The days that followed were blissfully happy. Seraphine and Kael Arisugawa were inseparable. Now that her feelings were confessed and accepted, Seraphine was no longer just the "stupid-act adorable" and careless princess. She was happy, which made her more confident and slightly less accident-prone.
Kael, in turn, was even more romantic.
The New Couple's Flirting
They were walking hand-in-hand, a sight that still made Lionel Kisaragi wince, but he kept his fierce eyes glued to the surrounding forest, maintaining his grumpy, protective perimeter.
Kael had taken over the map-reading, but Seraphine was trying to help. She pointed to a winding line.
"I think we should take the lower path, Kael, it looks like it avoids that big forest," she suggested.
Kael smiled, his handsome face warm. He gently brought her hand, which was still holding the map, up to his lips and pressed a soft, warm kiss onto her knuckles.
"Your path is the only one I want to follow, Princess," he whispered, his flirty voice now laced with deep, genuine affection. "But my beautiful guide sometimes gets confused between a river and a road." He kissed her knuckles again, then gently pointed out the correct direction.
Seraphine giggled, feeling her cheeks flush bright red. Her heart was full. She felt cherished and completely safe with the boy who was truly her home.
Lionel's Quiet Decision
Lionel watched the sweet exchange from afar. He felt the familiar pang of jealousy, but now it was a gentle ache, replaced by a deep sense of loyalty to Seraphine's happiness. He knew Kael was the one who made her truly glow.
That night, around a small campfire, Lionel was quiet. He waited until Seraphine was asleep, nestled safely beside Kael.
He walked up to Kael, his face serious.
"Hey, flirty idiot," Lionel muttered, kicking Kael's foot.
Kael sat up instantly, ready for the usual argument. "What is it, tsundere? Planning a sneak attack?"
"I'm going home," Lionel stated bluntly. "I haven't seen my family in months, and my mother is probably wrecking her bakery without me there to lift the heavy flour bags."
He didn't mention the true reason: he needed to step away so the beautiful love between Kael and Seraphine could thrive without his painful jealousy.
"You're a good friend, Lionel," Kael said softly, standing up and offering his hand.
Lionel ignored the hand. He was too much of a tsundere for a handshake. "Hmph. I'm just tired of hearing you two whisper. Get some sleep, and don't let her trip into the river. You're responsible now." He then added, his voice barely a whisper, a genuine sign of his unbelievably soft heart: "Make sure she's happy, Kael."
"Always," Kael promised, his voice sincere.
A Bittersweet Goodbye
The next morning, Seraphine was confused to find Lionel's sleeping bag gone.
"Where is Lionel?" she asked Kael.
"He went home to help his mother run the bakery," Kael explained, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "He said he missed her grumpy cooking."
Seraphine felt a moment of sadness. Lionel was annoying, but he was fiercely loyal and had protected her for weeks. She knew, somehow, he had left for her sake.
She grabbed a small pouch of her rare Herbal & Medicine ingredients and tied it to a note wishing him luck with the bakery. Kael promised to get a message to him.
As the sun rose, the two lovers walked onward, their hands clasped tightly. The romantic adventure had officially begun, protected by the memories of their supportive, selfless tsundere.