Alfia stood beneath the cracked statue of an unknown goddess, staring up with a dazed look in her eyes. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she muttered quietly, "You... aren't leaving yet?"

Her voice was low and hoarse, nearly lost to the echo of silence.

Akira was quiet for a long moment, then finally turned around. He raised one hand and gave a gentle wave—like a curtain call to an unspoken moment.

"If anything happens, you can find me at Astraea Familia." He said softly, his voice carrying warmth and concern. "Goodbye."

His footsteps faded into the distance as he exited the church.

Alfia turned slightly, watching his back disappear. Her lips moved, murmuring under her breath, "...The Familia of justice, huh? If it's you… maybe you really could accept everything…"

Her voice held a hope so faint and uncertain that even she wasn't sure what she meant by it.

Outside, Akira walked slowly at first, pretending to be composed. But after a few steps, panic flooded his face.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it—I'm so late now! They're definitely going to kill me." Akira howled internally as his pace picked up into a full sprint.

Mid-run, he suddenly slapped his forehead with a grimace.

"Wait, don't I have a teleportation item?! What am I doing?! Idiot!"

Spinning on his heel, he bolted toward the nearest secluded structure—the old bell tower.

Once inside, he released a pulse of magic to scan the area, confirming there were no others present. Then, he swiftly retrieved a glowing magical artifact from within his clothes.

A flash of brilliant light filled the room. The next second, Akira vanished from the tower.

When he reappeared, he was standing in the familiar grand hall of the Stardust Garden, surrounded by elegant drapes and ornate designs that instantly made him feel at home.

"Hey, you're back." A playful voice echoed from across the hall. "Took you a whole morning just to kill a Goliath? What, did you sneak off to have fun?"

The voice belonged to none other than Lyra.

She sat on a tall chair with her legs swinging playfully in the air, her short legs too small to reach the ground. The sight was, frankly, adorable.

Akira gave a wry smile and walked over to sit beside her. "Sister Lyra! Where's everyone else?"

The table in front of her was cluttered with strange tools and mechanical parts. Lyra, completely focused, was tinkering with them using small, nimble fingers, disassembling a small explosive device and carefully repairing it.

Without looking up, she smiled. "They saw you weren't back yet, so they all went out to kill time. I stayed behind. Too much work to waste time wandering around."

Lyra's expression remained carefree, but her movements were steady, precise.

Despite her small frame, chubby cheeks, and unimposing presence, Lyra was determined. She wasn't the most naturally gifted, but that never stopped her from giving it her all.

"I can't afford to hold everyone back." She said cheerfully. "So I work hard."

Akira's eyes softened as he listened.

"I'll make sure everyone gets stronger." He said firmly, the corners of his lips lifting into a confident smile.

With his ability to traverse worlds, he had more than one method to help his companions grow.

Lyra paused for a heartbeat, her hands stilling briefly. But then she smiled again and kept working.

"I know, Akira. I know you have a way. But don't forget… each of us has our own path to walk. You can't always help us."

Akira fell silent for a moment. Then, his gaze turned gentle. Without a word, he reached out, wrapped an arm around Lyra's waist, and gently lifted her onto his lap.

She let out a soft "Eh?" but didn't resist.

He rested his chin on her head, nuzzling into her short pink hair. It was soft, silky, and smelled faintly of citrus and sunshine.

"When that time comes, when you feel like you can't go any further…" He whispered, "come find me. I'll help you."

He paused, then added with quiet determination, "But don't push yourself into danger just to get stronger."

After all, leveling up meant venturing into the dungeon, risking everything against monsters stronger than oneself. Every expedition was a gamble with death. One wrong move, and you'd vanish—devoured, forgotten, just another soul lost in the darkness.

As if sensing his thoughts, Lyra finally finished her repair, gently placing the now-assembled bomb on the table. She turned around in his lap, her eyes soft and warm as she looked up into his.

Her small arms reached up and cupped his cheeks, bringing their foreheads together.

"I know." She said with a smile.

"I'll listen. I won't put myself in danger. I haven't lived enough yet."

After those quiet words, Lyra narrowed her eyes slightly. In their reflected glow, Akira's figure shimmered—steadfast, familiar, and warm. Right now, in this moment, he was the most important person in her world.

Yes… she hadn't lived enough.

She hadn't traveled the world's wonders hand in hand with Akira. She hadn't tasted enough sweet moments, faced enough dangers together, or extended this warm, elusive connection into the far future.

She still had so much she wanted to do by his side. So how could she recklessly throw her life into danger?

But just as that thought settled in her heart, Lyra suddenly shifted the mood.

With a teasing glint in her eyes, she grabbed both of Akira's ears in one smooth motion. Her expression was mischievous, and the corners of her lips curled with playful menace.

"That being said…" She began, tilting her head with mock innocence, "shouldn't you be the one who needs to be more careful?"

Her fingers tugged gently but firmly at his ears, eyebrows arched slightly.

"You're strong, sure. But strength only means you'll be facing even more dangerous situations than the rest of us."

Though her grip wasn't painful, Akira could feel the subtle pressure in her hold—a quiet protest from someone who genuinely cared.

"Well… I can't argue with that."

Akira's voice carried a wry resignation. He wore an expression of complete surrender, as if to say, you got me, even as warmth bloomed in his chest. Because beneath the playful scolding, he knew—Lyra was worried about him.

Sensing his discomfort, Lyra slowly let go of his ears. Then, she lowered her head just a little, her voice dropping into something so quiet it almost faded into the background.

"…I don't want to spend my whole life alone. I want to share it with someone… maybe even have a few children for fun."

The words tumbled out softly, unguarded and raw.

For a moment, the world stopped spinning. The light chatter in the distance, the clatter of tools on the table, even the wind outside—it all faded.

Lyra and Akira stared at one another in stunned silence, caught in a gaze that neither could quite look away from.

The air thickened, tinged with a soft, unspeakable ambiguity.

Then, finally, Lyra broke the moment with a nervous chuckle and turned her head away.

"Okay, stop looking at me like that. I'll get embarrassed too, you know."

Her cheeks flushed a bright red, the color crawling all the way to her ears. She gave Akira a gentle push, clearly flustered, but her smile remained—sweet, warm, and slightly bashful.

Akira blinked.

Lyra, the "Cunning Rat," actually looks shy…?

He felt an odd sense of pride swell in his chest. Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around Lyra's shoulders. With a gentle nudge, he pushed her back.

Lyra gasped in surprise, her body falling toward the couch behind her. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around Akira's waist to keep herself steady, wide eyes staring into his with stunned confusion.

"A-Akira?! What are you—!"

But before she could fully react, Akira leaned down and kissed her. It was soft, but deep. Tender, yet brimming with raw, unspoken emotion.

That kiss conveyed everything—the warmth, the trust, the love that had quietly built up between them like spring water filling a pond.

For a second, time forgot to move.

Lyra froze in his arms, stunned. But slowly, gradually, her stiff shoulders relaxed. Her arms encircled his neck, and she kissed him back, her eyes closing gently.

Sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a golden glow around them. The room, the world, felt suddenly brighter.