However, in this one year, Sylphy had come to think of them as friends.
Friends with some peculiarities that tended to stand out, and who's relation was a bit different than that of Rudeus.
Sylphy felt strongly that 'A friend is a friend.'
And for Sylphy, the number of friends she had was easily counted on one hand.
[I understand. I will continue to protect Ariel-sama.]
Sylphy, at that moment, may have possibly become the princess's Guardian Magician in the truest literal sense.