"I should leave," Hilde said.
"So soon?"
Isolte sat up in bed, looking stunned.
"...Isolte, we've been in bed for three whole days. I know you don't want me to leave, but it has to end sometime, doesn't it?" Hilde said helplessly.
"I just feel like once you go, it'll be hard for you to come back." Isolte hugged Hilde tight, burying her face in Hilde's chest and nuzzling against her.
"It won't."
Hilde stroked Isolte's head. "I've set up a teleportation magic circle in my mansion. I'll come see you whenever I have time. It's easy."
"Really?"
"Really."
Only then did Isolte finally relax.
After all, Sharia and Ars City were far apart. Traveling there and back normally took months, and with news arriving so late, each parting came with no guarantee they would meet again.
That had troubled Isolte greatly.
She couldn't abandon the dojo, but she didn't want to endure a long separation from Hilde either.
For a while, she had considered making Hilde stay forever.
She had even prepared a room for Hilde in the Kruel Family's basement, where no one would ever find her. Hilde wouldn't need to work or worry about anything. She would only have to stay by Isolte's side every day; Isolte would take care of everything she needed...
Hilde had, of course, refused.
But Hilde had promised Isolte she would visit often through the teleportation magic circle. It wasn't much trouble, after all.
Though, given Isolte's enthusiasm, each visit would probably leave Hilde unable to get out of bed for a day or two...
As for why Hilde had to return to Sharia...
For one thing, there was the Fighting God Armor she had lost.
The device used to activate the Fighting God Armor was still in her possession, and no