Leaving Tsurinvale, the group started the next stage of their long journey: navigating a dense, forested pass leading to the towering Mt. Lumisaki. This path was quiet, remote, and full of hidden dangers.
The Lost Treasure?
As they walked, Seraphine noticed a faded, shimmering symbol carved into a large, ancient tree. It looked like a mark from the old Royal Guard of a long-forgotten kingdom.
"What is that?" Seraphine asked, her star-like pupils focused on the mark.
Yuzael Valestrian, the elegant prince, immediately stopped. "That is a territorial marker. It usually indicates a hidden resource or a treasure cache." His eyes, usually distant, sharpened with cold curiosity.
Kael Arisugawa, always ready for an adventure, grinned. "A treasure hunt? Let's go! I bet it's something valuable for the Princess!"
Lionel Kisaragi just grumbled, his fierce face skeptical. "It's probably just an old broken sword. We need to keep moving."
But Seraphine was excited. Her "stupid-act adorable" excitement convinced them all. Following the symbols, they found a small, hidden cave containing not gold, but a cache of extremely rare and potent Herbal & Medicine ingredients—a truly valuable find for Seraphine.
Seraphine knelt in the cave, her kind-hearted hands carefully sorting the rare ingredients. She was so focused that a strand of hair fell over her face.
Kael, standing closest to her, watched her intense, humble focus. He didn't say anything flirty. Instead, he gently reached out and tucked the stray hair behind her ear. His touch was warm and brief, a sweet, familiar gesture that felt totally like home.
Seraphine looked up, surprised, and met his warm, handsome gaze. She blushed deeply. "Thank you, Kael," she whispered. That small, pure act of service was more powerful than any compliment.
Flirty Moment: The Tsundere's Demand
Lionel, who was busy trying to find a faster exit from the cave, saw the intimate moment between Kael and Seraphine. The sight of Kael's hand touching her made his possessive jealousy flare up instantly.
He immediately walked over, his face fierce, and grabbed Seraphine's arm.
"We're leaving now! Stop wasting time!" Lionel barked, pulling her toward the exit. He was being his usual annoying, blunt self, but the way he pulled her was firm and possessive.
When they were outside, still holding her arm, he leaned close, his voice low. "Don't let him touch you like that," he hissed, his cheeks turning red in an intense blush. He was trying to be threatening, but his embarrassment at his own possessive nature was adorable. "You're my companion! I should be the one helping you!"
Seraphine just smiled. "You're the jealous type, aren't you, Lionel?"
He immediately pulled away, his face turning an even brighter red. "I am not jealous! I'm protective! There's a difference, you careless idiot!"
The Silent Challenge
Yuzael watched the entire interaction from the mouth of the cave. He felt a stab of deep jealousy that both Kael and Lionel were so free to express their feelings, even if they were masked by flirting or anger. He, the cold prince, couldn't allow himself such weakness.
He walked past Lionel, his cold aura intense. He didn't look at Seraphine. Instead, he smoothly placed a small, elegant leather pouch right into her travel bag—a far better container than the old cloth she was using.
"The integrity of those rare ingredients must be maintained," Yuzael stated, his voice nonchalant and utterly devoid of emotion, "It would be careless to damage them."
He gave her a cold, honest line, but the act of finding her bag and giving her a perfect, secret gift was highly thoughtful and demonstrated his growing desire to be her protector. He then sped up his walking pace, leaving the other two rivals to stare at each other in frustration.