*Huff... huff... huff!* Lilithia scrambled up from the ground, dusting herself off with clumsy swipes. "Who the hell designed that damn puppet?! It self-destructs at the end?! That’s next-level absurdity—it takes the cake!"

The girl’s mouth fired off one baffling yet oddly fascinating remark after another, like firecrackers popping in Fiore’s ears.

Unbothered by the torn fabric of her clothes—now revealing glimpses of skin where seams had split—Lilithia darted off to collect the puppet’s scattered remains.

"Speaking of which," she called over her shoulder, "if the trial uses mage-level puppets... does that mean graduating from the academy only requires reaching mage rank?"

Fiore nodded. "Mages are considered capable of standing on their own. For higher tiers? You’d join the faculty, the Mage Guild, or maybe the Adventurers’ Guild. But ultimately..." He paused. "Every mage’s pinnacle lies in that tower."

The Tower of Sages.

Even Lilithia knew it—the ultimate sanctuary for mages. A superpower that commanded raw creation. Sages perched at its peak, dedicating lifetimes to magic, shaping its very laws.

"So... I’ll graduate soon?"

"Mm-hmm."

Lilithia tapped her chin thoughtfully. "After graduation... how does one become nobility?" She shot Fiore a testing glance.

Fiore nearly blurted: *Marry me, and you’ll be noble.*

And he did.

"Lilithia, marry me, and you’ll be noble."

"!!!" She stumbled backward, clutching her head in horror. "You—you beast! I’m only eleven! Are you really itching to pluck unripe fruit?! Are perverted nobles this common?!"

*Should I accept?* Lilithia weighed it. Honestly? Tempting.

But it meant diving into Fiore’s harem drama. Poisoned by a jealous concubine someday? Her mind spun palace intrigue plots. *Better not. Not yet.*

"N-no! I’m not that kind of pervert!" Fiore stammered. "Just a joke! I’d never touch an eleven-year-old!"

Lilithia puffed out her chest. "Thought so. Though my growth’s stunted from anemia, I’ve got *assets*. Wanna test them?"

*Gulp.*

Certain Fiore wouldn’t pounce here, Lilithia turned playful. She grabbed his hand and pressed it to her chest. "Limited-time offer! Feel these tender, budding blossoms—only available now~"

"Lilithia!" Fiore yanked his hand back.

She smirked. "You promised marriage to make me noble, yet flinch at this? Avoiding responsibility? That’s scumbag behavior."

"Shouldn’t you change clothes first? Yours are torn to shreds." Fiore stiffly changed the subject. *She loves teasing me... but it’s cute.* His pulse raced. *If I did... and took responsibility... would she really...?*

*Sword Heart!*

Fiore snapped into focus, banishing dangerous thoughts. Lilithia shivered—a fleeting sense of being hunted by a beast—then shrugged it off.

Changing clothes...

Lilithia rummaged in her oversized bag, then draped a large cloth to make a makeshift changing booth. She peeked out, half her face visible. "Wait here, Fiore~ I’ve got something special just for you!"

*Her battle outfit.*

Designed to showcase silver hair, crimson eyes, porcelain skin, and a slender frame. She’d even added black thigh-highs—her legs were the closest thing to "curvy" she owned. *Silk makes them look sexier.*

"If you’re impatient, just peek~"

"... " Fiore turned his back obediently.

"Beast! Worse than a beast!" Lilithia’s laughter rang out as she changed.

*Huh?* Fiore froze. *Doing it makes me a beast... not doing it makes me worse? Which is better?* He faced the eternal dilemma. *Maybe... being a beast is preferable?*

*Should I earn titles like "Tiger Sword Saint" or "Elephant Sword Saint"? Then I could justify beastly behavior...*

*Fiore! You’re becoming depraved!* His upbringing screamed at him. *Control these filthy thoughts!*

Lilithia emerged moments later, face flushed as she stepped from the booth.

*Why did I design this?!* Panic hit her. *It’s useless outside... I made it just for him. Why did that feel natural?! And the twin tails—*

*Ugh—*

From neck to ears, she burned crimson. For the first time, pure shame washed over her, dizzying.

*But!*

She’d gone this far—wasting it would be tragic!

Having lived as a boy before, Lilithia was bolder than most girls. While others might hide forever from embarrassment... she pushed the cloth aside.

A vision in black and white appeared.

Silver hair tied in twin tails, adorned with bat-shaped clips. A formal dress, lace-trimmed and ruffled, hugged her frame. Black thigh-highs completed the look.

"Fairy," Fiore breathed. Not a real fairy—he’d never seen one—but Lilithia looked like something straight out of a fairy tale. The monochrome outfit made her blushing cheeks and crimson eyes glow.

*Beautiful.*

His hands reached out instinctively—then froze midair.

Lilithia beamed. *My aesthetic is lethal here! I could design costumes for a living!* She eyed his outstretched arms. "Want to hold me?"

"Eh? I... um... may I?" Sword Heart couldn’t save him now. He answered honestly.

Lilithia blinked, as if saying, *Look at you, growing a spine.* After a hesitant pause, she crept closer.

"How?"

Fiore swept her up in a princess carry.

"Heh~ You held me like this the first time too. Hoping to see me cry in your arms again? I won’t cry now." Her blush deepened, betraying her nerves.

Fiore lowered his head, face suddenly close.

Lilithia covered her eyes with both hands. "T-too intense..."

He set her down as if waking from a dream, heart pounding from the memory of her warmth and flustered expression. *She’s too cute.*

Lilithia ducked back into the booth, reemerging in plain clothes. Calm returned.

"Phew! This is more comfortable. Stop looking so disappointed!" She poked Fiore’s cheek. "It’s just a costume change! You think I’m ugly now?"

"Current Lilithia is adorable too."

"!"

"But the blushing Lilithia in that dress? Even cuter."

"You!" *Typical protagonist—saying such things without blinking! If I were a normal girl, I’d have sunk already!* She tugged her hair. "I kept the twin tails, see?"

"Also adorable."

"Stop saying ‘adorable’!"

Settled, she tugged Fiore down to sit, leaning her full weight against him. "Fiore... you shouldn’t be here."

"Lilithia..."

"You’re the sun. Nothing should chain your light. You know why I left that letter. I wanted you to just... pass through."

Fiore fell silent.

Then Lilithia’s tone shifted. "But... our promise still counts, right?" She fidgeted. "The one where... if I call your name, you’ll come to me..."

"Always!"

"I—I mean, even for trivial things? Like... sudden loneliness...?" Her crimson eyes darted up and down, watching his reaction while burning with shame.

Fiore placed a hand on her head, lightly playing with her upper ponytail. "Call me. If you don’t... I’ll feel lonely too."