After Celia rejoined the team, Dorothy soon bid them farewell. She planned to begin her duties as their instructor the following day.
Celia, in high spirits, didn’t linger at the Adventurers’ Guild either. With a grand gesture, she swept Isha and Aurora along, embarking on a shopping spree through the city.
It wasn’t until dusk painted the sky in hues of yellow and orange that they returned to Lena’s villa, laden with numerous shopping bags.
“We’re back, Sister Lena!”
Isha pushed the door open without ceremony, her assertive gait imbued with an undeniable cuteness. From the kitchen, where she was cooking in an apron, Lena poked her head out at the sound.
“Welcome back.”
“These are all gifts for you! Sister Lena, quickly open them and take a look!”
Setting down her numerous bags, Isha marched straight into the kitchen. She linked her arm with Lena’s, pulling her towards the living room, her rosy cheeks alight with anticipation.
Aurora and Celia stood quietly nearby, their gazes fixed on the scene, eagerly awaiting the moment Lena would unwrap the presents.
With a helpless chuckle, Lena indulged them, beginning to open the gifts.
Flower-shaped hair clips, a rather adorable pink dress, a delicate vanity mirror, a sparkling ladies’ necklace…
Observing the array of gifts, all clearly favored by girls, her lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
“They’re truly beautiful.”
She praised them with a smile, even fiddling with a hair clip for a moment before putting the gifts away.
Seeing that Lena seemed genuinely pleased, Celia couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Isha, who had been the most excited, was no different. The moment Lena set the gifts aside, she darted into the kitchen, presumably to sneak some pastries.
Lena paid her no mind, turning instead to Celia and Aurora. “Thank you for the gifts,” she said, “but I haven’t prepared anything in return.”
“No need! We gave you gifts to thank you for making me stay an extra day,” Celia declared. “Because of that one day, I don’t have to check out anymore!”
Celia crossed her arms, letting out a couple of hums, feigning mystery as she stopped speaking.
Yet, her face practically screamed, ‘Ask me, quick!’
Lena, naturally discerning her little ploy, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Feigning a touch of surprise and confusion, she asked, “Oh? Is there some good news?”
“That’s right! Our team finally has an instructor, which means we can participate in the Adventurer Trials and become true adventurers!”
“Really? So, Celia, you won’t have to be sad about parting ways with your friends anymore, will you?”
“Ah, sad about what? Lena must be mistaken! I, when have I ever been sad?”
Awkwardly attempting to conceal her affection for her friends, Celia stammered out an explanation, a faint blush creeping across her pretty face.
“Aurora, don’t listen to Lena’s nonsense! I would never be sad about something like that!”
Faced with such a flimsy denial, Aurora covered her mouth, stifling a giggle.
“Lady Celia, you’re saying one thing but meaning another~”
“Aurora!”
Lena wasn’t sure what she had said wrong, but Celia reacted like a kitten whose secret had been exposed, constantly baring her teeth at her.
It took considerable effort for Lena to soothe the little feline, calming its ruffled fur back to sleekness.
Afterward, Lena walked into the kitchen and resumed making dinner.
However, the kitchen, previously occupied by only one person, now hosted a petite figure whose mouth was smeared with chocolate crumbs.
“Little glutton.”
Bending down, Lena tapped Isha’s nose, then gently took the two untouched cakes from her grasp.
Seeing this, Isha grabbed Lena’s sleeve, growing anxious.
With cake still in her mouth, she mumbled incoherently:
“Sister Lena, *munch*, I’m going to be an adventurer someday. If you feed me well today, when I become a councilor, I’ll help you open flower shops all over the empire!”
“And then, if you just say the word, I can be your personal maid for a few days! Those bad guys who covet your beauty? I’ll punch them one by one!”
Gazing at Isha’s watery eyes and exceptionally pitiful expression, Lena’s heart softened. She ultimately handed the cake back.
“Here, take it. I’ll be waiting for you to become a councilor then.”
“Mm-hmm!”
Opening her cavernous mouth, Isha took a massive bite, half of the cake disappearing. She then narrowed her eyes contentedly, utterly satisfied.
Among the four of them, Isha was the shortest, yet she possessed the largest appetite. Even after devouring so much cake before dinner, she still managed to finish her meal.
****
Time flew by, and soon the moon hung high in the sky outside the window.
Isha and Aurora had gone to bed early, but Celia had ventured onto the balcony. She leaned her hands on the railing, her nightgown fluttering gently in the evening breeze.
“What’s wrong? Why are you still awake so late?”
Lena spotted her while passing by. Instinctively, she took off her own outer jacket and draped it over Celia.
“The wind is strong tonight; don’t catch a cold.”
It was autumn, and though the night wind wasn’t biting, it carried a distinct chill.
Celia glanced at Lena’s bare arms, then took the jacket off and handed it back to her.
“Lena, you’re the one who needs to be careful. I have magic within me; I’m not afraid of the cold.”
Humans possessing magic were fundamentally different from ordinary humans. They lived longer and could accomplish many feats beyond the capabilities of normal people.
For instance, they could ward off the cold with magic.
Lena silently accepted the jacket. She joined Celia, leaning on the railing and gazing into the distance.
The crisp autumn air filled her nostrils. In the distance, tree branches swayed, and within the dim forest, various flowers were illuminated by the scattered glow of fireflies, creating a breathtaking spectacle.
After a long silence, Celia spoke. “Thank you. If it weren’t for you, I might have missed this opportunity.”
“It was your own choice,” Lena replied. “I merely offered a suggestion.”
“My own choice, huh?”
Cradling her chin in her hands, she didn’t respond to Lena directly. Instead, she gazed at the moon and began to speak of their new instructor.
“I really didn’t expect a senior adventurer to be willing to become our team’s instructor, Lena. Do you know? Senior Dorothy is so gentle; I feel an inexplicable sense of peace when I’m around her.”
“What’s more, it’s the first time anyone has encouraged me to pursue my own dreams. You know, the people in my family rarely even care about my thoughts…”
“I really like her.”
Lena paused, then a warmth spread through her heart.
“It’s good that you like her. In the future, you must strive to become a true adventurer under your instructor’s guidance.”
“Of course!”
Having said this, a spirited Celia stretched languidly before leaving the balcony.
However, with her back to Lena, she suddenly remembered something. She turned, making a shushing gesture.
“Please don’t tell anyone else what I told you tonight, okay?”
It was a maiden’s secret.
As the listener, Lena would naturally keep it confidential.
****
After Celia returned to her room, Lena took out the magic communicator she carried with her, glancing at the incessantly flashing messages.
Sharlene: [Ahhh, Lena! You know Senior Silverbloom and you didn’t tell me?! Ten years of friendship, my heart aches!]
[Our bond has weakened, Lena, you’re so unfamiliar! Where has the gentle and virtuous Lena of old gone?!]
[Speak, Lena! Speak to me!]
[Not replying to my messages? Just you wait, just you wait!]
Lena’s lips twitched. With a soft click, she closed the communicator again.
Sharlene’s private persona was so fervent, it made Lena a little apprehensive.