-----

"We were just walking to your home when I noticed it, nobody else did. Maybe because I can enhance my vision with Life Attribute Magic…" Elizabeth said.

"Ah… well yeah, that just happened I suppose." I sighed. "Don't go around telling everyone…"

"Don't worry, but between friends it will eventually be known, you know?" She sighed.

"Right…"

Elizabeth seemed to want to say something more, but then stopped herself.

"I'm glad about it… Erika is such a sweet girl, she's… like our leader after you in a way." Said Elizabeth. "I can entrust you to her."

"Entrust?" I wondered.

"Yeah, I hope you two can be happy. I kind of was hoping that!" She said.

"You're talking as if we were going to marry tomorrow or something, relax." I sighed. "I still remember what I promised to your grandfather."

"What… you promised him? Oh, ah!" Elizabeth suddenly blushed a bit. "T-That's… I thought you forgot…"

"I wouldn't forget that." I sighed, petting her head. "Hm? Why are you so red?"

"T-That's… just… Ahh… B-But you…? I… I haven't said anything yet about it!" She said while suddenly getting embarrassed and rebellious.

"Well, if you don't want to that's fine… I don't really want to force you." I said.

"That's… no, that's not it. I mean… Ah, I can't do this now… I need to think my feelings a bit more, and yours too, right?" She asked.

"I've already kind of made up my mind." I answered her with a confident smile.

"D-Dummy…"

Elizabeth blushed a bit.

"You've gotten awfully open with me, now you call me dummy too?" I sighed. "I thought you treated me with special treatment, the boys are always talking about it."

"T-That's… You're special to me, okay?" Elizabeth sighed, getting that out of her chest. "I don't know why but… as I grew up, I kind of got so shy over these things I used to be so open when I was little."

"Like saying that you would become my wife?" I giggled.

"Uwaah! That was so embarrassing!" She cried.

"What? You don't want to?" I laughed.

"Ugh, you're such a tease!" Elizabeth pouted. "I'll think about it! I-It's not like I was waiting for you to ask me our or something… Not at all!"

"You want me to ask you out? Well, okay." I shrugged.

"Ahhh! Wait, no… Uwaahh!" Elizabeth suddenly ended running away.

It seems puberty hit her hard, she used to be so open, I guess not everyone stays the same as Erika or Chris. Others change over time; it is part of growing up I suppose. Me included. Since I meet Elizabeth that I saw her as someone useful, but now, I don't even think about her in such a way.

I kind of want to protect her beautiful smile and everything that comes with her. She's… a walking light that guides our party more than I could really do. Despite her seeing herself as not so much of a party leader material, she's can indeed excel as one, especially at motivating people and raising morale.

But I suppose I should leave her on her own devices for a bit. She has to settle down her feelings so she doesn't talk so awkwardly like right now. I could tell she was trying to say something there…

"Blake! Where are you?"

Suddenly, I heard Erika's voice.

"Ah, Erika?"

"Blake!"

She suddenly caught me here, alone, and ran towards me.

"Why are you here? I saw Elizabeth walking away… What were you two doing?" She wondered, narrowing her eyes.

"…We were talking about something that happened to me." I said.

Best

"Hm… You're not lying. Ah, so what happened?" She wondered.

"I… Well, I don't know if it would be fine to tell you this…" I sighed. "She was able to see through it very easily because she's also one of them, but I don't know if-"

"Oh, you mean the shiny aura?" She asked. "I saw it!"

"Eh?!"

I guess a Dryad is really someone incredible.

"Did you get a blessing from the Holy Spirits?" She wondered. "I have to confess you something then… I did too."

"What?!" I asked in surprise. "When…?"

"When you helped me get my new body and… well, be reborn for real." Erika sighed, suddenly holding my hands. "I didn't wanted to tell you because you would get worried, I knew you were a worrywart deep down. Only my dad knew."

"What… spirit?" I wondered.

"Nature and Life, the two…" She said.

"Does that means something?" I wondered.

"They said… I was going to be the reincarnation of Yggdrasil, or something." Erika wondered, rubbing her chin. "I don't really get it, but it's something big, right? Like I am a hero! Are you a hero too?"

"I… guess. It is quite relieving to know there are three like us now, I suppose." I sighed.

"So how many?! Oh! I bet you got the darkness holy spirit?" She wondered innocently.

"Twelve…" I sighed.

"Twe… twelve?" Erika tilted her head in confusion.

"Yes, all twelve Holy Spirits." I sighed.

"EEEEH?!"

Erika's scream was slightly louder. Thankfully I had set up soundproof wind barrier this time.

"That's nuts!" She said. "You're like… the hero of heroes!"

"Yes, and I want it to be a secret…" I ended explaining to her everything I told to Elizabeth.

"Oh, so that's what you're worried about… Yeah, the same reason why I kept my blessings a secret too." She said with a smile.

"But you revealed them to me though, they're no longer a secret."

"That's because you're the person I trust the most, and you're always honest with me too…"

Erika's yellow and green eyes shone brightly, as they got closer to me.

"Mooch!"

She suddenly gave me a second kiss in my cheek this time.

"A second kiss?"

"What? You don't like them?"

"I do…"

"Heheh…Then here's another!"

Erika kissed my lips this time, a short yet sweet kiss.

"You're such a treasure." I sighed, hugging her out of the blue.

"Uwahh! W-Well, I guess a hug is okay too…" She said, petting my head.

-----