[Grandpa, I dont like tsunderes!!]

[Hmmm? Why is that??]

This happened while Igni was training at a waterfall in the [Demon Kings Realm]

[Because theyre difficult! You cant tell if they like you or not!]

[I see, I see]

Lucas thinks about this and

<SLAP!!!>

[WH?! BUT GRANDPA!! ARENT YOU THE SAME?!]

[DONT PUT ME IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS YOU!!]

[..........bbut why?! Its a tsundere were talking about! Theyre so irritable and agitated!! Isnt that scary to deal with?!]

[You idiot!! Thats the best part of them.!!]

[Ththats.the best part? What are you saying, Grandpa?! Have you finally gone senile?!?!]

[Of course not!! Igni!! I can see right through you!! All youre trying to do is have an easier time!]

[..............?!]

[Looks like I was right judging from your expression. Igni, your weakness...your fault is that you always try to move towards the path of least resistance....the easier path.]

[.......th.....the easier path..?]

[YES! YOU WANT EVERYTHING TO JUST BE EASY!! FOR EVERYTHING TO START OFF AND REMAIN EASY!! YOU WANT THEM TO LIKE YOU FROM THE START?!? DONT UNDERESTIMATE POPULARITY, YOU FOOL!!!]

[Ggrandpa.!!]

[ARE THEY IRRITABLE AT FIRST..?! IS IT DIFFICULT TO READ THEM?! BUT THAT IS IT!! THAT IS..SO GOOD!!!]

[Ththat?]

[EXACTLY!! ITS THAT DROP BETWEEN THEIR DISLIKE AND LIKE..!! ITS THAT GAP THAT DRAWS YOU IN..!!]

[YEAH?!]

[IF YOU SEE A BAD GUY SAVING A CAT, IT MAKES YOU THINK, MAYBE HES ACTUALLY NOT THAT BAD? AND THAT THOUGHT IS UNIVERSAL..!! AND IT'S THE SAME WITH TSUNDERE!!]

[............!!]

[OYE, IGNI, JUST IMAGINE..! SHE HATES YOU AT FIRST..! YOU FIGHT OFTEN!! BUT ONE DAY, SHE SUDDENLY SHOWS A GLIMPSE OF KINDNESS..!!]

[........OH.OHHHHHHHHHHH!!]

Igni shook.

[DO YOU UNDERSTAND, IGNI..?!?!]

[I.I GET IT..!! GRANDPA!! ME TOO.! I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE GOODNESS OF TSUNDERE!!]

<<<<>>>>

Igni: (I guess its finally my time too)

Igni stares at Lilly while thinking very strange and perplexing thoughts.

High in the sky, the sun is beaming down on them.

They have departed from last nights campsite and have traveled a few hours now.

Lilly: .....what is it? Please dont look this way.

Lura: Hey hey, Lilly. Cmon. You have to get along better than that.

Lilly: HMPH!!

Lilly turns the other way.

But Igni is now able to look upon her defiance with overflowing patience and forgiveness.

Igni: (Yes! Its because Lilly is a tsundere!!)

Igni: (This is the tsun (the disliking me) part of her!! )

.or at least, Igni had to convince himself of this or else her persistent dislike of him breaks him.

This is because as soon as Lura woke, Lilly became extremely irritable and antagonistic towards Igni.

Igni was sad.

Igni: Iris

Iris: What is it, Sir Igni?

Igni: If a mans really irritable and angry at first but...

Iris: Yes?

Igni: .....but suddenly becomes nicer to you, what would you think of him?

Iris: Umm.well, I think he would be scary to deal with!

Igni: (I see...shes the same as I was 2 years ago.)

Igni let out an well-aged, parental sigh inside his heart.

Igni: (Iris, you have a long way to go.)

Iris: Because if you think about it, isnt that just like how Edward is?

Edward: Did you call for me?

Iris: No we didnt.

Igni: ......................................................hm????

Igni: Wai....Iris, what did you just say??

Iris: Huh? I said that sounds just like Edward.

Igni: ..........................................

Iris: SSir Igni?! Whats wrong! All the blood just drained from your face!!

Edward: Wwait! I havent done anything!!

Igni: (...........hey)

Igni: (...................hey now)

Igni: (.....................wait wait wait wait.!!!)

Igni: Edward

Edward: Whwhat is it?!

Igni: Dont.push yourself too hard

Edward: I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOURE TALKING ABOUT!!!!

A tsundere man, huh..

Yeah..a man..

Igni: (.................................)

Igni: (.......................................................)

A man.

Why is it all men..?

In his mind, a white-haired young man came to mind.

And Ignis thoughts were thrown into darkness and chaos.

Igni is just being Igni as usual.

Lura: Oh, stop the carriage!

Lura asks the driver of the carriage, and the carriage comes to a halt.

And Igni and Lilly also realize what is happening.

And both look at one another.

Lura: Were pretty far from the Capital, so I thought it might be about time they start coming out.

Lura shrugs.

Iris: What should we do? Sir Igni, should I go ahead and cast my Spell?

Igni: Wait, Iris. You might accidentally kill them.

Right after those words, armed men appear.

Give us the loot and no one loses their life!!

HA HA HA, if you dont wanna die, leave all the good here!!

Bandits.

Lura: Igni, whos territory are we in?

Igni: If were this far from the Capital, its not related to the Royal Family. I cant tell who theyre working for.

Although its not often that you run into bandits in the Kingdom on the main roads. The security is not that lax or non-existent, but regardless, there are still bandits here and there.

Theres even some who work for the Governor of the territory and steal money from travelers.

Igni: 2, 3...5 total.

Igni identifies the magical powers around him and determines the exact number.

HEY! ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING?! Igni: Iris, go ahead.

Iris: Yes! [EARTH BENDS] {Tetsura DeForte!!}

The <ground melts> below the bandits and with a <SPLASH>, their lower bodies fall into the earth.

Iris: How was that?

Igni: Awesome, good job, Iris!

Iris: Yes! Its the first time I was complimented by Sir Igni!!

Iris is ecstatic even though she dropped a super-depressing bombshell of a statement.

And Igni continues to be wary of how hes going to handle her going forward.

Igni: Okay, lets get going. Lura: Yes, lets.

And with that, the carriage starts moving again.

WAIT!! HELP US!!

PLEASE DONT LEAVE US LIKE THIS!!

WERE GONNA DIE!! THIS AREA IS FULL OF ORCS!!

But the carriage continues to move on.

Iris: Theyll be able to get out in about 30 minutes.

Iris mumbles this to herself, and the group leaves the bandits behind.

<<<<>>>>

The firewood crackles.

Lilly: WHY AM I PAIRED WITH YOU TWO NIGHTS IN A ROW?!

Igni: Lilly, youre being too loud. You'll wake everyone up.

Yes, Lilly and Igni were on guard duty together again tonight.

From yesterdays rotation, Iris switched out with Edward, and Edward is on break from guard duties.

Lilly: And why are you *calling me casually by name all of a sudden!

Igni: Oh, youre right. Im sorry. Lilly: Wwell, its okay but..!

Igni: (........hm?)

Lilly: Why did you look my way when the bandits arrived.

Igni: ........just because?

For Igni, there really was no definitive reason. It just happened that way.

Lilly: Well, if you dont want to tell me, you dont have to.

And with that Lilly turns away.

But is her cheeks a little red? From the firelight, Igni thought he saw that.

Igni: (............HMMMM????)

Lilly: .......hey, Igni.

Igni: YYEAH?!

Having her call his name for the first time, it caught Igni off guard.

Lilly: Can I sit over there again?

Igni: .........hm?

Lilly: Nno! I mean, after yesterdays incident...you know

Igni: Oh, ohhhh..

Shes talking about the Abductor Owl incident from yesterday night.

Igni: Of course. Lilly: "Thanks.

Lillys voice goes slightly higher than usual.

And Lura was listening in on their conversation the entire time.

Without noticing, Igni throws up a fist within his heart.

<<<<>>>>

Elenoir: Oh Alicia, youll be excusing yourself from school for a while?

Alicia: Yes..Im sorry. My <sister> is asking for me.

In the teacher/student meeting room, Alicia sat in front of Ms. Elenoir.

Elenoir: Are you sure? Because if its your sister, she.

Alicia: ......its okay. Its something I have to do now.

Elenoir: Okay. Well, its about <your personal family matters>, and its a [Designated Quest] requesting for you specifically so your absence will be noted as official leave

Alicia: Thank you so much.

Alicia bows her head.

Elenoir: But its such a weird QuestWhy do they want you to suddenly head to the Principality? Its not like anything big is going down in the Principality

Ms. Elenoir places a hand on her cheek and considers this.

Alicia: Yes, I am not sure either.

Alicias expression hardens.

This is all to keep Ms. Elenoir from realizing her plan.

Just the other day, a single letter reached Alicias hands.

The letter was written in Imperial Code and spoke briefly of the The Saint Abduction Plan.

Within the letter, information about the Saints movements along with her relations were documented. Alicia saw one line within that summary and immediately moved into action.

Fianc: Igni Talcoyz

Notes: Igni Talcoyz has been excommunicated from the Talcoyz Family and has currently abandoned his family name. It is presumed that Saint Roses goals concern her former fianc."

Alicia: ........really. I wonder why theyre calling me there?

Alicia smiles towards Ms. Elenoir.

Alicia is a reserve force concerning the plan in motion. Her participation is not mission critical, but all competitions must be removed.!

The Iron Maiden Alicia is still present in the here and now..!!