Starlight on the Battlefield
In the Northern Frontier wilderness at night, the cold wind, like an invisible razor, swept across the land where the fighting had just subsided. The air was filled with the smells of gunpowder, dirt, and a faint scent of rust. In the distance, the embers of the still-burning campfire flickered in the darkness, illuminating the fallen corpses and tattered flags.
The battle was over. Anthony's soldiers were silently cleaning up the battlefield, gathering their comrades, the atmosphere heavy with tension and exhaustion.
On the edge of the battlefield, at the foot of a sheltered slope, Lupa sat on a rough rock, carefully examining her spear by the cold moonlight overhead and the flickering firelight in the distance. Her pink twin ponytails were stained with dust and solidified dark red, but the fighting spirit in her heterochromatic eyes had died down, leaving only the calm after the fierce battle and a trace of barely perceptible weariness. Her red outfit had a few tears, but fortunately they were only superficial wounds. When Heiter and her master were not around, such minor injuries could only heal on their own or with simple herbs.
Linié stood silently to one side, like a silent shadow. Her deep blue eyes gleamed faintly in the night as she calmly surveyed her surroundings, as if the fierce battle where the axe blade precisely cleaved through the armor had never happened. The magic battle axe had long since dissipated, and she had returned to being the neatly dressed, harmless pink-haired girl.
"Phew..." Lupa a long sigh, leaning her spear aside and stretching her sore shoulders and neck. "Today went much better, Linié. Our teamwork is getting better and better."
Linié turned her head, her gaze falling on Lupa's face, her voice calm and even. "Yes. Protecting Lupa is a priority."
Lupa was already used to her way of expressing herself, and smiled, "I know! But next time you can be more open, don't always worry about me, we're both very strong!"
Linié didn't respond, but simply watched silently. Her gaze lingered on a barely perceptible scratch on Lupa's cheek—a mark from a flying pebble. Her deep blue pupils flickered almost imperceptibly.
Then, before Lupa could react, Linié suddenly stepped forward and got extremely close.
"Huh?" Lupa was taken aback and instinctively wanted to lean back, but was stopped by Linié's next move.
Linié extended her slender fingers, a faint, cool, and gentle magical glow gathering at her fingertips, and lightly touched the scratch. Her movements were precise and gentle, with an inhuman delicacy, as if she were repairing a slightly flawed creation. Although Demons was not skilled in healing magic for purely physical superficial wounds like this, Linié could still use her gentle magic to provide basic soothing and slightly accelerate the healing process.
A cool touch came, with a slight itch. Lupa's body stiffened slightly, her heterochromatic eyes widened slightly, looking at the expressionless yet exquisite face so close to hers. Linié's breath, carrying a very faint fruity scent, brushed against her skin.
"Linié? What... are you doing?" Lupa's voice unconsciously carried a hint of nervousness, and her cheeks began to burn, thankfully concealed by the darkness.
"Treatment." Linié's answer was concise, the cool glow of her fingertips continuing to emanate from her eyes. Her pupils were focused intently on the tiny wound, as if executing a pre-programmed procedure. "Observation: Human soldiers treat each other's injuries. They are Imitation."
"It's just a minor injury, no need to worry." Lupa tried to turn her head away, but didn't move. Linié's fingertips were soft, and as the cool magic touched her, the stinging sensation disappeared, replaced by a strange feeling mixed with shyness and secret joy.
"Even a small injury is still an injury," Linié said seriously, and then did something that caught Lupa even more off guard.
She tilted her head slightly, moved closer to Lupa's cheek, and gently blew a breath onto the almost healed spot, as lightly as if brushing it with a feather.
The movements Imitation somewhat clumsy, yet imbued with innocent frankness. It was like how an adult would habitually blow on a child's wound to comfort them. Linié had clearly observed and recorded this detail at some point.
"!!!"
At that moment, Lupa felt as if she had been struck by a tiny electric current, a burning sensation spreading from her cheeks to her ears. Her body trembled violently, and she almost bounced off the rock. She frantically shrank back, her voice changing. "Li- Linié! Don't blow on me! I'm not a child anymore! The injury is already healed! This little wound would have healed on its own if left untreated!"
Linié withdrew her hand, her deep blue pupils blinking slightly. She seemed puzzled by Lupa's violent reaction, but still nodded. "Hmm. Done." She then took a half step back, resuming her standing posture, as if the mission was complete.
Lupa covered her burning face, her heart pounding like a drum. Looking at Linié's completely oblivious and "innocent" appearance, she felt both amused and embarrassed. In the end, she could only lower her head in frustration and mutter, "Really... what is this all about..." She didn't know whether she was talking about Linié or her own disordered heartbeat.
(On a distant high slope)
Solitär stood in the shadows where the moonlight couldn't reach, her pale green eyes like precise instruments, taking in everything below the low slope. Her face held the unique interest of a researcher, her fingertips unconsciously tapping in the air, as if recording data on an invisible scroll.
"Oh dear~" she whispered, a playful smile curving her lips. "Close physical contact... Initiator: Linié. Behavior: Therapeutic contact, accompanied by a human- Imitation 'soothing' gesture—blowing. Receptor: Lupa. Significantly increased facial temperature, accelerated heart rate, brief stiffness and avoidance posture... Tsk tsk~"
She watched with great interest.
"This reaction pattern... matches highly with positive social emotions such as 'shyness' and 'fluttering' in the human database. And Linié's behavioral logic... is not rooted in lust or romantic narratives, but rather resembles an awkward expression of 'care' based on observational learning. Interesting..."
"The 'attachment' behavior that Demons exhibit towards specific humans... and the human responses... this cross-species, non-predatory intimate interaction is truly precious! Much more interesting than simple battles. Following Lowell, I'm sure I'll discover even more unexpected 'research topics'~"
She decided to record this moment in detail, titled "[Observation Record: Demons Individual (Linié)'s Atypical Post-War Care for a Specific Human Individual (Lupa) and Its Response]".
(Below the low slope)
A subtle silence filled the air. Lupa tried to calm her racing heart, attempting to break the awkward silence with a topic of conversation. She cleared her throat, her gaze drifting into the distance. "Um... Linié, are you hungry? I have some jerky..."
Linié shook her head, then, as if remembering something, she fumbled in a small, barely noticeable pocket on the side of her skirt for a moment, pulled out a bright red, plump, and flawless apple, and handed it to Lupa.
"An apple. Here you go."
Lupa paused slightly. She knew Linié's obsession with apples; this was clearly a treasured item. A warmth filled her heart, and her earlier shyness was replaced by tenderness and gratitude. She took the apple. "Thank you, Linié. But you keep it; I'll just have the jerky."
Linié stubbornly shook her head, her tone calm yet firm. "Lupa fights, it drains her energy. Apples are better."
Faced with that undeniable gaze, Lupa had no choice but to take it and bite down. The sweet juice spread in her mouth, dispelling some of her fatigue.
"It's very sweet," Lupa said sincerely.
Linié watched her eat the apple, her deep blue eyes seeming to brighten slightly for a moment, before she silently took out another apple and began to eat it in small bites. The two sat side by side like this, quietly sharing their "dinner" under the silent starry sky after the war.
Lupa munched on an apple, occasionally stealing glances at the silent Linié beside her. That warm, tingling feeling quietly resurfaced in her heart. She couldn't help but think that although Linié always had little expression and her words and actions were so direct that they made her blush... it was really nice. It was a kind of reassuring, family-like companionship that made her feel at ease.
Linié, munching on her apple, occasionally glanced at Lupa's profile, lingering for a moment before silently looking away. No one knew what she was thinking; perhaps even she herself was unclear, simply acting according to some deeply ingrained, incomprehensible command.
Starlight spilled down, casting a gentle silver glow on this brief moment of tranquility in the corner of the battlefield. In the distance, Solitär closed the invisible notebook with satisfaction, a joyful smile on her face, as if she had discovered a new continent.
Tonight, the winds of the Northern Frontier seem to have lessened their howling and become exceptionally gentle.