The phrase hanging in various places in the mansion where Sylvia lived was a well-known motto of Astra, known to people around the world.
They were people who would repay both kindness and enmity more than they had received.
Because Astra not only spoke but also acted on this principle, people naturally treated the High Elves who bore that name with kindness and took care not to incur their enmity.
Sylvia had always detested the phrases hanging on the walls.
'Disgusting people, did they think that their ulterior motives wouldn't show through just because they pretended to be generous?'
Those who approached her were not out of pure goodwill but because they wanted something from her.
She believed that all the hurt she had felt from people's actions was due to that motto.
However, recently, whenever Sylvia saw the framed phrases, she would fall into a different kind of contemplation.
A red-haired girl who had approached her first and shown her kindness.
The image of the girl, who always made macarons for her just because they were friends, without expecting anything in return, kept lingering in her mind.
The macarons she made were not as good as those sold at the school cafeteria, but to Sylvia, they were more precious than just a snack, so the taste and appearance didn't matter at all.
Rather, the clumsy taste and appearance seemed to prove that the girl had worked hard to make something difficult, thinking only of her, and it felt like her own preferences were changing.
She liked the clumsiness and was happy with the effort.
And Sylvia wanted to repay that feeling.
'Scarlett said it was fine even if I didn't give her anything...'
Astra never forgets a favor.
*
On the weekend, after finishing her elemental training, Sylvia came out onto the street to get some fresh air.
"Miss, you have a dinner gathering in two hours, so please finish your walk within 30 minutes."
"I understand. I'll make sure not to be late for the dinner gathering, so please be quiet while I walk."
If only the attendant who followed her around, nagging, wasn't there, it would have been much better.
Sylvia grumbled to herself as she slowly walked down the street.
She smiled and waved to passersby who recognized her and greeted her, and then her eyes caught a jewelry store.
Although the mansion was filled with decorative items received as gifts, Sylvia's steps stopped when she saw the sign "Friendship Ring" on the store's signboard.
'Friendship Ring, what a wonderful resonance.'
The moment she saw the words, Sylvia imagined herself and Scarlett wearing the same ring and laughing together.
Just thinking about it made her smile.
The attendant, who had never imagined that the young lady he was serving would enter such a store, hesitated, but Sylvia walked into the store as if in a trance.
"Can I see the friendship ring?"
"Ah, yes! The friendship ring! Would you like to come this way and take a look?"
The attendant, who had never imagined that a famous High Elf young lady would visit such a place, was taken aback and quickly showed her the display case.
Sylvia glanced at the display case and spotted a ring with a red gemstone set in the center.
The color reminded her of her friend, and that alone was enough to make her like it.
Noticing where Sylvia's gaze was fixed, the attendant explained the ring.
"The red gemstone in the ring is a garnet, the birthstone for January. It symbolizes true friendship. Isn't it a perfect gemstone for a friendship ring?"
The attendant's explanation fueled Sylvia's desire to buy the ring.
'A red gemstone with the meaning of true friendship. Finding this ring in a place I entered by chance after becoming friends with Scarlett must be fate.'
Thinking this, Sylvia looked at the ring with her starry blue eyes.
The attendant, who had entered the store with her, tried to dissuade her.
"Miss, if you're going to wear it with your friend, it would be better to have it custom-made as a top-quality piece. This ring seems too low-class for you to wear."
"Didn't I tell you to be quiet earlier?"
Sylvia shot back at the attendant, who was nagging, with a cold tone.
Having grown up under the suppression of her family, Sylvia still harbored the heart of a girl who dreamed of romance.
To her, the attendant seemed like a bad person, like Yoon Si-woo, who pretended to be a prince on a white horse and tried to come between her and Scarlett.
"If you want this, I can engrave a message inside for you. Normally, there would be an additional fee, but I'll do it for free for you! What would you like me to engrave?"
The attendant, who had silenced the attendant by saying the ring was low-class, spoke with a voice full of gratitude.
Recalling the conversation she had with Scarlett during their last meal, Sylvia spoke.
When she left the store, a ring with a red gemstone was on her left ring finger.
Holding the other half of the ring, which was exactly the same, including the engraved message, Sylvia smiled and imagined.
On her left ring finger, which symbolizes friendship,
She would put on the ring with the red garnet that resembled her,
And read the message engraved inside,
And her friend would smile happily.
Wishing to see that smile as soon as possible, Sylvia hoped the weekend would pass quickly.
The ring on her left ring finger, and the message engraved on its back, made the girl happy.
[First, And Best Friend]
The message was engraved on the back of the ring she would give to her first and most precious friend.
*
The morning of Monday arrived, and Sylvia met Scarlett at school but couldn't give her the ring.
An alarm had sounded, and she had been selected to guard the restricted area.
The hero who came to lead her said it was an unusual event.
He said that it was rare for monsters to be observed on such a large scale after the witches were exterminated, and even rarer for them to attack all at once as if they had planned it.
However, because they were placed in a safe area as students, the number of monsters that attacked their location was not large, and they could handle it easily.
However, after the battle, the tightly packed schedule she was given when she returned home was not something she could handle easily.
Astra, who had lost their base 500 years ago and established a new one in a human city,
Though they considered themselves fallen, they were still a prestigious family that had once ruled the world. Their influence was felt throughout the city, and as the heir of the family, Sylvia had to show her face in various places due to the recent events.
She would undoubtedly have to move around tirelessly after school for a few days, but Sylvia didn't mind.
Although the unexpected delay in giving the ring was disappointing, the thought of her friend's joy when she received it the next day gave her renewed strength.
However, when she went to school the next day, her friend's seat was empty.
Upon hearing that Scarlett was seriously injured, the excitement in Sylvia's heart quickly turned to despair.
'How could this happen...'
The tightly packed schedule after class.
The smile she always wore, which had become natural, was now strained, and she was scolded after her schedule ended.
The nagging was terrifying for her, who was having one of the hardest days of her life.
*
The next day, a classmate who visited Scarlett in the hospital reported that her condition was not as bad as they had feared.
This news relieved Sylvia somewhat.
When her classmates chose someone to visit the hospital, Sylvia had to suppress her urge to throw away her schedule and rush to her friend.
As an heir, she didn't have the freedom to act as she pleased.
Since her impulsive decision to enroll in Aegis Academy, her schedule had become even tighter, and Sylvia despaired at her situation.
She felt like she was just a symbol to show that Astra was still strong.
Though she bore the title of heir, most of the family's decisions were made by the elders, and she was just a puppet who had to act as the family wished.
She hated the position of heir, which prevented her from even visiting her friend in the hospital.
'I might be able to find some time by the weekend...'
While caressing the ring in her pocket, Sylvia endured each day.
*
On Friday, a commotion broke out.
Scarlett, who was supposed to be in the hospital, had come to school late.
Though she had been reported as seriously injured, she seemed to have recovered, as her expression was not bad and there were no obvious signs of injury.
Sylvia was relieved by this and then felt guilty.
How could she call herself a friend when she hadn't even visited her in the hospital until her discharge?
"I'm sorry I couldn't visit you in the hospital..."
As she apologized, Sylvia took out the ring she had kept in her pocket.
She wanted to repay the kindness she had received,
To be forgiven for not visiting her in the hospital,
And to see her friend happy.
With these thoughts, she reached out to put the ring on her friend's finger, just as she had imagined when she bought it.
But the moment she had been looking forward to slipped through her fingers like a mirage.
"......Huh?"
Confused by what was happening, she saw her friend remove something from her left arm.
What should have been there was not.
The arm with the finger that symbolized friendship was no longer there.
Her feelings could no longer reach her friend.
"I'm sorry, Sylvia..."
Her friend, who was apologizing to her, had a sad smile on her face.