Alex strolled into the open yard, spear in hand. With each swing, he chased silence. Muscle, breath, motion again and again until his body moved like memory, not effort.
Frank leaned against a pillar, arms crossed. "Keep going. Basics build the warrior."
And Alex did until the bells rang.
At dinner, he dropped beside Elli like a man returning from war. She looked at him, then burst into laughter.
"What now, Alex? Did the air hurt your feelings?"
Alex gave her a dramatic sigh, placing a hand over his heart. "Madam Princess… have mercy on this dying soul. Feed me."
She rolled her eyes, laughing as she picked up the spoon. "Fine, you idiot. Open your mouth."
He did letting her feed him like a child. Her fingers grazed his lips once, and he didn't flinch... though his brain whispered, Her hands are soft. Don't make it weird. Don't bark like a dog.
Once done, he wiped his mouth, stretched, and walked up to the rooftop.
The stars were out bright, fierce, scattered across the night like memories that refused to fade. Alex lay back, arms folded behind his head, just breathing.
Footsteps.
He turned his head slightly Elli climbed up, settling beside him.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
Alex kept his gaze on the sky. "Just watching stars. It's like they're fighting the dark… like idiots. But still beautiful."
She chuckled. "You say the weirdest things."
A beat passed.
Then softly she asked, "Alex… can I ask you something?"
He nodded. "Fire it."
"…How did you end up with Persius?"
Alex took a breath.
"What can I say?" he muttered. "That bloody old man just threw me a sword and said, 'Survive.' And boom here I am. Sitting under the sky… next to you, Princess."
Elli looked at him, her eyes unreadable in the dark.
"So… do you hate watching the stars with me?"
He turned his head toward her, smile sly. "Yes. Because I don't know whether to look at the beautiful stars…"
His eyes locked on hers.
"…or the beautiful eyes staring at me."
Elli's heart jumped. A blush bloomed across her cheeks like spilled paint. "Idiot!"
She smacked him on the head and stood up too fast, walking off in a storm of fluster.
Alex chuckled to himself, rubbing the spot she hit. "Thanks, Batman romance playbook. Step one: Confuse the girl so she leaves before you fall in love."
He lay back again, grinning at the sky.
"…Still counts as a win."
Morning.
Alex woke to a small weight pressing on his chest.
A little boy sat on him, giggling and messing up his hair. "Brother! Wake up! It's breakfast!"
Alex blinked, still half-asleep. "Hey, kid… can you help me a little?"
The boy laughed. "Nope! I'm busy playing!" And he ran out, leaving Alex groaning into his pillow.
He sat up slowly, washed his face, threw on his bone armor, and walked out into the cold morning air.
And just like every morning he ran.
Laps and laps around the church, the weight of the armor burning into his legs. But Alex didn't stop. Not even when his breath caught or his body screamed.
He kept going.
When he finally dropped near the steps, breathing heavy, a tin cup appeared in front of him.
Ellie stood there, holding it out with one hand.
He took it quietly, drank, then leaned back. "Thanks…"
She sat beside him without a word.
He looked at her. "Ellie… I want to teach you magic."
She blinked. "Me? Magic? I've never even seen a god in my family use it."
Alex gave a tired smile. "Then let's break that rule."
She raised an eyebrow. "Why now?"
"Because I trust you."
He stood up and walked to the center of the ground, motioning her to sit in front of him. "Come on. Trust me too."
Ellie sat, confused but curious.
He moved behind her and gently placed his palm between her shoulder blades.
She jolted. "What Alex! What are you ?"
"Relax," he said calmly. "Just trust me."
She turned her face slightly. "You're the one touching me, and I'm supposed to be calm?"
He sighed. "You want to learn or not?"
She sighed, rolled her eyes, and turned forward again, cheeks a little red. "Fine…"
Alex closed his eyes. "Water. It's your element. Not just soft but strong. Quiet, but deep. Feel it."
Then, slowly, he pushed mana into her back. A warm, peaceful current spread through her like gentle waves.
Her eyes widened. "What is that…?"
"Mana. Mine. But you can pull it from the world too. It's everywhere air, earth, sky. Just listen to it."
She sat still. Breathing softly. Feeling it.
And she began to absorb.
Her body stopped resisting. Her heart calmed. Her thoughts quieted.
She started to draw mana from the world around her slowly, carefully, like sipping from something sacred.
Alex pulled his hands away and stepped back.
She didn't even notice.
He smiled to himself. She was doing it.
Then Hellen came with a bowl of soup hot, full of little meat pieces.
Alex downed it in one gulp. "Thanks," he muttered, wiping his mouth and walking back to train.
Hours passed.
Alex practiced his spear in silence. Swinging. Watching. reading comics
Evening came.
And finally Ellie opened her eyes.
"I think I did it," she whispered, surprised at her own voice. "I really absorbed mana…"
She looked up.
Alex was asleep on Darcy's back, a book resting over his face, rising and falling with every slow breath.
She stood above him, smiling softly, her chest warm in a way she couldn't quite name.
Maybe this… this was the start of something real.
Carefully, she reached down and lifted the book from his face.
His hair was a little messy. His mouth slightly open. The rise and fall of his chest was steady, peaceful.
Ellie whispered under her breath, almost afraid of hearing herself say it,
"Damn… he looks so cute when he's asleep."
She hesitated then slowly leaned down, placing her ear against his chest.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
His heartbeat was calm, but strong. It made her feel safe… and something more dangerous.
She took a small breath and whispered again, "He smells so good… why am I acting like a total pervert?"
She closed her eyes. Her cheeks red.
"…But I want to be like this. Just… for a little longer."
"Enjoying yourself?"
Alex's voice broke through the silence. His eyes half-lidded, a lazy smirk playing at his lips.
Ellie jerked up, nearly tripping. "I No! You were sleeping!"
He rubbed his eyes. "I wasn't. Just resting… but I can feel it. You absorbed the mana. It's all over you."
Ellie looked surprised. "Really? How long was I… doing that?"
Alex stretched his arms and yawned. "Long enough to skip lunch. I'm starving."
Without waiting, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward the dining hall.
He blinked. "Huh?"
"Food," she muttered. "You need to eat."
As they stepped inside, heads turned. People whispered, watching them.
Ellie noticed and instantly dropped his hand, pretending like nothing happened.
She walked to her seat and sat down beside him, cheeks flushed but composed.
Alex sat next to her, ellie forget and start eating with spoon a bite from her bowl.
She blinked. "Alex. You just ate my spoon of meat."
He looked right at her, still chewing, and swallowed with the most exaggerated smirk.
"Yours?" he asked innocently. "I thought… everything here was ours now."
She didn't reply. Her foot did.
Thump!
"OW!" Alex yelped under the table. "Hey unfair! You forgot to feed me, remember?!"
Ellie rolled her eyes, cheeks tinged pink. "…Fine. Idiot."
She scooped another spoonful, gently brought it to his mouth, and he opened up like a puppy being fed treats.
One bite after another, they shared food like no one else existed in the dining hall.
Then
Alex paused. His eyes drifted toward her lips. Then to her eyes. Then back to the spoon. His brain replayed the Horimiya panel he'd read earlier.
His cheeks began to redden. "Wait… if you're feeding me with your spoon, and you're eating from it too…"
He leaned closer, voice low like a dramatic revelation, "…Does this count as… kissing?"
Ellie didn't flinch. She just smiled slyly.
"It's too late to worry," she said, locking eyes with him. "We've already done it."
Alex blinked. His soul left his body for a moment.
"Wait—what?! That doesn't count! That was an accident! It was a kitchen floor collision!"
She tilted her head, still feeding him. "So you want another one? A real one this time?"
Alex choked on the spoonful.
As he coughed, Ellie looked away, her face crimson, muttering to herself:
"What's even the difference… kissing this muscle-brained idiot? Tch. I must've gone mad."
Meanwhile, Alex sat there frozen, completely still, his inner voice screaming:
"IS THIS FLIRTING?! IS THIS A THREAT?! IS THIS HEAVEN?!"
Darcy, curled nearby, let out a small snort that might've been a laugh.
And across the room, Frank muttered into his soup, "Someone get that boy a manual on girls before he explodes.".
the father clear his throat
humghrmm !
" kids behave !".
Ellie and Alex remember all the children and every was eating . when look at them and they were looking at Alex , food in children cheeks . boys were starring Alex in anger .