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While soothing the wary Hom, I waited for Rizel to speak. Rizel hesitated for a moment, his mouth opening and closing as if searching for the right words, then fixed his gaze on Hom.

“Miss Hom.”

To my surprise, Rizel addressed Hom with an honorific.

“Your fight in the finals—your indomitable will to never give up—moved me deeply. I had misunderstood Homunculi. I thought they were artificial beings, slaves who simply followed orders. But your master was different. She didn’t treat you that way. She watched over you as you worked hard and grew, and helped you overcome obstacles that seemed impossible. …I realized something. I relied on Ignis’ strength, on borrowed power and authority, instead of facing you with my own. …That was a shameful act—unbecoming of a noble. I’m truly sorry.”

To us, whom he had once dismissed as beneath him, Rizel now showed his utmost respect. Though his speech was halting, his sincerity came through clearly—not just to us, but to Vannabelle as well.

“Admitting one’s mistakes is a fine thing forsooth. Sir Rizel manly spirit, I have witnessed it with mine own eyes and ears, forsooth!”
“I didn’t think there was anyone who could watch that match and not be moved!”

Isaac and Romeo, perhaps proud as fellow creators of Altered, spoke up excitedly. As they voiced their approval of Rizel, applause began to spread through the room.

Hom and I exchanged smiles with Rizel, who looked visibly relieved.

“Well, well, I see how it is. So that’s why you all came marching over here together, huh? Must’ve been quite the effort.”

Vannabelle came up behind us and slung an arm around my shoulder.

“Would be rude to send you back empty-handed after coming all this way, right? We’re in the middle of a party celebrating the star of that ‘moving battle’ you were talking about. If you were moved, then celebrate! Enough with the heavy talk—raise a glass and give these two the praise they deserve!”
“Eh…?”

Rizel blinked in confusion, clearly thrown off by Vannabelle’s sudden change in tone. The rest of Class A looked equally uncertain, unsure what had just happened.

“Just so we’re clear, I’m talking to *all* of you! Come on, don’t just stand there—get in already! Food, drinks, everything’s on me!”
“Vannabelle…”
“Tch, still no honorifics for me, huh!”

Though she grumbled, Vannabelle was smiling, clearly pleased. Rizel’s change in attitude must have come through to her as well.

“Alright then, the party’s just getting started~!”

Prompted by Numelin, the members of Class A began entering the restaurant, each mixing apologies and congratulations as they went. Just as they were about to step inside, Lili-Lulu moved in front of them.

““Lili-Lulu have something to say too.””
“Lili-Lulu…”

Alfe, perhaps worried, followed close behind as if to stop them. Lili-Lulu stared at Rizel with a nearly expressionless face, then spoke in unison.

““Lili-Lulu are generous. So if you dance with Lili-Lulu, we shall forgive and forget the past.””

With that, Lili-Lulu took Rizel’s hand and began to twirl around with him.

“Very well. Then allow me to show you what a noble’s dance looks like.”

Matching their steps, Rizel began to dance as well. One after another, the members of Class A started joining in, somewhat hesitantly at first, and soon the students of Class F followed suit, each showing off their own kind of dance.

“Nya-ha! Now this is turning into a dance party!”

Farah swayed happily to the music, laughing as she moved to the beat. Alfe, in turn, played instruments conjured from ice magic, singing joyfully as everyone danced.

“To think that Class A and Class F would ever share a moment like this… You really are something else, Leafa.”

Beside me, the Gutenberg boy smiled as he watched the dancers, eyes narrowed with quiet joy. Jost stood next to him, looking equally pleased.

“I’m not the one who made this happen. It all started with Hom. And you—you helped move Rizel’s heart, didn’t you?”

At my words, the Gutenberg boy didn’t answer. He only smiled in return.

When all was said and done, the Gutenberg boy had grown a lot too. There were still issues left unresolved—like the demi-human discrimination Estea worried about, or the problems with Ignis and the vice principal—but within this school year, real progress had been made. It might have been a small change when seen from a broader view, yet the smiles before me were undeniably genuine.

“Lady Alfe and Lili-Lulu all look like they’re having so much fun.”

Hom, who had given me this view to behold, was swaying her body happily as well. Seeing that made me truly glad.

“Shall we dance too, Hom?”
“If it’s with you, Master.”

Saying that, Hom extended her hand to me. I took it, and together we spun lightly to the rhythm of Alfe’s song. Not to be outdone, the Gutenberg boy and Jost began showing off a formal ballroom dance, drawing cheers from somewhere in the crowd.