Yes, Erica Hale does develop romantic feelings for Ben Ripley in the Spy School series, evolving from initial reluctance to a willingness to pursue a relationship with him.
Erica's Evolving Feelings for Ben
Throughout much of the Spy School series, Ben Ripley has openly harbored a crush on Erica Hale. However, Erica initially held a strong conviction that romantic entanglements were too complicated and impractical for spies, believing they would only hinder their effectiveness and create unnecessary vulnerabilities. This perspective largely prevented her from openly reciprocating Ben's affections or engaging in a romantic relationship.
However, a significant shift in Erica's viewpoint occurred during the events of Spy School at Sea. Following this pivotal experience, Erica began to re-evaluate her previous stance on relationships. She came to the realization that her belief about relationships being inherently "messy" for spies might have been mistaken. This change of heart led her to an important decision: she agreed to try a relationship with Ben. This development signifies that Erica's feelings for Ben have matured beyond a simple crush into a desire to actively explore a romantic partnership, indicating a mutual interest between the two characters.
