Chapter 86: Strange Beach Episode (6)

[Third Person's PoV] 

Asta and Noelle stood frozen, their mouths agape as they struggled to process the scene unfolding before them. Before their very eyes, Stephen and Wanda were… dancing. And not just any kind of dancing—it was graceful, mesmerizing, and utterly unexpected.

Behind the duo, perched atop a large boulder, was a striking woman with vivid red eyes and matching crimson hair adorned with seashells. Her melodic voice carried through the salty sea breeze, weaving a hauntingly beautiful tune that seemed to enchant the very air around them.

Stephen twirled Wanda effortlessly, his movements fluid and practiced. Her silk cloth, tied loosely around her waist, flared with the motion, momentarily revealing her toned legs. Despite spinning in circles, Wanda held onto the book Stephen had given her with one hand, clutching it to her chest, while her other hand stretched elegantly skyward.

Noelle and Asta exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions screaming, Are you seeing this too? They turned back just in time to see Stephen and Wanda chuckling softly. Wanda draped her free arm over Stephen's shoulder, leaning back dramatically as Stephen's hand slid from her waist to support the small of her back. His other hand gently steadied her thigh, holding her securely as she struck a pose, her book extended outward like a trophy.

Out of the corner of his eye, Stephen caught sight of Asta and Noelle gawking at them. With a playful smirk, he straightened up, helping Wanda back to her feet.

Asta put his swords back in his grimoire and began to rapidly clap his hands, "Wooooah! I didn't know you could dance like that Stephen!" 

Stephen put a hand behind his back and one at his front and bowed before interchanging and bowing once again. "Thank you, Thank you" 

"What are you two even doing?" Noelle asked, looking between them skeptically before looking at the lady standing on the rock with a confused look. 

"We met Kahono here as she began to sing and got to know each other" Stephen explained, "Her song was catchy so we began dancing" Stephen said, raising his thumbs up. 

She leaned forwards with a two finger salute and a hand by her hip, "Yo!" She said as she began to introduce herself, "As Stephen just said, My name is Kahono. Let's take this chance to become friends!" She said rather cheerfully. 

"I'm Noelle" Noelle said rather plainly as she was a bit cautious when interacting with someone she didn't know. 

"I'm Asta!" He exclaimed as he wasn't cautious in the slightest. 

"Anyways, why were you singing?" Noelle asked curiously. 

Kahono rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment, "I was training my voice and I simply just like singing" 

"Training your voice?" Asta asked in confusion. 

"Right! I have a dream! A dream to become a singing, dancing, magic-using idol! I'll make a name for myself and make tons of money!" She said bubbly while jumping down from the Boulder from where she stood, while Asta and Noelle went and stood next to Stephen and Wanda. 

"Hm?" Kahono hummed as she looked up and down towards Asta, noticing his fatigue from constant training, "What's this, your body seems to be weakened…" Kahono said. 

Kahono then began humming a tone and began using her song magic. 

[Song Recovery Magic: Healing Lullaby] 

Asta was then surrounded by a warmth feeling as he felt all of his fatigue begin to be washed away. "WOAH!" He loudly exclaimed, "My muscles don't hurt any more!" 

"Okay, one hundred yulls per person," Kahono charged, sticking out her hand with a smile. 

"What?! You're charging me!?" 

Meanwhile Noelle was a bit impressed as Kahoo's magic just didn't heal Asta's entire body but rather she managed to pinpoint the exact locations of where Asta needed healing. 

Even Stephen raised an eyebrow at it, meanwhile Wanda went and opened her book and began reading as she couldn't help herself and wanted to know what the book had to offer. 

Seeing Asta shakily taking out his wallet and counting with tears in his eyes, Kahono started laughing, "Hahaha, You guys sure are funny. I'm fifteen by the way. How old are you guys anyway?"

"Fifteen," Asta answered. 

"So am I" Noelle said looking at Asta weirdly for carrying about such a tiny amount of money. 

"Same here" Stephen answered with his hands behind his head. 

"I'm 17…" 

Stephen, Noelle, and Asta both turned to look at Wanda. Noticing their looks Wanda raised an eyebrow, "What?" 

"It's just we've never known how old you truly were, this is our first time hearing you say how old you actually are" Noelle said. 

Wanda let out a slight pout, "What do you want me to say I'm over 500 years old or something"

Kahono just smiled towards Wanda, "Then it looks like you're the oldest, since I'm 15 as well. Let's all become good friends" Kahono said with a beaming smile as she turned back to Noelle, making her blush slightly as it was embarrassing to have someone simply ask you that out of nowhere. 

"Sure I'm in!" Asta said instantly, giving her a thumbs up. 

"If you insist," Noelle muttered. 

As both Stephen and Wanda gave their agreement Kahono got close to Noelle, "Now that we're friends let me give you a piece of advice. When you use magic Noelle you might be straining too hard to suppress your mana" 

"Huh?!" Noelle exclaimed, "Y-You've been watching me practice my magic?!" 

Kahono just chuckled as she rubbed the back of her neck, "I relax by listening to the sound of the waves, then use magic to let myself feel what I'm feeling" she explained before looking at Stephen and Wanda with a sly look. 

Stephen looked away, his ears turning slightly red, while Wanda raised her book and covered her face with it so they didn't see her turning bright red in the face. 

Kahono then looked towards Noelle with an encouraging smile, "I think real concentration comes when the heart is relaxed" 

Seeing Noelle was still a bit confused, Kahono then asked, "What's your gentlest, most reassuring memory, Noelle?" 

"My gentle memory?" Noelle pondered 

"Right, maybe about your family." Kahono said, trying to help her out. 

"Family…" Noelle muttered as she looked downwards, memories of her neglectful childhood came to mind. She bit down on her lips before forcing a smile and turning around, "Thank you Kahono, I'll try practicing a bit more…" She said as her bangs were covering her eyes. 

Kahono tilted her head in confusion, wondering is she had said something she wasn't suppose to. Meanwhile Stephen and Wanda let out a sigh. Asta, who was oblivious, was looking upwards towards the night sky, "A gentle memory…" He muttered, "Ahh, Sister Lily, I wonder how are you~" he said with stars in his eyes and a goofy grin. 

Stephen looked at the scene with a twitching eye and felt like slapping Asta on the back of the head. 

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