While I was briefly dazed, he slowly offered me a formal bow.

“Sinese has always been a steadfast and loyal servant of the Temple. So please, may you remain safe.”

There were no long or drawn-out explanations.

But with just that one sentence, Abraham was acknowledging the “Temple” not as the current High Priest Aietar, but as me.

Our unfiltered conversation, the divine power I used to heal him in one go, and our half-day-long talk—

Taking all of that into account, Abraham had decided to open the ancient waterway of his family to me.

Not out of consideration for blood ties, but out of loyalty to the Temple.

“...Thank you truly, Marquis.”

Holding back the lump in my throat, I smiled and gave my thanks.

“I’ll come back safely. That much—I’ve always been good at.”

Upon hearing my words, Abraham smiled as if his role was now complete and stepped back. It was his way of saying that the farewell should end here since time was short.

And since the invisibility spell on this boat only worked for one person, I had to say goodbye to Ray and Linna as well.

Linna, sniffling with Cashie in her arms, stepped forward.

“Bring that crazy duke back. And meet me in Arhad, Rosie.”

Looking down at me already seated in the boat, Linna said with a firm expression,

“I’ll be waiting after I take control of Idra. Waiting for you, your will, and...”

She narrowed her eyes slightly as she added,

“...your orders.”

It was, in the end, a declaration that when I returned, she would be ready to oppose the High Priest no matter the danger.

My heart swelled.

Now that the truth had been exposed, there was no more room to run.

If I returned with Zahid, we might have to go to war—perhaps even face Karso Aietar himself, now a man strengthened to the extreme with divine relics.

Even knowing that, Linna spoke with a voice that held not the slightest hesitation.

“I believe in you. So just come back to me.”

The way she said it was almost painfully tender, but I nodded deeply regardless.

The final farewell was Ray’s.

I looked at him and gave a small smile.

“Sorry, Ray.”

He was my dear friend who had guarded me since we left the capital.

He always put my safety first, always alert and on edge about what might happen to me.

But now, I was telling him I would go alone down the most dangerous path.

“For never listening.”

Really, no matter how I looked at it, I’d never once listened to Ray.

From his advice to hide my identity to his suggestion not to chase after Zahid—I had ignored it all.

But it couldn’t be helped. Ray and I were just too different.

“Still, I know you said it all for me. I’ve always appreciated that.”

As I smiled, Ray let out a deep, soft sigh.

“I know. That’s just the kind of person you are.”

His tone was that of someone both defeated and resigned.

Looking at him, I noticed he looked tired. His light blue hair was messier than usual, and even his cravat was slightly askew.

His water-colored blue eyes quietly looked at me.

“Rosie.”

“Yeah?”

When I looked at him and answered, he hesitated for a moment before speaking in a rush.

“The truth is... I like you. I’ve liked you for a really long time.”

Everyone was shocked by that confession.

Not just me—even Abraham and Linna wore expressions of complete disbelief, like they’d just seen a pig fly.

The first to blurt something out, trembling with fury, was Linna.

“No way, he’s the one making a confession right before being rejected? He’s the kind of man who never does anything that doesn’t benefit him!”

Next to her, Abraham muttered with a stunned face,

“The Young Lord of Water... saying something that gains him nothing? Is that even possible?”

I too blinked at Ray in a daze.

“...Ray, did you fully calculate everything ahead of time before saying that?”

“Hey...”

Ray clicked his tongue at us like we were all idiots.

“Shouldn’t the normal reaction be something like, ‘Wait, you liked me?’ And yes, I did calculate everything, so don’t look at me like I’ve lost my mind.”

Ray slowly walked over to me. Then he personally handed me Athena.

“Take Athena, Rosie.”

“Huh?”

“With Athena, you’ll be able to create your own waterways. You’ll get there a lot faster.”

Athena fell into my arms.

I stared blankly at Ray.

I swear, out of all the moments I’ve seen Ray, this was the most surprising.

Then, Ray slowly knelt on one knee and brought his lips to the back of my hand.

“I, Ray Lavendal...”

His voice flowed like water, soft and clear, and my body stiffened slightly.

Because I knew exactly what was coming.

“...swear to protect and serve Lady Rosie Noart...”

I had already heard this pledge three times.

From the Duke of Grass, the Duke of Fire, and the Duke of Earth.

Despite being the first to become the Divine Beast’s master, only the Duke of Water had yet to make the pledge—and I had always been aware of that.

But I didn’t force it, because I believed loyalty shouldn’t be demanded—and because Ray was already my friend and someone I trusted, even without it.

“...and I will stand with her will.”

My heart thundered with mission and tension once again.

I took a deep breath and quietly looked down at Ray.

Just like that, I had now received pledges of loyalty from all four ducal houses.

Ray stepped lightly back from me and gave a faint smile.

“Go, my master.”

His voice sounded strangely relieved.

“Go and find the one you love.”

“...”

“Even if that person isn’t me, I will still be loyal to you.”

Only then did I understand why Ray had done something he normally never would.

“The truth is, I’ve wanted to swear loyalty for a long time.”

Ray said, smiling gently.

“But I held back. I was afraid I’d end ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) up using the pledge for my own feelings.”

“...”

“Even someone like me, born this way... I wanted to do something truly sincere once in my life, even if it meant taking a loss. Like you—who always gives her all.”

His voice and expression were gentler and more embracing than ever, as if he could hold the whole world in his arms.

“That moment is now. So I have no regrets about my stupid confession.”

He had confessed his feelings and pledged his loyalty knowing full well where my heart was.

At the most critical moment, he helped me pursue someone else’s love with his own hands.

In other words, he had cast aside all other possibilities and chosen to be content with this role.

“...Thank you, Ray.”

And I decided not to ignore that feeling.

Hugging Athena tightly, I closed my eyes and swallowed back my tears.

Even if I didn’t say anything, I knew he already understood my answer.

Behind me, Linna and Abraham added some commentary—“What an epic rejection,” and “That’s the most touching failed confession I’ve ever seen in my life...”—but I decided to pretend I didn’t hear it.

When I couldn’t bring myself to say anything else, he gently added,

“Please save my friend, Rosie.”

They had never gotten along at the Academy, but clearly, the years had built a quiet bond between them.

“We always fought, but he’s still one of my few friends. That rude, ill-mannered bastard... I’d be really upset if he died. So please... save my friend’s life.”

“...Okay.”

I nodded, and Ray gently patted Athena’s head and whispered,

“Take care, Athena.”

“Wuuuuuuu... wuuuuu...”

Did you have to get rejected in front of this many people?

“This is the first time you’ve cried so long. Are you sad to part with me?”

At least, in this moment, it was fortunate Ray couldn’t understand Athena’s words.

“Take care of my two most precious friends, Athena. Do your best.”

“Wuuuuuuuuu. Wuuuuu.”

Out of three friends, two of them fall for each other... tsk tsk.

“Mmhm, I’ll be careful too.”

“Wuuuuu... wuuuuu.”

You poor thing. Just go get an arranged marriage.

Maybe because he was the smartest, Athena didn’t speak often—but when he did, he had a lot to say. In terms of communication, he was even better than Fire.

Anyway, from inside the boat, I hugged Athena tightly and looked at Ray standing by the water.

“See you in Arhad.”

Then I waved broadly toward the three of them.

“Thank you, all of you.”

I felt tears coming again, but I held them back.

I’d already cried a lot, and crying at farewells wasn’t proper.

With effort, I smiled despite the tightness in my throat and offered one last farewell.

“I’ll say the things I couldn’t next time we meet.”

At that moment, Athena gave a flap of his wings.

And the boat began to move—at an unbelievable speed.