I rush out of the Keep to keep some semblance of face after everything that just happened.

Our disagreement on whether feline ears are suitable as war regalia aside... that last comment of his was unbelievable!

I was a bit angry at first, but it was merely a disagreement, however that! ...that left me wordless. Without a hint of romantic interest or amusement he said I... he said I was so cute with them on that multiple of his men would fall in love with me...

No matter how you look at it that means he finds me incredibly cute!

I just barely managed to excuse myself before I ended up losing face at those sudden and unexpected words of indirect affection, and now I'm trying to push the heat from my face while walking towards our part of the camp to set up my tent. The exhaustion from before seems to have faded, but I know it won't last.

Does the idiot even realize the words he said?!

I reach our part of the camp faster than I expect, and as I do Asher has woken from his sleep with this slightly worried expression as he sees. I figure that the after effect of the argument just now is still visible... fine, I'll use him to settle the argument by using him as a reference.

"Asher!" He blinks for a moment and then straightens up.

"Yes, Celeste-sama?" He replies instantly while I glance around and make sure none of the Tepet troops are watching. I pull out the feline ears and put them on.

"These aren't 'cute', right?" I ask, demanding an answer out of him... and his expression just goes blank. I know that expression... Quite well too... it's the expression of 'My superior just asked me something I can only give a wrong answer to. How do I get out of this with my career intact.'

...

I should let him go...

"Celeste-sama, I do not believe the ears are 'cute' on their own. They may be 'cute' for specific people however, just as ribbons," he answers flawlessly and finishes it off with a calm and polite smile.

I regret wanting to pull it back. He answered me without taking side, and on top of that avoided the subject of me specifically...

"Good answer," I grumble a bit and walk past him while taking the ears off. Thankfully it seems like the rest of our things have been placed here, so I start setting up my tent with Asher attempting to help out while watching me curiously.

"Did something happen while I was passed out?" He asked curiously, gently trying to pry it out of me relatively politely...

"A small argument." I cut him off with half the answer. Asher doesn't ask anything after that, but he seems curious.

Once I calmed down a bit I conversed a bit with everyone to check up on how they were feeling. Apparently Asher was the only one that had been on the battlefield before, so I had to make sure that everyone were doing well.

Ah, and on this note, Darius and Mike had finally made up. Darius did well for the situation and fought well, but when an enemy using magic on his axe got behind Darius' shield Mike stepped in and saved him without hesitance. I'd been surprised already back then, but Darius flew into a rage for a few moments before I opened a path, and Darius hurriedly carried Mike off while yelling at him for being weird and reckless. It was one of the most beautiful things to happen during the battle.

When I found them, Arven, Spence and Rudder were there as well, chattering eagerly. They were finally coming together. Mostly.

Peony is nowhere to be seen, and Vitis and Felix are talking quietly between some tents with a somber mood between them... Vitis looks burned out...

I glance to Asher, who frowns in return and presses his lips together while his brows crumble into a frown. Peony again? Vitis has been quite insistent on taking Peony under his wing, but Peony hasn't really gotten attached to him in return. It seems like Vitis is finally beginning to have had enough of Peony's coldness. While war can make bonds it can also break them.

"I'll see if he wants to talk," I say softly, but let the two of them talk for a while longer... Felix eventually glances to me with a 'help' sort of look, that finally makes Vitis aware of my presence.

Vitis looks guilty as he sees me and lowers his eyes down to the side and you can see his shoulders sink... I take it as a sign of resignation and approach while waving off Felix and Asher to a distance.

I turn my attention to Vitis and find him... exhausted... his skin seems loose and baggy compared to usual, and his eyes seem lifeless. The battle may have gotten him a bit harder than just the part about Peony. Though, he doesn't look talkative... usually I wouldn't push it, so let's take the matter in hand directly instead.

"I saw Peony near the infirmary alone while looking... surprisingly healthy..." I watch his reaction closely, and his face falls further... it gets even darker than before.

"I'm sorry, I thought he was right next to me..."

He started apologizing with a strained voice... he was actually taking responsibility for Peony though Peony was the one that had retreated.

"...Judging by his injuries, he was probably lightly injured. He probably deemed he was unable to fight any further." I sat this to lighten Vitis' guilt, but I can see he looks bitter.

"I thought I was close to him... even if just a little bit... I swore I'd make sure everyone returned home, even Peony... and I thought that Peony had the same dedication... even if just a little..." he pauses to frown further, and I can see his jaw tense.

"That guy does care for people you know. He tries to remind you when you're about to forget something important, and he observes people well too... so I thought... I hoped that the others would finally be able to see that he's a decent guy underneath his attitude... and now I feel like the fool for trusting him that much."

The dam of thoughts broke and his words turned into a frustrated ramble. I soaked it up, and considered my words carefully.

"Some people aren't meant for the battlefield, Vitis. Peony is probably one of those. He doesn't have interest in others, but he observes people a lot. Still, he's a loner Vitis. Some beings cannot work in teams..." I cross my arms in thought.

"That guy observes people the same way he observes animals though. I am at the point where I begin consider him to have been abandoned in the mountains as a child and have nothing on his mind but survival."

I watch Felix whose expression twists in frustration. His shoulders have risen and tensed.

"Even beasts get close to people if you put in sincere effort the right way," he argues against me. He's probably trying to push away the thought that Peony sincerely hates him and everything he has tried to do.

"I think I've tried everything... but... but still..."

I understand his frustration. He'd spent years trying to get along with Peony, and Peony just left him behind on the battlefield without and semblance of a warning and let the others fight on their own.

"It's is alright, Vitis. Changing people is hard. Peony may just not be suited for this kind of thing. Not everyone is, especially in this world. He hasn't technically done anything wrong, so for now we will leave him be. If he proves unable to keep up or acts out of line I will take care of him. More importantly, you need to join the others, Vitis. Meditate a bit before bed and make sure you warm up as the first thing in the morning."

It is not polite to talk about the shock of the war more directly than this or point out how wrecked he looks so I ask him to do the few things that usually helps us.

Vitis watches me quietly, but also bitterly.

"He's really a good guy..." he whispers. I give his shoulder a clap.

"The battlefield brings out a lot in people, Vitis. It will for Peony too. For now, remember yourself as well. If you don't have the energy to help, then you won't be able to," I speak a bit softer... Vitis watches me quietly and then looks at me with sadness in his eyes.

"Have you ever made someone like Peony fit in?" He asked worriedly... sadly I had to shake my head.

"He wouldn't have been hired in the army, but placed as a village supervisor somewhere so that no one would have had to deal with him. Delinquents we can deal with, egoists we can deal with, but Peony is different. At best he would've been hired as a duelist because of his martial dedication."

Vitis watches me quietly and worriedly for a long while, then asks a question I personally feel that Peony doesn't deserve from Vitis.

"If he fails, will you abandon him?"

The guilt lingers in his eyes. The man in front of me is worried that someone else will be punished and feels guilty that he hasn't been able to do anything for him to prevent it... I want to sigh and give Peony a verbal lashing for not appreciating this guy enough.

"I'll send him to Eric. You'll be separated from him, but Eric should have plenty ideas of what to do."

Vitis is quiet for a while and then nods.

"I see... good..."

He calms down a bit with a few more nods, and I clap his shoulder.

"Now, come on. Let's join the others," I urge him again. This time he agrees, and I manage to pull him out of the shadows. When we come out, Asher joins us with a small smile. I notice Asher whispering to Vitis multiple times during the rest of the evening, and a few times both of them give small smiles.

Once the eight guys are talking happily I continue through our camp to check up on everyone else. Compared to our standards these guys were quite far from prepared for what they had to go through. By my estimation, at least ten of these guys would never willingly step onto the battlefield again.