A DAY OF CALM AND THE BRIGHTNESS OF A BOND

— A day off? Mandatory? — Ikel looked at the manager in disbelief. — But we just got the hang of monster hunting! —

— Orders from above, Ikel - replied the manager, shrugging his shoulders. - Something about combat fatigue and maintain team morale. Frankly, I think they just want them to stop breaking things so the maintenance team can catch up. You have 24 hours. Enjoy the citadel. —

The order was strange. Sacres, leaning against a nearby column, frowned. —This doesn't smell right to me. A forced pause in the middle of a crisis... it's suspicious. —

— Suspicious or not, that's an order. — said Noelia, although there was also a tinge of distrust in her tone. — I guess a day without having to freeze idiots won't be bad for me. —

— Well, if it's compulsory, then let's make the most of it! — Ikel exclaimed, regaining his enthusiasm. — Let's go to the merchants' area! I hear a new shipment of exotic food has arrived that burns your tongue! —

Sacres sighed. — I guess someone has to watch out that they don't set fire to the city. I'll go with you. —

With no other options, the four of them wandered into the bustle of the citadel. The day turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Ikel dragged them to a food stall where he tried a skewer of lava scorpion that made him literally spit fire. Noelia, to her chagrin, was dragged to an antique artifact store where she debated with the owner about the authenticity of a rune for half an hour. Asimil, for the first time, simply let himself go, laughing at Ikel's antics and listening with fascination to Noelia's explanations. It felt... normal. It felt like a group of friends spending the day together.

It was in the main square when Ikel saw an armory in the distance. — Oh, I hear that blacksmith has a legendary hammer, Sacres, come with me to see it! — He grabbed a reluctant Sacres by the arm and began to drag him along, but not before throwing a knowing glance over his shoulder at his mentor. Sacres understood the signal and, with a sigh of resignation, let himself go.

— See you at the tavern at sunset! — shouted Ikel, before disappearing into the crowd, leaving Asimil and Noelia alone in the middle of the square.

An awkward silence fell between them.

— Well... — Asimil began, not knowing what to say.

As they were walking aimlessly, Asimil saw a couple of villagers. The man was handing a flower to his wife, and they were both laughing, their faces filled with simple, pure happiness. Asimil stopped, his gaze lost.

The weight of a small child in her arms. A small, strong figure. The smell of a hospital. An empty bed. The feeling of a loss so deep that it broke her soul.

The flashback was short, a sharp, confusing stab of pain. It left him with a lump in his throat. Noelia noticed his expression. She followed his gaze to the couple. An idea, completely wrong but amusing, crossed her mind. — No way... look how he sees them... Is this idiot thinking about... about...? — Comic relief ran through her, the idea was so absurd she almost smiled.

— Hey, bunny... Are you just going to stand there all day or are we going to move? — she said, her voice snapping him out of his trance.

They decided to enter the nearest store to break the tension: "Elara's Star Jewelry". The place was a haven of peace, full of showcases with gems that shone with their own light.

Asimil stood near the counter, looking without seeing. The old jeweler, a man with a long silver beard, watched him with wise eyes.

— Fate sometimes puts the strangest jewels in our way, young man. — The jeweler took out a small velvet box and opened it. Inside, on a bed of silk, lay two rings. They were the ones in the picture. One of rose gold, with a heart-shaped ruby and delicate filigree. The other, of white gold, with a geometric design and blue sapphires set in it.

Asimil looked at them, fascinated. Without thinking, he reached out to touch them. The instant his fingers brushed the metal, he felt a slight prickle, a warm shock run down his arm, a mixture of familiarity and destiny.

— I'll buy them — he said, his own voice surprising him. He paid the sum without hesitation, as if an external force was guiding him.

— Asimil, I haven't fou- — Noelia's voice came from behind.

With a quick movement, Asimil hid the ring box in his inventory just as she arrived at his side.

They left the tent. The digital sun was beginning to tinge the sky with orange tones. Asimil walked in silence, his mind a whirlwind. Why did I buy those rings? he asked himself. And... who would I give them to?

The thought of giving them to Sacres or Ikel crossed his mind and he dismissed it instantly with a shake of his head. Ridiculous.

Then, he thought of her. He thought of Noelia. Of her rare and genuine smile, her strength, her hidden vulnerability. He thought of slipping the ruby ring on her finger. He stopped dead in his tracks in the middle of the street, an intense blush creeping up his neck to his ears.

In the evening, they gathered at the tavern "The Yawning Dragon". Ikel and Sacres were already at a table, with smiles of satisfaction.

— At last you two lovebirds show up! — joked Ikel.

— Shut up, Ikel, where have they been? — replied Noelia, clearly upset at having been abandoned.

The evening passed between pitchers of virtual mead and Ikel's exaggerated stories. The atmosphere was warm and relaxed. At one point, as Ikel was guffawing about how Sacres almost bought a ridiculous hat, he leaned back and tripped over his chair, pushing Asimil.

The movement, which seemed like an accident, caused Asimil to be thrown off balance and collide shoulder to shoulder with Noelia. The contact was brief, but the effect was electric. A sudden silence fell between the two. They pulled away at the same time, and neither could prevent an intense blush from staining their cheeks, visible even in the dim light of the tavern.

Ikel and Sacres exchanged a triumphant glance over their mugs. The tension between Asimil and Noelia was no longer one of rivalry or uneasy friendship. It was something much, much more intense.