THE FEELING CALLED LOVE

Now Rukito has to confront Elia, who doesn't seem to be too happy about the demon Kuragari exiting his room.

                             "So now you do know demons exist; what of it? Was it also the first time you saw a cat girl?" Elia's tone is getting louder. She seems to be jealous.

"I was in a place where Nekomimi wasn't a very common race, plus I never went out a lot."

                        "Now, just because it's unfamiliar, you'll flirt with every woman you meet?" "How can... ugh, damn it!" Elia is becoming unhinged; she's envious but refuses to admit it and begins to strike him while he remains there, contemplating his next move.

I never expected it to be so hard to deal with a tsundere . I not only want her but the other girls as well but how will I get them all on board? I don't even know how much she likes me so I can just say anything. Elia is a princess so she does know that men have more than one wife right? Oh ya I know how to calm her down.

                          Elia goes on, "You stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid IDIOT!" Currently, she’s unable to find the right words and can only convey her emotions with the single curse word she has picked up during her years in this mansion.

Rukito takes hold of her and embraces her. "I apologize for upsetting you." I apologize for not visiting you, but the maid mentioned you were occupied yesterday, so she suggested I go out with Tama, and things turned out differently. "If I had seen you, wouldn’t you suppose I would have invited you to join us?"
Elia appears to be more composed now as she ceases to label him as stupid or an idiot. Rukito gives her a gentle pat on the head. 

Elia relaxes as she contemplates her mental state and the reasoning behind Rukito's remark, and in that moment, she has an epiphany. "Tama, wow, in only a day, you got to know my chef so well that you even have a cute nickname for her?" Rukito messed up once more with just a single word.

Elia soon realizes that she has fully exposed her feelings of jealousy. "Well, it's not like you or anything," she says. With a pouted face, she runs off.

Rukito, still unaware of how to manage this predicament, chooses to take a shower as he had intended prior to everything. In that moment, he reflects on Elia and considers how to reconcile with her, alongside questions of whether he can put his faith in Kuragari.
 From the instant he grasped the spirit sword, he has experienced a recurring nightmare of being fragmented, struggling to figure out how to reunite himself. Over time, he goes back to his training, mastering the control and use of Aether with Silvaren's guidance. Whenever he walks by Elia, she makes a pout and looks away.
 An entire month passes, and Rukito continues to think about how to reconcile with her. 

It's a Sunday, so today I can rest, but what is there to do? Anyway, let's just walk around. Aether is not that hard to control; plus, unlike mana, this form of energy is much more versatile in use. Silvaren said that it will take about 2 to 4 years to master Aether fully, then move on to skills and different techniques. However, I have Aether figured out, and my body is changing faster than he expected, so I'll probably know everything about the way of an elf's fighting style and even come up with some of my own moves for battle within a year.

While wandering aimlessly in the hallway, Rukito reflects to himself, and Lysara spots him and suggests they talk.

"Aunty Lysara , what can I do for you?" 

                                                  "Nothing; I merely wanted to chat and understand you more." Silvaren mentioned that you are progressing rapidly and that your goal is to become a master of Aether control."

"Well before this I was good at elemental magic but stuff happened and now I'm here "

                                      "I see. Well, you are quite young, and my husband has never had anyone as good as you to train."

Lysara stops for a moment, then decides to ask, "I called you because I noticed Elia stopped talking to you and doesn't even look at you. I did ask her, but all she said was that you are an idiot, so I want to hear your side."    

"Regarding that, I’ve been considering ways to make amends, but I’m uncertain, you know," Rukito explained to her the reason Elia was upset with him without disclosing the complete story of his encounter with the other two girls. While Lysara listened, she appeared to understand the situation, then smiled. 

                                         What are your thoughts on my daughter? What is your motivation for reconciling with her, and what purpose does it serve? That's what you must respond to for her to pardon you. If I were in your position, I would express my true feelings and communicate authentically. Elia can be challenging to manage, yet she is compassionate and empathetic, so anything you communicate will resonate with her. "She's simply waiting, just like the rest of us."

'What causes this feeling of necessity?' Indeed, she's adorable and possesses a strong tsundere-like character. How could I possibly dislike that kind of girl? Do I have feelings for her solely because she's adorable, or am I simply a fool who believes I like her because she's a charming elf girl? What I understand is that it hurts my heart when she turns away and refrains from speaking to me.'
 'Is this affection? When did I actually cultivate such intense emotions? Indeed, when I initially woke up, she was immediately there, concerned for my well-being. The instant I saw her,
 I became captivated by her. I’ve always been the kind of person who thinks love isn’t genuine; individuals only seek out certain traits in you that benefit them, similar to how women choose wealthy men for security. How can I be certain that she actually has feelings for someone like me? I don't have any value or did anything to make her like me. I merely praised her; she was the one who rescued me when I was about to die.'

"I may have feelings for her, but I can't know for sure if she likes me, so I've been holding off on talking to her about how I feel."

               Lysara chuckles at Rukito’s reply and states, "When a girl spots a random guy flirting with others, she won’t give it a second thought, so why would Elia feel jealous over you chatting with two girls?"

Rukito expresses gratitude to Lysara before departing, prepared to confront what he has been evading for a month. With assurance in his gaze, nothing will hold him back.