CH 279

"Haa. What a fearsome impact that had. That was dangerous."

"Lana-sama. What's more important is you're back on your feet again."

Lana finally come back to her senses around the time Zephyr had collected 50 of the ‹Hexa-Thunder Wood› on the opposite side a little far from away from where Lana and other were.

Ester was diligently wiping the flushed face of Lana with a handkerchief on her one hand.

"Hn, I'm jealous of you, Lana. Maybe I should also try it?"

"You shouldn't, Karua. Imitating that's like walking into lion's den. You better stop if you value your life."

"I don't think there's need to vigilance that much."

Lana immediately dismissed Karua who showed her interest in imitating earlier act with Zephyr.

Rika gave a strained laugh at Lana's word who make it as if it was a life-threatening event.

"But I lost a good chance. A chance to act with Zephyr like that is already hard to come by and I messed up with my inexperience. I almost thought my heart is going to jump out of my throat when I saw his face so close to me suddenly."

"I know, that situation looked so fantastic. Zephyr also got looks after all."

"Hn, Zephyr is gentle."

Zephyr's action of responding to Lana's wishes to his limit has infact earned a pretty high score from Rika and Karua. Although it had started with Lana's selfishness, Zephyr still let Lana take priority despite grumbling against her demand and even come to help her as soon as he saw Lana didn't know the basic of using axe.

Though the person herself was looking remorseful to have wasted the chance of experience that delightful yet embarassing experience for longer.

"It's not something everyone can do. You can say Zephyr-dono truly trust Lana-sama."

"I, I see. I'm the no.1 when Zephyr need to rely on someone, right."

Lana said in a tone strangely emphasising ‘No.1’, as if to say there exist someone threatening to take over her place.

Ester and Rika who noticed that ended up smiling. After all, both of them were aware of Lana's recent anxiety.

It was the other day another new member joined ‹Eden›.

New member's name was Ekaterina, a commander that Zephyr was looking for.

Another girl! Lana was almost bubbling up with feeling to somehow complain to Zephyr on that but the problem was the gaze and behaviour Ekaterina was directing to Zephyr.

It was plain as day it was a girl aiming for Zephyr.

The girl's camp in the ‹Eden› were quick to sense it. No, Quick would be a understatement, rather they had noticed it the moment Zephyr brought her with himself.

Apparently, Ekaterina failed in acquiring a good job and her life from there was devoid of any hope when they heard about the situation.

It was already a common knowledge in the world that nobles have noble exclusive job and also that those noble exclusive jobs were fundamentally stronger than ordinary jobs.

Hence, there was the trend among nobility to only acquire exclusive jobs.

There was even the rule among some noble houses that they can only take the exclusive jobs and not other at any cost. As it could go, Ekaterina was a child of one such household.

Alas, the job that appeared for Ekaterina was completely in contrast to her nature. She was sure her future had no prospect anymore.

It might have been possible to go through job transfer but there was no way of telling when it will appear and it wouldn't be strange for years to pile up in no time as she waited, hoping for her desired job.

What's more, changing job was like resetting resetting your life upto that point. Job transfer wouldn't take her back to when she was 16 year old and the gap between peers would become a chasm. A wrong move and she would be checkmate in her life.

However that's when Zephyr took entry into her life and unsurprisingly, he effortlessly blew away the despair, the darkness around her and once again illuminated her gloomy life. He did it all of this in just one day to boot.

It's impossible to not have favorable feeling towards such person and sure enough, Ekaterina was trying her best to get closer to Zephyr.

It was a sudden attack on the castle which Lana was just a few steps from taking down after she cleared away all the obstacles in her path and was full of confidence.

If that wasn't enough, Zephyr who appeared to be accepting her without showing any denial or approval was causing anxiety to one part of girl's member in ‹Eden›. The culprit behind all of this was Zephyr.

Well, girl's camp did understand that he wasn't accepting her in that sense though.

However understanding that is one thing but it's the heart of a maiden who ever so wished for her interest to look only at herself.

“But Zephyr is too kind to everyone.”, Lana felt uneasy.

"How about pushing forward the engagement with Zephyr-dono?"

"Wha!? I, Isn't that a bit earlier for that!? Because it's just one month since we have met each other, and even Zephyr shouldn't be thinking about engagement so soon!"

Lana flustered at Ester's straightforward proposal.

Though what Lana said was also reasonable.

Not to say even Zephyr, while he had begun envisioning the ending he want, hadn't come up with anything concrete on how he would like to advance when the life in academy had just begun. He might in fact turned down the proposal thinking it's too early.

"Then how about setting up situation where Zephyr-dono doesn't have any situation but to engage."

"Well, I would like to keep it romantic if possible like in romance novel..."

Apparently Lana's hestitant attitude had touched something inside her attendant Ester as Ester let out some dangerous words.

Consequently, Lana's tone lowered down.

Lana wanta to pursue romance like those bittersweet romance novels she had read.

It's true that she may made her way to the castle but that was more like a groundwork in case they get together in future.

"Lana, fight."

"Indeed. It's better to mount an assault than just drown in uneasiness."

Rika and Karua gave their support to her.

Well of course their words weren't as unsettling as Ester but if she wants Zephyr, she have to act accordingly.

It wasn't the time for her to become flustered and faint just by having his face closer.

"You're right. It was so unlike of me! I am going to work hard to deepen our relationship a bit more!"

Lana stood up with a determination, supported by the members of ‹Eden›.

Zephyr, noticing that she had recovered, waved his hand and returned back.

Lana discarded the trembling of her heart and took one step forward 一一 aiming for that place, a bit closer than ever.