"Uwaaaaaaa! Nora!"

"Don't move, Keira! Just stay there!"

Keira froze, her legs trembling as her whip coiled uselessly in her hand. She wanted to run, every instinct screamed at her to get away, but she couldn't.

The Rose Knights stood like immovable statues, their armor gleaming faintly, their bodies already repairing the damage from her strikes. She knew if she turned her back, she wouldn't make it three steps.

Better to stay near someone who could actually destroy them.

Nora raised her staff, her expression hardening. Lines of light snapped into existence in front of her, circuits of a complex magic circle forming with practiced ease—Condense, Ignite, Spread, Explode, Target Range—each rune weaving together into a chain of lethal precision.

"Explode."

The spell roared to life. Heat washed across the chamber as a fireball detonated, not with reckless destruction, but with a controlled brilliance. The flames spread unnaturally, splitting like living serpents, chasing every fragment of plant matter until not even ash dared remain.

The Rose Knights crumbled in a shower of scorched petals and blackened vines. Even their infamous regeneration meant nothing against that fire.

Keira let out a shaky breath. "…Thank you."

Nora exhaled too, but her gaze wasn't satisfied.

The monsters here were bad news for Ryen—plant-types with relentless recovery.

She would have preferred to stay at his side, to guard his back. Instead, she found herself stuck with Keira. Whether it was fate, or just because Keira was her designated partner, she couldn't say.

But still—she wasn't going to abandon her.

And besides… a same-sex friend who wasn't sighing over Ryen every five minutes was a rare treasure. Rin also seemed to care about Keira quite a bit, and if Rin wanted them to get along, she'd at least try.

"Don't mention it," Nora said lightly, brushing soot off her sleeve. "We're friends, aren't we?"

She didn't feel the word as deeply as she said it, but Keira's eyes lit up like she'd been handed a priceless gift.

"Friends…" Keira echoed softly, touched.

Then her brows furrowed as if remembering something. "Wait—Nora, didn't you major in healing? You're a devout follower of the God of Healing and Love, right?"

"That's right," Nora replied with a faint smile.

"…Then why are you so good at fighting?" Keira asked, her voice carrying genuine confusion. "Wouldn't being a mage suit you better than a healer?"

Nora paused, lowering her staff. The lingering flames crackled faintly in the distance, their warmth brushing her cheek. For a moment, she looked thoughtful, then her lips curved into a soft, almost shy smile.

"Because a healer is always needed at someone's side," she said simply. "No matter what happens, no matter how dangerous it gets… a healer is the one person who can't be sent away."

Keira blinked, taken aback by the weight behind the words.

Nora's smile deepened, though her eyes softened with something warmer, almost tender. "If I were just a mage, I'd be one more fighter standing on the battlefield. But as a healer? I'll always be there… at Ryen's side. That's why I chose it."

The honesty in her voice left no room for doubt.

Keira was quiet for a moment, her whip dangling loosely in her hand. She felt a pang in her chest—not jealousy, but something oddly bittersweet. It was the kind of conviction she couldn't argue with, even if she wanted to.

"…You're really serious about him, huh?" Keira said quietly.

Nora laughed under her breath. "You could say that."

There was silence for moment, then Nora looked at Keira and said,"You should also hurry up and choose between Rin or Leo fast."

"W-What!? I like Leo....?"

Even if she's saying that, there was self doubt in her voice.

"Really? I don't think you'll stay without rivals forever. If that's what you think, I have nothing to say."

She was too busy with her own love life to give advice to others.

Keira's cheeks flushed red, her whip trembling slightly in her grip. "I-I said I like Leo! Why would I lie about that?"

Nora tilted her head, her calm gaze cutting sharper than fire magic. "You tell yourself that, sure. But when Rin's name comes up, your ears turn pink. Just like now."

Keira's eyes widened. She covered her ears with both hands as if that could hide the proof. "T-That's not—! You're imagining things!"

Nora chuckled softly, lowering her staff. "Relax. I'm not trying to corner you. I just… think you should be honest with yourself sooner rather than later."

Keira lowered her hands slowly, biting her lip. She hated how easily Nora's words hit home. She wanted to argue, to deny it again—but instead, her voice came out small.

"…It's complicated."

Nora's expression softened. For a moment, the serious priestess side of her gave way to something gentler, like a big sister. "Of course it is. Feelings usually are."

Keira stared down at her boots, the whip dangling loosely at her side. She thought of Leo—frustrating, confusing, sometimes distant, And then Rin—reliable, steady, kind. Safe but… the one whose approval seemed to matter too much.

Her heart twisted, and she hated it.

Nora didn't push any further. She just smiled faintly, turning her gaze back to the path ahead where the charred remains of the Rose Knights lay scattered.

"Either way, whoever you choose… you'll need the courage to stand by them. Not just in moments like this, but when things get truly difficult."

Keira glanced up at her, surprised by the weight in her voice. For a brief second, she wondered if Nora was still talking about her—or if those words were also a quiet vow to herself about Ryen.

The air was heavy with the smell of burned petals, the dungeon unnaturally quiet. Keira tightened her grip on the whip and straightened her back, forcing her legs to stop shaking.

"…I'll figure it out," she said finally, her voice steadier than before.

Nora smiled knowingly. "Good. That's all anyone can ask."

With that, she started walking, staff tapping lightly against the stone. Keira followed a step behind, still flustered but a little more grounded, her mind a mess of faces, names, and unspoken feelings.

For now, though, surviving the dungeon came first.