Zoemi and Alan walked down the peaceful street of a rather peaceful settlement. It was quite picturesque and tranquil, a small community where everyone seemed to know and help each other out.

“Zoemi… If you don’t mind me prying into your private affairs… You didn’t seem to ask those magicians back in the Heavenly Star Academy about that beloved girl of yours…”

The young martial artist who kept stealing glances towards the black-haired man finally managed to gather enough courage and ask the question that seemed to bother him since they left the facility with all the information they needed.

“That’s because I have learned everything that I needed to know just by my friends introducing me.”

Zoemi shrugged his shoulders with an indifferent expression while looking around the cozy little houses and shops that they were passing.

“Pardon me, but I fail to realize how that would… wait…!”

Alan furrowed his brows and tilted his head, lost in Zoemi’s thought process but then the realization suddenly fell on him like some sort of law of Capricorn-empowered attack.

“That magician said that you are the fiance of lady Mariette Lisa Espine or something. You never mentioned that you actually were in such a serious relationship with your beloved!”

The young man gasped and complained as if he was being hurt over the lie by the omittance of truth from the black-haired man.

“Her name is Miriette Lisea Espine, good memory there, buddy. The thing is, I didn’t propose to her – the explanation I am choosing to believe is that she was the one to declare our relationship like that because she indeed chose to wait for me – and since she did, that’s all I needed to know.”

Zoemi nodded and smiled benevolently at his companion as if he was a teacher praising a student for a well-performed task, and explained while waving back to a child that was gazing at them passing by the window of their house.

“Isn’t that still a bit cold though? Aren’t you worried about her? Her health, how is she doing, is she bothered by some annoying suitors who want to make use of your absence to take advantage of her?”

Despite his earlier words, Alan did start to pry into Zoemi’s private affairs and asked some choice questions while staring at the black-haired man from the corner of his eye.

“If you have met my Miriette, you would understand why I am so calm.”

Zoemi snickered and sent the younger man a devilish smirk that caused him to blush and look away unable to withstand it.

“Once Miriette sets her mind on something, she will achieve it no matter what. She is only willing to consider changing her plans because of her loved ones but even then it’s not certain that she will actually deviate from her original path. I have my full confidence in her… although…”

Zoemi’s grin bloomed into a smile as he raised his gaze upon the clear blue sky and boasted about the girl he cherished the most in the world.

“Although?! Ah…! I-I mean…”

His hesitation at the end was something to which Alan clung as if it was his only lifeline, before realizing how desperate he sounds and slowing down to make some distance between himself and the black-haired man.

“Shockingly enough, Miriette is extremely lenient with her friends. To the point of agreeing at one point on making an arrangement with her first friend to… ehem… share me under the condition of Miriette being my first – most important – wife.”

Zoemi revealed, still looking into the distance, greatly impacted by the memory – although judging by the face that Alan was making his words were misinterpreted.

“…huh… so how many girls wait for you back home exactly, mister wolf in sheep’s clothing…?”

The young man asked, getting all pouty for some reason and giving the black-haired man a jealous upwards glance that only Miriette could compete with, which was definitely the first time.

“Only Miriette. The friend I mentioned, Teo, and Roiso who was living in Mirienne’s body died. All killed during the original fight with the filth that we need the Heavenly Star Warrior to deal with.”

“…!”

Zoemi’s smile dimmed and his expression turned grim making Alan tense up and look down, ashamed for running his mouth – he got o bothered that he didn’t even inquire about the one person supposedly living inside the body of another.

“Hey, look at that. A flower shop… and here I was thinking that this whole humble florist thing was just a way to mess with others, but our guy really seems to have opened up a business like that.”

The black-haired man changed the subject as they actually arrived at their destination – a shop with a display full of various plants and blooming flowers.

“That’s right. I was surprised to learn about it from mister Bevan, but… Zoemi, you did know about Heavenly Star Warrior’s cover identity, didn’t you? Same with his appearance. Because back when you were describing the person who put you on the path of the cultivation, you most definitely described mister William, the florist thing and appearance and all, and only purposefully omitted his name.”

Alan readily accepted the change of the uncomfortable subject and pointed it out, reciting one of their previous conversations back in the day.

“I believe he used the law of Pisces to show up at the tournament I happened to take part in. He erased a friend of mine and threatened our land before disappearing. I hope you will understand that I do not have the most favorable opinion of him.”

Zoemi scoffed and said while reaching out for the door, making sure to put just the normal amount of strength to open it instead of breaking it apart.

“Hmm…? Closed? Even though it’s only noon…?”

That’s why he was so surprised when the door did not budge.

Upon closer inspection – or rather simply looking inside through the plant-filled display window – it turned out that the shop was empty.

“Esteemed martial artist, you two showed up a bit too late. Will has already departed to the cemetery for the memorial service.”

“…?”

An elderly man sitting at the window of the opposite building noticed the pair and called out to them in a somber voice.𝒪𝗏𝔩xt.𝗰𝐎𝐦