"Do you like Senior Rohan?"

"Pfft!"

Ichinose Yui spat out water between her lips.

Hurriedly wiping the moisture flowing from her mouth, Ichinose racked her brain to compose herself.

Though it was already too late.

"L-like him... y-you mean as a friend, right?"

"Not at all. I thought Senior Ichinose might be in the same situation as me. Are we not comrades?"

Ichinose felt her lips go dry under Lete's gaze.

Her mind was overloaded and tangled.

'How on earth?'

How could her top-secret feelings be discovered after knowing Lete for only a few hours?

She couldn't even guess where or how she'd been found out. This was an emergency.

"Let's talk for a moment..."

"Yes."

As Lete nodded, Ichinose gathered her sword and stood up.

Looking at Rohan's back as he crouched making combat rations with Noah, she spoke.

"Rohan. I'll be stepping away with Lete for a bit. We won't go far, so don't worry."

"I'll be right back!"

Rohan paused his work and looked at them.

Avoiding Noah's tail that was swishing impatiently for food, he called out.

"Don't go too far! Shout if there's danger."

Ichinose and Lete moved away with smiles at the corners of their lips from Rohan's concern.

..

..

After walking a bit, they came across a rock covered with dried coral.

Ichinose and Lete headed behind the rock to talk.

"Sigh, I don't even know where to begin..."

Now that she was about to broach the subject, she felt overwhelmed.

Ichinose repeatedly tapped the rock with her finger as she pondered. The dried, twisted coral crumbled at her touch and rolled onto the ground.

"It's nothing significant. I was just curious about Senior Ichinose's feelings."

"..."

"If I'm mistaken, please tell me!"

Lete stood at attention, waiting.

Facing the girl who claimed to be her junior, Ichinose thought repeatedly. Would there be any point in denying her feelings out of embarrassment?

"How did you notice...?"

"I just felt it while watching you."

"If you had to pinpoint something?"

Where should she be careful if she wanted to hide her affection from those around her?

Lete rolled her eyes around before answering Ichinose's curiosity.

"It's especially in your eyes."

"Me...? Even though I usually keep my eyes closed?"

"Senior Ichinose opens her eyes very frequently when looking at Senior Rohan. Your gaze is so bright and pretty and cute!"

"Ugh...!"

Ichinose felt like she could die of embarrassment.

She had tried so hard to hide it, yet that's how others saw her.

Lete showed curiosity as she watched Ichinose struggling to regain her composure.

"Does Senior Ichinose have no intention of confessing?"

"I'm a bit timid... so I'm still thinking about it... What about you, Lete?"

Ichinose's answer was as good as a confirmation to Lete's earlier question.

Since this was the result Lete had expected, she nodded and openly shared her thoughts.

"I think going to Elysium Academy City is my priority for now. But things will be different when we return from the dungeon. I plan to visit the academy city as much as possible on my days off and make an impression on Senior Rohan."

"...That's impressive."

Lete's honest expression of feelings and straightforward approach was pie in the sky for Ichinose.

All she could say was how amazing it was.

"And I'd like to meet Senior's girlfriends too."

"...!"

"You know about them?"

"Of course I do. We're close, actually."

Ichinose couldn't stop marveling. This girl's thought process was incredibly fast.

Lete scratched her cheek awkwardly and continued with a sigh.

"While traveling with Senior Rohan this time, I saw photos on his phone. One is an elf and the other is a delicate, girlish beauty... it really crushed my spirit."

"But you haven't given up, right?"

"Of course not!"

The current Lete had resolved the concerns she had before falling into the dungeon.

Having sorted things out instantly after meeting Rohan, Lete now had only one path forward.

"I'd like to ask you something too, Lete."

"Yes! I'm all ears!"

"You asked Rohan for his phone number at the shopping mall, right? What was it about him that appealed to you then?"

A face that showed she hadn't expected the question.

Lete's eyes widened and her cheeks flushed.

"Y-you were watching?!"

"I wasn't far away."

"Ah... it was probably the most nervous moment of my life, so I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings."

"I think it took incredible courage. I couldn't do something like that."

Ichinose spoke honestly and felt her heart gradually becoming lighter.

In response, Lete recalled the past.

"It was such an urgent situation, wasn't it? I saw it in his actions then. Senior Rohan's true nature, values, personality—things like that."

"That makes sense. In such pressing times, people's true nature comes out."

"Exactly!"

Looking at the situation, this shouldn't have been something for Ichinose to smile about.

But she was pleased that there was another person who recognized Rohan's good qualities.

The two, sharing this common ground, exchanged smiles and felt they had grown a little closer.

Lete voluntarily opened up about what was on her mind.

"Actually, I live in the Sepia Archipelago. That's where I'm from, and I've been there since I was little."

"!"

This wasn't just a simple introduction. It was very important information for Ichinose.

Because like Samhwaguk, it was a country with a monogamous tradition.

"So when I first learned about Senior Rohan's background, I was very conflicted. And with an incident happening, I couldn't even contact him recently."

"I see."

"I still feel sorry for approaching him first and then behaving that way."

"Rohan probably doesn't mind much."

Lete smiled, saying that Rohan had indeed reacted that way.

The conversation continued.

"When I was very confused, my friends gave me a lot of advice. In the end, since they're on my side, they kept telling me things that would make me feel comfortable."

"..."

"But after meeting Senior Rohan in the dungeon and spending time with him, I realized something."

"What did you realize?"

How could she explain this feeling clearly?

After fiddling with her short hair, Lete thought hard and came up with an example.

"Senior Ichinose, do you know the story 'The Little Prince'?"

"Yes, of course I do."

"Then I think you'll also know about the rose in it."

That wasn't really a question. The conversation continued without needing an answer.

Ichinose nodded and quietly listened to what Lete had to say.

"Even if there are roses everywhere, the rose I love is still only the one I first gave my affection to."

"I understand..."

"Compared to the rose in the example, there might be a lack in terms of time or relationship, but this is the first time I've been interested in a man. That feeling of being captivated when I first saw him still remains."

Ichinose became convinced that Lete's rich sensibility would seep into and penetrate Rohan.

After all, the destructive power of her delicate sensitivity, contrary to her casual and straightforward exterior, was felt even by Ichinose.

"Honestly, I feel heavy-hearted knowing that Senior Ichinose is a competitor. His girlfriends already intimidate me, and now Senior Ichinose too... I really don't know how to proceed."

"Given that Rohan has girlfriends, the option of being a competitor is impossible. You've already decided to accept polygamy, right?"

"I understand...! As expected of a senior! Then please treat me well as a comrade!"

Lete exclaimed in admiration and took one of Ichinose's hands in both of hers.

Ichinose slightly opened her eyes to look at Lete's chest.

'Heavy-hearted, huh...'

The formidable weapons hidden under the oversized hoodie.

She had been so surprised when she saw Lete in a short-sleeved outfit while being treated by Rohan.

It certainly looked heavy.

'...Isn't that cheating?'

Wasn't that cheating by advancing the starting line?

It was clear that the person who should really be saying their heart was heavy was Ichinose herself.

— Food's ready! Come eat!

Noah's voice was heard.

The two knew it was time to end their conversation.

"Are you satisfied with what you wanted to know?"

"Hearing Senior's feelings is enough."

"..."

Lete's direct hit made Ichinose's face heat up.

This feeling showed no signs of becoming familiar.

"...Let's go quickly. Noah gets sensitive when hungry."

Just as they were about to return before the hungry tiger could cause a commotion,

Lete grabbed Ichinose's hand.

"Senior Ichinose."

"Yes?"

"Could you give me your number?"

..

..

When Ichinose and Lete returned after their conversation,

Rohan approached as he was laying out the prepared food.

"You're back?"

"We're back!"

As Lete approached with a bright voice and quick steps, Rohan narrowed his eyes.

"The torn part of your hoodie is getting wider? Lete, wear this."

Rohan untied his sword and gun and took off a layer of his academy uniform.

Lete's eyes sparkled as she looked at Rohan now in his shirt.

"I-is that okay?!"

"It's not a big deal. You can wear it comfortably even if it tears."

For some reason, Ichinose found Rohan a bit annoying.

"Hmph...!"

Ichinose approached Rohan and bumped her head against his shoulder with a thud.

It was her way of expressing her feelings strongly, but Lete, watching from behind, felt her heart ache at her senior's cuteness.

Rohan also smiled at the unexpected adorable behavior.

"Why is our Ichinose acting like this?"

"...I'm hungry."

Ichinose sat down next to Noah with her lips pouting.

'Is she jealous? Senior Ichinose is really lovable.'

Now Lete could see the inner meaning behind Ichinose's actions.

It was clear that she was confused and flustered by various feelings.

"Lete, sit down too."

At Rohan's invitation, Lete put on the clothes and sat down.

After the group quickly satisfied their hunger,

They hurried to prepare for departure.

"Let's break through and go home quickly."

"Ooooh!!!"

Noah's energetic response after eating.

Rohan chuckled and joked.

"Your spirit is like Gilbert's."

"Die!"

Rohan gathered his equipment while dodging Noah's kick.

The group headed toward the city visible in the distance.