When Ver swept up Lera from under her feet, Lera simply hugged her arms and let herself freefall, exiting the other side of the Whirlpool Purple before landing on her feet in front of a floating garden filled with flowers of varying colors and scents. Then, emerging from the flurry of petals, Ver poked her head out and giggled playfully.

"I knew this is what you would do." Lera smiled lightly before waving her hand and approaching Ver, who wasn't wearing her eyepatch today and freely exposing the dark patterns of the Kraken over her right eye.

Out in the world, most Manifesters tended to cover up the nature of their Manifest for the purpose of appearances or concealing their powers/identities, but within the Infinite Academy, nobody cared at all, as Ver quickly came to realize.

"How else could I get you away from Wu?" Ver said, spinning around and revealing her white dress with yellow circles that looked like slices of berranges all over it, "So, how's things going between you two?"

"It's normal now." Lera said, waving her hand and walking beside Ver as they observed the flowers and bees flying in between the bunches, "We work great as a team, and our relationship will not affect the way we fight."

"That's not really what I am asking..." Ver said, her eyes pure as she looked into Lera's eyes. Lera blinked and broke eye contact first, instead brushing her hair back and squatting down to caress a red flower with a spiraling pedal surrounding a golden core, "You know that."

"...I know." Lera said, letting out a sigh before she leaned in and sniffed the flower. Spots of glowing pores floating up in the air and filling her lungs with a sweet aroma, "But we are just friends. That's the best way forward for us."

"There are plenty of couples fighting together." Ver shrugged, "I have seen my fair share of those in my years traveling."

"And how did they go?"

"Well, some died together, but some also looked like the happiest people in the world." Ver said, her eyes airing a strange sadness that briefly came through, "The rest still died… But they died alone."

Lera stayed down, and she watched Ver before the latter lightly pressed her forehead, calming the Kraken and putting it back to sleep through her slow and steady breaths.

"Trust me when I say this." Ver said, reaching a hand towards Lera, "You wouldn't want to die alone. As much as we'd like to think ourselves as invincible because he is summoned as the fourth, that doesn't mean that we are, and it doesn't mean he is either."

And what Ver didn't really know was the manner through which Wu was summoned. The legends had said that all three of the Saviors had been summoned when the world is in turmoil. However, when Wu was brought here...it was all too early.

That was part of the ploy by the Inverted Question, as they hoped to manipulate whoever they summoned as a new spearhead for their grand vision. Lera was able to stop them, but there is no telling that Wu is truly the one for this world. Worse yet...just because things had worked out before doesn't mean it will continue to do so now.

Unlike the previous Saviors, who came to this world with a clear opposition in this world, when the enemies had already made themselves known, Wu and Lera had essentially been fighting blind, not knowing who the enemy was and where they laid until recently, when they learned of PORA. Even if PORA was the one behind the Inverted Question's actions within Varous, are they the true enemy that the tablet brought Wu here for?

“What are you saying?”

“Do you really want to live with regrets?”

“Nobody does...nobody.”

Lera swallowed hard, trying to calm her thoughts down. However, as she wrestled with the ideas in her head, she was broken out of the trance by Ver, who lightly tapped her in the shoulder and pulled her up to standing.

"Why do you care about what we do so much..." Lera murmured, unaware of how that sounded as she was still caught in her thoughts. However, Ver didn't take it to heart, instead of leaning in and whispering in her ear.

"Because if you aren't willing to move, then I will." Ver said.

Lera's eyes shot wider, and she held her breathe briefly as Ver walked forward.

"You read the Cultural Festival agenda?" Ver asked, leaving Lera behind, "The last night of the Festival is the Night of Love."

"That sounds...romantic." Lera said, running after Ver.

"Duh." Ver shrugged, "From what others say, the Night of Love carried a special tradition. Those that kissed under the fireworks are those that will stay together until the end of time. A perfect occasion for getting together."

"And you said you will go for him...?"

"Well, if your relationship is just a normal friendship, then there is nothing stopping me from going for what I want, right?" Ver asked, turning around as Lera clenched her fist. She lowered her head, watching Ver's shiny black shoes before marching forward and grabbing onto her wrist.

Then, much to Ver's surprise, Lera looked up with anger welling in her eyes.

"Woah...I didn't mean to..." Ver said, her voice softening as Lera pinched her wrist slightly and started actively slowing her breathing.

"No...it's okay." Lera shook her head, letting Ver go with great difficulty, "That...would be the right thing to do. You should be able to do whatever you want...just like I should be too."

"Oh?"

"So...I am not going to stop you, and I am not going to stop myself." Lera said, a war smile floating up her face as her mother's words rang true, "My mother was right. I was using my relationship with him as an excuse to punish myself, and my closeness with him to reward myself, but that shouldn't be how things are."

Ver watched her as Lera wiped the corner of her eye slightly and stood her ground. Then, she cracked a smile and hugged her arms around Lera, "I was just JOKING! Hahaha...I am glad you have finally made up your mind."

"What?" Lera blinked in confusion, "You aren't being serious about him?"

"Me? Come on now...Of course not. He is not my type. I am just using him to my benefit! A symbiotic relationship, and nothing more. Just like me and the squid."

"Right..." Lera nodded as Ver leaned back with a bright smile, "So...what's this all about?"

"I currently am paired with him on the second last day of the festival, but I am willing to swap with you if you do me a favor." Ver said, dragging Lera along and out of the garden before they hopped onto the nearest empty Chariot, "There is a beauty pageant, and the winner will be able to have something custom made for them!"

"And...you wanted to enter?" Lera asked when Ver shook her head and poked Lera's chest lightly.

"Nope. I want YOU to enter, and win something for me~"

And so Lera did. Or rather, she was forced by Ver to enter, and the theme of the Pageant for today just happened to be...Authenticity? What is that even supposed to mean?

"I...don't know what I am supposed to do..." Lera stood awkwardly as Ver hummed a joyous tune next to her, her fingers running through her hair and fixing it up before she reached into spontaneously appearing Whirlpool Purples as she stole makeup tools and clothes from others in the back room. Fortunately, this particular pageant had plenty of materials, and the entry only required the person to be there.

"Don't worry, just be yourself." Ver giggled, tying up the blue straps over Lera's small chest before spinning her around and facing the mirror.

“That’s not very helpful…”

Lera looked forward, and she caught a glimpse of what Ver made her to be. Her black hairs were tied in twin tails right behind her head, though a single strand of silver hair poked up and danced in front with a strange lively energy. Her grey eyes beautiful and translucent like fog were emphasized by the light makeup brushed against her cheeks. Her lips were gently reddened but a faint lipstick, and it worked brilliantly to compliment the rest of the makeup.

Her clothes are a mix of a yellow undershirt with a blue outer layer, acting as jeans of some sort that wrapped just over her knees, as her smooth lower leg and pairs of boots rounded up the entire outfit.

"What even is this..." Lera asked, spinning around and not unhappy with her look.

"It's a country girl outfit, right?" Ver asked, "I have seen this in a few plays!"

"That's not how people actually look out there..." Lera protested, a far dirtier version showing up in her childhood memories, particularly the rough fabric that her mother wore despite what she is able to manufacture for her clients.

"Well...consider this a romanization of a country look then." Ver said, when the voice of the host called from outside their tents, announcing the start of the pageant.

"Alrighty." Ver continued, finishing up Lera's outfit from the back and tying a cute knot around her thin waist, "Let's get you going."

As Lera joined the lines of other contestants and their perfume filled the air, Ver sat back in the tent, alone and quiet, and she quietly activated her communication Cast with Augen.