asked Luna about the metals that could conduct electricity and withstand cold, and Frostake Steel was the best candidate we found.” Rigeld and Alver looked at it, intrigued. “I see, but isn’t it better to pick another metal if you want to make a sword? This isn’t as durable as the other options, but it’s heavy for some reason.” Alum then grinned. “Well, Luna said the same. But I managed to harden it.” Alver and Rigeld looked at each other as Alum continued. “I sat for hours today to coat it with my mana and successfully compressed it as much as possible. I also crystallized the mana and fused it with the steel, and the mana was compressed as well. Not only is it heavy and durable, but also rich in magic. Hence I almost got no mana left. Oh, also, don’t touch it. It hurts a lot to touch. ” Listening to Alum’s passionate explanation Rigeld and Alver looked at each other. They told Alum, “this isn’t even Frostake Steel anymore….”  

 

After dinner, Alum and Ame walked together toward UM.07, and since she would teach Alum swordsmanship. She was excited about it and hummed along the way. Alum thought that everything she did just captured his heart, and she seemed to be perfect in every way. Or, well, almost. But was there anything she was terrible at? Alum thought. 

Reaching the training facility Alum used the key and entered. And since it was only one changing room, they took turns. Alum could hear Ame change behind the door and tried not to imagine it. But the sound of rustling fabric made it hard to think about anything else. (Ugh… when did I become such a pervert!?) he thought. Ame finished and came out of the changing room, and Alum went in. Little did Alum know; Amethely had the exact same thoughts as him when she was standing outside. 

Entering the training area, both their faces were a little flushed since it was hard to forget about the recent event. As Alum was about to head to the training weapons, Ame stopped him. “We’re starting from scratch,” she told him. He wasn’t sure what she meant, but from the looks of it, it had nothing to do with holding a blade. And he was right. The two were now running laps around in the facility to the point Alum lost count. Enhancement magic wasn’t allowed, nor any magic for that matter. After running, they did other exercises. This was primarily to see if Alum had the core strength. Luckily for Alum, he wasn’t a slacker back in his world. Although this was too intense for him, he, of course, kept going at it because he wanted to impress Ame and have her praise him. But after three hours, he collapsed and had to sit down. He was sweating profoundly and was out of breath. 

Amethely crouched down in front of the exhausted Alum. She looked at him with worried eyes, “are you alright?” She asked. He was sitting and leaning back, and his breathing was rugged too. “Uh…. I'm sorry, but not quite. Truth be told, I was actually done quite a long ago time ago.“ Amethely's eyes started to moisten, and she looked at him on the verge of tears. “Why! You could have told me!” She yelled at him for the first time, but she knew that she was at fault, too, for not noticing. “... Sorry,” Alum told her. He didn’t know how to comfort her. So he patted her. “No, don’t be! I’m at fault too!” Amethely cried. “No, it’s me! I wanted to impress you and over-exerted myself too much! So it isn’t your fault!” Alum argued back. “Then it is my fault you pushed yourself!” Amethely said. Then she suddenly realized, (huh? Did he push himself to impress me?) She started to feel both happy and guilty at the same time. 

She was unsure what to do and launched at him. Alum fell down on his back, and Amethely was on top of him. She was hugging him tightly with her face buried in his chest. She said, “dummy!” Alum was hugging her back. “Are you fine with this? I don’t smell right?” Hearing him say this, she realized that she was sweaty too, but she didn’t want to let go and endured the shame. “... you smell nice,” she said in a whisper. “... you too,” Alum replied. She didn’t think he would hear her, but he did. “... You really don’t mind?” She asked. “No… rather the opposite.” He blurted out. “Huh?” Amethely froze. And Alum realized what he had just said. (... Crap, She must think I’m a pervert now, won’t she!?) “... Same here,” Amethely said. “Huh?” Alum froze too. (Uhhh, I’m such a dummy! Wait! It should be fine since he said it first!) While the two of them flirted like this, they both forgot why they argued in the first place. 

When Alum recovered, they headed to the armory. They were going to grab practice blades. Ame couldn’t use her divine sword for obvious reasons. That thing cuts everything like butter. And Alum didn’t have a divine weapon. While most of the recruits and classmates had one, actually, he was the only one without. A divine weapon is connected to one's soul, some people have it, and some don’t. They are also convenient since they can be summoned. If they break, they repair themselves over time. He didn’t mind not having one since he had so much mana ordinary people would suffocate if they were to have it. But he still had way less mana than Ame, Luna, and Chely; Rigeld was good at hiding it, but he also had a lot of mana. 

Alum already knew what to pick. He preferred the short sword. Earlier this day, he tried the different blades in this training facility. He found the short sword to be most comfortable for him. Ame had no opposition and began teaching him techniques and letting him practice swing. Their days would continue like this. In the evening, he practiced with Ame, or well, it was practice and flirt. And during the day, he would learn magic by himself and create some creative spells…. Of course, anything destructive was prohibited by Rigeld, so he didn’t cast those he thought up. He mainly developed water magic since he found it easier to control and more flexible—offense, defense, support. Lightning magic was cool and all, but he mostly used that as an extra with water magic. The other thing was that the magic he came up with for lightning magic was all very destructive. Hence he mainly focused on water magic. The reason he didn’t use many spells from other elements was that, if you didn’t have an affinity for it, it required you to learn instructions. Instructions are basically magic formulas you remember precisely and once activated with mana. With enough mana, it creates the result that was instructed. He found it to be a chore, so he learned the few he found useful. 

 

After spending time like this, the day had finally come—his date with Ame. He chose the clothes Noel had picked for him a few days ago and headed out. Outside his room was Ame waiting for him, “Alum! Good morning!” It made Alum happy that she was so excited about it, although, “aren’t you early? I was going to come to you, but it seems like you’re already done….” He looked at her. She had a white dress and an Ilis flower hairpin. The crystal flower was beautiful. And it had 12 white petals, and the core was purple. Since it was crystalized, it looked like very expensive jewelry. Ame, in her simple white dress, looked beautiful. 

Alum couldn’t help but stare at her as they walked. And feeling his gaze directed at her, Amethely asked, “is there something wrong?” Alum shook his head. “No, nothing wrong, it's just that… you look adorable.” Amethely’s eyes widened. “Hehe~ thank you, you look cool too!” She hugged his arm, and they walked like this all the way out. 

They were now out in town. The first stop was the market district. There were a lot of things that they could do there, in fact, so much they wouldn't be able to do it all in a day, but Alum wasn’t planning on staying for a whole day there. As they walked, they garnered a lot of attention, but since they wanted to enjoy themselves to the fullest, they did their best not to be bothered by it. The voices of the crowd were directed at them. Almost all of it was positive. Although there were some insults, the overwhelmingly positive response drowned that. 

They haven’t even done anything special, yet he felt at peace with her beside him hugging his arm and dragging him to different food stalls. They chatted, ate, and laughed. This was his first ever date, Ame’s too, for that matter. They enjoyed themselves to the fullest. Alum was now fully used to Ame’s presence and felt at ease, although it made him nervous. Even more so when he finally noticed a soft sensation had been pressed against him this whole time. Before this, he was too nervous and didn’t think any of it. Now that he was aware, his brain completely shut down and got all steamy, and his face was crimson red not only that, she smelled terrifically good too. He was losing his sanity when he realized this. He was sure Ame hadn’t realized it looked over, only for her to stare at him. 

Her face was bright red as well, and steam was coming out of her. It seemed like Amethely was just as slow to realize as Alum was. (Awawawa! I’ve been pushing my chest against him all this time, and we’re so close! He smells lovely, too; wait, what am I thinking? Am I a pervert!? Maybe he hates it? NOOOO!) “.... Um, Alum, do you perhaps not like this?” She asked him shyly. “... Like what?” He said as calmly as possible. It did him no good since his facial expression had let him down. “M-my bosom! P-pushing against you! Do you hate it!?” Alum wasn’t processing what she said and stood there frozen in place. He then blurts out, “o-of course not! I love it, in fact!” realizing he said something dumb again, he agonized in his mind. (WHAT THE HELL AM I EVEN SAYING!) 

Their back and forth served as entertainment for the spectators. The atmosphere was warm, and the people felt blinded by this. They also got very fuzzy and strange feelings. Some who hurled the insults couldn't deny this warmth either and converted. 

A while later, they were at a sweets stall. Ame was looking around to find something delicious for Alum. Meanwhile, the stall owner signaled him to come over. “The rumored guy who made the Saint fall in love, wow, you’re very handsome, aren’t you?” Hearing this, Alum blushed, and it wasn’t because of the handsome part. “Let me tell you, something wanderer. A month after you become lovers, in this empire, there is a tradition where lovers exchange a gem or jewelry. The price doesn't matter, but what does matter is the meaning of the gift. So don’t give her anything that doesn’t represent her, got it?” All this was news to Alum. He nodded and thanked the stall owner. 

Their next destination was the central park and the place they first met. “I remember you were sleeping here so soundly,” Alum commented when they passed the fountain and bench. “Oh, meanie! I couldn’t help it, and it was so comfortable. Also, didn’t you fall asleep too!?” Her retorting back made Alum laugh softly; Ame also laughed alongside him. Then they went to the stall where Alum bought snacks from. They got the exact same ones and went back to the bench. 

They sat there holding each other's hands while Ame clung to his arm. “I remember you were trying to calm me down and sharing these snacks with me,” Ame said while snacking. “Well, actually, I was also trying not to have them go to waste.” Alum had responded with a grin. “... Meanie!” saying, so Amethely headbutted him. “I was just joking. Did I manage to calm you down?” Amethely had puffed her cheeks and responded poutingly, “yes….” She then smiled. “I see,” Alum smiled back at her. 

While they had a peaceful and quiet time, small animals gathered around them. They played with the two. “Aww~ they’re always so cute!” Alum nodded in agreement. “They sure are, aren’t they.” Ame then looked at him tilting her head in a cutesy way. “... But you’re as cute or if not cuter.” The words that came out of his mouth were so cheesy, even for him, who was oblivious to how to compliment a girl. He had cringed, but it wasn’t all bad because Ame smiled more brightly than before and nudged her head, leaning against him. 

Later in the evening, they arrived at the spot Alum found while he was lost, it had a great view over the city and the ocean. The sun was going down and blocking the horizon sun the sky was golden in color, and the gentle breeze was warm. “Wow, I never knew this place existed!” Amethely excitingly looked over the city. Alum gently laughed, “haha, I actually found this by getting lost.” Amethely grinned, “hehe~ maybe I should get lost too?” she added. “Please don’t do that,” said Alum. “he~he~ I'm just kidding!” 

This moment made Alum’s heart beat faster. Ame, surrounded by the scenery, was the second most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, the first being when he first saw her at the fountain and the place he fell in love. He mustered all his courage to make thins clear once and for all. “Amethely Ilis.” He called her out. Ame, who was surprised, turned around. He had never called her by full name before and focused all her attention on him.

 

“I love you! It was love at first sight. I was so happy to see you again. I thought that we would just be strangers passing by. And I thought I made a hasty decision to declare that I fell in love with you. But after spending time with you and interacting with you, I fell in love even more. Therefore. I love you. Would you become my lover?” 

 

Amethely stood there frozen. She never expected this confession of love, and neither did she know he fell in love the same way she did. Honestly speaking, the thought of becoming lovers had passed over her head. She was just so happy to be with him she forgot about the lover's status. Seeing his cute smile, him working hard, and his surprisingly mean side made her heart skip a beat every time. She loved him but had never said it out loud. Although she technically confessed her love indirectly, it was never clarified. Tears started to form around her eyes, and the anxiety she had gone through was now relieved. She was so happy she jumped into his arms, both falling backward. On top of him, tears ran down her cheeks, hitting his. With tears of joy in her eyes, she kissed him on the lips. 

 

“I love you too. I love you. I love you very much, *hic, please tell me you love me once more.” 

 

Alum was surprised he’d been kissed. His head was all mushy now, and hearing her sweet words, he told her. 

 

“I love you.” 

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AN: 

 

Thank you for reading! 

 

Wow, this was a very long chapter so probably a lot of mistakes also probably the only one this length. I hoped it didn’t disappoint. I worked hard on this one, and to think I didn’t miss the deadline! Anyways I’ll be taking a short break to catch up on some series I've been reading. Until then, see you! 

 

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