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Before nightfall, the conversation between Allen, Sylphiette, and Rudeus came to an uneventful close.
Yet, Allen's slow, deliberate words, his earnest gaze, and the way Rudeus and Sylphiette cautiously but persistently asked questions and refined the plan made this afternoon anything but ordinary.
It made the plan itself feel significant.
They had long since become a group—one centered around Allen.
From the moment they fell into the snowy valley, Allen's actions there had bound the three of them together.
For Sylphiette, the real-life "bridge effect" of surviving that ordeal, combined with Allen pulling her out of her miserable childhood and helping her grow, had fostered deep emotions.
For Rudeus, seeing Allen save him in a way eerily similar to how he himself had tried to save someone before his truck-related reincarnation—then reflecting on his own motives and feeling a sense of redemption upon Allen's survival—cemented that connection.
They had always been watching Allen.
So, in truth, they understood him far better than he realized.
They also understood what taking this step forward meant to him.
Even if they didn't know Allen was a reincarnated soul who had read the original story, didn't know he wanted to make up for the tragedies of the Great Teleportation, didn't know his struggles with identity in Boreas, didn't know that—as the "System" had said—the more he hesitated, the more mistakes he made...
They could still see it.
The clear shift in Allen's attitude toward the Greyrat family before and after the snowy valley made one thing undeniable:
Despite his calm demeanor, his reliable nature, his maturity and resilience far beyond his years—even his sometimes overly rational way of handling things—
At his core,
He yearned for family.
This was something Sylphiette and Rudeus had discussed before, with Rudeus drawing from his own "personal experience" to reach the conclusion.
They weren't Allen. They didn't have all the noise clouding his thoughts.
So, as outsiders, they could see it more clearly.
When someone desperately wants something but believes they can never have it, they'll subconsciously reject it, deny its importance, convince themselves they don't need it.
He was lost in the "fog."
And now, he was finally stepping out of it.
That was why, from the bottom of their hearts, they were happy for him.
For the first time, they felt like they had truly helped Allen—rather than waiting for him to help them again.
However...
In this trio, there was still one person wandering in the fog without realizing it.
—Sylphiette.
Rudeus had likely already noticed the "situation" between Allen and Sylphiette.
But Sylphiette, even now,
Had no idea about Allen's feelings.
And didn't dare express her own.
———
"Wait, 'see you tomorrow' is fine, but why are you grabbing my hand?"
At the door of the teacher's dormitory, Allen's eye twitched as he stared down at his hand.
The discussion had gone smoothly up until now.
But when it was time to part ways, a small disturbance occurred at the bedroom door.
Under Allen's gaze,
A slender, pale hand rested atop his own.
Following the arm up,
Further up,
Was Rudeus' face.
With an exaggerated look of innocence, he declared matter-of-factly:
"I'm giving you strength, Allen-sama!"
Allen: "..."
Before Allen could react, Rudeus swiftly let go, wearing an expression that screamed "worth it."
"Just kidding."
"See you tomorrow! Wait and see what I can do!"
Then, under the bewildered stares of Allen and Sylphiette, he turned, opened the door, slipped inside, and closed it—all in one smooth motion.
Thud.
The door shut.
Rudeus leaned against it, silent for a moment.
Then exhaled deeply.
He looked down at his hand.
Clenched.
Opened.
Clenched again.
Opened again.
Repeating the motion twice.
'This time, in the snowy valley… in the rain… I finally caught it.'
After that thought, he glanced back at the door.
As if he could see through the wall, picturing Allen and Sylphiette standing awkwardly outside.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
'I'm a genius. You've got a long way to go when it comes to reading the mood, Allen-sama. I gave you the perfect chance to shoo me away, and you just stood there spacing out. What a clueless protagonist.'
'Talk to Sylphiette properly. You can't just keep focusing on your mother, you know?'
Taking a deep breath, Rudeus adopted the expression of a responsible family head—"This household would fall apart without me."
'Alright! Time to give it my all and make his wish come true. Tch, he actually asked me for help for once. That's rare.'
'Allen, you little know-it-all.'
'This time,'
'It's my turn to help you!'
Though his words sounded like complaints, his steps were light as he walked to the desk.
Staring at its surface, he took another deep breath.
'And if I'm doing this, I'm doing it perfectly. No mistakes on my part.'
'The banquet is tomorrow night. I've got a full day.'
'Time to channel all my energy—the same energy I used to 100% complete every romance route in galgames in one night! Wait, no—every EMOTIONAL route!'
'Let's go, Rudeus!'
———
In the hallway, Sylphiette watched the scene with an amused smile.
Though Allen wore a baffled expression at Rudeus' antics, she understood what he was doing.
He was happy to have been of help.
And she knew exactly why he had made that grabbing motion.
Because in some ways, even if their reasons were different,
Their actions mirrored each other.
Her thoughts moved slowly, carefully.
Time passed.
But gradually, her smile froze.
The hallway was quiet.
She felt a gaze on her.
From beside her.
Blinking, she turned her head.
A breeze slipped through the window, brushing against the white-haired girl's face before drifting toward Allen's.
Their eyes met.
Sylphiette stared at Allen, who was tilting his head slightly, watching her with a gentle, knowing look.
For some reason, her chest tightened.
When Rudeus was still here, the tension hadn't been so palpable. But now, alone in the dim hallway, the last rays of sunset reflecting in Allen's eyes—
She could hear her own heartbeat.
Logically, she shouldn't be this flustered just from being alone with him. Whether in the cramped fitting room or at Hilda's vanity, they'd had moments to themselves before. Back then, she had been composed, unwavering.
But…
This was different.
Something had changed.
Not now, but earlier—when she had brought Rudeus to Allen's room, pushed open the slightly ajar door, and seen him.
He had been sitting relaxed in his chair, turning to look at her.
His eyes were soft. At ease.
The urgency from before, when he had asked her to fetch Rudeus, had vanished in that short separation.
The weight on his shoulders was gone.
Yet she couldn't pinpoint what exactly had changed, or why.
Only that it made her nervous.
So, instinctively, she looked away—down at her shoes, like always.
The shifting light and shadows on the floor blurred slightly.
Then, she saw Allen's eyes again.
He had crouched down, looking up at her.
Meeting her gaze.
The sunset dipped lower, the light dimming.
Their shadows merged.
"Sylphy, I saw it. All three times."
"Thank you."
"You've worked hard."
A long silence.
Then, softer than the wind—
"It's okay."
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