Setsuna’s gaze drifted toward the distance, her eyes slightly clouded as she finally gave voice to her feelings. After taking a quiet breath to steady herself, she continued, lost in the memory.
"Melt Epee, you saw him that day, didn't you? During that examination where the teachers were introducing their prized students to us—the way Yugo fought to stop the Gigantes when it suddenly ran amok. Almost everyone inside the Practice Ground had fainted from the terror of its roars and the tremors it caused. Even those of us in the Safe Zone were frozen where we stood. In that moment, seeing him move before anyone else... it felt like a bolt of lightning struck me."
The colossal, powerful monster had suddenly broken its chains. Almost everyone in the Practice Ground, teachers and students alike, had been consumed by panic. Setsuna herself had felt a fear so paralyzing that her body had turned to stone at the sound of its roars. Yet, amidst that chaos, one sight had seared itself into her vision.
To protect the students who were unable to move, he had shaken off his own terror and gallantly stood his ground against the approaching threat. Before she realized it, she had become unable to look away.
"To stand up and cast aside one’s fear for the sake of protecting another... it is easy to say, but doing it requires an immense amount of courage. Yet, Yugo did it as if it were the most natural thing in the world. His strength in defeating the Gigantes was impressive, yes, but what appeared most dazzling to my eyes was the sight of Yugo in that moment, throwing himself into battle to save others. He looked... truly handsome then."
Setsuna cast her eyes downward, her face flushing with a touch of embarrassment as she spoke with the sincerity of a maiden in love.
As they listened to her story in silence, smirks began to play across the faces of Melt and Anhel.
"I get it, I really do," Melt said. "The way Yugo works so hard for the sake of others... he really is handsome, isn't he?"
"I can understand it as well," Anhel added. "That guy is foolishly straightforward. It’s actually refreshing to watch."
"It was a sensation I’d never felt before," Setsuna admitted. "It wasn’t that I wanted to become like him; it was more that I wanted to keep watching him. And so, I looked into everything I could find about Yugo... which is how I arrived at where I am today."
Setsuna’s explanation was a remarkably accurate expression of her feelings.
And yet, there was one part that was significantly off the mark.
The majority of the emotion she directed toward Yugo was, as she had described it, a sense of yearning. It wasn't merely for his martial prowess in defeating enemies. Having witnessed the strength of Yugo’s heart—his ability to face any fear to protect someone—Setsuna wanted to see more of that radiance.
The part she had wrong was her claim that she couldn't quite say she loved him yet.
Both Melt and Anhel, having heard her story, could already feel more than enough of the deep affection she harbored for him.
"I see, so it was love at first sight!" Melt teased. "Yugo really is a sinful man, making a Warrior Shrine Maiden from another country fall for him like that."
"There’s no need to overcomplicate things with talk of social standing or calculations," Anhel noted. "For someone who says they hate useless things, aren't you being quite hesitant when it comes to your own heart?"
"It can’t be helped, can it? This is my first experience with romance, so I’m surrounded by things I don't understand," Setsuna replied. "I’m actually quite overwhelmed, despite how I might look."
Setsuna pressed her hands to her cheeks. Though they hadn't been in the water long, her face was flushed a deep red as if she were dizzy from the heat.
Melt waded closer to Setsuna and spoke with a bright smile, looking her straight in the eye.
"I was pretty wary of you at first, but after talking like this, I’ve realized you’re just a normal girl too. You fell in love normally, and you're making your move... your method was a bit unusual, but I guess it can't be helped if you were just struggling to keep your head above water."
"On the contrary, you're a bit strange yourself, Melt Epee," Setsuna countered. "Would a person normally act this friendly toward a woman who has become their love rival?"
"Why not? We’re both people who fell for the same boy, so we should be able to get along, right?"
"Hehe...! That might be true. It might be exactly as you say."
With a splash, Melt extended her right hand toward Setsuna from beneath the water.
With a vibrant smile, she spoke as if to welcome the love rival who had finally bared her heart.
"You don't have to keep calling me by my full name. Just Melt is fine from now on. I’ll call you Setsuna, too!"
"Thank you. I’ll take you up on that. We may be love rivals, but let's get along, Melt."
"Yeah! ...Just so you know, though, I don't have the slightest intention of losing. I won't let you take Yugo back to Yamato with you!"
Melt and Setsuna forged a friendship as they shook hands with bright smiles.
The two were playing out a refreshing scene of youthful camaraderie that was far removed from the muddy, dramatic conflict the men—or rather, Marcos—were likely imagining. But then, Anhel spoke up.
"Sorry to interrupt while you two are getting all worked up, but how do you feel about the fact that there’s another love rival right here?"
"Wait... what?" Melt blinked. "A love rival? Anhel is?! No way! I thought you were a dangerous older sister type aiming for Fee-kun! You like Yugo too!?"
"Hey! What do you think I am!?" Anhel snapped. "Yugo’s one thing, but everyone and their mother is calling me a dangerous person lately! Argh! Whatever, that doesn't matter right now!"
Anhel, having rattled that off all at once, let out a deep sigh. Then, turning her gaze away from the two of them, she began to speak as if to herself.
"Well, I know I'm not the type of character to get all bubbly like you two, or get excited over stuff like love and romance. But... I’m also one of the women who was saved by Yugo. I've seen his good points time and time again. I’m grateful to him... and I've fallen for him, too."
"Whoa, straight to the point!" Melt exclaimed. "I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen Anhel's maiden in love face!"
"It’s the first time I’ve shown it," Anhel admitted, looking embarrassed but relieved. "Look, I was wondering how I should tell Melt, and I even thought about bottling these feelings up just to support you... but since this was a good opportunity, I decided to nominate myself as a love rival."
Anhel's confession was unexpected, but perhaps because she had felt deep down that it might be the case, Melt accepted her friend's declaration of rivalry without a fuss.
"Ah... my rivals just increased all at once. Today might be a cursed day."
"You say that, but you look like you're having fun," Anhel noted. "Well, just because we’ve become love rivals doesn't mean we have to start some cutthroat battle to kick each other down. Before we're rivals, we're friends. So, I'm looking forward to the competition."
"I am as well," Setsuna agreed. "So, here’s a question: what do we do if even more rivals start showing up? I think one option would be for the three of us to cooperate on an elimination plan..."
"That’s scary! I can tell you want us to get along, Setsuna, but your suggestions are way too dangerous!" Melt cried.
"Though, given the way Yugo acts, I feel like the rivals are just going to keep on increasing from here..." Anhel pondered. "Should we actually consider that elimination plan?"
"Don't act like it's something worth considering, Ann! If the two of you keep playing the fool like this, I won't be able to keep up with the straight-man routine!"
After that exchange, the three girls burst into laughter.
Setsuna, who had been talking happily, murmured with a gentle smile on her face.
"Honestly, I’m glad Raiha isn't here. I couldn't bear to show her this side of me."
"Hmm... well, I can understand why Claire felt too awkward to come, but I wish she could have joined us in the bath too," Melt said regretfully.
"It can’t be helped," Setsuna told her. "That girl isn't good with large public baths or hot springs. Yes... she’s quite a shy person, after all."
Melt sighed, wishing she could have become friends with Raiha as well.
Anhel gave a noncommittal response and looked up at the ceiling, recalling that Raiha did indeed have a timid air about her. She muttered quietly to herself.
"I would have liked to talk to her too... I wonder if she went back with Claire? I just hope she hasn't been spotted by those Hero Candidates. I’d hate for her to be relentlessly harassed for recruitment..."