The young woman had no choice but to let her hold her.
Time ticked by. The embrace had already lasted more than ten minutes, yet Chiling showed no sign of letting go, and the Silverbloom Sword Princess made no move to struggle.
“Being with you feels so good. You smell so sweet, you’re so soft… and most importantly…”
Chiling looked down at the young woman in her arms, a flicker of suspicion in her eyes.
“Have you put some kind of spell on me? Why is it that every time we’re alone together, I find myself wanting to spill all my secrets?”
“If you wish to speak, I will listen.”
The young woman’s voice was as gentle as water, as if she would remain a quiet listener no matter what Chiling chose to say.
“What secrets are left? I’ve already told you everything.”
Chiling finally released her, stretching lazily before leaning back against the edge of the hot spring to gaze up at the sky.
It was night, and the sky was adorned with a brilliant moon and a smattering of stars.
“The night is so beautiful. It’s their loss for having other things to do and missing this… Huh? Is that a shooting star?”
Seeing the streak of light cross the sky, she quickly clasped her hands together, ready to close her eyes and make a wish. But she was too slow; the meteor had already vanished.
“Why did it disappear so fast? I didn’t even get to make my wish!”
She sounded dejected.
Witnessing this, the young woman subtly crooked her finger, and another bright meteor shot across the dark night sky.
“There’s another one,” she said, pointing at the star to urge Chiling to hurry.
Chiling once again clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and shouted, “I wish the four of us will never be separated!”
“You fool. If you say it out loud, the wish won’t come true.”
Lowering her hands, Chiling chuckled.
“But this is *your* shooting star. Of course I have to tell you the wish. Otherwise, how would you help us make it come true, Silverbloom?”
****
“Lena? Lena?”
A voice calling by her ear pulled her from her reverie. Turning her head, Lena saw that the young woman beside her was not Chiling, but Celia.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I was just lost in thought.”
“But you look so sad.”
“The past is always filled with a few regrets.”
After speaking, Lena lowered her head and fell silent.
It had been over twenty years since she had last seen her old teammates. A sudden wave of nostalgia washed over her.
She wondered if, after all these years, Chiling was still as hot-tempered as ever. Without her there, who did Chiling confide in now?
And her other two teammates…
She had been the one to bind their small party together, the link that connected them all. Yet, in the end, she was the first to leave.
Even after escaping the Demon King’s castle, she had never tried to find them.
She had betrayed their trust, tearing their vow of eternal friendship to shreds with her own hands.
And that would be her life’s greatest regret.
Just as her spirits sank, the playful shouts of a young girl came from behind.
“Here I come!”
“Isha, slow down!”
Before she could react, a pink figure plunged into the hot spring with a loud splash, sending a wave of water crashing over her and Celia.
At the edge of the spring, Aurora covered her face in exasperation.
“Isha!” Celia wiped the water from her face and called out her name in annoyance.
Isha merely poked her head out of the water without a word, the surface bubbling with her breath.
Perhaps knowing her personality, Celia didn’t scold her further. Soon after, Sharlene arrived, wrapped in a bath towel.
She left her long, slender legs exposed, which, paired with her delicate frame, made for a particularly captivating sight.
“Are you all done already?”
“You’re just too slow!” Celia retorted.
“My apologies. At my age, one must take extra care of one’s skin.”
“You’re a Fifth-Rank Hero. You won’t get any older, so what’s there to worry about?”
Celia’s words made Aurora glance at Lena. “The one with the best-maintained skin has to be Sister Lena, right? You look even fairer than President Sharlene.”
Several pairs of eyes turned to Lena. Celia expressed her envy outright, but Lena understood the deeper meaning behind Aurora’s words.
She was afraid Celia’s comment had struck a sore spot, for Lena, lacking mana, had a finite lifespan and would one day grow old.
‘This clever girl can be quite thoughtful sometimes.’
However, what Aurora didn’t know was that such things would never cause Lena any grief.
****
The rest of their time was spent enjoying the hot spring. The well-traveled Sharlene recounted tales of heroes who had risen to fame in recent years, filling the three young women with admiration and igniting an unquenchable fire of determination in their hearts.
Watching them, Lena saw a reflection of her former self.
Before becoming a Hero, she too had been filled with the same yearning and reverence for her predecessors.
But now, the story of the Silverbloom Sword Princess had long since reached its end. Today, she was just an ordinary instructor training the next generation, and their landlady.
After listening quietly to Sharlene’s stories, Lena began to feel a little dizzy from the heat. She decided to leave the hot spring and head back to the changing room.
Sharlene followed her, leaving Celia and the others still soaking. It was just the two of them.
Seeing the opportunity, Lena decided to tell her what was buried deep in her heart, and in doing so, put an end to any ideas Sharlene might have about her.
“I’m sorry, Sharlene, but there’s something I’ve never told you.”
She changed her clothes and walked over to Sharlene. The Guild President had yet to fasten the buttons on her chest, and a single glance was enough to reveal the snowy peaks beneath.
“What is it?”
Sharlene paid it no mind, far more concerned with Lena’s current demeanor.
She was too serious—so serious that a flicker of unease stirred in her heart.
After a moment’s hesitation, Lena said, “I’m actually married. And I have a child.”
“…Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve known you for ten years, and I’ve never once heard you mention a husband or a child.” Sharlene’s expression didn’t change, though her tone was laced with disbelief.
“There’s a reason for that, but I can’t tell you what it is.”
“Is it with Senior Silverbloom?”
“Huh? No, it’s not…”
“I should have guessed. That’s the only way you could possibly know Senior Silverbloom.”
As if she had found a logical explanation, Sharlene subconsciously adjusted a pair of non-existent glasses and mumbled to herself.
“After all the terrible things Senior Silverbloom went through, if she returned to her hometown and met you, it’s easy to see how your damnable kindness would capture her heart.”
“No, that’s not it. It’s not what you think…”
Seeing that Sharlene had jumped to the wrong conclusion, Lena tried to explain, but Sharlene cut her off with a light laugh.
“Pfft. It doesn’t matter, Lena. I’m just a little surprised that you’re married and can’t even tell me who it is.”
“Still, that must mean your husband’s identity is quite extraordinary. Senior Silverbloom is one possibility… but it could also be…”
“Wait, does that mean Senior Silverbloom is actually a guard assigned to protect you by your husband?! To be able to command Senior Silverbloom… there doesn’t seem to be anyone like that among the humans.”
“You didn’t marry the Demon King, did you? No, that’s not right. The Demon King may be of high status, but how could he possibly command Senior Silverbloom?”
Sharlene’s deductions were, admittedly, quite logical. And while the process was flawed, the conclusion was correct.
The man Lena had married was, in fact, the Demon King.
So when Sharlene mentioned marrying the Demon King, Lena’s body gave an imperceptible shudder.
“What are you letting your imagination run wild for?” she interjected quickly, afraid that if Sharlene continued, she would recall memories she preferred to keep buried.
If that happened, she might actually give herself away.
But seeing that Sharlene didn’t seem disheartened, Lena let out a breath, realizing she had been overthinking things.