Let’s Make The Most Of This Moment While We Still Can

Arya stepped out of the shop, cradling the bag with the dress against her chest. She held it tenderly—after all, it was the first gift she had ever received from Edward.

“Are you sure this is okay? Wasn’t the money father left meant to be a last resort?”

“Don’t worry. We’re doing just fine. Trading favors for supplies has saved us from spending a single coin.” Edward offered her a small smile. “Besides, this is coming out of my share. I think I can afford to spend it on something that made me happy.”

“Hmm.” Arya glanced once more at the dress, wondering when would be the perfect moment to wear it.

Edward walked beside her, pushing the bicycle by hand. “Let's try to riding it later?”

“I liked riding with you, but piloting it myself sounds like fun too. I wouldn’t mind giving it a shot.”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll teach you how to ride after lunch.”

“Yes!”

“...Although, maybe you should change clothes. Riding in a dress might be a bit uncomfortable…” A complete lie. He was just feeling possessive at the thought of her dress possibly revealing too much.

“Alright, I’ll check the carriage and see what I can find.”

They stopped at a nearby café for lunch—Edward chose pancakes, while Arya went with a slice of fluffy cake. After they’d eaten, they returned briefly to the Mercenaries’ Guild so Arya could change, then made their way to the central square, looking for a quiet space where they could practice undisturbed.

“Uwaa! Watch out!” Arya nearly toppled over Edward on one of her first attempts.

One step at a time, Edward had to teach her every movement, every little trick to make the bicycle work. It was like teaching a child who had never ridden before—he offered his body as support, steadying her balance, hands always at the ready to catch her.

After several controlled falls and Arya’s unwavering determination, she finally managed to ride the bicycle all on her own.

“Edward, I did it!”

“Yes, you’re amazing, Arya—but be careful!” Edward ran beside her, nearly out of breath.

Arya hit the brakes hard—still a bit clumsy, but she didn’t fall.

“Arya, let’s go for a ride—this time, each of us on our own bike.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.”

They started slowly, with Edward once again reaching out his hand until Arya felt confident enough to ride on her own. When their hands finally parted, the two rode side by side, Edward slightly ahead to guide the way as Arya got the hang of steering.

Arya, caught up in the rush of it all, pushed herself too hard—speeding up, overtaking Edward. The thrill of learning something new, something unforgettable, swept her away. Before she knew it, she was heading straight toward a wall.

But Edward rushed forward with everything he had, overtaking her just in time and stopping in her path. When she crashed into him, he caught her gently, absorbing the full impact in his arms. He stumbled back and fell, his bicycle clattering on top of him.

“Edward, are you alright?!”

“It’s nothing—I’ve taken worse spills.”

“I’m so sorry. Did I hurt you?”

“No big deal. Actually, I think it’s mostly my fault.”

“Huh?”

“I ended up… falling behind again.”

“That’s not true. I’m the one who overdid it.”

“It’s okay to push yourself a little. A few falls here and there are bound to happen. But Arya… don’t leave me behind. Promise me we’ll always ride side by side.”

“...Yes. I promise.”

They continued their ride together, this time with no more stumbles along the way.

When they were finally too tired to keep going, they returned the bicycles to the square and looked for a bench to rest. As their breaths fell into rhythm, they noticed a crowd approaching in the distance.

It looked like a procession. A car led the way, driven by an elderly man dressed in formal wear. Behind him sat a couple—the man wore elegant clothes, the woman a flowing white dress.

“A wedding?”

“Wedding?”

Arya’s eyes lit up. The idea of a wedding ceremony was something she had only ever heard about.

“Edward, can we join?”

“What?! You mean… getting married?”

“Eh? Wait, can we even do that?!”

“Hold on—you meant just watching, right?”

“Yeah? What did you think I meant?”

“Oh, nothing…”

(“Ugh! Married? Arya, don’t be silly—he’d never think about something like that, we’re still too young.”)

(“You idiot! That was the perfect chance to move things forward…”)

“...”

“...”

They watched the procession pass, hands shyly entwined, their cheeks brushing together. Edward was the one who found the courage to act.

As Arya turned her face toward him, his eyes met hers—and slowly, his lips moved closer. Arya leaned in, matching the gesture. Their lips touched in a kiss that left them both spellbound.

When it ended, Edward finally let his feelings show.

“Maybe it’s too soon to be thinking about this… but someday, I want it to be us in that ceremony.”

“Wait… is that a proposal?”

“I think a proper proposal should be more romantic—something planned, in the right setting, with the right mood.” Edward looked at her with unwavering sincerity. “But I want to be absolutely clear: this isn’t just a game for me. I want to marry you. I want to build the family you’ve always dreamed of.”

Arya couldn’t hide the blush spreading across her cheeks. “You know I don’t mind if it’s something simple. But if that’s what you want… then do it your way.” She smiled—a soft, genuine smile of happiness. “You already know my answer will be yes.”

So whether sooner or later, the wedding would simply be a formality—something to mark what both of them already knew deep in their hearts: “This is the one I truly love.”

…

As dusk began to settle in, they decided it was time to head back to the Guild. If they took too long, Peter and the others might start to worry.

The Mercenaries’ Guild seemed completely empty—an almost ghostly atmosphere. Edward and Arya stepped inside together, hands clasped, hoping to find some trace of their companions. They had barely crossed the entry hall when the sudden creak of a window startled them. Arya looked closer and spotted a few black birds perched along the frame.

“Crows!” The two approached slowly. “Uwah, they’re so cute…” But before she could touch them, the birds took flight, leaving behind only a few stray feathers.

A deep voice answered her instead: “Indeed. They are fascinating creatures.”

Turning around, Arya and Edward saw a man standing behind the reception counter. He was tall, wearing a long coat. His slightly wavy black hair was streaked with gray, and there was something mysterious—and slightly intimidating—about him.

“Who are you?” Edward asked, uneasy at the man’s sudden appearance.

The man sat down in the chair behind the counter, his posture completely relaxed.
“Kids these days… no sense of manners. You’re the ones barging into the Guild’s space—shouldn’t be you introducing yourselves first?”

“Barging in?... No, that’s not it. I’m Edward Way, and she's—”

“I’m Arya Belchior. Nice to meet you.”

“We didn’t mean to intrude. Actually, we’ve been here since yesterday.”

“Oh, then you must be the group Undertaker Jack mentioned.”

“Undertaker Jack?”

“Yes, I ran into him on my way back. A shame he left just when his presence might’ve been needed.”

There was a veiled threat in the man’s words, and Edward instinctively moved to shield Arya with his arm.

“Relax. I wasn’t referring to the girl. Arya… Belchior, was it?”

“...Yes.”

“Would you happen to be the daughter of a mage named Belchior who used chains magic?”

“That’s right. Did you know my father?”

“Not as well as you might like to hear. He was… an old acquaintance.”

“Oh…”

‘You knew him,’  The man repeated in his mind. “Then… I assume he’s dead?”

“Yes. It happened recently. We decided to search for the Mercenaries’ Guild after he passed.”

“I see. So your case is similar to young Kawada’s. That’s a relief—I was starting to think Yoru had lost her mind, accepting necromancers so freely into the Guild.”

That comment was a backhanded insult, but Arya didn’t react. “We haven’t been recruited yet. We’re on our way to Floating Moonlight City.”

“Hmm…”

A noise at the door interrupted their conversation. The rest of the group had finally returned—covered in mud and dry leaves.

“What on earth happened to you all?”

“Urgh… These two idiots,” Mamiko growled, glaring at the boys behind her. “They started fighting over who’d get to take down a demon in the forest—completely forgetting we were riding on their backs. We all ended up tumbling off the road.”

“And not just that. They let the damn thing get away.”

“Don’t look at me—it was his fault! He got in my way!”

“Listen here! Just because you’ve got that main character energy doesn’t mean you get to lead every fight! That demon was my shot to earn some XP!”

“I thought you were dead, Switchblade.”

“Old man Sting! There you are, you bastard! I waited the whole day yesterday for you to show up. How do you just abandon your own base?”

“That’s exactly why I left. Yoru told me to disappear until you took on your mission by yourself. Looks like it doesn't worked…”

“Hmph! A genius like me always finds a way to outpace your laziness. Though I’ll admit… things didn’t go as smoothly as I’d hoped.”

“Who’s that?” Reaper asked, locking eyes with the mysterious man.

“Sting Bellamy. This old guy’s the protector mage of Corvocitta. He’s a bit grumpy, but he’s got a good heart.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Edward exhaled, visibly relieved. The group introduced themselves to Sting, and soon, chatter and laughter filled the Guild once more—just like the day before.

After the four of them had showered and changed, everyone gathered for dinner. During the meal, they took advantage of Sting’s presence to learn more about the area.

“To reach Krahen Nest, take the northern exit from the city. The road curves around the mountain through the forest—it should take about fifteen minutes. The two towns are so close that their Utopiospheres nearly overlap. There’s a short stretch—just a few meters—where they almost connect. Still, be careful. Demon activity in that area seems to be increasing.”

“Oh, I know that.” Mamiko grumbled. “Why didn’t you warn me earlier?”

“Kid, I wasn’t even here. I went to Krahen Nest because of this issue.”

“Well, at least it sounds like the rest of our journey will be uneventful.” Peter, as always, sounded cheerful and optimistic—but an irony fate would soon mock.

The group kept chatting, swapping stories with Sting. Just like Mamiko had said, despite his rough first impression, the man turned out to be just another regular human who enjoyed a good laugh.

The next day, they would finally set off for Krahen Nest, board the express train to Floating Moonlight City, and begin the next chapter of their journey—a new life and a new future ahead.

(...)

Nighttime is always a vulnerable hour. The constant threat of demons lingers in the corners of every human’s dreams. But when morning comes, relief soothes the soul, and hearts begin to relax.

After all, it’s just another beautiful day to be lived.

And that’s exactly why the most intelligent demons know—it’s the perfect time to strike.

In the forests surrounding Krahen Nest...

“Someone… help me…” A humanoid figure dragged itself along the ground, an oni mask fused to its face.

“Caravan, look at that. Isn’t it cute how he’s still trying to save himself?” A demon, who looked uncannily like a beautiful woman, knelt beside the figure and poked at it. “Hmm… Why aren’t you happy? Weren’t you the one who came begging me to make you stronger? You are stronger now—but not strong enough to break the mask. Such a pity. Looks like you’ll be just another disposable pawn.”

“You really enjoy playing with them. One day, that’s going to get you killed,” said another demon beside her. He had the appearance of a handsome young man. He reached down and snatched an amulet from the figure’s limp hand.

“Don’t be stupid. Who do you think you’re talking to? Spare me your advice, you little shit.”

“Ehhh~ just a friendly warning from a fellow comrade. Are you sure you want to handle this city alone?”

“Stay out of my way.” The female demon snatched the amulet back and crushed it in her black claws, shattering the spell within. “Just watch as I massacre them all by myself… And maybe one day you’ll reach the power level of the name Cydonia.”