In a white laboratory, figures with white coats and protective glasses inspected the current-day mutation of the corrosion's spread by the Shadow Wolves that came out of the Great Forest of Lidande.
Testing the new type of corrosion under a microscope revealed how the spread occurred. Typically, in necrotic magic, cells die and decompose; however, these cells remain alive, spreading until they completely take over the host.
It was slightly unusual, but not something they'd never seen before. When met with healing magic, the process speed up significantly, essentially making healing magic lethal once the host was afflicted by this corrosion.
"This explains the increased death rates…" one of the researchers murmured under his breath, frowning.
"Lower-tier cleansing magic wasn't able to cure the cells completely, no wonder," another researcher added, her tone firm as she analyzed the live data.
Even under a microscope, when exposed to emergency cleansing magic, the cells seemed to be rid of the corrosive impurities, making it seem like it was okay to proceed to use healing magic, and yet… affected cells began to die instead of being restored.
However, as magitech researchers, they recognized that this was beyond their expertise, so they forwarded it to the biochemistry team for a closer look.
..
Exiting the sanitary research chamber, the two researchers were met with a cleric sent by the monastery.
"Good work, Lady Emerine, Lord Ethym," she said, smiling as she cleansed the two.
"Thank you, Lady Linth," they both said.
Linth giggled, seeing them reply in unison. "You two are as close as always," she remarked teasingly. "I love my husband for sure, but if I always had to be with him, it would be slightly exhausting." Even though she sighed, she had a soft smile on her face.
"He~hehe~, is that so? I simply love research and having Ethym by my side, who I love more than research—what could be better than that?" Emerine replied, glancing lovingly toward Ethym.
"The feeling's mutual, Rine," Ethym replied, his amethyst eyes gazing into her warm emerald eyes.
"Ugh… you two," Linth sighed. "Either way, have you heard?" she added, and began to walk.
Unsure what she meant, Ethym and Emerine followed. "Heard what?" Emerine asked curiously.
"Your daughter—y'know? It's been ongoing for a while now, but that Little Amethely has apparently found herself a man."
"…" Ethym and Emerine froze solid, their feet stuck to the floor. "WHAT!?" they exclaimed.
They've been on project after project; they forgot about time. So their daughters were already at that age? They both seemed to realize. And even though Amethely was a saint and Chely a hero, they were both their little girls, and so…
They both looked at each other—we need to cancel the non-emergency projects… their eyes communicated.
…
..
In the capital city, Ilifel, a new couple was about to head out for their first official date. But before they could head out, Alum realized something detrimental—he only had his military uniform on hand.
Looking in the mirror, he saw a pair of golden eyes, cold and inorganic. His frame wasn't bad, albeit a little hidden by the coat—the insignia of three golden gears clipped it together. Overall, his looks weren't bad.
He hasn't thought all that much about his appearance, just that some call him handsome—taking a closer look in the mirror, he tilted his head.
Am I though? He wondered.
Because in his head, someone handsome was probably Noel, David, or even Rigeld? Someone like Oliver?
Either way, he knew he was Amethely's type—or more like his scent was, but he wasn't going to say that to her face. Confused and acting his age, he wondered why he had suddenly become so unsure of himself.
"…Do I need to style my hair?"
But then, the door rang, and as he went to open the door, Noel stood there. And from Noel's point of view, Alum looked like a lost puppy.
"Noel. Help," Alum said, his face expressionless, but his eyes told another story.
The platinum blond man stood there frozen in place. The words—help…help…help… echoed in his mind.
He wants my help!? Noel's eyes excitedly lit up.
..
Meanwhile, inside Amethely's room, she changed to a long white dress—but this time, she wore a bra for the first time in ages. Her old ones didn't fit, and Keilyn had sent a few as gifts.
Seeing herself in the mirror felt a little strange, especially around the chest area, which now had volume that they weren't bound by bandages. Even Chely thought Amethely was flat… at least until the banquet a week ago.
"H-how do I look, Sis?" Amethely meekly asked while pressing her clasped hands against her bosom.
"You look cute. The Ilis flower pin on your hair alongside the small side braid tied with the red silk ribbon suits you as well," Chely replied, lifting Amethely's chin a little and looking into her eyes.
"R-really?" she sheepishly murmured.
"Yes, really. Little Al will think so too," Chely answered, giggling softly. "Besides, did you know that you're considered the most beautiful woman in the empire by most?"
"Huh?! I-I didn't know… T-that's embarrassing…"
Amethely knew she had a pretty face. But to think most people considered her 'that' beautiful, despite her modest presentation, made her a bit shy, even though she knew that many only thought that because she was a saint.
I wonder if Al thinks that about me?
Despite having validated herself and others validating her, Amethely couldn't help but wonder what Alum thought—most of all, perhaps she just wanted the validation of the people she loved. And Chely calling her that made her heart melt.
"But… Ehe~hehe~, thanks, Sis, it makes me happy to hear that," Amethely said and embraced Chely, resting her chin on her shoulder.
"…" Chely leaned her cheek on her and closed her eyes, reciprocating Amethely's embrace. "I love you, Ame. So, your happiness is my happiness," she calmly said.
Amethely giggled and squeezed Chely a little more firmly. "Aww… I love you too, Sis!" she innocently exclaimed.
..
On Alum's side, Noel had dragged him to the military's everyday store and bought him simple clothes, and despite the blandness, the person wearing them was already good-looking. And so, as long as the clothes were a bit plain and not too way out there, his appearance could make up for the lack of interesting elements.
Flat grayish pants, brown boots, a white t-shirt, and a flat and soft-looking navy blue jacket. The navy blue perfectly contrasted his golden eyes.
"Damn, you look clean," Noel commented, smirking as he gestured for Alum to turn for him. "What do you girls think?" he asked, glancing toward the others.
Lova gave a thumbs up. "Cool and casual," she shrugged.
Lena and Julia nodded. Miu and Emely gave Noel a thumbs-up, too. Daniel and Kurt approved as well, but Kevin asked if it actually mattered what Alum wore.
Meanwhile, David, amber eyes sparkled. But he wasn't alone; Luna's eyes were too. Both thought—I want to try that too. One wanted to match her friend, the other wanted to match his hero.
"Really?" Alum leaned his head slightly to the side. "Thanks," he flashed them a small but warm smile.
Those not especially close to Alum all thought—so he does smile at times like this…
..
Walking toward the gate, many of the soldiers greeted him. For some reason, they lightheartedly chuckled. For someone as self-aware as he was, he didn't notice his own nervousness. Either way, he acknowledged them with a nod.
Right outside of the gates, Amethely chatted with the guards—some passersby glanced at her. Nobody could blame them, really—she was elegant, her smile was heart-meltingly endearing.
"!?"
And it didn't take Amethely long to realize that Alum had arrived; she excused herself and almost skipped toward him, beaming. Alum waved toward her, and then the guards.
"Al… you look different," she said, coming to a stop. "Um… i-it suits you—you're very handsome…" she added sheepishly.
Alum's cheeks showed a hint of pink before he averted his gaze and scratched his left cheek. "You… too, you're pretty as always."
"As always?" Amethely tilted her head, her cheeks puffed slightly. "What about this dress?" she asked, twirling her braid a little.
"It's cute."
"…Really?"
"Mm."
"Ehe~hehe~" Amethely giggled, her expression seemed to melt. "Thank you~" she added, grinning adorably.
"!!?" Alum's eyes widened, captivated by her cheerful smile. "Thank you, too," he softly voiced.
Despite her shyness, she wanted to be close to him, and when he reached out his hand with a smile on his face, she didn't hesitate and entwined their hands.
…
..
On a semi-crowded levethren, students, workers, and everyday civilians couldn't help but double cast their gazes. There was a silver-haired girl who looked exactly like their Saint. Her long grayish hair and amethyst eyes were among her most defining features; her sense of style was usually modest, too; it was in this case as well, however… More youthful.
The long, slightly frilled white dress was a simple yet elegant choice, hinting at innocence. There was a simple bow around her hem of the sleeves that stopped at the elbows. One could imagine their tails fluttering in the wind, flowing elegantly as she does.
Regardless… it wasn't so much her simple yet striking appearance that stuck them—it was the fact she had such a warm, yet shy expression on her face; the face of someone in love.
"O, the lights she is just…" one of the passengers whispered.
"The saint… is just too cute, no way…" a girl almost squealed, pulling the hem of her boyfriend's shirt. "I knew those rumors were true!"
"Hahaha, they sure were," he chuckled as he warmly looked at the couple before him.
While Amethely was usually approachable and normal people could walk up and talk to her, as she didn't mind, it was different this time around.
The passengers could just watch and whisper among themselves despite their curiosity. But they knew how to take a hint—the rumors that had been going on for quite a few days proved to be correct.
After all, would she look that happy just holding anybody's hand?
As a public figure, she was often approached by people who would ask her to hold their hand as a good luck charm, and she never turned down such a request.
But this time, it was different—she wasn't holding his hand; they were holding hands, intimately intertwined as both looked at the scenery of the city below them.
Of course, this meant that Alum stood out as well, even though people paid less attention to him because their gaze was on Amethely.
Regardless, many of them haven't seen a person with black hair; even more rare, radiant golden eyes such as his. Other than that, he was casually dressed, almost too ordinary for someone otherworldly.
When he smiled toward the saint, they could see how someone like him might fall in love with a warm and bright saint. But… they also wondered what the saint saw in him.
Anything not related to the saint, when his eyes gaze at something, there was something inorganic about it—his eyes, a pair of gold and supposedly warm as rays of light, were utterly cold.
"—Does she perhaps have a bad taste in men?" Some would wonder aloud, but they perished the thought as they saw her smile—yet her eyes didn't.
Even they understood that, even as a saint, she had the right to be upset if others said something so tactless.
But for some reason, some could not take that hint. An elf walked up to the couple. "Saintess. It may sound rude, but may I ask what you see in this… Man?"
"…"
Not only the other passengers, but Amethely was taken aback by the sudden inquiry. And before she could utter a word, Alum spoke.
"I wonder, what do you see in me, Ame?" he warmly spoke.
This time, his expression was softer, his eyes affectionate as he'd called her by a nickname. As the others got a closer look, he didn't seem all that unfriendly—on the contrary, it was a handsome, charismatic expression.
"U-um…" Shyly, Amethely fidgeted a little, looking at the floor; her ears and cheeks were bright red. "There are many things I like about you, Al… from the way you treat me, call my name or hold my hand… and so much more…" she slightly stammered.
Alum chuckled a little—everyone could feel the joy in that small laughter.
"Hearing that makes me happy. I'd like to profess as well—"
"W-wait…" Amethely looked up, her head tilted a little, her lips tightly sealed. "Al you tease… instead… please tell me when we are alone…" she sheepishly requested.
"Got it," Alum replied, leaning his forehead on hers.
"Hehe," Amethely giggled, almost melting. "Please do."
"…"
The elf looked around awkwardly, and whispers had changed from mild criticism to pleasantly surprise—of course, they could leave their saint in the hands of someone who'd make her that happy, thinking they must've all misjudged her lover.
"Now I feel bad, he's just the type to look scary with a resting face…"
"I'm ashamed to have judged so soon…" another murmured.
—Could it be I misjudged…? The elf wondered as he created some distance, excusing himself.
There's no way I would misjudge such bloody eyes of a murderer… am I perchance rusty?
This time, instead of curious eyes on his side, the elf was met with cold disagreement.
"…"
Watching it all, Alum could only think—how hypocritical. No matter what world, aspect of society will be the same.
…
..
After the twenty-minute levethren ride, they arrived at the east outskirts of Ilifel, District 44. And as they got off, they were met by a pleasant breeze. The air was fresh, and there were mostly plains and pockets of forests, parks, and endless fields of crops.
"…" Amethely watched it all with widened eyes.
"While District 44 is mainly an agricultural part of the city, the mountain view is uninterrupted. The flower field with the mountain view is popular for dates for nature lovers, I heard."
"Y-yeah…" Amethely lightly nodded in agreement—it's been so long since she was this far out of the city.
Despite having traveled around the continent with an airship, she didn't have the opportunity to visit the more rural areas.
"There is a lake up ahead."
Amethely adorably tilted her head in response to his sudden statement.
"Crystal star lake?"
Clasping her hand more firmly, he said, "Yeah, let's go."
"Nn!" Amethely cheerfully replied.
..
Shortly after leaving the more crowded station, the two found themselves on a flowery path. There was a pleasant scent of flowers, small insects pollinating, animals running across the vast fields, and other couples in their own little world.
"Huhmm~la la la-laa~ Mm-mmm~" humming, Amethely basked in the view, the mountain in the distance, the flower fields, the pockets of forest, and now… the lake.
Her eyes shone as she saw how clear the water was—from here, she could even see the glowing corals at the bottom, the colorful, luminescent fish.
"It's prettier seeing it with my own eyes!" Amethely exclaimed, unconsciously pressing herself against him, locking her arms to his.
—Squish
"…"
"Al?" Amethely called his name adorably.
"Hm? It's sof—sophisticated and serene indeed," Alum replied, casually looking ahead.
"L-Lewdie," Amethely called him, bashful but giddy, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"Caught, huh?" Alum chuckled.
"Nn~!?" Amethely shut her eyes, squeezing his arm tighter. "I'm glad… I'm glad I appeal to you," she whispers, then a small, "Hehe~" escaped her lips as she lightly nuzzled his shoulder.
What… what is this creature? Why is she this endearing?
Unsure of the answers himself, Alum sometimes doesn't seem to realize he, too, is still an adolescent boy.
Thus, they arrived at the lake.
A/N
Thanks for waiting; I've had a lot on my plate lately, so it's taken longer than expected. Also, I've been way too addicted to my new phone as of late. I had fun testing and running emulations of Windows games. As a PC guy, I've recently "really" realized why most people don't need a computer; a phone's all you really need. I even found a pretty nice alternative to Word or Scrivener on Android called Novelist - Write Novels. It's clean, no complaints, except that you can't change fonts? Like, I mean, sure, it's not gonna be as advanced as Scrivener, but you sure as hell don't need to look for a Word doc for each chapter you write unless you have every chapter in a single doc, but surely not right? That's just psychotic… and no, I don't like going into folders and sorting the docs, that's just extra steps in my opinion. (I used to do that for the old series of 90+ chapters + my other novels, so hell no, never again.)