Alnea had read somewhere that eating with a smile could make food taste better, and even help in digestion. A saying, that some said came from mothers trying to trick their children. Others said that it was one of the fundamental truths of the world, learned by their forefathers through their experience. A more primitive form of expression of the Mysteries of Life, Day, and Night, all intermingling with each other to create the phenomenon.

  Whether those speculations true or not, he did not know. And even if they were, he would not care. The only reason he had used that saying was to make Cecilia smile. Which she did, giggling at his words.

  “You should say that to yourself,” Cecilia said, swiping her Blood Card, and entering the canteen after Yuri. He was following right behind them though, so he did not miss her next words. “Have you seen yourself recently?”

  “What’s wrong with me?”

  “Everything. I finally understand why Yuri was saying that you have changed. When did you last smile from your Heart?”

  “…If I recall correctly, it was just three days ago when I was taken down right outside of this hall, and tickled till I almost cried.”

  “That’s not the same,” Cecilia said, shaking her head. “Forcing laughter out from you, and laughing by yourself is different.”

  “…It sounds to me like you are glossing over the fact that you two pinned me down, and almost made me cry in front of everyone.”

  “…Let’s not fuss over the trivial matters,” Cecilia said, as the picked up their plates, and a couple of dishes, before walking towards an empty table. “The more important point is, you have been so busy that you almost forgot yourself. Especially with all the Trials… All you care about is challenging the Trials and breaking its records.”

  “…Have I not apologised about it already? And we are also taking a rest from challenging the Trials tomorrow.”

  “Huh…”

  “…Just huh? Did you not notice the changes I have been making in the past few days? How I have been trying to restrain my impulsiveness, and urge to train, while also trying to indulge in more normal conversations?”

  “No—I meant yes, you have indeed started changing for the good over the past few days. Good work. Keep it up.”

  “…You just copied what Yuri said to me, and said it in a different way, didn’t you?”

  “…I think you are imagining things.”

  “…Say it while looking me into my eyes.”

  “…Go away. Let me have my dinner in peace.”

  “…Now that I think about it, was that what your tantrum earlier was about?”

  “…Who did you say was throwing a tantrum?”

  “Were you trying to make me stop focussing too much on the Trials, and spend more time with you?”

  “That’s it,” Cecilia said, slamming her hands on the table. “I—

  “Stop,” Yuri said, with a hand on her forehead, while looking at them with a helpless smile. “Can you two at least look at the place and time before flirting with each other?”

  “Flirting? With her?”

  “Huh? Do you have a problem with me?”

  “See? Look at her reaction. She looks as if she ready to eat me. Who would even dare to flirt with her?”

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  “Who are you looking down on? I have plenty of people who want to flirt with me.”

  “Are you sure that they were not begging for their lives?”

  “You are talking as if you know what flirting is.”

  “At least I know it better than you.”

  “Is that so? Who did you learn it from? The vixen?”

  “What does it matter to you who I learn to flirt from?”

  “See, look at this shameless pervert. Not even sixteen, and already learning how to flirt. I can already see what a big pervert he is going to become in the future.”

  “At least I would not go around beating people without any reason.”

  “Who are you calling a savage brute?” Cecilia said, slamming her hands on the table once again, before turning towards Yuri. “Look at how rude he is. Such a man… I would not flirt with him even if he was last man in the world.”

  “…When did I ever call you a brute?” Alnea said, slamming his hands on the table in a fashion mirroring Cecilia’s gestures. “And I would not flirt with you even if you were the last woman in the world.”

  “…Say that without grinning, or blushing, and I might just believe you two,” Yuri said, shaking her head, while letting out a rare laugh. “You can do whatever it is that you two are doing back in the mansion. For now, just eat your dinner and do not embarrass each other any more than you already have.”

  Brought back to reality by Yuri’s words, Alnea glanced at the people around him, and found varying expression on their faces. Some of them were smiling, as if amused by the show, while the others were irritated by having their peace disturbed. There were even a few who were expressing their derision. However, no matter what kind of expression they were showing, most, if not all of them were staring at him and Cecilia.

  Faking a cough, Alnea hurriedly bowed down towards the plate in front of him, trying to hide his face. Normally, he would have just used his Aspects to hide his embarrassment, but it was too late. It may have been that he was too tired, or maybe he was just a little too excited. In any case, as Yuri had said, he had forgotten to hide the flush on his cheeks. Using his Aspects after everyone had already seen his flushed face was not going to fool anyone.

  On the other end of the table, Cecilia was even more embarrassed than him. At least he had practised his shamelessness for over a year, making it easier for him to bear the embarrassment. Cecilia… she had never been the kind who could silently bear her embarrassment. As such, the more other people looked at her, the more fiercely she blushed, until her whole face had turned beet red. It was not until they finished their dinner, collected their rewards at the reception of the Arcanist Hall, and left the Blood Hall, that Cecilia returned to her normal self.

  “It is all your fault.”

  “How is it my fault?”

  “See. This is what I was talking about. If you did not argue with me, then no one would have noticed us.”

  “…So, you want me to just nod along with you?”

  “That’s not too hard to understand, is it?”

  “…Keep dreaming, brute!” Alnea said, before taking off towards their mansion, with Cecilia following right on his heels.

  “Stop right there, you baboon!”

  “…These two,” Yuri said, laughing helplessly, before picking up her pace in order to catch up with them. And that was how the battle royale that happened back in their mansion ended with his cries spreading in the main hall. Accepting his apologies, and declaring her victory with a laugh, Cecilia went to pick up Forne from Vestia’s room under the latter’s reluctant gaze.

  He was not very keen on catching up with the cat though. Not so surprisingly, from the way the cat hissed at him from time to time, the feeling was mutual. As such, after informing the girls about the meeting in the morning, and asking them to pass on the news to the rest of the Star Seekers, Alnea went back to his to room to rest. Truly rest, and not do anything. Except reflecting on himself, of course.

  Still, it was the first time in months that he was resting without thinking about Forging his Spirit, practising his Martial Styles, or anything even remotely related to the path of Wanderers. He had had a long day. Rather, he had been having a long day for quite some time. The threat of the Lotus clan’s alliance, pressure of strong competitors and unknown enemies, and the need to keep holding the team together, all the while constantly making progress, both as a Wanderer, and as a Trialist of the Lost City…

  If not for the strong sense of purpose in his Heart, he might have collapsed long ago. No matter how strong his determination was though, it could not stand against the external pressure constantly trying to corrupt his Heart, and months’ worth of accumulated mental fatigue trying to slowly distort his mind, all at the same time. At least not until he had truly Cleared his Heart. If he could have seen through the essence of his thoughts, he would not have been facing the problem he was in.

  Regardless, he understood that it was time for him to relax. To let his mind unwind. Maybe even sleep a little. As for the curse… Inkah’s month was still some distance away. Just one dream was not going to hurt him much. Even if it did, he still had people who would help him. People like Cecilia and Yuri. Maybe even Vestia. And the rest of the Star Seekers. They were his teammates. His companions. He could trust them. Just as they trusted him.