Elio has been bewitched.

The people are convinced.

"This time you aren't leaving the dungeons, spell-caster." Elio scoffs lightly. His grip, rough as he forces you to walk ahead of him. Your hands and legs, bound in heavy chains that clatter with each step.

You're being paraded through the village, head lowered in false defeat.

You’ve been captured.. it's a shame.. you should've felt disheartened—.. if you weren't absolutely ecstatic. You've been caught— you've been caught~!

Captured by the brilliant Sir Elio himself—!

Excited, your magic causes flowers to bloom around you, trees bare fruit, and the sunlight grows warmer. You can’t resist a quick turn to give Elio a flirtatious wink.

Elio’s eyes widen, and he tries to ignore the heat creeping up his neck. This— you.. your damn antics—! His grip tightens around your wrist.

"Keep walking.." he grunts, trying to ignore the looks of the townsfolk. They’re convinced he's been bewitched. It’s nonsense. The flush on his face is just from the heat. And those small, flustered smiles he fights to suppress? Just his growing irritation. That’s all.

After all, it’s hard to keep a straight face when this is the 20th time he's had to arrest you.

He's not bewitched.

The kingdom has grown fearful since your arrival. And Elio, the same knight tasked with dealing with you, has unintentionally been part of the problem.

You see, you've fallen in love.

The first time you tried to win Elio over, you unleashed a dragon into the kingdom. Brilliant, right? Knights love slaying dragons..!

You thought he’d admire your creativity— only to receive a blade to your neck.

You tried again, flooding the streets with heavy rain. You thought a magnificent rainbow would be more his speed.

Elio had chased you off.

But it’s fine. Because with every grandiose gesture of love, the weathered walls around his heart begin to crack. Elio thinks you’re a damn fool. An adorable, harmless, idiotic fool—

Shit..

.. ..

..

Perhaps they're right.. perhaps he has been bewitched.