I'm Fighting Kal'tsit? Seriously?

There was no attack, no hidden killing intent, not even residual fluctuations of Originium Arts in the air—everything was calm to an almost unnatural degree, as if he had been the only person here from beginning to end.

But he knew very well that wasn't the case.

At the very least, that unnatural sense of "presence" was still lurking within this space.

In all his past experiences, even obscure things such as Sarkaz witchcraft had a source that could be Severed. Even when he himself used the power of cloth, he was merely leaning toward directly contacting Originium itself. But what lay before him was something he had never encountered in his life.

Because he could sense the anomaly, yet he couldn't sense the presence of Originium.

Like ordinary wind and rain, like plants opening themselves to embrace sunlight, this kind of existence seemed more suited to the realm of nature.

How interesting.

Meanwhile, Muelsyse had quietly slipped into Saria's bedroom while someone was bathing, and she was seriously pondering a question.

When had Saria suddenly trained herself into such a broad, sturdy build?

Silver hair—that was right. It was a little shorter, but perhaps she'd had it cut like this after going to Mansfield. Understandable. Her skin—though the steam made it hard to see clearly—felt about the same as before, if not even better in complexion. No problem there either.

But that figure and those muscles... how should she put it? They reminded her of those movies Yara had filmed in Blue Cardwood that someone had played at a gathering before. Even the actors there were nowhere near as impressive as muscles that looked sculpted from stone.

The self-proclaimed most popular little fairy at Rhine Lab began considering the proposal Nastya had mentioned before.

Saria in this state really did seem capable of taking on the role of a shield machine.

The timing was just a little awkward.

Within the walls, nearly imperceptible traces of moisture quietly gathered, spreading along the lines of the tiles and seeping into the humidity of the air.

As the water continued to collect, the originally transparent liquid gradually took on a faint hue, threads of silver light drifting through it. Droplets began attracting and entwining with one another, their flowing paths outlining a vague silhouette.

First the ankles, then the calves, then the waist.

The moment the streams converged, Muelsyse appeared in the space, dressed in a Rhine Lab uniform. Like a sculpture painstakingly shaped by a master craftsman, every curve was rendered with perfect precision.

"Eesh."

She lightly descended from the air and tested the sensation of her feet touching the floor. Once she confirmed that the five senses of her water duplicate had returned, she let out a long breath and prepared to pretend she'd emerged from the bedroom water dispenser.

Once she was sure everything was in order, she nodded confidently, then turned toward the door.

And then she saw the Pegasus standing there, draped in a towel and watching.

"That's impressive."

Gerald had somehow already appeared inside the bedroom. He had quietly watched the entire transformation of the beautiful girl before him and couldn't help applauding her performance.

...?

Muelsyse froze for a moment. Her silver pupils contracted slightly, like some creature that had sensed a predator approaching. The air seemed to solidify, and the brief silence was so deep she could almost hear the echo of water droplets falling.

Then—

"Eeeeeeeek—?!?"

The little fairy exploded.

Her entire body jolted as if she'd been electrocuted, her head nearly bouncing into the ceiling. She instinctively hugged herself, stiffly recoiling backward and nearly turning herself back into water to flee. In that brief instant, her reaction speed even surpassed the limits recorded by most experimental data.

"Y-you, you, you, youyouyouyou when did you get in here—!!!"

Muelsyse's voice jumped several octaves. The clothes formed by Manifold mimicry clattered loudly as the little ornaments on them constantly collided. She practically backed into the wall, searching desperately for a safe corner to hide in.

But she'd forgotten that this was Saria's bedroom. There was only a bed and a desk for work; aside from the wardrobe and bedside cabinet, there was nothing else. Where was she supposed to hide?

Muelsyse's gaze darted everywhere, but after finding nothing, she could only glare fixedly at the silver-haired Pegasus standing by the door.

That person wore nothing but a towel, his entire body still carrying the dampness of a recent bath. Yet even she could see all sorts of things that were wrong... his footsteps had made no sound at all, his presence was unreasonably overwhelming, and even just standing there, he was like a moving wall.

Then, under her intense hostility and stare, the "wall" spoke.

"It's truly impressive. Although the duplicate is fragile, I can't find anywhere to Sever it at all."

Gerald even repeated himself earnestly, evaluating her with complete sincerity. "Please forgive my rudeness, but you truly are one of the most remarkable people I've ever met. I hope you won't mind what I just did. We can sit down and talk."

Now he understood what Saria must have felt when she saw him use Originium Arts without a staff.

Because a similar situation was unfolding right before his eyes.

He was certain this was an effect no Originium Arts could achieve. Even the witchcraft of the Royal Courts probably couldn't do it. Their arts didn't particularly include the shaping of water; they were more about interpretations of concepts and an even more extreme kind of violence... Stonewing Demons might be an exception, but he had never actually encountered one.

This type of ability, similar to his control over wind—both manipulating nature, sharing common ground while differing significantly in certain ways—truly fascinated him.

Gerald couldn't help nodding. Then he looked around at the "clothes" in the room and on his own body and sighed.

He should have waited until Saria returned. At the very least, he shouldn't have been engaging in an academic exchange with her in this state.

Muelsyse, being watched by the Pegasus with that peculiar look: "..."

This wall-like person was praising her... Was she having some kind of nightmare right now?

She took a deep breath and forcibly steadied her nearly shattered sanity. "May I ask who you are?"

"Saria's friend, just like you." Gerald pointed outside. "Those plants have been watered, so I assumed one of her friends visited from time to time to take care of them. It seems today's timing was good. We ran into each other. Saria just went out to buy something, and I think she should be back soon."

Those few sentences eased the awkward atmosphere slightly. Muelsyse quickly controlled some water to inspect the security measures by the entrance.

The result did put her somewhat at ease. At least, judging from the intact lock on the door, he probably hadn't forced his way into the room.

Besides, there would be no reason to come here if that were his intention. Saria didn't work at home, and this wasn't some safehouse.

...Wait.

"You and Saria really are just friends?"

The fairy's expression became particularly complicated as she began studying the Pegasus in front of her with extreme seriousness.

"Based on what I know of her, she isn't someone who would mind letting a friend come into her home to bathe, considering the environment we were in before wasn't very good." Gerald realized the woman before him seemed to be thinking about something strange and couldn't help reminding her, "You may be overthinking this."

"Then what did she go out to buy?"

"Some necessities."

Muelsyse's gaze swept over Gerald again, lingering especially on his solid muscles and still-damp silver-white hair. Then her eyes gradually became dangerous.

"...Something's wrong. Very wrong." She murmured, seeming to speak to herself while scrutinizing the Pegasus before her. "Since when has Saria been this considerate toward anyone?"

She frowned, her eyes filled with suspicion and subtle confusion. Saria had always presented herself as a lone wolf. While her social circle wasn't narrow, she definitely wasn't warm or proactive.

Whether it was her colleagues at Rhine Lab or her small circle of friends, there were very few people she would actively care for, much less personally go out to buy clothes for.

Muelsyse's thoughts raced, and she had already begun deducing all sorts of possibilities—

Possibility one: this man was an extremely, extremely important partner to Saria, and they shared common goals and convictions.

But there was a major flaw in that theory. Saria never brought partners home, and she herself never worked from home. Even for important people, she'd only arrange things at Rhine Lab, not... her own bathroom. Besides, Saria was no longer part of Rhine Lab.

Possibility two: he was a distant relative of Saria's.

That didn't work either. Muelsyse knew a little about Saria's family background, and relatives who would receive this kind of care from her practically didn't exist. Besides, if that were the case, he wouldn't need to brush her off by calling himself a friend.

Possibility three... and the one she currently considered quite plausible.

Saria had finally figured it out.

If she had to say it was impossible, Muelsyse instead felt that although Saria appeared decisive and forceful, once she met someone she truly acknowledged, perhaps the scene before her really could happen?

After all, everyone slowly changed with time, and meeting someone special was only natural. Besides, this Kuranta in front of her looked very strong—Saria might not even be able to beat him.

But wasn't this change happening a little too fast?

The thought of a little Vouivre child calling her "Auntie Muelsyse" inevitably cast a trace of melancholy across the little fairy's face.

Just as Muelsyse was immersed in her deductions and shock, the door opened with a click.

Steady footsteps followed.

The two people in the room instantly fell silent. Muelsyse suddenly came to her senses and, almost by reflex, swiftly straightened up, folding her arms across her chest with an expression that said, "I wasn't thinking about anything."

Gerald merely tilted his head slightly, calmly looking toward the doorway.

Soon, Saria entered the only open room with a bag in hand.

She had only intended to return the items to Gerald as quickly as possible, then discuss their next move with him after calming herself down.

But the moment she stepped into the room, she sensed the strange tension in the air.

Her eyes swept between Gerald and Muelsyse. They lingered for a moment on the towel barely wrapped around Gerald's waist, then moved to the little fairy, whose expression was peculiar and whose mouth was twitching wildly. Her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Why are you in my home, Muelsyse?"

"?"

Muelsyse blankly looked at the close friend she had known for years, then at Gerald beside her, who had accepted the bag and taken out clothes and appeared to have known Saria for less than half a year at most.

"So I'm the extra one here now?"

Saria's home actually had a round table.

Perhaps she'd once imagined that her two friends might occasionally come here as guests. Or perhaps it was simply a matter of personal aesthetic preference, believing such a design better suited the overall layout of the room. But regardless of the original purpose, at this moment, the table happened to be the ideal place for the three of them to sit around.

That naturally included Miss Muelsyse, who had crashed on the spot after receiving the answer "yes."

The little fairy, completely sunk by Saria's single blow, was sprawled across the tabletop, her cheek pressed against the smooth wooden surface as she lapsed into prolonged silence. Her Manifold form remained completely motionless, as if even its simulated breathing had slowed by several beats. Her entire face bore the expression of someone unable to accept reality's devastating blow, her vacant eyes staring at the grain of the table like she'd been factory-reset.

Meanwhile, Gerald had gotten dressed.

Although he had begun to find it unsurprising that every time he went to someone else's home, he was given a new set of clothes, the sense of déjà vu still felt strangely subtle—especially considering how perfectly the two garments fit his body.

Saria's criteria for choosing clothing were clearly just like her usual style: clean, sharp, free of unnecessary ornamentation, yet carrying an indescribable attentiveness.

He lowered his head to straighten his cuffs and moved his shoulders. The fabric against his skin was even more comfortable than he'd expected.

After lightly adjusting his clothes, Gerald looked up and met Muelsyse's resentful gaze.

If Muelsyse's initial look had carried a hint of scrutiny, it had now completely turned into something like an instinctive protectiveness toward a child—the expression of an old mother terrified that her own child would be kidnapped. She practically wanted to tuck Saria behind her and guard her fiercely from anyone touching her.

Saria was currently cooking in the kitchen—the bet she and Gerald had made hadn't been fulfilled yet, so on her way back, she'd quietly bought some ingredients as well.

They could have done plenty of things during this awkward stretch of time... but perhaps the best choice now was to address the person across from him, who seemed to be someone at least at Rhine Lab director level.

After all, she looked like she was about to break apart.

"So, don't you have anything you need to explain?" The fairy pressed her beautiful face against the spotless table and turned it slightly to glance at the Pegasus before her. She muttered weakly, "And you called yourselves friends... Hmph. What kind of friend makes her go out specifically to buy clothes, and clothes that fit this well?"

"You're right, but I don't think friends visit someone's home specifically while they're absent just to water their plants either." Gerald fell silent for a moment, his gaze landing on the lush greenery in the room before he slowly replied, "Unless there are other intentions involved."

Hearing this, Muelsyse shifted slightly from where she lay sprawled across the table and raised a hand.

A small droplet of water was currently spinning deftly around her index finger. It floated at her fingertip, constantly changing shape with the movement of her finger.

The little fairy narrowed her golden eyes slightly, straightened up, and looked at the man across from her with a half-smile.

"Minus ten points." She paused, flicking her wrist. The droplet was gently tossed into the air, hovering above her fingertip. After spinning half a circle, it steadily landed back in her palm. "Your observational skills aren't bad, but that response was far too cliché. Besides—"

"Liking to expose secrets and get to the bottom of things is something girls find very annoying."

Before her words had even faded, she flicked her hand casually. The water sphere at her fingertips left her palm and flew at Gerald, heading straight for his face.

Yet just as the sphere was about to touch his skin, its flight abruptly stopped. It then silently dissipated into the air like mist, becoming fine vapor that blended into the surrounding environment.

"...Huh?"

Muelsyse suddenly shot upright from her chair, staring at Gerald as if she'd just spotted some rare species. Her gaze fell on the ring on his hand, and her brows knitted tightly together.

"What is it?"

Gerald still wore the same calm expression, as if the brief exchange had never happened. Even his sitting posture hadn't changed in the slightest.

"You too—!!" As Muelsyse realized what that scene had meant, her eyes gradually grew brighter and brighter, the overflowing anticipation nearly spilling from their depths.

But when she saw Gerald's incredibly flexible ears gently twitching atop his head, the light in her eyes dimmed once more. She returned to the half-dead state she'd been in while lying on the table. "...No, forget I said anything."

She quietly sighed and said listlessly, "Anyway, I already know Saria trusts you a great deal. Otherwise, she wouldn't bring someone into her own home."

"The same could be said of you." Gerald nodded, quietly watching the "girl" before him, who was most likely one of Rhine Lab's founders, before continuing.

"I think I know why Saria chose Pete Fruit assorted candies when she was picking out birthday gifts for children."

"...She told you even that, besides the plan?"

Muelsyse paused slightly, then sat up straight. Blinking those lively eyes, she spoke with surprise in her voice. "Not bad! To make that diamond open her heart this much—speaking as Saria's best friend, I think very highly of you!"