Next update will be me posting the other route for this story.

There are a lot of things I was expecting to see when I woke up that I had completely expected. The white room of some kind of healer's guild? Check. My weapons and clothes arranged neatly on a chair next to my bed? Makes sense. A beautiful elf staring deep into my eyes with a very faint smile?

NOPE!

I snapped out of the grogginess that typically plagues me when I wake up, almost head-butting Ryuu as my body shot upright "R-r-r-yuu?" I almost squealed "What are you doing here?"

Ryuu tilted her head "I came to check in on you. Mama Mia said you might appreciate seeing someone you know when you wake up so the girls and I have been checking in on you in turns." My heart fluttered.

"You all care that much about me?" I ask, barely more than a whisper and even then my voice cracked a little.

The green haired elf looks at me almost like she couldn't understand what I'm asking "Do you feel distant from us at the Hostess?" her words sounded almost hurt.

Shit "N-no it isn't that!" I wave my hands frantically "I don't feel distant at all! I just-" I cut myself off. I… I don't really want to think about how Liliruca abandoning effected me right now… I shake the thoughts out of my head "Thank you Ryuu. I'll make sure to thank the other girls when I get home as well."

My friend looked at me skeptically "very well then. I'll see you back home Bell." Luckily she relented. I don't think I'd have had the heart to lie to her if she actually pressed me on it. Before she left, she placed her hand on my shoulder.

It's a touching gesture. A simple reassurance that I'm not alone. I just wish it I could focus more on that then pleasant warmth of her hand on my cold skin.

Wait. Skin?

Gods I hope I'm wrong about this… As I turn my gaze downward I feel my face heat up…

This entire conversation I've been shirtless.

I was frozen entirely in place, mortified. I've been talking to a gorgeous girl this whole time without even wearing a shirt! An elf no less! Elves usually considering the act of holding hands taboo until long into a relationship with someone! Oh god what if she never forgives me? For all I know she might think I've ruined her for someone she actually likes!

I suppose its no surprise that my brain eventually fried itself and I passed out once again.

Ryuu Lion is not a particularly expressive person. In fact many would go as far as to call her cold. Even among other elves she was considered to be particularly reluctant to be in physical contact with another person.

"Why did I do that?" she thought, staring absently at her hand while she walked through the busy streets of Orario. Of course what she was referring to was the fact she intentionally touched Bell's bare skin.

Her body had moved before she had the chance to think. Something about the look in his eyes before he cut himself off had made her heart ache for him. He looked not sad or lonely but- "Ah he looked broken didn't he? Like he'd had a part of himself torn away…" she thought "I suppose it's no wonder then. I don't want him to end up like me…"

As she stared at her hands, they suddenly felt heavy, the blood of many staining them in a way she could never wash away.

As she thought more about the interaction she'd just had however her thoughts betrayed her elven nature "He did have nice abs though…" dismissing such a pointless thought, Ryuu returned to the Hostess, thoughts of cute rabbits and trauma pushed far from her mind, ready for her shift.

Groggily I open my eyes once more this time (un)fortunately to no gorgeous elves next to my bed.

I… don't really know what to feel about my conversation with Ryuu. Minus the whole embarrassment part. It really wasn't very long or anything barely a few words exchanged between the both of us, but it was probably the worst possible time for her to say everyone at the Hostess actually cares about me. If it were before I went into the Dungeon, before Lily-Liliruca abandoned me for money, I would have been touched and grateful.

Now though… Now I can't help but wonder if they're just saying it so they have less work to do…

Looking back, I should have known. The weird way she changed how she talked to me, her obsession with money even the way we met. I was a fool to lo-trust her. I'll need to work alone from here on out… the only person I can trust my back to in the Dungeon is myself…

But… I really don't want to be alone either…

Oh well. I'll sort my feelings out later for now though, I have a spell to test. My aunt gave me everything I need after all!

Jumping out of the bed, I quickly threw my clothes on from the chair. They're same clothes as when I was last in the Dungeon, so there's a bunch of holes littering them, but at least the blood stains are out?

My coat, as Mama promised, is in pristine condition once more so I've gotta say that it's definitely a welcome sight. Just as I finished draping the familiar weight over my arms, a woman I don't know entered the room.

"Ah! Mr. Cranel!" her voice is soothing, like a church bell almost, "You're finally awake!"

I nod to the woman "Mhm, how much do I owe for the treatment?" I ask.

She waves "ah, your bill was already paid for." Wait what? She must have seen my confusion because she explained further "The Loki familia apparently paid for you to be healed. Something about 'Not needing some newbie to clean up our messes for us' or at least that's what the Vanargand said when he dropped you off here."

Vanargand? Bete? Bete brought me here? Then paid for my treatment? I guess he really is a decent guy. Even if he is an ass…

Anyways "Thanks for telling me, I'll make sure to thank them in person when I see them next." I said strapping Ira Diabolus to my waist where it belongs. Only one of the paired swords is here but I have no doubt the other one has somehow made it back to Pandora. If I'm remembering right it got broken by that minotaur after all.

The lady bowed and said "As you should, have a good day Mr. Cranel." Before turning to leave.

I quickly stopped her "ah sorry but could I borrow a pen and paper before I leave?" I ask.

"Umm you can, but why?"

I smile "I just want to write something down before I forget."

Its probably not the best idea given that I've only just recovered from nearly dying but the call of playing with my new magic was impossible for me to resist so here I am, once more on the first floor of the Dungeon in a corner far off from the entrance where I can experiment in peace.

I stare at the sheet of paper in my hands. The beautiful, intricate, spirit script that Alfia used to make the spell circle for her "Wings of the Phoenix" spell drawn to perfection, with a few modifications, on the cheap parchment.

It kinda feels blasphemous to have drawn it on cheap mass produced paper but unlike my aunt I can't draw spell circles with my mana alone. Yet. So for now this will have to do no matter how wrong it feels.

Closing my eyes, I feel once more for my second heart. The thrumming of the mana running through my body comes to me with barely a second of concentration. Its too slow. I need it to respond faster to me before I try to actually use it in battle, but that isn't my goal right now. With every breath I can feel the Dungeon's rich air filling my lungs, increasing the magic flowing through my veins.

Right now I just want to cast the spell then shut it down. Alfia warned me that this spell devours so much Mind that I'd need to be level two before I could just barely cast it for a second. But I figure that with Mana being the end goal, I can remove the circle that converted from one source to the other since I use mana directly.

With the circle removed, it should drain me a little less so I should probably be able to at least cast it.

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I pictured Alfia as she soared through the sky on wings of fire in my head and began the chant.

"Oh great wings of the fire bird"

I feel a tug on my Mana as the paper glows a bright orange.

"Allow me to soar on the eternal winds."

I feel the heat of flames burning behind me as the drain gets even faster. Good so far…

"Manifest and incinerate the unfaithful"

I feel a slight pain in my chest but that's fine. It doesn't hurt too much.

"So that I may be reborn as an envoy of the Great Mothe-"

My chest exploded in pain. The paper in my hand burnt up and the wings of fire started running rampant. What the hells? I did everything right! As I clutched my "second heart" in pain I watched in horror as the fire spiraled horrifically out of my control, the Mana stolen from my every breath.

I tried to pull back with my Mana, to steal the fire's fuel but with the spell rampaging out of control my Mana won't respond to me, the mental image I need to maintain the spell's form burned from my mind along with the heat.

I can tell, the magic in the Dungeon's air is the only reason I'm still alive. *Blegh* I cough up globs of blood with every gasping breath as the fire burns larger and hotter with every one of them. The fire isn't hurting me, somehow, but if I don't get this under control soon I'll die from the heat alone!

The ground starts to turn orange as I force the words from my bloodied lungs, every word accompanied by spittle.

"S-so th-at I m-may be reb-born as an envoy of the Gr-great Mo-mother"

The fire once more reshapes itself into wings, far larger than the ones Alfia had conjured. My mental image being weak but present enough to regain some semblance of control. I force my battered lungs to take in as much of the air's magic as possible, I cant afford to mess up this last part.

Alfia told me once off handedly that the only way to cancel a spell that's out of control is to finish it and that's what I'm gonna do!

So, at the top of my lungs I shout;

"Wings of the Phoenix!"

As the words passed my lips the flames refocused. The burning white fire melting the ceiling when they touched it before vanishing in an instant as I forcefully pull my Mana out of the spell.

My vision swam while coughed up more blood and the massive drain the whole mess put on me made me pass out.

When I finally woke up again it was to see the Dungeon walls partially melted into slag, my blood long dried or evaporated. Somehow my clothes, other than the back of my shirt where I can feel a slight breeze, managed to survive the inferno.

My body feels lethargic as I try futilely to get to my feet. I have no clue what time it is, but I'm sure Mama needs me back for tonight's shift. Apparently something called "Monsterphilia" is tomorrow. Or at least that's what the nurse from Dian Cecht told me.

Either way, with a festival tomorrow, I'm sure the Hostess is shaping up to be busy tonight. Taking deep breaths of the magic rich air I tried to circulate the Mana it recovers through my body to try and maybe do something?

I'm honestly just guessing right now.

This was dumb.

I should have trusted what Alfia said. She's never betrayed me. She taught me almost everything I know about magic. Of course she knew better than me.

I really am a mess aren't I?

If I keep doing things this way I'm just going to end up dead. Even if I can't trust my back to anyone else anymore, I can at least trust what Alfia taught me and Mama Mia. I can't keep ignoring their advice and just hoping that my bravado will carry me through. "A fine line lies between bravery and foolishness" isn't that right Master?

Closing my eyes once more I can feel a bit of energy retuning to my body. I guess running Mana through my body really does make it feel a little better.

As I force my weary body from the floor, I can't help the flood of self loathing I feel when I glance at my arms. I didn't even check with Pandora if she repaired my armor for me before I came down here and I know why.

I considered myself invincible when I woke up and could still feel my magic. "Why would I need armor if I can use magic?" My actions since I woke up aren't the actions of a hero to be. They're the actions of a child with a new toy.

Self control. Looking back I think that it more than anything is my greatest weakness. The call of adventure leading me deeper into the Dungeon, the desire to impress the girl I fell for, even if that girl never really existed, throwing myself into the Dungeon with no armor to test a spell I KNEW I couldn't cast.

None of that would have happened if I could just control myself. Instead I've been letting my impulses control me. I'm weak. I know that. Physically I'm just an ordinary human. My weapons and armor allow me to fight on somewhat even footing with the monsters. What puts me above them is my mind.

If I'm strong of mind even if my body shuts down, I can still do something. I can still survive to fight another day.

Before I come back to the Dungeon, as much as I wish it isn't the case, I need to get control over myself. Even now as I drag my barely functional body through the familiar paths of the first floor, I can feel the pull to dive deeper and keep exploring the depths.

I have to force myself to start ascending towards Orario proper the air becoming less and less saturated with Mana with every step I take up the stairs which makes every step even more challenging as I'm no longer stimulating my body with the energy of the soul.

As I break through to the surface I keep my head down in the light of the sunset and slink close to the walls. No point in making a bigger show of myself than I already have. As I pass by the "Wanted" board one of the portraits catches my eye as familiar but I quickly dismiss it.

Why would Ryuu be wanted? And her hair isn't blonde.

Still, The Gale Wind eh? I wonder what she did to have the largest bounty on the board?

By the time I made it to the Hostess the sun had already set. Which is bad obviously, but at least my body is mostly listening to me properly now.

As per usual I make my way to the back of the building to enter so I don't disturb any of the patrons on the way in. I close the door gently behind myself sneaking my way over to the stairs. Maybe I can get myself cleaned up before anyone notices I'm back?

"Ah Bell!" Mia's loud voice came from across the building. How did she even notice me? There's a wall between us! "Get changed and get back down here! We've got a full house so we need all hands on deck!"

"Alright Mama!" I shout back "I'll just be a minute!"

As I make my way into my room I throw off my jacket first before changing my pants, socks and shoes out with my work uniform. The soft fabric feeling like a cloud on my slightly burned skin, so I decided to take a minute to just enjoy the feeling.

Or that was the plan until the door opened "Ah Bell, sorry to intrude but Mama said-" Ryuu's words were cut short. Her eyes widening with some sort of emotion I can't identify. She swallows.

Did I do something wrong? I know I have to apologize for what happened earlier but I don't think I've done anything particularly egregious. I don't have any wounds on my… back…

"Bell…" Her voice was barely above a whisper her eyes hard "Where's your Falna?"

Well shit.

So this chapter is once again a short one because there was no way in hell I wasn't ending on that cliffhanger. Still 3k before AN though so that's pretty cool. So yeah. Bell is an idiot, but an idiot who's starting to realize he's an idiot and Ryuu knows about Bell's secret. What will happen next? Find out hopefully in the next two weeks!

See y'all next chapter and take care of yourselves!