Amber rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly before dispersing both abilities.
"I know these skills aren't anything impressive yet." She smiled awkwardly. "But just two days ago, I had nothing. No combat ability. No offensive skill. No defensive technique. Nothing."
She laughed quietly.
"A Legendary Skill in name, and my appearance. That was all."
Her smile gradually became more bitter.
"For twenty-three years, I searched. I searched, and searched. I honestly lost count. Royal physicians. Imperial scholars. Court magicians. Skill researchers. Legendary experts. They all examined me. They all tried to understand where I was lacking. I spent years reading books. Testing theories. Following every piece of advice anyone offered. I even came to this academy believing perhaps the instructors here could finally explain what was wrong with me."
Her fingers unconsciously clenched around the edge of her robes.
"Some didn't even spare me a second glance. Others simply said, 'You have potential. Keep searching.' I never knew whether they genuinely saw something, or simply had no answer."
Silence settled over the group. Then Amber noticed something.
Vexion. The brunette with a tinge of red-haired woman had an unmistakably proud expression — it almost looked as though she wanted to interrupt.
'Go on. Say it. Master fixed everything.'
Amber couldn't help laughing.
"It all changed after meeting Lord Dante."
She pointed toward Elric.
"My cousin secretly investigated countless things trying to help me. He spent years searching. He never stopped."
She smiled warmly toward him before looking back at Lexa and Vexion.
"But Master, in two days, he showed me more than everyone else managed in twenty-three years."
Elric cleared his throat.
"What we're trying to say is simply that his presence is reassuring."
Lexa nodded with a faint smile. She understood exactly what they meant. Master had that effect on people — not because he constantly reassured them.
Quite the opposite.
It was because he never seemed worried.
Even when discussing impossible odds. Even while planning against mythical beings. Even when facing opponents everyone else would flee from. He always wore that same expression — calm, lazy, almost bored, as though victory had already happened and everyone else simply hadn't caught up yet.
Amber suddenly looked toward Vexion.
"Lady Vexion..."
Vexion tilted her head.
"Hm?"
"...You're much quieter than I expected."
Both Lexa and Vexion blinked. Amber hurriedly continued.
"I mean, when you're around Lord Dante, you seem—" She searched for the right words. "—completely different."
Elric nodded.
"Forgive me if this sounds disrespectful. But around Lord Dante, you almost resemble—" He scratched his cheek awkwardly. "—a maiden hopelessly in love. Or a child finally holding the toy she'd wished for her entire life. But now—"
He looked at the composed beauty sitting beside Lexa. "—you feel mysterious. Elegant. Calm. Difficult to understand. I don't know if that makes sense."
Vexion stared out the enormous window of the Void Ship. Her reflection quietly gazed back at her. After a few moments, she smiled.
"I suppose it does."
A faint blush appeared across her cheeks.
"Am I really that different?"
Both Amber and Elric nodded together. Vexion laughed softly.
"I'm simply too happy around Master. It's difficult to explain. His presence—" She searched for the right words. "—is exactly what you two described. Just—" She smiled to herself. "—magnified a hundred times."
She slowly closed her eyes. Images naturally appeared. Master yawning because he couldn't be bothered.
Master scratching his cheek while thinking. Master wearing an annoyed expression because someone interrupted his nap.
Master absentmindedly explaining theories that overturned decades of accepted knowledge. Master looking at her — those calm blue eyes, the unmistakable warmth within them, eyes that always seemed to tell her:
'You're beautiful. More beautiful than anyone else.'
The blush on her face deepened.
"I could watch the moon fall from the sky, and I think I'd still panic less standing beside him than standing beside anyone else."
Amber listened quietly.
"In his arms, I'm never afraid. I'm never uncertain. I simply know. He'll handle it."
There wasn't even the slightest hesitation in her voice. No exaggeration. No blind worship. Simply absolute certainty.
Amber smiled gently. 'They're strange. Very strange. When they're together, they completely forget social etiquette.'
She remembered seeing Vexion sitting on Dante's lap while he casually rested a hand on her thigh as though the room only contained the two of them. They genuinely didn't seem embarrassed, or even care everyone else was watching.
But now, watching Vexion smile while speaking about him, Amber finally understood. It wasn't obsession born from dependency. Nor blind infatuation.
It was trust. Absolute, unquestionable trust.
Lexa couldn't help shaking her head.
"In any case, Master isn't here. But there isn't much to worry about."
She casually pointed beside her.
"Unless some exceptionally powerful Enlightened Sage appears, or someone even stronger—" She smiled toward Vexion. "—we'll be perfectly fine."
Vexion merely smirked. It wasn't arrogance. It was confidence.
Amber and Elric nodded, before both suddenly froze.
"..."
"..."
Elric slowly turned toward Lexa.
"...Lady Lexa, when you say 'an exceptionally powerful Enlightened Sage'—you don't happen to mean—"
Amber swallowed.
"—someone around Level Thirty-Five to Thirty-Nine?"
Lexa looked genuinely confused.
"...Yes. Exactly that."
Silence.
Amber and Elric slowly turned toward Vexion.
Their expressions became increasingly complicated.
They had originally assumed, perhaps, Lady Vexion was slightly stronger than Lexa — maybe a few levels, a little more talented.
Now they realized the difference wasn't a few levels. It was closer to say a different realm. Elric suddenly felt his stomach sink.
Lexa smiled kindly.
"Oh. One more thing."
She folded her hands on her lap.
"Vexion will be training you today."
Amber relaxed.
"...I'll personally train Amber."
Amber nodded. Then Lexa continued casually.
"So — I hope you've brought plenty of healing pills."
Amber blinked. Lexa smiled pleasantly.
"I only have around ten remaining. I'll have to save most of them for Amber."
She looked directly at Elric.
"As for you—" Her smile somehow became even gentler. "—you'll be with Vexion."
Elric stared as Vexion slowly turned toward him. A beautiful smile bloomed across her face. It was warm. Elegant. Graceful.
For some reason, Elric felt an overwhelming urge to pray. Even Amber silently lowered her head.
'Good luck, cousin. You're going to need it.'