After the three of them enjoyed a hearty lunch.
Vera's lively large eyes darted around, and she smiled as she looked at Freya, whose mind was entirely focused on her older brother sitting nearby.
"Mmm~ I'm so full!" Vera patted her small stomach with satisfaction, then stood up to proactively clear the dishes. "Brother, Sister Freya, the weather is so nice. Why don't you two go out for a walk? I'll take care of cleaning up here!"
Ansu looked at his sister, who had become inexplicably diligent. "Vera, you don't need to clean up. I'll have my subordinates..."
"It's fine, it's fine~" Vera winked mischievously at Ansu and suddenly began to urge them. "Brother, Sister Freya has something she wants to say to you! Hurry up and go on your date! I won't stay here and bother the two of you~"
Something else to say? Ansu looked suspiciously at the confused Freya.
Seeing Vera repeatedly signaling her with her eyes, Freya finally caught on and quickly nodded.
"Mmm... Yes, that's right!"
Looking at Vera working so hard to create an opportunity for her to be alone with Lord Ansu, Freya's heart was filled with warmth and gratitude.
What a wonderful little sister~
For her to go to such lengths to play matchmaker for her and Lord Ansu, she must truly approve of her from the bottom of her heart!
It made sense; what sister wouldn't want her brother to find the most perfect partner? Vera was certainly no exception.
Freya winked back at Vera, and after they shared a knowing smile, she and Ansu left the room.
...
The afternoon sunlight spilled softly onto the streets of Maplewood Town. This trading town on the outskirts of Benalu City was already bustling, filled with the noise of merchants haggling, and the air was permeated with the fresh scent of wood.
Ansu and Freya walked side by side down the street. Ansu suddenly wanted to re-examine the 'battlefield' he had prepared for Samantha, so their footsteps gradually led them toward the large forest to the south.
Freya enjoyed this time alone with Ansu.
Just strolling side by side like this, feeling the breeze and the sunlight, brought a faint sense of happiness even if nothing was said.
It wasn't until Ansu's questioning gaze turned to her again that Freya lowered her head with slightly reddened cheeks. "Actually, what I wanted to say isn't anything important, I..."
She tried hard to search her meager mental library for words like 'small talk' or 'dating,' only to realize with frustration that she really didn't have much to say...
Freya gloomily discovered that aside from topics related to 'work' and 'mission,' she and Lord Ansu seemed to have no common language. Finally, she could only tentatively ask about a topic she was very concerned about.
"Um... I'm a bit curious." Freya quietly looked up. "What kind of person is that Ash Witch, Celia? After all, you cautioned me to definitely go along with her, but I don't know the specifics of her personality."
Since she would have to get along with this woman who was rumored to be very difficult to deal with, Freya wanted to be better prepared.
"Celia..." Ansu instinctively looked toward the northern horizon and revealed a faint smile. "She is a very proud and confident person. This stems from her talent and strength. When you're with her, you'll naturally be influenced by her powerful aura and subconsciously believe that there might not be a problem in this world she can't solve."
After all, the beauty of raw power was no joke. Ansu had gone to great lengths trying to control and reorganize the cult, but in the original plot, it was actually just a matter of a wave of Celia's hand. She had awed everyone with her breathtakingly formidable strength.
"Mhm." Hearing Ansu praise her like that, Freya couldn't help but lower her head. "I've also heard of her strength..."
Although she was indeed stronger than herself—perhaps even significantly so—Freya still felt a small sense of defiance in her heart.
She was very strong now too! She had learned the strongest divine arts of the Church of Holy Light! If she gave it her all, she might not necessarily be unable to hold her own against her in a fight...
"However, while she is powerful and confident, she isn't arrogant." Ansu recalled his time with the young witch. Though she always loved to show off smugly and was full of disdain for his progress in magic.
But most of that stemmed from her tsundere and prickly personality. The more she liked someone, the more she would act like an oversized bratty girl, mocking and teasing you...
In reality, Celia didn't think she was invincible because she truly loved magic.
People who truly love and study magic will always feel their own inadequacies; the path of magic is endless.
Therefore, Celia held respect for those who truly loved magic. She might be dismissive if you cast high-tier magic in front of her, but if you brought out some strange, obscure magic or cast a level 10 【Illumination】, she would definitely be very willing to exchange insights with you for a while...
"However, you must never think that just because she's so strong, she doesn't like to use her brain..." Ansu warned with a smile. "Celia is very smart and very keen."
It was just that most of the time, her super wisdom told her to use super power. For many things that could be settled with a fist, there was indeed no need to bother with thinking...
"Oh, is that so..." Freya nodded, silently making a note of it in her heart.
"Even though I've said so many good things about her, she is actually quite cold toward her enemies." Ansu's gaze moved away from the distant north, the direction of the Black Forest where Celia was currently located.
He looked at Freya beside him, his gaze calm and serious. "That person, if you can earn her approval, you will receive her unreserved trust. But conversely, as casual and free-spirited as she is with those close to her, she can be just as cold and cruel to her enemies. Angel and demon, glacier and blazing sun—such contradictory and extreme traits appear in one person... that is Celia."
"Mhm, I understand..." After hearing him finish, Freya let out a faint sigh in her heart.
So the image of that Ash Witch was so positive in Lord Ansu's heart?
She had always thought... Lord Ansu was only staying by her side out of necessity or as a temporary measure...
But looking at it now, Ansu had not only gradually grown accustomed to that woman's terrible personality, he had even... started to appreciate her? To the point where he was even making excuses for her...
It was as if he had been bewitched, saying so many good things for her!
"Eh, why the silence?"
Ansu had been checking the magic traps in the forest for a long time when he suddenly realized that Freya hadn't spoken for a while. He turned his head. "Did you remember what I said? Celia is definitely not an easy woman to deal with. You must never underestimate her!"
"Of course I won't underestimate her..." Freya's heart felt sour, but she still squeezed out a smile on her face.
"I'll remember it well. I will also follow your instructions and go along with her in everything."
"That's good..." Ansu was truly worried about this 'epic meeting' between the two of them.
Thinking of this, his expression became serious again. "By the way, I have to warn you. Celia has a very powerful trump card. You must never fall for it in the future, or it'll be over!"
Freya looked at him curiously. "What trump card?"
...
They continued checking the magic traps in the forest until dusk, and only then did Freya return to her room with a heavy heart.
Vera leaned in with a gossiping face. "Sister Freya, what did you two talk about this time?"
Freya looked at Vera and said somewhat helplessly, "We talked about... Celia."
"Huh? Hailey Lawrence?" Vera blinked in confusion. "Why talk about her? Wasn't this a date between you and my brother?"
Yeah... Freya felt even more helpless. Why did I talk about her?
Originally, she just instinctively wanted to scout out the competition's situation, but once Ansu started talking, he hadn't stopped. As a result, their walk in the woods ended up turning into a Celia seminar...
What kind of date is that?
Freya rubbed her forehead and sighed. Next time, she would have to prepare some romantic and more private topics that belonged only to the two of them...
Seeing Freya's awkward and annoyed expression, Vera burst out laughing. "Sister Freya is a dummy!"
However, even though she was laughing and teasing the other girl...
Her current state of mind was actually even more complicated than Freya's.
After all... Vera wanted Sister Freya, someone she approved of, to get closer to her brother so they could stand against that bad woman together, but she also didn't want to see her brother actually taken away by someone else...
Thinking of this, Vera silently watched the pink-haired girl before her.
Actually, from any angle, Sister Freya was a perfect fit for her brother.
Such a gentle, beautiful girl with a strong and kind heart truly perfectly matched the words she had once used to describe a partner to her brother...
'Only the best, most perfect woman is worthy of my brother!'
But as this joke seemed to be becoming a reality, Vera felt an indescribable gloom.
Sigh...
Rate on N.U.
