[She] had tasted despair.
Again and again.
No salvation to be found, no future in sight.
No matter how she struggled, she remained trapped in the abyss.
Even when she repeatedly defied orders, she still could not speak of the [entity behind the scenes].
She could not oppose the [filth] imposed upon her, nor could she do anything that went against it. That was the law entwined around her.
Amid endless cries of grief, she became nothing more than a tool for communication.
As a pawn, she never abandoned her nobility, allowing herself to be manipulated by others.
Yet bound by laws and threats alike, there was very little she could actually do.
Her resistance and struggle only ended up playing straight into the designs of the [Puppeteer].
And now, the same scene was about to repeat itself once more.
Perhaps what lay ahead was manipulation and destruction.
Perhaps it would cause the only brilliant presence in her heart to wither away.
But she could no longer afford to worry about that.
She did not long for salvation.
She only wished that the light of the hero, just as she had once witnessed it, could illuminate someone else's future.
It was a noble trust.
And at the same time, a cruelty befitting a demon.
So she continued to pray within her heart.
Offering up everything she had.
...
The red-haired woman opened her eyes, her green pupils filled with disdain.
The air was damp, thick with a foul stench.
Countless shadows stirred quietly in the darkness.
At the edge of her vision stood a man clad in a black robe.
"The Dungeon is crawling with monsters. The adventurers must have noticed by now."
There was a hint of urgency in the man's voice.
"Enough nonsense. This was expected from the start."
The red-haired woman cast a glance into the darkness.
"I'm not leaving this place. Deal with it using the Viola."
As if answering her call, the deep, terrifying darkness let out piercing, mournful shrieks.
"Y-yes..."
The man shuddered and hurried away.
Just then, another man stepped out from the shadows, wearing a mask made of white bone.
"After that large-scale disturbance last time, we deliberately delayed things. I didn't expect the adventurers to still catch on."
The white-haired man spoke with a teasing tone.
"An incident so terrifying that even the Dungeon itself seemed to feel fear—the [Moon Goddess's Arrow] actually happened. The people on the surface are pretty lucky, aren't they?"
The red-haired woman snorted.
"It's nothing more than a delay in the plan. What needs to be done hasn't changed."
The white-haired man looked at the Viola rustling in the darkness, along with the shadowy figures moving among them.
He felt that this level of force was not enough to protect [her] existence.
"What if someone comes to interfere again, like on the thirtieth floor?"
His concern reached her ears.
The red-haired woman casually crushed a fruit in her hand.
"Hah. Then kill them."
...
Blue-white crystal light shimmered at the very top of the cavern.
Trees and crystal formations encircled a small graveyard.
Under the cool, pale glow, wooden cross-shaped headstones stood in silent stillness.
"I'm sorry, everyone… it's been quite a while since I last came to see you."
Ryuu murmured softly as she set down the white flowers in her hands, placing them one by one before several graves.
White blossoms lay intertwined with weapons of various kinds, forming the resting place of her former companions.
"I've started growing my hair out lately, so things might look a little different."
After finishing with the flowers, Ryuu took a bottle of liquor from her pack and poured it out before a few specific headstones.
The path of justice must not end.
The songs of justice still need to be sung.
From time to time, Ryuu would come here to speak to her fallen friends, telling them about what she had experienced lately.
Yet the Ryuu of a few years ago would never have imagined that most of those stories would now revolve around Bell.
"Talking about men with you all… it feels like a dream."
If her friends knew that Bell Cranel and Astraea had become lovers, what kind of reaction would they have?
It would probably turn into an unimaginable battlefield of chaos.
Ryuu's lips curved into a faint smile.
As if seeing through her thoughts, or perhaps as if her memories and longing had taken shape as voices in her mind.
"So this is what Lion looks like now. Totally a maiden, huh~"
No…
"I am an Amazon, and Lion beat me to it?! Uwaa…"
That's not it…
No matter how Ryuu tried to deny it, the voices continued to echo in her head.
Because they were nothing more than imaginary words, born from the turmoil in her heart.
"The age gap is an issue, isn't it?"
"Barely within acceptable limits…"
"But didn't that kid say he wanted a harem? I really can't picture Lion getting mixed up in that."
"That's just a young girl's love, right~"
Absolutely not!
Those inner voices crashed over Ryuu's heart like waves.
It was true that she held feelings for Bell Cranel, but those feelings were definitely not, and should never become, romantic love.
"But you grew your hair out on purpose because that boy likes it, right? You lecherous elf."
"You shameless maiden in love."
Ugh…
Those voices knew everything about her.
Under her friends' relentless teasing, Ryuu could only turn around and flee in a fluster.
"Lion, I support you!"
It was as if her confidants were standing before the graves, raising their fists in encouragement.
A cold breeze swept past, rustling the trees.
Chasing the heat from her cheeks away, Ryuu hurriedly left the Eighteenth Dungeon Floor.
On the way back.
The passage glimmered with faint phosphorescent light, and there wasn't a single monster in sight.
It had probably already been cleared out by some adventurer party…
Thinking that, Ryuu suddenly spotted the figure of a white-haired boy.
For an instant, she mistook it for another illusion like the one before.
But the appearance of a dark-haired elf changed her mind.
She wore a pure white outfit, her beautiful features carrying the distant elegance unique to elves.
The patterns on her clothing and her black gloves gave off a sharp, unapproachable air.
Under Ryuu's gaze, the girl walked straight toward Bell and spoke words that left her utterly stunned.
"Bell Cranel, I like you."
Her clear voice echoed through the passage.
Ryuu froze in place, as if turned to stone, cracks seeming to spread across her composure.
This girl had never once appeared at the boy's side.
In order to protect Syr and Goddess Astraea, Ryuu had always kept a close watch on his movements.
She was certain of it. This was the first time Bell had ever met this dark-haired elf.
"Uh...?"
Bell's confusion only confirmed Ryuu's conclusion.
What she hadn't expected, however, was this.
The beautiful girl showed not the slightest hint of hesitation.
"In other words, I fell in love with you at first sight. Will you accept my confession and become my lover?"
The words she spoke were warm and fervent, completely at odds with the cold aura surrounding her.
A confession the moment they met.
Such an intensely single-minded act should have felt absurd, yet it did nothing to diminish the elf girl's sense of purity and dignity.
Everything about this was strange.
Ryuu couldn't keep up with the sudden turn of events.
All she could do was repeat to herself that Bell would surely reject such a baseless confession.
And yet, reality cruelly played another joke on her.
"Bell-sama, this is definitely a trap!"
"Captain...?"
"Bell-dono, who is this woman?"
"Umm... why didn't I dream about something like this..."
"Filvis-san?! Stop right there!! You eternally horny rabbit!!!!"
Amid the girls' shouts, Bell glanced down at the black-haired elf's white stockings, then lifted his head.
Looking straight into those crimson eyes, he spoke softly.
"Alright. I'll be in your care from now on...?"