Chapter 17:
The morning of the expedition, before the sun had risen, Bell was lying in bed, looking at the ceiling. He had been tossing and turning all night, only sleeping in fits and bits. Maybe he'd be rested, maybe he wouldn't; There was a lot on Bell's mind. Not only was he leading his Familia and others down to the bottom of the lower floors, but they were also investigating the most recent Xenos incident. And on top of that, Ais was coming with them!
Once upon a time, Bell would've loved to go on an expedition with the Sword Princess, but now his heart twisted. He was still trying to figure out their new relationship, and a high-pressure environment like the Dungeon was probably not conducive to that kind of feeling exploration.
As Bell lay there in contemplation, there was a knock at the door. Bell got out of bed, bleary from lack of sleep, and he opened the door to find Ryuu, dressed in her combat gear.
"Bell, I was…" the elf trailed off then and started to turn red.
"Ryuu, what's wrong?" asked Bell, raising a hand to check her forehead. If she had a fever, then she couldn't go into the Dungeon. Which would be a significant setback; she was one of their top adventurers, probably only second to Ais.
Before his hand made contact, Ryuu stepped away, "Bell, please put on a shirt."
Bell looked down to realize that he was, in fact, nude from the waist up. Thank the Goddess, he had been wearing pyjama pants…
The boy scrambled, and he slammed the door in Ryuu's face. He then ran to his dresser to grab the tunic he wore underneath his armour. As he slipped it over his head, he returned to the door, and he opened it to find Ryuu still standing there waiting for him.
"I'm so sorry, Ryuu!" replied Bell, careful to keep his voice down in the dark, "I just didn't realize…."
"Couldn't sleep?" asked Ryuu when Bell trailed off.
Bell nodded sheepishly.
"I'm the same. This situation promises to be…difficult. Call it my adventurer's intuition, but I think things are about to get very complicated," added Ryuu. The elf blushed again, "I thought I would come and see if you were awake to talk about it…as Vice-Captain to Captain, of course!"
Bell nodded, also blushing, "Right! We should talk about these things! For our Familia!"
The two top-tier adventurers then stood there in silence.
"So…any ideas on how to calm down?" asked Ryuu.
Bell pondered the thought, and only one idea came to mind. Although, that would mean showing Ryuu and explaining his situation. Bell considered the elf in front of him. Hestia was the most important person in his life, he loved Ais the most, and Lili and Welf were the siblings he never had. Bell trusted Ryuu, though, more than all of them. The elven warrior had a stalwart presence about her, and it made Bell feel safe. When she chose to leave Orario, to leave the Hostess, Bell had felt guilty, but he was also incredibly relieved. Bell trusted Ryuu, and he decided to show her his past, just like she had shown him.
"I can think of one thing that has helped me…if you don't mind following?" asked Bell, quiet and unsure.
Ryuu placed a hand on his shoulder, smiled, and gave it a squeeze, "I'd follow you anywhere, Bell."
The two left the house a little while later. They had written a small note explaining that they would be back for breakfast and that they were taking care of a last-minute issue. Bell led Ryuu through the quiet streets of Orario. Eventually, Ryuu started to recognize where they were going, the Adventurer's Graveyard.
Bell led her through the gates, and then he turned off the paved pathways. Instead, he was pushing through the bushes till he arrived at the three mangled graves. He knelt down in front of the middle one.
"Bell, what is this place?" asked Ryuu, a niggling suspicion tugging at the back of her head, "Whose graves are these?"
Bell didn't look at her when he responded, "I don't really know the other two, but this one in the middle is the grave of my aunt, Alfia."
Ryuu's blood ran cold, and her past flashed before her eyes. She remembered the battles she had to face, and most importantly, she remembered her dear friend, Ardee.
"Bell…is this what Hermes came to show you?" asked Ryuu, voice quiet and cold.
Bell nodded, studying the ground.
"Then he didn't tell you everything…if that grave is Alfia's…then the other two belong to Erebus and Zard, two of the greatest villains in Orario's history! Either Hermes lied to you, or he's manipulating you!" said Ryuu, practically spitting out the words.
"Maybe he is," replied Bell, "But even so…is it that bad?"
"Bell! These people are evil! They turned on Orario! They were heroes, but they turned their backs on the city and killed innocent people! They're monsters!" replied Ryuu.
Ryuu saw Bell's body tremble and shake.
"I know that, alright?" replied Bell, tears falling, "But can't I just have this? Can't I just have a family? Can't I have somewhere that I came from?"
Ryuu almost said, 'I thought we were your family,' but she held her tongue. Bell was obviously hurting, and right now, he needed her support. Ryuu crouched down next to him.
"Bell, I won't claim to understand. The only family I ever had, I ran away from. Then, I had to make a new one with Astrea Familia, and after that, at the Hostess of Fertility. Now, I do it again with you and Goddess Hestia and everyone else. But I will tell you, we are all here for you," said the elf, holding his shoulders.
Bell shook his head, "I know, but it's not the same!" Bell reached out to the grave, "I know it's difficult, and it doesn't make sense, but talking to her…it feels like I have roots. I feel like I have a history I didn't have before."
There was a quiet before Bell spoke again, "I know that she was a bad person. Hermes told me about the dark days of Orario. He told me about what Aunt Alfia did…and how you knew her. He told me…about Ardee. I'm sorry, Ryuu."
Bell expected rage. He expected hatred and shouting. Instead, what he found was Ryuu, also crying she perched next to him. They pulled each other close, both seeking warmth and comfort.
"Why did you bring me here, Bell?"
Bell sighed, "She was your friend. You deserved to know that I know."
"Do you know that I helped kill your aunt?" asked Ryuu.
Bell nodded, "Lord Hermes told me about that too."
A moment of silence. Then, Ryuu spoke again.
"Do you hate me for it?"
Bell shook his head, "No, like you said, she did horrible things and took part in the deaths of innocent people."
"But you don't hate her?"
"I don't know…but I do know that I'm happy she existed. If she's real, then it means that my parents are real…and that I have…."
Bell trailed off, unable to finish. It sounded silly to say out loud. Of course, he had parents; how else would he be alive?
To know that, though, and to have proof and believe it, were two totally different things. Ryuu seemed to understand because she nodded. The elf looked at the grave.
"Obviously, there is a lot more for us to talk about here…" began Ryuu, "but for now, I suppose if she helps you calm down, then it is acceptable," Ryuu looked to Bell, "so, what do you do now?"
Bell shrugged, "I talk to her, and I hope that she is listening."
Ryuu nodded and turned back to the grave, "Ummm…hello Alfia, I know that it has been a while…and that we aren't friends…."
Bell nodded encouragingly.
Ryuu sighed, "I know we were enemies, Alfia, but there's one thing I'm sure we would agree on. Since you're not here, I will do everything within my power to protect your nephew," Ryuu blushed, "I care about him a great deal. I swear on your grave that I'll keep him safe."
No one spoke then. Bell was staring at Ryuu, who was looking at the ground. After a minute of silence, Ryuu stood up.
"I think it's time we returned home," Ryuu turned around, "I will be waiting outside the graveyard."
Her movements were stiff, and her voice was tight. Ryuu was most certainly not done with this conversation, and she might very well be angry with Bell, but she was focusing on the expedition for now. As she walked away, the elf seemed to trip on a non-existent root.
Bell turned back to the grave, "I know you probably don't like her, Auntie, but I do. Ryuu's one of my most trustworthy companions, and I don't know what I would do without her."
Bell told Alfia about the upcoming expedition and explained his trepidation about working with Ais. Things were starting to make sense to Bell now. No matter how much he thought they had begun to trust each other again, Bell knew that it wasn't real, not yet. This was the Dungeon they were talking about, and they had to trust each other absolutely. And if Bell was honest…he didn't trust Ais.
Bell finished telling Alfia about his fears, and then he said goodbye. He found Ryuu waiting for him outside the gates, and the two adventurers made their way home. The walk back was quiet until they got close to home. When the manor was in sight, Bell turned to Ryuu.
"Ummm Ryuu, I was hoping that…." Bell trailed off.
Ryuu smiled, "No need to worry, Bell, I won't be telling anyone about Alfia."
Bell breathed like a tremendous pressure had been released, "Thank you, Ryuu; I really mean it."
The two returned home to find their Familia putting together the last touches for their supplies. Hestia was the first to spot the two Familia executives.
"Ahhh, there you are. I was worried I'd have to send out a search party," the Goddess held up their note, "This was the only thing stopping me from totally freaking out."
"We apologize, Goddess Hestia," replied Ryuu, who nodded her head.
Hestia waved it off, "No problem. You two are executives now, remember? You gotta get over being here for the small stuff."
"For once, Lili agrees with Goddess Hestia," answered the prum, "Leave the logistics to Lili and Mister Welf. Now, all we're waiting for is…."
"Hello?" came a familiar voice.
Lili smiled, "Our allies."
Working together, Miach Familia, Takemikazuchi Familia, Hestia Familia, and Aisha made their way to the Dungeon, all loaded with their supplies. Haruhime, Lili, and Chigusa carried the most, with everyone else carrying just what they would need for themselves.
At the entrance to the Dungeon, the Loki Familia executives and Hephaistos were waiting for them. When Hephaistos saw Welf, she dragged him away, saying that she had a parting gift to give. Finn talked to Lili, and Riveria pulled Bell aside.
The high elf loomed over him, "Listen up, Bell Cranel, I am entrusting you with my daughter, my apprentice, and my little brother. If anything happens to any of them, you'll answer to me. Do we understand each other?"
Bell nodded frantically, and Riveria walked back to her Familia, seemingly satisfied. When she found a laughing Loki and Gareth waiting for her, she smacked them both over the head.
Bell couldn't focus on them, though, because Lili decided that it was time.
"Everyone, it's time to get moving! Form up around Lili to hear your jobs!"
Loki Familia and Hephaistos left with Hestia in tow. It was a collective decision that it would be too dangerous for the Goddess to stay by herself. Instead, she would be living with Hephaistos for the next week while she worked. She bid goodbye to her children, saving Bell for last. The Goddess took his hands, her blue shawl rustling around her. The bells in her hair ribbons made a twinkling sound as she moved.
"Bell, I want you to promise me that you'll come home safe, alright?"
Bell nodded, "I'll always come back to you."
Hestia gave his hands one final squeeze before she turned away. She left with Loki Familia, walking side-by-side with Hephaistos.
Bell rejoined his Familia, hearing Lili's party formation for the first eighteen floors.
"At the front of the party, scouting ahead will be Lady Otohime, Mister Urashima, and Miss Mikoto. If there's anything suspicious going on, you come running back and get help," Lili levelled a glare at Otohime, "Is Lili understood?"
Otohime nodded sheepishly.
"In the front, as the first line of defence, will be Mister Ouka and Mister Welf. Behind them will be Miss Chigusa and Miss Daphne to provide support," continued Lili.
The four adventurers nodded in confirmation.
"Then it will be the mages, Mister Elwin and Miss Lefiya. Lili, Miss Cassandra, and Lady Haruhime will be right behind them," Lili turned to the Amazon, "and Miss Aisha will be in charge of protecting us."
Said amazon, which the Gods had given the new Alias of Hippolyta: Queen of the Amazons, tossed her hair back. She grinned, "I hear you little prum," she looked at Bell, "All that leaves is for the three monsters to bring up the rear then."
Ais narrowed her eyes, but Lili nodded, "That is true. Lili would like the three strongest members of the party to remain in the rear guard for now. This way, the weaker and newer members can train upfront. This formation will be the same when the party faces down the Goliath."
Lili looked at Otohime, who had her new katana at her side, "Again, Lili would remind everyone to keep calm and not go charging off."
Otohime studied the ground and replied with a "Yes, Commander."
When Lili was satisfied that everyone understood their roles, they finally made their way into the Dungeon. Watching from the top of Babel was Freya.
Allen stood next to her, "I don't get why you won't just let us take out the rest of them down there."
Freya moved a hand to pet her chariot, "Now, now, I promised our friends down there that they would have the first shot," Freya looked at Bell's tainted soul and saw it reacting to the presence of the Sword Princess, "Besides, he's not right yet… he's not…perfect."
Within the Dungeon, the assembled party was quickly making their way through the first seventeen floors. A large part of their speed, though, came from just how fast their forward scouts were able to alert and clear the way. Now that she was level four, Mikoto's Yatanokurogarasu stretched out even further. She was finding monsters over forty feet away, which gave her party plenty of time to react.
And since most of the party's power was loaded at the back, most monsters were too scared to attack. Everything came at them head-on, which made it easy for their vanguard to respond accordingly. This also meant that the rearguard had a lot of time to themselves.
"Bell, are you excited?" asked Ais, trying to make conversation. Tione had told her that there were many opportunities on this trip to get closer to Bell. While everyone else had been practicing their battle strategies and weapon skills, Ais had studied the art of 'Flirting' from her fellow Familia members.
Ais placed a hand on Bell's wrist. Apparently, physical contact was crucial for this flirting business. Ais also thought it was a good idea to hold Bell's wrist, so he didn't run away. The bunny had a bad habit of doing that.
Bell tilted his head at Ais, looking at his hand, "Yes, Ais, I'm ok…why are you holding my wrist?"
Ais almost responded that she was trying to flirt with him, but then she remembered that she wasn't supposed to say that. She scrambled for an answer…
"I'm very nervous and need you to help keep me calm," replied Ais, as serious as ever. Tione had tried to help her practice her facial expressions but soon decided that such things were beyond Ais's abilities…for now.
"I'm sorry, Miss Wallenstein…but you're nervous…. on the seventeenth floor?" asked Ryuu from Bell's other side. Ryuu was all for caution in the Dungeon, but Ais Wallenstein was probably the best monster killer in Orario…why would she be nervous?
Ais nodded, "Yes, I'm very nervous," she shuffled closer to Bell, "I need you to hold me, Bell."
While Bell almost had a panic attack from Ais's sudden…closeness, an Amazon watched on. She turned towards the Renard she was protecting in the middle of the party.
"You know, if you're not careful, the Sword Princess is going to steal him away from you," commented Aisha.
Haruhime looked back to watch the spectacle. The fox girl frowned but did not blush. She looked to Aisha, "I feel as it should upset me more, but it doesn't. This past year, travelling with Master Bell…something changed…."
Aisha quirked an eyebrow at that, but it was Cassandra who responded first.
"I think I get that…" began the quiet healer. She had a tight grip on her staff, and her nerves still weren't great, but she seemed to be holding herself better than usual.
Looking towards the front of the party, she continued, "Bell was the first person to listen to my dreams. He was the first one to believe me, and that meant a lot. In a way, he saved me," the healer frowned, "but after he left, I started to realize something; I only had the one moment. That didn't feel like enough to fall in love. I began to think…."
Cassandra started to change to a dark crimson colour, "Well…what if there was someone who had always been watching over me and who had always believed in me?"
Aisha followed Cassandra's line of sight, and she smiled, "Ahhh, yes, that makes sense."
Obviously, Haruhime had begun to think similarly because she also looked to the party's front and blushed. There was someone who had been watching over Haruhime for quite some time, but were those feelings stronger than those for the hero who saved her? Haruhime also looked behind her and realized that the more important question was: did she even have a chance with Bell Cranel?
Just in front of them, a pair of mages had their own discussion. Even though they weren't talking about love directly, the emotion was certainly still hanging in the air.
"So, what are your active spells for this expedition Elwin?" asked Lefiya, trying to start a conversation.
"Well, there's Datauri, the one that gives me the fist-fighter ability. Then there's Aurata, a shielding spell. Finally, there's Geminus, a spell that allows me to split in two for fighting," explained Elwin. At the mention of the third spell, something switched in Lefiya. Her eyes went dark, and her grip on her staff tightened.
"Lefiya, are you ok?" asked Elwin.
Lefiya nodded robotically.
"You know, I'm always here," responded Elwin as he placed a hand on the elf's shoulder, "I'll help in whatever way I can. So, if you ever want to talk about this…lost friend of yours…" Elwin didn't know what he was saying, and even his own words sounded painful to his ears. How was he supposed to comfort someone?
"She was so much more than my friend," responded Lefiya, her voice quiet and distant. Before their conversation could continue, though, they arrived at their destination. Lili called a halt to the party to explain their next formation.
"Everyone level four and below will work to engage the Goliath. By Lili's calculations, it should be spawning in ten minutes, which gives us time to set up the way we want. You level fives, and the Sword Princess, are on crowd control. Any excess monsters that spawn are yours to deal with. Miss Haruhime and Miss Cassandra, you two will be with Lili to provide support. Mister Elwin, you will be guarding us," explained the little prum.
Everyone gave nods of understanding, and the party filed into the room. In all honesty, this was not the first big challenge. Even though it was a Monster Rex, the Goliath was nothing compared to the party composed of top-tier and second-tier adventurers.
The level fours arrayed themselves in front of the wall where Goliath was known to spawn. Then, Chigusa, Ouka, and Welf took up position behind them. Their job was to pick off any stray monsters near Goliath's wall while providing support against the great beast. Then, the supporters took up position to the side, and Lili surveyed the battlefield. All that was left was for their top adventurers to engage the monsters hiding on the outskirts.
Those beasts were nothing, though, and ten minutes passed peacefully. When the time was up, the room began to shake. The great wall of crystal began to fracture, and the party of adventurers drew their weapons. Birthed in front of them, crawling out from a great fissure, was Goliath in all its disgusting glory.
The great beast pulled itself out, surveyed the adventurers in front of it, and let out a mighty roar. As if in response, the party's resident royalty roared out her own defiance. She looked to her companions, who nodded, and she sprang into motion.
Otohime had learned since her last encounter with the monster. Now, she ducked and weaved, aiming for the legs of the behemoth. She focused on its left leg, and Urashima focused on its right.
While that happened, Mikoto began chanting, "I humbly preach to you, my benevolent War God…."
She began her magic, dodging the great beast's fists as she sang. Daphne danced around the other fist of the Goliath, and in this way, all of the monster's great appendages were occupied. This left the smith to point his great magic sword at the Goliath's face.
"Hii!" shouted Welf Crozzo.
A great blast of flames answered, and Goliath reeled back from pain. It swept a massive arm, aiming to bowl overall its opponents, but the great strength of Ouka caught it. The large man dug his feet in, slowing the momentum of Goliath's arm. He could not stop it, but his strength gave his allies time to jump out of the way.
While that happened, Ais Wallenstein began to feel consumed with jealousy. When they had entered the room, Ryuu had instantly paired herself with Bell for monster duty. This made sense since they were in the same Familia. That didn't mean that Ais had to be happy about it, though. So, instead of fighting with Bell, Ais protected Lefiya as she chanted.
"Arcs Ray!" cried out the elf.
In response, a great piercing arrow of magic obliterated the monsters in front of her. Due to Lefiya's own nervousness, the two Loki Familia members were focused on Elwin and the supporters. All monsters near them were destroyed relatively quickly. Between bouts of jealousy, Ais noticed that Lefiya's magic seemed a little more erratic than usual.
Goliath let out another mighty roar, swinging both of its fists down together.
"Everyone, get back! Shockwave incoming!" howled Lili.
The resounding boom of the hammer blow left a dent in the floor. However, that was also the opening the adventurers had been waiting for. Urashima and Otohime took the opportunity to jump up and run along the beast's arms. They cut and slashed as they ran, finishing with great stabs to the beast's shoulders, Otohime with her bisento and Urashima with both of his daggers.
"Kuro Kara!" finished Mikoto.
When Goliath stood back up, Mikoto rose with it. Her wings turned her into a significant annoyance. She buzzed around the Monster Rex and started cutting at its neck. In response, Goliath tried to swat her out of the air.
Seeing that the beast was sufficiently distracted, Lili shouted to Welf, "Use the blade!"
Welf nodded and took a running start. Ouka carried his shield at an angle, and when Welf jumped off the top of it, the big Far Eastern man gave him a boost. Now, the original plan that Lili and Welf had gone over was that Welf was supposed to use the blade's fireside. What happened was that Welf stabbed down, wind edge first. So, when Welf activated his magic sword, a great tornado raged inside Goliath. It became filled with the power of the air. The beast ballooned in size until the magic winds could not be contained. Then, it exploded.
What followed was a rain of guts and blood that covered the adventurers head to toe. Thankfully, the magic stone had remained unharmed, and it fell to the ground with a thump. Also, falling to the ground was part of the Goliath's fur. Welf admired his handiwork for all of a second before hell broke loose.
"WELF!" shouted Otohime. Being closest to the beast meant that she was the most drenched in gore.
As the Princess bore down on him, it took Urashima and Mikoto to restrain her.
"I understand your feelings, Milady, but we can't kill him!"
"Please calm down, Lady Otohime! I'm sure Sir Welf did not mean it!"
The struggle continued for three minutes before Otohime had calmed down enough to see reason. That said, many of the female members of the party were not happy with the smith. Even the Sword Princess seemed angry. Tione had been very clear that to keep Bell's attention, Ais had to look her best at all times. That was not possible covered in monster guts.
"It is alright, everyone," said Ryuu, "There are springs on Floor Eighteen that we can use to clean ourselves."
Everyone made it clear that this was the most desirable plan. They all hustled down to Floor Eighteen, bypassing Rivira. Instead, they pushed for the same springs they had used over a year ago after the pass parade. The girls claimed the first usage, but a certain elf had a stringent warning before they left.
"There will be no funny business!" said Lefiya, "If I even catch a whiff of one of you trying to peek, there will be dire consequences!"
"Except you, Ura! Peek all you want!" declared Otohime, but then she pouted, "But only peeking at me! If I catch you looking at anyone else, I'll punish you!"
Even Ais took time to look at Bell, "No looking."
The girls marched off then, leaving the boys to their imagination. Five minutes passed in silence before Elwin got bored and poked Urashima, who was sitting cross-legged and deep in thought.
"So, how's that meditation going?" asked Elwin.
"Shut up," replied Urashima.
"Meditation?" asked Ouka.
Elwin cackled, "Our ninja boy here is trying to distract himself from imagining his Princess naked right now."
Ura started to turn red, "I said shut up."
"Oh, come on, are you telling me you can't?" Elwin leaned in close to whisper in Urashima's ear, "Otohime is naked there right now, scrubbing clean all the monster blood. And what lies underneath? That perfect porcelain skin of hers just dying to feel your touch."
Urashima broke meditation then, pulling his hood down his face to hide his embarrassment.
Ouka coughed, "I'm sorry, but…is it really a big deal? Since you two are together, you must have seen her…bare before, yes?"
Urashima shook his head. The mumbling from beneath his clothing was barely heard, "Me and Otohime are not…together."
Ouka frowned, "But you two are so close…you share a skill that proclaims your love…."
Urashima, still turning a dark shade of red, explained, "We have promised to each other that we cannot be together until we see each other beyond the roles that have guided us our whole lives."
Meanwhile, with the girls…
"Seems a little stupid if you ask me," said Aisha, bluntly, "You two love each other, very deeply, I might add, so why bother with the waiting?
Otohime blushed, "Because I want to make sure…."
"Make sure of what?" asked Ais. This conversation was critical to her understanding and education.
"Make sure that he loves me for me, not for the Princess," replied Otohime.
"What's the difference?" asked Daphne, who was helping scrub Cassandra clean. The healer had broken down and was now trying to put her brain back together. It was difficult to do since she felt Daphne's body press up against hers.
Otohime pondered the question as she wrung out her hair. She stood in contemplative silence. When her hair was finally dry, she nodded.
"If he loved me as the Princess, that meant that he just loved protecting me," began Otohime, "But that's not actually love. Love is…it would be…."
The Princess stumbled, but Aisha helped her along, "It would be an unequal relationship?"
Otohime smiled as she nodded, "Yes, exactly," she clapped her hands together, "Love, and being someone's partner, is about an equal relationship! It is about us supporting each other, for good and bad. It isn't a one-way thing!" Otohime shook her head, "I know Ura loves me, and he knows that I love him, but we want to make sure we love each other as equals."
"So, it's not just about saving each other?" asked Ais, in total shock.
"I think that what Lady Otohime means is that there is more to it than just protection," replied Haruhime, the gears in her brain turning, "The word is partner after all."
Aisha ruffled the renard's hair, "That's a good point."
Back with the guys, Urashima had decided on retaliation. He turned to his elfish companion.
"You do realize Princess Otohime isn't alone, correct?"
Elwin tilted his head, "What do you mean?"
"Lefiya was covered in blood and guts just as much as everyone else," replied Urashima. He was trying to wipe down and oil his metallic arms as much as possible before bath time.
The gears began to turn in Elwin's brain, and like a lightning bolt, he turned a dark pink colour. The half-elf turned to stare in the direction that the women had walked off to.
"So, you mean that…Lefiya is…."
"Yep," finished Welf. He looked over at Ouka and Bell, "Just like Chigusa and Ais."
Then, every man except the smith got caught up in their own daydreams.
These men were not alone, though. For a most peculiar reason, Mikoto was daydreaming too. The rest of the girls had just assumed that her obsession with baths had taken over, but the reality was that she was thinking about the golden hair of a close friend…
"Hey Black Crow!" shouted Aisha, "Wake up!"
To punctuate this, the amazon dunked the Far Eastern girl underwater. The sudden rush shook Mikoto out of her stupor. Why was she thinking of Haruhime of all people? Usually, her thoughts would drift to that of her God. In all the love talk that had taken place, though, something started to shift. For the briefest moment, there was a flicker of something else.
The rest of the bath was uneventful. The girls finished, and then they swapped with the men. The guys proceeded to have an uneventful bath, and not a single one of them considered the fact that the girls had just been in the same water.
Their side quest complete, the expedition stopped off in Rivira to leave the giant Goliath magic stone with Bors for the week. They paid for this storage with the Goliath fur drop item. Then, with a wave and a handshake, they were on their way through the Great Tree Labyrinth.
"Bell, bugbears!" called out Ryuu.
The monster attacks were relentless; great swarms of them washed over the party in every direction. The scouting party had pulled closer to help support the vanguard, and the three level four adventurers worked together to stop a swarm of battle boars. In the middle of the party, Ais stood at the ready. When asked why she was moved to protect the mages and supporters, Lili reminded her that the point was for Hestia Familia to get stronger. Ais pouted, but she accepted the answer. Now though, she was forced to watch Bell and Ryuu work in tandem to cut down the bugbears at the rear of the party.
"Golden-fleeced ram, who protects from all injuries, shine over me and my allies, protect us from ruin and devastation, I name thee Aries, the sign of the Ram: Aurata!"
At Elwin's completed change, a golden shell formed in front of the mages and supporters. A group of battle boars that were charging in front of them crashed against the shield. Elwin's teeth grit, and his feet slipped in response to the attack.
"Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree. You are an expert of the bow. Shoot, sniper of the fairies. Penetrate, arrow of absolute accuracy," added Lefiya, "Arcs Ray!"
A shot of light streamed out, piercing through an entire column of monsters. When Lili had asked Lefiya to fire off a spell, the original idea was to relieve some pressure from the front-line. Instead, Lefiya had obliterated the enemy. Elwin turned to stare at the little elf.
"That's your magic?"
Lefiya blushed, "Yes, why? Is there something wrong?"
"It's incredible!"
The half-elf had only been vaguely aware of Lefiya's magic. Every time she had cast it before, he had been fighting other battles. Now, he was face to face with Riveria's successor, and it made him tremble.
In the back, Bell and Ryuu dominated the entire party of bugbears. The great lumbering beasts swung their arms and met nothing but air as the two high-speed adventurers cut and slashed. Any monster that survived met a brutal end by way of Aisha's padao.
In the front, just when they finished off the last of the boars, a flock of firebirds came flying in. With his Veritas Burn skill, Welf took the point position, with Urashima right behind him. The birds' fire did nothing to his prosthetic arms. While they bore the brunt of the attack, Chigusa and Mikoto used ranged weapons to dispatch the rest.
After that prolonged battle, the group took a quick break. Thankfully, the worst of the wounds were some minor cuts and burns.
Bell was talking with Ryuu when Ais walked up to him. Her hands were hidden behind her back. She waited in silence until Bell finally noticed her standing there.
"Yes, Ais?" asked Bell, confused.
"I thought you might need a potion," responded Ais. From behind her back, she brought a simple potion, the vial half-full.
"Oh!" replied Bell, caught off-guard, "Um, thank you!"
Really, Bell had no need for the potion, but it seemed rude not to take it. When he finished it, he turned back to Ais, "But this was half-full; who drank the first half?"
"I did," came the monotone reply.
Watching the two interact, Ryuu felt sharp attacks of jealousy. She could hear Alise, Lyra, and Kaguya laughing at her from the beyond.
"Excuse me, Miss Wallenstein," asked Ryuu, partly out of spite, "But did you waste a potion? You did not fight in this attack, and I do not see any wounds."
Ais pouted, "It wasn't one of yours. I brought my own." She did not add that Tione had bought the potion for her for this specific moment.
Before Ryuu could continue reprimanding her, a little prum overheard the conversation, "To waste such an item, though!" Began Liliruka, "This is not Loki Familia! We do not have the same resources, and we cannot afford to squander! Also, why didn't you say you had the potion? Lili needs to know every resource and opportunity that the party has!"
In the face of Lili's jealousy-fuelled shouting, Ais cowered. This reminded her too much of Riveria and the reprimands the high elf could give. Suddenly, a hand came to rest on the Sword Princess's shoulder.
"Lay off of it, Little Bit. How's Ais supposed to know that?" said Welf. He turned his head, "Just be careful next time, ok. We don't have as much money as your Familia."
Ais nodded but looked at the ground, "I'm sorry."
Why was everything going so wrong?
"Eh, it was just one potion," Welf patted her shoulder a couple times before he walked off. Everyone else watched on, feeling awkward as they tried to make sense of this side of Ais Wallenstein. She did not seem like a mighty adventurer, more just like a young woman.
There were no further incidents to the twenty-fourth floor. The plan was to recuperate the rest of the day as much as possible. Tomorrow, they were going down to fight Amphisbaena. Instead of their original spot, in the hollow tree, Hestia Familia was using a large burrow area for their campsite. They had a much larger expedition force now and needed extra space.
When they got there, though, the area was occupied by a green dragon. The beast must have been irregular, for it was almost twice the size of a normal beast. Lili took stock of the situation and opened her mouth to lay out a plan of attack.
"Awaken, Tempest."
There was a rush of wind, a large bursting sound, and a flash of steel. Where there had once been a giant, dangerous, irregular monster stood an adventurer. Standing there, Desperate in hand, was the Sword Princess.
She turned to her companions, "The campsite is clear."
Even Aisha walked inside in awe. This one moment was a clear reminder of the power Ais Wallenstein held. Lefiya almost laughed at her companions' reactions; she remembered thinking the same when she first joined Loki Familia.
Lili wanted to be angry, but instead, she set to work organizing the campsite. She started assigning tasks to the individual members.
"Everyone, please start handing over your weapons to Mister Welf. Miss Ryuu, Lady Haruhime, Miss Cassandra, and Mister Ouka, please set up our tents. Miss Mikoto, Miss Chigusa, and Mister Elwin, you are on dinner duty. Mister Urashima, Lady Otohime, and Miss Aisha start cutting the walls to prevent monsters from spawning. Master Bell, please take guard duty," Lili turned to their guests, unsure what to say or suggest.
Thankfully, Lefiya had an offer ready, "I'll go help with dinner."
Ais nodded, "And I'll go help stand guard."
Lili didn't want to agree to the Sword Princess's request, but she couldn't see Ais Wallenstein doing much else to help.
Ais walked over to stand with Bell at the mouth of the burrow. She started scanning the darkness while grasping for something to say.
"Excuse me, but Ais, why did you attack the dragon?" asked Bell.
"Because dragons are monsters, and we needed to set up camp."
"But what about fighting with your allies," responded Bell. He sounded so tired.
Ais frowned, "I knew I would be ok, so it was better to make sure no one else got hurt."
"Ais, you could've gotten hurt."
"I was fine. Monsters like that aren't as dangerous to me."
Why was Bell so insistent about this?
"You should've waited, though. You should've listened," responded Bell, hurt by Ais's refusal to understand.
"Listen for what?"
"For Lili, or for me or Ryuu, we have to work together, Ais," continued Bell, frustrated, "You're supposed to be a member of the party. You can't just run on ahead or attack without us. Do you think we can't do it?"
"But I never said that…."
Bell sighed, nervous about what he had to say next, "But you act like it, Ais. This entire time, you've been acting weird and different. Are you taking this seriously?"
Bell hated what he was saying; the problem was, this was his responsibility. He had to let people know when they were wrong so that the whole group could get stronger. Even if that meant being mean to Ais.
Meanwhile, the Sword Princess was wracking her brain for what she did wrong. She had done what Tione had told her, but now Bell was more upset! She just wanted to help him and make him happy. Ais remembered what everyone else had said when they were bathing.
"So, how can I help you?" asked the girl.
"Listen to Lili, don't run off," Bell turned to Ais and took one of her hands in his, "And please, Ais, just be yourself."
Surprised at his own boldness, Bell let go and whipped around to face forward. He said nothing else for their shift. And little Ais freaked out, marvelling at how warm Bell's hand was. She stared at her open palm for what felt like an eternity.
Later, when it was time for dinner, Aisha and Daphne rotated over to stand at the camp's entrance. Everyone else sat around to enjoy the Dungeon stew that Mikoto and Chigusa had made. Meanwhile, a half-elf had made a new friend apparently…
"This is amazing," said Ais, munching happily on a potato puff. True to his skills, Elwin had made Dungeon potato puffs for the Sword Princess. The top-tier adventurer was floored by the apparent miracle in front of her. She even made cute sounds of contentment as she ate.
Ouka watched on before leaning close to Welf, "I can't figure her out."
Welf shrugged, "Then don't try to. Treat her like how she actually is a regular adventurer."
Ouka nodded, "I suppose so."
At another part of the circle…
"Say ahhh!" said Otohime, holding a spoon near Urashima's mouth.
"Lady Otohime, I have both my arms. There is no need to feed me," replied Urashima.
"But I want to!"
Urashima rolled his eyes fondly and opened his mouth. He had a terrible habit of not saying no to Otohime's smile.
Ais saw the interaction and looked between her potato puff and Bell. Then, she remembered the conversation they just had and frowned. It was probably for the best to sit quietly and eat her potato. Bell saw this, and he saw how sad she looked. He put a little stew on his spoon.
"Would you like to try the stew, Ais?"
Ais's heart started to beat much faster than usual. Apparently, Tione said that was a good sign. It meant that happy things were going on. Ais nodded and accepted the spoonful of stew.
"Lili would like some stew as well!"
"If it is not too much to ask…" added Ryuu, her cheeks a dusty pink.
Bell scrambled but made sure to offer stew to the other two girls.
Mikoto opened her mouth, meaning to ask for Lady Haruhime, but she felt a tugging on her sleeve. She turned to find Haruhime looking at the ground, a beaming Chigusa behind her. The usually quiet Far Eastern girl was nodding encouragingly. The renard's hand was shaking, her tail swishing erratically behind her.
"Ummm…Mikoto, would you like to try some of my stew?"
Half of Mikoto's brain was confused, but the other half was made deliriously happy for some reason. Without understanding why, her lips parted, and she leaned forward.
Watching all of this, Lefiya turned to Elwin expectantly. The half-elf didn't notice, though, and gobbled up the last of his food. He patted his stomach afterwards and turned to Chigusa.
"That was a wonderful dinner! Thank you very much!"
When he turned his head back around, he found Lefiya glaring at him.
"What?"
The elf harumphed and crossed her arms, "Nothing."
Welf smacked his forward as he watched on.
"Some people really are clueless, aren't they?" asked Ouka from beside him.
The smith turned to his friend. Welf made a face of incredulousness, "Like you're one to talk big guy!"
Ouka's brow furrowed, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Welf shook his head, "Not my place."
From their position at the entrance, Aisha and Daphne watched on.
"So, who do you think will be the first to get together?" asked the Amazon.
"Are we counting the Princess and the Bodyguard?" responded Daphne.
Aisha shook her head.
Daphne snorted, "Then I'd say the half-elf and the elf. Probably Enchantenko and Black Crow afterwards."
"And yourself?"
Daphne opened her mouth to respond, totally confused, but then she felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned to find Cassandra standing there, holding a wooden bowl.
"I brought you dinner…."
Daphne felt her lips quirk up, "Thank you, Cassandra."
It was halfway through dinner that Daphne looked up to find a smug Aisha gazing at her. Then she looked back down at the bowl. Then her eyes widened, "Oh…."
With that, the first day of the expedition came to a loving close.
Here's another one! We are almost all caught up folks! Moving forward, we have a lot of relationships to talk about and set up for the future. Will Ais and Bell figure things out? Who knows honestly? There's a lot to talk with this expedition, but most importantly, this is the Dungeon and nothing is as it seems. Responding to the review I got, I don't totally understand it, but I will take it as a compliment thank you very much!
