I walked out of the store, pulling down the hem of a slightly more modest dress. Mirabelle hadn’t lied, but this was far more revealing than I’d meant. At least my throat was covered. A sleeveless turtleneck dress wasn’t exactly on my bingo card, but I could make do. I caught Gale staring at my exposed back more than a few times. I stalled next to him and bounced my shoulder against his, smiling teasingly. I turned my head, unused to the feeling of my hair not moving with the motion. It was refreshing to have it tied up. I gotta learn how to do this. Maybe makeup too? 

I reflexively brought a hand to my face, but stopped short, trying not to ruin anything. The women inside had done a wonderful job painting my face — I felt like a different woman. That is, a woman at all. Odd, considering I’d been one for quite a some time. Had everyone seen it but me? I glared at Gale. Bastard hadn’t told me — that time in Shortleaf didn’t count. Only mentioned that I was pretty. And gorgeous. I flushed. Now that I thought about it, he really had a silver tongue, didn’t he? Shamelessly flirting with his best friend for weeks, what a scumbag. Did he treat every best-friend-turned-heroine this way? I reached over to pinch his waist, but he calmly caught my hand, pulling it into a finger-laced hold. My eyes widened. Could this be a power bestowed by the goddess? No wonder I didn’t want to let go. 

We strode together hand-in-hand, leisurely walking down the street. I tried to turn off to a few food stands, but Gale’s grip proved steadfast. I could only look behind me in grief as we passed by several things that caught my eye. Wasn’t I this guy’s girlfriend? Shouldn’t he be flexing his wallet and buying me stuff left and right? Maybe that was an outdated concept. If he really wanted to date me, I wasn’t going to make things easy for him. I smirked as a brilliant idea entered my mind. I deliberately stumbled, pulling his hand as I let myself kneel to the ground. Gale turned around, confused, before seeing me on the ground. He immediately stopped and flew towards me. “Are you ok?” 

I gazed at him pitifully as I demurely squatted, knee bleeding, rubbing my ankle. I looked up with teary eyes, pouting. “I think my ankle’s hurt… can you carry me?”

His lips twitched. I stretched my arms out. This bastard, I was going to make him carry me on his back the whole way there! I tried my best to hold my poker face, a snicker threatening to break free. His face tightened before he gave an unsettling grin. Cold sweat dripped down my spine. That look… oh shit!

“A-actually I think I’m fine,” I said, realizing my mistake. I began to stand up, but with one quick motion he swooped down, putting one hand on my back and the other under my legs, and lifted me up into a bridal carry. Losing my balance, one of my arms swung out, wrapping around his neck. He shifted my weight, tossing me into a more comfortable position, before smiling down at me. 

“No, Gale, put me—”

“I thought your knee was hurt?” He said, raising an eyebrow.

I swallowed. He had me cornered…!

“Y-yeah, but I could just use some healing magic, it’s fine.”

“Nah,” He said, “I like the view too much.”

He smirked down at me. I grit my teeth, face burning red. I felt unsteady, so I linked my hands together behind his head, and leaned my body into his chest. I could smell his scent, a familiarity from sharing a bed with him for so long. My heart pounded. I gazed over his shoulder. The eyes of the onlookers were mortifying, Mira’s especially. I couldn’t bare to look. “Not in front of other people…”

Gale stopped. He gently set me down, giving me time to heal my knee before I put weight on it. After I was done, he gave a shit-eating grin. “So… it’s fine when we’re alone?”

I was about to refute, when I thought of repeating the experience. That actually… might be kinda great? No, banish the thought. I couldn’t let him win. Could I pick him up in a bridal carry? No, my arms would snap. Wait! I grinned, and casted Enhance Attribute: Strength on myself. I suddenly tossed my weight into him and tried to scoop him up. 

He flailed backwards, and though my strength was sufficient for the lift, the awkward size difference caused me to stumble and fall forwards. He fell back first onto the street, barely holding up his head and upper body with a firm press of his hands. I stumbled over him, falling onto his stomach butt-first. My waist failed me, and I fell forward, putting one hand on each side of his head. Our faces were dangerously close. I could feel his hands grab the sides of my waist, fingers digging into me.

Our faces were dangerously close. My eyes trailed from his eyes, to his perfect nose, down to his lips. His eyes washed over my face, before peaking down at my chest. I suddenly remembered we were in public, scrambled away, stood up, and brushed my dress back into place. I pushed a stray lock of hair that had been shaken loose from the impact behind my ear. My face burned like flame. I avoided the glances of the passing strangers, covering my body with my arms.

Gale shakily stood, hissing at the patch of torn skin on his palms. I flinched, and walked towards him, took his hands in mine, and casted a healing spell on them. Golden specks raised from our hands, blackened by the purple light surrounding us. I looked up at Gale’s face.

“I’m sorry. That was dumb of me.”

He looked at me wryly. “Why is everything a contest with you?”

I pursed my lips. “Not everything is a contest.”

“Name one thing.”

I dropped his hands and walked away. A contest? Ha! As if Gale could ever win an argument against me! I was always right! I certainly wasn’t some kid that turned everything into a wager. Besides, had someone replaced my friend? Was Gale a pod person now? The Gale who blushed, stuttered and flinched every time I teased him seemed a distant memory. Had he become immune to my charms? For some reason, that really pissed me off. Take me for granted, especially after I get dressed up? I’d have to punish him later.

I ignored Gale and walked beside Mirabelle. “Men,” I huffed.

She gave me a strange look. 

The carriage that waited for us outside our home was comfortable. It wasn’t as flashy as Askret’s carriage, but it was still overly decorated and rich looking. Gale and I sat next to each other, and Mira sat across. I tried to reign in my behavior for the ride. Mira had already suffered as a third wheel earlier, and I didn’t want her to jump out of the window. I looked at her as we rode. Had she expressed interest in anyone since we’d met? Now that I thought about it, it seemed a low priority to her, or perhaps it was private. 

“Hey, Mira.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you—are you, uh, interested in anyone?”

She looked at me, a confused, but polite smile on her face. “May I ask why you bring the subject up?”

I flushed red. “Never mind.”

She shook her head. “If Lady Aria is curious, I’m willing to tell. I have never felt a need to pursue such things.”

I furrowed my brow. “As in too busy, or just lack of interest?”

She brought a finger to her lip thoughtfully. “I suppose I have never considered it. It never appealed.”

Wow, no interest? The thought was strange to me. I looked at Gale. I slid my eyes from his handsome hair to his eyes, lips, adam’s apple… yeah, I definitely didn’t get it. I tore my sight from Gale’s stupidly handsome profile, returning to Mira.  Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novel⸺fire.net

“Have you never felt a crush, or feelings for someone?” I scratched my nose awkwardly as I asked. Was this too much? Maybe I should stop asking questions. She shook her head, but said no more. I wisely dropped the subject. 

The carriage dipped from the third layer to the fourth, and the darkness became even more complete. The majority of the city was now lit only by purple, which glowed brighter than it had in any other layer. It was now like pure blacklight, lighting the area in a luminescent hue. People lived down here? That had to be jarring as you left. Askret seemed surprisingly well put together for someone who lived and worked in an area like this. 

The people passing by, paradoxically, appeared to be wearing more modest clothing, closer to what Askret had. I saw some pass by with strange glowing, green and purple patterns on their skin. Tattoos? I hadn’t noticed any on the people on higher levels. How strange. 

The buildings were similarly simple, though more populated. The people in this layer seemed to be converging towards the same point we were, milling through the streets like it was a carnival. My jaw dropped. Was the Hero ceremony really that big of a deal? Were those who failed really let loose, given dinner? This was feeling more cult-like by the minute. I reached over and grasped Gale’s hand. He gave my hand two consecutive tight squeezes. 

The carriage pulled to a stop, and from the window, a building nearly stopped my heart. No wonder all the other buildings down here looked like trash! This one was massive, so ridiculously complex I thought Notre Damme looked like amateur hour. The windows were stained glass of neon hues, a multitude of glowing rainbows strobing with imbued lights like a club. They depicted images of a woman in each pane, performing different actions. Navira, maybe? The image of my PC suddenly overlayed in my mind. Did the windows give the church higher FPS?

I gulped. Gale, Mira, and I were led out of the carriage to the raucous applause of those who surrounded the staircase that lead to the building.