From now on, together.

Elen stepped forward a pace, gripping the offered hand tightly.

Her eyes met Gadiel’s, who snapped his head up as if struck—Elen felt her temperature spike instantly.

Stammering, she managed to get it out properly.

“Ah… um… though I’m a clumsy sort… please take care of me…”

Too overwhelmed by Gadiel’s gaze, she instinctively looked down, trying to avert her eyes.

Face burning red. Hands probably sweating. By the end, her voice had dropped to a whisper.

(Oh…! I—so embarrassing…!! ………… Wait?)

Unease crept in as Elen noticed Gadiel’s unresponsive expression—she nearly yanked her hand free without thinking.

“!?!”

She realized she’d been caught in the act—then, just as quickly, Gadiel gripped her hand back, startling her into staring at him.

Our eyes met, and we both realized it—then, just as fast, Gadiel gripped her hand back, startling her into staring at him.

His smile spread slowly, like warmth seeping through skin. She couldn’t look away.

“…I’m happy. Thank you, Elen.”

“U-uh… yeah…”

The hand clutching hers was hot. Feels like her own body heat. Feels like Gadiel’s. Like it always does.

It was supposed to be Gadiel’s dream—but somehow, it felt too real.

“Right. Elen, come this way.”

“Huh?”

Still holding hands, she followed him to a lone circle floating in a pitch-black void. Inside it, a sofa sat alone, like a punctuation mark in an endless sentence.

“…A sofa?”

“Driitra-sama had it prepared for me. When I’m asleep, I don’t have awareness—but if someone calls me in a dream, I usually end up sitting here.”

“Whoa! That’s so convenient!”

I sit on the sofa at Gadiel’s prompting, but my hand stays linked to his.

(Oh… when exactly should I let go…?)

I have no idea when to release his hand. Gadiel sat down beside me, still holding on, looking delighted.

“When the Dual Goddesses call, there’s a table and chairs waiting. Even in a dream, it’s quite the experience.”

“The Dual Goddesses? So you’ve come here in Gadiel’s dreams after that?”

“Yeah. Right now, I’m learning about spirits. I’m grateful for the goddesses’ kindness. They’re wonderfully kind, aren’t they?”

“…Yeah, I guess so.”

I think I just sounded a little flat.

I can agree they’re kind—but what would Gadiel do if he found out the spirits are actually afraid of him?

“Ah!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Wait—his thoughts… I can’t hear them anymore…”

"Ah, I learned that method from the Dual Goddesses."

"Gadiel already remembers it! Amazing, I should learn it too."

"Hehe, thank you."

"No, really... I'm sorry."

Elen thought, trying not to let the other person’s thoughts leak out like that, especially without any accidents.

(Privacy is important!)

Just then, Lovell’s face popped into her mind.

"Ah, um... about Father..."

"Yeah. I’ve already heard from the Goddesses....I knew it was going to happen, so don’t worry about it."

"Wait, you knew...?"

"Yeah. I thought there might be danger just from expressing my feelings. You don’t need to worry about it, Elen."

"Uuu... I’m sorry, Father!"

Gadiel seemed to have read Lovell’s overprotective, doting behavior perfectly. She felt mortified. Utterly embarrassed.

I get it now—why you can’t take your eyes off Elen. It’s nice, really, that you two finally clicked… but Kai’s been eyeing you ever since, you know?

"Eh? K-Kai-kun?!"

My heart jumped.

I remembered Origin had seen it too, and suddenly I couldn’t help but fidget like a guilty child.

"...Elen, did something happen with Kai?"

"Eh?! H-How do you know?!"

"...You were confessed to?"

"How do you even know?!"

I shouted it before I could stop myself.

Oh no—too late. I glanced sideways at Gadiel, and though he was smiling, there was something icy in that smile. A chill ran up my spine.

"…Eep…"

I froze, pale as a ghost. Gadiel lifted our clasped hands, then pressed a soft kiss to the back of my hand.

"Of course you said no, right?"

I nodded, stiff as a broken doll.

If I’d accepted Kai’s confession, I wouldn’t be giving Gadiel this kind of reply.

“Didn’t expect you’d get there first, huh.”

Gadiel pouted, and Elen blinked at him, startled.

“Gadiel… you knew about Kai-kun, didn’t you?”

“Of course I did. We’ve been glaring at each other behind your back.”

“Huh!?!”

Just like Origin had said, Elen had apparently been pulverizing herself all over the place without even realizing it.

She was stunned—she hadn’t even known they’d been sizing each other up in secret.

“I even went and asked Lord Rylu about love. Looking back, it’s embarrassing—I barely knew him!”

“Wait, wait—Gadiel, you talk about love too?!”

I’d imagined royalty might get excited over such things, but Gadiel just looked utterly confused.

“Love talk?”

“Romance! Love!”

“…I’d rather just be with Elen from now on.”

“Huh?”

"Let me hear your feelings—then tell me everything about Elen, just like I’m telling you mine."

【Elen, I like you.】

"Wah—!"

Suddenly, the barrier breaks, and Gadiel floods my mind with his thoughts.

Elen turns bright red, flustered beyond words. Gadiel bursts into laughter, loud and clear.

＊＊＊

Origin, summoned by the Dual Goddesses, shrinks in on herself.

"Origin-chan, did you do something to Vaal?"

Vaal sips her tea lazily, voice light as a breeze.

"Uuu… sorry… I’m so sorry…"

"Really, Origin-chan. Don’t you think that was a bit harsh, treating me like that?"

"I was trying to fool Elen… and then I just… said it out loud…"

Vaal sighs, watching Origin wilt further.

"Come now, Elen-chan doesn’t fall for that kind of trick, does she?"

"That’s right! I was caught right away! And now I’m gonna get yelled at by Lady Vaul… I already did…!"

"Wow, Elen-chan, you’re something else!"

Vaul nods vigorously.

"I knew, you know? That Origin-chan was watching you through the water mirror."

That was before they reached the boundary of the Dual Goddesses.

Back then, when Origin called Van to her side and handed him the hand mirror, she flinched visibly.

"She saw Kai’s boy confessing to Elen-chan and kept Van from leaving, didn’t she?!"

"Kyaa~! B-But! B-But!!"

"I get it~! If Van had gone back to Elen-chan, it would’ve ruined everything~!"

"Origin-chan, you shouldn’t have found that so amusing~"

"Nooo! I just… I just couldn’t help it~!"

Back then, Origin had gone to the Dual Goddesses' boundary at the same time as Lovell.

I was actually watching the whole thing through the Spirit Castle’s water mirror when Elen got her confession from Kai.

“Yeah, I get it… but this is all Origin’s fault. So, uh—just a sec!”

Vaul clapped her hands sharply, and the maids instantly lined up, bowing their heads.

“As punishment, bring out the snacks Origin’s been hiding. Tea party time!”

“Nooooo!! I can’t take this!!”

Origin’s wail echoed through the Spirit Castle.