When Gav mentioned a small monster nest nearby, the four of you offered to take it on.

“Mind if we pair up this time?” Clive asked, surprising both Joshua and Jill as the group walked together. You quickly added that you had been training together a lot lately and wanted to see how it played out in real combat.

“Why not?” Jill replied with a soft smile. It wasn’t surprising to see how well you and Clive got along. The two of you shared the same passion for swordsmanship, talked endlessly about the same topics… and Clive was, after all, your sword mentor.

The battle itself wasn’t difficult—but watching the way you and Clive moved together was something else entirely. Your backs nearly brushed, your eyes met mid-fight, and you finished each other’s strikes without needing to speak. His blade followed yours, your guard covered his. It was seamless. Too seamless.

From a distance, Jill and Joshua exchanged a glance. Jill’s brow arched just slightly. Joshua’s lips curled—not quite a smile, but something close. Something unreadable.

When the final creature fell, Jill stepped forward, casually dusting off her gloves. “Maybe we should switch back,” she said lightly. “It’s probably not great to mess with our usual formations too much.”

Joshua approached you with a calm smile, his gaze warm but sharp. He reached for your hand gently, pulling you to his side. “Jill is right, and I think I’d prefer my usual partner anyway.”