When Eliria opened her eyes, the familiar yard was gone. They stood in a shaded alleyway, somewhere in the very heart of Aeralis—the Kingdom of Spirits. Warm light embraced the city, the air smelled of jasmine, and voices echoed in the distance.

  "How…?" she whispered. "How did you do that?"

  Alex looked around, inhaled deeply, and answered with a light smile:

  "A long time ago, I visited Aeralis… and for some reason, this alley stuck in my memory more than anything else."

  Then he turned his gaze to her.

  "As for the teleportation…" He paused, eyes narrowing playfully. "You do remember what level I am, right?"

  Eliria simply nodded silently.

  "There’s your answer," said Alex, spreading his arms. "But don’t worry—I’ve still got enough mana. Enough to get back. And most importantly—I won’t even faint."

  Eliria smiled with relief.

  "Glad to hear it. Well, I should go. Thank you, Alex. For these days. For everything."

  "And thank you," he said sincerely. "I’ll be waiting for you. Very soon."

  She smiled warmly, turned, and lightly ran deeper into the alley, disappearing among the stone buildings.

  Alex watched her go—long and quietly. And when her silhouette vanished around the bend, he conjured another magical circle beneath his feet and disappeared—returning home.

  The room was wrapped in cozy darkness, pierced only by the gentle rays of moonlight slipping through heavy curtains. Everything in the room spoke of its owner's refined taste—from the deep maroon silk drapes to the soft carpet by the bed. Sturdy wooden bookcases lined the walls, filled to the brim with books, and by the far wall stood a large desk still cluttered with open volumes, bookmarked and scribbled with notes.

  But among all this richness, on a spacious bed, in the embrace of a stuffed teddy bear, lay the girl who had spent recent months fearlessly descending into dungeon depths… and who now couldn’t make sense of what was happening in her own heart.

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  Eliria kept tossing and turning, clutching the teddy bear’s paw and murmuring to herself—sometimes irritably, sometimes nervously.

  "What is happening to me…"

  "Is something troubling you?" came the familiar gentle voice of the Sirena in her mind.

  "I…" Eliria froze. "I don’t know how to describe it. Inside… it’s such a strange feeling. Like butterflies. I can’t stop thinking about him…" She closed her eyes. "About that moment… when he held me in his arms…"

  The image in her mind flared anew, and Eliria, as if scorched, buried her face in the pillow and began rolling around on the bed.

  "I’m so embarrassed…" she groaned. "I could barely stop myself from jumping ten feet away from him. All so he wouldn’t see my face… My insane, confused face!"

  "You did well," the Sirena said gently. "You stayed, even though it was difficult. Now tell me… what else did you feel in that moment?"

  Eliria fell silent again. The warm, quiet memory returned—her head resting against his chest.

  "I felt… safe. Good. Calm," she whispered. "I was anxious, very… but at the same time… I wanted that moment to last longer. I wanted to feel his warmth… hear the beat of his heart… and…"

  She blushed again and buried herself under the blanket.

  "What am I even saying? He probably thinks I’m strange…"

  "Think of just one moment," the Sirena interrupted softly, "when he was harsh with you. When he insulted you, dismissed you, or pushed you away."

  "No," the girl whispered. "Never. Alex… he’s always been kind. Gentle. He was the first to see me as an equal. The first who didn’t think I was weak or a coward."

  "And he entrusted his secrets to you," the Sirena said softly. "Think about that. Isn’t that a sign of just how important you are to him?"

  "What are you getting at?" Eliria asked cautiously.

  "You already know. You just haven’t dared to say it out loud until now."

  Eliria blushed again. She bit her lip, and then, as if summoning all her courage, suddenly exclaimed:

  "Fine! I… I’m in love with him!"

  Silence fell over the room, until the joyful voice of the Sirena echoed once more in her mind:

  "Well, finally! I’m so happy you were able to admit it. To yourself, first and foremost. That will make everything easier from now on."

  "It’s just…" Eliria took a deep breath. "I understand that right now, there are far more important things in his life. But I… I’ll always be there. I’ll always support him. And when he’s finished everything he’s set out to do—I’ll tell him. Everything."

  "I’ll be rooting for you," the Sirena said sincerely. "But for now, you need to rest. Tomorrow will be a long day."

  "A long day?" the girl asked in surprise.

  "You agreed to go with the raid group to pick out a gift for Alex, remember? And in the evening—dress shopping with your mother."

  "I completely forgot…"

  She hugged the teddy bear tighter to her chest, closed her eyes, and whispered:

  "Sweet dreams, Sirena."

  "And to you, my Lady."

  And the room was wrapped in a pleasant silence.