Seated in her chair, Eclipse’s smile widened as she watched Mixarnt on one of the magical screens in the throne room. While the other generals focused on the various scenes of nobles hunting commoners, participants battling high-level monsters, or others fleeing in terror, Eclipse’s attention was solely on Mixarnt. Sunshine, standing by Eclipse’s side, shared the same enthusiasm, her grin mirroring Eclipse’s as she watched the boy in action.
"You two look happy—Oh! It’s Mixarnt! What’s happening?" Althea asked, joining them with excitement in her voice.
"Mixarnt is saving a participant—a victim of the hunting game some noble participants are playing, as you know," Sunshine explained, her eyes never leaving the screen.
Eclipse remained silent, her Lunar eyes glowing with pride and joy as she watched Mixarnt selflessly help others. To her, he was truly genuine—a boy who had donated 10 million gold to build an orphanage and school for homeless children without a second thought, and now, he was risking himself to save someone in need. "I stand by my word, Mixarnt is mine, Sunshine," Eclipse declared, her voice firm and her gaze intense.
Sunshine’s blue eyes flared into a burning gold literally, her irritation evident. "Aren’t we over this? Mixarnt will choose me over you," she shot back, clearly annoyed.
Althea sighed, massaging her temples as her two best friends bickered over an 11-year-old boy. Though, to be fair, Mixarnt was special—a rare talent that was impossible to ignore. "Can you two just chill out? Who knows, Mixarnt might just choose my squad, since he started calling me ‘big sis,’" Althea teased, trying to lighten the mood.
The reaction was immediate. Both Eclipse and Sunshine turned to her, their eyes wide with shock. "WHAT!?" they exclaimed in unison.
"I-I was joking, of course!" Althea stammered, raising her hands in defense as the two women scrutinized her with their overwhelming presence. "Come on, you two, it’s just a joke to lighten things up!" she pleaded, hoping they’d ease off.
Sunshine clicked her tongue ("Tsk!"), and Eclipse huffed ("Hmp!"), both still clearly annoyed with each other. The tension between them was palpable, but Althea could only shake her head, wondering how things had gotten so competitive over a boy who wasn’t even aware of the chaos he was causing.
Back on Mixarnt’s side, the battle was heating up. Mixarnt parried Alarac’s attacks with ease, his movements fluid and precise, which only fueled the noble-born’s frustration. "BASTARD!" Alarac screamed, his face twisted in rage. He raised his hands, summoning a high-level tornado magic spell—a swirling vortex of razor-sharp wind capable of cutting through anything in its path. The tornado roared toward Mixarnt, tearing up the ground as it advanced.
"Mana Wave!" Mixarnt shouted, swinging his wooden sword and releasing a powerful surge of mana energy. The two attacks collided in a spectacular explosion of force, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. Alarac, caught in the blast, stumbled backward, his fine clothes torn and his body bruised. He looked down at his hands, now smeared with blood, and his eyes widened in horror. "Y-you! A commoner injuring me!!!??? A-AH! BLOOD!? MY BLOOD!" Alarac shrieked, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and outrage. He acted as if a few drops of blood were a death sentence, his privileged upbringing clearly showing.
His anger reached its peak, and with a furious roar, Alarac unleashed his full power. "WIND BLADES!!!!" he screamed, channeling all of his remaining mana into a chaotic barrage of wind blades. The attack was wild and uncontrolled, slicing through the air in every direction, leaving deep gashes in the trees and ground.
"Uh oh!" Mixarnt muttered, his grin never faltering. He dashed toward Misa and scooped her up in his arms like a princess. Misa let out a startled squeal, her face flushing red as the smaller boy carried her with surprising ease. Mixarnt moved like a nimble monkey, dodging the wind blades with incredible agility, his wooden sword resting casually behind his back.
"Hey, Miss! Can you shoot a magic attack?" Mixarnt asked, his tone light and casual despite the chaos around them. "If you can, can you hit him with your strongest magic? I won’t be able to attack while I’m carrying you, and if I put you down, you might get caught up in the attack." He flashed her a reassuring grin, his confidence unwavering.
Misa, though still shaken, nodded quickly. She focused her energy, her hands glowing with a pale blue light as she summoned her strongest ice magic. "I-I’ll try!" she said, her voice trembling but determined. She chanted under her breath, and the air around them grew colder. A massive ice spear began to form in her hands, its surface shimmering with frost. The ice was so dense and powerful that it could withstand the force of Alarac’s wind blades.
"Now!" Mixarnt shouted, positioning Misa so she had a clear shot at Alarac. With a deep breath, Misa launched the ice spear with all her might. It shot through the air like a comet, cutting through the chaotic wind blades and heading straight for Alarac.
Alarac, still consumed by his rage, didn’t see the attack coming until it was too late. The ice spear struck him square in the chest, the force knocking him off his feet and sending him skidding across the ground. He groaned in pain, his body half-frozen and his wind magic dissipating into nothingness.
Mixarnt set Misa down gently, his grin widening as he looked at the defeated noble. "Nice shot!" he said, giving her a thumbs-up. Misa blushed, still catching her breath, but a small smile crept onto her face.
Alarac, now lying in the snow, glared at them with a mix of hatred and humiliation. "Y-you... you’ll pay for this!" he stammered, though his voice lacked its earlier confidence.
Mixarnt walked over to him, his wooden sword resting on his shoulder. "Maybe next time, don’t pick on people weaker than you, huh?" he said, his tone light but his eyes serious. With that, he turned back to Misa, offering her a hand. "Let’s get out of here before he tries something stupid again."
Misa nodded, taking his hand gratefully. As they walked away, Mixarnt couldn’t help but chuckle. "Man, nobles are so dramatic. A little blood and they act like the world’s ending."
Misa giggled softly, her fear slowly fading. "Thank you... for saving me," she said quietly.
Mixarnt waved it off. "Don’t mention it. That’s what heroes do, right? Save a woman in distress." he said with a wink, his grin as bright as ever.
Misa blushed at Mixarnt’s smooth words, her cheeks turning a deep shade of red. Despite his young age, it was clear that Mixarnt had a natural charm that would make him popular with girls once he grew older. "Anyway, why was he chasing after you?" Mixarnt asked, his tone shifting to a more serious one as they walked.
Misa’s expression darkened, and she looked down, her voice trembling as she explained. "We were attacked by Alarac... I don’t even know why. He just started targeting us. I... I ran away out of fear. I saw my friends fall one by one to his attacks. I couldn’t do anything..." Her voice broke, tears welling up in her eyes.
Mixarnt’s eyes widened in alarm. "Okay, tell me which direction your friends are," he said urgently, his playful demeanor completely gone.
Misa pointed shakily toward the south. "They’re in the woods that way. I just ran straight, so I’m sure about the direction, but—" Before she could finish, Mixarnt scooped her up again and took off at an incredible speed, his Enigma Enhancement allowing him to move faster than any normal person could. Misa clung to him, startled but grateful for his quick action.
As they arrived at the scene, Misa’s heart sank. Her friends were sprawled on the ground, gravely injured. Poppy, the group’s healer, was kneeling beside Kara, Nessa, and Jenna, her hands glowing faintly as she tried to heal them. Poppy’s eyes were bleeding from mana exhaustion, her face pale and strained. She had been punched repeatedly by Alarac earlier but had managed to stay conscious long enough to tend to her friends. It was only because Misa had run away in fear that Poppy had been able to recover slightly and begin healing the others.
"Poppy! Poppy, I’m sorry!" Misa cried, rushing to her friend’s side. Tears streamed down her face as she knelt beside Poppy, who looked up weakly and gave her a faint smile.
"It’s... okay, Misa," Poppy whispered, her voice barely audible. "I did what I could... but I don’t have much time left. At least... I stabilized them. The Cleric Knights... will come soon..." Her words trailed off as her eyes fluttered, her body swaying dangerously.
Mixarnt’s sharp eyes assessed the situation instantly. He could see Poppy was on the verge of death, her mana completely drained and her body failing. Without hesitation, he pulled out a high-grade healing potion from his dimensional pocket. "Hey, don’t go dying on me yet," he said, his tone light but urgent. He uncorked the potion and gently tilted Poppy’s head back, pouring the glowing liquid into her mouth.
The effect was immediate. Poppy’s eyes shot open as the potion worked its magic, her wounds healing completely and her mana reserves replenishing in an instant. She gasped, sitting up abruptly and looking around in confusion. "W-what just happened? I thought I was... saying goodbye..." she stammered, her face turning bright red as she realized how dramatic her final moments had been.
Mixarnt chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, sorry about that. Didn’t mean to ruin your dramatic exit," he teased, trying to lighten the mood. Poppy glared at him half-heartedly, but her relief was evident.
Misa hugged Poppy tightly, sobbing with relief. "I’m so glad you’re okay!"
Mixarnt turned his attention to Kara, Nessa, and Jenna, who were still unconscious but stable thanks to Poppy’s efforts. He pulled out three more high-grade healing potions and handed them to Misa and Poppy. "Here, make them drink these. They’ll be good as new in no time."
Poppy and Misa quickly administered the potions to their friends. Within moments, Kara, Nessa, and Jenna stirred, their injuries healing completely. They blinked in confusion, sitting up and looking around.
"W-what happened?" Kara asked, her voice groggy.
"You saved us," Nessa said, her eyes filling with tears as she looked at Poppy and Misa.
Jenna, the most pragmatic of the group, looked at Mixarnt with a mix of gratitude and curiosity. "And who are you?"
Mixarnt grinned, resting his wooden sword on his shoulder. "Just a guy who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Don’t mention it."
The group exchanged awkward but grateful smiles, the tension of the near-death experience slowly easing. Poppy, still embarrassed about her earlier "final moments," avoided eye contact with Mixarnt, while Misa couldn’t help but blush every time, she looked at him.
Mixarnt, oblivious to the effect he was having on the girls, simply shrugged. "Alright, now that everyone’s okay, let’s get out of here before Alarac recover and decides to cause more trouble."
The group nodded, and with Mixarnt leading the way, they made their way deeper into the mountain.
As the group walked through the icy terrain of the Glacier Mountains, Mixarnt suddenly stumbled and collapsed, his body hitting the snow with a soft thud. The girls froze in shock, their eyes widening as they rushed to his side. "Wha—What happened? Wait, he’s freezing!" Jenna exclaimed, her voice filled with panic as she touched Mixarnt’s icy skin.
The realization hit them like a blizzard. Mixarnt was only wearing normal clothes, completely unprepared for the harsh weather conditions of the mountains. The cold had finally taken its toll on him, and his body had given out. "Let’s make camp quick!" Kara shouted; her voice urgent as she began looking around for a suitable spot to set up shelter.
Misa, without hesitation, removed Mixarnt’s damp, frozen clothes and wrapped him inside her own coat, pressing his body close to hers to share her body heat. Her face burned with embarrassment, but her determination outweighed her shyness. Nessa, however, was mortified. "Have you no shame, girl!?" she scolded, her cheeks turning bright red.
Misa glared at her friend, her voice firm despite her own blush. "W-we don’t have a choice! All I can do to help Mixarnt is use my body heat! And... I won’t let the person who saved all of us die!" Her words were filled with resolve, and Nessa reluctantly backed down, though she still looked flustered.
"Hey, stop arguing and help out, Nessa!" Kara called out as she began cutting tree trunks and branches to use as firewood. Jenna and Poppy quickly joined her, gathering materials to build a makeshift shelter and start a fire. Meanwhile, Misa held Mixarnt close, her heart pounding as she felt his cold skin slowly warming against hers. She couldn’t help but recall how bravely he had fought to protect her, how he had saved her without a second thought. Yet, she felt a pang of guilt for not realizing he had been suffering in silence, shrugging off his discomfort until it overwhelmed him.
"I’m sorry..." Misa whispered, her voice trembling. She wished she were adept at fire magic to warm him up, but her abilities were limited to ice magic, which was useless in their current situation. All she could do now was hold him tightly and hope her body heat would be enough.
By the time the tent was set up and a small fire was crackling outside, Mixarnt’s condition had stabilized slightly, but he was still dangerously cold. The girls decided to take turns keeping him warm, but as the temperature dropped further, they realized they needed to act fast. "We all have to share body heat," Kara said, her tone practical despite the awkwardness of the situation. "It’s the only way to make sure he stays warm."
Reluctantly, the girls agreed. They huddled inside the tent, surrounding Mixarnt and embracing him tightly to transfer their body heat. Misa stayed closest to him, her arms wrapped around his torso, while the others pressed against his sides and back. The tent was cramped, and the situation was undeniably awkward, but their concern for Mixarnt outweighed their embarrassment.
Hours later, Mixarnt stirred, his consciousness slowly returning. He blinked groggily, his vision blurry as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. The first thing he noticed was the warmth—unlike the biting cold he had felt before. Then, he realized he was surrounded by softness and warmth on all sides. His eyes widened as he saw Misa’s face inches from his, her eyes closed as she slept peacefully. To his sides, Kara, Jenna, Nessa, and Poppy were also huddled close, their arms draped over him or around each other.
"W-what...?" Mixarnt muttered, his voice hoarse. He tried to move, but the weight of the girls kept him in place. His face turned bright red as the reality of the situation sank in. "Uh... guys? What’s going on?"
Misa’s eyes fluttered open, and she immediately blushed when she saw Mixarnt awake and staring at her. "Y-you were freezing! We had to keep you warm, so... we all... um..." She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
Kara, ever the practical one, chimed in. "You passed out from the cold, genius. We had to share body heat to keep you alive. Don’t get any weird ideas."
Mixarnt’s face turned even redder, if that was possible. "I-I see... Thanks, I guess?" he stammered, unsure of how to respond.
Nessa groaned, burying her face in her hands. "This is so embarrassing..."
Poppy, still half-asleep, mumbled, "Just be grateful we didn’t let you freeze to death."
Mixarnt chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah, I am. Really. Thanks, everyone."
The girls slowly untangled themselves, their faces flushed but relieved that Mixarnt was okay. Misa, however, stayed close for a moment longer, her hand gently brushing his forehead to check his temperature. "You scared me," she said softly, her voice filled with genuine concern.
Mixarnt smiled at her, his usual grin returning. "Sorry about that. Guess I underestimated the cold. But hey, at least I got to be the center of a group hug, right?"
Misa blushed redder, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "You’re impossible."
As the group laughed and the tension eased, Mixarnt couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of gratitude. Despite the awkwardness, he knew he was lucky to have such caring friends—even if they were a little too eager to keep him warm.
