The late afternoon sun bathed the training grounds in warm, golden hues. After the bustling trip to the village, Ari had suggested they get back to their usual routine, and no one had objected. The training grounds, once the site of rigorous preparation for their greatest battles, were now used more for practice—and for settling whatever arguments the group’s sparring sessions tended to spark.

Ari stood at the edge of the field, watching as Yuri and Kimi faced off again. Their weapons clashed and magic flared, but this time, they managed to keep the bickering to a minimum, their focus honed on improving their techniques.

“You’re still as sharp-eyed as ever,” came a familiar, teasing voice beside him.

Ari turned his head slightly to find Finoria standing closer than usual. Her shield rested on the ground, leaning against her hip, and her warm brown eyes studied him with an expression that was somewhere between admiration and playful mischief.

“Just doing what I always do,” Ari replied, his tone even but not unkind.

Finoria smirked, leaning against the low stone wall beside him, her golden hair catching the sunlight. “You know, you could step in and spar with me. Watching is fun and all, but it’s been ages since I’ve seen you in action.”

“You see me in action all the time,” Ari said, glancing at her. “Or have you forgotten how many times I’ve had to clean up after your messes?”

She laughed, the sound light and melodious. “Fair enough. But come on, wouldn’t it be fun to put me to the test? You could go easy on me, of course.”

“You wouldn’t want that,” Ari said, shaking his head. “You’ve always been the one who insists on fairness. No holding back.”

Finoria grinned. “True. But I wouldn’t mind making an exception for you. You’ve earned it.”

There was a slight shift in her tone, a softness that Ari didn’t miss. Before he could respond, she stepped a little closer, her arm brushing against his.

“Besides,” she continued, lowering her voice just enough that only he could hear, “it might be nice to have you all to myself for a little while.”

Ari glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. “You’ve got a strange way of asking for attention.”

“Who’s asking?” Finoria replied smoothly, her grin never faltering. “I just think it’d be good for morale.”

Before Ari could reply, a loud crack split the air. In the arena, Yuri had just barely deflected one of Kimi’s fire spells, the clash of magic and steel sending sparks flying.

“You’ve got to be faster than that!” Kimi called, her tone smug.

“Oh, I’ll show you fast!” Yuri shot back, lunging forward.

“Still at it, huh?” Finoria said, stepping back slightly but not before giving Ari a sly, lingering smile.

“Still at it,” Ari agreed, his focus returning to the sparring match. “I’ll give them a few more minutes before I call it.”

Finoria leaned her shield against the wall and stretched, her movements unhurried but deliberate enough to draw Ari’s attention. “You know,” she said casually, “I’m glad we’ve got days like this. No battles to fight, no kingdoms to save. Just us.”

Ari didn’t respond immediately, his gaze fixed on the arena. But the faint smile tugging at his lips didn’t go unnoticed.

“You’ve been acting sentimental lately,” he said after a moment.

“Who, me?” Finoria’s voice was full of mock surprise. “Nah. I’m just saying what everyone’s thinking. We’ve earned this.”

In the arena, Kimi finally managed to pin Yuri with a binding spell, her violet eyes gleaming triumphantly. “I win,” she declared, her tone as sweet as it was smug.

Yuri, her arms and legs immobilized by glowing chains, glared at her. “Let me go, or I swear—”

“Enough,” Ari said, his calm voice cutting through the tension. With a flick of his wrist, he dispelled the chains, and Yuri stumbled forward, muttering curses under her breath.

“You shouldn’t interfere,” Kimi said, pouting slightly as she approached. “I was teaching her a lesson.”

“You were gloating,” Ari corrected, his tone even. “And you know how she gets when you do that.”

Kimi looked away, her pout deepening.

Yuri dusted herself off and shot Kimi a glare. “One more round. I’ll—”

“Nope,” Ari interrupted, holding up a hand. “That’s enough for today.”

As Yuri grumbled and Kimi sighed dramatically, Finoria walked over, her shield slung across her back. “Nice to see you taking charge, as always,” she said to Ari, her tone light but tinged with warmth.

He gave her a brief nod. “Someone has to.”

“Well, if you ever get tired of babysitting these two,” she said, gesturing toward Yuri and Kimi with a playful grin, “you know where to find me.”

The comment earned her a glare from Yuri and a huff from Kimi, but Finoria didn’t seem to care. Instead, she fell into step beside Ari as they headed back to the manor, her shield glinting in the fading sunlight.

For all her teasing and mischief, there was a quiet sincerity in her presence—a steadfastness that never wavered. And though Ari didn’t say it aloud, he appreciated it more than she’d ever know.