Alisa had grown noticeably closer to Akashi over the past few days. The more she talked with him, the more she seemed to like him. There was a gentleness in her tone when she spoke to him now, and her eyes lingered a bit longer whenever he smiled.
We ate dinner slowly, sitting beside each other. I fed her piece by piece, and it felt oddly familiar—almost like how Lucy used to feed me.
"So this is how Lucy felt…" I thought, glancing at Alisa. Honestly, she was adorable. I couldn't help myself—I began to gently play with her cheeks.
She didn't resist, smiling faintly. Her expression remained unreadable, but she clearly didn't dislike the attention. In fact, she leaned into it slightly, as if enjoying the moment. But after a while, as my fingers continued squishing her cheeks, her face turned bright red, and she suddenly slapped my hands away.
"Ow," I said, blinking in surprise. Then I saw her flushed cheeks and burst out laughing.
That only made it worse. She pouted, then leaned forward and bit my arm—not hard, but enough to make me flinch.
"That tickled," I said with a grin, laughing even more.
Though her expression remained mostly blank, there was a subtle, smug glint in her eyes before she turned away, satisfied with her revenge.
Night crept in slowly, and with it came the realization that I'd have to leave the next morning. Lucy was scheduled to pick me up at sunrise. I tried to ignore the looming farewell, but Irish—who'd been unusually clingy all day—clung to me even tighter as bedtime came around.
I smiled and gently whispered to her, "Don't worry. I'll come back next month."
She didn't reply. She just closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. But I saw it—the faintest smile curling at the corner of her lips. It made me feel strangely relieved.
The Next Morning
She was still glued to my chest, nuzzling herself into my shirt like a stubborn kitten refusing to let go.
That was when the door creaked open.
Lucy and Lorraine stepped inside.
"Oh my," Lorraine said with a soft chuckle, her voice laced with playful sarcasm.
Lucy didn't say a word. Her face was unreadable, and her eyes shifted to Alisa with a hint of disapproval. Silently, she walked over and tried to pull Alisa off my chest.
Alisa, now half-awake, blinked at Lucy. When she recognized her, she instantly glared and clung to me even tighter.
"Alisa…" I said gently, my eye twitching from the awkwardness, "I have to go. I promise I'll come back next month."
Still, she refused to let go.
Lorraine, sensing her daughter's growing stubbornness, sighed and spoke in a firm tone, "Alisa. Let him go."
After a long pause, she finally released me. But to everyone's surprise… she began to cry. Her shoulders trembled as soft sobs escaped her lips.
"Next month… visit quickly, okay?" she said, her voice quivering between sobs.
Lucy, despite her usual stoicism, was visibly taken aback. She didn't say anything, though. It wasn't that she was surprised by their growing closeness—no, she had seen it coming—but perhaps she hadn't expected such an emotional goodbye.
As she looked at me, she noticed that my clothes had already changed. I was now dressed in a formal suit, clearly prepared for travel.
Lucy sighed softly and reached for the back of my shirt like someone holding onto a stray pet. "Wanna join the Queen's Selection Tournament?"
Before I could respond, the world spun. She had already teleported us.
Back in castle, Lorraine hugged Alisa tightly, whispering comforting words. The girl's sobs began to soften.
Now sitting beside Lucy in a carriage, I blinked to reorient myself. "Right. So… whoever wins the competition becomes Queen?"
She shook her head. "No. This is just the first competition. There are five each year. We'll be competing in all of them."
She explained calmly, "Each one represents something. This first one is about Loyalty—and how strong the Queen's chosen Servant is."
I leaned back. "So it's not just about brute force?"
"Correct," she nodded. "The second is Leadership. Each candidate will command 5,000 soldiers and lead them into demon territory."
"Whoever conquers the most territory with the fewest casualties wins," she added. "As for the third and beyond… I don't really know the exact details."
I smiled bitterly. "I suppose I'll join, if it helps."
She nodded without surprise. "Good. When should we head over?"
I yawned, rubbing my eyes. "Can we eat first? I'm starving."
She smiled. "Sure."
She halted the carriage and directed it to a luxurious restaurant within the heart of the kingdom. As we stepped in, every gaze turned to us. The chatter died down.
Lucy sighed, clearly annoyed by the attention, and guided us to a secluded corner.
Just as we were about to order, two burly men approached our table. Both were bald, muscular, and covered in tattoos.
Lucy narrowed her eyes. The disgust was evident in her gaze.
The man closest to us slammed his palm on the table and leaned in toward Lucy, grinning like an idiot. "How about you date a real man for once?" His voice was deep—and immediately irritating.
They were likely 3-Star level warriors, and with Lucy concealing her aura and me appearing only at 2-Star, they must've assumed we were easy prey.
Lucy's hands twitched. She was clearly trying hard not to lose control. If she exploded, this entire place would turn to rubble.
I could've easily handled them, but at that moment, just beating them felt… unsatisfying.
"Please don't interrupt us," Lucy said, her voice cold and razor-sharp.
The first man smirked and reached for her neck.
Then it happened.
A sharp burst of mana erupted from Lucy.
The man's hand was severed instantly. Before the second man could even draw his sword, his head hit the floor with a dull thud. The first man, now clutching his bleeding stump, collapsed in horror as Lucy slowly stepped forward.
Everyone froze.
She smiled, but there was nothing kind in it. "I needed to vent anyway," she said softly.
She didn't stop there. Each of the first man's limbs was sliced clean off in an instant. The restaurant filled with invisible pressure. No one dared to move, let alone scream.
She raised her hand, casting a spell. The blood, limbs, and bodies vanished as if they were never there.
The room was spotless once again. Silent. Tense.
Lucy turned back to me calmly.
I shivered.
She was scary honestly.
I sighed. Around us, not a single soul dared to meet our gaze.
After witnessing a 3-Star get dismantled like a doll, no one was foolish enough to interrupt our meal again.