"Hey, you over there, wait!"
Just as Shien and Merika were gazing into each other's eyes as though they had forgotten everything around them, a sharp feminine shout suddenly rang out.
That voice instantly shattered the somewhat ambiguous atmosphere between Shien and Merika, bringing both of them back from their daze.
"~~~~~"
Only then did Merika realize what she had done. Her entire face immediately turned as red as if it had been boiled.
Seeing Merika like that, the same thought flashed through both Shien's and Roxie's minds.
That once-in-a-lifetime opportunity had slipped away.
Thus, Shien and Roxie's faces fell at the same time.
Everyone else turned toward the source of the voice as well.
The next second, they saw her.
In a rather secluded corner ahead stood an Elf girl.
She was a pretty Elf maiden, dressed smartly and looking about the same age as Merika. She held a short staff in her hand and had shoulder-length short hair.
She looked rather heroic, with sharp eyes and a slender, graceful figure. Like an older sister who looked after the neighborhood children, she gave people a strong sense of security.
Yet this Elf girl was glaring this way with an angry expression.
No, more precisely, she was glaring at Shien.
"Geno!?"
Merika saw the valiant-looking girl as well, and an expression of surprise appeared on her boiling-red face.
Shien's group heard Merika's words. They were first taken aback, then became surprised.
Geno?
Merika's childhood friend?
"So it's her?"
Roxie came to a realization.
This Elf girl who had suddenly spoken up and appeared was Merika's childhood friend—Geno.
"Why are you here?"
Merika was genuinely surprised.
After the two reunited yesterday, they had spent the entire day together in joy and excitement. Even when they slept that night, they had stayed