Reed stirred awake, shifting against the hard wooden floor.
His body was sore—as expected.
Sleeping on the floor every night was starting to take a toll, but it wasn't like he had much of a choice.
Not when the fox menace had claimed his bed as her own.
With a groggy sigh, he opened his eyes.
And immediately noticed something was off.
The bed above him was empty.
His stomach sank.
The blanket was still messily draped over the mattress, the pillow slightly indented from where Mielle had been sleeping.
But she was gone.
Reed sat up instantly.
No.
No, no, no.
This was bad.
When Mielle was missing, it meant she was up to something.
He rubbed his face aggressively.
"…What now."
His ears strained for any sound.
Silence.
Too quiet.
For someone who had literally broken into his house, stolen his bed, and completely ruined his peaceful life, she was suspiciously absent.
A bad feeling settled in his gut.
He slowly got to his feet, stretched out his sore back, and made his way toward the door.
The last time he walked into his living room blindly, he had discovered that his house had been completely redecorated.
The time before that, she had locked him outside.
The time before that, he had been publicly humiliated in front of the villagers.
He took a deep breath.
Alright.
Whatever's waiting for me on the other side… I can handle it.
He pushed open the door.
And froze.
The scent of freshly made tea and cooked food drifted through the air.
Reed blinked.
The table was set neatly for two, complete with steaming plates of eggs, sliced fruit, and warm toasted bread.
The tea kettle was already prepared, two cups placed beside it.
And standing in front of it all—
Mielle.
She was wearing one of his extra shirts, loosely buttoned over her usual clothes, sleeves rolled up as if she had been working hard.
Her long golden hair cascaded lazily down her back, with a few strands falling over her shoulder.
Her orange fox tail swayed behind her, and her fluffy fox ears twitched as she turned toward him.
She smiled sweetly, her golden eyes glowing in the morning light.
"Good morning, Reed~"
Reed stared blankly.
Then, very slowly, he rubbed his temples.
"…What the hell is this."
Mielle blinked innocently.
"Breakfast, obviously~"
"No," Reed said flatly. "No, no, no. You told me you couldn't cook."
Mielle tilted her head.
"Did I~?"
"YES. YOU DID."
She placed a hand on her hip, smirking.
"Well, technically, I said I 'don't' cook. Not that I 'can't.'"
Reed felt his brain shatter.
"THAT'S THE SAME THING!"
Mielle giggled, pouring herself a cup of tea.
"Not really~"
Reed strode forward, pointing at the table.
"Why?! Why did you suddenly decide to cook?!"
Mielle took a slow sip of tea before responding.
"Because~" She smiled, tilting her head playfully. "I wanted to see your reaction."
Reed felt his sanity crack.
"THAT'S NOT A REASON!"
Mielle set her cup down, giggling.
"Oh, Reed~ You should be grateful. I went through all this trouble just for you~"
Reed let out a long, exhausted sigh.
"You. You are the worst."
Mielle's grin widened.
"Aw~ You're so grumpy in the mornings. It's cute."
Reed gritted his teeth.
"That's it."
Mielle's ears perked up.
"Hmm?"
"You're playing too many games, fox."
Mielle blinked.
Then, suddenly, Reed lunged forward.
His goal was simple.
Grab her. Shake some sense into her. Make her stop ruining his life.
But what actually happened—
Was far worse.
Mielle's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
But before Reed could properly grab her wrist—
Her tail flicked upward, brushing against his hand.
For a fraction of a second, he lost balance.
His foot caught against the chair leg.
His weight shifted forward.
And before he could stop it—
His entire body collapsed onto Mielle.
Crash.
A sharp gasp escaped her lips as she was pushed back against the table.
Reed's hands instinctively braced against the surface, his body inches from hers.
Mielle's golden eyes blinked up at him.
Her soft, warm breath brushed against his cheek.
Her lips, slightly parted, were far too close.
Reed's brain exploded.
His entire face burned.
Neither of them moved.
Neither of them spoke.
For a long, frozen moment, they just stared at each other.
The world around them faded.
The only thing Reed could focus on was the heat between them, the warmth of her skin, the soft scent of wildflowers and spice lingering in the air.
Mielle's ears twitched slightly.
Her golden eyes softened for just a second.
Then, after what felt like an eternity—
The world felt painfully still.
Reed's hands were braced against the table, his body awkwardly hovering above Mielle, their faces mere inches apart.
Mielle's golden eyes locked onto his, flickering with that teasing glint.
Then, very slowly, her lips curved into a dangerous, knowing smile.
Reed's stomach dropped.
Oh no.
Oh no.
I know exactly what's coming next.
Before she could even open her mouth—
A violent surge of magic exploded from outside.
The very air trembled, vibrating with a force so powerful that even the wooden floor beneath them shuddered.
An intense wave of mana pressure flooded the house, so overwhelming that the lanterns on the walls flickered and nearly went out.
Then—
BOOM!
The front door was obliterated, ripped clean off its hinges as an immense magical force detonated at the entrance.
A powerful gust of arcane wind tore through the house, scattering loose papers and knocking over one of the chairs.
Standing in the now-doorless entrance, surrounded by lingering sparks of raw magical energy—
Was her.
The SSS+ Ranked Archmage.
Elena Vernis.
She stood tall, her golden-blonde hair flowing wildly behind her, strands lifted slightly by the sheer intensity of her magic.
Even without trying, she radiated overwhelming pressure, the kind that could silence an entire battlefield with a mere step.
Her violet eyes, sharp and commanding, glowed faintly with residual mana—though at this moment, they carried an unmistakable glint of irritation.
She was beautiful, the kind of beauty that felt distant and untouchable—refined and noble, yet undeniably intimidating.
Unlike Mielle, whose beauty was playful and seductive, Elena had an almost regal presence, exuding grace and intellect.
Her delicate features were perfectly sculpted, her skin smooth and lightly pale, as if she spent more time surrounded by books and mana than sunlight.
Her figure was slender, her posture perfectly poised, and her robes—
Ah.
Her robes.
Unlike the flashy, extravagant gowns worn by noble mages, Elena's were tailored for practicality.
Deep midnight blue, woven with intricate silver runes that pulsed softly with contained power.
A high collar lined with enchanted embroidery, long, flowing sleeves that ended in thin lace cuffs, and a single violet gemstone embedded in the center of her chest, marking her as a high-ranked spellcaster.
The fabric was light, yet reinforced with defensive magic, ensuring it would never tear or stain.
And—
Reed's eyes involuntarily flicked downward for a brief second before snapping back up.
…Yeah.
She was definitely smaller than Mielle.
Not that it mattered, but—
Mielle was going to say something about it later.
Reed could already feel it.
"Reed!"
Elena's voice cut through the air like a blade.
It was commanding. Sharp.
The voice of someone used to issuing orders.
"You… you absolute fool! You—!"
She stepped inside, marching forward with undeniable authority.
"You disappear from the guild, vanish without a word, and just when I finally track you down—"
Then she stopped.
Her words halted mid-sentence.
Her steps froze.
Her expression shifted.
And finally—
Her sharp, intelligent violet eyes actually took in the scene in front of her.
Reed, still pinned awkwardly against the table.
Mielle, still beneath him, golden eyes blinking in amusement.
Their bodies far too close.
The warmth of the moment still lingering in the air.
The fact that she had just kicked down his door, ranting at him—only to find this.
Silence.
Reed watched in real-time as Elena's brain completely broke.
Her violet pupils shrank.
Her **entire face turned red—**not just a normal blush, but a full, deep crimson.
Her eyelid twitched violently.
Her hand trembled, glowing with unstable mana as if she were about to cast something on reflex.
Her mouth opened slightly—as if trying to form words—
Then—
THUD.
Without another word, she collapsed to the floor, completely unconscious.
Reed stared.
Mielle blinked.
A long, heavy silence settled over the room.
Then, very slowly, Mielle tilted her head.
"...Huh."
She let out a soft giggle, then smiled up at Reed, still trapped in the same awkward position.
"Wow, Reed~ She's even more fragile than you."
Reed's soul left his body.
This…
This was going to be a long day.
---
The room was silent.
For a long moment, nobody moved.
Elena lay flat on the wooden floor, her once dignified expression now frozen in sheer horror.
Her violet eyes fluttered slightly, her mind slowly rebooting as if it had just experienced a fatal system error.
Reed stood over her, feeling like his soul had left his body.
Mielle, still perched comfortably on the table, casually rested her chin in her hands, golden eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Wow, Reed~ You really shocked her."
"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"
Mielle smirked, tilting her head.
"Are you sure~?"
Reed opened his mouth—
Then stopped.
Because at that moment—
Elena twitched.
A sharp, almost mechanical movement, as if her body had just forcefully rebooted itself.
Her hand clenched into a fist.
Her chest rose sharply as she inhaled.
Then—
Her entire body jerked upright.
"I DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING!"
Her own shouted declaration seemed to startle even her.
Her hands immediately shot to her mouth, her face still burning red.
Reed and Mielle stared.
Elena, realizing what she just blurted out, slowly lowered her hands, attempting to regain some level of composure.
She cleared her throat.
Then cleared it again.
Then spoke in the most forced, overly controlled voice Reed had ever heard.
"That is to say… ahem… the previous visual input I received upon entry to this establishment was… clearly a misinterpretation of reality."
Reed blinked.
Mielle raised an eyebrow, highly entertained.
Elena, now sitting perfectly straight on the floor, her hands folded neatly in her lap, continued speaking mechanically.
"Obviously, the scenario that appeared before me was an illusion created by external factors, such as fatigue from long-range teleportation and accumulated stress due to tracking a certain individual—"
Reed sighed. "Just say you misread the situation."
Elena twitched violently.
"I DIDN'T MISREAD ANYTHING!"
Reed gritted his teeth. "Then what did you see?!"
Elena's mouth opened—
Then immediately snapped shut.
Her face turned red again.
She physically vibrated from internal stress.
Mielle giggled.
"My, my~"
Elena flinched.
Mielle leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her palm, her golden tail flicking behind her.
"Reed, dear~ who's this?"
Reed groaned, rubbing his face.
"Right. Introductions."
He gestured toward Elena.
"This is Elena Vernis. SSS+ ranked Archmage. One of the strongest magic users in the world."
Mielle tilted her head.
"Ooooh~" She eyed Elena with curiosity.
Elena, still struggling to process reality, managed a stiff nod. "Correct. I am Elena Vernis."
Mielle grinned.
"Wow. You're so serious."
Elena twitched.
Mielle's golden eyes gleamed mischievously.
"Strongest Archmage, huh~? And yet, you collapsed so easily."
Elena's entire face burned again.
"T-THAT WAS DIFFERENT!"
Reed dragged a hand down his face.
"Please. Stop talking."
Mielle ignored him, smirking at Elena.
"So? What brings you here, Miss Archmage?"
Elena snapped back into serious mode instantly.
She stood up, brushing off her robes, her dignified aura returning.
Then she turned to Reed.
"Reed. We need to talk."
Reed groaned.
"Why does that sound so ominous?"
Elena ignored him.
She took one step forward.
Then another.
Then—
"Reed?!"
A villager's voice suddenly called from outside.
Reed immediately stiffened.
Oh no.
The door was still broken open.
The villagers definitely saw the explosion of magic earlier.
And now—
"Reed, son! Are you alright?! We saw a huge flash of light—"
Another villager followed. "Did you get attacked?! Who—"
Then they saw Elena standing in front of Reed, looking serious and demanding.
They saw Mielle still lounging casually behind them, watching with amusement.
And most importantly—
They saw the knocked-over chair, the scattered tea set, the lingering awkward atmosphere.
A horrified silence fell over the villagers.
Then—
"BY THE GODS, NOT ANOTHER ONE!"
Reed felt all remaining strength leave his body.
Elena's expression froze.
The entire town immediately assumed the worst.
One of the elderly women gasped dramatically.
"Reed! You scoundrel! First the fox-girl, now this?!"
Another villager whispered. "Is this his second wife?! She has a noble aura!"
"HOW MANY WOMEN DOES HE HAVE?!"
A younger villager stared in awe. "I don't know whether to be disgusted or jealous…"
Elena slowly turned to Reed.
Her violet eyes burned with dangerous, quiet fury.
"…Reed."
Her voice was too calm.
Reed gulped. "H-Hey, listen, this is just a misunderstanding—"
Elena's hands began glowing with ominous mana.
Mielle, grinning behind them, gave a small clap.
"Ahh~ I see now! She's mad because she walked in on something good!"
Elena's eye twitched violently.
"Mielle. Shut. Up."
Mielle tilted her head, looking perfectly innocent.
"Oh? But I was just about to explain what you saw in detail~"
"DON'T EXPLAIN ANYTHING."
Reed, seeing his impending doom, did the only thing he could.
He ran.
---
Reed ran.
The only thought pounding through his head was simple—
Run. Run far away.
"GET BACK HERE, REED!"
"NOPE."
Elena's voice roared behind him, the sheer force of her irritation almost as terrifying as her magic.
Reed weaved through the village paths, slipping through narrow alleys with years of experience in avoiding trouble.
It was working.
For approximately five seconds.
Then a flash of golden light exploded in front of him.
He had exactly one second to react.
"Ah, sh—"
CRACK!
A magic barrier materialized out of nowhere.
Reed collided face-first into the invisible wall.
His entire body ricocheted backward, landing flat on the ground, staring at the sky in agony.
"Ow."
A shadow loomed over him.
Elena stood there, arms crossed, her long golden hair flowing slightly from the residual energy of her spell.
Her violet eyes burned with quiet fury.
She took a step forward.
Then another.
Then crouched down beside him, staring at him like he was some failed experiment in a lab.
"…That was pathetic."
Reed groaned, rubbing his face.
"You put a barrier in my path. That's cheating."
Elena narrowed her eyes.
"Magic isn't cheating. It's called using my resources efficiently."
"That's literally what cheating is."
A light chuckle came from the side.
Reed turned his head and immediately regretted it.
Mielle sat comfortably on a barrel, golden eyes twinkling as she watched with far too much enjoyment.
"Wow, Reed~ I didn't know you liked being chased."
He gave her a flat look.
"I was running for my life."
Mielle sighed, shaking her head. "Some people call that 'playing hard to get.'"
"I hate you."
Elena ignored them both, exhaling sharply.
"Enough. You're not getting out of this conversation."
Reed closed his eyes briefly.
"Fine," he muttered. "Let's talk."
Mielle tilted her head, smiling.
"Oh? Should I leave you two alone~?"
Elena's eye twitched violently.
Reed grabbed Mielle by the scruff of her collar.
"You're coming too."
Mielle giggled.
"Awww~ Dragging me along? How forceful."
"Shut up."
The three of them settled at the wooden dining table inside the house.
The lingering scent of tea and breakfast still hung in the air.
Elena sat upright and composed, her hands folded neatly in front of her, posture perfect.
Mielle, in contrast, was far too relaxed, chin resting in her hands as she watched them like a casual observer of a dramatic performance.
Reed sighed, rubbing his temples.
"Alright. Talk."
Elena didn't hesitate.
"Why did you leave?"
Reed exhaled.
"You're going to make me say it, huh?"
Elena's expression was unreadable.
"Obviously."
He leaned back slightly.
"...I was tired."
Her brows furrowed slightly.
Mielle tilted her head. "Tired?"
"I tried for four years. And nothing changed."
A slow, bitter chuckle escaped his lips.
"I was never going to be a great adventurer. I accepted that."
Elena's fingers twitched slightly.
"But you—"
"I was an F-rank nobody, Elena."
His voice came out flat. Hollow.
"I spent years watching everyone else get stronger. Watching you, watching all the others I trained with… I fell behind."
He shrugged, forcing a half-smile.
"So I thought… What's the point?"
Elena's violet eyes darkened slightly.
Mielle's golden gaze flickered with something unreadable.
Silence stretched between them.
Elena slowly inhaled.
"…You're an idiot."
Reed blinked.
Elena's expression was unreadable, a mix of frustration and something else.
"A complete idiot."
He rubbed his temples. "You're not the first person to say that today."
Mielle hummed.
"Oh? Is that admiration I hear?"
Elena's face turned red instantly.
"IT'S NOT!"
Mielle giggled. "Mm~ Sounds like admiration to me~"
Reed sighed deeply.
This was going to be a very, very long day.
---
Reed had no idea how things escalated so quickly.
Elena sat across from him, her posture stiff, hands clenched into fists on the table. Her violet eyes burned with frustration, flicking between him and Mielle.
Mielle, meanwhile, was far too relaxed, golden tail swaying behind her, chin resting in her palm as she watched the situation unfold like it was entertainment.
The silence was thick.
Then—
"Who is she?"
Reed blinked. "Huh?"
Elena's gaze sharpened.
"This woman. Who is she? Why is she here?"
Mielle perked up, tail flicking playfully.
"Oh~? You mean me?"
"Obviously."
Her tone was colder than before, tinged with irritation.
Mielle smirked, clearly enjoying this.
"Wow~ I didn't realize I needed an introduction." She turned to Reed, golden eyes gleaming. "Go on, dear~ Tell her who I am."
Reed felt his stomach drop.
"Don't call me that."
Mielle giggled, then sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine~ I'll do it myself."
She placed a delicate hand on her chest, smiling sweetly.
"I'm his wife."
Reed choked.
"YOU ARE NOT."
Elena's eyelid twitched violently.
Mielle simply hummed. "Well, not yet~"
Elena slammed her hands against the table, standing up so abruptly that her chair scraped loudly against the floor.
"That's NOT funny!"
Mielle tilted her head.
"Isn't it?"
Reed exhaled sharply, rubbing his face.
"She's an adventurer," he muttered. "She's staying here."
Elena's expression didn't change.
"For how long?"
Reed hesitated.
Mielle pounced immediately.
"Oh, he hasn't decided yet~"
Elena's violet eyes darkened.
"You mean she's just… living here?"
Reed gritted his teeth.
"Not by choice!"
Mielle pouted. "Awww, Reed~ That hurts."
Elena wasn't listening.
She inhaled sharply, as if forcing herself to remain composed. But her fingers tightly gripped the hem of her robe.
"You know…"
Her voice was quieter than before.
"…When I was searching for you, I assumed you were hiding something."
Reed's stomach tensed.
Mielle stopped smiling.
Elena's violet eyes held something unfamiliar.
Something that wasn't frustration or anger.
"You were always right about things," she said, her voice tightening slightly.
Reed felt his throat go dry.
"You always saw things before I did. Before anyone did. Even when I thought you were wrong… you were always right."
Her fingers trembled slightly against the table.
"I thought you had figured something out. That you disappeared because you knew something I didn't."
Reed felt a strange weight settle in his chest.
Elena let out a sharp breath.
"But you weren't hiding some grand secret, were you?"
She lifted her gaze, staring straight at him.
"You just… gave up."
The words hit like a hammer.
Reed didn't know how to respond.
Mielle, who had been watching in amusement, finally stopped smiling.
Elena's voice cracked slightly, as if the weight of the truth was only now hitting her.
"I was searching for you," she continued, clutching her sleeves. "I was ready to confront you. To demand you tell me what I was missing."
Her hands tightened into fists.
"But in the end, you weren't ahead of me. You just… stopped walking."
Reed felt something in his chest twist painfully.
He hadn't expected that.
Not from her.
Not from someone who had surpassed him so easily.
Mielle's tail flicked sharply.
She leaned back slightly, her usual playfulness slipping just a little.
"Wow~" she murmured, voice softer than usual.
Reed, still trying to process Elena's words, barely noticed.
Elena exhaled sharply, gripping her robe.
"And now I find you here, living with—"
She stopped herself.
Her violet eyes flicked toward Mielle, full of an emotion even she couldn't define.
Reed swallowed.
The atmosphere shifted.
The conversation was no longer about his retirement.
Mielle wasn't enjoying this anymore.
She leaned forward slightly, resting her elbow on the table, golden eyes sharp.
"Say, Miss Archmage…"
Elena tensed.
Mielle's smile returned, but this time, it didn't reach her eyes.
"What exactly do you want from Reed~?"
Elena stiffened.
Reed felt sweat trickle down his spine.
Oh no.
Oh no.
This was going somewhere dangerous.
The room felt heavier than before.
The playful atmosphere that had dominated their interactions just moments ago had vanished completely.
Mielle's golden eyes locked onto Elena, sharp and unreadable.
Elena, still gripping the fabric of her robe, met her gaze with equal intensity.
The words hung in the air like a blade between them.
"What exactly do you want from Reed?"
Reed, sitting between them, felt his body tense.
He did not like where this was going.
Elena was silent at first.
Her violet eyes flickered as if she was sorting through a million thoughts at once.
Then—
She exhaled, her hands slowly unclenching.
"…I don't know."
Reed's breath hitched.
That was not the answer he expected.
Mielle's tail flicked sharply.
"You don't know?"
Elena's fingers tightened slightly against the wood of the table.
"I came here because I wanted answers," she admitted, voice quieter.
Her violet eyes flickered toward Reed.
"Because I couldn't understand… why you just left."
Reed swallowed hard.
The way she said it—like it wasn't just about curiosity or frustration—but something more.
Elena looked away for a brief second, as if gathering her thoughts.
"…I was convinced you had some kind of hidden plan. Some secret reason that no one else could see."
She let out a soft, bitter chuckle.
"But instead, I find you here. Living quietly, wasting time with—"
Her words stopped abruptly.
Her violet eyes shifted toward Mielle.
Mielle tilted her head, her expression unreadable.
Reed suddenly had the overwhelming urge to stop this conversation.
"Elena," he started, but she continued.
"I thought you were someone who looked ahead," she said, voice tightening slightly.
"I thought… you were someone who never stopped moving forward."
Her lips pressed together tightly, as if she was forcing herself to hold something back.
"But when I saw you here… I realized something."
Reed felt his throat go dry.
Elena slowly met his gaze again.
"You didn't just leave the guild, Reed."
Her fingers trembled slightly as she placed them flat on the table.
"You left me."
Reed's entire body locked up.
Mielle's golden tail flicked sharply, but she said nothing.
Elena exhaled, shaking her head.
"I didn't realize how much that… bothered me until now."
Reed felt like the entire world had flipped upside down.
This was not how this conversation was supposed to go.
Mielle's fingers tapped lightly against the table.
"Wow~" she murmured, but her voice lacked its usual playfulness.
Elena turned toward her.
"And you," she said bluntly. "Why are you here?"
Mielle blinked, then smiled slowly.
"Why?" she echoed.
Her tail curled lazily around her waist, golden eyes glimmering.
"Well~ I'm here because I want to be."
Elena's expression darkened slightly.
"That's not an answer."
Mielle sighed dramatically.
"But it's the only one you're getting~"
The two women stared at each other.
Reed could physically feel the tension in the room shifting into something else.
Something dangerous.
Mielle's golden eyes held the smallest glint of something else.
Something almost territorial.
Reed finally snapped back to reality.
"Okay. That's enough."
Both of them looked at him at the same time.
Reed immediately regretted speaking.
Mielle was smiling, but her tail had stopped moving.
Elena's hands were still pressed firmly against the table.
And for the first time since the conversation started…
Reed realized something.
Neither of them were going to leave.
Ever.
This was his life now.
Mielle's smile widened slightly.
"Yes, Reed~ What's your opinion on all of this?"
Reed's brain short-circuited.
He had no idea what to say.
All he knew was that his peaceful life was officially over.
---
The silence stretched painfully long.
Reed leaned back, rubbing his face.
"Look," he muttered, "I really don't get it."
Elena narrowed her eyes.
"Get what?"
Reed exhaled loudly.
"Why the hell are two SSS+ ranked adventurers—two of the strongest people in the world—wasting their time in a rural village with an F-rank loser like me?"
The moment the words left his mouth, he knew he screwed up.
The air shifted.
Mielle's golden eyes darkened.
Elena's face twisted into something unreadable.
Reed felt a wave of regret crash over him.
Then—
"Loser?"
Elena's voice was dangerously calm.
She stood up, hands pressing against the table, her violet eyes flickering with something fiery and unrelenting.
Mielle, who had been silent, let out a soft exhale.
"Wow, Reed~" she murmured, golden tail flicking. "You really don't know when to shut up."
Reed felt his throat tighten.
"I—I didn't mean it like—"
"Then what did you mean?"
Elena's voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.
Reed opened his mouth. Closed it.
Elena took a step closer, her fingers gripping the edge of the table.
"You say you weren't important. That you were just an F-rank. That you 'fell behind.'"
Her lips pressed into a thin line, shaking slightly.
"But do you even realize how many people were looking for you?"
Reed blinked. "That… doesn't make sense."
"It makes perfect sense," she snapped.
"You weren't some useless nobody. You changed people."
The words hit hard.
Reed stiffened, completely thrown off.
Elena exhaled sharply, hands trembling at her sides.
"You changed me."
Reed's breath caught in his throat.
Mielle's golden eyes flicked between them, expression unreadable.
Elena continued, her voice tighter, rawer.
"I thought you were hiding something. That you vanished because you knew something I didn't."
She shook her head.
"But instead, I find you here. Living like this."
Her violet gaze flickered to Mielle.
"With her."
Mielle arched a brow.
"Oh? Something wrong with that?"
Elena clenched her fists.
"I don't trust you."
Mielle tilted her head, smirking.
"That so? Jealous?"
Elena's entire face burned.
"IT'S NOT THAT!"
Reed groaned.
"Enough. Elena, you're overreacting."
Her gaze snapped back to him.
"Overreacting?"
Reed sighed. "You're making a big deal out of nothing."
The room dropped ten degrees.
Elena's magic surged faintly around her, the faint glow of mana sparking at her fingertips.
"Nothing?" she echoed.
"Elena, listen, I—"
"I'M STAYING."
Reed's brain short-circuited.
Mielle perked up instantly.
"Oh~?"
Elena crossed her arms, her voice filled with absolute certainty.
"I don't trust this fox."
Mielle gasped dramatically, placing a hand on her chest.
"Reed! She's slandering me~"
"She's right."
Mielle pouted.
Elena ignored her, stepping forward.
"And I don't trust you to make good decisions on your own."
Reed's eye twitched.
"EXCUSE ME?!"
Elena met his gaze without hesitation.
"You're reckless. You're stubborn. And you clearly don't understand your own worth."
Reed opened his mouth. "That's—"
"So I'll be staying."
Mielle let out a low whistle.
"Oh my~"
Elena ignored her completely.
"You left the guild without thinking about how it would affect people. Now you've got her living here, doing gods-know-what—"
Mielle giggled.
"Oh, I can tell you what we were doing~"
"DON'T."
Reed felt his entire soul leave his body.
Elena pressed forward.
"You say you're just an F-rank loser? Fine. Then prove it."
Reed blinked. "…What?"
Elena's violet eyes blazed.
"If you really believe you're not worth anything, prove it."
Her words struck something deep.
Mielle leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, golden eyes unreadable.
"Well, Reed~? What's your answer?"
Reed felt a sharp headache forming.
His peaceful life was officially over.
---
End of Chapter 4
---