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Chapter 18: Friends
As mana began to flow inside her, Alice closed her eyes, remembering the feeling. Tears still clung to her lashes, but this time they weren't from frustration—they were from relief.
"I think that's enough for now," Ryan said, sitting down tiredly on the edge of the bed. His forehead was slick with sweat, and he wiped it with his hand before looking at her with a small smile. "Now, try sensing the mana from your surroundings."
Alice nodded, focusing her attention on the nature around her. She recalled the earlier sensation, the warmth and energy that had flowed through her. She extended her senses, trying to grasp it again.
Suddenly, something changed. That strange, warm feeling returned, stronger now. Her eyes snapped open.
The world around her seemed to shimmer with a soft, golden glow. The light was beautiful, almost ethereal. Alice gasped, her eyes wide with surprise as she took in the sight.
"Are you seeing it?" Ryan asked, smiling at her stunned expression. "That's how mana looks when you can sense it. Congratulations, Alice."
He patted her gently on the back, but Alice was still too overwhelmed to respond right away. She turned to look at him, finally seeing Ryan leaning back against the bed, giving her a thumbs-up.
That was it. The last bit of calm she had managed to hold onto broke. She suddenly threw herself at Ryan, hugging him tightly as she cried, her sobs muffled against his shoulder.
"Thank you! Thank you!" she kept whispering between sobs, her arms wrapped around him as if letting go would make it all disappear.
Ryan, caught off guard by her sudden emotional outburst, stayed still for a moment, unsure what to do. But when he realized what was happening, he slowly wrapped his arms around her, hugging her back.
"It's okay," he said softly. "But remember our promise, right? Don't tell anyone that I helped you. You can act like you sensed it naturally after we leave the capital."
Alice nodded through her tears, still clutching onto him. "Yes, I remember," she whispered, not quite ready to let go yet. She buried her face deeper into his shoulder, letting all the emotions she had held back pour out.
After a while, when the sobs finally quieted down, Alice pulled away, feeling embarrassed by her outburst. Her cheeks flushed as she grabbed a pillow and buried her face in it, trying to hide.
Ryan chuckled at her reaction. "Alice is too cute when she's embarrassed," he teased, barely holding back his laughter.
Alice's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red, and she peeked out from behind the pillow, glaring at him. "You!" she sputtered, too flustered to come up with a proper retort.
Ryan raised his hands in mock surrender. "No need to get so embarrassed," he said, still smiling. "We're friends, right? Friends rely on each other."
Alice hesitated. "But I didn't agree to be friends before," she muttered, still hiding her face.
"Do you agree now?" Ryan asked, raising an eyebrow playfully. "Or do you still not want to be my friend?"
Alice went quiet for a moment, gathering her courage. She peeked up at him from behind the pillow and nodded shyly. "I… I want to be friends with you."
Ryan's smile softened. "Good," he said. "Then there's no need to worry. We'll always help each other out. Next time I need your support, you'll help me, right?"
Alice's expression turned more determined, her shyness fading a little. "I will definitely help," she said, her voice firm despite the lingering blush on her cheeks.
Ryan nodded, satisfied. "There's one more thing," he added. "Do you think you could be friends with my sister, Aria, too? She's been trying her best to get close to you, and I think she'd be really happy if you agreed."
Alice bit her lip, hesitating. She wasn't sure if she was ready to open up to someone else just yet. But after looking at Ryan's hopeful expression, she decided to try.
"Okay," she said quietly. "I'll try to talk to her."
Ryan's eyes lit up. "Great! She should be in her room right now. Should we go talk to her?"
Alice nodded, standing up from the bed. Her heart was still racing, but this time, it wasn't from fear—it was from a nervous excitement.
As they walked down the hall, Alice's nerves began to creep in again. What if Aria didn't actually want to be her friend? What if it was all just out of politeness? She hadn't been very warm or welcoming to Aria before, and she felt guilty for that.
Ryan seemed to sense her anxiety and gave her a reassuring look. "It'll be fine," he said softly. "Aria really likes you. She's been talking about how she wants to spend more time with you."
Alice nodded, but her heart was still pounding as they approached Aria's room. Ryan knocked lightly on the door.
"Come in!" Aria's cheerful voice called from inside.
Ryan opened the door, and they stepped in to find Aria sitting by the window, her sword resting on her lap as she polished it. When she saw them, she looked up with a bright smile.
"Hey!" Aria greeted them. "What's up?"
Ryan glanced at Alice, giving her a small nudge forward. Alice hesitated but took a step closer, her hands nervously twisting the fabric of her dress.
"Hi, Aria," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Aria tilted her head, her smile softening as she noticed Alice's nervousness. "Hey, Alice," she said gently. "Everything okay?"
Alice swallowed hard, trying to gather her courage. "I… I wanted to talk to you," she said, her voice shaking a little. "I've been… thinking, and I want to try to be friends with you."
Aria's eyes widened in surprise, but the shock quickly melted into a warm, genuine smile. "Really?" she asked, her voice filled with excitement. "I'd love that!"
Alice blinked, her heart lifting at Aria's enthusiastic response. "You would?"
"Of course!" Aria said, standing up and walking over to her. "I've been hoping we could be friends for a while now. I'm so happy you're giving it a try."
Alice felt a rush of relief, the tension in her shoulders easing. She had expected this to be much harder, but Aria's warmth and kindness made it easy.
"Thank you," Alice said softly, a small smile forming on her lips.
Aria grinned and reached out, gently taking Alice's hands in hers. "No need to thank me! We're going to have so much fun together."
Alice's smile grew a little wider. For the first time in a long time, she didn't feel out of place. She didn't feel like she was standing on the outside, looking in. She had friends now—Ryan and Aria—and that thought made her heart swell with warmth.
The three of them spent the rest of the afternoon together, talking and laughing as they sat by the window. Aria told stories about her training and her adventures with Ryan, her energy contagious as she animatedly waved her hands around.
Alice listened, her heart lighter than it had been in a long time. She even joined in, sharing a few stories of her own—though they weren't nearly as exciting as Aria's, Aria and Ryan listened attentively, making her feel like she was part of their little group.
By the time the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the palace, Alice knew one thing for sure,
she wasn't alone anymore.
She had friends and with their support,
she knew she could face whatever came next.
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