Leona planted her boots firmly against the wooden floor of the ship and placed her hands on her hips, puffing out her chest as though she were standing before a royal court instead of a mismatched group of dangerous people who clearly enjoyed messing with her.
"Alright!" she announced loudly, voice ringing with renewed confidence. "So—who's the strongest among you?"
Her gaze swept across the room theatrically before locking onto the figure outside the open doorway.
"Obviously," she continued, pointing dramatically toward the railing, "it must be him."
Reider stood beyond the doorway, framed by the open sea and sky, his back to them as he stared across the endless horizon. The wind stirred his pale hair, and the ocean rolled calmly beneath him. He hadn't moved once during the conversation, as if the world itself were paused around his presence.
Leona nodded to herself, satisfied. Of course it's him. Look at him. He screams final boss.
Vael, leaning casually against a nearby table, let out a soft snort.
"Actually," she said lazily, a smirk tugging at her lips, "that'd be me."
The words landed like a dropped plate.
Leona froze.
Slowly, very slowly, she turned her head to look at Vael.
"…What?"
Vael pushed herself upright, arms crossing loosely as she met Leona's stare with effortless confidence.
"You heard me."
Eryndra, who had been resting her elbows on the table, grinned widely, clearly enjoying the moment far too much.
"Yeah," she chimed in. "Vael's a dragon."
The room went silent.
Leona's eyes widened. Her finger snapped up, pointing wildly at Vael as if accusing her of a crime against reality itself.
"D-DRAGON?!" she stammered. "Like—like an actual dragon?!"
Vael's smirk widened, just enough for her fangs to catch the light.
"Mhm," she replied, clearly savoring every second. "Full package. Wings. Fire. Scales. The whole deal."
Leona staggered back half a step, shaking her head as if trying to physically dislodge the information from her brain.
"O-okay… okay…" she muttered. "That's… fine. Totally fine."
She inhaled sharply, regaining a sliver of composure.
"So if she's the strongest…" Leona continued cautiously, "…then who's the weakest?"
Mei's lips curved into a gentle smile—sweet, calm, and absolutely treacherous.
"Oh," Mei said lightly, folding her hands together. "That's Reider."
Leona's brain stopped.
Her mouth hung open. No sound came out.
…What?
Eryndra covered her mouth, shoulders shaking as she tried not to laugh.
"Yeah," she said, eyes sparkling. "Poor guy. Definitely the weakest one here."
Leona threw her hands into the air.
"You're telling me—" she shouted, voice cracking, "—you're putting all your hopes on the WEAKEST?!"
Vael shrugged, clearly amused.
"Yep. We like rooting for the underdog."
Leona grabbed her head with both hands and began pacing back and forth in a tight circle, muttering frantically.
"This is insane… completely insane… I was saved by the weakest?! The kingdom's hopes are riding on him?!"
Zera, seated calmly with a cup of tea, took a sip before adding in a flat, uninterested tone—
"And he doesn't even have a core."
Leona stopped mid-step.
"…What?"
Slowly, horrified, she turned toward Zera.
"Did you just say," Leona whispered, "he doesn't have a core?"
Mei nodded cheerfully, as if confirming the weather.
"Mhm! Born without one."
The world shattered.
Leona dropped to her knees dramatically, hands clutching her head as she screamed—
"WHAT KIND OF GROUP IS THIS?!"
Vael burst out laughing, high-fiving Eryndra.
"The best kind."
Leona shot to her feet again, eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"…You're all messing with me. Right?"
Zera looked at her calmly.
"Nope."
Leona straightened, puffing her chest out again, pride desperately scrambling to reassert itself.
"Hmph! Well, if he's really the weakest, then I guess I'm safer than I thought! Maybe I should be the hero here!"
Vael raised an eyebrow.
"Oh yeah?" she said. "You think you can take on a demon that wiped out armies?"
Leona pointed proudly at herself.
"Of course! I'm the second princess of Eldross! Trained in magic and swordsmanship! My charm is also—"
"Yeah, yeah," Vael interrupted smoothly. "We saw that charm work on Reider."
She paused.
"Which it didn't."
Leona flushed bright red.
"That was a fluke!"
Mei giggled softly.
"Sure it was."
Eryndra smirked.
"Maybe try again later. Might work if he's really tired."
Leona spun toward the doorway, pointing straight at Reider with fierce determination.
"Fine! Then I'll prove I'm stronger than him before we reach Eldross!"
Vael's grin sharpened.
"I'd love to see you try."
A calm voice spoke from behind her.
"See who tries what?"
Leona froze solid.
She turned slowly.
Reider stood in the doorway, expression neutral, eyes calm, presence utterly unbothered.
Her face turned scarlet.
"N-nothing!" she stammered. "N-not important!"
Vael leaned toward Mei, whispering with a grin—
"This is going to be fun."
Reider blinked once.
"…Okay."
Somehow, that made it worse.
Leona straightened abruptly, striking a confident pose that fooled absolutely no one.
Stay calm. You're a princess. Totally in control.
Later, outside, Reider leaned against the railing again. The corner of his mouth lifted—just slightly.
Inside, Leona paced once more.
"I can't believe they're treating him like some weakling…" she muttered. "He looks so serious too!"
Eryndra leaned toward Vael.
"Think she'll figure it out before we dock?"
Vael smirked.
"Doubt it."
Zera watched silently, amused.
At least I'm not the only one who underestimated him.
Leona suddenly stopped pacing.
"I've decided!" she declared. "When we reach Eldross, I'll show you all my strength!"
Mei smiled innocently.
"Oh? Stronger than Reider?"
"Of course!" Leona scoffed. "I've trained since I was five!"
Eryndra tilted her head.
"You do know he beat Lucian, right?"
Leona waved it off.
"Lucky hit!"
Vael leaned forward.
"Yeah. Especially when he threw Lucian to the moon."
"…He did what?"
"To the moon," Mei said pleasantly. "Then followed him."
Zera added, calmly—
"He erased him from existence."
Leona slowly sat down.
What kind of monsters am I traveling with?
Reider reappeared, towel around his neck.
"…Something wrong?"
"N-NOTHING!" Leona squeaked.
Vael smirked.
"She thinks she can beat you."
"…Why?"
Chaos.
Finally, Reider sat down beside them, closing his eyes.
"Wake me when we're close."
Leona stared at him.
"…What are you?"
The ship sailed on.
Toward Eldross.
Toward war.
Toward something far worse.