Kaguya's face, which had been full of reluctance just moments ago, underwent a complete transformation.
In the blink of an eye, it vanished without a trace, replaced by a slight smirk curling at the corners of her lips, accompanied by a soft, dismissive "tsk."
Then, she leaned closer, lowering her voice into a near-whisper that only the two of them could hear. "What? Just a kiss on the lips with Akira? That's nothing. I've already done that to him a long time ago."
Hearing those words, Lyra blinked in surprise.
Then she shrugged with exaggerated helplessness and responded, "Oh my, now that's unexpected! Honestly, I thought Alise would've been the first one to make a move."
The moment Kaguya heard Alise's name, her crimson eyes flickered with disbelief.
She furrowed her brows slightly and asked in disbelief, "Huh? That idiot captain actually knows how to pull something like that off?"
A sly grin tugged at Lyra's lips as she leaned in and lowered her voice as well, her words dripping with mischievous glee. "Hehehe… believe it or not, Ryuu and I saw it with our own eyes. That fool Alise actually forced a kiss on Akira!"
"Tch. Well, I guess it's not that surprising," Kaguya replied with a tone of helplessness, waving her hand as if trying to brush off the thought.
"After all, he's always been surrounded by girls. Just his existence alone draws them in like moths to a flame."
She paused, then added with an oddly serious tone, "Still… I just hope he doesn't attract too many more."
"If possible, it'd be best if there aren't any more at all. I mean… I wouldn't want my future children to have that many 'mothers.'"
Those words made Lyra momentarily freeze in place, blinking in disbelief.
"Wait, wait, wait—did you just say children?" She asked in a strange tone.
But Kaguya didn't seem to hear her. Instead, the corners of her lips lifted into a confident, almost victorious smile. A soft, bell-like laugh escaped her lips, as if she had already envisioned the outcome of this little war of affection.
She thought silently, "This time,I won't let go again."
With that, she turned lightly on her heel and began walking with calm grace toward the rest of the group, who were still laughing and chatting not far away.
Her gaze landed on Akira, who was still teasing that hopeless elf without a care in the world.
She called out with a sweet voice, "Hey! You two, that's enough now. Stop being so affectionate right out in the open."
"What nonsense are you saying, Kaguya!?" Ryuu's voice trembled as she looked like she was on the verge of tears. "It's Akira who keeps bullying me!"
Their hands were locked in a ridiculous struggle—intertwined fingers pressing against each other in a silent war of strength. Neither of them was willing to back down.
But even though Ryuu was giving it her all, she could feel it—Akira's strength was overwhelming, steadily pushing her slender arms backward. Inch by inch, she was being forced to retreat.
At the same time, Akira's smirking face was drawing closer and closer. The distance between them was narrowing dangerously, to the point that she could feel his breath brushing her cheeks.
"Guaah! Save me, Alise!!" Ryuu could no longer hold her composure.
Desperation overtook her as she cried out for help, waving her arms wildly in panic.
"Hm? Ryuu?" Alise tilted her head, completely deadpan.
As Kaguya and Lyra arrived on the scene, Alise, who had been watching from the sidelines with a bright grin, finally stepped forward.
Without missing a beat, she reached forward, slipped her arms under Akira's armpits, and effortlessly lifted him up as if he weighed nothing.
"Alright, alright! Break time's over! Everyone's rested enough, it's time to move on!"
"Understood!" Akira replied brightly.
Taking his place at the front, he reached for the [Oath of Justice] at his waist, drawing the blade in a smooth, practiced motion.
"Let me be the vanguard this time."
"Wait, are you sure, Akira?" Neze called out with concern. "It's dangerous at the front alone. I can stand beside you and—"
Akira simply smiled and waved off the concern. His voice was confident, but reassuring. "It's fine. Don't you trust my strength by now? As long as you cover my back, I'll feel perfectly safe."
"Oh, come on, Neze, don't try to stop him," Kaguya chimed in as she tugged Neze back with a teasing grin. "It's our star's turn to protect us this time. Honestly, I kinda want to experience what it's like to be protected for once."
Hearing that, Akira raised his left hand, flashing a thumbs-up and beaming. "Hehe, just leave it to me."
With that, the formation shifted. Akira now stood at the front of the expedition, spearheading the group as its lone vanguard.
The four girls who had previously been on the frontlines began to recover in the rear, leisurely extracting magic stones from the monsters they had defeated earlier.
Just then, under the girls' relaxed gazes, four massive hounds with snarling faces and bared fangs suddenly burst into view.
The moment their malevolent eyes landed on Akira, blazing flames began to surge and swirl in their maws.
In the blink of an eye, four thick, burning pillars of fire shot out, roaring toward the group like unleashed beasts.
But even as the inferno raced toward them, Akira remained calm. He raised his left hand, forming a claw-like gesture, his fingers tensing with purpose.
At once, a torrent of magic surged into his palm like a gathering storm. Sparks danced across his fingertips, and the crackle of thunder filled the air.
With a sharp motion, dazzling bolts of lightning sprang from his hand like living serpents, twisting through the air. They pierced through the flames with effortless force and then continued straight through the hellhounds themselves.
It happened so fast that no one even had time to blink.
One moment, the hounds were charging. The next, they were crumpled to the ground—lifeless. Their blackened corpses still smoked, and a nauseating burnt smell hung in the air.
"Every time I see Akira use magic, it's insane…" Ryana muttered, staring in awe. "Not just the speed, but the power too… And he has way too many spells up his sleeve."
Although she herself wielded powerful fire magic—enough to incinerate a Level 2 adventurer—it still required chanting. Compared to Akira's instantaneous casts, it was practically clunky.
"Yeah… I'm so jealous." Celty said quietly, clutching the staff Akira had given her like a treasured keepsake. "I wish I had magic like that…"
Alise stepped up and patted her shoulder, offering a gentle smile. "Don't worry. One day, all of us will be that strong. Now come on! Let's move, move, move!"