Tave lay on his back in the room Aura had provided, eyes shut tight, fingers pressing hard against his temples as he let out a long, heavy breath.
What the hell just happened?
It was all too much—too fast. The very thing he had feared earlier, that Aura might do something dangerous or threatening, had not only failed to materialize… it had flipped completely.
A proposal?
Yes. That had been a proposal. And not some veiled hint either. A direct offer from one of the highest-ranking warriors in the Forest Elf Kingdom. From Aura herself.
This wasn't something that happened every day. Not from someone like her.
She'd driven off that Tier 7 sea monster with little more than a flick of force. Minutes? No. Seconds.
Aura was stronger than Elincia. And that was saying something. She ranked fourth among the five Imperial Knights. Not just in status, but in raw strength. She could probably level half a forest if she wanted.
And yet she'd just asked him for a pact.
