The love of the elves is hot and fierce like a flame, he said.
　When was it, the Chieftain-sama had said it.

　Floria's apprentice, Ulysse, also had an unrequited love for nearly seventy years - a love that went completely unnoticed by the person in question, and was tied together with a dramatic confession.

　The love of Ulis, who fought to protect her loved ones, calling for fire as if her life were burning, is the very fire itself.

　In comparison, his own love is neither fire nor heat.
　If I were to use an analogy, it would be a deep, bottomless hole.
　In the blink of an eye, I was sucked into such a hole and fell down.

　I can think of a million reasons.
　I was saved, or something like that.
　He used a tiger's potion, an expensive potion, and both of them sparingly, or so they say.
　He spoke to me sympathetically when I was depressed, they say.
　They say that he lent his heart to her when she cried unintentionally.
　They say that he did his best to care for and support himself when he could hardly move.

　But it didn't seem to matter much.

You're looking better already. Good, good.

　I just found myself wanting to hear Roland's voice.
　It's an innocent smile that doesn't seem to know that there are two sides to an emotion. There's a part of me that wants to see more of Roland's smile as he smiles with joy every time Floria recovers.
　There is a part of me that wants to live for this person.

　This is love, that's what my heart was screaming at me.
　If I said that this is my first love after four hundred years, the chief would probably make fun of me for being so insignificant.
　But still, if you want to put this feeling into words

I like you.

　There is no other way.

　Once they became aware, elves could be proactive.
　As soon as she recovered until she was able to move on her own accord, Floria immediately made her thoughts known and approached Roland as if she were half-attacking him.

''Wait, eh, ma--''

　It was the first time for some reason.
　The embarrassment was definitely there.
　But in any case, when he couldn't move, he could see it all when he was stuck. So he opened up and attacked Roland.

　If Roland wanted to resist, it would be easy for him to do so.
　Floria is sick and her right hand, which was almost severed, doesn't even twitch even now that it's healed.

　But instead of resisting, Roland, who looked even more embarrassed than Floria, didn't seem to be full of it.
　I've never been more grateful than on this day for the ironic appearance of a good face.
　In a dark room of the inn, the two bodies overlapped.




◆




　The fact that Roland came to the rescue at the time of her near-death is the greatest miracle in Floria's life.
　If it wasn't for Roland, who didn't hesitate to use the recovery potion (Potion), the lifeline of the party, Floria wouldn't have survived, and

Well, I'll call it a celebration.

'Aside from the stupid, stupid, scum Roland, you don't have to worry about anything - I'd rather support you because you're going to have a hard time from now on with that guy - go for it.

　If it wasn't for his party members, Floria would never have been accepted, causing her to eat up the party's assets.

　At the young age of twenty, Belinda, the Red One, had a magical power that rivaled that of the Ear Chiefs (elves), who were a hundred years old.
　She has an emotional side, but is therefore very compassionate.
　When I taught him how to train his magic and expand his magic circuitry, he instantly became friends with me.

　An aristocrat and spearman, Ludwin is the shadow leader who takes care of the party's purse and negotiations.
　I can't thank him enough for preparing a place to live with Roland beside the trading city, as well as a recovery potion, as a congratulatory gift.

The only thing you need to know is that you can count on me again if you need anything.

Hm, I owe you a favor. Come back to me sometime.

　With the support of so many people, she was able to have a child with Roland in her new place of residence.
　The little life crying cheerfully in Floria's hands was the very proof that Floria had lived.
　It was proof that Floria was right to survive haphazardly and cling to life in a shallow way.

　With her beloved husband supporting her shoulders, she held her beloved daughter in her arms and stroked her with her slow-moving right hand.
　No more happiness.
　But it hinted at the fact that the time of separation was fast approaching.




◆




　Swords clash with swords.
　She and Roland clash swords with each other as a postpartum exercise.

　Floria's husband was a bundle of talent.
　Even though he was a one-armed man, he could still strike a decent sword with Floria, who was fully strengthened with magical power.
　It was also possible for Roland, who had almost no magical power, to do so with only pure physical ability and skill.

''Guh, noooooooo--''

　Roland, who was blown away, falls down in a grand manner.
　If Roland had even a tenth of Floria's magical power, the position would have been reversed.

''Nugu........my wife is too strong.......my dignity as a father........''

　How depressed Roland is, but in the first place, it's extraordinary that Roland, who has lived only twenty years, can approach with his skills against Floria, who has spent four hundred years guarding four hundred years of time training as a human being.
　He is probably loved by the god of war more than any other person.

'So, how is your right arm--it seemed to be enough to support your sword--'

　Floria opens and closes her vaguely moving right hand several times, opening and closing it.

'Not yet--I'm doing my best to pet Aisha.

　A faint light gathered in his right hand, which was still unmoving after healing.
　It let the spirit dwell in its body, communicating and manipulating its will.

　The spirit's right arm - Floria's right hand, as we should call it, had become a different thing that was half reconstituted with magical power.

　It was a year and a half before she could move it at will.
　It would be a few years at most before it could be used in actual combat.
　So, Floria opened her mouth.

''.........You know, you--''

　Quicker than Floria, who was ready for it, could say.

You're going?　I know.

　Roland said as if it was nothing.

'N--why--'

'I know, we've been together for over a year now, okay?　I know you've been tending to your hometown ever since that day. That's why you were always planning to return home when you could fight again, right?

　Roland said as if he could see through it.

''Well you're always, always sly--''

　Floria says, sulkily.
　All along, Floria has been struggling with happiness.
　Happiness that came after the tragedy, but even now, the village must still be in pain.

　Floria is a guardian.
　What would she do without the first person there to protect her village? A voice rises from somewhere in your mind.

　It was an excuse for not being able to fight.
　It pains me to think that I'm glad to be able to spend time with Aisha and Roland, injured and left with the aftereffects of my injuries and the time I use to heal them.

'I'm sorry--'

"Do it!

What?

　As if to interrupt Floria's words, she was gently tapped on the forehead.

'There's nothing wrong with that!　There's nothing wrong with wanting to be happy and wanting to be happy!　But still, if you have any regrets, and you feel that if you don't resolve them, you won't be truly and truly happy, then I'll be sorry to see you go.

　Roland said with a faintly trembling voice and strength.

　He raises his voice to say that Floria's desire to remain happy is not wrong.
　She raises her voice to say that she's frustrated that she can't make you happy.

　She always does.
　I've always been taught all the important things I needed to know.
　As much as I feel sorry for wanting more, Floria has been given happiness by Roland.

'So promise me!　You'll be back here. I promise. I will always protect Aisha and this place until you come back and the three of us as a family can live truly happy together.

'--Yeah, yeah, yeah!　I promise, I will - I'll come back to you both - so I'll be gone for a while.

Yeah, I'm here for you. It's never too late.

　Then Roland laughed, as usual.