Letting go of children. Letting go of parents.

The room's temperature dropped in sync with Lovell's voice.

(Oh no!)

Elen instantly leapt between Gadiel and Lovell, raising a stone wall around Gadiel.

In an instant, several ice arrows struck the wall from a position that had neatly dodged Elen.

"Father!"

"Stay calm, Elen. I'll take care of this. Papa will erase it."

A chill ran down her spine at Lovell's cheerful smile, but Elen glared at him and shouted,

"Sisters!"

"Huh? Us?"

"Oh? What is it...?"

"Get Gadiel to the Dual Goddesses' boundary—now!"

"Well..."

"I suppose there's no choice."

The Dual Goddesses quickly teleported Gadiel away. The boundary was beyond Lovell's reach—his power couldn't penetrate the Origin's domain. That was the one thing they all knew.

"Cheh."

Lovell didn’t even try to hide his scoff as he turned straight to Elen.

"Hey, Elen… why hide it?"

"Because Father’s trying to kill Gadiel."

"Of course he is. What else would he do? Seducing his daughter like that?"

"The contract’s my own business. I decide this myself!"

"Why… why of all people… *him*…?!"

To Lovell, the Tembarl royal family was nothing short of an abomination.

That was a grudge born in childhood—something Elen couldn’t possibly argue with, no matter how hard she tried.

"I already paid the debt by making you half-spirit, didn’t I? This contract’s separate!"

Lovell didn’t know the meaning of Elen’s bond—was furious that she’d gone so far as to agree to something beyond that.

"You… you don’t need this contract with Elen-chan, not for half-spirithood…"

"What…?"

"Origin" said, sounding apologetic. "I never explained this properly, did I?"

"Even if you and I keep our contract going, becoming half-spirit doesn’t change your soul—it stays human. But then the power of your half-spirit body and your human soul wouldn’t match up anymore. That’s why a goddess’s contract was necessary."

"So why does it have to be Elen? Couldn’t anyone else do it?!"

Lovell shouted, his finger pointed straight at the Dual Goddesses. Elen blinked, startled, and muttered, "...That’s true," without meaning to, eyes flicking to the Dual Goddesses.

The story had always made it seem like Elen was the obvious choice—but she’d never heard about why the Dual Goddesses couldn’t do it themselves.

"Oh dear, the blame’s shifted to us now, hasn’t it?"

"Eh~? But I mean, come on?"

Something about the Dual Goddesses seemed… flustered.

Elen tilted her head, confused. Meanwhile, Van nudged Vol with an elbow.

It was as if she were practically urging, “Just say it already.”

I thought it’d be more interesting if I made a deal with Elen instead of Lovell.

And Vaul said, beaming with a wide smile. At his side, Vael burst into loud laughter.

You all!!!

Furious, Lovell loosed an ice arrow toward the Dual Goddesses.

"Besides, if we don’t do it this way, Elen won’t even realize what she’s feeling!"

That's right! We only helped, since little one wanted that future too!

I suppose she knows where the arrows are coming from. The two of them casually dodge the ice arrows, one after another, as if it's nothing at all.

"Stop fooling around!!"

"Kyaa~ Lovell's mad~!"

"Kyaa~ I'm getting out of here~!"

The Dual Goddesses vanished in a flash, laughing all the way.

"Damn it! Always so quick to run away!"

"Ugh. You're the one who's always rushing, Lovell."

Origin gave Lovell a sharp "Meh!" as she scolded her for aiming arrows at the elder sisters.

Hearing the Dual Goddesses' words, Elen pressed a hand to her chest.

Exactly as they said—she’d been deliberately suppressing the urge to look at Gadiel with the eyes of someone in love.

He was involved with the Vanklyft Family, after all.

She’d used the excuse of his cursed status as a shield, avoiding him all this time.

But for some reason, during the spirit festival, Gadiel’s voice had reached her ears.

Year after year after year.

Overpowered by the purity and sincerity of his voice, Elen had secretly peeked in.

Probably even then, she’d already been unconsciously drawn to him.

"Elen!"

"Yeeek!"

Elen blinked, startled by Lovell’s voice, and realized she’d been lost in thought.

“Break the contract.”

Said abruptly, Elen bristled.

“No.”

“Elen!”

“I—”

Recalling the words Gadiel had spoken, Elen stared straight at Lovell.

“I’m walking forward with Gadiel.”

Lovell’s eyes widened at Elen’s serious expression. Origin, standing beside him, gasped, “Well now!”

“W-what…?”

“Father.”

“Wh-what is it, Elen…?”

Elen smiled sweetly at Lovell, who was clearly flustered—his unease utterly transparent.

“Let me go. I’ll let you go too.”

Lovell’s lips twitched, a sharp little flinch.

She’d been reminded, by the Dual Goddesses, that her own actions were hindering Elen’s growth.

This whole sequence of behavior—exactly this—was what was blocking Elen’s progress.

For Elen to grow, it was most important that Lovell let her go—right here, right now.

The more painfully aware he was of that truth, the less he could say.

Leaving Lovell frozen in place, Elen transferred away.

I was heading toward Vanclift to deliver a token of thanks to the Dual Goddesses, who’d helped evacuate Gadiel.

＊＊＊

Seeing Elen’s serious expression, Lovell looked as though he’d burned to a crisp from the inside out.

Watching Lovell’s dazed, shattered state, Origin let out a wry smile.

“You’ve been called out, haven’t you?”

“B-But… Elen… that’s… I mean…”

“I’m not saying you have to do it right away. But isn’t just watching over her… not enough?”

“O-Ori…?”

Lovell twisted their face into a grimace. Origin gently cradled Lovell’s head, which had collapsed to their knees, and stroked it softly.

"If you keep complaining, you'll end up hated, you know?"

Lovell’s shoulder jerks sharply. That one, apparently, is something they really want to avoid.

...I’ll kill you when the moment’s right.

If they find out, it won’t just be about being disliked anymore…

Ugh... I should’ve just killed you already...

Even as she muttered something grim, Lovell was more downcast than ever before.

Arc had been silently watching the scene unfold, furrowing his brow in confusion at what Elen had just said.

Finally, she looked at the Origin with a desperate, clinging gaze and asked.

"What do you mean, 'walking together'?"

I felt something like unease from Ark, in response to Elen’s words.

"Getting married, is that it?"

Origin dropped that particular landmine right here, right now, with zero mercy.

As expected, Lovell and Ark collapsed from sheer shock.