As they savored the pastries, Elysia felt a warmth radiate between them, a bond that grew stronger with each shared moment. The sun paihe sky in hues of pink and e, creating a picturesque backdrop for their blossoming friendship.

  "Have you lived in the Clover Kingdom long?" Elysia asked, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "You seem really familiar with it."

  "I haven't been here for a while, actually," Alex replied, his voice gentle. "I've been traveling and… w on some things."

  Elysia tilted her head, intrigued. "Like what?"

  Alex hesitated for a moment, his expression thoughtful.

  "Just expl the world, I suppose. Making sure everything is as it should be."

  He smiled down at her, his gaze warm and inviting.

  "Are you a knight?" She asked, her eyes wide with admiration. "You seem really strong and wise."

  Alex chuckled softly. "I've had my share of adventures. But I'm not a knight iraditional sense. I just do what I to help where it's needed."

  Elysia nodded, soaking in his words. "I want to be like you! I want to help people and protect them!"

  "And you will," Alex enced, his tone ear. "You have that spirit in you. Just keep training, and one day, you'll be a great Magiight."

  They fiheir pastries, and Elysia felt a sense of te wash over her.

  "What should we try ?" She asked, sing the bustling stalls once more.

  "How about those roasted sweet potatoes you mentioned earlier?" Alex suggested, a teasing glint in his eye.

  "Yes! Let's get some!" Elysia agreed, already on her feet and pulling Alex toward the vendor. They spent the evening sampling various foods—each dish a new advehat drew them clether. From crispy tempura to sugary cotton dy, every bite was filled with ughter and shared joy.

  As they wandered, Elysia realized how easily she had opened up to Alex, sharing her dreams and aspirations as if he were someone she had known forever. There was an undeniable warmth in his presence, a sense of safety that made her feel at ease.

  "Thank you for today, Asta," She said as they paused to watch a street perfgle colorful balls, the air filled with ughter and cheer. "I had so much fun."

  "I'm gd you did," Alex replied, a soft smile pying on his lips. "It's o enjoy the simpler things in life sometimes."

  As the evening drew to a close and the stars began to twinkle overhead, Elysia couldn't shake the feeling that this day had been more than just a fun outing. It was the beginning of something special, a e that transded time and circumstance.

  In that moment, she khat Alex was someone she would always cherish, a friend who had made her day unfettable.

  The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the Clover Capital in shades of twilight. Elysia and Alex were enjoying their evening when a familiar, fiery presence swept through the air, making the hairs on the back of Alex's neck stand on end. Mereoleona, the fierd proud leader of the Crimson Lion Kings, had arrived.

  "Elysia!" Mereoleona's voied, her anding aura unmistakable. "What are you doing out here? You shouldn't be wandering the streets alone!"

  Elysia turned, her excitement fading as she noticed her mother's stern expression.

  "I'm fine, Mom! I was just spending time with Asta," She said, gesturing to him with a bright smile.

  Mereoleona's eyes narrowed as she studied Alex, the fmes of her determination flickering in her gaze. "And who might this be? Aranger from beyond the kingdom?"

  Her tone dripped with suspi.

  "I'm Asta," Alex replied calmly, meeting her fierce gaze without fling. "I've been traveling, and Elysia was kind enough to show me around the capital."

  "Traveling? Is that so?" Mereoleona stepped forward, her stance radiating challenge. "I don't trust anyone ears out of nowhere. You have a lot of expining to do."

  Elysia watched the tension rise, feeling a mixture of aement. "Mom, please! Asta is—"

  Before she could finish, Mereoleona cut her off, fire igniting in her palms. "I won't allootential threat near my daughter, regardless of how i he seems."

  Alex's expression hardened. "I'm not a threat, Mereoleona. You don't o do this."

  "Oh, but I do," She retorted, ung forward in a bze of fiery determination. Fmes roared around her as she aimed a powerful strike directly at Alex.

  Reag swiftly, Alex stepped aside, narrowly dodging the attack. The heat of Mereoleona's magig the air as he tered with a quick draw of his sword, the bde gleaming in the dim light. "Is this how you greet all yuests?"

  Mereoleona grinned, uerred. "Only the ones I suspect may be hiding something!"

  She lunged again, her movements graceful yet fierce, unleashing a flurry of strikes, eae fueled by her unyielding spirit.

  Alex parried her blows, his instincts sharp as he avoided the fiery onsught. The force of their csh sent shockwaves through the air, igniting sparks of magic around them.

  As their magic cshed, Mereoleona suddenly felt a strange pull, a whisper of familiarity within her instincts. She paused, her fiery resolve g with a deeper reition that ed within her.

  In the midst of the chaos, she realized something—she khis man.

  "Wait," Mereoleona said, her voice dropping slightly as she locked eyes with Alex. "There's something about you… something I 't quite pce."

  "What are you talking about?" Alex replied, dodging another fiery strike while keeping a steady gaze on her.

  "You're not just any traveler," she tinued, her instincts sharpening. "I feel it. You're ected to me in a way I 't expin."

  She charged again, this time with a mix of fury and fusion, her fmes bzing higher as her emotions surged.

  Alex met her iy with calm determination, knowing he couldn't back down.

  "Mereoleona, this isn't a game. I'm not here to fight you."

  But Mereoleona was relentless. "Then prove it! If there's even a fragment of truth in what I sense, you'll have to show me you're worthy!"

  With that, she unleashed a powerful wave of fire, engulfing the space between them. Alex reacted instantly, drawing on his own magic to create a barrier, the heat swirling around him as he braced against the torrent.

  The fmes danced wildly, but Alex remained posed, eling his magic as he tered her attack with a burst of energy that shattered the fiery wave. "You're fierce, but you're also reckless!"

  "Reckless? This is a test!" Mereoleona shouted back, the fire surrounding her heightening as she pushed herself to her limits. "If you truly want to be near my Elysia, you'll have to prove you're worthy of it!"

  --- ? ? ? ---

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