Back at the Adventurers Guild, Mixarnt was happily stuffing his face with food that Cynthia had generously given him. Crumbs clung to his cheeks, and a small mountain of empty plates was steadily growing beside him.
"Oh wow," Karen said from behind the reception counter, arms crossed as she watched in awe. "That boy really can eat a lot, huh?"
Cynthia chuckled softly, arms folded as she leaned casually against the wall. "Yeah. I found him sleeping under a tree in the park this morning. If I hadn't shown up, the city guards probably would've picked him up and tossed him in the holding cells for loitering."
"I kinda feel bad for not helping him out yesterday…" Maria said, rubbing the back of her neck with an awkward laugh. "I mean, he did look like a lost puppy."
"There wasn't much we could do," Cynthia replied knowingly, casting a glance toward the door. "You know how Aelries gets. She can deny it all she wants, but there's definitely something between her and that idiot. She just hasn't admitted it yet… not even to herself."
"Yeah," Karen agreed with a sly smile. "She gets jealous fast."
Just then, Mixarnt walked over to them, wearing a big, goofy grin. "Thanks for the food, Big Sis Cynthia, Maria, Karen! You guys are the best!" he said cheerfully, holding his stomach with satisfaction.
The three women gave him varying looks of amusement.
"You don't have to call us Big Sis, you know…" Maria muttered, blushing as she turned her head. Despite herself, she couldn't help but notice how ridiculously handsome Mixarnt looked when he smiled like that. But it wasn't just the looks—there was something endearing about how childishly sincere he was. Unlike other men who tried too hard to impress, Mixarnt was just... being himself.
"Okay, Maria!" he chirped, grabbing her hand with both of his. "So, how about it? Wanna go out on a date with me?"
Maria's face turned the color of a ripe tomato.
Karen and Cynthia raised their brows, exchanging amused looks.
"Hey now," Karen chimed in with mock seriousness. "Are you sure you should be asking Maria out? Aren't you already in a relationship with Aelries?"
"Huh? No way!" Mixarnt scoffed, waving his hand dismissively. "Why would I go out with that stingy elf who's always looking for reasons to roast me alive? She's super stern, never laughs at my jokes, and honestly—she's so high-maintenance. Plus, she's flat like a—"
CLANG!
A metal shield flew through the air like a discus and smashed right into Mixarnt's face, sending him sprawling to the ground in a daze.
"WHO are you calling HIGH MAINTENANCE and FLAT like a CHOPPING BOARD?!" Aelries yelled, her eye twitching and her smile sharp enough to cut steel.
Karen burst into giggles. "Ah! Aelries! You're back! Oh—and you brought Cliff with you!"
Cliff stepped in right behind Aelries, laughing with a sheepish grin. "Haha, yeah… Sorry I haven't visited the guild in a while. Being a knight general doesn't exactly come with vacation days."
He scanned the room, his gaze landing on the young man twitching slightly on the floor, a dented shield lying beside him.
"Uh… and who's that guy?" Cliff asked, pointing at Mixarnt.
"That," Karen said with a grin, "is Mixarnt. A new serial flirt, he is for some reason, Aelries's traveling companion AND definitely-not-boyfriend."
"I am not his girlfriend," Aelries snapped instantly.
"We never said you were," Cynthia said, smirking.
Aelries paused.
"…Shut up."
"So, how did it go?" Maria asked gently, her soft smile filled with concern as she sat beside Aelries.
Aelries flinched at the question, her gaze dropping to her hands. "I… I know now why he left me," she said, voice barely above a whisper. "I haven't forgiven him—not entirely—but… I still love him." Her eyes trembled with the weight of unspoken pain. "He asked me to become his second queen."
Karen's smile faltered. "T-that's great, isn't it?" she said with a forced cheerfulness, though deep down she knew Aelries's feelings about polygamy hadn't changed.
Aelries gave a small nod, but it felt hollow. "He said his heart always belonged to me. That he never married again after the first queen… not because he couldn't, but because he was waiting for me. Because he wanted me by his side."
"I can vouch for that," Cliff added, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Rainel really did wait. He spoke about you often, even when no one asked. But he's a king now—his hands are tied in ways they weren't ten years ago."
Maria leaned forward, eyes sparkling. "So… are you going to say yes? Are you two getting back together!?"
Aelries hesitated, her fingers curling into her cloak. "N-no… I told him I needed time."
She glanced sideways—just for a moment—toward the figure lying lazily on the floor, staring at the ceiling as if contemplating the mysteries of life. Or lunch.
Mixarnt.
Cynthia noticed the flicker in Aelries's gaze and her expression shifted, subtle but knowing. So that's why... she thought.
Just then, Mixarnt yawned and sat up, stretching dramatically. "Huaah… Hey, Aelries! I did it! I registered as an adventurer like you told me to. I'm officially F-Rank now, hehe—" He stopped mid-sentence, noticing the faint tear marks on her face. His grin vanished.
He stood up and gently approached her, reaching out without hesitation. "Hey… who made you cry?" he asked, brushing her cheek with the back of his hand.
His touch was light. His tone—serious, warm, and genuine. That usual carefree, chaotic demeanor melted away in an instant, revealing someone calm, mature, and deeply attentive. The shift in his expression, in his entire aura, caught everyone off-guard.
Karen blinked. "Oh… so he can be like that."
Even Maria swallowed hard, surprised. Cynthia simply narrowed her eyes in understanding.
Aelries's face flushed deep red—not just from the tenderness of the moment, but from something deeper. Because when Rainel had kissed her earlier, it wasn't him she thought about.
It was this idiot.
"P-Pervert!" she shouted, flustered beyond reason. "You stink! Why are you even touching me!?"
WHAM!
Mixarnt staggered back, holding his face where her punch landed squarely. "Guwaaahh! I was being NICE, you crazy elf!"
"You touched me without permission, you damn pervert!"
"Pervert my ass! As if I'd go around touching a flat board like you!"
Aelries's eye twitched. Her hand raised, palm glowing with magic. "WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"
Just before a fireball could form—
BONK.
"Alright, that's enough out of you, big boy," Cynthia said, casually bopping Mixarnt on the head with a metal tray. He slumped to the floor, unconscious.
"I'll take him to the bath. He smells like a homeless wolf," she added, grabbing his collar and dragging him off like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Karen and Maria just exchanged wide-eyed glances.
Aelries, arms crossed, tried to look composed. But her face was still red.