She watched in silence as Isis left, her chest sinking a little uncomfortable, and she couldn't help but wonder if she had done something wrong. She tells him that her choice is up to him...... But she didn't seem to give him any other choice, and even put a heavier burden on his shoulders.

She remembered what Ed described as "some possibility." If that happens, it's because Isis has fulfilled his promise......

The girl opened her mouth, but she didn't stop Is. Reason told her that she hadn't done anything wrong - that it was best if they could work together. She's just ...... I probably understood more clearly where Ed's fear and guilt came from.

She was in a daze, but Ed had slipped over in a hurry.

"How's that?" he asked, leaning his head in a whisper, "is he still angry?"

Naria turned her head to stare at him, and the reason that had been sitting in her head disappeared in an instant.

She slapped him on the forehead in a rage, as if everything was his fault.

“...... Are you still angry?" Ed sighed and grumbled, "Don't you think he's getting more careful?"

"You're just getting more careful!" Narya was even more angry, but looking at the clear finger marks on his forehead, the other slap could not fall cleanly.

"Of course he'll help you!" she said, "when did he not help you?"

“...... But he's still angry?" Ed really only cared about this - Iss would always help him, but he was really getting harder to coax, did he have to dance in front of him? I heard that dragons like to watch humans dance......

"He's not angry!" Naria clenched her fists, feeling that this guy was indeed underbeaten sometimes.

"And what are you upset about?" Ed asked aggrievedly.

“...... Don't you think?" Naria lowered her eyes, "from the time you know each other, whatever you want to do, whatever whimsical ideas you have...... At the end of the day, he'll always listen to you, whether he's a well-behaved and quiet human or a grumpy dragon. ”

Ed tried a little, not understanding why she was upset about this.

"Isn't it because I didn't do anything wrong?" he asked, "or even if I'm wrong, he's not sure, or he thinks he can fix it, so of course he'll help me...... He's my friend. If he wants to do something, won't I always help him?"

Naria was silent, but her eyes slowly turned red inexplicably.

“...... It's my fault!" Ed immediately admitted without principle.

Naria shook her head and hugged him with her arms outstretched. Ed stiffened in flattery, and then hugged him back with joy and trepidation, and the blood all over his body seemed to have turned into flames because of this simple embrace, and it was burning in his veins, burning his whole body to melt...... But it cooled down because of the warm wetness on his shoulders.

"In the end...... What's wrong?" he asked cautiously, flustered, distressed, and a little apprehensive.

Naria didn't answer—she couldn't. Of course she knew that Ed wasn't wrong, and even that she wasn't wrong...... It's just that she always thought she hadn't changed. Even if she chooses Ed, her love for them is the same as before, and she will not give a little less because she gives a little more to this...... She thought she wasn't partial, and she still loved Is.

But she may have been wrong.

She began to think more about Ed, and at the same time, she could clearly feel Iss silently standing farther away, drawing an invisible line between them, but pretending to be unaware because she thought it was better.

He wasn't really her brother after all.

And didn't she really know? didn't she really feel what was in the gaze that was thrown at her from time to time, and always quickly averted?

But that's not fair to Is. His heart will not be accepted...... Not even recognized.

She hates it...... But what could she do?

If only there was anyone, it would be nice to be able to tell her.

.

However, even Tess, who claims to be "experienced" in this area, cannot answer this question.

After all, her "experience" is, in fact, only one of Novi...... Even if this one split into two halves, she knew very well which half she wanted, and she never wavered or embarrassed in the slightest.

"There's really no way to do this kind of thing. She sat cross-legged on the bed, rubbing her beloved little daggers, and thought about it, but didn't come up with any good ideas.

"Unless Iss can fall in love with another girl. She said, singing in a sing-like tone, "What can save a heart that is broken for love......?

Naria covered her mouth as her face burned red as her voice rose louder and louder.

Tess laughed in the palm of her hand and winked at her teasingly.

Naria blushed and let go of her hand, not wanting to pay attention to her anymore.

"Remember?" said Tess, "Once upon a time in Klossersburg, the night Ed the fool chirped and asked you, 'What if I didn't just want to be your friend' and was rejected by you, I asked you if you liked Ise more, and you said, 'Do I have to like this childish and headstrong, boyish guy who doesn't know anything?!'—isn't Ed childish now?"

Naria was so angry that she wanted to hit someone. She pounced and crumpled Tess's curly red hair into a mess of grass, making her scream and laugh and almost dying, but she still wouldn't stop.

"You still say ......" she giggled and dodged her hand, and rolled back and forth, still learning her tone so vividly that she remembered every word she said at the time: "You still said that you were with Ed...... It's like, like a cookie with pepper in it, or a spicy sausage with jam...... So now he's not jam, but ...... Ketchup?"

Naria stopped in frustration, rolled over, and collapsed on her back on the bed.

"Probably...... He did turn into ketchup, and I wasn't that spicy. She said.

It wasn't long before what they had experienced forced them to grow faster and change...... She really couldn't tell when she stopped seeing Ed as a mere 'friend'...... He was still a little childish, but she gradually felt that it was actually a very cute and precious part of him.

She actually hoped that he could keep that little bit of "childishness" forever.

And Is...... He still had so much time left in his life that she couldn't accompany him at all.

He will always find happiness that truly belongs to him...... Right?